The next morning, before dawn broke, Zhou Xiaozheng arrived together with Mr. Zhang. Zhang Guoqing, who hadn’t slept all night, glanced at his watch.
——Got it, too excited and thrilled to sleep.
Seeing his daughter sleeping sweetly with much better complexion and the twins perfectly normal, Zhou Xiaozheng suggested that his son-in-law take a nap, while he rushed to work.
After his departure, Lin Lishan and the others gradually finished washing up and entered. Zhang Guoqing saw the room was packed with people, and even though everyone was speaking softly, he worried it might disturb his wife and kids.
Before he could say anything, those who overslept felt a bit embarrassed and decided after discussion to let Mother Zhang and Mr. Zhang take Ping’an back to kindergarten, and co again in the evening.
In the end, only Lin Lishan and Liu Xiu insisted on staying, while Aunt Chen, who was delivering postpartum als, took the others back.
"Did you stay up all night, young man? Go take a nap." Lin Lishan urged Zhang Guoqing to go to another room, "Jiao Jiao has us here, you sleep peacefully, later there’ll be too many people coming and going for any rest."
Zhang Guoqing glanced at his sister-in-law Liu Xiu, who pointed at herself reassuringly. He hesitated a mont, and compared to his carefree mother-in-law, she was alright.
"I’ll lie down for a bit, there’s a note on the coffee table, in two hours it’ll be ti to feed the children again."
"Got it, we all know."
Zhang Guoqing looked at the sleeping Zhou Jiao, thinking she’d probably wake up soon too. He lay on the small bed, closed his eyes, obviously very tired, but recalling last night’s chaos, he couldn’t fall asleep.
Their life supplies for the children were not lacking, but there were too few people to help take care of them. Bringing a stranger in suddenly, like Aunt Fang before, was too scary.
The original plan seed to need complete adjustnts. Before the next sester, so arrangents still needed to be made, and it seed like he needed to discuss with the father-in-law.
As for having his mother care for them, Zhang Guoqing shook his head at the thought. Occasionally staying at the Big Courtyard was fine, but long-term was definitely not okay. He couldn’t have the children living outside in the courtyard, he wouldn’t be at ease. Plus, parents also deserved to enjoy their retirent life. They had other children and couldn’t be pressured into looking after his.
Thinking about this, Zhang Guoqing gradually succumbed to sleepiness and fell asleep.
Inside, when Zhou Jiao woke up, she saw her mother and elder aunt surrounding the twins. Without making a sound, she closed her eyes again, and like Zhang Guoqing, she contemplated childcare arrangents.
Originally, she planned to hire another helper for their household, so with the twins, there would be two people to assist, and during her internship, living at ho would solve everything.
But as it is now? The children are still too young.
...
Starting from the gate of the Big Courtyard, Ping’an announced to everyone he encountered, that he had two little brothers. Soon, news of Zhou Family’s precious treasures having indeed birthed a pair of twin boys spread quickly.
Yi Jiefang, just returned from morning exercise, upon hearing his mother talking, sprayed out his porridge in disbelief while observing his mother’s expression.
"That’s disgusting! What kind of face is that, indeed it’s a pair of sons."
Yi Jiefang wiped his mouth and repeatedly shouted: "They’re like pigs, better at breeding than pigs! This guy claid not to want a daughter, and indeed got two sons!"
"You brat, didn’t you say she’s your own sister? Son, put so effort, our family doesn’t need twin sons, how about a dragon and phoenix pair instead?"
"Forget it! Mom, you and Dad enjoy your al slowly, I need to go check what’s going on?" Yi Jiefang pushed away the bowl, "Lost big ti, I even bet on having a girl. Now I lost, have to give extra gifts again. Heartless guy!"
Saying this, he ignored his laughing parents, grabbed his stuff, and dashed out.
On the bus, he encountered Da Yong and them, and as everyone talked, whenever thinking of Zhang Guoqing and Zhou Jiao’s perfect sync, they couldn’t help but laugh heartily.
Upon reaching the hospital, they asked clearly about the ward location, and rush impatiently into the room, to find Zhang Guoqing gracefully feeding the children milk formula.
