Chapter 191: Becoming a Full‑time Errand Runner

"If it's locked in a cage, it won't," Jiang Ran said, looking at his son through the rearview mirror, "but a tiger is a fierce beast; you have to watch it from far, far away."

"What about... the monkeys?" An'an perched on the car window.

"Monkeys will snatch things," Su Ruan lifted her daughter back into the safety seat, "so you can't get too close, and you can't feed them."

The two children nodded as if they understood, yet didn't.

When they arrived at the zoo, a long line had already formed at the entrance.

Many families came with their children to play on the weekend.

Jiang Ran parked the car and rolled the stroller out.

Jinjin insisted on walking on his own, while An'an sat in the stroller.

After buying tickets and entering, the first thing they saw was Monkey Mountain.

Dozens of monkeys leapt across the artificial rock, some picking lice off each other, others snatching food, prompting bursts of laughter from the visitors.

"Mom! Look! A little monkey!" An'an pointed at a small monkey below the hill clutching a mother monkey.

Su Ruan crouched down: "That's right, that's a baby monkey, following its mother."

Jinjin was more focused on the monkeys fighting.

Two male monkeys, vying for territory, bared their teeth and faced each other, causing him to stare intently.

"They're... fighting," Jinjin said seriously.

"Yes, they're fighting over who's the boss," Jiang Ran explained, "In the animal world, whoever is strongest is the boss."

"Then... is dad the boss?" An'an suddenly asked.

Jiang Ran was startled, then smiled proudly: "At home, dad is the boss!"

Su Ruan pushed him irritably: "Don't spout nonsense in front of the kids."

After watching the monkeys, they kept walking forward.

In the tiger enclosure, a Northeast tiger lounged lazily in the sun, occasionally yawning and flashing its sharp teeth.

"Big Tiger!" An'an whispered, both excited and scared.

Jinjin tiptoed, trying to get a clearer view.

"Dad, pick me up." Jiang Ran lifted his son onto his shoulder, "Did you see it?"

"I saw it," Jinjin's eyes shone, "So big."

After the tiger, they also saw lions, elephants, giraffes... the two children watched with great interest, firing off question after question.

"Dad, why is an elephant's trunk so long?"

"Mom, does a giraffe's neck hurt?"

"Are zebra stripes black or white?"

Jiang Ran and Su Ruan answered patiently; although they didn't know the exact answers to some questions, they always gave explanations the children could understand.

By the time they reached the children's playground, it was already noon. The kids were tired and hungry.

"Let's have a picnic right here," Su Ruan found a clean patch of grass and spread out a picnic blanket.

Jiang Ran took the prepared food from the bag: sandwiches, boiled eggs, fruit, small biscuits, and the yogurt the two kids loved.

Sunlight filtered through the leaves in dappled patches. The family sat together, eating and chatting.

"Mom, the zoo... so fun," An'an said, sandwich stuffed in his mouth, mumbling.

"Will we come again next time?" Su Ruan smiled, wiping crumbs from her daughter's mouth.

"Yes!" An'an nodded vigorously, "Bring my sister next time."

"My sister is still in aunt's belly," Jinjin corrected, "We'll have to wait a long time."

"Then... after my sister is born, we'll come again," An'an said smoothly.

Jiang Ran looked at the two children, feeling warm inside.

He handed Su Ruan a sandwich: "You eat too, don't just feed them."

Su Ruan took it, took a bite: "Actually... taking the kids out is more tiring than working."

"But it's fun," Jiang Ran said, looking at her, "Seeing you with the kids makes me feel that, no matter how hard, it's worth it."

Su Ruan felt a sweet warmth in her heart and quietly squeezed his hand under the table.

After the meal, the kids played in the children's playground for a while.

Jinjin went up the slide, while An'an became fascinated with the swing.

"Dad, push! Higher!" An'an said, sitting on the swing, his little feet wobbling.

Jiang Ran gently pushed: "Is this okay?"

"Higher!"

Su Ruan watched from the side, a bit worried: "Jiang Ran, don't push too high."

"It's fine, I'm watching," Jiang Ran said, but he eased off his grip.

Jinjin slid down the slide, ran to his mother: "Mom, I want... to see the pandas."

"The panda house is ahead; after sister's done with the swing, we'll go."

Once An'an finally finished playing, the family continued forward.

The panda house was newly built, housing a pair of giant pandas that came from Sichuan.

Two pandas were munching bamboo, their endearingly clumsy demeanor making the kids giggle nonstop.

"Mom, pandas... so cute," An'an stared wide-eyed.

"Do they only eat bamboo?" Jinjin asked.

"They mainly eat bamboo, occasionally fruit," Su Ruan replied, "They're national treasures; people worldwide love them."

After seeing the pandas, it was already three p. m.

The children were all tired; An'an fell asleep in the stroller, and Jinjin, holding her mother's hand, walked wobblingly.

"Let's go home," Jiang Ran said, "we're all tired."

"Hmm."

Back in the car, both children slept soundly.

Jiang Ran drove while Su Ruan sat in the passenger seat, turning her head to look at the children in the back, a smile unconsciously lifting the corner of her mouth.

"Did you have fun today?" Jiang Ran asked softly.

"It was fun," Su Ruan leaned back against the seat, "though I'm tired, seeing the kids happy makes it worth it."

"Indeed," Jiang Ran stared ahead, "sometimes I wonder, we work so hard just to give the kids a better life, don't we?"

"Hmm," Su Ruan nodded, "so even if we're exhausted we must keep going."

When they got home it was already evening. Li Huijuan was cooking in the kitchen and came out upon hearing the commotion.

"You're back? How was it?"

"Pretty good," Jiang Ran lifted the sleeping An'an, "the kids were all tired and fell asleep halfway."

"Put them on the bed right away," Li Huijuan said, "the meal will be ready soon."

After settling the children, Jiang Ran and Su Ruan collapsed exhausted on the sofa.

"Taking the kids out is more tiring than negotiating business all day," Jiang Ran massaged his shoulders.

"But it's worth it," Su Ruan leaned on his shoulder, "look how happy Jinjin and An'an are today."

Just then, the phone rang. It was Yan Shen calling.

"Ranran, Jiang Jiaojiao wants to eat sour‑spicy noodles; do you know a good place?"

Jiang Ran laughed, "Sis, your taste changes fast. The 'Old Sichuan' on Construction Road is good; shall I have someone deliver it?"

"No need, I'll buy it myself," Yan Shen said, "Jiang Jiaojiao has been craving it these past few days."

After hanging up, Jiang Ran said to Su Ruan, "See, brother‑in‑law is now a full‑time errand runner."

"That's his willingness," Su Ruan smiled, "when I was pregnant, weren't you the same?"

"That's different," Jiang Ran declared confidently, "if my wife wants something to eat, I'll get it from anywhere in the world." "Only you can say that."

Su Ruan scolded, but felt sweet inside.

During dinner, Jinjin and An'an woke up. The two children were still immersed in the excitement of the zoo, chattering nonstop while eating.

"Grandma, I saw a Big Tiger!" An'an gestured, "so big!"

"Really?" Li Huijuan played along with a surprised expression, "Are you scared, An'an?"

"Not scared!" An'an puffed out his little chest, "Dad is holding me."