Ning Shu heard their voices before she saw them. Following the sound, she spotted Lin Guodong walking over with the three kids.

Er Bao bounded over, while Yi Bao held hands with San Bao, trailing behind them.

Lin Guodong followed closely behind.

“Mom…” Er Bao ran up to Ning Shu first. “Mom, what are you carrying on your back?”

Seeing them, Ning Shu didn’t move from where she stood, waiting for Lin Guodong to come and carry the bags.

Although she had been on the train the whole way, it was still exhausting to carry them off the train.

“It’s sugarcane,” Ning Shu replied.

She hadn’t seen the three kids in about ten days, and while the peace and quiet were nice, she also missed them terribly.

It felt like she had never been away from them for so long.

Er Bao’s eyes lit up at the mention of sugarcane.

They had tasted it before and found it deliciously sweet. “Mom, did you bring it for us to eat? You’re so kind, you’re the best mom ever.”

Ning Shu raised an eyebrow. “So, if I didn’t bring it for you to eat, I wouldn’t be the best mom?”

“No, you’d still be the best mom,” Er Bao grinned. “Even if you scold us, you’re still the best mom.”

Eight-year-old Er Bao already understood that he could challenge his dad’s authority, but not his mom’s, or else they’d have to eat sweet potatoes every day.

“This isn’t for you to eat,” Ning Shu declared mercilessly upon hearing his assumption.

Er Bao’s eyes widened.

Was Mom angry?

Lin Guodong lifted the sugarcane Ning Shu had put on the ground, sighing as he addressed his naive son. “It’s been three days in the hot weather, all stuffy inside the sacks. They’ve gone sour. Are you sure you want to eat them? Aren’t you afraid of a stomachache?”

Er Bao seemed to understand. “Then why did Mom bring so much spoiled sugarcane?”

Even Yi Bao, who also wanted to eat sugarcane, listened in.

He had tasted it before and knew how delicious it was.

But San Bao, who hadn’t reached two years old when she last had sugarcane, couldn’t remember its taste.

Being so young, she didn’t have much memory, and during their time in the army, she hadn’t had any sugarcane.

He quietly asked Yi Bao, “Big brother, is sugarcane really tasty?”

At 4 years old, San Bao had become quite articulate.

Yi Bao nodded, “It’s delicious.”

Ning Shu explained, “I brought these to plant. We’ll grow them at the army camp, and when the sugarcane ripens, you can eat them. But remember, you have to take care of these plants. Only when they grow can you eat them.”

Hearing that they would plant the sugarcane themselves, all three kids were excited.

They had planted many vegetables before but had never tried sugarcane.

While vegetables could earn them money, sugarcane was just so delicious. Compared to making money, the allure of tasty sugarcane was stronger for them.

However, Yi Bao curiously asked, “Mom, Dad said the sugarcane has gone sour. Can we still plant it?”

“Yes, as long as it sprouts, it doesn’t matter if it’s sour,” Ning Shu reassured.

Yi Bao nodded understandingly. “When we plant potatoes, even the sprouted ones that smell sour can still be planted.”

Ning Shu praised him, “That’s right, Yi Bao, you have a good memory. So, whether it’s sour or not doesn’t matter. As long as it sprouts, it’s fine to plant.”

“Okay,” Yi Bao smiled happily, his eyes forming crescents, showing how pleased he was to be praised.

Lin Guodong had borrowed a vehicle from the army.

As long as he paid for the fuel, the army was accommodating.

However, Lin Guodong rarely borrowed, having served in the military for over a decade, he had borrowed fewer times than he could count on one hand.

With the vehicle, they soon arrived at the army camp.

Ning Shu jumped off the vehicle. “Watch over the sugarcane. When your dad returns the vehicle, have him bring it over. I’m heading home first.” She felt sticky and needed to take a shower.

“We got it.”

At this moment, the three kids’ attention wasn’t on their mom; they were all thinking about planting the sugarcane and eating it later.

Once Ning Shu got home, she was surprised to find that there was hot water ready in the pot.

Lin Guodong must have heated it before heading to the train station.

Even though it had cooled to about 40 degrees Celsius, in this heat, Ning Shu still preferred to dilute it with cold water.

As Ning Shu took a shower, the three kids weren’t idle either.

Since it would take some time for their dad to return the vehicle, they didn’t want to just sit around in the heat.

Er Bao suggested, “Bro, can we carry the sugarcane back home?”

Yi Bao said, “I don’t know. Let’s try it.”

“Okay.”

So the two brothers picked up the carrying pole, threaded it through the rope of the half sack of sugarcane, which weighed about 30 pounds.

Surprisingly, even though Yi Bao and Er Bao were only eight years old, carrying 30 pounds of sugarcane was no problem at all.

Yi Bao said, “San Bao, you stay here and watch this sack of sugarcane. Er Bao and I will carry the rest home.”

“Okay,” San Bao agreed.

He watched as his two brothers lifted the half sack of sugarcane and walked away.

Standing at the entrance of the camp under the scorching sun made him feel hot, so he asked the soldier on duty, “Uncle, can I wait for my dad inside?”

“Of course,” the soldier on duty replied.

He recognized the younger brother of the well-known twins in the family compound.

So, as San Bao sat inside the guardhouse, swinging his chubby legs, Yi Bao and Er Bao braved the sun, humming as they carried the sugarcane.

Along the way, they encountered several other children.

“Twins, what are you carrying?” one of the children asked.

“It’s sugarcane,” Er Bao replied.

“Wow, I’ve had sugarcane before. It’s so sweet! Twins, can I trade something else for some sugarcane?” The child licked his dry lips.

They were accustomed to trading food with the twins because the twins always had the most snacks in the family compound.

“What’s sugarcane?” asked another child who had never tried it before and didn’t have it in his hometown.

“It’s very sweet, just like corn on the cob, but much sweeter. It’s delicious,” the first child explained.

“This can’t be traded. It’s from our mom’s hometown, and we have to plant it. We can only eat it after it grows,” Er Bao said.

“Then let’s plant it together. Can we have some of the sugarcane after it grows?” a clever child suggested.

Planting had become second nature to them now, and if planting sugarcane together could get them some to eat later, it was worth it.

Trading snacks often resulted in them having to give up more snacks for less in return, which they didn’t like.

But who could resist the twins’ delicious snacks?

Er Bao looked at Yi Bao.

Yi Bao said, “We don’t know how much we have. If we’re too busy, we’ll come and get you.”

“Okay.”

“Alright, Twins, don’t forget,” the child reminded them.

Yi Bao and Er Bao didn’t chat with their friends for long; they had to hurry to carry the second batch of sugarcane.

They hadn’t even reached home yet when Lin Guodong returned the vehicle and arrived at the camp entrance.

He saw the half sack of sugarcane sitting alone under the sun.

“Dad!” San Bao saw his dad and ran out of the guardhouse.

Lin Guodong asked, “Why are you alone? Where are Yi Bao and Er Bao?”

San Bao replied, “Big brother and second brother went back first carrying sugarcane. It’s hot outside, so I’m hiding from the sun inside.”

Lin Guodong said, “You’re clever.”

San Bao chuckled, revealing his bright white teeth.

When Yi Bao and Er Bao came back to carry the sugarcane for the second time, they met Lin Guodong and San Bao halfway.

Seeing his two sons sweating heavily, Lin Guodong was still very pleased with them.

They helped with chores, earned money, and took care of their younger brother.

“Dad, do you want us to carry it?” Er Bao asked with a smile.

“No need,” Lin Guodong said, “Go back quickly and wash your faces, you’re all sweaty.”