Early in the morning, the brilliant sun shone through the gaps in the curtains and onto the bed.
Han Xiaorui woke up, feeling a discomfort in her stomach, and immediately got out of bed, rushing to the bathroom as quickly as she could. A while later, she stood by the vanity mirror, looking at her reflection. The woman with deep-set eye sockets and a pale complexion now had a glimmer in her eyes and strength in her body. She squeezed a dab of “Liangmianzhen” toothpaste onto a white toothbrush and brushed quickly. After washing her face with clean water, she had no skincare products, so she just applied a little bit of children’s moisturizing cream.
By the time she had finished getting herself ready, it was only seven o’clock.
Children with autism and ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) often suffer from picky eating and malnutrition. In her previous life, because her younger sister was a special education teacher, Han Xiaorui knew a bit about the subject. Children are picky because they are ill; their bodies are rejecting certain things, which is why they are selective. For instance, Pingping and An’an wouldn’t eat egg yolks, only egg whites. It was possible they genuinely disliked the taste, or perhaps egg yolks were hard to swallow and caused them to choke. However, egg yolks are rich in nutrients and trace elements, which are especially good for children.
Consequently, Han Xiaorui stopped simply boiling eggs and made steamed egg custard instead. Pingping liked hers sweet, so Han Xiaorui added a little sugar; An’an liked hers savory, so she added a touch of salt. Han Xiaorui didn’t deny herself, either; she enjoyed plain steamed eggs—so smooth and tender! In the apocalypse, getting a bite of steamed eggs like this had been nearly impossible!
Did the children dislike vegetables? Haha, that was even easier to handle! She crushed some small bok choy in a garlic mortar and mixed it into a batter with flour. She put a little oil in a small frying pan, poured in a layer of the green batter, sprinkled some white sesame seeds on top, and cooked both sides until done. There was no ketchup at home, but if there were, she could have drawn cute little animals on the vegetable-sesame pancakes to make them more appetizing.
Hearing movement at the front door, Han Xiaorui looked down from upstairs and saw a worker putting milk into the milk box at the gate. The milk had been ordered for the children by her father-in-law, Yang Zhigang. Although her husband, Yang Jianming, and her mother-in-law were not good people, the grandfather genuinely cared for his two granddaughters. Han Xiaorui went downstairs to retrieve the milk and warmed the bottles in a pot of hot water.
Her maternal home was in a mountain village where, after paying taxes, there was hardly any money left at the end of the year. If she wanted to make money, she would have to go out and work. As a lone woman with two children, it was simply not feasible. Being close to the sea facilitated her fishing, so staying here was the most correct choice. Furthermore, the children’s autism treatment was a long-term process, not something that could be solved in two or three days.
The breakfast for the three of them was finished—simple and nutritious.
Han Xiaorui returned to the room and saw that both children had opened their eyes and were playing quietly on the bed, without making a sound. “Pingping, An’an, time to eat!” Upon seeing the children, her eyes were filled with gentleness and gratitude. A sense of maternal love welled up within her—this was likely the instinct left behind by the original host. Han Xiaorui did not push it away; she was strong and revered life, and she would treat these two children well.
Hearing their mother’s gentle voice and seeing her warm smile, both Pingping and An’an looked over. Although the older sister, Pingping, did not smile, there was a light in her eyes. The younger sister, An’an, opened her small mouth, unable to speak, but her eyes curved into crescents. Seeing that the children were responding to the outside world made Han Xiaorui even more excited. The most challenging aspect of autism is a complete lack of response to the outside world, which makes treatment effects very poor.
The children were dressed in thermal underwear, denim overalls, and thick jackets. Once dressed, Han Xiaorui did not brush their teeth for them as she had in the past; instead, she spoke to them while teaching them, hand-in-hand, how to brush. Fortunately, neither child resisted, which gave Han Xiaorui a great sense of relief.
At the dining table, she put bibs on them. Thirsty, the children began to drink their milk, finishing half of it in one go. The steamed eggs were smooth, tender, and fragrant. Han Xiaorui began to guide them, scooping a spoonful into her own mouth. “Mmm, yummy, so delicious.” Perhaps because Han Xiaorui’s expressions were so interesting, Pingping and An’an both picked up their spoons and attempted to eat the custard. Pingping really liked the sweet version and finished the whole small bowl; An’an had only a little bit left. They each ate two small fan-shaped slices of the vegetable-sesame pancake, which was equivalent to half a pancake.
They had eaten more egg yolk and vegetables today than ever before. This amount of intake already made Han Xiaorui overjoyed.
It was 7:40 AM after breakfast. Han Xiaorui changed her jacket, tied her hair into a high ponytail, and prepared to leave. Just as she was locking the door, Yang Zhigang walked over with a basin, looking tense and worried that Han Xiaorui might take the children and run away. “Xiaorui, where are you taking the children?”
Han Xiaorui respected Yang Zhigang. “To the Maternal and Child Health Hospital. I saw on TV the other day that they have experts who studied abroad seeing patients.”
Upon hearing this, Yang Zhigang breathed a sigh of relief. “Taking the bus, then having to transfer—it’ll probably take two hours to get there. You and the children wait here; put the prawns in the refrigerator. I’ll go find Song Laoliu and have him take you. Take a taxi back, and I’ll reimburse you for the fare.”
“Thank you!” Han Xiaorui said. The former father-in-law’s concern for the children was genuine, and he was willing to pay for them.
Han Xiaorui put the prawns away, and a van pulled up to the gate. Song Laoliu opened the rear door, and Han Xiaorui helped the two children inside. “Thank you, Uncle Six.”
“Don’t mention it.” Song Laoliu, dark and thin, usually used his van to transport passengers and goods to make money.
Passing by her parents-in-law’s house, Han Xiaorui asked Song Laoliu to stop for a moment and rolled down the window. “Pingping, An’an, say goodbye to Grandpa.” Pingping and An’an recognized their grandfather; they smiled at him and waved their hands, still not speaking. Even with just this reaction, Yang Zhigang was already very happy. In the past, the children wouldn’t smile at all, let alone wave goodbye.
Yang Zhigang wore a benevolent smile, patted his granddaughters’ little heads, and said softly, “Goodbye, Pingping, An’an. Listen to your mother while you’re out.”
A miraculous thing happened: An’an and Pingping actually nodded in response to their grandfather. Yang Zhigang’s old eyes reddened with great relief. He reached into his wallet and stuffed a handful of ten-yuan bills into Han Xiaorui’s hand. “Xiaorui, take plenty of money for the children’s check-up. If it’s not enough, just give me a call, and I’ll send more.”
Han Xiaorui did not refuse the money; she accepted it, feeling grateful toward her father-in-law. “Thank you.”
“No need for thanks, I am their grandfather, it is the least I can do.” Yang Zhigang waved his hand and instructed Song Laoliu in the front, “Laoliu, drive slowly, keep it steady, and don’t smoke while driving. It’s not safe, and it might choke my granddaughters.”
“I’ll listen to you, Old Yang,” Song Laoliu said with a smile, flattering Yang Zhigang. After all, Yang Zhigang owned the largest fishing boat and made a lot of money every year. He was considered the richest man in Jinshan Bay, and everyone gave him face.