Chapter Four: Son, Wife, Daughter

"Dad, why don't we buy a few more?"

Chaochao, who had been contemplating for a long time, suddenly looked up and said to Zhou Chen in a soft, sweet voice.

Zhou Chen chuckled inwardly, but kept a stern face as he replied, "That won't do, Chaochao. You promised Dad you’d only buy one. A little man has to keep his word, you know."

Chaochao sighed like a little adult. "Alright, Chaochao is a little man, and I can't break my promise. Let's buy two, then."

"Hmm?"

Zhou Chen raised an eyebrow. The little guy had compromised, so why did he still want to buy two?

Chaochao quickly explained. "Chaochao wants one, and the other is for my big sister."

"This child."

Zhou Chen had babysat his sister’s children before, but his little niece had never been as sensible as Chaochao, and the feeling he got from them was different. Chaochao’s behavior made him feel deeply gratified; compared to Xia Huanhuan, Chaochao was much younger yet clearly more obedient. This showed that the family’s upbringing was actually quite good. The reason Xia Huanhuan had turned out the way she did was directly related to the excessive pampering from his predecessor.

It was understandable, though. Fathers generally favored their daughters. Even he himself was very fond of his own niece, but if it had been a nephew, he probably wouldn't have had as much patience.

"But if you buy one for your sister, Mom will surely find out. You’ll get scolded for that. Aren't you afraid?"

Chaochao puffed out his cheeks and thought for a moment. "But my sister always shares the good things she has with me, and I want to bring her something yummy, too. Mom loves Chaochao the most; she definitely won't scold me. Dad, please buy two."

"You little rascal."

Chaochao’s words made Zhou Chen very pleased. The rarest quality in a child is knowing how to share. Children nowadays are often very selfish, keeping all the good things for themselves. For a child like Chaochao, who was only three years old, to already know how to share was truly remarkable.

"Boss, two lollipops, please."

"Sure, that’ll be two yuan."

After scanning the code to pay, he let Chaochao pick the flavors. Chaochao quickly grabbed two: one orange-flavored and one strawberry-flavored.

"The strawberry one is for my sister, and Chaochao will eat the orange one."

Children are truly magical; even though he couldn't recognize many words yet, he could accurately distinguish the flavors of the lollipops.

With the lollipops bought, Chaochao no longer asked to be carried. Sucking on his lollipop, he held Zhou Chen’s hand and walked into the residential compound.

He navigated the familiar route home and pulled out the keys to open the door.

As soon as he stepped inside, Zhou Chen couldn't help but look around. It was a grand apartment of over two hundred square meters, twice the size of his home in the real world. The living room, in particular, was twice as large as his own, spacious and bright.

After changing his shoes, Chaochao ran off to play in the room he shared with his sister, leaving Zhou Chen to wander the living room alone.

The apartment was about 240 square meters, with four bedrooms, two living rooms, and two bathrooms. One bedroom was for him and Nan Li, and the other was for Huanhuan and Chaochao; both were large rooms. The other two rooms had been converted into a study and a storage room. The study was used by the couple for work, equipped with bookshelves and desks. The storage room, while labeled as such, didn't actually contain much clutter; it was about ten square meters and even had a small bed, making it perfectly habitable.

The living and dining areas were truly vast, and the open-concept kitchen was also very spacious. Overall, the larger space made everything look much more expansive, unlike his home in the real world, which was a three-bedroom apartment. It was fine for three people, but it felt crowded whenever his sister’s family visited.

In a place like Jiangzhou, even if it wasn't the most bustling district, a property like this would cost at least ten million yuan.

"If this were back in my third-tier city, I could buy several homes with this money."

Zhou Chen sighed repeatedly. This first time traveling into a television world had given him a taste of the life of the wealthy. Whether it was the housing or the job, it was definitely above the middle-class level, far beyond what he could compare to in his real life.

Suddenly, Zhou Chen didn't know what he should be doing. He had become Xia Junshan, but his consciousness was still his own; he naturally considered things with his own mindset rather than that of the original Xia Junshan. To him, this place was both familiar and strange, leaving him feeling at a loss.

He sat blankly on the sofa, not knowing what to do, until he heard the sound of the lock turning. Zhou Chen snapped back to reality, stood up by reflex, and looked toward the door.

The door opened, and two people—one tall and one small—walked in.

Zhou Chen’s heart tightened; for a moment, he felt a flicker of panic. He then pursed his lips and recited silently to himself: I am Xia Junshan, I am Xia Junshan, I am Xia Junshan...

"Honey, why are you standing there like a statue?"

Nan Li put down her bag and was about to change her shoes when she saw Zhou Chen standing still, mumbling something to himself, so she called out.

Nan Li’s voice brought Zhou Chen back to his senses. He calmed his racing heart.

"I was thinking about something."

As he spoke, he walked over quite naturally.

"Dad!"

Xia Huanhuan cheered and rushed over, stopping only when she reached Zhou Chen. "Dad, didn't you say this morning that you would come to pick me up after school? Why did Mom come instead?"

Before Zhou Chen could answer, Nan Li, who had finished changing into her slippers, said with a hint of dissatisfaction, "Huanhuan, are you unhappy that Mom came to pick you up?"

Huanhuan quickly shook her head. "No, no, I'm happy when Mom picks me up too. Mom, Dad, I won't talk to you guys anymore. I have a lot of homework today, so I’m going to go do it."

With that, she hoisted her backpack and trotted into her room. The whole interaction happened so quickly that Zhou Chen hadn't even had a chance to say a word.

The little girl, Xia Huanhuan, was indeed beautiful and cute, and she seemed very lively as well.

Nan Li walked up to Zhou Chen and looked him over. "Honey, why do you seem a bit strange today? It’s one thing not to pick up Huanhuan, but you didn't even smile when you saw me?"

The distance between them was very close, almost touching, which made Zhou Chen, already feeling unsettled, hold his breath. Facing Nan Li’s gaze, Zhou Chen felt guilty. Was this woman’s intuition really that sharp? He hadn't even done anything yet, and she already felt he was acting strange.

*I can't show weakness. I am Xia Junshan, I am her husband, the real deal. What is there to be afraid of?*

With that thought, Zhou Chen felt much better. He reached out and pulled Nan Li into his arms, holding her tightly.

"I was just distracted by how beautiful, elegant, and charming my wife looks today."

"You’re annoying."

Nan Li tapped Zhou Chen’s back but then wrapped her arms around his waist, blushing. "Watch your language, the children are home."

Zhou Chen chuckled. "We’ve been married for years, what’s the harm? The kids are in their room, they can't see."

Taking the initiative really worked... Zhou Chen breathed a sigh of relief.

However, once he held Nan Li, he truly felt a bit distracted. In his previous life, although he wasn't inexperienced, he had never dated a woman as beautiful and elegant as Nan Li. Having such a stunning and graceful woman in his arms, it was only natural to feel moved.

Feeling the strength of her husband’s arms, Nan Li felt happy as well. After more than a decade of marriage, for her husband to still be so affectionate was something many women couldn't even imagine.

But Nan Li still gently pushed Zhou Chen away, teasing, "The children are home, mind your influence."

Zhou Chen chuckled. At this moment, his heart was completely at ease. It seemed his behavior hadn't raised any issues. His current body was Xia Junshan’s, and he had inherited his memories; even if there were minor discrepancies, no one should be suspicious. After all, this wasn't a fantasy cultivation world.