Courtyard Houses: From Bronze Compasses to Global Reach

Chapter 408 Lin Yansong & Lin Lusheng

When Lin Yan returned to the courtyard, Wang Yuling was sitting on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), carefully feeding the two children warm goat milk.

He stood by the door and watched quietly for a while, and the vague idea in his mind gradually became clearer.

Now that they've met, these two children are his from now on.

Once a decision is made, there is no more hesitation.

Although it's a nice place, early spring in Beijing is still chilly for children.

"Yu Ling, Lin Gang,"

He began, "Get ready, put the child in our space. We're going to Singapore; the climate there is warmer, which is more suitable for raising children."

"Yes, young master." The two responded immediately.

A moment later, everything was in order.

Lin Yan took Wang Yuling, Lin Gang, the two children, and Xiao Qi, who was curiously peering over, into the private courtyard within his space, and then activated the teleportation array.

Sentosa Villas, Singapore.

With a slight thought, Lin Gang and Wang Yuling appeared in the living room, each carrying a swaddled baby.

Lin Yi's footsteps came from the stairwell. His gaze fell on the two swaddled babies, and he stopped, his face showing a rare look of bewilderment and astonishment.

"Young Master, what... what is this?" He pointed at the child and then looked at Lin Yan.

"Don't make a fuss, we found it in the mountains. It'll be part of the Lin family from now on."

Lin Yi stood there, taking several seconds to process the fact that "the young master has two children."

He opened his mouth, but in the end he just nodded: "...Understood, young master."

Once you arrive at your destination, the first thing to do is to settle in.

Singapore enjoys a warm climate year-round, so there's no need for heavy clothing.

Lin Gang immediately drove Wang Yuling to the city's largest shopping mall to buy baby necessities—from the softest cotton clothes and diapers to bottles and blankets, and all sorts of other things.

This journey took more than two hours.

When they returned to the villa with their bags and packages, they were stunned by the sight before them as soon as they entered the living room.

The usually composed young master of the family was seen squatting with Lin Yi in front of the spacious sofa, facing two unswaddled babies on a spread-out blanket, their movements showing a rare clumsiness and fluster.

The two little ones are indeed twins; they even seem to have coordinated their pooping at the same time. An indescribable odor filled the living room, mixed with the children's increasingly loud cries.

Lin Yan frowned slightly, his face showing an expression of intense struggle between reason and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

He separated a wisp of his true essence, which flowed silently like a gentle breeze, quickly purifying the surrounding air. At the same time, he subconsciously reached out and tried to gently cover the little girl's mouth, who was crying the loudest—as if this could pause the chaotic situation for a moment.

Wang Yuling and Lin Gang stood at the door, carrying bags full of shopping bags. They looked at their young master's unusually flustered state and then at their two children whose faces were red from crying. For a moment, they didn't know which one to sympathize with first.

Alas! Even our young master is experiencing the hardships of life.

Wang Yuling and Lin Gang quickly put down their shopping bags, stepped forward, and skillfully and gently picked up the two crying little ones. They then turned and headed towards the bathroom on the first floor.

The living room suddenly fell silent, leaving only the lingering odor in the air and the mess on the carpet that needed to be cleaned up.

Lin Yan and Lin Yi exchanged a glance, both seeing a rare hint of helplessness and lingering panic on each other's faces.

The two of them didn't get up, but sat directly on the soft carpet, leaning back against the sofa. They both let out a long sigh of relief, and then showed a few wry smiles.

"Young Master," Lin Yi rubbed his temples, his tone filled with emotion, "this is much more exciting than dealing with mergers and acquisitions."

Lin Yan chuckled and shook his head, saying nothing, but gently pressed his temples with his fingers.

The Nascent Soul cultivator possessed a powerful divine soul, yet he found dealing with these two little ones even more exhausting.

After a while, Wang Yuling and Lin Gang returned, each carrying a small baby that smelled faintly of talcum powder.

The two little ones were clearly tired and comfortable from crying. Their eyelids were heavy, and with Wang Yuling and Lin Gang's rhythmic patting, they quickly fell into a sweet sleep again.

Looking at the two little dumplings sleeping peacefully side by side on the sofa, the living room finally returned to its usual tranquility.

Wang Yuling gently tucked the blanket around the child, then looked up at Lin Yan and smiled, "Young Master, now that you've decided to adopt them, they're the proper little masters of our Lin family. They need names; we can't just keep calling them 'little baby,' 'little baby,' you know."

Upon hearing this, Lin Yan's gaze gently fell on the sleeping faces of the two children.

He pondered for a moment, his gaze distant, carefully choosing the most suitable words.

After a long pause, he slowly spoke.

"The boy's name is Lin Yansong. The inkstone is a treasure of the scholar's study, symbolizing that he will be able to calm his mind and be well-versed in literature. The pine tree remains evergreen even in the cold of winter, hoping that he will have a steadfast character and enduring integrity."

He paused, then looked at the girl:

"The girl's name is Lin Lusheng. Lu, meaning deer, symbolizes intelligence and grace, representing nature and agility. Sheng, meaning clear and melodious sound, expresses the hope that she will have a pure heart and a life full of elegance and artistic charm."

After saying that, he added, "As for nicknames, the boy will be called Chenchen, and the girl will be called Xixi. The first light of dawn symbolizes a new beginning, and I also wish their lives to be full of light and hope."

"Lin Yansong, Lin Lusheng... Chenchen, Xixi..."

Wang Yuling repeated it softly, a smile playing in her eyes. She reached out and touched the baby girl's delicate cheek, her voice unconsciously becoming softer and gentler:

"Baby has a name! We'll call her Xixi. Doesn't it sound nice?"

