“What brings you back?”

Qin Yiren put down her chopsticks and looked towards the door curiously, but her body remained motionless. She didn’t seem to want to give her husband, who hadn’t been home for three months, a loving hug.

Listen to this!

Lu Weizheng only felt that he was more seriously injured right now compared to when he got attacked by an enemy!

Damn it, with outsiders around he couldn’t lie on his wife’s lap and seize the opportunity to complain about her ruthless behavior and then push his luck— pei— it’s called strategically promoting their marital relationship.

“I was suddenly given a day off. I have to leave tomorrow at noon.”

Lu Weizheng’s face showed no trace of his rich thoughts. He just appeared like a calm and handsome man.

“You two are Ms. Xu and Youyou, right?”

Although it was inconvenient to answer calls and receive messages when he was on a mission, Lu Weizheng would definitely reply to Qin Yiren’s messages as long as he had the opportunity. Naturally, he was no stranger to Xu Wenyin and Xu Youyou.

But he didn’t expect that the relationship between their families was already so good.

So good that it felt like he wasn’t even needed anymore!

“Hello, Mr. Lu.” Xu Wenyin stood up and greeted him with a polite yet distant smile.

In the back of her mind, she was thinking, So this is the scumbag’s tool uncle^[1]youngest uncle?

Son dead, divorced by wife, left to pave the way for the scumbag— wasn’t this a proper tool person?

“Hello, Uncle Lu!”

Xu Youyou, on the other hand, appeared more enthusiastic.

It’s Juanjuan’s dad!

In Xu Youyou’s life, whether in the past or present, the word father was always missing.

Although after having a mother, Xu Youyou felt that it didn’t matter whether she had a father or not, she was still a little curious when she saw Juanjuan’s father.

His hair wasn’t curly and his skin was a bit tan, but there was something about it that was indescribably…… handsome? It’s a bit similar yet not quite the same as the feeling the instructor gave off.

Xu Youyou’s vocabulary was limited and she couldn’t find a better adjective. She just thought that Juanjuan didn’t look much like his father.

Juanjuan seemed more like Aunt Qin.

“En, you guys continue eating, I’ll go in and change clothes first.” Lu Weizheng nodded, and soon only a dashing back was left to everyone.

Regarding this, Little Friend Lu Chenjun inwardly expressed, It’s all fake! Adults are so hypocritical!

Sure enough, after entering the bedroom, Lu Weizheng didn’t start changing clothes immediately. Instead, he took out his mobile phone and quickly sent a message to two people.

To Qin Yiren.

【Wife QAQ, what’s wrong with you? You’re acting so cold, don’t you love me anymore?!】

To his good buddy.

【Holy sh*t, Huzi^[2]tiger cub/brave young man, I saw a super cute little girl today, exactly like the daughter men wished for! I’ll see if I can take a picture later. Seriously, I want to trade my son for her!!!】

After sending the messages, Lu Weizheng put down his phone and went to get his clothes and take a shower.

Speaking of which, no one expected that the lawless and willful second young master of the Lu family in the capital would eventually join the army, and he was even a special type of soldier who was always risking his life. It really shocked a lot of people in their circle, making their jaws drop.

What’s more, they didn’t expect him to work hard for so many years and actually make a name for himself.

Previously, the Lu family could only be regarded as a first-class aristocratic family in the capital. They had the money but had limited connections in the political circle.

It wasn’t until Lu Weizheng, who had already made a lot of achievements at a young age, that the Lu family finally managed to make up for this shortcoming by doing their best to pave the way for him.

If nothing unexpected happens, the Lu family will be able to move up to a higher level within ten years and become a well-deserved top aristocratic family.

This showed Lu Weizheng’s determination not to fall short.

But because of this, Lu Weizheng was very busy, so busy that he couldn’t go home for more than half a month in a year.

To be honest, Lu Weizheng wasn’t very interested in making achievements. The main reason for his sudden change was Qin Yiren.

After all, no father would be willing to hand over his precious daughter to an idle rich kid, and the Qin family doesn’t lack that little money.

Unexpectedly, the plan couldn’t keep up with the changes. Lu Weizheng didn’t know if it was due to some luck, not only did he achieve his goal, but he also exceeded it so much that he was unable to fulfill his dream of having a simple and good life with his wife and son.

