Chapter 289

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Protagonist:

Lin Xiyu

"Miscalculation."

Guben detected something fishy, his wise brain spinning rapidly: "At the time I was busy listening to the song, reminiscing about the past, didn't notice there were other people in the Western restaurant, this person's courage isn't small, not only leaked the news but also dared to secretly take photos, men aren't that gossipy, definitely a woman, Wife's former colleagues have never seen Xiaoyi, could recognize him, and could do this kind of stupid thing, combining the two conditions, the only one who fits is......"

"Hiss."

Lin Xiyu sucked in a breath of cold air, watching wide-eyed as he opened his mouth and spoke the two characters Li Qing: "What kind of brain do you have, you can even guess this?"

"Hmph."

A trace of coldness showed in Guben's eyes, very dissatisfied with a certain busybody: "I guess it's her, besides her, no one would dare rely on their own high worth to scheme against me behind my back."

"This time she's on my side......."

Lin Xiyu's beautiful eyes widened, domineering aura leaking out: "So what if she leaked the news? Could it be you really have some other thoughts in your heart, want to keep hiding it from me?"

"Wife, you're really wronging me...."

Guben decisively admitted defeat, the coldness in his eyes gone, revealing a fawning smile: "I wouldn't dare hide from you even if I hid from anyone else, see, I confessed everything in detail."

Lin Xiyu refused to let it go: "If I don't ask you, you also wouldn't take the initiative to tell me yourself, right?"

"This matter is my fault....."

Guben slapped his own head with some annoyance: "Yesterday when I came back, originally wanted to tell you, didn't expect the moment I entered the door I was nearly scared witless by my son, only remembered to call his soul back, put the proper business out of my mind."

"Don't use your son as an excuse......"

Lin Xiyu didn't want to hear his sophistry.

"How about this......"

Guben was completely out of options: "Tonight, Wife you also take my clothes, face toward Shanghai's direction and call my soul, lest you keep suspecting my soul also stayed outside, didn't come back together with me."

Lin Xiyu: "......"

——

The four babies are the family's treasures held in the palm, the flesh of their hearts.

Sixth Grandpa heard Dabao fell in water and nearly had an accident, also came over from Ban Shan Street, gave Guben a good scolding.

Guben hung his head listening to the lecture, not daring a single word of complaint.

After the scolding, the old master issued another order, telling him to do it quickly, absolutely no delay, teach the younger generation to swim.

Ruirui is ten years old, age is right there, learning anything is easy.

Guben this uncle isn't vague either, directly fished the koi out of the fish pond, threw his nephew in.

Fish pond size and water level are both suitable, just the Quancheng Water is piercingly cold, in the scorching muggy weather, suddenly entering the water can also stimulate a whole body of chicken skin bumps.

Fortunately Ruirui has liked exercise since childhood, physical quality is very good, in his uncle's words — can take it.

Even so, suddenly entering the water, he also sneezed several times in a row.

Grandma Gu watched with heart in throat, then slapped a palm onto his uncle's shoulder, giving him a good scolding.

"Ruirui is determined to become a Pilot, what does this bit of piercing cold count for?"

Guben has his own reasoning: "Only this way can you temper a soldier's steel-like will."

"Mm mm."

Sixth Grandpa listened to this and found it pleasing to the ear, didn't scold him further, counted as leaving him a bit of face.

Ruirui also lived up to expectations, under his guidance quickly mastered the breath-holding technique, floated on the water surface.

"Yiya yaya."

Xixi saw her brother learning to swim, also got spirited, tried to probe her way into the water herself.

A certain black-bellied uncle hoodwinking his own nephew, that's called an absolute.

Turn the head around, toward his own kids, it's a completely different matter.

The four babies are young in age, can't catch cold and get sick, especially Lele, body is especially important.

He found a pile of reasons, no matter how the two elders despised him, also unwilling to let his own kids swim in the fish pond.

Under Sixth Grandpa's urging, he found someone to custom-order a super-large aluminum big bath basin.

The kind that can let four babies splash around inside at once......

——

With the big bath basin, the babies finally had a new toy, scrambling to play in the water.

Anan, Xixi and Lele wearing special baby swimming sleeve floats, kicked their chubby little short legs in the water, doggy-paddling learned with decent form.

Instead it's Pingping, slightly a bit of twists and turns, fell a step behind younger brother and younger sisters.

At first affected by the falling in water, the little fairy had a bit of psychological shadow, no matter how Dad coaxed, two little chubby legs in a straight-line split, dead or alive refused to stretch into the water.

Later still under Mom's encouragement and guidance, overcame fear, dared to go in the water and play together with younger brother and younger sisters.

Babies played in water very happily, Sixth Grandpa and Grandma Gu watched very cheerfully.

A summer vacation, just passed in the two elders playing with grandchildren, happy and joyful atmosphere.

