As Xia Zhi hugged her package and headed upstairs, she happened to catch a glimpse of Wen Shihan’s expression. There was a faint smile on his lips. He must have remembered her earlier embarrassing moment.
Xia Zhi’s face flushed instantly, even the tips of her ears turning red. Hugging the package like a startled rabbit, she dashed upstairs.
Wen Lun looked at her back in confusion. “It’s just a piece of clothing, why is Mom being so mysterious? Hey, big brother, why did you hit the back of my head again?”
Rubbing the back of his head, Wen Lun bared his teeth at Wen Yu. “You’re going to knock me silly at this rate.”
Wen Yu glanced at him coolly. “You’re already silly.”
Wen Lun, “…”
Wen Yu had learned boxing and sanda, and Wen Lun was no match for him. This was something he had learned the hard way over years of sparring, which was why he obediently let Wen Yu smack the back of his head so many times.
If he could not win, then he would find someone else to stand up for him.
Wen Lun’s lips drooped, and the 175 cm tall boy squeezed himself into Wen Shihan’s arms, acting spoiled. “Dad, look at big brother, he called me silly.”
Like a large dog, Wen Lun kept rubbing his head against Wen Shihan’s chest, making Wen Shihan show a hint of helplessness.
Wen Shihan did not immediately step in to take sides. Instead, he curved his lips slightly, placed a hand on the back of Wen Lun’s head, and asked, “Does it hurt?”
Wen Yu had not used much force, so it did not actually hurt. But since Wen Shihan asked, it had to hurt. Wen Lun immediately wailed loudly, scrunching his face as if in great pain. “Dad, it really hurts, hurry and rub it for me.”
Wen Yu practically rolled his eyes to the ceiling.
Someone like Wen Shihan, who had navigated the business world for years, was skilled at reading people. Of course he knew Wen Lun was pretending.
But he was his child. Even if he was pretending, he would play along.
Wen Shihan gently rubbed the back of Wen Lun’s head as requested. Wen Lun felt so comfortable that he narrowed his eyes in contentment.
Even so, through his half closed eyes, he saw Wen Yu mouth the words “sissy” at him.
Wen Lun did not mind at all.
As long as Dad rubbed his head.
Call him whatever.
Wen Le drove his flashy child sized toy car up to Wen Lun and said, “Second brother, you’re already so grown up and still acting spoiled with Dad, that’s embarrassing for us men.”
“Hey, you little brat, how old are you to be calling yourself a man? Have you even grown up yet?”
“At least more than you.”
“Wen Le!” Wen Lun roared.
Wen Le stepped on the pedal of his toy car, and it shot off in an instant. Wen Lun could not catch him at all.
Wen Lun seriously suspected that Wen Le liked that toy car just so he could escape from him.
Wen Lun felt aggrieved. “Dad, look at him.”
“Does your head still hurt?”
“It hurts, it hurts.”
“Should I keep rubbing it?”
“Yes.”
After putting away her pajamas, Xia Zhi came downstairs and saw this scene at the corner. Wen Shihan’s hand was still on the back of Wen Lun’s head, patiently rubbing it again and again.
Wen Shihan once again reshaped her understanding of him. A man who was so ruthless and cold toward outsiders could be so gentle with his own children.
Wen Lun narrowed his eyes in comfort. If he had a tail right now, it would definitely be wagging wildly.
Wen Shihan’s gaze slowly shifted from Wen Lun to the other three children who resembled him. His heart, once as hard as stone, softened beyond recognition.
His eyes swept over the three children, then turned toward the corner upstairs.
Xia Zhi had only meant to watch the scene for a moment, but she did not expect Wen Shihan to notice her so quickly. Like a little mushroom that had just popped up and been poked, she immediately shrank back out of sight.
Night fell again.
Xia Zhi did a lot of mental preparation, yet still did not have the courage to push open the bedroom door she had slept in. She let out a sigh, hurried downstairs, and quietly went to Wen Yi’s room. At that moment, Wen Yi was playing the piano, the melody flowing beautifully and pleasantly.
Xia Zhi leaned at the doorway, eyes sparkling as she watched Wen Yi inside.
Her daughter was truly talented.
She looked absolutely stunning while playing the piano.
