Xuan Youyi’s pretty eyes narrowed slightly. “Mommy, I agree.”

The little chubby one tugged at Yan Yunning’s sleeve. “Mommy, I don’t agree~”

The little girl pressed her small lips together and smiled brightly. “Daddy said we have to listen to Mommy.”

Hearing Xuan Youyi’s words, Xuan Yunzhao furrowed his little brow, then thought of something, and hugged Yan Yunning’s arm with a grinning sway. “Mommy, then can you change it to a different Daddy who settles it? Please~”

Yan Yunning let out a soft laugh and lightly flicked the little chubby one’s button nose. “Sweetheart, Daddy doesn’t play favorites. If your daddy were to hear that, Mommy won’t be able to save you.”

While Xuan Yanyu absolutely doted on Jiaojiao, when it came to matters of right and wrong, he never took sides.

It was simply that when Jiaojiao made a mistake, he couldn’t bring himself to scold her the same way he would scold Xiaoxiao or Ruirui.

“Exactly, Daddy doesn’t play favorites,” the little girl said, patting Wen Zhilu’s arm with a soft, gentle voice. “Uncle, you can put me down now.”

“Alright.” Wen Zhilu set the little girl down and thoughtfully smoothed out the wrinkles in her small skirt.

Xuan Youyi reached out and took hold of Yan Yunning’s hand, tilting her small face upward, her voice soft and sweet. “Mommy, let’s go to the company to find Daddy.”

Yan Yunning squeezed her little hand. “Sweetheart, even if we’re going to find Daddy, we have to wait until after we’ve had dinner with Auntie Xiaxia first.”

The little girl tilted her head and glanced over at He Qingxia in the distance, arm linked with Gu Jingye’s, holding a wine glass and toasting with a radiant smile, then gave a small nod.

Yan Yunning didn’t have much more to say to Wen Zhilu. She led the two little ones back to their seats to wait for He Qingxia.

——

Two hours later, He Qingxia, now free, pulled Yan Yunning upstairs to a private dining room she had reserved ahead of time.

“I’m so hungry.” He Qingxia, abandoning all pretense of composure, picked up her chopsticks and snatched up a piece of red-braised pork, taking a satisfied, generous bite.

“Lingning, were you this hungry at your own wedding too?” He Qingxia asked, her words slightly muffled with food still in her mouth.

“No.” Yan Yunning lifted both children into their high chairs before turning to He Qingxia. “I had eaten a bit in the morning. And when I was changing into the toasting dress and having my makeup touched up, my husband brought me something to eat.”

He Qingxia shook her head, her cheeks puffed out from chewing. “Who would have thought — this Xuan Yanyu is actually quite considerate.”

Yan Yunning smiled and placed the prepared steamed egg custard in front of the two little ones.

“Lingning.” He Qingxia leaned in closer to Yan Yunning, a shy flush crossing her face. “About… the wedding night… is it… isn’t it…”

“What?” Yan Yunning couldn’t follow what He Qingxia was trying to say through all her stammering.

He Qingxia, red-faced, took a sip of water. “I mean… wouldn’t it be… really… awkward?”

Yan Yunning raised an eyebrow. “Turn off the lights and it’s not awkward.”

He Qingxia: “…”

Fair enough.

“Lingning.” He Qingxia ate a mouthful of fish and asked curiously, “With Xiaoxiao and the others, did you breastfeed them yourself?”

For someone in her current situation, this was also a bit of a sensitive topic.

“No.” Yan Yunning wiped the corner of the little girl’s mouth and said unhurriedly, “Xuan Yanyu hired a professional nutritionist who selected the most suitable formula, which the household staff would prepare and feed to the babies.”

He Qingxia asked with genuine confusion, “Why didn’t you breastfeed them yourself?”

Yan Yunning smiled serenely. “That’s a question you should ask Xuan Yanyu.”

“…” He Qingxia tilted her head and thought about it for a moment. When realization dawned, she blinked and looked over at Xuan Youyi, who was quietly eating her steamed egg custard. “What about Jiaojiao? Her too??”

Yan Yunning ruffled the little girl’s fluffy hair. “She was no exception.”

