Nao Nao: "A gift?"
Tengteng: "Why did you only tell us when we grew as tall as Dad?"
Han Bin thought to himself: Because your mother was born in the Year of the Fox.
Xiaoman looked at Tengteng: "Because you can only ask this question when you grow as tall as your father, so I'll tell you when you grow that tall. Now, think about what gift you want? If you don't want anything, I won't give it to you."
As soon as Xiaoman finished speaking, the two little ones quickly said they wanted it.
Xiaoman smiled and said, "Then you two discuss it and tell your mother and father what you think is best. They'll see if we can give it to you. If not, you can find another one."
Nao Nao and Tengteng: "Okay."
The two little ones discussed it for a while before realizing something was wrong.
Nao Nao: "Mom, did you give us these gifts because you want us to sleep alone?"
Tengteng: "Mom, we don't want gifts, and we don't want to sleep alone."
Xiaoman: "The gifts are for you as a congratulatory present. You don't have to accept them. However, you are all grown up now and can no longer share a room with your father and mother."
After talking for so long, Nao Nao and Tengteng have started to accept it.
Nao Nao: "Then...can we share a room with Grandpa Guo and Grandpa Shang?"
Xiaoman: "No. You have to sleep by yourselves."
Tengteng: "Then...we'll sleep by ourselves again in a few days."
Xiaoman: "No. From today onwards, you will all have to sleep on your own."
Han Bin hugged Nao Nao and Tengteng, saying, "You're growing up, and when you grow up, you have to learn to be independent."
Nao Nao looked at Xiao Man and found that Xiao Man's attitude was very firm. "Dad, do we really have to sleep alone?"
"Um."
"Oh well."
Han Bin kissed Nao Nao on the forehead: "Good. My son is so brave."
Tengteng rested his head on Han Bin's shoulder: "Dad, I don't want to sleep alone."
Nao Nao also leaned her head on Han Bin's shoulder: "Dad, I don't want to sleep alone either."
Han Bin carried the two little ones around the room twice: "You're big kids now, and big kids have to sleep by themselves."
After circling around a few more times, Tengteng finally said, "Alright then."
Han Bin kissed the two little ones on the cheek: "Come on, tell Daddy, what kind of congratulatory gift do you want?"
Nao Nao looked at Xiao Man and said, "I don't want to sleep alone, and I don't want a congratulatory gift."
Tengteng glanced at Xiaoman several times and said, "I don't want it either."
Xiaoman walked over and pinched Naonao and Tengteng's noses: "You have to sleep by yourself whether you want to or not."
The two little ones looked at each other.
Nao Nao sighed, "Then let's still go for it."
Tengteng sighed as well: "Yeah, then we should still go for it."
Han Bin was amused by the two little ones' tone and expressions: "Xiaoman, where did they learn all this from? They sound like an old lady."
“Didn’t Niu Niu’s grandma come to stay for a few days a while ago? The old lady often speaks in this tone. The two of them learned it after visiting Niu Niu’s house a few times.”
Han Bin understood: "I knew it. Come on, tell Dad, what do you want?"
The two brothers discussed it for a while.
Nao Nao: "Dad, we want a house."
Tengteng: "A house that blooms."
Hearing the word "house," Han Bin paused for a moment. Then he heard "house that blooms." Han Bin realized that the houses the children were talking about might be different from the houses he imagined. "Son, what kind of house is a house that blooms?"
Nao Nao: "The Grass House"
Tengteng: "Grass can bloom."
Han Bin looked at Xiaoman and asked, "Do they want a shack?"
Xiaoman nodded: "When Zhou Lihua first moved out of Battalion Commander Kong's house, Battalion Commander Kong built a shack for Zhou Lihua, which Naonao and Tengteng liked very much."
After confirming that it was a shack, Han Bin agreed.
After the children agreed, Xiaoman told the other members of her family about it.
