Chapter 140 (1/2)

Fir-tree

Qiao Tan Yuan ran to her bedroom She locked the door, and sat on the floor Her heart was racing She couldn’t bear to hear Gu Jiao Wu talk about getting back together for Xiao Bao’s sake He didn’t care about her, he waited until Xiao Bao’s birthday to co disappointed he didn’t coht clothes, brushed her teeth and laid on her bed She wanted to sleep so she would be refreshed in the ive Xiao Bao a fun and a memorable first birthday

Qiao Tan Yuan rolled around the bed for half a night, she couldn’t sleep She looked at the clock on the wall, it was one in theShe couldn’t hear any sounds froot out of bed, unlocked her door and walked to the living roo on the sofa He folded his arms, and scrunched his face in his sleep It wasn’t a chilly night, but he didn’t look like he slept comfortably She would have woken hiaunt like he hadn’t been eating or sleeping well for months

Qiao Tan Yuan turned around, and she walked back to her bedroo tiht she drea of Xiao Bao’s birthday, Qiao Tan Yuan woke up with a headache from lack of sleep She walked to Xiao Bao’s bedroom, Xiao Bao ake Xiao Bao smiled when Xiao Bao saw her

‘Mahtened Qiao Tan Yuan’s mood She carried Xiao Bao to the bathroom Then she brushed Xiao Bao’s teeth, and washed Xiao Bao’s face before brushi+ng and washi+ng herself

A while later, Qiao Tan Yuan held Xiao Bao’s hand and they walked outside the bathroom The smell of breakfast startled Qiao Tan Yuan, she reht

Xiao Bao spotted her teddy bear on the coffee table, and ran baby steps to the teddy bear

‘Bear, bear,’ Xiao Bao called

Gu Jiao Wu was setting the table for breakfast After he heard Xiao Bao’s voice, he walked to the living room

‘Tan Yuan, Xiao Bao, come to the table and eat breakfast,’ Gu Jiao Wu said

‘I didn’t ask you to cook breakfast,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said

‘Breakfast is cooked,’ Gu Jiao Wu said He squatted in front of Xiao Bao and smiled ‘Xiao Bao, happy birthday’

Xiao Bao looked at Gu Jiao Wu for a long tiht he looked like the tall fir-tree from one of the books Qiao Tan Yuan read to her at bedtime

‘Thank you fir-tree,’ Xiao Bao said

Gu Jiao Wu was surprised Xiao Bao thought he was a fir-tree What was Qiao Tan Yuan teaching Xiao Bao?

‘Xiao Bao, daddy isn’t a fir-tree,’ Gu Jiao Wu said ‘Daddy is Xiao Bao’s daddy Xiao Bao, say dada’

‘Fir-da,’ Xiao Bao called

Xiao Bao didn’t knohy the fir-tree didn’t like being called a tree, and she thought fir-da was a strange name for a tree

Gu Jiao Wu smiled, and he held Xiao Bao’s hands

‘Daddy isn’t fir-da,’ Gu Jiao Wu said ‘Xiao Bao, say dada’

‘Dada,’ Xiao Bao called

Gu Jiao Wu hugged Xiao Bao

‘Xiao Bao is daddy’s good little girl,’ Gu Jiao Wu praised

Xiao Bao didn’t like strangers hugging her But she let the strange fir-tree hug her

Qiao Tan Yuan should have been hter moment, but she only felt weary If Gu Jiao Wu’s motive was to take Xiao Bao back to the Gu Household, she wouldn’t let him take Xiao Bao

Gu Jiao Wu carried Xiao Bao to the dining table

‘Tan Yuan, today is Xiao Bao’s birthday,’ Gu Jiao Wu said ‘After breakfast, let’s take Xiao Bao out to play’

‘Do you really think you’ll let me say no?’ Qiao Tan Yuan asked

‘I think you’ll say yes,’ Gu Jiao Wu said and put Xiao Bao into the baby chair

Qiao Tan Yuan sat next to Xiao Bao She was surprised to see toast, oe was ee is alroceries on the way home’

‘Gu Jiao Wu, I don’t want to see…’ Qiao Tan Yuan said

‘Tan Yuan, we can talk later,’ Gu Jiao Wu said

Xiao Bao was reaching for the toast Gu Jiao Wu put a piece of toast, and scooped an omelette into Xiao Bao’s baby bowl