Chapter 26: Call Me Daddy

Chapter 26: Chapter 26: Call Me Daddy

Jiang Wanyi pulled Chen Yuan away.

’I have to stay calm right now. I can’t let Chen Yuan get into a fight with them.’

"Listen to me. Come home with me."

Chen Yuan didn’t want to waste his time and energy on people like that either, so he went home with Jiang Wanyi.

In the elevator, Chen Yuan held the baby and made a funny face at her, his mood back to normal.

Jiang Wanyi’s mind was filled with the image of Chen Yuan stepping up to protect them earlier.

’Never mind the shameless middle-aged woman—I couldn’t have handled her son on my own.’

’As a woman on my own, no matter how assertive I am, I’d still end up being bullied.’

’Even if I called the police, it would have just ended in frustration.’

’But having Chen Yuan here changed everything.’

’Thinking back on that scene... he really was quite manly.’

’A clean-cut, handsome young man... I never expected him to be so dependable when it counted. It’s really nice.’

Discovering this other side of Chen Yuan was like finding a new continent for Jiang Wanyi. The image of him stepping up for her lingered in her mind, impossible to dismiss.

As these thoughts ran through her head, she sighed to herself.

’When it comes to running a household, you really can’t do without a man around.’

When they reached the 19th floor, the two went inside.

"Calm down. There are plenty of people like that in the world. It’s not worth it."

In a harmonious household, people always have to play different roles.

One plays good cop, the other bad cop.

With Chen Yuan still fuming, Jiang Wanyi naturally had to be the one to calm him down, or the conflict would only escalate.

As a traditional woman, Jiang Wanyi believed that harmony breeds prosperity.

"I’m much better now," Chen Yuan said, putting Mili down.

"I’m wondering... was that woman the ’Joyfully Welcoming My Golden Grandson’ person?"

Jiang Wanyi burst out laughing. "Judging by how she was making a scene over nothing, that’s a real possibility."

"Don’t stop me. I have to go change the Wi-Fi name."

"Alright, that’s enough," Jiang Wanyi said with a laugh. "Don’t pay them any mind."

"I’m just worried the baby won’t sleep well tonight and will cry all night."

"Are the two related?" Jiang Wanyi asked, a little scared now in retrospect.

"It’s very possible," Chen Yuan said.

"If a baby gets a scare during the day or experiences a big emotional swing, they have trouble sleeping at night."

"We’ll see how she is tonight," Jiang Wanyi said with concern.

"Okay."

Jiang Wanyi went to soothe the baby, while Chen Yuan started making crucian carp soup. He also brewed a pot of the qi-replenishing and blood-nourishing Seven Treasures Water.

[Mission Complete: Reward 1,200 Yuan Cash, Professional-Grade Human Cub Care Knowledge]

The reward arrived.

The care knowledge he received was extremely professional. What he knew before was all based on experience and could hardly be called professional.

With this reward, he could now handle minor illnesses himself if the baby got sick.

Chen Yuan continued making the fish soup and also prepared some rice cereal for the baby as a supplementary meal.

"Come on, it’s time for you and the baby to eat."

Seeing Chen Yuan bring the food to the dining table, Jiang Wanyi walked over with the baby in her arms.

The spread on the table gave her the distinct illusion that they were a family of three.

Chen Yuan placed the baby in her high chair and began feeding Mili her rice cereal.

Jiang Wanyi sat nearby, watching Chen Yuan. ’This handsome young man is quite attractive when he’s so focused.’

’Whoever marries him in the future will be so fortunate.’

"Be honest with me, did you get into fights when you were in school?"

"Yeah, I did. Not in high school, though. Mostly in middle school. That’s pretty normal, right?"

After feeding the baby, Chen Yuan ate some fruit and chatted with Jiang Wanyi.

"What was the worst one?"

"Umm... I broke someone’s arm."

"You were that ruthless?" Jiang Wanyi hadn’t expected that.

"I was young and didn’t know any better. My dad used to tell me that if anyone bullied me, I should beat the crap out of them, and that he’d sell everything we owned to pay for it if he had to. And I actually believed him."

Chen Yuan said while eating his fruit, "Thinking back on it now, it was a bit impulsive."

"Why do you say that?" Jiang Wanyi asked, her interest piqued.

