「On the road.」

Lin Feng learned that because the area was not far from the university and situated in a renowned educational district, housing prices were generally high. He was interested in a well-furnished apartment, but the price he had originally negotiated with the agent was now being raised.

"Boss, it's the landlord who wants to raise the price," the agent, Xiao Wang, explained. "After all, the start of the school year is approaching, and housing prices all around have surged significantly. It's not just this one."

Lin Feng had done his homework. The apartment he had his eye on was indeed pricey, but its excellent furnishings made up for it.

Upon arriving, Lin Feng was quite impressed with the neighborhood. After seeing the apartment's interior, he was very satisfied. A quick inspection revealed that all the furniture and appliances were in good condition. There was even a large, old-style standing air conditioner in the living room that cooled the space quickly.

"Are you satisfied?" Xiao Wang asked.

"It's not bad," Lin Feng replied calmly.

"Because of the school season, houses around here are in high demand," Xiao Wang continued. "To be honest, it's rare to find an apartment this spacious and so well-furnished."

Lin Feng nodded. "I understand."

With that, the two of them signed the agreement. The landlord had requested rent to be paid every six months, but after much negotiation from Xiao Wang, it was changed to a quarterly payment. However, the security deposit was increased from one month's rent to two. Lin Feng had no objections, especially since Zhang Yuxi was only coming to Peking University for a month-long training program. After she left, Lin Jie and the others could use the apartment for the remainder of the lease.

"There's a grocery store just outside," Xiao Wang said. "You can buy pots, pans, summer mats—everything. It's very convenient."

Lin Feng thought for a moment and said, "Xiao Wang, could I trouble you with something? I'll give you the money to buy some things from the grocery store for me. I'll be sure to pay you an errand fee."

Seeing the four adorable babies, Xiao Wang laughed heartily. "Boss, you're being too formal. Just write me a list of what you need, and I'll go down and get it. You can just pay me back for the items. There's no need for an errand fee; it's not far."

Using the agent's pen and paper, Lin Feng wrote down a long list of necessities.

Xiao Wang glanced at it. "Alright, I'm on my way."

"Thanks a lot."

"Don't mention it."

Xiao Wang was a young man, appearing to be in his early twenties, but his smile felt very sincere.

Half an hour later, a knock came at the door. It was Xiao Wang, along with the owner of the grocery store. The two of them had carried a large load of items upstairs. The store may have looked small, but its inventory was quite comprehensive; they had managed to buy most of the things on Lin Feng's list.

"I have to get back; no one's watching my shop," the owner said, wiping sweat from his brow.

"Thank you for the trouble," Lin Feng said.

The owner waved his hand and hurried off. Lin Feng gave Xiao Wang an extra three hundred yuan, which he accepted without protest.

"Boss, just call me if you need anything," Xiao Wang said.

"Will do."

Lin Feng let the babies play on their own, then piled the newly bought supplies inside the apartment and locked the door. He began a massive cleanup, which included washing the new summer mats. He was so busy that before he knew it, it was noon. He had just about finished getting everything in order when his phone rang. If Zhang Yuxi hadn't called, he probably would have kept working.

"Honey, where are you and the babies?"

Lin Feng spun around, only to find the children were gone. A cold sweat broke out on his back. A frantic search revealed them all on the bed in the master bedroom, huddled together and sleeping soundly.

He sent Zhang Yuxi his location. "Sweetheart, come here. Bring the luggage and have the others come over too."

Twenty minutes later, the group arrived with their bags.

"Honey? This is…?" Zhang Yuxi started.

"I rented it. We can talk about it downstairs," Lin Feng whispered. "Keep your voice down; the babies are still sleeping."

Lin Feng found a small blanket in one of the suitcases and gently covered the sleeping babies. A warm smile spread across Zhang Yuxi's face as she watched them. She tiptoed out of the room and quietly closed the door.

Chen Jianguo was very pleased with the apartment, and he was even more satisfied after hearing the price, which he found quite reasonable.

"Director Lin is always so thoughtful and efficient," he remarked. "I had originally booked a three-bedroom apartment, but it was rented out from under me to a higher bidder. The landlord didn't even bother to tell me." The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. He had even used a friend's connection to find that place, only for it to end like this.

Everyone finished unpacking their things. By the time they were done, it was nearly one o'clock, so Lin Feng started cooking. He made egg noodles—a quick and filling meal. He made some for the babies as well, and by the time they all finished lunch, it was already two-thirty.

Lin Feng and Zhang Yuxi would take the master bedroom, while the older children would sleep in the secondary bedroom. The sofa in the living room converted into a simple bed, which Meng Liang's father and Chen Jianguo would make do with. As long as the air conditioning was on, it was comfortable enough for sleeping.

