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The ice cream shop was bustling with families, couples, and groups of friends enjoying the warm evening. Lu Guang and Cheng Xiaoshi strolled in, their eight-month-old son, Lu Hao, nestled comfortably in his stroller. He was the picture of adorable mischief, dressed in a pair of cozy footie pajamas and a soft bonnet with tiny cat ears that framed his round face perfectly. Strangers couldn’t help but glance at him and smile as they passed by, murmuring how cute he was.
“You’re a little celebrity, Hao Hao,” Cheng Xiaoshi said, leaning over the stroller to tickle Lu Hao’s belly. The baby giggled and kicked his feet, the soft fabric of his pajamas scrunching at his ankles.
“Careful,” Lu Guang warned as he held the door open for them. “He’s already full of energy. You’ll rile him up even more.”
“Isn’t that what makes him fun?” Cheng Xiaoshi teased, straightening up as they entered the shop. The cool air and sweet scent of ice cream greeted them, and his face lit up with excitement. “Ooh, they have mango today. That’s definitely what I’m getting.”
Lu Guang pushed the stroller toward the counter, his steel-gray eyes scanning the menu. “I’ll have the matcha,” he said simply, always the one with the more refined tastes.
While they ordered, Lu Hao stared up at the colorful ice cream tubs in the display case, his brown eyes wide with curiosity. He babbled softly, pointing a tiny finger at the bright pink strawberry flavor.
“Sorry, Hao,” Cheng Xiaoshi said with a laugh, crouching down to his son’s level. “You’re too little for ice cream. Maybe next year.”
Lu Hao didn’t seem to agree with this assessment, letting out a loud, indignant babble as he waved his little hands in protest.
“He’s already upset about it,” Lu Guang observed, his lips quirking up slightly as he handed their order to the cashier. “He gets that from you.”
“Hey, what’s that supposed to mean?” Cheng Xiaoshi protested, scooping up the two cones and balancing them in one hand while grabbing napkins with the other. “I’m totally chill.”
Lu Guang gave him a pointed look, his gaze dropping to Lu Hao, who was now reaching out of his stroller, clearly trying to grab one of the cones. “You were saying?”
“Okay, fine, maybe we both like to be dramatic,” Cheng Xiaoshi admitted with a grin, handing the matcha cone to Lu Guang as they made their way to a small table outside.
The warm evening air was pleasant, and they found a shady spot under a tree. Cheng Xiaoshi parked the stroller next to the table and took a big lick of his mango ice cream, sighing contentedly. “Perfect. This was such a good idea.”
Lu Guang settled into his seat, his calm demeanor unchanged as he took a slow, thoughtful bite of his own ice cream. Meanwhile, Lu Hao wasn’t about to let his parents enjoy their dessert in peace. He stretched his tiny arms out of the stroller, babbling insistently as he stared at the cones with a determination that could rival any grown-up.
“Hao Hao, you can’t have this,” Cheng Xiaoshi said, leaning over to gently nudge Lu Hao’s little hands back into the stroller. “It’s too cold for you.”
Lu Hao’s response was to let out a dramatic wail, his lips trembling as he gave his parents his best why-won’t-you-love-me look. Passersby turned to glance at the commotion, some laughing at how utterly adorable the scene was.
“Great, now he’s going to make us look like villains,” Cheng Xiaoshi muttered, though he couldn’t stop himself from laughing. “You really are my kid, huh?”
“Just let him try it,” Lu Guang said, holding out his cone. “A tiny bit won’t hurt.”
“What? No way!” Cheng Xiaoshi leaned over to block Lu Guang’s hand. “He’ll never let us eat in peace again if we start now.”
Lu Guang raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement flickering in his usually stoic expression. “He’s already not letting us eat in peace.”
Lu Hao, sensing that he might win this battle, babbled even louder, his little fingers wiggling as he reached for Lu Guang’s cone. “Bà,” he cooed, his voice as sweet as honey. “Bà!”
Cheng Xiaoshi groaned, his resolve crumbling. “How can I say no when he calls me that?” He sighed dramatically and dipped his finger into the tiniest bit of melted mango ice cream. “Alright, but just a little, Hao Hao.”
He held his finger out, and Lu Hao leaned forward eagerly, his pink tongue darting out to taste the cold, sweet treat. His brown eyes lit up instantly, and he let out an excited squeal, kicking his feet and clapping his hands.
“Uh-oh,” Lu Guang said, watching as Lu Hao immediately leaned forward, demanding more. “You’ve created a monster.”
“I’m never going to finish my cone, am I?” Cheng Xiaoshi asked, looking down at his son, who was now giving him the most determined baby stare he’d ever seen.
“No,” Lu Guang replied simply, his tone as calm as ever. “But at least he’s happy.”
Lu Hao giggled, his bonnet’s cat ears flopping as he bounced in excitement, ready for another taste of ice cream.
Lu Hao, now clearly addicted to the sweet, cold delight of ice cream, turned his wide brown eyes to Lu Guang’s cone. His little hands reached out insistently, and he let out an urgent babble, his tiny voice filled with determination.
