Chapter 142: Pretty and tall.

asked in a childish voice, "Grandma, what’s wrong with your eyes? Why are you blinking so much? Let me blow on them for you~"

Yan Cijin overheard their conversation and asked in confusion, "Mom, what’s wrong? Did something get in your eye?"

Yan Laojin was nearly driven mad by the two of them but still maintained her superficial elegance of an elder and possibly a mother in law and said with a fake laugh, "Hohoho... No, no, it’s ok."

Bai Li politely greeted Yan Laojin, "Hello, Auntie."

"Oh, hello dear, I have heard a lot about you from Xiaoyan. Thank you for helping my daughter return alive to me, I am truly grateful." Yan Laojin immediately looked at her with a kind of smile that was hard to describe, as if a big bad wolf was looking at her like a little rabbit.

Bai Li felt a chill run down her spine. It was understandable that a normal person would be afraid after seeing the discussions in the group, but Auntie’s reaction seemed a little outside of her expectation. It was not just friendliness. It was friendliness mixed with intense curiosity, which made the whole thing a little overwhelming in a very odd but not unpleasant way. Bai Li was used to people either being too cautious around her or too interested in what she had. This was a different kind of gaze. Yan Laojin looked almost pleased to see her, which somehow made Bai Li more alert than if the woman had been serious. The warmth in the apartment was obvious though. The smell of food from earlier still hung around faintly, and the little girl’s eyes kept going back to the snack bag. Bai Li was not sure whether she had entered a family home or stepped into a very determined matchmaking scene, but she remained calm on the surface.

"Auntie, sorry to bother you, I’ll leave after changing my dressing," Bai Li added politely, afraid that Yan Cijin’s mother would overthink things.

"Oh, no, no, you can stay as long as you want. My daughter would keep you company... hohoho..." She said as she immediately pushed Yan Cijin towards Bai Li as if she was really afraid that Bai Li would go back.

Yan Cijin being pushed out felt a little helpless by her mother’s action and stopped and said in a low voice, "Mom, what are you saying?"

Yan Laojin awkwardly coughed before suddenly seeming full of self righteousness as she reprimanded her daughter in a low voice, "You! What are you doing, you need to seize these opportunities and make her yours! I can tell at a glance just how dashing this girl is and she would be popular with a lot of ladies, go ahead and capture her before anyone else! When I was your age, ..." As she was about to whisper some more words, Bai Li spoke:

"No need, Auntie. It’s already too much trouble for Dr. Yan to change my dressing," Bai Li said, her tone still flat.

The little dumpling in Yan Laojin’s arms was restless. She could now see the large bag of snacks in Bai Li’s hand more clearly. The little one struggled a couple of times in Yan Laojin’s arms, but Yan Laojin didn’t let go. She was trying very hard to look like a proper elder, but the child’s excitement was too much. When Yan Cijin noticed the little one struggling, she reached over and took her from her mother’s arms. The moment the child started squirming harder, Yan Cijin simply put her on the ground. Yan Laojin looked heartbroken, but she couldn’t say anything in front of Bai Li. She could only keep giving her daughter meaningful glances, trying to get her to take the little one back, but her daughter didn’t understand or pretend not understand her at all. The little one even ran to Bai Li’s legs.

She looked up at Bai Li with a smile, then stretched out her chubby little arms and tentatively hugged Bai Li’s leg. Seeing that Bai Li wasn’t angry, the little dumpling immediately started to act cute: "Hello, Auntie~ My name is Lili, and I’m three years old."

Bai Li had never interacted with such a small dumpling before and was a little at a loss, but the little one was really cute, with her little tuft of hair swaying back and forth. "Hello."

As Bai Li spoke, she gently rubbed the little one’s face. The little one seemed to know she was cute, and seeing that Bai Li liked her, she rubbed her face against Bai Li’s hand, acting coquettishly, "Auntie, you’re so pretty and tall."

Bai Li paused for a second at that, clearly not used to being openly praised by such a tiny child with such a serious face. She looked down at Lili, then at Yan Cijin, then back at the child again, and for a moment she actually looked a little stiff. It was not that she did not know how to respond. It was more like she was still getting used to being treated with such direct warmth. The child’s little hands clung to her leg without fear, and her face had all that soft little child trust that made people feel protective without even trying. Bai Li lowered herself a little so she would not seem so towering, then said in the calmest voice she could manage, "Thank you. You are cute too." That answer seemed to please Lili a lot. The little girl’s eyes brightened, and she rubbed her cheek against Bai Li’s hand again, completely unashamed. Yan Cijin watched the scene with a small smile that she tried to hide, because seeing Bai Li slightly flustered by a child was unexpectedly amusing. Bai Li had faced shameless group chat people without blinking, but one adorable little girl and a snack bag had almost caught her off guard. That contrast was strangely satisfying.

Yan Laojin, meanwhile, looked like she was about to melt right on the spot.

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To be continued.