Thinking of his father’s expectations and instructions, Lu Weizheng sighed.

Three years, he could persist for another three years at most, otherwise what if his wife really doesn’t want him anymore?!

When Lu Weizheng came out again, the others had already finished eating and Xu Wenyin was already about to leave with Xu Youyou. She still had the common sense to not disturb the couple’s hard-won reunion.

Lu Weizheng still wanted to take a photo with Xu Youyou to show off to his good friend, but he couldn’t find a suitable reason and had to reluctantly give up.

After confirming that the Xu family’s mother and daughter had entered their own house, the thirty-two-year-old man finally revealed his true nature!

“Wife~”

He picked up Qin Yiren from the ground. “Did you miss me? Did you? Did you?”

“You were so cold to me just now. I’m sad, you need to coax me!”

Lu Chenjun standing on the side: “……”

He couldn’t look on anymore. He didn’t want to admit that this childish man was his father.

Qin Yiren patted Lu Weizheng’s arm amusedly. “Alright, alright, put me down quickly! Have you eaten?”

Only then did Lu Weizheng reveal a smile. “Not yet, I came back as soon as I got off the plane. I wanted to give you a surprise.”

As a result, he was the one who got a ‘surprise’.

There was some food left and Lu Weizheng wasn’t that particular about it. After Qin Yiren served him dishes, the man finally remembered his son.

He picked up Lu Chenjun and shook him. “Juanjuan, I heard that you found a girlfriend?”

“Is it the girl just now? You have good taste, as good as your dad’s.”

Lu Chenjun remained expressionless, with no joy of seeing his father in his face. There’s even a hint of disdain. “……No. Put me down.”

Look, was that something someone should say to a three-year-old child?

Lu Chenjun was puzzled as to what his mother saw in this man in the first place.

“No need to be shy, I’m not going to break you up.”

Lu Weizheng took a big stride and leaned against the sofa. He placed Lu Chenjun on his lap and his hands were so strong that Lu Chenjun couldn’t even run away.

“Tell Dad how your Mom is doing lately. Did anyone try to approach her? Did they offend her? Did—”

“No!”

The one who answered was naturally Qin Yiren, who put the bowl on the table and rescued his son from Lu Weizheng’s clutches. “Eat your food. Don’t play with my son!”

Lu Weizheng then obediently came to the dining table, while Lu Chenjun, in order to avoid further harassment, trotted directly to his room and shut the door behind him to isolate himself from the world.

“This stinky kid.”

Lu Weizheng scolded in jest, but then he finally returned to his serious self.

The couple hadn’t seen each other for a long time, so they naturally had a lot of topics to talk about. As they chatted, their discussion turned to the Xu family’s mother and daughter.

Lu Weizheng also learned that this wasn’t the first time they had dinner together, and the relationship between their two families was really good now.

Just by looking at Qin Yiren’s expression, he could tell that she really likes Xu Youyou and genuinely regarded Xu Wenyin as a good friend.

Although Lu Weizheng was happy that someone could spend more time with Qin Yiren so that she wouldn’t be lonely when he was away, he also needed to ensure that the other person was harmless, just in case……

From the meeting just now, Lu Weizheng didn’t see anything suspicious.

The little girl was innocent and sweet, and her mother didn’t have any special reaction when she saw him, her behavior was also normal.

The only thing that was amiss was how he felt that Xu Wenyin looked at him with a bit of…… pity when she first saw him.

Does she pity him?!

Maybe he saw it wrong.

He’s rich and handsome, his wife’s beautiful, and his son’s smart. He’s obviously a winner in life, who dares pity him?!

“By the way, your Older Brother’s side……”

Qin Yiren put food on Lu Weizheng’s bowl and he first showed a ‘touched’ expression before it turned disgusted, but of course, it wasn’t for Qin Yiren.

It was because of Lu Weiyao, the eldest son of the Lu family.

Speaking of him, he’s also a peculiar presence in the circle.

Of course, there’s no problem with his IQ. The Lu Group could be said to be thriving under his leadership and he had extraordinary talent in business. Otherwise, the old man wouldn’t have handed over the group to him.

It’s just that…… he’s head was full of romance.

