Extra Story 3: Little Wen Can (7)

When school ended in the afternoon, Gu Zehuai and Wen Jiu went together to pick up their daughter.

It was, after all, the first day of school. Having never been separated from their daughter for such a long time—they even took her to the studio during work hours—Wen Jiu had felt a hollow ache in her heart all day. She had arrived at the Gu Group early to wait for Gu Zehuai.

The moment she saw her daughter running out of the school gate, Wen Jiu opened her arms wide. The little girl was just as excited to see her parents and trotted over, throwing herself into Wen Jiu’s embrace.

"Mommy, Cancan missed you so much!" she chirped, planting a kiss on Wen Jiu’s cheek.

Gu Zehuai gave a soft cough from the side, his hint unmistakable.

Little Wen Cancan, who saw through everything, turned and threw herself into Gu Zehuai’s arms. He took the opportunity to scoop her up, making it easy for her to bestow a kiss on his cheek as well.

The little girl played along perfectly, leaving Gu Zehuai satisfied as he prepared to head home with her.

However, Wen Cancan began to wriggle to get down. "Daddy, can we go home a little later? My classmate Huo Yu is waiting for his parents all by himself, and he looks so lonely. I want to keep him company."

Hearing this, Wen Jiu looked in the direction from which her daughter had just run and indeed spotted a cool-looking little boy.

Gu Zehuai had told her at noon that their daughter had made a new friend, so she guessed this must be the boy.

Gu Zehuai looked over as well. The little boy was sitting quietly in the waiting area, reading a book.

Wen Jiu signaled to Gu Zehuai with her eyes. He understood, and they walked over together while he carried their daughter.

Upon reaching the waiting area, Gu Zehuai set Wen Cancan down, letting her run toward the boy. He felt a pang of jealousy fermenting in his heart; seeing his daughter dash toward another little boy stung a bit.

"Huo Yu, I’m here to keep you company! When are your mom and dad coming to pick you up?"

Huo Yu looked at Wen Cancan, surprised to see her return, but realizing she had come back just for him, he felt a touch of warmth.

Seeing the handsome man and beautiful woman standing not far away, Huo Yu stood up and greeted them politely, "Hello, Uncle and Auntie."

Seeing how well-mannered the boy was, Wen Jiu felt even more certain that her daughter had made a good choice in friends; after all, her daughter had always had a good eye.

After smiling and responding, Wen Jiu took another look at the boy, finding him strangely familiar. She couldn't quite place it, however, and assuming it was just a trick of the mind, she let it go.

They didn't have to wait long. A few minutes later, a tall man in a suit walked in.

Huo Yu looked up, then immediately stood up.

Gu Zehuai and Wen Jiu guessed it was the boy's parent. Just as they turned to greet him before taking their daughter home, Wen Jiu recognized the man.

"Mr. Huo?"

Huo Yeran was clearly surprised to see them there, but upon seeing the adorable little girl standing next to his son, he understood.

Huo Yeran greeted them with a smile and expressed his gratitude: "I'm sorry, I was delayed by something on the road. Thank you both."

He then crouched down to address Wen Cancan: "Little one, thank you for keeping Yu company. Are you his new good friend?"

Wen Cancan, with her bright and lively personality, wasn't shy at all. She said generously, "Yes, Uncle! We are desk mates, too."

Huo Yeran laughed even more heartily. He was truly relieved that a girl was willing to play with his quiet, reticent son.

After instructing Huo Yu to thank the couple, Huo Yeran took his leave.

Gu Zehuai picked up his daughter again and took Wen Jiu’s hand as they walked toward the car. He hadn't expected the first friend his daughter made on her first day of school to be Huo Yeran’s son; what a coincidence.

Wen Jiu also marveled at the fate of it all. She had thought the boy looked familiar—it was because he looked just like his father. They were cut from the same cloth.

Although both families lived in the same villa complex, it wasn't easy to run into each other; the area was vast, and chance encounters were rare.

Come to think of it, the last time Wen Jiu had seen Huo Yeran was years ago while walking with her parents. She hadn't known he was married or that his child was already this old.

Still, it was nice; everything seemed complete.

The family of three chatted happily all the way home.

Unlike many children, Wen Cancan didn't resist school; on the contrary, she was eager to learn. She was always actively answering questions in class. At home, after consulting her, they enrolled her in some extracurricular classes with specialized teachers. She cooperated fully, studied diligently, and was incredibly self-disciplined.

In terms of academics, Wen Cancan was so disciplined that the couple didn't have to worry at all.

Before bed, Wen Jiu couldn't help but say narcissistically, "Our baby is surely a testament to my good genes."

Gu Zehuai couldn't help but laugh. "Jiujiu, I played a part in this too, you know."

Wen Jiu tried to pretend she hadn't heard, but Gu Zehuai pulled her toward him, making it impossible for her to ignore him.

***

Days passed, and Wen Cancan’s interest in kindergarten never waned. Of course, it wasn't just because of her love for learning, but also because of her little friend, Huo Yu.

Huo Yu was no longer as cold as he once was—at least, not when he was with Wen Cancan.

In kindergarten, Wen Cancan was closest to Huo Yu, and the feeling was mutual.

Huo Yu thought to himself that this life was actually quite interesting. At the very least, it made him look forward to kindergarten every day. It was no longer boring or childish, simply because Wen Cancan was there.

But at that moment, neither of them knew that their elementary, middle, and high school years would be just like their days in kindergarten...