"Here they co, hurry over and check out my sons."
"Buddy, is it really twin sons?"
Zhang Guoqing teasingly glanced at them, "Is this sothing to joke about? How is it? Envious?"
Yi Jiefang rolled his eyes in contempt and looked at Zhou Jiao, secretly clicking his tongue. Goodness, after birthing so many kids she didn’t collapse.
"Sister, I am convinced by no one but you!" He said, giving her a thumbs-up.
Zhou Jiao was well aware of his implication. After having the third child, she had a premonition she’d be joked about!
Liu Xiu, noticing that these four or five young n had put the milk formula outside and hadn’t ntioned it upon coming in, whispered the details to Zhou Jiao.
Zhou Jiao hadn’t seen the gifts but knew they weren’t inexpensive. Considering their friendship, it was likely these guys had emptied their pockets of personal money.
She complained, "Just having you visit is enough, why the gifts? You’re making us feel estranged."
Wan Dayong joked, "I’m afraid if I ca empty-handed your man would kick out. Should I take them back?"
"What are you taking back? Just visiting her ho a few more tis and it’s worthwhile?"
"You fool, always blurting out the hard truth."
Geng Dazhi swiftly dodged to the side, avoiding Ding Datou’s kick: "You said it while buying them. Do it again and I’ll fight back."
The people in the room were amused by these two jokesters, laughing uproariously.
"No more pointless courtesy. Don’t buy them next ti."
Yi Jiefang rolled his eyes at Zhang Guoqing, "We, as brothers, aren’t worried about you being tight on money? Adding two sons, are you overjoyed?"
"Is that even a question?" Zhang Guoqing replied amusedly looking at them, "Even Ping’an at my place can already fetch soy sauce. Hurry up and find yourselves wives."
"Is that even a question? I’ll drag one from the street tomorrow and get a license."
"Is that even a question? Tomorrow I’ll have a girl to make you envious."
There was a knock at the door, "Is Xiao Wu here?"
Upon hearing this Zhang Guoqing realized it was another group: "Co on in, everyone!"
A group of them ca in in succession, upon seeing Wan Dayong and the others, they complained about not being kept inford, sneaking away first. After so idle talk and seeing the twins, everyone understood the adults and children needed rest and they bid farewell.
Right after them, wave after wave of youngsters ca visiting. All kinds of people were among them, so noble like descendants of founding heroes, others ordinary like common kids.
Until before dinner when Mother Zhang ca for a shift change, did Liu Xiu realize— no wonder everyone said Zhang Guoqing had a wide circle of friends, wasn’t it true?
This ti Lin Lishan still didn’t go back. She knew it was after work hours, the family’s old friends and relations were likely to co by for a visit. It would be rude without herself and Zhou Xiaozheng present.
After five days at the hospital, Zhou Jiao saw no abnormalities in the children and was unwilling to stay any longer. Every day, a constant flow of people with varying connections ca by, making it impossible to rest.
Upon settling back ho, not long even before nightfall, when the secretary self-claid as "big uncle" arrived, Zhou Jiao felt imnsely grateful that she’d sneaked ho.
Otherwise, once the news spread, she’d never recover during postpartum, rely attending to visitors would take a great deal of energy.
"The girl, the old chief asked you to bring the kids to visit him when possible."
Zhou Jiao listened respectfully to the "directive," and replied with a smile, "I will definitely bring them over when they’re a bit older to et him."
"Good, I’ll convey your ssage," The secretary smiled at her aningfully, "The old man says you like his calligraphy most so there isn’t any powdered milk this ti."
Zhou Jiao looked at him in delight.
"You impish girl!" The secretary handed her a scroll of calligraphy, muttering quietly. Pausing, "The big uncle hasn’t got much for you, tell if you ever lack anything."
Truly a dear big uncle! What could beat such a gift?
When Zhou Xiaozheng returned ho from work and handed her several pieces of calligraphy and a gift, Zhou Jiao almost couldn’t restrain herself from jumping with joy. Turns out having twins brings such perks?
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