Gu Yanqing, now living in a suite with its own balcony and garden, felt the space was somewhat limited.

So, he purchased a villa in City C.

The villa was completed two years after Zhenzhen was born, situated in a newly developed upscale residential area in the northern part of the city.

The area was well-landscaped, and the environment was lovely, making it feel like a vacation home.

Being among the first buyers, they received a large garden with the villa.

Of course, this “gift” was included in the price of the villa, a tactic to please buyers.

In front of the garden, they built a swimming pool.

During the summer, the family could enjoy swimming without having to go to a public pool, which was Gu Yanqing’s favorite feature.

The hot weather in City C meant people wanted to stay in air-conditioned rooms all day.

Having a private swimming pool to cool off was a luxury.

When the weather warmed up, Gu Yanqing had the pool cleaned, filled with fresh water, and invited his family to enjoy their new pool.

The pool was designed with a deep end for adults and a shallow end for children, so the little ones could play safely.

Koukou, who loved playing in the water, was excited to see the pool and watched eagerly while it was being filled.

Even though there was an umbrella set up by the pool, it was still very hot under the summer sun, and Koukou was already sweating under the shade.

Worried that he might get overheated, Qiao Wanqing suggested, “Why don’t you go inside to cool off and come back out when it’s ready?”

“No,” Koukou refused, “I want to watch.”

“What’s so interesting about the water?” Qiao Wanqing didn’t understand children’s interests. “You can watch from the second floor too. Come on, be good and go inside.”

She reached out to take his hand, but Koukou twisted away, refusing and whining in a babyish voice, “No, I want to watch here~”

Qiao Wanqing sighed, “You don’t even know how to swim. Why are you so eager?”

Koukou shifted his attention from the pool and confidently said, “I do know how!”

“Oh?” Qiao Wanqing was surprised by his confidence. “When did you learn?”

She had never taken Koukou to a swimming pool or similar places.

When he was younger, he lived in Dongyang Village, where such facilities were unavailable.

So, Koukou was probably just bragging.

Even though no one had taught him, Koukou had somehow developed the skills of self-admiration, exaggeration, and stubbornness at such a young age.

Qiao Wanqing instinctively tried to guide him to change these habits.

But it was obviously not that easy.

Kids had a weaker sense of self-awareness.

Qiao Wanqing had read in parenting books that many children had these minor flaws and would naturally improve as they grew older. So, she didn’t worry too much about it.

Koukou thought for a moment and said, ” Brother Yuanyuan taught me.”

“…,” Qiao Wanqing was speechless.

Is he teaching you to swim on dry land?

Yuanyuan would never take him to dangerous places like swimming pools or ponds.

Koukou was just making things up.

Qiao Wanqing patted his head and noticed his hair was hot from the sun. “Your hair is so hot. Let’s go inside quickly, or you’ll get heatstroke and won’t be able to go in the water.”

“Heatstroke… what is that?” Koukou tilted up his little face, asking innocently.

“Heatstroke is being sick. You need to take medicine and get injections. Are you afraid?”

“…”

Koukou was finally scared.

But soon the swimming pool was ready, filled with water.

The pool’s surface rippled, looking blue and inviting, making one feel comfortable and eager to play.

The family of four put on their swimsuits and went to the pool.

Koukou was the fastest, running to the edge of the pool, looking at it, and then turned to Qiao Wanqing and asked, “Mom, are there any fish in the water?”

This question was complicated.

Qiao Wanqing laughed and said, “This is a swimming pool, so there are no fish.”

Koukou, seeming to understand, fell silent for a moment and then asked, “What about crabs?”

Gu Yanqing patted his head and said, “If there were crabs, you wouldn’t want to go in. They might pinch your little thing.”

Koukou, frightened, touched his little thing and then proudly said, “It’s still here!”

“…Silly boy,” Gu Yanqing bent down to pick him up and said, “Come on, Daddy will carry you in.”

Koukou was scared at the mention of going into the water.

He stepped back and firmly said, “No!”

