Luo Hongjuan kept packing the bags, turning to Wang Qiqi, who was also busy organizing things in the living room, “Qiqi, have you packed everything? It’s cold in the States, you need to prepare more winter clothes for Taotao.”

Wang Qiqi scrutinized the suitcase again, “It’s enough. I’ve packed four sets of underwear, and sweaters and such…” Wang Qiqi meticulously reported how many clothes she had prepared for Han Tao—mostly extra underwear, in case he got too busy to wash his existing ones and needed backups. “When you get to the States, remember to take the clothes out after putting them in the washing machine. Even if you use the dryer, you should still air them out in the sun for a bit.” Americans generally disliked hanging laundry; they’d just use the dryer after washing. Wang Qiqi, however, felt intensely uncomfortable if she didn't, insisting the clothes only felt truly right after some sun exposure.

“I know, I know, I’ll do it,” Han Tao repeatedly assured her. Honestly, he regretted blurting out that one time he’d left clothes in the dryer for days before remembering to wear them. It was a single incident, but Qiqi had brought it up ever since. Han Tao wished he could turn back time just to tell his past self not to mention it. “Relax, I was just swamped back then.”

“Are you not going to be busy this time? Remember to rest on time and eat your meals,” Wang Qiqi cautioned again. She glanced at Luo Hongjuan packing nearby and lowered her voice, “Otherwise, your mom will worry sick. She saw the photos we took in the States and said you’ve lost so much weight. She’s really reluctant to let you go. In short, you have to make sure you eat and drink well.” Wang Qiqi felt awkward admitting to him that while eating things like hamburgers could easily lead to weight gain, they were actually perfect for Han Tao’s current condition.

Luo Hongjuan finally breathed a sigh of relief after placing the items meant as gifts into a large red and white plastic bag. “These are local specialties. Bringing them over is a nice gesture.” Luo Hongjuan wasn't sure if the foreigners would like them, but as a mother, her son was the ‘outsider’ there, and making a good impression on his colleagues was essential.

Han Tao looked at the bulging, large plastic bag and was immediately reminded of old Hong Kong films where villains stuffed bodies into exactly these kinds of bags before disposing of them. “Mom, you really didn’t need to prepare so much. It’s heavy, and I have a layover.” Han Tao inwardly wondered if crossing oceans with this bag was entirely consistent with his image. “Besides, foreigners might not even like them.”

“If they don’t like them, it’s still the thought that counts, even if they throw them away later,” Luo Hongjuan shot him a look. “You child, you understand nothing of social niceties.”

Han Tao could only offer a wry smile. If his mother weren’t coming along, he could have dumped the entire load on his brother-in-law and the others. But the current situation clearly dictated he’d be lugging this luggage across the ocean. “Mom, are all the windows and doors at our place closed securely?” Han Tao checked the time; it was nearing the appointed hour, so he confirmed again.

“Yes, all the valves are shut. I also asked the elderly lady downstairs to keep an eye on the locks for us.” Luo Hongjuan stood up, walked over to Wang Qiqi’s kitchen area, and turned off the gas valve. Then she instructed Han Tao to switch off appliances like the air conditioner and pull the main power breaker. “Let’s go downstairs. We shouldn’t keep anyone waiting.”

Taotao, sitting in the back seat, grinned widely when he saw Wang Qiqi get in, insisting on sitting on her lap. “Auntie, Auntie…” The little fellow knew this auntie, whom he didn't see often, was the best to him. She bought him nice clothes, fun toys, and delicious treats.

Wang Qiqi carefully held the child, who was perhaps a bit too robust. Song Yao often mentioned in emails how much more mischievous Taotao was becoming, which made her both happy and occasionally exasperated. Now, while the car was speeding down the highway, the little guy shakily stood up and leaned right into Wang Qiqi’s face. “Kiss, kiss.”

Wang Qiqi’s face received a baptism of the little man’s saliva. While she felt genuinely honored to be greeted with such affection from the little boy—an affection her own nephew, the little bun, never showed—despite the little bun receiving plenty of toys from Song Ziwen. “Baozi, I’m happy you like Auntie, but could you wash your face first? Auntie’s face is clean.”

Taotao understood Wang Qiqi’s words, but he didn’t grasp the meaning. However, he possessed the intuition of a young animal; he knew Auntie must be displeased with him. He pouted, turning to Song Yao, who was stifling a laugh beside him. “Auntie, Auntie, bad. Baozi kisses. Auntie no like.”

Wang Qiqi hadn't intended to provoke Taotao’s tattling. How could this child be like this? “Taotao, Auntie loves your kisses, but this is how you should…” Wang Qiqi felt that educating children required action, not just words. She cupped Taotao’s face and planted a few kisses on his forehead and cheeks. “Taotao, this is how you should kiss Auntie, not spit your saliva on Auntie’s face, okay?”

