Little Chengzi was primarily cared for by Pereira, with Miao Jing and Chen Yi mainly helping out. Perhaps due to the bilingual environment, she wasn’t an early talker, remaining at the level of “mama” and “papa” for quite a while.

Spanish-speaking babies her age could already babble many words, but Little Chengzi maintained a composed demeanor, simply staring and pointing with her chubby hand – everything understood without words.

Chinese babies with black hair and black eyes were rare here. The community playground was mostly filled with mixed-race or white children, making Little Chengzi quite eye-catching among them. Other kids would call her “cute” and have her quietly sit in sandcastles as a Chinese princess needing rescue. However, Little Chengzi preferred chasing after older children, though she most enjoyed visiting her father’s office – that was far more interesting.

Chen Yi adhered to the principle of making money quietly, never moving his office to a better location. Bogota’s Chinese community concentrated around the trade association, each with its territory and considerable internal conflicts. He stayed clear of it all, keeping his business operations modest, unremarkable in any circle, barely qualifying as moderately prosperous.

The family’s finances remained separate. Miao Jing still had the 400,000 they’d brought abroad, plus her salary, accumulating into a solid income. Chen Yi’s financial situation was more complex and unpredictable. He ran his company with a casual approach. Miao Jing later learned that purchasing the house and gifts for Little Chengzi had depleted his company’s last cent, leading him to spend several days at the pool hall before returning with a bag of cash to pay for company shipments.

Over these years, he’d made many friends across all walks of life, from government, banks, and police to the slums. Chen Yi would occasionally bring Little Chengzi to business meetings, where she’d sit on her father’s lap, clutching her stuffed toy, quietly munching on teething biscuits.

Sometimes pretty young ladies would take her to play for a while, entertaining Little Chengzi with various trinkets, rolling around on sofas or drinking sweet juice, chatting and telling her stories. Though Little Chengzi couldn’t speak much, she understood, responding with nods, shakes, smiles, and various peculiar expressions.

Chen Yi emerged from the conference room to find Little Chengzi curled up on the sofa, looking at colorful travel brochures. She loved colors and enjoyed seeing familiar things in books – forests, flowers, cars, small animals.

“Sleepy?” Chen Yi tugged her pigtail. “Want to go see Mama?”

Little Chengzi nodded.

Chen Yi scooped her up, hanging her on his arm as they walked out. Her plump little arms wrapped around Chen Yi’s neck as she yawned – though Daddy’s body was firm, his shoulders and back were broad, perfect for napping against.

“Daddy.”

“Hmm?”

“Mmm mmm mmm…”

“What does ‘mmm mmm mmm’ mean? No pulling daddy’s clothes, no wiping drool on daddy’s collar. Little ones shouldn’t eat too many lollipops – teeth will rot, bugs will crawl into tummies, and mama will scold daddy. Isn’t Daddy pitiful when scolded? Mama only kisses Little Chengzi, and won’t kiss or hug Daddy. Think how lonely and sad Daddy is.”

He chatted with her this way while securing her in the car seat, driving to meet Miao Jing-Si Nan had been in Colombia for over six years and planned to return to China. Miao Jing was accompanying her around Bogota as a final farewell.

Miao Jing and Si Nan were chatting in a café near Bolivar Square when they spotted a father and daughter through the window. The little girl was delicately beautiful, wearing a white pinafore dress and small boots, perched in her father’s arms, a fruit lollipop in her mouth, and fresh flowers in her hands. Her father wore a crisp black shirt and trousers, his figure tall and graceful.

“Here they come,” Si Nan’s gaze returned. “Daddy in black, Little Chengzi in white – such a lovely black and white combination.”

Miao Jing laughed: “He met clients today. His other light-colored shirts are either stained with Chengzi’s juice or milk and drool, so he switched entirely to black.”

“After all these years, I still think you’re the happiest couple, sickeningly sweet every day. Little Chengzi’s grown so big already – I’m truly envious.”

