Chapter 442 Missing the Child and Returning to the Capital
The next morning, when the sunlight shone through the gauze curtains, Yun Zheng was lying on the bed, scrolling through the photo album on her mobile phone.
On the screen, two cute babies are smiling at the camera. The elder brother, Xiao Yunyi, is holding his sister's little feet, while the younger brother, Xiao Yunshu, is trying hard to stuff a teething stick into his brother's mouth.
This video was sent by Shen Lanshu yesterday, but she has watched it over and over again more than twenty times.
"Now's a good time to video chat." Fu Linghe walked in with freshly squeezed orange juice, with sea water dripping from the ends of her hair.
He glanced at his watch. "It's just past siesta time back home."
Yun Zheng immediately sat up straight.
The moment the video was connected, two small faces squeezed together appeared on the screen.
Little Yunshu, wearing a goose yellow headband, was excitedly tapping on her tablet computer; little Yunyi was held by her grandmother, and her eyes like black grapes suddenly widened.
"Baby!" Yun Zheng's fingertips touched the children's cheeks through the screen.
Xiao Yunshu suddenly let out a loud "Ah-woo!", his entire upper body lunged forward, and his chubby little hands slapped the screen, making loud noises.
"Sister recognizes mom." Shen Lanshu's voice was tinged with laughter, and the camera turned to her drooling daughter, "This morning, she wouldn't let go of your pajamas, and the nanny couldn't coax her out."
These words were like a needle piercing Yun Zheng's heart.
She looked at her daughter's red eyes and suddenly found a mosquito bite on Xiao Yunshu's right cheek.
"Mom, there's baby comfrey ointment on the third layer of the medicine box. You can apply some on Shushu." Her voice began to tremble.
Fu Linghe's hand suddenly rested on her shoulder.
Xiao Yunyi in the camera seemed to have noticed something, and suddenly stretched out his little hand towards the screen, with his five fingers opening and clenching, as if he was grasping something invisible.
This action made Yun Zheng completely collapse, and her tears splashed on the tablet.
After the video call ended, Fu Linghe directly called Special Assistant Qi and said, "Apply for a flight route and return to Beijing today."
He pulled a towel over Yun Zheng's shivering body and said, "Go change. We'll leave in an hour."
Yun Zheng grabbed his wrist, "But I promise you..."
"The children need a mother." Fu Linghe squatted down to look her in the eye, his thumb brushing her wet eyelashes, "and I need a happy Mrs. Fu."
After a quick packing, the couple boarded their return private plane.
There was everything on the plane, so Yun Zheng was too lazy to eat and just set off directly.
As soon as she got on the plane, she kept looking at photos of her two babies and fell asleep while looking at them.
As sunlight streamed in through the porthole, Yun Zheng moved slightly in Fu Linghe's arms.
The plane was flying smoothly, and the hum of the engine was like a lullaby.
She opened her eyes and found that Fu Linghe was awake and was stroking the pearl ring on her ring finger with his fingertips.
"Almost there?" Her voice was still sleepy.
Fu Linghe glanced at his watch. "Three more hours."
He pressed the call bell next to his seat. "Eat something first."
The flight attendant brought breakfast quickly.
Yun Zheng sipped the hot milk, her slightly haggard face reflected in the glass.
She hadn't slept much since the video ended last night, her mind full of images of the children reaching out for hugs.
"Eat this." Fu Linghe placed the peeled boiled egg on her plate. The yolk was just solidified, just the way she liked it.
Seeing that she didn't move, he broke it open and fed it to her mouth, "The children will feel bad when they see their mother lose weight."
Yun Zheng forced a smile and took a bite obediently.
The fragrance in the cabin was the unique coconut scent of the island, but at this moment it made her nose sore.
The closer I get to home, the more I miss it, like waves at high tide, one after another hitting the shore of my heart.
"Assistant Qi said the flight application went smoothly." Fu Linghe wiped the egg yolk crumbs from the corner of her mouth. "Mom and Dad knew we were going back, so they specially asked the kitchen to prepare your favorite yam and pork ribs soup."
