Zhou Caiwei's pregnancy was full of ups and downs, but fortunately, it was safe and sound. In October this year, she gave birth to a lovely baby girl.

Ning Tang made an appointment with Mrs. Luo, Zeng Xinlan and others to go to Wu's house to see her.

Ning Tang gave a small silver bracelet, Mrs. Luo gave a can of maltose, and Zeng Xinlan also gave a piece of blue floral fabric.

Zhou Caiwei picked up the blue floral fabric and said, "This color is so pure, Xinlan, my craftsmanship is not good, so I'll have to trouble you to make me a nice little skirt for summer."

Zeng Xinlan smiled and agreed, "Okay, I promise to use all my skills to make you a beautiful little skirt and sew nice patterns on it."

Mrs. Luo said, "Let Xinlan sew a small conch, coconut palm, bougainvillea, or kapok for you. She is good at this and she can sew it beautifully."

Zeng Xinlan was happy: "Okay? I'll sew them all."

Zhou Caiwei put the small silver bracelet with a bell on her daughter and shook her chubby little hand, "Bao'er, say thank you to your Aunt Ning."

Ning Tang smiled and waved her hand in front of the baby, "You're welcome."

The little baby rolled her eyes, as if looking at Ning Tang's hands, but in fact she couldn't see anything at this stage.

But the baby's movements like this are so cute, especially when he moves his mouth while looking at it. His little pink mouth is so cute.

Mrs. Luo sat on the bed, "Caiwei, have you decided on a name for her?"

Zhou Caiwei smiled and said, "She is still too young now, so let's call her Bao'er for now. Dahui and I will think carefully about her full name."

Mrs. Luo asked, "Caiwei, you and Captain Wu both have to go to work, who usually takes care of Baoer, your mother-in-law?"

The incident of the "sex-change drug" became a typical example in the Military Academy, and everyone knew about it.

Wu Dahui also asked a comrade who worked in the Public Security Bureau of his county to go to their village to investigate the matter of the "sex-change drug".

That comrade led people to capture the unscrupulous doctor who was selling the "sex-change drug", but I heard that there are still a lot of "sex-change drugs" circulating among the villages, and there are many people who believe in it. It can only be said that it is a temporary solution and not a fundamental solution.

Miao Xiaofeng was angry with Zhou Caiwei and Wu Dahui because of the matter of the fetal rebirth medicine. Now the "miracle doctor" in her mind was captured again. Her dream of having a grandson was completely shattered. She hated the two of them even more. How could she possibly take care of Zhou Caiwei during her pregnancy, confinement, and baby care?

Zhou Caiwei was never in a good mood when she mentioned her mother-in-law. She pouted and said, "I don't need her to take care of me. When she heard that I had a daughter, she didn't even send me a letter, let alone come to take care of me during the confinement period or take care of Bao'er."

As good friends, the three Ningtangs were able to give each other silver bracelets, maltose and cloth as gifts. However, Miao Xiaofeng, Baoer's grandmother, didn't even say a word of greeting. It was really heartbreaking.

Zhou Caiwei calmed down and said, "Okay, I asked someone in Dahui to find an aunt from the same village. She will come to Hailang Island to take care of Baoer after the New Year."

Hearing that someone was taking care of her, Mrs. Luo breathed a sigh of relief for Zhou Caiwei.

She had also given birth to a child, so she knew how difficult it was for a woman to go through that period right after giving birth.

Zhou Caiwei and Wu Dahui are both full-time workers, and Baoer is still young. It will not work without someone to lend a hand at this time.

As soon as Zhou Caiwei put Baoer on the bed, Baoer immediately danced and wanted to turn over.

Ning Tang cried out, "She wants to turn over."

I just can’t turn it over.

Zhou Caiwei looked at Bao Er with eyes full of doting, "Is she turning over faster now?"

Zeng Xinlan smiled and said, "Not fast. They say that children can roll over quickly after three months, sit up after six months, and crawl after seven months. Baoer is two months old now, so it's normal for him to be able to roll over quickly."

Mrs. Luo said jokingly, "Look at these hands, they are so energetic, dancing around, it looks like they are swimming."

Ning Tang took a quick look and saw Baoer's two little fleshy hands, which looked like lotus roots, moving backwards. It was really like what Mrs. Luo said, as if they were swimming.

