Another week passed quickly on AG-1. Shen Xixuan and the five kids had gradually settled into a comfortable, happy routine, and each day felt better than the last.
Every morning, Shen Xixuan woke up early to prepare breakfast for the children, then gently roused them with his soft voice. After breakfast, they worked together on little chores around the house and garden before spending the rest of their time playing happily.
Shen Xixuan had begun seriously growing all kinds of vegetables and fruit in the backyard garden. Using the knowledge he had brought from the old era, he chose the right plots, prepared the soil, and carefully planted various seeds. The five children eagerly helped with everything. Sometimes they made more of a mess than they were worth, but Shen Xixuan never blamed them.
“Uncle! Look! I helped water the plants!” Xiaoyan, the youngest, ran over proudly, carrying a small watering can sized just right for her.
“You did such a great job, Xiaoyan! The plants will definitely grow faster because you watered them.”
In the afternoons, after resting for a while, Shen Xixuan often hosted short cooking livestreams to start building a new audience. He named his channel “Uncle’s Kitchen” and began demonstrating simple recipes made with fresh local ingredients.
Though he was still new, his streams slowly attracted more and more viewers. In this era, people were already amazed and curious just from seeing real cooking. Some even expressed their surprise in the comments, wondering how he knew how to prepare food in such an “ancient” way.
“This streamer knows traditional cooking methods too? That’s so interesting!”
“It smells amazing. I wish I could actually taste it!”
“Watching this feels so warm, like being with family.”
Shen Xixuan smiled as he read the comments, but he was careful not to reveal anything about his origins. He simply responded politely and kept the focus on demonstrating how to cook.
One afternoon, after ending his stream, Shen Xixuan was tidying up the kitchen while the five children played in the backyard, their laughter echoing through the air.
After a while, he heard soft sobbing outside. He hurried out—and found Xiaoyan, the youngest, sitting on the dirt with a slightly bruised ankle, crying in pain.
“Xiaoyan!” Shen Xixuan rushed over, crouched down, and carefully lifted her into his arms. “How are you, sweetheart? Does it hurt badly?”
“Ahh... It hurts, Uncle... I fell.” Xiaoyan sobbed against his chest.
Shen Xixuan carried her to a nearby chair and carefully examined her ankle. The injury wasn’t serious, just a minor bruise. He gently placed his hand over it and used a little of his healing ability to ease the pain.
A warm, pale-blue energy flowed from his hand. Xiaoyan’s pain gradually faded, and she stopped crying at once. Tears still clung to her lashes as she looked up at him.
In that moment... something changed inside the youngest child’s heart.
The warmth of his hand, the concern in his eyes, and the care he had given her without fail all this time... Everything came together and changed the feelings in her heart.
She wiped away her tears and looked at Shen Xixuan with pure, loving eyes... then said the word that made his heart jolt:
“Dad...”
Shen Xixuan froze like a statue, his eyes widening in surprise as a surge of emotion swept through him. He hardly dared to believe his own ears.
“Xiaoyan... What did you just say?”
Xiaoyan gripped his shirt tightly and repeated herself, her voice clearer and even gentler this time:
“Dad... Thank you for taking care of me.”
The second “Dad” was clear and filled with sincerity. It flowed into Shen Xixuan’s heart like warm water, bringing tears to the corners of his eyes before he even realized it.
He had never had a family in the past. He had never heard anyone call him Dad... But now, the youngest child he had only known for a short time was calling him that with genuine love.
Overwhelmed with emotion, he hugged her tightly.
“That’s right, Xiaoyan... Dad’s here now. Dad will take care of you forever.”
Their voices drew the attention of the other children, who had been playing nearby. They ran over curiously, but when they heard what had happened, they immediately fell silent, looking between Shen Xixuan and Xiaoyan with complicated expressions.
Xiao Hu, the oldest child, was the first to speak. He looked as if he were making an important decision.
“Uncle... No, Dad... right?”
He gazed at Shen Xixuan earnestly, then continued in a firmer voice:
“Dad takes such good care of us. He never leaves us behind, and he really loves us. So we should call him Dad, right?”
Shen Xixuan looked at all the children, tears welling in his eyes. His heart was filled with a happiness too great for words. He had never expected this day to come so soon.
He didn’t pressure them at all. He merely said gently, “It’s okay, kids. If you’re not ready yet, you can keep calling me Uncle forever. Dad isn’t in a hurry. The most important thing is that we’re together.”
But Xiao Long, the white-haired twin, stepped closer, took his hand, and spoke in a soft but clear voice:
“I want to call you Dad... because you take such good care of me, and I love you, Dad.”
Xiao Cao eagerly chimed in, “I want to call you Dad too! Dad is so cool, he has a healing ability, and he makes the most delicious food!”
Xiao Feng, the little girl with small bird wings, fluttered them lightly in delight.
“Me too! I want to call you Dad too!”
One by one... all five children began calling him “Dad,” their voices filled with sincerity and love. Shen Xixuan could no longer hold back his tears. They streamed down his cheeks, overflowing with happiness.
He pulled all five children into the tightest hug he could manage, overwhelmed with emotion.
“Thank you... Thank you so much, Dad’s children... Dad loves every one of you so, so much.”
There beneath the gentle afternoon sunlight, on AG-1, the land of hope, a new family—a father and his five children—formed an even stronger bond.
The change from “Uncle” to “Dad” wasn’t merely a change in what they called him... It was acceptance, trust, and the beginning of a true family.
From now on, Shen Xixuan would no longer be just “Uncle”... He was Dad—the father of these five adorable children—and he would do everything in his power for them for the rest of his life.