Yun Zheng suddenly grabbed his wrist and said, "I'm sorry, husband? I promised you a full week of fun, but you came back after only five days."
Fu Linghe held her hand, his palm warm and dry. "It's a mother's nature to miss her children."
He bent down and kissed the corners of her red eyes. "Besides, I miss those two little troublemakers too."
Outside the porthole, the clouds were as fluffy and white as marshmallows.
Yun Zheng remembered the way little Yun Shu lay on her shoulder and drooled before leaving. That warm little body always smelled of milk.
Although Xiao Yunyi is quiet, every time she comes home, he will look at her with his black eyes that are exactly the same as Fu Linghe's.
The plane landed in the late afternoon in Beijing. The midsummer sun scorched the runway, and the heat waves distorted the air.
Yun Zheng couldn't wait for the gangway to be fully set up before she stood up. Fu Linghe had to hold her shoulders and said, "Be careful, you might get dizzy."
But as soon as she got in the car, she couldn't help but urge the driver, "Uncle Wang, can you drive faster?"
When the shade of the sycamore trees at the Fu family's old house covered the driveway, Yun Zheng's fingers were already on the car door handle.
Before the car stopped, she saw Shen Lanshu and Fu Yanze waiting at the door, each holding a baby.
"Mom!" Yun Zheng almost jumped out of the car, not caring that her high heels stumbled on the cobblestones.
"Slow down." Shen Lanshu came forward with a smile. When the little Yunshu in her arms heard the sound, she immediately twisted her body and made babbling sounds.
The six-month-old baby girl was wearing a light pink jumpsuit. Her little face was as white and tender as a peeled lychee. She was flapping her arms towards Yun Zheng.
"Baby..." Yun Zheng's eyes became wet the moment she took her daughter in her arms.
Xiao Yunshu immediately buried his face in the crook of her neck, his little hands tightly grasping her collar, and whimpering in grievance, as if accusing them of being separated for these days.
Fu Linghe then walked up to the nanny and carefully took his son.
Little Yunyi was much quieter than his sister, but his eyes like black grapes stared at his father without blinking, and his little feet kicked in the air.
"Do you miss your daddy?" Fu Linghe gently rubbed his son's milk-scented face with the tip of his nose, and his usually calm voice softened a little.
Little Yunyi suddenly opened his toothless mouth and smiled, revealing his pink gums.
The aroma of pork rib soup wafted through the living room of the old house.
Yun Zheng sat on the sofa and kissed her daughter's face non-stop. Little Yun Shu would giggle every time she was kissed, and then hide her face in her mother's arms.
"This child doesn't want his grandmother anymore when he sees his mother." Shen Lanshu pretended to be jealous, but her eyes were smiling.
She took the bowl of soup from the nanny and said, "Have some soup first. The kitchen is still steaming your favorite shrimp dumplings."
Only then did Yun Zheng realize that she was extremely hungry.
Just as she was about to take the bowl, Xiao Yunshu suddenly grabbed her earrings and wouldn't let go.
"Hiss~~" Yun Zheng cried out in pain, and Fu Linghe immediately put his son down and walked over.
He skillfully pried open his daughter's fist and rescued the pearl earring. "Little rascal, how did you learn to steal your mother's jewelry?"
"Ah!" Little Yunshu yelled to his father, then turned around and snuggled into Yunzheng's arms again.
This interaction made Shen Lanshu laugh, "This girl's temper is just like yours when you were a child."
Fu Linghe raised an eyebrow, "When I was a kid, I didn't know how to pull my mother's earrings."
While Yun Zheng was drinking soup, Fu Linghe put the two children on the crawling mat.
Little Yunyi immediately crawled towards the colorful rattle, while little Yunshu twisted her body to go back to her mother.
"Sisters are much more clingy than brothers," Chen Lanshu whispered as she helped Yun Zheng with her second bowl of soup. "For the first two days after you left, she always woke up crying in the middle of the night, and no matter how much I tried to comfort her, it didn't work."
The spoon made a crisp sound when it hit the edge of the bowl.
