My College Teacher is My Children's Mom

Back in the hospital ward, everyone was looking at him.

Although the woman didn't want to return the money, especially considering their mounting debts and the uncertainty of future expenses, that fifty thousand yuan was their last lifeline. They had no way of borrowing more. But she knew out of conscience that she couldn't keep the money. It wasn't theirs to take.

Seeing the man return with the bag, she asked, "Did you return it?"

The man shook his head. "No, they wouldn't take it. I wrote them an IOU."

The woman's face lit up. "Really?"

The man nodded. "I just deposited the money in the bank. We'll use it for our son's expenses after he's discharged."

The woman felt as though a hand clutching her throat had finally let go.

The man whispered to his son, "Son, keep fighting to get better!"

"When you're well, we have to properly thank that uncle and his family, understand?"

The little boy nodded obediently. "I'll repay them when I grow up!"

The other people in the ward remarked on their good fortune.

"You've run into truly kind people. You're so lucky!"

"They're probably well-off and don't care about fifty thousand yuan."

"Exactly. If anyone else had found that cash, they would have spent it by now. Turning it into the police station? Dream on."

They also felt for the little guy and were genuinely happy for him. Despite his young age, he endured injections and medicine without crying or making a fuss, only letting out a few sobs when the pain was especially bad. When his parents weren't around, he'd even ask the doctor for cheaper medicine.

Because their family had no money left.

He didn't want to die, because it would make his mom and dad sad.

The doctors, nurses, and other patients in the ward all felt a mix of heartache and affection for the boy.

...

「On the way back.」

Zhang Yuxi's mind filled with the image of the child on the hospital bed, and her heart ached. When her own treasures took a tumble and scraped their skin, they would cry so fiercely. She'd feel terrible, yet she still had to encourage them to be strong. She wished she could take all their pain onto herself! She couldn't even imagine how painful it would be if she herself fell ill...

Lin Feng held her hand, as if to comfort her.

Zhang Yuxi took a deep breath. "Honey, you've taken such good care of the babies. Thank you!"

He attended to their every need personally. They were almost a year and a half old now and had never even had a cold. It was truly incredible.

Lin Feng hummed in agreement. "Our babies are strong, so don't let your imagination run wild!"

The navigation system led them to the R&F Plaza. Advertisements for rentals and sales were everywhere. The plaza, completed in March of this year, consisted entirely of Grade A office buildings. It already had two towers, A and B, each with thirty-five floors. Many businesses, corporations, hotels, and restaurants had already moved in, along with the branch offices of several well-known domestic companies.

Not far away, the C building didn't even have its foundation laid. Lin Feng had looked it up online and found that the rumors were all over the place. Some said there was a shortage of funds, others that the boss had skipped town, and still others that he had fled the country with the money.

Lin Feng parked the car, and it took him and Zhang Yuxi a while to figure out how to get out of the parking garage.

"Honey, what are we doing here?"

Lin Feng held her hand. "Let's take a walk!"

Lin Feng parked in the Building B garage and they came out through a different exit. The walk to Building A would take about half an hour. This is quite a walk indeed.

They took the elevator to the fifteenth floor of Building A, and then...

Zhang Yuxi watched as Lin Feng took out a key, unlocked a door, and then pressed his finger to a scanner.

The door swung open.

The scene was all too familiar, and Zhang Yuxi asked, "Honey? What is this...?"

The interior was just a concrete shell, but it was incredibly spacious, far exceeding Lin Feng's expectations. He was inwardly surprised, but he maintained a calm expression as he said, "I bought this entire floor."

After her initial shock, Zhang Yuxi chose to support him. "Honey, what are you planning to do?"

"I didn't know before, but I do now!"

"What is it?"

"Let's talk about it when we get home."

"Okay."

When they got home, it wasn't even noon yet, and An Lan's mother was getting ready to cook.

She smiled. "You're back!"

Zhao Lizhen sighed. "This child still doesn't trust me!"

An Lan's mother teased her, "That's because you might blow up the kitchen!"

Lin Feng didn't smell any food cooking, so he knew he had returned just in time. It wasn't that he didn't trust Zhao Lizhen, nor did he think the babies were so delicate that missing a single meal he made would be a problem. It had simply become a habit, one that gave him peace of mind.

Still in the foyer, Lin Feng called out with a smile, "I'm back!"

As expected, he heard the patter of running feet and the joyful cries of the children.

"Ah, Daddy's back! Daddy's back!"

He turned to see the children already rushing over. Lin Feng squatted down with open arms to welcome them. They tackled him, each one as strong as a little bull.

Lin Feng steadied himself, hugging them as he asked, "Were you all good at home today?"

The babies nodded.

Second Baby said with a beaming smile, "I missed Daddy soooo much!"

Lin Feng laughed. "I know my babies missed me, that's why Daddy rushed back!"

Zhang Yuxi was taking off her tall boots, standing behind Lin Feng with a smile as she asked, "What's this? Doesn't anyone care about Mommy? Am I so big you can't see me? Or is Mommy's embrace not warm anymore?"

