Liu Miaomiao and Liu Yanzhi’s birthday celebration was very lively. Father Liu directly waved his hand and rented a children’s amusement park for the five kids to play in. He even mobilized their household employees and bodyguards to ensure the safety of the children.

To sum it up, after a whole day of playing, each child fell asleep in the arms of their parents on the way home.

Even Lu Chenjun was no exception.

He couldn’t resist playing with the others, especially when Xu Youyou looked at him with a pleading expression on her face.

In most cases, Lu Chenjun would reluctantly agree.

Then Xu Youyou and the other three would happily high-five each other as if they had accomplished some great feat.

In conclusion, the birthday celebration was quite enjoyable.

Afterward, Xu Youyou and Lu Chenjun hadn’t attended many classes before they had their third training session.

But this time, in addition to the familiar instructor, another familiar figure appeared.

“Uncle Lu!”

Xu Youyou’s reaction was much more pleasant than Lu Chenjun’s, his own son.

Several months had passed since Xu Youyou last saw Lu Weizheng, but she clearly hadn’t forgotten Juanjuan’s father, recognizing him at a glance.

“Youyou, long time no see.”

Lu Weizheng always maintained a mature and composed demeanor in public. Therefore, even though he was inwardly praising how adorable Xu Youyou was, he only wore a faint smile on his face, appearing neither unfamiliar nor lacking the aura of an adult.

Meanwhile, the other three children were exchanging secretive glances behind them.

Who’s this Uncle Lu?

How come Youyou seemed so familiar with him, but they’d never seen him before?

The next moment, Lu Weizheng walked up to Lu Chenjun and said, “Train well. I have a ten-day break this time, and I’ll be going home later.”

For Lu Weizheng, a ten-day break was quite rare, considering he hadn’t even come back for the Spring Festival.

And since the training camp lasted for seven days each time, it meant Lu Chenjun would still be able to see him after he went back.

Lu Chenjun’s eyes inadvertently showed a hint of disdain, a glance that Lu Weizheng happened to catch.

The little girl is more enthusiastic than you!

He couldn’t help but vigorously rub Lu Chenjun’s curly hair, messing it up, and at the same time scolded with a smile, “You little rascal, you don’t even greet your father when you see him.”

Juanjuan’s dad!

The eyes of the three little buddies simultaneously widened, shifting their curious gaze from Lu Weizheng to Lu Chenjun, and then back to Lu Weizheng. Such obvious scrutiny certainly didn’t escape Lu Weizheng’s keen senses.

He had already learned about Lu Chenjun’s three new friends from Qin Yiren. Based on his wife’s description, Lu Weizheng quickly matched the names with the faces.

“Hello, you must be Miaomiao, Xiao Pang, and An’an, right? I’m Juanjuan’s dad.”

“Hello, Uncle Lu!”

The three little ones greeted him in unison, and their gazes were no longer so obvious.

Lu Weizheng had other matters to attend to besides visiting Lu Chenjun, so after exchanging greetings, he took his leave. Of course, he didn’t forget to wave and say, “Train well” before he did.

“Juanjuan, your dad looks so awesome.”

The way he left so dashingly made Qian Xin couldn’t help but comment, which received nods of agreement from Liu Miaomiao and Liu Yanzhi.

Really, when Lu Weizheng stepped into a place, one could feel his indescribable presence, making the instructor nearby seem almost invisible in comparison.

Even though Uncle Lu didn’t have a stern face nor was rough on them, there was just something cool and handsome about him.

Lu Chenjun: “……”

He thought of how clingy and childish Lu Weizheng was at home.

If all adults had two faces like someone he knew, he’d rather never grow up in his entire life.

The impact brought by Lu Weizheng’s visit came and went quickly, and soon, the five children had no time to daydream. The instructor saw that they had grown up another year, so the training plan had been adjusted accordingly.

Furthermore, they learned of the ‘bad news’ upon returning this time. Starting from now, for six days a week, except for Sundays, they would have physical training every day. It would start at 6 pm and end at 7 pm, and they would also have to open a video call for the instructor to supervise them live at home!

