Chapter 269: Meeting with the In-Laws
Sheng Wanyan smiled and nodded. Knowing that her mother-in-law was genuinely concerned about her welfare, she decided it was best not to stubbornly refuse her help.
“Mom, I’m afraid I’ll have to trouble you a lot over the next few months.”
Hearing those soft words, Mother Gu beamed. “Oh, don’t talk about trouble. We’re a family, aren’t we?”
With someone like Wang Chunmei in the family to serve as a stark contrast, Mother Gu couldn’t be more satisfied with her other two daughters-in-law. When Wang Chunmei had given birth to Gu Jingjing, Mother Gu had moved in to take care of her during her confinement. Throughout that entire period, Wang Chunmei had never once uttered the words “thank you” or acknowledged that anyone was going to any trouble for her.
Instead, she acted as though this was a strict, mandatory obligation her mother-in-law owed her. She never seemed to realize that raising children was the fundamental responsibility of the parents, not a debt to be paid by the grandmother. Every time Wang Chunmei whined that she had “suffered to bear a child for the Gu family,” Mother Gu’s head would instantly begin to throb.
If you didn’t want to have a baby, could a mother-in-law truly force you? It was she and her husband who couldn’t control their own desires, yet she insisted on placing herself on a moral high ground.
“Mom, this is the pheasant I fried earlier. Give it a try,” Sheng Wanyan said, placing a plump chicken leg into her bowl.
Mother Gu’s first instinct was to pass the choice cut right back to the pregnant woman. However, realizing that her daughter-in-law might feel a little awkward or constrained by her sudden arrival, she took it with a warm smile instead, hoping to help Sheng Wanyan relax.
Seeing her mother-in-law happily accept the food, Sheng Wanyan internally breathed a sigh of relief. Truth be told, she had been a little nervous about being left completely alone with Mother Gu. Although she was confident in her social skills, this was the first time across two lifetimes that she had to live under the same roof with a mother-in-law.
She hoped that she and Mother Gu could live together comfortably and authentically, without having to constantly put on a polite performance or awkwardly force the best portions of food onto one another. When sharing a home, the most critical element was that both parties felt entirely at ease.
Having received a higher education, Mother Gu naturally understood this philosophy perfectly. Though she was the mother-in-law, she recognized that this was ultimately her son and daughter-in-law’s home. She had come here to help, not to dictate the lifestyle of the young couple. If there was a routine she wasn’t used to, she simply wouldn’t interfere.
Her main goal was to ensure three nutritious meals a day and safeguard the health of both Sheng Wanyan and the unborn baby. As for anything else, she kept her opinions to herself and let things flow naturally, allowing her to maintain her own peace of mind.
Once they finished their meal, Mother Gu immediately stood up to clear the table.
“Mom, let me handle it today,” Sheng Wanyan offered. “You’ve been traveling for days. You should take a warm shower and rest first.”
Seeing how exhausted her body truly felt after the long railway journey, Mother Gu didn’t object further. She followed Sheng Wanyan into the kitchen, her eyes widening in admiration at the clever, updated setup.
“Wanyan, this kitchen is designed beautifully. It’s so convenient!”
“Mom, if you like it, you should come and stay with us more often.”
Hearing the genuine warmth in her daughter-in-law’s voice, Mother Gu knew the girl truly welcomed her presence. “Your mom will definitely come visit whenever she can, but my work means I can never truly leave the Capital permanently.”
Sheng Wanyan nodded understandingly. the Capital was Mother Gu’s anchor. The older generation always felt a strong pull toward their roots, and Mother Gu’s roots happened to be planted firmly at the nation’s center.
Mother Gu carried a basin of warm water into her room to freshen up, and then thoughtfully carried two more heavy buckets of hot and cold water into the main bathroom for Sheng Wanyan.
After her shower, Mother Gu began unpacking her massive haul of luggage, systematically organizing the items in the living room with Sheng Wanyan’s help. She had brought an incredible bounty: several tins of premium milk powder, fresh fruits, and a mountain of cured meats left over from the Lunar New Year celebrations.
The rest of the bags contained a treasure trove for the baby, including various toys, lightweight summer clothing, and tiny socks.
Most importantly, she had brought everything necessary for a proper postpartum confinement. There were ten kilograms of pure brown sugar, over fifty fresh eggs, and a thick, windproof hat. If a woman’s head was exposed to a draft during her confinement period, she would be plagued by chronic headaches for the rest of her life. Mother Gu had packed every single item she could think of; if they discovered anything was missing, she intended to fire off a telegram to the Capital and have Grandma Gu ship it up immediately.
