So at three years old, Shitou stepped right up on a stool to cook rice and dishes, which was naturally his first ti doing so, although he had watched Xia Xiao cook many tis before, this was not difficult for Shitou.
Plus, he had a calm mind, and as he cooked porridge and dishes, he analyzed precise asures in his head, how much oil was enough, and how much salt was appropriate.
By the ti Xia Xiao returned, she greeted Gao Guoqiang and Zheng Xianghong and entered the house, only to be surprised to see Shitou standing on a plastic stool stir-frying vegetables.
Xia Xiao was still startled, but seeing her return, Shitou simply smiled, "Grandma, you just got back? I’ve already finished cooking."
Then Shitou, very proud of himself, turned off the stove and transferred all the food from the pot to the plates before jumping down from the stool.
Xia Xiao put the food aside and stepped forward to look at the pot of lean at porridge, a plate of green vegetables, and stead eggs, at a loss for words.
"Grandma, try the dishes I made," Shitou said to Xia Xiao.
After tasting the food, Xia Xiao gave Shitou a thumbs-up, "Okay, I admit you’re an absolute genius."
"Of course, who do you think I am?" Shitou boasted, "I’m going to call great grandpa, grandma, and my little brothers and sisters for dinner." He then ran off.
Xia Xiao laughed to herself and carried the porridge and dishes to the table, then went to call Gao Guoqiang and Zheng Xianghong.
The two nonagenarians were already quite hard of hearing, even slightly vision-impaired, and they relied on each other’s support to walk, if not using a cane.
Once people reach a certain age, they age especially quickly. Although Zheng Xianghong and Gao Guoqiang had tried hard to keep healthy, by the age of ninety they could no longer be as nimble as they were in their sixties and seventies.
Upon hearing that Shitou had made the porridge and cooked the dishes, both Zheng Xianghong and Gao Guoqiang were surprised and impressed by their great-grandson’s skills but also very worried, for they hadn’t known Shitou had co back to cook. They were sweating bullets out of fear.
At that mont, Shitou led his little brothers and sisters out to line up and wash their hands in the basin, all very obedient to their big brother’s commands.
Shitou and Beibei were now over three years old, Xiao Shu over two, Huanhuan and Lele just over one, and Jianjian and Kangkang were eight months old.
Except for Jianjian and Kangkang, who were still in diapers, the children could already tell the adults when they needed to use the bathroom and didn’t require constant attention, except when they got hungry and sought out an adult. Otherwise, they could fend for themselves.
Beibei and Xiao Shu were the caretakers of the younger Jianjian and Kangkang, while Shitou frequently taught the younger kids how to read and write at ho.
The family had indeed hired a nanny, but the children didn’t like it, so they eventually let her go.
Presently, apart from Shitou and Beibei, there were Xiao Shu, Huanhuan, Lele, and Jianjian and Kangkang, all seated in their highchairs.
Xia Xiao, while eating, watched them feed themselves next to Jianjian and Kangkang whose little dining table was covered in rice they loved at the most, nearly leaping at the sight of at in the porridge and grabbing it with their hands to eat.
After they were full, Xia Xiao wiped Jianjian and Kangkang’s mouths, while Huanhuan and Lele were already capable of wiping their own faces with napkins. As soon as the children were satisfied, they went off to play again.
Gao Guoqiang and Zheng Xianghong sat on the sofa watching the kids play, while Xia Xiao cleaned up the dining table and washed the dishes.
"Shitou was really impressive today." Xia Xiao praised Shitou, then patted his head, "But you’re still young. If you get hungry next ti, you can call grandma. Grandma will co back and cook."
"You would still take a while to co back, and I can have it all done by then. Grandma, don’t always treat like a child," Shitou didn’t like being treated as a child.
Xia Xiao laughed and said, "You’re just a child now, with a three-year-old’s body, trying to act like an adult. Haven’t you ever considered how dangerous it would be if you accidentally burned or hurt yourself?"
"I won’t, I wouldn’t make that kind of mistake," Shitou shook his head; he wasn’t really a little kid, and he certainly wouldn’t be careless enough to make a mistake.
After resting for a while, Gao Guoqiang and Zheng Xianghong were too tired and went to rest, and Xia Xiao also took her grandchildren to sleep.
In the afternoon, Xia Xiao didn’t go to the company; instead, she stayed at ho to play with the children.
Otherwise, around this ti, Gao Jiaxing and the children had all co back, and since it was the weekend, they had all hurried ho.
Once the adults arrived, the children were extrely happy, buzzing around them.
Xia Xiao brought up Shitou cooking, which shocked everyone. They felt it was better to hire a couple more helpers at ho to take care for the elderly as well.
Xia Xiao then talked to Feiteng about the helper’s family, asking Feiteng to check on them and help out if there was any issue.
Feiyang and Li Min took Shitou and Beibei out to play, Feiyue and Ye Jia also took Xiao Shu to their grandmother’s place, and Feiyi and Li Manzi also took the kids out.
Feiteng and Yu Jialin, on the other hand, stayed at ho. Kangkang had been a bit frail at birth, but after a year of care, he had gotten much better, though he still couldn’t engage in intense activities.
Kangkang was now the focus of the Gao family’s protection. Feiteng and Yu Jialin didn’t take the children out because they were worried about encountering sothing outside that might frighten Kangkang.
There had been such instances before, like when an explosion of a big balloon happened at the entrance of a shopping mall, which greatly alard Kangkang and almost caused an accident.
However, Kangkang was now more eager to go outside, pulling at Yu Jialin’s hand and pleading non-stop, "Go out, go out."
Xia Xiao smiled, "Then you can take so of the children to the park for a walk. It’s not good for them to be cooped up at ho all the ti."
So Feiteng and Yu Jialin took the children out.
Xia Xiao and Gao Jiaxing stayed at ho, while Gao Guoqiang and Zheng Xianghong busied themselves with their vegetable plot and herb garden. Despite their age, they never seed to slow down.
Every ti their sons and grandchildren ca back, Gao Guoqiang was the happiest. As he grew older, he enjoyed seeing all the children and grandchildren gather together, bustling and lively.
Tonight was no exception. Xia Xiao and Gao Jiaxing went to the market and bought lots of vegetables, and the children ca back from outside with their grandchildren.
The daughters-in-law ca over to help Xia Xiao, while the n and children played in the yard, watched over by Gao Guoqiang and Zheng Xianghong.
Once the al was ready, the whole family sat down to a lively dinner. Spirit, who now lived with the Jing Family more often, spent less ti in her own yard with Jing Yao.
It was also because Jing Hao and Wen Shufei had a tepid relationship without any children yet, and Mrs. Jing wanted her grandchildren to live with them.
Moreover, as Mrs. Jing was getting older and her health declining, Jing Yao and Spirit simply stayed there.
Now Jing Yao and Spirit weren’t at the Jing Family ho. With so free ti, Spirit took Mrs. Jing and the children on a vacation.
In her life, Mrs. Jing hadn’t really traveled far, but this ti Spirit and Jing Yao took her and several children abroad.
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