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After recovering from his illness, Lawrie was back to being his usual lively, sunshiny self. On Monday morning, he got dressed with renewed energy, put on his little dinosaur backpack, took Shanks's hand, and stepped into the Figarland Group building once again.
The elevator rose floor by floor. Lawrie's amber-gold eyes darted around, watching the familiar floor numbers tick by, his little mind clearly brewing something. When the elevator doors opened on the top floor, instead of heading straight for his usual play area like he normally did, he tugged on Shanks's pant leg, tilted his small face up, and said with a look mixed with anticipation and mischief: "Papa, I don't want to just play upstairs today."
Shanks raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Where do you want to go?"
"I want to...explore!" Lawrie spread his arms wide in a big circle, as if facing an endless unknown. "I want to see how big Papa's company is! And meet all the uncles, aunties, big brothers, and big sisters who work with Papa!"
Shanks smiled, crouching down to his son's level. "You want to tour the company?"
"YES!" Lawrie nodded vigorously, his eyes sparkling. "Can I, Papa? I promise I'll be super, super good! I won't run around or bother anyone!" He held up three fingers in a pledge, his expression dead serious.
Looking at his son's rosy, healthy face after his recent illness and the eager anticipation in his eyes, any hesitation Shanks had melted away. Of course, letting a three-year-old "explore" the company came with certain risks, but he didn't want to dampen his son's curiosity and courage. Besides, after the scare of Lawrie's solo "adventure" to the hospital, he had a newfound respect for his son's sense of direction and boldness (even if it was sometimes a bit too bold). And this was their own company, with tight security and trustworthy employees.
"Alright," Shanks said, pretending to relent, holding up one finger. "But you have to follow the rules. First, no going off on your own. Papa will have a reliable big sister accompany you. Second, no disturbing the uncles and aunties while they're working. If they're busy, you have to leave quietly. Third, no going to dangerous places, like the server room, the garage, or stairwells without an adult. Can you do that?"
"Yes! I promise!" Lawrie answered loudly, hopping in place with excitement.
So, Shanks called over Emily, a young, patient, detail-oriented secretary from the CEO's office who genuinely liked children. After giving her careful instructions and putting a cute cartoon tracker watch on Lawrie, he felt comfortable letting his son begin his "company exploration tour."
Emily took Lawrie's little hand and started from the top floor. Lawrie was already familiar with this floor-the one where Papa and Uncle worked-but he still poked his head around curiously, politely greeting every secretary and assistant he met. "Hello, I'm Lawrie! Shanks is my Papa!" With his distinctive red hair and radiant smile, he won everyone's heart in an instant.
Soon, news of the young master's company adventure spread like wildfire. As they took the elevator down to floors like Marketing, Design, and IT, Lawrie was greeted by delighted gasps, warm smiles, and... an endless stream of snacks.
"Lawrie! Are you all better? Come here, Auntie has some imported gummy candy she just bought!"
"Lawrie, check this out, big brother has mini cookies in a new flavor!"
"Young master, try these handmade animal-shaped chocolates!"
"Lawrie, big sister saved some super delicious jelly for you!"
Emily's hands quickly filled up with various cute snack bags. She didn't know whether to laugh or cry; she wanted to stop it but didn't want to spoil everyone's kindness. Lawrie, meanwhile, looked like a little mouse who had fallen into a rice jar. Though he strictly followed Papa's rule about not disturbing work-only standing at office entrances or in the hallways to accept greetings and treats-the smile never left his face. His golden eyes curved into crescent moons as he repeatedly said, "Thank you, big brother!" "Thank you, big sister!" "Thank you, aunty and uncle!" His manners were impeccable, and his cuteness was off the charts.
He even "inspected" the break room, marveling at the giant coffee machine. He paused in front of the bookshelf in the lounge, pretending to read the thick business books. When passing by a conference room and hearing discussion inside, he pressed his face against the glass door to peek curiously, only scurrying away with a playful tongue-out when Emily gently reminded him not to.
Throughout the adventure, Lawrie acted like a well-trained little diplomat, satisfying his curiosity without causing any chaos. Wherever he went, it was as if he sprinkled sunshine, lightening the usually tense, busy office atmosphere.
Unknowingly, they arrived at the floor where the Vice President's office was. Lawrie looked at the familiar, heavy dark wooden door, his eyes darting around before he tugged Emily's hand. "Emily, I want to go see Uncle!"
