Chapter 10

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“Xiao Zhuo, who brought you here today to play? Is it Aunt Li?” The elder asked.

“Grandma Li went home to look after the little baby. Mummy brought me here to play.”

The elder was shocked, “Your mother? How come she brought you here?” That woman never cared about Xiao Zhuo before.

Ji Xiao Zhuo nodded, “It’s true. It was Mummy who took me here.”

“Would that woman be so nice? Isn’t she just tricking you? Did she make you do anything?” Was that woman planning something? He really didn’t understand what Ji Yan was thinking when he married a woman like that!

Ji Xiao Zhuo tugged on the elder’s hand and seriously said, “Great Grandpa, Mummy is not tricking me. She has become good, and she is nice now. Great Grandpa shouldn’t curse Mummy anymore.”

The elder let out a heavy ‘hnn’ before saying, “How can someone like your mother turn good, she must be planning something!”

Currently, Ji Xiao Zhuo couldn’t stand people saying that his mother was bad, so he pulled his hand back and seriously said, “Great grandpa, don’t say any bad things about my mother again otherwise I’ll get angry.”

Seeing that his great grandson was not willing to hold his arm anymore, the elder quickly compromised, “Ok, ok, ok, Great Grandpa won’t say anything anymore. I won’t speak badly about your mother either, but you need to remember that you can’t tell your parents about our meeting. This is our secret.”

Ji Xiao Zhuo readily nodded his head, “I know. I will keep our secret.”

The elder noticed that it was getting late, and it wasn’t good to carry on chatting, so he stroked the little one's head and said, “Ok. You should go back. Great Grandpa will see you again next time.”

“Okay. Bye-bye, Great Grandpa!” Ji Xiao Zhuo started his little car and went to find his mother. In the end, he got found by Tang Tang halfway.

Tang Tang only felt like she was going to be scared to death. When she saw Ji Xiao Zhuo, she immediately threw the crutches away and hugged the little one tightly. The tears that she had been holding, started to come out and they streamed down her face as she sobbed, “Where did you go? I thought I would never see you again. Did you know how scared I was?"

Seeing Tang Tang cry, Ji Xiao Zhuo froze. He realized that his secret meeting with his great grandpa had frightened his mummy. He instantly felt guilty and apologized, “Sorry, Mummy. I shouldn’t have gone off by myself. Don’t cry, mummy.”

Tang Tang held Xiao Zhuo tightly. She couldn’t control her tears yet. She really thought that she had lost Xiao Zhuo. What would she do if he got kidnapped by children trafficking? Even her death wouldn’t be enough to compensate.

When Ji Xiao Zhuo saw that Tang Tang was still crying, his eyes started to redden. After thinking for a moment, he mimicked Tang Tang’s actions when she coaxed him. He patted on Tang Tang’s shoulder while saying, “Mummy, Bao Bao was wrong. Forgive me. Mummy, don’t cry anymore, okay?”

Tang Tang rubbed her tears away and rubbed the Xiao Zhuo’s tears as well before asking, “Where did you go? Why didn’t you tell Mummy and went so far by yourself, ah?”

Instantly, Ji Xiao Zhuo lowered his head as he didn’t dare to look at her in the eye. He tapped his fingers together and replied with a guilty conscience, “Nothing much. I just went to play.” He promised his great grandpa not to say anything. Otherwise his daddy would get angry.

Tang Tang felt like Xiao Zhuo didn't tell her the truth, but since he wasn’t willing to say it, she won’t force him either. She pulled on his hand and warned, “Next time, you can’t just go off without a word, okay? Mummy will worry.”

Ji Xiao Zhuo nodded quickly. Then, he noticed that Tang Tang’s right knee was hurt. It was bleeding. He panicked as he widened his eyes while pointing at her knee, “Mummy, your knee is bleeding.”

Tang Tang didn’t mind. She waved her hand, “Mummy is ok. I wasn’t careful and fell over. Mummy will put some ointment and it'll be fine.”

“Mummy, did you fall when you were looking for me?” Ji Xiao Zhuo unconsciously scrunched up his face. He wanted to touch Tang Tang’s injury, but he didn’t dare, “Mummy…”

“No, it was because Mummy wasn’t careful. It’s not much. Let’s go home.” After such a situation, Tang Tang didn’t dare to let the little one keep playing anymore. She wanted to take him home straight away.

Ji Xiao Zhuo felt stuffy inside. He also felt guilty as he caused his mummy to be hurt. Xiao Zhuo only felt relieved when he personally watched Tang Tang treat her wound. When Tang Tang walked into the kitchen, Xiao Zhuo took the chance to hide in his bedroom. Then, he sent a voice message to Ji Yan, “I did something wrong today, Daddy. I made mummy get hurt and cry. I didn’t mean to.”

Once he finished speaking, Xiao Zhuo covered his head with his hands and laid motionless on his bed. He looked like a gloomy little piglet.

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Ji Yan received the little one’s message at night. He got a bit worried when he heard the unhappiness in Xiao Zhuo’s voice. Ji Yan requested a video call directly, which was picked up very quickly. Xiao Zhuo was only wearing pants, so his chubby upper body was revealed. He was sitting on his bed as he showed a worried expression on his face.

“What happened today? What did you do wrong?” Ji Yan asked.

Ji Xiao Zhuo rested his chin against his hand and sighed. He wanted to tell his daddy everything, but he remembered his promise to his great grandpa. In the end, Xiao Zhuo decided not to mention him, “Mummy took me to the play area in the shopping centre to play. I went too far and frightened mummy. I made Mummy cry, and her leg was even bleeding.”

“Then why didn’t you tell Mummy before you went too far?”