Si Nan reflected wistfully. She’d dated several men over the years, both Chinese and foreign, but never achieved happiness like Miao Jing’s – from the day she’d met Miao Jing, Chen Yi had always been by her side, the two inseparable, every moment between them heart-warmingly beautiful.

“Maybe you’ll find your perfect match soon after returning home,” Miao Jing consoled her, remembering something with a smile. “You always say you envy me, but there’s nothing really to envy. You probably never saw Chen Yi being fierce and bullying me, or us fighting furiously, or him with his ex-girlfriend, me with my ex-boyfriend, all of us sitting together… The ending is just a tiny part of the whole story…”

Before she could finish, Little Chengzi entered the café, waving: “Mama.”

Miao Jing smiled brilliantly, opening her arms to her daughter.

Chen Yi delivered their daughter to Miao Jing. They’d passed a flower stand earlier where Little Chengzi had insisted on buying several flowers – she wanted sunflowers, a double-petaled rose for Miao Jing, and a carnation for Auntie Si Nan.

“Little Chengzi is so thoughtful.”

Chen Yi treated everyone to dinner at a Sichuan restaurant, where they discussed returning to China, work and life there, food and entertainment, promising to reunite in China if the couple ever returned.

“Do you two have plans to return?”

“Not at the moment,” Miao Jing smiled, glancing at Chen Yi. “Maybe in the future.”

Si Nan returned to China at least annually to visit family, but Chen Yi and Miao Jing hadn’t been back since leaving. They’d traveled through nearly every country in South America, becoming somewhat unfamiliar with life in China.

But wherever Miao Jing went, Chen Yi would follow. If she didn’t mention returning home, he wouldn’t think of going back.

After dinner, rain began falling. Little Chengzi had fallen asleep in Chen Yi’s arms. They said goodbye at the restaurant entrance. Chen Yi’s car was still near the café. Si Nan got into her Uber first, and from the window, she saw Miao Jing remove her coat to cover Little Chengzi, and then raise a floral umbrella over Chen Yi’s shoulder. She stood on tiptoes to wipe raindrops from his brow as he wrapped her in his other arm, saying something before kissing her. The umbrella soon concealed the kiss, with only the sunflower and rose from Miao Jing’s bag extending beyond it, their petals dampened by the gentle rain.

Since Little Chengzi became aware, their kisses had become as stealthy as spy operations, mindful of timing, location, and their daughter’s moods.

Little Chengzi disliked Daddy kissing Mommy or Mommy kissing Daddy but loved it when both parents kissed her. Once she’d sneaked into the bedroom at night to find her parents playing “kissing games,” so absorbed they hadn’t noticed her presence. She’d cried so loudly that Chen Yi ended up awkwardly sleeping on the couch with his blanket.

As Little Chengzi grew, she became more mischievous. Now able to run and jump, she often caused trouble without warning, showing a clever naughtiness. Her first real spanking came after she used kitchen scissors to cut off a lock of Aunt Meigisi’s hair. Chen Yi spanked her bottom while Miao Jing stood by watching. She was so angry she ignored everyone all day, playing alone in her room, until she discovered her parents had secretly gone on a dinner date, feeling deeply betrayed.

The baby barrier in Chen Yi’s office could no longer contain her. She began causing havoc everywhere – using Chen Yi’s cup to water plants, putting chocolate in visitors’ tea, clinging to Gino’s arm and refusing to let go, demanding to go out and play.

For a while, Chen Yi and Miao Jing decided against bringing her to the office. The community had plenty of children to play with, and she could have fun at home. But Little Chengzi, young as she was, had her own opinions. Whether she could go wasn’t up to Chen Yi – she wanted to play at the office, clinging to Chen Yi’s leg like a koala, smearing tears and snot on his pants, utterly fearless of her father’s furrowed brow and darkening expression.

