Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Besides the speechless triplets, Tian Dong was the one feeling most upset. “No wonder… Mom, why don’t you bring our family’s Xiao Bao along when you bring the triplets on a trip next time?” During the few days that Qiao Nan and the triplets were away, his son almost annoyed him to death.
He did not discover it in the past. He had only seen through the naggy nature of his son now.
Typically, Tian Dong would let Xiao Bao stay overnight at the Zhai family for two days a week. The days that the triplets were away this time coincided with the days when Xiao Bao went to the Zhai family’s residence to play. Although Xiao Bao was unhappy when Qiao Nan was away on a business trip, his three cousins were still around to play with him. However, these four people were all away; even Miao Jing was not around.
Seeing that there were only two ‘old men’ left in the Zhai family, Xiao Bao, having nothing left to yearn for, was carried by Tian Dong back to the Tian family. In the following few days, Xiao Bao was so listless. Not to mention Mother Tian, his grandmother, even Tian Dong, felt so jealous at this sight.
After all, this was his biological son, Xiao Bao, who was upset. Although he felt jealous, Tian Dong felt his heart ache more.
Rather than letting Xiao Bao continue to be moody, he might as well let his mother-in-law and Qiao Nan bring Xiao Bao along if they were to go out to have fun. Coincidentally, his family did not have the spare time to do so. His mother-in-law and Qiao Nan could even take care of triplets well. Would they shun having one more Xiao Bao?
“That’s only your wishful thinking.” Miao Jing looked at Tian Dong, this son-in-law, unhappily. “Are you really prepared to dump Xiao Bao at our house? Will in-law be happy? She already feels upset if she doesn’t see Xiao Bao for one day. If you really let us bring Xiao Bao away for a few days, she will become lovesick.” Miao Jing was quite sure about this.
Thankfully, they had three kids in the family and could not dote on them enough. The Tian family only had one precious darling, Xiao Bao. As such, they watched him like a hawk. In particular, Dongzi married late. When other family’s children were going to attend primary school, Xiao Bao was not even two years old.
The Tian family was only short of finding someone to follow Xiao Bao twenty-four hours per day, lest Xiao Bao be bullied or become injured by knocking into something or falling down. Given how anxious the Tian family was for Xiao Bao, Miao Jing dared not agree even if Tian Dong dared to let her take care of Xiao Bao.
Tian Dong did not deny the importance that his mother placed on Xiao Bao. “Of course, this is wishful thinking on my part. My mom is too anxious about Xiao Bao. Xiao Bao likes to come here to play. I think it is most likely because Xiao Bao feels more carefree at his maternal grandma’s house.” Tian Dong also discovered his mother’s issue. She was overly-anxious about Xiao Bao and forbid Xiao Bao to do this or play that.
In the past, he did not discover this problem of his mother. However, after having Xiao Bao, Tian Dong simply suspected if his mother had changed her horoscope to the cleanliness freak Virgo. After Xiao Bao went home to play for a short while, his mother made Xiao Bao wash his hands more than ten or twenty times until Xiao Bao’s hands turned red.
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Although his mother had applied baby’s moisturizer on Xiao Bao thereafter, Tian Dong felt quite upset at the sight of Xiao Bao’s miserable face. Xiao Bao was a son, not a daughter. They had gone overboard to raise him in this way. Unfortunately, Tian Dong could not open his mouth to persuade his mother as they were his elders. When he could not endure further and told his mother, she refused to listen.
This time, even his father was not effective in resolving this. His mother refused to agree no matter what they said. She insisted that there were many bacteria nowadays and they had to pay attention to Xiao Bao more. He had been forced to wash his hands so many times at home. However, he only needed to wash his hands before he ate something in the Zhai family’s residence. Xiao Bao was very young, but he was aware of the difference.
There you had it. As soon as he was at the Zhai family, Xiao Bao considered himself having been set free.
“Your whole family had stayed overseas for so many years. I had thought that your mom is more open-minded and flexible than me.” After hearing what was happening ‘inside’ the family, Miao Jing could not quite figure out when this in-law of hers had become so troublesome. It was no wonder Dongzi could bear to send his son to their house.
Dongzi gave a bitter smile. “This is because when you were away last week, I promised Xiao Bao to let him stay over at your house for a few more days. Aren’t the triplets still on the National Day holiday? It’s just nice. The four children can gather and play together.” Qiao Nan would certainly be busy when she came back. She would not have time to keep Xiao Bao company.
“Alright. When your mom can’t take it anymore, you can come and bring Xiao Bao away.” This matter could at most dawdle for a few days. Most likely, her in-law’s tolerance limit of not seeing Xiao Bao was three or four days. Miao Jing looked at Xiao Bao sympathetically. Her pitiful maternal grandson… He had met with such a strange paternal grandmother.
Her temperament had such a sudden and drastic change.
After returning to the house in the capital, there were many people who could help Qiao Nan look after the kids. As soon as the kids arrived home, she gave He Yi a phone call immediately. After the children rested for a while, Qiao Nan might as well bring the triplets and Xiao Bao to visit Elder Lin next door.
She was not sure if Elder Lin’s health had been poor lately or he had not rested well. He not only caught a cold but was also quite seriously ill. As such, Qiao Nan let the four children wear masks before visiting Elder Lin.
Elder Lin was very clear about how the cold virus spread. When he heard that Qiao Nan was back and even brought the four children to visit him, he spat words at the nanny angrily. He then asked the nanny to pass what he said, word-for-word, to Qiao Nan, “I am having a cold, not some major terminal illness. The four children are still so young and they have weak immune systems. Even an adult like me has taken ill. How are the four little ones going to fight the virus? You are such an idiot. How did you become a mother? Is there someone like you who bring your kids to a patient’s house? Won’t your heart ache when the kids fall sick?”
After being shot a round of scolding, Qiao Nan could only leave some local specialty products that she brought from Ping Cheng in the house and returned home with the four kids gloomily. Xiao Bao did not feel much. Anyway, he was here to join in the fun. When he saw the cousins and auntie going there, he simply followed them without knowing anything as he did not wish to be left alone.
The triplets were different. They had a very deep bond with Lin Yuankang.
This time, they bought many things from Ping Cheng. The triplets kept saying that they wanted to give these items to this person and that person, and those items to this person and that person. Amongst the recipients, the frequency of Lin Yuankang’s name being mentioned by the triplets was higher than Zhai Yaohui, the biological grandfather.
The triplets felt extremely disappointed that they could not personally give the presents that they selected for master grandpa to him. They pouted and snorted like ponies.
“Alright, didn’t Mom already tell you? Master grandpa is sick now. His body is unwell and he needs to rest properly. If you really wish to see master grandpa, wait until he is fully recovered. Won’t that do? At that time, you can tell master grandpa which of those presents were picked by you specially for master grandpa. I think master grandpa has already received your presents by now. Also, he must be feeling very, very, happy. When master grandpa’s mood is better, he will definitely recover faster from his illness.”