CHAPTER 306: CHAPTER 306; DO YOU SEE?

Tang Fei stirred beside him, her eyes fluttering open. For a long moment, she simply watched him, the faint frown that lingered even in slumber, the vulnerability he rarely allowed anyone to see. Quietly, she reached for her phone on the nightstand and, with a small, bittersweet smile, snapped a few pictures.

She tucked the phone away, careful not to wake him, then slipped out of bed. The corridor outside was hushed, only the soft glow of wall lamps guiding her steps. She padded down the hall to Tinghao and Feihao’s bedroom, which was just opposite the master suite.

She walked into the bedroom, sitting area, before she pushed the bedroom door open. She found them sitting upright on their beds, their eyes wide and restless.

"Mommy?" Tinghao’s voice was a whisper, edged with worry but relieved to see her. "What... what happened earlier? We heard noises coming from the study room. And Daddy looked... scary."

Feihao’s little hands clenched the blanket, her expression a mix of fear and curiosity. "Are we in trouble? Did you two have a fight?"

Tang Fei’s heart twisted at their anxious faces. She walked in, shutting the door softly behind her, and sat on the edge of their shared bed. Gently, she pulled both of them into her arms.

Tang Fei’s heart ached as she felt their small bodies lean into her, warm and trembling with unspoken fear.

She stroked Tinghao’s hair first, then cupped Feihao’s cheek, her voice soft, carrying both tenderness and weariness.

"No, my darlings..." she whispered, rocking them gently. "And no, Daddy didn’t fight with me. We were just playing out a short scene of a drama, and that’s why you heard that chaos!

"Drama?" Tinghao’s eyes widened, his little brows scrunching together in disbelief.

Tang Fei smiled faintly, brushing his hair back. "Yes, a very dramatic scene. Daddy was helping me practice, that’s all. You know how your father gets when he puts his heart into something, he looked a little too convincing, didn’t he?"

Feihao tilted her head, still doubtful, because, since when did their parents become actors and actresses? "But... Daddy’s voice was so loud. He sounded angry. And you were crying..."

Her chest tightened, but she forced a light chuckle, pinching Feihao’s cheek gently. "That’s because Mommy is a good actress. If I didn’t cry, would it look real?"

The children exchanged glances, their expressions softening just a little. Tinghao leaned closer, whispering, "So... Daddy wasn’t really mad?"

"No," Tang Fei said firmly, kissing the top of his head. "Daddy wasn’t mad at me. He was just... tired. He has so many things to take care of every day. That’s why when you saw him earlier, he looked a little bit scary. But deep down, your daddy loves you both, and me... very much."

Feihao’s lips curved into a small, uncertain smile. "Really?"

Tang Fei gently nodded her head, her voice gentle yet steady. "Really. Daddy’s asleep now, that’s why it’s quiet. Tomorrow morning, he will smile at you again, you will see."

The reassurance seemed to ease some of their uneasiness. Tinghao finally let out a soft sigh and leaned into his mother’s embrace. "Okay... I will believe you, Mommy."

Feihao yawned, her small body relaxing against Tang Fei’s arm. "Me too..."

Tang Fei stroked their hair slowly. "Since you are still awake, how about Mommy telling you a story? A special one you have never heard of before."

Their eyes immediately lit up. Tinghao straightened a little, while Feihao gave a drowsy nod, her voice barely above a whisper. "Yes, Mommy... tell us."

Tang Fei thought for a moment, then began softly:

"Once upon a time, there were two little fireflies who were afraid of the dark. Every night, when the forest grew quiet, they would huddle together, wishing for the sun to come back. One night, a gentle breeze whispered to them, ’You already carry the light inside you. Just open your wings, and the night won’t be scary anymore.’

The little fireflies tried it, and to their surprise, their glow lit up the whole path ahead. From then on, even when the night was the darkest, they were never afraid again, because no matter what, they always had each other’s light to guide the way."

Her voice softened as she brushed Feihao’s cheek. "Do you see? You two are just like those fireflies. Even if the night feels a little scary sometimes, you will always shine for each other... and Mommy and Daddy will always be right here with you."

Tinghao gave a small, sleepy smile. "Then I won’t be scared anymore... because Feihao is my light."

Feihao mumbled back drowsily, "And Hao-gege is mine..."

Tang Fei’s chest ached warmly as she tucked them both under their blankets, smoothing the covers over their shoulders.

She stayed sitting at their bedside for a while, humming a soft lullaby she used to sing when she was younger. Slowly, their eyelids drooped, their breathing steadied, and the anxious energy in the room ebbed away.

She rose quietly, her eyes lingering on their peaceful faces, before slipping out of the room. Standing in the corridor once more, her gaze drifted back toward the master bedroom.

Her phone was still in her hand, the pictures of Huo Ting Cheng sleeping etched onto the screen. She hesitated, staring at them, blushing for a moment before tucking her phone away.

With a quiet sigh, Tang Fei walked through the corridor over the stairs, and she took them down to the first floor. This was where Minghao and Zhihao’s bedroom was located.

Tang Fei walked down the staircase slowly, one hand grazing the polished railing.

The house was still, the kind of silence that pressed heavy against the ears, broken only by the faint rustle of her own footsteps.

Her thoughts lingered upstairs, on Huo Ting Cheng asleep in their master bedroom, on Tinghao and Feihao finally dozing peacefully, but her heart tugged her further.

She reached the corridor on....