Lu Jiang heard Ouyang Zijin’s voice and, holding Fubao, walked to the door. "Big bro is here? Come on in, come on in."
With one hand carrying stuff and the other lifting Xibao, Ouyang Zijin stepped through the gate and noticed the yard was draped with clothes, diapers, cotton quilt cores, sheets, quilt covers, linings, and so on, colorful and vibrant.
As they weaved through, Xibao pointed at the pale yellow urine stains on the stark white cotton quilt core, "Daddy wet the bed!"
Ouyang Zijin immediately choked on his own saliva, and when he turned, he was met with Lu Jiang’s dark face.
"Lu Xibao!" Lu Jiang roared, "Who actually wet the bed? Why are you blaming it on Daddy?"
"Daddy did!" Xibao insisted.
Ouyang Zijin laughed heartily, "Xibao, you’re great, really great, getting your dad this riled up!"
"Good child, Bao Bao!" Struggling to touch the ground, Xibao ran towards Feng Qingxue emerging from the house, "Mommy, something tasty."
"Let your dad open the canned food for you, this is for your sister." Feng Qingxue bent down to show him the bowl of fruit puree, which indeed earned a disdainful look from the little guy, who then ran to Lu Jiang and tugged on his trousers.
Ouyang Zijin smiled and said, "Xibao, come to Uncle, Uncle got you canned food, apple canned food."
Xibao looked up at Lu Jiang, then at Feng Qingxue, "Guoguo ah!"
"Go on, go on, it’s from Uncle, not from an outsider." After saying this, Lu Jiang invited Ouyang Zijin to sit down inside the house. Fubao sat on his lap, while Feng Qingxue first poured a glass of water for Ouyang Zijin before sitting down next to Lu Jiang to feed Fubao the fruit puree.
Fubao gobbled it down in one bite, her chubby cheeks all smiles.
Fubao’s skin was even whiter than Xibao’s, powder white with a natural blush on her plump cheeks, making her incredibly cute. She had now been promoted to the second most popular baby in the troop, with Xibao naturally being the first, unbeatable by anyone.
Leaning against Lu Jiang’s chest, Fubao smacked her little mouth contentedly.
Her lips were very pretty, and everyone said she was a natural-born beauty.
Xibao stabbed a piece of apple with a fork and held it up, "Sister eat Guoguo."
"Sister doesn’t want it, give Uncle a bite."
As soon as Feng Qingxue finished speaking, Xibao "aww"—shoved the apple into his own mouth, and after swallowing, innocently said, "No more!"
Lu Jiang and Feng Qingxue were at a loss for words with him.
"There’s still plenty in the can! Lots more." Ouyang Zijin teased him, "Will you give Uncle a piece? If Uncle can get some next month, I’ll buy you more. We could get orange or peach canned food."
"Earn money to buy?" asked Xibao.
Upon receiving Ouyang Zijin’s affirmation, Xibao didn’t hesitate to fork another piece of apple and stuff it into his mouth, "Eat up then buy, ah!"
"Buy!" Ouyang Zijin promised.
Interjecting, Feng Qingxue said, "Big bro, stop spoiling him like that. Look how chubby he’s getting."
Children are adorable when they’re chubby at three or four years old, but it’s not so cute to still be Little Fatty as they grow older, and it’s not good for their growth either.
"Chubby?" Ouyang Zijin touched Xibao’s cheek and scrutinized him for a moment, "Xibao, look at your mom. She’s always got her eyes wide open telling fibs. You’ve clearly slimmed down a ring and got a bit tanner, yet your mom says you’re fat."
Xibao pouted, "Mommy won’t let Bao Bao eat meals!"
Lu Jiang rolled his eyes, "No idea who the stinky kid competing for food with me this morning was."
"Not Bao Bao!" Xibao denied it completely clean slate.
Ouyang Zijin laughed loudly, "Every time I see Xibao, all the unhappy things just vanish completely."