[About Calling the Parents]

Ji Zhaozhao stayed at the Bo residence for over a week and was very well-fed. She gained three catties [about 1.5 kg] and looked like a glutinous rice ball, a whole circle rounder than before.

Coupled with her holding A-Ci, the large and small pair of round balls sitting together looked exceptionally cute.

Gu Qichi was controlling his diet, and Bo Yu didn’t have much of an appetite. So with Ji Zhaozhao here, the auntie [housekeeper] was the happiest. She cooked up different dishes every single day, terrified that the girl might go hungry.

As a result, after all this time, only Bo Yu had visibly lost a lot of weight.

The reason was nothing else but that Ji Zhaozhao was simply too much trouble. Today, she would use the sofa to climb up the coat rack, knocking a floor full of clothes down; tomorrow, she would act like a little tyrant at kindergarten, occupying the slide and starting a turf war with the kids opposite her; the day after, while no one was looking, she would stuff A-Ci into her backpack to show off to the other kids at kindergarten. Day after day, Bo Yu couldn’t even count the number of disasters she caused.

During meetings, during meals, and even while he was taking a shower, Bo Yu would constantly receive calls from Ji Zhaozhao’s homeroom teacher. The other party’s voice always sounded incredibly helpless: “Mr. Bo, Zhaozhao is in trouble again.”

The veins on Bo Yu’s forehead throbbed repeatedly. Looking at a room full of shareholders, he gritted his teeth and asked, “What did she do now?”

The homeroom teacher also had a headache. Looking at Ji Zhaozhao, who was standing in the office with her arms crossed, she sighed. “She was chatting with another kid today, saying her Chichi papa is a mermaid and can fly in the sky holding a sword. The other kid wasn’t convinced and said his dad is cooler than Zhaozhao’s dad because he can drive a rocket. The two of them started fighting…”

Bo Yu: “…”

No wonder Bo Song refused to take Ji Zhaozhao to Country A for vacation. A little devil like this could pretend to be a good baby on normal days, but after a while, she couldn’t keep up the act and her true colors would show. Ji Zhaozhao had absolutely nothing to do with the word ‘good baby’.

It was fine here in Dongcheng; at least Bo Yu could keep her in check. If they let her loose in Country A, Ji Zhaozhao might just grab a foreign friend’s hair, sit on their shoulders, and sing the national anthem.

By the time Bo Yu rushed to the kindergarten, Ji Zhaozhao was still squatting on the ground, poking at the little bear sewn onto her clothes, looking somewhat depressed.

Gu Qichi was inside the office talking to the teacher. Separated by a door, Bo Yu couldn’t hear what they were discussing. He could only look through the glass window and see the upper half of Gu Qichi’s face, partially covered by a mask.

Bo Yu crouched down, met Ji Zhaozhao’s eyes, and reached out to pinch her bun-like face. “Ji Zhaozhao, you’re really something now, huh? You’ve even learned to fight with people.”

Ji Zhaozhao tilted her head up to look at him, her chubby little hands balled into tiny fists, looking quite defiant. “It was obviously Lu Tiaotiao’s fault! I wasn’t lying!”

Her tone was extremely agitated, and her hands gestured wildly: “Chichi obviously has a big tail, and he can step on a sword and fly in the sky, whoosh whoosh! Lu Tiaotiao said his dad can drive a rocket, I don’t believe it! And he said I was lying!”

A child’s world is a rare kind of pure. Whenever Ji Zhaozhao obediently finished her chores at home, she would receive a reward from Bo Song—one wish granted. Ji Zhaozhao’s weekly wish was always to see Gu Qichi on TV. But she couldn’t distinguish between all the characters Gu Qichi played, simply thinking: This person flying is Gu Qichi, that person with long hair is Gu Qichi, and this person with a big tail is also Gu Qichi.

Chichi is so amazing, how does he know how to do everything?

Bo Yu roughly understood why Ji Zhaozhao thought this way. She hadn’t figured out the difference between TV dramas and reality, mistakenly believing that what she saw on TV was real life, thus confusing the real Gu Qichi with Gu Qichi’s characters.

He felt a bit helpless and jokingly asked her, “So now that you’re in trouble and made your Chichi get scolded by the teacher, are you happy?”

