The Parent

Qilin furrowed his eyebrows again "But next time, don't overfeed the boy. If I tell you to get this and that, then you put extra, don't blame me if you turn Milk into a pig"

Azlin pursed his lips and nodded 'I do hope there's a next time too'

Sean said "We'll be leaving now"

Andre apologized "Sorry for that"

Qilin immediately told Sean before they closed the door "Oh yeah, Kelvin informed me that there's no lecture for freshmen for the rest of the week"

Sean became enthusiastic "What! Seriously? I'll finally get to finish my Korean drama, oh and more sleeping time!"

Qilin chuckled "Yeah sure, I agree with you on the more sleep part"

Sean waved "See you guys, goodnight"

Qilin pushed Andre who was still standing at the door "Scoot away, troublemaker"

Andre pouted and chased after Sean then Qilin locked the door from behind

Milk wanted to open the muffin box and start eating it when Qilin hurriedly said "No after you've finished your meal, you can have the muffin"

Milk pouted "But Mommy"

Qilin shook his head as he brought out Milk's meal while Azlin went to go get the foldable table "No buts, dinner first, dessert later"

Milk wanted to eat the muffin but listened to Qilin "Owkay.."

Qilin placed Milk on his lap and started feeding him

Azlin realized that Qilin was just focused on feeding Milk so he decided to feed Qilin who raised his head "Lin, you don't have to do this, I can eat when I'm done feeding Milk"

Azlin said "Your food would have gone cold by then with how slow he eats. Just let me feed you, please and no arguments this time. You also don't have to worry, I can eat while feeding you, it's not a big deal"

Qilin sighed and let Azlin feed him

When Milk was done with his food, he excitedly reached out for the muffin but since he couldn't see, he didn't know where it was so Qilin passed it to him "Here you go"

Milk ate the muffin with glee "Mhm.. yummy"

When they were all done, Qilin took Milk to get brushed and tucked him in "Time for bed, Milk"

Milk tapped his forehead "Mommy, you didn't wish Milk goodnight"

Qilin smiled softly and pecked his forehead "Goodnight, sweetie"

Milk stretched out his hands "Mommy, cuddle Milk to sleep"

Qilin shuffled into the bed and sat up while Milk hugged his chest then dozed off instantly

Azlin was putting the foldable table back under Qilin's bed and when he raised his head, the two made eye contact which made Azlin mesmerized by Qilin's soft looking brown eyes 'He looks too good to be true"

Qilin cheeks heated up and he looked away first after staring at each other for a few seconds and Azlin hurriedly stood up "Well, uhm I'm going to the library to go read and will be back soon"

Qilin reached for his hand "Can't you stay in the dorm and read? Why would you go all the way to the library just to read?"

Azlin turned his head away "I read better when everywhere's silent"

Qilin raised an eyebrow "But the dorm is silent and no one would be coming to our room since most of the freshmen have gone for the party besides, I don't make noise, do I?"

Azlin gently pried Qilin's hands from his "I just prefer the library, nothing personal"

Qilin raised an eyebrow at his outfit 'Why did he remove my hand like that? Is he really going to a library?'

Qilin bluntly said "You're a nerd, Lin"

Azlin shrugged "At least I don't wear glasses, I'll be back later by nine and don't..uhm stay up late"

Qilin asked "But why did you change your clothes"

Azlin was wearing a sweater with dark purple suit trousers "It's cold outside"

Qilin frowned slightly "You're dressed as if.. ugh whatever forget it just go"

Qilin pouted 'You thought I couldn't see the suit under the hem of your sweater

Qilin watched Azlin leave and heard him close the door gently probably so as to not awaken the sleeping toddler

Two and a half hours later, Azlin opened the door shocked to see Qilin sitting on his(Azlin) bed with his arms folded and legs crossed

But Azlin locked the door and tried not to show the confusion on his face "You're still up?"

Qilin stood up "I don't sleep early in the first place"

Azlin gulped "I see, you.. uhm.. changed your clothes?"

Qilin had changed into his nightwear which was a short sleeve and shorts pajamas didn't even cover half of his thigh "Don't try to change the topic, where did you go?"

Azlin sighed and held his forehead "What's your problem, Linlin? How many times do I have to say this? I went to the library"

Qilin folded his arms "Well, I asked one of my friends to check the library but you weren't there in fact the whole place was empty excluding the dozing librarian. This is five minutes to ten in the night and you said you'd be back by nine"

Azlin raised an eyebrow "Qilin, you sent someone to monitor my whereabouts? What's your deal? Are you doubting me?"

Qilin pouted "I just wanted to know where you went, is that such a big deal that you're overreacting??"

