Chapter 36

The blue cat reacted quickly, swiftly retracting its paw and tucking it away. An An ended up with nothing in his mouth, but his saliva dripped down instead. He instinctively swallowed, which startled the blue cat so much that its body trembled.

It was only then that the childcare worker snapped out of it and used a tissue to wipe An An’s mouth clean.

After this incident, the blue cat also realized that this little human cub wasn’t very well-behaved.

Having failed to grab its paws, An An tried to reach for its tail. Each time, just as his hand was about to touch it, the blue cat would move its tail to the side at the last second.

An An was patient, repeating the action over and over again without getting frustrated even when he couldn’t catch it.

At first, the blue cat remained vigilant, but over time, it grew more relaxed. Eventually, it simply lay there, idly swishing its tail to tease the little human cub, its half-lidded eyes occasionally glancing at him.

“Ya, yi ya…”

When Hu Shuli walked in, she noticed that her son’s expression seemed off. It wasn’t until she crouched down in front of him that she saw his tiny fists clenched tightly, his chubby face flushed red with anger, and his plump little cheeks trembling slightly.

“What’s wrong, An An?”

Once his mother picked him up, An An didn’t complain. He felt a little embarrassed, so he quietly buried his face in her chest, his muffled whimpers carrying a hint of grievance.

Despite learning his lesson, An An didn’t take it to heart. As soon as he calmed down, he stubbornly ran back to the blue cat to play.

Hu Shuli didn’t stop him. In fact, she was happy to see An An interacting with small animals. She still remembered how, as a child, she envied kids who grew up with pets.

When the blue cat saw the little human cub coming back again, even with its furry face, it was easy to tell that it looked exasperated.

An An was wearing thin clothes, so he moved easily as he crawled toward the cat. The blue cat, seeing him approaching, immediately leaped onto the nearby sofa.

An An, who had worked so hard without even touching a single cat hair, froze with his hands outstretched. When he realized what had happened, his big eyes started welling up with tears. Letting out a pitiful whimper, he was scooped up by Hu Shuli.

“An An, you can’t bully the kitty. Kitties don’t like having their tails touched.”

Hu Shuli gently patted An An’s back while explaining to him. But the little boy, feeling wronged, wasn’t listening at all—he just pouted, too busy being sad.

When Mr. Hu walked in and saw the scene, he couldn’t help but chuckle after learning the reason. He pinched An An’s little cheek and asked,

“An An, do you want your own little kitty?”

That question instantly stopped An An’s crying. He had been sobbing so hard that when he suddenly stopped, he hiccupped. His teary, crystal-clear eyes were now locked intently on his grandpa.

“Tomorrow, Grandpa will take you to the pet store to pick one out, okay?”

Mr. Hu was a cultured man. He knew that children this age couldn’t fully understand complex meanings, but that didn’t stop him from believing his grandson was smart. Simple conversations always earned a response from An An.

When it came to matters concerning An An, he often made sure to ask for his little grandson’s opinion.

An An pointed at the blue cat lounging on the sofa. The cat looked well-fed, with a plump, round body and chubby little paws.

“An An likes blue cats, huh? Then tomorrow, we’ll get you a blue cat at the pet store.”

Even though his face was still streaked with tears, he immediately grinned and even let out two excited giggles.

For the first time, Mr. Hu felt that the word “sly” might actually apply to his little grandson.

Since Suisui and Niannian were older children, they didn’t have much in common with An An, who hadn’t even learned to roll over yet. In fact, the cat they brought seemed to get along with him better than they did.

After spending the day at the Hu household, they were picked up by their mother. When An An, carried by his mother, pouted at the door as he watched them leave, tears welled up in his eyes again.

Second Aunt had assumed An An was reluctant to part with his new friends. If not for the fact that the twins had extracurricular classes the next day, she would have been happy to let them stay overnight.

Hu Shuli politely declined. Having grown up in this environment herself, she understood just how busy a child’s schedule could be. Raising outstanding children required putting in a lot of effort from a young age.

As Mr. Hu stood there gently wiping An An’s tears with a tissue, he refrained from saying what was really on his mind. But deep down, he suspected that rather than wanting the twins to stay, An An probably just wanted them to leave the cat behind so he could have a taste.

