novelraw Chapter 537: The New Woman Who Moved In, With a Four-Year-Old Child
Chapter 537: The New Woman Who Moved In, With a Four-Year-Old Child
When the first ray of morning sunlight streamed through the wooden lattice windows, Nicholas promptly turned off his little piggy alarm clock, got up, and began his routine of getting dressed, brushing his teeth, and washing his face.
This was a newly rented courtyard house in an old residential neighborhood. It was a peaceful oasis amidst the bustling city, rich with the essence of life.
Nicholas had just moved back with his mommy from a small town in Southern France. Although he was only four years old, he had already lived in many places. The vineyard in Southern France was where he lived the longest—half a year. Mommy said that since he was old enough for school now, they could only go live elsewhere during the winter and summer breaks. The rest of the time, they had to stay here so he could attend classes.
Despite learning multiple languages and gaining a wealth of knowledge, Nicholas’s mommy often reminded him to remain humble. So, Nicholas decided to attend kindergarten here in the country. Perhaps the other children, like him, had been traveling and studying abroad too.
Mommy said they were staying in Imperial City mainly so they could frequently visit auntie and little sister.
The beautiful auntie and little Casimir Shaw—Nicholas had met them a few times while abroad. But his sister, the legendary sister, was someone he had never laid eyes on before.
Nicholas cautiously pushed open the door to his room. Seeing that mommy hadn’t woken up yet, he deftly climbed onto the bed with his short little legs, gently touched her forehead, then slid back down. Picking up his little piggy backpack, he stepped out of the courtyard and headed straight for the pharmacy in the community outside.
"Grandpa, I need cold medicine and fever medicine—the mild kind," Nicholas said, tiptoeing as high as he could, though the pharmacy’s glass display case was far too tall for him.
The pharmacist, an elderly doctor on duty, heard the crisp, soft voice of a child. The accent was peculiar, slightly off from standard Mandarin, but it was bright—a sound as fresh as a ripe peach.
The elderly doctor put on his reading glasses and looked around but couldn’t see anyone.
"Grandpa, over here." Nicholas tiptoed even higher and shook his little piggy backpack.
The doctor quickly stepped out and was shocked to see a strikingly handsome little boy who barely reached his thighs. He exclaimed, "Young man, why are you out here alone? Where are your parents?"
"Mommy is sick. I need cold medicine and fever medicine," Nicholas replied, relieved that the doctor finally noticed him. He took out his little wallet from his backpack. Every time mommy gave him pocket money, he would save it. Over the years, he had accumulated quite a bit—he even had a little "treasure chest" of his own.
The elderly doctor hurriedly prepared the medicine for him and explained how to take it. He couldn’t help but feel captivated by this child who was outrageously adorable—especially his pair of jet-black eyes, which gleamed like polished black grapes. He was dressed neatly, behaved with impeccable manners, and immediately endeared himself to the doctor.
"Thank you, grandpa. Goodbye!" Nicholas, overjoyed to have bought the medicine, slung his little piggy backpack over his shoulders and skipped on his way home. On the way back, he stopped by a breakfast stall and bought two bowls of porridge and two glutinous rice cakes.
Casimir Shaw often lectured him that glutinous rice cakes were the best breakfast in the world, so Nicholas figured he had to try them.
When Nicholas returned home, his small stature meant he had to place everything on a little stool. Hearing sounds from the bedroom, he realized mommy had woken up. His eyes lit up as he dashed to the door and burst inside.
Delphine was already awake. The Imperial City was excessively dry, and the air quality wasn’t great. She had spent the last few days renting a house and moving in, and once everything had settled, she fell ill.
Perhaps it was because she hadn’t recovered properly after giving birth to twins all those years ago, but her health had been steadily declining in recent years.