Jiang Lin nodded, “Good that you understand. Go and take care of your son.”

Cheng Rushan smiled, “Alright, don’t get upset over such a small thing. From now on, when I buy candy, I’ll give it to you first.”

Jiang Lin thought: It’s not like I’m craving candy.

Is that really the point?

Cheng Rushan reached for her hand.

Jiang Lin tried to pull away, but he smoothly slid his arm around her shoulder and grabbed her hand.

As they entered the yard, he called out, “Sons?”

Neither Dabao nor Xiaobao answered from inside the house.

They had already seen their parents talking at the door.

Mom was definitely complaining, and they knew it wouldn’t end well, so they pretended not to hear.

Cheng Rushan emptied the water into the tank, put away the shoulder pole and buckets, and then went inside.

He saw the two boys whispering on the kang.

He flicked their foreheads gently, “What are you talking about?”

Cheng Xiaobao said, “We were asking Grandma when we’ll have a little sister.”

Cheng Dabao added, “Grandma said we’re going to have a little sister.”

Cheng Rushan suddenly felt the same frustration he had when he met Jiang Lin in the county and was mistaken for a thief and a rogue.

He hadn’t even kissed his wife yet, so where was this little sister coming from?

He needed to work harder.

Cheng Xiaobao pulled out a small doll made from fabric scraps by Yan Runzhi, “Look, I made a little sister.”

Cheng Dabao asked, “What’s her name?”

Cheng Xiaobao replied, “Baosheng.”

Cheng Rushan asked, “Why?”

Cheng Xiaobao gave him a look that said, “You’re really dumb.” He explained, “You were born in winter, so you’re called Dongsheng. Since I made this doll, she’s called Baosheng.” He imitated Grandma’s voice, softly saying, “Baosheng, be good, go to sleep~~”

Jiang Lin, who had just walked in, felt exasperated.

Cheng Rushan turned to her with a very pitiful tone, “Wife~~”

Jiang Lin said, “Everyone come and help with dinner. Stop talking nonsense!”

She was determined to properly discipline Dabao and Xiaobao while Cheng Rushan was away.

He was too indulgent with the kids, especially after knowing how Liu Honghua had mistreated them.

He wanted to give them everything they missed out on, but such spoiling would only ruin them.

Especially since Dabao and Xiaobao, who had suffered before and been bullied, didn’t have a fully formed sense of right and wrong yet.

With someone now to back them and spoil them, they might turn into troublemakers.

She wouldn’t allow her children to become spoiled brats.

That evening, they steamed millet cakes and had the vegetable pancakes from noon, along with a pot of stewed eggplants in sauce and half a steamed smoked chicken.

In a small pot, they made fried sauce for Cheng Rushan, with diced cured meat, mushrooms, and shrimp.

Yan Runzhi knew Jiang Lin liked it, so she made extra and left a bowl for her.

Jiang Lin tasted it and found it incredibly fresh and fragrant.

Whether eaten with steamed buns or mixed with noodles, it was delicious.

The millet cake was a hundred times better than she remembered – sweet, glutinous, delicate, fragrant, and soft.

She could never get enough of it!

They had an early dinner, went for a walk, and around eight o’clock, Dabao, prompted by Yan Runzhi, called his parents back home for bed.

Cheng Xiaobao was truly sleepy, as he loved both eating and sleeping.

They cleaned up and got on the kang (traditional heated bed).

As usual, Jiang Lin slept at the head of the kang, with Cheng Xiaobao next to her, then Cheng Dabao, and Cheng Rushan on the other side.

Cheng Rushan didn’t object.

After washing her hair, Jiang Lin dried it with a towel while reminding Cheng Rushan not to forget anything for his trip and to check everything again.

Cheng Rushan said, “I’ve checked. Once I leave, you can sleep on the same kang with Mother. When I come back, I’ll sort out the eastern kang.”

Jiang Lin said, “Alright.”

Although she and Cheng Rushan had only just met, he acted as if they were an old married couple.

Over the past few days, he had been holding her hand and hugging her, making her feel a bit shy.

She lowered her head, silently drying her hair.

Neither of them spoke, and an intimate atmosphere filled the room.

Cheng Rushan walked over to her side of the kang, took the towel from her to prevent her from over-drying her hair, “Stop drying, it will dry soon.”

Jiang Lin shook her hair, and it was indeed almost dry.

Cheng Rushan ran his hand over her hair, helping to straighten it out.

His fingers were long and strong, and when his pinky brushed the sensitive spot at the back of her neck, she shivered.

