Life... felt different from before.
The things Mom bought, she didn't lack them. Dad would accompany her to buy clothes every year. Most things in the mall that she liked, Dad would buy for her.
But those things felt a little different from what Mom sent over.
Every time she suddenly received something from Mom, her little heart would thump with excitement. She was very happy.
Sometimes, when she was sad, she would video call Mom. Mom would tell her stories and comfort her. She felt that Mom was different from Grandma; Mom was very good.
Days turned into weeks, and then a year passed. Mom had also spent a year at Brother Mul an's house.
Xiao Yushou felt that Mom also liked her. Mom's eyes were bright when she looked at her, and they were beautiful, with a feeling of... love.
She slowly began to want to see Mom more and more. But Dad said that Mom was very busy, that Mom had many children, and she had to take care of them all. Therefore, she couldn't take care of her at the same time. Dad asked her to wait a little longer.
Dad said they were third in line. After Mom visited Brother Zhongli Yi's home, they could come to their house next year.
Occasionally, Dad would also take her to secretly go outside the residential area of Brother Xiaoyi's home. From across the gate of the military family compound, they would catch a glimpse of Mom from afar.
Shushu saw that Mom was with Brother Xiaoyi, and Brother Xiaoyi was truly so happy.
Upon returning home, Shushu made herself a small calendar. She started counting the days, one by one, looking forward to the day Mom would come to their home to take care of her.
At the same time, she and Dad also noticed that Grandma's illness seemed to be getting worse.
Grandma disliked her more and more and often scolded her harshly.
Dad would always rush over, carefully shielding her behind him, and then take Grandma to see the doctor again.
But the doctors couldn't find anything wrong. Every time Dad returned, he was very sad.
Seeing Dad's sadness, Xiao Yushou couldn't help but feel sad too, and even sadder. Her heart ached for Dad.
She liked Mom.
Grandma was Dad's mother.
But Grandma was ill and was always very fierce, often scolding her. Sometimes, she would even scold Dad.
Dad told her that Grandma wasn't like this before. Dad said Grandma used to be very good, very gentle, and doted on him. Grandma was only fierce because she was ill.
Dad often quietly discussed with her, asking if she could forgive Grandma and not be angry with her, as Grandma didn't mean it.
Xiao Yushou knew that Grandma didn't mean it. Grandma had been very good to Dad before. Grandma had once been a very, very good mother who doted on Dad. So, she agreed.
But her Mom was also coming to their home soon. Xiao Yushou suddenly became a little worried. Grandma's illness was so severe, and her temper was becoming more difficult to deal with. When her Mom arrived, would she be scolded by Grandma?
Xiao Yushou suddenly didn't want her Mom to be scolded.
After Mom went to Brother Xiaoyi's house, she had also bought her clothes and pretty hair clips several times. She had clothes for the whole year.
Mom also bought her many cute little pajamas, the really beautiful kind. She wore Mom's pajamas every night and was reluctant to take them off.
Sometimes, before sleeping, Mom would call and gently tell her bedtime stories.
Her Mom was also so good. Truly, exceptionally good, very gentle, just like Grandma before she got sick, as Dad had said.
In the blink of an eye, Mom was truly coming to their home. Xiao Yushou suddenly felt a bit scared. She didn't want Mom to come because Grandma was too fierce. Mom would be bullied, and she didn't want Mom to be scolded or bullied. Although... she knew Grandma definitely didn't mean it.
After school in the afternoon, she, as usual, went to the botanical garden at the Academy of Sciences to find Dad.
Dad was still researching plants. She really wanted to say, "Please don't let Mom come anymore," but each time, the words reached her lips but ultimately couldn't be spoken.
She liked Mom more and more. She wanted Mom to come. She... wanted to live with Mom, even if it was only for a year.
Time passed day by day. In the blink of an eye, it was really time for Mom to come to their home.
Dad said he would go to the mountains to see if he could find honeysuckle with a low mutation rate.
She could use the honeysuckle with a low mutation rate to make some medicine for Grandma. At least then Grandma's condition wouldn't worsen so severely, and perhaps she wouldn't be so fierce towards Mom.
Xiao Yushou agreed, and then Dad set off.
For those few days, Dad traveled very far. Dad said that only in the mountains there could he find honeysuckle with a lower mutation rate. The closer places had already been searched by everyone, and honeysuckle with a low mutation rate couldn't be found.
Finally, the day Mom was supposed to come to their home arrived.
Dad was not at home. Mom wanted to come by herself, but she and Dad were both worried, especially her...
Xiao Yushou was a little scared.
She was afraid that when Mom arrived, she would be bullied by the sick Grandma, and then Mom wouldn't want to stay at their home and wouldn't like her anymore.
During those days, Xiao Yushou was anxious and uneasy.
She video called Dad. Dad told her not to be afraid. Dad said he had already told her Mom to wait a few more days at Uncle Zhongli's place. Dad would return from the mountains soon. Once Dad returned, he could use the low-mutation-rate honeysuckle he collected to make medicine for Grandma. After Grandma took the medicine, her condition would be controlled, and she wouldn't be so fierce.
Xiao Yushou nervously agreed. Every day she prayed, hoping Dad would find very, very good honeysuckle, preferably Ancient Earth honeysuckle, to cure Grandma's illness.
A few days later, Dad returned. Ancient Earth honeysuckle was impossible to find, but Dad found honeysuckle with a relatively low mutation rate.
Dad took the honeysuckle to the hospital and had the doctor make it into medicine.
After Grandma took the medicine, her temper indeed improved a bit. She wasn't as volatile as in the previous few days.
Once it was confirmed that Grandma was much better, she and Dad went to Uncle Zhongli's house together to pick up Mom.
There were many soldiers, grandpas, and grandmas at Uncle Zhongli's house. They looked quite fierce, and she was a little scared.
But thinking that Mom was here and that she and Dad would soon be able to bring Mom back to their home, Shushu became happy again.
When they arrived at Uncle Zhongli's house, Mom also gave her a gift: a small mecha!
Mom taught her how to open the mecha. When the cute fox mecha appeared, her eyes lit up instantly. It was so beautiful, she loved it so much!!!
Then, Mom also taught her how to control the mecha's camouflage. It could disguise itself as flowers and plants. She became even happier. Mom was so capable, incredibly capable!
Beside them, Brother Xiaoyi also took out his mecha. It was a giant panda from the Ancient Earth era, also incredibly cute. She stared at it, her eyes wide, and really wanted to reach out and carefully touch it.