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

Time slips through our fingers like flowing water, and four years have passed in the blink of an eye.

In the courtyard of Qingzhu Garden, the flowers that were planted back then have climbed all over the corners of the walls, and the autumn wind makes the swings in the courtyard sway.

On the sofa in the living room, a little girl with her legs crossed is looking down and flipping through a collection of math competition problems.

She was wearing a cream-colored sweatshirt, her hair was tied in a high ponytail, and her features already showed some signs of girlishness, but her face was still chubby, like a plump little bun.

She turned a page of her book and said without looking up, "Qingqing, go get me an orange."

A little boy climbed up from the carpet. He looked about two or three years old, with a round face, just like Tongtong, except that he had a gentler look in his eyes.

He said "Oh," and ran to the coffee table, tiptoed to reach an orange, then ran back and handed it to his older sister on the sofa with both hands: "Okay, sister."

Tongtong took the orange, but without peeling it, she said, "Wanwan, peel it for me."

Another little dumpling immediately ran over; she had two little pigtails and was wearing a pink dress.

She took the orange, lowered her head, and clumsily began to peel it with her chubby little hands, the fresh scent of the orange peel filling the air.

That's right, these twins were born to He Wanqing four years ago. The boy is named Mo Nianqing and the girl is named Mo Siwan.

The two little dumplings were like two loyal little followers, serving their older sister who was sitting on the sofa with her legs crossed, reading a book.

Mo Nianqing held a peeled orange segment to Tongtong's lips: "Sister, have some oranges."

Tongtong opened her mouth, let out an "Ah!" sound, and an orange segment was stuffed into her mouth. She chewed it twice, swallowed it, and then clapped her hands.

"Alright, you guys can go play now. You can borrow my Meow Meow Battle Chariot."

The two little dumplings' eyes lit up instantly, like two tiny light bulbs that had been turned on.

They shouted "Yay!" in unison, "Thank you, sister!"

Then it ran out with a clattering sound.

Tongtong watched the two cheerful little figures from behind, then lowered her head and continued reading.

He Wanqing came down the stairs.

She is thirty years old this year, but time has not left any trace on her face. Her skin is fair and firm, and her eyes still have that cool and gentle temperament. She looks no different from when she was in her early twenties.

She was wearing loungewear, her hair loosely draped over her shoulders. She walked into the living room and glanced at Tongtong on the sofa: "Tongtong, where are Qingqing and Wanwan?"

Tongtong didn't even look up, her fingers still slowly tracing patterns on the paper: "Playing with cars in the yard."

No sooner had the words left his mouth than the sound of a door lock turning came from the entryway.

Mo Ye pushed open the door and walked in, carrying a large bag.

When He Wanqing saw him, her eyes lit up, and then, like a cat that had found its den, she took a few steps over and skillfully jumped up and hung on him.

Mo Ye supported her bottom with one hand, while still holding the bag in the other, a smile playing on his lips: "Awake?"

He Wanqing wrapped her arms around his neck, buried her face in the crook of his neck, and said in a muffled voice:

"Where did you go? I just woke up and didn't see you."

Mo Ye tilted his head and rubbed it against the top of her head:

"I went out to buy snacks. Didn't Tongtong say she wanted some snacks last night?"

He Wanqing glanced at her daughter, who was still reading on the sofa, her voice tinged with a hint of doting reproach:

"She's not a child anymore, stop spoiling her, just spoil me."

Tongtong rolled her eyes on the sofa, her voice neither too loud nor too soft, just loud enough for the two of them to hear:

"Mom and Dad are getting more and more lovey-dovey, it's unbearable to watch."

Mo Ye smiled and placed the bag of snacks on the coffee table, then took out a pack of bear-shaped cookies: "Tongtong, these are your snacks."

Tongtong put down the book, reached out and took it, glanced at the packaging, and smiled, "Thank you, Dad."

She tore open the packaging, took out a cookie, took a bite, and then called out into the yard, "Qingqing Wanwan!"

As if summoned, the two little ones immediately came running in, standing on either side of the sofa: "Sister, what can I do for you?"

Tongtong handed over the unopened bag of bear-shaped cookies: "Take these and share them."

Mo Nianqing and Mo Siwan accepted the cookies, their little faces beaming with bright smiles: "Thank you, big sister!"

Then the two of them ran out, clutching the cookies like they were some precious treasure.

He Wanqing slid off Mo Ye, watching the three children's retreating figures, and couldn't help but sigh:

"Tongtong's words are more effective than ours."

Mo Ye took the snacks out of the bag one by one and put them into the locker. He turned his head to look at her, a slight smile on his lips: "Bloodline suppression."

In the evening, Mo Ye stood at the top of the stairs and called out to the living room and yard, "Children, dinner is ready."

Three small figures quickly appeared in front of the dining table.

Tongtong sat in the middle, with Mo Nianqing and Mo Siwan sitting on either side of her.

Tongtong picked up her chopsticks, first placing a shrimp into Mo Nianqing's bowl, then another into Mo Siwan's bowl, and then a third and a fourth, piling them into the two small dumpling bowls one after another.

Mo Nianqing looked down at the mountain of shrimp in her bowl, then looked up and said, "Sister, we can't finish this..."

Tongtong didn't even look up:

"These aren't for you to eat. Peel them for me, and you can peel the shrimp and put them on this plate."

She pointed to the empty plate next to her.

Mo Nianqing and Mo Siwan exchanged a glance, then simultaneously lowered their heads: "Oh, okay, sister, let's peel them now."

The two little ones began to carefully peel the shrimp, their tiny fingers flying between the shells, and the peeled shrimp meat was neatly placed into a plate.

He Wanqing and Mo Ye sat opposite each other, watching this scene. They looked at each other but didn't say anything.

Mo Ye picked up the bowl, took a sip of soup, his gaze lingered on the three children for a moment, and then looked away.

He Wanqing didn't interfere; she just ate her meal quietly.

They were already used to the way the three children got along, and as long as it wasn't too outrageous, neither of them wanted to interfere.

He Wanqing put down her chopsticks and looked at Mo Nianqing and Mo Siwan: "Qingqing and Wanwan, you'll be starting kindergarten tomorrow."

Mo Nianqing paused in peeling the shrimp, then looked up, her little face full of resistance: "Mommy, I don't want to go to kindergarten..."

Mo Siwan nodded in agreement, her voice soft and sweet: "I didn't want to either..."

Tongtong put down her chopsticks, her voice not loud, but carrying an undeniable decisiveness: "Shut up."

Mo Nianqing and Mo Siwan were startled at the same time and immediately changed their tune: "Mom, I like going to kindergarten!"

Tongtong nodded in satisfaction, then added:

"You two, don't you dare embarrass me in kindergarten. I'm already the boss of that school."

Mo Nianqing and Mo Siwan's eyes were filled with admiration: "Sister, you're amazing!"

Tongtong waved her hand: "I'll take you there tomorrow."

The two little dumplings nodded like chicks pecking at rice: "Okay, sister, sister is the best~"

Tongtong looked down at the plate in front of her, which was already piled high with peeled shrimp meat.

She picked up the plate and pushed it in front of Mo Ye and He Wanqing: "Mom and Dad, please eat."

He Wanqing looked down at the plate of cleanly peeled shrimp, then looked up at Tongtong, then turned to look at Mo Ye. The two of them stared at each other in bewilderment.

He Wanqing picked up a piece of shrimp and put it in her mouth. After chewing it, she felt like she was being a bit superfluous.

Mo Ye also picked up a piece, a similar feeling welling up inside him...