After breakfast.
Ye Chen and Su Ningwei took the three babies to the glass greenhouse to bask in the sun.
Warm sunlight streamed down, making the greenhouse wonderfully cozy.
A faint fragrance of greenery and flowers filled the garden.
Ye Chen had added two bamboo rocking loveseats to the greenhouse so he and Su Ningwei could lie back together while they took the babies out to enjoy the sun.
They sat in the rocking chairs.
They chatted together;
watched the clouds drift by;
watched the flowers bloom and fade;
watched their children grow up;
and slowly grew old together.
It was the simplest, most romantic thing in the world.
Fluffy cushions covered the bamboo rocking loveseats.
"This little garden is lovely, and those rocking chairs look so comfortable." Su Ningwei fell in love with them at first sight.
Happily settling into one of the bamboo rocking loveseats, Su Ningwei closed her eyes in bliss. "This is so comfortable. A-Chen, you really know how to enjoy life. Being with you makes me feel so happy."
"As long as you like it," Ye Chen replied with a smile.
Ye Chen shielded the three babies' eyes, leaving only their little legs and feet exposed to the sun.
When sunning babies, you had to turn them over so they got an even tan, which helped prevent jaundice and calcium deficiency.
Their little feet were only about the size of an egg. Their skin was delicate and flushed, but they were surprisingly strong.
They kicked about energetically.
They even babbled away.
They were adorable.
Once their fronts had gotten enough sun, he turned them over to sun their backs.
The sunlight was gentle.
Su Ningwei and the three babies were all so comfortable they were getting drowsy.
Looking at Su Ningwei and the babies, Ye Chen felt completely content.
[ Ding! Congratulations on completing the hidden task: "The simplest, most romantic thing"—spending time in the sun with your wife and children.]
[Congratulations! You have unlocked the Instrument Mastery skill. From now on, you will be proficient at playing, singing, and performing on all kinds of instruments.]
[The lyrics and sheet music for Earth Star's Zhang Xuan's "Baby" and Earth Star's King of Songs Eason Chan's "Lonely Warrior" have been unlocked.]
Happiness had come so suddenly.
He had unlocked two songs at once.
Had Eason Chan's "Lonely Warrior"—the song that had swept through elementary schools across the country and been sung like a nursery rhyme—really been unlocked too?
It was a divine hit that was hugely popular among children.
There was even a saying on Earth Star about it.
"Lonely Warrior" was so widespread among elementary school students that you only had to sing the first line to "secretly signal" them, and they would instantly sing along.
One netizen had set out to test whether this was true. On a dark, windy night, he went out and ran into a child whose parents had taken him for a walk. As they drew closer, the netizen suddenly sang the chorus. The child immediately caught on, let go of his parent's hand, and turned around to join in.
It was an electrifying scene, as though some mysterious power had filled the screen.
There was no way a song like that could fail to become popular.
Ye Chen was thrilled.
He loved this song too.
The skills for all kinds of instruments flowed into his mind.
It seemed the system's rewards were closely tied to his wife and children.
Sure enough, when the family was happy, everything went well. Men who cherished their wives and children were bound to have good luck.
Ye Chen felt a surge of delight.
With his family's limited means, he had only taught himself to play the guitar.
And he was just average at it.
But now, he could play and sing anything.
This was practically paving the way for his singing career.
Zhang Xuan's "Baby" was a lovely song too, perfect for humming to lull the babies to sleep.
As expected of the Perfect Life System. It was amazing!
(๑•̀ㅂ•́)و✧
One word: awesome!
Two words: really awesome!
Three words: unbelievably awesome!
He had to make time that afternoon to put his new skills to the test.
He wanted to see if he really was as proficient as the system claimed.
Just then, Su Ningwei's phone suddenly rang.
Su Ningwei opened her eyes and glanced at her phone. It was Ke An calling.
"Sister An," Su Ningwei said with a smile as she answered.
Ke An spoke from the other end. "Weiwei, are you feeling better? I've been swamped these past couple of days. Once things settle down, I'll come visit you. I heard Ye Chen is a low-key tycoon. Are you two planning to make it official?"
"Yes. I'm planning to get my marriage certificate with Ye Chen once I'm out of confinement. Then we'll take some beautiful photos to announce it." Su Ningwei's face glowed with happiness.
"Sounds good. A few days ago, someone took a picture of you leaving the hospital and posted it online. I've already bought all the copies, though. You were both wearing masks, and it's all just speculation, so it shouldn't cause much of a stir. Just focus on your recovery."
"Thanks, Sister An. How much did it cost? I'll transfer the money to you."
"No need, you little rascal. Just make sure you make a good comeback and sing your heart out. And next time, don't just decide to have a baby without warning. You have no idea how badly the clients chewed me out."
"No more babies, no more. I'm already more than content with three. Sorry, Sister An, for putting you through so much."
"What are you apologizing for? I'm just venting. Don't take it to heart. Thanks to you, I've become a top agent. I'm counting on you and your husband to keep taking me along for the ride. Focus on the babies. I'll handle everything else, so don't worry."
"Mm, okay."
After Su Ningwei hung up, Ye Chen asked with concern, "What's wrong?"
"It's nothing. Someone took a picture of me leaving the hospital and posted it online, but Sister An has already taken care of it." Su Ningwei smiled as she replied.
Ye Chen reached out and gently stroked the crown of her head. "I'm sorry you had to leave the music scene when you were at the height of your fame."
"I don't regret it. I chose to do it. Having you and our three babies is worth more than anything. Besides, who says I was at the height of my fame? The real peak will come when we debut together." Su Ningwei replied with a smile.
Ye Chen asked, a little puzzled, "We're debuting together?"
"Of course. You studied singing too. Sister An wants to sign you with Star Shine Media and pair us up as a couple for our debut. Would you be willing?"
"Mm. It would be an honor to be paired with you." Ye Chen nodded.
Star Shine Media was a major company with good resources and a solid reputation. It had nurtured plenty of talented artists.
"Good. Sister An has already asked top songwriter Jin Qu to help us write a duet love song. If people online say anything unpleasant, don't take it to heart. I believe your talent will win the listeners over."
"Don't worry, I'm not that fragile. If they talk badly about me, it'll only be because they're jealous I married you." Ye Chen replied with a smile.
Ye Chen was prepared for it. Su Ningwei had made a name for herself years ago, so if he debuted as her partner, there would surely be plenty of people questioning him.
He would have to find a way to let everyone see what he could do ahead of time.
"I think so too." Hearing him say that, Su Ningwei felt reassured.
People feared fame, just as pigs feared growing fat.
Fame and fortune were double-edged swords.
Online abuse could be terrifying. Someone who wasn't strong enough to handle the pressure might not be able to take it.
But Su Ningwei would do everything she could to protect Ye Chen. Anyone who dared attack him would have to answer to her.