Lin Xia hung up the phone and pulled Lin Shu back home.

Lu Shaotang was still waiting outside with the two kids.

They made a lovely sight, attracting the attention of everyone passing by.

The way people turned to look at them was even more than they would at a pretty young girl.

Although Lu Shaotang only had a three-day leave, he would be able to come home regularly, so it wasn’t a big deal.

He explained to the kids that he would have to leave tomorrow afternoon.

Even though the kids were very attached to him, they were understanding. “It’s okay, Dad. Just go to work. We’ll help take care of Mom.”

Lu Shaotang gave each of them a kiss and thanked them for helping.

The kids whispered in Lu Shaotang’s ear and then called out to Lin Shu, “Mom, Dad…”

Lin Shu quickly turned around, saying, “Speak!”

She was adamant that they should not call him “your man” anymore.

Lu Shaotang walked up to her and said, “The kids said you don’t have any leather shoes. How about we go to the department store and have a look?”

Most city women had leather shoes, but his wife didn’t, so he wanted to buy her a pair.

Lin Shu asked curiously, “Do you have money?”

Didn’t you send all your money back home?

Lu Shaotang replied, “…It’s okay. I can borrow from Chen Yanming.”

Lin Shu said, “…I don’t want leather shoes. I don’t like wearing them.”

She preferred handmade cloth shoes that fit well.

Lu Shaotang, like Fang Dihua, was straightforward.

If someone said they didn’t want something, he took it at face value and didn’t believe in the “say no but really want it” concept.

Because Mother Qian had come over to cause trouble, dinner hadn’t been made, and it was already dark.

Lu Shaotang suggested going to a restaurant to eat, and he would treat everyone.

Lin Shu had brought money and tickets, so she didn’t let him pay.

He had sent all his salary home, and didn’t have extra money left.

If he spent his money, he wouldn’t know how to make up for it later.

Seeing that she was considering his feelings, Lu Shaotang was pleased.

After dinner, he suggested going to the movies.

Lin Xia said, “I have to work in the next few days. Talk to the team leader. You all go ahead.”

She didn’t want to be a third wheel.

Lin Shu didn’t want to go either, but seeing the eager eyes of the three guys, she gave in.

Imagine, those two cute kids with their big, shiny eyes, and the handsome man with his deep, dark eyes—who could resist that?

Lin Shu bought some five-spice melon seeds and spent an extra 40 cents to buy movie tickets for the kids.

As the children grew, it was no longer comfortable for them to be held by their parents throughout the movie.

During the movie, the two children were very focused, not whispering to each other or disturbing their parents.

When the scenes were tense or exciting, Tiantian held Lin Shu’s hand, and Panpan held Lu Shaotang’s big hand.

When the scenes were relaxing and fun, they would pat their parents reassuringly.

As they patted, Lin Shu’s hand was taken by a warm, large hand.

His hand was cool and dry, with a higher than average body temperature.

When first touched, it felt as if he might have a fever.

Once he held her hand, Lin Shu found it hard to concentrate on the screen because he was playing with her hand!

He would intertwine their fingers, then knead each of her fingers, and even lightly tickle her palm!

When Lin Shu tried to pull her hand away, he hooked her fingers with his pinky.

Tiantian would also instinctively cling to her mother’s arm, as if it were her safe harbor, feeling secure during tense parts of the film.

Finally, after the movie, Lin Shu naturally held Tiantian, saying, “I’ll carry you home.”

Tiantian’s eyes sparkled with excitement, “Don’t make Mommy work too hard, Daddy can carry me. Daddy is very strong.”

After leaving the cinema, the children initially discussed the movie excitedly, but after a few steps, they yawned and fell asleep on Lu Shaotang’s shoulder.

Lin Shu was worried they might be uncomfortable. “Let me carry Tiantian.”

Lu Shaotang said, “You won’t be able to carry her.”

He carried her as if she were weightless, but for Lin Shu, it wasn’t the same.

After walking for a while, she heard Lu Shaotang’s deep voice say, “There are no streetlights ahead. Be careful where you step.”

Lin Shu replied, “I’m being careful.”

Lu Shaotang said, “You can hold onto me.”

He offered his elbow to Lin Shu.

Lin Shu smiled and said, “You’re not an old person; why would you need support?”

Lu Shaotang responded, “If you’re willing to help, I don’t mind being treated like an old person.”

Lin Shu was surprised by his playful side. Her previous impression of him was as someone aloof, abstinent, and serious.

Now, she saw him as a playful and cheeky person.

She slightly turned, placing her left hand on his muscular forearm, and used her right hand to wipe the children’s foreheads, making sure they didn’t sweat too much and catch a cold from the wind.

Lu Shaotang’s body was warm, and the children, who were already sweating from the heat, could easily catch a cold.

Sure enough, the streetlights ahead were out, and the surroundings were dark, with the ground uneven from heavy vehicles.

Lin Shu stumbled, and the whole scene…

Lin Shu threw herself onto him, instinctively wrapping her arms around his waist.