“Now he wants yours,” Cheng Xiaoshi said, shaking his head as he rummaged through the diaper bag. “Hao Hao, you can’t just demand everyone’s ice cream. You’ll get a sugar rush and never sleep.”
Lu Hao, ignoring his Bà entirely, continued to stretch toward Lu Guang, his little legs kicking in excitement as if to say, Hand it over, Baba!
Lu Guang sighed, setting his cone on the table for a moment as he unbuckled Lu Hao from the stroller. “Fine,” he murmured, lifting the baby into his arms. “But only because you’re persistent.”
“Hao Hao, you’re really working him, huh?” Cheng Xiaoshi teased as Lu Guang held their son. Lu Hao immediately took advantage of the close proximity, leaning toward Lu Guang’s cone with eager eyes and tiny grabbing hands.
“No,” Lu Guang said firmly, holding the cone just out of reach. He glanced at Cheng Xiaoshi, who was now holding up a bottle from the diaper bag. “Give him the bottle. He’ll forget about the ice cream.”
“Oh, really?” Cheng Xiaoshi raised an eyebrow and held out the bottle toward Lu Hao. “Hao Hao, look! Your favorite milk! Nice and warm, just the way you like it.”
Lu Hao barely spared the bottle a glance before turning back to the ice cream, his babbling becoming more insistent. He squirmed in Lu Guang’s arms, reaching for the cone with both hands now.
“Well, that didn’t work,” Cheng Xiaoshi said, laughing as he dropped the bottle back into the bag. “He’s obsessed, Lu Guang. You’ve created a sugar fiend.”
“I didn’t give him mango ice cream,” Lu Guang replied pointedly, though the faint twitch of his lips betrayed his amusement. He tilted the cone slightly and dipped a finger into the melted ice cream, holding it up for Lu Hao. “Just a little more.”
Lu Hao’s face lit up as he eagerly leaned forward, his tiny tongue tasting the treat. He let out a delighted squeal, clapping his hands and wiggling in Lu Guang’s hold.
“I hope you’re ready to deal with the aftermath,” Cheng Xiaoshi said, watching as Lu Hao tried to grab the cone again. “Because when he’s bouncing off the walls tonight, it’s your turn to rock him to sleep.”
Lu Guang shifted Lu Hao to his other arm, holding the cone out of reach. “He’s not going to get that much of a sugar rush,” he said calmly, though his gaze softened as he looked down at their son. “He’s just excited. Right, Hao?”
Hao responded by giggling and leaning his head against Lu Guang’s chest, his little hand patting his Baba’s shirt as if to say, Thank you for understanding me. Then, just as quickly, he sat back up, his eyes locked on the ice cream again.
“You’re not getting the whole cone,” Lu Guang said firmly, though he dipped his finger into the ice cream one more time and let Hao have another tiny taste. The baby squealed with delight, his bonnet’s cat ears bouncing with every excited movement.
“I told you he’d get what he wants,” Cheng Xiaoshi said, grinning as he leaned back in his chair. “Hao Hao’s got you wrapped around his little finger.”
Lu Guang shot him a look but didn’t argue. Instead, he shifted the cone to his other hand and carefully bounced Lu Hao on his hip. “He’s persistent. That’s not a bad trait.”
“It’s only not bad because you’re the one spoiling him,” Cheng Xiaoshi retorted, grabbing a napkin to wipe the small smudge of ice cream off Hao’s chin. “If I did that, you’d lecture me about discipline.”
“You just don’t have the same self-control,” Lu Guang said smoothly, taking another bite of his cone. Hao immediately tried to reach for it again, prompting Lu Guang to pull it further away.
Cheng Xiaoshi laughed loudly, clutching his stomach as Hao pouted dramatically, his chubby cheeks puffing out in frustration. “Oh man, this is priceless. He’s mad at you now.”
Lu Guang sighed but couldn’t help the soft smile that crept onto his face. He leaned down to kiss the top of Hao’s head. “You’re too spoiled,” he murmured. “But I guess I’m partly to blame.”
“Partly?” Cheng Xiaoshi snorted. “That’s generous. You’re definitely to blame.”
Hao, apparently tired of waiting, started babbling louder, his little hands tugging insistently at Lu Guang’s shirt. Cheng Xiaoshi laughed even harder, pulling out his phone to snap a photo of the scene.
“What are you doing?” Lu Guang asked, giving him a pointed look.
“Getting evidence,” Cheng Xiaoshi said, still grinning. “When Hao grows up, I’m going to show him how much of a pushover his Baba was.”
Lu Guang sighed, shaking his head, but didn’t stop Cheng Xiaoshi. Instead, he turned his attention back to Hao, gently bouncing the baby and murmuring softly, “Alright, Hao. Let’s compromise. A little more now, and then you can have your bottle later.”
Cheng Xiaoshi, watching the interaction with a fond smile, shook his head. “You’re unbelievable. I hope you know that.”
