The Cannon Fodder Dad of Three Villainous Cubs - Chapter 22

Having many children in the house is a good thing it’s incredibly lively and full of energy. Ji Zhixiu endured and endured, herding them like little sheep to wash their hands before making them sit obediently at the dining table.

Life is rarely perfect; the little episode from earlier was treated as if it had never happened, and they still managed to have a wonderful evening.

Ji Zhixiu smiled and placed a piece of sweet and sour pork ribs into each of the three children’s bowls: “This is my signature dish. Try it and see if it’s good.”

After struggling for so long, Ji Zhixiu had given up on other dishes. This sweet and sour rib dish was the only one that could be presented; primarily because meat and bone are very sturdy, and no matter how much of a “culinary disaster” one makes, it’s unlikely to turn into a puree.

Ji Sichen stared at the ribs on his plate for a long time in a daze.

He hadn’t expected that all three of them would get a portion, and the sizes were almost exactly the same.

He stared blankly at Ji Zhixiu, unable to understand the meaning behind this gesture. Ji Zhixiu was confused by the intense scrutiny and smiled: “Eat up. What’s wrong? Do you not like sweet and sour?”

Ji Sichen lowered his head and began to chew very slowly.

Using his brain consumed a lot of energy, and he usually ate more than his peers. In the past, Ji Zhixiu would hint at his displeasure in every way possible, telling him not to waste the family’s food and money, so he had slowly developed the habit of only looking down at what was in his bowl never reaching out his chopsticks even if he were starving.

Ji Zhixiu only knew the general plot and character settings; he wasn’t familiar with the fine details of their past interactions. Seeing Ji Sichen only eat a few specific things, he tentatively placed other dishes in his bowl: “Don’t be a picky eater. These taste good, too. Try a bit, you might like them.”

Ji Sichen: Me? A picky eater?

Ji Zishen, sitting beside him, almost choked on his water.

If he’s a picky eater, then everyone is. Sichen has the biggest appetite for food I’ve ever seen.

Ji Zishen was a child with an old soul and mature thoughts; he vaguely sensed that something was wrong.

He was certain that Ji Zhixiu had changed a complete and total transformation from before, as if he were a different person entirely.

Just as he was about to ponder this, another piece of sweet and sour rib appeared in his bowl: “Zishen, you should eat more, too, so you can grow taller and stronger.”

Ji Zishen’s attention was diverted, his expression turning solemn.

He had also noticed that he was shorter and smaller compared to his peers, always having to stand in the front row whenever they lined up, which made his pride sting slightly.

He stopped overthinking and lowered his head to gorge himself. For a while, Ji Zhixiu could only see three furry heads buried deep into their bowls.

The “Qiuchiu Pig Farm” is officially open for business.jpg

Seeing his three “great sons” eating with such relish, Ji Zhixiu was in a great mood and ended up eating half a bowl of rice more than usual.

After dinner, he finished tidying up and walked out of the kitchen, looking at his three sons sitting in a row. Their expressions and postures were identical it was practically a “match-three” game.

He walked over with a smile and patted the somewhat reserved Ji Sichen: “The house is a bit small and we don’t have an extra room, so I’ve cleared out half the study for you to use. There’s a full wall of bookshelves in the middle so I won’t disturb you.”

Before this, Ji Zhixiu would never have done such a thing. Ji Sichen was already dazed, but when he saw the study, he was completely frozen on the spot.

Ji Zhixiu hadn’t looked down on his needs just because he was young, leaving the majority of the study to him with cabinets on all four walls, making it easier for him to store and find his books.

“This… is for me?”

Not seeing the look of satisfaction he expected on Ji Sichen’s face, Ji Zhixiu said a bit nervously: “If you don’t think it’s suitable, we can adjust it. Just tell me what you need and I’ll buy it for you.”

Ji Sichen looked up, staring blankly at him, and struggled to utter a single word: “Good.”

Ji Zhixiu suddenly remembered something and said firmly: “But no computer.”

Ji Sichen didn’t think much of it, it would be strange for any parent to let a child play on the computer.

He paused and said stiffly: “Thank you, Daddy.”

Ji Zhixiu smiled and patted his head.

As the night deepened, it was soon time for bed. Ji Zhixiu watched his two sons return obediently to their rooms before turning back to his bedroom with the little meatball in his arms.

“Daddy, I want to read the fairy tale book for a while before I sleep.” Ji Yanyan was still fixated on the book his brother had bought him.

“Sure.” Ji Zhixiu smiled and nodded.

Ji Yanyan wiggled beside him like a little worm, his soft cheek pressed against his arm: “Daddy, are you very happy tonight?”

“Your brother is back, of course I’m happy.”

He didn’t tell the whole truth.

This was his first time meeting his second son. They had gotten along quite well, and with such a good start, things would be much smoother. He believed that before long, he would be able to guide his second son back to the right path as well.

Although he was very optimistic and full of confidence, he hadn’t forgotten another hidden danger.