Zhou Caiwei said, "By the way, Xiaoning, when will your third child come back? He's been gone for two years, so it's time for him to come back home. Why won't they let him go to that training base?"

Mrs. Luo also said, "To be honest, it's like being trapped in a fence after entering here, and they won't even let the child come back."

Ning Tang smiled and said, "Sanwa came to believe it and said he would come back for the New Year this year."

This year during the Chinese New Year, Sanwa was finally able to go home.

As soon as he arrived at the training base of the Navy Swimming Team, he took part in several competitions within the team. He swam faster than other swimmers who had trained for many years. He really stole the show. The top leader of the base even commented that he was worthy of being a kid from the island and that he had that kind of talent.

Maybe, in the future I will be able to stand on the international stage.

This made Sanwa's coach overjoyed, and he forced him to undergo systematic training to ensure that this pearl would not be left untouched.

It has been two years since the third child left home, and the eldest child and the second girl who skipped a grade are both in the third year of junior high school, but this kid only has the annual leave to go home.

It was back in September this year. Sanwa represented the Navy Swimming Team in the National Games Junior Swimming Competition and won the championship. His coach was so happy that he happily gave him a long vacation so that Sanwa could go home.

Sanwa was so angry that he wrote countless letters home to complain, saying that Principal Lu had deceived him. He had been told that he could go home during the holidays, but in the end, he had not been home for two years and had only been participating in various trainings and competitions.

This matter really wronged Principal Lu. What the leader told Principal Lu at the beginning was that he could reply if the answer was false.

But in recent years, the higher-ups have attached great importance to sports, and various competitions have emerged one after another. As a good seedling and the "little golden egg" of the Navy Swimming Team training base, Sanwa must be trained intensively. Holidays and other things can be put aside for the time being. Training and competitions take priority.

That’s why, for two years, my three children have been unable to go home during holidays and unable to return home.

Fortunately, Sanwa can finally come back this year.

A month before Sanwa came back, Shen Lie was muttering that Sanwa might have lost weight. After all, this kid always complained that the nutritious meals at the training base were not to his liking.

Ning Tang smiled and said, "If you are worried that Sanwa will lose weight, you can make more delicious food for him these few days to nourish him."

Shen Lie said: "What do you think we should cook? Something to eat?"

The eldest child suggested, "Cook meat with lots of oil and sauce? The kind that's good."

Ning Tang was amused, "You want to eat it, right?"

The eldest boy chuckled and said, "All the same, all the same."

On New Year's Eve, Shen Lie went to the railway station in Jiang City to pick up Sanwa, while Ningtang took Dawa and Erniu to cook at home.

Ning Tang was the supervisor, with his hands on his hips, directing Da Wa, "Wash the vegetables more thoroughly. Look at the green onions that have been cut for you." He also directed Er Niu, "Stir-fry the pickled cabbage twice, don't burn the pot."

The eldest boy kept moving his hands and complained speechlessly, "We all did it, what are you doing?"

Ning Tang: "I eat while lying down."

Big Baby: "You still have the nerve to say that."

Ning Tang slapped him on the back of his head, "Stop talking nonsense, hurry up, your dad and Sanwa will be back soon, don't wait for them to get home, the three of us haven't finished cooking yet." Then he said, "Look at Erniu, she doesn't talk as much as you do."

Erniu said in a low voice, "I am angry but dare not speak."

Ning Tang glanced at her, and Erniu swallowed her words and said shamelessly, "I didn't say anything. I'll just stir-fry the pickled cabbage."

Just as the wall clock hit eleven, Ning Tang heard footsteps at the door, followed by Sanwa's yelling, "Mom, I'm back!"

Ning Tang threw the spatula into the pot and rushed out of the kitchen, "You little bastard, you finally decided to come back."

Sanwa grinned, revealing a mouthful of clean white teeth, "Mom, I missed you so much." He sniffed and said, "What kind of home-cooked food is this? How come it smells so good?"

"Are you hungry?" Ning Tang said, "Then let's eat quickly."

The meal was served. As it was New Year's Eve, the meal was very rich, with six dishes and one soup, including halved pig's trotters, braised lion's head, cold tofu skin, stir-fried vermicelli with sauerkraut, boiled beets, boiled chicken, and a pot of seaweed fish ball soup.

