Chapter 1240 The Triplets Are Angry
Such was the advantage of having disciples located all over the world.
Lin Yuankang’s disciples were not only working in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs but also emba.s.sies of various countries.
Hence, if Qiao Nan needed any books, there were no books that Qiao Nan’s seniors could not get. There were only books that Qiao Nan could not think of. This applied to other more important items as well.
The master grandpa who liked to tease him in the past was only carrying him today and looking at a pile of unknown items. Er Bao blinked his eyes, made noises, and reached out his fair and chubby hands to touch the things in Lin Yuankang’s hands. Were those things very interesting? He would like to read it too.
Lin Yuankang anxiously raised the items. “My Er Bao, be good. This is the homework that your mother took great pains to complete. If you spoil it, your mom is going to cry.” Having said that, Lin Yuankang grabbed Er Bao’s mischievous chubby hands. “Er Bao, be good. When Er Bao and your siblings grow up, I will definitely teach you. I’ll put in more effort to teach you than I teach your mom. There’s no hurry.”
“…” Qiao Nan curled the corners of her lips. She was someone who was reborn. In addition, she had great enthusiasm and thirst for knowledge. Hence, she was able to maintain her att.i.tude without being distracted by some factors. She was behaving like a nerd. Besides taking care of the babies, she did not have any other form of entertainment or hobby. She was immersed in piles of books every day.
If her master were to arrange so much homework for the triplets, she very much doubted if they would have the patience and willingness to stay at home without going anywhere.
Qiao Nan never felt that it was especially tough or tiring when she did that.
The problem was that Qiao Nan could not bear for the same situation to happen to her own children. She was not willing to restrict the children and drown them with homework during their childhood and teenage years. She opted to take this route but she did not have the right to request her children to follow in her footsteps. She hoped that her children could make their own choices when they grew up.
However, the triplets were still very young and Lin Yuankang seemed so enthusiastic. Given the ways that Lin Yuankang doted on them, Qiao Nan was not sure if this master, who had some childlike innocence himself, would maintain his stance of nurturing the triplets to become top students when they grew up.
At the thought of this, Qiao Nan’s worry eased and she allowed Elder Lin to continue teasing Er Bao.
Time pa.s.sed in the blink of an eye. From little babies who only knew how to lie down, the triplets gradually learned how to crawl, as well as walk, stagger, and ‘waddle’ like a duckling. Their little mouths were also constantly blabbering.
“Mama, hug, hug.” San Bao had just opened her eyes. She had not woken up completely, yet she was already shouting for her mama’s hugs with a baby voice.
At the sight of her chubby daughter reaching out with her round and fleshy hands that had not slimmed down at all, Qiao Nan smiled gently. She kissed the back of her daughter’s hands before carrying the nice-smelling and soft baby into her arms. “San Bao, shall we drink some water?”
“Okay.” San Bao murmured but she still did not open her eyes.
After taking a few sips of water, San Bao became soberer. She was twisting her chubby and round body in her mother’s arms. “Mama, hug.”
It was September now. The weather was still very hot. It was only cooler in the morning and night time.
As such, the Zhai family let the triplets wear bright red dudous[1] and pure cotton open-crotch pants. When a child with a head-to-body ratio of 1:3 wore these clothes, it complemented their fair and tender skin. The triplets were so beautiful that they looked like they were qualified to partic.i.p.ate in television shows and advertis.e.m.e.nts.
The little girl stuck to her so much. Qiao Nan felt both happy and helpless.
The weather was so hot. She did not even allow her husband to hug her. However, she could not refuse the requests from her three children.
Qiao Nan rubbed the dry and smooth little back of San Bao before gently swaying her. “Isn’t mama carrying San Bao now?” If not, in what way should she carry her?
San Bao opened her mouth and smiled. She was pleased. Her little face was buried in her mother’s soft and nice-smelling chest. She was rubbing it happily. “Kekeke…”
“Shhh. Your two brothers are still sleeping. Let’s not disturb them.” Her little daughter looked so adorable and cheeky. Qiao Nan loved her so much.
San Bao turned her head. Her dewy eyes stared at her two brothers, who were sleeping on the bed like little piglets with sprawling limbs. She laughed even louder. Using her chubby and short fingers, she drew lines up and down her pink and tender cheeks to express: Shame, shame!
Zhai Hua often made this action when she teased the triplets.
This was the time when the triplets loved to imitate others most. Zhai Hua had not done it that many times but the clever triplets had already learned how to use this action to shame Zhai Hua, this auntie.
“This naughty girl.” Qiao Nan grabbed her daughter’s hands and bit it gently. Her daughter was bullying her two sons who had not woken up yet. At the sight of the clock by the bedside showing half past six, she was leaving for school soon but her two sons were still in deep slumbers. Qiao Nan could only wake them up. “San Bao, let’s wake your brothers up together, okay?”
Da Bao and Er Bao had been sleeping so soundly. She could just let them continue to do so. Why did she have to wake them up? It was not because Qiao Nan was heartless.
During the first half of the year, in May, the triplets were eight months old and learning to crawl.
One day, Qiao Nan woke up a little earlier to prepare some materials that would be handed to the professor. She also had some questions about her thesis that she had to consult her professor beforehand.
That professor was quite busy and was seldom in the school. If Qiao Nan did not arrive at the school and prepare the items beforehand, given the many questions that she had, she was not sure when she could resolve them and complete her homework and thesis.
Qiao Nan was up early and the triplets were sleeping soundly.
Initially, Qiao Nan thought that it would be fine. The triplets were already used to her going to school. Hence, it was not an issue for her to leave earlier for school and let them continue to sleep.
Also, the auntie and her mother-in-law were at home. Although her sister-in-law was not at home, it should not be difficult to watch after three sleeping kids.
Qiao Nan had the heart of a benevolent mother and did not disturb the three sleeping children. Who would have known that the triplets would flare up when they did not get to see their biological mother first thing in the morning and after knowing that their mother left the house early. They cried loudly. Miao Jing could not appease them no matter how hard she tried to. She was so anxious that she could only give Qiao Nan a call.
In the end, Qiao Nan put in so many good words on the phone to finally appease the triplets. They did not continue to kick up a fuss then.
Even if that was so, when Qiao Nan came back from the school, their three pairs of eyes glanced at Qiao Nan from time to time. However, different from usual, they neither took the initiative to reach out their hands to request for hugs nor stuck by Qiao Nan’s side. Instead, they lined up, turned their backs on Qiao Nan, and showed her their little b.u.ms. It was obvious that they intended to give Qiao Nan, this insensible mama, cold shoulders.
[1] Dudou is a traditional Chinese form of the bodice which is originally worn as an unders.h.i.+rt with medicinal properties. In modern times, it is a sleeveless and backless halter-top blouse