《Reborn as a Weak Beauty Pampered by All》


 Chapter 1 - 1 1 Its Voluntary Not Holding a Grudge Against

    ?Chapter 1: Chapter 1: It¡¯s Voluntary, Not Holding a Grudge Against Anyone   Chapter 1: Chapter 1: It¡¯s Voluntary, Not Holding a Grudge Against Anyone                                   July 7, Minor Heat.


    By a small stream at the foot of the mountain behind Aoli Vige.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Zhou Weimin looked at the girl standing three steps away from him with eyes full of guilt, ¡°If I could, I wouldn¡¯t want to break off our engagement, but¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t ept it, and I don¡¯t want to listen to you.¡±


    The girl was fair and delicate, like a Fairy Girl standing under the willow tree by the stream, her whole body seemingly glowing. She said this with a tense face before turning around and walking away.


    ¡°You¡­ can¡¯t you just let me finish what I¡¯m saying?¡±


    The guilt in Zhou Weimin¡¯s eyes deepened, and at the same time, he felt extremely helpless, thinking that the girl was being capricious again. He couldn¡¯t help but raise his voice, ¡°Even if you resent me for breaking off our engagement, is it necessary to treat your lifelong happiness as child¡¯s y?¡±


    ¡°Mind your own business!¡±


    The girl retorted angrily but didn¡¯t look back or stop walking.


    ¡°Marrying a man who has been married before, bing a stepmother to three kids, you are simply out of your mind, asking for trouble!¡±


    Zhou Weimin shouted after her, his tone full of disapproval.


    ¡°It¡¯s my choice.¡±


    The girl stopped in her tracks, turned around to face her former fianc¨¦ who stood still, her watery fox-like eyes filled with anger as she burst out,


    ¡°Zhou Weimin, you listen to me, I hate you! We have been engaged for three years, and our wedding feast was just around the corner,


    and then your family suddenly found fault with my health, worrying that I couldn¡¯t bear children for you after marriage, and insisted on breaking off the engagement at my home. Your mother even said in front of my family,


    to not dy you, lest you have no children in the future and be theughing stock of the vige. Zhou Weimin, why don¡¯t you speak, where were you earlier?


    You shamelessly pestered your mother to propose to me, and in just three years, you secretly became involved with Educated Youth Su from the Youth Educated Institute. Don¡¯t think nobody knows!¡±


    Her eyes turned sour, yet, the girl held back her tears from falling.


    Having said that, she turned and continued on her way.


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    Zhou Weimin¡¯s mouth twitched, his gazeplex, wanting to say something more but was unable to speak the rest. Unexpectedly, as he hesitated whether or not to chase after the girl, he saw her seemingly slip, and she toppled backward.


    ¡°Li Bao¡­¡±


    This was the girl¡¯s nickname, the name by which her family and fellow vigers had called her from a young age.


    Zhou Weimin, with a worried expression, called out to her repeatedly as he ran toward the girl who had already fallen face-up.


    ¨C


    Kang Li was woken by the noisy cicada¡¯s buzz and the fluctuating sounds of an argument.


    Her eyebrows knitted slightly as she was about to open her eyes, an extra segment of memory suddenly came into her mind.


    Oddly enough, this memory wasn¡¯t Kang Li¡¯s own, and following that, a book appeared in her mind¡­


    ¡°I said no, and that¡¯s final. The only way my daughter would marry a twice-married man and be a stepmother is over my dead body!¡±


    Cai Xiufen, who is Kang¡¯s Mother, said while wiping away tears, ¡°Li Bao agreed to marry that twice-married man just because she was angry with that bastard Zhou Weimin and didn¡¯t think it through.


    And you? What¡¯s your excuse? Li Bao is also your daughter, Kang Laigen. How can you agree to her marriage without even thinking about it, in front of Director Wu at the Commune, trying to pair our Li Bao with that Luo Yanqing fellow?


    The other party clearly already has three kids and is nearly ten years older than our Li Bao. Aren¡¯t you just pushing our Li Bao into a pit of fire?¡±


    At this moment, the main room was full of people, men and women, children too, everyone pursing their lips, with solemn expressions, listening to their mother (mother-inw, grandma) using their father (father-inw, grandfather).


    ¡°Listen to what you¡¯re saying¡­¡±


    Kang Laigen was the head of the family, as well as the Team Leader of Aoli Vige, and at this moment, he only felt a great headache. He thought he was considering his daughter¡¯s interests when he casually mentioned to Director Wu during a chat,


    that an old leader of his in North City had asked him a favor to find a partner for a returned oversea scientist named Luo Yanqing. If he didn¡¯t think highly of his daughter, would he even bring up such a matter?


    And he, after considering the conditions of Comrade Luo Yanqing described by Director Wu, would he agree without a second thought to marry his own precious daughter to Comrade Luo Yanqing, who expects her to be a stepmother as soon as she enters his home?


    ¡°Although Comrade Luo Yanqing has been married before, has three children, and is a bit older than our Li Bao, he¡¯s making significant contributions to the country, and he¡¯s not even thirty yet.


    His three children, the oldest is almost five, and the younger pair are twins, a boy and a girl, who lost their mother at birth and are about three years old now. They¡¯re all very well-behaved little ones, and if Comrade Luo Yanqing wasn¡¯t so busy with his work,


    hardly being able to take time off toe home and look after his children, and because of a session of nannies not taking good care of his children, he wouldn¡¯t even be considering remarriage.


    Moreover, didn¡¯t I tell you yesterday, Comrade Luo Yanqing earns a fair ie, and he gets various coupons every month. Director Wu said, once our Li Bao goes there, Comrade Luo Yanqing will hand over his sry book to Li Bao to manage,


    all the coupons too, and he has only one request for our Li Bao, to take good care of the three kids at home.¡±


    Cai Xiufen was not persuaded: ¡°This isn¡¯t looking for a wife, this is finding a nanny for the home. Don¡¯t think you can persuade me, Kang Laigen, I¡¯ve said no and that means no!¡±


    Her Li Bao, a perfectly good girl, how could she marry a twenty-seven-year-old man on his second marriage? No, she absolutely refused to agree!


    ¡°I really am thinking of Li Bao¡¯s best interest. Her mother, think about it, with Li Bao¡¯s health condition, the doctors have all said, in this lifetime¡­ it will be quite difficult for her to have children of her own,


    Right now, we, as her parents, can still move and spoil Li Bao, taking care of her properly is not an issue, but when one day we can¡¯t move¡­¡±


    Captain Kang hadn¡¯t finished speaking when he was interrupted by his eldest son, Kang Guowei: ¡°As long as I have a bite to eat, Li Bao will have a bite to eat.¡±


    The meaning of his words was clear; when the old mother and father pass on, he, as the elder brother, would absolutely take care of his sister.


    ¡°You shut your mouth for your father!¡±


    Giving a severe look to his eldest son, Captain Kang scolded angrily.


    The brat is only making things worse!


    Seeing the eldest brother scolded by their father, the other brothers¡ªexcept for Second Brother Kang, Kang Guosheng, who was in the army¡ªThird Brother Kang, Kang Guoqiang, Fifth Brother Kang, Kang Guoan, and Fourth Brother Kang, Kang Guofu, who had rushed back from the County Transport Team early in the morning,


    were about to echo the eldest brother¡¯s words but swallowed their remarks before speaking out.


    To avoid being indiscriminately targeted by Captain Kang, their father.


    ¡°Mom, don¡¯t argue with Dad any more, I¡¯m willing to marry Comrade Luo Yanqing voluntarily.¡± Kang Li, who had gotten off the kang at some point, was now standing by the doorframe of her own room, addressing everyone from there.


    She looked around at the family members in the main room and finally turned her gaze to Cai Xiufen, her mother in this lifetime, her eyes clear and earnest as she said:


    ¡°I¡¯m not acting out of spite against anyone. I just think that with my health as it is, marrying Comrade Luo Yanqing might not necessarily be a bad thing.¡±

 Chapter 2 - 2 2 Mom do you believe me

    ?Chapter 2: Chapter 2 Mom, do you believe me?   Chapter 2: Chapter 2 Mom, do you believe me?                                   After assimting the memories that did not belong to her and watching the book that had appeared in her mind vanish, Kang Li was now clear about her current situation.


    ¡ª¡ªOriginally, she had been reviewing documents in the study at home, and after finishing up, when the clock pointed to one in the morning, she casually made a video call to her younger brother, who was studying abroad in Country A.


    Little did she know, before she and her brother could exchange a few words, her heart suddenly began to ache, followed by darkness engulfing her vision, and she lost all consciousness amidst her brother¡¯s anxious, distressed calls.


    When she opened her eyes again, enduring the pain at the back of her head, she realized she had transmigrated, and it was into a morally questionable era-specific stepmother novel.


    Of course, this was undoubtedly known through the memories left by the original owner and the book that had appeared in her mind.


    Was she panicked?


    Not in the slightest.


    Because she knew what it meant to make the best of a situation, while also aware that in her original world, she most likely died suddenly of exhaustion from working too hard for the family and the corporation.


    The original owner, on the other hand, was born with a deficiency disease and strictly needed to avoid drastic emotional swings. Unexpectedly, just two days ago, the Zhou Family from the same vige hade to forcefully break off their engagement,


    and this morning, she was tricked by her best friend to the creek at the foot of the mountains behind the vige by her ex-fianc¨¦. Leaving carelessly, she fell backwards and injured the back of her head. Although the vige doctor did diagnose her and said she was simply in aa and it was nothing serious, predicting she would wake up by lunch at thetest.


    However, the person who woke up had a different soul, indicating that the original owner most likely died in her sleep.


    Her parents were arguing in the main room. The day after the Zhou Family called off the engagement, her father returned from a meeting at themune and brought up a marriage prospect.


    In a fit of pique, without giving it any thought, the original owner agreed to go to North City and marry a man named Luo Yanqing, as mentioned by Director Wu from themune.


    As a mother, Cai Xiufen could never watch her precious daughter marry a man on his second marriage, who had three children for her to step into the role of stepmother, and thus she strongly opposed the marriage.


    Yet, early this morning, Captain Kang, her father, rode his bike to themune, and with Director Wu personally handling the situation, plus his old superior¡¯s call for a special case to be made,


    both assisted¡ªin one case, Luo Yanqing who was far away in North City, and in the other, their own daughter¡ªin processing the marriage registration smoothly.


    All right, by this point, Captain Kang still hadn¡¯t taken the marriage certificate out of his pocket to show the family, otherwise, Cai Xiufen¡¯s argument with Captain Kang would not have been so simple.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Her daughter¡¯s gone nuts!


    Cai Xiufen really thought that what her Li Bao said yesterday was out of anger. Could someone please tell her what on earth is going on now?


    Both Kang Guowei and his wife, Kang Guoqiang and his wife, Kang Guofu and his wife, as well as their respective children, along with Kang Guoan, who was born in the same batch but still single, were all staring agape: ¡°¡­¡±


    The sister (little sister-inw) has gone mad!


    What needs to be said is, Kang Guofu hadn¡¯t been at his unit for long this morning when he received a call from home, informing him that his little sister Li Bao had fallen and fainted by the creek. As a brother who adored his younger sister, it was impossible for him not to return home to see her.


    Consequently, Kang Guofu rode his bike with his wife and two sons, rushing back to the vige at full speed.


    To tell the truth, the original owner, Kang Li, was absolutely adored like a treasure at home.


    Why?


    It¡¯s quite simple. In Captain Kang¡¯s generation, there were three brothers and not a single sister. And the brothers, one after another, got married and had children. It was almost like apetition; each of them had a son,


    Until Captain Kang and his wife, nearly ten years after having their fourth son, finally had twins, a boy and a girl. It was only then that the Kang Family weed a delicate and precious little girl.


    She was doted on by grandparents, parents, uncles, aunts, brothers, and male cousins. Later, as her brothers and male cousins married and themselves had sons, these younger rtives, without needing to be told, also spoilt their little aunt.


    Some of these nephews were over twenty years older than the original host, with children of their own, yet they didn¡¯t feel embarrassed to pass any treats they had directly to the original host.


    For instance, the original host¡¯s eldest cousin from her eldest uncle¡¯s side was forty-three, with a twenty-two-year-old son who got marriedst year and had a child at the beginning of this year.


    In short, with the entire Kang Family doting on her, the original host grew up truly pampered and sheltered, raised to be both delicate and naive.


    But the original host had some health issues, was frail from childhood, yet she grew up extraordinarily beautiful, and the older she got, the more beautiful she became. It was no exaggeration to say her skin was as smooth as cream, her bright eyes presented good will, and her lips were as lovely as peach blossoms.


    Moreover, with her sweet tongue, the family¡¯s affection for her could be described as them fearing she would break if held in their hands and worrying she would melt if kept in their mouths.


    This led to the original host reaching adulthood having never washed a single piece of clothing, cooked a meal, or even done easy household chores like feeding chickens and ducks or sweeping the floor.


    In private conversations, the vigers said that the Kang Family had spoiled their daughter too much. This was a euphemistic way of putting it. More directly, they said the Kang Family had indulged their daughter into beingzy and gluttonous, adding that no one would be able to live a decent life with such a daughter-inw.


    Moreover, she was a sickly person who might have trouble bearing children. Even if she looked like a fairy, what use was it?


    ¡°Do you have anything to say now? Marrying Luo Yanqing Comrade, our Li Bao doesn¡¯t have the slightest objection,¡±


    At this moment, Captain Kang spoke up, breaking the silent atmosphere in the main room and attracting the gazes that had been focused on Kang Li. He fished out a marriage certificate that resembled a diploma from his pocket, opened it up for the family to see:


    ¡°Here is Li Bao¡¯s marriage certificate. I went to the Commune at noon today. Director Wu said that his old leader had approved a special handling for the marriage between our Li Bao and Comrade Luo Yanqing, so he went with me to the civil affairs department to help the two children get their marriage certificate.¡±


    ¡°Kang Laigen! You must have your head clouded byrd. Yesterday, you agreed on such a marriage for Li Bao in front of Director Wu, and today, without uttering a word to anyone, you went and got the marriage certificate on behalf of Li Bao. How could you do this?!¡±


    Cai Xiufen was about to explode with rage, about to pounce on Captain Kang and give him a good scratching.


    Seeing this, Kang Li immediately grabbed her mother¡¯s arm: ¡°Mother, can you trust me? I truly haven¡¯t gone against anyone¡¯s wishes. Now that father has brought the marriage certificate back, there¡¯s no turning back, and frankly, I haven¡¯t even considered going back on it. You can rest assured, once I go to North City, I will definitely not let anything happen to myself.¡±


    ¡°How can I put my mind at ease? You¡¯ve never done anything since you were small. How will you manage in North City? And you¡¯re just a child yourself, how are you going to take care of three little kids?¡±


    Thinking about what her treasured daughter would face in North City made Cai Xiufen¡¯s heart wrench with pain.


    She was afraid, afraid that her Li Bao would go hungry, afraid that her Li Bao would quickly be haggard, suffering from an empty stomach while unable to wear clean clothes. She feared her daughter would suffer grievances without family nearby, hiding under the nkets, crying until she couldn¡¯t catch her breath¡­


    ¡°I can learn. Mother, I¡¯m very smart, and everyone in our family knows that. Besides, cooking and washing clothes aren¡¯t difficult at all,


    I¡¯ve been observing you and the sisters-inw doing these household chores. In fact, I have it all in my heart. How about I cook a couple of dishes and put them on the table tonight? Everyone can try them and see how I do.¡±

 Chapter 3 - 3 3 Just Want to Be a Salted Fish

    ?Chapter 3: Chapter 3: Just Want to Be a Salted Fish   Chapter 3: Chapter 3: Just Want to Be a Salted Fish                                   Last year, the original owner of this body graduated from high school, and if college entrance exams were an option, with her academic performance, she definitely could have gotten into a prestigious university.


    In other words, the original owner really had a knack for studying.


    Well, there¡¯s one thing Kang Li has to admit, people like the original owner can be described as being good at scoring high butcking in practical abilities!


    However, now that Kang Li has taken her ce, everything is no longer an issue, including the original owner¡¯s fate as set out in the story.


    ¡°What¡¯s there to study for?¡±


    Cai Xiufen came out of her daze and shook her head, ¡°You could easily stay at home and not do a thing, why must you suffer in North City and work like a nanny for others?¡±


    By her side, Kang Guowei¡¯s brothers and Kang Li¡¯s sisters-inw and nephews all nodded in agreement, fully endorsing what the olddy (mother-inw, grandma) had said.


    Kang Li saw this and knew that her mother-inw and these family members all meant well for her, but after all, she wasn¡¯t the original owner, and even if she could mimic the original owner¡¯s temperament almost perfectly,


    it would be hard to guarantee that she wouldn¡¯t give herself away at some point. With that in mind, leaving Aoli Vige and keeping a distance from her family members wouldn¡¯t be a bad thing.


    Having lived there for a year and a half, it would be understandable if she undergoes some changes in her personality.


    After all, first, she was jilted, and thenter she went to live in North City with a new family, so it would be natural for different aspects of her behavior and speech to emerge.


    Moreover, Kang Li didn¡¯t mind imitating the original owner¡¯s temperament and way of speaking, but as time went on, living as though wearing a mask was exhausting for Kang Li.


    So, going to North City was a pretty good idea.


    ¡°Mom, your words are a bit harsh! What do you mean by ¡®work like a nanny for others¡¯?¡±


    Captain Kang frowned, staring directly at Cai Xiufen: ¡°Comrade Luo is making great contributions to the country, and Li Bao is his wife, who helps take care of the household so he has no worries at home,


    this also equates to making contributions to the country, which is nothing like being a nanny. You are the women¡¯s director of our team, can¡¯t you be a bit more ideologically aware?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Cai Xiufen felt guilty, but thinking about the life her daughter would have to endure, her guilt instantly evaporated, and she red at Captain Kang, saying:


    ¡°One thing is one thing, why don¡¯t I have ideological awareness? All I know right now is that I¡¯m a mother, and I can¡¯t just watch my daughter suffer!¡±


    ¡°Enough, I don¡¯t want to listen to you making a fuss anymore. Right now, Li Bao and Comrade Luo¡¯s marriage certificate has already been issued, and the matter is set in stone, it¡¯s irreversible.¡±


    Captain Kang said decisively, and upon hearing this, Cai Xiufen¡¯s face turned quite unsightly: ¡°I will never acknowledge this marriage!¡±


    ¡°Mom, you are usually so reasonable, how have you be like this now? Could it be that you want our daughter to stay single for life?¡±


    This woman was simply beyond reason!


    ¡°How wonderful is our Li Bao, why would she end up single? You just wait and see, I am definitely going to find our Li Bao a better match than that bastard from the Zhou Family, and then they can regret it all they want!¡±


    Cai Xiufen looked utterly convinced, leaving Captain Kang at a loss for words. He was silent for a long time before saying, ¡°Aren¡¯t you aware of Li Bao¡¯s health condition?


    Even if we could find someone within the surrounding viges who wouldn¡¯t mind Li Bao¡¯s difficulty with childbirth, when Li Bao gets old and has no children of her own to rely on, what about her affairs after passing? But if Li Bao lives with Comrade Luo,


    those three kids at Comrade Luo¡¯s home are still young. If our Li Bao goes there and raises them with care, she can certainly raise them as if they were her own. In that case, what¡¯s the difference from having her own children?


    ¡°Besides, once Li Bao got to North City with Comrade Luo¡¯s sry passbook and the various coupons and certificates issued, with money and coupons, what can¡¯t be bought? Since she could buy food and clothes, and had three little ones to keep herpany, I think Li Bao¡¯s life must be far from bad!¡±


    In fact, Kang Li had be very interested in Captain Kang¡¯s proposed marriage candidate, through the fleeting glimpses of that book¡¯s content in her mind.


    Not to mention, Captain Kang even gave the original owner a ck-and-white full-body photo yesterday, and the man in the photo, both in appearance and aura, met Kang Li¡¯s standard of aesthetics.


    What was most critical was that Kang Li felt that the three major societal pressures that had gued her in her previous life¡ªmatchmaking, getting married, and having children¡ªwere all achieved in one go this lifetime.


    Even though this ¡®all in one go¡¯ situation, ording to the original owner¡¯s fate in the story, included her twin stepchildren turning five and getting lost in a department store while shopping,


    followed by the eldest stepson, who was twelve at the time, chasing after the original owner who was looking for the twins, pushing her out of the way just in time to be run over by an approaching truck,


    The eldest stepson was crushed under the wheels, and the original owner, unable to bear the shock, hugged her stepson¡¯s body, vomited blood, fainted, and never woke up again.


    Upon hearing the news of his wife and child¡¯s tragic idents, Luo Yanqing, not long afterpleting his research project, copsed in theb.


    ording to a casual conversation towards the end of the story, the twins that went missing early on


    were actually abducted by human traffickers¡ªone was sold to a family in the mountains with an intellectually disabled son for a child bride, while the other was sold to a farming family that had been childless for years, to be their son.


    Unfortunately, when the girl reached sixteen and learned she had been sold, she ran away in the night, fell into a ravine and died.


    The girl¡¯s twin brother, initially living a fairly good life with his adoptive parents, faced a change of fortune the next year when his adoptive mother became pregnant and gave birth to twins, followed by another son two yearster.


    Unquestionably, as the purchased adopted son, the girl¡¯s twin brother faced nothing but beatings and scoldings in his adoptive parents¡¯ home.


    Denied education, he was sent to the city to work at a construction site with the adults from the vige at the age of sixteen. Less than a year into the job, he fell from the fifth floor of the scaffolding while saving a coworker and died on the spot.


    To be honest, after learning about the fate of the original owner, her husband Luo Yanqing, and their three stepchildren, Kang Li felt like cursing out loud.


    Just because they were unimportant supporting characters, meant to highlight the main plot and provide contrast for the protagonists, did the original owner, her husband, and their children deserve to be sacrificed?


    Beyond that, in the year the twins vanished, the original owner¡¯s parents had tried to alleviate their daughter¡¯s guilt by helping search for the two little ones.


    In the process, the original owner¡¯s third brother lost a leg, going on to suffer lifelong disability; her little brother went missing, without a trace for many years.


    After consecutive idents involving both sons, and then the death of their only daughter, both Captain Kang and his wife, one having suffered a stroke and the other blinded by tears, passed away within a few short years.


    As cannon fodder, the original owner faced a simr fate for her loved ones, and even acquired a bad reputation¡ªdeemed unkind, unloving, unfilial, she was seen as a blight.


    Whenever people in thepound had time on their hands and gossiped, they invariablypared the original owner with the female protagonist, filled with disdain and contempt for the former.


    Hah! Cannon fodder!


    Although, the original owner could be considered an outstanding character among cannon fodder in romance stories, Kang Li knew that from the moment she became the original owner, the destiny that belonged to the original owner had already started to change.


    The reason she still chose toplete the marriage with that man named Luo Yanqing was partly because of the instant fulfillment of her past life¡¯s three major goals, and partly because she did not want to trouble her family this time, nor did she want her real father to break his word.


    It must be emphasized, she genuinely only wanted to live a simple, unambitious life!

 Chapter 4 - 4 4 Loosen Up

    ?Chapter 4: Chapter 4 Loosen Up   Chapter 4: Chapter 4 Loosen Up                                   In her previous life, she received elite family education from a young age, and at sixteen, out of necessity, she took over the Kang Group, which was on the verge of bankruptcy. After that, she wholeheartedly devoted herself to the group¡¯s affairs while also instructing her brother, who was ten years her junior.


    Normally, outside the education arranged by the family, raising children is the responsibility of the parents, but her father¡¯s favorite was his wife, her mother.


    However, her mother¡¯s health was gravely impacted by giving birth to her brother Kang Yi, necessitating a long period of rest and recuperation. As her father was preupied with caring for his beloved wife, he had no interest in managing the group¡¯s affairs, leading to major problems within thepany,


    so, when she had just obtained her third doctoral degree, without any sense of shame, they dumped the burden of the Kang Group on her sixteen-year-old self.


    With a sigh, Kang Li wasn¡¯t worried whether the group would encounter trouble following her sudden death.


    The reason?


    It was undoubtedly because she believed her seventeen-year-old brother would be able to take over the Kang Group as smoothly as she did. After all, Kang Yi, like his sister Kang Li, was a genius.


    Moreover, with their father around, how could anything happen to the empire she had spent years building?


    As her thoughts arrived at this point, Kang Li felt extremely at ease. She had experienced business sess and reached heights that many of her peers found hard to match. Money, in her eyes, was just a number¡­


    Now, for whatever reasons that had turned her into the youngest daughter of the Kang Family in the 1970s, and into a disposable character within a book, her only goal was to live as if she were retired,


    so as not to experience once more the heart-wrenching responsibilities of her past life¡ªstruggling for the family, for thepany, to the point where it cost her life at the age of twenty-seven due to unbearable stress.


    Of course, since she was now the original character, the original character¡¯s family became her family. Throughout her lifetime, she would protect these rtives under her wings, ensuring they all remained safe and sound.


    Oh, including Comrade Luo Yanqing and the three little brats, she¡¯d protect them too!


    They were all pitiful characters, cannon fodder in the main male and female leads¡¯ path to the peak of life. With her around in the future, it didn¡¯t matter who the male or female lead was, or what the d*mn plot was.


    She was going to be the one enjoying the show while casually taking care of the three brats with their dad and watching the drama of the main characters¡¯ family unfold.


    ¡°That¡¯s what you¡¯re saying, but who knows the specifics?¡±


    The voice of Cai Xiufen, tinged with anger, pulled Kang Li¡¯s thoughts back. Her attractive lips pursed slightly, then she imitated the original character, nuzzling her mother¡¯s arm with her head and sweetly whined:


    ¡°Mom, Comrade Luo looks much better than Zhou Weimin. I fell in love with him the moment I saw his photo. Please agree to this marriage with Comrade Luo,


    otherwise, I won¡¯t be able to eat or sleep well, and I¡¯m bound to lose weight drastically in just a few days. In the end, you¡¯ll be the one who feels the most heartache! Besides, dad has already brought back our marriage certificate from Comrade Luo. If we back out now, we¡¯d be breaking trust with people, and that would be disgraceful.¡±


    ¡°Let whoever wants to talk, talk. I¡¯m not afraid!¡±


    Cai Xiufen retorted offhandedly.


    ¡°I know Mom isn¡¯t afraid, and neither are Dad, my brother and sister-inw, nor my nephews. But I don¡¯t want our family to be talked about by others.


    Mom, ever since I was born, I¡¯ve grown up being pampered by the family. I can¡¯t be selfish; I want the whole family to be happy.¡±


    Cai Xiufen looked at her daughter with a gaze full of pity, seeing the girl¡¯s eyes carry not a trace of evasion and her expression being sincere, she couldn¡¯t help but soften a bit, ¡°Have you really decided?¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡±


    Kang Li nodded firmly, her clear, bright eyes filled with innocence and joy, ¡°I love children. Besides, you know, Mom, I usually take care of the little nephews at home, ying with them and teaching them to read and do arithmetic!¡±


    This was the truth; the original character¡¯s nephews, those older than her, actively helped their parents by working and earning work points when they weren¡¯t in school. The littler ones, nicknamed Radish Heads, would heed her everymand, doing whatever she asked of them.


    Cai Xiufen didn¡¯t speak for a long time.


    ¡°Mother-inw, just rx. Our Li Bao is so smart, she¡¯ll definitely lead a good life. Oh, and I forgot to mention,


    Director Wu¡¯s old leader also asked Director Wu to pass on a message to us, saying they would arrange a job for Li Bao in North City, with an official position,¡±


    As soon as Captain Kang said this, besides Kang Li, everyone else in the hall widened their eyes.


    A job with an official designation meant being a formal employee, receivingmodity grain, and drawing a sry every month¡­


    Kang Guowei asked, ¡°Dad, are they trying to trick our Li Bao?¡±


    ¡°Impossible.¡±


    Captain Kang shook his head, then continued, ¡°I trust Director Wu¡¯s character. If he said they would arrange a job for Li Bao, then they definitely will.¡±


    However, aside from Captain Kang and the person involved, Kang Li, after their initial astonishment, the other members of the Kang Family still did not look favorably upon Kang Li marrying a twice-widowed man and bing a stepmother.


    They were worried, concerned that their precious daughter (sister, younger aunt) would be mistreated in North City, worried about her having no family members nearby to rely on. She was as beautiful as a celestial being,


    but her body was frail. They feared the girl (sister, younger aunt) would hide under the covers and cry, trapping herself in her sorrow and potentially causing a serious health issue.


    However, no one said anything, because they could see that the girl (sister, younger aunt) was determined, and they feared that anything they said now would be in vain.


    ¡°Dad, I have something I¡¯d like to discuss with Director Wu.¡±


    Go to work? How could that be possible?! She was set on being a salty fish, asking her to work, no!


    ¡°¡­You want to see Director Wu?¡±


    Captain Kang and everyone else in the house turned their gaze to Kang Li.


    ¡°Yes, I want to go to the Commune to see Director Wu. I have something to discuss with him. Dad, can you apany me this afternoon?¡±


    Kang Li batted her eyshes, her clear eyes full of hope and trust.


    ¡°Alright, Dad will apany you. But you still have an injury on your head. If something happens on the way, your mother would probably me me!¡±


    As he said this, Captain Kang cautiously nced at his spouse.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, my head doesn¡¯t hurt anymore.¡±


    She raised her hand to touch the back of her head, shook her head, and smiled sweetly.


    The original owner¡¯s head was wrapped in a white bandage, and although there was no major injury at the back of the head, just a small protrusion and a bit of scraped skin, it was nothing serious.


    ¡°Li Bao, what do you need to talk to Director Wu about?¡±


    Cai Xiufen asked at that moment.


    ¡°It¡¯s a secret for now.¡±


    With a yful wink, Kang Li said to her family members seated in the hall, ¡°I¡¯m tired, I¡¯ll rest a little longer in the room, remember to call me when Dad leaves.¡±


    She had to think about how she could convince Director Wu to have his old leader transfer the job intended for her to her younger brother, Kang Guoan.


    No matter whether the job was in North City or in their hometown, as long as it could be secured for her younger brother, that was all that mattered.


    Why didn¡¯t she consider transferring the job to her nephew?


    The reason was simple; she had more than one nephew, and two of them were of age to start working. If she gave the job to one and not the other, it could cause family conflicts.


    Rather than stirring up such trouble, it was better not to consider the younger generation at all and let her younger brother, who graduated from high school with herst year, take over the highly coveted ¡°iron rice bowl.¡±

 Chapter 5 - 5 5 Did You Get My Consent

    ?Chapter 5: Chapter 5: Did You Get My Consent?   Chapter 5: Chapter 5: Did You Get My Consent?                                   Rather than causing such amotion, it was better to not consider anyone from the younger generation and instead, have the younger brother who graduated from high school with herst year take over her coveted ¡®iron rice bowl¡¯ job.


    Kang Li did not want to contemte right now whether her eldest brother and third brother, who both worked on the family farm, would object. She had made up her mind that when the opportunity arose, she would need to pull strings for both her eldest and third brother¡¯s families to get in her good graces.


    However, just as Kang Li turned to head back to her own bedroom, a mechanical voice suddenly rang out in her mind, and before she could react, she was bound by a ¡°Childcare Life¡± System in one fell swoop.


    Yet, Kang Li merely frowned imperceptibly and did not show any other reaction.


    At this moment, she stood in the center of her room, quietly looking at the white mosquito hanging over the bed, then shifting her gaze to the tall-and-low cab beside it, staring nkly for a moment at items like the olive green metal thermos,


    and an enamel jar printed with ¡°Study Hard, Improve Every Day¡± among other things.


    These items were a mixture of old and new, but all had been specially provided for the original host by the family. The half-old items, such as therge tall-and-low cab, were even specially made by a local carpenter when the original host was seven or eight years old.


    To speak frankly, theyout of this room and the memories left by the original host, as well as the caring looks from her family members Kang Li just encountered in the main hall, made her acutely aware that the family truly cherished the original host from the bottom of their hearts.


    Even the sisters-inw, who had married into the family, showed no hint of disdain in their eyes.


    She was sweet-tongued and as beautiful as a Fairy Girl, breathtakingly and suffocatingly so. One could not help but take a liking to her at first sight and feel an urge to offer their best possessions to her.


    Kang Li found nothing odd about this, after all, everyone appreciates beauty, and who could resist a pretty and sweet-talking girl who wasparable to a Fairy Girl?


    But on the flip side, nothing is absolute. For instance, those with strong jealousy andpounded insecurities would certainly make remarks about the original host¡¯s appearance and the family¡¯s favoritism.


    ¡°Host, why aren¡¯t you paying any attention to me, quack?¡±


    The mechanical voice in her mind transformed this moment into a soft and cute babyish tone, leaving no doubt that this was the System. It had thought that its sudden appearance would arouse the host¡¯s curiosity or perhaps fear, but as it turned out, the host bound by it showed no reaction at all.


    The System was baffled!


    It was a newbie to the System, undertaking its first mission. If it couldn¡¯tplete the task sessfully, not to mention getting confirmed for a permanent position, what awaited it was disassembly and recreation.


    And a recreated System, would it still be itself?


    The answer goes without saying, no!


    Therefore, as soon as it arrived in this world and detected a potential host to bind with, it immediately acted without authorization. Meanwhile, following the advice of some senior from the Unified Realm, it set its voice to mimic a cold and dominating CEO to intimidate the host. The intention was tomand the host to diligentlyplete the mission. Yet the host¡¯s response told it that the well-meaning senior from the Unified Realm¡­ might not be so reliable after all!


    There was no other choice; it reverted to its original voice¡ªa soft and sweet babyish tone.


    It hoped the host was someone who adored cute things. No, no, that might be asking too much. It should lower its expectations and simply hope the host wasn¡¯t someone who disliked children.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you being too reckless? To put it unpleasantly, you¡¯re a nuisance; to say it kindly, you¡¯re foolish. Which one do you think you are?¡±


    Her facial expression remained unchanged as Kang Liy on her side on the bed with her back to the door, her beautiful fox-like eyes slightly closed.


    System: ¡°Ah? Host, why are you calling me a nuisance, why do you say I¡¯m foolish, quack?¡±


    Kang Li indifferently responded, ¡°Did you get my consent?¡±


    ¡°¡­Sorry¡­ Host, I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± the System sounded aggrieved. ¡°I¡¯m just a new little System, on my first mission, and because I was too nervous, I¡­ I forgot to ask for your consent.¡±


    Kang Li didn¡¯t respond.


    ¡°Host, can you forgive me just this once, quack? Let me tell you, as long as youplete each task given by the System, you can get happiness points and rewards, and the tasks for the host are very simple,¡±


    Once the hostpletes them, not only can the happiness points prolong your life, but they can also be exchanged for Points at a ratio of 1:10, which you can use to shop in the System Mall¡­


    Oh yes, the host¡¯s rewards are always very, very generous! The System isn¡¯t lying to the host, cooperating with the System is absolutely, positively, the most correct choice for the host. Please say something, would you, quack?¡±


    Kang Li remained as impassive as an old monk, still without response.


    Assigning her tasks?


    Ha! Has she not always been the one controlling others, right?!


    It seems this darn System has the audacity to reach for the skies?


    ¡°Host, after the System¡¯s diagnosis, it appears your body suffers from congenital deficiencies, and if you don¡¯t care for it, you won¡¯t live long¡­¡±


    But if the hostpletes tasks properly, you could use Points to purchase body strengthening pills or gene repair liquid for consumption, thereby extending your lifespan!


    Host, with 100,000 Points you can buy a body strengthening pill or a vial of gene repair liquid.¡±


    The System felt like crying, but afraid that its host would despise a ¡°whiner,¡± it forcibly held back from making any ¡°whining¡± sounds, continuing its persuasion:


    ¡°Host, the System is a ¡®Child-Rearing Life¡¯ System, and the tasks are so simple, like guiding little children to be pirs of the nation who embody the five stresses and four points of beauty,


    and host, you could also pull weeds, clean windows, sweep the floor, cook meals, wash clothes, and other such simple chores. Teach the little children, receive happiness points, do household chores, and the host can get Points¡­¡±


    ¡°Noisy.¡±


    In this life, all she wants is to be azy fish; have they got that clear?


    ¡°Host, if you adopt an uncooperative attitude, the System¡­ the System will punish you, quack!¡±


    The System threatened with its little childish voice, not realizing that to Kang Li, this was as amusing as it was amusing. However, in her past life, Kang Li had been a notable figure, naturally capable of keeping herposure.


    ¡°Whatever.¡±


    Kang Li responded nonchntly.


    It was a life picked up for free to begin with; punish her as you will, if it truly sends her to the Western Heaven, she wouldn¡¯t mind.


    ¡°Host, electric shocks are very painful, quack, the System doesn¡¯t want you to suffer¡­ wuwu¡­ the System is a rookie, if it can¡¯tplete this mission, it will be destroyed, quack~¡±


    Kang Li felt a tiny bit of sympathy; thinking that although she just wanted to be azy fish in this life, being azy fish didn¡¯t mean being a stinky one.


    In that case, she undoubtedly had to manage daily life well, creating afortable and pleasant living environment for herself.


    For example, a zy fish¡± needs to eat, wear clothes, have clean and sanitary living conditions, and have a living environment with flowers and green nts¡­


    In short, she wanted to be an indulgedzy fish, not a slovenly one.


    Moreover, there indeed were many children in her family, and besides, once she went to North City, three little brats would be waiting for her to take care of them in the long term. Based on this, being bound by the ¡°Child-Rearing Life¡± System wasn¡¯t really an issue.


    ¡°Less noise, stay put quiet. Count those happiness points yourself, I will call on you if needed.¡±

 Chapter 6 - 6 6 Kang Lis Promise

    ?Chapter 6: Chapter 6 Kang Li¡¯s Promise   Chapter 6: Chapter 6 Kang Li¡¯s Promise                                   Kang Li was concise and to the point.


    The System was stunned for a while before it regained its senses, and then it spun around joyfully.


    ¡°Li Bao, my dear, how could you be so confused?¡±


    After the family meeting ended, Cai Xiufen, annoyed, gave Captain Kang a re and went to her beloved daughter¡¯s room.


    Out of politeness and respect for her elder, Kang Li quickly sat up.


    Sitting on the edge of the kang, Cai Xiufen lovingly looked at her daughter, who was as beautiful as a fairy, and, with a tone of reprimand yet not concealing her affection, said:


    ¡°Why won¡¯t you listen to your mother? I am doing this for your own good. Your health is poor, and you¡¯re going to that faraway ce to be a stepmother to three children. Don¡¯t you know how hard it is to be a stepmother?


    Think about the families in our vige with stepmothers¡ªwhat kind of lives do they lead? If you¡¯re kind to the children from previous rtionships, outsiders call it false kindness. Using the old term fromrge households, they call it ¡®fatal helping.¡¯


    If you are not kind to them, everyone says the stepmother is wicked. It seems you are wrong no matter what you do. If a mother is truly not good, then she deserves the gossip, but if she genuinely cares for those children, won¡¯t she die of frustration?¡±


    ¡°Mother, I¡¯m not afraid of people gossiping; I only know that time will prove everything, and I¡¯m not a fool to let others nder me maliciously.¡±


    Kang Li said with a naive look, ¡°Keeping everything bottled up will make me sick even if I¡¯m not, and I want to stay healthy. That way, you can be at ease at home. So, Mom, just trust your smart and lovely Li Bao. I will never let myself be mistreated.¡±


    ¡°You must remember, we don¡¯t start trouble lightly, but we are also not afraid of it. Whenever you encounter difficulties or are wronged, don¡¯t forget to call our team headquarters.¡±


    As Cai Xiufen gently stroked her daughter¡¯s braided hair, her eyes welled up with tears. After thinking for a moment, she added, ¡°It would be nice if our family had a rtive or two in North City. Then, if you ever face any urgent matter, there would be rtives who coulde to help you promptly.¡±


    Kang Li said, ¡°I promise I will be fine.¡±


    Shaking her head gently, Cai Xiufen said, ¡°Silly girl, how can a mother not worry about her children being away from home¡­ Arguing with your father, I really didn¡¯t want to do that, but I just¡­ just can¡¯t stand it. Although your father says it¡¯s for your own good as well, he decided in front of Secretary Wu without discussing it with us at home. He agreed to marry you off to a man who has been married before,


    and then he went behind our backs and took the marriage certificate on your behalf. His idea was too imposing; he didn¡¯t leave us any room for discussion!¡±


    ¡°My dad did seek my opinion, and I nodded in agreement, so it really isn¡¯t his fault. Moreover, my dad is part of the organization, he has his beliefs. He thinks marrying Comrade Luo is not bad for me, and it also allows me to indirectly support Comrade Luo, who wholeheartedly contributes to the country,


    equivalent to me contributing to our nation as well. My dad has very high ideological awareness; as his family, it would be bad if we held him back when he is not at fault.¡±


    Kang Li reassured her mother.


    ¡°What holding back or not, I think your father is just careless, meddling in your major life decisions haphazardly.¡±


    The damn old man, tonight before bed, watch her twist his ear off!


    Kang Li chuckled, ¡°Mother, everyone in our family knows about my health. The Zhou family used my infertility as an excuse to break off the marriage at our doorstep. I¡¯m not upset; in fact, I¡¯m somewhat relieved, to avoid getting married into the Zhou family and not having children for years,


    leading to them showing displeasure and the vigers gossiping. Now that I¡¯m about to go live with Comrade Luo in North City, Mother, I genuinely feel pretty good about it.


    Comrade Luo earns a good sry and also gets various types of coupons and certificates. I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll live afortably wealthy life. Moreover, Comrade Luo already has three children,


    he certainly won¡¯t mind whether I have children or not, and for myself, I do not want to have children. Partly because my health probably doesn¡¯t allow it, and also because I¡¯m afraid of pain. I fear that if something goes wrong during childbirth, I could die¡­¡±

 Chapter 7 - 7 7 Kang Li Never fight battles without

    ?Chapter 7: Chapter 7 Kang Li: Never fight battles without confidence   Chapter 7: Chapter 7 Kang Li: Never fight battles without confidence                                   Before she could finish speaking, Cai Xiufen turned her head and spat repeatedly on the ground¡­


    after several more remarks, she turned her head back and gently patted her daughter¡¯s arm, saying, ¡°Making up nonsense! If you won¡¯t have kids, you won¡¯t ¡ª why talk about dying? Listen well, if anything happens to you, your mom won¡¯t go on living either!¡±


    Kang Li was visibly moved, ¡°Mom¡­¡± Truly, she was a good mother!


    ¡°My daughter is so good, she¡¯s definitely going to live a long, hundred-year life!¡±


    Her Li Bao was very well-behaved, and she would never allow anything to happen to her little cotton jacket!


    ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t speak such inauspicious words anymore, but Mom, think about what Dad said, those three kids of Comrade Luo, in the future I¡¯ll take good care of them,


    and since they¡¯ll spend more time with me than with Comrade Luo, as long as I treat them sincerely, over time, they¡¯ll definitely feel my affection.¡±


    In case those three little brats get influenced by others and don¡¯t listen to her and grow up properly, at worst, she would have done her best and let them develop as they will. However, such a scenario, in her case, is destined not to happen.


    Because she never fights battles without assurance!


    ¡°You¡¯ve already said so much, what else can Mom say?!¡±


    Kang¡¯s Mother shook her head helplessly,¡±But you should know, the reason I fought with your dad and didn¡¯t agree to you marrying that Comrade Luo is because I pity you, I don¡¯t want to see you suffer.¡± She didn¡¯t want to see her be a stepmother as soon as she entered the door.


    ¡°I know, I know¡­ I know it¡¯s because you pity me that you argued with Dad. Mom, you¡¯re the best, you¡¯re the best mom in the world, I love you so much!¡±


    Snuggling into her mother¡¯s arms, Kang Li¡¯s voice was tender, entirely in the manner of a doting daughter, as she cooed at her mother.


    ¡°Just your sweet talk!¡±


    Gently tapping Kang Li¡¯s nose, Kang¡¯s Mother looked at her with full affection, sighed lightly, and said, ¡°Now that your marriage is set, Mom won¡¯t say anymore, but you must remember, if ever you feel slighted¡­¡±


    Kang Li didn¡¯t let her mother finish, immediately responding, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mom. I¡¯ll keep everything you said in mind and call you or Dad as soon as something bothers me, not keeping it to myself.¡±


    Though she said this, Kang Li didn¡¯t really take any displeasure to heart.


    She said it just to reassure her mom.


    After all, in Kang Li¡¯s past life, the phrase ¡°feeling slighted¡± had nevere into y.


    Mother and daughter talked for a long while, and Kang¡¯s Mother left.


    ¡°Come out.¡±


    As the footsteps outside the room faded, Kang Li summoned the System through her sea of consciousness.


    ¡°Host, System is here.¡±


    ¡°You know about Bing Dwen Dwen, right? From now on, you¡¯ll be called Dwen Dwen, and you should also change what you call me.¡±


    A pie from the sky only exists in dreams, she wouldn¡¯t bother about what this so-called System really was, but that didn¡¯t stop it from keeping herpany in this world.


    ¡°Okay, okay, I¡¯ll listen to my big sister! From now on, I¡¯ll call myself Dwen Dwen and address the host as big sister!¡±


    System transformed into Bing Dwen Dwen¡¯s appearance, happily spinning around.


    Big Sister?


    Kang Li felt slightly uneasy for a moment at the nickname ¡°Big Sister,¡± but since she had a soft spot for cute things, she didn¡¯t object to the System calling her ¡°Big Sister.¡±


    ¡°Whatever you like.¡±


    Clearly, by the words ¡°whatever you like,¡± it was apparent that Queen Kang Li was being tsundere.


    Dwen Dwen: ¡°Big Sister, there¡¯s a new member gift pack; do you want to draw it now?¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Following Kang Li¡¯s response, a big wheel appeared in her mind.


    Dwen Dwen: ¡°Big Sister, I¡¯m starting now!¡±


    The wheel began to spin quickly.


    Kang Li: ¡°Stop.¡±

 Chapter 8 - 8 8 What Do You Think

    ?Chapter 8: Chapter 8: What Do You Think?   Chapter 8: Chapter 8: What Do You Think?                                   The wheel of fortune instantly stopped spinning.


    Brilliant fireworks burst into the sky as the gift package Kang Li won slowly opened.


    Dwen Dwen pped like a seal, ¡°Congrattions, Miss, you¡¯ve drawn a Power Pill and several sets of clothing for adults and children, including hats, shoes, and socks!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Kang Li remained silent.


    Thinking Kang Li was dissatisfied with the gift package, Dwen Dwen eagerly exined in a cute manner, ¡°Miss, as long as you take the Power Pill, from then on, you will have the strength to pull up mountains in this world. As for the clothing, Miss, you can give them to your rtives to wear!¡±


    Kang Li, ¡°With this body of mine, if I take the Power Pill and exert extraordinary strength, are you sure I won¡¯t copse and have my soul ascend to the Western Heaven?¡±


    Dwen Dwen, ¡°That won¡¯t happen! Miss, rest assured, System¡¯s productse with absolutely no side effects~¡±


    The proud Kang Li went online, ¡°I¡¯ll trust you this once.¡±


    Feeling trusted by the host felt so good, Dwen Dwen happily twirled around, ¡°Miss, the clothes, hats, shoes, and socks you won all match the clothing of this era. You can just give them to your family without worrying about how to exin it~¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    The original host had saved up over a hundred dors in pocket money, which her family had given her over the years, and she had not spent much, so she kept on saving it as a dowry.


    However, the original host seldom had the opportunity to go out alone. One reason was that her family worried about her; the other was that she herself was too timid to go to town or to the county city alone. Naturally, she had never bought anything for her family.


    Now, if she suddenly starts giving out clothes, hats, shoes, and socks, with her family¡¯s love for her original body, won¡¯t some exnation be needed?


    Dwen Dwen, ¡°Miss, what are you thinking about? Did Dwen Dwen say something wrong?¡±


    Kang Li, ¡°It has nothing to do with you. Go and y. Remember, you don¡¯t need to issue those so-called tasks to me; I have my own ns.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    Dwen Dwen felt a little sad.


    Kang Li, ¡°What do you think?¡±


    Dwen Dwen had a good sense of danger, ¡°I know what to do now, goodbye, Miss!¡± And just like that, he was gone.


    With a thought, a pill appeared in Kang Li¡¯s hand out of thin air.


    Milky white, with a medicinal fragrance lingering around her nose. After a moment of contemtion, Kang Li didn¡¯t hesitate any longer and swallowed it.


    It melted upon entering her mouth.


    Kang Li wasn¡¯t surprised.


    She thought that given the original body¡¯s condition, getting winded just by walking a few steps, taking the Power Pill would do her no harm.


    The reason?


    Kang Li certainly didn¡¯t want to be utterly useless.


    Yes, not being able to carry things on her shoulder was one thing, but if she couldn¡¯t even pick up objects, it would be downright embarrassing for Kang Li.


    She was well aware that she was no longer the one steering the vast Kang Group, where everything in life was taken care of for her. Now, she was just a genuine country girl, a country girl who had been almost spoiled into uselessness by her family.


    If she couldn¡¯t even carry something weighing a few pounds, she would probably be subjected to gossip by the neighbors in the Imperial Capital, talking about her dy¡¯s body but maid¡¯s fate.¡±


    ¡°Li Bao, get up and pack your things. I¡¯m going to ride the bike and take you to the Commune to see Director Wu,¡± called Captain Kang from the living room to Kang Li¡¯s room door, pushing the bicycle to the front yard.


    ¡°Old man, wait a minute.¡±


    Chasing after Captain Kang to the yard, Kang¡¯s Mother quickly tied a thick and soft cushion to the back seat of the bike, ¡°This way Li Bao will be morefortable sitting.¡±


    ¡°I almost forgot, you¡¯re more attentive,¡± Captain Kang said somewhat ruefully.


    ¡°What could you possibly remember? You¡¯re always thinking about all sorts of things for the Team Leader, never paying attention to my Li Bao,¡± Kang¡¯s Mother rolled her eyes at Captain Kang and said, ¡°I¡¯ll go check on Li Bao¡¯s room. Wait here, and remember to ride slowly on the road. Don¡¯t jostle Li Bao.¡±

 Chapter 9 - 9 9 Little Girl Are You Sure You Want to Do This

    ?Chapter 9: Chapter 9 Little Girl, Are You Sure You Want to Do This?   Chapter 9: Chapter 9 Little Girl, Are You Sure You Want to Do This?                                   Captain Kang was rebuffed but showed no signs of anger. Instead, he grinned and responded with an apologetic smile, ¡°Li Bao is my daughter, naturally, I care about her too.¡±


    Kang¡¯s mother just snorted coldly, refusing to respond.


    ¡°This old woman!¡±


    Captain Kang watched Kang¡¯s mother walking away and helplessly shook his head.


    Honestly speaking, he had epted Director Wu¡¯s marriage proposal for his beloved daughter genuinely thinking of her best interests. Although he felt that it was a bit unfair for his daughter to be a stepmother upon marrying Comrade Luo, a parent¡¯s love for their child is far-sighted. His daughter, Li Bao, had been frail since birth and had also been diagnosed by doctors from the city hospital that she might struggle to bear children after marriage.


    Giving these circumstances, how could he not make the most careful arrangements for his precious daughter?


    Thinking so, Captain Kang shook his head inwardly, feeling no regrets at all for setting up the marriage or helping her register for the marriage certificate.


    After all, aside from being a second marriage and having three children, Comrade Luo¡¯s personal qualities were truly excellent!


    If one steps back and looks at it, even though a second marriage and those three children might seem like a shoring for Comrade Luo, for his daughter, these so-called shorings could actually be advantages.


    The reason was undoubtedly what he had previously discussed with his wife and children.


    As long as Li Bao genuinely cared for the three children, wouldn¡¯t they be her support in the future?


    And with Comrade Luo¡¯s second marriage, it just meant he was a bit older, but being older has its advantages¡ªhe knew how to cherish people.


    Moreover, a less than ten-year age gap was, after all, not much older than his daughter.


    Not to mention, Comrade Luo was extremely handsome. At twenty-six or twenty-seven, he appeared to be just over twenty in photos. However, that didn¡¯t mean Luo wasn¡¯t stable.


    On the contrary, his demeanor showed stability and restraint.


    ¡°Dad, let¡¯s go,¡±


    With two glossy braids casually draped in front of her, Kang Li, dressed in a white floral blouse and navy blue trousers with a pair of domestic white sneakers, stepped out of the main hall. Her clear, bright fox eyes were swirling withughter as she approached Captain Kang with a light, cheerful tone.


    The breeze blew, lifting the fine fringe on Kang Li¡¯s forehead. She casually pressed it down, walking beside her father, and the father and daughter duo stepped out of the courtyard.


    ¨C


    Red g Commune.


    ¡°Youngdy, are you sure you want to do this?¡±


    Director Wu was full of astonishment. He had heard of the youngest daughter of the Kang Family from Aoli Vige being beautiful, but upon actually seeing her, he couldn¡¯t help but silently marvel: She wasn¡¯t just pretty in the usual sense, she was stunningly beautiful!


    And her demeanor was exceptional, not at all like a girl raised in a rural family.


    Moreover, just standing there motionless, she was like a beautiful painting.


    Despite her excellent attributes, the youngdy showed no arrogance. She also didn¡¯t appear shy or timid, standing confidently before him. She greeted him respectfully, discussing her thoughts on the job arranged for her in North City.


    Honestly, if he had a son of simr age and unmarried, he would have definitely sought her as a daughter-inw.


    Thinking of this, a warm smile remained on Director Wu¡¯s face, though his heart couldn¡¯t help but feel regret.


    What did it matter if she was a bit frail?


    What did it matter if it was hard for her to bear children?


    He, Director Wu, had three sons. If this one could not bear children, would he reallyck grandchildren?


    The answer, of course, was no.


    However, unfortunately, his three sons were already married with children. Now, he could only feel regret as he watched such a fine youngdy about to go to the Imperial Capital and be someone else¡¯s bride.


    Director Wu had a very favorable impression of Kang Li, not only because of her beauty but crucially due to her demeanor and approachability. He believed that the old leaders in North City, upon meeting Kang Li, would undoubtedly be very satisfied with the match he had facilitated for Comrade Luo Yanqing.

 Chapter 10 - 10 10 Achieved

    ?Chapter 10: Chapter 10 Achieved   Chapter 10: Chapter 10 Achieved                                   Simple, kindhearted, and cultured, with a good temperament and approachable nature, at a nce, she was clearly a good girl.


    At the same time, Director Wu also believed that Comrade Luo Yanqing would bepletely satisfied after meeting Kang Li!


    Think about it, having a wife like a fairy beside you, who could help take care of the children and provide pleasantpany for a lifetime, how wonderful would that be!


    ¡°Mmm.¡±


    Kang Li nodded without hesitation, her eyes bright and clear, ¡°I want to focus on taking care of the children at home, but if I go to work, I¡¯ll inevitably be distracted. Besides, Comrade Luo¡¯s children are still very young and need morepanionship from adults. Otherwise, their characters might develop ws during their growth process.¡±


    Hearing this, Director Wu spoke warmly with a smile, ¡°Since you¡¯ve said so, I don¡¯t think there will be any problem.¡± He gestured for Kang Li and Captain Kang to take a seat, then picked up the desk phone receiver and dialed a string of numbers.


    He was calling an old leader in North City.


    Once the call connected, Director Wu truthfully conveyed Kang Li¡¯s thoughts to his old leader, then, holding the receiver, he nodded with a smile and acknowledged with an understanding response.


    ¡°Youngdy, not only did Elder Song agree to your request, but he also said he would arrange a job for your little brother directly in North City.¡± Putting down the receiver, Director Wu¡¯s gaze returned to Kang Li, his smile warm, ¡°By the way, your little brother will be assigned to North City Petrochemical.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Kang Li looked mildly astonished.


    Seeing her reaction, Director Wu continued with a smile, ¡°Don¡¯t be surprised, Elder Song, knowing you are an excellentrade and that you are willing to leave your hometown and go to North City to fully support Comrade Luo¡¯s work, didn¡¯t hesitate to agree to your request.¡±


    After a brief pause, Director Wu added, ¡°As for arranging your little brother to work at North City Petrochemical, Elder Song considered that you are but a youngdy. Moving away from your family and the hometown where you grew up, he was worried that you¡¯d feel unsupported in North City, so he took this opportunity to have a rtive nearby.¡±


    After listening to what Director Wu said, Kang Li, without a word, bowed deeply toward him, ¡°Director Wu, thank you for doing me this favor!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s there to thank for?¡±


    Director Wu waved his hand with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s ultimately something you fought for yourself if Elder Song could make such arrangements.¡±


    It should be mentioned that Elder Song is Director Wu¡¯s old leader in North City.


    To the side, Captain Kang was in a daze for a long time, as he never expected that his precious daughter would transfer the job arranged for her in North City¡­ to her elder brother, to his young son.


    Nor did he expect North City to agree to it, and even arrange for his youngest son, Guoan, to work at North City Petrochemical.


    Although he wasn¡¯t clear about what kind of unit North City Petrochemical was, just by hearing the four words ¡°North City Petrochemical,¡± it wasn¡¯t hard to know that this unit was no small deal.


    Captain Kang felt both excited and guilty at this moment.


    He was excited about his son¡¯s bright future but felt guilty toward his precious daughter.


    To alleviate the family¡¯s burdens, to give her elder brother a chance to make something of himself, she willingly gave up her own advantage without a moment¡¯s hesitation and quickly settled the matter. Honestly, Captain Kang found Li Bao¡¯s actionspletely unexpected.


    But the truth was Captain Kang had misunderstood, although it was indeed a beautiful misunderstanding.


    After all, what Kang Li truly intended to do was ¡°to be a salted fish¡±!


    ¡­


    After they left the Commune building, Captain Kang couldn¡¯t hold back any longer. Steadying the bike, he asked, ¡°Li Bao, what were you thinking? Why did you transfer your job to your little brother? Do you understand this is not a trivial matter, that it¡¯s about your future!¡±


    Kang Li smiled, ¡°Dad, you know about my health. If I were to actually take on a job, I¡¯m afraid it would be too much for me.¡±

 Chapter 11 - 11 11 Undercurrents Surge

    ?Chapter 11: Chapter 11: Undercurrents Surge   Chapter 11: Chapter 11: Undercurrents Surge                                   As she said this, seeing her father¡¯s face filled with worry, Kang Li struck while the iron was hot, ¡°Besides, once I go to North City, I¡¯ll need to take care of the three little ones. Just think about it, having to work and take care of children at the same time. Even for a physically strong femalerade, she would probably be exhausted after a whole day.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t wear yourself out. Otherwise, your dad and mom would be heartbroken.¡±


    That statement came out of Captain Kang¡¯s mouth without thinking.


    Kang Li nodded seriously, ¡°Yeah, I know my own body better than anyone. So, I don¡¯t want you and mom to worry, I don¡¯t want my brothers to be concerned about me. That¡¯s why I thought about talking to Director Wu to see if there¡¯s a way to transfer my job to my younger brother, so that a good, steady job doesn¡¯t slip through our family¡¯s fingers.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re so considerate!¡±


    Captain Kang was visibly moved.


    ¡°It¡¯s just a small matter, dad, don¡¯t think of me as someone so great.¡±


    Blinking her eyes, Kang Li yfully stuck her tongue out.


    ¡°You!¡±


    He smiled to himself, understanding that his darling daughter was just trying to cheer him up to relieve his guilt.


    With a mischievous smile, Kang Li then became serious and said, ¡°Dad, you, mom, and my brothers have spoiled and protected me since I was born, afraid that I would suffer the slightest injustice or harm. I know all this. As your beloved daughter, and as my brothers¡¯ sister, I believe I should also treat all of you very well!¡±


    ¡°You girl, your dad, your mom, and your big brother have always been good to you, but we never expected anything in return,¡± he said.


    As he spoke, Captain Kang swung his leg over the bike seat, ¡°Sit tight, we¡¯re heading back.¡±


    Kang Li responded with an ¡°Mm.¡±


    Afterward, Captain Kang put some force into his right foot and rode several meters away.


    ¡°Dad, being your daughter, being my brothers¡¯ sister, I feel so happy!¡±


    Sitting on the back seat of the bicycle, Kang Li swung her small legs and her expressive fox-like eyes were filled with smiles. She felt rxed and joyful at that moment.


    To be honest, Kang Li hadn¡¯t expected thating to the Commune to talk to Director Wu would go so smoothly without her having to say much.


    ¡­


    Aoli Vige.


    Xu Chunxia, carrying a basket of pigweed on her back, was walking from the foot of the mountain to the vige when she came across Zhou Weimin and Educated Youth Su from the Youth Educated Institute standing by the roadside, seemingly in conversation. Noticing them, Xu Chunxia cast a jealous nce towards Educated Youth Su.


    However, that look was fleeting.


    ¡°Brother Weimin, what are you and Educated Youth Su doing here?¡±


    With a shy smile, Xu Chunxia tugged at the corner of her mouth and greeted Zhou Weimin.


    Zhou Weimin didn¡¯t answer. He asked casually, ¡°Have you been cutting pigweed?¡± The question was actually quite redundant, for it was obvious to anyone with eyes that Xu Chunxia was carrying a full basket of pigweed on her back.


    Yet, he still asked such an unnecessary question, which showed just how indifferent he was towards Xu Chunxia.


    ¡°Mm,¡± Xu Chunxia nodded lightly and said, ¡°I wonder if Li Bao has woken up. Do you want to go and see her, Brother Weimin?¡±


    Zhou Weimin asked, ¡°Are you going?¡±


    ¡°Li Bao is my friend, of course I¡¯m going to see her.¡± Xu Chunxia¡¯s eyes filled with guilt and self-me as she spoke, ¡°Besides, if it hadn¡¯t been for¡­ if it weren¡¯t for me¡­ Li Bao wouldn¡¯t have¡­ ¡±


    She deliberately did not finish her sentence, but Xu Chunxia knew Zhou Weimin understood what she meant.


    At that, Zhou Weimin instantly felt uneasy. He cleared his throat twice and offered Xu Chunxia an apologetic smile, ¡°It was my fault, it¡¯s got nothing to do with you, Chunxia. It just so happens that Qingqing and I were just discussing going to visit Li Bao. If you¡¯re going too, let¡¯s go together.¡±


    As Zhou Weimin finished speaking, the female educated youth beside him smiled and greeted Xu Chunxia, ¡°Hello.¡±


    However, Xu Chunxia did not acknowledge her.


    ¡°Alright, Brother Weimin,¡± Xu Chunxia replied, her cheeks slightly flushed with joy.

 Chapter 12 - 12 12 Eager to Poach a Good Friends Corner

    ?Chapter 12: Chapter 12 Eager to Poach a Good Friend¡¯s Corner   Chapter 12: Chapter 12 Eager to Poach a Good Friend¡¯s Corner                                   She liked Brother Weimin, the kind of liking that was special, but¡­ but Brother Weimin didn¡¯t like her, he liked her good friend Li Bao, which made her feel terrible whenever she thought about it.


    Therefore, she was jealous of Li Bao and wanted to break off their friendship, yet she couldn¡¯t let go of the kindness Li Bao had shown her.


    Yes, Li Bao was genuinely kind to her, treating her as a close friend with whom she could share anything, and she was so pure that she was almost a bit silly.


    Little did she know that she was only being used by her¡­ to gain advantages for herself.


    For instance, Li Bao often gave her tasty treats.


    Another example: the Team Leader, seeing that she and Li Bao were good friends, would assign her tasks like cutting pig grass or drying grains when it was time to work¡­


    In short, from childhood to adulthood, by being friends with Li Bao, she had lived a better life than her sisters at home and even many girls in the vige who were deemed ¡°worthless.¡±


    But at the same time, she felt it was profoundly unfair.


    Being ¡°worthless¡± as well, why should Li Bao live like a princess out of a drama script?


    Pampered by parents, adored by brothers, even iing daughters-inw and various nieces and nephews doted on her honestly and protectively!


    Was it just because Li Bao was beautiful that from the moment she was born, her family cherished her in their mouths fearing she might melt, held her in their palms fearing she might fall?


    She had thought about this a lot, to be precise, ever since she was young, she had often pondered what made her and Li Bao so different that their fates were not the same?


    And believe it or not, she actually came up with some clues.


    Firstly, Li Bao was an only daughter; secondly, Li Bao had a charmingly alluring face.


    Yes, that had to be it; otherwise, why couldn¡¯t she, Xu Chunxia, live like a princess?


    Once she understood this, jealousy grew in her heart like weeds.


    On the surface, she still appeared to be good friends with Li Bao, but secretly, she had not stopped trying to trip her up, especially after she learned that Li Bao and Zhou Weimin had gotten engaged, she wished she could switch ces with Li Bao, wishing desperately that she was the one engaged to Brother Weimin.


    After all,pared to Li Bao, she believed she liked Brother Weimin more.


    s¡­ s, Zhou Weimin, her Brother Weimin, seemed blind,pletely unaware of her existence.


    Even though she and Li Bao often appeared before him together, in his eyes, he only saw Li Bao.


    Because of this, she can¡¯t tell you how distressed she felt.


    Xu Chunxia walked beside Zhou Weimin with a carrying pole on her back, her heart both sour and aggrieved.


    She waited and hoped, finally, she saw the engagement between the Zhou Family and Kang Family called off, and the man she admired was single again. However, out of nowhere, like Cheng Yaojin in a drama, Su Qing appeared.


    Su Qing, a female educated youth from the Youth Educated Institute, had snatched her Brother Weimin away after Li Bao.


    But she was far from resigned and thought¡­ thought about reuniting Li Bao and Brother Weimin, giving her a chance to n for Brother Weimin to be her man.


    The reason?


    Li Bao was in poor health, didn¡¯t know how to do anything, and after being diagnosed by doctors in the city, it was difficult for her to have children.


    About these issues, the adults in the vige were well aware, naturally, they would not want such a daughter-inw.


    However, Zhou Weimin had liked Li Bao for many years and was quite favored at home. If he wanted to re-engage with Li Bao, even if his mother would be angry, she might once again fulfill her youngest son¡¯s wish.


    If it really came to that, then her chance would arrive¡­ she could find an opportunity to be with Zhou Weimin and change their rtionship irrevocably; under such circumstances, even if Zhou Weimin married Li Bao, for the sake of the child she carried, the Zhou Family would find a way to have Zhou Weimin divorce Li Bao and marry her instead.


    But if Zhou Weimin and Educated Youth Su became a couple, it would clearly be disadvantageous for her¡ªEducated Youth Su was prettier than she was, cunning, and in good health, certainly able to have children.

 Chapter 13 - 13 13 The So-Called Selfishness Leads to

    ?Chapter 13: Chapter 13 The So-Called Selfishness Leads to Universal Condemnation   Chapter 13: Chapter 13 The So-Called Selfishness Leads to Universal Condemnation                                   Based on this, she naturally harbored resentment against the other, yes, resentment, not just the envy she felt towards Li Bao¡­so, when Zhou Weimin found her yesterday evening and asked her to bring Li Bao to the creek behind the vige first thing this morning, she didn¡¯t even think about it and nodded in agreement right away.


    She knew Zhou Weimin wanted to persuade Li Bao not to marry the second-marriage man her family had found for her. Since his heart still inclined towards Li Bao, she saw no reason not to seize this opportunity to bring them together, leaving Educated Youth Su with empty efforts, which would facilitate her nning for her own matters in the future.


    But she hadn¡¯t expected an ident to ur.


    Indeed, she could have never imagined that Li Bao would fall down by the creek, hit the back of her head, and faint¡­To tell the truth, she was frustrated and anxious, especially upon hearing that Li Bao hadn¡¯te around for a long time, guilt inevitably arose in her heart.


    Li Bao, no matter what, was her friend; she was jealous of her, tried to steal her man, but she had never wished for her toe to harm.


    ¡°Chunxia, Li Bao won¡¯t have anything wrong with her, right?¡±


    Ever since Kang Li had fallen and lost consciousness by the creek, Zhou Weimin had been extremely anxious. He was supposed to go to work early in the morning, but he couldn¡¯t rest easy about his former fianc¨¦e, Kang Li, so he decided to stay home and wait for news from the Kang Family.


    Knowing he was worried about Kang Li, Educated Youth Su, also known as Su Qing, was naturally not pleased, but she did not show the slightest hint of it on her face, and instead, suggested they visit Kang Li together at the Kang Family.


    However, Zhou Weimin feared Su Qing¡¯s presence would upset Kang Li and refused to agree, which led to a quarrel between them on the roadside.


    Frankly, Su Qing was worried that Zhou Weimin and Kang Li¡¯s old feelings might rekindle. After all, she had not yet married into the Zhou Family, she was not yet Zhou Weimin¡¯s wife in the legal, official sense. If a mishap urred between them at this time, what would be the right thing for her to do?


    But before she could persuade Zhou Weimin to take her with him, they were caught by Xu Chunxia arguing on the roadside.


    It was indeed an argument, even if there was no visible anger on their faces, their conversation was truly discordant.


    ¡°This is definite now!¡±


    Xu Chunxia nodded vigorously, then said, ¡°Li Bao is kind and wonderful, even if I am in trouble, she wouldn¡¯t be.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that.¡±


    Looking at Xu Chunxia, Zhou Weimin showed a look of regret, ¡°You¡¯re a good girl too, don¡¯t curse yourself. Come to think of it, if I hadn¡¯t asked you to set up the meeting with Li Bao, she wouldn¡¯t have had that ident.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Xu Chunxia suddenly felt a rush of sweetness, but her expression was visibly guilty, ¡°If¡­ if I had been there at the time, maybe Li Bao wouldn¡¯t have¡­¡±


    She didn¡¯t finish her sentence but appeared even more guilty.


    Zhou Weimin: ¡°It¡¯s all my fault, actually.¡±


    ¡°Weimin, don¡¯t me yourself, you wouldn¡¯t have wanted Comrade Kang Li to get into trouble, and I believe Comrade Kang Li has her own good fortune; she might have already woken up by now.¡±


    Su Qing interjected, looking at Zhou Weimin with eyes full of concern, soothinglyforting the man she had calcted to ensnare.


    In fact¡­ she didn¡¯t truly like the person by her side; she just wanted to make her days in the countryside easier. In other words, she was finding a temporary support for herself so that she wouldn¡¯t be worn out byboring under the sun and the wind each day, risking her health or even her life in this remote backwater before she could return to the city.


    And the fact that she could even think of scheming against Zhou Weimin, knowing full well that Zhou Weimin had an engaged partner, was something she learned from her own younger sister.


    Ashamed?


    When she first entertained the idea, indeed, there was some, but then she reflected¡­ when she reflected on what her younger sister had done to her, her sense of shame disappeared.


    Because every man for himself, and the Devil takes the hindmost!

 Chapter 14 - 14 14 Who Else to Blame but Yourself

    ?Chapter 14: Chapter 14 Who Else to me but Yourself?   Chapter 14: Chapter 14 Who Else to me but Yourself?                                   Her own sister had intercepted the marriage proposal that was meant for her, just to avoid being sent down to the countryside.


    Even if she had been hesitant at the time and had not yetmitted to the match, it did not change the fact that her sister had cut in front of her.


    Looking back now, she still despised her sister for not being a good person, relying on a festive face that the elders all liked and a clever tongue to suppress her, the elder sister, ever since they were young, and even more so for hijacking the marriage proposal that the family had discussed with her at the end ofst year.


    Especially when she met the man, she almost died of regret, while simultaneously feeling angry and jealous of her sister.


    The man was a divorced second-husband with three daughters, aged six, five, and three respectively.


    He worked at a research institute, earning a good monthly sry.


    Tall, good-looking, gentle and refined, he was obviously an intellectual.


    She initially knew very little about these things and hadn¡¯t even seen the matchmaker, hearing only from her mother that the man was divorced with three daughters, but the rest of his conditions were very favorable.


    Thinking that she, a high school graduate, a young woman of eighteen or neen, was to marry a man ten years her senior, already divorced and remarried, and would have to be a stepmother upon entering his house, she felt repulsed, even feeling that her mother was pushing her into a pit of fire.


    She cried, saying she would rather be sent to the countryside than marry him.


    Who knew that while she was expressing such attitudes, and as the matchmaker personally visited their home, her dear sister stepped forward and dered her willingness for this marriage.


    In that moment, she was foolish and unaware, even congratting her sister.


    But then¡­ when the man, along with his family and the matchmaker, came to formalize the engagement, she regretted it deeply the moment she saw him.


    However, it seemed her sister knew she would regret it, not giving her a chance to do so and inadvertently preventing her from getting close to Wen Siyuan, even bing friendly andughing with Siyuan.


    Wen Siyuan, that was the man¡¯s name.


    He seemed quite satisfied with her sister as well, casually gifting her adies¡¯ watch worth nearly two hundred yuan before leaving.


    Jealousy consumed her in an instant!


    In front of her family, she cried and used, iming her mother was biased, that her sister had stolen her suitor.


    What she got in return was¡ªHow can you me anyone when you didn¡¯t agree yourself? And her sister¡¯s full-faced grievance.


    ¡°How can you me anyone when you didn¡¯t agree yourself?¡±


    That was what her mother said irritably.


    Just one sentence, that one sentence, left her without aeback.


    Her sister showed grievance, saying she had only taken the marriage proposal that she didn¡¯t want, and that she had never thought ofpeting with her for anything.


    In such a situation, she found herself at a loss for words, and ultimately had no choice but to pack her bags and travel from North City all the way to the Great Northwest, to Aoli Vige to be sent down to the countryside.


    The dust flew, the amodations were basic, and the food was coarse wheat buns, salty vegetable lumps, and corn mush porridge, still not enough to fill her belly at every meal.


    Day after day, it was nothing but work.


    She had had enough!


    Finally, after enduring for three months, she schemed to change her circumstances.


    And it was at that time that Zhou Weimin entered the sphere of her vision.


    A local youth, more specifically, the youngest son of the Zhou Family of Aoli Vige, a high school graduate, working in the town¡¯s supply and marketing cooperative as a permanent employee, earning at least twenty to thirty yuan a month, and tall with long legs, thick eyebrows, and big eyes. Although he was not as handsome as Wen Siyuan and didn¡¯t have the same refined and cultured air, Zhou Weimin was considered a catch in the countryside.


    In terms of looks, the two men were iparable.


    Zhou Weimin was the ruggedly handsome type.


    Wen Siyuan had the look of a delicate schr.


    In terms of temperament, Zhou Weimin was sunny, and Wen Siyuan was gentle; there was no real basis forparison there either.


    After making such aparison to herself, she was determined to marry Zhou Weimin, even if he was already engaged, even if his fianc¨¦e was the youngest daughter of the Team Leader¡¯s House and was as beautiful as a fairy, she was determined to win him over!

 Chapter 15 - 15 15 Kang Li Was Grossed Out

    ?Chapter 15: Chapter 15: Kang Li Was Grossed Out   Chapter 15: Chapter 15: Kang Li Was Grossed Out                                   Indeed, she had seeded, not only in having Zhou Weimin and the Kang Family break off their engagement but also in gaining the Zhou Family¡¯s approval; all that was left was to wait for the end of the year, when everyone had some free time, to set up two tables for a wedding banquet.


    What she didn¡¯t expect was that Zhou Weimin would secretly meet his former fianc¨¦e this morning, nor did she anticipate that this involved his former fianc¨¦e¡¯s close friend, Xu Chunxia.


    How could she not get angry about this?


    Setting aside whether Zhou Weimin might rekindle his rtionship with his former fianc¨¦e, Xu Chunxia was someone she had to guard against.


    Compared to the na?ve and simple former fianc¨¦e of Zhou Weimin from the Team Leader¡¯s House, whocked any sort of guile, Xu Chunxia was full of schemes.


    And she was not as foolish as Zhou Weimin¡¯s former fianc¨¦e, who mistakenly took a wolf for a friend and failed to see that Xu Chunxia was like a smiling tiger, discreetly wielding a hoe, trying to steal a good friend¡¯s corner.


    Because of this, and based on her observations of Xu Chunxia, she naturally had to guard against her, to prevent being taken advantage of. By offering to go to the Kang Family to see Zhou Weimin¡¯s former fianc¨¦e, she wanted the Kang Family to know that Zhou Weimin¡¯s current partner was her, hoping they would control their daughter not to interfere with her rtionship with Zhou Weimin. On the other hand, she also wanted the vigers to know that she was the future daughter-inw of the Zhou Family, so it would be best if they stopped gossiping about her.


    However, Zhou Weimin disagreed with her going, and she understood his reasoning; he simply feared she would upset his former fianc¨¦e, but unfortunately for him, she was no pushover. What was hers was hers, and she had to assert her authority.


    It would also serve as a signal to Xu Chunxia, this vige girl with deep-seated intentions who had just bumped into them, to back off and recognize that she was not the naive girl from the Kang Family who couldn¡¯t see people for who they truly were!


    Suddenly, Xu Chunxia¡¯s voice rang out with surprise, ¡°Li Bao!¡±


    Su Qing was undoubtedly brought back to her thoughts as she looked up following Xu Chunxia¡¯s gaze, along with Zhou Weimin, and saw Captain Kang riding a bicycle with his daughter Kang Liing from another vige path.


    ¡°Li Bao, you¡¯re all right now, that¡¯s great!¡±


    Seeing Xu Chunxia running over with a basket on her back, Captain Kang didn¡¯t want to stop, but he had to squeeze the brakes and turned his head to watch his precious daughter hop off the back seat.


    ¡°Dad, you go on ahead, I¡¯ll make my own way backter.¡±


    Kang Li spoke sweetly to her father and watched Captain Kang ride away before finally turning her gaze to Xu Chunxia and Zhou Weimin who were approaching.


    ¡°Is there something you need?¡±


    Her expression was indifferent as she finally settled her gaze on Xu Chunxia, who felt like she was looking at a stranger, unsure of what to say.


    ¡°Li Bao, I¡¯m d you woke up, but I still have to say, for your own sake, don¡¯t marry that old man and be a stepmother to someone else¡¯s children.¡±


    This was Zhou Weimin¡¯s voice, and his face wore an expression that seemed to say it was for her own good, but it disgusted Kang Li.


    ¡°Comrade Zhou Weimin, I believe I¡¯ve already told you this morning that I don¡¯t need you to manage my affairs. Didn¡¯t you hear me, or do you think you¡¯re somebody to me and that I must listen to you?¡±


    In Kang Li¡¯s fox-like eyes, indifference was clear, yet to Zhou Weimin, this indifference seemed alienating and cold, as if they werepletely unrted strangers, no, even less familiar than strangers.


    Why had ite to this?


    Zhou Weimin felt puzzled and hurt at the same time, saying, ¡°Li Bao, I truly am only looking out for your best interest. Even if you find me intrusive and annoying, I¡¯m still going to advise you not to throw your life away on a grudge against me.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Li Bao, just listen to Brother Weimin, don¡¯t be so hard on yourself!¡±

 Chapter 16 - 16 16 Kang Li Strikes Back

    ?Chapter 16: Chapter 16 Kang Li Strikes Back   Chapter 16: Chapter 16 Kang Li Strikes Back                                   Is this Li Bao?


    Xu Chunxia felt suspicious, but after Zhou Weimin finished speaking, she still chimed in with agreement, hoping that Kang Li would discard the idea of marrying a twice-married man and bing a stepmother as soon as she entered the door.


    Seeing that Kang Li remained silent, she nced at Su Qing inadvertently, then spoke to Kang Li again, ¡°Li Bao, Brother Weimin certainly didn¡¯t intend to break the engagement with you, he must have had his difficulties. Why don¡¯t you and Brother Weimin talk things over again¡­¡±


    Before she could finish her words, she was interrupted by Kang Li: ¡°Can you shut your mouth first?¡± Scanning Xu Chunxia, Kang Li refocused her gaze on Zhou Weimin and also cast a faint look at the young woman by his side.


    Su Qing?


    The female lead¡¯s older sister?


    Is it her?


    As she was thinking this, Su Qing, for some reason, introduced herself directly to Kang Li: ¡°Hello Comrade Kang Li, my name is Su Qing, I am an educated youth at the Youth Educated Institute.¡±


    ¡°I know you.¡±


    Since she was so eager to assert her presence, Kang Li saw no reason to ignore her. Thinking so, she looked emotionlessly at Su Qing: ¡°So, Zhou Weimin and I broke off our engagement because of you, Educated Youth Su, right?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Zhou Weimin opened his mouth to say ¡°no¡±, but Su Qing¡¯s slightly apologetic voice had already risen: ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± This clearly confirmed what Kang Li had said.


    ¡°Qingqing!¡±


    Zhou Weimin looked at Su Qing in dismay, warning her sternly, ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense in front of Li Bao!¡±


    Su Qing felt wronged: ¡°Did I say anything wrong?¡±


    With tears swirling in her eyes, Su Qing bit her lip: ¡°Feelings can¡¯t be forced, and you and I have mutual affection. Let¡¯s clear things up with Comrade Kang Li now; it¡¯s better to end the pain quickly rather than prolong it.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still talking!¡±


    Zhou Weimin clenched his teeth, clearly very dissatisfied with Su Qing.


    ¡°Weimin, are you yelling at me?!¡±


    Su Qing looked tearful.


    ¡°Enough, the two of you don¡¯t need to act in front of me.¡±


    Do they really think Zhou Weimin is such a catch?


    Seeing Xu Chunxia open her mouth, clearly wanting to add something to Su Qing¡¯s statement, Kang Li sneered inwardly and said to Zhou Weimin, ¡°Comrade Zhou Weimin, from the moment we broke off our engagement, there has been no rtionship between us. Therefore, I earnestly ask you not to meddle any further. If possible, I¡¯d also appreciate it if you didn¡¯t appear before me again.¡±


    After a brief pause, she turned her gaze towards Su Qing: ¡°Educated Youth Su, congrattions on yourmitment with Comrade Zhou Weimin. However, I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t have time to attend your wedding celebration, as I will soon be heading to North City to reunite with my loved one.¡±


    Zhou Weimin was shocked: ¡°What? Li Bao, what are you saying?¡±


    Xu Chunxia was taken aback: ¡°Li Bao! What are you talking about?¡±


    Su Qing was stunned: ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Is it really necessary for you three to be so startled? If a man should marry and a woman should wed, then what¡¯s wrong? I¡¯ve already registered our marriage with Comrade Luo, calling him my loved one. There¡¯s nothing wrong in that, is there?!¡±


    ¡°Li Bao, you¡­¡±


    Zhou Weimin felt a dull pain in his chest; he was unwilling and unable to believe what he was hearing now, but Kang Li¡¯s expression clearly told him she wasn¡¯t lying.


    As Su Qing regained herposure, she awkwardly tugged at the corners of her mouth, finally saying, ¡°Congrattions Comrade Kang Li; I might have offended you with my previous words, please forgive me.¡±


    As Su Qing finished speaking, Zhou Weimin looked dazed and walked away alone.


    His steps were somewhat unsteady, as if he might fall if he wasn¡¯t careful.


    Seeing this, Su Qing couldn¡¯t worry about saying more to Kang Li and hurriedly followed Zhou Weimin.


    Kang Li¡¯s gaze was calm as she watched the two figures disappear into the distance, well, to be precise, she was watching Su Qing¡¯s figure, the corners of her mouth curving into a mocking smile.

 Chapter 17 - 17 17 Do I Seem Foolish and Naive

    ?Chapter 17: Chapter 17: Do I Seem Foolish and Naive?   Chapter 17: Chapter 17: Do I Seem Foolish and Naive?                                   Her sister, reborn, snatched the marriage right from under her, but instead of seeking to turn the tables, she came to the Great Northwest, to Aoli Vige to do farming and, like a copycat, picked up a hoe to dig at her wall.


    She really has some nerve!


    Since she likes Zhou Weimin, that scumbag so much, she can have him!


    In the future, all I need to do is sit back and enjoy the show!


    ording to the original plot, Su Qing, the elder sister of the female lead Su Man, doesn¡¯t meet a good end.


    After all, she¡¯s an important supporting character, with a much bigger role in the story than my ¡°cannon fodder¡± character couldpare to.


    ¡°Li Bao, you were just saying that off the cuff, weren¡¯t you?¡±


    Xu Chunxia¡¯s voice snapped Kang Li back to reality and dragged her gaze back as well. At this moment, there were no other people around, just Kang Li and Xu Chunxia standing face to face.


    ¡°You must think I¡¯m really stupid and naive.¡±


    This wasn¡¯t a question. Kang Li spoke in a derative tone.


    Xu Chunxia¡¯s heart skipped a beat, but she feigned ignorance on her face, ¡°Li Bao, why would you say that?¡±


    ¡°No need to pretend in front of me. The me from before was indeed so naive as to be almost foolish, I don¡¯t deny that, only ming myself for my poor judgment of people.


    But listen well now, we¡¯re no longer friends. Also, it¡¯s fine that you like Zhou Weimin, and there¡¯s nothing wrong with fancying someone else¡¯s man, but you made a mistake by taking advantage of my kindness towards you, treating me like a fool, and setting your sights on my man.¡±


    Kang Li said this deliberately, she wanted to make it clear to Xu Chunxia, to prevent her from continuing the charade while wearing a mask.


    Pondering how to use her to achieve her own ends.


    ¡°Li Bao, have you misunderstood me or something?¡±


    Xu Chunxia looked anxious and exined, ¡°I am your good friend, how could I possibly¡­¡±


    Raising her hand to stop the other party from continuing, Kang Li said with an indifferent expression, ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear your exnations. I am merely telling you that our rtionship is over.¡±


    Having said that, Kang Li turned around and walked towards her home.


    Her silhouette was graceful, and she looked quite carefree as she moved.


    ¡°How did ite to this?¡±


    Xu Chunxia stood there with a nk look, murmuring to herself. She couldn¡¯t understand why Kang Li had be so unfamiliar, as if she had suddenly be very smart, smart enough to notice her hidden thoughts, and without regard for their past friendship, she bluntly exposed her intentions in front of her, and so decisively cut off their rtionship¡­ what was she supposed to do now?


    So alienated, nearly indifferent, was there something wrong with her eyes and instincts, or had Kang Li always been ying dumb to eat the tiger?


    ¨C


    As she entered the courtyard, she was immediately greeted by her anxious mother approaching her. Puzzlement appeared in Kang Li¡¯s clear and bright fox-like eyes, ¡°Mom, do you have some urgent business to attend to outside?¡±


    Cai Xiufen grabbed her daughter¡¯s hand and gave Kang Li a thorough once-over, then asked, ¡°That bastard from the Zhou Family didn¡¯t bully you, did he?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Kang Li felt a warmth in her heart, ¡°Mom, I am the daughter of the Team Leader and the Women¡¯s Federation Director, even if he had ten times the courage, he wouldn¡¯t darey a finger on me.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not covering for that bastard, are you?¡±


    Cai Xiufen was skeptical, ¡°Our family has no rtions with that bastard anymore, Mom knows you are soft-hearted, but no matter how soft-hearted we are, we also need to choose who deserves it.¡±


    Hooking her arm through her mother¡¯s, Kang Li said in a tender voice, ¡°I know all that Mom said, I am not foolish, why would I cover for a dog of a man who broke off our engagement? Rest assured, Mom, I see things clearly, from today onwards, your Li Bao and that Zhou Weimin will be nothing more than strangers to each other.¡±


    He was just a man unfaithful in love, even if offered to her on a tter, she wouldn¡¯t deign to want him!

 Chapter 18 - 18 18 Brothers Live in Harmony

    ?Chapter 18: Chapter 18 Brothers Live in Harmony   Chapter 18: Chapter 18 Brothers Live in Harmony                                   After all, in her original world, what kind of man hadn¡¯t she seen?


    And of those who caught her eye, which wasn¡¯t a top-notch man?


    This alone, each of her secretaries was stunning and well-rounded in both talents and looks.


    Not to mention her father and brother, who were absolutely the cream of the crop among men.


    Now, how blind must she be to not forget an old love for a man like Zhou Weimin?


    Since she no longer cared about him, how could she talk of protecting him?


    As for being soft-hearted, in her case, it simply did not exist towards those who were clueless.


    ¡°Yes, that bastard is just a scoundrel, and you seeing that clearly makes mom very happy,¡±


    Cai Xiufen patted her dear daughter¡¯s hand and they entered the main house together.


    ¡­


    In the evening.


    The family ate dinner together and gathered in the main house. Captain Kang didn¡¯t hide anything and ryed to everyone at home what Kang Li had said in front of Director Wu and the response she had received.


    ¡°Dad! Did Li Bao¡­ really transfer her job to me?¡±


    Kang Guoan was stunned for a long moment, then emotionally overwhelmed, he stared straight at Captain Kang, and upon seeing his own father nod, his voice trembled, ¡°And it¡¯s to work in North City?¡±


    ¡°If I say it, it certainly wouldn¡¯t be false.¡±


    Annoyed by his youngest son¡¯s questioning of his honesty, Captain Kang gave him a stern look.


    Kang Guoan scratched his head and chuckled as he exined, ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m just a bit surprised and afraid I heard wrong¡­¡±


    Captain Kang waved his hand dismissively, ¡°Alright, I know what you¡¯re about to say just by the way you sit.¡±


    To prevent any hard feelings among his other sons, Captain Kang thought briefly and honestly shared the exchange between himself and Kang Li after leaving the Commune; finally, he scanned the room solemnly and said:


    ¡°Don¡¯t go whispering behind the scenes that Li Bao favors Lao Wu. After all, Lao Wu and Li Bao are twins, inseparable since childhood, both recently graduated from high school,


    and since Lao Wu isn¡¯t married yet, having him go with Li Bao to North City will mean he can look after her closely. We could rest easier back home, and him going fits well, it¡¯s not that Li Bao disregards you older brothers.¡±


    Clearly, this was addressed to Big Brother Kang and Third Brother Kang.


    Because Second Brother Kang was in the military and Fourth Brother Kang had already returned to the county, neither was at home.


    ¡°Big Brother, Third Brother, I won¡¯t forget your kindness to me. If there¡¯s a good opportunityter, I¡¯ll definitely contact you. This time, bringing my little brother to North City, it¡¯s as dad said,


    I thought since he hasn¡¯t been engaged or has any romantic ties, going with me to North City, he won¡¯t have any distractions and can focus on working. After all, North City is far from here, traveling back and forth isn¡¯t easy.¡±


    By saying this, Kang Li merely wanted to avoid any unpleasantness between her brothers and didn¡¯t want Big Brother and Third Brother to hold any grudges against her.


    Big Brother Kang and Third Brother Kang were not fools; they fully understood what their father and sister meant. They nced at each other, with Big Brother Kang speaking first:


    ¡°Li Bao, you don¡¯t have to do this. Dad¡¯s words cleared things up for your Big Brother and Third Brother. Moreover, Lao Wu is our own brother, and we, no matter how reckless, would notpete with our own brother for anything.


    Simrly, as our most beloved little sister, how could we me you for a job? The job is yours to give to anyone you see fit; no one else has a say in that.¡±


    As Big Brother Kang finished speaking, Third Brother Kang eagerly nodded in agreement, ¡°Right, Li Bao, Big Brother is correct, Third Brother has no issues with you passing your job to our fifth brother.¡±

 Chapter 19 - 19 19 Saying is one thing doing is another

    ?Chapter 19: Chapter 19 Saying is one thing, doing is another   Chapter 19: Chapter 19 Saying is one thing, doing is another                                   Kang Li smiled, deeply moved by the harmony among the brothers in the family, yet her stunningly beautiful face didn¡¯t reveal anything out of the ordinary, and with a sweet voice, she said, ¡°I understand, but what I said just now absolutely holds true.¡±


    ¡°Alright, Lao Wu¡¯s job is settled then, in two days, Big Brother Kang and I will apany Li Bao and Lao Wu to North City. Once they¡¯re settled, we¡¯ll start our journey back home.¡±


    With that simple decision, Captain Kang waved his hand, indicating that the family meeting was adjourned.


    Cai Xiufen: ¡°Why are you in such a hurry to go to North City? Can¡¯t you¡­ can¡¯t you wait another ten days or so before leaving?¡± She really couldn¡¯t bear to part with her Li Bao!


    ¡°They¡¯re waiting for Li Bao over there!¡±


    Captain Kang knew his wife was distressed over the hurried separation from their daughter, but there was no helping it. Director Wu had said that Comrade Luo¡¯s child was on summer vacation with no one to take care of him, and it wasn¡¯t proper to keep asking other residents in the courtyard to help out. They figured since the young couple was already registered and had their marriage certificate, it would be better for Li Bao to go to North City as soon as possible, to assume her roles as a wife and a mother.


    ¡°Why¡¯s that? Do they really see our Li Bao as some kind of nanny?¡±


    Cai Xiufen¡¯s face fell.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you speak nicely?¡±


    ring at his wife, Captain Kang said, ¡°Comrade Luo is busy with work and can¡¯t take time off, and his kid is on summer vacation. Leaving the child with others for an extended period isn¡¯t right, so they thought it would be best for Li Bao to go there sooner so that Comrade Luo can focus on his research in peace.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Cai Xiufen snorted coldly and pouted, ¡°All said and done, you still just want to make our Li Bao a nanny.¡±


    ¡°Mom, I like kids.¡±


    Kang Li interjected at the right moment.


    ¡°You, I really don¡¯t know what to say to you!¡± Touching her beloved daughter¡¯s forehead, Cai Xiufen was at a loss for words, ¡°You¡¯re a child yourself, how are you going to take care of three little ones?¡±


    ¡°Providing them with food and clothing, ying with them, I don¡¯t find it difficult at all.¡±


    In her original world, given her status and family background, she was genuinely cared for since birth, but that didn¡¯t prevent her from loving gourmet foods, and enjoying cooking for herself during her free time. Based on this, having her there, there would be no problem at all in feeding three little ones on a daily basis.


    As for other aspects, she was not a living expense, she was confident she could carry on her life with the three kidsfortably.


    Cai Xiufen remained full of worry: ¡°Talking about it is one thing, actually doing it is another.¡±


    ¡°I know, but Mom, haven¡¯t you forgotten thepliments you gave me at dinner?¡±


    Fluttering her foxy eyes, Kang Li¡¯s bright and pure gaze was brimming with smiles, ¡°The dishes on our table tonight, the wood ear mushroom with scrambled eggs and the spicy and sour shredded potatoes, were both made by your daughter. From washing vegetables to cutting them and stir-frying, I didn¡¯t let anyone help me!¡±


    Captain Kang and Big Brother Kang and Third Brother Kang, who hadn¡¯t left yet, nodded in praise. Among them, Captain Kang said, ¡°Li Bao is clever. She made a good dish her first time in the kitchen, which is why I am very confident about her going to North City.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a pity, after this, if we want to eat dishes made by Li Bao, we can probably only dream about it.¡±


    Third Brother Kangmented.


    ¡°Eat, eat, eat, that¡¯s all you know. Li Bao is our family¡¯s treasure, is she supposed to cook for you? You¡¯re all just thinking of the good life!¡±


    Rolling her eyes at Third Brother Kang, Big Brother Kang, and Captain Kang, Cai Xiufen turned to her daughter sitting beside her and said, ¡°Mom knows you¡¯re smart, you learn everything quickly, and you¡¯re a fast learner, but Mom truly can¡¯t bear to see you work so hard.¡±


    Smilingly shaking her head, Kang Li replied, ¡°Cooking for my own family and the people I care about, I not only don¡¯t find it tiring, but it also makes me very happy.¡±

 Chapter 20 - 20 20 Kang Li Hoodwinks

    ?Chapter 20: Chapter 20 Kang Li Hoodwinks   Chapter 20: Chapter 20 Kang Li Hoodwinks                                   ¡°What about washing clothes? It¡¯s all well and fine in the summer, but what about the rest of the year? Especially in the dead of winter, are you trying to break your mother¡¯s heart?¡±


    As she spoke, concern deepened in Cai Xiufen¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°What¡¯s the big deal?!¡±


    Kang Li didn¡¯t take it seriously at all, a dimple ying at the corner of her mouth, her fox-like eyes twinkling brightly: ¡°I¡¯ve heard on the radio that department stores in big cities sell washing machines. Once I get to North City, I¡¯ll find time to buy one and put it at home. That way, whether it¡¯s bulky clothes or sheets and quilt covers, just stuff them into the washing machine and it¡¯s done.¡±


    ¡°A washing machine? What¡¯s that thing? They sell them in department stores?¡±


    Looking skeptical, Cai Xiufen didn¡¯t really believe what Kang Li was saying.


    To one side, Captain Kang and Big Brother Kang, Second Brother Kang all believed what Kang Li said, trusting their precious daughter (or sister) wasn¡¯t making empty promises.


    With a smile ying around her eyes, Kang Li slowly exined to her family what a washing machine was, even gesturing with her hands to show the size of the machine and exining how it worked, leaving her mother and three brothers looking utterly bewildered.


    ¡°Tsk tsk tsk, to think there¡¯s such an amazing thing!¡±


    Cai Xiufen was astounded, pping her thigh and saying, ¡°Let¡¯s buy it! How about this, once you¡¯re in North City, have your dad and your big brother, along with your little brother go with you. You all can head to that what¡¯s-it-called department store and bring the washing machine home. That way I can rest easy!¡±


    There¡¯s a coal stove for cooking, a washing machine forundry, the house supplied with tap water¡­ Cai Xiufen¡¯s mind repeatedly went through the daily life her daughter would face after moving to North City, and bit by bit, her worries eased.


    Kang Li smiled, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll listen to Mom. Let¡¯s buy it!¡±


    After a brief pause, Kang Li blinked her fox-like eyes and said, ¡°Dad, Mom, I want to go to the county town tomorrow.¡±


    Before heading to North City, she wanted to give each family member a piece of clothing, and going to the county town was just an excuse she found convenient to take out the clothes and socks she had gotten from the System.


    ¡°To the county town? By yourself? No way, absolutely not!¡±


    Cai Xiufen¡¯s head shook like a bobblehead doll.


    Her daughter was so beautiful, just like a Fairy Girl, and absolutely couldn¡¯t go out alone. Besides, her daughter, despite having been to the county town, had never gone there by herself.


    ¡°Mom, calm down.¡±


    Kang Li was somewhat amused inside, yet also moved by her mother¡¯s protective nature. She said, ¡°I didn¡¯t n to go alone. How about tomorrow morning, having Second Brother apany me?¡±


    Once Kang Guoan was sure that his sister had really passed her job on to him, he sat quietly to the side the entire time Kang Li, dad, mom, and the brothers had been talking, never interrupting.


    He did this on purpose, so as not to be perceived as showy by the others. In other words, Kang Guoan knew how to keep things proper; and with his good looks, fair skin, sunny personality, and genuine nature, he was a much-loved figure in the family.


    Alright, one more thing ¨C Kang Guoan was also a hardworking youngster.


    His parents saw this and were quite pleased with their son.


    His brothers saw this and took great care of him.


    His sisters-inw saw this and never gossiped about him.


    And his nephews and nieces, aside from their aunt Kang Li, liked their Uncle Guoan the second best.


    ¡°Mom, I promise you and dad, I¡¯ll definitely protect Li Bao. However we go, we¡¯lle back just the same,pletely intact, not a single hair missing,¡± Kang Guoan asserted, thumping his chest in guarantee to his parents.


    His words made Kang Liugh uncontrobly, ¡°Dad, Mom, I trust Second Brother to protect me.¡±


    ¡­

 Chapter 21 - 21 21 Dont be an Ungrateful Wolf

    ?Chapter 21: Chapter 21: Don¡¯t be an Ungrateful Wolf   Chapter 21: Chapter 21: Don¡¯t be an Ungrateful Wolf                                   The next morning, Kang Li finished breakfast early and set off for the county town with her younger brother, Kang Guoan.


    They walked to the town and then transferred to a shuttle bus heading to the county town, arriving there around nine-thirty in the morning.


    ¡°Little Brother, let¡¯s go straight to the department store,¡±


    Kang Li said to Kang Guoan as they left the bus station.


    ¡°Do you want to buy something?¡±


    Walking beside Kang Li, Kang Guoan asked casually.


    ¡°I want to buy a gift for each member of our family.¡±


    Kang Li didn¡¯t hide her intentions from Kang Guoan. She said, ¡°I¡¯ve grown up with Dad, Mom, and my brothers doting on me and taking care of me. Then my sisters-inw joined the family one after another, and they all spoiled and cared for me just like my brothers.


    Even my nephews adore me, afraid that I might feel unhappy. By age, most of them are younger than me,


    not to mention in terms of seniority, I am their elder, yet they protect me every day as if I were a little chick. Little Brother, to be honest, I feel quite bad because, as you know, our family has always been worried about me bumping into things or feeling wronged when you are not around. For many years, I¡¯ve been moved by their kindness but never knew how to repay your goodness,


    so today, before heading to North City, I wanted to buy everyone a gift to show at least a little of my gratitude.¡±


    For a moment, Kang Guoan didn¡¯t know what to say. After a while, he managed to utter, ¡°Nobody at home wants anything in return from you. You¡¯ve been frail since you were little but also so endearing,


    you¡¯re our family¡¯s treasure. We all dote on you, care for you, and protect you willingly. You mustn¡¯t overthink it.¡±


    He had thought his sister was just a carefree girl, oblivious to the world around her. Yet unexpectedly, while they might not have noticed, she had developed her own deep thoughts, and she clearly focused on their family, showing the same considerateness and care that they had offered her, even thinking of buying them gifts.


    If Dad, Mom, and the brothers found out, their noses would sour, and their eyes would redden with sentiment, especially Mother, who was sure to wipe away tears.


    ¡°I¡¯m not overthinking; I just want to be good to you all like you¡¯ve been good to me.¡±


    As she spoke, Kang Li took out ten yuan and a five-kilo food coupon and stuffed them into Kang Guoan¡¯s hand: ¡°Next to the department store, there¡¯s a state-owned restaurant. In a minute, you take this money and coupons to the restaurant and buy two servings of braised pork and twenty-fiverge pork buns¡­¡±


    Before she could finish, Kang Guoan interrupted her: ¡°Stop, stop, stop. What are you doing? Two servings of braised pork and twenty-fiverge pork buns, that¡¯s going to be conspicuous if we buy all that!


    Listen to your elder brother, let¡¯s not do this, otherwise, we¡¯ll attract all sorts of strange looks and might even invite trouble.¡±


    ¡°Is it really that serious?¡±


    Kang Li frowned: ¡°I¡¯m spending our own money and food coupons, what business is it of others?¡±


    Kang Guoan replied, ¡°People¡¯s hearts areplicated, and their words are to be feared. We must be cautious when we need to be. By the way, where did you get these money and coupons?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been saving them! All my life, the money and coupons that Dad, Mom, and my brothers have given me, I¡¯ve never spent them recklessly.¡±


    Most of these coupons and certificates were given by Second Brother Kang and Fourth Brother Kang, one of whom had a good position in the army, and the other in the County Transport Team, where he frequently came back with plenty of fine things and a significant number of coupons and certificates.


    Out of affection for their only cherished younger sister, whenever the brothers returned home, they never failed to give her money and coupons.


    While money could be saved, coupons and certificates had expiration dates, so usually, the original owner would pass them on to their mother.


    As for the coupons and certificates Kang Li currently held, they were sent by Second Brother Kang from the army in the past month or two. The letter stated clearly that they were for his sister Li Bao.

 Chapter 22 - 22 22 Just Be Cheeky

    ?Chapter 22: Chapter 22 Just Be Cheeky!   Chapter 22: Chapter 22 Just Be Cheeky!                                   It included wool coupons, cloth coupons, sugar coupons, industrial coupons, and so on.


    ¡°Since it was given by dad, mom, and elder brothers, you should save it. Why do you need to spend it?¡±


    Kang Guoan disapproved of his beloved sister spending money recklessly, especially since it was money she had saved herself.


    ¡°I¡¯m not spending it recklessly, I am buying gifts for the family.¡±


    Muttering under her breath, Kang Li then stared at Kang Guoan and said, ¡°Brother, don¡¯t worry about me. Just do as I say. Buy three portions of braised pork, and we won¡¯t buy therge meat buns. That should be okay, right?¡±


    Kang Guoan, ¡°Why do you need to buy three portions?¡±


    ¡°One portion to give to Fourth Brother and his wife before we head home, and the remaining two portions to take home. You know, our family has many people, and one portion is not enough. I fear there might not even be a piece for everyone.¡±


    After listening to Kang Li, Kang Guoan frowned and fell silent for a while, then sighed, ¡°I really don¡¯t know what to say about you!¡±


    ¡°Then don¡¯t say anything! Keep the money safe. After you¡¯ve made the purchases, wait for me at the entrance of the state-run restaurant.¡±


    While saying this, Kang Li pulled out a small cloth bag from arger one she held in her hand, which held two aluminum lunch boxes, ¡°Look, I even brought lunch boxes to buy the braised pork.¡±


    Kang Guoan, ¡°Three portions of braised pork, and you bring only two lunch boxes; that¡¯s not enough to hold them!¡±


    Kang Li, ¡°The two portions for our family can be put in one lunch box, that would be fine.¡±


    In those days, the dishes sold by state-run restaurants were generously portioned, but one portion of braised pork wouldn¡¯t fill an entire aluminum lunch box, more precisely, filling half a lunch box was already quite good.


    After all, the capacity of the aluminum lunch boxes was not small.


    Unexpectedly, Kang Guoan raised another objection, ¡°I am worried about you going into the department store alone.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s there to worry about? Brother, don¡¯t forget, we were born on the exact same day, of the same month, and year. And I¡¯m not stupid. If you keep saying things like before, it will hurt my feelings; I¡¯ll feel like you¡¯re treating me like a fool!¡±


    Kang Li pursed her lips tightly, her expression full of grievance.


    Seeing this, Kang Guoan¡¯s heart ached in an instant, and he modified his tone, ¡°Alright, alright, I¡¯ll wait for you at the entrance of the state-run restaurant, but you must ensure your safety and never go off with strangers.¡±


    ¡°I promise to do that.¡±


    Kang Li beamed with joy.


    ¡°You¡¯re just stubborn!¡±


    Kang Guoan¡¯s eyes softened, and he added, ¡°Remember to secure your money and coupons well, don¡¯t let pickpockets find them.¡±


    ¡°Brother, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m very careful!¡±


    With that, Kang Li walked leisurely alongside Kang Guoan to the entrance of the department store, then waved at Kang Guoan, ¡°Let¡¯s split up here. See youter at the entrance of the state-run restaurant.¡±


    As her voice faded, Kang Li stepped up the stairs and entered the department store.


    She bought brown sugar and ck sugar for the family and a pack of White Rabbit candies for her nephews, and then surreptitiously transferred the pre-selected clothes and socks into her cloth bag through her awareness.


    Everything was sorted in less than twenty minutes, and she left the department store.


    The clothes that Kang Li had drawn in the big gift earlier, she directly put into the System space and didn¡¯t take them out, not because she didn¡¯t want to, but because she had no reasonable excuse.


    ¡°Did you get everything?¡±


    Seeing Kang Li, Kang Guoan quickly walked over, holding the cloth bag, ¡°What did you buy that you filled the cloth bag so full? And two of them, you¡­¡±


    Catching sight of Kang Li¡¯s bulgingrge cloth bag, Kang Guoan slightly knitted his brows, ¡°You didn¡¯t spend all your saved money, did you?¡±


    ¡°No, no, I ran into an olddy at the department store. As soon as she saw me, she said I caught her eye. When she heard I was buying clothes for my family, she didn¡¯t hesitate and dragged me to meet her daughter,

 Chapter 23 - 23 23 Maomao and Doudou

    ?Chapter 23: Chapter 23 Maomao and Doudou   Chapter 23: Chapter 23 Maomao and Doudou                                   She imed her daughter was the head of a department store and mentioned that when her daughter came home from work yesterday, she brought up that the store had recently received a batch of wed clothing, including men¡¯s, women¡¯s, and children¡¯s wear, said no ticket was needed, and the prices were very cheap¡­.¡±


    This was purely a fabrication by Kang Li, but Kang Guoan apparently didn¡¯t think too much about it and believed it. He said, however, ¡°So you didn¡¯t even think about it and were dragged by that auntie to the department store¡¯s storeroom, bought a good piece whenever you saw one, and before you knew it, ended up buying too many.¡±


    Kang Li freed up one hand to give Kang Guoan a thumbs-up, ¡°Little brother, you¡¯re awesome, almost right on the mark. But, I didn¡¯t buy too many, oh, I bought ording to the number of people in our family, not one more, not one less.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t buy for Fourth Brother Kang¡¯s family and Second Brother Kang¡¯s family who are far away, did you?¡±


    Although he was asking, Kang Guoan already had an answer in his heart.


    ¡°They¡¯re all my brothers; of course, I had to buy for them too!¡±


    Kang Li batted her fox-like eyes, looking innocent, which gave Kang Guoan quite a headache to see.


    How did he end up with such a na?ve sister?


    Apart from him, her little brother, the older brothers each had their own families. Wouldn¡¯t it be enough to buy one gift per family? Did she need to buy for everyone?


    ¡°Are you having a headache, little brother? Should we go to the hospital and find a doctor to take a look?¡±


    Seeing Kang Guoan raise his hand to rub his forehead, Kang Li showed concern, just waiting for Kang Guoan to nod so they could go straight to the county hospital.


    What else could Kang Guoan say?


    He lowered his hand and before Kang Li could react, he grabbed the tworge cloth bags from Kang Li¡¯s hand to his own, ¡°Let¡¯s go, to Fourth Brother Kang¡¯s house.¡±


    ¡­


    Fourth Brother Kang¡¯s family rented a small courtyard on the south side of the county town. Since it wasn¡¯t yet off-work hours, only Fourth Sister-inw Kang and the two sons were at home.


    After knocking on the courtyard gate, footsteps could be heard after a short while.


    ¡°Who is it?¡±


    This was Fourth Sister-inw Kang¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Fourth Sister-inw, it¡¯s me. My little brother and I came to town to stroll around today and thought to drop by to see Maomao and Doudou before heading to North City.¡±


    With a smile at the corner of her mouth, Kang Li responded to Fourth Sister-inw Kang, and the next moment, the courtyard door creaked open from the inside as Fourth Sister-inw Kang greeted them with a beaming smile, ¡°It¡¯s Li Bao and Guoan,e in quickly, sit down. Maomao and Doudou are inside, reading picture books.¡±


    At the sound of their little aunt¡¯s voice, two young voices rang out from the house: ¡°Little Aunt!¡±


    One could see two boys, one slightly older than the other, burst out of the house joyfully. The younger one, four years old, stopped in front of Kang Li and Kang Guoan, tilted his little head back, and asked with a grin, ¡°Little Aunt, Uncle, did youe to see my brother and me?¡±


    Kang Li nodded, the smile lingering in her fox-like eyes, ¡°Yes, Little Aunt and your Uncle came especially to see you and your brother!¡±


    ¡°Little Aunt,e on, let¡¯s go inside and sit.¡±


    The older boy, seven years old, took hold of Kang Li¡¯s hand and tugged her toward the house, ¡°It¡¯s hot outside, cooler inside, Little Aunt, pleasee in and rest for a bit.¡±


    ¡°Brother is right, Little Aunt, you and Uncle should follow us inside quickly.¡±


    Doudou, whose full name was Yihang, and his older brother Maomao, called Yifan, saw the older boy taking their little aunt¡¯s hand. Following his lead, Doudou took Kang Li¡¯s other hand, gripping the index and middle fingers, and didn¡¯t forget to turn back and urge Kang Guoan, ¡°Uncle, make sure you keep up~¡±


    Kang Guoan smiled helplessly, ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°Li Bao, Guoan,e drink some mung bean soup to soothe your throats.¡±


    Fourth Sister-inw Kang brought over two bowls of mung bean soup to the small dining table in front of Kang Li and Kang Guoan, ¡°I made it early in the morning, and I added some sugar, it should be quite refreshing to drink now.¡±

 Chapter 24 - 24 24 What a Coincidental Mouth

    ?Chapter 24: Chapter 24 What a Coincidental Mouth   Chapter 24: Chapter 24 What a Coincidental Mouth                                   Kang Li and the other person didn¡¯t stand on ceremony and just started drinking the mung bean soup in front of them.


    After putting down her empty bowl, Kang Li made small talk with Fourth Sister-inw Kang, who was sitting next to her. As for Kang Guoan, he was busy ying with his two nephews.


    Seeing that the clock was about to strike twelve noon, Fourth Sister-inw Kang stood up, ¡°Li Bao, you and Guoan just sit here. I¡¯ll go cook us some lunch. Your Fourth Brother should be home in another ten minutes or so.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°Fourth Brother didn¡¯t drive today?¡±


    Fourth Sister-inw Kang: ¡°No, just a normal work day. However, your Fourth Brother mentioned that he has to make a long trip the day after tomorrow, and it¡¯ll take at least a week for the round trip.¡±


    ¡°Traveling far always has its risks, so you¡¯ll have to remind Fourth Brother to be extra careful.¡±


    Kang Li said casually, then exchanged a nce with Kang Guoan, and the two got up at the same time. Kang Li said, ¡°Fourth Sister-inw, you don¡¯t need to cook for me and my little brother; we need to get back to the vige by one thirty at thetest. Otherwise, the family will start worrying about us.¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t do. You must eat before leaving, besides, your Fourth Brother isn¡¯t even back yet!¡±


    Fourth Sister-inw Kang insisted on Kang Li and Kang Guoan staying.


    ¡°Fourth Sister-inw, I really promised our parents that I¡¯d be home by one thirty at thetest. If we¡¯rete, they might send Big Brother and Third Brother to the county town to look for me and little brother. That would just be troubling them for nothing.¡±


    Two plump cloth bags were ced on a drawer desk against the wall. Without any hesitation, Kang Li pulled out two sets of summer clothes suitable for children¡ªa pair of shorts and a short-sleeved shirt¡ªfrom one of the bags,


    and then took out a men¡¯s white dress shirt and a women¡¯s white floral short-sleeved blouse. She held these clothes up to Fourth Sister-inw Kang and said, ¡°Fourth Sister-inw, these are for you, Fourth Brother, and Maomao and Doudou.¡±


    Fourth Sister-inw Kang didn¡¯t reach out to take them: ¡°Why did you buy these? Your Fourth Brother and I have clothes to wear, and so do Maomao and Doudou!¡±


    She genuinely liked this little sister-inw. Even though the young girl had been pampered by the family, never having to lift a finger, in Fourth Sister-inw Kang¡¯s eyes¡ªand indeed, in the eyes of all the sisters-inw¡ªKang Li was truly wonderful.


    Sweet-talking, beautiful as a Fairy Girl, she looked so lovable at first nce. Most importantly, she never took advantage of their inws¡¯ affection or her brothers¡¯ fondness to give them sisters-inw a hard time,


    and she showed them great respect, treating their children with exceptional affection. She always shared whatever delicious food she had with her nieces and nephews, no matter how little there was.


    Because Kang Li was so kind-hearted, their family lived peacefully and harmoniously, unlike other families in the vige with little sisters-inw that fought with their sisters-inw every other day, turning a good home upside down.


    ¡°Fourth Sister-inw, I bought these ording to your, Fourth Brother¡¯s, and Maomao and Doudou¡¯s sizes. Everyone in our family has their share; please just ept it,¡± Kang Li insisted.


    Kang Li stuffed the clothes she was holding into Fourth Sister-inw Kang¡¯s arms, ¡°The day after tomorrow, I¡¯m going to North City, and I don¡¯t know when we¡¯ll see each other again, so I thought that before I leave, I should buy a gift for each family member to express, even just a little, the love and care they have shown me over the years.¡±


    ¡°Li Bao¡­¡±


    Fourth Sister-inw Kang was visibly moved.


    She knew the young girl had been raised spoiled by the entire family, and she knew about her kind-heartedness, but she hadn¡¯t expected the youngdy to be so thoughtful and caring.


    Her mouth quivered, as if wanting to say something, but her throat seemed stuffed with cotton, preventing any sound froming out.


    After giving Fourth Sister-inw Kang a hug, Kang Li said, ¡°Fourth Sister-inw, I know you care about me, Li Bao has always known.¡± A momentter, she released Fourth Sister-inw Kang, stepped back, and ruffled the heads of her nephews Maomao and Doudou. She then knelt on one knee and said to the two boys:

 Chapter 25 - 25 25 Mrs. Zhou Comes to Make Trouble

    ?Chapter 25: Chapter 25 Mrs. Zhou Comes to Make Trouble   Chapter 25: Chapter 25 Mrs. Zhou Comes to Make Trouble                                   ¡°You must be good at home, listen to your father and mother, and remember to study. When your little auntes back, she¡¯ll bring you lots and lots of tasty treats.¡±


    ¡°Little aunt¡­ do you really have to go to North City? Are you going to your little uncle¡¯s house to help take care of his younger brothers and sisters?¡±


    Maomao¡¯s eyes brimmed with tears, and seeing Kang Li nod, she couldn¡¯t help but pout and say, ¡°I don¡¯t want little aunt to leave!¡±


    Doudou¡¯s eyes were also red, and trying not to cry, he said in a babyish voice, ¡°I also don¡¯t want little aunt to leave, but little aunt really has to go, right?¡±


    Kang Li gathered the two little ones into her arms. ¡°Be good, little aunt isn¡¯t saying she won¡¯te back. Behave, let¡¯s not cry, okay!¡± After kissing the faces of the two little ones, Kang Li withdrew her hands and stood up. ¡°If you miss little aunt, you can write letters to her.¡±


    With a sob in her voice, Maomao asked, ¡°Then will little aunt reply to our letters?¡±


    Kang Liughed and said, ¡°Do you even have to ask? Not only will little aunt reply to your letters, but she will also get her little brothers and sisters at her house to write to you.¡±


    ¡°Does little aunt want me and my brother to be pen pals with little uncle¡¯s kids and be friends?¡±


    Maomao was a clever child. As soon as he said this, Kang Li immediately gave a thumbs-up and praised, ¡°Wow! Our Maomao is so smart! Great job!¡±


    ¡°Little aunt, I¡¯m smart too! I will write letters to little uncle¡¯s younger brothers and sisters too!¡±


    He wasn¡¯t afraid of not knowing how to write; he could draw pictures after all!


    Doudou thought proudly to himself.


    ¡°Doudou and your brother are both awesome! Little aunt is waiting for your letters~¡±


    After giving the children a thumbs-up as well, Shu Ying turned to Kang Guoan and said, ¡°Little brother, once we¡¯ve given the braised pork to the fourth sister-inw, let¡¯s go.¡±


    Kang Guoan nodded lightly, then he took out an aluminum lunch box from the small cloth pocket he was holding and handed it to the Fourth Sister-inw Kang. ¡°Fourth sister-inw, this braised pork was also bought by Li Bao. You take it, Li Bao and I need to get back.¡±


    Fourth Sister-inw Kang continued to insist, ¡°But you are leaving without even eating lunch. When your fourth brother gets off work, he might me me.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all right, with Maomao and Doudou here, fourth brother can¡¯t me you,¡± said Kang Guoan, looking at his two nephews. ¡°Right?¡±


    Maomao and Doudou nodded their little heads in unison.


    Seeing this, Fourth Sister-inw Kangughed helplessly, shook her head, and, with her two sons, saw Kang Li and Kang Guoan out of the courtyard. They watched the two gradually walk away before turning back to the courtyard.


    ¡­


    Aoli Vige.


    Still some distance from the front gate, Kang Li could hear the shrill voice of Mrs. Zhou, as harsh as a fishwife cursing in the street.


    ¡°Cai Xiufen, do not think that just because you are the vige¡¯s women¡¯s director and your man is the vige¡¯s team leader, I, Qin Daying, will be afraid of you! I¡¯m telling you, you better call Li Bao out here right now. I need to ask her exactly what she said to my family¡¯s Weimin that caused him to sit outside all night, and now he¡¯s got a high fever this morning and hasn¡¯t woken up yet. If anything happens to my family¡¯s Weimin, Cai Xiufen, I, Qin Daying, will never let you or your family off the hook!¡±


    ¡°What does my Li Bao have to do with whether your family¡¯s Weimin is okay or not!¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, what does it have to do with it?! Educated Youth Su told me that the state my family¡¯s Weimin is in must be rted to what your Li Bao said to him yesterday afternoon.¡±


    Among all her children, Mrs. Zhou was especially protective of her youngest son. Just this morning, upon opening the doors to the main room, she lifted her eyes to see her youngest son faint from where he sat, which scared her nearly out of her wits.


    After calling the doctor from the vige clinic to have a look, the doctor said it was a fever caused by the cold and that he had some sort of emotional blockages, leaving her utterly baffled. Now, approaching two in the afternoon, although her family¡¯s Weimin¡¯s fever had subsided, he still hadn¡¯t regained consciousness, which was driving her to the brink of despair!

 Chapter 26 - 26 26 Kang Li and Mrs. Zhou Confrontation

    ?Chapter 26: Chapter 26 Kang Li and Mrs. Zhou Confrontation   Chapter 26: Chapter 26 Kang Li and Mrs. Zhou Confrontation                                   Until Educated Youth Su visited her home and learned about her family¡¯s Brother Weimin situation, she hesitantly revealed her suspicions.


    She really hadn¡¯t expected Kang Libao to be so shameless. The two families had clearly and definitively broken off the engagement, yet why did he persistently entangle himself with her family¡¯s Brother Weimin? It troubled her family¡¯s Brother Weimin so much that he didn¡¯t know what to think and ended up sitting in the courtyard all night, tormenting himself to the point of losing consciousness.


    ¡°Just because Educated Youth Su said something, does it make it true? Then why don¡¯t you believe me when I say that my Kang Libao and your Brother Weimin didn¡¯t talk at all yesterday?¡±


    Cai Xiufen¡¯s lips moved swiftly, unafraid of Mrs. Zhou¡¯s tantrums.


    ¡°Why should I believe you? Educated Youth Su is my family¡¯s Brother Weimin¡¯s girlfriend, the future daughter-inw about to enter the Zhou Family. She wouldn¡¯t lie to my face.¡±


    Mrs. Zhou spoke righteously, and upon hearing this, Cai Xiufen sneered, ¡°Then call over Educated Youth Su. I really want to ask her what exactly my Kang Libao said to your Brother Weimin that made him sit like a dolt in the courtyard all night without sleep.¡±


    Mrs. Zhou sneered back, ¡°You want me to call her? I will. Look at how big a face you have!¡±


    Cai Xiufen responded indifferently, ¡°My face isn¡¯t as big as your Qin Daying¡¯s. If you don¡¯t believe me, ask everyone else.¡±


    ¡°Cai Xiufen, quit your nonsensical talk. I want to see your Kang Libao right now. If you don¡¯t call her out, I think you¡¯re just showing your guilt!¡±


    Mrs. Zhou provoked sharply.


    ¡°Pah! I, Cai Xiufen, always mean what I say, and I¡¯ve never felt guilty about anything!¡±


    Spitting on the ground, Cai Xiufen was not provoked by Mrs. Zhou in the slightest.


    Just then, Kang Li calmly walked in from the crowd that had gathered to watch the drama, her eyes cool and fox-like. Stopping a few steps away from Mrs. Zhou, she said, ¡°Aunt Zhou, didn¡¯t you want to find me? Here I am. Ask whatever you want.¡±


    Mrs. Zhou was initially startled, then with a stern face, she asked, ¡°Libao, Auntie watched you grow up. Although our families have now disengaged, in my eyes, you are still a good girl. But what was going on yesterday afternoon?


    Knowing that our families had already broken off the engagement, why did you still hold on to your Brother Weimin and talk on and on, causing him to be preupied with thoughts and sit out all night in the courtyard?


    This morning, as soon as I opened the main house door, I found your Brother Weimin copsed on the ground. Libao, do you know your Brother Weimin hasn¡¯t woken up yet? Don¡¯t you think I shoulde looking for you?¡±


    ¡°Aunt Zhou, are you done speaking? If so, may I speak now?¡±


    Kang Li said, not waiting for Mrs. Zhou to respond. Her tone was light, ¡°Yesterday afternoon, I went to the Commune with my father. When we returned and just entered the vige, Xu Chunxia called me.


    After that, I told my father to go ahead home while I spoke briefly with Xu Chunxia. Somehow, Comrade Zhou Weimin got it into his head to start telling me not to marry a divorced man.


    Upon hearing this, I told him my affairs were none of his business and also made it clear that he and I had nothing to do with each other anymore. I even told him I had already registered and gotten a marriage certificate with my fianc¨¦,


    Aunt Zhou, I only said these few words. If you don¡¯t believe me, go ask Xu Chunxia. She and Comrade Zhou Weimin¡¯s girlfriend were both present.¡±


    As Kang Li finished speaking, Mrs. Zhou¡¯s expression changed repeatedly, her eyes filled with disbelief, ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re really going to marry a divorced man and be a stepmother as soon as you enter the door?¡±


    Just as Kang Li was about to respond, Mrs. Zhou suddenly burst out, raising her voice towards Cai Xiufen and Captain Kang standing at the doorstep:


    ¡°I¡¯ve really seen it all now. Usually, you dote on your daughter like the apple of your eye. Even though she was disengaged by our Zhou family, given Libao¡¯s heavenly beauty, Captain Kang and our Director Cai you shouldn¡¯t have had to find her a divorced man to marry¡­¡±

 Chapter 27 - 27 27 A Huge Loss of Face

    ?Chapter 27: Chapter 27: A Huge Loss of Face   Chapter 27: Chapter 27: A Huge Loss of Face                                   The conversation hadn¡¯t been concluded when Mrs. Zhou was interrupted by Kang Li¡¯s delicate voice, which held a hint of chilling aloofness, ¡°Aunt Zhou, if you don¡¯t know the facts, you shouldn¡¯t speak recklessly, otherwise, don¡¯t me me for being unsympathetic!¡±


    ncing at the vigers who had gathered to watch the excitement, Kang Li redirected her gaze towards Mrs. Zhou and continued, ¡°The marriage was of my own free will, and also, I am very pleased with my husband, whom I¡¯ve already married legally. You don¡¯t need to worry about me, Aunt Zhou.


    Moreover, now that I have married my husband, his children are my children. I am happy to be their mother, even if I am a stepmother. I am willing, and it concerns no one else!¡±


    At that moment, Cai Xiufen walked over, taking her beloved daughter by the hand, ¡°Let¡¯s go,e home with your mother, there¡¯s no need to waste words exining here.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Kang Li nodded lightly, her hand held by her birth mother as they walked towards their home.


    After Kang Li and her birth mother, along with Kang Guoan, entered the house, Captain Kang, with a dark expression, said to those vigers who hadn¡¯t left, ¡°My son-inw is indeed in his second marriage and does indeed have children. If the vigers want to discuss my family¡¯s affairs, feel free to do so, but make sure to stick to the facts, otherwise, I don¡¯t mind going to the police station to report a case of nder!¡±


    As the deputy leader of the vige, Captain Kang wasn¡¯t an uneducated, ignorant, old farmer.


    Whenever he had free time, Captain Kang would always learn to read and do arithmetic with his beloved daughter.


    Now, reading the newspaper alone and calcting the work points for all the members of the team was no problem at all.


    Such a Captain Kang was surely aware of what ¡°nder¡± meant.


    Having said that, he turned around and strode into his house, paying no heed to what the gossiping vigers might say because of his deration.


    He didn¡¯t pay any attention to Mrs. Zhou¡¯s expression either.


    ¡°Mother! Why did you go causing trouble at Uncle Kang¡¯s doorstep? Come home, hurry back with me, don¡¯t make us aughingstock!¡±


    Zhou Weimin snapped to his senses when he heard from his father that his mother had caused a disturbance at the Kang Family¡¯s door due to him sitting dazed in the yard all night and then bing feverish and unconscious. Then, she went to Kang Li¡¯s doorstep demanding an exnation.


    Knowing this, Zhou Weimin, heedless of Su Qing¡¯s advice, put on his shoes and rushed out, not bothering about just having woken up, or his still dizzy head, or that his legs didn¡¯t have much strength ¨C he went straight to the Zhou family¡¯s door. Here, he was truly ashamed to face anyone, yet he had to appear.


    ¡°Aughingstock? I¡¯d like to see who dares tough at mother!¡±


    Mrs. Zhou red at the vigers who had gathered to watch, and with Zhou Weimin¡¯s assistance, she walked towards her home.


    As the figures of Mrs. Zhou and Zhou Weimin receded, the onlookers nced once more towards the Kang Family¡¯s doorway, then gradually dispersed in twos and threes, heading home while not forgetting to discuss the affairs of the Kang and Zhou families.


    ¡°The Zhou Family really acted disgracefully¡ªthey were the ones who initially proposed breaking off the engagement with the Team Leader¡¯s Family. Now that the Team Leader has found a new family for Kang Li, the Zhou boy doesn¡¯t know what came over him, sitting out all night in the yard and making himself sick. I feel embarrassed for him.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all Qin Daying¡¯s fault, that shrew! If she hadn¡¯t made a scene at the Team Leader¡¯s house, the stupid thing her son didst night wouldn¡¯t be known by everyone now, making them lose face badly,¡±


    ¡°Qin Daying probably didn¡¯t expect her son to wake up at that moment.¡±


    ¡°Whether she expected it or not, I don¡¯t know, but I am impressed by her unreasonable shrew-like behavior!¡±


    ¡°Wait for me, Aunt Wang and Aunt Li!¡±


    As the two middle-aged women chatted and walked, they heard someone calling from behind. They paused and looked back to see the vige¡¯s gossip enthusiast, The Loudspeaker, calling them, showing no strange reaction.

 Chapter 28 - 28 28 Cui the Loudspeaker

    ?Chapter 28: Chapter 28 Cui the Loudspeaker   Chapter 28: Chapter 28 Cui the Loudspeaker                                   Aunt Wang, whose full name is Wang Chunhua, and Aunt Li, whose full name is Li Daniu, belonged pretty much to the same type as the Loudspeaker. Otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t have gathered outside the Kang Family¡¯s house to watch the excitement or be gossiping about the Kang Family and the Zhou Family at this moment.


    ¡°Aunt Cui, your home isn¡¯t in this direction.¡±


    The Loudspeaker, Cui Erhua, made her way to stand in front of Wang Chunhua and Li Daniu. Hearing Wang Chunhua¡¯s words, she grinned, saying, ¡°I¡¯m just taking the chance to chat with you two before I start my shift.¡±


    Li Daniu, ¡°You really have a lot of free time!¡±


    ¡°Listen to you talk.¡±


    Cui Erhua, the Loudspeaker, wasn¡¯t the least bit embarrassed. She pulled Wang Chunhua and Li Daniu to the side of the vige road. After looking around to make sure no one was passing by, she lowered her voice and asked, ¡°Do you think that story about the Kang Family is true?¡±


    Wang Chunhua, ¡°What about the Kang Family?¡±


    The Loudspeaker gave her a ¡°what are you pretending for¡± look and said, ¡°Everyone in the vige knows the Team Leader and his wife dote on their daughter like she¡¯s their lifeline. Do you really think, like Qin Daying said, they would set up Kang Li with a divorced man who already has a child because the Zhou Family called off the engagement and tarnished her reputation?¡±


    ¡°True or not, what does it matter? Besides, I don¡¯t believe the Team Leader and his wife would harm their own daughter.¡±


    That was what Wang Chunhua said.


    The Loudspeaker, ¡°You believe that? A twice-married man with a child can be a good man? Plus, Kang Li was raised so delicately by them, if she really ends up with that divorced man, can theyst long?¡±


    ¡°Aunt Cui, there¡¯s something wrong with what you¡¯re saying. Kang Li herself said she¡¯s willing, and that she¡¯s already registered and gotten the certificate with that divorced man.¡±


    Li Daniu cut in.


    The Loudspeaker, ¡°If that¡¯s really the case, I reckon Kang Li will not have good days in the divorced man¡¯s house; to be harsh, she might not take long to end up crying and running back to her parent¡¯s house.¡±


    ¡°You should keep such remarks to yourself, if the Team Leader and his wife hear this, they¡¯ll never let you off the hook!¡±


    Although she agreed that the Loudspeaker was probably right, waiting in anticipation of a debacle was one thing, and spouting every thought recklessly was quite another¡ªwasn¡¯t she just asking for trouble?


    The Loudspeaker pursed her lips, ¡°Let them not let me off the hook then. Am I supposed to be scared of them?¡±


    Wang Chunhua then spoke up, ¡°Actually, when ites right down to it, the whole mess between Kang Li and that Zhou guy is all because of that vixen Educated Youth Su. Otherwise, why would the Zhou boy break off the engagement with Kang Li?¡±


    With the broken engagement, rumors immediately surfaced about him dating Educated Youth Su; Qin Daying even outright said today that Educated Youth Su is about to join his family as his daughter-inw, which clearly shows Educated Youth Su isn¡¯t innocent at all and might even have yed a key role in the mess between Kang Li and the Zhou boy.¡±


    Hearing Wang Chunhua¡¯s words, Kang Li most likely would have retorted with ¡°Sherlock Holmes is still alive¡±.


    ¡°Pooh!¡±


    The Loudspeaker spit on the ground, looking disdainful as she said, ¡°Educated Youth Su a vixen?! Wang Chunhua, are you sure you aren¡¯t mistaken? Can Educated Youth Su¡¯s looks evenpare to Kang Li¡¯s?¡±


    Wang Chunhua, ¡°Of course she can¡¯tpare.¡±


    Loud Speaker Liu, ¡°Then what were you just saying?¡±


    Li Daniuughed, ¡°Erhua, what Chunhua means is that while Educated Youth Su acts like a vixen, Kang Li is a Fairy. She naturally cannotpare to Kang Li.¡±


    ¡°If she can¡¯tpare, why would the Zhou boy end the engagement with Kang Li to date that wretch Educated Youth Su?¡±


    The Loudspeaker was puzzled.


    Li Daniu, ¡°A vixen is skilled at beguiling people; looks are secondary.¡±

 Chapter 29 - 29 29 Dont Mind Dont Think

    ?Chapter 29: Chapter 29 Don¡¯t Mind, Don¡¯t Think   Chapter 29: Chapter 29 Don¡¯t Mind, Don¡¯t Think                                   Wang Chunhua: ¡°Can we not digress, okay? What really bothers me is Qin Daying¡¯s behavior. Three years ago, it was she who personally knocked on the Team Leader¡¯s house to ask for Li Bao¡¯s hand in marriage for her Wei Min,


    and three yearster, it was she again who went to the Kang Family to call off the engagement, which is truly excessive!¡±


    After a short pause, Wang Chunhua rolled her eyes to the sky and continued, ¡°She says she doesn¡¯t want her Wei Min to be childless, but what was she doing three years ago?!¡±


    Cui the Loudspeaker: ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right! What was she, Qin Daying, doing three years ago? Now she dislikes Li Bao and puts the me on him, calling off the marriage with the Kang Family, which is utterly shameless!¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    Li Daniu sighed deeply and said, ¡°We¡¯re here arguing back and forth, and I think, we are like eunuchs who are more anxious than the emperor himself.¡±


    Wang Chunhua and Cui the Loudspeaker looked at Li Daniu simultaneously: ¡°¡­¡± What are they anxious about? They don¡¯t understand.


    ¡°Why are you looking at me with such strange eyes?¡±


    Li Daniu, feeling baffled, said, ¡°Didn¡¯t Erhua just say that it wouldn¡¯t be long before Li Bao would be running back to her parent¡¯s home crying? I just thought that maybe Erhua will be proved right, so I can¡¯t help but worry about Li Bao.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s genuine concern? I don¡¯t buy it! I think you¡¯re just like me, waiting to see the Team Leader¡¯s house be aughingstock.¡±


    Loud Speaker Liu burst outughing: ¡°The Team Leader and his spouse are really clueless. Even if Li Bao was rejected by the Zhou Family and even if she¡¯s in poor health and might have trouble bearing children, that¡¯s no reason to spoil the girl by marrying her off to a twice-divorced man!¡±


    ¡°Well, then let¡¯s just sit back and watch!¡±


    Wang Chunhua alsoughed out loud.


    Kang Family.


    In the main room, Captain Kang put out his dry tobo pipe and said to the family, ¡°Don¡¯t mind the vige gossip, especially not Li Bao. Just don¡¯t bother about it or dwell on it, and have a good life in North City with your husband.¡±


    After a long silence, Captain Kang continued, ¡°Dad arranged your marriage and secured your marriage certificate, all out of concern for you.¡±


    Making eye contact with her father, seeing the sincerity in his eyes, Kang Li immediately shook her head: ¡°I don¡¯t care at all what the vigers say, I know Dad means well, and besides, I agreed to the marriage with Comrade Luo myself, so let others say whatever they like.¡±


    Big Brother Kang: ¡°Dad, you¡¯re being too serious. It¡¯s just some messy gossip. If we take it to heart, aren¡¯t we just ying into the spectators¡¯ hands? Don¡¯t worry, Dad, it doesn¡¯t bother me.¡±


    Elder sister-inw Kang: ¡°I¡¯m not bothered either. Moreover, I know what kind of people mom and dad are, how much they dote on Li Bao, and as their daughter-inw, I know these things. I won¡¯t pay attention to what others might gossip about.¡±


    Third Brother Kang, Third sister-inw Kang, Kang Guoan, and the younger ones in the household each expressed their own views.


    ¡°Alright, whatever others say, let¡¯s just consider it as if they¡¯ve farted. Now let¡¯s carry on with our own business.¡±


    Cai Xiufen addressed everyone, then looked at Kang Li and Kang Guoan, ¡°You two haven¡¯t had your lunch yet, have you?¡±


    ¡°Not yet, I finished buying the things we needed, then I went to visit the fourth brother¡¯s house with my brother for a while, and then we hurried back, Who knew we would still bete past the time you specified, mom.¡±


    Kang Li, with a smile pleasing her mother, then patted the tworge cloth bags ced at her feet by Kang Guoan, and said with a sweet smile, ¡°I bought gifts for everyone, there¡¯s something for each of you!¡±


    Picking up the two cloth bags, Kang Li walked over to the side table, ced the cloth bags on it, and began to take out ¡°gifts¡± one by one.


    ¡°Mom, this jacket is for you. When the weather gets cooler, you¡¯ll be able to wear it!¡±

 Chapter 30 - 30 30 Kang Li the Great Deceiver

    ?Chapter 30: Chapter 30: Kang Li the Great Deceiver   Chapter 30: Chapter 30: Kang Li the Great Deceiver                                   Holding two autumn coats, Kang Li approached her mother in front of the stunned gazes of her family. As she spoke, she stuffed the women¡¯s coat into her mother¡¯s hands and then shoved the men¡¯s coat into her father¡¯s hands. ¡°Dad, this one¡¯s for you. You and mom stand up and try them on, see if they fit.¡±


    Before Captain Kang and his spouse could react, Kang Li returned to the table and started distributing ¡°gifts¡± to Big Brother Kang and the others.


    A few minutester, every member of the Kang Family in the hall held the clothes and shoes that Kang Li had ¡°bought¡± for them, yet no one spoke for a while.


    ¡°Dad, mom, what¡¯s wrong with you all?¡±


    Kang Li blinked her clear, lively fox eyes, feeling puzzled. ¡°Big Brother, Elder Sister-in-Law, Third Brother, Third Sister-in-Law¡­ won¡¯t anyone say something?¡±


    She called out to each family member one by one, but everyone was still recovering from her recent spree of ¡°gift-giving.¡±


    With a resigned smile, Kang Li finally said, ¡°The day after tomorrow, I¡¯ll be heading to North City, so I thought of giving each of you a gift before leaving. Actually, these things didn¡¯t cost much, and as for why, my brother knows. Brother?¡±


    Guoan snapped back to reality and nodded at the family, ¡°Li Bao ran into ady at the department store. Thatdy said she felt a connection with Li Bao, and when she heard Li Bao wanted to buy some clothes for her family¡­¡±


    Kang Li¡¯s tall tale, as ryed faithfully by Guoan, managed to hoodwink Captain Kang and the others as well.


    ¡°Li Bao, is what your brother said true?¡±


    Gently stroking the high-quality, pure-colored blue and ck check coat in her hands, Cai Xiufen turned her gaze to Kang Li.


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s true! Mom, you don¡¯t know, Auntie Tang is such a nice person. Since I bought a lot, she even let her daughter knock a dor off the total!¡±


    Kang Li said without a hint of guilt.


    ¡°This deal sounds too good to be true. Based on the prices you mentioned, that¡¯s incredibly cheap! Also, this Auntie Tang, even if she found you appealing, wouldn¡¯t have¡­¡±


    Before Cai Xiufen could finish her sentence, Kang Li interrupted with augh, ¡°Mom, I know what you¡¯re going to say, but my brother¡¯s telling the truth.


    I felt the same doubts as you when I left the department store, thinking that Auntie Tang was overly kind to me. But after much pondering, I realized the reason ¡ª it¡¯s because your daughter has a beauty that charms everyone. People love me wherever I go, flowers bloom in my presence, everyone just adores me!¡±


    ¡°Mom, maybe it¡¯s just as Li Bao described.¡±


    The unwitting endorsement from Guoan was like divine assistance.


    ¡°Mom, Li Bao has always been loved since she was young, I believe what she and my young uncle said.¡±


    This was Elder Sister-in-Law Kang¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Mom, I believe what Li Bao said too. In my view, anyone who has ever dealt with our Li Bao couldn¡¯t help but like her.¡±


    Third Sister-in-Law Kang followed up after Elder Sister-in-Law Kang¡¯s support.


    Before long, other family members were also chiming in one after another to back Kang Li, eventually dispelling any doubts Cai Xiufen had.


    ¡°As long as they weren¡¯t stolen or acquired through deception, we shouldn¡¯t overthink it. After all, these are gifts from Li Bao to our family.¡±


    ncing at the coat in his hands, Captain Kang added.


    ¡°That¡¯s right! I assure you I didn¡¯t resort to any deceit or theft, so everyone can feel at ease epting the gifts I brought!¡±


    The sparkle in Kang Li¡¯s fox eyes was full of mirth. She spoke, pausing for a moment, then her expression turned serious and solemn as she addressed Captain Kang and his spouse:


    ¡°Dad, mom, thank you for all your kindness to me over these past years, and thanks to my brother and sisters-inw, and my nephews as well, for spoiling and loving me. I know I can be a bit willful and delicate,

 Chapter 31 - 31 31 Heartache

    ?Chapter 31: Chapter 31 Heartache   Chapter 31: Chapter 31 Heartache                                   But none of you ever felt that I was bad, and now, I¡¯ve got my own little family, but I will never forget the kindness my family has shown me, no matter where I am,


    I will always remember this is my home, where I have father, mother, brothers, sisters-inw, and my nephews, once I go to North City, I will miss you all!¡±


    When these words were said, they were undoubtedly emotional, as everyone in the hall, including Captain Kang, had red rims around their eyes.


    Alright, even Kang Li herself felt her eyes were somewhat ufortable.


    ¡°Li Bao, my child, why say all this? Look, your words have almost brought everyone in the family to tears!¡±


    Cai Xiufen carelessly handed the clothes she was holding to Captain Kang, got up, walked over to Kang Li, and hugged her, patting her on the back, ¡°Silly girl, you are not even in North City yet, and you¡¯re already saying your goodbyes, do you really want to make your mother suffer?¡±


    Kang Li shook her head, ¡°No, absolutely not. I just couldn¡¯t hold it in and ended up expressing my feelings!¡± Sniffling, Kang Li¡¯s eyes filled with guilt as she looked around at all the family members:


    ¡°Mom, to tell the truth, all these years since I was little, the family has always been good to me, and I, I¡¯ve not done anything for the family. Now that I think about it, I feel so ashamed!¡±


    ¡°Silly girl, are you still talking? Mom doesn¡¯t need you to be so sensible, Mom just wants you to be happy and healthy, your dad and your older brothers feel the same. Our only wish is for you to lead a good life, otherwise, Mom wouldn¡¯t know what could happen.¡±


    If they lost their precious daughter, she and her husband would lose half their lives, and the whole family would probably never hearughter again.


    ¡­


    Before falling asleep at night, Cai Xiufeny on the kang, tossing and turning, unable to sleep, so she sat up straight.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Captain Kang had been asleep but got awakened by the movement next to him, and couldn¡¯t help but open his eyes and ask.


    ¡°What do you think is wrong?¡±


    Staring angrily at Captain Kang, Cai Xiufen pulled him up directly: ¡°You only know how to sleep, sleep, sleep. Can¡¯t you feel that something is very off with Kang Li?¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    Captain Kang rubbed his forehead, his sleepiness slightly abating.


    ¡°Don¡¯t y dumb with me!¡±


    Cai Xiufen red.


    Captain Kang felt his wife was making a fuss over nothing, and said, ¡°Kang Li is so sensible now, I am very happy about this change.¡±


    ¡°Happy my ass!¡±


    Cai Xiufen blurted out at Captain Kang, and then continued: ¡°All I feel is heartache, do you understand? Our Kang Li has always been pampered by our family, naive, and mindless. She only knew to eat and y other than studying, but now? Now she actually cares about us, thinks about giving us gifts, the change is just too great, I¡­ I just think about it and my heart hurts unbearably.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Captain Kang¡¯s expression turned grave; after a long while, he heaved a sigh, ¡°Kang Li¡¯s changes arergely due to the Zhou Family breaking off the engagement.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not just arge impact, but the Zhou Family breaking off the engagement directly caused Kang Li to be what she is now; you can imagine how big a blow it was to Kang Li.¡±


    Cai Xiufen said as she started to wipe her tears: ¡°I¡¯d rather have Kang Li remain the heartless girl she was before than see her like this now.


    Old man, I really care about Kang Li! She was such a happy child before the Zhou Family broke off the engagement, and now, although she seems not to care much on the surface, inside she has changed a lot.¡±

 Chapter 32 - 32 32 Persuasion with Sincerity

    ?Chapter 32: Chapter 32 Persuasion with Sincerity   Chapter 32: Chapter 32 Persuasion with Sincerity                                   ¡°I understand. My heart aches for our Li Bao too, but life has to go on, besides, our Li Bao is indeed changing for the better. We should feel happy for the child. After all, if Li Bao were still like she used to be, could you rest assured letting her go to North City?¡±


    His daughter, to put it nicely, is naive and simple-minded, without a streak of cunning. To put it harshly, she is heartless and careless, never taking things to heart.


    But what kind of ce is North City?


    It¡¯s the heart of the nation, a big city, far away from here. If Li Bao doesn¡¯t be more astute, how will she survive in a new ce, in a new environment?


    Especially since she has to integrate into an unfamiliar family, facing a husband she¡¯s never met, along with three stepchildren, then she must change more than before.


    Otherwise, even if her son-inw and his three kids don¡¯t mistreat her, what about the neighbors around them and the other people in thepound?


    After all, human hearts are unfathomable, and with hardly any rtives around, being too naive and innocent could result in being devoured without a trace left.


    ¡°Whether I¡¯m worried or not, she has to go! This is all the karma you¡¯ve created!¡±


    Cai Xiufen confronted Captain Kang.


    ¡°What do you mean the karma I¡¯ve created?¡±


    Captain Kang felt unhappy inside, ¡°My original intention was for Li Bao¡¯s well-being. Besides, is Comrade Luo really that bad to deserve your disdain?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s already married once and has three little brats!¡±


    It¡¯s not that she disdains him, but she can¡¯t bear the thought of her Li Bao stepping into a marriage and bing a stepmother right away, and to three little brats at that. Although there might be true affection reciprocated, who could say for certain what Comrade Luo¡¯s three children would turn out to be like in the future?


    She¡¯s afraid, afraid that her daughter will be busy for nothing, and when the timees, it will be toote for her, as a mother, to regret it!


    ¡°Then tell me, if Li Bao doesn¡¯t marry Comrade Luo, who can you find her as a better match? Don¡¯t talk to me about supporting Li Bao for a lifetime. Even if we as parents want to,


    we are getting older after all. When our timees, don¡¯t tell me you really believe that Lao Da and the rest will support Li Bao just like we do, without asking for anything in return?¡±


    Captain Kang spoke all this in one breath, truly feeling suffocated by his wife¡¯s obstinacy.


    The marriage to Comrade Luo was already a done deal, and Li Bao herself was willing. What on earth was his wife fretting over?


    Cai Xiufen, wiping her tears, stopped, and after a moment, red at Captain Kang and said, ¡°If Lao Da or the others dare to mistreat Li Bao, I wille after them even as a ghost.¡±


    ¡°Can you please be reasonable?! I know you love Li Bao, and I¡¯ve told you I feel the same, but Li Bao has her own path to take, and so do Lao Da and the others.


    We can¡¯t impose our own wishes on Lao Da and them, can we? After all, they are our children too. Would you really be happy if someday Lao Da and the others disappoint us as their parents?¡±


    Captain Kang spoke earnestly, and hearing what he said, Cai Xiufen replied with pain in her voice, ¡°But I just can¡¯t bear to see Li Bao be like this¡­¡±


    ¡°Children all have to grow up someday. Li Bao bing more understanding is a sign that she has truly grown up, ready to spread her wings and embrace her new life. And what are you worried about?


    As long as you and I are here, as long as our home is here, Li Bao can alwayse back if she ever feels aggrieved outside. Besides, isn¡¯t Lao Wu going with her to North City?


    I¡¯ll make sure to remind him to keep a close eye on Li Bao in North City, to let him know that if Li Bao encounters any issue she can¡¯t resolve, or if she suffers any grievances, she should call us immediately.¡±

 Chapter 33 - 33 33 Unease

    ?Chapter 33: Chapter 33 Unease   Chapter 33: Chapter 33 Unease                                   Cai Xiufen¡¯s tears stopped. ¡°Forget it, I¡¯m just too sensitive, always thinking of the worst. Let¡¯s sleep, we still have to wake up early tomorrow!¡±


    The moonlight was bright, and the night breeze was as cool as water.


    Three houses away from Captain Kang¡¯s lived the Xu family.


    The window half-opened, Xu Chunxiay on her bed, her mind irritated as she listened to the snoring of her two younger sisters.


    She had been thinking from yesterday afternoon when Kang Li unterally ended their rtionship to this very moment, and she still couldn¡¯t understand what had given her away. How had she, who had always thought him a fool, seen through her intentions? He wouldn¡¯t even listen to her exnation, disregarding any trace of their past affection, giving her the cold shoulder, and decisively no longer recognizing her as a friend?


    Unable to sleep after so much thought, Xu Chunxia got up and pushed the window fully open, sat in front of it, staring at the moonlight outside, letting the cool mountain breeze soothe her troubled mind.


    ¡°Third Sister, why aren¡¯t you sleeping? What are you doing sitting by the window?¡±


    Xu Chunmei rubbed her eyes and sat up, looking discontentedly at Xu Chunxia in the moonlight, ¡°Since yesterday afternoon, you¡¯ve looked quite odd, Third Sister. What¡¯s really on your mind? Why not talk about it? Maybe I can help you find a solution. Don¡¯t keep yourself up and disturb your little sister¡¯s sleep as well.¡±


    The Xu family had six siblings.


    Above Xu Chunxia, there was an older brother and sister, and below were two younger sisters and a younger brother.


    In order of seniority, Xu Chunxia was the third child; in the eyes of her parents, being in the middle, she was never the favored one.


    ¡°What¡¯s odd about me? You must be mistaken. Go back to sleep, and mind your own business.¡±


    With so many siblings, it was inevitable that each had their own thoughts. Moreover, Xu Chunxia¡¯s parents favored sons over daughters. In this family, Xu Chunxia, including her older sister, fourth and sixth sisters, were just means for their parents to acquire dowries for their brothers.


    For instance, their older sister Xu Chunyue was promised by their parents to a thirty-year-old bachelor two years ago, just for the five hundred yuan bride price he offered.


    With that money, their parents immediately arranged a marriage for their second son, Xu Chui,pletely unconcerned about whether Xu Chunyue would have a good life after her marriage.


    This year, at eighteen, she was also of marriageable age, but her parents, wanting one morebor force at home, someone to take care of the younger siblings, and because of her slight friendship with Li Bao, hadn¡¯t yet arranged a marriage for her.


    This undoubtedly gave her some peace of mind; after all, she had someone in her heart and didn¡¯t want to be sent off carelessly for a small dowry, just like her older sister had been.


    But after what happened yesterday and today at the Kang family¡¯s door, Xu Chunxia was losing confidence.


    She was worried that once her parents learned that Li Bao had cut ties with her, they would treat her as they did her older sister, selling her off like livestock.


    Whoever offered more money would end up buying her.


    ¡°Third Sister, you can keep pretending to be tough. I guess it¡¯s because Sister Li Bao no longer wants to be friends with you that you¡¯re so upset and can¡¯t sleep, right?¡±


    Xu Chunmei spoke significantly. She was sixteen this year, also of age to marry. Just two years ago, she identally discovered her Third Sister¡¯s secret and has since paid extra attention to her affairs.


    Indeed, it was yesterday afternoon. She saw her Third Sister walking with Brother Weimin from the Zhou family and Educated Youth Su from the Youth Educated Institute while cking off during work. Curious, she discreetly followed the trio and overheard the conversation between her Third Sister and Sister Li Bao.


    She was truly surprised. Li Bao, who appeared innocent to the point of naivety, had long known her Third Sister had feelings for Brother Weimin from the Zhou family. She hadn¡¯t expected L¨ª Bao to be so merciless in exposing her Third Sister¡¯s feelings and unequivocally ending their friendship.

 Chapter 34 - 34 34 Are you gloating over the disaster

    ?Chapter 34: Chapter 34 Are you gloating over the disaster?   Chapter 34: Chapter 34 Are you gloating over the disaster?                                   To tell the truth, she thought this Sister Li Bao was quite good.


    Otherwise, being constantly deceived by her Third Sister with just a few words, she always felt anxious for Sister Li Bao.


    Moreover, she really disliked Brother Weimin from the Zhou Family. Clearly, Sister Li Bao was nothing but good to him¡ªbelieving in him wholeheartedly and looking just like a Fairy Girl. Why would he break off the engagement with Sister Li Bao and pair up with the skinny Educated Youth Su, who always carried a sorrowful look as if someone owed her eight hundred yuan?


    No taste!


    ¡°What exactly do you know?¡±


    Xu Chunxia¡¯s internal rm went off, and she stared intently at her younger sister Chunmei.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want others to know, you shouldn¡¯t have done it in the first ce. Third Sister, I saw everything yesterday afternoon.¡±


    Xu Chunmei wasn¡¯t afraid of her Third Sister Xu Chunxia at all. She said, ¡°Actually, I noticed a long time ago that you had your sights set on that no-good Zhou Weimin. At that time, I was really angry with you, thinking that you shouldn¡¯t do something that would betray Sister Li Bao,


    but I also knew you wouldn¡¯t listen to me, so I didn¡¯t speak up. I thought, after all, you and Sister Li Bao are good friends, you wouldn¡¯t really go after her man¡­¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡±


    Xu Chunxia didn¡¯t want her younger sister to continue speaking. She looked displeased, ¡°If you dare to tell our parents about this, I¡¯ll definitely make your life miserable!¡±


    ¡°Am I the kind of person who gossips?¡±


    Xu Chunmei rolled her eyes and muttered defiantly, ¡°Third Sister, you should realize that even if I can keep my mouth shut, our parents aren¡¯t fools¡ªsooner orter, they will find out about your falling out with Sister Li Bao. Besides, Sister Li Bao will soon seek out her man, and after that, you and she will hardly ever meet. Considering this, what do you think our parents will do to you?¡±


    ¡°Are you taking delight in my misfortune?¡±


    Fire seemed to shoot from Xu Chunxia¡¯s eyes, wishing she could silence her younger sister Chunmei¡¯s mouth forever.


    ¡°I¡¯m just reminding Third Sister.¡±


    With a sigh, Xu Chunxia said despondently, ¡°We all know about Elder Sister¡¯s situation. Now that Third Sister no longer has Sister Li Bao as a talisman, our parents will probably find you a match soon,


    and once you¡¯re married off to a man like Elder Sister¡¯s husband, then it will be my turn¡­ To tell you the truth, Third Sister, I don¡¯t want to be married off casually by our parents, I don¡¯t want to end up like Elder Sister, sold off by the pound like a pig in a pen.¡±


    After hearing her younger sister Xu Chunmei¡¯s words, a wave of sadness surged in Xu Chunxia¡¯s heart, ¡°If we don¡¯t get married off casually by our parents like Elder Sister, then what? Our mistake was being born into a family like this,


    I originally thought¡­ I originally thought I could achieve what I wanted, but in the end, I was fooled by Li Bao ying dumb. Just like you said, I¡¯vepletely lost the talisman that was Li Bao, and naturally, the little thoughts I harbored can only be wishful thinking.¡±


    Xu Chunmei: ¡°Third Sister, are you really going to ept your fate so easily?¡±


    Xu Chunxia: ¡°What other choice do I have?¡± If she had had another way, she wouldn¡¯t be feeling so uneasy, tossing and turning unable to sleep.


    With a clever glint in her eye, Xu Chunmei moved to sit beside her Third Sister Xu Chunxia. Then she leaned in close to Xu Chunxia¡¯s ear and whispered a voice only the two of them could hear, ¡°Why not turn the tables and make a done deal with Zhou Weimin by cooking the raw rice into cooked rice?¡±


    ¡°What did you say?¡±


    Xu Chunxia was startled!


    ¡°Much ado about nothing.¡± Muttering under her breath, Xu Chunmei leaned closer to her Third Sister Xu Chunxia and spoke in a lower voice, ¡°Sister Li Bao already has no ties with Zhou Weimin, and Educated Youth Su must have used some unspeakable means to be Brother Weimin¡¯s partner. Since she can do it, why can¡¯t you, Third Sister?¡±

 Chapter 35 - 35 35 Everyone is equal no one is nobler than

    ?Chapter 35: Chapter 35 Everyone is equal, no one is nobler than another   Chapter 35: Chapter 35 Everyone is equal, no one is nobler than another                                   Mulling over what her younger sister had said, Xu Chunxia remained silent for a long time.


    ¡°Third Sister, you¡¯d better not hesitate. I¡¯m telling you, now the entire vige is spreading rumors that before the New Year, the Zhou Family will take Educated Youth Su as a bride. ording to this, I guess that Su Qing has at most hooked Zhou Weimin, but the two haven¡¯t engaged in any substantial rtionship. Do you understand what I¡¯m saying?¡±


    Staring at Third Sister Xu Chunxia, Xu Chunmei didn¡¯t even blink.


    Xu Chunxia was somewhat persuaded, but she didn¡¯t make any definite promise, ¡°I need to think about it.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s there to think about? If Educated Youth Su takes the lead, then you¡¯ll have no chance. Plus, from what I¡¯ve observed about Su Qing, it seems like she¡¯s guessed your feelings toward Zhou Weimin.¡±


    These words caught Xu Chunxia off guard.


    After a long silence, Xu Chunxia asked, ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re not deceiving me?¡±


    ¡°Believe it or not, that¡¯s up to you. Anyway, I¡¯ve given you the best advice I could. Whether you choose to follow it or not is for you to decide.¡±


    As Xu Chunmei spoke, she shook her head with a bitter smile, ¡°I know the suggestion I made isn¡¯t great, but if Third Sister has any other ns, then naturally you don¡¯t have to do as I said. But do you have any, Third Sister?¡±


    Xu Chunxia said nothing.


    ¡°Among the surrounding viges, Zhou Weimin¡¯s prospects are really the best. His family livesfortably, has a brother serving as an officer in the army, and he himself works at the town¡¯s supply and marketing cooperative. If Third Sister could really marry Zhou Weimin and secretly capture his heart, you might even move to the town and live afortable life with Zhou Weimin, no longer exhausting yourself for those measly work points.¡±


    From yesterday until now, Xu Chunmei hadn¡¯t stopped thinking about making it happen with Zhou Weimin herself, but she simply couldn¡¯t lower herself to do those shady acts. Therefore, she chose to share her ns with Third Sister Xu Chunxia.


    Whether the other party would take her advice was not her concern.


    However, she wasn¡¯t offering help for nothing; she had her own calctions. That¡¯s why she revealed her own thoughts to Third Sister Xu Chunxia, ¡°Third Sister, I¡¯m just saying if, if you really do marry Zhou Weimin, when the timees, could I count on my brother-inw to lend a hand with my own marital matters, what do you say?¡±


    ¡°Nothing¡¯s certain for me yet, and you¡¯re already thinking so far ahead.¡±


    Xu Chunxia red at her younger sister Xu Chunmei with annoyance but ultimately nodded, ¡°If I ever do have the day you speak of, I naturally won¡¯t forget to have him give you a helping hand.¡±


    Blushing, Xu Chunxia felt embarrassed.


    ¡°Third Sister, Fourth Sister, what are you whispering about? It¡¯s noisy; I want to sleep. Stop talking!¡±


    The drowsy voice belonged to the Xu family¡¯s Sixth Child, Xu Chunxiang, who was Xu Chunxia and Xu Chunmei¡¯s younger sister. At ten years old, she was thin and small. Normally she just focused on working hard, very honest by nature.


    Thus, Xu Chunxia and Xu Chunmei weren¡¯t at all worried that their little sister would go and tattle on them to their parents.


    ¡°Go to sleep, I¡¯ll talk about your idea once I¡¯ve thought it over.¡±


    Though she said this, Xu Chunxia had already made up her mind. To avoid being bartered off like livestock by her parents, she decided to find the right opportunity to make things a fait apli with Zhou Weimin.


    If previously she felt a bit guilty about encroaching on her good friend Kang Li¡¯s territory, now, snatching a man from Su Qing¡¯s hands, she felt no guilt whatsoever.


    After all, they¡¯re all the same, no one nobler than the other.


    The night was quiet and peaceful.


    Kang Li slept sweetly at home, unaware that her scorned ex-fianc¨¦ had now indeed be a hotmodity and that Xu Chunxia was about to ruin her reputation.


    Yes, it was a ruined reputation, for with Su Qing around, Xu Chunxia¡¯s n was bound to fail.


    The reason?


    Su Qing knew very well that Xu Chunxia was setting her sights on Zhou Weimin. How could she not guard against it and allow a duck that was almost in her mouth to fly into someone else¡¯s?

 Chapter 36 - 36 36 Kang Li Will Luo Yanqing welcome her

    ?Chapter 36: Chapter 36 Kang Li: Will Luo Yanqing wee her arrival?   Chapter 36: Chapter 36 Kang Li: Will Luo Yanqing wee her arrival?                                   Of course, even if Kang Li knew about these things, she¡¯d probably justugh them off and not take them seriously.


    Time passed quickly, and one morning, after breakfast, Captain Kang, Big Brother Kang, and Kang Guoan walked out of the house carryingrge and small bags.


    ¡°Li Bao, you must remember to write home often, you mustn¡¯t forget!¡±


    Even if Cai Xiufen was utterly unwilling to let go, at this moment, she had no choice but to release her beloved daughter¡¯s hand, watching her leave home and head far away to North City.


    ¡°Mhm, I will remember.¡±


    Kang Li nodded firmly, took a couple of steps forward, then couldn¡¯t help but stop to look back at her birth mother and the rtives standing at the door to see her off.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Li Bao!¡±


    Kang Guoan called out to Kang Li.


    ¡°I¡¯ming.¡±


    After replying, Kang Li waved to her birth mother and family, holding back the tears in her eyes, turned around, and followed the footsteps of her little brother Kang Guoan and the others.


    They took the vige¡¯s ox cart to the town and then switched to a shuttle bus to reach the county city; afterward, Kang Li and her group took a coach to the city.


    Since there was no train station in the county city, they had to depart from the train station in the city to head to North City.


    The long green train looked quite old-fashioned; at this moment, Kang Li sat by the window, listening to the rhythmic ¡°ng, ng¡­¡± sound.


    Without a doubt, that sound came from the train wheels striking the tracks.


    Gazing through the window at the trees and farnds moving backwards, Kang Li¡¯s mind involuntarily returned to the photo of Luo Yanqing, and she found it quite incredible for a moment.


    A man and a woman,plete strangers, had be husband and wife through just one or two phone calls and a photo, and those one or two calls weren¡¯t even made by the couple themselves.


    Thinking thus, a hint of curiosity colored Kang Li¡¯s fox-like eyes: She wondered whether Comrade Luo Yanqing would wee his new life partner about to enter his life?


    And what about Comrade Luo Yanqing¡¯s three children; would they wee this stranger into their family?


    ¡°Li Bao, what are you thinking about?¡±


    Kang Guoan sat beside Kang Li, and seeing that she hadn¡¯t spoken since they got on the train, he couldn¡¯t help asking out of concern.


    ¡°I¡¯m wondering what North City is like.¡±


    Kang Li casually responded, her exceedingly beautiful and refined face beaming with a smile: ¡°Are you thinking about it too, little brother?¡±


    Appearing slightly ufortable, Kang Guoan cleared his throat and said, ¡°I¡¯ve thought about it, but I can¡¯t imagine what North City is really like.¡±


    ¡°North City must be very big, and certainly very lively.¡±


    As the national capital, North City was naturally bothrge and bustling. Kang Li said with a smile, ¡°Once we settle down, we must take a good stroll around North City.¡±


    Kang Guoan remained silent.


    Kang Li looked towards Captain Kang and Big Brother Kang: ¡°Dad, Big Brother, what do you think?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯ll be plenty of time for strollingter. This trip to take you to North City is mainly about getting you settled in properly and watching your little brotherplete his employment procedures at his unit. Afterward, we¡¯ll have to return to our hometown.¡±


    North City was indeed great, but after all, it wasn¡¯t their hometown; everything cost money there. Besides, there were plenty of things to do back home, which wouldn¡¯t allow them to stay in North City any longer than necessary.


    ¡°Li Bao, Dad is right. We¡¯lle back to North Cityter. You can stroll around as much as you want then. But now, there¡¯s a lot of work to do in the fields back home; we can¡¯t afford the dy,¡± Big Brother Kang said with a smile. Hearing this, Kang Li puffed her cheeks and gave an ¡°Oh¡± in response.


    ¡°If you want to go out, you can let your little brother take you around when he has time off. But you must remember that you have children to look after and can¡¯t just go out because you feel like it, letting the childrene to any harm.¡±

 Chapter 37 - 37 37 Little Boy Luo Mingrui

    ?Chapter 37: Chapter 37 Little Boy Luo Mingrui   Chapter 37: Chapter 37 Little Boy Luo Mingrui                                   He was still young and hadn¡¯t even arrived in North City yet, but already wanted to y around everywhere. How could he feel at ease?!


    Seeing Captain Kang¡¯s slightly furrowed brow, Kang Li hurriedly said, ¡°Dad, rest assured, I know my limits. I will take good care of the three little ones.¡±


    She wasn¡¯t the original mother who, while shopping at a department store with the twin boy and girl, carelessly allowed a kidnapper to abduct them, thus leading to one tragedy after another.


    ¡­


    North City.


    A certain research institute¡¯s residentialpound.


    ¡°Ruirui, Grandpa Song said your new mom is a very good woman. Once she arrives, she will definitely treat you, Hanhan, and Vivi well.¡±


    The speaker was a middle-aged woman with a kind face, roughly fifty-six or fifty-seven years old. With slightly graying temples, she sat on the living room sofa and smiled at a delicate-looking young boy, about five years old, saying, ¡°Besides, Ruirui and your siblings are all so sensible. There¡¯s no reason for your new mom not to like you.¡±


    The young boy¡¯s name was Luo Mingrui. He was one of the stepchildren Kang Li was going to meet and the eldest among the three stepchildren.


    ¡°Mommy? Granny Qi, is Vivi going to have a mommy too?¡±


    The cute baby voice came from the middle-aged woman¡¯s embrace, and the owner of that voice was the young boy¡¯s sister, whose full name was Luo Mingwei.


    She sat in the arms of the woman she called Granny Qi, tilting her little head back and blinking her shiny, ck-grape-like eyes. ¡°Vivi wants a mommy, Vivi likes mommy!¡±


    The middle-aged woman, Granny Qi (Mrs. Qi), was the wife of Director Wu¡¯s former superior, her full name being Qi Fang.


    ¡°Yes, yes, yes, Vivi¡¯s mommy likes Vivi too, and tomorrow, you will get to meet mommy,¡± she replied.


    Qi Fang, aged fifty-six, had retired several years earlier to rest at home due to poor health, and also took care of her only grandson, Song Xu.


    Speaking of Song Xu, it is necessary to mention Elder Song and Mrs. Qi¡¯s only son, Song Xu.


    In the early days of liberation, Song Xu participated in a foreign aid war and identally sacrificed his life. His wife, an army nurse, also fell in the war. The couple left behind a year-old son, Song Xu.


    Instantly losing their son and daughter-inw, and realizing that their one-year-old grandson had abnormalitiespared to other children of his age, was an immense blow to Mrs. Qi.


    Interestingly, Mrs. Qi was Elder Song¡¯s second wife. Before her, Elder Song had been married once, but his wife sacrificed her life on a mission shortly after their marriage, leaving no children.


    Later, Elder Song married the much younger Mrs. Qi, and the couple had a son, but unexpectedly, they ended up in the situation of elder people burying their young, leaving them with only a grandson who had just turned sixteen.


    If this grandson had been healthy, he would have been a constion for Elder Song and Mrs. Qi. However, Song Xu began to exhibit unusual behaviors around his first birthday, such as not crying, not fussing, not smiling, or speaking, disying a solitary character as if living in his own world.


    After receiving this definitive diagnosis, Mrs. Qi couldn¡¯t help but wipe away tears. Although Elder Song was more epting, he too sighed quietly behind his wife¡¯s back.


    However, the two oldrades, who had survived gunfire and shellings, weren¡¯t defeated by this. They still lived with their beliefs, filled with love, and raised their grandson with more patience than the average person could imagine.


    In recent times, due to work reasons, Elder Song had to bring Luo Mingrui and his two siblings back home, entrusting their care to his wife. Honestly, if it hadn¡¯t been for the three little ones being so well-behaved and obedient, Mrs. Qi alone might not have managed to take care of four children.

 Chapter 38 - 38 38 An Unqualified Mother

    ?Chapter 38: Chapter 38 An Unqualified Mother   Chapter 38: Chapter 38 An Unqualified Mother                                   Moreover, her body was still not in good shape.


    It was quite an achievement that she persisted until Kang Li was about to arrive in North City.


    Well, although Mrs. Qi had not yet met Kang Li, she believed what her partner had said, trusting that the rural girl Kang Li, introduced byrade Luo Yanqing¡¯s previous subordinate, was a good person.


    In the words of Elder Song: ¡°The young girl is a good-hearted girl with a kind heart, and she is pretty and has a good personality; she will surely be able to help Comrade Luo Yanqing take care of his family and children and be his virtuous wife.¡±


    Mrs. Qi had always believed what her spouse had said, so naturally, she had a favorable impression of Kang Li before they met.


    ¡°Hanhan likes Mama.¡±


    This tender voice came from the baby sitting beside Luo Mingrui; he was Luo Minghan, the older brother in the mixed-sex twins, two and a half years old.


    ¡°Okay, Granny Qi knows,¡± Mrs. Qi said with a gentle smile. As she spoke, she shifted her gaze to the five-year-old Luo Mingrui: ¡°Ruirui, you¡¯ve been quiet all this time. Do you not believe what Granny Qi said?¡±


    Xiao Ming Rui shook his head: ¡°Ruirui has a Mama.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Mrs. Qi¡¯s brow furrowed imperceptibly.


    That woman, Comrade Luo Yanqing¡¯s previous wife, who was said to have died in childbirth while delivering the twins, did not seem like a good woman in Mrs. Qi¡¯s opinion.


    All she knew was to dress up, and she really didn¡¯t care much about her children.


    She wasn¡¯t serious about her job either, and her reputation in the courtyard wasn¡¯t very good.


    As these thoughts turned in her head, Mrs. Qi showed no change in her expression, and she said to Xiao Ming Rui, ¡°Granny knows you have a mother, but that mother has been gone for more than two years now. Do you understand, Ruirui?¡±


    Xiao Ming Rui was precocious, a fact not only noticed by Mrs. Qi but also by Elder Song. In fact, Mrs. Qi even suspected that Xiao Ming Rui might have started forming memories at the age of three, which is why he still remembered his birth mother.


    But if that were indeed the case, Mrs. Qi didn¡¯t think that in Xiao Ming Rui¡¯s memory, his birth mother would have left a good impression.


    Just think of a woman who often couldn¡¯t feed her child enough, who took Luo Yanqing¡¯s sry and only cared about spending it on herself, who couldn¡¯t even buy a new piece of clothing for her son all year round. Could she be a good mother? Could she truly be kind-hearted toward her own child?


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Xiao Ming Rui¡¯s lips were tightly drawn, and he remained silent for a long while.


    ¡°Brother, Mama is good, Hanhan wants Mama!¡±


    Xiao Ming Han tugged at his brother¡¯s clothes, blinked his bright eyes, and stared straight at his three-year-older brother, raising his tender voice: ¡°Mama is good!¡±


    Grasping his brother¡¯s tugging hand, Xiao Ming Rui still remained silent.


    Seeing this, Mrs. Qi sighed inwardly and shook her head mentally.


    She knew that getting a child to ept a new mother, all of a sudden, was not an easy task, especially when this child was perceptive, and in thest two years or more had experienced a series of caregivers who were of poor character and had not treated the children kindly. It was not surprising, then, that the youngster was wary of strangers entering their home.


    He was protecting himself, protecting his brother and sister.


    After all, the caregivers who had previously looked after the sibling trio were simply inhuman, stealing items from the household on the sly, cooking only one meal a day for the three children, and for the other two meals, either giving them leftovers or leaving them hungry.


    To prevent people in the courtyard from noticing the children¡¯s poor living conditions, they were basically kept at home every day, ostensibly out of fear that the children would wander outside and be snatched away by kidnappers.

 Chapter 39 - 39 39 Little Boy Luo Mingrui Has Ideas

    ?Chapter 39: Chapter 39 Little Boy Luo Mingrui Has Ideas   Chapter 39: Chapter 39 Little Boy Luo Mingrui Has Ideas                                   This really was a joke. Theirplex was a key research instituteplex, how could a kidnapper get in? Could a child run out on their own?


    Yet, each nanny who took care of the three children had the same reasoning that it was for the good of the children.


    And the result?


    They kept the children at home, seldom changed their clothes, and served food so unappetizing that it was best eaten hot. Although the second nanny was somewhat better than the first, under both their care, the three children looked scruffy and disheveled, like stray kittens you¡¯d find by the roadside.


    Thinning all over.


    It pained anyone who saw them.


    As Mrs. Qi reflected on this, she couldn¡¯t help but sigh again.


    Comrade Luo Yanqing was a talented scientific researcher who had returned from abroad, and he was a patrioticrade who had already made significant contributions to the country. However, thisrade had one weakness, emotional detachment.


    Apart from his enthusiasm at work, he treated everyone as if they were strangers, cold and indifferent, simr to an unattainable flower.


    In any case, from the few times she had seen him, Comrade Luo Yanqing treated his own children as if they were strangers, never initiating conversation with them, let alone trying to make them happy.


    It was as if Luo Ming Rui and his siblings were not his children.


    ¡°Ruirui, Grandma Qi knows what you¡¯re thinking, how about this? When the new mom arrives, you should first greet her politely, then you can slowly observe her,


    if this new mom really is good to Ruirui and your younger siblings, then Ruirui must listen to the new mom and help take good care of your siblings, how does that sound?¡±


    This was the task Old Song had given her, to properly prepare the three children because, upon Comrade Kang Li¡¯s arrival tomorrow, they must ept Comrade Kang Li as their mother, to prevent Comrade Kang Li from getting cold feet and following her family back to her hometown.


    After all, it was not easy for a beautiful and youngdy of barely eighteen years toe all the way to North City, to be the wife of a man nearly ten years her senior, a man who was marrying for the second time, and who moreover had three children, including two boys. This would be a challenging situation for any young woman of marriageable age to ept.


    The reason Comrade Kang Li agreed to marry Comrade Luo Yanqing stemmed from her family elders¡¯ consideration of her health condition, thinking that marrying was inevitable, and marrying a well-off man who already had children was preferable to marrying someone who couldn¡¯t even provide enough food.


    If a man who couldn¡¯t provide enough food wanted children after marriage, how would they get by?


    Mrs. Qi knew about Kang Li¡¯s fertility issues and thus presumed Kang Li herself was not bothered by Luo Yanqing already having children.


    Furthermore, since Luo Ming Rui and his siblings were still young, as long as the new mom treated them with genuine affection, she could be a pir of support in the future.


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Min Rui nodded his little head lightly, agreeing with Mrs. Qi.


    ¡°Alright, go y with your Brother Xuan Xuan, he¡¯s been waiting anxiously.¡±


    Watching her grandson sitting on the sofa across from her, fidgeting as if there were thorns on his seat, Mrs. Qi¡¯s smiling eyes disyed utter indulgence. She put Ming Han down on the ground and called over to Min Rui, ¡°Just y in the yard, don¡¯t go out, or grandma will be worried.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Min Rui nodded again and then slowly slid off the sofa with his brother Ming Han, looking at the neatly dressed, handsome youth and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s go to the yard.¡±


    Holding his brother¡¯s left hand and his sister¡¯s right, Min Rui led the way, with Song Xuan closely following behind, and the group of one adult and three children soon left the living room.


    For her grandson, Mrs. Qi undoubtedly had great affection, despite the illness he suffered from, and despite the fact that many in theplex saw Song Xuan as somewhat foolish,

 Chapter 40 - 40 40 Luo Yanqing

    ?Chapter 40: Chapter 40 Luo Yanqing   Chapter 40: Chapter 40 Luo Yanqing                                   He neither spoke nor smiled, spending most of his days sitting and staring nkly, but that did not affect Mrs. Qi¡¯s affection and love for her grandson.


    Moreover, after more than a decade of patient teaching, her grandson could not only take care of his daily life but also knew how to express his emotions with his eyes; he just had not begun to speak until now.


    The most important point was that her grandson was not foolish at all. Though he did not verbalize that he had learned what she taught, his expressions would tell her that he had understood, that he had learned.


    So, facing such a grandson, how could Mrs. Qi not cherish him?


    And while cherishing him, she also felt an exceptional pity for him.


    Watching the four silhouettes, one tall and three small, disappear from her sight, Mrs. Qi dropped the smile from her face, and for some reason, she began to think of another family in thepound simr to the Luo Family.


    Wen Siyuan, also a scientific talent like Comrade Luo Yanqing, two years his senior, had three daughters, aged six, five, and three. He divorced his wife due to marital discord two years ago but remarried in April this year.


    From her appearance, Comrade Wen Siyuan¡¯s new wife had the kind of looks that the elders liked.


    Always smiling before speaking, round-faced, almond-eyed, of average height.


    She had been in thepound for over three months since her marriage, and Mrs. Qi had encountered her once or twice, finding her to be an enthusiasticrade who, reportedly, treated her three stepdaughters quite well.


    Hopefully, Comrade Kang Li could be like Comrade Su Man, Wen Siyuan¡¯s wife.


    Kind to the stepchildren, amiable to others, leading a good life!


    Within a highly guarded research institute, Director Song, also known as Elder Song, was currently conversing with a strikingly handsome, distinctive young man of about twenty in his office.


    ¡°Comrade Kang Li will arrive at noon tomorrow. Go home now and prepare, remember, this is a mission from your superiors. You must personally go to the train station to pick up Comrade Kang Li. After you bring him home, cultivate a good rtionship with him. Before the half month of holiday ends, stay at home!¡±


    ¡°Have you finished? If you¡¯re done, then I¡¯ll get busy.¡±


    Expressionless, the young man said this as he rose from the sofa, clearly ready to leave immediately.


    ¡°Little Luo! Comrade Luo Yanqing, did you even listen to what this old man said?¡±


    Elder Song, with a piercing gaze, stood up and stared directly at the young man before him, at their institute¡¯s prized gem, at this young scientist who had already made significant contributions to the nation¡¯s research despite his age. He said:


    ¡°Comrade Kang Li is a goodrade, and you must meet with her no matter what, and since you are already registered and married byw, if you ignore Comrade Kang Li, then you are in the wrong. Do you understand?¡±


    Luo Yanqing¡¯s tone was indifferent: ¡°I didn¡¯t say that.¡±


    Elder Song snorted coldly and deliberately scowled: ¡°Then was it you who agreed to the marriage with Comrade Kang Li?¡±


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°¡­¡±


    He had only nodded to the organization¡¯s arrangement, agreed to remarry, to care for the three little ones at home. Thinking this, Luo Yanqing also understood that Comrade Kang Li, mentioned by Elder Song, was indeed his responsibility from now on.


    Because although the registration was arranged by the organization, he had ultimately consented.


    However, his immediate priority was his research; he would not abandon his work midway¡­ to pick up some Comrade Kang Li at the train station.


    With his lips tightly sealed, Luo Yanqing remained silent for a long time.


    Seeing this, Elder Song blew his beard and stared: ¡°Listen here, you must go to the train station to pick up Comrade Kang Li, or else, I¡¯ll make sure you regret it!¡±

 Chapter 41 - 41 41 Are you Comrade Kang Li

    ?Chapter 41: Chapter 41 Are you Comrade Kang Li?   Chapter 41: Chapter 41 Are you Comrade Kang Li?                                   ¡°You¡¯re busy, so I¡¯ll take my leave.¡±


    Leaving behind just that light remark, Luo Yanqing turned and walked towards the office door.


    He¡¯s impervious to advice!


    Old Song took a moment to adjust his breathing to avoid getting agitated by the young man he had always thought highly of.


    ¡­


    The next day.


    Around half past ten in the morning, Old Song was sitting in his office dealing with the work at hand when the phone suddenly rang.


    ¡°Hello, who¡¯s this?¡±


    Old Song put down the document he was holding, picked up the receiver, and the next moment, his eyes widened in shock, ¡°What did you say? Little Luo hasn¡¯t returned to thepound? Are you certain?


    Alright, I understand¡­ Well then, how about you take Ruirui and the others to the train station to pick her up? Yes, that¡¯s the only option, even if I rush over from here, there won¡¯t be enough time.


    Fangfang¡­ take care of your health, I will call Xiao He and ask him to send another car and to apany you and the children to the train station.¡±


    After ending the call, Old Song ced the receiver back on the phone and without a moment¡¯s pause, stood up and left the office.


    ¡°Director? What brings you here at this time, Director?¡±


    As he arrived outside aboratory, before Old Song could knock, a gentle male voice came from behind him.


    ¡°Is that you, Siyuan? I¡¯m here looking for Little Luo.¡±


    Turning his head to see who it was, Old Song¡¯s face broke into a smile.


    ¡°Professor Luo is busy right now. If there¡¯s anything you need, you can tell me and I¡¯ll pass the message on.¡±


    Wen Siyuan, yes, the man speaking was the male lead from the story, Wen Siyuan. He wore a pair of ck-framed sses, had handsome features, and carried an elegant demeanor, making him seem especially approachable.


    ¡°Is he so busy that he can¡¯t spare a minute or two?¡±


    Old Song frowned.


    Wen Siyuan: ¡°The experiment is at a critical stage, one slight error could ruin the entire project, and Professor Luo instructed not to let anyone disturb him.¡±


    Hearing this, Old Song fell silent. After a moment, he said, ¡°Alright then, when he¡¯s done, tell him I was looking for him and that he muste to my office.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Wen Siyuan nodded.


    However, what Old Song didn¡¯t know was that it would be half a monthter before he would see Luo Yanqing again.


    In the residentialpound of the research institute.


    The Song Family¡¯s house.


    In the living room, Mrs. Qi was tidying the clothes of the siblings, Luo Mingrui, and her grandson, Song Xuan, and then she crouched down to speak to Xiao Mingrui:


    ¡°Ruirui, your father is too busy with work to pick up Comrade Kang Li, so your Grandpa Song has given you and your brother and sister the task of picking up Comrade Kang Li. Now, Granny Qi will take you, your Brother Xuan Xuan, and Uncle He to the train station.¡±


    Xiao Mingrui stood up straight, nodding his little head vigorously: ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Holding the hands of the twins, Mrs. Qi beckoned Xiao Mingrui and her grandson Song Xuan to follow.


    At the train station.


    The moment they stepped off the train, Kang Li and three others, weighed down with luggage, had just settled on the tform when they saw a group approaching them.


    ¡°You must be Comrade Kang Li, right?¡±


    Mrs. Qi stood a few steps in front of Kang Li, holding the hands of the twins on either side. To her left stood Comrade He Feng, arranged by Old Song, to her right were Song Xuan and Xiao Mingrui.


    And Xiao Mingrui was being led by the hand by Song Xuan.


    ¡°Hello,rade, I am Kang Li.¡±


    Kang Li was guessing Mrs. Qi¡¯s identity.


    With gentle eyes and a kindly expression, she appeared to be a gentle and affable elder, but who was she exactly?


    ¡°My name is Qi, I¡¯m the wife of Comrade Luo Yanqing¡¯s leader. This is Comrade He Feng. Since Comrade Luo Yanqing is too busy at work to get away, Elder Song arranged for He Feng and me to bring Comrade Luo Yanqing¡¯s children to pick you up.¡±

 Chapter 42 - 42 42 Kang Li Feels a Bit Uneasy

    ?Chapter 42: Chapter 42 Kang Li Feels a Bit Uneasy   Chapter 42: Chapter 42 Kang Li Feels a Bit Uneasy                                   Mrs. Qi said this and introduced the three siblings to Kang Li and the others, ¡°This is Comrade Luo¡¯s eldest son, his name is Ming Rui; these two are twins, one is called Ming Han, the other is Ming Wei. Ruirui is five years old this year, Hanhan and Vivi are two and a half years old.¡±


    ¡°Hello, Ruirui, Hanhan, Vivi.¡±


    Kang Li knelt on one knee and greeted the three children, then she smiled with her eyes, gently rubbed the tops of their heads, stood up, and introduced Captain Kang and the other two to Mrs. Qi and Comrade He Feng, ¡°Comrade Qi, Comrade He, this is my father, and these two are my big and little brothers.¡±


    ¡°Hello Comrade Kang, and hello to the two youngrades.¡±


    Mrs. Qi released the hands of the twins and shook hands with Captain Kang, Big Brother Kang, and Kang Guoan respectively.


    Comrade He Feng also shook hands with Captain Kang and the others.


    ¡°Wee to North City. Shall we? We can talk more back at the courtyard.¡±


    As Mrs. Qi spoke, she was about to take the twins¡¯ hands again, when, unexpectedly, they stood motionless. They looked up at Kang Li, and then the little Milk Bun, Ming Wei, raised her milky voice:


    ¡°Mama, are you Vivi¡¯s mama? Mama, you¡¯re so pretty, just like a fairy in the sky. Vivi likes mama, does mama like Vivi?¡±


    Kang Li knew she wasing to North City to have three stepchildren and that she would be their stepmother, but still felt a little awkward when suddenly called ¡°mama¡± by the little Milk Bun in that instant.


    However, her strikingly beautiful face revealed no sign of difort; instead, her smile remained as she bent down to nod at the Milk Bun, ¡°Yes, I am mama, and mama likes Vivi too!¡±


    ¡°Mama, I¡¯m Hanhan, your most well-behaved and smartest Hanhan~¡±


    Seeing his mom talking with his sister, Xiao Ming Han immediately grinned and made sure to get his face in front of his mom to get noticed.


    ¡°Good! Mama knows you¡¯re little Hanhan!¡±


    Kang Li gently pinched the little Milk Bun¡¯s cheek, intending to stand up straight, but then Xiao Ming Wei tugged at her pant leg. ¡°Mama, Vivi wants mama to pinch her too.¡±


    She offered her clean, little face willingly.


    Kang Li¡¯s eyes sparkled, and she directly picked up the little girl, not only pinching the Milk Bun¡¯s cheek but also nting a kiss on it.


    Seeing his younger siblings being pinched and hugged by this woman who was to be their new mother, Ming Rui humphed softly in his heart. He didn¡¯t care for it at all!


    He turned his head and moved his little hand, which was held by Song Xuan, indicating to his Brother Xuan Xuan that it was time to leave.


    ¡°Kang Li, let younger brother hold the child!¡±


    Xiao Ming Han was lifted into He Feng¡¯s arms, and seeing Kang Li hold Xiao Ming Wei, Kang Guoan handed his luggage to Big Brother Kang to carry and then walked over to Kang Li to extend his hand.


    ¡°I¡¯ll hold her.¡±


    Mrs. Qi said at that time.


    To avoid any misunderstanding, Kang Guoan hurried to exin, ¡°Comrade Qi, my sister has always been frail, and I¡¯m worried she won¡¯t be able to handle holding the child for too long.¡±


    ¡°Little brother, my health has improved a lot recently, and Vivi is just a little bun, so holding her isn¡¯t tiring for me at all.¡±


    Smiling softly, Kang Li shook her head at her younger brother Kang Guoan.


    ¡°Little Uncle hold Vivi.¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei was undoubtedly smart; she had already figured out her rtionship with the big brother, second brother, and Captain Kang when Kang Li introduced them. And there she was, blinking her adorable big eyes and reaching out her arms to Kang Guoan, ¡°Vivi likes Little Uncle.¡±


    Mama is a Little Fairy and must not be tired out by her.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t Vivi like mama just now? You wouldn¡¯t have changed your mind already, would you?¡±

 Chapter 43 - 43 43 Shes a Good Girl

    ?Chapter 43: Chapter 43: She¡¯s a Good Girl   Chapter 43: Chapter 43: She¡¯s a Good Girl                                   Kang Li¡¯s eyes curved like a crescent moon, teasing the sticky rice bun in her arms.


    Xiao Ming Wei naturally didn¡¯t know what teasing meant, she adorably shook her head: ¡°No, no, Vivi likes mommy, also likes Little Uncle, as well as grandpa and Big Brother Kang, Vivi likes them very much oh!¡±


    At that moment, not only did Kang Li marvel at Xiao Ming Wei¡¯s cleverness in her heart, but Captain Kang and the other two also realized how smart Xiao Ming Wei was.


    ¡°Alright, Little Uncle will hold you.¡±


    Having taken Xiao Ming Wei, Kang Guoan cradled her in his arms.


    A group of people got into the car, and after about forty minutes, the car entered the research institute¡¯s courtyard and stopped in front of the Luo family¡¯s gate.


    The research institute¡¯s courtyard was primarily made up of independent bungalow courtyards, but although they were called small courtyards, each plot was actually quiterge; taking the Luo family¡¯s courtyard as an example, the yard space alone was about a hundred ts.


    Furthermore, including Elder Song, those who lived in this family courtyard also resided in bungalows.


    ¡°Sit inside the house, yesterday Old Song had someone clean up inside and outside thoroughly.¡±


    Opening the courtyard gate, Mrs. Qi invited Kang Li and the others into the yard and led them to the main house.


    It must be said, the main house in the yard had four rooms, and each side had an additional annex room.


    Part of the annex on the left side was the kitchen, and the rest was used for storage.


    The annex on the right side was a bathroom and a flushable squat toilet that Luo Yanqing had recently installed when he moved in.


    Then there were the other arrangements in the yard.


    A vegetable patch, a tap, and two peach trees as thick as an adult¡¯s wrist.


    That was all.


    That was what Kang Li observed as she looked around the yard.


    At that time, He Feng was sitting in the living room talking with Captain Kang, Big Brother Kang, and Kang Guoan, while Mrs. Qi led Kang Li to visit the four main rooms.


    ¡°Ruirui and the others are still young, so we let them and their sister stay in one room for now, this partitioned half-room next to it is for Vivi when she grows a bit older.¡±


    As they walked, Mrs. Qi exined: ¡°These two rooms on this side, one is a guest room, the other is a study. The guest room was previously upied by a hired nanny,


    but it had already been cleaned yesterday. The rest includes the living room, which is also the parlor, and the master bedroom where you and Little Luo will stay.¡±


    Upon reaching the master bedroom, Mrs. Qi pointed at the bedding on the bed and said: ¡°All of this is new, you can use it with confidence.¡±


    Military green bedding, military green sheets, in short, all the beddings were uniformly military green, even the curtains hanging were military green; had Kang Li not known this was a home, and that this home was situated within the research institute¡¯s courtyard, she would have thought she had entered a military camp.


    ¡°I understand everything now, thank you!¡±


    Kang Li smiled and thanked Mrs. Qi.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to be so polite, if you don¡¯t mind, you can call me Auntie Qi just like Little Luo does.¡±


    Mrs. Qi looked at Kang Li with a fond gaze, to be honest, this young girl was the most beautiful she had ever seen, as if a fairy descended from heaven, possessing beauty that made one forget to breathe, beauty that was hard to look away from, all while exuding an ethereal charm.


    Yet, she wasn¡¯t like the fairies in the legends who were aloof and high above; she had a very approachable smile. No, even without smiling, just those clear, bright eyes and the dimples on her cheeks gave off a sense of closeness.


    Mrs. Qi silently nodded to herself repeatedly; she was a good girl.


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Kang Li¡¯s eyes curved and she nodded with a smile.


    ¡°By the way, the kitchen is stocked with rice, flour, oil, and seasonings¡­ the stove is already lit, and there¡¯s a kettle on it. Also, there are about a hundred coal bricks left at home; when you run out, take this booklet to buy some, if you don¡¯t know the ce, you can ask around ourpound, or you can directly find me, and I¡¯ll take you there once, you¡¯ll know the way after that.¡±

 Chapter 44 - 44 44 The More I Look the More Satisfied I Am

    ?Chapter 44: Chapter 44 The More I Look, the More Satisfied I Am   Chapter 44: Chapter 44 The More I Look, the More Satisfied I Am                                   Picking up an adult palm-sized, hardcover notebook from the cab beside her, Mrs. Qi handed it to Kang Li, then she picked up two other small hardcover notebooks, ¡°One of these is for grains and cooking oil, and the other is for subsidiary food items.¡±


    As she spoke, she paused briefly before continuing, ¡°Before dinner, I will bring you Little Luo¡¯s passbook along with the few hundred yuan he left with me and various coupons and certificates.


    By the way, there are vegetables in the courtyard¡¯s plot that you can pick to eat, but there is also fresh pork and eggs, among other ingredients, that Old Song had Comrade He Feng buy this early morning¡ªthey¡¯re in the kitchen. You can go and check them outter and deal with them however you see fit.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°Okay.¡±


    Through the open window, Mrs. Qi nced at several children ying together in the courtyard and said to Kang Li, ¡°Ruirui and his siblings are all smart kids,


    especially Ruirui. Despite his young age, he is very assertive. He might be somewhat resistant to you at first, but he¡¯s ultimately an understanding child, so I hope you won¡¯t take it too hard with him.¡±


    Kang Li shook her head: ¡°Auntie Qi, rest assured, I understand what you mean, and I won¡¯t take any issues with my own child to heart.¡±


    Grasping Kang Li¡¯s hand, Mrs. Qi looked relieved, ¡°Before meeting you, Old Song had told me on the phone, he said you were a goodrade with a kind heart,


    he mentioned how eloquent, good-natured, and attractive you were, saying I would definitely like you a lot at first sight. And just like he predicted, the moment I saw you at the train station, I took a liking to you, this youngdy, and my fondness has only grown. When you are free, bring the kids over to Auntie¡¯s house more often, would you?¡±


    ¡°As long as Auntie doesn¡¯t find me annoying, I¡¯ll bring Ruirui and the others over to visit you and Xuan Xuan when I¡¯m free.¡±


    ¡°You know my grandson?¡±


    ¡°Ruirui and the others keep calling Brother Xuan Xuan; I¡¯ve heard it all.¡±


    Mrs. Qi sighed: ¡°Nowadays, Old Song and I only have Xuan Xuan as a family member. His parents sacrificed themselves when he was just one year old, and it was at that time he was diagnosed with a difficult-to-cure disease,


    however, after years of our guidance, although Xuan Xuan is still not very perceptive to the outside world, he has been able to take care of himself for several years,


    he canprehend what his close ones say, but the only thing that hasn¡¯t improved is that he has never spoken a word.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°From what you¡¯ve said, Xuan Xuan must be suffering from congenital autism.¡±


    Mrs. Qi nodded: ¡°Right, that¡¯s what the doctors said.¡±


    ¡°Auntie Qi, actually, based on what you just described, I think Xuan Xuan¡¯s autism has the potential to recover, and this is unquestionably all thanks to you and Uncle Song.¡±


    ¡°Good child, what¡¯s there to talk about achievements or not, your Uncle Song and I only hope that within our lifetime, we can see Xuan Xuan live like a normal child of his age.¡±


    ¡°There will be such a day.¡±


    Mrs. Qi looked at her grandson squatting beside Min Rui, her eyes full of affection and a warm smile on her face: ¡°Let¡¯s hope your wordse true!¡±


    ¡­


    Realizing it was almost lunchtime, Mrs. Qi, apanied by her grandson Song Xuan and He Feng, bid farewell to Kang Li and the others. Before leaving, she didn¡¯t forget to remind Xiao Min Rui and his siblings, ¡°Listen to your mother, and don¡¯t be naughty.¡±


    ¡°Hanhan (Vivi) is a good baby!¡±


    The twins replied with their baby-soft voices.


    Min Rui pursed his lips in silence for a while and then nodded his little head: ¡°I¡¯ll be good.¡± Not ¡°I am good,¡± but ¡°I will be good,¡± showing that Min Rui had his own little ns in mind.

 Chapter 45 - 45 45 Kang Li Is Taught by Xiao Ming Rui to Be

    ?Chapter 45: Chapter 45: Kang Li Is Taught by Xiao Ming Rui to Be Cute to His Sister   Chapter 45: Chapter 45: Kang Li Is Taught by Xiao Ming Rui to Be Cute to His Sister                                   After watching Mrs. Qi leave with her grandchild and Comrade He Feng, Kang Li called out to Xiao Ming Rui and the other two to return to the courtyard.


    ¡°You guys go y with Little Uncle, I¡¯ll go make us lunch right away.¡±


    ¡°Vivi wants to stay with mom.¡±


    ¡°Hanhan wants to stay with mom too.¡±


    The twins with mixed sex shook their heads and followed closely behind Kang Li with their little short legs.


    ¡°Mom, Vivi knows how to pick vegetables!¡±


    ¡°I can do it too.¡±


    ¡°Stinky Hanhan, don¡¯t copy me!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the brother, not Stinky Hanhan!¡±


    Xiao Ming Rui: ¡°You can¡¯t fight.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not fighting. Hanhan is copying the way I talk.¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei defended herself.


    ¡°You say yours and I¡¯ll say mine. I didn¡¯t copy you at all, h h h¡­¡±


    Giving her sister a re, Xiao Ming Han made a funny face.


    ¡°Ming Han is the second brother; you can¡¯t call him by his name.¡±


    Xiao Ming Rui, with a stern face, scolded his sister Ming Wei.


    ¡°I got it!¡±


    Pouting, Xiao Ming Wei was actually quite dissatisfied.


    Why did she have to call Stinky Hanhan brother when he was the same age as her? Couldn¡¯t he call her sister?


    Listening to the twins bickering, Kang Li found the two little ones both funny and cute and was also charmed by Xiao Ming Rui.


    Such a little guy, with a serious face, spoke like an old man. So funny!


    ¡°Li Bao, let me help you cook!¡±


    Kang Guoan came into the kitchen and rolled up his shirt sleeves, ready to help.


    ¡°No need,¡± Kang Li shook her head and refused, saying, ¡°Big brother, take Ruirui, Hanhan, and Vivi to the living room to y. I can cook very quickly; it¡¯ll be ready soon.¡±


    Familiar with the kitchen, Kang Li quickly washed the pots and pans, then she cracked eggs and made dough, picked and washed vegetables, and washed a piece of pork along with two slices of tofu skin, plus two tomatoes and some soaked wood ear mushrooms.


    Before long, she diced the pork and long beans and prepared the other ingredients, including green onions, ginger, and garlic.


    Kang Li was making noodle soup, and after preparing the sauce, she rolled out two types of noodles, one thicker and one thinner.


    The reason for this was that she considered Xiao Ming Rui and the twins to be young with developing digestive systems and was worried that thicker, heavier noodles would be hard for the kids to digest.


    Moreover, Kang Li cooked the sauce longer to ensure the meat dices were thoroughly and tenderly cooked for the three little ones.


    ¡°Big brother, lunch is ready. Please bring Ruirui and the others to wash their hands, and by the way, could you call dad and Big Brother Kang?¡±


    Kang Li¡¯s voice came from the kitchen.


    Following her words, Kang Guoan¡¯s voice rang out: ¡°All right!¡±


    Two or three minutester.


    ¡°Li Bao, Big Brother Kang is here to help.¡±


    After taking the cooked noodles from Kang Li¡¯s hands, Big Brother Kang carried them to the living room. Soon after, he returned to the kitchen to carry out the sauce, making a few trips, until the dining table in the living room was fully set.


    ¡°Ruirui,e on, this is for you and your brother and sister.¡±


    After serving the noodles into small bowls for Xiao Ming Rui and the twins, Kang Li poured the special sauce she made for them, stirred with chopsticks for a moment, and ced the bowls in front of the three little ones: ¡°Try it and see if it tastes good. If you like it, I¡¯ll make it for you again.¡±


    Before Xiao Ming Rui could react, the twins raised their voices sweetly: ¡°Thank you, mom!¡± Since they couldn¡¯t yet use chopsticks, Kang Li broke the noodles in their bowls into short pieces with a spoon, making it easier for them to eat.


    ¡°Mom¡¯s noodles smell so good!¡±


    With a spoon in hand, Vivi took a bite of the noodles, delight covering her little face as she casually ttered Kang Li.


    Not to be outdone, Hanhan swallowed the noodles in his mouth, nodding his little head vigorously: ¡°Sister is right, mom¡¯s noodles are delicious!¡±


    ¡°Tasty.¡±

 Chapter 46 - 46 46 Kang Lis Design Layout for the Courtyard

    ?Chapter 46: Chapter 46 Kang Li¡¯s Design Layout for the Courtyard   Chapter 46: Chapter 46 Kang Li¡¯s Design Layout for the Courtyard                                   This was Xiao Ming Rui¡¯s response after slurping a noodle.


    Upon hearing this, Kang Li¡¯s fox-like eyes brimmed withughter, ¡°If it tastes good, eat more.¡± Saying so, her soft and warm gaze fell on the twins, who were still looking at her, ¡°Hanhan and Vivi, you too!¡±


    ¡°Vivi eat lots!¡±


    ¡°Hanhan eat lots!¡±


    The twins, though slim and delicate, had big smiles on their faces.


    ¡°Okay, Vivi and Hanhan eat lots.¡±


    Kang Li responded to the twins with a smile, then turned to ask Captain Kang, Big Brother Kang, and Kang Guoan, ¡°Dad, Big Brother, Little Brother, how do you find the taste?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s delicious!¡±


    Captain Kang was concise.


    ¡°Li Bao, you really do have a talent for cooking.¡±


    Big Brother Kang praised.


    Kang Guoan, ¡°As long as it¡¯s a meal cooked by Li Bao, to Little Brother, it¡¯s always the most delicious.¡±


    ¡°I also think it tastes good, but be careful, all this praise might make me arrogant!¡±


    Blinking her lively fox-like eyes, Kang Li picked up her bowl of food and began eating gracefully.


    The washing of pans and dishes waspleted by Big Brother Kang and Kang Guoan, however, Kang Li still made a trip to the kitchen. Seeing the kitchen tidied up clean and proper, she didn¡¯t forget to give her brothers a thumbs-up.


    Afterwards, Kang Li spent nearly half an hour ying with Xiao Ming Rui and the twins in the living room. Seeing the twins gradually be listless, she knew the little ones must be tired. So, she took the twins by the hand, called for Xiao Ming Rui to follow, and settled them in their bedroom.


    Sleepes quickly for children, and sure enough, just as Kang Liid each one onto their little beds, in the blink of an eye, they closed their eyes sessively, emitting uniform and faint breathing sounds from their mouths.


    Exiting the room on tiptoes, Kang Li returned to the living room and sat down to talk with Captain Kang and the others, ¡°Dad, if I¡¯m not mistaken, Comrade He should take Little Brother to North City Petrochemical for the onboarding process this afternoon.¡±


    Captain Kang, ¡°If it turns out as you said, Dad and your Big Brother will apany your Little Brother there. You just rest at home.¡±


    Kang Li nodded, ¡°Okay.¡± Then she added, ¡°Dad, before you and Big Brother return to the old home, could you help me rearrange the yard?¡±


    Big Brother Kang asked, ¡°Li Bao, what kind of arrangement are you thinking of?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll draw a floor n for you to see.¡±


    With that, Kang Li got up and went to Luo Yanqing¡¯s study. After a moment, she came back with paper and pen, sat down at the small dining table, and with her eyes lowered, swiftly sketched the courtyardyout she desired onto paper with a few strokes.


