Ignore flex container children but not grandchildren

Question

I have a simple flex element with some children, something like this:

.container{
  display: flex;
  flex-wrap: wrap;
}
.container div.flex-box{
  width: 200px;
  margin: 20px;
  padding: 20px;
  font-size: 40px;
  border: 1px solid;
}

<div class='container'>
  <div class='flex-box'>one</div>
  <div class='flex-box'>two</div>
  <div class='flex-box'>three</div>
  <div class='flex-box'>four</div>
  <div class='flex-box'>five</div>
  <div class='flex-box'>six</div>
</div>

I am using flex wrap so, when screen goes smaller they stack.

Now, I want to reload fourth and fifth element using an ajax call to reload both elements, for this I need to put both children inside a container, but when I do, it becomes a new flex child

.container{
  display: flex;
  flex-wrap: wrap;
}
.container div.flex-box{
  width: 200px;
  margin: 20px;
  padding: 20px;
  font-size: 40px;
  border: 1px solid;
}

<div class='container'>
  <div class='flex-box'>one</div>
  <div class='flex-box'>two</div>
  <div class='flex-box'>three</div>
  <div class='subcontainer'>
    <div class='flex-box'>four</div>
    <div class='flex-box'>five</div>
  </div>
  <div class='flex-box'>six</div>
</div>

I am looking for a way to ingore this "subcontainer", and keep the children working as before.

Is this possible?

Answer 1

Use display:contents (https://css-tricks.com/get-ready-for-display-contents/) but pay attention to the support (https://caniuse.com/#feat=css-display-contents)

.container {
  display: flex;
  flex-wrap: wrap;
}

.container div.flex-box {
  width: 200px;
  margin: 20px;
  padding: 20px;
  font-size: 40px;
  border: 1px solid;
}

.subcontainer {
  display: contents
}

<div class='container'>
  <div class='flex-box'>one</div>
  <div class='flex-box'>two</div>
  <div class='flex-box'>three</div>
  <div class='subcontainer'>
    <div class='flex-box'>four</div>
    <div class='flex-box'>five</div>
  </div>
  <div class='flex-box'>six</div>
</div>