Zhang Yuxi returned home to find the babies had already eaten and gone to sleep. Looking at the time, she exclaimed, "So early?"

"The children were tired from playing," Lin Feng explained. "They were already dozing off during dinner."

Zhang Yuxi walked upstairs. "I'm going to check on the kids!"

When she came back down, she glanced into the children's room as she passed and was very satisfied with how it looked. Sitting down, she noticed two gifts placed before her: candies and some other small items.

"What are these?"

Lin Feng smiled. "Why don't you guess?"

Zhang Yuxi was momentarily surprised, then considered it. "From the kids?"

"And can you guess who gave which one?" Lin Feng asked again.

Zhang Yuxi looked at the candy and analyzed the situation. "The eldest and the fourth are such foodies; they wouldn't be able to hold on to sweets. These two pieces must be from the second or third child." She then looked at the other items. "This flower and this stone… Is the flower from the third child? And the stone… from the eldest?"

Lin Feng sat down. "You're half right about the candy, but everything else is wrong."

Zhang Yuxi was a bit taken aback but quickly realized. "The candy is from the second child. So, the flower is from the third? And the stone from the eldest?"

Lin Feng shook his head. "The stone is wrong. Guess again."

Zhang Yuxi thought for a moment before asking uncertainly, "Is it from the fourth?"

Hmm, if it's really from the fourth child, that would be quite surprising.

Lin Feng couldn't help but laugh. "You're overthinking it."

Zhang Yuxi fell silent. In the end, she guessed it was from the third child after all.

Sigh… She really is my little darling!

After they finished eating, Zhang Yuxi started tidying up the children's play area.

"Honey, could you organize the children's backpacks? Check if they're missing any sweat towels or pants."

"Of course." Zhang Yuxi went through each child's backpack, taking out the sweat towels to be washed. By the time she was done, Lin Feng had also finished washing the dishes.

Ever since the children started school, time always seemed to fly by. In what felt like the blink of an eye, the children's room was furnished, looking exactly like the design plans. Although they had used non-toxic and harmless materials, Lin Feng insisted on airing the room out for a while before it could be used.

Just as quickly, Christmas Eve arrived. While the children were at school, Lin Feng and Zhang Yuxi went to the supermarket to buy a large Christmas tree. They also bought fairy lights, candy, and other decorations.

This was their first time celebrating Christmas in such a grand manner. Previously, on Christmas Eve, they would just give the children an apple to express their good wishes, and on Christmas Day, they would take them out to play. This year was different. Now that the children were in school, they had a much better understanding of Christmas Eve and Christmas.

In the class group chat, some parents were already posting photos of their Christmas preparations. After a brief discussion, the couple decided to give their children a proper celebration too.

They cleared a corner of the living room and began to decorate the tree, getting ideas from pictures they found online. After a flurry of activity, they placed the shiny star on top, completing their task. They still needed to prepare the gifts. The couple bought some toys and snacks, wrapped them in paper, tied them with ribbons, and attached name tags.

After all that, Zhang Yuxi collapsed on the sofa, not wanting to move an inch. Lin Feng was left to handle the rest. When he was finally finished, he concealed the tree with a curtain and placed a large, fragile vase in front of it to keep the children from noticing.

In the afternoon, they picked up the children from school. The teacher had given every child in the class an apple and a small gift. The children were absolutely thrilled and wished Lin Feng and Zhang Yuxi a "Merry Christmas!"

When they got home, they really didn't notice the Christmas tree. They played with the toys from their teacher and then had dinner. After eating, the children received a video call from their little friend, Tian Tian. She proudly showed them the Christmas tree that Liu Qing and her auntie had decorated. Under the fairy lights, it looked exceptionally beautiful.

"This is the big apple my mom gave me," Tian Tian said, holding it up. "It's so huge, almost as big as my face!" She even gestured to compare, and it really was nearly the size of her face.

The children stared at Tian Tian's Christmas tree, their faces full of envy.

"Don't you have a Christmas tree?" Tian Tian asked.

The children fell silent. They all shook their heads at the same time, a look of disappointment spreading across their faces.

Tian Tian asked, confused, "Why not? Didn't your parents get one for you?"

The children turned to look at their parents, who were busy in the kitchen.

The second child said, "Maybe Mom and Dad forgot. I'll ask them to buy one tomorrow!"

The fourth child chimed in, "Yeah, yeah! We don't have an auntie at home, and Dad is really busy."

The eldest looked unconcerned. "It's the same if we get it ready tomorrow."

The third child gently asked, "Well, did your mom also prepare for Santa Claus?"

Tian Tian was taken aback. "Nope!"

While they were chatting with Tian Tian, the couple had actually been listening intently. After the children hung up, their sense of loss and sadness was palpable.

The fourth child scampered over. "Mom, Dad, do we have a Christmas tree?"

The second child rushed to add, "Tian Tian's mom got her a super pretty Christmas tree with lights and everything!"

The eldest asked with pleading eyes, "Can we get a Christmas tree?"

The third child hugged Lin Feng's leg. "It's not too late to get one tomorrow! Tomorrow is the real Christmas!"

Lin Feng and Zhang Yuxi didn't answer directly.

"How about you all go take a bath first?"

"After your bath, Dad will answer your question."

The children were a little unhappy, their minds filled with thoughts of a beautiful Christmas tree and presents. Oh, and apples!

Zhang Yuxi bathed the second and third children while Lin Feng bathed the eldest and the fourth. In Yangcheng, it gets dark after six in the evening. By the time the children were done with their baths, the sky was completely dark.

Lin Feng gave Zhang Yuxi a meaningful look.

Zhang Yuxi led the children to the bedroom. "Come on, Mom will blow-dry your hair!"

"I'm going to tidy up the bathroom!" Lin Feng said.

The children all replied with an "okay."

Lin Feng quickly cleaned the bathroom, mopping up the water from the floor. Then he went to the living room to set up the surprise.

"All done!" he called out from the bottom of the stairs.

"Got it!" Zhang Yuxi replied from upstairs.

After finishing the second child's curly hair, Zhang Yuxi said with a grin, "Okay, you can go downstairs now. There's a surprise waiting for you!"

The children reacted instantly, shrieking with excitement as they charged downstairs with Da Bai right behind them. Fat Fat, on the other hand, just lay on the bed and yawned, showing no desire to move.

Zhang Yuxi carried the cat downstairs with her, calling out, "Slow down! Be careful not to fall!"

Halfway down the stairs, she heard the children's amazed screams.

"AHHHH! A Christmas tree! Such a beautiful Christmas tree!"

"It's so gorgeous! And there are presents!"

"I'm going to send a video to Tian Tian so she can see our Christmas tree too!"

"Mom and Dad, you tricked us! We had a Christmas tree all along!"

"Dad, the third child loves you and Mom the most!"

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