Emily hesitated. She knew Vice President Shamrock's authoritative and quiet demeanor. But looking at Lawrie's eager expression and recalling President Shanks's instruction to accommodate the young master's reasonable requests as long as work wasn't disrupted-and given that everyone had heard about Mr. Shamrock's special attitude toward the little boy...
"Let's knock softly, alright? If Uncle is busy, we'll leave first," Emily suggested.
"Okay!" Lawrie nodded obediently.
Reaching the office door, Lawrie stood on his tiptoes and tapped lightly with his small hand.
Shamrock's calm, steady voice came from inside: "Enter."
Emily gently pushed the door open, and Lawrie peeked his little head out from behind her.
Shamrock was sitting behind his large desk, his brow slightly furrowed as he reviewed a complex report on his computer screen. Hearing the door open, he looked up. His gaze first landed on Emily at the entrance, then-almost unconsciously-drifted downward to the familiar little red-haired head.
His expression didn't change much, but his fingers paused on the keyboard.
"Uncle!" Lawrie called out softly, tentatively.
Shamrock's gaze lingered on Lawrie's face for a moment, then swept over the colorful assortment of snack bags in Emily's hand. He raised an eyebrow almost imperceptibly. "...Come in."
Lawrie immediately darted in like a bird given permission, though he remembered to keep his steps light. Emily wisely didn't follow; she set the snacks on the low cabinet by the door and whispered, "I'll wait for you outside," before gently closing the door-leaving it slightly ajar.
"Uncle, are you working? Did I disturb you?" Lawrie walked up to the large desk, tilting his head up to ask, his tone very well-behaved.
"Routine matters," Shamrock answered concisely, his gaze falling on Lawrie's rosy little face. "All better?"
"All better! Papa says I'm bouncing back again!" Lawrie bounced in place to demonstrate, then began his excited report. "Uncle, I was 'exploring' the company today! I went to lots of places and met so many uncles, aunties, big brothers, and big sisters! They gave me so many treats!" He pointed toward the door, then quickly added, "But I didn't bother them while they were working! I was really good!"
Shamrock watched his nephew's exuberant demeanor, a faint trace of softness flickering in the depths of his eyes. "Any discoveries from the 'exploration'?"
"Yes!" Lawrie nodded emphatically, starting to count on his fingers. "I found out Papa's company has soooooo many floors! There's a place that makes pretty pictures (Design), a place that talks to computers (IT), and a place that sells things (Marketing)! The coffee machine in the break room is huge and shiny! And..." He leaned in closer, lowering his voice as if sharing a big secret. "I saw a man in the meeting room with his hair almost standing up like he was really mad! Like a fire-breathing dragon in a cartoon!"
Shamrock: "..."
He could probably guess which project team was getting chewed out. This kid's observational skills... and way of describing things... were certainly unique.
"Maintaining observation is a good thing," Shamrock finally settled on a neutral evaluation. Then his gaze swept over Lawrie's slightly messy suspender strap, loosened from all the excitement. "Your 'exploration gear' needs adjusting."
Lawrie looked down. One side of his suspenders had slipped off his shoulder. "Oh," he said, trying to fix it himself, but his small hands fumbled clumsily, tangling the strap even more.
Shamrock stood up, walked around the desk, and crouched down in front of Lawrie (a motion he was becoming increasingly accustomed to). Without a word, he reached out and, with steady, efficient movements, reattached the slipped strap, adjusted it to the right length, and straightened the other side for symmetry. His fingers were long and strong, yet surprisingly nimble with such delicate tasks.
"There," he said succinctly.
"Thank you, Uncle!" Lawrie looked at his now-neatly arranged suspenders and thanked him happily. Then, as if remembering something, he pulled the gear badge Shamrock had given him during his illness from his pocket, holding it up proudly. "Uncle, look! I've been keeping it with me! It really helped me beat the 'system overheating'!"
Shamrock looked at the badge, warmed by the little one's palm, and was silent for a moment before saying, "Good. Keep it."
Just then, a soft knock came from the door. Emily peeked in and whispered, "Lawrie, we should head back soon. It's almost lunchtime, and Papa might be waiting for you."
Lawrie looked a bit reluctant but obediently nodded. "Okay." He turned to Shamrock. "Uncle, I have to go back to Papa now. Remember to eat lunch! Don't just have black coffee like last time!"
Shamrock: "..." When had this little guy caught him doing that?