Of course, they could request leave for special circumstances.

Thanks to the advancement of technology, training has become more convenient.

———pr

On the other side, Lu Weizheng arrived at the office of the base commander. After stating his request, the commander heavily slammed the table with his hand!

“Willful!”

“Lu Weizheng ah, Lu Weizheng, you really are quite romantic!”

That statement wasn’t exactly a compliment, but how thick-skinned can Lu Weizheng be? He simply took it as praise.

A sweet smile immediately spread across his face. “Can’t help it, my wife is the most important.”

The commander who was disgusted by the smile and that statement: “……”

If it weren’t for the fact that smashing wouldn’t make a dent in the other party and would just waste a perfectly good cup, he would have seriously considered testing whether he could break through someone’s thick skin!

But after his anger subsided, the commander still asked with a stern face, “Have you really made up your mind? Weizheng, with your abilities and merits, there’s a good chance you could advance further within three years. Your old man at home is counting on you.”

In response, Lu Weizheng remained calm, and not even mentioning Old Master Lu could sway his decision in the slightest.

In some matters, he could go along with his old man, after all, he was his father.

But when it came to significant decisions, Lu Weizheng had always been someone who, apart from his wife, couldn’t be swayed by anyone else.

Just like back when he wanted to join the military, his old man couldn’t stop him.

Now that he wanted to change careers, his old man still couldn’t stop him.

Lu Weizheng actually didn’t plan to retire so soon. He originally intended to give the Lu family three more years, just for the sake of his loved ones.

But after returning home and seeing his dear wife last time, Lu Weizheng suddenly realized something.

The Qin Yiren who was once as proud and free as a rose before marriage was gradually changing for the sake of their family, suppressing even her own nature little by little.

Qin Yiren was deeply concerned about Lu Chenjun’s aloofness and intelligence, but she also knew that Lu Weizheng was truly risking his life out there. Any distraction could mean……

So she used to report good news and kept the worries to herself, trying to handle things on her own as much as possible.

After all, things that neither the Qin nor the Lu family could solve would only add to Lu Weizheng’s worries if she told him about them. It wouldn’t be of much use.

But after moving to Jiang City and seeing Juanjuan and Youyou become friends, and later on with Qian Xin, Liu Yanzhi, and Liu Miaomiao, Qin Yiren’s heart slowly began to feel lighter.

She also became more cheerful and lively, as if she had returned to the days before marriage.

These could actually be felt from her words.

True joy and forced joy, how could those who know her not discern between the two?

Whenever Lu Weizheng had a bit of free time after returning to the base, he would repeatedly look at the messages Qin Yiren sent him, seeing the joy within them and witnessing her and Lu Chenjun’s happy daily life with the Xu family’s mother and daughter.

As well as……

His own absence!

Why was he pushing himself so hard? Wasn’t it just to prove to his in-laws and others that Qin Yiren hadn’t chosen the wrong person, and that he wasn’t just a useless trust fund kid?

Now, when Lu Weizheng’s name was mentioned, who doesn’t show awe and praise?

So that’s enough. He should leave more time for his wife and child. That’s the original intention behind Lu Weizheng’s hard work.

Otherwise, Juanjuan might truly not recognize him as his father.

“Sir, I’ve already made up my mind.”

Lu Weizheng smiled. “Please give me your approval, Sir!”

After transferring, Lu Weizheng’s rank and position wouldn’t be low, but he certainly wouldn’t advance as quickly as he would have in the military. His authority might also decrease a few levels, but that’s okay because he never really cared about those things in the first place.

As for the reaction of his old man and the rest of the Lu family……

Who cares? Can they kill him?

“Get lost, get lost.” The commander, seeing that he couldn’t persuade Lu Weizheng, waved his hand impatiently. “But let’s be clear, the transfer won’t happen overnight. Don’t think you can just run off right away!”

“Of course, I won’t, am I that kind of person?”

Lu Weizheng smiled and ‘got lost’. He had to hurry back home and share the good news with his wife!

