Sanwang, who was eager to have a taste, didn’t go anywhere else. He just squatted in front of the stove to help Lin Lan make a fire whilst drooling.
Lin Lan looked at his childishly active manner, noticing the crescent-shaped scar on his forehead that was particularly conspicuous in the firelight. If it was any darker, he would have looked like a mini version of Bao Zheng(4).
(T/N: A Chinese politician of the ancient times, known to be fair and would help seek justice for the innocent common folk)
She was soft-hearted, so she turned on a small stove for Sanwang and Xiaowang.
She cut a piece of pork liver and a piece of pig tail, separated the meat and skin and threw the bones back into the pot. She also added some light soy garlic paste for the two children to eat.
Xiaowang picked up a piece of pig liver and stuffed it into Lin Lan’s mouth first, “Mom, have some too.”
Sanwang smiled and took out the pig tail meat that had been stuffed into his mouth, “Mom…”
“Hurry and eat, mom still has some here,” Lin Lan smiled.
Sanwang started to eat.
This kid ate a lot. Even if he was merely 7 years old, he ate more than his 9-year-old sister, Maisui.
Lin Lan also made them a big bowl of pancakes simmered in meat broth. Xiaowang ate two of the pancakes and Sanwang drank the rest of the soup.
“You ate meat at home already, so if I cook more for your brothers and sister in the future,you cannot be calculative, okay?”
Although Lin Lan was willing to make some small snacks for them, things had to be clarified. Since she was willing to make extra food for them, she made it clear that she would also do the same for the other siblings. All good things should be shared as they were not the only ones who were entitled to enjoy this kind of treatment.
The children were young now, just like blank sheets of paper, which was why they would grow into what the adults taught them.
Lin Lan had never raised any children, but she was just using the parenting concept that her friends had instilled in her. She also used what she had observed from her parents, relatives, elders, classmates and other adults when she was a child, screening them out and using the most suitable methods in her opinion.
For example, if her mother prioritized sons over daughters, she should remind herself now that she must not prioritize sons over daughters.
Another example was that Old Lady Han was blatantly playing favorites, so she reminded herself that she must not be partial. Obedient children should be adored, but she shouldn’t just give up on the naughtier children.
When taking care of younger children, she must also pay attention to the inner emotional needs of the older children.
Although Dawang was straying from the right paths slightly, he hadn’t completely gone astray yet. She had to be sincere with him as she knew that he could probably feel it as well.
Although he was a truant now, he was no longer ignoring her words. Besides, he even took her place at work before.
Xiaowang and Sanwang were naturally the same.
The two children nodded, “We know.”
Soon after the children came back from work, they were almost dying of hunger when they smelled the scent of the food.
“Meat, meat!” They shouted.
Lin Lan smiled, “Wash your hands, face, feet and wait for your father to come back before having dinner.”
When Han Qingsong came back, the sky was completely dark and Lin Lan immediately fetched some water for him to wash his hands.
“This is the first Mid-Autumn Festival we get to spend as a family, so should we go back or do we celebrate it on our own? If we go back, we should bring all the food with us. If we are to celebrate this ourselves, I have a plate of meat separated as well. You can take the kids to send the dish over and greet the old lady and the old man.”