Chapter 185: Grandma Sheng’s Concerns
“Grandma, don’t put so much pressure on yourself,” Wanyan smiled warmly. “Sister-in-law’s health is the priority.”
“Oh, no, little sister,” Pan Yue interjected, shaking her head. She absolutely didn’t want to take advantage of Wanyan’s generosity. Even if they were close family, fresh fruit was incredibly rare and expensive right now. How could she comfortably accept such a precious gift for free?
“Sister-in-law, the baby comes first,” Wanyan said, her tone firm but affectionate. “Think of it this way: when it’s my turn to get pregnant, I’ll just march over and demand that my brother and my niece or nephew buy me all my favorite foods to make up for it.”
Wanyan had never been one to beat around the bush, and her straightforward, playful logic instantly eased the tension weighing on Pan Yue’s shoulders. The baby growing inside her was her and Wanze’s flesh and blood, her absolute lifeline.
“Thank you, little sister,” Pan Yue said softly, a deeply grateful smile touching her lips.
“We’re family. Everything I do is for my future niece or nephew.” Wanyan truly didn’t care whether Pan Yue gave birth to a boy or a girl; either way, the child would be the first beloved great-grandchild of the Sheng family. However, she knew that in their traditional hearts, the elder generation secretly prayed for a boy, since the Sheng lineage currently consisted of a single male heir.
After dinner, Pan Yue automatically moved to clear the dishes, but Grandma Sheng immediately shooed her back into the bedroom to rest her fragile stomach.
Wanyan stayed to help her grandmother scrub the pots and bowls before preparing to head home. As she tied her coat, Grandma Sheng pulled her close and whispered, “Come over for dinner tomorrow night. I’m going to simmer a rich fish soup just for you.”
Hearing the conspiratorial whisper, Wanyan couldn’t help but smile, shaking her head. “Grandma, save the fish to nourish Sister-in-law’s body. I won’t be coming over for dinner.”
Grandma Sheng frowned, her eyes narrowing. “Tingxiao explicitly agreed to let you eat with us while he was away on deployment. Why are you suddenly refusing?” Her grip tightened anxiously on Wanyan’s arm. “Did someone in the compound say something nasty to you?”
Wanyan was genuinely amused by her grandmother’s overactive imagination. “No, Grandma, no one said a thing. It’s just that every household is frantically stockpiling food for the winter right now. My brother risks his life to earn his wages; how can I comfortably freeload off his rations every single day?”
Grandma Sheng’s face clouded over with displeasure, assuming Wanyan was underestimating their financial stability. “Your Grandpa and I both have our state pensions! We are more than capable of feeding you a hot meal every day. Besides, it’s our own money, and we are more than happy to spend it on our precious granddaughter.”
Hearing the fierce, unconditional love in her voice, Wanyan felt a profound sense of gratitude. No matter the generational gap, her grandparents’ devotion to her remained absolute.
“Grandma, listen to me,” Wanyan coaxed softly. “If I show up at my brother’s flat every single day, the neighbors are going to gossip. That kind of talk could eventually reach headquarters and negatively impact Tingxiao’s military future. How about this? I’ll come over for dinner once every three days.”
If she visited every three days and brought a few extra provisions each time, the compound gossips wouldn’t have any grounds to complain. If she visited daily, however, the other wives would inevitably assume she was a greedy sister-in-law relentlessly leeching off her brother’s household. Furthermore, Pan Yue was pregnant and dealing with hormonal exhaustion; having a daily guest—even a sister-in-law—could easily spark unnecessary domestic friction over time.
Hearing that Wanyan’s daily presence might jeopardize Tingxiao’s rising career, Grandma Sheng immediately backed down. “Alright, alright. We certainly can’t do anything to affect young Gu’s future.”
Before stepping out, Wanyan remembered the base’s schedule. “Grandma, the logistics truck leaves for the city at seven o’clock on Monday morning. I’ll take you and Grandpa along so you can memorize the route. It’s roughly a forty-minute walk from the base to the local commune. The commune has a decent supply cooperative, and there’s a smaller depot right here on the base.”
Grandma Sheng nodded in understanding. Sheng Wanze had briefly shown her the base depot, which carried basic daily necessities, but she knew that if she wanted to purchase fresh meat or specialty goods, she would have to trek to the larger supply cooperative in the city.
“Perfect. I’ll be waiting downstairs for you on Monday morning,” Grandma Sheng agreed.
With the plans set, Wanyan stepped out of the apartment building and began the walk back to her courtyard. The sun had completely set, leaving the dirt paths cloaked in shadows, but her vision was remarkably sharp, and the highly secured military compound was entirely devoid of danger.
Once back inside her own walls, Wanyan retrieved a scoop of premium dog food from her pocket dimension and poured it into Maodou’s bowl. The puppy had been whining from hunger and devoured the kibble frantically. Wanyan quickly fetched him a bowl of clean water. After he had eaten and drank his fill, Maodou immediately began pacing the perimeter of the courtyard, sniffing the corners defensively.
