Chapter 135: Ch 135: Interesting Discovery and Puppy Love

Outside the restaurant the two omegas had taken seats at the shaded table. Han Jiho settled on Mo Yan’s left side while Song Meiyu claimed the chair PD Xu Cui had previously occupied. The baby continued to sleep in her stroller, the earlier wrinkles of displeasure smoothed by deeper rest.

Shen Guoxing looked at them with open curiosity, head tilting cutely. "Where is Grandpa Cui going, Aunt?" Her voice was bright and completely innocent; she had no idea what had taken place in the forest. The soft afternoon light caught the genuine, uncomplicated interest in her expression.

Song Meiyu paused. She blinked several times, searching for a safe answer, then offered Shen Guoxing a smile that was just a little too strained.

Unaware of the hesitation, Shen Guoxing continued feeding Leilei ice cream while waiting for a reply. The shared spoon moved between them with the same easy familiarity as before. Soft, melting cream clung to the metal, and Leilei accepted each offered bite with quiet, carefully contained pleasure.

"Well...." Song Meiyu began, eyes darting around the table. She could not tell the child that Gu Chengze—the same man who had always targeted her—had made both her Aunt Xuexue and Aunt Wanyan cry. But at the same time, she hated the idea of lying outright. The soft breeze stirred the edge of the umbrella’s canopy as the silence stretched a beat too long.

Just as she found herself cornered, Han Jiho stepped in.

"Your Grandpa Cui needed to go help your..." He hesitated, the title tasting wrong on his tongue. "....Your Uncle Chengze."

Shen Guoxing’s hand froze in mid-air, the spoon hovering only inches from Leilei’s mouth. "Ah?" The soft afternoon light caught the sudden stillness in her posture.

Leilei noticed the sudden stillness and tilted her head gently. "Shen Guoxing?" Her voice was soft and careful. The quiet concern in the single word was small but genuine.

Shen Guoxing snapped out of her brief daze and turned back to the other girl with an awkward little laugh. She finished feeding the spoonful. The cold sweetness settled between them once more, and the earlier easy rhythm of sharing resumed as if the interruption had been only momentary.

"I see," she said after a moment. The bright tone returned, yet both adults could hear the forced edge beneath it. "What happened to... Uncle Chengze, Uncle Jiho?"

Han Jiho exhaled quietly. "He was showing off his tree-climbing skills." The lie slid out smoothly. He sighed and shook his head with convincing concern. "But the branch he was sitting on gave way, and he fell."

Shen Guoxing nodded, genuine pity softening her expression. "Poor Uncle Chengze." The sympathy was simple and unguarded, the kind of response that belonged to a child who had not yet learned to question every adult explanation.

A short silence followed. Shen Guoxing seemed unsure what else to say, and the two omegas preferred not to risk saying too much. The soft clink of the spoon against the ice cream tub and the quiet breathing of the sleeping baby filled the small space under the umbrella.

It was only then that they truly noticed the second child sitting quietly beside Shen Guoxing. Both of them studied her with fresh curiosity. The soft afternoon light caught the careful, almost delicate way she held herself.

The girl carried a soft, gentle atmosphere. Her small frame and sweet features gave her the look of a living doll. Large, innocent eyes stayed lowered in shy habit, and every small movement was delicate and careful. The soft pink that rose so easily on her cheeks under attention only deepened the impression.

At the moment those eyes remained downcast as she obediently accepted another spoonful of Biscoff ice cream. Her tiny hands rested quietly in her lap. She appeared completely at ease with Shen Guoxing, occasionally offering a small, bashful smile between bites.

Both omegas hummed quietly to themselves, wondering who this adorable child might be. The soft shade of the umbrella held their shared, unspoken curiosity without resolution.

Meanwhile, feeling their combined gaze, Leilei wanted nothing more than to disappear under the table. Nervousness made her swallow the next mouthful of ice cream too quickly. The cold sweetness stuck in her throat. She began to cough, eyes stinging with sudden tears. The soft afternoon light caught the sudden distress in her small face.

Shen Guoxing’s face filled with alarm. "Are you okay?" She patted Leilei’s back in worried little taps. The soft, rapid motion carried genuine concern.

Song Meiyu was already on her feet. She hurried into the restaurant and returned less than a minute later with an opened bottle of water, which she pressed gently into Leilei’s hands. The soft plastic of the bottle was cool against the child’s small fingers.

"Here."