From An An’s pitiful expression, Mr. Hu could tell just how much his little grandson loved cats. Wasting no time, he arranged for the family driver to take them to a specialized pet store the very next morning.

Before leaving, An An was dressed in a short-sleeved outfit with a light sun-protective jacket over it. He also wore a sun hat, thoroughly shielded from the sun.

The pet store had many kittens, all at a perfect age to be adopted. Mr. Hu carried An An, walking past the cages so the little boy could choose one himself.

Of course, a child’s pet should be picked by the child. But after looking around, An An wasn’t satisfied with any of them.

Just as Mr. Hu was about to take him to the next room, An An suddenly spotted something in the corner of the store—a kitten curled up in its cage, fast asleep.

Unlike the other enthusiastic kittens crowding at the bars, this one was calm and indifferent. Even at such a young age, An An experienced what people called “love at first sight.”

“Yi ya, ya~”

An An’s little voice caught Mr. Hu’s attention. He carried An An over for a closer look and saw that it was indeed a blue cat—just like the one An An had been so fond of.

The pet store employee, seeing this scene, looked a little troubled and took the initiative to remind them:

“This kitten has a bad temper. The store manager plans to keep it at the store.”

As if to verify the employee’s words, the next second, the kitten let out a snarl at An An and even showed its claws.

“It’s fine. Contact your store manager and have this kitten trained to be more docile before delivering it to us.”

Mr. Hu valued affinity in such matters. More importantly, from all the details of daily interactions, he could tell—

His little grandson was just as stubborn as his daughter had been when she was young.

Once he set his eyes on something, he only wanted that one thing. The more someone tried to oppose him, the more rebellious he became.

He didn’t believe that any kitten was inherently ill-tempered—especially one this young. If it really was, then it was likely just due to poor training or a lack of security in its current environment.

He decided to have the pet store train it first and, once it was a little older, send it to an animal school to learn proper “cat etiquette.”

Such matters were best handled by professionals, and Mr. Hu trusted they would give him a satisfactory result.

An An had been watching his grandfather with big, round eyes the whole time. When he saw Grandpa pay, he clapped his little hands.

For now, the kitten couldn’t go home with them. Given how attached An An was to it, Mr. Hu was concerned. No matter how much An An pouted and acted pitiful, even if his eyes turned red from holding back tears, Mr. Hu remained firm.

Both the kitten and An An were still young—too young to even settle an argument between themselves. It was best to keep them apart for now.

On the way home, Hu Shuli held An An in her arms, and she and her father brought up the topic of An An’s first birthday banquet again.

Although An An was still little, there were only a few months left, so it was just the right time to start preparing.

The banquet’s content, how to introduce the child to others, the guest list, the venue—all these details needed time to arrange.

Little An An seemed to understand that this was his birthday banquet. He sat obediently to the side, placing his little hands properly in his lap, occasionally looking at his mother and then turning to glance at his grandfather.

That kitten, which had captivated him at first sight, had now been completely forgotten.

“Lili, some things… just can’t be avoided.”

Mr. Hu had built the Hu family into a remarkable presence. The higher their status, the more scrutiny they faced, and some people were bound to take jabs at them.

His Lili had once been so outstanding, admired as one of the most promising young talents among her generation. Within the family, younger members were often compared to her.

In such circumstances, even if she did nothing, envy and resentment naturally followed—just as the old saying went: “Only the mediocre are never envied.”

“Dad, I don’t care about those things. Other people’s gossip doesn’t affect my life.”

After all this time, Hu Shuli had completely adjusted her mindset. To her, everything that had happened before was insignificant.

Idle gossip was meaningless unless the person targeted let it affect them; otherwise, it was just a waste of breath.

“Dad, people need to go through experiences to truly grow. Though the price of growth has been high, I’m very happy now because I have An An with me.”

“Yiya~”

An An snuggled closer to his mother, curling his lips into a satisfied smile.

Mr. Hu sighed and turned to look out the window.

His feelings were conflicted. He wanted his daughter to grow up quickly, yet he also worried about the hardships she might face in the process.

He wanted to protect her under his wing forever, yet he also hoped she could face life’s storms with courage.

When Hu Shuli saw her father turn away, her gaze lingered on the white hairs on his head, reluctant to look away.

