The little kiddo's rare success deserved encouragement. Cheng Huan handed her work over to Xu Li and took XingXing to one side. She squatted down and took the Rubik's cube from XingXing. The little kiddo stood up straight, obviously waiting for praises.
Cheng Huan wasn't stingy on her words. She smooched the little kiddo on his cheek and said, "My baby is so smart!"
"Hehe..." XingXing put his hands behind his back, his little baby teeth showing when he smiled and kissed her back. "Mommy is smart too!"
It was not 7:30 PM yet, which was XingXing's bedtime. It had been cold lately and the temperature at night was already below 20 degrees.
Cheng Huan touched the little kiddo's hand and felt that it was a little cold. She put a jacket on him and asked if he wanted some water.
XingXing was a little thirsty and he drank half a glass from Cheng Huan's hand. After he had finished drinking, he waved his hand at her and said, "Mommy, you can go back to work. I will be fine by myself."
It was busy at night and Xu Li was looking like she was having a hard time juggling with the work. Cheng Huan couldn't keep on playing with XingXing, so she agreed.
All the tables and chairs under the canopy were filled. Chi Cheng pulledw out a small stool and had XingXing sit on it. She urged him again, "Baby, you play here and call mommy if you need anything, okay? Don't leave with anyone."
"Okay, Mommy."
Cheng Huan went back to work, leaving XingXing there scrambling up the Rubik's cube again.
Li KangYi saw his opportunity and casually strolled over there.
"Hey, little kid, you are so smart."
Hearing his voice, XingXing looked up and smiled at him.
Li KangYi stood there and recollected himself. He then asked, "Hey, little kiddo, have you started school yet?"
XingXing nodded. "Yes, I am going to kindergarten."
"Are you four years old then?" Li KangYi speculated from the age of kids attending kindergarten.
"Eh?" XingXing looked up in surprise as if to say; how do you know?
"I guessed it." Someone had just left and Li KangYi brought a chair over and sat down next to him. "Are you bored playing by yourself"?
"No." XingXing felt that this man was a little too talkative, much like the kind of bad guys that mommy had told him about. His answers became even shorter and more concise.
Li KangYi had no idea that XingXing had already disliked him. Having led into it for so long, he finally asked the most important question, "Where's your daddy? Why isn't he playing with you?"
He was a little nervous. His hands, resting on his knees, were even sweating. If his speculation was true, this just might his future little boss!
XingXing took a look at him. Mommy had told him that anyone who'd tell him that they'd take him to his daddy other than Uncle Cops were bad people. Anyone who'd ask him a lot about his family were also bad people. And this uncle looked awfully like one!
He gave Li KangYi a stare and turned around, making up his mind that he'd ignore him.
Li KangYi was baffled and had no idea what he had done to offend the little boy. But he had interpreted XingXing's reaction as him not wanting to face the issue, which further confirmed his suspicion.
"Do you not have a daddy?"
XingXing put down his toy, stood up, and pitter-pattered over to Cheng Huan. Before Li KangYi could react to that, the little kiddo had already reported him to his mother. "Mom, this uncle is a bad guy!"
Cheng Huan frowned and took a look at the embarrassed Li Kangyi. She put down what was in her hands and walked over to him.
"I didn't do anything. I was just chatting with him." Li Kangyi explained himself.
Cheng Huan nodded at him. "I apologize. My kid is a little shy."
Before Li Kangyi was able to magnanimously express that it was alright, he heard Cheng Huan saying to him, "He's easily intimidated and he is frightened by you. We have a long line today anyway. Why don't you come back on a different day?"