Post-Marriage Child-Rearing Extra (2)
Lin Shishi loved listening to stories about her mom and dad.
Every time she finished listening, her first reaction was always:
"Will a boy like Daddy take care of me like that in the future, too?"
"Of course there will be, but the most important thing for you right now is to study hard, just like your older brother. Read more books, and if there's anything you don't understand, ask your brother; he'll teach you," Lin Newyu said, gently patting his daughter's fluffy little head.
"Got it!" Lin Shishi replied obediently.
After the family finished riding the carousel, the daughter was undoubtedly the happiest one of all.
The reason Bai Shihan wasn't quite as happy was that in the past, Lin Newyu used to hold her, but ever since they had their daughter, that spot had been taken, so she felt a little left out.
Yet this feeling vanished in an instant. No matter what, their daughter was the precious darling of them both, and besides, she and Lin Newyu still had plenty of opportunities to go out together in the future; there was no need to rush.
Back when she was with Lin Newyu, she had always dreamed of the joy of going out as a family, and now that it was actually happening, the happiness bubbling up from the bottom of her heart simply couldn't be contained.
Holding her daughter's hand, Bai Shihan walked toward the parking lot. Today was the weekend, so they could go home early, whip up some simple dishes before dinner, and after eating, the parents would take the kids for a stroll by the sea, enjoying the ocean breeze and chatting away. Then they would help the child with her homework before putting her to bed... This was their entire daily routine.
"Mommy, I want a drink."
"All right, let's sit here for a moment first. Daddy and big brother have already gone to buy some."
"Okay!"
Lin Shishi sat obediently on the bench, looking at the passing pedestrians and hurried vehicles with eyes full of curiosity and eagerness.
Clearly, Lin Shishi was always full of a desire to explore unfamiliar environments and unfamiliar people.
Before long, Lin Yu came back holding a carton of milk, followed closely by Lin Newyu, who was carrying two bottles of drinks—one orange juice, and the other fruit juice.
"Shiqi likes fruit juice, if Daddy remembers correctly."
"Thank you, Daddy!" Lin Shishi took the drink, unscrewed the cap, and took a sip. The icy-cool, refreshing sensation made her eyes curve into crescent moons.
After resting for a little while, the family continued playing around the amusement park.
The rides were all geared toward children, but accompanying them and watching the kids smile so brightly brought smiles to their own faces as well.
"Are you having fun?"
Watching Lin Yu take Lin Shishi to the bouncy castle while the two of them watched from the outside—all the parents stood outside while the children bounced up and down inside.
"So much fun." Bai Shihan deeply enjoyed this feeling of being a mother. Although Lin Shishi could indeed be a bit mischievous at times, most of the time she was quiet and sensible. The rare occasions when she threw a tantrum were just her acting cute and spoiled—something you would never see in other people's children, and it fit her quiet nature perfectly.
Standing beside her, Lin Newyu looked at his wife's gentle gaze, the corners of his lips turning upward and his eyes overflowing with pampering affection.
His wife was always so kind and beautiful.
...
As night fell, the family of four returned home. After washing up, Lin Shishi lay in bed flipping through a newly bought comic book, while Lin Yu diligently studied, tackling problem sets and reading books.
Bai Shihan finished tidying up the kitchen before bringing a plate of sliced fruit into the living room, intending to feed the kids a little snack.
"Shiqi, have some fruit."
Without even raising her head, Lin Shishi replied, "Mommy, I just ate my fill and I'm not hungry right now. You should give it to big brother first."
"Okay." Bai Shihan didn't think much of it. She placed the fruit next to Lin Yu so as not to interrupt his reading, then went out and sat on the sofa to watch television.
Soon after, Lin Newyu came over to her side and naturally pulled her into his arms.
"You're playing the role of a wife better and better every day."
"I'm not playing a role at all. I'm trying my best to do a good job, because I only want to be your wife for the rest of my life."
Unlike before, Bai Shihan now occasionally uttered sweet words, and she could say them without even blushing or missing a beat, making Lin Newyu unable to resist stealing a kiss from her.
"All right, I'll always be just like this, loving you forever," Lin Newyu whispered softly in her ear.
"Mhm..." Shyly, Bai Shihan buried her head in his chest.
With one arm wrapped around Bai Shihan's slender waist and his eyes on the television, Lin Newyu's thoughts began to wander.
"Mommy, Daddy, I'm sleepy."
Hearing her soft, sweet voice, Lin Newyu snapped back to reality and went over to her side. "Alright, Daddy will take you upstairs."
"Mhm~~"
Lin Newyu stood by the bed and tucked the blanket around his daughter.
"All right, go to sleep now. Mommy will make breakfast tomorrow."
