Extra Three: Little Wen Can (3)

Although they had hired many maternity matrons, Wen Jiu could not stay idle at home. As long as she was not overly exhausted, she preferred to care for the baby herself. This resulted in the baby becoming extremely clingy, refusing to be comforted by anyone else.

As the baby grew, she became even more attached, exclusively to Wen Jiu and Gu Zehuai. Even at less than three months old, the little one was already quite sharp; if someone tried to hold her from behind, she would instantly sense it was not her parents and burst into loud cries. Wen Jiu found this both amusing and helpless, especially as she felt for Gu Zehuai, who struggled to get a full night’s sleep while soothing their daughter every night. Yet, Gu Zehuai delighted in it—at least the baby no longer cried the moment she saw him.

On nights when they were utterly exhausted, the couple would simply leave their daughter in the middle of their large bed after getting her to sleep, rather than carrying her back to the nursery for the matrons. Fortunately, both parents were calm sleepers and had no fear of rolling onto the baby. However, this came with the risk of being awakened by the child’s cries whenever she stirred.

At the hundred-day banquet, little Wen Can was finally willing to be passed around among the guests. Everyone found her adorable and couldn't bear to put her down. Yet, the moment Wen Jiu or Gu Zehuai appeared within her line of sight, her lips would pout instantly, and she would reach out her little hands. This aggrieved expression, begging her parents to hold her, had all the guests laughing.

By seven or eight months, little Wen Can began to mimic the sound of "Mama." Wen Jiu was overjoyed, but Gu Zehuai grew a bit jealous, diligently teaching the baby to say "Papa." However, his little girl refused to cooperate, continuing to call out "Mama" to Wen Jiu. Naturally, Gu Zehuai was teased mercilessly by his wife.

It wasn't until she was ten months old that Wen Can could clearly pronounce "Mama." Every time she woke up, she would call for Wen Jiu in her sweet, milky voice, melting her mother’s heart. Gu Zehuai had spent months teaching her without success and began to doubt himself. Then, one night, while he was persistently practicing with her, the little one finally complied, stuttering out a complete and clear "Papa."

Gu Zehuai responded with a joyful "Yes!" and kissed her cheek. "That’s my girl! Jiu Jiu, did you hear that?"

Wen Jiu watched with a smile, observing his unbridled joy. "I heard it, I heard it—both ears caught it. Look at how smug you are." Gu Zehuai chuckled foolishly and went back to playing with his daughter.

Soon, the baby's first birthday arrived. The Gu family prepared a grand celebration, complete with a full set of traditional items for the "Zhuazhou" ceremony. At the banquet, Wen Jiu placed Wen Can on the carpet, letting her crawl toward the items. Although she had started to walk, her steps were still wobbly, so Wen Jiu let her move freely. The guests watched intently as the little girl locked onto a direction, crawled straight ahead, and picked something up.

Gu Zehuai, standing closest, raised an eyebrow and smiled. The first item Wen Can chose was a judge's gavel. Shen Mengxia, having just handed her own son to Ye Chen, turned to Wen Jiu with a tease: "Looks like your goddaughter is going to be a judge in the future." The guests began to chat and praise Wen Can, predicting a bright future for her. Wen Jiu was pleased; while she knew the ceremony wasn't a definitive prophecy, it was a lovely sentiment. She truly hoped her daughter would grow up to be someone who contributed to society and upheld justice.

As the banquet drew to a close and the guests began to depart, Wen Jiu noticed her daughter yawning. She reached out to take the gavel, but the moment her hand touched it, the baby clutched it to her chest, babbling, "Ma-ma, Ma-ma..." Knowing her daughter was just being spoiled and didn't want to let go, Wen Jiu smiled and let her keep it.

Gu Zehuai carried his daughter and gently lulled her to sleep before they headed home. They now lived in the house they had bought as their marital home, which was conveniently located near both Wen Jiu’s studio and the Gu Corporation. Wen Jiu had gradually returned to work, though she kept the intensity moderate, knowing her body could no longer handle her previous pace.

On days with a lighter workload, Wen Jiu would take their daughter to visit the Gu Corporation. Now that Wen Can was older, she had her own opinions and knew how to express them. "Ma-ma, go... find Papa."

Wen Jiu tapped her little nose. "You are so clingy to your father—how is he supposed to work?" But then, she thought, they didn't necessarily have to cling to him the whole time. She called the driver and headed straight to the Gu Corporation. In the car, Wen Jiu recorded a voice message for the baby to call for her father. Gu Zehuai replied instantly, signaling he wasn't in a meeting, so Wen Jiu placed a video call.

"Darling, your little 'cotton-padded jacket' is pestering to see you. We’re on our way."

Gu Zehuai, whose expression was usually icy in front of his employees, melted the moment he saw the mother and daughter on his screen. He smiled tenderly. "Does my little treasure miss Papa? And what about you, Jiu Jiu? Do you miss me?"

Wen Jiu replied heartlessly, "Not at all."

Gu Zehuai feigned indignation with a soft huff before returning his attention to teasing his daughter.