New ink fragrance in old times

Tang Ming followed Lin Xiya and stepped into the house with steady steps. The door closed gently, as if isolating the outside world and leaving only the subtle and complex atmosphere between the family members in the house.

He slowly walked to Lin Xiya's side and called softly, "My wife."

Lin Xiya seemed to be immersed in her own world, staring ahead with a serious look. She did not respond at all to Tang Ming's greeting, as if even the air had frozen.

Tang Ming's heart sank, but he was not discouraged. Instead, he shifted his attention to Tang Qing, Tang Xin and Tang Shan, who were standing aside and looked extremely uneasy.

The children felt uncomfortable under their father's sharp gaze and leaned towards Lin Xiya, as if Lin Xiya was their only safe haven at the moment.

"Qinger."

Tang Ming spoke again. This time, his tone was a little harsh, but careful people could still catch the tenderness hidden in it.

"As the eldest son in the family, you should know the proper etiquette. When you walked in and saw the elders, why didn't you go up and greet them? This is the most basic etiquette for children."

After hearing this, Tang Qing lowered his head, twisting the corners of his clothes tightly with his hands, and stammering, but he still couldn't make any sound. His eyes were intertwined with stubbornness and grievance, as if he had a thousand words to say but didn't know where to start.

Seeing this, Tang Ming couldn't help but feel a little bit of pity in his heart, and his tone softened a bit:

"Qing'er, I know you may be unhappy, but etiquette cannot be abandoned. Fortunately, my uncle is magnanimous and has not made a fuss about it. You must remember that you are not only the eldest son in the family, but also a role model for your younger brothers and sisters. They watch your every move and learn from it. Look at yourself now. Where is the responsibility that an eldest brother should have?"

Tang Qing was still a child after all. Faced with such harsh rebuke from his father, his eyes gradually turned red and tears welled up in his eyes, and he finally couldn't help but let them fall.

Seeing this, Tang Xin and Tang Shan were so scared that they hid behind Tang Qing. Their little faces were full of fear and anxiety. They didn't even dare to breathe, for fear that they would be the next to be blamed.

Lin Xiya finally couldn't remain silent any longer. She turned around abruptly, staring at Tang Ming with a sharp gaze, her voice filled with some undisguised anger:

"That's enough! Why are you getting mad at a child? They're still young and don't understand. Just teach them well. Why be so fierce and aggressive? If you're angry, just take it out on me, not the children! Are you still trying to say that it's because I, as a mother, didn't teach them well enough?"

Tang Ming was choked by Lin Xiya's words and was speechless for a long time. He knew very well that his words and actions just now were indeed too impulsive, but as a father, he also had his own difficulties and expectations.

He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down from the excitement just now. He spoke slowly, with a barely perceptible tremor in his tone: "My wife, you misunderstood. I really didn't mean that. What I said just now was too harsh and I didn't consider the children's feelings."

After hearing this, Lin Xiya still didn't turn around to look at Tang Ming, but her shoulders trembled slightly, as if she was trying to control her emotions. The atmosphere in the room was still tense and awkward, as if even the air had frozen.

Tang Ming looked at his wife's slightly indifferent back, feeling mixed emotions.

He gently reached out and tried to pull Lin Xiya's hand as an apology. But Lin Xiya seemed to sense his intention and cleverly dodged his hand. Tang Ming's hand was suspended in mid-air, slightly embarrassed.

He turned and took the hand of Tang Qing who was standing beside him, slowly squatted down, and looked at Tang Qing gently.

"Qinger."

Tang Ming said earnestly, "Dad knows that what I said just now may have been a bit harsh. But you have to understand that Dad sincerely hopes that you can become a responsible and polite child. You are the eldest son in the family, and your behavior will affect your younger brothers and sisters. Now, calm down and think carefully. Can you tell Dad where you went wrong?"

