The car was silent for about three minutes before Ji Yu hesitantly asked, “Mommy… was that one of those ‘kind lies’?”

Xiao Yu answered without hesitation, “Of course it was!”

Ji Xuan: “…”

He suddenly began to question himself—maybe he was being too rigid and upright with the kids. Should he… learn to bend the truth a little like she does?

“Mommy, what’s a kind lie?” Xiao Ruoguang blinked his big eyes at Xiao Yu, full of curiosity.

Ji Xuan stiffened. Oh no. If he finds out what a kind lie was … then he’ll realize they lied to him. That would break his little heart.

Ji Xuan turned to look at Xiao Ruoguang, caught in a dilemma.

How am I supposed to explain this without ruining everything?

Xiao Yu smiled as she looked at Xiao Ruoguang and said gently, “You’ll understand when you’re older.”

Xiao Ruoguang’s eyes widened. “Is it something only grown-ups can know?”

Xiao Yu nodded. “That’s right.”

Ji Xuan: “…” Huh… maybe being direct can work sometimes?

Ji Yu glanced between Xiao Yu and Xiao Ruoguang, then asked, “Mommy, how come you told me what a kind lie is, but not him?”

Xiao Yu looked at Ji Yu and replied, “Because you’ve started school—and he hasn’t.”

The two siblings readily accepted their mother’s explanation and quieted down.
Ji Xuan, who had witnessed the whole exchange, felt like he’d just been hit in the gut.
How does this woman always have something to say? And how does any of that even make sense???

The car pulled up in front of the villa. Auntie Wang got out and, together with Ban Zhenye, went to retrieve the wheelchair from the trunk.

Ji Xuan helped the two kids out of the car. Xiao Ruoguang’s mouth formed a perfect “O” as he stared at the big house in front of him.

“Woooow~!” he exclaimed, tugging excitedly at Ji Yu’s arm. “Big sister! Big sister! Is this our house? Really our house?!”

Ji Yu was full of pride. She crossed her arms, lifted her chin high, and said, “Of course it is! Pretty, isn’t it?”

Xiao Ruoguang nodded enthusiastically. “So pretty! Way prettier than my house.”

Ji Yu looked even prouder. “Obviously! What did your house look like?”

Xiao Ruoguang thought for a moment, then said, “My house is this big!” He made a large gesture with his hands and looked at Ji Yu with sincere eyes.

Ji Yu didn’t quite understand, but she wasn’t going to admit it. So, she nodded knowingly and said, “That’s pretty big, but still not as big as my house.”

Xiao Ruoguang nodded in agreement, then turned to Xiao Yu and said, “Mommy, Mommy, from now on, we’ll live in a big house too!”

Xiao Yu nodded. By then, Ji Xuan had already bent down to undo her seatbelt and was reaching to lift her out of the car. As she looked at the house in front of her, a familiar feeling washed over her—we’re back!

Just as she was feeling nostalgic, the front door of the villa opened, and a beautiful woman stepped out. She wore a blue dress with a white lace cardigan, looking youthful, radiant, and elegant.

Ji Xuan was about to put Xiao Yu into the wheelchair when he heard her say, “Carry me inside!”

Ji Xuan smiled lightly.

“Xiao Yu.”

She looked up at him, and he said with a playful grin, “Not a chance!”

Xiao Yu: “……” He learned to fight back.

Seeing Xiao Yu frozen in surprise, Ji Xuan, in a good mood, set her gently into the wheelchair and cheerfully pushed her forward.

At that moment, Yi Lanya happened to come out. Smiling, she walked up and said, “Mr. Ji, you’re back.”

Then, turning to Xiao Yu with a polite smile, she added, “Welcome home from the hospital. That must have been a tiring trip.”

Ji Xuan felt something was off. Meanwhile, Xiao Yu smiled on the surface but cursed inwardly: Damn it, pulling the lady-of-the-house act on me, huh.

Without missing a beat, Xiao Yu called out loudly, “Xiaoyu, come greet your teacher! She came all the way to our house to visit Mommy — Mommy’s so happy!”

