"Mom..."
Erbau snuggled into Feng Jin's embrace, calling out "Mom" in a soft, sweet voice. It had been a long time since Mom had held him like this, and the feeling was truly missed.
The longing for familial affection was immediately ignited. Even the naturally reserved Erbau couldn't help but want to be closer to Feng Jin, his small body wanting to lean against his mother even more.
"I'm sorry, Mom has been busy taking care of your little brother and neglected you both. It's Mom's fault. Can you forgive Mom and not be angry with me anymore?"
Realizing her mistake, Feng Jin chose to apologize to her children. She didn't use her elder's authority to suppress them but treated them as equals, seeking their opinions.
"Mom... Mom, Dabao misses you. Mom, please stay with me."
Dabao simply expressed his feelings. He didn't blame Feng Jin, but he felt that his mother hadn't spent enough time with him for a long time. He felt a sense of loneliness and worried that Mom might not like him anymore now that she had a new baby brother.
He was constantly in a state of anxiety, always wishing his mother would spend more time with him.
"We don't blame Mom."
Erbau was very perceptive and the most sensible of the two. At his young age, he could understand Feng Jin.
Feng Jin was deeply touched by Erbau's few intermittent words. Erbau was so sensible it made her heart ache.
Even when he was wronged, he never complained. It was precisely this sensibility that made her wonder if Erbau was being mistreated somewhere.
"Erbau, you're so good. But Mom doesn't want you to be so sensible. Mom doesn't want you to wrong yourself like this. You and your brother are both Mom's treasures. Sometimes Mom doesn't want you to be so sensible; Mom wants you to grow up happily."
Feng Jin held the children's hands and sat down, speaking to them earnestly.
Dabao was outgoing and willing to express his feelings, so there was nothing to worry about.
Her biggest concern was Erbau. This child was naturally taciturn and never spoke his mind. He always kept things bottled up.
She worried that if this continued, Erbau's personality would lead to him enduring a lot of grievances. She didn't need Erbau to be so sensible.
At his age, children should be mischievous and playful, when their innate liveliness is at its peak. She didn't want Erbau to suppress himself and extinguish his childlike nature, as that would leave no joy in his childhood.
"Mom, the younger brother doesn't talk, he doesn't say anything!"
Dabao gesticulated, expressing his dissatisfaction. He had long been impatient with Erbau's personality of answering questions with only one word and remaining silent for long periods. Now that Mom was here, he had to seize the opportunity to have her properly discipline Erbau.
Erbau lowered his head in silence. He understood many things in his heart and didn't deem it necessary to voice them, always choosing to remain silent.
"Did you hear what Mom just told you?"
A mother knows her child best. Feng Jin could tell from Erbau's expression that he had some reservations about what she had just said.
Perhaps in Erbau's mind, he didn't think his actions were improper at all. Perhaps this was also a part of a child's nature.
Was she being too controlling? Was it right to let the child's nature develop unchecked, without interference?
Erbau nodded obediently. His usual sensibility prevented him from contradicting Feng Jin. He offered outward compliance, also to avoid making his mother worry too much.
Feng Jin sighed helplessly. She didn't know who this child's stubbornness came from. Once he set his mind on something, even if you wore your lips thin, it would be hard to change his mind.
This personality was very similar to Ling Mo Han's. It seemed that the father and son were indeed cut from the same cloth.
"Erbau, what Mom says is for your own good. Mom knows Erbau is very intelligent and will surely understand what Mom means. If you think there's something Mom said that's right, then listen to Mom. If you think Mom said something wrong, then just pretend Mom didn't say it."
This child had his own ideas. If Erbau didn't agree with what she said, even if she wore her lips thin today, he wouldn't take a single word to heart.
Continuing to force the issue would only be counterproductive. It would be better to let things take their course. Perhaps Erbau would listen to a word or two if spoken gently.
Erbau nodded obediently, not wanting to worry Feng Jin: "Mom, I'll remember."
But he still held onto his own convictions, believing his own thoughts to be correct. However, to avoid worrying his mother, he spoke in accordance with his mother's wishes.
Feng Jin's lips curved into a faint smile, but her worried heart remained unsettled. As a mother, all she wished was for her children to live a life of peace and safety.
"How about Mom takes you out to eat something delicious today?"
"Okay, great! Mom, let's go quickly." Dabao cheered enthusiastically and reached out to pull Feng Jin towards the door.
Although Erbau didn't show much on his face, his inner joy was undeniable. A faint smile graced his lips.
...
"Mom, I want to eat this fish..."
"Mom, I want to eat this roast chicken..."
"Mom, I want to eat this beef..."
Dabao found everything delicious and ordered them all, not worrying about not being able to finish them.
Feng Jin looked at the table full of dishes and worried if they could finish them. More importantly, she noticed that Dabao was very particular about food, preferring to eat a little more rather than a little less.
Look at his round body now, and his slightly protruding belly. Compared to Erbau next to him, the difference was quite obvious.
She even wondered if these two children were twins. The difference was becoming greater and greater. If it weren't for their identical faces, she would doubt if Dabao and Erbau were real brothers.
"Mom, this is delicious. Hurry up and eat."
Dabao put a piece of fish into Feng Jin's bowl with his chopsticks. The food here was truly delicious, especially this fish, which was incredibly tasty. After the first bite, he craved a second, truly leaving an unforgettable aftertaste.
"Dabao, eat slower when you're eating. It's okay to eat less, but don't stuff yourself too much."
Feng Jin said with slight concern, truly afraid Dabao would overeat.
"It's okay, Mom..."