Azlin took a deep breath "I don't have time for this right now, I just want to change my clothes"

Qilin stomped his foot on the ground "I can see the suit you're wearing under that sweater! Did you go have a dinner date with your lover!?"

Azlin was flabbergasted "I-is that what you think of me? Linlin, what's with you this evening!"

Qilin shouted "Don't shout at me! You'll wake up the kid!"

Azlin became slightly furious and tried his best not to yell back "You're the one shouting and being unreasonable right now but I don't understand why"

Qilin frowned "If you want me to be reasonable, just tell me where you went!"

Azlin replied a bit angrier "Where I go is not your problem and what are you being so.. so extra about! It's not like we're in a relationship or anything so I don't know what you're acting like a jealous wife jumping to conclusions and looking for someone to vent his frustrations on"

Qilin scoffed "I am not jealous!"

Azlin ignored him and wanted to take his pillow then Qilin grabbed his arm which made Azlin raise his head but what he saw made what he was about to say stuck in his throat

Tears were falling from Qilin's eyes silently as his lips wobbled which eliminated Azlin's anger instantly

Azlin hugged him and buried his (Qilin) head in his chest "Please don't cry, I'm sorry I said all that and hurt your feelings without thinking"

Qilin pouted as he wiped his tears "You also said that we're not in a relationship"

Azlin then held Qilin by his shoulders and separated him from his body "Are we in a relationship?!"

Qilin scrunched up his face "You said it yesterday b-but didn't do anything"

Azlin pecked Qilin on the lips out of excitement which made Qilin blink his eyes severally and look away as his face was heating up "I-i didn't ask you to do anything"

A shadow disappeared from their window and went towards a mansion but went into the basement which the entrance was through the garage which was open because there were maids cleaning the cars and he seeped past them was unknown but he did

The shadow bowed towards a direction "Sire, I found the child and his whereabouts"

A thick male voice replied him "Where is he?"

The shadow replied "He's staying with two college students of Life of Art College but one of them is from the Guillaume Family, Sire"

The voice was amazed "Guillaume! Must be one of those bratty twins! I never thought the Zanelocks and Guillaumes would meet in this way! Hahahaha!"

The shadow asked "What action should I take against them, Sire?"

The voice exclaimed "No! Leave them be.. for now till I feel like dealing with them. Which one stays with the kid?"

The shadow replied "Azlin, Sire and the one named Andre stay in another room"

The voice asked "Who is the one who stays with the Azlin boy then?"

The shadow replied "His name is Fang Qilin, a Chinese who transferred here and has no mother, he's only family are his father and little sister but apparently, he seemed to have heard something about the Zanelocks, he said after he got off his flight here"

The voice deepened "I guess I'll have to get rid of him too when I want to end the lineage of the Guillaumes. What about the boy's mother?"

The shadow replied "The mission was successful and no traces that could lead it back to you was left, they will all blame her"

The voice spoke with glee "That's it. James, you've been giving me information on the Guillaumes for a long time and haven't gotten caught which is very good of you but I need you to follow them and keep watch of their every move"

The shadow replied "Yes, Sire"

The voice dismissed him "Now go and don't be spotted"

The shadow disappeared and the voice laughed "My two faced puppet is doing so well!"

The next week, lectures started but Qilin hadn't heard anything or gotten a call from Officer Saw neither had Azlin so they sent Milk to a daycare while they went for lectures and of course it was just two buildings away from campus

Qilin wouldn't let Milk go anywhere far from him

Two weeks later, an unknown number called Qilin but he was in the shower so Azlin opened the door and passed the phone to Qilin who was naked in the bathtub

Qilin shouted and entered the water to make sure only his head was showing "Ahh Lin! Don't scare me like that"

Azlin rolled his eyes "What are you hiding that I haven't seen already?"

Qilin's cheeks heated up and he pouted "T-that's different okay?"

Azlin handed him the phone "An unknown number called you maybe-"

The phone started ringing again "That's the number"

Qilin picked up the call "Hello?"

A somewhat familiar voice sounded out "Fang Qilin? This is Officer Saw that you came to meet with about a missing case"

Azlin sat on the edge of the bathtub and closed the door

Qilin instantly dreaded picking the call but answered calmly "Yes Officer, I remember you"

Alex took a deep breath "I have good news and bad news"

Qilin felt uneasy and sat up right which made Azlin stare at his wet nipples dripping with water then he gulped 'Damn it'

Qilin noticed his gaze but didn't pay attention to it "Yes Officer go on"

Alex said "The good news is.. uhm we found his mother"

Qilin's heart almost skipped a beat when Alex paused "And the bad news is.. she's a terrorist and is dead now too"

Qilin gasped and almost dropped the phone but Azlin caught it in time "Officer Sir, what did you say?"