She didn’t expect his waist to be so slim and firm, like it was made of iron.

Lu Shaotang said, “You can walk behind me.”

Lin Shu playfully hid behind him, sneaking little touches and pokes at his waist.

He had a great figure.

Over the past few days of close contact, Lin Shu felt something.

Although he was tall and strong, his calm and steady demeanor, and his proper posture without any extra movements, gave her a great sense of security. His smallest gesture was playing with her fingers, which made her feel very safe.

Even though he was tall and could potentially be intimidating, he gave her a sense of security.

He was gentle and broad-minded, and she didn’t feel threatened.

Her fear and discomfort about his height and masculine presence slowly faded, and she even dared to make small movements around him.

While climbing the stairs, she hung onto his waist, using him for support and taking the opportunity to enjoy his closeness.

Although it was getting cold and everyone was wearing thin cotton jackets, Lu Shaotang only wore a shirt and a thin coat.

Her hands, which were resting on his waist, eventually pulled his shirt out of his pants, almost touching his skin.

Lu Shaotang felt a tickle but didn’t have an extra hand to hold hers.

Lin Xia had already settled down in bed, giving up the large bed in the bedroom for the family of four.

She had also changed the bedding.

Lin Shu helped Lu Shaotang put the kids on the bed, dressing them down to their underwear and putting them into the blankets, then used warm water to wipe their faces, hands, and feet.

Lu Shaotang helped her by fetching water, and they both washed their faces before mixing water to wash the kids’ feet.

While Lin Shu was washing the kids’ feet, Lu Shaotang stood beside her, wiping his face.

His dark eyes looked down at the white and delicate feet in the basin, and he instinctively moved his own large feet.

Her feet looked so delicate.

Lin Shu called out to him, “There’s hot water in the kettle. Add some to the basin and soak your feet.”

She sat on the bed, drying her feet with a cloth, and made space for him to wash his feet.

Lu Shaotang glanced at her, his heart racing a bit.

She was going to bed now, which meant she would be sleeping with him, right?

In his sister-in-law’s house, it would be awkward to do anything, but he just wanted to hold her.

After Lin Shu finished washing her feet, she placed the cloth on a nearby chair. “After you’re done, just put the basin by the wall. The chamber pot is here too; the kids might need it during the night.”

Lu Shaotang nodded.

Lin Shu went out and closed the door behind her.

Lu Shaotang looked away, feeling disappointed.

His wife didn’t want to sleep in his arms.

Lin Shu quietly got out of bed, removed her clothes, and slipped into her second sister’s bed.

Though the bed was small, both sisters were slim, so they cuddled together and kept warm.

In her previous life, Lin Shu had always wanted an older sister.

Now that her wish was fulfilled in this life, she was truly happy.

Her second sister pretended to complain, “Why are you crowding with me when there’s a big bed?”

Lin Shu hugged her and said, “I want to sleep with my second sister. When we were little, we three would squeeze into Grandma’s bed, and every time Grandma held me, you would try to take my place.”

Lin Xia laughed, “And then the eldest sister would hold me. Thinking back to our childhood, it was really nice.”

It wasn’t just Grandma who was good to them; their mother was good too but slightly favored son, thought she was a bit timid. Even though she would scold them, she still cared for them.

Unlike now, where the mother-in-law pretends to be kind but actually schemes against her.

If she can’t relax and be at ease in her own home and has to constantly fight for herself, she doesn’t like it.

She was a bit envious of Lin Shu, who wasn’t as sensitive and quick-tempered as before.

She had become much more articulate, and even the mother-in-law was shaken by her sharp responses.

“Sister, how come you’ve changed so much? Tell me about it.”

During these days of accompanying her sister, Lin Shu didn’t just sit idle.

She reminded her sister to pay attention to safety, as accidents are frequent in electrical work, and to be very careful.

She also provided a straightforward explanation of marriage issues, focusing on proactive education with many classic cases from her previous life.

She explained modern terms like emotional value, covert violence, domestic abuse, internal conflict, brainwashing, and pua through stories.

Lin Xia, being smart, understood quickly.

Lin Shu encouraged her sister to do more of what she liked, to reject people she didn’t like, and not to exhaust herself over those who didn’t treat her well, specifically referring to Mother Qian.

When her sister asked proactively, Lin Shu smiled and said, “I brainwashed myself.”

Lin Xia was curious, “How did you brainwash yourself?”

Lin Shu whispered with a smile, “I used to be timid, easily frightened, and suspicious. I would tell myself every day that I’m not afraid of anything, that I’m very brave, not suspicious at all, open-minded, and I don’t hold grudges. If someone angers me, I just return the anger. Gradually, I changed. See? Isn’t that true?”

Lin Xia pinched her soft cheek and said, “You’re right, it really is.”

Lin Shu leaned in and whispered, “In the future, I’ll also put Lu Shaotang to get him to take care of the children and do housework. You should try this with your husband too.”

Lin Xia giggled.