While passing by the tea table, Gong Yu extracted two pieces of paper from the paper-drawing box. He went straight to sit on the sofa and placed Niannian on his thigh. He wiped off her tears and snots gently and coaxed her tenderly, “Lovely Niannian, don’t cry. Shall I play with you?”
Niannian said while sniffling, “Uncle Gong… will… play with Niannian… all the time… will you…”
Gong Yu nodded gently and continued to coax her tenderly, “Well, as long as you don’t cry and behave well, I’ll play with you once I’m free. Don’t cry, Niannian.”
Niannian nodded her head gently and sobbed as she said, “Let… Let’s… make… a pinky promise…”
Then, she reached out her pudgy hand to him with four fingers bending and the pinkie stretching. Gong Yu stared blankly at her and his face hardened. Then, he followed Niannian to hook her pinkie.
Niannian smiled and continued to sob as she said, “Let’s… make a centennial… pinky promise…”
After making the pinky promise, Niannian stretched out her thumb and made a seal with Gong Yu’s. Then she laughed cheerfully.
Seeing the stern-faced Gong Yu coax Niannian patiently and tenderly, the three people nearby were surprised. They doubted if he was the stern-faced Gong Yu and wondered if he was changed radically. From his gentle look, they almost believed that they were actually father and daughter. He became a caring guy, shining with soft light, which was extraordinarily brilliant.
Seeing Niannian stop crying and Gong Yu’s tenderness, Yun Muxi was quite confused and stupefied.
Gu Yuxuan looked at Yun Muxi meaningfully.
Tong Nan watched Gong Yu obsessively and muttered, “Wow, the handsome guy is so charming. He looks so kind to the child… I’m shocked at it. The more I look at him, the more I like him.”
Yun Muxi and Gu Yuxuan glanced at Tong Nan with amazement.
Gu Yuxuan was late to catch on but now she realized that there was one more person here. She seized Tong Nan up with curiosity and shouted with astonishment, “Xiao Nan, are you Tong Nan?”
Tong Nan was awakened by Gu Yuxuan from obsession. She looked back to Gu Yuxuan, sized her up, and excitedly shouted, “Sister Xuanxuan!” Then, she jumped on Gu Yuxuan enthusiastically, gave her a big hug and kissed on her cheek.
Gu Yuxuan was also extremely excited and hugged Tong Nan.
Gu Yuxuan said surprisingly, “Xiao Nan, I haven’t seen you for a long time and you’ve turned into such a beautiful woman. I’m so jealous. Both you and Xiao Xi want to discourage me, right? I can’t wait to make a plastic surgery, otherwise, I feel ashamed to stand by you.”
Tong Nan said jokingly, “Sister Xuanxuan, you’re so cute. Meanwhile, since Sister Xiao Xi is here, no one dares to say herself beautiful. I will not catch up with her even if I become more beautiful in a few years.”
Yun Muxi looked at them, shook her head helplessly as she went to the kitchen with shopping bags.
Gu Yuxuan shouted at Xiao Xi hurriedly, “Xiao Xi, let me help you.” She said to Tong Nan, “Xiao Nan, please sit down. I’m going to help Xiao Xi cook.”
Tong Nan went to the sofa and sat down. She stared at Gong Yu intently and asked, “Handsome, I haven’t known your name yet.”
Gong Yu rebelled at Tong Nan because she looked as if she would pounce on him at next second. Thus, he ignored her and remained indifferent, holding Niannian in his arms.
Tong Nan was not angry, instead, she liked Gong Yu more because she thought he had a unique personality.
Niannian blinked her big eyes, looking at Tong Nan innocently, and involuntarily said, “Uncle Gong’s name is Gong Yu.”
Tong Nan accosted Gong Yu and said, “Brother Yu, you treat a child so kindly. Do you like children very much?”
Gong Yu shot Tong Nan an angry glance and his face looked colder. He hated to be called Brother Yu by her. He felt it was too intimate and made he dislike her more.
She did not care at all and continued saying, “Brother Yu, what do you do?”
Instead of answering, Gong Yu said, “Niannian, let’s go somewhere else, okay?”
Niannian was very happy and took him to her bedroom, which had a small balcony. Yun Muxi changed it into a small world for Niannian. There were thick mats on the floor and one-meter-high shelves against the wall, which were stacked with her toys and picture books. The toys, which she just played with Gu Yuxuan, were still on the floor.
She took him to the small balcony and sat down on the mat, saying pleasantly, “Uncle Gong, here is my small world. All these are my toys and books. What do you want to play?”
Gong Yu was confused at these things and spoke softly to her, “Niannian, what do you want to play? I’ll play with you.”
Niannian titled her small head and thought for a while. She took out her playhouse kit and said, “Uncle Gong, can you play house with me. I want to play house.”
Gong Yu looked at those strange little things and spoke gently to her, “Niannian, I don’t know how to play. Can you teach me?”
Niannian watched Gong Yu innocently with her big watery and shining eyes. She said with a happy smile, “Ok! Uncle Gong plays my father and I play your baby. These are kitchen tools and food. You should cook for me. These are doctor’s instruments. You can pretend to take me to hospital. You need to coax me to sleep, read stories for me, and send me to kindergarten.”
Gong Yu nodded.
Niannian suddenly stared at Gong Yu until he was stupefied and asked confusedly, “Niannian, what’s wrong? Is there any dirt on my face?”
Niannian shook her head lightly and her big eyes glistened. She looked hopeful and asked cautiously, “Uncle Gong, can I call you Daddy Yu?”
Gong Yu was stunned and did not recover for a long time.