Guests arrived one after another. Lin Feng greeted the adults, while the Four Treasures took care of the other children.

After a tour of the house, Lin Jiajun was clicking his tongue in amazement. "Director Lin, this is incredible! You've moved again!"

He himself was living in a secondhand house, while the man before him had already settled into a manor.

As Lin Feng arranged the serving platters, he said with a smile, "We have a large family, and the kids are all growing up. If we didn't get a bigger place, where would they all sleep?"

This was certainly true.

If this were in the past, he definitely would have asked about the price of the house, but it was better not to now. In any case, whatever the price, it was something he could never afford.

"Director Lin, ah, there's something I'd like to ask for your help with…"

By then, Lin Feng had finished his work. "We're all family. Saying you need my help sounds too formal."

Lin Jiajun cleared his throat. "It's like this. I was hoping to have Xiao Wen stay with you for a while during the summer vacation."

He continued, "Lately, Xiao Wen is always running off somewhere. One day he says he's going to the library, the next he's off to an internet cafe. I'm swamped with business during the summer, so I can't watch him, and Wang Lu is busy with the little one. I'm worried the kid will get into trouble behind our backs. What if we're not paying attention and he goes down the wrong path?

"He listens to you, so I was thinking you could give him some proper guidance this summer. Every time I try to talk to him, he gets impatient and insists he knows everything. Just the night before last, he was out late and didn't come back. When I called, his phone was off. At four in the morning, I had to go to a nearby internet cafe to drag him home, and I ended up giving him a good thrashing…"

Lin Feng frowned. "Hitting him is useless! If it worked, we would've been beaten into model children long ago!"

Lin Jiajun was also filled with regret. "I was just so furious at the time, I wasn't thinking straight! When we got home, Wang Lu told me that kids these days have terrible tempers; you can't hit them… The news is always reporting on issues with teenagers, and it really scares me! But when I see him acting like that, I get so infuriated! I'm out of options, which is why I was hoping to send him to your place for the summer to straighten him out."

Lin Feng didn't think having him stay over was the issue, but…

"Let's be clear about one thing first. I'll do my best to guide Xiao Wen, but don't pin all your hopes on me."

Lin Jiajun chuckled. "I know, I know. I'll use this summer to work on my own self-cultivation, too!"

And so, the matter was settled.

Tian Tian, Jiang Chenchen, the Four Treasures, Xiao Wen, Cai Cai, and Guo Guo were all in the yard playing on the swings. After the adults finished their meal, they moved their chairs to the doorway to sit and chat.

"This yard is so big and comfortable!" Lin Jiajun commented.

Wang Lu handed their youngest son to him. "You take him for a bit. I'm exhausted."

The little one was at the age where he ran everywhere. The moment his feet touched the ground, he shot off as if he had wheels on his heels. He couldn't be left unsupervised for a second.

Lin Jiajun took his son. "Come on, Daddy will take you to play with your older brother and sisters!"

The children were swinging on the swings when someone suggested they climb a tree. The tree wasn't one that grew straight up but had a winding, gnarled trunk. It wasn't very tall, but it was very sturdy.

Xiao Wen, being the oldest, went first and climbed up with ease.

Seeing this, the younger kids were thrilled and scrambled to follow.

Si Bao climbed up effortlessly, followed by Da Bao and Jiang Chenchen.

Er Bao, Tian Tian, and San Bao were all wearing little skirts, which were definitely inconvenient for climbing trees.

Er Bao tossed her head. "Come on, let's go change!" With that, she took San Bao and Tian Tian by the hand and dashed back to their room.

With the swing now free, Lin Jiajun held his youngest son and played on it with Liu Bo's son, Cai Cai. Lin Jiajun's other son was older than Cai Cai and Guo Guo, already in elementary school. Why would he want to play on a swing? Climbing a tree was far more interesting! So, the two little boys began huffing and puffing as they tried to climb, while Lin Jiajun and Liu Bo cheered their sons on.

The most pitiful was Cai Cai, who was hugging the tree trunk and wailing, "Daddy, Daddy…"

Liu Bo just stood by, laughing heartily.

