15 Going to the Zoo

Mother Tang watched as her grandson walked over to her side. She gave the little boy a lookover to check if there was any injury on his body. 

"Chen Chen." The elder lady flashed the boy an assuring smile. "Are you alright?"

Tang Chen had a proud smile on his face. "Grandma, Chen Chen is alright." He raised his chubby hands to show the candies he bought. "Grandma, look. I bought the candies."

Mother Tang stroked her grandson on his head. "Mmm... Chen Chen is a good boy."

The smile on Tang Chen's face widened. He liked it when the elders praised him.

"Chen Chen..." The elder lady leaned over to get to Tang Chen's eye level. "That young man from before... The person who talked to you earlier... Do you know him?"

Mother Tang has been keeping her eyes on Tang Chen ever since he volunteered to buy the candy by himself.

She was worried to let the boy go on his own. However, Mother Tang thought that at Tang Chen's age, it was suitable for him to get some chores. Mother Tang wanted to test the little boy.

However, when she saw a strange man talking to her grandson, Mother Tang began to worry.

She wanted to go to his grandson. However, she could not leave her granddaughter alone.

Tang Chen tilted his head to one side as he looked at his grandmother. "That uncle?"

He thought that the uncle who helped him to get his candy was quite good-looking.

Usually, he would be wary of a stranger. After all, his mother and grandmother often reminded him not to talk to a stranger. 

However, Tang Chen's instinct was telling him that the uncle was not a bad person. He felt safe around that uncle.

"Un." Mother Tang nodded. "What did he say to you?" 

"That uncle just helped me to get the candies since I could not reach for them." Tang Chen said. 

It was then that Mother Tang felt a bit more at ease. She had thought that a bad man was interested in her son. It turned out that the man was only helping her grandson.

"Then, did you thank that uncle?"

"Grandma, I thanked him properly."

Mother Tang smiled. "Good boy."

Tang Chen looked at the candies in his hand again. "Grandma, can I give this to Xiao Xiao now?"

"Go ahead." Mother Tang smiled. "But remember, Xiao Xiao can only eat one piece today, alright? Chen Chen, you too... eating too much sweets would not be good for your health."

The little boy nodded. "Grandma, I know." He then walked to the other side where a stroller was parked. 

Tang Xiao's health was not good and she could not be too tired. Therefore, his mother would always let Xiao Xiao sit in her stroller whenever they went out.

Tang Chen smiled when he saw that his little sister was reading a book.

Xiao Xiao spent most of her time at the hospital. During her free time, Tang Xiao liked to read books. 

When he was free, he would accompany his little sister to read and teach her some words that she was not familiar with. 

The siblings hoped for Tang Xiao's health to improve so that she could attend kindergarten and study together. Before that happened, Tang Chen decided to teach his little sister himself.

"Xiao Xiao." Tang Chen smiled as he watched as his little sister lowered the book in her hand.

"Elder Brother, where did you go earlier?" Tang Xiao asked. A while ago, she was looking for her elder brother, but could not see him anywhere. 

 Tang Chen took out the candies that he had been hiding in his palm. "Xiao Xiao, look at this."

The little girl's eyes lit up as she saw the candies in her elder brother's hand. 

Chen Chen stretched his right hand with the candy. "Xiao Xiao, this one is for you. But you can only have one piece today."

"Elder Brother, thank you." Tang Xiao took the candy from her elder brother. The smile on her face widened as the sweetness of the cherry candy filled her mouth.

The two siblings chatted for a while about the book that Tang Xiao was reading until their mother returned to their side.

"Sorry." Tang Shi Yi had an apologetic look on her face. "Chen Chen, Xiao Xiao, did I make you two wait for too long? It was an important call from the office and Mommy has to take it."

"Mommy, it's alright. We did not wait for too long," Tang Xiao said.

The two siblings knew that their mother was always busy working to make money to raise them both. They won't mind waiting for a few minutes while their mother deals with some important matters.

"Mommy, is everything going well?" Tang Chen asked.

"Mhm..." Tang Shi Yi nodded. "Everything is alright now." She stretched her hand to Tang Chen. "Come on. Didn't I say that I will take you to play?"

The siblings turned to look at each other and smiled.

It did not take them too long to reach the zoo.

Once they arrived, Tang Shi Yi took her child to a less crowded area. A faint smile appeared on her face as she watched how her children were enjoying themselves.

It was rare for Xiao Xiao to go out. Seeing the happy look on her face gave her a sense of relief. She would be happy as long as her children could live well.

After watching her children play for a while, Tang Shi Yi pulled out the bottles of water from her bag and handed them over to her children.

"Xiao Xiao, take a drink. Chen Chen, you too." 

"Mommy, thank you." Tang Xiao took a few sips of drink before returning the bottle to her mother.

Tang Shi Yi stroked her daughter's head. "Xiao Xiao, remember to tell me if you are tired, alright?" She watched as her daughter nodded and turned to look at her son. "Chen Chen, you as well."