    ¡°There, Dad, Big Brother, Little Brother, take a look.¡±


    Putting down her pencil, Kang Li passed her own sketch to Captain Kang.


    Big Brother Kang and Kang Guoan leaned in towards Captain Kang.


    ¡°This crescent moon, flower petals, and all these odd-shaped little patterns you¡¯ve drawn, don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re nning to nt vegetables in them?¡±


    This was Kang Guoan¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Little Brother is smart, that¡¯s exactly what I had in mind. Don¡¯t you think it would be interesting?¡±


    Kang Li tilted her head to look at Kang Guoan, ¡°Although there¡¯s a concrete path in the yard, if you want to pick some vegetables on a rainy day, you¡¯re bound to get mud on your feet. So, I designed the vegetable plots in shapes that the children and I like, and then I¡¯ll make the surface around the vegetable plots and flower beds out of concrete¡­ oh, almost forgot to mention, look at this¡­¡±


    After listening to Kang Li, Kang Guoan spoke, ¡°You¡¯re nning to install taps for both the kitchen and bathroom.¡± It was a statement, not a question.


    Kang Li snapped her fingers, ¡°Exactly, that¡¯s the n.¡±

 Chapter 47 - 47 47 Onboarding Procedures

    ?Chapter 47: Chapter 47: Onboarding Procedures   Chapter 47: Chapter 47: Onboarding Procedures                                   Guoan Kang: ¡°In that case, before starting the work, you¡¯ll have to ask Comrade Qi for help.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°I need Auntie Qi¡¯s help, after all, we need to stop the water supply before starting the work; otherwise, it¡¯s sure to turn into a big mess.¡±


    At that moment, Captain Kang said, ¡°Since you¡¯ve made up your mind, dad and your big brother will naturally help you get everything sorted.¡±


    Guoan Kang: ¡°What about me? Don¡¯t forget me; I can also help.¡±


    ¡°Little brother, don¡¯t forget you¡¯ll have to start your job formally after youplete the onboarding process.¡±


    The tone light, Kang Li, leaning on one hand, said somewhat yfully.


    A smile yed on Guoan Kang¡¯s lips as he was about to say something more when a noise came from the gate.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go open the door.¡±


    Kang Li was about to get up, but Guoan Kang was quicker: ¡°You sit, little brother will go.¡±


    Opening the courtyard door, indeed, it was Comrade He Feng at the door.


    ¡°It¡¯s Comrade He,e in,e inside and have a seat.¡±


    Guoan Kang invited He Feng into the courtyard and casually shut the courtyard door.


    As they entered the living room and He Feng had greeted Captain Kang and Big Brother Kang, he said directly to Kang Li, ¡°Comrade Kang Li, I came over to tell you that Director Song has arranged for me to bring Comrade Guoan Kang to North City Petrochemical this afternoon to finalize the onboarding process. Unless you have other instructions, we can set off now.¡±


    Kang Li asked, ¡°Can my dad and my big brothere along to see it as well?¡±


    ¡°Certainly.¡±


    He Feng had no objections and said, ¡°The car is parked outside the gate. Comrade Guoan Kang, if you have any luggage, bring it along.¡± Thisst part he obviously said to Guoan Kang himself.


    ¡°Just a moment.¡±


    Holding back his excitement, Guoan Kang quickly went back to his room to pack his bedding roll and then came out with arge travel bag in one hand and the bedding roll in the other. ¡°Comrade He, I¡¯m ready.¡±


    Unexpectedly, Kang Li spoke up then, looking at He Feng: ¡°Comrade He, could I trouble you with one thing?¡±


    He Feng: ¡°Comrade Kang, there¡¯s no need to be so polite, just speak freely.¡±


    ¡°Well, I guess there must be a supply and sales cooperative or a department store near North City Petrochemical. If it¡¯s convenient on the way, could you stop the car and take my little brother to buy some daily necessities?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡°Then just wait a moment.¡±


    Without another word, Kang Li turned and walked toward the master bedroom.


    About two or three minutester, she came out with fifty yuan and several industrial coupons and certificates: ¡°Comrade He, take this money and coupons.¡±


    He Feng didn¡¯t take the money and coupons but said, ¡°It¡¯s better if Comrade Guoan Kang holds onto them. When we get to the department store, I¡¯ll stop the car and take Comrade Guoan Kang inside.¡±


    ¡°Alright then.¡±


    Kang Li nodded and then handed the money and coupons toward her little brother Guoan Kang, but he declined: ¡°I have money and coupons.¡±


    Captain Kang: ¡°Li Bao, before dad came to North City, your mom gave dad some money and coupons, so you don¡¯t need to worry about those small matters for your little brother.¡±


    ¡°Having them is having them, but this is my own gesture. Besides, our family doesn¡¯t have many industrial coupons. Right now, my little brother needs to buy things like a thermos, a wash basin, drinking cups, lunch boxes, tooth mugs, toothbrushes, towels, and so on. It wouldn¡¯t hurt to have a bit more money and coupons.¡±


    Ignoring Guoan Kang¡¯s refusal, Kang Li stuffed the money and coupons into his pocket: ¡°Stop dawdling, Comrade He is waiting.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll keep the money and coupons you gave, and I¡¯ll pay you backter.¡±


    Guoan Kang didn¡¯t put on airs any longer. He smiled at Kang Li and then, carrying his luggage, followed Captain Kang and Big Brother Kang out of the living room with Comrade He Feng.


    At the gate, as Kang Li watched Captain Kang and the other two get into Comrade He¡¯s car and as the vehicle drove off, she was about to withdraw her gaze when she noticed a pair of eyes locked on her.

 Chapter 48 - 48 48 Kang Li is Called a Vixen

    ?Chapter 48: Chapter 48 Kang Li is Called a Vixen   Chapter 48: Chapter 48 Kang Li is Called a Vixen                                   ¡°Comrade, are you a rtive of Professor Luo?¡±


    This voice came from the household directly opposite hers.


    Professor Luo?


    She hadn¡¯t expected that her own Luo Yanqing was also a part-time professor¡ªimpressive, indeed a capable returnee and research talent.


    Kang Li mentally gave a thumbs up to her other half.


    Well, the premise is that barring any unforeseen events, Comrade Luo Yanqing will undoubtedly be her life partner, naturally also her other half.


    Her gaze shifted and fell on the woman who had spoken to her; about forty, of medium but slightly lean build, with a somewhat sharp countenance, sporting a bobbed haircut, and dressed in a floral long dress, she was scrutinizing her intently as if appraising the value of some item, with evident judgment.


    After discreetly taking in the woman, Kang Li revealed a detached yet polite smile, ¡°Hello, I am Comrade Luo Yanqing¡¯s spouse.¡±


    She wasn¡¯t deaf. This unnamedrade was simply curious about her rtionship with Luo Yanqing, so she might as well satisfy that curiosity!


    Better to stave off any wild spections.


    Noticing that residents from directly opposite and both sides had gathered outside at some point, all focusing on her, Kang Li curved her lips into a smile and nodded at each one as a greeting. Then, to the woman who had spoken to her earlier, she said, ¡°I have things to do at home and won¡¯t linger outside any longer.¡±


    With that, Kang Li turned and walked into her yard, casually closing the door behind her.


    Just as she closed the door, aside from one person, the other women who had been standing outside quickly came together.


    ¡°Xiao Su,e over here, the sister-inw still has questions for you.¡±


    The young married woman, who had been standing still, was beckoned over by the woman who had first spoken to Kang Li.


    ¡°What was Professor Luo thinking, finding a vixen to be a stepmother for his child?¡±


    ¡°Look at what you¡¯re saying! Just because the youngrade is pretty, she¡¯s a ¡®vixen¡¯ in your eyes. Going by that logic, does it mean all the beautiful femalerades in the world are vixens?¡±


    The one who called Kang Li a ¡®vixen¡¯ was none other than the woman in the floral dress who had spoken to her earlier¡ªa Mrs. Loo Ping, whose husband, Zhang Sheng, was thirty-eight and had been working as a junior researcher for a considerable period without much advancement, hence he often harbored jealousy towards his younger, more aplished colleagues.


    With such a husband, Loo Ping naturally adopted some of his attitudes, and behind closed doors, she often engaged in spurious gossip.


    And indeed, the one calling Kang Li a vixen was none other than Loo Ping, the wife of Researcher Zhang Sheng.


    ¡°That¡¯s the thing, I took one look just now and thought Professor Luo¡¯s spouse seemed quite nice. As for her good looks, that¡¯s her parents¡¯ doing.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on with the two of you? Professor Luo¡¯s family member is new here, do you really need to create a conflict with a stranger, and put on an act against me, your friend?¡±


    Loo Ping felt dissatisfied inside but tried to disguise it on her face.


    ¡°What does being new have to do with anything? We¡¯re all neighbors, and it¡¯s natural to turn to each other for help from time to time. Loo Ping, don¡¯t be petty. After all, you¡¯re a high school teacher, and if your students knew that you were intolerant in private, that would really tarnish your image.¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright, stop lecturing me. Let¡¯s hear what Xiao Su thinks.¡±


    The one called Xiao Su by Loo Ping wasn¡¯t just anybody¡ªit was the story¡¯s main female character, Su Man.

 Chapter 49 - 49 49 Kang Li is not easy to fool

    ?Chapter 49: Chapter 49 Kang Li is not easy to fool   Chapter 49: Chapter 49 Kang Li is not easy to fool                                   Su Man was understandably unhappy about being unreasonably roped into gossip, but there was no sign of displeasure on her face. She simply said, ¡°Professor Luo¡¯s wife is indeed very beautiful, but I¡¯m not sure about anything else. After all, I¡¯ve only just met her once.¡±


    What difference does it make if she looks like a goddess?


    In a few years, she would end up shattering Professor Luo¡¯s family life, iming the lives of Professor Luo and his son Luo Mingrui, and even sacrificing her own.


    This was something she had heard mention of from her sister, Su Qing, in her previous life.


    Yes, her previous life. Compared to everyone else in this world, Su Man had lived through another lifetime¡ªonly it wasn¡¯t a good one, and she died young.


    To say that she died young, that is, a few years after the youth sent-down movement¡¯s return to the city¡­ she passed away from an illness.


    Unexpectedly, when she next opened her eyes, she found herself back a month before being sent down to the countryside.


    Without much hesitation, she decided to snatch the marriage prospect meant for her sister, Su Qing, and gave up on the so-called love of her past life.


    Ha! The idea that having love is enough for fulfillment is truly a joke!


    Therefore, it¡¯s better to be pragmatic in life to avoid future regrets.


    ¡­


    Kang Li returned to the living room from the courtyard and was suddenly greeted by the System¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Sister, can Dwen Dwen talk to you for a moment?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Kang Li frowned, giving no immediate response.


    Dwen Dwen was frightened and hardly dared to breathe.


    After a moment, Kang Li said, ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    Dwen Dwen let out a sigh of relief and chirped up in its cute and milky voice, ¡°Does sister want to officially start on a task now?¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°I¡¯ve said I don¡¯t need you to issue any tasks for me.¡±


    ¡°Dwen Dwen didn¡¯t issue a task for sister. Dwen Dwen just wants to give sister a suggestion.¡±


    Dwen Dwen felt aggrieved; why didn¡¯t sister like it?


    Could it be that it wasn¡¯t cute enough?


    Not as cute as sister¡¯s current three human cubs?


    That shouldn¡¯t be right?


    Its current incarnation is the ¡°Bing Dwen Dwen¡± that sister likes!


    ¡°Speak.¡±


    Kang Li casually sat on a small wooden chair, but no matter how you looked, her posture exuded an air of grace.


    ¡°Sister currently has three little cubs. From Dwen Dwen¡¯s point of view, sister could start by winning over the girl cub, then her twin brother, and finally tackle Ruirui cub.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°Don¡¯t talk to me about ¡®winning over.''¡± She had no intention of ¡°winning over¡± anyone because in her view, the term was clearly disrespectful to would-be subjects!


    Everyone is a human with blood, flesh, and feelings, not some non-human entities.


    That require winning over to achieve some nonsensical goals.


    Dwen Dwen: ¡°I¡¯m just using an analogy. To put it simply, sister could start with the girl cub to earn a lot of happiness points and affection value and this way sister would also be able to exchange points for¡­¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to say too much. I know what I¡¯m doing.¡±


    ¡°Sister is the smartest, Dwen Dwen knows! Oh, by the way, sister, the moment you appeared at the train station today and afterwards interacting with the cubs, cooking for them, ying with them, you¡¯ve already gained 1000 happiness points,ing from the twin brother and sister. And from choosing and washing vegetables¡­ to preparing the entire lunch, you earned a total of 13 Life Points.¡±


    Kang Li didn¡¯t respond.


    Dwen Dwen was baffled, but it clenched its little fists to encourage itself and continued, ¡°I almost forgot to tell sister, before you left your hometown, you gained five thousand happiness points from your nephews. That¡¯s the tally. As for the Life Points, sister gained 3 points. In other words, to date, sister has acquired 6000 happiness points and 16 Life Points.¡±


    ¡°And the rewards?¡±


    Kang Li was not so easily fooled.

 Chapter 50 - 50 50 Im Determined to be a Salted Fish

    ?Chapter 50: Chapter 50 I¡¯m Determined to be a Salted Fish!   Chapter 50: Chapter 50 I¡¯m Determined to be a Salted Fish!                                   Dwen Dwen: ¡°¡­¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°Hmm?¡±


    Dwen Dwen: ¡°Yes, yes, yes, Miss, you can rx. I¡¯ve kept your rewards safe. Do you want them now, or should I continue to keep them in Dwen Dwen¡¯s space?¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°What do you think?¡±


    Dwen Dwen: ¡°¡­¡±


    Feeling aggrieved, Miss didn¡¯t think it would covet the reward meant for her, did she?


    Pouting, Dwen Dwen psyched itself up again, adjusted its mood, and said, ¡°Miss, can you be a bit nicer to Dwen Dwen? Dwen Dwen would never covet your rewards. Dwen Dwen is a good child!¡±


    Kang Li¡¯s forehead creased with several lines, and at the same time, her lips twitched slightly: ¡°You sure have an active imagination.¡±


    ¡°Imagination? Dwen Dwen didn¡¯t, Dwen Dwen truly never thought of coveting Miss¡¯s rewards.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°Got it. Tell me what the rewards are.¡±


    Dwen Dwen: ¡°Two bags of milk powder, one can of malt extract.¡±


    ¡°Not bad.¡±


    Kang Li was quite satisfied. She didn¡¯t like being obliged to do tasks, but if she naturallypleted them in her daily life and obtained the rewards they brought, she wouldn¡¯t be too generous to decline them. Thinking so, Kang Li said, ¡°Give them to me.¡±


    Dwen Dwen: ¡°Okay.¡± Then, Dwen Dwen asked stickily, ¡°Miss, are you not mad at me anymore?¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t mad.¡±


    Getting angry only elerated aging and made one¡¯s self ufortable; she wouldn¡¯t torture herself like that.


    ¡°So it¡¯s like that, then Dwen Dwen was overthinking!¡±


    Dwen Dwen was very happy, spinning around in ce, but didn¡¯t forget to hand over the milk powder and malt extract to Kang Li.


    Looking at the previously empty small dining table suddenly appearing with two bags of milk powder and a can of malt extract, Kang Li¡¯s expression remained calm as she stood up with the items and went straight to the master bedroom to put them away.


    No need to overthink it. Whether it was the milk powder or the malt extract, both were brands sold in the market during this era. Their packaging was also nothing out of the ordinary.


    ¡°Miss¡­¡±


    ¡°Just speak.¡±


    ¡°Then Dwen Dwen will speak, but after Miss listens, can you please not get angry?¡±


    ¡°Get angry?¡±


    Kang Li raised an eyebrow, casually grabbed a book from the study, went to the room of the three little ones, sat down on the chair beside the table, and casually flipped through the book, thinking amusedly:


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I might not have the heart of a prime minister, but I¡¯m not one to get angry easily either. Besides, do you think you¡¯re someone who could make me angry? Speak up.¡±


    ¡°Miss, if you don¡¯t want to die young, you¡¯ll need to try hard, and try even harder toplete tasks!¡±


    Kang Li paused briefly, then responded with a face as calm as a light breeze: ¡°Did I forget to tell you, or did you not hear me when I said I¡¯ve intended to be a ¡®salted fish¡¯?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Had Miss told it that before?


    Probably not.


    Dwen Dwen didn¡¯t think it had forgotten.


    ¡°Miss, don¡¯t you want the body-strengthening pill and gene repair liquid?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I do, but that doesn¡¯t mean I need to be manipted by your so-called tasks and be a ¡®ve¡¯ to tasks, understand?¡±


    Life is so beautiful. She would do what she wants and not do what she doesn¡¯t want to. Why make life difficult for herself?


    Kang Li¡¯s demeanor wasnguid and utterly rxed as she browsed the physics-rted foreignnguage book in her hand.


    ¡°Dwen Dwen did not want Miss to be a ve. Dwen Dwen just wants Miss to live until her teeth are loose and her hair is white, to die a natural death.¡±


    Kang Li curved her lips into a smile: ¡°How kind of you. But everything in the world has its own fate. Whether I die early orte, it¡¯s all the same. I don¡¯t fear death.¡±


    Dwen Dwen: ¡°Has Miss never thought about how your parents and rtives would feel if you were to die before thirty?¡±

 Chapter 51 - 51 51 Do you believe that I will tank

    ?Chapter 51: Chapter 51: Do you believe that I will tank deliberately?   Chapter 51: Chapter 51: Do you believe that I will tank deliberately?                                   Kang Li: ¡°¡­¡± Okay, she really hadn¡¯t thought of that.


    With a slight purse of the lips, Kang Li¡¯s thoughts drifted back to the days before she set off for North City, remembering the words her mother had held her and said¡­ If anything happened to her, her father, mother, and brothers¡­


    She quickly reeled in her thoughts, not wanting to continue down that path.


    Because she knew that given her family¡¯s affection for her, along with the original narrative¡¯s description of the cannon fodder ¡°Kang Li¡± and the fated end of her rtives, should she follow the same trajectory as the original protagonist, her family would probably return to their predestined fates.


    Did she want to see that oue?


    Of course, Kang Li did not.


    Her gaze fell on the English letters in the book, and she didn¡¯t move for a long time.


    ¡°Miss, the body strengthening pill and gene repair liquid can grant you long life and good fortune. They are well worth owning!¡±


    Sensing that Kang Li¡¯s mood had softened, Dwen Dwen continued its effort: ¡°The more Points you have, the more body strengthening pills or gene repair liquids you can exchange for in the future. Miss, perhaps your rtives need them too!¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°You¡­¡±


    There was no follow-up for a long time.


    Dwen Dwen: ¡°Miss, have you ever heard: Youth does note twice, nor does the dawn of a new day; seize the moment, for time waits for no one; the past is like that husband, unceasing day and night; life between heaven and earth is like a fleeting white colt; though the sky can be patched, the sea can be filled, and the South Mountain can be moved. But once the time has passed, it cannot be reimed¡­ ¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°Are you done?¡±


    Dwen Dwen: ¡°Not yet, listen to me, Miss, I¡¯ll continue: The most painful thing is not the tears of failure, but the regret of not having tried; not knowing how to cherish leads only to regrets; every moment of not striving¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re climbing up the pole, huh?¡±


    Feeding her soulful chicken soup¡ªdispensing wisdom from both ancient and modern times¡ªthis little thing that calls itself a newbie from the Unified Realm is truly no ordinary mutt!


    Not working hard today and regretting tomorrow, is that it?


    Kang Li¡¯s lips curled up with a nearly imperceptible smirk that seemed a tad mischievous.


    ¡°Believe it or not, I might just throw in the towel?¡±


    Dwen Dwen immediately became as quiet as a chicken.


    Kang Li: ¡°Scared now?¡±


    Dwen Dwen: ¡°¡­¡± Quite at a loss.


    Kang Li: ¡°You¡¯re very noisy, you know that?¡±


    Dwen Dwen: ¡°Miss, I think I am quite okay!¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°Is that so?¡±


    Dwen Dwen: ¡°Miss, you must have misunderstood me, I¡¯m not talkative at all.¡± ording to the collective wisdom of the seniors from the Unified Realm, the most effective weapon when dealing with a difficult but animal-loving host is to act cute and coquettish.


    Yes, to act cute and coquettish, throwing away all dignity if necessary!


    After all, their ultimate goal is¡ªtoplete the mission!


    ¡°You think I have a problem with my brain?¡±


    Was she a big fool?


    The little thing kept chattering away in her mind¡ªhow was this not noise?


    Dwen Dwen shook its head like a bobblehead: ¡°Nope, nope, Dwen Dwen never thought that! In my eyes, Miss, you are like a beacon in my life, the epitome of beauty and intelligence. Without you, my life would lose all its luster, just like a fish out of water¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re really quite a piece of work!¡±


    Kang Li was amused by the System, though she did notugh out loud.


    ¡°Blowing rainbow farts quite skillfully, Dwen Dwen, you¡¯ve grown up!¡±


    Dwen Dwen: ¡°Are you praising me, Miss?¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°What do you think?¡±


    Dwen Dwen: ¡°Dwen Dwen thinks you are.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°Then it must be so.¡±


    Dwen Dwen beamed, its face breaking into a happy smile: ¡°Miss, you look so beautiful when you smile, like the flowers of spring, blowing away all worries and sorrows, and like¡­¡±

 Chapter 52 - 52 52 Im only two and a half years old still a

    ?Chapter 52: Chapter 52 I¡¯m only two and a half years old, still a baby!   Chapter 52: Chapter 52 I¡¯m only two and a half years old, still a baby!                                   ¡°Alright, alright, save your ttery for when you really need to make me happy, lest you run out of trickster,¡±


    Kang Li, constantly teased by the System, was truly annoyed, but her expression returned to normal. ¡°I¡¯ll say it again, you just need to remember to calcte those happiness points and affection value every day, make sure to secure the rewards for me, and stop nagging about other things. I have my own ns.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Okay,¡±


    After hesitating for a while, Dwen Dwen responded.


    Kang Li: ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t let you fail your task.¡±


    Dwen Dwen: ¡°I will listen to Sister, but can I say one more thing to you, Sister?¡±


    ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    Kang Li shook her head slightly, amused.


    The little thing seemed scared after her deliberate intimidation, looking all cautious.


    ¡°Sister, you can also receive happiness points from other children!¡±


    Kang Li looked puzzled: ¡°Other children?¡±


    Dwen Dwen: ¡°Yes. For example, if Sister smiles at other children and makes them feel happy¡­ as long as Sister shows kindness to other children and they feel happy, Sister can gain happiness points.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°Got it.¡±


    Dwen Dwen: ¡°Then may Dwen Dwen go y now?¡±


    ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    Finally finding some peace in her mind, Kang Li smiled again, shook her head, and continued reading the physics book in English that she had been seeing earlier.


    Min Rui had slept for about an hour and a half and opened his eyes one after another.


    ¡°Mommy?¡±


    It was Vivi¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Mommy is here.¡±


    Alright, that ¡°Mommy¡± still felt awkward to Kang Li, but she put down the English book, stood up, and sat down beside Cute Baby Vivi¡¯s bed: ¡°Vivi, did you have a good nap?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    The little girl climbed up to sit properly. She first blinked her sleepy eyes, rubbed them idly, and the next moment, happily threw herself into Kang Li¡¯s arms: ¡°Vivi didn¡¯t dream, Mommy, Vivi really has a mommy now!¡±


    Patting Cute Baby Vivi¡¯s head, Kang Li softlyughed and said, ¡°Our Vivi certainly wasn¡¯t dreaming!¡±


    ¡°Mommy, hug.¡±


    Hanhan woke up and rubbed his eyes too, seeing his mom talking to his little sister, he stretched out his small arms.


    He and his brother Min Rui were sleeping in a child¡¯s bunk bed.


    No need to borate, Hanhan was on the lower bunk, and his brother Ruirui was on the upper bunk.


    But the bed wasn¡¯t particrly high and was sufficiently safe, so there was no need to worry about Min Rui¡¯s safety.


    And Kang Li could tell, whether it was Cute Baby Vivi¡¯s bed or the bunk bed that the littled Ruirui and his brother Hanhan slept in, they were carefully designed and made, likely by their father¡¯s handiwork.


    Maybe not made, but definitely designed.


    The reason?


    Only loving parents, concerned about safety in all aspects when their children are young.


    ¡°Hanhan, just a moment, let me put on little sister¡¯s shoes, and then I wille and hug our Hanhan.¡±


    After dressing Cute Baby Weiwei in a dress and sandals and ensuring she stood firm on the ground, Kang Li stood up and went to Hanhan¡¯s side, bent down to pick up the child: ¡°Did Hanhan sleep well?¡±


    The little bun murmured, wrapped his arms around Kang Li¡¯s neck, climbed on her shoulder, and made a smug face at his sister on the ground.


    ¡°Big brother is making a shy face, such a big baby and still wants mommy¡¯s hug,¡±


    Despite the envy obviously in her eyes, Cute Baby Vivi pointed her tiny right index finger and made a shy face.


    ¡°I¡¯m two and a half, still a little baby!¡±

 Chapter 53 - 53 53 Not a Stepmother but a Mother

    ?Chapter 53: Chapter 53 Not a Stepmother, but a Mother!   Chapter 53: Chapter 53 Not a Stepmother, but a Mother!                                   Milk Bun Hanhan said it with full conviction.


    Cute Baby Weiwei, ¡°Then I¡¯m even younger than Second Brother, I¡¯m also a little baby.¡±


    Milk Bun Hanhan, ¡°I never said you weren¡¯t.¡±


    Kang Li sat by Xiao Ming Han¡¯s bed, reached out to take the child¡¯s shorts and put them on, then helped with the shoes. After cing the little guy on the ground to stand, she also casually straightened out the round-neck short sleeve he was wearing and said with a smile, ¡°Our Hanhan really is a handsome little baby.¡±


    After kissing the little one on the forehead and seeing Cute Baby Weiweie over, Kang Li generously gave the little girl a kiss full of love, too.


    ¡°Alright, grab your picture books and go to the living room to read for a while. Mom wille out after helping Brother get dressed.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    Watching the twin with mixed sex walking hand in hand with their little short legs out of the room, Kang Li turned her attention to her eldest son now, ¡°Our Ruirui is already dressed, awesome!¡±


    Kang Li had learned long ago how important it was to encourage children, while taking care of her younger brother, Kang Yi.


    Little Ruirui was a bit embarrassed. His ear tips turned slightly red, and he nodded lightly, indicating he had indeed dressed himself. Unexpectedly, the next moment, he was lifted off the bed by his stepmother.


    Caught off guard for a moment, after Kang Li helped him with his shoes and Min Rui stood on the ground, he pursed his lips and softly told Kang Li, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wee. But our Ruirui is really polite, fantastic!¡±


    Kang Li bent down to hug the child and gave this sensible little guy a kiss full of love as well.


    She didn¡¯t mind whether Min Rui called her mom right now; even if the child never called her mom, it didn¡¯t matter to her. As long as the child could grow up to be a person of good character, that was all that mattered.


    After all, she wasn¡¯t the child¡¯s biological mother, and whether or not he called her mom depended entirely on the child¡¯s own willingness.


    If she insisted on it, it really wouldn¡¯t be right!


    One adult and one child came to the living room but didn¡¯t see the twins. Kang Li paused and then called out for the twin with mixed sex, ¡°Hanhan! Weiwei! Where are you guys?¡±


    Not hearing the twins inside the house, Kang Li took a step towards the courtyard gate, not forgetting to hold Min Rui¡¯s hand.


    ¡°They must be ying outside the courtyard gate.¡±


    That¡¯s what Min Rui said.


    Kang Li, ¡°Then let¡¯s hurry out and take a look.¡±


    Min Rui nodded, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Feeling a little shy yet slightly reassured being led by the hand by Kang Li, Min Rui walked with her.


    Between the Luo Family and the neighboring house, near the wall, there stands a sturdy old banyan tree. At the moment, there were about eight or nine children of varying sizes standing under the tree.


    ¡°Is your stepmother really as pretty as you say? I don¡¯t believe it!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe it either.¡±


    The speakers were two little girls, one about six or seven years old, the other around five.


    ¡°She¡¯s not a stepmother, she¡¯s Mom!¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei looked up, fuming and red at the two disbelieving sisters, ¡°Weiwei¡¯s mom hase home. She¡¯s not the stepmother that Yue Yue Sister and Yi Sister talked about. My mom loves me so much, if you don¡¯t believe me, ask my Second Brother!¡±


    ¡°A stepmother is a stepmother, how can she be your mom? Weiwei, your mom died when she was giving birth to you and your Second Brother, that¡¯s something everyone in ourpound knows.¡±


    The little girl called Yue Yue Sister by Xiao Ming Wei was actually named Wen Yue, and her family lived right next door to the Luo Family, which meant that Wen¡¯s family and the Luo Family were neighbors.


    Wen Yue, nearly six and a half, had learned the difference between a stepmother and a biological mother two years earlier. Her own family had a stepmother, who, despite being decent to her and her two younger sisters, had not changed Wen Yue¡¯s perspective. In the little girl¡¯s heart, a stepmother was the bad woman the adults talked about, even if her current stepmother was treating them quite well, Wen Yue still hadn¡¯t changed her view.

 Chapter 54 - 54 54 Each Has Their Own Misfortunes

    ?Chapter 54: Chapter 54 Each Has Their Own Misfortunes   Chapter 54: Chapter 54 Each Has Their Own Misfortunes                                   So, she was very resistant to the term ¡°stepmother.¡± She didn¡¯t find the stepmother that Xiao Ming Wei described as pretty as a fairy girl at all, nor did she believe that the stepmother in Xiao Ming Wei¡¯s words was a good person.


    ¡°You¡¯re lying! My mom is doing great, she is Little Fairy, she loves me, second brother, and big brother, if you don¡¯t believe me,e to my house and see!¡±


    Don¡¯t be fooled by Xiao Ming Wei¡¯s young age; the little cutie had a sharp tongue!


    To be precise, Xiao Ming Wei was able to speak a lot of words before she was even two years old, and after she turned two, her speech was super smooth.


    ¡°Vivi! Hanhan!¡±


    The yard gate was half open, and Kang Li, holding Xiao Ming Rui¡¯s hand, came out of the yard. Hearing Xiao Ming Wei¡¯s baby voice, she looked over and saw the little cutie arguing with a girl smaller than her.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Vivi, did something happen?¡±


    Approaching, she let go of Xiao Ming Rui¡¯s hand, knelt on one knee, took the little cutie into her arms, and looked into the little cutie¡¯s eyes with a gentle voice.


    The other children standing under the old banyan tree turned their gazes to Kang Li¡¯s face at that moment.


    ¡°Wow! Vivi didn¡¯t fool us, her mom really does look like a Fairy!¡±


    ¡°Vivi¡¯s mom is really pretty!¡±


    Xiao Ming Han¡¯s baby voice then chimed in: ¡°I told you my sister wasn¡¯t lying to you, you just wouldn¡¯t believe it, now you see, isn¡¯t my mom especially especially pretty?¡±


    Listen to that, really full of oneself.


    In fact, at this moment, Xiao Ming Han was standing tall, with an air of smugness in her delicate features.


    ¡°Mom, you are Vivi¡¯s mom, not a stepmom, right?¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei looked at her mom, herrge eyes like ck grapes nearly instantly filled with mist.


    Kang Li was taken aback by the question!


    For children old enough to remember, not having their birth mother by their side undoubtedly made them sensitive, especially for the Wen Yue sisters, whose birth mother had ostensibly left because of her unhappy marriage with Wen Siyuan, leading to divorce. But in reality, as a woman and mother who loved her own flesh and blood, who would want to abandon her children and leave her home?


    Indeed, the Wen Yue sisters¡¯ birth mother did not want to leave her own children, but the pressure was undeniably immense as she had given birth to three daughters over several years.


    Because she knew all too well that her continuous birth of daughters over the years seriously displeased her husband, not to mention the attitude of her inws.


    Given this, after the birth of the third daughter, Wen Yue¡¯s birth mother had not evenpleted the traditional Chinese postpartum period when she was confronted with a divorce agreement, one that was initiated by her mother-inw and to which her husband raised no objections.


    Pleading was useless, even when using their children and years¡¯ worth of affection as leverage, none of it worked.


    But she simply did not agree to the divorce.


    She kept dragging it out.


    From their child¡¯s full moon celebration to the 100th day, then the first birthday, and finally until the child was almost two and a half years old, seeing that her husband truly intended to go through with it, and with her parents stepping in to mediate, Wen Yue¡¯s birth mother had no choice but to painfully proceed with the divorce formalities with Wen Siyuan.


    And the ones who could persuade their own daughter to divorce were not necessarily doing it for her sake, considering the husband¡¯s family wanted to divorce without any sentiment, clinging to a loveless marriage did not benefit their daughter.


    However, Wen Yue sisters¡¯ birth mother, Song Ning, was not persuaded to agree to the divorce by her parents out of concern for her well-being.


    They were swayed by kindness received and ttery.


    That¡¯s right, after dining together in a state-owned restaurant, Song Ning¡¯s parents received a sum of more than two hundred yuan and a stack of coupons and certificates from Wen Siyuan¡¯s parents,

 Chapter 55 - 55 55 Stubborn

    ?Chapter 55: Chapter 55: Stubborn   Chapter 55: Chapter 55: Stubborn                                   They also promised Song Ning¡¯s parents a job for her younger brother who was about to be sent down to the countryside for re-education, in exchange for their support for Song Ning and Wen Siyuan¡¯s divorce.


    Sure, a daughter is born of one¡¯s own flesh, but so is a son. Moreover, how could a daughterpare to a son? Without much deliberation, Song Ning¡¯s parents readily agreed, determined to persuade their daughter to amicably proceed with the divorce with her husband.


    With her parents¡¯ advice of ¡°it¡¯s for your own good¡± ringing in her ears and her husband¡¯s indifferent gaze and silence in her mind, along with the scolding from her mother-inw, Song Ning, on the brink of an emotional breakdown, finally nodded her head in agreement to the divorce.


    At that moment, even though it was difficult for her to let go of her three daughters, she could no longer concern herself with that. She just wanted to escape, to get away far and fast; otherwise, she felt she might go insane!


    Song Ning did like, even love, Wen Siyuan. Although they were paired up through an introduction, from the moment she first saw Wen Siyuan, Song Ning¡¯s heart had fallen for this man. After marriage, she was wholly devoted to being a traditional wife, tending to her husband and raising their children.


    Little did she know, her husband, whom she thought reciprocated her feelings, showed nothing but indifference to her after she bore him three daughters.


    Song Ning knew that her mother-inw would not have brought the divorce agreement to her without her husband Wen Siyuan¡¯s consent.


    Feeling utterly disheartened, Song Ning didn¡¯t take a single thing with her after the divorce proceedings, but followed her parents home, and within three months, she had remarried through a matchmaker to a man in a small city in the South.


    Wen Yue, the eldest of the three sisters, might not understand why her parents divorced, but she did know that after her sister Wen Yu was born, her father never again showed a smile to her mother, to her, to her sister Wen Yi, or to her youngest sister.


    Only after the stepmother entered the family did she once again see her father as he used to be.


    But this version of her father was strange, and Wen Yue didn¡¯t like it. She rejected her stepmother Su Man and even hated seeing her with her father. In her opinion, all stepmothers were vixens. Otherwise, why would her dad needlessly divorce her mom?


    With this mindset, Wen Yue naturally equated Jiang Li with Su Man, seeing Jiang Li as another vixen, another bad woman. Even though Wen Yue knew that the Luo Family¡¯s situation was somewhat different from her own family¡¯s¡ªfor instance, Xiao Ming Wei¡¯s mother didn¡¯t divorce her father but died giving birth to Xiao Ming Wei and her brother Ming Han¡ªshe still believed that a stepmother was a stepmother, a bad woman intent on breaking up families.


    Therefore, she didn¡¯t think she had said anything wrong in front of Xiao Ming Wei, but she also didn¡¯t want to be admonished by Jiang Li, an adult. Suppressing the unease rising in her heart, she feigned calm and said,


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything wrong, Vivi¡¯s mother died giving birth to her and brother Hanhan. You¡¯re a stepmother, not her real mother!¡±


    After a brief pause, she heard no response from Jiang Li nor saw the beautiful, fairy-like woman look at her. Biting her lip, with a defiant look in her eyes, she added, ¡°I¡¯m not going to apologize!¡±


    ¡°Mom! Vivi¡¯s mom isn¡¯t a stepmother, she isn¡¯t a bad woman, she isn¡¯t a vixen!¡±


    The Luo Family¡¯splex had more than just Jiang Li and Su Man as stepmothers. To be more precise, there was a family in theplex that had weed a stepmother through their doors ten years ago.


    Ever since that stepmother arrived, the children left by the first wife had started to have no good days, yet no one in theplex seemed to notice anything wrong. Instead, they even thought the stepmother was quite kind to the children she inherited.


    It wasn¡¯t until one day when several police officers entered theplex and carried out the body of a four- or five-year-old girl from that family that people realized¡­ Ever since the arrival of the stepmother, the little girl and her brother, one year her senior, were almost daily forced to kneel in punishment, had their arms twisted, thighs pinched by the stepmother, and in moments of anger, evenshed with a feather duster.

 Chapter 56 - 56 56 Fairy Aunt

    ?Chapter 56: Chapter 56 Fairy Aunt   Chapter 56: Chapter 56 Fairy Aunt                                   It was only at this time that many people in the courtyard remembered why, every summer, the little siblings always wore long sleeves and pants.


    Ironically, the little girl died in the heat of summer, and when the police carried her body out, a gust of wind blew away the white cloth covering her. The onlookers unsurprisingly saw her arms and legs, exposed to the air, covered in blue and purple bruises.


    The contrast between new and old injuries was striking and deeply unsettling to those who saw it.


    Everyone was deeply saddened by the little girl¡¯s death.


    The little girl had been abused and beaten to death by her stepmother over a long period. Yet, because the stepmother had a public facade of decency, the neighbors and others in the courtyard had not noticed anything amiss before the incident urred.


    This goes to show that appearances can be deceiving; if the step-sister¡¯s older brother, just a year her senior, hadn¡¯t secretly run to the nearby police station, who knows what might have happened next.


    The stepmother was arrested by the police, but the little girl¡¯s life could not be brought back.


    Ten years have passed since the incident, and even though the family has moved out of the courtyard, people still can¡¯t help but gossip about it when they have free time.


    Especially now that they¡¯ve heard Wen Siyuan is getting divorced and remarrying, and Professor Luo, a widower, is also about to enter a second marriage.


    The events of years past are increasingly the subject of conversation.


    The adults speak without thinking, simply expressing their emotions, but what do the children understand?


    They hear bits and pieces, share them amongst themselves, and it¡¯s not surprising at all for some of it to reach the ears of Sister Wen Yue and the three siblings, Xiao Ming Rui.


    Right now, Kang Li was too busy to pay attention to Wen Yue, the little girl. She picked up Cute Baby Weiwei in one arm and led Milk Bun Hanhan with the other hand, her eyes smiling warmly as she said to the children looking at her, ¡°Vivi is a little unhappy right now; I¡¯m going to take her home. She¡¯lle to y with you allter!¡±


    One of the understanding children waved a little hand, ¡°Fairy Aunt, you take Vivi home. We¡¯re okay!¡±


    ¡°Goodbye, Fairy Aunt!¡±


    ¡°Goodbye, Vivi¡¯s Mother!¡±


    ¡­


    Seeing this, the smile in Kang Li¡¯s eyes became even more tender, and she curved her lips, ¡°Goodbye, kids.¡± She turned her gaze to Xiao Ming Rui, ¡°Ruirui, hold Hanhan¡¯s other hand; we¡¯re going home now!¡±


    After Kang Li and the three little ones entered the gate, under the old banyan tree, the little boy who was the first to talk to Kang Li, about seven or eight years old, red at Wen Yue and said:


    ¡°Yueyue, why did you have to emphasize in front of Vivi that her mom is a stepmother? That was wrong of you. Vivi loves her mom, and Vivi wasn¡¯t wrong; her mother is very beautiful, like a fairy from the heavens.¡±


    ¡°Wen Yue, you should apologize to Vivi!¡±


    This was said by another boy, who seemed to be about six or seven years old.


    ¡°My sister didn¡¯t say anything wrong; why should she apologize?¡±


    Five-year-old Wen Yi spoke up for her sister Wen Yue.


    ¡°Wen Yi, I think you and your sister are just jealous because Vivi¡¯s mother is nicer than the woman at your ce; that¡¯s why you said such things in front of Vivi.¡±


    ¡°Petty!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, Wen Yue, Wen Yi, you both are petty!¡±


    Wen Yi: ¡°We are not! That woman in our house isn¡¯t our mom, she¡¯s a stepmother, a bad woman!¡±


    Wen Yi, being a year younger than her sister Wen Yue, naturally knew about their birth mother, knew she had left them, and that their father had subsequently brought home a bad woman to be their stepmother.


    Influenced by her sister Wen Yue, Wen Yi was also very hostile towards the stepmother at home.

 Chapter 57 - 57 57 Really Fond of Vivis Mother

    ?Chapter 57: Chapter 57: Really Fond of Vivi¡¯s Mother?   Chapter 57: Chapter 57: Really Fond of Vivi¡¯s Mother?                                   ¡°Brother, let¡¯s go home. I don¡¯t want to y with Wen Yue and Wen Yi anymore!¡±


    ¡°Feng Zhen, Feng Loo, I¡¯ll leave with you.¡±


    ¡°Wait for me! Wait for me, Sister Lulu, wait for me!¡±


    Feng Zhen was the little boy who had started talking to Kang Li earlier, and this year he was seven years old. He was holding his sister Feng Loo¡¯s hand, with his best friend Song Hui and his sister¡¯s best friend Gu Chi following behind; the four children soon walked far away.


    ¡°Sister¡­¡±


    Watching the backs of Feng Zhen¡¯s group as they walked away, Wen Yi¡¯s eyes became damp, and she looked at her sister Wen Yue with a sense of grievance.


    ¡°No crying allowed!¡±


    Wen Yue actually felt very aggrieved too. She really didn¡¯t know what she had said wrong, why all her friends sided with Luo Mingwei and thought she was wrong, leaving her and her sister behind and not continuing to y with them.


    Under the old banyan tree, only Wen Yue and Wen Yi, the sisters, remained. As for their younger sister Wen Yu, since she had caught a chillst night and felt unwell, she wasn¡¯t brought out to y.


    With tears welling up in her eyes, Wen Yi asked softly, ¡°Sister, did we¡­ did we really do something wrong?¡±


    Wen Yue red, ¡°What was wrong?¡±


    ¡°The Fairy Aunt seems really nice!¡± Wen Yi blinked her wet eyes, ¡°I like Vivi¡¯s mother, she is really beautiful!¡±


    ¡°So pathetic.¡±


    Wen Yue snorted, but she actually agreed with what her sister said. Luo Mingwei¡¯s stepmother indeed looked as beautiful as a fairy girl, and seemed very gentle. Her smile made Wen Yue feel warm inside, unlike the bad woman at their home, who although smiling, always seemed disingenuous to her.


    ¡°Sister, should we go home?¡±


    ncing towards the entrance of their own courtyard, Wen Yi said, ¡°Little Fish must be missing us by now, shall we go back?¡±


    Wen Yue, ¡°Not feeling aggrieved anymore?¡±


    ¡°Sister would be unhappy.¡±


    Wen Yi knew her sister disliked seeing her look so forlorn. Since her sister disliked it, she tried hard not to appear aggrieved.


    Rubbing her sister¡¯s head, Wen Yue leaned against the old banyan tree, staring into the distant sky and mused like a little adult, ¡°I wonder where mother is now, and if she is thinking of us?¡±


    Wen Yi leaned against her sister, shaking her little head, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    Wen Yue: ¡°Do you miss Mom?¡±


    Wen Yi: ¡°Do you, Sister?¡±


    Wen Yue remained silent.


    Wen Yi: ¡°If sister misses mom, then Little Yi misses her too.¡±


    ¡°Silly.¡±


    Lightly tugging at the little braids on her sister¡¯s head, Wen Yue said, ¡°I hate Dad. If he hadn¡¯t divorced Mom, she wouldn¡¯t have left us, and then that vixen wouldn¡¯t havee into our family.¡±


    ¡°Sister, what you said isn¡¯t right. Our stepmother isn¡¯t as good-looking as a vixen.¡±


    Wen Yi looked up, her face entirely earnest, ¡°Compared to Vivi¡¯s mom, our stepmother is just a big in face, not pretty at all.¡±


    The little girl wrinkled her nose in distaste.


    Looking down at her sister, Wen Yueughed, ¡°So you mean to say Vivi¡¯s mom is the vixen?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say that, Vivi¡¯s mom is a Little Fairy. I like the Little Fairy.¡±


    Wen Yi said this with an innocent face.


    ¡°Do you like Vivi¡¯s mom that much?¡±


    Wen Yue asked her sister.


    Wen Yi: ¡°Can¡¯t I?¡±


    Wen Yue: ¡°¡­¡±


    It wasn¡¯t that she couldn¡¯t, but Wen Yue didn¡¯t know if that fairy-like woman would still let Vivi y with them.


    Luo Family.


    Holding the Cute Baby Weiwei and sitting on a small armchair in the living room, and after getting Ruirui and Hanhan settled, Kang Li¡¯s eyes shone with yful mirth as she softly said to the three, ¡°Ruirui must know I¡¯m not your biological mom¡­¡±

 Chapter 58 - 58 58 Da Minghan (1)

    ?Chapter 58: Chapter 58 Da Minghan (1)   Chapter 58: Chapter 58 Da Minghan (1)                                   Before Kang Li could continue, Xiao Ming Wei opened her mouth wide and burst into tears, ¡°Mommy is a liar, a mommy is a mommy, you can¡¯t lie to Weiwei, Sister Yueyue is naughty, my mommy is not a stepmother!¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright, don¡¯t cry now, Weiwei. How about you listen to what Mommy has to say?¡±


    Kang Li gently patted the little girl¡¯s back and softly said, ¡°If Weiwei keeps crying, not only will it hurt your throat, but you won¡¯t look pretty either.¡±


    ¡°Weiwei doesn¡¯t want to be unpretty, Weiwei wants to be a little fairy like Mommy, hic¡­ Weiwei won¡¯t cry, Mommy, Weiwei won¡¯t cry anymore¡­ Weiwei wants to be a little fairy¡­¡±


    Tears sparkled on her long eyshes as Cute Baby Weiwei tried to stop her sobs, not letting her golden beans fall anymore.


    Staring at such a little girl, Kang Li found her both heart-wrenching and incredibly endearing. She said, ¡°Our little baby Weiwei is so good!¡±


    ¡°Weiwei is a good baby!¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei sniffled and lifted her childlike voice, ¡°Listen to Mommy¡¯s words.¡±


    In that instant, Kang Li grew excessively fond of the cute baby. She pulled out a light blue handkerchief from her pocket and, while wiping away the child¡¯s tears, she spoke with a smile in her voice, calmly and unhurriedly,


    ¡°That sister was not wrong earlier, I am not your birth mother, nor am I the birth mother of your big and second brothers. In other words, you were not born to me. However, I like you very much and, from today on, I will apany you as you grow up.¡±


    She paused for a moment, then turned her gaze to Xiao Ming Rui and Xiao Ming Han before continuing, ¡°As for your birth mother, she is now a star in the sky. And before I met you, she asked me to take good care of you all. She said that if you miss her, you can look at the stars in the night sky¡­ She said she¡¯s watching over you from up there!¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei was, after all, just a two-and-a-half-year-old child. She half-understood and asked with a milky voice, ¡°Does Weiwei have two mommies?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Kang Li froze for a moment, then nodded, ¡°Yes, our Weiwei has two mommies.¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei quietly looked at Kang Li, ¡°Then, are you the stepmother?¡±


    At this, Kang Li didn¡¯t know what to say. She hadn¡¯t expected the child to turn the conversation back to the beginning after her previous exnations.


    Suddenly, Xiao Ming Han said with a straight face, ¡°Weiwei! A stepmother is also a mommy!¡± Following this statement, Xiao Ming Han pressed his lips together tightly, silently questioning Da Minghan, who had suddenly appeared inside him half a month ago.


    Yes, it was Da Minghan.


    It was Da Minghan who had told him that he was indeed him, his older self.


    He also said that he wouldn¡¯t harm him but only wanted to protect him, to be by his side as he and his brother and sister grew up.


    It was also Da Minghan who told him that a very beautiful mommy, just like a Fairy Girl, woulde to their home and take care of him and his siblings.


    Although this mommy was a bit clumsy, not very good at cooking orundry, she was trying hard to learn how to do those things. Even though they, the three siblings, made her frantic every day, she never detested them and wholeheartedly showed them kindness.


    When he first found out that Da Minghan was inside him, he was a little bit scared, but as time went by day after day, he was not afraid anymore.


    Because Da Minghan did as he said, he didn¡¯t hurt him, but instead taught him how to read and count. At other times, Da Minghan was very quiet.


    ¡°Da Minghan, Da Minghan, am I right?¡±


    Da Minghan: ¡°Of course, you are right.¡±


    Xiao Ming Han: ¡°Da Minghan, I don¡¯t think Mommy is clumsy at all!¡±


    Da Minghan: ¡°Maybe it was really a mistake on my part, I¡¯m sorry.¡±

 Chapter 59 - 59 59 Da Minghan (2)

    ?Chapter 59: Chapter 59 Da Minghan (2)   Chapter 59: Chapter 59 Da Minghan (2)                                   He hadn¡¯t expected that after his death he could return to a day in his childhood, to the time before he and his sister Ming Wei were kidnapped.


    At that moment, he was overjoyed, and to describe it as being so happy he could cry was no exaggeration.


    He had it all nned out¡ªhe would protect his elder and younger siblings, protect his younger self, and protect their new mother who loved the three of them, ensuring that he and his five-year-old sister would not be kidnapped from the department store again, avoiding the fate of their previous life¡­


    He didn¡¯t know where the kidnapper had taken his sister Vivi, but he remembered his past clearly, which arose in his mind at the moment he had fallen from the high scaffolding at the construction site.


    The memories were vivid, with each frame and each person in those frames appearing clearly in his mind.


    The kidnapper had lured him and his sister with brightly colored toys.


    At that time, he and his sister were standing next to their mother, Kang Li, waiting for her to buy them toys when he forgot his mother¡¯s admonition and, holding his sister¡¯s hand,


    was lured outside the department store doors by a kidnapper wielding a wooden gun and a cloth doll as big as an adult¡¯s palm¡­ Then, the kidnapper and her aplice picked him and his sister up and covered their mouths with damp handkerchiefs, quickly boarding a bus.


    Before losing consciousness, he didn¡¯t even have time to scream¡­


    When he woke up without seeing his sister, he wailed loudly. A couple, iming to be his parents, tried their best to cheer him up, urging him to call them mom and dad.


    He was reluctant, and although they were not angry, they insisted on treating him well, saying he was their son, and that they would raise him. When they grew old and infirm, he would have to take care of them, carry on the family line, and send them off when they passed away.


    As days passed, he didn¡¯t find salvation from his father and new mother. Gradually, his memories started to blur, but just as he wasing to ept the couple as his parents, they had their own child and from then on, there were no more good days for him in that house.


    Little him was tasked by his mother to do theundry and cook; his father would yell at him to herd cattle and sheep and cut pig grass.


    They didn¡¯t send him to school, calling him a bastard ¨C it was enough that they fed him, and they wouldn¡¯t waste unjustified money on him.


    He suffered through beatings and scoldings, unable to get enough food or warm clothing, which marked his life in that household for nearly ten years.


    With the economic reforms, people from the vige went out to work, and he was driven out to earn money for the weddings of his younger brothers.


    Being allowed to leave the house undoubtedly made him happy, for he dimly remembered that he was not a child of that family. He needed to step out of the mountains, take advantage of working outside to find his own family.


    But an ident urred¡­ while working at the construction site, a fellow viger around his age missed a step on the scaffolding and was about to fall when he quickly grabbed and saved him.


    As a result, while the other was saved, he fell from the scaffolding, which was as high as a five-story building.


    That year he was still a minor, and his life¡­ his life came to an end.


    He thought it might be a relief to just let go, but before he closed his eyes for thest time, memories from before he was kidnapped shed through his mind.


    The words now spoken to Xiao Ming Han by Da Minghan were sincere, for today he also realized, the current mother, Kang Li¡­ seemed, perhaps not the same person as the new mother Kang Li in his memories.


    The reason?


    His new mother, Kang Li, truly wasn¡¯t good at cooking. Despite looking like a Fairy Girl, she could cook neither properly boiled rice nor half-done food,

 Chapter 60 - 60 60 Jiang Li Only Wishes

    ?Chapter 60: Chapter 60 Jiang Li Only Wishes¡­   Chapter 60: Chapter 60 Jiang Li Only Wishes¡­                                   The clothes he washed were creased and rarely clean, but as time went on, his new mother made progress inundry, cooking, and taking care of household affairs.


    There was no doubt about it.


    After all, he had felt it firsthand and seen it with his own eyes.


    The mother, Kang Li, who now appeared in this home, aside from having the exact same appearance as the new mother Kang Li from his memory, was different in other aspects, such as her every word and action.


    Especially in cooking, which was notably apparent.


    Lurou noodles, fragrant and steaming lurou noodles, from preparing ingredients to serving the delicious noodles, this new mother Kang Li¡¯s cooking skills were simply too proficient.


    And their temperaments were different too. If asked to specify the differences, he, uneducated as he was, couldn¡¯t describe them.


    Thinking of this, Da Minghan felt that maybe¡­ maybe he hade to a world simr to hisst life. Otherwise, he didn¡¯t know how to exin why the woman holding Vivi was different from the one in his memory.


    However, the good thing was that he could see the other person, like his new mother Kang Li, was kind and fond of children.


    Knowing that the children¡¯s digestive systems were still developing, she carefully rolled noodles suitable for them to eat, and at the end, even mashed the noodles in the bowls of Xiao Ming Han and Xiao Ming Wei to make it easier for them to eat and digest.


    Xiao Ming Han: ¡°Da Minghan, are you unhappy?¡±


    Da Minghan: ¡°No.¡±


    Xiao Ming Han: ¡°I like mother.¡±


    Da Minghan: ¡°I know.¡±


    Ever since he and his sister Ming Wei were born, they had never seen their birth mother, who, it was said, died giving birth to them. Before he was kidnapped, he really felt indifferent about it. Instead, he remembered the mother Kang Li who came to their home when he and his sister were two and a half years old.


    It was this mother whoughed with them, yed with them, and gave them a mother¡¯s love. Even though she was clumsy, in his heart, she was his mother, a mother he liked even more than his father.


    Thinking about his father, Da Minghan could describe his feelings in two words¡ªalienation.


    Stern and unsmiling, hardly ever at home, even when the new mother arrived in their home, he could count on one hand the number of times father came home in a whole year.


    Moreover, the father¡¯s gaze toward them, brother and sister, was nearly devoid of any affection, always indifferent, not like other children¡¯s fathers who, whenever free, would y and raise their own children high or even let their young offspring ride on their necks like a mighty steed.


    Sighing inwardly, Da Minghan sat quietly in a corner next to Xiao Ming Han.


    He hoped the father in this world¡­ could be changed a little by the new mother of this world, so that Xiao Ming Han and his siblings in this world could enjoy the love from their father.


    ¡­


    ¡°Stepmother is also a mother?¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei repeated in her milky voice the words of her second older brother Ming Han, but immediately she frowned, ¡°But Sister Yueyue said that all stepmothers are bad women.¡±


    ¡°Why believe what others say?¡± Milk Bun Hanhan widened her eyes, ¡°Our mother is a good stepmother!¡±


    Kang Li wanted to facepalm.


    Why did the milk buns keep calling her ¡®stepmother¡¯?


    It was one thing for her toe to this family as a stepmother, but she didn¡¯t actually like the term ¡°stepmother.¡±


    Historically, the term ¡°stepmother¡± had been imbued with too many prejudices by people; hearing ¡°stepmother¡± would first conjure images of evil, bad women in people¡¯s minds.


    Now she was a stepmother, a certified and on-duty stepmother, and she was clear about how to be a good stepmother. She only wished the word ¡°stepmother¡± would appear less by her ears.

 Chapter 61 - 61 61 I Wont

    ?Chapter 61: Chapter 61 I Won¡¯t   Chapter 61: Chapter 61 I Won¡¯t                                   ¡°I want to call her mom, not stepmom, and Big Brother and Second Brother can¡¯t call her stepmom either!¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei suddenly became bossy and powerful, puffing her cheeks, she stared firmly at her brothers, Min Rui and Ming Han.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I like mom and promise not to call her that way!¡±


    Xiao Ming Han stood up and chested out as he made the promise.


    ¡°Big Brother?¡±


    Having not heard Big Brother Min Rui speak for a while, Xiao Ming Wei got a bit anxious. She slowly slid down from Kang Li¡¯sp, and sensing that the little girl intended to get down, Kang Li carefully watched over her movements.


    ¡°Big Brother, why aren¡¯t you saying anything? Don¡¯t you like mom, do you want to call her stepmom?¡±


    Standing in front of her brother Min Rui, Xiao Ming Wei tilted her head and unhappily said, ¡°You can¡¯t do that, Big Brother, you can¡¯t call mom stepmom, or else¡­ or else I won¡¯t talk to you anymore!¡±


    Kang Li¡¯s eyes were gentle, and a smile lingered on her lips. She did not join in the conversation between the siblings, just quietly watched the little ones interact.


    Feeling his sister¡¯s stern gaze, Min Rui¡¯s mouth twitched, and he said, ¡°I won¡¯t.¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei asked, ¡°Big Brother won¡¯t do what?¡±


    Xiao Ming Han: ¡°Sister is silly, Big Brother said he won¡¯t call mom stepmom!¡±


    Not fully believing her second brother, Xiao Ming Wei confirmed with Min Rui, ¡°Is that right, Big Brother?¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡±


    Min Rui nodded.


    Kang Liughed, she pped her hands lightly, ¡°Alright, sit nicely in the living room and read yourics while mom tidies up the house for us.¡±


    ¡°Okay, Mom.¡±


    The twins responded in unison.


    Min Rui: ¡°Okay.¡±


    Standing up, Kang Li returned to the master bedroom and summoned System Dwen Dwen online.


    ¡°Is there anything you need, Miss?¡±


    Seeing the happiness points from the twins rising steadily, Dwen Dwen couldn¡¯t be happier. As soon as he sensed Kang Li¡¯s call, he immediately appeared in her mind.


    Kang Li: ¡°I need curtains, bed sheets, duvet covers, pillowcases, enamel basins, ss cups¡­ Just use points to exchange for them, and if the points aren¡¯t enough, we¡¯ll owe them for now.¡±


    Dwen Dwen: ¡°No problem.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°You decide on the specifications.¡±


    Dwen Dwen: ¡°Got it.¡±


    After giving instructions to System Dwen Dwen, Kang Li went outside to fetch a basin of water and wiped down the furniture in each room. She also thoroughly organized Luo Yanqing¡¯s study. By the time she had finished everything inside and out, it was already four in the afternoon.


    Just then, voices were heard from the yard gate, followed by the gate being pushed open. Captain Kang, Big Brother Kang, and Kang Guoan walked into the yard one after another.


    ¡°Dad, Big Brother, Little Brother, you¡¯re back?! Did things go smoothly?¡±


    Kang Li poured a cup of cooled malt extract for each of the three men at the small dining table and sat down on a nearby small armchair.


    ¡°With Comrade He leading, your little brother¡¯s employment process went very smoothly,¡± said Captain Kang as he took a sip from the water ss in front of him, then paused and asked Kang Li, ¡°Why did you make malt extract?¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°I made it half an hour ago, thinking you¡¯d be thirsty when you got back.¡±


    ¡°Malt extract is expensive, and since Ruirui and the others are growing, it¡¯s best for them to drink it. Give dad a cup of in water instead.¡±


    Putting down his cup on the table, Captain Kang looked at Kang Li displeasedly.


    ¡°Ruirui and the others are already drinking it, and besides, no matter how expensive malt extract is, it¡¯s meant to be drunk. You are my dad, and it¡¯s alright for me to make a cup for my own dad and brothers,¡± she said as she handed the water cup back to Captain Kang.


    Kang Li smiled and continued, ¡°I¡¯ve got it all nned out. From now on, even though I¡¯ll be at home taking care of the kids, I can write some articles and send them to the newspapers to earn some fees. That way, I can also have some ie of my own.¡±

 Chapter 62 - 62 62 Not at all difficult

    ?Chapter 62: Chapter 62 Not at all difficult   Chapter 62: Chapter 62 Not at all difficult                                   That is to say, Kang Li undoubtedly put her biological father and brothers at ease. She was not the kind of woman who only knew how to ask men for money to live on, although the earnings of the men in the family were managed by her as the matriarch. But whether she was being herself or a salted fish, she didn¡¯t want to live a humble life.


    Besides, she was not a humble person to begin with. Even if she thought about being a salted fish for the rest of her life, her pride and dignity wouldn¡¯t allow her to be a beggar!


    ¡°Dad, have a drink. When I get my paycheck, I¡¯ll buy some malt extract for sister and bring it over.¡±


    Kang Guoan said, lifting the cup in front of him and tilting his head back to finish it in one gulp.


    ¡°Why haven¡¯t I seen Ruirui and the others?¡±


    Kang Guoan asked as he set down the empty cup.


    ¡°They¡¯re in their room readingic books.¡±


    Kang Li nced toward the doorway of the little ones¡¯ room and smiled, ¡°They¡¯re all being good, not troublesome at all to take care of.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡±


    Team Leader Kang nodded his head and still ended up drinking the malt extract his precious daughter had made for him.


    After about half an hour¡¯s rest, Big Brother Kang said, ¡°Dad, how about we help Kang Li tidy up the yard now?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Team Leader Kang had no objections, and he stood up to ask Kang Li, ¡°Do we have a shovel and a hoe here at home?¡±


    ¡°We do.¡± Whether they had them or not, they needed to have them.


    Kang Li verbally responded and stood up with Big Brother Kang and younger brother Kang Guoan, ¡°I¡¯ll go to the storeroom to get them.¡± In reality, she was making purchases using Points in the Mall through the System behind Team Leader Kang and her brothers.


    ¡°Dad, you guys go ahead, I¡¯m going to make a trip to Auntie Qi¡¯s house.¡±


    After getting the shovel and hoe and other tools needed and cing them by the wall in the yard, Kang Li looked at Team Leader Kang, ¡°If Ruirui and the others are looking for me, tell them to wait at home for me. I¡¯ll be back soon.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead, your dad knows.¡±


    Picking up the hoe and ncing at theyout n Kang Li had drawn up earlier, Team Leader Kang called out to Big Brother Kang and Kang Guoan to start working.


    ¡­


    Song Family¡¯s home.


    ¡°Xiao Kang is here,e in, have a seat in the living room.¡±


    Mrs. Qi was initially sitting at the doorway of the living room, watching her grandson Song Xuan with affection as he crouched under aurel tree as thick as a bowl in the courtyard, poking ants with a stick,


    when she suddenly heard footsteps at the entrance of the yard. Looking in the direction of the sound, she saw Kang Li entering with a smile on her face and quickly stood up to invite Kang Li into the living room.


    ¡°Auntie Qi, I came to ask where you buy bricks and cement.¡±


    As the two settled in the living room, Kang Li stated the purpose of her visit.


    ¡°Bricks and cement? Are you about to¡­¡±


    Mrs. Qi looked puzzled.


    ¡°I want to tidy up the yard. Oh, and Auntie Qi, I also want to install faucets in the kitchen and shower room. I¡¯m afraid I might have to turn off the water at home when work starts. Do I need to notify anyone in particr?¡±


    ¡°No need, when our residentialpound was established, each house was fitted with a water valve. You just need to close the valve in your yard before starting work.


    Regarding the bricks and cement, give me an estimate of how much you need. I¡¯ll call Comrade He and let him know; he¡¯ll arrange for someone to deliver it to your house. You¡¯ll probably also need water pipes and faucets, I¡¯ll mention that too, so everything is prepared and delivered to you all at once.¡±


    ¡°Then thank you very much, Auntie Qi!¡±


    Kang Li¡¯s expression was sincere, and her manners were gracious. Mrs. Qi smiled broadly, waving her hand dismissively, ¡°Don¡¯t be so formal. Do you need any help? Comrade He can take care of that too.¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s not too much trouble for Comrade He, I would trouble Auntie Qi to ask him to hire a couple of workers for me.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the trouble?!¡±


    Mrs. Qiughed and shook her head, ¡°You sit tight, I¡¯ll be right back.¡±


    Leaving the living room for a short while, Mrs. Qi returned carrying a small box the size of an adult¡¯s palm. She sat back down in her original spot, opened the box, and took out a passbook which she handed to Kang Li:

 Chapter 63 - 63 63 Why Should Others Add Guesses Arbitrarily

    ?Chapter 63: Chapter 63 Why Should Others Add Guesses Arbitrarily?   Chapter 63: Chapter 63 Why Should Others Add Guesses Arbitrarily?                                   ¡°This chit belongs to Little Luo, keep it. Additionally, this box contains three hundred eighty yuan, six hundred yuan in foreign exchange coupons, and some cloth coupons, non-staple food coupons, meat coupons, and other certificates and coupons, you keep those too.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Kang Li was not the slightest bit pretentious. She put the passbook back in the box without counting the money and the foreign exchange coupons or any certificates and said, ¡°Ruirui and his siblings had Auntie Qi looking after them before. If Auntie Qi needs my help in the future, just let me know.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, if there¡¯s anything you can help with, Auntie Qi will definitely not be polite with you.¡±


    She epted everything frankly and without pretense, a girl with a clear and bright heart.


    Mrs. Qi looked at Kang Li, her eyes full of smiles.


    The two chatted for about seven or eight minutes before Kang Li stood up to take her leave, ¡°My father and my elder and younger brothers are already busy in the courtyard. I should head back now. When I¡¯m free, I¡¯ll bring the kids over to visit you.¡±


    Mrs. Qi nodded, rising to walk Kang Li to the courtyard gate.


    ¡°I am leaving now, Auntie Qi, you go back, goodbye!¡±


    At the courtyard gate, Kang Li waved to Mrs. Qi.


    ¡°Alright, goodbye.¡±


    Mrs. Qi also waved her hand, watching Kang Li¡¯s figure as she walked away.


    At that moment, a middle-aged woman who appeared to be a female cadre passing by the Song Family Courtyard stopped and asked Mrs. Qi, ¡°Old Qi, who is that girl? She¡¯s really beautiful!¡±


    Mrs. Qi, with a smile, said, ¡°She is Little Luo¡¯s beloved.¡±


    ¡°Little Luo¡¯s beloved? Could it really be that Old Song arranged their marriage?¡±


    The middle-aged woman, surnamed Wang and named Chan, looked surprised, ¡°I heard from my husband, Old Wei, a while ago. He mentioned that Old Song was nning to find a wife for Little Luo. It hasn¡¯t been long, and Old Song has already made it happen.¡±


    ¡°Old Wang, listen to what you¡¯re saying. It¡¯s not that Old Song wanted to make a match for Little Luo. It was a decision from the organization. Old Song was just entrusted by the organization to handle this matter,¡± Mrs. Qi corrected, as though to say Old Song wasn¡¯t the type to meddle unnecessarily, relying on his seniority to manage Little Luo¡¯s personal affairs despite her inner doubts, showing no signs of confusion on her face.


    The woman, Wang Chan, chuckled sheepishly, ¡°It¡¯s my fault for not making myself clear, don¡¯t take it the wrong way, Old Qi!¡±


    Mrs. Qi shook her head, listening as the other spoke again, ¡°Finding such a gem of a wife for Little Luo, Old Song truly put his heart into it.


    By the way, where is that youngdy from? Are her family¡¯s circumstances not very good? Otherwise, how could her parents bear to let such a wonderful girl marry¡­¡±


    ¡°Old Wang!¡±


    Mrs. Qi¡¯s expression changed slightly, cutting off the other¡¯s implied words, saying, ¡°Can you stop specting about others¡¯ intentions? Since you want to know about Little Luo¡¯s wife, I¡¯ll tell you.


    That young girl is the treasure of her parents, cherished and protected by her whole family from a young age. Agreeing to marry Little Luo was partly because our organization admired the youngdy¡¯s character and upbringing,


    and partly because the girl heard about Little Luo¡¯s profession and, out of admiration, voluntarily chose to be hispanion. It¡¯s not for the messy reasons you¡¯re imagining that led to their marriage.¡±


    Even though Little Luo was married once before and has three children, his personal circumstances are by no meanscking; as for Xiao Kang, the youngdy is certainly not someone who could be manipted, nor would she unwillingly marry a twice-married man with children just because her parents wanted her to for their own benefit.


    Moreover, during today¡¯s meeting with Xiao Kang, it was clear that the youngdy was perceptive, bright, by no means looked like she was mistreated,ing to be a stepmother for Ruirui and his siblings.


    So why should others add baseless spection?

 Chapter 64 - 64 64 Kang Li Sees Everything Clearly

    ?Chapter 64: Chapter 64 Kang Li Sees Everything Clearly   Chapter 64: Chapter 64 Kang Li Sees Everything Clearly                                   ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry, Old Qi, I really don¡¯t know how to speak properly. You¡¯re generous, so please don¡¯t take offense at my words,¡±


    Even though Wang Chan was reluctant to concede, at this point, she had no choice but to stoop low and humble herself. With an awkward expression and a forced smile, she said, ¡°You¡¯re busy, and I have guests at home right now, so I won¡¯t keep you chatting¡­¡±


    However, before Madame Wang Chan could finish her sentence, Mrs. Qi¡¯s cool voice had already reached her ears: ¡°Old Wang, since you know you don¡¯t speak well, I hope you¡¯ll draft your words carefully in your mind before you speak from now on.¡±


    So bluntly humiliated, Wang Chan was filled with disbelief: ¡°Old Qi, you¡­¡±


    But Mrs. Qi didn¡¯t even give her another nce, turning around and heading straight back into her courtyard, and casually shutting the gate behind her.


    Watching this unfold, Wang Chan felt deeply insulted, clenching her fists involuntarily, with a look of anger hard to conceal.


    Too proud for her own good, huh?


    If it weren¡¯t for her husband, Old Wei, losing to that old guy Song Enping by just one vote back in the day, who knows who would be the station head now!


    ¡°Tch!¡±


    Spitting toward the gate of the Song Family Courtyard, Wang Chan¡¯s face darkened as she continued on her way home: ¡°It¡¯s just a few casual remarks, but she has to make an issue of it. She¡¯s as petty as theye!¡±


    With a snort, she showed a look of disdain.


    At the same time, just as Kang Li was about to reach her own courtyard gate, she was called from behind.


    The person called her ¡°Ruirui¡¯s Mom.¡±


    Stopping, Kang Li turned to look at the person who called her. She didn¡¯t recognize who it was at first nce, but as soon as she saw the two little girls by the person¡¯s side, she understood.


    It must be the parents of the two little sisters. Thinking this, Kang Li momentarily froze, as she realized that the woman approaching her, who shared a congenial smile and was about the same size as her, bore a striking resemnce to Educated Youth Su, who had once been sent down to Aoli Vige.


    Could this be the heroine, Su Man?


    Pondering to herself while keeping herposure, the more Kang Li thought, the more she felt it was possible, especially since she suddenly remembered that the book mentioned¡ªthe hero and heroine¡¯s family lived right next to the Luo Family.


    Indeed, when the person stopped a couple of steps away from Kang Li and introduced herself, four characters surged in Kang Li¡¯s mind: I knew it.


    ¡°Hello, my name is Su Man, and I¡¯m Wen Yue and Wen Yi¡¯s mother.¡±


    This was the heroine Su Man introducing herself to Kang Li.


    Following that, she said apologetically, ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, my daughter Wen Yue said something that hurt your Vivi. It¡¯s my fault for not educating her well¡­¡±


    Kang Li understood what the other was referring to and also caught the implied meaning in her words. Without waiting for the reborn heroine¡ªwho took her own sister¡¯s destined partner¡ªto finish, Kang Li shook her head. Her voice, clear but gentle, flowed from her lips, ¡°Comrade Su, there¡¯s no need to apologize to me. I don¡¯t think your little girl said anything wrong.¡±


    Su Man was taken aback.


    Wen Yue, who had been looking down, feeling uneasy, now raised her head to look at Kang Li, her facepletely frozen in shock.


    Wen Yi was equally stunned; however, the little girl quickly lit up, tilting her head with an innocent, genuine smile.


    ¡°Indeed, I¡¯m not the biological mother of Vivi and her siblings. Your little girl simply told the truth. Vivi is young and had a hard time epting it, so she was upset and shed golden beans.¡±


    So, there¡¯s no need to say sorry to me here, and make the young sisters feel wronged, to show that you¡¯re an understanding, non-indulgent stepmother who also knows how to behave socially.


    Kang Li was not blind; she saw that there were quite a few gazes directed at her and the heroine Su Man, and she even knew that the owners of those gazes were all ears, listening to what they were discussing.

 Chapter 65 - 65 65 Kang Li Stubbornly Not Letting You Have

    ?Chapter 65: Chapter 65 Kang Li: Stubbornly Not Letting You Have Your Way   Chapter 65: Chapter 65 Kang Li: Stubbornly Not Letting You Have Your Way                                   Yet, when the female protagonist chose to call out to her in public, bringing the child along to apologize to her face-to-face, even the deepest of calctions could not be hidden from her.


    After all, through the content of the books, she clearly knew what kind of character the female protagonist was.


    Su Man had no idea what Kang Li was thinking. She tugged at the corners of her mouth, enduring the awkwardness as she said, ¡°Comrade, you¡¯re really kind, so magnanimous, not holding a grudge against my two children.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already said that your little girl did nothing wrong. Since she¡¯s not at fault, why would I be angry with a child? Besides, even if the little girl had said something amiss, I, as an adult, wouldn¡¯t stoop so low as to be petty about such a trivial matter and take it out on a child.¡±


    White lotus flowers and green tea bitches, as far as Kang Li herself is concerned, she makes no judgment, as long as these kinds of women do not entangle with her.


    Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t save their face.


    Bending down, Kang Li looked straight into Wen Yi¡¯s slightly red eyes. She rubbed the little girl¡¯s head, her smiling voice sounding both gentle and friendly, ¡°Behave, you said nothing wrong in front of Vivi. Don¡¯t worry that auntie will get angry.¡±


    ¡°Are you really not angry?¡±


    Wen Yi held back the tears falling from her eyes as she asked cautiously.


    Kang Li shook her head, ¡°No. But auntie hopes you won¡¯t say such things in front of Vivi in the future, okay? Because auntie¡¯s Vivi is still small, and hearing that would make her feel uneasy and unhappy.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I won¡¯t say it anymore.¡±


    Wen Yue nodded.


    ¡°What a good child!¡±


    Rubbing the little girl¡¯s head once more, Kang Li¡¯s other hand reached into her pocket and then pulled out several White Rabbit Creamy Candies, ¡°Here you go, auntie is treating you and your sister to some candy.¡±


    Alright, the candies were actually exchanged temporarily from the System with points.


    ¡°Thank you, auntie! I was wrong. I¡¯m the older child; I shouldn¡¯t have said those things to my sister Vivi, causing her to be sad and upset.¡±


    Clutching the White Rabbit Creamy Candies Kang Li gave her, Wen Yue bowed slightly to apologize.


    ¡°Fairy Aunt, can my sister and I still y with Vivi?¡±


    Wen Yi asked with her baby voice at this moment.


    ¡°Of course, you can.¡±


    Gently rubbing the little girl¡¯s head, Kang Li¡¯s bright, fox-like eyes smiled like crescent moons, ¡°All right, you should go home with your mom. Auntie has things to do at home and can¡¯t chat with you for long.¡±


    With that, Kang Li nodded toward Su Man and then turned to walk into her own courtyard.


    She didn¡¯t care what kind of face the other party made; she simply followed her own heart in speaking and acting.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go back.¡±


    As much as possible, Su Man tried to maintain her gentle expression. She nced at the Wen sisters before attempting to take their hands to head home,


    Unexpectedly, Wen Yue and Wen Yi simultaneously avoided her. With a tense face, Wen Yue said, ¡°My sister and I will y outside. When we want to go home, we¡¯ll go back by ourselves.¡±


    Bad woman!


    Going out in the afternoon, she somehow heard about the incident with her and her little sister, Wen Yi, upsetting Vivi. When they got home, the woman began nagging at her and her sister to tell everything about what happened. Against their will, she demanded they go to the Luo Family to apologize.


    If they didn¡¯tply, she threatened to tell their father.


    To avoid their father¡¯s displeasure, she and her sister could only obediently follow the bad woman out of the house, filled with uneasiness.


    Unexpectedly, Vivi¡¯s Mother didn¡¯t me them at all, even clearly stating she was not wrong.


    ¡°Alright, just remember toe home early.¡±


    With a smile on her face, Su Man spoke warmly as she walked away under the obvious repelling stares of the Wen sisters.


    She had not expected that the n she had thought through before leaving the house would turn out entirely against her expectations.

 Chapter 66 - 66 66 Not Taking It Seriously

    ?Chapter 66: Chapter 66 Not Taking It Seriously   Chapter 66: Chapter 66 Not Taking It Seriously                                   Yes, she brought Wen Yue and Wen Yi, her stepdaughters, to the Luo Family to apologize and to show off in front of others, so as to earn herself a reputation as a woman who was literate, nurtured her stepdaughters lovingly but not indulgently, and was capable of teaching them manners.


    Who would have thought, that woman who looked like a vixen was even better at ¡°ying the game¡±!


    Grinding her teeth silently, Su Man felt extremely frustrated!


    ¡­


    The Luo Family.


    Seeing his precious daughter walk through the courtyard gate, Captain Kang stopped his work and with a hint of worry in his eyes, asked with concern, ¡°Who was it that called out to you just now, did anyone bully you?¡±


    Gently shaking her head, Kang Li responded, ¡°It was the neighbor next door, she called out to apologize to me.¡±


    Captain Kang was puzzled, ¡°Apologize?¡±


    Big Brother Kang and Kang Guoan both looked at Kang Li with eyes full of questions.


    To avoid worrying her father and brothers, Kang Li had to recount exactly what Su Man had said when she stopped her.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious, just a little tiff between kids.¡±


    Captain Kang went back to his work, but continued to speak without stopping, ¡°You don¡¯t need to take what kids say to heart, it will only make you feel ufortable.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I didn¡¯t take it seriously.¡±


    Kang Li looked natural with a smile in her fox-like eyes, and she said, ¡°Before I agreed to marry Comrade Luo Yanqing, I already knew what kind of status I would have to face. Since it was something I knew and agreed to, I of course don¡¯t mind what others say about my current status.¡±


    ¡°It seems the child next door knows a lot.¡±


    Kang Guoan muttered softly.


    Hearing this, Kang Li paused, then stepped forward and whispered to her father and older and younger brothers, ¡°The Comrade Su next door is the same as me.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    The three men of Captain Kang¡¯s family were perplexed.


    Kang Li: ¡°Also a stepmother.¡±


    ¡°What a coincidence?¡±


    Kang Guoan was surprised.


    Kang Li: Could it be any less of a coincidence? Your sister is the control group in their experiment!


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s just a coincidence. This house was assigned by the agency, and who bes neighbors with whom isn¡¯t for individuals to decide.¡±


    That¡¯s what Kang Li said, but what she was truly thinking, nobody knew.


    After all, it was the plot that demanded it, or more precisely, it was an intentional arrangement by the author.


    The purpose was nothing but to highlight the female protagonist.


    As evening approached, He Feng arranged for someone to deliver the bricks and cement that Kang Li needed, and also sent word to her that the craftsmen would arrive early the next morning.


    The moon was bright and clear, casting a watery light. After dinner, Captain Kang walked with his hands behind his back in the courtyard to aid digestion, with Xiao Ming Rui trotting closely behind him.


    In the kitchen, Big Brother Kang and Kang Guoan chatted idly while washing pots, pans, dishes, and cutlery.


    ¡°The day after tomorrow you¡¯re going to start your official job. Remember to work hard and don¡¯t bring shame to our family or to our Kang Li.¡±


    This was the voice of Big Brother Kang.


    Kang Guoan: ¡°Don¡¯t worry, big brother, I¡¯ll certainly do my best!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good. Also, don¡¯t forget toe over this weekend to see if Kang Li needs any help with anything and take care of the kids too.¡±


    Big Brother Kang continued to instruct.


    Kang Guoan nodded, ¡°Mhm.¡±


    ¡°Kang Li has been pampered since she was young and she is a bit naive. I¡¯m really worried that she might suffer injustices here and have nowhere to turn to due to the distance from home.¡±


    Big Brother Kang felt particrly bittersweet inside at the thought of being separated from his beloved sister who had been pampered since childhood in just a few days, especially when he considered the uncertain future of when they would meet again, his worries grew even more.


    He feared that his precious sister might be wronged, afraid that she would be bullied in this unfamiliar ce, and as her older brother, he would not only be absent when she needed him but also unable to appear in a timely manner, which made him feel very uneasy.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be here.¡±

 Chapter 67 - 67 67 Heartache

    ?Chapter 67: Chapter 67: Heartache   Chapter 67: Chapter 67: Heartache                                   Kang Guoan had just wiped the clean dishes and casually washed the dishcloth again before drying his hands and saying to Big Brother Kang, ¡°Big Brother, I promise to protect Li Bao for the family. You really don¡¯t need to worry too much.¡±


    ¡°How can I not worry? You and Li Bao are the same age, you are still a child yourself, but despite that, Big Brother still hopes you can take good care of Li Bao. However, you are calm andposed. With you around, Big Brother, dad, mom, and your third brother can indeed feel a bit more at ease.¡±


    Petting Kang Guoan on the shoulder, Big Brother Kang continued, then seemingly thought of something and sighed lightly, adding, ¡°Your second brother must have already received the family¡¯s letter by now. With his temper, who knows how stubborn he¡¯s being!¡±


    Surprised by the remark, Kang Guoan then chuckled and said, ¡°Even if Second Brother is stubborn, knowing that the marriage was Li Bao¡¯s own choice, he would have to ept it, I suppose.¡±


    ¡°Stubborn as a mule, how could he easily ept it? You know how much he adores Li Bao.¡±


    Big Brother Kang gave a wry smile and shook his head. Seeing this, Kang Guoan¡¯s lips tightened briefly, then he said, ¡°What else can my second brother do? He surely can¡¯te running back to stop it, right?


    Besides, Li Bao has already registered her marriage with Comrade Luo, and even if Second Brother came to the Imperial Capital, he surely couldn¡¯t ask Li Bao to divorce and send her back home, could he?¡±


    ¡°If he really gets stubborn, who knows, he might take Li Bao to his ce.¡±


    As Big Brother Kang said this, Kang Guoan felt that it was very possible.


    Kang Guoan asked, ¡°So what should we do?¡±


    After a moment of silence, Big Brother Kang shook his head and said, ¡°Forget it, seeing the changes in Li Bao now, perhaps your second brother might just be making a wasted trip.¡±


    Reflecting on the recent changes in Kang Li, Big Brother Kang felt that it was necessary to look at his beloved little sister with an eye towards her development. That is, he noticed that, after the Zhou Family broke off her engagement, Li Bao had clearly be less naive and more aware.


    About this change, Big Brother Kang undoubtedly felt relieved, but at the same time, it pained his heart.


    In his mind, his little sister Li Bao ought to be someone who didn¡¯t have to worry about everything and just needed to be happy every day.


    However, since the Zhou Family¡¯s breakup, though she still seemed lively, she clearly started to hide her concerns, which was noticeable to everyone at home.


    Otherwise, the young girl wouldn¡¯t have thought of buying gifts for the family before setting off for North City and wouldn¡¯t have spoken those tear-inducing words in front of everyone.


    The growth from being innocently happy to being thoughtful and considerate, aware of others¡¯ needs, had indeede at a cost for Li Bao!


    Though it¡¯s the cost of growing up, it¡¯s indeed very heartbreaking!


    At the same time, in a military familypound in the Northeast.


    ¡°Get up, get up, just tell me what exactly is going on with you?¡±


    He Hui was about to fall asleep when, unexpectedly, the person lying next to her kept tossing and turning like a pancake, preventing her from sleeping soundly. Irritated, she sat up and patted her partner¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Come on, you¡¯ve been busy all day, and so have I; you can¡¯t keep me up just because you can¡¯t sleep.¡±


    Kang Guosheng, yes, Kang Guosheng, Kang Li¡¯s second brother, felt his wife¡¯s annoyance but didn¡¯t get angry. He sat up against the headboard of the bed and blurted out, ¡°I need to visit my hometown tomorrow, no, I¡¯ll call home directly. If it¡¯s really as the letter said, I¡¯ll just go straight to North City.¡±


    He Hui frowned, ¡°What are you talking about? All of this is so abrupt. I don¡¯t understand.¡±

 Chapter 68 - 68 68 Cant Figure It Out

    ?Chapter 68: Chapter 68: Can¡¯t Figure It Out   Chapter 68: Chapter 68: Can¡¯t Figure It Out                                   Upon hearing this, Kang Guosheng paused and then showed a remorseful expression, ¡°Xiaohui, there¡¯s something I forgot to tell you, and that¡¯s my fault¡­¡±


    ¡°Speak up, I don¡¯t want to hear apologies right now.¡±


    Realizing that her husband did have something he was keeping from her, He Hui immediately looked stern.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be in such a hurry,¡± Kang Guosheng tried to pacify his wife and then said, ¡°It¡¯s about Li Bao, she¡­¡±


    He Hui didn¡¯t wait for Kang Guosheng to finish speaking, her face instantly showed anxiety, ¡°What about Li Bao?¡± The thought of the soft and delicate girl, although whiny, not at all spoiled, possibly in trouble, made He Hui uncontrobly anxious.


    Kang Guosheng: ¡°Li Bao, she got married!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    He Hui was stunned, and aftering around, she frowned and said, ¡°Li Bao is still young, how could she be married already?! Tell me quickly, what exactly is going on?¡±


    With pursed lips and silence, Kang Guosheng pondered for a while before he briefly ryed the contents of the family letter he had received that day to his wife. At the end, rubbing his forehead, he said in a tone of iprehension,


    ¡°I just don¡¯t understand it, Li Bao¡¯s only barely eighteen years old. What were dad and mom thinking? Even if Li Bao was rejected by the Zhou Family, there¡¯s no need to marry her off to a man on his second marriage with three children¡­¡±


    At that point, Kang Guosheng halted, he really couldn¡¯t fathom what his parents were thinking, to marry the family¡¯s only darling to a man already on his second marriage and have her step into the role of stepmother to his children right away.


    ¡°What did you say?¡±


    He Hui found it hard to believe what Kang Guosheng was saying. As far as she knew, when her sister-inw and the younger son of the Zhou Family from the same vige had arranged a marriage, it was the Zhou Family who hade to propose the match,


    and the younger son of the Zhou Family and her sister-inw were Childhood Sweethearts, so fond of her sister-inw that he hardly ever wanted to be away from home, wishing only to be with her sister-inw. How could the engagement be called off just like that?


    Besides¡­ she couldn¡¯t understand why her inws, who clearly cherished her sister-inw like a jewel in their palm, would think to betroth her sister-inw to a man on his second marriage after the Zhou Family called off the engagement?


    And most importantly, to a man on his second marriage with three children?


    Kang Guosheng: ¡°Didn¡¯t I make myself clear?¡±


    He Hui shook her head, ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t believe you, but please, exin properly, how did dad and mome to the decision to marry Li Bao off to that¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know the details, but ording to the letter that elder brother wrote on behalf of our parents, the matter seems to be set in stone,¡± said Kang Guosheng, his expression somber.


    ¡°What are we going to do? You are Li Bao¡¯s elder brother, and I am her sister-inw, we can¡¯t just watch her marry a man on his second marriage and be a stepmother to his children, can we?


    You do know, our Li Bao is delicate and has never done much work since she was little, plus she is still a child herself.¡±


    How is she supposed to take care of three babies?


    He Hui was very worried, she thought for a moment and said, ¡°You call the vigemittee back home first thing tomorrow, ask for details, and if it¡¯s true Li Bao has already gone to North City, then we will go there together to hear what Li Bao has to say for herself.¡±


    Kang Guosheng: ¡°Do you want to go with me to North City?¡±


    He Hui: ¡°I am her sister-inw, of course I should go.¡±


    ¡°Elder brother mentioned in the letter that Li Bao agreed, but he¡¯s worried that Li Bao agreed out of spite, to get back at that Zhou Family boy¡­¡±


    ¡°Calm down, once we see Li Bao, we¡¯ll know everything. Besides¡­ as you also mentioned, that Comrade Luo is of special status, it¡¯s not like we can simply do whatever we want.¡±


    Hearing He Hui say this, Kang Guosheng sighed and didn¡¯t say anything further.

 Chapter 69 - 69 69 Reunion of Relatives

    ?Chapter 69: Chapter 69 Reunion of Rtives   Chapter 69: Chapter 69 Reunion of Rtives                                   North City.


    After two days, Captain Kang and Big Brother Kang, along with two craftsmen, had tidied up the courtyard ording to the blueprints Kang Li had drawn.


    ¡°Dad, Big Brother, you¡¯ve just finished the yard, and you won¡¯t even rest for a day before heading back to our hometown?¡±


    After an early breakfast, Kang Li watched Captain Kang and Big Brother Kang with reluctance, ¡°We all agreed before, that once we got to North City, you would apany me to the department store to buy a washing machine for the house. Now that you¡¯re leaving so soon, how am I supposed to buy one on my own?¡±


    As she spoke, Kang Li casually pulled out a thick stack of Great Reunion Banknotes from her pocket: ¡°You gave me all this money the other night, and it just doesn¡¯t feel right to hold onto it. Dad, why don¡¯t you¡­¡±


    At that moment, Captain Kang interrupted Kang Li before she could finish: ¡°Keep the money for yourself; this is what Director Wu gave me after setting up your marriage to Little Luo, saying it was the bride price from Little Luo.


    Now that you¡¯re far away in North City, and your mom and I aren¡¯t by your side, we just hope you have some money with you. Besides, this money is your bride price; it¡¯s yours to begin with. Why should your mom and I keep it?¡±


    They weren¡¯t selling their daughter. Even if the bride price was two thousand yuan, they wouldn¡¯t take what they shouldn¡¯t. His wife and he wouldn¡¯t touch a penny of it. All they wished for was for their daughter to live a good life with her husband in North City, to be safe and healthy, and to have a happy and fortunate life.


    They desired nothing else besides that.


    Suddenly, a low and maic male voice came from outside the courtyard gate: ¡°Is anybody home?¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡±


    Kang Li casually asked, then blinked her fox-like eyes and said to Captain Kang and Big Brother Kang, ¡°Dad, Big Brother, why does that voice sound so familiar to me?¡±


    Big Brother Kang hesitated for a moment before speaking, ¡°It¡¯s your second brother. Kang Li, if Big Brother¡¯s not mistaken, it¡¯s definitely your second brother.¡±


    ¡°Second brother?! Big Brother, are you sure?¡±


    Without waiting for Big Brother Kang to respond, Kang Li turned and walked toward the courtyard gate, followed by the twins.


    The two little ones tumbled along with their short legs, hurrying not to be left behind their mother.


    As for Min Rui, he was being held by the hand by Captain Kang and stood at the living room entrance with Big Brother Kang.


    Opening the courtyard door, Kang Li looked up and saw a man and a woman standing outside.


    The man had a tall and straight figure, with thick eyebrows and bright eyes, extremely handsome; the woman was about 160 cm tall, and while not particrly striking, she looked quite pleasant, with a moderately plump and slender figure, clearly a gentle woman at a nce.


    ¡°Second brother, second sister-inw!¡±


    With the original host¡¯s memories, Kang Li easily recognized the couple, not to mention that Kang Guosheng and Big Brother Kang shared a striking resemnce¡ªwell, actually, all five Kang brothers looked quite simr.


    ¡°Li Bao!¡±


    Seeing Kang Li, both Kang Guosheng and his wife He Hui had smiles in their eyes and greeted her affectionately as their dear little sister. Then Kang Guosheng looked at therade beside him and said to Kang Li:


    ¡°Thisrade helped us find your house. Otherwise, with so many residents in thispound, your second sister-inw and I would have probably taken quite a while to find you.¡±


    ¡°Comrade, no need to be formal, since you¡¯ve already reunited with your rtives, I won¡¯t stay any longer,¡± said a youngrade from the entrance of thepound on duty at the guard post. With that, he saluted the three Kangs and then turned and strode away.


    ¡°Second brother, second sister-inw,e on in and have a seat,¡± invited Kang Li as she ushered Kang Guosheng and his wife into the courtyard. She didn¡¯t have to introduce the twins; they came forward on their own, tilting their little heads curiously as they looked up at the couple:


    ¡°Hi, Second Uncle, Second Aunt, I¡¯m mom¡¯s son (Little Cutie) Hanhan (Vivi)!¡±


    Kang Guosheng¡¯s mouth twitched slightly, and he knelt on one knee, reaching out to grasp the twins¡¯ little hands: ¡°Hey there, little guys, hello.¡±

 Chapter 70 - 70 70 Whats wrong with the widower Cant a

    ?Chapter 70: Chapter 70 What¡¯s wrong with the widower? Can¡¯t a widower remarry and live a new life?   Chapter 70: Chapter 70 What¡¯s wrong with the widower? Can¡¯t a widower remarry and live a new life?                                   However, he was used to being serious, and even though he tried to make himself look gentler, he still appeared very stern.


    The boy-girl twins didn¡¯t seem scared at all, they justughed out loud with a ¡°giggle giggle giggle,¡± not seeming alienated by life at all.


    ¡°Second Uncle, hug!¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei stretched out her little hands toward Kang Guosheng.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Kang Guosheng picked up a sticky rice bun in each hand, while the luggage he had been carrying had already reached his wife He Hui¡¯s hands.


    ¡°Second sister-inw, let me carry it.¡±


    Kang Li reached out to take the travel bag from He Hui¡¯s hands.


    ¡°It¡¯s not heavy, the second sister-inw can carry it herself.¡±


    He Hui certainly did not want to tire her sister-inw.


    ¡°How did you guys end uping here?¡±


    The second son was busy leading troops, and his wife was a doctor. Both of them were very busy with their daily work and hardly had a few days off for family visits a year. Why did they suddenlye to North City?


    Captain Kang frowned slightly, ¡°Work must not be dyed.¡±


    ¡°Dad, don¡¯t worry, Xiao Hui and I came to North City for some work and took the opportunity to visit.¡±


    As he followed Captain Kang and Big Brother Kang into the living room, Kang Guosheng put the boy-girl twins down on the floor and casually responded to Captain Kang.


    ¡°Hello Second Uncle, my name is Min Rui.¡±


    Xiao Ming Rui took the opportunity to greet Second Brother Kang.


    ¡°Hello.¡±


    With a gentle look, Kang Guosheng rubbed Min Rui¡¯s head and said to his wife He Hui, ¡°Get the candy we bought for the kids and share it.¡± He Hui nodded, opened the travel bag, took out the milk candies, tore open the bag, and handed out two candies to each of the three siblings.


    ¡°Thank you, Second Aunt!¡±


    The three of them thanked her.


    He Hui¡¯s eyes smiled, ¡°So well-behaved!¡±


    ¡°Come with me.¡±


    Captain Kang called Kang Guosheng to the guest room to sit, and Big Brother Kang followed them there.


    ¡°So, tell me, how did you end uping here?¡±


    As they walked into the guest room, Captain Kang directly asked.


    ¡°After receiving the letter from Big Brother, I called our team¡¯s office early the next morning. I learned about Li Bao¡¯s situation from my mother, but I was still somewhat worried, so I took the opportunity toe to North City for work¡­ and Xiao Hui came with me. The address I got from mom.¡±


    Kang Guosheng didn¡¯t hide anything and exined the whole reason for his visit to North City, then frowned and asked Captain Kang, ¡°Dad, what are you really thinking? Why¡­¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t your mother exin clearly on the phone?¡±


    At this question from Captain Kang, Kang Guosheng shook his head, ¡°Mom didn¡¯t go into detail.¡±


    ¡°Then tell me, what¡¯s wrong with Comrade Luo?¡±


    Captain Kang stared gravely at Kang Guosheng, his most promising son.


    ¡°Even if his personal conditions are good, having three children negates everything.¡±


    Kang Guosheng spoke his mind. Hearing this, Captain Kang took a puff from his pipe, sat on the bed, and then said, ¡°You¡¯ve seen those three kids now. They¡¯re all well-behaved and get along well with Li Bao.¡±


    Kang Guosheng remained silent for a long while before he said, ¡°But that¡¯s still not a reason for you, Dad, to marry Li Bao to a widower!¡±


    The personal conditions of Comrade Luo were nothing to fault, as the three small kids left by his deceased wife, as seen today, were indeed both smart and well-behaved,


    and got along well with his sister Li Bao, at least it looked like that, but this still could not convince him to agree with his father¡¯s decision to marry his sister, beautiful and fairy-like, to a married man and be a stepmother right after entering the door.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with a widower? Can¡¯t a widower remarry and live his life?¡±


    Captain Kang red with tjupiter eyes, his face darkening, ¡°Other things I¡¯m not talking about now, but just think about Li Bao¡¯s health, what kind of guy do you think she should marry_SUBCK?,

 Chapter 71 - 71 71 Fragrant from Afar Stinky at Close

    ?Chapter 71: Chapter 71: Fragrant from Afar, Stinky at Close Quarters   Chapter 71: Chapter 71: Fragrant from Afar, Stinky at Close Quarters                                   ¡°You won¡¯t have to worry about raising children or household expenses in the future? Speak up, I¡¯m all ears.¡±


    ¡°Second brother¡­ don¡¯t misunderstand our dad. To tell the truth, dad really did consider Li Bao¡¯s future when he agreed to Director Wu¡¯s proposal to betroth Li Bao to Comrade Luo.¡±


    He knew that whether it was his second brother, Guosheng, or his own father speaking at this moment, it was all out of love for his sister Li Bao. He feared that Li Bao would marry into a bad family, suffer hardships, and endure various grievances, so Big Brother Kang couldn¡¯t help but interject.


    Kang Guosheng: ¡°Big Brother! What¡¯s there to consider about Li Bao¡¯s future? If ites to it, she doesn¡¯t have to marry. We can take care of her for a lifetime!¡±


    Upon hearing this, Big Brother Kang gave a bitter smile and said, ¡°Third brother and I thought the same way, but dad has his considerations.¡±


    ¡°Enough, don¡¯t unt how much you brothers care for Li Bao in front of me.¡±


    Captain Kang said irritably: ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard ¡®distant fragrances are sweet while near odors are foul¡¯? Alright, even if your mother and I won¡¯t shun Li Bao hundred years from now, and neither will your wives and children,


    but are you so sure Li Bao would want to live with you brothers? Watching each one of you with your own happy families, how will she feel in her heart?¡±


    Kang Guosheng was at a loss for words.


    So was Big Brother Kang.


    ¡°If your mother and I could stay with Li Bao forever, I¡¯d naturally be happy to support our daughter for a lifetime, but is that realistic?¡±


    Captain Kang¡¯s tone grew much heavier: ¡°You¡¯re merely Li Bao¡¯s older brothers, you have your own households. In your day-to-day lives, you have to consider the feelings of your wives and children.


    Under such circumstances, if Li Bao were to live with each of your individual families for a long time, can you guarantee that she wouldn¡¯t suffer any grievances?¡±


    Kang Guosheng truly loved his sister Li Bao. After hearing Captain Kang¡¯s words, he couldn¡¯t help but defend himself and his own family: ¡°Dad, you¡¯re worrying too much. I believe in Xiaohui¡¯s character, and I trust those two grandsons of yours, they will definitely¡­¡±


    He didn¡¯t expect to be interrupted by Captain Kang: ¡°Enough. I¡¯ve eaten more salt than you¡¯ve eaten rice, and who among people doesn¡¯t have their own personal interests?


    I believe that after your mother and I have passed on, you five brothers will treat Li Bao as well as we did, but as I said before, each of you has your own household. Even if I want what¡¯s best for Li Bao,


    I can¡¯t let here between you and your spouses, your fathers and sons, causing disharmony in your homes and unwittingly making you resent Li Bao.¡±


    Big Brother Kang grew anxious: ¡°Dad, you can¡¯t think so poorly of us!¡±


    ¡°What I¡¯m talking about is just one possibility, the worst-case scenario. You should know, even more than this old man, how much your mother adores Li Bao.


    She can¡¯t bear to see Li Bao mistreated. Otherwise, why did she repeatedly oppose the marriage between Li Bao and her brother-inw at first, only to eventually agree?¡±


    As Captain Kang spoke, he nced at his eldest son and then his second son, before speaking again: ¡°That¡¯s because your mother understands that we two old folks can¡¯t be with Li Bao forever, she knows I¡¯m right, she knows that for Li Bao, marrying your brother-inw is the best choice.¡±


    Kang Guosheng and Big Brother Kang remained silent, listening to Captain Kang speak.


    ¡°You all know the reason. Li Bao has been frail since she was born. Your mother and I have spent years seeking medical advice without much effect¡­


    Even after being diagnosed by a big-city hospital doctor, it was said that Li Bao would have difficulty having children after marriage, and it was precisely because of this point that the Zhou Family proposed to annul the engagement.¡±

 Chapter 72 - 72 72 Luo Yanqings Twist of Fate

    ?Chapter 72: Chapter 72: Luo Yanqing¡¯s Twist of Fate   Chapter 72: Chapter 72: Luo Yanqing¡¯s Twist of Fate                                   After a brief pause, Captain Kang continued, ¡°It just so happened that during the Zhou Family¡¯s wedding cancetion, I heard that Director Wu wanted to propose a match for our Li Bao. After hearing about Comrade Luo¡¯s situation from all aspects, I immediately felt this was a good match, a fine marriage for our Li Bao.


    Little Luo has a high ie, and it¡¯s just him and three children at home. Since he¡¯s busy with work, and the eldest of the three children is only five years old, with the younger two being twins of mixed sex, only two and a half years old, if Li Bao and Little Luo were to marry, and she treated the three children with true affection,


    over time, she¡¯s sure to grow ustomed to them. With this, Li Bao wouldn¡¯t have to worry about her future livelihood. Now, what do you think about this marriage for Li Bao?¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡±


    Kang Guosheng shook his head. He understood and personally experienced the truth of the saying, ¡°Old ginger is hotter than new.¡±


    Yes, he had truly realized his father¡¯s good intentions and hard work, all for his sister Li Bao to have someone to rely on in old age and not have to worry about the daily necessities in married life.


    After all, supplies are tight these days, and although marrying Comrade Luo, who is married for the second time, means bing a stepmother to three children right from the start, Comrade Luo¡¯s personal circumstances are genuinely good.


    And today, he had also met the three children Comrade Luo had with his previous wife. To be honest, just by looking at them, one could see that each child was bright and clever, and they seemed well-behaved and sensible.


    In fact, the children were exactly like that.


    They were polite and knew to greet visitors proactively, which shows that the three children were not difficult to take care of.


    Not short of money, and already having children, his sister Li Bao was simple and kind-hearted. If she sincerely took care of Luo¡¯s children and him, anyone with a conscience would not fail to appreciate her devotion as time went by.


    However, should any unforeseen circumstances arise, with her brothers there for her, it¡¯s unlikely that the Luo Family, young or old, would dare mistreat their sister.


    As these thoughts tumbled through his mind, Kang Guosheng¡¯s lips pursed slightly. After pondering, he asked Captain Kang, ¡°Besides the three children, are there any other members in my brother-inw¡¯s family?¡±


    Captain Kang replied, ¡°As far as blood rtions go, after Little Luo¡¯s father passed away, his mother remarried within two months, leaving six-year-old Little Luo to be cared for by his grandparents.


    But good times did notst long; at the age of eight, Little Luo¡¯s grandparents died of illness one after the other. For reasons unknown, his uncle left Little Luo to be raised by the government, and since then, this uncle never reappeared in Little Luo¡¯s life.¡±


    Kang Guosheng asked, ¡°Was it Director Wu who told Dad this?¡±


    Captain Kang nodded: ¡°Yes.¡±


    Kang Guosheng then asked, ¡°And what about my brother-inw¡¯s birth mother?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s had no contact with Little Luo since she remarried,¡± said Captain Kang with a long sigh. ¡°It¡¯s also fortunate that Little Luo is a talent. Being raised and supported by the nation, or else it would have been very difficult for him to achieve what he has today.¡±


    ¡­


    The kitchen.


    ¡°You, I already told you your second brother and I ate on the train, yet you insist on going to the trouble of cooking for us, really, there¡¯s no helping you!¡±


    Thinking of her second brother and sister-inw who had gotten off the train early in the morning without having breakfast, Kang Li, after chatting for a while with her sister-inw He Hui, suggested making something for Kang Guosheng and his wife to eat.


    Unable to persuade her otherwise, He Hui could only follow her into the kitchen.


    ¡°If you¡¯ve eaten, just eat a bit more. Cooking isn¡¯t difficult; it¡¯ll be ready in a moment.¡±


    After heating up the steamed buns, Kang Li quickly stir-fried a dish of spicy shredded potatoes and a te of scrambled eggs with green onions, then said to her sister-inw He Hui, ¡°Sister-inw, you can take the buns and dishes to the main room first, I¡¯ll follow once I¡¯m done here.¡±


    He Hui: ¡°The buns and dishes are enough, there¡¯s no need to make porridge.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°It¡¯ll be quick.¡±


    He Hui shook her head helplessly, feeling emotional: ¡°How did you learn to cook?¡±

 Chapter 73 - 73 73 Kang Li is Confident

    ?Chapter 73: Chapter 73 Kang Li is Confident   Chapter 73: Chapter 73 Kang Li is Confident                                   The young girl was pampered and raised by the family,pletely sheltered from any household chores, but now it had been only a little over half a year since shest saw her, and unexpectedly, the delicate youngdy had given her such a surprise.


    To be honest, He Hui was both astonished and delighted, and she couldn¡¯t help but feel moved.


    A gentle and delicate girl, she not only learned how to cook in a short time but also knew how to be considerate. She was afraid that her and her husband would go hungry on the train, so she insisted on making food for them nonstop, immediately heading to the kitchen to get busy.


    It wasn¡¯t in vain that she had doted on this girl ever since she entered the Kang¡¯s residence.


    ¡°Mom didn¡¯t agree with my marriage to Comrade Luo Yanqing, saying she was worried I wouldn¡¯t be able to live on my own in North City. To put Mom at ease, I remembered how Mom, my eldest sister-inw, and third sister-inw cooked at home. It turned out to be very simple, and just like that, I learned.¡±


    Kang Li said casually, and upon hearing her words, He Hui was extremely amazed, ¡°In other words, you didn¡¯t actually learn how to cook formally, but simply by watching how Mom and your sisters-inw do daily, you¡­ you learned it?¡±


    ¡°Mhm.¡±


    Kang Li nodded with a smile, not the least bit embarrassed: ¡°I¡¯m very smart. Anything I set my eyes on, anything I want to learn, I can pick it up effortlessly.¡±


    He Huiughed, her tone indulgent, ¡°Yes, yes, our Li Bao is the smartest!¡±


    Kang Liughed along.


    At this moment, He Hui changed the subject. Well, actually, she had been wanting to ask Kang Li something all the way to North City. Now, without beating around the bush, she asked straightforwardly, ¡°Li Bao, tell your second sister-inw, is marrying Luo truly your own decision?¡±


    To avoid being overheard by Xiao Ming Rui, He Hui stepped closer to Kang Li and lowered her voice to ask.


    Without a second thought, Kang Li nodded directly: ¡°Mhm, it¡¯s my own decision.¡±


    He Hui: ¡°But have you considered that being a stepmother is not an easy role to fill?¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°I know.¡±


    He Hui, puzzled: ¡°If you know that, then why still¡­¡±


    Knowing that the other party was asking out of concern for her, and that they were able to speak about private matters so candidly, Kang Li felt quite touched. With a smile in her foxy eyes, she said, ¡°I think Comrade Luo is very good, and we¡¯re a great match, so I agreed to be his wife. Naturally, I wouldn¡¯t mind that he has children. I think¡­ everyone¡¯s heart is made of flesh, as long as I treat the children well, they will eventually ept me as their mother from the bottom of their hearts.¡±


    He Hui still had her worries: ¡°It¡¯s not that your second sister-inw is unnecessarily anxious, Li Bao, but since ancient times, no matter what a stepmother does, she is always in the wrong. I¡¯m truly worried about you being wronged in the future!¡±


    ¡°I know second sister-inw cares about me, but what you said is not absolute. And I have confidence in integrating into this family, confidence in making Ruirui and the others truly ept me!


    Second sister-inw, please trust me. You and big brother really don¡¯t need to worry about me. I promise to do well in this marriage and live a smooth and joyful life!¡±


    Grasping He Hui¡¯s hand, Kang Li¡¯s facial expression was gentle, but her eyes were decidedly firm.


    ¡°Alright, since you¡¯ve said so, your second sister-inw will trust you. However, if you ever encounter any difficulties, you must remember to call me and your big brother.¡±


    Squeezing Kang Li¡¯s hand more tightly, He Hui spoke with earnest, her words were not an empty titude.


    Kang Li nodded: ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡­


    Team Leader Kang and Big Brother Kang eventually returned to their hometown. The two men were personally taken to the train station by Kang Guosheng and his wife after they had finished their meal.


    At the moment of farewell, Team Leader Kang reminded Kang Guosheng, ¡°When you get back to Li Bao¡¯s ceter, don¡¯t forget to apany your wife and Li Bao to the department store to buy the washing machine.¡±


    Kang Guosheng: ¡°Dad, rest assured, I won¡¯t forget.¡±

 Chapter 74 - 74 74 How Can You Rest Assured

    ?Chapter 74: Chapter 74: How Can You Rest Assured?   Chapter 74: Chapter 74: How Can You Rest Assured?                                   ¡°Don¡¯t forget to also buy Li Bao a bicycle, a sewing machine, and a radio for the family back home. If the money I gave you isn¡¯t enough, just cover it yourself for now, andter I¡¯ll have your mom pay you back.¡±


    As parents, naturally they need to prepare a wedding dowry for their beloved daughter¡¯s marriage, but traveling from Aoli Vige to North City is quite a distance. It would undoubtedly be inconvenient to bring the dowry with them,


    hence, Captain Kang and his wife discussed and, through Director Wu, managed to obtain a sewing machine coupon, a bicycle coupon, and a radio coupon. It cost a fair amount of money, but neither of the Captain¡¯s eyes even blinked.


    Kang Guosheng: ¡°I won¡¯t forget.¡±


    ¡°Then that¡¯s settled. Your big brother and I will be leaving now.¡±


    Having said that, Captain Kang signaled Big Brother Kang to follow, and the two headed towards the ticket checkpoint.


    ¡­


    ¡°Dad, why are we leaving in such a hurry? And¡­ and Dad, did you forget to hand over the dowry that the family prepared for Li Bao, and that¡¯s why you asked your second son to help us while sending him¡­


    As they boarded the train, Big Brother Kang, seeing no change in Captain Kang¡¯s expression, couldn¡¯t help but voice his doubts.


    ¡°It¡¯s the busy farming season, and being the team leader, do you think I can stay away from home? As for whether I forgot to give Li Bao the dowry we prepared at home, that¡¯s not the case.¡±


    Captain Kang gazed through the half-open train window at the peopleing and going on the tform and spoke unhurriedly: ¡°After the incident with the Zhou Family, Li Bao has changed a bit. If I had given the dowry directly to her, are you sure she would have epted it?¡±


    Upon hearing his words, Big Brother Kang almost blurted out: ¡°Most likely not.¡±


    ¡°Had it not been for that incident with the Zhou Family, Li Bao might have epted it. But you¡¯ve seen how she has changed. She¡¯s no longer as naive as before, understands to be considerate of the family,


    knows how to keep her concerns to herself. Once she saw those coupons in my hand, I¡¯m sure she wouldn¡¯t have epted them. Luckily, your second brother came to North City to visit Li Bao, so I took the opportunity to have him handle the dowry for her,


    thus preventing those at the courtyard from thinking less of your sister and gossiping behind her back, suggesting that she had no dowry and was a burden to your brother-inw, and thereby hurting your sister.¡±


    Actually, if Kang Guosheng and his wife hadn¡¯t appeared, Captain Kang had already nned, before leaving the courtyard and heading back to his hometown, to stop by the Song Family¡¯s ce, keep the ¡°dowry¡± prepared for Kang Li with Mrs. Qi, and ask Mrs. Qi to find someone to buy it and send it directly to the Luo Family.


    As for not helping his darling daughter buy a washing machine at the department store, Captain Kang had also thought of asking Mrs. Qi for help.


    After all, back in his hometown, Captain Kang had never even heard of a washing machine, even though he considered himself quite knowledgeable,


    he had never heard anyone mention that department stores in the city sold washing machines, so he felt that he probably wouldn¡¯t be much help and thus didn¡¯t even bring up going to the department store.


    After hesitating for a while, Big Brother Kang asked, ¡°Dad, you¡¯re actually still worried about Li Bao, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°How could I not be?¡±


    Captain Kang¡¯s expression was mncholic: ¡°Your sister has never left home since she was little. Although she¡¯s be moreposed than before, she¡¯s still young and rather naive, and I¡¯m afraid she¡¯ll suffer silently without us knowing.¡±


    Feeling somewhat heavy-hearted but still trying to offer reassurance, Big Brother Kang said, ¡°Isn¡¯t Little Wu here? He will help us take good care of Li Bao.¡±


    ¡°Your younger brother has his job to worry about; how much time can he spare to look after Li Bao? Anyway, every fledgling will soar in the skies one day. No matter what, your sister has grown up, and we need to learn to let go, letting her face the path she has to walk by herself.¡±

 Chapter 75 - 75 75 Good-hearted Advice

    ?Chapter 75: Chapter 75 Good-hearted Advice   Chapter 75: Chapter 75 Good-hearted Advice                                   What could he do even if he couldn¡¯t stop worrying?


    The children were bound to leave their parents someday; all he hoped for now was that his precious daughter would do well in North City.


    She wasn¡¯t someone who courted trouble, yet she didn¡¯t fear it either.


    In Captain Kang¡¯s view, his beloved daughter absolutely wouldn¡¯t initiate trouble; as for fearing trouble¡­ after the broken engagement with the Zhou Family, as his daughter¡¯s temperament changed, she seemed to handle troublemakers without a trace of fear, even gaining the upper hand.


    Whether it was dealing directly with conflicts with Mrs. Zhou or countering the cunning ns of new neighbors, it was clear to see that Li Bao, his daughter, had now be a little girl with ns of her own.


    Thinking this, Captain Kang felt his worries dissipate quite a bit.


    ¡­


    Returning to thepound, Kang Guosheng didn¡¯t rest but called for his wife to pick up the twins and asked Kang Li to hold Xiao Ming Rui¡¯s hand. The group of six then headed to the Friendship Store.


    In the current era, washing machines were avable for purchase but could only be seen at the Friendship Store and major department stores. The prices at department stores, however, were noticeably higher than those at the Friendship Store.


    As Kang Li had foreign exchange coupons, she naturally chose to buy at the Friendship Store.


    ¡°Li Bao, are you buying this now?¡±


    Hearing the price of the washing machine from the salesperson, He Hui was surprised and saw Kang Li following the salesperson to make the payment. Feeling anxious, she hurriedly followed and thought to persuade her sister-inw a bit not to waste this money, to learn to manage household expenses.


    Unexpectedly, Kang Li responded with a smile, ¡°Compared to buying in a department store, the price here is quite reasonable.¡±


    ¡°Even so, it¡¯s still a lot of money.¡±


    He Hui took Kang Li by the arm, pulling her aside, and said in a lowered voice, ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want you to buy it; it¡¯s just really expensive. Washing by hand doesn¡¯t damage the clothes¡­


    Besides, how will you manageter? Spending such arge amount of money all at once, what will you do when you need moneyter and find yourself short?¡±


    Kang Li replied, ¡°I know you¡¯re trying to be helpful, Second Sister-in-Law, but as you can see, I have Ruirui and the other two to take care of. Washing by hand is not only troublesome but also time-consuming. The key issue is washingrge items in the winter; I¡¯m afraid I wouldn¡¯t be able to handle it.¡±


    Kang Li understood her Second Sister-in-Law He Hui¡¯s point, especially about ¡°hand washing not damaging the clothes.¡±


    Due to supply constraints, a household could barely get enough cloth coupons throughout the year, making it necessary for a piece of clothing or pants to be worn year after year. Over time, clothes inevitably couldn¡¯t withstand much scrubbing.


    This was also true for bedsheets and the like.


    Despite this, Kang Li didn¡¯t dwell on it too much. She knew that people currently praised frugality, and although she didn¡¯t oppose frugality, she wouldn¡¯t let her family wear the same clothes for several years or continually patch them up if conditions allowed.


    After all, she had the System. She could get whatever she needed by exchanging points at the System Mall.


    Moreover, the era of economic reforms was not far off. The time of relying on coupons and certificates would soon be past, making purchases much more convenient.


    After hearing Kang Li¡¯s reasons, He Hui remembered how delicate her sister-inw was, recalled Kang Li¡¯s responsibility for caring for three babies, and thought of her standing next to a water faucet, washingrge clothing items and bed covers in winter¡­ how difficult it must be.


    With these thoughts, she no longer tried to convince Kang Li and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go andplete the process.¡±


    As the washing machine was delivered, Kang Li took the payment receipt, and the group of six left the Friendship Store.


    It should be mentioned that before purchasing the washing machine, Kang Li asked her second brother, Kang Guosheng, to look after Xiao Ming Rui and the other two kids and reminded the kids to stay with their Second Uncle and behave.

 Chapter 76 - 76 76 Dont worry its good news

    ?Chapter 76: Chapter 76: Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s good news!   Chapter 76: Chapter 76: Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s good news!                                   Absolutely do not wander off, and then she took her sister-inw He Hui to the lingerie counter, buying two sets for both herself and her sister-inw.


    He Hui felt really embarrassed seeing those bras and panties hanging on the disy racks.


    She knew that the Friendship Store sold that kind of lingerie, which hade over from across the ocean and could perfectly showcase a woman¡¯s curves, but she had never thought of buying any. Unexpectedly,


    today she was dragged by her sister-inw to the lingerie section, where not only did she buy two sets for herself, but she also paid for her sister-inw to get two sets.


    To tell the truth, epting the lingerie her sister-inw bought for her really made her feel awkward. On one hand, she felt she shouldn¡¯t let her sister-inw spend money on her¡­ Even though it was a gift from her sister-inw, as the older sister-inw, how could she casually ept a gift from her?


    On the other hand¡­ this kind of lingerie from across the ocean was really rather revealing, and the thought of wearing it made her embarrassed.


    However, she truly was happy about it.


    After all, there isn¡¯t a woman who doesn¡¯t like to feel beautiful.


    ¡°Big brother, aren¡¯t we going back?¡±


    Seeing big brother Kang Guosheng holding Xiao Ming Han and heading towards the department store not far away, Kang Li couldn¡¯t help feeling puzzled.


    ¡°Since we¡¯re out already, let¡¯s just stroll around a bit more with your big brother,¡±


    He Hui said to Kang Li as she walked beside her carrying Xiao Ming Wei. She knew why her husband wanted to go to the department store but didn¡¯t n to tell Kang Li, thinking to surprise herter on.


    As they reached the entrance of the department store, Kang Guosheng said to his wife He Hui and Kang Li, ¡°You guys wait over there under the tree with the kids,¡± holding Xiao Ming Han in one arm and pointing to a por tree about twenty or thirty meters away that was as thick as a man¡¯s embrace, Kang Guosheng¡¯s voice was deep and maic, ¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡±


    After putting Xiao Ming Han down on the ground to stand firm, Kang Guosheng turned and walked toward the department store entrance.


    ¡°Sister-inw,e on, let¡¯s go to the shade of the tree and cool off.¡±


    Holding Xiao Ming Rui¡¯s hand in one hand and Xiao Ming Han¡¯s hand in the other, Kang Li called her sister-inw He Hui toe to the shade to cool down.


    Kang Guosheng came out of the department store after about twenty minutes or so.


    ¡°All set?¡±


    He Hui asked with a smile as soon as she saw her husband.


    Kang Guosheng nodded, ¡°In a while, the staff from the department store will deliver the items to ourpound.¡±


    Picking up Xiao Ming Han, Kang Guosheng responded in a deep voice. Nearby, Kang Li listened to the conversation between her brother and sister-inw, and after thinking for a bit, she still couldn¡¯t figure it out. She couldn¡¯t help but ask both of them, ¡°Big brother, sister-inw, what kind of riddle are you two talking in?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll know soon enough.¡±


    Kang Guosheng did not directly answer.


    ¡°Li Bao, listen to your brother. It won¡¯t be long before you¡¯ll find out what we¡¯re talking about,¡±


    Kissing Xiao Ming Wei¡¯s delicate, fair face, He Hui looked at Kang Li with a smile, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s good news!¡±


    Seeing that she couldn¡¯t get a clear answer, Kang Li didn¡¯t ask further, and the group headed back to thepound the same way they came.


    ¡°What do you think is the family background of that person at Professor Luo¡¯s house?¡±


    Looking towards the Luo family¡¯s gate, Loo Ping stood at her own gate, chatting with a few women of simr age.


    One of the women said, ¡°Who knows that? But Teacher Loo, why do you suddenly ask?¡±


    Loo Ping: ¡°I¡¯m just curious because it seems that rtives have been visiting Professor Luo¡¯s home quite frequently these past few days.¡±


    ¡°Teacher Loo, you must be seeing things. How often do rtives visit Professor Luo¡¯s home? These past few days, I¡¯ve only seen rtivese today; I haven¡¯t noticed it at other times.¡±


    Another woman casually mentioned, ¡°Yesterday, I ran into Comrade Qi who said that she and Professor Luo¡¯s wife went to ourpound along with Professor Luo¡¯s wife¡¯s father and older and younger brothers. So, I guess the rtives visiting Professor Luo¡¯s home today are probably the brothers of Professor Luo¡¯s wife.¡±

 Chapter 77 - 77 77 Kang Li is regarded as a spendthrift

    ?Chapter 77: Chapter 77 Kang Li is regarded as a spendthrift   Chapter 77: Chapter 77 Kang Li is regarded as a spendthrift                                   ¡°I just paid close attention, and that military man walking beside Professor Luo¡¯s spouse seemed, from his whole demeanor, to be at least a regimental cadre. What do you think, Sister Wang?¡±


    The ¡®Sister Wang¡¯ referred to by the woman was actually Deputy Director Wei¡¯s wife, Wang Chan.


    Having nothing much to do at home over the weekend, Wang Chan had gone over to the Zhang Family to chat with her distant cousin Loo Ping. Just minutes before, Loo Ping had seen her out the gate, and coincidentally, she saw Kang Li holding Xiao Ming Rui¡¯s hand, walking by with Guosheng and their twins.


    Perhaps driven by a penchant for gossip, she didn¡¯t think of going home immediately but stood at her cousin¡¯s gate, chatting with the woman who came over to greet her.


    Unbeknownst to Kang Li that others were gossiping about her background and family, she poured everyone in her house sses of cool boiled water, and said to her sister-inw He Hui:


    ¡°In our county¡¯s department store, the cashiers transfer the money and coupons from the customers using long wires as tall as a person. They clip them on a holder,


    and with a push, they zip ¡®whoosh¡¯ right over to the cash register. Then the cashier takes the money, sends the receipt stub and change back the same way, clipped and pushed along the wires,


    It¡¯s quite fun; I wonder if the department stores here in North City operate the same way.¡±


    ¡°The department stores around the country are pretty much the same, but today at Friendship Store, the sales clerk led us directly to the cashier to pay.¡±


    He Hui took a sip of the cool water, her face all smiles.


    ¡°Ruirui, if you and your brother and sister are tired, go back to your room and take a nap.¡±


    After a while, not hearing a peep from Xiao Ming Rui, Kang Li looked at him as he sat in a little chair drinking water.


    Her expression was tender, and her exceedingly beautiful face wore a warm, approachable smile.


    ¡°Mom, Vivi isn¡¯t tired.¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei spoke up before her brothers.


    ¡°You¡¯re tired.¡±


    Xiao Ming Rui set down his cup, slid off the chair, and reached out his hands to his brother Ming Han and sister Ming Wei: ¡°Come on, I¡¯ll take you back to the room to rest for a bit.¡±


    It was clear ¡ª if your brother thinks you¡¯re tired, you must be tired.


    Xiao Ming Han didn¡¯t say a word, but Xiao Ming Wei puffed up her cheeks, ring at her brother Ming Rui, but in the end, she was still led back to the bedroom by him.


    ¡°Ruirui is such an interesting kid!¡±


    After the three little ones entered the bedroom, He Hui chuckled and shook her head.


    Outside the courtyard.


    Two three-wheeled delivery carts stopped one after another in front of the gate, from both Friendship Store and another department store about more than a mile away.


    On the carts were home appliances bought by Kang Li and Jiang Guosheng.


    ¡°Comrade, you¡¯ve loaded a washing machine, haven¡¯t you?!¡±


    It was clearly a washing machine, but Loo Ping, jealousy rising in her heart, still asked the delivery driver.


    ¡°Yes, a washing machine, foreign brand and very durable!¡±


    The Friendship Store¡¯s delivery driver replied cheerfully.


    At that moment, not only Loo Ping hade to the Luo Family¡¯s courtyard gate, but Wang Chan and several other women had alsoe over, all of them eyeing the home appliances on the two carts with envy and jealousy.


    ¡°Sister Wang, look, the Luo Family not only bought a washing machine but also a TV set, a sewing machine, a bicycle, and a radio; my, they must have spent a fortune.¡±


    ¡°Professor Luo¡¯s spouse is really extravagant.¡±


    ¡°Exactly. Especially that washing machine, I think it¡¯s totally unnecessary.¡±


    While Wang Chan and Loo Ping were quietly talking about Kang Li being a spendthrift wife, the Luo Family¡¯s gate opened from the inside, and Kang Li followed out behind her brother-inw and sister-inw.


    ¡°Guosheng, this¡­¡±

 Chapter 78 - 78 78 Many Cunning Thoughts

    ?Chapter 78: Chapter 78: Many Cunning Thoughts   Chapter 78: Chapter 78: Many Cunning Thoughts                                   When Kang Li saw two small trucks parked outside her family¡¯s gate, one of which was loaded with a television, a sewing machine, a bicycle, and a radio, even her usually calm demeanor couldn¡¯t stop her eyes from widening.


    At the same time, He Hui showed surprise on her face; she knew her husband wanted to buy a television for his younger sister as a wedding gift, but she hadn¡¯t expected him to also purchase a sewing machine, a bicycle, and a washing machine¡ªthe three big items.


    Plus a radio.


    However, she wasn¡¯t one to speak out of turn, so she didn¡¯t directly ask Kang Guosheng anything.


    And Kang Guosheng didn¡¯t care about the onlookers who were there to see the spectacle; he even hoped people would gather around, so everyone in the courtyard would know that his sister, Li Bao, was the treasured one of the Kang Family, not some greedy, vain girl married off to Luo Yanqing, a man on his second marriage. And his family did provide a dowry for his sister, a significant one at that.


    ¡°The television is a wedding gift from your second brother and your sister-inw. As for the sewing machine, the bicycle, and the radio, they are from the family as your dowry.¡±


    As soon as Kang Guosheng said this, a low sound of gasps could be heard.


    ¡°Why did you buy these for me? I don¡¯t have a special need for them, and besides, if I wanted them, I could buy them myself.¡±


    Suppressing the emotion within her, Kang Li¡¯s face still betrayed her moved feelings.


    ¡°Whether you need them or not is one thing, but as your parents and elders, how can we not provide you with a dowry that matches our affection for you?¡±


    Before Kang Li could respond, Kang Guozheng called out to the two delivery drivers to unload the goods and helped move the items into the courtyard.


    Watching the washing machine, television, bicycle, sewing machine, and radio each enter the Luo Family¡¯s gate, Loo Ping was so jealous she was almost ready to rush forward and move all the items into her own home.


    Wang Chan, although also uneased by the sight, didn¡¯tck these items in her own home. Yet, the thought of a newly-married young wife obtaining such substantial dowry items stirred up animosity within her.


    This was especially so since the young wife was Luo Yanqing¡¯s, and he had a special rtionship with the Song Family, making her dislike Kang Li even more, finding today¡¯s disy overly ostentatious.


    Completely forgetting what Kang Guosheng had said about the dowry.


    ¡°Sister Loo, what¡¯s happening? Why does it look so lively here?¡±


    Hearing themotion outside, Su Man walked out from her home, puzzled, and stood beside Loo Ping outside the Luo Family¡¯s gate.


    ¡°It¡¯s quite the spectacle, but you came out a littlete, Xiao Su. You missed seeing all the things that Professor Luo¡¯s family bought today.¡±


    The envy and jealousy in Loo Ping¡¯s eyes were still hard to hide. She nced at Su Man and said with a pout, ¡°A washing machine, a television, a sewing machine, a bicycle, and a radio¡ªone of each. Look how everyone gathered here is envying them.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Su Man¡¯s hands tightened at her sides¡ªshe felt equally envious and jealous, but masked it well, simply smiling and saying, ¡°That must have cost quite a lot of money, right?!¡±


    Loo Ping: ¡°Yes, indeed, it must have cost a good amount of money. I made a rough estimate, and it definitely couldn¡¯t be less than two thousand yuan.¡±


    Su Man: ¡°Spending so much, how will they manage their future expenses?¡±


    Frowning slightly in concern, Su Man adopted a perplexed expression: ¡°Actually, I¡¯ve also thought about buying a washing machine for my family, but then I remembered that these machines are imported goods, and even if you buy them at the Friendship Store,


    they still cost quite a few foreign exchange coupons. If you convert it into our own money, the cost would be even higher. Considering that, I dismissed the idea. After all, life should be about steady and sustainable living.


    We can¡¯t just be spendthrifts because we want to avoid a bit of hard work. If we did that, and suddenly the family faced an emergency requiring a hefty sum of money, where would we get it from?¡±

 Chapter 79 - 79 79 Contrast

    ?Chapter 79: Chapter 79 Contrast   Chapter 79: Chapter 79 Contrast                                   Her words seemed to be talking about her own affairs, but anyone with a bit of sense could tell she was talking about Kang Li squandering their wealth.


    ¡°Xiao Su, I didn¡¯t expect you to think so thoroughly at such a young age. People must have foresight to avoid immediate worries. Otherwise, when troublese knocking, one wouldn¡¯t know how to cope.¡±


    Loo Ping was quite pleased with Su Man¡¯s speech and couldn¡¯t help but join in on trashing Kang Li.


    But just then, a woman spoke up: ¡°Teacher Loo, Xiao Su, aren¡¯t you worrying too much? Didn¡¯t the brother of Professor Luo¡¯s wife say those things were mostly dowries?¡±


    Another woman chimed in: ¡°That¡¯s right, I heard it loud and clear, the television was a wedding gift from Professor Luo¡¯s brother-inw to his sister, and the sewing machine, bicycle, and such were dowries from Professor Luo¡¯s family. Teacher Loo, didn¡¯t you hear what the People¡¯s Liberation Armyrade said?¡±


    Loo Ping looked embarrassed: ¡°Only your ears work, happy now?!¡±


    Poking your nose into others¡¯ business, isn¡¯t that tiring?


    ¡°The way you put it, Teacher Loo, we¡¯re just speaking fairly. After all, we all live in the samepound, as neighbors. Someone uninformed might mistakenly believe Professor Luo¡¯s wife is a spendthrift because of your words! If that really happened, wouldn¡¯t it be akin to ndering Professor Luo¡¯s wife?¡±


    The woman who had just engaged in conversation with Loo Ping was now speaking, and upon hearing this, Loo Ping¡¯s face grew even more ufortable: ¡°A washing machine can¡¯t possibly be a dowry, can it?¡±


    Understanding Loo Ping¡¯s hint, the woman smirked and said, ¡°So what if it isn¡¯t? A washing machine might be a big item and not cheap, but out of so many residents in ourpound, not to mention seven or eight out of ten households, at least two or three have bought one! Just like your household¡­¡±


    Before the woman could finish her sentence, Loo Ping interrupted: ¡°I¡¯ve had enough of you. Say less, will you? I didn¡¯t hear clearly just now, and I almost wronged Professor Luo¡¯s wife for being wasteful. Indeed, I was wrong.¡±


    Su Man stood next to Loo Ping, already losing interest in listening to Loo Ping or the surrounding people talk about anything. Her smile was forced, and she felt incredibly stifled inside.


    A dowry?


    Why didn¡¯t her family provide her with a proper dowry like Kang Li¡¯s when she was also marrying a man on his second marriage?


    If she remembered correctly, Wen¡¯s family gave her family a grand total of eight hundred yuan as a bride price, yet her beloved parents only gave her two quilts, a radio, and some minor items like a mirror, a washbasin, and a warming pot as her dowry.


    At the time, she didn¡¯t think much of it, but now,pared to the couple next door, she felt utterly embarrassed!


    ¡°I have things to do at home, so I¡¯ll head back first. Sister Loo, you all continue chatting.¡±


    Gathering her thoughts, Su Man endured her difort and turned to walk towards her own courtyard¡¯s entrance.


    ¡°Xiao Su seems to have something on her mind!¡±


    Someone mentioned this out of nowhere.


    A woman eager for gossip joined in: ¡°Is that strange? If I were Xiao Su and heard about the dowry Professor Luo¡¯s wife got, I wouldn¡¯t be happy either.¡±


    ¡°True, Teacher Wen and Professor Luo are both in their second marriages, and both married young women, but when ites to the dowry, Teacher Wen¡¯s Xiao Su really can¡¯tpare to Professor Luo¡¯s wife!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s Professor Luo¡¯s wife¡¯s name? Does anyone know?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Kang Li. I ran into Comrade Qi the day before yesterday and just asked. Comrade Qi said Professor Luo¡¯s wife is named Kang Li.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a nice name, simple and easy to pronounce.¡±

 Chapter 80 - 80 80 Profitable

    ?Chapter 80: Chapter 80 Profitable   Chapter 80: Chapter 80 Profitable                                   Loo Ping was a killjoy, ¡°You guys really have too much free time, even a name can turn into such a flowery discussion.¡±


    ¡°I say, Teacher Loo, do you have any dissatisfaction with Comrade Xiao Kang, the spouse of Professor Luo? You¡¯d better not forget, your own husband works under Professor Luo.¡±


    ¡°Li Aiju, you and I have no grudges or grievances, why must you persist in picking a quarrel with me today?¡±


    Loo Ping was extremely aggravated, her face cold as she looked at the woman named Li Aiju, who was the same woman that had previously spoken for Kang Li and had used Loo Ping of having hearing problems.


    Wang Chan watched from the side with an unchanged expression, but internally she was quite annoyed with Loo Ping, her distant cousin. She frowned and said to both Loo Ping and Li Aiju, ¡°Can you both talk less? It¡¯s such a trivial matter, must you fuss over it like a cockfight, don¡¯t you feel embarrassed?¡±


    Having said that, Wang Chan turned around without even greeting Loo Ping, and walked towards her own home.


    ¡­


    The Wen¡¯s family.


    Su Man returned home to see the three sisters Wen Yue ying together, having not listened to her instructions before she left to stay at home and do their homework, which she had assigned. Well, the homework was assigned to Wen Yue and Wen Yi; as for the youngest among the three stepdaughters, who was only three years old and couldn¡¯t even hold a pencil, she naturally wouldn¡¯t make it difficult for the child.


    ¡°Wen Yue, Wen Yi, have you yed enough?¡±


    Already frustrated and suffocated, Su Man¡¯s face couldn¡¯t possibly look any better as she entered the living room, her face stern and brows furrowed as she looked at the two sisters Wen Yue and Wen Yi, ¡°What did I say just before I left, you¡¯ve forgotten?¡±


    Wen Yue and Wen Yi sat up straight, but both sisters kept their heads down, no one daring to look at Su Man, their stepmother.


    Wen Yu was the third child, and although she was young, she could also read the room. The little girl, seeing her stepmother getting angry, was so scared that her eyes instantly filled with tears, sittingpletely still on her little stool.


    ¡°Thinking that you are still young, I haven¡¯t been too strict with you, but no matter how much you y, you should at leastplete the homework I assign you every day. But what have you done? You agree so readily with your words, but your actions dopletely the opposite. Do you think in your hearts that I¡¯m harming you?¡±


    If it weren¡¯t for knowing that these three costly children would one day achieve great things, she would never have been so patient, allowing them to act out in front of her, and outside, to address her as ¡®stepmother¡¯.


    Yet people¡¯s patience has its limits. Since she married into this family, she had indeed toned down her temper, speaking to the three sisters in soft and gentle words, not insisting they call her ¡®mom¡¯ and letting them address her however they wished, believing that as long as she could clear her conscience, they would eventually recognize her kindness and willingly call her ¡®mom¡¯.


    Because she wasn¡¯t in a hurry, she had all the time to wait.


    But this didn¡¯t mean she had to tolerate them endlessly!


    Especially if they didn¡¯t take her earnest goodwill seriously.


    ¡°There¡¯s a saying: ¡®A youth not spent in diligence will end in an old age filled with regret.¡¯ Wen Yue, Wen Yi, don¡¯t you want to be like your dad one day, to make great contributions to our country?


    Don¡¯t you want to be the best students in ss, liked by the teachers and ssmates? Wen Yue, you and Wen Yi, one six and the other five, are about to start school. I¡¯m going to make myself clear. If you don¡¯t want to be fools, disliked by teachers, and ridiculed by ssmates, then just ignore my words. y however you want to!¡±


    As her voice fell, Su Man went straight into the master bedroom.


    She shut the door with a flick of her hand and sat on the edge of the bed, furiously pounding the pillow twice to vent the irritation and suffocation in her heart.


    Her biological parents, who seemed to love her, had shortchanged her in her dowry.

 Chapter 81 - 81 81 Kang Li doesnt want to show off she just

    ?Chapter 81: Chapter 81 Kang Li doesn¡¯t want to show off, she just wants to¡­   Chapter 81: Chapter 81 Kang Li doesn¡¯t want to show off, she just wants to¡­                                   The man she married seemed to treat her well, but in reality¡­ in reality, all he wanted was a son, a son from her.


    Touching her belly, Su Man couldn¡¯t be sure that she was pregnant, but she felt it was very likely, as her period was five or six dayste this month.


    However,pared to her state of mind when she found out she was probably pregnant two days ago, she now¡­ wasn¡¯t as happy.


    Nevertheless, the child was hers. She would undoubtedly take good care of him and wait for the day he would be born.


    Clutching a pillow to her chest, Su Man thought again of the sisters Wen Yue and Wen Yi.


    In herst life, her sister Su Qing was thedy of the house, not only raising her three stepdaughters to be capable, but also teaching her own children very well.


    Each of them got into prestigious universities.


    At the time of her death, among the three sisters, although Wen Yue and Wen Yi had not yet graduated from university and Wen Yu had not taken the college entrance exam, they were all exceptional among their peers, with a promising future.


    From this, it was not hard to deduce the kind of rich and enviable life her sister would lead in the future.


    As her thoughts turned here, Su Man¡¯s mood improved significantly. She didn¡¯t believe she would be worse off than her sister Su Qing, unable to raise her stepchildren and own children to be capable.


    ¡°Sister, I am definitely more capable than you. Those three money-losers, I can equally raise them to get into prestigious universities, and as for my own child, that goes without saying. Moreover, I will firmly control those three money-losers and make them pave the way for my child, serving my child for a lifetime!¡±


    Muttering under her breath, Su Man¡¯s eyes were full of schemes.


    Luo Family.


    After seeing off the two delivery drivers, Kang Guosheng helped Kang Li ce the newly bought items in the positions specified by Kang Li, set up the TV antenna properly, tuned it to the operational channels, and then helped her install curtains in every room before finally sitting down to rest in the living room.


    Meanwhile, Xiao Ming Rui and three friends who came over to y were sitting together watching the cartoon currently airing on TV, watching intently and very seriously.


    Once the cartoon episode ended, Kang Guosheng cleared his throat twice and said to Xiao Ming Rui and his friends, ¡°You can watch TV, but not too much, otherwise, it can cause eye problems, and it will affect your studies.¡±


    The twins didn¡¯t understand and tilted their heads, looking confused.


    Xiao Ming Rui: ¡°We¡¯re just watching the cartoon for a while.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡±


    Kang Guosheng nodded in satisfaction.


    Main bedroom.


    He Hui sat on the edge of the bed and chatted with Kang Li.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got a good thing with that duvet cover.¡±


    With a duvet cover for protection, there¡¯s no need to worry about the duvet getting dirty, having to take it apart for a major wash, and then restitching it.


    ¡°I¡¯m justzy. But indeed, duvet covers and bedspreads are good things. If they get dirty, just take them off and wash them, no need to strip and starch everything.¡±


    Kang Li casually agreed, then added, ¡°Sister-inw, you might consider adopting this, it would save you some trouble.¡±


    ¡°Good things are naturally worth adopting.¡±


    He Hui nodded with a smile.


    ¡°Sister-inw, before I came to North City, I sent some things to you, my brother, and my two nephews. Did you receive them? If they¡¯re not suitable, you can make some adjustments.¡±


    ¡°You sent us something?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Kang Li nodded, then shared the discussion she had with her younger brother Kang Guoan and the rest of the family, making no secret of her continuation in sweet-talking her sister-inw after her brother and other rtives.


    She chose to bring up the ¡°gifts¡± she sent, not to show off, but simply to inform her sister-inw He Hui,

 Chapter 82 - 82 82 Cute Baby Weiweis Plan

    ?Chapter 82: Chapter 82 Cute Baby Weiwei¡¯s n   Chapter 82: Chapter 82 Cute Baby Weiwei¡¯s n                                   In her heart, no matter which brother, which sister-inw, or which nephew it was, she held them all dear and always expressed her gratitude for their kindness over the years.


    ¡°You silly girl, why go to such expense?¡±


    He Hui was visibly moved, ¡°Since you¡¯ve already sent gifts to our family of four, why send me something separately today?¡±


    ¡°Different matters are treated separately. Besides, I like my second sister-inw. Can¡¯t I give you two sets of underwear?¡±


    With a twinkle of her foxy eyes, Kang Li¡¯s expression was yfully mischievous.


    He Huiughed and shook her head: ¡°I¡¯ll give you the money for the underwear.¡±


    ¡°What are you doing, second sister-inw? If you really give me money, take the TV with you when you and second brother return to your ce.¡±


    Kang Li pretended to be angry and quickly looked aggrieved: ¡°Or does second sister-inw want to see Li Bao drop golden beans?¡±


    ¡°What should I say to you?¡± He Huiughed helplessly, patting Kang Li¡¯s hand with a loving gaze.


    Kang Li smiled brightly: ¡°Then let¡¯s say nothing at all!¡±


    He Hui nodded, ¡°Alright, second sister-inw will listen to you.¡±


    Pausing for a moment, He Hui held Kang Li¡¯s hand tightly: ¡°Li Bao, you must take care of yourself in the future. Your second brother, second sister-inw, and your two nephews all hope you live a safe and happy life.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°I will, and the same goes for you, second sister-inw. A life of peace, happiness, and joy!¡±


    ¡­


    As night fell as always, after dinner, Kang Guosheng and his wife chatted leisurely with Kang Li until after nine o¡¯clock. Seeing that the adults and children who hade to watch TV gradually left, Kang Guosheng moved the TV from the table at the door of the living room back to its original ce and then moved the table back to where it originally was.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go to sleep. Your second sister-inw and I are going back to our room to rest.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Kang Li nodded slightly, watching as her second brother, Kang Guosheng, and his wife went to the guest room. She then withdrew her gaze, stepped out of the living room, closed the courtyard door, and proceeded to the room of Xiao Ming Rui and the other two.


    Seeing the three little ones lying sweetly in their respective beds, she tenderly furrowed her brows and moved forward to properly cover their little bellies to prevent them from catching cold at night.


    After staying in the room of the three little ones for a few minutes, Kang Li turned and went back to the master bedroom.


    What she didn¡¯t know was that, not long after she left, the three little ones who had been sleeping sweetly suddenly opened their eyes in unison.


    ¡°Stinky Hanhan! Stinky Hanhan, sit up and talk, hurry up!¡±


    Vivi slowly slid off her own bed and then, aided by the moonlight streaming in through the window, moved to Ming Han¡¯s bedside, climbed onto the bed, and sat next to Ming Han, extending her little hand to push him to sit up.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to do that.¡±


    Puffing his cheeks, Ming Han frowned deeply, climbing up to sit with a stern little face.


    ¡°Big brother!¡±


    Seeing Min Ruie to the lower bunk, Vivi whispered inint: ¡°Second brother doesn¡¯t want to listen to Vivi.¡±


    Ming Han felt aggrieved, ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to listen, it¡¯s just that what you¡¯re doing is wrong. I don¡¯t want to mess around with you.¡± Although their mother was the stepmother, she was clearly nice to them. Why then did his sister want to act like a naughty child and test their stepmother?


    And to drag him and big brother into being naughty too!


    What if it hurt their mother¡¯s heart? What if she stopped caring for them, stopped being nice to them? What then?


    ¡°Stinky Hanhan, I¡¯m not being naughty!¡±


    Vivi¡¯s eyes rounded fiercely as she crossed her arms and pouted: ¡°I just want to test if the stepmother really likes us or not. Big brother, say something!¡±


    Min Rui¡¯s delicately fair face showed no emotion as he moved his mouth slightly before finally speaking: ¡°Do whatever you want. I¡¯m not getting involved, and I won¡¯t tell anyone.¡±

 Chapter 83 - 83 83 Little Boy Min Rui Understands His

    ?Chapter 83: Chapter 83: Little Boy Min Rui Understands His Sister¡­   Chapter 83: Chapter 83: Little Boy Min Rui Understands His Sister¡­                                   Min Rui actually didn¡¯t know what to say about his younger sister¡¯s childish behavior, but he could understand the n she was about to carry out.


    From a young age, he and his siblings had never seen their mother, never met their biological mother, so they longed for a mother¡¯s presence, yearning for maternal affection.


    As for him¡­ although that person had been with him as a mother for over three years, she¡­ she didn¡¯t like him at all.


    Don¡¯t ask him why he knew his mother didn¡¯t like him¡ªit was simple, he had an early memory, what the adults call precociousness.


    In short, ever since he could remember, that person¡­ his mother spent every day focusing on wearing pretty clothes, hoping for dad toe home often.


    But dad didn¡¯te back often; sometimes he would be gone for very, very long periods.


    His mother got angry, and then she would take it out on him, not bothering to make him proper meals, let alone¡­ let alone y with him and tell him stories like other kids¡¯ mothers did.


    He was very sad about this, but he couldn¡¯t show it in front of his mother.


    The reason?


    Once his mother saw it, she wouldn¡¯t just scold him but also pinch and twist him.


    At that time, he couldn¡¯t help thinking, maybe his mother wasn¡¯t his biological mother after all. Otherwise, why wouldn¡¯t she like him and treat him so badly?


    So, like a naughty child, after being pinched and twisted by his mother more than once, he couldn¡¯t help thinking how nice it would be if his mother just disappeared so that no one would scold, pinch, or twist him.


    Unbelievably¡­ unbelievably, one day his mother was really gone, and at that moment, he couldn¡¯t help feeling joy, but he knew¡­ deep down, he felt more unease.


    His father was busy with work and couldn¡¯t take care of him and his younger siblings at home, so he hired someone to help look after them.


    At first, the auntie who came to look after him and his siblings was very good to them, always smiling when she spoke, her voice gentle. She washed their clothes, cooked for him, mixed form for his younger siblings, and kept the house clean.


    But as time passed, he realized that the auntie looking after them would often stealthily take things from their home, hiding them in her bag to take out. He was not mistaken.


    There were rice, flour, cooking oil, his siblings¡¯ form, and other food and necessities.


    He saw it all, but he was too young to know what to do. Instead, the auntie realized that he knew her secret, and threatened him that if he dared to tell anyone, she would stop washing their clothes and cooking for them, and let them starve at home.


    Without their fathering home for long stretches, he was very scared. Every day he ate vegetables boiled in water, watched the auntie often eat meat and fried eggs, and saw his siblings¡¯ milk bing more and more diluted.


    Hearing his siblings crying from hunger, one day when the auntie wasn¡¯t looking, he sneaked out the door to call his dad from a neighbor¡¯s house, begging his dad toe back and save him and his siblings.


    And so, the auntie who had taken care of him and his siblings for almost a year disappeared from their home, but it wasn¡¯t his dad who showed up to care and stay with them¡ªit was a grandma with some white hair, Grandma Cui.


    His dad said that from now on, Grandma Cui would take care of him and his siblings.


    Like the previous auntie who had taken care of him and his siblings, Grandma Cui was very diligent and kind.


    Her cooking was delicious, and she was very good to him and his siblings. However, as time passed, Grandma Cui, just like the previous caretaker, would stealthily take things from their home,

 Chapter 84 - 84 84 Cute Baby Weiwei is a Little Smartie

    ?Chapter 84: Chapter 84: Cute Baby Weiwei is a Little Smartie   Chapter 84: Chapter 84: Cute Baby Weiwei is a Little Smartie                                   And she even brought over her own grandson to his house, iming he would be a ymate for him and his younger siblings.


    But what happened?


    Grandma Cui¡¯s grandson ate eggs and white dumplings, while he could only watch; Grandma Cui¡¯s grandson drank his younger siblings¡¯ milk form, which often left them crying with hunger¡­


    He did not speak, but instead directly snatched the milk bottle from Grandma Cui¡¯s grandson¡¯s hands, and knocked him to the ground.


    Seeing this, Grandma Cui red at him with her eyes and picked up her grandson, cooing over him with terms of endearment.


    Afterward, she showed him a smile, saying that her grandson had been frail since birth, which is why she couldn¡¯t help giving him some of his younger siblings¡¯ milk form and made him egg custard and boiled eggs to eat¡­ She said he was a good child, strong and robust, and that he should give in to her grandson a bit.


    Fearing that he might run out to seek help from the uncles and aunts in the courtyard, Grandma Cui locked him inside the house, forbidding him to go out and y, until¡­ until Granny Qi came to visit him and his siblings at their home. She saw them unkempt and skinny, not looking well at all, while Grandma Cui and her grandson had obviously gained more than a little weight. Granny Qi flew into a rage on the spot!


    The bad caregiver was chased away, and he and his siblings were temporarily taken care of by Granny Qi. Then, not long ago, he overheard Granny Qi saying that Dad was going to find them a new stepmother to take care of him and his siblings.


    When he found out about this, he was especially panicked and scared that the new stepmother would be a malicious woman, just like his older brothers and sisters had said, that no stepmother was good.


    His younger siblings were also scared.


    But¡­ but Granny Qi had many heart-to-heart talks with them, saying that the stepmother their dad was finding for them was very good. Not wanting to be seen as bad children by Granny Qi, both he and his siblings acted obedient and epted the arrival of the new stepmother.


    It was also then that his sister quietly told him and his brother that they should test to see if the new stepmother was as good as Granny Qi said she was.


    He knew that among the three of them, his sister might be the youngest, but she was quite shrewd.


    He did not take a stance, yes, he did not take a stance at the time, and his sister took that as tacit approval of her n.


    And that led to the current situation.


    ¡°How can you say that, big brother?¡± Milk Bun Ming Han frowned disapprovingly at her brother Min Rui: ¡°Isn¡¯t Mom good to us, why would you agree to Sis causing trouble?¡±


    Min Rui: ¡°I haven¡¯t agreed, I just said I wouldn¡¯t take part.¡±


    Vivi: ¡°Second brother, I told you I¡¯m not causing trouble!¡±


    ¡°Mom is a good mom, you know that.¡±


    Ming Han scowled, a deep grievance etched on his face, making him look very unlovable.


    ¡°She seems nice now, but she¡¯s a stepmother. What if she¡¯s just pretending to be nice to us for these past few days? Just like we¡¯re pretending to be good kids for her to see.¡±


    Vivi had actually wanted to act out as a problem child from the first day she met the new stepmother, but she hadn¡¯t expected the stepmother to be apanied by family members to their home. Facing four adults, Vivi secretly signaled to her two brothers to alter the ¡°battle n¡± on the fly.


    First, they would act like good kids to lull the new stepmother, and once her family had left, they wouldmence her original n.


    That¡¯s what Vivi thought. And just before dinner tonight, she learned that the stepmother¡¯s brother and sister-inw would return to their work ce early the next morning, which made her impatient. Before the TV was turned off, Vivi returned to her room, nning to discuss her original scheme thoroughly.


    In order not to let the new stepmother detect anything amiss, once back in their room, she and her two older brothers climbed into their separate beds and pretended to go to sleep after undressing.


    They sessfully deceived the new stepmother!


    Ming Han frowned: ¡°I don¡¯t think the new stepmother is just pretending to be a good mom.¡±

 Chapter 85 - 85 85 Milk Bun Ming Han Doesnt Want to Go

    ?Chapter 85: Chapter 85 Milk Bun Ming Han Doesn¡¯t Want to Go Hungry   Chapter 85: Chapter 85 Milk Bun Ming Han Doesn¡¯t Want to Go Hungry                                   ¡°Stinky Hanhan, I didn¡¯t say she is definitely pretending, I just said she might be pretending to be a good mother, hmph!¡± Cute Baby Weiwei, seeing her second brother didn¡¯t cooperate with her, was so annoyed that she didn¡¯t even want to deal with this Stinky Hanhan anymore!


    ¡°Vivi, do you really want to make the new mom sad?¡±


    Milk Bun Ming Han was really worried; why does his sister choose to believe what those people outside are saying?


    Stepmothers are wicked, no stepmother is good, stepmothers pretend to be nice but are actually not nice to children at all¡­


    Thinking about some things he and his siblings had heard about stepmothers in the courtyard before their new mom arrived made Ming Han¡¯s mind a mess.


    He didn¡¯t really believe those things, but his sister did, and his older brother didn¡¯t care what she was nning; what should he do?


    Cute Baby Vivi threatened fiercely, ¡°Stinky Hanhan, do you want to go hungry like before?¡±


    Milk Bun Ming Han instinctively shook his head, ¡°No! I don¡¯t want to go hungry!¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to go hungry, then you¡¯d better listen to me and do as I say!¡±


    Thinking she had found her second brother¡¯s weak spot, Cute Baby Vivi¡¯s delicate brows and eyes showed a trace of smugness.


    ¡°Okay¡­ I promise you!¡±


    Being hungry is so ufortable; he wanted to eat his fill and grow taller so he would have the strength to protect his brother and sister.


    Yes, and protect the new mom too!


    Thinking this, Ming Han soon became conflicted again and called out in his mind, ¡°Da Minghan! Da Minghan, are you there?¡±


    ¡°I am here.¡±


    Da Minghan responded.


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m a bad kid?¡±


    Milk Bun Ming Han felt a bit sad; he thought he shouldn¡¯t deliberately be mischievous or disobey the new mom, making her unhappy.


    Da Minghan: ¡°No. Vivi really doesn¡¯t have bad intentions; just listen to her. If your new mom really likes you and truly loves you, she won¡¯t mind if you are a bit naughty, but¡­¡±


    Milk Bun Ming Han: ¡°But what?¡±


    Da Minghan: ¡°But I can¡¯t guarantee that your new mom won¡¯t spank you.¡± In his memory, his sister Vivi indeed had quite a few mischievous ideas, and the n she was about to enact, in his view, was actually harmless.


    Furthermore, he knew that Vivi¡¯s behavior was actually a manifestation of feeling unloved, just as he and his brother also felt unloved.


    So they were afraid, afraid that what they now had was just an illusion, hence, it was not strange for Vivi to want to test the new mom.


    The following morning.


    Kang Li, with the help of her sister-inw He Hui, prepared breakfast. After the meal, He Hui helped Kang Li clean up the kitchen, and then Kang Guosheng and his wife mentioned it was time to leave.


    ¡°Second brother and sister-inw, I know you¡¯re busy with work and can¡¯t stay long in North City; hence, I won¡¯t keep you any longer.¡± In the living room, Kang Li looked at Kang Guosheng and his wife, her eyes betraying her reluctance, but her words were considerate: ¡°Have a safe trip, and remember to call me when you get home to let me know you¡¯ve arrived safely. Here, this is my home phone number; second brother, please take it.¡±


    Kang Guosheng: ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll call you as soon as we get off the train.¡± Taking the piece of paper with Kang Li¡¯s home phone number on it, Kang Guosheng picked up his travel bag and walked towards the front door, He Hui following closely behind.


    Kang Li: ¡°Second brother, second sister-inw, slow down, the kids and I will see you out.¡±


    Kang Guosheng and his wife paused, turned back, and Kang Guosheng said, ¡°No need.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not far; we¡¯ll just walk you to the courtyard gate. We can¡¯t send you farther anyway, given all these kids I¡¯m looking after,¡± Kang Li said with a smile, motioning for the three little ones to follow.


    Seeing this, Kang Guosheng and his wife, albeit somewhat reluctantly, ended up carrying the twins, while Kang Li took Ming Rui Baby¡¯s hand and walked toward the gate¡­

 Chapter 86 - 86 86 Malicious Remarks

    ?Chapter 86: Chapter 86: Malicious Remarks   Chapter 86: Chapter 86: Malicious Remarks                                   After locking the gate, Kang Li, holding Ruirui¡¯s hand, chatted leisurely with Kang Guosheng and his wife as they walked toward the entrance of the family quarters. Along the way, they couldn¡¯t help but attract the attention of the passing pedestrians.


    Well, those curious nces were mostly directed at Kang Li. After all, her beauty was truly captivating, and coupled with her exceptional demeanor, she seemed ethereal, almost like a Fairy Girl descending from the heavens.


    Since everyone lived in the sameplex, it wasn¡¯t that they all knew each other well, but sharing the same entrance, one would at least recognize a familiar face. However, those whose gazes rested on Kang Li generally had no idea that such an extraordinary beauty resided within thepound.


    ¡°Who is thatrade? She¡¯s extremely gorgeous!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t recognize her, she¡¯s unfamiliar.¡±


    ¡°Maybe she¡¯s a rtive or an outside friend of someone here?!¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t it seem like those three kids belong to Professor Luo¡¯s family¡­¡±


    ¡°Sort of.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean ¡®sort of¡¯? It¡¯s obvious!¡±


    Passersby, men and women, young and old, continued to nce back at Kang Li even after she had walked some distance, their voices mingled with amazement, curiosity, and confusion.


    ¡°Right, I heard these past few days that Professor Luo has found a stepmother for his three kids.¡±


    ¡°To find such a beautifulrade to be his wife, Comrade Luo is truly fortunate!¡±


    ¡°Do you all still remember Professor Luo¡¯s previous wife?¡±


    ¡°What about her?¡±


    ¡°Professor Luo¡¯s former wife wasn¡¯t much to speak of, but who knows whether this new one is any good.¡±


    Someone sighed and then said, ¡°The first wife is always better, at least the children are her own. No matter what, a tiger doesn¡¯t eat its cubs.¡±


    ¡°What are you implying? Are you suggesting that Professor Luo¡¯s new partner has bad character and will mistreat his three children?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say that.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s almost what you meant.¡±


    ¡°Why are you two so worked up over someone else¡¯s business? I think thatrade¡¯s countenance suggests she¡¯s amiable. Such a person is highly unlikely to be harsh to the kids.¡±


    ¡­


    Kang Li had good hearing, and Kang Guosheng¡¯s was even better. They could make out some of thementary behind them, though not all of it.


    ¡°Li Bao.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°If anyone gives you trouble, don¡¯t hold back. As long as we¡¯re in the right, there¡¯s nothing to be afraid of.¡±


    This was a research instituteplex, where many residents were well-educated. However, Kang Guosheng had not expected gossip and spection about others even within such an environment.


    Kang Li: ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Brother, I won¡¯t let myself be taken advantage of or bullied.¡± Just idle gossip, she thought; how could it possibly hurt her?


    ¡°Li Bao, if you need to go out for errands, it¡¯s best to entrust the kids with a neighbor or that Comrade Qi whom you mentioned. Never go out alone with all three kids to shop or run errands; it¡¯s too easy to lose sight of them, and that can lead to trouble.¡±


    He Hui shared with Kang Li whatever advice she could think of.


    ¡°Thank you, Sister-inw, I¡¯ll remember that.¡±


    Kang Li epted her sister-inw He Hui¡¯s kindness.


    At the entrance of theplex, Kang Guosheng did not let Kang Li walk any further. He and his wife, He Hui, ced the twins on the ground to stand firmly, their eyes filled with adoration as they looked straight at Kang Li and said, ¡°You can go back now. The bus stop is just ahead, and your sister-inw and I will head over.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°If I¡¯m not allowed to walk you further, then I¡¯ll stay here with the kids and watch you get on the bus before we go back.¡±


    ¡°Be obedient.¡±

 Chapter 87 - 87 87 Cute Baby Weiwei Implements the Plan

    ?Chapter 87: Chapter 87 Cute Baby Weiwei Implements the n   Chapter 87: Chapter 87 Cute Baby Weiwei Implements the n                                   Kang Guosheng raised his hand to rub Kang Li¡¯s head, his expression tender, ¡°Don¡¯t worry your second brother and his wife. Be good and go back.¡±


    He Hui: ¡°Li Bao, listen to your second brother.¡±


    ¡°Alright then!¡±


    After replying, Kang Li held Min Rui in her left hand and Ming Wei in her right, making sure Min Rui was holding Ming Han¡¯s hand, the four of them lined up. Kang Li said, ¡°Goodbye second brother, goodbye second sister-inw!¡±


    The three children: ¡°Goodbye second uncle, goodbye second aunt!¡±


    ¡°Goodbye.¡±


    Kang Guosheng and his wife waved to the mother and her four children with smiles in their eyes as they watched Kang Li and her trio of youngsters enter the courtyard.


    What Kang Li didn¡¯t expect was that just a few steps into the courtyard, Cute Baby Weiwei slipped her hand out of her palm and started running ahead, not exactly haphazardly, but fast nheless.


    Milk Bun Ming Han nced at his brother Min Rui after his sister Weiwei started running and slipped his hand out of his brother¡¯s, chasing after his sister like a shot from a cannon.


    ¡°Weiwei! Hanhan! Slow down, you guys run slower, be careful not to fall!¡±


    Kang Li felt quite embarrassed. Before today, or to be precise, before this moment, she had never raised her voice. But now, concerned for the twins¡¯ safety, she waspelled to yell after the little ones.


    ¡°Ruirui, let¡¯s walk faster, or else your brother and sister might bump into someone or fall and hurt themselves.¡±


    Saying so, Kang Li quickened her pace.


    At this moment, Kang Li did not know that the young ones at home had started to test her, to probe her limits and see if she was a loving stepmother who genuinely cared for the kids.


    Little Min Rui did not make a sound but just hustled his little legs, keeping up with Kang Li¡¯s pace.


    ¡°Hanhan! Weiwei!¡±


    In no time, the twin siblings turned onto another path. As their figures disappeared from sight, Kang Li grew even more anxious. Even knowing the children were still within the courtyard, she could not help but worry incessantly.


    After all, the twin siblings weren¡¯t even three years old yet and could easily have an ident without adult supervision.


    Anxiety was evident in Kang Li¡¯s eyes as she picked up Ming Rui Baby and ran after the twins.


    At that moment, she could not care less about her own frailty; she was focused solely on catching up with Cute Baby Weiwei and Milk Bun Ming Han. As for picking up Ming Rui Baby, it was simply because the little one was still too young to keep up with her pace even if he moved his little legs as quickly as he could.


    Therefore, she had to carry the child as she hastened forward to prevent him from being left behind or falling over.


    ¡°Sister, where are we running off to?¡±


    Having run some distance, Milk Bun Ming Han asked Weiwei.


    ¡°To Sister Lulu¡¯s house to y.¡±


    Cute Baby Weiwei now held hands with her brother Ming Han as the two of them ran as fast as mice fleeing from a cat.


    ¡°Weiwei, Hanhan, stop right now or mommy will get mad!¡±


    When Kang Li was approximately a couple of strides away from the toddlers, the voice that slipped through her lips deliberately carried a tinge of displeasure.


    Hearing her words, both twins stalled, halting involuntarily.


    Seeing this, Kang Li secretly let out a sigh of relief. After she steadied Ming Rui Baby on the ground and caught her breath, she took Ming Rui Baby¡¯s hand and approached the twins.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, follow mommy home.¡±


    She reached out to Milk Bun Ming Han, who wisely ced his little hand in Kang Li¡¯s palm and didn¡¯t let go of his sister. With a drooping head, he started walking with his short legs.


    Back home, Kang Li sat quietly on a small armchair, watching the three little ones sitting in a row.

 Chapter 88 - 88 88 Kang Li Becomes Suspicious

    ?Chapter 88: Chapter 88 Kang Li Bes Suspicious   Chapter 88: Chapter 88 Kang Li Bes Suspicious                                   ¡°Ruirui, you can y by yourself for a while,¡± Kang Li said,¡± Vivi and Hanhan stay, I have something to say to them.¡±


    Clearly, she was talking to Ming Rui Baby.


    And Xiao Ming Rui moved his lips, but in the end, he didn¡¯t make a sound and went back to his room.


    ¡°Tell mom, why did you suddenly run ahead by yourselves?¡±


    Kang Li asked in a gentle voice.


    However, the twins both bowed their little heads and remained silent.


    Kang Li found it amusing in her heart and asionally thought to herself: It¡¯s just like the twins to have such an understanding, neither of them willing to speak first when she asked a question.


    But Kang Li wasn¡¯t in a hurry, the corners of her lips slightly upturned. After about two or three minutes had passed, she directed the question to Milk Bun: ¡°Hanhan, you speak.¡±


    Unexpectedly, it was Cute Baby Weiwei¡¯s childish voice that chimed in: ¡°Second Brother and I wanted to go to Sister Lulu¡¯s house to y, we were afraid you wouldn¡¯t agree, so¡­ ¡±


    Cute Baby Weiwei didn¡¯t finish her sentence, but her meaning was clear.


    Kang Li: ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s what happened.¡±


    Cute Baby Weiwei nodded her little head vigorously, and without waiting for Kang Li to speak again, she opened her ck grape-like eyes wide and asked in a childish voice, ¡°Don¡¯t you trust us? Do you think Second Brother and I have been naughty? But we only wanted to y at Sister Lulu¡¯s for a little while, you won¡¯t spank our little bottoms for this, will you?¡±


    Standing up, Cute Baby Weiwei instinctively protected her own little bottom and moved a couple of steps to the side, readying herself to run away.


    Milk Bun Ming Han followed suit.


    Kang Li: ¡°Did I say I was going to spank your little bottoms?¡± She said, her beautiful face adorned with a faint smile, ncing at Cute Baby Weiwei and then at Milk Bun Ming Han, she slowly continued, ¡°Running off on your own, do you know that¡¯s very dangerous?¡±


    Cute Baby Weiwei was clever and wilful, puffing up her cheeks: ¡°There¡¯s no danger at all in the courtyard.¡±


    ¡°Nothing is absolute. Do you know what ¡®nothing is absolute¡¯ means?¡± Kang Li asked.


    The twins shook their heads.


    Kang Li: ¡°Then you¡¯d better listen carefully, ¡®nothing is absolute¡¯ means that there is nothing absolute in this world. You may think the courtyard is safe, but what if an ident happens?


    For example, if a bad person tries to sneak into our courtyard, and they happen to see you two kids running around without any adults, and they notice how good-looking you are,


    they might drug you to knock you out, then take you out of the courtyard, and sell you to a ce far away¡­ ¡±


    Cute Baby Weiwei ¡°hmmphed,¡± interrupting Kang Li from continuing, then she turned her head away, refusing to look at Kang Li and raised her voice, ¡°I am very smart, and I won¡¯t be caught by any bad people.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°No matter how smart you are now, you are still just a child. When confronting an adult, can you beat them or run back home with your little short legs?¡±


    Cute Baby Weiwei: ¡°Are you trying to scare Second Brother and me?¡±


    Kang Li finally realised something; she noticed that from the moment the twins entered the house until now, they hadn¡¯t called her ¡®mom¡¯ once.


    They started with ¡°you¡± when addressing her.


    With confusion in her heart, Kang Li wondered: Could it be that the twins¡¯ previous disy of understanding and politeness was all an act?


    Could it be?


    Ever since Ruirui first saw her until now, he¡¯s been the same ¡ª quiet and hasn¡¯t called her ¡®mom¡¯ once.


    There was no question of putting on a facade.


    But the twins¡­


    Were they that cunning?


    They are just cubs, only two and a half years old, probably don¡¯t even know what ¡®pretending¡¯ means, so how could they put on an act in front of her?


    If the twins weren¡¯t pretending, then how could they exin what happened today?


    ¡°Scaring you?¡±


    Kang Li murmured softly, then shook her right index finger: ¡°I¡¯m not trying to scare you. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can ask Granny Qiter and hear what she says about it.¡±

 Chapter 89 - 89 89 Cute Baby Weiwei is So Annoyed~

    ?Chapter 89: Chapter 89 Cute Baby Weiwei is So Annoyed~   Chapter 89: Chapter 89 Cute Baby Weiwei is So Annoyed~                                   Milk Bun Ming Han was asking Da Minghan in his mind, ¡°Da Minghan, do you think Mom is deceiving me and my sister? Are there really bad people who can get into the courtyard?¡±


    Da Minghan said, ¡°That¡¯s possible.¡±


    Milk Bun Ming Han said, ¡°Are the bad people very powerful? There are two uncles watching at the entrance of the courtyard, it would be difficult for bad people toe in!¡±


    ¡°Bad people don¡¯t havebels on their faces, if they want to sneak in, they will definitelye up with various methods. You must remember what your mom said today, you shouldn¡¯t run around the courtyard without adults, and you definitely shouldn¡¯t run around when you¡¯re out shopping with adults, otherwise, there¡¯s a great possibility that bad people might kidnap you and sell you away.¡±


    Da Minghan paused slightly, then Fang Xu said, ¡°I have something I haven¡¯t told you, do you want to hear it?¡±


    Milk Bun Ming Han said, ¡°Go ahead, I will listen carefully.¡±


    ¡°When I was five years old, bad people lured me away from my mom with toys, and they lured away my sister Vivi as well. Before Vivi and I could ask the adults around us for help, we knew nothing.


    When I regained consciousness, I had been sold to a family in the mountains. That family¡­ they didn¡¯t allow me to go to school,


    and made me work from dawn till dusk every day. Had I not followed other vige kids and learned to read, I would have definitely be aplete fool.¡±


    Milk Bun Ming Han said, ¡°I realize my mistake now.¡±


    Da Minghan said, ¡°You should tell Mom you realize your mistake, not me.¡±


    Milk Bun Ming Han said, ¡°Oh.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re just trying to scare me, I won¡¯t ask Granny Qi!¡±


    Cute Baby Weiwei was determined to believe that Kang Li, the stepmother, was lying, and she crossed her arms and said in a babyish tone, ¡°Go ahead, do you agree to let me and my second brother go to Sister Lulu¡¯s ce to y?¡±


    ¡°Mom, Hanhan realizes his mistake.¡±


    Suddenly, Milk Bun Ming Han spoke up and walked up to Kang Li with his short little legs, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, mom, I won¡¯t do that anymore!¡±


    Kang Li pretended to be puzzled, ¡°I didn¡¯t quite understand.¡±


    Milk Bun Ming Han said, ¡°It means¡­ it means I won¡¯t run around on my own anymore!¡±


    ¡°All right, I understand now. Considering this is your first time making such a mistake, I won¡¯t punish you for it, but if it happens again, next time I will punish you for this time¡¯s mistake together with the new one, okay!¡±


    ¡°I promise not to run around on my own, whether in the courtyard or outside, I won¡¯t run around on my own.¡±


    Listening to the conversation between Kang Li and Milk Bun Ming Han, Cute Baby Weiwei widened her eyes: So annoying! Why isn¡¯t second brother following her n? He¡¯s apologizing, so what should she do?


    Gently pinching Milk Bun Ming Han¡¯s cheeks, Kang Li smiled with her eyes, ¡°Go y with your brother.¡± After sending the little one away, Kang Li turned her gaze towards Cute Baby Weiwei, ¡°Don¡¯t you think you were wrong, Weiwei?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    Cute Baby Weiwei pursed her lips, with no further words.


    ¡°Weiwei, mom wasn¡¯t trying to scare us. If we run around on our own, bad people really can kidnap us!¡±


    After walking a few steps away, Milk Bun Ming Han suddenly turned his head back and said to his sister Ming Wei.


    ¡°Coward, I¡¯m not afraid of bad people at all, nah nah nah¡­¡±


    ring at her brother Ming Han, Cute Baby Weiwei made a face.


    ¡°Weiwei, are you sure you¡¯re not afraid of bad people?¡±


    Kang Li smiled and waved Milk Bun Ming Han into the room with a hand gesture, then turned back to Cute Baby Weiwei, ¡°If that¡¯s really the case, then consider my words unsaid! However, that would make me very sad, do you know why?¡±

 Chapter 90 - 90 90 Just Temporarily Trusting The Plan Wont

    ?Chapter 90: Chapter 90 Just Temporarily Trusting, The n Won¡¯t End   Chapter 90: Chapter 90 Just Temporarily Trusting, The n Won¡¯t End                                   Kang Li didn¡¯t wait for the child to answer, she directly provided the answer, ¡°Because the moment I think about our most, most adorable Xiao Vivi being kidnapped by bad people, my heart feels so troubled!¡±


    Sounding calm andposed with a pitiful expression, Kang Li wondered to herself: Am I acting like a Drama King?


    Cute Baby Weiwei¡¯s mouth twitched, and in a milky voice, she asked, ¡°Am I really your most, most adorable Xiao Vivi?¡±


    Kang Li nodded, ¡°Of course, it¡¯s true!¡±


    Cute Baby Weiwei, ¡°If bad people kidnapped me, would your heart really feel troubled?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s natural. After all, I am Weiwei¡¯s mom. If my little treasure were kidnapped by bad people, not only would my heart be troubled, but I would also lose sleep, be unable to eat, and even cry my eyes blind.¡±


    ¡°Are you lying to me?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely not.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll trust you this time.¡±


    She wasn¡¯t ending her n, she was just temporarily trusting this person once. The n would continue as before. Cute Baby Weiwei thought so, but her attitude showed she knew she was wrong. She shuffled up to Kang Li, ¡°Mommy, don¡¯t be mad, I know I was wrong. I shouldn¡¯t have¡­ I shouldn¡¯t have been naughty, struggling out of your hands and running off on my own.¡±


    Stretching her hand to embrace the child into her arms, Kang Li smiled, ¡°Only if you really know your mistake.¡±


    ¡°Weiwei won¡¯t lie to Mommy, Weiwei is a good baby!¡±


    ¡°Very good, Mommy forgives you.¡±


    Having said that, Kang Li picked up the little girl and headed towards the room where the three little ones lived.


    ¡°Ruirui, Hanhan, and our little baby Weiwei, I have something to say to you now, and after hearing it, you must remember it, okay?¡±


    cing the little girl down beside Milk Bun Ming Han, Kang Li said to the three little ones, ¡°From now on, wherever you go to y, you have to tell Mommy. You can¡¯t just run off without saying a word.¡±


    Twin with mixed sex, ¡°Got it.¡±


    Ming Rui Baby nodded and hummed in agreement.


    ¡­


    Around five or six in the evening, many children came to their house, Kang Li knew the little guys were here to watch cartoons, so when the time came, she turned on the TV and then went off to busily do her own things.


    After they had dinner, more people came to watch TV, each bringing their own little stools, taking ces in the yard, ready to watch a couple of episodes of the series.


    To tell the truth, Kang Li didn¡¯t like the bustle, but she knew in those days, it wasmon for vigers to bring stools to watch TV at the home of someone who owned a television set.


    As a host, she couldn¡¯t just drive them away, could she?


    After all, there were so few forms of entertainment those days. People would finish a day¡¯s work orbor in the fields, and after dinner, they would either gather in small groups to chat or directly go to bed. There wasn¡¯t much to do for entertainment.


    In such circumstances, with the advent of the new thing called television, people could learn about the outside world through TV and watch stories that were otherwise only avable on stage. How could they not be interested and rush to the homes with televisions to watch?


    Especially now, in the middle of the hot summer, when people usually go to bedte, having the opportunity to watch TV was tempting. If they missed it, they¡¯d feel itching inside like a cat scratching.


    And Kang Li herself wasn¡¯t too interested in TV programs. After all, she came from a new century with advanced entertainment culture. However, with the three little cubs and the adults and children from her house sitting in the yard watching TV, she, as their guardian, could only sit by.


    To tell the truth, Kang Li was hoping for the TV to break down.


    That way, she could have some peace and quiet.


    It wasn¡¯t that she was stingy and didn¡¯t want everyone toe over to watch TV, worrying about the cost of electricity; she really just didn¡¯t like the noise.

 Chapter 91 - 91 91 Milk Bun Ming Han Makes a Promise

    ?Chapter 91: Chapter 91 Milk Bun Ming Han Makes a Promise   Chapter 91: Chapter 91 Milk Bun Ming Han Makes a Promise                                   After two episodes of the drama series concluded, with the help of a neighbor¡¯s teenager, Kang Li moved the TV and the stand back to their original ces. Then, she told a story to the three little ones, watched them fall asleep, and finally returned to the master bedroom to rest.


    Lying in bed, Kang Li suddenly had a bright idea sh through her mind. Before the New Year, she would send the TV back to her hometown.


    Yes, just like that.


    If someone asked, she would simply say it was a gesture of filial piety, and also to help the vigers broaden their horizons through the ¡°window¡± of television and to know more about the outside world.


    In the countryside, transportation was inconvenient, and for many people, the furthest ce they ever visited was the county town. Even that was not frequent, only around the New Year to buy festive goods. This indirectly caused their understanding of the outside world to be limited.


    While Kang Li was considering sending the TV back to her hometown, the three little ones, followingst night¡¯s ¡°secret meeting,¡± were once again sitting on Ming Han¡¯s bed to have a serious talk.


    ¡°Stinky Hanhan, why did you betray us?¡±


    Cute Baby Weiwei crossed her arms and red at Milk Bun Ming Han.


    ¡°I¡¯m not a traitor!¡±


    Milk Bun Ming Han red back, ¡°I just don¡¯t want Mom to be unhappy, and she looked so tired trying to keep up with us. I don¡¯t want Mom to get sick!¡±


    ¡°You are a traitor!¡±


    Cute Baby Weiwei huffed.


    Milk Bun Ming Han: ¡°I am not!¡±


    Cute Baby Weiwei turned to her older brother Min Rui, ¡°Big brother, do you think Stinky Hanhan is a traitor, huh?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Middle Brother, not Stinky Hanhan.¡±


    Ming Rui Baby said with a stern face, ¡°Auntie didn¡¯t seem well.¡± Particrly when she was led by the hand to chase after her younger siblings, especially when she was carrying him to chase his sister, he distinctly felt that she was ufortable.


    Milk Bun Ming Han: ¡°See, I told you so. Weiwei, can¡¯t we just stop¡­¡±


    Before he could finish, Cute Baby Weiwei interrupted, ¡°No! Tomorrow we will do this¡­¡±


    Whispering the next part of their n, Cute Baby Weiwei looked serious, ¡°Middle Brother, you have to try harder, okay? If¡­ if you keep ignoring mymands, I will not talk to you for one day.¡±


    ¡°One day?¡±


    Milk Bun Ming Han blinked, ¡°Does it have to be like that?¡±


    Cute Baby Weiwei lifted her chin, ¡°Then half a day.¡±


    Milk Bun Ming Han: ¡°Half a day? Can¡¯t it be a bit shorter?¡±


    Cute Baby Weiwei: ¡°Half of half a day, no less!¡±


    But as soon as she spoke, Cute Baby Weiwei sensed something was off, ring furiously at Milk Bun Ming Han, ¡°You¡¯ve already nned to¡­¡±


    Milk Bun Ming Han waved his little hands frantically, ¡°No, no, I didn¡¯t, I promise I¡¯ll follow your lead!¡±


    How clever his little sister was! He hadn¡¯t even said anything yet, how did she almost discover what he was thinking?


    ¡­


    The newly purchased washing machine was quite useful. The bedsheets and covers Kang Li washed yesterday afternoon were dry byte evening, though she didn¡¯t change them immediately.


    Needless to say, those washed bedsheets and covers were all purchased from the System Mall with Points.


    The System¡¯s efficiency wasmendable, selecting patterns for the master bedroom that quite matched Kang Li¡¯s aesthetic.


    Of course, those chosen for the three little ones¡¯ room were also nice.


    The bedding was all sunned, just two days ago, by Kang Li herself in the yard.


    This morning, as the three little ones got up and finished their morning routines, Kang Li reced their bedding with ones that matched their sheets and pillowcases, full of childlike charm that children would love.


    However, the three little ones still didn¡¯t know, as they yed in the yard after breakfast, then moved to the living room to practice their writing.

 Chapter 92 - 92 92 Eye Contact Hint

    ?Chapter 92: Chapter 92 Eye Contact Hint   Chapter 92: Chapter 92 Eye Contact Hint                                   Okay, it was said to be handwriting practice, but actually it was Min Rui Baby practicing his handwriting, the Twin with mixed sex learning how to hold a pen, studying how to write the numbers ¡°1 and 2¡±, which was an arrangement Kang Li had made after consulting the three little ones.


    As for Kang Li, she had finished her chores and was sitting on a rattan rocking chair beside, flipping through a book.


    The rattan rocking chair also came from the System Mall.


    Time trickled by, and the atmosphere in the living room was both tranquil and warm.


    Listening to the sounds of writing and page-flippinging from time to time, Cute Baby Weiwei¡¯s eyes rolled around, and then she stealthily poked Milk Bun Ming Han¡¯s arm with her pencil.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Milk Bun Ming Han looked up at his sister.


    He was seriously writing the number ¡°1¡±, why was his sister poking him?


    Seeing that her second brother Ming Han looked puzzled, Cute Baby Weiwei red, implying, ¡°Second brother is so slow, hurry up and cause some mischief, don¡¯t look at me!¡±


    Receiving his sister¡¯s eye signal, Milk Bun Ming Han nced in Kang Li¡¯s direction then nodded slightly at his sister.


    However, his eyes clearly showed some reluctance.


    But he couldn¡¯t not do what his sister wanted him to do, knowing that his sister didn¡¯t really mean anything towards their mother, she just really wanted to test whether their mother truly loved them.


    So, he decided to listen to his sister.


    Even though he knew their mom wasn¡¯t a bad woman, and knew that she genuinely cared for him and his siblings, he still had to follow his sister¡¯s n, otherwise, she would definitely start calling him ¡°Stinky Hanhan¡± if she got upset.


    He hated being called that by his sister; as her brother, she should be calling him ¡°Second Brother¡±!


    Although it was still the hot season, making it hard to settle down, the temperature in the morning around eight or nine o¡¯clock was still quite cool.


    And with the living room door wide open, the breeze that flowed in made it even cooler and more pleasant.


    Kang Li was absorbed in reading her book at the moment, but she still didn¡¯t forget to check on the three little ones.


    At the mahogany square table, the three little Buns sat upright, yet, among them, Ruirui was earnestly writing, while Vivi was staring outside the living room door, seemingly watching something.


    With a slight smile, Kang Li¡¯s radiant face showed no signs of anything unusual.


    Her gaze shifted, and she looked toward Milk Bun Hanhan, noticing him with a face full of suffering, holding the pencil and writing the number ¡°1¡± on the paper.


    Yes, Kang Li saw it very clearly.


    At that moment, she felt both amused and helpless in her heart. Had she not seen the little one writing with her own eyes, and only judged by the force he was using, she would have doubted that the Little Cutie was carving on the paper.


    Okay, there must be some mischief mixed in there as well.


    Clearing her throat lightly, Kang Li reined in the smile on her lips and said softly, ¡°Whether writing letters or numbers, there¡¯s no need to press so hard.¡±


    All three little ones were momentarily stunned, then, Ming Rui Baby and Cute Baby Weiwei returned to normal, but only Milk Bun Ming Han remained dazed.


    Kang Li: ¡°Hanhan.¡±


    Milk Bun Ming Han: ¡°¡­¡±


    As their gazes met, Kang Li¡¯s eyes shone with tenderness. She said, ¡°The hand you use to hold the pen can use less strength, you can still write the numbers well that way.¡±


    Standing up, she walked behind Milk Bun, crouched down, took his hand that was holding the pen, wrote two ¡°1s¡± and two ¡°2s¡± on the notebook, and then said:


    ¡°Look, writing like this is both easy and makes the numbers look good. Now, look at what you wrote earlier, this sheet of paper and the one below are both about to be punctured by your pen.¡±


    Pointing at the row of numbers ¡°1¡± and ¡°2¡± written by Milk Bun in front of her, Kang Li then flipped the paper over and pointed at the spots punctured by the numbers on the previous sheet, ¡°You see, weren¡¯t these two rows of numbers what punctured here?¡±

 Chapter 93 - 93 93 Not Admitting Defeat

    ?Chapter 93: Chapter 93: Not Admitting Defeat   Chapter 93: Chapter 93: Not Admitting Defeat                                   Milk Bun Ming Han nodded.


    Kang Li, ¡°This one is torn, and it has the imprint of the numbers from the previous sheet on it. When you get to writing on this sheet, do you think you can write numbers properly in this spot?¡±


    Milk Bun Ming Han shook his head.


    Thinking that her words had an effect and that little bun would correct his pencil grip and the amount of pressure he used, out of the blue, Milk Bun blinked, tilted his head and said, ¡°Mommy, daddy is rich.¡±


    Kang Li, ¡°¡­¡±


    Milk Bun Ming Han, ¡°This notebook is torn and can¡¯t be used anymore, but daddy can buy many of them, so Hanhan doesn¡¯t have to worry about not having a notebook to write numbers, oh.¡±


    Kang Li realized that the little bun was both refuting what she had said earlier and showing off his wealth to her.


    Alright, showing off wealth might be an overthought on her part, but there was no doubt that he was contradicting her.


    After a moment of silence, Kang Li gently rubbed the child¡¯s head, with a tender gaze and a light yet serious tone, ¡°Hanhan, mommy knows that daddy goes to work to earn a sry, but daddy works hard to support so many of us, and he¡¯s actually working very hard. Since we know daddy works hard, how can we afford to be wasteful?¡±


    Milk Bun Ming Han, ¡°Wasteful?¡±


    Kang Li, ¡°Like how you just exerted too much force while writing numbers and tore the sheet underneath. If this happened at school, and you wrote your teacher¡¯s assigned homework on that sheet, wouldn¡¯t you think it¡¯s not pretty?¡±


    ¡°Mmm.¡±


    Milk Bun Ming Han nodded his little head.


    Kang Li, ¡°So in order to make your homework look pretty, what would you do?¡±


    ¡°Tear it off, and write the assignment on the sheet below.¡±


    Xiao Ming Han was very smart and almost blurted the answer.


    Kang Li, ¡°Would that be wasteful then?¡±


    Milk Bun Ming Han nodded and said, ¡°Mmm.¡±


    ¡°Daddy works hard to earn money to support our family. If we waste things at home, can that be justified towards daddy?¡±


    Kang Li patiently and kindly coaxed him, aiming to change Milk Bun¡¯s understanding of ¡°waste¡± at its core, as well as adjusting his way of holding a pencil and the pressure of his hand.


    And by the look on little bun¡¯s face, it was quite evident that he was taking her words to heart.


    A trace of relief colored Kang Li¡¯s bright fox-like eyes as she quietly watched the child, who then said in a milky voice, ¡°Wasting is not good, it¡¯s not fair to daddy. I won¡¯t use so much force when holding a pen and writing numbers from now on.¡±


    Hanging his head low, Milk Bun Ming Han was visibly ashamed, sulking like an eggnt damaged by frost.


    Seeing that today¡¯s n had failed again, Cute Baby Weiwei felt just as gloomy as the sky obscured by dark clouds. However, she wasn¡¯t one to admit defeat easily. She still had many tricks up her sleeve, and she was determined to find out if her stepmother was really kind to her and her brothers.


    Suddenly looking up at Kang Li, Cute Baby Weiwei mustered her courage, stood up, puffed out her cheeks, and red at Kang Li, ¡°You can¡¯t talk about my second brother like that!¡±


    Kang Li watched the little girl with a smile, not making a sound.


    Cute Baby Weiwei continued, ¡°Daddy goes to work to earn money for my brothers and me to spend. Even if we waste it, daddy won¡¯t scold us. And¡­ and you¡¯re not our real mommy, you said so yourself, so you can¡¯t control us!¡±


    Knowing that such words did not befit a well-behaved child, but¡­ but she couldn¡¯t help herself and spoke up anyway. Would this person be mad at her?


    Would she think Weiwei is a bad child, no longer treat her kindly, or stop braiding her hair into nice braids?


    Sitting down on a nearby armchair with a gentle expression, Kang Li smiled and said, ¡°Indeed, I said I¡¯m not your biological mother, but I am your father¡¯s current wife, which makes me one of your elders. Therefore, I have a responsibility to teach you.¡±

 Chapter 94 - 94 94 Losing Temper

    ?Chapter 94: Chapter 94: Losing Temper   Chapter 94: Chapter 94: Losing Temper                                   ¡°On normal days, if you do well, I will praise you and reward you; on the contrary, I will criticize you, and may even punish you.¡±


    After a brief pause, Kang Li¡¯s smile faded, and her expression became slightly more serious. However, her voice remained light and gentle. ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. Your dad goes to work to earn money for you to spend, but this spending should be on raising you and for your education, not for you to waste carelessly. Do you think I¡¯m right?¡±


    Cute Baby Weiwei fell silent. She could see the change in Kang Li¡¯s face and felt panic in her heart. She couldn¡¯t help but look to her big brother Min Rui for support.


    ¡°You can¡¯t waste things!¡±


    Ming Rui Baby put down his pen and looked at his sister. ¡°Dad works very hard.¡± He¡¯s so busy with work that it¡¯s hard to see him even once a year; he must be extremely tired.


    As for Dad, his impression wasn¡¯t deep, not because he didn¡¯t want to remember, but because as he grew up, Dad was home so infrequently. Every time he did see him, he tried to remember clearly, but then Dad would be gone for a very long time again¡­ Now, he only knew that Dad was quiet, handsome, and tall, and when he was home, he¡¯d mostly be reading in the study.


    He had never hugged him, had never held his younger siblings, and had never yed with them.


    Angry, sad?


    Maybe so, but even if he felt angry or sad, what good would it do?


    Dad¡­ Dad wouldn¡¯t change!


    How did he know this?


    He wasn¡¯t sure, but he believed that Dad would always be as he remembered him. For Dad to change into the kind of father other kids had in the big courtyard, who would y with their children or let them ride on their necks like a horse, it was absolutely impossible!


    Cute Baby Weiwei frowned: ¡°¡­¡±


    Thinking his sister hadn¡¯t taken his words to heart, Min Rui¡¯s face tensed. ¡°You need to behave, or else, Dad will get angry.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± At the mention of ¡°Dad,¡± Cute Baby Weiwei¡¯s eyes instantly filled with tears. She slid off the small chair, pouting, and said, ¡°I¡¯m not afraid! Dad doesn¡¯t like us anyway!¡±


    Bad Dad! Stinky Dad!


    She couldn¡¯t even remember what he looked like, so why should she miss him? She wanted Dad to hold her, to hear him talk, to see him smile¡­


    It had been over seven months since Luo Yanqing hadst been home.


    For Xiao Ming Wei, who was now two and a half years old and was less than two years old seven months ago, even if she had seen Dad, how could she remember?


    Yes, the little girl was smart, but no matter how smart, seven months ago she was just a toddler. Even now, she was still but a little cub.


    She wanted her parents¡¯pany, their love, to be with them, but she knew her mom passed away giving birth to her and her second brother, and Dad was never home, making her feel like a poor child without parents.


    Now, hearing her big brother say that Dad would be angry with her for wanting a new mom, Cute Baby Weiwei became scared. She feared that Dad would indeed be angry with her and would then dislike her, and she feared that the new mom would also dislike her and not treat her well like she had been recently.


    ¡°Don¡¯t cry, your dad won¡¯t be mad at you, be good!¡±


    Kang Li walked over and crouched down, about to pick up the little girl when, unexpectedly, the little girl pushed her away forcefully: ¡°Go away, I don¡¯t want you to handle this!¡± Caught off guard by the child¡¯s push and already frail, Kang Li fell to the ground without a surprise.


    ¡°Mom!¡±


    Milk Bun Ming Han stood up and hurried to help Kang Li.


    Min Rui also panicked and stood up to help Kang Li, but by then, Kang Li had already gotten up from the ground. She pinched Xiao Ming Han¡¯s cheek and softly said, ¡°I¡¯m alright.¡±

 Chapter 95 - 95 95 Tsundere

    ?Chapter 95: Chapter 95: Tsundere   Chapter 95: Chapter 95: Tsundere                                   As for Xiao Ming Wei, after pushing Kang Li to the ground, she had run crying to the room.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll go check on Weiwei. She won¡¯t be hurt.¡±


    Afterforting the two little ones, Kang Li sighed quietly and walked to the bedroom where the three little ones stayed.


    As she opened the door, the first thing she saw was the little girl standing in the middle of the room, staring nkly at the brightly colored, lovely bedsheet and the neatly folded quilt covers on her bed. Hearing no cries, Kang Li smiled silently. She walked over to the bed where Milk Bun Ming Han slept, sat down, and quietly sat beside the little girl, waiting for her toe back to her senses.


    Not knowing how much time had passed, Xiao Ming Wei slowly turned around. Looking at Kang Li, she said with some shame, ¡°Why did you follow me to the room?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t follow you. I just casually walked over to sit.¡± Kang Li¡¯s lips curved into a smile, her gaze tender, ¡°Do you like it?¡±


    Cute Baby Weiwei haughtily retorted, ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡±


    Kang Li raised an eyebrow, ¡°Really don¡¯t know?¡±


    Cute Baby Weiwei grunted, lifted her chin, and crossed her arms, showing a defiant expression, ¡°Don¡¯t think that just by doing this¡­ you can make me like you!¡±


    ¡°But I never asked you to like me. I just want my baby to be happy.¡±


    Kang Li spoke in a childlike tone,municating with Cute Baby Weiwei.


    ¡°I¡¯m not happy at all.¡±


    Cute Baby Weiwei stubbornly insisted.


    ¡°Is that so? But I think you look very happy and seem to like it a lot!¡±


    Kang Li¡¯s eyes curved like the most beautiful crescent moon. She beckoned the little girl toe to her, then, the little girl haughtily took her time before slowly stepping forward, ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°I know our Weiwei is a polite, well-mannered, good child,¡± Kang Li pinched the little girl¡¯s scarcely chubby cheek, her eyes full ofpassion, ¡°I also understand why you and Hanhan have been unusual thesest few days. If you don¡¯t believe me, I¡¯ll share my guess and see if I¡¯m right?¡±


    In less than a month, she would be able to fatten up the three little ones.


    They were all too thin, and a bit more plumpness in children would make them look even cuter.


    ¡°I am a child, I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re saying.¡±


    Cute Baby Weiwei spoke in a babyish tone. If it weren¡¯t for her expressive eyes rolling around, Kang Li might have believed the little girl truly didn¡¯t understand her words.


    Smiling like a spring breeze and the warm sun in winter, Kang Li said, ¡°You are worried that my kindness to you and your brothers is fake, afraid I¡¯ll be like those evil stepmothers you¡¯ve heard about, and that after some time, I¡¯ll mistreat you, right?¡±


    Cute Baby Weiwei had been looking down, but upon hearing this, she sneakily nced at Kang Li.


    How did this person know what she was thinking?


    Kang Li, who had been carefully observing the little girl¡¯s expressions, naturally didn¡¯t miss the nce the little girl stole at her. She felt both amused and heartbreakingly empathetic.


    Having no mother since childhood, with a workaholic father and being continuously mistreated by the nannies hired, the little girl, no, more precisely, Min Rui, and the other two were desperatelycking in love.


    Theycked security and confidence. What seemed like malicious acts against her, acting tough, were actually no more than a facade.


    ¡°So, are you pretending to be nice to me, big brother, and second brother?¡±


    As Weiwei stepped back two steps and lifted her head to ask Kang Li, it was as if she admitted that Kang Li¡¯s guess was right, ¡°You won¡¯t stop feeding me, big brother, and second brother after a while? You won¡¯t think we¡¯re a burden, hate us, beat us, scold us, will you?¡±


    Retaining a wary look in her grape-like ck eyes, Cute Baby Weiwei asked in her babyish voice.

 Chapter 96 - 96 96 Kang Li Why Be Afraid

    ?Chapter 96: Chapter 96 Kang Li: Why Be Afraid?   Chapter 96: Chapter 96 Kang Li: Why Be Afraid?                                   Kang Li countered, ¡°If I say I won¡¯t do it, will you believe me?¡±


    Cute Baby Weiwei remained silent.


    Kang Li spoke gently with augh, ¡°How about this¡ªas a goodpromise¡ªyou can supervise me. If I get angry with you for no reason or treat you badly, you can tell your dad or go find a police officer to take me away.¡±


    Cute Baby Weiwei didn¡¯t reply but asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid?¡±


    ¡°Why should I be afraid?¡± Kang Li smiled tenderly, her fox-like eyes bright and spirited, ¡°Our ancestors left us a saying: ¡®A long road tests the strength of a horse; time reveals a person¡¯s character.¡¯ I¡¯m not doing anything wrong, so there¡¯s nothing to be afraid of.¡±


    Cute Baby Weiwei said, ¡°I don¡¯t know what that means.¡±


    ¡°It means that only a long journey can test the endurance of a horse, and only over time can you see the true nature of a person¡¯s heart. Do you understand now?¡±


    Kang Li asked the little girl.


    ¡°Mhm.¡±


    Cute Baby Weiwei nodded her little head.


    Kang Li continued, ¡°Remember, whether it¡¯s with me or anyone else around you, don¡¯t just believe everything you hear. You need to see with your own eyes, hear with your own ears, and feel with your heart. Otherwise, you might misjudge someone.¡±


    Vivi asked, ¡°Seeing with my own eyes and hearing with my own ears, can I then believe whether someone is a good person or a bad person?¡±


    Kang Li shook her head, ¡°Not necessarily.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    Cute Baby Weiwei was puzzled.


    Kang Li exined, ¡°Because sometimes what you see is simply what others want you to see, and what you hear is what others want you to hear. That¡¯s why after seeing with your eyes and hearing with your ears, I added that you must also feel with your heart.


    Because your heart won¡¯t deceive you; it will help you judge whether a person is good or bad. If that still doesn¡¯t work, then ask the opinion of trusted elders around you.


    You might not fully understand this now, but you can keep it in your heart. Later, when you grow up, you¡¯ll probably understand.¡±


    After listening to Kang Li, Xiao Ming Wei nodded her little head, slightly confused but pretending to understand, ¡°I¡¯ll remember it in my heart.¡±


    In that moment, Xiao Ming Wei felt that she wasn¡¯t nice at all, that she was a bad baby. Even though her new mom had been very, very kind to her and her two brothers, she had doubted whether her new mom was just pretending,


    and had even persuaded her second brother to test whether their new mom was truly good to them. Why was she so suspicious?


    Gradually, Xiao Ming Wei¡¯srge, grape-like eyes began to fill with tears, and soon, she started shedding Golden Beans.


    ¡°Our Weiwei is the most beautiful and most adorable Little Baby,¡±


    Kang Li lifted the little girl onto herp, took out a handkerchief to gently wipe the tears, and softly said, ¡°Why would you shed Golden Beans?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to do it; they just started falling on their own¡­¡± Xiao Ming Wei said in a tearful voice and, unable to control herself, burst into a loud cry, ¡°Sorry, Mommy, I¡¯m a bad child, I was wrong, I shouldn¡¯t¡­ I shouldn¡¯t have troubled Mommy, sorry¡­ huu huu! I shouldn¡¯t have pushed Mommy; I¡¯m not a good baby¡­¡±


    ¡°There, there, don¡¯t cry. Mommy is not angry with you because Mommy knows that our Weiwei is a good child who can recognize and correct her mistakes. Haven¡¯t you just told Mommy that you know what you did was wrong?!¡±


    As an adult, howcking in grace would she have to be to quibble over small matters with a toddler? Besides, the little girl¡¯s behavior over the past couple of days was nothing but ack of sufficient security, in other words, a manifestation of a need for love.


    ¡°Mommy, are you really not angry with Weiwei?¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei asked while sobbing, still making sure to look up at Kang Li.


    ¡°Of course not.¡±


    Kang Li¡¯s gaze was tender and indulgent, revealing her genuine affection for the little girl without a trace of pretense.

 Chapter 97 - 97 97 Its not that she is contradictory

    ?Chapter 97: Chapter 97 It¡¯s not that she is contradictory¡­   Chapter 97: Chapter 97 It¡¯s not that she is contradictory¡­                                   If you ask her why she behaves this way, the reason is simple¡ªshe, Kang Li, can be ruthless and decisive, can be cold and heartless, but she is also capable of speaking softly, being tender as water, andvishing affection on a person without reserve.


    It¡¯s not that she herself is contradictory; it depends on what the situation is and who the other person is!


    The little girl in her arms, the mischief she had done over the past two days, really wasn¡¯t anything serious. Besides, she is now her nominal daughter, her child¡ªeven if this child is only her stepdaughter, Kang Li believes she has the responsibility and obligation to nurture and treat her with care!


    Moreover, she dotes on the little girl, just as she dotes on Ruirui and Hanhan, but she would never spoil them unprincipledly!


    ¡°Mommy¡­¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei stopped crying. She halted the tears in her eyes, her voice cute and babyish as she looked up at Kang Li, calling out again and again, ¡°Mommy! Mommy¡­¡±


    She really liked it when her mommy called her ¡°Little Baby.¡± As long as she could remember, no one but her mommy had ever called her that.


    Kang Li smiled and asked, ¡°What does Mommy¡¯s little baby want to say?¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei shook her head, a bit shyly, she didn¡¯t have anything to say; she just wanted to call out ¡°Mommy.¡±


    But if mommy would often call her ¡°Little Baby,¡± then she would be very, very happy!


    Seeing the little girl¡¯s mood dip in an instant, Kang Li felt there might be something on her mind and couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Can you tell mommy what Little Baby is thinking about?¡±


    ¡°Only¡­ only mommy calls Vivi Little Baby¡­¡±


    With her little head bowed, Xiao Ming Wei said in a sweet voice.


    Kang Li: ¡°Do you like mommy calling you Little Baby?¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei made an affirmative sound.


    ¡°Since Vivi likes it, from now on Mommy will call our Vivi ¡®Little Baby.¡¯


    Smiling like a blooming flower, Kang Li pinched the little girl¡¯s nose: ¡°What a delicate little baby!¡±


    ¡­


    Time flowed like water, and in the blink of an eye, a week had passed. During this time, Kang Li had managed to arrange the house to her satisfaction¡ªto an extent where she could start living theid-back life she desired.


    Of course, theid-back life was only meant for her. The three young cubs followed a schedule she had drawn up for them: reading picture books, practicing calligraphy, ying, listening to stories, resting, learning to paint, doing crafts¡­ In short, Kang Li was nurturing Min Rui and his siblings based on the principles of ¡°Five Stresses and Four Points of Beauty.¡±


    The three little ones adapted well and almost didn¡¯t require much attention from Kang Li.


    ¡°Xiao Kang, are you home?¡±


    That day, as Kang Li sat gently in the wicker rocking chair, watching the three cubs fold paper frogs ording to her instructions, she suddenly heard Mrs. Qi¡¯s voice outside the courtyard gate. She stood up without hesitation and left the living room.


    ¡°I¡¯m home, Auntie Qi. Just wait a moment, and I¡¯ll open the door for you.¡±


    Opening the courtyard door with a smile, Kang Li said, ¡°Auntie Qi, Xuan Xuan,e in.¡± Following her nce at her grandson, Mrs. Qi led the young boy by the hand into the yard.


    ¡°We haven¡¯t seen you bring Ruirui and the others out to y recently. Xuan Xuan misses his little brother and sister, and today, he insisted oning to find them before the sun went down.¡±


    Mrs. Qi said with augh, and before she could even let go, her grandson, Song Xuan, already pulled his hand out of her grasp and hurried towards the living room.


    ¡°Look how impatient he is!¡±


    Watching her grandson¡¯s retreating figure, Mrs. Qi¡¯s eyes were indulgently affectionate.


