Ning Shu revealed a gentle smile: “You don’t have to go; your father and I can take Yibao and Sanbao with us.”

“No, no, no…” Erbao shook his head vigorously, “I want to go.”

Although he was reluctant to leave here, he wanted to be with his parents, older brother, and Sanbao.

The transfer order for Lin Guodong came quickly.

After following the higher-ups’ instructions for a week, the order arrived, directing him to assume his new position immediately.

The urgency of the transfer order indicated that there must be a lot of people involved in the capital, and the vacant position needed to be filled right away.

So, Lin Guodong packed his things and, the next day, hurriedly left with Ning Shu.

Lin Guodong was going for his new job, while Ning Shu was going to look for a house.

The three children stayed behind in the family quarters.

They would leave after the semester ended.

Watching their parents leave, the three children accompanied them to the guard kiosk at the entrance, feeling a bit uneasy.

It wasn’t that they were reluctant to part with their parents, but rather because they themselves were about to leave as well.

The three children were not ones to procrastinate.

Back in the classroom, they shared the news with their good friends, Yang Wenjie and others.

“Yang Wenjie, Cheng Yingyong, He Jiaxing, we’ll be leaving here after the holidays.”

Huh?

The three of them looked at the three children in surprise.

He Jiaxing asked, “Are you going back to your hometown? Will you come back after the winter break?”

Yang Wenjie and Cheng Yingyong thought the same.

But Erbao shook his head: “No, our dad’s job is being transferred to another place, so we’re moving to a different location.”

Hearing this, Yang Wenjie and the others widened their eyes in disbelief, like a bolt from the blue.

“Lin Haizhi, is it true that your dad is really being transferred? Are you really moving away?” Cheng Yingyong asked, his voice filled with strong doubt and a hint of anxiety he hadn’t noticed himself.

Even though they were all around twelve or thirteen years old, having grown up together and played together, their carefree, innocent days were coming to an end.

The prospect of separation was daunting.

“Yes.” Yibao nodded.

For a moment, the air seemed to freeze, and everyone fell silent.

Even the usually lively Erbao was quiet.

At this moment, their feelings were the same.

Finally, Yibao spoke up: “It’s okay. We can write letters. You can also visit us at the family quarters where my dad works during your vacations. You can stay with us then.”

Yibao tried to sound cheerful, but his voice revealed none of that happiness.

Erbao forced a smile that was even worse than crying and said, “When you come, my mom will definitely make delicious food. And… and… wuwuwu… I wish Dad wouldn’t be transferred.”

Children don’t really understand promotions; they just feel reluctant to part with things.

He Jiaxing patted Erbao on the shoulder and said, “We will definitely come to visit. You can come back here in the future. You can stay at my house then.”

“My house can also accommodate you.”

“And mine.”

Yang Wenjie and Cheng Yingyong chimed in, competing to offer their hospitality.

“Hmm.” Erbao’s mood improved a bit.

Yibao added, “After we leave, you’ll need to take care of the sugarcane seedlings yourselves. I’ll leave you my notes.”

Over the years, many families in the family compound had been growing sugarcane, and they all came to exchange seedlings with the three children.

He Jiaxing said, “We’ll take care of it ourselves.”

Yang Wenjie joked, “So if we distribute the sugarcane seedlings ourselves, will others come to exchange with us? We might be able to trade for a lot of things then.”

They all laughed.

“By the way, since your parents are leaving, why don’t you come to my house for dinner today?” Cheng Yingyong thoughtfully suggested.

Among the kids, Cheng Yingyong’s thoughtfulness was second only to Yibao’s.

“No, it’s fine. Our mom left us money, and we can use our dad’s meal allowance as well. Our mom said she’ll be back in a few days,” Yibao said.

He Jiaxing’s eyes twinkled, “So, will you be sleeping alone these days?”

The three children didn’t understand why he asked this. If their parents weren’t around, they would definitely be sleeping alone.

He Jiaxing added, “Then I’ll come over to your house to sleep tonight, and we can all sleep together. Is that okay?”

Yang Wenjie and Cheng Yingyong agreed enthusiastically, “We’ll go too, if that’s alright?”

