"Okay." Chen Ji looked away and responded softly, "Then when you have time, I'll go with you to buy fabric."
Xu Ruantang was surprised that he agreed so quickly, and nodded happily, "Okay!"
She still finds it strange; the thought of facing Chen Ji's relatives and friends and raising a glass to celebrate their wedding makes her so embarrassed she wants to dig her toes into the ground.
I've attended many banquets before, but this is the first time I've been the main character.
For a moment, I felt that if I could go back to the modern era, I would definitely try my luck as an extra in Hengdian World Studios.
"careful."
Chen Ji's deep, magnetic voice rang in her ears. Before Xu Ruantang could react, she saw him take a step forward and grab the arm of the person rushing towards her.
A little boy running without looking where he was going almost bumped into Xiao Bao's stroller.
Fortunately, Chen Ji reacted quickly; otherwise, the little boy would have been running around recklessly, and both Xiao Bao and the car would have overturned.
Xiao Bao was probably frightened, and burst into tears.
Chen Ji released the little boy and quickly went to hug Xiao Bao, letting Xiao Bao rest on his shoulder while gently patting the child's back.
"It's alright, don't be afraid, don't be afraid." Chen Ji's voice carried an unconscious gentleness. "Xiao Bao, don't be afraid, Daddy's here."
Xu Ruantang put the stroller aside and comforted Xiaobao, "Did you scare Xiaobao? Okay, okay, poor thing, you're crying."
She took out her handkerchief and gently wiped away Xiaobao's tears. The child's tears were large and hung on his little face, making him look especially pitiful.
Xiao Bao sobbed, "Dad...Daddy...Waaah..."
Xu Ruantang was shocked!
"Chen Ji, Xiao Bao called for his father, did you hear that?"
The first word a ten-month-old baby learns to say is "Dad," which is undoubtedly the greatest affirmation of Chen Ji's efforts.
Xu Ruantang was also excited, so you can imagine how Chen Ji felt.
We confirmed that Xiao Bao wasn't hurt anywhere, he was just frightened.
Xu Ruantang walked up to the little boy, touched his shoulder, and asked, "What about you? Are you hurt anywhere?"
When the little boy looked up, Xu Ruantang could finally see his face clearly.
This isn't... the child of Wang Xiuxiu and Company Commander Lu Shishen from the neighboring family compound.
"I'm sorry." The little boy looked guilty, then lowered his head, not daring to look at Xu Ruantang again.
He refused to speak, so Xu Ruantang could only squat down and examine him.
After confirming that he was not injured, she took out a few candies from the cloth bag hanging on the stroller and put them in his hand.
"It's good that you're not injured."
Xu Ruantang patted his head, feeling that this child was not like a child at all, and had no childlike qualities at all.
By the time she stood up, Chen Ji had already soothed Xiao Bao and was carrying the child over.
"Lu Xiaozhao, what were you running for just now?" Chen Ji asked the little boy in front of him with a smirk.
His name was Lu Zhao.
Looking at the little boy who was thinner than others his age, Xu Ruantang wondered if it was possible that this child was the male protagonist of another novel.
"I...I was hiding from my mom." Lu Zhao looked a little embarrassed when she saw Chen Ji. "Uncle Chen, I'm sorry for my sister."
Chen Ji raised his hand and patted his head. "It's okay. Say hello to your sister."
Little Bao stuck his little bottom out, staring curiously at the older brother in front of him, his little hands reaching forward.
Lu Zhao's eyes lit up, then he lowered them again, looking at his little black hand without saying a word.
Xu Ruantang walked to his side and said, "Look, your little sister is looking at you. Xiao Bao, wink at your brother."
Xiao Bao could understand what Xu Ruantang was saying, and immediately started making faces, his big eyes narrowing into slits as he smiled happily.
"Quick, your little sister is winking at you. Go and hold her little hand, it's okay."
Xu Ruantang spoke softly beside Lu Zhao.
Lu Zhao finally mustered up her courage, took the candy in her hand, and handed it to Xiao Bao, "Little sister, have some candy!"
Little Bao had no idea what was going on; he grabbed it and stuffed it into his mouth, still wrapped in its packaging, until Xu Ruantang snatched it away.
She handed it back to Lu Zhao, saying, "You eat it. Your little sister is too young to eat candy."
It was getting dark, and the child was running around outside all by himself. Wang Xiuxiu's appearance didn't seem like she was taking him for a walk.
Speak of the devil and he appears.
Wang Xiuxiu walked breathlessly to Lu Zhao's side, and without saying a word, she twisted his ear while angrily cursing, "Lu Xiaozhao, I told you not to run away, didn't you hear me?!"
"I told you to go buy my mom some food, where is it?! Are you trying to starve your mother?!"
As Xu Ruantang got closer, she could smell the stench of sweat on her body.
A woman, in the early May weather, smelled worse than a man who had exercised all day, and her clothes were all wrinkled.
None of them are as clean as Lu Zhao.
I wonder if Lu Zhao, at such a young age, has to take care of his mother at home and also take a bath and do his own laundry.
Xu Ruantang couldn't stand the stench and couldn't help but frown and take a step back.
"I have no money," Lu Zhao answered timidly, and could only stand and endure Wang Xiuxiu's beatings and scoldings.
Wang Xiuxiu said angrily, "Didn't I tell you? If you don't have money, ask your dad. He gave birth to you but didn't raise you. How can he have the nerve to do that?"
He never comes home, how can he bear to watch us starve to death?! Your dad must be bewitched by some vixen outside, he doesn't want you anymore!
Xu Ruantang glanced at Chen Ji, then hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but didn't.
She knew it was someone else's family matter, but she simply couldn't tolerate child abuse.
Chen Ji held Xiao Bao, and his expression turned cold.
Before he could even speak, he saw Wang Xiuxiu snatch the candy from Lu Zhao's hand, open it, and stuff it into her mouth.
She snatched all the candies Xu Ruantang gave her, ate them all in one go, and left the wrappers all over the floor.
Lu Zhao followed behind, silently picking them all up.
"Useless! Your dad isn't coming home, so you won't get any money! Come on, let's go home and wait to die!"
Wang Xiuxiu glared at Lu Zhao fiercely, then turned and left without looking back.
Lu Zhao turned around and glanced at Xu Ruantang and the others, forcing a smile, "Goodbye, Uncle Chen, Auntie, and Sister!"
Lu Zhao waved to them, and Xiao Bao raised his little hand and waved back.
Xu Ruantang took a step forward, but Chen Ji grabbed her arm and whispered, "Okay, goodbye Xiao Zhao."
Lu Zhao left, his back view looking thin and lonely.
Xu Ruantang felt a tightness in her chest, and with her head down, she kicked a pebble several meters away.
Chen Ji carried Xiao Bao back to the stroller, and when he turned around, he saw this scene.
"Are you angry?" Chen Ji pushed Xiao Bao to her side, bent down slightly, and looked closely at her expression.
As darkness fell, the training ground was bustling with people, and the surroundings were quite noisy.
As soon as Xu Ruantang looked up, she met Chen Ji's ambiguous smile.
"Yeah, I'm so angry! Is there no one who can do anything about her?"
Some people say that the thing in this world that should have a threshold is becoming a parent.
Ironically, becoming a parent is the easiest thing to do; in a moment of impulse or overreaction, an unfortunate child is born.
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