Chapter 26
Bai Xiaocha experienced the joy of a buffet again, and this time it was even more lively.
He Renyuan’s large dining table was filled with all kinds of food, far too much to finish, so he called all the housekeepers to join.
It was the first time Jiang Mengmeng and the others had eaten with their employer. They originally thought they would be too nervous to eat, but the little boy’s eating broadcast was too good, making everything look delicious. And the employer didn’t even look at them, his eyes were fixed on Cha Bao the whole time.
Bai Xiaocha never rushed when eating. He didn’t mind being snatched from, he was more focused on himself, diligently putting every bite into his mouth, and if he accidentally dropped something on the table, he would immediately pick it up and eat it. Watching him eat was a long and pleasing experience.
He Renyuan peeled roasted chestnuts for the little boy, with the relaxed air of a parent hosting their child’s first birthday party.
He could have a make-up celebration when Cha Bao turned two. It should be a grand occasion, inviting all his business partners.
Cha Bao sat between his dad and uncle. Ever since the caregiver became his uncle, the bowl was no longer a hodgepodge. His uncle would prepare the food, small bowl by small bowl, fruit with yogurt, chicken soup with noodles.
Cha Bao finished a small bowl, and Uncle Boss took away the empty bowl and put down another one. Bai Xiaocha put his spoon in and continued eating.
The sleepy Bai Qingyu ate listlessly. He Renyuan was really particular, wasn’t it all the same once it was in your stomach?
“Dad, I finished another bowl!”
“Grandpa Housekeeper, why aren’t you eating?”
“I’ll eat soon.” The housekeeper gave a dry laugh, his mind full of the unsolved mystery of sample contamination.
There were two possibilities for the toothbrush contamination: 1. Cha Bao ate fruits and vegetables before brushing his teeth. 2. Cha Bao used the toothbrush to brush the soles of his shoes.
The soles of shoes were a general term. He might have also brushed fruits, tree trunks…
That was close. The housekeeper was glad he had done the paternity test. Bai Qingyu probably didn’t even know that Cha Bao’s toothbrush wasn’t just used for brushing teeth, it should have been changed long ago.
Using an unsanitary toothbrush could cause a stomachache, and a stomachache would make food less appealing.
The chairman also thought so. Although he didn’t get a paternity test report that could slap He Renyuan in the face, the test did reveal a toothbrush that could cause illness, and the latter was obviously more important.
The housekeeper secretly looked at Cha Bao’s hair. It was dark and soft. He would wash his hands three times tomorrow and pluck a strand. This time, there wouldn’t be any sample contamination.
After Bai Qingyu finished eating, with some human food in his stomach, he finally felt more energetic, and his IQ returned. He saw the backpack hanging on the armrest of the chair and had a question: Wasn’t today Saturday?
Which kindergarten did Bai Xiaocha go to for food?
He pinched Cha Bao’s cheeks and asked, “Did you go to school today?”
“Yes, Dad, four meals.” Bai Xiaocha held up four fingers.
Bai Qingyu, “Which kindergarten?”
Bai Xiaocha, “A new kindergarten!”
Bai Qingyu looked at He Renyuan questioningly, “What’s going on?”
He Renyuan said without changing his expression, “The Shu He Group’s employee kindergarten has weekend daycare classes, for employees who work overtime.”
There weren’t any originally, but he had recently added this benefit.
He took Bai Xiaocha to the new kindergarten to familiarize himself with it. Which kindergarten had better food? Cha Bao knew with one bite.
This was a subtle move, at least it could achieve the goal of changing kindergartens next semester.
It would be even better if Cha Bao could persuade Bai Qingyu to change as soon as possible.
He Renyuan asked in the tone of a superior inspecting the cafeteria, “Cha Bao, was the food delicious?”
Bai Xiaocha, “Delicious!”
Before He Renyuan could say anything to Bai Qingyu, Bai Xiaocha said, “Everything was delicious!”
He Renyuan: “…” He was careless, Cha Bao’s tongue wasn’t sensitive enough yet, he could even enjoy the food his dad made.
Alright, next step: cultivate Cha Bao’s refined taste in food.
Don’t ask him why he was always trying to influence Bai Xiaocha instead of directly persuading Bai Qingyu to transfer his child to a different kindergarten. Because Cha Bao was teachable!
