Xie Yan quickly and gently picked up his precious daughter, holding her tightly in his arms. His face was filled with a doting smile as he softly asked, "Chao Chao, have you missed Daddy these past few days?"
Chaochao nestled her little head affectionately against Xie Yan's shoulder, bobbing her head back and forth like a rattle drum, and answered in a clear voice, "I miss him, I miss Daddy so much."
"Dad, why did it take you so long to come back?"
Xie Yan gently pinched her soft little face, the touch was just like usual, and explained with a smile: "Daddy went to decorate a room just for little Chaochao, so it took a little longer than usual."
When Chaochao heard that it was a room just for her, her eyes widened in surprise, like two sparkling black gems, and she asked incredulously, "For Chaochao alone?"
Xie Yan nodded with a smile, "That's right! It's for Chaochao alone."
"Dad even made a cabinet for you to put your toys, and he also made you a little stool and a little chair."
"We also made the bed low for you, so Chaochao can easily climb up without needing to use a stool."
"Wow~" Chaochao couldn't help but squeal with excitement, covering her little face with her hands, somewhat incredulous, "Really?"
Xie Yan nodded, "Of course it's true."
Chaochao became even more excited, her voice trembling slightly, "Dad is so amazing! My brother doesn't even have his own room, but I do!"
Suddenly, Chaochao was filled with longing for life in Beijing, and she began to imagine the wonderful scene of playing in her own little house.
Seeing how happy Chaochao was, Xie Yan couldn't help but smile too.
Just then, Yu Yuehui walked into the room and saw the father and daughter smiling like two blooming flowers, and a warm atmosphere instantly filled the entire room.
She walked over and pinched Chaochao's little cheek. "Daddy's back, and you're so happy, Chaochao?"
Chaochao nodded vigorously and answered loudly, "Happy!"
After saying that, she couldn't help but show off to her mother like a cheerful little bird: "Mom, Dad made me my own little house!"
Yu Yuehui was slightly surprised, her eyes filled with joy and unexpectedness. She turned to look at Xie Yan, "Really?"
Xie Yan nodded.
Next year, Chaochao will be three years old. At three years old, he is already a big kid and needs to have his own little room.
He has already planned to help Chaochao develop the good habit of sleeping independently, and to prepare a room for her to have when they return here.
As for now, let her sleep with them for the time being. After all, Chaochao is too young, and it's not safe for her to sleep alone.
Yu Yuehui was actually a little worried. Chaochao would only be three years old next year, so it was a bit too early for him to sleep alone.
Xie Yan explained, "In the capital, Chaochao's room has a bed, which isn't high, so there's no fear that Chaochao will fall off the kang (heated brick bed)."
Turning to Chaochao, he asked, "Chaochao, would you like to have your own little house?"
Chaochao nodded vigorously beside her, her little face full of happiness and pride. She was overjoyed and wished she could sprout wings and fly to Beijing to see her own house.
Upon seeing this, Yu Yue didn't say anything more; as long as he was happy, that was enough.
Next came the gift-giving segment.
Xie Yan pulled out all sorts of exquisite pastries from her package as if by magic.
Chaochao, who had never seen so many novel pastries before, was completely dumbfounded.
She carefully picked up a petal-shaped pastry and asked Xie Yan uncertainly in a low voice, "Dad, Dad, Dad, are you sure this is a cake?"
"Why is it different from what I ate before?" He looked at it with such care, as if he were examining a rare treasure.
Xie Yan couldn't help but chuckle, and patted her little head, "Why don't you try it and you'll know?"
Chaochao still held the pastries in her hands, turning them over and over, looking at them from left to right, really reluctant to take a bite.
The cake was so exquisitely made, with each petal so lifelike, that she felt it would be a real shame to eat it.
Yu Yuehui, standing next to her, looked at the peach-shaped pastry in her hand, but also had no desire to eat it.
She was captivated by the exquisite design of the pastries, as if she were holding a work of art rather than food.
Seeing this, Xie Yan sighed and rubbed his forehead, then picked up a pastry and gently called out, "Wife~"
Upon hearing Xie Yan's voice, Yu Yuehui subconsciously raised her head and responded softly.
But as soon as she opened her mouth, Xie Yan swiftly stuffed a pastry into it.
Her eyes widened in surprise, and she instinctively shut her mouth, afraid that the pastry would fall to the ground.
Xie Yan looked at his dumbfounded wife and couldn't help but laugh out loud. He gently flicked her nose and said softly, "Chew on it."
Yu Yuehui's cheeks flushed slightly, and she chewed a little shyly.
Her chubby cheeks were flushed with a lovely blush, and her awkward expression was incredibly cute.
Seeing her mother eat, Chaochao immediately looked up curiously and asked, "Mom, is it delicious?"
Yu Yue glanced back at Chaochao, her eyes filled with happiness, and nodded, saying, "It's delicious, Chaochao, try it."
Hearing her mother say it was delicious, Chaochao couldn't help but swallow hard and reached out to eat the pastry in her hand.
But then she suddenly remembered the scene of her father feeding her mother pastries, and found it very amusing. Her eyes lit up, and she immediately placed the pastries in Xie Yan's hands. Then she stood up and said expectantly, "Dad, call me too, like you called Mom just now?"
Xie Yan immediately understood her daughter's thoughts, cleared her throat, and called out in her gentlest voice, "Chao Chao~"
Chaochao dramatically raised her head, opened her mouth wide, and responded in a childish voice, "Ah~"
Xie Yan smiled and put half of the pastry into her mouth, saying, "Take a bite."
Hearing this, Chaochao, who was happily munching on pastries, paused for a moment, then pretended that she hadn't eaten anything and started chewing again. Her adorable appearance made Xie Yan and Yu Yuehui burst into laughter.
With that start, suddenly no one paid attention to the appearance of the pastries anymore, and they started to taste them.
Chaochao always felt that her parents' food tasted better and always wanted to try theirs.
In the evening, the family sat around the fireplace, preparing to enjoy dinner.
Tonight they had roast duck, along with some homemade side dishes and refreshing cold noodles.
Eating cold noodles by a warm fireplace in the dead of winter has a unique flavor; in Chaochao's words, it's "absolutely amazing."
Chaochao, that little glutton, was so engrossed in eating that in no time, his nose was covered in red chili peppers.
Looking at her daughter's comical appearance, Xie Yan felt both helpless and amused, and said, "Chao Chao! How did you end up eating it on your nose?"
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