Zhou Xiaoling arrived home early on the eleventh day of the lunar new year, laden with bags and even her own bedding. She burst excitedly into the living room and called out, "Grandpa! Mom! Dad! Sis! I'm back!"

Zhou Liyun was the first to hear the commotion. She hurried out from the kitchen, a glass奶瓶 in hand, and gasped with delight at the sight of her niece. "Good heavens, Xiaoling! You're back! Why didn't you tell us you were coming? Your mother was just saying you didn't even call during the New Year—we were wondering what kept you so busy!"

Dropping her things, Xiaoling dashed over and threw her arms around her aunt. "Auntie! I didn't know you were here!"

Zhou Liyun laughed and patted her back. "Get off, you crazy girl—you're choking me! You should've warned us you were coming! Did you know your sister-in-law has already given birth?"

Xiaoling gasped. "She did? So soon? I thought it wasn't due till March or April! Oh my goodness—when did it happen? I have to see her now!"

Like an excited monkey, she bounded up the stairs.

Zhou Zhennan and Li Yunlan emerged from their room, calling after her, "Xiaoling, keep your voice down! Don't wake your sister-in-law—they're all still sleeping!"

But Xiaoling was already at the door. She pushed it open to find Lin Xiaoxiao sitting up in bed, with three identical cribs beside her. "Oh my god! Oh my heavens! Are these all...? No way! Sis, you had all three?!"

Lin Xiaoxiao, who had been sleeping poorly and was still somewhat dazed, nodded slowly as if not quite believing her eyes. "Yes... I did."

"Wow! That's incredible! I've seen twins before, but never triplets! You're amazing!"

Xiaoling moved to touch one of the babies, but Li Yunlan—who had followed her in—swatted her hand away. "Don't touch them before washing your hands! Keep your distance."

Xiaoling examined her hands. "But they're clean! I even washed my face at the station when I got off the train!"

Li Yunlan pulled her back from the cribs. "You've been on a train for days—you're covered in germs. The babies are still tiny."

"Ooh, Mom, since when did you get so fancy?" Xiaoling teased, but she obediently took two steps back, clasped her hands behind her, and studied the infants.

After a moment, she remarked, "The blue blanket is for the boy, and the red one's for the girl, right? But... why do they look so funny?"

All three babies were awake, freshly changed, eyes open, little hands waving, bodies wriggling as they grunted hungrily.

Li Yunlan frowned. "What do you mean 'funny'? They're beautiful!"

Zhou Liyun came in with three bottles, handed one to Li Yunlan for An An, and went to feed the two boys.

Fascinated, Xiaoling watched for a while before finally turning back to Lin Xiaoxiao. Looking more closely this time, she was startled. "Sis, how come you've lost so much weight? Most new moms get all round and soft, but you—you're as thin as a pea pod!" She gestured dramatically at her own chest.

Xiaoxiao couldn't help but laugh at her exaggerated expression. "I'm not a milk cow, you know."

But Xiaoling wasn't wrong—Xiaoxiao had grown noticeably thinner. Her once full and lively face had hollowed, leaving her looking tired and fragile. There was something vulnerable about her now that made Xiaoling's heart ache.

"Are you worried about my brother?" Xiaoling asked gently. "Don't be. I'm sure he's fine. Even Lin Zihao went to the front, and look—I'm still happy as can be!"

The sudden shift in topic caught Xiaoxiao off guard. "What does Lin Zihao have to do with anything?"

"Well, I like him, don't I?" Xiaoling replied breezily. "So of course I worry about him too."

Li Yunlan sighed. "A young girl like you, talking about 'liking' boys so freely—have you no shame?"

Xiaoling just laughed and skipped off to take a bath and change. With her back, the house suddenly felt fuller, louder—more alive.

As it turned out, Xiaoling had been sent back for a "training program"—a thoughtful decision by her unit, considering both Zhou sons were at the front. Having her home was a comfort to the family.

Later, towel-drying her hair, she sat with Xiaoxiao and dished the latest gossip from the military compound.

"After you left, Zhang Yimei went back and made a scene. When she saw another woman living there, she accused Wang Wenju of having an affair! In the end, the work unit had to step in. They told her they'd arrest her if she caused any more trouble. That finally shut her up."

Xiaoxiao nodded. "I knew she wasn't done. She left the kid there on purpose so she'd have an excuse to keep coming back, trying to win him over."

Xiaoling smirked. "Wishful thinking. But between you and me, I think there might be something going on between Wang Wenju and Li Yu."

Xiaoxiao grinned. "'Between you and me'? What would you know about romance? You've never even been in love!"

Chin held high, Xiaoling declared, "That's not the point. I'm just saying—I think they might end up together."

Xiaoxiao thought that wouldn't be such a bad thing. Li Yu was good to the child, and Wang Wenju was a decent man at heart.

Then Xiaoling's eyes glittered with another piece of gossip. "Guess what happened to Xiao Yan?""No idea," Xiaoxiao replied.

Xiaoling burst out laughing. "She's pregnant—but the baby isn't the fool's. It's the village party secretary's!" She howled with laughter again.

Xiaoxiao was stunned. Xiao Yan actually had an affair with her father-in-law?

Zhou Liyun, who was watching the children, clicked her tongue in disapproval. "Xiaoling! You're an unmarried girl—you can't just say things like that!"

Xiaoling giggled. "Auntie, you're so old-fashioned!"

Xiaoxiao watched, amused, as Xiaoling pestered her aunt.

When Lin Wenbin came in and saw Xiaoxiao smiling, the room bright with laughter, he felt a flicker of surprise. It had been a long time since he'd seen his sister look so happy.