Love at First Novel by Gu Lingfei

Enzo and Avah often start fighting over toys after just a couple of minutes. Enzo always loses to Avah and ends up crying, attracting the attention of the adults.

Sometimes, when Enzo can’t win, he throws himself at Avah. They can both sit up but are still a bit wobbly. Enzo’s trick usually works—he knocks Avah down and then bites her.

Though they both lack teeth, they still bite each other. Whether it hurts, only they know. But no matter what happens, it usually ends with Enzo crying.

When Avah wakes up and sees her mother nearby, she wants to follow her. Avah is smart and doesn’t cry often, but she knows how to mimic her brother’s howl to get attention. When she does, her mother gently picks her up. It turns out that the crying child does get the milk.

Seeing Serenity, Avah opened her arms, asking to be held. Serenity, noticing Jane didn’t mind, leaned over and picked Avah up.

Serenity knew it’s often advised for pregnant women not to hold others’ children, but since Jane didn’t mind, she didn’t worry.

long as her children liked the person holding them, she was okay with

up early,” Serenity commented while holding

wakes up at dawn, plays a bit,

and said, “She’s probably hungry. Feed her some

melted Serenity’s heart. She smiled at Jane and said, “No wonder my grandma wants to take Avah home—she’s

probably feels awkward visiting often because we watch her so closely when she’s here. She jokes that we guard against her like she’s a thief. Last time she visited, she told my grandma she’d have

old ladies are