Even though his son was already in primary school, he still cries about true love, first love, and white moonlight^[3]a person or thing that is elusive in the heart, has always been loved, but cannot be touched all day long……

No need to doubt, it wasn’t one person, it was three!

“Don’t mind him, he’s sick in the head.” Lu Weizheng wouldn’t show any mercy to his brother, he would dare to say these words even in front of his face.

He’s a Group CEO and not that young anymore. How could he find so much time for romance and love?

“I just hope Haoyu won’t be like his father. I don’t want Juanjuan to take care of the group’s mess.”

If Xu Wenyin were there at this moment, she would definitely tell Lu Weizheng, ‘I’m sorry, your nephew is a bigger lovesick fool than his father. Not only that, he will even break the law.’

That’s right, Xu Wenyin had been complaining about that scumbag many times. The full name of the male protagonist in the novel was Lu Haoyu, who was currently seven years old.

“I think Haoyu is pretty good, so probably not.” Qin Yiren smiled, not commenting much on her brother-in-law’s family.

Apart from the fact that she purposefully moved her family to Jiang City because she wanted to let Juanjuan try a new environment, a small part of the reason was Lu Weiyao.

Even if Qin Yiren doesn’t pry out the messy things going on in her brother-in-law’s family, because she is now related to them through her husband, countless people would tell her all about it while also wanting to hear the latest gossip from her.

Qin Yiren was annoyed by these kinds of things but didn’t want Lu Weizheng to be distracted by this trouble, so she simply moved away where she couldn’t see those people.

What would she do if it badly affected Juanjuan?

As the couple were chatting quietly on their side, the appearance of Lu Weizheng made Xu Wenyin think more.

Although Lu Haoyu was still just a little kid now and he was far away in the capital, what if?

What if he suddenly came to visit his relatives, bumped into Youyou, and suddenly activated some brain-dead attribute?

She must nip all the root of Youyou’s misfortune in the bud!

“Youyou.”

Xu Wenyin felt the need to probe Xu Youyou’s thoughts at this moment and check the results of her teaching.

“If, for example, someone gives you a lot of money, treats you fairly well, buys you new clothes, and helps teach the people who bully you a lesson, but he needs you to be a stand-in— uh— pretend to be another person, will you be willing to do it?”

Xu Youyou was stunned. “Why should Youyou pretend to be another person? Youyou is Youyou ah.”

Xu Wenyin said, “It’s just an example, if!”

Xu Youyou shook her head. “Don’t wanna. No one bullies Youyou, and Youyou doesn’t need his money or new clothes.”

Very good!

Xu Wenyin was about to show a smile, but she immediately took it back. “Then if that person threatens you with Grandma Wu? Youyou, do you understand the meaning of threat? It’s pressuring you, forcing you to do what others want.”

Xu Youyou made a snap decision. “Call the police! Dial demon spirit!”

Good! Mom’s good baby!

Her hard work and teachings these past few months weren’t in vain! The proud Xu Wenyin walked to the balcony humming a little tune, intending to collect Xu Youyou’s clothes.

As if something suddenly occurred to her, she turned around and added, “Youyou, you must remember your words.”

“If a stranger is nice to you for no reason, there must be a hidden agenda and you must refuse.”

Xu Youyou didn’t know why her mother suddenly her all this, but she still nodded obediently and even imitated the way the male leads on TV made vows. Barely holding up three fingers, she said, “Youyou remember~”

Youyou is Youyou and would definitely not become another person, not even if they give her many beautiful clothes!

If a bad person insists on it, report them to the police and let the police uncle arrest them!

At this time, the young Xu Youyou still didn’t understand what a stand-in was, but this concept had been imprinted in her mind, and no one could change it, because…… it’s what her mother said!

———pr

This translation is by Pocketrobbin

The next morning, there were still four people going to the kindergarten together.

It’s just that Aunt Qin became Juanjuan’s father.

Xu Youyou sneaked a glance, and then another.

Juanjuan’s father is so tall. Would Juanjuan be as tall in the future?

What about her? She also wants to grow taller.

“Youyou?” Lu Weizheng naturally noticed the little girl’s sneaky glances. He squatted down good-naturedly. “Can’t walk anymore? How about Uncle carry you?”