Lin Gang smiled and nodded repeatedly: "Young Master, the name you chose is excellent! It has profound meaning, sounds pleasant, and the connotation is beyond words. The young master and young lady will surely live up to their names in the future."

Chenchen, lying on the sofa, unconsciously smacked his lips in his sleep, as if he had heard his new name in his dream, revealing a very faint dimple.

As Lin Yan watched this scene, the coldness in his heart, born of the filth of blood, was gradually covered by the newborn, soft warmth before him.

With their names decided and their destinies intertwined, from this day forward, the life trajectories of these two children will truly be intertwined with his and the Lin family's.

Having decided on the child's name, Lin Yan's initial feelings of unfamiliarity and confusion as a new father were quickly replaced by a pragmatic sense of planning.

This is how he always acts. Whether it's planning a global strategy or seeking enlightenment, once a goal is set, he will allocate resources, clarify methods, and strive for thoroughness.

Raising children is similar – although they may lack experience, they have sufficient resources and learning ability.

With a slight thought, he connected with Charles's brain in his sea of ​​consciousness.

"Charles, purchase as many authoritative scientific parenting books for infants and toddlers as possible available in New York City, covering everything from newborn care to early education, and store them in the space warehouse."

"Understood, young master. Everything will be ready by tomorrow at the latest."

The next day, more than a dozen sturdy cardboard boxes appeared in Lin Yan's space warehouse.

Inside are the results of Charles's efforts to scour several large bookstores and professional publishers, ranging from "Spock's Baby and Child Care" to the latest works on infant nutrition and psychology, covering various schools of thought, mostly in original English.

Thus, in the spacious study overlooking the sea in the Sentosa villa, the following scene unfolded:

Lin Yan leaned back in a comfortable sofa chair, with a thick book, "The Complete Guide to Infant and Toddler Care," open on her lap, and stacked next to her were books such as "Introduction to Child Psychology" and "Nutritional Guide for Children Aged Zero to Three."

He read extremely fast. His divine sense swept across the page, and the dense text and charts on the page were clearly imprinted in his mind. He then quickly cross-referenced and integrated the information.

Outside the window, tropical sunshine and azure sea views abound; inside, a nascent infant is engrossed in studying how to prepare formula, identify infant rashes, and manage colic…

Wang Yuling brought in tea and snacks, and seeing this scene, she couldn't help but chuckle, yet felt it was perfectly natural. Her young master always took things to such an extreme.

Theory needs to be combined with practice. Lin Yan quickly turned his attention to the children's food rations.

Goat milk is good, but wouldn't the milk produced by the spirit beasts in his space, whose quality far surpasses that of ordinary spirit beasts, be even better?

Both its nutritional value and the gentle, nourishing properties it contains should greatly benefit a child's foundation.

He obtained some fresh sheep milk from domesticated and docile Lingwen sheep, and after simple purification, replaced the previous ordinary sheep milk.

At first, Chenchen and Xixi seemed to drink more heartily after the first couple of meals, and their little faces became increasingly rosy.

But soon, problems arose.

The two little ones started having more frequent bowel movements, which were thin and even watery. Although they seemed to have no less energy, they were clearly experiencing gastrointestinal discomfort.

Wang Yuling was the first to notice, and reported anxiously, "Young Master, it seems that the young master and young lady have diarrhea."

Lin Yan immediately used his divine sense to carefully examine the two children's condition and found that their tender digestive systems were temporarily unable to fully absorb and transform the overly "rich" essence and weak spiritual energy in the spirit beast milk, resulting in a situation of "being unable to tolerate nourishment".

This is not a bad thing; on the contrary, it confirms the extraordinary nature of the spirit beast milk. However, it also reminds him that even the best things need to be used gradually and adapted to the constitution of the recipient.

"It's alright, it's just that the milk supply is too 'abundant' for them; they're still too young to handle it all." Lin Yan understood and immediately adjusted the plan.

He asked Wang Yuling to bring the baby bottle, and in front of her, he poured out half of the prepared spirit beast milk, added the other half of high-quality goat milk, mixed it evenly, and adjusted the temperature to the perfect level.

"From now on, use this ratio: half spirit beast milk and half goat milk. As they get older, we'll gradually adjust the ratio."

Lin Yan handed the baby bottle back to Wang Yuling and instructed her, "Pay close attention to their reactions."

After switching to the "diluted" spirit beast milk, Chenchen and Xixi's diarrhea stopped quickly.

The little ones still have a good appetite, sleep soundly, their cheeks are becoming fuller, their skin has a healthy glow, and their eyes are becoming clearer and more lively.

The minor ailments that are common in ordinary children are almost nonexistent in them.

Wang Yuling and Lin Gang were both amazed, feeling that their little master was being raised exceptionally well.

Lin Yan continued to peruse his parenting encyclopedia every day, while also using his divine sense to accurately grasp the growth status of his two children and constantly fine-tuning the details of their care.

He systematically integrated theory, practice, and special resources, applying them to the new, challenging yet subtly satisfying "project" of "raising Lin Yansong and Lin Lusheng."

Outside the study's floor-to-ceiling windows, a gentle sea breeze rustled the palm trees. Inside, the Nascent Soul cultivator and the invisible behemoth were meticulously considering the milk-to-skin ratio and sleep patterns of their two infants, finding great pleasure in the process.

Lin Yan decided to give the two little ones a gift, so he sent a message in his mind's eye:

"Alexander, Albert, let's build a new milk powder factory in Europe and another in America, using goat milk and cow milk from our space as raw materials. Also, register a high-end children's clothing brand, using the best designers and ingredients! We can talk to Tang Liuqian and say we're doing a collaboration with their brand, saving us the trouble of marketing!"

Although the two were completely confused, they carried out the order without any objection.

"Yes, young master!"