Mu Shen paused for a moment, stopping to wait for her.
Ruanruan held his large palm and stood up, noticing that he had stopped, she looked up revealing a sweet smile.
"Ow～" Little Baibai who was a few steps behind clumsily bumped into her, and even tumbled backward in a rolly-polly manner.
"Ow." Little Baibai stared with small eyes, wobbly stood up, shook its fluffy little head, and moved forward a few steps to stand next to Ruanruan.
Mu Shen glanced at them sideways.
"Heh... Little short legs."
Ruanruan "......"
Others "......"
That was definitely a tease, absolutely.
Ruanruan puffed her cheeks, her plump little face suddenly looked like two small pouches, and with her large eyes, she looked just like a little goldfish.
"Ruanruan is small now but will grow tall, and when I grow up, my legs will be as long as Daddy's, and then I can walk really, really fast."
Ruanruan earnestly gestured with her little arms, her envious eyes looking at her father's long legs, which could cover a great distance in a single step.
Mu Shen saw the little monk's serious expression, a flicker of amusement in his eyes.
He didn't refute Ruanruan and continued walking with the little one, only this time he slowed down significantly so that even the little short legs could keep up easily.
The group of people behind them looked on as if they had seen a ghost, their faces filled with horror as they watched the CEO slow down his pace for Little Monk to keep up.
It's done for, has the CEO been replaced? How could he ever consider someone else's feelings? It's always others who consider his.
The people trailing behind followed in a daze until they reached the car and still hadn't snapped out of it.
Mu Shen swept a stern glance over them, and the originally dazed crowd immediately snapped to attention with a perfect military posture, standing straight and tense.
"Do I have to invite you onto the car?" Mu Shen's deep tone snapped everyone to their senses, and they hurried onto the vehicle.
Withdrawing his gaze, he looked at Ruanruan.
"Get in by yourself."
Ruanruan obediently responded and let go of Mu Shen's little paw, clambering into the car with some effort.
Mu Shen looked at his empty hand, having held the little girl only for a moment, and now that he had let go, he felt... a bit uncomfortable.
"Daddy, come in quickly." Ruanruan patted the seat next to her, her black, bright eyes shining as she looked at him.
"Ow-woo ow-woo..."
Little Baibai hopped a few times, its chubby little body stood upright, its front paws resting on the car, but its short back legs just couldn't climb up. After several unsuccessful tries, it looked at Ruanruan with a pitiful whimper.
It was still just a little pup and couldn't climb up.
Ruanruan got down from the seat and, squatting down, extended her arms to lift Little White Wolf into the car.
The driver in front hesitated, wondering if bringing the dog into the car would provoke the CEO's anger.
"Little Monk, maybe you should put the dog in another car."
The boss hated noisy sounds, and he didn't have the heart to see the pretty child scolded later.
Holding Little Baibai, both Ruanruan and the adorable puppy looked at Mu Shen with identical expressions of anticipation.
"Daddy, Little Baibai and I are very, very good. If Little Baibai is away from me, it will be very sad. Please let it stay here, okay?"
Mu Shen shot the driver a cold look, and the latter immediately broke out in a cold sweat, sitting up straight, his heart pounding as if it might leap out of his chest.
It's done for, the boss dislikes it most when others butt into his business.
Mu Shen indifferently withdrew his gaze and looked at the two with similar pitiable expressions.'
"This is not to be taken as a precedent."
Ruanruan immediately cheered with Little Baibai in her arms.
"Daddy is the best, Ruanruan loves Daddy the most." Her voice was soft but clear enough for everyone standing nearby to hear.
The assistant and secretary couldn't help but wish that such adorable child would cling to them, calling them Daddy or Mommy. If it were them, they would definitely hold this little dear in their arms and cherish her, unlike the CEO who stood there icy-cold, seemingly unfazed by scaring the little one.
Yet they had to acknowledge the child's fearless nature, talking to the CEO without a hint of fear.
As soon as Mu Shen entered the car and sat down, Little Monk began to scoot over, inch by inch.
Mu Shen's deep eyes glanced over, and Ruanruan immediately showed a bright white toothy grin, her eyes curving into a smile.
"Daddy." The little one called out and settled down next to him, her hands properly placed on her knees, her little back straight.
The fluffy, plump little wolf pup also laid down quietly at the feet of the little girl, truly not making any fuss.
He really was well-behaved, he thought to himself.
This Little Monk was different from any other child he had met. Those children would cry, shout and jump around when he was not there, unbearable, and when he was present, each and every one of them would tremble with fear, pathetically timid.
This Little Monk really has some nerve, coming all the way over here eagerly.
"Uncle, thank you for what you said just now." Ruanruan expressed her gratitude for the driver's earlier words, worried that if they had upset Daddy, she and Little Baibai might have been abandoned.
"No… no need." The driver wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, relieved that the boss didn't pursue the matter, and then drove away.
