Chapter 522 | Chapter 523 | Chapter 524
Chapter 522: The Second Child is on the Way
Hearing Mother Gu’s words, Yi Yi gave a nod. Sheng Wanyan crouched down and opened her arms, and Yi Yi gently stepped forward into her embrace.
“Mama~”
“Yi Yi, what did you do at home today?”
“Kept Great-grandpa company~”
Yi Yi was always highly enthusiastic about sharing everything that happened to her each day. When they reached a funny part, the mother and daughter would share a hearty laugh together.
“How is it?” Grandma Gu walked over and asked.
Mother Gu nodded, a smile stretching across her face that she couldn’t hide even if she tried. “She’s pregnant, already two and a half months along.”
Hearing this, Grandfather Gu and Grandma Gu instantly burst into smiles. With one happy occasion following another in the household, how could they possibly be anything but ecstatic?
“Good, good, good. From now on, our Yi Yi will have a little brother or sister.”
Grandfather Gu let out a loud roar of excitement. Hearing that she was going to have a little brother or sister, Yi Yi stared at Sheng Wanyan with a completely bewildered look.
“Little brother or sister?”
Sheng Wanyan tidied her hair, then took her hand to lead her over to sit properly on the sofa.
“Yi Yi, Mama is pregnant.”
Sheng Wanyan spoke the truth plainly without hiding anything. There was no need to keep this sort of thing from a child; instead, she needed to discuss it with her.
“In the future, Yi Yi will have a little brother or sister. When they grow up, they will play with Yi Yi.”
Yi Yi was overjoyed upon hearing this, her eyes shining brightly as she looked at her mother.
“Really?”
Yi Yi desperately wanted a companion to play with, but she only returned to the military compound on weekends. On normal days, Huzi had to go to school, so they could only play together in the evenings.
She was incredibly bored during the day, so she constantly wished for a little brother or sister to keep her company.
“Yes. Can Yi Yi let your little brother or sister play with you in the future?”
“If your little brother or sister is being naughty, can you teach them?”
She phrased it as teaching them, not letting them have their way.
“Of course!”
Yi Yi clapped her little hands together and looked at her mother’s stomach with immense excitement.
“Mama~ Can I feel it?”
“Of course.”
Sheng Wanyan placed her little hand onto her stomach. Yi Yi gently patted it, looking exactly like a little adult.
“Be good, or else I’ll beat you.”
The elders in the room couldn’t help but laugh out loud at her words. Mother Gu walked over and gathered her into a hug.
“Our Yi Yi is going to be a big sister from now on.”
“If your little brother or sister doesn’t listen, Yi Yi must educate them properly.”
“Right!”
Yi Yi brandished her little fist at Sheng Wanyan’s stomach. If it was a little brother who didn’t listen, she would beat him; if it was a little sister who didn’t listen, she wouldn’t let her wear pretty dresses.
“The doctor said Wanyan’s health is a bit poor right now, making it easy to suffer a miscarriage,” Mother Gu explained. “I plan to take a month’s leave to look after Wanyan for a while.”
Mother Gu had already made up her mind, and Grandfather Gu and Grandma Gu naturally had no objections upon hearing this.
Eldest Sister-in-law Gu was currently six months pregnant, and there was a nanny at home, so she didn’t need to do any chores. Gu Jinfang was already a big boy who could head straight home by himself after school let out.
“Mom, go ahead and look after Third Sister-in-law. Don’t worry about me.”
Eldest Sister-in-law Gu understood the priorities. She was still quite far from her own due date, and with people at home, she didn’t strictly need Mother Gu’s care.
On the contrary, Third Sister-in-law’s health was currently poor, and she had to attend classes while looking after a toddler, so she required help far more than she did.
“Alright, as long as you all have no objections, it’s settled.”
Since Mother Gu had spoken up, the two elders naturally wouldn’t object; the most critical factor was still Eldest Sister-in-law Gu’s input. After all, with both daughters-in-law pregnant, maintaining a harmonious household was paramount.