No sooner had she spoken than the babies swarmed her, throwing themselves into her arms. The force was so great that if Lin Feng hadn't been there to steady her, she surely would have toppled over.

Zhang Yuxi squatted down to hug them, giving each one a kiss.

The family shared an affectionate moment in the foyer for a while before Lin Feng spoke to Zhao Lizhen and the others in the living room. "I'm going to cook. What does everyone want for lunch?"

Zhao Lizhen was drinking tea. "Anything is fine with me."

An Lan's mother laughed. "I'm not picky either!"

Zhang Fuyong, who was tidying up, said, "I'm not picky either. As long as there's food to eat, I won't stir up any trouble."

Zhao Lizhen shot back, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing at all!"

"Hmph!"

While Lin Feng was busy in the kitchen, the babies led Zhang Yuxi by the hand into the living room.

Fourth Baby asked, "Mommy, did you bring a toy for Fourth Baby?"

Zhang Yuxi shook her head. "No, Daddy and Mommy went out for errands today, so we didn't buy any toys."

Zhao Lizhen said, "You have so many toys here. Go play with those for now."

The babies looked slightly disappointed.

Third Baby climbed into Zhang Yuxi's lap. "Mommy, what errands did you run?"

Zhang Yuxi hugged her. "Do you remember the uncle whose money we found?"

The babies nodded.

"His little boy is sick, and we went to see him today. He's an older boy, much older than all of you!"

The moment they heard the word "sick," the babies' expressions changed. The fear was likely rooted in their experience with vaccinations. They couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy for this older boy they had never met.

Zhang Yuxi continued, "The big brother took his medicine and got his shots, so he'll be better in a little while. When he gets better, if we're still at Grandma's house, should we go visit them?"

The babies nodded. They liked making new friends.

"If we go see him, what kind of present should we bring? We can't go empty-handed. If we bring a gift, I'm sure he'll be very happy. And when he's happy, he'll get better even faster!"

Hearing their mother's words, the babies all eagerly offered their suggestions.

First Baby said, "I have lots and lots of Transformers! Let's give one to the big brother."

Second Baby asked, "Would a big brother like a Barbie doll?"

Zhang Yuxi thought for a moment. "I'm not sure! Do you only have Barbie dolls, Second Baby?"

Second Baby thought again. "Then let's give him a little dinosaur."

Fourth Baby suggested giving an Ultraman, and Third Baby proposed giving a crown.

Zhang Yuxi asked, "A crown? A princess crown?"

Third Baby shook her head. "A warrior's!"

Zhang Yuxi stroked her babies' heads, her heart filled with love and pride. Their toys were all shared, but each baby had their own distinct preferences. First Baby was partial to Transformers. Second Baby loved her Barbie dolls and had a quirky side. Third Baby was drawn to anything musical, and Fourth Baby was a fan of every type of Ultraman. One second he loved Tiga, the next it was Mebius; he was quite fickle.

Soon, the babies seemed to reach a consensus. Since they were giving their toys away, they wanted Zhang Yuxi and Lin Feng to buy them new ones.

"It's normal for kids to be fickle with their toys," An Lan's mother commented from the side. "They'll play with something for a little while and then lose interest."

Zhao Lizhen nodded. "The novelty wears off quickly."

"Taking care of one child is exhausting, let alone four," An Lan's mother said with envy. "And you've raised them so well!"

Unable to resist showing off again, Zhao Lizhen said with barely concealed pride, "I met a pair of twins in the small park across the street the other day. Our babies were born on August eighth, and they were born on August seventh—just one day apart! Those twins walk well and can talk a bit, but their ability to express themselves is poor. They're nothing compared to our grandchildren. Before you came over, I taught them Yuxi's phone number, and they memorized it after just two or three tries."

An Lan's mother nodded. "If you raise these children well, they'll surely have a bright future. Isn't there a saying that you can tell a person's future by the time they're three? And they're all so well-behaved. I've never seen them throw a tantrum or have a big crying fit."

"I used to think that taking care of them would be exhausting," Zhao Lizhen said. "But it turns out, you just give them some toys and they start playing by themselves. And when they need to go potty, they run over and tell me."

An Lan's mother sighed. "I'm so envious of you. Who knows when I'll ever get to see my own grandchild. I made An Lan go on a blind date today with the son of an acquaintance. I've met him a few times; he seems nice. I just don't know if they'll hit it off."

Zhao Lizhen felt anxious for her friend, too. They were best friends, after all! It would only be fun if they could become grandmas together!

"That girl, An Lan, is just too flighty," she said. "She's all over the place, and now that she's making her own money, she'll probably be even less likely to settle down and get married."

After saying that, Zhao Lizhen leaned into An Lan's mother's ear and whispered, "Speaking of which, if it weren't for that incident, our Yu Xi would also be the type who never wanted to get married."

An Lan's mother looked distressed. "Ugh, don't even talk about it. Just mentioning it gets me worked up!"

"Don't worry," Zhao Lizhen said magnanimously. "Anyway, I have plenty of grandchildren, and they like you too. You're like a second grandma to them!"

An Lan's mother: "..."

But she wanted a grandchild from her own daughter!