Chapter 173: Chapter 101: Father of my child, she hit me
After adjusting the angle for a photo, Jiang Wanyi looked at Chen Yuan.
"Does it look good here?"
"Are you talking about the person or the flowers?"
A shy smile appeared on Jiang Wanyi’s face.
"The flowers."
"The flowers are okay, I guess. Nothing special."
"And the person?"
"Way prettier than the flowers."
"Hmph. I knew I couldn’t get a straight answer out of you."
Jiang Wanyi was flustered, a charming and shy blush spreading across her cheeks that she couldn’t hide.
The child fell asleep a short while later, and Chen Yuan carried her to the bedroom.
Jiang Wanyi took a small blanket and covered her. She then kissed her cheek and tiny feet, a ritual she performed every day. Sometimes, she would even plant a kiss on her little bottom.
Chen Yuan felt around in his pocket and pulled out a black USB drive.
"The photos I took of you last week are all on here."
Jiang Wanyi took it from him. "Did you keep a backup?"
"Nope. Why?"
Jiang Wanyi gave him a coy look, a hint of allure in her eyes.
"Not even the sexy ones you took at the end?"
"Uh... Look, when you were doing yoga last time, I just snapped a few pictures to test my skills. I’m actually a pretty stand-up guy."
’He’s snuck countless peeks at my chest, and he still calls himself a stand-up guy? He’s all talk.’
"If you were just ’casually shooting,’ how did all the pictures end up being of my butt and chest?"
"I had auto-aim on. It locked right on."
She reached out and pinched Chen Yuan’s waist.
"At least you’re honest about it. No pretense at all."
Jiang Wanyi started stretching on the spot.
"Aren’t we going out for photos tomorrow? What’s the plan for the little one?"
"We’ll head out right after breakfast tomorrow. I’ll drop her off at my mom’s, and then I’ll be free for the whole day."
Tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear, Jiang Wanyi went to the fridge, took out a few oranges, cut them into quarters, and brought them over to Chen Yuan.
She sank onto the sofa, drained. "I can finally give myself a day off."
Chen Yuan completely understood the feeling. Taking care of a child was no easy task.
"We said we’d get barbecue tomorrow. Did you find a good spot?"
"I found one ages ago. I’ve had it bookmarked for a while but have never been. The atmosphere isn’t anything special, though."
Chen Yuan sat cross-legged, eating an orange. "This orange is pretty sweet. You should try one."
"Atmosphere doesn’t matter, as long as the food is good." Jiang Wanyi picked up an orange slice and said,
"Is it one of those outdoor food stalls?"
"They have outdoor seating, yeah."
"I’m fine with that. I actually love those kinds of places. I used to go with my coworkers all the time."
"Then this place should be right up your alley."
"I’ve had to watch what I eat for so long. I can finally have a feast," Jiang Wanyi said with anticipation.
"You definitely need to feast. You don’t even eat half as much as I do."
"Well, as the old saying goes, a growing boy will eat his father out of house and home. You’re at that age where you can eat and drink a ton. Honestly, one of your meals is enough to last me two."
"Oh, great. So now you’re just casting me aside after I’ve outlived my usefulness? Complaining that I eat too much."
"I’m gonna pinch you."
Jiang Wanyi put on a mock-fierce expression, her face still full of mature charm, and pinched Chen Yuan’s waist without letting go.
"Are you going to say things like that again?"
"It’s not about what I say. It’s about whether you’re willing to cook for me."
"Of course I’m willing to cook for you. I’m just worried you won’t like it."
"I’ll definitely like it. There’s no doubt about that."
"Fine, then from now on I’ll make the food taste awful and see if you still like it. Hmph."
"It doesn’t matter if it tastes bad. It’s not the food I’m eating anyway."
"Then what are you eating?"
"A feast for the eyes."
"With a smooth tongue like that, it’s a wonder you don’t have a girlfriend."
"The motherland has yet to be unified. How can I possibly indulge in trivial matters of the heart?"
"Hmph. You’ve got an answer for everything."
And so they remained, one on the sofa and one on the floor, enjoying a rare, quiet moment together.
Wanting Chen Yuan to get some more rest, Jiang Wanyi urged him to go to bed.
"Good night, Dad."
"Good night, Mom."
...
The next morning, all three of them slept in, waking up naturally.
When Jiang Wanyi got up, she pushed open the door to the guest bedroom and saw the child was already awake, straddling Chen Yuan.
Chen Yuan had one arm wrapped around the child, still fast asleep with his eyes closed.
It should have been a heartwarming scene, but Jiang Wanyi’s heart ached a little.
’He must not have slept well last night taking care of her. Even though he’s young, he won’t be able to keep this up for long.’
Quietly, Jiang Wanyi entered the room, picked up Mili, and put a finger to her lips in a shushing gesture.
"Daddy’s sleeping. Let’s be quiet and not disturb his rest."
Carrying the child out, Jiang Wanyi returned to the master bedroom and closed the door.
This way, even if she and the child made noise while playing, Chen Yuan wouldn’t hear them.
Chen Yuan slept all the way until ten o’clock. It wasn’t until Jiang Wanyi heard sounds from the guest bedroom that she came out holding the child.
"You must have been exhausted last night."
"We both woke up, but then we fell back asleep and didn’t get up until just now."
"I was afraid cooking would be too noisy, so I ordered takeout. We can just have something simple this morning."
He glanced at the dining table: steamed buns, tea-leaf eggs, sliced ham, and rice porridge.
’If this were at my place, both I and my dad, Comrade Chen, would be eternally grateful. But here with Jiang Wanyi, this was just ’something simple.’’
"Mhm, yeah, it is a little plain."
An apologetic look crossed Jiang Wanyi’s face.
’He’s so used to the lavish breakfasts I make for him. He’s probably not used to eating takeout anymore. I won’t order takeout for him again. I’ll make sure to cook more for him.’
"I’ll go stir-fry a dish for you. This really is too simple."
"That’s not what I meant. I just meant there’s nothing to drink."