Golden autumn September, Ruirui returned to XJ for classes, the four babies also welcomed their own one-year-old birthday.

——

September 17th, birthday this day, Guben for fun, referencing ancient palace intrigue dramas, let his own kids also enjoy the fun of the grabbing ceremony.

Whole family very cooperative, under the pomegranate tree spread a big red carpet, Sixth Grandpa and Grandma Gu both selected items they fancied, placed at different positions.

Lin Xiyu also joined in the fun, at a corner of the carpet, placed down a paper-cutting.

"Babies, come on, it's time to pick what you like. Take whichever catches your eye, but no picking more than one — each person only gets one. Think it over before you grab......"

Grandma Gu saw everything was laid out and coaxed the little cuties with a beaming smile.

"If you've set your sights on something, don't hesitate."

Sixth Grandpa's way of giving orders was completely different from Grandma Gu's — swift and decisive: "Your aim must be true, your speed must be fast. One moment of hesitation and someone else will snatch it away."

"Yiya yiya......."

Under the old master's command, the babies' speed noticeably quickened; they scrambled on hands and knees toward their desired items.

Among the four babies, Anan had the clearest target — no hesitation at all. She crawled straight over and hugged the remote-controlled plane that Li Qing and her son had given the babies when they were just born a year ago.

"Does Anan want to fly planes when she grows up?"

"Same hobby as her big brother — a pilot in the future, too."

"Hard to say. If not flying planes, building them works too."

"Maybe our Anan is smart and will grow up to be a scientist, building space shuttles."

"That would be wonderful — our family is missing a scientist......"

The remote-controlled plane had been set out by Grandma Gu; the three nannies deliberately coaxed the old lady into happiness, making her beam with delight.

——

Xixi was slightly slower than Anan, but beat Dabao to it, grabbing the little wooden pistol that Sixth Grandpa had carved with his own hands.

"Good girl!"

Sixth Grandpa was delighted, smiling with great satisfaction: "Our Xixi is clearly the descendant of a military family — a general's tiger daughter. When she grows up she'll attend military academy and serve the motherland."

"What girl becomes a soldier?"

Grandma Gu hesitated a little: "Pingping also wants the little pistol. Let him give it to his big brother."

Dabao understood Great-Grandma's words, reached out his little hand, and tried to snatch his little sister's pistol.

Xixi wouldn't give it up; the two little ones wrestled back and forth, neither yielding.

"Ay ay......"

Grandma Gu didn't know whether to laugh or cry: "These two kids, how did they start fighting?"

"Pingping, no bullying your little sister."

Guben moved even faster, bending down to scoop Xixi up.

Dabao was unwilling to accept it, his little mouth splitting open as he prepared to bawl.

"Pingping, be good now, don't cry."

Sixth Grandpa played peacemaker, smiling as he patted Dabao's little head: "Grandpa will make you another one — you and your sister can each have a little pistol."

"Hehe."

Dabao understood, stopped fussing, looked around once more, and crawled toward another favored item.

The whole family stared wide-eyed at him, their gazes following the chubby little body as it moved, finally landing on a festive big red paper-cutting.

Dabao picked up the paper-cutting and happily waved his little hand.

A moment of silence fell beneath the pomegranate tree.

Clearly this should have been a moment for expressing celebration, yet it made people feel a strange surprise.

Even Lin Xiyu, his birth mother, never expected the baby who chose the paper-cutting would be Dabao.

She had thought it would be one of the two daughters — especially Lele, whose little body was weak and couldn't handle high-intensity exercise.

A little girl quietly learning paper-cutting from her mother, acquiring a bit of artistic skill — that would be a fine choice too.

——

"Pingping, look around some more — is there anything else you like?"

Grandma Gu clearly thought along the same lines; after a brief stunned pause, she smiled and coaxed: "So many fun things, and you only picked a piece of paper — how boring."

Lin Xiyu heard this and the corner of her mouth twitched involuntarily again.

Although she also doubted Dabao's choice, there was no need to dismiss it so thoroughly, was there?

That's not waste paper — it's paper-cutting, an artwork.

Priceless!

——

"Gege......"

Lele had originally set her sights on a doll, but seeing her big brother so happy holding the paper-cutting, she suddenly — unprecedentedly — called out "Gege" and reached her hand toward Dabao.

This one "Gege" landed sweetly in Dabao's heart.

Dabao visibly froze for a moment; when he realized his little sister was calling him, he excitedly scrambled up from the ground and lunged over to hug her.

He had just learned to walk and used too much force, knocking Lele's little body backward — the two little ones nearly toppled over together.

Fortunately Guben was quick-eyed and quick-handed; one hand caught his daughter, preventing her head from hitting the ground and averting tragedy.

"Aiyo, my little ancestor."

Grandma Gu was frightened into a panic and hurriedly pulled Dabao away, lest he crush his little sister again.

"Lele can call Gege now?"

