Win My Husband Over to Find My Child
Chapter 351: The Memory of a Peach Blossom Night

Chapter 351: The Memory of a Peach Blossom Night

After dinner, Calix dragged Evelyn to the backyard for a stroll together with Leslie and Calliope. Once they stepped outside the house, he told his younger sister to run around the lake for a few laps.

"What for? Are you playing a prank on me?"

Narrowing her eyes, Evelyn glared at Calix with clear doubts on her face. She fully believed her annoying second brother didn’t suggest that with a good intention in his mind.

True to her suspicions, he guffawed at her remark, earning confused looks from her sister-in-law and young niece.

"My dear sister, I’m saying it for your own benefit ah," Calix shrugged, wearing a smug look on his face, "Do it. You’ll drop dead sleeping once your head hits the pillow."

"Y-you! Humph!"

Ignoring Calix, Evelyn shifted her attention to Calliope. The sour look on her face mellowed as soon as her eyes locked onto the little dumpling’s.

Playing with her adorable niece was a hundred times better than arguing with her annoying brother!

"Poppy, where do you wanna go? Let’s go together, en?"

Calliope nodded like a little chick pecking grains. Raising her left hand because the right one hugging Mimo, she pointed in a direction.

"There~ Poppy wanna go there, Little Aunt."

Evelyn’s eyes followed where Calliope was pointing at. Flickers of tiny orange lights fell into her line of sight, enamoring her heart.

"Wow, so pretty ah."

This was Evelyn’s first time coming to Graceville Manor this year. She knew Calix had someone built a deck and pavilion at the lake but, she hadn’t seen the new additions until now.

Strings of fairy lights illuminated the deck area in their orange glow. LED lights in the shape of roses lined the edges of the wooden platform, further brightening the place.

The moon was reflected on the lake, accompanied by the shimmers of the lights coming from the deck. As the passing breeze spread its chilliness, the surface of the lake cast gentle ripples.

"Wanna sit on my back?"

"Oh~ Poppy want!"

Evelyn crouched down, letting Calliope climb on her back. The little munchkin’s happy giggles resounded in the air, expressing her joy. The former slowly stood up while supporting the child behind her.

"So high ah. Poppy can see many things."

Wrapping her short arms around Evelyn’s neck, Calliope looked from her left and right. Her laughter grew louder once her eyes returned to Calix and Leslie.

"Mama, Papa~ Hehe, it’s so high."

Calliope’s clear happiness infected Leslie and Calix. They were amused to see how easily entertained their little daughter was.

"Poppy, show your aunt your favorite spot over there, en?" Calix’s tone was imbued with helplessness. He raised a hand, brushing Calliope’s bangs to the side, "Don’t move when you’re up here ah."

"Hehehe, okay~"

"We’ll go there now," Evelyn darted her eyes from Calix to Leslie. A hint of mischief glinted in her orbs, "You guys enjoy your alone time. Take it as my payment for living here."

Stunned, Calix and Leslie didn’t react immediately to Evelyn’s cheeky remark.

"What?" Evelyn arched her eyebrows, grinning at her brother and sister-in-law, "Married couples should have alone time here and there ah."

"Eve..."

"We’re going!"

Evelyn hurriedly ran toward the deck by the lake before Calix could even say anything in response. Her footsteps echoed clearly in the quiet night air, followed by her and Calliope’s laughter.

"..."

Blinking, Calix inwardly told himself to get his act together. He tried to ignore the creeping sensation of heat on his cheeks. Slowly turning his head, he let his eyes fall on Leslie’s face.

"...should we go there too?"

Leslie nodded. A shy smile blossomed on her lips, stemming from Evelyn’s teasing remark just now.

"Let’s go..."

Calix grabbed the wheelchair’s handles, pushing Leslie forward. He deliberately slowed his pace from the usual, somehow affected by what Evelyn told him.

He loved his daughter, he did. But, he still wanted some alone time with his wife ah.

Calix felt as if he scored something good by dragging Evelyn to stay in his place. His main intention was to look after his sister during her fragile moments but, this arrangement suited him too.

"Calix, how was Eve when you... met her today?"

Leslie’s voice pulled Calix out of his trance. Looking down, his eyes fell on the back of her head. He sensed concern beneath her voice as she inquired about Evelyn.

"Bad as I imagined," replied Calix quietly. Peeling his eyes away from Leslie’s, he threw his gaze toward Evelyn and Calliope’s figures, "We can’t let her be. She’ll turn more worse."

Having no free time prior to dinner, Calix and Leslie hadn’t talked about his younger sister’s current situation. As Calliope was away with Evelyn, the husband and wife could freely discuss the topic.

"Eve tends to keep her problems to herself. The longer we leave her alone, the harder it’ll be to lift her up. She’s like that. That’s why I have to interfere early. She’s hiding her pain even now."

Leslie quietly listened to Calix, learning a side of Evelyn she hadn’t known.

"She wouldn’t tell anyone, even you if... she found it out alone..." uttered Leslie, recalling what she learned about Evelyn’s original story from Mimo[01], "It’s great you intervened early..."

"It’s all thanks to you."

"...en?"

Calix halted in his tracks, bringing the wheelchair to stop as well. His action brought Leslie to look up at him.

Meeting his gaze stirred something vague in her heart. The bright lights of the surrounding garden lampposts showered on them, enunciating the intense gaze she was holding onto.

"...what did you say, Calix?"

Leslie blinked, thinking how timidly she sounded just now. Heat crawled from her cheeks, radiating to her entire face.

Calix curled up his lips, his gaze softening at the sight of Leslie’s shy look. He tightened his grasp on the handles, holding back from grazing her face with his fingertips.

"Thank you for telling me about Eve, Leslie."

"...what?"

Calix chuckled, amused to see the confusion on Leslie’s countenance.

"Like Violet’s case before, you warned me about what would happen to Eve. Even though you weren’t entirely sure about your dreams."

"Oh... well, it’s better to be safe than sorry..."

Leslie laughed awkwardly, never expecting Calix to bring up this topic again.

"I know you’ll say like that. Still, thank you so much," Calix let out a helpless chuckle, his eyes remaining on Leslie’s countenance, "Let me thank you on their behalf."

The end of Calix’s sentence reignited a memory of peach blossom night[02] in Leslie’s mind. As it it just happened yesterday, she swore she could see falling pink petals behind him.

"Hehe..."

Looking away from Calix, Leslie covered her laughing mouth. The echo of her giggles harmonized with the sound of flowers and leaves rustling in the air.

"What? Why are you laughing ah?"

Calix raised his brows, wondering what he said that made Leslie continue laughing.

"Hehe, nothing ah..." Leslie shook her head, speaking between her giggles, "Well, I’ll accept your gratitude, Mr. Xu..."

Calix eyed Leslie suspiciously before helpless laughter escaped his lips. Raising one hand, he ended up doing what he held back from – letting his fingertips touch her silky hair.

Only affection brimmed in his eyes as he listened to the melody of her giggles.

Without Calix or Leslie realizing it, Evelyn was fondly staring at them from afar, followed by secretly taking photos of them.

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Reference:

1 - 313

2 - 69