After ending the call, Gong Zhijing decided to go for breakfast, as she was feeling very hungry. She would have continued sleeping if hunger hadn't woken her. Just as she was about to head to the dining room, her legs were hugged, and looking down, she saw a tender, tear-streaked little face.
"Mommy, hug!" Ling Lejing said pitifully, her pleading look incredibly endearing.
But Gong Zhijing felt too weak to hug him right then, being too hungry to muster any strength. She sighed and said, "Then you hug Mommy? Mommy has no energy at all, I can't hold you."
Ling Lejing’s face crumpled even more, and he wailed, "Mommy, you're too heavy, baby can't lift you!!"
Gong Zhijing couldn't help but laugh and cry at her son's childish words, finding them incredibly amusing. "How about Mommy goes to eat first, and then I'll hug you, Little Treasure, okay?"
Ling Lejing frowned, seemingly considering. Gong Zhijing patiently coaxed him further, "If you don't let Mommy eat, Mommy will starve to death."
Hearing this, Ling Lejing immediately shook his head like a rattle drum. "Mommy won't die. If Mommy dies, she'll be like Grandma, hiding in the grave and not coming out. Then baby won't see Mommy anymore."
Gong Zhijing’s smile faded slightly. She kissed her son's face before heading to the dining room.
The children in the Ling family hadn't experienced death. They had only accompanied their elders to visit graves a few times, and then they remembered. The two elders in the family were quite long-lived, both in their nineties, which was rare. The old lady, in particular, had deteriorated rapidly in the early stages of her illness, but then it seemed to have stabilized, not worsening further. It remained that way. Anyway, she only remembered that the old man had been diagnosed over ten years ago. This kind of neurological disease has significant individual variations. The average lifespan is usually five to ten years, though some can live up to twenty. After so many years, they had already prepared themselves psychologically, but still, they lived each day as it came. The most arduous task fell upon Ling Yuchen's parents, who had been taking care of the two elders day in and day out for over a decade.
While Gong Zhijing was eating, Ling Lejing sat obediently on a mat in a corner of the living room, playing with his building blocks. Just as she was quietly enjoying her meal, her phone rang. The call was from a renowned director. Gong Zhijing glanced at the caller ID and answered. A fawning voice immediately came through, "Hello, Mrs. Ling, I am Xu Jiang."
Gong Zhijing replied calmly, "Mmm-hmm, hello."
"It's like this, I have a script here..."
Before he could finish, Gong Zhijing interrupted, "I'm sorry, Director Xu, I have too much on my plate right now, so I apologize."
"It's alright, it's normal for you to be busy. Then I won't disturb you further. Goodbye, Mrs. Ling."
This was a considerate person, and Gong Zhijing found herself developing a slight liking for him. However, not long after the call ended, another one came in, from a different director, but also well-known in the industry. Gong Zhijing was used to this; it happened every day. Another call came in after she finished breakfast.
"Hello Mrs. Ling, this is a parent-child variety show, 'My Super Dad.' Would your husband be interested in participating..."
Parent-child variety shows were booming in China, and Gong Zhijing was aware of them. She had watched "My Super Dad." It involved fathers taking their children on trips, cooking for them, and taking care of their daily needs. Ling Yuchen did many of these things and was definitely capable. She glanced at her third child, who was engrossed in playing with his blocks, and then thought of her more troublesome second child. If Ling Yuchen could take them out to play for a while, that would be good. The show's filming period coincided with summer vacation, allowing her to have two peaceful months at home. After "careful consideration," Gong Zhijing agreed without hesitation. "He's interested. This show is good. I hope the director can reserve a spot for my husband and my two sons."
And so, happily, Gong Zhijing decided on her husband's and two sons' summer vacation plans. In a good mood, she wiped her mouth with a tissue. Then, she glanced at her son, who was deeply engrossed in his play, and tiptoed towards the stairs, intending to lose this little shadow. If she got stuck with him, she wouldn't be able to get away all day.
However, before she had taken two steps, "Mommy..."
Gong Zhijing’s upward movement froze. She slowly turned her head and saw her dear son looking at her with innocent, wide eyes. "Mommy, are you full?"
Gong Zhijing couldn't force a smile. If this little ancestor latched onto her, she wouldn't be able to write a single word all day. She didn't work for material gain, but for spiritual fulfillment, yet her offspring were the biggest obstacles on her writing path. "Mommy is full. Mommy has to go to work, Little..."
"No, no, no, woo woo woo... Daddy works, Daddy earns money. Mommy doesn't need to work, doesn't need to earn money..." Gong Zhijing's head was pounding. Her eldest daughter and second son were already grown, but her third child, still young, was always prone to tantrums. Over the years, these children had taken all her energy. Gong Zhijing had no choice but to go downstairs and pick up her youngest son. The crying immediately stopped. He snuggled into her shoulder and whispered, "Mommy, baby is good. Please don't sigh anymore, okay?" Realizing her emotions had affected her child, Gong Zhijing immediately adjusted her mindset. "Okay, it's all Mommy's fault. Can Little Treasure forgive Mommy this time?" "Okay, baby is good and won't disturb Mommy on the computer." At only three years old, Ling Lejing was quite sensible. Gong Zhijing could only carry him upstairs. In fact, most of the time when she was typing, he would sit quietly nearby, but children are still children, and sometimes they couldn't help but fuss. Gong Zhijing took Ling Lejing to the study. She typed rapidly on the computer, while the little child sat on the floor playing with his favorite digger and various cars. Time flew by, and amidst the busyness and childcare, the day passed. Around seven in the evening, Ling Yuchen returned home. Ling Lexun, meanwhile, was staying over at his maternal grandfather's house. As soon as Ling Yuchen returned, Gong Zhijing eagerly shared, "My dear husband, I have a surprise for you." Ling Yuchen looked at her sparkling eyes, the cunning and excitement within them, and immediately had a bad premonition. He took off his coat and hung it on the hook. "I'm not sure I want this surprise..." Gong Zhijing, however, wasn't about to let him off the hook easily. She grabbed his arm and pulled him towards the living room. "Sit down first, and I'll tell you." Ling Yuchen was quite helpless but was still pulled to sit on the sofa by her.