“Uncle, where did Great-grandpa go? I haven’t seen him in a while.”


  Lu Shaoyan’s arms that were carrying Zhouzhou tightened. “Do you miss him?”


  “Of course I do! Great-grandpa has always been so nice to me. He’d tell Zhouzhou stories and give Zhouzhou tasty food. Zhouzhou likes Great-grandpa a lot!” He smiled at Lu Shaoyan and said, “Uncle, I am sure Great-grandpa likes you a lot too.”


  “Oh, you can tell that too?”


  “Of course! Zhouzhou is smart! Zhouzhou can tell! Great-grandpa would smile happily when he sees Zhouzhou, and he also smiles when he sees you. That day… the day that you gave Zhouzhou the ball, Zhouzhou noticed that Great-grandpa would smile every time he sees you!

  “I miss Great-grandpa so much but, every time I want to go see Great-grandpa, Grandma will tell me that Great-grandpa went somewhere far away. Great-grandpa is so old already. Why did he travel somewhere so far away?”


  Zhouzhou noticed that Lu Shaoyan did not say anything when he went on and on.

  “Uncle, do you miss Great-grandpa?”


  Lu Shaoyan stopped. He was faced with a choice. One was the stairway leading to the parking garage and the other, the hallway back to the dining hall.

  He had travelled a big circle with Zhouzhou.

  “Uncle?”


  Lu Shaoyan’s throat twitched violently. “…. Yes, I miss him.”


  He turned and walked toward the stairs.

  “Me too. When Daddy finds us, why don’t you give Great-grandpa a call? He’s not young anymore. He should be resting at home.”


  “Okay,” replied Lu Shaoyan perfunctorily.

  Perhaps it was a bit too rocky in Lu Shaoyan’s arm, Zhouzhou yawned as he laid over Lu Shaoyan’s shoulder. His eyes droopy; he seemed to be getting sleepy.

  “You can nap if you are sleepy.”


  Zhouzhou docilely nodded from his shoulder and said, “Alright. But be sure to wake me up when Daddy found me.”


  Lu Shaoyan stroked his back and chuckled softly. “Of course.”


  The door to the underground garage opened up and a Mercedes parked not too far from them in a not-so-crowded parking garage had its emergency lights blinking. A man in a black suit stood next to the car door. He opened up the door to the car immediately when he saw Lu Shaoyan.

  Lu Shaoyan stopped abruptly.

  “And, remember to tell me how long it will take Daddy to find me,” mumbled Zhouzhou. “I am sure he will find me any minute now.”


  His fuzzy head leaned on his shoulder. It was a very trusting posture. Lu Shaoyan could even catch a hint of the faint milky smell from Zhouzhou.

  Trust?

  Lu Shao smiled sarcastically. He had never trusted another soul ever since he was kidnapped at 13 years old. Only a silly child like Zhouzhou would be fooled the way that he did.

  He placed Zhouzhou into the backseat. Zhouzhou woke up the second that he was put in the car seat. He propped his body up with his arms and looked straight at Lu Shaoyan. His eyelashes, thick and fan-like, blinked, and he said to him, “Uncle, I want to go home with Daddy.”


  Lu Shaoyan closed the door without saying a word.

  Zhouzhou put his hands on the car window and leaned against the car door. He gave Lu Shaoyan a wronged look. “I don’t want to hide from Daddy. How else will he be able to find me?”


  Perhaps because Lu Shaoyan was unresponsive to him, Zhouzhou lowered his head and said to himself. “Daddy likes Zhouzhou. I am sure he is very nervous right now. I can’t hide from him. I want to go look for Daddy.”


  Grabbing onto the car door, he shouted out loudly, “Daddy! I am here! Zhouzhou is here!”


  Nevertheless, with the car door closed, his voice was contained to the interior of the car.

  The man in the driver’s seat slowly pulled the car out of the parking spot. Zhouzhou, his hands still on the car door, rubbed his beet-red eyes and continued to shout toward the outside. “Daddy, I am here!”


  Lu Shaoyan had a long face, and nobody knew what was going through his mind. He shut his eyes forcefully and said, “Stop the car!”


  The car pulled to a stop.

  Lu Shaoyan carried Zhouzhou from the car and looked at the child who was rubbing his eyes. He squatted down and looked into his misty eyes. “Okay, game is over. Your daddy has found you.”


  Zhouzhou’s hand that was rubbing his eyes stopped. He turned and smiled at Lu Shaoyan. “See! Just like I’ve said. Daddy will find me in no time!”


  Lu Shaoyan rubbed his fuzzy little head and said, “You are right. You are your daddy’s favorite child.”


  Zhouzhou looked around but didn’t see Lu Beichuan anywhere. “But where is Daddy?”


  Lu Shaoyan pointed in the direction that they came from. “Your daddy is right behind that door.”


  “Really?” Zhouzhou’s eyes beamed. He struggled free from Lu Shaoyan and was about to run toward that direction.