Chapter 57: “A Secret Base for Mommy~”

The next day, Tao Xiu went to work with Tao Xingxing and Xiao Ba, and Huo Si teleported them there.

The Qiyu Botanical Garden had been closed for some time, and many old customers missed it greatly.

Even on a weekday, it welcomed a small peak in visitor traffic that day.

While Tao Xiu was busy on his feet, Xiao Ba played with Tao Xingxing in the nursery.

That room was personally arranged by Tao Xiu before he closed the botanical garden.

It was converted from a lounge, covered entirely with soft, thick carpets suitable for a baby’s skin.

The furniture had been removed, making the space spacious, and there were no sharp corners.

Even the edges of the windowsill were carefully wrapped in thick velvet.

The room was now filled with adorable plush toys and wind chimes.

The ceiling had been painted sky blue, adorned with cute stars, and even the chandelier had been transformed into a charming, childlike design.

On the floor was a small tent with a comfortable bed inside, where Tao Xingxing’s favorite plush toy rested.

Although Tao Xingxing couldn’t walk yet, he had learned to crawl.

As soon as he saw the tent, he happily crawled inside. He smiled sweetly, exploring the tent with his plush toy companion.

Xiao Ba squatted in front of the tent, watching Tao Xingxing while curiously reading the words on a small sign at the tent’s entrance: “Little Star’s Secret Base…”

Tao Xingxing heard Xiao Ba’s voice, poked his small head out of the tent, blinked his big eyes, and gurgled something, his voice tender and pleasant. He really wanted to ask what a secret base was, but being so recently born, he couldn’t speak yet.

Xiao Ba smiled gently and said, “A secret base is a special room that Brother Xiao Tao prepared for Little Star, where Little Star can hide when he’s happy or sad.”

Tao Xingxing blinked his big eyes and tilted his head. A thought blossomed like a small flower in Xiao Ba’s mind: “Can I also give Mommy a secret base?”

Xiao Ba paused and smiled sweetly: “Yes, you can! I’ll take Little Star to make a secret base. Brother Xiao Tao will surely be very happy.”

Tao Xiu had not only prepared gifts for Little Star but also a reading and toy corner for her, which included a new set of building blocks.

She then picked up Tao Xingxing and headed toward the open space in the room—it’s easier to build with blocks there.

…

“Ah-choo!”

Tao Xiu was currently in the strawberry greenhouse on the second floor, checking the winter insulation system and planting some strawberry seedlings.

He stood up, rubbed the tip of his nose, and looked toward the office downstairs: Was Little Star thinking of him?

He checked his watch: there were still thirty minutes until it was time to feed Little Star formula, just enough time for him to finish planting these strawberry seedlings.

Just then, a figure quietly appeared behind Tao Xiu.

The next instant, Xu Ranqiu’s gentle voice sounded: “The strawberry greenhouses here are very famous in A City. Before coming here to find you for that fresh flower supply contract, I’d heard my colleagues talk about them many times.”

“Even without seeing strawberries, looking at these lush green strawberry seedlings in winter still lifts one’s spirits.”

Tao Xiu was startled, then turned around, a surprised yet gentle smile on his face: “Secretary Xu?”

The last time he saw Secretary Xu was at his home.

At that time, Secretary Xu had secretly brought a high-level player home, wanting to kill the person to avenge his parents…

He had lost a lot of blood then, and even if Tao Xingxing had healed his external wounds, he should have needed a long time to recover.

Thinking of this, he asked with concern, “Are you feeling alright?”

A hint of warmth seeped into Xu Ranqiu’s eyes. He shook his head: “Thank you for your concern. After a few days in the hospital, I’m fine now.”

Then, as if having made up his mind, he bowed deeply to Tao Xiu, his waist almost bending ninety degrees. He said, “General Manager Qiao said it was thanks to your timely arrival that I was saved… Boss Tao, thank you very much.”

“If you need help with anything, please don’t hesitate to tell me.”

Honestly, for some reason, he didn’t clearly remember what happened that day, but he always felt that Tao Xiu had gone above and beyond for him more than what General Manager Qiao described…

In this fast-paced and fragmented society, such kindness was the most valuable and hardest to repay. He was actually somewhat unsure how to repay Tao Xiu…

Tao Xiu was surprised and quickly helped him up: “It’s nothing. I’ve always been troubling you when supplying flowers to Qiao Shi.”

