Chapter 28: You Handle the Outside, I Handle the Inside

Early the next morning, Tang Xiaohe got up to make breakfast for Nini.

Lin Jing was still sleeping. Tang Xiaohe simply cooked two poached eggs, prepared some children’s milk powder mixed with water, and then took some warm bread slices out of the toaster. She handed the bread to Nini with some apology: “Sorry, Nini, this is all I can make.”

But Nini ate happily, taking big bites of the bread. Tang Xiaohe wiped the crumbs off the corner of Nini’s mouth, feeling a warm softness in her heart.

When she was leaving the house carrying Nini’s school bag, she just happened to run into Ji Yanli coming down the stairs.

“What are you two doing? Let me take you there.”

Tang Xiaohe waved her hand to refuse, “If we drive at this time, we’ll definitely be late.”

She jingled the keys in her hand, “I’ll take her on the electric scooter.”

Ji Yanli’s brows furrowed tightly — what was she thinking? She had an injured hand and was taking care of a child, yet she dared to ride an electric scooter!

Seeing Ji Yanli’s face turn serious, Tang Xiaohe hurried to explain, “Mainly the roads are really congested right now; riding the scooter is faster.”

Ji Yanli shook his head and said in a coaxing tone, “Be good, listen to me.”

Tang Xiaohe’s face turned hot. She wanted to find a hole to hide in. Could she say it was because she was shy? After all, Nini was right there, and she felt embarrassed.

Nini opened her big eyes and looked up at both Ji Yanli and Tang Xiaohe, completely confused. She didn’t think anything was wrong. When she was naughty, her mom would coax her the same way!

Feeling Tang Xiaohe’s hand unexpectedly sweat a bit and slip slightly, Nini’s small hand tightened its grip on hers.

Ji Yanli narrowed his eyes, clearly taking the stance of “If you don’t agree, I’ll just keep pushing until you give in.” No matter what, he wasn’t going to let Tang Xiaohe ride the scooter to work today. After all, her hand was injured, and controlling the speed of an electric scooter requires using the hands — it’s no joke.

Tang Xiaohe had no choice but to agree. She reluctantly handed the scooter keys to Ji Yanli and said, “Fine, I won’t ride the scooter. Then I’ll take a taxi. Are you happy now?”

“Are you sure you can still get a taxi at this hour?” Ji Yanli warned her carefully.

Tang Xiaohe didn’t believe it. She took out her phone and tried ordering rides on multiple platforms. After three minutes, still no one accepted the order.

Tang Xiaohe gave up, “Handsome, could you please take us to school?”

Ji Yanli raised an eyebrow — this little girl!

Tang Xiaohe and Nini got into the back seat. Ji Yanli activated the child safety lock to ensure the car doors wouldn’t open from the inside.

Ji Yanli droves steadily, but Tang Xiaohe was anxious. If he kept driving so calmly, she would be late.

In other jobs, being late might just mean a salary deduction, but as a homeroom teacher, if she was late, no one would be in charge of the class, and if anything happened, it would be a big problem.

Right now, Zhang Wan was still in the hospital, and there was no one else to cover for her.

Ji Yanli looked in the rearview mirror and saw how anxious Tang Xiaohe was. He stopped teasing her and pressed the accelerator, weaving through traffic. Then he turned down a side street.

Tang Xiaohe was surprised: “This is?”

“This road is a little longer but less crowded,” Ji Yanli explained.

There were almost no cars on this road. Ji Yanli sped up, and it took only about ten minutes to get to the school.

Tang Xiaohe felt relieved that she wouldn’t be late. She put her heart down into her stomach, stopped fidgeting, stopped looking anxiously out the window or at the navigation distance, and instead sat properly and quietly in her seat.

Ji Yanli found it amusing and said in a teasingly affectionate tone, “You knew you’d be late, why didn’t you get up earlier?”

By all that’s holy, Tang Xiaohe had already gotten up early enough! But she usually lived alone and never made breakfast. If she had enough time, she’d buy something outside, and if not, she’d just skip breakfast.

Today, to make breakfast for Nini, Tang Xiaohe even woke up half an hour earlier. But since she was really not good at kitchen work, she fumbled around and barely managed to fill Nini’s little stomach so she wouldn’t go to school hungry.

She couldn’t help but sigh — raising a kid is really tough!
Hearing this, Ji Yanli’s brow twitched. Skipping breakfast often and eating irregularly? That just wouldn’t do.

“How about this? Next time, I make breakfast, and you just come down to get it?”

“That would be too embarrassing!” Tang Xiaohe quickly refused. Nini was brought home by her, and she said she was helping Zhang Wan take care of her, but if all the daily life fell on Ji Yanli, that wouldn’t be right — she really felt awkward about it.

Ji Yanli raised an eyebrow — was she being distant with him?

“You handle the outside; I handle the inside. Our division of labor is clear. Taking care of Nini at home is my responsibility,” Ji Yanli said matter-of-factly.

After hearing Ji Yanli’s words, Tang Xiaohe was dumbfounded. Wait, wait, wait, what does he mean by “he handles the inside, she handles the outside”? Why did that sound like they were already married and raising a kid together?

Besides, that was Ji Yanli — a high and mighty, god-like handsome man. And now he was actively taking on the role of a “househusband”?

Tang Xiaohe pictured Ji Yanli wearing an apron, and she had to admit, even dressed like that he was still handsome and charismatic — just looking more domestic and approachable.

No wonder he was the man she liked!
Tang Xiaohe’s mind started wandering, but she quickly shook her head to clear her thoughts.

“I can understand you handling the inside — you do cook for Nini every day. I feel like I haven’t contributed much.”

Ji Yanli furrowed his brow slightly, “Taking care of the kid, putting her to sleep, sending her to school — how is that ‘not contributing’?”

Tang Xiaohe thought about it and realized he was right. So, she had no objections. Worried that Ji Yanli getting up early to cook would be hard on him, she said, “Then just make Nini’s portion. Don’t bother with mine.”

Ji Yanli narrowed his eyes — what did that mean?

“Skipping breakfast is a good way to lose weight.”

Ji Yanli almost laughed out loud, annoyed. Not eating properly, not taking care of herself, and coming up with such a noble reason — was this how she took care of herself?

He refused outright, “No way, you have to eat breakfast on time.”

Seeing Tang Xiaohe’s expression droop a little, Ji Yanli softened his tone, “Even if you have to sleep a little less, you have to get up and eat breakfast. Eating irregularly like this, what if you get a stomach illness in the long run?”

It was all because he cared about her. Tang Xiaohe thought wryly — why hadn’t she noticed Ji Yanli could be this nagging before? She would definitely get along well with Mrs. Chen Aimei in the future!

Ji Yanli noticed the variety of expressions on her face and asked playfully, “Why don’t you tell me what you’re thinking?”

Tang Xiaohe puckered her lips a bit and said, “I’m worried you have to get up early to cook breakfast, so if you do less, you can rest more.”

“You’re just benefiting from Nini. Since I’m already cooking, one more portion isn’t a big deal — it’s no trouble at all.”
Hearing this, Tang Xiaohe felt less awkward and happily agreed. From now on, she could also eat the meals Ji Yanli made by himself. A small smile appeared at the corner of her mouth — it was clear she was genuinely happy.

The car turned at the next intersection and soon arrived at Tang Xiaohe’s school gate. Tang Xiaohe said, “Stop—”