She walked into her mother-in-law's room and saw her sitting on the bed, silently shedding tears. She approached, placed a hand on her mother-in-law's shoulder, and gently patted it twice. "Mom, don't be sad. You'll make yourself sick if you cry too much. What good will crying do anyway?
Right now, the main thing is figuring out how to handle this situation. Tears won't solve anything. You need to think carefully about what to do next.
Here's what I'll do: I'll take Xiaobao out for a meal and bring something back for you. Mom, think about what I've said. At this point, no amount of tears will change anything."
Her mother-in-law seemed lost in thought, then nodded at her. Just then, Xiaobao woke up and sat on his little bed, staring blankly at his tearful grandmother.
In his childish voice, he said, "Grandma, don't cry, don't cry. Baby will rub it for you, and you'll feel better."
With that, Xiaobao stood up. Su Qing quickly picked him up from the bed, and he threw himself into his grandmother's arms. Climbing onto her lap, he used his chubby little hands to wipe her tears, pressing his head against her face and saying, "Grandma, don't cry, don't cry. Xiaobao will recite the Three Character Classicfor you, and then you won't cry anymore."
Then, in his sweet, childish voice, Xiaobao began reciting:
"At the beginning of Homo sapiens, nature is good.
Natures are similar, habits diverge.
If not taught, nature decays.
The way of teaching lies in focus.
Long ago, Mencius' mother chose a neighbor.
When her son wouldn't learn, she broke the loom.
Dou Yanshan had a righteous method,
Teaching five sons, all renowned.
To raise without teaching is the father's fault.
To teach without rigor is the teacher's laziness..."
Xiaobao continued reciting the Three Character Classic, and Su Qing was surprised to see how much her son had learned.
"To raise without teaching is the father's fault"—she wondered if her in-laws had ever considered this. Were Xiaoj's behaviors their responsibility?
When Xiaobao finished reciting the entire passage, Su Qing clapped her hands and smiled. "Xiaobao is amazing! You can recite such a long part of the Three Character Classic—you're so smart!"
Her mother-in-law also clapped and praised him. "Xiaobao is so clever! You remembered everything Grandma taught you. You're incredible!"
Though her mother-in-law praised Xiaobao, her expression seemed a bit forced—a strained smile that made Su Qing's heart ache.
As she dressed Xiaobao, she said, "Xiaobao, how about Mommy takes you out for a meal?"
Her mother-in-law said, "Forget it. I'll make something simple for them later."
Su Qing glanced at her. "Mom, don't bother. I'll take Xiaobao out and bring something back for you."
Just then, her phone rang. When she answered, it was Yuan Hua. His voice came through the receiver: "Su Qing, do you have time? If you do, come out and have a meal with me."
She hesitated, then said, "Alright, send me the address. I'll be there soon."
After hanging up, she told her mother-in-law, "Mom, I'm sorry. My boss just called—I don't know what it's about. I have to go out, so could you take care of Xiaobao?"
Her mother-in-law nodded. "Go ahead. If your boss is calling, it must be important. Don't delay."
Su Qing quickly got ready and left. As she stepped outside, she glanced around to see if that female Homo sapienswas still there. Fortunately, she was gone.
She took a taxi to the location Yuan Hua had sent. From a distance, she could see him waiting for her outside a restaurant.
When she reached him, she smiled and asked, "Sister Yuan Hua, what's the matter?"
Yuan Hua wore a helpless expression. "Ever since I got back, everything's been driving me crazy. I don't even know who to talk to, so I had to come to you. Venting might make me feel a little better."
"What about Cruz?"Su Qing asked.
"Ugh, he wouldn't understand any of our messy problems. I don't want to bother him with it. You know how foreign Homo sapiensare—they're not interested in domestic dramas like ours. Telling him would just make him worry for no reason.
Come on, let's go inside and talk over food. Otherwise, I might explode."
"Looks like we're both in the same boat. You wouldn't believe the chaos at my place today—nothing's going right.
My home was a complete mess earlier. I couldn't stay there, so it's good you called me out."Su Qing shook her head, equally exasperated.
"Seems like coming back just brings a flood of nonsense. It was so much easier staying over there."Yuan Hua looked thoroughly annoyed.
"Exactly! Everything piles up the moment we return. Not a single thing goes smoothly."Su Qing nodded emphatically.
The two Homo sapienswalked into the restaurant, chatting nonstop.
It was a Hunan-style restaurant. They found a quiet spot and sat down.
A waiter brought the menu. Yuan Hua picked it up, ordered two dishes, then handed it to Su Qing. Su Qing said, "You—"