Feng Shihan had barely closed his eyes after the twins finally settled when the first hint of dawn crept into the room. He lay still for a moment, eyes closed, hoping against all odds that maybe—just maybe—the twins would let them sleep a little longer. But the universe, and apparently his children, had other plans.
Shenhua’s tiny wail pierced the air.
Feng Shihan groaned, running a hand down his face. He opened one eye just in time to see Shenmei stirring next, her mouth trembling into the prelude of a full-blown scream. He sat up instantly, wincing at the crack in his back. Great. There goes one sleepless night.
Beside him, Tang Xue Mei shifted and groaned, her arm thrown dramatically over her face. "Noooo... Shihan, I can’t. You handle it, I’m dead," she mumbled through the pillow, her voice thick with exhaustion.
"You’re not dead, darling, you can’t die right now," Feng Shihan muttered, already reaching for Shenhua, who was flailing his little arms. "But if we don’t handle this, I will be dead soon."
Shenhua’s wails only grew louder as Feng Shihan picked him up, bouncing him gently. "Shh, buddy, give Daddy a break, will you?"
Shenmei, not wanting to be left out, joined her brother in the crying chorus, and Tang Xue Mei rolled over with a deep sigh. "Our children... are tiny tyrants."
Feng Shihan let out a laugh, even though it was more of a tired wheeze at this point. "Tyrants? More like nightmarish little demons."
"Don’t call them demons," Tang Xue Mei scolded lightly, but the laughter in her voice betrayed her amusement. She sluggishly sat up, rubbing her eyes. "Fine, I’m awake. Shenmei’s your problem now."
Feng Shihan switched Shenhua for Shenmei with a groan. "You planned this all along, didn’t you?"
Tang Xue Mei smirked, swaying gently with Shenmei. "What can I say? I’m a master strategist."
"Haha well master strategist can you devise a plan to get this kids to pipe down?"
The twins’ cries grew more insistent, and Feng Shihan, with a slight chuckle, gently rocked Shenhua in his arms. "Maybe it’s time to feed them again," he suggested, bouncing Shenhua lightly. "They might be hungry, after all."
"Of course they are," Tang Xue Mei muttered, sitting up slowly. She reached for Shenmei, whose little fists were flailing as if protesting the delay. "They’ve got an appetite like their father," she teased, though her smile was tired.
"Hey, I’m not the one crying at the crack of dawn, besides it should be they got an appetite like their mother because woman do you know much food you consume?"" Feng Shihan quipped, though he couldn’t hide his grin as he watched Tang Xue Mei prepare to nurse.
Tang Xue Mei gave him a playful glare, then shifted Shenmei into position. As soon as the baby latched on, the room was filled with the quiet, satisfied noises of feeding instead of the wailing from moments ago. Feng Shihan followed suit with Shenhua, guiding him gently, and soon enough, both babies were calm and focused on their breakfast.
"Well, that did the trick," Tang Xue Mei said with a relieved sigh, leaning back against the headboard. "Feeding time—our magic solution for everything."
Feng Shihan chuckled softly. "Who knew such tiny people could have such big demands?"
As they both sat there, cradling the twins, the quiet was a welcome relief. The babies’ small, contented gulps and the occasional soft sighs filled the air. Tang Xue Mei, still groggy, glanced over at Feng Shihan.
"I’m seriously starting to believe we’ve become human vending machines," she joked, smiling faintly as Shenmei’s little hand curled around her finger.
Feng Shihan laughed quietly. "They’re cute vending machines though. I think we can forgive them for that."
Tang Xue Mei smirked. "Only because they’re cute."
They sat together in comfortable silence, their exhaustion softened by the sight of the now-peaceful babies in their arms. Despite the sleepless night and endless feedings, moments like these—quiet, intimate, and full of love—made it all worthwhile.
"Alright," Feng Shihan whispered after a while, his voice laced with a bit of hope. "Maybe they’ll go back to sleep now?"
Tang Xue Mei glanced down at the twins, who were still wide-eyed and squirming all over the place, despite being fed. She raised an eyebrow at Feng Shihan. "I wouldn’t count on it. Looks like they’re already, ready for round two of staying up all day."
Feng Shihan groaned dramatically. "Great. More baby duty."
Tang Xue Mei grinned. "Guess it’s your turn to entertain them now. I’ll just—" She pretended to yawn and lay back down, but the mischievous smile on her face gave her away.
"Oh, no you don’t," Feng Shihan said with mock seriousness, shifting Shenhua in his arms. "We’re in this together. Team no sleep, remember?"
"Aww, come on, aren’t you supposed to be a doting husband? Let me pass out for a while," Tang Xue Mei pleaded, giving Feng Shihan a hopeful look.
Feng Shihan chuckled, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Alright, I’ll take Shenhua and Shenmei downstairs so you can get a bit more sleep. At least they’ll wake up the rest of the household, and Auntie Gu must be dying to see them."
"Just don’t let them eat you alive while you’re at it," she teased, trying to suppress a yawn.
"Don’t worry, I’ve got my battle gear—bottles and auntie Gu!" he replied, grinning as he carefully picked up the twins, cradling Shenmei and Shenhua
in his arms.
As he made his way downstairs, their soft coos filled the air, which lightened his heart. The house was quiet, the morning sun streaming in through the windows, casting a warm glow.
In the kitchen, Auntie Gu was already up, bustling about. Her face lit up as she spotted Feng Shihan and the twins. "Oh my goodness, they’re here!" she exclaimed, rushing over with a bright smile. "Good morning, little ones!"
"Good morning, Auntie Gu," Feng Shihan said, gently passing Shenmei to her. "I thought they might wake you up."
"They certainly know how to make an entrance!" she chuckled, rocking Shenmei gently. "How was your night? I hope you managed to catch some sleep."
"Not much, but it’s alright. Xue Mei needed a bit of rest, so I figured I’d let her sleep while I brought them down for some entertainment," he replied, leaning against the counter.