Old Shang looked at Naonao and Tengteng and said, "From today onwards, you will have your own rooms. Congratulations!"
Old Guo patted Nao Nao and Tengteng's heads: "This is a big day. Grandpa Guo will cook you a delicious meal to celebrate."
Xiao Hei carried Nao Nao and Tengteng to the stable. Meaning: Look, I have my own room too.
At first, Nao Nao and Tengteng were a little unhappy, but everyone said it was a good thing, so they accepted it.
While Han Bin and Lao Shang were building shelters for Nao Nao and Tengteng, Xiao Man took Xiao Hei out for a while.
An hour later, Xiaoman and Xiaohei returned. Two carriages followed behind them, laden with furniture.
Nao Nao and Tengteng were helping Lao Shang and Han Bin build a shack when Xiao Man returned. Nao Nao and Tengteng ran over and hugged Xiao Man's legs.
Nao Nao: "Mom, you're back?"
Tengteng: "Mom, our house will be built soon."
Xiaoman patted the two little ones' heads: "Good boy/girl."
Nao Nao looked behind Xiao Man. The drivers were unloading things from the cart. Han Bin went to help. Nao Nao noticed that the furniture was very small: "Mom, is this also a congratulatory gift for us?"
"Um."
Han Bin walked over carrying two small chairs. The armrests of the chairs were decorated with two small dogs: "Son, do you like them?"
Nao Nao and Tengteng: "We like it."
Nao Nao let go of Xiao Man and walked to Han Bin's side: "Dad, I can move it myself."
Tengteng also came over: "Dad, I'll carry it myself too."
"Okay." Han Bin handed two small chairs to Nao Nao and Tengteng: "Have you forgotten something?"
"Oh." Nao Nao put down her chair and returned to Xiao Man's side: "Mom, thank you."
Tengteng returned to Xiaoman's side: "Mom, thank you."
Xiaoman smiled and said, "Good girl."
After the room was tidied up, Nao Nao and Tengteng were overjoyed. Xiao Man not only made them small tables and chairs, but also small cabinets and beds. Each one was carved with a small animal.
The children's room was next to Xiaoman's. After tidying up, Xiaoman opened a window in the wall. That way, she and Hanbin could hear any noise from the children's room.
Soon, the shack was set up.
At noon, Lao Guo cooked a big meal for everyone.
Nao Nao and Tengteng are very adaptable; they got used to it in just two days.
After the children settled in, Xiaoman gave Hanbin the month's payment as a bonus. Hanbin was both excited and surprised.
Time flies, and two years have passed in the blink of an eye. Nao Nao and Tengteng are five years old, and Han Bin has gone from being Regiment Commander Han to Brigade Commander Han.
Xiaoman was teaching Naonao and Tengteng to read when Hanbin returned.
Nao Nao and Tengteng: "Dad, you're back?"
"Hmm. What did your mother teach you today?"
These past two years, Xiaoman has been living a very leisurely life. She gathers herbs, teaches the children, plays chess with Lao Shang, discusses Buddhism, and studies food with Lao Guo. Of course, Xiaoman isn't completely oblivious to the world around her. Every two months, she takes Xiao Hei out for a stroll.
Nao Nao and Tengteng: "Mom told us the story of the Records of the Grand Historian today."
"Records of the Grand Historian? Can you understand that?"
Nao Nao: "Most of them understand."
"If you don't understand, just ask your mother."
Nao Nao and Tengteng: "Okay."
Han Bin sat down next to Xiaoman and touched her belly: "Were the babies good today?"
Xiaoman smiled and said, "Good girl."
"That must be a girl. By the way, Mother will be here in a few days."
Upon hearing this, Nao Nao and Tengteng immediately asked, "Is Grandma coming back?" Now that they were two years older, Nao Nao and Tengteng knew that their hometown was Tang Huihui's real home. But they still preferred to think of their home as Tang Huihui's home.
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