"Pwetty!"
Xi Yuan glanced down at the little hand reaching out to him, his eyes narrowing slightly as he took in this miniature version of his inspiration. A businessman in the making, he mused, letting his smile deepen as he wrapped his large hand around the tiny palm, giving it three firm shakes for added effect. It was impossible to maintain a straight face in the presence of someone so endearing.
Zhi Taio was a chubby yet poised child, with a pair of confident, twinkling eyes that seemed to hold wisdom beyond his years. Just seven months younger than Lu Alix, his personality couldn't have been more distinct from his older sister's. While Alix radiated the same lively, sociable charm as her mother, Ningtao, Taio was a rule-bender, entirely unbothered by the constraints of oh-so-eager 'silly' antics and expectations of childhood.