The twins had entered elementary school this summer, the same school where Liu Ling taught, which was close by and convenient since Liu Ling was their teacher and it was reassuring.
The three-and-a-half-year-old triplets were at the age where they played wildly all day, and the just over two-year-old Little Sixth followed his older brothers around all day so that even Zhi Xia couldn't find them when it wasn't meal time.
"Momo, I made some lamb for hot pot tonight, don't rush off, stay and eat with Little PingAn," Zhi Xia was quite nice to Guo Momo, who felt it deeply herself.
Knowing that Zhi Xia had actually invited her, Guo Momo readily agreed, "Sure, my son and I will mooch a meal, I'll help wash vegetables later."
She wouldn't compete with her sister-in-law for cooking, although she could cook too, but the taste was worlds apart. She wouldn't ruin the lamb that had been painstakingly obtained.
The twins came home with schoolbags on their backs, and delicious aromas were already wafting from the house.
The siblings were much easier to tell apart now, with the brother a full half head taller than his sister. At Zhi Xia's urging, Wanqing had also grown out her hair, which could just be tied into two little braids at the back.
"Mom, what delicious thing did you make?" Wanqing still had that slightly wild personality, unlike her more steady older brother.
She flung her schoolbag onto the table and raced into the kitchen, "Sister-in-law is here too, where's Little PingAn?"
She knew that if Guo Momo came over, little PingAn would definitely have come along too.
"PingAn is playing in the toy room," Zhi Xia told her, "go do your homework first, dinner will be ready soon."
"I know, I don't have much homework. I'll go see PingAn first and do my homework after eating," Wanqing said and raced off before Zhi Xia could respond.
"This girl, she just gets harder to manage as she grows up," Zhi Xia laughed, clearly not angry.
Luckily Chenye was quite self-disciplined, and he took charge of Wanqing's homework even though they were in the same class. Otherwise Zhi Xia would be hopping mad.
"Kids should be lively like that to seem like kids. If she were really so obedient and did whatever you told her, you'd be worrying later on," Guo Momo said enviously as she watched. She wished so badly that her little PingAn could be that lively and she could happily go wild.
Soon there came Wanqing's annoyed yelling from outside, "Brother, so annoying, do you have to be in charge of everything?"
Chenye calmly reasoned with her, and eventually Wanqing conceded defeat and went to do her homework.
By dinner time, she had finished it neatly, under the supervision of Zhi Xia and her brother.
The hot pot had just been brought to the table when the triplets came running in with Little Sixth, seeming to be wearing doggy noses that could smell food. Da Huang followed behind with Yuan Bao sitting on his back, quite the amusing sight that everyone was now used to.
Zhi Xia fished out some meat first and made a separate bowl for Yuan Bao, placing it on a small bench. Da Huang was less fussy and had already snuck under the table waiting for bones.
"Sister-in-law, your Yuan Bao really is strange. A rat that looks quite pretty, and it has to have its own bowl for food instead of eating off the floor. It's as clever as a human," Guo Momo said interestedly. By contrast, Da Huang was still just a dog despite growing up in the same household, truly odd.
"Yuan Bao is my little brother," Little Sixth piped up matter-of-factly before Zhi Xia could reply.
"Yuan Bao was born earlier than you, shouldn't it be your big brother?" Guo Momo teased him playfully.
"He's my little brother," Little Sixth wasn't eating neatly. He fished out some meat and squatted next to Yuan Bao to eat.
They both sat on the small bench, eating their separate foods. Little Sixth would add vegetables to Yuan Bao's bowl with a spoon.
Guo Momo smiled and asked again, "Yuan Bao must be three now? Male or female? It would be great if it could have cute little baby Yuan Baos since it's so pretty itself. I could get one for PingAn too then."
PingAn sat next to her, looking about Little Sixth's age but unable to hold things steadily himself, needing to be hand fed.
Zhi Xia noticed that when Guo Momo said this, Yuan Bao, who had been eating, suddenly bristled all over.
"Yuan Bao is male. Maybe because ordinary rats are too ugly, I've never seen it bring a mate back," Zhi Xia said.
They used to see big black rats at home before, but Yuan Bao had driven them all away. Their household had found Yuan Bao more useful than a cat.
"True, other than Yuan Bao I've never seen a rat like it," Guo Momo mused, remembering her first impression of Yuan Bao, sort of yellowish fur, but now snowy white and long-haired, looking cute when it occasionally bristled up. It truly made it easy to overlook that it was actually a rat.
Most bizarre was that this rat had good hygiene. She had witnessed many times Yuan Bao obediently letting Chenye bathe it, clearly enjoying itself as it closed its eyes blissfully, and she'd heard that it would even bare its teeth to have them brushed.
The meal ended amid chatting and laughter, and Guo Momo cleaned up Little PingAn and handed him to Zhi Xia before washing up and sweeping the floor spick and span.
As time went on, they had gained some understanding of one another.
Although Guo Momo sometimes gave off the impression of being a little greedy and scheming, she was actually quite a good girl at heart, not a bad sort that provoked extreme dislike.
Especially after marrying Pei JianGuo, her experiences had cloaked her with an aura of pitifulness that easily evoked sympathy, making it simple for people to warm up to her unconsciously.
The afternoon had still been clear, but clouds stealthily veiled the moon after dinner.
"Is it going to rain now? Then I have to hurry home with PingAn," Guo Momo looked bewilderedly at the sky and prepared to leave with PingAn.
Zhi Xia stopped her, "Take an umbrella in case it does suddenly rain, it's awful getting soaked."
Fortunately the sky wasn't fully dark yet, though Pei JianGuo would have gotten off work by now too.
It wasn't only Guo Momo who sensed his change. Others could perceive it too.
Although Old Pei had passed on and Guo Momo still often came over with PingAn, last year Pei JianGuo would often come pick them up after work. But this year, especially the latter half, he hardly ever showed up.
When Guo Momo got home, Pei JianGuo had already eaten alone, the empty bowls still sitting unwashed on the table.
She had been weak postpartum and without family cooking, so Pei JianGuo had taken over washing and cooking out of guilt at the time. His first attempt at cooking had given him blisters from scalding his hands. Naively, Guo Momo had thought then that though flawed, this man could still be redeemed.
But now, her thoughts were different.
A marriage was like slowly burning away the passion of courtship until the couple became cooperative partners, working together for their child.
And in their home, it seemed that he had started to give up on PingAn because the child wasn't healthy.
Guo Momo didn't know how long this could continue, but for now she and PingAn still depended on Pei JianGuo's support. Her body was too damaged for her to likely have another child, while Pei JianGuo could easily divorce her and find another woman to bear him many healthy children.
Guo Momo could only hope he still had some conscience, so she didn't dare complain. Gently handing PingAn to Pei JianGuo, she guided him to play with their son while she took the chance to wash up the bowls and pots during that time.
Whenever she felt hopeless about life, it made her inner resolve stronger - no one else would hold up the sky for her and PingAn. She could only rely on herself.