Wanyan raised an eyebrow, impressed. The bloodline of a military dog is truly remarkable. The pup was already trying to secure the perimeter.
Since Tingxiao wasn’t home to catch her, Wanyan dropped all pretense. She slipped directly into her dimension, indulging in a luxurious, steaming hot shower before enjoying a bowl of fresh, sweet fruit. Her modern space was stocked with a massive inventory of premium shower gels, shampoos, facial cleansers, and cosmetics from top-tier international brands. In her previous life, she had mercilessly emptied the warehouses of several luxury shopping malls before the crossover.
However, she had no intention of conducting any black-market trading over the next few years. In this turbulent era, staying safe and under the radar was paramount. Before she had married, taking risks had been fine—she could always vanish into her space at the first sign of danger. But things were different now. If her secret activities were exposed, Gu Tingxiao would be implicated, and the guilt of ruining the brilliant military career he had built with his own blood and sweat would destroy her.
She resolved to keep her luxury goods strictly hidden until the economic reforms officially began, or until she had an absolutely foolproof, legitimate excuse to bring them out.
Wanyan carried Maodou into the living room, letting the puppy chew on a toy while she climbed onto the kang and drifted off to sleep.
The next morning, Wanyan spent a quiet few hours at home watering her backyard vegetables before hauling a heavy wooden bucket to the communal gardening plot to tend her winter cabbage.
Arriving at the fields, she spotted Grandpa Sheng slowly watering Pan Yue’s assigned plot. She hurried over to take the heavy watering can from his hands.
“I can handle a little physical labor, child,” Grandpa Sheng protested, though he used his hands to support his lower back as he straightened up with a wince.
Wanyan noted the subtle strain in his posture. “Grandpa, leave the watering to me. Go wait for me back at my courtyard. Let’s play a few rounds of chess.”
At the mention of his favorite pastime, Grandpa Sheng’s posture instantly straightened, and his eyes sparkled. “Chess? You’re on!” He immediately abandoned the garden plot, hurrying down the path toward her house.
Wanyan shook her head with an affectionate laugh, quickly finished watering both plots, and followed him home.
The moment she walked through her gate, Grandpa Sheng was waiting for her, practically vibrating with impatience. Wanyan set her bucket down, stepped into her bedroom, and discreetly retrieved a beautiful chess set from her dimension. The board was carved from fragrant, solid sandalwood, and the pieces were crafted from smooth, ordinary jade—elegant, but not so priceless as to raise dangerous political questions.
When Grandpa Sheng saw the exquisite board, his eyes lit up like a child’s. He grabbed her arm, dragged her into the bamboo pavilion, and aggressively urged her to set up the pieces.
Wanyan brewed two cups of strong tea before sitting down across from him. The game commenced, both players trading sharp, calculating moves, neither willing to yield an inch of territory.
Maodou, curious about the new visitor, trotted over and began circling Grandpa Sheng’s legs. The old man absentmindedly scooped the puppy up, setting him comfortably on his lap as his eyes remained laser-focused on the board.
“Wait, wait! I didn’t mean to move that piece,” Grandpa Sheng suddenly announced. He reached out to retract his move, but Wanyan swiftly clamped her hand over his wrist.
“Grandpa, a true master never takes back a move~” she teased.
“I am your grandfather! What’s wrong with showing an old man a little respect?” he huffed indignantly. Without waiting for her permission, he stubbornly snatched his piece back and placed it on a safer square, a look of utter triumph crossing his wrinkled face.
Wanyan could only sigh and accept her fate. What else could she do? He was her grandfather, after all.
Determined to teach him a lesson, Wanyan stopped holding back. She pushed her offensive line aggressively, causing a bead of sweat to break out on Grandpa Sheng’s forehead as he struggled to defend his general. Why is this girl playing so ruthlessly today?! he panicked silently.
After a grueling ten rounds, their score remained perfectly tied. Slowly, it dawned on Grandpa Sheng that Wanyan was deliberately manipulating the board to force a draw every single time.
This wicked girl! She’s actively toying with me!
“Again! Set them up again!” Grandpa Sheng demanded, growing increasingly competitive. He was determined to definitively crush her in the next round.
Seeing the sheer, frantic excitement on his face, Wanyan decided to stop teasing him. She deliberately made a few subtle blunders, allowing him to swiftly checkmate her in two consecutive games.
Grandpa Sheng leaned back in his chair, taking a slow, immensely satisfied sip of his tea. He looked at her with a smug, victorious grin. “A grandfather is still a grandfather, my dear.”
Wanyan rolled her eyes in silent exasperation, though she couldn’t suppress a fond smile. He truly was impossible.
“Alright, alright, enough playing for today. Your grandmother will be hunting me down soon,” Grandpa Sheng chuckled.
Wanyan packed up the beautiful sandalwood board and handed him the two fresh apples she had promised to send back for Pan Yue.
