Chapter 51: A Surprise!

As dew trembled on the leaves, as the first ray of dawn pierced the horizon, and as a gentle breeze stirred the quiet streets, the children of summer still slumbered soundly.

“Ehehehehe! What kind of expression do you think Xiao Yu will make when she sees us?”

“She’ll probably be startled, wouldn’t she?”

In the hallway, Bai Sha, having arrived bright and early, let out a mischievous giggle as she posed the question to Zhou Haochen.

Clutching the gift Bai Sha had purchased, Zhou Haochen offered a helpless smile. Though Bai Sha claimed a desire to see her daughter sooner, her true intention was to orchestrate a delightful little surprise.

Without so much as a word to Zhou’s parents, the couple had simply shown up, an act that undeniably qualified as a grand surprise.

“Ding—”

Zhou Senior, who had risen early and was in the midst of enjoying his porridge, furrowed his brow. With the two occupants still deep in slumber, he rose, grumbling under his breath, `’Who could it be at this ungodly hour?’`

“Coming!”

Zhou Senior swung the door open, only to find the young couple standing there. He rubbed his eyes in disbelief. `’Oh, my! What brings you here so suddenly? You didn’t even give us a heads-up.’`

Zhou Haochen, still holding the bag of oatmeal, simply offered a knowing smile. `’A surprise,’` he announced.

From behind him, Bai Sha poked her head out, offering Zhou Senior a warm smile. `’Hello, Uncle!’` she greeted.

Zhou Senior ushered them inside, then fetched two cups of tea. `’Xiao Yu and her grandma are still asleep in their room,’` he explained. `’Do make yourselves comfortable for a bit.’`

Zhou Senior settled into a nearby seat, a playful grin on his face. `’Had enough of your romantic getaway, have you?’` he teased.

At the mention of their ‘couple’s world’ and the recollection of the uninhibited days they had just spent, Bai Sha’s face flushed a deep crimson.

Zhou Haochen, in stark contrast, nodded with complete composure. `’We couldn’t possibly trouble you indefinitely, could we?’` he remarked.

Zhou Senior chuckled warmly. `’You two promised to gather both families in the latter half of the year; don’t you dare forget,’` he reminded them.

Bai Sha nodded, assuring him that a momentous occasion like their engagement would certainly not be overlooked. Preparations would begin once the little one started kindergarten.

The three sat chatting on the sofa for a short while, until the bedroom door creaked open. The little one, clad in bear pajamas, emerged, rubbing her sleepy eyes. `’Good morning, Grandpa,’` she mumbled.

Noticing that her eyes were still barely open, Zhou Senior chuckled. `’Xiao Yu, take a good look over here at Grandpa,’` he urged cheerfully.

From the sofa, Bai Sha and Zhou Haochen watched the little one, their faces alight with smiles.

“Wow!!”

“Daddy! Mommy!!”

The little one, bubbling with excitement, darted towards them, instantly burrowing into the space between the two. `’How did you two get here!?’` she exclaimed.

Bai Sha gently pinched the little one’s cheek. `’Of course, we came to take our baby home!’` she declared.

The little one quickly shook her head. `’No, I don’t want to go back yet; Xiao Yu still has something she needs to resolve.’`

Bai Sha and Zhou Haochen exchanged a bewildered glance, their eyes simultaneously falling upon the little one, a clear question etched in their expressions.

`’Could it be that she’s grown too comfortable here? Does she not want to go home?’` they wondered.

Zhou Senior, witnessing their confusion, offered an explanation. `’Our little darling made a friend outside, but she accidentally upset them, and now she’s determined to go apologize.’`

Bai Sha understood, her hand gently stroking the little one’s head. `’Xiao Yu is so wonderful!’` she praised with a smile. `’In that case, Daddy and Mommy will wait for Xiao Yu to resolve her matters, and then we’ll take Xiao Yu home.’`

Zhou Haochen pondered this for a moment. Fortunately, there were still a few changes of clothes in the car, making a stay of a few days entirely feasible.

“For Xiao Yu to proactively apologize, Daddy also thinks Xiao Yu is truly wonderful!”

Zhou Senior took a sip of his tea, a fond smile gracing his lips. `’Indeed,’` he chimed in. `’Grandpa remembers when your father was little; he’d stubbornly refuse to apologize whenever something happened. Xiao Yu is far more admirable.’`

Zhou Haochen found himself utterly speechless. There was only one instance in his childhood when he had gotten into a fight and been forced to apologize, yet it hadn’t even been his fault. To have that memory dredged up now was truly unfair.

