During the summer, the sun always seemed to rise swiftly in the early morning.
Perhaps because she had slept a bit too much the previous day, Fu Yunrou woke up earlier than usual today.
She glanced over at her baby, noticing that he was still sound asleep, so she quietly got out of bed. To ensure his safety, she placed a pillow at the edge of the bed before leaving the room.
The baby was still too young to roll over, so there was no real worry about him falling off the bed.
Leaving the door slightly ajar, Fu Yunrou went to prepare breakfast and tidy up the courtyard. After she finished, she returned to check if the baby had woken up.
As expected, when she entered, the baby was already awake, quietly entertaining himself on the bed.
After caring for him for over three months, Fu Yunrou had learned many of the baby's habits. No matter how deeply he slept, if she wasn't beside him when he woke, he would stir quickly.
She smiled as she scooped him into her arms. "Good morning, baby! You're even cuter today!"
Fu Yunrou spoke softly as she swiftly tidied him up, fed him, and placed him in his pram. One thing she appreciated about him was that he didn't need to be held constantly. Although the baby was small, he was chubby, and carrying him for too long made her arms ache. Luckily, he was calm and content to sit in the pram while she stayed close by, quietly watching without making a fuss.
After finishing her breakfast, Fu Yunrou was washing the dishes when she heard a familiar voice outside the courtyard.
"Ruoruo, are you there?"
"Aunt Mei, I'm here!" Fu Yunrou called out, raising her voice just a bit.
Aunt Mei quickly entered, smiling warmly. "I thought you'd be awake by now."
Fu Yunrou smiled shyly, feeling a bit embarrassed.
"Have you had breakfast? I made some porridge."
"You don't need to worry about me." Aunt Mei, seeing the work waiting in the vegetable patch, walked over and added, "Didn't you say you wanted to dry the vegetables? I'm free today, so let's get to it."
Aunt Mei bent down to begin pulling out the mustard greens.
Fu Yunrou's eyes brightened. "Thank you, Aunt Mei!" she said sweetly, before heading over to help with the vegetables.
Aunt Mei waved her off, saying, "Go fetch a basket for the greens."
Fu Yunrou dashed into the kitchen to retrieve the basket. Together, they harvested the vegetables, rinsed them, and carried them to the kitchen.
After removing her straw hat, Fu Yunrou wiped her brow, her skin slightly flushed from the sun. But she didn't mind. The thought of preparing the vegetables filled her with energy and excitement.
Inside the kitchen, Fu Yunrou sat in front of the earthen stove, tending the fire. Aunt Mei stood beside her, blanching the mustard greens in a large iron pot of boiling water.
The baby carriage sat nearby, facing away from the stove to avoid any danger. Chi Wen's large, dark eyes followed Fu Yunrou's every move, never making a sound. His quiet, watchful gaze melted her heart. She found it hard to leave him alone, even for a short while.
"Have you decided on a name for the baby yet?" Aunt Mei asked casually as she stirred the greens.
"Not yet," Fu Yunrou replied, her face showing her frustration.
Ever since she decided to keep the baby, she had wrestled with the decision of what to name him. She even bought a dictionary to help her find inspiration.
She knew that, in the original novel, the baby was called Chi Wen, but that name carried a tragic fate. She wanted her child to have a happy, fresh start, so she'd been hesitant to keep the same name.
While Fu Chi Wen was a good name in theory, it didn't align with her personal taste. Fortunately, since she hadn't registered the baby's household yet, she wasn't in a rush to settle on a name.
After he was born, the demands of caring for him had pushed the naming decision to the back of her mind. Now, with Aunt Mei's question, Fu Yunrou realized she needed to decide soon.
Aunt Mei smiled as she continued boiling the greens. "When the baby was born, your uncle checked the time of his birth and said he's lacking in water. I know people nowadays aren't as superstitious, but it doesn't hurt to be mindful of it for the child's sake. Believe it or not, it's worth considering."
She wasn't pressing Fu Yunrou to follow their advice, knowing that as an outsider, Fu Yunrou wasn't bound by local customs. After all, she clearly came from the city, even though she was now well-acquainted with country life.
