Fu Yun Ruo stood in a spot where she wouldn't disturb anyone. Quietly, she stayed beside Uncle Guo, watching him tend to the flowers and plants.
Before long, she felt the baby move behind her and suddenly realized she hadn't fed him since they arrived. Turning to Uncle Guo, she said, "Uncle Guo, I'll go check on the baby."
"Go ahead," Uncle Guo responded impatiently without even looking up.
Fu Yun Ruo hurriedly left the flower shed. As she stepped outside, a wave of heat hit her face. The temperature was noticeably higher than in the flower shed. Worried the baby might not handle the heat, she quickly made her way to the bungalow.
Once inside, she didn't bother with anything else. Spotting a ceiling fan in the living room, she turned it on immediately before untying the baby. She placed him on her lap and touched his body—he was warmer than usual, but his bright, sparkling eyes showed no discomfort.
Fu Yun Ruo rubbed his smooth, tender little face. "You're doing great today! You didn't cry at all."
She was relieved the baby wasn't upset. The last thing she wanted was for him to cry and irritate Uncle Guo. If he got angry and chased them away, they would lose their job. The baby was too sensible for his own good.
Excited by how well he was behaving, Fu Yun Ruo changed his diaper, fed him some milk, and placed him in the stroller. She glanced outside at the scorching sun and hesitated. The flower shed wasn't far, but she didn't dare go out with the baby in such heat. He was only four months old, and a heatstroke would be dangerous.
Fortunately, the small bungalow was well-insulated. The stuffy heat from outside didn't seep in, and the ceiling fan provided a cool breeze. The baby remained quiet in his stroller, occasionally moving his little hands and feet.
Fu Yun Ruo checked the time—it wasn't even 11 a.m. yet, and there was no need to prepare lunch. The baby was being so obedient, so she decided to do some research on orchids on her phone. She needed to get better at her job, but with little knowledge of orchids, she felt helpless. It was time for a crash course.
Meanwhile, Chi Wen occasionally moved his hands and feet, his gaze drifting toward the woman engrossed in her phone. He decided to leave her alone for now. If she had a job, she'd be able to support him, right? Though, a thousand yuan wasn't much—he still needed to save up. Once he could walk and talk, he'd help make money.
Chi Wen thought to himself, If I start earning money early, maybe this woman won't abandon me.
Fu Yun Ruo was busy identifying various orchid species online, then comparing them to the plants around her. There were plenty of potted plants outside the bungalow, and she could easily keep an eye on the baby while studying them. She congratulated herself on her cleverness, pleased with how she managed to be productive while still being attentive to her child.
She pushed the stroller to the door, ensuring the temperature was just right, not too hot or cold. "Baby, Mommy is right here. Be good!"
Taking a few steps toward the plants, Fu Yun Ruo turned back to check on the baby, who remained quiet. Satisfied, she knelt beside the flower seedlings and carefully studied them.
Each species of orchid had its own unique traits. Experienced gardeners could easily tell them apart, but Fu Yun Ruo was a novice. While she could recognize some species by their flowers, identifying them by seedlings alone was challenging. She set a goal to learn how to distinguish at least ten species by the end of the day.
After spending a considerable amount of time comparing pictures and real plants, Fu Yun Ruo finally managed to identify a few orchids. A wave of accomplishment washed over her as she wiped the sweat from her forehead, her face flushed from the sun.
Just as she prepared to continue, she heard the baby babbling from the doorway.
"Wen Wen, what's wrong? Mommy's here!" she called, rushing over.
Chi Wen angrily smacked the stroller, glaring at her. *Can't you see how hot it is? You're out here in the sun, risking a heatstroke!*
"I'm sorry, Wen Wen. Mommy got caught up in her work and neglected you. But you'll forgive Mommy, right?" she cooed, rubbing his chubby little face to make amends.
Chi Wen pressed his small, soft hand against her face, as if to push her away. Don't rub your sweaty face on me. It's dirty!
Fu Yun Ruo was touched, thinking he was wiping her sweat. She kissed his little hand several times. "You're the best!"
Chi Wen's face turned red from her kisses. Despite feeling annoyed, he let out a few more cries, his voice unintentionally sweet. Fu Yun Ruo couldn't help but kiss him again.
After checking his diaper, she found that he hadn't wet himself, so she didn't change him. They played together for a while until he quieted down. Just as Fu Yun Ruo thought she could return to her work, Chi Wen started fussing again.
"Ah ah! Boo wah ah bah..." Chi Wen babbled. You think being beautiful means you can do whatever you want? Just because you don't tan easily now doesn't mean you won't in the future! Keep going out in the sun, and your skin will be ruined!