She quickly moved her head away from his hand, “It will dry soon.”

He leaned against the wall with one hand and pressed the edge of the kang with the other, leaning forward to look at her, “Why are you afraid of me?”

His closeness made her breath quicken.

She immediately leaned back against the wall, saying stubbornly, “You’re not a tiger, why would I be afraid of you?”

“Really not afraid?” He smiled, knelt on the kang, and sat in front of her.

Jiang Lin’s eyes widened in surprise.

He placed one hand against the wall and gently held her chin with the other, “What about now?”

His voice was low, his dark eyes filled with unmistakable desire.

Jiang Lin’s heart was pounding so loudly that it felt like drums in her ears.

Although she had become somewhat familiar with and appreciative of Cheng Rushan, his desire-filled approach still made her nervous.

Suddenly, Cheng Xiaobao giggled in his sleep.

Jiang Lin immediately pushed Cheng Rushan’s hand away and turned to look at Cheng Xiaobao, who was still sound asleep and merely talking in his sleep.

Cheng Xiaobao smacked his lips, making a noise as if he were eating.

Jiang Lin asked, “What’s Xiaobao doing?”

Cheng Rushan looked over and saw that Xiaobao was drooling, his saliva having a sweet smell, likely from eating too much candy earlier.

He felt a pang of guilt.

Jiang Lin leaned in closer to check, and just then, she heard a sound of something rubbing against Xiaobao’s teeth.

“There’s something in his mouth!” Jiang Lin exclaimed.

Cheng Rushan also heard it.

He quickly turned Xiaobao’s head to the side, pried open his mouth, and pulled out two pieces of candy.

Xiaobao, still asleep, tried to smack his lips to reclaim the candy.

Jiang Lin glared at him, thinking how dangerous it could have been if Xiaobao had choked!

Feeling even more guilty, Cheng Rushan realized it was his fault.

He had meant to come inside and talk to the boys, but the conversation about a little sister had distracted him.

He grabbed a towel, wet it, and wiped Xiaobao’s face, then fetched some warm water to coax Xiaobao to rinse his mouth.

“Xiaobao, rinse your mouth and spit it out,” Cheng Rushan said gently.

Xiaobao, still half-asleep, obediently rinsed his mouth and spat out the water.

When he realized what he had done, Xiaobao suddenly woke up, wide-eyed, searching the bowl for his candy.

Cheng Rushan asked coolly, “What are you looking for?”

Xiaobao immediately shut his eyes tight and snuggled back into his dad’s arms, falling asleep within seconds.

Cheng Rushan felt exasperated. “…”

Jiang Lin said, “See? Isn’t this your fault?”

Cheng Rushan admitted, “Yes, it’s my fault.”

He put the bowl down and looked at the two pieces of candy in his hand before popping them into his mouth.

Jiang Lin looked at him in surprise, “It’s bedtime.” You shouldn’t be eating candy at your age.

Cheng Rushan smiled and asked, “Do you want some?” He leaned down to kiss her, and Jiang Lin, startled, tried to move away.

His lips brushed the corner of her mouth, leaving a sweet taste behind.

His dark eyes sparkled with a smile as he looked at her rosy lips, thinking they must be sweeter than candy and wanting to taste that honey-like sweetness.

He teased, “Just kidding. Did you really think you could avoid me?”

Jiang Lin pressed her hand to her chest, trying to calm her racing heart, and nudged him with her foot, signaling him to go sleep on the other side.

Cheng Rushan grabbed her foot, gently squeezing it.

Her skin was fair, and her feet were delicate and beautiful, with pale blue veins visible under the surface. Her toes were round and smooth, and her recently trimmed nails gleamed softly in the light.

His calloused hands rubbed against her skin, causing a tingling sensation that felt like electric currents.

Jiang Lin wanted to kick him, but she couldn’t muster the strength.

He easily held her foot and could pull her towards him with a slight tug.

Seeing her face turn a deep shade of red and her eyes glisten with moisture, her delicate features looked even more enchanting in the dim light.

Despite his strong self-control, years of discipline, and restraint, he found himself overwhelmed with a powerful desire for her, wanting to possess her completely.

His grip on her leg tightened, his hand sliding up to her slender yet shapely calf.

Jiang Lin felt the heat from his touch, making her feel flustered and confused. Her heart pounded with a mix of excitement, nervousness, and fear.

Gazing into his intense, passionate eyes, she made a quick decision and leaned forward to give him a quick kiss on the lips.