    Hearing this, Kang Li spoke with an apologetic tone, ¡°It¡¯s my fault. With the recent hot weather, I didn¡¯t take Ruirui and the others outside to y, which prevented Xuan Xuan from seeing them.¡±

 Chapter 98 - 98 98 Luo Yanqing is Coming Back

    ?Chapter 98: Chapter 98: Luo Yanqing is Coming Back   Chapter 98: Chapter 98: Luo Yanqing is Coming Back                                   ¡°How can you me yourself?!¡±


    Mrs. Qi shook her head, ¡°The temperature has indeed been quite high these days, and it¡¯s very easy for children to suffer from heatstroke if they y outdoors. What I mentioned earlier was just that you hadn¡¯t brought the children over to Auntie Qi¡¯s house for a visit.¡±


    Kang Li smiled awkwardly, ¡°Well, I guess I was just beingzy.¡±


    Mrs. Qi was initially startled but thenughed, ¡°If you were reallyzy, could you manage your home this well?!¡±


    The moment Mrs. Qi stepped into the courtyard, she was dazzled by theyout and the level of tidiness, and then, seeing the three visibly plumper young children,


    and the cleanliness of the living room, she felt very happy for Luo Yanqing and thrilled for Xiao Ming Rui and his siblings, firmly believing that Kang Li was a virtuous wife and good mother.


    As she sat down on the hardwood sofa with Kang Li, Mrs. Qiplimented her, ¡°Xiao Kang, you really know how to raise children. In such a short time, they¡¯ve all grown chubby, which is really adorable.¡±


    ¡°You tter me, Auntie Qi.¡±


    Now, all three little faces were chubby. In part, this was due to Kang Li¡¯s delicious meals, and also the effect of drinking milk morning and evening.


    ¡°No need to be modest, auntie can see with her own eyes, Ruirui and the others are indeed well-nurtured by you.¡± Seeing her grandson intently watching Xiao Ming Rui and the others folding paper frogs, Mrs. Qi smiled and asked, ¡°Did you teach them?¡±


    Kang Li nodded lightly, then said, ¡°The summer vacation isn¡¯t short after all, and I thought instead of letting the kids just fool around, why not teach them something? It¡¯s educational and fun, no harm in that.¡±


    ¡°Your idea is excellent, and you¡¯ve taught Ruirui and the others very well!¡±


    A child with a mother is truly different, and now, not only have Ruirui and his siblings gotten plump, but just from their clothes, it¡¯s easy to see that the youngdy in front of us is not one to mistreat children.


    Thinking thus, Mrs. Qi, recalling the purpose of her visit, couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Beforeing to your house, I received a call from your Uncle Song, he mentioned that Little Luo will be able toe back on leave tomorrow, and asked me toe over and tell you.¡±


    Just as Mrs. Qi finished speaking, suddenly a sharp cry from a little girl entered the living room.


    Her expression changing slightly, Mrs. Qi asked, ¡°What happened?¡±


    Kang Li shook her head.


    ¡°It seems to being from your next-door neighbor¡¯s.¡±


    Mrs. Qi stood up while speaking, ¡°I¡¯ll go out and listen closely.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go together.¡±


    They stood up, and Kang Li followed Mrs. Qi out of the living room.


    Sure enough, the little girl¡¯s crying was indeeding from the next-door neighbor¡¯s house, more precisely, from Wen¡¯s family.


    ¡°You¡¯re not my dad, give me back my mom, I don¡¯t want to call that woman mom, she¡¯s a wicked woman, and now that she has her own children, you just dislike me, Little Yi, and Little Fish, right?¡±


    ¡°Siyuan, don¡¯t talk about Yueyue like that. It¡¯s alright whether she apologizes to me or not.¡±


    ¡°Wicked woman, I don¡¯t need your false kindness!¡±


    ¡°Wen Yue! Why don¡¯t you apologize if you did something wrong? When I¡¯m not at home, it¡¯s your mom taking care of you all, do you know how hard it is for her? I just got back today, and I see you confronting your mom, Wen Yue, you should know better, you¡¯re already six years old!¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s a stepmother, not my mom, I didn¡¯t do anything wrong, it was her insisting on making me sit down to write, and when I didn¡¯t want to and pulled away, it was her own fault for almost falling down!¡±


    ¡­


    The little girl¡¯s emotions were very agitated, and the words she spoke wereced with a crying tone.

 Chapter 99 - 99 99 Kang Li The Variables in Luo Yanqings

    ?Chapter 99: Chapter 99 Kang Li: The Variables in Luo Yanqing¡¯s Life   Chapter 99: Chapter 99 Kang Li: The Variables in Luo Yanqing¡¯s Life                                   ¡°Xiao Su is pregnant?¡±


    Mrs. Qi murmured softly, ¡°Howe I haven¡¯t heard of this.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°Perhaps the pregnancy is still in the early stages, and she is waiting for the pregnancy to stabilize before spreading the good news.¡±


    Mrs. Qi: ¡°Let¡¯s go back to the living room and sit.¡±


    Kang Li naturally had no objections.


    The two returned to the living room and sat down again. Mrs. Qi said, ¡°The family living to the right of your house is Comrade Wen Siyuan¡¯s, his wife is called Su Man, and she is about your age.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°Are Comrade Wen and Comrade Su also on their second marriage?¡± It was a rhetorical question, but Kang Li certainly couldn¡¯t disclose to Mrs. Qi the secret that she came from another world, or that this world was built from the pages of a historical novel.


    Mrs. Qi nodded, ¡°Comrade Wen Siyuan is divorced, and the children were left by his ex-wife. Xiao Su, after marrying Comrade Wen Siyuan, is said to treat the three children very well.¡±


    ¡°I have seen her outside thepound a couple of times, and she seems to be a gentle andpassionate woman.¡± Such a white lotus, using tricks on even a child, is really despicable!


    ¡°Yes, just from her demeanor alone, it isn¡¯t hard to see that Xiao Su is a good-tempered woman, always approaching conversations with a smile.¡± Although Mrs. Qi said this, she had, from this day forward, begun to question Su Man¡¯s character.


    Kang Li listened quietly, without responding.


    ¡°Xiao Kang¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    Their eyes met.


    ¡°Bing Luo Yanqing¡¯s partner, I¡­ I know this is somewhat unfair to you.¡±


    Mrs. Qi didn¡¯t specify what the unfairness was, but both Kang Li and she herself knew. It was nothing other than Luo Yanqing being on his second marriage, with three children, while Kang Li was a perfectly beautiful youngdy who had just turned eighteen.


    ¡°But please trust Auntie Qi, Little Luo is a good kid. Of course, I won¡¯t hide from you that Little Luo, concerning matters outside his work¡­ is a bit indifferent, or in other words, he is quite detached in matters of the heart. But in my view, this isn¡¯t absolute, do you understand what I mean?¡±


    Kang Li was slightly taken aback, but before she could say anything, Mrs. Qi took her hand, and continued, ¡°Xiao Kang, you are a smart girl. Once you meet Little Luo, Auntie Qi believes that through your interactions, Little Luo might change for you. I mentioned these things today because I hope that you two can live happily together, and have a good life.¡±


    Mrs. Qi gently patted Kang Li¡¯s hand and showed her a kindly smile.


    ¡°Auntie Qi, you forgot to mention our three Little Babies. But rest assured, I will live a good life with Luo Yanqing, and together we will care for and raise our three Little Babies.¡±


    This was Kang Li¡¯s way of making a promise to Mrs. Qi. Well, truth be told, what she said was also what she wished for. After all, agreeing to be Luo Yanqing¡¯s partner,


    although it was the original owner of the body who had agreed before her death, if she were unwilling, she could have called off the engagement the day she woke up, even though they were already registered and had their marriage certificate,


    But she didn¡¯t do that, which was proof enough that she wasn¡¯t averse to the engagement epted by the original owner before her death. And in fact, she was quite happy to fulfill this unexpected marriage.


    Therefore, she would take care of this marriage with all her heart.


    Of course, marriage isn¡¯t a one-person affair. For the happiness and fulfillment of this family, she wouldn¡¯t let a certain man stay out of it, treating their home merely as a responsibility, thinking providing financial support was sufficient.


    A smile curled the corners of Kang Li¡¯s lips: Luo Yanqing, emotionally detached, huh? Indifferent to everything but work, well, meeting her would be the variable in his life!


    ¡°You¡¯re right, we must not forget Ruirui and the other two little ones.¡±

 Chapter 100 - 100 100 I Just Think Youre Truly Beautiful

    ?Chapter 100: Chapter 100 I Just Think You¡¯re Truly Beautiful   Chapter 100: Chapter 100 I Just Think You¡¯re Truly Beautiful                                   Mrs. Qi¡¯s demeanor was gentle as she nced at the three little ones and said, ¡°With you and Little Luo as parents to raise them, they are sure to be pirs of the nation one day.¡±


    ¡°Whether Ruirui and the others can be pirs of the nation is something I do not insist upon; all I wish for them is a life of safety and happiness,¡± Kang Li said earnestly, her eyes and expression containing not a hint of insincerity. Mrs. Qi was slightly startled for a moment, then smiled and said, ¡°That¡¯s true, as parents, from the day our children are born, the first thing we think of is hoping our own sons and daughters can live a life of peace and prosperity, filled with happiness and joy.¡±


    At this moment, Mrs. Qi¡¯s satisfaction with Kang Li reached its peak. She felt fortunate for her younger rtive, Yanqing, and for the three little ones, Min Rui included.


    She considered it a fortune for Yanqing to have met such a good girl like Kang Li to be his wife¡ªan enormous blessing!


    And she considered it a fortune for the three little ones to have Kang Li as their mother as well¡ªan enormous blessing!


    Even as a stepmother, Mrs. Qi believed she would not misjudge.


    With the tea she had made for Mrs. Qi in front of her, Kang Li gently pushed it forward with a smile and said, ¡°Auntie Qi, the tea has cooled down, would you like to drink some to quench your thirst?¡±


    It was at this time that Mrs. Qi carefully observed Kang Li¡¯s attire for the day. Her brows and eyes were tender as she responded positively, yet her gaze did not move from Kang Li.


    The young girl had a slightly loose braid that draped over one shoulder, the glossy ck strands against her sleeveless, light blue, knee-length dress entuated her already fair skin, making it look even more pristine.


    The dress featured a round neckline with a simple design. The material seemed lightweight and soft but not see-through.


    Recalling how the young girl looked when she had opened the door for her, Mrs. Qi couldn¡¯t help but marvel: The dress hugged her skin without appearing tight, instead, it flowed smoothly along the curves of her body, outlining her slender waist that seemed to be no more than a handful. If she were to walk in front of people, she would undoubtedly captivate many hearts.


    Thinking back to how the girl had led her into the courtyard, the hem of the dress swayed like undting waves, and beneath it, her legs appeared slim and well-proportioned, each step she took was both light and graceful.


    To be honest, the young girl was truly beautiful to the extreme. Describing her as ¡°stunningly beautiful¡± was not an exaggeration. Anyone who saw her couldn¡¯t take their eyes off her, feeling that she was the most dazzling scenery in the world!


    ¡°Auntie Qi, is there something dirty on my face?¡± Kang Li asked, aware of Mrs. Qi¡¯s examining gaze. She touched her face and blinked her clear and bright fox eyes in confusion.


    ¡°Your face is clear and clean. I just find you so beautiful that I can¡¯t get enough of looking at you, and I can¡¯t seem to take my eyes off you. Don¡¯t think poorly of me for not having seen much of the world,¡± Mrs. Qi replied,ing back to her senses and quickly giving this response.


    Upon hearing this, the dimples on Kang Li¡¯s cheeks appeared faintly as she felt her face grow warm and modestly said, ¡°Auntie Qi tters me too much. I¡¯m really just average looking, not particrly beautiful.¡±


    ¡°Now you¡¯re being too modest,¡± Mrs. Qi said with a smile, teasingly adding, ¡°If someone looking like you isn¡¯t considered beautiful, then it can only mean that everyone who has seen you must have problems with their eyes.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a shell, after all. I really don¡¯t deserve such high praise from Auntie Qi,¡± Kang Li replied with a smile, feeling truly no fluctuation in her heart; after all, she had always been extremely beautiful, and from a young age, she had never been short of people admiring her appearance.


    Over time, she had be ustomed to it.


    The slight difference she showed in front of Mrs. Qi was something she deliberately revealed; otherwise, it would seem as if she had a thick skin andcked the modesty expected of a girl, leaving an impression of being conceited and frivolous.


    ¡°You really are too modest, child.¡±

 Chapter 101 - 101 101 Worry

    ?Chapter 101: Chapter 101 Worry   Chapter 101: Chapter 101 Worry                                   Mrs. Qi smiled and shook her head, then she nced at Xiao Ming Wei and said, ¡°Vivi, the dress you¡¯re wearing looks the same as the one you¡¯re wearing.¡± Aside from the size, the color and style were identical.


    ¡°Mhm, they are the same. Beforeing to North City, I bought these back home, thinking that Vivi and I would look nice wearing them together.¡± Recently, the clothes worn by Kang Li and the three little ones were all from that system lottery draw.


    ¡°Ruirui and Hanhan are also wearing clothes you bought in your city, aren¡¯t they?¡±


    Xiao Ming Rui and Brother Ming Han wore pure white, round-necked short-sleeve shirts and dark blue overalls shorts, looking exceptionally cute and fair.


    Kang Li nodded: ¡°Mhm.¡±


    Mrs. Qi: ¡°You have good taste, girl. Let¡¯s go shopping at the department store together sometime.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡­


    After sending off Mrs. Qi and her grandchildren, Kang Li prepared dinner. After the family had eaten, many visitors had already arrived to watch TV without even waiting for her to tidy up the kitchen.


    Like the previous days, Kang Li had the neighborhood boy move the television to the entrance of the living room while she busied herself with other things.


    After two episodes of the drama series ended, the neighbor boy named Xue Chong moved the television and its stand back to their original spots in the living room without waiting for Kang Li to say anything.


    ¡°Aunt Kang, I¡¯m heading back now.¡±


    ¡°Okay, goodbye.¡±


    ¡°Aunt Kang, goodbye.¡± After sending the young man out the gate, Kang Li returned to the courtyard and casually closed the gate behind her.


    At first, it was quite awkward for Kang Li to be called ¡®auntie¡¯ by a teenaged boy taller than her, but she understood that he addressed her as such ording to Luo Yanqing and his parents¡¯ generational status. Once she realized this, her difort vanished like smoke.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you sleeping yet? Can¡¯t fall asleep because you¡¯re so excited that Dad ising home tomorrow?¡±


    Kang Li pushed open the bedroom door of the three little ones, and not only was the light on, but the three kids were lying on their beds with their eyes wide open and shimmering, showing no sign of sleepiness.


    ¡°Mommy!¡±


    The twins climbed up and sat up in bed, calling Kang Li with their babyish voices.


    Ruirui also sat up, but he pursed his lips and remained silent.


    Closing the door behind her, Kang Li replied and then said with a smile: ¡°You¡¯re all so happy, it seems Mommy guessed right.¡±


    Caught off guard, the twins stared nkly for a moment, then Xiao Ming Wei raised her little childish voice: ¡°Mommy, Vivi really, really misses Daddy, but Vivi¡­ but Vivi doesn¡¯t know what Daddy looks like. Mommy, do you think Daddy will like us when he sees Vivi, big brother, and second brother?¡±


    Xiao Ming Han: ¡°Mommy, is Daddy reallying home tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°Mhm, Granny Qi told us when she came over, didn¡¯t she? Your daddy ising home tomorrow.¡±


    Kang Li said, looking at Xiao Ming Han, and then shifted her gaze towards Xiao Ming Wei and back to Xiao Ming Han with a gentle expression and answered Xiao Ming Wei¡¯s question:


    ¡°Daddy is your daddy, of course, he likes you. But Dad is so busy with work that it is hard for him toe home often. It¡¯s understandable that you don¡¯t remember what Daddy looks like. Oh, wait a moment¡­¡±


    She left the room of the three little rascals and returned shortly after. Kang Li handed Xiao Ming Wei a photo: ¡°This is your daddy. Take a good look, then show it to your second brother and big brother.¡±


    Speaking of which, Kang Li thought it was quite strange. In this house, whether it was the bedroom or the study, there was not a single photo to be seen¡ªno one¡¯s, not a single one.


    Even the photo she just gave to Xiao Ming Wei was merely a two-inch ck-and-white one that seemed to have been taken recently.


    Could it be that someone disliked having their photo taken?

 Chapter 102 - 102 102 Luo Yanqing I Will Return

    ?Chapter 102: Chapter 102 Luo Yanqing: I Will Return   Chapter 102: Chapter 102 Luo Yanqing: I Will Return                                   Pondering to herself, but a momentter, Kang Li pulled her thoughts back and heard Xiao Ming Wei saying, ¡°Mom, Dad looks so good!¡±


    ¡°Yes, Dad is very handsome.¡±


    Kang Li nodded, took the photo from Xiao Ming Wei¡¯s hands, and passed it to Xiao Ming Han.


    After Xiao Ming Han had a look, she handed it to Xiao Ming Rui, ¡°Ruirui, you take a look as well.¡±


    Hesitating for a brief moment, Xiao Ming Rui took the photograph, pursed his lips as he gazed at it for a while, then handed it back to Kang Li.


    ¡°You¡¯ve all seen Dad¡¯s picture, now lie down properly, and Mom will tell you a story¡­¡±


    Sitting on the chair nearby, Kang Li¡¯s gentle and soothing voice slowly began to fill the room.


    Listening to her story, it wasn¡¯t long before the three little ones entered their dreams.


    Seeing this, Kang Li¡¯s voice stopped. She stood up, switched on the small deskmp, and before she left the room, she also pulled the light string down, dimming the room¡¯s light in an instant.


    ¡­


    In an office at the research institute where Luo Yanqing was, Elder Song¡¯s expression was grim as he stared at the young man before him and said, ¡°You must go back home first thing tomorrow morning. I¡¯ve already called Auntie Qi to pass the message to Comrade Xiao Kang, telling her you will being home early tomorrow. Did you hear me clearly?


    I¡¯ve arranged the car for you. The leave is for one month. Spend quality time with Xiao Kang at home and also with the children. Don¡¯t turn your home into something akin to a hotel,


    Doing that not only hurts Xiao Kang but also harms your own children. Speaking of which, your previous marriage¡­¡±


    The words were not yet finished when the young man, Luo Yanqing, interrupted Elder Song, ¡°I will go back.¡± Although he said so, his eyes betrayed no emotion, as if the home Elder Song mentioned had nothing to do with him.


    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear.¡±


    Elder Song nodded in relief and continued, ¡°I will say it again, Comrade Kang is a goodrade. When you meet her, you will definitely be satisfied with the life partner the organization has arranged for you.¡±


    As for Kang Li¡¯s personal files and other household details, they were thoroughly investigated clear as day when Director Wu proposed to Team Leader Kang to arrange a match for the original Kang Li, and the information was passed on to Elder Song.


    The next day.


    Around seven in the morning, Kang Li and Xiao Ming Rui finished breakfast, tidied up the house, and then, with a vegetable basket in hand, took the three little cubs out the door.


    ¡°Mommy, can¡¯t Vivi and big brother and second brother really note along?¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei looked up at Kang Li as she locked the gate, herrge, grape-like eyes filled with anticipation.


    ¡°No, they can¡¯t!¡±


    After locking the gate, Kang Li met the little girl¡¯s gaze, her eyes soft and gentle: ¡°Mommy is going to buy vegetables. It¡¯s not convenient to bring you along. Be good and y with Grandma Qi and Brother Xuan Xuan at her ce, and wait for Mommy toe back and pick you up.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be very good. Please take Vivi along!¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei tugged gently at Kang Li¡¯s skirt, her eyes blinking coquettishly as she pleaded.


    ¡°Be obedient.¡±


    Kang Li pinched the little girl¡¯s nose affectionately with a doting look in her eyes.


    ¡°But Vivi wants to go!¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei continued to whine.


    ¡°Mommy, Hanhan also wants to go with you to buy veggies!¡±


    Xiao Ming Han joined in on the fuss.


    ¡°Not today, wait till your father is home, then our whole family can go together.¡±


    The vegetable supply point wasn¡¯t very far from thepound, but it was still a good distance of over one stop, and it was the busiest time of day. She couldn¡¯t guarantee she would be able to keep an eye on all three little ones.


    After all, she had to buy vegetables, and it was very likely she would have to queue.


    Among the three little ones, Ruirui was steady and well-behaved, unlikely to run around, but with the twins, it was not so certain, especially the little girl who was more impulsive than her brother Hanhan of the same age.

 Chapter 103 - 103 103 Little Little Fairy

    ?Chapter 103: Chapter 103: Little Little Fairy   Chapter 103: Chapter 103: Little Little Fairy                                   Xiao Ming Wei: ¡°Really? Mommy!¡±


    Kang Li had a smile at the corner of her lips and nodded with a ¡°Hmm¡±.


    ¡°Mommy, Hanhan wants to go with Mommy,¡±


    Xiao Ming Han persisted.


    Kang Li: ¡°Mommy isn¡¯t going to y, she¡¯s going to buy groceries for our family.¡± She pinched the little one¡¯s chubby face and added, ¡°And Mommy will buy meat and big chicken legs for our Hanhan.¡±


    Having heard what Kang Li said, Xiao Ming Han tilted his head, thought for a moment, and finally gave in, ¡°Then¡­ alright then!¡± He wanted to taste the big chicken legs, the ¡°braised pork¡± Mommy made.


    Remembering the delicious aroma of braised pork and big chicken legs, Xiao Ming Han couldn¡¯t help but lick his lips.


    Having settled the twins toe along, Kang Li said no more and took the three little ones to the Song Family¡¯s home.


    ¡°Auntie Qi, could you please take care of them for a while?¡±


    Looking at Mrs. Qi, Kang Li had a graceful and serene smile that was both warm and refreshing. She added, ¡°By the way, Auntie Qi, do you still have vegetables at home? I can buy some for you as well!¡±


    Mrs. Qi shook her head with a smile, ¡°No need, I bought quite a bit yesterday. We have enough for today.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Kang Li smiled, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll make a quick trip.¡± She then looked at the three little ones, ¡°Mommy will be back very soon.¡±


    The three little ones stood next to Song Xuan, bobbing their little heads in agreement.


    As soon as Kang Li left, Mrs. Qi¡¯s face beamed with a smile, inviting Min Rui and the three little ones along with her grandson, Song Xuan, to the living room to y.


    ¡°Vivi, did your mom buy the little dress you¡¯re wearing today?¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei wore a white princess dress today with slightly raised little dots of the same color. The dress had a doll cor and short sleeves, with a dark blue ribbon tied into a bow at the center of the flip cor, which was also adorned with ribbons of the same color and width at the cor and the hem.


    It is worth mentioning that there¡¯s a single loop of ribbon at the cor and two at the hem, spaced about the width of a finger apart.


    The whole dress was simple yet elegant but lively. Xiao Ming Wei, wearing it, looked no less charming than the dress she wore yesterday.


    ¡°Grandma Qi, the pretty dress was bought by Mommy for Vivi, and Vivi really, really likes it,¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei said sweetly, twirling in ce as she held her dress. She then touched her bun hairdo and the two strawberry hair clips adorning it, her eyes curving into crescents, ¡°Mommy made a bun for me today and pinned strawberry clips in it, Grandma Qi, do you think it looks nice?¡±


    ¡°It looks lovely.¡±


    Mrs. Qi responded with a kind smile, nodding, ¡°Your mommy is very skillful, dressing our Vivi every day as pretty as a little fairy.¡±


    Batting her eyshes and tilting her head thoughtfully, Xiao Ming Wei then solemnly said, ¡°Grandma Qi, Vivi¡¯s mommy is a fairy, and Vivi is the fairy¡¯s daughter, um¡­ a tiny fairy, exactly!¡±


    ¡­


    Kang Li carried her vegetable basket and headed to the nearest vegetable supply point. As she had thought before, there were indeed quite a few people queuing to buy vegetables and meat.


    ¡°Big sister, are you also here to buy vegetables?¡±


    Hearing a voice near her ear, Kang Li was initially startled but then nodded slightly as she realized she was being addressed, her lips twitching imperceptibly.


    She was holding a vegetable basket; it was evident she was here to buy vegetables. Was there really a need to ask?


    However, it was clear that the person wanted to strike up a conversation, and naturally, Kang Li wouldn¡¯t be rude by showing annoyance. She said, ¡°I¡¯m going to the meat section to line up.¡±


    Getting meat wasn¡¯t easy, and without hurrying to line up, it might be difficult to buy any today.

 Chapter 104 - 104 104 Playing with Fire

    ?Chapter 104: Chapter 104 ying with Fire   Chapter 104: Chapter 104 ying with Fire                                   ¡°Go ahead, I came early and already bought meat, a full half-pound of it!¡±


    To buy meat, you needed a meat coupon, and for an average family in the city, being able to buy a half-pound of meat once a week was a cause for joy.


    The reason?


    Aside from the monthly ration provided by one¡¯s unit, getting a few extra meat coupons was not easy.


    Kang Li smiled and turned away from the older sister who had spoken to her, lining up at the back of the queue for meat.


    Fortunately, the clerks at each window were quick enough that it only took about forty minutes to buy all the vegetables, fresh pork, chicken legs, and a frozen belt fish she needed for the day.


    In modern times, with a forty-minute shopping trip to the supermarket, you wouldn¡¯t know how much you could buy. However, in that era, being able to purchase all of Kang Li¡¯s groceries in forty minutes at the vegetable supply point was really not a long time.


    She didn¡¯t pay attention to the admiring nces that fell upon her as she carried her basket of vegetables back to the courtyard where she lived.


    Like the day before, she wore a simple, slightly loose braid, a white short-sleeve shirt paired with a ck knee-length A-line skirt, the fabric of both the shirt and skirt was of fine and smooth quality. Tucked into the skirt, her slender waist was entuated, her walk reminiscent of a fragile willow in the breeze.


    Alright, Kang Li¡¯s body was indeed frail. You could tell she was inherently weak just from her often pallidplexion, not to mention her thinness. While she wasn¡¯t skeletal, she was unmistakably slim.


    However, the parts of her body that were supposed to be plump were notcking at all.


    Knowing her body was not strong, and even though she could take Power Pill for immense strength, her constitution hadn¡¯t changed in the slightest. Kang Li didn¡¯t want to appear too delicate, so she used the unique charm emanating from her bones to cover up the frailty as much as possible, to avoid being referred to behind her back as ¡°the sickly one.¡±


    However, the expression she wore daily and, when viewed from the front, the sense of frailty was really not too apparent. But her silhouette still seemed very delicate.


    And without Kang Li¡¯s knowledge, some people in the courtyard had already begun using ¡°the sickly one¡± as her nickname.


    ¡°Howe Professor Luo chose to bring a sickly one into his household?¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t Professor Luo who chose her, it was Director Song¡­¡± The speaking person whispered into the ear of the woman next to her: ¡°It was Director Song who found her, you hear? I got this from Comrade Wang at Deputy Director Wei¡¯s ce, and there¡¯s no way it could be false.¡±


    ¡°What was Director Song thinking? If he was representing the organization to find a partner for Professor Luo, why would he purposely choose a sickly one?¡±


    ¡°Who knows.¡±


    ¡°I think Director Song had good intentions. Think about it, Professor Luo already has two sons and a daughter. If the new wife is sickly, it means she¡¯s unlikely to conceive; that way, wouldn¡¯t you worry less about her being cruel to the three kids?¡±


    No sooner had the woman finished speaking than the few women standing next to her coughed awkwardly a couple of times, then nced toward Su Man, whether intentionally or unintentionally.


    Yes, they were looking precisely at Su Man, who stood among them. She hade back from buying vegetables and run into a few of the women from the courtyard. Since they were familiar with each other, after entering the courtyard, they couldn¡¯t help but gather for a chat. Unexpectedly, they encountered Kang Liing in from outside the courtyard with her basket.


    So, as Su Man ¡°casually¡± steered the conversation towards Kang Li, the few women began to gossip and criticize.


    But Su Man never expected that the fire would burn her as well.


    Especially since one of the women, who got along quite well with her, knew about her pregnancy. What would that woman think of her now?


    And would she spread the news of her pregnancy, so that nderous rumors about her might begin circting throughout the courtyard?

 Chapter 105 - 105 105 The one in the white shirt is Dad

    ?Chapter 105: Chapter 105 The one in the white shirt is Dad   Chapter 105: Chapter 105 The one in the white shirt is Dad                                   Su Man felt very vexed and thought she shouldn¡¯t have fanned the mes just now because of jealousy and started the conversation!


    She made up an excuse and hurried away with her basket of groceries.


    Watching her leaving figure, the woman who she had thought she had a good rtionship with suddenly ¡°sneered¡± and said to the people around her, ¡°We are really foolish, just now a youngster yed us.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s simple. We have no deep grudge against Professor Luo¡¯s new wife, so why gossip about her? Even if she is sickly, what¡¯s that to us?


    Besides, with her good looks and figure, what does it matter if she doesn¡¯t have children? As long as she holds Professor Luo¡¯s heart, does she have anything to worry about in this life?


    Moreover, just because she¡¯s weak now doesn¡¯t mean she won¡¯t have her own children in the future. Even if she doesn¡¯t, even if Professor Luo¡¯s previous wife¡¯s three kids don¡¯t look after their stepmother in old age, isn¡¯t there still the state-run nursing home!¡±


    ¡°Howe you changed your tune all of a sudden? You used to be quite close to Xiao Su!¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know before, but now I see that she¡¯s not good to get along with.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by that¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like being used as a pawn by others.¡±


    At this moment, someone interjected, ¡°Haven¡¯t you noticed there¡¯s something strange about Xiao Su¡¯s walk?¡±


    The woman who was on good terms with Su Man replied, ¡°What¡¯s so strange about it? She¡¯s pregnant and will soon be holding her own child.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    The other women were all stunned for a moment, and after a while, someone regained theirposure and couldn¡¯t help saying, ¡°With her own child, can she still be good to those three kids left by Wen Siyuan¡¯s ex-wife?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s hard to say.¡±


    ¡°I have to go, you guys chat.¡±


    Seeing that someone beside her also found an excuse to leave following Su Man, within a short while, the group of women who had gathered together all changed their expressions and then dispersed.


    ¡­


    Kang Li walked into the Song Family Courtyard with her basket of groceries and immediately saw a kindly old man with silvery temples, spirited and amiable, squatted down and talking to her three little ones and Song Xuan.


    ¡°Mommy!¡±


    Upon hearing footsteps approaching, Xiao Ming Han turned to look and seeing it was Kang Li, he quickly stood up and ran towards Kang Li with his short little legs.


    Xiao Ming Wei followed close behind.


    ¡°Mommy, you¡¯vee back from buying groceries! Grandpa Song said Daddy is already at our door, are we going home?¡± Xiao Ming Han looked up and asked.


    Kang Li smiled and nodded, ¡°Of course we¡¯re going home. Otherwise, how could Daddy get into the courtyard if he doesn¡¯t have the keys to our house?¡±


    ¡°So you are Comrade Kang Li.¡±


    Elder Song slowly stood up, apanied by both Xiao Ming Rui and Song Xuan standing up by his side, one on each side of Elder Song.


    The statement Elder Song made was not a question but derative.


    ¡°Hello, I am Kang Li.¡±


    Kang Li met Elder Song¡¯s gaze and said, ¡°Please tell Auntie Qi that I will take the children home now so their father doesn¡¯t have to wait too long at the courtyard gate.¡±


    Elder Song said, ¡°Hmm, go on back. When you have time, bring the kids over with Little Luo for a visit.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Kang Li responded and then took Xiao Ming Wei¡¯s hand and called for Xiao Ming Rui to take his brother Ming Han. They said goodbye to Elder Song and turned to leave the Song Family Courtyard.


    Outside the Luo Family courtyard gate, Luo Yanqing and Wen Siyuan were talking face to face, well, it was mostly Wen Siyuan talking, while Luo Yanqing listened silently.


    ¡°Mommy, which one standing at our courtyard gate is Daddy?¡±


    Almost less than ten meters from their own courtyard gate, Kang Li was startled by Xiao Ming Wei¡¯s baby voice and said, ¡°The one in the white shirt is Daddy.¡±

 Chapter 106 - 106 106 Luo Yanqing... Hello

    ?Chapter 106: Chapter 106 Luo Yanqing¡­ Hello   Chapter 106: Chapter 106 Luo Yanqing¡­ Hello                                   The man was dressed in a simple white shirt and ck trousers, standing at about 185 cm tall. From her angle, he was slightly turned away from her, but his facial contours were exceptionally clear and fair under the morning sun.


    He stood tall and straight, seemingly unaware of her and the three little ones, with deep eyes that seemed fathomless, focusing only on the man he was conversing with.


    It wasn¡¯t until he sensed her gaze that he slowly turned his face toward her.


    At the same time, the man speaking with him also directed his eyes at her.


    Kang Li and the three kids approached and before she could speak, the man in conversation with Luo Yanqing greeted her first, ¡°You must be sister-inw, right? My surname is Wen, given name Siyuan, and I live right next door.¡±


    Pointing at the entrance to his own courtyard, Wen Siyuan introduced himself to Kang Li.


    With a slight nod, Kang Li said, ¡°Hello.¡±


    So, he¡¯s the male protagonist!


    Handsome and refined, gentle as jade, he looked like a decent fellow, so why did he harbor such gender bias?


    Wen Siyuan pushed up his ck-framed sses on the bridge of his nose and spoke softly to Luo Yanqing, ¡°Sister-inw and the kids must have a lot to say to you. I won¡¯t disturb you further; we can chat another time.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Luo Yanqing gave a low ¡°Mm¡± in response.


    After Wen Siyuan left, Kang Li looked straight at the man standing a couple of steps away from her, ¡°Luo Yanqing¡­ hello.¡± A faint smile appeared on her stunning face.


    Meeting her gaze, Luo Yanqing remained silent for a moment, then tugged at the corner of his mouth, murmuring, ¡°Hello.¡±


    Kang Li noticed that the man¡¯s eyes had momentarily faltered upon seeing her¡ªbrief enough to easily ignore, but she saw it clearly, his emotions at least seemed to fluctuate in her presence.


    His appearance was even more outstanding than what she had seen in photos. If there had been the slightest hint of a smile around his eyes and eyebrows, his striking features would have been even more vivid.


    However, his face showed not the slightest trace of a smile, nor did his eyes hold any mirth. He was as if someone who had never smiled before.


    Luo Yanqing reached out and took the vegetable basket from Kang Li¡¯s hand into his own, but her gaze remained fixed on the space between his brows. She watched him quietly, feeling his gaze was indifferent, so much so that it permeated through his every move¡­


    But within that indifference, there was a deep serenity.


    Taking the key to the courtyard gate from the small bag around her wrist, Kang Li unlocked the door. Her crisp, fox-like eyes looked back at the man, ¡°Come in.¡±


    Luo Yanqing didn¡¯t say anything. Holding the basket, he took his long legs and stepped into the courtyard.


    But the three little ones still stood in ce.


    Ruirui was expressionless while the twins looked more aggrieved than the other.


    ¡°Mommy, why is daddy ignoring Vivi?¡±


    ¡°Mommy, daddy is ignoring Hanhan too!¡±


    Theirins were evident in their whiny voices.


    Kang Li beckoned the three toe into the yard, and only after closing the door did she speak, ¡°Did you greet your dad?¡± The twins shook their heads.


    ¡°What about you, Ruirui?¡±


    Her eyes focused on Xiao Ming Rui.


    Lips pressed tightly, it took a while for Xiao Ming Rui to reply, ¡°No.¡±


    Kang Li asked, ¡°Tell me, why didn¡¯t you greet your dad? Why didn¡¯t you try talking to him first?¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei pursed her lips, ¡°But daddy didn¡¯t even look at us.¡±


    At the moment, Luo Yanqing was walking to the center of the courtyard. Hearing the conversation between Kang Li and the little ones, he paused slightly, his calm and restrained gaze surveying the yard for a moment, before continuing on.


    He neither turned back tofort Xiao Ming Rui and his siblings, nor did hement on any changes in the courtyard to Kang Li.

 Chapter 107 - 107 107 Is it Difficult to Understand

    ?Chapter 107: Chapter 107: Is it Difficult to Understand?   Chapter 107: Chapter 107: Is it Difficult to Understand?                                   He walked into the kitchen, noticed the additional tap, and was first taken aback, but soon regained hisposure.


    After setting down the vegetable basket, Luo Yanqing picked up the travel bag and moved to the living room. Upon seeing the TV, sewing machine, bicycle, and radio, his usually indifferent eyes, which seldom betrayed any emotion, couldn¡¯t help but reveal a brief moment of surprise.


    But, just as quickly, this was gone and he was back to normal.


    Luo Yanqing ced the travel bag on the hardwood sofa and then headed to the study.


    Kang Li and the three little ones watched his every move since he entered the yard. As the tall figure headed to the study, their expressions unison became incrediblyplex.


    ¡°Mommy¡­¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei gently tugged at Kang Li¡¯s skirt, her eyes like ck grapes brimming with even more grievance.


    ¡°Mommy, didn¡¯t daddy see us?¡±


    Xiao Ming Han was both aggrieved and puzzled.


    Xiao Ming Rui pursed his lips in silence is golden, but the look of loss in the child¡¯s eyes was all too evident.


    ¡°Go y with your toys in the room.¡±


    After ruffling Xiao Ming Rui¡¯s hair, Kang Li said to him, ¡°Take your brother and sister to the room.¡±


    Xiao Ming Rui nodded.


    ¡°Been to the study?¡±


    Having spent only a matter of seconds in the study, Luo Yanqing returned to the living room. He stared straight into Kang Li¡¯s eyes, his expression exceptionally indifferent.


    Kang Li: ¡°I was tidying up the house, so I cleaned the study too.¡±


    If he didn¡¯t want her to enter, why didn¡¯t he lock the study door?


    Luo Yanqing was silent, and after a while, he spoke again, ¡°Touched the books on the shelves?¡± His voice was low and clear, mesmerizing for those who loved voices.


    And although Kang Li wasn¡¯t particrly moved by voices, she had to admit, the man¡¯s voice was indeed very pleasant to listen to.


    ¡°I just took one randomly to pass the time when I was free.¡±


    Kang Li responded.


    ¡°Understood what you read?¡±


    The books on the shelf were either technical books or ones rted to his field of study, and many were original texts.


    Luo Yanqing¡¯s gaze on Kang Li, at this moment, underwent a change he couldn¡¯t identify.


    What this change was, Kang Li saw as clear as day.


    Think she doesn¡¯t understand?


    Kang Li¡¯s mood was a bit sour, arms crossed, eyebrows raised, ¡°Is it that difficult toprehend?¡±


    With these words, Kang Li recited contents from one of the original texts she had read in standard, fluent English, under Luo Yanqing¡¯s unmistakably stunned gaze.


    Of course, Kang Li didn¡¯t recount the entire book, not because she hadn¡¯t finished it, but because she felt there was no need to show off too much.


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    Luo Yanqing struggled to find words for a moment. He was no longer just startled but shocked. He never expected a country girl, even one with a high school diploma and outstanding academic performance, to be able to articte the contents of his physics textbook so fluently and with perfect pronunciation.


    Silence, Luo Yanqing fell silent.


    The living room was so quiet one could hear a pin drop.


    After a long pause, Luo Yanqing finally spoke again. For reasons unknown, he casually put forward two questions from the content Kang Li had just mentioned.


    Perhaps out of apetitive spirit, a reluctance to tarnish her past reputation, or some other reason, Kang Li answered Luo Yanqing¡¯s questions with neither subservience nor arrogance, full of confidence.


    As the conversation ended, Kang Li turned to leave the living room, but after taking two steps, she stopped and turned back to say, ¡°The dowry you gave, my parents didn¡¯t take a cent. I brought it all with me. As for what you saw in the yard, I had my dad, older brother, and younger brother help to fix things up. Oh, and there was Comrade He Feng who helped to find craftsmen, but I paid their wages in full.¡±

 Chapter 108 - 108 108 If Youre Happy Thats All That Matters

    ?Chapter 108: Chapter 108: If You¡¯re Happy, That¡¯s All That Matters   Chapter 108: Chapter 108: If You¡¯re Happy, That¡¯s All That Matters                                   There was a brief pause before Kang Li continued, ¡°It was also my idea to install the additional water faucet, and as for the items you see added in the living room, the TV set was a wedding gift from my second brother,


    the sewing machine, bicycle, and radio were part of my dowry. However, I¡¯m thinking of packing the TV and sending it back to my hometown before the New Year, so the people there can also learn more about the outside world through it. You don¡¯t mind, do you?¡±


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°¡­¡± After a moment of hesitation, the corners of Kang Li¡¯s mouth twitched slightly as she said, ¡°The bedroom is quite spacious, so I partitioned off a small room to use as my study,¡± since it hade to this, she might as well say it all, and with that thought, Kang Li blinked her clear, fox-like eyes, ¡°I think you wouldn¡¯t mind.¡±


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°As long as you¡¯re happy.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°¡­¡± What does that mean? What does ¡°As long as you¡¯re happy¡± mean?


    Can¡¯t you speak more clearly?


    Muttering to herself, Kang Li remembered that she hadn¡¯t mentioned buying a washing machine and so she broached the subject again, ¡°Also, I bought a washing machine for the house, using the foreign exchange coupons you left with Auntie Qi.¡±


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°I know.¡±


    Seeing Kang Li standing without moving, he pursed his lips in silence for a moment before asking, ¡°Is there anything else?¡±


    ¡°Ruirui and the others miss you very much. Now that you¡¯re home on leave, you should spend more time with them.¡±


    Hearing Kang Li say this, Luo Yanqing did not respond.


    ¡°Raising children isn¡¯t just about feeding them and clothing them, they need their parents¡¯pany even more.¡±


    But even after Kang Li had gone this far in her speech, Luo Yanqing still did not respond.


    ¡°Alright, I have nothing more to say. You do what you need to, I¡¯ll go check on Ruirui and the others.¡± With that, Kang Li left for the children¡¯s room.


    Min Rui was sitting in his chair at the desk, looking through a children¡¯s version of an animal encyclopedia.


    In the twins, the brother with his little legs crossed sat on his own bed, ying with a tin wind-up frog, while his sistery beside his bed piecing together a tangram puzzle.


    It must be said that whether it was the animal encyclopedia Min Rui was looking at, the toys the twins were ying with, or the other toys and children¡¯s books in their room, all had been purchased by Kang Li with points from the System¡¯s Mall.


    They were in line with the characteristics of the era¡ªin other words, those books and toys were avable for sale in this era¡¯s market.


    Mom, where¡¯s dad?


    Upon hearing the door open, Xiao Ming Wei turned to look at the entrance. Seeing Kang Li walk in, she asked immediately where her father was.


    ¡°Your father is in the study. Mom came to see you all.¡±


    Approaching, she sat down at the edge of the bed and rubbed the little girl¡¯s head.


    A father, not keen on being close to his own children, could it be he intended to be a stern father?


    But even if that were the case, surely he could at least manage to talk with his children, couldn¡¯t he?


    Kang Li frowned slightly, she was quite perplexed by Luo Yanqing¡¯s attitude towards Min Rui and the others.


    Xiao Ming Wei: ¡°Mom, what are you thinking about?¡±


    Kang Li smiled, ¡°Mom is thinking about what delicious food to make for you for lunch.¡±


    Xiao Ming Han: ¡°Fried chicken legs, Hanhan wants to eat fried chicken legs, want to eat yummy meat!¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei swallowed softly and also said in a milky voice, ¡°Vivi also wants to eat fried chicken legs.¡±


    ¡°Alright, as you wish.¡±


    Kang Li¡¯s eyes were tender as she nodded, yed with the twins for about ten minutes, then stood up and said, ¡°It¡¯s about time for Ruirui to practice his writing now, and Hanhan and Vivi, you two continue practicing writing numbers, just four lines, and after you¡¯re done, sit quietly and don¡¯t disturb your brother while he¡¯s practicing.¡±

 Chapter 109 - 109 109 Not Repulsed

    ?Chapter 109: Chapter 109: Not Repulsed   Chapter 109: Chapter 109: Not Repulsed                                   The twins chorused, ¡°Got it.¡±


    Kang Li, with the three little ones, stepped out of the room. Seeing them each retrieve a small notebook and pencil from their backpacks, Kang Li curved her lips into a smile and nced towards the study before heading to the kitchen.


    She nned to make fried chicken legs and braised pork, which required her to prepare the ingredients and seasonings in advance.


    Meanwhile, Luo Yanqing was sitting alone in the study, a bookid out in front of him, the very book Kang Li had read before.


    Well, there was something Kang Li couldn¡¯t quite understand. She had clearly put the book she took from the study back on the shelf exactly as it had been before she went to sleepst night. How then had Luo Yanqing noticed the anomaly today and determined that she had indeed moved the bookshelf and the exact book she had touched?


    As time trickled by, Luo Yanqing¡¯s mind involuntarily reyed the moment he first saw her at the courtyard entrance.


    He knew well that aside from his work, he was indifferent to most things, and his emotions seldom fluctuated.


    Yet, he had to admit that seeing Kang Li, the woman who was now his wife, stirred emotions within him.


    Even if the stir was minimal¡­


    With lips slightly pursed, Luo Yanqing thought to himself, ¡°Is she really a woman brought up in a farming family?¡±


    Her skin was as fair as snow, her demeanor and speech nothing short of refined.


    ording to Elder Song, his wife had just turned eighteen this year¡­ Eighteen was indeed the age of blooming youth. Could it be true, as Elder Song imed, that she admired his profession and, for personal health reasons, married him, a man twice divorced, to be a stepmother to Luo Mingrui and his siblings?


    From the moment Luo Yanqing saw Kang Li to now, many doubts had surfaced in his mind.


    But clearly, he was not averse to her.


    Otherwise, there would not have been any emotional fluctuation, and he would not have¡­ voluntarily stepped out of the study to ask her repeatedly.


    Luo Yanqing tried to stop thinking about that figure, that figure which had caused a ripple in his emotions. However, his brain, as if out of his control, kept reying the scene where they conversed briefly during their initial encounters.


    In just a few minutes, the reys were incessant. Was he perhaps ill?


    Her face, no bigger than his palm, featured eyes that were clear and spirited, exuding a hint of a fox¡¯s allure.


    With a high nose bridge¡­ delicately small nose tip, her lips full and plump, their color slightly deeper than cherry blossoms¡­


    After reying the scene in his mind numerous times, Luo Yanqing felt his ears slightly warm, a sensation so alien to him that he was momentarily at a loss.


    He closed the book in front of him, raised his hand to pinch the bridge of his nose, and after a few minutes, that unfamiliar feeling finally subsidedpletely.


    In the living room, the twins, following Kang Li¡¯s instructions, diligently finished writing their numbers. They wanted to speak and y, but remembering what their mom had said, they both sighed, resting their chins in their hands while watching their brother continue to practice his writing.


    Suddenly, the twins noticed arge hand picking up their notebooks from in front of them. Blinking, the siblings tilted their heads upward and saw their dad standing behind them.


    ¡°Dad?¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡±


    Luo Yanqing responded.


    His expression was indifferent as he leafed through the twins¡¯ notebooks. Shortly after, he ced the notebooks back on the table in front of the twins, ¡°Not bad.¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei stood up, tilted her head and asked, ¡°Is Dad praising Vivi?¡±


    Luo Yanqing said, ¡°Mm.¡±


    ¡°Sister, sister, Dad praised me too!¡±


    Xiao Ming Han sought his dad¡¯s acknowledgment in front of him.


    Upon hearing that both his brother and sister were praised by their dad, Luo Mingrui¡¯s grip on his pencil tightened, and just then, a sharp snap sounded as the pencil tip broke.

 Chapter 110 - 110 110 Everyone Has Their Own Secrets

    ?Chapter 110: Chapter 110 Everyone Has Their Own Secrets   Chapter 110: Chapter 110 Everyone Has Their Own Secrets                                   Kang Li followed the sound to look at her brother, and then to the pencil in his hand. With a swift twirl of her eyes, Xiao Ming Han looked up and said to her father, ¡°Daddy, daddy, you should look at the characters brother is writing too. Brother writes so well, mom praises him for improving every day.¡±


    Xiao Ming Rui said nothing. His little face was taut, his head hung low until Luo Yanqing picked up the notebook in front of him. Only then did the child¡¯s expression rx somewhat.


    A momentter, Luo Yanqing said, ¡°Not bad.¡±


    Xiao Ming Han: ¡°Brother, brother, daddy is praising you. Are you happy?¡±


    Xiao Ming Rui moved his lips and eventually uttered, ¡°Hmm.¡±


    ¡°Daddy¡­¡± Xiao Ming Wei really wanted to get close to her father, but he seemed so cold to her. Yet, she still wanted to be close to him. Unexpectedly, all she received in response was a nce from her father.


    Looking at her father like this, the little girl felt both wronged and hurt, her eyes involuntarily brimming with tears.


    Luo Yanqing frowned.


    The little girl, frightened, quickly shook her head: ¡°I¡¯m not crying, daddy. Please don¡¯t dislike Vivi. Vivi isn¡¯t crying; Vivi is a good baby, not a crybaby!¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    The furrowed brows rxed, and Luo Yanqing nodded slightly.


    ¡°Luo Yanqing!¡±


    That was Kang Li¡¯s voice,ing from the kitchen.


    His steps faltered, but then paused again. Luo Yanqing looked towards the living room, and heard Kang Li¡¯s slightly coquettish, pleasant voice drift into his ears once more: ¡°Luo Yanqing, if you¡¯re not busy,e to the kitchen and give me a hand.¡±


    The living room was not far from the kitchen. Kang Li had heard the conversation between the twin with mixed sex and Luo Yanqing. Although it was only an indistinct listening, she was sure that Luo Yanqing was in the living room.


    Hearing footsteps approaching the kitchen doorway, a glint of amusement shed in Kang Li¡¯s fox-like eyes. As a tall and straight silhouette entered the kitchen, she said, ¡°You take those water spinach and green beans, pick them clean and rinse them well.¡±


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Kang Li muttered, ¡°Can¡¯t you say a few more words?¡±


    Luo Yanqing heard her but did not respond.


    The kitchen wasn¡¯t too big nor too small, and it wasn¡¯t crowded for two people to move around in it.


    The rice was already cooked, and the chicken drumsticks were marinated. While Luo Yanqing was picking the water spinach, Kang Li began pouring oil into the wok to start frying.


    As the oil in the pot gradually heated up, reaching about fifty percent of the desired temperature, Kang Li slightly closed the stove door. Then, she coated the marinated chicken drumsticks in ayer of starch, dipped them into egg wash, and finally into breadcrumbs before cing each into the hot oil.


    As time passed, out came the golden, fragrant, crispy, and tender fried chicken legs. Right after that, Kang Li started cooking braised pork. Meanwhile, having finished with the water spinach and green beans, Luo Yanqing turned to wash them under the tap.


    ¡°How long can you stay at home this time?¡±


    Hearing Kang Li¡¯s question, Luo Yanqing paused, then replied indifferently, ¡°One month.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    One month! During this month, she would let him and the three cubs really cultivate their affection.


    Suddenly, Luo Yanqing said, ¡°I need to go out this afternoon.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°Is it something rted to work?¡±


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°¡­Hmm.¡±


    Kang Li noticed the man¡¯s brief hesitation and couldn¡¯t help raising an eyebrow. It seemed that it was not work-rted, but since he didn¡¯t want to talk about it, she wouldn¡¯t ask further.


    After all, everyone has their secrets, and even as husband and wife, there¡¯s no need to tell each other everything.


    Lunch consisted of five dishes and a soup: fried chicken drumsticks, braised pork, stir-fried water spinach, dry-fried green beans, tomato and egg, and a seaweed soup.


    It seemed like a lot, but actually, the quantity of each dish was only half of a normal serving.

 Chapter 111 - 111 111 Do You Need My Help

    ?Chapter 111: Chapter 111: Do You Need My Help?   Chapter 111: Chapter 111: Do You Need My Help?                                   For example, there were just five fried chicken legs, less than half a pound of braised pork, a small handful each of water spinach and green beans, and as for the tomato and eggs, Kang Li had used only one tomato the size of an adult¡¯s fist and two eggs.


    Speaking of which, Kang Li had prepared these five dishes and a soup for lunch today with the principle in mind that they should have a good meal.


    Moreover, the male head of the house had been busy working for more than half a year and was finallying home, so making a couple of extra dishes was like a wee for him.


    ¡°Wow! Mom, today¡¯s lunch is so plentiful!¡±


    As the dishes were served, Xiao Ming Wei couldn¡¯t help but exim while holding her face in her hands.


    Xiao Ming Han blinked and asked Kang Li, ¡°Is it because Dad ising home?¡±


    ¡°Our Hanhan is so smart!¡±


    Kang Li¡¯s fox-like eyes twinkled with amusement as she looked at the little one, ¡°But that¡¯s just one of the reasons.¡±


    ¡°Mom, Mom, is the other reason because Hanhan and little sister, and also brother, wanted to eat fried chicken legs and meat?¡± Xiao Ming Han said with a grin on his face.


    Kang Li smiled and responded, ¡°Right!¡±


    At this point, Xiao Ming Rui called the twins to go wash their hands, and after the three little ones left the living room, Luo Yanqing¡¯s lips twitched slightly, he clearly wanted to say something to Kang Li, but in the end, he remained silent.


    Shortly after, the group of two adults and three youngsters sat around the dining table.


    Perhaps out of habit, Kang Li picked up a pair of serving chopsticks and put a fried chicken leg into each of the little ones¡¯ bowls, saying softly, ¡°Eat up.¡±


    Then, she ced the remaining two fried chicken legs in Luo Yanqing¡¯s bowl.


    ¡°No need, you eat,¡± he said.


    As he tried to move the fried chicken legs into Kang Li¡¯s bowl, she shook her head and declined, ¡°I prefer this.¡± She casually picked up a piece of the braided pork for herself.


    The meal was eaten in rtive quiet, and as Kang Li nced at the empty tes on the table, the corners of her lips subtly curved upwards, it seemed not only the little ones were quite satisfied with her cooking!


    ¡°I¡¯ll clean up.¡±


    Luo Yanqing moved quickly, and in no time had cleared the dining table spotless.


    Kang Li fluttered her fox-like eyes and watched the man carrying tes out of the living room, she couldn¡¯t help but smile contentedly.


    It sure was nice having someone help with the household chores!


    Xiao Ming Wei: ¡°Mom, Vivi will help you wash the dishes when she grows up.¡±


    ¡°Me too, me too, Mommy, I¡¯ll help Mommy too!¡± Xiao Ming Han lifted his hand and said in his baby voice, ¡°Hanhan doesn¡¯t want Mommy to be tired!¡±


    ¡°Good, Mommy will wait for you to grow up.¡±


    She certainly wouldn¡¯t raise the little ones to bedies and gentlemen who only knew how to stretch out their hands for clothes and open their mouths for food; she wanted them to learn to doundry and cook at an appropriate age, so they wouldn¡¯t end up highly educated but ipetent, with no ability to live independently.


    Collecting her thoughts, Kang Li reminded them, ¡°It¡¯s hot in the yard, so just walk around the living room after eating to help digest, then go back to your rooms to rest.¡±


    The twin with mixed sex: ¡°Okay!¡±


    Xiao Ming Han nodded.


    In the kitchen, Luo Yanqing stood by the sink washing the dishes, his movements paused for a moment when he heard footsteps approaching, then he continued scrubbing.


    Kang Li: ¡°Do you need any help?¡±


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°No.¡±


    Yet Kang Li didn¡¯t speak; she just picked up a clean dishcloth and began wiping the dishes Luo Yanqing had washed.


    While the couple in the kitchen worked together in unspoken harmony, next door at Wen¡¯s family, Su Man was sitting on the edge of the bed having a silent argument with Wen Siyuan.


    ¡°You promised mest night; why go back on your word today?¡±


    The washing machine wasn¡¯t only for herundry, and the television wasn¡¯t just for her to watch.


    Su Man frowned, her gaze sharp as she stared at Wen Siyuan.


    ¡°I was thinking that our family is going to have a new addition soon. If we spend money on things we don¡¯t need right now, when our son is born¡­¡±

 Chapter 112 - 112 112 Vanity

    ?Chapter 112: Chapter 112 Vanity   Chapter 112: Chapter 112 Vanity                                   With a troubled expression, Wen Siyuan tried to exin, but was interrupted by Su Man, ¡°What if the child in my belly isn¡¯t a son?¡±


    ¡°Not a son?¡±


    Wen Siyuan was taken aback, thenughed, ¡°Even if it¡¯s not a son, it doesn¡¯t matter, it will still be our child.¡±


    Hearing this, Su Man¡¯s expression slightly improved, yet she persisted, ¡°You must have received a bonus this time you came back, I don¡¯t care, we must buy a washing machine and a TV!¡±


    ¡°I did receive a bonus, but I have to give part of it to my parents, and the rest needs to be saved to support you and the kids.¡± A washing machine required a foreign exchange coupon to purchase, and it was costly; although a TV didn¡¯t need a foreign exchange coupon, it required a TV license, and even so, the price wasn¡¯t low.


    To ask him to spend arge sum of money to buy two household appliances at once, it wasn¡¯t that he couldn¡¯t afford it, but he genuinely felt there was no need for it.


    Why?


    Could a washing machine really get clothes clean?


    Moreover, it wasted electricity and might even tear the clothes; wouldn¡¯t that be a loss?


    As for the TV¡­ Not to mention the electricity it consumed, once you started watching a series, it was very easy to get addicted.


    In short, buying them brought no benefits to the household.


    ¡°You already give part of your monthly sry to your parents, why should your bonus be divided among them too? You do realize your parents don¡¯t only have you as a son!¡±


    Su Man was very dissatisfied with Wen Siyuan¡¯s parents. Not to mention that the two had secure jobs with regr sries, but in their family, aside from Wen Siyuan, who was the second child, didn¡¯t the eldest and third siblings and their spouses all have jobs?


    Yet just because they had a younger brother and sister who weren¡¯t yet married, they reached out to the second son for money every month, iming it was for living expenses.


    Laughable, his family didn¡¯t share meals with that big family; why should they pay any living expenses?


    Thinking this, Su Man¡¯s dissatisfaction with her inws grew, and so did her determination to buy a washing machine and a TV. She didn¡¯t want to be looked down upon by Kang Li, nor did she want all their money to go to her inws.


    She wanted the neighbors to know that she, Su Man, could afford a washing machine and a TV too, and to show her inws she wasn¡¯t a pushover!


    Wen Siyuan, ¡°Manman! Look, how about this, next year, let¡¯s buy them next year¡­¡±


    Su Man interrupted again, ¡°I want to buy them now. Just look at next door, Comrade Luo¡¯s wife not only bought them a washing machine and a TV for their house but they also bought a sewing machine, a bicycle, and a radio. I¡¯m about the same age as her, and the man I married is also on his second marriage; why can¡¯t my man buy me those things too?¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    Wen Siyuan¡¯s face showed a slight change as he struggled to suppress the frustration rising within him and spoke as patiently as possible, ¡°Even though I only came back yesterday, I¡¯ve heard people saying, the items Comrade Kang added to his home were either bought by Kang¡¯s second brother or came with her as part of her dowry, they weren¡¯t actually purchased by Professor Luo.¡±


    Luo Yanqing had studied abroad and was a key talent in the institute, with a basic sry each month that was higher than his not to mention other benefits¡­


    What about him?


    Though he was a graduate from a prestigious university, he hadn¡¯t studied abroad like Yanqing. If it weren¡¯t for his hard work over the years, following Luo Yanqing diligently in research, his status in the institute would probably be like that of the guy across the way (Zhang Sheng) ¡ª many years of work, but still just a junior researcher, older than him by seven or eight years, yet his sry was still not as high as his.


    ¡°I get it now, you resent that my family didn¡¯t give me a more generous dowry, right? But is that my fault?¡± Su Man¡¯s eyes reddened, ¡°The dowry was held by my mother, what could I have done?¡±


    Wen Siyuan, ¡°Manman, you¡¯ve misunderstood me, that¡¯s not what I meant.¡±

 Chapter 113 - 113 113 Has the light finally dawned on you

    ?Chapter 113: Chapter 113: Has the light finally dawned on you, boy?   Chapter 113: Chapter 113: Has the light finally dawned on you, boy?                                   Su Man: ¡°You know what I mean. Now, I¡¯ll ask onest time, are you buying the washing machine and TV or not?¡±


    Worried that Su Man¡¯s mood might affect the development of their unborn son, Wen Siyuan finally relented. He said, ¡°Let¡¯s skip the washing machine for now. I¡¯ll try to get a TV license and buy the TV first. Will that do?¡±


    ¡°What if you can¡¯t get the TV license? Are we not buying it then?¡± Su Man considered it more practical to buy a washing machine as it would spare her from hand washing, but the thought of having a TV that could attract neighbors to their home made her favor the TV more.


    In fact, it was Su Man¡¯s vanity at y.


    Outside the master bedroom, sisters Wen Yue and Wen Yi were secretly listening to their father and stepmother talking. When they heard their father mention buying a TV, both sisters¡¯ eyes lit up instantly.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, back to the room.¡±


    Pointing to the bedroom where the three sisters stayed, Wen Yue hinted to her younger sister, Wen Yi.


    Wen Yi nodded her head.


    ¡°Big sister, second sister, wait for Little Fish!¡± Wen Yu, at the age of three, saw her two sisters heading to their bedroom and couldn¡¯t help but follow them with her little legs.


    As the bedroom door was not soundproof, hearing the noise in the living room, Wen Siyuan opened the master bedroom door and saw his little daughter running away from the living room. He frowned slightly and turned back to look at Su Man, saying, ¡°Spending a bit more money should do the trick.¡±


    Wen Siyuan knew it was tough to get a TV license, but he nned to first ask someone he knew. If he could borrow it, great; if not, he would have no choice but to buy one from the scalpers outside the department store.


    And when Wen Siyuan thought about borrowing a TV license, the person he immediately considered was Director Song.


    So, he left the house and headed straight for the Song family¡¯s ce.


    Unbeknownst to him, Luo Yanqing was there too, sitting with Dean Song, and just like him, was there to borrow a TV license.


    ¡°TV license?¡±


    Elder Song looked puzzled: ¡°Didn¡¯t your family just buy one, and now you¡¯re asking for a TV license? What for?¡±


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°It¡¯s useful.¡±


    Elder Song almost choked, took a moment to catch his breath, and red: ¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious? If it¡¯s useless, do you n to eat the license or something? I was asking whom you are helping to borrow it!¡±


    ¡°To buy a TV for Aoli Vige.¡±


    Luo Yanqing¡¯s reply was concise.


    Upon hearing this, Elder Song was taken aback for a while, then pped his thigh and burst intoughter, saying, ¡°You¡¯ve got it figured out, huh? Trying to please your inws now!¡±


    Luo Yanqing pursed his lips and remained silent, simply watching Elder Song quietly.


    ¡°What a bore, you really are a bore!¡±


    Felt awkward under Luo Yanqing¡¯s unblinking gaze, Elder Song coughed twice and shouted for Mrs. Qi: ¡°Fangfang! Fangfang, I remember you have a TV license, do you still have it?¡±


    Mrs. Qi was in the bedroom but came out to the living room soon after hearing Elder Song: ¡°I have it, does Little Luo need it?¡±


    ¡°Yes, this young man wants to buy a TV to send to his inws.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll fetch it right now.¡±


    Mrs. Qi, with a smile on her face, left and returned shortly to the living room, handing the TV license to Luo Yanqing: ¡°Here you go.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll pay you back with a licenseter.¡±


    Having received the TV license, Luo Yanqing stood up from the sofa.


    Mrs. Qi: ¡°No rush.¡± She had the license because she had figured out a way to help her brother obtain it. She had nned to call someone to pick it upter, but now that Little Luo needed it, she simply gave it to him first.


    If her brother askedter, she would say she hadn¡¯t managed to get one yet.


    That was a simple matter of words.

 Chapter 114 - 114 114 I Just Feel That She Might Be Somewhat

    ?Chapter 114: Chapter 114: I Just Feel That She Might Be Somewhat Fake   Chapter 114: Chapter 114: I Just Feel That She Might Be Somewhat Fake                                   Her brothers wouldn¡¯t have said anything.


    No sooner had Luo Yanqing left the Song Family than Wen Siyuan entered the Song Family Courtyard.


    ¡°Director¡­¡±


    ¡°Sit.¡±


    As soon as Wen Siyuan walked into the living room, Elder Song, although puzzled about his visit, showed nothing but a smile on his face.


    ¡°Hello, Comrade Qi.¡±


    After greeting Mrs. Qi, Wen Siyuan sat down on the sofa opposite Elder Song and said somewhat ufortably, ¡°I came to ask if you have a TV license. If so, could I borrow it for now? I¡¯ll return it once I get one.¡±


    Elder Song and Mrs. Qi looked at each other, then Mrs. Qi said, ¡°Director Song doesn¡¯t have any TV license. I did manage to get one for my brothers a while back through some connections¡­¡±


    After briefly exining the source and destination of the TV license she had, Mrs. Qi specifically didn¡¯t mention that it was Luo Yanqing who had borrowed the license.


    ¡°I see, then I¡¯ll ask some other acquaintances in the courtyard,¡± said Wen Siyuan as he got up. ¡°The kids at home are fussing over the television; I won¡¯t bother you any longer.¡±


    After seeing Wen Siyuan out of the courtyard, Mrs. Qi stood at the door of the living room a moment longer before going back to sit next to Elder Song, ¡°What brought on Xiao Wen¡¯s sudden idea to buy a television for the house?¡±


    Elder Song: ¡°How would I know?¡±


    Mrs. Qi pondered, ¡°If you ask me, it¡¯s probably that Xiao Su wants to buy it.¡±


    ¡°You women, your minds change so fast.¡±


    Elder Song shook his head, ¡°Just take yourself, for example, one moment you¡¯re asking why Xiao Wen suddenly wants to buy a television, the next moment you¡¯re outright saying it¡¯s Xiao Wen¡¯s spouse who wants to buy it. It¡¯s mystifying, truly mystifying!¡±


    ¡°Would she still be a woman if she were easy to figure out? Haven¡¯t you heard the saying, ¡®a woman¡¯s heart is a needle in the sea of ??fathomlessness¡¯?!¡±


    Mrs. Qi gave Elder Song a stare, speaking rather bluntly.


    Elder Songughed, ¡°Right, right, right, whatever you say is correct.¡± Over the years, he had consistently found himself unable to provoke his own Comrade Qi!


    Upon hearing this, Mrs. Qi couldn¡¯t help but roll her eyes at Elder Song, ¡°I think you¡¯re just a naughty old man!¡±


    ¡°Whatever you say is right.¡±


    Elder Song, face all smiles, repeated his previous response, managing to amuse Mrs. Qi, ¡°You¡¯re all grown up, yet you still can¡¯t be serious.¡±


    She paused briefly, then added, ¡°I always feel like Xiao Su¡¯s true personality isn¡¯t like what she shows in front of others.¡±


    After a long silence, Elder Song spoke, ¡°The human heart is the mostplex thing, and what kind of person Xiao Wen¡¯s spouse really is, as long as Xiao Wen himself doesn¡¯t mind, how does it concern us outsiders?¡±


    Mrs. Qi: ¡°I just feel like she¡¯s somewhat fake.¡±


    Elder Song: ¡°Let it be, how others are, we needn¡¯t think too much about it.¡±


    ¡°Are you tired of listening to me talk?¡± Mrs. Qi¡¯s expression suddenly darkened. ¡°You¡¯re hardly ever home, and the rare times you are, all I want is to talk a bit more with you. If you¡¯re so unwilling to listen, maybe we shouldn¡¯t be together at all, how about that?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ you¡¯re wrongly using me! When have I ever been tired of listening to you talk? I just don¡¯t want you to worry over other people¡¯s business!¡±


    Elder Song felt he was more wronged than Dou E in June Flying Snow at that moment!


    ¡°You think you¡¯re as handsome as Little Luo, with that demeanor of yours, disgraceful!¡± ring at Elder Song, Mrs. Qi couldn¡¯t help but burst outughing.


    Elder Song, not to be outdone, ¡°I was no less handsome than that kid Luo when I was young.¡±


    Mrs. Qi: ¡°Really? I didn¡¯t notice.¡±


    Elder Song sighed, ¡°It seems I really have gotten old, no longer catching your eye!¡±

 Chapter 115 - 115 115 Luo Yanqing Youre Pretty Good Too

    ?Chapter 115: Chapter 115 Luo Yanqing, You¡¯re Pretty Good Too   Chapter 115: Chapter 115 Luo Yanqing, You¡¯re Pretty Good Too                                   ¡°Speak nicely,¡±


    Mrs. Qi¡¯s face showed displeasure, but she quickly returned to normal, ¡°Have I ever told you how much I like Xiao Kang? Right, I have to tell you, the bride you found for Little Luo is truly the right choice! Not only is the youngdy as beautiful as a Fairy Girl, but she is also talented and has an elegant way of speaking. In short, I like her no matter how I look at her!¡±


    ¡°That should be credited to Xiao Wu¡¯s merit. Without his eye for people, how could I have helped Little Luo find such a good wife all the way from North City?!¡±


    Elder Song said this sincerely. He truly felt that he yed no significant role in the marriage of Luo Yanqing and Kang Li.


    ¡°Indeed, thanks to Comrade Wu Jiang¡¯s keen eye, which led to the beautiful marriage between Little Luo and Xiao Kang,¡± Mrs. Qi said with a smile, ¡°These past two days, I¡¯ve been thinking about whether or not to take Kang Li as my goddaughter. To tell you the truth, I really like this youngdy!¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re considering it, just talk to the youngdy and see what she thinks. As for me, I¡¯ll follow your lead, as you well know.¡±


    He had only one son in his lifetime, but unfortunately, it was a case of the elder sending off the younger. Now, aside from his spouse¡­ he only had one grandchild left, and that child was special. What to do when one day he and his spouse were gone, leaving the grandchild all alone?


    ¡­


    Luo Yanqing came home in thete afternoon. Not long after entering, he took out a thick envelope from his pocket and handed it directly to Kang Li, ¡°This is the bonus. It was originally five thousand, but I spent some in the afternoon; now, there¡¯s four thousand left. You take it.¡±


    Kang Li did not pretend. She took the envelope and then smiled, ¡°From seeing you this morning until now, that sentence you just said has the most words.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Luo Yanqing remained silent.


    As their eyes met, Kang Li felt slightly ufortable under his unwavering gaze, but she did not show any shyness. Instead, she boldly let him look at her and she, in turn, met his gaze directly.


    The man¡¯s features were wless. It could be said that a bit more would make him seem too flowery, and a bit less would appear too in. Only as he was now, did he seem just right.


    He could be described as having the serenity of a calm wind and the purity of the moonlight; sublime and otherworldly.


    After some time, Kang Li asked, ¡°Are you still satisfied with me?¡± Curiosity filled her fox-like eyes.


    Luo Yanqing¡¯s dark eyes flickered briefly, then he silently watched her for a moment before moving towards the study. Kang Li thought he had left without answering her, but then she heard the man¡¯s deep and clear voice, tinged with a trace of indifference, ¡°What about you?¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°I asked you first, Comrade Luo Yanqing.¡±


    After a moment of surprise, Luo Yanqing responded, ¡°Not bad.¡± It was the truth; she had initially given him a good impression, just as the chief said. He also noticed that the three children at home got along with her quite well.


    As for how things would be in the future, that would require time to tell.


    Kang Li fluttered her clear fox-like eyes, ¡°Just ¡®not bad¡¯?¡±


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°¡­¡± Was there somethingcking in his answer?


    After locking eyes for a while, Kang Li curved her lips into a smile, ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t trouble you further.¡± She paused briefly, then continued, ¡°Luo Yanqing, I think you¡¯re quite good too.¡±


    The light in the living room was already bright from the outside, and with Luo Yanqing standing backlit, his face wasn¡¯t particrly clear, but his eyes became even more intensely dark.


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°¡­¡± What did that mean? Was that his simple response to her?!

 Chapter 116 - 116 116 Kang Li Received I will also be loyal

    ?Chapter 116: Chapter 116 Kang Li: Received! I will also be loyal to our marriage.   Chapter 116: Chapter 116 Kang Li: Received! I will also be loyal to our marriage.                                   Luo Yanqing disyed no particr expression as he stood with one hand in his pocket, quietly observing Kang Li, the delicate girl who stood a few steps away from him, his wife now protected byw. His lips moved slightly as he uttered, ¡°Now that we are married, I will certainly treat you well.¡±


    He hadn¡¯t forgotten the director¡¯s instructions, so he needed to rify his position to her to avoid any misunderstanding due to his naturally indifferent nature and make her think he didn¡¯t value their marriage.


    Kang Li: ¡°¡­Should I be happy?¡± Thinking thus, a smile gradually spread across Kang Li¡¯s crafty fox-like eyes: ¡°Received! I will also be loyal to our marriage.¡±


    The man¡¯s figure was straight and tall, his features more striking than snow, truly eye-catching.


    ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else¡­ I¡¯m going to study in the library.¡±


    This was his way of informing her about his ns.


    Kang Li listened, having already felt his respect for her when he mentioned he had ns that afternoon. Now, experiencing his respect again, she couldn¡¯t help but find it amusing.


    However, she didn¡¯t show an inappropriate smile but said, ¡°I¡¯ve made a daily schedule for Ruirui and the others during the holidays. You¡¯re supposed to rest at home for a month now. I hope you can supervise Ruirui and his siblings ording to that schedule and spend time with them.¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll try.¡± The living room was very quiet, Luo Yanqing¡¯s voice sounded as refreshing and pleasant as a mountain stream, yet it carried his characteristic detachment.


    His eyes were as clear as water, and under his gaze, Kang Li¡¯s face felt unexpectedly warm.


    Time ticked by. Eventually, Kang Li couldn¡¯t withstand his focused gaze on her for long. She lowered her eyelids slightly, a sly spark flickering in her eyes,


    then looked up again to meet his gaze, stepped closer to him, and when she was just a little more than a step away, she stopped. On her tiptoes, she whispered in the slightly stunned man¡¯s ear, ¡°You must look especially handsome when you smile.¡±


    Having said that, a smile yed on her lips as she casually stepped back two paces.


    The yfulness in her eyes was fully captured by Luo Yanqing, who still appeared out of sorts.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    A strange feeling surged through him when she approached, his heart rate going awry¡­ The unfamiliar sensation intensified when he heard her whisper in his ear.


    He must be sick!


    For a long while, Luo Yanqing made no response.


    Kang Li: ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you?¡± She asked, knowing full well.


    After teasing him, she still asked such a question, Kang Li couldn¡¯t help but think: Did she scare him?


    The reason?


    Considering her experience as the former head of Kang¡¯s, the man before her was truly naive, almost as if he had never been in love. Though it was their second marriage, even if his nature was indifferent and he had not loved deeply before¡­ It wouldn¡¯t make sense for him not to understand anything about the interactions between men and women, would it?


    Moreover, Ruirui and the others were tantly present. Could it be that he and his ex-wife were just fulfilling marital obligations, thus having the three children?


    Therefore, devoid of emotional attachment in marriage, coupled with his indifferent nature, was he then not very concerned about his children?


    Kang Li thought secretly, but her intuition told her that this was not right!


    A man who could say, ¡°Now that we are married, I will certainly treat you well,¡± clearly showed he was responsible andmitted.

 Chapter 117 - 117 117 Miss You

    ?Chapter 117: Chapter 117 Miss You   Chapter 117: Chapter 117 Miss You                                   How could he not care about his own child?


    Kang Li¡¯s mind was clouded with doubts¡­ Perhaps it was indeed his indifferent nature, after all, Comrade Qi had told her that this man was indifferent to everything but his work.


    Thinking about this, Kang Li shook her head secretly, feeling that she shouldn¡¯t overthink.


    Luo Yanqing was about to say he was fine, but when he saw Kang Li distracted, his eyes flickered slightly, and he seemed to ask casually, ¡°What are you thinking about?¡±


    Drawn back by the man¡¯s pleasant voice, Kang Li blurted out, ¡°Thinking of you.¡±


    As soon as the words fell, Kang Li instantly bowed her head in embarrassment, feeling extremely awkward!


    What was she doing? What exactly was she doing? Why did she blurt out ¡°thinking of you¡±?


    Should she¡­ pretend she had said nothing and just walk away?


    Lost in her wild thoughts, Kang Li couldn¡¯t help but look up at the man, seeing him stunned by her words, she simply cleared her throat and found an excuse to leave, ¡°I¡¯m going to the courtyard where Ruirui and the others are.¡±


    The three little ones were ying with their friends under the old banyan tree outside the courtyard gate and had greeted Kang Li before going out.


    Enduring the awkwardness, without waiting for Luo Yanqing to speak, Kang Li hurriedly walked out of the living room.


    Watching her retreating figure, Luo Yanqing slightly curved his lips, and at the same time, his eyes, dark as ink, seemed to hold a trace of amusement.


    Kang Li naturally didn¡¯t see it, and well, perhaps even Luo Yanqing himself didn¡¯t realize it.


    Under the old banyan tree outside.


    ¡°Believe it or not, my dad will definitely bring the TV back in a bit.¡±


    ¡°My sister isn¡¯t lying to you!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll only know when your dad actually brings it back.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, otherwise, Wen Yi, you and your sister are big liars!¡± Feng Loo, holding Xiao Ming Wei¡¯s hand, pouted and said, ¡°Are you trying to show off to me, thinking that my family can¡¯t afford a TV?¡±


    Wen Yi: ¡°I¡¯m not showing off.¡±


    Wen Yue: ¡°Feng Loo, why are you bullying my sister?¡±


    Feng Loo: ¡°Brother!¡±


    Feng Tao red at Wen Yue, ¡°My sister didn¡¯t bully your sister. Don¡¯t use her falsely, otherwise, I don¡¯t mind hitting a girl,¡± he said, waving his little fist in front of Wen Yue.


    ¡°Hmph! I¡¯m not afraid of you!¡± Wen Yue red back at Feng Tao. ¡°This is right at my family¡¯s courtyard gate. If you dare to hit me, I¡¯ll get my family to hit back!¡±


    Feng Tao: ¡°Didn¡¯t you say your dad went to the department store to buy a TV and isn¡¯t home yet? Do you think your stepmother can help you beat me?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need her help!¡±


    Wen Yue¡¯s face fell.


    ¡°Brother Tao, we are men, let¡¯s not stoop to the level of girls!¡±


    Feng Tao¡¯s good friend Song Hui advised beside them, not wanting to disgrace himself by helping his friend hit a little girl.


    ¡°Am I bullying her? Whom are you underestimating?!¡±


    Feng Tao rolled his eyes then turned to Xiao Ming Rui, ¡°Ruirui, when your dades back, can we stille over to your ce to watch cartoons?¡±


    Xiao Ming Rui hadn¡¯t spoken yet, and Xiao Ming Han hurriedly said, ¡°My dad is great!¡± implying that they should definitelye over to watch TV as usual.


    ¡°Come over to my ce! When my dad brings the TV back, all of you cane over to my ce to watch TV.¡±


    Wen Yue invited all the kids ying under the old banyan tree and said, ¡°Just now, you all saw that Vivi¡¯s dad walked past us without even giving us a smile.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re quite observant.¡±


    Feng Tao smirked.


    Wen Yue: ¡°I¡¯m just telling the truth.¡± Wei Wei¡¯s dad really didn¡¯t smile!


    Xiao Ming Wei looked up at Wen Yue and said defiantly, ¡°My dad is a good dad!¡±

 Chapter 118 - 118 118 Is there a connection between being

    ?Chapter 118: Chapter 118: Is there a connection between being likable and raising children?   Chapter 118: Chapter 118: Is there a connection between being likable and raising children?                                   ¡°Vivi, sweetie, your sister didn¡¯t say your dad isn¡¯t a good dad,¡± Wen Yue patted Xiao Ming Wei¡¯s head and sighed like an adult. ¡°I don¡¯t know when my dad will be back; he¡¯s been out for hours now.¡±


    Just then, a boy around eight or nine asked, ¡°Wen Yue, if we go to your house to watch TV, your mom won¡¯t kick us out, will she?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s my stepmom, not my mom, Xiaochao, you need to get that straight,¡± she corrected.


    The Xiaochao Wen Yue was talking about was the boy who had just asked her the question.


    Wang Xiaochao scratched his head: ¡°Aren¡¯t they all the same!¡±


    Wen Yue crossed her arms. ¡°They are not the same! My mom is Song Ning; she is Su Man!¡±


    ¡°Sister Yueyue, is the mom at your house now not nice to you?¡± Xiao Ming Han asked, tilting his head.


    ¡°So-so,¡± she replied.


    No matter whether Su Man, that awful woman, was nice to her and her two sisters or not, she hated this stepmother!


    On one side, a group of kids gathered under the old banyan tree, chattering away, while on the other side, outside the Xue Family¡¯s gate, two women stood talking andughing, watching the children y.


    At that moment, Kang Li came out of the yard; before her gaze could shift towards the banyan tree, someone called out, ¡°Ruirui¡¯s mom!¡±


    Looking in the direction of the voice, Kang Li smiled, ¡°Comrade Fang, did you need something?¡± Fang Ju, thedy next door from the Xue Family.


    ¡°I¡¯ve told you just to call me Sister Fang or sister-inw; you always address me formally as Comrade Fang, which feels so formal. It sounds quite awkward,¡± sheined.


    Fang Ju was that woman who had frequently shed with Loo Ping and often came to the Luo Family to watch TV. She was also Xue Chong¡¯s mother.


    Kang Li: ¡°Alright, from now on I¡¯ll call you Sister Fang.¡± Fang Ju was frank and not one to hold back, qualities that made Kang Li willing to be near her.


    Fang Ju: ¡°I think I saw Ruirui¡¯s dad at your ce today, is Professor Luo on vacation?¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°Yes, he came back at noon.¡±


    ¡°What did you cook for Professor Luo for lunch?¡± The question was purely a way to make small talk.


    Feeling somewhat helpless, Kang Li still responded, ¡°Just regr homestyle food.¡±


    ¡°Mommy, Mommy! Did youe out to look for Vivi and big brother and second brother?¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei¡¯s voice timely interrupted.


    Kang Li smiled apologetically at Fang Ju before shifting her gaze towards the cute child who had run up to her unexpectedly. She nodded and said with a smile, ¡°You¡¯ve been ying outside for quite a while, isn¡¯t it time to go home?¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei: ¡°Home, Vivi will go home with Mommy.¡± She stuffed her little hand into her mother¡¯s palm.


    By now, Ming Rui was leading Xiao Ming Han over as well: ¡°Mommy, we are going home.¡±


    As the four entered the yard, the woman beside Fang Ju watched the empty entrance of the Luo Family andmented, ¡°She really adores the children, doesn¡¯t she?¡±


    ¡°Who would adores them so much to fatten up the three siblings in just over half a month?!¡± Fang Ju remarked as the woman beside her nodded, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s quite obvious. Before Comrade Xiao Kang came along, Professor Luo¡¯s kids were all skinny, but now they not only look healthier but also have gotten chubby.¡±


    Hearing this, Fang Ju lowered her voice, ¡°Do you think it¡¯s fair topare people? At Comrade Wen¡¯s home, Xiao Su has been married to Comrade Wen for over half a year. She seems very popr, but the child she¡¯s raised is just so-so.¡±


    ¡°Is being popr rted to raising children?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t there a rtion? Being popr means one has a good temper, and a good temper possibly means one can be good to children, right? But look at Wen Yue and her sisters; I think they looked thinner than before Xiao Song left.¡±

 Chapter 119 - 119 119 It seems that being a salted fish is

    ?Chapter 119: Chapter 119 It seems that being a salted fish is not easy either!   Chapter 119: Chapter 119 It seems that being a salted fish is not easy either!                                   ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense, that¡¯s not good for the mood. Besides, I don¡¯t see where those three kids have gotten thinner.¡± The woman standing next to Fang Ju looked at the three sisters under the old banyan tree and said, ¡°They all look so clean and bright, full of energy.¡±


    Just then, Wen Siyuan was carrying a television box from a distance, nearing the front door.


    ¡°Am I seeing things, or did Comrade Wen buy a television set for the home?!¡±


    Fang Ju looked surprised.


    ¡°Such a big box for the television, if you saw that wrong, then I really think you should visit the hospital for an eye checkup.¡±


    ¡°You, always arguing with me.¡±


    ¡­


    Theughter and noise from the Wen Family Courtyard was loud, and Kang Li could hear it even while sitting on the rattan rocking chair in the living room.


    Bought a television?!


    Could it be the female protagonist¡¯s idea?


    Thinking this, Kang Li didn¡¯t ponder further and looked at the three little ones freely coloring the children¡¯s coloring books in front of them.


    The coloring books came from the System Mall, Kang Li thought they shouldn¡¯t be avable on the current market. However, when she mentioned wanting them to System Dwen Dwen, Dwen Dwen didn¡¯t hesitate and used points to buy three books and three boxes of crayons for her from the mall.


    There was no publication date seen on the simple covers that only had ¡°Children¡¯s Coloring Book¡± written on them, nothing more.


    No need to worry about exposing anything.


    Sigh! A bit boring, isn¡¯t it?


    Could she be someone who can¡¯t stay idle?


    But in this life, she truly just wanted to bezy¡­


    Leaning back in the rattan rocking chair, Kang Li covered her forehead with one hand, squinting her eyes slightly, musing: It seems beingzy isn¡¯t so easy after all!


    But, you get used to it, you get used to it. She believed she would slowly get ustomed to it since forming a habit is just a matter of time.


    ¡°What do you want for dinner? I¡¯ll cook.¡±


    As the rattan rocking chair swayed, Kang Li was drowsy when she suddenly heard a familiar male voice. She slowly opened her eyelids and saw a tall and erect figure standing a couple of steps in front of her.


    ¡°You cook¡­ are you sure?¡±


    After a moment of surprise, she straightened up and tilted her head to look at the man.


    Luo Yanqing nodded.


    ¡°Then you do the cooking, I¡¯m fine with anything.¡±


    If someone else was cooking, then she might as well bezy!


    Luo Yanqing said nothing and turned to leave the living room.


    Kang Li watched his back for a long while without moving her eyes away.


    A simple white shirt and ck pants, yet he wore them with the elegance of a ¡°noble young master like jade.¡±


    Handsome!


    With his sleeves rolled up, the shirt tucked into his trousers, tall and handsome, his every move full of grace andposure.


    Lying sideways on the rocking chair, Kang Li supported her chin with one hand, still watching the empty doorway.


    Recalling the man¡¯s focused expression while picking and washing vegetables at noon, Kang Li couldn¡¯t help but think of the word ¡°cute¡±, but soon shey back in the rocking chair, covering her eyes with one hand, her lips twitching almost imperceptibly.


    What was she thinking?


    Luo Yanqing was a researcher, undoubtedly associated with ¡°meticulousness¡±, how could she associate him with ¡°cuteness¡±?


    ¡°Mommy, can Daddy cook?¡± Xiao Ming Wei¡¯s milky voice suddenly sounded.


    Kang Li snapped back to reality, her eyes soft. She looked at the little girl, ¡°He probably¡­ can!¡± Saying this, Kang Li stood up, ¡°Maybe Mommy should check the kitchen.¡±


    The man was entirely focused on his work, and she really wasn¡¯t sure if he could cook.


    Moreover¡­ moreover, they had only officially met today. Even though she had observed him closely during their time together and concluded that he was a responsible and dependable man, this didn¡¯t necessarily corrte with his cooking skills.

 Chapter 120 - 120 120 Youre too tall I cant reach. Can you

    ?Chapter 120: Chapter 120: You¡¯re too tall, I can¡¯t reach. Can you bend down a little?   Chapter 120: Chapter 120: You¡¯re too tall, I can¡¯t reach. Can you bend down a little?                                   Wait a minute¡­ A bright idea suddenly shed through Kang Li¡¯s mind!


    How could she have forgotten?


    During lunchtime, when she cooked, the man had helped her out. Whether it was picking vegetables, rinsing them, or washing dishes after the meal, his actions did not reveal any unfamiliarity.


    From this, could she deduce that there was at least a fifty percent chance he knew how to cook?


    Thinking this, Kang Li continued her steps toward the kitchen without stopping.


    ¡°Do you need any help?¡±


    Standing at the kitchen door, Kang Li looked towards the man who was cutting potatoes at the chopping board, side-on to her.


    ¡°No, go and rest.¡±


    Luo Yanqing¡¯s hand froze as he turned to look at Kang Li.


    ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t need help?¡±


    Kang Li stepped forward and stood beside the man.


    Luo Yanqing nodded and made a sound of agreement.


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you wearing an apron?¡± Kang Li said as she casually took an apron, ¡°Let me help you put it on!¡±


    Upon hearing this, Luo Yanqing did not respond for a long while.


    Kang Li: ¡°Turn around!¡± Seeing the man still facing the chopping board and not turning, Kang Li couldn¡¯t help but urge him with her cheerful yet gentle voice.


    With his lips slightly pursed, Luo Yanqing put down the knife and turned around.


    ¡°You¡¯re too tall, I can¡¯t reach it. Can you bend down a little?¡±


    Actually, she could have easily put the apron on his neck by tiptoeing, but she didn¡¯t want to do so. She wanted to interact with the man, to see his embarrassed look.


    Luo Yanqing hesitated for a moment then slightly bent his waist.


    Noticing the man¡¯s ears turning red, Kang Li kept her face unchanged, yet she couldn¡¯t help butugh inwardly: This man is really too innocent, not at all like a man in his mid-twenties who had been married!


    ¡°Are you nning to stir-fry the potatoes?¡±


    After helping the man put on the apron, Kang Li moved behind him and tied the straps for him.


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t need my help, then I¡¯ll stay here and talk to you.¡± Kang Li did not leave. She stepped aside to stand, making sure not to block the light and affect the man¡¯s cutting.


    Luo Yanqing, hearing what she said, did not respond.


    Kang Li raised her eyebrow: ¡°Don¡¯t you want to talk to me?¡±


    Luo Yanqing shook his head.


    ¡°At home, you can call me Kang Li, or you can call me Li Bao. Actually, from childhood, my family and fellow vigers have all called me Li Bao, they all feel it¡¯s more affectionate.¡±


    Kang Li casually chatted, even though Luo Yanqing did not verbally respond, she didn¡¯t feel awkward at all. Her eyes sparkled purely as she looked at the man¡¯s handsome profile and spoke in a rxed and casual tone:


    ¡°I have five brothers. I don¡¯t know if you have heard from Director Song, but among my five brothers, the oldest and the third one work on the farm. My second brother is in the military,


    my fourth brother is a driver working for the transport team in our county, and as for my youngest brother, who came with me to North City, he now works at North City Petrochemical.¡±


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°The director mentioned it to me.¡±


    Kang Li blinked her eyes slyly, tilted her head and asked, ¡°Then did you know that my younger brother¡¯s job here was actually arranged by your organization for me?¡±


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°Yes.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°You don¡¯t have any objections, right?¡±


    Luo Yanqing shook his head.


    Kang Li smiled, ¡°That¡¯s good.¡±


    As porridge simmered on the stove, Luo Yanqing finished cutting the potatoes, rinsed them briefly, and then soaked the potato strips in a small porcin basin, methodically preparing other ingredients.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been frail since I was born, growing up constantly taken by my parents to seek doctors and medicine, but don¡¯t worry. Although I¡¯m a bit weak, it¡¯s fine as long as I don¡¯t do heavy physical work.¡±

 Chapter 121 - 121 121 Rushing Towards Each Other

    ?Chapter 121: Chapter 121: Rushing Towards Each Other?   Chapter 121: Chapter 121: Rushing Towards Each Other?                                   ¡°If you¡¯re feeling unwell, go see a doctor and don¡¯t worry about how much it costs.¡±


    When Luo Yanqing said this, Kang Li¡¯s clear fox-like eyes filled with amusement. ¡°I don¡¯t need to take medicine,¡± she said bluntly, as she saw no need to regrly contribute money to the hospital.


    Luo Yanqing said, ¡°¡­You handle all the household affairs.¡±


    He had little concept of money, and at the research institute, he generally didn¡¯t need to spend anything. He himself didn¡¯t smoke or drink. Apart from the asional need to chip in when a colleague got married or had a child¡¯s full-month celebration, he really had no need to spend money.


    Kang Li¡¯s lips curved into a smile; she knew what he meant: she was free to make decisions regarding the household¡¯s finances and other sundries as she saw fit.


    She felt delighted, not because she held the financial reins, but because she was d about his trust in her. She felt that with ¡°trust¡± as a foundation, she could perhaps look forward to their future marital life with a bit more anticipation.


    ¡­


    Dinner was jujube millet porridge paired with flower rolls, vinegar shredded potatoes, and stir-fried zhini.


    As the sun set, the family of five finished dinner. Just like after lunch, before Kang Li could stand up to clear the dishes, Luo Yanqing had already taken the initiative to do it.


    Kang Li didn¡¯t just sit idle; she cleaned the dining table, rearranged it along with the stools, and then took the three kids for a walk in the courtyard to aid digestion¡­


    ¡°There aren¡¯t many peopleing over to watch TV tonight.¡±


    ¡°Were there a lot before?¡±


    ¡°Mhm.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you like it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that; I just prefer calm.¡±


    After two episodes of the TV series were done, Luo Yanqing didn¡¯t ask the neighbor boy, Xue Chong, to help but moved the television and its table back to the living room himself. At that moment, he seemed to understand something upon hearing what Kang Li said.


    ¡ª¡ªSend the television back to our hometown.


    She probably wanted some peace, which made him think¡­


    It seemed the thing he had done that afternoon was somewhat presumptuous.


    Luo Yanqing thought thus, a trace of difort momentarily crossing his handsome face, but as the living room was dimly lit, and since Kang Li had stepped toward the children¡¯s bedroom, she didn¡¯t notice his change of expression.


    About ten minutester, Kang Li came out of Xiao Ming Rui¡¯s bedroom, not finding the man in the living room, nor in the study. As sporadic water sounds came from the courtyard, she paused, and then walked out of the living room.


    There he was, washing clothes in the courtyard.


    Stopping in her tracks, Kang Li watched quietly under the bright moonlight without making a sound, just standing there observing.


    The night breeze was cool, with asional voices from the neighboring houses.


    ¡°Dad, can¡¯t we watch it a little longer?¡±


    ¡°Yueyue, it¡¯ste, if you don¡¯t go to bed now¡­¡±


    ¡°I was talking to my dad. What does it have to do with you?¡±


    ¡°Wen Yue, is that how you talk to your mom?¡±


    ¡°I want to watch TV, I want to watch TV!¡±


    ¡°If you keep shouting like this, be careful I¡¯ll have someone make a cab tomorrow and lock the TV inside so you won¡¯t be able to watch it ever again!¡±


    ¡°I hate you. You¡¯re not my dad!¡±


    The sounds of the little girl¡¯s running feet and her crying were exceptionally clear in the quiet night.


    ¡°Siyuan, Yueyue is still young. It¡¯s nothing if she talks back a bit.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s been spoiled by her mom. If I don¡¯t discipline her now, sooner orter she might not even respect you anymore.¡±


    Kang Li listened to the voices from Wen Family Courtyard next door, yet her emotions remained steady.


    ¡°You should go to sleep.¡±


    Luo Yanqing inadvertently saw Kang Li standing at the living room door; he paused for a moment and then said softly.


    ¡°It¡¯s cooler in the courtyard.¡±


    Kang Li looked at him, a gentle smile appearing on her face.


    Under the moonlight, his face seemed a bit veiled, yet it couldn¡¯t hide his graceful form.


    Her heart raced ¡°thump, thump¡± faster as he nced at her casually.

 Chapter 122 - 122 122 Luo Yanqing Lets Fall in Love

    ?Chapter 122: Chapter 122 Luo Yanqing, Let¡¯s Fall in Love!   Chapter 122: Chapter 122 Luo Yanqing, Let¡¯s Fall in Love!                                   This feeling was unfamiliar to Kang Li. Beforeing to this world, considering Kang Li¡¯s family background and status, she had honestly seen an array of various, exceedingly outstanding men. Yet, none of them ever quickened her heart rate.


    In other words, those exceptional gentlemen never stirred her emotions.


    The wicker rocking chair was ced in the yard, and Kang Li leaned back in it, unaware as sleepiness crept up on her.


    After washing clothes, Luo Yanqing came over and saw Kang Li lying on her side in the wicker rocking chair, sleeping soundly like a cocooned silkworm.


    Her skin was fair, her eyebrows and eyes delicate, and her lips slightly pursed. This quiet little girl somehow felt incredibly adorable to him.


    Kang Li slept in a daze, suddenly feeling someone pushing her. She slowly opened her eyes, well, just a slit. Under the moonlight, she seemed to see an especially clear, handsome face that bewitched the mind.


    One second.


    Two seconds.


    She saw no sign of reacting.


    ¡°Kang Li.¡±


    The man¡¯s voice was deep and crisp, very pleasant. Was he calling her?


    Kang Li blinked, ¡°Youa¡­¡± She wanted to ask: Who are you?


    Luo Yanqing said, ¡°Go back to sleep.¡±


    Unexpectedly, Kang Li didn¡¯t make a sound; she just kept staring at the man standing in front of her.


    ¡°Are you awake?¡±


    Luo Yanqing waved his hand in front of his little wife.


    ¡°No.¡±


    Kang Li mumbled, turned around, and nned to change positions to continue sleeping, all the while muttering to herself, ¡°Must be dreaming, I don¡¯t know that person.¡±


    ¡°I am Luo Yanqing.¡±


    Luo Yanqing frowned slightly, quite helpless.


    Kang Li: ¡°a|¡±


    Luo Yanqing?


    Who is that?


    Suddenly, Kang Li became lucid, she sat upright, ¡°Did I fall asleep?¡± She felt quite embarrassed.


    Luo Yanqing nodded, ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Kang Li stood up, ¡°Is the courtyard door locked properly?¡±


    Luo Yanqing nodded.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s go back to the room to rest.¡±


    Kang Li said as she began to walk away, but after taking two steps, she seemed to remember something and stopped.


    As Luo Yanqing walked up beside her, she only heard her ask, ¡°Are you sleeping in the guest room or the master bedroom?¡±


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°a|¡± He originally intended to say ¡°guest room,¡± but ended up remaining silent.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine with either.¡±


    Kang Li continued walking forward, saying as she walked, ¡°Whether you want to sleep in the guest room or the master, I have no objections, I truly mean it.¡±


    Luo Yanqing still did not respond.


    The two reached the living room, Kang Li stopped again, turned to face the man, and said seriously with her bright, fox-like eyes, ¡°Luo Yanqing, let¡¯s start dating!¡±


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°a| Dating?¡± What was she thinking? They were already married; did they need to date now?


    ¡°Yes. Are you unwilling?¡±


    With a hint of disappointment in her fox-like eyes, Kang Li said, ¡°Before you, I had been engaged. He was from my vige and had been my ssmate from elementary to high school. Three years ago, he had his family propose relentlessly.


    Unexpectedly, three yearster, that bastard started a rtionship with a female educated youth who hade to our vige, dering that he wanted to break off our engagement no matter what.


    I was quite angry about this. Not because he wanted to break off the engagement, but because he still had an engagement with me while being involved with that female educated youth.


    Luo Yanqing, I am telling you this to ensure you don¡¯t hear about my past from others in our vigeter on and subsequently form any opinions about me. Secondly¡­ this is also my way of showing respect to you.¡±

 Chapter 123 - 123 123 Uncomfortable

    ?Chapter 123: Chapter 123 Ufortable   Chapter 123: Chapter 123 Ufortable                                   Luo Yanqing: ¡°I¡­ am very busy with work.¡± He didn¡¯t have time for frivolous affairs, otherwise, the organization wouldn¡¯t have to make decisions for him, resolving his marriage issues time and again.


    Kang Li: ¡°You do your thing, and we¡¯ll just go with the flow. I¡¯m not the clingy type.¡±


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°Let¡¯s do that then.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°Is that a yes?¡±


    Luo Yanqing gave a low ¡°hmm¡± in response.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go to bed.¡±


    Kang Li said with a smile.


    As she turned around, Luo Yanqing started to say, ¡°About my previous marriage¡­¡± But before he could finish, Kang Li waved her hand: ¡°I don¡¯t care about your past, and there¡¯s no need to tell me more. Besides, agreeing to marry you clearly means I have some understanding of your situation.¡±


    It was just a past marriage with three little ones, wasn¡¯t it!


    If it wasn¡¯t for that, she wouldn¡¯t be standing in front of him today.


    Luo Yanqing¡¯s mouth twitched slightly, but he ended up saying nothing more.


    He followed Kang Li into the master bedroom.


    Actually¡­ he knew that if he were to sleep in the guest room, not to mention how Director Song would scold himter, it would be disrespectful to his newlywed wife.


    ¡°There are pajamas and everyday clothes I¡¯ve prepared for you in the wardrobe.¡±


    Kang Li said softly, pointing to the wardrobe.


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°Thank you.¡± Before doingundry, Luo Yanqing had taken a shower in the bathroom and was now wearing his original pajamas, so he hadn¡¯t thought about changing into a new set, but the thanks were absolutely necessary.


    After dinner and taking the three little ones for a walk in the yard to aid digestion, Kang Li didn¡¯t only take a shower herself but also cleaned the three kids until they were spick-and-span. She was now wearing a in, cotton, knee-lengthfortable dress.


    Well, to be more precise, a nightgown.


    However, it could be worn outside on a regr basis, but in Kang Li¡¯s life beforeing to this world, she had lived meticulously from a young age and would definitely not wear a nightgown outside.


    ¡°Should I turn off the light?¡±


    The crisp yet indifferent male voice suddenly floated into her ears, undeniably pulling Kang Li back from her wandering thoughts. She replied, ¡°Turn it off, if you want to sleepter, I can turn the deskmp on for you.¡±


    There were two small bedside tables on either side of the bed, one with amp and a red novel on it, and the other with only a small rm clock.


    The red novel was ¡°Song of Youth,¡± purchased by Kang Li through the System on the Mall, right before sleep.


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°No need.¡± Before turning off the light, Luo Yanqing casually nced at the bed.


    One and a half meters wide, with a cool matid out, two pillows arranged on it, and under each pillow, a neatly folded thin towel nket ced, with some distance between the two pillows.


    Having seen all this, Luo Yanqing finally felt the unease in his heart dissipatepletely.


    Yes, when Luo Yanqing followed Kang Li into the master bedroom, to tell the truth, he was quite ufortable.


    Although the two were husband and wife protected byw¡­ but they had only met for the first time today. For him to just lie in bed with a woman he hardly knew, he had some psychological barriers.


    Even if she was hiswful wife, in his view, it would be difficult to lie down together casually for some time.


    However, he was grateful the bed was wide enough, grateful they were neither of them fat, grateful the two pillows weren¡¯t ced too close together, and grateful for the two thin towel nkets.


    Otherwise, he would likely turn around to sleep in the study ¡ª even if it meant getting scolded by the Directorter!


    ¡°Goodnight, Luo Yanqing.¡±


    As Luo Yanqing turned off the light, Kang Liy down on the bed and casually pulled over the thin towel nket to cover her midsection, to prevent catching a cold at night.

 Chapter 124 - 124 124 Luo Yanqing Has His Little Wife Become

    ?Chapter 124: Chapter 124: Luo Yanqing: Has His Little Wife Be a Bit Rebellious?   Chapter 124: Chapter 124: Luo Yanqing: Has His Little Wife Be a Bit Rebellious?                                   The bright moonlight filtered through the pale blue curtains and into the room, casting a gentle glow on Kang Li¡¯s ethereally beautiful face, as if she hadn¡¯t noticed it.


    Her clear, pure fox-like eyes, which were so vibrant during the day, were now closed, her long and curledshes casting a silhouette like butterfly wings beneath her eyelids.


    ¡°Goodnight,¡± Luo Yanqing said as hey down in his spot, and after a long while, he gave a faint response.


    The night was silent, the breeze blowing in from the outside, cool and soothing.


    Not knowing how much time had passed, Kang Li heard light and even breathing sounds by her ear, her longshes trembling slightly as her previously closed fox-like eyes slowly opened.


    Asleep already?


    That¡¯s what she thought as she turned to look at the man beside her, realizing that he had almost fallen asleep at the edge of the bed.


    A clear boundary!


    The distance between him and her could not be more distinctly described than as a clear boundary.


    Amused, Kang Li found the man innocent to the point of being adorable, the thought crossing her mind for perhaps the umpteenth time that day.


    Her lips curved into a slight smile, and soon, ovee by drowsiness, Kang Li closed her fox-like eyes again and drifted into sleep. The person she thought was asleep, however, slowly opened his phoenix eyes after she was sound asleep.


    Simrly, he turned to look at her, his gaze lingering on her fair, beautiful profile for a moment before an enigmatic emotion shed through his dark eyes¡­


    The next morning, Kang Li opened her eyes at six o¡¯clock as usual.


    Beforeing to this world, she would get up at this time, wash up, go downstairs for breakfast, and then change into her work clothes to drive to thepany for work.


    But now, she would wake up on time, freshen up, do a little exercise in the courtyard, then prepare breakfast for herself, Xiao Ming Rui, and the three of them, as well as tidy up the house and clean the courtyard.


    Rubbing her temples, she sat up slowly, looking at the spot next to her. Not seeing the man there, she remembered someone whispering in her ear before she was fully awake, ¡°I¡¯ll prepare breakfast. You sleep a bit more.¡±


    Gathering her thoughts, Kang Li blinked her fox-like eyes and decided to crawl back into bed, intending to go back to sleep.


    Simply because she knew that it was Luo Yanqing who had spoken to her.


    Regrettably, due to her routine, she found herself unable to sleep even though she wanted badly to doze off again.


    And with hunger starting to gnaw at her stomach, Kang Li eventually got up.


    After changing her clothes, she left the bedroom and went to wash up.


    On the stove porridge was simmering, and Luo Yanqing was exercising in the courtyard. Upon seeing Kang Li, his punching motion momentarily paused and he asked, ¡°You¡¯re up?¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°Hmm.¡± After washing up, Kang Li did a few simple exercises nearby, twisting her waist and kicking her legs,pletely unconcerned that such behavior might draw strange looks from the man.


    ¡­


    ¡°Mommy, is what you said really true?¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei¡¯s big eyes, resembling ck grapes, shone with surprise and a hint of disbelief. Looking up at Kang Li, she adorably asked for confirmation.


    ¡°Of course it¡¯s true.¡±


    Smiling, Kang Li replied, ¡°Mommy has already talked it over with your daddy. From today on, daddy will follow the schedule I set for you to study and y with you.¡±


    What she had said to the man the day before wasn¡¯t just a passing remark; she had meant it.


    Speaking of which, Kang Li turned her fox-like eyes towards the man who happened to walk into the living room: ¡°Daddy, isn¡¯t that right?¡±


    Having just finished tidying up the kitchen, Luo Yanqing almost lost his bnce upon hearing this.


    Once he steadied himself, he nodded and murmured an affirmation.


    Daddy?


    How could she call him that?


    In that moment, Luo Yanqing felt both awkward and ufortable, and he secretly pondered: Kang Li, his little wife, could she be a bit too unconventional?


    ¡°Daddy, Vivi will be very, very good!¡±

 Chapter 125 - 125 125 Milk Bun Ming Han Stands Up for Mom

    ?Chapter 125: Chapter 125: Milk Bun Ming Han Stands Up for Mom   Chapter 125: Chapter 125: Milk Bun Ming Han Stands Up for Mom                                   After getting confirmation from Mom and further confirmation from Dad, Xiao Ming Wei was very happy, pping her little hands with glee almost like a seal apuding.


    Xiao Ming Han: ¡°Daddy, Hanhan likes Daddy!¡± Taking small steps towards Dad, Xiao Ming Han looked up at him with adoration.


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Xiao Ming Han didn¡¯t feel slighted by such a response at all; on the contrary, he was especially delighted that Dad responded to him.


    That meant Dad liked him too!


    Turning his gaze to Kang Li, Luo Yanqing¡¯s lips parted slightly, ¡°I am here.¡± His eyes were indifferent, and frankly, if it were an ordinary person interacting with him, they would probably find it boring and stifling.


    However, Kang Li didn¡¯t feel that way at all. On the contrary, she appreciated men who had depth and were less talkative. Furthermore, in her opinion, such men were typically cold on the outside but warm on the inside, and once you got to know them well, you would find they were quite cheeky.


    Or describing him as ¡°abstinent¡± might be even more apt and fitting.


    And Luo Yanqing of such a disposition was a perfect match for what Kang Li envisioned in her other half.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go write something.¡±


    Pointing towards the master bedroom, Kang Li said this and walked away.


    Starting from the second day Captain Kang and Big Brother Kang returned to their hometown, Kang Li had already sent two articles to a newspaper. In other words, in just half a month, she had received a payment from this newspaper.


    As for the second article she sent out, if nothing went wrong, she should receive the remittance notice soon.


    Although the payment she receivedst time was merely eight yuan, it was only her testing the waters. Besides, eight yuan was sincerely not a small amount.


    After all, the sry of an average worker these days was also just 20-30 yuan per month.


    The monthly ie of farmers was even less, about six yuan or so.


    From this, it is evident that Kang Li earned eight yuan for a single article, which she managed to create in less than two hours, was definitely something many people envied.


    Approaching 11:30, Kang Li came out from her study to find that the living room was without the ¡°one big, three small¡± figures, knowing it was ytime for them, she nced towards Luo Yanqing¡¯s study. Just then, Xiao Ming Han¡¯s indignant milky voice came from the courtyard.


    ¡°Mom! Mom! I hate Aunt Tao, she¡¯s mean!¡±


    Kang Li called the child over and then sat with the little one on the hardwood sofa, asking, ¡°Why do you say that?¡± As for the Aunt Tao mentioned by Xiao Ming Han, having lived in the courtyard for half a month, Kang Li naturally knew who she was.


    ¡°Aunt Tao said Mom is a vixen.¡± Xiao Ming Han spoke with righteous indignation, ¡°She¡¯s like a fierce, sharp-beaked rooster, not a good person. She told Sister Yueyue¡¯s mom that Mom is a vixen. I hate her, and I don¡¯t want to see her ever again!¡±


    Kang Liughed, ¡°How did you find out about this?¡±


    Xiao Ming Han: ¡°I was squatting not far away ying when Aunt Tao was badmouthing Mom, and I overheard it.¡± Still indignant, the little one added, ¡°Mom, Aunt Tao is so mean, when I grow up a little more, I¡¯ll definitely avenge Mom!¡±


    Listening to the child¡¯s bold words, Kang Li couldn¡¯t help but chuckle, ¡°Before we talk about avenging Mom, look closely ¨C does Mom look like a vixen?¡±


    ¡°What does a vixen look like? Hanhan hasn¡¯t seen one, doesn¡¯t know, but Hanhan knows Mom is definitely not a vixen, because Mom is a good mom, and Hanhan loves Mom!¡±


    Xiao Ming Han¡¯s adorable manner almost made Kang Li melt; her fox-like eyes curving, she smiled and said, ¡°Mom loves our Hanhan too, but Hanhan must promise Mom not to call Aunt Tao a bad person anymore.¡±

 Chapter 126 - 126 126 Its Just Jealousy

    ?Chapter 126: Chapter 126: It¡¯s Just Jealousy   Chapter 126: Chapter 126: It¡¯s Just Jealousy                                   ¡°Why is that?¡±


    Xiao Ming Han didn¡¯t understand.


    Kang Li: ¡°Aunt Tao said that Mom being called a Vixen is actually apliment about how pretty she is.¡±


    Xiao Ming Han blinked his eyes, ¡°Really?¡±


    Kang Li pretended to look hurt and then started to faux cry, ¡°Wuu wuu¡­ I¡¯m so sad, it turns out Hanhan doesn¡¯t think Mom is pretty, what should I do? I¡¯m so upset¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t cry, don¡¯t cry. Hanhan¡¯s mom is Little Fairy, super pretty!¡±


    Gently patting Kang Li¡¯s hand, Little Warm Man Ming Han said in his milky voice, ¡°I will listen to mom and not call Aunt Tao a bad person anymore. Mom, can you please stop crying?¡±


    ¡°Am I really a Little Fairy? Hanhan baby isn¡¯t tricking me, right?¡±


    Kang Li was covering her eyes with her hands, but now she peeked through her fingers at Xiao Ming Han, who stood in front of her, straightening his little body and said earnestly, ¡°Hanhan wouldn¡¯t lie to Mom, Mom is super pretty, the prettiest Little Fairy!¡±


    ¡°Alright, I believe that my Hanhan baby isn¡¯t tricking mom.¡±


    Embracing the little one, Kang Li beamed with joy, patted the youngster¡¯s head, then put away her smile and said seriously, ¡°Hanhan must remember, never speak ill of adults outside, otherwise, people will think that Mom hasn¡¯t taught Hanhan well.¡±


    Xiao Ming Han puffed up his cheeks, ¡°But¡­ but what if an adult like Aunt Tao speaks ill of Mom? Mom, although you said that the ¡®Vixen¡¯ Aunt Tao mentioned was topliment you, Hanhan saw clearly, oh, Aunt Tao looked like this when she said it.¡±


    Imitating Tao Ping¡¯s demeanor, Xiao Ming Han pursed his lips.


    Seeing this, Kang Li couldn¡¯t help butugh aloud, ¡°Alright alright, you and your clever tricks. Now, you just need to remember what mom said, don¡¯t speak ill of elders outside, remember that! As for the reason, it¡¯s simple, Mom doesn¡¯t want to hear others say that Mom¡¯s Hanhan is a bad kid.¡±


    Xiao Ming Han was slow to respond.


    Kang Li raised an eyebrow, ¡°Hanhan?¡±


    ¡°Alright, I remembered.¡±


    Xiao Ming Han responded with a tense face.


    Kang Li: ¡°I feel like you¡¯re brushing off Mom.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Xiao Ming Han instantly straightened up again, patting his little chest, ¡°I promise Mom that I won¡¯t say Aunt Tao is a bad person, a mean pointy-mouthed big rooster anymore!¡±


    Kang Li suppressed augh, looked away from the child, and thought to herself: How is this child so clever?! He¡¯s so hard to handle.


    But also too adorable not to cherish!


    Thinking this, Kang Li kissed Milk Bun Ming Han on the cheek with a ¡°smack.¡±


    Unexpectedly, the little one blushed and snuggled into her arms, ¡°Mom, Hanhan is a big kid now, you can¡¯t just kiss me randomly.¡±


    Kang Li looked at the adorable little fellow in her arms and said softly with a smile, ¡°Two and a half years old, still my baby. Even when you grow up, in Mom¡¯s eyes, you¡¯ll always be my little child.¡±


    Looking at him with eyes full of affection, Kang Li rubbed the little one¡¯s head and added, ¡°Mom¡¯s Hanhan is the best. You got so upset for mom today; mom is deeply touched. If somebody says something about mom again, don¡¯t listen to it; just let them talk. After all, Mom is fine, and a few words from them mean nothing.¡±


    Tao Ping, the wife of Researcher Zhang, had been at the courtyard for just over half a month, and Kang Li couldn¡¯t recall ever offending her, yet this person inexplicably targeted her and hadn¡¯t spared her from gossip.


    After pondering for a moment, the corners of Kang Li¡¯s mouth twitched into a barely noticeable cold smirk. It must be jealousy!

 Chapter 127 - 127 127 Is This Still Him

    ?Chapter 127: Chapter 127 Is This Still Him?   Chapter 127: Chapter 127 Is This Still Him?                                   It was either Researcher Zhang who was jealous of her husband, Professor Luo, and often spoke ill of Professor Luo at home, which caused his wife, Loo Ping, Teacher Loo, to vent her anger on her; or it was that Ms. Loo who was jealous of her beauty and jealous she had married her husband, Professor Luo, a man endowed with both talent and good looks!


    Kang Li was unaware that her current guess was actually close to the truth, and one could even say, it was the truth.


    ¡°Mom, I¡¯ll listen to you and won¡¯t talk bad about adults again, but can we let Dad get revenge, to take revenge for you?¡±


    Xiao Ming Han suddenly looked up with this suggestion.


    ¡°Hasn¡¯t mom already said? No matter what others say about mom, mom will be fine.¡±


    Kang Li tapped the child¡¯s nose, ¡°As for having your dad take revenge for mom, that¡¯s not only a waste of resources, but also unnecessary. What¡¯s more, your dad is busy with important matters; how can he waste his time on such trivial issues? Right?¡±


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    Xiao Ming Han did not finish his sentence but ultimately nodded obediently. He somewhat understood what his mom was saying, but he knew for sure that everything his mom said was right.


    And he, just needed to listen to his mom.


    Facing such an understanding child, Kang Li¡¯s heart was actually filled with mixed feelings and difort. The child was not even three years old, yet because he was born without a mother and had not received proper care from his father, he became sensitive and overthinking, such a small Bun could read people¡¯s expressions and discern malice from kindness in their words¡­


    The more she thought about it, the more heartbroken she felt. Kang Li pressed her forehead against the child¡¯s and rubbed it, whispering softly, ¡°Actually, Hanhan can sometimes be a little naughty. With dad and mom here, our Hanhan doesn¡¯t need to be too sensible.¡±


    At this point, Kang Li suddenly remembered Xiao Ming Rui and Xiao Ming Wei, and she asked Milk Bun Ming Han, ¡°Why didn¡¯t your brother and Vivie back with you?¡±


    Xiao Ming Han replied, ¡°Sister wanted to go y at Sister Lulu¡¯s house, and brother went along with her.¡±


    Luo Yanqing was sitting in the study reading a book when he unexpectedly overheard the conversation between Kang Li and Xiao Ming Han.


    His gaze left the study and settled on the slightly ajar study door, his lips pressed tightly together, his indifferent expression gradually deepened.


    Vixen?


    He certainly didn¡¯t think Researcher Zhang¡¯s spouse wasplimenting his wife.


    Especially after spending yesterday with the person in the living room, he could see that¡­ Kang Li, his wife, was not one to cause troubles, and her demeanor was gentle without losing forthrightness, acting openly and directly.


    Such a person, naturally, would not be one to make enemies carelessly.


    So why would Researcher Zhang¡¯s spouse malign his wife with words? Luo Yanqing pondered without understanding, but he decided not to easily dismiss this matter.


    The reason?


    If he hadn¡¯t heard it, then so be it, but since he did hear it, he naturally couldn¡¯t ignore it.


    Otherwise, when he returned to the research institute and resumed work, there¡¯s no telling how she might be bullied.


    His thoughts wandered to this, and Luo Yanqing suddenly froze.


    He¡­ why was he worried she might be bullied? Why was he thinking about intervening in such idle gossip between women?


    Was this still him?


    Luo Yanqing felt somewhat bewildered for a moment.


    However, around five o¡¯clock in the afternoon, Luo Yanqing still arranged to meet Researcher Zhang at the state-owned restaurant near thepound.


    Today was Saturday, and Zhang Sheng¡¯s research team, after being busy for nearly two months without any progress in their project, decided to give the members a two-day break, so everyone could rx. Once they returned to work, perhaps they would have new discoveries.

 Chapter 128 - 128 128 Luo Yanqing Stands Up for His Wife

    ?Chapter 128: Chapter 128 Luo Yanqing Stands Up for His Wife   Chapter 128: Chapter 128 Luo Yanqing Stands Up for His Wife                                   Zhang Sheng wasn¡¯t particrly happy about getting two days off to go home; he wanted to achieve something, to have the group members, the leaders of the institute, and people from other project teams admire him.


    As he was nearing forty, he was unwilling to continue in mediocrity and did not want to retire as a mere junior researcher.


    Thus, even though he was reluctant, when the team leader gave everyone a holiday, Zhang Sheng had to go home to rest as ordered.


    What he hadn¡¯t expected was that just as he stepped through his front door and had barely settled in, Luo Yanqing invited him to take a walk.


    Luo Yanqing, who had recently emerged as a promising new talent in the scientific research field, was highly valued by the leaders of the institute.


    Zhang Sheng had thought about trying to transfer to the project team under Luo Yanqing, yet since he started working, he had already been in more than two research teams and hadn¡¯t achieved any notable results in any of them.


    If he continued switching teams, his reputation would inevitably suffer.


    In fact, when he was scheming to move to the second project team, people at the institute were already speaking ill of him behind his back, and although he pretended not to hear it, it made him extremely ufortable.


    Today, Luo Yanqing had taken the initiative to invite him for a walk; could it be that he wanted to invite him to join his team for the uing new projects?


    If so, that would be great!


    With a mix of three parts anticipation, three parts joy, and four parts uncertainty, Zhang Sheng walked with Luo Yanqing toward the state-run restaurant.


    Along the way, Luo Yanqing didn¡¯t say a word, while Zhang Sheng asionally brought up institute matters, to which Luo only listened quietly, responding at most with a grunt of acknowledgment.


    Three dishes were ordered along with two servings of white rice and a more refined bottle of white wine, all paid for with Luo Yanqing¡¯s money and coupons.


    Despite his reserved and seemingly unsociable demeanor, Luo Yanqing was, in reality, very clear about social nuances.


    ¡°Little Luo, do you have something to tell me?¡±


    Suppressing all his conjectures, Zhang Sheng looked at the wine and dishes on the table without reaching for the chopsticks but voiced the question in his mind.


    At this moment, Zhang Sheng felt that his previous thoughts were likely overthinking it; frankly, he had a vague feeling that Luo Yanqing¡¯s invitation to have this meal at the state-run restaurant was definitely not about asking him to join his new project team.


    After all, such matters could be settled in just a few words; why need toe to this state-run restaurant to discuss it?


    Furthermore, if he truly wanted to invite him to join the new project team, why hadn¡¯t he mentioned even a single word during their walk?


    Luo Yanqing, of course, didn¡¯t know what Zhang Sheng was thinking and wouldn¡¯t probe; he opened the bottle of wine, poured a little for both himself and Zhang Sheng, and then, with a clear, low voice tinged with a faint air of indifference, finally spoke, ¡°Comrade Loo said my wife is a ¡®Vixen.¡¯ Kindly let her know that I am aware of it.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Zhang Sheng was initially stunned, then felt both awkward and ufortable: ¡°This¡­¡± He knew that his wife, Loo Ping, had most likely mentioned the new young wife of the man before him as a ¡°Vixen¡± in her gossip, thus maligning her.


    But how did Luo Yanqing learn about these women¡¯s petty conflicts?


    Could it be¡­ could it be that his newly-wed wife had told him?


    Luo Yanqing said, ¡°Have a drink.¡± Looking at the wine ss in front of Zhang Sheng, he made a gesture of invitation.


    ¡°Thank you! Due to health reasons, I shouldn¡¯t drink.¡±


    This statement was half-true and half-false; it wasn¡¯t that he couldn¡¯t drink, but that he easily got drunk.


    Based on this, Zhang Sheng seldom drank with others.


    Luo Yanqing, hearing this, didn¡¯t say anything further.


    Neither of them touched the chopsticks and just sat quietly. After a while, Zhang Sheng stood up: ¡°I still have some work to handle, so I won¡¯t be able to dine with you today. I hope you understand.¡±

 Chapter 129 - 129 129 Cutting Off the Obsession

    ?Chapter 129: Chapter 129: Cutting Off the Obsession   Chapter 129: Chapter 129: Cutting Off the Obsession                                   Zhang Sheng simply couldn¡¯t continue sitting there; he felt too ashamed to face Luo Yanqing and wanted to vanish from his sight as quickly as possible.


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°Hmm.¡± His expression remained indifferent. After Zhang Sheng left, he casually capped the liquor bottle and sat for a while longer, then called the waiter to pack up.


    When he got home, the moment Zhang Sheng saw his wife Loo Ping, regardless of their children being present, he sternly said, ¡°Follow me to the study.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Loo Ping was puzzled.


    Zhang Sheng didn¡¯t answer.


    Once the two of them had entered the study one after the other, Loo Ping frowned deeply: ¡°You and that Luo Yanqing were fine when you went out. Howe you look so embarrassed now, as if you¡¯ve been dipped in ink?¡±


    Zhang Sheng paced back and forth in the study with his hands on his hips. Then he stopped in front of his wife Loo Ping and demanded with dissatisfaction, ¡°Why on earth are you bothering Luo Yanqing¡¯s wife?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Loo Ping felt utterly baffled: ¡°When did I bother that vixen? And who told you I¡¯ve been bothering that vixen?¡±


    Zhang Sheng red angrily: ¡°Still saying you haven¡¯t bothered her?! If you haven¡¯t, then what¡¯s all this about a vixen from your mouth?¡±


    Loo Ping: ¡°I¡­¡±


    Zhang Sheng: ¡°Don¡¯t forget, you¡¯re a people¡¯s teacher!¡±


    Loo Ping: ¡°Can¡¯t you speak properly?¡±


    Zhang Sheng scoffed, ¡°Speak properly? How do you expect me to speak properly with you? Luo Yanqing called me out from my home to say just one sentence to me. Do you know how embarrassed I felt when I heard it?¡±


    ¡°What did he say to you?¡± As soon as she asked, Loo Ping seemed to realize something, her face showing astonishment: ¡°It couldn¡¯t be that Luo Yanqing came looking for you to stand up for his wife, using me of calling his new bride a vixen? But how would he know about that?¡±


    Zhang Sheng said irritably, ¡°You ask me, but whom should I ask?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I said anything wrong. You didn¡¯t see¡­¡±


    Loo Ping didn¡¯t think she was at fault, but her voice gradually softened: ¡°The vixen remark was something I mentioned casually to Xiao Su from across the street at Comrade Wen¡¯s house during lunch today. It was just the two of us, there shouldn¡¯t have been a third person to know.¡±


    Zhang Sheng didn¡¯t respond to that but asked instead, ¡°Did she provoke you?¡±


    Loo Ping: ¡°No, she didn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°If she hasn¡¯t provoked you, why are you speaking so carelessly in front of Wen Siyuan¡¯s wife?¡± Zhang Sheng questioned.


    ¡°Can¡¯t I dislike how she looks? She¡¯s enchantingly beautiful, and not even a few days after moving into thepound, she¡¯s buying washing machines, TVs, sewing machines, bicycles, radios¡­ Such arrogance just infuriates me!¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you stretching the truth a bit? Loo Ping, no matter how she looks or what she bought after entering Luo Yanqing¡¯s house, it has nothing to do with us. Besides, your job is to educate; aren¡¯t you worried that if someone heard what you said, it would spread to your school?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    Zhang Sheng sighed deeply at this point, his face expressing bitterness: ¡°I¡¯ve been looking for an opportunity¡­ hoping to join Luo Yanqing¡¯s research group. But you, you just had to run your mouth and now you¡¯vepletely dashed my hopes.¡±


    ¡°Is it really that serious?¡± Loo Ping was at a loss for what to do for a moment. After thinking, she said, ¡°Why don¡¯t¡­ Why don¡¯t I find a time to apologize to Kang Li at the Luo Family?¡±


    Zhang Sheng was silent for a long while, then shook his head: ¡°Forget it.¡±


    ¡°But didn¡¯t you want to¡­¡± Before Loo Ping could finish, Zhang Sheng interrupted her: ¡°I know what you¡¯re trying to say, but all I can do is just think about it. If I really propose to change research groups to the leadership, I¡¯m afraid it would be difficult to stay at the institute any longer.¡±

 Chapter 130 - 130 130 The Language of Flowers Longing

    ?Chapter 130: Chapter 130: The Language of Flowers, Longing   Chapter 130: Chapter 130: The Language of Flowers, Longing                                   On the other side, Kang Li was about to enter the kitchen to make dinner when she saw Yanqinging in from outside the courtyard door and couldn¡¯t help but smile, ¡°Back already?!¡±


    Yanqing just grunted and said, ¡°This is food from the state-run restaurant; it¡¯s still warm.¡±


    ¡°Give it to me; I¡¯ll go dish it out. You call Ruirui to wash their hands, we¡¯ll start eating in a bit.¡± As she spoke, Kang Li paused and asked, ¡°Have you eaten yet?¡±


    Yanqing shook his head.


    Kang Li said, ¡°Then let¡¯s eat together.¡± If Kang Li had known that Yanqing had gone out half an hour ago to stand up for her, her heart would probably have been touched.


    However, Yanqing definitely wouldn¡¯t mention it, and, considering what Loo Ping and Zhang Sheng had said, he probably wouldn¡¯t be visiting the Luo Family¡¯s home again.


    ¡­


    Before going to sleep that night, Kang Liy on her back in bed and casually asked Luo Yanqing, ¡°I forgot to ask you, our courtyard has been refurbished by me; you don¡¯t have any objections, do you?¡±


    Like the night before, Luo Yanqing tried as much as possible to distance himself from Kang Li, lying close to the edge of the bed.


    ¡°It¡¯s quite good.¡±


    That was the truth.


    Yanqing genuinely thought the newly renovated courtyard and the faucets installed in the kitchen and bathroom were quite good; he even found Kang Li¡¯syout of the courtyard especially clever.


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, next spring, our courtyard will be particrly beautiful. Oh, do you like roses? I quite like them. The floralnguage of roses represents the longing for love, and different colors of roses have their own unique meanings!


    Did you know? Red roses signify passionate love, suitable for giving to a significant other; pink roses signify vows of love, ideal for someone you have a crush on;


    while white roses symbolize pure love, perfect for a first love or a love from your youth. I¡¯m thinking about nting some climbing roses by our courtyard wall, and dividing the yard into different areas with other flowers¡­¡±


    Kang Li slowly spoke, and without realizing it, she changed the subject: ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I left home; I wonder if my parents are doing well. When Ruirui has his winter vacation, I¡¯ll take them back to my hometown¡­¡±


    While saying this, Kang Li¡¯s heart actually longed for her rtives in another world, knowing that while her parents had her brother Kang Yi forpany, despite their father¡¯s unreliable nature towards his children, Kang Li still missed her family deeply.


    Because she loved them!


    Yanqing quietly listened to Kang Li talk about the roses, about Kang Li¡¯s family in Aoli Vige¡­ and he didn¡¯t know how much time had passed when the pleasant voice that flowed into his ears, like a stream over smooth stones, gradually stopped, followed by the sound of light, even breathing beside him.


    Asleep?


    Turning over to face Kang Li¡¯s side, Yanqing¡¯s typically indifferent ck eyes tinged with a very faint unusual emotion¡ªshe was indeed asleep.


    ¡­


    Several days passed in the blink of an eye.


    Aoli Vige.


    ¡°Old man, what did you say?¡± To make sure she hadn¡¯t heard wrong, Cai Xiufen couldn¡¯t help but confirm with Captain Kang, ¡°Did Li Bao send us something?¡±


    Captain Kang said, ¡°Comrade Li came to the vige to deliver a letter informing me; how could this be false? Oh, Comrade Li also said that what was sent to us should be a television set.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean should be?¡±


    You old man, can¡¯t you speak clearly? Either it is or it isn¡¯t; why must your answers be so ambiguous? Is she supposed to guess a riddle or what? Cai Xiufen red at Captain Kang annoyed.


    ¡°Look here, is it that I don¡¯t want to rify?! It¡¯s Comrade Li who said that from the outer packaging, it definitely looks like a television set box, but whether it¡¯s actually a television inside, Comrade Li didn¡¯t guarantee it to me.¡±

 Chapter 131 - 131 131 Blocked

    ?Chapter 131: Chapter 131: Blocked   Chapter 131: Chapter 131: Blocked                                   Team Leader Kang had mentioned Comrade Li, whose name was Changan, was a postal worker for the town¡¯s post office, responsible for delivering mail to Aoli Vige and several neighboring viges.


    On hearing this, Cai Xiufen couldn¡¯t help but voice herint, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, why didn¡¯t you exin it all at once?!¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright, it¡¯s my fault for not exining everything at once, causing you not to understand,¡± Captain Kang replied with a good-natured smile and continued, ¡°You go about your business, and I¡¯ll ride into town right away to pick up the parcel.¡±


    ¡°With Big Brother and Third Brother around, there¡¯s no need for you to make the trip,¡± Cai Xiufen said. ¡°Go back to the room and rest. I will go and tell Big Brother to do it.¡±


    Saying this and without waiting for Captain Kang to respond, Cai Xiufen called out to Big Brother Kang, ¡°Big Brother! Ride into town once, Li Bao sent something to our home, and remember to bring the pickup slip from dad.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    Big Brother Kang responded.


    ¡°Dad, Mom, what did Li Bao send to our home?¡±


    Coming into the main room, Big Brother Kang looked at his elderly parents and heard Captain Kang say, ¡°We¡¯re not sure what exactly it is. Just take the slip and go pick it up. We¡¯ll know once we open the box at home.¡±


    After handing the pickup slip to his son, Captain Kang added, ¡°And take the household registration book with you as well.¡±


    Big Brother Kang, puzzled, asked, ¡°Why do I need to bring the household registration book?¡±


    ¡°Comrade Changan said that the item sent from North City to our home is arge package. To prevent others from mistakenly iming it, it¡¯s safer to pick it up with the household registration book,¡± exined Captain Kang. In those days, there were no separate identity documents. When running errands, one either had to provide the household registration book or an introduction letter issued by the authorities to prove one¡¯s identity.


    Otherwise, one was bound to encounter difficulties when trying to get things done!


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    After acknowledging with an ¡°okay,¡± indicating he understood, Big Brother Kang mounted his bicycle and was out of the courtyard in a blink.


    ¡°Grandpa, Grandpa, what is Uncle going to pick up at the post office?¡±


    ¡°Grandma, do you know?¡±


    ¡°Grandpa, is the item Auntie sent to our home?¡±


    ¡°Ah, I wonder if Auntie has received the letter I wrote to her.¡±


    ¡­


    Surrounded by their grandchildren, Captain Kang and his wife felt like a flock of sparrows was chirping incessantly around their ears.


    Cai Xiufen said, ¡°Go do what you¡¯re supposed to do. Wait until your dad and your uncle bring the item back, and then you can see for yourself.¡± Like shooing ducks, Cai Xiufen raised both hands and chased all the grandchildren surrounding her out of the main room.


    After about forty-fifty minutes, Big Brother Kang cycled back into the vige.


    Some vigers, upon seeing a square box tied to the back seat of his bicycle, couldn¡¯t resist approaching and curiously asking, ¡°Guowei, what¡¯s in that big box on the back of your bike?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Guowei, tell us, this box looks sizeable¡ªmust be something good inside, right?¡±


    ¡°I think it looks like a television!¡±


    ¡°What? A television! What is a television?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen it too, on disy at the department store counter in the county city. Look at the picture on this box, square with a rod on top, if that¡¯s not a television, then what is?!¡±


    Before long, Big Brother Kang found himself surrounded by curious vigers, which forced him to dismount from his bike seat.


    ¡°As for what¡¯s inside the box, I haven¡¯t opened it yet, so I wouldn¡¯t know,¡± he said.


    ¡°Guowei, you¡¯re not trying to keep us in the dark, are you?¡±


    ¡°Exactly, Guowei, if there¡¯s a television in that box, we can¡¯t missing over to your ce to watch TV tonight!¡±


    Guowei was Big Brother Kang¡¯s name.


    ¡°Auntie, rest assured, if there really is a television inside this box, I certainly won¡¯t keep everyone out in the yard,¡± Guowei assured her.

 Chapter 132 - 132 132 I am Luo Yanqing youre my

    ?Chapter 132: Chapter 132: I am Luo Yanqing, you¡¯re my father-inw, right?!   Chapter 132: Chapter 132: I am Luo Yanqing, you¡¯re my father-inw, right?!                                   Actually, Big Brother Kang had pretty much confirmed that the box contained a television as soon as hepleted the pick-up procedure and carried the box out of the post office, because the box was brand new and had never been opened.


    ¡°Grandpa! Grandma! My uncle is back!¡±


    This was the voice of Third Brother Kang¡¯s youngest son, an eight-year-old boy named Yilin. He had originally been ying outside the courtyard gate with his brothers but upon seeing Big Brother Kang, he got so excited that he instantly jumped up and started yelling into the courtyard.


    ¡°Dad (Uncle).¡±


    With one hand steering the handlebars and the other supporting the TV box on the rear seat, Big Brother Kang entered the courtyard gate, and the next moment, his sons and nephews all came rushing over, their eyes gleaming as they stared fixedly at the square TV box without looking away.


    ¡°Dad, let me help you.¡±


    Big Brother Kang¡¯s eldest son said as he started to untie the ropes that were securing the TV box.


    ¡°Big brother, I¡¯ll help you hold it steady.¡±


    Another teenager stepped forward to help his elder brother stabilize the TV box, so it wouldn¡¯t fall to the ground when the ropes were untied.


    It should be mentioned that Big Brother Kang had four sons, and Third Brother Kang had three sons.


    ¡°Alright, alright, make some space, let your big brother carry the box into the main room.¡±


    Cai Xiufen stood at the doorway to the main room, watching her eldest grandson holding the TV box and calling for the other grandchildren to clear a path so that her eldest grandson could walk through.


    ¡°It really is a television!¡±


    Once Big Brother Kang¡¯s eldest son carried the television into the main room, Captain Kang then used scissors to slice open the taped seal on the top and around the edges of the box, and immediately after, Cai Xiufen¡¯s voice, filled with surprise, rang out.


    ¡°Grandpa, look, there¡¯s an envelope!¡± After Big Brother Kang lifted the television out of the box, his eldest son immediately spoke up. He bent down, picked up a kraft paper envelope from the box, and handed it over to Captain Kang.


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    The envelope was unsealed, and Captain Kang initially thought he would pull out a letter, but instead, it turned out to be several Great Reunion Banknotes, roughly estimated at three to four hundred yuan.


    ¡°Why is Li Bao sending us both a television and money? If she keeps doing this, not to mention whether her son-inw would have a conflict with her, even her own attitude of not taking money seriously is concerning, how is she going to manage her life in the future?!¡±


    Cai Xiufen worried.


    ¡°Keep the money for now, I¡¯m going to call Li Bao right away and ask her what¡¯s going on.¡±


    Passing the envelope along with the stack of Great Reunion Banknotes to his wife, Captain Kang lifted his foot and left the main room.


    North City.


    ¡°Hello, may I ask who you are looking for?¡±


    Luo Yanqing picked up the receiver, his voice as detached as ever.


    ¡°I¡¯m looking for Li Bao¡­ that¡¯s right, Kang Li, I¡¯m looking for Kang Li, is she there?¡± Captain Kang didn¡¯t know he was speaking to Luo Yanqing, but from the moment he heard Luo Yanqing¡¯s voice, he began to guess his identity.


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°She¡¯s in the study.¡±


    Captain Kang: ¡°You are¡­?¡±


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°I am Luo Yanqing, you must be my father-inw, right?!¡±


    Captain Kang: ¡°Yes¡­ yes, that¡¯s me.¡±


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°Please hold on a moment, I will get Kang Li to take your call.¡± Setting down the receiver, Luo Yanqing entered the master bedroom and then stepped into the adjoining study: ¡°Kang Li.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Kang Li had been resting her chin on her left hand, holding a ballpoint pen in her right hand deep in thought when she heard Luo Yanqing¡¯s voice, startling her to the point that the pen dropped onto the desk. After a moment, she turned her head to look at Luo Yanqing: ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°Your father has called¡­¡±


    Kang Li didn¡¯t wait for the man to finish speaking, and she got up and left the study.


    Seeing this, Luo Yanqing stood still, his expression unreadable. He lingered in ce for a while,

 Chapter 133 - 133 133 Luo Yanqing No Wasteful Spending

    ?Chapter 133: Chapter 133 Luo Yanqing: No Wasteful Spending   Chapter 133: Chapter 133 Luo Yanqing: No Wasteful Spending                                   Then he involuntarily took two steps forward, stood still in front of his desk, and looked at the spread-out manuscript papers, or more precisely, the content written on those papers.


    ¡°Dad, it¡¯s Li Bao. Did you call because something happened at home?¡±


    The moment the phone reached his mouth, Kang Li started by asking Captain Kang, his voice sounding somewhat anxious.


    Captain Kang, ¡°Everything¡¯s fine at home. I called you because I wanted to ask why you sent a TV back home? Also, what¡¯s with the money you sent? Li Bao, you have to learn to live your life; you can¡¯t just frivolously spend money, you know? Otherwise, if your husband finds out, will you two be able to still live smoothly?¡±


    ¡°Dad, what are you talking about? A television?! You¡¯re saying I sent a TV and some money home?¡± Kang Li was confused. She had thought about sending a TV home as the new year approached, but that was still several months away. How could her father be¡­


    Suddenly, Kang Li understood something and said into the phone, ¡°I know now, Dad. The TV was bought and sent by your son-inw, and the money was also provided by him. He mentioned it to me in passing; I didn¡¯t expect him to act so quickly.¡±


    Captain Kang, slightly stunned, ¡°What did you say? Li Bao, you mean that the idea of sending the TV and money to our home all came from your son-inw, and it was all managed by him?¡±


    ¡°Yes, indeed it was your son-inw who did it. Dad, you can rest assured and let Mom hold onto the money, buy whatever you want. As for the TV, it¡¯s to keep our family entertained and informed about the outside world. Have my older brother, third brother, or Yangyang follow the instructions to set up the antenna and then search for channels to watch TV programs.¡±


    ¡°Why would your son-inw spend this money?! We have three kids to raise, and suddenly he¡¯s buying a TV for us and sending money home. You should talk to your son-inw and tell him everything¡¯s fine at home, and ask him not to send anything more.¡±


    Despite saying that, Captain Kang was quite happy inside. After all, having a son-inw who thought to send things to their home, especially a sought-after TV, and stuffed so much money into the TV box, showed that he must be pleased with his daughter Li Bao as a wife. Thus, he was inclined to send things and money to their old home.


    Kang Li said with augh, ¡°Dad, that¡¯s your son-inw¡¯s intention. You and Mom just ept it with peace of mind. As for whether your son-inw will send anything in the future, that¡¯s his own matter. I really can¡¯t control that.¡±


    ¡°You girl¡­ Well, as long as you and your husband are doing well, your dad and I will be at ease,¡± Captain Kang said, his voice full of resignation.


    Kang Li, ¡°Luo Yanqing and I, along with the three kids, are doing well. But you and Mom should take extra care of your health. Otherwise, I¡¯ll worry about you from North City.¡±


    ¡°Understood, understood. That¡¯s it then. I¡¯m hanging up.¡±


    ¡°Alright, goodbye.¡±


    After ending the call, Kang Li put the handset back on thendline base. As she straightened up and turned around, she saw Luo Yanqing bending over instructing the three little ones with their crafts.


    ¡°Luo Yanqing.¡±


    She called out softly.


    ¡°¡­¡± Luo Yanqing looked over, his eyes asking, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°Thanks!¡±


    Kang Li smiled warmly, ¡°My family is very happy with the TV you sent. But my dad wanted me to tell you, we understand your intention, so please don¡¯t spend frivolously in the future.¡±


    Luo Yanqing, ¡°Didn¡¯t spend frivolously.¡± He just felt it was right to buy it and right to send some money over!

 Chapter 134 - 134 134 Just Be Sour

    ?Chapter 134: Chapter 134: Just Be Sour!   Chapter 134: Chapter 134: Just Be Sour!                                   Kang Li looked at the man, smiled, and said no more.


    On one side, the young couple exchanged nces, a faint and unusual emotion lingering in their hearts; on the other, in Aoli Vige, Captain Kang hung up the phone, a beaming smile spread across his face as he walked out of the Team Leader¡¯s office.


    ¡°Team Leader, your Li Bao is really capable. It wasn¡¯t long after her marriage that she sent a TV set back to your family. If my daughter had that ability, I would wake upughing from my dreams!¡±


    ¡°Mu Laosan, it looks like we¡¯ll only be left with envy in this lifetime. After all, among all our daughters, there¡¯s none who looks like a fairy quite like Li Bao. She had just stepped into her husband¡¯s family¡¯s home and already her son-inw dotes on her, allowing Li Bao to send a TV set to Captain Kang¡¯s house!¡±


    Hearing these sour words, Captain Kang didn¡¯t get angry in the slightest; the smile on his face remained: ¡°Look at how sour you all are. But you¡¯re all wrong. That TV set at my ce wasn¡¯t sent by Li Bao, it was my son-inw who bought it to show his respect to me and Li Bao¡¯s mother.¡±


    Just be sour about it!


    Each and every one of them spent their days waiting to see a joke out of his family, waiting for Li Bao to be unable to stand being a stepmother and run back home in tears. Now, they were the ones who got sour, and the thought alone was satisfying!


    Watching Captain Kang¡¯s retreating figure, the middle-aged men standing by the vige road chattering couldn¡¯t help but feel a face full of jealousy.


    After a while, one of them said, ¡°Do you think what the Team Leader said is true?¡±


    ¡°Who doesn¡¯t know Captain Kang? He¡¯s never been one to brag or lie.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re saying¡­ that TV set in Captain Kang¡¯s house really was sent by Li Bao¡¯s son-inw out of respect for the two old folks?¡±


    ¡°It can¡¯t be fake.¡±


    Someone sighed, ¡°You know, those women gossip about Captain Kang¡¯s family all day, saying that who knows when Li Bao woulde back to the vige crying. Theyughed at Li Bao for being a stepmother, thinking Captain Kang¡¯s family was pushing their daughter into a pit of fire. Now they probably have nothing to say, right?¡±


    ¡°Women with long hair but short on wisdom, what do those women know!¡±


    As Captain Kang had gone out of sight, he naturally had no idea what discussions were happening behind his back about him and Kang Li.


    ¡°Did you ask clearly?¡±


    In the short time that Captain Kang went to the Team Leader¡¯s office to call Kang Li, Big Brother Kang and Third Brother Kang, following their son¡¯s (nephew¡¯s) guidance, had already set up the antenna on the roof. At this moment, the family sat in the hall, each with gleaming eyes, watching the television program.


    Of course, aside from their own family, many vigers and children had alsoe over.


    In short, the spacious hall was filled with people.


    ¡°Did you ask?¡±


    When Cai Xiufen saw Captain Kang walk into the hall, she immediately called him into the room, ¡°What did Li Bao say?¡±


    ¡°The TV was bought by the son-inw, and he paid for it himself; it has nothing to do with Li Bao.¡± Captain Kang believed his precious daughter wouldn¡¯t lie to him and besides, he felt there was no need for her to deceive him.


    After all, a TV was not a trivial item, and his daughter, Li Bao, had be somewhat more shrewd since going to North City, but she wouldn¡¯t go as far as to buy a TV to gild her son-inw¡¯s image in the eyes of their family, to induce them to have a better impression of him.


    Cai Xiufen was astonished, ¡°The son-inw bought it for us? Why would he do that?¡±


    Captain Kang, ¡°Li Bao said it¡¯s a little token of our son-inw¡¯s regard for us.¡±


    By the afternoon, when work was over, more and more vigers appeared at the Kang Family¡¯s house to watch television, to the point where Captain Kang had to ask Big Brother Kang to move a table outside the hall¡¯s door and ce the TV on it.


    Men and women, young and old, crowded the entire yard. Some even sat atop the wall or stood on stools to watch the television.

 Chapter 135 - 135 135 Youre Being a Bit Silly Like This

    ?Chapter 135: Chapter 135: You¡¯re Being a Bit Silly Like This   Chapter 135: Chapter 135: You¡¯re Being a Bit Silly Like This                                   The scene could not be said to be anything but lively.


    Before going to bed at night, in Captain Kang¡¯s room, Cai Xiufen turned over on the kang and muttered, ¡°Turning on the TV every day, it must use quite a bit of electricity.¡±


    ¡°Electricity in the vige is there for people to use, don¡¯t say anything unnecessary in front of the vigers.¡±


    Captain Kang cautioned.


    ¡°I¡¯m not brainless.¡± Cai Xiufen¡¯s tone carried a hint of dissatisfaction as she said, ¡°I just think it¡¯s not right to have so many people in our house watching TV every day.¡±


    Captain Kang asked, ¡°So what do you suggest we do?¡±


    Cai Xiufen replied, ¡°You¡¯re asking me? Who am I supposed to ask?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s sleep. Watching TV can broaden one¡¯s horizons. I¡¯m the Team Leader and our house has this TV, consider it as serving the vigers.¡±


    ¡°Whatever you say.¡±


    After saying this, Cai Xiufen turned over, turned her back to Captain Kang, and soon was swept over by sleepiness, closing her eyes to sleep.


    At the same time, in Big Brother Kang¡¯s room.


    ¡°Our brother-inw sure is generous, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    Elder sister-inw Kangy beside Big Brother Kang, pondering as she spoke, ¡°Could it be that Li Bao asked our brother-inw to buy the TV?¡±


    ¡°Whether it is or isn¡¯t, what can we do about it?¡± Big Brother Kang was a man of understanding and said, ¡°Let¡¯s say Li Bao asked our brother-inw to buy it; this means our brother-inw cares about Li Bao, willing to listen to her.¡± If that were really the case, with Li Bao in North City, he, as an older brother, could be more at ease!


    Elder sister-inw Kang said, ¡°Going by what you¡¯re saying¡­ does our brother-inw really like our Li Bao a lot?¡±


    Big Brother Kang replied, ¡°Perhaps he does.¡± Besides liking, there¡¯s more of responsibility between a man and a woman, but he indeed hoped his brother-inw liked his Li Bao, not simply out of responsibility to treat his sister well but by sending their family a TV, to show them he would be good to Li Bao.


    However, if Li Bao and the other person truly couldn¡¯t develop feelings for each other, it actually wasn¡¯t bad for the other person to treat his sister well out of responsibility.


    At least Li Bao wouldn¡¯t suffer in that household.


    North City.


    ¡°Luo Yanqing, turn over and lie down, let¡¯s talk.¡±


    Moonlight flowed like water, filling the room, and the asional chirping of insects came from outside the window. Kang Liy on her side in bed, extending her index finger to lightly poke the arm of Luo Yanqing next to her, calling him to lie face-to-face with her so they could talk morefortably.


    Luo Yanqing had been lying on his back, but upon hearing her, a flicker of hesitation crossed his narrow Phoenix Eyes. After a moment, he softly hummed in acknowledgment and turned over to face Kang Li.


    ¡°I¡¯ve noticed that you quite like to do things silently,¡± said Kang Li, her bright fox-like eyes curved like Crescent Moons, her voice disarming and melodious like the sound of wind chimes hanging below the eaves, extremely pleasant to the ear.


    Luo Yanqing didn¡¯t respond but silently looked at her as she continued, ¡°But from my perspective, that¡¯s not a good habit. After all, actions done in silence often go unnoticed, and don¡¯t you find that frustrating?¡±


    Luo Yanqing replied, ¡°Not really.¡± There was no hesitation, his response was very straightforward.


    ¡°You¡¯re a bit silly!¡± Sending a TV to her family behind her back, also stuffing money into the TV box, and saying you don¡¯t find it frustrating, is this man too sincere?


    The moon was particrly bright that evening, and with the help of the bright moonlight streaming through the window, Kang Li looked at the man¡¯s distinct features. She blinked and suddenly asked with a smile, ¡°Have a lot of people told you that you¡¯re handsome since you were young?¡±


    Luo Yanqing replied, ¡°¡­No.¡± He looked at her, the bright moonlight falling on her face, making her porcin skin seem to glow with ayer of faint silver light. Her clean and bright smile resembled the most beautiful painting, or the most vibrant bloom on a springtime branch¡­


    The two looked at each other, and for a moment, neither spoke again.

 Chapter 136 - 136 136 I Will Try

    ?Chapter 136: Chapter 136 I Will Try   Chapter 136: Chapter 136 I Will Try                                   Time streamed by, second by second, and as Kang Li noticed the atmosphere around them gradually growing ambiguous, the smile on her face involuntarily stalled. She then deliberately averted her eyes and coughed lightly, saying, ¡°It¡¯s gettingte, huh.¡±


    Yanqing: ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°Tired?¡±


    Yanqing: ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡± Since she wanted him to apany her in conversation, he would stay with her until she felt sleepy and closed her eyes, then he could sleep without dy.


    ¡°Yanqing.¡±


    Kang Li called the man¡¯s name.


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    Yanqing looked puzzled.


    Kang Li: ¡°Can¡¯t you just smile? Even a casual smile now and then would be nice.¡± He must look really attractive when he smiles.


    ¡°I¡¯ll try.¡± Since learning of his father¡¯s sacrifice on the battlefield, he had never smiled again because, after that¡­ his life had been clouded with one misfortune after another.


    First, his mother remarried without hesitation, took all the family savings to marry another man, and left him in the care of his grandparents. But that good time didn¡¯tst long; his grandparents fell ill one after the other and passed away. Then, his aunt and uncle felt he was bad luck, a jinx, a burden, and they abandoned him to be raised by the state.


    One misfortune after another robbed him of the innocence and smiles a child should have.


    He had vowed more than once to be strong, so strong that he wouldn¡¯t need to rely on anyone, so that he wouldn¡¯t be abandoned over and over again, and wouldn¡¯t yearn for any family affection.


    Then again, he didn¡¯t smile much as a child, to be more precise, he didn¡¯t tend to show much emotional fluctuation. But he still remembered that he had smiled, when his mother told him¡­ his dad would soon being home to see them, and he saw his mother¡¯s happy smile, his mood during that time was so good that he often grinned.


    Even if the smile was not wide, the smile not obvious, but he wasn¡¯t mistaken, he was indeed smiling¡­


    ¡°That¡¯s how it should be.¡±


    The smile on Kang Li¡¯s face didn¡¯t hide how happy she was at the moment.


    ¡°Did they give you any trouble?¡±


    This was one of the rare asions Luo Yanqing initiated a question about something specific while on leave at home.


    Well, to be exact, twice.


    Once was on the day he returned home, when he asked her if she had touched any books on his shelf, and now, asking if the three little ones had been bothering her.


    ¡°The kids are both well-behaved and smart; I really like them.¡± Speaking of the three youngsters at home, Kang Li couldn¡¯t help but ask him, ¡°Are you truly so busy with work that you can¡¯t evene home once in a whole year?¡±


    She could see that the youngsters were eager for their father¡¯s affection, and while this father didn¡¯t show much emotion toward his children, even if he was naturally aloof, they were still his own kids. Shouldn¡¯t he at least show some concern?


    Even if work was very busy, she couldn¡¯t believe that the research institute couldn¡¯t give a single day off in a month.


    After all, whatever the job, a bnce of work and rest is needed, especially for researchers who stay in theb all day. There¡¯s a risk of getting stuck on a particr research assertion.


    In such cases, it¡¯s necessary to unwind and rx the mind, perhaps to find a new breakthrough.


    Yanqing watched her eyes, a pair of pure, clear eyes that one could see through, with a faint smile swirling within them, looking like the spring breeze that turns into rain or the warm sun of winter, making it hard for one to shift their gaze.


    ¡°Once a research project starts, I get so busy that I forget about time.¡± It wasn¡¯t an excuse; it was just the nature of his work, and since he loved his scientific research, he naturally wouldn¡¯t waste time on trivial matters.


    Kang Li: ¡°But no matter how busy, you still need to rest.¡±


    Yanqing: ¡°Hmm.¡± He agreed.


    Kang Li: ¡°A bnce of work and leisure is not just talk. Sometimes inspiration strikes or a new breakthrough is found precisely during moments of entertainment and rxation, when the mind is at ease.¡±

 Chapter 137 - 137 137 Is This Something He Can Decide

    ?Chapter 137: Chapter 137: Is This Something He Can Decide?   Chapter 137: Chapter 137: Is This Something He Can Decide?                                   ¡°Besides, health is essential for revolution. If you are stripped of it, all the things you wish to aplish will only turn into regrets.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Luo Yanqing agreed.


    ¡°Since you agree with me, please remember to rest during work, don¡¯t forget to eat on time, and when you have days off,e back and see the children.¡±


    Kang Li said this, and after a while, he finally heard Luo Yanqing respond, ¡°I¡¯ll try my best.¡±


    ¡°All right, I¡¯ll remember your words.¡± Covering her mouth, Kang Li yawned gracefully. Her eyelids began to droop significantly, and she slowly closed her eyes, saying, ¡°I¡¯m tired, good night, Luo Yanqing!¡±


    Upon hearing this, Luo Yanqing¡¯s lips slightly parted, ¡°¡­ Good night.¡± Did she dislike his demeanor? Did she find him too serious and distant?


    No one answered him, and soon, Luo Yanqing also closed his eyes and fell asleep.


    Recently, Director Song was also on leave at home. Therefore, whenever Song Xuan walked towards the courtyard door, Director Song would certainly follow behind. After a few urrences, Director Song noticed that his eldest grandson was very fond of visiting the Luo Family, and once there, he not only enjoyed ying with Ruirui and his siblings but also loved listening to Comrade Xiao Kang tell stories, y the erhu, and teach crafts.


    Although still seeming to live in his own world, always silent, the grandson¡¯s gaze constantly followed Comrade Xiao Kang.


    With this discovery, Elder Song naturally would not keep his grandson confined at home.


    He made a decision and talked to Luo Yanqing first¡ªhe and Mrs. Qi wanted to adopt Kang Li as their goddaughter.


    Thus, that day, Director Song brought Song Xuan to the Luo Family, and upon seeing Kang Li telling stories to Ruirui and the others, Song Xuan walked forward obediently, ced his hands on his knees, and quietly sat on a small chair, watching Kang Li and listening intently.


    ¡°Come, let¡¯s go to your study, I have something to talk to you about.¡±


    Patting Luo Yanqing¡¯s shoulder, Director Song led the way.


    The study door was halfway open; after both seated themselves, Luo Yanqing looked up at Director Song and heard him say, ¡°Your Auntie Qi and I would like to recognize your Comrade Xiao Kang as our goddaughter, what do you think?¡±


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°¡­¡± Was this something he could decide?


    After a while without a response from Luo Yanqing, Director Song added, ¡°You know my family¡¯s situation. Over the years, your Auntie Qi has always harbored concerns. To outsiders, it seemed she had emerged from her past sorrows with a smile on her face, but I know that your Auntie Qi has¡­ never really let go of that matter.


    She has been holding on because she knows she cannot fall; she still needs to raise Xuan Xuan¡­ But recently, I¡¯ve seen her truly happy, and it was Comrade Xiao Kang from your family who brought her that joy. She said she really took a liking to Comrade Xiao Kang, saying that watching Comrade Xiao Kang was like watching her own child,


    and couldn¡¯t help but discuss with me the idea of adopting Comrade Xiao Kang as our goddaughter. I know this mighte as a surprise to Xiao Kang, but I still want you and Xiao Kang to talk about it and see if she is willing.¡±


    After a moment of silence, Luo Yanqing spoke, ¡°I can bring it up with her, but¡­ but I think it might be best if you or Auntie Qi personally talk to her about it.¡± Doing so would show sincerity, and without him intervening, she might not agree.


    After all, she has both parents and plenty of family members; she is notcking in god-rtives.


    Just as Luo Yanqing finished speaking, the sound of an erhu echoed from the living room.


    Director Song opened his mouth but swallowed the words he was about to say, and together with Luo Yanqing, they listened to the melody.


    ¡°Xiao Kang really ys the erhu well, and each piece is delightful to hear.¡±

 Chapter 138 - 138 138 Excitement

    ?Chapter 138: Chapter 138 Excitement   Chapter 138: Chapter 138 Excitement                                   ¡°Mm.¡±


    ¡°But you y just as beautifully.¡±


    Luo Yanqing had recently been doing the stay-at-home dad routine and, of course, included ying tunes on the erhu for Ruirui and the other two during the music appreciation time Kang Li had scheduled.


    The erhu was a gift from an elderly person who had also taught Luo Yanqing how to y it.


    At that time, Luo Yanqing was still young, ced in an orphanage by the relevant authorities, and the elder was a staff member there. One day, Luo Yanqing heard the elder y the erhu and found it pleasing. So, afterpleting his homework on weekends and hearing the elder y, he would silently stand by and listen.


    This back-and-forth made them familiar with each other, and the elder asked if Luo Yanqing would like to learn. Without hesitation, Luo Yanqing nodded, and from then on, whenever he had a holiday, he would stick close to the elder to learn while thetter was free.


    Regrettably, the elder fell seriously ill before Luo Yanqing was sent abroad by the country for further studies. Knowing Luo Yanqing was about to leave, the elder personally handed his erhu to Luo Yanqing, urging him to study hard overseas and if he ever missed his homnd, to y the erhu.


    He also implored Luo Yanqing to return home afterpleting his studies, so as not to let down the country¡¯s years of nurturing.


    With such a story behind it, Luo Yanqing understandably cherished his erhu. Therefore, many years after he received the erhu from the elder¡¯s hands, he would carefully wipe it down whenever he was at home.


    His choice to y the erhu for Ruirui and the others came about when Kang Li identally saw Luo Yanqing wiping the erhu in the study a few days earlier and casually asked if she could borrow it.


    Luo Yanqing hesitated, but ultimately nodded in agreement.


    ¡°Not as well as she ys.¡±


    After replying to Director Song, Luo Yanqing¡¯s lips curved slightly, and he fell silent for a good while.


    In the living room.


    After Kang Li yed ¡°Flying Insects¡± three times in a row, she ced the erhu on the side tea table. She then saw Song Xuan staring intently at the erhu and couldn¡¯t help but ask the young boy, ¡°Do you like the erhu, Xuan Xuan?¡±


    A couple of minutes passed, and Song Xuan nodded, his gaze still locked on the erhu.


    Kang Li: ¡°Then do you want to learn how to y the erhu, Xuan Xuan?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Song Xuan finally moved his gaze away from the erhu, looked intently at Kang Li for a moment, and seriously nodded again.


    Kang Li: ¡°Alright, Auntie will teach you.¡± Looking at the young boy, a smile was evident in her eyes: ¡°You have to study hard, because Auntie is very strict!¡±


    This time, Song Xuan didn¡¯t just nod; he even made a surprising ¡°Mm¡± noise.


    Ruirui and the other two didn¡¯t notice this unusual behavior, but Kang Li heard it clearly. She felt happy for the boy and for Director Song and Mrs. Qi. She couldn¡¯t help but shout towards the direction of the study: ¡°Uncle Song, Luo Yanqing,e out quickly, Xuan Xuan¡¯s spoken!¡±


    ¡°Xiao Kang, are you sure you didn¡¯t deceive Uncle Song?¡±


    Despite his advanced age, Director Song moved as if carried by the wind, appearing in front of Kang Li almost in the blink of an eye.


    ¡°Of course not. If Uncle Song doesn¡¯t believe me, why not listen for yourself?¡± said Kang Li, her eyes softening as she looked towards the young boy: ¡°Xuan Xuan, do you want to follow Auntie and learn to y the erhu?¡±


    She spoke at an unhurried pace, enunciating each word clearly so the young boy could understand her.


    The next moment, under the watchful eyes of Director Song and Luo Yanqing, Song Xuan nodded at Kang Li: ¡°¡­learn¡­¡±


    Director Song was overwhelmed with excitement.


    His eyes reddened, his lips trembled, and he strode forward, hugging his grandson tight: ¡°Good, good, good, Grandpa¡¯s Xuan Xuan can talk now. If your grandma knew, she would be so happy!¡±

 Chapter 139 - 139 139 Revealing the Truth

    ?Chapter 139: Chapter 139: Revealing the Truth   Chapter 139: Chapter 139: Revealing the Truth                                   Song Xuan allowed his grandfather to hold him tightly. However, his gaze was still fixed on Kang Li, his lips quivering as he struggled to say again, ¡°Xuan¡­ wants¡­ to learn¡­¡±


    ¡°Auntie understands, Xuan Xuan wants to learn erhu from Auntie, right? How about this? From tomorrow on, Auntie will start teaching you, and we¡¯ll learn a bit every day. Auntie believes it won¡¯t be long before our Xuan Xuan can y beautiful tunes just like Auntie.¡±


    Children with autism are often geniuses, and who knew, the teenager before her might just be a musical prodigy!


    Because through continuous observation over the past few days, she could tell that this handsome teen, whenever listening to her y the erhu, was always extremely focused.


    His eyes never once looked away from the erhu.


    Concentration and perseverance ¡ª he clearly had great interest in the erhu, and interest is undoubtedly the best motivation for learning.


    She was looking forward to the day when the young man would showcase his astonishing talent in front of others!


    ¡°¡­Okay!¡±


    Song Xuan responded.


    Seeing with his own eyes and hearing with his own ears the obvious changes in his eldest grandsonpared to the past, Elder Song¡¯s eyes, wet with emotion, were filled with relief. He ruffled his eldest grandson¡¯s hair and then looked at Kang Li, ¡°Xiao Kang, this won¡¯t cause you any trouble, will it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m already at home taking care of the kids, so it¡¯s not troublesome at all. Besides, Xuan Xuan is very well-behaved and gets along harmoniously with Ruirui and the others. I believe teaching him to y the erhu won¡¯t take much effort,¡± Kang Li said, her clear, fox-like eyes swirling with a genuine smile that showed no hint of pretense.


    ¡°Then from tomorrow on, Xuan Xuan will learn the erhu from you, and we¡¯ll be counting on you to take extra care of him.¡±


    Having said this, Elder Song thought for a moment, called Ruirui to take Song Xuan and the twin with mixed sex to y in the room for a while. When only Kang Li and Luo Yanqing, along with himself, were left in the living room, Elder Song signaled Kang Li and Luo Yanqing to sit down and talk. He then spoke, ¡°Xiao Kang¡­¡±


    Seeing Elder Song¡¯s gaze resting on her, Kang Li blinked her fox-like eyes, ¡°Uncle Song, please feel free to speak frankly.¡±


    ¡°Good girl, with your wit and cleverness, no wonder your Auntie Qi said she liked you from the bottom of her heart the moment sheid eyes on you.¡±


    If this girl were born to him and his wife Qi, without a second thought, he would know that they would treasure her as the apple of their eye, protecting her from any hurt as she grew up. But that was just his fancy¡­ However, if the young girl were willing to recognize him and his wife Qi as her godparents, then it would be as if she were their own daughter.


    Blessed with both beauty and talent, as well as a pleasant disposition and versatile abilities, this young girl truly seemed wonderful from every angle!


    Elder Song was nodding in approval, and he looked at Kang Li with a kindly expression, continuing in a gentle voice, ¡°Xiao Kang, Uncle Song and your Auntie Qi once had a son, who was Song Xuan¡¯s father,


    but that boy and his wife both sacrificed their lives on the battlefield years ago, leaving only young Xuan Xuan as their descendant. Losing a son and a daughter-inw was undoubtedly a huge blow for the two of us¡­ Over the years, your Auntie Qi seemed to have forgotten the wounds of the past,


    but I know she¡¯s never really let go, especially when she¡¯s alone, she¡¯s often wiped away her tears¡­ I¡¯m telling you all this because Uncle Song wants to let you know,


    ever since we met you at the train station, your Auntie Qi has been very happy. She told me you caught her eye, and looking at you was like looking at her own child. So recently, she discussed with me and would like to recognize you as her goddaughter. Xiao Kang, what do you think¡­¡±

 Chapter 140 - 140 140 I Understand

    ?Chapter 140: Chapter 140 I Understand   Chapter 140: Chapter 140 I Understand                                   Kang Li¡¯s expression faltered slightly, she never expected that the elderly man before her and the kind Mrs. Qi wanted to recognize her as their goddaughter.


    Luo Yanqing¡¯s clear, indifferent voice arose, ¡°Uncle Song and Auntie Qi are very nice people.¡±


    ¡°Xiao Kang, you don¡¯t have to feel troubled. If you¡¯re unwilling, Uncle Song and Auntie Qi won¡¯t me you. After all, it¡¯s we old folks who want to recognize you as our goddaughter. It¡¯s because we like you and want to establish a bond with you, but we will absolutely not force you,¡± he said.


    s, the young girl has a father and a mother, a bunch of brothers, and she is the only female child in the Kang family up to the third generation, deeply cherished at home. Probably¡­ probably she won¡¯t fancy having another godfather and godmother?


    Elder Song¡¯s understanding of Kang Li undoubtedly came from Director Wu.


    Therefore, how much the Kang family adored Kang Li, how meticulously Elder Song knew, was unclear, but he was aware that for the family, Kang Li had always been a treasured, doted-on daughter.


    As Elder Song secretly felt a sense of loss, Kang Li¡¯s clear, pleasant voice broke through, ¡°Uncle Song, could you allow me to consider it? Also, I need to inform my family about this and see what their thoughts are.¡±


    The sense of loss that had welled up in Elder Song¡¯s heart instantly dissipated. His eyes brightened, and he said very straightforwardly, ¡°Of course, of course. You should talk to your family and see what they think.¡±


    At that moment, Elder Song knew that there was at least a fifty-fifty chance of making Kang Li his goddaughter.


    Because the person involved clearly hadn¡¯t rejected the idea outright, it seemed she probably wasn¡¯t opposed to having an additional set of elders.


    As evening approached, Kang Li made a call to the Team Leader¡¯s office in her hometown, telling Captain Kang about Elder Song and Mrs. Qi¡¯s wish to recognize her as their goddaughter. Cai Xiufen, upon hearing that her precious daughter was calling, went with Captain Kang to the Team Leader¡¯s office to take the call.


    Without much discussion, Captain Kang replied to Kang Li that, in North City, recognizing Elder Song and his wife as godparents was like gaining additional support, and as for the responsibilities that a goddaughter should bear in the future, Captain Kang also reminded Kang Li to remember, to care for them both, just as she would respect her own parents at home, to honor Elder Song and Mrs. Qi.


    After bathing and freshening up, Kang Li entered the master bedroom and saw Luo Yanqing leaning back on the bed reading a book, and casually spoke, ¡°My parents have no objections to Uncle Song and Auntie Qi wanting to recognize me as their goddaughter. What about you? What do you think?¡±


    Luo Yanqing replied, ¡°I think it¡¯s quite good.¡±


    Kang Li asked, ¡°So you mean to say, you also have no objections?¡±


    Luo Yanqing confirmed, ¡°Mhm.¡±


    Kang Li warned, ¡°Then you¡¯d better listen well. Once I agree, then Uncle Song and Auntie Qi won¡¯t just be my godparents, Kang Li¡¯s godparents. The responsibility and the duties to be borne in the future will also rest on more than just my shoulders.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t a big deal for her to take care of two elderly people and a little one in the future, but she needed to make things clear beforehand with the man before her. After all, they were husband and wife, and naturally, they had to confront issues together to avoid rifts between them, making life difficult to sustain in the long run.


    Without hesitation, Luo Yanqing responded, ¡°I understand.¡± Not to mention other things, just the several years of kindness from Director Song and his wife toward him, if they had any issues in the future, he would not stand by idly.


    Now, merely adding the title of godson-inw had no significant impact on him. On the contrary, it would make caring for them in the future more justified, sparing him from usations of harboring ulterior motives.


    ¡ªSuch as coveting the wealth of the two elders.

 Chapter 141 - 141 141 Selfishness

    ?Chapter 141: Chapter 141 Selfishness   Chapter 141: Chapter 141 Selfishness                                   He had no such thoughts, but as the saying goes, many mouths can melt metal; nder wears away reputations.


    Moreover, Elder Song and his wife now only had Song Xuan as their unconventional grandson, and since he himself disliked trouble, when Director Song today, on behalf of Auntie Qi, proposed the idea of recognizing his wife, Kang Li, as their goddaughter, he had no other thoughts besides agreement.


    ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t quite understand why Uncle Song and Auntie Qi want to recognize me as their goddaughter. Don¡¯t think I am being suspicious, but if it¡¯s just because they like me at first sight and want to recognize me as a goddaughter, to be honest, that¡¯s quite unconvincing for me to acknowledge this kind of honorary kinship.¡±


    After voicing her doubts, Kang Liy down in her spot on the bed, her fox-like eyes blinking, her lips slightly pursed as she continued to ponder Elder Song and Mrs. Qi¡¯s intentions.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to overthink it. Perhaps Uncle Song and the others really just find you congenial, or maybe¡­¡± Kang Li couldn¡¯t help but ask when Luo Yanqing paused, ¡°Or maybe what?¡±


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°Or maybe it has to do with the reason of Song Xuan.¡±


    ¡°Are they looking for a future support for their grandson? If that¡¯s the case, why not just recognize a godson directly?¡±


    Kang Liy on her side, resting her chin on one hand, looking at the man.


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°Song Xuan doesn¡¯t warm up to strangers, and even in front of others¡­ he is very timid.¡±


    ¡°You mean, Xuan Xuan is close to me, and because of this reason¡­¡± Kang Li began, then suddenly stopped, her fox-like eyes shing with insight after a moment:


    ¡°I get it, by recognizing me as their goddaughter, Director Song and the others are, in a way, also recognizing you as their godson. When their timees, I am to take care of their posthumous affairs and¡­¡±


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°You¡¯re thinking too much.¡±


    Although her guess was very close to the truth, there was no need to be too explicit. ncing at Kang Li, Luo Yanqing closed his book and ced it carelessly on the nightstand beside him, turned off the bedsidemp, andid down in his own spot: ¡°Let¡¯s sleep.¡±


    The Song Family.


    Mrs. Qiy beside Director Song and sighed softly, asking, ¡°Do you think Xiao Kang will be willing? And her family, do they agree to let Xiao Kang be our goddaughter?¡±


    Elder Song: ¡°Being recognized as honorary kin by us has no downsides for Xiao Kang; moreover, her family is far away in the Great Northwest. Having you and me as her godparents is like giving Xiao Kang an additional support in North City.¡±


    ¡°But after all, we do harbor some selfish motives, yet I¡­ I can¡¯t help but think more for the sake of Xuan Xuan. These past few days, you must have noticed that Xuan Xuan shows no timidity around Xiao Kang,


    and even takes the initiative to approach her. Besides¡­ Xiao Kang¡¯s character is genuinely good, and I sincerely like this girl. Moreover, once Xiao Kang bes our goddaughter, it undoubtedly gives us another godson like Little Luo. In the future, when we are gone, with him helping Xiao Kang look after Xuan Xuan, those with lowly intentions trying to attack Little Luo will only make a fool of themselves.¡±


    While admitting their ulterior motives, Mrs. Qi wouldn¡¯t forget why she initially thought of recognizing Kang Li as her goddaughter.


    Indeed, she wouldn¡¯t forget it; she truly felt Kang Li was to her liking, feeling delighted at the sight of Kang Li, thinking how wonderful it would be to have such a bright and fairy-like daughter of her own!


    Director Song: ¡°Hmm, you¡¯ve thought this through well.¡±


    Mrs. Qi: ¡°Then, do you think Little Luo would guess our intentions?¡±


    ¡°With that boy¡¯s smarts, the moment I brought up the idea of recognizing Xiao Kang as our goddaughter, he most likely figured it out.¡± Director Song¡¯s face broke into a smile: ¡°Putting Little Luo and Xiao Kang together, the more I look at them, the more I think they¡¯re well-matched. To use an old phrase, they truly are a perfect pair.¡±

 Chapter 142 - 142 142 Sincerity

    ?Chapter 142: Chapter 142 Sincerity   Chapter 142: Chapter 142 Sincerity                                   Mrs. Qiughed out loud, ¡°That¡¯s right, I feel the same way. By the way, I guess Xiao Kang must have realized our intentions by now.¡± With the girl¡¯s intelligence, after a little thought, it wouldn¡¯t be hard for her to realize that their request to be her godparents was mixed with a bit of self-interest.


    She didn¡¯t deny that once the girl agreed to recognize her as her godmother, she would speak openly and hope the Little Fairy and Little Luo would take more care of their grandchildren after she and her old man passed away.


    ¡°You¡¯re not asleep, are you?¡±


    ¡°What do you think?¡±


    ¡°Once Xiao Kang recognizes us as her godparents, we really must love and protect this daughter with all our hearts.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    Mrs. Qi was very satisfied with Director Song¡¯s response, and she said, ¡°I will take Xiao Kang to buy pretty clothes, little leather shoes, and all the things girls like.¡±


    ¡°As you wish.¡±


    Director Song¡¯s reply was full ofughter,pletely under the thumb of his wife.


    ¡­


    Kang Li did what she said she would. The next day, when Director Song brought Song Xuan to her home, she actually gave the boy a thirty-minute lesson on the erhu. Afterwards, when Director Song and his son were about to leave, she gave her consent, willing to recognize Director Song and Mrs. Qi as her godparents.


    As soon as she heard the good news, Mrs. Qi immediately prepared plenty of money and coupons. Right after breakfast that day, she called Kang Li to go shopping at the department store.


    ¡°Little Luo, Auntie is taking Li Bao away now. You better take good care of Ruirui and the others at home!¡±


    The nickname ¡°Li Bao¡± was something Mrs. Qi had picked up from Captain Kang, Big Brother Kang, and Kang Guoan. Now that she knew Kang Li would soon officially be her goddaughter, Mrs. Qi simply started calling her ¡°Li Bao¡± in advance, referring to her precious daughter.


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°Mhm.¡± His expression was indifferent as he nodded and nced at the three little cubs.


    Xiao Ming Wei stood next to her brother Min Rui, looking up at Kang Li and said cutely, ¡°Mommy, Vivi will miss you. You have toe home early!¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Kang Li nodded.


    ¡°Mommy, Hanhan will miss you too!¡± Xiao Ming Han didn¡¯t want to be separated from his mom, but he was a good baby who didn¡¯t want to cause trouble when adults had important things to do or make his mom and Granny Qi angry.


    After ruffling the three little cubs¡¯ heads, Kang Li smiled, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mommy wille back early.¡±


    On the way to the department store, Mrs. Qi looked at Kang Li with a loving gaze frequently, feeling extremely pleased. As the two of them got off the bus, Mrs. Qi said:


    ¡°The day after tomorrow, your godfather and I will hold two tables for a banquet at home. We¡¯ll invite friends and family to bear witness and introduce you to them, so that those acquaintances will know that your godfather and I have a daughter, and our daughter is a beautiful little fairy.¡±


    Kang Li smiled, ¡°I¡¯ll follow whatever Godfather and Godmother have arranged,¡± as she walked into the department store with Mrs. Qi.


    Mrs. Qi patted her hand gently and said with a warm smile on her face, ¡°Good child, Godmother is very happy to have a daughter like you.¡±


    Mrs. Qi led her straight to the women¡¯s clothing counter. Before Kang Li could take it all in, Mrs. Qi pointed to the disy and picked out two dresses, a white short-sleeve top, and a mid-length skirt, asking the salesperson to get the sizes that would suit Kang Li.


    Kang Li: ¡°Godmother, weren¡¯t we supposed to buy clothes for you?¡±


    Mrs. Qi gave her a reassuring look and then said, ¡°Godmother will look for her own clothes in a bit.¡±


    Hearing this, Kang Li pursed her lips, ¡°But I don¡¯tck¡­¡± Her words were cut off mid-sentence by Mrs. Qi¡¯s gentle interruption, ¡°Godmother knows you don¡¯tck clothes to wear, but this is Godmother¡¯s sentiment. Just listen to Godmother today, okay?¡±

 Chapter 143 - 143 143 Three Kids Get Punished

    ?Chapter 143: Chapter 143: Three Kids Get Punished   Chapter 143: Chapter 143: Three Kids Get Punished                                   Kang Li: ¡°¡­Okay then.¡±


    Mrs. Qiughed, ¡°Do you like the color your godmother picked out?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Kang Li nodded and said, ¡°Godmother has the best taste!¡±


    After making their purchases, Mrs. Qi took Kang Li to the footwear department. She asked Kang Li about her shoe size and preferences, then chose a pair of white and a pair of ck leather shoes without hesitation and paid using money and coupons.


    More than two hourster, the two of them walked out of the department store, their hands filled with several shopping bags. Mrs. Qi¡¯s eyes were filled with satisfaction: ¡°It feels different shopping with a daughter.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°I am also very happy to go shopping with godmother.¡± This trip to the department store, Kang Li bought items not only for everyone at home¡ªone adult and three children¡ªbut she also followed the principle of reciprocity and bought gifts for Director Song, Mrs. Qi, and Song Xuan.


    She bought a short-sleeved shirt for Director Song.


    She bought a pair of leather shoes for Mrs. Qi.


    She bought a two-stringed fiddle for Song Xuan.


    The two returned to theplex, and Kang Li escorted Mrs. Qi to her doorstep before returning to her own home.


    But just before she reached her doorstep, the voice of System Dwen Dwen rang out in her mind: ¡°Miss, miss, your three little kids are being punished!¡±


    Kang Li¡¯s eyebrows furrowed slightly: ¡°Suddenly popping up, are you looking to switch hosts?¡± His suddenness could have startled her, such a rash little thing!


    Dwen Dwen felt wronged: ¡°Miss, I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m not looking to switch hosts, I just wanted to give you a heads-up.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°Why are they being punished?¡±


    Dwen Dwen: ¡°They were fighting with other kids.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°Were they hurt?¡±


    Dwen Dwen: ¡°Naturally, but not seriously.¡±


    Her expression changing, Kang Li asked further: ¡°What was the cause?¡±


    Dwen Dwen: ¡°Here¡¯s what happened¡­¡± As Dwen Dwen finished exining, Kang Li pushed open the gate and entered the courtyard.


    ¡°You seem to be in a good mood, have you been doing well since you arrived in North City?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s all thanks to you, Miss!¡±


    Dwen Dwen, happy, began twirling around.


    Kang Li¡¯s mouth twitched slightly: ¡°You¡¯ve saved up a good amount of rewards for me, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    Dwen Dwen: ¡°Miss is so smart, yup, Dwen Dwen is keeping all those rewards safe for Miss, you can check them out when you¡¯re free.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°Got it, go y on your own.¡± Fluttering a bit, Kang Li had a clear sense of it, and guessing its recent gains weren¡¯t hard. She was also quite happy, be it happiness points, affection value, or Life Points, having more had no downside.


    As she entered the living room, before Kang Li could stabilize herself, a ¡°Little Cannonball¡± rushed towards her.


    Steadying herself, Kang Li thought it was Xiao Ming Han, but unexpectedly, the ¡°Little Cannonball¡± turned out to be Weiwei.


    The little girl was now hugging her legs, looking up at her with tear-filled eyes.


    Her face was like a little mottled cat, her big eyes noticeably swollen. The hair bun she had neatly tied in the morning now resembled a bird¡¯s nest, all messed up.


    Her little dress was covered with mud, and her exposed arms and legs were slightly bruised and purple.


    All in all, she looked very pitiful.


    ¡°Weiwei, what happened to you?¡±


    Though she had heard from System Dwen Dwen that the little girl was injured, seeing it with her own eyes made Kang Li feel both angry and heartbroken. She was angry that the children were still being made to face the wall as punishment when they were already in this state¡ªalright, even if they had to be punished for fighting, at least their injuries should have been treated first, right? How was it handled?


    As for the heartache, the present state of Cute Baby Weiwei had indeed impacted Kang Li significantly.

 Chapter 144 - 144 144 Grievance

    ?Chapter 144: Chapter 144: Grievance   Chapter 144: Chapter 144: Grievance                                   She freed one hand, intending tofort the little girl by patting her head, but to her surprise, the girl burst out crying loudly: ¡°Mommy! Waaa¡­¡±


    With a leg injury, Kang Li had to move slowly until she finally reached the hardwood sofa. She ced all the shopping bags on the coffee table, then hugged the little girl into her arms: ¡°There, there, no more crying. Tell mommy what happened that made you end up like this?¡±


    The little girl was too busy crying to speak.


    Seeing this, Kang Li looked toward the entrance of the living room, where Ming Rui and Hanhan were standing against the wall. Her anger surged but she managed to suppress it and called out softly to the boys: ¡°Ruirui, Hanhan,e here.¡±


    The two hesitated for a while before moving their little legs over to Kang Li.


    ¡°Which one of you will tell me what happened?¡± Ruirui had a bruise on his face and Hanhan had scraped his knee. Their clothes, like Vivi¡¯s, were covered in mud, and they both had dirt-smudged faces.


    ¡°Mommy, I¡¯ll tell.¡±


    Knowing his brother would not speak, Milk Bun Ming Han held back tears and said in his childish voice: ¡°We fought, brother, sister, and I fought with the bad boys!¡±


    ¡°Why did you fight?¡± Kang Li asked but immediately stood up, holding Vivi: ¡°Let¡¯s go, first to the yard. I¡¯ll help you all wash up and put on some medicine, then we can continue our talk.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Xiao Ming Han nodded her little head, took her brother¡¯s hand, and followed Kang Li out of the living room.


    Setting the little girl on the ground, Kang Li picked up a basin to fetch water. She was extra careful as she cleaned the faces and hands, as well as the arms and legs, of the three little ones.


    Then, she took the three little ones back to the living room.


    In the bedroom, she used Points in the System Mall to buy iodine and cotton swabs.


    ¡°It might hurt a bit, but it will pass if you endure it.¡±


    Sitting on the hardwood sofa, Kang Li disinfected the scraped areas of the three little ones with iodine. Afterwards, she said, ¡°For the next few days, you can¡¯t let the wounds touch water or jump around.¡±


    The three little ones nodded their heads.


    Seeing Xiao Ming Wei still on the verge of crying, Kang Li said softly: ¡°Be good, no more crying.¡± The little girl let out a sob, tears pooling in her eyes as she sniffled and responded, ¡°Vivi won¡¯t cry, Vivi won¡¯t cry anymore, mommy, don¡¯t be mad at Vivi.¡±


    Kang Li felt helpless: ¡°Mommy is just worried you might hurt your throat with all the crying, and I¡¯m not angry.¡± With that, she shifted her gaze to Xiao Ming Han: ¡°Now you can continue.¡±


    Meanwhile, Ming Rui stood stiffly next to his brother, his mouth tightly closed, with no intention of speaking.


    ¡°Xiaochao is a bully. He called Brother Xuan Xuan a big dummy while we, along with Brother Xuan Xuan, were outside in the yard looking to y with other kids. Xiaochao said that¡­ said that my siblings and I were unwanted wild kids and that wild kids should only y with dummies¡­¡± The tears rolled down in big drops as Xiao Ming Han looked so distraught, his little voice tinged with sobs and utterly heartbreaking.


    ¡°The bad boy also said that mommy looked like a bad person, said that if we siblings didn¡¯t obey, mommy would beat us to death¡­ My sister got really angry, she scolded the bad boy, saying he was lying,


    saying the bad boy shouldn¡¯t bully Brother Xuan Xuan. Then the bad boy pushed her down, and when my brother and I saw her getting bullied, we¡­ we rushed to fight the bad boy. Brother Xuan Xuan was so scared, he trembled beside us¡­


    Mommy, I didn¡¯t want to fight, and my brother and sister didn¡¯t want to, either. We didn¡¯t want to fight with the bad boy, but¡­ but we were dragged here by the bad boy¡¯s mom,¡±

 Chapter 145 - 145 145 Visiting to Find a Venue

    ?Chapter 145: Chapter 145: Visiting to Find a Venue   Chapter 145: Chapter 145: Visiting to Find a Venue                                   Little hands reached for the back of his cor, Little Ming Han didn¡¯t want to cry, but he couldn¡¯t hold it in, his voice carrying a sob as he continued, ¡°Send me and my sister back home, tell Dad we knocked the bad brother¡¯s teeth out, but we didn¡¯t¡­¡±


    Kang Li was truly impressed by Milk Bun Ming Han¡¯s thinking and speaking abilities. Just listen, as soon as little Bun started, although he spoke intermittently while telling her the story, he made everything crystal clear, unlike the expression of a child under three years old.


    In fact, the one recounting the incident to Kang Li was not Little Ming Han, but the ¡°Big Minghan¡± inside Little Ming Han¡¯s body.


    In other words, Milk Bun Ming Han¡¯s body was currently under the control of Big Minghan. It was Little Ming Han who asked for Big Minghan¡¯s help, fearing he wouldn¡¯t be able to exin himself clearly and that Mom would get mad like Dad did and punish him along with his brother and sister.


    Little Ming Wei picked up where her second brother Ming Han left off, adding, ¡°The bad brother fell to the ground and knocked his own teeth out!¡±


    ¡°Mom, the bad brother is so tall and big,¡± Big Minghan used Little Ming Han¡¯s tone and childlike gestures, stood on his tiptoes, and raised his hands to gesture, ¡°He¡¯s very strong, my brother and sister and I couldn¡¯t push him over at all!¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°Just for this, Dad made you stand as punishment against the wall?¡±


    Little Ming Wei, with tears in her eyes, nodded her little head, ¡°The mean auntie was so fierce, she yelled so loud in our house. She said me, big brother, and second brother have a mother but were raised as if we didn¡¯t, calling us bad kids!¡±


    ¡°Okay, Mom knows everything now, let¡¯s go and find the bad brother and mean auntie you¡¯re talking about, so they can apologize to you.¡±


    Kang Li wasn¡¯t one to simply take things lying down. If her children were not at fault, why should they be reported to their parents by someone else? And as much as she knew about a certain someone, he was probably just afraid of having topensate the other party.


    Thinking this, Kang Li couldn¡¯t help but ask Milk Bun Ming Han, ¡°Did your dad actually pay thempensation?¡±


    ¡°Twenty bucks, the mean auntie asked Dad for twenty bucks, saying the bad brother had lost a tooth and bled a lot, that they needed to see a doctor, and Dad gave them the money.¡±


    Big Minghan stepped back, and at this moment it was Little Ming Han who responded.


    One adult and three little ones left the yard, and at the same time, Mrs. Qi and her grandson Song Xuan also left their home, heading toward the home of the bad brother mentioned by Little Ming Han and Little Ming Wei.


    With Little Ming Han leading the way, Kang Li quickly arrived at a household.


    ¡°Wang Xiaochao! Wang Xiaochao! Luo Mingrui¡¯s stepmother is here to settle ounts with you!¡±


    A few kids ying near Wang Xiaochao¡¯s house saw Kang Li and the Luo siblings, one of them immediately ran towards Wang Xiaochao¡¯s house while loudly warning him.


    ¡°Li Bao!¡±


    It was Mrs. Qi¡¯s voice.


    Kang Li stopped and turned around: ¡°Godmother, you¡­¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, we¡¯ll talk after we enter Comrade Wang Qiming¡¯s yard,¡± Mrs. Qi had gone home and seen her grandson locking himself in the room and noting out, so she asked Director Song what happened. Learning that her eldest grandson had been called a big fool and had been scared, she was immediately so angry that she red fiercely at Director Song, scolding him for choosing to keep the peace at the expense of justice.


    So, sheforted her grandson Song Xuan and then led the young man directly to the Wang family¡¯s door.


    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s Comrade Qi, how do you have time to visit my house? Come in and have a seat!¡±


    Wang Xiaochao¡¯s mother, who went by the name Xiao Feng, worked at the Friendship Store, earning a decent monthly sry. She always looked down on those in thepound who didn¡¯t match her abilities or had a household that wasn¡¯t as well-off as hers.


    And coincidentally, Comrade Xiao Feng at the Friendship Store was exactly the one responsible for selling washing machines. As a result, the washing machine Kang Li had purchased for her home had undoubtedly involved Xiao Feng processing the payment.

 Chapter 146 - 146 146 The Brats True Skills at Annoying Mom

    ?Chapter 146: Chapter 146: The Brat¡¯s True Skills at Annoying Mom   Chapter 146: Chapter 146: The Brat¡¯s True Skills at Annoying Mom                                   Without knowing Kang Li¡¯s status, or that Kang Li lived in the research institute¡¯spound, everything was easy to deal with. But when Xiao Feng bumped into Kang Li in thepound more than a week ago, out of curiosity, she asked someone she knew, and almost instantly felt off bnce.


    She remembered Kang Li, because Kang Li was truly beautiful, making asting impression on people. Moreover, Kang Li had paid for a washing machine promptly and had a military-dressed man and a well-dressed woman with her. At that time, Xiao Feng was genuinely envious of Kang Li¡¯s wealth.


    Little did she know, the person she envied was the new wife of Professor Luo from her ownpound. Xiao Feng grew jealous, and inevitably, she started gossiping at home.


    Wang Xiaochao, Xiao Feng¡¯s eldest son, was nine years old this year and was always mischievous, especially fond of mimicking adults¡¯ speech.


    Today, after having a conflict with Xiao Ming Rui and his two siblings, he blurted out what he had heard his mother saying at home, directing it at Xiao Ming Rui, his siblings, and Song Xuan.


    At this moment, seeing Mrs. Qi and Kang Lie to her door, Xiao Feng felt quite apprehensive, especially in the presence of Mrs. Qi, and was filled with guilt.


    After all, her man worked at the research institute. If she offended Comrade Qi, even if Director Song didn¡¯t make things difficult for her man, with her man¡¯s temperament, he¡¯d likely be too ashamed to raise his head in front of Director Song.


    ¡°No, I¡¯vee to ask you, how did my grandson be the ¡®big idiot¡¯ ording to your son?¡±


    Mrs. Qi didn¡¯t give the other party any face and stated her purpose for the visit right away.


    Upon hearing this, Xiao Feng¡¯s face was filled with embarrassment and difort.


    ¡°Comrade, myst name is Kang, Kang Li. I¡¯m the guardian of Luo Mingrui and his siblings. I¡¯vee here with a few questions of my own for you. How did my children be ¡®wild kids¡¯, and how am I as a parent supposed to have killed my own children?


    I think,rade, you owe me an exnation. Additionally, your child firstly insulted others and pushed my child, causing him to fall and sit on the ground,


    while your child identally fell face down and lost a tooth. As a parent, without rifying the situation, you brought my child to my doorstep, creating a fuss and demanding medical fees. How does that make any sense?¡±


    In a series of inquiries, Kang Li called Xiao Ming Rui and his siblings forward, pointing out the injuries on the three kids: ¡°Comrade, I hope you see clearly, these injuries on my children,


    were all caused by your child. If we¡¯re to talk about covering medical fees, it¡¯s you, as a parent, who should be paying for my children¡¯s injuries, yet you¡¯ve turned everything upside down!¡±


    Kang Li¡¯s expression grew cold. Though she wasn¡¯t exuding a powerful aura, she appeared formidable in Xiao Feng¡¯s eyes, not to be underestimated.


    ¡°What are you going to do about it? I haven¡¯t said anything wrong, Song Xuan is a big idiot, Luo Mingrui and his siblings are wild kids¡­¡±


    Worried about his mother being bullied, the mischievous Wang Xiaochao immediately started shouting at Mrs. Qi and Kang Li.


    ¡°Xiaochao, shut your mouth!¡±


    Xiao Feng roared at her son in a low voice.


    Wang Xiaochao: ¡°I won¡¯t! Song Xuan¡¯s grandma and Luo Mingrui¡¯s stepmother are bullying you. I will say that Song Xuan is a big idiot, and that Luo Mingrui and his siblings are wild kids!¡±


    ¡°You still dare to speak!¡± Xiao Feng walked over to her son and smacked him on the back: ¡°Where did you learn such nonsense? I¡¯ll beat you to death!¡±


    Wang Xiaochao dodged: ¡°Isn¡¯t it you, mom, who always says that Song Xuan is an idiot, and that Luo Mingrui and his siblings are wild kids at home?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Xiao Feng nearly passed out!


    She really wanted to say¡­ she really wanted to say she never had this troublesome son, who was specially made to trouble her, his mother!

 Chapter 147 - 147 147 Kang Li Gives a Cold Rebuff

    ?Chapter 147: Chapter 147 Kang Li Gives a Cold Rebuff   Chapter 147: Chapter 147 Kang Li Gives a Cold Rebuff                                   ¡°Xiao Xiao, I hope you can give me and my goddaughter Li Bao an exnation right now. That¡¯s not too much to ask, is it?¡± Mrs. Qi coldly said, her patience thinning as she watched the other party feign teaching their child.


    Goddaughter?


    Xiao Feng looked at Kang Li, then nced at Mrs. Qi, and in a moment felt that she had been too impulsive today. She shouldn¡¯t have vented her frustration on the three Luo family youngsters just because her son fell to the ground and lost a tooth. Moreover, she should not have spoken recklessly at home, causing her foolish son to overhear and make her wish she could hide in a crack in the ground.


    ¡°Comrade Xiao, your son fell and knocked out a big tooth. Could it be that he was just in the midst of changing teeth, and that specific front tooth happened to be knocked out?¡±


    As soon as Kang Li said this, Xiao Feng¡¯s expression subtly changed, clearly hit the mark.


    Ignoring Kang Li¡¯s words, Xiao Feng pushed her son in front of Mrs. Qi and her grandson: ¡°Comrade Qi, I¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s my fault for not properly educating my Xiaochao. I¡¯ll have him apologize to your Song Xuan right now, is that okay?¡±


    Wang Xiaochao: ¡°I don¡¯t want to say sorry. I didn¡¯t do anything wrong!¡± Seeing his son stiffen his neck and try to run, Xiao Feng grabbed her foolish son firmly, facing Mrs. Qi with an apologetic smile.


    ¡°Comrade Qi, I¡¯m truly sorry. Today¡¯s mess was my Xiaochao¡¯s fault. I will definitely educate him properly when we get back!¡±


    ¡°Fine, with that attitude, I won¡¯t dwell on today¡¯s issue anymore, but listen carefully now. My Song Xuan is not foolish; he can already speak. If I ever hear your Xiaochao randomly hurling insults at my grandson in the courtyard again, I won¡¯t be as reasonable as today. Also, I believe you owe an exnation to my goddaughter as well!¡±


    Kang Li then said, ¡°Godmother, please take Song Xuan and go back first. I will handle Ruirui and the other¡¯s issue, I¡¯ll seek justice for them.¡± It was already lunchtime, and there were quite a few spectators. She didn¡¯t want Mrs. Qi, as the newly appointed godmother, along with Song Xuan, to be treated like monkeys on disy.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, once you¡¯ve handled things here, the two of us and the kids will leave together.¡± Mrs. Qi shook her head, understanding Kang Li¡¯s sentiment, but she did not mind the onlookers.


    After all, the whole courtyard knew what situation the Luo family¡¯s Song Xuan was in. Those who wanted tough at her family had already done so; she had no need to worry about being treated as monkeys for a moment.


    Xiao Feng knew she couldn¡¯t bluff her way out anymore. She gritted her teeth, and pulling her son along, she came in front of Kang Li¡¯s mother and her group, her face full of remorse, ¡°Ruirui¡¯s mom, I admit I didn¡¯t control what I said at home, which my Xiaochao overheard inadvertently. Today, in front of your three children, I spoke carelessly,


    I¡¯m truly sorry. I promise that something like this will never happen again. As for the incident of Xiaochao knocking out his tooth, I also did not inquire beforehand. Wait here, I will go get the twenty dors Professor Luopensated.¡±


    She hurried back to her house, and quickly, Xiao Feng returned to the courtyard, first handing Kang Li two Great Reunion banknotes, then giving her five dors: ¡°Take these five dors and buy some Purple Medicine to apply and disinfect the wounds for Ruirui and the others, and use the rest to buy some treats for the kids to calm their nerves. Does this seem fair?¡±


    ¡°We can afford Purple Medicine, and there¡¯s no need to calm nerves. What my children need now is an apology, and as a parent, I need one too.¡±


    Kang Li did not ept the five dors from her hand, her voice cold and distant: ¡°Indeed, I¡¯m not the biological mother of Ruirui and his siblings, but having married their father, I am like Professor Luo, a legal guardian to Ruirui and his siblings,

 Chapter 148 - 148 148 Advice

    ?Chapter 148: Chapter 148 Advice   Chapter 148: Chapter 148 Advice                                   ¡°As a senior figure and as the ¡®stepmother¡¯ you mention, whether I mistreat my own children is not for you to dictate. Time will prove it, and so will the growth of my children, whether I am a qualified mother or not.¡±


    Kang Li said this not only for Xiao Feng but also for those onlookers, to prevent them from having nothing better to do than to gossip about other people¡¯s private affairs.


    Yes, she admitted that the term ¡°stepmother¡± tended to have negative connotations, which could easily lead to bad thoughts, but who could say that all stepmothers in the world are evil and treat their stepchildren poorly?


    If someone is judged unfairly just because they are a stepmother, that would be too unjust!


    And the fact that she was now a stepmother was undeniable, but she would prove through her actions to everyone around her that she¡ªKang Li, was not a negative example of someone who abused children!


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry!¡±


    Wang Xiaochao didn¡¯t wait for his mother to speak; he stood politely in front of Kang Li with flushed cheeks, apologizing to her, ¡°Ruirui¡¯s Mom, I ¡­ I was wrong. I shouldn¡¯t have said that Ruirui and his siblings are wild children, nor should I have called Song Xuan brother an idiot. I know I was wrong!¡±


    He really shouldn¡¯t have spoken recklessly; how could this aunt, who looked like a Fairy, possibly be a wicked stepmother who kills children?


    The Little Fairy is beautiful and kind. What mom said at home was wrong. He shouldn¡¯t have mimicked his mom by speaking carelessly outside!


    The more Wang Xiaochao thought about it, the more ashamed he felt. He bowed to Kang Li to apologize, and then, feeling immensely ashamed, he turned to look at Ruirui and the twins, ¡°Ruirui, Hanhan, Vivi, today I was wrong. I shouldn¡¯t have called you wild children or insulted Song Xuan brother. I¡¯m sorry, can you forgive me this once?¡±


    ¡°My siblings and I are not wild children. We have a dad and a mom! You are also not allowed to speak badly about brother Xuan anymore or else, I will still beat you up in the future!¡±


    Min Rui held his head up high, his small hands clenched into fists at his side, steadfastly staring into Wang Xiaochao¡¯s eyes, his expression serious and his youthful voice full of earnestness.


    ¡°Definitely not, definitely not, Ruirui. I promise you, I won¡¯t speak those nonsensical words again!¡± Meeting Min Rui¡¯s gaze that seemed to peer into one¡¯s soul, Wang Xiaochao couldn¡¯t help but stiffen up, feeling his face grow hotter.


    This was undoubtedly due to the embarrassment and shame, making him wonder whether he should raise his hand and swear on it.


    Just then, Min Rui, looking like a little adult, nodded, ¡°I will temporarily believe you!¡±


    Kang Li saw this and couldn¡¯t help but find it amusing. Could this be another Luo Yanqing?


    Or perhaps, had someone when they were young, been just like Min Rui is now?


    Always with a serious little face, being stingy with words when he spoke?!


    With her thoughts drifting to this, Kang Li gathered her wits. She turned her gaze back to Xiao Feng, Wang Xiaochao¡¯s mother, her eyes cool and distant, and she calmly said, ¡°Parents are a child¡¯s first teachers and the most important ones in their lives! Our actions daily¡­¡±,


    significantly affect a child¡¯s character, habits, emotional expression, attitude towards life, and future problem-solving abilities. Therefore, Comrade Xiao, to prevent yourself from regretting itter and to avoid causing lifelong regrets for your child, you better practice what you preach and stop influencing your own son with your negative traits. Otherwise, you¡¯re only harming him!¡±


    After a brief pause, Kang Li held the twins¡¯ hands and faced Xiao Feng, leaving her with onest remark, ¡°I have said all that I needed to say. If Comrade Xiao finds this unpleasant, feel free to ignore it as if it were wind passing by your ears.¡±

 Chapter 149 - 149 149 The Needle Against the Awl

    ?Chapter 149: Chapter 149: The Needle Against the Awl   Chapter 149: Chapter 149: The Needle Against the Awl                                   The music stopped, and Kang Li shifted her gaze towards Mrs. Qi, her eyes bright and pure, her face delicately beautiful and radiant with a smile, ¡°Let¡¯s go, godmother.¡±


    Mrs. Qi couldn¡¯t hide her pride as she nodded and said with a smile, ¡°Li Bao, what you said just now was very good!¡±


    Kang Li just smiled without responding and called to Xiao Ming Rui, ¡°Ruirui, let¡¯s go, time to go home.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Xiao Ming Rui nodded his head and took his younger brother Ming Han¡¯s other hand. Together with Kang Li and Mrs. Qi, they left the Wang family¡¯s courtyard under the stunned gazes of Xiao Feng and his son, indifferent to the surrounding spectators¡¯ baptism of surprised andplex looks.


    Alright, whether it was the astonishment in Xiao Feng and his son¡¯s eyes or the surprise andplexity revealed by the onlookers, all were undoubtedly triggered by Kang Li¡¯s words a moment ago. Naturally, all these varied gazes were focused on Kang Li.


    But Kang Li had seen it all before; she walked with an elegance and lightness, calm and confident,pletely unaffected by those stares.


    ¡°Xiao Xiao, you really need to change that unreasonable temper of yours, or else, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯re going to offend everyone in this big courtyard.¡±


    ¡°Sister Su, just take care of your own family¡¯s issues, I don¡¯t need you to worry about me!¡±


    A dog poking its nose into a mouse¡¯s business!


