Shocking! A three-year-old brings his aloof mother to their door.

He Wanqing scooped up a spoonful with a mischievous expression and held it to her lips.

Tongtong mustered her courage, took another sip, then covered her mouth again, ran to the trash can, and spat it out.

When she ran back, her little face was full of confusion: "Why are both bowls smelly!"

Seeing her daughter's reaction, Mo Ye hesitated for a moment, then picked up her own bowl and carefully took a sip.

An indescribable smell assaulted my senses, like leftover swill that had been reheated, with a chilling, unpleasant odor.

Although he didn't vomit, the expression on his face said it all; it was hard to explain.

He put down the bowl, his voice muffled: "I can't drink it."

He Wanqing smiled, pursed her lips, picked up her bowl, and took another sip.

Tongtong sat opposite her, her face filled with terror, as if she were looking at an unbelievable monster.

Mo Ye bought two bottles of milk, opened one, and handed it to Tong Tong.

Tongtong took the milk, first taking a careful sip to confirm that the taste was normal, before holding the bottle and gulping it down in big mouthfuls, until her mouth was covered with a ring of white beard.

Looking at her cautious yet anxious little face, Mo Ye couldn't help but laugh. It seemed that the bowl of soy milk had left a psychological scar on the little girl.

Back at the courtyard house, Zhang Guilan was already holding Tongtong's little hand, taking her to eat roast duck.

Tongtong tilted her little face up and asked in her childish voice, "Is it delicious?"

Zhang Guilan nodded with a smile: "Yes, it's delicious."

Tongtong's little eyes immediately lit up: "Tongtong wants to eat!"

Zhang Guilan squeezed her little hand: "It was specially prepared for Tongtong."

At the dining table, Zhang Guilan put on disposable gloves, picked up a thin pancake, spread it in her palm, added a few pieces of crispy roasted duck skin, dipped it in sweet bean sauce, added a few cucumber shreds and scallion shreds, skillfully rolled it up, and handed it to Tongtong's mouth.

Tongtong opened her little mouth, took a bite with a "woof," chewed a couple of times, and a satisfied smile spread across her face. She said in her sweet, childish voice, "Delicious!"

Mo Ye sat beside Zhang Guilan, watching her movements. He then picked up a pancake, put duck meat, sauce, and cucumber shreds inside, rolled it up, and handed it to He Wanqing's mouth.

He Wanqing looked at it, opened her mouth, and took a bite.

He Wanqing rolled up a few rolls and placed them neatly in Mo Ye's bowl.

The next morning, before it was fully light, the three of them got up to watch the flag-raising ceremony.

Tongtong nestled in Moye's arms, her eyes still closed, her little mouth slightly parted, her breathing long and even, fast asleep.

Mo Ye gently patted her little bottom: "Tongtong, wake up, it's about to start."

Tongtong made a soft "hmm" sound, nuzzling her little head against Mo Ye's neck. Her voice was muffled, tinged with sleepiness and a hint of coquetry: "Tongtong can't open her eyes... I don't want to look anymore~"

Mo Ye couldn't do anything about it, so he let her continue sleeping and wrapped her up tightly in his coat.

The flag-raising ceremony began, the national anthem echoed in the square, and the red flag slowly rose in the morning breeze.

Mo Ye and He Wanqing stood ramrod straight, their eyes following the rising flag, and sang the national anthem together.

The surrounding crowd was quiet and solemn, with only the soft rustling of the wind through the flagpole and the sound of camera shutters.

After watching the flag-raising ceremony, the three of them started to visit the tourist attractions, and Tongtong finally woke up.

She rubbed her big eyes, looked around groggily, and asked in a childish voice:

"How did I end up here? Weren't we supposed to be watching the flag-raising ceremony?"

Mo Ye lowered his head and pinched her cheek: "You were sleeping so soundly, you couldn't get up at all. It was over a long time ago."

Tongtong blushed slightly, a little embarrassed, and muttered softly with her head down, "It's too early~ Tongtong can't get up..."

Mo Ye put her down and let her walk on her own.

Tongtong walked ahead with her short legs, looking around at everything, finding everything new and interesting.

The three of them spent a week here, visiting all the tourist attractions in Kyoto. Tongtong's calves even got thinner from walking around.

As they prepared to part, Zhang Guilan stood at the entrance of the courtyard house, holding Tongtong's little hand, bending down to look at her, her voice filled with a hint of reluctance and anticipation:

"Tongtong, come visit whenever you have time."

Tongtong nodded her little head vigorously and replied in her childish voice, "Great-Grandma, I can!"

She turned and ran towards the car, then turned back and waved her chubby little hand, like a little bird about to fly away.

