Cheng Zhiyan was somewhat exasperated by his mother’s eye gestures.
He remained where he was for a minute, then he slowly walked up to Xiaotu, stooped down and clasped her puffy, little cheeks, which were wet from her tears. His palms got all wet.
“Xiaotu, let’s go out and buy some candy, all right?” Cheng Zhiyan’s eyes twinkled as he smiled at Xiaotu, and his voice sounded very tender.
Instantly, he’d captured her attention, even though she was in the middle of wailing. She snuffled and then asked in a nasally voice, “What kind of candy are we going to buy?”
“Big, white, rabbit-shaped milk candy, all right?” Cheng Zhiyan reached out to pat Xiaotu’s head as he described her favorite candy with a smile.
This was Xiaotu’s all-time number 1 type of candy. Not only because it was sweet, but also because its name was very similar to hers.
“All right.” Xiaotu snuffled one more time and nodded. She finally released her hand that had been gripping her father’s leg, and now she placed it in Cheng Zhiyan’s hand instead.
Xiaotu’s father let out a sigh of relief, yet at the same time he also couldn’t help but feel a little disheartened.
He hadn’t expected that his daughter would be willing to give him up so easily for a little bit of candy.
As he watched Cheng Zhiyan and Xiaotu, one large and one small, he sighed deeply. Never mind, children grew up and they learned how to take care of themselves. Parents didn’t need to worry as much as they did about their children’s futures. Now, it was about time for him to leave.
…
After Xiaotu’s father returned to the military, Xiaotu threw a few tantrums at home for a day or two before finally things got back to normal.
Now, every day she thought of all sorts of ways to bother Cheng Zhiyan.
For example…
“Brother Orange Juice, look at how I drew this picture of you. Do you think it looks like you?” Xiaotu held up her drawing and showed it to Cheng Zhiyan as if it was a prized possession.
Cheng Zhiyan glanced down to see a large circle with two x marks and a red mouth that was so crooked it almost touched the ears. He couldn’t help but feel utterly befuddled.
“How could she possibly ask him whether or not he thought this unknown creature resembled him?”
“Does it look like you, does it look like you?” Xiaotu gazed at him anxiously as she waited for him to praise her.
Cheng Zhiyan remained silent for a while, then he decided to bite the bullet and nod as he said untruthfully, “It does look like me. What an excellent drawing.”
“Hee, hee, hee…” Xiaotu giggled.
Or…
“Brother Orange Juice, I want to go to sleep…” Xiaotu said as she rubbed her eyes drowsily.
“So climb on your blanket and lie down.” Cheng Zhiyan nonchalantly patted the pillow beside him as he replied to Xiaotu.
“I want to sleep in your lap.”
“…”
“I want you to tell me a story.”
“…”
“I want you to pat my back.”
“…”
Cheng Zhiyan felt speechless as he stared at her, “How come your requests are becoming more and more demanding?”
“Of course, it’s because I’m growing up,” Xiaotu said to Cheng Zhiyan with a proud expression on her face.
“Shouldn’t a grown-up child obediently go to bed on her own?”
“Uh…I haven’t grown up yet, I’m still a little baby.” Xiaotu quickly changed her argument and lay down on Cheng Zhiyan without allowing any room for objection. She closed her eyes and said in a clear voice, “I’m ready. Hurry up and help me fall asleep.”
Cheng Zhiyan gazed at Xiaotu, lying there with her eyes closed. He silently put his arms around her, patting her on the back and telling her a story to coax her to sleep.
…
Time flew by, and, in the blink of an eye, it was already May. It was about a week until Xiaotu’s fourth birthday, yet, under pressure from Xiaotu, Cheng Zhiyan had already prepared her birthday present.