Chapter 74: Dabao and Xiaobao

It was still dark the next morning when Su Yue vaguely heard the cry of a child.

Where was a baby’s cry coming from so early in the morning?

Su Yue felt something was wrong. Half-asleep, she reached out to touch her large belly but found nothing. Her belly was flat!

She was so frightened that she immediately woke up. As soon as she opened her eyes, she saw Han Aiguo standing beside the bed, holding a small baby in his arms. He looked at a loss as he tried to soothe the child, whispering, “Don’t cry, baby, don’t disturb Mother. Let Mother sleep for a while. I’ll feed you when she wakes up.”

But the little one refused to give him any face, crying louder and louder, looking extremely pitiful.

At that moment, Su Yue realized she had already given birth. She was in the hospital now!

She hurriedly said, “Husband, is the baby hungry? Give him to me, I’ll feed him.”

Seeing she was awake, Han Aiguo quickly placed a pillow behind her so she could sit up. He then handed the baby over and explained, “Both children have been awake for a while. Xiaobao is hungry and won’t stop crying.”

The moment the little one entered his mother’s arms, he instinctively recognized where his food came from. His small mouth opened, and he pressed eagerly against her chest, searching for milk as though he had been starving.

So greedy!

Su Yue lifted her clothes, letting the little glutton nurse. As soon as he latched, he began sucking hard. His small mouth clung tightly, his two fists clenched as if gathering strength, sucking with such effort that he seemed to pour his entire strength into eating.

Su Yue winced at the soreness and couldn’t help laughing while complaining to Han Aiguo. “Xiaobao is so greedy, no wonder he’s fatter than his brother. Dabao can’t compete with him inside the womb. Just look at Dabao, he’s so thin.”

Han Aiguo was amused. He glanced at Dabao, who was lying quietly in the cradle. The little fellow had woken up at the same time as his younger brother, but instead of crying, he simply opened his eyes and looked around calmly. He hadn’t fussed even when Xiaobao had been wailing moments ago. That kind of serenity on a newborn’s face was almost comical.

Su Yue was also entertained by Dabao’s appearance and praised him, saying, “Dabao’s temperament is much better than Xiaobao’s. Xiaobao loves to cry, but Dabao is calm. He doesn’t fuss when his brother cries, and he doesn’t make a scene even when hungry. He’s so much easier to handle, thankfully neither of them are devilish babies, or life would be miserable.”

As though he understood she was speaking ill of him, Xiaobao raised his eyelids between gulps and gave his mother a dissatisfied glance.

Su Yue was startled, and then burst out laughing. “Alright, alright, Mother won’t scold you anymore. Drink your milk but leave some for your brother. He’s hungry too, you can’t hog it all.”

Of course, Xiaobao didn’t understand. He clung tighter, drinking for over ten minutes. Even after he was no longer desperately hungry, he refused to let go, savoring slowly as if reluctant to part with the taste.

Though Dabao hadn’t cried, Su Yue couldn’t stand watching anymore. How could she let one child bully the other like this? Dabao hadn’t had a drop since waking, and he must be starving.

She lightly patted Xiaobao’s small bottom and gently pulled him away. “Enough, you little glutton. It’s your brother’s turn.”

Deprived of milk, Xiaobao immediately cried, pressing his tiny fist to his cheek in grievance.

But Su Yue held firm. Dabao was already thinner; if he kept missing his feedings, he would become even frailer.

Han Aiguo quickly picked Xiaobao up, burping him gently. He then lifted Dabao from the cradle and handed him to Su Yue.

Xiaobao, realizing milk wasn’t coming his way anymore, wailed for another two minutes before settling down. He obediently lay in his father’s arms, sucking on his own fingers, as if nothing had happened. One would never guess he had been bawling moments earlier.

Once in Su Yue’s arms, Dabao’s little mouth opened instinctively, his tiny pink tongue sticking out as though saying, Mother, I’m hungry.