Ji Zhaozhao pouted, looking very reluctant. “I obviously only gave the teacher Uncle’s phone number, but the teacher insisted on seeing Chichi today…”
“I didn’t want Chichi to come here and get scolded either…”

Bo Yu’s hand pinching her cheek paused, then he squeezed a bit harder, almost laughing out of sheer anger.

No wonder he was called over by the teacher every day to be interrogated. Turns out it was because Bo Song wasn’t around, and the emergency contact number left on file was his. Since Gu Qichi wouldn’t be implicated, Ji Zhaozhao thought she could do whatever she wanted!

Feeling the pain, Ji Zhaozhao clutched her face, her eyes welling with tears. “Uncle, what are you doing? Why are you pinching Zhaozhao’s face?”

Bo Yu: “Ji Zhaozhao, you really are killing me with your filial piety.”

…

Inside the office, Ji Zhaozhao’s homeroom teacher was earnestly having a heart-to-heart with Gu Qichi. “Sir, are you Zhaozhao’s other dad?”

Gu Qichi pondered for a moment. Theoretically speaking, he was probably considered Ji Zhaozhao’s uncle [by marriage]. But because of that variety show before, Ji Zhaozhao never changed how she addressed him; she only ever called him “Chichi” or “Chichi papa.”

Bo Yu actually wanted Ji Zhaozhao to change her tune and call him “Auntie” [Uncle’s wife] or something similar, but Gu Qichi felt awkward hearing it and never allowed it. Moreover, Bo Song and Zhaozhao’s biological dad didn’t mind the matter either. It had been almost a year, and Ji Zhaozhao still hadn’t changed how she addressed him.

Thinking of this, Gu Qichi nodded and said ambiguously, “I guess you could say that.”

Ji Zhaozhao’s homeroom teacher choked for a second, then had to continue: “Zhaozhao’s dad, we don’t quite approve of children lying, and we always promptly correct the child’s behavior at school. But Zhaozhao repeatedly ignores our teachings and keeps telling the other kids…”

She couldn’t help but size up Gu Qichi, secretly grumbling in her heart: This person is so weird. He’s been inside for a long time and still hasn’t taken off his mask or hat, as if he’s terrified someone will recognize who he is.

“Zhaozhao keeps telling the other kids that you have a tail, that you can fly in the sky, and that you’ve even communicated with aliens.”
“It’s fine for kids to like showing off, but if they keep lying, it’s not very beneficial for their future growth. We hope you can properly guide her…”

Before the teacher could finish her sentence, the previously silent Gu Qichi suddenly looked up, let out a soft “Hmm,” and then spoke: “Zhaozhao wasn’t lying. She has always been a good kid. The things she said…”
“…Are indeed true.”

Gu Qichi felt a rare wave of embarrassment, realizing his own words sounded a bit absurd.

Looking at the teacher’s wide-open mouth, Gu Qichi coughed, hesitating over whether he should take off his mask.

Suddenly, the door was pushed open again. A man dressed identically to Gu Qichi [in a mask and hat] walked in, leading a bruised little boy by the hand.

“Teacher Fang, if there’s nothing else, I’ll take Tiaotiao home first.”

Gu Qichi and Ji Zhaozhao’s matter hadn’t been resolved yet, and here Lu Tiaotiao’s dad was in a rush to leave. Teacher Fang had no choice but to repeat what she had just said to Gu Qichi: “Tiaotiao’s dad, Tiaotiao is always bragging to the other kids about how you can drive a rocket. This has a…”

Her words were interrupted once again. Lu Tiaotiao’s dad let out a soft chuckle and said, “Tiaotiao wasn’t lying. Under certain specific circumstances, I can indeed drive a rocket.”

Teacher Fang: “?”
Teacher Fang: “???”

So you’re telling me one of you is the Mermaid King, and the other is a God who drives rockets? In that case, you guys probably communicate with aliens together, right?

Speechless, Teacher Fang saw Gu Qichi and Lu Tiaotiao’s dad out, deciding it was better to communicate directly with the two children. With dads like these, no wonder the kids loved to brag.
Turns out, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

After walking out, Gu Qichi immediately spotted Ji Zhaozhao letting Bo Yu squish her face. The little girl had a scrape on her chin—a shallow scratch that wasn’t too visible.

She was much better off than the kid Lu Tiaotiao just now. If Gu Qichi wasn’t mistaken, Lu Tiaotiao had an entire bite mark on his face.

It seemed that when it came to fighting, Ji Zhaozhao was still a bit more formidable.

