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The farthest place the children have ever been since they came to live with their parents is the amusement park. They are easily satisfied; even a simple trip to the supermarket can make them happy.
It wasn't that Zhong Wanchu and Qing Huai were reluctant to take them out, but rather that they simply couldn't find a suitable day for the whole family to go on a trip.
Coincidentally, Cai Cai's good friend Xi Wen's mother, Xining, invited the children to her home on Saturday, and both she and her husband happened to be free.
This is the baby's first human friend, and the whole family cherishes it. We left home very early that day.
Zhong Wan got up early to make some simple cupcakes and egg tarts, while Chu Qinghuai picked out some delicious fruits. With everything prepared, the two of them helped the three children get dressed and washed, and while eating breakfast, they also established some rules:
"When it's your first time visiting your best friend's house, do you know what you can and can't do?"
Zhong Wan held up one finger to indicate the first point, asking them to answer.
Cai Cai eagerly raised her hand, "Cai Cai knows!"
"you say."
"You should say thank you and sorry."
He remembered these two sentences most clearly: when you receive something from someone, you should say thank you; if you accidentally hurt someone, you should say sorry; and if the other person doesn't forgive you, you should keep saying sorry.
Thinking this through, he fluently told his mother, and Zhong Wan nodded: "Yes, that's the first point. What's the second point? What else should we do?"
Mumu replied, "Say hello to Xiwen, say hello to your uncles and aunts."
"That's right! We should be polite children and greet others when we visit their homes."
Zhong Wan looked at them with satisfaction, then fixed her gaze on Xiao He's face, staring at her intently, and asked, "Mom is asking you, when you were eating lunch at Brother Xiwen's house, could you please not drop any grains of rice on the floor?"
"I can do it!"
Xiao He stood on the chair and shouted with great force.
Zhong Wan tugged at her little braid, straightened the hair clip, and praised, "Great job! Mom believes you can do it."
Even if you don't visit other people's homes, there are still some etiquettes that need to be learned. Zhong Wan also felt that these behavioral norms were already learned unconsciously in daily life, because parents are a microcosm and a mirror. Children will become like the way their parents teach them. So she just reviewed them with the children.
Upon seeing this, Chu Qinghuai said, "I've prepared everything. Let's go."
He remained quiet throughout the entire process because he didn't want to deliberately teach the children these common things. They're not stupid; if they act normally normally, they naturally won't do anything excessive when visiting other people's homes. Today was supposed to be a day for the children to play together, so why make such a fuss?
He shook his head disapprovingly, preferring more freedom to Zhong Wan's structured education.
Zhong Wan met the man's gaze and guessed what he was thinking, so she said, "Don't look at me like that. It won't hurt to remind them a couple more times. Our children may not be smart or obedient, but they must be polite."
One believes that more instruction should be given on etiquette, while the other thinks that letting things take their natural course is better for children.
"Yes, you're right."
"Since I'm right, then do as I say."
Chu Qinghuai was still a little unhappy, but he was defeated by a single look from Zhong Wan.
"..."
Preparing just some food for visiting guests is definitely not enough, so the couple took their children to a nearby shopping mall to pick out gifts.
At the entrance of the toy store, Zhong Wan told them, "Each of you choose a gift for Xiwen. Remember, it's for your brother, not for you. Understand?"
They understood what he meant: they wanted to buy gifts for other children.
However, even though they understood what was being said, when the three children, all under the age of four, stood amidst a sea of temptations, they lost all reason. Like mice entering a rice jar, they couldn't bear to close their eyes when they saw the fun toys. Their little hands gently reached out, their eyes revealing longing, thinking: "If only I could take them all home."
Chu Qinghuai's devilish voice yanked the three children, lost in their daydreams, back to reality: "I'm not buying you toys. Hurry up and pick them out, or I'm leaving."
"Ah, Daddy."
Xiao He called out to him pitifully.
"Hey." He was mischievous, deliberately responding but not continuing the conversation as she intended.
Zhong Wan patted him on the shoulder, "Stop joking, hurry up and buy it."
In the end, the three children didn't get to buy their own toys, but they secretly picked out toys that Xiwen liked. Zhong Wan carried the Barbie princess castle back to the shelf and put it back, saying helplessly, "I'll do it."
The three items were still the same: a picture book that could make sounds, a box of crayons, and a dinosaur egg. They fit perfectly into the gift box. Zhong Wan carried the gifts in her hands and led the children to Xiwen's home.
-
You could tell from the last time we saw them at the amusement park that the child comes from a well-off family.
Zhong Wan didn't know the exact price of the apartment in Xi Wen's neighborhood, nor would she look it up, but it was certainly not cheap. His home was a duplex, with a huge entryway right inside the door, and tender shoots sprouting from the soil of flowerpots nearby.
Xining offered shoes to the guests and warmly welcomed them, saying, "Please come in quickly, Xiwen and I have been waiting for you for a long time."