    Ugh!


    Xiao Feng red, searching for her presence in front of her, the middle-aged woman with whom she had always been at odds.


    ¡°How can you be so ungrateful?!¡±


    The middle-aged woman named Su Juan lived next door to Xiao Feng; you¡¯d think there shouldn¡¯t be any unpleasantness over trivial matters since they were neighbors and there was a ten-year age difference. However, the truth was both of them were spiteful andpetitive, liking topare with one another.


    For instance: if today your family is eating meat and the fragrance wafts over the wall making my children cry out with longing, and won¡¯t stop fussing, tomorrow my family will also eat meat to make yours drool with envy!


    Or for another example: if today yelling and cursese from your courtyard, tomorrow, my courtyard will not be outdone.


    This way, a series of trivial matters added up, making Xiao Feng and the middle-aged woman named Su Juan like a needle against a thistle, neither willing to give in, causing such amotion that the children of both families didn¡¯t dare y together.


    Su Juan, in her early forties, had three sons and one daughter. The two older sons had gone to the countryside to work as part of an educated youth program after high school. She still had one son and one daughter at home, eleven and nine years old, still in school, attending the same one as Wang Xiaochao. Yet, even so, the three youngsters, because of the conflict between their mothers, would ignore each other upon meeting; they didn¡¯t even exchange greetings.


    ¡°I just don¡¯t know what¡¯s good for me, what can you do about it?¡±


    Xiao Feng was already holding back her anger, and now she had found a target to vent on. Paying no attention to the still lingering crowd around her home, she confronted her nemesis, ¡°Mrs. Su, don¡¯t you gloat at my door. Even if I offend people, it¡¯s my business. Stay as far away from me as you can and don¡¯t block my door!¡±


    Someone tried to calm them down, ¡°Xiao Xiao, Comrade Su Juan means well. Just as Comrade Kang Li just said, if you can take it in, listen; if not, act as if Comrade Su Juan never said anything. It really isn¡¯t worth all this ceaseless quarreling.¡±


    One person tried to mediate, followed by sessive waves of persuasion.


    ¡°Yeah, Xiao Feng, with your foul temper, honestly, I¡¯ve been wanting to say something too. After all, we all live in the same courtyard. You don¡¯t see anyone looking down on you, but if you keep being so provocative, looking down on everyone, I think sooner orter, you¡¯re going to end up all alone!¡±

 Chapter 150 - 150 150 Regret

    ?Chapter 150: Chapter 150 Regret   Chapter 150: Chapter 150 Regret                                   ¡°Little Xiao, think it over carefully and don¡¯t cause trouble unnecessarily!¡±


    ¡­


    Xiao Feng frowned, her expression changing back and forth, unable to contain her anger. She grabbed a broom and began chasing the people out of the yard: ¡°Yes, yes, I have a bad temper and am narrow-minded, I can¡¯t tolerate people and like to stir trouble. Since you have such bigints against me, please hurry back to your own home and rest!¡±


    The scene that urred at Wang Xiaochao¡¯s house was unbeknownst to Kang Li and Mrs. Qi, as the two of them walked to a crossroad.


    Mrs. Qi said, ¡°Li Bao, you take Ruirui and the others back. Your godmother and Xuan Xuan will take this road, and we¡¯ll see each otherter.¡± With a loving and indulgent gaze, Mrs. Qi looked at Kang Li and gently touched the heads of Ruirui and the others, then bent down to speak to the little ones: ¡°My little heroes, grandma wants to thank you today!¡±


    ¡°Grandma? Granny Qi, why do you say you¡¯re Vivi¡¯s grandma? And why does Granny Qi want to thank Vivi, big brother, and second brother duck?¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei blinked her eyes, her chubby face full of innocence as she looked at Mrs. Qi, her eyes full of curiosity like crystal grapes.


    ¡°Because your mom is now my daughter, and you are her children, so naturally you should start calling Granny Qi ¡®grandma¡¯!¡±


    Mrs. Qi gently replied to the little charmer: ¡°As for grandma calling you little heroes and thanking you, it¡¯s because you stood up today and protected your Brother Xuan Xuan from being bullied, understand?¡±


    Before Xiao Ming Wei could respond, Milk Bun Ming Han raised his hands: ¡°Grandma, I understand! Mom is grandma¡¯s child, and we are mom¡¯s children, so we should now call Granny Qi ¡®grandma¡¯.¡±


    At this, the child became bashful. He nced at his mom, then at Mrs. Qi, and with a blushing face, he said: ¡°But Brother Xuan Xuan was indeed scared today, Hanhan¡­ Hanhan and brother and sister aren¡¯t little heroes!¡±


    Unexpectedly, Song Xuan picked up Milk Bun, looked directly into the little one¡¯s eyes with utmost seriousness, and, after a long pause, uttered one word: ¡°¡­is¡­¡±


    ¡°Did you hear that? Your Brother Xuan Xuan says you are little heroes!¡±


    Mrs. Qi smiled kindly, gently touched Milk Bun Ming Han¡¯s head again, then said to Kang Li: ¡°Our courtyard may not have a lot of residents, but it¡¯s not few either, and where there are many people, there inevitably are disputes. I saw clearly what happened today, and it must be that Xiao Feng for some reason is adverse to you, speaking nonsense at home,


    which her kid overheard and thus, mimicked by saying the hurtful things to Ruirui and the others, damaging your reputation in the process. But you don¡¯t need to worry about Xiao Feng. As long as she still lives in this courtyard, I doubt she will concoct any more trouble to target you.¡±


    With her and Old Song here, she would like to see who dares tantly trouble her daughter again!


    With a fleeting sharp look in her eyes, Mrs. Qi added: ¡°Once you¡¯ve met our family¡¯s friends and rtives, you¡¯ll know that our family members aren¡¯t ones to be trifled with so easily by just anyone.¡±


    Kang Li felt warmth in her heart: ¡°Godmother, rest assured, today¡¯s events haven¡¯t affected me at all, and I haven¡¯t taken them to heart. After all, ¡®The road tests the stamina of the horse and time reveals the person¡¯s heart.¡¯ I, Kang Li, behave appropriately and walk straight, I¡¯m not afraid of those evil spiritsing my way.¡±


    She fears trouble, but she¡¯s not afraid of it; anyone who messes with her will learn what regret is!


    At this moment, one might ask if Xiao Feng regretted her actions?


    The answer is definitive.


    Xiao Feng not only regretted it, but she regretted it very deeply. She wished she could turn back time to before she had spoken carelessly about Kang Li and the Song Family¡¯s eldest grandson.

 Chapter 151 - 151 151 Unpredictable

    ?Chapter 151: Chapter 151: Unpredictable   Chapter 151: Chapter 151: Unpredictable                                   Overwhelmed with regret after she had chased out the onlookers from the courtyard, Xiao Feng raised her hand and gave her son, Wang Xiaochao, several hard ps on his bottom.


    It vented the frustration that had been festering inside her heart!


    Being harshly beaten by his own mother, Wang Xiaochao opened his mouth wide and cried out loud.


    Watching her son in this state, Xiao Feng no longer soothed him with gentle words as before; instead, the more she looked at her foolish son, the more she felt she had been deeply wronged!


    ¡°Whether you¡¯re scared or not, just know that you have your godmother and godfather behind you, and in times of trouble, we will not tolerate anyone¡¯s unfair treatment.¡±


    After being set down by Song Xuan, Milk Bun Ming Han stood steadily on the ground. Mrs. Qi nced at the pair, onerge and one small, then she grabbed Kang Li¡¯s hand, and with earnest and serious intent, she spoke a sentence.


    Upon hearing this, Kang Li smiled and nodded, ¡°Good!¡±


    Mrs. Qi said, ¡°Then godmother will take Xuan Xuan back with her.¡± This was her daughter, Qi Fang, who was kind-hearted and smart, and so beautiful that she just couldn¡¯t get enough of looking at her!


    Kang Li responded, ¡°Mm.¡± As she watched Mrs. Qi lead the young man away, Kang Li¡¯s eyes turned reflective and filled with warmth.


    No one knew how lonely she felt when she had inexplicably appeared alone in this world.


    Yes, she thought to herself that since she was here, she should adapt, and she did so calmly, thinking that no matter the circumstance, she could live well, but¡­ buting to another world meant she was truly far away from her family of the past, distant from everything she knew. In other words, there were no familiar family members here, none of the things she was ustomed to, and everything and everyone around her waspletely foreign.


    Even though the parents and her brother and sister-inw from the Kang Family in Aoli Vige, her extended family, treated her well, she knew the affection and care they offered were meant for the original soul of this body, not for her, the outsider.


    It had been over a month since she became the youngest daughter of the Kang Family in Aoli Vige. During this not so long yet not so short time, she couldn¡¯t say she had made any friends¡­


    Even the System didn¡¯t know she was an outsider soul; it wasn¡¯t the person it was supposed to lock onto.


    Therefore, she truly was a solitary existence here.


    Perhaps she was being a bit melodramatic for not considering Luo Yanqing and the three little ones as people who cared for and valued her, but was she really being melodramatic?


    Luo Yanqing, a man she had only known for about ten days, and even though they were husband and wife, supposedly the most intimate rtionship in the world, there still wasn¡¯t much affection between them, one could even say there was none at all.


    His demeanor was indeed indifferent. Even if she saw a slight ripple in his eyes because of her, it still left her uncertain about whether he had developed any romantic feelings for her.


    In such a situation, she couldn¡¯t consider him her own.


    As for the three little ones¡­ she wasn¡¯t their biological mother, after all. For now, perhaps they instinctively sensed the kindness emanating from her and felt some dependence, but who could tell when they would truly ept her as their stepmother?


    In her daily life, in every day that she spent in this world, she seemed to treat people with gentle courtesy, yet her heart guarded a hidden detachment.


    The reason for this was nothing more than the fact that her heart remained detached, floating outside of this world.


    It wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t want to settle down, but she hadn¡¯t yet found the ce to do so. Therefore, she seriously and diligently tried to integrate into her current home and into the lives of Luo Yanqing and the three little ones.


    But she also knew that if someone were to betray her deeply during her integration into this family, she would leave without a second thought.


    And today, she felt as if her heart was finally about to find a solid ground tond on, a sensation that Mrs. Qi had given to her¡­

 Chapter 152 - 152 152 Kang Li Where Is His Heart

    ?Chapter 152: Chapter 152 Kang Li: Where Is His Heart?   Chapter 152: Chapter 152 Kang Li: Where Is His Heart?                                   She could feel the other¡¯s kindness toward her, a fondness just for her, for the ¡°core¡± belonging to her, Kang Li, within this body, and not because of her identity as the cherished youngest daughter of the Kang Family in Aoli Vige. They liked her and showed her benevolence for who she was.


    Of course, Kang Li didn¡¯t rule out that Mrs. Qi¡¯s kindness toward her had a little to do with her current face, but then again, her own lookspletely surpassed those of the original owner of the body she now possessed, let alone her spirit, which lent an extra charm if not for her arrogant, assuming she didn¡¯t have it.


    Kang Li, the youngest daughter of the Kang Family in Aoli Vige, was at best a pretty but naive sweetheart.


    As her thoughts turned to this, the corners of Kang Li¡¯s lips curved into a faint smile involuntarily. She greatly admired the sharpness Mrs. Qi revealed unintentionally, who could even see the indifference and aloofness hidden beneath her gentle and affable exterior.


    And she didn¡¯t mind it.


    She sent warmth her way, revealed sincere smiles, gave her a sense of security, and wanted to be her support¡­ What a wonderful person, wasn¡¯t she?!


    Godmother ¡ª Mrs. Qi!


    ¡°Mommy, what are you thinking about?¡±


    Milk Bun Ming Han suddenly raised his little milky voice.


    Pulled back from her thoughts, Kang Li smiled and spoke softly, ¡°Mommy is thinking about what we¡¯re having for lunch.¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei said, ¡°Noodles and egg-egg and the red-red persimmon.¡±


    Kang Li understood and nodded, ¡°So you want to have tomato and egg noodles. Then, ask your brother and sister if they agree, and if they do, we¡¯ll have that for lunch today as you suggest.¡±


    ¡°Brother? Vivi?¡±


    Xiao Ming Han grabbed his brother¡¯s hand and peered at his sister held by their mother¡¯s other hand, his bright eyes blinking, filled to the brim with hope.


    Min Rui nodded.


    Xiao Ming Wei hummed haughtily but eventually bobbed her little head.


    In truth, she wanted the white-white rice, but since her second brother asked her, she¡¯d make a concession this once!


    The house was quiet. With a slight frown, Kang Li nced toward Luo Yanqing¡¯s study, then led the three little ones back to their bedroom to fetch clean clothes and helped them get dressed.


    Before heading to Wang Xiaochao¡¯s house, or more urately, while washing their faces, hands, and wiping their arms and legs, Kang Li re-tied Xiao Ming Wei¡¯s bun.


    ¡°y in your room for a while, and when lunch is ready, Mommy will call you.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    After instructing the three little ones, Kang Li stepped out of their room and gently closed the door behind her.


    ¡°Knock knock knock!¡±


    Now, she stood outside Luo Yanqing¡¯s study.


    She knocked for quite some time but received no response from inside. Kang Li tried the door and was surprised to find it unlocked. With a little force, it swung open.


    ¡°Luo Yanqing¡­¡±


    Just as she called out the man¡¯s name, Kang Li paused, seeing him seated behind his desk, deeply engrossed in writing or sketching something on paper.


    He was so focused that he didn¡¯t even notice someone entering the study.


    Kang Li¡¯s lips tightened slightly.


    What was she supposed to say about this man?


    His kids had gotten into a fight with other children, and the unreasonable parents of the other child hade to their doorstep, causing amotion and demanding so-called medical fees. As the father, he didn¡¯t inquire about the cause, didn¡¯t stand up for his children, but instead settled the matter by handing out twenty dors to send them away.


    As if that wasn¡¯t enough, he didn¡¯t even check their injuries or apply medicine for disinfection; he just made his own kids stand as punishment.


    Where was his heart?


    Breathing in, exhaling, and repeating several times, Kang Li suppressed the surge of anger in her heart, approached, and looked at the paper filled with forms and densely packed data that the man was working on.

 Chapter 153 - 153 153 My Man

    ?Chapter 153: Chapter 153 My Man?   Chapter 153: Chapter 153 My Man?                                   The man¡¯s pen scratched rapidly across the paper, finishing one sheet and grabbing another nk one to continue his calctions.


    Indeed, intuition told Kang Li that the man was most likely working out something.


    For a long while, there was no reaction from the man, not even a nce downward.


    Kang Li wanted to call out to him, to vent the anger in her heart, but after hesitating repeatedly, she turned and left the study.


    Inspiration sometimes bursts forth in an instant, and she knew what mattered. She understood and greatly admired those who could immerse themselves fully in their work, forgetting everything around them, caught in the focus of their minds. She also felt that men who concentrated on their work had a certain charm.


    However, although she understood and appreciated him, and was nearly mesmerized by his unintentional charm, it couldn¡¯t dissipate the anger towards the man that had arisen from the miserable state of the three little ones earlier that day.


    Hmph!


    She decided that until he showed some remorse, she would refuse to speak a word to him.


    The delicious tomato and egg noodles were ready, and the three little ones ate unhappily. And yet, at this time, someone was still busy in the study.


    Sighing silently to herself, Kang Li was instantly full of regret, wondering how she ended up owing the man anything. Look at her, serving him his meal right before his eyes.


    She tapped her fingers on the desk a few times. With no response, Kang Li tapped again with more force until she finally saw the man look up from his busy work with a detached gaze.


    Pointing to the bowl of rice, Kang Li remained silent.


    Seeing this, Luo Yanqing paused, but did not move to eat for a long while.


    Kang Li frowned, tapping the desk as a reminder.


    This time, Luo Yanqing finally took action. He first tidied the sheets of paper covered in dense data to the side of the desk, then moved the bowl of rice closer to himself.


    Seeing the man begin to eat, Kang Li turned sharply and disappeared from the study¡¯s doorway in an instant.


    Luo Yanqing¡¯s detached eyes flickered, feeling that Kang Li was behaving oddly¡ªas if he had upset her?


    He frowned in recollection but found nothing amiss.


    All had been well during their visit to the department store, so why was she now acting like she didn¡¯t want to deal with him?


    Unable to figure it out, Luo Yanqing did not dwell on it any further.


    After eating, he left the study to wash his own used dishes. Then, he returned to the study to continue his work.


    ¡°Weren¡¯t things fine during dinner? What¡¯s the matter now?¡±


    In the room of the three little ones, Kang Li tilted her head, looking at the listless children, especially when her gaze fell on the little girl, who suddenly started shedding tears like golden beans.


    ¡°Vivi, girls who cry aren¡¯t endearing, you know!¡±


    People say that children¡¯s faces can change as quickly as the weather in June.


    She had now seen this firsthand.


    ¡°I hate Daddy! I don¡¯t want to see Daddy ever again!¡± Xiao Ming Wei sobbed softly, while Xiao Ming Rui and Xiao Ming Han next to her, although not crying like their sister, had faces full of gloom, clearly showing that they were in a bad mood.


    Kang Li, having a good guess at the reason, crossed her arms and asked with raised eyebrows, ¡°Why?¡±


    However, not one of the little cubs answered.


    Dwen Dwen: ¡°Miss, these three cubs are in a bad mood, they need you to patiently guide them.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°Weren¡¯t they all okay during dinner?¡±


    Dwen Dwen: ¡°That was just a momentary distraction. Now that they¡¯ve quieted down, they¡¯re involuntarily remembering how aggrieved they felt when they got punished to stand by your man at noon.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°My man?¡± She twitched her lips; she would indeed like to, but the man was as indifferent as water left to cool¡ªif she didn¡¯t take the initiative, he truly would not entertain even the slightest flirtation.

 Chapter 154 - 154 154 Kang Li Demonstrates Egg Against Stone

    ?Chapter 154: Chapter 154: Kang Li Demonstrates ¡°Egg Against Stone¡± to the Cubs   Chapter 154: Chapter 154: Kang Li Demonstrates ¡°Egg Against Stone¡± to the Cubs                                   Dwen Dwen hesitated, asking carefully, ¡°Is the youngdy not happy with that man?¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°You know quite a bit. Go y!¡±


    Dwen Dwen wanted to say more but ultimately remained silent, quickly retreating.


    ¡°Mommy¡­¡±


    Xiao Ming Han then raised his little milk voice, ¡°Why did daddy make me, my brother, and my sister stand in the corner as punishment?¡±


    ¡°What do you think it was for?¡±


    Kang Li asked instead of answering.


    Xiao Ming Han: ¡°Because we fought with Brother Xiaochao.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°Pretty much.¡±


    ¡°So, was fighting wrong?¡± Xiao Ming Han pouted, his eyes brimming with tears, which appeared as if they might fall from his eyes at any moment.


    He was holding back, and it was very hard for him!


    Kang Li: ¡°Fighting is naturally wrong,¡± she said, and immediately, tears began to fall from Milk Bun Ming Han¡¯s eyes, while at the same time, Xiao Ming Rui¡¯s eyes almost instantly filled with tears, and Cute Baby Weiwei cried her eyes out, her tiny body trembling non-stop.


    Looking at the three little ones, Kang Li couldn¡¯t help but feel amused and sympathetic. She said, ¡°But as long as it¡¯s not you who started hitting others, Mommy doesn¡¯t think it¡¯s wrong.¡±


    Xiao Ming Rui¡¯s eyes widened instantly.


    ¡°If someone hits us, naturally we have to fight back, but before we do, we need to consider our own abilities. If we are strong enough, then teaching the other person a lesson to make him not dare to bother us again is okay. Otherwise, we need to think of other ways; we can¡¯t be like an egg striking a stone, as we would still end up getting hurt.¡±


    Xiao Ming Han puzzled: ¡°An egg striking a stone?¡±


    ¡°Wait, Mommy will show you.¡± Kang Li left the room of the three little ones, took an egg from the kitchen and washed it, then picked up a rock about the size of an adult¡¯s fist from the yard and cleaned it momentarily before also grabbing a porcin bowl and returning to the room of the three little ones.


    ¡°Look, this is an egg, right?¡±


    She lifted the egg for the three little ones to see.


    ¡°Mm-hmm.¡±


    The three little ones nodded their little heads.


    Kang Li: ¡°This is a stone, and this is a porcin bowl. Touch them with your hands, knock on them, then tell Mommy your feelings.¡±


    ¡°Hard.¡±


    The twins answered in unison.


    ¡°Right, they¡¯re both hard, but this stone is harder than the porcin bowl.¡± Kang Li dropped the stone to the ground, then bent down to pick it up: ¡°You see, Mommy threw it to the ground, but it¡¯s intact, perfectly fine. But what do you think would happen if we were to throw this porcin bowl to the ground?¡±


    The twins responded: ¡°It would smash into pieces!¡±


    ¡°Exactly, remember when we were eating, Weiwei identally knocked her bowl to the ground and it broke in half, right?¡±


    The twins nodded vigorously.


    ¡°Now that you know which is harder between the porcin bowl and the stone, now Mommy will use this egg for another demonstration. Watch closely~¡±


    She ced the porcin bowl on the desk, steadied it with one hand, and held the egg high with the other right above the bowl. The next moment, the egg slipped from her hand, and with a ¡®bang¡¯, the originally intact egg shattered in the bowl, the egg yolk and whites spilling out of the shell.


    ¡°Mommy dropped the egg into the bowl to avoid waste, but you see, when the egg hit the porcin bowl, it cracked and spilled. If I had dropped it on the rock, can you imagine what would have happened?¡±


    ¡°It would be smashed to smithereens!¡± Xiao Ming Wei said in a milky voice, ¡°Mommy, the eggshell is so thin!¡±


    Kang Li nodded: ¡°Yes, it¡¯s very thin.¡±

 Chapter 155 - 155 155 Kang Li Its not that I want to speak

    ?Chapter 155: Chapter 155 Kang Li: It¡¯s not that I want to speak well of someone, it¡¯s¡­   Chapter 155: Chapter 155 Kang Li: It¡¯s not that I want to speak well of someone, it¡¯s¡­                                   Xiao Ming Han tilted her head and thought for a moment, her eyes suddenly lit up, ¡°Mom, I understand why you said we can¡¯t hit an egg against a rock!¡±


    ¡°Vivi understands too,¡± Xiao Ming Wei added in a soft voice.


    Kang Li looked at Min Rui, ¡°And what about Ruirui?¡±


    Min Rui nodded.


    ¡°Mom, since an egg can¡¯t hit a rock and we¡¯re not strong enough to beat Xiaochao, what should we do?¡± Xiao Ming Han asked.


    Seeing the eagerness in the little one¡¯s eyes, Kang Li smiled. She gently touched the child¡¯s head and said with a smile, ¡°Think about it yourself. What would you do in such a situation?¡±


    After a long silence, Xiao Ming Han didn¡¯t make a sound, and Kang Li didn¡¯t rush her. To her surprise, the child actually came up with a solution, saying, ¡°Find mom, I will run home to find mom! Or else, I¡¯ll see if there are any adults nearby so they can help scare the bad brother away for Hanhan!¡±


    ¡°Our Hanhan is so clever!¡±


    Kang Li gave the little one a thumbs-up.


    Xiao Ming Wei suddenly said, ¡°A wise man does not eat the loss in front of him.¡±


    Kang Li was taken aback and thenughed, ¡°Who taught that to Vivi?¡±


    ¡°I heard the big brothers say it when I was ying outside.¡±


    Cute Baby Weiwei was a little shy, ¡°Mom, is what Vivi said correct?¡±


    Kang Li nodded and gave a thumbs-up, ¡°Smart!¡±


    Seeing that his younger brother and sister had both shared their opinions, Min Rui moved his lips, looked into Kang Li¡¯s smiling eyes, and said, ¡°A gentleman takes revenge; it is never toote even after ten years.¡±


    Kang Li was momentarily stunned, then smiled and said, ¡°Ruirui is awesome, what you said is simr to what Vivi said. Do you understand what it specifically means?¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Min Rui nodded, ¡°Xue Chong said, ¡®A gentleman takes revenge; it is never toote even after ten years¡¯ means a person should be patient and good at waiting for the right moment because the right moment isn¡¯t something you can find just anywhere. So, for things like vengeance, even waiting for ten years isn¡¯t toote.¡±


    Xue Chong, Kang Li knew, was a young neighbor from next door.


    ¡°Ruirui is awesome!¡± Giving a thumbs-up, Kang Li praised and then asked, ¡°Now tell me, was it right or wrong for Dad to punish you by making you stand by the wall?¡±


    The three little ones were silent. After a while, Bun Han raised her voice, ¡°Dad felt that we shouldn¡¯t hit an egg against a rock?¡±


    Kang Li replied, ¡°That¡¯s part of the reason. After all, you are still young, and evenbined, you can¡¯t beat that big brother, and instead you might get hurt. Dad is partly angry that you act without thinking about the consequences, and partly concerned that the other person might harm you. So, he punished you by making you stand by the wall, to make sure you remember today¡¯s incident and to prevent you from rushing into a fight without thinking in the future.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t that Kang Li wanted to speak well of someone, she just didn¡¯t want the cubs to be disappointed in their dad. Besides, that someone punished the three cubs as a father worried for their safety.


    After all, no matter how you look at today¡¯s incident, Min Rui and his two siblings were no match for the nine-year-old boy Wang Xiaochao.


    Let alone the height difference, just the opponent¡¯s robustness meant that if they really got into a fight, the three little ones definitely wouldn¡¯t have an advantage.


    Moreover, Wang Xiaochao was almost a head taller than other nine-year-old boys. If he hadn¡¯t tripped and fallen, resulting in a lost tooth, Kang Li estimated that the three cubs would have suffered more injuries than they did.


    That someone must have realized this and so punished Min Rui and his sisters.


    Besides, paying Wang Xiaochao twenty yuan for medical expenses was probably because that someone was busy and didn¡¯t want to dy his own affairs. Therefore, when he heard that Wang Xiaochao¡¯s parents wanted twenty yuan, he didn¡¯t even think about it andpensated them.

 Chapter 156 - 156 156 Are You Mad at Me

    ?Chapter 156: Chapter 156 Are You Mad at Me?   Chapter 156: Chapter 156 Are You Mad at Me?                                   Alright, alright, she thought so much about and said to the three little ones without needing to dwell too much on them, as if she were just finding reasonable excuses for someone else to be punished by standing.


    Thinking this, Kang Li couldn¡¯t help wanting to hold her forehead: Luo Yanqing, I must have owed you in myst life, otherwise, why would I try so hard to maintain a good dad image in front of the kids?!


    Xiao Ming Han, small but cunning, eximed with a milky voice, ¡°So it¡¯s really for our own good that dad makes us stand by the wall!¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei pressed her lips together and remained silent.


    Brother Ming Rui was also silent.


    ¡°Of course, dad isn¡¯t without faults,¡± Kang Li watched the kids¡¯ facial expressions change and indeed saw all three of them simultaneously show surprise, Kang Li could tell they were mostly wondering why she was speaking ill of their father.


    With a soft and doting gaze, Kang Li spoke slowly, deliberately maintaining a serious face, ¡°Although he made you stand by the wall out of concern for you, he shouldn¡¯t have punished you to think things over by the wall before the truth of the matter was clear, without even giving you a chance to exin.¡±


    Upon hearing their feelings spoken aloud, all three little ones had eyes filled with grievance.


    Kang Li pped her hands, ¡°Alright, go to bed for a nap, mom promises to have a good talk with your dad, make him recognize his mistake, and then offer you a sincere apology.¡±


    ¡°Will dad do it?¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei was rather skeptical.


    Holding the little girl in her arms and sitting her on her own bed, Kang Li embraced her, her bright fox-like eyes full of seriousness, she said to the little girl, ¡°He will, daddy is a good dad, if he knows he has made a mistake, he will definitely actively acknowledge it.¡±


    Xiao Ming Han said, ¡°Knowing your mistakes and correcting them makes a good child, mom said so!¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ring at brother Ming Han, Xiao Ming Wei lifted her chin and haughtily turned her head away.


    ¡°Alright, we¡¯ve made everything clear today, now you need to get a good sleep, that¡¯s how you can stay healthy and grow tall.¡±


    Gently patting the little girl¡¯s back, Kang Li moved her gaze toward the two brothers Luo Mingrui, just to see them obediently lying in their own beds, pulling up their thin towels, and covering their bellies properly.


    Xiao Ming Wei: ¡°Mommy, Vivi wants to go sleepy.¡±


    ¡°Okay, go ahead and sleep.¡±


    Letting go of the little girl, Kang Li stood up, and after making sure the little girl was properly tucked in, she quietly stepped out of the room.


    ¡­


    Luo Yanqing was full of doubts, having finished in the study, he had been pondering why Kang Li was mad, but still, it was aplete mystery to him.


    Especially since he noticed that from lunch till bedtime, she neither looked at him nor spoke to him, which made him feel inexplicably agitated.


    He had never felt such emotions before.


    ¡°Are you mad at me?¡±


    Standing by the bed, Luo Yanqing¡¯s indifferent eyes watched his little wife who was lying in bed about to close her eyes to sleep, he wanted to know the reason, to understand why she was mad at him, what he had done wrong that had caused such a drastic change in her attitude toward him.


    ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t realize.¡±


    Sitting up, Kang Li gazed at the man, ¡°Do you know why?¡±


    Luo Yanqing was very honest, he shook his head, ¡°You tell me.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°You really don¡¯t know?¡±


    Luo Yanqing nodded.


    ¡°Then you better think back on what you did this afternoon! Don¡¯t you know? Other than your own affairs, is there really nothing else in your mind?¡±


    Pursing his lips in thought, after a moment, Luo Yanqing seemed to recall something, he said, ¡°Luo Mingrui and the others fought with someone, I punished them to face the wall and reflect, are you¡­ are you mad at me for this?¡±

 Chapter 157 - 157 157 What do you think

    ?Chapter 157: Chapter 157: What do you think?   Chapter 157: Chapter 157: What do you think?                                   ¡°Professor Luo seems more willing to talk now.¡±


    Kang Li scoffed, ¡°I am indeed angry about the children.¡±


    Luo Yanqing said, ¡°Was I wrong?¡± Fighting is not right in the first ce, and it led to injuries, which is dangerous. Luo Mingrui and his two siblings are too young to understand. If I don¡¯t make them stand against the wall to reflect on their behavior, who knows if they will repeat the mistake?


    ¡°What do you think?¡± Kang Li met the man¡¯s gaze and said, ¡°When the children fought and the other parents came to our door asking for medical expenses, did you even ask how the whole incident happened?


    No, right?! You didn¡¯t know who was right or wrong, yet you punished Ruirui and the others by making them reflect; that was your first mistake. Then, when the other parents demanded the medical expenses, you paid without a second thought; that was your second mistake.


    After that, when the children were injured, you, as a father, did not think of treating their wounds with medicine immediately; that was your third mistake. Professor Luo, do you admit to these three errors I¡¯ve pointed out?¡±


    Luo Yanqing said, ¡°Fighting is not right.¡±


    Kang Li said, ¡°I didn¡¯t say fighting was right, nor did I say that punishing Ruirui and the others was wrong. I am just pointing out that you made a hasty decision without knowing the truth of the matter, which caused Ruirui and the others a great deal of injustice.¡±


    Luo Yanqing¡¯s thin lips pressed tightly together.


    Kang Li continued, ¡°The cause of the incident was that the boy named Wang Xiaochao started by calling Xuan Xuan a big idiot, then called Ruirui and his siblings wild children, saying that wild children deserved to y with a big idiot, and said that I, as their stepmother, would beat Ruirui and his siblings to death¡­ Vivi got angry and shouted at Wang Xiaochao that she and her brother were not wild children,


    telling Wang Xiaochao that he was talking nonsense, but then he pushed her to the ground. Ruirui and Hanhan saw their sister being bullied and that¡¯s why they got into a fight with Wang Xiaochao.


    And how could you not consider that with Ruirui and the others¡¯ small arms and legs, they are no match for Wang Xiaochao? And Wang Xiaochao clearly fell on his own,


    plus he was losing his baby teeth, which led to one of his big teeth being knocked out. His mother, who happened to see this, demanded medical expenses without asking for the reason, and brought Vivi and the others to our house, asking you for the money. Professor Luo, now that I¡¯ve told you all this, how do you feel?¡±


    Luo Yanqing admitted, ¡°You¡¯re right, I was wrong.¡±


    Kang Li replied, ¡°You were indeed wrong, and now that you know, I hope you will apologize to Ruirui and the others tomorrow.¡±


    Luo Yanqing said, ¡°¡­Okay.¡±


    If he was wrong, he would apologize.


    ¡°Luo Yanqing, you know, Ruirui and his siblings are your own flesh and blood, and I am just a stepmother who came into their lives halfway. But since I have married you, as your wife,


    I naturally treat your children as if they were my own. To be honest, when I came home at noon and saw how pitiful Ruirui and the others looked, I felt both heartache and anger,


    and after I learned the reason, I thought it was necessary to seek justice for my children. We are not the kind to suffer in silence; we need to make clear what¡¯s right and wrong at home!


    That¡¯s what I thought and what I did, and do you know how bright the children¡¯s eyes were? They were delighted, their eyes seemed to be filled with sparkling stars.¡±


    Kang Li didn¡¯t see it, but at the mention of Ruirui and his siblings being Luo Yanqing¡¯s own children, a shade of darkness flickered in Luo Yanqing¡¯s normally indifferent eyes.


    It passed quickly, and without close attention, it was hard to notice.


    ¡°The twenty yuan in medical expenses was returned to me, and they even thought to give me five yuan, but I did not ept it. I knocked on their door to demand justice,

 Chapter 158 - 158 158 Kang Li You Can Talk to Me Directly

    ?Chapter 158: Chapter 158 Kang Li, You Can Talk to Me Directly   Chapter 158: Chapter 158 Kang Li, You Can Talk to Me Directly                                   ¡°I made that mother and son apologize to me and Ruirui and his siblings! But after lunch, the kids were still tearfully feeling wronged¡­¡±


    Before Kang Li could continue, Luo Yanqing interjected, ¡°Because of me.¡± It was not a question, but a statement.


    ¡°At least you care a bit about the kids.¡±


    It seemed that this person, though indifferent to everything other than his work, was notpletely detached. The fact that he immediately connected the kids¡¯ continued grievances in the afternoon to himself upon her starting the conversation showed that he was aware, or else he wouldn¡¯t have thought of himself right after she began.


    However, could he not always speak to her with such a cold, indifferent expression?!


    Frowning, Kang Li¡¯s mouth twitched as she wanted to say something more to the man, but seeing his handsome, cold face and his ever-indifferent eyes, along with his reluctance to speak more, she lost the desire to continue the conversation.


    Turning over, shey on her side with her back to him, presenting a beautiful view of the back of her head to him.


    Seeing this, a hint of confusion tainted Luo Yanqing¡¯s usually indifferent dark pupils.


    Was she angry with him again?


    Why?


    Luo Yanqing felt increasingly bewildered.


    ¡°¡­Kang Li.¡±


    His voice, low and clear, drifted from behind her. Kang Li heard him but remained motionless and unresponsive.


    Luo Yanqing pursed his lips, climbed into bed into his spot, and looked hesitant. He finally spoke again, ¡°Kang Li, you can talk to me directly.¡± Don¡¯t just ignore him.


    But, Kang Li remained silent, even letting out soft, steady breathing sounds, signaling to someone that she had fallen asleep, requesting not to be disturbed.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re angry with me again, but as long as you speak up, as long as it¡¯s my fault, I¡¯ll change,¡± Luo Yanqing said, his heart actually filled with bitterness.


    He didn¡¯t understand women, even though he had been married before, he still felt alien to the demographic and thus couldn¡¯tprehend.


    Thinking back to that previous marriage, Luo Yanqing almost had no recollection of it, as if it were an experience of someone else¡¯s life.


    Completely unrted to him.


    Thinking this way, it wasn¡¯t that Luo Yanqingcked responsibility or was scum, but that first marriage seemed somewhat absurd.


    Officially, it was arranged to settle his lifelong matters, but the woman he married, he had never met before the marriage. The day after their wedding, he returned to his institute to resume work, and on the wedding night¡­ due to being forced to drink a few toasts by colleagues, he only remembered lying in bed at home and then falling into a deep sleep.


    And just that night, his wife got pregnant and prematurely gave birth to Luo Mingrui a month early.


    He felt nothing about this.


    This might be rted to his own nature or perhaps his childhood experiences, but in his heart, nothing was more important than work.


    He rarely went home throughout the year, stemming from his tendency topletely forget about time when busy, forgetting matters unrted to work, only wanting to achieve breakthroughs in research, to produce results sooner, and to contribute more to the country, living up to the nation¡¯s cultivation of him.


    Even though he seldom went home during that first marriage, his wife got pregnant again after giving birth to Luo Mingrui¡­ ording to her, he did take a vacation and returned home during the conception of the second child, but¡­

 Chapter 159 - 159 159 Kang Li What is He Going to Do

    ?Chapter 159: Chapter 159 Kang Li: What is He Going to Do?   Chapter 159: Chapter 159 Kang Li: What is He Going to Do?                                   Luo Yanqing¡¯s thoughts drifted to this point, and his expression unconsciously darkened.


    Premature birth, an idental fall resulted in a premature birth¡­ Upon receiving the hospital¡¯s call, he had put down his work and rushed to the hospital, and the subsequential events¡­ he now didn¡¯t know what kind of feelings to embrace.


    The night was deep, yet Luo Yanqing had no desire to sleep. Hey on his side, silently watching his young wife, whoy beside him but with her back turned to him.


    Kang Li, eighteen, a high school graduate, was well-bred, good-natured, and attractive. Her parents were still alive, and she had five brothers.


    This was the information Director Song had given him about the wife his organization had chosen for him, and he had emphasized one point: since childhood, the woman had been frail, and doctors had diagnosed her with difficulty in conceiving and bearing her own children.


    He understood what Director Song meant; it was to assure him that the woman would likely focus on raising Luo Mingrui and his siblings devotedly due to her difficulty in having her own children.


    However, he was indifferent to what Director Song had said; his thought was to abide by the organization¡¯s arrangements.


    After all, everything the organization did was for his benefit, so that he could work without family concerns.


    Yet he could never have imagined that Kang Li, this girl nearly ten years his junior, his young wife, would change him so profoundly in just half a month of being together. He noticed he had really changed, became emotionally affected by her every word and action, felt irritable when she ignored him, and even began to feel like a stranger to himself.


    Time seemed untrackable, and Luo Yanqing shifted from lying on his side to lying t and eventually got up and left the bedroom.


    The moment he got up, Kang Li¡¯s tightly shut eyelids twitched, and realizing the person beside her had risen, her fox-like eyes suddenly opened.


    What was he doing?


    Kang Li muttered inwardly.


    Only when Luo Yanqing¡¯s footsteps had disappeared outside the bedroom door did Kang Li unconsciously puff up her cheeks. What was he doing? Was it because she had ignored him, and he felt ufortable, needing to step outside to clear his head?


    Could it be the case?


    If so, then all the better.


    Because that would mean the efforts she had put in over the past half month weren¡¯t in vain and that she could now initially influence his mood, indicating he was indeed considering his feelings for her.


    Even if, up until now, these thoughts upied a small ce in his heart, it didn¡¯t matter. As long as he harbored these feelings, she could upy more and more space in his heart.


    Let him feel soft-hearted the moment he thought of her, wanting to appear before her as quickly as possible.


    With a curved smile, Kang Li¡¯s clear, fox-like eyes twinkled slightly; she had this confidence!


    Luo Yanqing had sat in the study for over an hour before pushing open the bedroom door where Xiao Ming Rui and the three siblings were. He stood in the center of the room, looking at the sleeping Xiao Ming Wei by the bright moonlight streaming through the window, then his gaze shifted to Xia Ming Rui and his brother, Ming Han. Seeing Xiao Ming Han¡¯s nket had fallen off his stomach, he instinctively stepped forward, bent down, and covered the child properly.


    After straightening up, he turned and left, pulling the door shut behind him.


    The next day.


    Kang Li kept silent in front of Luo Yanqing, continuing her duties as if he were not at home, which even the three children found strange; however, as kids, they couldn¡¯t manage theplexities of adult affairs.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t clear things up yesterday and punished you guys to stand; that was wrong of me. Daddy is sorry now,¡± he apologized to the three children.


    At eleven something in the morning, while Kang Li was in the kitchen cooking, Luo Yanqing took the chance to apologize to the three children for the events of the previous day.


    Kang Li paused slightly but soon continued walking.


    However, her lips clearly traced a smile.


    Xiao Ming Han: ¡°Daddy, you are a good daddy. Mommy said you punished us to stand by the wall because you cared about us!¡±

 Chapter 160 - 160 160 Luo Yanqing Takes the Initiative to

    ?Chapter 160: Chapter 160: Luo Yanqing Takes the Initiative to Get Closer   Chapter 160: Chapter 160: Luo Yanqing Takes the Initiative to Get Closer                                   Milk Bun Ming Han¡¯s meaning was clear, no need for apologies.


    ¡°Mom said that fighting with Xiaochao was like an egg hitting a rock, Dad punishing us to stand in the corner was to make us remember.¡±


    That was Xiao Ming Wei¡¯s voice.


    Xiao Ming Han, ¡°Dad, can you make sure to ask us if we did something wrong before you punish us in the future, okay?¡±


    Luo Yanqing, ¡°Okay.¡± He nodded and touched the top of Milk Bun Ming Han¡¯s head.


    ¡°If Dad is like yesterday again, Vivi will really, really ignore Dad!¡±


    Crossing her arms, Xiao Ming Wei widened her eyes, her cheeks puffed out like a fish blowing bubbles.


    Luo Yanqing, ¡°It won¡¯t happen again.¡± Gently shaking his head, Luo Yanqing watched Xiao Ming Rui and the other two ying in the living room, then he went to the kitchen.


    ¡°I¡¯ll chop it.¡± Seeing Kang Li chopping meat on the small cutting board, Luo Yanqing came forward and reached out his hand.


    Upon hearing this, Kang Li¡¯s gaze lowered¡ªin fact, fixed on the man¡¯s hand.


    Sleek as jade, with distinct knuckles, hands like these could even be a match for a hand model¡¯s.


    Without a word, Kang Li let the man take the cleaver from her hand, and right then, she heard him say, ¡°Apron.¡±


    Kang Li was taken aback, then took off her apron and put it on the man.


    Luo Yanqing, ¡°I¡¯m busy with my hands, help me tie it.¡±


    Kang Li, ¡°¡­¡±


    Luo Yanqing, ¡°¡­I¡¯ve already apologized to the kids.¡±


    Kang Li remained silent.


    Luo Yanqing, ¡°I know I¡¯m not eloquent and don¡¯t understand you womenrades well, but if I did something wrong, just tell me straight.¡±


    For making dumplings at noon, Kang Li had prepared the dough around ten and selected the chives, washed them clean, and chopped them into small pieces.


    Now, she was adding salt to the chive pieces and stirring to let the watere out of them before pouring the moisture away.


    Busy with her hands, Kang Li maintained her silence is golden rule.


    Luo Yanqing, ¡°Do you think it¡¯s ready?¡±


    Kang Li¡¯s lips moved slightly, as she handed him arge porcin bowl meant for adults.


    Luo Yanqing caught on, cing the minced meat into the bowl, then he turned to rinse the cleaver and cutting board at the sink.


    Kang Li continued her own tasks, pouring a moderate amount of warm water into the meat, stirring it until evenly mixed, then added the chive pieces and an egg to the meat.


    Finally, she added a bit of salt and pepper, soy sauce, and oyster sauce and mixed everything evenly.


    After preparing the dumpling filling, she started to knead the dough on anotherrger cutting board.


    ¡°I¡¯ll roll out the wrappers.¡±


    With Luo Yanqing rolling out dumpling wrappers, they quickly had a pile of plump and delicate dumplings formed under Kang Li¡¯s slender jade fingers.


    ¡°Mommy, mommy, the dumplings are so white and plump!¡±


    After the dumplings were cooked, Luo Yanqing helped serve them to the family. Xiao Ming Han, looking at the round dumplings in his bowl and blinking hisrge, round eyes, adorably eximed his wonder.


    ¡°Mommy is so amazing, the dumplings look super nice!¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei was full of extravagant praise.


    ¡°Dad yed a big part too.¡± Kang Li smiled and said, ¡°All the dumpling wrappers were rolled by Dad, Mom only took care of filling them.¡±


    Xiao Ming Han, ¡°Wow! Dad is awesome!¡± Milk Bun Ming Han gave his dad two thumbs up, raising his little milky voice, ¡°When I grow up, I want to help mommy make dumplings just like Dad.¡±


    On hearing this, Kang Li¡¯s eyes filled with indulgence as she smiled, ¡°Good, mommy will wait for our Hanhan to grow up.¡±


    ¡°Big brother is a brown-noser, hmph!¡±

 Chapter 161 - 161 161 As Long as You Are True to Me I Will

    ?Chapter 161: Chapter 161: As Long as You Are True to Me, I Will Always Be by Your Side   Chapter 161: Chapter 161: As Long as You Are True to Me, I Will Always Be by Your Side                                   Xiao Ming Wei was a little upset because her older brother Ming Han stole the spotlight.


    ¡°Lla¡­¡±


    Xiao Ming Han made a funny face at his sister.


    Kang Li spoke softly, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s eat. After we¡¯re done, you can continue ying.¡±


    ¡°Okay! Mommy is the best, Vivi loves Mommy the most!¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei giggled, not forgetting to tter.


    ¡°Mommy loves Vivi too, eat up.¡±


    Kang Li replied with a smile in her eyes.


    In thete afternoon, Luo Yanqing came to Kang Li¡¯s study. He nced at the manuscript Kang Li had ced aside and said, ¡°Your story is written inly and is very close to life.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve read it?¡±


    As soon as Kang Li spoke, she couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit annoyed. Why was she engaging with this man?


    At that moment, Luo Yanqing¡¯s lips subtly curved into a smile, a funniness touching his Phoenix Eyes that he wasn¡¯t aware of, ¡°There¡¯s a newspaper at home.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°You don¡¯t know my pen name.¡±


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°Gu Sui.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Kang Li was taken aback and after a moment, ¡°How did you know that?¡±


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°I saw it identally on your desk.¡±


    Kang Li ¡°oh¡± sounded, without follow-up conversation for a while.


    ¡°Your cooking is very delicious.¡±


    Luo Yanqing changed the subject so quickly that Kang Li was a bit surprised, but her face didn¡¯t show too much of an abrupt expression. She responded, ¡°You tter me. Actually, your cooking is quite good too.¡± This was true, although not as good as hers, it was indeed tasty.


    Besides, Kang Li was especially surprised that Luo Yanqing could cook.


    However, the fact was, the young research schr, Professor Luo, was indeed skilled in cooking.


    Whether it was making porridge, baking pancakes, or stir-frying, his movements were far from clumsy.


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°I learned for a while with grandma when I was a child, andter on, I also learned with the aunt in the orphanage.¡±


    ¡°Orphanage?¡±


    Kang Li was curious.


    Looking her in the eye, Luo Yanqing said, ¡°After my grandparents passed away one after another, I went to live in the orphanage.¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    Was this man an orphan?


    Had her father ever mentioned it?


    Kang Li thought about it; nothing came to mind.


    ¡°When I was six, my father died on the battlefield, and in the same year, my mother remarried, and I never saw her again. When I was eight, my grandparents died one after another. There was an uncle in the family, but he had difficulties, so he sent me to a government department to be raised by the state.¡±


    Luo Yanqing spoke in a very calm tone, without a trace of emotion, as if he were talking about someone else.


    Kang Li: ¡°Luo Yanqing¡­¡±


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°You have me now, and Ruirui and the others.¡±


    Kang Li said earnestly, ¡°As long as you don¡¯t let me down, I¡¯ll always be by your side.¡±


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°I won¡¯t.¡±


    Kang Li knew that the man was saying he wouldn¡¯t let her down.


    ¡°Professor Luo, then I look forward to learning more from you in the future!¡± Standing up, she faced Luo Yanqing and extended her hand towards him.


    Luo Yanqing looked into her eyes, quietly stared for a while, grasped her hand, and slowly said, ¡°Please guide me for the rest of my life!¡±


    In that moment, he felt an unprecedented joy surge in his heart, as if fireworks had suddenly burst into the night sky, bringing joy to the onlookers.


    ¡°By the way, I bought you a belt yesterday while shopping at the department store with my godmother. Want to see it?¡±


    Kang Li¡¯s eyes sparkled. Without waiting for Luo Yanqing to respond, she pulled his hand and left the study, ¡°Just stand there, don¡¯t move.¡±


    She took out a neatly wrapped small box from the cab and handed it to him, ¡°Open it and see; I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ll like it.¡±

 Chapter 162 - 162 162 As Long As You Like It

    ?Chapter 162: Chapter 162: As Long As You Like It   Chapter 162: Chapter 162: As Long As You Like It                                   Luo Yanqing, ¡°As long as it¡¯s something you bought, I¡¯ll like it.¡±


    Kang Li, ¡°¡­¡± Yo! How did this man suddenly be so eloquent?! Laughter flickered in Kang Li¡¯s foxy eyes as she tilted her head to watch the man in front of her open the box in his hands.


    ¡°Very good.¡±


    Luo Yanqing nced at the belt inside the box and then shifted his gaze to Kang Li, his phoenix eyes tinted with a touch of softness.


    ¡°As long as you like it, that¡¯s good.¡±


    When an extremely outstanding, yet usually indifferent man suddenly looked at her with tender eyes, Kang Li¡¯s heart uncontrobly ¡°thumped! thumped! thumped!¡± faster.


    And her cheeks grew warm, involuntarily she averted her gaze, and at the same time, she coughed lightly twice to hide the odd sensation she was feeling.


    ¡°Mom, what are you and Dad doing in the room?¡±


    The voice of Xiao Ming Wei suddenly came from the living room.


    Kang Li casually responded, ¡°Mom and Dad were talking about some matters, but we¡¯re finished now. Mom wille to be with you in a moment.¡± Holding the gifts she bought for the three young ones yesterday, Kang Li stepped out of the room.


    Luo Yanqing watched her departing figure, the corners of his lips lifting slightly, a trace of a faint smile flitting across his eyes.


    ¡°Come to mom¡¯s side, let¡¯s see what mom bought for you yesterday.¡±


    Xiao Ming Han, holding his brother Ming Rui¡¯s hand, toddled behind his little sister toward Kang Li. Tilting his small head, he asked, ¡°Mom, are you giving me, brother, and sister gifts again?¡±


    Kang Li nodded, ¡°Yes.¡±


    Xiao Ming Han, ¡°But mom has already given us lots of gifts. Good kids shouldn¡¯t let mom spend money carelessly.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s because mom wanted to buy them for you.¡±


    Sitting beside Kang Li, Luo Yanqing, after hearing what she said to Milk Bun Ming Han, spoke up, ¡°Your mom is good to you, and you should be good to her as well. Remember this.¡±


    The three little ones simultaneously froze, and then Xiao Ming Han said, ¡°Hanhan loves mom and will be very good to her!¡±


    Brother Ming Rui just gave an ¡°Mhm¡± sound.


    After all, following the events of yesterday, Ming Rui had slowly begun to ept Kang Li as his stepmother. Despite his young age, he had been observing Kang Li for over a month now¡ªwell, ever since Kang Li came into this family, Ming Rui had been quietly watching her, evaluating whether this stepmother was good or bad.


    And after what happened yesterday, Kang Li¡¯s approach had a significant impact on Ming Rui.


    There were no scoldings, just concern. After understanding the cause, she immediately wanted to take them to seek justice. Before leaving, she washed their faces and hands, and cleaned their arms and legs.


    By the time they got to Wang Xiaochao¡¯s house, she had left that bad aunt speechless.


    In the end, when Wang Xiaochao apologized to him and his siblings, in that moment, he felt his stepmother was amazing, and he started to think that maybe she really was a good person, like Granny Qi said, that she would be a good mom.


    But he still wanted to wait a while longer¡­ to call this person in front of him ¡°mom.¡± If she continued to be as good to him and his siblings as she was now, he would definitely treat her as his real mom, would protect her, and love her always!


    Xiao Ming Wei, ¡°Vivi loves mom, will be good to her.¡±


    With the three little ones stating their feelings, Luo Yanqing nodded, showing that he understood, then turned his gaze toward Kang Li¡¯s beautiful profile, just quietly watching. He watched as Kang Li took out a little dress and two sets of children¡¯s seersucker summer suits from the shopping bag.


    ¡°Do you like them?¡±


    Kang Li unfolded the little dress and shorts set for the kids to see, ¡°We¡¯ll wear these tomorrow, how does that sound?¡±

 Chapter 163 - 163 163 A Great Story

    ?Chapter 163: Chapter 163: A Great Story   Chapter 163: Chapter 163: A Great Story                                   ¡°I like it, Vivi wants to wear it.¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei answered loudly.


    Xiao Ming Rui and Xiao Ming Han nodded in unison, their eyes lighting up in an instant.


    ¡°If you like it, I will go to the yard to wash and hang it to dry. Tomorrow morning, I¡¯ll give it to you to wear.¡± Before Kang Li could get up, Luo Yanqing took the clothes from her hands, ¡°I¡¯ll wash them.¡±


    Having said that, she got up and left the living room.


    Kang Li smiled and then saw Director Song entering the living room with Song Xuan.


    The teenager was holding the erhu she had bought for him the day before; upon seeing her, he called out, ¡°Auntie.¡±


    Although he still spoke slowly, his pronunciation was correct and clear.


    Thirty minutes went by quickly; yet, Kang Li did not put down the erhu in her hands. Instead, she began to y a piece called ¡°Horse Racing.¡±


    This piece, with its majestic and unrestrained enthusiasm, unintentionally made the listeners feel as if they were in the middle of a horse race.


    The valiant jockeys and the galloping, neighing steeds were vividly portrayed by the melody that Kang Li brought forth.


    Director Song had some understanding of the erhu, especially the techniques of ying ¡°Horse Racing.¡±


    He could clearly see the crisp and resilient jumping bows from a distance, and the distinct tremolo technique in Kang Li¡¯s ying.


    ¡°Bravo! Xiao Li, your ¡®Horse Racing¡¯ was just too good!¡±


    As soon as the ¡°Horse Racing¡± piece ended, not only did Director Song apud, but he alsoughed and praised Kang Li.


    Unexpectedly, Kang Li smiled and then yed another piece, ¡°Unrestrained.¡±


    Unrestrained, without any hindrances, but after theck of restraints,es the deepest of bonds.


    ¡°A pot of life and death, a toast to the young, the moon still shines with no perplexity. Unaware of the dashing bravery facing the wind and the waves, a song under the heavens shares a lingering chant.¡±


    Kang Li wasn¡¯t much of a TV watcher, but once when her father was apanying her mother watching ¡°The Untamed,¡± she couldn¡¯t resist staying in the living room for a moment, and as the theme song yed, she almost instantly fell in love with it.


    The lyrics were beautiful as was the melody.


    It was touching, gently flowing, sorrowful, and lonely.


    Director Song and Luo Yanqing were spellbound by the music. Even Song Xuan and the three little ones, whether they understood the meaning of the piece or not, sat still without moving, their expressions very focused.


    ¡­


    ¡°The piece you yed after ¡®Horse Racing¡¯¡­ I haven¡¯t heard it before.¡±


    As the moonlight spilled like water outside the window, Luo Yanqingy down on the bed and suddenly mentioned.


    ¡°I heard it by chance; it¡¯s said to be called ¡®Unrestrained,¡¯ and there¡¯s a story behind it. Would you like to hear it?¡± Kang Li¡¯s thoughts gradually drifted away, back to the world she hadn¡¯t yete to when her mother told her about ¡°The Untamed.¡±


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°Mm.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°The story goes like this¡­¡± Her voice was soft and gentle, slowly recounting the general plot of the TV series ¡°The Untamed.¡±


    After listening, Luo Yanqing eximed, ¡°That¡¯s a very good story.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°Indeed, it is a good story.¡± She had only heard a summary from her mother, but given her mother¡¯s high level of appreciation, what she said was likely urate.


    Maybe absorbed in the memories of the past, the room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop for a while. Then, Luo Yanqing¡¯s crisp and pleasant voice broke the silence, asking, ¡°Should we go over a bit earlier tomorrow?¡±


    Kang Li came back to her senses: ¡°Mm.¡±


    Song Family.


    ¡°Has everyone who should be informed been notified?¡±


    Mrs. Qi was clearly yawning with tiredness but didn¡¯t forget to ask Director Song about the arrangements for formally recognizing Kang Li as their goddaughter the next day.


    Director Song: ¡°I always do things reliably, and you know that.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just worried that you also notified those who shouldn¡¯t have been invited.¡± As soon as Mrs. Qi said this, Director Song asked, ¡°Who exactly are you referring to as those who shouldn¡¯t have been invited?¡±

 Chapter 164 - 164 164 Disgust

    ?Chapter 164: Chapter 164 Disgust   Chapter 164: Chapter 164 Disgust                                   Mrs. Qi: ¡°What do you think?¡±


    Director Song: ¡°You¡¯re not referring to Old Feng¡¯s partner, are you?¡±


    ¡°Partner? They did love, but they pitied Feng Yi, that child.¡± Mrs. Qi¡¯s eyes brimmed with sarcasm, ¡°Being a stepmother is tough, sure, but Fang Su couldn¡¯t just cling to her husband¡¯s affections, devoting all her attention to her stepchildren and treating her own flesh and blood like grass. Isn¡¯t Feng Yi the child of her man too?¡±


    ¡°Why bother with someone else¡¯s business?¡±


    Director Song sighed helplessly, ¡°I know the kid, Feng Yi, is pitiable, but if his own parents don¡¯t cherish him, what can we outsiders do? Besides, there¡¯s no solid proof that Old Feng¡¯s family¡¯s Xiao Si did it, and it was Fang Su herself who confessed that it was Feng Yi who hurt the person¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s precisely because Fang Su is heartless, letting her own son take the me for her stepson Feng Xiao, that I despise her! And don¡¯t forget the rtionship between the Feng family and Little Luo. Is it really appropriate for you to invite them to our house?¡±


    ¡°Whether or not Feng Yi is taking the me, we have no evidence and can¡¯t talk nonsense. As for inviting Feng Lin, that old kid over, you know as well as I do the close bond I share with him. If I didn¡¯t invite him, and he heard about it from someone else, how am I supposed to face him?¡±


    ¡°You and your pride.¡±


    ¡°Fangfang, this really isn¡¯t about pride. It¡¯s about my rtionship with Old Feng. Now, we¡¯re about to recognize a goddaughter, which is a big event. We can skip hosting a dinner, but if we do host one, it¡¯s only right to invite Old Feng.¡±


    Hearing Director Song speak this way, Mrs. Qi snorted coldly and said, ¡°Then you exin to me, ever since Feng Lu lost Hanhan and Vivi in childbirth and died, why have the Fengs acted as if they¡¯ve forgotten about Ruirui and the others? Have theye to see them even once in these two or three years?¡±


    Under Mrs. Qi¡¯s unblinking gaze, Director Song¡¯s eyes dodged involuntarily as he said, ¡°It might be misdirected anger. After all, it is well-known how much Old Feng adored his daughter, and Feng Lu¡¯s untimely death at such a young age left him angry. Cutting off ties with Little Luo is a bit much, but it¡¯s not iprehensible.¡±


    ¡°Bullshit!¡± Mrs. Qi burst out, ¡°Childbirth is always a life-and-death ordeal. idents are thest thing anybody wants. Plus, Feng Lu fell while she was pregnant because of her own doing, and it happened right at the Feng family¡¯s ce. What gives him the right to take it out on the children?¡±


    At a loss for words, Director Song fell silent.


    ¡°Nothing to say now, huh?¡±


    Mrs. Qi red at Director Song, ¡°First thing tomorrow morning, you call the Fengs and tell them that I, Qi Fang, do not wee them into our home.¡±


    Director Song: ¡°I can¡¯t make that call.¡±


    Mrs. Qi: ¡°If you won¡¯t, I will.¡±


    The Feng family, mentioned by Mrs. Qi and Director Song, happens to be the maternal family of the three Ruirui siblings.


    Feng Lu was the only daughter among the five Feng children, a little princess from childhood. She had two older brothers from the same mother and two younger brothers, one from the same mother and one from a different mother.


    Feng Yi, Feng Lu¡¯s half-brother.


    Once a youth in his prime, he had been taken away by the police from home for identally injuring someone in March of this year and was now undergoing reformation throughbor on a farm near North City.


    Whether Feng Yi had truly identally harmed someone or was taking the me for his older stepbrother, who was six or seven years his senior, was unknown to outsiders.


    The next morning, Mrs. Qi did as she had said,pletely ignoring Director Song¡¯s ring, she found thendline number for the Fengs and dialed it.

 Chapter 165 - 165 165 Little girl have I seen you somewhere

    ?Chapter 165: Chapter 165 Little girl, have I seen you somewhere before?   Chapter 165: Chapter 165 Little girl, have I seen you somewhere before?                                   She didn¡¯t beat around the bush and directly called for Director Song¡¯s old buddy Feng Lin to answer the phone. When she heard the familiar voicee through the receiver, Mrs. Qi said emotionlessly, ¡°It¡¯s me. I heard from my Old Song that you¡¯ve been very busy recently. If that¡¯s the case, don¡¯t bothering over today.¡±


    Before the other party could respond, Mrs. Qi mmed down the phone with a ¡°bang¡±.


    ¡°Godmother, who made you angry? Tell me, and I¡¯ll go have a word with them for you.¡±


    Kang Li and Luo Yanqing walked into the Song family¡¯s living room with Ruirui, they looked up to see Mrs. Qi with a less than pleased expression, sitting on the sofa having a staring contest with Director Song.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, Godmother isn¡¯t angry with anyone.¡± Seeing Kang Li, Mrs. Qi immediately put on a smile: ¡°Have you eaten? If not, Godmother will go make something for you.¡±


    Kang Li ¡°Don¡¯t trouble yourself, we already had breakfast before we came over. We thought we¡¯de early to help you out a bit.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for you to lift a finger, your Godfather has already hired a chef to prepare two tables at home, and all the ingredients were bought following the chef¡¯s list. They should be arriving any moment.¡±


    Mrs. Qi waved her hand and invited Kang Li and Luo Yanqing to sit down for a chat.


    Ruirui went to y in Song Xuan¡¯s room.


    As noon approached, when family and friends had all arrived, Mrs. Qi went to the kitchen to instruct the chef¡¯s two apprentices to serve the dishes.


    Kang Li and Luo Yanqing helped out, and in no time, two round tables were filled with delicious food.


    Just as Director Song was inviting the guests to take their seats, two people walked in from outside the living room.


    One of them was none other than Director Song¡¯s old buddy Feng Lin, Ruirui¡¯s biological maternal grandfather. The other was Feng Lin¡¯s remarried wife Fang Su.


    This couple had more than a full cycle of the zodiac between them, to be more precise, a fourteen-year difference.


    ¡°You arrived.¡±


    With the guests there, Director Song couldn¡¯t just turn them away. Without looking at Mrs. Qi, he went over to greet his old buddy and his wife to take their seats.


    When Feng Lin and the others saw Luo Yanqing and Ruirui, one had a slightlyplex look, and the other treated them as strangers.


    Unquestionably, the one who regarded them as strangers was Fang Su.


    Although she had always tried to ingratiate herself with her stepchildren, after her stepdaughter Feng Lu had an incident and the Feng family severed ties with Luo Yanqing, she immediately disregarded their existence in her eyes.


    She treated Luo Yanqing and the others as strangers.


    However, when Fang Su¡¯s eyesnded on Kang Li, there was a moment of confusion.


    ¡°Youngdy, have I seen you somewhere before?¡±


    Director Song announced to his family and friends that he recognized Kang Li as his goddaughter, and then together with Mrs. Qi, he took Kang Li to introduce her to each person in turn.


    After the feast ended and the well-wishing guests began to depart one after another, Fang Su approached Kang Li with a puzzled look and scrutinized her closely.


    ¡°Sorry, but I haven¡¯t seen you before today.¡±


    Kang Li shook her head.


    ¡°Li Bao, what are you talking about over there? Come over here and help Godmother see off the guests.¡±


    At the gate, Mrs. Qi looked back to see Fang Su standing in front of Kang Li and casually called Kang Li to her side.


    All the guests had arrived by car, and now, watching one vehicle after another drive away from their gate, Mrs. Qi looked on with concern and softly asked Kang Li, ¡°Tired, are you?¡±


    Kang Li shook her head.


    She hadn¡¯t been much help, so to speak of being tired would have been nothing but affectation.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you stay a bit longer?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯ve got things to attend to this afternoon.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s n to get together another day.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Director Song and his old buddy Feng Lin came out of the living room, talking as they walked, with Fang Su, as the wife, following behind Feng Lin.

 Chapter 166 - 166 166 Dont you think that little girl looks

    ?Chapter 166: Chapter 166: Don¡¯t you think that little girl looks familiar?   Chapter 166: Chapter 166: Don¡¯t you think that little girl looks familiar?                                   Three people arrived at the gate, and Director Song watched Feng Lin and his wife get into the car, then turned to stand beside Mrs. Qi. He asked with a smile, ¡°You don¡¯t look so good. Aren¡¯t you afraid that Li Bao will worry about you?¡±


    Mrs. Qi red at Director Song. ¡°I knew your eyesight was poor, but I didn¡¯t expect it to be this bad. You should head to the hospital and see an ophthalmologist for a thorough checkup.¡±


    With that, Mrs. Qi led Kang Li by the hand like a child. ¡°Let¡¯s go, it¡¯s just you and me back home.¡±


    Kang Li smiled and replied, ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°That old man is too mean. We won¡¯t pay him any mind, just the two of us.¡±


    Director Song looked at Mrs. Qi¡¯s retreating figure, torn betweenughter and tears. She really didn¡¯t leave him any face in front of his goddaughter!


    ¡°Godmother, Godfather is very nice.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just an illusion. I¡¯ve lived with him for decades and know him very well.¡±


    ¡°But I really admire the way Godfather and Godmother get along. I feel so happy watching you both.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure you haven¡¯t put honey on your tongue?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m telling the truth. Godfather is really good to Godmother, and of course, Godmother is good to him too. I¡¯ve seen it.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to envy us old folks. Godmother believes that you and Little Luo will have good days too and that you will find your own happiness.¡±


    Walking behind Mrs. Qi and Kang Li, Director Song listened to their conversation, his eyes brimming withughter.


    So nice!


    It¡¯s really nice now!


    Now that they had a daughter,ughter would surely ring out in their home from now on.


    Thinking this, Director Song, and Mrs. Qi had rarely shown their smiles in the past decade, or to be more precise, since learning of their son and daughter-inw¡¯s sacrifice on the battlefield.


    After all, losing their only son and having their daughter-inw sacrificed in the war, anyone would be engulfed in sorrow, moreover when theyter found out that their grandson was not a normal child.


    How could Director Song and Mrs. Qi smile then?


    Of course, during Song Xuan¡¯s growing years, they did smile at their grandson, but underneath those smiles, there was likely more bitterness and heartache.


    As for smiling with others, it was out of courtesy.


    It was never heartfelt.


    Inside a jeep driving away from the research institute¡¯spound, Feng Lin suddenly asked Fang Su, ¡°What are you thinking about?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you find that little girl familiar?¡±


    Fang Su frowned slightly and looked at the man beside her with greying temples, her husband.


    Feng Lin: ¡°Little girl?¡±


    Fang Su: ¡°The goddaughter that Old Song and his wife recognized today.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Feng Lin¡¯s expression froze, and after a moment he said, ¡°I don¡¯t recall, do you know her?¡±


    Fang Su shook her head. ¡°I just thought she seemed familiar, but I¡¯m sure I¡¯ve never seen her before.¡± After a brief pause, Fang Su added, ¡°Never mind, it¡¯s not important. Let¡¯s not talk about her anymore.¡±


    However, Feng Lin then said, ¡°Min Rui¡­ Min Rui and his siblings didn¡¯t seem to have suffered much. It seems that Luo Yanqing¡¯s second wife has good character.¡±


    Fang Su: ¡°Perhaps.¡± The response was somewhat perfunctory, but the man beside her didn¡¯t catch it at all.


    Well, maybe it wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t catch it, but that this husband, who adored his wife, never thought in a bad direction.


    Back in thepound, Kang Li and Luo Yanqing spent half an hour chatting with Director Song and his wife before taking Xiao Ming Rui and the other two children back to their own home.


    ¡°Mom, at Grandma and Grandpa¡¯s house, I noticed that the grandpa sitting next to Grandpa was always looking at me. Why is that?¡±


    Xiao Ming Han, who was ying with tangram pieces, suddenly looked up at Kang Li and voiced her curiosity with a tilted head.


    ¡°That grandpa looked at Vivi too. He seemed kind of strange.¡±

 Chapter 167 - 167 167 Picky Contrary

    ?Chapter 167: Chapter 167: Picky! Contrary!   Chapter 167: Chapter 167: Picky! Contrary!                                   This was Xiao Ming Wei¡¯s voice.


    Xiao Ming Rui, ¡°They were also looking at me.¡±


    ¡°The grandfather you mentioned probably found you cute, which is why he looked at you a few more times.¡±


    Kang Li didn¡¯t think much about it, she responded to the three kids with a smile, and then casually asked someone, ¡°Professor Luo, do you know that elderly gentleman?¡±


    Luo Yanqing shook his head.


    Kang Li, ¡°When Godfather introduced him, he told me to call him Uncle Feng. Speaking of which, Uncle Feng¡¯s spouse was quite odd, she actually asked me if I had seen her before.¡±


    Luo Yanqing, ¡°It¡¯s just an outsider, no need to think too much about it.¡±


    If the biological grandfather of Xiao Ming Rui¡¯s three kids, the old master of the Feng family, had overheard what Luo Yanqing and Xiao Ming Rui were discussing at this moment, he probably would have spat out a mouthful of old blood.


    Why?


    He hade to the Song family today, actually feeling quiteplicated, worried about how to face his former son-inw and three grandchildren; yet, none of them even knew who he was.


    Apparently, his worries were nothing but loneliness.


    ¡­


    The afternoon¡¯s schedule was as usual. Xiao Ming Rui and the other two followed the holiday schedule nned by Kang Li, doing things as they were supposed to.


    ¡°Outside of work hours, is your everyday life always this monotonous?¡±


    Kang Li, somewhat bored, came to Luo Yanqing¡¯s study. She was now leaning against a bookshelf with her arms folded, the corners of her lips slightly curved, her fox-like eyes clear and bright as she admired the man¡¯s wless handsome face.


    Meanwhile, Luo Yanqing¡¯s eyelids were lowered, his hand that was writing and drawing paused, but he didn¡¯t look up, not even ncing at Kang Li once.


    Thinking the man must be pondering some problems, Kang Li didn¡¯t speak again, but her slight OCD made her approach his desk to tidy up a few disorderly books.


    Unexpectedly, just as her hand was about to touch the book closest to her, a long, jade-like hand abruptlynded on the book, ¡°Don¡¯t touch, leave.¡±


    Kang Li¡¯s expression froze slightly, she looked at the man, only to see his indifferent gaze mixed with obvious distance, and for a moment, she thought her eyes were deceiving her. Unable to help it, she closed her fox-like eyes briefly, then reopened them, finding his gaze unchanged.


    Not giving up, Kang Li blinked her fox-like eyes, but this time, she had to confirm that the man¡¯s indifference indeed contained clear distance meant for her.


    ¡°You ¡­¡±


    The smile vanished from Kang Li¡¯s lips, she took two steps back, quietly adjusted her breathing, and then said, ¡°Sorry for the disturbance, go back to your work, I¡¯ll leave right now.¡±


    As she finished speaking, she turned and left the study without looking back.


    As she stepped out of Luo Yanqing¡¯s study, she muttered disdainfully, ¡°Fussy! Awkward!¡±


    Just yesterday the two of them had reconciled, she even said, ¡°As long as you don¡¯t let me down, I will always be by your side.¡±


    Given the man¡¯s attitude just now, Kang Li really wanted to take back her promise.


    Sitting back on a rattan rocking chair, Kang Li red in the direction of Luo Yanqing¡¯s study, then looked at the three kids sitting around a small dining table, coloring in their drawing books, before she withdrew her gaze, closed her fox-like eyes, andy on the rattan rocking chair, slowly swaying.


    But her mood at this moment was really not good.


    Being sentimental, yes, she was being sentimental, upset about someone being fussy, about someone having an awkward personality, not talking properly to her, should not look at her with that kind of gaze.


    And she was not disturbing him, she was just kindly helping him organize a few books. Was it necessary to have such a foul expression? Was it necessary to scold her?


    Never in her life, whether in her original world or in this current one, had she ever experienced this.

 Chapter 168 - 168 168 Luo Yanqing Is Very Confused

    ?Chapter 168: Chapter 168: Luo Yanqing Is Very Confused   Chapter 168: Chapter 168: Luo Yanqing Is Very Confused                                   Thinking of this, Kang Li proudly snorted to herself, if someone else had started it, then they couldn¡¯t me her for responding in her own way!


    Luo Yanqing was confused!


    Without his dinner, tonight there was actually no food for him, but why?


    As Kang Li attended to the three little ones after their dinner, sparing not even a nce at a certain someone, she told the kids, ¡°Go to the yard and walk around to help digest your food.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    The twins with mixed sex replied in their milky voices.


    Xiao Ming Rui nodded.


    After Kang Li went to the kitchen to wash the dishes and utensils, Xiao Ming Wei looked up at Luo Yanqing, ¡°Daddy, daddy, did you make mommy angry?¡±


    Luo Yanqing¡¯s lips were tightly sealed, he didn¡¯t respond to the little girl.


    Xiao Ming Han¡¯s big round eyes widened, ¡°Daddy, mommy didn¡¯t leave any food for you, you must have done something wrong, but why would you do something wrong, daddy?¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei said, ¡°Daddy, mommy works so hard, you¡¯re not a good child if you do something wrong!¡±


    ¡°Mommy likes good babies the best, daddy, if you¡¯re not good, Hanhan will ignore you together with mommy!¡± Milk Bun Ming Han said with a milky voice, striding away with her little short legs.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, daddy, Vivi can¡¯t talk to you anymore either.¡±


    Following Xiao Ming Han¡¯s lead, Xiao Ming Wei also left.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Xiao Ming Rui¡¯s mouth twitched, but in the end, he didn¡¯t say anything, following his siblings out of the living room.


    In the kitchen.


    Kang Li finished washing the dishes, tidied up the kitchen, and then, as if nothing had happened, she joined the three little ones for a walk in the yard.


    Recently, for the past two or three days, the neighbors who used to visit every evening to watch TV, for some reason, all ended up going to the Wen¡¯s family next door to watch.


    So, even though the sky was gradually darkening at this hour, not a single neighbor stopped by.


    ¡°Mommy, why does nobodye to our house to watch TV anymore?¡±


    As the three kids walked in a line ording to their size, with Kang Li behind Xiao Ming Wei, suddenly, Xiao Ming Wei turned around and asked Kang Li.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    Kang Li shook her head.


    She didn¡¯t want to deceive the children by saying that perhaps someone had been talking behind their back, more precisely, talking behind her back, causing everyone to go to the neighbors¡¯ to watch TV, no longer willing toe to their house¡­


    Maybe it was just her guess, but from the portrayal of the female protagonist¡¯s character in the original novel, she had good reason to believe that most likely the protagonist had done something underhanded behind the scenes.


    Actually, this was fine for her as she didn¡¯t like it too noisy. Without peopleing over to freeload TV, it was just as she preferred.


    As for what that someone else might think, Kang Li didn¡¯t care, nor did she want to bother with it.


    After walking around to aid digestion, Kang Li instructed the three little ones to wash up, and after taking a bath herself, feeling fresh, she told the children, ¡°Alright, back to your room, mommy will tell you a story.¡±


    The four of them passed by someone without a word.


    Luo Yanqing stretched out his hand in the style of Erkang, wanting to call Kang Li, but somehow he felt that the slim and graceful figure emanated a coolness that made him hesitate to speak.


    By the time he came to his senses, the slender figure had already disappeared from view.


    Pursing his lips, Luo Yanqing looked dejected, sighed, and walked to the kitchen.


    He needed to find himself something to eat.


    Without any cooked food avable, he had no choice but to cook for himself.


    Otherwise, he would undoubtedly be faced with a hungry stomach tonight.


    Standing in the kitchen for a while, Luo Yanqing¡¯s lips remained tight, against his cool and indifferent face, he prepared himself a bowl of instant noodles.


    A few green vegetables, some chopped green onions, adjusting the seasoning, he stood alone in the kitchen and made do with his meal.


    ¡°Mommy, did you and daddy have a fight?¡±

 Chapter 169 - 169 169 Man Just Endure It

    ?Chapter 169: Chapter 169: Man, Just Endure It!   Chapter 169: Chapter 169: Man, Just Endure It!                                   After hearing the story, just before sleep, Xiao Ming Wei looked at Kang Li with her glittering, puzzled eyes.


    Milk Bun Ming Han asked, ¡°Mommy, what did Daddy do to upset you, huh?¡±


    ¡°Nothing, Mommy isn¡¯t upset, and I didn¡¯t argue with Daddy. Sweetie, close your eyes and sleep. Mommy will watch over you as you fall asleep.¡±


    Kang Li spoke softly and hummed ¡°Flying Insects.¡±


    ¡°Mommy¡­ sounds nice, Vivi likes listening¡­ Flying, flying insects¡­¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei closed her eyes and soon, her mouth made intermittent, soft and sleepy sounds.


    ¡°¡­ Flying, flying insects¡­¡±


    That was the sound from Milk Bun Ming Han.


    Kang Li smiled, stood up, turned on the deskmp, walked to the door of the room, pulled the light cord, and slowly closed the door,


    However, she didn¡¯t go straight back to the master bedroom but stood outside the trio¡¯s room for a while before she moved on.


    ¡°Kang¡­ Kang Li, what are you doing?¡±


    Luo Yanqing was sitting in bed reading by the light of the deskmp when he heard the familiar footsteps. His taut nerves rxed somewhat, but what did he see?


    His little wife walked into the room without saying a word, picked up her pillow and thin quilt, and was about to leave.


    With a slight furrow in his brow, Luo Yanqing panicked. He put down the book, got out of bed, and grabbed Kang Li¡¯s left wrist: ¡°I¡­¡±


    But before he could finish his sentence, Kang Li nced at him coldly, then broke away from his grasp, and said emotionlessly, ¡°I¡¯m going to sleep in the guest room.¡±


    Humph! Don¡¯t think she doesn¡¯t have a temper!


    Plus, once she gets angry, she¡¯s not easy to appease.


    Man, you deal with it!


    ¡°Kang Li¡­¡±


    Luo Yanqing wanted to follow her but was also worried about upsetting his little wife. In the end, he could only watch helplessly as Kang Li entered the guest room.


    Two days passed in a sh.


    Kang Li and the trio lived joyfully, treating a certain someone as if he were air.


    She wouldn¡¯t initiate conversation, but if the man asked something and she knew the answer, she¡¯d respond; if she didn¡¯t know, she just shook her head, her clear, fox-like eyes showing no emotion.


    Luo Yanqing was utterly baffled. He didn¡¯t understand why, even though Kang Li was interacting with him, the feeling was different from before.


    That afternoon.


    ¡°I feel that you¡¯ve be a little different.¡±


    ¡°Do you think so?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t feel it.¡±


    The trio were taking their afternoon nap, and Kang Li was actually nning to go to the guest room for a nap too, but Luo Yanqing blocked her way.


    The two of them stood facing each other, eyes locked, one indifferent yet perplexed, the other open and natural.


    ¡°Is it because of what I said the other day?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re talking about.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t really like others touching my things¡­¡±


    Kang Li raised an eyebrow: ¡°Others? In Professor Luo¡¯s eyes, am I an ¡®other¡¯?¡±


    Luo Yanqing instinctively shook his head: ¡°No. You and I are husband and wife!¡± implying Kang Li wasn¡¯t an other.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re saying.¡± Kang Li pretended to be confused, though she obviously understood what he meant.


    Luo Yanqing pursed his lips and stayed silent for a moment, then spoke straightforwardly: ¡°You are my wife, not anyone else.¡±


    A hint of amusement began to form in Kang Li¡¯s fox-like eyes, and she curved her lips: ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Luo Yanqing nodded lightly.


    Kang Li¡¯s eyes twinkled cunningly as she tilted her head to ask, ¡°Then can I touch your things?¡±


    Luo Yanqing hesitated for a moment, then nodded: ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright, look at your hesitation. You still mind it.¡± Kang Li¡¯s eyes widened cheerfully as she smiled and said:

 Chapter 170 - 170 170 Am I Not Allowed to Be Upset

    ?Chapter 170: Chapter 170: Am I Not Allowed to Be Upset?   Chapter 170: Chapter 170: Am I Not Allowed to Be Upset?                                   ¡°No one likes it when their belongings are tampered with, and I mind it just as much as you do. However, that day, I merely wanted to help organize those books for you and had no other intentions. But afterwards, I reflected on it and understood that regardless of my intentions, it was disrespectful to you.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Luo Yanqing¡¯s lips pursed slightly, and after a long moment, he finally said, ¡°Then you¡­¡± Yet his following words did note.


    Kang Li smiled, ¡°Are you asking me why, after realizing that, I didn¡¯t speak to you as proactively as before, and why I haven¡¯t been cooking for you these past few days, right?¡±


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°¡­¡± His silence spoke volumes.


    ¡°Am I not allowed to be upset?¡± Kang Li red at the man, but she didn¡¯t realize that her look carried no real threat; instead, it just made her appear charming and animated.


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°You¡¯re upset?¡± If she hade to understand, why was she still upset?


    Kang Li pointed at the man¡¯s chest with her right index finger, speaking with a hint of emotion, ¡°I¡¯m upset about the way you looked at me and the tone you used when speaking to me. Do you realize? Your eyes were indifferent and distant, and your tone was so cold. I felt hurt and didn¡¯t want to deal with you, and I didn¡¯t want to make your meals. Am I wrong?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Gripping Kang Li¡¯s finger that was pressing against his chest repeatedly, he said, ¡°You¡¯re not wrong, it¡¯s my fault, but I didn¡¯t do it on purpose. I was considering an issue at the time and reacted that way instinctively when I felt someone touching my hand.¡±


    Kang Li went ¡°Oh.¡±


    After a silence, Luo Yanqing continued, ¡°Xiao Li, when you said that my gaze towards you was indifferent and remote, I¡­ I didn¡¯t realize¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re calling me Xiao Li?¡± From calling her Kang Li to now Xiao Li, it seemed his attitude towards her had indeed progressed!


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°Is that not okay?¡±


    Kang Li shook her head, ¡°You can call me whatever you like.¡±


    After a brief pause, she went on, ¡°Your gaze is indeed very detached, but I know it¡¯s not just towards me. This could be rted to your past experiences, or maybe you are just innately unable to feel much towards anything, which is why you have such a look.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not¡­¡±


    Luo Yanqing nearly blurted out, but after the words ¡°it¡¯s not,¡± he struggled to find what to say next.


    Kang Li asked, ¡°What do you want to say it¡¯s not?¡±


    Luo Yanqing shook his head.


    ¡°Do you not know how to say it?¡±


    With her finger still held by the other party, Kang Li saw the man nod and smiled, ¡°Then don¡¯t say it. The way we interact with each other, all you need to do is follow your own heart.¡±


    Despite having been married once, he still hadn¡¯t be savvy about rtionships. As she had previously thought: the man before her was an older but innocent man when it came to love!


    At the Song Family.


    Director Song suddenly received a phone call, and after the call ended, his expression was grave, and he remained silent for a long while.


    ¡°Who was that?¡±


    Seeing Director Song¡¯s mood was off, Mrs. Qi¡¯s brow furrowed slightly, unable to refrain from asking who was on the other end of the call with Director Song.


    ¡°It was a call from Director Nie Yun of the Langcheng Welfare Institute.¡±


    ¡°The Langcheng Welfare Institute¡­ a call from Comrade Nie Yun? What did he tell you?¡± The Langcheng Welfare Institute was where Little Luo had lived for almost ten years; now that Director Nie was calling, could it have something to do with Little Luo?


    Mrs. Qi fixed her gaze on Director Song: ¡°Will you please speak?¡±


    ¡°Comrade Nie Yun said that Little Luo¡¯s birth mother has found the Welfare Institute and is inquiring about Little Luo¡¯s current whereabouts.¡±

 Chapter 171 - 171 171 Luo Yanqing Will Have Trouble

    ?Chapter 171: Chapter 171: Luo Yanqing Will Have Trouble   Chapter 171: Chapter 171: Luo Yanqing Will Have Trouble                                   ¡°What was Nie Yun¡¯s response?¡±


    ¡°Naturally, she wouldn¡¯t tell the other party.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, what are you worried about?¡±


    Mrs. Qi was puzzled.


    Director Song sighed, ¡°Little Luo¡¯s biological mother has been running over to the welfare institute, insisting on seeing Little Luo.¡±


    ¡°The nerve of her!¡±


    As soon as she received the news of her husband¡¯s sacrifice, she went looking for another partner and even took all the family¡¯s possessions, leaving only her child in the care of his frail, elderly grandparents. She didn¡¯t contact her son for many years, but now she suddenly shows up wanting to know his whereabouts and to see him, which makes no sense!


    Director Song kept silent.


    Mrs. Qi then asked, ¡°What do you n to do?¡±


    Director Song, ¡°It will depend on what Little Luo wants.¡±


    Mrs. Qi, ¡°I think it¡¯s better not to tell Xiao Zhao, to avoid affecting his future research work. Besides, Little Luo doesn¡¯t have any feelings for his biological mother.¡±


    Director Song, ¡°How do you know Little Luo has no feelings for his mother?¡±


    Mrs. Qi, ¡°Do you even need to ask me? Ever since you and I got to know Little Luo, has he ever mentioned that mother of his in our presence?¡±


    ¡°He hasn¡¯t mentioned her, but that doesn¡¯t mean Little Luo doesn¡¯t have his biological mother in his heart.¡± As soon as Director Song said this, Mrs. Qi red at him fiercely.


    ¡°I¡¯m just speaking the truth.¡±


    Director Song shook his head helplessly.


    ¡°What truth? I tell you, Song Enping, you¡¯d better inquire everything from Director Nie before talking to Little Luo. Have you not thought about it? That woman abandoned Little Luo to remarry, and it wasn¡¯t for one or two years, or even ten or eight years, but for more than twenty years. She never showed up all these years, and now she suddenly pops out of nowhere, do you think that can be good?¡±


    Mrs. Qi¡¯s words struck Director Song like a blow to the head. He didn¡¯t respond, but instead reached for the phone on the desk and dialed a number.


    Once the phone connected and Director Song heard that the voice on the other end was Director Nie, he conveyed the concerns Mrs. Qi had shared with him.


    ¡°This¡­ I haven¡¯t looked into that. How about this, I¡¯ll arrange for someone to carefully find out the situation with Yanqing¡¯s mother right away, and I¡¯ll call you back.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll wait for your call.¡±


    After the call ended, Director Song put back the phone.


    It only took a day for Director Nie at the Langcheng Welfare Institute to thoroughly understand the situation of Luo Yanqing¡¯s biological mother, Wang Gun.


    ¡°Are you sure all of this is true?¡±


    Upon receiving another call from Director Nie, and after hearing what Director Nie had to say, Director Song¡¯s expression turned as if he had swallowed a fly. He said gravely into the phone, ¡°You and I both know Little Luo¡¯s status; not a single word about him should be mentioned to his mother.¡±


    Director Nie, ¡°You can rest assured, I have it under control.¡±


    Director Song, ¡°Also, if that woman causes more trouble, contact your local authorities directly to take her to where she should go.¡±


    Director Nie, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Director Song, ¡°Let¡¯s leave it at that, contact me if anythinges up.¡±


    Director Nie, ¡°Okay, goodbye.¡±


    Langcheng Welfare Institute.


    After finishing the call with Director Song, Director Nie stepped out of the office, and arade from the welfare institute approached him.


    ¡°Director, Wang Gun hase again. Our people didn¡¯t let her through the main gate, so she started crying and yelling outside the gate, iming that our welfare institute is hiding her son and preventing them from meeting.¡±

 Chapter 172 - 172 172 Army of Bloodsucking Worms

    ?Chapter 172: Chapter 172: Army of Bloodsucking Worms   Chapter 172: Chapter 172: Army of Bloodsucking Worms                                   The speaker was a woman in her thirties named Liu Hong.


    ¡°I understand, Liu, you go ahead and get busy.¡±


    As Director Nie spoke, he began walking toward the main gate.


    Outside the gates of the Langcheng Welfare Institute, Wang Gun was sitting cross-legged on the ground, nked by two young men in their twenties. They were both sons from her remarriage and just two of the children she had borne.


    In other words, Wang Gun had six sons with her second husband.


    If one considered Yanqing, a son from her previous husband, she had seven sons in her life, a fact that was quite enviable in those times, especially in a rural setting.


    After all, having many sons in a family meant a strongbor force, and by extension, more work points could be earned at the end of the year.


    However, none of the sons born to Wang Gun and her second husband were inclined to endure hardships.


    In the city, this wouldn¡¯t matter much; however, not long after remarrying, Wang Gun¡¯s husband made a severe mistake at the factory, which resulted in the loss of his job.


    Wang Gun had a temporary job initially, but she had to return to farming in her husband¡¯s rural hometown after he lost his employment.


    As the saying goes, follow your husband like a hen follows a rooster or a dog. When her husband had to leave the city for his countryside home, Wang Gun naturally had to follow.


    At that time, they had already had one son together.


    However, the couple had more than this one child at the time. Why? Because Wang Gun was remarried, and her husband was a widower who already had a son and a daughter.


    Thus, the family of five returned to the countryside.


    Having lived in the city for many years, Wang Gun couldn¡¯t adapt to rural life and chose to have more sons to avoidboring in the fields.


    However, she focused solely on childbirth and not on raising them; as her husband settled the marriage of his children from his previous wife and saw them have children of their own, he copsed in the fields and never woke up again.


    Wang Gun was left to care for her six sons alone, living a life of extreme hardship.


    Initially, her family provided some help, but as time passed, her sister-inw¡¯s objections grew strong, and to maintain family harmony, Wang Gun¡¯s parents and brothers had no choice but to cut off rtions with their daughter (sister).


    She thought she could just endure and life would go on, but as each son grew up and needed to find a wife, Wang Gun became desperate.


    The family was extremely poor, and the sons were not ustomed to hard work; they earned very few work points a day.


    Under these circumstances, Wang Gun thought of Yanqing, the son she had with her former husband.


    However, she was concerned about maintaining face, knowing that she had acted too drastically in her younger years; she dared not venture into Luo Family¡¯s home in the city and instead cobbled together enough resources to get a wife for her eldest son by bending over backward.


    Nowadays, Wang Gun¡¯s second and third sons, ages neen and seventeen respectively, were at an age for discussing marriage in the countryside, but she could not afford the bride price for two daughters-inw, even if she sold herself.


    Based on this, she reluctantly approached Luo Family¡¯s door, hoping to ask Yanqing for money, but was told by Yanqing¡¯s uncle and aunt that they had sent him to be raised by the government when he was eight years old.


    Remembering the address given by Yanqing¡¯s uncle and aunt, Wang Gun inquired here and there and eventually found the Langcheng Welfare Institute. In less than ten days, she had visited the Langcheng Welfare Institute no fewer than five times.


    ¡°Mom, if they still won¡¯t tell us where our big brother is, what should we do?¡±


    The speaker was Wang Gun¡¯s second son from her second marriage.


    Wang Gun replied, ¡°If they don¡¯t tell us, I¡¯ll just keep causing a disturbance until they have to.¡±

 Chapter 173 - 173 173 Dont Imitate Me

    ?Chapter 173: Chapter 173: Don¡¯t Imitate Me   Chapter 173: Chapter 173: Don¡¯t Imitate Me                                   ¡°Keep causing a scene?¡±


    As Director Nie walked out of the front gate, he happened to hear Wang Gun¡¯s words. His face darkened, and he stared down at Wang Gun and her two sons with an imposing gaze, ¡°Let me give you some final advice; if you don¡¯t want to be sent tobor reform, you best go back from whence you came. Otherwise, what awaits you is being taken away by others.¡±


    Wang Gun was stunned, her face ashen, unable to articte a word.


    ¡°Mom, I don¡¯t want to be sent tobor reform. Let¡¯s go back!¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go home, mom, let¡¯s go home!¡±


    The two sons, one on each side, helped Wang Gun up from the ground and ,trembling with fear, were about to leave, when Wang Gun snapped back to her senses and red at Director Nie, saying, ¡°You¡­ You¡¯re just trying to scare me, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Director Nie: ¡°Whether I¡¯m scaring you or not, you can continue making a scene at the doorstep of our Welfare Institute and find out soon enough.¡± With those words, Director Nie turned and walked back through the institute¡¯s main gate.


    ¡°Mom¡­¡±


    Being called by her sons, Wang Gun, with reluctance, nced back at the Welfare Institute¡¯s gate and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go home first.¡±


    North City.


    Song Family.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I guess it?!¡±


    Upon hearing the entirety of Director Song¡¯s retelling of Director Nie¡¯s words, Mrs. Qi sneered, ¡°She¡¯s clearly run into a dead end, with no dowry money to give her biological son for marrying a bride, and now she thinks of Little Luo, the son she abandoned many years ago. Her calctions are really quite something.¡±


    ¡°Alright, now we know the reason. We won¡¯t let her find Little Luo, so let¡¯s just drop the subject, shall we?¡±


    Director Song felt rather guilty about nearly bringing a swarm of bloodsuckers upon his son-inw and daughter.


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll let you off this time, but if there¡¯s a next time, if you don¡¯t clear things up and bring trouble upon Li Bao and Little Luo, just see how I settle the score with you.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare. I really owe you this time, if you hadn¡¯t reminded me, I fear I might have added to Little Luo¡¯s worries.¡±


    ¡­


    Luo Yanqing had no idea that he had almost be re-entangled with his biological mother who had abandoned him and who he hadn¡¯t seen for a full twenty years. At that moment, he was using the moonlighting through the window to look at Kang Li¡¯s profile while listening to his little wife speak.


    ¡°We¡¯ve agreed, first thing in the morning you¡¯re going with me to the vegetable supply point to buy groceries.¡±


    ¡°Mhm.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll hold Ruirui, and you push the cart with Hanhan and Ruirui in it.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Speaking of the cart, Kang Li couldn¡¯t help but summon System Dwen Dwen in his mind: ¡°Come out now.¡±


    Dwen Dwen: ¡°What does big sister need from me, quack?¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°Purchase a twin stroller from the Mall and ce it directly in the storage room in the yard.¡±


    Dwen Dwen: ¡°Okay, quack.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°By the way, do I have any TV licenses among my rewards?¡±


    Dwen Dwen: ¡°There¡¯s one, does big sister need it?¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°It¡¯s to repay a favor.¡±


    Just then, Yanqing¡¯s voice drifted to her ears, ¡°Tired?¡±


    Kang Li instructed System to go y on its own, then she responded to the man, ¡°Not really.¡±


    Following her reply, the room fell silent once more.


    After a while, Kang Li asked, ¡°Are you tired?¡±


    Yanqing: ¡°Not really.¡±


    Kang Li hummed lightly, ¡°Are you copying me?!¡±


    Yanqing curled his lips into a smile: ¡°Mhm.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still agreeing?! Stop copying me.¡±


    As Kang Li¡¯s lips simrly curved into a smile, listening to her sweetly petnt voice, Yanqing¡¯s smile broadened slightly, ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t copy you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s better!¡±


    Kang Liughed out loud.


    Yanqing: ¡°I¡¯m an adult.¡±


    Hearing the man¡¯s serious statement, Kang Li turned over, lying on her side with one hand propping up her chin, the corners of her eyes crinkled withughter as she gazed at his sharply handsome face: ¡°I never said you weren¡¯t.¡±

 Chapter 174 - 174 174 You Cant Wrong Me Oh

    ?Chapter 174: Chapter 174: You Can¡¯t Wrong Me Oh   Chapter 174: Chapter 174: You Can¡¯t Wrong Me Oh                                   Luo Yanqing: ¡°Mm, you didn¡¯t say.¡± She was his little wife, and since he had epted the marriage between them, then in this house, whatever she said wasw, right?


    Gazing into Kang Li¡¯s bright, fox-like eyes, Luo Yanqing thought to himself.


    ¡°Professor Luo is very honest, I like it,¡± she said.


    Those words were just casually spoken by Kang Li, with no other implication, but when they fell into Luo Yanqing¡¯s ears, his heartbeat momentarily went awry.


    Kang Li: ¡°You¡¯re a bit off.¡± Her fox-like eyes wide open, his wless handsome face reflected in her pupils, she was in an extremely good mood, even her long, curlingshes seemed filled with joy.


    Was his odd expression triggered by what she had just said?


    Or, more precisely, was it because of her saying ¡°I like it,¡± like a small stone tossed into the still waters of his heart, causing a series of gentle ripples?


    If that was truly the case, then it was fantastic!


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Calming his mind, Luo Yanqing stared quietly at Kang Li, at his little wife, and he noticed she was a bit mischievous, seemingly unafraid of him.


    Despite nearly a decade of age difference and his tendency not to smile or show interest in anything other than his work¡­ it truly wasn¡¯t easy for people to get close to him. Yet, none of that seemed to be a problem for her.


    In other words, her temperament did not match her age, but it wasn¡¯t out of ce either.


    It was as if she was meant to be just like this.


    With emotions he couldn¡¯t identify tinting his phoenix eyes, Luo Yanqing couldn¡¯t help wanting to touch the girl¡¯s picturesque eyebrows and eyes at that moment, wanting to trace them lightly with his fingertips, wanting to hold her hand again, or to be held by her, to feel the odd sensation of her pale, boneless-like soft hand.


    As these tender thoughts rose in his heart, Luo Yanqing¡¯s heartbeat became irregr once more, and he felt his ears growing hot.


    Noticing his own oddity, Luo Yanqing wanted to look away, but he couldn¡¯t bear to.


    ¡°Your eyes tell me that you¡¯re a bit flustered right now, um, even wanting to escape my gaze. Can Professor Luo tell me why?¡±


    Blinking her fox-like eyes, Kang Li felt that she was being quite naughty tonight, she seemed to be addicted to teasing Professor Luo!


    Luo Yanqing very ufortable: ¡°¡­You¡¯re mistaken.¡± After a long moment, he managed to say, and after some time, his low, clear, maic voice carried an unwitting indulgence: ¡°Stop it.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°I¡¯m not causing trouble.¡± In the man¡¯s stunned gaze, she suddenly leaned in close to him, with her hands propping up her cheeks, her fox-like eyes brimming with innocence: ¡°You can¡¯t wrongly use me.¡±


    ¡°Can you¡­ can you¡­¡± Keep your distance from me, the words were on the tip of his tongue, but Luo Yanqing hesitated to speak out. He had a feeling that once he said it, his little wife would surely ignore him as she had before, and even refuse to give him food.


    And so, Professor Luo wimped out, enduring the irregr heartbeat, enduring the heat on his cheeks, he let the girl close to him stare at him unabashedly.


    All of a sudden, his vision darkened, and then warmth and softness touched his face.


    ¡°Professor Luo, you¡¯re really cute!¡±


    Having said that, Kang Li quickly retreated to her own spot, her mouth emitting joyfulughter.


    Luo Yanqing was dumbstruck!


    She¡­ she kissed him!


    Just now, she had kissed him, his feelings couldn¡¯t be wrong¡­


    Luo Yanqing remained in a daze, it took him a while to snap out of it. He pressed his hand to his chest and realized his heartbeat was racing even faster, this was truly abnormal!

 Chapter 175 - 175 175 I Heard It All

    ?Chapter 175: Chapter 175 I Heard It All   Chapter 175: Chapter 175 I Heard It All                                   But he didn¡¯t dislike the feeling, on the contrary, he vaguely felt delighted.


    Theughter by his ear was full of pleasure, and slowly, Luo Yanqing also let out a low chuckle.


    Unexpectedly, the petite figure turned over, facing him again, she leaned in close and whispered, ¡°I heard that, you know!¡±


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°¡­¡±


    Kang Li gave him a teasing look, ¡°You wereughing, I heard it! Don¡¯t even try to deny it.¡±


    Yet Luo Yanqing¡¯s Phoenix Eyes blinked, conveying a message that said ¡°What you¡¯re saying, I didn¡¯t catch that.¡±


    Such an innocent expression.


    Was he mimicking her, or was he actually mimicking her?!


    Kang Li widened her eyes and puffed her cheeks, making a childishly ignorant gesture, andid directly on top of the man. She stretched out her ws and yfully messed up his handsome face, and feigned a threatening tone, ¡°If you won¡¯t admit it, watch out, I¡¯ll bite you!¡±


    To emphasize that her words were no bluff, she ground her teeth deliberately.


    Luo Yanqing had never experienced anything like this before, and he was taken aback at first, but then couldn¡¯t help himself and let out another lowugh.


    At the sound of thatugh, Kang Li involuntarily withdrew her hand. She stared directly at the man¡¯s handsome face, which was only inches away. She looked into his dark Phoenix Eyes, observed theughter swirling within those eyes, saw his beautifully shaped lips, and her gaze gradually became hazy.


    She really wanted to kiss him!


    And she did just as she desired, except this time, it wasn¡¯t a kiss on his face, but one thatnded on his lips.


    ¡°Luo Yanqing, you¡¯re really handsome!¡± Even more so when you smile!


    With that murmur, the next moment, she found their positions reversed.


    Luo Yanqing looked steadily into her fox-like eyes, ¡°Do you like it?¡±


    Blinking, Kang Li hummed a sound of agreement, saying, ¡°I like it.¡±


    As time passed by, getting her affirmative response, Luo Yanqing¡¯s eyes gradually deepened. He bent down, mimicking Kang Li¡¯s previous action, giving a peck on her cheek and then on her lips.


    Kang Li blinked, and blinked again, realizing she wasn¡¯t dreaming. For a moment, her face flushed and her heart raced, and she pushed the man away, creating a distance between them.


    While repeatedly murmuring to herself, ¡°Nothing happened, nothing happened, right, that¡¯s it, I don¡¯t know anything!¡±


    She was deceiving herself. Hearing her mumbled words and seeing her quick escape, Luo Yanqing looked surprised briefly but then his long, jade-like hands covered his eyes brimming with mirth, and his mouth curled into a smile saying, ¡°I heard everything.¡±


    Regaining her senses, Kang Li harumphed, saying, ¡°You heard nothing, go to sleep!¡±


    Luo Yanqing yed along, ¡°Alright, I heard nothing.¡± Theughter remained in his Phoenix Eyes as he said, ¡°Goodnight.¡± The certaindy in a mood, of course, didn¡¯t hear that.


    Speaking of which, Kang Li was actually quite the novice when it came to love.


    In her previous world, she was preupied with her career; she had neither the time for love nor the thought of engaging in romance. Hence, there were the set-ups by her parents, and her mother¡¯s asional lectures about how wonderful it was to have a boyfriend, to be married, to have lovely babies.


    In short, her parents had broken their hearts over her marital matters.


    ¡­


    The cool night breeze wafted through the window, and without realizing it, Kang Li fell into a dreand. Meanwhile, Luo Yanqing turned over to his side and shifted closer to Kang Li.


    As he looked at her profile, he remembered the first time he saw her; she¡­ did not look like someone who could be raised in a farmer¡¯s family ¡ª with remarkable beauty and temperament, it was clear that wherever she went, she would attract many gazes.


    Indeed, that was the case.

 Chapter 176 - 176 176 It was she who taught him

    ?Chapter 176: Chapter 176: It was she who taught him   Chapter 176: Chapter 176: It was she who taught him                                   Lying t on his back, Luo Yanqing took hold of the girl¡¯s hand that was close to him, and he seemed to know¡­ He knew what love was.


    And it was she who taught him!


    The feeling was unfamiliar, yet mysteriously wonderful.


    He didn¡¯t reject it at all!


    The next day.


    The morning sun gradually rose in the east, and because it had rained a soft, fine rainst night, the vegetables in the courtyard looked especially lush in the sunlight. At the same time, they stretched their waists slowly against the wind, their leaves adorned with dewdrops sparkling and clear, like pearls carefully rolling about.


    The sunlight shone on them, refracting dazzling light.


    ¡°Shall we go now?¡±


    With the ambiguity ofst night lingering, both Kang Li and Luo Yanqing felt somewhat ufortable facing each other this morning, especially when their eyes met, it felt as if pink bubbles spontaneously filled the air around them.


    As a result, Kang Li unconsciously always avoided the man¡¯s gaze.


    As for Luo Yanqing, he was slightly better; he didn¡¯t deliberately avoid the gentle collision of his little wife¡¯s gaze, but whenever he came near her, he couldn¡¯t control the memories ofst night¡¯s interaction from surfacing, causing his heart rate to behave abnormally, and his ears to heat up.


    Kang Li¡¯s cheeks were slight, and she responded with a ¡°Hmm¡± without looking at the man.


    ¡°Mommy, what are we going to do?¡±


    Having washed up, Milk Bun Ming Han toddled up to Kang Li, tilting his tiny head back and asking in a milky voice.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to buy vegetables.¡±


    Kang Li said and walked into the storage room. Shortly after, she came out pushing a bamboo twin stroller, and almost instantly, the Twin with mixed sex ran over.


    ¡°Mommy, mommy, is this for Vivi and second brother to sit in?¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei circled around the stroller, eyes round and full of curiosity like ck grapes.


    ¡°Yes, but your brother can sit in it too.¡±


    Kang Li softly replied to the little girl, nced at Milk Bun Ming Han, and eventually turned her gaze to the young boy Min Rui, asking with a smile, ¡°Would you like to try sitting on it?¡±


    The stroller had been ced in the storage room by the System in thetter half ofst night. It was clean and without a speck of dust, but Kang Li still took a rag and carefully wiped it down.


    The young boy Min Rui shook his head: ¡°I am a big kid now.¡±


    ¡°Big kids can try it too.¡±


    Kang Li smiled as she lifted the young boy, cing him in one of the seats on the stroller. She put some effort into pushing the stroller and took twops around the courtyard.


    In fact, the moment she wheeled the stroller out of the storage room, she saw clearly how the young boy¡¯s eyes suddenly shone brightly like stars, not the least bit dimmer than the Twin with mixed sex¡¯s bright eyes.


    Clearly, the young boy did want to give it a try.


    Indeed, that was the case.


    Seated in the stroller, Min Rui gripped the two armrests, and as Kang Li pushed him around in circles in the courtyard, though his face was stern, the slight upward curve of his mouth gave away his pleasant mood.


    ¡°Mommy, this stroller is super pretty, Hanhan likes it.¡±


    After Kang Li stopped, Milk Bun Ming Han stepped forward, extending his little hands and happily touching the stroller.


    ¡°As long as our Hanhan likes it, that¡¯s good.¡±


    Kang Li lifted Min Rui down from the stroller, and Luo Yanqing came over to put the Twin with mixed sex inside.


    ¡°Second brother, are you happy?¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei looked at her brother Ming Wei, her eyes curving into crescents as she smiled.


    ¡°Happy.¡±


    Milk Bun Ming Han sat in the stroller, touching here and there curiously. If he had wings on his back, he would surely have flown out of sheer joy.


    ¡°Xiao Li, are you ready?¡±

 Chapter 177 - 177 177 Luo Yanqing Gets Jealous

    ?Chapter 177: Chapter 177 Luo Yanqing Gets Jealous   Chapter 177: Chapter 177 Luo Yanqing Gets Jealous                                   Kang Li went to her room to fetch a handmade clutch, but when she didn¡¯te out immediately, Luo Yanqing couldn¡¯t help but call out softly.


    ¡°Coming.¡±


    Apanied by a sweet-sounding voice, Kang Li, with her hair done up in a bun, wearing a blue dress with white polka dots and a doll cor that fell to her knees, appeared lightly in front of Luo Yanqing and the three little ones.


    ¡°Wow! Hanhan¡¯s mom is like a little fairy, everything looks so pretty on her!¡±


    On hearing Milk Bun Ming Han¡¯s words, Kang Li immediatelyughed, ¡°Our Hanhan¡¯s mouth is really sweet!¡± Such a young age and already a charmer, he would probably attract many girls when he grew up.


    Luo Yanqing nced at Xiao Ming Han imperceptibly.


    Clearly, he was jealous, feeling that the little guy had stolen the line that belonged to him.


    However, Luo Yanqing still expressed his thoughts to Kang Li, ¡°Very pretty.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, it¡¯s alright!¡±


    Kang Li smiled, went into the kitchen to grab a basket, took Min Rui¡¯s hand, and said to Luo Yanqing, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    With a slight curve of his thin lips, Luo Yanqing nodded and then began pushing the stroller toward the courtyard entrance.


    ¡°Not too difficult, is it?¡±


    The bamboo twin stroller that Dwen Dwen had chosen at the mall was both lightweight and agile, easy to push, but Kang Li still couldn¡¯t help but ask Luo Yanqing.


    Upon hearing this, Luo Yanqing shook his head.


    Kang Li didn¡¯t exin to Luo Yanqing where the bamboo stroller for the twins came from; she knew he wouldn¡¯t ask, thus sparing her from having to fabricate a story.


    Once outside the courtyard gate, Kang Li locked the door, took Min Rui¡¯s hand again, and walked beside Luo Yanqing, the family of five heading toward the main courtyard gate.


    The man was handsome and the woman beautiful, and each child was adorable; Luo Yanqing wore a blue shirt and khaki trousers, which made hisplexion look even more fair and clean, and matched Kang Li¡¯s outfit like a couple¡¯s attire.


    As for the attire of the three little ones today, Vivi also sported a bun styled by Kang Li¡¯s hand, wearing a light pink blue cotton dress, while little Min Rui and his brother Ming Han wore white short sleeves with khaki strap shorts.


    Anyone seeing the family dressed like this would involuntarily pay their respects, affirmatively acknowledging that Kang Li, Luo Yanqing, and the three little ones were indeed a close-knit family.


    Su Man and Loo Ping stood at their gate and watched as Kang Li¡¯s family walked past, a sh of jealousy in their eyes.


    Loo Ping felt it too.


    ¡°That family really dresses well today.¡±


    ¡°Sister, you are wrong; they are almost always dressed like this. But, it really does look good! If I weren¡¯t pregnant, I¡¯d also buy myself some nice clothes to wear,¡± Loo Ping said.


    Although her belly wasn¡¯t yet showing, Su Man acted as if making sure everyone knew she was pregnant, her hand on her waist, fully portraying the look of a pregnant woman.


    Loo Ping ncing at her stomach, lowered her voice, ¡°This pregnancy of yours, has Yueyue shown any emotions?¡± To avoid being overheard by Wen Yue and her sisters, she didn¡¯t forget to nce toward the Wen family house.


    Su Man¡¯s face was full of happiness as she shook her head, ¡°No, they are all looking forward to the arrival of their little brother to y with them.¡±


    You should still be careful; after all, it¡¯s noting out of your stomach. If someone whispers something to Wen Yue and her sisters, your pregnancy could be in jeopardy,¡± Loo Ping said, her words not sitting that well with Su Man. What did she mean by her pregnancy could be in jeopardy? Indeed, although she wasn¡¯t the biological mother, she considered herself very good to them,

 Chapter 178 - 178 178 Surprise

    ?Chapter 178: Chapter 178: Surprise   Chapter 178: Chapter 178: Surprise                                   No matter what, the three little girls wouldn¡¯t possibly covet her belly, let alone harm her and the child within.


    After all, Wen Yue and the others knew how much their father valued the baby in her womb. Should anything happen to it, they were afraid there wouldn¡¯t be good days ahead for them.


    Because she could tell that Wen Siyuan, while fond of his three daughters, didn¡¯t particrly value them.


    Put it this way, Wen Siyuan¡¯s affection was only skin-deep.


    Su Man wouldn¡¯t be foolish enough to share her thoughts with Loo Ping, only responding with a smile, ¡°Sister-inw, I¡¯ll pretend I didn¡¯t hear what you said. In my eyes, my Yueyue and the others would never do anything to their brother.¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright, consider me the viin then!¡± said Loo Ping with her lips, but deep down she wasn¡¯t convinced. Gazing at the retreating backs of Kang Li and her family, she added, ¡°Thesest two or three days, it seems like no one has gone to the Luo Family to watch TV anymore. Don¡¯t you find that odd?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Su Man¡¯s eyes flickered slightly before replying, ¡°That is quite strange. Just don¡¯t know why.¡±


    ¡­


    Once outside the courtyard, Kang Li suddenly said, ¡°It¡¯s been a while since Little Uncle started working, and he hasn¡¯te to see me. Although I have called him, and he said he wouldn¡¯t being to the courtyard for now to get a better grip on his job¡­ I¡¯m still worried about him.¡±


    She didn¡¯t care that Little Uncle couldn¡¯te to see her; she just wanted to know if everything was fine with him at work.


    Sighing inwardly, Kang Li¡¯s mood couldn¡¯t help but fall slightly.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you give Little Uncle a call after we buy groceries and get back home?¡± To Luo Yanqing, calling Kang Guoan ¡°Little Uncle¡± felt a bit awkward. But since he married the man¡¯s sister, calling him ¡°Little Uncle¡± was inevitable.


    As the couple talked, they weren¡¯t paying much attention to what was in front of them, when suddenly, Milk Bun Ming Han¡¯s baby voice rang out, ¡°Mommy! It¡¯s Little Uncle! It¡¯s Little Uncle!¡±


    ¡°Mommy! Vivi saw Little Uncle, Mommy! There¡¯s Little Uncle!¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei pointed ahead, nearly jumping out of her seat in excitement.


    Kang Li¡¯s heart leapt with joy as she looked toward the sunny young man approaching them, her voice filled withughter, ¡°Little Uncle!¡±


    In his hand, Kang Guoan was carrying a bulging bag, stuffed with a pack of crystal pastries, a bottle of fruit canned product, a bag of White Rabbit creamy candy, and seven or eight bright red apples.


    ¡°Little Uncle!¡±


    As Kang Guoan drew nearer, the three little ones called out in unison.


    ¡°Ruirui, Hanhan, Vivi.¡±


    Kang Guoan ruffled the heads of the three little ones and then, with a smile in his eyes, turned to Kang Li, ¡°Li Bao.¡±


    ¡°Little Uncle.¡± Kang Li¡¯s smile was genuine. She nced at Luo Yanqing, then introduced Kang Guoan, ¡°This is your brother-inw.¡± She then introduced Luo Yanqing, ¡°This is my Little Uncle.¡±


    ¡°Hello, just call me Guoan.¡±


    Kang Guoan had no intention of unting his status as Kang Li¡¯s brother, so he shifted the bag to his left hand and reached out his right hand.


    Luo Yanqing, ¡°Hello,¡± and the two shook hands lightly.


    ¡°You all are heading to¡­?¡±


    After retracting his hand, Kang Guoan looked at the grocery basket in Kang Li¡¯s hand.


    ¡°To buy groceries.¡±


    Kang Li said with a smile, then shifted her gaze to Luo Yanqing, ¡°Why don¡¯t you and the kids take Little Uncle back home? I can go buy groceries by myself.¡±


    Before Luo Yanqing could respond, Kang Guoan waved his hand andughed, ¡°No need, I¡¯ll go shopping with you, and then we can all go back together.¡±


    After a moment¡¯s thought, Kang Li nodded, ¡°That works.¡±

 Chapter 179 - 179 179 Bro do you think your sister is pretty

    ?Chapter 179: Chapter 179: Bro, do you think your sister is pretty?   Chapter 179: Chapter 179: Bro, do you think your sister is pretty?                                   ¡°Give it here, little brother. I¡¯ll carry it for you.¡±


    As Kang Guoan took the grocery basket from Kang Li¡¯s hands, he talked about his day at work while they walked.


    ¡°You did great, bro. As a reward, I¡¯ll cook you a big feast tonight!¡±


    He had be proficient at his job and got along well with his colleagues; it seemed the young man really enjoyed his work and was exceptionally diligent.


    How wonderful!


    She liked energized young people like that!


    As Kang Li thought, she seemed to have momentarily forgotten that she and Kang Guoan were the same age, both eighteen.


    ¡°Mom¡¯s meat dishes are super tasty, the fried chicken legs too, and the veggies are all super tasty!¡± Milk Bun Ming Han cooed, vying for attention in front of Little Uncle.


    Xiao Ming Wei chimed in, ¡°Brother¡¯s right, mom¡¯s cooking is super delicious!¡±


    Kang Li¡¯s eyes crinkled with affectionateughter: ¡°Little foodie, mom doesn¡¯t need a reminder. I promise you a joyous meal at noon today!¡±


    ¡°Mom¡¯s the best, Hanhan (Vivi) loves mom so much!¡±


    The twins cheered.


    Indeed, Kang Li was always meticulous¡ªa necessity from her time managing Kang¡¯s, where she had to sign all sorts of documents and make decisions. Ack of attention to detail could have had unimaginable consequences.


    Therefore, since she had moved to North City, each grocery trip was preceded by careful nning of the day¡¯s meals, cataloging the ingredients needed in her mind. Thus, when she arrived at the vegetable stall with a mental list ready, there was no confusion during the purchasing process.


    Kang Li¡¯s memory was indeed exceptional; it wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say she never forgot anything she saw.


    Therefore, nothing ever went wrong with things she handled.


    And speaking honestly about Kang Li¡¯s actions and behaviors in everyday life, Luo Yanqing could find not a w and admired them greatly.


    ¡°Kang Li, did you buy too much?¡±


    There was meat, fish, and even chicken legs, not to mention the vegetables.


    Kang Li replied, ¡°Not at all, we have six people dining together tonight!¡±


    As they entered the courtyard, unsurprisingly, Kang Li¡¯s family, including Kang Guoan, once again drew curious nces from passersby.


    ¡°Kang Li, why is everyone staring at you, brother-inw, and Ruirui?¡±


    Kang Guoan did not mention himself, clearly puzzled.


    With a sly glint in her fox-like eyes, Kang Li asked with a smile, ¡°Little brother, do you think your sister is pretty?¡±


    Kang Guoan blurted out, ¡°Pretty.¡± He didn¡¯t hesitate, because in his eyes, his sister Kang Li was a fairy girl, her beauty beyond doubt, not even by Kang Li herself.


    Kang Li fluttered her fox-like eyes and asked with a grin, ¡°And what about your brother-inw? Is he handsome?¡±


    Kang Guoan retorted, ¡°Kang Li, did you have trouble sleepingst night, causing your vision to blur?¡±


    Kang Li insisted, ¡°Little brother, please give me a clear answer.¡±


    Kang Guoan replied, ¡°Given your brother-inw¡¯s looks and demeanor, do you really need to ask me if he¡¯s handsome?¡±


    Kang Liughed, ncing subtly at Luo Yanqing, then asked Kang Guoan again, ¡°Little brother, are Ruirui and the others good-looking?¡±


    ¡°You might as well leave out the ¡®are they¡¯ part.¡±


    With a slightly exasperated shake of his head, Kang Guoan said, ¡°I only asked you one question, and here you are, asking me several in return. Kang Li, you¡¯re getting more and more unrestrained.¡±


    Kang Li retorted, ¡°Unrestrained? Not at all! Little brother, I think I¡¯m both gentle and elegant, totally unrted to being unrestrained.¡± Saying this, Kang Li fluttered her lively fox-like eyes again, in response to the earlier question Kang Guoan had asked, she gave her answer:

 Chapter 180 - 180 180 Speak and Act Promptly

    ?Chapter 180: Chapter 180 Speak and Act Promptly   Chapter 180: Chapter 180 Speak and Act Promptly                                   ¡°Listen up, little bro, the reason all those people are looking at us is because your sister, your brother-inw, and your three little nephews are good-looking,¡± Luo Yanqing said. ¡°Now you get it? Of course, they¡¯re also looking at you, but I don¡¯t need to tell you why that is, right?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Kang Guoan¡¯s mouth twitched: ¡°Yeah, I get it. But, you know, my looks are just so-so. Walking with your beautiful family, I kind of drag down the average attractiveness of your household.¡±


    ¡°Little bro, can we not sell ourselves short?!¡±


    Kang Li nced at Kang Guoan with a yful look, ¡°If we¡¯re to say your brother-inw ranks number one in looks among the guys, then you, little bro, are definitely second to none. No objections allowed.¡±


    Kang Guoan turned sour: ¡°Now I see why a married-out daughter always elbows outward.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m only telling the truth!¡±


    Kang Li held back augh: ¡°Do you really expect me to insincerely im that your good lookspletely eclipse your brother-inw¡¯s?¡±


    ¡°You and your talk of ¡®eclipsing,¡¯ you aren¡¯t afraid your brother-inw willugh at you.¡±


    Looking at Kang Li, Kang Guoan shook his head, his gaze indulgent and doting.


    Off to the side, Luo Yanqing listened to the siblings¡¯ conversation and couldn¡¯t help but find it amusing.


    Whether by design or coincidence, as Kang Li¡¯s family of five, plus Kang Guoan, walked past Wen¡¯s home, they saw Su Man and Loo Ping chatting together again.


    But this time, they weren¡¯t the only two standing there talking.


    Two others had joined them.


    ¡°Who¡¯s that young man? He looks quite handsome. I¡¯d say he¡¯s just a notch below Professor Luo in terms of looks.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s Comrade Xiao Kang¡¯s older brother.¡±


    ¡°How do you know that?¡±


    ¡°Naturally, because that young man you inquired about has been to ourpound.¡±


    ¡°Even if he has been here, how do you know he¡¯s Comrade Xiao Kang¡¯s older brother?¡±


    ¡°Why do you have to ask so many questions?!¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing else to do, just tell me, Teacher Loo.¡±


    ¡°Comrade Xiao Kang himself introduced him.¡±


    After the incident a few days ago where Loo Pingbeled Kang Li a ¡°vixen,¡± even if she couldn¡¯t control her mouth, she tried as much as possible not to speak ill of Kang Li to anyone else.


    Well, at least not too much.


    ¡°I wonder if that young man is single. If he is, I¡¯d like to y matchmaker and introduce him to my niece.¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t even figured out anything about him and you¡¯re already thinking of matchmaking. Aren¡¯t you a bit too eager?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯m eager, it¡¯s just that if you miss this vige, you won¡¯t find this shop again. So, we have to seize the opportunity!¡± Speaking of which, the outspoken woman, while chatting with Loo Ping, Su Man, and another woman, set off towards Kang Li¡¯s home: ¡°I¡¯ll go ask about that young man right now.¡±


    Loo Ping: ¡°¡­¡± Stunned speechless!


    Su Man: ¡°¡­¡± Shocked!


    The woman standing with them: ¡°¡­¡± Full of astonishment!


    After a moment, Su Man was the first to regain herposure: ¡°Has Gu Family Sister-inw always been so¡­ decisive?¡±


    Loo Ping: ¡°Describing her as ¡®act at the drop of a hat¡¯ would be more urate.¡±


    The other person: ¡°Haoning¡¯s mom is just like that, straightforward and refreshing.¡± This Haoning they¡¯re referring to is the same woman who just went to Kang Li¡¯s home and also the mother of Ruirui¡¯s little buddy, Gu Chi.


    Haoning, full name Gu Haoning, is Gu Chi¡¯s older brother, a full ten years his senior.


    About five or six minutester, Loo Ping saw Gu Chi¡¯s mother emerge from the courtyard of Kang Li¡¯s home, and as the woman approached, she immediately asked, ¡°Howe you came out so soon? Does that mean the young man already has a partner?¡±

 Chapter 181 - 181 181 Teasing

    ?Chapter 181: Chapter 181 Teasing   Chapter 181: Chapter 181 Teasing                                   Gu Chi¡¯s mother looked regretful, ¡°No, that hasn¡¯t happened. But the young man just started working and isn¡¯t interested in dating for now.¡±


    Her second sister¡¯s youngest daughter was twenty-two this year, with high standards. Since high school graduation, she hadn¡¯t approved of anyone she¡¯d met. Now her aunt found a good match for her, but it turned out the young man was four years younger than her niece. Age alone would likely prevent him from considering anything.


    Even though the young man hadn¡¯t mentioned it, she could guess as much.


    ¡°He isn¡¯t interested in dating for now, which doesn¡¯t mean he won¡¯t ever consider it. Since you have found someone for your niece, why not discuss it properly with Comrade Xiao Kang?¡±


    ¡°My niece is four years older than the young man.¡±


    ¡°That isn¡¯t a big deal, as long as the young ones like each other, all problems aren¡¯t problems.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s easy to say, but the young man is really not interested in dating at all.¡±


    Just then, Su Man chipped in, ¡°Sister-inw, I just heard you say that Comrade Kang¡¯s brother recently started working. May I know where he works?¡±


    Gu Chi¡¯s mother: ¡°North City Petrochemical.¡±


    Loo Ping: ¡°That¡¯s a goodpany.¡±


    Su Man became even more jealous. She felt Kang Li was deliberately tormenting her, always at odds with her!


    Better dowry, more grand!


    Married a man, both on their second marriage, yet hers had a higher position and earned more.


    As for siblings, from what she knew and had seen, one was in the military, and another worked at North City Petrochemical, unlike her own family¡­ better left unsaid!


    Even buying groceries was an asion where men joined her, while at her ce, whether sitting in the living room reading the newspaper or locking himself in the study with books, getting him to shop for groceries with her was unimaginable. She had never tried inviting him, but she could easily guess how he would respond.


    A man who never approached the stove, whose clothes, once taken off, were never washed by him, asking such a person to apany her for grocery shopping was certainly asking for trouble.


    Moreover¡­ the appearance and fashion sense of the woman next door, honestly, she couldn¡¯tpare.


    Even though she wasn¡¯t unattractive, even having a face that elders loved, she had to concede,pared to the woman next door¡ªlike bright moonlight or fresh blooms, she was merely a firefly or a foxtail.


    When it came to physique, the woman next door had a graceful figure.


    And herself? Slightly plump, and the type whose body could gain weight from drinking water.


    The more she thought, the sadder Su Man felt, more convinced that Kang Li¡¯s presence was to torment her!


    Luo Family.


    In the living room.


    After Gu Chi¡¯s mother left, Kang Li teased Kang Guoan, ¡°Bro, it seems you are quite popr in the marriage market!¡±


    ¡°You know I have thick skin, keep the teasinging.¡±


    Kang Guoanughed and shook his head, then said to Luo Yanqing, ¡°Li Bao can be quite mischievous at times. When you have time, keep an eye on her, lest one day she flies up to the heavens unguarded.¡±


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°At home, I listen to Xiao Li.¡±


    Kang Guoan: ¡°¡­¡± Had he just experienced an auditory hallucination? His brother-inw, so aloof and unapproachable, actually said he obeyed his sister at home?


    No matter how Kang Guoan took it, Luo Yanqing¡¯s handsome face showed no sign of abnormality.


    Kang Li red, ¡°Bro, I¡¯m not the Monkey King!¡±


    Kang Guoan: ¡°When you¡¯re being mischievous, you¡¯re even harder to manage than the Monkey King.¡± His dark eyes full of mirth.


    Kang Li huffed, ¡°You¡¯re the Monkey King, you¡¯re the hard one to manage!¡±


    Watching his sister¡¯s lively manner, Kang Guoan felt genuinely happy, because he knew that his sister being as vivacious here as she was in their hometown meant she was content and joyful in this home.

 Chapter 182 - 182 182 Man Ive Remembered You

    ?Chapter 182: Chapter 182: Man, I¡¯ve Remembered You   Chapter 182: Chapter 182: Man, I¡¯ve Remembered You                                   Otherwise, what he would have seen wouldn¡¯t have been like this.


    Luo Yanqing unexpectedly interjected, ¡°Not mad, the Monkey King isn¡¯t as good-looking as you.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Kang Li¡¯s fox-like eyes widened; she pursed her lips and was silent for a moment before looking directly into the man¡¯s eyes and asking seriously, word by word, ¡°Is this supposed tofort me or are you just teasing me?¡±


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°¡­¡± Naturally, he was trying tofort his little wife, but seeing her expression at the moment, could it be that his words were inappropriate?


    Kang Guoan nced at his sister, whose feelings were so hurt she wanted to grind her teeth, and then at his bewildered brother-inw, and he couldn¡¯t help but break intoughter.


    That made Kang Li¡¯s face turn a bright red, and she threw down a fierce line to Luo Yanqing, ¡°Man, I¡¯ll remember this!¡±


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°Xiao Li, I¡­¡± Can I just ask where I went wrong?


    Kang Guoan once again burst outughing, ¡°Brother-inw, Li Bao is mad because youpared her to the Monkey King!¡±


    ¡°Hmph! You¡¯re all so mean, I won¡¯t talk to you anymore!¡± Kang Li stood up and left the living room to prepare the ingredients for lunch in the kitchen.


    Little Ruirui was practicing his writing.


    The twin with mixed sex was still diligently practicing their numbers.


    The three little ones gathered around the small dining table, each intently writing without a single distraction, as if they hadn¡¯t heard the conversation between the three adults, Kang Li and the others.


    Suppressing hisughter, Kang Guoan¡¯s gaze lingered on Ruirui and his siblings for a while before he turned to Luo Yanqing and said, ¡°Ruirui and the others are very well-behaved.¡±


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to Xiao Li¡¯s teaching.¡±


    Kang Guoan: ¡°If Li Bao hears you say that, she¡¯ll probably be so happy that she¡¯ll beughing for days.¡±


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°Compared to me, Xiao Li is more dedicated with the children.¡±


    Kang Guoan felt happy and proud for Kang Li but at the same time couldn¡¯t help feeling sorry for his sister. Although she had received her husband¡¯s acknowledgement for looking after the three little brats, she was still quite young and yet had to take care of three little ones all by herself, which was indeed hard on the poor girl.


    However, Kang Guoan didn¡¯t forget to be modest, ¡°Since Li Bao has married you, Ruirui and the others are also her responsibility, naturally she has to take care of them attentively.¡±


    Luo Yanqing didn¡¯t respond but said instead, ¡°You sit and rest for a bit, I¡¯ll go help Xiao Li in the kitchen.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Just like that, he left?


    Kang Guoan was perplexed.


    In the kitchen, Luo Yanqing came in and immediately found something to do.


    ¡°Xiao Li, you aren¡¯t the Monkey King.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°¡­¡± Why bring up the very thing that shouldn¡¯t be mentioned, what was he up to?


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°The Monkey King is noisy, you are quiet.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°¡­¡± So he really had to tie her and the Monkey King together, huh?


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°I wasn¡¯t actuallyparing you to the Monkey King.¡± Not wanting his little wife to be upset, Comrade Luo Yanqing tried hard to exin thement he made earlier in the living room, ¡°Xiao Li, the Monkey King isn¡¯t as good-looking as you.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°¡­¡± Are you not finished yet?


    Seizing the opportunity when the man was not paying attention, Kang Li rolled her eyes at him, secretly thinking: Man, where is your EQ?


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°Don¡¯t be mad.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°¡­¡± Alright, she surrendered!


    Taking a deep breath, Kang Li said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not mad.¡±


    Luo Yanqing¡¯s phoenix eyes brightened: ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Really and truly, now can you stop torturing my ears with ¡®Monkey King¡¯?¡± Kang Li looked at the man, her gaze both teasing and amused.


    This finally made Luo Yanqing realize, and suddenly his cheeks grew warm; he¡­ he seemed to have mentioned ¡°Monkey King¡± several times since entering the kitchen.


    Seeing the man avert his gaze, Kang Li couldn¡¯t help butugh out loud, ¡°Don¡¯t feel embarrassed, I¡¯m not actually ming you, nor am I mad at you.¡±

 Chapter 183 - 183 183 He Treats Me Well

    ?Chapter 183: Chapter 183 He Treats Me Well   Chapter 183: Chapter 183 He Treats Me Well                                   ¡°How can one not dote on their own man?!¡±


    It was also fortunate that he met her; otherwise, any slightly clever woman could have easily deceived this ¡°fool¡±!


    Lunch was six dishes and one soup.


    Additionally, there was steamed rice as the staple food.


    The dishes included: braised pork meatballs, squirrel-shaped mandarin fish, potato stewed chicken, dry-fried green beans, shredded potatoes in vinegar sauce, and homemade tofu.


    As for the soup, it was a simple tomato and egg soup.


    Once the rice was steamed, Kang Li began to cook. While she was stewing the potato and chicken, she guessed it was almost done and couldn¡¯t help but pick a small piece of chicken out of the pot and brought it to Luo Yanqing¡¯s lips, ¡°Try this and see what you think? Also, check if it¡¯s cooked.¡±


    Luo Yanqing seemed a bit embarrassed to open his mouth, hesitating without any reaction for a while.


    Kang Li: ¡°Give it a taste, I think it¡¯s really good.¡± Her eyes wide open, in the pupils, his figure was reflected, her red lips parted slightly, making an ¡°ah¡± sound.


    Luo Yanqing looked at Kang Li, his petite wife, watching her coaxing him as if she was feeding a child, observing her face full of anticipation, and he opened his mouth despite feeling ufortable.


    ¡°How is it?¡±


    After the man chewed and swallowed, Kang Li¡¯s eyes curved like a fox, and she asked with a softugh.


    Luo Yanqing¡¯s dark eyes trembled slightly, he said, ¡°It¡¯s cooked, and it tastes really good.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°You really know what to say.¡± She stepped closer, tiptoed, and kissed his handsome face. Without waiting for him to react, sheughed and said, ¡°I¡¯ll tell my brother and Ruirui to wash their hands, we¡¯re about to eat.¡±


    ¡°¡­Okay.¡±


    Luo Yanqing walked out of the kitchen with his ears red.


    ¡°Little Uncle, eat a lot!¡±


    Once the dishes were served, Milk Bun Ming Han, like a little adult, waved his spoon, shoveling rice into his mouth while urging Guoan to eat more.


    Xiao Ming Wei didn¡¯t want to be left out: ¡°Little Uncle, the meat is delicious, the vegetables too, make sure you eat a lot!¡±


    ¡°Alright, Little Uncle will eat plenty.¡±


    Guoan responded with a smile to the twins.


    The meal was extremely heartwarming, leaving everyone visibly happy.


    ¡°Li Bao, do you think your brother-inw treats you well?¡±


    Taking advantage of Luo Yanqing going to the kitchen to wash dishes, Guoan walked into Kang Li¡¯s study, followed closely by Kang Li. Upon hearing Guoan¡¯s question, she nodded with a smile, ¡°He treats me very well.¡±


    Guoan: ¡°Your brother actually noticed it too, your brother-inw might not be very talkative, and he doesn¡¯t show many expressions, but he has eyes only for you, this much, your brother is certain of.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°I know you care about me, brother, and I do appreciate your concern. But, I¡¯m now an adult, and since we¡¯re the same age, please make it a point to take more care of yourself from now on and don¡¯t worry too much about me. That way, I can also rest easy.¡±


    ¡°What nonsense are you saying?!¡±


    Guoan red at Kang Li, but the look held no intimidation, rather it was filled with helplessness. He said, ¡°You¡¯re my sister, no matter how busy I am, I must pay attention to your life, it¡¯s a promise I made to our parents, I can¡¯t let you suffer even the slightest hardship in North City.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°But I haven¡¯t suffered any hardships, and I¡¯m very satisfied with my current life. You really don¡¯t need to be distracted by me, but from now on, if you¡¯re too busy to take any holidays, make sure to call me. How about this, whether or not you take weekends off in the future, remember to call and let me know you¡¯re safe, okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Guoan nodded.


    ¡°Brother, don¡¯t think Luo Yanqing is always so stern, but he¡¯s actually very thoughtful¡­¡± Kang Li shared in great detail with Guoan about how Luo Yanqing secretly shipped a TV back to their home in Aoli Vige, and concluded by saying:

 Chapter 184 - 184 184 Not Lying to You

    ?Chapter 184: Chapter 184: Not Lying to You   Chapter 184: Chapter 184: Not Lying to You                                   ¡°He even stuffed several hundred yuan inside the TV box, but when he got back home, he didn¡¯t mention a word to me. It was only after Dad called to ask why I sent a TV home and scolded me for recklessly spending money and not knowing how to manage life, that I found out what happened.¡±


    After listening to Kang Li¡¯s words, Kang Guoan fell silent for a moment before speaking, ¡°It seems I was right¡ªyour brother-inw is indeed a good man. He appears cold and indifferent on the surface, as if nothing can catch his eye, but that¡¯s not actually the case.¡±


    Kang Liughed, ¡°Big brother, can you not talk so prim and proper?¡±


    Kang Guoan was taken aback for a moment before he too burst intoughter. However, he did not speak again and just shook his head, amused.


    Speaking in a prim and proper way?


    He certainly was not up to that!


    Although he had finished high school, he was still far from the path that led to the highest institutions of learning, let alone¡­ let alone if one day he was to attend college, gain admission to the highest institutions of learning, the journey of learning would never end, and there¡¯d be more for him to learn, not less.


    Therefore, as an ordinary high school graduate, even with good grades, he could not shamelessly im to be a man of literary cultivation or one of refined speech, such that his words would acquire a prim and proper ir.


    ¡°By the way, big brother, take a seat for a while. I¡¯ll go and prepare some things for you,¡± Kang Li said.


    Without waiting for Kang Guoan¡¯s response, Kang Li rose and left the study.


    By the time Kang Guoan came back to his senses and stretched out his hand to say ¡°No need,¡± Kang Li had already disappeared from the study door. Seeing this, he pursed his lips and ended up calling out to the doorway, ¡°Li Bao, I don¡¯tck anything right now, you don¡¯t need to prepare anything for your big brother.¡±


    Unexpectedly, Kang Li¡¯s voice came back, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, what I want to prepare for you is my business, and if you keep talking, I will get angry.¡±


    In the Kang family, the thing everyone feared most was Kang Li getting angry, afraid that anger might worsen her already fragile health.


    There, Kang Li had yed her trump card, and at the study, Kang Guoan immediately fell silent.


    About seven or eight minutester, Kang Li returned to the study and said, ¡°Big brother, I¡¯ve got your things ready. Just take them with you when you leaveter.¡±


    Kang Guoan: ¡°¡­I told you, I don¡¯tck anything right now.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯recking, but I¡¯ll say it again, what I want to prepare for you is my business. And don¡¯t worry, I didn¡¯t use the money Luo Yanqing gave me, the things I prepared for you were bought with the manuscript fees I earned myself.¡±


    In fact, it was through System Dwen Dwen using points in the Mall.


    Well, not entirely¡ªlike the several pieces of clothing Kang Li prepared, which came from the clothing gift pack she previously won.


    Kang Guoan: ¡°¡­¡± How did this girl know what was in his heart?


    Yes, he worried about his foolish little sister always thinking about giving him stuff, what would her brother-inw think of this?


    And as her brother, he certainly did not want any discord to arise between his precious sister and her husband because of him.


    As if guessing what Kang Guoan was thinking at that moment, Kang Li blinked her bright, fox-like eyes and said, ¡°Big brother, I¡¯m not lying to you, I know what I¡¯m doing and will not create conflicts between me and Luo Yanqing. If you don¡¯t believe what I¡¯m saying, then please open my drawer; there are several receipts from the post office when I withdrew my manuscript fees.¡±


    Following Kang Li¡¯s words, Kang Guoan spoke seriously, ¡°Okay, I believe you. But, this thing about preparing things for me, there shouldn¡¯t be a next time.¡±

 Chapter 185 - 185 185 Cant Just Watch Anymore

    ?Chapter 185: Chapter 185: Can¡¯t Just Watch Anymore   Chapter 185: Chapter 185: Can¡¯t Just Watch Anymore                                   Kang Li readily agreed, ¡°Okay!¡± She agreed, but whether she would abide by it or not was her own matter!


    The siblings talked for about seven or eight minutes. By the time Luo Yanqing had finished in the kitchen and settled Xiao Ming Rui for a nap, she came to Kang Li¡¯s study, sat beside her, and listened to Kang Li and Guoan chat.


    ¡°Li Bao, you and your brother-inw take the kids back. I¡¯ll be leaving now. I¡¯ll call you in advance if I decide toe over,¡± Guoan said.


    In thete afternoon, Guoan got up to return to his unit. By then, Kang Li, Luo Yanqing, and the three little ones had walked Guoan to the gate, where he gestured for the family of five to stop.


    Kang Li said, ¡°I¡¯ll watch you get on the bus and then head back.¡± The bus stop was close by, clearly visible just by looking up.


    ¡°You, you¡¯re really something,¡± he replied.


    Guoan gave Kang Li a hair ruffle and said with a smile, ¡°You¡¯re a mother now, you can¡¯t keep acting like a child.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± She wasn¡¯t being childish; she just felt that returning a minute earlier orter made no difference.


    After all, what harm was there in seeing her brother onto the bus?


    Shifting his gaze, Guoan looked at Luo Yanqing, ¡°Brother-inw, Li Bao just came of age, and at home, she was pampered by our parents and us brothers. She might be a bit spoiled, so please be patient if she asionally acts up in front of you. Of course, if Li Bao goes too far, feel free to criticize her directly.¡±


    Luo Yanqing replied, ¡°Xiao Li is very good.¡±


    Kangs Li corner of the mouth curved up, shing a ¡°satisfied¡± look towards Luo Yanqing when he turned to her.


    Standing across from them, Guoan couldn¡¯t have missed their exchange of looks. He coughed lightly into his fist, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll spare the unnecessary words. Goodbye.¡±


    He nodded at Luo Yanqing, patted Xiao Ming Rui and the twins¡¯ heads, picked up the travel bag Kang Li had handed him, and after taking a few steps away, turned back to wave at Kang Li, then continued toward the bus stop.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go back.¡±


    Just as Guoan had finished waving, the bus arrived. He waved once more at Kang Li¡¯s family before boarding. Watching the bus drive away, Luo Yanqing drew back his gaze, his deep and clear voice slowly emerging.


    ¡°Mm.¡±


    Kang Li responded, walking beside Luo Yanqing, holding little gentleman Ming Rui¡¯s hand.


    As for the mixed-sex twins, they sat in the stroller, being pushed forward by Luo Yanqing.


    ¡­


    For three consecutive days, Kang Li noticed her three little cubs looked wilted, like frostbitten eggnts.


    When she asked them what was wrong, all three consistently shook their heads.


    By the fourth day, when the little cubs chose not to go out to y, Kang Li didn¡¯t need much thought to know that not only had the children encountered some troubles, but the issues were also considerable.


    Actually, Kang Li had sensed something off about the kids¡¯ mood from the first day, but she chose not to intervene, thinking it was just a minor conflict among children. Furthermore, since the cubs weren¡¯t injured, they certainly hadn¡¯t been fighting with any other kids. With that in mind, Kang Li felt it best to let children resolve their own issues.


    But with their moods not improving over three days, and today, they didn¡¯t even want to go outside, Kang Li knew she couldn¡¯t just watch any longer. She needed to find out what exactly had happened that they¡¯d chosen to stay indoors and forgo ying under their favorite old banyan tree outside.


    ¡°Do you want to tell me yourselves, or should I ask you about it?¡±

 Chapter 186 - 186 186 Trust

    ?Chapter 186: Chapter 186 Trust   Chapter 186: Chapter 186 Trust                                   Before their nap, Kang Li sat in the children¡¯s room, her gaze tender, a faint smile on her lips, as she asked Xiao Ming Rui and the twins.


    Hearing her, the twins looked simultaneously toward their brother Ming Rui.


    It was their brother who had told them not to tell their mother, saying she was already taking too much care of them, and they shouldn¡¯t bother her with such trifle matters.


    Xiao Ming Rui did not look at his younger siblings; he hung his head, lips tightly pressed, showing no intention of speaking.


    ¡°Is it that you don¡¯t want to say, or you don¡¯t want to trouble mom?¡±


    When Kang Li said this, especially thetter half, the twins¡¯ eyes lit up. Seeing this, a warmth stirred in Kang Li¡¯s heart, and she softly said, ¡°Mom knows you don¡¯t want to trouble her, but if you don¡¯t speak up, mom will be very worried, won¡¯t eat well, won¡¯t sleep well, and could easily get sick.¡±


    The twins, anxious, looked again towards their brother Ming Rui.


    Xiao Ming Rui then lifted his head, looking at Kang Li, his eyes filled with hesitation and concern.


    He hesitated whether to speak up, concerned that if he and his siblings kept silent, their new mom might fall ill.


    ¡°Mom, I¡¯ll talk.¡±


    Xiao Ming Han did not want his mom to get sick; he stopped looking at his brother and with his tender voice said, ¡°My siblings and I went out to y, and nobody would y with us. My sister and I asked why, and they said because mom hates when theye to our house to watch TV, and then they didn¡¯t want to y with us anymore.¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei said, ¡°Mom, Vivi and big brother and second brother know mom never said such things, so we told them that mom doesn¡¯t mind theming over to watch TV, but they wouldn¡¯t believe it.¡±


    Kang Li¡¯s gaze turned to Xiao Ming Rui, ¡°Ruirui, is there anything else you want to add to what your siblings have said?¡±


    With his lips tightly pressed, after a while, Xiao Ming Rui shook his head.


    Kang Li said, ¡°Alright, mom knows what you said, now it¡¯s time for you guys to take a good nap.¡±


    ¡°Mom, they are bad kids, spreading rumors about mom. My siblings and I don¡¯t even care to y with them.¡± Xiao Ming Han settled into bed, bbering, ¡°Hanhan¡¯s mom is the best mom in the world; they wronged mom, Hanhan hates them, doesn¡¯t want to be friends with them anymore.¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei said, ¡°Vivi also doesn¡¯t want to be friends with them anymore.¡±


    Kang Li¡¯s eyes were gentle: ¡°Alright, there is a saying ¡®A clean hand wants no washing.¡¯ Since you know mom never said those things, there¡¯s no need for you to be upset yourself. Also, mom is very pleased that you trust her! Now, close your eyes, mom will read you a story.¡±


    Opening the children¡¯s bedtime storybook she was holding, Kang Li¡¯s melodic voice slowly filled the room as she read the story engagingly, and Xiao Ming Rui and the twins gradually fell into a deep sleep.


    As she closed the storybook, Kang Li stood up, ced the storybook on the desk by the window, and then quietly exited the room.


    ¡°Ruirui and the others are asleep. I need to go out for a bit now, could you keep a closer eye on them at home?¡±


    Knocking on the door of the study, Kang Li looked at the man standing before her, thought for a moment, but ultimately decided not to tell him why she needed to go out.


    Yanqing asked, ¡°To godfather and godmother¡¯s ce?¡±


    Kang Li replied¡­ ¡°Hmm.¡± Known for his low EQ but certainly not for acking IQ, Yanqing easily noticed the subtleties that most might miss in people or matters, just like now. Even though Kang Li appeared normal, Yanqing clearly saw her moment of hesitation and knew she probably wasn¡¯t heading to the Song Family but had other matters to attend to.

 Chapter 187 - 187 187 Who Started the Rumor

    ?Chapter 187: Chapter 187: Who Started the Rumor?   Chapter 187: Chapter 187: Who Started the Rumor?                                   But he didn¡¯t n to continue asking. He nodded, agreed with a ¡°okay,¡± and instructed, ¡°Come back early.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°Then I¡¯m leaving.¡±


    Luo Yanqing nodded.


    Standing at the entrance of the living room, Luo Yanqing watched intently as Kang Li¡¯s figure disappeared beyond the courtyard gate.


    His lips were tightly pursed. Perhaps, when the children woke up, he could ask them.


    Over the past two or three days, he had noticed something unusual about the three children.


    Xue Family.


    When Kang Li arrived at the neighboring Xue Family, the moment Fang Ju, the mother of the young Xue Chong, saw her, she immediately showed a surprised expression, which quickly turned somewhat ufortable.


    Kang Li saw all the changes in her facial expressions.


    ¡°Sister-inw Fang.¡±


    Gently calling her, Kang Li stepped forward, ¡°I have something to discuss with you. I wonder if you¡¯re avable right now?¡±


    Fang Ju, having guessed something when she saw Kang Li, shook her head with a smile, ¡°Let¡¯s sit in the living room.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°Okay.¡± She followed Fang Ju, and they walked into the living room.


    Fang Ju poured a cup of water for Kang Li and ced it on the coffee table. Without waiting for Kang Li to speak, she said, ¡°I know why you¡¯vee here. Actually¡­ actually, I don¡¯t believe you would say those kinds of things, but it¡¯s still not good for the kids to always go to your house to watch TV.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for trusting me. I indeed came here for this matter. Nevertheless, I still want to thank you, Sister-inw Fang, for your trust,¡± Kang Li replied.


    Kang Li sat gracefully, her stunning face adorned with a serene, lotus-like smile, her eyes sincere, and her voice pleasant. Sitting across from Fang Ju on the hardwood sofa, she looked like a beautiful painting in Fang Ju¡¯s eyes, a captivating sight that one couldn¡¯t look away from.


    The most important thing was that looking at her felt veryfortable, making one involuntarily want to talk more.


    Gathering her thoughts, Fang Ju smiled awkwardly at that moment: ¡°What¡¯s this about trust or no trust? I just purely feel that you wouldn¡¯t say such things.¡±


    Kang Li smiled, ¡°Even so, that means you trust my character.¡± After a brief pause, Kang Li asked, ¡°Sister-inw Fang, could you tell me who told you those words?¡±


    Seeing Fang Ju hesitate to respond, Kang Li added sincerely, ¡°Please tell me, Sister-inw Fang. It¡¯s not for my sake; I just want to rify things to prevent Ruirui and his siblings from being wronged again.¡±


    ¡°You mean¡­¡±


    Fang Ju did not quite understand what Kang Li meant. Not going to the Luo Family to watch TV, what did that have to do with Ruirui and his siblings?


    ¡°Sister-inw Fang, you might not know, but for three days in a row, my house¡¯s Ruirui took his brother and sister out to y outside the yard. Previously, those kids who yed well with them suddenly all isted them.


    The children felt aggrieved and upset, and today, they didn¡¯t even go out to y. As their mother, I¡¯m both angry and heartbroken.


    I¡¯m angry at the person who spread the rumors, thinking lowly. I¡¯m heartbroken that my children were mistreated because of me, yet they were also worried about causing me trouble, so they didn¡¯t tell me about being ostracized and isted.¡±


    After hearing Kang Li¡¯s words, Fang Ju felt very conflicted. She hadn¡¯t expected Kang Li to be so caring towards her stepchildren, nor did she expect that in just over a month, Ruirui and his siblings not only epted Kang Li as their stepmother but also started showing consideration for her.


    But unfortunately, she didn¡¯t know who started the rumor.


    Sighing softly, Fang Ju met Kang Li¡¯s gaze, her expression apologetic: ¡°Kang Li, Sister-inw doesn¡¯t know who started the rumor, but what I can tell you is,

 Chapter 188 - 188 188 Speak Out

    ?Chapter 188: Chapter 188: Speak Out   Chapter 188: Chapter 188: Speak Out                                   ¡°I overheard my two boys and their sister whispering together unintentionally. Oh right, just wait a moment, I¡¯ll call Xiao Chong and his siblings over¡­¡±


    Before long, Xue Chong, his twelve-year-old brother Xue Ming, and two sisters came to the living room.


    The two girls looked noticeably younger, one appearing to be about eight or nine, the other around six or seven.


    ¡°Hello, Aunt Kang,¡± the four siblings greeted Kang Li, then all turned to look at their mother. Xue Chong asked, ¡°Mom, did you call us here for something?¡±


    Fang Ju red at them, ¡°What? Can¡¯t I call you over without a reason?¡±


    ¡°No, Mom, that¡¯s not what I meant.¡±


    Xue Chong hastily shook his head.


    ¡°Your Aunt Kang came to ask you, who¡¯s been spreading nonsense about not going to her ce to watch TVtely. Also, why aren¡¯t you three ying with Ruirui and the others anymore?¡±


    Fang Ju questioned her children with a stern face.


    ¡°Mom, I¡¯m twelve this year. How could I possibly y with kids as small as Ruirui and the others?! Besides, I¡¯ve never yed with them.¡±


    Xue Ming exined himself, as he didn¡¯t want to be wrongly used for no reason.


    The two younger sisters are named Xue Ying and Xue Yin, and at this moment they were evasive, not daring to look at their mother.


    Fang Ju said, ¡°Yingying, Yinyin, speak up!¡± The girls surely were hiding something.


    At that moment, Xue Chong said to Kang Li, ¡°Aunt Kang, I heard it from the kids in our courtyard. They are around eleven or twelve years old, but I don¡¯t know who they are.¡± There were many children in the courtyard, and he did not associate with them due to the age difference, so naturally, he did not know who they were.


    Xue Ming said, ¡°Aunt Kang, I heard it from Wang Xiaochao, but Wang Xiaochao said he also heard it from someone else.¡±


    Xue Chong said, ¡°Aunt Kang, my brother, my sisters, and I haven¡¯t been to your house to watch TV these past few days, not because we believed those rumors, but because we thought that visiting your house often to watch TV might disturb you and Uncle Luo. Besides, although we haven¡¯t continued to watch TV at your ce, we also haven¡¯t gone to Uncle Wen¡¯s house to watch either.¡±


    ¡°Xiao Chong, Ming Ming, Auntie thanks you! Youring over to my house to watch TV doesn¡¯t disturb me and your Uncle Luo at all.¡± Kang Li¡¯s eyes sparkled withughter as she looked at the brothers, ¡°Tonight is the grand finale of the TV series you¡¯ve been watching, make sure toe to Auntie¡¯s house to see it, okay?¡±


    Xue Chong and his brother Xue Ming¡¯s eyes lit up, and they smiled cheerfully, nodding repeatedly, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Xue Ying and Xue Yin, the sisters, showed signs of embarrassment, with the younger Xue Yin being six years old. She stammered to Kang Li, ¡°Aunt Kang, my sister and I heard it from Wen Yue talking to Feng Loo. She said Aunt Kang dislikes us alling over to your house to watch TV, and that seeing us all just annoys you. So¡­ so we all decided to stop ying with your Ruirui, Hanhan, and Vivi. Aunt Kang, I¡¯m sorry, I¡­ I shouldn¡¯t have been so mean to Ruirui, Hanhan, and Vivi, I was wrong.¡±


    Xue Ying said, ¡°Aunt Kang, I know I was wrong too.¡±


    At this point, Fang Ju was exasperated, pointing at her daughters with a look of annoyance, ¡°Do you two girls have no brains? Whatever Wen Yue says, you just believe it? Can¡¯t you think for yourselves? Every time you went to Aunt Kang¡¯s house to watch TV, has she ever chased you away?¡±


    Xue Ying and her sister Xue Yin shook their heads, ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°If you know that Aunt Kang never did such a thing, why would you believe what Wen Yue said? Yingying, you are eight this year! Yinyin, you¡¯re six and a half, don¡¯t you understand the need for seeking truth from facts? Or are you unaware of the harm thates from spreading unfounded rumors?¡±

 Chapter 189 - 189 189 Kang Lis Intentions

    ?Chapter 189: Chapter 189 Kang Li¡¯s Intentions   Chapter 189: Chapter 189 Kang Li¡¯s Intentions                                   Xue Ying and her sister blinked their mosquito-repent eyes, with Xue Ying asking, ¡°Mom, what does it mean by ¡®a lie repeated often enough bes the truth¡¯?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Fang Ju nearly brought a hand to her forehead, dumbfounded by her daughter¡¯s stupidity, and said without much patience, ¡°Go ask your eldest brother and second brother!¡±


    Kang Li stood up and said, ¡°Yingying, Yinyin, Auntie doesn¡¯t me you for what happened before, but I hope you can continue to y with Min Rui and his siblings just like you used to.¡±


    Xue Ying promised, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Aunt Kang, I will.¡±


    Xue Yin nodded.


    ¡°Good, you are all good kids, Auntie wees you toe over and watch TV at my ce tonight.¡± As she spoke, Kang Li shifted her gaze to Fang Ju, ¡°Sister-inw Fang, I really have to thank you and Xiao Chong and his siblings today. I have something else to take care of, so I won¡¯t stay any longer. Remember toe over and watch TV at my ce sometime.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s there to thank for?! We¡¯re neighbors after all. Xiao Chong and the others really like you and your husband, Professor Luo. They say you both look like fairies from heaven and that just seeing your family makes them happy,¡± said Fang Ju.


    The four Xue siblings, upon hearing their mother speak so candidly to Aunt Kang, who seemed like a fairy, hung their heads in embarrassment, wishing they could instantly find a crack in the ground to crawl into, unable toprehend why their mother said everything to Aunt Kang.


    Seeing Kang Li off to the courtyard gate, Fang Ju noticed that Kang Li didn¡¯t head straight home, but instead seemed to be visiting another household, which left Fang Ju with mixed feelings.


    Momentster, she returned to the living room.


    ¡°Do you now understand what ¡®a lie repeated often enough bes the truth¡¯ means?¡±


    Seeing that her children were still there, Fang Ju asked her two girls.


    Xue Ying and Xue Yin nodded.


    ¡°Remember this incident, otherwise, you two will really be the ¡®fools¡¯ in others¡¯ mouths!¡± Fang Ju tapped her daughters¡¯ foreheads and waved them off, ¡°Alright, go back to your rooms and rest.¡±


    The four Xue siblings said ¡°Okay¡± and turned to leave the living room.


    After leaving the Xue home, Kang Li went on to visit Xiao Ming Wei¡¯s good friend Feng Loo¡¯s house.


    She got straight to the point in front of Feng Loo¡¯s mom, and before Feng Loo¡¯s mom could respond, Kang Li continued, ¡°Sister-inw, I came to your ce just for this matter. I understand that it¡¯s up to the kids whom they wish to y with or not. However, I don¡¯t want rumors targeting me to cause Min Rui, Hanhan, and Vivi to be wronged. That¡¯s why I made a special trip here today, hoping to clear things up and prevent the kids from being misled and making mistakes they don¡¯t even understand.¡±


    Feng Loo¡¯s mom said, ¡°Comrade Xiao Kang, I¡¯m really sorry, I honestly didn¡¯t know about the kids¡¯ matters. These past few days, they¡¯ve been just like usual, running out the door as soon as the cartoon starts. I thought they were watching TV at your ce, and I was unaware they were not behaving, listening to others and bullying your kids.¡±


    Feng Loo was taking her afternoon nap.


    Her brother, Feng Tao, was also napping, and at that moment, only Kang Li and the two siblings¡¯ mom were in the living room.


    ¡°There¡¯s no bullying involved. It¡¯s just that my children felt isted and ostracized by their close friends without understanding why, which really hurt their feelings. I only found out about the whole thing today, so I wanted toe over and rify things to prevent any further misunderstandings.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re thoughtful! How about this? When Taotao and Lulu wake up from their naps, I¡¯ll exin everything to them. They will surely be very happy and will run over to your ce to watch cartoons!¡±


    ¡°Then when I go back hometer, I must share this good news with Min Rui and the others. I think they¡¯ll be very happy to hear it.¡±


    After chatting a bit more with Feng Loo¡¯s mom and bidding her farewell, Kang Li went to Milk Bun Ming Han¡¯s good friend Gu Chi¡¯s home, and then she also paid a visit to Min Rui¡¯s good friend Song Hui¡¯s family.

 Chapter 190 - 190 190 Kang Li Shows Up to Slap Faces

    ?Chapter 190: Chapter 190 Kang Li Shows Up to p Faces   Chapter 190: Chapter 190 Kang Li Shows Up to p Faces                                   In the end, before she returned to her own home, she knocked on the courtyard door of the Wen¡¯s family.


    ¡°Comrade Kang?¡±


    Su Man opened the courtyard door and, upon seeing Kang Li, couldn¡¯t help but show a puzzled expression.


    ¡°I have a few words I¡¯d like to say to Comrade Su and Comrade Wen.¡±


    Kang Li wore a smile, but it was purely out of courtesy.


    ¡°¡­Then pleasee inside and have a seat.¡±


    Su Man felt an ominous premonition rising within her, but she had no choice but to invite Kang Li into the courtyard.


    However, Kang Li did not follow her to the living room. After entering the courtyard door and seeing Wen Siyuaning out of the living room, she simply walked up to the living room entrance, greeted Wen Siyuan, and then said, ¡°Comrade Wen, Comrade Su, I apologize for the sudden visit, but there is something I would like to ask you both.¡±


    Wen Siyuan smiled: ¡°Sister-inw, please feel free to ask, and I will answer truthfully if I know it.¡±


    Su Man became increasingly uneasy. She wanted to find an excuse to retreat to her room, yet worried that leaving now would seem like an admission of guilt. In the end, she steeled herself to stand next to Wen Siyuan, trying to steady her nerves, deciding to first hear what Kang Li had to say.


    However, she had already decided that if what Kang Li said was rted to her, she would definitely not admit it.


    ¡°With Comrade Wen¡¯s words, I¡¯ll speak frankly.¡±


    There was no emotion discernible on Kang Li¡¯s exquisitely beautiful face as she said, ¡°Here¡¯s the situation: I don¡¯t know who your daughter Yueyue heard it from, but she said that I dislike other peopleing to my house to watch TV and that seeing peoplee over to watch TV annoys me. Because of these two sentences, recently neither adults nor children have set foot in my home anymore.


    If it were only this, it would be fine. After all, people noting to my house to watch TV is their own business, and I can¡¯t force them toe over to watch.


    But what angers me is that your child, along with other children, has been excluding and isting my child, all based on those two sentences spoken by your Yueyue. Now, Comrade Wen, I just want to ask you: Who exactly did your daughter Yueyue hear it from that I dislike other peopleing to my house to watch TV and that it frustrates me when I see people at my house to watch TV?¡±


    Wen Siyuan¡¯splexion wasn¡¯t looking good, and he nced at his wife Su Man as if he could see right through her.


    Yes, he was very clear where his daughter Yueyue heard those two sentences¡ªit was his wife who had carelessly talked about others at home without considering the presence of the child. Now, it had led to this situation where the person directly involved hade knocking on their door.


    ¡°Sister-inw, I¡­¡±


    Wen Siyuan didn¡¯t know how to begin. Should he say¡­ it was my spouse who casually gossip about you at home, which our daughter overheard unknowingly, and because she is young and didn¡¯t understand that some things should not be repeated outside, it created the situation you just described?


    ¡°Comrade Wen, do you really not know? If that¡¯s the case, then I ask you to have your daughter Yueyue meet with me.¡±


    Without looking at Su Man, Kang Li looked directly into Wen Siyuan¡¯s eyes.


    After a long silence, Wen Siyuan¡¯s demeanor became one of shame: ¡°¡­Sister-inw, firstly, I must apologize to you!¡± Upon hearing his words, Su Man felt a chill in her back and her whole body stiffened. She bit her lip tightly, her face turning slightly pale. Was he going to do it? Was he going to reveal the things she had muttered at home, in front of this woman named Kang Li?


    ¡°Don¡¯t start apologizing to me yet, what I want to know most right now is what exactly happened.¡±


    Kang Li¡¯s clear fox-like eyes stared straight at Wen Siyuan. Her facial expression was cool and detached, not wishing to hear even a single useless word from the other party.


    Luo Family.


    More than an hour had passed since Kang Li left her home, and Luo Yanqing went to check on the children¡¯s room, seeing that Xiao Ming Rui and the other two were still sound asleep,

 Chapter 191 - 191 191 Im Here to Take You Home

    ?Chapter 191: Chapter 191: I¡¯m Here to Take You Home   Chapter 191: Chapter 191: I¡¯m Here to Take You Home                                   Kang Li thought about going to the courtyard gate to see if Luo Yanqing had returned, but just as he stepped out of the living room, he faintly heard a familiar female voiceing from the yard of the neighboring Wen Siyuan¡¯s house.


    As Luo Yanqing approached themon wall between the two properties, he confirmed and was certain he had not misheard, and as he discerned what his young wife was saying, his expression instantly turned cold.


    Without further consideration, he headed towards the gate.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go and have a talk with my sister-inw¡­¡± Wen Siyuan, enduring the embarrassment, managed to maintain a polite and gentle smile as he revealed that Su Man had been gossiping idly at home. He then recounted how his daughter Wen Yue had overheard those idle words, quite unexpectedly causing a significant uproar over what had been merely a few passing remarks.


    After listening, Kang Li finally turned his gaze towards Su Man, ¡°Comrade Su, we have no grudge against each other, so why do you nder me behind my back? After all, since I arrived at thispound, we hardly exchanged words, right?¡±


    ¡°Comrade Kang, why must you be so serious? I was just idly chatting at home out of boredom, is there a need for you toe and confront me personally over this?


    Moreover, my daughter Wen Yue is still young; she¡¯s naive and spread those few words I mentioned, which isn¡¯t something I wanted to happen. But since it¡¯s already out there, isn¡¯t an apology sufficient?¡±


    Su Man showed no remorse, with an air of someone unfazed even by boiling water, locking eyes with Kang Li.


    ¡°You were just idly discussing me at home? Comrade Su, then tell me, what gave you the impression that I dislike peopleing to watch TV at my home? And what made you think I get annoyed when I see peoplee over to watch TV?¡±


    Questioned by Kang Li repeatedly, Su Man was momentarily at a loss for words.


    ¡°Comrade Su, do you enjoy seeing me judged by others in thepound with prejudice?¡±


    ¡°Comrade Kang, don¡¯t falsely use me, when have I ever said such a thing?¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t say it outright, but you know what you think in your heart. Otherwise, why harbor malice toward me? We aren¡¯t close, and we have no dealings with each other, so why target me like this?¡±


    Just as Kang Li finished speaking, Wen Siyuan¡¯s gaze suddenly fell on the courtyard gate, and he stepped down from the living room¡¯s threshold to greet the visitor, ¡°You¡¯re here to pick up your sister-inw, right? I¡¯ve already exined the situation to her. It was my Xiao Su¡¯s fault for carelessly talking nonsense at home, which led to Yueyue overhearing and spreading it¡­¡±


    The person who had arrived at the Wen Family Courtyard was none other than Luo Yanqing. He seemed as if he hadn¡¯t noticed Wen Siyuan, walking straight up to Kang Li¡¯s side. Then with an exceptionally indifferent look in his Phoenix Eyes, he stared at Su Man for a moment and said without a trace of emotion, ¡°I hope there won¡¯t be a next time.¡±


    Yet his demeanor almost caused Su Man to lose her bnce and fall, and it tightened Wen Siyuan¡¯s chest even more, increasing his dissatisfaction with his wife, Su Man.


    Paying no mind to whatever expressions the Wen couple had or what they were thinking, Luo Yanqing¡¯s indifferent Phoenix Eyes softened as he turned to Kang Li and said, ¡°I¡¯vee to take you home.¡±


    Kang Li murmured a word of acknowledgment and walked alongside Luo Yanqing, talking quietly, as they left the Wen Family Courtyard.


    ¡°How did you know I was next door?¡±


    ¡°I happened to hear your voice while I was in the yard.¡±


    Blinking her fox-like eyes, Kang Li tilted her head and asked, ¡°You¡¯re not mad at me, are you?¡±


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°¡­¡± Why would he be angry with her? She hadn¡¯t done anything wrong.


    To take a step back, even if she had made a mistake, it would be his fault for not understanding her enough, for not being there when she needed him, leading her to make a mistake.

 Chapter 192 - 192 192 Reproach

    ?Chapter 192: Chapter 192: Reproach   Chapter 192: Chapter 192: Reproach                                   Anyway, his young wife was very good, kind-hearted, pragmatic, and not the kind of woman who liked to stir up trouble.


    Wen¡¯s family.


    After Kang Li and Luo Yanqing left, Wen Siyuan walked into the living room with a stern face, followed closely by Su Man.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you understand the situation?¡±


    Suppressing his anger, Wen Siyuan stared intently at his wife Su Man, ¡°I work in Comrade Luo¡¯s research group, and I see that Comrade Luo will soonunch a new research project. You, well enough, want to be at odds with Comrade Luo¡¯s lover. Do you want me to be kicked out of the group by Comrade Luo?¡±


    ¡°Work is work, private matters are private. He Luo Yanqing shouldn¡¯t do that!¡±


    Su Man insisted she was not at fault, saying, ¡°Besides, can you really me me now? If you truly thought I was wrong, you should have stopped me from saying those words that day. Wen Siyuan, did you?¡±


    Furthermore, I said what I said, but it was Yueyue who didn¡¯t listen well and let those words escape the house. That¡¯s why we ended up being approached by others today.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re ming Yueyue? How old is she, how old are you? Does she know what can be said and what cannot?¡± Wen Siyuan disliked Su Man¡¯s shirking of responsibility, his brow tightly furrowed as he asked, ¡°Do you have a grudge against Comrade Kang?¡±


    Startled by his words, Su Man shook her head, ¡°No.¡±


    Wen Siyuan, ¡°Then why would you want to be at odds with Comrade Kang?¡±


    Su Man¡¯s eyes reddened, ¡°Is it wrong for me to merely dislike her?¡±


    Wen Siyuan, ¡°You¡¯re being ridiculous!¡± He hadn¡¯t expected that his seemingly reasonable wife also possessed such an unreasonable side.


    ¡°How am I being ridiculous? Ever since she entered ourrge courtyardplex, she first bought several big items for her home in one go and then almost every day she dresses up mboyantly. I see nothing wrong in gossiping about her a bit, right? It¡¯s not like she would have less because of it.¡±


    Venting her displeasure, tears rolled down Su Man¡¯s cheeks as she thought this would make Wen Siyuan stop the argument.


    Unexpectedly, Wen Siyuan suddenlyughed, but his smile was somehow cold, ¡°When all is said and done, you¡¯re not really bothered by Comrade Kang. You¡¯re ming me for not buying those big items for our home, for not earning enough to let you dress every day like Comrade Kang, right?¡±


    Su Man, ¡°You¡¯re wrongly using me!¡± Her voice wavered with a sob.


    Wen Siyuan, ¡°Wrongly using you? Su Man, I never wrongly use anyone! Let¡¯s talk about you. I already rified to you that the big items that Comrade Kang bought were bridal gifts from her family, given by her brother as a wedding present.


    As for your saying that Comrade Kang dresses mboyantly, that¡¯s purely nder! During the time at home, although I haven¡¯t seen Comrade Kang much, based on the few times I did see her,


    her attire was quite simple. If there was anything special, it was because she is naturally attractive, thus anything she wears looks good. You shouldn¡¯t say that Comrade Kang always dresses mboyantly and malign her like that.


    Su Man sniffled, quite annoyed, ¡°Wen Siyuan, what do you mean? Are you saying she is prettier than I am?¡±


    ¡°The difference in looks between you and Comrade Kang, you know it yourself.¡± Wen Siyuan¡¯s tone carried a hint of impatience, ¡°Su Man, Comrade Luo also said he no longer wants to see or hear you targeting Comrade Kang. Simrly, I hope you remember today¡¯s incident and stop pulling me back. It¡¯s not good for you.¡±

 Chapter 193 - 193 193 You Didnt Slap the Face

    ?Chapter 193: Chapter 193: You Didn¡¯t p the Face   Chapter 193: Chapter 193: You Didn¡¯t p the Face                                   ¡°Are you even a man?¡±


    Su Man felt incredibly miserable. Despite being her own husband, why wouldn¡¯t he take her side, protect her, and instead med her? ¡°I¡¯m carrying your son in my belly, do you really have to criticize me and make me unhappy?¡±


    ¡°Enough, I won¡¯t argue with you. Just think about what I just said, targeting Comrade Kang, what good does it bring to our family. And remember, Comrade Kang is now the goddaughter of Director Song and Comrade Qi.¡±


    Having said that, Wen Siyuan got up and walked toward the study, but after a few steps, he stopped and turned back, ¡°Have a good talk with Yueyue, and let her not blurt out everything she hears.¡±


    Su Man: ¡°Can¡¯t you speak to her yourself?¡± It wasn¡¯t as if she had given birth to Yueyue, why should she exert extra effort?


    Wen Siyuan: ¡°Su Man Comrade, do you think it¡¯s appropriate for me, a man, to discuss women¡¯s gossip with a young daughter?¡± Without waiting for Su Man¡¯s response, Wen Siyuan entered the study and casually shut the door behind him.


    ¡­


    The night outside the window was tranquil, and Xiao Ming Rui and the twinsy in their own beds. When they heard the footsteps fade away outside, they each suddenly opened their eyes, crawled to the edge of the bed, and looked at each other.


    Well, actually, only the twins were lying at the edge of the bed; older brother Ming Rui was still lying t on his back.


    ¡°Brother! Brother, why did Feng Tao and Song Hui suddenlye over to our house to watch cartoons?¡±


    This was Milk Bun Ming Han¡¯s voice as he looked up towards the upper bunk.


    ¡°I want to know too. A lot of people came over tonight to watch TV at our house, Sister Yingying and Sister Yinyin, and even Sister Lulu were here too.¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei blinked her eyes, her hands propping her cheeks as she adorably said, ¡°I¡¯m super happy today, big brother, second brother!¡±


    Littled Ming Rui didn¡¯t make a sound, but he felt it mostly had to do with Kang Li, the stepmother.


    Xiao Ming Wei: ¡°Sister Yingying and the others even said sorry to me.¡±


    Xiao Ming Han rolled his eyes at his sister: ¡°They didn¡¯t say it just to you.¡±


    ¡°Sleep.¡± It was past nine already, and they still weren¡¯t sleeping, how energetic they were! Littled Ming Rui muttered to himself and his siblings. ¡°I still want to talk some more!¡± Xiao Ming Wei whined.


    Xiao Ming Han: ¡°I¡¯m going to sleep! I am a good baby, I listen to mom, I need to sleep, and grow taller.¡±


    He certainly didn¡¯t need to emte that stinky Ming Wei, staying upte, being a naughty child!


    Master bedroom.


    Kang Liy on her back, discussing the events of the day with Luo Yanqing, and at the end, she pulled up the corners of her mouth and smiled, ¡°I really can¡¯tprehend why the women in thispound always have issues with me, is it just because I¡¯m prettier than them?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Luo Yanqing didn¡¯t know how to respond.


    Kang Li: ¡°You don¡¯t agree?¡±


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°Not exactly.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°That means you agree with what I said! That means, the women here are mostly jealous that I look better than them, so one by one, they look at me unfavorably, thinking about creating problems for me, thickening the plot. But they don¡¯t realize, I¡¯m especially vengeful. Once I know about the things they target me for, I¡¯ll not only confront them, but I¡¯ll also literally p their faces, letting them have nowhere to hide.¡±


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°You haven¡¯t.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°I haven¡¯t what?¡± She turned over, facing the man as shey on her side.


    Noticing her movement, Luo Yanqing also turned over, lying on his side facing her, he said, ¡°You haven¡¯t pped any faces.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Kang Li paused, thenughed, ¡°When I say ¡®p their faces,¡¯ I don¡¯t mean literally pping them. After all, I¡¯m a civilized person, violence is too barbaric and would damage my image. Most importantly, it would also hurt my hand. However, when it¡¯s time to take action, I won¡¯t hesitate.¡±

 Chapter 194 - 194 194 Im Usually Serious But It Depends on

    ?Chapter 194: Chapter 194: I¡¯m Usually Serious, But It Depends on Who I¡¯m With   Chapter 194: Chapter 194: I¡¯m Usually Serious, But It Depends on Who I¡¯m With                                   Luo Yanqing, ¡°Verbal attack?¡±


    Kang Li, ¡°You could say that, but ¡®attack¡¯ is too harsh a word, not quite fitting. I convince with reason and speak with facts, leaving them speechless! To put it simply, I prove them wrong in person and make them lose face.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s very good.¡±


    So what she meant by ¡°pping faces¡± was this. It seems he was indeed somewhat ignorant!


    Kang Li, ¡°You see? Ruirui and the others were so happy to see other kidse over to our house to watch TV.¡±


    Luo Yanqing, ¡°Luo Mingrui didn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because you didn¡¯t look closely. When Ruirui is happy, his eyes suddenly be very bright.¡±


    Kang Li¡¯s voice sounded light and soft as she looked into the man¡¯s ink-stained eyes and suddenly asked with a hint of confusion, ¡°Ruirui is young, yet he has aposure not typical for a child,


    I feel that he likes talking even less than you, and his smiles are rare. Now that I think about it, since I¡¯ve arrived at this house, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen Ruirui smile. Who does that remind you of?¡±


    Luo Yanqing, ¡°Every child¡¯s personality is different.¡±


    Kang Li, ¡°I know that.¡± She paused for a moment and then added, ¡°Ruirui¡¯s personality is somewhat like yours, yes, just like you¡ªneither of you likes to talk much or to smile, both of you look like sulky gourds.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not.¡±


    How could he possibly be a sulky gourd? Lately, he had been talking a lot around her!


    Kang Li raised an eyebrow, ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    Luo Yanqing, ¡°Mm.¡±


    Kang Li, ¡°Alright, think what you will then.¡±


    Unexpectedly, Luo Yanqing fell silent for a moment, and then he said, ¡°I¡¯m not frivolous with smiles, but it depends on the person.¡±


    Kang Li, ¡°¡­¡± Was she being flirted with? Blinking her fox-like eyes, Kang Li tried to discern something from the man¡¯s phoenix eyes, but unfortunately, she saw nothing.


    After not hearing Kang Li speak for a while, Luo Yanqing asked, ¡°What are you thinking about?¡±


    Kang Li, ¡°I¡¯m tired, a bit distracted.¡± Impliedly, she wasn¡¯t thinking about anything.


    ¡°Then go to sleep.¡±


    ¡°Oh, good night.¡±


    ¡°Good night.¡±


    Closing her fox-like eyes, Kang Liy back down, and soon, sleep overwhelmed her.


    Somewhere in the haze, she felt someone watching her, and then she felt something gently slide over her eyebrows and eyes. She wanted to open her eyes to see, but she was too tired to lift her eyelids.


    At this moment, Luo Yanqing was very close to Kang Li. He was still lying on his side, propping his head with one hand, while the index finger of his other hand unconsciously touched Kang Li¡¯s brows and eyes, then gently traced them. He did not know how much time had passed, perhaps impulsively, Luo Yanqing bent down and pressed a kiss on Kang Li¡¯s forehead.


    Coming to his senses, he felt his cheeks burning and his heart racing. Heid back down as quickly as he could, a faint smile curling the corners of his mouth as a hand covered his eyes: What am I doing?


    For the second time, counting tonight, he had kissed her a second time!


    But he did not regret it; in fact, he felt very pleased.


    ¡­


    ¡°By the way, Li Bao, I forgot to ask you yesterday, recently Ruirui and the others have been acting a bit off. Did something happen to the kids?¡±


    Today, Mrs. Qi came with Song Xuan to learn the erhu. After Kang Li taught what needed to be taught, she advised the boy to practice on his own and told Xiao Ming Rui and the other two not to run around, then sat down with Mrs. Qi on a solid wood sofa to chat.


    Upon hearing Mrs. Qi¡¯s question, she did not hide anything and told everything about what had happened these past few days, the visits to the Xue family and others, and how she confronted Wen¡¯s family directly.

 Chapter 195 - 195 195 Unspeakable

    ?Chapter 195: Chapter 195: Unspeakable   Chapter 195: Chapter 195: Unspeakable                                   ¡°How could Xiao Su do something like this? Doesn¡¯t she know that it¡¯s easy to start a rumor but hard to quash it? Besides, you have no grudges against her, why would she target you?¡±


    Mrs. Qi¡¯s brows were deeply furrowed, full of displeasure toward Su Man.


    Don¡¯t say that she¡¯s being overprotective. So what if she is?


    To fabricate something out of nothing and to spread rumors to nder her goddaughter is simply preposterous!


    Kang Li: ¡°I don¡¯t know either.¡± Shaking her head, Kang Li showed a look of bewilderment.


    But she knew very well in her heart!


    It was nothing more than the ¡°antagonistic¡± elements hidden within the original novel¡¯s plot at y.


    To put it bluntly, in the novel, eight out of ten female leads and the women pushing the plot forward are archenemies, antagonists.


    Even though now, because of her arrival, some deviations had already urred in the original plot.


    Like how she and the three kids were living days filled with warmth and harmony, instead of the original Kang Li turning life upside down in the house after she arrived, providing endless entertainment for the people in the courtyard.


    Without knowing it, she yed a supporting role to the female lead, Su Man, making the other seem to shine like a beacon, the epitome of a good wife and mother.


    Hence, there wasn¡¯t any need for the female lead, Su Man, to deliberately target her. The original Kang Li could turn herself into an unlikeable character with ease.


    However, she hade, and unbeknownst to everyone, things had started to change.


    Su Man certainly didn¡¯t know, let alone that this world was constructed based on a novel, nor did she know that everyone, including herself, was originally just a paper character.


    But from the moment this world took shape and filled in all its loopholes, there was no longer such thing as paper characters.


    Therefore, Kang Li would not use the plot from the novel she knew to feel superior to others, to think of herself as a deity in the heavens who could dictate other people¡¯s lives. She would just be herself, merely a part of this world, follow her heart, and live each day to its fullest.


    Okay, to put it simply, she wouldn¡¯t actively start trouble or look for problems with others, but if someone insisted on being despicable and crossing her, then it would be inevitable for her to ¡°retaliate.¡±


    After all, words like ¡°timid¡± and ¡°turtle retracting its head into its shell¡± never existed in her life¡¯s dictionary!


    So, Su Man, the so-called female lead of the novel, if you don¡¯t take heed and live your life peacefully and on your own, but instead keep thinking about picking fights with me¡­


    Ha! Just wait to be smacked in the face time and time again!


    But at this moment, she obviously couldn¡¯t reveal the truth to Mrs. Qi, not because of mistrust, but simply because it couldn¡¯t be mentioned.


    Just imagine, even though everyone is real and alive, if you insist on saying that we¡¯re all fictional characters from a novel, that we¡¯re all paper characters, the other person would definitely think you¡¯re delusional, or even think that you¡¯ve been traumatized, that there¡¯s something wrong with your brain.


    Not to mention telling her that Su Man is the main character of the world, and I, your goddaughter, am just a dispensable extra, one that serves to highlight the female lead¡¯s virtue, and that the ultimate ending is the death of the entire family, that would probably scare Mrs. Qi into fainting on the spot.


    Thinking this, not a trace of anything unusual could be seen on Kang Li¡¯s exquisite face.


    Mrs. Qi: ¡°That¡¯s too much! No, I must seek justice for you!¡± Saying so, Mrs. Qi was about to get up when Kang Li hurriedly spoke to dissuade her: ¡°No need, no need, godmother. Calm down, your goddaughter here is not a soft persimmon to be kneaded by others. Besides, I¡¯m very vengeful, and if I¡¯m wronged, I make sure to retaliate in the shortest time possible.¡±


    Hearing this, Mrs. Qi¡¯s anger didn¡¯t subside, and she said:

 Chapter 196 - 196 196 Apology and Anxiety

    ?Chapter 196: Chapter 196: Apology and Anxiety   Chapter 196: Chapter 196: Apology and Anxiety                                   ¡°You think that by going to someone¡¯s home andying everything out, you¡¯ve gotten your revenge? You should know, Xiao Su¡¯s behavior is an attack on your character, making it difficult for you to be around this courtyard!¡±


    Kang Li¡¯s fox-like eyes curved into crescents as she nodded, ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°Knowing that, why won¡¯t you let me go and demand an exnation for you?¡± Mrs. Qi red at Kang Li, somewhat disappointed, but it was clear that her eyes held more distress and anger towards Su Man.


    Kang Li consoled her, ¡°Godmother, even if you went there yourself, you would only scold them a bit, what can you really do to them? Besides, when all is said and done, this whole affair started over idle gossip, and the other party has already apologized to me. Even if the apology wasn¡¯t heartfelt, they have openly admitted their fault, and if I continue to harp on it, it will seem like I am being unreasonably vindictive.¡±


    Mrs. Qi: ¡°¡­and that¡¯s it?¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°Godmother, have you forgotten what I mentioned earlier?¡±


    Mrs. Qi: ¡°¡­¡± She couldn¡¯t quite remember what Kang Li was referring to.


    Kang Li blinked her fox-like eyes yfully and said, ¡°Before going to Comrade Wen¡¯s doorstep, didn¡¯t I tell you that I had visited Sister-inw Fang¡¯s home first, followed by the Feng family, the Gu Family, and the Song Family, one by one?¡±


    Before Kang Li could finish her sentence, Mrs. Qi suddenlyughed, ¡°It¡¯s godmother who forgot! It¡¯s a good thing you¡¯re thorough, or else we might not have been able to handle Xiao Su.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°I didn¡¯t intend to control her, I simply rified the situation to her face. As for what she did, whatever the courtyard turns it into is not my business.¡±


    Mrs. Qi: ¡°Of course, it¡¯s not your business, she brought it on herself! Out of nothing, she ndered you, and now that the situation has turned around, whatever others say about her, she has to bear it.¡±


    Mrs. Qi sighed and her recently rxed brows furrowed again, ¡°Xiao Su¡¯s character is clearly wed. She has been married to Comrade Wen Siyuan for less than a year and she¡¯s already using Yueyue and the other sisters as her pawns. In the long run, who knows what she might teach the children? Especially now that she¡¯s pregnant, in a few months when her own child is born¡­¡±


    Mid-sentence, Mrs. Qi stopped talking, grasped Kang Li¡¯s hand, and looked apologetic and worried, ¡°Li Bao, don¡¯t take it to heart, godmother wasn¡¯t including you at all in what she just said.¡±


    Kang Li smiled, ¡°I know. You don¡¯t have to be so careful with me, godmother. I know you¡¯re speaking about the situation, not the person. Besides, it¡¯s very unlikely that I will have¡­¡±


    Looking at the kids sitting in a row, listening to Song Xuan y the erhu, Kang Li suddenly fell silent, then after a while, she continued, ¡°Even if I do, how I¡¯ve treated Ruirui and the others before, I will do the same in the future.¡±


    Mrs. Qi patted the back of Kang Li¡¯s hand, ¡°Godmother knew you were good from the first time she met you.¡±


    Kang Li smiled, ¡°Ruirui, Hanhan, and Vivi are very good kids, I like them a lot.¡±


    ¡­


    One day, Loo Ping visited the Wen¡¯s family, and seeing that it was only her and Su Man in the living room with no third person around, she couldn¡¯t help but bring up the gossip she had heard about Su Man these past few days: ¡°You might not be aware of this?¡±


    Su Man: ¡°¡­¡± What didn¡¯t she know?


    Loo Ping: ¡°It seems you truly don¡¯t know.¡±


    Su Man became more confused, ¡°Sister Loo, can you just stop beating around the bush? If you have something to say, please be direct. I¡¯m pregnant right now, and if you keep doing this¡­¡±

 Chapter 197 - 197 197 Stoking the Fire

    ?Chapter 197: Chapter 197: Stoking the Fire   Chapter 197: Chapter 197: Stoking the Fire                                   ¡°Alright, alright, what¡¯s the hurry?! I came over here to tell you, didn¡¯t I?¡±


    Loo Ping waved her hand and lowered her voice, ¡°Everyone¡¯s saying that you¡¯re creating problems out of nowhere, that you just can¡¯t get along with Comrade Xiao Kang, spreading rumors and ndering him, almost causing everyone to misunderstand his character.¡±


    Su Man¡¯splexion changed dramatically, ¡°What else?¡±


    Loo Ping thought for a moment and then added, ¡°They say you don¡¯t know how to teach kids, and you even used Yueyue and her sisters as pawns, inciting them to join other kids in ostracizing and isting Professor Luo¡¯s children.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ that¡¯s utterly absurd!¡±


    Su Man was so angry that the corners of her mouth trembled, but the emotions she revealed were caught by Loo Ping, who directly asked, ¡°Are you saying you didn¡¯t spread rumors and nder Comrade Xiao Kang?¡±


    Who are you fooling? We¡¯re all neighbors here, who doesn¡¯t know whom? Besides, not just the immediate neighbors but even those living a bit further away have all been spreading how you¡¯ve been making things up to target that member of Professor Luo¡¯s family.


    The reason she came by now was simply to fan the mes, hoping to provoke this seemingly clever but actually brainless fool to cause a scene at the Luo family¡¯s home. Ideally, it would result in Professor Luo kicking Wen Siyuan out of his group in a fit of rage, potentially leaving a spot for her husband, Old Zhang, to fill.


    As for why she harbored such thoughts, it was simple: in their work, her husband, Old Zhang, was good at the same things Wen Siyuan excelled at.


    If that was the case, then Wen Siyuan wasn¡¯t irreceable under Professor Luo.


    Don¡¯t me her for harboring such a cunning n; everyone looks out for themselves, after all. She wanted her husband to advance further in his career and not just be a minor researcher when it was time for him to retire.


    ¡°I¡­ I just made a couple of offhand guesses at home, and I¡¯ve already sincerely apologized to her. How can she¡­ how can she be so unrelenting when she¡¯s in the right?!¡±


    Su Man¡¯s eyes reddened, her expression a mixture of indignation and frustration.


    ¡°Xiao Su, I¡¯m not criticizing you, but with children in the house, how can you just say anything thates to mind? And, for your information, Comrade Xiao Kang went around to several households with children to get to the bottom of the truth,


    clearly exining that she never said she hated peopleing over to her house to watch TV, and that she never expressed annoyance when people visited her. Speaking of which, I really admire Comrade Xiao Kang; she always seems to be clearer-headed than the rest of us, never flustered when things happen¡­¡±


    Loo Ping continued to stir the pot, only to be interrupted by Su Man, ¡°Sister Loo, I¡¯m feeling a little unwell and need to go lie down in my room.¡± This was a polite way of asking her to leave.


    ¡°Alright, then you should go back and rest. I¡¯ll be on my way. And don¡¯t be upset about this trivial stuff, it might affect the baby in your belly.¡±


    Almost being pushed out the door, Loo Ping rolled her eyes indignantly, but she kept a smile on her face as she stood up, ¡°Xiao Su, when you¡¯re wrong, you¡¯re wrong. The things being spread about you have nothing to do with Comrade Xiao Kang, they are¡­¡±


    ¡°Sister Loo! Take care, no need to see you out!¡±


    Su Man raised her voice, clearly forcing a smile.


    It was evident just how unwee Loo Ping was at that moment.


    ¡°We live right across from each other, there¡¯s no need for any special send-offs, besides, as you know, I¡¯m not one for formalities.¡±


    Clearly, with these parting words, Loo Ping intended to leave Su Man feeling ufortable, implying that Su Man was uncultured andcked manners.


    ¡°You heard all that, didn¡¯t you?!¡±

 Chapter 198 - 198 198 Contradiction

    ?Chapter 198: Chapter 198 Contradiction   Chapter 198: Chapter 198 Contradiction                                   After Loo Ping had left, Su Man¡¯s eyes brimmed with tears as she pushed open the half-ajar study door with great grievance and burst into uncontroble sobs upon seeing Wen Siyuan.


    ¡°What good would it do if I had heard? Do you really expect me to go find Comrade Xiao Kang to argue on your behalf?¡±


    Wen Siyuan sat with his hands crossed over the desk, frowning at his wife.


    ¡°Why not? She¡¯s unreasonable even when she¡¯s in the right¡ªthat¡¯s her fault. Why can¡¯t I confront her?¡± Su Man asked amidst her weeping.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say it yourself? They are in the right. Besides, from what I just overheard, Comrade Loo didn¡¯t say it was Comrade Xiao Kang spreading rumors outside; it was those kids around our courtyard¡­¡±


    Before Wen Siyuan could finish, Su Man interrupted him angrily, ¡°Enough! If you don¡¯t want to help me, then just say so, but don¡¯t forget, when people gossip about me, it reflects poorly on you too.¡±


    Closing his book, Wen Siyuan asked, ¡°You¡¯re right, but I don¡¯t wish to care about that, considering we¡¯re not in the right. What¡¯s the harm in being talked about by others? Eventually, they¡¯ll tire of it and find it dull, but if you go and argue with Comrade Xiao Kang now, you¡¯ll only give people more reason to talk and make it seem like you¡¯re the one at fault, never reflecting on your actions but audaciously causing trouble for Comrade Xiao Kang. Do you think you could continue to live here peacefully in this courtyard after that?¡±


    Su Man: ¡°I see you just care about saving face!¡±


    Wen Siyuan: ¡°Say whatever you like.¡±


    Su Man: ¡°You¡­¡± How could she have married such a man? He wouldn¡¯t argue on her behalf, norfort her. How was he treating her? Scolding her and now simply ignoring herpletely out of line!


    ¡°There¡¯s something you need to understand.¡±


    Wen Siyuan suddenly spoke up again, ¡°In our institute, many are eager to join Comrade Luo¡¯s research team. Comrade Loo¡¯s spouse is one of them, and if you don¡¯t handle your rtionship with Comrade Xiao Kang well, considering how much Comrade Luo cares for his spouse, I can¡¯t guarantee that you won¡¯t be moved out of the group under some pretext. And when my spot bes avable, it¡¯s very likely that Comrade Loo¡¯s spouse, Zhang Sheng, will fill it. Let me tell you something else¡ªin terms of project research, Zhang Sheng specializes in the same area as I do.¡±


    ¡°Are you suggesting¡­ Sister Loo said those words to me on purpose?¡± Su Man stopped her tears; she wasn¡¯t foolish, especially when it came to their mutual interests, she was quite astute!


    Realizing how close she hade to falling into Loo Ping¡¯s trap, Su Man couldn¡¯t help but clench her fists tightly.


    ¡°What do you think?¡±


    Instead of answering, Wen Siyuan countered with a question.


    ¡°Do you have to talk to me in such an ambiguous tone?¡± Su Man red at Wen Siyuan, saying irritably: ¡°Since you heard everything, what are you nning to do about Wen Yue and her sisters?¡±


    ¡°You and I are husband and wife, and Yueyue and her sisters are naturally your daughters, too. I naturally hope you will guide them sincerely. Besides, if Yueyue and her sisters turn out well, it only benefits your reputation.¡± Wen Siyuan paused for a moment, then continued, ¡°If you¡¯re unsure how to do it, you might learn from Comrade Xiao Kang.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Su Man¡¯s just-subdued anger red up again: ¡°How do you want me to learn? Should I learn from your so-called Comrade Xiao Kang to buy new clothes for her three kids now and then, or should I be like her, stuffing milk candies or various snacks into their pockets or the little bags slung over their shoulders every time her kids go out to y?¡±


    In fact, as Su Man said, Kang Li had taken the time to sew a small crossbody bag for each of her three little ones, cutting out cartoon versions of rabbits, tigers, and ducks from bright colored fabric and meticulously stitching them onto the bags.

 Chapter 199 - 199 199 Not Afraid of Not Knowing the Goods

    ?Chapter 199: Chapter 199: Not Afraid of Not Knowing the Goods, Fear of Comparison with Others   Chapter 199: Chapter 199: Not Afraid of Not Knowing the Goods, Fear of Comparison with Others                                   The rabbit was what Milk Bun Ming Han wanted, he said he liked the lively and cute little white rabbits.


    Xiao Ming Wei wanted it because she liked the ¡°Counting Ducks¡± nursery rhyme Kang Li taught, and she used both coquettishness and cuteness to get her mom to sew two chubby little yellow ducks on her bag.


    As for little Min Rui, he hesitated for quite a while before admitting that he liked big tigers.


    So, each of the three little ones had their own favorite little backpacks. However, brother Min Rui was worried about getting his little bag dirty and was reluctant to take it outside.


    The twins were still small, and neither cared that much; they loved to show off.


    Once they left the house, they had to sling their little backpacks on and show them off to their mom, Kang Li naturally understood what the twins meant, and she alwaysughed happily at this.


    She either filled them with milk candies and wrapped haw slices or stuffed them with fruit leather and raisins and other snacks.


    Anyway, she would never let her little cubs go out with empty backpacks.


    Wen Siyuan¡¯s eyes shed with a dark hue as he asked, ¡°ording to what you¡¯re saying, is Comrade Kang bribing the kids with treats and buying them new clothes to win their hearts and get them to ept her as their mom?¡±


    ¡°Is it not so?¡±


    Su Man defended herself righteously.


    Wen Siyuanughed angrily, ¡°Of course not! Let¡¯s not mention the trouble you and Yueyue caused; even before that, when Comrade Xiao Feng made unreasonable trouble and what she did to Comrade Luo¡¯s three little ones, don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t know how Comrade Xiao Kang dealt with it.¡±


    Su Man¡¯s eyes darted around, and she bit her lip without saying a word.


    ¡°Lost for words, huh?¡±


    Wen Siyuan¡¯s heart was bitter, as both were in their second marriage, yet why was it that his wife couldn¡¯tpare to the one Comrade Luo married? Not to mention her appearance, just the love she had for the children¡­ His wife was nowhere near as good. Not to mention she was shallow, envious, and jealous whenever she saw what others had, her emotions hard to control, showing her displeasure to the children at home.


    He sighed quietly and continued, ¡°Comrade Xiao Kang, knowing that her children had been wronged, directly took Ruirui and the siblings to Xiao Feng¡¯s home. Not only did she make Xiao Feng and her son apologize to them,


    she also sternly pointed out the issues with Xiao Feng¡¯s parenting. In short, Comrade Xiao Kang is sincerely treating her children, not beating around the bush and making them truly ept her as their mom from the bottom of their hearts.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t do that for now. If you despise me, divorce is the answer.¡±


    She was pregnant, so she wasn¡¯t worried about him suggesting a divorce.


    Thinking this, Su Man turned away with a cold face.


    ¡°There is nothing to be afraid of when ites to being unaware of the goods, but it¡¯s dreadful when peoplepare.¡±


    Wen Siyuan sighed deeply, his expression extremelyplex.


    Time flew quickly, and in the blink of an eye, Luo Yanqing¡¯s holiday was just two days from being over.


    That day, neither Director Song nor Mrs. Qi apanied their eldest grandson to the Luo Family to learn the erhu. Well, actually, Director Song followed Song Xuan from a not-too-close but not-too-far distance, watching his grandson enter Kang Li¡¯s yard.


    By doing this, Director Song simply wanted to train his grandson. He and Mrs. Qi hoped to see their grandson able to live independently while they were still alive¡­


    It wasn¡¯t that they were heartless; knowing full well of their grandson¡¯s special circumstances, they still had such high demands for him because life is hard, and one should rely on themselves rather than others.


    Even though they were certain that Kang Li, their goddaughter, was of impable character and that after their time had passed, relying on the kinship of godparents, Kang Li, as their son¡¯s god-aunt, would surely not neglect their grandson,

 Chapter 200 - 200 200 Changes

    ?Chapter 200: Chapter 200: Changes   Chapter 200: Chapter 200: Changes                                   They also wanted Song Xuan to be as independent as possible in his daily life.


    This way, he wouldn¡¯t be a burden to others, and he could live a bit morefortably.


    By now, it waste August, and the temperature wasn¡¯t very high. Additionally, since today was cloudy with some wind, it was quite suitable for outdoor activities.


    Therefore, Kang Li decided to hold today¡¯s Erhu teaching session in the courtyard. Of course, Xiao Ming Rui and the other two were methodically doing their things in the yard as well.


    Like listening to music and ying checkers, for instance.


    At this moment, the trio of Xiao Ming Rui were seated around a small dining table ying checkers. Beside them, Kang Li¡¯s voice was soft and slow as she exined the ying techniques of a new piece to Song Xuan and borated on the artistic conception of the piece in detail to the teenager.


    ¡°Okay, now Auntie will y it once. After you listen, try to y it ording to the score. When you finish ying, Auntie will point out where you made mistakes.¡±


    ¡°¡­Okay.¡±


    Song Xuan, handsome with eyes and brows, was approaching sixteen, about 175 cm tall, with fair skin. Dressed in a white shirt and army green trousers today, wearing a pair of white sneakers, his sleeves rolled up halfway, and his shirt tucked into his trousers, his disheveled hair was shiny and ck, making him look clean and tidy. Had it not been for those who knew him, his particrity was now hardly noticeable.


    This was certainly not a casual remark¡ªFor now, the boy could not only slowly start speaking but also asionally showed a smile in front of Director Song, Mrs. Qi, and Kang Li, who was both his aunt and teacher, and the three little ones.


    His smile was very clean and pure. If Kang Li had to describe it, the boy¡¯s smile was like a warm little puppy.


    Furthermore, the boy¡¯s gaze was no longer as dull as before. There was a sparkle in his eyes. Although not as lively as a normal child¡¯s, whenever the boy smiled, his eyes seemed to instantly gather the most dazzling colors, bright and particrly captivating.


    ¡°Listen carefully, Auntie is going to start.¡± As Kang Li¡¯s voice fell, the piece ¡°Listening to the Pines¡± began to echo around the courtyard.


    ¡°Listening to the Pines¡± was an originalposition by the folk artist Abing, a famous traditional Erhu piece.


    The music expresses the sound of the pine waves and conveys a strong and unyielding character, firm confidence, and celebrates the Chinese people¡¯s noble character, the iron-strong will of struggle, and the heroic majesty to overpower enemies as ituds the national hero Yue Fei¡¯s military prowess.


    The entire piece was bold and vigorous, very forceful!


    The reason for teaching the boy this piece¡ªmore precisely, the reason why Kang Li taught him traditional Erhu pieces¡ªwas simple. Should a suitablepetition opportunity arise, the boy could definitely sign up and participate.


    By performing on stage, with the music he yed, he could tell everyone that even though he was different from normal people, he too was the brightest star in the night sky.


    It wasn¡¯t Kang Li being arrogant. After spending some time teaching the boy to y the Erhu, she was now fully convinced of his exceptional talent in ying the Erhu.


    Put another way, the boy was quite sensitive to music. The pieces he listened to were especially easy for him to pick up.


    As time slowly passed, and as Kang Li finished thest note on her side, the next moment, without waiting for Kang Li to speak, the boy began ying the piece in front of him, focused on the score.


    Although there were deficiencies, the overall performance was quite good.


    ¡°Not bad, but there are a few obvious mistakes¡­¡± After the piece was yed, Kang Li, holding the score, pointed out the mistakes as the boy stood up and approached her. Her voice was gentle and tender, unconsciously touching people¡¯s hearts.

 Chapter 201 - 201 201 Luo Yanqing Throws a Tantrum

    ?Chapter 201: Chapter 201: Luo Yanqing Throws a Tantrum   Chapter 201: Chapter 201: Luo Yanqing Throws a Tantrum                                   The youth listened attentively, and when praised by Kang Li, he showed a shy smile. At the same time, Kang Li also smiled warmly and beautifully.


    Just then, someone who hade out of the study and walked to the living room doorway saw this scene.


    For a moment, Professor Luo felt the scene before him was somewhat dazzling, and he felt ufortable inside.


    He didn¡¯t know why he felt this way, but he just didn¡¯t like what he was seeing.


    Even though he knew the youth was younger, he still didn¡¯t want to see him smiling at his young wife, nor did he want his young wife smiling at the youth.


    With a slight purse of his lips, the more Luo Yanqing watched, the more ufortable he felt inside.


    Compared to him, the youth and his young wife were closer in age, especially at this moment. The youth, dressed in clean, crisp clothes, had his hair tousled by the wind as he shyly smiled, looking very well-behaved.


    The woman beside the youth, his young wife, was wearing a pure white dress today, her hair braided into two its that hung in front of her chest. The wind lifted her bangs and made her skirt flutter gently, her smile sweet and warm. Standing together, they looked like a beautiful painting.


    ¡°Kang Li¡­¡± Luo Yanqing couldn¡¯t hold back any longer. His clear and pleasant voice unexpectedly drew Kang Li¡¯s gaze to him.


    This was deliberate; he had intentionally spoken out to interrupt his young wife and the youth from continuing their conversation, breaking the beautiful ¡°painting¡± they formed.


    ¡°Is there something you need?¡±


    Kang Li blinked her fox-like eyes, looking at him and tilting her head to ask.


    Luo Yanqing paused, then shook his head, ¡°¡­Nothing.¡± It¡¯s just that I don¡¯t want you smiling at others, don¡¯t want to see you standing with others, even if he¡¯s now our nephew, I still don¡¯t want to see you two together.


    ¡°Then you y with Ruirui and the others for a while, I¡¯ll finish talking with Xuan Xuan, then we can chat.¡±


    With a smile in her eyes, Kang Li said as she turned her attention back to the youth.


    However, Luo Yanqing did not join Xiao Ming Rui and the others. He quietly watched Kang Li and the youth, his indifferent gaze gradually deepening, and his usually cold facial expression became even colder.


    Not knowing how much time had passed, he withdrew his gaze, turned around, and prepared to go back to the study.


