Chapter Text
“And then,” Tianlang-jun paused for dramatic effect, “Pinocchio went out searching for someone who’d love him in spite of his very long nose.”
Luo Binghe looked up at him. “And in spite of him being made of wood?”
“Yes.” Tianlang-jun nodded wisely. “But he would fail, because he’s not handsome enough.”
“Did mama like you because you were handsome?” Luo Binghe asked, eyes wide and trusting.
“Yes, because as you can see, I am incredibly good-looking,” Tianlang-jun answered seriously. “Now, go to sleep. We’re going to Disneyland tomorrow. It’s going to be the best day ever!”
—
Luo Binghe was having the worst day of his life.
It had started out as a good day. He had been at Shanghai Disneyland, eating strawberry ice cream with his parents. They had gotten him a Cinderella outfit, upon his insistence, and he had twirled round and round, enchanted by the sparkle of the blue gown. With his long hair up in a bun, which he refused to cut in defiance of school regulations on haircuts, he looked like a little girl, and he quite enjoyed the princess treatment that came with it.
Then he had lost his parents somewhere, not having been able to find them after riding the Slinky Dog Spin. Now, one of his “glass” slippers was also missing. It had also begun to rain lightly.
He cursed that he had chosen Cinderella. She was bad luck!
If this were anything like the fairytales, his prince would be coming soon to rescue him.
“Why are you crying, princess?” As if on cue, a handsome little boy appeared, his brow crinkled in worry. Sunlight shone on his face, making his rosy cheeks glow.
“My shoe is missing, and I’m lost,” Luo Binghe sniffled affectedly. Since his one true love had appeared, he had to be a good damsel. This was the moment all his father’s teachings had prepared him for.
“I’ll help you,” the boy said, perfectly willing to help the prettiest child he’d ever seen. “I’m Shen Yuan. What about you?”
“I’m Cinderella,” he said.
Shen Yuan did not question it. “Let’s go look for your slipper, princess.”
He clutched his little hand in his, and together they looked for his slipper. As the sun began to set, Shen Yuan found it near the Slinky Dog Spin. It had probably come loose as he panicked upon being unable to find his parents.
Luo Binghe gasped in happiness, and sat down, holding one of his legs aloft. Shen Yuan knelt down and slipped on the shoe for him. “There you go, princess,” Shen Yuan said.
“I’m hungry,” Luo Binghe said.
Shen Yuan brought out a few crumpled bills from his pocket. He truly was Luo Binghe’s hero. “Wait for me, princess. Do you want some dumplings?”
Together, they ate their dumplings, chatting about nothing of consequence. Luo Binghe told Shen Yuan about the Princess and the Frog, the moral of which was that some people who are born ugly actually become good-looking after their girlfriends give them a makeover. Shen Yuan explained to him the plot of Dragon Ball Z. Luo Binghe agreed to watch it after he got home.
On the way to the lost and found station, they got sidetracked by several rides. They got splashed with water and got jostled at the Roaring Rapids, then they watched Elsa sing her heart out. Luo Binghe sang along softly, voice as sweet as a nightingale’s. They held hands whenever they could.
As the sky was lit up by the light show, Luo Binghe asked Shen Yuan, “Are we going to get married?”
“Of course, princess.” Shen Yuan replied.
Luo Binghe kissed his cheek.
—
Shen Yuan sighed.
“He’s mooning,” Mrs. Shen said, watching her son stare at the distance. He’d been like that since they’d found Shen Yuan and the little girl — who turned out to be a boy — he was with at the lost and found station.
“He’s five. How is he mooning?” Mr. Shen insisted.
Shen Yuan sighed again, and blinked dreamily.
Mrs. Shen decided to rip off the band-aid quickly instead of putting it off even longer. “Yuan-yuan, you know that little girl Luo Binghe?”
“He’s a boy, mom.” Shen Yuan looked at her with something akin to pity. “Did you think he was a girl?”
Mrs Shen chose not to reply.
Mr. Shen sighed, looking remarkably like his son. “He’ll get over it.”
That’s what they hoped, at least.
—
Luo Binghe was throwing the tantrum of the century.
“Let me see my fiancé!”
Luo Binghe hopped onto the table and kicked a bowl of fruit over as a show of force. It would have looked much more intimidating if he weren’t all of eighty-five centimeters tall.
