Lin Wanwan's mindset was the same as that of common folk; owing money always made one feel uneasy.
Xie Sui grinned. It made him happy that he was more important to Wanwan than family.
After class, Doudou and Dingding were thrilled to see their father picking them up. They rushed into his arms, chattering so loudly that his ears buzzed, yet he didn't feel annoyed at all.
"Doudou's dad, could you please wait a moment?"
A female teacher in her early twenties called out to Xie Sui. Xie Sui respected teachers. "What is it? Did they get into trouble? I'll beat them when we get home."
Though he said that, Xie Sui didn't really think his children would cause trouble. Lin Wanwan had raised them well; they were polite and wouldn't bully other children.
The teacher, surnamed Yao, was beautiful, pure, and lovely. Girls their age were attractive even without makeup.
Teacher Yao said, "No, they're very sensible. They even help me with my work and are well-behaved during naptime. Their manners and habits are excellent. There's just one thing I wanted to bring to your attention."
"You tell me. If it's my fault, I'll definitely change."
Teacher Yao blushed. "Sometimes the children kiss other girls, saying it's a reward, and they say inappropriate things that make people feel awkward. I don't know where they learned it, but you parents should pay attention."
Xie Sui's old face flushed. Where else would the children learn it? Of course, from him. After seeing him kiss their mother, Xie Sui had told them it was a sign of affection. Now, the little brats went to kindergarten, saw pretty girls, and kissed them. If their parents saw, they would surely be angry.
At such a young age, they already knew how to flirt with girls. What would they be like when they grew up?
"I will definitely pay attention. I'll discipline them when we get home. Thank you for your trouble, teacher."
"It's nothing. I can see that you and your wife are very loving. Only a happy family can raise such good children."
"The teacher is right. I will continue to maintain this."
Xie Sui said goodbye to the teacher and looked at his two children, feeling a headache coming on. How was he supposed to discipline them?
He passed the buck to Lin Wanwan when they got home: "It's all your fault for being too beautiful. You always make me lose control. The children are just imitating me, so they've started kissing girls. If their parents come looking for us to take responsibility, you'll be a mother-in-law soon."
Lin Wanwan playfully hit him, angry. "Such a big deal, and you're still smiling! Are you looking for a beating? You two, come here. No more kissing girls from now on."
Doudou asked, "Can we kiss boys then? Why can Daddy kiss Mommy?"
Lin Wanwan explained, "Because Mommy is your mommy, she's... she's recognized by the state, so she can kiss. You don't have a license. Kissing others is a crime, and you'll be arrested."
Xie Sui couldn't stop laughing. Wanwan had moments when she couldn't explain things clearly.
Lin Wanwan was so annoyed that she didn't want to talk to him for many days.
She thought the matter was over, but it wasn't. This time, it was the other parents who found him, holding something that looked like a certificate. It was a hand-drawn marriage license.
The child had somehow found their marriage certificate and written his and the girl's names on it, making them a married couple.
The girl was beautiful, like a doll, and it was clear her family was well-off. Her father was so angry he wanted to hit someone. His six-year-old daughter had been "kidnapped" by a mischievous boy. If not for their age, he would have wanted to beat them.
Xie Sui quickly apologized. "It's my failure in upbringing. The child heard his mother say that only with a license is it legal, otherwise they'll be arrested. That's not wrong, but children think differently from us. He drew one himself. Ah, really..."
Xie Sui almost wanted to praise his son's cleverness. He couldn't hide the smile at the corner of his mouth. Considering the other father's feelings, he tried his best to look remorseful.
"Let this be the last time. Discipline your child well."
Xie Sui nodded. "Yes, it's mainly because your daughter is too beautiful and lovable. As a father, you have to worry more. It's a sweet burden. If I had such a beautiful and soft daughter, I'd want to hide her and not let anyone see her."
The girl's father saw that he was eloquent and young, not a scoundrel. His tone softened slightly. "Isn't that the truth? We'll transfer her to a primary school in the city later. This county isn't good enough."
Xie Sui replied, "Indeed. I have the same plan."
The man hugged his child and ran off. They were trying to avoid them, and they even wanted to transfer schools with them? What a pipe dream.
Xie Sui went home and told Lin Wanwan about the incident. She was also amused and speechless. The children were becoming harder to manage as they grew older.
"You're still laughing? Why don't you think of a way to manage them? What will happen when they grow up?"
"Alright. If they have the energy to chase girls, it means they aren't tired enough. Tomorrow, I'll find some interest classes and fill their schedules. Girls? Nothing is more important than sleep."
Lin Wanwan felt concerned again. "The children are still young..."
"They're not young anymore. They're already finding daughters-in-law for you!"
Doudou and Dingding fell into their father's hands. Piano, painting, advanced math, Go, basketball – they felt like spinning tops, never idle for a moment.
Xie Sui was still not satisfied. In his past life, children needed to learn even more: etiquette classes, horse riding, fencing, skiing. He felt his son was being wronged.
Doudou and Dingding, however, were clever. They weren't crushed by learning so much, and they performed well in every subject. Lin Wanwan didn't interfere, only prepared more delicious food for them to ensure their nutrition was adequate.
Time flew by. Summer was the off-season for the pickle factory but the peak season for the ice cream factory. Xie Sui expanded the operations of the original ice cream factory. Daily sales exceeded ten thousand, with an annual net profit of a hundred thousand.
This was just the income from one factory. Hu Pan had already opened five branches. Within three months, all the initial investment and loans would be repaid.
Lin Wanwan breathed a sigh of relief. Sleeping was more peaceful without any loans.
Seeing how stressed Lin Wanwan was about the debt, Xie Sui, who had originally planned to take out more loans to accelerate expansion and open more branches, had to stop for now and consolidate the existing factories.
Hu Pan also took a rare break and returned to the city to accompany her parents.
Xie Min also returned to accompany her daughter. The two girls now looked no different from city girls, with bow clips, pretty red plaid dresses, white leather shoes, and white socks. They were confident and poised. Xie Min couldn't imagine that her daughters would change so much.
Summer vacation arrived. Xie Sui planned to take the children and Wanwan to visit her father's family. This way, Xie Min could look after the home, and they could relax.
Lin Wanwan prepared gifts. She was a bit nervous about returning so suddenly. However, one person's arrival disrupted their plans.
Lin Wanwan was from Shanghai. It took two days and two nights by train. It was difficult to get sleeper berths. Xie Sui needed to pull strings to buy them, preferably soft sleepers, which would take time.
When he returned home that day, he saw Lin Wanwan wearing a white long dress he hadn't seen before, her hair in large curls, and her large eyes with eyeliner. She looked even purer and more beautiful.
However, while beautiful, she carried an air of arrogance that made Xie Sui feel somewhat estranged.