Win My Husband Over to Find My Child
Chapter 186: You’ll Still Win the First Place

Chapter 186: You’ll Still Win the First Place

"Enjoy your conversation. I need to make a phone call."

Without getting responses, Calix swiftly stepped out of the circle formed by several people around him. He tucked his hands into the pockets of his pants, getting away from the banquet hall.

Calix attended a social gathering hosted by one of his parents’ old friends, the patriarch of the Zheng family. He simply went there to show his face, personally greeting Chairman Zheng and his wife.

’It’s almost nine. Has she gone to bed yet?’

Calix’s schedule was extremely packed today. He barely had time to have a meal until late afternoon. Squeezing some of his time out, he managed to make a short phone call to Mrs. An at noon.

Calix wished to talk to Leslie but, she was preoccupied with her treatment sessions. He simply left a message to Mrs. An, asking to be conveyed to Leslie.

"CEO Xu, where are you heading?"

An unfamiliar female voice slowed down Calix’s steps. Turning his head slightly to the right, he saw a young woman clad in a champagne floor-length dress approaching him. She casually swirled a glass of red wine in one hand.

Calix noticed two more ladies in elegant dresses looking in his direction. Giggling, they covered their mouths as they exchanged whispers. They seemed to be friends to the one walking toward him.

"I have to make an urgent phone call," Calix put on a slight smile on his lips, acting polite yet distant, "See you later, miss."

"Wait, CEO Xu..."

Calix ignored the change in the woman’s expression. He was in a rush, afraid of making Leslie wait for his call. Knowing how she was, she might stay awake despite feeling sleepy.

Striding to the hallway outside the banquet hall, Calix headed to one of the private lounges prepared for the guests. Relieved to find an empty one, he walked inside before locking the door.

Calix slipped out the phone from the inside pocket of his suit jacket. Throwing himself on the comfy velvet couch, he loosened his necktie. His thumb deftly tapped on the screen, looking for Leslie’s private number.

The line was connected within a few rings. The screen displayed Leslie’s face.

"Oh? You haven’t gone to sleep, huh?" grinning, Calix raised his brows, "What are you doing? Seems like you’re in bed already. Can you hear me, Leslie?"

Calix saw Leslie nodding. She was leaning against the headboard, probably propping the phone on a throw pillow. Her long hair was styled into a single braid, draping on her right shoulder.

"Are you in the... hotel room? You’re still... in a suit."

Leslie’s voice was perfectly audible through the phone speaker. She pushed her phone forward, inadvertently zooming her face on Calix’s screen.

"This?" Calix pointed to his dark gray suit paired with a navy shirt, "I met my parents’ old friends. They host a banquet. I’ll head back to the hotel soon."

Leslie perked up, prompting Calix to wonder what had caught her attention. Her eyes slightly widened in delight while her lips curled up.

"That sounds nice... Does the banquet have... much delicious food? Have you eaten them?"

Leslie’s question tickled Calix’s heart, enticing him to laugh. Smiling in helplessness, he chided her, "That’s all you can think of? Well, the food is good. But, I only have a little."

Calix continued sharing his day with Leslie. She fully focused on him as if she had been waiting to hear it. She also asked him several other questions.

"What about you, Leslie? What did you do today aside from your sessions?"

Calix softened his smile, sensing how his heart fluttered just by having a video call with Leslie. He wanted to hear her saying with her own mouth instead of listening to it from other people.

Calix caught himself thinking of Leslie during his busy days. No matter how fleeting it was, he couldn’t help having the image of her smiling conjured in his mind.

The change in his feelings was plainly obvious to him but, he didn’t dare put a name to it yet.

"I napped and ate, hehe... then I practiced writing before dinner... it’s just..."

Trailing off, Leslie’s countenance sank. The corners of her lips turned downwards, expressing her dishearten.

"Why? What happened?"

Calix arched his brows, wondering if something occurred during her self-practice session. This was not Leslie’s first time trying to write or doing other light activities for the benefit of her mobility and coordination.

Leslie pursed her lips, still showing how dissatisfied she was. Calix held back from chuckling. Seeing her pouting made him want to tie a ribbon on her lips.

"Well... you know how messy my... handwriting was now, right?" Leslie spoke slowly, recalling the ugly scrawls she produced when writing, "I miss my neat handwriting..."

Calix almost choked. He didn’t expect that she was sulky about her own handwriting.

But...

Mischief glinted in Calix’s eyes. Grinning widely, he quickly said, "Hey! Don’t worry about it ah! You’ll still win the first place if you compete in a handwriting contest."

Leslie blinked, her brows furrowing. The obvious look of distrust on her face made Calix guffaw louder.

"What kind of... nonsense are you talking... about? Win against whom? ...ghosts?"

Snickering, Calix’s answer added oil to Leslie’s fire, "Chickens. You’ll win against chickens."

Leslie’s jaw dropped, speechless. She quickly regained her voice, "...what? Calix Xu!"

"HAHAHA!"

Cackling with laughter, the loud sound blared within the private lounge. Calix doubled down, making little effort to hold back from laughing.

"Hahaha... haha... yes ah. Shouldn’t you be proud?"

Looking at Leslie’s pouty face again, Calix rubbed his teary eyes from laughing too much. He had an urge to pinch her cheeks right now. Unfortunately, she was hundreds of miles away from him.

"Geez... you’re still making fun... of me when you’re away..."

Leslie’s complaint was replied to with a softened smile from Calix. He glanced at the small digital clock tucked into the corner of the screen.

"Aren’t you sleepy? You should rest now. I’ll call you again tomorrow."

Leslie’s bedtime ranged from nine to ten. Calix wished to talk longer to him but, he shouldn’t keep staying inside this lounge. He needed to greet Chairman Zheng before leaving.

"Uhuh... okay..." Leslie nodded once, her countenance resumed to usual, "Sleep well, Calix... Don’t dream of ghosts tonight..."

"Hehe, I won’t ah. Bye."

"Bye-bye."

Calix waved at the screen, happy to see Leslie returning to the same gesture. He ended the video call with a tap on the screen.

’Two more days before I return.’

The business trip only took three days but, Calix was already itching to get home. Before, he didn’t really feel that way.

"Haa..."

Throwing his head to the backrest, Calix stared at the decorative lights brightening the lounge. The mellowness of his eyes faded, replaced by something dark and unfathomable.

During the busyness of his first day of the business trip, Calix received news from Edward this afternoon. His trusted subordinate relayed the one thing he had been waiting for.

"The results are ready. Should I unseal the envelope and show them to you?"

Edward’s words caught Calix off guard. As if he was doused by a cold bucket of icy water, he stood frozen.

"...keep it for now. I’ll see them once I return."

Calix only came up with those words as the answer.