Chapter 7.1

On the way to the square, Nuo Nuo noticed that her father wasn’t carrying anything and that Auntie Lu was holding her backpack. She was a bit unwilling and told Auntie Lu, “Daddy should carry the backpack.”

Auntie Lu was taken aback, thinking such a small matter shouldn’t trouble the president.

Just as she was about to say that she could handle it, Sheng Zexi, with a serious expression, interrupted, “I’ll carry it.”

Auntie Lu, a bit slow to react, handed the small backpack over to Sheng Zexi.

It had originally been resting in his hand, but seeing other parents carrying their children’s backpacks slung over their shoulders, he decided to mimic them and placed the backpack on his shoulder.

The small, cute backpack contrasted sharply with his handsome face, making him look somewhat amusing.

Auntie Lu watched in disbelief, wondering if her eyes were playing tricks on her. How could the president be carrying a backpack for a little girl?

The square was indeed crowded at this hour, with many children playing together. As soon as Nuo Nuo spotted her familiar friends, she dashed off with her toy, leaving her father and Auntie Lu behind.

While Nuo Nuo played, Sheng Zexi and Auntie Lu watched from a distance. Due to the low pressure emanating from Sheng Zexi, Auntie Lu felt a bit intimidated and tried to keep her distance. Fortunately, Sheng Zexi wasn’t one to stand idle for long. After a short while, he received a work-related phone call. As he walked away to take the call, Auntie Lu felt that even the streetlights nearby looked much more appealing.

Engrossed in discussing project matters, Sheng Zexi fell into work mode. By the time he finished the call and returned, about twenty minutes had passed. Nuo Nuo, feeling thirsty, decided to go to Auntie Lu to ask for water but soon realized that her backpack was still hanging on her father. She ran over and, seeing him on the phone, chose not to interrupt. Instead, she tiptoed, trying to reach for the backpack slung over his shoulder. However, being small, her hands were too short to reach it. So, she hugged her father’s leg, attempting to climb up to grab the backpack.

Sheng Zexi was in the middle of his conversation when he suddenly felt something soft and small climbing on him. He looked down and saw Nuo Nuo.

As soon as Nuo Nuo noticed her father looking at her, she called out loudly, “Daddy, my backpack!”

Her voice was quite loud, and the people around them realized that they had interrupted Sheng Zexi’s quality time with his daughter. One of them quickly said, “Pick up the president; I’ll discuss the rest with you tomorrow. You go ahead and enjoy your time.”

On the way to the square, Nuo Nuo noticed that her father wasn’t carrying anything, and Aunt Lu was holding her backpack. She was a bit reluctant and told Aunt Lu, “Daddy should carry the backpack.”

Aunt Lu was taken aback, thinking it wasn’t appropriate to trouble the president with such a small task.

Just as she was about to insist that she could handle it, Sheng Zexi, with his serious expression, intervened, “I’ll carry it.”

Aunt Lu, a bit slow to react, handed the small backpack to Sheng Zexi.

Originally just holding the backpack, Sheng Zexi decided to mimic other parents he saw and placed the backpack on his shoulder.

The small, cute backpack contrasted sharply with his handsome face, making him look somewhat amusing.

Aunt Lu, watching this, felt as if her eyes were playing tricks on her. How could the president be carrying a little girl’s backpack?

The square was crowded at this hour, with many children playing together. As soon as Nuo Nuo saw her familiar friends, she dashed off with her toy, leaving her father and Aunt Lu behind.

While Nuo Nuo played, Sheng Zexi and Aunt Lu kept their distance. Due to Sheng Zexi’s low-key presence, Aunt Lu felt a bit intimidated. After a short while, Sheng Zexi received a work-related phone call. As he walked away to take the call, Aunt Lu found herself more at ease.

Engrossed in his conversation about project matters, Sheng Zexi was deeply focused on work. By the time he finished and returned, around twenty minutes had passed. Nuo Nuo, feeling thirsty, realized her backpack was still with her father. She ran over, and seeing him on the phone, decided not to interrupt. Instead, she tiptoed, trying to reach the backpack slung over his shoulder. However, being small, she couldn’t reach it and hugged her father’s leg, trying to climb up to get the backpack.

Sheng Zexi, feeling something soft and small climbing on him, looked down and saw Nuo Nuo.

Noticing that her father was looking at her, Nuo Nuo called out loudly, “Daddy, my backpack!”

Her loud voice made those around them aware that they had interrupted Sheng Zexi’s time with his daughter. One person quickly said, “Sorry, President Sheng, I’ll discuss the rest with you tomorrow. You should enjoy your time.”

Sheng Zexi instinctively refused, but when Nuo Nuo couldn’t open her water bottle and was about to seek help from Auntie Lu, Sheng Zexi took the bottle and opened it for her.

As he instinctively handed the bottle towards her, he noticed that she had her mouth open, waiting for him to feed her directly. Nuo Nuo had grown accustomed to being cared for by others.

Without thinking much, Sheng Zexi placed the bottle near her little mouth. Nuo Nuo quickly drank most of the water. Afterward, she licked her lips and ran a few steps away before returning to her father, pointing at her shoelaces and saying, “The shoelace came undone.”

Seeing Nuo Nuo’s request, Sheng Zexi looked at her shoelaces, unsure of when they had come undone.

He hesitated for a moment, then put the water bottle aside and knelt down to fix her shoelaces. It was his first time tying shoelaces for a child, and his movements were clumsy. Despite the simplicity of the task, he struggled and took a long time to complete it. The result was far from perfect, and Sheng Zexi imagined how Nuo Nuo would likely mock him for his incompetence.

However, Nuo Nuo was too focused on playing to notice or mock him. She immediately ran off once her shoelaces were fixed.

As Sheng Zexi watched her play for what felt like hours, he began to regret coming out. He thought there must be other ways to bond with Nuo Nuo besides waiting here.

Not knowing how much longer she would play, he decided to leave. Just then, he heard Nuo Nuo’s cries from the square.

Being sensitive to Nuo Nuo’s cries, Sheng Zexi paused and decided to check on her.

Nuo Nuo was crying because another child had taken her toy. The little girl stood alone, crying and accusing the boy hiding behind his mother, “How could you take my toy?”

Despite her tears, Nuo Nuo looked adorable. Her dark hair, red lips, and big eyes, resembling her mother’s, made her look even more endearing when she cried.

Sheng Zexi shook his head, trying to dispel his sentimentality. His gaze fell on the toy car, which was the one Nuo Nuo had been so excited to bring earlier. Now it was in the other child’s hands.

Nuo Nuo tried to get her toy back, but the boy kept avoiding her. She stomped her feet in frustration and urged, “Can you give me back my car?”