If she likes Jiang City, it wouldn’t be bad to transfer there himself. The city had a promising future development plan.

At this point, Xu Wenyin was still unaware that, due to various reasons, at least one-third of Lu Haoyu’s original overwhelming power had been significantly diminished.

As long as Lu Chenjun didn’t die in the future, even if Lu Haoyu struggled, he’d just be another wealthy man!

After this training, the five children all lost weight, but they looked more energetic.

When Xu Wenyin fetched Xu Youyou, her first thought was to cook a delicious meal when they got back. The meat she had worked so hard to put on Xu Youyou was gone in just one week.

It’s heart-wrenching!

Meanwhile, Mother Qian was even more dramatic. She patted Qian Xin’s little belly as if she were patting a watermelon and said, “You’ve lost weight, you’ve lost weight! When we get back, Mom will make sure to fatten you up!”

Although Mother Qian said she wanted Qian Xin to lose weight and that children shouldn’t be too fat, she immediately felt heartache when he actually lost weight. This was probably the double standard that comes with being a parent.

“Aunt Qin, where’s Uncle Lu?”

Xu Youyou looked around and noticed that Juanjuan’s dad wasn’t there. Didn’t Uncle Lu say he could stay for ten days this time?

They were in the training camp for seven days. Ten minus seven equals…… How much does it equal?

Xu Youyou raised both hands, just enough to calculate!

There were still three days left!

“Oh, Uncle Lu had something urgent and had to leave.”

Qin Yiren smiled as she gently squeezed Xu Youyou’s hand and asked, “Youyou miss Uncle Lu?”

This time, Lu Weizheng brought her some good news, so Qin Yiren was in an especially good mood.

She wasn’t the type of woman who craved power. The most important thing for her was for her family to be safe and sound. In a few months, she would no longer have to worry, fearing that one day she would hear bad news.

“Uncle Lu is so busy.” Xu Youyou sighed as she looked at Lu Chenjun. “Don’t be sad, Juanjuan. I’ll play with you!”

Lu Chenjun: “……”

Who’s playing with whom?!

Why does Xiao Lu always imagine things that weren’t there?

Lu Chenjun once again compromised— no, this was called being too lazy to argue with her.

After the four returned home, they parted ways at their respective doorsteps. The conditions at the training camp were never as good as at home, and the helpers there weren’t as meticulous. So every time they returned, Xu Wenyin would personally wash Xu Youyou from head to toe.

Probably because it hadn’t seen Xu Youyou for a long time, and upon returning, she went straight to the bathroom it hated the most, Niannian guarded the door like a gatekeeper while meowing incessantly, as if afraid that its little owner would fall into the water.

It didn’t know that Xu Youyou loves playing in the water!

“By the way, Youyou, I have to go out tomorrow and won’t be able to come back. Also, I’ll only be able to communicate with you on Saturday and Sunday.” Xu Wenyin continued, “I’ve already asked Aunt Qin to take care of you. Can you listen to Aunt Qin’s arrangements tomorrow?”

Playing with the rubber duck in her hand, Youyou nodded repeatedly. “Don’t worry, Mom, Youyou will take good care of herself!”

Although Youyou was barely four years old, her sensible demeanor reassured Xu Wenyin.

To prevent her child from worrying, Xu Wenyin even voluntarily reported her itinerary. After all, this time, her ‘absence’ would be particularly long.

“Mom has an appointment with someone tomorrow to pick up something. If it goes well, Mom will have a gift for Youyou’s sixth birthday!” 

Following Xu Wenyin’s logic of adding one property deed per year, for Xu Youyou’s sixth birthday…… does that mean there are six deeds?

Who would be so foolish as to give six property deeds after just one meeting?

Of course, Xu Youyou wouldn’t be able to make such comments. She just obediently told her mother not to work too hard and that she didn’t eat much!

As for why Xu Wenyin couldn’t show up on Saturday and Sunday, she kept it a mystery, only saying that Xu Youyou should just follow Qin Yiren.