"Okay," he said, standing back up to his usual tall posture. "Go on."
Lawrie reached the door but turned back to wave his small hand at Shamrock. "Bye, Uncle! I'll come explore your place next time!"
Then he hopped off with Emily, bouncing away.
The office door closed, returning the room to silence. Shamrock walked back behind his desk but didn't sit down immediately. His gaze lingered on the colorful pile of snack bags on the low cabinet by the door, then shifted to the spot on the carpet where the little one had just been standing. His stern face still showed little expression, but the usual unapproachable aura around him seemed to soften, just a fraction.
He sat back in his chair and turned to his computer screen, but focusing was difficult. Scenes from the past few minutes played unbidden in his mind: the little guy chattering excitedly about his discoveries, holding up the badge with such pride, even reminding him to eat lunch.
Almost inaudibly, he let out a barely perceptible sigh. Then he pressed the intercom button.
"Lunch," he said to his assistant outside. "...Order a children's nutritional meal. Send it to the CEO's office on the top floor. And my usual lunch as well."
He figured that idiot brother of his wouldn't mind an extra lunch for his son. As for those snacks... He tapped his fingers on the desk unconsciously, considering whether an internal memo about a "healthy snack initiative" might be in order.
Meanwhile, on the top floor, Shanks was listening to Emily's amused report of Lawrie's entire morning adventure. When he heard about his son describing a certain executive as "like a fire-breathing dragon," he burst out laughing.
When he saw the extra children's meal delivered and heard the instructions from his brother's office, Shanks's smile deepened, warmth filling his eyes.
It seemed their little sun's exploration tour hadn't just brightened every corner of the company-it was also slowly, bit by bit, melting certain seemingly impenetrable layers of ice. Not bad at all.
That evening, when Law pushed open the door after a long day of surgeries, feeling the familiar post-operation fatigue, he was met not by the usual small figure launching itself at him, but by an unusually excited stream of chatter coming from the living room.
He took off his coat and hung it up, following the sound. On the living room rug, Lawrie was sitting cross-legged, his favorite dinosaur picture book open in front of him. But he clearly wasn't looking at it. Instead, he was gesticulating animatedly, talking a mile a minute. Shanks lounged on the sofa beside him, chin propped on one hand, wearing an amused and indulgent expression as he listened, occasionally chiming in, which only made Lawrie argue or add more details with greater excitement.
"So what happened to the 'fire-breathing dragon' uncle in the end?" Shanks asked deliberately.
"Emily took me away! But I heard one of the big sisters there whisper that something was wrong with the... the data?" Lawrie scrunched up his small brow, trying to remember the word. "Anyway, Uncle went in later, and it got quiet! Uncle must have tamed the fire-breathing dragon!" His faith in his uncle was absolute.
"Pfft-" Shanks couldn't help but laugh.
Just then, Lawrie finally noticed Law standing at the entrance. His eyes lit up instantly, and he launched himself off the rug like a little cannonball, pattering over. "Daddy! You're home!"
Law bent down to catch his son, kissing the top of his head, which smelled faintly of milk and a hint of snack sweetness. "I'm back. What were you telling Papa that sounded so exciting?"
"Daddy! I went exploring at Papa's company today!" Lawrie couldn't wait to share, pulling Law's hand toward the rug and insisting he sit down to listen. "I went to so many places! And saw so many uncles and aunties!"
Shanks scooted over to make room, letting Law sit beside him before casually draping his arm along the back of the sofa, creating a cozy circle around both father and son.
"Oh? Where did you go exploring?" Law asked cooperatively, reaching out to smooth down Lawrie's hair, which had gotten tousled again from all the excitement.
Lawrie immediately straightened his little chest, cleared his throat, and launched into his report, complete with sound effects:
"First we went to the place with all the pretty pictures and colors (Design)! There was a big sister whose computer had little flowers spinning and blooming on it! It was so pretty! She gave me rainbow candies that change colors!"
"Then we went to the place with lots of computers talking (IT)! The screens were full of letters and numbers I didn't understand, dancing around! There was a big brother drawing with a glowing pen on glass (probably a touchscreen demo)! He gave me bear-shaped cookies!"
"And then the place that sells things (Marketing)! There were lots of little car and plane models on the tables! An aunty gave me a hopping frog toy!" Lawrie pulled the little green plastic spring frog from his pocket and pressed it, making it bounce, which made him giggle first.