The little girl’s hairstyle today was a standard pigtail tied up with beautiful ribbons, paired with casual overalls. It’s a completely different style than yesterday, but still cute!

Lu Weizheng hadn’t forgotten his purpose yesterday. He would have to leave at noon, so he must seize this precious moment!

Xu Youyou glanced at Xu Wenyin and found that her mother wasn’t against it, so she took the initiative to open her arms.

And then the next second.

“Wow—”

The little girl cheered in surprise.

So high, so high!

Higher than with Mom and Aunt Qin!

It was obvious that Xu Youyou was brave. Lu Weizheng directly lifted the little girl up and gently tossed her in the air. As expected, not only was she not scared, she got even more excited.

The words ‘one more time’ were written all over her big, bright eyes!

“Uncle is great!”

Was this what a daughter was like?

Lu Weizheng shed emotional tears in his heart, but the movements of his hands remained steady.

Lu Chenjun who was pretending to be invisible: “……”

He wasn’t feeling envy. He just wanted to remind this father that they would be late for kindergarten if he didn’t get moving.

At the entrance of the kindergarten, Lu Weizheng successfully got a photo with Xu Youyou. Of course, in order not to appear too abrupt, he also pulled his son next to him.

Just looking at the poses in the photo, someone who didn’t know would have thought that Xu Youyou was Lu Weizheng’s child.

After successfully sending the children to kindergarten, Lu Weizheng and Xu Wenyin were the only ones left on the way back.

According to common sense, since this was barely the second meeting between the two, a single mother and a married man would probably be a little awkward if they were thin-skinned.

But fortunately, the two weren’t ordinary people.

“Ms. Xu, raising a child alone must be very hard, isn’t it?”

It was hard to tell whether this opportunity for them to be alone was purposely created by Lu Weizheng or not.

He didn’t have the time or energy to spend on Xu Wenyin, but he couldn’t put his wife and child next to someone who had other intentions.

“It’s not hard, Youyou is very obedient.”

Of course, Xu Wenyin wasn’t aware of Lu Weizheng’s purpose. She just answered the question honestly as he was Qin Yiren’s husband.

A very moderate response.

Lu Weizheng had a preliminary evaluation in his mind.

The other party’s walking posture was very upright, not seductive and immodest looking.

Her eyes are honest and don’t dodge when looking at people, which shows her inner strength and confidence, and that she’s not a cowardly character.

She was dressed casually in a plain cotton T-shirt and loose sweatpants, and on her feet…… was a pair of slippers.

To be honest, if it weren’t for Xu Wenyin’s face and figure, dressing up like this could make a person look older by at least ten years!

She dresses her daughter up beautifully, but she’s very casual, which fits the image of a loving mother.

Lu Weizheng didn’t know that Xu Wenyin dressed like this simply because this was what felt comfortable.

Her body was condensed with energy and refreshed every day, and so were her clothes, which meant that even if they looked like the same outfit, they were actually brand new.

But to prevent others from misunderstanding that Xu Youyou’s mother was a sloppy person, Xu Wenyin still bought a few sets of clothes to keep at home.

Usually, when she goes out and it isn’t important, she would choose to wear something comfortable. High heels and the like were simply instruments of torture and she wouldn’t readily put it on her feet.

It has to be said that this was a beautiful misunderstanding.

Parents who love their children generally wouldn’t use them on nefarious things. Lu Weizheng’s vigilance dropped a little, and then he thought of the information he had found before.

How to put it, it’s very tortuous but it also showed Xu Wenyin’s character.

Most people would probably crumble and give up after encountering one or two of those things. It was indeed remarkable that she could persevere and even manage to find her daughter and work hard to make a modest living on her own.

Compared to Qin Yiren, who had a stronger sense of morality, Lu Weizheng didn’t have as much regard when checking information.

Moreover, he had more convenient access. He not only found out about Xu Wenyin’s previous experiences but also investigated her recent affairs.

For example, her source of income and whether there were any unexplainable funds.

After all, it seemed suspicious that Xu Wenyin could live in such a nice neighborhood without going out to work.

But it turns out that this mother was really hardworking.

Not only does she sell programming online, but she also does power leveling, ghostwriting, graphic design, and so on.

As long as she could do it on a computer, Xu Wenyin has tried it all, often working until two or three o’clock.

