69 Extra 5

◎Little Mianmian [One]◎

Shang Xinuan was brought to the public's attention for the first time during the full-month celebration of Li Xiran's daughter.

Everyone who has seen the little princess uses the same adjectives.

She was dressed in pink and white, like a porcelain doll.

Their eyes are as big as grapes, and their pupils are like solidified, dreamlike amber.

Most importantly, she immediately smiles at anyone who approaches her.

She's an absolutely adorable little darling, and her element is the sun.

The little princess was named Li Xihe, which also means "sun".

Because she loved sleeping from birth, her nickname was Mianmian.

At the full moon celebration, Li Xiran held his daughter, who was dressed in a fluffy princess dress, and was even more beaming with joy than when he had just finalized a municipal project a month earlier.

The key point is that Mianmian doesn't cry much.

Even amidst the boisterous full moon celebration, she simply turned her large, round eyes around, as if she were filled with curiosity about the world.

As soon as Mianmian fell asleep and was carried away by the nanny, the couple reluctantly began to toast and thank her at each table.

“They say you can tell what a person will be like at three years old. Little Mianmian is only a month old, and I’m already certain she’ll be a great beauty in the future.” Ruan Songyi was still immersed in the joy of having Mianmian hold her finger. “When I get back, I’m going to draw a portrait of Mianmian.”

Jiang Xiangzhuo sat next to Ruan Songyi. They were both Shang Xinuan's best friends and witnesses to their love story, marriage, and children.

Even the usually carefree Young Master Jiang started to feel sentimental, "Seeing Mianmian, I realize that these past years have been like a dream. In the blink of an eye, we are no longer those naive young men and women who have just graduated, but have reached the age of becoming parents."

Shang Xinuan pointed at Ruan Songyi and then gave Jiang Xiangzhuo a push, saying, "Then hurry up! Ruan Songyi is a fairy, a fairy!!!"

The two had confirmed their relationship before Shang Xinuan and Li Xiran's wedding, but being two playboys, they had not yet set a wedding date.

Their parents were frantic, their friends were full of expectations, but the two of them leisurely traveled around.

"Don't worry, don't worry, we'll let you know in advance if there's anything good."

Ruan Songyi leaned on Jiang Xiangzhuo's shoulder and said, "Actually, if we wait a few more years, we can let Mianmian be a flower girl."

"Great idea!"

Shang Xin glared at the two of them reproachfully, "Bad uncle, bad aunt."

The table where Shangxi warmly greeted his friends was a close personal relationship with Li Xiran.

Several large men removed the menu from the glass rotating table, leaving only a standee of Mianmian's full-moon photo.

"I'm not exaggerating, Old Li's daughter is really beautiful." Her features are perfectly proportioned and rounded.

It's the cuteness that every little baby should have, and it's stunningly beautiful.

"You flatter me, my friends." Li Xiran's tone was polite, but his face was full of pride.

With his other hand, he put his arm around Shang Xi's waist and asked her if her back hurt.

Shang Xinuan is also happy today. As a mother, seeing her daughter so loved makes her feel like the sun has come out.

"You guys continue, I'll go with Nuannuan to rest for a while."

The young lady is still delicate. Although she recovered well after giving birth, she still often has back pain, probably because the labor process was too long and it depleted her energy.

The couple handed over the main event to their elders, who sat in a corner, and Li Xiran began to warm up a light and nutritious porridge for Shang Xi.

"Are you going to cry again?" Shang Xinuan picked up a piece of broccoli with her chopsticks and put it in her mouth, and saw that Li Xiran's eyes had already started to redden.

"No, I just feel very happy." For the first half of his life, he was trapped in the question of whether being a father was a painful thing. Before he even had a chance to ask Li Qianyun, he lost his father.

So it wasn't until he held Mianmian in his arms and was congratulated by thousands of people that he realized being a father was a happy thing.

That was the continuation of his life, the continuation of his love.

Every day after work, seeing his wife holding their daughter waiting for him feels like he's been given a second chance at life.

Shang Xin smiled warmly, put down her chopsticks, and reached out to stroke his cheek. "I am also very happy to have you and Mianmian."

The little sun is their salvation.

