Chapter 17: Afternoon

The next day, when Xu Chunian woke up, Zhuzhu and Jiang Huaixu were already having breakfast.

She yawned and sat down in a dining chair. “Good morning.”

As always, she was met with silence.

Zhuzhu finished the last piece of egg shell. Her little hand couldn’t hold a whole egg, so she placed it on the plate in front of Xu Chunian.

Xu Chunian was taken aback. “Thank you, Zhuzhu.”

After breakfast, Zhuzhu went back to her small bedroom and sat on the rug, reading a book.

Jiang Huaixu went back to his study after breakfast. In novels, CEOs can work whenever they want, but Jiang Huaixu seemed to be working a 9-9-6 schedule. Xu Chunian secretly scoffed in her heart.

*

“Knock, knock, knock.”

Xu Chunian held a plate of fruit and knocked twice on Zhuzhu’s bedroom door. When she pushed it open, Zhuzhu placed the fairy tale book on her lap, and the little pig was lying in the middle of the book as usual.

Xu Chunian sat next to Zhuzhu and picked up a blueberry to feed her. “Zhuzhu, you’ve been reading all morning. Do you want to go for a walk in the back?”

Zhuzhu wasn’t as afraid of her as she was before, but she was still a little timid when she saw her. She wanted to get closer but was afraid.

“Okay?” Xu Chunian asked patiently.

Zhuzhu took a bite of the blueberry and nodded slightly. She picked up the book on her lap and put it on the small shelf.

Xu Chunian’s heart softened. She took Zhuzhu’s wrist and went downstairs.

The early summer morning sun had already bathed the backyard in its warmth. The nameless little trees in the courtyard rustled in the wind, and the sunlight dappled through the leaves, casting dancing shadows on the ground.

“Zhuzhu, do you know what kind of flower that is?” Xu Chunian pointed to the flowers blooming in the small garden.

“That’s a peony.” Xu Chunian said. “My favorite flower is a peony.”

All kinds of peonies occupied almost half of the garden space.

“And this one, this is a hydrangea. Doesn’t it look like a ball?”

Zhuzhu nodded and pointed to the small white flower in front of her, tilting her head up.

“This is jasmine, baby.” Xu Chunian bent down and picked a small one for her. “Smell it. Isn’t it fragrant?”

Zhuzhu was holding the pig doll. Xu Chunian reached out to her. “Can I hold this for you? Here’s the flower.”

Zhuzhu hesitated for a moment, clutching the pig, then reached out and handed it to her.

Xu Chunian handed her the flower. Zhuzhu took it and put it under her nose to smell.

“Is it fragrant?” Xu Chunian took her wrist.

Zhuzhu let her lead her. There was a white swing in the courtyard. Flower vines bloomed around it, climbing up the white pillars.

Xu Chunian lifted Zhuzhu onto the swing and placed her pig doll next to her. Then, she went around to the back and gently pushed her. Zhuzhu’s eyes crinkled.

The swing swayed in the wind, and Zhuzhu’s soft hair was blown back, revealing her small, delicate features.

The willow tree next to it also swayed. Xu Chunian broke off a willow branch and made a flower crown, which she put on Zhuzhu’s head.

“You’re such a beautiful baby.” Xu Chunian held her little face. Motherly love overflowed. Zhuzhu’s big, dark eyes, with their long, thick eyelashes, really looked like a little princess from a fairy tale.

She was about to stand up and push the swing for her, but Zhuzhu grabbed her hand. Xu Chunian looked down at her, and Zhuzhu reached out and patted the space next to her.

“Do you want me to sit with you?”

Zhuzhu nodded, placed the flower in her hand on her lap, and took the pig doll next to her to make room for her.

Xu Chunian sat next to her and reached out to hug her. “Ready? We’re about to take off!”

With that, she pushed off with her toes, and the swing soared through the air.

Suddenly, she landed in a soft, fragrant embrace. Zhuzhu was stunned for a moment, then, as she felt the swing move wildly, she grinned.

Upstairs, by the floor-to-ceiling window, a tall figure stood by the window, his gaze fixed on the white swing in the courtyard. Unreadable emotions churned in his deep eyes.