Back when she had foolishly cut ties with her father, these few short years had aged him so quickly.

She still remembered how, before she left, there had been barely any visible white hairs. Back then, he was a dashing middle-aged man, not the distinguished but visibly older figure he was now.

Meanwhile, in the backseat, little An An remained carefree, clapping his tiny hands and occasionally letting out a cheerful “yiya.”

Before they even got home, An An was already getting drowsy. His little head bobbed up and down, and eventually, he couldn’t fight the sleepiness any longer, tilting his head against his mother’s chest and drifting off.

Hu Shuli hadn’t put on any makeup today. After An An fell asleep, she lowered her head and gently rubbed the tip of her nose against his soft little cheek.

Like a tiny animal, An An instinctively sniffed to recognize his mother’s scent. Once he confirmed it was her, he unconsciously nuzzled back.

When they got home, Mr. Hu specifically asked the childcare specialist if An An’s inability to roll over was a concern. The answer was that adults could help guide him a little.

That afternoon, after An An woke from his nap and finished his milk, the nanny took him for a short stroll outside to look at flowers. When they returned, they found his mother and grandfather waiting for him in the playroom. His big eyes blinked in confusion.

“Yiya?”

Mr. Hu picked up An An and placed him on the carpet. He grabbed one of An An’s favorite plush toys and used it to demonstrate.

The plushie rolled over once, then rolled back.

After the demonstration, Mr. Hu looked at An An with eager anticipation, hoping he would try. But An An still looked utterly baffled.

Growing impatient, Mr. Hu finally just stepped in directly, helping An An roll over himself.

“Like this, then like this.”

Not only did An An fail to understand what Grandpa was trying to teach him, but he also thought Grandpa was just playing with him. He giggled happily, squinting his eyes in delight.

When Grandpa stopped rolling him over, An An reached out, tugged at Grandpa’s clothes, and gave a little shake as if urging him to continue. His pouty expression only deepened Mr. Hu’s helpless amusement.

Originally, the goal was to teach An’an how to roll over, but somehow, it turned into a new game for him.

By the end of it, Mr. Hu was drenched in sweat from exhaustion. He was getting on in years and almost felt like he couldn’t keep up. When An’an finally got tired and was cradled in his arms to rest, the childcare specialist handed over a bottle filled with water.

An’an held it tightly and drank in big gulps, his little cheeks puffing in and out.

Clearly, it was Mr. Hu who had done all the hard work, yet looking at An’an now, it seemed like the child had been the one to tire himself out. The few tufts of hair on his little head, still not fully grown in, were damp with sweat.

After exercising, An’an’s porcelain-white face turned rosy. When he reached out his hand, Mr. Hu instinctively lowered his head to see what he was trying to do.

An’an grabbed his grandfather’s ear and pulled him toward his chest. Mr. Hu, at his age, found it a little undignified to be treated like this by his grandson. He put on a stern face, intending to give An’an a little scare.

But the next second, he felt the child’s soft lips press against his cheek, making him freeze.

When he lifted his head to see what was going on, he caught An’an frowning in distaste as he wiped his mouth with a look of utter disdain.

At home, the only person An’an never disliked was Hu Shuli. If she ever refused him, he’d only cling to her even more, desperate for a hug and a kiss from his mother.

Though Mr. Hu felt a little bitter about his grandson’s reaction, at least it was progress—An’an had taken the initiative to give him a kiss.

“An’an is such a good boy.”

“Ya~”

An’an usually didn’t understand what they were saying, but he could tell when people were talking to him. So, he babbled back in response.

This little rolling-over game Mr. Hu started with An’an ended up influencing his daily routine quite a bit.

From that day on, every time Mr. Hu came home from work, An’an would excitedly wave his little hands. Seeing his grandson so happy about his return always warmed his heart—until he realized An’an was just buttering him up so he’d play the flipping-over game again.

Another month passed, and An’an still hadn’t learned to roll over. At first, Mr. Hu and Hu Shuli were calm about it, but now they couldn’t help feeling anxious. They consulted professionals, but there was no definitive answer.

Every child learns at their own pace, some earlier, some later. There was no fixed timeline. Besides, An’an had been born prematurely, so it was normal for his development to lag slightly behind his peers.