Lin Xiyu's focus differed from everyone else's — that soft, faint, not-quite-clear "Gege" rang especially true to her ears.

"Seems like it. I heard it too."

"Lele can talk now?"

"Won't call Daddy or Mommy, but learns to call Gege first — Ruirui would've been delighted if she hadn't left."

"Looks like it's Ruirui's doing — chattering in the little brother and sister's ears every day really works."

Grandma Gu and the others realized belatedly, and the more they thought about it, the more amusing they found it.

"Lele, you're amazing."

Lin Xiyu was beside herself with excitement; she scooped up her daughter and planted a loud kiss on her.

"Xixi, call Daddy."

Guben felt a pang of sourness, unwilling to let his nephew beat him to it.

His wife kissed Lele, so he coaxed Xixi, trying to get Xixi to call Daddy.

"Da, da....."

Xixi's pronunciation wasn't standard, a soft, milky little voice; it sounded like "baba."

"Wife, did you hear? Xixi called Daddy."

Even so, Guben was satisfied beyond measure, holding his daughter and showing off to his wife.

"Xixi, you're amazing."

Lin Xiyu was perfectly impartial; she leaned over again and kissed Xixi's little cheek.

"Pingping, Xixi, Lele — they can all talk now; only Anan is left......"

The whole group of adults watched with amusement, then turned their gazes toward Anan.

Anan's attention was entirely on the remote-controlled plane, his expression very focused, as if he hadn't heard the commotion around him.

"Anan, call Daddy......"

Guben tried to guide him.

Anan pursed his little mouth, not the slightest intention of playing along.

"You're no good, let Xiyu do it."

Grandma Gu disdainfully pushed her grandson aside.

"Anan, call Mommy......"

Lin Xiyu didn't know whether to laugh or cry; she could only pretend not to see her kid's father's resentful little gaze, and tried to communicate with her son.

Anan suddenly moved; his little chubby hand exerted force and snapped the remote-controlled plane's propeller.

"Uh......"

Lin Xiyu's eyelid twitched; she subconsciously reached out, wanting to stop him from further destruction.

"It's fine, let him play."

Guben patted his beloved wife's shoulder, soothing her.

"This child......"

Lin Xiyu felt the money-pain: "A thousand-plus remote-controlled plane, just let him wreck it like that."

"Today's the babies' birthday, can't have a brat......"

Guben gave a black-bellied smile and added: "Tomorrow I won't care; whether you want to be a brat or get beaten, up to you."

Lin Xiyu: "......"

"Is this how you be a dad?

The granddaughter-in-law still hadn't responded, but Grandma Gu was dissatisfied; a slap landed on his shoulder: "On such a joyous birthday, how can you side with your wife and hit the kid? Don't look at our Anan not liking to talk, he's smart as a whip, whatever you say he'll remember......"

"You're done for......."

Lin Xiyu listened with amusement, following Grandma Gu's lead to needle him: "Already offended your son, marking it down in a little notebook......"

"I'm his dad, would I fear him?"

Guben lowered his head to glance at the milky chubby little dumpling, unconcerned: "Want to challenge his dad? Wait till he grows up."

"Words can't be spoken so absolutely......."

Grandma Gu spoke with feeling: "Year by year it goes fast; now he looks small, in the blink of an eye he'll be grown."

"Then all the more reason to beat him a few more times while he's little."

Guben continued black-belliedly: "Educating children must start early; looks like I need to arrange the martial arts curriculum as soon as possible, let them strengthen their bodies."

Lin Xiyu: "......."

Grandma Gu: "........"

"Hahaha."

Sixth Grandpa listened with amusement, laughing heartily.

——

Lele's one soft, glutinous "Gege" unlocked a new cub skill for Dabao.

Pamper-sister skill!

The little guy not only willingly gave the paper-cutting to his younger sister, but also picked up all the remaining items and piled them beside his younger sister.

The grab-week ceremony ended perfectly; Lele became the biggest winner, harvesting a huge pile of gifts, and also gaining a loyal-dog older brother.

Giving the paper-cutting to Lele was like a derailed track returning to the right path; Lin Xiyu's suspended heart also settled back into her stomach.

Anan does scientific research, Xixi attends military academy, Lele learns paper-cutting; the grab-week results seem to also foretell the children's futures.

As for Dabao, no one would worry about him; a sunny youth with compassion who knows to protect his younger sister, even if he encounters some setbacks, he can carve out his own piece of heaven with a heart full of hot blood.

What's more, he still has three blood-connected siblings.

Four siblings united in heart and effort — what difficulty cannot be overcome? What tribulation cannot be crossed? And what person would dare to bully them?

With older brothers and sisters protecting and pampering her, Lele's body will get better.

With the whole family's care and love, the four babies will grow up healthy and happy.

Guben pulled his beloved wife's shoulder close; the couple met each other's eyes and smiled with hearts in perfect tune.