The little boy behind her peeked out, looking embarrassed, his ears turning red, and said in a voice as soft as a bee's buzz.
Zhong Wan noticed that he had two shallow dimples when he smiled, which were extremely cute. She called out, "Xiwen, do you still remember Auntie?"
"Remember, you are Zhongqing's mother."
"Wow, you actually remember Cai Cai's full name, that's so smart."
Zhong Wan praised her generously, never expecting that the child could say the name of a friend she had only heard of once. She was afraid that Cai Cai herself didn't even know her own name.
Xiwen was very shy, and then hid behind her mother again.
...
The three children, new to the place, were not as lively as expected; instead, they clung tightly to their parents, unwilling to leave their side.
Xiwen's house was so big, with lots of open space, especially the second floor. The air was so fresh that it gave them a feeling of insecurity.
Xining greeted them and said, "Children, go play on the second floor. Xiwen has prepared lots of toys for you."
Then the adults took the children upstairs. Xiao He's legs were too short to walk up the stairs on her own, so she used both her arms and legs to move forward, lifting her little bottom high. As she moved, her braids swung back and forth. Xining was charmed by her cuteness and picked her up, saying, "Let me help you."
"Thank you, Auntie." Xiaohe immediately felt close to the auntie, thinking how kind she was.
Xining said they were really cute, and asked Zhong Wan how she had given birth to two such adorable daughters. She replied with a hint of distress, "I also really want to have a daughter, but Xiwen is too introverted, and I'm afraid he'll suffer."
Zhong Wan smiled and said, "Your idea is right. I think having one child is fine too."
The group had reached the upstairs toy room. They stood at the door chatting, and Xining curiously continued to ask, "Xiao Wan, how did you come up with the idea of having three children? It must have been very hard. You're amazing; you take such good care of them."
Zhong Wan really wanted to tell her that she hadn't suffered at all, but she didn't dare to say it. She coughed guiltily and then lied: "The precautions weren't taken properly, so I had to get pregnant."
Anyone would believe that reason. Hearing her words, Chu Qinghuai chuckled lightly without changing his expression. It was unclear whether he was laughing at the "inadequate measures" or at her lying.
"It's okay, everything happens for a reason."
An Ning's warm hand enveloped Zhong Wan's. "Mu Mu, Cai Cai, and the child are so adorable. In our country, almost every couple has several children, but I don't plan to have any more. I will treat your child as my own."
Zhong Wan shouldn't have taken this seriously, given that she had only met the woman twice. But the woman was so sincere, even to the point of being devout, that she couldn't bring herself to refuse. She smiled even more gently and said, "Okay."
-
While the children played, the adults sat on the sofa downstairs chatting and sharing the desserts Zhong Wan brought. Xining exclaimed in amazement at her skills: "Xiao Wan, you're amazing! How can you do everything? These egg tarts are so delicious. Xiwen loves egg tarts, but he said the ones I made had too much of an egg flavor."
"Haha, you're so good with words." Zhong Wan was always embarrassed by her straightforward praise. "This is what I do. If you like it, I'll make it for you again next time."
Suddenly it dawned on them that they still didn't know each other's professions, so they quickly shared their workplaces.
Xining was pleasantly surprised to learn that Zhong Wan worked at a cake shop. No wonder she smelled a sweet and pleasant scent on Zhong Wan when they first met and said, "I'll definitely go with you next time I need to buy bread or cakes."
"Welcome, I'll bring you milk later."
Similarly, Zhong Wan also learned that Xining was an English teacher at a private junior high school, and she hoped that she could tutor the three little ones in English in the future.
The two women envied each other, chatting about their work experiences and parenting tips. Unable to join in the conversation, Chu Qinghuai sat next to Zhong Wan, acting as a decorative figure.
Sometime during their conversation, Zhong Wan asked, "Where's Xiwen's father?"
“He went to work and will be back in the evening. We’ll have dinner together then. He really wants to chat with Cai Cai’s dad.”
Chu Qinghuai thought it was just polite talk, but she never expected that she would have a very pleasant conversation with the other party's husband that night.
...
During lunch, Xining prepared his signature Western dishes for the guests, including steak and pasta. It was the first time for the three children, and the food suited their tastes perfectly.
Xiao He remembered her mother's words and didn't drop any food on the ground. She slowly put the food into her mouth with her little fork, keeping her clothes dry and clean.
Mumu and Caicai each ate a small portion of steak and mashed potatoes, holding the plates up with both hands and saying they wanted more. Xining took the plates and served them more, looking very satisfied: "You're so supportive! This is the first time anyone has liked my cooking so much."
Zhong Wan put a mouthful of pasta in her mouth and commented, "It's really delicious. I'd like some more."
"Xiao Wan, who cooks every day, you or Mu Mu's dad?"
Zhong Wan pointed to the people around her: "He does most of the work."
"My God." Xining was shocked. Observing Chu Qinghuai's nonchalant expression, she blurted out, "Did Mumu's father marry into the family?"
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