Win My Husband Over to Find My Child
Chapter 238: The Tortoise Won Against The Hare

Chapter 238: The Tortoise Won Against The Hare

"I’m sure... my eyes look like walnuts..."

Leslie’s statement earned helpless laughter from Calix. Without missing a beat, he continued what he was doing – wiping her face with a damp towel.

"Walnuts are tasty ah. Have you tried walnut salted caramel tart?"

Baffled by Calix’s response, Leslie tearily asked, "How come you’re still thinking... of food?"

"You started it first, Mrs. Xu," Calix chuckled, still easily amused by Leslie’s choice of words, "Here, here, close your eyes for a bit."

"Yeah..."

Snickering, Calix soaked the towel into a bowl of cold water. After he wrung it dry, he carefully pressed the cloth over Leslie’s right eye. He let it sit there before moving to her left one.

"Don’t open your eyes yet," said Calix while taking the cloth off Leslie’s eyes, "Aiya, someone cried like a baby ah."

"You cried last night too..." Leslie pouted, holding back from opening her eyes to glare at Calix.

"Yeah, yeah, we’re even now," replied Calix with laughter, inwardly feeling better as he bantered with Leslie.

Earlier, Leslie cried her heart out in Old Madam Xu’s embrace. Witnessing the woeful scene pricked Calix’s heart. He couldn’t imagine the depth of his wife’s despair.

Calix remembered Leslie didn’t even cry this hard last night. Instead, he did while she gently reassured him not to be burdened by his guilt.

After a long and heartwrenching moment, Old Madam Xu told Calix to bring Leslie inside. She emphasized they had to rest before they resumed talking about this topic again.

"Let’s have lunch together. For now, just relax or have a nap."

Calix and Leslie agreed, understanding that Old Madam Xu might need some alone time after their talk. Even though the old lady appeared better than expected, no one knew what she was truly thinking.

Thus, Calix pushed Leslie to his childhood bedroom. He sat her on the couch before going to get a towel and cold water.

Andrian and Harper had yet to return home. They most probably would spend the entire day out with their friends, much to Calix and Leslie’s relief.

"Do you feel better?" asked Calix after wiping Leslie’s face for the last time, "Why don’t you lay on the bed? There’s nothing much we can do before lunch."

Lunch would be served in one hour and a half. Old Madam Xu might be resting in her bedroom after a morning in the greenhouse. She also had to deal with the surprising revelation by the spouses.

Leslie wiped her eyes, still feeling how puffy they were. While doing so, a thought crossed her mind.

Moving her hands down, Leslie stared at Calix whose dark circles were still obvious under his concealer disguise.

"You didn’t sleep much... last night, en? Why don’t... you get some shut-eye?"

Calix blinked, wondering why the topic turned to him. Curling up his lips, he tilted his head slightly, "You should do that too. We might talk longer to Grandma after lunch. Let’s recharge before that."

"...you’re right."

Leslie sensed Grandma would ask her and Calix more questions about Calliope, including the situation that led to that night. The old lady didn’t get to inquire much when they were still in the greenhouse.

Raising her arms slowly, Leslie gestured for Calix to help her stand. Her action tickled his heart, prompting him to laugh softly.

Calix loved how comfortable Leslie was with him. He didn’t voice out another of his fears. He genuinely thought she wouldn’t let him be close to her again after revealing who he was – the man from that night.

"Here, here. You can walk more than before, en?" asked Calix once he supported Leslie standing.

"Hehe, yes..." Leslie’s face beamed with pride, happily thinking about her progress, "I need help but... I can step further... than usual..."

Leslie was not strong enough to use walking sticks or crutches herself yet. She still required a person’s support if she wanted to try walking to avoid losing control.

"Just go slowly. Don’t be in a rush ah," Calix reminded Leslie as they started heading to the bed, "You’re impressive enough to get this far within two months."

Calix couldn’t accompany Leslie throughout most of her rehab sessions and hospital visits but, he made sure to diligently follow up with the doctor and therapists.

Dr. Mo, Ms. Chen and Ms. Yao only had compliments for Leslie’s ethics during those sessions. Mrs. Su and Mrs. An also filled Calix in about how his wife tried to include as much training in her daily life as possible.

Of course, none of them allowed Leslie to go beyond her ability. They didn’t want her to injure herself accidentally.

Leslie smilingly listened to Calix’s earnest praise. She cheekily replied, "Thanks to... the team you found me, Mr. Xu."

Leslie’s lighthearted joke was met with laughter by Calix. He placed one palm on her back and the other holding her hand. He patiently waited for her to take each step forward.

The bed was just within walking distance from the couch. But, Leslie’s slow pace inevitably increased the time needed to reach the bed.

"I feel like a tortoise..." complained Leslie while giving her all to walk. Her forehead creased slightly as she fought against stabbing pain from her soles up to her thighs.

"The tortoise won against the hare ah! Come on, Mrs. Xu! You can do it!"

Leslie was stunned. Calix’s sudden cheer caught her off guard.

"W-what? You even thought... of that? Haha! You really... Ah!"

The sudden loss in strength of her legs cut Leslie’s laughter in half. She almost tripped over nothing. Thankfully Calix’s quick reflex stopped her face and knees from kissing the floor.

"Are you okay? Did you get hurt?"

Leslie blinked, sensing a slight shiver in Calix’s voice. Tilting up her head, she quietly took in the distress evident in his frightful countenance.

"Did you sprain your ankle? Wanna me get the first aid? Should I call the doctor?"

The more Calix asked, the tenser his voice was.

"I’m okay... I didn’t get hurt..." replied Leslie as swiftly as she could. She gently patted one of Calix’s arms, "Help me... to stand..."

"Oh... yes. Just... let me carry you. Can I?"

Calix just realized he hadn’t straightened Leslie up. Afraid she would fall for real, he wanted to simply princess-carry her like usual.

"Okay."

Leslie heard Calix breathing out in relief. As he put her right arm across his shoulders, he carefully supported the crook of her knees and her back.

Blinking, Leslie took in Calix’s minty scent. Without thinking, she buried her face in his chest, startling him.

"...Leslie?"

"I always feel safe with you..." whispered Leslie, hoping Calix could ease the tension in his heart, "Even if I fall, you’ll catch me..."

Calix might look better on the outside but, Leslie understood the gravity of this matter was eating him internally. He was still blaming himself despite any of this not being his fault.

"I feel safe with you..." Leslie repeated, still nestling her head on Calix’s chest, "I believe... Calliope will feel safe... with you as her father..."

Calix froze. He blinked, unable to process Leslie’s further words immediately.

She felt safe with him.

She also said their daughter would feel safe with him.

They... his treasures.

In his trance, Calix didn’t notice his heartbeat speeding up. He also didn’t see Leslie’s lips curling up.

The echo traveled through his heart, reaching hers.