Tianlang-jun’s side of the family was very healthy and not at all prone to hypertension (almost as if their blood had magical properties), but this was pushing it. “Honey, what do we do?”
Su Xiyan was having none of it. “Luo Binghe, because of your behavior, we will not be allowing you to see this ‘fiancé’ of yours!”
That was the end of the matter.
Or so they thought.
—
The next day, while Su Xiyan was having an important meeting, she received a distressing phone call from Luo Binghe’s preschool.
“We’re v-very s-sorry, but she’s nowhere t-to be found.” The voice of the school’s head of security was trembling. “She was l-last seen d-during nap time. She p-probably snuck out while all the other children were s-sleeping. We’ve c-ontacted the police, and we’re t-trying to search the vicinity.”
Su Xiyan’s tone was ice-cold, her words razor-sharp. “How did a four year old get past your teachers and your entire crew of security guards?”
Because some people have been sleeping on the job while the children slept, that’s why. But, being the staff of an international school with a reputation to uphold, she was not allowed to say that. “We c-cannot apologize enough. We w-will try our best to i-improve our security. We are investigating the matter.”
“Useless!” Su Xiyan exclaimed, putting her phone down so hard her screen cracked. She was going to have to get a new phone.
Meanwhile, Shen Yuan was showing Luo Binghe around his school. “This is where we eat,” he said.
“Can we eat here? I’m hungry,” Luo Binghe said.
“We can get food from the lunch lady.”
“Hello auntie! Three cup chicken and potatoes, please.”
The lunch lady was the kind that knew all the children by name and smiled at them all warmly, crow’s feet around her eyes and laughter lines crinkling. “Ah, visiting your friend, little girl?”
“My fiancé.”
“Ah, your sweetheart. Alright, I’ll give you some because you’re cute. Pinkie promise you won’t tell?”
“I promise!” Luo Binghe agreed, hooking his pinky with the lunch lady’s.
“Are you one of the staff’s children? Are your parents here?”
Luo Binghe ignored her questions sheepishly.
The lunch lady’s eyebrows rose all the way to her hairline.
Shen Yuan and Luo Binghe sat down in a comfortable silence as they ate their food.
“I can share my dessert with you. Our private chef baked it. This is my favorite,” Shen Yuan said. He split his custard bun unevenly into two and gave the bigger half to Luo Binghe.
It was delicious. “I want to be a chef someday! I like to help out in the kitchens sometimes,” Luo Binghe chattered happily. “I know how to fold baozi. Our washerwoman taught me. You do it like this,” he demonstrated with his hands. “I’ll make you some next time.”
“I’d love to!”
Content with their meal, and Shen Yuan having finished his classes for the day, they went to the library, where Shen Yuan showed Luo Binghe his favorite books. They then walked to the gardens, where their attention was captured by the bright red ladybugs whizzing among the tall grasses. It quickly became a competition on who could catch the largest number of ladybugs. A butterfly landed on Shen Yuan’s mouth and refused to leave for a full minute, making him sputter, and making Luo Binghe howl with laughter.
Suddenly, the speakers around the school blared, “Paging Shen Yuan and Luo Binghe. Paging Shen Yuan and Luo Binghe. Please proceed to the principal’s office.”
Shen Yuan and Luo Binghe froze.
Uh-oh.
—
“Young man, what if you got kidnapped!” Su Xiyan cried out, disbelieving.
“Daddy told me to kick them between the legs!” Luo Binghe replied. “Also, my prince would save me,” he smiled adoringly at Shen Yuan.
“Don’t talk back to me! I’ve spoiled you far too much.”
Shen Yuan coughed awkwardly. “I don’t think I’m strong enough to beat bad guys.”
Luo Binghe frowned. “You need to get stronger,” he said, after a moment of thought.
Shen Yuan nodded in agreement. “You’re right.”
After telling the children off and pinching their ears, and the threat of a spanking as soon as they got home, the parents convened, whispering among themselves.
Finally, Su Xiyan, seeming to summon all the strength she could, turned around and said, “Alright, you two will be limited to playdates that we, your parents, will arrange, and if you attempt to break that you will be grounded and not allowed to see each other. Is that clear?”
“Yes, mom!”
“Yes, mother-in-law!”
She choked on her spit.