Chapter 6: No Garlic Paste

Chu Linyu saw that her big brother had disappeared, and she pouted, looking around. Where did my brother go? I haven’t had enough time with him yet.

“Oh, baby, be good. Your brother will be back soon.” Chu Minghai gently rocked the swaddle to soothe his daughter.

Lin Zhen “thudded” his way to the outer room, took off his thick coat, and carefully placed it. He then washed his hands thoroughly, scrubbing with soap twice, and then held his hands close to the stove to warm them.

“Zhen Zhen, do you like your little sister?”

Cai Honglian, who was cooking the dumplings, was concerned that Lin Zhen might be in shock over the sudden change of gender—he had been expecting a little brother.

“Of course I like her!” Lin Zhen answered promptly, without any hesitation.

“That’s good. But your third brother says he won the bet this time and wants your good slingshot. If you’re not willing to give it to him, then we won’t give it to him.”

When Lin Zhen heard this, he immediately turned to Cai Honglian with determination. “Aunt, I accept the bet. The slingshot goes to my third brother.”

“Doesn’t it hurt?” Cai Honglian asked.

“It does, but—”

“But what?”

“I’ve learned how to make one now. I’ll just make another one like it in a few days, hehe.”

Cai Honglian couldn’t help but chuckle. “You little rascal, you’ve got your third brother wrapped around your finger. He’s been hoping for that unique slingshot to show off, and now you’re making one for yourself! Hahaha, he’s going to be in for a big surprise!”

Lin Zhen scratched his head and gave an awkward chuckle as he continued warming his hands by the fire.

Once he felt like he had gotten warm enough to shake off the cold, he rushed back to the east room.

This time, he didn’t go straight to his sister but instead ran over and hugged Lin Shufen’s waist.

“Mom, you’ve worked so hard. Were you scared when I wasn’t by your side?” he asked, his voice full of concern. He then turned to Chu Minghai. “I’m sorry, Dad, I didn’t follow your instructions. I shouldn’t have gone out today.”

Lin Shufen had expected this. Her son was great in every way, except for being too sensible. She gently rubbed his little head and said, “Zhen Zhen, this wasn’t your fault. It was an accident. No one could have controlled it. You’ve taken such good care of me before. Everyone praises me for having such a good son. Your efforts have made me so comfortable. That’s why we could safely welcome your little sister today.”

“Really?” He blinked his bright eyes in confirmation.

Chu Minghai carefully placed the baby beside his wife, pulled his son over, and had him sit on his lap.

“Of course it’s true. Not only did you do a great job, but you went above and beyond! You did even better than your dad! Without you, your little sister wouldn’t be as healthy and chubby as she is.”

With his efforts being recognized, and his parents not blaming him, Lin Zhen felt completely at ease. He climbed onto the kang, kneeling beside his little sister and showering her with affection.

Chu Linyu, hearing their conversation, felt warm inside. Her new family was so happy. She already liked this big brother even more. He was such a good kid. She promised to be good to him too!

“The dumplings are ready! Come eat!”

“Okay, coming!” Lin Shufen responded.

Seeing that the two men hadn’t moved yet, Lin Shufen urged them, “Hurry up and eat! The dumplings are ready, and you’re still sitting there, acting all high and mighty.”

For the first time, Lin Minghai and Lin Zhen ate the dumplings with such gusto. It wasn’t because they were hungry, but because they were in a rush. They didn’t dip them in garlic paste—not because they didn’t want to, but because the strong garlic smell might upset the baby!

Of course, apart from the silly Lin Feng, no one else used garlic paste.

Lin Feng, as he shoveled dumplings into his mouth, grumbled, “What’s up with you all today? I’ve worked so hard to peel the garlic and mash it into paste, and you’re not eating it with the dumplings? Dumplings without garlic just aren’t as tasty, you know!”

But no one bothered to remind him. Teasing the little third brother had become a tacit agreement in the family. Besides, with one less competitor, they could spend more time with the little baby.

Not long after, Chu Minghai and his son returned, and before long, all the men in the family crowded into the east room.

Except for Lin Feng.

At this point, Lin Feng finally realized he had been duped again. He sprawled on the kang, kicking and complaining, but Cai Honglian slapped him to silence and dragged him to the stove room to heat water.

Old Man Lin, taking advantage of his seniority, snatched the baby and, while his wife was cleaning the stove room, he hurried to get some time with the child. Otherwise, he’d be kicked out again.

Something seemed to stir in him after seeing the newborn baby, and he felt a bit uncomfortable.

Everyone else eagerly gathered around the baby, who was so cute that they couldn’t bear to look away for even a moment.

That night, the Lin family slept soundly, except for the two older children who were studying in the city and boarding at school.

The next day, after breakfast, before 7 a.m., Chu Minghai got ready to leave. He had to return to the forestry station. His position was sensitive, and he couldn’t stay at home for long. As long as he knew his wife and daughter were safe, he could rest easy.

Chu Minghai went to the east room to say goodbye to his wife.

Lin Shufen hugged her husband’s waist, deeply inhaling his scent. Clean and fresh, it brought her a sense of peace.

She knew that during her confinement, and in the coming months, she wouldn’t be able to see him often.

The forestry station had strict management, and there were many people watching. The child was still small, so she couldn’t go with him.

The separation was too painful. She could only hope that these days would pass quickly.

“Take good care of yourself. If anything happens, talk to Uncle Zhang. Don’t worry about bothering him. He’s Dad’s good brother, and our families are close. Hai Ge, you must take care of yourself.”

Lin Shufen’s voice was muffled, as if she was holding something back.

Chu Minghai reached out and stroked his wife’s hair. “Don’t worry, Shufen. I’ll take good care of myself. Even if it’s not for me, I have to do it for you and the kids.”

Hearing this, Lin Shufen felt even more heartbroken. Her husband was so excellent, yet he had to… sigh. She lifted her head and kissed Chu Minghai on the lips.

Chu Minghai was caught off guard by the sudden kiss, but after a moment of surprise, he smiled and returned the kiss, deeply in love with his wife.

At that moment, Chu Linyu woke up, hungry. She seemed to see things more clearly today.

Curious, she looked around at her home and happened to see her parents kissing. Oh no, oh no, this is not suitable for children! Her little face immediately turned bright red.

In her previous life, she was obsessed with science and had only focused on improving the living environment for humanity. At 23 years old, when the accident happened, she had never been in a relationship. This scene was truly shocking.

To avoid embarrassment, Chu Linyu quickly shut her eyes.

However, she didn’t realize that her parents had already noticed her movements.

“Little girl’s awake. Is she hungry?” Chu Minghai asked with concern.

“Of course. This little one has a good appetite. If it weren’t for the fact that my milk supply is enough this time, she would have been hard to satisfy. When I had Zhen Zhen, I didn’t have this much milk.”

Lin Shufen felt that her daughter was lucky, as her milk supply was abundant, ensuring the baby was well-fed.

She unbuttoned her clothes, picked up her daughter, and began to nurse.

Chu Linyu, nestled in her mother’s arms, eagerly drank, humming contentedly. Well, they say breast milk doesn’t taste great, but she thought it was pretty good.

In her past life, she had read many novels about people who were reborn as children. The characters often couldn’t get used to drinking breast milk and cried from hunger, only to eventually succumb to reality.

But she didn’t feel any embarrassment at all. Instead, she felt completely natural about it. It was as if she was always meant to be this family’s child, and her previous life was just an accident.

She was happily drinking, and her little hands were holding on to stabilize herself. Her adorable appearance captivated Chu Minghai, who stared at her in a daze.