Alex said "Oh you must be Azlin. I just informed Qilin that Zhang Shizhi, the boy's mother is a terrorist and she's dead now so no need to fret. The mall bombing incident three weeks ago was her doing as we identified the dead bodies, the one carrying the bomb was found to be Zhang Shizhi though the body was horribly mutilated, her face although a bit damaged still retained few of its original features that is how we found out so quickly who she was"

Azlin asked "Just because you found the bomb on her, you decided that she was a terrorist?"

Alex replied "She also has a criminal record though not here but in China, we dug that up when we made a background check, we did not jump to conclusions because of the bomb found on her but because of the records we got about her which cannot be disclosed to civilians. Have a good day, Mister Guillaume"

Alex cut the call before Azlin could respond

Qilin was still frozen in the bathtub and Azlin tapped his shoulder "Linlin, you have to forget this and be there for Milk now since the officer said that then it is so and there's nothing we can do about it"

Qilin grabbed his bathrobe and wore it as he rushed out of the bathroom to where Milk was and hugged him tight "Mommy, what's wrong?"

Qilin shook his head as he held in the tears that wanted to rush out "Nothing, Mommy just wanted to hold you like this"

Azlin sighed as he looked at the duo 'Terrorist? I don't even know her but I suspect that the officer was wrong but there's no how to prove it. Did she leave Milk in the mall because she knew she was going to die but didn't want anything to happen to him? She knew someone would find him and take him away. Heck, she may have even seen Qilin take him away then blew the mall up when she was sure we weren't inside but why did she blow it up and with herself included? This is not good'

A year later after their Year two second semester exams, it was a week to Milk's birthday and Qilin decided to go pay his Dad a visit with Azlin and Milk

Sean couldn't come because he had tutorials to attend, he joined the tutoring club and had a session that day but Qilin couldn't postpone it because it was the weekend so Andre tagged along curiously to see Qilin's family

The doorbell rang and a young female voice answered "Coming"

Yilao opened the door and screamed "Linlin!?"

Then she noticed the three year old in Qilin's arms and the two guys behind him and she widened her eyes in shock as they came in "Linlin! You went and got a child in just a year but he looks so big for a newborn though, no wait, he looks like a three year old. Linlin, did you go get married and adopt a child?!"

Qilin flicked his sister's forehead "Stop exaggerating everything, Yilao"

Yilao stuck out her tongue at her brother as they took off their shoes and changed into slippers

Qilin called out "Dad, I'm home"

Yilao looked at the sleeping Milk "But seriously, whose child is this and why does he look like you? Just without the purple tint"

Yanghu rushed down from upstairs "Linlin! You're back!"

Then Yanghu paused as he noticed the child and Azlin and Andre who had been awfully quiet since they arrived "Ahem so whose child is this?"

Qilin calmly explained how Milk came into his life but did not mention Milk's mother being a potential terrorist but just said that she died in a bombing incident

Yanghu sighed "Such a pity fate this little boy has. Born visually impaired and lost both his parents at a very young age if not for you and your friends, he would be struggling in some orphanage somewhere"

Yilao nodded "But it's really puzzling how he resembles you though. Dad is there any Zhang in the extended family?"

Yanghu placed a finger on his chin "Not one that I know of but Linlin got his looks from your mother so there could be one in her family"

Yilao clapped her hands excitedly which jolted Milk awake and he rubbed his eyes "Mommy, what was that?"

Qilin sat Milk on his lap "It was nothing. Now say hi to your Grandpa and Aunty"

Yilao puffed "I'm not that old. Milk, just call me Sister Lao"

Qilin smacked her forehead "Sister Lao my foot, go make lunch"

Yilao rolled her eyes but left for the kitchen anyways

Qilin then formally introduced the two still rocks beside him "This is Azlin and Andre Guillaume, they're twins"

Yanghu nodded "They do have a little bit of resemblance to each other if you ignore the hair and dressing style"

Qilin smiled "Azlin is also my boyfriend"

Yanghu blinked his eyes severally and looked at Azlin who immediately became fearful 'Damnit, Linlin, you didn't tell me you'd introduce me to your father as your boyfriend today! I would have worn something more impressive'

Yilao popped out of the kitchen "Linlin's got a boyfriend!? Since when!"

Yanghu cleared his throat "Linlin, go help Lao'er while I have a serious talk with your boyfriend here"

Qilin chuckled and carried Milk "Let's go help Aunty in the kitchen, Milk"

Andre too went with them because he didn't want to be involved in the 'talk'

Andre played with Milk in the dining while Qilin and Yilao were cooking in the kitchen