It’s a little surprise~

———pr

The next day, Qin Yiren brought Lu Chenjun to Xu Wenyin’s house to pick up Xu Youyou. She even asked if Xu Wenyin needed her to find someone to accompany her, as Qin Yiren was worried that her friend, whose common sense wasn’t always online, might be deceived if left alone for three days!

Of course, Xu Wenyin didn’t need anyone with her.

She’s so smart, how could she possibly be deceived?

So, as soon as Qin Yiren and the others left, Xu Wenyin quickly drove to her destination— an Internet café.

When she followed the directions given to her and arrived at a corner, she indeed saw a figure covered up tightly wearing a mask, a hoodie, and a hat.

Xu Wenyin didn’t pause or show any surprise. She simply walked up to the person and said, “Ace?”

Even though Ace, also known as Expert A, had seen photos of Xu Wenyin before, he couldn’t help but be surprised when he saw her in person. Her information was actually true?

She was indeed a woman in her late twenties who had a child!

It wasn’t that Ace looked down on women, but in their line of work, speed was a crucial factor.

And hand speed gradually declines as the body ages!

Women, especially those who have given birth, were at a disadvantage in this regard. Anyway, it was the first time Ace had encountered a woman who could defeat him, and he initially thought that the photos of her were all fake.

After all, Xu Wenyin’s skills were superior to his, so it was normal for him not to be able to find out anything about her.

It turned out…… he was really overthinking things.

“YOYO Is Awesome?”

A slightly hoarse voice sounded as if he rarely spoke, but it wasn’t difficult to tell that the man in front of Xu Wenyin was probably not much older, likely around twenty years old.

‘YOYO Is Awesome’ was Xu Wenyin’s online nickname. In this line of work, nobody used their real names, so Xu Wenyin went along with the custom. Being directly called by her nickname didn’t even make her feel embarrassed at all.

“It’s me. Did you bring the stuff?”

It was like a secret code used in movies, but neither party felt that anything was amiss.

However, the guy sitting in the opposite row became a bit nervous. Did he accidentally stumble upon some shady deal going down?

Such a beautiful lady wouldn’t have gone the wrong path, right?

Just as he was thinking that, he couldn’t help but take another glance.

Then he saw the man called Ace take a USB drive out of his pocket and hand it to the beautiful woman, saying, “Let’s get a private room.”

Wait! Beauty, don’t agree!

“Okay, don’t worry, I won’t go back on my word.”

After pocketing the USB drive, Xu Wenyin followed Ace to the private room in the Internet café, leaving behind the confused guy who had imagined all sorts of things.

The whole situation made him so distracted that he couldn’t focus on the game, resulting in frequent mistakes and getting scolded by his teammates.

Of course, Xu Wenyin wasn’t there for any shady business. She simply struck a deal with this guy who was known as Expert A.

As long as she agreed to do a round with him face to face, regardless of the outcome, he would help her unconditionally with three things.

In theory, Xu Wenyin’s skills were better than his, so Ace was a bit nervous when he proposed this exchange. However, he didn’t expect Xu Wenyin to agree so readily, although she did make a few requests.

It was reasonable to ask him to come to Jiang City, and he agreed without hesitation.

The round couldn’t exceed forty minutes and she would go as soon as time was up.

The time limit was indeed a bit short, but after some hesitation, Ace still agreed.

The third request was for her to immediately use up the first favor. She wanted Ace to look up some things and hand them over to her in person.

Ace had seen the information, and while some of it was difficult to find, Xu Wenyin should be capable of obtaining it with her skills. He didn’t understand why she wanted him to do it. If it was because of legal concerns, with their level of expertise, covering their tracks shouldn’t be difficult, right?

Xu Wenyin didn’t explain to Ace, but she inwardly expressed that if she did it herself, she might be easily detected by the rules of this world, and having a tool person deliver himself to her door, wouldn’t it be a waste if she didn’t use this chance properly?

Moreover, Xu Wenyin firmly believed that if this transaction happened once, it would happen again, as long as Ace didn’t win against her!

Then in the future, she wouldn’t need to search for information with trepidation and caution; she could just hand the task over to this person.

