Chapter 200: Not Enough Time to Like
Although Jiang Yichun had snatched the child away, his action was very gentle. By the time Wan Minglu recovered, the child was already in Jiang Yichun’s arms.
Bai Ruozhu was busy making hand pancakes on the side, somewhat surprised in her heart. Could that sharp-tongued man named Jiang coax a child?
Perhaps he’s already married and a father. Naturally, he can soothe a child if he has one himself. Bai Ruozhu began to murmur in her heart but felt slightly uneasy. She remembered the image of the sharp-tongued man deliberately irritating her. If he already has a child, why doesn’t he stay home and take care of his child instead of coming to bother her?
With these thoughts, she flipped the hand pancakes vigorously, as if she wanted to stab them hard.
Everyone’s attention was focused on Jiang Yichun. Even latecomers were curious how a man with such an ugly mask and a cold aura around him would soothe a child.
When they saw Jiang Yichun’s performance, some people scoffed at him. How was this coaxing a child? He didn’t speak, he just held the child and spun around. He was being too weird!
But the next second, the same person felt like he had been slapped in the face. He looked at Jiang Yichun in disbelief. The man hadn’t even spoken; how did the child stop crying?
Bai Ruozhu was also extremely surprised. Her child Dengdeng doesn’t cry often, but when he does cry, it’s not easy for just anyone to soothe him. She didn’t expect Jiang Yichun to calm the child down. She had only wanted to finish up her work quickly and then take care of him herself. But to her surprise, the little guy had actually stopped crying.
At this moment, Dengdeng’s big black eyes were still misty, making him look particularly pitiful. This softened Jiang Yichun’s heart, and he became even more gentle with the child, as if he was afraid of hurting him.
As everyone was surprised at the interaction between the big man and the small child, Dengdeng, oblivious to everyone, stretched out his little hand and touched Jiang Yichun’s chin. Perhaps because of the feeling of the short stubble, he found it amusing and suddenly began to laugh.
One moment the child was crying pitifully, and the next moment he was suddenly laughing, his eyes still filled with tears. Could anyone besides a small child cry and laugh so easily?
For a moment, everyone was silent so Dengdeng’s unexpected laughter echoed in everyone’s ears. It was a soft laughter, somewhat like a giggle, but not so clear.
"Ruozhu, Dengdeng laughed out loud!" Lin Ping excitedly called out.
Bai Ruozhu was also very surprised. Dengdeng had laughed before, but he had never made a sound. After all, it wasn’t time yet, and Bai Ruozhu wasn’t in a hurry. But she hadn’t expected that at this time, and in this man’s arms, Dengdeng would make the first laughter of his life.
Jiang Yichun listened to Lin Ping’s words, and only then realized that Dengdeng had never laughed aloud before and that this was his first time. Therefore, he started liking the little guy more. Not bad, the child knew how to save face for him. The child looked promising.
"Mother, I heard it too. This child has been keeping us busy today, crying one moment and laughing the next." Bai Ruozhu laughed and said.
Wang Luji also came over. He expressed astonishment as he looked on. But then he noticed Wan Minglu standing on the side with an embarrassed look on his face. He thought for a bit and comforted him, "Can’t compare an unmarried man like you to a grown man with a child. It’s clear who can soothe a child better. You should hurry up and marry, have a child, and practice more."
Wan Minglu’s face eased up. Yes, he didn’t have a child and indeed had less experience than those who did.
Jiang Yichun turned to look at Wang Luji and said in a frosty voice, "I’m not married yet."
"Huh?" Wang Luji opened his mouth wide. He thought to himself that he had misspoke. Why did he have to meddle in other’s business?
When Bai Ruozhu heard Jiang Yichun’s words, her heart twitched. So he wasn’t married yet. Then how did he know how to comfort a child? She looked at Dengdeng. Dengdeng was playing with Jiang Yichun’s chin and looked extremely happy. Jiang Yichun’s face was hidden behind the mask, but Dengdeng was just at the right angle to reach his chin.
This little devil is so into money, remembering the precious jade pendant that the other party gave, right? Bai Ruozhu inveighed in her heart. Sigh, why was her son just like her, such a money freak and a foodie?
Suddenly, Dengdeng touched Jiang Yichun’s mask, lightly laughing again. But Bai Ruozhu’s heart was in her throat. Son, you must not remove his mask!
Jiang Yichun, however, wasn’t angry. He actually lifted his hand to press the mechanism on the mask. The lower part of the mask flipped up, exactly like when he was eating before.
As if playing a game, he then flipped the lower part of the mask back down, then pressed it to flip it up again, then flipped it back down, and pressed it again... He was actually amusing Dengdeng this way...
Bai Ruozhu was speechless. Big brother, aren’t you afraid of playing it till it breaks?
Indeed, Dengdeng found it very interesting. His little hand waved continuously, and laughter came out of his mouth, showing how happy he was.
But Bai Ruozhu also noticed that when the lower part of the mask flipped up, the corner of Jiang Yichun’s mouth was slightly raised.
He was smiling! Bai Ruozhu remembered that when she had first met Jiang Yichun, he hadn’t been wearing a mask. But his expression was cold, and there was no smile on his face. Later, when he appeared with a mask, it seemed he had sneered, but Bai Ruozhu felt that such a smile couldn’t really be called a smile. During their encounter in the alley, he had removed his mask and spoke to her, also with a cold smirk, mocking her for being ruthless and plotting against his cousin. But her memory of that smirk was completely different from the upward curve of his lips at this time.
"The child’s savior is really kind, look, even Dengdeng likes him a lot." Lin Ping came over and whispered. This pulled Bai Ruozhu back from her wandering thoughts.
The corner of Bai Ruozhu’s mouth twitched. That sharp-tongued man was kind? It felt to her like she was listening to a joke. He was normally so cold, with a gaze that could kill and words that could infuriate people. How could such a person be considered kind?
Of course, her mother had not seen the real face of Mr. Jiang. Bai Ruozhu didn’t agree with her mother’s statement, but she didn’t voice out her thoughts.
At this time, Bai Ruozhu had finished her task in hand, and Bai Zehao helped her deliver the hand pancakes and soup to the customers. Bai Ruozhu then wiped her hands with a cloth and walked over to take Dengdeng back.
"I am really sorry for troubling you. This child is mischievous. I hope he hasn’t bothered you too much." Bai Ruozhu had already reached out her hand to take Dengdeng, but Jiang Yichun stepped aside.
"This kid is very fun to play with. I’ll give him back to you in a bit." Jiang Yichun said.
Bai Ruozhu was stunned once again. Do you think a small baby is a toy? You hadn’t had enough fun and still wanted to play more?
But another customer came over asking for warm hand pancakes, so Bai Ruozhu had to leave, although unwillingly, after glancing at Dengdeng one more time. She went back to the iron pan and got busy again.
Jiang Yichun naturally noticed Bai Ruozhu’s reluctance. He cursed at her in his heart for being ungrateful. After he had helped her so much, she still didn’t trust him. What would he do to her child? He liked the adorable child, he couldn’t get enough of him.