"If he really had to sell everything we owned, our family wouldn’t have been able to get by. Besides, in this day and age, fighting doesn’t solve problems."

"That’s true. But you scared me half to death earlier. I was really afraid you two were going to start fighting."

"I really was about to throw a punch, but he chickened out."

"Didn’t you just say fighting doesn’t solve problems?"

"The mood was already set for it, and besides..."

Chen Yuan spat a grape seed onto a napkin. "Some things are more important than risking your family’s fortune."

Jiang Wanyi was now very intrigued. She tilted her head, a knowing, mature smile playing on her lips.

"Like what?"

"Like..." Chen Yuan thought for a moment before continuing.

"If someone bullies your wife and kids, you have to go after them. Beat them senseless. Calling the cops is for wimps."

Hearing this, Jiang Wanyi’s heart skipped a beat as she automatically pictured herself in that scenario.

’He might be younger, but he really provides an incredible sense of security. Especially that moment when he shielded me behind him...’

A little after eight in the evening, the two of them gave the baby a bath.

After the bath, Chen Yuan carried the baby back to the room. Jiang Wanyi went to wash his clothes, and when she was done, she took over watching the baby from him.

"Chen Yuan..."

"What is it?"

Chen Yuan, who was eating fruit in the living room, heard Jiang Wanyi call out and went back to the master bedroom.

"Look at the corners of her mouth—there are a bunch of little bumps, and they’re all red." Jiang Wanyi looked at Chen Yuan, her expression fraught with anxiety. "She was just scratching at it. Is it a rash?"

Chen Yuan, who was eating a strawberry, leaned in for a closer look.

"It’s probably eczema."

Seeing how calm Chen Yuan was, Jiang Wanyi’s anxiety immediately dissipated.

Subconsciously, she already saw Chen Yuan as an incredibly dependable person. If he wasn’t worried in the slightest, then the problem couldn’t be serious.

"Didn’t we buy some calamine lotion before? Just put a little on her, and it should be fine."

"What causes it?"

"She’s little, and she’s always putting her hands in her mouth. It happens over time. You just need to wipe her mouth more often."

Jiang Wanyi relaxed completely. She found the calamine lotion and dabbed it around the corners of the baby’s mouth.

Chen Yuan sat on the edge of the bed, watching the baby.

"More than one person has said it now. Do you think she looks like me?"

Jiang Wanyi studied her carefully. "Her eyes really do look a little like yours. What, are you hoping she’ll call you ’Daddy’?"

Chen Yuan chuckled and looked at Mili.

"Say ’Dada’ for me."

"Ba..."

Huh?

Jiang Wanyi hadn’t taken Chen Yuan’s joke seriously.

But she never expected the baby to actually make the sound. It wasn’t perfectly clear, but it was distinguishable.

"Mili, you’re amazing...!"

Chen Yuan made a hushing gesture, signaling for Jiang Wanyi to be quiet. He looked at Mili and said,

"Dada..."

"Ba..."

"Dada..."

"Ba..."

After a few more repetitions, Mili could already make a similar sound, even if it wasn’t perfectly clear.

"You taught her how to talk!"

Chen Yuan couldn’t quite understand this kind of joy, but the delight on Jiang Wanyi’s face was simply beyond words.

"I didn’t teach her. She’s just at that stage now. From now on, you’ll need to guide her speech, helping her move from unconscious babbling to intentional sounds. Simple encouragement isn’t enough; it doesn’t mean much."

"With all this experience you have, someone would believe you if you said you’d already raised a few kids."

Chen Yuan’s mind began to wander, his attention no longer on the baby.

Jiang Wanyi was lying on her side on the bed, watching the baby. The collar of her shirt drooped, offering a glimpse of the scenery beneath.

She was wearing a pair of loose, cotton pajama pants that revealed the rounded shape of her hips and the faint outline of her underwear.

"I’m just naturally talented, that’s all."

"Oh, listen to you," she teased.

Jiang Wanyi’s attention returned to the baby.

"Sweetheart, say ’Mama’..."

"Ba..."

"Mama..."

"Ba..."

"Mama..."

"Ba..."

Jiang Wanyi put on a playful pout. "Now look what you’ve done. She won’t say ’Mama’ anymore."

For a mother, having her child say "Mama" first is a very important milestone.

"Then just let her keep saying it. I don’t mind."

"You little rascal. Trying to take advantage of me, are you?"