While he still hadn’t mastered rolling over, An’an’s kitten had finally come home.

After receiving training from the pet store staff, the kitten had even attended “school.” If it weren’t for the fact that it was still so young, Mr. Hu might have even considered getting it certified.

That afternoon, just before finishing work, Mr. Hu’s assistant came in to inform him that the pet store had called—the kitten was fully trained and ready. They asked whether they should deliver it or if someone would come to pick it up.

Mr. Hu checked his watch. Since the pet store was on his way home, he told his assistant to call them back and say he’d pick it up himself.

Bringing the kitten home as a surprise gift would surely make An’an overjoyed.

Unlike its unruly behavior during their last encounter, the kitten now sat quietly in its cage, its fur sleek and well-groomed. When Mr. Hu reached out to pet it, it didn’t resist at all.

The pet hospital had just given it a bath, assuring him that it was safe for a baby to interact with directly.

Mr. Hu nodded but didn’t take it too seriously—after all, the nanny had already told him about last time.

Petting the kitten was fine as long as An’an washed his hands before eating. The real problem was that his little grandson had tried to put the kitten’s paws in his mouth.

Back at the villa, An’an always got fussy around this time of day—until he was taken to the living room to wait for his grandfather to come home.

Hu Shuli wasn’t home today. She had other courses to attend. Since An’an wasn’t breastfed, she didn’t need to be constantly tied to him.

Before stepping inside, Mr. Hu hid the kitten’s cage behind his back. An’an’s eyes lit up as soon as he saw his grandfather, reaching out excitedly.

But when he realized Mr. Hu wasn’t immediately picking him up like usual, his smile gradually faded.

He went from grinning with squinted eyes to pouting, looking like he was about to cry at any moment.

“An’an, don’t cry! Look what Grandpa brought for you!”

Seeing that his grandson was on the verge of tears, Mr. Hu quickly revealed the kitten, holding it out for An’an to see.

The pet store staff had advised against letting the kitten and the child interact too much on the first day. The little animal needed time to adjust to its new environment.

Mr. Hu carefully explained this to An’an. He wasn’t worried that the boy would throw a tantrum over it.

Sure enough, An’an listened attentively and nodded as if he understood.

Whether he actually understood or not, at least he was taking it very seriously.

While the kitten spent its first day adapting to its new home, An’an was content just watching it. Knowing that such an adorable little cat belonged to him made his heart burst with joy.

Hu Shuli only returned home in the evening. Seeing how happy her son was, she felt happy too.

A person’s emotions are often influenced by those they’re close to. Good or bad, they shape the atmosphere of daily life. If enough positive emotions are shared, life naturally becomes more enjoyable.

After a busy day, Hu Shuli picked up her baby boy, who still smelled of milk, and held him close.

Just then, the childcare specialist handed her a freshly prepared bottle of formula.

An’an hugged the bottle tightly and drank, his big, dark eyes never leaving his mother’s face.

An An held the bottle himself and drank, his big, dark eyes fixed on his mother.

Having not seen her all day, he actually missed her a lot but didn’t know how to express it.

“Dad, I ran into an old friend today—someone I used to be pretty close with.”

“Oh? How was it?”

Mr. Hu pretended to be indifferent on the surface, but deep down, he was incredibly nervous, worried that his daughter had suffered grievances outside without his knowledge.

“It was okay. It was the youngest daughter of the Liu family. She’s already married now. She told me a lot—said that she and her husband are just putting on a front, that she only wants a child to be the heir, and then she wants him dead.”

Mr. Hu didn’t know how to comment on that. After all, when two people with no emotional foundation were forcibly put together, it was indeed hard to develop any genuine affection.

In their social circle, it wasn’t uncommon for couples to maintain a façade while actually living separate lives, but cases where the hatred ran so deep that one wished for the other’s death were still rare.

“Dad, I used to have some regrets…”

There were only the three of them in the living room. An An, nestled in her arms, was drinking his milk peacefully. Feeling at ease, Hu Shuli opened up about the thoughts in her heart.

“What regrets?”

Mr. Hu pushed a cup of tea toward his daughter. He understood that in this moment, she wasn’t necessarily looking for advice from him—perhaps she had just been holding these thoughts in for too long and needed someone to listen.

