"Papa! Next song! The sleeping bunnies song!"
"Aye aye, my buttercup!"
Calliope’s cheery voice and Calix’s rry tone filled the small space of the car. Leslie smilingly watched the father and daughter singing from one children’s song to the next. This would be the third song.
Calix sat behind the wheels while Leslie and Calliope were both in the backseat. The little one was strapped to the child’s car seat like usual, accompanied by Mimo.
The family of three had just left Phoenix’s Height. As planned, they had lunch with Old Madam Xu and the others before returning to their own ho.
"Sister Poppy, co and play with Mia."
"Second Uncle, bring Sister Poppy to Mia’s house, please~"
"Mia has many many many toys! We can play together!"
Alia had taken a liking toward her newly found cousin Calliope. The forr beca a sad little bunny when Calix said Calliope had to follow him ho now, leading Alia to entice her cousin by ntioning her toys.
In the end, Vernon promised to bring Alia to Graceville Manor soon. Calix also encouraged his elder brother and sister-in-law to co, including his other family mbers.
"If it’s okay with you, how about this coming Saturday? We can gather for lunch or dinner."
"Barbecue sounds fun. We haven’t done it since last winter."
Andrian and Vernon’s suggestions were t with approval by Old Madam Xu, Harper and everyone else including Evelyn. Leslie and Calliope were delighted to hear that, prompting Calix to agree.
Thus, the Xu family decided to have another family al together. The venue this ti was Graceville Manor instead of the ancestral ho.
"The sleeping bunnies song!" declared Calix once he found the song, displayed on the touchscreen dashboard, "Poppy! Follow after Papa, en?"
"Okay!"
Calliope quickly covered her mouth with the back of Mimo’s head. Leslie stifled her laughter, waiting for the continuation of the small concert between Calix and the little one. This show might continue until the reach ho.
Calix started singing, following the quiet starting lody of the children’s rhy. The screen showed three little bunnies huddling together, sleeping.
"See the little bunnies sleeping till it’s nearly noon 🎶 Co and let us gently wake them with a rry tune 🎶 They’re so still, are they ill? 🎶 Wake up soon!"
Calliope’s face flushed in excitent, waiting for her turn.
Calix’s quiet tone changed to a rry one.
"Hop little bunnies🎶!"
Calliope quickly sang along, her short legs kicking the air in her enthusiasm.
"Hop, hop, hop🎵!"
Calix sang again, "Hop little bunnies🎶!"
"Hop, hop, hop🎵!" Calliope giggled in between her singing. Her twin pigtails bounced as she danced in the car seat.
Leslie took the role of a spectator. Clapping her hands, she enjoyed the little rrint shared between the father and daughter. She also cheered for them.
Calix and Calliope continued taking turns for the song before they sang together for the end part. Waves of laughter echoed in the car, coming from all three of them.
Shifting her eyes from Calliope by her side and to Calix in the front, Leslie inwardly sighed in relief.
’He got quite a decent sleep after all that.’
Without Calix realizing it, Leslie actually didn’t imdiately go to sleep after wishing him good night. She quietly pretended to sleep as worries still tugged heavily at her heart.
Leslie noticed Calix being restless. He closed his eyes, only to reopen them in the next second. She couldn’t help but think he was uneasy about falling asleep, perhaps worrying if another nightmare would co.
Calix eventually slept as his exhaustion lured him away from his consciousness. Leslie waited for another half an hour, hoping it was enough to see him sleeping in peace.
Fortunately, Calix showed no signs of being bothered by another nightmare. He also looked refreshed after waking up in the morning despite having so dark circles.
Drowsiness hit Leslie because of her lack of sleep. She covered her yawning mouth, already thinking of heading to bed soon. Turning her head, she threw her gaze out of the window.
The car was speeding up on the expressways. The sun bead through the car windows, basking the interior under its warm lights.
’It’s a nice day outside but, I’m so sleepy ah. Should I nap in the backyard? How about...’
"...ma! Mama!"
"En? Poppy?"
Calliope’s voice and a tap on her arm pulled Leslie out of her trance. Blinking, her eyes regained their focus as she looked at the little one.
"Yes, my darling?"
Calliope burst into giggles, thinking her mother was daydreaming. She happily said, "Papa will cook dinner tonight. Mama, wanna eat what?"
Leslie didn’t realize Calix and Calliope had shifted from singing together to talking about dinner. Wandering her eyes from the little one, she looked at the man sitting behind the wheels.
"Are you sleepy, Leslie? You’ve yawned a few tis ah," remarked Calix. He glanced at Leslie through the rearview mirror, showing his lopsided grin.
"Oh... a little bit..."
"Calix, you’ll cook dinner?"
Calix nodded, once again briefly looking at Leslie’s reflection in the mirror, "Have anything in mind? Poppy wants sweet sour chicken and an olet."
"I’m fine with Poppy’s choices..." Leslie smiled at Calliope. Extending one hand, she gently patted the little dumpling’s hand, "Simple dishes are nice... You can add anything you want tho..."
"Alright. Let’s see what else I should add."
Calix didn’t pressure Leslie to give suggestions. He started racking his brain, thinking back to all the food she had shown so love before.
"Oh! I forgot to tell you ah!"
Calix’s sudden words piqued Leslie’s interest. Laying her eyes on him, she wondered what ca to his mind.
Was it about dinner?
"What is it? You wanna... cook anything else?"
"No, it’s not that," Calix shook his head. Grinning, he told Leslie, "Rember when you asked about Eve’s love life[01]? I think she’s dating soone right now!"
"...what? Eve... is in a relationship?"
"99% she is! Well, I accidentally heard her on the phone. She..."
Perplexed by Calix’s exclamation, Leslie’s mouth parted in shock. She absentmindedly stared at him as he continued his story.
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