Bai Qingyu, that blockhead, would rather spend one or two hours on the bus every day to send Cha Bao to school.
He Renyuan suggested going for a walk after dinner to aid digestion. Bai Qingyu refused directly, “Cha Bao and I have something to do.”
He Renyuan, “What?”
Bai Qingyu, “Read picture books to Cha Bao. Two years old is the best age to read picture books.”
He Renyuan didn’t intend to interfere with Bai Qingyu’s parenting methods, “Alright.”
He Renyuan carried the little one upstairs. The trip to Huangshan and the precious spring rain had made Bai Xiaocha’s hair grow a little faster.
It was all top-quality Huangshan Maofeng.
“Baby, sit still, I’m going to cut some tea leaves for Uncle Boss.”
“Okay.” Bai Xiaocha closed his eyes and cooperated.
Bai Qingyu took out the scissors and was about to start when he realized he was missing a tool. He needed a haircut cape to prevent the hair from falling into Bai Xiaocha’s collar.
He usually only cut a small tuft, this was the first time he was cutting his whole head.
Bai Qingyu had to use the bedsheet to wrap Bai Xiaocha, “Baby, let’s begin.”
Bai Xiaocha heard the rustling sound, and small hairs brushed past his ears, tickling him.
All the hair was for Uncle Boss!
Bai Qingyu wasn’t a barber, his skills were very average. Luckily, Cha Bao’s good looks could carry it off, any hairstyle looked adorable on him.
The short hair made him look even more lively and cute, his forehead fuller, his eyes bigger and clearer.
Bai Qingyu swept the hair on the bedsheet into the jar. The bedsheet wasn’t smooth enough, and the hair stuck to it, impossible to remove. He had to transform them into tea leaves and then pick them up.
Naturally shed hair wouldn’t directly transform into tea leaves, but after being separated from the body for a long time, it would quietly change. Everything about immortals had a deceptive nature, the transformation wouldn’t happen under human eyes.
He collected the tea leaves and felt deeply that Cha Bao needed a haircut cape, so he hugged his son and opened a shopping app that was said to be very cost-effective.
“Baby, it’s only six yuan with free shipping.” Bai Qingyu was shocked, “So cheap.”
“So cheap!”
“Baby, you’re a repeater baby.”
Bai Qingyu ordered a children’s cape. Just as he was about to close the app, he saw many recommended products at the bottom of the page.
So cheap! He now had a monthly salary of thirty thousand, it was okay to shop a little, and he should also buy some food for Old Man Deng since he had money.
For the next three hours, Bai Qingyu kept placing orders.
15 yuan for 5 pairs of underwear? Buy, he couldn’t make underwear himself.
10 yuan for 5 pairs of children’s socks? Buy, Bai Xiaocha didn’t like wearing shoes, he needed a lot of socks.
One yuan with free shipping for coriander seeds, 9.9 yuan for hangers.
…
“A simple children’s tricycle? Baby, do you want to learn how to drive?”
Cha Bao nodded, “Yes.”
Bai Qingyu ordered a simple one, without pedals. Cha Bao wasn’t tall enough to ride a tricycle with pedals, he could only buy one with a low seat where his feet could touch the ground.
Then, he saw a children’s scooter and a children’s inflatable bouncy horse.
The three vehicles added up to less than 150 yuan!
“You will be a baby with three cars.”
“Uncle Boss also has three cars!”
Bai Qingyu recalled He Renyuan’s garage, “Right.”
He bought five kinds of fruit for Old Man Deng and transferred five thousand yuan.
“Cha Bao, tell Grandpa to buy some meat.”
Cha Bao leaned close to the phone, “Grandpa, buy meat!”
After shopping, Bai Qingyu was about to exit the app when he accidentally clicked somewhere and couldn’t exit. It said he was a new user and had placed many orders, so they would give him 700 yuan. It was very easy, he just needed to invite friends to help.
700 yuan?
Bai Qingyu casually forwarded it to He Renyuan. After signing the contract yesterday, he had added He Renyuan on WeChat. Their chat history was still blank.