“Eh, didn’t you say you could swim?” Qiao Wanqing remembered his boast earlier that morning.

Koukou blinked and said, “But I, I don’t like it~”

“…” You’re quite good at making excuses.

Gu Yanqing said, “It’s okay. Once you go in, you’ll like it. It’s a lot of fun.”

“But,” Koukou exaggeratedly said, “there are big monsters under the water.”

Zhenzhen, who had been eager to try swimming in Qiao Wanqing’s arms, was scared and burrowed into her mother’s embrace when she heard about the “big monster.”

Qiao Wanqing quickly comforted her, patting her back and saying, “It’s okay, your brother is just making things up.”

Gu Yanqing, stepping out of the water, said, “There’s no big monster. Look, Daddy is fine.”

Koukou, with a serious expression, said, “Because the big monster only catches Koukou. Koukou smells delicious.”

Qiao Wanqing and Gu Yanqing were speechless.

Why don’t you say you’re Tang Sanzang?

Koukou had an exceptional talent for making up stories, and he never missed a chance to praise himself.

“You’re scared, but you have so many excuses,” Qiao Wanqing laughed.

This little guy should become a screenwriter when he grows up; it would be a waste of his creative mind otherwise.

“I’m not scared!” Koukou firmly defended his dignity. “I can’t be eaten by a monster. If I’m eaten, there will be no more Koukou.”

Seeing Koukou afraid but unwilling to admit it, Gu Yanqing chuckled and said, “Come down quickly. There’s no big monster.”

Koukou hesitated but still didn’t want to go into the water.

He shook his head like a rattle drum. “No, no, no!”

“Daddy will hold you. Don’t you trust Daddy?”

“No, no, no!” Koukou continued to refuse.

Gu Yanqing asked, “What will you do when all your friends at kindergarten know how to swim and you don’t?”

“…” This was a serious problem.

Koukou said, “I’ll switch to another kindergarten.”

“But even in another kindergarten, everyone will know how to swim,” Qiao Wanqing said helplessly.

“Then I won’t go to kindergarten at all!” Koukou insisted confidently.

“You really…” Gu Yanqing rubbed his forehead.

It seemed that no matter how reasonable he was, Koukou always had so many excuses.

He decided to just say, “Then Mommy, Daddy, and your little sister will play. You stay on the shore under the umbrella and don’t get sunburned.”

Although Koukou was a bit conflicted, he was still scared when he saw the water.

He obediently stood under the umbrella at the edge of the pool.

Seeing that Koukou was truly frightened, Gu Yanqing turned to tease Zhenzhen: “Come on, Zhenzhen, let’s play.”

Zhenzhen, who was still unfamiliar with fear and very curious, saw her dad reaching out to her from the water.

She opened her little hands and leapt from Qiao Wanqing’s arms.

Gu Yanqing caught her, then brought over the swimming ring, which was designed for sitting, somewhat like a toddler’s walker.

When a child sits in it, only their feet can touch the water.

At first, Zhenzhen was quite happy, but when Daddy placed her in the water and tried to put her in the ring, she suddenly became frightened.

She desperately reached out to grab her father but found nothing to hold onto as he was all slippery.

“Ah, ah.”

Zhenzhen kicked her little feet in resistance.

When she struggled, she was quite strong.

Gu Yanqing, who was already standing not very far in the water, nearly lost his balance from her struggle.

He quickly held her close and patted her back, saying, “Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid. If you keep struggling, Daddy won’t be able to hold you.”

Koukou, standing by, clapped his hands with a bit of schadenfreude and said, “Sister is scared!”

Qiao Wanqing said, “Do you want to go down and encourage her?”

Koukou quickly changed his tune: “Sister is very brave.”

Gu Yanqing tried to place Zhenzhen into the ring, saying, “Don’t be afraid, sweetheart. Look, Daddy is fine.”

Zhenzhen turned to look at him and indeed seemed to see that he was okay.

However, Zhenzhen was still scared, hesitant about the vast expanse of water.

She kept her feet tucked in, unwilling to let Gu Yanqing put them into the water.

