After finishing the phone call with Lin’s mother, Ning Shu and Lin Guodong headed home while the children played near the guard post.

On the way home, Ning Shu asked Lin Guodong, “What did Mom say?”

Lin Guodong replied, “Mom mentioned reporting to the police. Big Brother and Sister-in-law have already reported it, but Zhuang Xiaopang is not in the brigade.

The police asked Xiaopang’s mother about his whereabouts, but she wouldn’t say anything. The police are still looking for Xiaopang, and Mom will call again once they have news.”

Ning Shu was a bit surprised, but also not really. “He’s probably at a relative’s house?”

Lin Guodong said, “I don’t know. We’ll leave it to the police. Mom said Haicai should stay here for now, and asked you to take care of him.”

Ning Shu said, “It’s no problem. Until they find Xiaopang, Haicai should stay here even if he gets better. If Xiaopang comes back looking for Haicai, who knows what might happen.”

Lin Guodong had no objections: “You decide.”

Ning Shu thought for a moment and said, “There is no kindergarten back home, and kids can only start primary school at eight. Even if Haicai goes back, he will be alone. How about we let him stay here and go to kindergarten until he turns eight?”

She liked Haicai, but she never planned to keep him here forever.

Raising a child means more than just feeding and clothing him; it means being responsible for his life.

Ning Shu didn’t think she could take on that responsibility, so she never planned to keep Haicai here permanently.

Moreover, being away from home and parents, the child would definitely miss them.

Of course, letting Haicai stay until he is eight is just her idea; she still needs to ask Big Brother’s family and Haicai what they think.

“You decide,” Lin Guodong naturally had no objections.

The coastal area gets really cold in winter. When they arrived earlier this year, the weather was warming up, so it wasn’t too bad.

But now that winter had set in, the cold wind was bone-chilling.

Haicai, because of his lung issues, found it especially hard to breathe in the cold air.

This is why respiratory problems are more common in winter.

Ning Shu didn’t want him to go to school at first.

Even though the school was close, it was still very cold.

But seeing how reluctant he was to stay home, she decided to let him continue going to kindergarten and planned to make some masks for him.

So, one morning, after the four kids had breakfast and were getting ready for school, Ning Shu called them over: “Go rinse your mouths; I have something for you.”

The four kids’ eyes lit up at this, and they quickly lined up to rinse their mouths.

Then they stood in front of Ning Shu, eager and excited.

They loved it when their mom/third Aunt said she had something for them.

Ning Shu took out the masks she made yesterday: “Here, one for each of you. Put on your masks so your noses and mouths won’t get cold.

If any classmates are sick and coughing, keep your masks on so the germs won’t spread to you.”

Although they weren’t medical masks and their effectiveness was limited, they still offered some protection.

The masks Ning Shu made were white cotton masks with cute embroidered designs of Da Mao and Tie Dan.

She had drawn the designs herself before stitching them on, giving them a cute and chibi appearance.

The four children were delighted to receive the masks.

The white masks with the black designs of Da Mao and Tie Dan stood out, and the kids looked adorable wearing them.

Ning Shu couldn’t resist secretly taking a few more photos.

“Mom, the doctors at the hospital wear these too,” Yi Bao said, fascinated by the mask.

Ning Shu replied, “Yes, this is called a mask.”

“Mom, Da Mao… doesn’t have one,” San Bao said, looking at Da Mao, who was nuzzling against him.

Ning Shu glanced at Da Mao and said, “Da Mao doesn’t like wearing masks.”

Although she had seen people online in later years putting masks on their pets, it wasn’t common in these times.

If she put masks on Da Mao and Tie Dan, people might criticize her for wasting resources and acting like a capitalist.

It would do more harm than good.

“Da Mao doesn’t like it?” San Bao looked puzzled.

He couldn’t understand why anyone wouldn’t like such a nice and warm mask.

“That’s right, Da Mao doesn’t like it. So, don’t try to put a mask on him; it would make him unhappy, okay?” Ning Shu reminded them early on, to prevent these overly caring kids from trying to mask Da Mao and Tie Dan.

“Got it.”

The kids responded in unison, “Got it.”

“Okay, off you go to school now. Remember to listen to your teacher, be good students, and don’t fight or argue with your classmates. Haicai is still not fully recovered, so don’t run around.” Ning Shu gave these reminders every morning.

Sometimes she found it tiresome, but the kids never seemed to mind.

“Got it.”

After answering Ning Shu, the children held hands and headed to kindergarten, with Da Mao and Tie Dan following behind them.

As soon as the four kids stepped out of the house, they attracted the attention of people on the street.

Early in the morning, there were quite a few people coming and going, and seeing four kids wearing masks naturally piqued their curiosity.

