Chapter 8.08 He would never be fooled by such a petty trick.

The phone call came suddenly, but it was entirely within Pei Yiyan's expectations.

He leaned lazily against the edge of the bed, his neck slightly raised, gazing at the azure sky outside the window, and said in a flat tone, "I'm feeling a little unwell. I'll go back to school in a couple of days."

"Have you taken him to the hospital? What did the doctor say?" Zhou Yi became slightly nervous. Her eldest son always reported good news and never bad news, so his sudden complaint that he was feeling unwell must mean something serious was going on.

"It's just a minor cold, I'm almost better."

“No way.” Zhou Yi said gently, “Mom will help you get three more days off. You can rest well and tell Mom if you need anything.”

Pei Yiyan readily agreed, saving him from further arguing with Lao Lü.

Zhou Yi gave a long, rambling explanation, and finally asked, "By the way, who was that little girl just now?"

“The neighbor’s kid.” Pei Yiyan didn’t even blink. “He’s just a kid who’s young and calling me that for fun.”

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone, then Zhou Yi slowly said, "Your Aunt Lan doesn't have a second child."

"By the way, his neighbor is Qiu Ming."

Pei Yiyan calmly replied, "He's just a kid who was passing by."

A passing child answered the phone for him and even called him "Dad."

The flimsy excuse aroused Zhou Yi's suspicion. Sensing something was wrong, she was about to say something when Pei Yiyan heard a child shouting on the phone.

The boy's expression turned cold in an instant.

Zhou Yi covered the microphone, turned her head and scolded her, then turned back and said apologetically, "Xiao Yan, you should rest well first. Mom won't bother you anymore."

"Um."

After hanging up the phone, Pei Yiyan indeed received a bank card notification that Zhou Yi had transferred 20,000 yuan to his account.

Five years ago, Zhou Yi established herself in Beijing and opened a private beauty salon with a considerable income. She was given at least 10,000 yuan in pocket money every month to ensure that he had no worries about food and drink.

Such a generous allowance is extremely rare among his peers, and Pei Yiyan doesn't spend money much, saving most of it.

Later, he started learning to trade stocks, sometimes winning and sometimes losing, otherwise he wouldn't have had the money to buy a house outright.

Zhou Yi's 20,000 yuan solved his immediate problem.

He planned to hire a nanny to take care of Xixi. She couldn't skip school, and he didn't want Zhou Yi to know that she had become a grandmother for the time being.

At this stage, you should at least finish high school and get your high school diploma.

Time was of the essence, so Pei Yiyan contacted a housekeeping company that very day. For the first time, the materialistic teenager began to believe in metaphysics; he not only looked at resumes but also examined faces.

No sharp, shrewd eyes; no thin lips; no upturned eyebrows.

Those with unpleasant appearances were all passed over. After careful selection, Xixi finally settled on the lady serving food at the fast food restaurant.

The vegetable vendor earns 2,500 yuan a month, while Pei Yiyan earns 7,000 yuan a month, working from 7 am to 5 pm, with three meals provided.

In a small county with an average income of 3,000 yuan, this is definitely considered a high salary. The aunt quit her job on the spot and went to live with the father and daughter.

Aunt Liu perfectly embodies the saying "your appearance reflects your heart." She is honest, hardworking, healthy, clean, observant, and an excellent cook.

After finalizing the selection of the nanny, Pei Yiyan installed all five cameras she had purchased.

There are three bedrooms, one in the kitchen, and one in the living room. The cameras rotate 360 ​​degrees without blind spots, and the resolution is so high that you can see even the smallest hair.

He can see the live feed on his phone at any time.

Having resolved the immediate crisis, Pei Yiyan relaxed, and the next step was the key project.

Make money, raise kids.

For the first time, Pei Yiyan felt that money was a hot commodity, and he spent the whole night coding on his computer.

He designed a mini-game with various modes and a difficulty level just right for college students. He believes it can earn him some living expenses after it goes online.

Pei Yiyan looked up after finishing his work; the clock showed three in the morning.

My gaze shifted, and there was a warm little bundle of joy nestled against my leg. The new house was well-heated, and Xixi was covered with a small blanket. Her chubby cheeks were pink and looked very cute.