Law listened patiently, his gaze soft. He could easily imagine the scene: a small, unmistakable figure with red hair, guided by gentle employees, curiously exploring a world that was huge and new to him, leaving laughter and heartwarming interactions in his wake.
"I also went to the break room! There's a coffee machine taller than Papa!" Lawrie gestured dramatically. "It went whoosh, like a big dinosaur snoring! But the smell wasn't as nice as Papa's coffee." He wrinkled his little nose, clearly unimpressed with coffee.
"The best part," Lawrie said, lowering his voice mysteriously, leaning close to Law, "was that I went to Uncle's office!"
Law raised an eyebrow, glancing at Shanks, who just shrugged as if to say, "He wanted to go."
"Uncle was looking at his computer, with his eyebrows like this-" Lawrie mimicked Shamrock's stern, furrowed-brow expression perfectly, making both Shanks and Law laugh. "But I knocked, and he let me in! He asked if I was all better, and I said yes! And he even fixed this for me!" Lawrie tugged on his suspenders proudly. "Uncle made it so neat! Faster than Papa!"
Shanks pretended to be hurt. "Hey, kid! Who dresses you and ties your shoes every day?"
Lawrie giggled and threw himself at Shanks's legs. "Papa's the best too! Papa's the best! But Uncle is really good at fixing suspenders!" The little one was already showing signs of being a skilled diplomat.
"Then what? What else did Uncle say?" Law asked.
"Uncle asked if I found anything during my exploration, so I told him everything! And he said, 'Maintaining observation is a good thing'!" Lawrie repeated Shamrock's words, puffing out his little chest, clearly considering it high praise. "Oh, right!" He pulled out the gear badge. "I showed this to Uncle too! I told him it helped me beat the 'system overheating'! Uncle said, 'Good. Keep it'!"
Law looked at his son's eyes shining as he recounted his interaction with his uncle, and his heart felt incredibly warm. He could sense that Shamrock, his seemingly aloof brother-in-law, was quietly making his way into the child's heart in his own unique way-and was being welcomed and loved by Lawrie's sincere warmth.
"Sounds like our Lawrie was the company's most popular little explorer today," Law concluded, gently tapping his son's nose. "But did you follow Papa's rules? No bothering anyone while they were working, right?"
"Nope! I promise!" Lawrie raised his hand. "I only stood at the door or talked when they weren't busy! Emily can vouch for me!"
"Our Lawrie is true to his word," Shanks said, scooping him up and settling him between himself and Law. "Big hug as a reward!"
The three of them tumbled into a playful, laughing hug on the rug. Lawrie squirmed happily in his daddy's and Papa's arms, his clear, cheerful giggles like a string of tiny bells. The last rays of the setting sun streamed through the window, stretching the shadows of their intertwined figures across the warm floor.
After a while, Lawrie finally burned through his remaining excitement. He started rubbing his eyes and leaned against Law with a small yawn.
"Tired?" Law asked softly.
"A little..." Lawrie clung to Law's neck contentedly. "But I had so much fun today, Daddy. Papa's company is so big and interesting. Everyone was so nice. And Uncle... he's nice too."
"As long as you had fun," Law said, lifting him up. "Alright, little explorer, time for a bath and bed."
"Okay..." Lawrie mumbled sleepily, his head nodding.
Shanks stood as well, ruffling his son's hair before naturally sliding an arm around Law's waist and planting a kiss on his cheek. "Long day with surgeries?"
"Not too bad," Law replied, glancing sideways at him. "What about you? Juggling work and remote-monitoring an explorer-not exactly easy, is it?"
"Totally worth it," Shanks grinned, watching Law carry their son toward the bathroom, his heart filled with a warm, satisfying happiness.
Soon, Lawrie's even breathing came from the nursery. In the master bedroom, Shanks and Law held each other, quietly sharing the day's small moments and thoughts.
For Lawrie, it had been a day of wonder and accomplishment. For Shanks and Law, it was another sparkling fragment of their ordinary family life, witnessing their child's growth and deepening their bond with each other. And for the uncle who had been described by the little one as "taming the fire-breathing dragon," perhaps, in his cool-toned apartment, while looking at his computer or documents, he might occasionally recall the small figure that had burst into his quiet domain, bringing a breath of lively energy. Perhaps, in a corner of his hardened heart, something quietly loosened, letting a thread of warmth seep in.