“Does it taste good?” Li Tingyun asked while holding Third Baby and feeding him milk. “Mom was worried you two ate too much, so this drink will help with digestion.”
Eldest Baby stuck out his little tongue, his tiny face scrunched together as he complained pitifully, “Mom, it’s so sour!”
Second Baby also chimed in, “It’s so sour my teeth are about to fall out!”
The living room instantly filled with cheerful laughter.
There was no television in this era, and since it was already late, Li Tingyun didn’t feel comfortable letting the two children go out to play.
There wasn’t much entertainment after dinner anyway, so after chatting for a while, she urged Eldest Baby and Second Baby to go to bed.
The children had played all day, and besides, they had spent the daytime cutting pig grass. Not long after lying down, they fell fast asleep.
Once the older two were asleep, Third Baby—who had slept too much in the afternoon—was now wide awake. His round eyes were opened wide, and he kept making soft “woo woo” noises with his tiny mouth.
Li Tingyun listened happily. Even though she couldn’t understand what Third Baby was babbling about, she still responded to him.
Talking to him as though carrying on a conversation, she placed him in the baby chair.
Third Baby was already six months old and could sit steadily by himself.
Now that he was full, he didn’t cry or fuss, happily sitting in the chair watching Li Tingyun bustle around.
She had hated washing dishes ever since she was young, so she simply tossed the dirty bowls and chopsticks into the dishwasher in her space.
Then she carried Third Baby into the space with her and headed for the small villa.
Inside the space, there seemed to be no distinction between day and night—only endless daylight.
The temperature was perfect, and the warm sunshine felt wonderfully comfortable against her skin.
As she passed the pond, Li Tingyun glanced down.
The pond was packed full of crayfish. Just one scoop would probably bring up several pounds.
She swallowed unconsciously, already thinking of several different recipes.
But it was too late today, and she was tired, so she could only save it for another time.
With a casual wave of her hand, Li Tingyun harvested another batch of eggs and duck eggs from the farm.
The rice, corn, sweet potatoes, and other crops had only been harvested two days ago, so it would still take several more days before the next batch ripened.
After entering the villa, Li Tingyun carried Third Baby straight to the third floor.
She filled the bathtub with water and climbed in with him.
From the pile of supplies she had stockpiled from the maternity store, she took out several bath toys for Third Baby.
Sitting on her lap, Third Baby played happily, letting out bursts of silver-bell-like laughter.
As Li Tingyun scrubbed him clean, she listened to him entertain himself.
So children’s laughter could sound this pleasant—soft and incredibly healing.
After leaving the space following their bath, Li Tingyun checked on the two older children in their room. Eldest Baby and Second Baby were still asleep.
The original owner had never liked these children, so she had never wanted to sleep with them.
Fortunately, she still had at least a bit of conscience and would sleep with Third Baby.
After coaxing him for a long time, Third Baby finally fell asleep.
Listening to his soft breathing, Li Tingyun stared blankly at the moon outside the window.
Her first day after transmigrating into this world had passed just like that. She had no idea what life would be like from now on.
Still, since she was here already, she might as well settle in.
Right now, all she wanted was to raise these three children well.
Thinking that, she gradually drifted off to sleep.
The next morning, she was awakened by Third Baby’s whining noises.
Li Tingyun was so sleepy she could barely open her eyes. Seeing Third Baby continuously burrowing his little head toward her chest, she realized he wanted milk.
After feeding him, she originally intended to sleep a little longer.
Unexpectedly, the two little troublemakers in the next room woke up and started shouting “Mom! Mom!” nonstop from outside.
With dark circles under her eyes, Li Tingyun sat up blankly. At that moment, she deeply understood just how hard and exhausting raising children really was.
Struggling out of bed, she glanced at Third Baby’s sleeping face before quietly tiptoeing out of the room.
“Mom,” Second Baby patted his little belly and said, “Mom, I’m hungry.”
Eldest Baby added, “Mom, I’m hungry too.”
Leading the two children into the living room, Li Tingyun asked, “Mom will make breakfast for you now. Have you brushed your teeth yet?”
The two children shook their heads innocently.
Only then did Li Tingyun remember that people in this era still brushed their teeth using willow twigs. To buy toothbrushes, you had to go to the supply and marketing cooperative.
Life was hard in these times, and people wished they could split every cent in half to spend it. Most people still used willow twigs, while only a very small number used toothbrushes.
She took out two children’s toothbrushes and two cups from her space and placed them in the children’s hands.
“From now on, you two will use these toothbrushes to brush your teeth.”
Since they had never seen such things before, Eldest Baby and Second Baby stood there awkwardly holding the toothbrushes.
“Mom,” Eldest Baby asked while staring at the toothbrush, “how do you use this?”
Helplessly, Li Tingyun taught them how to brush their teeth before going to prepare breakfast.
She took shrimp dumplings, soy milk, and two sticky rice chicken wraps out from her space. They were still steaming hot and smelled delicious.
Li Tingyun silently rejoiced that she had fully stocked up on supplies before transmigrating.
Just breakfasts like this alone would probably last several years.
She had only just finished setting the breakfast on the table when she saw Eldest Baby and Second Baby bouncing into the room.
“Mom, we brushed our teeth! Look, are they clean?”
As they spoke, both proudly revealed rows of little white teeth for her inspection.
Li Tingyun laughed and praised them a few times.
Then the two children noticed the breakfast spread on the table, and their attention was instantly captured.
“Wow! Today’s breakfast is so rich!”
Li Tingyun sat beside them, watching them eat.
After changing into new clothes, Eldest Baby and Second Baby looked much more energetic and far cuter than before.
Before long, they finished eating and clamored about wanting to go out and play.
Since it was daytime, she wasn’t worried about them getting lost. After all, the two children were far more familiar with the village than she was.
After finishing breakfast herself, Li Tingyun tossed the trash directly into the garbage bin inside her space as usual.
Just as she was preparing to go back to sleep, Third Baby woke up.
While feeding him milk, a sudden sharp pain shot through her.
Li Tingyun winced so hard her teeth hurt.
Third Baby had already grown tiny little teeth, and he unexpectedly bit her. The pain shot straight to the top of her head.
After feeding him, the bite had completely chased away the last traces of her sleepiness. Since she couldn’t sleep anymore, she decided to carry Third Baby out for a walk.
After all, ever since arriving here yesterday, she still hadn’t properly seen what this village really looked like.
It was just after breakfast time, and almost every household was busy preparing for the day’s work.
Since Li Tingyun didn’t need to work, she leisurely wandered around the village carrying Third Baby.
Before she had walked very far, she heard a strange sarcastic voice.
“Well, well! Isn’t this the third daughter-in-law of the Yi family? You’re still in the mood to stroll around?”
Turning her head, Li Tingyun saw that it was Lin Sufen.
Lin Sufen was an educated youth who had come to the countryside together with the original owner, and the two of them had always been at odds.
Before the matchmaker arranged the marriage, both Lin Sufen and Li Tingyun had originally been considered.
Yi Yang was young, capable, and handsome. On top of that, Li Tingyun’s heart already belonged to Xu Feng, so Lin Sufen had always believed Yi Yang was practically guaranteed to become hers.