“Yaya, come here, let Grandpa hold you!”
Yue Guohuai took Yaya from Wan Jiayin’s arms and noticed the begonia petal on her forehead. Delighted, he exclaimed, “Oh my, how beautiful! Even the flowers adore our Yaya, don’t they?”
The family had grown accustomed to the old man’s tough-guy-meets-baby-talk voice around Yaya, but Huo Yingnian was hearing it for the first time. Thankfully, he wasn’t drinking water at that moment—otherwise, he might have spat it all over Yue Guohuai’s face.
Yue Guohuai wanted to call Huo Yingnian over for a closer look at Yaya, but when he turned, he saw the man staring as if he’d seen a ghost. He glared. “Old Huo, what’s wrong with you?”
Huo Yingnian teased without hesitation, “Old Yue, I thought you’d taken the wrong medicine and ruined your voice.”
Yue Guohuai laughed and retorted, “Oh, shut up. I just didn’t want to scare my precious girl.”
Huo Yingnian stepped forward and saw a fair, chubby baby girl wrapped in a red swaddle. Surprisingly, she wasn’t afraid of him, a stranger. Her big, round eyes sparkled with curiosity as she stared at him unblinkingly.
Then, her little mouth curled up into the sweetest smile.
It reminded him of his own daughter, Xiao Jun, when she was born, and his heart melted instantly.
“Hello, Yaya. I’m Grandpa Huo.”
Huo Yingnian bent down, softening his voice, and reached out a finger to gently touch Yaya’s cheek. But Yaya grabbed his finger instead.
The little one seemed to have found a treasure, shaking his hand excitedly while giggling.
[Grandpa Huo is still so kind. Yaya likes Grandpa Huo.]
[If the little demon doesn’t leave and stays with Grandpa Huo, maybe Grandpa Huo won’t get sick from missing him?]
[And the little demon won’t get ambushed and almost lose his life. Our country is very safe—those people wouldn’t dare come here.]
[If they do, Grandpa and Grandpa Huo will chase them away!]
Compared to the shock of hearing Yaya’s thoughts, Huo Yingnian was even more stunned by their content.
Would Huo Jiusi really be in such danger if he went back?
No—he absolutely couldn’t let him return!
He’d already lost his daughter. He couldn’t lose his grandson too.
Huo Yingnian rubbed Huo Jiusi’s head affectionately. Huo Jiusi, confused, turned to him. “Grandpa?”
“Should I hold you up? You’ve been tiptoeing this whole time just to see Yaya.”
Huo Yingnian lifted his foot to show the shoe prints. “You’ve stepped on me at least five times.”
Huo Jiusi, unusually embarrassed, blushed and apologized. “Sorry, Grandpa.”
“Go get me a chair.”
Huo Jiusi quickly fetched one. Huo Yingnian reached out to Yue Guohuai. “Old Yue, let me hold Yaya for a bit.”
“Only for a little while,” Yue Guohuai grumbled before handing Yaya over.
Huo Yingnian sat with Yaya in his arms while Huo Jiusi crouched beside them, playfully shaking Yaya’s tiny hand. “Yaya, aren’t you surprised to see me?”
If not for Huo Yingnian’s presence, Yaya would’ve rolled her eyes hard.
The little demon was like an old peacock spreading its feathers—full of himself.
Surprise? More like shock without the delight.
Though he didn’t hear her thoughts, Huo Jiusi read her expression perfectly.
His face fell. “Yaya, I missed you so much! I rushed back as fast as I could after leaving, just to attend your full moon celebration.”
“I even brought you a gift!”
“Though I didn’t know what you’d like, so I went with something most girls love.”
“Look!”
He pulled out a jewelry box from his pocket, and Yaya immediately had a bad feeling.
Sure enough, he opened it to reveal a heart-shaped pink diamond ring.
What the—?!
Yaya was genuinely stunned, her tiny face a picture of utter disbelief.
Was the little demon an idiot? Who gives a baby a diamond ring for a full moon gift?!
“Yaya, do you like it?”
Huo Jiusi dangled the ring in front of her.
Yaya clenched her fists, but all she could do was seethe silently—after all, she was just a one-month-old infant.
“Jiusi, where did you get this ring?” Huo Yingnian couldn’t hold back his amusement.
“From the family vault,” Huo Jiusi admitted. “I told Dad I needed a gift for a girl, and he suggested this.”
Yaya: “…” Now she knew where Huo Jiusi got his lack of common sense.
“Jiusi, did your father not explain that giving a ring is a proposal?” Huo Yingnian chuckled, secretly enjoying his grandson’s rare embarrassment.
“Huh?!”
Huo Jiusi’s face turned as red as a boiled lobster. He hastily stuffed the ring back into his pocket and gently shook Yaya’s hand. “Yaya, I’m sorry! I really didn’t know!”
The little demon had transformed into a pitiful puppy. Who could resist that?
Certainly not Yaya—no matter how many times she fell for it.
[Ugh, here he goes again!]
[Fine, fine. Since he’s so pretty, I, the magnanimous beauty, will let it slide.]
[Besides, I did like the jade pendant he gave me before.]
Hearing Yaya’s forgiveness, Huo Jiusi brightened. Then, an idea struck him.
“Yaya, do you like begonia flowers? I’ll pick one for you as your full moon gift!”
Yaya glanced at the begonia tree and waved her tiny fist in approval.
Huo Jiusi immediately fetched a ladder, climbed up, and carefully plucked the most vibrant blossom.
“Yaya, this is for you!”
He held the branch out to her. When Yaya touched the petals, her eyes curved into a smile even brighter than the flower itself.
Huo Jiusi was mesmerized. Snapping out of it, he quickly captured the moment with his camera.
“Ugh, whose child is this? So ill-mannered!”
At the entrance, Tan Yingjun and Feng Wan were about to enter when a child dashed past, bumping into Tan Yingjun. The boy turned, made a face instead of apologizing, and ran off, leaving her fuming.
Li Yan didn’t visit the military compound often, but after nearly a decade of marriage into the Yue family, she knew most of the regulars. Aware of Tan Yingjun’s sharp tongue, she stayed silent, slipping past her and Feng Wan before chasing after Li Yang.
“Yangyang, stop running around!”
Li Yan caught up and scolded him softly, “Later, I’ll introduce you to some important people. Be polite, understand?”
“Auntie, I don’t wanna meet anyone! I’m here for the feast. Just show me the food!”
Li Yang clutched his stomach. “Grandma said there’d be tons of delicious stuff, so I skipped breakfast. I’m starving!”
“Li Yan, why did you bring him?” Yue Mingde frowned at Li Yang.