Sanwa had come all the way from Shanghai by train. He was very hungry after the long journey. He picked up his chopsticks and started to eat heartily. While eating, he said, "It's delicious, Mom. Your cooking skills have improved again."

The eldest boy poked his head out to take a look and said happily, "You are really good at choosing. That was the only dish made by mom, the braised lion head. The rest were made by Erniu and I."

Da Wa and Er Niu's cooking skills have been honed in the past two years. Even though their food is not as delicious as Shen Lie's, their level is on par with Ning Tang's. They rarely make messes like burnt pots or adding too much salt.

The eldest child then shook his head and said, "It's not that mom's cooking skills have improved, it's that you ate too many tasteless nutritional meals at your training base, so you think everything tastes good."

Ning Tang slapped him on the back of his head, "Can you talk? It's obvious that my cooking skills have improved. I've practiced it. I'm going to sign up for the cooking competition tomorrow and I must win first place to prove my strength."

"Puff... cough cough cough..." Shen Lie almost choked on the food. Seeing Ning Tang looking at him, he quickly said seriously, "I didn't say anything. Eat your food quickly."

He looked Sanwa up and down and said, "By the way, Sanwa, are you a little paler?"

Ning Tang was about to say, "Not only has she become whiter, she seems to have grown a little taller as well."

Sanwa asked, "Am I really white?"

Shen Lie glanced at Sanwa again and said with certainty, "It's obvious. If you don't believe me, ask Dawa and Erniu."

The third child looked at his brothers and sisters. The eldest child said, "It's whiter than before." The second girl nodded, "I think so too."

Sanwa patted his cheeks and said, "That's probably because when I was on the island, I went to the beach to swim, where there was wind and sun, but at the training base, there were indoor swimming pools, so I couldn't get any sun, so my skin became pale."

To Sanwa, black or white is the same. He does not pursue white as beauty. He looks good when he is white, and he also looks good when he is black.

The eldest child said, "Third child, are you taller than me now?"

Sanwa was stunned. "No, I feel like I'm still the same as before."

Erniu said, "It's impossible. It's been two years. You must have grown taller."

The eldest child stopped eating and stood up, saying, "Come on, third child, compete with me."

The third child stood next to him and compared heights. He found that they were very close in height, but he was half a head shorter than the eldest child. "Hey, brother, I seem to have really grown taller."

He used to be a head shorter than the eldest child, but now he is only half a head shorter than the eldest child. As he grows taller, the eldest child is also growing taller, which means he has really grown taller.

Erniu puffed up her cheeks and said, "Well, you two have grown up secretly, but I don't think I have grown at all."

Looking at Sanwa, his eyes lit up, "Sanwa, how come you grow so fast? Do you have any secret recipe?"

Sanwa couldn't explain it either, scratching his head, "Is it because of the nutritional meals?"

"Nutritional meals are part of it," Ning Tang said, "and it's also related to exercise. Sanwa has been exercising regularly in the past two years, and his body has been stretched, so he has grown a lot taller."

"If you two want to grow taller, you can also exercise more. It's not just going out to play games or throwing sandbags that is called exercise. It should be swimming, running, and playing ball." Shen Lie said.

Ning Tang said, "If you two want to grow taller, I'll ask San Wa for the recipes for his nutritious meals. I'll make three meals a day for you. If you combine that with exercise, you'll definitely grow taller."

The eldest child was a little excited, "Third child, what do you usually eat? What's in the nutrition meal?"

Sanwa thought for a while, "Boiled broccoli, boiled eggs, blanched beef and mutton, boiled fish, and fruits too, cherry tomatoes, apples..."

The eldest boy was stunned and asked, "They are all boiled in water? No salt is even added? What about braised dishes, cold dishes, spicy stir-fries, and stews? There is none of these? "

Speaking of this, Sanwa's face turned pale. "Yes, very rarely. Less than once a month. And there are a lot of vegetarian dishes." Pointing to his own face, "You all say that I'm getting whiter, but I think I'm getting greener. It's all because of eating green vegetables."

The eldest child imagined it and suddenly shuddered, "You want to? So, I would rather be shorter."

If he has to sacrifice delicious meals to grow taller, then he would really rather be a little shorter.

Ning Tang looked at Sanwa and concluded, "He's not green at all. Not only has he become whiter, he's also more handsome than before."