She also wasn’t afraid that Ace would betray her. Tech-savvy people like him didn’t have those ulterior motives. With his skills, if he really wanted money and fame, did he still lack opportunities?

Furthermore, when she asked for the materials, she used some tricks. Only about a third of it was what she actually needed, while the rest were decoys, ensuring that even Ace wouldn’t understand what she was up to!

I’m indeed smart!

After happily praising herself, Xu Wenyin sat down opposite Ace.

Ace himself seemed to value this match greatly. Once in the private room, he took off his mask, removed his hat, and started warming up.

Xu Wenyin said she would only give him five minutes to familiarize himself with the new equipment.

Of course, Ace couldn’t afford to waste a single second.

He valued this opportunity greatly and wanted to reaffirm his skills once again.

As a result, Ace didn’t notice the glances Xu Wenyin cast his way.

For this useful tool person, Xu Wenyin naturally wanted to take a look at him, but…… wasn’t this guy a bit too young?

Originally, judging by his physique and voice, Xu Wenyin guessed he was around twenty years old. After all, it had been six or seven years since Expert A rose to fame. But now, looking at his face……

Was he sixteen years old?

Was she bullying a kid while also employing child labor?

“How old are you?”

“Twenty-one.”

Ace didn’t even look up and answered the question concisely. He was gradually getting into the zone, waiting for Xu Wenyin to say start.

Good, good, she wasn’t doing anything illegal!

Was this what they meant by a ‘baby face’ online? If those who imagined Expert A to be a domineering person found out, would they go home and cry all night?

Xu Wenyin swallowed her sarcasm and turned her attention to the computer in front of her.

While her skills were indeed unparalleled in this era, Xu Wenyin faced more limitations.

She couldn’t use too much power beyond what Ace was capable of, and she also had to pay attention to time and hand speed.

In short, she had to be careful in every aspect!

Forty minutes later, a look of frustration appeared on Ace’s baby-like face.

“Ten more minutes! I can promise you three more things!”

“No, the time’s up!”

Xu Wenyin’s response was merciless.

To meet the conditions of not being recognized by anyone and having a hotel nearby, Xu Wenyin chose an Internet café located quite far away. It took forty minutes to drive there.

With the addition of having conversations along the way, it had already been close to two hours. There were about twenty minutes left, just enough time for her to check into the hotel.

She had absolutely no more time to waste!

If Ace hadn’t been so stubborn about it, and if Xu Wenyin hadn’t wanted to let go of such a useful tool, she wouldn’t have even wanted to give him forty minutes!

So, no matter what conditions Ace offered, Xu Wenyin left without mercy.

She opened the door and stepped out of the private room.

“Please, just five more minutes! Or even three minutes!”

“No means no. Find somewhere else to stay. I’m leaving!”

Ace didn’t realize how surprised the passerby guy earlier was, to the point where he almost called the police!

It turned out it wasn’t a case of a beauty being tricked, but a combination of an ‘older sister’ and a ‘younger brother’?!

Judging by this younger brother’s face, was he even eighteen yet?

But if it’s with such a beautiful older sister, it seems like……

After much hesitation, fortunately, the passerby didn’t end up calling the police. Otherwise, Xu Wenyin would have had to explain why she had entered the hotel room but wasn’t inside.

She still lacked social experience! She underestimated modern humans’ tendency to gossip and moral standards.

———pr

Over at the kindergarten, after school, Xu Youyou and Lu Chenjun didn’t immediately head home.

Because Qin Yiren prepared a surprise. She felt that the little ones had just finished training yesterday and going to kindergarten again today was a bit exhausting for them.

Fortunately, tomorrow was the weekend!

So, not only did she and a few other parents request leave for the children from their instructor for their evening exercise, but they also postponed the next two days of extracurricular lessons. They decided to take the children to a resort for a relaxing break!

Just think of it as going for a spring outing.

This resort was also one of the properties that the Qin family recently developed. It’s specifically designed to cater to families with children, and the entertainment and leisure facilities were of a high-end standard. However, it hasn’t officially opened to the public yet, so Youyou and the others can be considered the first batch of guests.