Pei Yiyan pinched it; it felt soft, chewy, and elastic, just like Qiuqiu Candy.

He pinched the little girl several times, but she just frowned, whimpered, and went back to sleep.

"Still not awake?" He couldn't help but curl his lips into a smile. "This little pig has become a spirit."

He scooped the child up with his long arm, tucked her under his arm, and strolled into the bedroom. Yawning, he lay down and covered her with a blanket.

Pei Yiyan was startled awake in the middle of the night by a loud thud. He instinctively reached for the bedside, but it was empty.

He suddenly sat up: "Xi Xi?"

"Woo-wah"

The little girl, stunned after falling under the bed, covered her forehead and cried loudly.

It's still there, it's not lost. Pei Yiyan's heart, which had been in his throat, was relieved. He fumbled for the light and turned it on in the dark.

I got out of bed, picked up the child, and took a closer look. Wow, what a big bag!

"pain!"

A large, red, swollen bump appeared on Xixi's forehead. She was in so much pain that her eyes were filled with tears, and snot bubbles were rising from her nose.

"Sleep quietly, what are you rolling around for?"

"Waaaah, I want a hug!"

Xi Xi snuggled into Pei Yiyan's arms, looking aggrieved, clinging to him like an octopus.

Pei Yiyan held the baby with one hand and took out some liniment from the bedside table with the other.

As soon as the bottle cap was unscrewed, a pungent odor made Xixi gag: "What smells so bad this month?"

"Medicated wine, don't move around, just apply some and it will be fine right away."

"!"

"Daddy's going to rub the smelly stuff on Xixi's forehead?"

The cold-hearted young father: "Of course."

Xi Xi's face turned green, and she kicked her arms and legs wildly: "No, no, Xi Xi doesn't want to wipe it!"

She doesn't want to become a smelly ginseng spirit baby.

The child struggled fiercely, and Pei Yiyan, worried about wiping other parts of her body, stopped and tried to reason with her: "How can we not wipe it? Do you want to go out and play with a big bump on your head tomorrow?"

"That's impossible."

The little girl had forgotten how to cry and said righteously, "Xixi has her own way of treating this, so put me down."

Pei Yiyan let go, raising an eyebrow to see what tricks she could come up with.

"Ptooey, ptooey." Xi Xi spat twice into her palm.

“”

The little hands rubbed together, and the warmed saliva was smeared onto the bag.

Pei Yiyan felt his eyes were being bullied, and asked with a complicated expression, "Is this your method?"

"hold head high."

"Our ginseng baby's saliva can reduce swelling and relieve pain, and its tears can whiten skin and remove scars—it's really effective!"

Even after falling like that, he still couldn't resist immersing himself in role-playing.

Pei Yiyan nodded admiringly: "Whatever you say, just don't come back crying tomorrow."

Xi Xi snorted softly, "No way, you stinky poop."

Worried that the child would fall off the bed again, Pei Yiyan held the child in his arms during the latter half of the night to prevent her from rolling around.

With his sticky, mushy sleeping posture, I thought he would stay awake until dawn, but to my surprise, he fell asleep the moment his head hit the bed.

The rumbling sound of snoring echoed back.

Xi Xi:

The hair on both sides transforms into ginseng whiskers and is twisted into earplugs. Okay, the world is peaceful now.

I slept without any dreams.

The next day, as dawn broke, the little girl was still fast asleep in her room.

Pei Yiyan went downstairs to buy breakfast and came back up. Aunt Liu was also coming to work at the same time, and the two of them acted as if they were changing shifts.

The young father instructed her to wait until Xixi woke up, reheat the breakfast, and then grab her schoolbag and go to school.

I would turn on the security camera as soon as I left the house and watch it until I entered the school before turning it off.

The boy entered the classroom bathed in the morning light. He was already exceptionally handsome, and this scene gave people an awe-inspiring feeling that lasted a lifetime.

The noisy classroom fell silent for three seconds upon his arrival.

"Why is he back? Didn't the forum say he was spotted by a talent scout and went to act in a movie?"

"Ahhh, he looks even more handsome than last week!"

Pei Yiyan is aloof and taciturn, and has no friends in the class except for Qiu Ming.

When he disappeared for a week, everyone assumed he had transferred schools or dropped out. The rumors dissipated with his return.

