As autumn’s crimson maples withered and winter’s chill crept in, Pengcheng’s fleeting fall drew to a close.

After concluding annual meetings and setting next year’s goals, Mei Fang bid temporary farewell to office life, gathering his wives to discuss Lunar New Year plans in their hometown of Baimei County.

“We haven’t visited since our wedding—it’s not right always making our parents come to us. How about celebrating New Year back home this time?”

Xia Yuan immediately raised both hands: “Yes! I miss hometown snacks so much! Perfect, just perfect!”

“Pewfect!”

Little Yuanbao mimicked her mother’s pose, hands on hips. “What’s pewfect?”

“It means… we’re going on a winter trip.”

“Whewe?”

“Where Mommy and Daddy grew up.”

Mei Fang crouched to stroke her cheeks. Xiaoyuan frowned thoughtfully:

“Is… is it far?”

“Quite far—”

“Den… no gwo!”

She shook her head emphatically. “No! No gwo!”

“Why not?”

Xiaoyuan stammered with grave seriousness:

“Cuz… Yuan Mama iz… iz… nan!”

“Nan what?”

“Nan!“

“Lazy?”

She nodded vigorously. “Walks… few steps… tired alweady!”

“PFFT—HAHAHA!“

Mei Fang’s uproarious laughter earned him a headlock from Xia Yuan.

“Bad enough being mocked by my daughter—you too?!”

As she “disciplined” her husband, Xiaoxixi—still half-dressed—wriggled free from Lin Youxi’s arms and lunged protectively at Mei Fang.

“Xiaoxixi… are you defending Baba?”

Xia Yuan patted her head. “We’re just playing! Grown-up love, understand?”

Xiaoxixi blinked blankly before tugging Mei Fang’s collar:

“Baba.“

“Yes?”

“Up… pease.“

Though newly verbal, her ‘acting spoiled’ skills were masterful—stretching tiny arms that barely reached his chest, tiptoeing desperately to emulate Xia Yuan’s neck-hug.

Mei Fang’s defenses crumbled instantly. He scooped her up, fulfilling her wish as she molded herself to his shoulder like a living accessory.

“Me! Me too!“

Xiaoyuan bounced eagerly. When Mei Fang reached for her, she dodged:

“Heaw! Sit heaw!“

Pointing to his other shoulder.

Xia Yuan reluctantly hoisted her up.

“Steady there… Xiaoyuan?”

“Steady!”

She clung to Mei Fang’s head, smooshing his cheeks before wiping off imaginary drool.

“Baba!“

“Yes?”

“Wuv oo!”

A sloppy kiss landed on his face.

“Love you more!”

He reciprocated with woodpecker-like pecks, prompting Xiaoxixi to emerge shyly for her own delicate mua before burying her face again.

“Ugh… how many past-life girlfriends did you raise? Their skills eclipse mine!”

Lin Youxi suddenly snorted. When Xia Yuan glared, she pretended to study Xiaoyuan instead:

“At our hometown, you’ll meet grandparents—”

“Gwanpa? Nainai?”

“Baba’s parents. Like how I’m your mama.”

Xiaoyuan tilted her head. “Baba’s mama… not Youxi Mama?”

The adults flushed. Xia Yuan hastily clarified:

“Remember? They visited for your birthday! Video calls every week—”

“Oh! Ohhh!“

Her eyes sparkled with faux recognition.

“And there’ll be snow!”

“Now?”

Xia Yuan gestured wildly. “White! Cold! Like… like—”

“Nownow!“

Xiaoyuan yanked Mei Fang’s hair in excitement, enduring the pain silently until Xia Yuan intervened:

“Down now! You’re hurting Baba!”

“No down!”

Her rebellion culminated in another cheek attack:

“Wuv Baba!”

“Wuv you!”

“Yay!”

Her victorious pose melted everyone’s hearts.

——

With forecasts predicting Baimei’s coldest winter in decades, preparations intensified for the subtropical-born babies.

Xia Yuan stocked up on adorable animal onesies while Mei Fang assembled winter survival kits.

Postpartum Lin Youxi’s constitution had weakened further, earning extra vigilance—

Scarf, gloves, hat, earmuffs applied like armor before departure.

“Overkill… the car has heating.”

“Rest stops don’t. My Youxi-bao mustn’t catch cold…”

As he adjusted her ensemble, warmth suddenly encircled his own neck—

“My Fang-bao too… Hand-knitted by me.”

“It’s finished?!”

“You knew?! Did Youxi spoil the surprise?”

Lin Youxi smirked. “You announced it live. Did you truly think your husband doesn’t watch your streams?”

“GAHHH! I thought year-end work kept him too busy—”

“Nothing stops me from watching Yuan-bao!”

He pinched her cheeks with a resounding smack—

Just as Xiaoyuan piped up:

“Baba… ‘zao wo’?“

“‘Call you’?”

“Mm! Call me?”

“Not calling you—Yuan Mama is also Yuan-bao.”

He lifted the curious toddler. “But Yuan Mama is Big Yuanbao.”

“Yuan Mama… BIG! Yuanbao.”

“Exactly! BIG! Yuanbao!”

Xiaoyuan babbled happily, blowing spit bubbles as Mei Fang declared:

“Time to journey home!”

“Go!”

“Woo!“

Big and Little Yuanbao cheered in unison.

Meanwhile, Xiaoxixi—lifted from her stroller by Lin Youxi—attempted a half-hearted fist pump before aborting mission upon noticing parental attention, opting instead for a poorly feigned yawn.

Disaster averted.