It's as if God gave them a second chance to live their lives.

-

When Li Xi and her friend were three years old, they had already grown into very beautiful young women.

However, her personality is different from other girls. Wherever she is, there is never a dull moment.

She was a chattering, mischievous little sparrow.

But it was precisely because of her personality that the vast Wan Palace Castle became lively and bustling.

She's even a natural social butterfly; she'll stop and chat with even a small dog that walks by.

The most classic questions are, "Do you love your dad or your mom more?" "Where do you live?" "Are you lost? Do you know your parents' phone number? I'll help you get home."

After the puppy got annoyed by the questions and ran away, she would turn back and ask her parents again why the puppy didn't answer her questions.

The couple could only burst into laughter at this.

Mianmian rested her chin on her hand with extra worry, watching the puppy's back and muttering, "My dad's car is very big and can go very far. It can definitely help you get home."

Another incident occurred when Shang Xinuan and Li Xiran were shopping with Mianmian when they were approached by the director of a parent-child variety show who wanted to invite them to participate in the show's recording.

However, considering various reasons, the couple politely declined the director's offer.

On the way home, Mianmian sat in her baby car seat and once again became a walking encyclopedia of questions.

"Dad, why don't we agree to that uncle's request?" Her big, round eyes, darting around, were full of mischievousness.

Li Xiran patiently explained, "My parents are both very busy with work, we don't have time."

To everyone's surprise, Xiao Mianmian didn't accept this answer at all. She frowned and shook her head, saying seriously, "Dad, you're lying. You and Mom clearly have time on weekends, otherwise why would you take me out to play every weekend?"

“But variety shows have to be filmed every day, even on weekends. That means my parents won’t have any time to rest.”

Mianmian blinked her round, grape-like eyes, and after a long while, she finally hummed in agreement. Then, she patted her parents' arms earnestly and said, "Mom, I think Dad is right. You work to earn money and buy me nice clothes and food, so you need to rest."

The little princess has her own logic, and they won't try to disrupt it, but will just agree, "Yes! Baby is right to think that way, and it's not just Mom and Dad who need to rest on weekends. If you observe your surroundings, you'll find that all the uncles, aunts, and children need to rest on weekends."

Mianmian fell into deep thought again, then looked up and said, "No. The uncles and aunties in the mall don't take a break, and neither do the uncles and aunties at the amusement park."

In the minds of three-year-olds, their understanding of the world is still in a black-and-white stage.

When I hear my parents say that everyone should rest on weekends, I think of those who don't.

“The last time my dad took me to the bookstore, I saw many older brothers and sisters studying in the study room.”

Shang Xin patted her daughter's fluffy little head, "Mianmian is so observant!"

She is truly like a little sun, full of curiosity about the world and loves to observe every blade of grass and every tree.

The couple agreed that this was a wonderful quality, as many beautiful things are actually very small, and the process of exploration is when the world acts as our first teacher.

This kind of passion for life and the world is something that no amount of money or power can buy.

“Yes!” Mianmian nodded proudly. “But Mianmian doesn’t know why.”

"The uncles and aunties in shopping malls and amusement parks don't close because they're making money. When everyone comes out to play on weekends, a lot of transactions happen." Shang Xinuan didn't treat her like an ignorant child. Instead, she communicated with her using an adult's mindset, showing her what the world is like. "When you see the older brothers and sisters in the bookstore, they are all reading and studying."

"When Mianmian grows up a bit more, she will do these things too. Because to get good grades, you need to study and consolidate your knowledge regularly, and to earn money to buy pretty dresses, you also need to work hard."

Mianmian only half understood, but she nodded like a little adult, "I understand, Mom."

Besides being a walking encyclopedia of questions, Li Xi and the children are also quite clingy.

Shang Xinuan rarely has business trips, but Li Xiran encounters them every quarter.

From the first day her father went on a business trip, Mianmian would start counting on her fingers.

After counting to the number Li Xiran mentioned before leaving, they started waiting from the swing in the courtyard that morning.

This was the first time Li Xiran had come home early. Mianmian and Shang Xinuan were sitting at the coffee table playing with crayons. When she saw her father push the door open, she looked at her mother very seriously and asked, "I counted to 7 today, Mom, did I count wrong?"