"Goodnight, Daddy." Lin Shishi closed her eyes.
Watching her daughter gradually drift off to sleep, Lin Newyu lingered by the edge of the bed for a long time before tiptoeing quietly out of the room.
Relatively speaking, Lin Yu was much more independent, always returning to his own room alone every time it was time for bed.
Once the daughter and son were all settled in, Lin Newyu finally returned to the bedroom to keep Bai Shihan company.
"Do you think it's better to stay at home or go to work?"
"Of course it's better to stay at home! Every day I get to accompany you, stay with our son and daughter, live carefree, and be happy every single day. But the most important reason is simply being by your side," Lin Newyu murmured softly, holding Bai Shihan close.
"Hubby, I love you," Bai Shihan said, leaning against Lin Newyu's shoulder with a sweet smile.
"I love you too."
As they grew older, combined with all the studying and accumulating knowledge she had done, Bai Shihan—who used to always end up on the losing end—had now completely seized the offensive advantage, keeping Lin Newyu pinned down thoroughly.
"Wife, let's make it once a week from now on."
"No way. Who told you not to let me off the hook before?"
As the saying goes, the way of heaven operates in a cycle, and no one escapes the heavens.
Having finally found a way to exact revenge on Lin Newyu, Bai Shihan was certainly not going to let him off easily.
Time slowly passed, but when it came to studying, Lin Newyu naturally refused to admit defeat; after all, a man's dignity was at stake and could not be lost.
...
The next morning, at dawn.
While Lin Newyu was still fast asleep, Bai Shihan woke up ahead of time. Gazing at her sleeping husband beside her, she couldn't help curving her lips, leaning in close, and pressing a kiss to his forehead.
"I love you so much."
"Mmph..." Reaching out, Lin Newyu pulled her into his arms, pressed her tightly against his chest, and then rolled over, firmly trapping her in place.
"Good morning, wife~"
"Weren't you just sleeping a second ago?" Bai Shihan stayed draped across his chest, her legs tangling around his lean waist.
"I felt you kiss me, so I woke up. Let's sleep a little longer." Thick exhaustion laced Lin Newyu's voice as he pulled her tighter into his embrace.
Only after she fell back asleep did Lin Newyu finally wake up for real, wash up, and head to the kitchen to make breakfast.
By the time Bai Shihan woke up, her son and daughter were already up, dressed neatly, and waiting for her in the living room to eat.
"Mommy! Good morning!" the two of them greeted in unison.
"Good morning, my darlings. Why didn't you wake me up?" Bai Shihan rubbed her aching neck; she had stayed up way too late studying last night, and when she woke up in the morning, her body ached all over.
"Daddy said Mommy needed to sleep a little longer before getting up, and that we shouldn't disturb Mommy's sleep." Lin Shishi blinked her large, pretty eyes and said cheerfully. Ever since she was little, she had been extremely sensible and well-behaved, never crying or making a fuss no matter what she did, which made things remarkably easy for Lin Newyu—hence why she had developed such a quiet personality.
"Oh, so your daddy said that," Bai Shihan said, a look of sudden realization dawning on her.
"Mommy, hurry up and wash your hands so we can eat breakfast, or else it'll get cold and won't taste good anymore." Lin Shishi walked over and tugged Bai Shihan toward the sink to wash her hands.
Smiling, Bai Shihan patted her head. "Okay."
After finishing breakfast, Bai Shihan changed her clothes and began to work.
Since she had taken quite a few photos previously, this time she wanted to select some suitable ones to publish, accompanied by some text to document their daily lives.
As for the affairs of the company, she had also learned Lin Newyu's hands-off boss approach, rarely interfering personally and mostly leaving things to be managed by members of their extended family.
The only reason she was given her position was so that Lin Newyu could more conveniently assist them, since Bai Shihan was, after all, his wife.
Time always flies when you are busy. After working hard the entire day, Bai Shihan finally finished writing the drafts and selecting the photos.
She checked them over a few times to make sure there were no mistakes, then began editing her post.
Transferring the images to the computer, she used her phone to browse the web and started editing the content.
Meanwhile, Lin Newyu watched her from nearby while the children played happily in the courtyard; with her older brother to keep her company, the little girl would never be bored.Bai Shihan was busy with her own tasks while Lin Xinyu looked at the children, then back at his wife, who was intently documenting their lives.
Every time this happened, he would bring over some small snacks to feed them, which would invariably cause Lin Shishi and Lin Yu to run over and accuse their father of playing favorites.
These little incidents had become a guaranteed weekend routine for the family.
...
The busy day finally came to an end. Lin Xinyu and Bai Shihan tidied up the table together, then took the children downstairs for a walk and a bite of dinner on the way.