Song Yao watched Wang Qiqi earnestly demonstrating the proper way to kiss her son, wishing she could tell her it was futile. No matter how many times she educated Taotao, his kisses would always be a wash of slobber. Song Yao sometimes had the strange feeling that her son understood exactly how to kiss properly but did it deliberately. Yet, Gong Peixing insisted that a child so young couldn't possibly understand so much; he claimed Song Yao was overthinking it.

Taotao was proving his mother right in her assessment. He smiled mischievously and proceeded to baptize Wang Qiqi with another round of drool. Wang Qiqi could only let out a long sigh. “Sister, I admit defeat to your son. Whether talking to him or demonstrating in person, he remains the same. Is he doing this on purpose?” Wang Qiqi thought she might be hallucinating, wondering how she could perceive such an expression on a child’s face.

Song Yao nodded. “I think so too.”

“Let’s go to my place first, then the men can stay home to rest and look after the children, and the three of us women can go shopping. Of course, Qiqi, if you’re tired, you can rest at home,” Song Yao suggested once the car entered Shencheng. “The house is clean; I had the agent send someone to tidy it up a few days ago.”

Wang Qiqi murmured an acknowledgment. To be honest, she was quite exhausted. Last night, due to a certain someone insisting on maximizing their ‘benefits’ before such a long separation, Wang Qiqi had momentarily let her guard down and allowed him to take advantage. As a result, she’d nearly been unable to drag herself out of bed this morning. She’d hoped to catch a break once they got in the car, but the little bun had clung to her lap the entire journey, refusing to move, making Wang Qiqi inwardly curse. Naturally, she’d thrown plenty of sharp glares at the culprit responsible for her exhaustion, and he knew he’d messed up badly, remaining silent unless absolutely necessary during the drive. Song Yao had whispered a few words of praise about Qiqi’s excellent parenting skills in Wang Qiqi’s ear, and her teasing look clearly indicated she knew the real story, making Wang Qiqi feel like crawling under the floorboards. Song Yao’s eyes were practically screaming words like ‘last night’s debauchery.’ “It’s fine, let’s go shopping. I haven’t shopped in a while either.”

Han Tao looked at Wang Qiqi, clearly worn out yet determined to go shopping, and couldn't maintain his ‘observation period’ facade. “Qiqi, you should rest. Holding Baozi all the way must have tired you out. At least your legs are probably numb. Why don't we stay home and watch the kid, and let brother-in-law and sister take Mom shopping?”

Luo Hongjuan, being an experienced woman, easily noticed Wang Qiqi hadn't slept well last night, and she had privately chided Han Tao for his lack of restraint at such a young age, worrying about his future. “Qiqi, you rest at home. Your sister and I will go shopping. Song Yao, you don’t think I’m too old to keep up with your trends, do you?”

Song Yao certainly had no objections; having a mother-in-law who looked after her daughter-in-law so well was Qiqi’s blessing. “I have no problem at all. Qiqi, just stay home and help me look after Taotao. You two can figure out lunch yourselves. For dinner, we’ll let you know where to meet, and you can grab a taxi over.”

How could Wang Qiqi disagree? For lunch, didn't she have Han Tao right there? She could just send him out to buy something. And going out for dinner was perfectly fine.

Luo Hongjuan suddenly remembered something. “It’s Chinese New Year now; I expect there won't be many small shops open, right?”

Wang Qiqi realized this was true at that moment. During the New Year holiday, small business owners either returned to their hometowns or shut down operations entirely—where would she find food to buy? “Sister, check if there are any fast-food places nearby. I remember there should be a KFC.” Although serving KFC to Han Tao felt a bit unfair, there was no other choice; procuring fresh vegetables would likely be an issue too.

After some inquiries, Han Tao returned with a bucket of KFC. When Luo Hongjuan saw that this small amount of food cost as much as two or three whole chickens, Wang Qiqi noticed her mother-in-law’s mouth twitching, likely thinking to herself how uneconomical it was. “Mom, since we’re out for once, it’s about experiencing something different. Don’t always compare what’s sold in stores with raw ingredients from the market. If you do, Mom, you’ll only conclude that eating at home is the most cost-effective.”

Luo Hongjuan understood this logic perfectly well; she just felt a pang of reluctance. But then she thought about why she should feel sorry for herself; both her son and daughter-in-law looked completely unconcerned. She said nothing more. However, she didn't touch a single item Han Tao had bought. Wang Qiqi wondered if this was her mother-in-law’s silent protest, or perhaps she was worried that if she ate some, there wouldn't be enough left for her son to buy more later?