She handed all the perishable food items over to Sheng Wanyan, leaving the infant clothing and blankets to be thoroughly washed and sun-dried the following morning.
“Wanyan, let’s get this meat stored away in the cellar.”
Sheng Wanyan grabbed a flashlight from the drawer and guided her out to the backyard cellar entrance. Mother Gu carefully climbed down the ladder, but the moment she clicked the flashlight on and surveyed the space, her jaw dropped in absolute astonishment.
Piles of premium grains were stacked neatly against the wall, and heavy cuts of cured meat hung from the rafters. The inventory was so vast and robust that they wouldn’t have to worry about groceries for the entire six months of her stay.
Mother Gu hung her fresh contribution alongside the others and climbed back up to the surface. “You two managed to prepare this much food?”
Before embarking on her trip, she had been wracked with anxiety, worrying that a heavily pregnant Sheng Wanyan would find it nearly impossible to forage for proper provisions in the remote northern base. What a joke, she thought, amused by her own fretfulness. I was completely worrying over nothing.
“A lot of it is leftover stock from last winter,” Sheng Wanyan explained with a soft chuckle. “And we managed to purchase the rest through a few reliable connections.”
Mother Gu nodded approvingly, pleased to see that the young couple possessed such excellent organizational instincts.
Sheng Wanyan showed her where the toiletries were kept, presenting her with a brand-new toothbrush and a plush towel. Having finished their evening chores, the two women washed up and retreated to their respective bedrooms to rest.
As for the lingering shadow of Liang Qian’s drama, they both tacitly agreed it could wait until tomorrow. Now that Mother Gu was physically stationed in the compound, she had zero intention of letting anyone trample over Sheng Wanyan again. If anyone dared to bully her daughter-in-law under her watch, she wouldn’t deserve to be called the mistress of the Gu family.
When Sheng Wanyan woke up the following morning, the rich, savory aroma of breakfast was already drifting through the apartment.
Sheng Wanyan’s kitchen pantry was usually kept under lock and key, but she had handed a duplicate key to Mother Gu the previous night, giving her full authority over the inventory. Having successfully helped her other two daughters-in-law navigate their pregnancies, Mother Gu had plenty of experience and knew exactly what nutrients Sheng Wanyan required at this advanced stage.
She had laid out a beautiful, vitamin-rich breakfast spread: a steaming pot of millet porridge, perfectly scrambled eggs, lightly stir-fried Chinese cabbage, fresh tomatoes dusted with a hint of white sugar, and a few small dishes of pickled side vegetables.
“Wanyan, come sit. You need to eat more,” Mother Gu urged, piling the lion’s share of the eggs into her daughter-in-law’s bowl. Sheng Wanyan didn’t stand on ceremony and accepted the food happily.
Just as they were finishing their meal, a gentle knock sounded at the door. Grandpa and Grandma Sheng had walked across the lane. Since their grandson-in-law’s mother had traveled such a massive distance to reach the base, it was only proper etiquette for the family elders to pay a formal welcome visit.
The moment Mother Gu spotted the two elderly figures approaching the porch, she immediately smoothed her clothes and hurried out to greet them with a respectful, bright smile.
“Grandpa, Grandma, hello! I was actually just preparing to walk over and visit you.” She reached out to gently support Grandma Sheng’s elbow. “I cannot thank you enough for looking after Wanyan so beautifully over the past few months. Our family is deeply grateful.”
Her deferential, sincere words filled Grandpa and Grandma Sheng with an immense sense of pride and comfort. Even though Wanyan was their own flesh and blood, it meant the world to them that her husband’s prominent family actively recognized and respected their labor.
“Oh, you’re being far too polite, in-law,” Grandma Sheng beamed, waving her hand. “We’re all one family, aren’t we?”
“Exactly,” Mother Gu agreed warmly. “Grandpa, Grandma, and Wanze’s wife must absolutely come over to our place for dinner tonight. Please allow me to host.”
As the younger generation, it was Mother Gu’s duty to extend the initial hospitality. Grandpa and Grandma Sheng readily accepted the invitation; since she had extended the offer so graciously, a proper celebratory family dinner was definitely in order.
“Then we shall gladly accept your wonderful invitation,” Grandpa Sheng replied with a chuckle.
Mother Gu guided them into the warm living room, and the two families settled into a comfortable, lively conversation. She bustled into the kitchen, returning with several cups of warm sugar water and a plate of freshly sliced apples—one portion placed directly in front of Sheng Wanyan, and the rest shared among the elders.
