Chen Lan woke to the crying of the babies, habitually checking the system time to find it was half past three in the afternoon. Her mother-in-law and Wen Rou Niang, Liu Mama, who were waiting in the adjacent cubicle, rushed over to help upon hearing the cries. The three of them quickly took care of the two babies. Chen Lan didn't even get a chance to assist before her mother-in-law and Wen Rou Niang were each holding a baby, sitting at the table and feeding them. The babies soon began to drink their milk with contented gulps. Liu Mama was in the back, tidying up the babies' diapers.
While feeding the baby, her mother-in-law sighed, "It's truly convenient to have formula these days. Unlike before, when Xiao Lan's milk wasn't enough, we had to boil rice water. By the time it was ready, the baby would have cried for quite a while."
Wen Rou Niang also chimed in with emotion, "Yes! When the child isn't full, their cries! It's heartbreaking to hear!"
While the babies were nursing, Chen Lan turned and pretended to tidy the bedding. Under the cover of the bed curtains, she faked taking a large piece of cloth from the cabinet and packed the items she had bought at noon from the system warehouse into a bundle. Chen Lan placed the bundle on the table.
Her mother-in-law asked curiously, "What are you preparing such a big bundle for? Are you going somewhere?"
Wen Rou Niang also looked at Chen Lan with a puzzled expression.
Chen Lan replied, "Mother, I'm not going anywhere. This bundle contains gifts that Father-in-law bought for the family."
"Ah! Ah!" Two exclamations! Even Liu Mama, who was tidying up, looked over in surprise.
The mother-in-law, Wen Rou Niang, and Liu Mama were all dumbfounded.
"Mother, Mother, Liu Mama, calm down! Calm down! Snap out of it!" Chen Lan called out.
Casually, she opened the bundle and began taking out the gifts for her mother-in-law one by one. When her mother-in-law saw the white fungus, lotus seeds, bird's nest, rock sugar, and brown sugar, she chided, "Your Father-in-law is truly something! We can buy these things at the pharmacy here. Although our family isn't as well-off as before these past few years, we can still afford them. Your Father-in-law went to such trouble to buy them from so far away. Xiao Lan, tell your Father-in-law next time not to buy them anymore."
"Yes, Father-in-law is concerned about your health, Mother, and wants to nourish you. He feels that supporting this family is not easy, and you've worked hard," Chen Lan said as she continued to take things out. She produced a pair of large gold bracelets and handed them to her mother-in-law, who happened to be holding Jia Yao (her mother-in-law was somewhat patriarchal and usually held Jia Yao). She urged her mother-in-law, "Mother, try them on, see if they look good?"
"Sister-in-law, try them on!" Wen Rou Niang and Liu Mama also chimed in.
Her mother-in-law's face flushed slightly, unsure if it was from shyness or excitement. The gold bracelets Chen Lan selected for her were a pair of traditional, classic designs – garlic-shaped bracelets.
Her mother-in-law put on the gold bracelets and looked at them from left to right. She didn't say anything, but there was a smile in her eyes, indicating she was likely pleased and satisfied. She then took Jia Yao from Chen Lan's hands and urged her to continue distributing the gifts.
Wen Rou Niang received the Swiss watch with a plum blossom design that Chen Lan handed her. Her voice trembled slightly with emotion. "This, this? How did Father-in-law know I wanted a watch to tell time?"
Chen Lan just chuckled and didn't answer.
Next was a pair of substantial silver bracelets for Liu Mama, also in a classic, traditional style.
Liu Mama was also very touched upon receiving the bracelets. "This, how can I say this? There are gifts for me too? Father-in-law knows me too? He bought a gift for me as well?"
"Heh heh heh! Chen Lan, hiding her achievements and fame, said, 'You all refer to him as Father-in-law, but he is my Father-in-law, heh heh! But I just won't say it!'"
"Liu Mama, we are all family. Father-in-law bought gifts for everyone in the family." As Chen Lan spoke, she suddenly remembered that she hadn't bought gifts for the two babies. How could a grandfather not buy gifts for his eldest grandson and granddaughter? She almost slipped up and quickly went to buy them.
While the three women were admiring their gifts, Chen Lan turned and walked to the cabinet, pretending to get something. Casually, she opened the system and ordered a small gold lock for each of the babies.
She then showed the small gold locks to her mother-in-law and Wen Rou Niang, saying they were from Father-in-law for the two of them. The three women once again admired and discussed them.
Seeing that they had sufficiently admired and discussed the gifts, Chen Lan gave the gift list to her mother-in-law and asked her to distribute the remaining gifts to everyone. Her mother-in-law happily took the list.