Chapter 224: Chapter 224: Learning Parenting Knowledge, Becoming a Good Father
Adrian Lancaster felt as if something had struck his heart. A dull ache came first, followed by a strange, stinging clarity that spread through him.
He understood.
Wren Sutton had shown him a path, one with clearly defined boundaries on either side.
The path began with ’father,’ but its destination was unknown.
On this path, there was no preset role of ’husband,’ no emotional blackmail rooted in past debts—only concrete actions and the long test of time.
Although it wasn’t what he had hoped for, it was far better than being rejected completely.
Adrian Lancaster felt a profound sense of loss because Wren Sutton was still pushing him out of her emotional world.
But at the same time, he also felt an unprecedented sense of stability. She had given him a clear, distinct direction to strive for: first, be a good father to their two children.
Having sorted through his thoughts, Adrian Lancaster nodded solemnly.
"I understand." His voice was low and steady, stripped of its earlier panic and urgency.
"I’ll start by learning how to be a good father to Owen and Nina. I will use my actions, not just words."
...
The next morning, Adrian Lancaster left the old family estate with Wren Sutton and the children.
His grandmother and his parents, Theodore Lancaster and his wife, were reluctant to see them go, fussing over them with countless reminders all the way to the main gate.
"Adrian, take good care of Wren and the children."
"I will."
As the Rolls-Royce headed toward the suburbs, Wren Sutton sat in the back, holding one of the babies. She watched the gradually familiar scenery slip by, feeling the calm lake of her heart ripple as if a stone had been tossed into it.
Ever since she had decided on a divorce, she had rarely set foot here. This place held too many parts of the past she was determined to bury.
The villa’s exterior remained elegant and grand. The lawn was neatly trimmed, and the garden was in full bloom with colorful, fragrant flowers.
Adrian Lancaster pushed open the heavy walnut door, and a gust of air rushed out, a mixture of fresh cleaning products and a faint, musty scent.
Sunlight poured through the massive floor-to-ceiling windows, illuminating spotless furniture. Everything was preserved in its original, luxurious arrangement. The abstract painting Wren had picked out years ago still hung on the main wall of the living room, its colors as vibrant as ever.
It was this very state of preservation that made the place feel more like a beautiful, empty specimen, devoid of the warmth of a lived-in home.
Wren Sutton’s steps faltered slightly in the entryway as her fingertips brushed against the cold surface of the doorframe.
In that daze, it formed a sharp contrast with the memory of the first time Adrian had led her here by the hand, his palm warm and dry.
Adrian acutely sensed her momentary pause. He stepped aside to let her pass, his voice a little lower than usual. "It’s been cleaned and aired out. The nursery is in the former guest room on the second floor. It gets good light and is quiet. See if there’s anything else you think needs to be changed."
He was giving the decision-making power to the mistress of the house.
Wren collected herself, murmured a soft "Mm," and pushed the stroller inside.
Every step felt like treading on the thin ice of time.
The living room, the spiral staircase, the dining room—their familiar outlines conjured fragmented images: dinners filled with laughter, late nights of silent standoffs, and dawns spent waiting alone.
The shards of emotion she had forcibly suppressed were now quietly churning to the surface.
Wren headed straight for the second floor.
The nursery was decorated with exceptional warmth—new furniture, soft colors, and a practical layout. The care put into it was evident in every detail.
This was a brand-new beginning, but it was built on old ruins. She felt torn.
Reason told her that temporarily returning to their marital home, a villa with better facilities, was a logical choice for the children’s care and space.
Emotionally, however, every breath she took seemed laced with the dust of the past.
To make it easier to care for the babies, the nursery had been connected to the master bedroom.
"You only had one day. How did you get the workers to do this?" Wren asked in surprise, pulling her thoughts back to the present.
Adrian stepped forward. "I arranged for the workers to start before I was even discharged from the hospital."
Wren sighed softly. "I see."
"Connecting the bedrooms makes it more convenient to care for the babies, especially at night." Adrian had been very thorough in his planning.
"Mm," Wren nodded. "You can sleep in the master bedroom at night."
Adrian’s pupils trembled, the color draining from his face. He was about to ask, ’If I sleep in the master bedroom, where will you sleep?’
Before he could speak, his phone rang.
Adrian answered the call, feigning composure. The person on the other end respectfully addressed him as Mr. Lancaster. It was the professional childcare specialist he had booked, who was about to arrive.
"Let’s go downstairs together to meet the childcare specialist."
