The doorbell rang, and the visitors were Chen Erlin's mother, Granny Chen, and Chen Erlin's wife, Wu Lamei. Wu Lamei was holding their four-month-old daughter, Little Xibao, followed by her twelve-year-old sister-in-law, Chen Xiaoyun, and nine-year-old brother-in-law, Chen Sanlin.
Chen Lan took Little Xibao from Wu Lamei's arms and gently unwrapped the tightly bundled baby. The little one was gazing with big, round eyes, blowing milk bubbles from her mouth. As Chen Lan was about to unbundle the baby further, Wu Lamei quickly stepped forward to help.
Freed from her swaddling, Little Xibao happily kicked her little legs and flailed her arms. While Chen Lan was playing with her, her mother hurried forward to take the baby, urging, "Lan'er, it's too cold, don't let the baby catch a chill. Give Little Xibao to me quickly."
As soon as she finished speaking, she reached out, took Little Xibao, and walked away. Granny Chen placed Little Xibao on the sofa closest to the air conditioner and swiftly removed her thick cotton coat and pants. She then used a warm towel to wipe Little Xibao's bottom, applied powder, and put on a diaper.
Next, she placed Little Xibao into the electric baby swing. Then, she casually peeled off an adhesive label, wrote "Xibao" on it, and attached it to the freshly removed cotton clothes and the swaddling cloth. She placed these items in the warmest spot, ensuring the warm air continuously blew on them. The entire process was executed with fluid efficiency, without any hesitation.
Wu Lamei and her mother-in-law, Granny Chen, watched with wide eyes and gave Granny Chen a thumbs-up, praising, "Sister-in-law, you are truly amazing! No one can match your speed in taking care of a baby. No wonder you can manage the twins so well all by yourself! Look how sharp and clever they are!"
Granny Chen beamed with delight and humbly replied, "These little tasks are nothing. I have nothing else to do at home all day but look after my two little grandchildren. I've just gotten used to it from doing it so often." Sudannovel.com
While everyone was chatting about childcare, they heard another knock on the door. Upon opening it, they saw Li Daqiang's wife, Zhang Dani, holding her seven-year-old son, Li Xiaochui, followed by her mother-in-law, Granny Li, her thirteen-year-old sister-in-law, and eleven-year-old brother-in-law, Li Xiaoqiang. Granny Li was holding her swaddled granddaughter, Little Putao.
Chen Lan stepped forward to take Little Putao from Zhang Dani's arms. After unwrapping her, she handed her to Granny Chen, who, with her usual swiftness, received the baby and proceeded to care for her just as she had with Little Xibao. The onlookers were once again amazed and showered her with praise.
Zhang Dani and Granny Li were equally stunned by the seamless, fluid movements of the mother and daughter-in-law as they expertly handled the little ones.
Next to enter was Zhao Tie's wife, Liu Man'er, holding their five-month-old son, Little Dunzi, followed by Granny Zhao and her elder daughter, Qiao Jie, holding her four-and-a-half-year-old granddaughter, Zhao Hehua.
Chen Lan immediately took Little Dunzi from Liu Man'er's arms. She told Little Hehua to go play in the children's play area with Xiaoshitou and the others. Little Hehua had already seen Hutou and Xiaoshitou playing with the new toys and was eager to join them. However, remembering her mother's words before they left to be a good child, she held back. Upon hearing Auntie Xiaolan's invitation to play, she happily ran off to join Hutou and the others.
Chen Lan turned around and saw the living room filled with people, a cacophony of voices filling the air. Concerned about the children, she quickly urged the members of the reading club to head to the large study for their lessons.
Seeing that the living room was too crowded and chaotic, Granny Chen promptly called out to the other grandmothers, "Granny Chen, Granny Li, Granny Zhao, the yangge costumes are at the sewing shop. Let's all go to the sewing shop to practice."
Several of them readily agreed and prepared to leave.
Just then, Zhou Sixi's wife, Zhang Xiaohe, entered, holding her four-and-a-half-month-old son, Little Tudou, followed by Granny Zhou, who was holding her eleven-year-old son, Zhou Xiaoxi, and her nine-year-old daughter, Zhou Xiaohuan.
Seeing even more people arriving, Granny Chen quickly called out to Granny Zhou to lead the group out.
The last to arrive was Zhou Dashi's wife, Wang Yuling, holding her four-month-old son, Little Nangua, followed by her twelve-year-old sister-in-law, Zhou Xiaoqin. Granny Zhou had already been intercepted by Granny Chen on the way and taken to the sewing shop.
After the mother and daughter finished tending to the babies, Granny Chen, wrapping Little Nangua in a blanket and holding him close, looked troubled. "Lan'er," she said anxiously, "what are we going to do?"
Chen Lan, thinking something serious had happened, looked at her mother holding Little Nangua and quickly asked, "What is it, Mother? What's wrong with Little Nangua?"
Seeing Chen Lan's misunderstanding, Granny Chen quickly explained, "Lan'er, our baby swing is too small. Little Nangua has nowhere to sleep. What should we do!"
Chen Lan asked with confusion, "Mother, he can sleep in the swing. You've already taken off his thick clothes. Why aren't you putting Little Nangua in the swing? Why are you still holding him?"
As Granny Chen placed Little Nangua in the swing and covered him with a blanket, she still asked hesitantly, "Lan'er, didn't you say this cradle can only sleep four babies? Are you sure it's alright to put Little Nangua in to sleep in this swing? Won't it break?"
Chen Lan nodded and said with certainty, "Mother, please don't worry! It definitely won't break. This electric baby swing has a maximum weight capacity of 180 jin. How much do these little ones weigh combined? It's nowhere near 180 jin, is it?"
Hearing Chen Lan's words, Granny Chen's mind was put at ease. She smiled and said, "They don't weigh 180 jin together, but these plump little ones do have some weight, certainly over a hundred jin combined!"
Chen Lan watched as the five little ones lay side by side in the swing, which swayed back and forth. The colorful balloons hanging above the swing also bobbed up and down. The five little ones stared with their big round eyes at the moving balloons, blowing milk bubbles, kicking their tiny legs, and swinging their little arms, looking perfectly content.
Chen Lan turned around to see what the twins and Little Douzi and Tiedan were doing. She saw that the twins were still playing on the seesaw. Little Tiedan had stopped playing on the seesaw and, along with Little Douzi, had somehow climbed into the children's play area. Hutou and Xiaoshitou were playing on the carousel. The older children who had been on the carousel earlier had already gone to the large study for their lessons.
With all the children settled, mother and daughter finally let out a sigh of relief. Chen Lan thought to herself, luckily, it's just a temporary kindergarten for a few months at home. If it were any longer, she wouldn't be able to handle it. It was her mother who was working so hard with her.
With that thought, she walked over and hugged her mother's neck, resting her head on her shoulder. This sudden action startled her mother. Coming to her senses, she patted Chen Lan's back, smiling happily. She then chided, "You're already a mother of two, and you're still acting like a spoiled child like when you were little."