Chapter 46: Be Gentle with the Children

Jiang Banyue was momentarily stunned. She turned to look, and the man gazed at her softly. Before she could react, he stepped forward and tightly embraced her.

“Wife, I’m back!”

Jiang Huairou and Jiang Huaiyu did not recognize the man. Seeing him hugging their mother, they rushed over and began to hit him.

“Bad guy, let go of my mom!”

Shen Yunhe released Jiang Banyue and looked down at the two angry children, who were still shorter than his legs. He squatted down and gently said, “Babies, I’m your dad. You forgot me? I used to hug you and play with you.”

Jiang Huairou looked confused at the strange man and then up at her mother. “Mommy, is this Dad?”

“Yes, baby, Dad is back!”

Jiang Huairou pouted, looking like she was about to cry. “Why did Dad just come back? Where did you go? Why didn’t you stay with us? I hate Dad, boohoo… Dad…”

“Baby, don’t cry. It’s Dad’s fault!” Shen Yunhe hugged his daughter tightly, his eyes reddening with emotion. “Baby, from now on, Dad will be with you and will never leave again!”

“Dad… boohoo…” Jiang Huairou cried pitifully in her father’s arms, while Jiang Huaiyu excitedly raised his hand, bouncing and wanting his dad to hold him.

“Me too! Me too! Dad, Dad, I want a hug too!”

“Okay!” Shen Yunhe held his daughter in one arm and his son in the other, then turned to his eldest son.

“Baby, come here, let Dad hug you!”

Jiang Huaijin leaped into his father’s arms, and Shen Yunhe lifted all three children, who were laughing joyfully in his embrace.

“Let’s go home and play first!”

Jiang Banyue urged, as Shen Yunhe walked into the villa holding the three children. In the yard, a swing was swaying in the wind, and a broken doll lay on top of it.

Jiang Banyue explained, “I used the money you left for me to buy this villa.”

“Yeah, with so many kids at home, we really need to buy a bigger house.” After entering the house, Shen Yunhe put the kids down, and all three of them clung to their dad, wanting him to play with them.

Shen Yunhe sat on the living room floor, playing with the kids as they built blocks. Jiang Banyue went to the kitchen to cook, and the sound of the children’s laughter occasionally echoed through the living room.

“Time to eat!” Jiang Banyue placed a plate of food on the dining table. “Go wash your hands in the bathroom; they’re filthy!”

Shen Yunhe took his daughter and led the two sons to the sink to wash their hands. Jiang Huaiyu deliberately splashed water on his sister’s face, laughing heartily, while Jiang Huairou giggled and splashed back. Jiang Huaijin also happily played with the water, making the floor wet everywhere. Shen Yunhe chuckled as he watched the kids play.

After waiting for a while and not seeing the kids come to eat, Jiang Banyue went to the bathroom and saw the water all over the floor, her anger flaring up instantly.

“What are you doing?!”

With a loud shout, the siblings, who were still playing, rushed into their father’s arms. Shen Yunhe comforted the kids, looking at Jiang Banyue with a guilty expression.

“Don’t be angry; I’ll mop the floor later.”

Jiang Banyue shot him a glare and said irritably, “Come eat!”

Shen Yunhe looked down at the kids, and Jiang Huairou said softly, “Daddy, Mommy is angry again!”

“Be good, it’s okay. You all go eat first; Daddy will clean this up.”

“Okay!”

Shen Yunhe took the mop and cleaned the floor, then returned to the dining room to eat. When Jiang Huairou saw her dad coming, she acted cute and wanted him to feed her. Shen Yunhe was more than willing, taking her bowl. Jiang Banyue lightly scolded, “Eat properly!”

Jiang Huairou quickly grabbed the bowl from her dad’s hands and began to eat with big bites. Shen Yunhe couldn’t help but say, “You’re too harsh on the kids; you’ll scare them. Be a little gentler with them.”

Jiang Banyue put down her utensils and looked at him. “Are you teaching me how to take care of the kids? Fine, I’ve been busy lately and don’t have time for them. You can take care of them; I hope your gentleness can last!”

“Okay.”

That evening, Shen Yunhe was putting the kids to bed. Jiang Huaiyu was too excited to sleep, bouncing on the bed, while Jiang Huairou was also wide awake, playing around with her brother. Jiang Huaijin had already gone back to his own room to sleep.

“Baby, it’s time for bed. You have school tomorrow.”

“No, Daddy, I’m not sleepy. Can we play a little longer?”

Jiang Huairou pouted at her dad. Shen Yunhe’s heart melted; when his daughter acted cute, he had no way to resist, so he agreed, “Okay, just half an hour more, then you must sleep!”

“Okay!” Jiang Huairou and Jiang Huaiyu laughed and played around, while Shen Yunhe watched them with a gentle expression.

After a while, he glanced at his watch; it was nine o’clock. “It’s nine o’clock; time for bed. No more playing!”

“No, just a little longer!” The two kids pleaded cutely with their father, making Shen Yunhe’s heart soften even more. Just then, Jiang Banyue opened the door and came in with a serious face.

“Turn off the lights and go to sleep!”

Seeing their mom come in, the two kids were startled and quickly ran to their beds, covering themselves with blankets and closing their eyes. Shen Yunhe watched the nimble movements of the two kids and couldn’t help but shake his head and chuckle.

Jiang Banyue and Shen Yunhe stepped out of the children’s room.

“There are a few empty rooms upstairs; you can choose one to sleep in!”

“Okay, thank you.” Shen Yunhe thought she would send him away, but he didn’t expect her to let him stay.

“No need to thank me; this house was bought with your money.”

Jiang Banyue went downstairs and saw Jiang Huaijin sitting on the swing. She said to Shen Yunhe, “Go check on Jin (Huajin); he misses you a lot.”

“Uh?” Shen Yunhe looked outside; his eldest son was sitting on the swing, swaying slowly.

“Didn’t he go to sleep? Why is he sitting here playing again?”

“Go see him; he really misses you.” Jiang Banyue sighed.

“Okay.” Shen Yunhe felt something was off about Jiang Banyue but couldn’t pinpoint what the problem was.

He walked into the yard and approached the swing set, squatting down.

“Baby, why aren’t you going to sleep?”

“Daddy, you finally came back! Jin really missed you!”

Jiang Huaijin jumped off the swing and wrapped his arms around his dad’s neck, nuzzling against him. Shen Yunhe felt overjoyed and hugged his son tightly.

“Daddy misses you too; I’m always thinking about you!”

Jiang Huaijin caught a whiff of blood on his father and looked up at him. “Daddy, are you hurt?”

Shen Yunhe paused for a moment. “Don’t worry, baby; Daddy is fine.”

“You bled a lot; it must hurt.” Jiang Huaijin recalled the last life when his dad lay in a pool of blood, a hint of ruthless killing intent flashing in his eyes.

“Daddy doesn’t hurt.” Shen Yunhe hugged his son and went back inside. “It’s time for you to sleep; it’s too late, and you won’t be able to get up in the morning.”

He placed his son on the bed and tucked him in.

“Close your eyes and sleep. Daddy is here with you.”

“Okay.” Jiang Huaijin slowly closed his eyes, tightly holding onto his father’s big hand.