However, Zhai Hua had no idea of the exact amount of milk that the triplets would need in a day.
She felt that the triplets were only more than one month old. They were tiny, so they must not have a big appetite. It was just that they had triplets. It would be harder on Qiao Nan.
But when Zhai Hua saw for herself the amount of milk that Qiao Nan extracted and stored in the refrigerator, she could not help but exclaim at the amount of milk that the triplets had in a day. Their refrigerator had become the storage place for Qiao Nan’s milk and it was packed with her milk.
Zhai Hua stared intently at Qiao Nan’s chest.
It was true that Qiao Nan’s cup size had doubled after the childbirth.
But she found it unbelievable that Qiao Nan would have so much milk.
Qiao Nan threw a disdainful look at Zhai Hua, feeling tired. “Sister Zhai Hua, thankfully, you are a woman. Otherwise, I would get someone to throw you out of the room.” It was not an easy chore to be a mother who breastfed her babies, especially when she had to feed three babies at one go.
She did not do anything other than to extract the milk and store them so that she could feed her babies. But she was already exhausted from the chore. It was as if all her energy was drained. It was too tiring. “Sister Zhai Hua, I will most likely be knocked out tonight. Unless it is to feed the triplets, don’t wake me up. I have to have a good night’s rest in order to pay attention in class tomorrow.”
After completing her confinement, Qiao Nan had a few days to revise the lessons taught in September and October.
The triplets were still very young. One would go crazy when they started crying. But luckily, they would spend a lot of time sleeping. They would sleep for about twenty hours a day.
In this way, Qiao Nan could make use of the time while they were sleeping to study.
“Alright, don’t worry. Apart from not being able to feed them, I am adept at taking care of them.” Zhai Hua was the only person in the Zhai family who was in a position to take care of Qiao Nan.
Zhai Hua, who had just become an auntie, had learned the way to take care of the babies in the past month. She was considered to be a qualified babysitter.
“Sure.” Qiao Nan breathed a sigh of relief after ensuring that everything was taken care of. The babies might be adorable, but they would be a handful, especially when there were three of them.
Qiao Nan had been thinking about the opportune time to wean the triplets off breast milk.
True enough, Qiao Nan slept soundly that night.
If the triplets cried in the middle of the night, Zhai Hua would be there to take care of them. If they were hungry, Zhai Hua would place them in Qiao Nan’s arms.
Qiao Nan, who was in her sleep, had been so used to feeding them that she was able to cuddle the child subconsciously and feed them.
After the baby was full, Zhai Hua would bring another baby and place the baby in Qiao Nan’s arms. Zhai Hua would then carry the baby who was fed and pat him on the back. She waited until the baby burped before she put him to sleep.
Qiao Nan packed her books the next morning. She carried her schoolbag on her back, getting ready to go back to school.
Qiao Nan could not bear to part with her babies. They were sleeping soundly and were clueless that their mother was leaving them. She kissed them on their chubby cheeks before she parted with them reluctantly. “Sister Zhai Hua, I will leave them with you, Mom, and auntie. I have lessons the entire day. Before you feed them, remember to heat the milk. You must make sure to wash the milk bottle and disinfect them after using them.”
“I know, I know. You have repeated them over and over again. I don’t have a fish’s memory. I remember your words!” Zhai Hua flung her hands impatiently, telling Qiao Nan to make a move. “The driver is waiting for you. If you don’t go now, you will be late. The professors might punish you and make you stand up for being late. You are already a mother. If you are being told off for being late, the triplets will mock you when they grow up.”
In the past, Zhai Hua might have been upset with Qiao Nan for placing her studies above everything else. But she had nothing to say when she noticed that Qiao Nan turned teary as she got into the car.
She was not going to faraway places. She was merely going to school. Even if it was for the entire day, she would be able to see the babies after ten hours. The triplets might mock her for being teary-eyed.
Miao Jing smiled as she patted Zhai Hua on the shoulder. “Do you understand now? Once a woman becomes a mother, she longs to be with her children every single moment of the day. It is like cutting a part of her flesh to be apart from their children. Nan Nan misses the triplets more than anyone of us. She longs to be with them all the time.”
But her situation did not allow her to do that.
Qiao Nan wanted to be a successful mother. It was not good enough to spend time with them.
Zhai Sheng was seldom at home. The triplets needed their mother to guide and teach them. If Qiao Nan could not teach by words and example, she would not be able to be a role model for her children.
In order to be a role model for the triplets, Qiao Nan refused to give up halfway or come to a standstill.
If she took time off college now, Qiao Nan would not be able to teach by example that one had to be persistent despite difficulties.
Now, Qiao Nan could not bear to part with them. When they were older and could address her as their mother and wanted her to carry and hug them, it would be even more difficult for her to leave them.
Therefore, she could not take time off her studies.
Once she did, she might be away from school for more than one year. It might be two years, three years, or even longer than that. Qiao Nan might even be expelled from Peking University due to being away from school for too many years.
“I understand.” Zhai Hua lied. “I didn’t lecture her for going to school. Besides, didn’t you agree as well that Nan Nan should take one year off from school and stay at home to take care of the triplets?” How could she push all the blame on her and made it sound as if she was the only person who supported the idea?
Miao Jing lifted her chin and smiled. “If you had not made the suggestion, I would not have thought of it. Alright, there is no need to push the responsibility to anyone. You are already an auntie, yet you are so willful. In the future, the triplets will mock you instead of Nan Nan.”
Miao Jing walked back to the house after making a dig at her daughter. There was tenderness and love in her eyes as she gazed at the triplets who were fast asleep.
Their lips moved and they clenched their fists, placing them beside their cheeks. They were so adorable!
They were truly her grandsons and granddaughter.
Zhai Hua, who followed right after Miao Jing, was silent. She was unlike her usual self. Miao Jing said that Qiao Nan could not bear to part with her children. Zhai Hua could not help but wonder. When her mother went with her father on his business trips, leaving behind Zhai Sheng and her, did she feel the same as Qiao Nan?
“Qiao Nan, you are finally back to school!” Upon reaching school, instead of the professor or principal, Xu Shengnan was the first person who came looking for Qiao Nan.