The babies played with their toys on the bed while Lin Feng and Zhang Yuxi rested, lying on the outer edge and at the foot of the bed to recharge. The little ones, however, were full of energy, chattering away in their own language. Lin Feng activated his High-Quality Sleep skill and managed to sleep quite well. When he woke up, he found the babies had finally drifted off, nestled beside him and his wife.

Around four in the afternoon, Lin Feng got up to make snacks for the babies, steaming some small buns for them.

In the living room, Chen Jianguo had been lost in thought and had woken up early. Chen Miaomiao and Meng Liang were both attending Jingcheng Affiliated University, which was less than a twenty-minute drive away. Peking University, however, was a half-hour walk from here. They had previously discussed the three of them renting a place together.

"Director Lin, I have to head back this afternoon," Chen Jianguo said.

Lin Feng nodded. "You go ahead and take care of your business. I can handle things here."

Chen Jianguo scratched his head in embarrassment. "I feel terrible about this. You're already looking after your four children, and now you have to take care of four adults as well… I…"

Lin Feng smiled. "It's no trouble. It's just cooking, and adding one or two more people doesn't make much of a difference. Besides, Chen Miaomiao is a great help with chores and looking after the kids."

Chen Jianguo chuckled. "I've transferred 500,000 to you. Thank you for all your hard work this month."

Lin Feng was stunned. "There's no need for that. It's just for meals."

Chen Jianguo waved his hand dismissively. "You must take it. It's a token of my gratitude."

"It's far too much just for food," Lin Feng hesitated.

A guilty look crossed Chen Jianguo's face. "I had originally planned to spend some time with him after school starts, but I'm just too busy to get away. I don't know what else to do, so I hope you can keep an extra eye on him for me, Director Lin."

After a moment's thought, Lin Feng said, "In that case, I'll rent this apartment long-term."

Chen Jianguo was delighted, as this was precisely what he had hoped for when offering the money. "That's wonderful! Thank you, Director Lin!"

"Uncle, you're being too polite," Lin Feng smiled.

As they were talking, Meng Liang's father woke up and took out 3,000 yuan in cash. "This is for this month's living and lodging expenses. It's all I have on me right now… I'll transfer you the rest when I get home…" For the start of the school year, Meng Liang's parents had used up all their savings, leaving them with only a few thousand yuan. He couldn't let his son live here for free.

"Uncle, there's really no need for that," Lin Feng said with a smile.

Seeing Lin Feng's stance, Chen Jianguo also chimed in. "Brother, there's no need. Put it away. Your son was supposed to stay in the dorms, but my son insisted he move out and rent with him. Why should you pay for anything? If anything, I should be thanking your son for agreeing to room with mine and keeping him company. How much can one kid eat in a month? I'll cover his living expenses."

As he spoke, Chen Jianguo took the money and stuffed it back into the pocket of Meng Liang's father.

"No, I can't accept this… This is not right…" He wasn't a fool. The cost of living in Jingcheng was far higher than in Meicheng, to say nothing of rent in a school district.

Lin Feng spoke softly, "Uncle, give this money to Meng Liang. Let him use it to buy school supplies or just have it for when he needs something. He's an adult now; he should have some money on him."

Chen Jianguo nodded emphatically. "Exactly! Let the boy have it."

Meng Liang's family's financial situation couldn't compare to theirs. It was just one extra person at the dinner table; how much could it possibly cost? After several rounds of persuasion, Meng Liang's father finally relented.

"Why don't you travel back to Meicheng with me?" Chen Jianguo suggested. "We can look out for each other."

"I'm taking the train. A plane ticket is over a thousand yuan—too expensive," said Meng Liang's father.

"Our return flight is cheaper, just over eight hundred. It's a good deal…" As he was talking, Chen Jianguo went ahead and bought two plane tickets.

"Let me give you the money!" Meng Liang's father exclaimed.

Chen Jianguo waved his hand. "It's just a few hundred. Don't be so polite with me."

That afternoon, the two fathers bade farewell to their children, a moment filled with both relief and sorrow. Mostly, it was filled with countless words of advice and caution. It wasn't like being in Meicheng, where they could always watch over and care for them.

Meng Liang was a bit emotional. "Dad, I'll take good care of myself. You and Mom take care of yourselves back home, too."

His father nodded. "I know, I know. We're adults. Don't you think we know how to take care of ourselves?"

In contrast to their bittersweet goodbye, Chen Jianguo was the only one on his side feeling down. Chen Miaomiao had long grown accustomed to her father's absence, so this departure didn't feel particularly sad to her. But the more nonchalant she was, the more it gnawed at Chen Jianguo's heart.

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