Chapter 14

"Oh, I see. Since you're busy, I'll head off first," Willow said. She waved to Tyson, and crossed the road to wait for the bus. She almost misunderstood the assistant's role, and was quite embarrassed. Back home, Willow opened the door and was greeted by a heartwarming scene. Seated on the sofa was a young woman. Her petite figure and round face were charming, and her large eyes had a lively sparkle. Her black hair was tied up in a ponytail, giving her a mischievous look. She was none other than Willow's close friend, Rachel Stone. Four little bundles of joy gathered around Rachel, listening intently to her storytelling. The little ones had bright, sparkling eyes, and were completely engrossed in her words. They hung on her every word as she recounted the tale of Little Rabbit and Big Grey Wolf. "Little Rabbit thought it was really Mommy coming back, so he opened the door. Little did he know, the person outside took off his mask, revealing the fierce fangs of the Big Grey Wolf. And then... Whoosh! The wolf pounced towards Little Bunny!" Rachel's tone rose and fell, her narration vivid and engaging. She even widened her mouth, mimicking the expression of the wolf about to devour the rabbit. "Don't eat me, don't eat me!" Hailey, the closest of the bunch, immediately covered her head with her hands and buried her face, her voice soft and pleading. Tristan commented coldly, "So childish. This is really boring. A big wolf doesn't make that kind of noise at all." Julian's big eyes glistened with tears. He clenched his fists against his chest, looking delicate and vulnerable. He was pouting as he said, "Sniff! Little Bunny is so pitiful." Lilith's innocent dark eyes had a cool glint. She waved a small pink fist and declared, "When the Big Grey Wolf comes, I'll scare it away!" Hearing the innocent words of the four children, Rachel burst into laughter. Willow walked into the room joyfully, and said, "Hey there. So you managed to find time to come today, Rachel." Upon hearing her mother's voice, Hailey immediately looked up. Wide-eyed, she used both hands to cover her face, not daring to look. "The Big Grey Wolf disguised as Mommy is here! She can't see me... Can't see me..." Rachel found Hailey's antics increasingly amusing. She gently removed Hailey's hands from her face, and gave her chubby cheeks a soft pinch. "Why are you so adorable? Seriously, you're too cute for words. That’s your mommy, not the Big Grey Wolf. What Auntie told you was just a fairy tale." Hailey's eyes brightened. She rushed over to Willow, throwing herself into her mother's embrace. "Mommy, I was scared." Willow held her gently, patting her back. "Don't be afraid. Mommy and your siblings will protect you." "Yeah! Of course." Hailey nodded. The rest of the little ones gathered around, extending their short arms and asking Willow for hugs. Willow hugged each of her precious treasures with a warm smile, feeling their softness and the scent of milk. At this moment, she was the happiest woman in the world. "Wills, I've been missing these little munchkins. Since I had some free time today, I thought I'd come to see them," Rachel explained as she greeted Willow. "How about we have dinner together tonight? It's been a while since we had a meal together," Willow suggested. "Sure, that sounds great. Oh, by the way, I heard from your mom that you started working at Hughes Corporation. Hughes Corporation is the best company in Buscen City. You're really amazing to get in there." Rachel's amber eyes sparkled with joy as she expressed her happiness for her friend. Willow smiled. "Yeah, I'm doing pretty well. Nobody should underestimate me." Confidence makes a woman beautiful! Even Willow's fair face seemed to radiate a glow. "Yeah, our Wills is strong and capable. Giving birth to quadruplets, a true miracle worker! Where could she possibly fall short? She manages the expenses of four kids all on her own, and she never complains about being tired. With this glorious achievement alone, she could outshine a crowd of flowers." Rachel's praise came from the heart. She and Willow were college classmates who had shared a bed, covered themselves with a single blanket, and even eaten from the same bowl. Their unbreakable friendship was rock-solid. "She's glorious alright, but I'm all worn out," Lara said as she emerged from the kitchen, setting down the plates heavily on the table. She shot Willow an annoyed look, and said, "Hurry up and finish these chicken nuggets. Your kids couldn’t finish them." With that, Lara returned to the kitchen to continue her work. Willow exchanged a glance with Rachel. She playfully stuck out her tongue at the latter, then sat down to eat the freshly fried chicken nuggets. The aroma of meat filled the air. Each bite of the nuggets was crispy and tender. Willow hadn't had lunch, and now, she was quite hungry. This was the perfect way to satisfy her hunger. "Mommy, I'll help you eat." The food-loving third child of hers, Hailey, scooted over and climbed onto the chair, offering to share the "burden" with her mother. With both Willow and Hailey working together, the chicken nuggets quickly dwindled. Hailey's lips were smeared with the grease from the fried food. She raised her little face, smiling at Willow, and said, "Mommy, I love you the most. Can I have a kiss as a reward?" The little girl's mouth was still full, and her cheeks were puffed up like a chipmunk’s. Willow's heart melted once again. "Of course. My little Hales is the best." She planted a kiss on the girl's cheek. Hailey happily ran off to play. Sitting across Willow, Rachel rested her face on her hands, gazing at Willow with envy. People often thought that being a single parent to four children would leave Willow overwhelmed and exhausted. She might start looking in her forties before she even reached thirty. However, the reality was quite the opposite. Willow was twenty-seven this year, but she still looked young and beautiful. She looked as young as a twenty-year-old, in fact. This wasn’t only due to her focus on self-care, but also her positive attitude, optimism, and cheerful demeanor. Being in a state of happiness every day further contributed to her youthful appearance. Her four little treasures were also well-behaved and understanding, lessening her worries. Having these four little blessings was like possessing rare treasures from all around the world. Willow noticed Rachel's curious gaze, and touched her own face. "Why are you looking at me like that? Do I have something on my face?" "I envy you. Every day, you're loved by four adorable children and living in bliss." Rachel wished she could take one of them home and experience the same happiness. "Hehe, you can get married and also have a bunch," Willow said, accepting Rachel's envy with good grace. "Why do you have to get married to have kids? I can be like you. When the kids are four or five years old, I won't even mention who their father is. As long as the kids are with me, I don't need a man!" Rachel's statement was quite shocking. Willow quickly covered Rachel’s mouth. She glanced at the kitchen, and whispered, "Keep your voice down! It's not that I'm intentionally hiding anything. I really don't know who the kids' father is." Willow had thought about finding that man before, but where would she even start? The world was so vast, and there were so many people. She couldn't possibly go around asking each of them. Rachel leaned in, her eyes filled with the need to gossip. "You really have no clues at all?" The four beautiful children didn't resemble Willow all that much, so they must have inherited their father's genes. Rachel was quite eager to know who their father was. As Rachel questioned Willow, the four children secretly huddled against the wall. They peeked out with their small heads to eavesdrop on the adult's conversation. They also wanted to know who their father was.