His second son’s setup was very classic: in addition to being a genius child, he had another identity that was quite troublesome.

But Ji Zhixiu wasn’t worried. After a yawn, he drifted peacefully into dreamland.

As if the entire world had fallen into a deep sleep, it was incredibly quiet. The door to the bedroom opened a tiny crack from the inside out. Ji Sichen, who should have been asleep, stood at the door fully dressed. His eyes were calm, scanning the surroundings like a patient hunter. Only after confirming it was safe did he step out with light footsteps.

He had spent the entire day acting like a well-behaved child, but at night, it was time to do what he wanted.

He had many ideas in his mind and couldn’t wait to turn them into reality. He quickened his pace toward the study.

The curtains in the study were half-drawn, so visibility was much lower than outside. But Ji Sichen had excellent vision, and after scanning the room once, he accurately locked onto his target, his eyes brightening with excitement.

He was just about to dash over when he felt a sudden weight on his shoulder, the resistance increasing.

If Ji Zhixiu had been in this situation, he would have screamed in terror, but Ji Sichen managed to hold it in. He suppressed his pounding heart and turned to look at the person who had suddenly appeared behind him.

Ji Zishen was wearing the bear-themed pajamas Ji Zhixiu had just bought him. His face looked exceptionally adorable, but his eyes were calm and steady, with not a trace of sleepiness.

“Why are you here?” they asked in unison.

They fell into silence at the same time, standing in a silent confrontation for a long while.

Ji Sichen frowned and lost the standoff first: “Why are you stopping me? You never used to be a busybody.”

Ji Zishen glanced at the bedroom and lowered his voice: “I don’t want to care about you either, but doing this will cause trouble.”

Ji Sichen couldn’t understand his intentions: “Bring trouble to whom?”

Although he didn’t want to admit it in his heart, Ji Zishen said: “Daddy. We aren’t his biological sons. If we want to stay in this house, we have to be well-behaved.”

Ji Sichen didn’t believe his nonsense: “Whatever trouble he has is none of our business. Why do you care about him so much? And what do you mean when you say he’s changed?”

“You won’t believe whatever I say. You’ll have to experience it yourself.” Ji Zishen looked at him as if looking at his former self.

He had previously incited Ji Yanyan to sneak out to find a stepfather, which almost led to a huge disaster. Even though he wasn’t punished, he had always harbored guilt and a sliver of longing.

Whether they were children or adults, everyone wanted a home.

Ji Sichen’s expression became extremely bizarre as he stared at Ji Zishen: “Have you gone crazy, too? What happened while I was away? Is this a disease? Is it contagious? Scientists might be madmen, but I don’t want to go crazy early.”

Ji Zishen had expected that he wouldn’t be able to talk sense into him, so he said firmly: “Anyway, as long as I’m here, I won’t let you mess with the computer.”

Ji Sichen was annoyed and glared at him: “You really think of yourself as my actual brother, trying to manage me? Don’t forget that only two people in this house are related by blood we are all outsiders!”

Ji Zishen just stared at him silently, blocking him with his body.

Ji Sichen had originally thought that Ji Zishen was the only one in this house he could communicate with; he hadn’t expected that he had only been away for a month, and Ji Zishen would have already betrayed him.

He walked over angrily, bumped Ji Zishen aside with his shoulder, and marched forward regardless.

Ji Zishen couldn’t stop him, but the computer password was another matter!

No matter how complex the password was, in front of him, it was like a newspaper—vulnerable at the slightest touch.

He was arrogant enough to believe that as long as he could touch the computer…

His extended hand froze in mid-air; his fingers felt as if they had hit an invisible wall, unable to move forward another inch.

??? Is there something dirty?!

The dark clouds blocking the moon gradually scattered. The bright moonlight spilled through the window and into the room, leaving a trail of transparent light that illuminated the transparent object.

Ji Zhixiu knew that a computer password wouldn’t stop his son, so he had chosen the simplest and most unadorned method: he bought an acrylic box and locked the computer inside firm and secure.

Ji Sichen: “…” Ji Zishen: “…”

Ji Zishen’s mouth twitched twice as he looked at the stunned Ji Sichen, but in the end, he said nothing and turned back to sleep with peace of mind. Ji Sichen remained frozen on the spot, looking in disbelief at the acrylic box.

How did Ji Zhixiu know I would use the computer secretly? Or perhaps this acrylic box was bought a long time ago and wasn’t intended to stop me.

He still wouldn’t give up. He studied the iron lock for a long time, but couldn’t shake it in the slightest. The computer was right in front of him, but he couldn’t get to it, leaving him both annoyed and frustrated.

Just as he was trying to think of other ways, he suddenly saw a white piece of paper placed next to the acrylic box.

[Regardless of who you are, here is a word for you: The first word of an English vocabulary book.]

For any other six-year-old child, let alone recognizing the twenty-six letters, they wouldn’t even be able to understand the question, but Ji Sichen was an exception.

The word appeared in his mind instantly.

Abandon.