Over half a month had passed.

The couple exchanged a glance. One had actually fallen asleep; the other was just pretending. Experience from the past weeks could be summarized in a single sentence: Let her play on her own, and whatever you do, don't try to coax her. Once you did, she would just play even harder.

Lin Feng closed his eyes, thinking about the next day's menu, when he felt little Xia Liang crawling toward him. Unsure of what she was planning, he remained perfectly still. He then felt her climb up and lie down on his chest. In less than a minute, he could hear her even breathing and feel the rise and fall of her little belly.

Lin Feng looked down. He saw Xia Liang, her little bottom poked high in the air, sleeping sweetly on his chest. At that moment, all the helplessness he felt about her refusal to sleep peacefully vanished. In its place was an endless tenderness and affection in his eyes.

He pulled up the summer quilt, using his hands to guard her sides and prevent her from falling. He decided to just let her sleep like this. Xia Liang was much heavier than Fan Fan had been at her age; an ordinary person would have been breathless under her weight.

Lin Feng fell into a deep sleep while holding Xia Liang, waking up several times throughout the night to find her in various positions. For example, her little hand would suddenly slap his face. Other times, her tiny feet would dig into his nostrils or kick his cheeks. There was one impressive thing, however. No matter how much she squirmed, even if half her body was hanging off the bed, she never fell completely off.

In the morning, Lin Feng got up to make breakfast. He carefully moved Xia Liang, who had slept through the night, into her crib.

"Daddy!" she murmured sleepily just as he took a step away.

He hurried back to her side and responded, patting her little bottom, "Daddy's here!"

"Daddy!"

"Be a good girl and sleep," Lin Feng said softly. "Daddy will stay right here with you."

Drawn by his familiar scent, Xia Liang snuggled close and fell into his embrace, sleeping soundly like a little piglet. Lin Feng patted her bottom and took out his phone to send a message to the family group chat.

"I have to get my little sister to sleep this morning. You guys find something to eat on your own."

Seeing how adorable Xia Liang was, so cute he felt like he could melt, he didn't want to move, let alone cook. Just watching her quietly like this makes life feel so blissful!

And so, Lin Feng stayed with Xia Liang as she slept, reading a book until past nine in the morning.

Still groggy, Xia Liang sat up, glanced at Lin Feng, and huffed as she climbed onto him. She hugged him like he was a giant doll. "Morning, Daddy!"

Lin Feng's heart swelled with warmth. He kissed her cheek. "Good morning, my little treasure!"

Seeing her sprawled out and unresponsive, Lin Feng patted her. "Time to get up!" As he spoke, he picked her up to prepare her baby food. Xia Liang watched the pots and pans with curiosity, remaining remarkably quiet in his arms. This little one was only this obedient at times like these.

After preparing the food, he took her to wash her hands and get ready to eat. Most babies around eight or nine months old seemed to be trying to eat by themselves. But Xia Liang still needed to be fed, which gave Lin Feng a headache. She's been spoiled by everyone. To make matters worse, she was completely uncooperative during meals, which only intensified his headache.

The baby walker they ordered had also arrived. It was the same sturdy, durable, and highly functional brand they had used for the older children. After adjusting it, Lin Feng placed Xia Liang inside. He thought she would like it, but she showed severe resistance and refused to cooperate at all. The moment he put her in, she threw a tantrum, wanting out.

Lin Feng had no choice but to take her out and support her as she learned to walk. Xia Liang walked as if she had wheels of fire on her feet—she was incredibly fast! She was even faster than Fan Fan. Lin Feng now spent most of his time just watching her.

There used to be a 'Protective Barrier' Skill, but it naturally disappeared as the kids grew up. But in my view, even if I still had that Skill, it wouldn't be much use. Xia Liang is just too fast.

At first, she only held onto the sofa or the wall, lifting her legs high as she walked. But she was brave. As soon as she learned to crawl, she wanted to walk; as soon as she could walk, she wanted to fly. She had only been walking with support for a few days before she decided she wanted to walk on her own… Look at her now, trying to stand on the robot vacuum!

Although it looked like she might tumble forward at any second, her balance was excellent. She could stand on the robot vacuum as it moved, looking like a mighty king inspecting his territory, showing no sign of falling.

So, Lin Feng made a decision. He would have the kids take turns cooking. Although it seems unrelated, it's about time they learned. When they go to college, I can't exactly follow them there, can I? Or hire a nanny for each of them?

When it came to cooking, only the eldest and second child knew how. The third child, despite having been around Lin Feng the most in the kitchen, surprisingly couldn't cook at all. They'll be high school sophomores after the New Year, so there are two years to practice. The skill will be useful whether they go to a local university or study abroad.

"Any objections?" Lin Feng asked.

The children had none, but Fan Fan, the worst cook of the bunch, made a disclaimer. "But Dad, if my cooking doesn't taste good, you, Mom, and everyone else will have to bear with it."

Lin Feng said that was fine, as long as it didn't poison him. "I'll handle Xia Liang's baby food. You all can decide what you want to eat. But with so many of us, five dishes and two soups is the standard."

The kids agreed, knowing Lin Feng was doing this to help them become more independent.

The most upset person was Zhang Yuxi. When the announcement was made, her expression was unreadable, her face a stoic mask. But when they returned to their room, she followed Lin Feng closely.

"Honey, does this mean I won't get to eat your cooking anymore?"

"Uh, you still will. If there's something you're craving, I can make it for you separately."

"That… that doesn't seem right…"

"What's not right about it?"

Zhang Yuxi thought for a moment. I should wait and see how the kids do. As a mother, I should be encouraging them, not asking for a special meal, which would show I disapprove. How could I do that? I can't!

Today was another day spent trailing behind Xia Liang, monitoring her every move. After her morning meal, she stood on the robot vacuum and played for over an hour. Then she went out to the yard and, wearing the older kids' old shoes, ran so fast she seemed to fly. Lin Feng watched with his heart in his throat.

He had originally wanted to throw those old shoes away, but Zhou Cuilan had stopped him. They were handmade by elders long ago, with soft, comfortable soles that wouldn't hurt a baby's feet. Lin Feng had bought many pairs back then, keeping the good ones and discarding the worn-out ones. The colors on the little cloth shoes had faded, but they were still remarkably sturdy after so many years.

"Xia Liang, slow down!"

"Xia Liang, run slowly!"

"Xia Liang…"

This was the phrase Lin Feng repeated most often as he followed her around.

He had built two swings outside: one for adults and one for Xia Liang. After running around the yard for a while, she wanted to play on her swing. Lin Feng lifted her up, but she wanted down after less than a minute and immediately headed for the vegetable garden. After a whole morning of this, she finally got tired and sleepy. Lin Feng always used this time to make lunch.

That evening, Lin Feng cooked what would be his last dinner for a while. The family discussed how to celebrate the upcoming Children's Day for Xia Liang.

The older kids looked at each other, stumped.

"Dad," the third child said, "we'll have to wait until we're out of school to celebrate Children's Day with her."

Hearing this, Lin Feng slapped his forehead. "I forgot you guys aren't children anymore…"

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.