“Lili, if you ever feel too overwhelmed, you can always go talk to a therapist.”

“Dad, some things I only want to say to you.”

An An had just finished his bottle of milk at that moment. After wiping his mouth clean, Hu Shuli shifted him to a different position and continued patting his back to help him burp.

Although he was already a bit older, the doctor had mentioned that An An’s digestive system was slightly weaker than most children. Over time, Hu Shuli had simply gotten used to taking extra care of him.

“Dad, my mother has never appeared in my memories, yet she has always had a vivid presence in my heart. Through your words, stories, and photos, I’ve always known that she truly loved me.”

Mr. Hu and his wife had been one of the rare, genuinely loving couples in their social circle. While they were together, they had never once fought, always coexisting in harmony.

After his wife’s passing, Mr. Hu had given Hu Shuli double the love, making her deeply admire the relationship her parents had. During her adolescent years, she had hoped that her future partner would be just as outstanding as her father.

That thought had taken root in her heart, and until today, she had still held onto that dream.

But after her conversation with her old friend today, something in her mindset had shifted.

“That past… it wasn’t something anyone would be proud of. And to be so disillusioned by love—it might make some people think I’m heartless.”

“I keep wondering, if my future partner ever found out about everything that happened, how would they react?”

“But after talking to her today, I suddenly feel that maybe marriage and love aren’t as beautiful as I once thought.”

Mr. Hu had always given his daughter the best environment and the best education, but when it came to emotional needs, as a father, there were some things he simply couldn’t provide.

Hu Shuli had been a bit naïve when it came to relationships. Today, her friend’s words had shattered her fairy tale, pulling her back into reality.

“And what about An An? Have you thought about him? Like I told you before—what if someone you like resents you for having An An?”

Mr. Hu still felt like his daughter was only in her twenties—so young, with her whole life ahead of her. How could she resign herself to a life where everything was already predictable?

The little one, who had been fiddling with the buttons on his clothes, immediately looked up when he heard his name. Hu Shuli leaned down and gently rubbed her nose against his cheek.

“An An is different. I feel lucky to have him.”

Whenever Hu Shuli looked back on that period of her life, it always felt like a dream—a nightmare where she was drowning in a swamp with no light in sight.

But An An had rekindled her hope. He had made her realize that, even if not for herself, she had to climb out of that swamp for him—to pave a smoother road for him to walk.

“You always have a reason for everything, don’t you?”

Mr. Hu sighed helplessly, shaking his head, unwilling to argue with his daughter over this. It was better for her to recognize the harsh realities of life sooner rather than later—after all, not everyone was as fortunate as he had been.

Genuine, lasting love was incredibly rare in the real world. Out of a hundred people, perhaps not even one would remain devoted to a single partner for life.

Reality wasn’t a fairy tale. Even after the prince and princess’s happy ending, they would still have to deal with the mundane, trivial matters of daily life.

“An An, look, Grandpa is being mean to Mommy again…”

Hu Shuli lowered her head and leaned against An An’s tiny shoulder, pretending to sulk. As soon as Mr. Hu heard this, he quickly turned around, only to see his precious grandson clenching his little fists.

Seeing the way his mouth was twisted in anger, Mr. Hu had no doubt that the little guy was seriously considering punching him.

“Alright, alright, I surrender. Who would dare be mean to your mommy? You two are my little ancestors.”

Shaking his head in resignation, Mr. Hu turned to leave. These two were always keeping him on his toes—even at his age, he was still running around worrying about them.

On the surface, he looked exasperated, but his eyes were filled with warmth. It was clear that, despite his complaints, he truly enjoyed every moment.

Hu Shuli held An An’s tiny hand in her palm, gently prying open his clenched fist. As she watched her father’s retreating figure, a thought suddenly surfaced in her mind—something she had once come across online.

“The one who loves the princess most is never the prince—it’s the king.”

Mr. Hu hadn’t even been gone for a few minutes before he turned back to look at his daughter, cleared his throat, and reminded her:

“What are you still doing there? It’s time to eat! And An’an, your formula is ready too!”

“Coming, Dad.”

“Yiya, ya!”

