Chapter 510 Actually, Uncle Zhou is my dad, right?
Before they even reached the entrance of the residential area, Xiao Nuomi had already fallen asleep in Cui Xiao's arms. Her little head was tilted on Cui Xiao's shoulder, her breathing was soft, her little face was rosy, and there was still some chicken wing sauce on the corner of her mouth.
Zhou Mubin parked the car, carefully unbuckled Xiao Nuomi's seatbelt, and picked her up.
The child was sleeping soundly, and when he was picked up, he instinctively snuggled closer to him, his little hands clutching the collar of his suit jacket.
He tiptoed out of the elevator carrying Xiao Nuomi. The motion-activated lights in the hallway turned on with his footsteps. Afraid of waking Xiao Nuomi, he walked even softer.
After placing Xiao Nuomi on the bed and covering her with a blanket, he squatted by the bedside for a while, gently brushed away the stray hairs on her forehead, and then quietly closed the door and left.
The warm lights in the living room were on, and Cui Xiao was standing by the coffee table, clutching the strap of Xiao Nuomi's schoolbag that she had just packed, her fingertips making the strap a little wrinkled.
Seeing him come out, her expression became slightly unnatural, and she hesitated for a moment before speaking, "Um... it's getting late, you should go back and get some rest too."
He nodded, but slowly moved to the door. Just as his hand touched the doorknob, before his fingers could even clench, he suddenly turned around.
I'm a little reluctant to part with it.
If he could, he really wouldn't want to leave at all.
However, he was in no hurry; he had a lifetime to wait.
The warm light from the living room fell on him, casting a long shadow on the wall, like a gentle silhouette.
When their eyes met, Cui Xiao saw the earnestness in his eyes, which was even warmer than the living room light.
She asked softly, her fingers unconsciously loosening their grip on her backpack strap, "What's wrong?"
Zhou Mubin suddenly smiled, his eyes curving into small arcs, like they were filled with starlight. His voice was soft, yet clear, reaching her ear with a hint of huskiness, "It's nothing, I just feel very happy right now. Thank you, Cui Xiao."
Thank you for waiting for me, thank you for still being here.
Cui Xiao stood there, watching his back as he turned and left, then subconsciously looked at the unfinished cup of milk tea.
At that moment, a warmth gradually spread from her fingertips to her heart.
Suddenly, Cui Xiao also smiled.
The next morning, sunlight streamed through the gaps in the curtains, waking Xiao Nuomi.
When the nanny placed the golden-brown fried eggs on a plate, Xiao Nuomi was already sitting on a small chair, her little hands supporting her chin as she stared at the door, her face still showing the drowsiness of someone who had just woken up.
After Cui Xiao finished washing up, she sat down and pushed the milk in front of her. The small water droplets on the cup slid down the cup and onto the placemat, spreading out a small wet patch.
"Eat quickly, the toast is getting cold."
Little Nuomi picked up a fork and poked at the egg. Suddenly, she sighed and said in a soft voice, "If Uncle Zhou were here today, that would be great. Unfortunately, he said yesterday that he had to go on a business trip, and I won't see him for several days."
She paused, then her lips drooped. "And Mom, I can't have him take me to kindergarten today. I already miss him a little."
Cui Xiaozheng paused in spreading jam on the bread, looked up and saw the slight disappointment in her daughter's eyes, reached out and ruffled her hair, "Uncle Zhou has his own work to do, just like Mom has to go to work, he can't be with Xiao Nuomi every day."
Little Nuomi nodded, forked a piece of egg into her mouth, and whispered, "I know, I just miss him a little."
She didn't ask any more questions, but quietly ate her breakfast. The sunlight fell on her pigtails, as warm as the milk tea Zhou Zeyan had handed her yesterday.
On the way to kindergarten, nursery rhymes were playing in the car. Little Nuomi leaned back in the passenger seat, her fingers gently tapping her knees to the rhythm.
Cui Xiao drove attentively, and when she passed the chestnut stall where she bought chestnuts yesterday, she subconsciously slowed down.
When the car had traveled halfway, Xiao Nuomi suddenly spoke, her voice softer than usual, "Mommy, is Uncle Zhou actually my biological father?"
Cui Xiao's heart skipped a beat, and her grip on the steering wheel tightened instantly, causing the car to sway slightly.
She hurriedly steadied herself, and only when she caught a glimpse of the red light out of the corner of her eye did she slam on the brakes, her heart still pounding.
Once the car had come to a complete stop, she slowly turned her head to look at her daughter in the rearview mirror.
Little Nuomi was leaning back in her chair, her big eyes sparkling, showing no sign of panic, but rather a seriousness that befitted a little adult.
Why are you suddenly asking that?
Cui Xiao's voice was a little tight. She had never mentioned this to Xiao Nuomi before, and had always been careful to avoid it. She never expected that her daughter would bring it up first.
Little Nuomi blinked and gently tugged at the hem of her clothes. "Mommy, I'm small, not stupid."
She paused, then pointed to her eyes, "Look, my eyes are just like Uncle Zhou's, they're a little crescent-shaped. And yesterday when we went to the beverage shop, even the pretty lady who made our drinks said we looked like we were made from the same mold."
Cui Xiao was stunned. She never imagined that these details she had deliberately ignored would be seen and remembered by Xiao Nuomi.
The carriage was quiet, with only the children's song still playing softly, but Cui Xiao felt a buzzing in her ears and didn't know what to say for a moment. Her fingers unconsciously gripped the steering wheel.
After a long pause, she finally found her voice and asked softly, "So... what do you think?"
She didn't dare look into Xiao Nuomi's eyes, afraid of seeing disappointment in her daughter's eyes, and even more afraid of hearing her daughter complain that she had kept it a secret. Unexpectedly, Xiao Nuomi sighed softly, her voice softening, "Mom, I guess it must be that Uncle Zhou made you very sad before."
She paused, her little hands gripping the edge of the child seat. "Although I don't know exactly what he did that was so awful, I know you must be very upset."
She looked up at the rearview mirror and met Cui Xiao's gaze. "Mom, you don't need to make yourself suffer for me. It's fine as it is now. Uncle Zhou plays with me and remembers my preferences. You're happy and relaxed too. That's enough."
Cui Xiao's eyes suddenly welled up with tears, and she almost shed a tear.
Looking at her daughter's earnest little face in the rearview mirror, she suddenly felt a lump in her throat.
She had always thought she was protecting her daughter, but she never expected that her daughter had quietly grown up and was now understanding her hardships.
The red light slowly turned green, and the car behind honked softly. Cui Xiaocai sniffed, wiped her eyes, and said in a slightly choked voice, "Okay, Mom knows."
The car started up again, the nursery rhyme continued, but Cui Xiao's heart felt filled with something warm and burning.
She glanced at Xiao Nuomi in the rearview mirror. The little guy had already leaned back in his chair, his fingers tapping his knees to the rhythm, but a slight smile was playing on his lips.
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