"Wow~ Daddy, this ice cream is so good," Lin Shishi said in her sweet, childish voice, with a mouthful of ice cream.
"If it's so good, we'll have your mommy treat us to some tonight," Lin Xinyu said indulgently, glancing at Bai Shihan.
Bai Shihan nodded. "Of course, no problem."
"No need, Mom, I have my allowance, I can buy it for my sister," Lin Yu spoke up. Though he didn't talk much, whenever he did speak or act, it was always to grant his sister's requests.
You could tell from a young age that this fellow was a total doting brother.
Because of this, Lin Xinyu felt completely at ease; with their son protecting her, their daughter would never suffer any bullying whatsoever.
"Such a good boy~" Bai Shihan praised him, gently patting her son's head.
Lin Yu blushed shyly.
He looked right now exactly like Bai Shihan had at the very beginning.
The two children's personalities had indeed ended up inverted: the daughter took after Lin Xinyu and was exceptionally bold, while the son took after Bai Shihan—introverted and not particularly fond of talking, yet whenever he made a promise to someone, he would definitely follow through.
Lin Xinyu deeply admired this quality in him.
According to his kindergarten teacher, the older brother always looked after his little sister at school, handing over all the little red flowers he earned to her and never keeping any for himself. Even the teachers envied his sister for having such a sensible and thoughtful brother.
After lunch, Lin Xinyu took the children wandering around the neighborhood for a good long while.
As soon as the two little ones grew tired, Lin Xinyu took them home to rest.
"Daddy, I want to see lots and lots of fish in the water, turtles, and the fish with a light on their head that the book talked about, and so many, so many more!" Lin Shishi gestured as she spoke, terrified that Lin Xinyu wouldn't understand.
"The book says that place is called an aquarium," Lin Yu chimed in from the side to supplement his sister's words, worried his father hadn't quite caught it.
"How about Dad takes you guys next weekend? You have school tomorrow, so you can't play too late today. You need to go to sleep early tonight, or you won't be able to get up in the morning."
"Okay, then Daddy, pinky promise. We'll go next time there's a break." Terrified that Lin Xinyu would forget, Lin Shishi held out her little pinky finger.
"Deal." Lin Xinyu smiled and hooked his finger with hers.
"Yay~ Daddy is the best~"
...
In the early evening, just as Lin Xinyu was getting ready to take the children to the supermarket to buy groceries, he suddenly received a phone call from Bai Shihan.
"Hey, wife, I'll be bringing them back in a bit. Don't worry, they've been good. What? My mom and dad are here? Alright, alright, I'll buy the groceries and head right back." Hearing that his parents had arrived, Lin Xinyu hurriedly took his son and daughter to check out.
The two children sat obediently in the back seat.
Lin Shishi's face was brimming with excitement.
"Daddy, are Grandpa and Grandma here? Do they miss Shishi? Shishi hasn't seen them in so long!"
Lin Shishi asked happily.
"Mmhmm, your mommy already called your grandpa and grandma, they'll be here in a little while."
Upon hearing that she was about to see her grandparents, Lin Shishi immediately grew excited, grabbing her father's arm and shaking it. "Then I'm going to tell them all, all about the amusement park we went to yesterday~"
"Alright, alright, you can talk as long as you want, but first let's go home and cook. Grandpa and Grandma will definitely be hungry when they get over here," Lin Xinyu coaxed patiently.
Sure enough, the moment cooking was mentioned, Lin Shishi instantly quieted down and sat obediently in the car.
Lin Yu remained very quiet, his expression a bit off—it seemed he was slightly carsick. Sensing this, his sister very sensibly leaned in close to him, letting her brother rest against her shoulder.
Driving along, Lin Xinyu kept an eye on the two children through the rearview mirror and couldn't help breaking into a smile.
Life like this was truly wonderful.
Since the younger sister had spent considerably more time with her paternal grandparents, their bond was very deep. As for her maternal grandparents, the time spent with them was very brief; she only knew they were nice to her, but if forced to choose, she still preferred her grandparents.
Lin Yu didn't feel quite as strongly, holding a rather ordinary emotional attachment to his maternal grandparents. He always felt that Mom's relationship with them was a bit strained; intuition told him they must have treated Mom poorly in the past. Even though everything seemed fine now, something definitely must have happened back then, so he was still keeping them on probation.
As for his grandparents, because his sister liked them, he liked them too.
This left Qiu Jingyun and Bai Chen quite helpless.
During visits, they had even spoken to Lin Xinyu, asking him to try and guide the children, but there was nothing to be done.