A crisp young girl’s voice and a baby’s indistinct babbling sounded almost simultaneously, making Mr. Hu’s smile reach all the way to his ears.

An’an sat near the dining table with the nanny, hugging a bottle in his arms, his bright little eyes fixed on the food on the table.

Even though he was still too young to have ever tasted those foods, the aroma drifting into his nose made him drool.

As long as he had his milk bottle, he could barely satisfy his cravings, but once it was empty and the nanny set it aside, the hungry little An’an started gnawing on his fingers.

An’an would only obediently let Hu Shuli hold down his hands. If it were the nanny or the babysitter, he would subtly struggle free no matter what.

After dinner, Hu Shuli was too tired to go for a walk after a long day. When she heard that the nanny was planning to bathe An’an, she decided to follow along.

In the bathroom, An’an lay in the bathtub, happily splashing around with his little hands and feet. He loved playing with water—it gave him a strange but pleasant sensation.

From his frail little frame at the start, after all these days of care, An’an’s tiny hands had become chubby, and his fair, tender skin made Hu Shuli feel an odd urge to lean in and take a bite, just to see if he’d cry until his eyes turned red.

But seeing him giggle cluelessly, looking so silly and happy, she couldn’t bear to actually tease him.

“Ya, ma~”

Hu Shuli froze in place as she poured water over An’an’s body. She knew that at this stage, babies making sounds like this didn’t necessarily mean they were trying to talk—it could just be a random syllable.

But hearing her son make a sound resembling “Mama” still filled her with uncontrollable excitement. She hadn’t even been this emotional when she first found out she was pregnant with him.

After the bath, An’an was dressed in clean pajamas. He still seemed quite energetic, so Hu Shuli carried him back to her room.

Her bedroom had a crib set up for him, and there was even a carpet by the window so he could play comfortably.

Dressed in animal-themed pajamas, little An’an looked so unbearably cute, like a baby straight out of a cartoon.

Hu Shuli played with him for a long time while the nanny brought in some toys meant to strengthen the bond between mother and child.

An’an rarely got to play with such a variety of toys. Plus, he was with his favorite mom, which made him feel like he was floating on cloud nine.

Hu Shuli watched his delighted smile for a long time. She handed him a toy and softly said,

“An’an, Mommy will play with you all day tomorrow, okay?”

“Yiya? Yiya~”

An’an, completely immersed in his toys, didn’t understand what she meant, but Hu Shuli’s gaze grew even softer.

Just now, seeing how happy An’an was, she suddenly realized something—she had been focusing on so many things, but she had never truly considered how much time she spent with An’an.

Her father had hired highly experienced nannies and babysitters, and from An’an’s state, it was clear he was being well cared for. That reassurance had allowed her to become a hands-off mother.

Only just now did she realize how little time she actually spent with An’an—just scattered moments here and there.

A tiny child like him couldn’t play with phones. His days consisted of drinking milk, sleeping, occasionally being taken to the garden to see flowers, but mostly just sitting around staring into space—without even getting to see his beloved mommy.

The more she thought about it, the more she felt guilty.

Lately, she had been preoccupied with everything she needed to do, desperately wanting to return to the person she used to be, as if that could erase everything that had happened.

But being with An’an made her unconsciously shift her perspective. No matter how much she wanted to deny it, the past had already happened. Letting her frustrations make her miss out on her child’s growth simply wasn’t worth it.

People said children wouldn’t remember anything before the age of three, but that didn’t make it okay for Hu Shuli to justify neglecting An’an.

Looking at his chubby little cheeks, she suddenly figured it out.

She didn’t care whether An’an would remember how well she treated him—she just wanted him to be a little happier right now.

After about half an hour, An’an started getting sleepy. But because his mommy was there, he fought to stay awake, gripping his toy tightly, his droopy eyes battling against sleep.

“An’an, are you sleepy? Then let’s go to bed.”

Hu Shuli picked him up and gently patted his back. An’an instinctively wrapped his tiny arms around her neck, rubbing his fluffy little head against her shoulder, instantly melting her heart.

Freshly bathed, he still had a lovely scent, and his affectionate little hug was just too much—completely unfair.

She had originally planned to let the nanny take him back once he fell asleep. But the moment An’an instinctively clung to her, she changed her mind.