He initially wanted to say that friends shouldn’t worry so much about such things, but upon seeing Secretary Xu’s expression at that moment, he changed his mind just as the words came to his lips.

Tao Xiu tilted his head, a pure and bright smile on his face: “I actually have something difficult I’d like to ask for your help with.”

Secretary Xu quickly said, “Tell me.”

Tao Xiu: “Do you usually have anything planned for the weekends?”

Xu Ranqiu paused, then shook his head: “Aside from necessary social engagements and interactions with friends, I usually rest at home.”

He was an orphan and didn’t have many social connections to begin with.

Tao Xiu: “Would it be convenient for you to spare a day to come here and help? Just help me guide guests. Weekends have high traffic, and sometimes I get too busy.”

“I had originally set a staff member, but he’s likely dealing with his own matters right now and can’t start work temporarily.”

“If you could come, it would greatly help me.”

Xu Ranqiu gazed blankly at Tao Xiu: Why would there be such a person in the world… someone who could even gently care for his concealed desire not to owe anything…

Xu Ranqiu finally smiled with relief. He reached out his hand to Tao Xiu and said, “Of course, I’m willing. As a temporary employee or a friend, I’m happy to be here and help.”

“Boss, please guide me in the future.”

Tao Xiu promptly shook his hand, his eyes curving: “Please guide me too.”

…

After Xu Ranqiu left, Tao Xiu checked his watch: it was exactly time to feed Tao Xingxing formula.

So he decided to postpone planting strawberry seedlings until the afternoon.

He quickly went downstairs to the office, changed out of his work clothes, washed his hands, and then pushed open the door to the nursery inside.

Stepping inside, his eyes widened suddenly:

In the center of the room, on what was originally an empty carpet, stood an adorable little house made of building blocks.

It was a very cute house. Inside, there were several rooms, each with a light made of star-shaped candies. Outside, there was even a small courtyard.

Tao Xingxing had learned to sit halfway up. He was sitting next to Xiao Ba, stretching his short arms to hand her a handful of cute little flowers he had gathered, asking her to help arrange them into cute shapes in the courtyard.

Beside Tao Xingxing’s hand was a cute notebook page printed with stars, on which he had meticulously pressed his tiny handprint with an ink pad. Xiao Ba seemed to have written something else on it.

…

Regaining his senses, Tao Xiu stepped forward and scooped up Tao Xingxing, his eyebrows soft with gentle smiles: “What made you two think of building a house with blocks?”

Xiao Ba placed the little flowers in the courtyard, then happily looked at the young man: “It’s a gift from Little Star to Brother Xiao Tao~ Little Star built it all himself; I just helped put in the flowers and wrote the words~”

As she spoke, she lifted the cute piece of paper from the floor.

It read “A secret base for Mommy,” and next to the words was Tao Xingxing’s small handprint, which served as his signature.

Tao Xiu paused, then chuckled: “For me?”

Tao Xingxing happily reached out his short arms and hugged Tao Xiu’s neck. He blinked his big, shiny eyes, tilted his head, and gave the young man a quick “smooch” on the cheek.

Tao Xiu felt his heart melt. He tapped the little one’s nose and asked, “What made you think of giving me… a secret base?”

A tender and light thought blossomed in Tao Xiu’s mind: “Mommy gave Xingxing a secret base, so Xingxing wants to give Mommy one too~”

“Xingxing just saw… that future Daddy will make Mommy angry~ When Mommy doesn’t want Daddy around, she can take Xingxing and hide inside~”

“There’s a room for Mommy and Xingxing, and rooms for Sister Xiao Ba and Brother Cook~”

“Xingxing even made a little lock; Daddy and the dog can’t get in~”

Tao Xiu was silent momentarily, then finally couldn’t hold back a laugh: “…Pfft!”

“Daddy and the dog aren’t allowed in.”

He really wanted to see Huo Si’s expression when he heard that.

…

Somewhere, a certain person (?) who was roughly devouring body parts as he separated the space that needed to be separated today: “…Ah-choo!”

—

this chap’s so cute I can’t help but comment hehe