“Twins, what are those things on your mouths?” someone asked.

“Huh?” Some people didn’t catch on right away and couldn’t help but ask.

“This is called a mask, like the ones doctors and nurses wear in the hospital,” Er Bao loudly explained.

“Yes, yes, a mask. I thought it looked familiar. I’ve seen hospital workers wearing them. Why are you wearing them?” someone else asked.

Er Bao replied, “My mom said that now that it’s cold, wearing this mask will keep our mouths and noses warm, and the air we breathe in won’t be so cold.”

Yi Bao added, “My mom also said that when it’s cold, more people get sick. If we wear this, we won’t… won’t catch it from them.” He forgot the word “germs.”

But everyone understood what Yi Bao meant.

Hearing this, people thought it made sense.

These twins’ mother is really something, well-informed, and raising such sensible children.

San Bao, hearing his brothers talking, chimed in too: “Da Mao doesn’t… doesn’t wear this. He doesn’t… doesn’t like it.”

People chuckled. “Then San Bao, give your mask to Da Mao to wear.”

San Bao earnestly replied, “Da Mao doesn’t like it, so we can’t make him wear it. It would make him sad.”

Everyone laughed, finding the children adorable and smart.

They admired Ning Shu for her good sense and the way she was raising the children.

San Bao shook his head vigorously. “No… doesn’t like it. Da Mao… doesn’t like it.”

Er Bao added, “My mom said dogs don’t like wearing masks, so they can’t wear them.”

San Bao nodded, “Yeah, doesn’t like it.”

With that, the four kids continued on their way to school.

“Captain Lin’s kids are really smart. In the whole compound, their kids are the smartest and the most well-behaved,” remarked one of the residents, contrasting them with her own mischievous child who was never seen until mealtime.

“That’s because Captain Lin’s wife teaches them well. She’s a high school graduate and even forages for wild vegetables herself. She’s very capable.”

“Come on, you don’t know. Captain Lin’s wife is also quite the spender. Every time she goes to the city, she comes back with baskets full of things. Captain Lin’s salary probably doesn’t cover her expenses.”

“I’ve seen it a few times too. Just look at the bycles and balls she buys for the kids; you can tell she’s a big spender.”

A few gossiping residents idly chatted, while the four children had already arrived at kindergarten.

“Wow, twins, what are you wearing?”

“Twins, the thing on your mouths looks just like what doctors wear in the hospital.”

“Twins, your masks even have dogs on them…”

Kids are quicker to accept new things than adults.

Seeing something new, they couldn’t take their eyes off it.

“This is called a mask.”

“It’s just like the ones doctors wear in the hospital.”

“The dogs on the masks are Da Mao and Tie Dan. Our mom specially embroidered them for us, so we look like a complete family.”

“It’s my mask.” San Bao covered his mouth, afraid someone might take it away.

“Aunt Ning said that when it’s very cold, wearing a mask will keep us from breathing in the cold air and prevent us from coughing,” Haicai proudly added.

Aunt Ning had made it especially for him, and he was very happy.

“Wow, Haicai, your Aunt Ning is amazing. She can even make these.”

“Twins, I like these masks too. Can your mom make one for me?”

“Twins, we’re friends, and friends should have matching masks…”

“Twins…”

The children in Class Three of the kindergarten gathered around Yi Bao and Er Bao, discussing the masks enthusiastically.

By the time school ended at noon, many kids went home asking their parents for masks.

“Mom, I want a mask. I want one just like the twins have,” He Jiaxing demanded as soon as he got home.

His mother, who had been enjoying how sensible her child had become recently, was taken aback by his sudden request. “A mask? What mask?” she asked, a bit confused.

He Jiaxing explained, “It’s like the masks that doctors and nurses wear in the hospital. The twins were wearing them, and they had Da Mao and Tie Dan on them. They looked really nice. The twins said their mom told them that wearing masks can stop them from catching germs if someone is sick and coughing.”

He Jiaxing’s mother found this a bit annoying. “That? Does it even work?”

“I don’t care, I don’t care. I want that mask. All the kids in my class are telling their moms to make those masks. If everyone has one and I don’t, how can that be fair?”

His mother sighed, “Let’s eat first, then we’ll talk.”

“I don’t want to eat, I don’t want to eat. If you don’t agree to make me a mask, I won’t eat.” He Jiaxing stood against the wall, pouting at his mother.

When unhappy, he liked to stand against the wall.

He Jiaxing’s mother, who doted on him, usually gave in to his requests. “Okay, okay. I’ll go to the twins’ house at noon to check it out, alright?”

“You must go and check,” He Jiaxing insisted. “I’ll go with you.”

He Jiaxing wasn’t the only child with this request. Many others were also asking their parents for masks.