278 Exhausted Mother

January 6, 20X2 (Monday)

Zhao Manor

Gripping the steering wheel, Yang looked at the rear view mirror. Seeing the two kids on the backseat happily humming with the music, Yang and Mei Lin were happy. Ling Ling was strapped in a pink child seat and was grinning like an idiot. Happiness was evident on their faces.

The car ride home was without any hitch. Without knowing it, they have arrived in the manor. Ling Ling and Chang were both ready to bolt out of their chairs but waited patiently for their parents to take them out like good children. Yang took Ling Lin out and carrying the little girl in his arms while Mei Lin let Chang out and holding the older boy's hands as they went inside the Manor. All four had happy smiles on their faces.

"Are we really going to be staying here?" Ling Ling asked in disbelief. Her head turned everywhere in the Manor. Although the little girl had been inside the Manor more than two times, she still could not believe how grand the place was.

"Of course," Yang said, nodding his head with no hesitation.

Chang's grip on Mei Lin's hand tightened. He was grateful enough to be adopted, to finally have parents to call his own. He never expected to be given many uncles and Aunts, then grandparents, and great-grandparents too. Chang could not believe his luck. Thanking every possible god that he knew, Chang entered the foyer with his cute hands on his mother's warm hold.

"Oh, my little grandchildren are here." Jerome grinned. Playfully, he scooped Chang out from the ground, making the little boy let go of his mother's hand. Jerome then proceeded to plaster kissed on Chang's face making the boy giggle loudly. Mei Lin's heart melted as her father and child continued to play with each other and making noises of happiness spread into the halls of the large building. Mei Lin leaned her weight into Yang's side.

Ling Ling looked with jealousy at how Chang was being kissed and ruffled into a state of disheveled. She put her arms to hug her father instead of looking. She knows feeling jealous of her brother being loved was silly, but she wanted to be kissed and hugged more too.

Once the door opened and Mother Zhao stepped into the foyer. Mother Zhao immediately took Ling Ling out from her son's arms and said, "Hello, dear. I hope you had a wonderful ride to come here. I missed you so much in these past days; we could not see each other."

Ling Ling's eyes brightened and hugged Mother Zhao's neck as tight as her little arms could. Her cute baby cheeks fluffed as her small lips titled up in glee. Yang had to leave the room as his phone beeped and informed him of his father demanding him to come into the living room. The Young CEO knew their discussion was going to be about the spy.

Mei Lin was surprised when Yang leaned into her and whispered, "I will be going to the living room with your father. We need to take care of the spy."

Mei Lin turned to Yang and whispered back, "You already know the spy? That is fast."

Yang swallowed his pride and told, "You father discovered the spy faster than anticipated."

The grin in Mei Lin's face was wide as she cocked a mocking glance on her husband's way. Having her father in the Manor had been the best and productive days for Mei Lin. Yang had even benefited as his workload had been cut. The only downside was Mother Zhao and Jerome's arguments when they have dinners. It was grating to the ears to listen.

Without any more talks, Yang dragged Jerome out of the room and placing Chang in Mei Lin's arms. Mei Lin was giggling as Yang manhandled her father, who was acting like a child to make Chang and Ling Ling laugh at the sight of him being dragged by their father. Ling Ling comically covered her mouth from laughing so loud as Chang had only chuckled and cheered for his father to take his grandfather out, thereby rescuing him from the abrupt wrestling match.

Mother Zhao and Mei Lin then took the kids into the rooms, to organize the clothes and things that they have brought with them. They both went to Chang's rooms first, which made Chang grin like a fool when he saw dinosaurs of every shape and size was displayed in a cabinet, and books lined up about dinosaurs, history, and more. The little boy was surprised when he opened his closet and saw how full it was. His eyes watered when Mei Lin took some thick new pajamas from his closet and told him to wash up.

Chang was so fast as he went inside the bathroom that he has all for himself. The fact that he didn't have to share his space with other kids was both lonely yet liberating at the same time. When Mei Lin helped him wash up and change into his pajamas with cute T-rex on the front, Chang could not help but marvel how great his life has become.

The next thing they did was go to the room next to Chang's room which was Ling Ling's. The little girl marveled at her huge teddy bear and squealed at the small pink table on the side. She thanked Mei Lin again and again when Mei Lin said, "We can have tea parties here if it's raining outside."

Mother Zhao nodded her head and told, "I can teach you how to brew tea too."

Mother Zhao left for a while, so Mei Lin was the one to stay and help Ling Ling to wash up and change into her pajamas. Thankfully, Chang was silently sitting as he was reading a book from his room. Mei Lin was grateful that the kids were not hard to get along and was being good with the bath.

Nevertheless, Mei Lin was tired. No matter how much she had tried to stay awake, her eyes wanted to close. Why was she always so tired this past week? Worried that the children would be put in danger in their rooms because of the Spy, Mei Lin took them on her and Yang's large room. Once inside the room, she put Chang and Ling Ling on the bed as she slipped into the covers.

"I will sleep for a while, will the two of you be okay?" Mei Lin asked her children.

Chang nodded, and Ling Ling joined her mother, cuddling into her warmth. Ling Ling smiled, "I want to sleep too."

Chang returned to his book, reading it with glee and excitement. He did not notice when his mother and little sister had slept, but he saw when his father entered the room.

"Mom was tired," Chang immediately reported to Yang.

Yang ruffled his hair and said, "Thank you for protecting them in my stead."

Chang nodded as he closed his book and buried his little body in the covers. His father was with them now; he will protect them.