“…” He Qingxia poured Yan Yunning a glass of juice. “What about Xiaoxiao? How come you didn’t bring him along today?”

Yan Yunning sighed. “His grandparents took him out for a dinner engagement. If I or Xuan Yanyu want to have a meal with Xiaoxiao, we have to wait until our precious son has a free moment.”

He Qingxia clicked her tongue. “Ever since your father-in-law retired, don’t he and your mother-in-law basically spend every day revolving around Xiaoxiao and the kids?”

On this topic, Yan Yunning had plenty to say. “When Xiaoxiao was three and started nursery school for the first time, his grandfather was the one who took him to school. When he came back home and saw that Xiaoxiao wasn’t there anymore, he and his grandmother hugged each other and cried.”

He Qingxia: “…”

“Xuan Yanyu had originally planned to have Xiaoxiao enroll in a boarding primary school when he reached that age — one where he’d come home once a week — to develop his independence. The after-school hours could also be used to explore his interests and so on…”

He Qingxia took a sip of her juice and said with conviction, “His grandparents refused, didn’t they?”

Yan Yunning picked up a piece of fruit from the table and fed one bite to each of the two little ones, then said unhurriedly, “His grandfather said Xuan Yanyu shouldn’t even think about it. He also said that just because Xuan Yanyu had gone to boarding school didn’t mean his precious grandchildren would be going anywhere — though in truth, Xuan Yanyu had never planned on sending Jiaojiao to a boarding school in the first place.”

“Even if his grandfather hadn’t said anything, I couldn’t bear to let Xiaoxiao and Ruirui go to a boarding school either.”

“Ha ha ha.” He Qingxia doubled over laughing. “What do you mean, ‘Xuan Yanyu went to boarding school’?”

“What are you all talking about?” Gu Jingye and Wen Zhilu pushed open the door of the private room.

“All done?” He Qingxia turned to look at her husband.

“Yes.” Gu Jingye pinched her cheek. “The guests have mostly all left and the formalities are wrapped up. You worked hard today, my dear.”

He Qingxia’s earlobes turned faintly red, and after a long moment she squeezed out three words: “It was nothing.”

“Hello, Uncle Gu. Hello, Uncle.” The two little ones greeted him politely.

Wen Zhilu seemed to be quite taken with Xuan Youyi. He stepped forward to play with the little girl.

Gu Jingye scooped up Xuan Yunzhao and sat down beside He Qingxia, teasing, “Dear, I really like Ruirui and Jiaojiao. How about we take them home to raise?”

The little chubby one’s eyes brightened. “Uncle Gu, does that mean getting a new Daddy?”

Gu Jingye took the little one’s steamed egg custard and fed him a small spoonful. “I never said that. And we definitely can’t let your daddy hear about this.”

He Qingxia hooked a finger under his little nose. “Why are you so excited? Why would you want a new Daddy?”

The little chubby one’s mouth drooped.

Yan Yunning said, amused, “Because the yogurt wasn’t opened for him. Yesterday the household staff brought out three cups of yogurt, and Xuan Yanyu opened only the one for Jiaojiao. He’s been sulking at Xuan Yanyu ever since.”

In Xuan Yanyu’s view, boys should learn from an early age to do what they are capable of doing themselves.

In Ruirui’s view, his daddy had opened the yogurt for Older Sister but hadn’t bothered about him or his brother, and he had feelings about that.

They hadn’t even seen his grandparents yet. Once he did, he’d be running off to tattle on Xuan Yanyu again.

He Qingxia laughed until tears streamed from her eyes. “Lingning, your household must be pretty lively, right?”

Yan Yunning thought about it for a moment and gave a nod. “As long as Ruirui is home, it’s quite lively.”

He had the same little temper as Xuan Yanyu.

If Ruirui went to stay with his grandparents at the Xuan residence, their home was actually quite harmonious.

Xiaoxiao didn’t feel jealous of Jiaojiao, and she and Xuan Yanyu had always been careful to treat the children equally when in front of them.

Ruirui, on the other hand, made sure that whatever she and Xuan Yanyu did for his older brother and sister, they absolutely had to do for him as well.