In the end, Fu Yun Ruo stayed indoors, abandoning her orchid identification. Every time she tried to go out, Wen Wen would fuss. But inside, he remained calm. Despite her disbelief, she began to think her baby was worried about her well-being. She was so touched!
Deciding not to disappoint him, Fu Yun Ruo stayed by his side, studying orchid care on her phone. At 11:30 a.m., she began preparing lunch.
The kitchen was a small room on the far right of the bungalow, but it was fully equipped with an induction cooker, rice cooker, and electric pot. A small pool was next to the counter, while a table and stools occupied the opposite side. In one corner, there was a refrigerator and a rice vat.
Fu Yun Ruo rummaged through the fridge but found it nearly empty. She steamed some rice and, after searching, found two potatoes. She remembered there was a vegetable patch outside the house. Although it mostly had seedlings, she could pick some lettuce.
She gathered a few scallions and lettuce, just enough to make two simple dishes. No wonder Uncle Guo is so thin, she thought. With such light meals, how could he not be?
After cutting the potatoes into thin strips and soaking them, she washed the vegetables. Then, she realized she had no idea when Uncle Guo would be back for lunch—and she didn't have his phone number. The baby couldn't be left alone, and it was the hottest time of day. She couldn't risk taking him outside.
After thinking for a moment, Fu Yun Ruo came up with a solution. She hurried to the farthest corner of the house and shouted toward the flower shed, "Uncle Guo, it's time to eat!" Then, she rushed back inside.
It took less than a minute, but Fu Yun Ruo was already panting. Seeing that the baby wasn't crying, she silently praised herself. Soon after, she heard footsteps and saw Uncle Guo approaching.
"Uncle Guo, I've made a couple of dishes. They'll be ready soon," she said, rushing back to the kitchen.
Uncle Guo's face was sour, and he looked as if he wanted to say something. But when he saw the baby staring up at him with a toothless smile, his expression softened.
Chi Wen observed the old man, who clearly wasn't easy to get along with. He thought it wise to be polite. Waving his chubby hand, he greeted, "Ah! Hello, Grandpa Guo."
Uncle Guo glanced at the baby, then looked away without acknowledging him further. He didn't smile, coo, or even step closer. It was as if Chi Wen didn't exist.
What a strange old man, Chi Wen thought. He doesn't like kids at all. This was the first time his charm had failed.
Fu Yun Ruo quickly stir-fried the shredded potatoes and lettuce. When she called Uncle Guo to eat, she apologized, "I only had these ingredients, so I made something simple."
Uncle Guo said nothing, simply glancing at the two dishes before sitting down to eat. They ate in silence, and when Fu Yun Ruo finished washing the dishes, Uncle Guo had already disappeared.
She guessed he had returned to the flower shed. She wanted to join him, but Wen Wen needed to drink milk and nap.
Cradling the baby, Fu Yun Ruo rocked him to sleep. She placed him in the stroller and covered him with a light blanket. He snored softly, his little face peaceful.
Fu Yun Ruo smiled and continued her work from the morning.
Before she knew it, the afternoon had passed, and it was six o'clock. Aunt Mei arrived promptly to pick them up.
"Uncle Guo, we're heading back now," Fu Yun Ruo said, finding him before they left.
Without saying much, Uncle Guo handed her a set of keys. "Take these," he said with a wave, shooing them off.
Fu Yun Ruo looked at the keys, guessing they were for the main gate and bungalow. She accepted them grat
There weren't many keys, only three. Fu Yun thought that they might be the keys to the main gate and the small bungalow, so she accepted them.
She reminded him, "I've made dinner. Remember to eat dinner." There was nothing to do in the afternoon. She thought for a while and watered the vegetable field and cooked dinner.
After Fu Yun said goodbye to Uncle Guo, she carried the baby and went home with Aunt Mei.
Aunt Mei smiled and asked, "How was your first day at work? Old Guo didn't make things difficult for you, right? "
"No, Uncle Guo is quite a nice person." Although he ignored her the whole day …
"That's right. Other than cooking a meal, I couldn't help with anything. I didn't do anything for the whole day." Fu Yun felt that she was here to get a salary. She felt embarrassed to take such a small salary.
"It's only your first day. Take it slow. Besides, that old man treasures his flowers and plants. If he's willing to teach you, he'll teach you. If he's not willing, don't worry about anything else. Just make him lunch."
Fu Yun nodded.
When she got home, she tidied herself and the baby up. She lay on the bed comfortably and continued to search for information.
She wandered around the Internet and actually found an orchid lovers' forum. She saw that the posts were full of useful information. It was as if she had opened a new world. She read the popular science posts seriously.