Downstairs, He Renyuan was using scientific measurement to prepare Cha Bao’s bedtime milk. He looked at the scale seriously, as if conducting a biology experiment.
After adding the milk powder and water, He Renyuan shook the bottle while thinking about the conversation he had with Cha Bao in the car during the day.
He asked Cha Bao if he drank milk before bed, and the answer revealed a shocking fact: Cha Bao had barely had any milk before coming to the city.
That meant Cha Bao was separated from his mother at birth, and Bai Qingyu couldn’t afford milk powder.
It was the 21st century, and there were still babies who couldn’t drink milk.
He Renyuan still didn’t know how he continued the conversation, “Then what did Baby eat?”
Cha Bao, “Dad fed Baby water, Grandpa fed Baby rice cereal.”
He Renyuan looked at Cha Bao’s baby fat, the more he looked, the thinner he seemed. He consulted others about what kind of milk powder two-year-olds drank late into the night.
Ding—WeChat beeped. He Renyuan thought it was the child nutritionist he contacted sending him precautions. He opened it and saw a help request from Bai Qingyu.
The first message Bai Qingyu had ever sent him.
He replied with a dark face, “This is a scam.”
[Then will the things I bought be delivered?]
He Renyuan frowned. Bai Qingyu was frugal, he must have bought cheap things. He should make a list and ask the housekeeper to buy them…
No, He Renyuan suddenly thought of Bai Qingyu’s luggage that could fit in a trash can. During his previous stint as a housekeeper, Bai Qingyu hadn’t bought any daily necessities, only a trash can for running away.
It was said that the more decorations there were on a desk, the less likely an employee was to resign.
Thinking differently, he should encourage Bai Qingyu to shop, and to spend his own money, because things bought by the housekeeper would be considered borrowed.
The more Bai Qingyu bought, the better, preferably so much that it couldn’t fit in a garbage truck. He would have to think twice about resigning.
He Renyuan changed his tone and said as he went upstairs, “Of course they will be delivered. The things above are good quality and cheap, with a money-back guarantee if you’re not satisfied. Buy boldly.”
Bai Qingyu, having received He Renyuan’s affirmation, was even more satisfied with his shopping. Just as he was about to browse more, there was a knock on the door.
“It’s me.”
Bai Qingyu opened the door, holding Bai Xiaocha, and saw He Renyuan holding milk, “Is this for Cha Bao?”
He Renyuan, “Yes.”
Bai Qingyu usually didn’t give the little one a lot of liquids before bed, but this was the boss’s kindness, there was no reason to refuse, “Thank you.”
Bai Xiaocha took the bottle and took a sip, “Dad, are there boba and pudding?”
Bai Qingyu knew he wanted to make milk tea again and was afraid he would spit it on He Renyuan again, so he hurriedly said, “You can’t eat boba at night.”
He Renyuan had been very busy recently. Now that Cha Bao mentioned it, he remembered the milk tea of unknown origin. He was sure there was nothing with a tea flavor on the table at that time.
Thinking this, he asked.
Bai Xiaocha had been taught by his dad not to answer any questions about tea.
Uncle Boss, Baby doesn’t have time to answer, because I’m drinking milk.
Bai Qingyu said calmly, “Because I brought a bottle of tea with me, Cha Bao likes to make his own milk tea.”
He was no longer the flustered tea deity who ran away after paying the bill, he had already thought of an excuse.
He Renyuan instinctively felt something was wrong, but he couldn’t find any problems, so he temporarily put it aside, “Give Cha Bao to me, I’ll take him to be weighed.”
He Renyuan was afraid that Cha Bao was malnourished from not having milk when he was a baby. The nutritionist, after seeing Cha Bao’s photos, didn’t give any effective advice, only suggesting that he track Cha Bao’s height and weight.
Parenting required discussion, he couldn’t overstep his boundaries and disregard Bai Qingyu’s position as a father.
He Renyuan explained, “I want to record it.”
Bai Qingyu said warily, “No need, I know his weight.”
Cha Bao grew slowly. Other babies gained four ounces a month, while Bai Xiaocha, after eating so much every day, only gained one or two ounces. Would He Renyuan doubt life after seeing how much he had eaten?
He Renyuan, “Just weigh him, it’s quick.”
