The Village Chief smiled and waved his hand dismissively. What hardship had he endured? He had merely gone to the station to pick someone up.
In his view, the one who truly suffered was the man before him—confined to a wheelchair with paralyzed legs. What a pity!
Tang Changsheng remained unaware of the Village Chief’s sentiments. Though he couldn’t move himself, his wheelchair could.
Gripping the wheels on either side, he slowly turned them, inching his way toward the fenced courtyard.
The closer he got to the fence, the more unsettled his heart became.
If not for the telegram from his eldest nephew, he might still be wallowing in despair.
Who could have imagined that the man sitting here now had once been so crushed by his inability to walk that he had contemplated giving up on life?
After sending letter after letter with no response, he had shut himself away, sinking into isolation.
The Tang family had grown accustomed to his reclusive state.
Then, just a few days ago, a telegram from his nephew arrived, revealing that he had children.
“Who are you?”
“Why are you sitting on that chair? And why does your chair move?”
Two children stood before him—one wary, the other brimming with curiosity.
Tang Yongsheng’s smile widened, his eyes glistening with unshed tears.
“I—I am your father!”
“You’re lying! We don’t have a father!”
Tang Xin pouted, calling out his falsehood.
Tang Yuan, however, tilted his head and studied him carefully.
“Are you really our dad? Are your legs broken?”
Tang Yongsheng paused, then nodded.
“Yes. Will… will you reject me because of it?”
Tang Yuan snorted.
“Weren’t you the one who rejected us? Why didn’t you come looking for us then?”
With a stern, grown-up expression, he crossed his arms and turned to his sister.
“Sis, he really is our dad. Our cousin said Dad’s legs were broken—remember?”
Tang Xin tilted her little head, her twin pigtails bouncing as she lifted her chin.
“Of course I remember! But Mom said not to talk to strangers. What if he’s the big bad wolf who wants to eat Little Red Riding Hood? Brother, let’s go home quickly!”
She tugged at Tang Yuan’s sleeve, urging him to leave.
Considering her words, Tang Yuan agreed. He grabbed his sister’s hand, and they dashed off together.
“The big bad wolf is here! He’s going to eat Little Red Riding Hood! Mom, Mommy, the big bad wolf is here!”
Tang Yongsheng: […]
A tender smile touched his refined features, the corners of his thin lips lifting as he watched the children run off.
With strong hands, he gradually maneuvered his wheelchair into the courtyard.
Inside the kitchen, Jiang Manman was tidying up. Even without her Divine Sense—which allowed her to observe everything outside—she knew the children were safe with the Divine Turtle, Xuanwu, around.
Naturally, she had also seen the man slowly pushing his wheelchair into the yard.
According to the original host’s memories, this man was indeed the children’s father.
But she wasn’t that person anymore. She needed to divorce him as soon as possible.
Or perhaps she should tell him the original host had died? So he would stop clinging to the past?
No—what if he tried to take the children from her? These two were single-spirit talents; she was determined to take them as disciples.
Yet, she couldn’t keep them from enjoying a family life with their father just because she wanted to mentor them. That wouldn’t be right either.
Frustrated over what to do, Jiang Manman stepped out of the kitchen with a cold expression, glancing at the man who had now entered the courtyard.
He was certainly handsome—but that was all he was.
Her Divine Sense swept over his legs. So what if his meridians were severed? Did he have to look so utterly defeated after his depression?
Impatiently, she stepped forward to greet him.
“You’re here!”
Then she called out to Tangxin Tangyuan:
“You two come over. This is your father, your biological father. Come play with your dad. I’m going to cook.”
With him here, she probably couldn’t casually enter the Glass Tower anymore. Wait, did that mean he was going to stay here?
Then… wouldn’t she have to take care of him?
At this thought, Jiang Manman drew a sharp breath.
The Black Tortoise Divine Turtle in her Dimension sent her a message:
“The man of this body has returned. What are you going to do?”
“Deal with it as it comes! What else can I do?”
Sensing its master’s foul mood, the Divine Turtle immediately retracted its neck and refrained from stirring up trouble.
After tidying the kitchen, Jiang Manman started cooking. The rice was Spirit Rice, the water was Spirit Spring Water.
She also picked some green vegetables, eggplants, and potatoes from the seventh-level field.
After a moment’s thought, she took out a palm-sized piece of Monster Meat Jerky, then put it back.
Better keep the meal light!
With everything prepared, she stood at the kitchen doorway, leaning casually against the doorframe, watching the two little ones examining Tang Yongsheng’s wheelchair.
Casually, she tossed an Essence Cultivation Pill into her mouth.
Essence Cultivation Pills were for Foundation Establishment Cultivators. Currently, she hadn’t even reached the third level of Qi Training—she should be taking Qi Nourishing Pills instead.
But the first level of her Dimension didn’t contain any Spirit Pills suitable for low-level Qi Training cultivators.
If only she’d known she would become a Qi Training cultivator one day, she would have stocked up on pills for every cultivation stage.
“Manman, thank you for giving me two such adorable children!”
“Of course. Originally… giving birth truly was like walking through the gates of hell. I almost didn’t make it.”
“I kept thinking you would come back for me and our children someday, but I waited three whole years.”
“Do you have any idea how much suffering I endured these three years?”
“Fortunately, when I was in the mountains, I met my Master, the South Sea Nun. She taught me martial arts for self-defense. Otherwise, the children and I would have been bullied to death, and you’d never have known.”
Tang Yongsheng wore a face full of guilt. He truly had failed his wife and children.
But when Jiang Manman mentioned the South Sea Nun, his eyelid twitched involuntarily.
“It’s my fault. From now on, I’ll do anything you ask. I just hope you’ll give me a chance to make it up to you. Okay?”
Jiang Manman certainly wanted to say no, but seeing the two little ones watching her with pleading eyes, she forced a slight smile.
“Fine! I’ll give you one chance. But let me make this clear—you can stay, but you can’t live with us. Hmm, wait here. I’m going to find your eldest nephew.”
True to her word, Jiang Manman immediately set off. Before leaving, she added:
“Keep an eye on the children. Don’t let them run outside.”
Although she said this, her main instruction was actually for the Divine Beast.
She went to the Educated Youth point to find Tang Yumin, only to be told he had gone to the house construction site.
What a young master! He’d probably only be here for a year to gild his resume before returning. Why bother building a house anyway?
She found Tang Yumin at the building site.
“Tang—”
“You’re here to see Tang Yumin, right? I’ll go call him for you!”
Jiang Manman recognized the girl with the ear-length bob—she was the same girl who went with them to the supply and marketing cooperative.
“No need. I’ll just call out to him.”
“You’re a mother of two now. Don’t actually think Brother Yumin would fancy you just because he likes children. You’d better consider what status you truly hold. Stop coveting what doesn’t belong to you – as a widow, you’re simply not worthy!”