After the morning reading session ended, there was a ten-minute break, and Pei Yiyan lay on the table to catch up on sleep.

Knowing the inside story, Qiu Ming sighed, "Being a single father isn't easy. Look at how he's made Yan Ge look like this."

Hey, luckily he upholds male virtues. The old saying is right: chastity is a man's best dowry.

"I started sleeping in a separate bed from my mom when I was ten. When I sleep alone, I always feel like there are people everywhere in the room, and I can't sleep soundly at all."

"Children who sleep in separate beds too early are prone to feeling insecure, and may develop low self-esteem and sensitivity later in life," the girl said softly. "What I fear most is that someone might steal my child in the middle of the night."

A young man who had just become a father jumped up, his deep, sharp black eyes snapping open.

It felt like a cold wind was blowing behind the girls, and they inexplicably got goosebumps.

The discussion quieted down.

"You mean someone steals children in the middle of the night?" A cold, stern voice suddenly asked from above.

Girls chatting: !

Meng Zhiyao's heart pounded as she was shrouded in Pei Yiyan's shadow.

He was so close to her that she could see his strong jawline and Adam's apple as soon as she looked up. He probably didn't wear cologne, but he had a pleasant, light fragrance about him.

"Um"

Meng Zhiyao was so nervous that she forgot to breathe: "Some old neighborhoods have poor security. Last month, there was news about traffickers sneaking into residents' homes at night to steal children."

She didn't know which sentence she said wrong, but she saw the other person's face suddenly darken, as if a terrible storm was brewing.

She bit her lip, her fingertips involuntarily gripping the hem of her dress.

"I understand." After a moment of digestion, Pei Yiyan asked calmly, "You just said that children shouldn't sleep in separate beds from their parents too early, is that true?"

"Ah, yes, that's right."

Unexpectedly, he overheard their entire chatter. Meng Zhi blushed and said, "My cousin used to have nightmares and wake up in terror because she went to bed too early."

Pei Yiyan's brows furrowed into a deep frown.

Last night, after my child fell off the bed, he didn't sleep well for the rest of the night and kept whimpering. I'm worried that he might have developed psychological trauma.

Why are children so precious?

"Pei Pei Yiyan, do you have younger siblings?" Meng Zhiyao asked, mustering her courage out of genuine curiosity.

"No, I was just asking. Thanks."

Meng Zhi smiled and said, "It's nothing, it's just a small thing, no need to thank me."

As soon as get out of class ended, Pei Yiyan would pull up the surveillance footage to watch it.

Finally, I saw the little girl yawning as she got up, swimming all the way into the bathroom, standing on a small stool to brush her teeth and wash her face.

He washes his hands obediently after breakfast, which shows his love of cleanliness, just like me.

After the meal, the aunt combed her hair into a neat and pretty little bun, and then the day of eating, drinking and having fun began.

Pei Yiyan frowned uncomfortably.

He's been treating her to big meals these past few days, and hasn't neglected her at all, so why isn't she gaining weight?

He was skinny, like someone who hadn't eaten enough and was starving.

He even felt that he had gained some weight.

The new dad was completely baffled. After thinking for a moment, he looked at Meng Zhi next door again and asked, "Is your sister fat?"

“”

The girl's soft, bright almond-shaped eyes showed a hint of confusion: "Luckily, they're chubby and cute."

"What did she eat to get so chubby?"

Qiu Ming, who sat in front of him, looked on in utter shock: "???"

Bro, if you don't know how to flirt, don't force it.

Meng Zhiyao tried hard to recall her sister's meals, and said in a lukewarm tone, "Meat, eggs, milk, vegetables, calcium supplements, and you also need to exercise more and drink more water. If you are healthy, you will be chubby."

Pei Yiyan suddenly understood.

I have meat, eggs, and vegetables, but no milk or calcium supplements, no wonder I don't gain weight.

Having found the source of the problem, Pei Yiyan began searching for children's calcium supplements online.

The sudden appearance of a bunch of different brands left him in a dilemma: which calcium supplement should he buy?

He had to ask for help again: "Which calcium supplement is the best?"

“My aunt bought it at a baby store. I’ll have to ask her about the brand when I get home tonight.” Meng Zhi smiled and said, “I’ll tell you later.”