Lu Weizheng understands why she wasn’t going out to find a job. After all, her daughter was still young and she was the only adult at home. How could it be so easy to find a job that allows one to get off work at three o’clock? Not even a graduate from a prestigious university could do so.

It’s better to do all sorts of remote jobs like now. Although it’s a bit harder, at least the hours were freer.

“I’m ashamed to say that my work requires frequent business trips so I can’t take care of Yiyi and Juanjuan most of the time.”

Getting on the elevator, Lu Weizheng said with a sincere tone, “I have to ask Ms. Xu to continue to take care of them. Of course, if you have any problems or difficulties, I’ll definitely do my best to help.”

Xu Wenyin was confused. “No, it’s Yiyi who’s taking care of us, and I don’t have any difficulties either.”

She said it so seriously that Lu Weizheng almost doubted that he had heard wrong.

Even if that’s true, shouldn’t they be exchanging pleasantries at this time?

His wife’s new friend was really unpredictable!

However, Lu Weizheng relied on his strong mental state and didn’t say it to Xu Wenyin’s face. He even handed the other party a business card. “This is a friend of mine who’s been needing someone with good computer skills to help with some things. Why don’t Ms. Xu contact him and take a look? Having fixed customers is better than having scattered orders.”

“And you don’t need to worry, Ms. Xu, my friend is doing legal business and there definitely won’t be anything messy.”

Lu Weizheng asked someone to analyze Xu Wenyin’s technical skills and that person said that she could surpass 80% to 90% of technical staff. Since she had this ability, he wouldn’t mind recommending her.

Xu Wenyin wasn’t polite at all and didn’t refuse. She also wanted to buy a house and a car for Youyou. Of course, the more money, the better!

The elevator stopped at their floor, and Xu Wenyin and Lu Weizheng went back to their respective homes without further communication.

———pr

Please only read this translation at S h a n g h a i f a n t a s y . c o m to support the translator

Lu Weizheng came suddenly and left quickly.

The person who went to pick up the children in the evening was changed to Qin Yiren.

“What’s with the dark circles under your eyes? Did you not sleep well last night?”

“……No, I slept pretty well.”

Qin Yiren smiled. You must be understanding, Yiyi, your best friend’s common sense is offline from time to time!

After fully adapting to kindergarten life, Qian Xin’s long-awaited birthday party arrived.

“Mom~, Aunt Qin~, bye-bye!”

Xu Youyou, carrying a small backpack, waved vigorously to Xu Wenyin and Qin Yiren before leading Lu Chenjun into the car prepared by the Qian family.

It was a child’s birthday party after all so it would be a bit awkward for adults to go, therefore, none of the parents followed this time.

The Qian family’s ancestral home wasn’t in Jiang City. They just moved there in recent years to expand their business. Therefore, the place they were living in was a ready-made villa they bought. It wasn’t as exquisite and spacious as their courtyard house in the capital, but it was no problem to live in it.

The speed of the car wasn’t fast, and just when Xu Youyou was feeling a little drowsy, they finally arrived at their destination.

“Xu Youyou! You guys are so slow!”

As soon as she got out of the car, Xu Youyou saw Liu Miaomiao at the head of the group, and behind her were Qian Xin and Liu Yanzhi, including Gu Weiyi.

They had gotten familiar with Gu Weiyi. He doesn’t like to talk and has a low sense of presence. He’s also always shy and blushes easily, but to children, as long as he stays there, they would become familiar with one another.

At least Gu Weiyi wasn’t annoying. He would agree to any play and wouldn’t cry or make a fuss when he lost, making him a very good playmate.

So Qian Xin also invited him to his birthday party.

“There’s a traffic jam on the road~”

Xu Youyou said as she took out an exquisitely wrapped gift from the small backpack behind her, “Xiao Pang, happy birthday!”

Lu Chenjun also handed over his gift. “Happy birthday.”

It wasn’t anything expensive. It was prepared by Qin Yiren for the two children. Otherwise, with Xu Wenyin’s way of thinking, she would never have thought of such a detailed thing.

“Wow~”

Qian Xin happily accepted the gifts. “Come on, come on, I’ll show you around my room, it will definitely surprise you all!”