Yun Zheng's chest tightened, "It's all my fault..."
"What nonsense are you talking about?" Shen Lanshu patted the back of her hand. "It's natural for children to stick to their mothers. But why don't you play for a few more days?"
At this time, Fu Linghe came over with his son in his arms, "Some people are eager to go home, and I can't stop them."
He winked at Yun Zheng, who was curiously picking at his shirt buttons.
As the afternoon sun was setting, a family of four came to the back garden.
The shadow of the sycamore tree was cast obliquely on the lawn, and the water droplets splashing from the fountain reflected a rainbow in the sunlight.
Yun Zheng and Fu Linghe sat side by side on a rattan chair, while the twins were babbling and "talking" to each other in the stroller.
"Brother seems to be telling a story to his sister." Yun Zheng smiled as she watched her son dancing with joy.
Little Yunshu was concentrating on chewing the teething stick, and would occasionally make a few noises in agreement.
Fu Linghe suddenly stood up and said, "Wait a moment."
He quickly pulled out a brown paper bag from the house. "I bought it on the island."
Yun Zheng opened it and found that it was two sets of pure cotton clothes, the boy's one was embroidered with a small sailboat, and the girl's one was embroidered with a shell pattern.
She took it out and gestured with surprise, "It's just right for now!"
"I thought it suited them the moment I saw it." Fu Linghe helped his son put on new clothes. Little Yunyi lowered his head to study the sailboat on his chest, his expression as serious as a little captain.
As soon as little Yunshu put on the shell costume, she jumped up excitedly and almost stood up from the stroller.
The setting sun stretched the shadows of the four people very long.
Yun Zheng leaned on Fu Linghe's shoulder, looking at the children dozing off in the stroller, and suddenly whispered, "Hubby, thank you for understanding me."
Fu Linghe squeezed her fingers and said, "We can take them with us next time."
He pointed to the sparkling artificial lake in the distance. "When they can walk, I'll teach them how to feed the swans there."
As dusk deepened, the nanny came and pushed the stroller away.
Yun Zheng stood up to follow, but was stopped by Fu Linghe, "Mom and the nanny are here."
He pointed to the lights on the second floor. "It's time for the children to go to bed, and Mrs. Fu to rest too."
The curtains in the master bedroom fluttered gently in the evening breeze.
Yun Zheng came out of the shower and found Fu Linghe on the balcony talking on the phone. His voice was very low, "Move all the meetings next week online... No, at least free up two days..."
She tiptoed over to the baby monitor.
On the screen, little Yunshu had fallen asleep holding a comfort towel, her little mouth still moving.
Little Yunyi lay quietly beside his sister, with his little hands resting on the railing of the crib.
Fu Linghe hugged her from behind, "Have you seen enough?"
He rested his chin on her shoulder, his breath refreshing with the taste of mint toothpaste. "The doctor said the two babies can start eating solid foods after six months."
Yun Zheng turned and looked into his eyes. "You even asked about this?"
"Of course." Fu Linghe raised his eyebrows proudly, "Mr. Fu wants to be a perfect father."
He suddenly picked her up by the waist and said, "But now, it's time to get the older child to bed."
The sheets smelled soft and sun-kissed.
Yun Zheng sank into the pillow, listening to Fu Linghe's steady heartbeat. Suddenly, she remembered something. "Was that piano shipped to the island temporarily?"
"Yeah." Fu Linghe played with the ends of her hair. "We were planning to set off fireworks at the beach tonight."
Yun Zheng propped herself up and asked, "Shall we go back now?"
"Hush." Fu Linghe pressed her back into his arms. "There's a long way to go."
He turned off the bedside lamp, and moonlight immediately streamed in, gilding everything with a soft silver edge. "Pearls need to be nurtured slowly, and life needs to be lived slowly."
Outside the window, the early summer night breeze swept through the treetops, making a rustling sound, just like the palm trees on the island.
Yun Zheng thought in a daze that she had to get up early tomorrow to put on the two new sets of clothes for the children.
