The heavens favored them, and the rain began to fall only after everyone had finished their meal. A cold wind swept through first, followed by lightning, thunder, and a sky choked with dark clouds. The rain poured down heavily and rapidly, accompanied by deafening thunderclaps that scared the twin babies into wailing. Chen Lan and her mother-in-law could only hold one each, gently coaxing them.
The downpour lasted for about half an hour before it ended. The rain cleared, the sky turned exceptionally blue, and the air became remarkably fresh. The sun peeked out with a smile, and a vibrant rainbow appeared on the horizon, like a seven-colored bridge.
The leaves in the distant woods were even greener, glistening with a verdant sheen. A wave of fresh grassy fragrance drifted in with the wind, mingled with the faint scent of unknown flowers.
Chen Lan took several deep breaths, feeling refreshed and revitalized.
Uncle Fu and Uncle De, seeing the rain had stopped and the sun was out, led the men back to work in the valley. As Uncle De put it, "Changbai Mountain's spring is very short; we must seize the time to catch up on the schedule."
The women stayed in the vehicle to rest. After all, it had just rained, so the vegetable patch didn't need watering. They only had to wait a few days for the sprouts to emerge, then weed and water. Normally, with Uncle Fu and the others helping with watering, they wouldn't need to go to the valley.
Chen Lan, seeing that there wasn't much work today and most of it was done, and that it was an odd-numbered day, suggested her mother-in-law take her mother, Xiao Shan's mother, and the other women for a soak in the hot springs while she stayed home with the children.
Her mother-in-law readily agreed with delight. Chen Lan quickly purchased two more swimsuits from the system, identical in style to the previous ones but with different colors and patterns, for her mother and Xiao Shan's mother. She also bought each of them a towel, a bottle of yogurt, and a bottle of plum juice, asking her mother-in-law to distribute them. Before leaving, Wen Rou, her mother, was very worried, fearing Chen Lan couldn't manage the four children alone. Chen Lan pointed to Ming Zhe, Wen Qi, and Wen Kai and said, "Mother, you can go soak in the hot springs with peace of mind! Don't I still have these three to help me?"
Upon being entrusted with such responsibility, the three younger brothers puffed out their chests and lifted their chins excitedly. Seeing their proud demeanor, their mother, Wen Rou, and mother-in-law couldn't help but chuckle.
After her mother-in-law and mother left, Chen Lan arranged for the three younger brothers to read and study. They had fallen behind on their studies due to helping in the fields, and now it was time to catch up.
She also purchased puzzles and building blocks from the system for children around three years old, giving them to Hutou and Xiao Shi respectively, to prevent them from fighting over toys. After settling the older children, she looked at the twins. The two little ones were busy in their baby carriage. Jiahui was chewing on her little fist, and Jia Yao was gnawing on his little foot. Seeing the brother and sister playing happily, Chen Lan didn't interfere. Just then, Hutou sneezed. Chen Lan hurried over to check on him, intending to wipe his nose, but thankfully, there was none. Suddenly, Chen Lan remembered something she had been overlooking: the children's vaccinations.
With this thought, Chen Lan immediately opened the system's search function with her mind, searching for vaccines required for babies aged one to six months. The system screen immediately displayed a prompt, showing vaccines produced by legitimate and professional vaccine manufacturing institutions from her previous life.
Chen Lan immediately placed an order for the vaccines and inoculation tools needed for babies aged one to six months. This included the Hepatitis B vaccine and BCG vaccine for newborns, the Hepatitis B vaccine for one-month-old babies, the oral live attenuated poliovirus vaccine for two-month-olds, the polio vaccine and DTP vaccine for three and four months, the DTP vaccine for five months, and the Hepatitis B vaccine and A-strain meningococcal vaccine for six months.
Following the system's on-screen instructions, Chen Lan first disinfected her hands. Then, taking out the BCG vaccine, she prepared to inoculate the twins according to the vaccination steps.
The BCG vaccine is the most effective vaccine for preventing severe tuberculosis and tuberculous meningitis.
She quickly disinfected the twins and, while they were happily playing, swiftly administered the vaccine. The twins showed no reaction, and the inoculation was completed.
Chen Lan decided to be the children's "queen" at home for the next few days, observing their physical condition after the vaccinations. The twins were now five months old and should gradually be introduced to solid foods. She purchased a pack of infant cereal suitable for five-month-olds from the system, planning to give each of them one to two spoonfuls initially, and then gradually increase the amount.
Seeing that the three younger brothers had been studying for over an hour, Chen Lan went to the kitchen to prepare milk for the twins and yogurt, easily digestible cakes, and small breads for Hutou and Xiao Shi, and the three brothers. She told the three brothers to take a break from their studies, took Hutou and Xiao Shi to the restroom to wash their hands, and then return for their snacks.
She gave each of the twins a milk bottle, letting them hold it themselves. Watching the children drink yogurt and eat snacks with satisfied expressions, she felt an overwhelming sense of contentment and happiness.
Chen Lan noticed the twins becoming drowsy after drinking their milk. She quickly wiped their little mouths and faces clean, changed their diapers, and then put them in bed, covering them with a light blanket.
She then held the hands of Hutou and Xiao Shi, took them to the restroom, and arranged for them to take a nap.
She also lay down beside the twins. Perhaps it was because she hadn't napped in a long time, but Chen Lan quickly fell asleep. She didn't know how long she slept until her mother-in-law and the others returned from their hot spring soak, waking her with their chatter. She heard her mother-in-law exclaim to Wen Rou, "I told you, my dear sister-in-law, I wasn't exaggerating, was I? Don't you feel much more relaxed after the hot springs? Xiao Lan said that regular hot spring soaks can even cure old ailments from confinement!"
Chen Lan quickly gestured for them to be quiet, and everyone immediately lowered their voices and returned to their respective vehicles. Chen Lan asked Lin Mai to help Xiao Shan's mother back to rest for a while before coming back.
The women's excited chatter woke the sleeping children. Jiahui opened her eyes and smiled widely at Chen Lan. She quickly rolled over and, propping herself up on her arms, seemed to be trying to crawl. Jia Yao also woke up, rubbing his eyes with his little hands. Likely still sleepy, Chen Lan picked him up and patted his back, letting him sleep a little longer until he woke naturally. Hutou and Xiao Shi also rolled over and continued to sleep. Looking back at Jiahui, she was probably tired of lying on her stomach and had fallen asleep. Chen Lan quickly turned her over to let her sleep comfortably, covering each of the four children with a light blanket.
Seeing that the children were all asleep, Wen Rou and her mother-in-law stopped their discussion. Her mother-in-law also returned to her vehicle to rest.
Chen Lan suggested Wen Rou also sleep for a while, saying that sleeping after a hot spring soak was very beneficial for health. Her mother listened and lay down next to Hutou, quickly falling asleep.