Ultimately, they chalked it up to karma: they had rarely cared for a young Bai Shihan, and now that their daughter had children of her own, she wouldn't let the two of them dote on them. To say it didn't hurt would certainly be a lie.
"You guys need to be fond of your maternal grandparents too, you know. They actually like you both very much," Lin Xinyu explained.
The children nodded.
001. No Snacks Left, So You're Making Me Your Wife?!
The wind of July, the rain of August, my lowly self loves distant you...
Is the opening a bit off?
Blue Planet, Qingquan City.
Hengnan No. 1 High School.
The glittering nightlife that ought to be there had vanished. The lithe, handsome youths and pretty young women had transformed into high school students in uniforms, the heavy atmosphere of hormones completely replaced by the scent of books.
"Alas! The heart of a single man is the heart of thousands. Qin loved extravagance, and men also cherished their homes. Why did it gather them up to the last fraction of a cent..."
The crisp sound of reading aloud, both familiar and strange.
Lin Xinyu rubbed his head and looked around, quickly confirming his current location—the back row by the window.
Holy cow?!
Reincarnation!!
If he remembered correctly, right beside him at this moment should be all sorts of young maidens swaying their waists, trying to pry loose the tacky paper bills in their pockets.
Right now, the fan overhead was creaking and groaning as it turned, making a sound that made it hard not to suspect it might detach and crash down at any second.
Inside the classroom, some students were earnestly reading and reciting, others were chatting and laughing under the guise of recitation, and a few were outright scuffling, only to be ruthlessly inscribed into the Death Note by the disciplinary committee member...
Lin Xinyu looked at himself; the middle-aged potbelly had long since vanished, replaced by the symbols of youth and vigor.
The carvings left by small pocket knives on the desk were exceedingly clear:
*Must collect a complete set of certain discs!*
*Red Alert is forever the greatest!!*
Looking at the so-called ideals of his youth, Lin Xinyu felt a bit embarrassed and quickly cleaned up the evidence.
...
March 2004, spring.
The countdown on the far left of the blackboard still showed 85 days.
When you reach middle age—especially when you have both money and power—you know all too well what regret means.
Take, for instance—her, the one who passed the note.
If he remembered correctly...
Folding the note and slowly crossing that so-called boundary line, the person who handed it over would always put on an air of utter nonchalance.
If it were the past, Lin Xinyu definitely would have ignored the note straight away, thinking the other person was being a busybody, and gone right back to sleep.
As for now, he would gently place the note into the palm of his hand, treating it like a priceless treasure.
In this lifetime, he could finally make up for his regrets!!
My silly, dimpled girl...
Talk about standing in the path of a gale and even a pig can fly—there was no need to rush into any of that.
The most urgent task at hand was to lay bare his feelings to this timid, silly girl!
Whatever little tyrants, whatever video discs, all of them could go to hell!
He cast his gaze to the right.
Lin Xinyu had lost count of how many times he had fantasized in his dreams about the two of them meeting again, but none of it felt as real as the sensation right now.
At this moment, she in his field of vision was truly here!!
To verify whether it was real or fake, Lin Xinyu deliberately bit down hard on his tongue.
*Hiss...*
After the pain faded, the familiar face reflected in his eyes remained vivid and distinct, without the slightest sign of fading away.
This wasn't a dream.
The girl's exquisite face had sharp, clear lines, the corners of her lips curled up in a calm smile, and her brows were like painted strokes.
Seeming to notice she was being stared at intently, her gaze began to dodge away, and judging purely by her expression, she clearly felt somewhat flustered.
Her signature twin ponytails were as smooth as sea-weed, draped across her shoulders and setting off skin as white and delicate as snow. Matched with her unique temperament, she looked like a water lily emerging from the clear, refined and aloof from worldly vulgarity.
Seen from afar, she felt so unreal, ethereal and wispy, as though she might be blown away by the wind at any moment, making her feel untouchable.
"I like you."
The girl, whose eyes were already darting away, widened them as if she had heard something unbelievable, not forgetting to check the reactions of those around her.
Fortunately, his volume wasn't high, and she let out a momentary sigh of relief.
Even so, she still put on an act of pretending not to have heard, keeping her head down, her restless hands making it quite obvious she was acting out of character.
"Do you hate me? Is that why you aren't talking?"
"N-no, it's not..."
Bai Shihan panicked. Her restless, anxious hands didn't know what to do with themselves, her pretty face blushing red—or rather, looking somewhat distressed.
How terrifying...
That was Bai Shihan's first thought.
Then, glancing down at her desk drawer, a fleeting look of grievance crossed her eyes a moment later as she looked toward Lin Xinyu.
"T-there are no snacks left."
Her tone was soft and milky, her words stuttering.
Am I really that scary?