Xiao Yunshu will surely dance with joy, while Xiao Yunyi will probably continue to study the little sailboat on his clothes.
She was already half asleep when Fu Linghe's kiss landed on her forehead.
The last thing she was aware of was a pair of warm hands patting her back gently, as tenderly as if coaxing a child.
The young couple and their child stayed at the old house for one night and then returned to Tanxiyuan.
Back in the early morning of Tanxiyuan, sunlight shone through the floor-to-ceiling windows onto the crib.
Little Yunshu was grabbing the bed rails and trying to stand up, her pink little feet stepping on the cushion, and she was making "yayaya" sounds to declare her victory.
Little Yunyi lay quietly on his own blue blanket, staring intently at the rotating bed mobile, his obsidian eyes blinking to the rhythm of the music.
"The two little ancestors got up really early today." Yun Zheng walked into the baby room wearing a morning gown, with water droplets dripping from the ends of her hair.
Just as she bent down to hug her daughter, little Yunshu suddenly lost her balance and fell backwards, right into her brother's arms.
Little Yunyi groaned when he was hit, but subconsciously used his little hands to protect his sister's head.
When Fu Linghe came in with the bottle of milk, he saw this funny yet heartwarming scene.
He picked up his daughter with one hand and straightened his son with the other. "It seems we need to install a safety railing in advance."
"Ah! Dada!" Little Yunshu twisted like a pretzel in her father's arms, pointing her little hands straight out the window.
Following the direction his daughter pointed, Fu Linghe saw the automatic fountain in the garden reflecting a rainbow in the sunlight.
"Want to go out and play?" He scratched his daughter's nose and turned to Yun Zheng. "It's a nice day today. Why don't you take them to the lawn to bask in the sun?"
Yun Zheng was wiping her son's saliva when she heard him say that. "It's a good time to try out the new tent you bought."
The back garden of Tanxiyuan is more spacious than the old house.
In the shadow cast by the oak tree, Fu Linghe was assembling a sky blue tent. Xiao Yunyi was sitting on a picnic mat next to him, seriously studying the metal stakes that fixed the tent.
Yun Zheng held her daughter in her arms as they walked under the rose rack. Little Yun Shu would scream in surprise every time she touched a petal.
"Brother, come here!" Yun Zheng suddenly squatted down. Little Yun Yi looked up and saw his mother pointing at the ants crawling in the soil.
The boy immediately crawled over using his hands and feet, his movements much more agile than usual.
Fu Linghe stopped what he was doing and watched Yun Zheng patiently guiding her son to observe ants moving. The sunlight cast fine gold powder on her eyelashes.
After the tent was set up, Fu Linghe moved a big thing out of the house.
Yun Zheng exclaimed after seeing it clearly, "When did you buy it?"
"Last week." He adjusted the mount of the telescope. "When they're older, we can watch the stars together."
As he said this, he suddenly picked up his son and let him look at the birds on the distant treetops through the lens.
Little Yunyi was startled at first, then his whole face lit up and he kept clapping the lens tube with his little hands.
Lunch was eaten in the garden.
Yun Zheng made avocado puree, and little Yun Shu got it all over his face. In the end, he simply put the bowl on his head.
Little Yunyi showed a cleanliness obsession that surprised his parents. Whenever food got on the corner of his mouth, he would wipe it clean with a napkin.
"This child looks like you." Yun Zheng smiled and washed her daughter's face with a wet wipe. "When you were a child, were you also..."
Before she could finish her words, Xiao Yunshu suddenly grabbed her wrist and stuffed the saliva-soaked teething stick into her mouth.
Fu Linghe chuckled as he took the building blocks from his son and said, "Sister, this is a spirit of sharing."
As soon as he finished speaking, little Yunyi stacked the last building block steadily on the top of the tower, then looked up at his father, with anticipation shining in his black eyes.
"Great!" Fu Linghe rubbed his son's soft hair, and took out a small bell from his pocket like magic and tied it around the child's ankle.
Little Yunyi kicked his legs curiously, and the crisp ringtone immediately attracted his sister to turn her head and look.
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