Seeing that the sun was getting higher and higher, Li Tingyun touched Sanwa’s back and found it slightly damp with sweat, so she decided to take the child home.
Dawa and Erwa still hadn’t had enough fun and didn’t want to go back yet.
Since it was still early before lunch, Li Tingyun didn’t force them to come home with her. She only reminded them, “Remember to come back when it’s time to eat, or there won’t be any tasty food left for you.”
Dawa and Erwa answered crisply, “Got it, Mother!”
After carrying Sanwa home, she first prepared a little rice cereal for the baby.
Sanwa wasn’t picky at all—he ate whatever he was given.
He accepted the rice cereal, something he had never eaten before, very well and quickly finished half a bowl.
After placing the bowl into the dishwasher in her space, she held Sanwa and coaxed him to sleep.
Looking at the baby’s gradually sleeping face, Li Tingyun felt somewhat helpless.
Honestly speaking, asking an unmarried woman like her to raise a nursing baby was truly difficult.
Before today, she had never known that babies could bite while drinking milk.
It hurt so much.
She wanted to wean him off breast milk earlier. Sanbao was already a little over six months old, and she figured feeding him until around eight months should be enough.
Now that he had started eating rice cereal and formula, it would make weaning easier later on.
As she thought about these things, she gradually became drowsy and fell asleep beside Sanwa.
It felt like she had only slept for a short while when she heard the voices of Dawa and Erwa returning.
When she went outside to look, both children had dirty faces.
Especially Erwa—his face and clothes were covered in dirt. Dawa was slightly better off; her dress was still neat and clean, though her face also had smudges of mud.
“What were you two doing just now?” Li Tingyun asked. “Why are you both so filthy?”
Dawa pointed at Erwa and said, “It was little brother. He insisted on digging for earthworms. I told him not to, but he wouldn’t listen.”
Erwa pulled the earthworms out of his pocket and showed them to Li Tingyun. “Mother, look! Aren’t the earthworms cute?”
Li Tingyun had always been afraid of soft, boneless crawling creatures. After one glance, she didn’t dare look again and felt her scalp tingle.
She perfunctorily replied, “Cute, cute. Hurry and put the earthworms outside.”
Erwa was reluctant. He had worked hard to catch those worms.
Li Tingyun could only half-coax and half-threaten him. “Erbao, the earthworms need to go home and eat too. If you don’t let them eat, then Mother won’t let you eat either.”
A conflicted expression appeared on Erbao’s face.
She continued tempting him, “Today there are delicious big chicken drumsticks to eat.”
The moment Erbao heard that, he swallowed hard. “Mother, I’ll let the earthworms go eat right now! I want to eat the big chicken drumsticks you made!”
Dabao also tugged on her and said, “Mother, I want some too!”
Li Tingyun rubbed Dabao’s little head and said, “Everyone gets a share, but before eating, you have to wash your hands. Look at yourselves—you’re like little dirty kittens.”
Erbao quickly put the earthworms outside and ran back to draw water from the well with Dabao to wash their hands.
Li Tingyun turned toward the kitchen and then entered her space.
Ever since dreaming that she would transmigrate and obtain this space, she had started making preparations.
These chicken drumsticks had been specially made by someone she hired. They were both braised and fried, making them juicy, flavorful, and unforgettable.
After washing their hands and sitting at the dining table, Dabao and Erbao stared visibly wide-eyed at the large chicken drumsticks.
“Mother, it smells so good!”
Erbao drooled and said, “Mother, your cooking is amazing. It must taste delicious.”
Li Tingyun laughed a little. “You haven’t even eaten yet. How do you know it’s delicious?”
“Anything Mother cooks is always the tastiest!” Erbao showered her with compliments without restraint.
“Hurry and eat.”
Besides the chicken drumsticks, lunch also included stir-fried garlic greens and seaweed egg-drop soup.
Worried that suddenly eating such rich meat might upset the children’s stomachs, she didn’t let them eat too much. Each child only got one drumstick, and after finishing, Li Tingyun insisted they also finish their vegetables.
Dawa didn’t refuse. Today’s vegetables were stir-fried very deliciously too.
Li Tingyun herself loved them as well. The vegetables had been cooked with pure pressed peanut oil she had asked someone from the countryside to buy for her. It smelled fragrant, and stir-frying vegetables with it was especially delicious.
Mainly, she didn’t have time right now. Otherwise, vegetables fried with rendered pork fat would carry a faint meaty aroma and taste even better.
“Mother, I’m done eating,” Dabao said.
Erbao immediately put down his bowl too. “Mother, I’m full too.”
As soon as they put down their bowls, the two children wanted to run outside and play again, but Li Tingyun stopped them.
It was the hottest part of the day, right around when people finished work. Going outside now would make people dizzy from the blazing sun.
Even though Dawa and Erwa were already used to days like this, she still didn’t want them exposed to such harsh sunlight.
“Come back,” Li Tingyun said. “Take a nap first before going out to play.”
Erbao became dejected when he realized Mother wouldn’t let them go out.
But they had just eaten, so they couldn’t fall asleep immediately either.
Li Tingyun took out several toys she had stocked up on from a baby store and gave them to the children. She also reminded them, “These toys were bought by Mother from town. Dabao, Erbao, you absolutely must not tell anyone about them, okay?”
Dabao asked innocently, “Mother, why can’t we tell anyone?”
Li Tingyun decided to trick her a little. “Because the toys can hear you. If you tell other people, the toys will disappear immediately and hide themselves. Then you’ll never see them again.”
Children in this era usually played with bugs or homemade things. They had never seen such novel toys before, and naturally they didn’t want them to disappear. They immediately nodded and agreed. “Got it, Mother. We won’t tell anyone.”
Li Tingyun peacefully continued eating her own meal.
She wasn’t really worried they would tell anyone anyway. After they finished playing, she would immediately put the toys back into her space. Even if someone became suspicious and came looking, they wouldn’t find anything.
Besides, most people simply brushed off what children said and rarely took it seriously.
After eating, they rested for a while.
The afternoon sunshine was perfect for sleeping, so Li Tingyun urged the two children to take a nap.
Erwa was still deeply engrossed in playing and refused to sleep.
Remembering what Mother had said earlier, Dawa told him, “Little brother, Mother said that if we don’t behave, the toys will hide. Don’t you want us to be able to play with them again in the future?”
Erwa thought about it. He didn’t want to lose the chance to play with such fun toys forever, so he reluctantly gave them one last lingering look before obediently following Dawa into the room.
Li Tingyun put the toys back into her space and followed the two children inside.
She took out two sets of cool pajamas from the space and changed them into fresh clothes.
She had only changed into clean bedding yesterday. If they dirtied it again with their muddy clothes, then changing the bedding would have been pointless, wouldn’t it?