Shang Xinuan suppressed a laugh and shook her head, "Baby didn't miscount!"

"Then why do I see Daddy? Mommy, can you see Daddy?"

“I saw my dad too.”

Little Mianmian crossed her arms and looked at Li Xiran very seriously, saying, "Dad, how can you go back on your word? You said you'd be away on a business trip for 10 days, why did you come back in just 7?"

Faced with his daughter's peculiar thought process, Li Xiran was almost defeated by her innocence.

"Then let me teach you: coming home early is a surprise, while delaying your return home is breaking your promise."

"Is that so?" Mianmian looked at Shang Xinuan with some disbelief. "Mom, what Dad said is true, right?"

Shang Xinuan scratched her head, feeling both amused and helpless. "It's true. Next time Dad comes home early, we'll rush over together to hug him and tell him that he's worked hard and welcomes him home."

Mianmian listened attentively, then put down her toy, immediately jumped onto Li Xiran's lap and hugged him, her grape-like eyes crinkling with laughter, and said in her childish voice, "Daddy, you've worked hard. Welcome home, Daddy."

Li Xiran and Shang Xinuan exchanged a glance, feeling their hearts melt at the sight of their daughter.

However, while Li Xiran sometimes goes home early, he also sometimes gets delayed due to work.

When Xiao Mianmian finds out what happened in the evening, she will grab her mother's phone and start reasoning with her father, "Dad, this time you didn't keep your word!"

Li Xiran lay on the hotel bed in a foreign country. Although the air conditioning was on, the room still felt damp and cold.

He still prefers his home in China, the home with his warm daughter Shangxi.

"I'm sorry, Dad won't make excuses this time. I'll be home the day after tomorrow."

Mianmian sighed and looked at the clock on the wall. "Dad, it's the weekend, and you're still working. Dad, you've worked so hard!"

After hanging up the phone, Li Xiran clutched her heart, feeling that there had never been a moment in her life more fulfilling than hearing her daughter's comforting words.

His little cotton-padded jacket really is like a warm coat.

It is both a weakness and armor.

While waiting for Li Xiran to come home, Xiaomianmian would resume her counting.

Finally, on that day, I got into the car with my mother to pick up my father from the airport.

The little princess specially changed into a fluffy princess dress and even called out to stop the car when she saw a grandma buying flowers on the roadside.

“That’s what Dad does. When Dad and I pick Mom up from get off work, he goes to Grandma’s to buy her a bouquet of flowers first.” Mianmian explained to Shang Xinuan, “Dad said that work and labor are the most honorable things. So Dad deserves to receive a bouquet of flowers too.”

Shang Xinuan resisted the urge to tell Li Xiran that her daughter had bought a bouquet of flowers as a surprise, and only looked forward to the moment when the father and daughter met at the airport.

The car arrived at the airport, and the little princess, carrying a bouquet of flowers that was only slightly shorter than herself, ran into the terminal building.

Outside the international terminal, there weren't many people, but Mianmian still got lost among a bunch of legs.

The little princess ran and ran, then squatted down and sighed, "Oh dear, how come there are so many long legs? It's like walking through a maze."

She speaks in a childish voice, yet her pronunciation is clear and her voice is loud.

This attracted the attention of everyone around her, who, seeing that she was a pretty young girl, all laughed.

"Mommy, next time I pick up Daddy, I want to wear your high heels." Mianmian also wanted to have long legs, and the seeds of her future were sown when she was three years old.

After Mianmian picked up Li Xiran, the little princess was overjoyed. Afterwards, she told Li Xiran about what had just happened.

"So next time we go shopping, can we buy Mianmian a pair of high heels?"

Li Xiran hugged his little adult, feeling both amused and exasperated, but still answered seriously, "If we ever meet someone special, Mom and Dad will definitely buy it for you."

"Okay!" The little princess nodded in satisfaction. "But Daddy, even though I got lost in a bunch of legs just now, I still spotted you right away."

Li Xiran gave a thumbs up and exclaimed, "Wow, Mianmian is so amazing! She found her dad right away!"