Su Yue kissed his little cheek and guided him to feed from the other side. The moment he latched, he began swallowing eagerly. Though smaller and weaker than his brother, he drank noisily, clearly starving.

Su Yue’s heart ached as this child hadn’t cried despite being so hungry. If she hadn’t known for certain that he could cry, she might have thought something was wrong with him.

Last night, Old Lady Han had also noticed that Dabao never cried. Even when hungry, he had made no sound, which had frightened her into thinking something was wrong with his throat. She had smacked his tiny bottom twice in panic, and when he finally let out a soft whimper, she had breathed a sigh of relief.

Su Yue gently poked Dabao’s cheek. Her two babies were so different; one always explosive, the other calm and reserved. They hardly seemed like twins at all.

Just then, Xu Can entered. She saw Su Yue feeding Dabao, so she picked up Xiaobao and teased him. Comparing the two, she remarked, “The difference between them is big. The one in my arms is much chubbier.”

Su Yue laughed. “That’s Xiaobao. He’s a master at grabbing food, so of course he’s fatter and looks healthier than his brother.”

Compared to Xiaobao, the thinner Dabao looked like a little monkey; his small face wrinkled, making him appear far less attractive than his brother. His looks were more twin-like than his temperament.

Xu Can said, “It’s common for twins to have a big weight difference. Honestly, your two are pretty good. I once saw twins where the elder weighed five pounds, but the younger only two. They were so hard to raise, and in the end, the weaker one didn’t make it. Yours are healthy so you just need to focus on raising them well. Their facial features are quite similar too. Once they fatten up, I bet you won’t be able to tell them apart.”

Su Yue looked carefully at both babies. Indeed, their facial features were almost identical. If it weren’t for the difference in their size, even she might not have been able to tell who was who.

“We’ll see if they look more alike later,” she thought.

After chatting a while, Xu Can pulled out two small silver bracelets from her bag as greeting gifts for the babies.

The moment Su Yue saw them, she knew they weren’t cheap. The craftsmanship was exquisite, the patterns delicate and not something ordinary artisans could make. She quickly waved her hands. “You can’t give such expensive gifts to little children! Don’t.”

But Xu Can ignored her protest. She slipped the bracelets onto the babies’ wrists and said firmly, “I’m their godmother. How could I be stingy? Besides, these gifts are for my children, not for you. Why are you rejecting them?”

Su Yue didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Since the bracelets were already on the babies’ wrists, she had no choice but to let them accept the gift. She thought that when Xu Can had another child in the future, she would prepare a generous present in return. Now that Xu Can was using the prescription she had given her, she should be able to conceive again soon.

After they finished talking about the children, Xu Can took advantage of Han Aiguo stepping out to fetch water and quietly said to Su Yue, “I also want to thank you for something this time. I heard from my husband that during the mission, he was accidentally injured by the enemy. He bled heavily and was nearly at death’s door. Not only was his life in danger, but the entire mission could have failed because of it. It was your Han Aiguo who saved him, making it possible to complete the mission smoothly.”

As she spoke, Xu Can gripped Su Yue’s hand firmly, her eyes brimming with gratitude. “Su Yue, although I don’t know the details of what happened out there, I will always remember this kindness. My husband and I are both grateful. Please thank your Han Aiguo for me.”

Su Yue was stunned when she heard this; then quickly waved her hand. “What are you saying? They’re comrades-in-arms. Of course they should help and support each other as that’s what he ought to do.”

Xu Can said no more thanks. To her, it was enough to keep this kindness remembered in her heart.

This mission had been extremely important. It was led personally by Commander Yu, Xu Can’s husband, along with a team of outstanding soldiers. Because of this, Xu Can had been able to learn bits and pieces from him. Now, hearing Xu Can speak of it, Su Yue secretly reproached herself for being too careless. Ever since Han Aiguo had returned, she had been so busy caring for the babies that she hadn’t even asked him about the mission. She hadn’t checked if he was injured or not.

