The two of them dug with increasing vigor towards the sea, their heads bowed, eager to finish the water channel.
Lan Yu watched them both, and as they got closer to the sea, she walked over.
At that moment, a larger wave surged forward. She immediately met the wave, grabbed both their hands, and pulled them away from the surf, saying, "What are you two playing? Aren't you afraid of being swept away by the waves?"
The wave washed over the two little ones, as if giving them a bath.
They still found it fun, laughing heartily.
Lan Yu brought them to a spot further from the waves before letting go, and then told them, "If you want to swim in the sea, you need an adult with you, and a lifebuoy, understand?"
Ning Yu tilted her head and said to her, "Mommy, we're not swimming. We want to guide the seawater and the little fish to the shore. We want to see the little fish..."
"Aunt Lan, Ning Yu! Look quickly! There are little fish, there are little fish!" Tian Tian stared at the long trenches they had dug and shouted excitedly.
Lan Yu and Ning Yu looked over simultaneously. Several colorful little fish, washed onto the beach by the waves, were swimming along the water in the trenches.
Ning Yu also cried out excitedly, broke free from Lan Yu, and ran over with Tian Tian. They both crouched at the deepest part of the trenches they had dug, watching the little fish.
Tian Tian happily scooped up a fish with her bare hand and waved it towards Tang Tang and Heng Heng, saying, "Brother, Tang Tang, come and see! These little fish are so beautiful!"
Heng Heng and Tang Tang also ran over. All the children were very interested in the little fish from the sea, chattering about how to keep these little fish alive.
Just then, Su Su and Tian Yi walked over hand in hand, curious about what the children were gathered around.
Seeing them, Lan Yu was about to greet them when Su Su made a gesture for them to stay hidden.
She and Tian Yi stood quietly behind the children. Another large wave rolled onto the shore, and new seawater flowed into the trenches, bringing not only little fish but also small shrimp and crabs.
Tian Tian grabbed a small crab and shouted excitedly, "Look, it's alive! Quickly give it to Mommy, so she can cook it for us to eat!"
Heng Heng looked at the small crab and laughed, saying, "You're silly. Such small crabs can't be eaten."
"You're the silly one." Tian Tian's cheeks immediately puffed out in anger.
"I'm not silly, you are, your brain often doesn't work properly," Heng Heng said seriously, like a little adult. "Dad also says women's brains don't work properly, and you shouldn't argue with women."
"Dad would never say that, you're lying!" Tian Tian stood up angrily, hands on her hips.
The two children started arguing.
Su Su glared at Tian Yi, feeling that Tian Yi must have taught Heng Heng such things.
Tian Yi looked wronged, with no way to defend himself.
Ning Yu ignored their argument and, enjoying herself, began digging the trench for the seawater deeper.
Tang Tang quickly intervened, saying, "Stop arguing, you two. Let's put these little fish, shrimp, and crabs back into the sea. Their parents are waiting for them to return!"
Hearing this, Tian Tian stopped arguing with Heng Heng and put the small crab in the water. She pouted at Tang Tang and said, "Let them play with us a bit longer before we let them go back..."
"Their parents will worry," Tang Tang said, looking at the little creatures in the trench, also reluctant to let them go.
Su Su couldn't help but smile and pat Tang Tang's head, saying, "Don't worry, when the tide goes out, we'll send these little animals back to the sea together."
Hearing Su Su's voice, Tang Tang turned and called out, "Mommy, you're here."
Tian Tian also turned and saw that both her parents were behind them. She immediately ran over and hugged Su Su, acting spoiled, "Mommy, Brother just called me silly. He's the silly one. Crabs can be eaten, you've cooked crabs for us at home."
"Yes, yes, we've eaten crabs. But these small crabs have no meat at all, they really can't be eaten," Su Su comforted her.
Tian Yi also said to her, "Tian Tian, are you hungry? What do you want to eat? I'll go buy it for you."
Tian Tian went to hug Tian Yi again and said, "Daddy, I'm not hungry yet, I want to play for a while longer."
"Then go ahead, and don't argue with your brother anymore," Tian Yi patted her head.
Su Su pointed to a barbecue grill under a large umbrella not far away, along with some prepared barbecue ingredients, saying, "I asked the hotel to prepare some. We're having a barbecue by the sea today."
Tian Yi watched Tian Tian go back to play, then held Su Su's hand and walked towards the barbecue grill, saying, "Let's go and get the charcoal lit first, and be responsible for supplying them with a continuous stream of barbecue delicacies."
Lan Yu also saw the barbecue grill. She wanted to go and help, but seeing how intimately they were together, she felt it would be inconvenient to disturb them. It was better to watch the children with Xiao Mei.
She couldn't help but think of An Jing, wondering how his lawsuit for Xiao Xiao was going alone.
The four children were playing together harmoniously again. Heng Heng picked up some shells, saying he wanted to make a temporary home for the little crabs.
Tian Tian placed the small crabs among the shells piled on the beach and watched them crawl, saying, "Now it won't feel cold before it goes home."
Ning Yu called out to them, "Come and see, more little crabs are swimming over. Tian Tian, put them all in the shells."
Tian Tian said "Okay," and Tang Tang said she would help too.
This stretch of beach was a paradise for the children, and they never tired of playing.
At the barbecue grill, Su Su couldn't get involved at all. Tian Yi took care of everything.
He skillfully lit the charcoal and elegantly placed the skewers on the grill, roasting them leisurely.
Su Su was a bit lost in thought watching him. Tian Yi noticed and, staring at the roasting meat on the grill, said softly, "If you keep looking at me like this, I won't be able to last until night."
Su Su's cheeks flushed, and she whispered, "What are you talking about again? The children aren't far away, aren't you afraid of corrupting them?"
"What did I say? You're the one who's thinking crookedly," he said innocently.
Su Su paused, feeling speechless.
However, she soon thought of something and questioned him, "What Heng Heng just said, you taught him, didn't you? You're leading him astray."
Tian Yi smiled dismissively and said, "I didn't say anything wrong. Women's and men's thought processes are just different. Besides, by saying that to him, I'm also teaching him to argue less with Tian Tian, and he'll learn to yield to girls in the future."
Su Su thought this was twisted logic. "You're clearly teaching him to discriminate against women. Just because women think differently from you men means they're stupid? What kind of logic is that? Aren't men the stupid ones?"
"Yes, yes, I misspoke. My dear wife, I'll be careful in the future." As he spoke, he picked up a skewer of roasted meat and offered it to her mouth, reminding her, "Be careful, it's hot."