Before Sanwa went to the Navy Swim Team training base, he had some flesh on his cheeks. In the past two years, he has lost weight, and his facial features have become more three-dimensional. He looks more and more like Shen Lie.

Sanwa's New Year leave was extended to after the Lantern Festival. He returned to Shanghai after eating glutinous rice balls. It was a long vacation for him.

When people heard that Sanwa had become an athlete, many were curious. Every day someone would come to him and ask about the Navy Swim Team training base.

There are many curious people. Some families whose children have poor academic performance also want to train them to be athletes like Sanwa. Isn't this also a disguised form of "iron rice bowl"?

So the bold ones went directly to Shen's house to ask Sanwa, while the timid ones went around asking people.

There is another type of people who are eager to know about the Marine Swim Team training base, but do not want to ask Sanwa or inquire about it, for fear of what others may say. Ning Xue is one of these people.

In the past two years, the twins' grades have been as good as ever, leaving the older child far behind.

Logically, Ning Xue should be happy, but there is always a thorn in her heart, and that thorn is Sanwa.

Li Yun had previously told Ning Xue about the various good treatments that Sanwa would receive after entering the training base. Ning Xue didn't hear what he said at the time, but she kept it all in her heart.

She originally wanted to wait for Sanwa to come back and then secretly ask him.

But as soon as Sanwa came back, he was like a little star. Everyone asked him about the Navy Swim Team training base. Ning Xue couldn't ask anymore, and she didn't dare to ask others. She started to say that Sanwa was a loser. How could she have the nerve to ask about the news of a "lose" person? Otherwise, others would laugh at her.

Ning Xue didn't have a good time this year, as she was worried about her third child.

I am very confused. Should I say hello or not?

After so many entanglements, she finally found an opportunity.

Before coming back, Sanwa's coach held Sanwa's hand and reminded him carefully not to slack off during the holiday. Although Hailang Island does not have a swimming pool, there is the sea, and he can swim in the water. He should also practice three times a day when he returns home.

Sanwa agreed, but secretly complained in his heart that the coach wanted to freeze him to death by letting him swim in the middle of winter.

But he still had to listen to his coach. After the New Year, when he returned to Shanghai, he had competitions to participate in and could not relax.

So Sanwa picked a sunny and warm day, put on the swimming trunks Ningtang made for him with coconut tree patterns sewn on them, and prepared to go to the beach.

But just after he took two steps out of the door, he was stopped by Ning Xue. She said mysteriously, "Sanwa, come with me."

Sanwa was stunned and didn't react for a moment. After all, in all these years, Ning Xue had never taken the initiative to talk to him, Da Wa and Er Niu. When they ran into them on the road, the three of them greeted her, but she just glanced at them coldly and turned her head away.

What are you trying to do by suddenly coming to him now?

Ning Xue saw that Sanwa didn't respond and glared at him, "Why are you standing there? Follow me."

Sanwa was completely confused, but out of respect for his elders, he followed Ning Xue to a deserted path and asked, "Aunt, what do you want from me?"

He hadn't seen Ning Xue for two years, and he always felt that Ning Xue looked much older than before, with even white hair on her temples.

"It's not a big deal." Ning Xue pursed her lips, "I just want to ask you about the Navy Swim Team training base." As soon as she finished speaking, she threatened Sanwa, "You are not allowed to tell your mother what I told you."

Sanwa was speechless. He just wanted to ask about the Marine Swim Team training base. Many people came to ask him these days. Some even stopped him on the road to ask him. What was Ning Xue trying to do by being so secretive?

Sanwa said, "Okay, then don't tell me. Aunt, what do you want to ask me?" He added, "Let me make it clear first. If you want to ask me how our base trains and selects athletes, then I'm sorry I can't tell you." This is a secret.

Ning Xue snorted, "Why am I asking you that? I'm not planning to train Guangzong and Yaozu to be athletes. It's too tiring. When they go to college, there will be plenty of easy and lucrative jobs for them. Why bother to become athletes?"

Sanwa felt that he couldn't get along with Ningxue, "Then please ask quickly, aunt, I'm going to the beach to swim." If you have something to say, say it. If not, get out of here.

Ning Xue coughed, "Um, um, what is the treatment at the Marine Swimming Team Training Base? I heard from others that the base you stayed at not only provided three meals and accommodation, but also provided clothes and subsidies. Is that true?"

