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Yang Tong had just finished his meal and was about to sit down on a stool when he heard someone calling his name. He turned around in surprise to find it was Lu Chen.
After placing his tray on the table, he exchanged a few words with his comrades before walking over.
"Uncle Yang, over here!"
Little Chen squirmed excitedly in Lu Zheng's arms, shouting loudly at Yang Tong while patting Lu Zheng's arm.
"Dad, let me down quickly! I want to find Uncle Yang!"
Lu Zheng held onto Lu Chen tightly with both arms like iron bars, causing the little guy to sweat with anxiety. His brows furrowed in displeasure as he looked up at Lu Zheng.
"Dad, hurry up and let me down!"
"Dad!"
The little fellow pouted unhappily at Lu Zheng, his big eyes blinking innocently as he gazed at him, a mix of confusion and discontent on his face.
Many people in the cafeteria turned their curious eyes toward them.
Lu Zheng's expression was not exactly pleasant; although his face was emotionless, the tightness of his lips betrayed his current mood.
Yang Tong stopped in his tracks and looked deeply at Lu Zheng. When his gaze shifted to Lu Chen, his eyes were filled with warmth.
"Little Chen!"
"Uncle Yang!"
Lu Chen stretched out his arms excitedly, happily asking for a hug.
Yang Tong reached out and grasped Lu Chen by the sides, applying a slight force, but the little boy didn’t budge an inch.
He glanced at Lu Zheng, who met his gaze; their eyes locked for a moment, both corners of their mouths lifting slightly in a shared understanding.
"Dad, loosen your grip!"
Lu Chen looked up at his father still firmly holding him and said unhappily to Lu Zheng. Yang Tong raised an eyebrow and remarked, "Captain Lu, you wouldn't be so stingy, would you? Little Chen and I are old friends."
"Yeah! I've known Uncle Yang for a long time; we’re good friends!"
Little Chen beamed with joy, struggling to escape from Lu Zheng's embrace.
The crowd around them continued to grow. Everyone knew there was some tension between Yang Tong and Lu Zheng, and they were all curious about the conflict between the newly arrived Commander Yang and Captain Lu.
As Lu Zheng's son struggled, Yang Tong gradually loosened his grip. In an instant, Yang Tong embraced Lu Chen, who happily wrapped his little arms around Yang Tong's neck and rubbed his face against him.
"Uncle Yang Tong, I missed you so much! Mom and I both wanted to see you. Mom said we could meet you here, and I really got to see my uncle!"
Yang Tong affectionately stroked the chubby little face of Lu Chen, joyfully watching the little guy. Lu Chen had gained some weight; his cheeks were plump and round.
Feeling shy, Lu Chen raised both small hands to cover his face, grinning bashfully. "Hehe, Mom and Dad took me to eat meat! The meat is so delicious! Uncle Yang Tong should eat meat too and get chubby!"
Yang Tong lifted the little boy slightly in his arms, feeling a sense of relief as he looked at him. It seemed that Lu Chen had been very happy during this time; his big eyes sparkled with the innocent joy that belonged to a child, radiating cuteness rather than timidity or caution.
The two shared a warm intimacy that felt more like a father-son bond than anything else.
Lu Zheng watched the natural affection between his son and Yang Tong, feeling that Lu Chen appeared much more at ease than he did in his own embrace. Was he overthinking things?
The sight of their closeness was somewhat jarring. Lu Zheng tightened his grip on the lunchbox in his hand, his lips pale from tension as he observed the two with a forced smile.
"Lu Chen, it's time for us to get lunch. Your mom must be waiting anxiously, and Uncle Yang Tong needs to eat too."
Hesitating, Lu Chen looked at Yang Tong with reluctance, making Lu Zheng's heart tighten.
Yang Tong smiled at Lu Zheng, a hint of understanding in his eyes. "It's alright; I'll hold Lu Chen while you get the food. You can't keep an eye on him while you're busy."
The little guy nodded eagerly at Lu Zheng, filled with hope as he looked up at him. He happily swayed in Yang Tong's arms.
"Yay! Let's go!"
Lu Zheng walked ahead with the lunchbox, while behind him came the cheerful voices of Lu Chen and Yang Tong.
"Uncle Yang Tong, I haven't seen you in such a long time! I really missed you!"
The little one leaned against Yang Tong's neck, unhappily fiddling with his fingers. This sight softened Yang Tong's heart as he gently squeezed Lu Chen's small hand.
"Uncle missed you too, Lu Chen. It's just that Uncle has been very busy and didn't have time. But now that you're here, we can see each other often!"
Lu Zheng walked ahead to get food, while Yang Tong accompanied them to the entrance of the cafeteria. Xiao Chen climbed down from his arms and tugged at his shirt.
"Uncle, you have to come play with me. My mom will be very happy to see you."
Yang Tong forced a smile, thinking of Qian, that heartless woman.
"Alright, Uncle will come play with Xiao Chen when he has time."
As Lu Chen walked beside Lu Zheng, it seemed he had just snapped back to reality from the joy of seeing Yang Tong and excitedly introduced, "This is my dad, Uncle! My dad is back; he's here to help me and my mom!"
The little guy looked up at Lu Zheng with admiration, his big eyes turning into crescent moons as he happily tugged at Lu Zheng's pants.
Yang Tong glanced at Lu Zheng; they both smiled at each other and nodded.
"Xiao Chen, let's go. Uncle should eat too."
Lu Zheng held Lu Chen's hand as they walked back. The little one occasionally turned around, reluctantly looking at Yang Tong, who stood still watching them leave.
On the way, Lu Zheng looked down at the bouncing Lu Chen and couldn't help but ask softly, "Xiao Chen really likes Uncle Yang Tong?"
"Yes! I like Uncle Yang Tong the most! But my mom is my very favorite!"
"Uncle Yang Tong buys me delicious food, helps my mom with chores, buys me new clothes, and teaches me how to deal with bullies."
The little guy smiled brightly at him, his mouth curving up to reveal his baby teeth, and his eyes sparkled with joy.
Lu Zheng let out a bitter laugh and pretended to be dissatisfied. "What about Dad? Don't you like Dad?"
"I like Dad too! It's just that Dad's time here is too short; I don't get to spend much time with him."
Looking at Lu Chen, Lu Zheng suddenly felt a wave of sadness and desolation wash over him.
Indeed, he hadn't been around much.
Even since Xiao Chen was born, he had only seen him during this brief period.
Their bond was partly rooted in blood relations; the genuine affection could never compare to the deep connection Yang Tong had built over time.
Lu Chen tiptoed happily along the way, humming a little tune—one of those popular songs he had heard from others.
"Dad, don’t be sad. If you stay with Xiao Chen longer in the future, I’ll like you even more!"
He opened his arms to show Lu Zheng, and the father and son exchanged smiles, both laughing happily.
Before they reached the corner, Xiao Chen eagerly broke free from Lu Zheng's hand and ran ahead.
As Lu Zheng turned the corner, he heard his son's cries coming from the other side.
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