FIELD TRIP

Come Saturday, the Chen household went abuzz early in the morning. All prepped for the twins' field trip and family weekend activity.

The twins could bring two pairs of guardians, one pair each twin.

It was the twins' first school field trip so everyone was excited, including all the family members in the Xue household. It was an understatement that the position for the guardianship for that day was high on demand. Many candidates lined up for the position, including Mo Wenbin, the uncle, Xue Minhe, another uncle, and the Xue grandparents.

Alas, the older Xue family members could not commit at the last minute.

Therefore, the final line up was Xue Guangxi, Kang Sola, and the Chen grandparents.

Together with two nannies, four guardians, two children, and a driver, off they went to the school first.

Since they wanted the twins to participate like any other normal student would, all six of them – the students and guardians alike – would ride in the bus together with everyone else. Their private van containing their hauls, and the two nannies would just follow behind in a convoy.

"The weather is pleasant today!" Jiang Biyu clapped her hands in delight as she looked up the sky.

The twins smiled, but their cute little grins did not reach their eyes. Chen Lihua and Chen Lingtian held hands most of the time, silent.

Some people said twins could communicate with each other even without words. No one could validate it, though.

This particular instance some truth resonated from it.

The two children, remaining in silence, seemed to be relying much on each other, understanding each other with nonverbal cues. They never left each other's side except for trips to the comfort room and the likes.

As they boarded the bus, the little boy Chen Lingtian tugged her inside the bus, never letting go of his sister's chubby hand. The little girl seemed downcast. "It's okay, Xiao Lihua. It's going to be okay."

The little girl nodded her head in response. "En." Her eyes fired with resolve and determination and belief that indeed, that they would be alright that day.

Kang Sola felt the twins' apprehension. She asked about what's bothering them a while ago but the twins did not say anything. They just gave her all of their smiles.

However, when already inside, the twins temporarily separated. They sat in different rows.

Inside the bus, the sitting arrangements were by groups of three's" one seat for the student and two for the guardians. Chen Lihua stuck to her grandparents like glue so that left Chen Lingtian with Xue Guangxi and Kang Sola.

The boy preferred to be seated by the window to see the cascading picturesque landscapes. His large eyes even got bigger with excitement. He couldn't wait to be mesmerized.

"I've only seen pictures of landscapes in books, Aunty. Now, I'm going to see it pass by us!"

"Didn't we travel a lot in the past years?" Xue Guangxi pointed out.

"Yes, but the dark tint of our car spoilt the scenery. Or I'm asleep."

"Point taken." Xue Guangxi brooded over it.

He pressed his tiny fingertips against the glass windows. "I enjoy seeing the landscape move. It's fascinating! It's like we're inside a movie!"

Kang Sola stroked his head delightedly. She's happy when he and his sister are. She wrapped her arms around the boy in a cuddle. The boy turned from the window and buried himself into the lady's bosom.

"You smell nice, Aunty. And you're so warm and soft. I like it." Chen Lingtian cuddled some more. Kang Sola brushed a soft kiss on his forehead. "Aren't you sleepy? You should reserve your energy for the games later." She whispered with so much affection.

Then turning to Xue Guangxi who was seated on her right, she uttered, "Don't tell me you think of having the dark tint of the cars removed."

"Mhmmm…. Sounds like a good plan." He leaned his head on the bus seat's headrest. "Oh, you talking to me again?" He chuckled when he just realized it.

"Hahahaha."

The lady wore her usual poker face but her countenance flushed pink and her eyes unmistakenly popped infinitesimally before she regained her composure.

She did not respond but gave a sharp 'Hmph!' in the most snobbish way possible.

"Hahahaha." Xue Guangxi closed his eyes. His meeting in the office ended up late at already past midnight, and yet he was up before sunrise. The call time at the Chen household was five in the morning since they were to report to school at six a.m. sharp.

His muscles protested against him and fell as if the pull of gravity just doubled or even tripled. Even before the bus revved its engine for departure, even before anything starts, for that matter, he was already beaten tired.

Good thing they were already settled in their seats. There's nothing more to worry about.

And so his head grew heavier and heavier until it dropped onto Kang Sola's shoulder. "You do smell nice, Aunty." He mumbled with a light jeer on his face.

Xue Guangxi felt Kang Sola's body stiffen. 'Hahaha. It's so fun to tease her. She's still mad, I can say.'

"What's your shampoo, Aunty?" Xue Guangxi pressed on.

Kang Sola shrugged her shoulder, rejecting Xue Guangxi's head. "Oh, that hurts. Let me sleep. I have to reserve my energy for later. We have to win the games. Right, Lingtian?"

"Yes, Uncle. We should bring the trophy home."

"That's my boy." He raised a hand for a high-five. The boy clapped his chubby paw with it. "That's the spirit. Now go sleep."

"Yes, Uncle."

Then, he rested his head again on Kang Sola's shoulder. When she squirmed in protest, Xue Guangxi commented, "Stay still. Or Xiao Lingtian would be uncomfortable."

"Xue. Guangxi!" She muttered under her breath, but she unconsciously stopped squirming.

"Yes? That's my name, alright." Xue Guangxi closed his eyes, and entangled his arms around the lady's right arm and leaned his whole weight sideways.

It was a lovely sight for a family of three.

Some guardians who did not know the twins' circumstances gasped in envy and admiration at the comfortable display of familial love on the bus.

…When internally, Kang Sola was brewing inside akin to a kettle containing nearly boiling water, almost whistling at its boiling point.

Face flushed, she reminded herself of the many pleasant things she should rather be thinking than giving in to her emotions.

She cuddled the little boy in her arms freely and lovingly, while once in a while shrugging off her shoulder against the young man's head.

Xue Guangxi did not mind though – being already deeply lost in Lalaland – as he returned his head on his make-shift pillow, and wormed his arms more tightly around Kang Sola's right arm.

Helplessly, the lady sighed in exasperation as she, too, caught on some sleep on the way.