“Alright then.” Only then did Little Bei let Shao Qihai off. She turned around. “Mommy and I won’t go, but we’ve already bought the tickets. It’d be a pity to waste them. Daddy, you guys should go.”

  Since Mu Jingzhe wasn’t going, Shao Qihai didn’t really want to go. However, Shao Xi, Shao Dong, and Xiao Wu had never seen it before. “Then let’s go together, Daddy.”

  “There’s another ticket. Teacher Ji, come with us.” Xiao Wu even tried to pull Ji Buwang over.

  Ji Buwang and Shao Qihai said in unison, “No.” The resistance on their faces was identical.

  He wanted to watch it with Mu Jingzhe, not Ji Buwang.

  “Teacher Ji, go if you haven’t seen it before.” Xiao Wu liked Ji Buwang very much. He could tell that Ji Buwang and Shao Qihai were always at odds, so he wanted to ease their relationship. He held each of their hands in one of his. “Daddy, let Teacher Ji go.”

  If they watched a movie together, their relationship might improve. Xiao Wu shook Shao Qihai’s hand. When Shao Qihai softened his attitude, he moved to hold Ji Buwang’s hand.

  “Teacher Ji, come with us. I want to go with you.”

  Xiao Wu wheedled, but Ji Buwang and Shao Qihai couldn’t refuse in the end. Thus, the movie-going team included Ji Buwang and Shao Qihai, who brought Shao Dong, Shao Xi, and Xiao Wu along.

  As they were pulled to the cinema by Xiao Wu, Shao Qihai and Ji Buwang looked at each other speechlessly.

  Mu Jingzhe and Little Bei were left alone. The mother-and-daughter duo went shopping. This was a rare break, and it was cool after the rain, so it was a good time to shop.

  The mother-and-daughter duo bought a lot of clothes, shoes, and accessories together. They then returned victorious later than Shao Qihai and the others.

  Shao Qihai: “…”

  While watching the movie, he had thought that since he had never shopped with Mu Jingzhe, he would find an opportunity to go with her.

  Ji Buwang, who stuck around in the rental house, waiting to see Mu Jingzhe, was speechless.

  “…”

  \r \r \r

  She had been watching movies, eating, and shopping with the children. What should he do?

  Both Shao Qihai and Ji Buwang held their breath, wanting to be the first to gain Mu Jingzhe’s favor. However, when they took action, they realized that it didn’t seem to work. Everything they’d thought of had been snatched away by the children.

  For the next two days, Shao Qihai and Ji Buwang kept competing, but they seemed to be forever one step behind, unable to compare to the children.

  Shao Qihai and Ji Buwang treated each other as an opponent, but after a few times of this happening, they realized that their opponent wasn’t just the other party. The biggest opponents were actually the children.

  When other boys wooed girls, they would give them flowers and play the guitar. However, although they wanted to do these things, Xiao Wu had already beaten them to it.

  Shao Qihai and Ji Buwang both bought flowers at the same time, but Xiao Wu always bought some before them.

  When Xiao Wu came to Ocean City, he would see new flowers that he had never seen before. Hence, he would buy a bouquet for Mu Jingzhe every day. Mu Jingzhe’s room and studio were filled with the fragrance of flowers, and there were even several vases.

  Xiao Wu would play music for Mu Jingzhe when he had nothing to do. There was no room for the two men to perform.

  More importantly, Shao Qihai and Ji Buwang realized that the five kids were already looking at cars, and they were saying that they had been thinking of gifting one to Mu Jingzhe for a long time.

  They felt that as long as they bought a car, Mu Jingzhe would work hard to get her driver’s license.

  The kids were even going to buy her a car, so what was left for the two men to do? Shao Qihai and Ji Buwang realized in despair that there was no purpose they could serve when it came to Mu Jingzhe.

  Ji Buwang looked at Shao Qihai’s helpless expression and then at the five kids. For the first time, he realized that perhaps Shao Qihai wasn’t his only love rival. Shao Qihai could even be pushed to the back. He didn’t have to be so vigilant around Shao Qihai.

  Rather than being wary of Shao Qihai, he might as well be wary of the children. The children were their greatest love rivals and enemies.

  After realizing this, Ji Buwang focused on observing the four children. The more he looked at them, the more shocked he became.

  Other than Shao Nan, who hadn’t come along, Shao Dong, Shao Xi, Little Bei, and Xiao Wu all had different personalities. The way they treated Mu Jingzhe was completely different, but without a doubt, they were all very touching.

  Some of the nice ways they treated Mu Jingzhe they’d learned by watching others, while others were completely spontaneous. This was really terrifying.

  They were five additional love rivals who had entered Mu Jingzhe’s heart. Compared to them, Shao Qihai was nothing.

  Even Ji Buwang had discovered this problem. Shao Qihai had been living with Mu Jingzhe and the kids for a period of time, so he naturally realized it faster.

  The tense atmosphere between the two of them instantly lessened, but when Ji Buwang came, he always liked to stare at the children. The kids noticed it.

  “Mom, Teacher Ji has been staring at us for the past two days. His gaze is strange.”

  “Yes, he looked at me too. He even asked strange questions.”

  Actually, Mu Jingzhe could sense it too. “I see. I’ll ask him next time.”

  That very day, Ji Buwang came over. Mu Jingzhe quickly told him, “Ji Buwang, Little Dong and the rest are saying that you’ve been looking at them for the past two days. You even wanted to say something but stopped. You also asked some strange questions. What’s the matter?”

  Ji Buwang’s expression became even more complicated when he heard Mu Jingzhe’s words. “Nothing. I just feel that they’re too good to you.”

  Mu Jingzhe laughed. “Right? I think so too. They’re too good to me indeed.”

  Ji Buwang looked at Mu Jingzhe’s brilliant smile and his expression became even more conflicted.

  “What’s with your expression? Aren’t they good to me?”

  “Good, very good. But they’re too good to you. They make me feel… desperate.” Ji Buwang covered his face and revealed his true feelings.

  “Mm?” Mu Jingzhe hadn’t expected such an answer. “Real… Really?”

  “What do you think?” Ji Buwang looked up at the sky. “I can’t even think of what to do now.”

  When others wooed a girl, they could watch a movie with her, give her flowers, or treat her to a meal. But there was nothing he could do; the kids had beaten him to everything.

  After Mu Jingzhe heard Ji Buwang’s words, she belatedly realized that this seemed to be true. When Ji Buwang said this, Mu Jingzhe couldn’t help but think that perhaps one of the reasons she had never had an earth-shattering love was because she had five precious children.

  They were really too good to her. They even surprised her from time to time, rendering the usual romantic surprises useless when it came to her.

  Mu Jingzhe was stunned for a moment. Just as she was about to say something, she saw Ji Buwang suddenly smile. “But I’ve found a way that I can definitely avoid overlapping with them.”

  “What?” Mu Jingzhe was curious.

  “You’ll know tomorrow.” Ji Buwang invited them over. “Little Bei only needs to film for half a day tomorrow. She’ll be done by afternoon, right? I’ll come and pick you guys up.”

  Seeing that Mu Jingzhe was about to speak, Ji Buwang spoke first. “Mu Jingzhe, don’t refuse. I’ll definitely give you a surprise when the time comes. You’ll certainly regret it if you don’t come.”

  Ji Buwang spoke so confidently that Mu Jingzhe was curious. “What exactly is that surprise?”

  “You’ll know tomorrow.” Ji Buwang kept it a secret.