Win My Husband Over to Find My Child
Chapter 168: Mimo Was Her New Friend

Chapter 168: Mimo Was Her New Friend

"Calliope. Hurm... do you know what’s the meaning behind your name?"

Calix raised his brows, tugging his lips upward into a smile. The light in his eyes softened as he continued staring at the little girl in the mint-colored dress.

Calliope’s adorableness couldn’t be compared to the photo. Her soft facial features reminded Calix of his only niece Amelia despite already seeing other children before.

Maybe he was affected by Leslie’s inclination to find Calliope. Calix couldn’t help but want to give the little one the same special treatment he gave to Amelia.

Blinking her round eyes, Calliope wondered why this unfamiliar uncle suddenly brought up the meaning of her name. Her confusion was quickly replaced with a beaming smile.

"Handsome Uncle, do you think Poppy, I, don’t know my own name?" Calliope grinned mischievously with one hand pointing to herself, "Granny said Calliope means beautiful-voiced."

This time it was Calix’s turn to blink in confusion before a helpless chuckle slipped out between his lips. Refraining from laughing more, Calliope’s cheeky response tickled his heart.

"That’s right. Calliope means beautiful-voiced," Calix tilted his head, glancing at Director Li who watched his interaction with the little one, "The director has taught you well."

"Yup, yup," Calliope nodded repeatedly like a chicken pecking grains, "Granny teaches us well. Handsome Uncle, do you come here to play with us?"

Calix guffawed, amused by how Calliope kept calling him. Wiggling his brows, he asked, "Little one, do you think I’m handsome?"

"Your visual is perfect ten!" Calliope continued staring at Calix while hugging the crochet fox toy, "Handsome Uncle, are you an actor? Or, a model?"

Calix’s shoulders shook. He tried to cease laughing but, his attempt was futile. Giggles continued escaping his mouth.

Director Li smiled in helplessness. Gently ruffling Calliope’s small head, she said to Calix, "Mr. Xu, Calliope means well when addressing you like that. She has always been the most talkative and cheekiest one here."

"Haha, I’m not offended at all," Calix waved one of his hands, trying to ease any of Director Li’s worries, "I’m just amused. She speaks so well despite looking so young. Just like my niece."

Calliope tilted her head, wondering what made the handsome uncle laugh so much. She didn’t think her questions to be overly funny.

"Well, I came here with my friends to play with you guys," Calix turned to look at the door, finding his bodyguards standing there with boxes, "Before that, how about you guys see what we’ve brought?"

Calix’s last remark caused another explosion of chatter from the little turnip heads.

"Want! Want!"

"Mister, do you bring many toys for us?"

"Wow~ Are they cute duckies?"

With a wave of his hands, Calix signaled the bodyguards to come inside. Director Li told the children to sit properly on the floor. The small pairs of eyes were staring at the boxes in anticipation.

"These are for you guys," Calix clapped his hands twice, announcing the contents of the boxes, "Your older brothers and sisters will get theirs later. Comrades! Form a line! Queue in front of the first box!"

Calix posed like a soldier performing a hand salute. His action garnered more laughter from the children.

Giggling, the little turnip heads quickly formed a line, except for the five-month-old baby. A caretaker carried him before joining the queue.

The bodyguards helped to distribute storybooks, stationery sets and toys to the children. Calix laughed seeing how stiffly his staff interacted with the little ones. He also joined the allocation process.

Aside from the ones spared for the older children, the rest were handled by the staff of the orphanage. One bodyguard informed Calix that two of them were helping in the kitchen.

"Do you like them, Calliope? Or, should I call you Poppy?"

After talking to the other children, Calix shifted his focus back on Calliope. His curiosity about the little one grew deeper despite having only her met just now.

Calliope put her pink stationery set, a storybook of her choice and a red strawberry plush toy on the floor. She also laid her crochet fox toy next to the strawberry.

"Anything can ah," replied Calliope swiftly, "Poppy flowers are pretty. Handsome Uncle, do you think so too?"

Chuckling, Calix picked among the two options, "Poppy is it, then. Do you like them? Why do you pick this book and the toy?"

The stationery sets were all similar saved for their colors. As for the books and toys, Edward prepared a wide variety of them.

The children were allowed to pick which one they wished to have. Fortunately, none of them broke into a fight to get the same thing. Director Li mentioned that she and the others instilled the value of sharing in the children.

"The princess has a pretty room. Poppy likes it," Calliope grinned, revealing her pearly white teeth. She hugged the strawberry and the fox toy, "Poppy loves strawberry so much so, Poppy chose it."

"Oho? You like strawberry?" Calix whistled, arching his brows in wonder, "Little one, seems like we have a similarity ah. Your handsome uncle here likes strawberries too."

"Wow~ Uncle! Your taste is great ah!" Calliope burst out laughing, happy to hear the man’s remark.

While the children were preoccupied with the gifts and playing with the bodyguards, Calix and Callioped were immersed in their own world. The young man didn’t notice the smile lingering on Director Li’s face as she briefly watched their interaction.

Propping one elbow on his thigh, Calix rested his chin on the back of his face. Grinning, he pointed to the crochet fox toy.

"And, this? I can make this kind of toy. I crochet animals, flowers and headbands. I can make a cardigan too oh."

"Uncle, you’re so capable ah," Calliope clapped her small hands, her whole face beaming in delight, "Mimo is my new friend. I like him so much."

After saying that, Calliope tightly hugged the crochet fox toy. She let the strawberry plushie lay on the floor next to the other gifts.

"Your new friend?" Calix tilted his head, staring at the slightly worn-out toy, "Poppy, did someone just give it to you?"

What came to Calix’s mind was people dropping off used toys at this orphanage recently. Even though the crochet fox toy was still in a good state, there were signs of old times.

Calliope nodded, happily exclaiming, "Water Fairy gave Mimo to Poppy! Hehe~ She is so nice to Poppy~"

"...Water Fairy?"

Sensing the confusion in Calix’s voice, Director Li gently chimed in, "Something happened to Calliope last month, Mr. Xu."

Director Li’s words piqued Calix’s interest. Despite keeping her smile up, he perceived a hint of distress in her eyes.

"May I ask what happened to her?" Calix lowered his voice, his brows furrowing.

Director Li pursed her lips. Before answering Calix, she persuaded Calliope to go and play with her friends. The little one quickly gathered everything in her arms before moving away.

"We brought the children to a lake park last month," Director Li kept her voice low. A faint shadow was cast on her countenance, "Calliope fell into the lake, she almost drowned."

"...what?"

Calix gasped, unable to believe Director Li. Yet, the sullenness of her expression bore the truth.