Sanwa nodded, "Is it true? Yeah."

Ning Xue was a little dazed when Sanwa confirmed this statement. The idea that had been entangled with her for countless days and nights was verified. Without thinking, she said, "I don't believe it."

Sanwa thought, believe it or not, "Aunt, why would I lie to you? What good would it do me to lie to you?"

Ning Xue said, "Then, then tell me, what kind of clothes did they give you?"

Sanwa said, "It's clothes for all seasons, also called sportswear or training clothes. Sixteen sets a year, four sets a season. Oh, by the way, because we are on the swimming team, in addition to the sportswear we wear on a daily basis, we will also be given swimming trunks and swimming caps. Anyway, the entire training base is covered."

Ning Xue felt bad and said tartly, "You are lying. Sixteen sets of clothes a year. You have been there for two years, so you should have thirty-two sets of clothes."

Although the policy has been relaxed and there is more cloth circulating in the market now, what kind of family can afford sixteen sets of clothes a year? Ah, it must be the legendary "ten thousand yuan household", right?

Sanwa blinked his eyes, "Aunt, why would I lie to you? I brought back a few sets of training clothes to wear in exchange with my usual clothes. If you don't believe me, come home with me and I'll show you. To be honest, these training clothes are of good quality. I don't know what kind of fabric they are made of, but it doesn't look like daqin to me. At least it's the kind of very expensive fabric."

As if Ning Xue's sourness wasn't enough, Sanwa added, "And my swimming trunks, which are made of elastic fabric? Hey, you know what elastic fabric is, right? It's the kind of fabric that bounces back like a spring when you pull it. The coach said that our swimming trunks are expensive, much more expensive than training clothes, and he said that you can't even buy one pair for three hundred yuan."

"Three hundred yuan?" Ning Xue exclaimed.

She has worked in the Women's Committee for so many years, but her salary has not increased and is still seven yuan a month. After working for so long, she can't even earn enough to buy Sanwa's pair of swimming trunks.

Ning Xue's eyes went dark and she almost fainted.

Sanwa still felt that the excitement was not enough. "By the way, aunt, didn't you ask me about the subsidy? Actually, it's not called a subsidy, it should be called a salary. My monthly salary is 30 yuan. I will be 13 years old after the Chinese New Year. Our coach said that at the age of 13, I can take the exam for the national third-level athlete. If I pass the exam, the training base will also give me a salary, but it's not much, only 10 yuan, which is not even as much as the prize money I get from participating in a competition."

He glanced at Ning Xue, "You still don't know what kind of competition I participated in, right? It's all kinds of swimming competitions, some held by the city, some held by the province, and some held nationwide. I swim fast and often win prizes, ranging from three hundred to one thousand each time. The coach said that he would take me to participate in competitions abroad in the future, and if I win, I will be given prizes. The prizes are foreign money. Have you seen foreign money? I'll give you two tickets then."

With every word Sanwa said, Ningxue's heart sank a little.

Is this called having no future? This is simply having great future!

Ning Xue's face turned pale, she couldn't believe it, she murmured, "It's impossible, you lied to me, how could a little kid like you make so much money, how could your salary be higher than mine, several times higher, you're a liar, you're a liar, you said that on purpose to deceive me."

Sanwa tilted his head innocently and said, "Aunt, I didn't lie to you. Don't you read newspapers or watch TV? Not long ago, I participated in the National Games swimming competition for juniors and won the championship. It was reported in newspapers and on TV. The organizer gave me 1,000 yuan, which was very generous. There was also a gold medal. I took the gold medal home and it's hanging on the wall of my room. Do you want to see it?"

As if that wasn't enough, Sanwa shook his head, "Oh, I forgot, you don't have a TV at my cousin's house." He added, "Aunt, I'm not saying anything bad about you, but you've been working as a clerk in our Military Women's Committee for many years, and you haven't been promoted yet? I heard your salary hasn't changed. If you don't work harder, my salary will be more than ten times yours."

When Ning Xue thought of this possibility, she took a deep breath and turned her back to him.

Sanwa was confused. How could she fall to the ground while talking? He quickly stepped forward and pinched her Ren Zhong. "Aunt, Aunt, wake up! Come and help me!"