âIâm drawing the city weâre in!â
Little Grape pointed at his very abstract drawing of a city.
Jing Xi went through the drawings and finally found something that was different. It was a drawing of two people.
âWhat is this?â Jing Xi asked.
âRobots that look like me!â
âWhy do you want to draw robots that look like you?â
âSo that he can play with me.â
Jing Xi could sense Little Grapeâs strong desire to have someone to keep him company.
âLittle Prince, if there was a kid that was around your age who wanted to play with you, would you play with him too?â Jing Xi asked.
âA kid?â Little Grape asked and recalled the little boy he saw in the video. âIs he Auntie Xiaoxiâs son?â
âYes. Do you want to play with him?â
Little Grape thought for a while before voicing his concern.
âBut wonât Auntie Xiaoxi ignore me if he comes here?â
âOf course not. I can take care of both of you at the same time, and you can become friends with him too.â
âOkay, then!â Little Grape nodded happily. âI can be friends with him.â
Jing Xi let out a sigh of relief. She hoped that having Niuniu play with Little Grape could help with his illness and mental problems.
They then spent the rest of the day together until it was time for Jing Xi to go back. Little Grape immediately realized that she was leaving as she packed her bag.
âAuntie Xiaoxi, are you leaving?â
âYes. Itâs time for me to go home.â
âWill you come again tomorrow?â
âOf course I will! Iâll even bring my son too!â Jing Xi replied as she flung the bag over her shoulder. âYou have a good nightâs rest, and youâll be able to see me again tomorrow, okay?â
Jing Xi then naturally kissed Little Grape on his forehead and left.
That was how she would always bid Xiao Tieniu goodbye when she left for work. Jing Xi had completely forgotten about the difference in her and Little Grapeâs status and treated him like she treated Xiao Tieniu.
Little Grape was completely stupefied by the kiss.
It was his first time being kissed on the forehead by someone other than his father or grandparents.
He was glad, glad that his Auntie Xiaoxi was treating him like her own family.
The little guy then covered himself with his sheet and went to sleep with a massive smile on his face.
...
Jing Xi got home late because of the traffic, and it was already well past dinnertime.
But Mo Yutian had already prepared dinner for her and was waiting for her to return.
She had dinner, took a shower, and told Xiao Tieniu his bedtime story. Before Xiao Tieniu went to sleep, she told him that she was going to bring him to the hospital to meet the prince the next day.
âMommy, is he like the prince in the stories?â Xiao Tieniu asked.
âNo, heâs a real prince that lives in a real castle.â
âReally?â Xiao Tieniu jumped excitedly. âI want to see what he looks like!â
âHe looks like you, or like any other little children.â
âThen... Can I play with him?â