The three children’ eyes lit up.

Having classmates sleep over at their house was something they had never experienced before.

But with their parents gone, they suddenly had this idea.

Yibao nodded, “Sure! But can our bed fit six people? We only have one bed, and the three brothers sleep together. But it’s two single beds pushed together, so it’s about two meters wide. It’s enough for us three brothers.”

But with He Jiaxing, Yang Wenjie, and Cheng Yingyong added, it might be too cramped.

Yang Wenjie said, “It’s fine. We can set up bedding on the floor. I can bring over blankets from home.” After thinking for a moment, he added, “If my mom asks, just tell her that since your parents aren’t here, I came to keep you company.”

“Let’s study together too. As long as we study together, my mom will definitely be happy,” Yang Wenjie said.

He Jiaxing and Cheng Yingyong agreed enthusiastically.

The three children’s grades were the best in their class, and their parents hoped they would learn from the three children.

Now that the three children were showing such awareness, their parents would be thrilled.

“I agree. My parents will definitely say yes,” said Yang Wenjie.

“Me too. My mom will be happy and might even give me an extra egg for breakfast,” Cheng Yingyong added.

He Jiaxing and Cheng Yingyong chimed in as well.

The three children considered it.

Without their parents around, they felt quite lonely.

If He Jiaxing and the others stayed at their house, it would indeed be lively.

Moreover, they had never experienced anything like this before.

With their parents away and classmates staying over, they would suddenly feel like the hosts and adults, which was a refreshing experience for them.

So, the three children didn’t think for long and quickly agreed after discussing it.

That evening, the mothers of the three children also learned from their own children about Lin Guodong and Ning Shu’s move to the capital.

They called their children to invite the three children over for dinner.

Due to the good relations between the families because of their children playing together, they were very willing to have the three children over for a meal.

Moreover, with Lin Guodong’s promotion, it would also strengthen their friendship, which made them even more willing.

However, when the children went to call them, only Sanbao was at home, while Erbao and Yibao had already gone to the dining hall to get their meals.

The children had no choice but to return home.

In the evening, He Jiaxing, Yang Wenjie, and Cheng Yingyong took their mothers to the Lin family’s home.

The Lin family’s beds couldn’t accommodate all six children, so the three mothers laid out bedding on the floor for their own children and reminded the three children that they should take turns going to their houses for meals starting the next morning, before leaving.

He Jiaxing and the other three children were a bit mischievous, but with the three children as their role models, they first did their homework, then went home to shower before coming back to sleep.

That night, they played with Da Mao and Tie Dan.

On the train, Lin Guodong and Ning Shu were unaware that the three children were managing quite well after leaving home.

However, they were not worried.

The three children were quite mature, and with Erbao and Yibao being twelve years old and living in the family quarters, there was no concern about any issues.

Even Da Mao and Tie Dan were being looked after by the three children, so there would be no problems.

Over the years, Da Mao and Tie Dan had visibly aged and were no longer as lively as before.

Often, they were obediently lying at home.

Aging is something that no one, whether human or animal, can avoid.

Fortunately, over the years, Ning Shu had taken them for regular check-ups, which had prevented many sudden issues.

However, even with the best care, Ning Shu knew that Da Mao and Tie Dan could still get sick because of aging.

During the days when the three children were in charge, Lin Guodong and Ning Shu had arrived in the capital.

They got off the train and, knowing that someone would be sent to pick them up, looked for the person who was supposed to meet them.

It was easy to spot the person: dressed in a military uniform and holding a wooden sign with Lin Guodong’s name on it.

Lin Guodong and Ning Shu walked directly toward him. “Hello, comrade, I’m Lin Guodong.”

As Lin Guodong approached, the comrade also noticed him.

Lin Guodong was in military uniform too, and the reason for his presence was largely guessable.

“Hello, Regiment Leader Lin. I’m Hou Caihua, the assigned officer for you. You can call me Xiao Hou,” said the young man in his twenties, saluting with some excitement.

“Hello, Xiao Hou. I hope we will work well together. This is my wife, Ning Shu,” Lin Guodong also saluted.

“Hello, sister-in-law.”

“Hello, Comrade Hou.”