The six children who finally gathered happily went upstairs together, and Father Qian and the others all tried to minimize their presence.

For a children’s gathering, they’re just tools that provide food and venue.

The key was that there were other things to be busy with that day. An important guest was coming over to talk about business. They needed to take care of the matter first before properly celebrating the child’s birthday.

Mother Qian would have to do her best and show off her skills to the children later.

Speaking of which, this guest was a relative of Lu Chenjun. He’s Qin Yiren’s older brother and the current head of the Qin family— Qin Xiao.

It stands to reason that since his sister was in Jiang City, Qin Xiao must come to see her.

However, the matter that would be discussed with the Qian family this time needed to be kept confidential for the time being. Qin Xiao was also coming quietly and would leave after the conversation. He really didn’t have time to meet Qin Yiren and the others, so he decided not to say anything.

After the matter was done, he would come and visit them separately.

While he’s at it, if there’s a chance, he would also take a look at the mother and daughter who were ‘super nice and super great’ according to his sister.

To be able to make Qin Yiren, whose eyes were higher than the sky, have such an evaluation really made Qin Xiao a little curious.

———pr

“Wow—”

Xu Youyou, Liu Miaomiao, and Gu Weiyi exclaimed at the same time.

Qian Xin’s room was really…… stylish!

The layout was like the one on TV.

“Tropical rainforest.”

Lu Chenjun tacitly said what was on Xu Youyou’s mind.

Yes, that’s right, it’s tropical rainforest.

The thick trees looked just like real ones at first glance, and there were also very realistic and lifelike animal models. They could even hear the sound of gurgling water when they walked into the room.

“Awesome!” Liu Miaomiao felt that her princess room was weak in comparison.

No, she would ask her parents to make her a more awesome and beautiful room when she returns!

Qian Xin became even more happy and proud when he received admiring looks from his friends. After visiting his room, he simply waved his hands, “I’ll take you to see my secret base!”

After that, the other children followed Qian Xin towards the back garden.

Looking at them from a distance, they looked like a group of little ducks waddling around not knowing where to play. People watching really wanted to snatch them away one by one!

When heading towards their destination, Xu Youyou’s gaze was suddenly attracted by a beautiful and brightly colored flower in the garden. She couldn’t help but look at it a few more times and her pace slowed down a step.

When she saw that her friends were already turning around the corner and Juanjuan was waving at her, she quickly chased after them.

As a result……

“Wham!”

She ran into a pole— no— it’s a person.

Fortunately, that person was quick and timely grabbed Xu Youyou, otherwise her little butt would definitely suffer.

But Xu Youyou’s forehead still hurt from the impact and tears uncontrollably came out from her eyes.

“S-sorry, Youyou ran too fast.”

The little girl’s way of apologizing even though she was hurt was really heartbreaking.

Mother Qian, who was on the side, immediately picked up Xu Youyou. “Oh, it’s okay, it’s okay, it doesn’t hurt, the pain will fly away~” As she said that, she blew on her Xu Youyou’s forehead twice, just like what Grandma Wu used to do back in the orphanage.

This action greatly eased the pain, allowing Xu Youyou to finally open her squinted eyes and see the current situation clearly.

Her little buddies were on one side, Mother Qian was holding her, and Father Qian was on the other side. As for the person she bumped into……

Huh?!

Xu Youyou’s eyes couldn’t help but widen. “Juanjuan?!”

Lu Chenjun who was below said, “……It’s not me.”

Just as he finished speaking, he was also picked up.

“I was planning to leave quietly, but why didn’t you call for Uncle when you saw me?” Qin Xiao jokingly shook Lu Chenjun in his arms, and then he looked at Xu Youyou. “Are you alright, little girl?”

This must be the child called Xu Youyou that Yiyi mentioned. Although there was obviously another Liu Miaomiao who was about the same age present, Qin Xiao’s intuition told him that this little girl was Xu Youyou.

She’s indeed a nice kid who’s instantly likable.

Xu Youyou was amazed.

Two Juanjuan!

The same curly hair and even more similar facial features, as if one was an enlarged version of the other.

“So, so amazing.”

Hearing Xu Youyou’s mumbling, Lu Chenjun’s eyes became even more helpless.

What’s amazing? You get to touch one more person’s hair?