Chapter 431: the cause of restlessness
After eating porridge with the two children, Li Haitang also had a simple home-cooked meal with his in-laws.
"Mom, it's so cold today. Is it going to snow?" An' an sat on her lap listlessly, looking out the window at the branches swaying by the cold wind.
"This winter is a little colder than usual. It's probably going to snow."
"Then daddy is coming back." An' an had been thinking about the snow and was looking forward to his father's return.
Li Haitang straightened him up, hugged him with one hand and ate with the other. He calculated the time and told him, "He should be back in about twenty days."
"Twenty days?" An' an stretched out his hands and counted with his fingers.
"Are you sure?" Li Haitang asked with a smile.
An' an nodded, clenched his fingers into fists and released them. He looked up and told her, "It's twenty days."
"Yes."
"I think dad will be back tomorrow." Sitting across from him, Duoduo lay listlessly on the table.
"Dad wants to work. He has important things to do. He has to obey the orders and arrangements." An' an's small face was serious now, as if he were lecturing his sister about being ignorant.
Jiang Baichuan smiled with relief, "Yes, dad is a soldier. He has to obey orders and orders. He has to focus on national affairs. An' an and Duoduo have to support him behind his back."
Li Haitang sighed in his heart. Under the influence of the jiang family, they had come into contact with a lot of military life since they were young and were instilled with such an idea. He only hoped that they would not disappoint the expectations of their elders when they grew up.
"Mom, let's go video with dad on the computer, shall we? Duoduo wants to tell dad that I have a fever and I don't feel well. I don't have the strength to punch." The girl was still a little delicate at heart, and so was Duoduo. She wanted to complain to her father when she was uncomfortable.
Before Li Haitang could speak, An' an lectured her with a straight face, "Duoduo, don't disturb dad's work. We are brave children. If we feel a little uncomfortable, we can take medicine. We can't tell dad to worry about us."
"Woo woo..." Duoduo cried out in grievance after being yelled at by her brother.
"Okay, okay, stop crying." Li Haitang quickly put his son down, got up and walked over to pick her up to comfort him. "Duoduo, be good. Don't cry. Mom knows you're not feeling well and misses dad again, so she wants to meet dad online."
Duoduo's mouth was flat, and tears fell like a dam.
Li Haitang took a tissue from the table and wiped it for her, "Duoduo, mom told you last time that dad went abroad for intensive training. Mom doesn't know where he works. Mom can't find him. Only when dad is free and takes the initiative to contact us can we meet."
"But, but I miss dad so much." Duoduo cried with his mouth flat.
"Duoduo, be good. If you miss dad, let's go look at the photos now, okay?" Chu Hongmei felt sorry for her granddaughter and rushed over to hug her after a quick meal.
"But I want to talk to dad."
Her stubborn temper rose, her voice was a little hoarse, and her tears could not stop.
Li Haitang had no choice but to let her mother-in-law comfort her temporarily. She returned to the table and quickly finished the food in the bowl.
"Mom, why isn't Duoduo good today?" An' an tugged at her sleeve and asked.
Li Haitang explained to him gently, "My sister is a delicate girl. She is not feeling well today. She is very fragile. At this critical moment, she really wants her parents to accompany her."
"I'm not feeling well either. I miss dad too, but I don't cry and clamor to find dad."
"We An' an are the best. You are a strong boy. I clearly miss my father and don't cry to find him. I don't disturb my father's work. I'm very sensible. I'll definitely praise you later." Her son was so mature and steady that even she felt sorry for him. In fact, she would rather he cried and looked for her father. That was what they should do at their age, but they kept praising him.
After collecting the bowls and chopsticks, she made some medicine for the two children and fed them. Then she accompanied them to look at the photos and tell them the stories of each photo shoot, diverting their attention from finding their father.
Jiang Chuheng, who was abroad, did not know if he had sensed the yearning of his two children. He made an international call around nine o' clock in the capital.
At that time, the two children had both taken their medicine and went to bed. Li Haitang was in the house working on some documents. When he called, he was very happy: "Husband."
"Honey, are you asleep?"
"Not yet." Li Haitang calculated the time. It was just after work on his side. He asked, "Have you eaten?"
"Not yet. I was just about to eat. I don't know what's wrong with me today. I'm not in a good mood. Is everything okay at home? Where are An' an and Duoduo?"
"Looks like you two are connected. During this period of time, the temperature plummeted. Last night, both brother and sister had a high fever. They didn't go to school today because they asked for leave. Duoduo wanted to see you this afternoon. He wanted to talk to you on video." Li Haitang said.
"Has the fever gone down yet?" Jiang Chuheng finally understood the reason for his restlessness.
"Back off. I just took my temperature and it's still a little hot. I took my medicine and went to bed. I should be fine tomorrow." Li Haitang said, thinking that the two children missed him so much today, he quickly got up and walked to the bed. "Honey, I'll wake them up. Talk to them. Duoduo's been making a scene today. If I knew you called, I wouldn't have told her. I think we'd still be making a scene tomorrow."
"Okay."
Li Haitang walked to the bed and bent over to push the two children. "An' an, Duoduo, wake up. Dad called back. Get up and talk to him."
The half-asleep siblings heard their father's call, and they were completely sleepless. They rolled out of their warm blankets and shouted excitedly at the phone, "Dad."
Li Haitang turned on his phone and put it on the bed. "Come on, talk to dad."
"Dad, I miss you so much." As soon as Duoduo opened his mouth, he was about to cry.
"Duoduo, be good. Daddy misses you and An' an too. Dad just heard that you both have a fever and are not feeling well. Are you feeling better now?" Jiang Chuheng also missed the children at this time.
"Dad, we're better. We don't have a fever." An' an was lying on the bed with his face almost glued to his phone. He asked excitedly, "Dad, are you coming back in 20 days?"
"Almost. The exact time is not yet set."
"Dad, Duoduo is not feeling well today. He didn't cry. He drank his medicine."
"You're crying. You're making a fuss about looking for dad at noon." An' an immediately complained.
"I'm not crying. I just miss dad so much that I want to meet him on video."
Listening to a pair of children quarreling on the phone, jiang chu heng doted on him with a smile, "Duoduo, dad is not free to video with you today. At this time tomorrow night, we have an online video appointment, okay?"
"Okay." Duoduo jumped up with joy.
"All right, lie down in bed. Don't make the cold worse." Li Haitang immediately pressed her down and covered them with a thick and soft blanket.
Hearing his father's voice, the brother and sister were in good spirits, and there were endless words. After about ten minutes of their chatter, Li Haitang reminded them to hang up. "An' an, Duoduo, daddy hasn't had dinner yet. He must be studying tonight. Let's not delay his dinner. We'll video chat online tomorrow night, okay?"
"Okay. Goodbye, dad." The brother and sister said goodbye to him immediately.
"Goodbye." Jiang Chuheng smiled and said to his wife, "Haitang, it's been hard to take care of the two children."
"What are you talking about? I'll take good care of them. Don't worry. You can just study there."
"Okay, I'm going to eat first. Good night."
"Good night." The couple simply said and hung up.
Li Haitang straightened them up, tucked them in, and said softly, "Go back to sleep now. Wake up tomorrow and you'll be all right. Go to school like yesterday, and video chat with dad at night."
"Okay. Mom, let's go to bed first. An' an said.
"Be good, go to sleep." Li Haitang kissed their foreheads one by one and tucked them in. After they all closed their eyes, he gently retreated back to the table to continue his work.