Chapter 176: Two Short Months

On July 8, a family of three boarded a flight to France.

The crowd who were seeing us off looked reluctant and kept giving us repeated reminders.

"You must take good care of Baoer!"

"Go and take pictures for us."

"Ah Yan, Bao'er, if you are a little thinner, I will ask you about it."

Si Yan was under immense pressure, holding Bao Er as if he were a "key protected person" and solemnly promised: "I will resolutely complete the task and ensure that Bao Er only grows meat and does not lose weight!"

Fortunately, the climate in France is pleasant, and the apartment Chen Ran rented in advance is spacious and comfortable. Baoer had almost no difficulty adapting, which made Si Yan and Su Nian feel relieved.

The first priority is to help Su Nian adapt to the new environment.

On the second day after settling in, Si Yan held Baoer and accompanied Su Nian to familiarize themselves with the location of the school, the surrounding supermarkets and pharmacies.

Professor Si fully demonstrated his "scientific research spirit" and quickly drew a "living resource distribution map" with the apartment as the center and marked with schools, supermarkets, parks, and pediatric clinics. Su Nian jokingly called it "Si Yan's version of the French survival guide."

"Look, this is my school, this is the supply point for 'strategic materials' (milk powder, complementary food), and this is the 'temporary exercise' (park) base. Perfect!" Si Yan pointed at the map with a proud look on his face.

Nian looked at Baoer babbling and waving his little hands in his arms, and then looked at the detailed map, and felt at ease and warm in his heart.

With these two lively characters, one big and one small, around, the strangeness of being in a foreign country was instantly dissipated.

Once Su Nian's life began to get back on track, the family of three's "France Travel Plan" was officially put on the agenda.

Si Yan's principle is: "Reading thousands of books is not as good as traveling thousands of miles with your child. We must start from the very beginning!"

Their first short trip was to the nearby town of Giverny, where the garden of Monet's former residence was magnificent.

"Baoer, look, this is the water lily painted by Grandpa Monet!" Su Nian held Baoer and pointed at the water lilies blooming in the pond.

Baoer opened his big black eyes, looked at the colorful things in front of him curiously, and grasped them with his little hands excitedly.

Si Yan was busy taking photos and muttering to himself, "Recording data: The experimental subject Si Yiqian showed a significant interest in Impressionist colors. His aesthetic enlightenment has been initially successful!" This attracted the foreign tourists nearby to smile at this lovely family.

The following weekend, they went to the Loire Valley to visit castles.

At the foot of the magnificent staircase of the Chateau de Chambord, Si Yan put Baoer on his neck and let her "climb up and look far away."

"Look, Baoer, this is where the prince and princess used to live!" Baoer giggled with joy up there, his saliva almost dripping onto his father's head.

While hiding, Si Yan said to Su Nian, "It seems our little prince is very satisfied with the castle. When we return home, we must work hard to make money and try to buy him a...castle model!"

Su Nian smiled and took his arm: "A model is fine, I can't handle a real castle."

Over a two-month period, they not only strolled the streets of Paris and enjoyed the breeze along the Seine, but also took time to visit the more distant Mont Saint-Michel.

Baoer has become a little traveler, sleeping soundly in the stroller, looking around curiously in his father's arms, and laughing happily when his mother teases him.

Si Yan’s backpack is always filled with diapers, bottles and complementary food, which can be called a “mobile parenting base”, but he enjoys it and even calls himself the “chief parenting officer and travel planner”.

There were many interesting episodes during the journey.

For example, at a Michelin-recommended restaurant, Bao Er suddenly blushed in Si Yan's arms. Professor Si immediately understood and rushed to the bathroom with the baby in his arms, leaving Su Nian to stare at the exquisite French meal. Upon returning, Si Yan solemnly reported, "Emergency resolved, 'biohazard' averted!" Su Nian was left laughing.

After playing during the day and returning to his residence at night, Su Nian would seize the time to study, and Si Yan would be responsible for coaxing Baoer to sleep, and then use his "optimal solution" parenting skills to ensure that Su Nian had a quiet study environment.

He would whisper to Baoer, "Mom is being a superhero, and we are her strong support."

For Su Nian, these two months were a precious respite from his busy studies; for Si Yan, it was a "full-time dad practice" full of challenges and fun; and for Baoer, it was early education full of novel experiences.

The family of three, tucked away in a foreign landscape, leaned on each other, their bond growing stronger through the little things they experienced together. Looking at her husband and son sleeping beside her, Su Nian felt that all the challenges ahead were no longer so frightening.

Two months passed very quickly, and the day came when Si Yan would bring Bao Er back to China. Su Nian's nervousness about starting school slightly alleviated her reluctance to part with Si Yan and Bao Er.

At this moment, the person who was truly reluctant to leave was Si Yan.

In the early morning at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, sunlight filtered through the huge floor-to-ceiling windows, casting long shadows on the smooth floor, but it could not dispel the faint sense of parting in the air.

Si Yan held the sleeping Bao'er in one hand and tightly grasped Su Nian's hand with the other, repeatedly stroking the back of her slightly cold hand with his fingertips, as if he wanted to engrave this touch into his bones.

The night before, while packing, Si Yan spent a long time in the closet, using the excuse of folding Bao'er's clothes. Each of the tiny onesies and soft socks carried Bao'er's delicate milky scent, and also held the warmth and warmth of the past two months of daily interaction as a family of three.

Su Nian leaned against the door frame and looked at him. She knew very well that this usually calm man was more reluctant than anyone else.

"Remember to eat on time when you get to school. Don't always stay up late." Si Yan's voice was a little lower than usual. His eyes fell on the faint blue shadows under Su Nian's eyes, full of heartache. "I've replenished all the common seasonings for you. I also froze some of your favorite braised pork in the refrigerator. Remember to steam it for ten minutes longer when heating it up."

Su Nian nodded and gently touched Baoer's soft cheek with her fingertips. The little guy seemed to realize something and hummed twice in his dream. His little arms subconsciously stretched out towards his mother, and Si Yan gently held him back in his arms.

"You too, take good care of Bao'er, and take good care of yourself." She paused, then added, "Also, Bao'er can't lose weight, and neither can you!"

Before he could finish his words, the announcement at the boarding gate started. The French report had a brisk rhythm, but it sounded particularly harsh to the two of them.

Si Yan took a deep breath, hugged Bao'er tighter in his arms, lowered his head and placed a gentle kiss on Su Nian's forehead, as if to convey strength, but also as a farewell: "Don't worry, I remember everything."

Si Yan turned around holding Baoer, took two steps and couldn't help looking back. Seeing Su Nian still standing there, he waved at her vigorously.

After returning to the residence, Su Nian's phone vibrated. It was a message from Si Yan: "I have boarded the plane. Baoer has fallen asleep again. Don't worry. Be careful on the road and remember to report safety when you arrive at the dormitory." Followed by a short video of Baoer sleeping with a smile on his face.

Su Nian looked at Bao'er's pink little face in the video, and her eyes finally couldn't help but redden, but she smiled and replied: "Okay, take good care of Bao'er, and when you get home, we'll video chat."

Su Nian knew that the temporary separation was for a better reunion. When she learned enough knowledge and Baoer grew up a little, the three of them would go to more places together and see more scenery.

At this moment, Si Yan on the plane was carefully adjusting Baoer's sleeping position so that he could feel more comfortable leaning in his arms.