“An’an will sleep with Mommy tonight.”

“That’s fine,” the nanny said, stepping away.

Before An’an turned three months old, she hadn’t supported the idea of the mother co-sleeping with him. She believed that at that stage, it was more important for the mother to adjust her own mindset and rest well.

But now that three months had passed and Hu Shuli’s condition was quite good, it wasn’t excessive for her to occasionally bring the child to sleep by her side for a night.

This was the first time An’an had ever lain on his mother’s bed. The sheets and blankets were filled with her scent, which immediately energized him, even though he had just been nodding off like a little chick pecking at rice.

Seeing his eyes practically glowing with excitement, Hu Shuli gently hummed a lullaby that her father used to sing to lull her to sleep.

Accompanied by his mother’s soft singing, An’an slowly closed his eyes.

After confirming that he was sound asleep, Hu Shuli went to the bathroom to wash up. Once she was completely clean, she lifted the blanket and saw the little baby lying there, sleeping so sweetly. She leaned in and softly kissed his chubby cheek.

The system, watching from within its space, absolutely refused to admit that it was just the tiniest bit envious.

Outside the window, a rare sight of stars twinkled in the sky, and the night breeze rustled the leaves in the courtyard.

…

Ever since Hu Laoxian brought his daughter back, he had been growing more energetic by the day. That morning, after getting out of bed, he even noticed that the hair at his roots had darkened again.

As expected, joy brings vitality—his improved mood even seemed to be affecting his body.

His spirits were high the entire morning. Even when a subordinate made a basic mistake during a meeting, he didn’t get angry, simply instructing them patiently to correct it.

On his way home that evening, he saw a flower shop and personally selected a bouquet, having the owner wrap it up. He also carefully picked a few extra blooms to give to his little grandson.

After all, if An’an saw his mother receiving flowers while he got none, he might feel left out.

That day, Hu Shuli had stayed home to spend time with An’an. Her father had no intention of letting her dive into work or studies for now—most of her time was dedicated to recovering her figure and personal care.

There were many treatments and exercises she could do without leaving the house.

For example, that day, she was practicing yoga at home while the nanny held An’an nearby, watching. The little boy clapped his hands so much he nearly made them go numb.

Even when Hu Shuli was simply stretching, An’an cheered for her with all his might, applauding enthusiastically.

Catching glimpses of the little one being held in someone’s arms, his tiny hands clapping away, instantly brightened Hu Shuli’s mood.

In the afternoon, she took An’an to visit the kitten they had recently rescued. The housekeeper, who was looking after the kitten, mentioned that it would take about a day for it to fully adjust.

Since An’an was still very young, they had to ensure the kitten was completely non-aggressive before letting them interact closely.

When Hu Laoxian returned home and heard from the butler that Li Li and An’an were visiting the kitten, he took the flowers with him, intending to surprise his daughter and grandson.

Hu Shuli was holding An’an while he cradled his little hands, both of them watching the kitten drink milk.

The kitten didn’t seem very bright—it was barely managing to drink, spilling about half of it.

“Li Li, An’an.”

“Hm? Dad.”

An’an was handed back to the nanny while Hu Shuli took the bouquet, lowering her head to inhale its fragrance.

She had once casually mentioned how romantic she found the wildflowers that Song Yushu used to send her. That passing remark had clearly been kept in her father’s heart.

Hu Shuli knew she was being sentimental, but at that moment, she nearly couldn’t hold back her tears.

Having a father like this made her feel that if she didn’t cherish herself, she would be letting him down.

After passing her the bouquet, Hu Laoxian handed another one to An’an, carefully selecting flowers without thorns.

The little boy’s eyes sparkled with delight as he held the flowers in his arms.

After a while, he began babbling and gesturing for the nanny to take him closer to the kitten. Struggling to pluck out a flower he found particularly pretty, he placed it near the kitten.

Hu Laoxian, witnessing the scene, didn’t feel that his gesture had been wasted. Instead, he chuckled and said,

“Next time, I’ll make sure to buy one for the kitten too.”

Just as he finished speaking, the butler came rushing over, looking troubled.

“Sir, there’s someone outside asking for you. He claims to be… the young miss’s husband.”