Love in the Midst of Mistaken Identities

“Mmm, I understand.” Rainy held her doll closer and nodded her head hard. She knew Uncle was sleeping so she wouldn’t disturb him. When she was sleeping and if someone disturbed her, she would be cranky, too.

Xia Ruoxin walked into the kitchen, wanting to prepare a table of a feast for Gao Yi to eat when he woke up.

Rainy ran over and pulled her hand. “Mommy, I want to help you.”

With that, she put her doll down and got to her feet. Her little hand was still tugging at a corner of Xia Ruoxin’s clothes.

“Alright, let’s go.” Xia Ruoxin took her daughter’s hand and led her into the kitchen.

Gao Yi rested his hand over his eyes and opened them groggily. He sat up. The curtains were drawn tightly together, and yet the room was filled in extremely soft lighting. He glanced at his watch and realized it was getting late. He had slept for more than three hours. Usually, he was a light sleeper. It seemed as though he had become lazy after being pampered by that woman.

He pulled the blanket off and saw his bare feet. A smile of content filled his face. What a considerate woman. He put on the clothes which had been set neatly aside, and his hand went to his stomach which had been rumbling. He was very hungry.

The door opened. He stood by his doorway as he watched Xia Ruoxin and Rainy. The child was sitting on her lap. Xia Ruoxin was teaching her how to read. Rainy was truly intelligent; she could read even before she started school, and she could recognize many words.

While watching them, a warm smile appeared on his face. It was a beautiful picture which one could not peel one’s eyes away. A gentle mother and an adorable daughter made this place a home. His house was finally starting to feel like a home. It was no longer quiet and cold, and it was not just a place where he returned just to sleep.

“Uncle.” Rainy heard the sound of his door opening. She quickly jumped down from Xia Ruoxin’s lap and ran straight towards Gao Yi as soon as she saw him.

Gao Yi caught the child who had been speeding towards him. She had such short legs and tiny feet. How could she have run so fast?

He scooped Rainy up, putting a hand over her tummy. “Rainy, have you had anything to eat today?”

“Yes. I ate a lot of food today.” Rainy answered. Her breath smelled of milk. Nowadays, she always ate till her tummy was full. On top of that, she had to drink milk every day. At the thought of drinking milk, her face would crumple together.

“Uncle, can I not drink milk?” She hated it—actually loathed drinking milk.

“Your objection is invalid.” He scratched Rainy’s nose playfully. As soon as she heard him, her face became as long as a horse’s. Gao Yi laughed out loud. This was not something that he could decide. In fact, he hated drinking milk, too. However, a woman had insisted that Rainy and he needed to drink milk daily. Otherwise, they would have to go without their meals.

Xia Ruoxin came over and took her daughter from his arms. “I’ve heated up the food on the table. You can eat now.”

Gao Yi understood and walked to the table. He was absolutely famished.

As he sat by the table, he could see that the food had been untouched.

“Ruoxin, come and eat with me,” he called out for Xia Ruoxin, and she put her daughter down. The moment Rainy’s feet touched the floor, she immediately went to play on her own. She was feeling full in her tummy from all the food that Xia Ruoxin had fed her.

Finally, Xia Ruoxin sat opposite Gao Yi. The bowl in front of her was already piling with the different dishes.

“Ruoxin, in the future, you can start eating first. Don’t have to wait for me.” Gao Yi’s voice sounded reproachful as he said while he was eating. Was she trying to starve herself by behaving like this? No matter what time, she would be there waiting for him to have their meals together. Even if he came back late from work, she would still be waiting for him. He knew she was treating him very well. However, it also meant that she was living her life a bit too cautiously.

“I don’t want to eat alone.” Xia Ruoxin simply replied with a smile. She had stated a fact—she did not like to eat alone because she felt it was too lonely. To say that she was waiting for him, it should be the other way round; he was keeping her company.

“Uh, neither do I.” Gao Yi was constantly putting food into his mouth. Although it was a simple home-cooked meal, it was really delicious. If any of his friends were to see the way he was eating now, they would be so shocked that their jaws would drop. For a fussy eater like him, he would not even lift his chopsticks if it wasn’t something he liked to eat. However, when he was around Xia Ruoxin, he would eat whatever she had prepared. Thus, all of them, as a family, had gained weight.

That’s right. A family. It was a really nice way to address them. He would make sure that they become a real family soon.

Xia Ruoxin’s head was buried in the bowl. There was no need for her to take her own food. Her bowl was piled high with a small mountain of food. It would take her some time to finish it.

While Xia Ruoxin was hard at work trying to finish her food, a faint smile appeared on Gao Yi’s mouth. That’s it. You should eat more. I won’t mind you being fat, but I don’t like it when you’re thin.

...

Xia Ruoxin froze, and then she sniffed. Her eyes began to tear up.

Rainy, in her soft cow leather shoes, kept looking up at Xia Ruoxin as she talked. Her eyes were wide with wonder.

“Mommy, are there many children in a school?” She was walking very fast on her tiny feet. In the past, she had been very quiet. However, nowadays, she had become rather active.

“Yes. There are many children of your age in school, and you will have many friends.” Xia Ruoxin told her daughter as she took Rainy’s small hand in hers. As a mother, Xia Ruoxin was naturally worried about Rainy’s conflicted feelings towards school. However, Rainy seemed to be managing it better than Xia Ruoxin had imagined.

Rainy reached out and rested her hand on her short hair. “Will they say that I am ugly?” She pouted her little lips. Her hair was still short, yet to grow long.

“Do you think I’m ugly?” Xia Ruoxin asked as she tidied up her own hair. Did it look ugly? Her hair was very short, and yet she felt cooler with this hairdo.

Rainy shook her head hard. One of her hands was always holding on to Xia Ruoxin’s. “Mommy, you are the most beautiful mommy in the world.”

“Rainy, you and I look alike. How can you be ugly?” She rubbed her daughter’s hair.

“Mmm, I know now.” Rainy smiled adorably as her tiny feet continued to walk. She would be going to school soon. It was terrifying, yet exhilarating.

Xia Ruoxin took her daughter’s hand and kept walking. Gao Yi had already made the necessary arrangements for the school. However, he had a surgery to perform today so Xia Ruoxin had to bring Rainy alone. He would definitely be exhausted by the time he returns, and on top of that, he had to bring Rainy to school. Xia Ruoxin did not want to wear him out. She would handle the matter pertaining to Rainy’s education on her own. All she wanted was for him to get more rest.