Chapter 502 This time I'm not leaving.

Little Nuomi groped around, muttering to herself, "The slippers Auntie just bought last week are all here! There are my favorite bunny-patterned ones, and Mommy's white cotton slippers too. Why aren't there any bigger men's slippers...?"

After rummaging around for a while, Xiao Nuomi even pulled out her little dinosaur slippers from the bottom of the shoe cabinet before she finally straightened up, looking dejected.

She scratched the stray hairs on the back of her head, looked up at Zhou Mubin with a slightly ingratiating and apologetic smile, "Uncle Zhou, I'm so sorry, we only have slippers for me and Mom at home, no men's slippers. Your feet are too big, my little slippers definitely won't fit. After school today, Aunt Zhang and I will go to the supermarket to buy you the largest size, with an Ultraman pattern, okay? You can wear Mom's light pink cotton slippers for now, they're a little small though, so be careful not to step on the lace trim..."

Zhou Mubin followed her gaze to the shoe cabinet, where several pairs of slippers were neatly arranged.

There were little dinosaur cotton slippers from Xiao Nuomi, and white plush slippers from Cui Xiao; in short, they were all women's styles, and there wasn't a single extra pair of shoes.

A gentle smile instantly appeared in his eyes.

For the past five years, she has not allowed any man into this home.

Realizing this, Zhou Mubin's smile softened even more. He bent down and rubbed Xiao Nuomi's soft head, his tone full of genuine joy, "It's alright, these pink cotton slippers are really pretty, the lace trim is so delicate."

As she spoke, she picked up a pair of light pink cotton slippers with openwork lace and carefully slipped them on her feet.

The shoe size was indeed much smaller, the toe box was squeezed a bit too much, and a small section of light gray sock was sticking out from behind the heel, with pink lace rubbing against the ankle, making it look both funny and cute.

"puff……"

A suppressed laugh came from behind him. Zhou Mubin turned around and saw Cui Xiaogang coming out of the restroom.

She had only glanced at the entrance, but when she saw Zhou Mubin's light pink lace slippers and the gray socks sticking out, she first tried to suppress a laugh, her shoulders trembling slightly, but finally she couldn't hold back and burst out laughing.

The morning light streamed obliquely through the living room's floor-to-ceiling windows, falling on her face and illuminating the smile in her eyes clearly. Her eyelashes cast delicate shadows, and the curve of her lips was as gentle as a spring breeze caressing the surface of a river.

Zhou Mubin was stunned.

How long has it been since I've seen her smile so unguarded and genuinely?

It wasn't a professional, fake smile for work, nor a gentle, faint smile when facing Xiao Nuomi; it was a smile with a hint of slyness and ease.

His heart felt as if it had been soaked in warm soup, a gentle warmth spreading through him.

Cui Xiao noticed his fixed gaze, her smile vanished, she quickly cleared her throat, stepped forward and gently patted Xiao Nuomi's back, pushing her towards the dining room, "Don't stand there, quickly take your uncle to the table, the breakfast is getting cold."

When she turned to look at Zhou Mubin, her tone was a little embarrassed, and the tips of her ears turned slightly red. "We really don't have any men's slippers at home. I'm sorry to trouble you to make do for now. I asked Aunt Zhang to go to the supermarket this morning to pick out a pair that fits well, so it will be more convenient for you to come over often in the future."

"It's great, pink makes my skin look fairer, and it goes well with my clothes."

Zhou Mubin chuckled and teased, deliberately lifting his foot and swinging it. The light pink lace trim swayed gently with the movement, making Xiao Nuomi clap her hands and laugh.

Little Nuomi circled around him twice, exclaiming, "Wow, Uncle Zhou looks so good in pink, even better than Mommy!"

Cui Xiao was both amused and exasperated by her daughter's innocent remarks. She reached out and tapped her forehead, saying, "You're so good with words."

She subconsciously avoided Zhou Mubin's gaze, and as she turned away, she gently brushed the stray hairs behind her ear with her fingers to conceal her inexplicable panic.

Two scents involuntarily lingered around my nose: a faint smell of disinfectant mixed with a hint of tobacco from Zhou Mubin.

The aroma wafting from the kitchen, the delicious scents and warmth filling the living room with a long-lost sense of tranquility and homeliness.

Zhou Mubin followed Cui Xiao into the restaurant, watching her and her daughter's backs as he walked very lightly, as if afraid of disturbing this precious moment of warmth.

After clearing the table, the three of them went out together to take Xiao Nuomi to school.

Zhou Mubin naturally took the schoolbag from Cui Xiao and put it on his daughter's back. Then he bent down to straighten the crooked schoolbag strap for Xiao Nuomi.

Little Nuomi held the hands of the two of them and skipped and hopped along in the middle, her little leather shoes making a crisp sound on the sidewalk.

As they approached the kindergarten gate, Xiao Nuomi rubbed against Zhou Mubin's leg and kissed Cui Xiao on the cheek, saying, "Mommy and Uncle Zhou, please come pick me up early this afternoon."

Only after watching their daughter run into the school gate with her little schoolbag and disappear around the corner of the corridor did the two of them turn their gaze away.

The morning light cast long shadows of the two of them. Cui Xiao kicked at a small pebble at her feet, hesitated for a few seconds before speaking, her voice carrying a hint of barely perceptible probing, "How long do you plan to stay in Shanghai this time?"

Zhou Mubin turned to look at her. Sunlight fell on his profile, illuminating the seriousness in his eyes. His tone was unwavering as he said, "I'm not leaving for now."

Seeing Cui Xiao stunned, he continued, "The relocation of the law firm is almost finished. The new address is in the office building diagonally opposite your company, just a five-minute walk away."

"What?"

Cui Xiao suddenly stopped in her tracks, staring at him in disbelief. "You moved your law firm from Hong Kong to Shanghai?"

She knew all too well the significance of this law firm to Zhou Mubin. It was a top law firm in Hong Kong that he had built from scratch after graduation, spending more than a decade of hard work and dedication.

Zhou Mubin remained calm, his voice gentle yet firm, "You and the child are both in Shanghai, what am I doing here in Hong Kong guarding an empty law firm?"

He saw through Cui Xiao's intention to speak and preemptively said, "I know what you want to say. You still have a knot in your heart and can't accept me for the time being. But even so, I will wait slowly and work hard. I missed Xiao Nuomi's growth and your joys and sorrows in the past five years. I have waited for one five-year period, so it doesn't matter if I have to wait another five or ten five-year periods."

He paused, his gaze fixed on her eyes, and said, word by word, "In short, wherever you and our daughter are, that's where my home is, and that's where my future is."

Cui Xiao opened her mouth, but found her throat tight and she couldn't say a word.

She had clearly seen all of Zhou Mubin's efforts during this time: getting injured while saving them, moving across the street, remembering all of her and Xiao Nuomi's preferences, and quietly helping her with her mother's funeral arrangements...

A wave of emotion washed over her, but the barrier created by the past still stood in her heart, making her hesitate to take that step.

She turned her head away, looked at the children playing at the kindergarten gate, remained silent for a long time, and then sighed softly.