A life of financial freedom

Time passed, and the sun gradually climbed to its zenith. Everyone began preparing lunch, which consisted of sweet potatoes and various ingredients brought from the kindergarten. The idea was for parents and children to cook together and complete the meal as a team.

Many parents were busy with their own affairs, leaving only Shao Bowen standing idly by with his hands in his pockets, completely uninvolved.

Shao Xiang watched as Chu Fang expertly flipped the wok, sending dishes flying and emitting fragrant aromas. Other parents were also cooking, and even if they weren't very good at it, they still accompanied their children.

He nudged Shao Bowen: "Dad, can you teach me how to cook?"

"No!" Shao Bowen replied with a nonchalant expression. "I spend so much money on this kindergarten every month. Do you think they'd let us go hungry during a parent-child activity?"

"But..."

Shao Xiang wanted to say something, but Shao Bowen interrupted him: "The only reason I'm here with you today is because you begged your grandfather to let me bring you. Otherwise, I wouldn't want to come at all. Do you know how much money I'm losing by participating in this activity?"

Shao Xiang closed his mouth and fell silent.

Even though it had been a long time since he last cooked, Chu Fang's culinary skills hadn't diminished. He used the prepared ingredients to make three dishes and a soup: steamed yellow croaker, stir-fried lamb with scallions, mapo tofu, and seaweed egg drop soup.

Compared to the other parents, Chu Fang stood out like a crane among chickens.

"Chu Jin, your dad is so amazing."

"It looks like it must be delicious."

"..."

Chu Jin put her hands on her hips: "Of course, my dad is a great cook."

"Can I have a taste?" a child asked.

Chu Jin glared: "Go ask your dad."

Nowadays, Chu Fang rarely cooked, but the food he made had left a deep impression on Chu Jin. For a foodie, sharing with others was out of the question.

The child looked up at his mother: "Mom, can you marry Chu Jin's dad? Then Chu Jin's dad would be my dad."

As soon as the words fell, everyone burst into laughter.

The child's mother blushed and lightly spanked her son's bottom.

She looked at Chu Fang's appearance. If she could, of course she would be willing, but... alas!

Most of those who came to the activity today were mothers, with only a few fathers. Chu Fang stood out among them, not only being able to cook but also possessing top-tier looks, making him an ideal husband.

It's a pity he's someone else's husband.

After Chu Fang finished cooking the dishes, the sweet potatoes buried under the firewood were also ready. The charred skin had mottled caramel-colored patches. With a gentle break, a 'crack' sound revealed the orange-red, soft, and glutinous flesh inside. The heat, along with a rich, sweet aroma, wafted over.

Chu Jin, being a foodie, couldn't resist such a scene. She immediately opened her mouth and bit into it.

"Hiss... so hot..." Chu Jin waved her hand in front of her mouth, hoping to lower the sweet potato's temperature.

"If it's hot, just spit it out," Chu Fang said.

"No, can't, waste food."

Chu Fang: "..."

My foodie, silly daughter.

Chu Jin swallowed the sweet potato while complaining about the heat.

He asked, "How does it taste?"

Chu Jin tilted her head: "I was too busy being burned to taste anything."

Chu Fang took a bite. The dense, sweet potato flesh melted on his tongue. The sweet taste was mixed with a perfectly balanced charred aroma, creating a rich flavor.

Not bad.

Then the three of them enjoyed lunch, with sweet potatoes as their staple food.

Chu Fang noticed Shao Xiang staring at them without blinking. He waved at Shao Xiang, who showed a delighted expression, but after glancing at Shao Bowen, he helplessly shook his head.

As noon approached, the parents and children had finished preparing lunch. The kindergarten provided lunch for families who hadn't prepared their own... well... only Shao Bowen and Shao Xiang ate it.

Shao Bowen said, "See, I was right. The kindergarten would provide lunch, and this lunch is even better than what they're eating."

Shao Xiang didn't say anything, but his pupils revealed his disappointment.

After lunch, the parents could rest for a while. The kindergarten teachers then took the children to experience various aspects of rural life, such as chopping wood, picking fruit, farming in the fields, and animal husbandry...

These children were all pampered and had never seen such scenes, so they had a great time.

Chu Fang saw his son reading a book and patted him on the head: "Why aren't you going to experience it?"

"Haven't I experienced enough of this at home?" Chu Zhiye said nonchalantly.

Chu Fang: "..."

At home, Chu Fang tilled the land and planted vegetables. He had often mobilized his two children to help him, so for Chu Zhiye, these things weren't rare.

Chu Fang glanced over and saw Shao Bowen getting into his car, seemingly working.

He found a deck chair, lay down in the sun, and sunbathed.

The kindergarten teachers led a group of children to experience farm life, and Chu Jin stood out. She could name any crop, knew which month it would ripen, and knew what planting methods to use.

Shao Xiang couldn't help but say, "Chu Jin, how are you so amazing?"

"It's nothing," Chu Jin waved her hand, but there was an irrepressible smile on her face. "I often do these things with my dad."

"That's nice."

"Is it really nice?"

Shao Xiang's voice lowered: "My dad rarely plays with me. I'm always alone. I only started feeling happy after meeting you and Chu Zhiye. I'm very happy to know you. Can you be my friends?"

Shao Xiang was silent for a long time, not hearing a reply. He looked up, but Chu Jin had already run far away.

... ...

The sun set, and the sky was filled with red clouds.

The parent-child activity held by the kindergarten came to an end. Everyone packed their things to leave. Everything seemed to be going smoothly, but Chu Fang suddenly realized that the two children who had just been in front of him had disappeared.

"Where's my son? Where's my big daughter?"

He looked around, not seeing any trace of them. He went to Shao Bowen's car and asked, "Old brother, are my daughter and son with you?"

Shao Bowen shook his head: "No, I don't know where my son went either."

Seeing Shao Bowen's calm expression, he was speechless: "Aren't you worried?"

"I have work to do. I'll deal with it after I finish working," Shao Bowen said, lowering his head to continue working.

Chu Fang couldn't remain calm when Shao Bowen was so calm.

He hurriedly reported the news of the three missing children to the kindergarten teachers. Everyone searched around but couldn't find any trace of the children.

This immediately worried Chu Fang.

Many thoughts flashed through his mind. Could they have been kidnapped? Did someone kidnap them and want to extort money? Had the three children gotten lost, entered the mountains, and been eaten by wild animals... ...

He shook off those thoughts and anxiously searched for the children. Many parents and teachers also joined the search.

... ...

On a hilltop of a hill, Shao Xiang sat on the peak, hugging his knees and looking down below.

Chu Jin and Chu Zhiye sat beside him, looking at each other.

Chu Jin spoke: "Shao Xiang, why did you call us here?"

Shao Xiang was silent for a few seconds: "I don't want to live anymore. I want to jump off the cliff."

Chu Zhiye said quietly: "Jumping off a cliff isn't a good way to die. The process of death is extremely painful, with immense psychological pressure, and it's not that easy to die. It's said that you'll feel intense pain when you land, and you'll only die after a minute."

"Ah?" Shao Xiang was frightened and shrank back from the cliff, "Then I won't jump."

Chu Jin asked: "Why do you want to die all of a sudden? I want to live, I want to live for ten thousand years."

Chu Zhiye: "Only turtles can live that long."

"What's it to you?!" Chu Jin glared at her twin brother.