She was truly too negligent. In her single-minded focus on the children, she had completely forgotten to show concern for her husband.

After Xu Can left, Su Yue immediately pulled Han Aiguo aside and asked, “Were you injured during this mission? Don’t hide it from me.”

Han Aiguo shook his head, touched her face, and said softly, “I’m fine. Just a small wound and it’s already healed.”

“What small wound?” Su Yue didn’t believe him. She quickly reached for his clothes, determined to see for herself. “Show me. Where’s the injury?”

Knowing she wouldn’t relent until he proved it, Han Aiguo rolled up his sleeve to reveal a long knife scar on his upper arm. The wound had already scabbed over and was nearly healed.

“It was just a knife cut,” he explained. “There was a lot of blood at the time, but I used the medicine you gave me. The bleeding stopped after a while, and now it’s completely healed.”

After carefully checking him and confirming there were no other injuries, Su Yue finally sighed in relief. Then she asked about what Xu Can had mentioned. “Sister Xu Can just said you saved Commander Yu’s life. I didn’t get the details, what happened exactly?”

Han Aiguo sat down by the bed and lowered his voice. “Commander Yu was carrying out a crucial task when he was gravely injured. The bleeding couldn’t be stopped, and none of the medicine we carried worked. We couldn’t get him to a hospital in time, and the situation was dire. So, I used the medicine you gave me. It stopped the bleeding successfully.”

Su Yue tensed slightly. “Did Commander Yu ask what kind of medicine it was?”

Han Aiguo gently patted her reassuringly. “I told him it was a hemostatic remedy I came across by chance, it’s very effective, but there was only one bottle. Commander Yu understood and didn’t press for details. Don’t worry, he’s a sensible man.”

Su Yue nodded. Since Commander Yu hadn’t asked further, it meant he wouldn’t pursue it. Even if he did, the worst-case scenario would simply be handing over the prescription and the medicine. Whether anyone could even find the precious herbs needed was beyond her control.

Once she had confirmed what happened, Su Yue put the matter aside. Right now, her mind had no room to dwell on anything but her babies.

Both children had enormous appetites, and her milk was barely enough to feed them. Every day, she had to drink nourishing soups to stimulate milk production, exhausting herself in both body and mind.

She often joked to herself that she had become no better than a milk cow. Her only thoughts each day were how to eat more, how to produce more milk, and how to satisfy her two little gluttons. As for anything else, she hardly had the energy to think.

It was only now that she truly understood why people said “pregnancy makes a woman foolish for three years.” It was completely true.

—

After staying in the hospital for a few days, Su Yue found it far too inconvenient and decided to return home.

Han Aiguo borrowed a car, bundled her up tightly against the cold wind, and brought her home so she could continue her confinement there.

Home was far more comfortable than the hospital especially when it came to meals. Old Lady Han took special care to prepare nourishing soups for Su Yue, sparing no expense in ensuring she had enough nutrition to produce milk.

During confinement, Su Yue’s daily routine revolved around eating and drinking. Normally, she couldn’t stomach overly greasy soups, but after giving birth, her appetite returned to normal. Unlike when she was pregnant, she no longer felt constantly ravenous.

However, as the babies’ appetites grew larger by the day, Su Yue was forced to eat and drink as much as possible in order to produce enough milk. Sometimes she nearly felt sick from the supplements. Even so, there were times when her milk wasn’t enough for both babies. Old Lady Han worked tirelessly, trying new recipes every day to help her recover and produce more.

Despite eating so much, all the nutrients went into feeding the children. Su Yue herself didn’t gain weight at all and she remained as slim as before her pregnancy.

Old Lady Han grew worried and grumbled at her, “Other daughters-in-law put on plenty of weight during confinement, but look at you. I work so hard, cooking all kinds of nourishing foods, making sure you eat well, yet you haven’t gained a pound! If people see you now, they’ll think I, an old woman, mistreated my daughter-in-law during confinement and starved you into looking this thin!”