But deep down, he couldn’t help but think about how lucky they all were—sitting here together, sharing ice cream and laughter, and spoiling their son just enough to see that joyful sparkle in his brown eyes.
By the time they got home, the house was quiet except for Lu Hao’s excited babbling, which echoed softly through the hall as Lu Guang carried him inside. Cheng Xiaoshi followed closely, kicking off his shoes by the door and stretching.
“Well, that was fun,” Xiaoshi said, stifling a yawn. “Even if someone—” he gave Lu Guang a pointed look, “—practically gave away his whole ice cream cone.”
Lu Guang glanced over, his steel-gray eyes calm. “He enjoyed it.”
“Oh, I know,” Xiaoshi replied, grinning. “But now he’s going to be bouncing off the walls all night. You’re handling bedtime if he refuses to sleep.”
Lu Guang just shook his head, adjusting Lu Hao on his hip as they made their way up the stairs. “You spoil him just as much,” he said simply, though there was a faint hint of amusement in his voice.
In the bedroom, Cheng Xiaoshi immediately got to work setting up the side-sleeper crib. He straightened out the soft baby blanket, fluffed the tiny pillow, and placed the untouched bottle they’d brought to the ice cream shop inside, just in case Lu Hao decided he wanted it later.
“Alright, Hao Hao, it’s time to wind down,” Xiaoshi said over his shoulder, glancing back at Lu Guang, who was carrying their squirming son toward the bed. “Can you change his diaper? I’ll finish getting his crib ready.”
Lu Guang nodded, carrying Lu Hao over to the bed and setting him down on the mattress. He grabbed the changing supplies from the nightstand, but as soon as he turned back, Lu Hao was already trying to roll away.
“Hao,” Lu Guang said firmly, placing a hand on the baby’s belly to keep him in place. “Stay still.”
Lu Hao looked up at him with wide, mischievous brown eyes and let out a giggle, as if to say, Yeah, right. He immediately wiggled, his little legs kicking as he tried to crawl away again.
“Stubborn, just like you,” Lu Guang muttered, glancing at Xiaoshi.
Cheng Xiaoshi, busy smoothing out the crib’s blanket, laughed. “Don’t drag me into this. You’re the one who let him have half your ice cream. This is all you.”
Lu Guang sighed, holding Lu Hao steady with one hand while reaching for a diaper with the other. “Hao Hao, you need to cooperate,” he said calmly, his tone as patient as ever.
But Lu Hao had other ideas. He wriggled even harder, managing to flip onto his belly and start crawling toward the edge of the bed. Lu Guang caught him just in time, gently pulling him back and flipping him onto his back again. The baby squealed in delight, kicking his feet as if this was all a game.
“Hao,” Lu Guang said, his voice carrying a rare edge of exasperation. “Stay still.”
Xiaoshi turned, watching the scene unfold with a grin. “You’re struggling, huh? Better not let him pee on the bed, or you’re cleaning that up too.”
Lu Guang shot him a look. “Helpful as always, Xiaoshi.”
“I’m moral support,” Xiaoshi replied, leaning against the crib and crossing his arms. “And I warned you about the sugar rush.”
Lu Hao, meanwhile, took advantage of the momentary distraction and wriggled free of Lu Guang’s grip again. He flipped back onto his belly, laughing as he tried to crawl away.
Lu Guang caught him effortlessly, pulling him back with one arm and giving him a stern look. “You’re too hyper,” he said quietly, though his expression softened as he gently stroked the top of Hao’s head. “Let’s get this done, okay?”
Hao giggled again, clearly enjoying all the attention. Lu Guang sighed, repositioning him on the bed and moving more quickly this time. With practiced efficiency, he managed to change the diaper, even with Hao’s constant wiggling.
“There,” Lu Guang said, lifting Hao into his arms. “All done.”
“Wow, you survived,” Xiaoshi teased, clapping lightly. “And the bed is still dry. Guess I’ll let you off the hook tonight.”
Lu Guang raised an eyebrow but didn’t respond. Instead, he carried Hao over to the crib and gently laid him down. Hao immediately grabbed at the blanket, babbling softly as he rolled onto his side.
“See?” Lu Guang said, straightening up and turning to Xiaoshi. “No sugar rush.”
“Yet,” Xiaoshi replied, though his grin was fond as he leaned down to kiss Hao’s forehead. “Goodnight, Hao Hao. Sweet dreams.”
Lu Hao yawned, his eyelids drooping as he snuggled into the blanket. Within minutes, he was fast asleep, his little chest rising and falling in steady rhythm.
Cheng Xiaoshi sighed, flopping onto the bed beside Lu Guang. “Okay, you win this one,” he admitted, glancing at his husband. “But if he wakes up at 2 a.m. wanting to play, it’s still your turn.”
Lu Guang smirked faintly, leaning back against the headboard. “We’ll see.”
And with the room quiet and their son peacefully asleep, the two of them finally settled in, ready to enjoy a few rare moments of calm.