Without this phone call, they would certainly feel so upset that they would not be able to sleep tonight. Zhai Sheng even took the initiative to dial the number for Qiao Nan. “Turn on the speaker.” His mother would definitely get the triplets to speak on the phone.
They were only away from home for less than a day. However, Qiao Nan, this mother, was not the only one who missed the triplets. As the biological father, Zhai Sheng also missed the three chubby babies in the Zhai’s residence.
Miao Jing picked up the call as soon as Zhai Sheng made it. “You have finally called home.” In the past, the triplets slept a lot when Nan Nan was at home every day. Miao Jing did not feel very different. Nan Nan was not home the entire day today and was not even coming back tonight. After some time, she felt that things were different.
The four-month-old triplets were awake for longer hours than before. Not seeing their biological mother for a long time, they had been kicking up a great fuss and crying loudly. They could not be appeased no matter what.
Initially, Miao Jing thought that the triplets would fall asleep after their energies were drained from all the crying.
However, the triplets had been awake for so long. Seeing them cry in this manner, Miao Jing’s heart ached. The triplets’ tiny faces turned red due to crying. Miao Jing was very anxious and upset. “You will definitely come home tomorrow, right?”
“The triplets are crying?” She could hear the sounds of children crying from the other end of the phone. As the biological mother, she could tell whose families’ babies were crying. “Mom, why don’t you turn on the speaker? In this way, the triplets can hear my voice too. Let me try to coax them?”
She could tell from Miao Jing’s tone that the latter was quite anxious. Qiao Nan guessed that the triplets must have been crying for some time. The triplets were still young and could only use crying to communicate whenever they were hungry or had peed. The Zhai family members had long been used to their cries. Her mother-in-law would not feel so nervous about them.
“Okay.” Miao Jing wiped the sweat on her forehead and turned on the speaker. “Da Bao, Er Bao, San Bao, listen. Is that your mom’s voice?”
“Da Bao, Er Bao, San Bao, did you take your meals obediently? Did you listen to grandma?” Qiao Nan held onto the phone as she quickly spoke.
The triplets found Qiao Nan’s voice familiar. After hearing it, they turned their heads, looking around for their mama.
“They finally stop crying.” Miao Jing let out a sigh of relief. “However, the triplets are turning their necks and looking for you. What should we do next?”
Miao Jing really did not have other ways. She could only ask Qiao Nan for a suggestion.
After thinking, Qiao Nan said, “Mom, do you think we can place one of my photographs by the triplets’ side? Do you think they will remember my face? This won’t do. This method most probably won’t work.” They were just four months old. At this age, they were still mainly relying on their sense of smell to identify people.
“Heck. I’ll try first.” Miao Jing was making a Hail Mary effort. She would give it a try first.
Qiao Nan did not have many photographs. However, she and Zhai Sheng took a set of wedding photos before their marriage. Both were people who liked convenience. As such, they had taken more photographs with negatives. The photography studio would let their customers pick and choose until they met the minimum quantity of photographs. The customers could pick more if they had more photographs that they liked. Anyway, the customers would have to pay for them.
The photography studio was good at their work. Be it the wedding or the daily life series, the couple looked very compatible in the photographs.
As such, Zhai Sheng and Qiao Nan developed more photographs than required.
At this moment, the triplets were throwing tantrums. At least, Qiao Nan still had some individual photos that could be used to try appeasing the triplets.
Miao Jing generously took out three photographs. She was not biased, and each child would have one each.
At the sound of their mama’s voice, the triplets were not crying as badly as before. Miao Jing first placed the photograph before the triplets. The triplet’s eyeballs swirled, and they stared at the woman in the photograph. Finally, the sounds of their cries completely disappeared.
The triplets, who were not crying, even opened their tiny mouths slightly, looking like they were about to smile.
The chubby, round, and stout little hands reached out as they tried to grab their mama’s photographs.
“The three ancestors finally stop kicking a fuss.” One by one, the Zhai family members, who had already been tortured until the men and horses were thrown off their feet, heaved out sighs of relief.
Zhai Hua, who was still a little angry, held on to Qiao Nan’s photograph and patted gently on Er Bao’s nose. “These three heartless little baddies, during the two months when your mom was studying, your grandma and I took care of you. Once your biological mother is not by your side, you have no qualms about torturing us and insist on seeing your biological mother’s photograph before you finally stop crying. Little heartless ones!”
They had not heard before that four-month-old children would begin to recognize people.
They felt that their family’s triplets were too smart and eccentric. Nevertheless, Zhai Hua knew that, thankfully, they could appease the triplets now as they were still young.
When they were older and understood the difference between the photograph and the real person, what should she do when Qiao Nan was not around again? If she could not appease the triplets with Qiao Nan’s photograph, was she supposed to transform into the triplets’ mother then?
“Be good, triplets. Have your meal.” After wiping the sweat on her face, Miao Jing took out three milk bottles for the triplets.
After crying for so long, the adults were tired, and the babies were even more tired and hungry. They held onto the milk bottles and deliciously suckled the teats. Their half-closed eyes were still looking at their mama’s photographs from time to time.
Looking at the triplets’ expressions, Zhai Hua was both angry and amused. “Since when did Qiao Nan’s photograph become a dish that goes so well with the staple?”
Given the triplet’s behavior, she suspected whether the milk in the triplets’ mouth would taste better each time they looked at Qiao Nan’s photograph. The effect was so powerful.
After knowing that the triplets had been appeased, Qiao Nan revealed a smile. “After throwing tantrums for so long, the triplets will definitely feel tired after finishing their milk. After they are coaxed to sleep, they will probably sleep for a longer time. Brother Zhai and I will be back tomorrow. We will try to be home before the triplets kick up another fuss.”
There was no place more relaxed and comfortable than at home.
The triplets missed her, and she missed them too.
“Okay.” Miao Jing was overjoyed. The triplets had created such a din. Miao Jing could not wait for her son and daughter-in-law to install wings and fly home immediately, let alone tomorrow.
However, her son brought her daughter-in-law back to her maternal family in Ping Cheng to visit relatives. She had to give the two children one night to stay in Ping Cheng and provide an explanation to the Qiao family. “Try to come back as early as possible tomorrow. I feel that the triplets will definitely be harder to coax tomorrow.” All these three children were mama’s boys and girl.
“Okay, Mom. I won’t disturb you then, in case our noise distracts the triplets from sleeping. Besides, the triplets threw tantrums when I am away today. It must have been tough on all of you.” Qiao Nan felt very embarrassed. The triplets had really given the in-laws a lot of trouble with their tantrums today.
Miao Jing felt consoled as she smiled. “What are you talking about? The triplets are my biological grandchildren. For their sake, it’s worth it no matter how tough it is.”