The roads in the countryside were somewhat rough and uneven, so despite careful driving, the car still jolted quite a bit.
Ruanruan clung tightly to Mu Shen, her eyes wide open as she excitedly watched the landscape whizzing by outside, her face lit with excitement and thrill.
"Daddy, I've only ever heard Master talk about cars, but Ruanruan has never ridden in one before. This car is so fast, and it's not tiring at all to sit in," she said.
Ruanruan tugged at Mu Shen's arm and spoke to him softly. After she finished, she didn't wait for Mu Shen to respond and she started giggling to herself.
"I'm going to tell Master that Daddy Mu Shen took me for a car ride. It's super pretty."
Mu Shen glanced at her and didn't stop her from talking, but his gaze fixated on her smooth little head before he placed his large hand on it and rubbed it twice.
The feel was nice, just as good as he had imagined.
A slight smile curved the corners of Mu Shen's mouth, but it quickly disappeared as he pursed his lips back into a cold, straight line.
Ruanruan touched her own little head, not quite understanding why, but still she smiled at him.
Ruanruan was initially excited and kept talking, but gradually she became sleepy.
Mu Shen watched the little one's back go from being straight as a rod to increasingly slumped and finally, she toppled over onto him.
Mu Shen "......"
He reached out to push the little one away. As his hand with clearly defined joints touched the Little Monk's head, her soft little paw grabbed his. It was so small that both her hands together weren't as large as one of his palms, and she clung to him tightly.
Ruanruan smacked her lips twice, mumbled "Daddy" in a drowsy voice, and then, with a smile on her face, she fell into a deep sleep.
Mu Shen stared at the little dumpling for a moment before shifting his gaze away and closing his eyes as he leaned back in the seat.
But the hand that Ruanruan was holding was never pulled away.
The car quieted down, yet the silence was not suffocating. Through the rearview mirror, the driver and assistant looked at the adult and child nestled together asleep, appearing very much like a "father and son."
Indeed, those unaware continued to mistake the Little Monk for a boy!
Li Yan averted his gaze discreetly, yet a storm was already brewing inside him. His mind kept replaying the thought: The boss actually let someone lean on him! The CEO actually let someone hold his hand! The CEO actually let that little kid sleep on him!!
Stop, stop, no more thinking about this or there'll be trouble.
Li Yan patted his own head and hurriedly closed his eyes to rest as well. They had been running around for the past few days and had finally settled everything, though it was indeed exhausting.
Driver "......"
Why had everyone fallen asleep?
After some time, the car stopped. Ruanruan slowly opened her eyes, groggy, only to find herself completely lying in a pine-scented embrace.
Ruanruan buried her face into Mu Shen's chest, liking the smell very much. It was different from the scent on Master, yet it was also very nice.
She stealthily curved her eyes, her bald little head nuzzling into Mu Shen's chest.
For a moment, Mu Shen tensed up, contemplating whether to throw this audacious little creature out. But before he could decide, Ruanruan got up on her own.
The Little Monk's tender face had some sleep creases, and her eyes, still clouded with the fog of sleep, blinked, her long, curly lashes fluttering over the back of his hand like a little brush.
After emerging from his embrace, she hugged and rubbed against his hand once more.
Mu Shen "......" Her audacity knew no bounds.
"Sit properly." His low, husky warning voice rang out, and Ruanruan immediately sat up straight, like a well-behaved child, her large eyes looking forward.
Seeing Li Yan looking over from the front, she flashed a sweet smile.
"Hello, big brother," greeted the little one politely.
"Hello, little friend," Li Yan couldn't help but return a genuine smile, captivated by the child's cuteness.
Little Baibai had already woken up, but seeing that Ruanruan was still asleep, it had stayed put. Now that Ruanruan was awake, it promptly stood up and rubbed against her legs, its droopy tail shaking slightly, and its fluffy little ears perking up energetically.
Ruanruan laughed as she stroked Little Baibai's head, before finally turning her gaze outside.
They had arrived at their destination. Mu Shen opened the car door and got out. After standing firm, he instructed Ruanruan coldly to get out.
Ruanruan obediently nodded, and holding Little Baibai, she hopped down.
Standing beside Mu Shen's feet, she gaped at the grand and beautiful villa before her, her eyes wide enough to fit a small egg and her mouth hanging open in amazement.
As Mu Shen walked towards the villa, she hurriedly carried Little Baibai and trotted after him, looking around as she went, her country bumpkin act on full display.
Li Yan found the little one's behavior quite endearing instead of embarrassing.
"Daddy, is this our home? Is Ruanruan going to live here from now on? It's so big. Daddy, you're so amazing to have such a big and beautiful house," Ruanruan said with bright eyes, following Mu Shen's footsteps closely, her mouth babbling nonstop. Unexpectedly, Mu Shen didn't find it annoying at all.