Chapter 7: Yes, They’re All My Kids

The way he handed it over was so natural, as if doing the most ordinary thing in the world, yet it set off waves of shock in the brothers’ hearts.

Was the man in front of them truly the same person who found joy in torturing them?

Since when did he ever put them first?

What kind of scheme was he cooking up to act so completely out of character?

“What are you all staring at me for? I don’t have words written on my face.

I didn’t know what kind of noodles you like, so I left the choice to you.

“Hurry up and choose. If you aren’t hungry, I am!” Chen Liyang held Zhou Wanning tightly, his eyes naturally straying back to the menu to see what was available.

He weighed his options: numbing-spicy, chopped chili, or tomato…

He was terribly indecisive, and everything looked delicious.

But remembering his embarrassingly empty pockets, he decided he had better stick strictly to one option!

Zhou Chengdong caught the conflicted look on Chen Liyang’s face and could tell that he really was hungry…

But in the past, no matter how hungry Chen Liyang got, he would never take them out to eat. He would only hoard food for himself.

Sometimes in the middle of the night, when Zhou Chengdong got up to use the bathroom, he would catch Chen Liyang hiding in his room, secretly eating late-night snacks.

Today’s Chen Liyang was a complete mystery. What had gotten into him…?

“Big Brother, I… I want the tomato beef noodles. Can… can I?” Zhou Chengbei asked timidly.

He truly couldn’t resist the temptation of good food. It had been far too long since he had eaten a full meal.

Even if this was a treacherous Hongmen banquet^[1], he was resigned to it.

Even if he had to die, at least he would die on a full stomach…

Inside the shop, the savory aroma of beef noodles wafted through the air, constantly tempting their taste buds. Even the third brother couldn’t help swallowing hard.

Hearing his younger brother’s voice, Zhou Chengdong finally spoke, his tone laced with uncertainty. “Are you really buying us noodles?”

It wasn’t their fault for being so cautious even after entering the shop; Chen Liyang was simply acting far too out of character.

He even suspected that Chen Liyang might just be pretending to buy them noodles, only to ditch the bill later and leave them behind to face the beatings and humiliation.

“You’re my kids. Isn’t it my job as a father to keep you fed?

“Number Four wants tomato beef noodles, which happens to be my favorite too. How about the rest of you?” Chen Liyang asked, looking at them with a candid gaze and a serious expression.

Under Chen Liyang’s gaze, the boys subconsciously nodded. As long as they got to eat, they weren’t picky.

Finally, Chen Liyang turned his gaze back to the little girl sitting on his lap, smiling gently as he asked, “Wanning, how about we get tomato beef noodles too?”

He knew the girl wouldn’t give any response, but he knew she could hear him and understand him.

It was just that the trauma in her heart had robbed her of her ability to speak.

But the more she was like this, the more he needed to interact with her and help her slowly open her heart.

Psychological trauma like Zhou Wanning’s couldn’t be cured by medication alone. As the saying goes, whoever tied the bell must untie it, and he was the one who had tied it in the first place.

“Since you’re not saying anything, Daddy will take that as a yes!” Without a trace of impatience, Chen Liyang dotingly patted Zhou Wanning’s head, then turned to the shopkeeper.

“We’ll take six bowls of tomato beef noodles, each with a marinated egg. Make sure they’re not spicy, please; my kids can’t handle much spice.”

His order made the shopkeeper freeze. “These… these are all your kids?”

Truth be told, if the customer hadn’t spoken up, the owner would have mistaken him for a human trafficker.

The guy was covered in bruises, had bleached yellow hair, and was trailing several malnourished children who seemed completely distant from him. No matter how you looked at him, he didn’t look like a good person.

Who could have guessed that the moment he opened his mouth, he would show such gentle warmth, clearly revealing himself to be a mild-mannered man?

Still, the guy didn’t even look thirty. Could he really have fathered so many kids, and kids this old?

He remained a bit skeptical.

Chen Liyang nodded with a smile. “Yes, they’re all mine. Boss, please get the noodles going, we’re starving!”

Seeing that the children didn’t deny it, the owner didn’t pry any further. Promising their food would be ready shortly, he headed off to the kitchen.

Seeing the four boys sitting bolt upright with solemn expressions, Chen Liyang found it somewhat amusing. “Relax, everyone. We’re paying customers, not here to rob the place.”

His lighthearted tone helped them relax a little despite themselves.

But if anyone looked closely, they could still see Number Four’s hands trembling slightly.

Ever since his mother went abroad, he hadn’t eaten a single full meal, let alone eaten out.

As a result, eating in an unfamiliar environment made him feel anxious and on edge.

Looking at this man who seemed like an entirely different person, Zhou Chengdong had so many questions and so much he wanted to say, but the words stuck in his throat before he could utter a sound.

Chen Liyang had no experience dealing with children. He was an only child and had never been close with his relatives’ kids either.

Whenever guests came over, he would just say a brief greeting and lock himself in his bedroom to avoid being bothered by unruly children.

Who could have guessed that after transmigrating into a book, he would end up as a stepfather to five kids?

If he had known this would happen, he would have tried harder to get along with his relatives’ kids.

Then he wouldn’t be stuck now, completely unable to find a topic of common interest to bring up with these children.

The atmosphere grew a bit awkward as a result, but fortunately, the noodles arrived before long.

Piping-hot bowls of tomato beef noodles topped with chopped scallions looked incredibly appetizing just from the sight alone.

The children stared at the noodles on the table, secretly swallowing hard, yet none of them made a move to pick up their chopsticks.

Seeing how desperate they were to eat while still refraining from picking up their chopsticks, Chen Liyang asked in confusion, “Go ahead and eat. Why aren’t you eating?”

“Didn’t you say that we’re not allowed to eat until you pick up your chopsticks first?” Zhou Chengdong asked.

Hearing that, Chen Liyang finally remembered the rules the original owner of the body had set in the past.

Back then, because the third brother was too hungry, he had started eating before him.

As a result, the man had beaten him until his flesh was raw and torn. From then on, a new rule was set in the household: whenever he ate at home, they could only touch their chopsticks after he had taken his first bite.

Otherwise, he would beat them every single time they tried.

At the thought of this, Chen Liyang’s lips twitched. The original owner of this body really lacked skill, yet had no shortage of rules.

“What’s in the past is in the past. Starting today, our family doesn’t have so many rules at mealtime. If you’re hungry, just eat! Hurry up and eat, or the noodles will get cold and won’t taste good.”

The kids looked at one another, unsure whether to believe his nonsense.

Chen Liyang felt helpless. These kids didn’t trust him in the slightest. Why wouldn’t they believe him when he was actually telling the truth?

So, he picked up his chopsticks and took a token bite. “Now, can you eat?”

Only then did the four of them pick up their chopsticks and dig in with their heads down.

No matter what scheme Chen Liyang was plotting, they would fill their stomachs first.