"Okay."
Wren confidently handed the babies to the two maids who had come with them from the family estate and turned to follow Adrian downstairs.
Mr. Morgan arrived right on time. He was the city’s top-rated, "gold-medal" childcare specialist, and hiring him had not been cheap.
"Mr. Lancaster, Mrs. Lancaster, hello."
"Hello."
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, they got straight to the point.
"Based on Mr. Lancaster’s request, I’ve developed a detailed learning curriculum. Please take a look."
The specialist handed Adrian a syllabus for parenting knowledge with both hands.
Adrian took it and scanned it briefly, his expression as serious and careful as if he were reviewing a contract.
’There’s so much to learn.’
The childcare specialist then shifted his gaze to Wren Sutton.
"Mrs. Lancaster, my role is to assist with evidence-based parenting, providing guidance on feeding, care, and early education based on the babies’ age and developmental stage."
Adrian quickly corrected him. "Mr. Morgan, I’m the one who will be learning. My wife needs to rest and relax."
The specialist had a sudden realization and said with a professional smile, "My apologies, I misunderstood. Excuse me."
"No problem," Adrian said, dismissing it.
Wren smiled at the specialist. "I’d like to sit in, if that’s alright."
The specialist nodded in welcome. "Of course. When a couple learns about parenting together, it’s more effective and greatly benefits the children’s development."
"Then let’s begin."
Mr. Morgan took several categorized folders from his large bag and spread them out on the spacious living room coffee table.
Sunlight filtered through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting dappled light and shadows on the papers.
"Mr. Lancaster, let’s start with the developmental characteristics of four-month-old babies."
He opened the first folder to a page with a conspicuous chart.
"Babies at this age are going through their first major developmental leap."
Adrian’s expression was focused.
Wren sat down on an armchair diagonally across from him, listening with equal seriousness.
"There are several significant changes in a four-month-old."
Mr. Morgan tapped the page with his finger.
"They begin to grasp toys intentionally, not just reflexively.
During tummy time, they can lift their heads to a 90-degree angle, and some even try to support their upper body with their forearms.
They start making more vowel and consonant combination sounds, like ’ba’ and ’ma.’"
Adrian’s gaze fell on the line about "tummy time practice."
"I heard from family that the babies cry after less than a minute of lifting their heads."
"That’s very normal," Mr. Morgan smiled. "Their neck muscles are still developing. We can use play to make gradual progress. For example, you can place the baby on your chest for face-to-face tummy time. Your face is the best incentive."
Adrian made a note of it, quickly jotting down a few keywords in his notebook.
Wren’s eyelashes fluttered, and she turned her head to glance at Adrian.
’I didn’t expect him to be so observant, to even notice how long the babies lift their heads each time.’
Mr. Morgan turned to the next page.
"Second, changes in sleep patterns.
Around four months, a baby’s sleep cycle begins to resemble an adult’s, which means they are more likely to wake up between cycles. Many parents find that a baby who previously slept well will start waking frequently at night during this stage."
Adrian looked up at Wren. "You must be exhausted. You probably haven’t been getting much uninterrupted sleep lately."
Wren replied softly, "Nina has been waking up more often at night recently. Owen has been doing fine."
"It’s normal for twins to have different developmental rhythms," Mr. Morgan explained patiently. "The key is to establish a stable bedtime routine: a bath, a gentle massage, feeding, and then a story or a song. A fixed sequence every day helps the babies build a conditioned reflex for ’it’s time to sleep.’"
Adrian quickly recorded this in his notebook, underlining the two words "fixed sequence" with the tip of his pen.
"Next, let’s discuss visual development."
Mr. Morgan took out several high-contrast black-and-white images and some brightly colored flashcards.
"A four-month-old’s vision is about 20/500. They can see objects several feet away and are starting to take an interest in bright colors, especially red and yellow. This is the perfect time to introduce visual stimulation."
He handed the flashcards to Adrian.
"You can spend a few minutes each day moving these slowly about 8 to 12 inches from the baby’s eyes to practice their visual tracking."
Adrian took the cards and carefully studied the simple geometric shapes and exaggerated facial expressions.
"I’ll remember that. I’ll do this activity every day."
Mr. Morgan continued, "Fourth, and most importantly, is emotional and social development."
"Four-month-olds begin to express emotions clearly. They’ll use different cries to communicate hunger, fatigue, boredom, or discomfort.
Most importantly, they start to recognize people and will show a clear preference and smile for familiar faces."
