Win My Husband Over to Find My Child
Chapter 520: The Literary Wonderland

Chapter 520: The Literary Wonderland

Ha.

Coincidence much?

Still, Calix acted as if nothing happened. He brought Leslie and Calliope to a Japanese restaurant where the little dumpling ordered a large set of karaage chicken.

"Papa, can we get ice cream next?" was what Calliope asked after wiping the plates clean from all of the food. Her tummy bloated more than usual.

Calix stared pointedly at the gluttonous Calliope while Leslie covered her mouth, trying not to laugh out loud despite being in a private room.

"We’ll go shopping more before that," Calix narrowed his eyes, seizing Calliope up and down, "We better let you move around a lot before you get the ice cream."

"Aww~ Papa meanie."

Pouting, Calliope glared at Calix to which she earned an amused look from her father. Leslie extended a hand, gently patting the little dumpling’s back.

"Poppy, wanna get new storybooks? Aren’t you looking for new ones?"

Calliope loved reading, even in their previous world. Back then, Leslie mostly brought the little one to a public library to borrow storybooks because buying them frequently cost so much.

Now that their family was well-off, Leslie would happily get new storybooks for Calliope. After all, one couldn’t have too many books.

Still, Leslie knew she had to teach Calliope moderation. She didn’t want the little dumpling growing up thinking she could get everything she wanted just because their family was wealthy.

Calliope might act conceited and too out-of-touch with reality.

"Can Poppy get new jigsaw puzzles too?" asked Calliope, instantly beaming once she heard her mama’s questions.

Glancing at Calix who sat across the table, Leslie answered with a cheeky smile, "You can. Mama still has so much money ah. Your papa gave it to me."

Stifling his laughter, Calix winked playfully at Leslie, "Yes, Poppy. Your mama has so much money now. Even Papa doesn’t have as much as her."

"You jest," Leslie rolled her eyes, earning chuckles from Calix.

All full and energized, the family of three headed out of the restaurant. Calix led Leslie and Calliope to the bookstore on the second floor.

"Woah! That’s the bookstore?"

Calliope exclaimed in awe once her eyes spotted the sprawling, literary wonderland after stepping away from the escalator.

"It’s so big, right?" Calix chuckled, his eyes taking in the pure excitement on Calliope’s face, "Come. You’ll like it here."

"Yay!"

Leslie was also caught in a trance, amazed by how huge the bookstore was. She read the giant signboard hung above the entrance, spelling Libris Haven.

The family of three entered the bookstore. Towering wooden shelves greeted them. The warm golden lights showered the entire store, reflecting on the hanging signs that directed visitors to different sections.

"That’s the children’s section," Calix pointed in a direction after looking at the signs, "Poppy, you know we can’t run or be loud here, en?"

Nodding her head, Calliope vowed, "Okay, Papa. Poppy will be good ah."

The children’s section was on the right side of the bookstore, designed as if it was a mini bookstore within this main one. Stepping through the open doorframe, shelves painted in cheerful pastel tones welcomed them.

"Oh~ So many books~"

Covering her mouth, Calliope wandered her eyes from one place to the next, amazed to see hundreds of books lining up the shelves. Picture books, fairy tale stories and adventure books were all there.

"This place is so... magical," Leslie settled on the word, thinking how befitted it was with this children’s section.

The space seemed alive.

Floating pastel clouds and storybook characters swayed gently from the ceiling. A soft carpet patterned with stars lined the spacious and long hallways, perfect for little ones to sit and browse.

"Mama, Papa, here!"

Calliope darted excitedly between shelves, her tiny hands grazing the covers of beautifully illustrated storybooks. After a moment of pondering, she picked one of the fairy tale books.

"Do you want that one, Poppy?" asked Calix as he crouched next to the little dumpling, briefly looking at the purple cover with glittering accents.

"Hehe~ Poppy can choose more?" Calliope grinned, clutching the book in her tiny hands.

"You can choose two more books," Leslie raised two fingers, signifying to Calliope what she had just said, "And only one jigsaw puzzle."

"Oh... Only three books?" Calliope pouted, thinking she could get many new storybooks today, "Can’t buy many?"

"The books will be sad if Poppy only read them only a few times," Leslie chuckled as she came up with the excuse, "Like how Mimo will be sad if Poppy is too busy with new toys, right?"

"Nooo! Poppy can’t make them sad!"

Horrified, Calliope quickly shook her head. Her little mind imagined the sight of her books and toys crying because she played with them less.

Thus, the little dumpling came up with a new resolution. She would only pick two more books as how her mama said.

Calix was at a loss for words. He almost laughed as he watched Leslie and Calliope’s funny interaction. Thankfully the little one didn’t insist on getting more books.

"Sweetheart, you’re really something," Calix whispered to Leslie once Calliope wandered to look for the other two books.

"Hehe~ Still, we’re lucky Poppy isn’t a fussy child," replied Leslie without looking at Calix. Her eyes followed where Calliope was going.

Indeed. Fortunately, their daughter did not throw tantrums randomly.

Around one hour later, Calliope came out of the bookstore with three storybooks and a jigsaw puzzle. Calix held the paper bag of the items in his right hand while carrying the exhausted Calliope on his left.

"Honey, let me hold it for you," Leslie smiled in helplessness as she stared at the paper bag, "Don’t be stubborn ah."

Leslie doubted the paper bag was as heavy as Calix indicated. She could handle holding it as her husband carrying their drowsy daughter.

"It’s fine ah," Calix shook his head. He gestured in a direction with a tilt of his chin, "We’re here already."

Leslie’s eyes trailed after where Calix was pointing at. She saw an ice cream store a few feet away from them.

Finally, Calliope’s wish to get some ice cream would be fulfilled. Despite being drowsy, Leslie knew the little dumpling would still eat the cold dessert.

As expected, Calliope suddenly regained her spirit once they entered the ice cream store. Leslie let Calix bring the little one to choose the ice cream while she waited at one of the tables.

’Will he appear soon?’

Sitting on the plush chair, Leslie couldn’t help but think of Nicholas Wu. She knew he was here but, she was unsure whether they would cross paths or not.

Calix told Leslie that it would be easy for Nicholas to find out about them visiting Lavender Thread because they scheduled it in advance. There was a possibility that one of the staff monitored them.

But, it would be up to Nicholas where to find them once they left the boutique.

’People always say enemies meet on a narrow road. Especially for a villain like him.’

Propping her elbows on the table, Leslie supported her face. She cast her gaze from Calix and Calliope to the entrance, trying to act as if she was daydreaming instead of waiting for someone.

...okay.

The enemies indeed walked on a narrow road.

Leslie subtly shifted her eyes when she spotted Nicholas’ figure from afar. Her smirk was hidden behind her palm.