The little one, blushing, buried her head in her mother’s arms. `’Oh, it’s not *that* great!’` she mumbled. `’Just… pretty good, I guess.’`

****

By the time Madam Qin awoke from her slumber, Zhou Senior had already left for his shift at the hospital, leaving the young couple and the little one engrossed in a movie.

Madam Qin emerged from the bedroom, her hair a wild mess, rubbing her head with a sleepy groan. `’Eh! What brings you all here?’` she asked, still half-asleep.

Three small heads popped up from behind the sofa’s backrest.

“You’re awake, Mom. Dad made porridge for you in the pot.”

“Good morning, Grandma.”

“Hello, Auntie.”

Madam Qin nodded at the trio, then headed into the bathroom to freshen up before making her way to the kitchen for breakfast.

“When are you planning to leave?”

Zhou Haochen glanced at the little one, then replied, `’Perhaps in a little while? Or maybe we’ll stay for a few days?’`

Madam Qin understood immediately that this undoubtedly concerned the little one’s unresolved issue. `’I’ll take her to the park this afternoon,’` she offered, `’to see if we can meet her friend again.’`

“So, what are your plans for the morning? Would you like to come and play at my shop?”

Upon hearing ‘Grandma’s shop,’ the little one, knowing candy awaited, immediately sprang from the sofa. `’Yay! Let’s go to the shop! To the shop!’` she cheered.

Bai Sha and Zhou Haochen exchanged a resigned smile. What else could they do but acquiesce and head to the shop?

****

The morning sun remained oppressively hot. Madam Qin had already departed ahead of them.

Inside, Bai Sha helped the little one and herself into their sun-protective clothing, then handed a hat to Zhou Haochen. `’I know you refuse to wear the full gear, but at least put this hat on properly for me,’` she instructed.

Zhou Haochen accepted the hat and put it on. It was merely a few steps to the car, and he genuinely saw no need for extensive sun protection.

Madam Qin’s candy shop was modest in size. While she had once operated several chain stores, the pandemic had unfortunately reduced them to just this single location.

Upon the family’s arrival at the shop, Madam Qin was already diligently at work, weighing out candies for her customers.

Bai Sha instructed Zhou Haochen to take the little one to play, while she herself went to lend a hand.

Zhou Haochen felt a pang of helplessness. This was clearly an opportunity for mother-in-law and daughter-in-law to bond, and he knew he should simply step aside.

“Auntie, please let me help!”

Madam Qin didn’t refuse, yet seeing her own daughter-in-law offering assistance, she couldn’t shake the feeling of a scene from an idol drama—a domineering CEO arriving at the humble abode of a struggling heroine to help plant rice seedlings.

“Auntie, when did you first open this shop? Zhou Haochen mentioned it’s been quite a few years.”

Madam Qin smiled warmly. `’When he was still a little boy, he absolutely adored candy. So I decided to open a candy shop, just so he could eat as much as he pleased.’`

Upon hearing this, Bai Sha exclaimed in surprise, `’Really?!’`

`’Indeed! When he was in kindergarten, he wouldn’t even go to school unless he had a piece of candy in his mouth. I used to worry he’d eat too much, but by the time he started primary school, he’d completely lost interest.’`

As Madam Qin recounted tales of Zhou Haochen’s childhood, her enthusiasm visibly grew with each memory. It was clear that, compared to the often-busy Zhou Senior, Madam Qin possessed a far more intimate understanding of her son.

She spoke of his last bed-wetting incident, and how she had secretly washed the sheets herself.

She recalled the time he mistook a stranger while shopping, clutching their hand and calling out `’Daddy!’`

These, and other such ‘black history’ (TL Note: A Chinese slang term referring to embarrassing past events or secrets) anecdotes about Zhou Haochen, sent Bai Sha into fits of laughter. She had never imagined he possessed such a mischievous side as a child, given his current demeanor, which was typically mature and composed.

Compared to her own upbringing, he had undeniably enjoyed a wonderful childhood, complete with a loving chronicler who diligently preserved every precious memory.

As Bai Sha listened, she gradually leaned onto the table, her voice muffled as she spoke, `’Madam Qin, you truly are an exceptional mother.’`

Madam Qin, aware of Bai Sha’s past, tenderly stroked her hair. `’Now, I am your mother too,’` she said softly. `’And in time, you will become a wonderful mother yourself.’`

Bai Sha turned her head to gaze at the little one playing with her father in the inner room, and hummed in firm affirmation. ‘Absolutely,’ she thought. ‘Her daughter would most certainly have a joyful childhood.’

She swore it.