"Are you busy later?" Lu Jinnian asked. There were hushed voices at the back as though he was in a meeting.
Xu Jiamu shook his head lightly, clearing his mind. When he finally calmed down, he replied, "No, what's up?"
"If you're not busy, help me get Little Rice Cake. I have a client right now and Qiao family just called saying that Father Qiao isn't well so Qiao Qiao went over." While Lu Jinnian explained the situation, he continued to instruct his employees. "This idea won't work, redo it."
"Is there any problem?"
Xu Jiamu replied, "No."
After hanging up, he glanced at the time; he was already late. Hurriedly, he started his car and drove off.
The traffic was bad, by the time Xu Jiamu reached the kindergarten, only the principal and a teacher was left to look after Little Rice Cake and a pretty little girl.
Xu Jiamu had come to fetch Little Rice Cake several times so the principal recognized him. When he saw him walking in, he called out to the boy, "Little Rice Cake, your uncle is here to get you."
The boy lifted his head, greeting in his childlike voice, "Uncle."
He then continued to sit on the mat, playing with the little girl with braids with no intention of leaving.
Xu Jiamu indulged Little Rice Cake, so he didn't get angry. Walking towards the kid's bag, he stuffed his things inside before walking over to him. Kneeling down, he called out to Little Rice Cake, who was playing with sand, "Hey, let's go home."
Little Rice Cake grabbed a handful of sand, turned to Little Red Bean before, then back to Xu Jiamu. In a calm voice, he asked, "Uncle, can we leave after a while?"
Xu Jiamu glanced at Little Rice Cake, waiting patiently for the reason.
"Uncle, Little Red Bean's mommy isn't here yet. If I go, she'll be the only one left in the kindergarten. Can we wait for her mommy to come before we leave?"
Little Red Bean… That was a special name... It automatically reminded him of a poem called "Xiangsi": Beautiful Red berries grow in the South / When spring comes, I don't know how many branches there will be / But I hope you can gather more for these're a symbol of love.
Maybe due to her name, Xu Jiamu took more notice of Little Red Bean. The little girl looked almost the same age as Little Rice Cake, with a round face and pale skin. From a single look, he was attracted.
When the principal saw Xu Jiamu's silence, he couldn't help adding, "Little Red Bean's mother could be busy. I tried to call her but she isn't picking up. Little Rice Cake and Little Red Bean have a close relationship so he wanted to accompany her."
Xu Jiamu came back to his senses. His gaze continued to focus on Little Red Bean for a while longer before he turned to nod at the principal. "Is it okay if I wait a little longer?"
"It's okay." The principal smiled.
"If you're busy, you can go ahead, I'll look after them."
The principal smiled, then after staying for a while more, he left.
The two little kids played harmoniously, putting Xu Jiamu at ease.
Time trickled by. Even when sunset came, Little Red Bean's mother still didn't arrive.
"Are you busy later?" Lu Jinnian asked. There were hushed voices at the back as though he was in a meeting.
Xu Jiamu shook his head lightly, clearing his mind. When he finally calmed down, he replied, "No, what's up?"
"If you're not busy, help me get Little Rice Cake. I have a client right now and Qiao family just called saying that Father Qiao isn't well so Qiao Qiao went over." While Lu Jinnian explained the situation, he continued to instruct his employees. "This idea won't work, redo it."
"Is there any problem?"
Xu Jiamu replied, "No."
After hanging up, he glanced at the time; he was already late. Hurriedly, he started his car and drove off.
The traffic was bad, by the time Xu Jiamu reached the kindergarten, only the principal and a teacher was left to look after Little Rice Cake and a pretty little girl.
Xu Jiamu had come to fetch Little Rice Cake several times so the principal recognized him. When he saw him walking in, he called out to the boy, "Little Rice Cake, your uncle is here to get you."
The boy lifted his head, greeting in his childlike voice, "Uncle."
He then continued to sit on the mat, playing with the little girl with braids with no intention of leaving.
Xu Jiamu indulged Little Rice Cake, so he didn't get angry. Walking towards the kid's bag, he stuffed his things inside before walking over to him. Kneeling down, he called out to Little Rice Cake, who was playing with sand, "Hey, let's go home."
Little Rice Cake grabbed a handful of sand, turned to Little Red Bean before, then back to Xu Jiamu. In a calm voice, he asked, "Uncle, can we leave after a while?"
Xu Jiamu glanced at Little Rice Cake, waiting patiently for the reason.
"Uncle, Little Red Bean's mommy isn't here yet. If I go, she'll be the only one left in the kindergarten. Can we wait for her mommy to come before we leave?"
Little Red Bean… That was a special name... It automatically reminded him of a poem called "Xiangsi": Beautiful Red berries grow in the South / When spring comes, I don't know how many branches there will be / But I hope you can gather more for these're a symbol of love.
Maybe due to her name, Xu Jiamu took more notice of Little Red Bean. The little girl looked almost the same age as Little Rice Cake, with a round face and pale skin. From a single look, he was attracted.
When the principal saw Xu Jiamu's silence, he couldn't help adding, "Little Red Bean's mother could be busy. I tried to call her but she isn't picking up. Little Rice Cake and Little Red Bean have a close relationship so he wanted to accompany her."
Xu Jiamu came back to his senses. His gaze continued to focus on Little Red Bean for a while longer before he turned to nod at the principal. "Is it okay if I wait a little longer?"
"It's okay." The principal smiled.
"If you're busy, you can go ahead, I'll look after them."
The principal smiled, then after staying for a while more, he left.
The two little kids played harmoniously, putting Xu Jiamu at ease.
Time trickled by. Even when sunset came, Little Red Bean's mother still didn't arrive.
