Chapter 88 (2/2)

Lin ShuYi took Tao Tao from Shen Fu’s arms and sat in the back with Aunt Shen and Xiao Yu. Then they drove back to the Shen Family’s home.

Old Master Shen was calmly practicing calligraphy. Father Shen and Mother Shen had come back from their shopping trip. In the end, Mother Shen had not been able to resist buying a pile of children products. However, they were for children of all ages, such as soft towels, pale blue children’s quilts suitable for girls and boys, and kids water bottles. The items filled the sofa to the brim, and she was still in high spirits as she introduced each item to Big Brother Shen as if enumerating one’s family valuables.

Everyone began staring unanimously at the door as soon as the doorbell rang. Then they saw Lin ShuYi holding one and Shen Fu leading another one in together, and all stared till their eyes were as round as a ball.

Xiao Yu jumped in fright upon seeing their attitudes. Shen Fu patted his head to soothe him, and then walked forward while holding his hand to introduce him one by one to everyone, “This is Great-Grandpa.”

Xiao Yu looked at him and obediently and cleverly nodded as he greeted, “Great-Grandpa.”

Old Master Shen looked at the obedient and cute little shota in front of him. He didn’t know what expression to show on his face. He had not even made any preparations, yet he had already become a great-grandfather?

Seeing that Great-Grandpa did not reply to him for a long time, Xiao Yu was somewhat nervous. After a long while, he forced himself to show a big smile and called again, “Great-Grandpa.”

Only then did Old Master Shen react. He stroked Xiao Yu’s soft hair with trembling hands, “Hey, what’s your name?”

“Great-Grandpa, my name is Lin Yu.”

This was what Shen Fu and Lin ShuYi told him on the way here. His name was Lin Yu and Tao Tao was Shen Tao.

“Lin Yu ah.” Old Master Shen looked at the one in Lin ShuYi’s arms, and smiled so widely that his eyes squinted, “Great-Grandpa likes this name very much. Then I will call you Xiao Yu, okay?”

Xiao Yu nodded, “As long as Great-Grandpa likes it, you can call Xiao Yu anything.”

A trace of love flashed in Old Master Shen’s eyes, then he affectionately taught the child, “No, people can only call you this if Xiao Yu likes them. If you don’t like it, no one has the right to call you by that name.”

Years of living in the welfare institution had made Xiao Yu accustomed to expressing his attitude according to other people’s ideas. Now the Shen Family would slowly teach him that he could express his attitude according to his own ideas without caring about others opinions. This was his right.

Xiao Yu nodded his head even though he did not really understand, and then said, “I really like Grandpa calling me Xiao Yu.”

Old Master Shen smiled so widely that his eyes narrowed into slits. The child may be very smart. He absorbed it with a little teaching.

Shen Fu led Xiao Yu around and asked him to greet Father Shen, Mother Shen and Shen Yan one by one. Everyone liked this clever and lovable child very much after he had finished.

Lin ShuYi sat down on the sofa with Tao Tao in his arms. Mother Shen’s eyes were shining as she leaned over, wanting to embrace this small milk bun. However, she was afraid that he would be shy around strangers. Who knew that once Tao Tao saw her reaching out, he immediately giggled and reached out too, “Tao Tao, this is Grandma.”

Tao Tao could already say Grandma, it was just that the ones he called as such before were the middle-aged aunties that took care of them. Now that he was teased like this by Mother Shen, he instantly smiled and started to call ‘Grandma’.

Shen Mu did not dislike this address which implied her being called old at all. It had been more than twenty years since she last took care of such a child and had already forgotten that a child at such an age could already call people. She had originally been teasing him, who knew Tao Tao really addressed her as Grandma?

Mother Shen was pleasantly surprised and turned to Father Shen, “Listen, listen. The little milk bun can talk!”

Father Shen was also pleasantly surprised. He did not have his usual graveness and solemnness, instead only smiles showed on his face, “Come on, call Grandpa.”

Tao Tao was stunned and imitated the shape of Father Shen’s mouth. It was obvious that he did not know how to say Grandpa.

“Gwanpa, gwanpa.”

Father Shen was a little depressed, but he spared no effort to teach him, “Not gwanpa. It’s Grandpa, Grandpa.”

Tao Tao jumped up and down in Mother Shen’s arms, “Gwanpa, gwanpa.”

Mother Shen burst into laughter, and even Lin ShuYi could not help laughing.

Father Shen was unwilling to give up. He looked around and finally picked up a children’s snack on the table that Mother Shen had just bought. There was a string of English words on the bag, and inside were biscuits that were very similar to the mini version of steamed buns. Father Shen shook it and asked Lin ShuYi, “Can he eat this?”

Lin ShuYi kept the doctor’s instructions in mind. Although he could not understand English, he could read the Chinese label on the back. He looked at the ingredient list and was still not assured so he opened it for a taste. It melted in his mouth instantly and there was a faint milky taste. Since Tao Tao could eat this, he nodded.

Only then was Father Shen reassured. He was about to pick it up with his hands when he paused. Then he asked the Auntie to bring a spoon after thinking for a moment. He still remembered that he could not feed such a young child without washing his hands. Finally, he scooped one up and waved it in front of Tao Tao’s eyes to continue his pronunciation lessons.

Tao Tao had already noticed it long before Father Shen picked it up and could not stop smiling.

“Sweet, sweet.”

He even knows ‘sweet’? Father Shen thought that he would surely learn the word ‘Grandpa’ since this little baby was so smart. He never imagined that Tao Tao just felt that it was very similar to the sugar pills that the doctor gave to him. This was why he knew how to pronounce this word that was more difficult.

With single-hearted devotion, Father Shen placed a tamago boro near Tao Tao’s mouth, “Tao Tao, call Grandpa. Grandpa.”

Tao Tao turned his head and stared at him. It seemed that he knew he had to learn this before he could eat. He gravely concentrated on Father Shen’s mouth shape. Finally, he opened his mouth and let out a sound, “Ah pa pa!”

Father Shen was dejected.

Big Brother Shen could not resist as he snorted in laughter behind Father Shen. Then he reached out and took the soft and adorable little bun into his arms. Though he was a little awkward, he gently and cautiously carried the little bun in his arms and teased him.

“Uncle, uncle.”

The person who carried him had changed again. Tao Tao measured the man before him, and happily began to call this handsome uncle, “Uncle.”

Father Shen was totally depressed. It looked like he could call everyone except for Grandpa?

Xiao Yu, who was talking with Old Master Shen, saw the entire incident. Thus, he walked up to explain the situation with a smile, “Tao Tao can’t say Grandpa because there were no elderly men at the welfare institution. He knows how to say uncle because the doctor who checked Tao Tao is a middle-aged man.”

Father Shen was cured in an instant. He hugged his eldest grandson and lifted him in his arms, “Since Tao Tao can’t call me, then Xiao Yu should say it a few times more.”

Xiao Yu obediently called, “Grandpa.”

Father Shen glowed with happiness.

Aunt Shen, who was watching the happy family, dragged her feet as she walked over, “Why don’t you just call me Great Aunt, I don’t dislike being called old.”

Even this guy, Alan, was called Great Uncle. Suddenly, she did not dislike being called old. Instead, she felt that being addressed as Great Aunt made her heart warm.

The whole family laughed.