Yi Lanya’s face darkened.

Little Ji Yu took Xiao Ruoguang’s hand, walked up, and looked at Yi Lanya. “Teacher Yi, why are you here? Don’t you usually come on Saturdays?”

Ji Yu was very fond of Teacher Yi. Ji Xuan had noticed this and, after observing Yi Lanya’s kindness toward Ji Yu a couple of times, hadn’t hesitated to agree when Ji Yu asked if Yi Lanya could tutor her on weekends.

Hearing Ji Yu’s question, Yi Lanya feigned concern and said, “I only had morning classes today, and afterward I heard from Teacher Yu that you were taking the whole day off. I remembered you mentioned you’d be picking up Mommy today…” As she spoke, Yi Lanya glanced at Xiao Yu, who still wore a gentle, serene smile.

Yi Lanya continued with a smile, “I just thought I’d come by to see Xiaoyu’s mom.”

Ji Yu looked at her, touched, and said, “Teacher Yi, you’re so kind.”

Xiao Ruoguang, holding Ji Yu’s hand, looked curiously at Yi Lanya and asked, “My mom’s getting out of the hospital — why is my sister’s teacher here to see her? Do all teachers do this?”

Yi Lanya: “…Of course not. It’s just that Xiaoyu and I are very close, right, Xiaoyu?”

Ji Yu nodded enthusiastically.

Xiao Ruoguang blinked his big eyes and muttered, “You’re close with my sister, but that has nothing to do with Mom.”

Yi Lanya: “……” This little rascal — can you not get hung up on that? I’m not here to see that useless cripple, I’m here for Xiaoyu’s dad!

Forcing a polite smile, Yi Lanya asked, “You must be Xiaoyu’s little brother, right? How adorable.”

Xiao Ruoguang’s eyes lit up. “Really? I’m adorable?”

Yi Lanya nodded with a smile, and Xiao Ruoguang immediately turned to Ji Xuan and announced, “Daddy, Sister’s teacher says I’m really cute!”

Ji Xuan chuckled, nodded, and ruffled his hair. “You’ve always been cute.”

Xiao Ruoguang beamed and said, “Thank you, Sister’s teacher — you’re very pretty too.”

Yi Lanya’s mood lifted; she thought to herself: He’s just a little kid, a few compliments will keep him happy.

After thanking her, Xiao Ruoguang asked, “So, when is Teacher going home?”

Yi Lanya felt a bit awkward and turned to Ji Yu with a hint of grievance, “Does your little brother not like me?”

Ji Yu quickly turned to scold Xiao Ruoguang, “Little brother, you can’t be so rude! Teacher Yi is here — we should welcome her.”

Xiao Ruoguang shook his head and said innocently, “But… she’s not my teacher.”

Ji Yu froze, then quickly said, “My teacher is your teacher too! You should like my teacher just like I do.”

A look of realization crossed Xiao Ruoguang’s face. He turned to Yi Lanya and asked, “Teacher, if I like you like my sister likes you, will you like me the same way you like my sister?”

Yi Lanya gently patted his head and said warmly, “Of course, I like you just as much.”

Ji Yu froze, her eyes going red as she said, “But Teacher Yi… didn’t you say you liked me the most?”

Yi Lanya froze for a moment, then quickly crouched down and said, “Of course, I like Xiao Yu the most.”

Xiao Ruoguang blinked in surprise. “Teacher… then can’t you like me the most too?”

Ji Yu’s eyes widened, and she burst into tears. “She’s my teacher — my teacher, not yours!”

Xiao Ruoguang could only mumble, “Then… she’s not my teacher, I guess!”

Yi Lanya: “……” She had a bad feeling about this.

Xiao Ruoguang asked, “So, when is Sister’s teacher going home? Our family just got back — we need some time together.”

Yi Lanya: “……” This is hopeless.

Ji Xuan: “……” Why does this scene feel so familiar?

=^_^=