Over there, while Han Yue, Han Shuang, and other maids went to find the younger brother, Yao'er secretly ran from the spiral staircase to the main hall of the Political Hall. If Xia Chuan hadn't sent a message in time, it would have taken a while to find her."

"Hahaha..."

Xia Hong could imagine the chaotic scene at the Star-picking Hall just by listening and couldn't help but burst into laughter.

Seeing Xia Hong laughing carelessly, Li Xuanling rolled her eyes at him.

Over the past four years, although Xia Hong mainly focused his energy on cultivation, he spent a lot of time with his family, especially his pair of children. Perhaps because Li Xuanling, as their mother, was too strict, both of them seemed a bit scared, so they often came to the Star-picking Platform to bother him.

"I'll go check on the two little ones..."

Xia Hong said this and headed straight to the back of the residence.

"Going to play the good guy again, while I, as the mother, am the one who does all the bad things!"

Li Xuanling guessed what he was going to do and rolled her eyes at him, but from Xia Hong's eager steps, she felt his deep love for the two children. Her eyes softened and she slowly followed him.

The residence at the rear of the Star-picking Hall, in Li Xuanling's room.

Xia Yuyao and Xia Yusheng, the siblings, were sitting on chairs. In front of them was a small table made of pale golden wood, with a book placed on it, titled "Xia Li."

The attention of both was clearly not on the book.

Xia Yusheng was laying on the table, fast asleep, nearly drooling; Xia Yuyao's mouth was pouting high, eyes brimming with tears, seemingly having thoughts of her own, occasionally pursing her lips, as if about to burst into tears.

"Greetings, Lord!"

Suddenly, Han Shuang's voice came from outside the room.

Upon hearing this, Xia Yuyao immediately raised her head, and quickly realizing something, she hurriedly used her small fist to cover her eyes and started crying.

"Wooo wooo wooo..."

"What's wrong, who dared make my little Ah Yao angry, how bold!"

Xia Hong had already dismissed Han Shuang and the others, stepped into the room, and upon seeing Xia Yuyao pretending to cry, he hurriedly went forward to pick her up, playing along with an angry expression, and asked who dared to bully her.

"Mother said I must never leave the room again. Dad, Yao'er doesn't want to be locked up here, can you talk to Mother and ask her not to lock Ah Yao up, alright?"

"Dad, you're back!"

Xia Yusheng also woke up. He didn't have as many thoughts as Xia Yuyao did. Rubbing his eyes, he realized his father was back, and immediately exclaimed joyfully, then pounced from the chair like a lively calf, and charged into Xia Hong's arms.

Bang...

"Goodness, nearly eight thousand pounds now."

Xia Hong held his little son, sighing slightly in his heart, and lifted him up in his arms.

Once lifted, and seeing his sister giving him a signal, Xia Yusheng was momentarily confused but quickly responded and pleaded with Xia Hong:

"Yes, Dad, tell Mother not to shut us in, we promise to behave and only play at the Star-picking Hall and Political Hall from now on."

"You've been quite bold today, I'm hesitant to talk to your mother."

Facing their requests, Xia Hong pretended to show a difficult expression. After a moment of thoughtful pause, he then looked up seriously:

"Unless both of you give Dad a kiss, then Dad can..."

Smooch...

Neither of them hesitated for a second, simultaneously planted a kiss on Xia Hong's face.

"Hahaha, alright alright, I'll talk to your mother later and guarantee she won't lock you up."

The rare familial joy instantly relaxed Xia Hong's mood, he waved his hand agreeing to their requests.

With the deal struck, the two little ones were overjoyed, hugging their father's neck and delivering two more smooches.

"Alright then, get down, as soon as you're back, they become so unruly!"

Li Xuanling's stern voice arrived, and the two little ones immediately shrank like mice encountering a cat, quickly descended from Xia Hong's embrace and sat back down on the chair, hands crossed over the chest, body straightened upright, their posture made Xia Hong's mind pop up the words 'model student,' making him laugh again.

