Chapter 180

Matteo stood just slightly ahead of Freya. She noticed his figure, but remained focused on the game and didn't look at him. She heard Isabella's voice, then Matteo's from the side: "Don't look around. Stay in sync with your mom."

Isabella responded, "Got it."

Earlier, when Freya was recording a video for Matteo and Isabella, she stood still and filmed; she didn't follow their pace in the game. But now, when Matteo was filming them, he moved with their steps, walking backward while filming.

After a few rounds, the game ended. Isabella ran over to Matteo. "Daddy, this game is so fun! Let's find a chance to play again, okay?"

Matteo smiled, "Okay."

Freya walked back and took her bag from him. Just then, she heard a notification sound from her phone inside her bag. She took her phone out and realized that Matteo had sent her a video. She saw it but didn't click on it. Isabella, however, leaned over to Matteo, eager to watch the video he had just recorded. Matteo handed the phone to her, then twisted open a bottle of water and handed it to Freya.

Freya took it. "Thanks." She was indeed a bit thirsty and had been wanting a drink. She took a couple of sips, then screwed the cap back on. Matteo asked, "What's the next game?"

Freya didn't believe he would forget after reviewing the schedule, but… looking at the water bottle in her hand, she hesitated. Accepting help made her feel indebted.

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She thought for a moment and replied, "Little Ants Carrying the Ball."

Matteo asked again, "You or I?"

Freya looked at Isabella. "Isabella, you decide."

"Daddy," Isabella said, "Mom doesn't know how to play basketball, but Daddy plays very well."

Freya could play basketball, but she didn't say that out loud. Since Isabella had made her decision, Freya said, "You do it."

"Okay," Matteo replied.

The sun was growing stronger, and the outside temperature had risen. Matteo took off his black long coat and handed it to her. "Hold this for me."

Freya: "..." She took it and placed it on the grass beside her.

Matteo: "..."

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He raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything. Just before the game began, he suddenly said to her, "When filming the video later, keep up with the pace and don't stand still."

Freya: "...Got it."

The rules of the "Little Ant Dribbling" game: Parents start by pulling a rope in a circle while dribbling the ball within the circle. When reaching the endpoint and turning back, the child pulls the rope while the parent dribbles the ball. The ball cannot leave the confines of the rope during the entire round.

When she played basketball or volleyball with Isabella in the past, she had been the one to teach her. However, at that time, Isabella wasn’t very interested. She might have been too young to remember. Now, whether it was because the school taught her or because Matteo had taught her, Isabella was extremely skilled at dribbling as the game began.

Matteo, pulling the rope backward, was perfectly in sync with Isabella’s dribbling pace. Thus, they smoothly completed the first round of the game.

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The return leg was even easier. Isabella had said that Matteo was very good at basketball. And that was true. He held the ball and skillfully spun it between his hands. With his sleeves slightly rolled up, he moved with ease, gracefully keeping up with Isabella’s pace. Freya heard an admiring exclamation from around them: "So handsome."

Freya, recording the video, held her phone steady. However, as he dribbled, memories of when he used to play basketball on the school ground suddenly flooded her mind. A few months ago, when she occasionally thought back to those days, his image and face were still very dear in her mind. But now, as she looked at Matteo, who had grown even taller, more upright, and more maturely handsome than before, those memories suddenly became blurry.

Matteo and Isabella were undoubtedly the winners of this round. Isabella jumped up in joy, her smile never leaving her face. Matteo chuckled and bent down to lift her into his arms. Freya captured the moment on video.

She thought to herself, today, Isabella was probably the happiest child in the whole school. However, she also thought that if it had been Raven, rather than her, accompanying them to the parent-child activity, Isabella would probably have been even happier.

Some parents of other students came up to Matteo to chat. Matteo shook hands with them and started a conversation. Tommy’s mom and Freya stood together. When the game was almost over, and Freya had finished recording, Tommy’s mom said, “Your child gets along really well with her dad.”

Freya replied, “Mm.” Their father-daughter bond was indeed strong and would probably continue to grow stronger.

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What Tommy’s mom didn’t say was that it was actually quite rare for a child to have a stronger bond with their father than with their mother, and to have such a close relationship. However, she did think that Freya’s husband treated her child very well, so it made sense that they had a close relationship. Besides that, she noticed that other parents were watching their spouse interact with the child during the games, either laughing and applauding if they were doing well, or feeling anxious if they weren’t. People could sense that they were all in it together.

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