It wasn’t until Niu Niu took her hand that Wang Shilan snapped out of her thoughts. She bent down and lifted her daughter into her arms. Niu Niu was wearing a denim outfit today, her long hair tied into a perfectly round bun. Today was her “Mommy and Me Day.” She was so happy. Wang Shilan had forgotten how long it had been since she’d gone out alone with Niu Niu. When the three of them went out together, Du Ze would always prepare a list of what they needed, get up early, and pack everything Niu Niu would need. He was attentive, detail-oriented, and well-organized. That was one of the things that attracted her to him. In the past, thinking of Du Ze filled her with warmth. She trusted him with Niu Niu more than she trusted herself. But now, she couldn’t see through him.
“Mom, did you and Dad have a fight?” Her daughter’s milky voice sounded in her ear.
Wang Shilan broke out in a cold sweat. She got into the back seat of the car and held Niu Niu tightly in her arms.
“…Mom.” Niu Niu felt her mom was acting a bit strange today, but she loved being held by her. She opened her arms and hugged her mom back.
Wang Shilan looked at Niu Niu’s innocent little face, and countless fortresses she had built in her heart, stronger than city walls, began to crumble. Soon, the car arrived at the biggest mall in Beicheng. Wang Shilan took Niu Niu’s hand and headed straight for a luxury jewelry boutique. She loved buying jewelry for Niu Niu. Her safe was already stocked with several sets.
The princess crown had been designed and made by a foreign jewelry designer two months ago. The crown’s base was made of delicate precious metal, with elegant arched curves that perfectly fit Niu Niu’s head shape. Set into the top of the crown was a gemstone cut into a six-pointed star. Each point sparkled with brilliant light. The moment Niu Niu saw the crown, she couldn’t move. It sat on a velvet tray, so beautiful.
Encouraged by her mother, Niu Niu finally reached out to touch the slight protrusion at the star’s center, feeling its cool surface. After collecting the crown, Wang Shilan took Niu Niu to the mall’s children’s play area. As they rode the escalator up, she noticed Niu Niu was distracted. The little girl stood on the steps, holding her mother’s arm, her eyes fixed on the glass below.
Wang Shilan was curious. “Niu Niu, what are you looking at?”
Niu Niu looked up and pointed: “Mom, it’s Brother Qiqi.”
Wang Shilan couldn’t see Pei Qiqi from her angle, but she knew the “Qiqi” Niu Niu mentioned was also a child on the variety show. Before going to film, Niu Niu had been especially happy. She’d made two good friends on the show, Mi Le and Su Youli. Wang Shilan smiled. It seemed Pei Qiqi was her third new friend.
“Would Niu Niu rather go to the play area, or go down to find Brother Qiqi?”
Niu Niu didn’t hesitate. “Down.”
The floor below was the women’s clothing section. One boutique had a large glass window displaying the season’s main styles and mannequins. Wang Shilan led Niu Niu to the entrance. Looking through the glass, she did indeed see a four-year-old little boy. Niu Niu’s eyes lit up. She carefully raised her hand, about to call out Qiqi’s name. But seeing the quiet surroundings, she closed her mouth. Wang Shilan patted her head and led her inside.
In a corner of the seating area was a soft sofa. Pei Qiqi occupied a small corner, his legs dangling, his little feet not quite reaching the floor. A young saleswoman stood nearby. Her formal work clothes might have restricted her movements, but they couldn’t contain her expression. She had a classic “heart-melting” expression, almost clasping her hands together under her chin with a silent gasp: “A celebrity kid from the TV show is in our store! And I’m the one who gets to help him!”
The little boy on the sofa seemed to feel the intensity of her gaze, which was practically boiling over. He looked up from his tablet. Suddenly seeing the saleswoman looking at him with such enthusiasm, Pei Qiqi’s fingers tightened on the tablet. He was accompanying his aunt on a shopping trip. There was no helping it. His uncle had been too busy working lately, and he’d come to his bed this morning to corner him.
“Qiqi, my darling, precious nephew.”
Pei Qiqi, eyes still sleepy, expressionless, glanced at his uncle, then turned around and gave him his back.
Pei Yi kicked off his slippers, jumped onto the bed, and pulled the sleeping child out from under the covers. “Waaah, my baby, my most adorable nephew. Time to get up! Uncle has a very important mission for you today.”
The mission was to accompany Auntie on a shopping trip for clothes and makeup. Pei Qiqi said Auntie looked beautiful in everything and was pretty even without makeup.
Pei Yi: “If you don’t want a spanking, shut up!”
“But Auntie spanks you, not me.”
Pei Yi: “…”
Pei Qiqi, shut up. Don’t think I won’t hit you.
“Let me put it this way: I walked Yuanzi for Youyou. You owe me one!” Pei Yi said matter-of-factly.
Pei Qiqi: “…Yuanzi’s last name is Su. He’s not my dog.”
Pei Yi: “Hey, I’m asking you: when I was walking Yuanzi that day, weren’t you taking Youyou to play on the swing?”
Pei Qiqi nodded: “Yes.”
Pei Yi crossed his arms and let out a villainous laugh: “If I hadn’t been walking Yuanzi, could you have played on the swing with Youyou?”
“…”
Pei Qiqi’s clever brain couldn’t think of a rebuttal. What an evil adult.
Pei Yi successfully hugged him and kissed him with a loud smack. “Don’t worry. Uncle will come rescue you in two hours.”
“I don’t need rescuing. Accompanying a girl you like shopping is a basic part of being a gentleman,” Pei Qiqi said.
Pei Yi: Where did his nephew learn such cheesy lines? They really needed to start a detox from short-form videos. When Hua Zhao found out that her shopping companion had changed from her goofy husband to a super handsome, super cute, super cool little kid, she didn’t waste a second. She took Pei Qiqi’s hand and breezed past Pei Yi. Pei Yi’s smile fell: There was no need to be so obvious about it.
For his first time accompanying his aunt shopping, little gentleman Pei Qiqi kept a straight face, trying to look as mature as possible. He wanted everyone to know that even though he was a child, he was no less capable than an adult. He was going to put his father’s haggling techniques to good use today.
“Qiqi, does Auntie look good in this dress?”
Pei Qiqi stared for a while, making sure his eyes weren’t playing tricks on him. This dress looked exactly the same as the two before.
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Chochoro On PTBLSI chapter 27