Ji Xiao Zhuo lowered his head and put his hands together as he hesitated, “I just … just rushed to play.”

Ji Yan fell silent. He had an idea of what happened, so he didn’t push Xiao Zhuo for the truth. “Remember to tell an adult where you are going next time. You can’t just run off by yourself. What if you got kidnapped? Do you understand?”

Ji Xiao Zhuo nodded.

Ji Yan didn’t say anything else as he saw that Xiao Zhuo knew that he did something wrong. Ji Yan ended the call after reminding Xiao Zhuo to go to sleep. Ji Yan’s feelings were constantly changing inside as he thought if Tang Tang would really get hurt and cry because of Xiao Zhuo. If she was acting, did she need to act to this degree? Unless she really had amnesia, which caused a personality change?

It seemed like he really needed to go back and observe.

While Ji Yan was deep in thought, Ji Xiao Zhuo was also thinking deeply. His arms were folded behind his head and acted like a pillow, and his legs were crossed while he thought about the events that occurred today.

Xiao Zhuo felt that his mummy had really changed. In the past, she never cared about him.There were times where she screamed and howled at him. However, his mummy had become gentle. Now, She would smile at him, cook nice food for him, call him ‘darling’ and ‘precious’, and she would even cry because she was worried about him when he was missing.

It seemed like his mummy really loved him now.

Then should he forgive his mummy and give her another chance?

Ji Xiao Zhuo thought for a long time until his brows were wrinkled. At last, he sighed and decided to forgive mummy this time. Daddy had told him before that men shouldn’t be narrow minded, and that they should yield to girls. Mummy is a girl, so he should relent.

Xiao Zhuo smiled as he felt that he was released from a heavy burden. He kicked his legs in the air to show his happiness, and then he rolled around on his bed a couple of times before going to sleep.

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Tang Tang found that the little one had changed overnight. He usually would avoid looking at her, and he would use grunts to answer her. Basically, he acted like he didn’t have the patience to deal with her.However, he didn’t refuse the food she put in his bowlin the morning. When they left for the nursery, he took the initiative to hold her hand when they walked, he even reminded her to be careful and not trip.

Tang Tang stared at the little one in shock. She didn’t understand what was happening.

“Bao Bao, what’s wrong? You’re not angry at mummy anymore?”

The little one nodded his head seriously and earnestly said, “I’ve decided to forgive you this one time. You can’t commit the same wrong again.”

Tang Tang was surprised. She cupped his face with her hands and confirmed, “Bao Bao, are you really not angry at Mummy anymore? Have we reconciled?”

The little one tried hard to keep the serious expression on his face as he nodded, “Yes.”

Tang Tang couldn’t help but smile. She kissed the little one’s face a couple of times, “Thank you, Bao Bao. You’re so nice.”

Xiao Zhuo’s lips also lifted, but then he pretended to be calm, “That’s because I am a man. I’m very broad minded.”

His serious and solemn expression made Tang Tang laugh. She nodded, “That’s right. Bao Bao is broad minded. Mummy loves you lots.”n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

The little one’s ears turned red. He looked around shyly. Once he confirmed that there was no one around, he quickly went on his tiptoes and kissed Tang Tang’s cheek before saying quietly, “I love you as well.”

After he said that, he got embarrassed and instantly ran away on his short little legs.

Tang Tang’s heart melted. How can there be such a cute kid?

To celebrate their reconciliation, Tang Tang decided to make a feast tonight. She took the ingredients out from the fridge and made vegetable meatballs, sweet and sour pork, kung pao chicken, tofu soup, and braised chicken wings. She remembered that Xiao Zhuo really liked the braised chicken wings. Originally, Tang Tang had learned this recipe from TV. Watching cooking programs was her newest hobby.

“Wah –” The little one gasped in wonder when he saw that there were so many dishes. His eyes widened, “Mummy, is it a special day today?” Generally, there would only be many dishes on special days.

Tang Tang nodded, “That’s right. Today is a very special day, so we are celebrating.”

“What occasion is it?” The little one thought hard as he tried to remember which occasion it was. Even though he had racked his brain, he couldn’t think of anything.

Tang Tang stroked his head, “Today is the day Bao Bao has forgiven Mummy. Mummy is very happy, so we are celebrating it.”

Ji Xiao Zhuo blanked. He began laughing, and his chubby cheeks trembled as he laughed.

This was the first time that Tang Tang had seen the little one laugh so happily. At this moment, he truly looked like a child. Previously, he would act as serious as an adult, which was probably a facade to protect himself as he couldn't rely on anyone. Tang Tang understood him as she used to be the same. She would be quiet in front of other people because she didn’t know what to say; she was also afraid that she would say something wrong and cause trouble. Tang Tang could only laugh, be spoiled, and be her real self in front of her nanny.

So, Tang Tang had been worried about Ji Xiao Zhuo. He was still a child who wasn’t even four years old yet. He shouldn’t be like acting like that.

Seeing that the little one was now willing to be his real self in front of her, she could stop worrying about it.

Tang Tang passed a piece of coke chicken wings to the little one, "Do you want Mummy to feed you?" Xiao Zhuo didn't know how to use chopsticks. He could only use a fork, and it was difficult to use that to eat chicken wings.

Ji Xiao Zhuo shook his head. He stabbed his fork into the chicken wing, "I can eat by myself. I'm not a three-year-old kid."

Tang Tang was rather speechless, " …Alright. You are not three years old." You're a three and a half years old kid.

Just when the mother and son started to eat, they suddenly heard the sounds of a key rattling at the door. The two of them stopped and looked towards the entrance.

A few seconds later, a man wearing a military uniform and a firm expression appeared as the door opened.

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