    Just then, Kang Li¡¯s pleasant voice reached Luo Yanqing¡¯s ears, ¡°Luo Yanqing, are you going back to the study to read?¡±


    Hearing this, Luo Yanqing halted his steps. He suddenly felt that sense of difort surge again, turned his head, and his expression was exceptionally indifferent. His voice carried not the slightest warmth, ¡°You seem busy, I won¡¯t disturb you here.¡±


    Without directly answering, Luo Yanqing spoke. Seeing Kang Li only look puzzled but not asking him why, the difort in his heart intensified.


    His lips tightly pressed, he didn¡¯t look at Kang Li again and headed to the study.


    Watching the man¡¯s retreating figure, Kang Li muttered, ¡°Is he angry with me? But why?¡± Unable to figure it out, Kang Li simply stopped thinking about it. She pointed out the parts where the youth had yed incorrectly and then had him y again.


    ¡°Very good, apart from being a bit rusty, Xuan Xuan didn¡¯t miss a single note this time.¡±


    After Song Xuan yed once more, a smile lingered in Kang Li¡¯s bright fox-like eyes as she gave the youth a thumbs-up.


    ¡°Brother Xuan Xuan is awesome!¡±


    The twins smiled joyfully, pping their hands seal-style with a ¡°guajiguajiguaji.¡±


    Brother Min Rui didn¡¯t say anything, but he pped along with his brother and sister; clearly, he also thought Brother Xuan Xuan yed exceptionally well this time.


    ¡°So, Xuan Xuan, are you going home now, or do you want to y with Ruirui, Hanhan, and Vivi a while longer before heading back?¡±

 Chapter 202 - 202 202 Warmth

    ?Chapter 202: Chapter 202 Warmth   Chapter 202: Chapter 202 Warmth                                   Kang Li gestured for the boy to sit back in his chair, then asked with a gentle smile in her voice,


    ¡°A story¡­ story¡­¡±


    Song Xuan thought hard, although his speech was interrupted at times, he managed to fully express his thoughts.


    ¡°Mommy mommy! Brother Xuan Xuan wants to hear a story from mommy!¡±


    Before Kang Li could speak up, Xiao Ming Wei cutely lifted her little milk-like voice to trante for her mother,


    ¡°I also know that Brother Xuan Xuan wants to hear a story from mommy!¡±


    Milk Bun Ming Han didn¡¯t want to be left behind.


    ¡°You smart little rascals, mommy knows. Mommy will tell you a story right now,¡±


    she said as she ruffled the twins¡¯ hair. With a foxy smile in her eyes, she sat down in the armchair close to the three little cubs and the boy, saying softly, ¡°What is the name of the story I¡¯m going to tell today? Let me think¡­¡±


    Feigning deep thought, Kang Li cradled her arm and lightly tapped her chin with her forefinger, then suddenly her eyes brightened: ¡°I¡¯ve got it!¡± At the sound of her suddenly elevated voice, the eyes of Xuan Xuan and Xiao Ming Rui lit up in unison.


    ¡°The story I¡¯m going to tell now is ¡®Little Tadpole Drawing.¡¯ The story goes like this: There are many little tadpoles in the pond, and they swim in the water, their tails flickering, looking so pretty!¡±


    At this, Milk Bun Ming Han asked, ¡°Mommy, are the little tadpoles ying?¡±


    ¡°No, they aren¡¯t!¡± Kang Li shook her head, her voice clear and gentle, ¡°They are using their thin long tails as brushes, seriously doing their homework!¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei blinked her big grape-like eyes and eximed, ¡°So the little tadpoles write their homework with their tails!¡±


    Kang Li nodded with a smile and continued the story, ¡°The little tadpoles write and write, producing lines of unstructured little poems.¡±


    ¡°Mommy mommy, are the little poems like the one you taught Vivi and big brother and second brother? ¡®Before my bed a pool of light¡ª Can it be hoarfrost on the ground? Looking up, I find the moon bright; Bowing, in homesickness, I¡¯m drowned.''¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°Vivi is so smart! But the poems written by the little tadpoles don¡¯t have a structure.¡±


    Milk Bun Ming Han nced at his sister: ¡°Mommy already said that the little tadpoles wrote lines of unstructured poems, Vivi, weren¡¯t you listening carefully?¡±


    ¡°I was listening carefully. But even if the tadpoles¡¯ poems don¡¯t have a structure, they¡¯re still poems, right, mommy?¡± Xiao Ming Wei looked at her mom somewhat pleadingly.


    ¡°Right,¡± Kang Li affirmed, then continued with a smile, ¡°There are many different structures to poems, like the regted verse with five character lines, and seven character lines, etc. You might not understand it now, but when you go to elementary school, your teachers will tell you about them. It¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t get it now; when we have time, I¡¯ll exin it to you in detail, alright?¡±


    ¡°Alright!¡±


    Ruirui and Song Xuan responded in unison.


    With a gentle smile, Kang Li went on with the story: ¡°The little tadpoles also drew and drew, creating a pond full of riddles that couldn¡¯t be deciphered.¡±


    ¡°Vivi knows what riddles are!¡± Xiao Ming Wei cutely said, ¡°Bright and bright, a fireball hangs in the sky. It stays for shorter times in winter, longer in summer. It¡¯s the sun!¡±


    Milk Bun Ming Han ¡°hmphed¡± and said: ¡°Mommy has told us this before, it¡¯s not just you who knows it!¡±


    ¡°But I didn¡¯t say I¡¯m the only one who knows, did I?!¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei didn¡¯t understand why her second brother needed to argue with her now and then. As if she wanted to deliberately annoy him, she said again in her cutesy voice, ¡°Sometimes it¡¯s round and round, sometimes it¡¯s curvy and curvy, sometimes ites out at night, sometimes at night it can¡¯t be seen¡­¡±

 Chapter 203 - 203 203 Envy

    ?Chapter 203: Chapter 203: Envy   Chapter 203: Chapter 203: Envy                                   Before Xiao Ming Wei could reveal the answer, Milk Bun Ming Han blurted out, ¡°It¡¯s the moon,¡± and raised his eyebrows at his sister Vivi.


    Kang Li watched the twins with amusement, pped her hands lightly, and said, ¡°Okay, okay, our story isn¡¯t finished yet.¡±


    The twins immediately shrank their necks, feeling guilty, and dared not look at Brother Ming Rui and their Brother Xuan Xuan.


    ¡°As days passed by, the little tadpoles continued to write and draw, and unwittingly, their pencils became shorter by the day, until eventually, they were too short to use.¡±


    Xiao Ming Rui and Xuan Xuan were very nervous.


    Kang Li: ¡°The little fish and shrimp in the pond noticed and murmured among themselves, ¡®Oh dear, the tadpoles must have picked up some bad habits, otherwise why would their tails be gone, right?''¡±


    Milk Bun Ming Han thought hard and quietly asked his sister, ¡°Where did the tadpoles¡¯ tails go?¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei shook her head cutely, indicating she didn¡¯t know either.


    Kang Li nced at the twins but didn¡¯t give them the answer, instead, she continued the story: ¡°The fish and shrimp kept gossiping: ¡®Yes, yes, it was said that the little white rabbit got a short tail for telling lies!


    ¡®The tadpoles must have done something naughty for their tails to gradually disappear. In the beginning, the tadpoles thought they really lost their tails, they searched all over the pond, but then, suddenly, theyughed! Do you know why the tadpolesughed?¡±


    Xiao Ming Rui shook his head.


    The young boy also shook his head.


    Kang Li: ¡°It turned out, the tadpoles remembered something their mother had once said.¡±


    ¡°Mommy, Mommy, what did the tadpole mommy say?¡± Vivi was eager to know.


    ¡°Mama, Mama, please tell us!¡±


    The twins cajoled sweetly, impatient to hear what the tadpole mom had told her children.


    Kang Li¡¯s eyes were filled with indulgent and tenderughter: ¡°The tadpoles¡¯ mother had once said: ¡®Children, losing your tails means you are about to grow up, and you can go ashore to y with other little friends soon!''¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s why!¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei sighed softly.


    Milk Bun Ming Han: ¡°That¡¯s amazing!¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°And so, the tadpoles who were about to lose their tails hopped out of the pond one by one, and turned into cute little frogs!¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei: ¡°Frogs are what tadpoles look like when they grow up, so magical!¡±


    Milk Bun Ming Han: ¡°Mom, I really want to see how tadpoles grow up into frogs day by day!¡± As Milk Bun Ming Han¡¯s words rang out, Brother Ming Rui, sister Vivi, and their Brother Xuan Xuan turned their hopeful gazes toward their mother (aunt).


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Kang Li was stunned, where was she supposed to catch tadpoles? Was there a creek near the courtyard? And generally, weren¡¯t tadpoles found in April or May¡­ After a moment of silence and under the children¡¯s expectant stares, Kang Li finally spoke:


    ¡°There are no tadpoles at this time of the year, how about this: tomorrow, mom will draw for you how tadpoles slowly turn into frogs on paper,


    Next spring, mom will definitely find a way to catch some tadpoles for you to raise at home, so you can observe with your own eyes how they turn into frogs day by day. Now tell me, any objections?¡±


    Song Xuan shook his head.


    Ming Rui also shook his head.


    The twins answered loudly: ¡°None at all! Mom is the best! Mama is awesome!¡±


    In the next-door Wen Family Courtyard.


    Wen Yue and her sisters Wen Yi and Wen Yu somehow found themselves sitting on little stools by the wall closest to the Luo Family¡¯s side, all ears and envy in their eyes as they listened attentively to the story Kang Li was telling.

 Chapter 204 - 204 204 I Think Youre Far Worse Than Comrade

    ?Chapter 204: Chapter 204: I Think You¡¯re Far Worse Than Comrade Kang!   Chapter 204: Chapter 204: I Think You¡¯re Far Worse Than Comrade Kang!                                   This scene was witnessed by Su Man, and she was so angry she almost lost her temper at Sister Wen Yue and her sisters.


    Yes, nearly, if it weren¡¯t for Wen Siyuan standing just outside the living room door, standing right next to Su Man, also listening to the story Kang Li was telling, Su Man would have definitely found an excuse to scold Wen Yue and her three sisters.


    ¡°What¡¯s the big deal, isn¡¯t it just a story about a tadpole turning into a frog? Making a mountain out of a molehill!¡±


    Muttering to herself, Su Man snorted coldly and turned back to the living room.


    ¡°Making a mountain out of a molehill?¡±


    Wen Siyuan ¡°ha¡±¡®d, walking behind Su Man back into the living room, and sat down. His expression indecipherable, he stared at Su Man, ¡°The story Comrade Kang told her children might be simple, but it has an enlightening effect, and it can also help the children develop a certain ability to observe.


    This will greatly aid their writing in the future, and who knows, in over a decade, our country might gain one or two young scientists.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you?¡± Su Man became furiously embarrassed, ¡°You have been contradicting me these past few days, do you have something against me?¡±


    Wen Siyuan, ¡°You¡­ are being unreasonable!¡± He was just stating a fact, how was that contradicting her, or disliking her?


    ¡°I admit, I¡¯m not as good-looking as Comrade Kang you mention, nor as talented and versatile, but you should know that I am your wife, and that much-praised Comrade Kang, she is someone else¡¯s wife¡­¡±


    Before she could finish speaking, Wen Siyuan interrupted Su Man; his face was dark, ¡°Irrational! Why can¡¯t you distinguish good from bad? We are humans, with brains and our own thoughts! When someone has virtues, we should humbly learn from them to improve ourselves.


    You, on the other hand, live trapped in your perceptions. Do you know what this is? This is stagnation; you are stagnating if you continue like this. Are you sure you can educate our children well?¡±


    Su Man felt demeaned and red fiercely at Wen Siyuan, ¡°I¡¯ve heard that your esteemed Comrade Kang only graduated from high school, just like me. In terms of education, she and I are the same.¡±


    Wen Siyuan¡¯s gaze was cid, ¡°So what?¡±


    ¡°She knows what I know, just that I¡¯m not as idle as she is!¡±


    Su Man was resentfully indignant.


    Fed up, telling stories to little kids, teaching an idiot to y the erhu¡ªshe might as well lie on the bed and take a nap to refresh herself!


    ¡°Even with the same high school education, I think you are much worse than Comrade Kang!¡±


    Perhaps after enduring Su Man¡¯s temper recently, Wen Siyuan said coldly, ¡°She tells stories to children, teaches them to recite poems, tells them riddles, ys the erhu for them to listen. It¡¯s all to expand the children¡¯s horizons, increase their knowledge, stimte their minds, and cultivate their interests! And you, do you have that skill and patience?¡±


    ¡°No, no, I don¡¯t! Wen Siyuan, if you want to continue living with me, then stop bringing up Comrade Kang in front of me, I don¡¯t want to hear it!¡±


    In her previous life, she had already gone to the countryside by now, thinking love would be enough, thinking there was nothing to going to the countryside, but once she arrived at the agricultural team, not only was it hard to get enough to eat or a good night¡¯s sleep, but the dailybor quickly sapped away the passion to achieve something grand in the vast rural skies, let alone any romantic feelings!


    Thinking of returning to the city, unless there was a recruitment quota in the factory.


    Otherwise, either too sick to move and asking the Team Leader for permission to return to the city for treatment, or taking over the family duty back home¡ªeither way, returning to the city was very difficult.

 Chapter 205 - 205 205 Its Simply Bullying

    ?Chapter 205: Chapter 205: It¡¯s Simply Bullying   Chapter 205: Chapter 205: It¡¯s Simply Bullying                                   And she¡­neither her father nor her mother had ever considered giving her the job, even though she pleaded with them. The only response she got was, ¡°If you take over, you¡¯ll have to ept a much lower sry every month!¡±


    Moreover, she had been in the countryside for less than half a year when, because life there was so harsh, she and the man she loved registered their marriage at the brigade. They had a simple wedding, hoping that at least someone would be there to help her in life.


    And the result?


    All of those educated youths had no experience in farming. In such circumstances, the man she married was naturally no exception.


    However, he was considerate, trying to do more whenever possible to ease her burden.


    But those hard days were not just for a day or two, not just for a year or two, but for many long years.


    In the countryside, they not only had children but also had two. When they heard that they could take the college entrance exam to return to North City, all the educated youths, including the couple, were overjoyed.


    However, they had children to take care of, and the exam date was approaching too fast, giving them hardly any time to review. Moreover, they had not read much on ordinary days, having returned almost everything they had learned in the ssroom to their teachers.


    So much so¡­so much so that when they entered the exam hall and saw the paper, it felt incredibly daunting.


    It felt familiar, yet unfamiliar, they wanted to write, but didn¡¯t know what to write on the paper.


    They walked out of the exam hall in a daze, knowing without waiting for the results that they were very likely to fail.


    Indeed, as they had expected, neither of them passed, not even getting into amunity college.


    While they couldn¡¯t return to North City by passing the college exam, almost two yearster, they received notification that educated youths could return to the city. Of course, this was for those who met the criteria. Those who had married local men or women could return, but they could only go back alone, without their families.


    But this issue did not concern her and her husband.


    After all, they were both from North City, neighbors, and had grown up as childhood sweethearts. Returning to the city would undoubtedly mean going back with their children.


    However, years of rural life and having two children without proper postnatal care had taken a significant toll on her health, which seemed fine outwardly but was severely worn inside.


    Between seeing doctors, looking for jobs, and caring for the children, she was as busy as a spinning top; there was no time left for studying to retake the college entrance exam or to improve her literary knowledge¡­ Based on all these reasons, in her moments of reflection¡ªfrom her years in the countryside back to when she was eighteen¡ªshe had thought she would never go to the countryside in her life.


    ¡°Romance fills the belly¡± was nothing but a deceit!


    She decisively broke up with her boyfriend and then intercepted the marriage proposal that was supposed to go to her sister, Su Qing.


    After marrying the man before her, she resolved to read more whenever she had free time, especially since her husband was a scientific researcher. If she knew nothing, what would they talk about?


    Moreover, she had sworn to get into university in this lifetime to shorten the distance between her and this man. But¡­but with three young daughters at home to take care of, and endless washing and tidying, there really wasn¡¯t much time for reading.


    Now, this man dared to criticize her as superficial, saying she was inferior to the Jiangs next door; it was outright bullying!


    If Wen Yue¡¯s three daughters were as obedient and sensible as the three children next door, not only would she have time to read and better herself, but she would also have more patience to teach the three young girls some lessons.

 Chapter 206 - 206 206 Feeling Good About Myself

    ?Chapter 206: Chapter 206: Feeling Good About Myself   Chapter 206: Chapter 206: Feeling Good About Myself                                   But were they the kind of obedient and sensible children?


    Clearly not!


    Ever since she stepped into this family, Wen Yue never once called her ¡°mom.¡± Wen Yi did, but with her older sister Wen Yue watching over her, each time she called her ¡°mom,¡± it wasn¡¯t heartfelt.


    Only the youngest, Wen Yu, would call her ¡°mommy¡± again and again. However, the little girl was really timid; if Su Qing just raised her voice a bit, Wen Yu would shrink away, as if Su Qing had done something terrible to her.


    It really infuriated her, leaving her with a bellyful of anger.


    And speaking of which, had she not tried to educate those three young girls properly? Putting aside other times, just in this summer vacation alone, wasn¡¯t there a day when she didn¡¯t make them practice their writing and take out their books to study?


    It was Wen Yue and Wen Yi who didn¡¯t really listen to her, merely going through the motions to appease her, sneaking off to y however they wanted behind her back, and she was just a stepmother. Saying things in a gentle and kind manner was one thing, but once it came down to physical punishment or scolding, she would inevitably bebeled ¡ª the evil stepmother indeed!


    At this moment, Su Man¡¯s heart was filled withplex emotions. She knew before she married into the family and usurped her older sister Su Qing¡¯s marital affair, that being a stepmother was tough, but now that she had truly be one, she experienced it firsthand!


    As a stepmother, you had to constantly endure the criticism and judgment of others.


    But if the children were her own, and they did something wrong or she saw something she disliked, criticism and education, or even a scolding or two, would be no big deal. After all, the child was her own flesh and blood ¡ª couldn¡¯t a mother strictly discipline her own child?


    However, when it came to stepchildren, physical punishment was out of the question, and even if she said something harshly, it could lead to criticism. Plus, if the stepchild was sensitive and someone with ulterior motives fanned the mes, a minor incident could easily be turned into a major one. They¡¯d assume the stepmother was unkind, looking for trouble and deliberately making life difficult for the children.


    As these thoughts churned through her mind, Su Man felt a bitter and heavy sorrow. She couldn¡¯t deny that she hadn¡¯t treated the three girls in her family with the same affection as her own children, but she hadn¡¯t treated them badly, had she?!


    They had food and clothes, and she cared about their education as well. Could she say she hadn¡¯t treated them well enough?


    ¡°You¡­ you just calm down,¡± Wen Siyuan said.


    Wen Siyuan had no idea what was going through Su Man¡¯s mind. Seeing her expression change, he became very irritated and couldn¡¯t help but get up and walk towards the study.


    Gathering her thoughts, Su Man said, ¡°I am quite calm!¡± He always seemed so gentle and refined, buttely, he had been acting like a different person. In her opinion, it was all because of that woman next door with the surname Kang.


    If it weren¡¯t for her appearance, would Wen Siyuan havepared Su Man to her at every opportunity, would he have retorted her with just a word?


    In the yard, Wen Yue stopped hearing noise from behind the neighboring wall and couldn¡¯t help but daydream.


    ¡°Sister! Sister, what are you thinking about?¡±


    Wen Yi nudged her sister and asked in a small voice.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s go outside and y.¡±


    Standing up, Wen Yue took the hand of her second sister Wen Yi and their youngest sister Wen Yu, and the three young girls left the house in no time.


    There were no children under the big banyan tree at that moment.


    Wen Yue squatted down on the ground, and her sisters Wen Yi and Wen Yu followed suit, squatting across from her.


    ¡°Sister, the stories Aunt Kang tells are really interesting.¡±


    That was Wen Yi¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Interesting.¡±


    Wen Yu echoed her sister Wen Yi.


    ¡°No matter how interesting, they¡¯re not being told for our sake.¡± Wen Yue¡¯s lips pursed, making her look listless. ¡°But we did hear them,¡± Wen Yi tilted her head and spoke up, her eyes shining brightly.


    Wen Yue didn¡¯t respond, just took a small twig and began drawing aimlessly in the dirt.

 Chapter 207 - 207 207 Do You Feel Uncomfortable in Your

    ?Chapter 207: Chapter 207: Do You Feel Ufortable in Your Heart?   Chapter 207: Chapter 207: Do You Feel Ufortable in Your Heart?                                   For a while, she seemed to be talking to herself and yet also to her younger sister Wen Yi, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to do that, but I¡­ but I just couldn¡¯t control my mouth, I told the bad things that woman said to the other kids and¡­ and even demanded that nobody talk to Ruirui and the others. I never thought I could be so mean¡­¡±


    ¡°Sister!¡±


    Wen Yi looked at her elder sister Wen Yue with a bit of concern.


    ¡°Little Yi, it was me who threatened the other kids, saying if they talked to Ruirui and the others, I would not let theme to our house to watch cartoons. I am really too mean!¡±


    Meeting her younger sister Wen Yi¡¯s eyes, Wen Yue¡¯s eyes rimmed slightly red, ¡°I know Aunt Kang is a nice person, but I spread bad rumors about her and¡­ and I bullied Ruirui, Hanhan, and Vivi. Now Aunt Kang and all of them must really dislike me, and by extension, they might also dislike you and Little Fish!¡±


    Wen Yi blinked, not fully understanding, and asked her sister, ¡°Sister, does that mean we can¡¯t go to Vivi¡¯s house to listen to Aunt Kang tell stories?¡±


    ¡°We did something bad, Aunt Kang won¡¯t wee us to her house.¡±


    As she spoke, tears fell from Wen Yue¡¯s eyes, but she quickly wiped them away with her hand, then she said, ¡°Little Yi, I miss Mommy!¡±


    ¡°Mommy¡­ Sister, Mommy¡­ at home¡­¡±


    Although Wen Yu was about the same age as the twins, okay, actually a couple of months older than the twins, she was not nearly as articte as the twins.


    The little girl pointed to the gate of their courtyard, looking at her elder sister Wen Yue with her big, bright eyes.


    ¡°Little Fish, remember, that woman at our house is not our mommy!¡± Wen Yue gripped her sister Wen Yu¡¯s hand firmly, and said very seriously, ¡°That person is a stepmother, not the one who gave birth to us. Little Fish, you must never call her mommy!¡±


    Wen Yu couldn¡¯t understand what her elder sister Wen Yue was saying at all; the little girl thought her sister was ying with her, and so she held her hand and burst into giggles.


    At this time Wen Yi asked, ¡°Sister, the stepmother said it¡¯s Mommy who doesn¡¯t want us anymore, is that true?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s nonsense! Don¡¯t listen to that bad woman¡¯s words!¡± Wen Yue was angry and red fiercely at the gate of her own courtyard, saying, ¡°Our mommy is the best, just as nice as Aunt Kang, she also used to tell us stories.¡±


    Wen Yi said, ¡°But I don¡¯t remember.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t remember, the only thing you need to remember is that our mommy didn¡¯t abandon us.¡± Her mom was the gentlest mother, always very good to her and her two sisters, never getting angry or scolding them.


    ¡°Mm, I¡¯ll remember that.¡±


    Wen Yi nodded her little head.


    ¡°Little Yi, Sister Yingying, Yinyin, and Lulu haven¡¯t been ying with us these past few days, does that make you feel upset?¡±


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t they ying with us anymore?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s probably because I lied and tricked them!¡±


    ¡°Did sister lie?¡±


    ¡°¡­When I was speaking ill of Aunt Kang, I didn¡¯t know it was that bad woman spreading rumors¡­¡±


    Wen Yue pursed her lips, regretting that she had said anything at all, leading to the situation now where the other kids wouldn¡¯t talk to her and her two younger sisters. The feeling was especially upsetting to her.


    Song Family.


    Kang Li brought Xiao Ming Rui and the other two over to drop off Song Xuan at his house, and now she was sitting in the living room chatting with Mrs. Qi, while the three little ones and Song Xuan were outside in the yard, counting ants.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t Yanqinge over?¡±


    After recognizing Kang Li as her goddaughter, Director Song and Mrs. Qi started calling Luo Yanqing by her full name instead of the previous ¡°Little Luo.¡±


    However, probably out of habit, they asionally still called Luo Yanqing ¡°Little Luo.¡±

 Chapter 208 - 208 208 This means he cares about you silly

    ?Chapter 208: Chapter 208: This means he cares about you, silly girl!   Chapter 208: Chapter 208: This means he cares about you, silly girl!                                   ¡°Before I left, he was in the study.¡±


    As Kang Li spoke, her attractive brows furrowed involuntarily. Seeing her like this, Mrs. Qi couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Is something on your mind, or did you have a fight with Yanqing?¡±


    Before Kang Li could respond, Mrs. Qi suddenlyughed, ¡°No, that¡¯s not right. With Yanqing hardly speaking a few words in a day, he definitely wouldn¡¯t have had an argument with you.¡±


    ¡°We didn¡¯t fight. But¡­ he was a bit strange today. I felt like he was angry with me, yet I don¡¯t know what I did to upset him.¡±


    Kang Li¡¯s clear fox-like eyes were full of confusion: ¡°Godmother, you know, Luo Yanqing is usually very reserved and his gaze when he looks at someone is very indifferent. I¡¯m used to it, but I just felt that the way he looked at me before I left was much colder than usual, and his whole demeanor seemed angry, his face looked very cold too.¡±


    ¡°What were you doing at the time?¡±


    Mrs. Qi¡¯s eyebrows slightly knitted, but her eyes were filled with curiosity.


    ¡°Xuan Xuan had just finished ying his piece, and I was pointing out a few mistakes, and before Xuan Xuan and I finished speaking, I heard Luo Yanqing calling me. I looked up and asked if he needed anything. He said no, so I continued with Xuan Xuan¡­¡±


    Kang Li spoke calmly and slowly. As she spoke more, Mrs. Qi became more certain, only tough softly and raise her hand to indicate that Kang Li needn¡¯t say more, she already knew why Luo Yanqing was angry.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Tilting her head, Kang Li blinked her fox-like eyes, puzzled: ¡°Godmother, do you know something?¡±


    The smile in Mrs. Qi¡¯s eyes almost spilled over: ¡°Most likely, Yanqing is jealous!¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Kang Li was slightly surprised: ¡°Jealous? Who is he jealous of?¡±


    Ruirui and the others are just little ones, and someone else¡¯s kids, he surely wouldn¡¯t be jealous of them, right?


    Besides, at that time, the kids weren¡¯t clinging to her, they were all sitting quietly in their little chairs listening to her and Song Xuan talk¡­ Oh right, could it be he was jealous of Song Xuan?


    Her lips twitched, Kang Li was a bit speechless. Not to mention anything else, just considering Song Xuan¡¯s situation, was it really necessary? Moreover, Song Xuan is her nephew, the generational hierarchy is clear. For him, as an uncle, to be jealous of his nephew, is that appropriate?


    ¡°Yanqing is most likely jealous of Xuan Xuan.¡±


    Mrs. Qi said, barely able to contain her amusement: ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that boy to progress so quickly in his feelings for you. I once thought, with his indifferent nature, as though he¡¯s untouched by worldly desires,


    even with you, his little sun, by his side, and even if he had an epiphany about feelings, it would take a long time for him to truly understand love, to care deeply about you from his heart and to love you passionately.


    But hearing what you just said, I¡¯m quite surprised by him. It hasn¡¯t been that long, and he already knows to feel uneasy when others are close to you, showing his feelings for you are more than trivial.¡±


    ¡°Then he is being foolishly jealous.¡±


    Kang Li coughed lightly, masking her difort, saying, ¡°Xuan Xuan is my nephew, and it¡¯s not as if he doesn¡¯t know that. Why be jealous of anyone?¡±


    ¡°This shows he cares about you, you silly girl!¡±


    Mrs. Qi¡¯s face was full of a doting smile.


    Kang Li: ¡°But him being arbitrarily jealous isn¡¯t good.¡± Her heart actually felt quite delighted; Professor Luo, that lofty and unreachable man, could also feel jealous, which she found rather adorable.


    ¡°I actually think it¡¯s quite good.¡±


    As Mrs. Qi spoke, she involuntarily remembered the phone call from Director Nie of Langping Welfare Institute. Her lips tightened slightly, her smile fading as she looked intently at Kang Li, considering whether to tell her about Luo Yanqing¡¯s background and the matters Director Nie had mentioned in the call.

 Chapter 209 - 209 209 Ha Dream on why dont you

    ?Chapter 209: Chapter 209: Ha! Dream on, why don¡¯t you?!   Chapter 209: Chapter 209: Ha! Dream on, why don¡¯t you?!                                   Perceiving that Mrs. Qi had something to say, yet was somewhat hesitant, Kang Li¡¯s expression couldn¡¯t help but be serious, ¡°Godmother, just tell me whatever it is, and I promise to listen carefully.¡±


    ¡°¡­Since you¡¯ve already noticed, then I¡¯ll just speak frankly.¡±


    Seeing Kang Li nod, Mrs. Qi began talking about Luo Yanqing¡¯s background, the hardships he had experienced over the years, and how, after many years, Wang Gun had shown up at the Langcheng Welfare Institute. In the end, her expression was ice-cold, ¡°If I were to say the two women I detest the most in my life, one of them would be Yanqing¡¯s birth mother.


    The moment that woman received news of Yanqing¡¯s father¡¯s sacrifice, she hurried to find someone new for herself. When she left, she even swept the house clean of all its possessions. It is said that little Yanqing ran several streets trying to catch up to his mother, shouting until his voice went hoarse and even fell t on the ground in his chase. Yet, his mother never came down from her second husband¡¯s bicycle.¡±


    After a long silence, Mrs. Qi adjusted her emotions before continuing, ¡°Now, it has been over twenty years since those days, and that woman has suddenly re-emerged. She didn¡¯te because she missed her son Yanqing but rather to suck the blood of Yanqing along with the several sons she had with her second husband. Tell me, how can such a woman be fit to be a mother?!¡±


    Kang Li¡¯s expression was cool, ¡°Godmother, let¡¯s not tell Luo Yanqing about this matter, to avoid affecting his mood and then his work.¡±


    ¡°Your godfather and I indeed have no intention of informing Yanqing about the matter. Besides, your godfather also warned Director Nie not to let slip even the slightest information about Yanqing to Wang Gun.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good. But, if that woman does happen to find us one day, I am not afraid.¡± Those who want unearned gains, dreaming of being a bloodsucker, go have their grand delusions!


    Mrs. Qi, ¡°As long as Director Nie keeps quiet, it is absolutely impossible for that woman to find us within her lifetime.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Kang Li shook her head, ¡°Godmother, nothing is certain. Sometimes, there could be a chance urrence. But still, as I¡¯ve said before, no matter what Wang Gun and her family try to do, they won¡¯t be able to leech off our Professor Luo if they can¡¯t even get past me first!¡±


    Even if she hadn¡¯t heard all this from Mrs. Qi today, she still would have had no good impression of Professor Luo¡¯s birth mother.


    As a mother, when her husband sacrificed himself on the battlefield, she should have cared even more for their child, instead of pursuing her own happiness upon hearing the news of her husband¡¯s sacrifice, finding herself a second spring, leaving her son behind, and remarrying someone else.


    It¡¯s not that she minds or disagrees with widows remarrying, but that those who remarry should at least make proper arrangements for their children, shouldn¡¯t they?!


    And what did Wang Gun do?


    She left her young son behind and resolutely abandoned the home she once lived in.


    And, as Mrs. Qi mentioned, the woman swept the family¡¯s valuables clean upon leaving, and after remarrying, she did not show up in front of her abandoned son for two whole decades. Now, she suddenly appears, only wanting to cling to Professor Luo to suck his blood so as to provide for her and another man¡¯s sons to establish families.


    Ha! Dreaming of beauties, isn¡¯t she?!


    ¡°You¡¯re right in what you say!¡±


    Mrs. Qi nodded, agreeing with Kang Li, and then said, ¡°But if that day really doese, with your godmother and godfather standing in the forefront, there¡¯s no need for you to face that nonsensical woman!¡±


    ¡°Godmother is so good! Mmm, godfather is also exceptionally kind, being protected under your wings makes me so happy and fortunate!¡±

 Chapter 210 - 210 210 The Poor Thing Love-struck

    ?Chapter 210: Chapter 210 The Poor Thing, Love-struck   Chapter 210: Chapter 210 The Poor Thing, Love-struck                                   Grasping Mrs. Qi¡¯s arm, Kang Li nuzzled her head against it, disying the coquettish demeanor of a daughter seeking affection.


    ¡°Having you as a daughter makes your godmother and your godfather very happy and blessed.¡±


    Patting Kang Li¡¯s hand, Mrs. Qi now truly felt a deep sense of satisfaction.


    With a daughter and a grandson, and such an outstanding daughter at that, she recently felt her mind was at ease and filled with joy.


    ¡°By the way, godmother, didn¡¯t you say earlier that there are two women you hate most in your life? Who¡¯s the other one? Do I know her?¡±


    With nothing else to do, Kang Li couldn¡¯t help but be gossipy.


    Seeing the curiosity brimming in her eyes, Mrs. Qi was momentarily taken aback, then, with a smile, she asked, ¡°Want to know?¡±


    Kang Li nodded repeatedly, ¡°Since we¡¯re both free right now, might as well gossip a bit!¡±


    ¡°You, girl, are still so full of curiosity,¡± Mrs. Qi said, smiling as she gently tapped on Kang Li¡¯s smooth forehead. ¡°Alright, your godmother will chat with you¡­¡± Her voice was soft, her speech neither hurried nor slow, as Mrs. Qi began to tell Kang Li the story of the woman named Fang Su.


    Time passed without notice, and Mrs. Qi¡¯s voice came to a halt.


    ¡°Godmother, I truly feel enlightened!¡±


    Kang Li clicked her tongue and said, ¡°Although it¡¯s said that stepmothers have it tough, does that Lady Fang you mentioned have to be so eager to ingratiate herself with her stepchildren?


    She barely paid attention to her own son from the beginning, focused all her efforts on her stepchildren and, more than a decadeter, even when it was clear the stepson had caused harm, she had to be extremely cruel,


    so callous toward her own child, to actually testify against him, iming it was her biological son who did it, watching indifferently as the police took him away from home? It¡¯s unbelievable! Godmother, didn¡¯t Old Mr. Feng do anything about this?¡±


    ¡°He did something?¡±


    With a coldugh, Mrs. Qi said, ¡°Ever since he married that woman Fang Su, he¡¯s always felt he owed histe wife¡¯s four children and how could he possibly stand up for his youngest son?! Moreover, if Fang Su herself, as the mother, testified that it was her own son who hurt someone, Old Mr. Feng, to protect the offspring of his previous wife, naturally wouldn¡¯t meddle.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°That¡¯s way too biased!¡±


    ¡°The problem with that couple isn¡¯t about favoritism; it¡¯s about one who never considered his youngest son important at all, and another who, in order to hold on to a man¡¯s heart, thinks it¡¯s no big deal for her own son to suffer a bit. After all, she gave birth to him, and what she wants to do with him is her business; no one else can say anything wrong about it.¡±


    Recalling the few times she and Director Song had visited the Feng family and how she saw Feng Yi, the boy always stood alone and distant, or, like a littleckey, he was ordered about by his elder half-brother, asionally getting red at, regardless of whether there were guests at the house or not.


    As for his parents, whether it was Mr. Feng or Fang Su, they both acted as if they hadn¡¯t seen a thing.


    Unable to stand it, she spoke out, hoping the couple would discipline their son Feng Xiao, but they simply didn¡¯t take it seriously, iming it was just brothers ying and allowing Feng Xiao to bully his brother Feng Yi.


    Feng Xiao was the younger son from Old Mr. Feng¡¯s previous wife.


    As for Feng Yi, he was, of course, Fang Su¡¯s son¡ªthe poor kid who was pushed forward by his own mother to take the me for his half-brother.


    ¡°I think that Lady Fang is simply obsessed with love!¡±


    Kang Li stated unaffectedly.


    ¡°Obsessed with love?¡±


    Mrs. Qi didn¡¯t quite understand the meaning.


    Kang Li exined, ¡°Being obsessed with love refers to the mindset where, once someone falls in love, they can only think about the person they¡¯re in love with,pletely neglecting their family and friends.¡±

 Chapter 211 - 211 211 No Longer Human

    ?Chapter 211: Chapter 211: No Longer Human   Chapter 211: Chapter 211: No Longer Human                                   ¡°Your description is quite apt, Fang Su really is a love-struck fool.¡±


    Mrs. Qi nodded in agreement and then said, ¡°Before entering the Feng family, I heard that Fang Su once had someone she liked, even eloped with him, but it didn¡¯tst a year before the man she eloped with was brought back home by his elders, and his whole family swiftly moved abroad,


    leaving Fang Su in despair, considering suicide by the riverside. Coincidentally, she was saved by someone from the Feng family, and afterwards, they got together within less than two months.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard your godfather say, the man from the Feng family imed it was love at first sight for him towards Fang Su, and said the same for her towards him. They liked each other, and Fang Su didn¡¯t mind being a stepmother to his four children; she just wanted to be with him. When your godfather told me this, I nearly vomited from disgust!¡±


    Contempt shed in her eyes as Mrs. Qi spoke with disdain, ¡°Clearly, one was lustful at first sight, and the other was after his status, yet shamelessly, they describe their affair as love at first sight, as if to really irk people!


    Not to mention, right after the former wife of the Feng family passed away, he seemed like he couldn¡¯t carry on, and even told your godfather he wasn¡¯t looking for anything else,


    just because of the love between him and his deceased wife and for their children, he would never marry again in his life. And what happened? In just a year, he brought a new bride into his home.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°That Lady Fang really does have good looks; I bet she was a great beauty when she was young.¡±


    ¡°Whether she¡¯s beautiful or not, I won¡¯tment on that woman, but I do know she¡¯s quite the actress, always putting on an aggrieved face, and acting like she can¡¯t live without a man. So weak-willed!¡±


    It wasn¡¯t that Mrs. Qi was prejudiced against Fang Su, but the things that this woman did, most people would find them hard to agree with once they knew the truth.


    Upon hearing this, Kang Li couldn¡¯t help butugh, ¡°Look at you, godmother, talking like this. There are countless women in the world, each with different temperaments and ways of interacting with others. Just like you, godmother, in my eyes, you¡¯re both wise and resilient,


    yet you¡¯re also warm and approachable. As for the Lady Fang you mentioned, she might be the type who is emotionally rich and overly dependent on men. It¡¯s true, there¡¯s nothing wrong with being like that,


    but Lady Fang¡¯s mistake lies in her inability to discern; how could she be so indifferent to her own children just for a man? And in my opinion, a woman like her,


    really shouldn¡¯t have children. In that case, no matter how she tries to please or ingratiate herself with her stepchildren, just to hold onto her husband¡¯s heart, it¡¯s all insignificant.¡±


    Mrs. Qi: ¡°You¡¯re right, a woman like Fang Su really shouldn¡¯t have children!¡±


    ¡°Half a year, counting the time, Lady Fang¡¯s son should be almost released, right?¡± The sixteen or seventeen-year-old boy, who should have been in the prime of his youth, had to take the me for his half-brother because of his own mother.


    Although half a year is not a long time, going through that ordeal, if the boy isn¡¯t resilient enough, he might have a change of heart once he¡¯s out.


    Especially since he took on a responsibility he shouldn¡¯t have, if it were me¡­ no, it¡¯s not ¡®if¡¯, I definitely would have rebellious thoughts!


    Even if not choosing revenge, I would certainly cut ties with such a mother, and never have anything to do with her till death do us part!


    ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s about to be released, but with that experience, it¡¯s something Feng Yi will probably never forget in his lifetime!¡±

 Chapter 212 - 212 212 The crying child gets the candy but

    ?Chapter 212: Chapter 212: The crying child gets the candy, but the sensible child gets no love.   Chapter 212: Chapter 212: The crying child gets the candy, but the sensible child gets no love.                                   Speaking, Mrs. Qi sighed, ¡°You don¡¯t know, the child looks so obedient and is fair and delicate, not one to cause trouble. Yet, such a good child is an unliked presence in their family.¡±


    ¡°It alles down to Lady Fang¡¯s fault.¡±


    Kang Li said, also sighing.


    Mrs. Qi: ¡°Isn¡¯t that the truth?!¡±


    ¡­


    About half an hourter, Kang Li stood up to say goodbye to Mrs. Qi, ¡°It¡¯s gettingte, I should take Ruirui and the others back now.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Godmother will see you out.¡±


    Mrs. Qi nodded. Just then, Song Xuan and Xiao Ming Rui came out of the room. Seeing this, Mrs. Qi called Song Xuan and herself to walk Kang Li¡¯s mother and the others to the gate.


    ¡°Godmother, you and Xuan Xuan go back!¡±


    Kang Li waved to the two, walking behind the three little ones, heading toward her own home.


    ¡°Mommy, when I get a bit bigger, can I also learn to y the erhu with you?¡±


    Milk Bun Ming Han, his little hand held by his brother Ming Rui, suddenly turned to look at his mom, his bright eyes clearly conveying the words ¡°I want to learn.¡±


    ¡°Of course, you can.¡±


    Kang Li¡¯s smiling eyes curved like crescent moons as she nodded, ¡°As long as you want to learn, Mommy will teach you!¡±


    ¡°Vivi wants to learn!¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei, also holding her brother Ming Rui¡¯s hand, hearing her mom¡¯s words, she immediately raised her other little hand and didn¡¯t forget to nce back at her mom.


    ¡°Okay, Hanhan and Vivi both want to learn the erhu. What about you, Ruirui? Do you want to learn?¡±


    Kang Li wouldn¡¯t overlook her eldest.


    The child was really too sensible. Since she had been around the three siblings, he had never expressed what he wanted or didn¡¯t want in front of her. He had never acted cutely like the twins to make her love him more.


    There¡¯s a saying, the most trouble-free and sensible child in a family is often the most overlooked, just like Mrs. Qi mentioned about the Feng family. Even though the youngest son was sensible and obedient, he was treated unfairly.


    It is not without reason that crying children get the sweets.


    And she, not only the twins¡¯ mom but also Xiao Ming Rui¡¯s mom, couldn¡¯t ignore his presence just because he was sensible.


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Stopping in his tracks, the littled Ming Rui pursed his lips, then looked up at Kang Li, nodding his little head.


    ¡°Then starting tomorrow, I¡¯ll start teaching our little friend Ruirui.¡±


    Kang Li knew that in terms of personality, brother Ming Rui was somewhat stubborn. Therefore, unless Xiao Ming Rui himself called her Mommy, she wouldn¡¯t refer to herself as ¡°Mommy¡± in front of him.


    To avoid any upset feelings in the little one.


    Overall, Kang Li thought, let things take their natural course.


    After all, if persistence could wear down a stone into a needle, she couldn¡¯t believe she wouldn¡¯t eventually hear the child call her Mommy from his heart.


    ¡°What about me? Mommy, when does Vivi get to learn the erhu?¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei was anxious!


    ¡°When you and your second brother are as big as your eldest brother is now, then Mommy will teach you.¡± The erhu doesn¡¯t distinguish between children and adults. Normally, it is appropriate for children to start learning from the age of six.


    The twins, being hardly three years old, even if handed an erhu, not to mention learning, couldn¡¯t even assume the posture of ying it without seeing it was challenging.


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei cheerfully responded.


    Milk Bun Ming Han also happily replied, ¡°Hanhan listens to Mommy!¡±

 Chapter 213 - 213 213 Bickering

    ?Chapter 213: Chapter 213: Bickering   Chapter 213: Chapter 213: Bickering                                   This little guy was truly warm, and if you really asked Kang Li which of the three kids he liked best, it was undoubtedly Milk Bun Ming Han.


    The child was raised pudgy, always looking so well-behaved, and every time Kang Li smiled and called ¡°Hanhan,¡± the little one would always respond with a big smile.


    As the four of them walked while talking, well, to be more precise, it was the twin brother and sister chatting with Kang Li along the way, as for their brother Min Rui, he adhered to his ¡°silence is golden¡± approach.


    ¡°Mommy, mommy! Look, Auntie Su seems to be arguing with Auntie Loo!¡±


    Unknowingly, when they had walked to a spot more than ten meters away from the Wen family¡¯s house and the Zhang family¡¯s house across the street, Xiao Ming Wei pulled her little hand out from her brother Min Rui¡¯s palm. She waited for Kang Li toe closer, then tilted her little head up to look at her mom and whispered.


    Kang Li bent down, touched the little girl¡¯s hair, and with her other hand, raised her index finger to her lips and ¡°shushed.¡± Xiao Ming Wei immediately mimicked the gesture, ¡°shushing¡± at her mom too, she blinked her big eyes, seriously nodding her little head to show she understood what her mom meant.


    ¡°What I¡¯m saying, you know, don¡¯t treat everyone as fools!¡±


    Su Man had not intended to argue with Loo Ping, but a few minutes earlier, she felt ustrophobic at home and decided to step out for some fresh air. Coincidentally, Loo Ping had also walked out of her house, and upon seeing Su Man, she initially intended to greet her, but before long, Su Man hadshed out at Loo Ping.


    Although she did not explicitly state that Loo Ping had intentionally instigated her to cause trouble next door, her words wereden with implications that Loo Ping harbored ill intentions towards their family.


    The implications were full of meaning.


    Loo Ping could clearly hear the usations between the lines in Su Man¡¯s words, and she was so angered that she was literally gasping for breath, unsure of how to counterattack, only able to feign ignorance repeatedly.


    The root of it was nothing more than guilt.


    ¡°Xiao Su, you really are baffling. What exactly did I say to you to warrant such a big grievance, standing at my gate, using me of wrongdoing with every sentence?¡±


    Although there weren¡¯t many onlookers, being made a spectacle of was still ufortable for Loo Ping, especially since Su Man showed no regard for her dignity, insinuating with every sentence, and she, feeling guilty, couldn¡¯t directly confront her, feeling extremely suffocated at the moment.


    Su Man: ¡°Sister Loo, are you going to keep pretending? Fine, keep it up, I¡¯m justying it out here. I, Su Man, may not be very clever, but I¡¯m not so foolish that I can¡¯t read between the lines. If you don¡¯t want to be pointed at and scolded by me every day, then drop your scheming!¡±


    ¡°What schemes could I possibly have? Xiao Su, your way of speaking is truly ridiculous. We are neighbors living door to door. Considering your young age, I will not hold today¡¯s rudeness against you, but now, please immediately leave my doorway, or else, don¡¯t me me for driving you away!¡±


    It was just like dealing with a shrew¡ªwhenever she saw her, she woulde over and speak harshly. Was she indebted to her? Enough was enough!


    Loo Ping was after all a teacher; she had to maintain her dignity. Moreover, many kids in therge yard were her students; being pointed at and scolded by a young wife today, who knows what her students might spread around the school.


    Thinking this, Loo Ping¡¯splexion became exceptionally ugly in a sh.


    ¡°This road isn¡¯t owned by your family. I¡¯ll leave if I want to, stay if I don¡¯t, you have no say in it!¡±


    Su Man stood still, and as she inadvertently saw Kang Li passing by her side, her eyes flickered, calling out to Kang Li:

 Chapter 214 - 214 214 Isnt Comrade Kang Speaking Too Boldly

    ?Chapter 214: Chapter 214: Isn¡¯t Comrade Kang Speaking Too Boldly?!   Chapter 214: Chapter 214: Isn¡¯t Comrade Kang Speaking Too Boldly?!                                   ¡°Comrade Kang, you didn¡¯t know, did you?¡± Without waiting for Kang Li to respond, she went on, ¡°Not long ago, Teacher Loo told me in front of her that you¡¯re a vixen.¡±


    Kang Li had not intended to stop, but Su Man seemingly blocked her path inadvertently. Seeing this, Kang Li¡¯s expression did not change in the slightest. In fact, she even shed a smile, nced at the other party, then at Loo Ping, and finally, rested her gaze on Su Man, curling her lips to say:


    ¡°Is that so? It seems my face really must be beautiful to have Teacher Loo describe and tter me with ¡®vixen¡¯!¡±


    She casually touched her fair and absolutely gorgeous face, a smile brimming in her eyes as she shifted her gaze back to Loo Ping, ¡°Thank you, Teacher Loo. Although I know I¡¯m beautiful, to be praised as a vixen by you, a thank you is definitely in order.¡±


    Loo Ping was taken aback at first, but soon managed to suppress her embarrassment and difort. Sheughed and said, ¡°Actually, how can a vixen be as pretty as Comrade Kang? You, you are really like a fairy who has descended from the heavens!¡±


    ¡°I dare not ept such a im, but I still want to thank Teacher Loo for thispliment.¡±


    With that, Kang Li nodded towards Loo Ping as a farewell, then she looked at Su Man, ¡°Does Comrade Su have anything else to say to me?¡± Trying to drag her into battle, or perhaps wanting to see her bicker with that Teacher Loo, huh, does she think I have too much free time?


    Alright, even though I don¡¯t have anything to do right now, I certainly don¡¯t enjoy being made a monkey for others to watch.


    ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re not angry?¡± Su Man couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°Teacher Loo referred to you as a vixen, and you¡¯re not the slightest bit upset? Instead, you¡¯re smiling and thanking her for thepliment, have you lost your mind?¡±


    Kang Li smiled, ¡°What about it? Has the vixen offended Comrade Su in any way? Besides, does not being called a vixen imply attractiveness? If Teacher Loo calls me a vixen, it shows she acknowledges my beauty, why would I be upset?¡±


    Su Man, ¡°Vixen is a term used to insult someone. Comrade Kang, don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t know that.¡±


    ¡°An insult?¡± Kang Li blinked her fox-like eyes, the corners of her lips curving upwards, ¡°Are you saying that Teacher Loo is insulting me?¡±


    ¡°If she¡¯s not insulting you, is she insulting me?¡± Su Man rolled her eyes, ¡°As far as I¡¯m concerned, Teacher Loo was implying that you¡¯re improper, using your face to bewitch men.¡±


    Loo Ping, angry, ¡°Xiao Su, are you specifically picking a fight with me today?!¡±


    Su Man raised an eyebrow, ¡°You didn¡¯t figure that out already? I thought you¡¯d have known when I was cursing at you to your face earlier!¡±


    ¡°Enough, you two can continue fighting, I won¡¯t stay to apany you in this.¡±


    Signaling her three little ones to head home, Kang Li took a couple of steps forward, then suddenly paused. She turned to Su Man and Loo Ping, ¡°Even if I were a vixen, I¡¯d only be ensnaring the soul of my Professor Luo. After all, in my eyes, my Professor Luo is both talented and good-looking, and also has an excellent temperament. I like what I see so much, I can never get enough of him. I have no interest in the random flowers and weeds by the roadside.¡±


    Having spoken, Kang Li walked elegantly and gracefully toward the gate of her own house,pletely ignoring the expressions on the faces of those watching her.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t Comrade Kang a bit too bold with her words?!¡±


    ¡°Indeed, indeed, how can she say such explicit things in public? Even if¡­ even if Professor Luo and she are husband and wife, and even if they have a good rtionship, she can¡¯t just say whateveres to mind without any regard, can she?¡±


    ¡°If you ask me, Comrade Kang is not wrong. She herself is beautiful, and her Professor Luo truly is gifted and good-looking,

 Chapter 215 - 215 215 Thats Using Minimal Effort to Move

    ?Chapter 215: Chapter 215: That¡¯s Using Minimal Effort to Move Something Heavy   Chapter 215: Chapter 215: That¡¯s Using Minimal Effort to Move Something Heavy                                   With such a good man at home, naturally, she liked him however she wanted, flirted however she wished, simply having no interest in those oddballs and cracked nuts by the roadside.


    ¡°Can we stop being so boring now?¡±


    Fang Ju saw Kang Li enter the yard with Xiao Ming Rui and yelled for the onlookers to disperse, promptly taking the lead in leaving herself.


    ¡°See that? People really shouldn¡¯t bepared. You¡¯re about the same age as Comrade Kang, but look at her. Whether she¡¯s talking or walking, she¡¯s like a Fairy Girl, always looking so pretty.


    Then look at you, opening your mouth like a shrew cursing in the street. If Comrade Wen saw you, he might really regret marrying you!¡± Loo Ping didn¡¯t know when to stop while she was ahead and foolishly provoked further. Hearing what she said, Su Man¡¯s eyes seemed poisoned as she red and said, ¡°You think you¡¯re any better than me?


    As a teacher, all you know is to gossip and stir trouble. People like you don¡¯t deserve to be a teacher. Just wait, when Yueyue starts elementary school, I definitely won¡¯t send her to your ss, to prevent her from being corrupted by you.¡±


    The crowd¡¯s interest died down, and Su Man felt listless after being chatted up by Kang Li. She turned around, ignoring Loo Ping, and headed toward her own home, muttering, ¡°Could she be an idiot?¡±


    That was a jab at Kang Li. Su Man thought Kang Li was incredibly foolish, being called a vixen and not getting angry at all, even thanking the person instead, thinking they wereplimenting her appearance. It was downright jaw-dropping!


    ¡°What are you muttering about?¡±


    Wen Siyuan heard her muttering in a low voice as she entered the living room, her facial expression somewhat hard to describe, which made him frown involuntarily.


    Like she¡¯d forgot the unpleasantness they had half an hour earlier, Su Man sat down and narrated the whole story that urred outside the yard, then asked Wen Siyuan, ¡°You think so-and-so ispletely foolish, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Comrade Kang isn¡¯t foolish; she¡¯s just using a light touch to move a heavy weight, not wanting to be made aughing stock.¡± Wen Siyuan truly didn¡¯t want to get upset, but his wife before him¡­ he didn¡¯t know what to say about her. She seemed smart, even somewhat calcting, yet in reality, she was falsely clever!


    ¡°What¡¯s that look?¡±


    Sensing that Wen Siyuan¡¯s gaze was off, Su Man immediately got defensive.


    ¡°What look could it be? You, can¡¯t you keep your opinions to yourself? When I analyzed Comrade Loo¡¯s intentions for visiting our home, I advised you not to fall for her tricks. And you? As soon as you stepped out the door, you thought you were being clever, pointing your finger and cursing at her. Do you think your insinuations went over Comrade Loo¡¯s head?¡±


    ¡°¡­I, I got angry when I saw her; I couldn¡¯t help it! Besides, I really did want her to know that we see right through her little schemes.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d better think before you speak in the future. Also, you¡¯re no match for Comrade Kang, so don¡¯t gather around her trying to enjoy her spectacle.¡±


    ¡°I certainly didn¡¯t gather around her, I just made an offhand remark. Who knew she¡¯d y such an unconventional hand, and shamelessly too, in front of so many people, unting her looks and talking about how she likes her Professor Luo¡­¡±


    Compared to Luo Yanqing¡¯s appearance, Wen Siyuan wasn¡¯t all that inferior; after all, he was the male protagonist in the original novel. But in terms of temperament, Luo Yanqing definitely came out on top.


    After a while, with Wen Siyuan not speaking again, Su Man looked at him thoughtfully for a moment and asked, ¡°Do you think I embarrassed you, or do you think I said something wrong?¡±

 Chapter 216 - 216 216 Explain it clearly to me

    ?Chapter 216: Chapter 216: Exin it clearly to me   Chapter 216: Chapter 216: Exin it clearly to me                                   ¡°As long as you don¡¯t think it¡¯s shameful, I don¡¯t care.¡±


    Wen Siyuan¡¯s tone was indifferent, he felt that Kang Li probably hadn¡¯t taken Su Man¡¯s recent squabble outside the yard to heart, and even thought that in Kang Li¡¯s view, Su Man was simply making a fool of herself.


    Thinking this way, naturally he wouldn¡¯t dwell on what Su Man had said.


    To be honest, he never took Researcher Zhang across the hallway, Zhang Sheng, seriously.


    Zhang was seven or eight years his senior, yet his career showed little to no progress; if it were him, he would have been seeking ways to transfer out of the research institute and find suitable work elsewhere.


    Rather than waste his whole life at the research institute, retiring as a junior researcher.


    With these thoughts, Wen Siyuan shook his head silently and then picked up the newspaper beside him.


    He wasn¡¯t the sympathetic type, so naturally, he wouldn¡¯t offer any advice to Researcher Zhang. After all, they were in apetitive rtionship within the institute, and if he started giving what he thought was well-meaning advice, it might just make the other party suspect him of harboring ill intentions.


    Besides, getting a job at the research institute was the result of great efforts and many sacrifices on the path of their schrly pursuits, and was an opportunity not easily obtained; who would be willing to give it up halfway?


    Therefore, even though Wen Siyuan might sympathize with Researcher Zhang, he wouldn¡¯t arouse aversion by saying unnecessary things in front of him.


    Moreover, he didn¡¯t like meddling in other people¡¯s business; it was better for everyone to just be ordinary colleagues.


    Havinge to this conclusion, Wen Siyuan reined in his thoughts and focused his gaze back on the newspaper, but at that moment, Su Man stepped forward and snatched the newspaper from his hands, ¡°Exin yourself to me clearly.¡± She couldn¡¯t tolerate him ignoring her any longer!


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to argue with you.¡±


    Setting aside other things, particrly with Su Man currently pregnant, Wen Siyuan hadtely found some of her words and actions quite intolerable and had often given her cold looks and lectures, but he was very clear that the most important thing for a pregnant woman was to have a good mood, which greatly benefits the growth and development of the fetus inside.


    Based on that, he repeatedly convinced himself not to argue with his bedfellow; however, for some reason, whenever he heard his wife Su Man mention Comrade Luo¡¯s spouse, he couldn¡¯t help but get angry, feeling that during his month off, Su Man had be increasingly unreasonable, jealous of others for no reason and even going as far as to argue with someone outside in the yard today.


    To be honest, he had recently begun to doubt whether her understanding and considerate behavior when they first got married was all an act.


    But the person was someone he had agreed to marry, no matter how many faults she had now, life must go on. Otherwise, was he supposed to go down the path of divorce again?


    Wen Siyuan snorted bitterly in his heart.


    The previous marriage ended in divorce; he admitted that most of the faulty with him, unable to withstand the nagging from his mother at every encounter, questioning why he was approaching thirty and still without a son, and did he want to be theughingstock for the rest of his life?


    Adding to this, he really did want a son; so, upon learning that his wife Song Ning, after having two daughters, had given birth to another girl, he bit the bullet and proposed divorce.


    It was to avoid his mother¡¯s constant nagging about wanting a grandson, which might affect his mood and lead to mistakes at work.


    Divorce was quite rare at the time, and not something to be proud of, especially since there had been no such case among his acquaintances,


    resulting in his divorce bing the talk of the courtyard for a long time, with people he knew looking at him with strange eyes, as though there were thorns on his back.

 Chapter 217 - 217 217 Kang Li Ugly rejection I only have

    ?Chapter 217: Chapter 217 Kang Li: Ugly rejection, I only have eyes for my beloved Luo   Chapter 217: Chapter 217 Kang Li: Ugly rejection, I only have eyes for my beloved Luo                                   So, in his lifetime, no matter what happened, he would never associate with the word ¡°divorce¡± again, nor would he go through another ¡°baptism¡± of those odd and peculiar looks.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to argue with you either, but you¡¯ve been disliking everything I dotely. Tell me, have you taken a liking to that vixen next door?¡±


    Su Man was clearly looking for trouble. If Kang Li knew, he would definitely roll his eyes at her and throw in ament: Fat chance, I only have eyes for my dear Luo!


    While the couple from the Wen family were having a conflict, next door, Kang Li walked into the living room and saw Xiao Ming Rui ying by himself, she then knocked on the study door.


    No response.


    Kang Li chuckled and shook her head, knocking on the study door again, but still no response.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t say anything, I¡¯m going to leave!¡±


    Men who get jealous are really so childish! Just like kids, after an argument with a ymate, they either break it offpletely or ignore the other person.


    But then again, his sulking because of jealousy was just as endearing as the innocent look on his face when she caught him off guard with a kiss!


    With a smile lurking in her vixen eyes, Kang Li said she would leave, yet she pushed open the study door and peeked inside, seeing the man standing in front of the window with one hand in his pocket, seemingly lost in thought, oblivious to the study door being opened.


    ¡°Luo Yanqing?¡±


    Approaching him, Kang Li stood by his side and softly called out his name.


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything?¡±


    He was ignoring her. Could he really be angry?


    Kang Li blinked her vixen eyes, holding back augh, and asked again, ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear me knocking on the door?¡± He definitely pretended not to hear, such a petty man!


    ¡°Are you talking to me?¡±


    His gaze shifted away from the window outside as Luo Yanqing turned his head, his phoenix eyes showing nothing but indifference.


    ¡°In this study, besides you and me¡­ could there possibly be a third person?¡±


    She was obviously asking a rhetorical question. Was he ying dumb, waiting for her to coax him?


    Luo Yanqing¡¯s brows furrowed slightly, and he parted his lips in silence for a moment before asking, ¡°Is there something you needed?¡±


    Kang Li¡¯s clear and bright vixen eyes were full of innocence: ¡°What do you mean? Can¡¯t I call you if there¡¯s nothing wrong, can¡¯t Ie find you in the study?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Luo Yanqing remained silent with a straight face.


    ¡°Tell me, why are you angry?¡±


    She knew he was angry and was curious to see how he would respond. As expected, the corners of his lips twitched slightly as he countered, ¡°What do you think? Why do you think I would be angry?¡±


    She knew he was angry, so she better not tell him she didn¡¯t know why.


    ¡°Let me think.¡±


    Kang Li rubbed her chin, feigning thought, and then a momentter, her red lips parted lightly: ¡°You¡¯re upset because I went to visit my godmother and didn¡¯t take you with me, right?!¡±


    Luo Yanqing said, ¡°Is that the conclusion you¡¯vee up with?¡± He then looked back out the window, miffed that she couldugh and chat with another, yet now she couldn¡¯t figure out why he was upset. Did she even care?


    ¡°Did I get that wrong?¡±


    Kang Li continued to tease the man.


    But Luo Yanqing did not respond.


    She couldn¡¯t help butugh, a sly look shing in her vixen eyes as she squeezed herself between the man and the window, wrapping her arms around his waist and rubbing her head against his chest: ¡°What should I do if I can¡¯t figure it out?¡±


    She was acting coquettish: ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell me? As long as you do, I promise there won¡¯t be a next time.¡± The moment she embraced his waist, she could clearly feel him stiffen, as if he had turned into a wooden post.


    ¡°Honey, won¡¯t you say something? How am I supposed to know what I did to make you angry if you don¡¯t talk?¡±


    At that moment, Kang Li was truly acting spoiled.


    ¡°Did you enjoy your chat with Song Xuan?¡±

 Chapter 218 - 218 218 You Did It on Purpose

    ?Chapter 218: Chapter 218: You Did It on Purpose   Chapter 218: Chapter 218: You Did It on Purpose                                   Luo Yanqing finally let a sentence slip through his lips and teeth.


    ¡°Ah?¡± Kang Li looked innocent, ¡°I wasn¡¯t just chatting with Xuan Xuan. I was telling him where mistakes had been made.¡± I never expected you to be like this, Professor Luo!


    Perhaps she should start calling him Luo Three-Year-Old and see what kind of expression he would make?


    With that thought, Kang Liughed merrily in her heart.


    Luo Yanqing looked down, ¡°I want to hear the truth.¡± Kang Li tilted her head up, their gazes meeting, she responded, ¡°But what I said is the truth!¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    Luo Yanqing pried off the feeble, boneless hands wrapped around his waist and stepped back twice, his expression unusually indifferent, ¡°If it¡¯s really as you say, then why were youughing so happily together?¡±


    Kang Li couldn¡¯t hold back any longer, his jealousy was indeed great, and she couldn¡¯t help butugh out loud, ¡°Professor Luo, why do I feel like you¡¯re like a Husband Servant from a Matriarchal Country, and I¡¯m your Wife Master, trying to soothe her upset Husband Servant right now?¡±


    Matriarchal Country?


    Husband Servant?


    Wife Master?


    Wife Master soothing an upset Husband Servant?


    Though Luo Yanqing didn¡¯t quite understand, he could guess from the literal meaning that this woman had reversed their roles, implying he was like a woman, and she was the man¡­


    ¡°What are you saying?¡±


    Coming to a rough idea, Luo Yanqing¡¯s already cool and distant face instantly grew even colder.


    And a chilly aura emitted from his entire body.


    ¡°I¡¯m saying you¡¯re like a little wife right now, and me? I¡¯m the big husband trying to cheer up the little wife!¡±


    Kang Li was unaware of the danger approaching her, smiling gleefully, ¡°I really didn¡¯t expect you to be so fond of getting angry. How about I call you Luo Three-Year-Old from now on?!¡±


    Luo Yanqing wore a keep-away expression, and without uttering a word, his Phoenix Eyes locked straight onto Kang Li as though he wanted to pin her down!


    ¡°Why are you staring at me like that? Did I say something wrong? Don¡¯t your moody fits resemble those of a three-year-old child or a little wife?¡±


    As she spoke, she stepped forward, tiptoed, and kissed him lightly on the lips, then with apassionate expression and a smile, she said, ¡°All right, don¡¯t be angry anymore, I know what you¡¯re thinking.¡±


    Luo Yanqing ground his teeth, ¡°Kang, Li!¡± stressing each syble! Don¡¯t think that just because she kissed him, he would forgive her earlier teasing.


    Kang Li took a step back, ¡°I know my name sounds nice, but there¡¯s really no need to say it with so much feeling.¡±


    ¡°You did it on purpose!¡±


    Luo Yanqing was angry, his deep and clear voice betraying his obvious displeasure.


    Kang Li tilted her head, ¡°What did you say? What did I do on purpose?¡±


    Is he really that hard to appease?!


    She lowered her eyelids in thought and then gazed back at him, ¡°I won¡¯t tease you anymore. Actually, I know why you¡¯re angry with me. You must be feeling jealous, seeing me smiling at Xuan Xuan made you ufortable, and because I didn¡¯t immediately go to be by your side, andter on, I even took Ruirui with me to send Xuan Xuan home without saying goodbye to you, so you¡¯re jealous, you¡¯re unhappy¡­¡±


    Luo Yanqing ¡°hmphed¡± proudly and turned toward the door of his study.


    ¡°I¡¯m not done talking yet, you stop right there.¡±


    As her words rang out, Kang Li immediately turned into a ko, hugging the man¡¯s waist for the second time to stop him from walking further. Seeing that he had stopped, she let go of him, stood straight, andmanded with authority, ¡°Turn around, or you¡¯ll regret it! I¡¯m not just trying to scare you!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Luo Yanqing hesitated for a good while, but ultimately still slowly turned around and fixed his gaze on Kang Li.

 Chapter 219 - 219 219 What if I Forgot You

    ?Chapter 219: Chapter 219: What if I Forgot You?   Chapter 219: Chapter 219: What if I Forgot You?                                   ¡°Listen up, first of all, I am happy about you feeling jealous because it means you care about me, but can we not be irrational about it?


    As for me, I take rtionships seriously. Since we are husband and wife, I naturally wouldn¡¯t let your head one day turn into Green Meadow, not to mention¡­ Xuan Xuan is our nephew,


    I am close with him, I talk to him, and as an elder, smiling at him is truly nothing; secondly, if you¡¯re unhappy, you should talk to me, not get upset over nothing,


    Of course, the same goes for me. If in our life together, we always y guessing games, I¡¯m afraid even the deepest affection will eventually fall apart. Did you understand, Professor Luo?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t allow yourself to smile at anyone but me.¡±


    From Kang Li¡¯s words, Luo Yanqing learned a lot, but he still didn¡¯t like her smiling so happily at others.


    ¡°In interpersonal interactions, a smile is not only the best way tomunicate but also a form of politeness and a way to show kindness to others. Do you think that kind of demand you just made is appropriate?¡±


    Kang Li raised an eyebrow.


    Luo Yanqing remained silent.


    Kang Li, ¡°However, I can promise you, I won¡¯t just smile at anyone, especially not at those gentlemen trying to steal your man, Professor Luo. Is that okay now?¡±


    Pure, naive, cute, yet also domineering¡ªmen, you really are something!


    Uh¡­ almost forgot, being aloof is also one of his tags.


    But, whichever way he is, she liked!


    Kang Li, looking at the man, felt her mood blossoming like peach flowers in March, beautiful!


    ¡°¡­ Try to smile less, otherwise, it¡¯s ufortable for me.¡±


    After a long silence, Luo Yanqing pointed at his chest.


    ¡°Really?¡±


    Kang Li started to tease, as she blinked her clear, fox-like eyes, stepped forward, and pressed her ear against the man¡¯s heart. After a moment, she looked up at him with a smile, ¡°I listened, your heart is beating very strongly, it¡¯s fine.¡±


    Luo Yanqing, ¡°¡­¡± didn¡¯t know what to say. It seemed his little wife quite liked taking advantage of him, but he didn¡¯t dislike it at all, rather, he was secretly pleased.


    As the man didn¡¯t speak for a while, Kang Li couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Feeling better?¡±


    Luo Yanqing, ¡°You haven¡¯t answered me yet.¡±


    Kang Li puzzled, ¡°What?¡±


    Luo Yanqing, ¡°Try to smile less.¡± You can¡¯t be that forgetful, right?


    Without overthinking it, Kang Li replied, ¡°Okay, I promise you.¡± The next moment, he embraced her tightly, ¡°This is what you promised, if you forget¡­¡±


    ¡°If I forget, what will you do?¡± Kang Li was curious. She didn¡¯t look up to see his expression, incredibly docile, letting the man hold her, nestled in his arms.


    This was their first time embracing so formally.


    She needed to experience it fully!


    ¡°I will¡­¡± Luo Yanqing left his sentence unfinished, expressing what he would do through his actions, so, only a soft yelp came from Kang Li¡¯s mouth.


    Kang Li, ¡°You¡­¡± in disbelief, she looked up, her fox-like eyes wide open¡ªwas this man really nibbling her earlobe?


    Is there a mistake?


    Luo Yanqing¡¯s sensuous thin lips curved into a faint smile, a hint of lightughter shimmering in his profound Phoenix Eyes, ¡°To teach you a lesson.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Such a devil!


    She had never expected, just by slightly curving his lips and a tiny spark ofughter in his eyes, he could be so devilishly irresistible; no, his smile should be reserved only for her!

 Chapter 220 - 220 220 What have you been watching me for

    ?Chapter 220: Chapter 220 What have you been watching me for?   Chapter 220: Chapter 220 What have you been watching me for?                                   The fox-like glimmer in her eyes flickered, and Kang ? Overbearing President ? Li went online, ¡°I¡¯ve decided that from now on, you can only smile at me!¡±


    Luo Yanqing replied, ¡°Was I smiling?¡± He had only curled the corners of his mouth. Was that really a smile?


    Kang ? Overbearing President ? Li gave a definite answer, ¡°Yes.¡±


    Luo Yanqing responded, ¡°Alright. But don¡¯t you think this is a bit unfair?¡± He had to smile only at her, while she wouldn¡¯t agree to his request, such a domineering little woman!


    ¡°Don¡¯t argue with women, understand?¡±


    Kang Li naturally understood what the man meant, but she deliberately chose not to respond. After all, she had her principles and wasn¡¯t about to cheat on him, so naturally, there was no need to be too harsh on herself.


    As for asking the man to smile only at her, it was to prevent him from unwittingly attracting unwanted admirers!


    Luo Yanqing didn¡¯t make a sound immediately.


    Kang Li looked at the man, noticing that his eyes were as deep as a starry sea at the moment, involuntarily drowning anyone in their depth. In a trance, Kang Li entertained the absurd thought of wishing time would stop at this moment!


    After a while, she heard the man say, ¡°Understood.¡± Just two simple words, yet they emanated tenderness and entanglementing from his mouth.


    Kang Li called out, ¡°Luo Yanqing?¡±


    Luo Yanqing responded, ¡°Hmm?¡±


    Kang Li said, ¡°Let¡¯s never argue, okay? When we encounter issues, let¡¯s discuss and understand each other, alright?¡±


    Luo Yanqing agreed, ¡°Alright.¡± He nodded slightly, tightening his embrace around Kang Li¡¯s arm a bit.


    Kang Li teased, ¡°Professor Luo is so well-behaved!¡±


    Luo Yanqing noted, ¡°Using ¡®well-behaved¡¯ to describe a man isn¡¯t quite fitting.¡± His tone was light, filled with a sense of inevitability.


    ¡°But I just think Professor Luo is well-behaved!¡±


    Kang Li was being yful. Seeing this, Luo Yanqing conceded, ¡°Alright, as you wish.¡± This was his beloved wife; she could describe him however she wanted!


    Otherwise, could he really scold her or give her the cold shoulder?


    If he did so, he would surely be the one to regret it.


    As the man watched her intently, Kang Li¡¯s cheeks grew warm, ¡°Why are you staring at me like that?¡±


    Luo Yanqing replied, ¡°Because you¡¯re beautiful.¡± His face was like a peach blossom, his eyes captivating, and his smile, almost unconsciously enchanting.


    Time passed quickly, and Luo Yanqing¡¯s team members, like Wen Siyuan and others, took the institute¡¯s dedicated bus from the staff residence in the early morning to the research institute about ten kilometers away, ready to dive into a new project.


    Luo Yanqing had a car to pick him up, therefore, he left after lunch.


    ¡°I¡¯ve folded and neatly packed your change of clothes in this bag. As for the other two bags, they contain baby form and malt extract. Make sure you prepare at least one cup each day to supplement the nutrition your body needs.


    Also, I¡¯ve packed all the jerky I made yesterday. Even if you¡¯re busy or can¡¯t find time to eat, at least take a moment to snack a little.


    But, you¡¯d better remember to eat on time. If youe back on your next vacation and I see you¡¯re thinner than now, I¡¯ll be upset.¡±


    Kang Li opened tworge travel bags on the bed, showed Luo Yanqing everything, and then zipped them up. Her gaze then fell on a slightly smaller travel bag, adding, ¡°This bag contains shoes and socks.¡±


    Luo Yanqing was silent. In the research institute, his dormitory had spare shoes, but Luo Yanqing wisely chose not to speak at the moment.


    Kang Li continued, ¡°I¡¯ve prepared a pair of new leather shoes and a pair of soft-soled casual shoes for you, so you can alternate between them daily.¡±

 Chapter 221 - 221 The 221st Reluctant to Part With

    ?Chapter 221: The 221st Reluctant to Part With   Chapter 221: The 221st Reluctant to Part With                                   ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard.¡±


    He grasped Kang Li¡¯s hand tightly.


    With a gentle shake of her head, Kang Li gave a wry smile, ¡°Compared to your contribution to the country, all I¡¯ve done is help you prepare some daily necessities. It¡¯s hardly hard work.¡±


    Luo Yanqing pursed his lips, ¡°Don¡¯t tire yourself out at home, and if there¡¯s anything, call the station, no matter how busy, I¡¯ll try my best to rush back.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°Okay.¡± Doing scientific research isn¡¯t child¡¯s y, she wouldn¡¯t call him for every little thing to disturb his research and development.


    But she verbally agreed, for fear that he wouldn¡¯t feel at ease leaving.


    ¡°Then I¡¯m off.¡±


    The car was waiting at the gate, any further dy wouldn¡¯t be good.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see you out.¡±


    As Kang Li spoke, she went to pick up the travel bag beside her.


    ¡°No need.¡±


    Luo Yanqing stretched out his long arm to embrace his little girl, he bowed his head to touch his forehead to that of his little girl¡¯s, ¡°Take good care of yourself.¡±


    Kang Li hummed in response, hugging him back, ¡°With me at home, focus on your work.¡±


    After a brief embrace, they parted. Luo Yanqing carried three travel bags by himself, while Kang Li walked alongside him, the couple left the master bedroom.


    ¡°Mommy, mommy, is daddy going to work now?¡±


    Milk Bun Ming Han¡¯s eyes were filled with reluctance, and he craned his little neck to ask his mother as soon as he saw his parentse out into the yard.


    ¡°Yes, daddy¡¯s vacation is over, and he needs to go back to work,¡± she replied.


    Patting Milk Bun¡¯s head, Kang Li called out to Ruirui and Xiao Ming Wei, ¡°Let¡¯s go, we will see daddy off at the gate.¡±


    Tears suddenly filled Xiao Ming Wei¡¯s eyes, ¡°Vivi¡­ Vivi doesn¡¯t want to be apart from daddy!¡± Although daddy hadn¡¯t held her much or smiled at her much while he was home, she still liked daddy and didn¡¯t want him to leave.


    Kang Li kneeled on one knee, looked at Xiao Ming Wei with a soft voice, ¡°Daddy needs to work to make money. Otherwise, how can we support our Vivi as she grows up? Vivi is the best and most obedient, daddy is going to do important work, even if we don¡¯t want to, we need to send him off to work happily, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes,¡± Xiao Ming Wei hesitated for a long while before nodding her little head.


    The family of four saw Professor Luo to the gate, watched the driver help Professor Luo put the travel bags into the car, and watched Professor Luo get into the car. At this moment, the three little ones waved at the car window, imitating Kang Li, ¡°Goodbye Professor Luo (Daddy)!¡±


    Luo Yanqing sat in the car, waving back to Kang Li and the three little ones through the half-open car window, but, lips pressed together, he didn¡¯t speak.


    In the moment the car started moving, his gaze rested on Kang Li, wishing to look at his little girl just once more.


    As Kang Li watched the car carrying Luo Yanqing drive off into the distance, she pped her hands to draw the attention of the three little ones to herself, her face full of smiles, ¡°Alright, daddy has gone to work. Let¡¯s go, we¡¯ll head back home.¡±


    With Luo Yanqing¡¯s departure, the new school term quickly approached.


    ¡°Mommy, does Vivi have to go to kindergarten?¡±


    With moonlight streaming through the window, in the room of the three little ones, Kang Li sat on a chair, ready to tell a story to lull the children to sleep, when suddenly, Xiao Ming Wei spoke up.


    Hearing this, Kang Li shook her head, ¡°No, that won¡¯t do! We¡¯ve already enrolled this afternoon, and school officially starts tomorrow. You must arrive on time, otherwise, you¡¯ll get scolded by the teacher.¡±


    ¡°But Vivi wants to stay with mommy, Vivi thinks mommy teaches better than the teacher, and if Vivi stays with mommy, she can learn so much more!¡± Xiao Ming Wei said with a hint of grievance in her voice.


    Kang Li: ¡°There are many children at the kindergarten to y with, something we don¡¯t have at home. Moreover, children your age in thepound are starting school tomorrow. If Vivi is the only one not going, how should we exin this to the kindergarten teachers?¡±

 Chapter 222 - 222 222 Shake Hands and Stamp

    ?Chapter 222: Chapter 222: Shake Hands and Stamp   Chapter 222: Chapter 222: Shake Hands and Stamp                                   ¡°Mommy, mommy, Hanhan likes kindergarten, likes ying with lots and lots of friends, but will mommy pick Hanhan up from school after ss?¡±


    Milk Bun Ming Han asked.


    Kang Li nodded. ¡°Of course, mommy will pick you up!¡± With the stroller there, the twin with mixed sex sat inside and Min Rui held onto the stroller¡¯s handle, making it convenient for her to take them to kindergarten.


    Moreover, the kindergarten was not far from thepound, at most a half-station¡¯s distance. It was jointly managed by a governmental agency near the research institute and thepound, and the teachers there were said to be very responsible with quite good teaching quality.


    In the morning she would drop them off, no need to pick them up at noon, and she would pick them up at four thirty in the afternoon. This meant that she would undoubtedly have more free time at home.


    Thinking about this, Kang Li couldn¡¯t help but rx for a moment.


    From now on, at home, she would either idle away or write articles in the study. Ah, life would definitely befortable!


    Well, teaching Xuan Xuan to y the erhu still needed to continue. After all, mastering it couldn¡¯t be achieved in a short time.


    However, even if she now spent an extra ten minutes each day teaching the young erhu, it would only take up a little bit of her time.


    ¡°Mommy, I will be good at kindergarten!¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei didn¡¯t want to be scolded by the teacher and didn¡¯t want to make mommy sad. After thinking, she felt that mommy was right, she should listen to mommy and go to kindergarten with big brother and second brother.


    ¡°Our Vivi is really good!¡±


    Praising the little girl, Kang Li smiled and said, ¡°Mommy has prepared new schoolbags for you, and new pencil cases and school supplies. Mommy promises to pick you up on time every day.¡±


    ¡°Mommy, pinky promise!¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei climbed out of bed and stretched her little pinky toward Kang Li.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s make a pinky promise and seal it.¡±


    Standing up and walking to the little girl¡¯s bedside, Kang Li hooked her pinky with the little girl¡¯s and sealed the promise, then moved to Milk Bun Ming Han¡¯s bedside and did the same with the little guy. Finally, she turned to Min Rui, ¡°Ruirui,e, let¡¯s make a pinky promise and seal it too.¡±


    Min Rui, a little shy, stretched out his hand and hooked his pinky with Kang Li¡¯s, sealing the promise.


    ¡°Our Ruirui is really handsome!¡±


    Looking at the child¡¯s delicate features, Kang Li touched his head, then sat back down in her chair.


    ¡°Now, get under the covers, I¡¯m going to start telling a story,¡± Kang Li said softly with a smile in her eyes. Hearing her words, the kids promptlyy down and pulled a thin nket over themselves.


    Though it was only early in September, the nights in North City were already getting a bit chilly. To prevent the three little ones from catching a cold, Kang Li had Dwen Dwen buy three children-sized thin silk nkets from the mall.


    Light and soft, they felt veryfortable on the body.


    Kang Li¡¯s soft voice slowly filled the room as her storytelling was engaging. The children started by looking up with wide-open eyes, but gradually, one by one, they began to doze off, and eventually, they all closed their eyes.


    It was about eight-thirty in the evening. Since kindergarten, elementary, and secondary schools had all started sses, considering that the children needed to get up early for school, Kang Li specifically told the visitors who came to watch TV the night before,


    that during the school term, she would not turn on the TV to keep the children from being distracted, thinking about what was on TV that night during school hours.


    The children Kang Li mentioned were not only the three little ones but also included other children who came over to watch TV. To avoid any misunderstanding, she had made it clear and reminded all the children watching TV at their own homes to study hard after school started, and that she would turn on the TV on Saturday evenings to wee them.

 Chapter 223 - 223 223 Xiao Ming Wei Fierce and Adorable

    ?Chapter 223: Chapter 223 Xiao Ming Wei Fierce and Adorable   Chapter 223: Chapter 223 Xiao Ming Wei Fierce and Adorable                                   Entertainment options were exceedingly limited in those days, hence not only children but also adults could get addicted to watching TV. Nevertheless, adults at least had some self-control, which childrencked. Being young, even teenagers in junior and senior high couldn¡¯t help thinking about what the next episode would entail as theyy in bed at night.


    So when Kang Li mentioned that during the school term, except for Saturday nights, TV would not be avable at other times, although some adults and children who came to watch TV were somewhat unhappy, no one objected.


    After all, Kang Li made it clear that it wasn¡¯t because she was stingy, but truly for the children¡¯s sake.


    The next day.


    Kang Li handed the three little ones over to the kindergarten teacher and watched as the teacher took them through the school gates before she turned around and pushed the cart towards the vegetable supply point to buy fresh ingredients.


    ¡°Li Bao (Auntie)!¡±


    After buying the vegetables, just as Kang Li was about to head back to thepound, she heard a familiar voice behind her. She turned around, immediately smiling, ¡°Godmother, Xuan Xuan, are you here to buy vegetables too?!¡±


    Mrs. Qi, ¡°Yes, I bought some meat, a couple of bamboo shoots, and a few tomatoes.¡±


    Kang Li, ¡°I didn¡¯t buy much either.¡± Since Ruirui and the twins had their breakfast and lunch at kindergarten, only dinner was at home, Kang Li didn¡¯t buy much to avoid the ingredients going bad if stored for too long and thus wasted.


    As they walked and talked, Kang Li unknowingly followed Mrs. Qi and her grandchild into thepound.


    ¡°Come over, visit the godmother and have lunch together. It saves you the trouble of cooking alone at the stove.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll juste over and bother you, godmother.¡±


    ¡°What bother? As long as you¡¯re willing, godmother is very happy to have you eat at our ce every day.¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t do, I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll eat godmother out of house and home, considering my big appetite.¡±


    ¡°With the little you eat in a meal, I¡¯d say it¡¯s only a tiny bit more than a bird eats.¡±


    Mrs. Qi said with a chuckle.


    Kang Li smiled, ¡°I¡¯m just trying to maintain a slim figure!¡±


    Mrs. Qi, ¡°With your physique, no matter what you eat, you wouldn¡¯t gain weight. Do you really need to diet?¡±


    Kang Li, ¡°Alright, it¡¯s true that I have a big appetite. Eating a bit too much makes me bloated, so to save myself from suffering, I strictly eat ording to my appetite.¡±


    At the kindergarten, Xiao Ming Rui was in the preschool ss, and the twins were in the junior ss. During the long midday break, under the teachers¡¯ guidance, the kids lined up outside the ssroom on the activity ground to stretch their arms and legs. Once the music stopped and the teacher announced free time, the twins were immediately surrounded by a group of little friends.


    ¡°Vivi, Vivi, who brought you to kindergarten this morning?¡±


    ¡°Quick, tell us, Vivi, I really want to know too!¡±


    ¡°Vivi, is that fairy-like aunt your mom? Why haven¡¯t we seen her before?¡±


    ¡°Are you fools? Luo Mingwei¡¯s mom died long ago, that fairy aunt definitely isn¡¯t Luo Mingwei¡¯s mom!¡±


    A discordant voice joined in.


    Xiao Ming Wei red with wide eyes, puffing up her cheeks furiously, and scolded the girl named Li Tingting, looking adorably fierce, ¡°Li Tingting, you¡¯re spouting nonsense! She is my mom!¡±


    Li Tingting, ¡°I¡¯m not talking nonsense. You have no mom, that¡¯s what my mom said, and she never lies to me.¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei, ¡°Your mom is lying, you¡¯ve been duped by her!¡±


    Li Tingting, ¡°My mom never lies, you just don¡¯t have a mom!¡±

 Chapter 224 - 224 224 The Prying Ming Han

    ?Chapter 224: Chapter 224: The Prying Ming Han   Chapter 224: Chapter 224: The Prying Ming Han                                   At this moment, another discordant voice joined in, ¡°Luo Mingwei, that beautiful aunt couldn¡¯t possibly be your stepmother, could she?¡±


    ¡°Vivi Vivi, is what Wang Tongtong said true? Did your own mother die and your dad found you a stepmother?¡±


    ¡°I think even if that Fairy Aunt is Vivi¡¯s stepmother, she must be the best stepmother in the world, Fairy Aunt is so pretty and gentle, she must love Vivi a lot!¡±


    ¡°Song Xiaoran, how do you know that? What if Vivi¡¯s stepmother is mean to her?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, I heard my mom say that stepmothers are all bad women, they get angry and hit us kids.¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei put her hands on her hips, red at the kids who were badmouthing her mom: ¡°My mom is better than all of your moms. During the holidays, my mom tells stories every day to me and my big brother, second brother,


    she teaches us crafts, teaches us to draw, ys the erhu, and sings to us. Do your moms treat you this well?


    No, right?! Every day before naptime and before bed at night, my mom also tells stories to me, big brother, and second brother, have your moms ever done that?¡±


    Li Tingting: ¡°Luo Mingwei, you couldn¡¯t be bragging, could you?!¡±


    Wang Tongtong: ¡°I think Luo Mingwei is just bragging, her stepmother wouldn¡¯t be that nice to her!¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s saying my sister is bragging, huh?¡±


    Xiao Ming Han could be considered the boss of his and his sister Vivi¡¯s ss. Seeing his sister bullied by ssmates Li Tingting and Wang Tongtong, he couldn¡¯t help but walk over with his small legs, leading his gang.


    ¡°Li Tingting, Wang Tongtong, listen up. My sister isn¡¯t wrong at all, our mom is the most most most awesome. She not only looks like a Little Fairy but is also especially nice to us. If you dare to badmouth our mom again, watch out, I won¡¯t be nice to you!¡±


    Toward the end, Milk Bun Ming Han issued his threats.


    ¡°Stepmothers are all bad women, and they wouldn¡¯t be nice to the children. My mom said so, and she¡¯s an adult, she wouldn¡¯t lie to or deceive me!¡±


    Li Tingting stood up straight, looking at Xiao Ming Han with arrogant eyes: ¡°If you and Luo Mingwei had a mom, why haven¡¯t we seen her before? Humph, you are bad kids, I¡¯m going to tell the teacher!¡±


    ¡°Li Tingting the tattletale, h h h¡­¡±


    Milk Bun Ming Han¡¯s followers jeered at her side, each one making faces at Li Tingting.


    Wang Tongtong: ¡°Don¡¯t you bully Tingting! Luo Mingwei is bragging, saying her stepmother tells her stories, teaches her crafts, teaches her to draw, ys the erhu, and sings to her and her brother Luo Minghan. Do you believe it?¡±


    ¡°Whether we believe it or not is none of your business, h h h¡­¡±


    Wang Tongtong stomped her feet in frustration: ¡°You¡¯re all so mean, I¡¯m going to get my brother to beat you up!¡± Saying this, she ran towards the preschool (2) ss.


    Li Tingting followed suit, ring at Xiao Ming Wei and the boys who bullied her, speaking fiercely, ¡°Just you wait, I¡¯m also going to call my brother to beat you up, and I¡¯ll get my cousin too!¡±


    While Wang Tongtong and Li Tingting were getting their brothers and cousins, seeing that the preschool (1) teacher was not there, three boys around five or six years old, under their sister¡¯s (cousin¡¯s) instruction, went forward and pushed down Xiao Ming Wei and Xiao Ming Han.


    ¡°Li Tingting, Wang Tongtong, you are bad kids, actually getting your brothers to beat up Vivi and Hanhan, I¡¯m going to call Ruirui brother right now to avenge Vivi and Hanhan!¡±

 Chapter 225 - 225 225 Milk Bun Ming Han Worries about Mom

    ?Chapter 225: Chapter 225: Milk Bun Ming Han Worries about Mom Getting Angry   Chapter 225: Chapter 225: Milk Bun Ming Han Worries about Mom Getting Angry                                   Song Xiaoran and Xiao Ming Wei were good friends, and when she saw Vivi being bullied, the little girl puffed up with anger and immediately took off running toward the Pre-K (1) ss.


    ¡°My mom is the most most most powerful mom, my sister didn¡¯t say anything wrong, you push me and my sister, I¡¯m going to fight you all!¡±


    Milk Bun Ming Hanpletely forgot what his mother had told him earlier, that he shouldn¡¯t use an egg to smash against a rock, and that he should learn to use his brain instead.


    It wasn¡¯t that he was too impulsive, it was that he couldn¡¯t allow anyone to speak ill of his mother!


    Picking himself up from the ground, Milk Bun Ming Han charged at Li Tingting¡¯s brother like a bullet. The next moment, Xiao Ming Wei got up and waddled over to help her brother Ming Han.


    Seeing this, Milk Bun Ming Han¡¯s little buddies swarmed forward; they couldn¡¯t let their boss and his little sister be bullied.


    By the time Min Rui was called over by Xiao Ming Wei¡¯s good friend, he saw his brother and sister being pushed around by a boy who was about the same size as him. His expression cooled, and he stepped forward and kicked the boy¡¯s leg with force.


    The children had started a brawl on the yground, and when the teachers found out, they hurried over from the office. They saw each little one toppled over like dominoes on the ground, some screaming at the top of their lungs, some lying on the ground kicking with their feet and punching with their fists, creating aplete mess.


    Back at the courtyard, Kang Li was about to help Mrs. Qi with lunch when suddenly her heart began to ¡°thump thump¡± beat restlessly.


    ¡°Godmother, I¡¯m feeling a bit anxious, thinking something might have happened to Ruirui and the others at the kindergarten. Maybe I should go have a look?¡±


    Kang Li was really worried about the three little ones. As she spoke, without waiting for Mrs. Qi to respond, she took off her apron, ready to leave.


    ¡°It¡¯s the first day of school, so it¡¯s normal for you to be concerned. Go on, it¡¯ll be good to check on them, otherwise you¡¯ll be anxious all the way until you pick up the children this afternoon.¡±


    Mrs. Qi said with a smile, escorting Kang Li to the door of the living room.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll go now.¡±


    Before leaving, Kang Li nced at Mrs. Qi.


    ¡°Go on, the food will be ready for you when you get back.¡±


    Mrs. Qi waved her hand, watching as Kang Li left through the courtyard gate.


    Upon arriving at the kindergarten, Kang Li hadn¡¯t expected her premonition toe true.


    ¡°Vivi¡¯s mother, this is what happened. I phoned your house immediately after the incident, but no one answered after two or three tries. Thankfully, you were worried about the children and came to check on them. Now we just wait for the other parents to arrive so that we can sit down and resolve this matter amicably. Do you think that¡¯s okay, Vivi¡¯s mom?¡±


    Kang Li nodded and then called over Xiao Ming Rui and the other two to her side, ¡°Come here, all of youe to mom!¡± At this moment, five teachers were sitting in the office: the principal, the teachers of Pre-K (1), Pre-K (2), Kindergarten (1), and Kindergarten (2).


    ¡°Mom, it was Li Tingting¡¯s brother and Wang Tongtong¡¯s brother who started it. They pushed me and my sister to the ground, and that¡¯s when I rushed to fight them,¡± said Milk Bun Ming Han, looking wilted like a frostbitten eggnt, after the fight and being called to the office by the teachers. He then remembered what his mother had told him and his siblings, and the experiment she had shown with the egg and the rock.


    He had promised his mother he wouldn¡¯t just rush into a fight when he knew he couldn¡¯t win. He should have gone to a teacher instead, but he didn¡¯t, and now he wondered if his mother would be angry?


    Xiao Ming Wei said, ¡°Mom, I and Second Brother didn¡¯t mean to fight. Big Brother didn¡¯t either. It was Li Tingting and the others who said that you are a stepmother, said stepmothers are wicked, and didn¡¯t believe Vivi when she said that mom is a good mother,

 Chapter 226 - 226 226 Communication

    ?Chapter 226: Chapter 226: Communication   Chapter 226: Chapter 226: Communication                                   Vivi didn¡¯t believe that her mom had spent the holidays telling stories, teaching us and big brother to paint, craft, sing, and ying erhu for us every day,


    Those girls¡­ they were so mean, they went and called their brothers to beat up me and big brother, and the kids who spoke up for me and big brother.¡±


    Everyone in the office, including the principal, was amazed by the twins¡¯ ability to express themselves.


    These little ones, not even three years old, spoke so fluidly and logically, babbling away and exining the situation to their mom clearly.


    ¡°Good, mom believes what you said, believes that you wouldn¡¯t start fights with other kids on your own.¡±


    Petting the twins¡¯ heads, Kang Li also rubbed Min Rui¡¯s head, telling the children, ¡°Ruirui was very brave to stand up when his siblings were being bullied, good job!¡±


    Then, she looked toward the group of little ones who defended the twins, her eyes crinkling with smiles, ¡°You kids did great protecting my Hanhan and Vivi, and making sure Ruirui wasn¡¯t bullied. But auntie hopes you won¡¯t do it again, do you know why?¡±


    The friends who had helped the twins and the other kids from Ruirui¡¯s ss all blinked their bright eyes at Kang Li, shaking their little heads to indicate they didn¡¯t know.


    Kang Li bent down so the little ones wouldn¡¯t have to strain their necks looking up at her, her bright eyes curved like crescents as she smiled and said:


    ¡°Because fighting is not right, and all of you are still small kids. When you fight, your little hands and feet don¡¯t know their own strength, you might hurt yourself,


    or hurt the kids you are fighting with. Your families would be heartbroken, and the most important point is, you would feel pain too.¡±


    At this point, Song Xiaoran piped up in his baby voice, ¡°But Li Tingting and her friends bullied Vivi and Hanhan!¡±


    ¡°In such situations, whether it¡¯s you or any other kid, if this happens at school, seek help from teachers; at home, seek help from your elders¡­¡±


    Though the scuffle involved many kids, thankfully, none were hurt, but each one was a bit dusty and tousled, adorable yet eliciting sympathy.


    Kang Li was undoubtedly moved by the kids¡¯ friendship at this moment, her beautiful eyes warm and her voice tender and melodic with a hint ofughter.


    She provided psychologicalfort to the little ones, preventing any trauma from the incident and ensuring they wouldn¡¯t have nightmarester that night.


    It¡¯s important to note that while she spoke, her smile was exceptionally inviting, her thank-yous were heartfelt, and herforting words flowed like a gentle mountain stream, pleasant and soothing. Soon enough, the little ones began to smile, calling her ¡°beautiful auntie,¡± ¡°fairy auntie.¡±


    After calming the children, Kang Li¡¯s gaze shifted to Li Tingting, Wang Tongtong, and the siblings and cousins of the two girls. She smiled just as warmly and asked Li Tingting and Wang Tongtong, ¡°Can you tell auntie why you were fighting with Luo Mingwei?¡±


    The two little girls pursed their lips tightly, not uttering a sound.


    The aunt standing before them was so beautiful! This beautiful, fairy-like aunt, even if she was a stepmother, surely couldn¡¯t be the bad woman, the bad stepmother that Tingting¡¯s mom described, could she?


    Li Tingting bit her lip, conflicted inside, unsure whether to believe what her mom said or trust what her own eyes and feelings perceived.

 Chapter 227 - 227 227 Proof

    ?Chapter 227: Chapter 227: Proof   Chapter 227: Chapter 227: Proof                                   Wang Tongtong hesitated for a while before looking up at Kang Li and asking, ¡°Pretty auntie, are you Luo Mingwei¡¯s mother or stepmother?¡±


    On the side, the principal and several teachers frowned simultaneously.


    However, Kang Li showed no displeasure, her smile tender, ¡°As elders, there¡¯s no difference between a mother and a stepmother as long as they genuinely love their children. So, they are all good mothers, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    Wang Tongtong tilted her head to think, then replied, ¡°Pretty auntie is right!¡±


    Kang Li, ¡°Though the three kids at auntie¡¯s home are not born of me, I love them just as your mothers love you. I don¡¯t want to see them bullied by others, hope that they grow up safe and sound, and learn more skills from their teachers to contribute to our country in the future.¡±


    She said this to both Wang Tongtong and Li Tingting, her smile not diminishing in her eyes as she continued, ¡°So, I ask you all not to say unkind words to auntie¡¯s children anymore. If you have any issues, you should talk it out without arguing or fighting. What do you think?¡±


    Many parents arrived one after another in the office, but not one interrupted. Like the principal and the teachers, they stood silently, listening to Kang Li talk to Li Tingting and Wang Tongtong.


    The woman was so beautiful, ethereal and refined, her smile radiant and friendly, her gaze incredibly gentle.


    Her figure was graceful, like a lotus flower emerging from the water, making one irresistibly drawn to her, unable to harbor any dislike.


    Li Tingting, ¡°I didn¡¯t want to fight with Luo Mingwei. I just thought she was bragging, but she wouldn¡¯t admit it, and then we started arguing.¡±


    Kang Li, ¡°How about this, let my Ming Wei prove to you with facts that she was not bragging at all. Do you agree to that?¡±


    Li Tingting, ¡°¡­Okay, if Luo Mingwei wasn¡¯t bragging, then¡­ then I¡¯ll apologize to her!¡±


    Wang Tongtong, ¡°Me too!¡±


    Kang Li rubbed both girls¡¯ heads. ¡°Good, then that¡¯s settled.¡± Her eyes sparkled with a clear smile as she looked at Xiao Ming Rui and his siblings, adding, ¡°You all heard that, right?¡±


    Xiao Ming Rui and his siblings nodded.


    ¡°Now, let Ming Wei tell you a story that mom once told you. Hanhan, do some crafts, um, fold that paper frog mom taught you, and as for Ruirui¡­ you practice writing neatly just as mom taught you during the holidays. Write a few characters in front of the children, teachers, and your grandparents, aunts, and uncles. Any problems with that?¡±


    The three kids shook their heads together.


    Kang Li, her eyes filled with satisfaction, borrowed a piece of cardboard, a small notebook, and a pencil from a nearby teacher.


    To prevent Milk Bun Ming Han from hurting his little hands while cutting the paper, Kang Li helped him cut the cardboard into a square.


    ¡°Hello teachers, grandpas and grandmas, uncles and aunts, ssmates, I am now going to tell you a story about a smart and hardworking little rooster.¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei faced the principal, the teachers in the office, and the parents of the children, bowed, and then, in her sweet childlike voice, mimicking the tone and expressions her mother used while storytelling, vividly began the story:


    ¡°In the morning, Grandfather Sun rose, and the little rooster stood by the river and crowed, awakening the little white rabbit, the little flower cat, making the flowers open their eyes and the grass stand up straight¡­¡±

 Chapter 228 - 228 228 Praise

    ?Chapter 228: Chapter 228: Praise   Chapter 228: Chapter 228: Praise                                   The little girl was bold andposed, not showing any stage fright at all. As she told the story with her body movements integrated, adults and children in the office watched with wide eyes, finding it hard to believe that such a small child


    could articte a story so fluently. Though the story didn¡¯t seem very long, the little girl told it wonderfully. Her enunciation was clear, and her body movements effectively illustrated the content, making her look adorable in every way.


    ¡°The little white goose said, ¡®Little rooster, you¡¯re so nice! To wake us up, you rise early every day. You¡¯re so diligent!''¡±


    Ming Wei appeared as if she was actually standing in front of a little rooster, speaking in a milky voice as if she were the little white goose, fully immersing herself in the character.


    After portraying the little white goose, she switched to ying the little rooster, gently shaking her body with her cheeks blushing, showing a delighted expression, and she didn¡¯t forget the narration: ¡°The little rooster shook his feathers and blushed with pride, feeling so happy inside!¡±


    Then Ming Wei took on the role of a little flower cat: ¡°Little rooster, thank you! With you crowing every day, I won¡¯t oversleep anymore!¡±


    She shook her small braids, putting on an embarrassed look, and said, ¡°The little rooster shook his longb, and he felt quite bashful.¡±


    As her voice fell, Ming Wei switched back to the little flower cat: ¡°Little rooster, do you know today¡¯s weather forecast? I need to go out today, and I¡¯m not sure what to wear.¡±


    Her face showed a look of difort, the little girl shook her head, and she said, ¡°The little rooster didn¡¯t know the weather forecast for today, and seeing the little flower cat¡¯s disappointed face, he felt really upset. So, he started to think hard, what to do?¡±


    Ming Wei tilted her head in thought, and soon, her sweet, cute voice rang out again: ¡°The little rooster thought and thought, and finally came up with a good idea. The next morning, the little rooster wrote the weather forecast on a small sign,


    and hung it on his strong redb, then he ¡®cock-a-doodle-doo¡¯ woke everyone up. When everyone saw the weather forecast, they praised the little rooster for not only being diligent but also very smart!¡±


    Having finished the story and seeing that no one reacted, Ming Wei couldn¡¯t help feeling a bit anxious. She turned her head to look at her mother and saw her mother giving her a thumbs up. The little girl felt much reassured and bowed to the adults and children who had listened to her story, saying in her sweet voice, ¡°Thank you for listening to my story, I¡¯ve finished!¡±


    Apuse erupted, especially from the children, pping with all their might, their faces blooming with smiles.


    ¡°Vivi, your story was really good!¡±


    That was the voice of Xiaoran Song.


    ¡°Vivi, you¡¯re so amazing!¡±


    ¡°Vivi, will you tell us more stories in the future?¡±


    ¡°Vivi, I really like your stories!¡±


    ¡­


    The children surrounded Ming Wei, each taking turns topliment her.


    Li Tingting and Wang Tongtong felt dejected, thinking of themselves as naughty kids who didn¡¯t believe Luo Mingwei and used her of bragging. Now they realized Luo Mingwei was amazing for being able to tell a captivating story, with such cute expressions and movements!


    ¡°It¡¯s not just me who¡¯s amazing, it¡¯s Vivi¡¯s mom who is amazing!¡±


    Ming Wei was exceedingly happy, not forgetting to credit her mother.


    Xiaoran Song added, ¡°I know, I know, Vivi¡¯s mom is super, super amazing, and so are you!¡±


    Just then, Milk Bun Ming Han finished folding the paper frog, looking up at his mother, ¡°Mom, I¡¯ve finished folding the frog.¡±


    Kang Li smiled, ¡°Show it to the other children.¡±

 Chapter 229 - 229 229 Accordion

    ?Chapter 229: Chapter 229: ordion   Chapter 229: Chapter 229: ordion                                   Milk Bun Ming Han: ¡°Okay.¡±


    Brother Min Rui had also finished writing. The principal and several teachers were standing beside him.


    ¡°Square and upright, Luo Mingrui, your writing is very good.¡±


    The principal looked at the characters written by Xiao Ming Rui and handed the notebook to the child¡¯s homeroom teacher. ¡°Teacher Cui, take a look.¡±


    After Teacher Cui had a look, beaming with smiles, she praised, ¡°Luo Mingrui¡¯s writing has improved significantlypared to before the summer break.¡± The other teachers also looked at it, and some of the parents out of curiosity gathered around to pass around Xiao Ming Rui¡¯s writing.


    Murmurs of admiration were incessant.


    Just then, Kang Li inadvertently saw an ordion on an office desk, an instrument that, to her, was antique. She had seen it among her grandfather¡¯s collection and had learned how to y it with him.


    ording to her grandfather, the ordion had been a gift from an elder in the family when he was young.


    After the elder who gave him the ordion passed away unexpectedly not long thereafter, in the subsequent years, tomemorate the elder, he would take out the ordion gifted to him and y a tune on the anniversary of the elder¡¯s death as a tribute.


    Snapping back from her wandering thoughts, Kang Li whispered something to the principal, who nodded. Then, Kang Li moved to the desk where the ordion rested.


    Picking up the ordion and slinging it in front of her, she familiarized herself with the keyboard and the buttons on the side for keeping rhythm and ying melodies. After testing a few notes, she returned her gaze to the three Xiao Ming Ruis.


    Meanwhile, everyone in the office was watching her.


    Kang Li remainedposed,pletely indifferent to the gazes fixed on her. She nodded slightly to the three little ones, who understood her signal and lined up at an arm¡¯s length apart, their eyes brimming withughter.


    The prelude started, and shortly thereafter, the three little ones began to sing in their adorable baby voices while making hand gestures.


    Okay, Brother Min Rui¡¯s singing voice wasn¡¯t loud, but his hand gesture dance performance was very good.


    ¡°¡­Worldly guests flit to and fro, an oriole chirps away, watch the little bridge and the water flow to someone¡¯s home, listen to the pipa¡¯s twanging cry, swallows flit thickly past, the little town paints yet another cycle of winter and summer¡­¡±


    Before she hade to this world, Kang Li had been browsing videos on her phone and stumbled upon a catchy tune. Okay, it was the one she was now ying on the ordion, which had been apanied by a group of children performing a hand gesture dance.


    If she remembered correctly, her eyes lingered on that video for about two or three minutes.


    This was quite incredible for the always busy Kang Li.


    Therefore, even having shifted to a different world, the memory remained vivid.


    And during the summer vacation, on a whim, after teaching the three little ones two or three of the most familiar nursery rhymes, she also taught them the song associated with the hand gestures dance video she had seen.


    Because the lyrics and melody were lively and cute, as well as simple to learn, the three little ones picked it up quickly.


    There you have it, with her ying the ordion just once, the children present started to follow the lead of the three Xiao Ming Ruis, singing and making hand gestures.


    The principal and several teachers all wore smiles, watching the little ones sing and gesture.


    The parents, too, smiled with affectionate eyes, looking lovingly at their little ones.


    After ying the tune for the third time, Kang Li lowered the ordion from her shoulder and gently ced it back in its original spot.


    She then saw two women step out from among the many parents ande to a stop in front of her. One of them, with an apologetic tone, spoke first, ¡°Comrade, hello, you are Luo Mingwei¡¯s mother, aren¡¯t you?!¡±

 Chapter 230 - 230 230 Thank You

    ?Chapter 230: Chapter 230: Thank You   Chapter 230: Chapter 230: Thank You                                   ¡°I am Tingting¡¯s Mom, and regarding the conflict that urred between our Tingting and your Vivi, I have heard about it from the other parents. I would like to apologize to you here¡ªit was my fault for not educating Tingting well enough, leading her to say things that hurt your Vivi.¡±


    Just as Kang Li was about to respond, the woman standing next to Tingting¡¯s Mom spoke up, ¡°I am Tongtong¡¯s Mom,rade. The trouble our children caused in kindergarten today¡­ the fault lies with my child¡ª¡±


    Before she could finish, Kang Li smiled and gestured with her hand to stop the other party from continuing. She nced at the little girls ying together and then said to Tingting and Tongtong¡¯s Moms, ¡°It¡¯s just a little conflict between the children; it¡¯s not a big deal. Besides, they weren¡¯t really hurt. Both of yourades needn¡¯t feel too bad about it.¡±


    The kindergarten teachers were quick on their feet, helping the little girlsb their messy braids anew. Meanwhile, the kids¡¯ clothes, covered in dust, were gently patted clean by the enthusiastic parents.


    Seeing this, Kang Li felt a wave of admiration for the simplicity of people in this era.


    However, that didn¡¯t exclude those with sly intentions.


    Like Teacher Loo in thepound and the protagonist Su Man.


    One was a teacher but didn¡¯t pay attention to moral integrity.


    The other was young, with quite a few tricks up her sleeve, always scheming to trip her up for no reason at all¡ªas if she had nothing better to do!


    ¡°Thank you to all the parents andrades for your understanding. However, where our kindergarten is at fault, we must also admit it. It was our teachers¡¯ negligence in their work that they didn¡¯t watch over the children properly for a moment¡­¡±


    The principal¡¯s tone was sincere as she apologized to all the parents.


    The head teachers of ss 1, Preschool ss 1, Preschool ss 2, and Big ss 1 also sincerely apologized to the parents and promised to strengthen work management going forward, so that simr incidents would not ur among the children.


    Suddenly, Tingting came forward to Kang Li, ¡°Pretty Auntie, Luo Mingwei was not lying, I did apologize to her.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Kang Li crouched down on one knee to be at eye level with the little girl. With a tender look and a smile, she said, ¡°Good, auntie knows now, what a good girl!¡± She patted the little girl¡¯s head, and almost instantly, a big smile spread across the child¡¯s face. She boasted to the other kids, ¡°Pretty Auntie patted my head, I¡¯m so happy!¡±


    Tingting¡¯s Mom was almost too embarrassed to watch her own daughter showing off.


    Tongtong said, ¡°Pretty Auntie, I also apologized to Vivi.¡±


    Kang Li also patted this little girl¡¯s head and saw her too grin broadly, as if being patted on the head by her was a very blissful thing.


    Under the leadership of the principal and school teachers, and with the cooperation of the parents, the children¡¯s issue was satisfactorily resolved. To reassure the parents, the principal instructed the school¡¯s healthcare provider to carefully examine the children involved in the fight. Once it was confirmed that the children were all right, the parents left the kindergarten one after another.


    ¡°Comrade Kang, you are very skilled at teaching children. If you hadn¡¯t been there today to mediate among the little ones, the matter might not have been resolved so smoothly and satisfactorily¡­¡±


    Upon escorting Kang Li to the kindergarten gate, the principal held Kang Li¡¯s hand with many words of thanks.


    ¡°You¡¯re too kind, principal. Actually, I don¡¯t have much experience on how to interact with children either. I just try to see myself as a friend to them while also being an elder. This way, it¡¯s a little easier tomunicate with the kids,¡± Kang Li replied.


    After listening to Kang Li, the principal nodded repeatedly:

 Chapter 231 - 231 231 Look How Powerful You Are

    ?Chapter 231: Chapter 231: Look How Powerful You Are!   Chapter 231: Chapter 231: Look How Powerful You Are!                                   ¡°Comrade Kang, in our educational philosophy as kindergarten teachers, one aspect is to befriend the children, and you are undoubtedly a qualified parent.¡±


    Kang Li smiled and did not respond.


    After leaving the principal, Kang Li returned to the courtyard and recounted what had happened at the kindergarten to Mrs. Qi, who then asked, ¡°What were you thinking at that time, having Ruirui and the others, one writing, one folding paper frogs, and one telling stories?¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°There was no special thought behind it, just speaking with facts to prove that our Vivi wasn¡¯t bragging.¡±


    Mrs. Qi burst outughing, ¡°Your actions not only stunned those little tykes but also the kindergarten teachers, right?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not about stunning anyone, my goal was simple, just to prove that what our family¡¯s Vivi said was true.¡± Kang Li said with an unaffected expression, helping Mrs. Qi serve the food on the table, ¡°Godmother, you might not know, but Ruirui and the other two have quite the poprity in kindergarten!¡±


    Mrs. Qi: ¡°All three siblings have ssmates to back them up in fights, how could they not be popr?!¡± She shook her head with augh, and said, ¡°Just make sure you don¡¯t spoil them too much.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°No way.¡± She would not indulge the children, if it weren¡¯t for considering their young age, things like washing their own clothes and other small manual tasks had already been incorporated into her ¡°parenting n¡±!


    ¡°Really not?¡± Mrs. Qi raised her eyebrows, ¡°Here in this big court, I haven¡¯t seen any mother who is as dedicated to her children as you are to Ruirui and the others.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°Being dedicated to one¡¯s children is a must for any mother. But while I¡¯m devoted, I definitely don¡¯t spoil them. My goal, you see, is to raise them to be ¡®Five Stresses, Four Beauties, and Three Loves¡¯ socialist sessors.¡±


    Mrs. Qi puzzled: ¡°Five Stresses, Four Beauties, and Three Loves?¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°¡­¡± Shoot, how had she just blurted out ¡°Five Stresses, Four Beauties, and Three Loves¡±? With Mrs. Qi looking at her, Kang Li thought about ying it off, but felt it wasn¡¯t right to talk nonsense.


    She blinked her foxy eyes, pretending to ponder for a moment, then said, ¡°What I mean is to raise Ruirui and the others to be civilized, polite, hygienic, orderly, moral, and to disy beauty in soul,nguage, actions, environment, and to love the mothend, love socialism, love our Party¡­ That¡¯s right, and to also instill in them a love for learning andbor. Only then will they be perfect!¡±


    Mrs. Qiughed, ¡°Look at how impressive you are!¡±


    Kang Li yfully said, ¡°I¡¯m the invincible beautiful girl of the universe, I¡¯ve always been amazing, didn¡¯t you know that, godmother?!¡±


    At her words, Mrs. Qiughed even harder.


    When she finally stoppedughing, she couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Then your ¡®Three Loves¡¯ should be ¡®Five Loves¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ You could say that,¡± Kang Li agreed.


    As she spoke, she called Mrs. Qi and Song Xuan to eat.


    After lunch, Kang Li helped Mrs. Qi wash the dishes and clean up the kitchen, then went back to her room for an afternoon nap.


    Kindergarten.


    The kids of ss 1, led by the teacher, walked in the activity area to digest their food before lining up to enter the nap room. Following the teacher¡¯s instructions, theyid down obediently on their respective small beds.


    The bedding was provided by the parents, and the ones on Xiao Ming Rui¡¯s three little beds were undoubtedly purchased by Kang Li through Dwen Dwen from the System Mall.


    The size was based on the old bedding that the three had used in kindergarten.


    ¡°Vivi, your bedding is so pretty!¡±


    Song Xiaoran¡¯s bed was right next to Xiao Ming Wei¡¯s, and she couldn¡¯t hide her envy upon seeing the bedding and little pillow on her friend¡¯s bed.

 Chapter 232 - 232 232 My Name is Kang Li

    ?Chapter 232: Chapter 232 My Name is Kang Li   Chapter 232: Chapter 232 My Name is Kang Li                                   ¡°My mom prepared it for me,¡± Xiao Ming Wei whispered softly. ¡°The bedding on my second brother¡¯s and oldest brother¡¯s beds is also new!¡±


    Song Xiaoran said, ¡°Your mom is really nice!¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei: ¡°Yeah, my mom is the best mom in the whole wide world.¡±


    Song Xiaoran: ¡°My mom is too.¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei: ¡°Mhm.¡±


    Song Xiaoran: ¡°Vivi, did your mom teach you anything else during the summer break?¡± The conversation between the children was spontaneous, whatever came to mind was spoken, and just like that, Song Xiaoran suddenly changed the subject.


    Lying on the bed, Xiao Ming Wei turned her head toward her good friend, Song Xiaoran: ¡°Gomoku and checkers. My mom also taught my oldest and second brother.¡±


    Song Xiaoran: ¡°Then can you teach me?¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei: ¡°Of course! When youe over to my house to y one day, I¡¯ll teach you.¡±


    The two little girls chatted away when the teacher came over: ¡°Xiao Ran, Vivi, you shouldn¡¯t be talking now!¡± Song Xiaoran and Xiao Ming Wei were so frightened that they shrunk their necks and hurriedlyid down and pretended to be asleep with their eyes closed.


    Watching over them, the teacher shook her head with amusement.


    After 2:30 in the afternoon, Kang Li woke up from her nap, tidied up a bit, and headed over to the Song Family¡¯s house again.


    She continued from where she left off yesterday, teaching Song Xuan the techniques of ying the erhu and guiding the young boy to y the pieces he had learned with an aim for improvement.


    Time flew, and by almost 3:30, Kang Li left the Song Family¡¯s house to pick up the three little ones, including Xiao Ming Rui, from kindergarten.


    ¡°Vivi¡¯s mom, over here!¡±


    At the kindergarten gate, Song Xiaoran¡¯s mom saw Kang Li and waved to greet her eagerly.


    Among the parents who went to deal with the children¡¯s group fight incident at the kindergarten at noon, there was Song Xiaoran¡¯s mom, who had a very good impression of Kang Li. Okay, to put it in modern terms, Song Xiaoran¡¯s mom was quite the looker; she thought that Kang Li looked exactly like her idea of beauty.


    ¡°Hello, Xiao Ran¡¯s mom.¡±


    Kang Li, pushing the stroller, greeted Song Xiaoran¡¯s mom.


    Song Xiaoran¡¯s mom, with a smile, then said, ¡°Having this stroller to pick up and drop off the kids is really convenient, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Kang Li smiled and hummed in agreement.


    Song Xiaoran¡¯s mom: ¡°My name is Wu Yue, Vivi¡¯s Mom, what¡¯s your name?¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°Kang Li, my name is Kang Li.¡±


    Song Xiaoran¡¯s mom: ¡°What a nice name.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°Your name is also nice.¡±


    Song Xiaoran¡¯s mom: ¡°Then from now on, we should call each other by our names, how about that?¡±


    Kang Li nodded: ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡°Kang Li, how do you know so much? Just look at your kid, you¡¯ve taught them so well! Let me tell you, my little girl will definitely cling to me to tell her a story before bed tonight; otherwise, she¡¯ll give me a hard time!¡±


    ¡°Back when I was in school, I had nothing much to do during vacations, so I picked up a few hobbies following my older brothers around.¡±


    ¡°You have more than one older brother?¡±


    ¡°Mhm, five of them.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re so lucky! You must be the darling in your family.¡±


    ¡°I guess.¡±


    ¡°I have one older brother and one younger brother. When I was little, my older brother only wanted to y during vacations, never taught me anything.¡±


    Kang Liughed.


    Wu Yue: ¡°If you have timeter on, our families could get together with the kids. What do you think?¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°Sure.¡±


    As dismissal time approached, more and more parents began to gather at the kindergarten gate.


    ¡°Just three or four more minutes and they¡¯ll open the gates. Let¡¯s move up front; the children from the younger ssese out first,¡± said Wu Yue, beckoning Kang Li to move closer to the kindergarten gate.


    Kang Li asked: ¡°We need to line up, right?¡±

 Chapter 233 - 233 233 Kang Li Refuses to be the Child King

    ?Chapter 233: Chapter 233: Kang Li Refuses to be the Child King   Chapter 233: Chapter 233: Kang Li Refuses to be the Child King                                   Wu Yue: ¡°Yes, we need to line up. Let¡¯s just stand behind the parents¡¯ queue of the small ss (1).¡±


    Inside the gates of the kindergarten, the children from the small ss were already lined up and ready to go home under the guidance of their ss teachers, organized by ss.


    Song Xiaoran: ¡°Vivi, do you want to go home?¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei: ¡°Yes, I want to see Mommy soon!¡±


    Song Xiaoran: ¡°I don¡¯t really want to. My mom just scolds me, saying I¡¯m like a monkey, always making a mess as soon as I get home.¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei: ¡°Then why do you make a mess? Mommy has to keep tidying up, and that¡¯s very tiring!¡±


    Song Xiaoran: ¡°Don¡¯t you make a mess at home?¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei: ¡°I and my big brother and second brother don¡¯t touch Mommy and Daddy¡¯s things. If I mess up my own things, I will tidy them up slowly.¡±


    ¡°Are you that amazing?¡±


    Song Xiaoran¡¯s eyes shone with stars.


    ¡°It¡¯s what Mommy taught me,¡± said Xiao Ming Wei, standing up straight with pride. ¡°Mommy also taught my big brother and second brother, saying children should develop the good habit of being neat. Taking care of our own things gives us a great sense of achievement.¡±


    Song Xiaoran: ¡°What¡¯s a sense of achievement?¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei tilted her head in thought and said, ¡°It¡¯s¡­ it means to be very, very impressive!¡±


    At this time, the teacher of ss (1) pped her hands, drawing the attention of the children: ¡°Little friends, let¡¯s stay quiet. Now when teacher calls someone¡¯s name, they cane out of the line, okay?¡±


    ¡°Got it!¡±


    Vivi and the other children in her ss responded loudly.


    Picking up the twins, Kang Li pushed the two little ones in the stroller and lined up behind the parents of ss (1).


    Because all the parents were very orderly, the kindergarten children were quickly picked up.


    Xiao Ming Wei: ¡°Mommy, I had such a great time today!¡±


    Kang Li joked, ¡°I thought you were feeling quite wronged.¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei: ¡°Why would I feel wronged?¡±


    Kang Li struggled to hold back herughter: ¡°Some kids said you were bragging.¡±


    Milk Bun covered her mouth and giggled.


    Older brother, Min Rui, curved the corner of his mouth.


    Xiao Ming Wei: ¡°But I wasn¡¯t bragging. The kids knewter on, Li Tingting and Wang Tongtong even apologized to me.¡±


    Kang Li gave a thoughtful ¡°Oh¡± and was silent for a while.


    Xiao Ming Wei: ¡°Mommy, mommy, all the kids in ss (1) really like you, they say Vivi¡¯s mommy is a Little Fairy, they say Vivi¡¯s mommy is awesome!¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°Is that so? Then tomorrow when Vivi goes to school, help Mommy thank the children in your ss.¡±


    ¡°Sure thing,¡± Xiao Ming Wei replied cheerfully.


    ¡­


    Time passed neither quickly nor slowly during the days when Xiao Ming Rui attended kindergarten, but it had been nearly two months since Professor Luo returned to work at the research institute.


    In that time, or to be more precise, one week after the incident where Xiao Ming Rui and the others got into a group fight, the headmaster of the kindergarten had formally invited Kang Li to work at the school.


    The offered terms were: a formal position with a monthly sry of 35 yuan¡­


    Let alone other aspects, the monthly sry of 35 alone was nearly 10 yuan more than what a new kindergarten teacher starting work would earn.


    Yet, Kang Li politely declined the headmaster¡¯s invitation.


    The reason was simple: her frail health made it difficult to take up the job of a kindergarten teacher.


    After all, Kang Li aspired to be an idler, and she could make a decent amount of money just by casually writing articles at home. There was no need for her to be the king of children in a kindergarten.


    That day was a Saturday. After picking up Xiao Ming Rui and the others from kindergarten, Kang Li didn¡¯t take the children home but went to the Song family¡¯s residence instead.


    ¡°Are you sure you want to go tomorrow?¡±

 Chapter 234 - 234 234 Giving Someone a Little Surprise

    ?Chapter 234: Chapter 234 Giving Someone a Little Surprise   Chapter 234: Chapter 234 Giving Someone a Little Surprise                                   Song Xuan had taken the three little ones to his room to y. In the living room, Kang Li shared her purpose of visiting the house with Mrs. Qi, who thought for a moment before finally confirming verbally.


    Kang Li, ¡°Hmm. It¡¯s getting colder and I don¡¯t know if Luo Yanqing has warm clothes in his dormitory, so I want to bring him a couple of pieces.¡±


    Mrs. Qi, ¡°About a week ago, your godfather called home and mentioned that the bureau has been very busytely. If you go there, you might not be able to see Yanqing.¡±


    Kang Li, ¡°Whether I see him or not isn¡¯t important, I just need to deliver the clothes.¡±


    Mrs. Qi, ¡°Li Bao, when Yanqing¡¯s work gets busy, he usually can¡¯te home for a long time. Godmother knows that this undoubtedly makes you feel somewhat aggrieved¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t feel aggrieved,¡±


    Kang Li shook her head, smiling, ¡°Before I agreed to marry Luo Yanqing, I already knew the nature of his job. Going there tomorrow to deliver clothes is just that, nothing more.¡±


    Alright, she was deceiving herself; she actually just wanted to see someone, though, of course, delivering clothes was also the main purpose.


    Rtionships need nurturing, and not seeing each other for a long time is no different from living in different ces. Boyfriends and girlfriends, or even spouses, often run into trouble because of living apart.


    For instance, from being deeply in love to gradually bing indifferent, and then to breaking uppletely.


    But she wasn¡¯t worried about running into rtionship problems with Luo Yanqing. To put it this way, they had only been together for a month. In terms of feelings, there might be some, but nowhere near deeply in love.


    Moreover, they couldn¡¯t be considered as living apart. They were in the same city, it¡¯s just that one was too busy toe home for a short period.


    Besides, that person was inherently indifferent. If she worried that he might forget her when he got busy, it would undoubtedly be creating trouble for herself.


    Kang Li was clear about this. Her reason for epting the marriage proposed by the original party wasn¡¯t driven by emotions.


    On the basis of wanting aid-back life in this lifetime, she found his conditions eptable, his appearance and demeanor matched her tastes, and the fact that he rarely came home convinced her to decisively move to North City.


    But that said, after a month of living together, aside from being emotionally immature, he was quite pleasant to be around.


    Especially since she realized they both had feelings for each other, and with her speaking of being in a rtionship, it was very necessary for her to deliver some warmth in the event he was busy and couldn¡¯te home for a long time¡ªby giving him a little surprise.


    This surprise, even if they couldn¡¯t meet, wouldn¡¯t be regretful, because what she wanted was for him to return to his dorm and feel a wave of emotions when he saw what she had sent.


    Of course, if they could meet, that would be even better!


    Mrs. Qi, ¡°Alright then, you go. When you go, just drop off Ruirui and the others at godmother¡¯s.¡±


    Kang Li, ¡°Thank you, godmother!¡±


    Mrs. Qi, ¡°What are you thanking godmother for?!¡±


    Kang Li, ¡°Godmother is the best!¡±


    Touching Kang Li¡¯s pretty nose lightly, Mrs. Qi smiled affectionately, ¡°You¡¯re just sweet-talking me.¡±


    Kang Li, ¡°Godmother is indeed the best; I¡¯m not lying.¡±


    Mrs. Qi, hearing this, looked adoringly, ¡°Spoiled by your ttery, godmother might wake upughing from her dreams tonight.¡±


    ¡°A smile adds ten years to life, godmother should indeed smile more.¡±


    For those who treated her well, Kang Li reciprocated with genuine affection, wishing nothing but a peaceful and joyful life for them.


    The mother and her four had dinner at the Song Family and then slowly made their way back home.


    ¡°Mom, can¡¯t we bring Vivi and elder brother and second brother to visit dad?¡±

 Chapter 235 - 235 235 A Small Loss

    ?Chapter 235: Chapter 235: A Small Loss   Chapter 235: Chapter 235: A Small Loss                                   After getting home, Xiao Ming Rui and his two siblings washed up and obediently climbed into bed to listen to their mom¡¯s bedtime story, but the thought of their mother leaving them in the care of Grandma (Granny Qi) tomorrow,


    made Xiao Ming Rui¡¯s mood unavoidably deste, especially for Xiao Ming Wei. It had been quite a long time since she had seen their father, she missed him too, but why wouldn¡¯t mom take her along?


    It should be said that Xiao Ming Rui had truly epted Kang Li as his new mom from the bottom of his heart, precisely from the day school had started and Kang Li went to deal with the fight at the school.


    Unconditional trust, she defended him and his siblings in front of the teachers, ssmates, and those parents, without criticizing them, her first concern was whether they were hurt.


    Anyhow, the new mom was much better than the one from his memories, who would pinch, twist, and scold him at the slightest provocation.


    But¡­ but he still couldn¡¯t call the new mom ¡°Mom¡±.


    Thinking like this, Xiao Ming Rui felt like he was a bad child.


    At this moment, hearing his sister and new mom talking, although he was lying face up in bed, he pricked up his ears, wanting to hear what the new mom would say next.


    No, that¡¯s not quite right, he just wanted to hear the new mom¡¯s voice, because it was both pleasant and gentle, and every time he heard it, he felt exceptionally at ease.


    ¡°The road from thepound to dad¡¯s workce is too far, it¡¯s not convenient for mom to take you all with her.¡±


    Kang Li¡¯s words were not just for the little girl but also for Milk Bun Ming Han and big brother Min Rui. Hearing this, the three kids stayed silent for a while. Seeing this, Kang Li smiled and said, ¡°But don¡¯t worry, once I see dad, I will definitely send him your regards and tell him how much our family¡¯s little ones miss him.¡±


    After a while, Xiao Ming Wei pouted, ¡°Mom, is that the only way?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s the only way!¡±


    Kang Li nodded, giving an affirmative answer.


    ¡°¡­Alright then!¡±


    Even though she wanted to visit dad, she knew mom was right; it would be very inconvenient for mom to look after them all alone on such a long journey.


    ¡°Mom, I¡¯ll be good and y with Brother Xuan Xuan at Grandma¡¯s house, and wait for you toe back for your baby!¡±


    Milk Bun Ming Han dered.


    Big brother Min Rui: ¡°I will help Grandma take good care of my younger siblings.¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei looked at big brothers Min Rui and Ming Han, holding back the slight sense of loss inside her, she too made a promise, ¡°Mom, go see dad without worrying. I won¡¯t cry. I¡¯ll be good with big brother and second brother at Grandma¡¯s house, waiting for you toe back.¡±


    ¡°Good, mom knows.¡±


    With a gentle smile in her beautiful fox-like eyes, Kang Li spoke indulgently, ¡°Tonight, let¡¯s tell a story about an idiom¡­¡± Xiao Ming Rui and his siblingsy quietly in their beds, listening to their mom telling them stories. As time trickled by and Kang Li saw that the little ones were asleep, she stopped speaking, got up to tuck them in properly, and then returned to the master bedroom to rest.


    ¡°Tell me about the rewards I have now,¡± Kang Li said as shey in bed,municating with Dwen Dwen through her mind¡¯s eye.


    ¡°Sister, I¡¯ll report to you now¡­¡± Dwen Dwen rambled on. After an unknown amount of time, Kang Li finally heard Dwen Dwen finish with, ¡°That¡¯s all from me. If sister wasn¡¯t listening carefully, I can say it again.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°No need.¡± She hadn¡¯t expected that since thest time she checked her rewards just over a month ago, the system had granted her quite a few more.

 Chapter 236 - 236 236 Miss One Must Have Aspirations in Life

    ?Chapter 236: Chapter 236: Miss, One Must Have Aspirations in Life!   Chapter 236: Chapter 236: Miss, One Must Have Aspirations in Life!                                   Gathering everything together, there was just over 21,000 in cash alone, along with foreign exchange coupons totaling 1800.


    As for children¡¯s milk powder, adult milk powder, and malt extract, there were 10 bags, 5 bags, and 3 barrels, respectively.


    Beyond these, there was also a bicycle coupon, a sewing machine coupon, a radio coupon, and a small pile of various other coupons and certificates.


    Okay, there were some other things too.


    Dwen Dwen: ¡°Miss, are you satisfied?¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°If I didn¡¯t know you were a childcare life system, I would have thought you were a spend-money system.¡±


    Dwen Dwen, blushing: ¡°As long as Miss likes it.¡± He knew Miss wasplimenting his capability!


    Kang Li: ¡°Are you blushing?¡±


    Dwen Dwen, covering his face: ¡°No, no, Miss, you saw wrong.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°Don¡¯t you know what ¡®trying to hide only makes it more conspicuous¡¯ means? Or maybe, you don¡¯t know what ¡®burying your head in the sand¡¯ means?¡±


    Dwen Dwen, sheepishly smiling: ¡°I know, but I can¡¯t help feeling shy when Miss praises me!¡±


    Kang Li burst outughing, finding the system quite amusing.


    Dwen Dwen: ¡°Miss¡­¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°Yes?¡±


    Dwen Dwen: ¡°Actually, if you hadn¡¯t turned down the invitation from Ruirui¡¯s kindergarten principal, we could have earned more happiness points, Points, and rewards!¡±


    ¡°One shouldn¡¯t be too greedy. Besides, I feel I could easily just bezy with you around.¡± Not to mention, just the cash bonuses from the system so far were several times the annual sry of her husband, Professor Luo.


    Compared to the effort Professor Luo put into his work, she just stayed at home taking care of the little cubs. Honestly, epting the system¡¯s rewards made her blush a bit.


    Dwen Dwen: ¡°Miss, one should have aspirations in life! Besides, those rewards were not given by me but allocated by the main System, so as far as you¡¯re concerned, being greedy doesn¡¯t even enter into it.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°Let¡¯s put it this way, I actually prefer to live a down-to-earth life.¡± If she hadn¡¯t been so career-focused in her past life, pushing herself to an early grave, hence deciding to live azy life in this unexpected second chance at life, she would not have chosen such a slow-paced lifestyle.


    With a sigh, Kang Li suddenly felt that she was not meant to enjoy such luxuries; even though she wanted to livezily, she felt ufortable all over when she actually did it.


    Luckily, given the current national conditions, it was impossible to start a business for the next few years, and her resolve was strong¡­ Shaking her head silently, Kang Li stopped thinking further, as the more she thought about it, the more she felt that her current lifecked ambition, as if she had wasted herself!


    If Dwen Dwen encouraged her a bit more, she might just impulsively start dealing in the ck market.


    Kang Li was well aware that, in these times, engaging in the ck market was a risky move, but it was also the fastest way to make money.


    Okay, stop there!


    Thinking about the ck market, she better not think about it anymore, lest her peaceful life turn into utter chaos.


    Moreover¡­ did she need to engage in the ck market dealings?


    If she just took good care of her little cubs, the system would just hand her some money, was it worth ying a game of cat and mouse?


    Moreover, it didn¡¯t suit her at all.


    Dwen Dwen: ¡°Miss, we are indeed living a down-to-earth life!¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°Alright, since I¡¯ve already refused, let¡¯s not talk about it anymore.¡±


    Dwen Dwen: ¡°Okay.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°You¡¯re feeling regretful.¡± It wasn¡¯t a question, but a statement.


    Dwen Dwen: ¡°¡­Yes. But I respect Miss¡¯s wishes.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°Is it necessary to feel regret? Don¡¯t you know how much those kindergarteners love seeing me? As they¡¯re happy, I don¡¯t believe you haven¡¯t received any happiness points from them.¡±

 Chapter 237 - 237 237 What’s Wrong with Xiao Dwen Dwen Again

    ?Chapter 237: Chapter 237: What¡¯s Wrong with Xiao Dwen Dwen Again?   Chapter 237: Chapter 237: What¡¯s Wrong with Xiao Dwen Dwen Again?                                   Dwen Dwen: ¡°Received.¡± And quite a few.


    After a brief pause, Dwen Dwen guiltily said, ¡°Miss, I¡¯m sorry, I got greedy!¡±


    While stroking Dwen Dwen¡¯s fluffy head in her mind, Kang Li smiled, ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± What fault does little Dwen Dwen have? It just wanted to gain more happiness points and earn more points.


    Besides, little Dwen Dwen had gotten far less than her, and it would be a bit excessive for her to think of it as greedy.


    Dwen Dwen: ¡°Miss?¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°I¡¯m here.¡±


    Dwen Dwen: ¡°Dwen Dwen likes Miss.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°¡­¡±


    Dwen Dwen: ¡°Why isn¡¯t Miss talking, quack?¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°We¡¯re not the same species, your affection won¡¯t lead to anything!¡±


    Dwen Dwen was confused: ¡°¡­¡± What did Miss think of him?


    Kang Li: ¡°Besides, I am a married woman,¡± she said with suppressedughter.


    Dwen Dwen¡¯s furry face blushed: ¡°Miss, you misunderstood! The ¡®like¡¯ I meant isn¡¯t the kind you¡¯re thinking of¡­¡±


    Kang Li couldn¡¯t hold back any longer and burst intoughter in her mind.


    Dwen Dwen suddenly realized, ¡°Miss, you¡¯re teasing me, huh!¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°Quite the tsundere, huh? Alright, I won¡¯t tease you anymore, I¡¯m going to sleep now, you should rest too.¡±


    Dwen Dwen waved his little paws: ¡°Goodnight, Miss!¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°Goodnight.¡±


    The next morning, after breakfast at home, Kang Li prepared some snacks for Xiao Ming Rui and the other two before taking them to the Song Family, handing them over to Mrs. Qi, and then, carrying two big travel bags, she walked out of thepound.


    It has to be said, Kang Li got up more than an hour earlier than usual today.


    All to make some jerky and pastries to bring to someone.


    This time¡¯s jerky was made from fresh beef, which Kang Li bought through the System in the Mall.


    As for the pastries, Kang Li made green bean cakes and thousandyer cakes.


    Yanqing had a sweet tooth. Despite hiding it well during their month together, Kang Li still asionally noticed it.


    Like whenever she cooked dishes with a sweet vor, he would clearly eat a few more bites.


    ¡°Comrade Kang, where are you going?¡±


    Teacher Loo, having just returned from buying groceries, spotted Kang Li standing with two big travel bags at the bus stop and couldn¡¯t help asking.


    ¡°Did Teacher Loo go shopping?¡±


    Kang Li didn¡¯t answer her directly, but nced at the basket of vegetables in Loo¡¯s hand and said with a smile, ¡°The pork looks really fresh today, and the vegetables are very vibrant too.¡±


    Hearing that Kang Li wasn¡¯t interested in replying, Teacher Loo tactfully didn¡¯t press further but continued along Kang Li¡¯s topic,ughing, ¡°My husband came back to rest yesterday, so I thought I¡¯d buy some meat to nourish him, and seeing the vegetables looking so vibrant on the counter, I couldn¡¯t resist buying a few more items.¡±


    ¡°Teacher Loo, you can go back now, my bus has arrived.¡± As Kang Li spoke, a bus slowly came to a stop beside her. Without another look at Loo, she carried her bags and boarded the bus.


    Since there was no direct bus from thepound to the research institute, Kang Li needed to change buses, and after getting off, she still had to walk three to four miles. This was why she had decided not to bring the three little creatures with her.


    And she had learned of this bus route from casually asking Yanqing before.


    The bus wasn¡¯t crowded on the weekend, and she found a seat as soon as she got on.


    About twenty to thirty minutes after changing buses, Kang Li saw through the window fields after fields of crops, clusters of woods, and scattered viges.


    Knowing that the research institute Yanqing was at was a confidential establishment, it still seemed a bit extreme to build it in such a remote area!


    ¡­

 Chapter 238 - 238 238 Hope Its Not a Scam

    ?Chapter 238: Chapter 238: Hope It¡¯s Not a Scam   Chapter 238: Chapter 238: Hope It¡¯s Not a Scam                                   ¡°Comrade, the next stop is the terminal. Please gather your belongings and prepare to alight,¡± said the bus conductor.


    Kang Li was jolted back to reality by this reminder and realized that, at some point, she was the only passenger left on the bus besides the driver and the conductor.


    She thanked the conductor, and as the bus slowly came to a stop, she picked up her luggage and walked to the rear door.


    Considering the not-so-short walk ahead of her, Kang Li had worn a pair of t white shoes today,plemented by a white shirt, a coffee-colored cargo harness pants, and a light blue cardigan.


    These clothes were given to Kang Li by Mrs. Qi one week ago, who had them purchased through someone she knew from the Friendship Store, tailored to Kang Li¡¯s size, effectively silencing any objections Kang Li might have had.


    The research institute was located in a remote area; as Kang Li walked, she looked around asionally, but saw no one on the road. However, soon after she turned onto another street, she faintly heard cries for helping from a grove not far away.


    As she drew closer, Kang Li smelled a faint scent of blood.


    This¡­


    ¡°Help¡­ help¡­¡±


    Kang Li stopped walking, her ears now clearly catching the cries for help.


    Should she go check it out?


    Kang Li hesitated.


    ¡°¡­Help¡­ please help us¡­¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°¡­¡±


    Us?


    Save us?


    Could it be that not far from her, more than one person needed help?


    Kang Li felt troubled; she, a lone girl, could she rescue two¡­ or possibly even more people? Eventually, Kang Li, carrying her bag, walked toward the direction of the cries for help.


    ¡°Help¡­¡±


    As Kang Li approached, she saw two teenagers around seventeen or eighteen lying on the ground; one of them had a visible wound on his shoulder, blood was profusely oozing out, and he was visibly unconscious with his eyes tightly closed; the other teenager was kneeling beside the unconscious one, one arm hanging limply, also injured, though his wound seemed less severe, and the bleeding had stopped.


    ¡°What happened to you?¡±


    Moved by humanitarian spirit, Kang Li put down her travel bag, casually asked, and then opened a travel bag to call Dwen Dwen to help her buy bandages, iodine, medicine, and scissors from the Mall.


    Dwen Dwen was cooperative, quickly exchanged Points for the items, and then put them into the travel bag.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to talk about it, never mind. Luckily, I have bandages and medicine in this bag. Now stay calm, I¡¯m going to treat his wounds right now.¡±


    After a long pause without hearing the teenager speak, Kang Li nced at him and said as she directed her hand toward the unconscious teenager.


    ¡°Thank you¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wee, I just happened to pass by, and it¡¯s fortunate I could help. But let¡¯s hope this doesn¡¯t turn into a scam, or I¡¯ll be so upset it¡¯ll make me sick!¡±


    With a ¡°snip, snip,¡± she cut open the unconscious teenager¡¯s shirt, exposed the wound to the air, and with aposed expression, she cleaned the wound, applied medicine, and bandaged it.


    After finishing, she carefully checked the teenager from head to toe again, noticing only a quail egg-sized bump on the back of his head and the shoulder wound, with no other injuries.


    ¡°He¡¯s your friend, isn¡¯t he?!¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve bandaged your friend, and his vital signs are normal. He¡¯s just unconscious now, which could be rted to the impact on the back of his head, but I¡¯m not a professional doctor, so it¡¯s still best to take him to the hospital for a check-up.¡±


    Having said this, Kang Li looked at the conscious teenager. ¡°Your arm seems to be dislocated. Let me check.¡±

 Chapter 239 - 239 239 Are You Trying to Pull a Scam

    ?Chapter 239: Chapter 239 Are You Trying to Pull a Scam?   Chapter 239: Chapter 239 Are You Trying to Pull a Scam?                                   During her family¡¯s elite education period, she learned simple wound dressing and some techniques of Qihuang at a young age, so she could treat herself in special situations when injured and no one was around.


    To avoid waiting for rescue only to sumb to infection from a trivial injury, feverish to the point of stupidity, or even losing her life directly.


    ¡°It¡¯s a dislocation, just bear with me, I¡¯ll set it right for you,¡± Kang Li said, not waiting for the boy to prepare, and with a swift sound, the boy¡¯s arm was set. ¡°Although your wound is shallow and no longer bleeding, disinfecting and bandaging it is still necessary.¡±


    Since she was saving someone, she might as well do everything she could.


    Kang Li told herself this as she quickly sprung into action.


    ¡°All done.¡±


    With a snap of her fingers, Kang Li put the bandage and other things back in her bag.


    Unintentionally, she noticed that the unconscious boy¡¯s clothes had been cut to tatters, which made her mouth twitch, and she summoned Dwen Dwen again for a suitable jacket for the boy to wear.


    Without a word, Dwen Dwenplied and did as ordered.


    ¡°Don¡¯t wear your friend¡¯s clothes, put this on,¡± Kang Li said, handing the clothes she had to the conscious boy.


    However, before the boy could reach out, she sighed and said, ¡°Never mind, your arm has just been set, you shouldn¡¯t exert yourself, let me help him change.¡±


    Finally, having finished all the busywork, Kang Li felt like she was a living Lei Feng.


    But as she picked up her travel bag to leave, she found the hem of her shirt being tugged at.


    Slowly, Kang Li turned her head, confusion in her eyes, ¡°¡­¡±


    The boy was silent, only looking at his unconscious friend.


    ¡°Carry him to the hospital, will you!¡± Kang Li¡¯s brow furrowed, and seeing that the boy remained silent, she asked, ¡°You aren¡¯t trying to scam me, are you? I¡¯ll have you know that I saved you with good intentions, and if you¡¯re scamming, that¡¯s biting the hand that fed you.¡±


    The boy shook his head.


    He wasn¡¯t trying to scam; he simply had no money, and one of his legs had been injured over half a month ago and still couldn¡¯t bear weight.


    Seeing the boy nce down at his own left leg, Kang Li seemed to understand something. She said, ¡°Roll up your pant leg and let me take a look.¡±


    With a youthful face, pale and pretty, he was as thin as a beanpole.


    The boy who was unconscious was equally skinny, but with a darkerplexion, and he also had quite a nice face.


    ¡°Your calf has stitches; from the looks of it, it must be a recent injury,¡± Kang Li remarked as she watched the boy slowly roll up his left pant leg, then stepped forward to examine it for a moment, noticing a nearly ten-centimeter-long, centipede-shaped sutured wound on the boy¡¯s calf.


    Based on the healing of the wound, Kang Li roughly guessed how long ago the injury happened.


    The boy nodded.


    ¡°So what now?¡±


    Kang Li felt overwhelmed. The way it looked, she had to finish what she started as a good samaritan. The unconscious boy must be at least 178cm tall; even though he was thin as a rail, given her small frame, carrying him would be quite difficult, right?


    Dwen Dwen: ¡°Big sister, they¡¯re so pitiful, can¡¯t you just finish what you started and help them?¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°You really think I can carry him with this body of mine?¡±


    Dwen Dwen: ¡°Big sister, have you forgotten? You¡¯ve been blessed with a Power Pill!¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°So what? I¡¯ve been frail since childhood, even with the Power Pill to boost me, I might manage to carry the boy, but afterwards, I¡¯d definitely end up like a dog on the floor, gasping for breath.¡±


    Dwen Dwen: ¡°It can¡¯t be that bad, can it?!¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°¡­¡±Whether it¡¯d be that bad, she didn¡¯t know. But to carry a smelly boy¡­


    Ugh! Life is so hard!


    ¡°Sister¡­ big sister, please!¡±

 Chapter 240 - 240 240 Waiting

    ?Chapter 240: Chapter 240 Waiting   Chapter 240: Chapter 240 Waiting                                   The young man¡¯s eyes reddened, and his voice hoarse, he moved as if to kneel down before Kang Li.


    ¡°Don¡¯t! Please don¡¯t!¡±


    Kang Li raised her hand to stop him, ¡°Today¡¯s just not my day, running into the two of you. However, I need to finish what I¡¯m doing before I can take you to the hospital. If you agree, let¡¯s do that, or else, you might have to think of something else.¡±


    Looking at the young man, Kang Li felt like she was looking at a harmless little bunny.


    ¡°I¡¯ll listen to sister.¡±


    The young man had no objections.


    Kang Li looked up at a 45¡ã angle toward the sky: How sorrowful!


    One call of ¡®sister,¡¯ and she gave in, she¡¯s really too unprincipled!


    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±


    Kang Li eventually resigned herself to her fate, passing the two travel bags to the young man¡¯s uninjured hand, but she quickly took them back: ¡°Wait, your dislocated arm has been reset by me, but it still needs to be in a sling for a while.¡±


    As she spoke, Kang Li had to take out the bandages again and help the young man sling his injured, dislocated arm that she had reset across his chest to protect the shoulder joint.


    ¡°Three to four weeks and you¡¯ll be fine. This is to protect your shoulder joint, so don¡¯t take it lightly.¡±


    Kang Li cautioned him.


    The young man nodded.


    ¡°Now we can leave this ce.¡±


    Zipping up the bags, Kang Li handed them back to the young man¡¯s good hand before squatting down to support the still unconscious young man, securing him on her back and pretending to struggle as she walked towards the road by the edge of the woods, ¡°Keep up, walk a little farther and once I¡¯m done with my things, I¡¯ll figure out a way to get you to the hospital.¡±


    The young man: ¡°Thank you, sister.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°Why do you call me sister? I might be younger than you!¡±


    The young man: ¡°Sixteen.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re sixteen?¡±


    Kang Li was surprised.


    The young man was about 180 cm tall, she had thought he was an adult, but to her surprise, he was still just a child.


    But then again, judging from his appearance, the young man did indeed look quite young.


    ¡°Then I am older than you, if you want to call me sister, then go ahead.¡±


    Although it was a bit odd to be called ¡®sister¡¯ by a young man nearly ten centimeters taller than herself, it wasn¡¯t really a big deal, especially since before she came to this world, her brother Kang Yi was 188 cm tall.


    And he still called her ¡®sister¡¯ all the time.


    ¡­


    With the area heavily guarded, Kang Li carefully set down the young man she was carrying on the ground near the research institute¡¯s gate, which stood about twenty to thirty meters away, and the young man following her crouched to support his friend.


    ¡°You hold onto your friend and wait here a bit, I¡¯ll be right back.¡±


    Picking up the travel bags that the young man had put on the ground, Kang Li said this and then walked towards the gate of the research institute.


    ¡°Stop right there!¡±


    Before she got close, Kang Li was stopped by a sentry raising his voice at her.


    ¡°Comrade, I¡¯m Professor Luo¡¯s wife, I¡¯vee to bring him a few things, do you know if Professor Luo is avable right now?¡±


    Stopping in her tracks, Kang Li smiled politely and exined why she was there.


    ¡°Wait a moment.¡±


    The sentry briefly left those two words, turned around to say something to another sentry, then entered the guardhouse, picked up the telephone receiver, and dialed a number.


    Soon after, Kang Li got a reply.


    Her husband, Professor Luo, was busy.


    In other words, someone didn¡¯t have time for her!


    Kang Li paused for a moment before smiling, ¡°Could you please pass on a message to Director Song for me, just tell him that a Comrade named Kang Li is waiting outside the gate to see him.¡±


    This time, she had even brought two thick clothes for Director Song.


    It wasn¡¯t Mrs. Qi who asked her to help deliver them, she prepared them specially for Director Song, her godfather, as his goddaughter.


    Kang Li was scrutinized with a sharp gaze for quite a while by the sentry before he spoke up again, ¡°¡­wait a moment.¡±

 Chapter 241 - 241 241 Its an Acquaintance

    ?Chapter 241: Chapter 241: It¡¯s an Acquaintance   Chapter 241: Chapter 241: It¡¯s an Acquaintance                                   Soon, the officer on duty put down the phone and walked three steps ahead to stand before Kang Li, ¡°Comrade, Director Song will be out soon. You can wait at the gatehouse for a moment.¡±


    Kang Li shook her head, ¡°Thank you, no need.¡±


    About seven or eight minutester, Director Song walked out of the research institute¡¯s main gate, ¡°Li Bao.¡± With a smile broadening his face, Director Song quickly approached Kang Li.


    ¡°Godfather.¡± After calling out to Director Song, Kang Li pushed forward tworge travel bags, her pretty fox-like eyes brimming with smiles, ¡°I came to see godfather and also to bring some things for you and Luo Yanqing.¡±


    Director Song¡¯s smile was gentle, ¡°You mean it¡¯s more urate to say the gifts are for Yanqing, right?!¡±


    ¡°Godfather¡­¡±


    Kang Li cooed, her expression somewhat ufortable.


    Director Songughed heartily, ¡°Alright, alright, godfather won¡¯t say more. Come on, I¡¯ll take you inside. We¡¯ll have lunch soon, and I promise you¡¯ll see Yanqing.¡±


    ¡°No, godfather, I must hurry,¡± Kang Li shook her head while speaking, and nced over at two young boys waiting not far off. Seeing this, Director Song followed her gaze, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    Kang Li didn¡¯t hide it, exining the situation where she had rescued someone. At the end, she said, ¡°Godfather, I know I shouldn¡¯t trouble you, but both boys are injured. It¡¯s not convenient for me to take them to the hospital alone, especially since one of them is still unconscious.¡±


    ¡°How did you get here?¡±


    Director Song asked this, but his heart already had the answer.


    After all, he wasn¡¯t blind; he saw that one of the boys, with an arm slung across his chest, clearly couldn¡¯t have carried the other who was unconscious. It wasn¡¯t hard to guess that it must have been his little girl who had carried the other over.


    ¡°This is because one of them is unconscious and the other has an injured arm and leg. To avoid causing further injury, I just¡­¡± carried the person over, though Kang Li did not finish her sentence.


    Director Song couldn¡¯t help but feel pity, ¡°You must be exhausted, aren¡¯t you?!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m okay,¡± Kang Li smiled, ¡°Godfather, these two bags have food and clothes. Make sure to open them with Luo Yanqing and take out what I¡¯ve prepared for you.


    By the way, godfather, the clothes I prepared for you are in a stic bag. The temperature is dropping day by day; make sure you wear the thermal underwear I¡¯ve prepared for you. Also, please tell Luo Yanqing to focus on his work, tell him the children are all doing well, and I am¡­ I am also fine.¡±


    As she spoke, Kang Li seemed to remember something else, adding, ¡°I almost forgot, godfather; my godmother and Xuan Xuan are also well. Beforeing here today, godmother asked me to tell you to take care of your health and not to worry about home.¡±


    Director Song grunted in acknowledgment, but considering the injured state of the two boys, one still unconscious, he didn¡¯t keep Kang Li any longer. He said, ¡°Wait here for a moment, godfather will arrange a car for you¡­ No, it¡¯s better if godfather apanies you to the hospital with those two boys.¡±


    With that said, Director Song headed toward the gatehouse.


    Kang Li looked up and saw Director Song dialing a phone, knowing he was most likely calling for a car.


    Sure enough, soon after Director Song hung up the phone, a jeep drove out of the gate.


    The travel bags were left in the gatehouse by Director Song. He followed Kang Li to the two boys, stopping short in shock.


    From a distance, he had felt the boy with his arm in a sling looked familiar. It turned out that this child was the youngest of Old Feng¡¯s family.

 Chapter 242 - 242 242 Making Threats

    ?Chapter 242: Chapter 242 Making Threats   Chapter 242: Chapter 242 Making Threats                                   ¡°What happened? How did you end up like this?¡±


    The youth, his arm in a sling across his chest, clenched his lips tightly and turned his head away,pletely ignoring Director Song¡¯s question.


    ¡°Godfather, do you know him?¡±


    Despite posing it as a question, Kang Li could tell that the boy must have known Director Song. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t be acting so obstinate, refusing even to look at Director Song, his face stubborn and unyielding.


    ¡°Mhm.¡±


    Director Song nodded, his expression stern, ¡°This kid is named Feng Yi. He¡¯s the youngest child of an old colleague of mine. You¡¯ve met his parents¡ªthey¡¯re the Uncle Feng and Aunt Fang who were introduced to you on the day your godparents acknowledged you as their goddaughter¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know them!¡±


    The youth bellowed with reddened eyes, directing his shout at Director Song. The next moment, he turned his gaze to Kang Li, ¡°Thank you, sister, for helping me and my friend today. I¡¯ll take my friend and leave now, and we won¡¯t trouble you with whates after.¡±


    As he spoke, Feng Yi attempted to help his friend, who was still unconscious, to get up.


    ¡°Nonsense!¡±


    Director Song scolded.


    ¡°Godfather, you¡¯re going to scare him like this.¡±


    Kang Li, having a guess as to why the boy was so averse to Director Song, looked at him, ¡°I think it¡¯s best if I take them to the hospital. You go on with your business, Godfather. Once we arrive, I¡¯ll call you.¡±


    Director Song was silent for a moment, then nced again at the youth who didn¡¯t want to look at him for a second longer, as he was trying to undo the bandage around his neck to carry his friend away. He said:


    ¡°If you¡¯ve returned home, why not just stay there? Why go out and get into fights, injuring yourself in the process? Are you afraid that I¡¯ll tell your parents what I saw today?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not my home, and I don¡¯t recognize you. My affairs have nothing to do with them, nor anything to do with you, so don¡¯t meddle in my business!¡±


    Feng Yi red at Director Song fiercely, like a little wolf cub, ¡°If you tell those two about seeing me, I¡¯ll run away to a ce where they can¡¯t find me. If you push me too hard, I might just die out there!¡±


    The anger in his eyes almost spilled over, and within that anger, there was also undeniable pain.


    Kang Li felt an inexplicable difort in her heart, looking at the youth, along with a twinge of sympathy.


    She pursed her lips and said to Director Song, ¡°Godfather, just go about your business as I¡¯ve asked. Since I saved them, I¡¯ll make sure to finish what I started. Taking them to the hospital is no big deal.¡±


    Then her gaze shifted to Feng Yi, feigning severity, ¡°If you dare to take that bandage off, just see how I¡¯ll deal with you!¡±


    Feng Yi¡¯s movements hesitated, and he ultimately heeded Kang Li¡¯s words, not continuing with his intent.


    Kang Li then approached him, and to Director Song¡¯s astonishment, she lifted the still unconscious youth, ced him in the back seat of the car, and called for Feng Yi to get in.


    ¡°Godfather, you head back to the station. We¡¯re leaving now.¡± She waved at Director Song, then gestured to him through the car window.


    The unconscious youth rested on her shoulder, and Feng Yi sat in the passenger seat.


    Coming to his senses, Director Song¡¯s lips twitched, unsure of what to say, ¡°Li Bao, you¡­¡±


    ¡°Godfather, don¡¯t say anything else. Any more dys, and I¡¯m afraid something bad might happen.¡± Kang Li nced at the youth leaning on her shoulder, eyes closed and motionless, while a shade of worry colored her fox-like eyes.


    Eventually, Director Song sighed in resignation, pulled out several Great Reunion Banknotes, and handed them to Kang Li, instructing the driver:

 Chapter 243 - 243 243 Feng Family

    ?Chapter 243: Chapter 243: Feng Family   Chapter 243: Chapter 243: Feng Family                                   ¡°Xiao Wang, once we get to the hospital, take extra care.¡±


    Driver Xiao Wang: ¡°Don¡¯t worry about a thing, I will help Comrade Kang take care of everything properly.¡±


    The vehicle started, and Director Song stood still, watching the jeep gradually drive away, only after a long while did he withdraw his gaze.


    ¡°So you¡¯re Feng Yi, I¡¯ve heard about you from your godfather and godmother¡­¡±


    Looking at the side profile of the young man in the passenger seat, Kang Li intended to strike up a conversation with a random topic, but the young man, as if he hadn¡¯t heard her, kept his eyes fixed outside the window, unmoving, giving her no response whatsoever.


    In fact, Feng Yi, the young man sitting in the passenger seat, had found his thoughts drifting back to a certain day half a month ago as soon as he got into the car.


    ¡°Xiao Yi, your parents had nned to pick you up themselves, but they were unexpectedly tied up with something urgent at thest moment and couldn¡¯te with me,¡± said Li Jian, Feng Yi¡¯s father¡¯s personal driver, who was now standing next to the car door, looking at the young man as he exined.


    However, the young man neither looked at him nor picked up on his words and, limping, moved forward, opened the back door, and sat down directly.


    Noticing that there was something wrong with the young man¡¯s leg, Li Jian¡¯s heart skipped a beat and, with an anxious expression and eyes filled with concern, he asked, ¡°What happened to your leg? Xiao Yi, tell Uncle Li, what exactly happened to your leg? Were you injured by someone, or¡­¡±


    Feng Yi pursed his lips tightly, his head bowed, and he remained silent.


    Li Jian: ¡°Xiao Yi, if you don¡¯t tell me, I will have to ask the workers on the farm.¡±


    ¡°Suit yourself.¡± With a brief three-word response, Feng Yi pushed open the back door, ready to get out of the car.


    Li Jian frowned, ¡°What¡¯s wrong now?¡±


    Feng Yi: ¡°I¡¯ll walk back on my own.¡±


    ¡°You, always with this temper! Uncle Li is just concerned about you¡­ All right then, settle down, we¡¯re leaving now.¡± Li Jian was helpless, shaking his head as he got into the driver¡¯s seat.


    As the car started, Feng Yi turned to look towards the farm gate, towards the gate of the farm that had closed him in for six months, his lips moved slightly but then he shut them again quickly.


    At the same time, his eyes brimmed with a dark hue.


    Feng Yi silently vowed he would never, ever forget the half a year he was forced to undergo transformation behind those gates!


    At a certainpound.


    ¡°Feng Xiao, when Xiao Yi returns, make sure to properly thank him!¡±


    The Feng family¡¯s living room was filled with people at the moment, specifically including the elder master of the Feng family, Feng Lin, his wife Fang Su, the eldest son¡¯s family of four, the second son¡¯s family of three, and Feng Xiao, the young son left behind by Old Master Feng¡¯s former wife.


    It was undoubtedly the elder master of the Feng family, the head of the house, who spoke.


    ¡°Xiao Feng, our father is right, you really do need to properly thank Xiao Yi!¡±


    This was the voice of Feng Wei, the Feng family¡¯s eldest son.


    ¡°Listen to our father and elder brother, or else you really are nothing but a thankless wretch.¡±


    Seeing his younger brother Feng Xiao sitting on the sofa with his legs crossed and not acting properly, Feng Kai, the second son, red at him and said irritably, ¡°You caused the trouble, yet Xiao Yi suffered for you. If you don¡¯t feel grateful, what¡¯s the difference between you and a cold-blooded animal?¡±


    With his legs swinging, Feng Xiao bristled at the words. He stood up, hands in his pockets, and looked at Feng Kai sideways, ¡°So I¡¯m a cold-blooded animal, what about it?


    Don¡¯t think just because you¡¯re my second brother, you can manage me! And another thing, don¡¯t you all forget, it wasn¡¯t me who wanted Xiao Yi to take the fall for me, it was this woman,¡±


    Pointing at his stepmother Fang Su, Feng Xiao spoke with a disdainful and mocking tone, ¡°She wanted to y the good person, to win over our old man¡¯s heart, willingly letting her own son take the me for me.¡±

 Chapter 244 - 244 244 Furious Rant

    ?Chapter 244: Chapter 244: Furious Rant   Chapter 244: Chapter 244: Furious Rant                                   Feng Xiao paused for a moment, disregarding the expressions of Old Master Feng and his stepmother Fang Su as he spoke again, ¡°I¡¯vee to realize that there exists in this world a mother like Ms. Fang Su, with a heart as venomous as a viper¡¯s,


    simply to secure her standing in our family and to win our father¡¯s sympathy, she has used her own son as a punching bag for us, day in and day out, for over a decade. At the same time, I feel sorry for that kid Feng Yi, having Ms. Fang Su as a mother, who treats a stepson far better than her own child¡­¡±


    Feng Wei suddenly interrupted his brother Feng Xiao, ¡°A car ising in, stop talking!¡±


    ¡°Why should I stop? I¡¯ll say whatever I want to say no matter whoes back, and no one is going to stop me!¡± Feng Xiao retorted with a cold sneer, his neck stiffening.


    Old Master Feng red furiously, ¡°You shut up! Your mother did all that for you, if you were any good, you¡¯d appreciate her intentions!¡±


    ¡°Look how you pity her. Did I ask her to do all this for me?¡±


    Feng Xiao¡¯s gaze fell upon his tearful stepmother, clicking his tongue twice, ¡°Look at that, everyone just look. Our household¡¯s Ms. Fang Su, her favorite trick is to wipe away tears. Disgusting! She really thinks she¡¯s a young seventeen or eighteen-year-old girl, crying all the time like a damsel in distress to garner sympathy. It¡¯s sickening!¡±


    Fang Su: ¡°Old Feng¡­¡± She looked profoundly hurt, her mouth trembling, her face pale, tears falling from her eyes. Seeing her like this, Old Master Feng couldn¡¯t help but feelpassion.


    ¡°He¡¯s just a mess, don¡¯t stoop to her level.¡±


    Thisment from Old Master Feng seemed to be rebuking his son Feng Xiao, but with careful listening, one could discern that it hid partial eptance, resignation, and a touch of indulgence.


    In other words, only a fraction of Old Master Feng¡¯s remarks were actually criticizing his son Feng Xiao.


    Fang Su was not foolish, and she could clearly hear the implications. Yet she could only feign ignorance now, knowing full well that this old man fundamentally favored others over her.


    It seemed as though he treated her well on the surface, but whether he genuinely held her in his heart, who knew?


    Knowing exactly what kind of man he was, she had stepped on her own flesh and blood for years to secure her position as Madam Feng in the household,


    keeping her stepchildren from opposing her and reporting to the old man.


    ¡°I am a mess, what does that make you, Dad?¡±


    Feng Xiao scoffed.


    Just then, with Li Jian leading the way and Feng Yi limping behind, the two entered the living room. Before Feng Yi could steady himself, Fang Su frowned, staring at Feng Yi¡¯s injured leg and demanded,


    ¡°What happened to your leg? Worthless fool, just for being reformed for six months, did you have to end up looking like neither human nor ghost?¡±


    Old Master Feng: ¡°Speak less.¡±


    Fang Su: ¡°He¡¯s my son, why shouldn¡¯t I reprimand him? Don¡¯t you see his disgusting state? Who knows who broke his leg, he¡¯s so foolish he didn¡¯t even phone home to tell us. Does he think he¡¯s an orphan? It¡¯s disgraceful. How did I ever give birth to such a good-for-nothing!¡±


    ¡°Did you hear that? Son, in your mother¡¯s eyes, you¡¯re probably worse than the manure in a vige pigsty. She never has you in her heart. If I were you, I would have disowned her as my mother long ago, to avoid being mistreated by her some day!¡±


    Feng Xiao walked over to Feng Yi,ughing in a carefree manner. He patted Feng Yi on the shoulder, ¡°Although I didn¡¯t make you take the me for me, causing you to suffer half a year of solitary confinement, ultimately, you did endure it because of me. Thanks, man!¡±

 Chapter 245 - 245 245 Leaving

    ?Chapter 245: Chapter 245: Leaving   Chapter 245: Chapter 245: Leaving                                   Feng Yi removed Feng Xiao¡¯s hand from his shoulder and looked at his mother Fang Su expressionlessly, ¡°Yes, I am a failure, I am filthy, I am a disgrace to you. Since that is the case, why did you give birth to me? Why didn¡¯t you strangle me to death after you had me?¡±


    His voicecked any fluctuation, but the words that came out pierced Fang Su¡¯s heart sentence by sentence.


    There, Fang Su couldn¡¯t bear it anymore because, for so long, only she could scold and verbally abuse this unsatisfactory son; she would never allow the damn boy to talk back to her.


    Today was different, he was not only no longer silent, but as soon as he spoke, he defied her. Very well! Fang Su silently ground her teeth, stood up, walked up to her son Feng Yi, and pped him across the face:


    ¡°Why did youe back? Why didn¡¯t you just die on the farm? Get out! Get out of this house now!¡±


    Pointing at the living room entrance, there were no tears in Fang Su¡¯s eyes. At that moment, she was as cold as ice, her gaze filled with nothing but loathing for her son Feng Yi.


    ¡°Remember what you¡¯ve said today. From now on, I don¡¯t have a mother like you, and this is no longer my home!¡±


    Turning around, Feng Yi limped toward the door.


    ¡°Kid, you¡¯re really going?¡±


    Feng Xiao followed Feng Yi, ¡°Why are you listening to that woman? You aren¡¯t just her son; you¡¯re also the son of our old man. As long as the old man doesn¡¯t say anything, nobody can kick you out!¡±


    Regrettably, Feng Yi had no reaction to his words.


    ¡°Dad, say something!¡±


    Stopping in his tracks, Feng Xiao looked towards his family patriarch. However, the response he got was silence from the old man.


    ¡°Big brother, second brother!¡±


    Feng Xiao shifted his gaze towards his two elder brothers, only to be met with the same silence from them.


    ¡°Haha¡­ that¡¯s my family, it¡¯s ridiculous! One by one, all dominated by a woman¡­ you¡­ you¡¯ve all disappointed me too much,¡±


    ¡°You say I¡¯m a worthless bastard, but I don¡¯t think you¡¯re any better. Each one of you is cold-blooded to the extreme. Fine, if Feng Xiao has to leave this home, then I will leave too. I don¡¯t want to end up like you, bing cold-blooded creatures!¡±


    Feng Wei rebuked his brother Feng Xiao, ¡°Xiao, shut your mouth!¡±


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll shut my mouth, I¡¯ll shut it. Actually, by now, there¡¯s nothing left to say between you and me!¡±


    Feng Xiao shrugged his shoulders, returning to his nonchnt demeanor. When he turned around to look for Feng Yi at the entrance of the living room, the young man¡¯s figure was nowhere to be seen. In a rush, he hurried to the courtyard entrance but saw nothing.


    ¡°He¡¯s got a limp, yet he walks fast enough. In no time at all, he¡¯s disappeared,¡± Feng Xiao muttered under his breath, kicking a small stone to the side of the road into the bushes, looking very bored.


    Meanwhile, Feng Yi left the courtyard and slowly made his way until dusk, arriving at a residential area in the Western suburbs of North City. There, he found a household by the name of Mo.


    Mo Yan, ¡°Who are you, and what do you want?¡± Seventeen years old, one year older than Feng Yi.


    Feng Yi, ¡°I¡­ I have a message for you from someone¡­¡±


    Mo Yan, ¡°From whom?¡±


    Feng Yi, ¡°Your father¡­¡±


    Mo Yan, ¡°My father? You know him?! What message did he send you to bring me? No, I don¡¯t want to listen. Because of him, my mom and I were gossiped about, and my mom fell sick and died not long after. I hate him¡­¡±


    Feng Yi, ¡°Your father¡­ he has passed away. He got sick, a high fever¡­ and was gone overnight. I¡­ I lived in the same room as him, I wanted to save him, but I¡­¡±

 Chapter 246 - 246 246 Sheltering

    ?Chapter 246: Chapter 246: Sheltering   Chapter 246: Chapter 246: Sheltering                                   ¡°But I couldn¡¯t call anyone, and I didn¡¯t have any medicine. Your father saw how distressed I was, told me he had been sick for a while, and said it wasn¡¯t just a simple fever. He said he was beyond medical help¡­ that he was sorry to his wife and children and told you not to wait for him anymore¡­¡±


    As soon as he had finished speaking, Feng Yi fainted in front of the boy named Mo Yan.


    The next day.


    When Mo Yan learned that Feng Yi had nowhere to go, he took him in to live in his own home.


    ¡°Why were you sent to the farm for re-education?¡±


    ¡°No reason.¡±


    ¡°Liar! If you hadn¡¯t done anything, why would they send you there?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything.¡±


    ¡°So you were framed?¡±


    ¡°¡­Sort of.¡± He wasn¡¯t framed, but betrayed by his own mother who falsely used him to protect his older step-brother Feng Xiao, which led to him being taken away by the police and sent to the re-education farm.


    ¡°Alright, if you don¡¯t want to talk, I won¡¯t ask. From now on, just hang out with me, Brother Yan. As long as I have something to eat, you definitely won¡¯t starve. But, you have to help me think of ways to collect scraps; otherwise, without any money, it won¡¯t be long before we starve to death at home.¡±


    ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll collect scraps with you.¡±


    ¡°Right, you still haven¡¯t told me your name.¡±


    ¡°Feng¡­ Feng Yi, my name is Feng Yi.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Mo Yan, you can just call me Brother Yan from now on.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Since then, two boys of about the same age lived together, wandering east and west during the day to find scraps. Yes, to find scraps, not just pick them up, because in that era, no household would easily throw away things, even scraps, without first sorting them together to sell to a recycling station when time permitted.


    Thus sometimes, after a whole day of hustle, they barely found much to salvage, yet it seemed as if their plight was worsened by repeated misfortune.


    One day, while out of the city searching for scraps, they were chased and beaten by a few boys their age on bicycles, who imed they didn¡¯t like their looks.


    Seeing Feng Yi¡¯s arm severely injured, Mo Yan, disregarding his own safety, furiously fought with the few boys who were chasing and beating him and Feng Yi.


    As a result, he took a blow to the shoulder which immediately began to bleed profusely, and, losing his footing, he fell backward onto the ground, where his head struck a rock and he immediately passed out.


    Seeing Mo Yan lying unconscious on the ground and Feng Yi ring at them as if ready to devour them, the bullies were terrified. Without further hesitation, they hopped onto their bicycles and hurriedly left the grove, riding away as if a dog were chasing them.


    Located in a secluded area, Feng Yi was truly in a dire situation¡ªcalling out seemingly to deaf ears both in heaven and on earth. Just when he was about to lose hope, he heard footsteps approaching.


    Then, he was rescued by Kang Li.


    ¡°Comrade Kang, let me carry him.¡±


    After stopping the car, the driver, Xiao Wang, got out and carried Mo Yan on his back.


    Kang Li, without making a fuss, helped Feng Yi out of the car, shut the car door casually, and followed Xiao Wang into the hospital entrance.


    Registration, consultation, hospital admission.


    Afterpleting all the procedures, Kang Li told Xiao Wang, ¡°Comrade, you can go on with your tasks. I¡¯ll stay here and watch over them for a while longer.¡±


    Xiao Wang hesitated, then said, ¡°I¡¯ll take you back to thepound!¡±


    Kang Li politely declined, ¡°No need, it¡¯s very convenient to take the bus from this hospital to thepound, and it doesn¡¯t require a transfer. I can get right to thepound¡¯s gate, so I won¡¯t trouble you.¡±


    ¡°¡­Alright then, I¡¯ll head back to the station. Comrade Kang, when you get home, remember to call our chief or Comrade Luo, so they can be at ease.¡±

 Chapter 247 - 247 247 Are You Speaking Out of Spite

    ?Chapter 247: Chapter 247: Are You Speaking Out of Spite?   Chapter 247: Chapter 247: Are You Speaking Out of Spite?                                   Kang Li smiled and nodded, ¡°Alright.¡±


    After taking the driver, Xiao Wang, to the hospital¡¯s main entrance and watching him drive away, Kang Li returned to the ward.


    When she entered the ward, she was carrying two bags and a thermos bottle. One of the bags contained two aluminum lunch boxes, two cans of fruit, and seven or eight bright red apples, while the other held a wash basin and toiletries.


    ¡°I picked these up at the supply store across from the hospital, are you hungry? Why not have some canned fruit first, and I¡¯ll go to the hospital canteen to get you foodter.¡±


    She opened a can of fruit and ced it on the bedside table next to the bed, then took the basin, a towel, and the lunch boxes to the water room to clean them. She returned to the ward with half a basin of water.


    ¡°Come here, let me help you wash your hands.¡±


    Kang Li looked natural, but Feng Yi felt quite embarrassed and hesitated for a while without getting out of bed.


    ¡°Why are you still sitting there? Hurry up, wash your hands so you can eat the canned fruit.¡±


    It should be mentioned that each item Kang Li brought into the ward was something she had Dwen Dwen purchase from the Mall using Points behind everyone¡¯s back.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to be embarrassed; in my eyes, you¡¯re no different from my brother.¡±


    Once Feng Yi came over, Kang Li helped him wash his hands and wiped his face for him. She said, ¡°The doctor said your friend is fine and should wake up in about half an hour. He also carefully examined your injuries and found no serious issues, but you need to take good care of your leg to avoid any long-term effects.¡±


    After a long pause, Feng Yi said, ¡°When I have money, I will pay you back.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no rush to pay me back; the most important thing for both of you right now is to heal up,¡± Kang Li waved her hand dismissively, adding, ¡°I¡¯ve paid your hospital fees for half a month and also paid extra for your Medicine to ensure that you won¡¯t run out during your stay. So, do you understand what I mean?¡±


    Feng Yi remained silent.


    Kang Li said, ¡°What I mean is that you and your friend shouldn¡¯t worry about anything, just do as the doctor instructs.¡±


    Feng Yi hesitated before asking, ¡°¡­Will youe here again?¡± What he really wanted to ask was: Will youe to see us again?


    ¡°If I have time, I¡¯lle to see you and bring some tasty food.¡±


    As Kang Li spoke, she paused briefly, a hint of hesitation flickering through her fox-like eyes before she spoke again, ¡°Your family is likely to find out you¡¯re in the hospital very soon.¡±


    Feng Yi said, ¡°I have no family, no parents.¡±


    Kang Li countered, ¡°You¡¯re just speaking out of anger.¡±


    Feng Yi shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s not out of anger. I have severed ties with that home and with all the people in it¡­ Maybe it¡¯s fair to say they never considered me part of the family, so why should I care about them?!¡±


    Kang Li asked, ¡°What will you do if theye looking for you?¡±


    Feng Yi replied, ¡°I¡¯ll ignore them, pay no attention.¡±


    ¡­


    Just past twelve in the afternoon, Luo Yanqing temporarily put aside his work and returned to his dormitory to get his lunch box. However, before he could leave the dorm, he saw Director Song entering with tworge travel bags.


    ¡°Director?¡±


    Noticing the travel bags in Director Song¡¯s hands, Luo Yanqing¡¯s eyes filled with confusion.


    ¡°Take these, they¡¯re for you.¡±


    Director Song handed the two travel bags to Luo Yanqing.


    ¡°For me?¡± Luo Yanqing was puzzled.


    Clearing his throat, Director Song said, ¡°Li Bao came to our station today, but you were busy and instructed not to be disturbed. So Li Bao contacted me through therades at the gatehouse, handed me these two travel bags, and said the contents were for us to share. Hurry up, I¡¯ve been waiting for you to open them.¡±

 Chapter 248 - 248 248 Luo Yanqing Turns Out to be a Schemer

    ?Chapter 248: Chapter 248: Luo Yanqing Turns Out to be a Schemer   Chapter 248: Chapter 248: Luo Yanqing Turns Out to be a Schemer                                   Luo Yanqing frowned, ¡°Xiao Li¡­ Xiao Li came over? Why didn¡¯t anyone inform me?¡±


    Director Songughed, ¡°Then you instruct your people, saying that no one should disturb you no matter who it is. With your words, who would dare to interrupt your work and risk being kicked out of the team by you?!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± His thin lips pressed tightly, Luo Yanqing¡¯s face was cold and silent for a while before he asked Director Song, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you let Xiao Li stay longer at the office?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not this old man¡¯s fault. The girl identally saved two boys on her way to our office, one of whom was injured and unconscious, and the other had some difficulty with his hands and feet. There was no other way, the girl gave me her things and asked me to arrange a car to take her and those two boys to the hospital. Alright, if you really miss Li Bao, take a couple of days off and go home to see her. Now, you should open the bag, Li Bao said she prepared clothes for me and she made some pastries with her own hands.¡±


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°¡­¡± He looked at Director Song as if watching a child.


    ¡°What are you looking at me for? I¡¯m waiting to eat the pastries my girl made.¡±


    Director Song urged.


    Luo Yanqing didn¡¯t respond, cing the bag on the table and casually pulling the zipper open, taking out the clothes one by one and cing them on the bed, then took out the pastries and set them on the table.


    ¡°Li Bao said the clothes in the stic bag were for me, the old man.¡±


    Director Song picked up his clothes and set them aside, then he opened the pastry packaging bag, took a piece of mung bean cake, and bit into it. After chewing and swallowing, he praised repeatedly, ¡°My daughter¡¯s skills are really something, not only can she cook good food, but the pastries are also so delicious.¡±


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°One piece.¡±


    Director Song: ¡°¡­What do you mean?¡± Stunned!


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°The pastries are for me; you can only eat one piece.¡±


    Director Song rolled his eyes, ¡°If you dare to only let me, the old man, eat one piece, I¡¯ll call my girlter on. If you don¡¯t want to kneel and wash clothes, go ahead and treat this old man harshly.¡±


    Luo Yanqing¡¯s eyes were indifferent, and he raised an eyebrow, ¡°Director, have you knelt before?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Director Song was caught off guard, and after a moment, he waved his hands, ¡°Nonsense, how could that happen? Your godmother and I are on good terms, she would never let me kneel and wash clothes!¡±


    ¡°It seems you have knelt before.¡±


    Luo Yanqing stated it as a fact.


    Director Song suddenly looked ufortable, coughing continuously. Pointing at Luo Yanqing, he said, ¡°You¡­ do you know how to speak? What do you mean I¡¯ve knelt before? You want to make a joke of this old man¡­ Alright, suit yourself! After all, that also indirectly shows how good the rtionship is between my wife and me. Otherwise, would I obediently listen to your godmother¡¯s words and go kneel and wash clothes?¡±


    ¡°Thank you for the advice, Director. If necessary, I will take a leaf out of Director¡¯s book.¡±


    Having said that, Luo Yanqing picked up a piece of thousandyer cake and started eating it gracefully while sitting on a chair.


    Director Song snorted, ¡°Taking advantage yet ying cute, you sly kid, you sure know how to y!¡±


    Luo Yanqing responded ndly, ¡°I¡¯m average.¡±


    When Director Song was choked by this retort, he felt a pang in his chest. There he was, pressing his hand against his chest and feigning difort, he said, ¡°You¡¯ve turned bad, kid.¡±


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°Have I?¡± Wasn¡¯t he just being himself? How had he turned bad?


    ¡°Enough said, let¡¯s split the pastries evenly between us. Otherwise, I¡¯m calling Li Bao right now.¡±


    Director Song issued his ¡°serious threat.¡±


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°It¡¯s been said that you, sir, need to watch your diet, especially when ites to sweets.¡±


    Director Song: ¡°That¡¯s not the case.¡±


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°Shall I call and ask godmother?¡±


    In order to eat more of the pastries, Director Song had no choice but topromise, ¡°Don¡¯t, absolutely not! Just give me a smaller half. I¡¯ll eat two pieces a day, that should be fine, right?¡±

 Chapter 249 - 249 249 Luo Yanqing Never Shows Off

    ?Chapter 249: Chapter 249: Luo Yanqing Never Shows Off   Chapter 249: Chapter 249: Luo Yanqing Never Shows Off                                   ¡°Sure you won¡¯t eat more?¡±


    Luo Yanqing was skeptical of what Director Song had said.


    ¡°Kid, the pastries Li Bao made are actually not that sweet, didn¡¯t you notice? But since I said so, naturally I won¡¯t go back on my word and let a young fellow like you look down on me!¡±


    Even though Kang Li knew that Luo Yanqing had a sweet tooth, she still didn¡¯t make the pastries too sweet, instead sticking to the normal proportions of ingredients. Thus, whether it was the mung bean cake or theyered cake, they were suitable for the public¡¯s taste.


    Besides, Director Song indeed needed to be cautious about sweets, but ording to medical advice, it was rmended not to indulge in sweets on a daily basis.


    In other words, eating them in moderation was no big issue, and it¡¯s best if one could avoid them altogether.


    Not only was Luo Yanqing aware of this, but Kang Li had also heard about it from Mrs. Qi.


    As for her knowing that Director Song needed to avoid sweets and yet telling him today that her bag contained pastries she had made, it was because she believed in Director Song¡¯s self-control.


    After all, he wasn¡¯t a na?ve child but an elderly person who certainly knew that nothing was more important than health. However, before Kang Li left the hospital, she still found a public phone booth and made a call to Director Song.


    ¡°Director, Teacher Luo, there¡¯s a call for you.¡±


    Director Song, holding the pastries shared by Luo Yanqing and the clothes packed in a stic bag, was about to leave when arade about forty appeared at the door of Luo Yanqing¡¯s dormitory.


    Within the institution, for those with experience like Luo Yanqing, people usually addressed each other as ¡°Teacher,¡± whereas newly arrived junior researchers tended to refer to figures like him as ¡°Professor so-and-so,¡± as if by agreement.


    The reason?


    Quite simple: except for Luo Yanqing, who wasn¡¯t yet thirty, the heads of all the research groups in the institute were all in their forties or older.


    And, like Luo Yanqing, they all held professorial appointments at several renowned universities in North City.


    Perhaps it was out of respect that the young colleagues, when facing a big shot like Luo Yanqing, genuinely addressed their idol from the bottom of their hearts as ¡°Professor so-and-so.¡±


    Moreover, among these youngsters, there was nock of students of Luo Yanqing and other luminaries.


    And as for the families living in thepound, calling him ¡°Professor Luo¡± was simply a reflection of Luo Yanqing¡¯s reputation within the institute.


    Just think about it, not yet thirty years old, within a few years of joining the institute, he had already churned out small andrge research achievements one after another, never taking credit for them. Each time an achievement was made, he wrote the report and sought recognition for all the members of his group.


    This left everyrade who had worked on a project with Luo Yanqing utterly convinced and in admiration, naturally leading to high praise in front of their families at home.


    So, without Luo Yanqing¡¯s knowledge, when the families in thepound saw him, they almost always politely addressed him as ¡°Professor Luo.¡±


    Even someone like Loo Ping, who often had her own little schemes, couldn¡¯t think of a second way to address Luo Yanqing if she happened to meet him.


    Of course, some older members of the families would call him ¡°Comrade Luo¡± more often when they saw him.


    Speaking of which, it¡¯s worth mentioning that a few leaders in the institute, if they interacted with Luo Yanqing on a daily basis, affectionately called their precious ¡°Little Luo.¡±


    Alright, another point that must be rified is that Luo Yanqing never looked down upon himself; on the contrary, he respected his elders. Therefore, when dealing with older professors with longer tenure, he always referred to himself as Little Luo and addressed them as ¡°Teacher¡± to show his attitude towards his seniors,

 Chapter 250 - 250 250 Luo Yanqing Gets Eye Medicine

    ?Chapter 250: Chapter 250 Luo Yanqing Gets Eye Medicine   Chapter 250: Chapter 250 Luo Yanqing Gets Eye Medicine                                   Even though his achievements in scientific research were outstanding, and he had made no small contributions to the nation, he never acted arrogantly or showed off.


    Humble and cautious were the principles Luo Yanqing upheld in his work.


    ¡°It must be Li Bao¡¯s call. Come on, let¡¯s hurry so we don¡¯t keep Li Bao waiting,¡±


    said Director Song, taking the lead to leave.


    Luo Yanqing locked the dormitory door and followed closely.


    ¡°Hello, is this Godfather?¡±


    ¡°Li Bao, yes, it¡¯s Godfather. Go ahead, Godfather is listening.¡±


    Picking up the receiver, Director Song¡¯s eyebrows lifted in a smile. Beside him, Luo Yanqing found the sight blinding. His lips were tightly pursed as he stared at the receiver in Director Song¡¯s hand, almost wanting to step forward and snatch it away.


    ¡°¡­ This is the situation at the hospital. You don¡¯t have to worry about Feng Yi. The doctor has checked him and said there¡¯s nothing seriously wrong with Feng Yi. Also, Godfather¡­ Feng Yi doesn¡¯t want his family to know his current condition. What do you think¡­¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t made the call yet, but¡­ given how his parents feel about him, even if I did call them, I doubt they would react much.¡±


    Director Song sighed, puzzled by how his old pal was thinking, driving a good kid to the point of not wanting to return home or recognize his own parents.


    Kang Li: ¡°Godfather, maybe you could discreetly find out about the Feng family¡¯s situation? I think Feng Yi has something major on his mind, otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t say he has no parents, no home. By the way, it¡¯s been a while since Feng Yi came from the farm, andtely he has been staying at Mo Yan¡¯s house.¡±


    Director Song: ¡°Mo Yan?¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°The young man who was rescued with me.¡±


    Director Song: ¡°Okay, Godfather understands¡­ When you get back to thepound, how about you tell your godmother about Feng Yi¡¯s situation and let her find someone to check on it? After all, it¡¯s not quite proper for an old man like me to inquire about those matters.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°Okay, I understand.¡±


    Director Song: ¡°If the boy and his friend¡¯s hospital fees are not enough, just take it from your godmother¡¯s.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about that, I know what to do.¡±


    Director Song: ¡°That¡¯s settled then. I¡¯m going to hand the phone to Yanqing now.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°¡­Is he next to you?¡± His lips involuntarily curled into a smile.


    ¡°He came with me. Before we came to pick up your call, I was in the kid¡¯s dorm sharing cakes. The cheeky guy only gave me a small piece and even threatened me, saying if I ate more than two pieces in a day, he¡¯d call your godmother toin.¡±


    While Director Song was chattering on, he didn¡¯t forget to give Luo Yanqing a provocative look.


    Kang Liughed out loud: ¡°Luo Yanqing is looking after you, it¡¯s also my fault for knowing that you need to cut down on sweets and not bringing you some savory cakes. How about this, Godfather, you eat less this time and I¡¯ll make some savory cakes especially for you and send them over.¡±


    Director Song: ¡°Alright, Godfather won¡¯t overindulge, and you don¡¯t trouble yourself too much¡­¡±


    Feeling someone¡¯s gaze almost boring holes into him, Director Song stifled hisughter, but continued toin to Kang Li: ¡°The cheeky kid is ring at me. If res could materialize, your Godfather would probably have been poked full of holes by now. Alright, I¡¯m handing the phone to the kid now. He can¡¯t wait to talk to you.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°Godfather, take good care of yourself, goodbye.¡±


    Director Song: ¡°Godfather knows, goodbye.¡±


    Finally, the receiver was in Luo Yanqing¡¯s hand, his lips pursed in silence for a long moment.


    ¡°Luo Yanqing?¡±

 Chapter 251 - 251 251 How come I didnt know you were a

    ?Chapter 251: Chapter 251: Howe I didn¡¯t know you were a sharp-tongued person?   Chapter 251: Chapter 251: Howe I didn¡¯t know you were a sharp-tongued person?                                   Kang Li¡¯s voice came through the receiver, ¡°Why are you not talking? You¡¯re not mad, are you? Come on, don¡¯t be upset. I was just chatting a bit more with Godfather, and besides, I was talking about serious matters.¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m not mad.¡±


    After a moment, Luo Yanqing replied.


    Kang Li: ¡°Still saying you¡¯re not mad? I can hear it in your tone.¡±


    Luo Yanqing nced at Director Song, signaling ¡°You old can leave now,¡± understanding the meaning in his eyes, Director Song almostughed out loud.


    Covering the mouthpiece, Luo Yanqing said indifferently, ¡°Young people are talking; as an elder, I think you need to step away.¡±


    Director Song red: ¡°When did I not know you¡¯re a sharp tongue?¡± You little rascal, always so sparing with words that if one word would suffice, you definitely wouldn¡¯t use two; likewise, if two words would do, don¡¯t expect to hear a third from his mouth.


    Now everything has changed, no, more precisely, ever since this stinky kid got himself a wife like Li Bao, although notpletely transformed, his skills in talking back have be quite impressive, and he doesn¡¯t just reply with one word or two words anymore when talking to his elders.


    You would think I would be happy, but the condition is, could he not talk back at me and not be so sharp-tongued?


    Director Song certainly doesn¡¯t consider himself old. He feels quite young still and might live another thirty or forty years!


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°Someone is eavesdropping, wait for a moment, I¡¯ll send the person away right now.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°You¡¯re not talking about Godfather, are you?!¡±


    Luo Yanqing didn¡¯t respond, taking that as a confirmation.


    Director Song snorted coldly, holding a stic bag in one hand and pastries in the other, he turned around, walked out with hismanding stride, and didn¡¯t look back.


    ¡°You little brat, not cute at all.¡±


    His muttering was not quiet, and naturally, it drifted into Luo Yanqing¡¯s ear.


    His eyebrows twitched, Luo Yanqing pretended not to hear, but he said into the receiver, ¡°Some old man just said I¡¯m not cute at all.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Kang Li¡¯s mouth twitched, and her eyebrows followed suit. Was someone feeling wronged? She felt she couldn¡¯t be wrong about this, and with that thought, Kang Li said with an obviousugh in her gentle voice, ¡°That can¡¯t be true. In my eyes, you¡¯re the cutest.¡±


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°¡­¡± His cheeks and ears flushed in unison, and for a long while, he couldn¡¯t make a sound.


    Kang Li: ¡°Luo Yanqing? Are you listening?¡±


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°Mhm.¡± He nodded while responding, and the next moment, when he realized he was on the phone with his little wife and not talking face-to-face, Luo Yanqing suddenly felt ufortable all over. He looked around to see that no one was paying attention to him, then he secretly breathed a sigh of relief.


    After all, he had just done something silly, nodding while holding the receiver. If someone had seen that, he might have been called a simpleton.


    Kang Li: ¡°Did you eat on time?¡±


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°I can tell, you¡¯re feeling guilty.¡±


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°There¡¯s milk powder and malt extract.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°Even so, you should eat your meals on time. By the way, the beef jerky I prepared for you this time is made from fresh beef. Did you set some aside for Godfather?¡±


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°It¡¯s in the bag, I forgot to take it out.¡± This was the truth; he thought there were only pastries.


    Kang Liughed: ¡°Then remember to give some to Godfatherter, and you can also let your colleagues try some.¡±


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± He blurted out without thinking.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    Kang Li wondered.


    Sharing good things with those around you can improve interpersonal rtionships¡ªcould he possibly not know that?

 Chapter 252 - 252 252 Concern

    ?Chapter 252: Chapter 252: Concern   Chapter 252: Chapter 252: Concern                                   ¡°You made it.¡±


    Luo Yanqing gave his response.


    Kang Li felt a warmth in her heart, yet found it amusing, ¡°I know I made it, but surely you have one or two friends in the bureau? When you¡¯re with friends, it¡¯s nice to share some tasty treats you have.¡±


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°No.¡±


    Kang Li was startled, then said, ¡°Really? I don¡¯t believe that. Our Comrade Luo Yanqing is the best; how could you not have any friends? How about this, why don¡¯t you give Comrade Wen and your other colleagues in the project team a taste, and when Ie to see you again, I promise I¡¯ll bring more jerky.¡±


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°¡­I need to think about it.¡±


    Kang Li¡¯s eyes brimmed with a smile, ¡°Alright, take your time to decide.¡± Just like a child who hasn¡¯t grown up!


    At that point, Luo Yanqing asked, ¡°How are you doing at home?¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°I¡¯m doing well, and so are the kids.¡±


    ¡°¡­Don¡¯t rescue people recklessly, to avoid putting yourself in danger.¡±


    After a moment of silence, Luo Yanqing murmured a phrase that travelled through the phone, reaching Kang Li; she said, ¡°There was no one else on the road at the time. Since I heard cries for help, I couldn¡¯t just ignore them.


    Don¡¯t worry, I saved two kids ¡ª one of them was unconscious from injuries, and the other had trouble moving their arms and legs. If I hadn¡¯t helped, their lives might have been at risk.¡±


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°They were not kids.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°Godfather must have told you.¡± It was a statement, not a question. ¡°But to me, they are children.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re eighteen.¡±


    ¡°I know, but in my eyes, they really are children, and you promised you wouldn¡¯t get randomly jealous.¡±


    Had he? He didn¡¯t recall making such a promise. Luo Yanqing was puzzled.


    Kang Li: ¡°Luo Yanqing?¡±


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°Take care of yourself, don¡¯t make me worry.¡±


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°Okay.¡± A warm feeling surged in his heart.


    ¡°The temperature has dropped severely recently, remember to wear the thermal underwear I prepared for you, and besides¡­¡±


    Kang Li tenderly instructed, word by word.


    On the other end, Luo Yanqing softly responded, ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it then. I¡¯m hanging up.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Only after hearing Kang Li hang up did Luo Yanqing slowly return the receiver to the phone cradle.


    Before formally starting work in the afternoon.


    ¡°Try this, my love sent it over today.¡±


    cing the beef jerky wrapped in wax paper on the table near the door, Luo Yanqing went off to work on his own tasks.


    A curious young researcher in his early twenties quickly opened the wax paper and, seeing the beef jerky inside, immediately eximed, ¡°Everyone,e see, it¡¯s jerky! If my nose doesn¡¯t deceive me, this is undoubtedly beef jerky.¡±


    Picking up a stick of jerky and popping it in his mouth, the young researcher chewed for a moment, eyes squinting in delight, ¡°Delicious! This is the tastiest beef jerky I¡¯ve ever had in my life!¡±


    Wen Siyuan came over, casually grabbed a piece, and put it in his mouth. After a moment, he nodded repeatedly, ¡°It really is delicious.¡± Then he walked over to Luo Yanqing, joking with a smile, ¡°Comrade Kang really looks after Teacher Luo so well, making all of us quite envious. Don¡¯t you think?¡± He said this, looking toward the other colleagues.


    ¡°Absolutely!¡±


    The response was loud and clear.


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°One minute.¡± His words were concise.


    Wen Siyuan and his colleagues all knew this meant that in one minute they would resume the work they hadn¡¯t finished in the morning.


    The surroundings quieted down, and Wen Siyuan went to his station, picked up a stack of data sheets,

 Chapter 253 - 253 253 Are You Sure This Isnt Making Things

    ?Chapter 253: Chapter 253: Are You Sure This Isn¡¯t Making Things Difficult for Him?   Chapter 253: Chapter 253: Are You Sure This Isn¡¯t Making Things Difficult for Him?                                   He seemed to be examining carefully, but in reality, his thoughts were still immersed in the beef jerky Luo Yanqing had produced.


    They were both on their second marriages, yet the young wife he had married couldn¡¯tpare in looks or learning to the one Wen Siyuan had married. Even in terms of temperament and caring for their husbands, there was a clear gap.


    The most critical point was that he had remarried several months earlier than Siyuan. Yet, his wife¡­ had never once brought him anything.


    The research institute was somewhat far from thepound, but making the trip wasn¡¯t difficult.


    With his thoughts turning to this, Wen Siyuan sighed deeply in his heart. There really was noparison between people!


    No matter how much he coveted Comrade Luo Yanqing, after all, aside from envying, he was still just envying. There was no other way for him to have a considerate and sensible wife like Yanqing.


    ¡­


    As Kang Li left, Feng Yi looked at his friend lying on the other hospital bed, who had awakened from hisa: ¡°Are you feeling okay?¡±


    Mo Yan grunted in response.


    ¡°You lost a lot of blood. If not for Sister Kang Li, our chances would have been grim.¡±


    As Feng Yi spoke, he tested the temperature at the edge of the lunch box: ¡°Can you sit up? The dumplings are at a nice temperature, eat while they¡¯re warm.¡± He moved to sit on the side of the bed, picked up the spoon from his own lunch box, and began to eat one dumpling after another.


    Mo Yan slowly sat up, casually propping a pillow behind himself and leaning against the headboard. He turned his attention to Feng Yi: ¡°Sister Kang Li? Was it her?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. The sister you saw when you opened your eyes, that¡¯s Sister Kang Li.¡± Feng Yi nodded, continuing to stuff dumplings into his mouth without pause.


    Mo Yan frowned slightly: ¡°She looks about our age.¡± Was he really expected to call a young girl his sister? Wasn¡¯t that making things difficult for him?


    ¡°Sister Kang Li is eighteen, you¡¯re seventeen, and I¡¯m sixteen. For us to call Kang Li ¡®sister¡¯ is only proper. Plus, Sister Kang Li saved our lives, arranged the hospital admission for us, and told us not to worry about a thing, just to stay in the hospital and listen to the doctor.¡±


    Feng Yi, looking at the things Kang Li had bought earlier and the dumplings he was eating, couldn¡¯t help but add, ¡°Everything we¡¯re using and eating was also bought by Sister Kang Li. And¡­ she carried you for about a mile¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­She carried me? How could she, a girl, manage to carry me?¡±


    Mo Yan¡¯s eyebrows nearly knitted into knots.


    Feng Yi immediately felt ashamed upon hearing this; his expression changed, and then he hesitantly said, ¡°It¡¯s my fault. I knew my arms and legs were incapacitated, and I was worried about your well-being¡­ It¡¯s why I grasped the hem of Sister Kang Li¡¯s clothes and wouldn¡¯t let her leave. Looking back now, my actions are like repaying kindness with ingratitude. No wonder Sister Kang Li thought I was trying to scam her, huh?


    She was kindly tending our wounds, and even helped put my dislocated arm back into ce, yet I¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t me yourself. If anyone¡¯s to me, it¡¯s me. If I hadn¡¯t lost consciousness then, none of the following would have happened, and you did that out of concern for my safety.¡±


    Mo Yan reassured Feng Yi: ¡°Eat. The dumplings seem delicious, and we haven¡¯t had a proper meal in days.¡±


    Picking up his own spoon, Mo Yan scooped up a dumpling and put it into his mouth.


    For a while, the only sounds in the sickroom were of two people chewing and swallowing dumplings.


    After an indeterminate amount of time, having finished thest dumpling in their respective lunch boxes, Mo Yan got out of bed to put on his shoes: ¡°I¡¯m going to wash the lunch box.¡±


    Feng Yi: ¡°I should go instead, your shoulder wound is quite serious.¡±


    Mo Yan: ¡°You have one arm in a sling, are you sure you can wash it?¡± Giving Feng Yi a calm look, Mo Yan took the lunch box and left the sickroom.

 Chapter 254 - 254 254 Frustration

    ?Chapter 254: Chapter 254 Frustration   Chapter 254: Chapter 254 Frustration                                   By the time he returned, Feng Yi was pouring water into their enamel tank.


    ¡°She thought of everything.¡±


    Not only had she bought them toiletries and lunch boxes, thermoses, but also an enamel tank to drink from, which must have cost a lot of money, requiring industrial coupons.


    With their current financial abilities, when could they ever repay this debt?


    Especially the hospital and medical expenses¡­


    Feng Yi nodded, ¡°Yeah. Sister Kang Li is especially careful. Even the doctors at the hospital said that Sister Kang Li took good care of your wound and the setting of my bone had no issues either.¡±


    Hearing this, Mo Yan thoughtfully studied Feng Yi for a while and said, ¡°You are talking more today.¡± Not a little more!


    ¡°Ah?¡±


    First puzzled, Feng Yi then twitched the corner of his mouth and responded softly, ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know why, but when I¡¯m with Sister Kang Li, I feel like I can tell her anything.¡±


    ¡°Your Sister Kang Li isn¡¯t here right now.¡±


    Mo Yan¡¯s expression was indecipherable; he just quietly observed Feng Yi.


    ¡°Brother Yan, you shouldn¡¯t always refer to Sister Kang Li as ¡®her.¡¯ After all, she saved us. You should call her ¡®sister¡¯ like I do.¡±


    As Feng Yi said this, a hint of pain tinted his eyes: ¡°Actually¡­ I actually enjoy talking, but in my previous home, my rtives all thought I was superfluous,¡±


    Whenever any of them were unhappy, they would take it out on me. Some yelled directly at me, others would curse indirectly, but none of them ever treated me like family,


    Over time, I simply stopped speaking and avoided getting close to them as much as possible¡­ But even so, I couldn¡¯t escape the fate that wasn¡¯t mine to bear¡­¡±


    Seeing Feng Yi¡¯s eyes turn red, and knowing tears could follow at any moment, Mo Yan felt annoyed at himself for talking too much. Now he had brought up the other¡¯s painful memories.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡±


    He apologized sincerely.


    Feng Yi shook his head, ¡°Brother Yan, you don¡¯t need to apologize to me. If it weren¡¯t for you taking me in these past days, I don¡¯t know on which street corner I¡¯d end up!¡±


    After a silence, Mo Yan asked, ¡°Why do I feel like you and your Sister Kang Li know each other?¡±


    ¡°Initially we didn¡¯t, but then¡­ter I met an uncle of mine, and that¡¯s when I came to know Sister Kang Li is his daughter. Later, it was my uncle who arranged a car and had his chauffeur help Sister Kang Li get us to this hospital.¡±


    ¡°If your familyes looking for you, would you go back home with them?¡±


    He now had only Feng Yi as a friend. In fact, years ago, he had many friends, but ever since a tragedy struck his family, his old friends had abandoned him, regardless of how deep their friendships had been. They no longer treated him as a friend.


    From that time on, he learned what loneliness truly felt like¡­ After his mother died, he was leftpletely alone at home. To be honest, he felt extremely lonely, worried that if he died at home one day, nobody might even discover it.


    But that¡¯s not what he wanted. He didn¡¯t want to be a corpse covered in bugs, emitting a foul stench like a septic tank, so when a young man fainted in front of him and confessed the next day that he had nowhere to go, he almost didn¡¯t hesitate to let him stay at his ce.


    inly speaking, he needed apanion, someone to asionally talk to.