Leilei drank, and the coughing gradually stopped. The soft shade of the umbrella settled around them once more as the small crisis passed.

Song Meiyu sank back into her chair with a quiet sigh of relief. Luckily they take dollars, she thought, remembering the village’s own currency system. The practical detail settled into place alongside the lingering concern.

She looked at the now thoroughly embarrassed Leilei and felt a soft smile form. She reminds me of Qin Yuran, she realized. The two did not resemble each other in the slightest, yet something about the shy, careful vibe was strikingly similar. The soft afternoon light caught the deeper flush that had risen on Leilei’s cheeks under the continued attention.

Resting her elbows on the table, Song Meiyu laughed quietly at how much redder Leilei’s cheeks had become.

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As the table gradually settled back into its earlier peaceful atmosphere, the soft shade of the large umbrella continued to shelter them from the late-afternoon light. Mo Yan still slept soundly on her stroller, her breathing slow and even. Just then, Song Meiyu cleared her throat. Both Shen Guoxing and Leilei turned toward her at once, eyes wide and curious, waiting to hear what she would say.

"Mind introducing us to your new friend?" Song Meiyu asked gently. She rested her chin in her palm, smile soft and inviting. The soft afternoon light caught the easy patience in her expression.

Shen Guoxing brightened immediately. The earlier awkwardness vanished as though it had never existed. "This is my new friend Leilei, Aunt Meiyu, Uncle Jiho!" Her voice rang out clear and natural, full of open pride. "I met her earlier at the playground!"

Song Meiyu and Han Jiho both nodded.

"I see," they answered in near-perfect unison.

Han Jiho’s usual dry sarcasm was nowhere to be found. Genuine warmth colored his tone as he smiled at the smaller girl. "Nice to meet you, Leilei. I’m Han Jiho. You can just call me Uncle Jiho." The soft afternoon light caught the uncharacteristic softness in his expression.

Leilei gave a small, careful nod. "Hello, Un-Uncle Jiho." The slight stumble on the title only deepened the impression of careful politeness. Her small hands remained quietly in her lap, and the soft pink that rose so easily on her cheeks had already begun to return under the attention.

Han Jiho’s smile widened. He reached out and gave her hair a light, friendly ruffle. The soft strands shifted under his fingers before he withdrew his hand. Leilei then turned toward Song Meiyu, who was watching her with an easy, patient expression. The soft shade of the umbrella held the quiet moment.

"Hello," Song Meiyu said, voice still gentle. "I’m Song Meiyu, but you can just call me Aunt Meiyu."

Leilei nodded again. "Good afternoon, Aunt Meiyu." She dipped her head in a polite little bow, hands fidgeting quietly in her lap. "Nice to meet you, Aunt, Uncle." The formal manners were careful and complete, the kind of politeness that belonged to a child who had learned early to measure every word.

Both omegas smiled at the careful manners. The soft breeze stirred the edge of the umbrella’s canopy as the quiet approval settled around the table.

"Don’t be shy," Song Meiyu encouraged. "Treat us the same way Xing’er treats us." The invitation was light and open, deliberately lowering the distance the child had so carefully maintained.

Shen Guoxing nodded vigorously in agreement. "They’re super nice, Leilei!" The reassurance came bright and completely sincere. The soft afternoon light caught the open, full trust in her expression as she looked between the adults and her new friend.

Leilei looked back at Shen Guoxing. The uneasy, polite smile she had worn for the adults melted into something softer and far more tender. A deeper blush spread across her cheeks as she gave a small nod, eyes lingering on the other girl a moment longer than necessary. The soft shade of the umbrella held the quiet, unguarded look without comment. The shared ice cream tub still sat between them, the spoon resting against the softening cream, but for a moment neither child reached for it.

Song Meiyu observed the exchange with growing interest. Her head tilted slightly. Oh?

The quiet tenderness in Leilei’s expression was unmistakable. The soft way her gaze settled on Shen Guoxing, the deeper flush, the small, almost unconscious softening of her entire posture—all of it sat clear and readable under the afternoon light. A small, knowing smile curved Song Meiyu’s lips, and a teasing light entered her eyes as she continued to watch the two children.

Puppy love?

This, she decided, was going to be interesting.

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Chicken Teriyaki isn’t as good as they made it look and sound y’all... (IMO! IMO, OKAY?!! THIS ONE MADE ME... "pururutpurutrutrut" REAL BAD!)