From a short distance away, An Lan shot him a glare. What an idiot! she muttered. They say that when there is no danger, a father is the biggest danger.

Sure enough, Liu Bo had lifted Cai Cai onto a low branch, supporting his little bottom while encouraging him. "You can do it, son!"

Cai Cai was now truly stuck, unable to go up or down. He turned his head frantically, crying out for his mother. "Mom! Mommy, help me! Save me!"

Everyone couldn't help but chuckle at the scene. Even An Lan broke into a laugh that was half amusement, half annoyance. "Liu Bo, will you get the child down from there!"

Liu Bo quickly secured his grip on his son. "It's fine, honey! I've got him!"

An Lan rolled her eyes in exasperation. Seeing Cai Cai's pitiful expression, she roared, "What do you think you're doing?!"

Startled, Liu Bo flinched and quickly lifted his son down.

An Lan fumed, "Damn it. You can tell you didn't carry him for ten months. You have no idea how to be careful."

Liu Bo chuckled. "I read online, what's the point of having kids if you don't play with them?"

An Lan snorted. "If you're going to 'play,' do it where I can't see you!"

Actually, she loved playing with Cai Cai, too. When she was raising Guo Guo, she was a new mother and had been apprehensive about everything. With her second child, however, she was more experienced and could raise him more casually. She loved playing hide-and-seek and other games with Cai Cai, and he was always very cooperative. Compared to his mischievous older brother Guo Guo, Cai Cai had a wonderful temperament, a bit like San Bao. It was just a pity he wasn't a girl.

Meanwhile, the three girls had changed their clothes and returned to climb the tree. Er Bao had studied Taekwondo before, so her athletic skills were more developed than San Bao's. After changing into pants, she scurried up the tree like a little monkey.

San Bao and Tian Tian had always been quiet, gentle girls and had never done anything like this. Compared to Tian Tian, however, San Bao was much more capable. After all, Lin Feng took the children for outdoor activities every holiday. In terms of physical fitness and coordination, San Bao was far ahead of her peers.

In the end, only Tian Tian was left at the bottom, anxiously trying to climb.

Lin Jiajun asked with a smile, "Do you need any help?"

Tian Tian looked at him pitifully. "Thank you, Uncle!"

"You're welcome!"

The children sat in the tree, dangling their legs and taking in the new view.

Lin Feng couldn't help but feel a wave of nostalgia. "When we were kids, we climbed trees, raided birds' nests, caught fish in the river… we did so many things!"

Jiang Chenchen's father, Jiang Ming, nodded in agreement. "That's right. Back then, we didn't have any toys or video games. We'd just run around with the older kids. When we got a little older, we helped out at home, cutting pig feed, cooking, and working in the fields. There was always so much to do."

Lin Feng never had to cut pig feed, but his childhood had been just as happy.

They sat for a while longer until the sun began to set, and the guests started to leave.

Lin Jiajun gave Lin Feng a meaningful glance.

Lin Feng smiled and turned to the boy. "Xiao Wen, how about you stay with us for a while? I'm pretty busy right now, and I worry about the Four Treasures with no one to watch over them."

Zhang Yuxi glanced at Lin Feng with a hint of surprise before calmly averting her gaze.

Lin Jiajun was still putting on an act. "Well, what do you think, Xiao Wen?"

Xiao Wen hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "In that case, I'll be troubling you, Uncle."

Lin Feng smiled gently. "We're family. Besides, I'm the one asking you for a favor, so how could it be a bother?"

Lin Jiajun pulled Xiao Wen aside and handed him some cash he had prepared earlier. "If you run out of money, just tell me, and I'll bring you more. Use this to buy some toys and treats for the younger kids. You're the older brother now, so you have to act like one!

"Also, while you're staying here, be more diligent. Don't sleep in until noon, you hear me? Set a good example for the younger ones. Don't be a bad influence!"

After giving these detailed instructions, Lin Jiajun left with Wang Lu and their youngest child.

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