CHAPTER 847: CHAPTER 844: A CLEVER WOMAN

"Dad, can you teach me to swim?" As they passed by the swimming pool, Liu Yongkang suddenly asked excitedly.

"Sure, not only will dad teach you to swim, but also to ride a bike. And hey, you should learn how to protect mom too."

"I don’t need to learn that, I already know."

"Oh, how do you plan to protect mom?"

"Like this, for example."

Liu Yongkang clenched his little fists and hit Liu Shanhai’s bottom twice.

"Why did you make mom cry earlier?" he asked loudly.

Liu Shanhai paused slightly, then laughed loudly.

"You did great, but when you punch, lower your waist, one foot..."

Liu Shanhai taught his son a boxing stance, while Qi Wenjing watched them with a smile.

Yet the trace of worry on her brow seemed not to have dispersed.

She took out her phone, looked closely, then aimed it at the two. Just as Liu Shanhai turned around, she quickly put it away.

"Stop fooling around, let’s go back to the hotel, everyone is watching you two," Qi Wenjing said.

She eyed the passing people, noticing their gaze on the father and son, which made her feel a bit more relaxed.

Upon entering the hotel lobby, as they passed the reception desk, Qi Wenjing suddenly said, "Wait a moment."

She said it and walked to the front of the lobby. Liu Shanhai was talking to his son, heard her, and glanced up without much thought as Qi Wenjing soon returned.

"What happened?" Liu Shanhai asked casually.

"I booked a king-size room but worried it won’t fit us tonight, so I asked if the hotel had a twin bed room available, unfortunately, they’re all booked," Qi Wenjing replied with a smile.

"Ah..." Liu Shanhai was taken aback; he hadn’t expected Qi Wenjing to have thought about the accommodation issue.

He quickly smiled and said, "It’s fine if not, I’ll just sleep on the sofa tonight."

"The sofa can’t fit you, we’ll just squeeze in together," Qi Wenjing said with a laugh.

Then they walked into the elevator, Liu Shanhai hurriedly carrying his son to catch up.

Once inside the elevator, he noticed Qi Wenjing standing at the very front. Though somewhat surprised, he still held his son and stood behind her.

"Let’s go down and teach our son to swim later," Liu Shanhai said.

"Sure," Qi Wenjing responded.

"I just came back from swimming," Liu Yongkang grumbled, frowning.

"Did you learn to swim?"

"No..."

"Then it’s fine, let me tell you, don’t be nervous when you go underwater, just relax..."

Turning her back to them, Qi Wenjing stared intently at the closed elevator door, quietly listening to their conversation.

"Honey, you’re back for good this time, right? You won’t leave again?" Qi Wenjing suddenly asked.

Uncertain why she asked that, Liu Shanhai still smiled and replied, "I will have to leave, but I promise you, I won’t go into the mountains again."

"Really?"

"Yes, so you and our son don’t have to worry about me anymore."

"I wasn’t worried about you."

"Mom’s lying, you worry about dad every day, always like this."

Liu Yongkang mimicked his mother’s worried expression, making Liu Shanhai laugh heartily.

Listening to their laughter, she joined in with a smile.

Then Qi Wenjing no longer questioned Liu Shanhai.

Emotionally insensitive, Liu Shanhai failed to notice his wife’s peculiar behavior.

She stood ashore, watching Liu Shanhai teach their son how to swim.

She observed Liu Shanhai demonstrating punches and kicks, instructing their son on how to properly train to better protect mom.

She even agreed when Liu Shanhai bought a bicycle to teach their son to ride along Bay Avenue.

...

He seemed in a hurry, wanting to teach everything to their son.

Of course, he didn’t give all his time to their son either.

"Back then, your mom and I took our wedding photos right here." Liu Shanhai patted the trunk of a palm tree, his face faintly showing melancholy and loss.

Qi Wenjing, who had been focused on him, felt a mist appear in her eyes.

"Should I take a picture of you two again?" Liu Yongkang enthusiastically suggested.

"No need," the couple replied in unison.

Then they both turned to look at each other.

"I... I mean..."

Stammering, Liu Shanhai attempted to explain but couldn’t find the words.

At this moment, Qi Wenjing took the initiative to explain to their son, "Some memories are kept in the heart, you’ll never forget them whether or not you take photos."

"Is that so?"

Liu Yongkang scratched his little head, knowing mom hadn’t said that before.

Unlike most kids, Liu Yongkang didn’t much enjoy taking photos.

But Qi Wenjing loved photographing him, capturing everything.

She said cameras are humanity’s greatest invention; she said perhaps memories could be forgotten, but photos couldn’t, they record every beautiful moment.

But he didn’t dwell on the matter anymore, after all, he was only five this year, as long as he was happy, it was all good.

Time flew by, and night fell in an instant.

Having played all day, Liu Yongkang was evidently exhausted, falling asleep while watching TV, something he’d never done before.

Qi Wenjing snuggled in Liu Shanhai’s arms, gazing at the starry sky and the distant lights along the shoreline.

"Don’t you have anything you want to tell me?"

"Uh..." Liu Shanhai hesitated at her words.

"Are you planning to sneak away while I sleep?" Qi Wenjing said.

"Of course not, why would you think that?" Liu Shanhai replied, somewhat guiltily.

"I know everything already," Qi Wenjing stated.

"Know what?"

"I know you’re not human, but I’m sure you’re my Liu Shanhai, so what exactly are you?" Qi Wenjing sat up straight.

Liu Shanhai froze in surprise, "How do you know? When did you realize?"

"The first time I saw you," Qi Wenjing answered.

She glanced back at their son sleeping in the room.

"At the time, I was taking pictures of our son. You didn’t appear in the frame, I thought maybe I missed you too much, I imagined it..."

"But even if it’s an illusion, I’d be willing to see you again..."

"But when you and our son chatted and played beside the road, with passersby watching you, I knew this probably wasn’t a hallucination..."

"Though maybe you don’t exist, so son talking to himself might have drawn attention, that’s why I asked reception if I needed to register you when we returned to the hotel..."

"Reception said you’d need to register if you stayed overnight, and kindly offered a free room upgrade..."

"This confirmed you’re not an illusion, but really exist, just can’t be captured on camera..."

"Moreover, you didn’t drink water today, nor sweat at all, and there’s more..."

...

Seeing Qi Wenjing’s slightly boastful look, Liu Shanhai flashed a gentle smile.

"I’m indeed clever, discovering right away."

"So, what are you now?"

A trace of worry appeared on Qi Wenjing’s face, her body tense, yet showing slight nerves.

"You didn’t expose me immediately, are you not afraid I might be something bad that could harm you and our son?" Liu Shanhai asked, curious.

Qi Wenjing nodded yet shook her head.

Amidst Liu Shanhai’s questioning gaze, she explained, "Initially a bit, but once I was sure you were Liu Shanhai, I wasn’t afraid anymore."