Chapter 160

"You silly girl, you don't need to say sorry to me. If we really talk about it, I should be the one to apologize to you and the kids. All these years, I let you stay at home alone taking care of the kids, you must have suffered a lot," An Zhiqing hugged her and sighed.

"It's not suffering at all. I think mom has suffered the most these years. She has to take care of the family and help us take care of the kids," Liu Ling said. After all, the relationship between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law is not like real mother and daughter. It would be unrealistic to say there is no conflict at all. Fortunately, some trivial matters are not worth keeping in mind.

Plus all these years when she went to work, it was her mother-in-law who helped take care of the kids. Her father-in-law had his own job and income. He only asked her to pay for the meals. Her two younger brothers-in-law who already started working also contributed. She really had nothing to complain about.

In fact, her in-laws also said before that they asked the kids to pay for meals just to show an attitude. The family didn't really need the money. But they didn't want the kids to form the bad habit of not contributing. She also thought it made a lot of sense.

The greatest happiness in life is probably having a partner who can understand each other, that's what Liu Ling believed.

She understood his difficulties, and he could also appreciate her dedication.

Their family is a whole. No matter who contributed more or less, as long as the whole family worked together towards progress, there was no talk about anyone making more sacrifice.

The next day, Zhi Xia overslept again. Luckily Liu Ling also got up late. By the time she brought Wen Qing to visit Zhi Xia, it was almost noon.

Zhi Xia was just having lunch. Seeing them come over, she quickly called out, "Sister-in-law, Wen Qing, perfect timing. I'm just starting lunch. Come over and eat something."

"We already ate. You go ahead and eat," Liu Ling smiled and declined. "Zhi Xia, Wen Qing insisted on seeing his little brother and sister this afternoon. I'll leave him here to play with you for a while. I'll go back and do some laundry. If he wants to go back, just let him go back himself." A three-year-old child didn't need an adult to watch him all the time. He could just play by himself. Also this was a big courtyard. There was no dangerous spot. If he wanted to go out, there were security guards. He couldn't run out by himself anyway. That's why Liu Ling felt assured leaving him here.

With Wen Qing here, he could also help watch the babies. Zhi Xia didn't need to stay glued beside the two little ones the whole time. "Okay, sister-in-law go take care of your errands then," Zhi Xia said and took Wen Qing inside. The two little ones just woke up and were staring at each other wide-eyed. Wen Qing immediately let go of Zhi Xia's hand and ran over.

Zhi Xia gave him a piece of meat to eat and specially told him not to feed the little brother and sister. Then she went to the yard to check on the vegetables she planted.

Because the vegetables in the space tasted better, they always had more than they could finish harvesting in the yard. A ripe tomato had several caterpillars in it. Zhi Xia threaded the caterpillars on a blade of grass as she picked them out, but Wen Qing saw it and was grossed out.

Zhao Xin rode a bike to bring Pei Meng back, and happened to return the bike to her here. Zhao Xin quickly turned around to support Pei Meng, both of them grinning foolishly.

"Really pregnant?" Seeing how silly and foolish they looked, Zhi Xia already guessed.

"Yes yes." Pei Meng quickly nodded and ran over to hug Zhi Xia's arm.

Zhao Xin was scared and hurriedly chased after her, cautiously telling her, "My little aunt, you're carrying two people now. You can't keep running and jumping around. Be careful of the baby in your belly."

"I know, I know. I don't feel anything. You're the only one being super careful," Pei Meng complained on the surface, but she was super sweet inside.

Since she had just been confirmed pregnant, it was easy to overlook the belly. The pregnancy was still early, she didn't feel anything herself.

Zhi Xia also said with a smile, "Zhao Xin is right to be worried. Now that you're pregnant, you really can't keep rushing around like before. You need to be mindful all the time."

"I know," Pei Meng said to Zhao Xin, "Go take care of your own things. I'll stay here and watch the two little ones for a bit."

"Alright, but don't forget to mind your body," Zhao Xin still couldn't stop worrying and reminding her, which Pei Meng thought was annoying.

Seeing how they laughed and bickered, Zhi Xia also felt happy for them. "Just in time, my sister-in-law brought two cans of malted milk. I'll give them to you to take back later to supplement nutrition."

Malted milk and baby formula were hot commodities. Hard to buy without ration tickets. Even harder to find in small towns like this.

Pei Meng didn't stand on ceremony with Zhi Xia now. Her face lit up with pleasant surprise as she thanked her, "That's so great. Let me thank grandma on behalf of the baby in my belly, hehe..."

Pei Meng's laughter left Zhi Xia feeling conflicted. Being called grandma at 19 made her suddenly feel like an old lady.

When it was the twins' bedtime, Pei Meng called Wen Qing out and also brought the radio outside to the yard to listen.

Zhi Xia rarely listened to her own radio herself because she didn't like how it only picked up a few stations. It was always Pei Meng who turned it on to listen when she came over. Zhi Xia would just sit and chat with her when she was free.

Hearing the sound, all the neighborhood kids flocked over too, along with idle adults at home.

Six was already school age, but school was far away. Many kids started school later, at seven or eight years old. After all, hardly any adults would take kids to school now.

That was also why Liu Ling didn't want to bring her child here. Wen Qing was three now too. Only a few years from school age.

The little kids sang along with the radio, "Little swallow, wearing flower clothes, coming here every spring..."

Two months went by quickly. Watching Zhi Xia and Pei Meng's life together, Liu Ling was moved to stay more than once, even if life would be tougher.

But looking at her son beside her, she still decided to go back to Jin City.

If they stayed, when it was time for the child to go to school, they would have to leave anyway.

As a mother, when there were clearly better living conditions, she couldn't bear to make her child walk a long way to school everyday, plus the difference in education. She couldn't say rural schools were bad, but urban education was far superior to rural areas.

Wen Qing came to play with the babies everyday. After figuring out when they woke up, he started coming over only when they were awake. His feelings for them progressed rapidly.

On the day they left, Wen Qing cried his eyes out, hugging Zhi Xia's leg refusing to let go until coaxed and tricked onto the car. It hurt Zhi Xia's heart to see him like that. She promised she would come visit him when possible.

The twins grew very robust. Perhaps because no one played with them those first few days after Wen Qing left, they just squirmed in bed by themselves. With Zhi Xia's intentional slow response, they learned to roll over.

Like opening the floodgates, Pei ChenYe kept rolling in one direction. At first no one paid close attention. He rolled off the bed and bumped his forehead swelling up.

After that, Zhi Xia didn't dare leave them alone on the bed. She spread a mat on the floor. But he still managed to roll himself under the table. Stuck against the wall unable to roll further, only then did he start crying. His little hands and feet scratched at the wall wailing nonstop, seemingly determined to bang his head even if the wall didn't budge.