Ji Rui listened to Zhuo Jiarui criticize Le Tong incessantly not far away. Following Zhuo Jiarui's gaze, he glanced at Le Tong thoughtfully and saw her facing Luo Yifan. Whatever Luo Yifan said made her bury her face in her arms, laughing at the bar.
Zhuo Jiarui tilted his head, seemingly bewitched by this different Le Tong. He nudged Ji Rui with his elbow, "Ji Rui, your secretary is truly something. Look at her smile, like a blossoming flower. Tsk, imagine touching that skin..."
Ji Rui stared at the smiling Le Tong in Zhuo Jiarui's mouth, suddenly losing interest in drinking.
"I'm leaving!"
The man abruptly stood up, interrupting Zhuo Jiarui's words, and swiftly pulled back his wandering soul.
Zhuo Jiarui was startled by Ji Rui's sharp expression, quickly fell silent, and stood up as well.
"Young Master Ji, who upset you now?"
Ji Rui ignored him, nodded toward the bartender, "Put the drinks on my tab!"
Retracting his gaze, he patted the somewhat bewildered Zhuo Jiarui.
"Carry on, I forgot I have to take the little ancestor swimming early tomorrow morning."
Upon hearing this, Zhuo Jiarui quickly dared not stop him. That little ancestor of the Ji Family — described nicely as smart and lively, but more bluntly, a difficult little demon. Most people wouldn't dare provoke him.
"Uh, then hurry up and go! If the little ancestor complains about you drinking, don't you dare say it was with me."
Ji Rui hummed in agreement, turned around, but said, "I'll tell him exactly what you said word for word."
Zhuo Jiarui yelped, "Shit, Young Master Ji, I'm begging you, don't do me in!"
Who in R City doesn't know that the Ji Family's little ancestor has Mr. Ji and Mrs. Ji backing him? To strike back at someone would be as easy as sneezing, quick and simple.
Ji Rui was too lazy to pay any more attention to Zhuo Jiarui, heading straight to the door. Le Tong, who was chatting happily with Luo Yifan, glanced at his approaching figure and quickly stood up, "Goodbye, President."
Ji Rui glanced at the citrus juice in front of her, then coolly looked at her, nodded, and strode out.
For some reason, Ji Rui particularly did not want to return to his apartment that night. Seeing the driver was about to drive toward the apartment, he quickly said, "Xiao Liang, back to the mansion."
The driver responded, deftly turning the car onto the road leading back to the mansion.
By the time they returned to the mansion, it was close to midnight. Although the night lights were on in the hall, it still felt cold and quiet.
The awakened butler, still sleepy, put on his clothes and came to greet him, "Young Master, what would you like to eat for a late-night snack? I'll have someone make it for you."
"No thanks, you go to sleep."
Ji Rui waved the butler off, took hold of the railing, stepped onto the stairs, climbed a few steps, and suddenly turned back down.
The butler, still standing by the stairs, looked a bit confused, "Young Master, did you want something?"
Ji Rui shook his head, "No, I'm going to see Ji Baby."
The nursery was on the first floor. As soon as Ji Rui walked in, he was greeted by the unique milky scent from Ji Baby. He took off his shoes, walked barefoot to the bedside, resting his hand on the bed edge, and bent down to look at the little one on the bed.
Ji Baby lay curled up, clutching a big bear almost his size, with his pink little mouth slightly pouting, looking very adorable.
Ji Rui reached out and gently stroked the hair stuck to Ji Baby's forehead, then sat on the edge of the bed.
He couldn't quite explain the feelings he had for this child, but whenever he was agitated, looking at this innocent, adorable face calmed his mood immensely.
Under the light, the little one had rosy cheeks, long eyelashes resting quietly, and he seemed angelic, beautiful in sleep.
Ji Rui, perhaps due to the family environment or his inherent personality, was indifferent to people from an early age. Even to his closest family, he rarely showed affection.
But he clearly remembered that the first time he held newly-born Ji Baby, this little one scrunched his little nose and grinned at him. His heart seemed to skip a beat at that moment.
In a blink, that little caterpillar-like infant had grown into the little rascal sleeping like an angel, yet waking like a demon.
Ji Rui stared unblinkingly at Ji Baby in bed, his mind replaying various scenes of Ji Baby growing up, a nameless emotion slowly swelling in the depths of his heart.
He leaned in, placed his cool lips on Ji Baby's warm cheek.
"Daddy..."
Ji Baby softly placed his little hand on Ji Rui's neck and sleepily called out.
"Mommy..." Ji Baby mumbled again indistinctly.
Ji Rui's eyes darkened for a moment, hesitated, "…Good baby…" He took the chubby little hand, kissed it gently on the warm palm, and placed it back on the big bear.
Ji Rui took a bath and then slept in the nursery.
Ji Rui slept especially soundly that night until something furry brushed over his face and nose. "Achoo!" Ji Rui was startled awake by his own sneeze and opened his eyes to find it was already daylight.
Beside him, Ji Baby was holding back laughter with his hand covering his mouth and nose, his eyes gleaming with mischief, his small body shaking, obviously having done something naughty.
Ji Rui grabbed Ji Baby's hand, which was playing with a feather on his face, and swept the giggling and shaking little one into his arms.
Ji Baby cautiously sneaked a few glances at Ji Rui with the corner of his eyes. Seeing no signs of anger, he released his hand from his mouth, swiftly climbed onto Ji Rui, with two little legs flanking Ji Rui, placing his hands on his chest and kissed him on the lips.
"Daddy, morning!"
"Mm, morning Ji Baby!"
Ji Rui's hand lightly squeezed his son's soft, plump little bottom, surprisingly feeling very content.
"Ji Baby, Daddy is taking you swimming!"
The big hand patted the little bottom, the words were affirming, yet the tone was gentler than usual.
"Oh yay! Ji Baby can go play in the water!"
Ji Baby excitedly rolled off Ji Rui, quickly bounced out of bed, and ran into the dressing closet with glee.
By the time Ji Rui got up and freshened up, he saw Ji Baby dressed in snug little yellow swim trunks and wearing a swimming cap shaped like a yellow duck.
"Little duck!"
Ji Rui reached out and tugged at the duckbill on Ji Baby's head, then pinched his chubby cheeks, rare to see, a smile appeared on his lips.
"Quack quack quack..."
Ji Baby followed Ji Rui's words, quacking from his mouth, hands acting like wings, gleefully slapping his smooth body, walking barefoot with resounding steps on the floor.
Ji Rui's lips curled into a smile, impossible to hold back.
The little duck waddled back to Ji Rui, hugged his leg, looked up at him.
"Quack quack quack... Daddy duck, Ji Baby wants mommy duck..." Those eyes, very much like Ji Rui's, slowly gathered mist.