Mianmian nodded and then said, "Because Daddy is the most handsome in the crowd, I saw him at a glance."

The couple exchanged a glance, their eyes widening simultaneously.

"Your mother must have told you to say that, right?" Although Princess Mianmian always says surprising things, from the perspective of an old father, he doesn't think his daughter understands the true meaning of many words.

"No, it's just my own opinion."

"Then tell me, who else do you think is handsome?"

"Daddy, Uncle, Uncle Zhan, Uncle Jiang..." Little Princess Mianmian began to count on her fingers seriously, "And Brother Yunzhe from next door, Brother Bailu from the park, Brother Huaxi..."

When she mentioned the people in front of her, the couple still knew who they were.

They only became puzzled when Mianmian recited the names in a series.

Who are those older brothers?

"He's the older brother who used to build sandcastles with me in the sandpit when we went to the park together."

Shang Xinuan didn't even notice when she started chatting with the children. "Do you all know each other?"

"I know him! You all know Yunzhe too, don't you?"

Zhao Yunzhe was the child from their neighbor's house.

The Li family and the Zhao family also had some cooperation, so they often let the two children play together.

"Mom doesn't know the other brothers you mentioned."

"Brother Bailu is a year older than me. He's already in kindergarten, in Class 1 of the Little Suns. Brother Huaxi is Brother Bailu's classmate. The three of us, along with Qianqian and Tianbeibei, often play together."

Shang Xinuan suddenly realized, "Oh, I see. Next time you can bring your mom to meet your good friend."

"Great! They're all so nice; we often share snacks."

Shang Xin patted her daughter's head and praised, "My darling is so great, she has made so many good friends."

Little Mianmian, beaming with pride, patted her chest and said, "Hmph, give me a little more time. All those kindergartens will be my friends."

The couple said there was absolutely no doubt about their daughter's social skills.

-

However, even little Mianmian has her rare moments of shyness.

Shang Xinuan was invited back to Cambridge for its anniversary celebrations.

Li Xiran also put aside his work and decided to take his daughter to experience the campus atmosphere.

On the international flight to London, sitting behind and to the side of Mianmian was a mixed-race boy who looked to be about ten years old.

The plane had only been off the plane for ten minutes when Mianmian turned her head back more than ten times.

At first, the couple thought she wanted to use the restroom, so they whispered to her that they would take her there once the voyage was stable.

It wasn't until Mianmian and the little boy stared at each other in a daze that Li Xiran understood his daughter's behavior.

"Why do you keep looking at that older brother?" the old father asked sourly.

Just as little Mianmian was about to speak, she immediately buried her head shyly in the plush toy she was hugging, "Oh, Daddy, don't ask anymore."

Li Xiran and Shang Xinuan rarely saw a shy expression on their daughter's face, and mischievously asked, "Were you peeking at that handsome boy behind you?"

"Mianmian thinks that older brother is good-looking, so she keeps looking at him, right?" Shang Xinuan asked, while secretly turning her head to glance at the little boy.

The blond, blue-eyed boy was dressed neatly and looked sunny.

The afternoon light streamed through the window and fell on his deep-set features.

He must have been traveling alone by plane; he was handsome and well-behaved, instantly winning Shang Xinuan's heart.

"Honey, that boy is really handsome!"

Li Xiran, who originally just wanted to tease his daughter, finally figured out the source of her behavior: "You don't usually take your daughter out to play and look at handsome guys in the mall, do you?"

Shang Xinuan's eyes widened after hearing this. "You're wronging me."

"Really?" Li Xiran reached out and pinched Shang Xinuan's cheek. "Who's the one who likes handsome guys?"

Shang Xinuan mimicked her daughter's childish voice, leaned close to Li Xiran's ear, and said, "I do like handsome guys, but I like you the most, my handsome brother."

At this moment, little Mianmian stopped, staring wide-eyed at the two of them, "Are you two still going to hear my story of love at first sight?"

A note from the author:

There's a red envelope in this chapter!!!

Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants with nutrient solution between 15:29:25 and 19:35:05 on July 5, 2023!

Thank you to the little angels who watered the nutrient solution: Wuxinshuo (10 bottles); Yiersi (1 bottle);

Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!