Wen Yi quickly noticed Xia Zhi at the door. She stopped playing and happily ran over. “Mom, it’s so late, why did you come?”
Xia Zhi hugged Wen Yi as she ran into her arms and asked softly, “Wen Yi, are you afraid to sleep alone?”
“Not at all.”
Xia Zhi’s hand paused on Wen Yi’s head. Still unwilling to give up, she asked again, “Really not afraid?”
“No. Mom, I’m very brave. I’ve never been scared sleeping alone.”
Xia Zhi, “…”
“Mom, why are you suddenly asking this?”
Xia Zhi swallowed with difficulty and carefully said in a negotiating tone, “Mom wants to sleep with you tonight.”
Wen Yi frowned slightly with a troubled look and directly refused, “But I want to sleep alone.”
Xia Zhi, “…”
Wen Yi glanced at the clock on the wall, stood up from the piano bench, and pushed Xia Zhi toward the door while saying, “Mom, it’s late, you should go back to your room, otherwise Dad will be waiting anxiously.”
Xia Zhi grabbed the doorframe with both hands, making a last desperate attempt. “Really can’t sleep with Mom?”
“No.”
Wen Yi mercilessly closed the door.
Xia Zhi, “…”
Xia Zhi walked upstairs dejectedly, like someone heading to the execution platform.
After Xia Zhi disappeared up the stairs from the third to the fourth floor, Wen Yu, Wen Lun, and Wen Le quietly gathered in Wen Yi’s room.
The four of them looked like they were plotting something big, acting mysterious.
Wen Yu gave Wen Yi an approving look. “Little sister, you did great just now.”
Thinking about how she had just refused Xia Zhi’s request, Wen Yi still felt regretful. She pouted and said pitifully, “But I really wanted to sleep with Mom.”
If Wen Yu had not anticipated that Xia Zhi would come looking for Wen Yi and told her in advance to firmly refuse if Xia Zhi asked to sleep together, she would have agreed earlier.
In the past, whenever she wanted to sleep with Mom, Dad had always firmly refused. Now that Mom had finally come to her, she had to cruelly turn her down.
Thinking of her beautiful mother’s resentful eyes and lonely back as she left made Wen Yi’s heart ache.
“You have to sacrifice something to gain something,” Wen Lun said. “You saw it too, ever since Dad and Mom woke up from the car accident, their relationship has been distant. Mom even seems afraid of Dad and keeps her distance. If this continues, they will soon end up divorcing, and the four of us will become children with no one to love or care for us. Do you want to sleep with Mom for one night, or do you want them to divorce and this family fall apart?”
As soon as Wen Lun finished speaking, Wen Yi let out a frightened cry. “No, I don’t want Mom and Dad to divorce.”
Wen Yu could not help knocking Wen Lun on the head. “Stop scaring her.”
Wen Lun shrugged. “I’m telling the truth. They are already sleeping separately. Today Mom even tried to sleep in a different room from Dad. Isn’t that a sign of divorce?”
For once, Wen Yu did not refute him.
Wen Yi and Wen Le covered their faces in fear, their small bodies trembling.
“It’s not unsolvable,” Wen Yu said.
“Big brother, you have a solution?” Wen Lun, Wen Le, and Wen Yi asked in unison.
Wen Yu nodded, took out a notebook, and spread it open on the table. The other three immediately leaned in, their faces serious, as if discussing something extremely important.
Wen Yu picked up a pen and began speaking like a general planning a military strategy, sometimes passionately, sometimes circling key points in the notebook. His younger siblings nodded repeatedly.
Wen Yu put down the pen and asked, “Did you all understand?”
Wen Lun, Wen Yi, Wen Le: “Yes sir, understood.”
Wen Yu nodded in satisfaction.
The four of them leaned their heads together, exchanging knowing looks. Wen Yu placed his hand palm down, and Wen Lun, Wen Le, and Wen Yi stacked their hands on top one by one.
Wen Yu said, “What is our goal now?”
“To restore Mom and Dad’s relationship and help them remember us.”
“What is our slogan?”
“Protect the family, everyone is responsible.”
Wen Yu patted Wen Le and Wen Yi on the shoulders. “It will depend on the two of you later.”
Wen Le and Wen Yi stood up straight, their small faces full of seriousness. “We guarantee to complete the mission.”