Su Yue couldn’t help laughing at her words. She pointed at the babies and said, “Mother, how can you say that? All the food you give me ends up in these two little gluttons’ bellies! Just look at them both are so fat they’re like little meatballs. My flesh has all grown on them!”

Old Lady Han looked at her two plump little grandsons and finally felt a bit of relief. If the children were thriving, then her efforts weren’t wasted.

Indeed, Dabao and Xiaobao no longer looked anything like they had at birth. In just one month, the two little ones had undergone a dramatic transformation. With Su Yue’s nourishing milk, they grew fatter each day. Once thin and wrinkled like little monkeys, they had turned into plump, fair, tender-cheeked babies. With their adorable features, Su Yue often found herself wanting to nibble on their chubby cheeks.

At birth, the difference in their weights had been noticeable, but over time, they kept pace with each other. Neither lost out when it came to feeding, and soon, both were equally plump. Their facial features also grew more and more alike, until anyone could see they were twins at a glance.

At first, Su Yue had been able to tell them apart by their difference in size, but now they were both equally chubby. With identical features and matching clothes, even she sometimes struggled to distinguish who was Dabao and who was Xiaobao. The only reliable way was by watching their expressions.

This was how the whole family told them apart.

But outsiders had no way of knowing. For instance, whenever Ma Cuiyun came to see the babies, she always asked the same question. “Which one is Dabao and which is Xiaobao?”

After hearing this twice, Taozi, who liked to tag along with her mother to visit her younger brothers, finally grew impatient. She put her hands on her hips and scolded her mother, “Mother, you’re so silly! That one biting his little finger is brother Xiaobao, and that one is brother Dabao!”

Ma Cuiyun thought her daughter was talking nonsense and tapped her on the forehead. “What do you know, little girl? Even I can’t tell them apart. How could you possibly know which one is which?”

Little Taozi puffed up proudly. “I just know! If you don’t believe me, ask Aunt Yue!”

Su Yue chuckled and nodded. “I can testify what Taozi said is absolutely correct! The one biting his finger is Xiaobao.”

Ma Cuiyun was surprised. “Oh! This little girl can really tell them apart. Then tell me, how do you know?”

Taozi lifted her chin, pointing at Xiaobao with great pride. “Brother Xiaobao is naughty. He likes to talk with his mouth open, likes to bite his hands and feet, and he always grins and laughs. But brother Dabao isn’t like that, he doesn’t move around much.”

She was right. Ma Cuiyun turned to Su Yue and asked, “Sister, is my girl correct?”

Su Yue raised her thumb and praised the little girl. “Taozi is exactly right. Xiaobao can never sit still when he’s awake, while Dabao is the opposite. His little face is always calm and expressionless. He rarely even cries. If you watch them for a while, you’ll see that the one with no expression is Dabao, and the lively one is Xiaobao.”

Ma Cuiyun laughed. “It seems my little Taozi is smarter than me. Now I finally know how to tell Dabao and Xiaobao apart.”

Hearing the laughter, the baby in the cradle flailed his chubby arms and legs, grinned widely, and stuffed his little foot into his mouth, rocking the cradle with his movements.

Meanwhile, Dabao showed no reaction. He kept his eyes half-closed, looking like he was about to doze off, calm as ever.

Ma Cuiyun’s heart melted at the sight. She touched one baby’s face, then the other, unable to get enough. “Why are these two little ones so cute? Their personalities are so different; one calm, the other lively. What a perfect pair.”

Taozi adored her baby brothers as well. She reached out to carefully squeeze Xiaobao’s tiny foot, making him laugh. While playing, she suddenly remembered something and turned to ask Su Yue curiously, “Aunt Yue, what are brother Dabao and brother Xiaobao’s real names? My Mother said Dabao and Xiaobao are just nicknames, like how ‘Taozi’ is my nickname. My real name is Sun Tao. So what are my two little brothers’ real names?”