On the other side, Lu Tiaotiao’s dad was holding his hand and scolding him.
“Tiaotiao, go apologize to her. You’re a boy, bullying a little girl is really unacceptable.”

Lu Tiaotiao puffed out his bun-like face, looking at his dad with a bit of grievance. “Dad, then you have to tell her I wasn’t lying. Dad obviously can drive a rocket.”

The other party nodded compliantly, doing exactly as Lu Tiaotiao asked.

Ji Zhaozhao was stunned. She looked at Bo Yu, then at Gu Qichi, and finally at Lu Tiaotiao’s dad. “Big brother, can you really drive a rocket?”

Lu Tiaotiao’s dad nodded. “I’ll take you to see it next time.”

Ji Zhaozhao blinked her starry eyes, pulled Lu Tiaotiao’s hand, and rubbed against it. “Okay! I forgive Tiaotiao. I was wrong too. Can Tiaotiao forgive me?”

As a manly man, Lu Tiaotiao naturally wouldn’t hold a grudge against a little girl, so he nodded magnanimously.

…………
…………

After returning home, Gu Qichi was upstairs running hot water in the bathroom, planning to have the auntie help Zhaozhao bathe. Bo Yu was in the study working, revising today’s project proposal.

In an unnoticed corner, Ji Zhaozhao, holding the Silver Shaded cat and her special bath-time rubber duck, quietly sneaked into Bo Yu’s wine cellar.

They had a hidden cave like this at their own house too. She didn’t expect Uncle to have one as well, and it was much bigger than theirs!

Ji Zhaozhao wove through the wine cellar in excitement.

She had opened a bottle of this red water at home before. It tasted sweet, and Zhaozhao liked it a lot. Dad and Mom weren’t here, and Uncle couldn’t catch her, so she could take another bottle to drink!

There was a corkscrew left in the wine cellar. Perhaps thanks to her previous experience causing mischief, this time Ji Zhaozhao used both hands and feet, quickly opening the wine Bo Yu had hidden here.

Cradling the wine bottle, she took a big glug, glug, glug gulp, and let out a boozy hiccup.

Ugh, Uncle’s red water isn’t yummy. It’s not as yummy as the one Dad hid. Why is it spicy?

Ji Zhaozhao shook her head, feeling conflicted about whether to take the red wine out to find Bo Yu or stuff it back where she found it. The door to the wine cellar opened. A-Ci crouched at the doorway, gloatingly leading the way for Gu Qichi and Bo Yu.

Ji Zhaozhao: “Hic.“
Ji Zhaozhao: “Chichi, do you want to drink red water? It smells nice, but it’s a little spicy…”

Gu Qichi’s head swelled, momentarily not knowing how to react.

Bo Yu had already video-called Bo Song to broadcast the situation live. The moment the light flashed into her eyes, Bo Song was still a bit dazed. She had drunk quite a bit of wine herself and hadn’t fully sobered up yet.

Seeing the wine bottle held in Ji Zhaozhao’s arms, she quickly realized what had happened. With a thin blush on her face, Bo Song waved her hand nonchalantly: “It’s fine. She secretly sneaked into the wine cellar at home to drink last time too. Just let her sleep it off, and she’ll be fine once she sobers up.”

Bo Yu: “So this isn’t her first offense. No wonder she’s so skilled.”

Bo Song was still woozy, struggling to sit up and greet Ji Zhaozhao. “Has Zhaozhao been good lately? Did you listen to Uncle?”

Ji Zhaozhao dropped the wine bottle, her cheeks flushed red. She scooted next to Bo Yu and smiled foolishly at the camera. “Zhaozhao has been very good. Mom should reward Zhaozhao when she comes back.”

Bo Yu watched the exchange between the big and little drunks, not really wanting to speak.

He glanced at the red wine on the ground, then looked at Gu Qichi. In a daze, he recalled what Gu Qichi looked like the last time he got drunk.

He felt a bit tempted.

Maybe having Ji Zhaozhao open two more bottles of red wine wouldn’t be such a bad idea?

By the time Gu Qichi finished taking care of the passed-out Ji Zhaozhao, Bo Yu was sitting upright at the dining table, holding three opened bottles of red wine.

“Zhaozhao opened all these wines. I thought we shouldn’t let them go to waste. How about we finish them today?”

Three bottles of red wine?
Gu Qichi frowned, recalling the scene from earlier. Why did he remember Ji Zhaozhao only opening one bottle?

