San Bao, who was full and sleepy, let out a graceful yawn in her grandma’s embrace. She blinked gently before eventually falling asleep.
Now, Zhai Yaohui had already mastered the art of coaxing babies. Er Bao was especially obedient in Zhai Yaohui’s arms and didn’t even throw a tantrum. He had even fallen asleep before Da Bao and San Bao. Seeing how adept Zhai Yaohui was with children, Miao Jing was full of regret. She should have kept Zhai Hua and Zhai Sheng by her side at that time to let Zhai Yaohui raise them too.
In that case, their two children wouldn’t have been so resentful against them for having neglected them in their childhood. That would also mean that there would have been much less resentment in the family.
“Dad, it’s been hard on you.” Compared to Miao Jing’s thoughts, Qiao Nan was full of gratitude. Qiao Nan couldn’t help but wonder if it was because of Zhai Yaohui’s age that he had entirely put down his status as a chief in this lifetime.
In her dream, Zhai Yaohui had only started to play with the three children when they had grown older and could speak. But in reality, Zhai Yaohui could almost take charge of a child’s daily life all by himself. Just like now, he had taken good care of Er Bao alone!
Based on that alone, Qiao Nan felt that Zhai Sheng couldn’t compare to Zhai Yaohui.
“It’s not hard at all.” Zhai Yaohui placed the sleeping Er Bao back in the pram and moved his sore arm. He really had to accept that he had grown old. Er Bao was only four months old but his arm was already aching from carrying him. In another few months’ time when the triplets grew even older, he wondered whether he would still be able to carry them. “You’re busy with your studies and the children are still so clingy to you. You’re the one who has it tough since you have to shuttle back and forth between school and home.”
Thinking about how Qiao Nan didn’t seem to have had many opportunities in the past year of being married into the Zhai family, Zhai Yaohui felt rather guilty. He had heard about how other daughters-in-law were playful and wild. When he looked at his own daughter-in-law, who cared most about her own family, Zhai Yaohui was extremely grateful.
It didn’t matter what outsiders thought about Qiao Nan as the Zhai family’s daughter-in-law. He felt that Qiao Nan was the most suitable candidate for the Zhai family and Zhai Sheng.
“It’s alright.” Qiao Nan didn’t feel that way. While she had been in the Qiao family, she had led a life unlike that of the wild Qiao Zijin. In the past, Qiao Nan had either been working, traveling to work, or looking for work.
Her life had been that simple. Qiao Nan felt that her life had become much more enriching and interesting now that the three children were in her life. Because of that, Qiao Nan had thought that Li Yayan’s words had been rather ridiculous. Was it really that difficult to return home to see her children and have a meal with her parents-in-law?
Li Yayan had never lived through truly hard times.
Li Yayan was muddleheaded, indeed. She was born in the eighties and had a younger brother, whom her parents favored. The problem was that Father and Mother Li loved pampered their daughter too. People born in the eighties naturally had it easier than those born in the seventies. Li Yayan and Qiao Nan were from entirely different generations, and there was also a huge difference in their lifestyles.
As such, what she had done had been useless against Qiao Nan, who couldn’t even understand why Li Yayan was feeling aggrieved. When she married into the Zhai family from the Qiao family, she had gained a loving family after having had a neglectful and aloof family. Qiao Nan felt like she had ascended to heaven from hell! Raising children was what Qiao Nan had been dreaming of for over a decade. And having a harmonious family and being doted on by her elders was something that she had yearned for for forty years.
Everything that was burdensome to Li Yayan was blissful to Qiao Nan.
With such a premise, Qiao Nan would never understand Li Yayan’s difficulties even if Li Yayan went out of her way to try to plant something in Qiao Nan’s mind to convince her that the Zhai family wasn’t treating her well enough. Even if Li Yayan were to explicitly tell Qiao Nan her thoughts, Qiao Nan would never agree. She wouldn’t understand it, and neither would she agree with it.
“Nan Nan, you’ve been attending school for such a long time. Have you made any close friends?” Miao Jing felt that even she smelled of the triplets’ fragrance after placing San Bao down. Miao Jing enjoyed it very much. Looking at Qiao Nan, who had given birth to the triplets, Miao Jing felt that Qiao Nan was the most attractive and beautiful woman in the world. “Nan Nan, don’t pressure yourself too much. Our family’s status doesn’t mean that we aren’t like normal people. You can have your own circle of friends. Although it’s true that it’s not always so simple between adults, you have to give it a shot, don’t you think?”
Earlier on, those who had gotten to know Nan Nan had only done so because they had wanted to take advantage of the Zhai family. They were no friends, merely acquaintances. Miao Jing hoped that Qiao Nan could get out of the shadow of the Zhai family to have her own circle of friends who would have nothing to do with the Zhai family.
How could anyone afford to not have any friends at all? Miao Jing didn’t want Qiao Nan to follow in her footsteps. If she had had friends at that time who could guide her along the way, she wouldn’t have been so foolish, almost harming her two children in the process.
But she knew that Qiao Nan was an intelligent child and would never let herself get into a similar situation. Nonetheless, she hoped that Qiao Nan would be able to live a much more fulfilling life than she had.
“Qiao Nan, your mom is right. You don’t have to feel too burdened when you make friends. Not everyone in the country or world knows that you’re the Zhai family’s daughter-in-law. I’m sure that you’ll be able to find yourself some true friends.” Zhai Yaohui acknowledged Qiao Nan as his family and thus treated her well. “Of course, if you’re still worried about the triplets, we could always hire another auntie. Your mom and I aren’t young, but we should at least be able to take care of them until they turn three.”
Afterward, the triplets’ parents would have to take care of and educate them themselves.
Qiao Nan smiled. What was the matter? Why was everyone, both her family and outsiders, talking about how to spend her free time? It was as though staying at home and taking care of her children was a chore to her. But that was not the case at all. She didn’t think that her life was monotonous just because of her children.
