The next day, Gao Jiaxing woke up early and roused his sleeping sons to practice horse stances in the backyard.
Being disrupted from their slumber left them inwardly bitter, yet no one dared to shirk the task.
Nowadays, Gao Jiaxing exuded such authority that, despite never physically hitting or scolding his sons, they held a deep respect and fear for their father.
Their father was the one they admired the most, even taking pride and boasting about him. At home, Gao Jiaxing and Xia Xiao each displayed their own demeanor—one authoritative, the other amiable—without intentionally playing the roles of stern father and indulgent mother, yet they effectively established their positions.
Xia Xiao got up a bit late. By the time she awoke, the children had gone to school. After breakfast, she joined Gao Jiaxing for a walk in the vicinity.