Dragging his slippers and wearing a thin white T-shirt, Gu Qichi picked up a wine bottle and swirled it.

The crimson liquid clung to the sides of the bottle, receding inch by inch. It was obvious it had just been freshly opened by someone.

He picked up the wine glass Bo Yu had prepared, slowly poured himself half a glass of red wine, and took a light sip.

The entry was mellow, carrying the unique fragrance of grapes.

This wine probably had a high alcohol content. Gu Qichi slowly savored the wine and sat down across from Bo Yu.
“Why the sudden urge to drink with me?”

He didn’t expose the fact that he knew Bo Yu was the one who had opened the extra wine.

Bo Yu also poured himself a glass of wine, his intent highly suggestive: “Zhaozhao is asleep. I thought we could schedule some time for ourselves.”

Gu Qichi cast a sidelong glance at him and took another sip of wine. “But we still have to take Zhaozhao to school tomorrow morning.”

Bo Yu didn’t care at all. He picked up his phone and waved it. “Bo Song is coming back tomorrow and will pick Zhaozhao up. She plans to take Zhaozhao to kindergarten herself.”

Gu Qichi wavered for a moment.

Bo Yu added more weight: “Her flight is very early. And Zhaozhao’s dad is a total slave to his daughter; he’ll come pick her up the moment they get off the plane. There’s absolutely no chance you’ll even see them.”

Gu Qichi threw out his last concern: “But tonight, Zhaozhao is still at home. Let’s wait until tomorrow.”

Seeing that the city walls were about to be breached, how could Bo Yu let this opportunity slip by? He made a prompt decision: “We can go to the villa in the eastern suburbs and let the auntie stay with her. You’ve seen it these past two days; Zhaozhao sleeps very deeply. She almost never wakes up in the middle of the night.”

Gu Qichi let out an “Ah,” swaying in indecision.

Freed from Ji Zhaozhao’s suppression, A-Ci became lively again. She trotted over with light steps, walking toward Gu Qichi and rubbing wildly against his pant leg.

Gu Qichi picked up the cat, scratched her chin, pondered for a long while, and finally sighed. “Why don’t we just for—”

Before he could finish his sentence, he was directly packed into the car—person and cat included—by Bo Yu, who swiftly headed to the villa in the eastern suburbs.

Gu Qichi: “???”
Was there really a need to be in such a rush?

Of course, before setting off, Bo Yu still noticed A-Ci the third wheel and mercilessly tossed her back home to keep Ji Zhaozhao company.

His beautiful couple’s alone time was finally going to begin.

That night was exceptionally long. It was near daybreak before Gu Qichi was let off and given a chance to catch his breath.

Bo Yu returned home to get Ji Zhaozhao out of bed and wait for Bo Song to pick her up.

After sleeping it off, Ji Zhaozhao was visibly much more sober. Bo Yu told her Bo Song was coming to pick her up. Ji Zhaozhao was happy at first, then felt a bit sad.

“Then I won’t be able to sleep with Chichi anymore.”

Bo Yu clumsily tied her hair into pigtails and responded nonchalantly, “Yeah, Chichi will be sleeping with me from now on.”

Ji Zhaozhao felt a bit more depressed. She twisted her head, looking around everywhere, but still couldn’t find any trace of Gu Qichi, which made her curious.

She tugged at Bo Yu’s sleeve and asked, “Uncle, where did Chichi go?”
Chichi had been the one tying her hair the past few days.

Bo Yu secured her crooked ponytail, lifted her off the little stool, and patted her head. “Chichi is too tired and is still sleeping. Be a good girl and go to your mom by yourself. Let him rest well for a while.”

“Is Chichi very tired?” Ji Zhaozhao asked him guiltily.

Bo Yu answered without changing his expression or missing a beat: “Very tired. So tired he can’t even get out of bed.”

Ji Zhaozhao felt even more guilty.

After Ji Zhaozhao was picked up by Bo Song, Bo Yu drove back to the villa in the eastern suburbs. Gu Qichi was still asleep, a flush of red tinting the corners of his eyes and brows.

In a daze, Gu Qichi was woken up by Bo Yu again.

Bo Yu bit the soft flesh on his body, his voice muffled: “Zhaozhao is gone. It’s time to compensate me.”

Gu Qichi stared blankly at the ceiling, wanting to cry but having no tears.

He was so sleepy. He just wanted to sleep.