Pei Yiyan spoke to her more today than he had in the previous two years combined.

Everyone noticed his unusual behavior, but it didn't annoy people; instead, it made them feel close to him.

After a while, he asked again, "Zhizhi, is that you?"

Meng Zhi's slender back tensed slightly, her heart pounding, and her voice was barely audible: "Mmm."

"I've added you on WeChat. Could you please send it to me tonight?"

"good"

Thanks.

The two's brief interaction was witnessed by the entire class.

Without Pei Yiyan and Lao Lü, the class group chat exploded with discussion about the matter.

Class monitor Meng Zhiyao is the dream goddess of many boys. She is beautiful, gentle and bright. The only flaw is that she suffers from congenital heart disease.

She was a well-known sickly beauty at school, never participated in any class activities, and was rarely seen.

So even though there were countless admirers, none of them managed to win the heart of the beauty.

The only thing she and Pei Yiyan had in common was that they didn't participate in evening self-study sessions.

Pei Yiyan's grades were so bad that they couldn't be improved, and he also had a leg disability that made it difficult for him to move around, so the school turned a blind eye to his behavior.

The sickly beauty and the gloomy school heartthrob sounded incredibly appealing at first glance, but upon seeing Pei Yiyan's prosthetic right leg, their appeal vanished instantly.

No matter how handsome his face is, it can't make up for the fact that he is disabled.

The group chat was filled with sarcastic remarks mocking Pei Yiyan, while the male protagonist at the center of the incident was busy comparing prices.

The child is always glued to the tablet, and he doesn't want a three-year-old daughter with glasses.

The school heartthrob's father reluctantly ordered a television.

Same-city delivery to your door takes only two hours, and after the TV was installed, the empty living room instantly became lively.

In the video, the little girl jumped up and down with joy, blowing kisses at the camera without any instruction.

"Daddy is so great! Daddy is the best! Mua!"

The aloof and handsome father kept a straight face.

He would never be fooled by such a petty trick.

As the school bell rang, waves of students poured out of the school gate, quickly forming a massive crowd.

"Yaoyao, Pei Yiyan really added you on WeChat? Let me see what he posted on his Moments."

The girl's ponytail swayed lightly at the tip, and her best friend Cheng Xiaocen linked arms with her, looking on with a gossipy expression.

Meng Zhiyao still felt a sense of unreality, as if she were dreaming.

She lowered her head slightly, her fair and delicate neck flushed pink: "Yes, I just added it."

Under Cheng Xiaocen's gaze, she opened Pei Yiyan's Moments, which was completely empty, containing nothing.

Cheng Xiaocen was greatly disappointed: "Ah, there's nothing here."

Meng Zhiyao put away her phone without surprise: "I think it's quite normal. He doesn't seem like the type to post on social media."

Cheng Xiaocen teased, "Oh, you've only just added them, but you already have the air of a newlywed couple."

Meng Zhiyao quickly covered her best friend's mouth, glanced around hurriedly, her earlobes turning bright red: "Don't talk nonsense, we're just ordinary classmates."

"That's not necessarily true. You're probably the first person in the whole school to add him on WeChat, and he even took the initiative to add you. That makes a big difference."

The girls walked away laughing and joking.

A little dumpling jumped off a car not far away and skillfully made its way to the school gate.

Three-year-old Xixi came to pick up her dad from school.

The toddler, hands on hips, waved enthusiastically like an adult: "Daddy, over here!"

What a strange accent.

Pei Yiyan walked quickly with an upright and dignified air, his eyes fixed straight ahead.

Qiu Ming followed Pei Yiyan over, laughing wildly: "My dear niece, your daddy's here."

Pei Yiyan punched him expressionlessly.

"hug."

Xixi skillfully opened her arms.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Pei Yiyan felt strangely embarrassed and coldly refused.

Xi Xi stood on tiptoe, refusing to give in.

"Don't be so clingy," the young father said, but his actions spoke volumes.

The little dumpling hugged his neck, sniffed him intensely, and excitedly revealed two tiny baby teeth: "Daddy, have you found Mommy? Where is Mommy?"

Pei Yiyan was filled with unanswerable questions.

"How would I know? I don't know your mother."

"You're still trying to fool Xixi? You clearly smell like Mommy, you smell so good!"