    He feared silence, feared loneliness, because he could never forget how he survived the initial days alone after his mother¡¯s passing, curling up on his bed at night, all by himself.

 Chapter 255 - 255 255 Would Someone Help Decide on This

    ?Chapter 255: Chapter 255: Would Someone Help Decide on This Matter?   Chapter 255: Chapter 255: Would Someone Help Decide on This Matter?                                   Nowadays, with both his parents gone, only he was left all alone. If the boy in front of him was taken away by his family, he would once again be a solitary person.


    ¡°The woman who gave birth to me would rather see me dead; they won¡¯te looking for me. Even if someone does think of me because of our blood ties, I wouldn¡¯t follow them.¡±


    Feng Yi¡¯s gaze grew colder and more detached: ¡°I¡¯ve already severed ties with that family, and I will never return in my lifetime!¡±


    ¡°As long as you don¡¯t leave, you can stay at my house as long as you like.¡±


    The tension eased, and Mo Yan changed the subject: ¡°Scavenging isn¡¯t reliable; we need to think of another way to make a living.¡±


    Currently, recycling stations were under governmental control, and even if they wanted to collect scrap, without a government-issued permit, those who had trash wouldn¡¯t dare sell it to them.


    Not to mention, with the recent scarcity of materials, how many households would casually throw away their discarded items for them to pick up?


    As for the asional bits of scrap metal and misceneous items he had previously found, he actually sneaked into abandoned factory buildings to scrounge them up behind everyone¡¯s back.


    When selling to the recycling station, the transactions were also done quietly and sneakily, likemitting a theft.


    Otherwise, once discovered, they would certainly face severe consequences.


    ¡°Factories aren¡¯t easy to get into.¡± Feng Yi thought for a while and said, ¡°Every job has its candidate. To be a worker, one either needs a recruitment slot or connections, and for connections, you also need money to clear the way.¡±


    Mo Yan: ¡°I know.¡±


    Feng Yi: ¡°Aunt used to have a job; why didn¡¯t you take over her position?¡±


    ¡°My mom was seriously ill, and we didn¡¯t have money for her treatment, so¡­ I sold my mom¡¯s job.¡±


    As soon as Mo Yan said this, he noticed the surprised look Feng Yi gave him. He red, ¡°What, do you think I did the wrong thing?¡±


    Feng Yi: ¡°Not exactly, I just think you¡¯re killing the goose thatys the golden eggs.¡±


    ¡°In that situation, nothing was more important than my mom¡¯s life.¡±


    ¡°But do you regret it now?¡±


    Mo Yan became agitated and stared intensely at Feng Yi: ¡°No, I don¡¯t regret it, and I never will.¡±


    ¡°You¡­ don¡¯t stare at me like that; I misspoke. How about we try going to the countryside? At least we¡¯d have something to eat.¡±


    Upon hearing this suggestion from Feng Yi, Mo Yan seriously considered it. After a moment, he looked at Feng Yi, ¡°With your physique, don¡¯t exhaust yourself before earning a few work points.¡±


    Feng Yi blushed: ¡°I am sturdy enough! Besides,pared to me, you¡¯re just as skinny as a rake.¡±


    Mo Yan didn¡¯t respond.


    Feng Yi huffed and said, ¡°I¡¯ll ask Sister Kang Liter; she can help us figure things out.¡±


    ¡°Will she even bother to advise on this matter?¡±


    Mo Yan threw cold water on Feng Yi¡¯s idea.


    ¡°If I say she will, she will. Sister Kang Li is a kind person, otherwise she wouldn¡¯t be helping us like this today.¡±


    ¡°Hearing you say this, I feel like we might be trouble she rescued.¡±


    ¡°Do you think of yourself as trouble? I don¡¯t. Anyway¡­ anyway, we already owe Sister Kang Li a lot, and we could owe a bit more until we¡¯re able to repay her slowlyter.¡±


    The two youths talked back and forth about Kang Li and their future livelihood while in the hospital room, and sparks of tension began to surround them.


    In the courtyard, after having lunch at the Song Family, Kang Li and Mrs. Qi were sitting on a couch, coincidentally talking about the two youths, Feng Yi and Mo Yan.


    ¡°How did that kid, Feng Yi, end up going to such a distant ce in the suburbs?¡±

 Chapter 256 - 256 256 Disapproval

    ?Chapter 256: Chapter 256 Disapproval   Chapter 256: Chapter 256 Disapproval                                   Mrs. Qi¡¯s brows furrowed tightly, ¡°It¡¯s also thanks to them running into you today, otherwise, who knows what might have happened.¡±


    ¡°Godmother, why don¡¯t you ask some acquaintances who live in the samepound as the Feng family to see if they can find out why Feng Yi wouldn¡¯t go home and insisted on drifting outside.¡±


    A sixteen- or seventeen-year-old boy, who clearlyes from a well-off family, wouldn¡¯t be so foolish to prefer wandering outside to living afortable life at home, unless he really had no other choice.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll make a call right now to inquire.¡±


    Mrs. Qi pondered for a moment, then picked up thendline receiver and dialed a series of numbers.


    As time ticked away second by second, Kang Li watched Mrs. Qi finish the call and couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°Godmother, did you find out anything?¡±


    Mrs. Qi was chatting with a friend for a few sentences and then seemingly casually inquired about whether anything had happened to the Feng family recently. She heard her friend saying:


    Lady Fang was inhumane, almost half a month ago, she drove her son, who had returned home from the farm, out of the house. Although sheter pretended to look for him near thepound for a day, the Feng family then fell silent.


    ¡°Xiao Yi came home with an injury on his leg, and his mother most certainly said something unpleasant, leading to a quarrel between Xiao Yi and her, after which she kicked him out of the house.¡±


    As Mrs. Qi spoke, Kang Li sighed deeply, ¡°When a son returns home and is found to have a leg injury, instead of taking him to the hospital for a proper check-up, she drove him out of the house. I really can¡¯t understand Lady Fang!¡±


    Mrs. Qi¡¯s face didn¡¯t look so good, ¡°It¡¯s not surprising that Fang Su could do such a thing, but what¡¯s pitiful is the hardships Xiao Yi has suffered outside these past half-months.¡±


    Kang Li asked, ¡°So, Godmother, are you going to tell Feng Yi¡¯s family about his situation?¡±


    ¡°You said that Xiao Yi was unstable and had decisively cut ties with his family. He even threatened your godfather with harsh words, warning that if you tell his parents where he is¡­¡±


    Mrs. Qi didn¡¯t finish her sentence, but Kang Li knew what she meant by the unfinished words¡ªafter all, it was she who had ryed Feng Yi¡¯s original words to Mrs. Qi. After a long silence, with her eyebrows slightly knitted, she said, ¡°So, what should we do? Just let Feng Yi wander outside?¡±


    Mrs. Qi: ¡°That Mo Yan has taken Xiao Yi in, I think we should do this: next time you go to the hospital, bring some money and coupons from me.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°But this is not a long-term solution.¡±


    Mrs. Qi: ¡°I know. But what else can we do now? Even if I tell his parents where Xiao Yi is, I suspect¡­ they probably won¡¯t take him back.¡±


    ¡°After all, after Xiao Yi was driven out of the house, that family only searched around thepound for one day, and then everything went quiet, as if nothing had ever happened, continuing with their lives as usual.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°Having a job might be better, or he could go straight to the countryside to join the work teams, but in that case, who knows when he could return to the city.¡±


    In fact, Kang Li was very clear that in another four or five years, the sent-down youths would be able to return to the city through the university entrance examination.


    Of course, only if they could receive a university eptance letter.


    ¡°That kid might not have been pampered, but going to the countryside to earn work points through physicalbor would definitely not work. Moreover, once he goes to the countryside, returning to the city is not easy.¡±


    Changing a good non-agricultural household registration into an agricultural one could significantly affect a child¡¯s future development.


    Clearly, Mrs. Qi did not approve of Feng Yi going to the countryside.

 Chapter 257 - 257 257 Beautiful Lies

    ?Chapter 257: Chapter 257: Beautiful Lies   Chapter 257: Chapter 257: Beautiful Lies                                   Kang Li knew Mrs. Qi was right. Moreover, she had no idea about Feng Yi and Mo Yan¡¯s academic foundations and whether they had graduated from high school. If they just ran off to the countryside to join the workforce, and then, if they happened to fall in love with someone locally, perhaps even getting married and having children, the prospects of returning to the city¡­ would be much more difficult.


    ¡°Well, considering I have a good impression of that young man, I¡¯ll try to figure out a way to see if I can help Xiao Yi and the young man who took him in to get temporary jobs for the time being. If they do well, it¡¯s possible for them to be permanent employees.¡±


    Mrs. Qi made the final decision.


    ¡°But¡­ won¡¯t this cause trouble for you and Godfather?¡±


    Kang Li voiced her concerns.


    ¡°No.¡±


    Mrs. Qi shook her head and said with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s just two temporary positions. Besides, your godmother here isn¡¯t just going to unfairly secure those positions for them. I¡¯m thinking of leveraging my rtionships to see which factory under my responsibility has vacancies for temporary workers or needs to hire temporary workers. Anyway, I wouldn¡¯t do anything illegal or against discipline.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I feel relieved.¡±


    Kang Li pursed her lips in a smile.


    ¡°Ding-a-ling! Ding-a-ling¡­¡±


    The ringing of thendline phone startled them. Mrs. Qi was sitting right by the phone and promptly picked up the receiver. When she heard it was Director Song¡¯s voice on the other end, she covered the mouthpiece and mouthed to Kang Li, ¡°It¡¯s your Godfather.¡±


    Then, she started talking to Director Song: ¡°Why are you calling home at this hour?¡±


    After having lunch, shouldn¡¯t he be thinking of taking a nap instead of making phone calls? she muttered to herself silently. Still, Mrs. Qi listened attentively to Director Song speaking on the other end of the line.


    ¡°Yes, yes, yes, I know. You sound quite pleased¡­¡±


    Once the conversation ended, Mrs. Qi shook her head with a smile: ¡°Thank you, Li Bao. Your godfather said the thermal underwear you gave him is really warm, and he ns to wear it in a few days.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re being too formal, Godmother. There¡¯s no need for thanks! If I hadn¡¯t been in such a rush today, I would¡¯ve brought you the thermal underwear and the pastries I specially prepared for you. I think I should go home now and bring them over.¡±


    ¡°No need, no need.¡±


    Mrs. Qi waved her off: ¡°Haven¡¯t I told you before not to spend your money on us? Weck for nothing; all that matters is that you¡¯re doing well.¡±


    Still, Kang Li stood up: ¡°It¡¯s a token of my affection, Godmother. You can¡¯t refuse.¡± Walking towards the living room entrance, Kang Li said, ¡°I¡¯ll be quick.¡±


    Mrs. Qi: ¡°This child, acting on every impulse!¡± She shook her head, yet her eyes were filled with happiness.


    In less than fifteen minutes, Kang Li took out the thermal underwear for Mrs. Qi and Song Xuan from arge cloth bag: ¡°This is for Godmother, and this is for Xuan Xuan. I¡¯ve already washed them; you can wear them directly when you get them.¡±


    Mrs. Qi felt the fabric: ¡°The material is soft and warm to the touch. You must have spent quite a bit of money, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°With a ssmate of Vivi¡¯s whose parents have a good rtionship with me working in a woolen mill, one day they asked if I wanted any thermal fabrics. Considering the cold weather, I thought if the underwear worn close to the body was warmer, it would prevent the cold in winter. Finding the price reasonable, I asked them to buy extra, not only for Godfather, Godmother, and Xuan Xuan but also for Luo Yanqing and Ruirui to cut and sew. I have also made some for my parents, and I¡¯ll send them back to my hometown when I find time tomorrow.¡±


    Beforeing to this world, Kang Li had never lied or had any inclination to lie. But since she had be the youngest daughter of the Kang family in this world, it seemed, perhaps, she often spun beautiful lies.

 Chapter 258 - 258 258 Aftermath

    ?Chapter 258: Chapter 258: Aftermath   Chapter 258: Chapter 258: Aftermath                                   Thinking about it makes me feel quite uneasy.


    Thankfully, after a few years, goods won¡¯t be as scarce as they are now, and people won¡¯t need to use all sorts of coupons and certificates to buy things. By then, when I get the items I bought from the System Mall through Dwen Dwen, I won¡¯t have to keep making up lies to hide my secret.


    ¡°You, being so frail, mustn¡¯t tire yourself out.¡±


    Mrs. Qi felt pity.


    ¡°Sewing with the machine isn¡¯t tiring at all.¡±


    Okay, she actually hadn¡¯t really used the sewing machine to make clothes so far, let alone sew multiple pieces in one go.


    However, Kang Li felt that with her smarts, sewing clothes with a sewing machine would definitely not be a problem for her.


    After all, she had gone from being inexperienced to skilled with the sewing machine when she was making small bags and backpacks for her three cubs.


    ¡°How could it not be tiring? If you use the sewing machine for a long time, your hands, feet, eyes, and neck will all suffer. In the future, don¡¯t go to such trouble for me and your godfather, and the same goes for Song Xuan. Could I, as a grandma, let him freeze?!¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright, let¡¯s not talk about this now, godmother. You should try the pastries I¡¯ve made.¡± Kang Li said with a smile, and then called out to Song Xuan¡¯s room, ¡°Xuan Xuan, bring your brother and sister out for pastries!¡±


    But in just a moment, with Song Xuan leading the way, Xiao Ming Rui followed closely behind with the other three, and one adult and four children arrived in the living room.


    ¡°Grandma, the pastries mom made are super delicious!¡±


    Milk Bun Ming Han nestled beside Mrs. Qi¡¯s legs and said in a cute, milky voice with a smile.


    Mrs. Qi¡¯s face showed tender affection, and she asked with a warm smile, ¡°The pastries your mom made are indeed very tasty. Which one would you like to eat?¡±


    ¡°Hanhan won¡¯t eat; these are for grandma and Brother Xuan Xuan.¡±


    Milk Bun Ming Han shook her head.


    Although the pastries mom made were really, really delicious, she was a good child, and she wouldn¡¯tpete with grandma or Brother Xuan Xuan for food.


    ¡°Here, grandma is offering you some.¡±


    Mrs. Qi was naturally pleased that Milk Bun Ming Han was understanding, but pastries were made to be eaten; she wouldn¡¯t be stingy about them, would she?


    Moreover, the pastriesid out in front of her were made by the little one¡¯s mother, who personally brought them from home and ced them on this coffee table; it wouldn¡¯t make sense to let the child watch from the side while she sat and ate as if nothing mattered.


    Seeing that Milk Bun Hanhan didn¡¯t take any for a while, Mrs. Qi then looked towards her eldest grandson, ¡°Xuan Xuan, could you also pass one to Ruirui and Vivi?¡±


    Song Xuan: ¡°¡­ Wash hands.¡± Saying so, the teenager waved to Xiao Ming Rui and the others: ¡°¡­ Let¡¯s go, time to wash hands¡­¡±


    ¡°Mom, can I have a small piece after I¡¯ve washed my hands?¡±


    Milk Bun Ming Han asked his mom for permission.


    Kang Li nodded with a smile: ¡°Of course, you can.¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei: ¡°Mom, Vivi and my second brother want to share a piece of pastry.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°Ask your second brother if he would like that?¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei: ¡°Second brother?¡±


    Milk Bun Ming Han replied: ¡°Okay.¡±


    After Song Xuan had taken Xiao Ming Rui and the others out of the living room, Mrs. Qi said, ¡°These taste even better than the ones you buy outside.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for thepliment, godmother; I¡¯ll keep on trying my best.¡±


    Before Kang Li came to this world, she actually didn¡¯t often cook meals herself, but whenever she did, she was always meticulous about it.


    For example: The color, smell, and taste all had to be perfect.


    ¡°With your cooking skills, you could outperform professional pastry chefs; there really is no need for you to study further.¡±


    Having eaten a piece of mung bean cake, Mrs. Qi didn¡¯t reach for more pastries. She chatted casually with Kang Li, and when she saw Song Xuan return to the living room with the three youngsters, she gestured towards the pastries, signaling that Song Xuan and Xiao Ming Rui should share them.


    As it neared four o¡¯clock in the afternoon, Kang Li took her three cubs back to their own home. It was at this moment, when she walked into the living room and sat down on the couch, that she suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of exhaustion engulf her entire body.

 Chapter 259 - 259 259 Concern from the Kids

    ?Chapter 259: Chapter 259: Concern from the Kids   Chapter 259: Chapter 259: Concern from the Kids                                   ¡°Miss, are you okay?¡±


    Noticing something was off with Kang Li, Dwen Dwen was almost lightning-fast to check on her.


    Kang Li, ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, it must be rted to the young man named Mo Yan.¡± She bitterly smiled to herself, thinking if her body¡¯s response was a bit too dull?


    Orpletely frozen, so much so that upon her return home, just sitting down brought such profound sensations!


    ¡°Mom, are you sick?¡±


    Xiao Ming Rui and the twins stood by Kang Li, their eyes filled with worry, and the one who spoke to Kang Li was Milk Bun Ming Han.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Mom¡¯s fine. You kids go y for a while; I¡¯ll just sit here for a moment and then I¡¯ll cook dinner.¡± Kang Li tried to muster up some energy, smiling at her three little ones: ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mom¡¯s really fine, I¡¯m not lying to you.¡±


    In fact, at this moment, she didn¡¯t even have the strength to move a finger, lounging on the couch like a salted fish. If she weren¡¯t worried about frightening her little ones, she would haveid downpletely to feel morefortable.


    ¡°But Vivi feels like Mom doesn¡¯t lookfortable right now.¡±


    Tears began to well up in Xiao Ming Wei¡¯s eyes: ¡°Mom, Vivi is being very good, can you please not be sick?¡±


    Kang Li shook her head: ¡°Mom isn¡¯t sick.¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei, ¡°Really?¡±


    Kang Li nodded gently.


    Milk Bun Ming Han, ¡°Mom must be tired. Vivi, let¡¯s go y with brother over there and not disturb Mom¡¯s rest.¡± At this moment, her brother Min Rui was no longer in the living room.


    ¡°Where¡¯s brother?¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei didn¡¯t see her brother Min Rui.


    Milk Bun Ming Han puzzled, ¡°Why isn¡¯t he here?¡± He was just behind him a moment ago!


    Suddenly, Xiao Ming Wei saw her brother Min Rui walking towards them with a towel nket, blinking her eyes and raising her sweet little voice, ¡°Brother!¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± Brother Min Rui nodded, moving close to Kang Li and gently spreading the towel nket over her body and legs: ¡°This way, you won¡¯t be cold.¡±


    Around two o¡¯clock in the afternoon, the whole sky turned dark and the cold wind was blowing continuously. Even now, with the sky slightly brighter, the chilly breeze continued.


    Kang Li was touched, her eyes brimming with a smile: ¡°Our Ruirui is so thoughtful, thank you!¡±


    Xiao Ming Rui shook his head, ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡± His tender voice dropped as he invited his siblings to sit around the small dining table, then went to their bedroom. Soon after, he returned to the living room with a picture book.


    Xiao Ming Wei, ¡°Is big brother going to teach Vivi and second brother how to read?¡±


    Brother Min Rui, ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei, ¡°I will study hard.¡±


    Milk Bun Ming Han, ¡°Me too.¡±


    Slouched on the sofa, Kang Li watched with a tender and relieved gaze as the twins imitated learning to speak, following Brother Min Rui in a sweet chorus of reading aloud.


    Dwen Dwen, ¡°Miss, do you feel better now?¡±


    Kang Li, ¡°I don¡¯t feel like moving.¡±


    Dwen Dwen, ¡°Still feeling weak and limp all over?¡±


    Kang Li emitted a sound of affirmation.


    Dwen Dwen, ¡°What should we do then?¡± He was worried!


    Kang Li, ¡°I hope a bit of rest will slowly bring some relief.¡± Power Pill¡­ Thinking about the Power Pill she had taken earlier, Kang Li felt it was rather unhelpful now.


    Indeed, because of the Power Pill, her strength had indeed increased, carrying a young man effortlessly, but what was the point if it left her suffering afterwards?


    Dwen Dwen, ¡°How about you don¡¯t cook tonight, miss? I¡¯ll help you buy some of your favorite food in the Mall using points?¡±

 Chapter 260 - 260 260 Truly Indescribable

    ?Chapter 260: Chapter 260: Truly Indescribable   Chapter 260: Chapter 260: Truly Indescribable                                   Kang Li: ¡°¡­There¡¯s gourmet food in the Mall too?¡± Her expression bewildered, it was obvious that Kang Li was quite surprised at this moment.


    Dwen Dwen: ¡°There¡¯s quite a bit! Like North City Roast Duck, Lancheng Beef Noodles, Ancheng Mutton and Beef Pita, Ancheng Minced Pork in Bun, Ancheng Spicy Meatball Soup, hand-pulled noodles, rice noodles¡­¡±


    Babbling like reading off a menu, Dwen Dwen listed a long string of delicacies.


    ¡°¡­Why didn¡¯t you tell me sooner?¡±


    Kang Li was dissatisfied, with ready-to-eat meals avable, did she really need to ve over the stove meal after meal?


    She could absolutely be taking it easy!


    Dwen Dwen: ¡°You didn¡¯t ask, Miss.¡±


    Kang Li raised an eyebrow: ¡°So it¡¯s my fault, huh?¡±


    Dwen Dwen¡¯s survival instinct kicked in: ¡°How could Miss ever be wrong? It¡¯s Dwen Dwen¡¯s fault for not informing Miss in advance that there are gourmet foods avable for purchase in the Mall.¡±


    Kang Liughed: ¡°Alright, alright, indeed I never asked you, it¡¯s not your fault. Remember, even as a system, you should have principles; if it¡¯s not your fault, don¡¯t admit to it, otherwise, you¡¯ll make me feel like I¡¯m being totally unreasonable.¡±


    Dwen Dwen: ¡°Miss is not unreasonable.¡±


    Without issuing tasks or urging theirpletion, the personal motivation of Miss was already top-notch, bringing it a lot of happiness points, affection value, and Life Points to date.


    Suddenly, as if remembering something, Dwen Dwen reminded Kang Li: ¡°Miss, although the System Mall¡¯s gourmet food can be made avable to Miss, I would still suggest that Miss not purchase the food too often, because just from the aspect of cooking daily, Miss would miss out on a lot of Life Points.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°Don¡¯t worry, as tasty as gourmet food is, you can¡¯t eat it at every meal; besides, my kids are still young. Those foods you mentioned, many of them are not suitable for their current diets.¡±


    While the pte could enjoy, the stomach would suffer; the most critical point being that children¡¯s digestive systems are weak and they cannot just eat anything recklessly, or it could lead to indigestion, and once food retention happens, it can easily lead to fever.


    Dwen Dwen: ¡°¡­Then tonight, Miss¡­¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°No need, I still have some steamed buns from this morning, I¡¯ll just warm them up in the potter, and make some millet porridge.¡± Millet porridge paired with steamed buns was simple, but enough for her and the three kids¡¯ dinner.


    ¡°Mom, are you feeling better?¡±


    The voice of Xiao Ming Wei suddenly came through.


    Kang Li looked up to the three little ones, and saw the little girl gazing at her expectantly; she smiled: ¡°Much better, Mommy will go make dinner for us now.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you rest a bit more, Mom? Vivi and both big brothers are not hungry yet.¡±


    A child with a mother is like a treasure, Xiao Ming Wei didn¡¯t want anything bad to happen to her mother and didn¡¯t want to go back to the days before they had her, when there was never enough food each day and when they had to wear dirty clothes, making other kids not want to y with her.


    ¡°Okay, Mom will listen to Vivi and sit here a bit longer.¡± Although she had regained a bit of strength, she felt that she wouldn¡¯t be able to walk a few steps before her legs would give out and she¡¯d copse on the ground.


    It seemed she¡¯d have to moderate her actions in the future, she couldn¡¯t be as fiercely overzealous as she was today, relying on the Power Pill to¡­ carry a big boy for a mile.


    Thinking about it now, her actions at the time were really too bold to mention!


    ¡­


    Maybe she was indeed exhausted, for Kang Li fell asleep during the night and slept till dawn broke, waking an hourter than usual ording to the time.


    ¡°Ruirui, Hanhan, Vivi, are you guys up?¡±


    While getting ready in the bedroom, Kang Li called out to the three little ones through the door.


    ¡°Mom, me and brother and sister are all up!¡±

 Chapter 261 - 261 261 A Little Bit Wronged

    ?Chapter 261: Chapter 261: A Little Bit Wronged   Chapter 261: Chapter 261: A Little Bit Wronged                                   The one who responded was Milk Bun Hanhan. Seeing Kang Li walk out of the master bedroom, the child, hauling her little legs and wearing her little backpack, came trotting over: ¡°Brother helped me and sister squeeze the toothpaste, and we brushed our teeth till they were sparkling white. Brother even helped wash our faces!¡±


    Kang Li patted the little one¡¯s head and praised, ¡°Brother is really awesome, Hanhan and sister are great too. This morning you didn¡¯t even need Mom to call you to get up.¡±


    Milk Bun Ming Han was a bit shy. His face turned rosy as he baby-talked, ¡°Brother said Mom was too tired from going out yesterday, so this morning he wouldn¡¯t let me and sister make a peep, saying we should let Mom sleep in more.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°Mom knows now, you are all very thoughtful. Mom¡¯s fine now, look, don¡¯t I look especially energetic?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Mom looks much better now!¡±


    Milk Bun Ming Han solemnly examined Kang Li for a while before nodding his little head like a grown-up.


    After freshening up in a hurry, Kang Li saw that the three little ones were neatly dressed and their clothes were of the proper thickness. She didn¡¯t change them into different outfits, but she carefully straightened their clothes from inside out and then picked up ab to tidy up their hair.


    Actually, ever since school started, Kang Li had intentionally let Ruirui and Hanhan¡¯s hair grow out. By the end of September, following a familiar children¡¯s hairstyle from her previous world, she gave the two brothers cute and fresh-looking straight bangs and short haircuts. This hairstyle made the two of them look super adorable and handsome.


    The straight bangs were trimmed a bit higher to reveal the eyebrows and thinned out for a feathered look. After the haircuts werepleted, the two brothers were so bright-eyed, their eyes sparkled as if adorned with stars.


    Milk Bun Ming Han was so happy that he was hopping and jumping around.


    After changing the hairstyles for the two little boys at home, naturally, Vivi¡¯s hair couldn¡¯t be left out.


    Thinking of a yful and cute bob cut, Kang Li easily aplished her masterpiece after getting the little girl¡¯s consent.


    From then on, whenever the three little ones had hair long enough, Kang Li would help trim it.


    ¡°Mom, does Vivi look pretty today?¡±


    Looking in the mirror, Xiao Ming Wei asked her mom.


    ¡°Our Vivi is beautiful every day.¡±


    Kang Li said with a smile, then put theb back in its ce and continued, ¡°Alright, now Mom will take you to kindergarten.¡± After securing the twins in the stroller, Kang Li signaled Ruirui to hold onto the stroller¡¯s handlebars, and the mother and her four children left the house.


    ¡°Remember to lock the door, Mom.¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei reminded in her baby voice.


    Kang Li replied, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mom won¡¯t forget.¡±


    After dropping the three little ones off at kindergarten, Kang Li went to purchase some groceries at the supply point and then went home to pack up items to send to her parents and rtives back in her hometown. She secured the packages with rope on the back seat of her bike and made a trip to the post office.


    Several dayster.


    Carrying good news from Mrs. Qi, Kang Li went to the hospital to visit Feng Yi and Mo Yan, the two teenagers.


    ¡°Knock, knock, knock!¡±


    Standing outside the hospital room door with a faint smile lingering at the corners of her mouth, Kang Li saw the door open from inside and, looking up to see Feng Yi, she couldn¡¯t help but say with a smile, ¡°I came to see how you¡¯re doing.¡±


    ¡°I thought Sister Kang Li wasn¡¯ting anymore.¡±


    Feng Yi felt a little aggrieved.


    It had been five days since he was admitted to the hospital. He had been eagerly anticipating her visit, but Sister Kang Li had note to see him.


    Even though he knew it wasn¡¯t right to feel so, he couldn¡¯t help feeling a bit wronged.


    ¡°I said I woulde to see you, and I wouldn¡¯t go back on my word.¡±


    Carrying things in both hands, Kang Li walked into the room and said, ¡°I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ve had breakfast yet, but I just happened to pass by the state-run restaurant,¡±

 Chapter 262 - 262 262 Hope

    ?Chapter 262: Chapter 262: Hope   Chapter 262: Chapter 262: Hope                                   ¡°I saw some big meat buns for sale, so I bought a few for you guys, and also got you tworge bowls of wontons.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Sister Kang Li.¡±


    As Feng Yi ced the items Kang Li had handed him on the table, he casually asked, ¡°Did you eat already, Sister Kang Li?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve eaten, you guys go ahead. Don¡¯t mind me.¡±


    Kang Li said this and her gaze shifted towards the youth named Mo Yan, ¡°Is your injury feeling any better?¡±


    Mo Yan: ¡°It¡¯s much better now, thank you!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me, you eat your food. I have something to tell you.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Feng Yi and Mo Yan couldn¡¯t help but freeze in unison.


    Kang Li smiled: ¡°What¡¯s with those faces? It¡¯s good news. You eat while I talk, and just listen, that¡¯s all.¡±


    Good news?


    Feng Yi exchanged a puzzled look with Mo Yan.


    What good news could they possibly have?


    Covered in debt as they were, and once they were discharged from the hospital, they wouldn¡¯t even know how to survive.


    Thinking this, they both felt lost about the future.


    Kang Li noticed the change in their expressions and sighed inwardly as she turned to Feng Yi, ¡°My godmother heard about your situation and wanted to help you.


    Yesterday, she finally got certain news. North City¡¯s Second Mechanical Factory is hiring temporary workers. Therade in charge of recruitment is on good terms with my godmother, and she secured two temporary positions. Now, you probably know what I¡¯m about to say, right?¡±


    ¡°Mother Qi¡­ Why would she go out of her way to help me like this?¡±


    Feng Yi looked deeply moved, gazing intently at Kang Li, seeking the reason.


    ¡°My godmother has a good impression of you, and she knew that Mo Yan took you in. After understanding your circumstances, she wanted to lend you a hand.¡±


    Kang Li paused for a moment, before continuing, ¡°About you being in the hospital, my godmother didn¡¯t call your family, but she hopes that you could call her every once in a while to report that you¡¯re safe.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Feng Yi didn¡¯t immediately respond and turned his gaze to Mo Yan, ¡°Brother Yan, what do you think¡­¡±


    Mo Yan pursed his lips, remaining silent for a while.


    Kang Li: ¡°Although it¡¯s temporary work, as long as you do well, there¡¯s a very good chance of bing permanent within two years. And the Second Mechanical Factory is being quite formal with this temporary recruitment¡ªthere will be a written exam and an interview. Although it might just be a formality for you, I hope you take it seriously to avoid any troubles when ites to bing permanent.¡±


    With a clear and serene gaze, Kang Li watched for any shifts in their expressions.


    Wherever there are people, there ispetition, even for just two temporary positions. Even though Mrs. Qi said everything would be handled by the book and there shouldn¡¯t be any problems, Kang Li felt it was necessary for these two young men to take the matter seriously, just to be safe.


    After all, in these times, many coveted even a temporary job, let alone the chance to eventually be permanent, especially at the Second Mechanical Factory.


    If they managed to get in and then sessfully be permanent, that would be considered quite respectable.


    Well, that¡¯s the case for those who don¡¯t know which way the future will unfold.


    ¡°Please, Sister Kang Li, thank Mother Qi on behalf of both me and Feng Yi¡­¡±


    Mo Yan finally spoke up but stopped abruptly, not knowing Mrs. Qi¡¯s name. Seeing this, Kang Li smiled, ¡°My godmother¡¯sst name is Qi.¡±


    ¡°Then please, Sister Kang Li, pass on my and Feng Yi¡¯s thanks to Comrade Qi!¡±


    At this point, Mo Yan had risen from his sickbed, standing upright, and suddenly bowed deeply to Kang Li: ¡°Here, I also want to thank you, Sister Kang Li, for saving my life. As soon as I¡¯m better off, I¡¯ll repay you for the hospital and medicine fees, as well as the money for the daily necessities you bought for both me and Feng Yi.¡±

 Chapter 263: 263: Didnt Expect You to Be So Clingy

    <strong>Chapter 263: Chapter 263: Didn¡¯t Expect You to Be So Clingy</strong>


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ve noted it down, but there¡¯s no rush to repay the money. You both just focus on getting your health back for now. The Second Mechanical Factory will be hiring temporary workers in half a month, plenty of time for you to prepare after you¡¯re discharged from the hospital. By the way, do you know where the Second Mechanical Factory is?¡±


    ¡°I know. It¡¯s just a twenty-minute bike ride from my ce.¡±


    ¡°Good, it¡¯s not far then. That will makemuting to and from work easier for you.¡±


    Kang Li said with a smile, her gaze returning to Feng Yi, ¡°Your family have looked for you, but clearly, your parents haven¡¯t given up on you. I¡¯m telling you this because I want you to know that once you make a decision, don¡¯t regret it.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t regret it.¡±


    Even if he fell into abject poverty, even if one day he starved to death outside, he would not regret the decisions he had made!


    ¡°Alright, as long as you are sure of yourself.¡±


    As she spoke, Kang Li nced at the wontons and therge meat buns on the table and knew that Feng Yi would not start eating until she left. So she pulled out the money and coupons Mrs. Qi had asked her to give to the young man, stepped forward, and handed them to him, ¡°This is from my godmother for you, take it.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t ept it.¡±


    Feng Yi refused.


    Kang Li pushed them into the young man¡¯s hands, ¡°Just take it if it¡¯s given to you, now is not the time for second-guessing.¡±


    Feng Yi pursed his lips and finally grasped the money and coupons in his palm. After a moment, he said, ¡°Sister Kang Li, if only you were my real sister. Ever since I was little, not one of my step-siblings liked me. They just bullied me, ordered me around¡­ They never treated me as their brother¡­¡±


    She reached out to pat the young man¡¯s head, to offer somefort, but realized he was taller than she had expected. She had to tip-toe slightly to reach him,


    Suppressing the awkwardness, Kang Li was about to withdraw her hand that was stranded mid-air when, unexpectedly, the young man bowed his head as if unintentionally. This gesture made Kang Li¡¯s heart turn sour for a moment.


    In the end, she still touched the top of the young man¡¯s head and said with a smile, ¡°But you¡¯ve already started calling me ¡®Sister Kang Li,¡¯ haven¡¯t you? So I am indeed your sister. You can call me whatever you like, and I will always respond.¡±


    ¡°Sister¡­ Sister! Sister! Sister¡­¡±


    Feng Yi called out softly at first, but seeing Kang Li¡¯s beautiful face brimming with smiles, her eyes filled with mirth that answered his call, he couldn¡¯t help grinning and calling out several more times.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s not be so childish, okay?¡±


    Him calling out and her responding each time was really strange, wasn¡¯t it?!


    Making a gesture to stop, Kang Li shook her head helplessly.


    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t stay any longer. You guys should eat breakfast before it gets cold and loses its vor.¡± Seeing the young man¡¯s reluctant expression, Kang Li smiled and said, ¡°I still have some matters to attend to at home, so I must go.¡±


    Feng Yi: ¡°Then let me walk you out, Sister.¡±


    Kang Li shook her head, ¡°No need.¡± She walked towards the door of the ward, and suddenly, she paused and turned back to the two young men following her, ¡°Almost forgot to ask, what are your educational backgrounds?¡±


    Feng Yi: ¡°I¡­ Ipleted one year of high school.¡±


    Mo Yan: ¡°I finished middle school.¡±


    ¡°Try to read more books when you have time. Just the textbooks from school, cover everything properly from primary through middle to high school. What you learn bes your own, and nobody can take that away from you.¡±


    Leaving them with this advice, Kang Li averted her gaze and waved at them, ¡°Go on and eat your breakfast, I¡¯m really off this time.¡± Standing at the door of the ward, Feng Yi muttered softly, ¡°Just like that, she¡¯s gone.¡±


    Mo Yan gave him a sideways nce, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to be so clingy.¡± He turned and went back into the ward, with Feng Yi following close behind, ¡°Who are you calling clingy?¡±

 Chapter 264: 264: Saying One Thing and Meaning Another

    <strong>Chapter 264: Chapter 264: Saying One Thing and Meaning Another</strong>


    Mo Yan: ¡°What do you think?¡± Picking up a big pork bun, Mo Yan bit into it. ¡°Delicious.¡±


    ¡°Of course it¡¯s delicious, it¡¯s bought by my sister.¡±


    Feng Yi also picked up a big pork bun and began to eat. Unexpectedly, he heard Mo Yan say, ¡°I¡¯ve noticed that you¡¯re bing more and more skilled, not only clingy and good atworking, but also childish.¡±


    ¡°When did Iwork?¡±


    Feng Yi red.


    Mo Yan: ¡°You didn¡¯twork? In just a short time you¡¯ve acknowledged a new sister for yourself?¡±


    ¡°Sister Kang Li is Uncle Song¡¯s and Mother Qi¡¯s goddaughter, so she¡¯s my sister too,¡± Feng Yi said, somewhat childishly, puffing up indignantly, ¡°I know you¡¯re envious of me, but there¡¯s nothing you can do about it. That¡¯s just because you¡¯re not me.¡±


    Mo Yan, with a slightly stunned expression: ¡°¡­You won¡¯t even admit you¡¯re being childish. Look at you, I¡¯ve never seen such a childish brat!¡±


    ¡°I may be a brat, but so are you!¡±


    Feng Yi retorted.


    ¡°Forget it, I¡¯m your brother. I¡¯ll let you off this once and not argue with you anymore.¡± Shaking his head, Feng Yi held a bun in his left hand and another in his right, taking big bites from each in turn.


    Feng Yi was shocked: ¡°There¡¯s no need to do that, I¡¯m notpeting with you.¡± Sister had bought eight big pork buns, after all, and he felt two would be plenty for him, especially with a big bowl of wontons as well.


    ¡°Less talking, more eating.¡±


    Even though he barely managed to get a meal with him, that brat always ate so politely, as if he were a young master from a wealthy old society family.


    Pampered and sheltered, he couldn¡¯t even fight, and he was picky and childish, aplete silly, sweet fool.


    Yet Mo Yan found it hard to believe¡ªthat Feng Yi¡¯s parents could ever treat Feng Yi poorly.


    ¡­


    Aoli Vige.


    ¡°Your daughter sure knows how to spend money!¡±


    Captain Kang had just collected Kang Li¡¯s package from the post office and opened it when he heard his wife muttering: ¡°Haven¡¯t we told her? There¡¯s nothing weck at home, but she just wouldn¡¯t listen to us.¡±


    ¡°Our daughter is filial, I know you¡¯re happy about it deep down, so stop going on about ¡®your daughter¡¯ as if Li Bao isn¡¯t your daughter too,¡± said Captain Kang.


    Captain Kang took out several envelopes from the box, found the letter his precious daughter had written to him, and began to read it.


    Cai Xiufen¡¯s mouth twitched, and she asked, ¡°What did Li Bao say in her letter?¡± Stubborn old man, she was just making a casual remark, was there a need to show her up in front of the whole family?


    ¡°Our daughter is asking after our wellbeing, saying it¡¯s getting cooler and she sent us some thermal underwear, and also¡­¡±


    Captain Kang nced at his children and grandchildren surrounding him and didn¡¯t intend to continue, but, finding all eyes on him, he reluctantly went on:


    ¡°Li Bao sent us some coupons and certificates, including a sewing machine coupon, a bicycle coupon, a radio coupon, and a few cloth coupons¡­ Li Bao said that the few pieces of dowry we had prepared for her cost quite a bit, not just money, but also the trouble of getting those coupons¡­¡±


    Before Captain Kang could finish, Big Brother Kang spoke up: ¡°Li Bao is overthinking it. Preparing her dowry was our family¡¯s duty. Even if it was hard to get those coupons, there¡¯s no need for her to worry about us that much.¡±


    ¡°Right, Dad, why not send those sewing machine, bicycle, and radio coupons back to Li Bao? After all, we had to pay up for those coupons. Now, keeping the coupons she sent us is pointless.¡±


    Third Brother Kang expressed his opinion.


    In his view, the more sensible his sister Li Bao became, the more it tugged at his heartstrings.

 Chapter 265: 265: Be Mentally Prepared

    <strong>Chapter 265: Chapter 265: Be Mentally Prepared</strong>


    Elder sister-inw Kang: ¡°Dad, I have no objections to what Third Uncle said.¡±


    The TV set and money previously sent to our family by my brother-inw settled everything. If we were to ept these sewing machine coupons, bicycle coupons, and radio coupons from Li Bao now, that would be a little too ignorant!


    Third sister-inw Kang: ¡°Dad, I agree with what Fei Fei¡¯s dad said.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I know your attitudes now.¡±


    Captain Kang looked at Big Brother Kang and the others with full satisfaction and nodded before continuing, ¡°Li Bao said we must keep these coupons. She said it didn¡¯t cost her much money or effort, plus they¡¯re of no use in her hands, so we should just keep them in case the family needs them someday.¡±


    ¡°By the way, these three letters, two are Ruirui¡¯s replies to Xiaoyu and Maomao, and one is a reply from Hanhan and Vivi to Doudou. Whoever goes to the county town next, remember to take Ruirui and his siblings¡¯ replies to Maomao and Doudou.¡±


    As Captain Kang said this, he handed one of the letters to his grandson Xiaoyu.


    As for the other two letters, he gave them to his wife to hold onto for now.


    Speaking of the replies from Min Rui and the twins, it was undoubtedly Kang Li who had facilitated the connection.


    Due to the age factor, only Third Brother Kang¡¯s youngest son, Kang Yiyu, and Fourth Brother Kang¡¯s Maomao and Doudou have established letter correspondence with the Ruirui siblings.


    Of course, the twins could recognize a few characters up to now, but it was certainly impossible for them to write them all out painstakingly. Therefore, the twins and the four-year-old Doudou mostly resorted to drawings as their means ofmunication.


    Funny enough, the three little ones could actually understand what the other wanted to say from the drawings.


    Kang Yifei, the eldest son of Third Brother Kang and ten years old this year, saidughingly to his younger brother Kang Yiyu, ¡°Come on, let me see the reply Ruirui wrote to you.¡±


    ¡°Kang Yiyu, let me have a look too,¡± said the voice of Third Brother Kang¡¯s second son, named Kang Yilin, eight years old.


    Kang Yiyu, holding the letter tightly, hid behind his father and mother and made a face at his brother Fei Fei and Yilin, ¡°I won¡¯t show you. This is the reply Ruirui wrote to me. If you want to see it, write a letter to Ruirui yourselves and let Ruirui write back to you!¡±


    Among the sons of the eldest and third families, Kang Yiyu was the youngest and was the same age as Xiao Ming Rui.


    The boy was robust and since he had started corresponding with Xiao Ming Rui, he took learning to read and write seriously with his brothers, fearing that he would beughed at by his little pen friend for not knowing enough.


    ¡°We won¡¯t look if you don¡¯t show us, but when you open Ruirui¡¯s reply, just make sure you aren¡¯t shocked by his handwriting!¡± teased Kang Yilin as he exchanged meaningful nces with his brother Kang Yifei.


    Kang Yiyu eximed indignantly, ¡°I won¡¯t bother with you guys!¡±


    His handwriting might not look good now, especially not as nice as Ruirui¡¯s, but so what? He could always practice more. One day, he would be able to write as beautifully as Ruirui.


    Bad brothers,ugh if you want. He was mentally prepared this time and would not be daunted by Ruirui¡¯s handwriting again!


    ¡°For the eldest¡¯s family, these several pairs of socks and this red scarf are from Li Bao for your room; for the third¡¯s family, this is from Li Bao for you and Third Brother¡¯s room.¡±


    Cai Xiufen, following what Kang Li wrote in the letter, took out two thick stacks of socks and two cashmere scarves, one red and one purple, from the box and handed them to Elder sister-inw Kang and Third sister-inw Kang. As the two came over to take them, she added:


    ¡°Li Bao says these socks are made of cotton yarn, softer than the nylon socks we wear on our feet, and they¡¯re absorbent and breathable, veryfortable to wear.¡±

 Chapter 266: 266: Whats So Good About a Second Marriage Leader?

    <strong>Chapter 266: Chapter 266: What¡¯s So Good About a Second Marriage Leader?</strong>


    ¡°It feels sofortable to touch; Li Bao really put thought into it!¡±


    Elder sister-inw Kang¡¯s eyes and brow were all smiles as she touched the cotton socks in her hand and then the bright red cashmere scarf that her sister-inw, Kang Li, had bought for her. She felt truly d to have treated her sister-inw so well.


    ¡°Mom, Elder sister-inw is right; Li Bao really cares about us sister-inws!¡±


    Third sister-inw Kang agreed.


    Hearing this, Cai Xiufen nced at her two daughters-inw, ¡°Is there anyone in our family that Li Bao doesn¡¯t care for?¡±


    Her daughter was not only beautiful but also kind-hearted, always sending things home, making sure everyone, big and small, was included. So she and the old man wouldn¡¯t have a hard time.


    Although this made her as a mother feel relieved, she also felt pity for her daughter Li Bao, who had to spend quite a sum of money every time she sent things home.


    ¡°Mom! Mom, the socks that little aunt sent¡ªdo they have my size?¡±


    Kang Yifei¡¯s eyes sparkled as he approached Third sister-inw Kang, reaching out to touch the cotton socks held in his mother¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch; be careful not to dirty them. We¡¯ll take them out to wear after the New Year.¡±


    Third sister-inw Kang dodged her son¡¯s little hands and walked toward the room where their family of three lived.


    ¡°Are my hands that dirty?¡±


    Looking at his hands, Kang Yifei was confused.


    ¡°Yangyang, take this candy and give two pieces to each of your brothers.¡±


    Cai Xiufen took out a pack of White Rabbit Creamy Candy from the box and called her eldest grandson, Kang Yiyang, over to her.


    ¡°Okay, thank you, grandma!¡±


    Kang Yiyang grinned, showing off his big white teeth.


    ¡­


    ¡°I heard Li Bao sent more stuff back home again; is that really true?¡±


    It had been around noon when Captain Kang picked up the parcel from the post office. Riding into the vige, it was unavoidable for people to notice. And now, led by Cui the Loudspeaker, a few women gathered around with their bowls of rice, eating and starting to gossip.


    And the first to speak was none other than Cui the Loudspeaker.


    Wang Chunhua casually answered, ¡°I mean, The Loudspeaker, could you have heard about it if it wasn¡¯t true?¡±


    ¡°Who are you calling The Loudspeaker? I¡¯m telling you, Aunt Wang, I sure like to gossip, but you and Li Daniu are just the same, aren¡¯t we all like crows on the wallughing at the pig for being ck? Let¡¯s not judge each other, shall we?¡±


    Whoever it was that damnedly gave her the nickname ¡°The Loudspeaker¡±, making it seem like she couldn¡¯t keep anything to herself, broadcasting everything wherever she went.


    ¡°You talk about your stuff; why drag me into it all of a sudden?¡±


    Li Daniu felt ufortable inside, but her face didn¡¯t show much of it.


    Cui the Loudspeaker: ¡°What do you mean dragging you into it? We¡¯re just having a casual chat here; nothing serious. Xu family, wouldn¡¯t you agree?¡±


    Referred to by Cui the Loudspeaker as ¡°Xu family,¡± it was Xu Chunxia¡¯s mother who sourlymented, ¡°What¡¯s there to talk about Captain Kang¡¯s family affairs? It¡¯s just about marrying off their daughter to some twice-married guy with a bit of spare cash.¡±


    ¡°Xu family, if you didn¡¯t talk so sourly, I might have believed even the first part of your statement,¡±


    Cui the Loudspeaker curled her lips, and then asked Mrs. Xu, ¡°By the way, haven¡¯t you been looking for a match for Chunxia for thest couple of months? Have you had any results?¡±


    ¡°Matching is all about fate; perhaps Chunxia¡¯s fate hasn¡¯t arrived yet, but we should have some clues before the year is out.¡±


    Mrs. Xu had a rather sharp and critical look which might be why she wasn¡¯t very well-liked around Aoli Vige. However, since everyone was from the same ce, even if people weren¡¯t fond of her, they still managed to maintain a polite facade.


    Cui the Loudspeaker: ¡°You¡¯re not nning to find a son-inw for Chunxia like Captain Kang¡¯s, are you?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s so good about a man who¡¯s been married twice?

 Chapter 267: 267: Are You Feeling Guilty?!

    <strong>Chapter 267: Chapter 267: Are You Feeling Guilty?!</strong>


    My Chunxia ispliant and pretty, and she looks like she can bear children. I just can¡¯t bear to marry her off to such a man, to be a meek stepmother as soon as she steps through the door.¡±


    If there were a son-inw candidate like the one at the Team Leader¡¯s House, she naturally wouldn¡¯t mind marrying off her Chunxia to them. That way, her family would soon have a television set, and they could receive packages from their daughter from time to time.


    Thinking along these lines, Mrs. Xu had indeed been matching her daughter Chunxia over thest two months, specifically targeting men who were looking for a second marriage. After all, such men would be willing to pay a higher bride price for a virgin bride, but for two whole months, she had not found a suitable match.


    With this in mind, Mrs. Xu envied the Team Leader¡¯s House even more.


    Their son-inw had just sent over a television set and now their daughter was sending back a big parcel. Who knows what kinds of nice things were inside.


    ¡°If I remember correctly, Mrs. Xu, it was half a month ago, I heard Dongping¡¯s mother mentioning¡­¡±


    Before Wang Chunhua could finish her sentence, Mrs. Xu¡¯s heart skipped a beat, hastily interrupting her: ¡°Aunt Wang, we¡¯re just chatting here, why bring up Dongping¡¯s mother? Alright, alright, if you want to discuss the matters of the Team Leader¡¯s House, go ahead, I¡¯d like to hear more about it too.¡±


    At this moment, Mrs. Xu was extremely annoyed by Dongping¡¯s mother, especially considering that both their mother¡¯s homes were in the same vige, and they were married into Aoli Vige one after the other, having been on good terms since childhood,


    and whenever she had something on her mind, she would talk it over with Dongping¡¯s mother, who did the same in return. But how did Wang Chunhuae to know about something she had only recently discussed with Dongping?


    ¡°You¡¯re feeling guilty, aren¡¯t you?!¡±


    Wang Chunhua noticed Mrs. Xu was intentionally trying to change the subject, but she was eager to see some drama unfold, so she naturally didn¡¯t swallow her words, only to hear her say:


    ¡°Dongping¡¯s mother has a cousin who married into the city, and half a month ago, you asked someone to contact Dongping¡¯s mother and her cousin to help find a decent second marriage match for your Chunxia in the city¡­¡±


    Mrs. Xu¡¯s face turned sour: ¡°Wang Chunhua, are you trying to pick a fight with me or what?¡±


    Li Daniu: ¡°Mrs. Xu, there¡¯s nothing shameful about promising your daughter to a second marriage. Especially with Li Bao¡¯s example before, why are you getting so angry with Chunhua?¡±


    ¡°Am I the one getting angry? It¡¯s her who can¡¯t stop spilling my family¡¯s business, would you like it if you were in my ce?¡±


    She envied the good match Li Bao from the Team Leader¡¯s House had found in a second marriage and wanted to do the same for her family, but nothing was set in stone yet. How could she casually talk about it?


    ¡°If you¡¯ve done it, why be afraid of people talking?!¡±


    Li Daniu rolled her eyes.


    ¡°Forget it, you continue, I¡¯m heading back.¡±


    Seeing she was clearly being ostracized by the group of four, Mrs. Xu, to avoid further verbal disadvantage, dropped thement, took her empty rice bowl, and turned towards her own home.


    Li Daniu watched Mrs. Xu¡¯s retreating figure and snickered disdainfully, ¡°Look at her, thinking anyone cares to gossip about that little pity party of hers!¡±


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s stop talking about the Xu family, and talk about the Team Leader¡¯s House.¡± The Loudspeaker slurped up a mouthful of corn noodle soup and asked Wang Chunhua and Li Daniu, ¡°Do you not know what Li Bao sent her family this time?¡±


    Li Daniu retorted, ¡°Do you know?¡±


    The Loudspeaker shook her head, ¡°If I knew, I wouldn¡¯t be asking you.¡±


    Wang Chunhua: ¡°If you want to know, go take a look at the Team Leader¡¯s House yourself.¡±


    The Loudspeaker: ¡°You say that as if you and Chunhua aren¡¯t curious too.¡±

 Chapter 268: 268: Want to Poach

    <strong>Chapter 268: Chapter 268: Want to Poach</strong>


    ¡°I do want to know, but I can wait patiently for the Team Leader¡¯s House to spread the news themselves.¡±


    Wang Chunhua said so, paused a moment, then continued, ¡°Remember when Li Bao¡¯s son-inw sent a television back to the Team Leader¡¯s House? Everyone spected wildly until the Team Leader couple told us all that it was a gift of filial piety from their son-inw, and that he had bought it without Li Bao knowing. Honestly, when I first heard about it, my feelings were soplicated!¡±


    ¡°We all felt the same way.¡±


    Li Daniu sighed with a hint of sourness in her voice, ¡°We used to gossip behind their backs about how Li Bao was spoiled by the Team Leader couple, even saying the family raised her like an ancestor. And now, look, the Team Leader couple and their whole family are benefiting from Li Bao.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Cui the Loudspeaker suddenly found herself speechless.


    Yeah, what else could she say?


    Admit that she was actually very envious and jealous of the Team Leader¡¯s House?


    Everyone raises their daughters with great care, but while her own daughter turned out to be a worthless loss, the Team Leader¡¯s daughter ends up bringing in a capable son-inw. s! There¡¯s noparison!


    Suddenly, Li Daniu lowered her voice and leaned closer to Wang Chunhua and Cui the Loudspeaker, ¡°I heard from my Meimei¡­


    Looking around to ensure there was no one else, Li Daniu took a moment before continuing, leaving Cui the Loudspeaker anxiously waiting, ¡°Hurry up and spill it! Don¡¯t keep us hanging!¡±


    ¡°Look how eager you are!¡±


    ring at Cui the Loudspeaker, Li Daniu continued from where she left off, ¡°My Meimei said thattely Chunxia has been frequently visiting the supply and marketing co-op.¡±


    Wang Chunhua: ¡°Don¡¯t beat around the bush.¡±


    Li Daniu: ¡°I¡¯m not beating around the bush. Haven¡¯t you thought about why Chunxia keeps going to the supply and marketing co-op?¡±


    ¡°You¡­ really, you bring it up this far, and still you want us to guess? Spit it out!¡±


    Wang Chunhua red, and at the same time, Cui the Loudspeaker also looked at Li Daniu with irritation: ¡°If you¡¯re going to say something, just say it. Don¡¯t have us guessing back and forth, it¡¯s annoying!¡±


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll just say it¡­ Chunxia¡¯s recent trips to the supply and marketing co-op aren¡¯t for shopping; she¡¯s there to see that Zhou family kid. Meimei has seen her do it no less than five times.


    In less than half a month, just from what Meimei has seen, Chunxia has met up with that Zhou family kid five times in secret. Don¡¯t you think there¡¯s something going on?¡±


    Li Daniu said with a face full of gossip.¡±


    Cui the Loudspeaker suddenly pped her thigh, ¡°Chunxia is trying to get close to that Zhou family kid¡­ Could it be that she¡¯s had her eye on him for a long time?¡±


    Wang Chunhua was also very surprised, ¡°No wonder that girl has always been sticking around Li Bao; she must have had her sights on that Zhou family kid too.¡±


    ¡°No way? Chunxia isn¡¯t as bad as you think. I don¡¯t believe she got close with Li Bao just because she was after her fianc¨¦. Well, he should probably be referred to as her ex-fianc¨¦ now.¡±


    After hearing Cui the Loudspeaker and Wang Chunhua¡¯s remarks, it was Li Daniu¡¯s turn to be shocked. She only meant to say that Chunxia had recently been flirting with Zhou Weimin, not that the girl was cozying up with Li Bao to get to her fianc¨¦¡ªor rather, her former fianc¨¦.


    ¡°Let¡¯s drop the old stories. I think that Chunxia is currently looking to snatch someone from Educated Youth Su¡¯s grasp.¡±


    The moment Cui the Loudspeaker voiced this, she nodded firmly as if she was onto something big: ¡°It must be like that, otherwise why would she keep going to the supply and marketing co-op to meet Zhou Weimin these days?!¡±


    Wang Chunhua: ¡°Educated Youth Su isn¡¯t someone easy to deal with.¡±


    To steal someone¡¯s fianc¨¦, there must be many hidden schemes in her heart.


    ¡­

 Chapter 269: 269: Kill a Thousand Enemies at the Cost of Eight Hundred of Our Own

    <strong>Chapter 269: Chapter 269: Kill a Thousand Enemies at the Cost of Eight Hundred of Our Own</strong>


    At dusk, just after the Team Leader¡¯s family had finished their dinner, the main room was crowded with vigers who hade to watch television, including the young and the old and even several Educated Youths from the Youth Educated Institute.


    However, during the opening theme song of tonight¡¯s first episode of the series, a chaotic noise erupted from the entrance of the courtyard to the main room.


    ¡°What¡¯s all the ruckus about? The TV series has started, if you want to argue, go elsewhere!¡±


    An irritable young man turned his head towards the entrance of the main room and shouted at the top of his lungs.


    But it had no effect.


    ¡°Have you no shame? In Aoli Vige, who doesn¡¯t know that Su Qing is soon to marry Comrade Zhou Weimin? Yet here you are, dragging Comrade Zhou Weimin into the woods today. What are you trying to do?


    Are you trying to steal Su Qing from him? Let me tell you, with us Educated Youths here, you won¡¯t achieve your goal!¡±


    ¡°How can you say I went into the woods with Brother Weimin? We were only talking. You all are crazy, attacking me without even waiting for an exnation, dragging me here to the Team Leader¡¯s House to demand justice. You call yourselves cultured Educated Youths? More like irrational harpies!¡±


    Xu Chunxia was desperately trying to stay calm; she felt like she had been cursed, caught red-handed in the woods by Su Qing and two other female Educated Youths just as she was about to seed.


    Now she had no choice but to deny her intentions towards Zhou Weimin, otherwise, she could kiss her reputation goodbye. Once she got home, she was bound to get a beating from her parents and relentless mockery from her brothers.


    However, some things cannot be denied just because Xu Chunxia wants to deny them. After all, if Su Qing hade to catch someone in the woods, she hadn¡¯t nned on giving Xu Chunxia any way out.


    Though this might embarrass Zhou Weimin and herself as well, she couldn¡¯t care less; she just didn¡¯t want the duck, already cooked, to be snatched from her mouth!


    ¡°Comrade Xu Chunxia, what were you and Comrade Zhou Weimin doing in the woods? You know, and we know. If you don¡¯t admit it, I don¡¯t mind helping you remember the scene when we caught you.¡±


    Xu Chunxia red fiercely at the two female Educated Youths using her: ¡°Educated Youth Hu, what benefits did Educated Youth Su and Educated Youth Zhang give you that you nder me like this? Even willing to act like a mad dog for her!¡±


    ¡°Comrade Xu Chunxia, how can you¡­ how can you talk about Educated Youth Hu and Educated Youth Zhang like that? They are just seeking justice. What¡¯s wrong with that, and what have I done wrong?


    We three were walking through the vige after dinner and unintentionally approached that grove, not expecting¡­ not expecting to inadvertently see you dragging Comrade Zhou Weimin into the woods,


    Comrade Xu Chunxia, Comrade Zhou Weimin and I are already engaged, and we¡¯re to be married in December. Why¡­ why would you do such a thing? Don¡¯t you know what shame is?¡±


    With tears shimmering in her eyes, Su Qing feigned heartbreak. She turned to Zhou Weimin, ¡°Say something! I¡¯ll believe whatever you say. Tell everyone, what were you doing going into the woods with her?¡±


    Zhou Weimin hung his head, his lips pursed, remaining silent.


    He felt as if, the moment he and Xu Chunxia were caught in the woods by Su Qing and the other two female Educated Youths, it was as embarrassing as being stripped naked in a public square.


    Now being pressured by Su Qing to dere his stance, Zhou Weimin truly wished he could choke her and ask, was it necessary? Was it necessary to make such a fuss over this trivial matter, turning him into aughingstock for everyone to gawk at?

 Chapter 270: The 270th Fury

    <strong>Chapter 270: The 270th Fury</strong>


    Moreover, he had always regarded Chunxia as a younger sister, and what had happened in the woods before¡­ nothing had happened between him and Chunxia. What did she want him to say? What did she expect him to say?


    Seeing Zhou Weimin remain silent for a long time, Su Qing felt a surge of anger and, sobbing, she asked, ¡°Could it be that Educated Youth Hu, Educated Youth Zhang, and I were all seeing things? Comrade Xu Chunxia didn¡¯t do anything in front of you¡­¡±


    ¡°Enough! Su Qing! What right do you have to talk about me like this?¡±


    Zhou Weimin was furious and was about to interrupt Su Qing, but Xu Chunxia beat him to it. Her eyes zing like fire, she red at Su Qing:


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget, my Brother Weimin was once in a rtionship with Li Bao, and they were legitimately engaged to be married. But just because you were shameless and manipted things with your little schemes, my Brother Weimin had no choice but to break off his engagement with Li Bao. So now, Su Qing, where do you get the nerve to use me?¡±


    ¡°You admit it, don¡¯t you? You admit you developed inappropriate feelings for Zhou Weimin? You admit that despite knowing Zhou Weimin was engaged to me¡­¡±


    The people watching TV in the main room, including Captain Kang and his family, were all drawn out by the noise in the courtyard. Listening to Xu Chunxia and the others argue back and forth as if they were fighting cocks, it was undoubtedly a spectacle for the bystanders, but the Kang Family was irritated.


    What did this have to do with their Li Bao?


    Why should their Li Bao be dragged into this mess?


    Cai Xiufen¡¯s expression was particrly ugly, as were those of Captain Kang and the others.


    ¡°All of you shut up!¡±


    Captain Kang¡¯s face was dark as the bottom of a pot: ¡°What exactly happened? Educated Youth Su, Zhou Family boy, Xu Family Third Sister, each of you exin the matter clearly, and listen well, don¡¯t involve irrelevant people in your affair today!¡±


    His Li Bao had long been done with that bastard Zhou Weimin; don¡¯t make his daughter and their entire family nauseated again!


    ¡°I have nothing to say.¡±


    Zhou Weimin was the first to speak up.


    Xu Chunxia: ¡°Team Leader, I merely happened upon Brother Weimin by chance and thought to say a few words to him. But before I could even open my mouth,


    I was surrounded by Educated Youth Su, Educated Youth Hu, and Educated Youth Zhang, among whom Hu and Zhang started cursing at me, calling me shameless, and even attacked me like shrews.¡±


    ¡°Comrade Xu Chunxia, do you really expect us to believe that your encounter with Zhou Weimin was a mere coincidence? Fine, let¡¯s assume it was a coincidence and that you had something you wanted to say to Zhou Weimin, but did you have to drag a malerade into the woods by the road to talk?


    Moreover, talking is one thing, but what did you actually do? Do I need to recount your actions in front of everyone?¡±


    With the mention of ¡°woods,¡± this undoubtedly prompted all sorts of associations among the crowd. Even if nothing had happened between Xu Chunxia and Zhou Weimin, her reputation was already damaged. She sneered inwardly, and her gaze towards Xu Chunxia could not hide her scorn: Overestimating herself!


    After having their dinner, Xu Chunxia¡¯s parents, brothers, and sister had alle to the Kang family to watch television. Now, what were they witnessing? What were they hearing?


    ¡°What are you standing around here for? Hurry back home and have your dinner!¡±


    Even if she were just a girl, she could bring a substantial dowry to their family. How could they allow this wretched girl to ruin her reputation here?!


    Pushing her way through the crowd, Mrs. Xunded a sharp p on Xu Chunxia¡¯s back.


    ¡°Third Sister, really, if you wanted to borrow the middle school textbooks from Brother Weimin, you could have just gone to his house openly. Why did you have to secretly meet up with Brother Weimin? Come on, dinner is waiting for you in the pot; I¡¯ll go back with you.¡±

 Chapter 271: 271: Pig Teammate

    <strong>Chapter 271: Chapter 271: Pig Teammate</strong>


    Chunmei followed Mrs. Xu, squeezing into the crowd, undoubtedly trying to help her third sister, Chunxia, out of trouble.


    ¡°I¡¯m just afraid of beingughed at. After all, I didn¡¯t even finish elementary school, and now I want to teach myself the knowledge in middle school textbooks. If someone like Educated Youth Su found out, I can¡¯t imagine how they would mock me, so I just¡­¡±


    Chunxia was quick-witted too and, noticing that her younger sister Chunmei was throwing her a lifeline, she paused, her face full of grievances as she tearfully continued.


    ¡°Third sister, stop talking, I know you¡¯re not like some shameless people who, well aware that someone has a fianc¨¦e, still sneakily plot behind the scenes, managing to break up an engaged couple. Let¡¯s go home, so we don¡¯t have to stomach those shameless individuals.¡±


    As she spoke, Chunmei nced at Su Qing, seemingly by ident.


    ¡°Youngdy, who are you talking about?¡±


    Su Qing wasn¡¯t nning to say anything because as soon as she opened her mouth, it would confirm that she was that shameless person. However, Educated Youth Hu, eager to help, couldn¡¯t contain himself and immediately came to Su Qing¡¯s defense:


    ¡°Our Educated Youth Su hasn¡¯t ruined anyone¡¯s rtionship. It was Comrade Zhou Weimin who took a liking to our Educated Youth Su himself and was the one who initiated the proposal to break off his¡­


    ¡°Hu Yan!¡±


    At this moment Su Qing was anything but pleased with Educated Youth Hu defending her, as he was practically being a detrimental teammate. Annoyed internally, she maintained a pained expression externally:


    ¡°Stop it. Perhaps we really misunderstood Comrade Chunxia Xu. However, what I really don¡¯t understand is why Comrade Chunxia Xu, even if she was dragging Comrade Zhou Weimin into the woods to talk about borrowing a book, would need to¡­¡±


    Zhou Weimin interrupted Su Qing, ¡°If you keep creating problems out of nothing, consider our engagement off!¡±


    Su Qing¡¯s eyes widened in shock: ¡°You wouldn¡¯t dare!¡± After all, she had given everything to this man. If he dared not to marry her, he shouldn¡¯t me her for taking drastic actions!


    ¡°Continue causing a scene here, and you¡¯ll see if I dare!¡±


    With those words, Zhou Weimin did not look back as he squeezed out of the crowd and swiftly returned to his own home.


    The farce ended with Zhou Weimin¡¯s departure, but needless to say, both Chunxia Xu¡¯s reputation and Zhou Weimin¡¯s were practically ruined by today¡¯s events.


    Even Su Qing¡¯s own reputation wouldn¡¯t fare much better.


    Moreover, Zhou Weimin had indeed gone to the Kang Family to call off the engagement because of her, and now with Chunxia Xu¡¯s usations, Su Qing¡¯s image was definitely not as harmless as she usually portrayed.


    Upon realizing someone¡¯s true character, would the friends who used to surround her still associate with her as before?


    ¡°Su Qing, Hu Yan and I will head back to the Youth Educated Institute first. Don¡¯te back toote yourself.¡±


    Zhang Xiao tugged at Hu Yan¡¯s sleeve, their faces showing no particr expression. Without minding that Su Qing was still standing there, as soon as they left the Kang Family¡¯s house, Zhang Xiaoined: ¡°We were probably used as pawns.¡±


    Hu Yan: ¡°You noticed that too?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious! If it was really like Su Qing said, that Zhou Weimin liked her and pursued her, and to be with her, took the initiative to break off his engagement at the Team Leader¡¯s House¡­ then why didn¡¯t Zhou Weimin speak up today to defend his fianc¨¦e?¡±


    Zhang Xiao, who is Educated Youth Zhang, was naturally referring to Su Qing as Zhou Weimin¡¯s fianc¨¦e, not Kang Li, his previous fianc¨¦e.


    Hu Yan frowned: ¡°Exactly. If Zhou Weimin truly loved Su Qing, he wouldn¡¯t let misunderstandings exist between them. What he should have done was exin immediately to Su Qing why he was seen in the woods with that vige girl.¡±

 Chapter 272: 272 She Is Smart!

    <strong>Chapter 272: Chapter 272 She Is Smart!</strong>


    ¡°What¡¯s there to exin? We all saw what happened, do you think a situation like that still needs an exnation?¡±


    Zhang Xiao¡¯s eyes shed with disgust, ¡°If you ask me, Zhou Weimin is no good. Marrying him might not be a good thing for Su Qing.¡±


    Xu family.


    ¡°What about your face, huh?¡± As soon as he entered the door, Father Xu pped Xu Chunxia twice and said furiously, ¡°Without a reputation, which family would want to marry you?¡±


    Mrs. Xu: ¡°Father, now that things havee to this, I think we should find a husband for third daughter as soon as possible. Even if it¡¯s a cripple, a blind man, or a mute, as long as the other side offers a high bride price, we should just bring him over and take her away.¡±


    ¡°Why? Why are you treating me this way?¡± Xu Chunxia¡¯s cheeks were swollen, and her eyes brimmed with tears as she red at the parents who gave birth to her but did not treat her like a human being.


    ¡°Because you are our child!¡± Mrs. Xu¡¯s face was cold, and her triangr eyes showed no sympathy or tenderness of a mother for her daughter. She said, ¡°Look at Li Bao. Even though she was returned by the Zhou family, she listened to her parents¡¯ arrangement and married a good man. Now, her whole family has benefited a lot from Li Bao¡­¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s so good about marrying a divorcee?! If you dare to find me a divorcee, if you dare to find me a blind or crippled man, or a mute, I will die for you to see!¡±


    Xu Chunxia said indignantly with tears streaming down, then turned around and ran to the room she shared with her two younger sisters.


    Xu Chui: ¡°Dad, Mom, I think third sister just needs a beating!¡± The second in the lineup at home and the eldest among the brothers.


    Xu Chunwang: ¡°If third sister doesn¡¯t obey, just hit her!¡± The fifth in the sibling order and second of the brothers, he was young but refused to learn good things, definitely a troublemaker.


    ¡°If we damage her and no one wants her, wouldn¡¯t it be a waste to have raised her for over a decade?¡± Father Xu retorted to his two sons, then turned his gaze to Mrs. Xu: ¡°Find someone for third daughter as quickly as possible. No matter the personal circumstances of the other side, as long as the bride price is high, I will agree to the marriage without hesitation.¡±


    Mrs. Xu: ¡°Agreed.¡±


    Kang Family.


    Before bed, Cai Xiufen thought of the scene that Xu Chunxia, Su Qing, and Zhou Weimin had caused in her courtyard, and her face turned ugly.


    ¡°What is all this mess?! Li Bao has nothing to do with the Zhou family scumbag anymore, so why does Chunxia have to drag our Li Bao into her own scandal?¡±


    Team Leader Kang was sitting cross-legged near the edge of the kang bed. He lit his smoking pipe, took a puff, and frowned, ¡°She¡¯s trying to shift everyone¡¯s attention from herself.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s pretty smart!¡±


    Cai Xiufen snorted coldly and said, ¡°Li Bao considered her a friend, but look at her now, getting involved with Zhou Weimin of all people. How is that fair to our Li Bao?¡±


    Team Leader Kang: ¡°Li Bao and that girl probably aren¡¯t friends anymore.¡±


    Cai Xiufen: ¡°Li Bao told you that?¡±


    Team Leader Kang: ¡°Think about it. What did Li Bao say and how did Chunxia¡¯s face look when that Zhou family woman made a fuss at our courtyard gate previously?¡±


    Reminded by Team Leader Kang, Cai Xiufen quickly remembered and said, ¡°So, Li Bao had already broken off with the Xu family¡¯s third daughter by then!¡±


    ¡°If it weren¡¯t for that girl calling Li Bao out from our house, would Li Bao have gotten into trouble that day? I¡¯ve been feeling that girl had too many schemes in mind ever since she got close to Li Bao. If it wasn¡¯t for her seemingly harmless intentions towards our Li Bao, I wouldn¡¯t have given her easy jobs with a lot of work points before Li Bao went to North City.¡±

 Chapter 273: 273 Different Feelings

    <strong>Chapter 273: Chapter 273 Different Feelings</strong>


    Extinguishing the fire in his pipe, Captain Kang shook his head and sighed lightly, ¡°I have no idea what¡¯s so good about that bastard from the Zhou family. First, the educated youth Su from the city took a liking to him,


    and now¡­ even the third daughter of the Xu family has fallen for that bastard. I reckon, given the way Xu Laoer and his wife handle things, after today¡¯s incident, they are most likely to send their third daughter out of the house at the earliest opportunity.¡±


    They don¡¯t treat their daughter as a person, just waiting for the time to look at a match, hoping to get a hefty dowry in exchange for her.


    As for the man¡¯s character and whether he looks decent, that doesn¡¯t evene into their consideration.


    To sum it up in one sentence: If he can afford the dowry they demand, he is considered a good son-inw that they like!


    Cai Xiufen: ¡°If you ask me, that little bastard is purely a disaster! Fortunately, our Li Bao can pick up and put down, otherwise, even if she married into the Zhou family, life would hardly befortable.¡±


    After a moment of silence, Cai Xiufen spoke up about Xu Chunxia: ¡°With our Li Bao as a precedent, the third daughter of the Xu family still set her heart on that little bastard from the Zhou family, which shows her blindness is no ordinary matter.


    Especially herck of self-respect, using such despicable methods to get into the Zhou family, she is simply ruining her own reputation. Looking back, her being casually disowned by her parents, frankly, is her own doing!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right, every effect has its cause. When the third daughter of the Xu family is disowned by her parents randomly, she can¡¯t me anyone else.¡±


    Captain Kang agreed and then, cing his pipe properly,y down in his spot and pulled up the nket saying, ¡°Let¡¯s sleep, none of this concerns our family. Just leave them be!¡±


    Cai Xiufen made a sound of agreement and said, ¡°Pull the light cord.¡±


    Captain Kang made no sound, but the next moment, the room plunged into darkness.


    A long strip of cloth was tied to the light cord, and the cloth was pressed under the mattress where Captain Kang slept by the wall, making it very convenient to turn off the light.


    ¡­


    Kang Li did not expect that almost ten days after she sent out the parcel, she would receive a reply letter from her family.


    Before she even opened the envelope, just by looking at its thickness, Kang Li guessed that it contained at least more than five or six sheets of letter paper.


    The result was indeed as she had expected.


    A total of six sheets, each densely written. From the handwriting, it was clear that Big Brother Kang had taken the pen, but after reading the content of the letters, Kang Liughed.


    It turned out that Big Brother Kang was merely a tool.


    The reason?


    The content of the letter was entirely in their mother¡¯s tone.


    After skimming the letter, thinking of her mother dictating by the side while Big Brother Kang sat seriously writing at the desk, Kang Li felt an involuntary warmth in her heart and found it somewhat amusing.


    However, when Kang Li refocused on the content of the letter in her hands, she couldn¡¯t help butugh.


    All over a man like Zhou Weimin, people are losing their minds, blinded in their rush to have him, even going as far as to tarnish their own reputations and turn an intensely private matter into public gossip foolishly involving her as well.


    It¡¯s absurd!


    Stuffing the envelope into a drawer, Kang Li¡¯s expression grew cool, deeply feeling Xu Chunxia had no brains.


    With all the men out there, she had to get involved in the sordid entanglement of a despicable man and a shameless woman.


    Now it¡¯s done, she¡¯s lost her reputation while the couple remains betrothed, with a wedding impending in thest month, and in the end, of the whole affair, only Xu Chunxia herself is paying for the farce.


    Sympathy?


    Kang Li shook her head; she would not sympathize with fools.

 Chapter 274: 274 You Are Awesome!

    <strong>Chapter 274: Chapter 274 You Are Awesome!</strong>


    Ming Ming looked quite astute, but what she did was really beyond agreement.


    Besides, what was so good about Zhou Weimin, that moth-like man, that she needed to tarnish her own reputation just to marry him?


    With a snort of derision, Kang Li thought of her biological mother¡¯s spections in the letter, her actions described only as: blind and self-inflicted!


    ¡°Mom, did you receive the reply letter Doudou Brother wrote to my sister and me today?¡±


    After kindergarten was dismissed, Kang Li picked up the three kids on the way back to thepound, when suddenly she heard Milk Bun Ming Han¡¯s voice, she couldn¡¯t help but turn her gaze to the little one, she smiled gently and responded, ¡°Not yet.¡±


    ¡°Why not? I¡¯ve been looking forward to it for so many days, why hasn¡¯t Doudou Brother replied to Hanhan and my sister yet?¡±


    Milk Bun Ming Han furrowed her little eyebrows and asked her mother from the stroller.


    ¡°Your Doudou Brother must have a lot to say to you, so the reply is a bit slow, you and sister need to wait patiently, you should receive your Doudou Brother¡¯s reply in a few days.¡±


    Her soft voice gently spilled over her lips,forting Milk Bun Ming Han and her sister Ming Wei just a little, but then the child turned to look at her brother Min Rui, and once again raised her childish voice, ¡°What about the reply letters Xiaoyu cousin and Maomao cousin sent to brother?¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°Not yet, either!¡±


    The stroller was made of bamboo, and considering the weather was getting colder, it wasn¡¯tfortable for the twins to just sit on the seat, so Kang Li had specially sewn two soft cushions of the right size fixed on the seat, and also wrapped the handrails with cotton cloth several times, to protect Min Rui¡¯s hands from getting cold on the way to and from school.


    ¡°I see, then I¡¯m not in a hurry!¡±


    Milk Bun Ming Han said, looking towards her brother Min Rui and chuckled ¡°hehe.¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei: ¡°Second brother, big brother is looking at you!¡±


    Milk Bun Ming Han: ¡°Let him look, I¡¯m not afraid of him.¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei blinked her big eyes like ck grapes, ¡°Really? Are you really not afraid of big brother, second brother? I don¡¯t believe it one bit!¡± she said with a childish voice, covering her mouth and giggling, ¡°Every time big brother res, second brother would shrink his neck scared, I saw it very clearly.¡±


    ¡°You must have seen it wrong, that¡¯s not me.¡±


    Milk Bun Ming Han vehemently denied.


    ¡°My eyes are very sharp, I didn¡¯t see it wrong!¡± Xiao Ming Weiughed gleefully, her eyes sparkling, ¡°Also, every time second brother doesn¡¯t behave, and big brother hums softly, second brother immediately doesn¡¯t dare to move, Vivi isn¡¯t wrong, right?¡±


    Milk Bun Ming Han red: ¡°Consider yourself amazing!¡±


    The boy-girl twins babbled at each other in the stroller, while Kang Li watched with a faint smile on her lips, even Min Rui, the elder brother, had his mouth slightly curl unnoticed because of his younger siblings¡¯ bickering.


    Being exposed by his sister in front of their mother left Milk Bun Ming Han with a tiny bit of unhappiness.


    ¡°Mom, can I sleep with you tonight?¡±


    Stinky Vivi, as long as mom nods, let¡¯s see how smug you can be, Milk Bun Ming Han thought, looking at his mother with a pitiful gaze that involuntarily made one feel sympathetic.


    And indeed, Kang Li fell for the little one¡¯s ploy, she answered with a smile, ¡°You can.¡±


    Unexpectedly, before Milk Bun Ming Han could rejoice and show off to his sister, he heard his mother continue, ¡°Tonight, you all will sleep in mom¡¯s room.¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei felt the surprise came too quickly, ¡°Mom, are you saying Vivi can also sleep with mom?¡±

 Chapter 275: 275: Black Sesame Paste Twin with Mixed Sex

    <strong>Chapter 275: Chapter 275: ck Sesame Paste Twin with Mixed Sex</strong>


    Kang Li: ¡°Of course.¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei: ¡°And big brother too, right?¡±


    Kang Li, beaming with a smile, said, ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°Big brother, big brother, did you hear that?! Tonight we can all sleep with mom!¡± Xiao Ming Wei was so excited she was almost dancing.


    Milk Bun Ming Han was really frustrated. Why did mom have to let brother and sister sleep with them? Couldn¡¯t it just be mom and him alone for sleeping?


    ¡°Second brother, are you unhappy?¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei cocked her head and looked at her brother Ming Han, her big eyes filled with curiosity: ¡°You¡¯re frowning, you must be unhappy. So, why are you unhappy? Don¡¯t you want to sleep with mom anymore?¡±


    The little girl¡¯s face was a picture of innocence, showing no signs of setting a trap for her brother Ming Han.


    ¡°Who says? I¡¯m very happy. Tonight I¡¯m going to sleep next to mom and listen to the stories she tells.¡± Hmph! They thought they would see him upset, and then he would end up sleeping by himself in their room, leaving mom to her and big brother. He wouldn¡¯t fall for that!


    Milk Bun Ming Han forced a big smile, his eyes curving into crescents. Seeing him like this, Xiao Ming Wei was inwardly fuming: Bad second brother!


    With a sly turn of his eyes, Milk Bun Ming Han suddenly looked at his mom: ¡°Mom, sister is getting angry, she¡¯s being naughty!¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei lifted her chin: ¡°I¡¯m very happy, I¡¯m not angry at all!¡±


    ¡°Lla¡­¡±


    Milk Bun Ming Han made a face at his sister.


    ¡°Wow! Second brother, you have something dirty on your face!¡± Xiao Ming Wei cooed as she pulled a handkerchief from her pocket, smiling, ¡°Second brother,e here, let me wipe it off for you, or you¡¯ll be a little blotchy cat!¡±


    ¡°Really? Do I have something dirty on my face?¡± Milk Bun Ming Han touched his face, not wanting to be a blotchy cat. With this thought, Milk Bun Ming Han leaned his face towards Xiao Ming Wei.


    Unexpectedly, what met him was not his sister wiping off dirt, but a pinch on his face.


    Stunned for a moment, Milk Bun Ming Han¡¯s face tightened as he exploded at his sister: ¡°Luo Mingwei, you¡¯re mean!¡±


    ¡°Why would you say Vivi is mean? Vivi did wipe the dirt off for you!¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei looked innocent.


    Milk Bun Ming Han: ¡°You¡¯re lying, there was no dirt on my face, you¡¯re just a little liar!¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei: ¡°I¡¯m not a little liar! I¡¯m mom¡¯s good baby!¡±


    Milk Bun Ming Han crossed his arms: ¡°Mom¡¯s good baby is me, not you!¡±


    ¡°Alright, you¡¯re both mom¡¯s dear little babies, but if you keep arguing like this¡­¡± before Kang Li could finish her sentence, the twin siblings chimed in together: ¡°Mom, mom, I and sister (second brother) are not fighting!¡±


    Kang Li raised an eyebrow: ¡°Is that so?¡±


    The twin siblings answered together: ¡°Yes, Hanhan (Vivi) is not lying to mom.¡±


    Kang Li smiled: ¡°If there¡¯s no fighting, that¡¯s good.¡±


    ¡­


    That night, the twin siblings slept on either side of Kang Li, with brother Min Rui sleeping next to his brother Ming Han. However, after Kang Li finished telling a story and saw that the three little ones were fast asleep, she gently got up, gathered the three little ones together, and gave most of the bed space to the little ones to sleep. She theny back down by the edge of the bed.


    This was only to prevent Xiao Ming Rui from identally rolling off the bed at night.


    Still, to be safe, she took a duvet and ced it beside the bed on Xiao Ming Rui¡¯s side¡­


    ¡°Godmother, what happened to you?¡±


    That day, having dropped Xiao Ming Rui and his siblings off at the kindergarten, Kang Li went to the Song Family to check on Mrs. Qi, but upon entering the living room, she found Mrs. Qi looking extremely unwell.

 Chapter 276: 276 Can you stop being stupid?

    <strong>Chapter 276: Chapter 276 Can you stop being stupid?</strong>


    ¡°Li Bao is here, take a seat.¡±


    Mrs. Qi internally adjusted her emotions and managed a strained smile towards Kang Li.


    ¡°Godmother, can you tell me what has happened?¡±


    Sitting on the sofa next to Mrs. Qi, Kang Li stared intently at her.


    ¡°Li Bao¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    Kang Li saw the look of difficulty on Mrs. Qi¡¯s face, and her lips curled into a faint smile, ¡°If godmother finds it difficult, then pretend I didn¡¯t ask anything just now.¡±


    Sighing deeply, Mrs. Qi shook her head and said, ¡°Before you came in, I received¡­ I received a call¡­¡± Hesitating for a while, Mrs. Qi¡¯splexion that had slightly recovered turned unsightly again, ¡°There was a problem with the job at the Second Mechanical Factory.¡±


    Kang Li frowned, ¡°Is it that the positions have been filled?¡±


    Mrs. Qi: ¡°The original two positions have been reduced to one.¡±


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    Kang Li was puzzled.


    How could the agreed-upon positions suddenly decrease by one?


    Mrs. Qi: ¡°My acquaintance said that the second-inmand at their factory needed a position, and all other positions had already been prearranged, so they had to cancel one of the two positions promised to me.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°If I remember correctly, yesterday was the day they were hiring temporary workers over there. Why wasn¡¯t this call made to godmother a couple of days earlier instead of choosing today?¡±


    Mrs. Qi gave a wry smile: ¡°Their factory announced the employment list early this morning.¡±


    ¡°That means¡­ only one of Feng Yi and Mo Yan can be a temporary worker.¡±


    Both young men had participated in the written and oral exams simultaneously, and it was meant to be a formality, but now they found out that the factory hadn¡¯t hired both of them but had kept one and rejected one. How would the two young men respond to this situation?


    Young and impetuous, Kang Li was somewhat worried. No matter whether it was Feng Yi or Mo Yan who got hired by the factory¡­ most likely neither would stay.


    Mrs. Qi nodded, ¡°Yes.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°Feng Yi and Mo Yan might choose to stand together or fall together.¡± Voicing her spection, Kang Li was silent for a while.


    ¡°Indeed, young people are impulsive. Now, my worry is that those two kids might just abandon the position altogether.


    After a moment of contemtion, Mrs. Qi said, ¡°It seems I need to think of another solution.¡±


    ¡°Forget it, godmother. There¡¯s no need for you to trouble yourself further.¡±


    Kang Li shook her head, saying, ¡°If they do waste that one remaining position, then let them be. After all, you don¡¯t owe them anything. And I¡¯m sorry for bringing them up before, godmother!¡±


    In the western suburbs, at Mo Yan¡¯s house.


    ¡°Can you stop being stupid?¡±


    Hearing Feng Yi say he wouldn¡¯t go to the factory to report for the job, Mo Yan was so furious he was on the verge of throwing punches.


    ¡°I¡¯m not being stupid. We agreed to enter the factory together andmute together, but now only I¡¯ve been hired, and you¡­ I just don¡¯t want to work there alone.¡±


    Feng Yi and Mo Yan had been discharged from the hospital and naturally had moved back into Mo Yan¡¯s house. Yesterday, both had attended the Second Mechanical Factory temporary workers recruitment. Who would have known that this morning, upon checking the published employment list at the factory, Mo Yan¡¯s name was missing? In an instant, Feng Yi thought of a lot, and then both with their own thoughts returned home silently. Then Feng Yi immediately dered: brothers should stick together in all things!


    At those words, Mo Yan was beside himself with anger.


    They both knew all too well how difficult it was to find a job. Now, with one of them gaining employment, which should have been cause for celebration, Feng Yi decided to give up the job opportunity for some damn ¡°brotherly loyalty.¡± Was he out of his mind or just in foolish?


    ¡°I think you¡¯re sick, and seriously so!¡±

 Chapter 277: 277 Hate

    <strong>Chapter 277: Chapter 277 Hate</strong>


    With hands on hips, Mo Yan paced back and forth in front of Feng Yi, her brows furrowed confrontationally, ¡°You should know that the only reason we even had the chance to take part in the written exam and interview at that factory was all thanks to your Mother Qi.¡±


    ¡°Of course, if it weren¡¯t for Sister Kang Li, your Mother Qi might not have been willing to help us. And now, because of some ¡®brotherhood loyalty,¡¯ you¡¯re about to give up the job opportunity that fell into ourps. Who are you being fair to, huh?!¡±


    Feng Yi said, aggrieved, ¡°You¡¯re using foulnguage.¡±


    ¡°So what if I did? What are you going to do about it?¡±


    Mo Yan rolled her eyes, her face grave, ¡°If one of us starts working, at least we would have an ie and not have to go to bed hungry every day. But if you give up this job opportunity,


    ¡°then I reckon we¡¯ll really have no way of staying in the city. We¡¯ll have to take our bedding rolls and run off to the countryside to join a work team, and then toil away day after day, with our faces toward the dirt and our backs to the sky, just to earn our food. Think about it, you¡¯re not unfamiliar with fieldwork!¡±


    He had undergone reform throughbor on a farm, and he certainly didn¡¯t believe she had no profound feelings about clutching farm tools and scrabbling for food in the dirt.


    Feng Yi shivered abruptly.


    When it came toboring in the fields¡­ he had too much experience! His thoughts involuntarily drifting back to the days he was detained on the reform farm, Feng Yi¡¯s expression slowly grew pained. Noticing that something was off with him, a startled Mo Yan hurriedly approached, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? What¡¯s happening to you?¡±


    Crouching on the ground, Feng Yi hugged his knees, his forehead slick with cold sweat, his mouth trembling, hisplexion pale. In that moment, he could not stop shivering all over.


    ¡°Feng Yi! Feng Yi! What are you thinking about? Snap out of it, quick!¡± Worried that something serious might happen to him, Mo Yan yanked him up from the ground, grabbed his shoulders, and shook him hard while continuously calling his name.


    After a while, Feng Yi slowly came back to his senses, ¡°Brother Yan¡­¡±


    His voice trembling, he grabbed Mo Yan¡¯s hand, his eyes red as he shook his head and said with a choked voice, ¡°Brother Yan, I didn¡¯t hurt anyone, I didn¡¯t, I don¡¯t know that person, I really didn¡¯t do it¡­ But my mom said I did, and when the police came to my house to arrest someone, she said it was me who hurt the person¡­


    ¡°The food at the farm was so scarce and bad, and I had to work every day. I was so tired, I felt like I would die there. But I wanted to get out, wanted to live, to walk out of the farm¡­¡±


    Tears streamed down his face, unbeknownst to Feng Yi, his pain turning into anger and sorrow, ¡°I was taken home by my dad¡¯s driver, but not a single person in that home weed me. They all sat in the living room, looking at me as if I were a stranger.


    ¡°My mom cursed at me, asking why I didn¡¯t die out there. She drove me away. My dad didn¡¯t say a word, and my brothers¡­ those I¡¯d called ¡®brother¡¯ all these years, my stepbrothers¡­ they just sat there and watched coldly¡­ Brother Yan, I hate them!


    ¡°I hate my mom. Why did she have to give birth to me? If she didn¡¯t like me, why did she bring me into this world? I might have a mother, but from childhood to adulthood, I never felt a hint of warmth from her. Apart from scolding me, she just ignored me; she didn¡¯t like me, her own son, one bit!¡±


    Having vented all the words that had been suppressed in his heart, Feng Yi felt much more relieved. He wiped away the tears on his face, took two steps back, and said to Mo Yan, ¡°I¡¯ll listen to you, Brother Yan. I¡¯ll go to work. That way, we won¡¯t have to go hungry every day.¡±


    Patted Feng Yi¡¯s shoulder, Mo Yan sighed silently and said with a smile, ¡°That¡¯s more like it!¡±


    He had never imagined Feng Yi had such a life experience, had never thought that a mother would give false evidence and send her own son off to be reformed, and upon his return home afterpleting his reform, ask him why he didn¡¯t die out there. Was she really his mother, not his stepmother?

 Chapter 278: 278: Luo Yanqing Suddenly Returns Home

    <strong>Chapter 278: Chapter 278: Luo Yanqing Suddenly Returns Home</strong>


    Kang Li returned home from the Song Family¡¯s ce and had just sat down in the living room when thendline phone started ringing.


    ¡°Hello¡­¡±


    She picked up the receiver and barely got out one word before she heard a familiar voice from the other end of the line. She looked surprised, and then immediately said, ¡°I just heard about it from my godmother, yes, I¡¯ve juste back from her ce, she told me¡­ Can you tell me what you¡¯re thinking now?¡±


    During herst hospital visit to see Feng Yi, Kang Li had left her homendline number to make it easy for Feng Yi to contact her if there was anything he needed.


    To be honest, Kang Li really couldn¡¯t understand why every time she saw Feng Yi, she felt an indescribable emotion, to the extent that even after saving him, she still kept in touch.


    ¡°Alright, I get it, that¡¯s how you should be! It¡¯s not easy to have a job, and although there was a little ident that prevented Mo Yan from getting a job at the mechanical factory, we can look for other opportunities,


    As soon as there¡¯s a suitable one, Mo Yan will naturally be able to have a good job just like you. Mm-hmm, I¡¯m listening, talk it over with Mo Yan, just say what I said, don¡¯t get discouraged, there will almost always be job opportunities. Alright, let¡¯s leave it at that, goodbye.¡±


    After ending the call, Kang Li put the handset back on thendline and muttered to herself, ¡°Seems like the young man is quite sensible.¡±


    ¡­


    It had been half a month since Kang Li went to the research institute to deliver clothes to Luo Yanqing. That day, around nine o¡¯clock in the morning, Kang Li was writing in the study when she suddenly heard someone knocking at the courtyard door.


    Stunned for a moment, she put down her pen and stood up to leave the study.


    ¡°Who is it?¡±


    Just as she was about to open the courtyard door, Kang Li casually asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s me.¡±


    The voice was a bit hoarse and apanied by bouts of coughing, but Kang Li recognized whose voice it was.


    ¡°Luo Yanqing!¡±


    Feeling surprised, Kang Li quickly pulled the doortch aside and opened the courtyard door, seeing the person indeed standing outside, she couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°You¡¯re back so suddenly, you¡¯re not seriously ill, are you?¡±


    Looking unwell, wearing a mask, and with exhaustion hard to hide in his eyes, this person certainly knew how to push himself.


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°Caught a bit of a cold.¡±


    After entering the courtyard and waiting for Kang Li to close the door again, Luo Yanqing said, ¡°I think it¡¯s nothing serious, but the director was worried and insisted on giving me three days off, cough! Cough, cough¡­¡±


    ¡°You call this nothing serious?¡±


    Hearing the man¡¯s coughing that sounded as if he was choking on his heart and lungs, Kang Li took his travel bag from his hand with a frown, ¡°How did you catch a cold?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    Luo Yanqing¡¯s lips quivered, and after a while, he said, ¡°Last Wednesday night, I had already gone to bed, but suddenly came up with a possibility, and I didn¡¯t bother to put on a jacket, just wore a shirt and went to theb¡­¡± He didn¡¯t continue after that.


    It was drizzling that night, around midnight heading towards one o¡¯clock, he was wide awake, pondering how to solve the sticking point he had encountered during the day¡¯s experiment,


    Unexpectedly, he suddenly came up with another possibility, and couldn¡¯t wait until the next day to go to work, so he put on the trousers that were lying nearby and left the dormitory in a shirt he grabbed from the clothes rack.


    It was now November, and though it was the beginning of the month, the nighttime temperatures were already low.


    Just like that, after he had sessfully finished his spection in theb, he began sneezing non-stop, and considering the short time till dawn, he simply stayed to continue working and didn¡¯t go back to the dormitory to rest.


    The result was that he became groggy around noon and started running a low fever.


    He had some cold medicine on hand, and thought it would improve after taking it, but he ended up dragging on until now.


    The fever had subsided early, and he was feeling a bit more energetic, but he would cough violently on and off.

 Chapter 279: 279 Unstoppable

    <strong>Chapter 279: Chapter 279 Unstoppable</strong>


    In such a situation, it wasn¡¯t just about him being able to work normally; even the staff from his team were getting distracted by his sporadic coughing.


    To avoid affecting everyone¡¯s work progress, he could only follow Director Song¡¯s advice, stay home for three days of rest, register at the hospital, and see a doctor for a proper check-up.


    Kang Li, ¡°You didn¡¯t take any medicine? Didn¡¯t see a doctor?¡±


    Luo Yanqing, ¡°I did take medicine.¡±


    Kang Li, ¡°And you can still cough like that?¡± He¡¯s almost thirty, and he still can¡¯t take care of himself. What was she supposed to say?


    Luo Yanqing, ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal.¡±


    He wasn¡¯t in high spirits, hecked energy, and his cough was severe. And he calls this ¡®not a big deal¡¯?


    Kang Li pursed her lips, put down her travel bag, and told Luo Yanqing to pour himself some hot water to wash up, then she said, ¡°Go lie down on the bed.¡±


    Luo Yanqing did as instructed.


    Kang Li, ¡°Give me your hand.¡±


    Luo Yanqing, puzzled, ¡°¡­,¡± but he didn¡¯t hesitate. He extended his hand from under the nket and was stunned when he saw Kang Li sitting by the bed, taking his pulse.


    His little wife understood medicine? And traditional Chinese medicine at that?


    Questions arose in his heart, but Luo Yanqing chose not to immediately seek answers from Kang Li.


    As time ticked by, Kang Li withdrew her hand, stood up, and said, ¡°I¡¯m going to pour you a cup of hot water.¡±


    Without waiting for Luo Yanqing¡¯s response, Kang Li left. In about two or three minutes, she returned with a water cup in one hand and medicine pills for Luo Yanqing to take in the other.


    ¡°The water¡¯s just right, take this medicine. If there¡¯s no improvement by tomorrow, you¡¯ll need to go to the hospital for an IV.¡±


    His lungs were a bit inmed, and his voice sounded inmed too. She hoped the special medicine she got from the System using Points at the Mall would work quickly, so he wouldn¡¯t have to lie in bed unable to sleep, continuously feeling ufortable.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Sitting up, Luo Yanqing took the medicine and thanked Kang Li.


    ¡°We¡¯re husband and wife; there¡¯s no need for such courtesy.¡±


    As she spoke, Kang Li nced at the water cup in the man¡¯s hand, ¡°Finish the water.¡± One needs to drink lots of water when having a cold, and this man could even forget the time when he got busy, so how could he remember something trivial like drinking more water?


    And if he usually forgot, there was even less hope that he¡¯d remember to be more careful during an illness.


    Taking the empty water cup from his hand, Kang Li said, ¡°You should sleep. If you need anything, just call me, I¡¯ll be in the study.¡± After watching the man lie back down, Kang Li took the cup to the kitchen to wash it and nced at the avable ingredients, thinking about preparing something light for lunch.


    With his little wife carefully attending to him and after taking the medicine Kang Li bought for him from the Mall through Dwen Dwen with Points, as well as drinking the brown sugar and ginger tea with loquat leaves she had specifically made, by mid-afternoon, Luo Yanqing¡¯s coughing had noticeably reduced, and he seemed much more energetic.


    ¡°What are you getting up for?¡±


    Looking at herself in the mirror, Kang Li was preparing to pick up the kids from kindergarten when she saw, to her surprise, the person who had been sitting up in bed throw off the covers. Seeing this, Kang Li¡¯s brows involuntarily knitted together.


    Luo Yanqing, ¡°I¡¯ll go with you to pick up the kids.¡±


    ¡°Just getting a little energy and you want to go out and exert yourself? Do you think you haven¡¯t been sick long enough?¡± Kang Li said this but didn¡¯t stop the man¡¯s actions.


    ¡°I feel much better.¡± He felt much more relieved than when he had arrived home at noon, and his throat felt considerably better, no longer coughing continuously.


    Since she couldn¡¯t stop him, Kang Li could only admonish, ¡°Put on a mask. Wait, let me get you another set of clothes.¡± With that, she took out a ck mid-length casual trench coat and matching casual pants from the closet, ¡°Wear this.¡±

 Chapter 280: 280 Are You Disgusted with Me?

    <strong>Chapter 280: Chapter 280 Are You Disgusted with Me?</strong>


    Luo Yanqing nodded.


    As Kang Li waited outside, it was only a moment before someone came out of the house.


    So handsome!


    Her gazending on the man, Kang Li inwardly praised.


    The ck mid-length trench coat paired with a white shirt underneath and ck casual pants made the man¡¯s stature appear all the more tall and slender, and showcased his cold and noble temperament to the fullest.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Thinking there might be something amiss with his attire, Luo Yanqing couldn¡¯t help but lower his gaze to check his clothes, but discovering nothing unusual, he turned his eyes back to Kang Li, a trace of puzzlement coloring his dark, ink-like phoenix eyes.


    Shaking her head gently, Kang Li¡¯s beautiful fox eyes shone brightly, ¡°Handsome!¡±


    Feeling that this description might still be inadequate, she scrutinized the man from head to toe again, and from her red lips spilled, ¡°My man is just so good-looking, anything he wears looks so stylish!¡±


    As the words fell, she stepped forward two paces in Luo Yanqing¡¯s astonished gaze and, standing on tiptoe, nted a kiss on his forehead with a ¡°smack¡±.


    Luo Yanqing intended to dodge, but Kang Li was too quick, giving him no time to react.


    ¡°Are you finding something wrong with me?¡±


    A hint of grievances welled up in the clear fox eyes, and Kang Li stepped back, ring at the man with a taut face.


    ¡°No, not at all¡­¡± His survival instinct kicking in, Luo Yanqing hastily shook his head, ¡°I just didn¡¯t want to pass my cold to you.¡± He hurried to exin, for fear of being misunderstood by his little wife.


    Kang Li: ¡°You¡¯re wearing a mask though.¡± And wasn¡¯t she that she kissed his forehead?


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Luo Yanqing apologized promptly.


    His ears turned red, his cheeks felt hot, but with the mask concealing his face, one couldn¡¯t see the change in hisplexion, though the tip of his ears, red as if dripping with blood, betrayed his current state of mind.


    Kang Li didn¡¯t respond but instead stated, ¡°You¡¯re blushing.¡± It wasn¡¯t a question; she used a derative tone.


    The fox eyes curved into crescents, and Kang Li¡¯s lips curled in pleasure, ¡°You are mine, and whether I kiss you or do anything to you, it¡¯s all perfectly right.¡± The tone towards the end held a hint of significance, but before Luo Yanqing could gather his thoughts from her words, Kang Li, chuckling softly, had already turned and walked towards the courtyard, reminding him, ¡°Don¡¯t forget to bring the stroller.¡±


    Luo Yanqing stood in ce, watching the graceful retreating figure of the woman, and as he recalled her words, his cheeks grew even hotter.


    And his ears turned an even deeper shade of red.


    His heart rate elerated, and a faint smile began to spread within his usually indifferent phoenix eyes, while the corner of his mouth, hidden by the mask, imperceptibly curled.


    You are mine?


    She¡­ she said he was hers!


    Far from feeling ufortable, he felt a sense of warmth and joy instead.


    Indeed, they were a married couple, their marriage protected byw, so naturally, he was hers, and she belonged to him as well¡­


    Thinking this, Luo Yanqing, in a good mood, stretched his long legs and, pushing the stroller, hurried to catch up to his petite wife.


    At the kindergarten gate.


    ¡°Kang Li! You¡¯re a bitte today!¡± Hearing Wu Yue¡¯s voice, Kang Li instructed Luo Yanqing to line up behind the parents of ss 1 while she walked up to Wu Yue, ¡°There was something at home, so I left about ten minutester than usual.¡±


    Wu Yue nced at Luo Yanqing¡¯s retreating figure, then lowered her voice and, covering one side of her mouth with her hand, the amusement in her eyes was quite meaningful, ¡°Were you too busy getting cozy with your man at home and forgot about the time?¡±


    ¡°My man? Are you sure you haven¡¯t got it wrong?¡±

 Chapter 281: 281: Really? Just Watching the Fun... and Got Hurt by Mistake?

    <strong>Chapter 281: Chapter 281: Really? Just Watching the Fun¡­ and Got Hurt by Mistake?</strong>


    Kang Li¡¯s lips curled into a smile, her gentle brows and eyes nced at Luo Yanqing¡¯s retreating figure before she redirected her gaze to Wu Yue.


    ¡°Just the way you two were walking together, and how well-matched you looked, if I¡¯m wrong, just pretend you didn¡¯t hear anything just now!¡±


    Wu Yue¡¯s words didn¡¯t need much pondering for one to realize she was being a bit sneaky.


    Kang Liughed and shook her head, ¡°Is there a difference between saying that and saying nothing?¡± If wrong, as if she hadn¡¯t heard, it meant don¡¯t take it to heart, sly woman!


    ¡°So, did I guess right?¡± Wu Yue urged.


    Kang Li grinned, ¡°You¡¯re correct, he is indeed my lover, but he was wearing a mask, so how could you tell about this so-called matching level?¡±


    ¡°Do I even need to ask? Just the way you two walk together gives everyone a clear message that you two are a pair!¡±


    Even though that gentleman was wearing a mask, Wu Yue¡¯s intuition told her he must be handsome, and his physique and demeanor were nothing to scoff at, a man like that could only belong with her good friend.


    After all, both of them looked good, seemed intelligent, and had simr auras. Among the many people around, they stood out like cranes among chickens, as if they belonged to a world of their own.


    And the people around them, including herself, were left out.


    Not to mention, the moment she saw them together, that gentleman¡¯s gaze asionally shifted to her good friend.


    Wu Yue thought to herself.


    ¡°Is that so!¡± Kang Li smiled, then asked, ¡°You didn¡¯t call me over just to tell me this, did you?¡±


    ¡°Look at my memory, I almost forgot.¡± Wu Yue was initially startled, then pped her forehead and whispered, ¡°I came early today and witnessed quite a drama unfold.¡±


    Kang Li raised an eyebrow, ¡°What drama?¡±


    Wu Yue: ¡°Two parents from the kindergarten ss nearly came to blows, and one of those parents just happens to be the parent of a child from our ¡®Group 1¡¯ ss.¡±


    Kang Li remained silent, her expression indifferent, wondering what was so interesting about a fight.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you the least bit curious?¡±


    Seeing no change in Kang Li¡¯s expression, Wu Yue couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit surprised.


    ¡°Is it necessary to be curious? It¡¯s just two people almost fighting, such incidents are not umon in our daily lives, and, I don¡¯t really like joining in the hubbub, especially brawls.¡±


    Kang Li spoke in a light tone, and upon hearing this, Wu Yue couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°One could easily get hurt by mistake. If something like that were to happen, who do you think should be held responsible?¡±


    Upon hearing Kang Li¡¯s words, Wu Yue was slightly shocked, ¡°Really? Can watching a brawl actually result in getting hurt by mistake?¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°When people are emotionally charged, anything can happen.¡±


    In this world, while she hadn¡¯t yet seen anyone get identally hurt from watching others fight, in her original world, whether through the news or short videos online, such incidents were not umon.


    ¡°It seems I need to be more careful in the future, not to watch everymotion.¡±


    Wu Yue muttered to herself, but she still told Kang Li about what she had seen, ¡°What I wanted to tell you is about the parent who was almost beaten, her surname is Su, and she is the mother of Wen Yu from our ¡®Group 1¡¯ ss¡­¡±


    The whole incident unfolded like this: Wen Yue and another girl in the ss got into an argument, and it was unclear who hit first, but by the time the preschool ¡®Group 2¡¯ ss teacher realized her students were fighting,

 Chapter 282: 282: I Think I Didnt Misread

    <strong>Chapter 282: Chapter 282: I Think I Didn¡¯t Misread</strong>


    The two little girls had hair tangled like bird nests, one with a scratched hand, the other with two streaks across her face.


    One was crying inconsbly while the other remained silent no matter the question.


    In such a situation, the headteacher of the kindergarten ss (2) certainly had no choice but to call the parents toe to the kindergarten.


    As a result, as soon as Su Man entered the kindergarten, she saw the bruised and purple scratch on the back of Wen Yue¡¯s left hand, and the other little girl, who had quarreled and fought with Wen Yue, had two shocking nail marks on her right cheek.


    Feeling a sudden pang of concern in her heart, Su Man didn¡¯t wait for the teacher to speak before scolding Wen Yue and dragging her over to apologize to the other girl.


    She thought this would cool down the other parent and de-escte the situation.


    Unexpectedly, Wen Yue mped her mouth shut tight like a mshell that wouldn¡¯t open.


    Feeling frustrated, Su Man pped the little girl on the back a couple of times without thinking.


    The teacher naturally tried to intervene, but Su Man was not in a mood to listen. All she could think about was not payingpensation, feeling embarrassed for being called into the kindergarten, and she kept chastising Wen Yue.


    Even so, the other parent had no intention of letting the matter go, immediately questioning Su Man¡¯s ability to teach her child, stating that her daughter nearly had her face ¡®spoiled¡¯ and demandingpensation, otherwise, the issue would not be resolved easily.


    Su Man definitely did not want to agree, and the two began to argue,pletely disregarding the teacher¡¯s words.


    As the school day was nearing its end, and not wanting to continue the endless argument with the other parent, Su Man asked the teacher if she could take Wen Yue and her two sisters home early.


    Seeing that Su Man wanted to leave, the other girl¡¯s parent stepped forward to block her, saying that they wouldn¡¯t let anyone leave until the matter was settled.


    Su Man, unable to contain her anger, went to push the other parent but, unexpectedly, the other was ready to retaliate.


    If it weren¡¯t for the teacher quickly stepping in front of Su Man as things turned ugly, the child inside Su Man¡¯s stomach might not have survived.


    The quarreling was so loud and took ce outside, making it difficult for the parents who had arrived early to wait at the kindergarten gate to ignore.


    ¡°That Comrade Su is really strange. Shees to the kindergarten and, instead of rifying the situation, she scolds her own daughter. And it turns out, the girl who started the fight was not her child¡­¡± Wu Yue muttered, while Kang Li stood beside her, quietly listening without interrupting.


    Coincidentally, as Su Man walked with Wen Yue and her two sisters out of the kindergarten, she saw Kang Li and Wu Yue standing together. At the same time, their gazes met with Su Man¡¯s.


    In an instant, Su Man¡¯s face turned ugly!


    ¡°Is Comrade Su ring at us?¡±


    Wu Yue was utterly puzzled.


    Kang Li: ¡°Really? I didn¡¯t see clearly.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure I saw it right,¡± Wu Yue said with a pout. ¡°She probably thinks we¡¯re gossiping about her.¡± Upon hearing this, the corners of Kang Li¡¯s mouth twitched almost imperceptibly.


    Noticing the slight change in Kang Li¡¯s expression, Wu Yue gave an awkward smile, feeling ufortable she said, ¡°I was talking about her, but it¡¯s not like I was making things up.¡±


    Kang Li smiled, ¡°Okay then, the kindergarten gate is open now, and it¡¯s almost time to fetch the children, so I won¡¯t chat any longer here.¡± Saying this, she moved towards Luo Yanqing.


    ¡­


    ¡°Mommy!¡±


    The twin with mixed sex, seeing Kang Li, beamed with joy and scampered over with their short little legs.


    Kang Li¡¯s lips curled into a smile, her eyes tender and doting: ¡°Slow down, be careful not to fall.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Upon getting close to Kang Li, the twins looked up with their little heads at the tall figure standing behind their mother: ¡°Daddy? Are you Daddy?¡±

 Chapter 283: 283: The Mind of a Petty Person

    <strong>Chapter 283: Chapter 283: The Mind of a Petty Person</strong>


    Before Luo Yanqing could respond, the twins turned their gaze toward Kang Li, ¡°Mommy, mommy, this is daddy, right?¡±


    Kang Li¡¯s bright fox-like eyes brimmed with amusement as she nodded her head.


    The twins immediately rushed forward with joy, each hugging one of Luo Yanqing¡¯s long legs, and again looked up saying, ¡°Daddy, daddy, Hanhan (Vivi) missed you so much!¡±


    Luo Yanqing hummed a neutral ¡°Mm¡± as a response to the twins.


    ¡°Daddy¡¯s home, I¡¯m so happy, so happy!¡± Sitting in the stroller, Xiao Ming Wei rested her chin on her hands, babbling with a milky voice.


    Milk Bun Ming Han: ¡°Dumdum!¡± If you¡¯re happy, then be happy, is there a need to keep smiling like that?


    Xiao Ming Wei: ¡°Vivi¡¯s not a dumdum, second brother is the dumdum.¡±


    Milk Bun Ming Han: ¡°If you¡¯re not a dumdum, why are you giggling so foolishly?¡±


    Blinking her eyes, Xiao Ming Wei asked, ¡°I¡¯m not giggling foolishly, I¡¯m happy. Isn¡¯t second brother happy to see daddy?¡±


    ¡°Who says so?¡±


    Milk Bun Ming Han red: ¡°I¡¯m just as happy as you are to see daddy. But no matter how happy I am, I wouldn¡¯t giggle foolishly like you.¡± Dumdum!


    ¡°Second brother is mean, Vivi isughing so cutely, how can you say it¡¯s a foolish giggle?¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei puffed her cheeks, pouting to show her displeasure.


    ¡°Alright, alright, you aren¡¯t giggling foolishly, yourugh is very cute, okay?¡± Realizing that daddy was looking at him, Milk Bun Ming Han hurriedly changed his tune and grinned at his sister.


    ¡°Hmph, I don¡¯t believe you, I¡¯m going to ask daddy.¡± Xiao Ming Wei turned her head to look at daddy: ¡°Daddy, daddy, do you think Vivi¡¯sugh is silly?¡±


    Luo Yanqing shook his head.


    Seeing this, Xiao Ming Wei immediately gloated at her brother Ming Han, ¡°See, daddy says myugh isn¡¯t silly at all!¡±


    Milk Bun Ming Han turned his head away with a haughty air: ¡°¡­¡± I won¡¯t pay attention to you, see how you gloat then!


    The twins weren¡¯t the only ones overjoyed by daddy¡¯s appearance. Even brother Min Rui, after being picked up from kindergarten by mommy and seeing daddy in that instant, his eyes suddenly sparkled brilliantly like stars.


    The family of five walked towards the courtyard.


    Kang Li held Min Rui¡¯s hand on one side, and Luo Yanqing pushed the twins on her other side. From behind them, this scene was incredibly heartwarming.


    As they entered the courtyard almost unconsciously, Kang Li looked up and saw Su Man walking in front, with the young girl Wen Yue leading her two younger sisters behind her. Suddenly, the person ahead stopped, turned around, and told the three young girls, ¡°Can you walk a little faster?¡±


    ¡°You go your way, we didn¡¯t ask you to wait!¡±


    That was Wen Yue¡¯s voice as she looked coldly at her stepmother Su Man.


    Su Man tried to keep her smile gentle, ¡°I¡¯m just worried about you being taken away by bad people.¡±


    ¡°Stop pretending!¡±


    Wen Yue snapped back like a little wolf cub.


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    Su Man¡¯s face shifted slightly; she wanted to say something but noticed that Kang Li was leading Min Rui just several yards behind Wen Yue and her sisters, and also saw a tall, uprightrade pushing the twins by Kang Li¡¯s side. A flicker of irritation crossed the depths of her eyes, followed by a sly glint.


    Pondering with malicious intent: How restless! Comrade Luo is so busy at the office, and as a wife, she has the audacity to bring a strange man into their home right in front of Comrade Luo¡¯s three children. She indeed lives up to the name of a vixen!


    With a mean spirit, Su Man slowed her pace until Wen Yue and her sisters caught up, and walked home with the three girls. When they reached the gate of their own courtyard, Su Man took out the key to unlock it, then said to Wen Yue and her sisters, ¡°You go in first.

 Chapter 284: 284: Say What You Just Said Again!

    <strong>Chapter 284: Chapter 284: Say What You Just Said Again!</strong>


    Wen Yue didn¡¯t even acknowledge her stepmother Su Man as she led her two sisters into the courtyard.


    ¡°Comrade Kang!¡±


    When Kang Li and her family passed by the entrance of the Wen Family Courtyard, Su Man suddenly spoke out.


    ¡°Does Comrade Su have something to call me for?¡±


    Halting her steps, Kang Li looked towards Su Man.


    ¡°I just want to ask, does Comrade Kang enjoy gossiping about others?¡± Su Man said with a mocking tone, ¡°I saw very clearly, you and Song Xiaoran¡¯s mother standing together, discussing my affairs¡­¡±


    ¡°Stop right there!¡± Kang Li frowned, interrupting Su Man from continuing her chatter; she said, ¡°Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re being quite nonsensical, Comrade Su?¡±


    Su Man¡¯s face darkened, ¡°Is it me being nonsensical, or is it Comrade Kang whocks virtue, discussing my affairs with Song Xiaoran¡¯s mother?¡± She clearly remembered when she got into an argument at the kindergarten, nearlying to blows, all of which was seen by Song Xiaoran¡¯s mother.


    The woman almost stuck her head through the kindergarten¡¯s iron fence to gawk at the ¡°excitement¡±.


    ¡°Does Comrade Su have ears that catch the wind? Just because I was standing with Comrade Wu Yue, does it mean we were definitely talking about you? Besides, what about you that would merit our discussion?¡±


    Kang Li¡¯s brows were tightly furrowed. As she spoke, she prepared to move forward again, holding Ruirui¡¯s hand and making sure Luo Yanqing followed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t go, I haven¡¯t finished speaking!¡±


    Su Man stopped Kang Li from leaving, disregarding her pregnant condition, she blocked Kang Li¡¯s way and looked meaningfully at Luo Yanqing before addressing Kang Li with a hint of sarcasm:


    ¡°You bring men home casually behind Comrade Luo¡¯s back, you don¡¯t think there¡¯s a problem with your lifestyle? Or perhaps, you are indeed what Teacher Loo called a vixen, skilled in seducing men?¡±


    Before Kang Li could explode, Luo Yanqing¡¯s calm and cold voice flowed from his lips, ¡°Repeat what you just said!¡± His eyes fixed on Su Man, deep and dark, full of chilling sharpness.


    Kang Li looked at Luo Yanqing, ¡°This is a matter between women, don¡¯t interfere, take the children home first, I¡¯ll be back soon.¡±


    ¡°No, Mommy, I don¡¯t want to go home with Daddy, I want to wait here for Mommy!¡±


    Milk Bun Ming Han raised his little voice, shaking his head like a rattle.


    Xiao Ming Wei also shook her head, ¡°Vivi doesn¡¯t want to go home with Daddy either; Vivi will wait for Mommy to go back together!¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± Kang Li stroked the twins¡¯ heads and turned her gaze back to the man, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I can handle it.¡±


    At this moment, Luo Yanqing took off his mask, looking straight into Su Man¡¯s eyes, ¡°Did you not hear, or did I not make myself clear before?¡±


    Su Man¡¯s face turned pale, to be precise, from the moment Luo Yanqing had spoken earlier, she knew she had misunderstood, just because he was wearing a mask, she hadn¡¯t recognized him, and thus¡­


    Feeling uneasy, Su Man did not want to think any further; she hurriedly lowered her stance, apologizing to Luo Yanqing, ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m sorry, Comrade Luo, I misunderstood Comrade Kang. You¡¯re a generous man, could you please not take a woman¡¯s words to heart?¡±


    Luo Yanqing¡¯s face was expressionless, his normally indifferent gaze became sharp and cold at that moment, ¡°Apologize to my wife!¡±


    A struggle shed in Su Man¡¯s eyes as she forced herself to remain calm, ¡°¡­only if Comrade Kang apologizes to me first. She and someone else started by speaking ill of me; my defamation of her came afterward!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind getting physical with a woman.¡±


    With a chilling aura surrounding him, Luo Yanqing looked at Su Man as if she were a dead person.


    ¡°How¡­ how can you be like this?!¡±

 Chapter 285: 288: Kang Li Goes Berserk

    <strong>Chapter 285: Chapter 288: Kang Li Goes Berserk</strong>


    Su Man stepped back, her eyes filled with disbelief.


    ¡°Luo Yanqing, take the child home.¡± The other party was pregnant, and if they were to be frightened by someone¡¯s cold aura and something went wrong, they would end up being med whether they were right or not.


    Kang Li gently pushed the man and then said to Xiao Ming Rui, ¡°Go home with daddy and seriouslyplete the homework assigned by your teacher.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Xiao Ming Rui nodded.


    Watching Luo Yanqing and his family enter their courtyard, Kang Li then turned her gaze to Su Man: ¡°If I remember correctly, it was you who left the kindergarten with your child and red at me and Comrade Wu Yue. It was also you who inexplicably used me and Comrade Wu Yue of talking behind your back. Comrade Su, could it be that you have a persecutionplex?¡±


    Su Man: ¡°You dare to say that you haven¡¯t discussed me with Song Xiaoran¡¯s mother?¡±


    Kang Li smiled slightly, ¡°Not once, but I could say it a hundred times. But why would I discuss such utterly boring things in front of you? Moreover, our families are just neighbors, and I don¡¯t even know you well. I don¡¯t have that much idle time to gossip about you to satisfy some peculiar fancy!¡±


    ¡°Then what were you talking about?¡±


    Su Man was simply being unreasonable.


    ¡°Comrade Su, I see you not only have a persecutionplex, but you are also quite self-centered! Why would I need to report to you about what I discuss with Comrade Wu Yue? Okay, I¡¯ve made my point clear about your usation. Now, let¡¯s talk about your ndering of me.¡±


    Her expression suddenly turning cold, Kang Li stared down Su Man: ¡°Do you think I am too nice, so you can nder me as you please?¡±


    Su Man¡¯s gaze shifted away, ¡°Don¡¯t be unreasonable! I was just mistaken. Besides, I¡¯ve already apologized to Comrade Luo.¡±


    ¡°First, you spread rumors about me, saying I dislike having people over to watch TV, iming that I get annoyed whenever someonees to my house to watch TV; today, in front of my spouse, you used me of not being content at home, calling me a vixen, and saying I like to flirt with men. Comrade Su, with such a wild imagination, why don¡¯t you be a writer or a film director?¡±


    Kang Li¡¯s words were sharp. She moved closer, her fox-like eyes cold and detached. She lowered her voice, leaned into Su Man¡¯s ear, and exerted an invisible pressure as she spoke, every word deliberate: ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the fact that you are pregnant, I would have pped you twice today!¡±


    Taking a step back and creating a distance between them, Kang Li¡¯s expression returned to normal, and she added, ¡°Remember, don¡¯t provoke me in the future; otherwise, I¡¯ll settle both new and old scores with you.¡±


    Having said that, Kang Li didn¡¯t look to see what Su Man¡¯s expression was. She turned elegantly and walked back to her own home.


    Su Man stood rooted to the spot, dazed. After a while, she raised her hand to touch her forehead and found her palm was sweaty.


    She knew¡­ it was cold sweat¡ªwhen Kang Li hade close to her, an inexplicable pressure enveloped her, making her almost unable to breathe normally.


    It was terrifying!


    That couple was too terrifying! Especially that woman, Kang Li¡­ despite her gentle and frail appearance, the words she had just spoken to her and the pressure she exerted as she approached were terrifying enough to make her panic¡­


    Suddenly, Su Man felt a bit of difort in her stomach. She couldn¡¯t help but gently rub it and then slowly turned around, leaned against the door frame for a while feeling a bit better, and then stepped into the courtyard.


    ¡°Seeing how today, because of you, your ssmate¡¯s mom extorted ten yuan from me, how do you feel about that?¡±

 Chapter 286: 286: What if Im Lying to You?

    <strong>Chapter 286: Chapter 286: What if I¡¯m Lying to You?</strong>


    As she walked to the center of the courtyard and saw Wen Yue and her sisters, Wen Yi and Wen Yu, squatting on the ground ying with pebbles, Su Man couldn¡¯t help but feel irritated, ¡°Wen Yue, have you not heard me talking to you?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because you wanted topensate them yourself, what does it have to do with me?!¡±


    Wen Yue stood up defiantly and stared at Stepmother Su Man, ¡°Plus, the money youpensated them with is earned by my dad, as long as my dad doesn¡¯t say anything¡­¡±


    Su Man cut off Wen Yue, ¡°Fine, I will just ask your dad and see if he has anything to say about you fighting with your ssmate today.¡±


    ¡°Say whatever you want, if you think I will be scared, then you are wrong, bad woman!¡±


    Was it her who wanted to fight Wang Nina?


    No!


    It was Wang Nina¡­ it was Wang Nina who said to the ssmates¡­ that her mother divorced her father for another man, leaving her and her two sisters behind, calling her mother a bad woman who abandoned her husband and children.


    She heard it and got very angry, so she called Wang Nina¡¯s mother a bad woman, and then, they started fighting each other.


    Su Man, ¡°Am I the bad woman? If I were a bad woman, could I take care of you three sisters at home? Washing your clothes, cooking your meals, and taking you to and from kindergarten every day¡ªI tell you, Wen Yue, you¡¯re already over six, almost seven years old. You should know better!¡±


    Wen Yue, ¡°It¡¯s because of you that my dad divorced my mom!¡±


    Su Man, ¡°Your parents¡¯ divorce had nothing to do with me.¡±


    Wen Yue, ¡°Get away from me, I hate you!¡±


    Tears rolled down her eyes; Wen Yue felt very sad. She didn¡¯t believe a word Wang Nina had said because her mother had always been so good to her. But Wang Nina insisted she wasn¡¯t lying, iming her aunt lived in the same residentialpound as her grandma, and also saying that her aunt¡¯s house was next to her grandma¡¯s¡­ that all those words had been spoken by her grandma in front of the neighbors¡­


    ¡°Sister¡­¡±


    Wen Yi stood up, tugged at her sister Wen Yue¡¯s sleeve, and whispered softly, ¡°Don¡¯t cry, sister.¡±


    ¡°Okay, sister won¡¯t cry.¡±


    Although she said this, the tears in Wen Yue¡¯s eyes just wouldn¡¯t stop.


    Seeing this, tiny Wen Yi, with her hands on her hips, red at Stepmother Su Man, ¡°Bad woman, you are not allowed to bully my sister!¡±


    ¡°You, you two¡­¡± Su Man was so exasperated by Wen Yue and her sisters that she pointed at them, ¡°Fine, fine, fine. You¡¯re all so good now, having learned to talk back. One by one calling me a bad woman¡ªI¡¯m going to call Wen Siyuan right now and have him divorce his bad wife and bring back your real mother!¡±


    Leaving that remark behind, Su Man walked into the living room and quickly reached for the phone to dial the research institute.


    The Luo Family.


    In the kitchen, Kang Li was slowly cooking rice. As she felt someone entering the kitchen, she casually asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know what Comrade Wu Yue said to me?¡±


    Luo Yanqing, ¡°If you wanted to tell me, you would.¡±


    ¡°You do understand me.¡±


    With a chuckle, Kang Li was slicing potatoes as she spoke, ¡°Comrade Wu Yue is Vivi¡¯s good friend Song Xiaoran¡¯s mother. Today she called me over and bluntly said that we make a good couple. Afterward, she mentioned the neighbor¡¯s child getting into a fight at school¡­¡±


    Speaking slowly and without a hint of personal emotion, Kang Li repeated to Yanqing everything Wu Yue had said, and at the end remarked, ¡°Throughout the conversation, I didn¡¯t express a single opinion.¡±


    Luo Yanqing, ¡°I believe you.¡±


    Kang Li¡¯s eyes gleamed, and smiling she said, ¡°What if I¡¯m tricking you?¡±

 Chapter 287: 287: Does Daddy Like Mommy?

    <strong>Chapter 287: Chapter 287: Does Daddy Like Mommy?</strong>


    Luo Yanqing spoke with certainty, ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Are you saying I wouldn¡¯t deceive you, or I wouldn¡¯t lie?¡± Kang Li¡¯s beautiful, fox-like eyes didn¡¯t blink as she looked straight at the man with a smile tugging at her lips.


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°Neither.¡± Without any hesitation, he said, ¡°You have no need to deceive me, nor do you care to lie.¡±


    ¡°It seems that you really do understand me.¡±


    Kang Li pursed her lips into a smile and then said, ¡°You¡¯re still sick. Go to your room and lie down for a bit. When the meal is ready, I¡¯ll call you.¡± Seeing that the man was still standing there, Kang Li couldn¡¯t help urging, ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there,¡± she pointed to the enamel basin, ¡°Take this to your room, drink it, and then get into bed.¡±


    ¡°¡­Okay.¡±


    After hesitating for a long while, Luo Yanqing finally responded.


    ¡°You must finish it.¡±


    Brown sugar ginger tea, also known as brown sugar ginger water, has a certain curative effect on coughs. Moreover, she had added a loquat leaf to the pot and simmered it for quite some time, thus enhancing its effects even more.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Luo Yanqing responded again and then carried the enamel basin away.


    ¡°Daddy¡­¡±


    Just as Luo Yanqing had settled into a sitting position by the bed after lifting the covers, he heard the voice of his younger son Luo Minghan float to his ears. He looked up at the child, ¡°Don¡¯te too close.¡±


    Milk Bun Ming Han blinked, ¡°¡­¡±, wondering why.


    Luo Yanqing understood the meaning in the child¡¯s eyes. He said, ¡°Being sick feels awful.¡±


    ¡°Daddy is sick and worried about passing it to Ming Han, right?¡±


    Milk Bun Ming Han was clearly a bright little guy.


    ¡°Mm.¡±


    Luo Yanqing nodded.


    ¡°Okay, then I¡¯ll just stand here and talk with Daddy.¡±


    Standing about two meters away from the bed, Milk Bun Ming Han said, ¡°Mom almost copsed from exhaustion when she came back from visiting Dad that day. She looked absolutely drained sitting on the couch. My brother, sister, and I were really worried about Mom, but she said she was fine. Daddy, is your workce really far from our house?¡±


    ¡°¡­It is a bit far.¡±


    After a long silence, Luo Yanqing responded.


    Milk Bun Ming Han continued, ¡°If it¡¯s that far, then can Dad ask Mom not to visit you anymore? Ming Han doesn¡¯t want Mom to get sick. Ming Han loves Mom and wants to be with her forever.¡±


    Luo Yanqing said, ¡°Okay.¡± Coming home so exhausted that she didn¡¯t have any energy left? Frowning deeply, Luo Yanqing recalled what Director Song had told him.


    His young wife had saved two teenagers on her way to bring him clothes at the station¡­


    ¡°Dad, you¡¯re not mad at Ming Han, are you?¡±


    Milk Bun Ming Han hadn¡¯t left; his milky voice suddenly rang out again.


    Luo Yanqing¡¯s thoughts were brought back, and he looked at the child, ¡°Why would I be mad at you?¡±


    ¡°Because Ming Han asked Mom not to visit Dad anymore!¡± Milk Bun Ming Han lookedpletely innocent.


    Luo Yanqing shook his head, ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to see your Mom exhausted either.¡±


    Milk Bun Ming Han said, ¡°Thank you, Daddy! Daddy, did you know? Sister was bullied by some kids at the kindergarten before, and my brother and I helped her fight back. Mom found out and came to our kindergarten to protect us. Those bad kids apologized to my brother, sister, and me. The teacher, and many grandparents and other adults praised us for being smart and sensible and praised Mom for raising us well. Dad, Mom is super amazing! Sister and brother also really, really like Mom, just as much as Ming Han does!¡±


    Luo Yanqing echoed, ¡°Mm, your Mom is indeed amazing!¡±


    With a twinkle in his eye, Milk Bun asked in his milky voice, ¡°Then does Daddy like Mom?¡±

 Chapter 288: 288: If You Are Upright, Your Shadow Will Not Be Crooked

    <strong>Chapter 288: Chapter 288: If You Are Upright, Your Shadow Will Not Be Crooked</strong>


    ¡°Dad must love Mom just like we do, right? Dad, don¡¯t you agree?¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei¡¯s adorable voice suddenly rang out at the room¡¯s doorway.


    Standing beside her brother Ming Han, and not hearing their father reply immediately, the little girl tilted her head and asked again, ¡°Dad, don¡¯t you agree?¡±


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°¡­ Yes.¡± What liking someone meant, he wasn¡¯t quite sure, but he knew one thing¡ªhe didn¡¯t mind her being in his life, and he didn¡¯t mind her getting close.


    And seeing her smiling eyes always evoked an indescribable and happy feeling inside him!


    And each time her sudden actions made his heart rate erratic and his ears heat up¡­


    With thoughts turning in his mind, Luo Yanqing suddenly had a moment of rity. He looked towards the twins and firmly responded again, ¡°Yes, Daddy likes Mommy!¡±


    Her presence influenced his moods, seeing her always made him happy, her sudden actions made his heart rate erratic and his ears tingle¡­ Liking someone is probably just like that!


    With a faint smile forming at the corners of his lips, Luo Yanqing nodded seriously to himself, and then he told the twins, ¡°Go y, Daddy needs to rest for a while.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    Milk Bun Ming Han took his sister¡¯s hand, both giggling as they answered and scampered out of the room.


    ¡­


    ¡°I haven¡¯t heard you cough at all.¡±


    It was after seven in the evening, just after dinner, Kang Li and Luo Yanqing were sitting in the living room chatting and keeping an eye on Xiao Ming Rui ying with toys when Kang Li suddenly realized that the man hadn¡¯t coughed at all for over an hour since dinner. He couldn¡¯t help butugh and mention it.


    Luo Yanqing nodded, his lips slightly parting, ¡°I feel much better now.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°You only took one dose of medicine after getting home.¡±


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°That shows your medicine is good.¡±


    ¡°Smooth talker,¡± Kang Li chuckled. ¡°To ensure aplete recovery, you must continue to take the medicine tonight and tomorrow morning, and keep drinking the brown sugar ginger tea.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll listen to you.¡±


    Luo Yanqing had no objections.


    Kang Li then changed the topic: ¡°Comrade Wen next door hase back.¡±


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°¡­¡± After a moment of surprise, Luo Yanqing asked, ¡°Before we had dinner?¡±


    Kang Li nodded lightly: ¡°About that time.¡±


    ¡°He must have been called home by his wife,¡± Luo Yanqing stated.


    Recently, every team member had been incredibly busy, nonstop; if it hadn¡¯t been for his severe cough, which could have disturbed everyone¡¯s work, he would have never left his post. That Comrade Wen Siyuan had returned home at this time, it was obvious why without much thought.


    Especially after this afternoon¡¯s incident¡­


    His expression subtly changing, Luo Yanqing assured: ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry, if Comrade Wen Siyuanes to our house, I¡¯m here!¡±


    Kang Liughed: ¡°I haven¡¯t done anything wrong, so what¡¯s there to worry about? If he wants toe to our house, let hime. We¡¯re innocent; we fear no usations.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡±


    Luo Yanqing was supportive of what Kang Li said.


    Next door at the Wen¡¯s family.


    ¡°Wen Yue, are you going to keep silent in front of Dad forever? Do you realize¡­ Dad took time off work toe home.¡±


    Wen Siyuan was slumped on the couch, visibly exhausted but focused on his daughter Wen Yue, pinching the bridge of his nose, waiting for the young girl to speak.


    ¡°Hasn¡¯t the bad woman already talked to you? Why do you still need to ask me?¡±


    With tears swirling in her eyes, Wen Yue stood in the center of the living room, sobbing as she questioned her father.


    Fighting his irritation, Wen Siyuan said, ¡°Dad wants to hear it from you. And remember, Dad said your mom is not a bad woman!¡±

 Chapter 289: 289: Being Questioned

    <strong>Chapter 289: Chapter 289: Being Questioned</strong>


    ¡°The bad woman is not my mother!¡±


    Wen Yue red fiercely at her own father. She had said it so many times, Bad Woman Su Man was not her mother, but why did Dad pretend not to hear? The little girl was extremely heartbroken, as her tender voice at this moment was both shrill and full of anger:


    ¡°My mother¡¯s name is Song Ning! My mother, her name is Song Ning! Why does Grandma have to spread rumors about my mom in the familypound? Why does Grandma say my mom is a bad woman who left to be with another man, that¡¯s why you divorced? Why does my grandma have to say such things? Saying my mom is a bad woman who abandoned her husband and daughter!¡±


    In a moment she couldn¡¯t hold back, Wen Yue burst out crying loudly, all the while defending her mother: ¡°My mom is the best, she¡¯s very gentle, and she treats both me and my sister well. It was you who ignored mom, you wanted the divorce, not mom¡¯s fault!¡±


    But Wang Nina was talking bad about my mom in ss, saying she heard it all from her aunt, saying her aunt and my grandma lived in the same familypound, saying my grandma told the neighbors herself that my mom abandoned her husband and daughter, that she left with another man!


    I got so angry and said Wang Nina was spouting nonsense, but Wang Nina wouldn¡¯t admit it, and then we started fighting¡­ Am I wrong? The bad woman was called by the teacher to the kindergarten, and she assumed it was my fault without asking anything, just pulled my arm and made me apologize to Wang Nina. I hate her, she is a bad woman!¡±


    Wen Yue practically yelled out this long tirade in one breath.


    Leave with another man¡­ divorce, abandon her husband and daughter? Bad woman? Wen Siyuan knew his mom didn¡¯t like his ex-wife Song Ning, but he couldn¡¯t believe his mom could say such things!


    Moreover, as a woman herself, what was she thinking, to nder Song Ning like that after both of them had already divorced?


    No matter what, the ex-wife Song Ning had given birth to his three daughters, and there had once been warmth and sweetness between them. Besides, it was he who had proposed the divorce; the ex-wife Song Ning really didn¡¯t do anything wrong.


    Not to mention, would any mother willingly put a green hat on her own son?


    Abandoning her husband and daughter, leaving with another man¡­ Wen Siyuan felt filled with grievances against his own mother at that moment and found himself filled with shame in front of his daughter!


    And then there was Su Man, why did she ignore his words as if they were nothing?


    Is it that hard to treat Wen Yue nicely?


    The child fights with ssmates at school, and without rifying the situation, she makes the child apologize to the other side. What does she mean by that?


    ¡°Next door, Luo Mingrui and his siblings got into a fight with other kids at the kindergarten, and Aunt Kang thoroughly investigated the matter. She didn¡¯t me Luo Mingrui and his siblings at all, and she even¡­


    And she protected Luo Mingrui and his siblings, demanding that those who fought with them apologize. Both the principal and the teacher praised Aunt Kang as a good mother. But the bad woman you married, what did she do when she found out I had fought? She med me for everything, saying I made herpensate Wang Nina¡¯s mom ten yuan. Is this my fault? You¡¯re my dad, you tell me, is this my fault?¡±


    Faced with his daughter¡¯s questioning, Wen Siyuan¡¯s lips twitched, and he couldn¡¯t utter a single word for a long while.


    Su Man was in the bedroom; however, due to the current construction of houses not being very soundproof, it conveniently allowed her to hear everything happening in the living room loud and clear.


    The little brat, just because she didn¡¯t ask for the reason at the kindergarten¡­ harbored resentment towards her and evenpared her unfavorably with that woman next door, Kang Li, an ungrateful wretch! A total ungrateful wretch!

 Chapter 290: 290: Dispute

    <strong>Chapter 290: Chapter 290: Dispute</strong>


    After a lengthy silence, Wen Siyuan looked at his daughter Wen Yue with a serious expression and said, ¡°Daddy and your mom got divorced because we weren¡¯tpatible. Your mom isn¡¯t what grandma has been saying.¡±


    Wen Yue wiped her tears and remained silent.


    Wen Siyuan continued, ¡°Tomorrow, I¡¯ll talk to grandma and ask her not to speak ill of your mom anymore. As for Auntie Su¡­ today she didn¡¯t fully understand the situation and asked you to apologize to the ssmate you had a conflict with. That was her mistake, but Auntie Su probably didn¡¯t mean any harm¡­


    From now on, Daddy won¡¯t force you to call Auntie Su ¡®mom¡¯. Just calling her Auntie Su is fine, but Daddy is busy with work and really relies on Auntie Su to look after you, Wen Yi, and Wen Yu so he can concentrate at work. You¡¯re a big girl now; you should know right from wrong. You can¡¯t disrespect Auntie Su just because of how you feel and call her a bad woman.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to sleep now.¡±


    Wen Yue didn¡¯t respond, wiping the tears from the corners of her eyes as she walked towards the bedroom.


    Wen Siyuan: ¡°Wen Yue¡­¡± Where did she get that stubbornness from? Frowning slightly, Wen Siyuan watched her small back as she walked away, sighing repeatedly in his heart.


    Sitting alone in the living room for a while, Wen Siyuan got up and returned to the master bedroom.


    ¡°I heard everything.¡±


    Su Man sat on the head of the bed, staring coldly at Wen Siyuan.


    After closing the door casually, Wen Siyuan said expressionlessly, ¡°Since you heard it all, there¡¯s no need for me to repeat it.¡±


    Sitting down on a chair, Wen Siyuan faced Su Man: ¡°Before we got married, you told me in person that my children were your children and that you would treat them well. During my previous leave, you assured me more than once that you would take good care of Wen Yue and her sisters. I trusted you and ced the kids in your care, but how did you handle today¡¯s situation?¡±


    Su Man¡¯s tone was sarcastic: ¡°How did I handle it? Haven¡¯t I been good enough to them? Doing theirundry, cooking, looking after the three of them, I¡¯ve almost be the old maid of this house. What more do you want me to do?


    Wen Siyuan, make it clear; you married a wife, not an old maid to serve your whole family. Moreover, I¡¯m pregnant now, and my emotions are naturally a bit unstable. Do you know how anxious I was when I received the call from the teacher?


    I was worried Wen Yue was hurt, worried she was bullied. And what happened? When I arrived at the daycare, I saw that Wen Yue had only a slight fingernail mark on the back of her left hand, whereas her ssmate, the one she fought with, had two noticeable scratch marks on his right cheek. In that situation, how could I think of anything else?¡±


    Wen Siyuan: ¡°Why didn¡¯t youfort Yueyue when you got home? By that time, you should have known the whole story.¡±


    Su Man: ¡°I¡¯m human, not a deity. I have my temper too. When Wen Yue came home and instead of doing her homework, she yed in the yard with Wen Yi and Wen Yu, shouldn¡¯t I say something to her?¡±


    ¡°You can point out where Wen Yue and the others are wrong, but they are still young and need more care.¡± Wen Siyuan felt it was exhausting to talk to Su Man. He sighed deeply, ¡°I¡¯ve been very busy with work recently. Can¡¯t you put a little more heart into looking after the children so I can work without worrying?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re busy, but isn¡¯t Comrade Luo also busy? Why can he go home to rest?¡±


    Remembering the incident that had urred between Kang Li and her husband that afternoon, Su Man¡¯s mood plummeted instantly.


    ¡°Comrade Luo got sick and was specifically given leave by the chief to go home and rest, but I¡¯m in good health. How could I just run home?¡±

 Chapter 291: 291 Luo Yanqing: Just Caring About You

    <strong>Chapter 291: Chapter 291 Luo Yanqing: Just Caring About You</strong>


    ¡°Comrade Luo seems perfectly fine to me!¡±


    ¡°What do you mean ¡®perfectly fine¡¯? Comrade Luo had a cough due to a cold, and once he starts coughing, he can¡¯t stop. If he wasn¡¯t worried about affecting the work of other team members, he would never have left theb.¡±


    ¡°Say whatever you want.¡±


    Su Man felt weary andy down on the bed, ¡°My belly is getting bigger by the day. If you don¡¯t want anything to happen to your son, shouldn¡¯t you hire someone to take care of the housework and also pick up and drop off Wen Yue at kindergarten?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Wen Siyuan almost retorted with ¡°Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re being overly dramatic?¡±


    However, he didn¡¯t voice that thought but instead said, ¡°Yueyue¡¯s mom gave birth to three daughters, and she always took care of the household and looked after the children herself.¡±


    Su Man felt like someone had stepped on her tail and she gritted her teeth, articting every word, ¡°I am me, not your ex-wife. I don¡¯t have her capabilities!¡±


    ¡°How about this, when you¡¯re about to give birth, I¡¯ll talk to my mom and ask her to take some time off work toe and look after you.¡±


    Wen Siyuan made a concession.


    Su Man: ¡°No need!¡±


    ¡­


    The Luo Family.


    ¡°The children have all told me,¡± Luo Yanqing said abruptly while lying in bed. Kang Li, confused, asked, ¡°Told you what?¡±


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°That day, after you went to the station to bring me something and returned¡­¡±


    ¡°I thought you knew something else. It¡¯s just that; actually, it was nothing. I was just a bit drained, but after sleeping for the night, I recovered,¡± Kang Li said casually, clearly not concerned about the incident.


    ¡°Drained? Why?¡±


    As soon as Luo Yanqing asked this, Kang Li froze.


    ¡°Is it hard to say, or is it that you can¡¯t say, especially to me?¡±


    Luo Yanqing¡¯s voice betrayed no emotion, but Kang Li knew that he was probably angry with her.


    ¡°I thought you knew.¡±


    With a slight pout of her lips, Kang Liy on her back, blinking her foxy eyes, and said softly, ¡°That day I saved two kids, remember? We talked about it on the phone. At that moment,mitted to saving lives, and seeing that one child was unconscious and the other couldn¡¯t move well, I¡­ carried the unconscious child to your research institute¡¯s gate. Right, I should have mentioned this to you, hadn¡¯t I?¡±


    Luo Yanqing stayed silent.


    Kang Liughed sheepishly, ¡°I was born with great strength, and since this is quite shocking, I never told my family about it. Before that day, I had never used this ability of mine. Unexpectedly¡­ While carrying the child, I didn¡¯t feel anything. But when I got back home, I realized I was nearly exhausted. I couldn¡¯t even bring myself to move while sitting down.


    Honestly, Luo Yanqing, my body¡¯s reaction was excessively dyed. It took me nearly two hours from carrying the person for a mile to your research institute, and then to the hospital, and then back home, before I¡­¡±


    Before she could finish, Luo Yanqing cut her off with his cool and indifferent voice, ¡°Are you joking with your body? Are you very courageous? Also, I¡¯ve told you, they are not children.¡±


    ¡°Luo Yanqing, don¡¯t be so serious, and you know what I did. This means we did talk about it over the phone that day. Howe you¡¯re bringing up the past just because you heard a few words from the kids today?¡± Before Luo Yanqing could respond, Kang Li continued, ¡°Alright, alright, I¡¯m fine, aren¡¯t I?¡±


    She didn¡¯t want to talk about the past anymore.


    Besides, now that she knew about this problem with her body, she would certainly not act recklessly in the future.

 Chapter 292: 292 This is Our Home

    <strong>Chapter 292: Chapter 292 This is Our Home</strong>


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask the Director to help hire someone to take care of cooking and picking up Luo Mingrui from kindergarten so that you can rx a bit and have more flexibility with your time.¡±


    Luo Yanqing could naturally tell that Kang Li did not want to bring up the past. His lips were tightly sealed, and after a long silence, he voiced his decision.


    ¡°No need,¡± Kang Li refused, saying, ¡°Godfather and Godmother are retired senior cadres, and they don¡¯t have domestic help at home. We shouldn¡¯t do anything out of the ordinary.¡±


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°Godmother doesn¡¯t like having strangers at home.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°I feel the same, and I like quiet too. If there¡¯s an additional person at home, it would be so much less free for me to do anything with someone always hovering around!¡±


    This wasn¡¯t entirely the truth, after all, before arriving in this world, her life had nevercked people to look after her.


    Well, except for her own solitary living space.


    However, here, for the time being, casually hiring people to work in the house didn¡¯t seem like a good idea.


    Seeing that Luo Yanqing hadn¡¯t made a sound for a long while, Kang Li asked, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you speaking?¡± But Luo Yanqing remained silent, giving Kang Li no choice but to say, ¡°Actually, I¡¯m concerned about the impression it would make. Also, I can assure you that there will absolutely not be another incident like thest one.¡±


    Finally, Luo Yanqing spoke, ¡°When I first returned to the country and started at the research institute, the leaders had intended to arrange someone to look after my living needs, but I turned it down at the time. Later¡­ because Luo Mingrui needed care, without a word from me, they hired someone for the house.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°Oh, I see. But you should know that those two people were not of good character, otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t have found me in your home.¡±


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°¡­This is our home.¡±


    A hint of a smile crossed Kang Li¡¯s eyes; she curved her lips and said, ¡°Oh.¡±


    ¡°You¡­ you could ask around at the old ce to see if there¡¯s anyone who wants toe and keep youpany, with board and lodging included. Each month¡­¡± Knowing what Luo Yanqing was about to say, Kang Li cut in immediately: ¡°Listen to me, it¡¯s really not necessary. If you¡¯re truly worried, I can call my mom to see if she¡¯s willing toe and stay at our ce for a while.¡±


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°She can stay long-term.¡± There¡¯s a spare room at home, and he had no objections to how long his mother-inw wished to stay.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll let my mom know that you, her son-inw, have invited her to stay in North City for an extended period.¡±


    Kang Li¡¯s words were tinged withughter. Upon hearing her, Luo Yanqing felt his cheeks heat up.


    ¡°Let¡¯s sleep, you¡¯re still ill and need to rest more.¡±


    ¡°Mmm.¡±


    ¡°Good night.¡±


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°¡­Good night.¡±


    The next day.


    Kang Li took Xiao Mingrui to kindergarten and didn¡¯t let Luo Yanqing apany her. In the afternoon, when she picked up the kids and went back home, she again didn¡¯t ask Luo Yanqing toe along.


    In her words, since he hade home to recuperate, he should stay at home and rest properly, lest the cough, which was not a serious ailment, became prolonged from neglect.


    On the third day after Luo Yanqing returned home, which was today, hepletely stopped coughing. However, to be safe, Kang Li apanied him to the hospital near thepound for a thorough checkup at noon.


    After being examined by the doctor, it was confirmed that he was cured, and Luo Yanqing didn¡¯t stay home any longer than necessary. After having lunch, he called the institute.


    ¡°This is me, Luo Yanqing¡­ Yes, I can resume work this afternoon. Okay, I¡¯ll wait at home, goodbye.¡±


    After finishing the call with Director Song, Luo Yanqing reced the receiver on the phone and looked towards Kang Li: ¡°A car wille to pick me up around 1:30 p.m.¡±


    ¡°Got it. I¡¯ve already packed your things; just grab and go when the car arrives.¡±

 Chapter 293: 293: There is something I want your help with

    <strong>Chapter 293: Chapter 293: There is something I want your help with</strong>


    Even though she felt a bit reluctant, Kang Li knew the man in front of her was returning to his unit to work on important matters and wouldn¡¯t cling too much in their conversation.


    Time passed quickly. She heard the sound of a car approaching from outside the courtyard, then the gate being knocked on. Luo Yanqing picked up his bag, ¡°I¡¯m leaving.¡±


    Kang Li nodded, ¡°Mm.¡±


    The two walked out of the living room, and as they were about to reach the courtyard gate, Kang Li stopped, ¡°Luo Yanqing.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    Luo Yanqing paused, looking towards Kang Li with puzzlement written in his dark, ink-like phoenix eyes.


    With lively eyes and brows, Kang Li tiptoed and kissed the man on one side of his cheek. Then, pointing to her own right cheek and wearing a yful smile, she said nothing, only blinking her clear, fox-like eyes mischievously as she tilted her head to look at him.


    Snapping out of his daze, Luo Yanqing¡¯s ears turned red, the blush spreading down to his neck and across his handsome face.


    ¡°What goes aroundes around.¡±


    Seeing the man not moving, Kang Li pointed at her right cheek again.


    Bearing the difort, Luo Yanqing bent down and lightly pressed a kiss on his beautiful wife¡¯s face. He said, ¡°Take care of yourself. Call me if you need anything.¡±


    Kang Li¡¯s bright fox-like eyes curved like a crescent moon, ¡°Got it. You also need to take good care of yourself. Don¡¯t fall ill again.¡±


    Watching Luo Yanqing¡¯s jeep drive away, Kang Li turned back and headed home.


    ¡°Mom, is dad not at home because he went back to work at his unit?¡±


    Xiao Ming Rui had been picked up that afternoon. Not seeing their father, Milk Bun Ming Han couldn¡¯t help but ask their mother.


    Kang Li confirmed, ¡°Mm.¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei said, ¡°Dad only stayed home for three days this time.¡± Finger counting, Xiao Ming Wei did the math again, clearly a bit disappointed.


    ¡°Correct, it was three days. But this time he came home to recover, and now that he¡¯s better, he naturally has to return to work. Otherwise, no one will be able to do his job, and a lot of things will be dyed.¡±


    Listening to what Kang Li said, the twins nodded their little heads, ¡°Hanhan (Vivi) understands! Dad is busy with important things, not that he doesn¡¯t want to stay with us.¡±


    ¡­


    The weather turned colder, and like everyone else, Kang Li stored plenty of cabbage, radishes, and hundreds of coal briquettes along with enough coal for heating at home.


    ¡°Li Bao, it¡¯s done.¡±


    Since it was the weekend, Guoan hade to see Kang Li, originally to ask his sister for help with a troublesome matter, but happened to arrive while Kang Li was installing a heating stove. Without a second thought, he took on the task.


    After more than an hour¡¯s work, the big-bellied heating stove in the middle of the living room ¡°started working,¡± and the heat pipes leading to the kids¡¯ rooms and the master bedroom gradually warmed up.


    To prevent any gas leakage, Guoan wrapped thick tape around each joint of the heat pipes, checking them over several times carefully. shing a big white-toothed grin, he told Kang Li that the job was all done.


    The twin twins pped their hands seal-style, eximing, ¡°Wow! Little Uncle is so capable!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve put in hard work, young man, sit down and have some water.¡±


    Kang Li handed Guoan a porcin jug of malt extract, ¡°With this heating stove, we four won¡¯t have to fear the cold.¡±


    ¡°There are children at home; it¡¯s necessary to have a heating stove. Otherwise, it¡¯s too cold indoors, and the children can easily get sick,¡± Guoan replied as he took the jug and drank, ¡°Actually, I came here today because I need your help with something.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s go to the study.¡±


    Kang Li spoke and looked at Min Rui, ¡°Ruirui, y in the living room with your brother and sister. Remember not to touch the heating stove; it could burn you.¡±

 Chapter 294: 294 But Is This Really Okay?

    <strong>Chapter 294: Chapter 294 But Is This Really Okay?</strong>


    Xiao Ming Rui nodded.


    Twin with mixed sex: ¡°Mom, we know!¡±


    Kang Li smiled and entered her study with Kang Guoan.


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s the situation, Li Bao, you really have to help your little brother, I¡¯m almost annoyed to death. You don¡¯t know, she hangs around me all the time, it has affected my normal work, and it has brought me quite a lot of idle gossip.¡±


    ¡°But, is this really okay?¡±


    After hearing what Kang Guoan asked her to help with, Kang Li¡¯s brows furrowed slightly, showing a bit of difficulty: ¡°Little brother, do you really not like that Comrade Yang Zijuan at all?¡±


    Yang Zijuan is the daughter of a minor leader at North City Petrochemical, good-looking but with a terrible personality; she must have whoever she fancies, no matter what.


    Not to mention the other things, just when ites to dating, it¡¯s said she changes her partner almost every half-year.


    Now, Yang Zijuan is eighteen, and since she was sixteen, she has been dating malerades. The rtionships neversted more than six months before she would break up and soon target another good-looking malerade.


    In any case, she¡¯s spoiled and arrogant, relying a bit on her family background and entirely unconcerned about changing partners every half year, and even less worried about what others say.


    Ever since Kang Guoan started working at North City Petrochemical, after one chance encounter, Yang Zijuan had her eyes on him. Last month, right after Yang Zijuan broke up with her partner, she immediately started pursuing Kang Guoan.


    ¡°Would you not joke about this with your little brother? She¡¯s reckless in her actions, not knowing how to be reserved at all, and she doesn¡¯t take rtionships seriously. How could I like a girl like that?¡±


    Kang Guoan, recalling how Yang Zijuan buzzed around him like a fly, was extremely annoyed. He said, ¡°Do you know? In our department, some people secretly spread rumors that I was the third party destroying Yang Zijuan and her previous partner¡¯s rtionship. How unfair is that?


    I was inexplicably entangled, inexplicably harassed; I am the victim, yet now I¡¯mbeled as the home-wrecker in someone else¡¯s rtionship. I¡¯m almost nauseated!¡±


    ¡°Hearing you talk like this, that Comrade Yang Zijuan really doesn¡¯t seem so great. But how did you think about having me pretend to be your partner? Aren¡¯t you worried that others will find out about our rtionship?¡±


    Pretending to be her own brother¡¯s girlfriend to block unwanted romances, this wasn¡¯t really a big deal, but knowing her little brother, Kang Guoan, as she did ¨C only slightly better than a simpleton ¨C how could he think of such a method?


    ¡°Our department is more than twenty stops away from yourpound, and you still need to switch buses in between. After the matter is resolved, it will be very hard for anyone to encounter you.


    As for how I thought of asking you for this favor, frankly, I was so annoyed by that Yang Zijuan that I directly told her I had a partner. But Yang Zijuan didn¡¯t believe it and still appeared in front of me every day, saying that as long as I¡¯m not married, she has the right to pursue me.¡±


    Saying this, Kang Guoan almost pleaded: ¡°Li Bao, you really have to help your little brother, otherwise, I¡¯m afraid that my colleagues might all start seeing me through a tinted lens.¡±


    Kang Liughed: ¡°Didn¡¯t you tell her that our family is from the countryside, didn¡¯t mention that our home is in the Great Northwest?¡±


    Kang Guoan: ¡°Why should I bother telling her all that?! I don¡¯t like her, I don¡¯t want to date her, I just want her to stop pestering me, so I can have some peace.¡±


    ¡°Little brother, haven¡¯t you found any femalerade attractive at work after nearly four months?¡±


    Kang Li¡¯s eyes smiled mischievously, her expression as curious as could be.


    ¡°I just want to work well. Li Bao, I remember telling you, I won¡¯t consider personal marriage issues for the next two or three years.¡±

 Chapter 295: 295 What Exactly Do You Want Me to Do?

    <strong>Chapter 295: Chapter 295 What Exactly Do You Want Me to Do?</strong>


    Kang Guoan had indeed said that before, and Kang Li blinked her bright, fox-like eyes, finally nodding her head, ¡°Okay, I agree to help you out, little brother, but if it affects your rtionships in the future, don¡¯t me me!¡±


    ¡°If that day reallyes, I¡¯ll just exin to her that you¡¯re my sister. If she doesn¡¯t believe me, I¡¯ll bring her to meet you.¡±


    Kang Guoan said this and felt a great sense of relief, ¡°Once Yang Zijuan sees you, she will certainly back off.¡±


    Kang Li raised her eyebrows, ¡°Are you so sure about that, little brother?¡±


    Kang Guoan, ¡°My sister looks like a fairy girl and has such a pleasant temperament, Yang Zijuan would only feel inferior in front of you.¡±


    ¡°Little brother, that might not be the case. Some people always think too highly of themselves, and with their family background as a cushion, like Comrade Yang Zijuan, she might be furious when she sees me, regarding me as a thorn in her side, wishing she could just get rid of me.¡±


    Kang Li¡¯s gaze was clear and bright, her tone seemed serious, but in reality, she was just joking.


    ¡°If she dares to touch a single hair on your head, I¡¯ll punch her right then and there, no, with me around, she won¡¯t even think of touching you!¡±


    He wouldn¡¯t let such a superficial and self-centered woman touch Li Bao, his sister, even if it meant risking his job.


    Kang Liughed, ¡°What exactly do you need me to do?¡±


    Kang Guoan, ¡°When you have time,e by mypany one day. When Yang Zijuan shows up, I¡¯ll introduce you as my significant other.¡±


    Kang Li, ¡°I have time every day. How about this, I¡¯ll do it tomorrow, after I drop off Ruirui and the others at kindergarten. I¡¯ll go home to tidy up a bit and get to the office before your lunch break ends, little brother, does that sound good?¡±


    ¡°That works, let¡¯s do that.¡±


    If he had any way, he wouldn¡¯t ask his sister for such a favor.


    Kang Guoan returned to the office in thete afternoon.


    The next day at noon.


    Kang Li arrived at the gates of North City Petrochemical at the time agreed upon with Kang Guoan.


    ¡°Youngrade, are you looking for someone?¡±


    The gatekeeper couldn¡¯t help bute out and ask after noticing Kang Li ncing inside the gate every now and then.


    ¡°Grandpa, I¡­¡±


    Kang Li was about to respond when Kang Guoan came into view from afar, waving at her, ¡°Li Bao, over here!¡± Seeing this, Kang Li said to the gatekeeper, ¡°Grandpa, the person I¡¯m looking for is here.¡±


    ¡°So you were looking for Comrade Xiao Kang. If you had told me earlier, you could havee inside my gatehouse to get out of the wind.¡± It was snowing heavily and the bitter wind was biting, truly very cold.


    Kang Li smiled, ¡°Thank you, grandpa. I actually haven¡¯t been waiting here for long.¡± As Kang Li finished her sentence, Kang Guoan approached, ¡°Come on, I¡¯ll take you in.¡± He greeted the gatekeeper and, with a smile on his face, walked shoulder to shoulder with Kang Li, quickly moving away.


    Watching their retreating figures, the gatekeeper shook his head, returned to the gatehouse, and muttered to himself, ¡°Looks like Director Yang¡¯s daughter is going to be heartbroken!¡±


    ¡°Kang Guoan, who is she?¡±


    Yang Zijuan worked in the publicity department and had nned to find Kang Guoan for lunch, but she was surprised to see Kang Guoan heading straight to thepany gate as soon as he left the office. Unable to help herself, she followed him.


    After spotting Kang Guoan meeting a femalerade at the gate, Yang Zijuan¡¯s face suddenly turned sour, especially upon seeing Kang Guoan smiling and chatting easily with the girl by his side. The jealousy in her heart spiraled out of control. No longer hiding behind the roadside trees, she emerged and blocked Kang Guoan¡¯s path, her face cold as she questioned Kang Li¡¯s identity.

 Chapter 296: 296 Lack of Confidence

    <strong>Chapter 296: Chapter 296 Lack of Confidence</strong>


    ¡°Li Bao, this is the Comrade Yang Zijuan I mentioned to you,¡± Kang Guoan retracted the smile from his face the moment he saw Yang Zijuan. He introduced her to Kang Li first and then addressed Yang Zijuan, ¡°Comrade Yang Zijuan, this is my partner. To prevent any misunderstanding from my partner, please refrain from making strange gestures in my presence in the future.¡±


    ¡°Hello.¡±


    Kang Li reached out to Yang Zijuan, but the other party just red at her, showing no intention of greeting her back.


    ¡°Brother Little Wu, I¡¯m feeling a bit cold. Let¡¯s sit in your dorm for a while.¡±


    The residential area of North City Petrochemical was situated to the east, and the office area to the west. Although some distance separated them, it was not too far; walking there would take at most fifteen minutes one way.


    Yang Zijuan: ¡°Are you really Kang Guoan¡¯s partner?¡±


    ¡°Comrade, your question is peculiar. I don¡¯t think I need to answer you.¡±


    Her brother had already made it crystal clear, hadn¡¯t he? Was it necessary to confirm it with her again?


    Yang Zijuan: ¡°I like Kang Guoan!¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°I know.¡± She is good-looking, but that pampered expression on her face makes it apparent she¡¯s been spoiled rotten by her family.


    That was forgivable; after all, it was her family¡¯s prerogative to dote on her, and outsiders had no right to interfere. What made her ufortable was the other¡¯s contemptuous and haughty demeanor.


    As if the person standing before her was a mere ant whose life and death she could control at will.


    Ha! With such character, she wanted to be with her brother, to be her Fifth Sister-inw? She might as well go wash up and go to bed!


    ¡°Break up with Kang Guoan, and I will give you money.¡±


    Yang Zijuan¡¯s tone was imperious, as if Kang Guoan was her possession, exuding arrogance at that moment.


    ¡°Comrade, take a good look, do I look like a beggar?¡± This day, Kang Li wore a beige knee-length woolen coat, a pure white woolen sweater underneath, ck leggings paired with a matching knee-length woolen skirt, and ck ankle boots on her feet.


    Her simple attire nheless highlighted Kang Li¡¯s slender figure and the unique charm that naturally emanated from her bones¡­


    At this moment, Yang Zijuan sized up Kang Li from head to toe with great detail, her expression instantly stupefied.


    Because irrespective of her clothes, the appearance of the girl standing before her was much more beautiful than her own self-proimed beauty.


    Her skin was fair, like cream, her facial features were as if painted, so exquisite that Yang Zijuan couldn¡¯t find a single w. Looking at this face, the jealousy surging in her heart deted like a punctured ball, all of a sudden disappearing.


    Not that she didn¡¯t want to feel jealous, but shecked the confidence to do so.


    Yang Zijuan couldn¡¯t understand why she didn¡¯t have this feeling when she first saw her; instead, she felt a burning jealousy, wishing to pry the girl away from Kang Guoan¡¯s side immediately.


    That¡¯s right, Kang Guoan. Before, all her thoughts were on Kang Guoan; she only wanted to drive away the girl by his side and hadn¡¯t paid attention to her looks.


    Having realized this, Yang Zijuan couldn¡¯t help but feel wronged.


    Was it because he had such a beautiful partner¡­ that¡¯s why Kang Guoan refused to date her?


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    Yang Zijuan¡¯s lips quivered, struggling to find the right words to continue.


    A woolen coat, a beige knee-length one like this, was not only expensive but also only avable at the Friendship Store.


    She thought her own red mid-length woolen coat was very beautiful and impressive, butpared to this woman before her, she now felt like a in country girl.


    Not fashionable at all!


    ¡°Kang Guoan, is she really your partner?¡±

 Chapter 297: 297: What, are you feeling sympathetic?

    <strong>Chapter 297: Chapter 297: What, are you feeling sympathetic?</strong>


    Pointing at Kang Li, Yang Zijuan sought confirmation from Kang Guoan. She really liked Guoan¡¯s appearance; in all her life, he was the most handsome man she had ever seen.


    He was the one she truly wanted to date, the one she wanted to marry!


    Kang Guoan nodded without hesitation.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Yang Zijuan couldn¡¯t ept it. Even though she already knew the answer and knew she didn¡¯t have the confidence, she still couldn¡¯t let it go. She turned her gaze back to Kang Li, ¡°As long as you two aren¡¯t married, I still have hope!¡±


    With that, she fought the difort in her heart and moved her gaze back to Kang Guoan, ¡°I¡­I know my reputation isn¡¯t great, but I can change for you, Guoan, can¡¯t you believe me? I really like you and want to date you. I promise, in my heart, you¡¯re different from those I¡¯ve dated before¡­¡±


    Kang Guoan frowned, ¡°Comrade Yang Zijuan, you don¡¯t need to tell me these things. I remember clearly telling you more than once that I¡¯m not interested in you. Please trouble yourself not toe near me anymore. Now, my partner is standing right beside you. If you have any self-respect, you should leave immediately and stop showing up in front of me.¡±


    Can she not understand what people say to her?


    Taking two steps back, Yang Zijuan didn¡¯t want to appear too defeated. She stood firm, staring intently at Kang Guoan, ¡°Aren¡¯t you worried I could get you fired? Or do you not believe I have that power?¡±


    Kang Guoan¡¯s expression remained calm, ¡°Do whatever you want.¡± With that, he called out to Kang Li, ¡°Li Bao, let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Kang Li nodded and continued to walk alongside Kang Guoan.


    Watching the two of them walk away, Yang Zijuan couldn¡¯t hold back any longer, letting tears stream down her face.


    ¡°That femalerade seems to have some real feelings for you.¡±


    After walking a distance, Kang Li nced at Kang Guoan¡¯s handsome profile and spoke softly, ¡°Her personality isn¡¯t that great, and she¡¯s somewhat domineering, but from a different perspective, I think she¡¯s actually a rather naive girl. Also, even though she has had quite a few boyfriends, it was probably nothing more than holding hands¡­¡±


    ¡°What are you trying to do? You wouldn¡¯t be trying to get your little brother here to take back what he¡¯s said, would you?¡±


    Kang Guoan gave Kang Li, his little sister, a strange look.


    ¡°Are you really sure you have no feelings for that femalerade?¡±


    Kang Li was caught off guard by Kang Guoan¡¯s look and couldn¡¯t help but cough awkwardly twice beforeughing ufortably and carefully observing the changes in his expression.


    ¡°If I had the slightest bit of interest, do you think I would¡¯ve specifically asked for your help?¡± Kang Guoan said, shaking his head helplessly. He asked, ¡°What, are you feeling pity for her?¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°How could that be?! Love is a matter between two people, what difference does an outsider¡¯s pity make? I just feel that Comrade Yang might have put a little heart into her feelings for you and think she¡¯s just been spoiled too much by her family, leading her to be rather self-centered and somewhat naively overbearing, that¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°Alright, whatever other people are like, it¡¯s none of our business. Let¡¯s not talk about her anymore.¡±


    That ¡®her¡¯ undoubtedly referred to Yang Zijuan.


    Kang Li ¡°Oh¡±ed in response.


    Kang Guoan: ¡°The food in our workce canteen is pretty good. In a bit, your big brother will take you to try it out and also shut those gossipers up.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Kang Li couldn¡¯t help but tease,ughing, ¡°I never thought my big brother held grudges.¡±


    Kang Guoan flicked Kang Li¡¯s forehead with his finger, ¡°This isn¡¯t about holding a grudge or not, it¡¯s about the reputation of your big brother here.¡±

 Chapter __auto__ 298 - __auto__ 298: 298: Just Like Him

    <strong>Chapter 298: Chapter 298: Just Like Him</strong>


    Kang Li feigned pain, raising her hand to rub the sore spot: ¡°I¡¯ve just done a favor for my little brother, and now he repays kindness with grudges. Is there no more sibling love?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just your cheekiness!¡± ncing sideways at Kang Li, Kang Guoan shook his head with augh, ¡°I can overlook my own reputation, but it depends on what it¡¯s about, Li Bao. Do you understand?¡±


    Kang Li nodded: ¡°Got it, got it, little brother doesn¡¯t want to bebeled as a male homewrecker.¡±


    Kang Guoan: ¡°Male homewrecker?¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°The third party that disrupts someone else¡¯s rtionship.¡±


    Kang Guoan: ¡°That description is quite fitting.¡±


    Kang Li smiled and did not continue the conversation.


    The two entered the residential area and stayed in Kang Guoan¡¯s dormitory for roughly two to three minutes before heading to the staff canteen.


    Without need for words, everyone they encountered on the way, who saw Kang Li and Kang Guoan walking together, cast their gazes at them.


    After all, Yang Zijuan was far too famous at North City Petrochemical, and the news of Kang Guoan being entangled with her spread unusually fast. Moreover, with Kang Guoan¡¯s looks that could be described as ¡°the flower of North City Petrochemical,¡± he always had a fair number of admirers.


    Especially the unmarried femalerades, who for the chance to catch an extra glimpse of Kang Guoan, were not above engineering encounters of one kind or another.


    Butpared to Yang Zijuan, those women were somewhat more reserved.


    At most, they would gaze at Kang Guoan and not approach him to strike up a conversation, nor would they cling to him, clearly revealing their feelings.


    The Yang Family lived inside the residential area¡¯s familypound, and when they suddenly saw their own daughter (granddaughter, sister) with red and swollen eyes walking through the door, they almost instantly surrounded her.


    ¡°Juanjuan, what happened to you?¡±


    The first to speak was Grandma Yang, who doted on her precious granddaughter the most. Seeing the young girl pouting and starting to cry ¡°whoosh whoosh¡± when she heard the question, her heart couldn¡¯t help but tighten with worry.


    ¡°Grandma is asking you a question, you should respond!¡±


    Seeing his sister not answering, Yang Dawei, Yang Zijuan¡¯s older brother, became both anxious and worried, urging her to speak.


    ¡°He has someone else, Kang Guoan really does have someone else, woo woo¡­¡±


    Yang Zijuan cried out loud, clearly heartbroken and distressed.


    The Yang Family looked at each other, unsure what to say.


    After a while, Yang Dawei said: ¡°Since the person already has someone, you should give up that thought. There are plenty of good-looking boys out there; we¡¯re not worried about finding someone better-looking than Kang Guoan.¡±


    ¡°Juanjuan, your brother is right. It¡¯s just a boy who happens to be a little handsome. Grandma thinks, with your looks and our family¡¯s background, finding a boy you like won¡¯t be difficult. Now, stop crying, we don¡¯t need to be upset over a Kang Guoan.¡±


    Grandma Yang said gently,forting her granddaughter while wiping away her tears.


    ¡°But what if I just like Kang Guoan? I¡¯m serious this time, I want to be with Kang Guoan, be in a proper rtionship with him, I want to marry him!¡± Yang Zijuan couldn¡¯t stop her tears as she looked at Father Yang with pleading eyes, ¡°Dad, can you help me, please?¡±


    Father Yang was puzzled: ¡°How can I help you with your rtionship matters among young people?¡±


    Yang Zijuan: ¡°Dad can use his job to force Kang Guoan to break up with his partner, and then ask him to date me.¡±


    ¡°Leaving aside whether I can even do that, what if the youngrade doesn¡¯tpromise? What will you do then?¡± His daughter really was spoiled by their entire family; she was too blunt with her words, as if she thought North City Petrochemical was owned by them or something?

 Chapter 299: 299: Righteous and Confident

    <strong>Chapter 299: Chapter 299: Righteous and Confident</strong>


    Father Yang¡¯s eyebrows were tightly furrowed.


    ¡°If he doesn¡¯t agree¡­if Kang Guoan really doesn¡¯t agree, then¡­then fire him! Since he has offended me, I can¡¯t allow him to stay at North City Petrochemical anymore!¡±


    Yang Zijuan said indignantly.


    Mother Yang spoke up at this point, ¡°Juanjuan, your father, and I, and our whole family dote on you. We can¡¯t bear to see you suffer even a little, but regarding Comrade Kang Guoan, you were wrong from the beginning.¡±


    ¡°How was I wrong? Are you even my mother?¡±


    Yang Zijuan¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°He caught my eye, that¡¯s his fortune. I¡¯m bold enough to pursue my own love, what¡¯s wrong with that?¡±


    Grandma Yang said, ¡°Da Wei¡¯s mom, my granddaughter is right in what she¡¯s saying. It¡¯s indeed the boy¡¯s good fortune that she took a liking to him, and Juanjuan bravely pursuing him shows that our family¡¯s child is open and straightforward in matters of the heart, without any concealment.¡±


    At her mother-inw¡¯s words, Mother Yang was at a loss for words: ¡°But the boy has someone.¡±


    ¡°He has someone but isn¡¯t married yet, so I still have a chance!¡±


    Realizing her grandma was on her side, Yang Zijuan stopped crying and said with righteous indignation, ¡°As long as Kang Guoan isn¡¯t married, I¡¯ll pursue him every day. I can¡¯t give up on him, I can¡¯t¡­¡±


    However, she suddenly burst into tears again, ¡°Grandma¡­ but I¡¯m not as pretty as Kang Guoan¡¯s partner, and¡­ and it seems Kang Guoan¡¯s partner¡¯s family is better off than ours, her clothes look expensive¡­ With such a partner, Kang Guoan¡­ Kang Guoan might look down on me even more!¡±


    Grandma Yang said, ¡°You have your father!¡± Looking towards her son, Grandma Yang said, ¡°Yang Guoping, give your granddaughter a word of advice.¡±


    ¡°Mom, Juanjuan is making a scene, why are you meddling too?!¡±


    Father Yang, with a headache, earnestly said, ¡°Firstly, I don¡¯t have the power to just fire anyone, and secondly, that young Comrade Kang Guoan¡­ he was directly assigned to the department from above. Moreover, ever since he joined, he has been performing excellently. Such an outstanding employee is under the leadership¡¯s watch. Do you think I can just fire him like that?¡±


    ¡°Which employee is Dad thinking of firing?¡±


    A young male voice came from outside the door, belonging to Yang Zijuan¡¯s second brother, Yang Xiaowei.


    Father Yang shook his head and sighed as he sat down on the sofa, ¡°It¡¯s your sister making a fuss.¡±


    ¡°Mom, this is the braised pork I got from the cafeteria, to add a dish to our lunch table.¡±


    Handing the lunch box to Mother Yang, Yang Xiaowei nced at his elder brother Yang Dawei, then at his grandma Grandma Yang, and then he said, ¡°Grandma, Big Brother, I know you both want to protect Juanjuan in everything. I do too, but some things we really need to be reasonable¡­¡±


    ¡°You lecture me enough on normal days, are you going to lecture Grandma and Big Brother today too?¡±


    Yang Zijuan asked through tears, challenging Yang Xiaowei.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want Grandma and Big Brother to continue being muddled about your matter,¡± Yang Xiaowei cast his gaze towards his sister. ¡°I just came back from the cafeteria, do you know who I saw?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to listen!¡±


    Yang Zijuan covered her ears.


    Yang Xiaowei said, ¡°You might not want to listen, but I have to say it. Kang Guoan made it clear he already has someone when he rejected you, but you pretended not to know and kept pestering him. Now, his partner¡­¡±


    Despite saying she didn¡¯t want to hear, the words still seeped into her ears. Yang Zijuan couldn¡¯t ept it anymore and cried out, ¡°Are you trying to drive me to death, second brother?¡±


    ¡°I am trying to wake you up with a harsh wake-up call, so you won¡¯t continue such foolishness,¡± Yang Xiaowei looked at her with a mixture of frustration and concern:

 Chapter 300: 300: No Need to Wrong Oneself

    <strong>Chapter 300: Chapter 300: No Need to Wrong Oneself</strong>


    ¡°Relying on your family¡¯s doting nature and our modest family background, ever since you graduated from middle school, you started dating, and you change partners every six months. Do you know what everyone is saying behind your back? And how they¡¯re poking fun at our family¡¯s spine? Brother and I should be of the age to consider marriage, but neither of us has a partner right now.¡±


    ¡°¡­Is that even my fault?¡±


    Yang Zijuan felt guilty.


    ¡°Not your fault? Let¡¯s not even mention your so-called ¡®good¡¯ reputation. Just tell me, which femalerade would take a fancy to Brother or me, get close to us, and you, without saying a word, go run to her and warn her not to even think about the toad wanting to eat swan meat,¡±


    ¡°Once or twice you doing this, fine, but three or four times you continued to do so. Do you think any femalerades would still want toe near Brother or me, willing to enter our family¡¯s door?¡±


    ¡°Yang Zijuan, wake up. Our father is just one of several directors at his workce, and our mother is merely a head nurse at the hospital. With our family¡¯s status, what is there for you to be so proud and look down on others? Toying with feelings, acting so high and mighty, and interfering with Brother¡¯s and my matters time and again, I¡¯ve had enough of you!¡±


    Grandma Yang: ¡°Juanjuan, is what your second brother said true?¡± This year her grandsons Da Wei was 23 and Xiaowei 21, both good-looking men, yet they didn¡¯t have partners and no one hade to their door to propose a match. Could the root of the problem really lie with her granddaughter?


    ¡°I¡­ I was doing it for Brother¡¯s and your own good. All those girls were so ugly, none of them deserved to be with Brother or you. That¡¯s why I approached them to tell them not to embarrass themselves, it¡¯s better they don¡¯t pursue Brother and you, and especially not to think about entering our family.¡±


    If Yang Xiaowei knew the word ¡°double standard,¡± he would definitely have used it to describe his sister Yang Zijuan.


    ¡°Juanjuan, you¡¯ve disappointed me so much!¡±


    Mother Yang sighed deeply and took the lunch box her son Yang Xiaowei gave her to the kitchen.


    Father Yang¡¯s brows were tightly furrowed, and his expression was icy: ¡°You will not meddle in who your Brother or second brother dates from now on.¡±


    ¡°Juanjuan, you¡¯re too wilful!¡±


    Leaving behind those words, Grandma Yang turned and went back to her room.


    ¡­


    ¡°Little brother, who was thatrade we ran into when we left the canteen? I feel like he was looking at you a bit strangely!¡±


    After Kang Guoan took her to the workers¡¯ canteen for a meal and they returned to his dormitory, they were idling, and Kang Li couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    ¡°That was Yang Zijuan¡¯s second brother. He just graduated from Worker-Peasant-Soldier University this year and works in the technical department,¡±


    Kang Guoan replied without emotion.


    Kang Li was curious, ¡°Do you know each other?¡±


    Kang Guoan: ¡°We¡¯ve interacted through work, and there¡¯s also the fact that Yang Zijuan keeps sticking around me, so it¡¯s not strange that her brother knows who I am.¡±


    Putting away the smile on her face, Kang Li softly called out to Kang Guoan: ¡°Little brother¡­¡±


    Kang Guoan: ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°Are you happy with your work here?¡± Kang Li asked.


    ¡°¡­Of course, I¡¯m happy. I really like my job!¡±


    After a moment¡¯s hesitation, Kang Guoan cracked a smile.


    Kang Li: ¡°If you¡¯re so fed up with that Yang Zijuan, after today, if she keeps pestering you, you don¡¯t have to be polite with her! You don¡¯t need to worry about her threats, I believe no one would dare to fire you as long as you haven¡¯t made any mistake in your work!¡±


    ¡°Silly girl!¡±


    A warmth surged in Kang Guoan¡¯s heart, and he said, ¡°Even if I did get fired, I wouldn¡¯t be afraid, I can always go back to our hometown and earn work points. If they expect me to sell out my feelings and marriage just to stay working at North City Petrochemical, sorry, I can¡¯t do that!¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°You just focus on being at ease, unless you no longer wish to work here, no one who might want to use their power to fire you for personal reasons will seed in doing so!¡±

 Chapter 301: 301 Inquiry

    <strong>Chapter 301: Chapter 301 Inquiry</strong>


    Her little brother¡¯s job definitely has some backing, it¡¯s not something the director at North City Petrochemical can just dismiss whenever he wants to.


    ¡°Little brother believes you.¡±


    Like Kang Li, Kang Guoan was clear about how he got his job; in other words, as long as he performed well at work, nobody in their unit would even think to find some pretext to fire him!


    After chatting casually for about half an hour, Kang Li stood up, ¡°Little brother, you have to work this afternoon, so I won¡¯t stay any longer.¡±


    Kang Guoan nodded, ¡°Okay, little brother will see you out.¡±


    ¡­


    When she returned to thepound, life went on as usual.


    ¡°Mommy, starting tomorrow we don¡¯t have to go to kindergarten anymore, right mommy?¡±


    A month had gone by since Kang Li went to North City Petrochemical to fend off the unwanted suitors for Kang Guoan. That day, after picking up the three kids from kindergarten, Milk Bun Ming Han was so excited about the uing winter vacation that he ran several circles in the living room. However, he was worried he might not have heard clearly from the teacher, so he couldn¡¯t resist asking his mommy for confirmation.


    Kang Li shook her head, amused, ¡°Right!¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei: ¡°Mommy mommy, does that mean we¡¯re just waiting to celebrate the New Year now?¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Kang Li nodded with a smile.


    Xiao Ming Wei pped her hands, ¡°Celebrating the New Year means new clothes and setting off firecrackers. Vivi is so excited just thinking about it!¡±


    ¡°Mommy, will daddye back to celebrate the New Year with us?¡±


    Milk Bun Ming Han asked his mommy at this point; he missed daddy and really hoped daddy coulde back to spend the New Year with him, mommy, and his siblings.


    ¡°Well¡­ Mommy isn¡¯t sure, but I think your daddy will probablye back.¡±


    It¡¯s no surprise that scientific researchers are often ¡°workaholics,¡± rarely taking a break. That¡¯s because once they enter theb, they¡¯d rather live there, if only to reach a breakthrough sooner and contribute more to the country.


    It¡¯s safe to say that their brains seldom have a real chance to rest.


    Take, for example, Professor Luo¡¯s case when he fell ill previously. Even though he was already in bed for the night, he didn¡¯t stop pondering the problems encountered in his experiment until, suddenly, a stroke of inspiration hit him, and he ran off to theb despite the rain¡­


    Remembering this, Kang Li couldn¡¯t be certain whether that person woulde home for the Spring Festival.


    As for what she told the three kids, it was just a temporary reassurance. Whether they would see that person at home or have aplete family reunion for the New Year would only be known right before New Year¡¯s Eve.


    Because currently there was no such thing as a Spring Festival holiday.


    Nheless, as New Year¡¯s Eve approached, Kang Li still called Kang Guoan and asked him toe home for the Reunion Dinner after work on that day.


    After all, in North City, Kang Guoan, as her brother from her maternal family, was Kang Li¡¯s closest rtive.


    She couldn¡¯t just let her little brother spend New Year¡¯s Eve alone in his cold, stark dormitory.


    As the New Year¡¯s atmosphere grew stronger, Kang Li prepared the New Year goods and took Xiao Ming Rui and the other two to the Song Family¡¯s home that day.


    ¡°Auntie (Grandma).¡±


    Upon entering the living room and seeing Mrs. Qi, all four of them called out in unison; then, Xiao Ming Rui and the other two toddled over to Song Xuan, ¡°Brother Xuan Xuan.¡±


    Song Xuan¡¯s eyes were soft as he looked at the three little ones, gently touching their heads and revealing a smile, ¡°Come on, to my room.¡± This simple sentence, for Song Xuan now, was quite fluent.


    The three little ones nodded their little heads and followed Song Xuan out of the living room.


    Because it was cold outside and snow was falling, Kang Li had dressed the three of them very warmly; from behind, they looked like three little rolling balls, very cute to watch.


    Mrs. Qi asked, ¡°Are all the New Year¡¯s goods prepared?¡±


    ¡°Everything that needed to be prepared is ready.¡±

 Chapter 302: 302: Accident

    <strong>Chapter 302: Chapter 302: ident</strong>


    Kang Li nodded and asked Mrs. Qi, ¡°Godmother¡­ I came over to ask you, since Chinese New Year is around the corner, did my godfather mention whether the station would grant a day or two off?¡±


    ¡°No, your godfather hasn¡¯t called home recently. Going by the usual practice during the Spring Festival in previous years, the station generally operates as usual, though they will have a dinner together on New Year¡¯s Eve.¡±


    Mrs. Qi said, noticing Kang Li¡¯s slightly stunned expression, she couldn¡¯t help but add, ¡°If you¡¯re missing Yanqing, you could actually go to the station and see him.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Kang Li¡¯s beautiful face almost instantly flushed with color, ¡°Godmother, are you teasing me?!¡±


    Mrs. Qi smiled without answering and said, ¡°Young people, Godmother understands.¡±


    Kang Li felt even more heat on her face, ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯m missing Luo Yanqing. It¡¯s Ruirui and the others who miss their father. Just now at home, they were all asking if their dad would be able toe back and celebrate the Spring Festival with them, so I brought the kids over to ask you. Now that I know Luo Yanqing is likely unable toe back due to work, I¡¯ll have a clear exnation for the kids on New Year¡¯s Eve.¡±


    ¡°Marrying a man like Yanqing, sometimes I think about it, Godmother feels it¡¯s really hard on you!¡± A young girl who just came of age, married and became a stepmother to three children, and with a husband who can¡¯t be by her side often, having to shoulder all big or small matters at home by herself. As her godmother, seeing this really pains my heart.


    But what can be done?


    After all, everyone in this big courtyard knows that their loved ones are working hard for the nation¡¯s growth, so it has be normal to not see them for a short period like a month or two, or even as long as half a year to a year, since very early on.


    Kang Li smiled wryly and shook her head, ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s anything. Luo Yanqing isn¡¯t out there fooling around; he just can¡¯te home. If other families in this courtyard can get used to it, of course, I won¡¯t be the odd one out.¡±


    ¡°Yes, getting used to it is good,¡± Mrs. Qi sighed softly and then said, ¡°I n to take Xuan Xuan to the Martyrs¡¯ Cemetery the day after tomorrow morning to visit my son and daughter-inw. Would you like to bring Ruirui and the others along to pay tribute to Yanqing¡¯s father?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Hearing this, Kang Li paused for a moment, then smiled and nodded, ¡°Alright.¡±


    Mrs. Qi¡¯s expression turned slightly wistful, ¡°In past years, if Yanqing had the time, he would go to pay his respects in person. If not, he would ask me or your godfather to help visit his father and tell him everything is fine.¡±


    ¡°From this year on, I will take Ruirui and the others to visit my father-inw.¡± A martyr¡¯s name lives forever, and Luo Yanqing¡¯s father, her father-inw, was not only a martyr but also her family. As his daughter-inw, it was indeed her duty to clean his tomb and offer tribute.


    Besides, if Luo Yanqing, his own son, didn¡¯t have the time, it was all the more necessary for her to go. It would also allow her father-inw, who sacrificed his life young on the battlefield, to rest in peace with a smile.


    Thendline suddenly rang.


    ¡°Hello, may I ask who you are looking for?¡±


    Kang Li was sitting right by thendline, she picked up the receiver, politely greeted the caller, and the next moment, she heard Feng Yi¡¯s voice tinged with a sob.


    Seeing Kang Li frown slightly, Mrs. Qi couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Is it someone you know?¡±


    Kang Li nodded slightly, ¡°It¡¯s Feng Yi.¡± Saying this, Kang Li turned her attention back to the call with Feng Yi, ¡°Don¡¯t panic, just tell me exactly what happened¡­¡±


    ¡°Sister! Sister Kang Li, I trust Brother Yan, I¡¯m certain he would never take a guest¡¯s belongings. Plus, Brother Yan said that apart from going out to eat and taking a break in the lounge when there were no guests, he didn¡¯t enter the guests¡¯ changing room at all.¡±

 Chapter 303: 303 Both Sides Have No Evidence

    <strong>Chapter 303: Chapter 303 Both Sides Have No Evidence</strong>


    ¡°Alright, I got it. Just wait at the police station, I¡¯ll be there soon.¡±


    After calming Feng Yi¡¯s emotions, Kang Li put the handset back on the cradle, and said to Mrs. Qi, ¡°Feng Yi called and said that Mo Yan was falsely used by a customer of stealing his money,


    and he¡¯s been taken to the nearby police station. Feng Yi got scared and called my house, hoping I could talk about it and see if I could help Mo Yan. Since I wasn¡¯t home, he called you. Godmother, should I go have a look?¡±


    Half a month earlier, Mo Yan had taken a temporary job at a public bathhouse close to his home, introduced through an acquaintance.


    Back scrubbing, that¡¯s right, scrubbing customers¡¯ backs, with a monthly sry of 18, not including food and amodation.


    Thinking having a job wasn¡¯t easy and he was young and strong, Mo Yan promptly started working.


    But who could have expected that, despite everything going well these days, an incident would happen today.


    He was used by a customer of stealing five yuan from his trouser pocket.


    Mo Yan exined he didn¡¯t take it but the customer insisted it was him and would not let it go. He called the police, and just like that, Mo Yan was taken from his post byrades from the nearby police station in front of many customers and colleagues more than ten minutes ago.


    Five yuan wasn¡¯t much, but at the time it amounted to about one-fifth to one-quarter of an ordinary worker¡¯s monthly wage.


    The situation could be serious or trivial.


    If the money were returned to the customer and he chose not to pursue the matter, then all would be well. Otherwise, Mo Yan might be locked up for a while and would carry the stigma of being a thief.


    However, these oues presupposed that Mo Yan indeed took the money. The problem was, Mo Yan hadn¡¯t done such a thing. At the time the customer lost his money, Mo Yan was resting in the break room and there was no one to prove that he hadn¡¯t left the room during that period.


    After listening to Kang Li, Mrs. Qi didn¡¯t hesitate, ¡°Go on, I¡¯ll take care of Ruirui and the others, nothing will happen.¡± In Mrs. Qi¡¯s heart, though Kang Li was young, she was steady and responsible, so Mrs. Qi felt assured about Kang Li going to the police station to clear things up for Mo Yan.


    ¡­


    ¡°If you didn¡¯t take the money, naturally you can¡¯t admit to it. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll talk to therades at the police station and the person who lost the money.¡± At the police station, after getting permission from the police, Kang Li met with Mo Yan in an office with Feng Yi. Upon hearing the full story from Mo Yan, Kang Li gave the young man a reassuring look. Then she greeted an office worker and went to find the police officer in charge of Mo Yan¡¯s case.


    ¡°You are¡­?¡±


    Wang Xiaobo had just started working at the police station and couldn¡¯t believe that within a week, he¡¯d get to handle a minor case all by himself. When he first saw Kang Li, a fleeting sh of amazement passed through his eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m Mo Yan¡¯s sister. I¡¯ve heard the details from Mo Yan and I believe my brother would nevermit such a petty theft,¡± Kang Li stated her position clearly and calmly the moment she spoke. Just as her voice fell, a middle-aged man in his forties, slightly overweight, burst out, ¡°Youngdy, you mean to say your brother didn¡¯t steal my money?! Where¡¯s your evidence? Show me the evidence!¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°And what evidence do you have to prove that it was my brother who took your money?¡± With serenity evident in her beautiful, fox-like eyes, Kang Li gazed at him and said, ¡°ording to the time you mentioned, nobody can prove that my brother stayed in the break room,


    but neither can anyone prove that he went to the customers¡¯ changing room, and certainly no one saw him open the locker where you kept your clothes,¡±

 Chapter 304: 304: Resolution

    <strong>Chapter 304: Chapter 304: Resolution</strong>


    ¡°Moreover, the lock on your wardrobe was locked by your own hands, and during your shower, the keyring was always on your wrist. Afterwards, when you went to the changing room, your locker was securely locked¡­¡±


    The middle-aged man interrupted Kang Li, ¡°Girl, I don¡¯t want to hear about this, I just want my money back now!¡±


    Kang Li, ¡°Why should we give you money for something my brother didn¡¯t do? Comrade, don¡¯t forget, you discovered your money was missing after you opened the locker and got dressed. From this, I have three deductions: one is that you lost the money at some unknown time;


    another is that your money was stolen while you were on your way to the public bathhouse when someone brushed past you; andstly, ask your family members, see if someone needed the five dors urgently and took it without telling you.¡±


    Upon hearing this, the middle-aged man paused for a long moment, not looking at Kang Li, and he stammered to Wang Xiaobo, ¡°Officer¡­ Comrade police officer, you are a people¡¯s officer, you have to help me retrieve those five dors. Although I don¡¯t have evidence to prove that the kid did take my money, I know about him, an orphan who has no parents and lives meal to meal. He definitely has a motive tomit the crime.¡±


    Kang Li, ¡°Having no parents and living meal to meal doesn¡¯t mean one has a vile character, does it? Comrade, you wouldn¡¯t be discriminating against orphans, would you? Besides, my brother has me, his sister. How could he be an orphan?¡±


    The middle-aged man, ¡°That kid doesn¡¯t have a sister at all!¡±


    Kang Li, ¡°I am Mo Yan¡¯s distant rtive¡¯s sister. Over a month ago, my brother and I recognized each other. What else do you have to say,rade?¡±


    The middle-aged man was momentarily speechless.


    Wang Xiaobo, ¡°Let¡¯s start by asking your family members.¡± Saying this, Wang Xiaobo asked a colleague for help, to ride to the middle-aged man¡¯s house for a visit.


    About twenty minutester, the police officer returned to the station, followed by the middle-aged man¡¯s wife.


    ¡°Old Li, what are you doing causing trouble at the station? It was just five dors missing from your pocket, I took it¡­¡± It turned out that the middle-aged man¡¯s widowed sister-inw, who hade to her parental home yesterday afternoon to borrow money, said she urgently needed at least fifteen dors. At the time, the middle-aged man wasn¡¯t home, and his wife could only put together ten dors. She asked her sister-inw to return to the house the next afternoon, which was today, to try to scrape together another five dors.


    The wife didn¡¯t inform her husband about it, andst night before going to bed, she casually went through her husband¡¯s pockets and finding five dors, she took it. She was too busy this morning to inform her husband about the five dors before he went to the public bath to shower.


    Thus, a misunderstanding arose, making the middle-aged man believe his five dors had been stolen.


    ¡°Hurry up and apologize to the young man. Honestly, I¡¯m fed up with you. Without any evidence, how could you just report it and have the young man arrested?¡±


    The woman pped her husband¡¯s arm, feeling utterly embarrassed.


    ¡°Comrade, you also need to go with this officer to my brother¡¯s workce to exin the situation clearly to his leaders and colleagues; this concerns my brother¡¯s reputation. I hope,rade, you won¡¯t shirk your responsibility!¡± Kang Li said, looking directly at the middle-aged man.


    Before the man could respond, his wife, smiling apologetically, said, ¡°Of course, of course, don¡¯t worry, youngdy. I will apany my husband, and we will rify everything and restore your brother¡¯s good name.¡±


    Wang Xiaobo, ¡°Good, I¡¯ll apany you on the trip.¡±

 Chapter 305: 305: No One Clashes with Money

    <strong>Chapter 305: Chapter 305: No One shes with Money</strong>


    Huimin Public Bathhouse.


    At the moment Mo Yan was taken away by the police from the police station, although the management and other staff of the bathhouse were not as usatory as the customers who gathered to watch the excitement, they more or less harbored prejudices against Mo Yan.


    Unexpectedly, the whole affair turned out to be a misunderstanding.


    For a time, the customers who had juste out of their baths and enjoyed the spectacle, along with the management and employees of the public bathhouse, all felt embarrassed.


    ¡°I did say it, look at that young man¡¯s eyes. They¡¯re clear and prating, plus he looks spirited with an air of integrity in his brow. How could he possibly engage in stealing customer¡¯s belongings like that?¡±


    ¡°This makes sense. I felt it at the time; that young man was being wronged.¡±


    ¡°It turns out we all thought alike and didn¡¯t consider the young man a thief.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s good that things got cleared up and the young man¡¯s innocence was restored.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°Xiao Mo, it¡¯s good you¡¯re fine. You were scared today, so just go home early to rest and return to work normally tomorrow.¡±


    The person who spoke was a leader at the Huimin Public Bathhouse. Upon hearing this, Mo Yan, without a moment¡¯s hesitation, said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Director Pang, I¡¯ve decided to resign.¡±


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    Pang Mingfa, referred to as Director Pang by Mo Yan, was a short, thin middle-aged man. He tugged at the corner of his mouth and tried to persuade kindly, ¡°Xiao Mo, you know how hard it is to find jobs these days. Uncle sees you¡¯re a down to earth person, so I¡¯ll be blunt. Don¡¯t talk rashly about resigning.¡±


    Patting Mo Yan on the shoulder, Director Pang said, ¡°Alright, go home and think it over. Give uncle your answer tomorrow.¡±


    Mo Yan¡¯s lips were tightly pursed, he stayed silent for a long while and finally said nothing more.


    Watching his retreating figure, several employees standing behind Director Pang, as well as some customers who were a bit further away, started to whispered about Mo Yan.


    ¡°Xiao Mo isn¡¯t upset with us, is he?¡±


    ¡°Why would he be?¡±


    ¡°Yes, why should Xiao Mo be mad at us?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s clear, isn¡¯t it? When he was taken away by the police, none of us stepped forward to speak on his behalf.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Surely not! Can you me us? Given the situation then¡­ We weren¡¯t aware of the truth. If we had spoken out rashly, that would be falsifying testimony. We might have ended up taken away by the police too. That would have been too embarrassing!¡±


    This was the voice of a female employee responsible for trimming customer¡¯s nails.


    ¡°Alright, no more gossip. Go busy yourselves with your own tasks. Anyone who talks more will have half of this month¡¯s bonus deducted.¡±


    The bonus was just two yuan, but for the ordinary employees working at the Huimin Public Bathhouse, being able to earn an extra two yuan on top of their basic pay was a joyful matter.


    After all, the value of those two yuan was not low.


    For instance, it could buy almost three kilos of pork.


    Or in winter, it could buy at least two hundred kilos of cabbage. This isn¡¯t nonsense. Based on current prices, winter storage cabbage costs between .05 to .1 yuan per kilo.


    So, buying two hundred kilos of cabbage with two yuan was not talking through one¡¯s hat.


    Of course, with the purchasing power of two yuan, you could simrly buy many other things.


    Thus, as soon as Director Pang¡¯s words fell, the few employees standing behind him scattered like birds and beasts.


    Everyone has their own measure in mind; no one is foolish enough to fight over money!


    Hearing the footsteps behind him gradually fade away, Director Pang sighed inwardly. Actually, even back when the police hade to take someone away,

 Chapter 306: 306 Consolation

    <strong>Chapter 306: Chapter 306 Constion</strong>


    He didn¡¯t speak up for Mo Yan, not because he didn¡¯t want to, but because his mind was in the same ce as everyone else¡¯s¡ªthe fear of bringing trouble upon himself.


    But clearly, the young man wanted to resign, and these people had at least something to do with it. But had the foolish boy ever considered that this is just how society is, everyone keeping themselves safe¡ªwhat was wrong with that?


    It was certainly better than being stabbed in the back by someone close to you when something goes wrong, wasn¡¯t it?!


    ¡°Everything has been resolved, and with Officer Wang stepping in, no one will suspect you of anything anymore.¡± Seeing Mo Yane out of the Huimin Public Bathhouse, Kang Li revealed a slight smile. When he stopped a few steps away from her, she spoke gently and deliberately.


    However, Mo Yan didn¡¯t respond and his spirits were not high.


    Kang Li: ¡°But your mood is still very low. Tell me, what¡¯s on your mind?¡±


    His lips moved slightly, and Mo Yan said, ¡°Sister Kang Li, I¡­ I don¡¯t want to work at the Huimin Bathhouse anymore.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°Why is that?¡±


    Mo Yan: ¡°I don¡¯t want to lie to you. I¡­ feel disheartened. When that customer falsely used me, none of them¡­ none of them stood up to speak for me. Sister Kang Li, I¡¯ve been working with them for nearly half a month, seeing they are older than me, I respected them all, but they¡­¡±


    Wang Xiaobo hadn¡¯t left yet; he and Feng Yi were standing together. Hearing what Mo Yan said to Kang Li, he came over: ¡°Young man, you just haven¡¯t seen much of the world yet! You have to think like this: if you spend your whole life worrying about others¡¯ looks and talk, wouldn¡¯t that be a tasteless and exceedingly tiring way to live? We should live a life we¡¯re proud of, without guilt towards the heavens, the earth, other people, or our own conscience!¡±


    ¡°¡­How many people can truly ignore the odd looks and various criticisms from others?¡± Mo Yan¡¯s mood was still downcast, but looking at him, Kang Li said, ¡°I have always believed that if you are upright, you need not worry about your shadow. How others see me, how they talk about me, I don¡¯t care because I know I live with a clear conscience¡ªI haven¡¯t wronged anyone, and that¡¯s enough.¡±


    Mo Yan: ¡°Sister Kang Li¡­¡± A hint of hesitation flickered in his eyes.


    Seeing the change in the young man¡¯s expression, Kang Li smiled and said, ¡°However, if you really aren¡¯t happy with that job, then it¡¯s fine not to continue. After all, there isn¡¯t just one job opportunity out there, and who knows, maybe without this job you might find a better one in the future.¡±


    Feng Yi: ¡°Brother Yan, whatever decision you make, I support you!¡±


    Wang Xiaobo: ¡°Little brother, your sister is right, work is not just about making a living, you also have to enjoy it. That way, we can have more motivation while working. So, why don¡¯t you listen to your sister? There¡¯s no need to hesitate.¡±


    I wonder if the little brother¡¯s sister has a partner¡ªif not, could he perhaps have a chance to pursue her?


    ¡°Wait for me a moment.¡±


    Saying this, Mo Yan turned around and went back into the Huimin Public Bathhouse.


    About four or five minutester, Mo Yan came out: ¡°I¡¯ve resigned from my job. I heard this morning that there¡¯s a temporary job avable at the coal yard, so I¡¯m going to check it out.¡±


    Director Pang tried repeatedly to retain him, but to no avail¡ªMo Yan had made up his mind. In the end, Director Pang paid Mo Yan for the half month he¡¯d worked.


    Feng Yi: ¡°Brother Yan, are you talking about that coal delivery job?¡±


    Mo Yan: ¡°Yes. I have plenty of strength, and if I really get hired by the coal yard, I think I can do the coal delivery job well.¡±


    Spending days in the bathhouse, surrounded by nothing but a sea of flesh, honestly,

 Chapter 307: 307 I Have a Lover

    <strong>Chapter 307: Chapter 307 I Have a Lover</strong>


    If it weren¡¯t for the fact that there was a sry and a two-dor bonus per month, he would never havee to work at Huimin Public Bathhouse.


    ¡°Alright, as long as you have a n, that¡¯s fine,¡±


    Kang Li smiled and said no more.


    At this moment, Wang Xiaobo mustered the courage to ask Kang Li, ¡°Comrade Kang, do you¡­do you have a partner?¡± He didn¡¯t want to miss such a good opportunity. If she had no partner and didn¡¯t dislike him, he would definitely try to pursue her.


