After attending to the dragon and phoenix twins, helping them get up, wash, and brush their teeth, Chen Lan carried them downstairs. Upon descending, she saw Little Douzi also awake from his nap, sitting on the sofa and looking at a cloth book.
This child was truly well-behaved and sensible, never crying without reason and so eager to learn. He was the epitome of the "neighbor's good child" archetype!
Chen Lan gently stroked Little Douzi's head and said, "Little Douzi is such a good boy. So young yet so fond of reading and learning! Come, Little Douzi, play with your younger brother and sister for a while. Auntie will go to the kitchen to prepare some goat milk formula and snacks for you."
Little Douzi nodded obediently and said, "Come, little brother, little sister, be good!" He then patted the space beside him with his small hand, inviting the twins to sit with him.
After settling the twins, Chen Lan hurried to the kitchen to prepare a bottle of goat milk for each of the three after their nap, and a small cake for each as well.
Once all three had finished their afternoon snacks, Chen Lan wiped their mouths and hands clean. She then placed the three little ones on the carpet, letting them play with their favorite toys independently.
As she watched the adorable, chubby twins, she suddenly remembered that she hadn't bought them gifts. How could the twins not be present for Grandma's and the two little uncles' birthdays? They had to be dressed up beautifully. She absolutely couldn't let her mother down.
So, while watching the twins play with Little Douzi, Chen Lan mentally opened her system and began selecting outfits for the twins for Grandma's birthday celebration the next day.
Spotting a well-regarded children's clothing store, she placed an order for Jia Hui, buying her an ethereal Hanfu. Chen Lan imagined Jia Hui wearing it would be like a fairy descending to the mortal realm.
Chen Lan hadn't originally planned to buy clothes for herself! Seeing the beautiful Hanfu she'd bought for Jia Hui sparked a desire in her.
Therefore, she placed an order for a qipao for herself, intending to appear gentle and elegant at her mother's and brothers' birthday banquet.
Thinking further, she decided to buy her mother a silk qipao as well. Her mother's temperament was perfectly suited for qipaos. She then selected a white imitation fox fur shawl for her mother.
After all, from now on, qipaos could be worn for at least another ten years. By the time they were no longer acceptable, the qipaos would have likely worn out anyway! She certainly wouldn't be able to wear them then.
With this thought, Chen Lan became even more resolute in her decision to buy qipaos for her mother and herself. It was better to wear them for a few years while she was still young, as she wouldn't be able to wear them even if she wanted to later on, or might not dare to. By the time they were acceptable again in twenty or thirty years, she would be in her fifties or sixties.
Chen Lan envisioned her mother wearing a qipao and shawl, exuding even more nobility and elegance with every gesture.
For her two brothers and Jia Yao, she chose small, red jackets embroidered with a peony pattern and the character "fu" (fortune). Since they would be indoors, where there was floor heating and air conditioning, a light jacket would be perfectly comfortable.
With this in mind, Chen Lan immediately acted, mentally clicking to place the orders. Impatiently, she retrieved the small Hanfu and Tang suit she had bought for the twins from the system's warehouse.
She quickly changed the twins into their new outfits. Looking at these two little bundles of joy, they were truly a pair of adorable golden boy and jade girl!
Chen Lan couldn't help but feel a little proud! Her taste was indeed impeccable: "Wonderful!"
The twins looked exceptionally good in their new clothes! Jia Hui, wearing a Hanfu with red embroidery and auspicious patterns, had a rosy little face adorned with a pair of large, watery eyes like gemstones. When she smiled, her eyes narrowed into crescent moons, revealing two dimples at the corners of her mouth. She was the very image of a little fairy.
Jia Yao also beamed with joy after putting on his new clothes, two dimples appearing at the corners of his mouth. He looked incredibly cute with his sturdy, robust appearance.
Her mother, who had just woken up from her nap and come downstairs, praised them heartily, expressing immense pride: "Our Jia Yao is so handsome! And Jia Hui is as beautiful and lovely as a little fairy."
The two little ones understood their grandmother's words and knew she was praising them, their smiles growing even wider.
Jia Hui gently pinched the hem of her Hanfu with her thumb and index finger and said to her grandmother, "Beautiful! Beautiful!"
Her mother said happily, "Yes, beautiful, very beautiful. Our little Jia Hui is a little fairy, truly beautiful."
Chen Lan chuckled. She hadn't expected Jia Hui, besides being a little foodie, to be so vain. At such a young age, she already knew that beautiful things were "beautiful."
After dinner, Chen Lan and her mother took the twins back to their room to rest. Her mother sat down with Chen Lan and discussed the menu for the next day's birthday banquet.
As the mother and daughter chatted, her mother suddenly remembered something and asked, "Lan'er, for my birthday tomorrow, should I give red envelopes to the younger generation?"
This question caught Chen Lan off guard. She really didn't know whether to give them or not. She only recalled that in her previous life, she had given red envelopes to her own mother and father on their birthdays.
She was truly unsure of the customs in the 1950s.
So, she said, "Mom, how about this? Tomorrow, let's just focus on the festive atmosphere. You didn't give the children any meeting gifts last time, did you?
Mom, let's keep it low-key this time and say it's a supplementary gift for their first meeting. You can give gifts to the children and younger female relatives who are celebrating your birthday with you. For others, there's no need. If we give them now, what about when others in the valley have their birthdays?"
Her mother lowered her head and thought. That made sense. So, she said, "Lan'er, let's start preparing now!"
Chen Lan asked, "Mom, what kind of meeting gifts do you usually give on your birthdays?"
Her mother thought for a moment and replied, "There were many things, but your Aunt Liu always prepared them well in advance. I never had to worry much about it.
Lan'er, whether it's a return gift or a meeting gift, it depends on who it's for and the degree of closeness. For closer people, the gift should be more substantial; for those who are not as close, the gift can be lighter.
Since your father joined the revolution and left, I haven't had a birthday celebration. And with the difficult years in the past few years, I've had even less inclination to celebrate."
Her mother pondered further and continued, "Lan'er, this is a new society, and we shouldn't follow those old customs. Besides, I'm just a commoner, and your brothers are just having a simple celebration; it's not a grand birthday for me. Let's just focus on the festive spirit.
Lan'er, how about this! For the children, we can give a pair of small silver bracelets as meeting gifts. For the young wives, a pair of large silver bracelets. For the young girls, a pair of silver earrings. You help me select some different styles, don't let them all be the same. What do you think?"
Chen Lan felt this was a good approach! It was easy to manage, a one-size-fits-all solution, without distinctions of closeness, so no one would have any objections.
She immediately opened her system mentally. She didn't have to search much. After all, the craftsmanship of modern gold and silver jewelry was very exquisite, and each piece was beautiful.
She immediately placed an order in the system for a pair of small silver bracelets for the children, a pair of large silver bracelets for the young wives, and a pair of silver earrings for the young girls as samples for her mother to choose from.
The decision-making power was given to her mother, who would ultimately decide whether to purchase from this store!