Gu Yanqing gently straightened her little legs and eased her into the water, reassuring her, “You won’t fall in, really. Just give it a try.”

But Zhenzhen couldn’t speak to voice her fear that there was nothing under her feet.

Her unempathetic dad didn’t feel her silent plea and, after a few comforting words, let go of her.

Zhenzhen was so scared she covered her eyes with her hands.

Qiao Wanqing and Gu Yanqing both laughed at this gesture.

Qiao Wanqing was laughing so hard she doubled over, saying, “If you fall in, covering your eyes won’t help, sweetheart.”

Zhenzhen then realized she wasn’t falling; she was floating on the water’s surface.

Her little feet were happily paddling, much like in a walker but even more comfortable.

Having grasped the fun of it, Zhenzhen joyfully kicked her legs in the water.

Gu Yanqing, seeing that she wasn’t scared and was playing on her own, patted her head and said, “Isn’t it fun? Daddy didn’t lie to you.”

“Yah, yah~” Zhenzhen exclaimed happily, expressing her joy.

“Won’t you come down, Koukou? Look, your sister isn’t scared,” Gu Yanqing called out to him.

Even Zhenzhen, now having fun, paddled over and waved her little hands, “Ah ah ah,” trying to coax Koukou into the water.

Seeing his sister having no issues, Koukou felt a bit braver.

He cautiously walked to the edge of the pool, peering into the water to make sure there were no monsters before looking at Qiao Wanqing while biting his finger.

He was still hesitant.

“Mommy will hold you. Just try it, okay? See, your sister is fine,” Qiao Wanqing coaxed him.

Koukou hesitated for a moment longer, then, seeing his sister happily swimming, said, “But you have to hold me, okay?”

Qiao Wanqing nodded and picked him up.

She herself couldn’t swim, but with the family having fun, she didn’t want to spoil the mood.

She decided to let Gu Yanqing swim while she stayed in the shallow end with the kids.

She carried Koukou into the shallow water.

The sight of all the water was more intimidating than from the poolside.

Koukou, nervous, clung to Qiao Wanqing’s hair, his legs drawn up, softly saying, “Mommy, I’m scared.”

“Don’t be afraid, Koukou is a brave boy.”

The term “brave boy” encouraged Koukou, and he straightened his legs a bit.

With Qiao Wanqing’s help, he was placed into the swimming ring.

His feet touched the water, causing him to flinch slightly, but he didn’t cry out.

He still resolutely sat down in the ring.

As Koukou adjusted, Qiao Wanqing said, “Mommy is letting go now.”

Qiao Wanqing released her hold, and Koukou sat in the water, tentatively turning around in place.

After confirming that he wouldn’t fall, he sighed in relief.

So scared!

Seeing that he was finally less tense, Qiao Wanqing smiled and said, “Just try it out.”

Koukou wiggled his little feet, sliding in the water.

The swimming ring was very stable, and there was no feeling of tipping over.

After a bit of adjustment, Koukou looked up with a smile and said, “It’s fun.”

“Are you not afraid anymore?”

Koukou pouted and said, “I’m not afraid at all. Koukou is very brave!”

Qiao Wanqing: “…”

Can you boast any more?

Koukou took his first steps and spent the entire afternoon having a great time.

His courage grew as he played, initially not daring to leave his parents’ side.

Later, after realizing there was nothing to fear, he used his little feet to push against the water and swam around the shallow area.

At one point, he even tried to get out of the swimming ring because his hands weren’t very useful for play.

He was deterred when Qiao Wanqing warned him that a big water monster would snatch him away if he got out.

Gu Yanqing had also set up some plastic ducks to float on the water for Koukou and Zhenzhen to play with.

After a while of playing and laughing, Koukou suddenly became quiet.

Qiao Wanqing, concerned, asked, “What’s wrong, Koukou?”

Koukou giggled and said, “I peed. I peed in the water. No need to go to the bathroom.”

Qiao Wanqing and Gu Yanqing: “…”