    Speaking of which, Wang Xiaobo was tall and handsome, definitely a looker.


    It was just too bad that his budding feelings were destined to be quickly uprooted.


    Kang Li said, ¡°I have a loved one.¡± She had no partner but had a loved one, which wasn¡¯t a contradiction.


    ¡°¡­Ah?¡±


    Wang Xiaobo was stunned. After a while, he came around, feeling embarrassed, but he still had some control over his emotions. He forced a smile and said, ¡°I see, I¡¯m sorry if I offended you just now, Comrade Kang. Please forgive me.¡±


    Kang Li shook her head, ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±


    Wang Xiaobo said, ¡°You guys continue chatting, I¡¯ll head back to the station first.¡± Leaving that remark, he nodded to the three people, then turned and walked to his bicycle parked nearby, and soon pedaled away.


    ¡°Sister, that Officer Wang definitely fancied you, but his heart must be crying a river by now,¡± Feng Yi said as he rubbed his chin, watching the back of Officer Wang as he cycled away.


    Mo Yan nced at Feng Yi, ¡°You always talk too much.¡±


    Feng Yi pouted, ¡°I see it very clearly, Officer Wang indeed developed feelings for Sister Kang Li!¡±


    Mo Yan shot back, ¡°Are you still talking?!¡± Like Sister Kang Li, a woman so talented, gentle, and graceful shines wherever she goes, naturally attracting attention. It¡¯s not at all surprising that Officer Wang instantly felt a flutter in his heart for Kang Li.


    Thinking this, Mo Yan¡¯s eyelids drooped slightly, and a shadow flickered through her eyes.


    ¡°Feng Yi, it¡¯s good that Officer Wang has already left; otherwise your words just now would have embarrassed him,¡± said Kang Li calmly, shaking her head. Then, looking at Mo Yan, she asked the two, ¡°The New Year¡¯s Eve is in three days; have you two prepared your goods for the festival?¡±


    Seeing that Feng Yi was about to speak, Mo Yan quickly said, ¡°All prepared.¡±


    Feng Yi rolled his eyes secretly: Prepared my foot! At home, aside from some grains, oil, and seasonings, there were just a few cabbages and four or five kilos of potatoes. Theycked any other ingredients.


    Kang Li smiled, ¡°I was thinking if you hadn¡¯t prepared, you coulde over to my ce for the New Year¡¯s Eve dinner.¡±


    Mo Yan shook her head, ¡°Thank you, Sister Kang Li. Although the goods Feng Yi and I prepared aren¡¯tvish, we have everything necessary. I¡¯ve nned it already; on the afternoon of New Year¡¯s Eve, I will start making cabbage and pork dumplings with Feng Yi.¡±


    Kang Li replied, ¡°Alright then. If you do decide toe over to my ce, remember to give me a call in advance. I will wait for you at the main gate of the courtyard at the time we agree on.¡±


    Mo Yan responded, ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Here, take these three pounds of meat coupons,¡± seemingly pulling them out from her pocket, but in reality, Kang Li had gotten them through Dwen Dwen.


    The meat coupons were from a reward for a task.


    ¡°I can¡¯t ept this.¡±


    Mo Yan refused to take them.


    Kang Li countered, ¡°Meat coupons aren¡¯t easy toe by, especially around New Year¡¯s. Do you think I¡¯d be this generous if I didn¡¯t have extras?¡± ring, she stuffed the meat coupons into Mo Yan¡¯s hand, then said, ¡°It¡¯s terribly cold, I need to get back. You two should head home soon too.¡±


    Mo Yan and Feng Yi spoke in unison, ¡°We¡¯ll walk you out.¡±

 Chapter 308: 308: Black Heart

    <strong>Chapter 308: Chapter 308: ck Heart</strong>


    ¡°No, I just need to cross the street, and there¡¯s the bus stop sign.¡±


    Kang Li waved her hand and stepped up, following a few pedestrians passing by toward the opposite side of the street.


    ¡°When did we prepare for the New Year goods? Howe I didn¡¯t know about it?¡± Watching Kang Li cross the street, Feng Yi nced sideways at Mo Yan, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the three pounds of meat coupons Sister Kang Li gave us, we would have nothing for the New Year but munch on cabbage and potatoes.¡±


    ¡°Having something to eat is already very good, and you¡¯re still picky? Must be dreaming!¡±


    Mo Yan hummed, seeing no sign of Kang Li across the street and knowing she must have boarded the bus. He withdrew his gaze and walked along the curb toward the nearby bus stop sign, ¡°You can¡¯t be heartless. You need to know that Sister Kang Li actually has no obligation to us, and so far, we owe her quite a lot. Don¡¯t take all this for granted.¡±


    ¡°I said I would pay Sister Kang Li back.¡±


    Feng Yi closely followed behind Mo Yan, ¡°Don¡¯t imagine me as someone who enjoys taking advantage of others shamelessly.¡±


    Mo Yan, ¡°It¡¯s not about what I think, it¡¯s about what you do.¡±


    ¡°Are you ming me for calling Sister Kang Li today, asking her to help you at the police station?¡± If that¡¯s what he really thought, then to hell with him!


    Feng Yi quickened his steps and came up side by side with Mo Yan, narrowing his eyes and staring at him.


    ¡°Thanks!¡± The moment he was taken away by therades at the police station, he was actually very panicked inside. Even though he knew he was innocent, there was no one to prove that he never left the lounge; in other words, he couldn¡¯t find evidence to prove his innocence and would have to bear the stigma of stealing other people¡¯s property.


    With such a burden, not even his mother could rest peacefully underground.


    ¡°If we¡¯re brothers, don¡¯t mention it,¡± Feng Yi said casually. Just then, a familiar yet strange female voice drifted into Feng Yi¡¯s ears.


    ¡°Feng Yi, why aren¡¯t you going home? Do you know Feng Xiao has been looking for you?¡±


    Turning toward the voice, Feng Yi saw a face he immensely disliked appearing before him.


    He Xue!


    The girlfriend of his stepbrother Feng Xiao, his highschool ssmate, one of the people who persecuted him over six months ago!


    Clenching his fists tightly by his side, Feng Yi stopped in his tracks and red at the girl walking toward him from a jeep.


    She wasn¡¯t much older than him.


    To be specific, this He Xue was two years older, allegedly having started schoolte, hence she was still in the first year of high school at eighteen and became his ssmate.


    Originally, they were just ordinary ssmates, but because He Xue was infatuated with his stepbrother, Feng Xiao, she was always trying to get close to him.


    Just to inquire from him about Feng Xiao¡¯s preferences.


    That wasn¡¯t much of an issue; after all, he was like air at home, knew little about his stepbrother Feng Xiao, and after hitting a wall a few times with him, she naturally didn¡¯te to him anymore.


    But he could never have imagined that the seemingly gentle and weak girl had such a ck heart.


    ¡ª Not only was she a masochist, but she was also trying to hurt him!


    Indeed, He Xue was like a masochist. Knowing that Feng Xiao was just toying with her and had no real feelings for her, and that his fiery temper would result in a p whenever it red up, yet despite this, He Xue still fancied Feng Xiao.


    It¡¯s like, ¡°The scumbag abuses me a thousand times, yet I treat the scumbag like first love.¡±


    To give an example.


    The reason Feng Yi had previously been sent to a reform farm stemmed from He Xue and Feng Xiao having a conflict and her incessantly crying with ¡°whimpering¡± sounds. Feng Xiao, annoyed and unable to control his temper, pped He Xue right on her face.


    By an unlucky coincidence, this act was witnessed by He Xue¡¯s younger brother, who of course could not sit back without standing up for his sister.

 Chapter 309: 309 Stupid and Toxic

    <strong>Chapter 309: Chapter 309 Stupid and Toxic</strong>


    Thus, he went up and started fighting with Feng Xiao.


    Unexpectedly, being the inferior fighter, he broke his arm.


    The He family, unable to contain their anger, decisively chose to call the police.


    Worried about Feng Xiao getting into trouble, He Xue wept and begged her brother to help, to avoid saying his arm was broken by Feng Xiao, and surreptitiously decided to make Feng Yi the scapegoat.


    To ensure her scheme was foolproof, He Xue again cried and pleaded in front of Fang Su, asking her to help Feng Xiao. In this way, the two women conspired to deceive Feng Yi into taking the me.


    As a result, Feng Yi, unable to defend himself, had no choice but to take the me for his elder brother Feng Xiao and ept a six-month probation period.


    At this moment, watching the woman he deeply despised appear before him, Feng Yi gritted his teeth in secret, no longer holding back or suppressing his temper, letting this woman continue her act in front of him.


    ¡°Did you not hear me when I asked you a question?¡±


    He Xue¡¯s brow furrowed as she stopped a few steps away from Feng Yi.


    It came to be that she nced out of the car window by chance and unexpectedly saw Feng Yi talking with a man, a woman, and a police officer outside the Huimin Public Bathhouse. Without thinking much, she instructed the driver to turn around, determined to bring Feng Yi back to the Feng family no matter what.


    Feng Yi¡¯s voice was cold and devoid of any warmth, ¡°Did you even say anything?¡±


    ¡°Pretending not to hear, don¡¯t you think that¡¯s very nonsense?!¡± He Xue¡¯s face turned sour as she said, ¡°Even if you left home out of anger with Aunt Fang, there should be a limit. How can you just leave and not return for over a month?¡±


    ¡°What right do you have to speak to me like that?¡±


    Feng Yi¡¯s tone carried anger, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for you, would I have gone to the farm? Do you realize? In my heart, you are both foolish and venomous. Knowing well that Feng Xiao doesn¡¯t like you, you still desperately cling to him, even happily epting the ps from Feng Xiao every now and then!


    You are so foolishly naive, not to mention, calling you a pig would be an insult to pigs. You¡¯re actually worse than a pig! Talking about how venomous you are, it was clearly Feng Xiao who broke your brother¡¯s arm, and it was clearly your brother getting hurt defending you, and yet you did not seek justice from Feng Xiao for your brother,


    instead, you dragged an innocent person down with you. He Xue, women like you don¡¯t deserve Feng Xiao¡¯s affection, and it¡¯s his good fortune! After all, no man would want a venomous woman as their partner, fearing the day when they might get stabbed in their sleep.¡±


    He Xue stared at Feng Yi incredulously, tears swirling in her eyes, ¡°Feng Yi, you¡¯ve gone too far! How can you talk about me like that? My liking for Feng Xiao is my own business, and him hitting me is just him losing control in anger. What¡¯s wrong with him, and what¡¯s wrong with me? How can you call me foolish?


    As for you calling me venomous, don¡¯t you think about how heartbroken I¡¯d be if Feng Xiao ended up in the farm? Do you really want to watch as Feng Xiao and I are separated, watching our love die under the wrath of my parents? Feng Yi, I¡¯ve always thought you understood and supported my rtionship with Feng Xiao,


    so, I waspelled¡­ I had to think of such a method. If you¡¯re going to hate me because of this, I ept it.


    But you must know, without Aunt Fang¡¯s cooperation, would my scheme have seeded? And since Aunt Fang is your mother and she agreed to help Feng Xiao, how can you me everything on me?¡±


    At that moment, Mo Yan said to Feng Yi, ¡°Let¡¯s go. There¡¯s no point wasting words on someone with a troubled mind like her.¡±

 Chapter 310: 310 What Are You?

    <strong>Chapter 310: Chapter 310 What Are You?</strong>


    ¡°Who are you? I¡¯m talking to Feng Yi, what does it concern you?¡± He Xue red at Mo Yan, and then she asked Feng Yi, ¡°Feng Yi, I even saw you with another woman earlier, who is she? And that police officer¡­¡±


    He Xue had just gotten out of a jeep on the side of the road; she had been visiting rtives for the past few days and, with New Year¡¯s Eve approaching, had called home to arrange a ride back.


    Unexpectedly, while ncing outside the car window, she spotted Feng Yi standing by the roadside. Without any hesitation, she had the driver stop, determined to take Feng Yi back no matter what, not wanting to see the person she liked frowning every day in search of his brother.


    ¡°Does your family live by the sea?¡±


    Disgust was apparent in Feng Yi¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°I¡­ I care about you. Don¡¯t you recognize good intentions! And putting aside that Feng Xiao¡¯s girlfriend is your future sister-inw, the mere fact that we are ssmates means I cannot ignore your affairs!¡±


    He Xue spoke with righteous indignation, ¡°Look at this person, he¡¯s dressed only a bit better than a beggar, and he doesn¡¯t seem to have a proper job. Hanging out with him, it won¡¯t be long before you get led astray¡­¡±


    ¡°Shut your mouth!¡±


    Feng Yi scolded her angrily, ¡°This is my friend, and more importantly, someone I recognize as an elder brother. Who are you, an outsider, to gossip like this?¡±


    With a sneer, Feng Yi continued, ¡°Yes, we¡¯re not dressed as well as you, but how have we bothered you? He Xue, I already told you that you¡¯re both stupid and poisonous, and it seems that wasn¡¯t enough. You, in fact, are nothing but amentably pathetic, despicable fool! Feng Xiao has never acknowledged you as his girlfriend, yet you assume the role for yourself, boasting shamelessly about bing my sister-inw. Pah! The only brother I acknowledge is right here by my side. What makes you think you are worthy of him? You say Brother Yan will lead me astray; who the hell do you think you are? Get out of here right now, and don¡¯t forget to take a good look at yourself in the mirror!¡±


    ¡°Feng Yi! Don¡¯t go too far!¡±


    She was furious! She had only wanted to kindly persuade him to return to the Feng family. What ill intent did she have?


    To be scorned like this in front of others, with no regard for her dignity!


    Feng Yi, that damned cur, just wait until she married into the Feng family, then she¡¯d see how she¡¯d make Feng Xiao deal with this ignorant younger brother!


    Seeing He Xue not moving, Feng Yi had no intention of sparing her any dignity: ¡°If you don¡¯t leave now, don¡¯t me me for getting physical!¡±


    ¡°I bet you¡¯ve been seduced by that wild woman, which is why you refuse to go home. Moreover, that wild woman must be a perfect match for that beggar with you. You brought trouble with the police because of fighting over this wild woman, didn¡¯t you, Feng Yi? Am I right?¡±


    Possibly driven to extreme irritation, He Xue waspletely speaking without a filter.


    ¡°p!¡±


    A crisp sound rang out!


    Feng Yi pped He Xue out of impulse, fury zing in his eyes, his voice cold as ice, ¡°Go to hell!¡± Feng Yi cursed bluntly, ¡°You shameless idiot, do you think everyone is like you?!¡±


    ¡°Xiao Xue, Xiao Xue, are you alright?¡±


    Fan Hui, seeing He Xue pped by Feng Yi, hesitated for a moment before opening the door on the driver¡¯s side and getting out to approach her.


    This was Father He¡¯s driver, about thirty years old, with an ordinary appearance, around 175 cm tall and slightly skinny. If not for the need to provide for his family, he would have been very reluctant to drive for Father He.


    None of the He family members had ever made a good impression on him, especially He Xue, who always acted high and mighty before him, as if he was their servant, destined to be ordered around by their family.

 Chapter 311: 311: Really Not Worried?

    <strong>Chapter 311: Chapter 311: Really Not Worried?</strong>


    But is that the case?


    No!


    He was a driver assigned to Father He, a leader, by the public agency, and was paid a sry by the public agency every month.


    However, from top to bottom in the He family, anyone who needed a car, as long as he was free, inevitably had to drive a trip. Even though Father He, the leader, knew about it, he acted as if he had heard nothing and seen nothing.


    In other words, he let it be!


    For this, Fan Hui really despised this so-called leader.


    But as a person of little significance and power, he understood that he couldn¡¯t twist an arm more powerful than his, and if he wanted to work peacefully, he had to y the role of ¡°driver¡± well for the He family.


    Just like the trip he made today.


    He Xue had been ying at a rtive¡¯s house for the past few days. Today, she suddenly called home, saying she wanted to return, so he was dispatched to drive and pick up this He family girl.


    The reason he had got out of the car was mainly because he worried He Xue mightin at home, using him of sitting in the car and watching as she was pped by the younger son of the Feng family.


    ¡°Mind your own business!¡±


    He Xue snapped at Fan Hui and, biting her teeth, said to Feng Yi, ¡°I¡¯ll remember that you hit me. Never return to the Feng family if you dare!¡±


    After dropping those words, He Xue turned and walked toward the jeep parked nearby, ¡°What are you waiting for? Let¡¯s go home!¡± There was no doubt this was a show of authority directed at Fan Hui!


    ¡°Feng Yi, that woman won¡¯t make up stories in your house, will she?¡± Watching the jeep drive away, Mo Yan couldn¡¯t help but worry for Feng Yi, ¡°If she twists the truth or even exaggerates, your family might¡­¡± might grow even more distant from you.


    Mo Yan didn¡¯t finish his sentence, but Feng Yi could guess what was left unsaid and only scoffed, ¡°Let that idiot say whatever she wants. She thinks she¡¯s a princess just because she has a bit of family backing, but in reality, she¡¯s nothing in Feng Xiao¡¯s eyes!¡±


    And Feng Wei and Feng Kai, Feng Xiao¡¯s older brothers, wholly doted on their younger brother Feng Xiao. Knowing Feng Xiao¡¯s attitude toward He Xue, they naturally wouldn¡¯t treat an irrelevant woman specially.


    Then there was Old Man Feng, who also doted on Feng Xiao, the son left by his former wife.


    Yes, in Old Man Feng¡¯s eyes and heart, Feng Xiao was his younger son, while he, Feng Yi, was nothing.


    As for Fang Su, his birth mother, it was better not to mention her!


    Feng Yi had little affection for his birth mother Fang Su. On the day she drove him out of the house, the little affection that existed almost instantly dissipated.


    Well, to be more precise, the little affection that existed had already disappeared by the moment the police took him from his house.


    Therefore, no matter what He Xue said at the Feng family or how they viewed him afterward, it didn¡¯t matter to Feng Yi!


    After all, he had severed ties with that family and had no connections whatsoever.


    Mo Yan: ¡°You¡¯re really not worried?¡±


    Feng Yi: ¡°Brother Yan, you¡¯re so naggy! I¡¯ve already said I have no family members, why don¡¯t you believe me?!¡±


    Pausing slightly, Feng Yi furrowed his brows, ¡°Now I¡¯m actually more worried about you being troubled by that idiot!¡±


    Mo Yan was taken aback at first, then quickly realized something. He shrugged his shoulders, spread his hands, and smirked, ¡°I¡¯m penniless and jobless, what¡¯s there to worry about?¡±


    Feng Yi: ¡°Some people, when they want to mess with others, have plenty of tricks up their sleeves, Brother Yan, don¡¯t underestimate them.¡±


    Mo Yan: ¡°What¡¯s there to fear? When the ship reaches the pier, it will straighten itself. If ites to it, I¡¯ll just deal with it as ites.¡±


    Feng Yi: ¡°If they use underhanded methods against you, how will you deal with it as ites? Is it because we both arepetent, or because we both have powerful backers?¡±

 Chapter 312: 312: Accusing of Blackmail

    <strong>Chapter 312: Chapter 312: using of ckmail</strong>


    Having said that, Feng Yi and Mo Yan couldn¡¯t help but nce at each other.


    Both were thinking, ¡°Does Sister Kang Li count as a ¡®big shot¡¯?¡±


    ¡­


    When Kang Li returned to the courtyard and saw her rxed demeanor, Mrs. Qi guessed that the issue had mostly been resolved, but she still asked about Mo Yan¡¯s situation, ¡°That kid wasn¡¯t in any trouble, was he?¡±


    ¡°No trouble, just a mix-up¡­¡± Kang Li recounted everything that had happened at the police station to Mrs. Qi and added, ¡°Perhaps he felt ufortable at heart, so Mo Yan quit that back-scrubbing job.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a bad thing for a young man to be a bit hot-tempered asionally.¡± At a young age, having a bit of an edge makes one charming. If too smooth, it seems rather worldly.


    Kang Li nodded in strong agreement.


    As the saying goes: Even a y figure has three points of fiery temper.


    Not to mention spirited young men. If they only knew how to endure silently, wouldn¡¯t that be too oppressive? Or if they were too slick, like old slickers who had been in society for years, then it would be somewhat harsh on the eyes.


    Based on this, Kang Li felt: Young people should be vibrant and a little willful asionally. There¡¯s nothing wrong with that. However, Kang Li didn¡¯t know that the young man she and Mrs. Qi were talking about had just greatly offended someone today!


    Indeed, He Xue didn¡¯t even return to her own home. Instead, she had Fan Hui drive her straight to the Feng family¡¯s courtyard. With a belly full of resentment toward Feng Yi, she walked into Feng family¡¯s living room with her eyes reddened.


    ¡°Who are you mourning for?¡±


    Feng Xiao, with a cigarette in his mouth and lounging in the living room with his legs crossed, saw He Xue¡¯s near-tearful appearance and immediately frowned in impatience, hurling an insult at her.


    With a somewhat helpless look, Fang Su said, ¡°Don¡¯t talk like that. Xiao Xue must have been bullied outside.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not my rtive. Why should I care if she¡¯s bullied?¡± Feng Xiao bluntly rebuffed Fang Su, then ring at He Xue, he said, ¡°If you¡¯ve been wronged, go to your parents. What are you doing at my ce causing a scene?¡±


    At that moment, He Xue felt both wronged and frustrated, but this didn¡¯t prevent her from showing a look of affection when she looked at her crush.


    ¡°Damn woman! Can you stop looking at me with those disgusting eyes?!¡±


    Feng Xiao was hot-tempered and unruly. He cursed at He Xue with utter disgust, but she, as if deaf, smiled at him and said, ¡°Feng Xiao, I¡¯m not here for you; I just came to tell Aunt Fang that I saw Feng Yi in the west of the city¡­ Also, he was with some unsavory characters, and it seemed like there was a jealous quarrel over a woman. The police were even involved.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re not making this up?¡±


    Feng Xiao did not believe what He Xue said one bit, scoffing, ¡°I know Feng Yi¡¯s character better than anyone. You¡¯re not trying to say that everyone in Old Feng¡¯s family is a fool, are you?¡±


    Fang Su was sitting beside them and did not say a word.


    ¡°I¡¯m not lying. If you don¡¯t believe it, Aunt Fang, you can ask my father¡¯s driver. It was on the way back from my rtive¡¯s house that he picked me up, and I saw it by chance. Also, my face looks like this because Feng Yi wouldn¡¯t listen to my advice toe back and ended up hitting me out of frustration.¡±


    As she spoke, tears began to roll down He Xue¡¯s cheeks: ¡°I told him that Aunt Fang, Uncle Feng, and you, his brother, have all been looking for him. But he said he hates you all, imed that the Feng family is no longer his home, and no matter how much I persuaded, he didn¡¯t want to leave with me!¡±


    At this moment, Fang Su¡¯s face turned so dark it could drip ink.

 Chapter 313: 313: Hunting geese every day, today I got pecked in the eye by a goose!

    <strong>Chapter 313: Chapter 313: Hunting geese every day, today I got pecked in the eye by a goose!</strong>


    However, Feng Xiao ¡°tsk-tsked¡± twice as he scrutinized He Xue¡¯s face, ¡°You know, without your mentioning it, I hadn¡¯t noticed that you¡¯ve shown up in front of me with a face like a pig¡¯s head. Don¡¯t you know that I hate freaks the most?¡±


    Then, he slowly started pping, ¡°Our Feng Yi has really grown up, even knows how to beat up the blind and stupid fools, not bad, not bad!¡±


    ¡°Feng Xiao brother, can¡¯t you¡­ can¡¯t you talk to me nicely?¡±


    Being called a freak by the person she liked, He Xue¡¯s heart undoubtedly hurt, and with tears in her eyes, she took two steps closer to Feng Xiao, revealing what she thought was a very pitiful smile, hoping to win a bit of his pity.


    To her surprise, Feng Xiao¡¯s face changed instantly, ¡°Step back!¡± He pointed at He Xue, ¡°I said step back, did you hear me? And don¡¯t call me brother Feng Xiao, it gives me goosebumps all over, and it feels disgusting!¡±


    ¡°Xiao Xiao! Is this how you talk to a girl?¡±


    Fang Su came back to her senses from the matter concerning Feng Yi that He Xue had mentioned, and looking at Feng Xiao said, ¡°Xiao Xue is younger than you, it¡¯s normal for her to call you brother. Why do you have to make it sound so ugly?¡±


    ¡°Mind your own business! Have you forgotten your ce?¡±


    Feng Xiao always had a cold face towards his stepmother Fang Su, he coldly stared at her, ¡°You¡¯re just someone my old man married to warm his bed, don¡¯t think of yourself as my elder, and don¡¯t even dream of acting as my mother!


    You should know, in our heart, there is only one mother, and to you, there¡¯s only one son, Feng Yi. But sadly, you¡¯ve even managed to lose your only son, I feel sorry for you when I think about it!¡±


    The sound of a car entering the courtyard was heard, and in short order, the elder master of the Feng family, Feng Lin, walked into the living room and saw his wife Fang Su wiping her tears, he couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°What happened?¡±


    Fang Su shook her head, ¡°It¡¯s not Xiao Xiao¡¯s fault, Old Feng don¡¯t me the child, it¡¯s my fault, I shouldn¡¯t have advised Xiao Xiao to speak nicely to Xiao Xue.¡±


    ¡°Aunt Fang, Feng Xiao brother¡­ Feng Xiao, he was just joking with me, he¡¯s very nice, don¡¯t badmouth Feng Xiao in front of Uncle Feng.¡±


    What was this? In an instant, Fang Su wanted to strangle He Xue, was she bitten by a dog?!


    She was inly helping the girl out, while also taking the opportunity to apply some ¡°medicine¡± to Feng Xiao, that wretched boy, in front of the old man; but now¡­ her kindness was taken for granted, and instead, that wretched girl got one over her in front of the old man?


    At that moment, Fang Su wanted to tear He Xue to pieces!


    If her feelings could be summed up in one sentence: Day after day she hunted geese, but today she was pecked in the eye by one!


    ¡°Can you f**king roll out of my house!¡±


    Feng Xiao certainly didn¡¯t need an ugly freak to defend him, the fourth young master of the Feng family grabbed the ashtray from the coffee table and threw it near He Xue¡¯s feet, ¡°Can¡¯t you understand human speech? I told you to roll out!¡±


    Counting Feng Yi, the elder master of the Feng family had five children, mixed between boys and girls, thus Feng Xiao was ranked fourth.


    The third in line was Feng Lu, who was Luo Yanqing¡¯s ex-wife and the biological mother of Xiao Ming Rui and his siblings.


    ¡°Do I really disgust you that much? Then tell me what¡¯s wrong with me, just mention it, and I¡¯ll change, won¡¯t I?¡± He Xue was purely a love-struck fool, even at this time, stillcking self-respect, standing still with tears and foolishly staring at Feng Xiao.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    Feng Xiao grabbed his own hair, so agitated he felt like hitting someone, ¡°Who the hell needs you to change anything? I¡¯m telling you again today, don¡¯t cling to me, I don¡¯t like you, every time I see you I just want to throw you out of my sight!¡±

 Chapter 314: 314: Pretending

    <strong>Chapter 314: Chapter 314: Pretending</strong>


    ¡°Feng Xiao! How can you speak like that? With me, your father, standing right here, every other word is ¡®Old Master¡¯¡ªare you trying to overthrow heaven?¡±


    Feng Lin red at his son irritably, then turned to He Xue and said, ¡°You go on home first. Feng Xiao has lost his temper, and if you keep staying here, the temper of this brat is only going to get worse.¡±


    ¡°Uncle Feng¡­ I, it¡¯s all my fault, I shouldn¡¯t¡­ I shouldn¡¯t have appeared in front of Feng Xiao, but¡­ but I didn¡¯t mean toe over, I came to tell you and Aunt Fang that I saw Feng Yi near the Huimin Public Bathhouse in the west of the city, I really just came to tell you this¡­¡±


    He Xue struggled to hold back her grievances, but the tears in her eyes kept falling. She looked up at the elder master of the Feng family and said, ¡°Please don¡¯t be harsh on Feng Xiao, I will leave now.¡± Before leaving, she said her goodbyes to Old Master Feng, Fang Su, and Feng Xiao: ¡°Goodbye, Uncle Feng,


    Aunt Fang, goodbye,


    Feng Xiao, goodbye!¡±


    With those words, she quickly walked out of the Feng family¡¯s living room.


    Once He Xue had left, Feng Xiao¡¯s explosive temper and his sudden surge of irritation were instantly quelled, and he resumed his careless sitting position, looking at Old Master Feng and said, ¡°Old man, if you don¡¯t want to be fooled by this woman for the rest of your life, you better open your eyes!¡±


    Pointing at Fang Su, Feng Xiao spoke with a sneer and a cynical face, ¡°She kicked her own son out of the house, pretended to look for him for less than a day, and then stopped caring about whether her own son was dead or alive. Old man, do you think such a woman, one who doesn¡¯t even care about or cherish her own son, can truly have been good to me, my older and second brothers, and my sister all these years?


    That¡¯s straying a bit far off topic. Let¡¯s talk about Feng Yi now. Now that we have news of Feng Yi, old man, what do you n to do? Are you going to let that stupid brother of mine fend for himself out there, or are you going to ask that dimwitted girl from the He family to exin the situation in detail and arrange for someone to bring Feng Yi back?¡±


    ¡°Xiao, I know you¡¯ve misunderstood me since you were young, but you have to know, Feng Yi was born to me, there¡¯s no mother who could truly ignore and neglect her own child. I¡­ I have looked for Feng Yi, but North City is so vast, if he consciously wants to hide, how could I possibly find him?¡±


    With a sorrowful expression, Fang Su sobbed, ¡°As soon as I rashly kicked Feng Yi out of the house in a fit of anger, I quickly regretted it. In these past two months, there hasn¡¯t been a moment when I haven¡¯t thought of my child, but in order not to worry your dad, I had to force a smile, swallowing my tears and bitterness. I¡­¡±


    ¡°Enough, enough, if you¡¯re going to put on an act, do it just for the old man alone, don¡¯t sully my eyesight.¡±


    Impatiently waving his hand, Feng Xiao stood up and headed towards the door.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    Seeing his son about to leave, Old Master Feng called out to him, ¡°Don¡¯t you see what time it is? Are you nning to stay out tonight?¡±


    ¡°Depends on how it goes!¡±


    Pausing briefly, Feng Xiao casually replied and then walked out the door, muttering to himself, ¡°Stupid kid, runs off and doesn¡¯t know how toe back. Fang Su isn¡¯t worth a damn!


    The hell you¡¯re still a Feng, with half your blood given by the old man. Instead of enjoying the good life at home, you walk away because of a few words from Fang Su, your brain can¡¯t be really messed up, can it?!


    Forget it, consider it a debt I owe you. Once I gather my buddies to find you, we¡¯ll see how I clean up your mess.¡±


    Unfortunately for Feng Xiao, he rounded up several of his wild friends, one of whom was driving his family¡¯s old master¡¯s private car,

 Chapter 315: 315: You Never Know Until You Look, Its a Shock at First Glance!

    <strong>Chapter 315: Chapter 315: You Never Know Until You Look, It¡¯s a Shock at First nce!</strong>


    A group of people hurriedly made their way from the east end of the city to the west and, after asking around extensively, they still couldn¡¯t find Feng Yi near the Huimin Public Bathhouse.


    Old Master Feng had actually taken two sentences of what Feng Xiao had said to heart. However, it was on the afternoon of the New Year¡¯s Eve when he went to the He family¡¯s home to carefully ask He Xue about the situation. Then, he took He Xue with him in the car to guide them all the way to the west end of the city.


    ¡°If you see that police officerrade, are you sure you can recognize him?¡±


    ¡°Uncle Feng, I can.¡± Although she was sitting in the car at the time, she had gotten a clear look at the side profile of that police officerrade, and had also seen the woman standing next to Feng Yi clearly.


    To be honest, she couldn¡¯t deny that the woman was very beautiful. If she were topare her own looks with that woman¡¯s, it would be likeparing the light of fireflies to the radiance of the sun and moon.


    There was simply noparison.


    And precisely because of this, she felt a lot of jealousy, even though she knew they were strangers and knew there was no link of interest between that woman and her. She was still envious of the other¡¯s beauty, unable to feel the slightest bit of good will towards her.


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡±


    Old Master Feng nodded.


    The car drove all the way to the police station near the Huimin Public Bathhouse.


    ¡°This oldrade, you¡­¡±


    Wang Xiaobo was just about to leave the police station when he happened toe face to face with Old Master Feng and He Xue approaching.


    ¡°Uncle Feng, it¡¯s this police officerrade, I¡¯m not wrong. On that day, I saw this police officerrade,¡± He Xue recognized Wang Xiaobo at first sight.


    The fact that Old Master Feng had directly instructed the driver to bring the car to this police station clearly showed that he was an old fox.


    ¡ª¡ªJust from the little information learned from He Xue¡¯s mouth, he had locked on to the target of finding his son, Feng Yi, at the police station near the Huimin Public Bathhouse.


    Well, there was also a bit of luck involved.


    After all, before seeing Wang Xiaobo, Old Master Feng couldn¡¯t guarantee that this police officerrade worked at the station near the Huimin Public Bathhouse.


    ¡°This youngrade, I don¡¯t believe I know you?¡±


    Wang Xiaobo waspletely baffled as he nced at He Xue and then turned his gaze towards Old Master Feng, ¡°Oldrade, may I know what business you have with me?¡±


    ¡°Indeed, there is a matter for which I would like to ask for your assistance¡­¡±


    Without any concealment, Old Master Feng ryed the matter of Feng Yi running away from home and being missing for almost two months. After hearing him out, Wang Xiaobo frowned slightly, ¡°That day, I indeed handled a minor case, but the whole affair was a misunderstanding. However, oldrade, if you¡¯re asking whether one of those two youths is named Feng Yi, I really can¡¯t be sure.¡±


    At that time, Feng Yi had not reported his name to Wang Xiaobo nor had he said much to him.


    So it was not surprising that Wang Xiaobo didn¡¯t know Feng Yi¡¯s full name.


    Old Master Feng, ¡°What about the other young man? And that young woman, what¡¯s her name, and where does she live? I wonder if you could tell me¡­¡±


    Wang Xiaobo, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, oldrade, but we police officers have our ethics¡­¡± To casually disclose someone¡¯s personal information is a serious breach of regtions!


    Moreover¡­ he didn¡¯t wish to disclose any information about Comrade Kang Li to the other party.


    Even though he only knew Comrade Kang Li¡¯s name and that Kang Li had a partner, he didn¡¯t know anything else and didn¡¯t want to utter an extra word to the oldrade in front of him.


    Cunning as always, Old Master Feng took out his work ID and handed it to Wang Xiaobo, ¡°Comrade, I understand what you¡¯re saying, but I really am just trying to find my son Feng Yi. Here is my work ID for you to take a look.¡±


    Unaware until he took a look, and was then taken aback!

 Chapter 316: 316: A bit familiar, he seems to have heard it somewhere before…

    <strong>Chapter 316: Chapter 316: A bit familiar, he seems to have heard it somewhere before¡­</strong>


    Wang Xiaobo opened Old Master Feng¡¯s work permit and was truly shocked. He never expected he, a small-time police officer at the local station, would have a chance to meet such an important figure.


    Standing at attention and then at ease, Wang Xiaobo saluted Old Master Feng. Then, he recited Mo Yan¡¯s home address and, with a glimmer of struggle in his eyes, he spoke Kang Li¡¯s name.


    ¡°They both refer to Comrade Kang Li as ¡®older sister,¡¯ and Comrade Kang Li is also very kind to them. They seem very familiar with each other. Thanks to Comrade Kang Li providing a clue, we were able to clear up the matter in a very short time. Please, would you like me to take you to Comrade Mo Yan¡¯s house now?¡±


    Wang Xiaobo had not been on the job long, but his own home was in this area. When it came to familiarity with the west side of town, naturally, he was second to none.


    Old Master Feng asked, ¡°Will this not dy your work?¡±


    Wang Xiaobo replied, ¡°I will go inform the station chief.¡± With that, Wang Xiaobo turned and walked back into the station.


    Watching his retreating figure, Old Master Feng began to ponder over a name.


    Kang Li?


    It sounded familiar. He seemed to have heard it somewhere¡­


    Suddenly, Old Master Feng remembered: Old Song¡¯s goddaughter seemed to be named Kang Li. Could it be that young girl?


    ¡­


    In the courtyard of Mo Yan¡¯s house, Feng Yi stood in the center, expressionlessly looking at the father who had given him life but had never cared for him. At the same time, he nced at Wang Xiaobo but deliberately avoided looking at He Xue, the woman he despised deeply.


    He had considered the possibility that He Xue might tell the Feng family about seeing him; after all, from what she said before getting in the car that day, it was easy to predict what she would do next. But he never expected the Feng family, his father by blood, to personally find his way here, nor did he anticipate Officer Wang¡¯s involvement.


    ¡°You¡¯ve caused enough trouble. Isn¡¯t it time you came back?¡± Father and son locked eyes for a long while. It wasn¡¯t until today that Old Master Feng felt he truly understood his son, Feng Yi.


    Stubborn! And not just a little bit stubborn!


    Facing his father¡¯s gaze for a long while, he didn¡¯t even blink an eye.


    Clearly, the brat had no intention of bending the knee to him.


    Old Master Feng¡¯s feelings wereplex. He admitted to himself that he had not shown enough concern for this son, acknowledged that for many years¡­ his attention had been on the children his ex-wife had left behind, and recognized that he had married Fang Su mainly for her looks¡­ As for learning about Fang Su¡¯s pregnancy, he might have been pleased then!


    But too much time had passed, and he could no longer recall those feelings.


    What he was sure of, though, was from the moment Feng Yi was born, apart from knowing he had another son, there seemed to have been no other ripples in his heart for over a decade.


    Perhaps it was because of this reason, he felt a bit guilty toward his son, Feng Yi, which exined why he made the effort toe here in person today.


    In fact, if it were not for Feng Xiao¡¯s words that day, Old Master Feng might not have made this trip.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you, the oldrade, are trying to say.¡±


    The tone in Feng Yi¡¯s voice remained t.


    ¡°The words your mother spoke that day were said in anger. Why did you take them to heart, and why did you leave home without any thought ofing back?¡±


    Old Master Feng frowned, ¡°There¡¯s amon saying: There is no overnight resentment between mother and child. Even if your mother has many faults, she did give birth to you after all. Are you really holding a grudge against her, not recognizing us as your parents for the rest of your life?¡±


    Feng Yiughed, but theughter looked as much like crying: ¡°Parents? What kind of parents are you to me? You brought me into this world but never cared for me, allowing me to be bullied by my brothers and your most beloved daughter. You are a family, and I am the superfluous one. Tell me, am I wrong?¡±

 Chapter 317: 317: Youll Never Get Past Me!

    <strong>Chapter 317: Chapter 317: You¡¯ll Never Get Past Me!</strong>


    Especially that woman who gave birth to me, if she didn¡¯t like me, why did she have me with you? In her heart, what am I? I am nothing. To catch a few more glimpses from you, to secure a footing in that family, she did everything to please your children, always thinking about them,pletely forgetting that she had a son.


    When I was bullied by my siblings and your most beloved daughter, where were you? Where was that woman? You just stood by, thinking it was just children messing around, thinking it wasn¡¯t a big deal, but what about me?


    I was very sad. I felt out of ce in that family. I felt like I was superfluous. More than once, I thought, why should I live?


    If I were dead, wouldn¡¯t I be spared from the insults of my elder brother and sister? Wouldn¡¯t I be ignored by my father and mother anymore? Would they shed a tear for me if they saw me dead?¡±


    At this point, Feng Yi suddenly sneered, ¡°Do you think I am ridiculous? Imagining that if I suddenly died, would you shed a tear for me? Of course not, in your hearts, I don¡¯t exist at all. Why would my death sadden you?! But I was foolishly harboring such a hope, who knew¡­ reality eventually woke me up¡­


    I, Feng Yi, was used by my own birth mother of injuring someone. You knew the truth, everyone in the family knew the truth, yet you just watched as I was taken away¡­ Six months of reform, not a long time, but was that what I deserved?¡±


    Old Master Feng¡¯splexion was not good. He said, ¡°It¡¯s all in the past, why dwell on it? That incident did wrong you, but what happened has happened. Speaking of it now will only hurt the harmony of the family.¡±


    ¡°For you, it is the past, but for me¡­¡± He patted his chest, with tears in his eyes, Feng Yi spoke word by word, ¡°I can never move past it! Never, I mean never, will I forget how each one of you backstabbed me!¡±


    ¡°Feng Yi¡­¡±


    Mo Yan felt a deep sorrow. He softly called Feng Yi¡¯s name, trying to offer somefort, but Feng Yi shook his head: ¡°Brother Yan, I¡¯m fine.


    Though he said this, the tears in Feng Yi¡¯s eyes couldn¡¯t be stopped. He wiped his face and said, ¡°I¡¯m hungry. Let¡¯s go inside and eat!¡±


    Mo Yan nodded, ¡°Okay.¡±


    The two didn¡¯t look at Old Master Feng again, nor did they look at Wang Xiaobo and He Xue.


    ¡°Uncle Feng¡­¡±


    After Mo Yan and Feng Yi went inside, the sound of the door closing followed. At this moment, He Xue looked at Old Master Feng with some concern.


    However, Old Master Feng didn¡¯t speak to her, but stepped forward, raising his hand to knock on the door: ¡°Feng Yi, speak whatever grief you have, but today you muste back with me.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you done yet?¡±


    The door was suddenly pulled open, and Feng Yi red at Old Master Feng: ¡°Listen to me well, I, Feng Yi, am telling you personally, from today I am cutting off all ties with the Feng family, and with you. Even if I die outside in the future, it has nothing to do with your family. Now, go back where you came from, and don¡¯t disturb my meal here!¡±


    Looking at the small dining table with a te of stir-fried cabbage and two bowls of corn, Old Master Feng wanted to say something, but with a ¡°bang,¡± the door was closed right in front of him.


    Feng Yi couldn¡¯t be bothered to say another word to the old man outside the door.


    ¡°Old Master¡­¡±


    Wang Xiaobo came over.


    With a wave of his hand, Old Master Feng said, ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­¡±

 Chapter 318: 318: Look at how ugly you look now, crying as if youre even more miserable than I am!

    <strong>Chapter 318: Chapter 318: Look at how ugly you look now, crying as if you¡¯re even more miserable than I am!</strong>


    After that, he spoke through the door to Feng Yi, ¡°You know Uncle Song and Mother Qi are aware of you being here, right? And their goddaughter, Kang Li¡­¡±


    Before Old Master Feng could finish speaking, inside the room, Feng Yi found half a brick from somewhere and smashed it against the door, ¡°Go back where you came from, stop your endless nagging here!¡±


    It was silent outside the door, and shortly after, the sound of footsteps walked away.


    Feng Yi held his bowl, stuffed a bite of food into his mouth, not wanting to shed tears, yet unable to control the tears falling from his eyes.


    He gulped down the corn and rare pearls, letting the tears fall into the bowl. Seeing him like this, Mo Yan didn¡¯t know how tofort him.


    Having not experienced the life of others, how could he advise someone to see things a bit more lightly?


    Suddenly, Feng Yi put down his rice bowl and began wailing like a child, crying to Mo Yan, ¡°I didn¡¯t want to cry, Brother Yan, I really didn¡¯t, but I couldn¡¯t help it, I just couldn¡¯t¡­ I feel so wronged, my heart aches, I want to shout to him that I¡¯m also his son, that his blood runs through my veins,


    Why can¡¯t he treat me the same as those stepbrothers of mine? Do you know? In front of me, he has never once called himself ¡®dad¡¯. I¡¯ve seen him lift his favorite child high,


    I¡¯ve seen him let his favorite child ride on his shoulders, I was so envious back then, looking up at him longingly, but it was as if he didn¡¯t see me at all, picking up the son five or six years older than me and putting him on his shoulders¡­¡±


    Mo Yan understood, he knew that Feng Yi was actually craving the love of a father and a mother, but those who were supposed to be his parents failed to give their child that affection.


    At that moment, Mo Yan thought of himself¡­ and histe father; suddenly, he felt as if he might have been a bit of an ingrate?


    His mom and dad had only one son, him. They loved him dearly; they would save him the tastiest food, and whenever his father was home, he would y with him, running back and forth in the yard with him on his shoulders, as he spread his arms wide, yelling, ¡°Fly, fly¡­¡±


    Theughter of his father, his ownughter, and his mother¡¯sughter would ring out from time to time.


    Yet, because his father entered the farm and their family life was disrupted, he had held grudges against the father who loved him¡­


    His eyes gradually reddened, and before he knew it, Mo Yan was also in tears.


    He hadpletely lost himself in the memories of the past.


    But suddenly, Feng Yi stopped crying; his mouth wide open, his eyes round, he looked at Mo Yan and asked, ¡°Brother Yan, what¡¯s happened to you?¡± But Mo Yan didn¡¯t respond, still letting the tears flow freely, his expression one of deep pain.


    ¡°Brother Yan! Brother Yan, take a good look at who I am? Brother Yan¡­¡±


    Shaking Mo Yan¡¯s shoulders, Feng Yi finally saw hime to his senses, focusing his gaze slowly on him.


    At that moment, Feng Yi couldn¡¯t care less about his own sorrow and even jokingly teased Mo Yan, ¡°Brother Yan, what were you just thinking about? Look at yourself now, crying even more miserably than me!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m a good person!¡±


    Mo Yan stopped the tears, wiped them away with the back of his hand, and said, ¡°I was thinking of my dad.¡±


    ¡°Is it because youpared him to that old man who was looking for me that you¡¯ve realized Uncle Mo is actually a very good father?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. My dad was already good, it was I who was foolish, obsessed over trivialities.¡±


    ¡°Uncle Mo is indeed very kind, he took great care of me during that half a year.¡±

 Chapter 319: 319: I Heard it From Mom, Duck!

    <strong>Chapter 319: Chapter 319: I Heard it From Mom, Duck!</strong>


    ¡°Tell me about my dad,¡±


    ¡°Actually, there¡¯s not much to say.¡± Feng Yi shook his head lightly but eventually said, ¡°Apart from working in the fields during the day, and sleeping at night, Uncle Mo mostly just sits by the bed staring out the window lost in thought. I asked him what he was looking at, and he said he wasn¡¯t really looking at anything. He was just thinking about his wife and children. He told me a lot about you. I could tell, Uncle Mo really loves you¡­¡±


    Feng family.


    Old Master Feng briefly discussed his encounter with Feng Yi to Fang Su. After listening, Fang Su¡¯s expression showed no significant change as she said, ¡°He¡¯s just an ingrate. Since he doesn¡¯t wish toe back, I might as well act as if I don¡¯t have that son.¡±


    ¡°Over these nearly two months, thanks to Old Song, his wife, and their foster daughter taking care of Feng Yi, otherwise, that boy¡¯s days outside would have been very tough.¡±


    Old Master Feng said so, paused, then added, ¡°Let¡¯s visit the Song family on the second day of the month to properly thank them. As for Feng Yi¡­ I think the Songs probably know more about him. We¡¯ll understand his situation outside better, and then I¡¯ll see how to arrange his path forward.¡±


    ¡°How did they know Feng Yi ran away from home?¡± Fang Su¡¯s expression turned slightly cold: ¡°Since they know where Feng Yi is, why didn¡¯t they inform us? Could it be they, along with their foster daughter, are all watching our family¡¯s misfortune?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t always assume the worst of people. Maybe there¡¯s a reason. Otherwise, knowing Old Song as I do, he wouldn¡¯t fail to give me a call.¡±


    Fang Su looked down and said nothing.


    She was undeniably angry with Mrs. Qi and Director Song, extending her fury to Kang Li, feeling that the three of them were deliberately against her and the Feng family.


    Otherwise, why would they keep Feng Yi¡¯s whereabouts a closely guarded secret?


    ¡­


    It had bepletely dark, Kang Li and Xiao Ming Rui had been waiting and waiting. Not only had they not seen Luo Yanqing return home, but they hadn¡¯t even received a phone call.


    ¡°Mom, is Dad noting back?¡±


    Milk Bun Ming Han looked dejected as he asked his mom.


    ¡°Let¡¯s wait a bit longer. If Dad still doesn¡¯t show up, then maybe he is really too busy to find time toe home.¡± If he couldn¡¯te, at least he could make a phone call!


    Kang Li mentallyined.


    Xiao Ming Wei: ¡°Second brother, Dad is busy with work and can¡¯te back. We shouldn¡¯t get mad at Dad, okay?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not mad at Dad, I just miss him!¡±


    Milk Bun Ming Han replied to his sister.


    Xiao Ming Wei made a funny face towards her brother Ming Han and giggled, ¡°Second brother, you¡¯re blushing! You¡¯re a boy, yet you¡¯re even clingier to mom and dad than us girls.¡±


    ¡°I am a boy, that¡¯s true, but I¡¯m still a baby, clinging to mom and dad isn¡¯t embarrassing, hmph!¡± Milk Bun Ming Han said, then turned his head, showing his sister the back of his head.


    Unexpectedly, at that moment, Xiao Ming Wei cutely said, ¡°Second brother, you¡¯re so tsundere!¡±


    Kang Li, who was nearby and heard the word ¡°tsundere¡± pop out of the little girl¡¯s mouth, couldn¡¯t help but twitch her eyelid. She smiled and asked Xiao Ming Wei, ¡°Vivi, where did you hear the word ¡®tsundere¡¯?¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei tilted her head, blinking her sparkling big eyes in response, ¡°I heard Mommy say it, duck!¡±


    ¡°I said it?¡± Kang Li pointed to herself, ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei nodded her little head, ¡°The time when Daddy came home sick, I heard Mommy say Daddy was very tsundere! But Vivi didn¡¯t mean to eavesdrop on Mommy and Daddy, it was an ident!¡±


    What else could Kang Li say?

 Chapter 320: 320: Confronted at the Door

    <strong>Chapter 320: Chapter 320: Confronted at the Door</strong>


    She had indeed said someone was tsundere, and when that someone didn¡¯t understand, she had kindly exined the meaning of ¡°tsundere,¡± fearing it might all have been overheard by the little girl.


    Thinking about it now, it made her feel a bit ufortable.


    Especially the thought that her entire conversation with that someone might have been overheard by little Vivi, Kang Li became increasingly uneasy.


    So, she changed the subject, ¡°I have no idea how far your Little Uncle has gotten with his drive.¡±


    Xiao Ming Rui, ¡°Little Uncle is an adult, he won¡¯t get lost.¡±


    Kang Li touched the child¡¯s head with a smile, ¡°Right, your Little Uncle can¡¯t get lost.¡± It was New Year¡¯s Eve, and they were supposed to have a reunion dinner, but her family was most likely not going to have that reunion.


    At that moment, Xiao Ming Wei suddenly asked, ¡°Mom, mom, why don¡¯t Grandma and Brother Xuan Xuane to our house for the reunion dinner?¡±


    ¡°Because Grandma¡¯s house also has a lot of delicious food to make.¡±


    Kang Li had spent the past two days lobbying Mrs. Qi, trying to get her to bring Xuan Xuan over to her goddaughter¡¯s house for New Year¡¯s Eve, but Mrs. Qi had refused to agree.


    She said it wasn¡¯t appropriate and that her house had everything.


    Kang Li wouldn¡¯t force people against their will, and since Mrs. Qi was adamant, Kang Li naturally didn¡¯t say much more about it.


    In fact, celebrating New Year¡¯s Eve and the New Year in the city wasn¡¯t very meaningful.


    The reason?


    You couldn¡¯t hear any firecrackers, nor was there the widely-known ¡°Spring Festival G¡± of the future.


    Well, actually, in her original world, Kang Li hadn¡¯t watched the Spring Festival G very many times.


    Usually, she would chat with the elders in her family, and then, either head to the study to work on her career or go back to her room to surf the web or read a book to rx.


    In short, she rarely watched the entire Spring Festival G.


    Suddenly, Dwen Dwen¡¯s adorable voice resonated in Kang Li¡¯s mind, ¡°Miss, you should hurry to the main courtyard gate and have a look. That Grandma Yu seems to be very ufortable, if you don¡¯t go check on her soon, she might faint.¡±


    Kang Li, ¡°Grandma Yu?¡± With a slightly puzzled look, Kang Li tried to remember who Grandma Yu was, did she know her?


    Dwen Dwen, ¡°Miss, you haven¡¯t forgotten, have you? Grandma Yu is the grandma you met at the Martyrs¡¯ Cemetery a couple of days ago. If you hadn¡¯t known first aid, something serious might have happened to her.¡±


    Kang Li, ¡°I remember now, but why would that olddy be at our courtyard gate?¡± She truly didn¡¯t understand but nheless quicky told Xiao Ming Rui a few words of instruction before rushing out the door.


    She remembered that day at the Martyrs¡¯ Cemetery, next to her father-inw¡¯s tombstone, there was an olddy with silver hair tied in a bun at the back of her head, dressed simply but very clean and tidy, squatting in front of a gravestone and carefully wiping it with a blue and white checkered handkerchief.


    The elderly¡¯s movements were very gentle, as if she was wiping something precious.


    But what she hadn¡¯t expected was for an ident to happen out of the blue.


    The olddy suddenly copsed without warning. In a panic, she rushed to the olddy¡¯s side to take her pulse, and found out she had a heart condition.


    The main reason she had fainted was most likely due to missing her rtives and reminiscing about the past, bing emotionally agitated all of a sudden, which caused the incident.


    After administering first aid, the olddy soon opened her eyes. The moment she saw her, the olddy stared nkly for a while before tremblingly pointing to her own pocket.


    Mumbling, ¡°Medicine¡­ Miss, my medicine¡­¡±


    Kang Li understood what the olddy meant and helped take a small medicine bottle out from the left pocket of her clothes, which ording to thebel was for patients with heart disease.


    ¡°One pill.¡±


    The olddy said she only needed one pill to be fine.

 Chapter 321: 321 Lonely Old Lady

    <strong>Chapter 321: Chapter 321 Lonely Old Lady</strong>


    Without any hesitation, she took out a tablet of medicine and ced it into the old woman¡¯s mouth, watching as she swallowed it.


    When the elderly woman¡¯s body had recovered, she held onto Kang Li¡¯s hand and did not let go for a long time.


    She said her surname was Yu, and the name carved on the tombstone was her younger brother¡¯s.


    She also said she had a younger brother and a sister, but now among the three siblings, she was the only one still alive.


    The old woman talked a lot about herself and her siblings and asked for Kang Li¡¯s name, expressing her desire to properly repay Kang Li for saving her life.


    Of course, Kang Li responded that it was not necessary.


    However, the olddy seemed rather stubborn, insisting on knowing where Kang Li lived; otherwise, she would just keep looking at her like a child, silent and with a look of grievance.


    Having no choice, Kang Li could only give her the address.


    But who could tell her why Grandma Yu woulde to find her on New Year¡¯s Eve, and especially at this time?


    Hadn¡¯t the old woman considered that Kang Li¡¯s family would be worried?


    ¡°Grandma Yu!¡±


    As she walked out of the courtyard, Kang Li looked in the direction Dwen Dwen had indicated and saw Old Lady Yu leaning against a tree trunk about a meter away from the courtyard wall, clutching her chest with one hand and holding a bamboo basket with the other, appearing to be in poor condition.


    Quickly approaching, Kang Li hurried to support her, ¡°Grandma Yu, you¡­¡± Upon seeing Kang Li, Old Lady Yu¡¯s spirits lifted significantly, and even her slightly cloudy eyes brightened considerably. She handed the bamboo basket she was carrying on her arm to Kang Li, ¡°Child, this is for you.¡±


    ¡°Grandma Yu, did youe all this way just to bring me something?¡± While it was a question, Kang Li was already sure of the answer. Besides, if Old Lady Yu had note to deliver something, why would she have traveled all the way to their research institute¡¯s courtyard?


    Even if there were buses to take, considering the home address Old Lady Yu had previously shared,ing to their courtyard would take at least thirty minutes.


    ¡°Your body isn¡¯t well, and going out alone at this time, your family will definitely be worried. How about this, why don¡¯t youe and sit at my ce first, then I can call your family, and I¡¯ll wait with you¡­¡±


    Gently patting Kang Li¡¯s hand, Old Lady Yu looked tenderly at her and shook her head lightly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°But going out alone like this, your family will surely be worried, especially since today is New Year¡¯s Eve.¡±


    Carrying the bamboo basket for Old Lady Yu, the concern in Kang Li¡¯s eyes was unmistakable.


    ¡°I forgot to mention, although I am married, my husband left me many years ago with other family members. Since then, in my home, besides me, an old widow, there remains only my faithful servant, who I have had by my side since before my marriage. Wait, it¡¯s a new society now; we can¡¯t still be using ¡®servant¡¯ to define someone¡¯s identity.¡±


    Pausing for a moment, Old Lady Yu continued, ¡°Child, I informed Old Xiao before I left. He knows I wasing to bring you something. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    Old Xiao, as referred to by Old Lady Yu, was originally her servant, who had fallen in love with the youngdy of the house since his youth. However, knowing his humble status, he had always kept to his ce, harboring his feelings deep inside.


    After the youngdy married and went with her family to serve in her husband¡¯s household, he never married, just quietly staying by the youngdy¡¯s side, even after the liberation without ever leaving his master.


    However, there were some changes in his status¡ªrecognized as a distant rtive of Miss Yu, also known as Old Lady Yu,

 Chapter 322: 322: Will You Really Not Cause Any Trouble?

    <strong>Chapter 322: Chapter 322: Will You Really Not Cause Any Trouble?</strong>


    He helped guard her home and, incidentally, apanied the woman he had secretly loved his whole life.


    In fact, when Old Lady Yu left the house today, although Old Man Xiao did not voice any objection, he secretly followed her from a distance to ensure the safety of the woman he had protected all his life.


    On the bus, Old Man Xiao got on right after Old Lady Yu did, blending in with the other passengers so carefully that she did not notice he was following her all the way.


    It was exactly then, or more precisely, before Kang Li emerged from the courtyard, that Old Man Xiao, watching from afar, nearly stepped out from behind a utility pole dozens of meters away when he sensed something off about Old Lady Yu.


    And the moment Kang Li appeared, basking in the dim glow of the streetlight by the road, Old Man Xiao¡¯s expression involuntarily slipped into a daze upon seeing her.


    ¡°That so? Then may I invite you to spend this New Year¡¯s Eve at my ce? If you have a phone at home, I could also call Grandpa Xiao over, Grandma Yu, what do you say?¡±


    ¡°Child, wouldn¡¯t that be inappropriate? Including today, we¡¯ve only met twice. How could I rashly disturb your home, and on New Year¡¯s Eve at that¡­¡±


    Old Lady Yu said this, but in her heart, she actually wanted to see Kang Li¡¯s home. Yet, for a stranger like her to visit a young girl¡¯s home on New Year¡¯s Eve was truly against convention.


    ¡°Grandma Yu, have you forgotten what you just said? You mentioned that this is a new society now, and sometimes it¡¯s okay not to follow old customs strictly, without inviting any criticism.


    Besides, there are only a few of us at home; my partner is busy at work and probably won¡¯t make it back for the family dinner. If you could go to my ce, to spend this New Year¡¯s Eve with me, my three little ones,


    and my younger brother, I believe my partner would be delighted to find out. After all, since he can¡¯te himself, having another person at home to apany me would undoubtedly make things much livelier.¡±


    Old Lady Yu was visibly tempted, ¡°Wouldn¡¯t I be troubling you?¡±


    Kang Li firmly shook her head, ¡°Not at all. Please be at ease ande to my house with me!¡±


    ¡°Well then, I will disturb you for a while at your home,¡± Old Lady Yu nodded.


    Just as Kang Li was about to assist her toward the courtyard entrance, she nced back unintentionally and saw an elderly man standing under a streetlight, looking in her and Old Lady Yu¡¯s direction. She felt a stir in her heart, paused, and called out to the man, ¡°Grandpa Xiao! You¡¯re Grandpa Xiao, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Hearing Kang Li¡¯s voice, Old Man Xiao froze for a moment, then turned to leave, but at that instant, Old Lady Yu followed Kang Li¡¯s gaze and, feeling a pang in her heart, said to Old Man Xiao not far away, ¡°Since you¡¯ve followed me this far, why not juste over!¡±


    This Old Man Xiao, he was of such an age and still was overprotective, treating her like a child!


    ¡°I¡­ I didn¡¯t mean to follow you, I¡­ I just couldn¡¯t stop worrying¡­¡±


    Old Man Xiao always listened to Old Lady Yu. As soon as she spoke up, his departing footsteps halted immediately, and he turned and walked straight over.


    ¡°Hello, Grandpa Xiao, my name is Kang Li.¡±


    After a simple introduction, Kang Li said to Old Man Xiao, ¡°Come on, join Grandma Yu and go to my ce for the New Year¡¯s Eve.¡±


    Old Man Xiao did not respond right away; he looked at Old Lady Yu.


    ¡°Listen to the child. Let¡¯s go sit for a while and get acquainted with the ce.¡±

 Chapter 323: 323: The marriage was agreed upon by myself.

    <strong>Chapter 323: Chapter 323: The marriage was agreed upon by myself.</strong>


    Old Lady Yu spoke up, and Old Man Xiao never failed to respond.


    Under the dim light of the streetmp, Kang Li now clearly saw what kind of person Old Man Xiao was.


    He stood about 178 centimeters tall, and despite his advanced years, he was sprightly and upright when he walked, giving the impression of a straightened back, and from his current facial features, it was not hard to deduce that this old man must have been quite a handsome young chap in his youth.


    All right, even now, with evident signs of age on his face, ¡°handsome old man¡± would be an apt description.


    ¡°Grandma Yu, Grandpa Xiao, my home is just ahead; we¡¯ll be there shortly.¡±


    Walking into the courtyard, Kang Li said this to the two elders with a smile, then added, ¡°My hometown is over in the Northwest, and back home, I have my parents and five older brothers. I¡¯m the youngest¡­¡±


    The reason Kang Li mentioned the Kang Family¡¯s situation to the old couple was to give an advance introduction of her little brother, Kang Guoan.


    Old Lady Yu suddenly asked, ¡°Your family loves you very much, don¡¯t they?¡±


    With a smile, Kang Li nodded: ¡°From my father to my nephews, in the entire Kang Family, I¡¯m the only girl. You could say that ever since I was young, the whole family has doted on me like a treasure. I¡¯m not afraid to beughed at by you and Grandpa Xiao, but even now, my family still calls me by my childhood nickname; whenever they see me, they shout ¡®Li Bao,¡¯ and every time I hear it, I feel a bit embarrassed.¡±


    ¡°If your parents love you so much, why would they let you marry so far away, and to a man who has been married once before?¡±


    This was Old Man Xiao¡¯s voice; before Kang Li could respond, he continued, ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong, little girl; this old man just thinks that you¡¯re such a good youngdy, so cherished by your family, that even if they were to find you a match, they should have found someone withparable conditions, temperament, and looks, in your own area¡­¡±


    Old Man Xiao didn¡¯t know how to finish his sentence, when unexpectedly, Old Lady Yu took over, ¡°Good child, your Grandpa Xiao means no harm; he just thinks it¡¯s hard to be a stepmother, and wonders why your family, who loves you so dearly, would allow a young girl who just got married to be a stepmother to three little grandchildren.¡±


    ¡°It was my own decision to get married.¡±


    Kang Li smiled, showing no negative emotions regarding what the elders had said. She said, ¡°Ever since I was born, I haven¡¯t been in good health. To get me medical treatment, my parents have spared no effort in taking me to various ces for years. When I got a bit older, it seemed my health improved somewhat,


    but doctors at the big city hospitals told my parents that getting married would be okay for me, but having children of my own¡­ that would be very difficult. That¡¯s why¡­¡±


    After roughly outlining her marriage with Luo Yanqing, Kang Li spoke with happiness in her voice, ¡°I¡¯m very satisfied with my husband, and the three little ones at home are great too. They¡¯re bright and sensible, and they¡¯re not a bit of trouble for me to look after.¡±


    Old Lady Yu sighed deeply, ¡°A parent¡¯s love for their child leads them to make careful ns for their future. Your parents truly have put thought into your well-being!¡±


    Kang Li ¡°hmmed¡± in agreement andughed, ¡°My family has always spoiled me, afraid to even let me fall or be dissolved in their mouths¡ªthey¡¯ve never let me suffer the slightest grievance since I was young. Even my little brother Guoan, who is the same age as me ¡ª ording to my mother, my little brother was born just a quarter of an hour before me ¡ª


    but for more than a decade, he has always looked after me. Now he works in North City, and as long as he is free on the weekends, he never fails to take the long bus ride toe see me despite the weather. And then there are my nephews, some of whom are still ¡®Little Beans,¡¯ and they are always thinking of ways to protect their little aunt.¡±

 Chapter 324: 324: Fortunately, Nothing Unexpected Happened

    <strong>Chapter 324: Chapter 324: Fortunately, Nothing Unexpected Happened</strong>


    Old Man Xiao: ¡°Your family gets along very well, something that¡¯s rare to see in many families.¡±


    ¡°I think so too. Perhaps it¡¯s because the Kang family has always had a good family tradition. Growing up, I¡¯ve never seen anyone in my family raise their voice.¡±


    Old Lady Yu: ¡°Li Bao is a fortunate little girl.¡± She said this to Old Man Xiao.


    Old Man Xiao nodded and hummed in agreement.


    Old Lady Yu, with a smile on her face, suddenly asked Kang Li, ¡°Has your little brother arrived?¡±


    Kang Li shook her head: ¡°Not yet.¡±


    Old Lady Yu: ¡°Did youe out to meet your little brother and then identally run into this olddy?¡±


    Kang Li imperceptibly paused, then nodded: ¡°Yes. Besides, Grandma Yu, since you came to find me, why didn¡¯t you tell the duty officer at our courtyard gate so they could phone my family? I could havee out earlier to meet you.¡±


    ¡°I was seen by you before I had the chance.¡±


    Old Lady Yu replied with a smile.


    Actually, she had been at the area for almost half an hour before meeting Kang Li, but feeling suddenly that her visit was quite abrupt, she hesitated and did not immediately go to the courtyard gate to ask the duty officer to call Kang Li.


    Dwen Dwen: ¡°Sister, the olddy is tricking you; she has been wandering on the pedestrian path outside the courtyard for at least half an hour.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you tell me sooner?¡±


    Dwen Dwen: ¡°Sorry! I saw you were busy preparing ingredients for the New Year¡¯s Eve dinner in the kitchen, and I just forgot to tell you.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°Fortunately, the olddy didn¡¯t have an ident, otherwise, could I be at peace with my conscience?¡±


    An elderly person with a heart condition, havinge from far away with a basket full of various cakes to see her, and she beingpletely unaware, staying at home¡ªif something truly had happened to the elderlydy without her knowledge, Kang Li was certain that she would have borne a heavy mental burden.


    After all, isn¡¯t there a saying: ¡®I do not kill Boren, but Boren dies because of me¡¯?


    With these thoughts, Kang Li assisted Old Lady Yu, with Old Man Xiao apanying them, into the courtyard.


    ¡°Mommy, mommy! Has Little Uncle arrived?¡±


    The milky voice of Milk Bun Ming Han came from the living room entrance.


    ¡°Second Brother, you can¡¯t go outside; if you catch a cold, it will be really ufortable!¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei tugged at her brother Ming Han¡¯s shirt from behind, herrge eyes round as ck grapes.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say I was going outside, I just want to stand here and look into the courtyard through the cotton curtain!¡±


    Inside the house, Kang Li didn¡¯t have the little imps wear cotton jackets, butyered them in warm underwear topped with sweaters, allowing the three tots to move freely indoors.


    ¡°Little Uncle hasn¡¯t arrived yet!¡± After ushering the two elderly into the living room, Kang Li smiled and asked the three tots, ¡°Do you know who this is?¡±


    ¡°Grandma Yu!¡±


    The twin with mixed sex blinked their bright, shiny eyes and answered in unison.


    Min Rui directly greeted Grandma Yu and then turned to Old Man Xiao, greeting him with ¡°Grandpa.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°This is Grandpa Xiao, a family member of Grandma Yu.¡±


    Twin with mixed sex: ¡°Hello, Grandpa Xiao!¡±


    ¡°Mommy, mommy, Vivi, Big Brother, and Second Brother call Grandma Yu and Grandpa Xiao as ¡®Grandma Yu Grandpa Xiao¡¯ like you, is that wrong?¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei tilted her head to look at her mother, her big eyes full of confusion.


    After listening to the little girl, Kang Li found it quite a mouthful; she blinked her fox-like eyes, about to respond, when unexpectedly, Old Lady Yu spoke first:

 Chapter 325: 325: Same Trick Again

    <strong>Chapter 325: Chapter 325: Same Trick Again</strong>


    ¡°It¡¯s just a title, however you choose to call Grandma Yu and this old man, it¡¯s all okay.¡±


    These words were clearly directed at the three kids.


    Xiao Ming Wei said, ¡°How about¡­ how about Vivi and big brother and second brother call Grandma Yu and Grandpa Xiao as great grandma and great grandpa?¡±


    Old Lady Yu¡¯s face was alight with a smile, ¡°Good.¡±


    Old Man Xiao also nodded his head.


    Milk Bun Ming Han rubbed his little tummy and asked Kang Li, ¡°Mommy, can we eat once Little Uncle arrives?¡± The child was adorable and soft, and upon hearing this, Kang Li smiled as she stroked the little one¡¯s hair, ¡°Your Little Uncle should be here very soon. You and your brother and sister chat with Grandma Yu and Grandpa Xiao, and mommy will start serving the dishes.¡±


    By midafternoon, Kang Li had already prepared the dumplings, stewed the chicken¡­ She had dealt with all the ingredients needed, now only cooking was left.


    The Little Uncle mentioned by Milk Bun Ming Han was currently sitting on a bus, ncing at the watch on his wrist from time to time.


    If anyone were to pay close attention, they wouldn¡¯t find it difficult to detect a hint of annoyance in his ink-dyed eyes.


    As soon as he finished work at the office, he went back to his dormitory to pack a little, then took the gifts he¡¯d previously bought for his niece Li Bao and nephews Xiao Ming Rui and his siblings, ready to head over to his sister¡¯s ce for Chinese New Year¡¯s Eve.


    But before he could leave the residential area, he was stopped by Yang Zijuan¡­


    More than an hour earlier.


    North City Petrochemical.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that. I came specifically to find you, to invite you to my house for Chinese New Year¡¯s Eve. How about that, I¡¯m nice to you, aren¡¯t I?¡±


    That day, Yang Zijuan was dressed up exquisitely, standing in front of Kang Guoan as she made her proposal.


    ¡°Comrade Yang Zijuan, what¡¯s the point of this?¡±


    With an indifferent expression, Kang Guoan¡¯s cold eyes fixated on Yang Zijuan, ¡°I thought you would have understood that there¡¯s absolutely no possibility between us after you met my partner the other day. In fact, you really didn¡¯t appear before me for some time, and I thought you were arade who knew how to respect yourself. But here you are again, repeating the same old tricks. What exactly do you want?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want anything special; I¡¯m just inviting you to my house for Chinese New Year¡¯s Eve.¡±


    She knew the person in front of her had a partner, and she had seen her with her own eyes, and she knew very well that she was not as attractive as his partner, and probably also less well-off than that annoying woman. But she just couldn¡¯t give up.


    What was she supposed to do then?


    Kang Guoan was emanating a chill all over.


    At this moment, he was wearing a mid-length, camel-colored wool coat that Kang Li had bought him, wrapped in a khaki cashmere scarf on his neck, giving off a vibe that was both elegant and gentle, and yet warm as well.


    Of course, one had to ignore the low pressure he was deliberately radiating.


    ¡°Comrade Yang Zijuan, do you not have any self-respect at all?¡±


    Kang Guoan¡¯s voice was as cold as his demeanor.


    ¡°I do have self-respect, of course I do. But I knew you were from the Northwest, and I was afraid you would be lonely spending New Year¡¯s Eve by yourself in the dormitory, so¡­¡±


    Before Yang Zijuan could finish her sentence, Kang Guoan interrupted, ¡°Comrade Yang Zijuan, did you not see that I am carrying things in my hand?¡±


    ¡°You¡­ you are going to your partner¡¯s house¡­¡±


    Yang Zijuan felt a pang in her heart but persisted in voicing her guess.


    ¡°Yes, I am going to my partner¡¯s house. This was the n we made when west met. So, please don¡¯t waste my time here.¡±


    With those words, Kang Guoan stepped forward, preparing to walk past Yang Zijuan.


    ¡°Kang Guoan!¡±


    Yang Zijuan¡¯s voice carried a crying tone, ¡°I like you, I believe I like you more than your partner does, why can¡¯t you consider being with me?¡±

 Chapter 326: 326: Luo Yanqing is Back

    <strong>Chapter 326: Chapter 326: Luo Yanqing is Back</strong>


    ¡°I¡¯ve never had any intentions towards you, so how can we talk about consideration?¡± With that final statement, Kang Guoan didn¡¯t hesitate for a second, lengthening his stride and passing Yang Zijuan to continue on his way.


    Unexpectedly, Kang Guoan had only taken less than ten steps when someone suddenly clung to his waist from behind.


    ¡°I like you, Kang Guoan, I know you¡¯re taken, but I just can¡¯t let go of you. What do you want me to do?¡±


    Yang Zijuan said between sobs.


    Irritation and anger filled Kang Guoan¡¯s eyes as he decisively pried Yang Zijuan¡¯s hands away, his gaze sharp as he looked at her and coldly said, ¡°Comrade Yang Zijuan, I will tell you onest time, please have some self-respect!¡±


    Some distance away, many workers looked towards the two of them.


    ¡°This is just too shameless! Comrade Kang Guoan obviously has a partner, and he¡¯s made it clear more than once that he¡¯s not interested in her, so why does she keep clinging to him?¡±


    ¡°Before, some people misunderstood Comrade Kang Guoan as the third party between Yang Zijuan and someone else, but look at what happened, each and every one of them was pped in the face by Comrade Kang Guoan¡¯s partner.¡±


    ¡°Do you think Yang Zijuan will give up?¡±


    ¡°Who knows?¡±


    ¡°This is such an embarrassment for all of us women!¡±


    ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s as if she can¡¯t get married or something, insisting on clinging to Comrade Kang Guoan!¡±


    ¡°I saw Comrade Kang Guoan¡¯s partner the other day; she really is pretty, like a fairy descended to earth.¡±


    ¡°I saw her too. Not only is Comrade Kang Guoan¡¯s partner beautiful, but she also has a very elegant demeanor.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you mention how well-dressed she is too?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say it, but you just did!¡±


    ¡­


    Kang Guoan had walked far away and naturally didn¡¯t know what the onlooking workers were talking about, while Yang Zijuan did hear a few sentences butpletely disregarded them, walking home in a daze.


    Time trickled by, and on the bus, Kang Guoan checked the time on his watch again and then stood up, carrying a small travel bag, and moved towards the rear door.


    It was already past seven-thirty; Li Bao must be getting anxious, right?


    Thinking this, Kang Guoan got off the bus as soon as it came to a stop and quickened his pace.


    ¡°Young man?¡±


    At the entrance of thepound, a jeep slowed to a halt beside Kang Guoan, followed by a rear door on one side swinging open. Luo Yanqing got out, making sure he wasn¡¯t mistaken, he couldn¡¯t help but call out again, ¡°Young man.¡±


    Luo Yanqing paused, then turned to another person in the back seat and said, ¡°Director, I¡¯ll just walk in.¡± After saying this, Luo Yanqing closed the car door, watched the jeep drive into thepound, and then said to Kang Guoan, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Kang Guoan nodded and uttered a sound of acknowledgment.


    As they walked side by side, Kang Guoan said, ¡°Li Bao was still worrying that you might be too busy toe back.¡±


    ¡°There was indeed some work I couldn¡¯t get away from,¡± replied Luo Yanqing. He continued, ¡°But everyone in the office hasn¡¯t had any rest in the past few months, so taking advantage of the uing New Year, the department has given everyone a two-day leave.¡±


    Two months ago, Luo Yanqing took a three-day leave to go home for medical treatment, but other staff members at the office had been working up until today.


    It wasn¡¯t that the office didn¡¯t give time off. Instead, the researchers from each project team were all workaholics, unable to set aside their work.


    And now he was able toe back because the leadership in the office had mandatorily given all staff a two-day leave, so everyone could go home to spend New Year¡¯s with their families and unwind a bit.


    Kang Guoan said, ¡°Seeing youe back suddenly, Ruirui and the others will definitely be very happy.¡±


    Luo Yanqing didn¡¯t reply but said, ¡°I¡¯m busy with work and rarelye home during the year, which must be tough on Xiao Li.¡±


    ¡°To marry you means Li Bao was prepared in her heart, so you don¡¯t need to feel sorry,¡± said Kang Guoan.

 Chapter 327: 327 Introduction

    <strong>Chapter 327: Chapter 327 Introduction</strong>


    Li Bao¡¯s family had three little rascals apanying him daily, which made, in his view, life quitefortable.


    Luo Yanqing said, ¡°It was indeed Xiao Li who was wronged.¡± After a pause, he changed the subject, ¡°Is your work going smoothly?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Kang Guoan nodded, ¡°Not bad.¡±


    Luo Yanqing asked, ¡°Does your unit have any holidays?¡±


    Kang Guoan shook his head, ¡°No.¡± Tomorrow, before dawn, he would have to get up and catch the earliest bus back to his unit from here, or else he would probably not make it to his post on time.


    ¡­


    ¡°Grandma Yu, please go sit in the living room, I¡¯ve prepared everything here. It won¡¯t take long to fry, stir-fry, and deep-fry, and soon a table will be full.¡±


    As Kang Li spoke, she carried two cold dishes and ushered Grandma Yu to the living room.


    ¡°Seeing you busying yourself alone is hard, I just wanted to help you.¡±


    Grandma Yu, also carrying two cold dishes, walked beside Kang Li as they both exited the kitchen.


    ¡°All the ingredients were prepared by me in advance, now I just need to stir-fry a few dishes, it¡¯s not hard at all.¡± After cing the cold dishes on the big round table in the center of the living room, Kang Li didn¡¯t let the olddy return to the kitchen, but went back and forth alone to ce another cold dish on the table.


    Overall, there were five cold dishes nned by Kang Li for tonight.


    And the hot dishes included stewed chicken, steamed fish, shrimp and tofu steamed eggs, crispy fried lotus root boxes¡­


    A total of 12 dishes.


    When Luo Yanqing and Kang Guoan walked into the courtyard, the delicious stewed chicken had just been served by Kang Li. Seeing Luo Yanqing, a mischievous smile lit up Kang Li¡¯s eyes, ¡°I thought you wouldn¡¯t be able to make it.¡± Then, she turned her gaze to Kang Guoan, ¡°Little brother, you¡¯vee a bitte!¡±


    Kang Guoan smiled affectionately and said with augh, ¡°It¡¯s little brother¡¯s fault. How about this; I¡¯ll be punished by helping you in the kitchen.¡±


    Before Kang Li could respond, Luo Yanqing¡¯s clear and deep voice rang out, ¡°I¡¯ll help Xiao Li, and little brother can just wait in the living room.¡±


    ¡°Yes, little brother, with Luo Yanqing helping me, you can rest well in the living room.¡±


    As she spoke, Kang Li winked at Kang Guoan, the meaning quite clear: ¡°Don¡¯t be a third wheel!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± This girl, how did he be a third wheel? Wasn¡¯t he just worried she was overburdened and wanted to lend a hand? Understanding the message his younger sister was conveying, Kang Guoan chuckled and shook his head, ¡°Then I¡¯ll listen to the two of you.¡±


    Kang Li said, ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go to the living room. I¡¯ll introduce you to two elders.¡±


    Luo Yanqing and Kang Guoan looked at each other.


    Elders?


    Two of them?!


    Who could it be?


    Luo Yanqing felt it couldn¡¯t be Director Song and his wife, since it was New Year¡¯s Eve and they¡¯d have a reunion dinner. Since Director Song came back with him, it was unlikely he would spend New Year¡¯s Eve away from his own home ande here instead.


    ¡°Little brother, Luo Yanqing, these are the two I told you about, Grandma Yu and Grandpa Xiao.¡±


    After introducing Old Lady Yu and Old Man Xiao to them, Kang Li introduced Luo Yanqing to them, ¡°Grandma Yu, Grandpa Xiao, this is my husband, his name is Luo Yanqing; you can call him Little Luo or Yanqing;¡± her eyes then shifted to Kang Guoan, and Kang Li continued, ¡°This one, as I mentioned to you before, is my little brother; his name is Kang Guoan, and regarding how to address him, it¡¯s up to you two, haha.¡±


    ¡°Hello Grandma Yu, hello Grandpa Xiao!¡±


    Kang Guoan greeted the two elders.


    Luo Yanqing, as always, had an indifferent look, his lips slightly parting, ¡°Hello to you both.¡±


    ¡°Grandma Yu, don¡¯t mind it. My husband has always been like this; he doesn¡¯t have any issues with you two.¡±

 Chapter 328: 328 Could it be that Im overthinking it?

    <strong>Chapter 328: Chapter 328 Could it be that I¡¯m overthinking it?</strong>


    Luo Yanqing¡¯s tone was so blunt that, coupled with his naturally indifferent and distant demeanor, Kang Li felt it necessary to exin to Old Lady Yu and Old Man Xiao, to avoid any unnecessary misunderstandings.


    Old Lady Yu and Old Man Xiao shook their heads, not taking Luo Yanqing¡¯s attitude to heart. After all, they had shown up uninvited, and it was their first meeting with the host; if they weren¡¯t weed, they acknowledged that it would be their own fault.


    Moreover, having heard the young girl¡¯s exnation, it seemed that this young man named Luo Yanqing was just naturally like that.


    ¡°Alright, Kang brother, keep Old Lady Yu and Grandpa Xiaopany, I¡¯m going to be busy in the kitchen with Luo Yanqing.¡±


    After addressing Kang Guoan, Kang Li headed for the kitchen.


    Luo Yanqing set down his travel bag and was about to follow when the twins toddled over with a ¡°pitter-patter,¡± each hugging one of their daddy¡¯s long legs, and looking up, they asked, ¡°Daddy, daddy, Hanhan (Vivi) missed you, did you miss Hanhan (Vivi)?¡±


    ¡°¡­Mmm.¡±


    With a slight nod, Luo Yanqing, imitating what Kang Li often did with the little cubs, raised his hand and gently touched the twins¡¯ heads: ¡°Go y.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    The twins responded.


    They let go of their father¡¯s long legs and turned their attention to Kang Guoan, with Milk Bun being the first to rush forward: ¡°Little Uncle, little uncle, Hanhan missed you so much!¡±


    Kang Guoan and Old Lady Yu settled onto the sofa, and he caught Milk Bun as they lunged into his arms: ¡°Little Uncle missed you too.¡± While speaking, he freed one hand, unzipped the travel bag at his feet, and took out the gifts he had bought for the three little ones. He waved Min Rui and Vivi over and handed out gifts to each of the cubs.


    Min Rui¡¯s eyes sparkling: ¡°Thank you, Little Uncle!¡±


    ¡°Brother, brother, let¡¯s go y over there.¡±


    Milk Bun Ming Han, holding their own gift, called their brother Ming Han and pointed where they should go.


    ¡°Wait for Vivi!¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei, holding the doll Little Uncle had bought for her, chased after her big brother and second brother.


    Seeing the cubs squatting on the ground ying with their toys, Kang Guoan shifted his gaze and began to casually chat with Old Lady Yu and Old Man Xiao. At first, he was a bit reserved, but after exchanging a few words, hepletely rxed.


    In the kitchen.


    Kang Li: ¡°Following the usual practice of previous years, aren¡¯t you all unable toe back?¡±


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°After working continuously for several months, the leaders at the office thought since it was the Spring Festival, they¡¯d give everyone two days off.¡±


    One busy at the stove, the other asionally passing spices and tes, the two worked together in perfect harmony and made a good-looking pair.


    Kang Li: ¡°So, that means you have to return to the office on the second day of the lunar year.¡±


    ¡°Mmm.¡± Luo Yanqing nodded, then added, ¡°I¡¯ll leave in the afternoon of the second day.¡±


    Hearing this, Kang Li smiled, a sly twinkle in her fox-like eyes, she asked, ¡°Does this mean you want to spend more time with the kids?¡±


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°¡­To spend more time with all of you.¡± What he really wanted to say was to spend more time with you.


    ¡°I get it, you just can¡¯t bear to leave me, can you?¡± Kang Li was deliberately teasing, her eyes yful as she nced at the man.


    Luo Yanqing¡¯s fair and handsome face showed a hint of unease. He fell silent for a long while, his lips twitching, but ultimately, he didn¡¯t make a sound.


    Kang Li raised an eyebrow: ¡°Could it be that I¡¯m ttering myself?¡±


    Luo Yanqing pursed his lips: ¡°No.¡±


    Kang Liughed: ¡°So our Professor Luo really can¡¯t bear to leave me, what should I do? I feel so happy!¡±


    Hearing her say this, Luo Yanqing grew even more ufortable, and at the same time, his cheeks grew warm,

 Chapter 329: 329: What Do You Think of Little Luo?

    <strong>Chapter 329: Chapter 329: What Do You Think of Little Luo?</strong>


    Unable to help it, she turned her head away, clenched a fist to cover her lips and let out two soft coughs, to disguise her current unusual mood.


    ¡°Such thin skin.¡±


    Laughing as she spoke, Kang Li called out to Luo Yanqing to bring the dishes she had stir-fried to the table, one by one.


    ¡­


    In the living room.


    Kang Li looked at the full table of abundant reunion dinner in front of her and said to Old Lady Yu, Old Man Xiao, Luo Yanqing, Kang Guoan, and the three children, ¡°This chicken represents ¡®luck¡¯; well, it means auspicious luck,¡± she pointed at the stewed chicken, her beautiful fox-like eyes brimming withughter, ¡°Eating chicken during the New Year symbolizes ¡®good fortune,¡¯ wishing for great luck and prosperity!¡±


    Then, Kang Li pointed to the steamed fish, ¡°Fish is a homophone for ¡®surplus¡¯ in ¡®may there be surplus every year,¡¯ symbolizing abundance every year,¡± and as she said this, Kang Li started to introduce her own shrimp dish, ¡°The dialect in Guangcheng calls shrimp ¡®ha,¡¯ implyingughter after eating, ¡®haha.¡¯ With this dish, I hope everyone present can be happy, healthy, and content in the new year!¡±


    Following that, Kang Li proceeded to introduce each dish: shrimp with tofu and steamed eggs, crispy lotus root sandwich, hawthorn spareribs, dried bamboo shoots with roast duck, pickled pepper beef, little stir-fry over the lotus pond¡­


    As Kang Li¡¯s words came to an end, Milk Bun Ming Han rested his chin in his hands and gazed at the table full of delicious food, eximing in his childish voice, ¡°Mommy is amazing! The food smells so good!¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei copied him, ¡°Mommy is super amazing! Vivi loves Mommy so much!¡±


    Old Lady Yu praised, ¡°It looks very appetizing, and after listening to your introduction, the whole table of dishes seems even more appealing. Your culinary skills are definitely beyond reproach, Li Bao!¡±


    Old Man Xiao nodded with a smile in agreement.


    ¡°Grandma Yu, my sister indeed has great culinary skills. I bet even the state-owned restaurant chefs can¡¯t match my sister¡¯s level.¡±


    Having his own sister praised for her cooking made Kang Guoan feel proud from the bottom of his heart.


    Speaking of which, a portion of the ingredients used for this table full of delicious food was bought by Kang Li at a vegetable supply point, while some were purchased with points from the Mall through Dwen Dwen.


    For example, shrimp, beef, and a few seasonings that weren¡¯t avable in this era.


    ¡°Daddy, Daddy, Mommy worked hard!¡±


    Out of nowhere, Milk Bun Ming Han blurted out another line.


    Hearing this, Luo Yanqing nodded his head and responded with a ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei said, ¡°Mommy, you should eat more!¡± Mommy worked hard making the food, so be sure to eat lots!


    Kang Li smiled, ¡°Okay, Mommy will eat more, and our Vivi has to eat a lot too!¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei replied eagerly.


    About an hourter, the lively and festive New Year¡¯s Eve dinner came to an end.


    ¡°Li Bao, we¡¯re going to leave now, don¡¯t forget what we agreed upon!¡±


    ¡°Rest assured, I promise I won¡¯t forget,¡± Kang Li replied.


    After the New Year¡¯s Eve dinner, no matter how much Kang Li tried to persuade them, Old Lady Yu insisted on going home. Seeing that she couldn¡¯t convince her otherwise, Kang Li had to give up.


    To avoid the two elderly people having to wait too long for the bus, Luo Yanqing went to Director Song¡¯s house to bring the jeep and decided to take Old Lady Yu and the others home.


    After all, it was safer that way.


    Kang Guoan didn¡¯t wait for Kang Li to say anything and took the initiative to suggest apanying Luo Yanqing to send Old Lady Yu and Old Man Xiao home.


    ¡°Drive slowly on the way and be safe!¡±


    As Luo Yanqing started the car, Kang Li walked over to the driver¡¯s side and gave her gentle reminder.


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Responding, Luo Yanqing said, ¡°It¡¯s cold outside, go back inside the house!¡±


    Kang Li nodded lightly and then took two steps back.


    Standing still, she watched as the car drove away before stepping through the gates into the courtyard.


    The round trip took about forty minutes.


    After Luo Yanqing drove away from Old Lady Yu¡¯s house doorstep, Old Lady Yu asked Old Man Xiao, ¡°What do you think of Little Luo?¡±

 Chapter 330: 330: Youre a bit unambitious

    <strong>Chapter 330: Chapter 330: You¡¯re a bit unambitious</strong>


    After thinking, Old Man Xiao walked alongside Old Lady Yu into the courtyard, where he said, ¡°Indeed, he¡¯s not much of a talker, and he¡¯s a bit cold by nature.¡±


    Old Lady Yu asked, ¡°What else?¡±


    Old Man Xiao replied, ¡°He has his own ns.¡±


    Old Lady Yu red, ¡°I¡¯ve been asking you for a long time, and that¡¯s all you have to say?!¡±


    Caught off guard for a moment, Old Man Xiao sighed and said, ¡°I know what you want to ask, but I really don¡¯t know how to say it. You¡¯ve also seen it, that Comrade Luo always has the same expression, as if he doesn¡¯t care much about anything. I really can¡¯t determine his feelings towards Li Bao. However, it is certain that Li Bao is in his eyes!¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to tell me that.¡±


    Giving Old Man Xiao an eye roll, Old Lady Yu looked somewhat wistful, ¡°They are all good kids, it¡¯s just that I don¡¯t know¡­¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s very likely. If you want to be sure, we could find someone to help us¡­¡±


    Before Old Man Xiao could finish his sentence, Old Lady Yu waved her hand, ¡°You don¡¯t need to say more, I have an idea. Go back to your room and rest.¡±


    ¡°You should also rest early.¡±


    As he spoke, Old Man Xiao stood in the center of the courtyard, watching Old Lady Yu enter her own room.


    Thepound.


    ¡°Do you have doubts in your heart?¡±


    The night was quiet. Kang Liy on her back on the bed and casually uttered a sentence.


    Luo Yanqing replied, ¡°You mean¡­¡±


    Kang Li asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know how I came to know Grandma Yu and Grandpa Xiao?¡±


    ¡°Then tell me about it.¡±


    He really couldn¡¯t figure out how she got to know the two elders.


    ¡°Martyrs¡¯ Cemetery, I did take Ruirui and the others to the cemetery to pay respects to my father-inw¡­¡± Kang Li didn¡¯t beat around the bush, her voice soft and calm as she recounted the visit to the Martyrs¡¯ Cemetery. At the end, she said, ¡°In the future, when you¡¯re too busy to find the time, I¡¯ll take the kids to visit their grandfather.¡±


    Luo Yanqing said, ¡°Thank you!¡±


    Kang Li retorted, ¡°Being polite with me again?! As a daughter-inw, it¡¯s only proper for me to pay respects to my father-inw, and as grandchildren, it is equally appropriate for Ruirui and the others to pay respects to their grandfather. You really don¡¯t have to thank me.¡±


    Luo Yanqing replied, ¡°Fine.¡± After a moment of silence, he said, ¡°Those two elders look at you and little brother in a strange way, did you notice?¡±


    Kang Li furrowed her brows slightly, ¡°Indeed, it was a bit strange. Though I did help Grandma Yu, I forgot about it afterward and didn¡¯t take it to heart. Who knew she would actuallye to ourpound today? If I hadn¡¯t gone to the front gate to see if little brother had arrived, Old Lady Yu might have had an ident.¡±


    Luo Yanqing asked, ¡°Could it be that they are your rtives?¡±


    Kang Li replied, ¡°I don¡¯t know, I¡¯ve never heard my parents mention we have rtives in North City.¡±


    Luo Yanqing remarked, ¡°The two elders live in an independent courtyard house.¡±


    ¡°Judging by their clothes, their living conditions are not hard to discern.¡± Kang Li said, pausing for a moment before adding, ¡°Our current living environment can also be considered a courtyard house, well, to be precise, a three-sided courtyard. But I think it¡¯s quite nice. However, if you want to live in a courtyard house, I¡¯ll look around and buy one for us.¡±


    Luo Yanqing responded, ¡°I don¡¯t have any requirements for living conditions.¡± He mostly stayed in the station year-round, and having a dormitory to live in was already very good.


    ¡°That¡¯s a bitck of ambition on your part,¡± Kang Li said with a hint ofughter, ¡°Enjoying life is a wonderful thing. I want to live in a luxurious vi with beautiful surroundings, have a car to drive when I go out, not only a mountaintop vi but also have a seaside vi¡­¡±

 Chapter 331: 331 This guy is really a dog!

    <strong>Chapter 331: Chapter 331 This guy is really a dog!</strong>


    Reflecting on her life beforeing to this world, Kang Li inadvertently blurted out.


    ¡°To be honest, my current standard of living really can¡¯tpare to my previous one.¡±


    With such conditions, being a ¡°salted fish¡± was quite tough for her.


    After a long silence, Luo Yanqing spoke, ¡°I will work hard to get you into a vi.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll be waiting!¡±


    Gathering her thoughts, Kang Li¡¯s lips curved into a lovely arc, ¡°Professor Luo, go for it!¡± Adorable, she thought, how he wanted to work hard and buy a vi for her to live in¡ªthis man was truly considerate!


    Luo Yanqing¡¯s face heated up, ¡°¡­Go to sleep.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°¡­¡± She almost rolled her eyes. At this moment, Kang Li felt that the man was a bit of a buzzkill.


    The conversation was going so well, so why did he suddenlye out with ¡°go to sleep¡±? To Kang Li, he was really a dog! The good atmosphere was spoiled just like that. Could it be¡­ could it be that after being pure of heart and desire for so long, he wanted to be a monk for life?


    ¡­


    A momentter.


    Kang Li shook her head internally, dismissing the messy thoughts, and without any further words, she turned over to lie on her side.


    Luo Yanqingy t, noting the movements of his wife beside him, turned his head, and saw Kang Li lying on her side with her back to him.


    Seemed like she was upset?


    Why?


    Why would she be upset?


    Perplexed, Luo Yanqing couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Are you upset?¡±


    Kang Li didn¡¯t respond.


    ¡°Did I say something wrong?¡± Shifting his body to get closer to his little wife, Luo Yanqing hesitated for a moment before gently touching Kang Li¡¯s shoulder, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to sleep, then I¡¯ll keep talking to you.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°Go to sleep, we need to get up early tomorrow.¡± Let¡¯s just go with the flow!


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°You¡¯re not mad?¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°Getting angry makes you age faster. I wouldn¡¯t make things difficult for myself.¡±


    ¡°I thought you were angry at me.¡± Luo Yanqing¡¯s tense nerves gradually rxed, ¡°I might be slow to react to life¡¯s situations, so if you think I¡¯m in the wrong, just tell me directly.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°And then?¡±


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°I¡¯ll change.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I got it.¡± Man, you¡¯re really not slow when ites to rtionships! At this moment, Kang Li was very curious about how the person lying beside her had managed his rtionship with his deceased ex-wife in his previous marriage.


    But curious as she was, she would never ask proactively.


    The reason?


    It belonged to personal privacy.


    The next day, before dawn had fully broken, Kang Guoan got up and prepared to go to work.


    ¡°Bro, there¡¯s still time. Have some dumplings before you leave.¡±


    Kang Li brought the cooked dumplings to the table and called Kang Guoan to sit down and eat.


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Kang Guoan nodded, and in the blink of an eye, dipped in sauce, he finished a te of plump meaty dumplings in front of him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about washing up; you¡¯re in a hurry, right? Go on, I¡¯ll see you out.¡± Seeing Kang Guoan pick up his bowl and dishes, Kang Li promptly stopped him and then turned to Luo Yanqing, ¡°I¡¯ll go see my brother off. If Ruirui and the others wake up, keep an eye on them for me, and I¡¯ll make them dumplings separately when I¡¯m back.¡±


    Luo Yanqing naturally had no objections.


    After seeing Kang Guoan to the gate, watching Kang Li and Kang Guoan walk away, Luo Yanqing went back into the yard.


    ¡°Ever since I visited your unit that time, has that femalerade stopped bothering you, brother?¡±


    Upon hearing Kang Li¡¯s words, Kang Guoan¡¯s smile vanished almost instantly. Noticing his mood shift, Kang Li frowned, ¡°Could it be that femalerade is still clinging to you and won¡¯t let go?¡±


    ¡°I camete yesterday because Yang Zijuan blocked me at the dormitory building.¡± Kang Guoan¡¯s tone chilled noticeably when he mentioned being stopped by Yang Zijuan:

 Chapter 332: 332 Kang Lis Suggestion

    <strong>Chapter 332: Chapter 332 Kang Li¡¯s Suggestion</strong>


    ¡°I really doubt she has a brain, or maybe she just has no self-respect. Otherwise, how could she keep sticking by my side when I¡¯ve clearly rejected her multiple times!¡±


    Kang Li, upon hearing this, couldn¡¯t help but feel sympathy for Kang Guoan, ¡°It seems like, little brother, you¡¯ve encountered a ¡®romance brain¡¯.¡±


    Kang Guoan: ¡°Romance brain?¡± This term is new, but what exactly does it mean?


    Kang Li rified, ¡°This ¡®romance brain¡¯ refers to a mindset where love is paramount. In other words, once a person with a romance brain starts liking someone, they really go over the top, cing all their thoughts on what they perceive as love and the other person, as if they¡¯ve lost themselves.¡±


    Pausing briefly, Kang Li continued, ¡°In psychology, this kind of thinking is also known as ¡®pathological attachment¡¯ or ¡®obsessive attachment.¡±


    Kang Guoan, feeling overwhelmed, said, ¡°From what you¡¯re saying, does this mean I¡¯ll be stuck with her bothering me forever?¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°Unless she figures it out herself¡­ But, little brother, you shouldn¡¯t worry too much. Just go to work, and ignore her.¡±


    ¡°Having someone you dislike constantly in your sight, do you know what that feels like?¡± Kang Guoan brimmed with irritation, ¡°I genuinely feel incredibly annoyed, almost wish to throw her far away from my sight.¡±


    Kang Li couldn¡¯t help butugh, ¡°I can understand how you feel.¡±


    Kang Guoan: ¡°Are you sure you understand how I feel?¡±


    Kang Li, smiling, nodded, ¡°You just said it yourself, you feel incredibly annoyed. To be more specific, this woman has affected your daily life greatly, causing you substantial distress, and even pain.¡±


    ¡°Not pain, though. I don¡¯t like her, I just find her annoying, and she¡¯s disrupting my life.¡± Kang Guoan had no feelings for Yang Zijuan and would not harbor feelings of pain because of a rotten peach blossom.


    ¡°If you really are at your wit¡¯s end, maybe talk to her family members, let her family persuade and control her.¡±


    Kang Li suggested.


    ¡°Li Bao, right now I feel like I¡¯m a monkey, wherever I go in the office, it draws attention. I don¡¯t really care about those looks, but it¡¯s not pleasant to be gawked at all the time.¡±


    Kang Guoan looked troubled.


    Kang Li: ¡°If she keeps showing up and pesters you incessantly, just do what I said, go to her house and talk to her elders. Unless none of her family members are sensible, they will surely take control of their child.¡±


    ¡°Alright, if she shows up again, making shameless remarks, I¡¯ll follow your advice and speak to her elders.¡± Having a n in mind, Kang Guoan breathed a sigh of relief, no longer worried about being entangled by Yang Zijuan.


    When the two reached the entrance of thepound, Kang Li intended to walk Kang Guoan to the bus stop, but Kang Guoan stopped him outright, ¡°No need to send me off, I¡¯m not a three-year-old.¡±


    ¡°Okay then.¡± Kang Li stopped, reminding him, ¡°Little brother, don¡¯t forget to call our parents. With the New Year, dad, mom, and elder brother definitely miss us.¡±


    Kang Guoan nodded, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t forget. You shouldn¡¯t either.¡±


    ¡°I definitely won¡¯t forget. I¡¯ll call our brigade at noon and have a good chat with mom and dad.¡± Kang Li had wanted to callst night, but thinking there would be no one on duty at the brigade office in the evening, she held back. But today, she would definitely make the call, especially since it¡¯s the New Year and she hasn¡¯t gone back, calling to wish the parents was essential.

 Chapter 333: 333 New Year Greetings

    <strong>Chapter 333: Chapter 333 New Year Greetings</strong>


    In the dark premonition, Kang Li felt that Captain Kang would definitely be sitting in the team office waiting for her call today.


    ¡°Go back, little brother has left.¡±


    Waving at Kang Li, Kang Guoan headed towards the nearby bus stop.


    It wasn¡¯t until she saw the little brother get on the bus that Kang Li turned around and went back to thepound.


    New Year¡¯s Day meant new clothes, and as the day broke, children of all sizes in thepound donned their new outfits, going from house to house in small groups, paying New Year visits and collecting loads of red packets and delicious snacks.


    After Xiao Ming Rui got washed up and put on the new clothes Kang Li had prepared for him, they sat around the small dining table to eat dumplings and fill their bellies; then, slinging their little bags over their shoulders, they nned to join the other kids in thepound for New Year visits.


    Unexpectedly, before they could leave, Feng Tao led his sister, Feng Loo, followed by Gu Chi, Song Hui, and about eight or nine other children, swarming into the yard.


    ¡°Happy New Year, Uncle Luo! Happy New Year, Aunt Kang!¡±


    Under Feng Tao¡¯s lead, a crowd of children bowed to Luo Yanqing and Kang Li to wish them well for the New Year.


    Kang Li was initially taken aback, but then her eyes crinkled with a smile. She invited the little ones into the living room, stuffing their pockets with sunflower seeds, peanuts, and White Rabbit Creamy Candies. After that, just like pulling off a magic trick, she took out a stack of red packets from her pocket and gave one to each child.


    Of course, Xiao Ming Rui couldn¡¯t be left out of the red packet giving.


    Well, toe back to it,st night before Old Lady Yu and Old Man Xiao left, both gave the Xiao Ming Rui siblings a piece of New Year¡¯s money each.


    The money was brand new ten-cent coins, clearly prepared in advance.


    Kang Li did not refuse on behalf of the three little ones.


    Because both elders made it clear that what they gave to the children was New Year¡¯s money.


    Originally, Kang Li thought that was the end of it, but to her surprise, she, Luo Yanqing, and Kang Guoan also received New Year¡¯s money from the two elders.


    At that moment, Kang Li felt her face grow hot and insisted on refusing anything.


    However, the olddy and the old man were determined. In the end, whether it was Kang Li, Luo Yanqing, or Kang Guoan, they all epted the red packets from the elders.


    As for the New Year¡¯s money received by the three little ones, Kang Li instructed the children to keep it safe themselves before going to sleepst night.


    In everyday life, she had taught the triplets how to manage their own pocket money.


    Yes, although the Xiao Ming Rui siblings were young, Kang Li gave each of them two dimes every Monday. Getting their allowance, the twin siblings would imitate their older brother, Ming Han, and immediately stuff the money into their individual piggy banks.


    ¡°Daddy, Mommy, we¡¯re going out with the kids to pay New Year¡¯s visits!¡±


    Milk Bun Ming Han looked up at his parents, his voice milky as he spoke, looking especially soft and adorably cute.


    ¡°Go ahead, but be safe,¡± Kang Li cautioned, rubbing the child¡¯s head. She also reminded the older brother, Min Rui, ¡°Ruirui, take good care of your brother and sister. y outside for a while and thene back, okay?¡±


    Min Rui: ¡°Mhm, won¡¯t run around. After visiting Grandma and Grandpa¡¯s house, I¡¯ll bring my brother and sister back.¡±


    Hearing this, Kang Li looked towards Luo Yanqing, ¡°Shall we go together?¡± It was natural for Director Song and Mrs. Qi to pay a New Year¡¯s visit too, as they were the younger generation, and it was customary and respectful to greet the elders on such an asion.


    Luo Yanqing nodded in agreement.


    Mrs. Qi seemed used to it, knowing that many children woulde to her home to pay New Year¡¯s visits on the first day of the lunar year. Indeed, she had prepared tworge tes of sunflower seeds, peanuts, and milk candy snacks.


    ¡°Were you happy to see Yanqinge backst night?¡± After sending off several groups of children who hade to make New Year¡¯s visits, seeing Director Song calling Yanqing to the study, Mrs. Qi and Kang Li sat down on the sofa to chat idly.

 Chapter 334: 334 Delighted

    <strong>Chapter 334: Chapter 334 Delighted</strong>


    Kang Li¡¯s lips curled into a smile, ¡°It¡¯s quite unexpected, but of course I¡¯m also very happy. After all, it¡¯s New Year¡¯s, and a family should be together.¡±


    ¡°The same for me, when I saw your godfathere back, I even thought I was seeing things!¡± Mrs. Qi said with augh, and then she asked Kang Li, ¡°Howe I haven¡¯t seen your little brothere over?¡±


    ¡°He left before dawn, their office didn¡¯t give them a holiday.¡±


    ¡°Your little brother¡¯s office is a bit far from here. He did need to start off early.¡±


    ¡­


    After chatting casually for a while, Mrs. Qi, remembering she¡¯d have guests at her house the next day, said to Kang Li, ¡°Tomorrow we¡¯ll be entertaining guests at home, remember to bring the children over with Yanqing.¡±


    Kang Li nodded with a smile, ¡°Sure.¡±


    Suddenly, Mrs. Qi started gossiping again, ¡°By the way, has your little brother been working for almost half a year now? Has he found someone at his office?¡± Upon hearing this, Kang Li was about to reply when Mrs. Qi, her eyes brimming with mirth, continued, ¡°Your little brother, he¡¯s good-looking, polite, tall, and energetic. He must have a lot of unmarried femalerades pursuing him.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not about being pursued by a lot of femalerades, just one is already annoying him to no end.¡±


    Kang Li sighed and shared Kang Guoan¡¯s troubles with Mrs. Qi, concluding with, ¡°My little brother had told me when he first started working at the office that he wouldn¡¯t be dating anyone for the next two or three years, but unexpectedly, he got entangled with such a femalerade, which has really given him a headache.¡±


    ¡°From what you¡¯re saying, that femalerade does seem to have gone a bit too far.¡±


    A man has no interest in you, and anyone with a bit of self-respect and self-love wouldn¡¯t keep bothering him.


    That¡¯s what Mrs. Qi thought to herself, shaking her head repeatedly inside.


    Kang Li: ¡°If it weren¡¯t for being so troubled by Comrade Yang, my little brother wouldn¡¯t have gone out of his way to ask for my help.¡±


    Mrs. Qi: ¡°Obviously, the help you gave didn¡¯t work.¡±


    Kang Li said with a wry smile, ¡°I thought that no matter how shameless the other side was, when they saw my little brother¡¯s ¡®partner¡¯ in front of them, they¡¯d give up their little fantasy. But just before my little brother came over here yesterday, that Comrade Yang actually showed up in front of my little brother after such a long time, annoying him so much he wanted to throw her out right then and there.¡±


    Mrs. Qi: ¡°Although free love is advocated nowadays, the behavior of the femalerade you mentioned is entirely a case of one-sided freedom taken too far.¡±


    Changing a partner every six months, and whenever they see a good-looking man, they fixate on him and want to date him. It¡¯s as if they¡¯re treating rtionships like child¡¯s y, and they have no concept of self-love at all.


    Not to mention what kind of parents raised them.


    ¡­


    After staying at the Song Family until about ten o¡¯clock, Kang Li and Luo Yanqing took the three little ones, including Xiao Ming Rui, back to their own home.


    ¡°Mommy, are you going to call grandma and grandpa at our old home to wish them a Happy New Year?¡±


    Seeing Kang Li picking up thendline handset to dial, big brother Min Rui, leading his younger brother and sister over, looked up at Mommy, with Milk Bun Ming Han asking cutely.


    ¡°Yes, Mommy is calling grandma and grandpa at our old home. Will you wish grandma and grandpa a happy New Year too?¡± Kang Li smiled at the three little ones.


    The twins: ¡°Yes, we will!¡±


    Big brother Min Rui nodded.


    As soon as the phone connected, it was Captain Kang who answered. Hearing Kang Li¡¯s voice, Captain Kang was very happy, and he quickly told the grandchildren with him to run home and get their grandma.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go. I have long legs and can run fast,¡± Kang Yiyang said, and without waiting for Captain Kang to respond, he immediately dashed out of the team leader¡¯s office.


    ¡°Dad, I just heard Yangyang¡¯s voice, was that him?¡±

 Chapter 335: 335: Satisfied

    <strong>Chapter 335: Chapter 335: Satisfied</strong>


    ¡°It¡¯s Yangyang, I had him go home to call your mom.¡±


    ¡°Auntie, it¡¯s Yichen (Yihong, Yiheng¡­ Maomao, Doudou)!¡± Big Brother Kang¡¯s second son, Kang Yichen, his brothers Yihong and Yiheng, and their cousins all shouted into the phone together.


    ¡°Heard you, auntie heard everything, happy New Year!¡±


    Kang Yichen and the others, ¡°Auntie, happy New Year!¡±


    ¡°Go on, go over there, don¡¯t bother me while I¡¯m talking to your auntie.¡± Captain Kang waved his hands, shooing the grandkids aside, then continued into the phone, ¡°Li Bao, how are you?¡±


    Kang Li, ¡°Dad, I¡¯m fine. How are you and mom doing? Today is the first day of the lunar year, I wish you and mom a happy New Year, good health, and all the best! Also wishing my big brother, third brother, fourth brother, and their wives, and my nephews a happy New Year, good health, and all the best!¡±


    Kang Yichen and the others hadn¡¯t left the office, and since Captain Kang was using speakerphone, they all heard Kang Li¡¯s blessings. Despite Captain Kang ring at them, they shouted, ¡°Wishing little aunt and little uncle a happy New Year, good health, and all the best! Also wishing little aunt¡¯s little brothers and sisters a happy New Year, good health, and all the best!¡±


    ¡°Mommy, mommy, it¡¯s my cousins sending blessings to me and my brother and sister, right?¡±


    That was the voice of Milk Bun Ming Han.


    Kang Liughed and said, ¡°Yes!¡±


    Milk Bun Ming Han looked at her brother Min Rui and sister, ¡°Brother, Vivi, let¡¯s also wish Grandma and Grandpa¡­ and our cousins a happy New Year!¡± Min Rui nodded, and Xiao Ming Wei also nodded.


    The three little ones lined up and, raising their childish voices, spoke into the phone Kang Li was holding, ¡°Grandpa, happy New Year! Grandma, happy New Year! Uncle and auntie, happy New Year! Cousins, happy New Year!¡±


    Kang Li, ¡°Dad, did you hear that? And Chenchen¡­ you all heard it too, right? Ruirui and the others are wishing you a happy New Year!¡±


    Laughter from Captain Kang came through the phone, ¡°Heard it, we all heard it. How are the kids?¡±


    Kang Li, ¡°They are all fine!¡±


    Luo Yanqing was standing by, feeling that perhaps he should also offer his blessings to his father-inw. Thinking this, he stepped up next to Kang Li.


    Seeing this, Kang Li stood up and raised the phone to the man¡¯s mouth.


    ¡°Dad, it¡¯s Yanqing. In the new year, I wish you, mom, and big brother a happy Spring Festival, good health, and smooth sailings!¡±


    At first hearing Luo Yanqing¡¯s voice, Captain Kang was taken aback. Just then, Cai Xiufen and Big Brother Kang, Third Brother Kang, and Fourth Brother Kang walked into the office. They all heard Luo Yanqing¡¯s blessings without missing a word, feeling warmth in their hearts.


    The fact that a son-inw (brother-inw) sent them New Year¡¯s greetings showed that he genuinely liked their family¡¯s Kang Li.


    Thinking this, including Captain Kang, Cai Xiufen, and the others all felt very satisfied with Luo Yanqing.


    During the call, Kang Li and her dad, mom, brothers, and nephews had all spoken. Considering it was a long-distance call, Captain Kang didn¡¯t let the family talk for too long and ended the call with Kang Li.


    Milk Bun Ming Han, ¡°Mom, why don¡¯t we go back to our hometown for the New Year?¡± There are so many cousins back home, and if they went for the New Year, the cousins could all y together which was a delightful thought.


    ¡°North City is too far from our hometown, you guys are still young, and your dad doesn¡¯t have any holidays. It¡¯s not safe for mom to bring you three back home alone.¡±


    During the Spring Festival, trains are packed with people, and so are the train stations. She couldn¡¯t be rxed enough to think she could safely bring three kids back to the hometown by herself.


    ¡°Hanhan wants to go to the hometown to y.¡±

 Chapter 336: 336: It Means That You Trust Me

    <strong>Chapter 336: Chapter 336: It Means That You Trust Me</strong>


    ¡°When Dad has a long vacation or Little Unclees back to our hometown, Mom will take you back,¡± she said.


    Speaking of which, Kang Li remembered that she needed to make another phone call to wish her Second Brother Kang Guosheng a happy new year. She pulled out a palm-sized hardcover notebook from a small drawer under her coffee table, flipped it open to find thendline number left by Second Brother Kang, and dialed a string of numbers after lifting the receiver again.


    Milk Bun Ming Han blinked hisrge, glistening eyes and responded sweetly in his childish voice, then quietly leaned against his mother¡¯s legs, tilting his head to watch her make the phone call.


    As for his older brother Ming Rui and Xiao Ming Wei, they both stood by their father¡¯s side, yet all three pairs of eyes were simrly fixed on Kang Li.


    ¡°Hello! Second Brother¡¯s Wife, this is Li Bao, yes, it¡¯s me, happy new year¡­¡±


    The person answering the call on the other end was Second Brother Kang¡¯s Wife, He Hui. As soon as she heard Kang Li¡¯s voice, He Hui¡¯s face broke into an immediate smile, and she loudly called for Kang Guosheng and their two sons toe over.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you hurry up? It¡¯s Li Bao on the phone.¡±


    Kang Guosheng made his way from the study to the living room. Seeing his wife ring at him, he smiled and sat down next to He Hui, gesturing for her to continue talking with Kang Li while he listened in.


    ¡°Li Bao, this is Second Brother.¡±


    ¡°Little Aunt, this is Yikai!¡±


    ¡°Big Brother, this is Haohao!¡±


    Like Fourth Brother Kang, Second Brother Kang also had two sons to this day.


    One named Kang Yikai, aged twelve.


    The other named Kang Haohao, who had just celebrated his eighth birthday.


    Kang Li¡¯s voice was cheerful, ¡°Happy New Year, Second Brother! Yikai and Haohao, happy new year to you too!¡±


    Kang Guosheng: ¡°Yeah, happy new year to you too! Is your brother-inw at home?¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°He is, and Ruirui and the others are right by my side!¡±


    After handing the phone to Luo Yanqing, Kang Li made room for him.


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°Second Brother, happy new year¡­¡±


    After approximately two minutes of casual conversation with Kang Guosheng, Luo Yanqing passed the phone back to Kang Li: ¡°¡­yeah, don¡¯t worry, I am fine, I¡¯m not lying, these past few months I haven¡¯t had any health issues, I eat well and sleep well, and Ruirui and the others keep me entertained, life is quitefortable!


    Alright, I understand, I will take good care of myself, I won¡¯t let mom and dad or any of you worry¡­


    Hm? No one¡¯s giving me trouble¡­ You and Second Sister-inw can rest easy, I¡¯m not a pushover that people can just mess with.


    Alright, I promise you, if anyone dares to bully me, I definitely won¡¯t just take it¡­ right, if I can¡¯t beat them, I¡¯ll just kick them, Second Brother¡­¡±


    Kang Liughed out loud, ¡°I¡¯ve grown up, I¡¯m not a child anymore, and besides, Luo Yanqing is here, she wouldn¡¯t let me be wronged here in thispound!


    Okay! I¡¯ll listen to you, but honestly, Luo Yanqing looks out for me, really, as long as she¡¯s home, she¡¯s especially good to me¡­ alright, alright, I won¡¯t forget, if I encounter anything I can¡¯t handle, I will definitely give you a call, that¡¯s all for now, goodbye!¡±


    Ending the call, Kang Li turned towards Luo Yanqing and smiled helplessly: ¡°You know, my Second Brother and his wife were here at our ce not long ago, on that day, as per what dad said, they took me and the kids to Friendship Store and a department store and we bought those few items¡­ Honestly, I don¡¯t care at all what others say about me being a spendthrift wife, after all, you can only frivolously spend money if you have it in hand.


    Besides, that also shows that you¡¯ve handed over the financial reins to me, indicating that you trust me, allowing me to manage the money at home freely. But Second Brother didn¡¯t want to see me mistreated, so right then and there, he dered that those items were part of my dowry from our family and his wedding gift to me, you should have seen the faces of those womenrades, changing again and again, truly like patchwork fabric.¡±

 Chapter 337: 337 Kang Li Sends a Heart Gesture

    <strong>Chapter 337: Chapter 337 Kang Li Sends a Heart Gesture</strong>


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°Don¡¯t bother with them.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°I didn¡¯t pay attention to them. Besides, I know they are just envious and jealous of me. Knowing that, if I continued to engage with them, wouldn¡¯t that show Ick ss? You agree, right?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Luo Yanqing considered the meaning of ¡°ss¡± for a moment, then nodded, giving Kang Li a confirming answer: ¡°Right.¡±


    Kang Liughed and immediately sent the man two finger hearts: ¡°Love you, Professor Luo!¡±


    Luo Yanqing was first stunned, then his handsome, fair face was soon flushed with red. He avoided Kang Li¡¯s gaze: ¡°I¡¯m going to read some books in the study.¡± Saying this, he turned and headed towards the study.


    Xiao Ming Wei blinked herrge eyes, resembling ck grapes, and curiously asked while watching Kang Li make a heart shape with her hands, ¡°Mommy, mommy, what is this?¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°This is called a finger heart. It can be a way to thank someone, to express love, or to show that friends have a good rtionship.¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei: ¡°Finger heart?¡± The little girl didn¡¯t quite understand.


    Kang Li drew a heart shape in the air with her hand and said, ¡°See? The pattern Mommy just drew is a heart shape.¡± As she spoke, her exquisitely beautiful face broke into a radiant smile as she drew another heart shape in the air.


    Milk Bun Ming Han: ¡°I know! The finger heart mommy just sent to daddy means mommy loves daddy!¡±


    Big brother Min Rui rolled his eyes: With new mommy expressing it so clearly, is there any need for you to say that?!


    ¡°So that¡¯s what it is! Mommy, mommy, Vivi loves you!¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei said in a sweet voice, sending her mom two finger hearts.


    Milk Bun Ming Han not to be outdone: ¡°Mommy, I also love you so much!¡± sending her mom two finger hearts as well.


    Luo Yanqing walked towards the study, and his pace wasn¡¯t very fast, which naturally allowed him to overhear the conversation between Kang Li and the twins. At this moment, his handsome, fair face blushed even more, with the redness spreading to his neck and his ears almost dripping blood.


    ¡°Mommy loves you all very much too!¡± Kang Li lovingly looked at her three little ones, her lips curling into a smile as she decisively sent out two finger hearts.


    The twins were very delighted, covering their mouths and giggling non-stop.


    Big brother Min Rui¡¯s face turned red, feeling quite embarrassed.


    ¡°Big brother, second brother, let¡¯s go find daddy, shall we? Give daddy two finger hearts, okay?¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei looked towards her older brothers as she sweetly suggested.


    Milk Bun Ming Han nodded his little head: ¡°Okay!¡±


    Big brother Min Rui hesitated a bit, looking at their new mom.


    Kang Li smiled: ¡°Go ahead, daddy will be very happy.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Min Rui nodded, following his younger siblings as the trio toddled off to their dad¡¯s study.


    ¡°Daddy, daddy! Vivi loves you!¡±


    As she pushed open the study door, Xiao Ming Wei was the first to send her dad two finger hearts, tilting her head to gauge her dad¡¯s reaction: ¡°Dad, are you happy?¡±


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°¡­Yeah.¡± He was actually quite ufortable.


    Milk Bun Ming Han: ¡°Daddy, look, Hanhan loves you so much!¡± sending out finger hearts.


    Big brother Min Rui: ¡°Happy New Year, daddy. Ruirui¡­Ruirui likes daddy!¡± As he raised his little hands, trying to ovee his shyness, the child sent his dad finger hearts, his eyes full of hope: Dad likes him too, right?


    Luo Yanqing coughed lightly, saying to the three children: ¡°Happy New Year, daddy hopes you all stay safe and healthy and happy in the new year!¡±


    The twins smiled broadly: ¡°Thank you for the blessings for Hanhan (Vivi), daddy!¡±


    Big brother Min Rui: ¡°Thank you, daddy!¡± Then, the child said, ¡°Well, you go on with your work, dad. We will go y in the living room.¡±

 Chapter 338: 338: If You Cant Accept It, Hold It In

    <strong>Chapter 338: Chapter 338: If You Can¡¯t ept It, Hold It In</strong>


    Leading his younger brother and sister by the hand, he led the two out of the study.


    Kang Li was sprawled on the sofa like a salted fish when suddenly thendline¡¯s ringtone sounded, she casually picked up the receiver, ¡°Hello¡­¡±


    ¡°Sister, Sister Kang Li, it¡¯s Feng Yi, Brother Yan is beside me, we¡¯re here to wish you a happy New Year! We wish Sister Kang Li to be healthy in the new year, smiling every day, may everything go your way, and also wish Sister Kang Li to grow more and more beautiful, to an out-of-this-world beauty!¡±


    Feng Yi actually had a bit of a joker attribute.


    Kang Liughed lightly, ¡°Am I not beautiful enough now?¡±


    ¡°Of course you are beautiful, but my wish is that Sister Kang Li will keep on being beautiful, beautiful, beautiful!¡±


    Feng Yi¡¯s exaggerated tone nearly made Kang Liugh until she was shaking like a flower in the wind. Just then, Mo Yan¡¯s voice came from the other end of the phone, ¡°Feng Yi, can you be a bit more serious?¡±


    Feng Yi, ¡°How am I not serious? Didn¡¯t you hear that Sister Kang Li isughing happily?¡±


    Mo Yan, ¡°I can¡¯t be bothered to talk more with you, give me the receiver.¡±


    Taking the receiver from Feng Yi¡¯s hand, Mo Yan said, ¡°Happy New Year, Sister Kang Li! Feng Yi and I came out specifically to wish you these New Year greetings. If there¡¯s any heavybor needed at your house, from now on, remember to call us, Sister Kang Li, we¡¯ll be sure toe at a moment¡¯s notice. Oh, and Sister Kang Li, remember to jot down the public phone number of our neighborhoodmittee, just call this number and as long as Feng Yi and I are home, you¡¯re sure to reach us.¡±


    Kang Li, ¡°Got it.¡± Taking out a hardcover notebook and a ballpoint pen from the drawer, Kang Li said, ¡°Go ahead, I¡¯m noting it down.¡±


    Mo Yan read out a series of numbers.


    Once Kang Li had noted it down, she smiled and said, ¡°Noted. Here¡¯s also wishing you and Feng Yi a happy New Year, wishing you happiness, for everything to go smoothly, good health, and sess at work in theing year!¡±


    Mo Yan, ¡°Thank you, Sister Kang Li, we will.¡±


    Kang Li, ¡°Will youe over to my ce?¡±


    Mo Yan, ¡°Not this time, after today, I need to seriously look for a job, then work hard to earn money, aiming to pay back Sister Kang Li as soon as possible.¡±


    Kang Li, ¡°Didn¡¯t I say there¡¯s no rush to pay me back? Whenever you can, you can talk about it then, don¡¯t keep thinking about that little amount of money all the time.¡±


    Mo Yan, ¡°¡­ Alright, I understand. Well then, goodbye, Sister Kang Li!¡±


    Kang Li, ¡°Goodbye.¡±


    Feng Yi, ¡°Goodbye, Sister Kang Li!¡±


    With that, the call ended on both sides.


    ¡°You talked more to me and Sister Kang Li than you did,¡± Feng Yi red at Mo Yan as they walked on the way home.


    Mo Yan rolled his eyes, ¡°Are you sure? I wonder who was yapping nonstop holding the receiver.¡±


    ¡°But you spent more time than I did.¡±


    Feng Yi was not convinced.


    Mo Yan, ¡°So what? If you can¡¯t ept it, just suck it up.¡±


    Feng Yi, aggrieved, ¡°Brother Yan, do you have no brotherly love anymore?¡±


    Mo Yan, ¡°Have we ever had that thing between us?¡± So much for brotherly love. Can we not be so cheesy?!


    ¡°Brother Yan, you¡¯ve hurt my heart. I hate you!¡±


    Feng Yi pretended to clutch his heart like Xi Shi, acting all wronged and sorrowful.


    Mo Yan turned his head away, making a disgusted face.


    ¡°Brother Yan, you¡­ you are too hateful!¡± Feng Yi raised his hand and punched Mo Yan¡¯s shoulder, then started running towards Mo Yan¡¯s house.


    Mo Yan cursed withughter as he chased after him.


    ¡°You little brat, stop right there, see if I don¡¯t beat you till you¡¯re searching for teeth on the ground!¡±


    ¡°Nyeh nyeh nyeh¡­¡±


    Feng Yi looked back and made a face.


    ¡°Childish!¡±


    Mo Yan scoffed and decided not to chase after Feng Yi anymore, slowly strolling home.


    As the two of them reached the entrance of the courtyard one after the other, a jeep came from afar, approaching slowly, and came to a gentle stop beside them.


    ¡°Feng Yi!¡±

 Chapter 339: 339 My Conscience Was Eaten by a Dog!

    <strong>Chapter 339: Chapter 339 My Conscience Was Eaten by a Dog!</strong>


    Fang Su stepped out of the car, an indescribable chill emanating from her demeanor.


    ¡°Xiao Fang, didn¡¯t we all agree at home to speak nicely to the child?¡±


    It was Old Master Feng¡¯s voice; as soon as he got out of the car, he walked up to Fang Su, subtly furrowed his brow, and spoke up as a reminder.


    ¡°Brother Yan, you go in first.¡±


    Feng Yi, devoid of expression, gestured for Mo Yan to enter the courtyard, while he stood blocking the gate, watching Old Master Feng and another with a cold gaze, ¡°What, have youe today to say something to me again?¡±


    The words were directed at Old Master Feng.


    ¡°Today is the first day of the lunar year. Your mother and I havee; do you really intend to make us stand here and talk to you?¡±


    Old Master Feng said calmly, ¡°Why don¡¯t youe home with us? We can sit down in our own house and talk through all the grievances you¡¯ve suffered over these years.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve said I have no home, and I¡¯ve also said I have no rtionship with you anymore.¡±


    Looking straight into Old Master Feng¡¯s eyes, Feng Yi showed no sign of fear as he said, ¡°Please leave. After all, you don¡¯tck a son, and since I¡¯ve severed ties with you, you might as well consider me dead!¡±


    Fang Su felt her anger rising relentlessly, but with Old Master Feng¡¯s earlier words, she had to suppress her own feelings, and said word by word, ¡°Severed rtions? Do you think just by your word alone you can sever the rtionship with me and your father, and with the household? You were born to me after I carried you in my womb for ten hard months and gave birth to you with my very life, and then your father and I raised you for over a decade. Do you think you can sever our ties just by dering it? Feng Yi, where is your conscience?¡±


    ¡°My conscience has been eaten by a dog!¡±


    ¡°After all that,¡± Feng Yi said dryly, ¡°does Lady Fang want me to give you back my life? If so, I¡¯ll satisfy you!¡± With those words, he turned and walked into the courtyard, took a kitchen knife from the kitchen, and came out with it.


    Old Master Feng and hispanion followed him into the courtyard, only to see Feng Yi holding the knife, looking at them, ¡°My life, is that what you want? Fine, here it is, I¡¯ll give it to you now!¡± With that, he raised the kitchen knife to his neck.


    ¡°Feng Yi, you¡¯ve gone mad!¡±


    Mo Yan rushed out from the house, snatched the kitchen knife from Feng Yi¡¯s hand, and without a second thought pped him. His eyes were fierce, and he scolded, ¡°Do you have no brain at all? You only have one life, and once it¡¯s gone, it¡¯spletely gone. How could you joke with your own life?¡±


    Old Master Feng and Fang Su turned deathly pale at the moment the kitchen knife in Feng Yi¡¯s hand almost touched his neck, and had they not been supporting each other, they might have fallen to the ground together.


    ¡°Brother Yan, I¡¯m not joking¡­ I genuinely feel that living is too hard¡­ and them, my birth parents, they gave me a life, and now they want to take it back, so of course, I have to fulfill their wishes!¡±


    Feng Yi wasughing, but hisugh was so bitter and pained it hurt even more to witness than tears would.


    ¡°You brat, when did I ever want your life?¡± Old Master Feng said, his lips trembling with anger: ¡°Your mother and I came here to take you back home.¡±


    At this moment, Fang Su stepped forward and pped Feng Yi twice on the face, saying sternly, ¡°Grievances? You feel that you suffered grievances at home all these years? Did I fail to feed you, or clothe you, or send you to school? How can you feel wronged? Now you want to die in front of me, do you want to burden me with a life, is that it? How could your heart be so cruel?¡±


    With two more ps, Fang Su didn¡¯t know if it was for show or for some other reason, but at that moment she was in tears:

 Chapter 340: 340: What Can I Do If My Heart Aches?

    <strong>Chapter 340: Chapter 340: What Can I Do If My Heart Aches?</strong>


    ¡°Yes, I was more concerned about Feng Wei and his three siblings than about you, but for whose sake was I doing this?¡±


    ¡°As their stepmother, when I entered the household, Feng Wei and his siblings were already old enough to remember. If I didn¡¯t treat them well, would they have epted me as their stepmother? If they didn¡¯t ept me, what would your father think of me?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I saw you being bullied by them, but tell me, why didn¡¯t you fight back? Why didn¡¯t youin to your father? If you hadined to your father and he didn¡¯t intervene, you¡¯d have seen how I would have confronted him¡­¡±


    ¡°But when you were bullied, you always just stood there dumbly, and when your father didn¡¯t say anything, what could I do? Did you expect me toy hands on Feng Wei and his siblings and then have your father kick both of us out of the house?¡±


    Old Master Feng¡¯s expression turned ugly: ¡°Xiao Fang! If you¡¯re going to educate your child, do so properly. Why drag me into it?¡±


    Fang Su¡¯s gaze was icy, devoid of any former warmth as she fixed her eyes on Old Master Feng and said, ¡°Am I wrong? If you had shown any concern for the son I bore, would he have been bullied by Feng Wei and his siblings, ordered around like a servant? And dare you say it wasn¡¯t because I favored Feng Wei and his siblings over Feng Yi that you treated me kindly?¡±


    Old Master Feng: ¡°¡­¡±


    With a coldugh and no further nce at Old Master Feng, Fang Su continued to Feng Yi, ¡°I¡¯m giving you three minutes to think. If you want toe back, get in the car. If you don¡¯t want toe back, do whatever you like out there, it¡¯s up to you!¡±


    After dropping those words, Fang Su turned and walked out of the courtyard, returning to her car.


    ¡°You can go. Don¡¯te looking for me again!¡±


    Feng Yi didn¡¯t say much to Old Master Feng, enduring the pain on his cheeks, he slowly turned around and went inside the house.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    After a long silence, Old Master Feng turned his attention to Mo Yan, ¡°Child, thank you for taking care of Feng Yi during this time. Please continue to look out for him in the future. Take this money. If there¡¯s anything, you cane to¡­¡± He started to give his own address, attempting to hand Mo Yan the money he had pulled out.


    Unexpectedly, Mo Yan just nced at him indifferently, then put the kitchen knife back and went inside the house like Feng Yi, closing the door tightly behind her.


    Old Master Feng looked at the roughly forty or fifty yuan in his hand, after a long moment, he sighed deeply, ced the money at the doorstep, and secured it with a stone the size of a palm, then said towards the inside, ¡°Feng Yi, Dad knows that I haven¡¯t been a good father to you, that I¡¯ve neglected you, and I understand if you hate me.


    But I hope you won¡¯t hold your hate for me againsting home. You want to stay outside, that¡¯s fine, but after you¡¯ve calmed down, will youe home? Dad¡¯s leaving these words here and won¡¯t neglect you like before. You have to give Dad a chance to right his wrongs. Feng Yi¡­ the door to our home will always be open for you, Dad is waiting at home for you to return.¡±


    He knew that what his wife Fang Su had used him of just now was correct. He¡­ indeed favored her because she treated Feng Wei and his siblings well, prioritizing them over Feng Yi, and thus he indulged her over the years.


    He was wrong, indeed he was wrong!


    Lack of attention to his youngest son resulted in both mother and son resenting him.


    With a dejected look, Old Master Feng returned to his car.


    Fang Su¡¯s heart turned cold for an instant when she didn¡¯t see Feng Yi.


    Did he truly hate her, his mother?


    Her words earlier were not entirely sincere, but could she not care for her own flesh and blood? But what good was that care?

 Chapter 341: 341: Have Nothing to Talk About with Me?

    <strong>Chapter 341: Chapter 341: Have Nothing to Talk About with Me?</strong>


    If she couldn¡¯t stabilize her position in the Feng family, if she couldn¡¯t make a Feng sincerely care for her, given his status, he probably would have already found a third or fourth spring!


    Call her selfish if you will, but after all, if you don¡¯t live for yourself in this life, how much would you lose?


    Just like in her younger days, in the more than ten years before she met the Fengs, her heart and eyes were filled with one person. For that person, she could do anything, even if it meant giving up her own life willingly.


    But what did she ultimately get?


    Abandonment!


    She was ruthlessly abandoned by the other party. Since then, she told herself and swore that she would live for herself in the future, and nobody should expect her to give her heart again!


    Closing her eyes, Fang Su reminisced about the past, and a tear rolled down the corner of her eye, unstoppably.


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    Old Master Feng misunderstood, thinking his wife was heartbroken for their son Feng Yi, thinking that Feng Yi¡¯s refusal toe home with them was upsetting Fang Su to the point of tears. With eyes full of pity, he said,


    ¡°Xiao Fang, don¡¯t be like this. I admit that the fault lies with me over these years. It was wrong of me to neglect Feng Yi, to allow Feng Wei and the others to bully him when they were kids. Everything is my fault. If you have to me someone, me me¡­ Stop crying now, it¡¯s bad for your eyes.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need you to care!¡±


    Fang Su opened her eyes, her attitude extremely cold.


    ¡°When Feng Yies to his senses, he will naturally return home. I left him several dozen yuan, and I¡¯ll have someone send over some coupons and certificatester.¡± Old Master Feng said, but Fang Su looked out the car window, showing no interest in continuing the conversation.


    Old Master Feng wasn¡¯t annoyed and added, ¡°When we meet Old Song and his wife tomorrow, we¡¯ll find out more about Feng Yi¡¯s situation. I¡¯ll then arrange a job for him to keep him busy to prevent him from continuing to loaf around and change his disposition.¡±


    Fang Su remained silent.


    Old Master Feng: ¡°You should temper your temper a bit. Otherwise, Feng Yi wouldn¡¯t have grabbed a kitchen knife and sought death today.¡±


    ¡°This is my temper. If you can¡¯t stand it, divorce is a good option.¡±


    Without turning her head, Fang Su threw this sentence at Old Master Feng.


    Sighing inwardly, Old Master Feng closed his eyes to rest, saying no more.


    ¡­


    By evening, the sky started to scatter snowkes, and as night fellpletely, the sparse snowkes gradually turned into a heavy downpour of goose feathers. By the time people went to sleep, the outside world had be a vast expanse of white.


    ¡°This snowfall is quite heavypared to the one earlier this year.¡±


    Kang Liy in the warmfort of her bed and casually said to the man beside her, ¡°Remember to clear the snow tomorrow morning.¡±


    Yanqing: ¡°Mhm.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have anything you want to say to me?¡± The calm of the night was profound; Kang Li and Yanqingy face to face, perhaps not yet sleepy and a bit bored, Kang Li was making conversation for the sake of it, closely observing any changes in the man¡¯s expression.


    Yanqing: ¡°¡­¡± What to say? Yanqing seemed troubled for a moment, his brow furrowed, clearly searching for a topic. Watching him, Kang Li really wanted to gift him two words¡ªsilly!


    When he didn¡¯t make a sound after a long while, Kang Li raised an eyebrow and asked, ¡°Have you got nothing to chat with me about?¡±


    Yanqing: ¡°Not at all.¡± He just didn¡¯t know what to chat about.


    ¡°Actions speak louder than words.¡± Kang Li huffed lightly, intentionally picking a fight: ¡°Is it that you think I¡¯m not educated enough to have a conversation with you? Or perhaps, you believe you have topics I wouldn¡¯t understand?¡±


    Yanqing: ¡°Not at all.¡± With a high school education, her educational level was not low at all. Moreover, with her insight and eloquence, if she could have taken the college entrance exams, there¡¯s no doubt she would have been admitted to a higher education institution with flying colors.

 Chapter 342: 342: Who Are You Calling Big Pigs Trotter?

    <strong>Chapter 342: Chapter 342: Who Are You Calling Big Pig¡¯s Trotter?</strong>


    Kang Li had no need to mention other aspects, just the physics books in his study she could read fluently in a foreignnguage and even analyze proficiently.


    Such cultural literacy had actually amazed him on the day they first met!


    Kang Li, ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you speak?¡±


    Luo Yanqing, ¡°I didn¡¯t know what to talk about with you.¡±


    Kang Li, ¡°There you go, not admitting you despise my lower cultural level. I see now, you might just be a hidden big pig¡¯s trotter!¡±


    Luo Yanqing was stunned, ¡°¡­Big pig¡¯s trotter, what does that mean?¡±


    Kang Li blew up, ¡°Who are you calling a big pig¡¯s trotter?¡±


    Luo Yanqing hurriedly exined, ¡°I¡­ I wasn¡¯t calling you a big pig¡¯s trotter, I was asking what that means.¡±


    Kang Li huffed, ¡°I won¡¯t tell you.¡±


    Luo Yanqing¡¯s lips slightly parted, he didn¡¯t pursue further.


    Kang Li, ¡°Tell me about your time studying abroad.¡±


    ¡°Studying¡±


    Without a second thought, Luo Yanqing replied with two words.


    Kang Li red, ¡°You¡¯re doing this on purpose! I¡¯m asking about your life abroad and you brush me off like this?!¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not brushing you off. While studying abroad, apart from eating, sleeping, and using the restroom, I spent all my other time studying.¡± Luo Yanqing spoke earnestly, ¡°I¡¯m not lying to you.¡±


    Kang Li held back augh, dead serious she asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t you have a girlfriend? They say foreigners are very open, with your excellent qualities, there must have been many beautiful women liking you, right?¡±


    ¡°I went abroad with the expectations of my country, I had no time to think about anything beyond studying.¡±


    Luo Yanqing answered crisply.


    ¡°Your not thinking about it doesn¡¯t mean beautiful women weren¡¯t flocking to you, tell me the truth, were there any?¡± Moving closer, Kang Li propped her chin with both hands, her foxy eyes full of teasing, ¡°I want to hear.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Luo Yanqing fell silent, his dark, ink-like eyes fixed on Kang Li, looking at his petite wife, his gaze as if containing whirlpools that could suck one¡¯s soul in. Eye contact with him unwittingly led to being drawn into his eyes.


    Kang Li was stunned, she tried to look away, but her brain nerves simply wouldn¡¯t obey hermands. It was then that she saw the man suddenly lean in and felt a warm touch on her lips.


    Uh¡­


    He was kissing her!


    Kang Li¡¯s fox-like eyes widened, unexpectedly, the man covered her eyes with one hand.


    There were no kissing skills to speak of, well, she didn¡¯t know much about kissing skills, since before she came to this world, her first kiss had always been there.


    Sinceing to this world, her first kiss¡­ seemed, probably to have been given to the man currently kissing her in a short time.


    Kang Li really wanted to push him away, wanting to shout out: Man, are you crazy?


    Her lips were a bit sore.


    After the kiss ended, Kang Li was tightly held in his embrace, ¡°I¡­I¡¯m sorry!¡± Looking at the visible break on Kang Li¡¯s lips, Luo Yanqing tried to stabilize his breath, guilt-ridden.


    His voice was hoarse, and his heart was racing!


    His eyes undisguisely showed his guilt.


    ¡°I don¡¯t ept, I want ¡®a tooth for a tooth¡¯.¡±


    Kang Li said, then lifted her head and lightly bit his lips, ¡°Now we are even.¡±


    Then, sheughed out loud, ¡°Silly, we are husband and wife, is there any need to say sorry for such a small matter? However, I have a suggestion, no more gnawing at my mouth, it hurts!¡±

 Chapter 343: 343: Im Very Satisfied with This Answer!

    <strong>Chapter 343: Chapter 343: I¡¯m Very Satisfied with This Answer!</strong>


    Yanqing¡¯s fair, handsome cheeks flushed red, ¡°I¡­I will study well, next time¡­ next time, I definitely won¡¯t be like just now.¡±


    Hearing this, Kang Li pinched the man¡¯s handsome face, pretending to be fierce, ¡°Tell me, who do you want to learn from?¡±


    When Kang Li asked this question, Luo Yanqing suddenly had a realization, and he said, ¡°With you, we can learn from each other.¡±


    ¡°As expected of Professor Luo, I¡¯m very satisfied with this answer!¡±


    Kang Li¡¯s face was pleased as she gently kissed the man¡¯s handsome face, ¡°This is your reward.¡±


    In that moment, the usually indifferent Yanqing¡¯s eyes were filled with smiles, ¡°I like this reward!¡±


    ¡°Our Professor Luo is getting better at talking, not bad, very good!¡±


    Kang Li¡¯s eyes curved, feeling very happy!


    Luo Yanqing felt uneasy, ¡°Don¡¯t you know how old I am this year?¡± He was nearly ten years older than her, yet she treated him like the children such as Luo Mingrui, speaking to him with a tone used to cajole them, this feeling¡­ this feeling was really indescribable.


    Kang Li blinked her pretty fox eyes, ¡°27, right? I knew that before I came to North City, what¡¯s up?¡±


    Clearing his throat, Luo Yanqing said, ¡°Can you not speak to me using the tone you use to cajole Luo Mingrui and the others?¡±


    ¡°Do I?¡± Kang Li was secretly amused, but her face feigned innocence, ¡°I don¡¯t think so! You must be overthinking it!¡± Man, you yourself sometimes act like a child, so what¡¯s wrong if I talk to you in the tone I use for children?


    Luo Yanqing lifted his lovely wife¡¯s beautifully chiseled jaw so that her eyes met his, his lips curling into a smile as he asked, ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re not underestimating my intelligence?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Kang Li looked into the man¡¯s perfect face, just inches away, briefly stunned before she calmly shook her head.


    Unexpectedly, Luo Yanqing didn¡¯t say anything more, instead burying his head in her neck and letting out a low chuckle.


    ¡°Laughing at what?¡±


    Kang Li puzzled, blinking her fox eyes, she pinched the soft flesh on the man¡¯s waist, ¡°If you don¡¯t tell, I might just go to sleep.¡± She yawned elegantly, truly feeling sleepy.


    Suppressing hisughter, Luo Yanqing pulled his little wife close, cing a kiss on her forehead, ¡°Sleep then.¡± It seemed this was what it felt like to like someone ¡ª feeling joyful, as if all worries had been forgotten.


    ¡­


    The next day at dawn, Milk Bun Ming Han was already up, and Luo Yanqing happened to have finished washing up. Hearing the noises in the children¡¯s room, he entered to find his second son, Luo Minghan, sitting on the bed getting dressed. He stepped forward to help the little guy.


    ¡°Keep it down.¡±


    With brothers Min Rui and Xiao Ming Wei still asleep, Luo Yanqing took Milk Bun Ming Han to the living room, ¡°Your mom hasn¡¯t woken up yet; let¡¯s go wash your face and brush your teeth. Then, you can stay in the living room and y, but you must not make any noise.¡±


    Milk Bun Ming Han replied softly, ¡°Okay.¡±


    However, after washing up, Milk Bun Ming Han only yed alone in the living room for a little while before sneaking to the living room doorway. Peeking through the gap in the cotton door curtain toward the kitchen, the little fellow then tip-toed towards the master bedroom, murmuring softly,


    ¡°I¡¯ll listen to Dad and not disturb Mom¡¯s sleep, I¡¯ll just take a look at Mom, I¡¯ll be very careful to not make any sound!¡±


    Standing outside the master bedroom door, Milk Bun Ming Han first poked his head in to observe, and seeing his mom sleeping soundly on the bed, he then started taking small steps, slowly walking to the side of the bed.

 Chapter 344: 344: The Milk Bun Who is Best at Acting Cute and Flattering with Rainbow Farts

    <strong>Chapter 344: Chapter 344: The Milk Bun Who is Best at Acting Cute and ttering with Rainbow Farts</strong>


    Elbows propped up on the bed, tiny hands supporting his chubby little face, he quietly watched his mom.


    Wow! Mom sure is pretty!


    She¡¯s the prettiest mom Hanhan has ever seen, yes, and also the gentlest mom in the world¡ªthe sound of her voice is the nicest too!


    Milk Bun Ming Han watched his mom for a long while without averting his eyes.


    Not only that, he even slowly, with great effort, climbed onto the bed, sat beside his mom, and watched her as she slept deeply.


    Kang Li was sleeping soundly, but she vaguely felt someone watching her. Her nose and cheeks seemed to be lightly poked again and again.


    Her pretty eyebrows furrowed, Kang Li muttered, ¡°Yanqing, stop it!¡±


    Milk Bun Ming Han, hearing his mom¡¯s voice, hurriedly withdrew his little hands.


    It was him poking mom¡¯s nose and cheeks¡ªhe couldn¡¯t help it, he just wanted to y with mom.


    That was close! Mom was almost awake!


    Milk Bun Ming Han patted his little chest. Just when he thought his mom was still deeply asleep, she suddenly opened her eyes, and in an instant, mother and child locked eyes.


    Kang Li: ¡°¡­¡± What is this little rascal doing? Blinking her slightly hazy fox-like eyes, Kang Li fully regained consciousness and asked Milk Bun, ¡°Can you tell mom what you are doing here?¡±


    Milk Bun Ming Han: ¡°Hanhan wants to y with mom¡­¡±


    ¡°Then you could have woken mom up.¡± Not waking her up but still messing around on her nose and face, what a mischievous little guy!


    ¡°Dad said mom hadn¡¯t woken up yet and asked Hanhan not to make any noise.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? But you were disturbing mom¡¯s sleep just now!¡±


    ¡°Sorry!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay!¡±


    Kang Li smiled, ¡°Now mom needs to get dressed. Can the baby go to the living room and wait for mom?¡±


    Milk Bun Ming Han: ¡°Okay! Can Hanhan kiss mom then?¡±


    ¡°Our baby is so polite, even asking mom¡¯s permission to kiss her, good job!¡± Gently pinching Milk Bun¡¯s cheek, Kang Li smiled: ¡°Of course you can, but now is not appropriate.¡±


    Milk Bun Ming Han blinked his eyes, puzzled: ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°Because mom hasn¡¯t brushed her teeth or washed her face yet. If baby kisses mom now, it¡¯s very unhygienic,¡± Kang Li replied. She sat up, put Milk Bun on the floor, and steadied him.


    ¡°Hanhan doesn¡¯t mind it.¡±


    Mom smells nice, there¡¯s no dirt on her face.


    Kang Li chuckled, rubbed the child¡¯s head, and said, ¡°Mom knows, but mom needs to be clean and hygienic, to set a good example for our baby.¡±


    ¡°¡­Okay!¡±


    Milk Bun Ming Han finally nodded his little head: ¡°Then I¡¯ll go to the living room and wait for mom!¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡±


    Kang Li smiled and nodded.


    A few minutester, Kang Li, fresh from the yard, returned to the living room. Seeing Milk Bun toddling towards her, she bent down, scooped him into her arms, and presented a cheek: ¡°Come on, mom will give you a kiss.¡±


    Milk Bun Ming Han was overjoyed. He nted a delighted kiss on his mom¡¯s cheek and said tenderly, ¡°Mom kiss Hanhan too,¡± pointing at his little chubby face, Milk Bun Ming Han looked up at her with his big sparkling eyes.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Kang Li responded and gave Milk Bun a kiss.


    Milk Bun Ming Han: ¡°Mom is so nice!¡±


    Upon hearing this, Kang Li couldn¡¯t help butugh.


    Of all the little ones, this one is the best at being adorable, and also the best at giving sweetpliments!


    ¡°Dad has prepared your form; sit in the living room for a bit while mom goes to get it for you.¡±

 Chapter 345: 345: Milk Bun Ming Han Is Very Proud

    <strong>Chapter 345: Chapter 345: Milk Bun Ming Han Is Very Proud</strong>


    In the house, all three little ones were young and needed milk powder, so Kang Li had prepared milk bottles for them earlier. However, her older son Ming Wei was embarrassed to use a milk bottle and usually drank milk from a cup.


    ¡°Thank you, Mommy!¡±


    Sitting on the couch, Milk Bun Ming Han swung his little legs, smiling while watching his mother go to get his milk bottle.


    ¡°Here you go.¡±


    When Kang Li returned, she handed the milk bottle to Bun, ¡°The temperature is just right, go ahead and drink.¡±


    Clutching the milk bottle, Bun leaned against the couch, crossed his legs, and drank with a ¡°glug glug glug,¡± looking very content.


    ¡°Mommy¡­¡±


    While drinking his milk, Milk Bun Ming Han suddenly called out to Kang Li.


    Upon hearing the little guy¡¯s voice, Kang Li was about to check if elder brother Ming Wei and Xiao Ming Wei had woken up, but she paused in her steps. Turning her head to little bun, she asked with a smile, ¡°What is it?¡±


    Milk Bun Ming Han asked, ¡°Can Han Han watch TV?¡±


    Kang Li responded, ¡°Of course you can, but there might not be any programs on right now.¡± Even so, she turned the television on for the child, ¡°Oh? North City TV Station is ying ¡®Little Cat Fishing,¡¯ do you want to watch it?¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, thank you, Mommy!¡±


    Milk Bun Ming Han was thrilled, hisrge ck eyes curving into crescent moons.


    ¡°Alright then, you sit there nicely and drink your milk while watching ¡®Little Cat Fishing.¡¯ Mommy will go wake up your brother and Vivi.¡±


    ¡®Little Cat Fishing¡¯ was an animated film. Ever since they had a TV at home, North City TV Station would y ¡®Little Cat Fishing¡¯ every seven or eight days. However, no matter how many times the three little ones at home and the kids in the courtyard watched it, they always seemed to enjoy it immensely. Kang Li found this quite amusing.


    At the same time, she felt that the television programming of this era was quite limited.


    Milk Bun Ming Han dutifully replied, ¡°Okay.¡± He lounged on the couch with his legs crossed, clutching his milk bottle, drinking and intently watching his favorite ¡®Little Cat Fishing.¡¯


    From time to time, he even mimicked the cat¡¯s voice in a childish tone.


    ¡°Mommy, Mommy, Vivi is awake!¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei¡¯s babyish voice wafted from the bedroom.


    With a smile in her voice, Kang Li replied, ¡°I hear you.¡± Walking into the children¡¯s bedroom, she saw that elder brother Ming Wei had already gotten up and was nearly dressed. She couldn¡¯t help but praise, ¡°Our Ruirui is getting quicker at dressing up now, isn¡¯t he?¡±


    Min Rui shyly smiled in response.


    ¡°Mommy, Vivi puts on clothes quickly too!¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei vied for her mother¡¯s attention in front of her.


    ¡°Yes, our Vivi is also doing great!¡± After helping the little girl with her clothes and cotton shoes, Kang Li put her down to stand: ¡°Mommy will help youb your hair in a bit. Now let¡¯s get your brother¡¯s outfit sorted out.¡±


    Although Min Rui had managed to put on his clothes, being a child he missed some details¡ªhis pants were crooked and the clothes on his body were not smoothed out¡­


    ¡°Be good, don¡¯t move, it will be sorted out quickly.¡±


    Kneeling down, Kang Li¡¯s movements were gentle and in no time the job was done.


    Standing up straight, she grabbed a smallb to tidy the hair of both children and casually put earp hats on them, chuckling as she said, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go brush our teeth and wash our faces.¡±


    After Ming Wei and Xiao Ming Wei had washed up, they sat down on either side of Milk Bun Ming Han¡ªone holding a cup of milk, the other clutching a milk bottle and drinking with a ¡°glug glug glug.¡±


    ¡°Brother, I woke up so early this morning!¡±


    Milk Bun Ming Han had finished his milk, and Kang Li had already taken the empty bottle to the kitchen to wash. At that moment, he sat on the couch with arms crossed, chin lifted, and proudly proimed:

 Chapter 346: 346 You did it on purpose

    <strong>Chapter 346: Chapter 346 You did it on purpose</strong>


    ¡°I also gave Mommy a kiss, and she gave me one too. Mommy even said that it¡¯s called a good morning kiss. Are you guys super jealous?¡±


    ¡°Vivi is not jealous at all!¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei snorted. In a bit, she would give Mommy a good morning kiss too, and then surely Mommy would give her one back!


    Brother Min Rui nced coolly at his silly little brother, ¡°You¡¯re awesome!¡± It must have been that silly little brother shamelessly begging the new mommy for a good morning kiss.


    Breakfast was prepared by Luo Yanqing, red bean millet porridge with scallion egg pancake, and two side dishes.


    After breakfast, Kang Li couldn¡¯t help but say as Luo Yanqing cleaned up the kitchen and returned to the living room, ¡°We¡¯ll head out to Godfather¡¯s house around half past nine, what do you think?¡±


    Luo Yanqing had no objection, ¡°I¡¯ll listen to you.¡± Perhaps because of the sweet interactions fromst night, Luo Yanqing felt his face heat up involuntarily whenever he saw Kang Li this morning. He also pretended to casually avert his gaze every time Kang Li looked at him.


    ¡°Why do I feel like you¡¯re acting weird?¡±


    Kang Li wasn¡¯t blind. She clearly noticed that the man was avoiding her, cough cough¡­ more precisely, he was deliberately avoiding eye contact with her.


    Why though?


    With a heart full of questions and without overthinking, Kang Li tilted her head, her fox-like eyes carrying a hint of inquiry, ¡°You¡¯re avoiding me.¡± It wasn¡¯t a question, but a statement.


    Luo Yanqing reacted quickly, shaking his head, ¡°No.¡± In Kang Li¡¯s eyes, that was as good saying there¡¯s silver here buried three hundred taels.


    Moreover, with his ears reddening and gaze shifting ufortably, as if there was nowhere to rest, all signs pointed to his guilty conscience.


    You¡­ you¡¯re not feeling embarrassed because ofst night¡¯s kiss and then holding me to sleep, are you?¡±


    Stroking her chin, Kang Li watched his expression and suddenly burst intoughter, ¡°I guessed it right! Luo Yanqing, we¡¯ve been husband and wife for almost half a year, how can you still be so cute?! Here¡¯s what we¡¯ll do, from today on, in private, I¡¯ll call you Luoluo, okay? To save your face, it will just be between the two of us, a pet name for you.¡±


    Xiao Ming Rui and the other kids went out to y with friends after eating, so now it was only Kang Li and Luo Yanqing at home.


    Hence, the conversation between Kang Li and Luo Yanqing naturally became more casual.


    Without a second thought, Luo Yanqing firmly refused, ¡°Not good.¡± Luoluo? The name was too childish, he couldn¡¯t ept it!


    ¡°The reason?¡± Kang Li raised an eyebrow.


    Luo Yanqing, ¡°It¡¯s very childish.¡±


    With a solemn face, Kang Li countered, ¡°Says who? I think it¡¯s very nice, it¡¯s my special name for you, also a term of affection. Are you really going to refuse?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Luo Yanqing¡¯s face burned red, ¡°I am your husband.¡± Not your child.


    Kang Liughed ¡°Pfft¡± and said, ¡°I know, you¡¯re my husband, I¡¯m your wife, we are husband and wife. If nothing unexpected happens, we¡¯re going to spend our lives together. Is there anything else you¡¯d like to add, Luoluo?¡±


    Luo Yanqing felt somewhat helpless. He pursed his lips, ¡°You¡¯re doing this on purpose.¡± She was deliberately twisting his words.


    ¡°What? Luoluo, what are you talking about? I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    Kang Li feigned confusion.


    The result was that she ended up in man¡¯s arms, kissed breathlessly!


    ¡°Just one night and you¡¯ve be self-taught. Tell me, did you spend all ofst night awake, pondering how to improve your technique?¡±


    Once free, Kang Li¡¯s fox-like eyes widened in disbelief.


    Is this what they call the advantage of a high IQ?


    Grasping everything at one go?


    If that were true, then with her IQ, it should be effortless for her to learn as well,

 Chapter 347: 347 Believe in Me, Okay?

    <strong>Chapter 347: Chapter 347 Believe in Me, Okay?</strong>


    As these thoughts churned in her mind, Kang Li¡¯s face suddenly flushed red. What on earth was she fantasizing about?


    Feeling a bit peculiar, Kang Li still couldn¡¯t help but nce at the man¡¯s handsome lips.


    Perhaps it was because their kiss had just ended, his lips looked both moist and glossy, and she couldn¡¯t help wanting to bite them.


    Knowing what she was thinking, Kang Li hurriedly shifted her gaze away nonchntly and harrumphed with a sense of pride as she said, ¡°If you can¡¯t win an argument with me, you just shut me up with a kiss, huh? You think you¡¯re so clever!¡±


    Luo Yanqing¡¯s ink-dyed Phoenix Eyes softened with a gentle hue, ¡°I didn¡¯t ponder on purpose, nor did I go a whole night without sleep.¡± He too was unsure why he reacted that way today, could it be a man¡¯s instinct?


    Kang Li red at the man, ¡°Then you really are a genius, huh!¡±


    Luo Yanqing, ¡°¡­how should I respond?¡±


    ¡°Silly!¡± She was just teasing him, and here he was, seriously considering how to reply to her.


    So naive, she felt uneasy about it!


    Luo Yanqing, ¡°Xiao Li¡­¡±


    Kang Li, ¡°Hmm? If you have something to say, just say it.¡±


    Luo Yanqing paused for a moment, then shook his head.


    What could he possibly say?


    Luo Yanqing¡¯s eyelids lowered, and a flicker of light danced in his eyes.


    And Kang Li sighed inwardly before saying earnestly, ¡°Alright, I know what you want to say. If you don¡¯t like it, I won¡¯t tease you like that anymore. Calling you childish, Luoluo, and just now silly, I promise you won¡¯t hear such things from me again.¡±


    Men are simple, but perhaps due to his childhood experiences, his engineering background, and his current job nature, he is in fact a very serious, steady, and reserved person, while she¡­ in this world has allowed her true self to soar, as if she¡¯s unintentionally magnified the exuberant element hidden in her personality.


    Although it¡¯s only in front of this person that she acts this way, for the sake of family harmony, she might as well¡­ she might as well restrain herself a bit!


    Luo Yanqing was a bit at a loss, ¡°You¡­ I, I¡¯m not angry¡­ and I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything wrong with you acting that way. I just¡­ I¡¯m just not used to it. You don¡¯t need to¡­ to make any changes.¡± He didn¡¯t want his little wife to misunderstand him, nor did he want her to change because of him.


    Indeed, he was simply not ustomed to her sudden teasing.


    But what he could affirm was that her way of talking didn¡¯t repel him at all; he even felt that interacting with her in that way was a whole new experience.


    It was like ake, undisturbed for years, suddenly disturbed by a pebble, creating soft and shallow ripples.


    If she became as serious as she had just now in the future, making it hard to see any other emotion on her face, and talking to him with that same seriousness¡­ the mere thought made his heart feel ufortably tight.


    As Kang Li remained silent for a long while, Luo Yanqing became anxious, once again pulling her into his embrace, lowering his gaze onto his little wife¡¯s clear fox eyes, and saying word by word, ¡°I really am not angry! Trust me, okay?¡±


    Kang Li blinked her fox eyes, looked into the man¡¯s dark pupils, didn¡¯t respond, but asked with a suppressedugh, ¡°So if I don¡¯t need to change, does that mean you like interacting with me the way we did before? Like when I say you¡¯re cute, call you Luoluo, say you¡¯re silly?¡±


    Hearing this, Luo Yanqing felt ufortable, but still nodded and uttered, ¡°Mhm.¡±


    Unexpectedly, Kang Li asked again, ¡°Don¡¯t you think I¡¯m too impulsive?¡±


    Luo Yanqing shook his head: She¡¯s graceful and gentle, yet also charming and lively, she¡¯s just fine this way!


    Pretending to ponder, after a short while, Kang Li said:

 Chapter 348: 348: Envy

    <strong>Chapter 348: Chapter 348: Envy</strong>


    ¡°Okay then, I¡¯ll follow your lead, just like before, but you can¡¯t say I¡¯m annoying someday,¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t.¡±


    Luo Yanqing answered without hesitation.


    Kang Li¡¯s stunning face broke into a big smile, ¡°Let¡¯s go, take a look at the gifts I prepared for godfather and godmother.¡± Luo Yanqing responded affirmatively, and at the same time, heaved a sigh of relief internally.


    Under the old banyan tree in the yard, a group of children of various ages were gathered, and Xiao Ming Rui was surrounded by them, unabashedly letting everyone marvel at the new clothes, ear protectors, scarves, and gloves they were wearing.


    Feng Loo, a little friend, held Xiao Ming Wei¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Vivi, I told my mom about it when I got home yesterday, but she said she is clumsy with her hands and can¡¯t knit the beautiful ear protectors or gloves like your mom made for you. However, my mom said she will knit me a scarf like yours.¡±


    ¡°My mom learned it from a book; before it snowed, she knit a set for my big brother and second brother each. Before that, my mom asked my brothers and me which color of yarn we liked; I said I liked red, and big brother and second brother said ck and blue respectively, so my ear protectors, scarf, and gloves are all red!¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei responded to Feng Loo in her baby voice.


    At this time, Gu Chi felt Milk Bun Ming Han¡¯s woolen gloves, ¡°They¡¯re really warm!¡±


    Song Hui and Feng Tao stood beside Xiao Ming Han, their eyes filled with envy, among which Song Hui said, ¡°Ruirui, your mom is so good to you, I think she¡¯s way better than my mom to me, I¡¯m so envious you have a fairy-like good mom!¡±


    Xiao Ming Rui blinked his bright eyes, he didn¡¯t say anything, but his lips noticeably curled into a smile.


    Honestly, the ear protectors, scarves, and gloves that the three Xiao Ming Ruis wore were indeed hand-knit by Kang Li herself.


    And indeed, as Xiao Ming Wei said, learned from a knitting book.


    The cause was all because of Dwen Dwen¡¯s constant murmuring.


    ¡°Miss, if you knit ear protectors, scarves, and gloves for your kiddos, you¡¯ll get a lot of happiness points and affection value from them!¡±


    It was this sentence that Dwen Dwen kept repeating in Kang Li¡¯s mind, also mentioning that it could offer knitting books, yarn, and needles as a friendly gesture.


    Wen Yu and Vivi were of simr age, and the little girl looked enviously at the ear protectors on Vivi¡¯s head, the lovely scarf around her neck, and the fluffy gloves on her hands. She tugged at her sister Wen Yi¡¯s hem and looked up with a baby voice asking Wen Yi, ¡°Sister Yueyue, Little Fish wants pretty hats and gloves¡­ Can we ask mom to knit some for us too?¡±


    With two sisters speaking to her every day, Wen Yu¡¯snguage ability was still not as good as Xiao Ming Wei¡¯s, butpared to a few months ago, she had already made significant progress.


    ¡°Auntie Su won¡¯t knit them for us.¡±


    Wen Yi bit her lip and lowered her head to tell her sister Wen Yu, ¡°Auntie Su has a baby in her belly, and she said she¡¯s very tired, now she¡¯s making Sister cook for us.¡±


    Feng Loo, standing by, widened her eyes in shock at Wen Yi¡¯s words, ¡°Wen Yi, Wen Yi, is your mom really making your sister cook for the family?¡±


    Wen Yi looked at Feng Loo and didn¡¯t speak for a long while.


    Feng Loo couldn¡¯t help but directly ask Wen Yue, ¡°Sister Yueyue, Wen Yi isn¡¯t lying to us, right? Your mom is making you cook for the family?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not my mom, Wen Yi and I call her Auntie Su at home.¡±


    Wen Yue said expressionlessly and, after a moment of silence, continued, ¡°Auntie Su says a girl should learn to cook. I don¡¯t want Wen Yi and Wen Yu to go hungry, so I started learning since the winter break. Now I can not only cook porridge but also chop vegetables and fry dishes.¡±

 Chapter 349: 349: Quarrel

    <strong>Chapter 349: Chapter 349: Quarrel</strong>


    Feng Loo: ¡°But¡­ but doesn¡¯t your mom worry about you getting burned or cutting your hands with a knife? My mom never lets me near the kitchen, she says it¡¯s dangerous and you can easily get hurt.¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei: ¡°My mom too!¡±


    ¡°Feng Loo, I told you Auntie Su isn¡¯t my mom!¡± Wen Yue felt that Feng Loo was doing it on purpose. She had clearly stated that the bad woman in her house wasn¡¯t her mom, but Feng Loo kept calling her ¡°your mom¡±, was she deliberately opposing her?


    Feng Loo bewildered, ¡°Why don¡¯t you call Auntie Su mom then?¡±


    Wen Yue: ¡°I have my own mom!¡±


    Feng Loo £¢oh£¢ and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Sister Yueyue, I¡¯ll correct it. I won¡¯t make the mistake next time.¡±


    ¡°Yue Sister and second sister don¡¯t like mom, Little Fish likes mom, the food mom makes is tasty, the food Yue Sister makes¡­ Little Fish ends up with a tummy ache¡­¡±


    Wen Yu suddenly spoke up, her nose wrinkled, hands on her little tummy, and didn¡¯t forget to add, ¡°Mom is good, mom likes Little Fish the most!¡±


    £¢Ungrateful!£¢ Wen Yue¡¯s face instantly cooled, as she raised her hand to poke her sister Wen Yu on the forehead, fuming, £¢I¡¯ve told you so many times, that woman in our house is not our mom, why can¡¯t you remember it? Now you say my food isn¡¯t tasty, say that woman¡¯s is good, then let her cook for you!¡±


    Upon seeing this, Wen Yi hurriedly pulled Wen Yue¡¯s hand away, shielding her sister Wen Yu and said, ¡°Sister, don¡¯t scold Little Fish, she is too young to understand what you¡¯re saying.¡±


    £¢Wen Yue, you hate your stepmother, but why take it out on your sister Wen Yu?£¢ Xue Yin, who was the same age as Wen Yue and also her ssmate in kindergarten, frowned and said to Wen Yue, ¡°I think Auntie Su is quite nice, why are you making such a fuss with Auntie Su, refusing to call her mom?¡±


    ¡°Yinyin, why meddle in other people¡¯s business?!¡±


    Xue Ying pulled her sister behind her and unhappily said.


    Unexpectedly, Wen Yue didn¡¯t back down, her eyes fiery as she told Xue Yin, ¡°If you like that woman from my house so much, let your dad marry her and make her your stepmom, no, make her the stepmom for you, your brother, and your sister! If you don¡¯t let your dad marry that bad woman from my house, you¡¯re the bad seed!¡±


    ¡°Wen Yue, what are you saying?¡±


    Xue Ying, not waiting for her sister Xue Yin to speak, got angry first. She grabbed Wen Yue by the cor, pulled her out from among the children, and then threw her on the ground, aiming to kick her.


    ¡°Xue Ying Sister, don¡¯t bully my sister!¡± Wen Yi almost cried out in fear, she let go of her sister Wen Yu and protected Wen Yue in front of her, ring at Xue Ying, ¡°I will go to your house and tell Auntie Fang on you!¡±


    ¡°Go ahead then! Hurry and go! Let¡¯s see if my mom listens to you or to me and my sister, besides, it was your sister who was talking nonsense first, I am just going to beat her up!¡±


    Pushing Wen Yi aside, unexpectedly, Wen Yi lost her bnce and fell to the ground, immediately, the little girl started crying loudly.


    Seeing her second sister cry, Wen Yu also started to cry.


    ¡°Vivi, Xue Ying Sister is so fierce!¡±


    Feng Loo whispered into Xiao Ming Wei¡¯s ear.


    ¡°Mm-hmm.¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei repeatedly nodded her small head.


    Hearing the crying from outside the yard, Kang Li and Luo Yanqing came out of the gate, with Wen Siyuan alsoing out from next door, followed by Su Man.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡±


    After helping his daughters Wen Yue and Wen Yi up, he casually patted the snow off their backs and cleaned their clothes, Wen Siyuan asked Wen Yue.

 Chapter 350: 350: The Bigger the Trouble, the Better the Spectacle

    <strong>Chapter 350: Chapter 350: The Bigger the Trouble, the Better the Spectacle</strong>


    ¡°It was Xue Ying who bullied my sister,¡±


    Wen Yi reported to her father.


    Xue Ying wouldn¡¯t have it. Was she the one who wanted to bully a little brat? It was actually Wen Yue who had provoked her with her sharp tongue, and only then did Xue Ying think about teaching her a lesson. With that thought, Xue Ying met Wen Siyuan¡¯s gaze and said,


    ¡°It was your daughter Wen Yue who told my sister that she wants my dad to bring Aunt Su home to be a new Stepmother for me, my sister, and my brother. She even said if my sister didn¡¯t convince my dad, she would be a bad seed! I got really angry, so I threw her to the ground!¡±


    Wen Siyuan was at first stunned, and then his expression turned rather unpleasant.


    Su Man was standing a few steps outside the courtyard gate, herplexion almost the shade of liver, especially when she saw Kang Li and Luo Yanqing standing together and whispering something. She wished she could rush over to Wen Yue and p the girl twice.


    ¡°Go home.¡±


    Wen Siyuan said to Wen Yue and her two sisters, trying to suppress his anger.


    ¡°Do you want to hit me?¡±


    Wen Yue didn¡¯t move. She looked up at Wen Siyuan, ¡°I said those things, but who told Xue Yin to y the good person, saying the woman you brought home was nice and that I shouldn¡¯t fail to call her ¡®Auntie¡¯, but should call her ¡®Mom¡¯?¡±


    Pointing at Su Man, Wen Yue¡¯s eyes filled with grievance as she looked at her father, ¡°From the start of winter break until the night beforest when you came home, she wouldn¡¯t cook for me, Wen Yi, or Little Fish. She said she wasn¡¯t able to move around much and told me to go to the kitchen to cook for myself; otherwise, all three of us would go hungry.¡±


    Tears streamed down her face as Wen Yue cried out, ¡°My hand got burned by the pot lid, and she didn¡¯t care. Little Fish got a stomachache after eating the food I made, and she ignored it too. She only cooked for herself¡­¡±


    Hearing the words from Wen Yue¡¯s mouth, Su Man was petrified on the spot. It took her some time toe to her senses, and when she did, she realized a crowd had gathered around to watch themotion. In a fit of rage, Su Manshed out, ¡°Wen Yue, don¡¯t spread nonsense outside!¡±


    ¡°I insist on saying it!¡±


    Wen Yue was defiant even as her father Wen Siyuan¡¯s face grew dark. She continued to berate Su Man, ¡°You are a bad woman. You make me cook when I¡¯m so young. You eat all the good stuff yourself while my sisters and I have to survive on the watery rice and stir-fried cabbage I make every day. Bad woman, don¡¯t even dream that I¡¯ll ever call you ¡®Mom¡¯!¡±


    ¡°Auntie Su, how could you do such a thing?¡±


    Loo Ping loved to fuel the fire. Standing at her own door, she felt morally superior as she began to scold Su Man, ¡°Wen Yue is just a child. How could you let her cook by herself? And not just for herself, but for her two sisters too? Meanwhile, you only cook for yourself, eating all the good food and drinks. How could you be fair to Teacher Wen that way?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know anything, so stop meddling in my family¡¯s affairs! Loo Ping, listen well, stop trying to be a towering figure in front of me, or else, I¡¯ll go to the school where you substitute teach and ruin your reputation!¡±


    What a mess she¡¯d gotten herself into bying out here. Now, she¡¯s been double-crossed; first by that cursed Wen Yue, and then by Loo Ping, that irritating gossip. With this incident, her reputation¡­ her reputation was likely to be severely tarnished!


    ¡°I¡¯m innocent and unafraid of crooked shadows. You want to ruin my reputation, go ahead to the school where I substitute teach. I frankly don¡¯t believe you can pull it off! Now, let¡¯s talk about you. There is a saying that stepmothers are often cruel, but it¡¯s from you that I¡¯ve truly learned what that means, in the heart of winter¡­¡±


    Loo Ping was cut off before she could finish, reprimanded by Wen Siyuan, ¡°Teacher Loo, you don¡¯t understand the situation, so please don¡¯t interfere in my family¡¯s matters.¡±


    Without even ncing at Loo Ping¡¯s reaction, Wen Siyuan scooped Wen Yue into his arms,

 Chapter 351: 351: Its None of Our Business, No Need to Bother About It

    <strong>Chapter 351: Chapter 351: It¡¯s None of Our Business, No Need to Bother About It</strong>


    With one hand, she picked up her younger daughter Wen Yu and called for Wen Yi to follow, quickly heading toward their own courtyard.


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    Hearing the noise outside the courtyard, Fang Ju came out of her house and walked up to Kang Li. Seeing that the crowd that had gathered to watch themotion was dispersing, she couldn¡¯t help feeling a bit disappointed and asked Kang Li what had happened.


    At these words, Kang Li¡¯s face showed embarrassment. How was she supposed to exin this? After a moment¡¯s silence, Kang Li forced a smile and whispered, ¡°Sister-inw, you¡¯d better go back and ask your Yingying and Yinyin about it.¡±


    After saying this, Kang Li gestured for Luo Yanqing to take their three kids back home.


    About two to three minutester, the sound of children crying could be hearding one after another from the houses to the left and right of Luo¡¯s ce.


    The houses were not soundproofed, so even though Kang Li and her family of five were sitting in the living room, they could hear the crying clearly.


    ¡°Does any of you know why they started arguing?¡±


    Kang Li asked her three little ones.


    Milk Bun Ming Han raised his little hand, ¡°I know!¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei also raised her little hand, ¡°Mommy, Vivi knows too!¡±


    Her brother Min Rui nodded his little head and then said directly, ¡°Wen Yu said she likes her mommy and that the food her older sister cooked was not good. Then Wen Yue called Wen Yue an ingrate¡­¡± This was the first time Xiao Ming Rui had ryed an entire incident since Kang Li came to this family.


    After Xiao Ming Rui finished speaking, Kang Li turned to Luo Yanqing and eximed, ¡°I had no idea Sister-inw Fang¡¯s Yingying had such a fiery temper.¡± Honestly, Kang Li had never noticed it.


    Luo Yanqing said, ¡°It¡¯s none of our business, we don¡¯t need to bother about it.¡±


    Kang Li nodded lightly, and after ying with the kids with cat¡¯s cradle strings for a while on the sofa, she estimated that enough time had passed, stood up, and said to Luo Yanqing, ¡°Let¡¯s take the things and go.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Luo Yanqing agreed.


    The gifts included tea, cigarettes, alcohol, and biscuits in a tin box.


    With the year nearly up, Kang Li, through Dwen Dwen¡¯s points in the mall, had bought quite a lot of cigarettes, alcohol, tea, and candies sold during this era. Without a doubt, most of them were shipped back to her hometown.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Carrying the gifts, Luo Yanqing stood in the center of the living room.


    Without a word, Kang Li helped the three little ones put on the earp hats, scarves, and gloves they had taken off when they got home, then waved her bare hand, ¡°Let¡¯s set off!¡±


    The mixed-sex twins were led by their brother Ming Han, with the three little ones walking ahead, and Kang Li and Luo Yanqing following behind, as the family left the courtyard.


    Kang Li said, ¡°I¡¯ll lock the courtyard gate.¡±


    Luo Yanqing and the three kids stood aside waiting until Kang Li had locked the gate, and then the two adults and three children continued on their way to their destination, Director Song¡¯s house.


    At Wen¡¯s family.


    ¡°Wen Yue is only a few years old, and you let her cook? Tell me, what exactly do you mean?¡± After lecturing his daughter Wen Yue, Wen Siyuan crossed his arms and coldly paced back and forth twice in the living room before stopping and turning to his wife Su Man with aplex gaze. He said, ¡°If you can cook for yourself, can¡¯t you add a couple extra bowls of water in the pot and cook for Wen Yue and the others?¡±


    Leaning back on the sofa, Su Man pointed to her bulging belly with little emotion, ¡°My belly is already this big, do you think I can move around easily?¡±


    Wen Siyuan retorted, ¡°You can cook for yourself if it¡¯s inconvenient?¡±


    Su Man replied, ¡°I just cook whatever I crave, a simple fix will do. But you go ask Wen Yue, it¡¯s like she¡¯s deliberately giving me a hard time. No matter what I cook, after a couple of bites, she says it tastes bad.


    She even ms her chopsticks on the table in front of me and encourages Wen Yi to join her in saying my food tastes bad, preventing Wen Yu from eating what I¡¯ve made too. Tell me, how foolish must I be to still cook for them without any grudges, even though they all despise me like that?¡±


    And she wasn¡¯t just making this up out of thin air; that brat Wen Yue indeed treated her this way.

 Chapter 352: 352: Have to Speak Harshly

    <strong>Chapter 352: Chapter 352: Have to Speak Harshly</strong>


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Wen Siyuan nced at Wen Yue, irritation brewing in his heart. In his memory, this daughter of his had always been quite obedient. How had she changed sopletely now?


    Taking a deep breath, Wen Siyuan suppressed the rising anger within him, redirecting his gaze back to Su Man: ¡°Even so, you should not treat the children that way. After all, you¡¯re an adult, and the sum of the ages of the three of them, Wen Yue included, barely reaches twelve or thirteen. Is it really necessary for you to haggle over every little thing with these children?!


    In the dead of winter, you expect a six-year-old to cook for herself and for her four-year-old and three-year-old sisters. Should Imend you for your great trust in them, or should I say you are treating them harshly because they didn¡¯te from your womb?¡±


    ¡°Me, punishing them? My reputation is almostpletely ruined by their talk out there. And you say I¡¯m punishing them?¡± Su Manughed: ¡°I know I¡¯m the stepmother, but I¡¯m also a person, flesh and blood, with feelings! I take care of them, I feed and dress them, and yet I¡¯mbeled as the bad woman. Tell me, what have I gained from this? She said the food I cook tastes bad,¡±


    Pointing at Wen Yue, Su Man continued coldly: ¡°So I let her cook for herself. Now that there¡¯s aparison, that should shut her up, shouldn¡¯t it?! Besides, haven¡¯t I been the one cooking these past few days? Wen Siyuan, being fair is important. Last time you came back, you had your daughter call me Auntie Su directly. If you keep ming me this time, saying it¡¯s all my fault, then I¡¯ll¡­ I¡¯ll just go back to my mother¡¯s house!¡±


    As Wen Yue was being punished by standing, she turned to look at Su Man upon hearing her words: ¡°Then go! If you leave, my mom cane back to our house!¡±


    ¡°Shut your mouth!¡±


    Wen Siyuan scolded his daughter Wen Yue, feeling overwhelmed by the situation. He then said to Su Man: ¡°If you want a divorce, then go back to your mother¡¯s house. If not, stay here and take good care of yourself, the child in your belly, and your sisters Wen Yue.¡±


    The matchmaker had originally rmended Su Qing to him, not his current wife Su Man, but things took a sudden turn which he might not have understood at first. Now, looking back, it all seemed clear.


    Su Man had made the first move, meeting him before her sister, and expressed her interest in him proactively¡­


    Wen Siyuan did not dwell further, but he was certain that this second marriage of his was most likely a scheme by Su Man to end up together with him.


    And since she was capable of such scheming and had seeded, not to mention she was now carrying his child, she would not be considering divorce.


    With that conviction, Wen Siyuan had uttered those words just now.


    Then, he walked over to his daughter Wen Yue and spoke seriously: ¡°Stop dreaming about your mothering back. Not long after your mother and I divorced, she started a new family and is no longer in North City.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re lying!¡±


    Wen Yue couldn¡¯t believe it.


    ¡°Why would I lie to you? If you don¡¯t believe it, you can ask your grandma and grandpa the next time you see them.¡± Wen Siyuan did not wish to speak harshly to his daughter, but he had to return to the station in the afternoon, and he needed to set things straight to prevent the child from continuing her stubborn antics at home, where it would gain her no favor.


    So, he sighed softly and added: ¡°Your Auntie Su is now my wife, and she will be with me for the rest of our lives. If you wish to keep cooking for yourself and for Wen Yi and Wen Yu, then go ahead. Oppose your Auntie Su, keep badmouthing her in front of Wen Yi and Wen Yu, keep calling your Auntie Su a bad woman to others.


    You should know that Dad is busy with work, and once I head back to the station, there¡¯s no telling when I¡¯ll be home next. If you keep causing trouble with your Auntie Su, I won¡¯t be around to know, and you and Wen Yi and Wen Yu will have to bear the consequences yourselves.¡±

 Chapter 353: 353: Both are Second Marriages...

    <strong>Chapter 353: Chapter 353: Both are Second Marriages¡­</strong>


    Wen Yue silently shed tears, ¡°Mom has a new family, did Mom remarry? Mom will nevere back¡­ She doesn¡¯t want Yueyue anymore¡­¡±


    Su Man was upset at this moment, but she had to suppress it.


    Talking about going back to her parental home, she was just trying to scare Wen Siyuan, but obviously, he was not scared by her.


    If she really drove things to a divorce, wouldn¡¯t her initial n be a joke?


    Besides, Su Qing might be hoping for her to divorce!


    Thinking of this, Su Man felt that she couldn¡¯t have been busy for nothing; the marriage with Wen Siyuan was something she had snatched from her own sister. No matter what, she had to keep living this life.


    Getting up and returning to the bedroom, Su Many down on the bed.


    Now that she had her own child, once the child was born, whether it was a son or a daughter, she would raise them carefully. As for Wen Yue and her two other sisters, if they were obedient, she wouldn¡¯t mind nurturing them as she originally nned; otherwise, she would just maintain appearances, making them suffer without a voice.


    Xue Family.


    ¡°Getting high and mighty, huh? For such a trivial matter, you threw Wen Yue down and dragged her on the ground. Come on, tell your mom, how should I lecture you?¡±


    Pointing at her daughter¡¯s chest, Fang Ju sat on the sofa, infuriated.


    Xue Ying muttered, ¡°Who asked her to say her dad married her stepmother? I got mad when I heard that and just couldn¡¯t help myself¡­ I just couldn¡¯t resist hitting her!¡±


    ¡°What Wen Yue says goes, huh? Do you think your dad and I are little kids your size?!¡± Fang Ju rubbed her forehead, ¡°I really didn¡¯t expect you to be this fierce. You¡¯re usually so gentle; did I see it wrong?¡±


    Xue Feng, the Xue family¡¯s head, could not help butugh, ¡°Enough; children quarrel over trivial matters. It¡¯ll be okay once it¡¯s past, so don¡¯t keep nagging in front of the kids.¡±


    Fang Ju rolled her eyes, ¡°You just spoil your daughter!¡±


    Xue Feng, ¡°What¡¯s this about spoiling? It¡¯s just kids arguing for a bit, and soon enough, they¡¯ll be ying together again.¡±


    ¡°I say, you aren¡¯t really admiring Teacher Wen¡¯s stepmother, thinking of marrying her to be a stepmom for your son and daughter, are you?¡± Fang Ju said thoughtfully, looking at her husband.


    ¡°The kids are right here, what nonsense are you talking about?!¡± Xue Feng¡¯s expression darkened, ¡°If the kids start talking nonsense, don¡¯t drag me into it, or if Comrade Wen finds out, it¡¯s just going to cause trouble.¡±


    As he spoke, Xue Feng cleared his throat, sat upright, and said, ¡°Besides, in my heart, you are the best woman in the world, and no one can separate us!¡±


    Fang Ju blushed and red at her husband, ¡°Your son and daughter are right here!¡±


    The siblings, led by Xue Chong, burst intoughter.


    ¡°What¡¯s the issue?! Seeing their parents getting along will only make them happy, right?¡±


    As Xue Feng spoke, he looked at his children.


    ¡°Absolutely.¡±


    Xue Chong led the reply with augh together with his younger siblings.


    ¡°My skin isn¡¯t as thick as yours, really!¡±


    Once again ring at her husband, Fang Ju changed the subject, ¡°Both being second marriages, Teacher Wen¡¯s family is a mess, whereas Professor Luo¡¯s household, with Aunt Kang caring for the children, truly cares even more than Ruirui¡¯s own mother. Plus, Aunt Kang has raised them to be so well-mannered and polite; well-dressed and tidy as they walk out the door, no one can resist adoring them.¡±


    Xue Ying snuggled up to her mom, acting cute, ¡°Mom, the earmuffs, scarves, and gloves that Ruirui and the others wear were all knitted by Aunt Kang. Maybe you can learn from Aunt Kangter and knit a set for me and Yinyin.¡±

 Chapter 354: 354: How Could It Be the Same?

    <strong>Chapter 354: Chapter 354: How Could It Be the Same?</strong>


    ¡°Knit your own head, I, your mom, definitely don¡¯t have Aunt Kang¡¯s patience.¡±


    Fang Ju rolled her eyes at her daughter and said to her own husband, ¡°Professor Luo found a real gem in Comrade Kang this time!¡±


    Xue Feng seriously replied, ¡°Hmm. You¡¯re also very good, the happiest thing in my life is marrying you!¡±


    ncing at her son and daughter, Fang Ju sneakily pinched the soft flesh around her husband¡¯s waist, ¡°Can¡¯t you have some shame?¡± Even if they were in front of their own children, couldn¡¯t this man watch his words a bit?


    Really, who¡¯s he trying to embarrass to death?


    Xue Yin protested, ¡°Mom, you can¡¯t speak ill of dad!¡±


    Xue Feng beamed, ¡°My daughter is the best.¡± His face filled with smiles as his little daughter defended him.


    Fang Ju eyed her husband and daughter again and snorted. ¡°None of you has a conscience.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Xue Yin cuddled up to her mother and said, ¡°Yun Yun has a conscience, Yun Yun loves Mommy the most!¡±


    Cuddling into her mom¡¯s arms, Xue Yin batted her eyelids, her sweet, tender voice rising once more, ¡°Mommy is right, Aunt Kang is super nice, Yun Yun likes Aunt Kang, and also likes Uncle Luo. When Yun Yun grows up, I will bring home a boy like Uncle Luo to be mommy and daddy¡¯s son-inw!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not big, but you think far ahead!¡±


    Gently tapping her daughter¡¯s forehead, Fang Ju shook her head with a bemused smile.


    Elsewhere, Kang Li and Luo Yanqing, together with little Ming Rui, entered the Song Family Courtyard. But before they could get to the living room, they heard an unfamiliar woman¡¯s voice.


    Judging by the voice, its owner wasn¡¯t very old, but was definitely older than Kang Li.


    After all, Kang Li was just eighteen, with her neenth birthday not until the beginning of April ording to the sr calendar.


    ¡°It seems we already have guests.¡±


    Those were Kang Li¡¯s words to Luo Yanqing.


    In fact, Kang Li had guessed at the entrance to the courtyard that guests might have arrived before them.


    Why?


    Because there was a ck sedan parked on one side of the Song Family Courtyard.


    Luo Yanqing responded with a soft ¡°Hmm¡± in acknowledgment.


    The living room.


    ¡°Has Yun Yun really decided not to go? Are you going to stay and serve your country?¡±


    ¡°Mother Qi, now I just need to show up in front of Uncle Song at the institute, do you think I¡¯d still leave? Besides, Austin and I are divorced now, and I¡¯ve brought the child back with me. From now on, my son and I will need a lot more care from you, Mother Qi!¡±


    ¡°You mean¡­¡±


    ¡°Old Qi, this girl has be independent. No matter what her dad and I say, she won¡¯t listen. She insisted on waiting to finish the entry formalities before moving in with Jian into your big courtyard.¡±


    ¡°Mom, Jian has a Chinese name, and sinceing back to the country, I¡¯ve told you at least ten times to call him Siqing, or Qing Qing.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all the same!¡±


    ¡°How could it be the same? Siqing¡¯sst name is Shen, so he¡¯s Shen Siqing, and he will live in the country with me. Whereas Jian¡¯sst name is Davis, from the day he returned with me to the country, he has no more ties to the Davis family.¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    ¡°Mom, you know my personality. Now that it¡¯s over with Austin, there won¡¯t be any more entanglements between us.¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright, you two were talking and now it sounds like you¡¯re about to start arguing. Look, you¡¯ve scared the little guy, his face has even changed color.¡±


    Mrs. Qi quickly interceded, looking at little Bun sitting beside her, and urging the mother and daughter on the opposing sofa to stop, lest the two really start fighting over the child¡¯s name.


    ¡°Godmother (Grandma)!¡±


    As Kang Li¡¯s family entered the living room, they all simultaneously called out to Mrs. Qi.

 Chapter 355: 355: Who... are you?

    <strong>Chapter 355: Chapter 355: Who¡­ are you?</strong>


    ¡°Your godfather and I were waiting at home for so long, and when we didn¡¯t see your familye over, I was thinking of sending Xuan Xuan to your ce to check.¡± Mrs. Qi stood up, walked over, and took Kang Li¡¯s hand. Smiling affectionately, she said, ¡°What¡¯s with bringing things over, really, I should have reminded you less yesterday.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s what we should do!¡±


    Kang Li smiled and gestured for Luo Yanqing to ce the gifts on a nearby table. At that moment, the three kids lined up, and Xiao Ming Rui, with his childlike voice, said, ¡°Hello, Grandma. Even though my brother, sister, and I already wished you a Happy New Year yesterday, we¡¯vee to visit you at Grandma¡¯s house today so let us give you another bow.¡±


    As he finished speaking, Xiao Ming Rui took the lead, and the mixed-sex twins followed closely. The three of them bowed to Mrs. Qi and said, ¡°Happy New Year!¡±


    Delighted by the sight, Mrs. Qi beamed with joy: ¡°Very good, very good, Grandma adores you most!¡±


    Then, Mrs. Qi introduced the mother and daughter who had also stood up to Kang Li and Luo Yanqing: ¡°Li Bao, Yanqing, this is Comrade Chen. Just call her Aunt Chen. As for your Aunt Chen¡¯spanion next to her¡­¡±


    Before Mrs. Qi could finish her sentence, the woman previously referred to as Yun Yun directly extended her hand toward Luo Yanqing: ¡°Long time no see, Luo Yanqing.¡±


    However, Luo Yanqing didn¡¯t make a move. His gaze was indifferent and distant, and his tone was the same, ¡°You¡­ who are you?¡± Luo Yanqing could be quite stingy with his attention toward irrelevant people, but now, in the Song Family¡¯s presence, he had to show respect for Director Song and Mrs. Qi.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you remember me? During your study abroad, I was two years junior to you, my name is Shen Yun. Back then you¡­¡±


    ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t know you.¡±


    Luo Yanqing¡¯s voice was clear and even more detached than a moment ago.


    ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re still the same as before! I thought¡­¡±


    With her hand hanging awkwardly in midair, Shen Yun felt quite embarrassed.


    ¡°Your godfather and Comrade Shen are in the study, why don¡¯t you go and sit there,¡± spoken by Mrs. Qi, she helped Shen Yun out of her embarrassment and tried to dissipate the obvious awkward atmosphere in the living room.


    Luo Yanqing pursed his lips, shifting his gaze to his young wife.


    Kang Li¡¯s eyes were bright, brimming with tenderness. She nodded lightly, her lips curving into a smile, ¡°Go ahead, I¡¯ll check on the kitchen.¡±


    ¡°Together.¡±


    There were others in the study, and Luo Yanqing didn¡¯t want to go there.


    ¡°I¡¯ve mostly prepared the ingredients already, and you and Yanqing¡­¡± If it hadn¡¯t been for the sudden visit from the Shen family, Mrs. Qi would still be busy in the kitchen.


    ¡°You go ahead and chat with Comrade Chen and the others, Auntie,¡± Kang Li said, ¡°Leave the kitchen work to me.¡±


    With that, Kang Li headed to the kitchen.


    Luo Yanqing followed closely behind.


    As for Xiao Ming Rui and the twins, they were taken to Song Xuan¡¯s room.


    Truth be told, Song Xuan had originally been sitting in his own room when he suddenly heard the voices of Xiao Ming Rui and the twins. He almost immediately opened the door and came out to the living room to take Xiao Ming Rui¡¯s hand, inviting the twins to follow, and the group of one adult and three children left the living room.


    Chen Xia, the Comrade Chen mentioned by Mrs. Qi, noticed that ever since Luo Yanqing appeared in the living room, her daughter¡¯s eyes were locked onto him, and now she even looked lost in thought. Struck with understanding, Chen Xia felt extremely embarrassed in front of Mrs. Qi. She wanted to leave right then, to call her husband Comrade Shen and take their daughter and grandson back home immediately, but considering proper etiquette, she had to suppress her thoughts and sat back down on the couch with Mrs. Qi.


    ¡°Would you like to go and y with the kids you just saw?¡±

 Chapter 356: 356: I Don’t Want You to Misunderstand

    <strong>Chapter 356: Chapter 356: I Don¡¯t Want You to Misunderstand</strong>


    Mrs. Qi asked Milk Bun, who was sitting obediently on the sofa. She couldn¡¯t bring herself to call him Siqing or Qing Qing, and the child¡¯s mother wouldn¡¯t allow anyone to call him by his English name, so Mrs. Qi had no choice but to ignore the mixed-race baby¡¯s name.


    The little boy was not yet three years old, fair and lovely. Hearing Mrs. Qi¡¯s words, he looked at his mother and grandmother, mainly at his mother, and noticing that his mother wasn¡¯t paying attention to him, he felt a little dejected and also a bit cautious as he slowly shook his head at Mrs. Qi.


    After a while, Shen Yun¡¯s expression returned to normal. She pursed her lips, kept silent for a moment, and asked Mrs. Qi, ¡°Mother Qi, what is the rtionship between that femalerade and Luo Yanqing?¡±


    ¡°Is the femalerade you¡¯re referring to my daughter, Li Bao? She is Yanqing¡¯s wife.¡±


    Mrs. Qi deliberately emphasized Kang Li¡¯s identity to help Kang Li avoid any potential problems. Then Mrs. Qi looked at Chen Xia and said, ¡°Beforepleting their marriage registration with Li Bao, all Yanqing cared about was work, but since getting together with Li Bao, their marital rtionship has been very good. During holidays, whether it¡¯s shopping or picking up and dropping off children at kindergarten, he always stays by Li Bao¡¯s side, as if afraid that others won¡¯t know they are a couple.¡±


    Chen Xia could easily catch the intent behind Mrs. Qi¡¯s words. She smiled and agreed, ¡°Those two kids look beautifully matched, like a match made in heaven, perfectly paired.¡±


    Mrs. Qiughed, ¡°Everyone who knows them says so.¡±


    Shen Yun didn¡¯t interject again. She sat quietly on the sofa, her eyes downcast, seemingly lost in thought.


    In the kitchen, Kang Li was deftly preparing the ingredients. At her side, Luo Yanqing was very observant and helpful.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know that femalerade.¡±


    ¡°Ah? What did you say?¡±


    ¡°I said I don¡¯t know that femalerade.¡±


    ¡°Why bring this up?¡± Kang Li asked with a smile, looking at the man. ¡°Is this your way of exining yourself, and why?¡±


    Luo Yanqing, ¡°I don¡¯t want you to misunderstand.¡±


    Kang Liughed, ¡°Which of my eyes looked like I misunderstood? Besides, am I the type of person who misunderstands you so casually?¡±


    Luo Yanqing shook his head.


    ¡°Then why the redundancy?!¡± Idiot! If she wasn¡¯t confident about herself, relying solely on this man¡¯s looks, wouldn¡¯t she be stuck in a vat of vinegar?


    Moreover, how could it be this man¡¯s fault that an all-around excellent person draws unintentional attention from the opposite sex?


    Besides, is that femalerade in the living room prettier or more elegant than she is?


    Not to mention that the other party has already been married once, clearly older than her, and even has a child; even if she harbors feelings for her Luo Professor, for her Kang Li¡¯s man, what could it amount to?


    Luo Yanqing, ¡°Whether I was in China or studying abroad, I always maintained a distance with femalerades.¡±


    Kang Li, ¡°Is that so, then¡­ then do you have any stories with Ruirui¡¯s mom?¡± No sooner had the words left her mouth, Kang Li paused. Without waiting for the man to reply, she added, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to talk about it, pretend I never asked.¡±


    Luo Yanqing, ¡°I don¡¯t remember. Although that marriagested three years, I hardly spent a few days with Luo Mingrui¡¯s mother.¡±


    Kang Li was somewhat surprised but then thought about Luo Yanqing¡¯s job nature and felt it wasn¡¯t too strange; still, she asked, ¡°Not even a slight memory?¡±


    Luo Yanqing, ¡°Just a vague shadow.¡±


    Kang Li, ¡°Can you remember her name?¡±

 Chapter 357: 357 She Looks at Me Differently Than You

    <strong>Chapter 357: Chapter 357 She Looks at Me Differently Than You</strong>


    Luo Yanqing shook his head.


    Kang Li didn¡¯t know what to say at that moment.


    Luo Yanqing said, ¡°When I had just returned to the country, the organization, considering my personal life, immediately arranged a partner for me. Later¡­ I heard from the director that she saw me inadvertently at her family¡¯s house, and then¡­ through her family elders¡¯ connections and the organization¡¯s arrangement, she became my partner.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°Is she a stranger to you?¡±


    Luo Yanqing nodded: ¡°Mhm.¡±


    He then added, ¡°That woman¡­ must not like me¡­¡±


    Kang Li was puzzled: ¡°Why do you say that?¡± Not like him? Why would she use her family¡¯s connections and go through so much trouble to marry the man beside her?


    Was she treating such a talented man like Professor Luo as a fool?


    Luo Yanqing¡¯s lips pursed slightly, and he quietly looked at Kang Li for a good while before he began to speak, ¡°The way she looks at me is different from how you do.¡±


    Kang Li¡¯s eyebrows twitched, and her foxy eyes shimmered with curiosity: ¡°How is it different?¡±


    With his ears turning red and his handsome face flushing, Luo Yanqing¡¯s gaze shifted away. After a moment, he cleared his throat twice before saying, ¡°When you look at me, your eyes sparkle, I can feel that you truly delight in seeing me, but Luo Mingrui¡¯s biological mother¡­ her gaze isplex and hard to discern¡­¡±


    Kang Liughed: ¡°My eyes sparkle because I like you, Luoluo!¡± Her foxy eyes curved into crescents, her beautiful face bloomed with a smile, as pretty as spring flowers and as warm as the winter sun.


    Luo Yanqing¡¯s heart rate elerated, and his ear tips turned even redder, with the blush spreading across his neck. He felt extremely uneasy and said, ¡°I am going to take out the trash.¡± In a blink, he had vanished outside of the kitchen.


    Seeing this, Kang Li couldn¡¯t help but let out a lightugh.


    Professor Luo from his family is really both innocent and adorable!


    A momentter, she stoppedughing, recalling the conversation she had with Luo Yanqing just before, unsure whether she should feel sympathy for Professor Luo of her family or for the mother of her three cubs.


    If a woman likes a man, her gaze when she looks at him will definitely not beplex and difficult to discern.


    But if she doesn¡¯t like him, why would she resort to using her family¡¯s influence to marry him after just one meeting?


    As Kang Li thought about it, she couldn¡¯t figure out why.


    ¡­


    All ingredients and spices were well-prepared, with one stove boiling chicken and another stewing braised pork knuckle, the aroma wafting through the air, spreading to the living room, and then drifting out to the front yard, causing the guests to look forward to the meal to be served.


    ¡°Alright, Li Bao, you go and rest for a bit. From now on, godmother will handle it alone.¡±


    Mrs. Qi entered the kitchen with a smile in her eyes, and before Kang Li could say anything, she pushed her out of the kitchen.


    ¡°I¡¯m not tired.¡±


    Kang Li stood at the kitchen door, not moving.


    ¡°Even if you¡¯re not tired, go rest anyway. Today godmother is the host, and you¡¯ve been busy cooking since you arrived. Later, godfather mightin about me,¡± Mrs. Qi waved her hand: ¡°Go ahead, my food might not taste as delicious as yours, but it¡¯s not bad either, right?¡±


    Kang Li, with a sparkle in her eyes and smile, said, ¡°Who said that? To me, godmother¡¯s cooking is the best!¡± Then she asked, ¡°By the way, I haven¡¯t seen Professor Luo from my house for a while, where is he?¡±


    Mrs. Qi: ¡°Your godfather called him into the living room.¡±


    Kang Li ¡°Oh¡±ed, but still stood in ce without moving.


    Seeing this, Mrs. Qi urged, ¡°Go on, sit in the living room for a while.¡±


    Kang Li shook her head: ¡°I am worried you might be too busy alone.¡±

 Chapter 358: 358: Fast, Fierce, Accurate

    <strong>Chapter 358: Chapter 358: Fast, Fierce, urate</strong>


    ¡°If it gets too busy for me to handle, I¡¯ll call you,¡± Mrs. Qi waved her hand dismissively.


    ¡°Alright then.¡±


    Kang Li gave a charming smile and nodded.


    Unexpectedly, Milk Bun Ming Han¡¯s voice rang out at that moment, ¡°Mommy, mommy, look!¡± Pointing at the icicles under the eaves, Milk Bun Ming Han turned to her mother and said, ¡°It¡¯s icicles, Mommy, they¡¯re icicles!¡±


    ¡°Yes, they are icicles.¡±


    Kang Li responded with a smile.


    Song Xuan reached out and broke off a longer icicle, holding it up in front of Xiao Ming Rui¡¯s three sets of eyes: ¡°Shiny.¡±


    Xiao Ming Rui nodded: ¡°Crystal clear and shiny.¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei: ¡°It¡¯s like the spears in theic books, and also like swords, like horns, thick at the top and thin at the bottom, it looks so smooth!¡±


    ¡°Let me touch.¡±


    Milk Bun took off one glove and was about to reach out and touch the icicle that Song Xuan was holding between his fingers.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s cold!¡±


    Song Xuan shook his head and casually tossed the icicle onto the pile of snow below the steps.


    However, Kang Li didn¡¯t go to the living room, nor did she approach Xiao Ming Rui¡¯s trio; she stood on the steps outside the kitchen, basking in the sun while watching the three kids and Song Xuan talk under the eaves.


    Right at that moment, Old Master Feng and Fang Su walked into the courtyard, followed by a young man.


    And this young man was none other than Feng Xiao, Old Master Feng¡¯s favorite youngest son.


    The moment she saw Kang Li, Fang Su was reminded of her son, Feng Yi, how he had defied her, hated her, and even held a kitchen knife with the intent ofmitting suicide in front of her.


    She felt that the root of all thisy with Director Song and Mrs. Qi; it was all because of their adopted daughter.


    But undoubtedly, she couldn¡¯t do anything to Director Song and his wife, so, filled with rage, she quickly took two steps forward, leaving Old Master Feng behind, and went straight up to Kang Li with a fierce look and a gloomy face, then lifted her hand.


    Sensing someone approaching, Kang Li turned her head to look, but unexpectedly, the other party didn¡¯t say a word and swung her hand directly towards Kang Li¡¯s face.


