Chapter 218: Chapter 218

"Daddy, Sister just took Baby to buy a lot of new clothes!"

Taking advantage of Le Tong going into the kitchen, Baby cheerfully boasted to Ji Rui.

Ji Rui was sipping his soup, looked at his son, and slightly raised his eyebrows, "Hmm? Did Baby pay by himself?"

As far as he knew, Le Tong was quite a thrifty person, even miserly. So even though she liked Baby, it was unlikely she’d buy him clothes with her own money, especially since Baby wasn’t related to her.

Baby stuffed a spoonful of rice into his mouth and shook his head, speaking indistinctly.

"No... Sister said it’s a gift for Baby..."

Ji Rui’s eyes darkened, his gaze falling on Le Tong who was bringing over a plate of roasted chicken wings.

Seeing Le Tong return, Baby ignored Ji Rui, naturally forgetting the bragging he had just done.

Ji Rui didn’t pursue, silently eating and listening to Baby’s chattering about trivial matters with Le Tong. Ji Rui never had much interest in Baby’s childish topics. When he accompanied Baby for meals, he listened half-heartedly, often absent-mindedly.

But Le Tong seemed to listen seriously. She ate little, just half a bowl of rice, then put down her bowl to focus on serving Baby dishes, responding earnestly to Baby’s seemingly dull topics from Ji Rui’s perspective.

"Is Baby’s P.E. teacher handsome?"

Ji Rui accidentally heard Le Tong asking Baby this, and raised his eyes to glance at her.

He saw her, with an incredibly doting look, watching Baby who was talking while eating. That expression reminded Ji Rui faintly of some familiar buried memories that suddenly surfaced vividly.

In the blurry black-and-white images, the mother who had left him long ago, also looked at him wolfing down food with such an expression.

Baby nodded, and Le Tong’s lips curved into a light smile. She reached out with her fingertip to wipe away the rice grains at Baby’s mouth and playfully asked.

"More handsome than Baby?"

Ji Baby immediately shook his head, "Of course not!"

With that, he turned his head to point at Ji Rui, who was watching them, "Baby’s Daddy is even more handsome than him!"

It seemed self-admiration truly could be inherited; Ji Baby’s words indicated he believed he was the most handsome person in the world.

Le Tong’s laughing eyes accidentally met Ji Rui’s thoughtful gaze, and the smile quickly faded, replaced by slight embarrassment.

Ji Baby’s comparison reminded her of the time a few days ago when she admitted loudly to being infatuated with Ji Rui’s handsome face.

Seeing Ji Rui still staring at her intently, Le Tong awkwardly cleared her throat.

Unaware of the eye exchange between the two adults, Baby quickly reached out his chubby little hand to pat Le Tong’s back upon hearing her cough.

Le Tong’s smile grew even more embarrassed, as she turned away, avoiding Ji Rui’s inscrutable gaze.

At this time, Little Bai, who had been sleeping all afternoon, opened its sleepy eyes and waddled into the room from the living room, meowing twice at Le Tong.

Clearly, this little kitty still recognized Le Tong.

Le Tong quickly seized the opportunity to stand up, "Little Bai is hungry, I’ll go feed him."

Completely forgetting she was a guest here and that feeding pets was something the family’s nanny would naturally do—not something for her to arrange.

Ji Rui watched her bend over to pick up the kitten and walk away.

Ji Baby, normally very protective of the two kittens and already full, saw Le Tong walk away and jumped down from his chair, running after her.

Ji Rui didn’t care about the two kittens but the sumptuous feast before him made him crave more food.

After Le Tong and Baby left, the previously raucous dining room quieted down. Ji Rui leisurely sat at the table alone, finding that, whether it was infrequently tasting or Le Tong’s exceptional skills, the dishes made him feel her cooking was indeed better than the top chefs brought from star hotels to the Ji Family mansion.

Previously, eating for Ji Rui was like sleeping—a routine task to fulfill a bodily need.

But today, he truly experienced the feeling of his son’s gourmand excitement upon seeing delicious food!

Ji Rui consumed three large bowls of rice and two big bowls of soup before satisfactorily putting down the bowl, instructing Aunt Guan who came in to clear the table, "Aunt Guan, pack the leftovers in airtight containers to heat up for the next meal."

Aunt Guan’s eyes widened, thinking she misheard.

Normally, the host wasn’t picky about food, but leftovers were never kept. Every day, Aunt Guan would bag the leftovers and take them to the nearby park for stray cats and dogs. Follow current novels on NoveI(F)ire.net

"Keep that braised beef brisket separately, save it for Baby; he seems to love it." Ji Rui added a sentence, leaving a surprised Aunt Guan, and walked out satisfied.

From the living room came Ji Baby’s clear laughter and the sound of the cats meowing.

Ji Rui looked over, only to find Le Tong sitting on the sofa, Ji Baby sprawled over her, with the little kitten lying on the sofa back behind them.

Ji Baby, nestled in Le Tong’s arms, was playing with a bell, teasing the kitten, while Le Tong watched Baby with a smile. The two of them and the cat seemed to be having a great time.

Ji Rui didn’t want to disturb the harmony, so he casually picked up a finance magazine and sat in an armchair on the edge of the living room.

Neither Le Tong nor Ji Baby seemed to realize Ji Rui had arrived. As Ji Baby teased the cat, he began to report complaints about Ji Rui to Le Tong.

"Little Bai and White are scared of Daddy; Daddy’s too fierce..."

Le Tong didn’t respond but her face showed a smile.

"Little Bai and White are so cute, how could Daddy bear to dislike them..." Ji Baby pouted and complained.

"Baby, everyone has their own preferences. Baby can’t force others to like what he likes, even if it’s Baby’s Daddy, understand? Plus, Baby’s Daddy works very hard and still has to look after Baby at home. He’s surely tired, and wouldn’t have leisure time to look at those two little kittens," Le Tong gently educated him, stroking Baby’s head.

The initially reading Ji Rui raised his head slightly surprised at her words.

He thought that Le Tong, even if not criticizing him in front of Baby, would never help him with good comments.

But her words just now evidently defended him!

[Three updates, some readers may feel Tongtong is compromising, but please understand, she does it not for Ji Rui, but for Baby!]