Qiao Nan laid beside the triplets, taking in their smell of milk. She felt as if she was freed of all troubles. It was peaceful and comforting to lie next to them. Moreover, it seemed to have a hypnotic effect. She closed her eyes and fell asleep within one minute.
Qiao Nan thought that she would have a dreamless sleep and would be able to sleep soundly throughout the night.
However, Qiao Nan, who was deep asleep, was roused awake in the middle of the night.
Someone lifted Qiao Nan off the warm bed. Although it was not very cold, Qiao Nan, who was used to the warmth in the bed, could not help but have goose bumps when she felt the cool air on her skin. She left her warm bed and was placed on another bed. The coldness of the new bed made her shiver uncontrollably.
Luckily, Qiao Nan was enveloped by a burning sensation right away. She was drenched in perspiration and her bedsheets were wet as well.
The next morning, the bright sunlight shone on Qiao Nan’s eyes. It was so glaring that she used her hands to shield her eyes. She felt tired to the bones. She felt like sleeping for another seven to eight hours, but it was too glaring that she had to open her eyes.
It was winter now. The sky was usually overcast in the capital.
However, today’s weather was great, and the sun was shining brightly. Although Qiao Nan was in the room, she could feel the warmth of the sun shining on her body.
Qiao Nan stretched herself and yawned. She noticed that the bedsheets were different and her body felt limp and sore. She felt a mixture of anger and embarrassment. She took a closer look. True enough, she was not lying on the same bed that she slept in yesterday. Instead, she was lying on the bed that Zhai Sheng specially bought for the triplets.
Apart from Er Bao, who had spent a night on the bed, the triplets had never slept in the bed before. Instead, they would jump about on the bed. As for Qiao Nan, she slept on the bed for more than once, and she slept on it with that man most of the time.
“Mama, mama…” San Bao was pounding on the door. She sounded anxious and furious. “Mama.”
San Bao stopped shouting all of a sudden and in replace was her shriek. Someone seemed to carry her in his arms. “You must not disturb your mom. I will play with you.”
“No!”
The father and daughter ended up quarreling at the doorway. Qiao Nan laid on the bed lazily while she listened to the banter between Zhai Sheng, who was already a father, and a fourteen-month-old San Bao behind the door.
After some time, Qiao Nan finally felt much refreshed. She sat up from the bed slowly, changed her clothes, brushed her teeth, and washed her face. “What’s wrong?” When Qiao Nan opened the door, the father and daughter were still ‘quarreling’.
Zhai Sheng felt that he had been very gentle and nice to his only daughter. He could be selected as the best father in China. However, San Bao pouted her lips and her eyes were red. She sounded annoyed and impatient. She knitted her eyebrows. If they continued with the banter, she might burst out in tears.
“Mama.” San Bao’s eyes lit up upon seeing Qiao Nan. She pushed against Zhai Sheng and threw herself into Qiao Nan’s embrace.
Qiao Nan pursed her lips and carried her daughter from Zhai Sheng’s arms. “Brother Zhai, you bullied San Bao and she is in tears. Didn’t you say that you dote on her the most?” Why was the actual situation different from what he said?
“Mama.” San Bao seemed to have a lot of grievances. She buried her face in Qiao Nan’s neck. She had no wish to see Zhai Sheng, the baddie. “Mama, hungry.”
Qiao Nan patted San Bao on her bottom. “Is San Bao hungry?” I will bring you to have breakfast.” San Bao was impatient and she was a girl. It was no wonder that she was delicate.
If Qiao Nan was not around, Da Bao would eat on his own. But it was different for San Bao. Qiao Nan had to be around for her to eat her meals. If Qiao Nan was at home, she had to stay by San Bao’s side while she had her meals. She must not leave her side.
It was already one o’clock in the morning when Zhai Sheng reached the Zhai family’s residence yesterday night.
Originally, Zhai Sheng wanted to hug his wife and children to sleep. But once he carried his wife in his arms, he had other intentions in mind and carried her to another bed.
He knew that he must have tired out Qiao Nan. From his previous experience at home, Zhai Sheng knew the daily routines of the triplets and he carried them to the restroom in the wee hours of the morning.
Zhai Sheng knew his limitations. He did not help the triplets do difficult tasks like brushing their teeth or washing their small faces. He brought the triplets to their grandma, auntie, and helper.
Da Bao and Er Bao were halfway through their breakfast, while San Bao kept whining for Qiao Nan to accompany her.
Da Bao and Er Bao tried to cover up for San Bao by attracting Zhai Sheng’s attention. They made him bring food for them, pour water for them, and wipe their mouths.
Initially, Zhai Sheng thought that Da Bao and Er Bao were closer to him and therefore they wanted him to help them. But then he realized that San Bao had already climbed silently on all fours to the second floor and was walking toward the bedroom. Zhai Sheng took big strides to chase after her and he finally caught hold of San Bao.
Perhaps, since she was caught by Zhai Sheng, San Bao was very angry at him. She turned her back on him and faced her beloved mama. She drank the soft little millet porridge happily, savoring her breakfast.
Now that their mama was downstairs, Da Bao and Er Bao no longer needed to cover up for their sister. The two little brats abandoned their father that they had ordered around for the entire morning. They drank some water after finishing their breakfast. They then held hands and walked to a corner to play with their toys.
As they were walking toward their toys, they stopped and waved to San Bao, telling her to hurry up and join them.
San Bao turned anxious. She urged Qiao Nan to feed her quickly so that she could join her brothers and play with them as soon as possible.
“San Bao, be good. There is no need to hurry. Your brothers will wait for you. They won’t run away.” Qiao Nan had no wish to speed up feeding San Bao. She fed her slowly, one spoonful after another. Under Qiao Nan’s influence, San Bao, who was impatient, calmed down and finished her food in her mouth before she had more.
She finished her meal in her usual speed. Then, Qiao Nan carried her from the high chair and watched as she ran toward Da Bao and Er Bao.