Capital Military-Government Compound
It was already past seven when Shen Zhaoning returned home.
Entering the living room, she saw her eldest brother, her father, and Duomi watching the news broadcast. Xie Yunshu was leaning back on the sofa flipping through a picture album, while Duole sat on the carpet building with Legos, a half-finished castle leaning crookedly by his feet.
“Mom!”
Duole, sharp-eyed, spotted her first. The Lego piece in his hand clattered onto the carpet, and he scrambled over on his short legs, throwing his arms tightly around her thigh, rubbing his face against it.
“Mom, you’re finally back! I missed you so much!”
Shen Zhaoning’s heart instantly softened like cotton candy. She bent down, her fingertips ruffling her son’s fluffy hair, then squatted to meet his gaze. “Mom missed Duole too. Were you a good boy at home?”
“I was! Today at kindergarten, the teacher even praised me!” Duole immediately puffed out his little chest, eager to claim credit.
Shen Zhaoning brushed her thumb across his soft, tender cheek. “My little Duole is such a good boy!”
Xie Yunshu saw her daughter. “Zhaozhao, have you eaten?”
“Not yet. I came straight back after getting off the plane.”
Xie Yunshu immediately turned to instruct Wang Ma, who was waiting nearby. “Wang Ma, go prepare something for the young miss to eat.”
“Of course, Madam.” Wang Ma replied with a smile, turning to Shen Zhaoning. “Young Miss, what would you like to eat? I’ll have the kitchen prepare it right away.”
Shen Zhaoning thought for a moment. “Nothing too troublesome. Just pan-fry a steak for me, medium-well, with some seasonal vegetables on the side.”
“Very well, Young Miss.” Wang Ma acknowledged and turned toward the kitchen.
Shen Zhaoning walked over and sat down on the sofa. Duole immediately stuck close to her side, tugging on her hand and shaking it, his eyes shining as if filled with stars.
“Mom, after you finish eating, will you help me finish building the Lego castle? I saved the prettiest tower top for you to put on.”
“Sure.” Shen Zhaoning gave his soft little hand a gentle squeeze.
Hearing the commotion, Duomi turned his head. His small face showed little extra expression as he called out crisply, “Mom,” before turning back to sit properly, his attention fixed intently on the news on TV.
Shen Zhaoning was amused by his little grown-up demeanor. She nudged closer to Xie Yunshu, bumping her arm playfully.
“Mom, do you think Duomi forgot to drink the Mengpo Soup when he was born? Other four-year-olds are still glued to their tablets watching cartoons all day. But him? He sits on the sofa with Dad every day waiting for the news broadcast, more punctual than Dad watching the weather forecast.”
Xie Yunshu gave her a light, exasperated tap on the forehead. “You’re a mother yourself now. Is that any way to talk?”
Beside them, Shen Ze reached out and ruffled Duomi’s soft hair, his eyes filled with fondness. “I think it’s quite good. Steady from a young age. He’ll be just right to take over from us later.”
Shen Chengjin, who had been sitting nearby, also nodded in agreement, his gaze full of approval as he looked at Duomi. “Duomi’s temperament is steady. He really is suited for a path in politics.”
Speaking of which, on the twins’ third birthday, Shen Junxiao had mentioned at the dinner table that he wanted to start planning for the two children’s futures.
Duomi, with his calm and steady personality, unflappable in the face of events, was good material for politics. Duole, with his wild nature and seemingly endless energy, was originally intended to be groomed for a military direction.
But Duole had been a genuine little money-grubber since he was small. Although he was endlessly mischievous all day long, his mind worked faster than anyone else’s.
Every time they went to the old house for meals, Duole loved sticking close to Shen Chen and often followed him to the group company, saying he wanted to learn from Third Grandfather how to make big money in the future. Shen Chen, who had no children of his own, was indeed inclined to groom Duole as his successor.
Duole threw himself into Shen Zhaoning’s arms, whining, “Mom, can I sleep with you tonight?”
The two little ones had been encouraged to sleep independently since they turned three, and since then, both children had been sleeping in the children’s room.
Duomi also turned his little head to glance at Shen Zhaoning, his eyes filled with anticipation as well.
Shen Zhaoning’s heart melted at the sight of the two little bundles. Whether it was a mother’s bias or not, her children truly seemed more adorable and beautiful the more she looked at them. “Alright, tonight both Duole and Duomi will sleep with Mom.”
After dinner, Shen Zhaoning instructed Wang Ma to take the two little ones to wash up first.
By the time Shen Zhaoning finished her shower, the two little ones were already lying obediently in bed. Duomi had even moved away from Duole, leaving space between them.
Shen Zhaoning picked up a storybook from the table, climbed into bed, and lay down between the two little ones.
As soon as she settled, Duole crawled over to Shen Zhaoning, pressing himself tightly against her. Duomi was more reserved but still inched his way into her embrace.
“Mom will tell you a bedtime story now, okay?” Her voice was filled with affection.
“Okay,” their voices, one loud and one soft, chimed in unison.
Shen Zhaoning’s gentle, soothing voice began, “In Dinosaur Village, there lived a little Tyrannosaurus named Adun. Lately, it had been troubled—it had learned to breathe fire…”
Before long, the steady, rhythmic breathing of the little ones could be heard beside her.
She gently closed the book and, under the warm glow of the bedside lamp, gazed at their peaceful sleeping faces. Her fingertips lightly brushed their soft foreheads, and she couldn’t resist planting a kiss on each of their cheeks.
The two children had always been well-behaved since they were little, especially Duomi, who had learned early on to take care of his younger brother. Though they had never had a father figure in their lives, they never clamored for one. Yet, how could she not see the longing in their eyes?
Once, during a parent-child sports day at kindergarten, other children rode on their fathers’ shoulders, cheering loudly. Duole stood by the sidelines, clutching her hand, his big eyes fixed intently on the scene. After a long while, he whispered, “Their dads are so tall and amazing.”
Last week, when she took them to the amusement park, the two little ones watched other children playing with both their parents, their eyes betraying a hint of envy.
…
These were all unspoken hopes of the children, and she saw every one of them.
Shen Zhaoning suddenly thought of Fu Huaixu. Should she tell the children about his existence? But she pushed the thought aside for now, deciding to leave it for another time…
Then, she tucked them in, turned off the light, and drifted into a deep sleep in the quietude that belonged solely to the three of them.