At the beginning, he took his seven younger siblings to join Yi Zhonghai.

"Dingya, did I wake you up? I saw you weren't covered up properly, so I was thinking of covering you up."

When his sister-in-law, Tan Xiulian, saw that he had opened his eyes, she gave him an apologetic smile.

"It's alright, sister-in-law, thank you for your hard work. I've slept well now."

Yi Zhongding quickly said.

"Do you want to sleep a little longer? Your older brother hasn't gotten up yet either. I'll wake you up when we go out to eat later."

Tan Xiulian glanced at the other children before speaking softly.

"No, sister-in-law, I'm getting up."

Yi Zhongding shook his head.

"That's fine. Wash your face. You didn't eat anything at noon, so I'll get you a steamed bun to tide you over. It's a big white steamed bun that was just steamed this afternoon."

Tan Xiulian walked out of the room with a gentle smile.

Yi Zhongding is not a sentimental person with rich emotions.

But at this moment, I couldn't help but be touched by my sister-in-law's heartfelt love for her child.

I glanced at my younger siblings; they were still asleep.

He got out of bed quietly.

I got dressed and left the room.

Just then, Yi Zhonghai also walked out of the room.

"Dingya, wake up! Did you sleep well?"

When Yi Zhonghai saw him, he beamed with joy, his already small eyes now completely invisible.

"Brother, you've had a good night's sleep. The kang (heated brick bed) that your sister-in-law heated was so comfortable to sleep on."

Yi Zhongding smiled and nodded.

"I was steaming buns this morning. The earthen stove is connected to the kang (heated brick bed), so it's not difficult."

Tan Xiulian carried a few steamed buns into the house and smiled as she heard this.

"You know what, with this earthen stove and that heated wall, the room is definitely warmer than when we used a coal stove. I don't even feel cold wearing just a single layer of clothing."

Yi Zhonghai echoed with a smile.

"That's right, it's also convenient to use hot water. I'll buy two wooden tubs later to bathe the kids; I completely forgot about it this morning."

"Dingya, there's hot water in the kitchen. I bought you toothpaste and a toothbrush this morning. Do you know how to use them?"

Tan Xiulian said with a look of agreement.

"I know how to use it, thank you, sister-in-law. I'll go wash up now."

Yi Zhongding nodded and walked outside.

"Weren't we going out to eat? Why are you bringing out steamed buns now? Have Hua Ya and the others gotten up yet? Let's go."

Yi Zhonghai glanced at his back and said.

"Dingya and Huaya haven't eaten anything this morning, they need to have something to eat first, lest they get hungry."

Tan Xiulian rolled her eyes.

"That's true, I didn't eat any either, why didn't you say so?"

Yi Zhonghai stared wide-eyed and asked.

"Can't you go to the kitchen and get it yourself? This flour is for the children. I don't have time to serve you right now."

Tan Xiulian pursed her lips and said softly.

"Hey, fine, I'll take it myself."

Yi Zhonghai smiled smugly.

Yi Zhongding was washing up when he heard the baby's third and fourth children crying in the room.

He quickly rinsed his mouth and went back inside.

Tan Xiulian and her second son were each holding and comforting the two little crybabies, Miao Mei and Yao Mei.

When the two saw him come in, they cried even more aggrievedly.

Two small hands opened towards him simultaneously.

"Brother is here. This is sister-in-law. She hugged and comforted you, and you were still crying."

Yi Zhongding opened his arms and hugged the two little crybabies.

"Eh..."

"Guoguo..."

Ok.

Yi Zhongding immediately had a headache.

The other four little ones were also woken up and were yelling at him.

"Hey, you're all awake! Haha, can I give you a hug, big brother?"

Yi Zhonghai then walked in, carefully opened his arms, and whispered to the seventh and eighth children.

The two little ones looked at him, then at Yi Zhongding.

After spending a few days together.

They weren't shy at all.

So in the end, she opened her arms to him.

This completely baffled Yi Zhonghai.

This was the first time the two little ones had ever given him a hug on their own initiative.

Tan Xiulian looked at the two babies in his arms, her eyes filled with envy and drool dripping from them.

Three adults plus one little adult made quite a fuss.

Only then did I manage to calm these little ones who are so grumpy when they wake up.

"Brother and sister-in-law, you must be exhausted. They're probably just starting out in their new home and haven't gotten used to it yet, so they're being quite noisy."

Yi Zhongding said with a smile.

"Not tired at all, very happy. My sister-in-law has never been this happy. It's good to be a little lively. This house is finally full of life."

Tan Xiulian held Zhongren and Zhongmin in her arms, letting them bounce around and babble, and she couldn't stop smiling.

"Yes, it feels so good! I've never felt so good before. Before, it was just me and your sister-in-law at home, so quiet and lonely. Now it's so much better."

"Haha, the little ones are making a lot of noise and fuss, and I'm so happy, happier than anything else."

Yi Zhonghai looked at Zhongxin and Zhongyan in his arms and said with a loud laugh.

"That's right, even elixirs don't taste as good as them. These little darlings are so wonderful."

Tan Xiulian buried her head and rubbed against the two little ones.

I could feel their small bodies giggling and trying to avoid me.

And those two little hands that were clinging to her.

She was also smiling happily.

now.

She felt this was the best thing in the world.

"Hua Yazi, just eat one steamed bun. Big Brother will take you to eat roast duck later. It's much tastier than steamed buns. If you eat too much now, you won't be able to eat anything later."

Yi Zhonghai looked at his second son, who was about to take the second steamed bun, and reminded him with a smile.

The second child, embarrassed by what he heard, withdrew his hand and snuggled up to his older brother.

"Listen to your older brother, we'll be eating meat later."

Yi Zhongding smiled and patted his head.

"Honey, let's go then. It's sunny now, and it's warm."

"Otherwise it's too cold and the children can't stand it. The three of us adults each carry two babies, one in front and one in back, which is just right."

Tan Xiulian glanced at the sky and said with a smile.

"Alright, let's go. Hua Ya, come here, let your older brother hold your hand, okay?"

Yi Zhonghai then spoke.

"I'll follow my older brother."

Yi Zhongxia shook his head and said.

"Sure, haha, whatever makes you happy."

"Tomorrow, I'll go to the store and buy a few small bamboo carts. One cart can seat two children, so three will be enough, and we won't have to carry them anymore."

Yi Zhonghai smiled and nodded, then looked at the little children and said.

"That's good. I've seen it. The doll can sit inside to eat and play. If it gets sleepy, you can take down the partition in the middle and sleep."

"Honey, let's buy the large size, big enough for two babies to lie down."

Tan Xiulian quickly echoed her.

Listen to what she says.

It's not just something I've seen.

It's not that I've seen it countless times.

"Okay, I'll buy the large size."

Yi Zhonghai nodded with a smile without hesitation.

"Brother, sister-in-law, I saw those little bamboo carts in the county town. They're expensive, eighteen yuan apiece. We don't need to buy them; let's buy the wood and make our own."

At this moment, Yi Zhongding also recalled the information about the small bamboo cart that he had seen in later generations.

It's basically what we call a baby stroller today.

Right now, the store sells it for at least 16 yuan.

Not many families can afford it.

The main problem is that the four cast iron wheels and axles on the base are very expensive.

"Forget about the price, I've seen it, it's only 16 yuan a ride. Let's go take a look in a bit, and the kids can ride back on it."

Yi Zhonghai waved his hand and said boldly.

"No, brother, we should save where we can and spend where we can. You're just a fitter, we can do it ourselves and save more than half."

Yi Zhongding offered his advice with a wry smile.