The baby was born on a snowy winter day when transportation was not very convenient. However, mom had checked into the hospital in advance, so the baby came into this world smoothly.
Because of this, the baby was given a nickname, Shun Shun, which means "smooth and successful."
The baby arrived to the eager anticipation of mom and dad, grandparents, and many others.
The baby returned home from the hospital with mom and dad. While mom rested, the baby slept in a small crib, with people constantly coming to see the little one.
The baby didn't understand anything, couldn't comprehend what the adults were saying, and could only open and close its eyes.
Later, the baby learned to smile. When people came to see the baby, its mouth would form a perfect circle, its rounded chin would puff up, and its bright, dark eyes would curve into crescent moons as it smiled at people.
As the baby gradually learned to walk and run, people often remarked that the baby's eyes were just like mom's, identical. The baby would babble "ya ya" and toddle from the living room to find mom.
Mom was sitting on the carpet reading a comic book when the baby, with slightly unsteady steps, walked over and hugged her leg.
Mom paused and gently asked the baby what was wrong.
The baby pointed at its own eyes with short fingers and said to mom with a radiant smile, "Same... same!"
"Oh, my clever baby," mom praised without hesitation, giving the baby a kiss.
The baby squinted its eyes in a smile. Dad suddenly walked in from outside and complained, "Kissing again, but never kissing me."
"Well, Lin Cheng baby, what praiseworthy thing have you done?" mom asked.
Dad, not at all embarrassed, lowered his voice to coax mom: "I've hidden all the snacks in the bedroom. Tonight when we lock the door..."
Since the grandparents hadn't left yet, the young couple Jiang Yan and Lin Cheng were clearly under supervision when it came to food and drink.
Mom was immediately won over, rewarding dad with a big kiss.
The baby, holding onto the edge of the sofa, watched mom and dad's actions curiously, wondering how dad had made mom so happy. The baby wanted to please mom too.
During the baby's first birthday celebration, grandma brought two red strings from the temple. One was tied around the wrist, and the other around the chubby ankle, symbolizing protection and safety.
That day, the baby also received a heavy gold lock, a pair of dazzling jade pendants, and a bank card with 660,000 yuan...
But the baby didn't get to keep any of it, as mom put everything away. Mom said she'd give them to the baby when it grew up.
The baby, obediently nestled in mom's arms, fiddled with its fingers and said, "Baby's... all for mommy."
Perhaps because dad had initially taken care of the baby, it learned early on how to please mom, influenced by dad's example.
Whenever someone asked the baby whether it liked mom or dad more, the baby would say, "Like mommy."
At first, the baby was fair, loving both mom and dad equally.
But dad told the baby it was okay to love mom a little more because mom had put in more effort to bring the baby into this world. So from then on, the baby loved mom a bit more.
When the baby was young, it would go to work with dad. Because dad often sent flowers to mom, the baby learned how to choose flowers at a young age.
When with dad, the baby would watch cartoons and picture books in the office cubicle, and eat strawberries from a low table.
When eating a particularly sweet strawberry, the baby's eyes would light up. Holding the big strawberry in its small hand, it would quietly peek out from the cubicle to see what dad was doing.
Somehow, dad could always sense the baby's presence precisely, even when he was listening to reports. He would pause first and call the baby over.
The baby would patter over and give the strawberry to dad to eat. Occasionally, when the baby wanted to stay with dad, it would crawl under dad's work desk and sit quietly.
The first time dad discovered this, he was surprised and lifted the baby out.
Dad never scolded the baby. After understanding the situation, he had someone clean under the desk and lay down a soft mat, letting the baby go back in.
As soon as work finished, dad would carry the baby to the flower shop downstairs, because he thought the baby walked too slowly.
