As soon as Shen Mingzhi got out of the car at the entrance of the courtyard, she heard the cries of two children inside.
As soon as she stepped into the house, she heard Jiang Qing complaining, "I told you before, you can't come back later now. As soon as the sky starts to darken, the child starts fussing for you."
Shen Mingzhi knew that she was blaming herself for neglecting the children again because of work.
"Something came up today, which caused the delay," Shen Mingzhi explained to Jiang Qing.
Jiang Qing paced back and forth in the courtyard, holding Niannian, whose face was red from crying, while Wang Sao held Zhouzhou, who was also crying uncontrollably, and comforted him.
"Is your business more important, or your child? Shen Mingzhi, it's not that I don't want to help you take care of the child, it's just that the child is at a stage where he doesn't need us to take care of him at all!" Jiang Qing got angry as soon as she heard her explanation.
Shen Mingzhi reached out and took Niannian from her arms.
Niannian immediately stopped crying... sobbing as she grabbed her clothes and buried her face in her arms.
“Look at them for yourself. They’re fine as soon as you come back.” Jiang Qing sat down to the side, panting heavily. “They’ve been crying since it was almost dark, and they’re still crying now. Do you think I want to gossip about you?”
Jiang Shaozhen came out from outside, put Shen Mingzhi's bag on the table, reached out and took Zhouzhou in Wang Sao's arms, frowned and said, "If you don't want to talk, then you should say less."
Jiang Qing exploded upon hearing this, "I'll say less? Look at these two children, they cry at the appointed time, and I can't soothe them no matter what I do!"
She pointed to her wristwatch, "It's already 8:30, and the baby is crying so much that he won't drink his milk. He's just waiting for his mother to come home!"
Shen Mingzhi gestured for Jiang Shaozhen to say less.
“Either come back on time and we can let go of the children when they’re old enough to understand, or don’t go to the factory anymore and come back to take care of the children!” Jiang Qing slapped her palm with the back of her hand. “I’d better say less, look at them, their voices are hoarse from crying!”
Jiang Shaozhen held Zhouzhou, who was still crying for her mother, in one arm and pulled Jiang Qing into the house with the other. "Mom, you should go back to your room and rest for a while. Zhizhi is tired enough today."
Shen Mingzhi followed with Niannian in her arms, saying, "Mom, I'll leave work on time once I'm done with this busy schedule in mid-April. Thank you for your hard work these past few days."
Jiang Qing shook off Jiang Shao Chen's hand and sneered, "Mid-April? That's a whole month away! What are we going to do for this whole month? The two children are so young, they're just hoping you'll come back soon. Are you really going to watch them cry like this every day?"
Jiang Shao Chen's tone was somewhat anxious, "Mom, can you say less? Besides, you promised to help take care of the child in the first place, and now you're getting impatient with the child crying? Zhizhi has a heavy burden on her shoulders right now, can you please understand her?"
Shen Mingzhi quickly grabbed his arm, "Shao Chen! Don't say anything more..."
Hearing Jiang Shaozhen's words, Jiang Qing's eyes suddenly reddened. "Do you think I want to say these things? I'm heartbroken for the children... Look at them, their faces are all red from crying. You parents don't feel sorry for them, but I, as their grandmother, feel heartbroken, heartbroken to death!"
After saying that, she turned around, quickly went into the house, and slammed the door shut.
Jiang Shaozhen sighed, turned to Shen Mingzhi and said, "Mom has a sharp tongue but a soft heart, don't take it to heart."
Shen Mingzhi shook her head and gently patted the backs of the two children. "Don't always take my side. Mom wouldn't have said these things to me if she wasn't worried about the children crying their throats out. She's only doing it for their own good. I'm not blaming you either. In the end, it's my fault... I said I'd come back early, but all sorts of things still delayed me."
She lowered her head and kissed the top of Niannian's head, and the little guy immediately snuggled even deeper into her arms.
Aunt Wang brought over some warm milk. "Quickly feed them some; they didn't eat much of the milk powder or porridge they had before."
Just then, Jiang Guofu returned from outside and was taken aback by the scene. "What's going on?"
"It's about the kids being clingy to their mother. Zhizhi has been quite busy lately and hasn't been able to take care of them all the time," Jiang Shaozhen continued.
Jiang Guofu glanced at the closed door, then at Shen Mingzhi holding the child, and nodded knowingly, “No matter how busy you are with work, you have to take care of your family. The years when the child is young are only a few.”
Shen Mingzhi pursed her lips and said softly, "I understand, Dad."
Back in the room, Shen Mingzhi finally managed to coax the two children to sleep.
Jiang Shaozhen brought in a basin of hot water, wrung out a towel, and wiped her face. "Just listen to what my parents say. I'll think of a compromise later."
With a warm towel applied to her face, Shen Mingzhi felt her skin relax and feel comfortable.
She handed the towel back to Jiang Shaozhen, frowning as she said, "Let Mom say what she wants. It was my fault to begin with, and it's understandable that she's worried about the child."
Jiang Shaozhen took the towel, frowned and said, "I know, although the crying and fussing will only last for a short time, I don't think so."
He put the towel in the basin, washed it, and handed it to her again. "The children need their mother, but what about the hundreds of families of workers in the factory? Aren't all the young ones in the same situation as us now? I can't let you be stuck with two children and ignore the income of so many families."
Jiang Shao-chen had a military mindset.
He believes that when a person's burdens become heavy, they must learn to make choices.
Sacrificing one's own interests for the greater good.
His father taught him this from a young age: if necessary, one should even sacrifice oneself for the country.
Shen Mingzhi looked at the two children sleeping in bed, her face flushed.
She was silent for a moment before finally speaking, "Starting tomorrow, I will definitely be back before six o'clock every day. I will go to Xiehe Hospital when I have any news. No matter what, I have to take care of the children and the factory."
Jiang Shao Chen rubbed her shoulders. "Have you thought it through?"
“Yes, the hardship will only last for this period of time.” Shen Mingzhi looked at the sleeping faces of her two children. “They cry and want me because they feel insecure.”
The next morning, Shen Mingzhi waited until the two children woke up, fed them milk, and then went to the factory.
Before leaving the house, Niannian clung to her leg and wouldn't let go, while Zhouzhou also tugged at her clothes.
Shen Mingzhi slung her bag over her shoulder, squatted down, pinched Niannian's cheek, and said, "Mom will be back this afternoon, I promise I won't be late today, okay?"
As he spoke, he looked at Jiang Zhou.
Jiang Shaozhen squatted on the ground holding Zhouzhou and coaxed him, "If Mommy doesn't go to work, what will we eat and drink? There are so many older brothers and sisters, and younger brothers and sisters whose milk powder is waiting for Mommy to earn money to buy it."
Niannian's eyes were red, her face full of reluctance.
Shen Mingzhi was heartbroken. She hugged Niannian and whispered, "How about I take her to the factory?"
“Then I’ll go with you,” Aunt Wang quickly said.
She definitely can't take care of two children by herself.
“That’s a chemical plant, how can the child go there?!” Jiang Qing immediately objected.
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