Ning Yuan looked at his familiar yet unfamiliar face, her heart filled with turbulent emotions.
Jiajia giggled in her arms, waving her little hands, seemingly very interested in Zhou Yan's handsome face.
Zhou Yan's gaze lingered on Ning Yuan for a moment before he said coolly, "Miss Ning, children are lively and active, so it's best to keep a close eye on them."
She replied casually, "Superintendent Zhou is right, but it's quite rare to find such an important official as Superintendent Zhou with the leisure to take a stroll here."
"The park is a public place, can't I come?" Zhou Yan said, while suddenly reaching out and tapping Xiao Jiajia's plump, bread-like cheek.
His movements were unhurried and unhurried, and even the way he glanced at her out of the corner of his eye seemed nonchalant.
Ning Yuan's back tensed up involuntarily. The evening breeze ruffled the stray hairs at her temples, and she instinctively took another step back while holding the child.
This time, a male and a female bodyguard stood directly in front of her.
Zhou Yan's deep eyes instantly closed in on her face like an eagle's, his thin lips curving into a mocking smile—
"Tsk, sister-in-law, this is my brother's flesh and blood, he has the same blood as me. You're being too harsh. Do you think I would hurt a child?"
Ning Yuan sensed the subtle provocation in his tone and, suppressing her anger, said, "Superintendent Zhou is really good at hiding daggers in his words. I don't know what you mean by that? Who is your sister-in-law! You've mistaken me for someone else!"
As she spoke, she told the two bodyguards to step back!
Is he sick?!
What nonsense are you spouting in front of so many people! You're insane!
Her guarded demeanor accentuated her cold and beautiful face. Her long, curly hair was tied up in a bun, with only a few loose strands, making her even more charming.
Zhou Yan walked confidently towards the mother and daughter, his gaze sweeping over her slender waist before he suddenly leaned down, as if teasing the little one, and smiled—
"It doesn't mean anything. These things won't work just because you deny them, sister-in-law. Honey, call him Uncle."
The little baby looked at him, blinking her big, black grape-like eyes, then suddenly waved her little paws and smiled at Zhou Yan's handsome face—
“Daddy…”
Ning Yuan's expression changed slightly in an instant.
She felt a pang of sadness and angrily hugged the little girl tightly: "Don't shout like that! You silly little thing!"
Zhou Yan was taken aback, then broke into an even brighter, more wicked smile: "Ah... you've even skipped the 'uncle' part and are calling me 'Dad' now! I told you that the younger brother follows the elder brother's orders, and the little baby has agreed, hasn't he?"
Ning Yuan couldn't suppress the inexplicable anger rising within her and cursed viciously, "Bullshit!"
As she spoke, she suddenly pushed the child in her arms forward.
Children at this age are at the stage where they grab whatever they can get their hands on, and they also like to pick at things with all five fingers.
Ning Yuan doesn't dare to let her hair down when taking care of her child, and she also has to be careful not to let the little one scratch her face.
As Zhou Yan was bending over, Xiao Jiajia's chubby little paws reached forward and touched Zhou Yan's high nose and hair.
Zhou Yan was caught off guard by Xiao Jiajia's sudden attack. Her chubby little hand pinched his high nose bridge, while her other hand ruthlessly pulled at his carefully styled bangs.
"Hahaha……"
The little thing was laughing so happily.
Zhou Yan's movements were frozen in place by Xiao Jiajia's sudden attack. He groaned in pain, and for a moment, his handsome face twisted slightly.
But the man didn't let go immediately. Instead, he looked down at the little bundle of flesh that was pinching his nose, his handsome brows furrowing slightly, as if he wasn't used to this scene with a child.
Babies don't hold back; once they get their hands on something, they love to poke and pick, and they went straight for Zhou Yan's phoenix eyes.
"Let go." Zhou Yan was a little annoyed, frowned, and said with a grimace.
Nevertheless, he did not shake her off. Instead, he reached out and naturally supported the little one's soft little arm to prevent her from using too much force and falling over.
Little Jiajia tilted her head and looked at him, her bright eyes darting around twice. She clearly didn't understand what he was saying at all, but instead giggled happily twice.
She also increased the pressure on her hands. Her chubby little hands were soft, yet they possessed a unique brute strength that made Zhou Yanying's straight nose turn red and scratches his thin eyelids.
Ning Yuan watched this scene with a cold eye, but couldn't help being amused by Jiajia's "prank," and the corners of her lips curled up slightly.
"Superintendent Zhou, I've already told you not to talk nonsense. Children don't know any better. Be careful that your face isn't ruined by them."
A cold smile appeared on her lips as she pulled the little one back and hugged her.
To avoid him getting impatient and accidentally hurting Jiajia.
Zhou Yan finally managed to get away, tidied his messy hair, and frowned somewhat embarrassedly: "Tsk, does she always grab people like this?"
Ning Yuan said coolly, "Why are you so concerned about the child? We're not that close."
Zhou Yan's lips curled into a strange smile, his voice low and husky, carrying a certain pressure and certainty: "Sister-in-law, you and my brother are close, sooner or later we will be close too."
Ning Yuan's breathing became erratic under his gaze, and she frowned unhappily: "No need!"
He turned and left.
The bodyguards also watched him warily, then retreated and followed Ning Yuan away.
The little guy was a bit unhappy when his mother pulled him back, but when he met Zhou Yan's eyes, he suddenly giggled and waved his little hand at him—
"Uncle...Shu..."
Ning Yuan: "...Shut up, he's neither Papa nor Shushu!"
Zhou Yan couldn't help but raise the corners of his lips, a half-smile on his face: "My dear baby, we'll see each other again soon."
Ning Yuan's heart skipped a beat, as if pricked by a needle. His wicked laughter carried an eerie certainty.
She instinctively hugged Jiajia tighter and quickly left.
He can forget about ever seeing her child again!
I shouldn't have come to the beach today.
Ning Yuan pulled her daughter's hat down lower again and hugged her to her chest, as if to hide the lingering warmth from her brief contact with Zhou Yan.
Little Jiajia seemed to sense her mother's unease. She gently patted Ning Yuan's cheek with her little hand and called out in a soft, sweet voice, "Mama... Mama..."
Ning Yuan lowered her head and kissed her daughter's little face, saying softly, "Jiajia, be good, Mommy's okay."
But the words "it's nothing" still carried a hint of gritted teeth.
Zhou Yan's gaze and tone were like tiny thorns, making her feel uncomfortable.
What exactly does he want to do?
The bodyguards quickly drove up and took Ning Yuan and her daughter home. Ning Yuan only relaxed after they entered Repulse Bay.
...
Half a month later, Ning Zhengkun suddenly instructed his butler, Lao Tian, to prepare a family banquet and specifically requested that Ning Bingyu, Ning Yuan, and Ning Bing'an attend.
Ning Yuan was applying makeup in front of the mirror when she asked Chu Hongyu, who was helping her pick out clothes, with some puzzlement, "We don't usually have family banquets except for holidays. Why did my uncle suddenly decide to have one?"
While holding up a cheongsam to Ning Yuan, Chu Hongyu said, "I heard some rumors that there are 'VIPs' attending this dinner—Chairman Ning has invited Chen Jingsong from the Jianing Group and his wife."
“Chen Jingsong? That guy from Jianing Group, and Cha Meiling…” Ning Yuan paused, then raised an eyebrow.
Chu Hongyu handed Ning Yuan a red dress and said seriously, "Yes, Cha Meiling will also be here."
A cold glint flashed in Ning Yuan's eyes: "We haven't seen each other for so long, we have to meet to find out what this woman is up to."
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