But seeing Li Xuanling's serious expression, Xia Hong still withdrew his laughter, pretended to be stern towards them: "You were really bold today, running outside in broad daylight indeed deserves punishment. Let me ask you both, do you dare to do it again?"

"Yao'er doesn't dare!"

"Sheng'er promises never again."

The two little ones evidently realized something, hurriedly replied, but immediately after, both couldn't resist taking a sneak peek at Xia Hong.

Xia Yuyao even winked at Xia Hong, the corner of her mouth unable to suppress the smile.

Their small antics obviously couldn't escape Li Xuanling's sight.

This was why she just remarked that Xia Hong was here to play the good guy again.

Every time the two children got into trouble, it was always her who stepped in to discipline them, and then Xia Hong would come to comfort them, even plead on their behalf, letting her as the villain take back the punishment, such father-child dynamics had almost become routine.

"Xuanling, the kids have admitted their mistake, I think we can spare the punishment this time. Anyway, nothing major happened, locking them up would really stifle them."

Listening to Xia Hong starting to plead for them, the two little ones immediately perked up their ears, necks craning, just waiting for their mother's response.

Li Xuanling shook her head helplessly, seeing their eager demeanor, she couldn't help but smile, but still said somewhat sternly: "Let's hope they truly mean it. This time I'll let it go, but I'm confiscating this Black Feather Cover, from now on you can forget about running outside during the day."

"Thank you, Mother, Yao'er sincerely admits her mistake and won't repeat it."

"Sheng'er is the same, won't run around ever again."

Receiving such a decision, the two little ones were evidently very satisfied, they promptly expressed their sincere regrets to their mother.

"Come here, what are you looking at, let Dad teach you."

With this matter now behind them, Xia Hong moved forward again to pick them up, looking at the book titled "Xia Li" on the desk, flipping through it together with them.

This Xia Li was indeed compiled under Xia Hong's lead, so he knew the content inside out. Whatever the two little ones asked, he could answer thoroughly, and within ten minutes not only managed to pique their interest but also earned two pairs of exceedingly admiring glances.

Li Xuanling sat beside, quietly observing the father and children, her face was all smiles full of satisfaction and happiness.

Xia Hong suddenly remembered something and asked Li Xuanling nearby.

"By the way, I'm heading to Long Mountain the day after tomorrow, would you like to go back and have a look?"

Li Xuanling was taken aback by the sound, but quickly nodded.

Having been in Great Xia for nearly five years, she did indeed miss Long Mountain.

Though Long Mountain is part of Great Xia's territory now, it's a hundred kilometers away after all, right now with two children, Li Xuanling can't easily travel out.

Given a chance to go back and see, naturally she wanted to go.

Moreover, she knew that Xia Hong was going to handle the Silver Mine issue this time, and likely face a Beast Tide, she'd also be able to assist.

"Mom, Ah Yao wants to go too."

"I remember Grandpa said Long Mountain is Mom and Grandpa's old home, right? Sheng'er wants to go see as well, Mom, take me too, please?"

The two little ones unexpectedly chimed in, making Xia Hong and Li Xuanling startled, then without thinking, both shook their heads.

Just four years old, there's no way they could be taken to a place that far.

Besides, this time was about confronting the Beast Tide, not some leisure trip.

But upon the shake of heads, Xia Hong immediately faced two pumping nods.

"No, I want to go, I want to go, I want to go."

"I also want to go, I also want to go."

The two little ones actually started throwing a tantrum.

And they began doing so in front of Li Xuanling.

"Do you want to be punished again?"

Upon hearing this, the two became clearly fearful, yet Xia Yuyao signaled her brother, and they barely worked up the nerve to continue whining.

Li Xuanling was genuinely a bit annoyed, and she immediately stood up.

The two little ones shrank visibly, though they continued crying, their gaze began wandering, clearly contemplating giving in.

"You both really want to go out that badly?"

This was the first time seeing the two little ones so determined, Xia Hong was intrigued, he gave Li Xuanling a gentle tug, signaling her not to react hastily, then quietly asked the two little ones.

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