Zhan Bei Jue had just handed the signed documents to the receptionist and was about to head to the conference room for a meeting when his phone rang.
He picked it up and saw that it was Rui Rui calling at this hour.
He answered, "Hello."
"Daddy."
For the past few days, he had been busy with Jing Yu and Jing Tian's hospitalization, heart matching, and work, neglecting the other two children.
Hearing his son's obedient voice suddenly, a wave of guilt washed over him.
He replied as gently as possible, "I'm here. What's wrong, sweetie? Why are you calling Daddy at this time?"
Rui Rui said, "We've completed one training cycle. The coach said they're preparing to organize a training performance showcase for Daddy and Mommy."
"And to arrange some activities to exercise the cohesion and tacit understanding between family members."
"Other children's daddies and mommies are all coming. Daddy, do you and Mommy have time to come watch me and my sister perform tomorrow?"
"And Jing Yu and Jing Tian too. We haven't seen them for days, and I miss them so much. When are they coming back?"
"Can you have them come back tomorrow to participate in the performance?"
Rui Rui was very worried.
What if Daddy made an excuse to refuse, or said he would come alone, which would directly confirm his uneasy guess.
He didn't want Mommy to leave, nor did he want Daddy and Mommy to separate.
Fortunately, after he finished speaking, Zhan Bei Jue pondered for two seconds and readily agreed.
"Okay. I'll arrange my work and bring Mommy, Jing Yu, and Jing Tian tomorrow."
"!!"
Rui Rui glanced at his sister who was squeezed next to him, listening intently to the phone. The two of them almost shouted out loud with joy.
Then Zhan Bei Jue added.
"However, Jing Yu and Jing Tian haven't been feeling well lately and cannot continue with the training. They'll arrive tomorrow, so you and your sister are not allowed to urge them to perform."
"Ah? They're not feeling well? What illness do they have?"
Zhan Bei Jue didn't want the children to worry and said lightly.
"It's nothing. With Daddy here, they'll get better soon. Just pretend you don't know about this, and don't chase after them asking about it when you see them tomorrow."
"I understand, Daddy."
"Good boy. Daddy and Mommy have been a bit busy these past two days, and we might have neglected you sometimes. But tell your sister to always remember that I love you."
The call ended. A large stone in Rui Rui's heart finally lifted, and he felt much more relaxed.
But when he turned to look at his sister, she was teary-eyed again.
"What's wrong? Didn't Daddy promise to come tomorrow? Why are you crying again?"
Ge Er explained in a muffled voice, "Daddy spoke so gently today."
"I miss him so much, I miss Mommy so much, I wish they would hug me tightly. Brother, I love Daddy so much."
After a short nap at noon, waking up and feeling bored in the ward, Jiang Nan Fang and A Zhong took the children downstairs to play.
Many flowers and plants were planted in the flowerbeds downstairs. The four of them, bored, decided to hold a drawing competition.
Whoever could draw the most beautiful flowerbed and the most lifelike flowers in the shortest amount of time would win.
The four of them, barefoot, sat on their shoes respectively, having fun under the shade of the trees beside the flowerbeds, when Zhan Bei Jue arrived.
Feeling a familiar presence suddenly envelop her head, Jing Tian instinctively looked up.
At a glance, she saw her handsome young Daddy looking down at her drawing.
Excited, she put down her pen and turned to hug his legs.
"Daddy! I missed you so much! You came to see Tian Tian!"
The girl is a girl, emotional and expressive, completely different from how her son interacted.
Every time he was confessed to so directly by the enthusiastic Tian Tian and Ge Er, Zhan Bei Jue's heart would melt like water.
He picked up Jing Tian and kissed her hot, rosy little face.
"Daddy missed you too, so I rushed over as soon as I finished my work. What are you playing?"
"A drawing competition." Tian Tian, kissed by him, was blissfully happy.
"Everyone is drawing faster than Tian Tian, bullying Tian Tian for being the youngest. Daddy, can you help me with the rest?"
"Daddy really wants to help you. But Daddy doesn't know how to draw."
"Ah?" Jing Tian pouted her rosy lips. "Then what should I do? It looks like Tian Tian will come in last place today."
"Tian Tian likes competing so much? What's the prize for winning?"
Tian Tian snuggled into his neck, her little hands restlessly pinching his firm jaw.
"There's no prize. But I just like the feeling of winning."
Zhan Bei Jue indulgently let her fuss over him.
"Then if I tell you that Brother Rui Rui invited us to watch his competition tomorrow, and there will be a prize for winning, you'll be very happy, right?"
"Ah? Brother Rui Rui invited us to watch his competition? Is Mommy going too?"
"Of course. All of us will go together."
"Ah! That's great! We can finally go out together as a family! I'm so happy!"
Zhan Bei Jue wore a black shirt and black pants, with a meticulously slicked-back hairstyle.
Tall and straight, with a noble aura.
If it weren't for the chattering girl in his arms, few people would dare to approach him based on his demeanor alone.
But he was willing to lower his voice and gently coax the little girl, a contrast that was endearing.
He didn't know if Jiang Nan Fang liked it, but A Zhong certainly liked seeing him like this every time.
Blood is the most eternal truth in the world.
Apart from Jiang Nan Fang, only these two girls could completely control him.
In fact, Zhan Bei Jue was speaking half to Jing Tian and half to Jiang Nan Fang beside him.
He didn't know how to invite Jiang Nan Fang to join him again in a way that would seem appropriate.
He felt so guilty now that he could only steal glances at her from the corner of his eye.
On one hand, he hoped she would look at him, and on the other hand, he was afraid of making eye contact with her.
He had suddenly become Zhan Bei Jue from middle school.
When he stood on stage to give a speech as a student representative with Jiang Nan Fang.
They stood side by side, so close, he desperately wanted to ask her how her mother was.
But in the end, due to awkwardness and shyness, the distance between them became a chasm thousands of miles wide.
"Okay, I'm done drawing. Mommy, how about you?"
After his sister's cheers, Jing Yu, fearing an awkward silence, promptly put down his brush and stood up to play the role of the next supporter.
He handed his drawing to Jiang Nan Fang. Jiang Nan Fang looked at him, then turned to glance at A Zhong, and smiled, saying.
"We're done too. But yours is better. You win."
"Yay!" Jing Yu happily swayed his waist.
"So Mommy, will you participate in Brother Rui Rui's competition activity?"
Jiang Nan Fang simultaneously grasped two key points from his words.
One was participating in the activity, and the other was Brother Rui Rui.
Even she didn't know who among the four children was older or younger, so why would Jing Yu call Rui Rui "brother"?
"Who told you Rui Rui is the older brother? Do you know who is older and who is younger?"
After Jiang Nan Fang asked, Jing Yu suddenly looked up and exchanged a look with Zhan Bei Jue.
Before either of them could explain, Jing Tian chimed in.
"Daddy said so!"
"When you weren't here, Daddy had us draw lots. Whoever drew the eldest is the eldest!"