How could the playground compare to being at Daddy’s side? She could meet all sorts of people – uncles with guns and beards, strange grandfathers smoking cigars and wearing sunglasses. She could visit huge warehouses and factories full of curious things. Daddy would buy her ice cream and candies of all flavors.

The final compromise was Chen Yi’s agreement, but Little Chengzi could only sleep with Pereira at night and couldn’t enter her parents’ room without permission.

Happy lives share similarities. The family of three vacationed in the Caribbean, with Chen Yi and Miao Jing, taking Little Chengzi to Andres Island, staying at their previous hotel.

Little Chengzi was always carried by Chen Yi when going out, her clean little feet never touching a single grain of sand. She clung to Chen Yi’s neck, refusing to get down, her legs nearly splitting into a full split. Miao Jing couldn’t stop laughing, taking photos of father and daughter’s contrasting expressions. Finally, they carried Little Chengzi into the glass-blue ocean together, her tiny frame floating on Chen Yi’s shoulders as she happily exclaimed in Chinese, “This is so fun!”

Returning to their room after tiring play, the child slept deeply on the bed while the couple cuddled on the balcony chatting. This day was Miao Jing’s twenty-eighth birthday, and Chen Yi would soon turn thirty on Christmas Eve. They had known each other for exactly twenty years.

The first decade faced barriers and separation, both believing they would never return to each other.

The second decade had already brought them Little Chengzi, now reliving old dreams by this seven-colored sea.

“Little Chengzi’s talking in her sleep,” Miao Jing turned back to quietly listen to sounds from the room. “She still loves playing in the water. She was too excited today.”

Chen Yi understood Little Chengzi’s sleep-talk: “She’s saying the fish here are beautiful.”

“Chen Yi, we’re not doing too badly as parents.” She hugged his shoulders. “You know, during pregnancy, I’d occasionally have nightmares. I feared having a boy – worried you’d beat him if he was too naughty. With a girl, I feared I might abandon her due to unknown difficulties. People say genes are copies, some things are carved into our bones. But thankfully… thankfully…”

“Have you heard this saying?” He patted her head. “I control my fate, not heaven.”

That year brought Chen Yi good fortune, and his business grew increasingly successful, partly thanks to Little Chengzi. Because she played so happily with neighborhood children, Chen Yi had bought many novel toys from China. With a retail channel ready, he made a large sale before Christmas.

Chen Yi struck while the iron was hot, opening another trading company next to Miao Jing’s company building, his office windows directly facing her break room.

Occasionally, when Miao Jing passed the break room, she’d see Chen Yi holding Little Chengzi, waving to her from the window, Little Chengzi excitedly perched on Chen Yi’s shoulders, making a big heart gesture for Mom.

The ones she loved were just within reach.

She was ultimately fortunate, having grasped what she wanted.

Chen Yi managed two companies plus other ventures. With limited living expenses in Bogota, all cash flow was reinvested. He considered inviting Bo Zai from China to help, but Bo Zai couldn’t leave his family, asking when Chen Yi would return home so he could follow his Brother Yi again.

One weekend, with Meigisi and Pereira at their own homes resting, just the family of three remained. Chen Yi played with Little Chengzi while Miao Jing cooked. Suddenly, the phone rang.

It was Zhou Kang’an.

At this hour, it was midnight in China. A call at this time couldn’t be trivial.

Chen Yi stood, calling out “Officer Zhou” in a controlled voice. Miao Jing heard him and stopped her movements.

It was good news. Zhai Fengmao was dead, ultimately in the Golden Triangle, from gang warfare. After years in hiding, Zhai Fengmao tried to resurface under a new identity but was shot in the head by another Golden Triangle faction. Police had confirmed the body.

With Zhai Fengmao’s death, the old cases in Teng City were finally closed.

Zhou Kang’an also sent a news article about Zhai Fengmao’s Hong Kong holding company being divided and renamed, thoroughly cleansed.

“Thank you, Captain Zhou.”

Chen Yi hung up, sitting pensively with a calm expression. Meeting Miao Jing’s gaze, he tugged his lips into a faint smile.

