"It's candy made from the clouds in the sky."

Qian Xiao said enviously, "I'm so jealous of Yiyi. She has a great dad like Uncle Xu."

Before Ruan Tang could speak, Qian Xiao dropped a bombshell. "Auntie Ruan, why don't you let Uncle Xu be my dad too?"

"...Huh?" Ruan Tang was stunned. "Does your mom know about this?"

"Auntie Ruan is so close to my mom. I'm sure she'd agree to me having a godfather, right?" Qian Xiao muttered to himself.

So he just wants a godfather... Ruan Tang had thought Qian Xiao was suggesting Xu Lai marry his mother.

"What's wrong? Can't bear to share me?" Xu Lai sidled up to Ruan Tang, smiling slyly.

Ruan Tang's face darkened. "Say one more word, and you can get out of the car!"

Xu Lai pouted. My wife is perfect in every way, except she's too thin-skinned. She doesn't dare to face her own heart. It's not like admitting you like someone is anything to be ashamed of.

With the chatterbox Qian Xiao around, the journey was very pleasant. The commercial van took the highway, and after more than three hours, they arrived at the foot of Jiuye Mountain around noon.

Apart from Qian Xiao, the parents from nearly all thirty families were present. They all valued family education, so regardless of whether the activities were local or abroad, they generally accompanied their children. Including the teachers, there were about one hundred people in total scattered about. It was a very lively scene when they all gathered together.

"Dear parents, thank you for taking time out of your busy schedules to participate in this three-day parent-child activity."

The teacher leading the group was a young woman named Miao Momo. Then, Teacher Miao launched into a ten-minute speech.

The gist of it was that parent-child activities are an important element in a child's healthy development. However, she understood that all the parents were busy, so it was fine if anyone needed to leave early.

Afterward, the activity of parents and children setting up tents together began.

"Qian Xiao, the headmistress asked me to look after you, so stop bothering your Auntie Ruan. You'll be sleeping with me for the next few days, okay?" Miao Momo said with a smile, beckoning him over.

Qian Xiao squirmed. "Teacher Miao, a single man and a single woman alone together... that's not very proper, is it? I can just sleep with Yiyi."

Miao Momo was so exasperated she laughed. "Stop your wisecracks and get over here!"

With a dark expression, Xu Lai grabbed Qian Xiao by the scruff of his neck and handed him over to Miao Momo.

Qian Xiao looked as if the light had gone out of his life. His eyes were vacant, his mind consumed by a single question.

Who...

...was it that had seized me by the neck of destiny?

"You'll have to keep a close eye on Qian Xiao from now on. That boy still has designs on our daughter," Xu Lai warned Ruan Tang.

"His mom and I are best friends. Becoming in-laws wouldn't be so bad," Ruan Tang chuckled.

Xu Lai: "???"

My wife's thinking is so feudal! The custom of childhood betrothals died out years ago, yet she's still thinking about it.

"These days, they advocate for the freedom to choose who you marry," Xu Yiyi said softly.

Ruan Tang was amused and laughed. "Alright, alright, freedom it is. Let's set up the tent first."

Clearly, the other children and parents from the kindergarten had often participated in similar parent-child activities. They were skilled at setting up tents and worked very quickly.

Ruan Tang, who had never done it before, was so flustered she broke out in a sweat.

Seeing how much slower their progress was than everyone else's, Xu Yiyi pouted unhappily. This was because a few little girls who usually refused to acknowledge her status as the 'big sister' of the group were making faces at her.

Xu Lai glanced at the instruction manual a couple of times and then began setting up the tent. He worked so fast it seemed to fly up, briefly making him the center of attention.

Xu Yiyi immediately lifted her chin high and happily made a face back at them. Now it was the other little girls' turn to be unhappy.

"Daddy, you're the best!" Xu Yiyi declared, rolling around inside the tent.

Xu Lai smiled.

Ruan Tang's expression was complex. In reality, back then, all she knew about Xu Lai was his name.

Five years later, Xu Lai's return had brought her one surprise after another. He could cook, he was a family man, and he was wonderful to Yiyi.

Furthermore, he seemed to have a powerful background; otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to buy Haitang Court and casually give her twenty million yuan. She had only ever seen such an outstanding husband on her friends' social media feeds or on forums for the elite.

Ruan Tang suddenly recalled a question her sister had asked at the mall yesterday: "If that incident five years ago had never happened, would you have been willing to get to know Xu Lai and date him with the intention of marrying him?"

Ruan Tang had been silent at the time. Thinking about it now... She bit her red lip and shook the unrealistic thoughts from her head, giving a self-deprecating laugh.

There are no 'what ifs' in life.

Once the tents were set up, the children gathered around to listen to Teacher Miao teach them about the outdoors. The adults, meanwhile, built a bonfire in the designated safe area and began preparing to cook.

During this time, many people cast strange glances at Ruan Tang and Xu Lai.

Most of them were locals from East Sea or middle-class families from the nearby cities of Hangcheng and Liu City. And it went without saying that they were all familiar with the name Ruan Tang.

The women's gazes, in particular, carried a certain amount of contempt. In the eyes of people from such wealthy families, getting pregnant out of wedlock during university and then being kicked out of one's own family was the ultimate disgrace.

Ruan Tang noticed, but her expression remained calm. Whether it was whispers or odd looks, she had long grown accustomed to them and had learned to pay them no mind.

The rumors and slander that don't crush you will only become the fuel that drives you forward.

"Did you hear? Haitang Court was bought by some mysterious tycoon for five hundred million!"

"HISS! Five hundred million? For real?"

A number of mothers chattered about the latest gossip as they cooked.

"It's true. The son of Eighth Master told me personally," a genteel-looking, middle-aged man with gold-rimmed glasses said with a chuckle.

As soon as he spoke, the area fell quiet.

Liu Chengyin!

He was extremely close to Jiang Bai, the youngest son of Liu City's renowned Eighth Master Jiang. It was said they were sworn brothers, though not by blood.

After a failed business venture, he had relied on connections from Eighth Master and the Jiang Family to enter the funeral industry, where he made an absolute fortune. Among the parents of Galaxy Kindergarten, his family was considered one of the most powerful and affluent.

This camping trip to Jiuye Mountain was only possible because he'd asked Jiang Bai to pull some strings with officials in Liu City. Otherwise, it would be impossible for a group this large to camp here.

"Mr. Liu, did Eighth Master's son say anything else?" a parent asked curiously. While many of them were wealthy and influential in their own right, they were still a long way from someone of Eighth Master's caliber.

Liu Chengyin's wife, a lovely-looking woman, chuckled lightly. "Everyone, tomorrow night we'll be staying at a hot spring resort owned by the Jiang Family. Young Master Jiang will be there himself, so you can ask him then."

A collective gasp went through the crowd. They were staying at the Jiang Family's hot spring resort? That place was legendary; it was said that Eighth Master never opened it to the public, reserving it exclusively for friends and VIPs. Liu Chengyin's connections were truly impressive!

"Mr. Liu, you must introduce us to Young Master Jiang tomorrow," many parents chimed in with a chuckle.

They all knew it was good to have friends in high places. If they could latch on to a powerhouse like the Jiang Family, would they ever need to worry about making money again?

"Of course, of course," Liu Chengyin said, his smile radiant.

He was once again the center of attention, a role he clearly enjoyed. His daughter, Liu Mengmeng, also lifted her chin proudly and glanced toward Xu Yiyi.

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