NABC Chapter 2471 - 1559: Beyond My Grasp
Chapter 2471 - 1559: Beyond My Grasp
"Don’t they say the current birth rate is historically low?"
New Heaven and Earth Business District.
Around six in the evening.
The outdoor amusement plaza was filled with kids bouncing around, and parents, grandparents, or maternal grandparents either pushing strollers or trailing behind closely.
Merry-go-rounds, electric cars, children’s pirate ships... a dazzling array of sound, light, and electronic entertainment equipment enriched the hustle and bustle of the business district.
Peace and prosperity were manifested at this moment.
"You go to a children’s group, and all you see are kids."
For someone’s sentiment, Qing Gege summarized it into a short remark, then asked, "Where’s the location?"
The person who’s been here once didn’t rush to give directions, "It’s still early; I just called Tie Jun, he probably hasn’t set off yet, let’s wander around first."
In front of a stall with some small dolls for ring toss, Jiang Chen stopped, "Want to play?"
Is a childlike heart ultimately a good thing or a bad thing?
Fang Qing didn’t give an answer, just rolled her eyes and walked away.
Jiang Chen shrugged, gave Boss a apologetic look, and followed along.
Actually, Boss didn’t mind at all; adults were not the target customers anyway.
"Buy one, get one free? Want a drink?"
Seeing the sign set in front of a coffee shop, Jiang Chen babbled again. Indeed, business is tough now, unlike the days when people queued just to buy a cup of Starbucks.
"One free person for two cups: it’s still 30. Meaning one cup is 15. Coffee nowadays is basically 9.9 a cup."
"..."
If everyone in the world were like Qing Gege, doing business would be even harder.
Jiang Chen sighed, "You really know how to do the math."
"Dad, dad—"
Jiang Chen suddenly felt something tugging at his trouser leg. He looked down and found a roughly one-year-old little baby, with a ponytail, a floral dress, chubby cheeks, looking up and calling him in a squeaky voice.
The baby, having just learned to speak, her articulation was unclear, but one could definitely tell she was saying dad.
Jiang Chen was slightly stunned, then amused.
"Your daughter has grown this much."
A voice without exception came from the side, teasingly.
Qing Gege was watching the show happily, but then the baby stumbled forward a couple of steps and grabbed her trouser leg, "Mommy, mommy..."
"Haha!"
Jiang Chen instantly burst out laughing.
On the other hand, Fang Qing’s radiant cheeks blushed like a sunset, she turned crimson red and the dignified big lawyer, unfazed in court debates, appeared completely at a loss at this moment.
Luckily, Boss Jiang came to her rescue, squatted down, gently holding the little baby.
"Daddy..."
The baby girl called once more, looking into those untouched pure eyes, more pristine than any gemstone in the world, Jiang Chen’s heart couldn’t help but tremble slightly, suddenly feeling having a child might not be so bad.
"Are you sure, am I your dad?"
"Daddy..."
The little girl likely could only say these two words.
Jiang Chen chuckled, squatting, looking around, soon spotting a young woman rushing towards them.
"Sorry, sorry."
Jiang Chen stood up, "Is this your child?"
"Yes, I was just looking at clothes for her, didn’t realize she ran off. Yoyo! Didn’t mommy say not to run off?"
The baby couldn’t comprehend the adult, just looked around with her big, shiny eyes.
This young woman indeed dressed like a mother, carrying a maternity bag, stuffed with items like diapers, bottles, and to avoid suspicion, she specifically pulled out her phone to show her daughter’s picture.
"How old is she?"
Confirming the woman’s identity, Fang Qing returned the baby to her.
The woman held the maternity bag with one hand and her daughter with the other, "One year and three months old, just started talking."
"Does she only say daddy and mommy?"
Jiang Chen asked.
The plainly dressed woman paused, seemingly understanding something, then shyly nodded with a smile.
"Yes, she calls everyone daddy mommy."
The baby again raised her head, "Mommy!"
This time she finally called the right person.
The three adults laughed in unison.
"Say goodbye to uncle and auntie."
Jiang Chen waved, bidding farewell to mother and daughter.
"This baby is really cute, if her mom hadn’t shown the photo, I wouldn’t dare hand her over."
Fang Qing immediately understood the implication, "Some children take the best from their parents."
Jiang Chen nodded, watching the passing adults and children.
"So having children depends on fate. If it were me, I’d give those families contributing to the birth rate a substantial subsidy to alleviate their burdens."
"Then why didn’t you take the civil service exam back then?"
"Because I’m self-aware."
Jiang Chen admitted, "A nameless nobody with no background or connections, even if I grit my teeth to the end, might just become insignificant scrap."
"What if it’s uncertain? Maybe you’re the chosen one."
"..."
Jiang Chen chuckled speechlessly, then formally enunciated, "One shouldn’t beautify the path they’ve never traveled."
Despite being a naturally joking habit, for some reason, Fang Qing suddenly fell silent.
"Ring ring ring—"
The ringtone sounded.
Fang Qing took out her phone.
"Fang Qing, what are you guys doing? Xiao Yu and I have been sitting here for ages, you’re still not here? On a date?"
Such uninhibited words could only come from Tong Dan.
"On our way."
"Hurry up, hurry up."
Okay.
No more wandering.
Jiang Chen led Fang Qing towards the elevator at the edge of the amusement plaza.
Last time they came, the third floor couldn’t be accessed, they had to use the emergency stairs, but today everything went smoothly.
The elevator door opened, the remaining passengers headed up to the fourth-floor cinema, leaving only Jiang Chen and Fang Qing stepping out, Fu Zili really made ample arrangements, even laying a festive red carpet, which wasn’t here last time, and the smell was refreshed, turning to a crisp fragrance.