Dabao Goes to the Dentist
Dabao had been saying her tooth hurt for a while. The last time I went home, my dad even asked me to buy her some medicine for toothache. At first we all thought it was just heatiness or inflammation, the kind of thing that passes after a few days. But it kept going.
During the New Year visiting rounds, we went to my wife's family, and her younger brother, who happens to be a dentist, took a look. Turned out it was not something to simply endure; it needed treatment.
Kids at this age seem born with a fear of dental chairs, so I did not tell Dabao too much. I made it sound like we were going out to play. She got in the car, I turned on navigation, and we headed straight to where her uncle works. I imagine she was still a little stunned when she saw him in a doctor's coat.
After the checkup, it was clear she would need several visits. I was mainly worried she would get scared after feeling pain and refuse to go again. Luckily, the first time she said it did not hurt. The second visit hurt a little, but the good sign is that she is not resisting it anymore.
Later I took her to play with friends, and when we met other kids around her age, I realized Dabao's teeth were actually not in the worst shape. So we will keep going with the treatment.
Lantern Festival at Home
It was rare for me to be home for the Lantern Festival this year, so I bought some materials in advance and planned to make lanterns with Dabao. I prepared two sets: she would follow along and make one, while I made one for Erbao.
Halfway through, Dabao lost interest.
As a father, I reflected on it a little: this was on me. The lantern looked simple, but it actually required some hands-on experience. For a child, it was still a bit too difficult.
Before the festival, the county organized an intangible cultural heritage performance with traditional large bronze percussion instruments at Begonia Garden. By the time I remembered it, it was almost noon. I quickly drove over with the two kids, but there were barely any good spots left. The weather was chilly, but we still watched for a while.
On the way back, we came across a stall doing flower-and-bird calligraphy, another intangible heritage craft. It was not expensive, ten yuan for one piece, so I asked Dabao to write down her own name and let the master create it. His skill was solid, better than the ones I remember seeing when I was little.
After Dabao's second dental dressing change, we passed by Heshang Street on the way home, so of course we had to walk around. The traditional bronze percussion performances are still being preserved in the city, though most of the performers are older people now.
We also tried a bowl of beef noodles recommended online and met the person running the place. Nice guy. As customer No. 001 for that order, I have to say the noodles tasted fine. At the very least, they were not ridiculously spicy, and the flavor should suit most Henan people. I would call it a balanced, middle-of-the-road taste. The only thing is the price: 13 yuan feels a bit high. In my mind, 10 yuan would be about right.
Oranges from Chongchong
While I was resting, I suddenly got a phone call. At first I wondered which fool from work was calling me. After picking up, I realized it was the courier.
I checked the delivery information and found out Chongchong had sent over a box of oranges. Many thanks. Later, my family also discovered some little extras in the box. Very thoughtful of him.
The oranges tasted really good. Dabao and Erbao actually fought over them. My wife asked if we could buy more, and I told her to search online. Turns out they were available, so we already placed an order.
Thanks again.
A Quick Trip to Zhengzhou
This trip came from a sudden idea.
To be honest, before leaving, I was a little resistant. As the important accompanying adult, I was tired and did not really want to go. But then I thought about how I had been on duty this year and did not get to go home to spend time with the kids. Children should have some good memories left behind.
So, dragging my tired body along, I still set off.
If Dabao was happy, then everyone was happy. The only pity was that we could not take Erbao along. She is still too little. Grow up quickly.
A Small Gathering After the Holiday
I went home for the Lantern Festival and thought about how I had not come back during the New Year. Since drinking at this age and at this point in life still requires checking in properly, I reported to my wife in advance.
Of course, she had no objection.
Thanks to the brothers for the gifts they brought. Compared with what everyone else brought, the meal I paid for was probably the cheapest part. We ate, drank, got full, and finished with a massage. That was the night.
After returning to the company, I also arranged a small hotpot meal with a childhood friend who often stays around my place. We get together every year, so if we skipped it this year it would feel wrong. One hotpot, one bottle of Yangshao, just right for two people.
A Quick Repair
The old twin-tub washing machine where I live broke down. My roommate said we might as well buy a new one.
To be fair, this thing was left behind by our old little commander and had run reliably for so many years. If it finally broke, then so be it. Buying a new one would only cost a few hundred yuan anyway.
But after work, with nothing else to do, I felt something was off. The machine made sound when running, but nothing moved. I opened it up and saw that the belt and wheel underneath had simply fallen off. I put them back on, and it worked again.
The new washing machine was already on the way, so this old one can be kept as a backup. Compared with the front-loading washer we used before, this thing is really built to take abuse.
We Are The World
The other day I suddenly heard We Are The World in a short video on Douyin. It made me sigh a little at how crazy this world has become.
There were basically two kinds of videos using the song: one was the Spring Festival Gala version, and the other was made by people calling for peace. It felt like a boomerang that had flown around and come back.
The song was released before I was even born, but its reach is unquestionable. Decades ago, a group of American stars sang it together. Decades later, our side put on a grand performance of it too. This world really is wild. For a moment, it felt like the progress of history had hit a temporary repeating bug.
I hope for world peace.
Recently, scrolling through updates, I even saw cluster bombs being used. Two countries, each full of extreme positions and neither in any place to lecture the other, are bringing different degrees of suffering to their neighbors and surrounding regions. If you ask me in anger, the fastest solution would be for them to throw nukes at each other. But in the end, ordinary people are innocent.
I will stop here. If I keep writing, it may start to drift away from the grand tone everyone likes to maintain online. Still, I hope for peace, and for a world where humanity no longer has war.