When she arrived at Tang Garden by taxi, the people in the garden were indeed waiting for her. Seeing her arrival, the servants came over to take her luggage, while Lin Yebai, holding the immaculately dressed Little Baozi, stood under the grape trellis looking at her.
"Mommy, did you finally arrive? I’m starving to death!" Upon seeing his mother enter, Little Baozi immediately rushed over and threw himself into her arms.
Ye Ning, upon seeing him, quickly bent down and picked him up, "Oh, my darling, are you starving? Well, then you should eat quickly."
"But I couldn’t, how could I eat before Mommy got here?"
Little Baozi, basking in the sunshine, looked plump and pink in her arms, which made Ye Ning couldn’t help but plant a kiss on his chubby little face.
"Xiaobao, you didn’t say anything to Uncle Lin, did you?"
Ye Xiaobao quickly shook his head, "No, Mommy, don’t worry, I’m not a traitor!"
This little rascal even knows the word traitor.
Ye Ning was both amused and exasperated, but since her son had said so, she was reassured. So, holding him, they went to the round table under the grape trellis, which was already laden with a sumptuous breakfast.
"Wow, today’s breakfast is really extravagant, Brother Lin, did you make a big fortune recently?"
"Why do you say that?"
"It’s simple, you always just cobbled something together for breakfast at home. Suddenly, it’s so lavish; if that’s not making money, then what is?" Ye Ning sat down, smiling, looking very happy.
Lin Yebai, seeing her, quickly revealed a faint smile behind his glasses. "Yeah, you’re right. So, I’ve decided to go out and relax. How about it? Will you join me?"
Ye Ning picked up a small steamed bun with her chopsticks and was about to eat when she stopped upon hearing this, "Where are you going to relax?"
"Japan. There’s also a bit of business to attend to. There’s an appraisal event there, and they’ve invited me to be a judge. I thought I’d take the opportunity to have some fun."
Ye Ning bowed her head and continued eating her breakfast...
That’s what it was. After all, for someone at his level, such events were nothing new. He was the renowned Lin Yebai, whose hands and eyes had identified countless authentic and fake gems. Who else would they invite if not him?
So she bit into her dumpling and laughed, "I won’t go. They invited you, not me. They definitely wouldn’t be pleased if I came along."
"Why wouldn’t they be pleased?"
"Because they would have to pay!" Ye Ning said cleverly, her clear eyes brimming with youthful vivacity and playfulness.
Lin Yebai was momentarily distracted, unable to tear his gaze away...
It had been a long time since she had smiled at him like that.
Lin Yebai stared for a while before he finally averted his eyes.
"The person I’m taking doesn’t need to pay. I’ve already booked your ticket. Have Xiaojin accompany you to buy some suitable clothes this afternoon, and we’ll take the eight o’clock flight tomorrow morning."
The pastry in Ye Ning’s spoon dropped back into the bowl.
Ye Xiaobao, sitting beside her, also lifted his round little face in surprise.
What’s going on? Was Uncle Lin making decisions on his own again?
The four-year-old, seeing the smile disappear from his mother’s face, furrowed his little brow in concern, "Uncle Lin, my mommy has to work, you know?"
"No problem, she can just take a leave," Lin Yebai said nonchalantly.