Chapter 216: Fair Treatment by Mother Sheng
He didn’t dare let Sheng Wanyan stand alone in the bathtub, terrified that she might lose her footing and slip. Wanyan gladly accepted his hyper-vigilance; after all, she placed immense importance on the pregnancy herself and didn’t dare make any reckless movements.
“Wanyan, I’m going to take a quick shower in the backyard,” Gu Tingxiao said, checking the water level. “Wait right here for me to come back and help you out when you’re finished.”
“Alright.”
Wanyan was a woman of her word, so Gu Tingxiao felt secure enough to leave her alone in the washroom for a few minutes. Even so, he washed at lightning speed, terrified that she might grow drowsy and drift off to sleep in the warm water.
Once they were both thoroughly clean, the couple settled into bed. As the winter chill pressed against the windows, Wanyan naturally tucked her cold feet beneath Gu Tingxiao’s legs to sap his warmth. She snuggled against his broad chest like he was a massive radiator, shuffling until she found the perfect, comfortable position before falling fast asleep in his arms.
Gu Tingxiao was entirely used to this routine. His wife was a pragmatic little thing—snuggling tightly into his arms when winter arrived, but completely abandoning him the second summer rolled around. She was a delightfully heartless girl.
The following morning, Sheng Wanyan woke up, ate a light breakfast, and walked across the street to chat with her parents. Mother Sheng was as vibrant and energetic as ever.
Sheng Wanze had risen before dawn to give his parents a grand tour of the residential compound. By the time they finished, Mother Sheng had practically mapped out the entire military area, introduced herself to several fellow military wives, and successfully embedded herself within their social circle.
By the time Wanyan stepped through the door, her mother had already prepared a fresh spread for her. “Come along, sit down and have some breakfast.”
The arrival of Mr. and Mrs. Sheng didn’t just relieve Grandma Sheng of her domestic burdens—Gu Tingxiao felt a profound wave of relief as well. With Mother Sheng officially managing the kitchen, he no longer had to wake up early to handle the cooking. Mother Sheng had explicitly instructed him to simply bring their raw ingredients over, announcing that she would take charge of preparing all three daily meals for both households from then on.
Neither Wanyan nor Pan Yue harbored a single objection to the arrangement, and the family dynamics blended seamlessly. Wanyan was a woman who deeply appreciated comfort, so having an expert chef manage her meals was a dream come true.
With her parents in residence, she embraced her inner lazy streak completely. Aside from showing up to eat, she spent the vast majority of her time relaxing comfortably on the brick kang.
Mother Sheng was an exceptional cook, and she was incredibly generous with her portions. After all, she was nourishing two pregnant women at the same time. Wanyan had maintained her preference for bold, savory flavors throughout her pregnancy, and Mother Sheng went out of her way to balance the menu. She would meticulously prepare a dish tailored to Pan Yue’s cravings alongside a dish specifically requested by Wanyan, ensuring neither her daughter-in-law nor her daughter ever felt slighted.
She would rather be a bit extravagant with their pantry resources than risk manufacturing a silent rift between the two young women, or giving Pan Yue a reason to harbor resentment toward her as a mother-in-law. Her deliberate impartiality deeply moved Pan Yue, solidifying her trust in her husband’s family.
In truth, Pan Yue had privately harbored a sliver of anxiety, wondering if Mother Sheng would instinctively favor her biological daughter over her daughter-in-law now that they were both expecting. She knew such thoughts were uncharitable, but navigating the volatile emotions of late pregnancy made it impossible to suppress the occasional anxious whim.
However, her mother-in-law’s flawless execution of fair treatment instantly shattered those worries, allowing her mind to settle into total peace.
Mother Sheng was far too sharp to miss the subtle anxieties flickering in Pan Yue’s eyes; it was the exact reason she handled the household with such calculated grace. While it was a biological reality that a mother’s heart would always lean slightly toward her own daughter, Pan Yue was the daughter-in-law of the Sheng line. She deserved to be treated with absolute care and respect. Furthermore, the child growing inside Pan Yue carried the Sheng bloodline; she was enduring the physical trials of pregnancy for the sake of their family and their son. As a mother-in-law, she refused to be ungrateful.
“Mom, these sausages you made are absolutely incredible,” Pan Yue smiled, reaching for another piece. Mother Sheng had brought a massive supply of homemade sausages from Chengdu, and they had quickly become Pan Yue’s favorite snack.
Hearing the praise, Mother Sheng’s eyes crinkled into a bright smile, and she swiftly used her chopsticks to transfer two more links onto her daughter-in-law’s plate. “If you love them, eat as many as you want! I cured this batch specifically for you.”
Both Father and Mother Sheng had strictly restricted their own consumption of the delicacies back home, hoarding every single link just to bring them up to the base.