    The action was so sudden, but fortunately, Kang Li¡¯s reaction was quick.


    Just as the other person¡¯s hand was about to reach her face, Kang Li grabbed her wrist tightly, and then, with a chilling gleam in her eyes, her other hand struck back quickly, fiercely, and urately.


    It was two sharp ¡°smacks.¡±


    At the same time, like discarding something filthy, she let go of the offending hand that was about to hit her!


    ¡°Bad person! You can¡¯t bully my mommy!¡±


    Xiao Ming Rui¡¯s trio, not caring whether they might fall, rushed over like Little Cannonballs and collectively pushed Fang Su.


    After being pped twice in a row by Kang Li and violently thrust away, Fang Su staggered back two steps, naturally unsteady on her feet. Just then, she was pushed by Xiao Ming Rui¡¯s trio and immediately fell to the ground.


    Seeing this, Old Master Feng¡¯splexion changed, he shouted for Feng Xiao to help Fang Su up, while he stared at Kang Li: ¡°Youngdy, aren¡¯t you being quite rude?!¡±


    Pointing at Kang Li, Old Master Feng¡¯s expression was very stern, no, to put it more precisely, he was holding back his anger.


    With a ¡°snap,¡± Kang Li knocked Old Master Feng¡¯s finger away from her.


    She scoffed coldly, ¡°I¡¯m being rude? May I ask this respectedrade, who was it that tried to p me upon seeing me?¡±


    Feng Xiao didn¡¯t help Fang Su up. From the moment he entered the yard, he had been captivated by Kang Li, finding her to be the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. Just as he was appreciating her and thinking about how to get to know her, he saw his stepmothersh out at the young girl without a word, and then, the young girl, with quick reflexes, not only seized his stepmother¡¯s wrist but also swiftly returned the favor with two ps.

 Chapter 359: 359: Luo Yanqing Starts Beating

    <strong>Chapter 359: Chapter 359: Luo Yanqing Starts Beating</strong>


    He failed to hit others but ended up getting pped twice himself; he had never seen such foolishness!


    Then, three little ones rushed over and pushed his stepmother to the ground.


    Served her right!


    Feng Xiao thought to himself in the dark, finding his little nephews quite admirable, as cute as wolf cubs! He thought Kang Li¡¯s actions were particrly cool!


    But who knew, at the next moment, the little girl suddenly started hitting her own father; how could he tolerate that?


    Even though the counterpart looked like a fairy and he really admired her, even starting to like that little girl, he couldn¡¯t just stand by and watch his own father being hit by a little girl.


    Feng Xiao took a few steps forward, intending to strike Kang Li.


    ¡°You want to hit me, huh?!¡±


    Kang Li dodged, stepping down from the stairs.


    Feng Xiao, unwilling to let it go, stared at Kang Li and prepared to strike again.


    The twins burst into tears, ¡°Daddy! Daddy! Wuuu¡­ Daddy, someone is bullying Mommy! Wuuu¡­¡± Upon hearing themotion outside, everyone in the living room came out.


    And Mrs. Qi had alreadye out from the kitchen the moment Xiao Ming Rui and the others pushed Fang Su down. She was furious at Fang Su¡¯s actions and felt pity for Kang Li, her goddaughter, who almost got hit by Fang Su.


    Yet, she had to consider the bigger picture and helped Fang Su get up.


    After all, no matter what, Fang Su was an elder.


    Moreover, Kang Li didn¡¯t end up getting hit but instead managed to p the other twice, so it wasn¡¯t a loss after all.


    ¡°Bang!¡±


    The sound of something heavy hitting the ground.


    Kang Li had just flipped Feng Xiao over her shoulder.


    This scene was witnessed by everyone in the yard, all showing their shock.


    When Luo Yanqing saw Kang Li, he didn¡¯t think of anything else. His expression cold, he quickly walked over, picked Feng Xiao up, and started beating him!


    ¡°Stop beating him! Little Luo, I told you to stop beating him, did you hear me?¡±


    Seeing his favorite son first being fiercely thrown to the ground by a young girl in such a manner, and now being beaten by his former son-inw to the point of a swollen face and a bloody nose, Old Master Feng was extremely heartbroken at that moment.


    That was his most beloved son!


    ¡°Wuuu¡­ Mommy, Hanhan will blow on it and the pain will go away!¡±


    Looking up at Mommy¡¯s ¡°beaten¡± face, Milk Bun Ming Han¡¯s eyshes were adorned with sparkling tears, waving for mommy to squat down so he could blow on her.


    Ming Wei¡¯s eyshes also held teardrops, ¡°Mommy, Vivi will blow on it, and the pain will fly away!¡±


    Although Min Rui didn¡¯t shed tears, the tears in his eyes kept swirling.


    The three of them guarded Kang Li, thinking their mommy had been hit by the bad guys. They now surrounded Mommy tightly, protecting her from being bullied again.


    Patting the heads of the three little ones, Kang Li smiled, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mommy is fine.¡± She reassured the three little ones and then walked towards Fang Su with an elegant andposed gait.


    ¡°What¡­ what are you going to do?¡±


    Fang Su looked very disheveled at this time.


    Her entire face was swollen,rgely because Kang Li¡¯s strikes were far from gentle.


    This could be seen from the blood mixed with two teeth that she had just spit out.


    ¡°Why did you hit me?¡±


    With her aura fully unleashed, Kang Li¡¯s expression was cold, her sharp eyes revealing a fierce gleam, ¡°We¡¯ve only met once and have no grievances. Why did you attack me the moment you saw me today?¡±


    After Luo Yanqing had beaten Feng Xiao to the point where he couldn¡¯t even get up, he threw him aside and stopped. Now, he stood by Kang Li with an equally cold aura, directly staring at Fang Su.


    Fang Su gritted her teeth and said:

 Chapter 360: 360: Apologize to My Lover!

    <strong>Chapter 360: Chapter 360: Apologize to My Lover!</strong>


    ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for you, would my son rather stay outside thane home? Could my son hate me so much that he¡¯d consider ending his life with a kitchen knife right in front of me? It¡¯s all your fault, you¡¯re the reason he won¡¯te home with me, why shouldn¡¯t Iy a hand on you?¡±


    Director Song stood in front of Old Master Feng at this moment, preventing him from protecting Fang Su. He and Mrs. Qi, after hearing what Fang Su had said, were so angry they just wanted to drive the three Feng family members out of their home and cut off all ties.


    At the entrance to the living room, Shen Yun¡¯s expression could be described as shocked, and meanwhile her heart was incredibly bitter. She had never imagined that Luo Yanqing could have such a side to him.


    How ruthless!


    Yes, ruthless indeed!


    To vent for his wife, he didn¡¯t hold back his punches, beating up that young man without giving him a chance to fight back.


    ¡°Old Feng, did youe here today to make trouble?¡± Director Song looked coldly at Old Master Feng. ¡°My daughter Li Bao saved your son¡¯s life, and instead of thanking her, you¡¯vee here to trouble my daughter. Is this how you conduct yourself?¡±


    Mrs. Qi red angrily at Fang Su. ¡°Feng Yi is your son, and you drove him out of your house. He nearly died in a forest on the outskirts of the Western suburbs. If it hadn¡¯t been for my daughter Li Bao going to visit Yanqing and hearing someone calling for help on the way, you¡¯d be looking for your son in Yama¡¯s Mansion now!¡±


    ¡°Look at my daughter Li Bao, how thin and frail she is. She not only bandaged your son¡¯s wounds but also carried him for over a mile. Later, she personally took your son to the hospital. I originally thought about giving you two a phone call, but your boy Feng Yi made it clear that if we told you his whereabouts, he would go far away, or else, he¡¯d end his life right then and there!¡±


    Director Song didn¡¯t give Old Master Feng any face. ¡°I really wonder how much hatred that boy must have towards his own home, to prefer noting back and even stopping me from calling you. The kid didn¡¯t give a reason, and it was useless to ask more. But I guessed it probably had to do with you two sending him to a farm for ¡®re-education¡¯ because of that scoundrel Feng Xiao. Not wanting the kid toe to any harm, I had no choice but to suppress my urge to call you and asked Old Qi to allot some money and coupons for my daughter Li Bao to take to the hospital¡­ Now, what do you have to say for yourself?¡±


    After listening to Director Song, Old Master Feng was so ashamed he didn¡¯t know where to hide his face.


    Feng Xiao finally got up from the ground, limping over to Old Master Feng¡¯s side, and red fiercely at Fang Su, saying, ¡°It¡¯s all because of that woman, Dad, let¡¯s go. If we stand here any longer, the Feng family won¡¯t have any face left to lose!¡±


    Fang Su began to wipe away her tears,pletely disregarding the setting, and said to Old Master Feng in a piteous voice, ¡°Old Feng, look at your former son-inw, look at your out¡­¡±


    Before Old Master Feng could say anything, Luo Yanqing¡¯s cool and detached voice rang out, ¡°You haven¡¯t forgotten that you signed a document that day, have you?¡±


    The term ¡°former son-inw¡± almost instantly reminded Luo Yanqing of his rtionship with the Feng family.


    Yes, Luo Mingrui and his siblings¡¯ mother was a Feng.


    If she mentioned ¡°former son-inw,¡± she certainly wasn¡¯t mistaken, which meant that he had once had a rtionship with the Feng family.


    As Luo Yanqing realized this, his eyes grew colder, as if frosted over, and he stared at Fang Su. ¡°Apologize to my wife!¡± Fang Su¡¯s tears stopped flowing. She dared not continue her previous sentence because she couldn¡¯t bear the rage of Old Master Feng.


    If she went on, once she got home, she¡¯d likely be thrown out.


    ¡°Why should I apologize? I didn¡¯tnd a hand on your wife, but she pped me twice, knocking out two of my teeth. It¡¯s your wife who should apologize, not me!¡±

 Chapter 361: 361: Not Accepted

    <strong>Chapter 361: Chapter 361: Not epted</strong>


    Fang Su¡¯s expression was grim, staring straight at Luo Yanqing.


    ¡°I don¡¯t even want an apology from someone like you!¡±


    Kang Li sneered, ¡°As a mother, you don¡¯t know how to love your own children, letting them suffer at home, and even forcing your biological son to take someone else¡¯s punishment at the farm, and then driving your son out of the house as soon as he returns home, and even wishing your children would die out there. A woman like you doesn¡¯t deserve to be a mother!¡±


    Having spoken, Kang Li called Xiao Ming Rui and the other two kids over, nning to head home with her family. Unexpectedly, her legs suddenly gave way, and she copsed to the ground.


    Luo Yanqing, quick to react, bent down and scooped up his petite wife, ¡°Xiao Li, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± His expression was both anxious and worried.


    The twins cried out, ¡°Mommy, mommy, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Xiao Ming Rui, also with a crying voice, said, ¡°Daddy! To the hospital!¡±


    ¡°Li Bao, are you alright?¡±


    Mrs. Qi and Director Song hurried over, with Song Xuan also arriving by their side.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, don¡¯t worry about me, I¡¯m just¡­ I¡¯m just a bit tired¡­¡±


    Kang Li¡¯s voice was notably weak, her face pale as if all her blood had drained away.


    ¡°Quick! Quick, carry Li Bao inside to lie down!¡±


    Mrs. Qi urged Luo Yanqing.


    Director Song nodded, ¡°Yanqing, what are you waiting for, carry Li Bao inside!¡±


    ¡°Godfather, godmother, I want to go home, I apologize for today, because I¡­¡±


    Kang Li spoke apologetically, but before she could finish, Mrs. Qi shook her head and interrupted, ¡°It has nothing to do with you, it¡¯s because some people came uninvited, specifically to cause trouble.¡±


    Hosting today was meant to entertain rtives, not anyone else.


    Families like the Shen family and the Feng family came uninvited; the former brought trouble, and thetter, undoubtedly, came to wreck the ce!


    Director Song asked, ¡°Do you really want to go home?¡±


    Kang Li hummed an affirmation.


    Luo Yanqing said, ¡°Let¡¯s go home then.¡± He nodded at Director Song and Mrs. Qi, then signaled Xiao Ming Rui to hold his brother and sister¡¯s hands. He carried Kang Li, and under everyone¡¯s watchful eyes, they left the Song Family Courtyard.


    As Kang Li was about to copse, Feng Xiao inexplicably felt a surge of pity.


    By the time he realized it, he thought he must be crazy to feel pity for a hateful woman who had fiercely thrown him to the ground!


    Yet, he couldn¡¯t deny that he did indeed feel pity for her, especially seeing her pale, breathless look when she spoke, which only made him pity her more.


    ¡°Old Song, I¡¯m really sorry about today. I came here to thank you and your wife and your daughter, but¡­ I didn¡¯t expect such a thing to happen. It¡¯s our fault, I apologize to you.¡±


    Old Master Feng, no longer caring about his dignity, sincerely apologized to Director Song and Mrs. Qi.


    ¡°Your apologies are too much for us to bear, and besides, you aren¡¯t only apologizing to us two.¡±


    Mrs. Qi coldly delivered that line, then added, ¡°Please, feel free to leave.¡± She was clearly dismissing them.


    ¡­


    After the scene caused by Old Master Feng and the other two, when rtives visiting the Song family for New Year¡¯s saw that the hosts were in no mood to continue hosting, they bid their farewells to Director Song and Mrs. Qi after the trio had left, advising them not to dwell on the trouble Fang Su had caused and suggesting a gathering another time.


    After seeing off all the guests, Mrs. Qi was restless, telling Director Song, ¡°I¡¯m going to check on Li Bao.¡±


    Director Song replied, ¡°Wait a while.¡±


    Mrs. Qi asked, ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Old Feng is probably taking Feng Xiao over to Yanqing¡¯s.¡±

 Chapter 362: 362: Didn’t You Used to Say Otherwise?

    <strong>Chapter 362: Chapter 362: Didn¡¯t You Used to Say Otherwise?</strong>


    Director Song reclined on the sofa, pinching the bridge of his nose as he said, ¡°Themotion today, had I not considered our years ofradeship, I would have certainly given Feng Lin a good beating!¡±


    Mrs. Qi did not respond, but she asked, ¡°What are they doing there?¡±


    ¡°What else could they be doing? Apologizing to Li Bao, and expressing thanks as well,¡± Director Song sighed and continued, ¡°He was so bright-eyed and clear-headed when he was young, yet after meeting that woman Fang Su, both his heart and eyes werepletely enchanted by her. Moreover, he has gotten increasingly muddle-headed with age!¡±


    Mrs. Qi scoffed with a hint of sarcasm, ¡°Are you sure he truly has feelings for that woman Fang Su? Are you sure it¡¯s not just using Fang Su to look after his sons and daughters, not his sorrow for the children left by his previous wife?¡±


    Director Song¡¯s expression turned peculiar, ¡°You didn¡¯t use to say that.¡±


    ¡°So, I had mistaken judgement before, didn¡¯t I?¡± She truly felt awful for Fang Su, the second wife. Why didn¡¯t she see him helping her up immediately? Instead, upon seeing his son Feng Xiao beaten half to death by Yanqing, he was frantic like an ant on a hot pan. Seeing how distressed he appeared made her doubt whether there was true love between the old fool and that idiot Fang Su.


    Mrs. Qi¡¯s expression was impatient, ¡°How long do we have to wait?¡± Li Bao¡¯s face was nearly drained of all blood, and she couldn¡¯t feel at ease if they didn¡¯t go check on her soon.


    Director Song clearly understood what Mrs. Qi meant, and he shook his head, ¡°How would I know? At least ten or twenty minutes, I guess.¡±


    On hearing this, Mrs. Qi did not further discuss the topic of Old Master Feng and his son heading to Kang Li¡¯s home, her impatient look somewhat rxed. However, she suddenly seemed to think of something and looked anxious, asking Director Song, ¡°What about Xuan Xuan? Why haven¡¯t I seen Xuan Xuan?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    After a brief stupor, Director Song responded, ¡°When Yanqing carried Li Bao with Ruirui to leave, I think I saw Xuan Xuan following them out of the gate.¡±


    Mrs. Qi frowned, ¡°What do you mean you think?¡±


    Director Song replied, ¡°No need to worry, you know that Xuan Xuan usually doesn¡¯t venture out of the yard on his own, nor would he just follow anyone.¡± Seeing Mrs. Qi¡¯s eyes still betray a growing anxiety and unease, Director Song finally stood up, ¡°Let¡¯s go then. Weren¡¯t you nning to check on Li Bao? I¡¯ll apany you there now.¡±


    ¡°It sounds as if I¡¯m the only one worried about Li Bao and Xuan Xuan.¡±


    Mrs. Qi tossed a remark to Director Song and rose from the sofa, not even waiting for Director Song, she stepped out of the living room first.


    ¡°Can¡¯t she walk a bit slower?¡±


    Director Song followed closely behind her and said, ¡°I¡¯m not leaving this afternoon.¡±


    Mrs. Qi stopped in her tracks, her gaze falling on Director Song, ¡°Are you taking care of Yanqing¡¯s time?¡±


    Director Song said, ¡°With what happened to Li Bao today, do you think that young man could leave with peace of mind in the afternoon?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true. Given Li Bao¡¯s current state, Yanqing certainly wouldn¡¯t feel at ease.¡± Saying this, Mrs. Qi lowered her eyelids in thought, then looked towards Director Song again, ¡°So will you leave tomorrow morning?¡±


    Director Song replied, ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Mrs. Qi said, ¡°Alright, I understand.¡±


    Locking the gate, the two people stepped forward.


    ¡­


    Luo Family.


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s you!¡±


    Opening the gate and seeing Old Master Feng and Feng Xiao standing outside, Luo Yanqing¡¯s expression was exceptionally cold, ¡°What do you want?¡±


    Old Master Feng said, ¡°I am here to express my gratitude to your spouse¡­ Comrade Kang Li, won¡¯t you invite us in?¡±


    Indeed, standing outside the gate were the two Fengs¡ªOld Master Feng and his grandson.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need.¡±


    Luo Yanqing¡¯s distant and unwaveringly cold gaze showed not the slightest fluctuation.

 Chapter 363: 363 Shame

    <strong>Chapter 363: Chapter 363 Shame</strong>


    ¡°Little Luo¡­ indeed, it was Aunt Fang who was at fault first, but in the end, your partner wasn¡¯t really harmed. Instead, it was Aunt Fang who was utterly humiliated, and she even had two of her teeth knocked out by your partner¡­¡±


    Old Master Feng said so, his eyes gleaming with an especiallyplex light, ¡°The situation with Lu Lu was unfortunate¡­ but no matter what, the Feng family is still the maternal family of Little Rui and his siblings. Even if you can¡¯t stand us, at the very least, for my old face¡¯s sake, give us some dignity!¡±


    ¡°Dignity?¡± Luo Yanqing¡¯s voice was low and devoid of any warmth, ¡°Dignity isn¡¯t something others give; it¡¯s something you earn for yourself. Since we¡¯ve already severed all ties, don¡¯t bring up this ¡®maternal family¡¯ talk.¡±


    Hisplexion changing slightly, Old Master Feng held back and suppressed his anger, finally saying, ¡°Fine, let¡¯s not mention ¡®maternal family.¡¯ Right now, I¡¯m here simply as Feng Yi¡¯s father to thank Comrade Kang for once saving my son Feng Yi¡¯s life.¡±


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°No need. My partner just did it in passing.¡± With that, Luo Yanqing casually closed the door.


    ¡°What kind of person is this?! Dad, let¡¯s go home; we¡¯re just embarrassing ourselves here!¡±


    Feng Xiao stood behind Old Master Feng with a sense of careless defiance, grumbling dissatisfiedly.


    ¡°Shut up!¡±


    Old Master Feng scolded in a low voice. At that moment, Director Song and Mrs. Qi approached, both looking at Old Master Feng and his son without initiating any conversation.


    ¡°Old Song¡­¡± Old Master Feng looked at Director Song and Mrs. Qi and forced a bitter smile, ¡°I know that for today¡¯s matter, no matter what I say, it won¡¯t change the impact that incident had on you, but Fang Su¡­ but Fang Su just has that kind of temperament, and what¡¯s done is done¡­¡±


    Director Song said, ¡°Alright, Old Feng, there¡¯s no need to go on. From now on, if you want to visit our home, my spouse and I will wee you as usual, but if you keep bringing others over to give us trouble, then let¡¯s just pretend we¡¯ve never known each other!¡±


    ¡°Old Song, you¡­¡± Old Master Feng felt choked up and after a long moment, he let out a sigh, ¡°Fine then, I will tell Xiao Fang not toe to your house anymore.¡±


    After a moment of silence, Old Master Feng¡¯s gaze fixed on Mrs. Qi, ¡°Old Qi, you are Comrade Kang¡¯s godmother, she must have informed you more clearly about Feng Yi¡¯s affairs outside. I¡¯m wondering if you could tell me now so that I could make arrangements for the boy to prevent him from wandering around and eventually changing his nature.¡±


    Mrs. Qi heard this and after a moment of pondering, she recounted Feng Yi¡¯s situation to Old Master Feng in brief. After listening to her, Old Master Feng¡¯s face showed gratitude, ¡°Thank you! Thank you, Old Qi!¡± That an outsider would give so much help to his own son, byparison, what had he and his wife Fang Su done for their child?


    Shaking his head internally, Old Master Feng was self-mocking.


    Comrade Xiao Kang was right; Fang Su was not fit to be a mother, but the young girl forgot to mention one thing¡ªthat he, the father, Feng Yi¡¯s father, was equally unfit to be a parent!


    All they knew was to wrong Feng Yi, to wrong their own son, while Elder Song and his spouse, like Comrade Kang¡­ they took care of their son in their daily lives and helped him find a job, so that Feng Yi could get settled down and not go astray.


    With these thoughts, Old Master Feng felt a deep shame. He said, ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of you twoughing at me, but I brought Feng Xiao here with the intention of apologizing to Comrade Xiao Kang,¡±

 Chapter 364: 364: Envy

    <strong>Chapter 364: Chapter 364: Envy</strong>


    ¡°But we father and son were refused entry at the door. If you see Comrade Kangter, please pass on my thanks and also apologize for me,¡± he said.


    Mrs. Qi remained silent.


    Director Song: ¡°Alright then.¡±


    Old Master Feng: ¡°Later, I will help Feng Yi thatd with his money and coupons¡­¡±


    Mrs. Qi, not waiting for him to finish, interrupted, ¡°Is it because we look down on people? Feng Yi calls our Old Song ¡®Uncle Song¡¯ and calls me ¡®Mother Qi¡¯, can¡¯t I give the child some money and coupons?¡±


    ring at Old Master Feng, Mrs. Qi continued, ¡°However, you better not forget to repay my daughter for the money and coupons your son spent on that matter.¡±


    ¡°Of course, of course,¡± he replied.


    Old Master Feng nodded repeatedly.


    ¡­


    Because of the incident caused by Wen Yue, Wen Siyuan went to the Xue Family to apologize, and just then, Xue Feng escorted him out of the hospital gate. As they looked up, they saw Old Master Feng and his grandson walking away under the watchful eyes of Director Song and Mrs. Qi.


    The two exchanged nces, and Wen Siyuan asked Xue Feng, ¡°Is that Comrade Luo¡¯s former father-inw?¡±


    Xue Feng nodded slightly, ¡°Most likely.¡±


    ¡°How did he suddenly appear here?¡± Wen Siyuan wondered. Hearing this, Xue Feng shook his head, ¡°That, I¡¯m afraid, only they themselves know.¡±


    At that moment, Wen Siyuan¡¯s mouth curled into a faint, almost imperceptible bitter smile, ¡°Speaking of which, you really can¡¯tpare people. The one Comrade Luo married before was quite remarkable (in terms of family background), and now the current one in his family is an extremely outstanding femalerade. By contrast, my family is just a mess.¡±


    Xue Feng: ¡°¡­¡± unsure of how to continue the conversation.


    Wen Siyuan: ¡°Not to mention other things, just the children at home, you can see¡ªthose three little ones in Comrade Luo¡¯s family are each sensible and endearing. Now, look at my three, they used to be well-behaved, but in the past few months¡­ all they know is to stir up trouble outside!¡±


    Xue Feng: ¡°The children are still young, if anything goes wrong, just talk nicely to them. In the future, there won¡¯t be any major problems.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s sensible, but the problem is, apart from being busy, where do I have the time to manage them?!¡± he eximed.


    Wen Siyuan truly felt utterly bitter. He could now clearly see there wasn¡¯t a single chance his family¡ªa mixture of one adult and three children¡ªcould be as loving and close-knit as the family of four at Comrade Luo¡¯s home.


    Firstly, Su Man had already developed a grudge against Wen Yue and had had her own child¡ªwho would use a tolerant heart to guide Wen Yue¡¯s three?


    Moreover, as for Wen Yue and her sisters, the youngest, Wen Yu, could be disregarded, but Wen Yue and Wen Yi knew they had a biological mother and Wen Yue, being over two years older than Wen Yi, undoubtedly knew more about their biological mother¡¯s circumstances. Having such a sister constantly reminding her of their biological mother and how the stepmother was so terrible, Wen Yi naturally would stand with her sister Wen Yue against Su Man, his current wife.


    Just thinking about the ¡°lively¡± scene he would see when he returned home on holiday gave Wen Siyuan a headache.


    ¡°Brother, teach your child publicly, instruct your wife privately, just take it slow!¡± Patting Wen Siyuan¡¯s shoulder lightly, Xue Feng said, ¡°With situations like your family and Comrade Luo¡¯s, you need time to adjust.¡±


    After a moment of silence, Wen Siyuan nodded, ¡°Yes, I really need to adjust well.¡± Saying this, Wen Siyuan and Xue Feng parted ways, and he headed towards his own household gate.


    Luo Family.


    ¡°Godfather, Godmother, I really just feel a bit weak; lying down for a while should help me recover. There¡¯s no need to go to the hospital for any checks,¡± he said.

 Chapter 365: 365: The Three Kids Are Worried

    <strong>Chapter 365: Chapter 365: The Three Kids Are Worried</strong>


    Listening to Director Song and Mrs. Qi¡¯s words of concern by her bedside, Kang Li leaned back against the headboard and smiled helplessly, ¡°Look close, isn¡¯t myplexion a little better than before?¡±


    Director Song and Mrs. Qi were momentarily stunned, then both nodded.


    ¡°See, didn¡¯t I tell you?¡± Kang Li¡¯s eyes twinkled with mirth as she spoke, her gaze tender and indulgent as she looked at the three kids lying beside the bed, their big eyes filled with concern and fear. ¡°Be good, mommy will be fine soon.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    The twins asked in unison.


    Kang Li did not answer directly but raised her eyebrows and asked with a smile, ¡°Has mommy ever lied to you?¡±


    The twins: ¡°No.¡±


    Kang Li¡±Do you believe mommy now?¡±


    Milk Bun Ming Han: ¡°Hanhan believes mommy, but Hanhan is still very worried about mommy!¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei: ¡°Vivi too!¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°Alright, mommy is really fine. Go y in the living room with peace of mind.¡± Her gaze shifted to Song Xuan and Xiao Ming Rui, ¡°Go on, go y in the living room with your brother and sister.¡±


    Seeing that the new mom¡¯splexion had indeed improved and she seemed more spirited, Song Xuan and Xiao Ming Rui nodded, leading the twins out of the room.


    ¡°The water is ready to drink.¡± A porcin pitcher on the table cab held the brown sugar water Luo Yanqing had made minutes earlier. He now casually tested the temperature of the pitcher¡¯s outer wall, then picked it up and walked to the bedside to hand it to Kang Li.


    With the pitcher in hand, Kang Li drank it all in one go under the man¡¯s watchful eyes.


    ¡°We¡¯ve prepared so many dishes at home, once you feel a bit better, let¡¯s all sit together and have a good meal,¡± Mrs. Qi said to Kang Li with a smile. Hearing this, Kang Li was initially startled, then nodded, ¡°Okay.¡± But she quickly wore an apologetic expression, ¡°Godmother, Godfather, I was impulsive today, but it was just a reflex¡­¡±


    Director Song: ¡°We don¡¯t me you. It was Fang Su¡¯s fault, your godfather knows.¡±


    Mrs. Qi: ¡°Before we entered your yard, Feng Yi¡¯s father was turned away by Yanqing at the door. He asked us to thank you on his behalf and also to convey his apologies. Additionally, he mentioned that he will repay you the money and coupons on behalf of Feng Yi.¡±


    ¡°No need for thanks and apologies, but as for repaying me the money and coupons, I will ept them, since after all, they are from the Feng family¡¯s own pocket, I have no reason to refuse.¡±


    Feng Yi is Feng Yi, and the Feng family is the Feng family. Since the Feng family wants to repay her money and coupons for Feng Yi, only a fool would refuse.


    After chatting with Kang Li for a while and knowing she needed to rest, Mrs. Qi and Director Song did not stay any longer; Luo Yanqing saw them to the yard gate. Director Song said, ¡°You can return to the station tomorrow morning.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Luo Yanqing was slightly startled, then nodded, ¡°I was nning to do just that.¡± His little wife was unwell, and to have him return to the station that afternoon as originally nned was impossible for him to rest easy.


    ¡°Then, that¡¯s it.¡±


    Director Song waved his hand, called for Song Xuan to follow, and along with Mrs. Qi and their grandson, they soon walked far away.


    Returning inside, Luo Yanqing went straight to the master bedroom.


    ¡°Sleep now, I¡¯ll just sit here with you.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll take a little nap.¡±


    Kang Li truly felt a bit drained, hardly able to muster any strength, and indeed needed to lie down for a while. Thus, with a faint smile tugging at the corners of her lips, she spoke, and then slowly closed her beautiful, fox-like eyes.


    As the gentle, even breathing sounds reached his ears, Luo Yanqing knew that the person on the bed, his little wife, had already fallen into a deep sleep. It was at this moment that he finally began to carefully recall everything that had happened during their visit to the Song family today.

 Chapter 366: 366: A One-Man Show

    <strong>Chapter 366: Chapter 366: A One-Man Show</strong>


    Gradually, his brows furrowed tightly, and his pitch-ck eyes revealed a cold hue.


    Being inexplicably approached by a woman he did not understand made him feel uneasy, fearing that his young wife might misunderstand him, especially since that iprehensible woman had chosen the name Siqing for her child. Who was she trying to annoy?


    If what the director said was true, then he must maintain a sufficient distance from that person in the future, and avoid contact whenever possible.


    Otherwise, it might give rise to rumors and cause trouble in his life with his young wife.


    His gaze shifted towards the window, Luo Yanqing¡¯s handsome lips tightly pressed, his eyes as icy as frost, showing not a trace of warmth.


    The Feng family¡­


    If it weren¡¯t for what happened today, he would not have known that there was ever a connection between the Feng family and himself.


    However, as of now, the Feng family meant nothing to him.


    A dark glint shed in his eyes, Luo Yanqing felt he was still not ruthless enough. Otherwise, how could Fang Su have left the Song Family unscathed?


    While Luo Yanqing thought of Shen Yun as an iprehensible woman, at this moment, Shen Yun, who had just returned to the Shen family, was called into the bedroom by her mother Chen Xia, where they engaged in question and answer.


    ¡°Jian¡¯s Chinese name is rted to Comrade Luo, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Staring steadfastly at her daughter, Mrs. Shen¡¯s expression revealed no hint of emotion.


    With a slight purse of her lips, Shen Yun lowered her head in silence for a moment before raising her eyes to meet her mother¡¯s gaze, saying calmly, ¡°Mom, since you¡¯ve already guessed, why bother asking me?!¡±


    ¡°How could you¡­ How could you be like this¡­¡±


    Mrs. Shen struggled toplete her sentence.


    ¡°Mom, are you trying to say I¡¯m shameless?¡± Shen Yun¡¯s gaze was serene. She said, ¡°I admit I like Luo Yanqing. I first heard about him on my first day at university abroad. He was outstanding, no, more precisely, exceptionally outstanding. Not only were the international students from the school full of praise and admiration for him, but even the foreign professors spoke highly of him.


    I suppose I am a genius, otherwise I wouldn¡¯t have been sent abroad for further studies by the state at the age of 21. But Luo Yanqing is more of a genius than I am; at the age of 21, he had already obtained two doctoral degrees in his fields, and the academic leaders and tutors tried repeatedly to retain him by offering a high sry and special treatment, yet he decisively refused and chose to serve the country.


    I admired him and tried to get close to him and make his acquaintance, but¡­ but Luo Yanqing showed no interest in me¡­¡±


    Tears gradually filled her eyes, and her voice became somewhat choked, ¡°But emotions are uncontroble, I liked Luo Yanqing as if bewitched. Even though he ignored me, I still tried to appear before him. Yet until the day he flew back to the country, I had hardly spoken to him.


    I do wonder, he might know who I am but is not good at expressing his thoughts, so¡­ so it seemed like he ignored me. Thus, I thought of studying hard, to return home early from my studies like he did. But then¡­ at one ss reunion, because I was thinking of Luo Yanqing, I inadvertently drank a little too much¡ªit was just beer, but I didn¡¯t expect to get drunk!¡±


    Raising her hand to wipe the tears from her face, a hint of pain shed in Shen Yun¡¯s eyes as she continued, ¡°The next day when I woke up, I found a foreigner lying beside me¡­ that was Austin. I was both angry and scared at that moment, I even thought of dying. It was Austin who stayed by my side daily, being as persistent as a sticking ster that you can¡¯t shake off.


    Perhaps I was moved by that, and at the end of the three-year advanced study period, in a moment of impulsive, I epted Austin¡¯s proposal¡­¡±

 Chapter 367: 367: You Cant Afford to Be Foolish

    <strong>Chapter 367: Chapter 367: You Can¡¯t Afford to Be Foolish</strong>


    However, affection cannot be forced. Once I calmed down, I realized I did not love Austin and decided we should have a proper talk and get a divorce, then return to my country to repay the cultivation the nation has given me.


    Austin, however, did not want to divorce. He forced me to stay with him and coerced me into lying to you, cutting off contact with you until I gave birth. Only when he saw my desperation for death did he finally¡­ finally relent and agree to divorce me, as well as agree to let me take our child back to the country, on the condition that we wait until the child is two and a half years old before handling the repatriation procedures¡­¡±


    Mrs. Shen¡¯s eyes turned red with emotion, feeling sorry for her daughter, she asked, ¡°So what are you thinking now? You¡¯ve seen that Comrade Luo has a family. You can¡¯t keep setting your sights on him, can you? Besides, he doesn¡¯t even know you¡­ Yun Yun, listen to me, I will never allow my daughter, whom I am so proud of, to demean herself by meddling in someone else¡¯s marriage and bing a morally corrupt person!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ Mom, my mind is very chaotic right now. I don¡¯t know what to do next¡­ I decided to return to the country to repay the nation¡¯s cultivation of me, to be by your side and Dad¡¯s, but I can¡¯t deny that most of the reason¡­ it¡¯s because of this person, Luo Yanqing¡­¡±


    Biting her lower lip, Shen Yun¡¯s tears couldn¡¯t be held back: ¡°Don¡¯t tell Dad about this. I won¡¯t be a home wrecker. I just need time to sort out my thoughts, otherwise¡­ I don¡¯t know how to face Luo Yanqing at the institute, nor how tomunicate with him at work.¡±


    Mrs. Shen: ¡°You must not do anything foolish.¡±


    Shen Yun: ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± If I were to actively intrude into Luo Yanqing¡¯s family, I would certainly be looked down upon by him, so how could I then expect anything else?


    Mrs. Shen: ¡°You¡¯ve always been proud since you were little. If you just fall for that Comrade Luo, I would be very disappointed, and your father would be disappointed in you as well. And you don¡¯t need me to say more, you should be able to tell that you¡¯ve lost yourposure in front of Comrade Luo, and the Chinese name you gave Jian. Comrade Qi can guess your feelings without much thought.


    Besides, she openly said in front of us that her goddaughter¡¯s marital rtionship is very good. In fact, that is indeed the case, otherwise, that Comrade Luo wouldn¡¯t have beaten the Feng family¡¯s young man so severely today, all for defending his love, making it difficult for him to even stand up.¡±


    ¡°I know, I¡¯ve seen it all.¡±


    Shen Yun bothughed and cried as she said, ¡°In my memory, apart from being devoted to his profession, Luo Yanqing would not be affected by anything or anyone¡­ Unexpectedly, seeing him today, his gaze was almost constantly fixed on his wife, and he showed such a fierce side for her¡­¡±


    ¡°Alright, now that I¡¯ve heard so much from you, I know you understand everything in your heart. Right now, you probably just find it hard to ept the fact that Comrade Luo has his own family. If that¡¯s the case, then take your time to think about it.¡±


    Having said that, Mrs. Shen sighed and couldn¡¯t help but add, ¡°Then maybe you shouldn¡¯t move into thatpound.¡±


    Shen Yun shook her head: ¡°I won¡¯t live at home. I need my own space.¡±


    Mrs. Shen: ¡°What about the child? You can¡¯t leave the child alone at home when you go to work at the institute, can you?¡±


    Shen Yun: ¡°I will hire someone to look after her.¡±


    ¡°Hire someone? I am idle at home, let me take care of her.¡±


    ¡°You have to take care of my elder brother and second brother¡¯s children. How would you have the energy to look after one more? If you really can¡¯t rest easy, then help me hire someone to care for Jian at thepound.¡±

 Chapter 368: 368: I Didnt Protect You Well

    <strong>Chapter 368: Chapter 368: I Didn¡¯t Protect You Well</strong>


    Mrs. Shen¡¯s heart leapt with joy. She asked, ¡°Are you nning to change Jian¡¯s Chinese name?¡±


    ¡°No. Besides, changing names now would seem too deliberate. We can talk about itter,¡± Shen Yun shook her head. After a moment of silence, she spoke, ¡°Luo Yanqing probably already thinks the worst of me. Before I give Jian a new Chinese name, let¡¯s just call him Jian at home.¡±


    Mrs. Shen naturally had no objection.


    ¡°You should rest for a while, I¡¯ll go make us lunch.¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡±


    Shen Yun nodded.


    The bedroom door opened and closed, and once Shen Yun was alone, jealousy gradually showed on her face.


    Yes, she was jealous of Kang Li, jealous that the person she had yearned for had be another woman¡¯s husband, but she was very clear that aside from jealousy, there was nothing she could do.


    Because she didn¡¯t want to be detestable, didn¡¯t want to stand in front of the mirror and not recognize herself.


    Approaching evening, Kang Li woke up.


    Luo Yanqing, focused on a book in his hand, was sitting in a chair. But at the slightest noise from the bed, he immediately looked up, and seeing Kang Li sit up, he put down the book and approached her, ¡°You¡¯re awake?! How do you feel?¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡±


    Kang Li nodded lightly and asked, ¡°What time is it?¡± The sky outside the window had darkened, she hadn¡¯t expected to sleep until now.


    ¡°Quarter past six.¡±


    Luo Yanqing looked at the time on his wristwatch and answered.


    Not seeing the triplets, Kang Li couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°Where are the kids?¡±


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°They¡¯re ying in their own rooms.¡±


    Kang Li then asked, ¡°Have you had dinner yet?¡±


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°Seeing you sleep so soundly, godfather and godmother brought a lot of cooked dishes over for us at noon. I set aside some for Luo Mingrui and the others to have for lunch with rice; tonight I made porridge and steamed buns, and they¡¯ve already eaten.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Kang Li smiled and nodded, then suddenly remembered something and couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°You didn¡¯t go back to the office this afternoon, did it dy your work?¡±


    Luo Yanqing shook his head: ¡°Work is important, but it can wait. Besides, I wasn¡¯tfortable just leaving when you weren¡¯t feeling well.¡±


    Kang Li felt a warmth in her heart but still couldn¡¯t help but show an apologetic expression, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Touching her head, Luo Yanqing¡¯s lips curled into a slight arc, ¡°No need for apologies with me. Besides, it¡¯s my fault for not protecting you well, for making you have to stand up for yourself. If anyone should be saying sorry, it should be me.¡±


    His gesture of patting her head was so natural and automatic, yet when Luo Yanqing realized what he had done, the tips of his ears couldn¡¯t help but flush with heat, especially when he caught Kang Li¡¯s sharp foxlike gaze. He averted their eyes, clearing his throat casually twice and said, ¡°You sit for a bit, I¡¯ll go serve you dinner.¡±


    With that, he practically flew out the room door.


    Seeing this, Kang Li was first stunned for a moment, then couldn¡¯t help but ¡°snicker¡± withughter.


    It was just a pat on the head, and she didn¡¯t think much of it. Why did he suddenly be ufortable, hurrying away as if chased by a dog?


    A small bowl of jujube and millet porridge, two kid-sized steamed buns, and a te of stir-fried bamboo shoots with meat.


    ¡°I¡¯ll just have some porridge.¡±


    Kang Li didn¡¯t touch the buns or the stir-fried bamboo shoots with meat.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t eat at noon.¡±


    Luo Yanqing frowned, pushing the te with the buns and stir-fried bamboo shoots meat a bit closer to Kang Li, ¡°The buns are small. Eat one and have some vegetables.¡±


    Now Kang Li was sitting by the dining table in the living room eating.


    Hearing his mother¡¯s voice, Xiao Ming Rui and the two other kids burst out of their room in an instant. Now, they were seated on the sofa with curved eyes and brows, watching television and at the same time, watching their parents¡¯ interactions.


    ¡°Mommy should listen to Daddy, okay!¡±

 Chapter 369: 369 Luo Yanqing You Are Really Kind

    <strong>Chapter 369: Chapter 369 Luo Yanqing You Are Really Kind</strong>


    Milk Bun Ming Han saw Mommy frowning and wouldn¡¯t move to eat the steamed bun, so he couldn¡¯t resist raising his cute little milky voice to persuade Mommy to eat more, ¡°If you don¡¯t eat up, your tummy will feel ufortable!¡±


    Upon hearing this, Kang Li looked at Milk Bun and after a moment, she smiled and nodded her head, ¡°Alright, Mommy will eat more.¡± However, while she said this, in practice, Kang Li only tore off half of the steamed bun, handing the other half to the man, ¡°I can¡¯t finish one by myself, help me out!¡±


    What could Luo Yanqing say?


    He knew he couldn¡¯t say anything, otherwise, the little girl probably wouldn¡¯t even eat the half she was holding; after all, she had said before that just drinking some porridge was fine and she didn¡¯t even want to touch the steamed bun or the vegetables.


    Without a second word, Luo Yanqing nodded, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll help you eat this half.¡±


    ¡°Luo Yanqing, you¡¯re so nice!¡±


    As Kang Li spoke, with her free hand, she sent Luo Yanqing a little finger heart.


    ¡°¡­Stop it.¡±


    After a silence, Luo Yanqing, enduring his difort, let two words slip from his throat.


    ¡°I¡¯m not!¡±


    Kang Li puffed her cheeks and red at the man with a pair of beautiful foxy eyes.


    Luo Yanqing felt a softness in his chest, his voice involuntarily gentling, ¡°Okay, you didn¡¯t, it¡¯s my fault, eat up quickly or the food will get cold.¡±


    He coaxed his girl as if he were soothing a child.


    Yes, she was his, his little girl, his wife, their rtionship protected byw, they would be together forever.


    Upon hearing this, Kang Li curved her lips into a satisfied smile, and at the same time, a sly glint flickered through her foxy eyes, a change in expression that Luo Yanqingpletely took in.


    He shook his head inwardly, somewhat helpless at his little wife¡¯s yfulness.


    Also, Luo Yanqing didn¡¯t realize that his usually indifferent eyes not only softened but were also brimming with indulgence.


    And in this moment, Kang Li had her eyelids lowered, focused on the steamed bun in her hand, naturally missing the change in the man¡¯s gaze.


    ¡­


    The next day.


    It wasn¡¯t fully light yet when Kang Li had already risen, knowing Luo Yanqing had to return to the research institute early in the morning. Thus, she needed to prepare breakfast in advance to prevent him from going to work on an empty stomach.


    Yet, when she got up, Luo Yanqing followed suit, only to head straight for the study after washing up.


    ¡°I¡¯ve prepared breakfast for you, hurry up and eat,¡± she said as soon as she saw the mane out of the study, beckoning him to sit down quickly to eat. Then she added, ¡°I¡¯ll go sort your things out a bit more.¡±


    With that, she walked into the bedroom.


    About five or six minutester, Kang Li returned to the living room holding two bulging travel bags, to find Luo Yanqing had not only finished breakfast but also cleaned up the table, making her somewhat helpless, ¡°Did you wash the dishes too?¡±


    Luo Yanqing nodded, ¡°Yeah.¡± It was just a matter of convenience, a way to help reduce her chores.


    ¡°It¡¯s just a few dishes, it¡¯s no trouble for me to wash them.¡±


    Despite what Kang Li said, she felt incredibly warmed by the man¡¯s action.


    Luo Yanqing moved his lips but remained silent.


    He quietly watched his little wife in front of him, and then stepped forward, walking straight towards the study.


    Watching his tall, upright figure, Kang Li opened her mouth as if to call him back but ultimately gave up.


    She didn¡¯t quite understand what the man was thinking just now. It seemed as though he had something to tell her but he hesitated to speak. And in such a situation, even if she pried his mouth open, he probably still wouldn¡¯t talk.


    ¡°But what exactly did you want to tell me?¡±

 Chapter 370: 370: Could This Letter Contain a Love Letter?

    <strong>Chapter 370: Chapter 370: Could This Letter Contain a Love Letter?</strong>


    Kang Li muttered to herself, ¡°Can¡¯t he just spit it out clearly? Why act all shy about it?¡±


    Really, doesn¡¯t he know people are curious?


    Kang Li huffed with pride and arrogance.


    If he won¡¯t say it, fine, but if he thinks she¡¯s going to ask, he can keep waiting!


    With her head down, Kang Li deliberately avoided looking over toward the study, but upon hearing footsteps approaching, she eventually lifted her head, only to see the person who was bashful just a moment ago walking towards her with an envelope in hand.


    Kang Li froze: ¡°¡­¡± What was this? Could it be a letter for her? No way, they lived under the same roof, slept in the same bed, and had just been standing face-to-face. Why couldn¡¯t he say whatever it was to her directly, rather than running off to the study to write a letter and then bring it out to her?


    Her beautiful fox-like eyes widened as Kang Li couldn¡¯t make heads or tails of the man¡¯s thought process.


    She put down the travel bag she was carrying, rubbed her eyes, and looked again, finding that her Professor Luo indeed had an unsealed letter in his hand, with a nk envelope presumably stuffed with his freshly written words.


    Instead of telling her directly, he had tomunicate through this method¡ªcould it be¡­could it be that the envelope contained a love letter?


    Was it a love letter he had written for her? Could it be what she imagined?


    At this thought, Kang Li¡¯s heart rate involuntarily quickened, her cheeks flushed, and every nerve in her body suddenly tensed!


    Was she getting nervous?


    A long, jade-like hand with distinct knuckles extended towards her, holding a letter between its fingers. Right under her eyelids, she heard the usually indifferent man speak with a hint of nervousness, ¡°Xiao Li, take this. You can read it after I leave, but you must wait until I¡¯m gone!¡±


    Before she could react, the letter was pushed into her hands, and the next moment, the man picked up the travel bag from the floor, turned, and with his long legs, his straight figure disappeared from the living room in the blink of an eye.


    He moved so quickly that she thought her eyes were ying tricks on her; she even doubted if someone had stood before her, if someone had spoken to her.


    Was he shy?


    Kang Li¡¯s lips curled slightly, yet her fox-like eyes were filled withughter. She walked out of the living room towards the courtyard door, secretly thinking: Could it be that he was afraid she¡¯d reject his ¡°love letter¡±?


    But¡­how could that be possible?!


    At the courtyard door.


    The moment Luo Yanqing got into the car, he saw Kang Li walking out of the courtyard. Through the car window, he instinctively wanted to avoid her gaze, but unexpectedly, Kang Li knocked on the window and mouthed, ¡°Luoluo, I¡¯ll read it earnestly!¡± She held up the envelope in her hand and deliberately shook it in front of the car window.


    Seeing this, Luo Yanqing¡¯s fair and handsome face turned crimson in an instant. He looked away from Kang Li and quickly instructed the driver, ¡°Drive.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°¡­¡± Damn, was he so shy that he had to avoid her like this?


    Not only did he not look at her, but he also ordered the driver to speed away as if she were some demonic ghost ready to devour him!


    Withints in her heart, Kang Li¡¯s face, however, beamed with a radiant smile.


    After a while, when the car was no longer in sight, Kang Li withdrew her gaze and turned back into the courtyard, sighing softly, ¡°That was lightning fast; his speed is truly unmatched!¡±


    From handing her the envelope to leaving the living room, exiting the courtyard door, and speeding away in the car, the man¡¯s speed was incredibly fast, fast enough to earn her genuine admiration.


    Walking into the living room, Kang Li reclined on the sofa with azy yet graceful pose. The more she thought about it, the funnier it seemed, until she pulled out the letter and read its contents,

 Chapter 371: 371: Fool! Ive Accepted Your Affection!

    <strong>Chapter 371: Chapter 371: Fool! I¡¯ve epted Your Affection!</strong>


    Fang repressed the low chuckle in her throat, her expression turning serious.


    Slowly, her clear, bright, fox-like eyes filled with gentleness, revealing a shy demeanor.


    ¡°Luo Yanqing¡­¡±


    Mouthing softly, what should she say, someone had sent her an incredibly subtle free verse poem in six differentnguages: French, German, Russian¡­ At the end of each rendition, it emphatically stated, ¡°I like you!¡±


    Kang Li suspected the man knew more than just sixnguages. She thought he was just too coy! If he wanted to express his feelings, why test her intelligence?


    Yes, she had disyed her linguistic talents in front of him, but only her fluent English; she had never spoken any othernguage.


    Was he not afraid she wouldn¡¯t understand?


    Well, someone had thought about that.


    Because the sixthnguage was English. Hmm, as Kang Li¡¯s eyes moved to thest piece of paper, a big smile appeared on her beautiful face, ¡°You even knew to write it in our ownnguage for me. Okay, I get it, you like me!¡±


    Just one ¡°I like you,¡± was it so hard for you to say? Indeed, with your innocent, adorable, reticent nature, saying ¡°I like you¡± to my face probably feels more challenging than breaking through a tough project in theb.


    ¡°Fool! I ept your affection!¡±


    The beautiful fox eyes quietly focused on the letters in her hand, a smile lingering on Kang Li¡¯s lips: ¡°I like you too! This letter is the best New Year¡¯s gift I¡¯ve received, and I will treasure it.¡±


    Honestly, judging from the free verse poem he wrote, it really didn¡¯t seem like it was from someone with a science and technology background.


    And Kang Li was sure this poem was written by him, not copied from some book, because the choice and arrangement of words bore the concise style of Professor Luo.


    Furthermore, instinct told her that the free verse poem in her hands was definitely, absolutely written by him¡­


    Around nine thirty, Kang Li, carrying gifts and preparing to head out with her three kids.


    She was going to visit Grandma Yu¡¯s home, especially since on New Year¡¯s Eve, Grandma Yu had insisted on the invitation before she left and emphasized that she would be waiting at home for her visit.


    Since she had promised, she naturally couldn¡¯t break her word.


    Kang Li decided, once they were out of the courtyard, to hail a taxi to Grandma Yu¡¯s home.


    Speaking of which,st night before bed, Kang Li had asked Luo Yanqing about taxis, learning in big cities like North City and Haicheng, taxis did exist but were not abundant.


    Not many, roughly around 200 in number.


    The reasons?


    One was regtory issues, another was the habit of frugality and not wanting to spend too much, and then there was the concern about setting a bad example.


    But Kang Li couldn¡¯t worry about that today, as she wasn¡¯t going out alone but was taking the three kids with her. Riding a bus would truly be inconvenient.


    Not to mention she was carrying gifts, and just thinking about managing the three kids on a bus or even walking on the street felt troublesome.


    Kang Li didn¡¯t want to take any risks, so taking a taxi today was essential.


    However, what Kang Li didn¡¯t expect was that as she was leading the three kids out of the living room, someone knocked on the courtyard door.


    ¡°Who is it?¡±


    Calling the three little ones to follow, she quickly walked a few steps, and carrying the gifts, she opened the courtyard door to see a middle-aged man with a simple, smiling face who said, ¡°Hellorade, you are Comrade Kang Li, right?¡±

 Chapter 372: 372: Not Afraid of Being Laughed at for Being Superficial

    <strong>Chapter 372: Chapter 372: Not Afraid of Being Laughed at for Being Superficial</strong>


    Kang Li nodded, ¡°Yes, I am.¡±


    The middle-agedrade said, ¡°My name is Geng Lin, I am a taxi driver. Arade named Luo Yanqing called ourpany early this morning¡­¡±


    Upon hearing this, Kang Li understood what the taxi driver meant. Her husband, Professor Luo, had called without her knowledge before leaving early this morning to hire two taxis for the entire day to make it convenient for her to take the three kids to visit Grandma Yu.


    Ignoring the curious nces from those around her, Kang Li, with the help of Comrade Geng, the taxi driver, put the gifts in the car and then carried the three kids into the vehicle before she got in herself.


    After giving Grandma Yu¡¯s address, Kang Li moved Milk Bun Ming Han to her other side to make it easier for her to reach out with both hands and hold all three kids securely, to prevent them from getting hurt by inertia if the driver had to brake suddenly.


    In fact, Kang Li was being a bit overcautious.


    These days, there were very few vehicles on the roads, and pedestrians generally abided by traffic rules, so incidents like sudden braking were unlikely to happen.


    However, it was always better to be safe than sorry.


    ¡°Mom, where is Aunt Kang going? She even called a taxi for transportation?¡±


    Xue Ying and her sister Xue Yin, along with their brothers Xue Chong and Xue Ming, followed their mother Fang Ju out of the yard. They were preparing to visit rtives when, just as they stepped out of the yard, they saw Kang Li putting little Min Rui and the three kids into the taxi and getting in herself. Curious, Xue Ying couldn¡¯t help but ask her mother.


    ¡°Are you silly? Ruirui and the others are still so young. Isn¡¯t it obvious that your Aunt Kang is going out to visit rtives? Do you think she could manage to take Ruirui and his siblings on the bus by herself?¡±


    Fang Ju nced at her daughter Yingying and then asked her eldest son Xue Chong, ¡°Is the yard gate locked?¡±


    Xue Chong nodded.


    Fang Ju said, ¡°Then let¡¯s go.¡±


    The four siblings Xue Chong, Xue Ming, Xue Ying, and Xue Yin all responded with ¡°Mm¡± and followed behind their mother Fang Ju, each with a big smile on their faces, excited to visit their maternal grandparents.


    As they passed by the gate of Researcher Zhang Sheng¡¯s home, Fang Ju was called out to by Zhang Sheng¡¯s spouse, Loo Ping: ¡°Fang Ju, did you see that? Comrade Kang actually called a taxi to take the kids out.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Fang Ju replied with a smile, ¡°Teacher Loo, as you¡¯ve also mentioned, Comrade Kang is going out with three kids. If she didn¡¯t call a car, she probably wouldn¡¯t even dare to leave our courtyard, right?¡±


    Loo Ping was stunned.


    Fang Ju continued, ¡°Ruirui and the others are so young. Do you think it¡¯s safe for them to take the bus, Teacher Loo?¡±


    Loo Ping gave a forced smile, ¡°It¡¯s pretty unsafe.¡±


    Fang Ju said, ¡°It¡¯s not just pretty unsafe; it¡¯s very unsafe! Comrade Kang only has two hands after all. She¡¯s clearly going to visit rtives, and with gift items in her hands, how could she look after three children on the street? The practical situation is obvious; she needed to call a taxi!¡±


    Feeling like her face had been pped resoundingly, Loo Ping weaklyughed, ¡°You¡¯re right, you can¡¯t let the children suffer an ident on the road just because of visiting rtives.¡±


    ¡°d that you understand, Teacher Loo,¡± said Fang Ju, nodding indifferently. ¡°I won¡¯t keep you; I have to take the kids to my mother¡¯s house. I wonder how busy the buses are today.¡± Without waiting for Loo Ping to respond, Fang Ju beckoned to her sons and daughters to follow, and they gradually walked further away.


    ¡°Some people are too thin-skinned to worry about beingughed at.¡±


    Su Man was standing at her own yard gate, basking in the sun, and overheard the conversation between Loo Ping and Fang Ju very clearly.

 Chapter 373: 373: Dont Believe It

    <strong>Chapter 373: Chapter 373: Don¡¯t Believe It</strong>


    Seeing Fang Ju leading Xue Chong and the four siblings away, she spat toward the direction of Loo Ping¡¯s courtyard gate, her eyes full of disdain.


    ¡°Who are you saying has shallow eyesight?¡±


    The doors of the two houses faced each other, and the distance wasn¡¯t far, so Loo Ping saw and heard what Su Man had said, instantly ring angrily.


    ¡°Whoever responds, that¡¯s who I¡¯m talking about!¡±


    Su Man ¡°heh¡± scoffed, sneering, ¡°If you had extra money, you could also call a taxi to pick you up at your door to visit rtives. Why stand there jealous of others taking a taxi?¡±


    Loo Ping, ¡°Whether I am jealous or not, what does it have to do with you? If you¡¯re capable, call a taxi to take you to visit your rtives too!¡± Little bitch, she had only stirred things up a bit before, was it necessary to hold a grudge till now, looking at her like she wasn¡¯t even a person?


    ¡°Just you wait, I will show you whether or not I can afford to call a taxi to visit rtives.¡± Tomorrow her mom was hosting guests, and she definitely needed to call a taxi to take her there; otherwise, if something happened to her on the way, it would be toote for regrets.


    As for whether she would bring Wen Yue and the Third Sister along, Su Man hadn¡¯t thought about it.


    ¡°Mom, is Grandma Yu¡¯s house far?¡±


    In the taxi, Milk Bun Ming Han looked up at his mom and asked in his child¡¯s voice.


    Kang Li: ¡°It¡¯s not very far.¡±


    Milk Bun Ming Han asked again, ¡°Mom, when we go home, will we take this ¡®car car¡¯ too?¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°Yes, we will take this same car on our way home.¡± She shifted her gaze to the taxi driver, ¡°Comrade Geng, you can drop us off and don¡¯t need to wait outside. You can go on with other fares, and juste back to pick us up around three o¡¯clock in the afternoon.¡±


    The taxi driver: ¡°But Comrade Luo Yanqing mentioned on the phone that it was paid for the day, and before I set out, Comrade Luo Yanqing had someonee to our office and pay the fee.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°It¡¯s fine, just do as I said.¡±


    The taxi driver: ¡°In that case, I will report your situation back to the office, and they will refund youter.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°No need really, but if your office has your own regtions, then follow your office¡¯s regtions.¡±


    The taxi driver smiled and nodded, ¡°Okay.¡± During the Spring Festival, their office performed the best; having the ability to serve more passengers not only made the management happy but also the taxi drivers, since good performance could mean bonuses for the month.


    At the research institute, Luo Yanqing was immersed in his work, unaware of the arrangement between Kang Li and the taxi driver; even if he knew, he would probably still listen to his wife one hundred percent.


    His sole purpose of paying for the taxi for the whole day was just to make it convenient for his wife and son to travel to Grandma Yu¡¯s house and back to thepound.


    As for other matters, Luo Yanqing hadn¡¯t considered them and wouldn¡¯t spend time thinking about them further.


    Director¡¯s office.


    ¡°Can you tell me why?¡±


    Shen Yun¡¯s lips were slightly pursed as she faced Director Song¡¯s gaze, ¡°I would like to know the reason?¡±


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t I clear enough?¡±


    Director Song felt bewildered as he looked at Shen Yun incredulously, ¡°Afterpleting your entry formalities, you immediately requested to join Comrade Luo Yanqing¡¯s project team, but I clearly told you that Comrade Luo Yanqing¡¯s project team is not short of people. Joining now would only cause inconvenience to Comrade Luo Yanqing and other members of his team.¡±


    Shen Yun didn¡¯t believe Director Song¡¯s words, a flicker of doubt crossed her eyes, but she still asked, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t be denying me because I admire Comrade Luo Yanqing, thus not letting me join his project team, would you?¡±

 Chapter 374: 374 Warning

    <strong>Chapter 374: Chapter 374 Warning</strong>


    ¡°Do you admire Comrade Luo Yanqing?¡±


    Director Song showed a look of surprise, ¡°When did this happen?¡±


    Shen Yun, ¡°Didn¡¯t Comrade Qi tell you?¡±


    Director Song shook his head.


    Shen Yun fell silent, then after a long pause, she spoke again, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I will follow the arrangement of the department and join Professor Wang¡¯s project team.¡± As her words fell, Shen Yun turned to leave.


    ¡°Little Shen, wait a moment.¡±


    Director Song called her back.


    Shen Yun turned to face Director Song again, ¡°Director, do you have another matter?¡±


    Director Song, ¡°Comrade Shen Yun, regardless of how you feel about my son-inw Yanqing, you must know he is a married man. I do not want to hear any rumors in the department that might harm the rtionship between my son-inw and my daughter. Do you understand?¡±


    Shen Yun pursed her lips and did not speak for a long time.


    Director Song¡¯s expression grew stern, ¡°I spoke to you just now as a father, but if you cannot control your personal feelings and cause trouble for Comrade Luo Yanqing and the project team you are involved in, I will report your behavior to the higher authorities and let them decide your fate.¡±


    Shen Yun, ¡°Are you belittling me, Director?¡±


    Director Song remained stern, ¡°Whether I am belittling you will depend on what you do in the future. Alright, you may go now!¡± He waved his hand, signaling Shen Yun could leave.


    Shen Yun gave a bitter smile, ¡°Rest assured, Director, I know how to prioritize and differentiate between professional and personal.¡± With that, Shen Yun turned and left.


    However, Director Song was not reassured by Shen Yun¡¯s words and remained uneasy.


    She had stayed abroad for three more years post her study period, iming she was continuing her studies at her own expense. Now, nearly four years after that period had ended, despite the domestic situation, she returned and directly proposed joining the institute he headed.


    It turned out¡­ she was targeting his son-inw!


    Thinking so, Director Song¡¯s fondness for Shen Yun diminished greatly in an instant, with only a hint remaining solely for her value as a scientific talent.


    But if this person harbored ulterior motives, even with her strong personal capabilities, he would find a way to transfer her.


    In any case, no one was allowed to disrupt his daughter Li Bao¡¯s marriage!


    ¡°Li Bao, you¡¯re here,¡± Old Lady Yu eximed, ever so pleased. She had been preparing in the kitchen, continuously sending Old Man Xiao to the front of the yard to see if Kang Li¡¯s family had arrived.


    At that moment, seeing Kang Li arrive with Xiao Ming Rui, Old Lady Yu was very happy.


    Kang Li, ¡°I said today I¡¯de over to pay respects to you and Grandpa Xiao for the New Year. Naturally, I wouldn¡¯t forget the date.¡±


    ¡°Very good,e in, let¡¯s sit inside where it¡¯s warm.¡±


    Old Lady Yu, smiling brightly, led Kang Li¡¯s mother and the others toward the main house.


    Old Man Xiao ced the gifts Kang Li had brought on a table near the wall and said to Old Lady Yu, ¡°You chat with Li Bao, I¡¯ll go to the kitchen to cook.¡±


    Old Lady Yu, ¡°Alright, go ahead. I¡¯ve prepared everything; you just need to cook.¡± Saying so, after seeing Old Man Xiao leave the main house, Old Lady Yu told Kang Li, ¡°Your Grandpa Xiao learned his cooking skills years ago when he was working with a master chef at a restaurant. Let him show off his cooking today for you all.¡±


    The Yu family had once owned tworge restaurants in North City, and in his youth, Old Man Xiao had truly learned from a master chef in a Yu family restaurant for several years¡ªpartly as arranged by the benefactor family and partly from personal interest, as he had fancied the young Miss of the family and wanted to have a chance to cook for her.

 Chapter 375: 375 Reluctant

    <strong>Chapter 375: Chapter 375 Reluctant</strong>


    I never expected that this idea would actuallye true.


    However, regarding the two big restaurants of the Yu Family, both are now adorned with government signs and called state-owned restaurants.


    Kang Li, ¡°Okay, I¡¯m looking forward to eating the dishes made by Grandpa Xiao, but can Grandpa Xiao handle the kitchen by himself?¡±


    Old Lady Yu, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, everything is well-prepared. Your Grandpa Xiao is truly just stir-frying and then serving the dishes.¡±


    Kang Li smiled, ¡°Then I¡¯ll help Grandpa Xiao with serving the dishester.¡±


    Old Lady Yu, ¡°Good.¡±


    Just as Old Lady Yu said, Old Man Xiao¡¯s cooking skills were truly extraordinary. To be fair, they could definitelypare with the master chef of the state-owned restaurant.


    Whether it was the color of the dishes, the presentation, or the taste, Kang Li¡¯s evaluation was top-notch!


    Although, to be honest, the vor was slightly different from hers, it was nheless delicious beyond words.


    After 2:30 in the afternoon, Kang Li proposed to take her leave because Master Geng, the taxi driver, had already driven to the entrance of the Wen Family Courtyard. To avoid dying him from picking up other passengers, and seeing that Xiao Ming Rui was obviously lethargic, apparently in need of a nap, Kang Li had no choice but to get up and say goodbye to the two from the Yu Family.


    ¡°Li Bao, Grandma Yu will have someone install a telephone at home. Then Grandma Yu will call your home¡¯s number and tell you our number,¡± said Old Lady Yu as she walked Kang Li and her mother to the courtyard entrance, holding Kang Li¡¯s hand. Hearing this, Kang Li nodded and responded with a smile, ¡°Okay.¡± She then heard Old Lady Yu say, ¡°With a telephone, we can talk more often.¡±


    Kang Li nodded, ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡±


    Old Lady Yu, ¡°Take good care of yourself. You¡¯re too thin, and you look frail. Don¡¯t overwork yourself, understand?¡±


    Kang Li, ¡°I take good care of my health, so rest assured, Grandma Yu. But you and Grandpa Xiao should take good care of yourselves, too. I will often bring the children to visit you.¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s inconvenient for you toe over, we two old folks will visit you.¡±


    Gently patting the back of Kang Li¡¯s hand, Old Lady Yu, despite looking reluctant, said, ¡°Get in the car, the driver is waiting.¡±


    ¡°Goodbye.¡± Kang Li waved, and after she and Xiao Ming Rui got into the car, she looked out of the car window at the two elderly people and waved again, ¡°Goodbye Grandma Yu! Goodbye Grandpa Xiao!¡±


    Old Lady Yu and Old Man Xiao waved back, ¡°Goodbye.¡±


    ¡°The child has left.¡± Watching the taxi drive away, Old Man Xiao said, ¡°Let¡¯s go inside.¡±


    Old Lady Yu casually wiped the corner of her eyes, ¡°I know, I know, I¡¯m going in now. You always treat me like a three-year-old, afraid I¡¯ll catch a cold from the wind.¡±


    Old Man Xiao reminded her, ¡°You know your health, if you want to see Li Bao more often, you need to take better care of yourself.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need you to tell me that; I¡¯ll try to live another twenty or thirty years,¡± Old Lady Yu exaggeratedly dered.


    Yet deep down, she knew that in one¡¯s life, fortune and misfortune, life and death, can hinge on a single moment¡ªnothing is certain.


    But she still hoped to live for many more years, otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t be able to rest easy¡­


    Back at home, as soon as Xiao Ming Rui and the kids hit the bed, they closed their eyes and fell into a deep sleep.


    To prevent the children from catching a cold after waking up in their coats, Kang Li took off their thick cotton outerwear one by one, so that the kids could sleep morefortably.


    ¡­


    The next day, which was the fourth day of the new year, after lunch around twelve o¡¯clock, Kang Li and Xiao Ming Rui were cleaning up the kitchen when they suddenly heard a child¡¯s heart-wrenching criesing from the neighboring Wen family courtyard.

 Chapter 376: 376 Kang Li Rebukes

    <strong>Chapter 376: Chapter 376 Kang Li Rebukes</strong>


    ¡°Wuu wuu¡­ Aunt Kang! Aunt Kang, pleasee to our house quickly, save my sister! Wuu wuu¡­ Aunt Kang! Help!¡±


    It was the crying of Wen Yi from the neighbors¡¯ house.


    Kang Li¡¯s expression changed, she quickly dropped the rag in her hand, and without further thought, first hurried into her own living room to give Xiao Ming Rui a quick instruction, then rushed out towards the Wen family next door.


    By the time Kang Li entered the Wen Family Courtyard, Teacher Loo from the house opposite the Wen¡¯s and people who were passing by the Wen¡¯s gate, as well as another neighbor of the Wen¡¯s, had alle over.


    ¡°Yueyue, your hand has been scalded by boiling water!¡±


    ¡°Wen Yi, where¡¯s your mom?¡±


    ¡°Howe there¡¯s no adult at home?¡±


    ¡°Yueyue, did you scald yourself while cooking, right?¡±


    ¡­


    Without saying much, Kang Li, as soon as she saw the burn on Wen Yue¡¯s left hand, immediately started emergency treatment, rolling up the sleeve of Wen Yue¡¯s cotton-padded jacket at the wrist and taking the little girl to the tap to repeatedly rinse the scalded area with running water.


    Seeing that the little girl had tears in her eyes yet did not let them fall, not crying out even once, touched Kang Li¡¯s heart and brought forth her disgust towards Su Man.


    If one has be a stepmother, shouldn¡¯t she fulfill her responsibilities and take good care of the young children?


    ¡°Mommy went to visit rtives, mommy wouldn¡¯t take Little Fish, wouldn¡¯t take my oldest sister and second sister!¡±


    This was Wen Yu¡¯s voice, the little girl was sniffling and huping with sobs, telling everyone that her mother was not at home.


    Some people, seeing they couldn¡¯t be of much help and that the burns on the back of Wen Yue¡¯s hand and the outside of the wrist didn¡¯t seem very serious, turned and went back to their own homes.


    However, Loo Ping stayed put, constantly criticizing Su Man.


    ¡°Aunt Kang, you don¡¯t know, Xiao Su, topete with you, to prove herself, took a taxi from their courtyard gate to her parents¡¯ house to visit rtives at around ten in the morning. At that time, I didn¡¯t see Wen Yue and her sisters and found it strange. Little did I expect that Xiao Su would go this far, going alone to her parents¡¯ house to enjoy herself,pletely neglecting the three kids left at home.¡±


    ¡°I think she must be blinded by her own selfishness to be so unconcerned about anything else.¡±


    ¡°In my opinion, we must call Comrade Wen, lest Xiao Su never learns and keeps neglecting the three children at home.¡±


    Each sentence was said by Loo Ping, and Kang Li had not interrupted at all.


    ¡°Xiao Loo, Xiao Wen must be busy at the station, and if you rashly call there, what¡¯s the point? Could it be that you want him toe back and divorce Xiao Su? Don¡¯t forget, Xiao Su is carrying Xiao Wen¡¯s baby!¡±


    The person speaking was Xu Mei, the female owner of another house next to the Wen¡¯s.


    She looked to be in her forties, rather plump, and from her appearance, she seemed like someone easy to get along with.


    However, since Kang Li was not familiar with her, she naturally didn¡¯t think to strike up a conversation.


    ¡°Sister Xu, look at what you¡¯re saying. Whether Teacher Wen and Xiao Su divorce or not has nothing to do with me. I just can¡¯t stand seeing Xiao Su mistreat Yueyue and her sisters. Besides, sister-inw, have you ever thought that if Xiao Su is like this to the three girls even before her child is born, what if she has a sonter on¡­¡±


    Kang Li noticed Wen Yue¡¯s face was bing increasingly wrong and with a trace of hatred in her eyes, and she swiftly interrupted Loo Ping in a cold voice, ¡°Teacher Loo, you should know which words are appropriate to say and which are not, shouldn¡¯t you, as a teacher?¡±


    Loo Ping was taken aback. When she saw Wen Yue¡¯s expression, her heart skipped a beat, and she quickly thought of making amends, for fear that if Wen Yue remembered her words and acted against Su Man, wouldn¡¯t she be responsible for serious consequences?

 Chapter 377: 377 The Hindsight

    <strong>Chapter 377: Chapter 377 The Hindsight</strong>


    But she opened her mouth and eventually only said to Wen Yue, ¡°Yueyue, what Auntie said just now was nonsense¡­¡±


    Facing Wen Yue¡¯s unwavering gaze, Loo Ping couldn¡¯t muster the words to continue.


    At that moment, Aunt Kang spoke up, ¡°Let¡¯s go, to Auntie¡¯s house. I¡¯ll apply some burn cream for you.¡± Saying this, Kang Li took Wen Yue¡¯s unscathed hand and turned to the now-silent Wen Yi and Wen Yu, ¡°Do you want to go to Auntie¡¯s house too?¡±


    Wen Yi and Wen Yu nodded their little heads.


    ¡°Thene with Auntie.¡±


    Kang Li smiled and beckoned the sisters to follow her.


    Outside the Wen Family Courtyard, watching Kang Li lead Wen Yue and her two sisters into her own yard, the middle-aged woman called Sister-inw Xu by Loo Ping, who was none other than Xu Mei, couldn¡¯t help but say to Loo Ping, ¡°We¡¯re all neighbors here. Can¡¯t you watch what you say, especially since you¡¯re an elementary school teacher? If Xiao Su finds out what you said inside her family¡¯s courtyard, and in front of Wen Yue and her sisters no less, do you believe she won¡¯t let you have it?¡±


    ¡°Sister, I¡­¡±


    Loo Ping¡¯s face was a picture of embarrassment as she fumbled for words.


    Xu Mei said, ¡°Especially the things you shouldn¡¯t have said in front of Wen Yue and her sisters. What¡¯s the point of me saying this now? You¡¯d better just take care of yourself!¡± With that, she turned and headed toward her own courtyard gate.


    As she watched the other enter the gate, Loo Ping¡¯s face immediately turned sour, ¡°If she truly cared, why didn¡¯t she warn me before I spoke? Instead, she criticizes me only afterward!¡±


    The Luo Family.


    Kang Li brought the three Wen sisters home and not only treated Wen Yue¡¯s burned hand with disinfectant but also applied burn ointment. After all this, the tears in Wen Yue¡¯s eyes finally began to fall.


    ¡°Does it hurt a lot, the injury on your hand?¡±


    The back of the little girl¡¯s hand and the area near the wrist did have some burns, but they were only superficially reddened skin. Before she even brought the girls home, she had administered timely treatment, and now she had done even more with disinfection and burn ointment. It shouldn¡¯t have hurt so much that the girl would cry nonstop like rain pouring from the sky, her tears falling like heavy beads.


    Confusion tinged Aunt Kang¡¯s fox-like eyes, mixed with concern, ¡°Would you like Aunt Kang to blow on it for you?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt¡­ Aunt Kang, my hand doesn¡¯t hurt¡­¡± Wen Yue sobbed as she shook her head, ncing at her little sisters Wen Yi and Wen Yu who were sitting in a row on the couch watching TV, sniffed, and said to Kang Li, ¡°I just feel that Ming Rui, Hanhan, and Vivi are luckier than me and my sisters Wen Yi and Wen Yu!¡±


    Kang Li patted the little girl¡¯s head and said with a smile, ¡°You and your two sisters are very lucky too.¡±


    ¡°No, we¡¯re not lucky.¡±


    Large tears fell from Wen Yue¡¯s eyes as she shook her head, ¡°My mom and dad are divorced, she married some other uncle and has a new family, she doesn¡¯t want me and my sister anymore¡­ And my dad, he married that woman¡­¡±


    Before Wen Yue could continue, Aunt Kang, with a voice that was both clear and soothing, interrupted the girl, ¡°Wen Yue, you are a smart girl. You should think about happy things every day. Although Auntie doesn¡¯t know why your mom and dad got divorced, Auntie believes that they both surely love you and your sister. It¡¯s just that the adult world isplex, and if there are things you can¡¯t understand right now, don¡¯t think about them. When you grow up, you will understand all those things you didn¡¯t understand before.¡±


    ¡°But I don¡¯t have any happy things. Ever since my mom left, I¡¯ve been unhappy every day. I miss my mom, but I know it will be hard for me to see her again.¡±

 Chapter 378: 378: Then... Is She Not Wrong?

    <strong>Chapter 378: Chapter 378: Then¡­ Is She Not Wrong?</strong>


    As Wen Yue spoke, she seemed to bepletely engulfed by an atmosphere of sadness. Seeing this, Kang Li sighed softly and said, ¡°How could you not have any happy memories? Think about your teachers, think about your ssmates, think about your little sister. Aren¡¯t they very caring when they¡¯re with you on a daily basis? And think about your dad, think about those rtives who love you. How do they cherish and care for you?¡±


    ¡°Wen Yue, a little child shouldn¡¯t think of things as tooplicated. When your dad married Comrade Su and brought her home, in the end, it was also to have someone take care of you three sisters. Otherwise, when your dad gets busy with work at the office for months on end, if something happened to you and your sisters at home without anyone to look after you, he would definitely feel very upset and me himself.¡±


    After a short pause, Kang Li continued, ¡°As for you saying it¡¯ll be hard to see your mom again, that won¡¯t be the case.¡±


    ¡°Why not? My dad said my mom is no longer in North City.¡±


    Wen Yue asked with a sob in her voice.


    Kang Li smiled, ¡°Once you grow up, no matter where your mom is, if you spend some time searching, you¡¯ll definitely find her. Besides, your mom must also be worried about you three sisters. Maybe one day she¡¯lle back to see you.¡±


    Wen Yue stopped the tears in her eyes, ¡°Really?¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°Wen Yue is so adorable, how could Aunt Kang possibly lie to you? So from today on, you should listen to the adults at home, be happy every day, eat well, grow up diligently, and by the time you be a big girl, you¡¯ll find that what you¡¯re worrying about right now doesn¡¯t really matter.¡±


    ¡°But I don¡¯t like that bad woman in my house!¡±


    Wen Yue pouted, ¡°She¡¯s not nice to me and my sisters Wen Yi and Wen Yu at all. During winter vacation, she made me cook by myself, or else I, Little Yi, and Little Fish would all go hungry¡­ Today she went out and only left a message for me to watch the door with Little Yi and Little Fish, without saying anything else.¡±


    Touching the little girl¡¯s head again, Kang Li said with a smile, ¡°Children should respect their elders, and besides, Comrade Su is now your dad¡¯s wife, your new mom for the three sisters. If you keep calling Comrade Su a bad woman in public, would she be happy if she heard that? Let¡¯s put it this way, if someone always tells others that you are a naughty child behind your back, how would you feel when you find out?¡±


    Wen Yue: ¡°Angry, and I¡¯d ignore that person who speaks ill of me!¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°Exactly, anyone would feel angry and ignore someone who talks badly about them. Now, think about it, why would Comrade Su ask you to cook for yourself, or else you and your sister would go hungry?¡±


    ¡°I often say the food she cooks doesn¡¯t taste good, and I¡¯ve even thrown chopsticks in front of her, moring that I wouldn¡¯t eat her cooking again, and I wouldn¡¯t let Little Yi and Little Fish eat it either.¡±


    As Wen Yue spoke, she slowly lowered her head.


    Kang Li: ¡°Now you understand, right? It was your fault first, that¡¯s why Comrade Su got upset and said those harsh words about cooking for yourself. A good child knows to admit their mistakes¡ªthis is how adultse to like you.¡±


    Wen Yue looked up at Kang Li again: ¡°Then¡­ does she not have any faults?¡±


    Kang Li was taken aback at first, then replied, ¡°Everyone can make mistakes. Let¡¯s not go too far back; just today, leaving the three sisters at home alone, that was not right on her part.¡±


    Biting her lip in silence for a while, Wen Yue asked with an innocent voice, ¡°Aunt Kang, why are you nice to Ruirui and the others?¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°Because Ruirui and the others are my children, naturally I should be good to them.¡±

 Chapter 379: 379: Xiao Ming Ruis Trio: Making a Fuss over Nothing!

    <strong>Chapter 379: Chapter 379: Xiao Ming Rui¡¯s Trio: Making a Fuss over Nothing!</strong>


    Wen Yue: ¡°But they aren¡¯t born from you, Aunt Kang. We all know that Ruirui and the others have their own mom.¡±


    ¡°After I married Ruirui¡¯s dad, Ruirui and the others naturally became my kids too.¡±


    The little girl wasn¡¯t very big, but her mind was filled with quite a lot of stuff.


    Even Kang Li found herself somewhat envious.


    ¡°If the new mom my dad brought home was like Aunt Kang, I would definitely like the new mom! Aunt Kang, I¡¯m really envious that Ruirui and the others have such a great new mom like you!¡±


    Aunt Kang looked like a fairy girl, and she spoke gently, truly caring for the children. She could feel it, unlike the woman at her own house, who always seemed insincere to her.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to be envious. From now on, if you have any thoughts, just speak up confidently to Comrade Su. Don¡¯t get upset on your own, and avoid saying unpleasant things that could anger Comrade Su. I believe that Comrade Su will be good to you three sisters.¡±


    Kang Li said this, and although Wen Yue was quietly listening, the clever little girl did not entirely agree. In her mind, the woman at her house would never sincerely be kind to her and her two sisters.


    However, the little girl still nodded: ¡°I¡¯ll remember what Aunt Kang said!¡± Standing up, the little girl bowed earnestly to Kang Li: ¡°Thank you, Aunt Kang! If it wasn¡¯t for you treating the cut on my hand, I would definitely be in so much pain right now!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, what¡¯s there to thank me for?!¡± Pinching the little girl¡¯s nose affectionately, Kang Li spoke warmly: ¡°Go watch some TV with your brother and sisters; I¡¯ll make some noodles for you three sisters.¡±


    Wen Yue wanted to say it wasn¡¯t necessary, but just then her stomach coincidentally let out a ¡°gurgle,¡± a clear sign of hunger.


    Her face flushed with embarrassment, Wen Yue shyly lowered her head, still stubbornly said: ¡°Aunt Kang, I¡¯m really not hungry!¡±


    Kang Li smiled and shook her head. She didn¡¯t say a word and went straight to the kitchen.


    ¡­


    ¡°Aunt Kang, the food you make is so delicious!¡±


    It was just a simple meal of poached eggs in clear soup with noodles, but with Kang Li¡¯s excellent cooking skills, even the simplest dish became unbelievably tasty.


    Moreover, it was only the third day of the new year, and she couldn¡¯t just casually cook up some noodles with a poached egg thrown in for the three little girls.


    ¡°The eggs, meat, and noodles are all delicious, Little Fish loves it, so fragrant!¡±


    Seeing big sister empty her bowl of soup, Little Fish, aka Wen Yu, followed suit without missing a beat, spooning the soup into her mouth one sip at a time.


    Before serving the noodles, Kang Li not only fried three poached eggs but also sliced some ham and briefly fried it in the pan. Then, she cooked the noodles and poured the clear soup into a bowl.


    What¡¯s worth mentioning is that before adding the clear soup to the bowl, Kang Li put in some dried shrimps, seaweed, green onion, along with a little soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, and a proper amount of salt and chicken essence.


    Okay, the chicken essence was undoubtedly from the System Mall.


    The fragrant poached egg clear soup with noodles was served, and Wen Yue and her two sisters couldn¡¯t help but salivate, mesmerized by the poached eggs and ham slices in the bowls, their eyes shining like bright, twinkling stars.


    Now the three sisters had cleaned their bowlspletely, leaving not a drop of soup, one after another happilyplimenting Aunt Kang with ttery.


    Little Min Rui and the other two were still seated in a row on the sofa watching TV, but they pricked up their ears, listening to Wen Yue and her sisters singing their mom¡¯s praises, and thought to themselves: They¡¯re making a big deal over nothing!

 Chapter 380: 380: Unease

    <strong>Chapter 380: Chapter 380: Unease</strong>


    Mom was theirs, and they knew early on how delicious the food she cooked was!


    Around one-thirty, Wen Yue packed up the burn ointment Kang Li had given her and took her two younger sisters back to their own home.


    After sending the three little girls to the courtyard gate, Kang Li returned to the living room and looked at Xiao Ming Rui and the three children. ¡°Ruirui, isn¡¯t it time for you to go back to your room for a nap?¡±


    Xiao Ming Rui nodded.


    The twin with mixed-sex also nodded their little heads. ¡°Okay.¡± They slid off the sofa and followed behind their brother Min Rui, obediently heading to the bedroom.


    Turning off the TV, Kang Li tidied up the living room, then went to the trio¡¯s bedroom.


    ¡°Mommy, tell us a story.¡±


    Milk Bun Ming Hany on his bed, and when he saw his mom enter, he immediately raised his milky voice, requesting a bedtime story.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    After cing the three little ones¡¯ cotton coats neatly, Kang Li sat on the chair and started to tell the story of the idiom ¡°Drawing a boat to seek a sword.¡±


    Time dripped away, and only the clear, gentle, and beautiful voice of Kang Li flowed in the room.


    Somewhere along the way, the three children closed their eyes, and Kang Li¡¯s story reached its end.


    She stood up, tucked the nkets properly over the three of them, and quietly left the room.


    Next door at Wen¡¯s family, Su Man took a taxi from her maternal home and arrived to find the house eerily quiet. Her heart tightened, and she forced down her anxiety, step by step, walking towards Sister Wen Yue¡¯s room.


    The door was ajar, and she gently pushed it open.


    ¡°So well-behaved!¡±


    Seeing the three Wen sisters lying on the bed taking a nap, Su Man was surprised and couldn¡¯t help but mutter, ¡°Howe you three are not this well-behaved when I am home? Today I go back to my mother¡¯s house, and you all climb into bed to take a nap on your own.¡±


    But as Su Man¡¯s gaze fell on the left hand that Wen Yue exposed outside the nket, her pupils suddenly shrank: It was a burn from hot water!


    The skin was red, with a few water blisters the size of mung beans¡­


    Su Man saw this, her feet staggered momentarily, and she immediately turned to the kitchen.


    Sure enough, the kitchen floor was wet, the kettle was set aside, the stove was off, and a few cabbage leaves along with a green oniony on the chopping block, and the bundle of noodles she had gotten out before she left was still in its ce.


    Had they not eaten lunch yet?!


    Her eyes flickered slightly, Su Man¡¯s lips were tightly pressed as she came out of the kitchen and looked in the direction of the two neighboring houses.


    Wen Yue that wretched girl must have burnt her hand with hot water, probably scaring the little ones into crying out loud, which would inevitably attract outsiders to the house.


    Just as she was thinking this, Su Man heard a knock on the courtyard door.


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    Looking towards the courtyard entrance, Su Man frowned slightly, not knowing who would visit at this time.


    With a ¡°creak¡±, the courtyard door was pushed open, and Mrs. Qi walked in.


    Su Man looked puzzled. ¡°Comrade Qi¡­ do you need something from me?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Mrs. Qi nodded.


    ¡°Let¡¯s sit in the living room.¡± Su Man led the way, and Mrs. Qi followed her, and they entered the living room.


    Speaking of which, all the womenrades in this courtyard were overseen by Mrs. Qi, or in other words, Mrs. Qi was sort of the ¡°Women¡¯s Federation Director¡± of the courtyard. Anyone in the families could approach Mrs. Qi for help with conflicts or unfair treatment of women and children.


    And as for the incident that urred at Wen¡¯s family this noon, somehow it reached Mrs. Qi¡¯s ears, and it had upset Mrs. Qi so much that she had lost her appetite for lunch.


    She felt that Su Man was really excessive; with her husband busy contributing to the state at his work unit, Su Man, as thedy,

 Chapter 381: 381 Crafty Arguments

    <strong>Chapter 381: Chapter 381 Crafty Arguments</strong>


    Well aware that Wen Yue and her two sisters were still young, she neglectfully went back to her maternal home to visit rtives, leaving the children at home to fend for themselves and to somehow prepare their own lunch.


    What was she trying to aplish?


    ¡°Do you realize that your actions today dragged Xiao Wen down, that they dragged down our country¡¯s development?¡±


    The moment Mrs. Qi sat down, she erupted in anger.


    Su Man: ¡°¡­Comrade Qi, what exactly do you mean by that? How did I drag my stepson Wen Siyuan down? And how did I drag down the country¡¯s development?¡± Still somewhat confused, Su Man clearly hadn¡¯t connected Mrs. Qi¡¯s visit with the incident of Wen Yue scalding her hand with hot water.


    ¡°Are you genuinely clueless or are you just pretending to be?¡±


    Mrs. Qi spoke solemnly: ¡°Your three children, with the eldest not even seven and the youngest not yet four, you went off to visit your rtives and left them all alone at home. What were you thinking? I heard you took a taxi to your maternal home, so why didn¡¯t you take Wen Yue and the others with you?¡±


    Su Man understood then, and was ovee with embarrassment, but she still defended herself: ¡°Even though it¡¯s the New Year, everyone¡¯s having a tough time, and if I were to bring along three extra mouths to feed to my family¡¯s home, would they be pleased about it? Comrade Qi, I honestly had no other choice but not to take Yueyue and her sisters with me.¡±


    ¡°Yet because you didn¡¯t take Wen Yue and the others with you, we nearly had a serious ident. Surely, you must know about it by now?¡±


    Mrs. Qi locked eyes with Su Man: ¡°You expect a child not even seven years old to cook for herself. Did it never cross your mind that she could get scalded by boiling water or something else could happen?¡±


    ¡°I did teach Yueyue how to cook, plus I left the vegetables and noodles within easy reach for them, and I specifically warned them to be careful not to get scalded. I¡­¡±


    Su Man didn¡¯t think she was in the wrong, and her words still made excuses for her actions.


    When Mrs. Qi heard this, she looked disappointed: ¡°When you first came to our courtyard, I was really happy for Xiao Wen. I thought that marrying such a goodrade like you was his great fortune, and indeed, you seemed to care a lot about the three children from his previous marriage. People around our courtyard often praised you behind your back.


    But you¡­ how suddenly have you changed? You¡¯ve be impatient, started squabbling over trivial matters with children just a few years old, and now you¡¯ve gone as far aspletely neglecting them. How are you expecting Xiao Wen to focus on his work at the unit, how can he contribute to the country¡¯s development without peace of mind?¡±


    With Mrs. Qi¡¯s reprimand, Su Man felt wronged, her eyes brimming with tears: ¡°Comrade Qi, you say I suddenly changed, no, it wasn¡¯t all of a sudden, it was Wen Yue who truly broke my heart, making me unwilling to keep on trying to be as kind-hearted as I was to her and her sisters in the beginning.


    To end up like this, do you think I wanted this? I didn¡¯t want this at all, but Wen Yue kept defying me time and again, ruining my reputation outside, calling me a bad woman at every turn. If I had no temper, wouldn¡¯t it seem like I don¡¯t have any self-respect? Besides, I am an elder, it is disrespectful for a young person to treat me like that, and if I kept on pampering them after such treatment, that would be too cheap!¡±


    Actually, Wen Yue hadn¡¯t fallen asleep. At that moment, she was crouching by the door, listening to the conversation between Mrs. Qi and Su Man in the living room.


    ¡°There¡¯s an old saying that people are born with a heart of flesh. When Siyuan and I got engaged, I knew I was bing a stepmother right from the start. So, I truly epted Yueyue and her sisters from the bottom of my heart, and I promised Siyuan that I would treat them just like my own children¡­¡±

 Chapter 382: 382: Actually, Its Not That Complicated

    <strong>Chapter 382: Chapter 382: Actually, It¡¯s Not That Complicated</strong>


    Su Man was performing a sorrowful act, because she didn¡¯t want and surely couldn¡¯t bear the me for Wen Yue¡¯s scalding today.


    Why?


    She feared that once Wen Siyuan found out, he might, in a fit of anger, propose divorce.


    After all, she had taken a taxi alone to visit her rtives, leaving the three Wen sisters at home, which indeed was an improper thing to do. If Wen Siyuan seized on this to reason with her, she would truly struggle to defend herself.


    ¡°Auntie Su, I¡¯m sorry, I shouldn¡¯t have angered you, I know it was wrong, please don¡¯t be sad anymore, I promise I won¡¯t lose my temper again.¡±


    Wen Yue walked out of the room and now stood in front of Mrs. Qi and Su Man, tears welling up in her eyes as she spoke in a tender voice, ¡°It wasn¡¯t your fault I scalded my hand with hot water today, Auntie Su, it was my own carelessness, you don¡¯t have to me yourself.¡±


    Her timid gaze shifted to Mrs. Qi, ¡°Granny Qi, please don¡¯t me Auntie Su, it¡¯s all my fault. Auntie Su only started making me learn to cook by myself during the winter holiday, and that¡¯s why she didn¡¯t take me, Little Yi, and Little Fish out today. I¡¯ve thought it over now and I won¡¯t throw tantrums at Auntie Su anymore¡­¡±


    Tears rolled down her cheeks as Wen Yue choked up, ¡°Granny Qi, could you talk to Auntie Su and ask her not to be mad at me anymore? Little Yi, Little Fish, and I will listen to her from now on, we won¡¯t be picky eaters, we¡¯ll eat our meals properly.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Mrs. Qi didn¡¯t speak up for a long time, quietly watching Wen Yue, feeling that the child¡¯s action was not merely an apology to her stepmother but also showing Su Man that she was wise to her.


    Honestly, Mrs. Qi¡¯s feelings were quiteplicated at that moment; she could hardly believe that a child of six or seven could be so thoughtful.


    Yet, this might not necessarily be a bad thing.


    Since Su Man was selfish and now had her own child, if the young girl in front of her wasn¡¯t a bit cunning, Su Man might revert to her original attitude after today, treating the three girls kindly only in the short term. But as time went on, there was no guarantee she wouldn¡¯t return to her old ways, or even worsen her treatment of the three stepdaughters.


    This was not Mrs. Qi overthinking; the future was unpredictable.


    And as for people¡¯s hearts, they are hidden behind flesh. In a remarried or blended family, it is usually the case that parents will favour their own biological children over stepchildren when ites to allocating family resources.


    Of course, someone like Fang Su was an exception, and there were others who acted simrly as mothers and fathers.


    There are indeed those who can treat everyone equally, but they are likely in the minority.


    These were Mrs. Qi¡¯s thoughts because, in her view, even within families with both biological and stepchildren ¨C from second marriages or blended households ¨C it is hard to avoid bias, let alone within families where all the children are sired by the same parents. Even then, parents tend to show favoritism towards their preferred children.


    In short, in a family, to treat everyone absolutely equally is challenging.


    All the more so in a family like Wen¡¯s.


    That¡¯s why Mrs. Qi didn¡¯t dislike Wen Yue, the thoughtful young girl; she even thought the girl knew how to protect herself, which was wise.


    Well then, speaking of which, Wen Yue¡¯s current act actually did not match exactly with what Mrs. Qi had in mind.


    The young girl, at only the tender age of six or seven, could hardly think of all the ins and outs. She had merely pondered Kang Li¡¯s words and decided to temporarily bow to her stepmother, Su Man. Later on, when she was grown up, she would go to find her birth mother.


    Along with her sisters, they would find their birth mother and would no longer have to put up with their stepmother.


    ¡°Yueyue, you¡­¡±

 Chapter 383: 383 Are You Stupid?

    <strong>Chapter 383: Chapter 383 Are You Stupid?</strong>


    After the shock, Su Man¡¯s eyes filled withplexity. Soon they brimmed with hot tears. She beckoned Wen Yue over and, holding the girl¡¯s uninjured hand, asked with a trembling voice, ¡°Can Auntie believe what you just said?¡±


    Wen Yue nodded, ¡°Auntie Su, you can rest assured, I spoke the truth.¡±


    Feeling moved, Su Man said, ¡°Good child, these past days¡­ these past days Auntie has also done wrong. I shouldn¡¯t have let you cook by yourself, and I shouldn¡¯t have left you and Wen Yi alone at home today. Tell Auntie, does your hand still hurt?¡±


    Looking at Wen Yue¡¯s left hand, Su Man¡¯s eyes were full of distress.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt anymore, Auntie Su, don¡¯t worry. It will be fine in a couple of days.¡±


    Wen Yue was very obedient at the moment.


    Mrs. Qi, sitting to the side, suddenly felt a bit like a clown, but the thought was fleeting.


    ¡°You and your daughter have opened up to each other; it seems my trip here wasn¡¯t in vain.¡± Standing up, Lady Su looked at Su Man, ¡°Xiao Su, you are pregnant now, you need to be even more calm and peaceful on a daily basis, otherwise, it¡¯s not good for you or the baby in your womb.¡± Mrs. Qi clearly had a deeper meaning with her words.


    Su Man paused momentarily then nodded, slowly getting up and saying, ¡°Comrade Qi, rest assured, I know. I will treat Wen Yue and her sisters with patience.¡±


    After seeing Mrs. Qi out, Su Man heard Wen Yue say, ¡°Auntie Su, I¡¯m going back to my room for a nap. If you¡¯re tired, you should lie down for a while too.¡±


    Smiling, Su Man nodded, ¡°Alright.¡± Her eyes were full of relief.


    Yet, as soon as Wen Yue left, the smile disappeared from her face, and her gaze grew enigmatic.


    Apologizing to her, no longer going to throw tantrums?


    With a slight smile, Su Man walked towards the master bedroom, skeptical about what Wen Yue had said.


    If the girl could say such things, she was willing to go along with it and see if Wen Yue could actually do it.


    Otherwise, she shouldn¡¯t me Su Man for dealing with the three sisters¡­ in her own way!


    Sitting on the bed, Su Man¡¯s eyes shed, and she couldn¡¯t help but wonder if what Wen Yue said was prompted by someone, or more directly, if it had something to do with the Kang next door?


    She hadn¡¯t forgotten that Wen Yue and Wen Yi, those two little brats, were quite fond of Kang Li, the Vixen!


    If Kang Li knew what Su Man was thinking at this moment, she would definitelyugh it off: One should never argue with a mad dog!


    ¡°Hello, Feng Yi, what¡¯s up?¡±


    Just as she wanted to nap like a salted fish on the bed, the phone in the living room rang. Kang Li got up, went to the living room, picked up the receiver, and heard Feng Yi¡¯s voice. After listening attentively to his words, she spoke again, ¡°Why not ept it? No matter what, he¡¯s still your dad. Since he¡¯s sorted everything out, you and Mo Yan should just take it. Hm? You don¡¯t want to¡­ are you crazy?


    Jobs are hard to find, and your dad has finally done something good for you as his son. Why miss out on this opportunity? Those are two permanent job positions, and they¡¯re at the mechanical nt at that. Isn¡¯t getting a permanent employee¡¯s sry appealing to you? Or do you have a special fondness for temporary work? Besides, one of the positions is for Mo Yan. What gives you the right to refuse on Mo Yan¡¯s behalf?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Mo Yan, Sister Kang Li.¡±


    Taking the phone from Feng Yi, Mo Yan said, ¡°I said the same thing to Feng Yi, but he just can¡¯t wrap his head around it, insisting he doesn¡¯t care about those job positions¡­¡±


    Listening to Mo Yan repeat the situation over the phone, Kang Li said, ¡°You tell Feng Yi, it¡¯s my word that the job must be taken. As for whether he wants to return home, that¡¯s entirely up to him.¡±

 Chapter 384: 384: Uninvited

    <strong>Chapter 384: Chapter 384: Uninvited</strong>


    ¡°Right, Feng Yi didn¡¯t go to work today? Oh, I see, well then, you two hurry to the factory to handle the procedures. Feng Yi is bing a regr worker, and you are reporting directly¡­ Yes, in your work, you must be conscientious, and don¡¯t forget to flip through your old textbooks when you have free time. Okay, that¡¯s it, goodbye!¡±


    Knowing what Mrs. Qi had done for Feng Yi, Old Master Feng truly felt ashamed. Therefore, with a phone call this noon, he turned Feng Yi¡¯s temporary job into a regr position and secured a regr spot for Mo Yan as well, as a way of thanking Mo Yan for taking Feng Yi in.


    Originally, Feng Yi was at work when he got the notice from the factory office. Emotion overtook him instantly, and he used the excuse of feeling unwell to return to Mo Yan¡¯s house, where hey in bed motionless.


    In the end, it was Mo Yan who coaxed out the reason. Right now, she was dragging Feng Yi out to call Kang Li. On one hand, she wanted to seek advice from Kang Li; on the other, she hoped to persuade Feng Yi through Kang Li not to push away the job he had due to the resentment in his heart.


    As for pride, sometimes there¡¯s no need to consider it at all.


    Especially when dealing with one¡¯s own father, a father who owed much to himself, what¡¯s the use of talking about pride?


    In short, there¡¯s a saying, if someone offers you a favor, just ept it wholeheartedly. Whether or not to acknowledge the sentiment can be consideredter!


    After ending the call, Kang Li returned to bed to resume being her ¡°salted fish¡±¡­


    As the fifteenth of the first lunar month passed, April arrived in the blink of an eye.


    That afternoon, Kang Li sat in the wicker rocking chair in the yard, enjoying the warm sunshine with her eyes closed, inhaling the faint jasmine fragrance carried by the fresh breeze.


    ¡°Knock knock knock!¡±


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    Hearing someone knocking at the courtyard door, Kang Li slowly opened her fox eyes, picking up the red-colored novel rested on her abdomen, borrowed from Mrs. Qi. Well, ¡®borrowed¡¯ is a term used loosely here; it¡¯s more like Mrs. Qi saw Kang Li¡¯s interest in the book and outright gave it to her.


    She casually closed the book and ced it on the side table, sitting up straight and looking towards the courtyard door, only to see a face, unfamiliar yet somewhat recognizable,e into view.


    After a brief search of her memory, Kang Li recognized who the visitor was.


    ¡°Your family¡¯s courtyard is quite uniquely arranged.¡±


    ¡°Just average.¡±


    Kang Li curved her lips into a slight smile, responding softly to the other party.


    ¡°You remember me, right?¡±


    The visitor, acting quite familiar, approached Kang Li and seated herself in the small armchair beside her.


    ¡°I once had the pleasure of meeting you at my godparents¡¯ home. May I ask what brings Comrade Shen to see me?¡±


    Yes, the visitor was indeed Shen Yun.


    This person had just officially started working at the research institute a week ago and took advantage of the weekend to move into the familypound with her son and the young nanny hired by her family.


    The reason Shen Yun came over to see Kang Li today was that she had felt unwell for the past couple of days, had taken sick leave to rest at home, but with her son at kindergarten and only the young nanny at home, she didn¡¯t know why, but she found herself wandering outside until she reached the door of Kang Li¡¯s home.


    ¡°Nothing important, just that I¡¯ve been home sick these past couple of days, and it¡¯s been boring alone. So I came over for a walk and to chat with you,¡± Shen Yun said, maintaining an appropriate smile on her face.


    Kang Li raised an eyebrow: ¡°Comrade Shen doesn¡¯t seem to stand on ceremony.¡± Having seen people who make themselves at home, she hadn¡¯t seen anyone as forward as this. They could hardly be considered acquaintances, having met just once, and yet here was Shen Yun, paying a direct visit today.


    Wasn¡¯t this a bit too abrupt?


    Shen Yun felt momentarily embarrassed, but she quickly adjusted her facial expression and said with a smile, ¡°Not to mention that I and Comrade Luo Yanqing are now colleagues in the same institute, but even when I was abroad¡­¡±

 Chapter 385: 385: Kang Lis Sarcasm

    <strong>Chapter 385: Chapter 385: Kang Li¡¯s Sarcasm</strong>


    ¡°I¡¯m officially Senior Brother Yanqing¡¯s junior sister, though it might have been a bit presumptuous for me toe over today, I believe Mrs. Yanqing won¡¯t find me too abrupt, right?¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°¡­Of course not.¡± Yeah right!


    ¡°Mrs. Yanqing is as beautiful as she is kind, no wonder Senior Brother Luo decided to marry you as his other half.¡±


    In Shen Yun¡¯s eyes, there seemed to be a smile, but it didn¡¯t reach the bottom of her eyes as she said, ¡°During our time studying abroad, there were particrly many girls who liked Senior Brother Luo, each one of them striking beauties. They always found a way to ¡®bump into¡¯ Senior Brother Luo and even asked me to pass love letters to him. Did you know? Every day, he received a stack of love letters this thick.¡±


    She gestured with her fingers, a smile in her voice as she continued, ¡°Among them, a stunning beauty named Alice practically wrote love letters daily to express her affection, but Senior Brother didn¡¯t even nce at Alice. Over time, Alice was really hurt by his attitude. One day, she suddenly appeared in front of him, wanting to hug him without saying a word, but luckily I happened to pass by then and immediately stepped forward to block this Western peach¡­¡±


    Kang Li curved the corners of her mouth into a smile, fully appearing to listen, wondering what else this person could say in front of her.


    After rattling on for quite a while, seeing no change in Kang Li¡¯s expression, Shen Yun couldn¡¯t help but feel stifled. She changed the subject, asking, ¡°As Mrs. Yanqing, to be his other half, your education must be not low, right?¡±


    ¡°Compared to you and your beloved Senior Brother, I barely managed to finish high school.¡± Another boast about her life abroad, deliberately mentioning her husband Professor Luo. Hmm! Is she trying to make her jealous?


    And now unting educational qualifications, is this an attempt to trample on her because she feels she isn¡¯t worthy of her husband, Professor Luo?


    Kang Li shook her head internally, finding it amusing.


    ¡°No way? Mrs. Yanqing seems so intelligent, how could you possibly only have a high school diploma? Mrs. Yanqing, don¡¯t tell me you were too yful with your studies, resulting in only finishing high school without getting into university, is that it?¡±


    Shen Yun¡¯s expression was one of surprise.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to say, I¡¯ve had health issues from a young age. I finished high school at 17, married your mentioned Senior Brother Luo at 18, and I¡¯m only 19 now. Facing you, shouldn¡¯t I be calling you Big Sister Shen?¡±


    Is getting into university so hard? It¡¯s just that there¡¯s no college entrance examination now.


    Moreover,pared to her current education level, she indeed falls short, but that doesn¡¯t mean she can¡¯t achieve a higher education. And about age, this woman must be at least twenty-six or twenty-seven, can she evenpete with her?


    Can age be reversed to be the same as hers?


    Kang Li silently snickered to herself.


    Shen Yun felt that the day was no longer conducive for conversation. She had said so much, not a hint of jealousy shown, rather it seemed like she was listening to a storyteller. Now, to add insult to injury, an ironic mention of her age and even suggesting calling her Big Sister Shen. Was this woman being overly troublesome?


    ¡°Big Sister Shen, frankly speaking, my husband mentioned the other day that he doesn¡¯t know you. You really don¡¯t need to call me Mrs. Yanqing, as both my husband and I aren¡¯t fond of forming unwarranted connections. If he learns you¡¯ve beening to my house repeatedly calling me Mrs. Yanqing, who knows, maybe he would be upset when he takes a break andes home!¡±


    Picking up a book from the small table beside her, Kang Li casually flipped through it, casually asking as if making small talk, ¡°The other day I saw Ms. Shen¡¯s son and was instantly struck by how adorable the mixed-race baby was. It seems Ms. Shen¡¯s spouse must be a foreigner. Now that Ms. Shen has returned to the country with her child to contribute to national development, did your spouse also concur toe to our country?¡±

 Chapter 386: 386 Are You Saying Im Humiliating Myself?

    <strong>Chapter 386: Chapter 386 Are You Saying I¡¯m Humiliating Myself?</strong>


    Shen Yun retracted the smile from her face and said indifferently, ¡°I returned to the country after my divorce.¡±


    Kang Li put on a surprised expression, ¡°Big Sister Shen, why did you get a divorce? Was it because your husband didn¡¯t treat you well?¡±


    ¡°Comrade Kang, can you stop calling me Big Sister Shen? Abroad, referring to a young girl like that is very impolite.¡± Shen Yun felt both a headache and a deep irritation upon hearing the words ¡°Big Sister Shen¡± from Kang Li¡¯s mouth.


    Kang Li¡¯s eyes widened like a fox¡¯s, ¡°Comrade Shen, we are both married women, aren¡¯t we? Hardly young girls anymore, right?! Besides, here we are in China, and you are several years older than me. When I call you Big Sister Shen, it signifies¡­¡±


    Before Kang Li could finish, Shen Yun frowned and interrupted directly, ¡°Is Comrade Kang doing this on purpose?¡±


    Kang Li looked confused, ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you mean, Comrade Shen.¡±


    Shen Yun said, ¡°Comrade Kang, why pretend to be confused when you know exactly what¡¯s going on? I simply came to chat with you, but instead, you mock and ridicule me. Is this how Comrade Kang treats her guests?¡±


    ¡°Pretend to be confused? Comrade Shen, you really are being quite baffling. Why would I pretend to be confused in front of you? Also, which of my words has mocked or ridiculed you?¡±


    Kang Li saw that the other party maintained a solemn face and naturally retracted her smile, speaking calmly, ¡°Actually, isn¡¯t it you, Comrade Shen, who¡¯s pretending to be confused? I saw very clearly the way you looked at my husband that day. You like my husband, but it¡¯s obviously unrequited love. As for that, I have nothing to say,


    since who you like is your right, and others have no right to interfere. But if you¡¯re thinking of harbouring any ill intentions towards me, I advise you to cease and desist sooner rather thanter, lest you lose your hard-earned status as a returnee from overseas!¡±


    Standing up abruptly, Shen Yun¡¯s face changed repeatedly, feeling incredibly embarrassed at that moment, ¡°You¡­¡±


    Kang Li wasn¡¯t used to being looked down upon; she also stood up, met the other¡¯s gaze, and curved her lips into a smile, ¡°What about me? Comrade Shen, you need to understand that today you came to me of your own ord, spouting all sorts of nonsense, hoping to use your returnee status to trample on me, but it wasn¡¯t I who provoked you first! Moreover, my principle has always been: respect those who respect me, and return to others the treatment they give me!¡±


    Shen Yun said, ¡°Are you saying that I¡¯m humiliating myself?¡±


    Kang Li didn¡¯t respond, took the book in her hand, and walked towards the living room, ¡°Please don¡¯t let the door hit you on your way out.¡± She¡¯s quite self-aware, so whye and make a fool of herself?


    Watching Kang Li¡¯s slender swaying figure, Shen Yun stood still and did not leave immediately, her lips pressed tightly together, her expression tense, her eyes revealing an unmistakable irritation and embarrassment.


    Driven out?


    Was she being driven out of someone else¡¯s home?


    For the first time in her life, as proud as she was, she had encountered someone so rude to her?


    Her hands hanging by her sides slowly clenched into fists, Shen Yun turned around, a glint of dark light shing through her eyes, and finally went back to her own ce.


    The next day.


    The research institute¡¯s cafeteria.


    ¡°Professor Luo, may I sit here?¡±


    Shen Yun, having gotten her meal, walked straight to the table where Luo Yanqing was sitting. She nced at the two malerades sharing the table with Luo Yanqing but didn¡¯t bother to ask for their opinions, and directly made her way to Luo Yanqing¡¯s side. She broke into what she thought was her most beautiful smile and asked this man she had secretly admired for years if he would allow her to share the table with him.


    Unexpectedly, Luo Yanqing continued eating his lunch as usual, without even a nce in her direction.


    And Shen Yun had thick enough skin, as she had already taken a seat at an empty chair of her own ord, yet still pretended to be modest and asked Luo Yanqing that question.

 Chapter 387: 387: Comrade, please have some self-respect!

    <strong>Chapter 387: Chapter 387: Comrade, please have some self-respect!</strong>


    ¡°I don¡¯t really feel like eating chicken legstely, Professor Luo, here, you can have this one!¡±


    Picking up the braised chicken leg from her own lunchbox, Shen Yun very familiarly attempted to ce it into Luo Yanqing¡¯s lunchbox.


    ¡°Comrade, please have some self-respect!¡±


    Luo Yanqing picked up his lunchbox to avoid Shen Yun¡¯s chopsticks and stood up to take a seat at another dining table.


    Shen Yun¡¯s face turned as red as a liver, she felt both embarrassed and ufortable at that moment, especially when she caught a nce from the two malerades sitting opposite her, who appeared to look over nonchntly; she wished she could immediately find a crack to crawl into.


    ¡°That¡¯s just how Professor Luo is, Teacher Shen will get used to it.¡±


    That was Wen Siyuan¡¯s voice, he was one of the two malerades at the table.


    At the moment, his smile was gentle, kindly offering Shen Yun a way out of the awkward situation.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll give this chicken leg to Teacher Wen.¡±


    Forcing herself to adjust her mood, Shen Yun acted as if nothing had happened and attempted to ce the chicken leg, which was still held in mid-air, into Wen Siyuan¡¯s lunchbox. Unexpectedly, Wen Siyuan shook his head, ¡°Teacher Shen, you eat it. I¡¯m already full.¡± He smiled and stood up, ¡°Enjoy your meal, I¡¯ll be taking my leave first.¡±


    ¡°Teacher Wen, wait for me!¡±


    The malerade who was sitting next to Wen Siyuan quickly picked up his empty lunchbox and followed briskly, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you take the chicken leg from Teacher Shen? It¡¯s meat, after all, having an extra one would be a delight.¡± He gently nudged Wen Siyuan¡¯s arm as he spoke in a lowered voice.


    ¡°I¡¯m not familiar with Teacher Shen, and furthermore, I don¡¯t want to be misunderstood.¡± If Professor Luo didn¡¯t look favorably upon her, did it mean he should? It was just a chicken leg, after all. If he wanted another, it wasn¡¯t like he couldn¡¯t afford it.


    The malerade speaking to Wen Siyuan was named He Wei, thirty years old, also working on the same project team as Luo Yanqing.


    ¡°Misunderstood? What do you mean by that?¡±


    He Wei was puzzled.


    Wen Siyuan gave the other man a sidelong nce, ¡°Come on, Teacher He, you¡¯re a married man with a family. Don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t understand what I¡¯m talking about. Besides, didn¡¯t you see how Professor Luo avoided Teacher Shen?¡±


    ¡°Ah wow, so you¡¯re afraid your little wife at home will get jealous!¡± He Wei had a somewhat impulsive personality, but once he got into work, that impulsiveness was immediately reced by steadiness and meticulousness.


    He joked with Wen Siyuan and then asked, ¡°Teacher Shen seems to be quite familiar with Professor Luo, but Professor Luo seems to not recognize Teacher Shen at all. Do you know what¡¯s up with that?¡±


    Wen Siyuan: ¡°Can we not be so gossipy?¡±


    He Wei: ¡°Can¡¯t we take a break for our brains?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not saying we can¡¯t, but if you¡¯re curious about the gossip on Professor Luo, why don¡¯t you ask Professor Luo himself?¡± Having said that, Wen Siyuan stood by the sink, seriously washing his lunchbox, clearly not interested in continuing the conversation with He Wei.


    ¡°Would I dare? With Professor Luo¡¯smanding presence and his stern demeanor, if I were to utter one bit of nonsense in front of him, I might very well be kicked out of our project team the next day.¡±


    He Wei spoke with a bit of fear.


    ¡°Well listen up, I don¡¯t know the answer to your question, but apparently, Teacher Shen is also a returnee from overseas.¡±


    With those words, Wen Siyuan walked, holding his cleaned lunchbox, towards the dormitory area.


    He Wei quickly rinsed his own lunchbox and hurried to catch up, ¡°Does that mean Teacher Shen could have possibly studied in the same school abroad as Professor Luo?¡±


    Wen Siyuan: ¡°Not sure.¡±


    He Wei: ¡°Have you noticed?¡±


    Wen Siyuan was puzzled: ¡°¡­¡± Noticed what? He only heard He Wei say in a low voice, ¡°Teacher Shen¡¯s attitude towards Professor Luo seems to be quite special.¡±

 Chapter 388: 388: Looking Down

    <strong>Chapter 388: Chapter 388: Looking Down</strong>


    ¡°¡­Don¡¯t talk nonsense!¡± Wen Siyuan¡¯s face darkened, ¡°Professor Luo has a partner, don¡¯t you know that? Besides, Professor Luo¡¯s partner is very outstanding. You must not spread rumors in the institute, or else, just think about the consequences yourself!¡±


    He Wei stood stunned.


    Everyone lived in the same family quarters, so how could he possibly not know that Professor Luo had a partner? He had just beenmenting on Teacher Shen¡¯s attitude toward Professor Luo and hadn¡¯t mentioned anything about Comrade Kang being good or bad, had he?


    Moreover, Professor Luo¡¯s partner was the goddaughter of the institute director¡¯s couple; he didn¡¯t want to lose his job at the institute by making such a low-level mistake.


    Shen Yun prodded at her food with her chopsticks,cking any appetite. Noticing Luo Yanqing about to head to the sink with his lunch box, she hastily called out, ¡°I was home sick yesterday. I chatted with your sister-inw in the afternoon. Don¡¯t you want to know what I told her?¡±


    As if not seeing the curious nces of the colleagues still eating their meals looking her way, Shen Yun looked directly into Luo Yanqing¡¯s eyes with a gentle smile. Without waiting for Luo Yanqing to speak, she added, ¡°There¡¯s more than an hour before work this afternoon. Why doesn¡¯t Professor Luo invite me to sit in your dorm?¡±


    Luo Yanqing, ¡°Comrade, do I know you?¡± His voice was crisp and deep, marked with obvious indifference and displeasure.


    Wearing a ck mid-length woolen coat over a white shirt and ash-grey wool sweater, at the moment, he hadn¡¯t fastened his coat, his figure tall and straight. With one hand holding an empty lunch box and the other casually tucked into his pocket, the gaze he fixed on Shen Yun was aloof and cold. If one paid close attention, they could discern a hint of disgust from it.


    ¡°Luo Yanqing, you¡­¡±


    He loathed her. Beyond the aloofness and coldness, he¡­ hade to loathe her.


    Shen Yun quivered, a trace of hurt uncontrobly emerging in her gaze.


    Yet, Luo Yanqingpletely ignored it and turned towards the sink.


    His figure looked exceptionally aloof and proud. Yet it was this very man who had haunted Shen Yun¡¯s dreams during her years abroad, leading her to dissolve her own good marriage.


    She found it even harder now to let go of her feelings.


    But to use unprincipled means¡­ to win someone¡¯s heart was something she couldn¡¯t do, feeling it would tarnish the purest affection in her heart.


    Shen Yun pressed her lips together, gathered her thoughts, and decided to go to Luo Yanqing¡¯s dormitory with a legitimate excuse of seeking guidance on a problem she had encountered in her work.


    ¡°Knock, knock, knock!¡±


    Standing outside Luo Yanqing¡¯s dormitory, Shen Yun tapped lightly with her knuckles.


    There was no response from inside.


    Shen Yun continued to knock softly, ¡°Knock, knock, knock!¡±


    Still no response.


    Her lips pursed tighter, Shen Yun did not give up and tapped her fingers lightly again, ¡°Knock, knock, knock!¡±


    The result was the same.


    The door before her remained closed, but the neighboring room¡¯s door opened.


    ¡°Is it Teacher Shen? Are you looking for Professor Luo for something?¡±


    Wen Siyuan had been about to lie down for a bit to rest up for the afternoon¡¯s work when he heard the persistent knocking next door. His eyebrows slightly furrowed, he had no choice but to get out of bed to see who was so insistent on knocking on Luo Yanqing¡¯s dormitory door.


    Taken aback for a moment, Shen Yun returned to her usual demeanor, ¡°¡­Yes, I faced a difficult issue at work during lunch and came over to seek Professor Luo¡¯s help.¡±


    Wen Siyuan, ¡°That¡¯s really unfortunate, Professor Luo left just before you came.¡± A woman with overseas education and quite the delicate beauty. Why would she set her heart on a married man?


    Frankly, Wen Siyuan was somewhat contemptuous of Shen Yun¡¯s behavior.

 Chapter 389: 389 Im worried about you......

    <strong>Chapter 389: Chapter 389 I¡¯m worried about you¡­¡­</strong>


    Doesn¡¯t know self-love, throwing herself at someone, losing her dignity!


    Shen Yun had no idea what Wen Siyuan thought of her, she furrowed her brows slightly and asked, ¡°Then do you know where he went?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡±


    Wen Siyuan shook his head.


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I won¡¯t bother you here any longer.¡±


    With that said, without waiting for Wen Siyuan to respond, Shen Yun had already walked away.


    What she didn¡¯t know was that the person she was looking for was sitting in the Director¡¯s office at that moment, dialing his little wife¡¯s number.


    ¡°Hello, who¡¯s it you¡¯re looking for?¡±


    In thepound, after having lunch and cleaning up the kitchen, Kang Li was about toze around when thendline phone suddenly rang. Picking up the handset, her clear and pleasant voice spilled from her lips.


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°It¡¯s me.¡±


    Kang Li was stunned: ¡°¡­¡± He finally thought to call her! Let¡¯s see, how many days had it been since the third day of the New Year.


    Hmph! Almost two months!


    Not hearing his little wife¡¯s voice over the phone for a long while, Luo Yanqing couldn¡¯t help but say into the phone, ¡°Xiao Li, are you there? It¡¯s Luo Yanqing.¡±


    Kang Li haughtily ¡°hmphed¡± and said, ¡°You finally know to call me, huh!¡±


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°¡­¡± Remaining silent for too long, so she was angry at him! Luo Yanqing shook his head with some amusement and his lips curved up, ¡°Work has been really busy, I didn¡¯t have time, don¡¯t be mad.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re not busy today, huh?¡±


    Kang Li¡¯s tone was still full of haughty pride.


    ¡°I¡¯m not busy right now.¡± Luo Yanqing¡¯s tone involuntarily softened: ¡°Xiao Li, are you doing okay at home?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, I¡¯m fine, Ruirui and the others are in good health, eating well, so you just focus on your work.¡± Kang Li didn¡¯t continue to act up; after all, it was true that the man was busy with work, and considering he wasn¡¯t much of a talker, the fact that he suddenly thought to call her showed that she was on his mind. Since she understood that, naturally, she wouldn¡¯t endlessly sulk.


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re okay.¡±


    Hearing that, Kang Li¡¯s pretty brows knitted slightly: ¡°It sounds like you¡¯re implying something,e on, tell me, what made you suddenly think to call home?¡±


    Before Luo Yanqing could say anything, Kang Li seemed to think of something in an instant and asked, ¡°Is it because Big Sister Shen said something to you in front of you?¡±


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°Big Sister Shen?¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°Yes, thatrade Shen Yun who wants to cozy up to you. Wasn¡¯t she at home sick yesterday? I¡¯ve no idea what got into her, but she actually came to our ce to chat with me.¡±


    ¡°What did she talk about with you?¡±


    Luo Yanqing frowned; he didn¡¯t want his little wife to be irritated by some irrelevant person spouting nonsense.


    Kang Li: ¡°She said you were her senior, told me to call her senior sister-inw, and asked about my education level, but anyway, I didn¡¯t let her put me at a disadvantage at all. Right, although I didn¡¯t make too much of a fuss withrade Shen Yun, it wasn¡¯t far off, so you better not misunderstand me because of the couple of things she might¡¯ve said to you!¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t.¡± Luo Yanqing answered very straightforwardly, he said: ¡°She saw me in the cafeteria at noon, mentioned that she had looked for you for a chat yesterday, and I was worried about you¡­ so I thought of giving you a call.¡±


    Kang Li felt a warmth in her heart: ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°Xiao Li¡­¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°Hmm?¡±


    Luo Yanqing pursed his lips, his voice gently: ¡°I have no recollection of your so-called Big Sister Shen, I¡¯ve never spoken to her voluntarily at the office either.¡±


    Kang Li¡¯s voice carried a smile: ¡°Silly! I know what kind of person you are, you don¡¯t need to exin to me, I trust you, do you hear that? Luo Yanqing!¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±

 Chapter 390: 390: Surprise

    <strong>Chapter 390: Chapter 390: Surprise</strong>


    A fair face exuded an elegant smile that was enchanting no matter how one looked at it. However, in the vast office, there was only Luo Yanqing. His ink-ck eyes showed a soft hue, and his lips curled into a fetching arc, ¡°Take good care of yourself. I¡¯m swamped with work and for quite a while I won¡¯t be able to take any holidays. But if there¡¯s anything you can¡¯t handle, just call the office and I will find a way to rush home.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°Got it. How have you been recently? Are you eating on time? Are you having milk powder before bed?¡±


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°I¡¯m doing well. I¡¯ve been following your advice, eating on time, and having milk powder before going to bed.¡± Having someone caring about him felt really good!


    ¡°Is there anything else?¡± Kang Li asked.


    Luo Yanqing subconsciously shook his head, but then he remembered that his little wife couldn¡¯t see him, so he said, ¡°Nothing else. What about you?¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°Nothing much here either!¡±


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°Then that¡¯s it¡­¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°Luo Yanqing?¡±


    Just as he was about to hang up, he heard his little wife¡¯s voice again from the phone, Luo Yanqing quickly responded: ¡°I¡¯m here.¡±


    ¡°Sending you a kiss, mua!¡± Kang Li made a ¡°smack¡± sound into the phone, then she asked, ¡°Did you hear it?¡±


    Luo Yanqing¡¯s heart rate sped up, his handsome face turned notably red, and his ears felt like they could bleed, he tried to calm his emotions, saying, ¡°I heard it.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°Then listen carefully now: je t¡­¡± Using the sixnguages Luo Yanqing had written in that love letter, Kang Li briskly repeated ¡°I like you¡± six times.


    At that moment, Luo Yanqing felt his heart racing unusually fast, his eyes filled with surprise: ¡°Xiao Li, you¡­¡±


    Kang Li seemed to know what the man was about to say, her clear voice rolled off her lips: ¡°I¡¯ve been studying at hometely. I¡¯ve been reading books, consulting the dictionary, and learning from Mrs. Qi. You better notin that I messed up your bookshelf when youe back home on a holiday, otherwise, don¡¯t expect me to pay you any attention!¡±


    It was just six foreignnguages; she hadn¡¯t really consulted any dictionary or asked Mrs. Qi for help, but she had to say so at that moment to prevent the man from suspecting her multilingual skills.


    As for whether he would ask Mrs. Qi, Kang Li was not worried at all.


    Given Luo Yanqing¡¯s character, it¡¯s simply not possible.


    Speaking of which, Mrs. Qi was a genuine college student before the liberation and had not only worked in old revolutionary bases but also been involved in underground work in major cities like North City and Haicheng.


    During a casual chat, Kang Li found out that Mrs. Qi was particrly proficient in Russian and English.


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t. Just take whichever book you want to read from the shelf.¡± Listen, this was apletely different attitude from when they first met and discovered the books had been tampered with.


    ¡°You do talk nicely,¡± Kang Li chuckled: ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, then let¡¯s hang up.¡±


    Luo Yanqing: ¡°Alright, goodbye.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°Goodbye.¡±


    After ending the call, Kang Li¡¯s eyes twinkled with mirth as she settled back into her rattan rocker and resumed herzy lounging.


    Life went on as usual for Kang Li, and just like that, time fast-forwarded to nearly three monthster.


    That day, Kang Li sent Xiao Ming Rui and the other two to the Song Family.


    ¡°Mrs. Qi, I¡¯m entrusting Ruirui and the others to your care. I¡¯ll try toe back soon.¡±


    ¡°Rest assured, no need to rush back.¡±

 Chapter 391: 391 Luo Yanqing Confirms

    <strong>Chapter 391: Chapter 391 Luo Yanqing Confirms</strong>


    ¡°Godmother, you¡¯re teasing me!¡±


    ¡°Not at all. Young people should socialize more, and besides, Yanqing has been back at the office since the third day of the Lunar New Year and hasn¡¯t taken any time off. You should go visit him; it will ease his longing.¡±


    ¡°Yanqing wouldn¡¯t miss me, all he has on his mind is work.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe that.¡±


    Mrs. Qi shook her head with a smile.


    Kang Li blushed a little. ¡°Enough about that, godmother, I¡¯m leaving now!¡± Holding a small travel bag, Kang Li waved to Mrs. Qi and walked out of the living room.


    As for the three Ming Rui children, they had run off to y with their big brother Xu as soon as they entered the Song Family Courtyard.


    Outside the gate of the research institute.


    ¡°Li Bao!¡±


    Yanqing was busy in theb and couldn¡¯te to meet Kang Li. Therefore, Kang Li had to contact Director Song through the gate security officer. Director Song didn¡¯t make Kang Li wait long; as soon as he received a call from the gate security officer, he immediately rushed over from his office.


    ¡°Godfather!¡±


    Kang Li¡¯s eyes curved into crescents, and she stepped forward to Director Song. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to have troubled you toe to meet me, godfather.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about, girl? I¡¯m d to see you; it makes me very happy!¡±


    The pair walked through the gate, and Director Song led Kang Li directly to his office. ¡°Sit down, have some water. I poured it when I went downstairs to meet you, so it shouldn¡¯t be too hot now.¡±


    cing a cup of water in front of Kang Li on the coffee table, Director Song sat down on the adjacent sofa. ¡°In just over half an hour, we¡¯ll be off work.¡±


    Kang Li smiled and said, ¡°Oh,¡± then she opened the zipper of her travel bag and took out a white cotton T-shirt and a pair of gray trousers to give to Director Song. ¡°I made these myself on the sewing machine. Keep them to wear.¡± She really mean it; Kang Li had squeezed in some time over a month ago to go to the department store and bought several different colors of fabric.


    There were pure white, white with scattered flowers, gray, ck, khaki.


    The tailoring book was provided by Dwen Dwen, and after Kang Li read it from cover to cover, she was able to experiment freely and greatly surprised Dwen Dwen.


    ¡°My dear, godfather really isn¡¯t short on clothes to wear.¡±


    Although Director Song said this, his smile revealed how delighted he was at the moment.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care whether you need clothes or not, godfather, I made these for you, and that¡¯s my sentiment, you must keep them.¡± While speaking, Kang Li also took out a pack of beef jerky. ¡°This is for you too; take good care of it.¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright, I¡¯ll keep it. You know, the beef jerky you make is really delicious.¡±


    asionally, he¡¯d pop a piece into his mouth, and the taste was simply divine!


    ¡­


    ¡°Alright, everyone put down your work, let¡¯s go eat!¡±


    ncing at his watch and realizing it was already almost half an hour past lunchtime, Yanqing couldn¡¯t help but speak up. He pinched the bridge of his nose and waited for the other staff to leave before stepping out of theb.


    Unexpectedly, He Wei came back.


    ¡°Professor Luo, Comrade Kang hase to see you; she¡¯s in the director¡¯s office.¡± Just before leaving for lunch, He Wei had gone to the restroom and happened to meet Assistant Lin from Director Song¡¯s office. Lin noticed him and asked him to remind Professor Luo when he returned to theb that Comrade Kang, Professor Luo¡¯s spouse, hade to the institute to see him.


    But the moment Yanqing mentioned ¡°lunch,¡± He Wei forgot everything else, followed Wen Siyuan out of theb, and was about to go down the stairs when he remembered he had forgot to ry the message from Assistant Lin, and hurried back to theb.


    Yanqing was stunned, then after a moment, he regained hisposure and confirmed, ¡°¡­You¡¯re saying my spouse is in the director¡¯s office?¡±

 Chapter 298: Just Like Him

    <h4>Chapter 298: Chapter 298: Just Like Him</h4><h4></h4>


    Kang Li feigned pain, raising her hand to rub the sore spot: "I¡¯ve just done a favor for my little brother, and now he repays kindness with grudges. Is there no more sibling love?"


    "It¡¯s just your cheekiness!" ncing sideways at Kang Li, Kang Guoan shook his head with augh, "I can overlook my own reputation, but it depends on what it¡¯s about, Li Bao. Do you understand?"


    Kang Li nodded: "Got it, got it, little brother doesn¡¯t want to bebeled as a male homewrecker."


    Kang Guoan: "Male homewrecker?"


    Kang Li: "The third party that disrupts someone else¡¯s rtionship."


    Kang Guoan: "That description is quite fitting."


    Kang Li smiled and did not continue the conversation.


    The two entered the residential area and stayed in Kang Guoan¡¯s dormitory for roughly two to three minutes before heading to the staff canteen.


    Without need for words, everyone they encountered on the way, who saw Kang Li and Kang Guoan walking together, cast their gazes at them.


    After all, Yang Zijuan was far too famous at North City Petrochemical, and the news of Kang Guoan being entangled with her spread unusually fast. Moreover, with Kang Guoan¡¯s looks that could be described as "the flower of North City Petrochemical," he always had a fair number of admirers.


    Especially the unmarried femalerades, who for the chance to catch an extra glimpse of Kang Guoan, were not above engineering encounters of one kind or another.


    Butpared to Yang Zijuan, those women were somewhat more reserved.


    At most, they would gaze at Kang Guoan and not approach him to strike up a conversation, nor would they cling to him, clearly revealing their feelings.


    The Yang Family lived inside the residential area¡¯s familypound, and when they suddenly saw their own daughter (granddaughter, sister) with red and swollen eyes walking through the door, they almost instantly surrounded her.


    "Juanjuan, what happened to you?"


    The first to speak was Grandma Yang, who doted on her precious granddaughter the most. Seeing the young girl pouting and starting to cry "whoosh whoosh" when she heard the question, her heart couldn¡¯t help but tighten with worry.


    "Grandma is asking you a question, you should respond!"


    Seeing his sister not answering, Yang Dawei, Yang Zijuan¡¯s older brother, became both anxious and worried, urging her to speak.


    "He has someone else, Kang Guoan really does have someone else, woo woo..."


    Yang Zijuan cried out loud, clearly heartbroken and distressed.


    The Yang Family looked at each other, unsure what to say.


    After a while, Yang Dawei said: "Since the person already has someone, you should give up that thought. There are plenty of good-looking boys out there; we¡¯re not worried about finding someone better-looking than Kang Guoan."


    "Juanjuan, your brother is right. It¡¯s just a boy who happens to be a little handsome. Grandma thinks, with your looks and our family¡¯s background, finding a boy you like won¡¯t be difficult. Now, stop crying, we don¡¯t need to be upset over a Kang Guoan."


    Grandma Yang said gently,forting her granddaughter while wiping away her tears.


    "But what if I just like Kang Guoan? I¡¯m serious this time, I want to be with Kang Guoan, be in a proper rtionship with him, I want to marry him!" Yang Zijuan couldn¡¯t stop her tears as she looked at Father Yang with pleading eyes, "Dad, can you help me, please?"


    Father Yang was puzzled: "How can I help you with your rtionship matters among young people?"


    Yang Zijuan: "Dad can use his job to force Kang Guoan to break up with his partner, and then ask him to date me."


    "Leaving aside whether I can even do that, what if the youngrade doesn¡¯tpromise? What will you do then?" His daughter really was spoiled by their entire family; she was too blunt with her words, as if she thought North City Petrochemical was owned by them or something?

 Chapter 393 I Just Want to Hide You Away

    <h4>Chapter 393: Chapter 393 I Just Want to Hide You Away</h4><h4></h4>


    "Are you feeling embarrassed?"


    "No."


    "But I think you are, and your ear tips are so red!"


    Kang Li¡¯s hand was still being held by the man. She blinked her fox-like eyes and said, "Why don¡¯t you let go of my hand? You might feel more at ease."


    "I¡¯m not embarrassed."


    He held his wife¡¯s hand, a ce where no one else had any say.


    Watching the two of them walk further away, Assistant Lin came back to his senses and asked Director Song, "Director, am I seeing things?"


    Director Song gave him a sidelong nce, "Do you not know if you¡¯re seeing things, and you¡¯re asking an old man like me?!"


    "Director, I just can¡¯t be sure, was that really Professor Luo who cares for nothing but his work?" Rubbing his eyes, Assistant Lin felt he needed to get to know the Professor Luo everyone else knew all over again.


    ...


    As soon as he entered the dormitory, Luo Yanqing ced his travel bag on the table. In the next moment, he hugged Kang Li and kissed her lips.


    His kiss was light, warm yet seemingly carrying a hint of chill, slowly reaching Kang Li¡¯s lips with particr tenderness, patience, and meticulousness.


    Time passed without knowing how long, and Luo Yanqing finally ended the kiss. He said, "Should I bring the food over, or do you want to go to the cafeteria with me?"


    Kang Li, "Am I not fit to be seen?" She was intentionally misinterpreting the man¡¯s words.


    Luo Yanqing hurriedly exined, "You know that¡¯s not what I meant."


    Kang Li, "Then what do you mean?" She continued to be unreasonable.


    Luo Yanqing, feeling helpless, "You¡¯re so beautiful, I just want to hide you away, not let anyone else see you." His words no doubt pleased a certain unreasonable girl. She curved her lips into a smile, "Well said. Let¡¯s go; I¡¯lle with you. After all, I¡¯m your wife, and if others take a few more nces, it won¡¯t change that fact."


    At her words, a blush appeared on Luo Yanqing¡¯s face.


    Seeing this, Kang Li couldn¡¯t help butugh, her bell-likeughter echoing in the room for quite a while. She said, "Why are you blushing? Am I not right?"


    Luo Yanqing turned his head away, covering his mouth with a fist and coughing lightly twice, "You¡¯re right, you are my wife." He was just a bit embarrassed for a moment, especially since the term "wife" seemed to be appearing between them for the first time.


    "Alright, I know you¡¯re thin-skinned, I won¡¯t tease you anymore. Let¡¯s hurry to your cafeteria, I want to see what you guys eat," she said.


    Gently prodding the man, Kang Li walked towards the door of the dormitory.


    Staff cafeteria.


    Luo Yanqing, leading Kang Li, had just entered the cafeteria when they drew a series of attentive nces. However, he pretended not to notice and found an empty table. He led Kang Li over, "You sit here and wait, I¡¯ll go get the food."


    Kang Li nodded, "Okay."


    At a table not far from theirs, He Wei was winking furiously at Wen Siyuan.


    "What¡¯s wrong? Are your eyes ufortable?"


    Under the table, Wen Siyuan received a kick from He Wei. He looked up at the other man to see He Wei winking nonstop, which prompted him to say that.


    He Wei gestured towards the direction where Kang Li was sitting with a tip of his chin, "Did you see? That¡¯s Professor Luo¡¯s wife!"


    Wen Siyuan, "You¡¯re making a fuss over nothing. Haven¡¯t you seen her around thepound?"


    He Wei, "Well, I actually haven¡¯t." Although they all lived in the samepound, his house was not close to Professor Luo¡¯s. Besides, Professor Luo¡¯s wife rarely went out and about, so it was not strange that he hadn¡¯t seen her at all.

 Chapter 394: Learned

    <h4>Chapter 394: Chapter 394: Learned</h4><h4></h4>


    "Then you¡¯d better take a good look and recognize people, so you don¡¯t run into them in the courtyard, greet them, and not know who they are," Wen Siyuan said as he continued to eat.


    "Professor Luo and his spouse are really a match made in heaven." Both look so good, both have such an aura, they¡¯re just too well-matched!


    At that moment, it wasn¡¯t just He Wei who was in awe of Kang Li¡¯s beauty, the young people eating in the cafeteria were also stunned by her appearance.


    As they had not been there long enough to move into the institute¡¯s family housing, like He Wei, who lived in the courtyard but had never seen Kang Li, this was their first time seeing Professor Luo¡¯s spouse, whom they greatly admired.


    The woman was dressed in a sky-blue dress, simple in design but tailored to perfection, entuating her slender figure beautifully.


    Her skin was pale, her face as delicate as a lotus, exceptionally beautiful, with a face the size of a palm, lips like crimson, long and enchanting eyes, yet so pure.


    Her nose bridge was high and straight, the tip delicate and exquisite, with two shallow dimples embedded on either side of her lips, giving a sense of closeness even without a smile.


    "Professor Luo¡¯s spouse is really beautiful!"


    "Graceful and vivacious, with such a wife by his side for life, Professor Luo is indeed fortunate!"


    "Professor Luo is so handsome, his other half naturally wouldn¡¯t be any less."


    "Do you guys know about Teacher Shen?"


    "What about her?"


    "It¡¯s said that Teacher Shen has designs on Professor Luo."


    "Don¡¯t go spreading rumors."


    "Me, spreading rumors? I¡¯m just repeating what I heard inadvertently."


    "Really?! Does Teacher Shen want to be the third party that ruins Professor Luo¡¯s marital happiness?"


    "Nonsense! Do you think Teacher Shen could do that? I¡¯m not being mean, but Teacher Shen at best can be considered demure. If youpare her with Professor Luo¡¯s spouse, there¡¯s just nopetition."


    "But Teacher Shen has studied abroad and also works in the same institute as Professor Luo, some things can¡¯t be predicted."


    "Believe it or not, I¡¯ll bonk you on the head? Professor Luo ought to be with his spouse forever. When two such good-looking people are together, anyone who tries to separate them ismitting a crime."


    "Oh my, you guys, look! Professor Luo¡¯s spouse is looking this way!"


    The woman¡¯s eyshes were long and curled, the corners of her eyes lifted slightly, giving her pure and seductive fox-like eyes an extremely beautiful look.


    "A beauty is a beauty, every frown and smile is so lovely!"


    "Envy Professor Luo!"


    "Also envious!"


    "I¡¯m envious too, it¡¯s just a pity that I¡¯ll never have the good fortune like Professor Luo in this lifetime!"


    "Stop your chatter, look at Professor Luo!"


    Luo Yanqing, after getting his meal, returned to Kang Li¡¯s side and took a seat on the dining chair beside her.


    "You eat first."


    Handing the spoon to Kang Li, Luo Yanqing said, "Eat more, the dishes our cafeteria makes are quite good."


    "Feed me."


    Kang Li didn¡¯t take the spoon, she winked her fox eyes at the man, "Otherwise, I won¡¯t eat."


    Luo Yanqing gave her a ¡¯what can I do with you¡¯ look but actually started feeding his wife. At this moment, the corners of his mouth lifted slightly; his gentle smile was like the winter sun, warm and pleasant.


    The spoon was held between his fingers, which were pale, slender, and distinctly jointed.


    "My God! What did I just see? No way! Is Professor Luo really not showing off their love?"


    "Wow! I¡¯ve learned something! Learned indeed! When I get a wife, I also have to imitate Professor Luo and feed her in public. Just thinking about it is beautiful!"


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 395 I Just Want to Look at You Like This

    <h4>Chapter 395: Chapter 395 I Just Want to Look at You Like This</h4><h4></h4>


    There was no shortage of murmuring in the cafeteria about the interactions between Luo Yanqing and Kang Li, but everyone kept their voices low, not wanting to be overheard by the couple and create an awkward moment for everyone.


    Especially since some, despite having finished their meals, stubbornly refused to go and wash their dishes at the sink, pretending to continue eating just to steal nces at Professor Luo, who had provided them with an entirely new perspective that day.


    Stern and sober?


    Nonsense!


    Indifferent to everything except work?


    Nonsense!


    Look, just look at what Professor Luo is doing now?


    He not only has a smile in his eyes, but is also feeding his wife!


    Shen Yun and a few of her female colleagues were dining at a table, and her face was quite embarrassed at this moment.


    Was this the same Luo Yanqing she knew?


    The man¡¯s features were handsomely sculpted, as if crafted by heavenly artisans; usually, his deep eyes were indifferent, devoid of any other emotion, but now they were clearly alight with amusement.


    Could it be that this woman named Kang Li really held a special ce in his eyes?


    Could it be that in his eyes... she herself cast no shadow at all?


    Kang Li: "I¡¯m full now, you eat."


    Luo Yanqing: "Have a few more bites."


    Kang Li: "No need, I¡¯m really full. You go ahead and eat, don¡¯t mind me." Turning her head away, Kang Li refused to let the spoon in the man¡¯s hand touch her mouth.


    Luo Yanqing: "Alright, I¡¯ll eat."


    In the institute, or more urately, all who knew Luo Yanqing, were aware of his obsession with cleanliness.


    Yet, at that moment, this cleanliness-obsessed person was directly using the spoon he¡¯d used to feed his wife to eat himself, while the woman sitting beside him supported her cheeks with her hands, smiling tenderly without taking her eyes off the man.


    Sitting together, they looked just like a most beautifulndscape painting.


    Feeling the unblinking gaze of his wife, Luo Yanqing was somewhat ufortable; he looked down, forcing himself not to return the gaze and sped up his eating.


    Kang Li reminded him, "Eat slowly, or you¡¯ll choke and feel ufortable."


    Luo Yanqing "hmm"ed and inevitably gave in to a gentle smile, casting a nce at his little wife.


    And Kang Li was undoubtedly dazzled by it.


    She knew he was extraordinarily handsome and that his handsome features would only be enhanced when he smiled.


    "Is there something dirty on my face?"


    Ultimately too thin-skinned, Luo Yanqing touched his own cheek and looked at his wife, confusion in his eyes.


    Kang Li shook her head and then, with augh, she said, "It¡¯s clean. I just want to look at you like this. Can¡¯t I?"


    "..."


    Luo Yanqing paused, not knowing quite how to respond for a moment.


    Kang Li couldn¡¯t help butugh out loud. "There, I¡¯m just teasing you!" Without a smile, he resembled a distant, indifferent snow mountain¡ªbeautiful, yes, butcking in vivacity.


    But once he smiled, even if it was a faint one, even just a casual curve of his lips, it struck directly to the heart like a snow mountain springing to life.


    He Wei nced at his lunch box, which still had a bite or two of food left, and couldn¡¯t help saying to Wen Siyuan, "I feel so full today!"


    Wen Siyuan: "Wasting food is shameful."


    He Wei: "I¡¯m not saying I¡¯m wasting it. I just feel like I got the same amount of food as usual, so why do I feel so stuffed today?"


    If He Wei knew about the saying "dog food," he would understand why he felt so full that day.


    "I don¡¯t think it¡¯s overeating, it¡¯s that you got your fill watching Professor Luo and his wife unt their affection!"


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 396: 396: You make it sound like Im the only one whos blind.

    <strong>Chapter 396: Chapter 396: You make it sound like I¡¯m the only one who¡¯s blind.</strong>


    When Wen Siyuan said this, not only was He Wei stunned, but he himself couldn¡¯t help but be taken aback.


    ¡°Old Wen, your words are so incisive. I feel that I must have been filled to the brim watching Professor Luo and his wife show off their love! Why do they have to do this? It¡¯s great that this couple has such a good rtionship, and they¡¯repletely free to behave however they like in private. But why must they unt their affection in front of us? It¡¯s purely to make us envious!¡±


    As He Wei said this, he received an eye-roll from Wen Siyuan, ¡°Call your wife and let here to the office to show off your love too.¡±


    ¡°Better not, with my wife being a real tigress. I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t have my ears anymore if I ask her to show off our love in public.¡±


    He Wei patted his chest fearfully.


    ¡°Look at Teacher Shen¡¯s face, Old Wen; that¡¯s really too much. In a public setting, her expression is way too unsightly.¡±


    He Wei nced at the dining table where Shen Yun was seated and whispered to Wen Siyuan after she took her lunch box and left.


    Wen Siyuan: ¡°Eat your food and mind your own business.¡±


    He Wei: ¡°You¡¯re no fun. I¡¯m just pointing out Teacher Shen¡¯splexion to you, and you call that meddling? If I were Teacher Shen, I¡¯d know when to back off to avoid someday bing someone that everyone looks down on.¡±


    ¡°You talk too much.¡±


    If she knew she would be looked down upon, she wouldn¡¯t have set her sights on Professor Luo.


    In his view, it¡¯s the stubbornness of Teacher Shen that won¡¯t change without running into a wall.


    Having forced down thest two bites of food, He Wei stood up: ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Wen Siyuan ¡°hmmed,¡± and the two picked up their lunch boxes and headed for the sink.


    ¡°Do you think that she really has her sights set on Professor Luo?¡± After Shen Yun left with her lunch box, the three female colleagues who hadn¡¯t left that dining table started whispering secretly.


    ¡°It¡¯s so obvious, why are you even using ¡®might not be¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Right, anyone with eyes in this institute could see her feelings for Professor Luo.¡±


    ¡°Listen to how you guys talk, as if I¡¯m the one who is blind.¡±


    ¡°We didn¡¯t say that, you¡¯re the one admitting it now.¡±


    ¡°A poor choice of friends, a poor choice of friends indeed!¡±


    ¡°Alright, no more joking about her. Let¡¯s get going.¡±


    ¡°What else is there to say about her? We¡¯ve seen Professor Luo¡¯s spouse with our own eyes. Look at the way she carries herself, then take a look at that face and her temperament. She¡¯s not someone that she canpete with.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget, she holds a high degree, and like Professor Luo, is a returnee from overseas studies.¡±


    ¡°In a marriage, it¡¯s not about how high the woman¡¯s education is that determines if a man will choose to be with her. Besides, Professor Luo¡¯s partner¡¯s education is likely not inferior. Even if, for the sake of argument, her education is lower, as long as Professor Luo likes her, none of that matters.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, what you say is right!¡±


    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s hurry up and wash our lunch boxes, I want to lie down in the dormitory for a bit.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    The three female colleagues, all of about the same age, stood up. Before heading towards the sink, they instinctively nced at the direction of Luo Yanqing and Kang Li.


    ¡°I originally thought Professor Luo wouldn¡¯tugh.¡±


    ¡°Before today, probably everyone in the institute thought the same as you.¡±


    ¡°Men are like that, when they look good, everything they do is attractive. Look at Professor Luo; the joy in his eyes simply can¡¯t be hidden.¡±


    In fact, it was true, as one could see Luo Yanqing¡¯s narrow, phoenix-shaped eyes brimming withughter,


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 397: 397: They Complimented You on Being Pretty, Saying You and I Are a Good Match

    <strong>Chapter 397: Chapter 397: They Complimented You on Being Pretty, Saying You and I Are a Good Match</strong>


    Those pupils, shining like obsidian, sparkled as if they were the brightest star in the night sky, exuding an unconscious allure.


    ¡°If a woman is beautiful, doesn¡¯t everything she do look just as beautiful?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right, I slipped up there.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, anyway, Professor Luo is taken and we¡¯ll never stand a chance in this lifetime.¡±


    ¡°You talk as if we have a chance in the next life.¡±


    ¡°You never know! What if Professor Luo¡¯s eyes aren¡¯t so good next time around, and he ends up liking me?¡±


    ¡°You really dare to dream!¡±


    ¡°Haha¡­¡±


    When the three women went to the sink, Yanqing had finally finished eating. He picked up his lunchbox, motioned to Kang Li to get up, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to the sink to wash it?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a tap near the dorms.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that more trouble? Give it to me, I¡¯ll wash it for you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it, just wait for me a moment at the entrance of the cafeteria.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want help with the washing?¡±


    ¡°No need.¡±


    Yanqing shook his head, then walked toward the nearby sink with his lunchbox.


    ¡°Hello, Professor Luo!¡±


    The three women who had been talking about Yanqing earlier, seeing the man of their dreams approach, immediately struck a demure pose and greeted Yanqing.


    Yanqing responded with a low ¡°hm,¡± acknowledging them.


    ¡°Professor Luo, your partner is truly beautiful, a perfect match for you!¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Professor Luo, did your partnere to the institute specifically to see you today?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re really lucky, Professor Luo!¡±


    ¡°Yes, Professor Luo, among all the men and women in our institute, you¡¯re truly fortunate. We are really envious.¡±


    ¡°Professor Luo, how do you call your partner?¡±


    ¡°Kang Li.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a nice name. Let¡¯s go say hello to Comrade Kang.¡±


    After washing their lunchboxes, the three women followed Yanqing back toward the entrance of the cafeteria, all smiling, ¡°Hello, Comrade Kang.¡±


    Kang Li paused for a second, then smiled, ¡°Hello.¡±


    ¡°Wee Comrade Kang to our institute, and when you have time, you are wee to visit more often.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Watching the three leave, Kang Li turned to Yanqing withughter, ¡°The women at your institute are really enthusiastic.¡±


    With a somewhat evasive gaze, Yanqing said, ¡°Theyplimented you, saying that I matched well with you.¡±


    Kang Liughed lightly, ¡°It seems you¡¯re quite popr in the institute!¡±


    Yanqing: ¡°Other than the members of my own project team, I hardly know anyone else.¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°But everyone else seems to know you well, you know what that means?¡±


    Yanqing: ¡°¡­¡±


    Kang Li: ¡°It means you¡¯re impressive! So, Professor Luo, keep up the good work and strive to do even better!¡±


    ¡°I will.¡±


    Yanqing nodded.


    Back in the dorm, Kang Li finally got a chance to closely inspect the man¡¯s living space, and she said, ¡°Isn¡¯t your dorm a bit too simple?¡±


    A desk, a bed, a clothes rack, a basin stand, and a single-door wardrobe were all she could see, with no otherrge items visible.


    Yanqing: ¡°That¡¯s the standard setup for everyone.¡±


    Kang Li made an ¡°oh¡± sound, then asked, ¡°Do you have any dirty clothes? I can wash them for youter.¡±


    Yanqing: ¡°At night before bed, I make sure to wash all the clothes I¡¯ve worn during the day, so you just sit down and rest awhile.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not tired.¡±


    The man indeed kept his dorm tidy and everything neatly arranged, which easily led one to consider whether he had obsessions with cleanliness or had OCD.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 398: In My Heart, Your Feelings Matter More Than Anything

    <h4>Chapter 398: Chapter 398: In My Heart, Your Feelings Matter More Than Anything</h4>


    However, she knew the man was a bit of a clean freak, and as for OCD, she hadn¡¯t noticed it when they were at home.


    Luo Yanqing, "Xiao Li..."


    Kang Li, "Hmm?"


    Luo Yanqing, "Back at the cafeteria, everyone was looking at you." Blurted out all of a sudden, Luo Yanqing himself was somewhat puzzled.


    "You¡¯re not jealous, are you?"


    Seeing that the man was somewhat ufortable, Kang Li couldn¡¯t help but move closer, forehead touching his, and looked intently into his eyes, "Tell me, you¡¯re not really jealous, are you?"


    Luo Yanqing, "They were all looking at you, and they kept talking non-stop, I don¡¯t like it."


    Kang Li, "..." This man was really jealous! And slightly aggrieved at the same time.


    For a moment, Kang Li didn¡¯t know whether tough or cry. She said, "It was them who wanted to look at me, not me asking them to. Besides, we don¡¯t know what they were talking about, so you really needn¡¯t be jealous over this."


    After a brief pause, Kang Li continued, "And don¡¯t forget, there are quite a few femalerades who look at you, too. Should I be jealous as well?" Holding the man¡¯s handsome face, Kang Li deliberately said, "If you really mind others looking at me, then from now on, I¡¯ll wear a mask whenever I go out."


    Luo Yanqing shook his head, "No need."


    Kang Li, however, was serious, "Are you sure? You have to know, your feelings are more important to me than anything!"


    "Truly, no need."


    Wearing a mask in the height of summer would be so ufortable; he didn¡¯t want his little wife to suffer.


    Sitting beside the man, Kang Li rested her head on his legs and said, "Because we are good-looking, that¡¯s why people look at us. There¡¯s nothing wrong with that. After all, humans are visual creatures who can¡¯t help but take a longer look at beautiful things when they see them."


    Luo Yanqing¡¯s expression softened. He gently stroked his little wife¡¯s smooth hair and said softly, "While what you say makes sense, I still don¡¯t want you to get so much attention from others."


    Kang Li chuckled lightly and pinched the man¡¯s nose, "Our Professor Luo is really domineering, but, I like that!"


    The two exchanged words back and forth. Perhaps because Kang Li felt at ease, she began to feel drowsy unintentionally. Or perhaps it was because Luo Yanqing¡¯s voice was as pleasant as a mountain stream falling on t stones. Either way, Kang Li gradually closed her eyes and somehow fell asleep on the man¡¯s legs.


    Luo Yanqing sat motionless by the bed until it was almost time to go to work, then he gently nudged Kang Li, "Xiao Li, wake up!"


    Kang Li rubbed her eyes, her voice stillced with a hint of sleepiness, "I actually fell asleep."


    "Mhm." Luo Yanqing nodded.


    Kang Li, "Are you dumb?" She couldn¡¯t believe he didn¡¯t wake her up earlier or move her to the bed, letting her sleep on his legs like that, seemingly not worried about his legs getting numb.


    Understanding what Kang Li meant, Luo Yanqing smiled, "I¡¯m fine."


    "Even if you are fine, you are still a fool!" Kang Li scolded yfully, "Is it time for you to go to work?"


    Luo Yanqing, "Mhm."


    Kang Li, "Then go ahead. When I leaveter, I¡¯ll leave your dorm room key at Godfather¡¯s. Remember to pick it up from Godfather¡¯s office after work."


    Luo Yanqing, "Okay."


    Kang Li sat up, an arm wrapped around the man¡¯s neck, her voice coquettish, "Come here, give me a kiss." Hearing this, Luo Yanqing smiled, "Should I say thank you?"


    "Up to you!"


    While saying this, Kang Li had already kissed the man¡¯s lips. Then, the next moment, the man took the initiative, deepening the kiss.


    After a while, the kiss ended, Luo Yanqing stood up. He casually straightened his shirt and re-rolled his sleeves that hade undone:


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 399: Planning Mischief

    <h4>Chapter 399: Chapter 399: nning Mischief</h4><h4></h4>


    "I¡¯m off to get busy then, you go back to bed and catch some sleep before you leave."


    Kang Li "Mhm" in response, seeing the man to the dormitory door.


    "Go on in."


    The ink-like Phoenix Eyes of Luo Yanqing carried a reluctance, but he eventually waved his hand goodbye.


    Kang Li softly acknowledged, watched him walk away, and then retracted her gaze, turned around to enter the dormitory, and casually closed the door behind her.


    Speaking of which, Shen Yun had felt like there was a fire pent up inside her ever since she saw Kang Li in the cafeteria and witnessed Luo Yanqing brightening up with a smile for Kang Li¡ªunable to vent her frustration.


    She really couldn¡¯te to terms with it: how could a woman with lesser education and family background than hers catch Luo Yanqing¡¯s eye, let alone marry the man she had admired for years?


    Especially with their behavior in the cafeteria; if you said they weren¡¯t showing off for her benefit, nobody would believe it!


    But was she some unsophisticated person?


    Did she really think that the couple¡¯s interaction would make her envious, jealous, and hate-filled?


    That¡¯s what Shen Yun thought, but undeniably, she did feel envious, jealous, and filled with hatred, at the same time extremely furious!


    It seemed she had to find a way to release this pent-up anger; otherwise, wouldn¡¯t she be living too miserably?


    In reality, Shen Yun was overthinking it; the couple¡¯s intimate interactions were not for her viewing or anyone else¡¯s, but were genuine disys of affection.


    Besides, who did she think she was to warrant such a performance from two inherently proud people?


    However, there are always those who fixate on an idea, holding themselves in too high regard, believing they are of utmost importance.


    As seasons changed from summer to autumn and several days of rain came, Kang Li was sleeping soundly one night when she heard Milk Bun Ming Han¡¯s whiny little voice by the bed.


    Suddenly opening her eyes, Kang Li lifted Milk Bun onto the bed: "What¡¯s wrong, Hanhan?"


    "Mommy, mommy, please go check on brother; he says he feels very hot, and he has been coughing nonstop." Milk Bun wrapped around her mother¡¯s neck, her tears dropping heavily.


    Kang Li: "Okay, mommy is going to check on your brother now, you can sleep on mommy¡¯s bed." After getting Milk Bun settled in her bed and making sure she was covered, Kang Li didn¡¯t pause for a moment and went straight to the room where the three little ones stayed.


    As expected, Min Rui¡¯s coughing was incessant, and his face was flushed in an abnormal way.


    Touching the child¡¯s forehead, it was very hot.


    Without hesitation, Kang Li picked up Xiao Ming Wei, ced her in her own room, and then she returned to the children¡¯s bedroom to take Min Rui¡¯s temperature.


    Minutester, she removed the thermometer from under the little one¡¯s arm to see it read 38.1 degrees Celsius. Only then did Kang Li rx a little.


    She poured a cup of boiled water to cool down, then brought over half a basin of warm water and dampened a towel to wipe Min Rui¡¯s forehead, neck, armpits, and the groin¡ªareas whererger blood vessels are located.


    Before this, Kang Li had changed Min Rui into a new set of pajamas.


    Once the water in the cup was at a suitable temperature, she propped the little one against her chest and slowly spoon-fed him children¡¯s cough syrup, giving him extra water to help reduce the fever through increased hydration.


    "Mommy... Ruirui feels bad... Mommy..."


    Hearing the murmur from the child, Kang Li fed him several more sips of water, then picked up the warm towel to wipe down his body once more.


    After a prolonged period of physical cooling, Min Rui¡¯s temperature finally normalized and his coughing notably lessened. Yet, Kang Li wasn¡¯t reassured and didn¡¯t return to her own bedroom. She stayed in the room with the child until daybreak, not resting until she was sure Min Rui didn¡¯t have a fever again.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 400 Do You Really Enjoy Meddling in Other People’s Affairs?

    <h4>Chapter 400: Chapter 400 Do You Really Enjoy Meddling in Other People¡¯s Affairs?</h4><h4></h4>


    But despite this, Kang Li still decided to take a day off for Xiao Ming Rui today to observe him at home. So, when the child woke up in a daze, she said, "Ruirui, you can rest today. Mommy will drop off your little brother and sister at kindergarten. I¡¯ll be back soon to stay with you.":


    "Mommy..."


    Xiao Ming Rui had a vague memory of what happenedst night. He knew his new mom had given him water to drink and wiped his body. Now, as he opened his eyes and saw his new mom, he was certain that she hadn¡¯t slept all night and had stayed with him.


    Closing his eyes, Xiao Ming Rui "hmm"ed in response.


    "Then you go back to sleep, Mommy will be back very soon."


    Kang Li said, making sure the child was properly covered, then she walked out of the room.


    When school started in September, Xiao Ming Rui had officially begun attending first grade.


    The elementary school was right across from the kindergarten, which was quite convenient for Kang Li¡¯s pick-up and drop-off.


    After all, with three little cubs to take to school and another two still in kindergarten, it would naturally be inconvenient if the elementary school were too far away.


    "Mommy, is brother feeling better?"


    Milk Bun Ming Han asked on the way to kindergarten.


    Kang Li: "Much better, but brother needs to rest for a day to recover his energy."


    Xiao Ming Wei: "Mommy, did Big Brother get sick?"


    Milk Bun Ming Han: "Little piggy, all you do is sleep. Brother was sickst night, and you didn¡¯t even know."


    Xiao Ming Wei, feeling wronged: "I was too deeply asleep. It¡¯s not like I don¡¯t care about Big Brother!"


    Kang Liughed and said, "Alright, don¡¯t argue. Brother is fine now."


    "Mommy, I really do care about Big Brother."


    Xiao Ming Wei was still a bit wronged.


    Kang Li: "Mommy knows. Our Vivi is a good sister who loves her brother. Of course, our Hanhan is also a good little brother who loves him. Last night, if it wasn¡¯t for Hanhan telling Mommy that brother was ufortable, Mommy wouldn¡¯t have known that he was sick."


    A little embarrassed, Milk Bun Ming Han said, "I¡¯m not as great as Mommy says!"


    Kang Li smiled without saying anything further.


    At the kindergarten gate.


    After handing the two over to the teacher and watching the teacher take Xiao Ming Han and Xiao Ming Wei into the kindergarten, Kang Li then turned to go back to thepound.


    "Comrade Kang, while you¡¯re still young, it would be better to have a child of your own."


    At some point, Su Man¡¯s voice appeared behind Kang Li.


    But Kang Li didn¡¯t respond.


    Undeterred, Su Man, holding her four-month-old son, quickly took a few steps to catch up and walk alongside Kang Li: "Look at my son, isn¡¯t he good-looking? I¡¯m not being nosy, Comrade Kang, no matter how well you treat those three at home, after all, they¡¯re not your own. It¡¯d be a pity if you raise them until they¡¯re adults and they all turn out to be ungrateful brats."


    Kang Li: "Whether other people¡¯s children will turn out to be ungrateful brats, I don¡¯t know, but I trust mine won¡¯t."


    Su Manughed: "Comrade Kang, you can¡¯t be so absolute in what you say. What if, ten or twenty years from now, they really do be ungrateful? What will you do then?"


    "If that day everes, it will only mean that I wasn¡¯t capable enough to teach them well."


    Kang Li responded to her in a measured tone.


    "You speak so lightly, but I fear when the timees, Comrade Kang, you won¡¯t even have tears left to cry."


    Su Man said with an easy smile: "Ever since my son was born, I¡¯ve been so happy every day. Comrade Kang, you really should take my advice. When Professor Luo is back from leave, you should try to have a child of your own."


    Kang Li nced at her indifferently: "Do you always like meddling in other people¡¯s business?"


    Su Man: "I¡¯m just trying to give you some friendly advice because our situations are simr. Don¡¯t fail to appreciate a good intention."


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 401: No Need to Worry

    <h4>Chapter 401: Chapter 401: No Need to Worry</h4><h4></h4>


    Kang Li: "Thank you, but I don¡¯t need your kindness."


    "You really are stubborn," Su Man said with a curl of her lip. "Raising another¡¯s child, out of ten, eight won¡¯t grow close. Since you don¡¯t listen to me, then I wish that all the children you raise turn out well."


    "Since Comrade Su has such a bias towards her stepdaughter, why do you still pick up and drop off every day? And with your most treasured son at that, aren¡¯t you worried that such a small child might catch a cold from the wind on the way?"


    Kang Li nced at the little one Su Man held in her arms and made a nd remark.


    "Do you think I want to pick them up and drop them off? It¡¯s just that the two little ones are still in kindergarten. Just wait until they¡¯ve both started elementary school; you¡¯ll see if I¡¯ll still be doing this."


    Wouldn¡¯t she cherish her own son? But what choice did she have? With Wen Yi and Wen Yu, one in kindergarten and the other in preschool, both still young, if she didn¡¯t pick them up and drop them off, what if something happened to them on the way? Wouldn¡¯t Wen Siyuan eat her alive?


    Kang Li: "Comrade Su is indeed a sensible person."


    They entered the courtyard, then each went through their own gate. Throughout the way, their conversation was nomittal.


    "Ruirui is reading a book!"


    Walking into the children¡¯s bedroom, Kang Li saw Xiao Ming Rui holding a Chinese textbook, murmuring the words. She couldn¡¯t help but say, "You need more rest. It¡¯s notte to read after resting. Now, listen to Mommy, close the book, close your eyes, and get some more sleep. After Mommy makes breakfast, I¡¯lle and wake you."


    Xiao Ming Rui was an obedient baby. Upon hearing her, he said, "Okay," and casually ced the book beside his pillow.


    The breakfast was millet porridge paired with steamed buns, along with a dish of stir-fried zhini.


    After waking Xiao Ming Rui, Kang Li helped the little guy wash up, and then brought him back to the living room.


    "Eat up. After you¡¯ve finished, take a couple of walks around the yard to digest, then lie down in bed again."


    "...Okay," Xiao Ming Rui nodded. But after eating two steamed buns, he couldn¡¯t help but say, "Mommy, I want to go to school." He didn¡¯t want to fall behind in his studies.


    The word "mommy" from the child was extremely willing. In fact, as early asst New Year¡¯s Eve, Xiao Ming Rui had wanted to call her "mommy," but he might have been too shy or unustomed to do so and had not said it.


    This dysted until now, and Xiao Ming Rui finally started to naturally call Kang Li "mommy."


    To say Kang Li wasn¡¯t moved would be a lie. After all, it took over a year of hard nurturing to let the child voluntarily call her "mommy." Anyone would be filled with emotion and simultaneously feel relief and happiness.


    But Kang Li didn¡¯t show any unusual emotion on her face. She smiled and said, "Are you worried about falling behind in your studies?"


    Xiao Ming Rui nodded: "Yeah."


    Kang Li: "Then you don¡¯t need to worry. At home, we have your ss¡¯s schedule. After you¡¯ve rested, Mommy will follow up on the lessons from yesterday and catch you up on the new material."


    As she said this, Kang Li suddenly remembered something. She quickly said, "You eat first. Mommy will make a phone call to your ss teacher." Look at her memory, she almost forgot to ask the teacher for leave on behalf of the child.


    "Hello, is this Teacher Li?"


    "Yes, that¡¯s me. May I ask who this is? What do you need?"


    "Teacher Li, I¡¯m Luo Ming Rui¡¯s mom. My Min Rui had a feverst night..."


    "Okay, I¡¯ve got it. Let the child rest well at home. When hees back to school, I will help him catch up on the missed work."


    "Thank you, Teacher Li!"


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 402 Asking for Help

    <h4>Chapter 402: Chapter 402 Asking for Help</h4><h4></h4>


    "No need to be polite, your child¡¯s health is important. Let¡¯s leave it at that, goodbye."


    "Goodbye, Teacher Li."


    After hanging up the phone, Kang Li returned to the dining table and said with a smile, "Mom has already asked for your leave, now you just listen to mom, understand?"


    Xiao Ming Rui nodded with a "mm-hmm."


    Kang Li: "Let¡¯s eat."


    Xiao Ming Rui: "Okay, mom eat too."


    After finishing the meal, Xiao Ming Rui took a couple of walks in the courtyard, drank his cough syrup, and had half a pot of warm water from the enamel tank before he went back to his room to lie down.


    He actually felt quite listless.


    After tidying up the kitchen, Kang Li went to check on Xiao Ming Rui and softly stepped out of the room upon seeing the little guy already fast asleep under a thin nket.


    After lunch, Xiao Ming Rui felt revitalized and conveyed to Kang Li that he could skip his nap, implying that he wanted to study.


    Kang Li clearly understood what the child meant; she smiled, nodded, and stated that they would start catching up on today¡¯s lessons in ten minutes.


    It took nearly five to six minutes to wash the dishes and clean the kitchen before Kang Li returned to the living room.


    By then, Xiao Ming Rui had already brought his schoolbag to the side and taken out his Chinesenguage book, math book, writing notebook, arithmetic notebook, and pencil case.


    "Our Ruirui is all prepared, huh? Okay, let¡¯s start our lessons now."


    Taking the math book, she had the child show where they stopped yesterday, then reviewed yesterday¡¯s material with him before starting on new content.


    Her voice was gentle and soft, exining concepts clearer to Xiao Ming Rui than even his school teachers, so unconsciously, Kang Li ended up teaching two more lessons¡¯ worth of content.


    "Oops! Did mom speak a little too much?"


    "I understood it all."


    "Really?"


    "Mm-hmm."


    Kang Li gave a thumbs-up: "Our Ruirui is truly brilliant, covering three lessons in one go, smart!"


    Xiao Ming Rui shyly smiled, "It¡¯s because mom teaches well."


    Kang Li: "I think it¡¯s because our Ruirui is smart! Alright, it¡¯s break time now. You y for a while, and then mom will teach you Chinese."


    Unexpectedly, Xiao Ming Rui shook his head: "I¡¯ll do my homework."


    Kang Li asked, "Don¡¯t you want to y?"


    Xiao Ming Rui replied, "Mm-hmm."


    Kang Li asked again, "Why?"


    Xiao Ming Rui: "Not interested."


    Kang Li smiled helplessly: "But children usually love to y, Ruirui. Don¡¯t push yourself too hard; you should know that studying also requires a bnce of work and rest."


    Xiao Ming Rui pursed his lips and remained silent for a moment.


    "Alright, if you really don¡¯t feel like ying, that¡¯s okay. But at school, you need to move around during breaks, or else you¡¯ll be a bookworm, and that wouldn¡¯t be good."


    Kang Li cautioned the child.


    Xiao Ming Rui nodded: "Okay."


    About ten minutester, Kang Li picked up the Chinesenguage textbook and, following Xiao Ming Rui¡¯s indications on what his teacher had taught yesterday, she first reviewed and then exined the new material.


    As time ticked away, after Kang Li had finished teaching all the subjects on today¡¯s lesson n, she checked the time and realized it was almost time for kindergarten to end.


    "You stay home and do your homework; mom will pick up your brother and sister."


    "Mm-hmm."


    "Oh, and there¡¯s boiled water in the enamel tank, remember to drink someter."


    "Okay."


    After giving instructions to the child, Kang Li did a bit more tidying and then left the house.


    "Kang Li!"


    It was Wu Yue¡¯s voice.


    "What is it?"


    With no one else behind Wu Yue, Kang Li fell in step behind her, listening as Wu Yue said, "I need a favor, and you can¡¯t refuse. You must help me with this, otherwise, it would mean you don¡¯t consider me a friend."


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 403: Stop, I Know What You Want to Say

    <h4>Chapter 403: Chapter 403: Stop, I Know What You Want to Say</h4>


    Kang Li found it somewhat amusing, "You¡¯re so overbearing without even making it clear what kind of help you need from me¡ªit¡¯s like a tyrant forcing his bow!"


    Hearing this, Wu Yue giggled merrily and said, "What are you even talking about! How did I be the tyrant forcing his bow? What I wanted to tell you is that our TV station is nning to start a children¡¯s program, and it just so happens that I¡¯m the producer of this show. Recently, as we¡¯ve been unable to find a suitable host on short notice, my colleagues and I are nearly worried to death. So I¡¯m hoping you could do me a favor and help out; what do you say?"


    "Absolutely not, this is totally out of the question. You know that I haven¡¯t had any professional training, let alone any experience, and then there¡¯s also the fact that I have three children to take care of. I really can¡¯t help with what you¡¯re asking."


    Kang Li gestured a refusal with her hands repeatedly.


    Wu Yue said, "Kang Li, as a friend, you can¡¯t say no!"


    Kang Li smiled helplessly, "I really can¡¯t, you should look for someone else. Or go directly to the broadcasting and hosting schools to see, maybe you will find someone suitable there."


    "Ah Kang Li, finding a suitable host really isn¡¯t easy, and the reason I thought of you is twofold: firstly, you have enough charisma to make children like you the moment they see you, and secondly, you speak gently and softly and are so pretty. If you were to host our children¡¯s show,


    I believe our program would definitely be a huge hit. Besides, you tell stories to your three kids at home every day. If you became the host of our show, it would be just like telling stories to a few more children, not much effort for you at all."


    Seeing that Kang Li kept silent, Wu Yue pressed on, "You¡¯ll get full monthly sry, with benefits included, and you only need to work one day a week, which means recording the show once every weekend, airing on the second Saturday night of the week, not interfering with your childcare at all. Moreover, when you go to record the show, you can totally bring your three little ones along, let them join the other kids we invite as young audience members."


    Kang Li remained silent.


    Wu Yue bit her lip and added, "There¡¯s transportation to pick you up and drop you off, what do you say?"


    Kang Li said, "I need to think about it more."


    Dwen Dwen logged in hurriedly, "Miss, Miss, what are you still considering? This is a great opportunity! Once you really be the host of the children¡¯s show, we¡¯ll surely get lots and lots of happiness points. Then you¡¯ll be able to exchange them for the body strengthening pill and... "


    Kang Li interrupted, "Didn¡¯t I tell you that I just want to be a salted fish?"


    Dwen Dwen urged, "Miss, does being a salted fish mean you can¡¯t have aspirations? Besides, Miss, you shouldn¡¯t have forgotten what I told you before¡ªif you don¡¯t have the body strengthening pill..."


    Kang Li cut him off, "Enough, I know what you¡¯re going to say; it¡¯s just you telling me I don¡¯t have many good years left."


    Dwen Dwen continued, "It¡¯s good that Miss knows, I¡¯m not trying to scare you. ording to your health index, if not for external aids, it would be very difficult to live past thirty years old!"


    Kang Li replied, "You¡¯re noisy."


    Dwen Dwen persisted, "Miss, think about your husband, think about your three kids. If they lost you, what would be of them? Miss, would you really be willing to hand over such a great husband to another woman, willing to have your three smart and sensible kids call someone else ¡¯Mom¡¯? And do you want to see another woman spending your husband¡¯s earnings? Don¡¯t forget potentially hitting and scolding your three little ones?"


    "Have you decided yet?"


    Wu Yue urged.


    Kang Li replied, "I¡¯m afraid I wouldn¡¯t do well."


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 404: Can We Tone It Down a Bit?

    <h4>Chapter 404: Chapter 404: Can We Tone It Down a Bit?</h4><h4></h4>


    Recording the show once a week didn¡¯t really affect her current daily life.


    "Don¡¯t be so modest, if I say you can do it, then you can!"


    Wu Yue grinned from ear to ear: "We agreed, right? This weekend I¡¯ll arrange for a car to pick up the four of you from your house. Oh, and my Ran Ran is also a fan. She¡¯s heard quite a few of the stories you¡¯ve told Vivi."


    Kang Li smiled but didn¡¯t respond, instead asking, "What¡¯s the name of the show?"


    "Before you spoke up, we hadn¡¯t settled on a name for the show, but as soon as you asked, a name popped into my head." Wu Yue could hardly contain her happiness.


    Seeing this, the corners of Kang Li¡¯s mouth involuntarily twitched, and at the same time, her lovely eyebrows couldn¡¯t help but jump as she said, "Looks like I¡¯ve inadvertently be your muse."


    Wu Yueughed even more joyously: "You hit the nail on the head! Haha..."


    "Can we tone it down a bit?"


    Noticing the parents around them looking over, Kang Li felt her cheeks grow warm and wished she could immediately distance herself from Wu Yue, to let those people know that she didn¡¯t know the woman who wasughing uncontrobly.


    But since they were friends, she ultimately didn¡¯t do that, though she still couldn¡¯t help but remind the other.


    Aware of the odd looks from the parents around her, Wu Yue felt so embarrassed she wished she could dig a hole in the ground with her toes and crawl in.


    Why did sheugh like that?


    It was so unbing and embarrassing!


    "Why didn¡¯t you warn me earlier?"


    Wu Yue looked at Kang Li full of resentment.


    "I warned you the moment you startedughing like that, okay, big sis?!"


    Kang Li gave her an elegant eye roll and then said, "You seem quite intelligent, but it seems I was mistaken. You, my friend, are nothing more than a silly girl who doesn¡¯t sweat the small stuff."


    "Beauty, who are you calling a silly girl?"


    Wrapping an arm around Kang Li¡¯s shoulder, Wu Yue pulled her a little closer: "I¡¯m definitely not silly, I am just..."


    "Why stop talking, hmm?"


    Kang Li raised an eyebrow, leisurely gazing at her.


    "Unconcerned with trivialities, that¡¯s right, just like that. You¡¯re absolutely correct, I¡¯m a bit careless, but I¡¯m not silly in the least, and don¡¯t you start calling your big sis a silly girl again! As for all that intelligence, let me tell you the truth, it¡¯s all an act for me, but in front of you, I can¡¯t keep up the pretense, can I?"


    "Big sis? You really want to be my big sis, Comrade Wu Yue?"


    Kang Li¡¯s lovely fox-like eyes half-closed, she regarded Wu Yue quietly.


    "Is that not okay? I¡¯m a whole eight years older than you. Shouldn¡¯t it be natural for you to call me big sis?"


    If she could have such a Fairy Girl as a little sister, she¡¯d wake upughing from her dreams!


    The corners of Kang Li¡¯s mouth curved up in a smile, her tone light and unhurried: "I consider you a friend, yet you want to be my big sis. Tell me, Comrade Wu Yue, do you think you¡¯re moreposed or more calm in the face of trouble than I am?"


    "My dear little sister, my beloved little sister, do I have to be moreposed or calmer in trouble than you to be your big sis?" Wu Yue deliberately pulled a mournful face: "Can¡¯t we just be sisters based on age? It¡¯s true I¡¯m not veryposed, and I do get a bit agitated in certain situations, but I believe that having you as my little sister from now on, I will strictly demand more from myself, striving to be a good older sister you can rely on. How about that, agreed?"


    She just wanted such a beautiful Fairy Girl as a little sister, no one should stand in her way!


    "Not okay! Though, when you can act the part of a big sis, I don¡¯t mind being your little sister then."


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 405: Teasing Each Other

    <h4>Chapter 405: Chapter 405: Teasing Each Other</h4><h4></h4>


    Kang Li smiled and decided not to tease the friend before her any longer.


    Yes, in Kang Li¡¯s heart, she had long regarded Wu Yue as a friend.


    Wu Yue seemed a bit disappointed, "I¡¯m so sad, I¡¯m so upset."


    "Keep showing off, and watch me change my mind!"


    Flippantly, Kang Li threw out a line, and almost instantly, Wu Yue packed away the myriad of expressions on her face, saying, "No, please don¡¯t, you¡¯ve already promised to host our program, and if you go back on your word, I swear I¡¯ll eat and sleep at your house!"


    "What if I don¡¯t leave the door open?"


    With a softugh, Kang Li said, "The walls of my house are especially high, it would be very difficult for you to climb over them."


    Wu Yue dismissed this, "No matter how high your walls are, couldn¡¯t I simply use adder?"


    "True, how could I forget that adder could help you scale the wall? It seems that when I get hometer, I¡¯ll have to strew some broken ss along the top of the wall, and scatterrge and small nails within a yard of the base. That way, even if you get over the wall with adder, where will you put your feet next?"


    As she spoke, a hint of smugness gleamed in Kang Li¡¯s fox-like eyes.


    "You think this will stop me? Just you wait, I¡¯ll always find a way to get into your house!"


    Wu Yue wore a smile, her demeanorpletely rxed.


    The two of them bantered back and forth as they moved forward with the queue.


    "We have an agreement, starting this weekend, you and your little ones wait at home for the car I arrange to pick you all up."


    After greeting the teacher, Kang Li picked up the Twin with mixed sex from kindergarten, only to be called back by Wu Yue for a thorough reminder.


    "I won¡¯t forget."


    Since she had promised, she would naturally give it a try, and if it didn¡¯t work out, well, there was nothing she could do about it.


    After all, some people might be attractive but not suitable for the camera.


    However, if everything went fine, she wouldn¡¯t mind doing this favor.


    After all, filming only once a week wouldn¡¯t have any special impact on her daily life, and there were no safety issues for the three kiddos.


    Besides these points, what Dwen Dwen said... was actually the primary reason.


    Kang Li thought to herself that she had already developed affection for the rtives in this life, for Luo Yanqing and the three kiddos. If her life truly didn¡¯t extend past thirty, regardless of how her family and Luo Yanqing would cope, she herself would be the first to suffocate with gloom.


    Alright, she would already be dead by then, so feeling gloomy would be pointless.


    But given the chance to survive, who would want to close their eyes, kick their legs up, and lie down in the cold earth?


    Moreover, once dead, that¡¯s it. Kang Li didn¡¯t believe she¡¯d be lucky enough to wake up in someone else¡¯s body again, much less return to her original world, to her family¡¯s side.


    In her past life, she toiled for the family n, for the corporation... died at her desk, and when she reopened her eyes, knowing she had a new life, she only wanted toze around. But that didn¡¯t mean she held any grievances against her family from her previous life. On the contrary, she deeply cared about her parents, cared about the little brother she had brought up with her own hands...


    If there was a chance for her to go back now, Kang Li wouldn¡¯t hesitate to return to her own body, to the side of her dearest dad, mom, and brother.


    As for the rtives in this life, perhaps she seemed a bit indifferent, but after all, she was not the true youngest daughter of the Kang Family, not the pampered Li Bao. Perhaps if she left, the real Li Bao might return to her own body!


    It just felt a bit unfair to Professor Luo, unfair to the three kiddos...


    "What are you thinking about?"


    Seeing Kang Li lost in thought, Wu Yue couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    "Ah?"


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 406 Intimate

    <h4>Chapter 406: Chapter 406 Intimate</h4><h4></h4>


    Pulled back into reality, Kang Li shook her head, "I wasn¡¯t thinking about anything. Let¡¯s do as you said, I¡¯ll wait at home over the weekend." As she spoke, Kang Li suddenly thought of something and asked, "Doesn¡¯t your station take weekends off?"


    Wu Yue: "We are human, not machines, of course the station takes weekends off. However, our team has just taken over the children¡¯s program, and to make the show a hit from the start, everyone is putting a lot of effort into nning and all the preparation before recording."


    "I see, I thought you chose to record on weekends to amodate my schedule." If that were the case, Kang Li felt she would probably be the target of resentment for everyone in the program team.


    However, whether she would be resented or not, Kang Li didn¡¯t care at all.


    She was just helping out, it wasn¡¯t like she had to have that job.


    As for happiness points, if she wanted to, there were plenty of ways to get them.


    After parting with Wu Yue, Kang Li took the twin with mixed sex back to thepound.


    On the way, she reflected on what she had been daydreaming about before and couldn¡¯t help but smile bitterly to herself.


    It was an utter impossibility, and yet she had indulged in so much wishful thinking that she even imagined returning to her original world, to her real family, and then wondered how her family here and Professor Luo, the elderly man, would cope...


    What a fool!


    She almost became aplete fool!


    As tears threatened to spill from her eyes, Kang Li lifted her head, forcing them back, and repeatedly told herself: You¡¯re fine, Kang Li; you have to be fine. Although... although you will never see your dad and mom again in this lifetime, never hear Kang Yi calling you ¡¯sister¡¯,


    But you are Kang Li, the child your parents are most confident in, the sister Kang Yi admires the most, the Director Kang in the business world who instills fear with a single word!


    Weakness doesn¡¯t suit you; you¡¯ve always been strong since you were little. No matter where you are or what circumstances you¡¯re in, you can live life well and live it the way you want!


    Yet even as she told herself this, Kang Li still felt an emotional surge at that moment.


    Actually, ever since she arrived in this world, she had always been thinking about her family in her original life, but to avoid feeling sad, she forced herself not to think about them, so as to gradually adapt to her current life.


    "Mommy, your eyes are red. Have you been crying?"


    Milk Bun Ming Han seemed to sense something and lifted his little head to see his mother¡¯s eyes looking like those of a bunny. He couldn¡¯t help but raise his soft, childlike voice, asking with concern.


    "No."


    Kang Li shook her head, quickly adjusted her emotions, and said, "Mommy got some sand in her eyes, that¡¯s all."


    Milk Bun Ming Han: "Then let Hanhan blow on it for Mommy!"


    Xiao Ming Wei: "I want to blow on it for Mommy too."


    "Alright."


    With both little ones gazing up at her expectantly, Kang Li felt her heart warm and helplessly squatted down, allowing the two of them to help her blow the "sand" from her eyes.


    After a moment, Milk Bun Ming Han asked, "Is Mommy feeling better now?"


    Kang Li nodded, "Yes, Mommy feels much better now. Thank you Hanhan! And thank you, Vivi."


    "Mommy mommy, I haven¡¯t blown on it yet, don¡¯t thank me so soon!" Baby-voiced, Xiao Ming Wei gently blew on her mother¡¯s eyes, then asked, "Mommy, do you feel a lot better now?"


    "Indeed, Mommy feels much morefortable now. Thank you, Vivi!"


    Gathering one child in each arm, Kang Li held them against herself and tightened her embrace slightly, feigning a sigh, "To have such understanding little treasures as my own, I am truly blessed!"


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 407: 407: Do you like to seek attention in front of me so much?

    <strong>Chapter 407: Chapter 407: Do you like to seek attention in front of me so much?</strong>


    The twins both blushed shyly.


    Seeing their rosy cheeks and noticing their gazes were slightly evasive, Kang Li knew they were probably feeling bashful and couldn¡¯t help butugh, ¡°Mommy didn¡¯t say anything wrong, oh. Whether it¡¯s brother, our Hanhan, or Vivi, you are all sensible and good children. With you by Mommy¡¯s side, Mommy is truly very happy!¡±


    Milk Bun Ming Han: ¡°Having Mommy with us, along with sister and brother, makes us very happy too!¡±


    Xiao Ming Wei: ¡°Second brother, did you forget about Dad?¡±


    Milk Bun Ming Han widened his eyes: ¡°I didn¡¯t forget. With Mommy and us at home waiting for Dad toe back from his holiday, Dad must be very happy too!¡±


    ¡°Our Hanhan is so good with words, how wonderful!¡±


    Praising the child, Kang Li continued walking toward the courtyard with the two of them.


    ¡°Comrade Kang!¡±


    As they were about to reach the entrance of the courtyard, a female voice called out from behind Kang Li.


    It sounded unfamiliar yet slightly recognizable. Who could it be?


    Stopping her stride, Kang Li turned to look toward the source of the voice and saw Shen Yun walking over with her son Jian.


    ¡°Comrade Shen has stopped me, may I ask for what reason?¡±


    With an indifferent expression, Kang Li watched as the other party approached.


    Shen Yun¡¯s eyes were inscrutable, her gaze fixed on Kang Li¡¯s eyes as she said, ¡°Professor Luo treats you really well. But, do you know all the people in his family?¡±


    ¡°How is that rted to Comrade Shen?¡±


    Totally absurd!


    Kang Li had no desire to engage in extended conversation with her. She took the twins into the courtyard,pletely ignoring whatever expression Shen Yun showed.


    ¡°Comrade Kang, you left in such a hurry. Could it be that Professor Luo hasn¡¯t told you anything?¡±


    With a faint smile tugging at the corner of her mouth, Shen Yun caught up with Kang Li and her children. She said, ¡°Professor Luo has a mother, but this mother remarried quite early on¡­¡±


    ¡°Comrade Shen!¡±


    Kang Li halted and decided not to save Shen Yun¡¯s face, her eyes coldly fierce: ¡°Do you enjoy seeking attention in front of me that much? If I were you, I¡¯d spend as much time as possible on my research, making more contributions to the country, instead of acting like you do now, always eager to get involved in others¡¯ affairs. Comrade Shen, although you seem to enjoy embarrassing yourself, I don¡¯t want to keep youpany. Do you understand?¡±


    The project team that Shen Yun was a part of had been stuck on a problem for most of the year. Hence, Professor Wang, with the approval of the institute¡¯s leadership, decided to let the staff take turns going on leave to clear their minds and make progress in their work.


    As one of the members of the first group on leave, Shen Yun had been at home for the past week. Initially, she wanted to visit Kang Li¡¯s home more often to annoy her, but remembering that Kang Li was not bothered by her antics, and even turned the tables to leave her without face, Shen Yun suppressed her urge to irritate Kang Li.


    But today, by sheer coincidence, she came across Kang Li; naturally, she wouldn¡¯t miss this opportunity.


    Unexpectedly, Kang Li didn¡¯t y by the usual rules and promptly spoke her mind, making it difficult for Shen Yun to maintain her self-perceived image of cultured grace.


    ¡°Are you teaching me how to live and behave? What gives you the right? Just because you¡¯re a mere high school student, where do you get the confidence to point fingers at me?¡±


    Her face turned cold, Shen Yun looked at Kang Li with contempt: ¡°You¡¯d better understand that to me, you¡¯re nothing but a literate illiterate!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not your parent; I¡¯ve got no time to teach you how to behave properly. I¡¯m just telling you not toe my way again, or else, if I see you, be ready to lose face each time.¡±

 Chapter 408: Who Is So Kind?

    <h4>Chapter 408: Chapter 408: Who Is So Kind?</h4><h4></h4>


    Sneering, Kang Li led her mixed-sex twins straight home.


    Shen Yun¡¯s lips tightened, her eyes zing with fire. Feeling her cheeks burn with embarrassment as people looked her way, she felt exceedingly ufortable!


    She knew that what Kang Li had just said was intended for her and that at least some of it was overheard by passersby on the street. As such, Shen Yun felt even more mortified, as if Kang Li had utterly trampled her dignity underfoot.


    Self-inflicted embarrassment? To call her actions self-inflicted embarrassment, to say she didn¡¯t know how to contribute to the country... A woman illiterate¡ªwhat could she know?


    Just wait, she would soon be able to vent the malice in her heart!


    Shen Yun suppressed her rage, a flicker of scheming shing in her eyes.


    ...


    In the countryside of Langcheng Township.


    "Mom, this letter was mailed from North City. Why haven¡¯t I heard you mention we have rtives there?"


    Meng Xingping took the letter from the mailman, signed his name on the small receipt book, nced at the mailing address on the envelope, and then ran toward his home.


    This person was none other than one of Luo Yanqing¡¯s half-brothers, the third son born to Wang Gun and her second husband.


    "What? A letter from North City!"


    Lazy to the core with no interest in earning extra work points in the fields, Wang Gun was taking a nap on the kang during the day. She shot up immediately upon hearing the morous voice of her third son, shouting out the window, "Bring me that letter, fast!"


    Her family had no rtives in North City, but if someone from there had sent a letter, could it be... could it be that her eldest son, the one she gave birth to first... suddenly remembered her, his birth mother, and after finding her address, decided to contact her?


    The deadbeat! It looks like she didn¡¯t give birth to him in vain; he does have some conscience, not abandoning his mother and brothers!


    Wiping her eyes in a pretense of emotion, Wang Gun saw her third son enter the room and reached out her hand, putting on a stern face, "Hand it over quickly, give your mother the letter!"


    Meng Xingping: "Mom, you can¡¯t read many words. Even if I give you the letter, will you understand it?"


    "Your mother may not understand it, but you think you do? Look at you acting all capable!"


    Wang Gun red at her son and said, "Youzybones. Just because you¡¯ve got a bit of diarrhea, you¡¯re nesting at home instead of working. I¡¯m telling you, if you continue to be thiszy, don¡¯t expect me to find a matchmaker for you in the future!"


    "Mom, my belt is hardly holding up. How can I go work like this?"


    Meng Xingping ced the letter on the edge of the kang and, with his legs tightly squeezed together in a very awkward posture, hurriedly rushed off to the outhouse.


    Wang Gun scoffed, "Lazy people are full of piss and shit!"


    Reaching from the edge of the kang to bring the letter before her eyes, Wang Gun nced at the mailing address. Seeing it was vague, she didn¡¯t look closely at it.


    She tore open the envelope and unfolded the letter inside, finding only a few brief sentences. Guessing and pondering, Wang Gun furrowed her brows.


    Who could be so kindhearted?


    And how did they know she was looking for that no-ount son?


    Unable to figure it out, Wang Gun simply decided not to think too hard about it. As long as she could find that deadbeat son, she didn¡¯t care which kind person took the trouble to send her this good news in a letter.


    All right, even if the address in the letter is fake, then... she¡¯d consider herself tricked, having made a wasted trip!


    But if it¡¯s true, wouldn¡¯t she be in for endless blessings in the future?!


    Thinking of this possibility, Wang Gun was so overjoyed she felt like sprouting wings right that instant and flying straight to North City!


    "Mom, let me read the letter for you!"


    Coming out of the outhouse, Meng Xingping entered the room with a smile and immediately offered.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 409: Scheming

    <h4>Chapter 409: Chapter 409: Scheming</h4><h4></h4>


    "Get lost, get lost, get lost! Can¡¯t you wash your hands before you show up in front of me? You¡¯re filthy enough to die, but just don¡¯t disgust me!"


    Wang Gun pinched her nose and waved her hands repeatedly. She had lived in the countryside for a decade or two, but as a former city dweller, she was extremely particr about hygiene. Unfortunately, the sons she had given birth to were one dirtier than the other. Not only did they not help her tidy up the house, but they also didn¡¯t care much about personal hygiene, which was really driving her crazy!


    To say nothing of which girl would fancy her sons, even she, knowing that her potential match was such a mess, would definitely turn around and walk away.


    Meng Xingping chuckled foolishly and scratched the back of his head, "Mom, I¡¯m not dirty!"


    "Are you going to get out and wash your hands or not?"


    Grabbing the greasy stone pillow next to her, Wang Gun gritted her teeth, her triangr eyes ring like brass bells, ready to "explode your dog head with this pillow if you dare not go out and wash your hands."


    "Fine, I¡¯m going, I¡¯m going to wash my hands now, okay?"


    Knowing his mother had a bad temper and always meant what she said, unlike other families who treated their sons like ancestors, Meng Xingping knew if he dillydallied any longer, he might really get hit by the stone pillow.


    The very thought was too scary, so Meng Xingping turned and ran toward the yard.


    "Mom, I¡¯ve washed my hands. Do you want to see how clean they are?"


    A few minutester, Meng Xingping returned to his mother¡¯s room, grinned, and waved his damp hands in front of her.


    "Get your paws away from me!"


    Wang Gun scolded irritably, "Are there no towels in the house, or what? Don¡¯t you know to wipe your hands after washing?"


    "Mom, don¡¯t be mad, I¡¯ll shake them dry."


    Saying this, Meng Xingping vigorously shook his hands until he got all the water off.


    "How did I end up with such a filthy creature like you?" Wang Gun gnashed her teeth, "Now listen to me; I don¡¯t know who sent this letter to us, but the content tells us that there¡¯s news of your elder brother..."


    Meng Xingping was utterly confused and interrupted, "Elder brother? Mom, isn¡¯t my elder brother working in the fields? Why would someone need to send a letter from North City to tell us that?"


    "Did I forget to give you a brain when I gave birth to you?" Was this fool really her son? Wang Gun red at her son for a while before continuing, "Listen well, the elder brother I¡¯m talking about now is the first son I gave birth to."


    Meng Xingping suddenly understood, nodding and saying, "Oh, I got it. Mom is talking about the Luo Family¡¯s elder brother, not my elder brother Meng Xingwang."


    "Enough with your foolishness, trying to act smart in front of your mother. All the rice you¡¯ve eaten over the years is aplete waste." Wang Gun looked at her son disdainfully and then said, "I¡¯ve made up my mind. We¡¯ll set out for North City tomorrow..."


    Before Wang Gun could finish her sentence, Meng Xingping eagerly interrupted, "Mom, you¡¯ll definitely bring me and second brother, right? You know, in our family, if we¡¯re talking about being smart, it¡¯s only me and second brother who can show it off!"


    "I do need to bring you two brothers, but remember this: don¡¯t act like you¡¯ve never seen the world the moment we reach my eldest son¡¯s house, or they¡¯ll definitely think we came to sponge off them."


    Wang Gun warned her foolish son in advance.


    "But we¡¯re indeed going there to sponge off them!" Meng Xingping was puzzled, "Or is mom just going to see Luo Family¡¯s elder brother and then bring me and second brother back?"


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 410: 410: This Son Is Just a Disaster

    <strong>Chapter 410: Chapter 410: This Son Is Just a Disaster</strong>


    ¡°Even if we¡¯re just sponging off someone, we can¡¯t make it too obvious!¡± City folks look down on country people the most. Although she was going to her own son¡¯s home to sponge off of him, those neighbors had nothing better to do than gossip about her!


    Therefore, in order to wring more out of that deadbeat son, she had to make a big show of it.


    So that no one could criticize her.


    ¡°So, ording to what you¡¯re saying, Mother, what should we do when we get there?¡±


    Meng Xingping didn¡¯t think sponging off his own brother was something to be ashamed of, but he always listened to his mother. Hence, whatever his mother said, he would do without hesitation.


    ¡°First off, we need to show real affection. It would be best if we burst into tears at the sight of my son and his wife and kids, blubbering about how much we¡¯ve missed them. We must keep saying it, but we mustn¡¯tin, don¡¯t say anything about how we can¡¯t make ends meet at home, or how you and your second brother¡ªand the other brothers below you¡ªcan¡¯t find wives!¡±


    Wang Gun mulled over her n as she instructed her son.


    ¡°Mother, I understand. When the timees, I¡¯ll definitely cry with genuine feeling, saying how much I¡¯ve missed my eldest brother, how much you¡¯ve missed him over the years, how you, even though you married my father, never forgot about my eldest brother and always looked for him. And now that we¡¯ve finally got news, you didn¡¯t sleep all night, just hoping to see elder brother as soon as possible¡­¡±


    Meng Xingping rambled on, and Wang Gun listened with great satisfaction. She pped her thigh andughed, ¡°Yes, just cry and howl like that. Make sure to remember what you just said to me, because when you see your Luo Family elder brother, you must cry and howl exactly like that for your mother!¡±


    How touching it would be! She simply didn¡¯t believe that, with such a humble disy from them, that good-for-nothing son wouldn¡¯t be soft-hearted. And what nasty things could his neighbors say about them in such a state?


    She was just an old woman whose eyesight was nearly gone, who had finally found her son and now only wanted to visit him¡ªwhat ill intentions could she possibly have?


    Wang Gun¡¯s eyes were full of schemes. She said, ¡°And make sure to have a good talk with your second brother, so he doesn¡¯t slip up with his stupidity. And remember, you must talk about how your mother¡¯s eyes are nearly blind from crying all these years looking for that boy!¡±


    Meng Xingping: ¡°But Mother, your eyes are fine!¡±


    ¡°Unless I¡¯m made out to be pitiful, that good-for-nothing son won¡¯t care about us. Wang Gun hadn¡¯t forgotten the terrible things she¡¯d done in the past. If the good-for-nothing son held a grudge, they might not just be denied sponging off of her, but it was also possible they would be chased away with a stick.


    ¡°And don¡¯t you forget, when we¡¯re in front of Luo Family elder brother, don¡¯t call him that good-for-nothing anymore.¡±


    If we¡¯re already sponging off someone at their front door, being disrespectful won¡¯t endear us to anyone, let alone get favors from them.


    In fact, if not for the dire poverty that drilled a resounding ding-dong in their house, making it difficult for all the brothers below the eldest to find wives, he wouldn¡¯t have bothered looking in the direction of a half-brother.


    After all, such matters are really nothing to be proud of!


    Besides, his mother had truly done some dishonorable things in her early years. Don¡¯t ask how he knew about it. To put it bluntly, in this family¡­ apart from the Sixth Child who¡¯s still young and knows nothing, including him, the other brothers all know how their mother cruelly treated the son she had with her first husband upon remarrying their father.


    A man died, a widow didn¡¯t care for her son, took all the family money, hurriedly found herself a new man, and left for a whole twenty years¡­ not once bothering about the child she abandoned,

 Chapter 411: No Guilt

    <h4>Chapter 411: Chapter 411: No Guilt</h4><h4></h4>


    Now, unable to get by on her own, she suddenly remembers the son she abandoned from a young age. To be honest, if he were the eldest of the Luo Family, he would never forgive the heartless woman who threw him away.


    Even if she were his birth mother, no matter how destitute or miserable she was now, he would not forgive her, nor would he let her take any advantage of him.


    Let alone pay money to help some distantly rted half brothers marry their wives.


    That¡¯s what Meng Xingping was thinking; it showed that he knew everything. But in the end, he wasn¡¯t a Luo¡ªhe wasn¡¯t that elder brother of the Luo Family... He was Meng Xingping, the seed of the Meng Family, about to take advantage of the Luo Family elder brother, and he was part of that.


    Thus, Meng Xingping wouldn¡¯t pretend to be someone who sees things clearly, after all, he would be the beneficiary. Why would he bite the hand that fed him and feel sympathy for a brother who only shared half his blood?


    He wouldn¡¯t!


    Yes, Meng Xinping knew he wouldn¡¯t sympathize with the elder brother of the Luo Family. He needed him to dig into his pockets, to help him marry a wife to warm his bed, to bear him two ¡¯Big Fatty¡¯ boys!


    So, guilt? There was none at all.


    The reason why Meng Xingping and his brothers knew about the shady deed their mothermitted when she was young came from Wang Gun herself. She frequently brought up the money she had taken from her ex-husband¡¯s family in front of the men in her house, saying if it hadn¡¯t been for that, they would have been blown away by the Northwest winds a long time ago.


    Once or twice didn¡¯t matter, but every time Wang Gun quarreled with the men at home, she never failed to mention her past actions, intent on making sure they knew how much she had sacrificed for the family.


    As a result, from a young age, Meng Xingping and his brothers were incessantly reminded and thus fully aware of just how coldhearted their old mother could be!


    "Do you think you need to teach me?"


    Wang Gun rolled her eyes and then nced out the window like a thief, lowering her voice to say, "Before everything is settled, don¡¯t you go bbing about this outside, even to your second brother¡ªthat... Wait until we¡¯re on our way to North City to tell him what to do, to keep it from the whole family. You never know who can¡¯t keep a secret and might let things slip. Especially your sister-inw, she¡¯s quite the schemer!"


    She hadn¡¯t been home for a few days and had already captured the heart of the eldest, turning him against his own mother, constantly stirring up trouble about splitting the family.


    Pah! Dream on!


    The sons she had raised, the ones she spent money on to marry off, instead of thinking about helping their brothers get married, only dreamt of leading their own happy little lives. Well, they could wait, wait until the day she died, then they could have what they wanted!


    Meng Xingping nodded, also whispering, "Mother, what excuse shall we use to go to North City tomorrow?"


    "Just say I¡¯m not feeling well, and you and your second brother are apanying me to the big hospital in the city," Wang Guifang casually concocted an excuse. Hearing this, Meng Xingping immediatelyughed ¡¯heh heh¡¯ and said, "Mother always has many ideas."


    "Stop with the ttery!"


    Wang Gun was very disdainful of her foolish son. After some thought, she said, "If we really find that worthless son, I n to stay at his ce and note back. When the timees, I¡¯ll make him give you and your second brother more money, ask him for more coupons and certificates, and then you can go back to the vige..."


    Before she could finish, Meng Xingping interrupted his mother, "No! Mother can¡¯t abandon us. If you stay with the eldest brother of the Luo Family, who will be the matchmaker for me and second brother, and Fourth Brother? Mother, you are the Sea-calming needle of our house¡ªwe can¡¯t be without you!"


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!