The three of them flew to Hangzhou. Tongtong stood by West Lake, gazing at the shimmering surface and the distant rolling green hills. Her little mouth formed an "O," and she exclaimed in her sweet, childish voice, "So beautiful! So nice!"

Mo Ye took her to eat West Lake Fish in Vinegar Sauce.

When the fish was served, Tongtong looked at the fish lying on the plate, drizzled with sauce, her eyes sparkling: "Wow! Beautiful fish!"

She eagerly picked up a piece of food with her chopsticks, stuffed it into her mouth, chewed it a couple of times, and her face instantly froze, as if struck by lightning, and her body trembled.

She looked at the fish in disbelief, then looked down at the fish meat on her chopsticks.

She was born to love rice, and this was the first time she wanted to throw the vegetables into the lake.

She looked up, pouted, and complained in a childish voice, "Daddy's mean! It tastes awful!"

Mo Ye and He Wanqing both took a bite, and then fell silent.

Mo Ye put down his chopsticks and said in a voice only the two of them could hear, "We can throw it into the lake now."

He Wanqing nodded and whispered a reply:

"How can it taste so awful... and yet it's so famous? Curiosity killed the cat!"

After spending a few days in Hangzhou, the three decided to go home.

The plane landed at S City Airport, and the familiar air rushed towards me, carrying a reassuring scent.

Back at Qingzhu Garden, Mo Ye tied on an apron and went into the kitchen, the sound of the spatula hitting the edge of the pot clinking and clanging.

Dinner was served, and Tongtong held her small bowl, took a bite of rice, and then looked up:

"Dad's cooking is still the best; the food outside is all awful."

Mo Ye gently patted her head: "If Tongtong wants to eat it, Daddy will make it for you from now on."

Tongtong nodded her little head vigorously and then shoveled a big mouthful of rice into her mouth.

He Wanqing also picked up a piece of braised pork, put it in her mouth, chewed it, swallowed it, and said with a hint of satisfaction and emotion, "Your cooking is still the best to my taste."

Mo Ye turned his head to look at her: "I'll do it for you for the rest of my life."

He Wanqing shook her head, a smile playing on her lips:

"That's too much work for you, I'll make it for you too."

Mo Ye thought for a moment and smiled: "Okay, after we retire, we'll take turns cooking."

"it is good."

After finishing her meal, Tongtong put down her chopsticks, yawned, and then lay down on the table, falling asleep almost instantly—her little mouth slightly open, her breathing long and even, like a little robot that had lost power.

Mo Ye looked at the little dumpling who had just been eating and was now fast asleep, and smiled helplessly, his voice tinged with affection: "This girl, she fell asleep right after eating..."

He Wanqing rubbed her forehead, her voice tinged with a helpless mix of amusement and exasperation: "Little lazybones."

She stood up, bent down, picked Tongtong up from the chair, and carried her into the bathroom.

Hot water was flowing freely, and steam was billowing out. She put Tongtong into the bathtub. The little girl was as soft as a ball of cotton in the water, and her eyes were not even open.

After He Wanqing helped her take a bath, dried her off, changed her into a bunny pajama, carried her into the children's room, and placed her on the small bed piled with toys.

Tongtong turned over, hugged the little pink pig to her chest, smiled slightly, and fell into a deep sleep again.

He Wanqing left the children's room, closed the door, then turned around and stared straight at Mo Ye.

Mo Ye was stunned by her gaze. Just as he was about to say something, He Wanqing stepped forward, took his hand, and led him into the bathroom.

The door closed, and the sound of rushing water continued for a long time.

Mist seeped out from under the door.

When the fog cleared and the door reopened, Mo Ye carried He Wanqing out.

He Wanqing, wrapped in a bath towel, nestled in his arms, her face pressed against his chest. Her voice was muffled, carrying a hint of reproach and embarrassment: "Why are you being so perverted this time?"

Mo Ye looked down at her: "Didn't you promise me?"

He Wanqing's face turned even redder: "You can't do that again."

Mo Ye placed her on the bed, looked down at her, and asked with a hint of feigned innocence, "What's wrong with me?"

He Wanqing turned her face away, her voice muffled, tinged with embarrassment and accusation: "It's just that you can't let me call you..."

Mo Ye leaned closer to her, a mischievous smirk in his voice: "What did I tell you to call me?"

He Wanqing reached out and patted his chest, her voice both urgent and shy: "You're so annoying."

Mo Ye took her hand, kissed it, and asked gently, "Are you tired?"

He Wanqing buried her face in the pillow, her voice muffled: "It's alright."

Mo Ye's eyes lit up, and his voice carried a hint of mischievous laughter: "That's fine then."

He lay down and wrapped his arms around her waist from behind.

He Wanqing sensed his movement, turned around, and said in a hurried and embarrassed voice, "You!"

Mo Ye's voice came from behind her, gentle yet firm: "This is fine with us."