"Of course, there’s no problem. We had agreed from the start that the payments for the project would be made in batches," Jiang Dah agreed without hesitation.
Originally, they had planned to complete the main house last, but since the employer had requested it, they found it acceptable. He was able to make the decision without consulting the other contractors.
After returning home from the farm, Lin Xiaoguai went to check on the quadruplets, who were sound asleep. She bent down to fix the blanket that Little Spring Breeze had pulled off Little Sun, and just as she was about to move Qiaoqiao’s little foot resting on Little Spring Breeze’s belly, she suddenly remembered how this little girl tended to cry whenever touched in her sleep, and immediately retracted her hand.
"Yiya..." Just then, a soft voice suddenly rang out.
Following the sound, Lin Xiaoguai smiled and said, "Did Sisi wake up, baby?"
Sisi gave her mother a charming smile, and Lin Xiaoguai reached out and picked her up.
Perhaps it was the quadruplets’ telepathic bond, for just after Lin Xiaoguai kissed her eldest daughter, the other three also began to wake up.
"Waa waa waa..." Seeing that mom was holding her sister and not her, Qiaoqiao was the first to make a fuss, crying out loud.
Lin Xiaoguai, feeling a headache coming on, put down Sisi and picked her up.
Once in her mother’s arms, Qiaoqiao stopped crying and giggled, pulling at her little mouth. Sisi, on the other hand, was more easy-going, not making a fuss when her sister took mom’s embrace, and just kept blowing bubbles.
Lin Xiaoguai chuckled and tapped Qiaoqiao’s forehead, "Naughty girl!"
Qiaoqiao didn’t understand what her mother was saying, and seeing her smile, she thought she wanted to play, so she leaned in and planted a wet kiss on her face.
Lin Xiaoguai tried to keep a straight face but couldn’t help laughing, and affectionately kissed the little one’s forehead.
Next, Little Spring Breeze showed his displeasure, screaming out loud.
Lin Xiaoguai freed one hand to pick him up, also playing the kissing game with him. Finally, she put the two down and picked up Little Sun, who had been somewhat neglected.
Little Sun also played the kissing game with his mom, then clung to her neck, resting his chin on her shoulder, feeling utterly content.
Lin Xiaoguai laughed; indeed, the children’s individual personalities were already becoming evident. Among the four, Sisi was quiet, well-behaved, and reserved, Little Sun was stable but crafty, Little Spring Breeze had a bad temper yet was generous, and Qiaoqiao was temperamental but straightforward.
After changing the little ones into their pajamas, Lin Xiaoguai carried them to the living room.
"Mom, Zeng Yi said he’s going to follow his dad on a trip to Province J, and he asked if I could go. Can I?" Lin Xiaoguai was wiping Little Spring Breeze’s drool when Shen Yinian, sitting next to her watching TV, suddenly spoke up.
"Province J?" Lin Xiaoguai was surprised.
"Little Niangao, do you want to go?" Lin Xiaoguai didn’t answer but asked instead.
"I want to," Shen Yinian muttered with pursed lips, "Mom, would you let me go? I’ll take care of myself and listen to Uncle Zeng."
Lin Xiaoguai hesitated for a moment, then said, "Let’s wait for your dad to come home and ask him."
"What needs to be asked of me?" Shen Chi’s voice suddenly appeared at the door.
Seeing him return, Lin Xiaoguai handed him a pair of slippers and quickly explained the situation.
"Province J?" Shen Chi agreed without hesitation, "If you want to go, then go."
"Really? Thanks, Dad!" Shen Yinian joyfully threw himself into Shen Chi’s arms.
Lin Xiaoguai was about to speak but stopped herself after a thought, admitting internally that she did tend to be a bit indulgent. Usually, it wasn’t much of an issue, but when it came to situations that required letting the children learn from experience, she always felt reluctant.
Shen Chi, aware of her thoughts, comfortingly squeezed her hand.
"Will Little Niangao be alright going out there alone?" Lin Xiaoguai couldn’t help but mention her concern to Shen Chi before going to sleep at night.
"How is he alone? Isn’t he going with Zeng Yi and his father?" Shen Chi couldn’t help but smile wryly.
"They both seem so careless," Lin Xiaoguai said worriedly.
"Don’t worry, although they are going to Province J with Zeng Wenxin and his son, Zeng Wenxin is on official duty, and there will be officers friendly with me accompanying them. I’ll give them a heads up to look after Little Niangao," Shen Chi reassured her.
—Don’t doubt it; Zeng Wenxin’s somewhat refined name is indeed the rugged Mr. Zeng’s name.
Lin Xiaoguai felt somewhat reassured, though not completely.
"I heard from grandma that you went to the farm today; how is everything coming along?" Shen Chi asked.
"The surrounding walls are up, the moat is halfway dug, and the foundation for the apartment building is set..." Lin Xiaoguai excitedly described what she had seen at the farm.