Paying for You

After returning to work following childbirth, Xia Wanqing still had some paperwork to handle, so the two children sat on little stools nearby, chatting quietly.

Of course, it was really Shen Xinde chattering away while Gu Zhuoling fed him drinks and snacks, afraid Shen Xinde would get hungry from all that talking.

Gu Zhuoling: What are you chattering about, Haohao? Have some of this first so you don't get hungry.

Following the principle of helping each other, Shen Xinde held Gu Zhuoling's water cup. Every time Gu Zhuoling fed him a bite, he raised the cup and gave Gu Zhuoling a drink.

By the time Xia Wanqing was ready to teach her first class, the two little tots had drunk half the water.

"Oh, come on, get up. I was wondering why it had gone so quiet." Xia Wanqing didn't know whether to laugh or cry as she pulled them to their feet. "Let's go to the bathroom first. I have a class soon. Do you want to play in the office for a bit or come with me?"

"We want to explore the campus!" Shen Xinde raised his little hand.

"Explore the campus? Do you know your way around? It's so big." Xia Wanqing raised an eyebrow.

"Dolly has a map." Shen Xinde happily threw his arms around Gu Zhuoling.

Gu Zhuoling had actually had a little trouble sleeping the night before, so he had used his tablet to look up a map of Z University, where Xia Wanqing worked. He had looked up how to pronounce the characters for each location and learned them, planning to go exploring if they got bored.

Xia Wanqing hadn't expected Gu Zhuoling to be so thoughtful at such a young age.

Even so, she couldn't help worrying. "How about coming to class with Mommy instead? It's still a bit hot outside. You could get heatstroke."

Shen Xinde was a little reluctant, pouting and grumbling.

Seeing how dejected Shen Xinde was, Gu Zhuoling reached out and tugged at the hem of his clothes to comfort him, then gathered his thoughts.

"Auntie Xia." Gu Zhuoling took a small tablet out of his bag. "I've looked it up. We want to go to the botanical garden first, then the souvenir shop, and finally wait for your class to finish at the coffee shop."

There was a very clear plan on Gu Zhuoling's tablet. In truth, he barely knew any characters and had used speech-to-text to make it.

"We won't stay outside the whole time." It was rare for Gu Zhuoling to say so much. Shen Xinde seized the opportunity to offer him the cup, and Gu Zhuoling took a drink. "You can call us too."

For a five-year-old to express his views so clearly and offer a plan to ensure their safety was already impressive.

Xia Wanqing also knew that neither child was timid, and their phone watches had location tracking. She could just check their location every so often.

At the thought, Xia Wanqing sighed and reached out to scratch Shen Xinde under the chin. "You aren't afraid of anything when Zhuoling is by your side."

Shen Xinde knew that meant Mommy had agreed. He cheered, cupped her face, and gave her two kisses. Then, thinking he couldn't forget Gu Zhuoling, he cupped his face and gave him two kisses as well.

Gu Zhuoling's little face hadn't turned red when he said all those sentences, but now it did.

"Don't tease your brother Zhuoling. I'll take you to the bathroom first, then see you both downstairs." Seeing Gu Zhuoling's flushed face, Xia Wanqing laughed a couple of times and tugged at Shen Xinde to help him out.

Gu Zhuoling really could lead the way, and with the sociable Shen Xinde there too, whenever they came to a building, he would stop a young man or woman and ask what it was.

There was no air conditioning in the botanical garden. After a while, Shen Xinde's cheeks were bright red, and beads of sweat dripped down one by one. He didn't complain, though; instead, he looked at the beautiful plants with great curiosity.

Gu Zhuoling, on the other hand, took some tissues out of his bag and followed Shen Xinde around, wiping his sweat. Before long, he worried that the heat would make Shen Xinde uncomfortable and took him outside.

They arrived at the university souvenir shop.

There was finally air conditioning, and Shen Xinde stopped sweating.

"Dolly, look, kitty ears." Shen Xinde spotted a headband with Z University's emblem printed on it and reached out to take it.

Gu Zhuoling got there first and took it down. "Do you like it?"

Shen Xinde put it on his head and looked at himself in the mirror, then turned and smiled at Gu Zhuoling. "Is it cute, Dolly?"

"Cute. I'll buy it for you." The corners of Gu Zhuoling's mouth lifted too.

The phone watch Gu Zhuoling wore had a payment function and was linked to his own card.

"Thank you, Dolly." Shen Xinde didn't stand on ceremony. He reached out and gave Gu Zhuoling a hug, then continued browsing with the little cat ears on his head.

"You two are so cute, little brothers! Can we take a picture with you?" Before they had gone more than a couple of steps, two young women came over, phones in hand, and crouched down to ask gently.

Of course Shen Xinde was happy to be called cute. He immediately smiled and touched the cat ears on his head. "Thank you, big sisters. Of course you can."

With that, he tugged at Gu Zhuoling. "Brother, is it okay with you?"

"Mm."

The two young women happily asked a nearby student to help take the picture, then crouched down behind the children.

Shen Xinde glanced at the camera and lowered his head to take Gu Zhuoling's hand. When Gu Zhuoling looked over, he gave him a sweet smile.

After the photo was taken, the two young women offered to pay for Shen Xinde's purchase.

Gu Zhuoling refused with a perfectly serious expression. "No need. I have money."

Shen Xinde tightened his grip on Gu Zhuoling's hand and smiled as he translated for him. "No need, big sisters. My brother will pay for me."

Amid the two women's coos, Shen Xinde pushed Gu Zhuoling along as they continued browsing. He found a pair of cat plush charms in the shop, and Gu Zhuoling took those too and paid for everything together.

After they had paid, Shen Xinde attached one of the cat charms to Gu Zhuoling's little backpack. As for the other, Shen Xinde wanted to buy himself a little backpack when he got home and hang it there too.

"I want to buy a little backpack too," Shen Xinde murmured, attaching the little cat to his waistband for the time being.

Gu Zhuoling looked at the little cat on Shen Xinde's waistband, then turned to look at the one hanging from his own backpack. He couldn't help smiling.

"Thank you, Dolly." Shen Xinde hadn't forgotten who had paid. He leaned in and gave Gu Zhuoling another sweet kiss on the cheek.

"Let's go wait for Auntie Xia at the coffee shop."

Gu Zhuoling glanced at the university students around them who were sneaking looks at him and Haohao. He coughed softly, reached out, and took Shen Xinde's hand, then left.

In the end, the two found seats in a corner of the coffee shop. Gu Zhuoling first helped Shen Xinde onto a chair, then climbed onto the one beside him and ordered him some cookies and milk.

Shen Xinde stared at the menu a few times, a little displeased. "I want watermelon juice."

"No. They only have iced watermelon juice, and you can't drink that."

Gu Zhuoling had a perfectly good reason.

"Hmph." Shen Xinde folded his arms and turned away from Gu Zhuoling.

"How about I ask Grandpa Butler to make you some fresh juice tomorrow?" Gu Zhuoling came up with a compromise.

"Today!" Shen Xinde was firm. He tugged at Gu Zhuoling's sleeve and wheedled, "I'm so tired, Dolly. I sweated so much, and I want some."

"Then I'll tell Grandpa Butler now." Gu Zhuoling gave in immediately.

In the end, Shen Xinde complained that the milk didn't quench his thirst, and they only finished it after he split it evenly with Gu Zhuoling.

When Xia Wanqing came to pick them up after class, she saw Shen Xinde from a distance, sitting there eating cookies and being especially fair about it.

One for himself, one for Gu Zhuoling.

One for himself, one for himself—oh, he'd forgotten Gu Zhuoling. One for Gu Zhuoling.