“Thank you, Mom,” Pan Yue beamed.
Watching her daughter-in-law eat with such a robust appetite filled Mother Sheng with immense satisfaction; there was nothing better for a pregnant woman than being able to eat heartily and sleep deeply.
“Wanyan, I fried up a batch of spicy chicken just for you,” Mother Sheng added, placing a plump chicken leg into her daughter’s bowl.
Wanyan accepted it eagerly, taking a savory bite. “Mmm. Mom, I’ve missed your cooking so much.”
“Oh, please. You don’t miss me at all; you just miss having a personal chef, don’t you?”
Wanyan offered a brilliant smile, making no attempt to deny the charge. She knew that even if she manufactured a sweet denial, her mother wouldn’t buy it for a second. “I can’t help it, Mom. Your skills are simply unmatched.”
Mother Sheng shot her an exasperated look. “I swear, Gu Tingxiao has spoiled you rotten.”
“I think so, too,” Wanyan agreed instantly, nodding in proud affirmation.
Sitting nearby, Gu Tingxiao caught his wife’s casual praise, and the stern lines of his face instantly softened, a small, proud smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
“Goodness, look at the shameless face on you!” Mother Sheng muttered, completely defeated by her daughter’s audacity. This girl was breathtakingly beautiful, yet she could deploy the most shocking retorts without blinking. She truly had no idea who Wanyan had inherited this silver tongue from; her eloquence was almost criminal.
“I had no choice. I take after you, after all,” Wanyan countered smoothly.
“You little rebel! You’re simply weaponizing your pregnancy to torment me today!” Mother Sheng huffed. The moment she arrived, she found herself locked in a battle of wits with her own daughter; she jokingly wondered if she would have been better off without her.
Gu Tingxiao watched the playful banter unfold between his wife and mother-in-law, while the rest of the family looked on with wide smiles. It was a universal truth: whenever Mother Sheng and Sheng Wanyan shared a room, a brilliant show was guaranteed. It had been the exact same dynamic before their marriage, and it hadn’t shifted an inch since.
Once the dishes were cleared, Sheng Wanyan reached into her bag with a smile, pulling out the custom-made winter gloves and scarves she had stitched for her parents.
Mr. and Mrs. Sheng accepted the winter gear, turning the soft wool over in their hands, their eyes shining with genuine affection.
“Well, look at that. It seems you possess a shred of filial conscience after all,” Mother Sheng noted, though everyone in the room could tell she was merely being stubborn.
“If you love them that much, I can always sew another set for you tomorrow,” Wanyan teased.
“Then I shall hold you to that promise.”
Mother Sheng nodded with a smile, before turning her attention to unzipping her massive travel cases to distribute the treasures she had brought from Chengdu.
“Take these five links of sausage and three slabs of cured bacon back to your kitchen,” she instructed, piling the items into Wanyan’s arms. “And take these two tins of premium malted milk powder. Your father went to the city cooperative before dawn, standing in a massive queue just to secure them for you. This is a new winter dress I stitched for you, though you won’t be able to fit into it until next season due to the baby. And finally, these are clothes for your husband—your father picked them out himself, so the sizing should be perfect.”
Mother Sheng handed over the bountiful haul, before pulling Wanyan into the guest room to have a long, intimate mother-daughter talk.
“Does the Gu family know about the pregnancy yet?” Mother Sheng asked, her voice dropping into a gentle register.
Wanyan shook her head. “No. We decided it’s best to wait until I clear the three-month mark.”
Mother Sheng nodded in firm approval. During these delicate early weeks, maintaining a low profile was always the wisest choice. “Are you and Xiao Gu still intending to travel back to the Capital for the Lunar New Year?”
“Yes. Our original blueprint involved stopping in Rongcheng first before heading to the capital, but now that you and Dad have traveled up here, we can head straight to the Capital.”
Mother Sheng gently patted her daughter’s hands. She could sense how deeply Wanyan had missed her childhood home. “You’re carrying now, so you must minimize unnecessary transit. But you absolutely must accompany Xiao Gu back to the capital for the holidays; after all, this is your very first New Year as a married couple.”
Wanyan nodded. It was precisely out of respect for traditional marital customs that she had agreed to the trip.
“Still, the thought of you enduring a cross-country train journey while pregnant keeps my heart in my throat,” Mother Sheng sighed, her brow furrowing with maternal anxiety. If they intended to reach the Capital in time for the festivities, they would have to board the trains next month. By then, her daughter would only be at the three-month threshold—the absolute tail end of the volatile first trimester. The sheer physical exhaustion of long-distance rail travel filled her with dread.
“You must promise me to be exceptionally careful out there,” Mother Sheng urged softly. “Though, knowing how fiercely protective Xiao Gu is, I suppose I can let my heart rest a little easier.”