It was for this reason that Xu Wenyin had to hide out for two days.

Otherwise, she couldn’t always stay in the room at the resort and not go out, could she?

However, Xu Wenyin also knew that this excuse wouldn’t work in the long run. Once or twice might be fine, but if it happened frequently, even a normal person would start to suspect, right?

In addition, Xu Wenyin knew that the kindergarten would also organize some parent-child activities, like this year’s Children’s Day on June 1st. Those events would definitely take more than two hours.

In such situations, even if Xu Youyou didn’t mind, wouldn’t others gossip if Xu Wenyin was absent?

Becoming a human and being a mother had indeed brought a lot of conveniences to the system, but it also came with its fair share of troubles.

Xu Youyou was still young, and the energy that her favorability could provide was indeed very limited. Xu Wenyin calculated the ratio; she would have to wait until Xu Youyou was around thirteen years old to have about eight hours of physical time per day.

She could handle a vast majority of things at that time.

However, right now, Xu Youyou turning thirteen was still so, so far away!

Xu Wenyin had to come up with a solution before more people started to suspect something!

But for now, she’d just follow Xu Youyou and see what the kids were doing first.

The group arrived at their destination around five in the afternoon. The sky was still bright, but only remnants of daylight remained.

This resort was located on the outskirts of Jiang City, with stunning scenery all around. There were mountains, lakes, and vast stretches of grassland, perfect for relaxation or sightseeing.

As soon as the five children got out of the car, they were captivated by the scenery before them.

The parents behind them also expressed their admiration for the Qin family’s business acumen.

Among the parents who came this time, besides Qin Yiren, there were Father and Mother Liu, as well as Mother Qian. Xu Youyou and Liu Yanzhi were the only ones without any of their parents present.

If it were in the past, Liu Yanzhi’s father might have joined in after hearing that Father Liu was also coming, just so he could get familiar with the other parents. But ever since Qin Yiren subtly mocked him last time, he knew that he would only embarrass himself if he tried to come.

As for Liu Yanzhi’s grandfather, he was getting older, and constantly rushing around would tire him out. Liu Yanzhi also didn’t want his elder to be so tired. Plus, with Mother Qian’s assurance, Grandpa Feng felt much more at ease.

“Miaomiao! Look! There are so many flowers!”

Spring was the season when all kinds of flowers were in full bloom, so naturally, the resort couldn’t be without a sea of different flowers.

This immediately attracted the attention of Xu Youyou and Liu Miaomiao.

The flowers were so pretty~

“Can you see it, Mom?” Xu Youyou called out to Xu Wenyin in her head. This was the first time she had seen so many flowers with her own eyes.

〖I see it, I see it! They’re really pretty~〗

At that moment, Qin Yiren suddenly waved to the two little girls. When they approached, she smiled and suggested, “Such beautiful scenery, right? Why don’t you change into some pretty clothes and take photos?”

Even though the lighting wasn’t great, taking photos at this moment has its own unique charm.

Of course, more importantly……

Following Qin Yiren’s gaze, everyone saw an RV slowly approaching them.

Opening the door, one would see four rows of children’s clothing hanging inside.

There were clothes for both boys and girls, including ancient costumes, princess dresses, knightly attires, and so on. Almost any style one could think of was available.

Moreover, each piece was of top-notch quality in terms of craftsmanship and style.

Seeing the curious eyes of the children, Qin Yiren finally smiled with satisfaction.

These clothes were all designed by her!

Qin Yiren had long wanted to try the fun of dressing up her child, but her son Juanjuan was really uncooperative!

This time, not only was there an adorable Youyou, but also Miaomiao and the others. With them wearing these clothes and the scenery as the backdrop, the photos taken would definitely be beautiful!

Lu Chenjun, who didn’t follow Xu Youyou and the others to inspect the clothes, saw his mother’s ‘strange’ smile.

Looking at the at least fifty sets of clothes, a certain little curly-haired boy suddenly had a bad premonition!

Was it still possible for him to run away now?