“I wasn’t…” Yue Guohuai wanted to defend himself, but one look from Wan Jiayin shut him down. “Wasn’t what?”
“Never mind.” Yue Guohuai immediately deflated.
Yue Mingyuan was accustomed to scenes like this. For as long as he could remember, his parents had interacted this way.
He still remembered asking his father as a child why he was so afraid of his mother.
His father had smiled and said he was afraid of her because he loved her. He loved her so much he never wanted her to get angry or be the least bit unhappy.
Even back then, his father told him that if he ever had a wife in the future, he must treat her well and cherish her.
“Meow~”
Ya Ya rolled onto her back, releasing Xiao Bai. The little cat stretched, extending its front paws, then kicking out its back legs, turned in a circle, and nestled back beside Ya Ya, wrapping its two black paws around her tiny arm and rubbing its head against her small hand.
Seeing Huo Jiusi approaching, Xiao Bai immediately jumped down from the small bed and scurried away.
After Huo Jiusi finished greeting the elders, Yue Mingyuan said to him, “Jiusi, Auntie Ye and I are taking Ya Ya out to play in a bit. Come with us.”
“Alright.”
After Yue Mingyuan and Ye Zhiqiu finished breakfast, Ya Ya woke up. They fed her a bottle, changed her diaper, and then Yue Mingyuan drove Ye Zhiqiu, Huo Jiusi, and Ya Ya to Haiying Park.
It wasn’t a weekend, so the park wasn’t crowded.
Yue Mingyuan rented a large duck paddle boat. He was in charge of pedaling while the other three enjoyed the scenery.
There weren’t many flowers this season, but the willow branches by the lake, vibrant green and trailing in the water, gently swaying in the breeze, formed a beautiful sight themselves.
There were several small islands in the middle of the lake. Some had little pavilions, and one, if you circled around, had a pond filled with lotus flowers.
This was the season when the lotuses were in full, glorious bloom.
Yue Mingyuan held Ya Ya and pointed to the vast expanse of lotuses in the pond. “Ya Ya, look at the lotus flowers. Aren’t they pretty?”
Ya Ya nodded.
A couple nearby, also holding a child who looked a few months older than Ya Ya, looked astonished. “Is this your daughter?” the woman stepped forward to strike up a conversation.
Ye Zhiqiu gave a slight nod. “Yes.”
“Your daughter is so beautiful, and so clever! She can understand what you’re saying and already knows how to nod?”
Ye Zhiqiu smiled without directly answering, steering the conversation to their child. “Is yours a son?”
“No, a daughter too. Not as pretty as your girl, though. Mine takes after her dad here,” the woman said, turning to glare at her husband beside her.
The husband gave a simple, honest smile. “My fault, my fault. Not good-looking myself, and ended up dragging our daughter down too.”
“A girl changes eighteen times before adulthood, always growing more beautiful,” Ye Zhiqiu said, reaching out to hold the child’s little hand. The baby grinned at Ye Zhiqiu, giggling happily.
Chatting further, they learned the woman’s name was Wang Yun, and she worked at a clothing factory.
Huo Jiusi immediately recalled that Chen Can had gone to look for a woman named Huang Jing, who also worked at a clothing factory.
Wang Yun had approached Ye Zhiqiu with a purpose.
“Xiao Ye, so you’re a dance performer. No wonder your bearing is so elegant,” Wang Yun praised Ye Zhiqiu sincerely. “I noticed you from far away earlier.”
“Here’s the thing. Our clothing factory is looking for someone to help photograph our garments. I was wondering if you might be willing?”
She had been nearly driven to distraction over this matter.
“Our factory is going to participate in a product expo in the Guangzhou-Shenzhen area. I’ve heard they use models for displays over there.”
“Time is tight. The factory manager assigned this task to me, and I’ve approached several people, but none were quite right.”
“Xiao Ye, I know we’ve just met, and it might be inappropriate for me to ask so directly, but I’m truly desperate.”
Wang Yun took Ye Zhiqiu’s hand. “Xiao Ye, can you help me?”
Ye Zhiqiu thought for a moment before replying, “Sister Wang, I’ll need to report this to my supervisor when I get back. If my supervisor agrees, and if everything aligns on your end, I’d naturally be willing to help.”
Wang Yun took a notepad from her bag, wrote down her contact information, tore off the page, and handed it to Ye Zhiqiu. “Xiao Ye, I’ll wait for your call.”
“Sister Wang, whether it works out or not, I’ll call you to let you know,” Ye Zhiqiu said, folding the paper and putting it in her own bag.
After Wang Yun left, they strolled around the little island some more.
By the lotus pond was a two-story pavilion. From the second floor, you could take in the entire beautiful vista of the lotus pond.
[Seeing the lotus flowers makes me want to eat lotus flower pastries.]
Ya Ya looked at the lotuses, her little finger by her mouth as she swallowed. [No lotus flower pastries… cake would be good too.]
[Ah, right. Xiao Hui Hui said it loves sunflower seed cake the most, which makes me want some too. But I want tiger skin cake.]
The little demon had never raised a cat before and didn’t know what cats could or couldn’t eat.
At first, he didn’t understand at all—basically, he ate whatever she ate.
It must be said, the little demon had a good understanding of delicious food, and she got to enjoy quite a lot of it.
Even though she was in a cat’s body, her soul was still human. Naturally, she preferred human food.
“What else do you want to eat?” Huo Jiusi mouthed the question to Ya Ya.
Ya Ya looked at their joined hands. [I also want milk-soaked walnut cookies.]
Soaking the walnut cookies in milk until they’re soft, oily, and fragrant.
[Also, later when we eat, I want to put some dish broth in my rice porridge, or use the broth to soak steamed buns.]
Talking about it, Ya Ya was starting to get a little hungry.
Worried she might get hungry on the way and it would be inconvenient to prepare formula, they had brought along some little milk puffs for her—tiny, milk-flavored steamed buns.
Huo Jiusi had asked his father to have someone bring them from abroad. Ya Ya loved them.
They melted in your mouth, wouldn’t get stuck, and you wouldn’t choke on any powder.
“Auntie, what’s that? Can I have some too?”
Ye Zhiqiu had just fed Ya Ya three or four pieces and was about to put them away when a little boy ran over, stood right in front of Ye Zhiqiu, and held out his hand.
Ye Zhiqiu looked around. “Where are your mom and dad?”
“Over there!” The little boy pointed toward some low bushes nearby.
Ye Zhiqiu looked over and saw a man pulling up his pants. She quickly averted her face.
If she remembered correctly, the restrooms were right nearby. Yet this man, in broad daylight, was relieving himself right out in the open.
“Where’s your mom?”
“My mom ran off with another man.”
As he spoke, the little boy reached out and grabbed Ye Zhiqiu’s arm. “Auntie, I think you’re pretty. You can be my mom.”
Ye Zhiqiu was still holding Ya Ya and didn’t dare use much force, but the little boy was surprisingly strong. “Let go, let go right now!”
“I won’t. You’re my mom.”
“Mom, come home with me. I miss you so much.”
The little boy shouted loudly toward the man, “Dad! I found Mom!”
“Good boy, you’re right. That’s your mom.”
The man strode quickly over to Ye Zhiqiu. The look in his eyes made Ye Zhiqiu feel utterly disgusted.