Bai Qingyu, “He just drank a bottle of milk, his weight won’t be accurate.”
He Renyuan, “Two hundred milliliters, it can be deducted.”
Bai Qingyu couldn’t find any reason to refuse, so he secretly urged the little one, “Baby, Uncle will weigh you later, don’t cooperate.”
Bai Xiaocha readily agreed, “Okay.”
The electronic scale, which looked like the ones in supermarkets, was on the second floor for some reason.
He Renyuan put Cha Bao on it, and the numbers on the panel started to jump, not settling on a value.
“Cha Bao.” Bai Qingyu stood behind He Renyuan and pointed at his thigh.
Bai Xiaocha innocently put his foot on the ground, and the numbers started jumping again.
Bai Qingyu gave him a thumbs up.
Bai Xiaocha: q(≧▽≦q)
He Renyuan: “…”
He Renyuan put Cha Bao’s left foot back, and Cha Bao, encouraged by his dad’s gaze, extended his right foot.
Bai Qingyu, “Children are restless, mostly because they’re sleepy…”
“He’ll sleep after being weighed.” He Renyuan brought a basin and put the little one in it.
Bai Xiaocha couldn’t move his feet and froze.
Bai Qingyu quietly pointed at the vertical rod of the scale, and Bai Xiaocha cleverly grabbed it.
Bai Qingyu tried to carry the little one away, “Forget it, next time.”
The weight kept changing, and He Renyuan’s eyelids twitched. He put a small cake in Cha Bao’s hand, “Eat.”
“Thank you, uncle!”
Bai Xiaocha immediately quieted down, holding the cake in both hands, his attention completely focused.
Bai Qingyu: “…”
He Renyuan then had Cha Bao lie down straight and recorded his height, head circumference, leg length, and arm length.
Bai Xiaocha cooperated very smoothly. When Uncle Boss asked him to extend his left hand, he switched to holding the cake with his right hand.
Bai Qingyu folded his arms. What an easily bribed little immortal.
After He Renyuan finished recording, he said, “I’ll take Cha Bao to kindergarten tomorrow again. You stay home and rest well.”
Bai Qingyu, “Oh.”
Go ahead, go ahead, he just happened to be stir-frying tea tomorrow, so Cha Bao wouldn’t have to follow him into the drying room.
The next day.
The housekeeper washed his hands carefully and waited at the bottom of the stairs for Bai Qingyu to bring Cha Bao down.
“Good morning, Grandpa Housekeeper!”
“Good morning, Cha Bao—” The housekeeper looked at Cha Bao’s suddenly short hair and was speechless.
At this length, it was impossible to discreetly take a strand.
The unlucky housekeeper could only report truthfully to the chairman, “I’ve tried everything.”
As for the remaining methods… anything that would hurt Cha Bao was out of the question.
He Wangzhong, who was eating breakfast, pondered for a second and asked his wife, “Was he discovered by our son? Otherwise, why would my grandson cut his hair so coincidentally? Is he warning me?”
Shu Mei thought for a moment. It wasn’t impossible, He Renyuan could do such a thing.
He Wangzhong, “He probably also tampered with the toothbrush sample. Good, good, he’s become so capable now!”
“Hmph, this only proves that Cha Bao is my grandson! Otherwise, why would he be so secretive! I’ll see how long he can keep up the act.”
Shu Mei, “That makes sense. Let him act. If he doesn’t want to be a father and wants to be an uncle, let him be. It doesn’t affect Cha Bao calling me Grandma.”
He Wangzhong remembered his excitement when his son first called him Dad and said proudly, “He hasn’t heard Cha Bao call him Dad, that’s He Renyuan’s loss!”
Shu Mei, “A big loss.”
He Wangzhong still felt dissatisfied and sent He Renyuan a sarcastic greeting.
[Heh, like father, like son.]
He Renyuan, who was sending Cha Bao to school: ?
He thought for a second. The only thing that could affect He Wangzhong recently was him being Cha Bao’s uncle. What was He Wangzhong trying to say with this message?
He Renyuan deleted the WeChat message.
He just wanted to help the father and son, he absolutely had no other ulterior motives.
————————
Big lawyer, if you’re not guilty, why did you delete it?
The tea deity’s disguise will be the first to fall.