Aunt Mei still remembered the day Fu Yunrou had first arrived, crying her heart out on her doorstep. That had softened Aunt Mei's heart, and she had taken the young woman under her wing ever since.
She and her husband had only one son, a university student who now lived in the city. Although they missed him dearly, he only visited once a year, and even skipped last New Year to focus on his internship. It was hard for them, but they didn't want to burden him.
If they'd had a daughter, she would have been as lovable as Fu Yunrou, Aunt Mei often thought.
Fu Yunrou smiled. "Uncle is so thoughtful." She didn't say whether she believed in superstitions or not, but she couldn't help but wonder if the name Chi Wen had been chosen for the same reason.
If that were true, the original owner's tragic fate seemed even more unfortunate.
Perhaps the name had been given to her at the orphanage, scribbled down when she was abandoned.
What if she gave her baby a new name?
Suddenly, inspiration struck. "Fu Wenwen!" Fu Yunrou exclaimed, clapping her hands. "That's it! I'll call him Fu Wenwen. I want his life to be full of warmth."
It was a new name that symbolized hope, and it allowed her to honor the original owner's legacy.
She looked to Aunt Mei for approval.
Aunt Mei chuckled. "It's a lovely name—adorable and fitting for the baby."
Chi Wen, who had been quietly playing with his chubby feet, was not amused. This name did not suit his mature, dignified self at all. He let out a protesting "Wah!"
Fu Yunrou looked over, grinning in surprise. "It seems like Baobao loves the name too!"
"Isn't that right, little Wenwen?"
"Ahhh!" No! Chi Wen flailed his arms in protest, hoping the adults would notice his dissatisfaction.
"Look how excited the baby is!"
"Yes, he's thrilled!" Aunt Mei added with a laugh.
Chi Wen: "..." These adults don't understand me at all!
Annoyed, Chi Wen decided to ignore them, closing his eyes in a show of defiance. Maybe then they'd understand how strongly he rejected this name.
"Is Baobao going to sleep?" Fu Yunrou peeked over to check on him.
Chi Wen stayed silent, refusing to give any response.
Taking the hint, Fu Yunrou and Aunt Mei lowered their voices and continued their conversation.
"By the way, Aunt Mei, are there any jobs I can take on around here to earn some money?"
"Are you in need of money?" Aunt Mei asked, surprised.
"No, no," Fu Yunrou quickly denied. "I just don't want to sit around doing nothing. I have Baobao to raise!"
Aunt Mei considered this, then said, "This village is quite remote, and most of the work is self-sustained. The shops in town are family-run, so they don't hire outsiders."
Fu Yunrou's face fell slightly. It was no surprise that job opportunities were scarce in the countryside.
"You already have your hands full with the baby. How could you find time for a job? If you ever run low on funds, don't hesitate to ask me or your uncle. We don't spend much, so we've got some savings."
Fu Yunrou smiled gratefully. "You've already done so much by letting us stay. I couldn't ask for more. And you're right, it's hard to find a job while I'm caring for Baobao."
"Well, if anything suitable comes up, I'll let you know," Aunt Mei promised, making a mental note to keep an eye out.
Chi Wen, who had been pretending to ignore the conversation, perked up slightly as he overheard. Was this woman struggling to support him?
He brooded. Would she abandon him because of money?
*Hmph!* Once he grew up and became a renowned actor, he would earn millions with a single advertisement. Then, she'd regret ever worrying about money. But for now, his exhaustion took over, and he drifted off to sleep.
Seeing that Baobao was sound asleep, Fu Yunrou gently carried him to the bedroom, laying him down before adjusting the small fan to blow indirectly.
Afterward, she went back outside to help Aunt Mei spread the mustard greens out in the sun.
"The sun's too strong right now," Aunt Mei warned. "You'll get burned."
"It's fine! My skin is tough," Fu Yunrou joked. But Aunt Mei waved her back toward the house.
"You'd better keep an eye on the baby. He might fall off the bed."
"No way! My baby can't even roll over yet."
"Well, babies can start flipping over by three months. Better be careful!"
Fu Yunrou paused, taking the advice to heart.