Tang Qing lowered his head, twisting the corners of his clothes tightly with his hands, and stammered, as if he was having trouble speaking. He stole a glance at his father, then quickly lowered his head again, his voice as thin as a mosquito:

"Dad, I was wrong. I shouldn't have ignored my uncle and grandpa, and I shouldn't have thrown a tantrum in front of you. I know that as the older brother, I should set a good example for my younger brothers and sisters. In the future, I will work hard to correct my mistakes and be a good brother."

After hearing this, Tang Ming showed a relieved smile on his face. He patted Tang Qing's shoulder gently and touched his head tenderly:

"Stinky boy, now you know how to call me daddy. Why were you like a little hedgehog just now? Actually, daddy was also wrong. I shouldn't have lost my temper with you. Daddy won't do that again in the future."

After hearing this, Tang Qing showed a shy smile on his face. He timidly hugged Tang Ming. At this moment, all the grievances and uneasiness disappeared with this hug.

Seeing this, Tang Xin and Tang Shan also timidly stood out from behind Tang Qing, their little hands clasped tightly, as if to give themselves courage.

They called Tang Ming "Dad" in a low voice. Although their voices were weak, they were full of dependence and trust in their father.

Tang Ming smiled and looked at the two little guys, his eyes full of doting. He held Tang Xin and Tang Shan in his arms, one in each hand, and gently touched their heads: "Ah."

Tang Shan even hugged Tang Ming boldly and said coquettishly, "Dad, I miss you so much."

As he spoke, he held Tang Ming tightly with his little hands, fearing that he would disappear in the next second.

Tang Ming hugged Tang Shan back tightly: "Dad misses you too."

The haze in Tang Ming's heart was swept away. He turned to look at his wife Lin Xiya, only to see that her brows had relaxed a lot, although she still ignored him.

He pulled out an exquisite cloth bag from his chest, which contained gifts he had prepared for the children. He first handed the gift to Tang Qing, a wooden sculpture. Tang Qing took it, his eyes full of surprise: "Thank you, Dad, I like it very much."

Then, Tang Ming handed the gifts to Tang Xin and Tang Shan. They were two cute little stuffed dolls, one a cat and the other a rabbit. The two excitedly accepted the dolls and said, "Thank you, Dad. You're so nice."

Then, Tang Ming slowly walked to Lin Xiya, took out a box of exquisite rouge from his arms, and gently placed it in front of her.

"Miss."

Tang Ming whispered, his tone filled with apology and tenderness: "This is the rouge I picked specially for you. I hope you like it. I know that what happened just now made you angry. It's my fault."

Lin Xiya looked at the box of exquisite rouge, her heart warming. Actually, after her outburst, her anger had mostly subsided. However, there were still many unresolved issues between her and Tang Ming, leaving her unsure how to face him.

Tang Ming sat beside Lin Xiya, feeling a sense of peace in his heart. He turned to Tang Qing and the others and gently instructed, "Qing'er, take your brothers and sisters to the kitchen to warm up by the fire."

Tang Qing looked at his mother, only to see Lin Xiya nodded gently and said to Tang Ming, "I understand, Dad."

After saying that, he took his younger brother Tang Shan and younger sister Tang Xin's hands and walked towards the kitchen together.

After watching the children leave, Tang Ming turned to look at Lin Xiya beside him, a complex emotion welling up in his heart. He sighed softly and tried to find a topic to ease the slightly awkward atmosphere.

So, he asked, "Madam, has Linlin been bothering you lately? This girl is always a cause for worry."

Lin Xiya looked down at her little daughter, who was sleeping soundly in bed, a gentle smile on her face. She shook her head gently and said, "No, Linlin is very well behaved and sleeps well at night."

Tang Ming felt a little relieved, but then he thought of the recent turmoil and his expression became solemn.

He slowly approached Lin Xiya and whispered, "My dear, I was wrong. I was not thoughtful enough this time and caused you and the children to suffer."

Lin Xiya's heart tightened when she heard Tang Ming's apology, and her eyes became complicated. She looked up at Tang Ming, and that familiar face was full of apology, but she still had some anger in her heart.

"As long as you know."

Lin Xiya's voice was filled with resentment: "It's always like this. You only apologize afterward."