Familiarity

Zhiyong bent on one knee and stretched out his arms wide towards Shuyang. They both looked at each other in the eye. The picture was like a father waiting for his child to come to him.

The president didn't know what has gotten into him but the more he looked at the Shuyang, the more his heart melted.

'Is it because of his innocent eyes?' he thought.

Shuyang's eyes formed into a crescent moon as he grinned wide while walking towards Zhiyong. He wrapped his little arms around Zhiyong's neck and snuggled into him closer.

Zhiyong heaved for air when Shuyang finds comfort in his embrace.

He stood up with Shuyang in his arms.

"Okay. Let's go find your mother."

With a sad face, Shuyang shook his head.

"Why? What's wrong?" the big one panicked seeing Shuyang sad.

"Mommy," he paused looking at Zhiyong who stopped on his tracks to listen to him, "Mommy is not here."

"What do you mean?"

"She's in Beijing."

His eyebrows met in the middle in confusion as he asked, "Who are you with today, then?"

"Papa."

'Could her parents be divorced?' he assumed.

"Aahhh... Are you going to your mother?"

With a hopeful smile, he answered, "Yes! She will be taking me to the doctor."

"Are you sick?" Zhiyong placed a palm on Shuyang's forehead as he inquired which was only answered with a nod and a glint of sadness.

Zhiyong was moved so he said, "You don't seem sick though."

He placed his ear on Shuyang's heart as if listening to it, then he looked at the little one with a beam, "You're fine. Your heart says so."

Shuyang broke into a toothy grin. He was more at ease now as he remembered how his mommy listens to his heart whenever he complains upon being sick.

The little one embraced Zhiyong which made the president feel loved.

'How great would it be to be a father of such a sweet child,' he said to himself.

"Let's go find your Papa."

Shuyang just nodded while comfortably leaning his head on Zhiyong.

The president, on the other hand, made his way towards the information to page for Shuyang's father. Minutes had passed but no one came and the little one is by minute getting sadder.

Zhiyong's heart ached while looking at the little one's face. He was already late for his meeting but he cannot afford to leave Shuyang. The information cannot call for his father's phone since he doesn't know it. So, what they can only do was to wait a little more until something came up to his mind.

"Shuyang, buddy, do you really not know your father's number?" he asked which is answered by a feeble 'yes.'

"How about your mother's?"

His mouth opened as if he was about to say something but held it back and shook his head.

Zhiyong furrowed his eyebrows and bent his knee. Suspiciously, he met the little guy's gaze, "Shuyang, I know you are lying. Why don't you give us your mother's number so we can call her instead?"

Pursing his lips guiltily and fiddling his fingers, Shuyang just shook his head.

"Why? Are you afraid of your mother? Is she scary?"

The little guy shook his head vigorously.

"Then, what are you reluctant to?"

He bit his lower lip before sighing and looked at Zhiyong intently, "Mommy will be worried. I don't want her to worry because she loves baby Shuyang so much and I love her the most."

The employees who listen to the side looked at Shuyang adoringly. The kid is not just very good looking but also has a good heart.

Zhiyong cupped Shuyang's face and said to him, "Don't you think mommy will get even more worried if she found out you are lost and cannot find you because she has no one to contact? I'm sure your mommy will get sad, do you want that to happen?"

The sight of Zhiyong coaxing the little guy, made the female employees' hearts melt. It is such a beautiful sight. They thought that it would have been wonderful if he is the father.

Zhiyong and Shuyang just stared at each other for a couple of seconds later like they are talking through their eyes. Then, Zhiyong gave the little guy his phone which he accepted, then he inputs his mother's number and gave it back to Zhiyong.

He ruffled Shuyang's hair like saying he has done a good job which made the guy beam. Zhiyong dialed the number of Shuyang's mother but it went to its voicemail, which is Shuyang's voice. He dialed her number thrice but there was still no answer.

'Okay! This should be the last time, if she's not answering it, then I'll take the kid with me.'

He dialed again and after five rings, someone called Shuyang's name.

"Cheng Shuyang, baby."

"Papa!"

Shuyang ran towards a good-looking man in his fitted white shirt, which sculpted his lean muscles.

'That must be his father,' Zhiyong thought again as he watched how lovely the two are.

He was about to end the call after a couple of rings when,

"Hello?"

A voice from the other line made his heart skipped.

"Hello? Who is this please?"

He closed his eyes with the familiarity of the voice.

"Hello? If you're not speaking, I'll end the call now."

"Wait!" there was a long pause before he added, "Can you call me baby?" before realizing what he said, he already let it out.

"Is this a prank? You're not funny! Goo..."

What the lady was about to say was interrupted with, "Cheng Jia! Get ready now."

"Yes, director!"

The call ended but the voice that reverberated from the other line shook Zhiyong's sanity for a moment.

'Che-Cheng Jia?'

Holding his father's hand, Shuyang tugged him towards the shaken Zhiyong.

"Uncle Z..." he called for the president.

Zhiyong looked at Shuyang in his eyes and noticed his copper-brown eyes again which resembles his wife, Lin Xinyi's eyes.

Luwei greeted and thanked him for helping Shuyang. Though he reacted, he was like a robot interacting with a person. Until such time he gained his wits when he felt his shirt tugged by Shuyang as if asking him to carry him in his arms.

"Oh!" he said before carrying the little guy in his arms. Upon doing so, he received a kiss which took him aback and a hug from the little guy which softened his heart. He hugged Shuyang back and pat his back like how a father comforts his child.

"Shuyang bid goodbye to uncle now. It's time for us to go," Luwei said.

The little one bid goodbye to Zhiyong. As both father and son turned their back, Zhiyong started to exit the airport but the gossip of the employees didn't escape his ears.

"Why do I feel like the kid looked a lot more like the other man than his father?"

"I thought it's only me. I thought so too."

Zhiyong momentarily stopped and glanced at the backs of the two people he met and muttered in confusion.

"Cheng Shuyang. Cheng Jia," he sighed and continued his steps.

As he remembered something that Cheng Jia said during the contract signing, he paused.

'Could it be... could it be why?'