One month later.
Gu Ran, the live-streaming host who had not appeared in public since her pregnancy, announced the happy news on both Weibo and Cat's Paw platforms. She posted a photo of a tiny baby's hand with the caption: "It's a baby girl~"
The photo immediately shot to the top of the trending searches. Far from being forgotten as Gu Ran had feared, her popularity soared to unprecedented heights.
In the hospital room, their daughter had just finished her milk and fallen asleep in Ji Shiyu's arms. Gu Ran gazed contentedly at the baby's sleeping face.
The more Gu Ran looked at her daughter's little face, the more pleased she became. "I told you she looks like me," she said. Although only a few days old, one could faintly see that the baby's facial features and contours followed hers, promising great beauty in the future.
Ji Shiyu's gaze was tender as he nodded. "She does look like you."
Gu Ran was immensely smug that her genes had played the dominant role this time. She specifically asked Ji Shiyu, "The baby looks like me, not you. Aren't you even a little bit jealous?"
"It's fine," Ji Shiyu answered softly. "As long as she takes after me in her studies later."
Gu Ran: "..."
She gave Ji Shiyu a few more light punches.
Her academic performance wasn't bad, okay! It just wasn't like Ji Shiyu and Gu Mingjing, who perennially occupied the top two spots in their grade. She got into a 211 university!
Just as Gu Ran finished huffily delivering her punches, the daughter who had been sound asleep in Ji Shiyu's arms suddenly began to cry.
She had probably been startled by Gu Ran's movements.
The two of them began to coax her, flustered and at a loss. The nanny outside heard the commotion and hurried in.
...
Their daughter's formal name was Ji Xiran.
Ji Shiyu was more than satisfied, utterly without complaint, that their daughter looked like Gu Ran.
Especially as little Ji Xiran grew day by day, wearing puffy princess dresses and butterfly hair bows, sucking her finger and calling him "Daddy" in a soft voice. Pink and delicate like carved jade, she was the spitting image of a mini Gu Ran. Ji Shiyu felt that life couldn't be more perfect.
Gu Ran was excellent at dressing their daughter. Because they looked alike, matching mother-daughter outfits came naturally to her.
When she wore Hanfu, she dressed her daughter in a mini version of the same Hanfu. When she cosplayed, she dressed her daughter in the same cosplay outfit.
Once, when Ji Shiyu was on a business trip abroad, Gu Ran and their daughter were at home wearing matching powder blue Hanfu. Gu Ran held their daughter's hand, and the two of them stood together, filming a video in front of the mirror.
"Husband, when are you coming back?"
"Daddy, when are you coming back!"
In that moment, Ji Shiyu wished he could drop everything and fly straight back to them.
And he practically did just that, compressing a two-week itinerary into just five days.
That night, after first lulling their daughter to sleep, Ji Shiyu held Gu Ran close, affectionately.
She had gained an added charm after giving birth. Gu Ran complained all night that her back was about to break.
...
Little Ji Xiran was deeply doted on at home from a young age, especially by her grandfather, who almost spoiled her rotten.
Ji Heyuan held his granddaughter in his palm, fearing she might fall, and kept her in his mouth, fearing she might melt. Every time he had a gathering with old friends, he would bring Ji Xiran along to show off his granddaughter in front of the group of old men.
Ji Shiyu considered himself quite indulgent with his daughter, but he had to admit defeat in the face of his own father's doting.
He didn't think it was a bad thing, however, until one time when Ji Heyuan, as usual, wanted to take Ji Xiran to stay at Beiyi for a couple of days.
Ji Xiran was very excited at the prospect of staying with Grandpa for two days, bouncing up and down, which left both Gu Ran and Ji Shiyu somewhat puzzled.
It seemed she liked Grandpa even more than she liked Mom and Dad.
Gu Ran and Ji Shiyu delivered their daughter into Grandpa's hands at Beiyi. Originally planning for a two-day stay, they decided to return unexpectedly on the second day to see how the grandfather and granddaughter were actually getting along.
As they approached, they heard the sounds of Ji Xiran's favorite cartoon.
“Be good, baby, have one more bite.”
“Ah, our baby is so wonderful.”
Peering through the window into the living room, they saw Ji Xiran sitting on the sofa, eyes glued to the cartoon on TV without blinking, a lollipop dangling from her mouth. A servant stood nearby, while Ji Heyuan sat on a small stool in front of the sofa, holding a cartoon bowl, feeding Ji Xiran bite by bite, praising her with each bite: "Baby is so wonderful."
Gu Ran: "..."
Ji Shiyu: "..."
Now they finally understood why Ji Xiran loved coming to Grandpa's place so much.
Ji Shiyu looked at his father, who was chasing after his granddaughter to feed her, having completely shed his former chairman demeanor, and sighed with emotion.
The two of them entered quietly, like inspectors on a surprise visit.
Both Ji Heyuan and Ji Xiran were caught off guard.
Ji Shiyu took Ji Xiran away for a talk. Ji Heyuan tried to intervene but was stopped by Gu Ran, who very seriously told him that Dad couldn't spoil Xixi like this.
Ji Shiyu took Ji Xiran to a small room, looking at his daughter whose face still bore traces of syrup.
At home, she wasn't allowed to be fed, couldn't eat candy freely, and certainly couldn't watch TV while being fed and eating candy.
No wonder their daughter loved coming to Grandpa's so much.
Ji Shiyu had always known his father doted on his granddaughter, but he never imagined it had reached this extent.
It seemed the previous times when they were present had all been an act. Behind their backs, he spoiled the child rotten.
Ji Shiyu crouched down to speak calmly with his daughter at eye level. "Has Daddy ever said you can't watch TV while eating?"
Ji Xiran, almost four years old, knew she was wrong. She hung her head and answered in a very small voice, "Yes."
Ji Shiyu: "Has Daddy ever said you can't eat candy whenever you want, that it will ruin your teeth?"
Ji Xiran twisted her fingers. "Yes, that too."
Ji Shiyu: "You're almost four years old and still let Grandpa feed you. Are you a big kid now?"
Ji Shiyu's tone wasn't harsh, but he was dealing with a little spoiled brat. As soon as he finished, he saw Ji Xiran's little mouth pucker up, and then large teardrops began to fall, plop plop.
“Sorry, Daddy.” Ji Xiran cried, gasping for breath between sobs, golden teardrops falling one after another, her expression utterly wronged.
Ji Shiyu had intended to say more, but seeing his daughter's tear-streaked face, he realized in that moment the downside of having a daughter who looked too much like Gu Ran.
When faced with his daughter, whose face so closely resembled Gu Ran's, shedding tears for him, he found himself unable to say another word, his sternness vanishing without a trace.
Just like with Gu Ran.
At this moment, what else could he do but feel his heart soften?
Ji Shiyu picked up his daughter and wiped her tears.
"Alright, don't cry anymore."
"Daddy will hold you."