He relayed Zhou Kang’an’s words to Miao Jing.

They’d been abroad nearly five years, Little Chengzi now two years old, never returning to China. Zhou Kang’an insisted Chen Yi tell Miao Jing, worried she still resented being deceived by Zhou back then.

“Should we return home?”

Miao Jing pondered long before asking.

“What do you think?”

“If you want to go back, we’ll take Chengzi back,” Miao Jing had no objections. “Whatever works.”

Chen Yi walked over, took the bowls from her hands, and embraced her, inhaling her fragrance: “You decide this one. If you prefer abroad, we’ll stay abroad. If you want to return, I’ll go back with you. Your work, your circle, how you want to proceed.”

“Why me?” She found it amusing. “Since when can’t you make your own decisions?”

“I decide small things, wife decides big things.” His expression was serene as he pecked her neck. “My wife is clever and capable. I follow her lead in everything.”

She tilted her head to return his kiss: “Let me think about it…”

Little Chengzi, playing in the living room, saw their position and jumped up, raising her small fist in protest: “Daddy, no! Mama!”

She pattered into the kitchen, her chubby hands pulling them apart, forcefully squeezing between them, tiny but furious: “No!”

Chen Yi raised an eyebrow, lifting this little mood-killer onto the counter with a deep sigh.

“You little one, when will you say yes? Mama is Daddy’s, Daddy can kiss however he wants.”

“Mama is mine.”

“Daddy’s.”

“Stop arguing, both of you.” Miao Jing shooed the father and daughter out. “Go play downstairs, come back for dinner in half an hour.”

–

The return home wasn’t decided quickly. Miao Jing had applied for several overseas postings, with established responsibilities at the Bogota office. Chen Yi’s companies and ventures were running well, with no immediate reason to abandon them.

Return home? To Teng City or another city? Both finding new work, starting over?

But neither planned to permanently settle abroad, preferring Little Chengzi to favor Chinese food and culture, speaking Chinese and writing Chinese characters.

The right time to return would come.

Little Chengzi’s language explosion period came around age three – achieving stunning progress in both Chinese and Spanish as if releasing all previously unspoken words at once, becoming a complete chatterbox.

During her infancy, Chen Yi and Miao Jing loved buying her various cute clothes and dresses. Once Little Chengzi could express herself adequately, she began choosing jeans, car-print shirts, dinosaur T-shirts, and even sunglasses and leather boots, determined to be a cool girl.

When Miao Jing saw Little Chengzi with a lollipop in her mouth, hands in jean pockets, forehead sweaty, face smudged with dirt, lazily lounging in a chair sunbathing, her heart was chaotic and devastated.

A 100% copy of Chen Yi.

Help! She was only three!

She hadn’t forgotten Chen Yi’s troublemaking youth. Despite his current proper and dignified appearance, his casual, cocky demeanor when alone with her remained unchanged from years ago.

At three, Little Chengzi could already lure a clean-looking little boy home in the evening – blue eyes, white skin, golden hair. Little Chengzi ran over: “Mama, he’s a foreigner from far away, he looks like a Barbie doll.”

The boy didn’t speak Spanish, using German or some other language, basically miscommunicating with Little Chengzi and unable to converse with Miao Jing. Seeing him alone without a nanny following, Miao Jing stumblingly asked where he lived and about his family. The little handsome boy shook his head, happily diving into Little Chengzi’s playground.

Before Miao Jing could take the children downstairs, the boy’s family arrived with the police, everyone wearing dark expressions, awkwardly watching the two children playing enthusiastically.

“Can’t you teach her properly?” Miao Jing aimed her fire at Chen Yi. “These two years with you, look at her now… almost becoming a kid boss, constantly luring children home to play.”

“Isn’t that great?” Chen Yi beamed. “That’s my seed!”

Of course, a girl should be like little Chen Yi – domineering, mischievous, troublemaking. This way, no one would bully her.