He paused, looking at Adrian and Wren.
"High-quality time with parents is crucial at this stage. The baby starts learning how to interact with people. When a parent smiles at the baby, the baby learns to smile back. When a parent talks to the baby, the baby will respond with babbles. This is the earliest template for interpersonal relationships."
When the specialist finished, the living room was quiet for a few seconds.
Adrian’s pen paused on the paper, the ink bleeding slightly into the page.
Wren picked up her teacup, the warmth seeping through the porcelain into her palm.
"As for daily care, there are a few key points," Mr. Morgan said, opening the second folder.
"Regarding feeding, a four-month-old needs about 800-1000 milliliters per day, which is 120-150 milliliters every 3-4 hours. But every baby’s needs are different, so you should judge based on weight gain and urine output.
In terms of excretion, a breastfed baby might only have a bowel movement every few days. As long as the stool is soft and the baby isn’t uncomfortable, that’s normal.
A formula-fed baby usually goes once or twice a day."
"Pay special attention to diaper care. Clean the area with warm water at every diaper change and let it dry completely before putting on a new one."
Adrian had already filled half a page of his notebook, his handwriting neat and clear, with important points marked by asterisks.
Although Wren wasn’t taking notes, she committed every word the specialist said to memory.
She had already learned all this once before; this session was just a review and a supplement.
"For play and early learning, you can introduce these activities for a four-month-old."
Mr. Morgan took out several age-appropriate toys.
"Rattles, teethers, cloth books, and activity gyms. The focus is on sensory stimulation—the feel of different materials, moderate sounds, and bright colors."
As he spoke, he picked up a red and yellow rattle and shook it gently.
"You can schedule two play sessions a day, each for 10-15 minutes, when the baby is awake and in a good mood. During playtime, talk to the baby a lot. Describe what you’re doing, and describe the toy’s color, shape, and sound."
Adrian took the rattle and gave it a tentative shake. A crisp ringing sound echoed in the living room.
"Isn’t this toy too loud? It might scare the babies," he questioned.
"Don’t worry, this volume is safe, but you should avoid shaking it suddenly right next to the baby’s ear." Mr. Morgan nodded in approval. ’I didn’t expect Mr. Lancaster to be such a meticulous man.’
"Mr. Lancaster is very thoughtful. A four-month-old’s hearing is already quite sensitive, and sudden loud noises can startle them."
Next, Mr. Morgan explained the safety precautions in detail.
The space between crib slats should not exceed 2 3/8 inches, bath water should be 98-100 degrees Fahrenheit, and a parent must never leave the baby alone during a bath...
There were many rules, and Adrian diligently wrote down every single one.
"Finally, health observation."
Mr. Morgan closed the folder. He had been talking for a long time and was a bit thirsty.
"Excuse me, just a moment."
He picked up his cup and took a few quick sips to wet his throat.
"A four-month-old should be able to do the following: bring both hands to their midline when lying on their back, briefly grasp a toy, hold their head steady during tummy time, and react clearly to human voices. If you notice any abnormalities, consult a pediatrician promptly."
He paused. "Also, at this age, you should start watching for signs of readiness for solid foods: being able to sit up alone or with support, showing interest in adults’ food, and the disappearance of the tongue-thrust reflex.
Although it’s usually recommended to start at six months, every baby’s rhythm is different, so we can learn about it in advance."
Adrian nodded frequently, absorbing every word, not daring to let his mind wander for even half a second.
He glanced at his notes, then looked up at the specialist. "Mr. Morgan, now that you’ve covered the general outline, what are the key learning points for this morning? What skills do I need to master first?"
Mr. Morgan looked at him with pleased admiration. "Mr. Lancaster, you’ve hit on the key question. I suggest starting with these three things.
First, learning the correct ways to hold and soothe a baby.
Second, mastering infant massage.
Third, learning how to observe and respond to a baby’s cues—hunger cues, tired cues, play cues, discomfort cues, nightmare cues, and so on.
These are the foundation for building a secure attachment."
Then, he deliberately added, "They are more important than any early learning toy."
"Understood."
On a new page in his notebook, Adrian wrote a heading—"Three Priorities"—and drew clear bullet points below it.
Wren watched quietly.
The way Adrian was learning to be a father was both earnest and sincere, focused yet efficient.
A warmth spread through her heart. She believed Adrian would become a good dad.
As for...
Whether he would become a good husband... she couldn’t answer that yet.
