Chapter 919: Chapter 899: Little Doubao, Can You Say That Again?
Previously, it was agreed with Huo Tianpei that Little Doubao would stay at Disheng for a week.
There are only two days left before Little Doubao returns, and Su Yan, already impatient, sent someone ahead to clean up his personal clothes.
Perhaps sensing that he was about to return to his grandfather’s place, Little Doubao’s mood wasn’t as good as it was in the past couple of days.
That afternoon, Zaizai and Little Doubao woke up from their nap.
Jiayi saw that Little Doubao was feeling down. She had planned to take them to the amusement park, but the weather wasn’t looking good, and it seemed like it might rain. Instead, she decided to take them to the garden to prune flowers.
The garden at the Huo Family villa is quite large, located right beside the swimming pool, spanning over 500 square meters in a classical Chinese style.
It has a lawn, flower beds, grape trellises, climbing plant trellises, and a rock garden made of Taihu stones.
It’s usually managed by a gardener, and the whole place is a lush, green oasis.
Zaizai and Little Doubao each held a small spade, imitating Jiayi as they turned the soil and loosened it around the flowers, busy and enjoying themselves.
Within just ten minutes, the melancholy on Little Doubao’s face faded significantly, his cheeks turning rosy.
Jiayi, seeing that the soil had been turned enough, picked up a small pair of scissors and began trimming flower branches as she explained:
"After loosening the soil, you need to cut off these dried and broken branches. Look, these have been eaten by insects and will hinder the growth of the plants. You can cut them all off."
Little Doubao carefully watched Jiayi’s movements. Suddenly, she softly exclaimed, "Oh!" and pulled her hand back.
Sometimes, the rough and tangled branches could accidentally prick a hand. Jiayi didn’t think much of it but noticed Little Doubao’s face had turned pale, his eyes wide in shock, staring at her hand in fear.
She glanced at her finger—it had been pricked, and a small bead of blood had appeared. She quickly said, "It’s okay, it’s just a scratch, nothing to be scared of."
As she was about to wipe away the blood with a tissue, Little Doubao’s eyes reddened, and he mumbled softly: "...It hurts, it hurts..."
Zaizai’s eyes widened: "Mommy, Dou Shabao has spoken!"
Jiayi was equally thrilled and pulled Little Doubao closer: "Little Doubao, can you say it again?"
Little Doubao, still nervous, stared at Jiayi’s small injury, his nose reddened, and whispered, "It hurts..."
He had been frightened by the sight of blood, concerned for her injury, and had spoken out of worry.
Jiayi took a deep breath and quickly guided him: "It’s okay, it doesn’t hurt. It’s just a tiny little scratch."
Zaizai flexed his arm muscles: "Yeah, Dou Shabao, it’s just a small scratch. Both Mommy and I are very brave. Last time when I hurt my leg at the kindergarten sports day and had to go to the hospital, I didn’t cry out in pain!"
He then held Jiayi’s finger and pretended to suck on it as if he were nursing: "See? The blood’s gone now, isn’t it?"
Little Doubao let out a breath, visibly relieved: "It doesn’t hurt... doesn’t hurt anymore."
Jiayi’s heart was moved. She pointed at Zaizai and gently prompted: "He’s your cousin. Can Little Doubao call him by name?"
Zaizai rested his chin on his hands, looking at Little Doubao expectantly with a playful ’Big bro, can you acknowledge me?’ expression.
Little Doubao hesitated as he stared at Zaizai, but under Jiayi’s encouraging gaze, he finally spoke: "Cousin, Zaizai."
"Mommy! Dou Shabao spoke again! Does this mean he’s getting better?" Zaizai cheered enthusiastically.
Jiayi smiled warmly. At this rate, curing his autism didn’t seem impossible at all.
...
By evening, Jiayi took the two little ones out of the garden and back to the house.
While changing shoes at the entryway, Jiayi noticed Huo Zhenyang had returned.
"Daddy! Mommy, Dou Shabao, and I all worked as gardeners this afternoon in the garden!"
Zaizai barely stepped inside but was already eagerly reporting while switching his shoes.
Huo Zhenyang glanced at the mud on the hands of the two little ones, then his gaze shifted to the adhesive bandage wrapped around Jiayi’s finger. His sharp features tightened as his tone rose: "Auntie Li, prepare the water. Get the two young masters ready for their bath."
As he spoke, he moved to the entryway and, while the two little ones were bent over to change their shoes and not paying attention, grabbed Jiayi’s hand and pulled her into his arms. His voice lowered, full of displeasure and intense reproach: "Has the gardener gone on strike? Why do you need to prune branches and uproot bugs in the garden? And what’s wrong with your hand—are you looking for trouble again?"
Before he could finish, his shirt was tugged.
Looking down, Little Doubao wasn’t even done taking off one of his sneakers, with its laces scattered on the floor. But he didn’t care—he was staring at Huo Zhenyang with fear in his eyes.
Jiayi quickly pushed someone away, embarrassed: "Little Doubao, he isn’t really going to hit me."
Zaizai seemed used to this dynamic and muttered while changing into slippers: "Dou Shabao, don’t worry. This is nothing. Daddy’s worst habit is throwing Mommy onto the bed and spanking her butt..."
Jiayi quickly covered the little rascal’s mouth, frowning: "Stop it."
Little Doubao seemed to understand a bit and realized the man in front of him wasn’t truly going to punish Jiayi, so he exhaled deeply.
Just then, Jiayi took Little Doubao’s hand and looked at Huo Zhenyang: "Little Doubao, do you remember what I taught you this afternoon?"
Huo Zhenyang’s eyes flickered slightly.
Little Doubao looked at Jiayi, and under her encouraging gaze, gathered his courage to look at Huo Zhenyang. Though his lips struggled, he clearly uttered two words: "Uncle."
For a normal child, such an address might mean little, but for a child with autism, it was no small feat.
That this boy would willingly speak up and even call him Uncle was astonishing.
Huo Zhenyang’s eyes revealed a trace of surprise as he glanced at Jiayi.
Jiayi beamed with delight and patted Little Doubao’s head, praising: "Little Doubao is so smart. Now, let’s go upstairs with Zaizai for a bath and change of clothes, then come back downstairs for dinner, okay?"
Zaizai held Little Doubao’s hand, and Little Doubao didn’t resist. He obediently held his cousin’s hand and walked upstairs with Auntie Li.
"How did you pull that off?" Huo Zhenyang gazed at Little Doubao’s retreating figure, his tone half teasing.
"Little Doubao’s autism isn’t particularly severe. From what I’ve observed these past few days, the main reason he doesn’t speak is because he suffered psychological trauma when he was transferred from his adoptive parents to the orphanage. If you treat him well and show him that there are people who care for him, he’ll definitely get better over time." Jiayi paused and continued:
"Oh, by the way, I’m going to Dr. An Haokang’s clinic for therapy tomorrow. I plan to take Little Doubao along with me and see if Dr. An can provide some guidance—it might help with his autism."
Seeing her enthusiasm, Huo Zhenyang tilted her chin upward and locked her in his gaze: "Don’t you think you’re being a bit too zealous about Little Doubao?"
There was a faint hint of jealousy in his tone.
This woman seemed to care about a child she’d only recently met more than she cared about him.
She sighed: "I’m kind to him because he’s your nephew."
Being good to Little Doubao was not just out of pity for the child but largely because he shared the same bloodline as Huo Zhenyang.
