Gu Zhihan's movements involuntarily paused, his hand freezing on her soft, tender cheek as he wiped her tears.
Had he just heard her speak?
"Can you talk now?" Gu Zhihan's ink-black eyes stared intently at her, his youthful voice slightly excited.
"It seems so…" Luo Mengmeng blinked blankly, instinctively opening her mouth to answer his question.
"You dummy, what do you mean 'it seems so'? You clearly can talk now."
Although Gu Zhihan's tone wasn't great, the corners of his thin lips lifted, his fingers continuing to wipe the tear stains from her cheeks.
Luo Mengmeng fluttered her eyes, watching his small hands wiping her tears. Her heart fluttered uncontrollably, and as soon as he finished, she suddenly leaned close to him.
Very close, very close.
Their noses were already touching each other.
"Hey, why are you so close to me?" Gu Zhihan, staring at the toddler so close at hand, suddenly had a bad premonition just as he was about to pull away when a pair of soft, small hands had already wrapped around his neck.
"Because… I want to thank you, husband, for your protection."
After Luo Mengmeng finished speaking in her milky voice, she puckered her lips and "smacked" a kiss on his face to express her deep gratitude.
He was kissed!
His first... kiss... was gone!!!
Gu Zhihan's fluffy cheeks immediately turned red at a speed visible to the naked eye, his dark eyes fixated on Luo Mengmeng still clinging to his face.
Inside, he roared non-stop, was this how she repaid his kindness!!!
"Jeez—My heavens!"
Teacher Tao, who was dealing with a little boy's nosebleed, inhaled sharply upon seeing the two toddlers kiss.
The other children in the class also widened their eyes, staring unblinkingly at the two.
They usually only saw their parents kissing, and seeing their peers doing the same today felt unexpectedly admirable, as if they had done something that shocked the world.
"Luo Mengmeng, get off me!"
Gu Zhihan finally snapped back to reality, his face flush spreading from his cheeks to his ears and down to his neck in anger as he stretched out his small hand to push her away, instantly dispersing the slight pity he had felt moments ago.
Had he known she would "return kindness with ingratitude" by taking advantage of him, he wouldn't have stood up for her!
Luo Mengmeng looked at his flushed face, bit her pale little finger, and whispered, "Husband, don't be shy, we have a childhood betrothal, we're destined to be married in the future. It's normal for a husband and wife to kiss!"
Interestingly, since Mengmeng had suddenly started talking, her speaking skills seemed like they were on a roll, as if catching up on all the days she hadn't been able to speak.
They actually had a childhood betrothal?
Teacher Tao and the children listened, stunned, and looked at them incredulously.
It was already 2002, and China had been established for decades, how could there still be parents arranging old-fashioned marriages?
"Could you just shut up!" He was utterly embarrassed.
Gu Zhihan was completely and utterly annoyed by Luo Mengmeng.
The consequence of this annoyance was that he ignored her all day.
When school ended, he took his backpack and left on his own.
"Husband, don't walk so fast!" Luo Mengmeng, still packing her backpack and seeing him about to leave the classroom, didn't even zip up her bag before she immediately scurried after him on her little legs.
"…"
Gu Zhihan kept walking on his own, but hearing her breathless voice, the little boy pursed his lips, eventually slowing his pace slightly.
Behind them, the brilliant sunset bathed the two little ones in a soft glow.