CH 12

“Grandpa is walking the dog, but I don’t know where he went!” The little girl looked around seriously as she answered him crisply.

Tao Zhiyue came back to his senses and thought for a while. He was concerned for the child if she were to remain alone in a park with people coming and going frequently, but he didn’t dare to take her to find grandpa that rashly either. So, he simply stayed by her side, waiting for her grandpa to come and find her himself.

“Big brother, my name is Qiuqiu,” The little girl lost interest in the butterflies and started chatting with him, “You are very handsome. In fact, you’re even more handsome than my brother.”

Qiuqiu’s innocent eyes showed her undisguised adoration for his looks as Tao Zhiyue laughed. He praised her as well, “You are also very beautiful, prettier than all the children I know.”

Qiuqiu was shy, so she cupped her face with her hands. Yet, her voice was filled with joy, “Really?”

“Really,” Tao Zhiyue nodded with a smile, “Does Qiuqiu accompany grandpa to walk the dog every day?”

“Yes, Qiuqiu likes to get up early. Is this the first time big brother is running around? I don’t think I have seen you in the mornings.”

Qiuqiu proceeded to count something with her fingers, but Tao Zhiyue noted that her memory was very good.

Tao Zhiyue was a little embarrassed since he was no match for this little bean, “Big brother will come for a run often in the future. But, when Qiuqiu and grandpa come for a walk with the dog, remember to follow him closely so you don’t get lost.”

Just as Qiuqiu was about to speak, she saw an old man trotting over with the leash of a snow-white Samoyed in his hand. She was immediately distracted, “Grandpa! Where have you been?”

“Aiya, my little ancestor(1), I’ve been looking for you for a long time!” The old man started panting while holding his waist.

(T/N: Ancestors are usually respected amongst families, so playful elders like to tease and call the younger children ‘little ancestors’ to make them feel like they are the masters of the house)

After recovering from his shortness of breath, the old man thanked Tao Zhiyue repeatedly, saying that the dog had been running around just now. Because of that, he  wasn’t able to pay attention to Qiuqiu, leading to their separation.

Tao Zhiyue smiled, saying that it was no big deal. He looked at his watch, noting that it was time to go back to eat some breakfast and go to work.

When he turned to leave, Qiuqiu raised her chubby little hand and said goodbye to him with a smile, “Big brother, see you tomorrow!”

Tao Zhiyue was lost in a trance for a while.

He reminisced the girl in his memory that would never grow up again, holding colourful candies in her palm. He remembered her smiling at him, big brother, see you tomorrow.

At that moment, he almost thought that he had returned to the place where he used to live— the old residential building where he lived for more than a decade; the heavy school bag he had to carry and go up two floors to reach; the way his parents would wait for him to return home from school.

The scent of gardenias around him flowed through his nostrils and seemed to have almost coursed through his entire body. It was so sweet that the fragrance wove into a dream that was too intense to dissolve.

Tao Zhiyue didn’t dare to look back as he fled in a hurry.

Zhitong Game Company.

The atmosphere in the company today was a bit strange. The CEO, who usually arrived late and left early, came early in the morning with a very serious expression. As soon as he arrived, he ushered away the HR Manager and Project Producer and the trio entered the private office to discuss a matter in hushed whispers.