Mother Gu went to take her leave of absence that very afternoon, calling Father Gu’s office to let him know, and then accompanied Sheng Wanyan back to the courtyard near Peking University.
Sheng Wanyan brought out fresh bedding to clean the room for her, but Mother Gu hurriedly snatched them out of her hands.
“Don’t do any chores, hurry up and go rest properly.”
“Leave the household to me during this period. I’ll go pick Yi Yi up from her classes.”
Mother Gu was worried sick and was already calculating how to nourish her body.
“Mom, I’m truly fine.”
Sheng Wanyan had checked her own pulse. Drinking the spiritual spring water a few times would completely restore her constitution. She had simply been too busy recently and had neglected to look after her health.
“Wanyan, we should keep the pregnancy hidden from outsiders for now.”
“Send a letter to Old Third to let him know.”
“Mom, let’s not tell Tingxiao just yet. He mentioned in his last letter that he was about to go out on a mission.”
Mother Gu’s hands paused upon hearing this, and she nodded in agreement with Sheng Wanyan’s decision. It was indeed better not to distract him while he was out on a mission.
“You’re right to be thoughtful. We’ll tell that brat when he returns.”
After putting on the sheets and storing her clothes in the wardrobe, Mother Gu went to cook dinner.
Fortunately, Sheng Wanyan loved keeping the household pantry stocked to the absolute brim, otherwise it would have been highly inconvenient to secretly pull items from her space during this period.
“Mom, after dinner, I’ll take you to the clothing store to pick out a few outfits.”
“There are plenty of styles that suit you beautifully. When the time comes, the three of us—mother-in-law, daughter-in-law, and granddaughter—can wear matching outfits. It’ll definitely look wonderful when we walk out.”
“Sure.”
Mother Gu didn’t stand on ceremony either. She truly quite liked the styles in Sheng Wanyan’s clothing store; wearing them made a person look exceptionally elegant. She felt there was absolutely nothing wrong with dressing herself up. If you don’t dress up while you’re alive, are you supposed to wait until you’re dead to do it?
After eating their fill, Mother Gu set the bathwater to boil, then led Yi Yi and Sheng Wanyan toward the clothing store.
“Boss.”
The employees quickly greeted her when they saw her arrive. There were still a few scattered customers browsing inside at this hour.
“Carry on with your work, I’m just bringing my mother-in-law over to pick out some clothes.”
“Understood.”
Sheng Wanyan helped Mother Gu select quite a few items. Mother Gu loved simple, elegant clothing, and since she was tall, she looked exceptionally well-suited for pants.
“These pants are comfortable.”
Mother Gu tried on a pair of wide-leg pants made of suit fabric. They were perfect for her to wear to work.
“Yes. Mom, take two pairs back with you so you can wear them to the office.”
“Alright.”
Sheng Wanyan picked out several sets of tops, pants, and skirts that were highly suitable for a professional commute. It had to be said that Mother Gu truly suited this style of clothing; she looked deeply intellectual and refined, yet carried a hint of gentle warmth.
“Mom, try on this tailored skirt.”
“When the time comes, you can pair it with a blazer, cinch a belt around the waist, and match it with a pair of leather shoes.”
“Not bad, not bad at all.”
Mother Gu tried on quite a few pieces, packaging up everything that fit well. When she stepped forward to pay, Sheng Wanyan quickly stopped her.
“Put it on my tab.”
As soon as Sheng Wanyan spoke, she grabbed the items and pulled Mother Gu out of the shop. There was absolutely no reason to let her mother-in-law spend money on clothes from her own brand.
“You child! Running a shop isn’t easy, how could I not pay you!”
“Mom, are you treating me like an outsider?”
“If you’re going to be this distant, I’ll have no choice but to send every single style straight to the house.”
“Don’t, don’t, don’t! I could never wear that many.”
Mother Gu immediately shut her mouth upon hearing this. This third daughter-in-law of hers was someone who couldn’t be pulled back by ten oxen once she set her mind to something; she didn’t want her to start delivering clothes to the house as if they cost nothing.
“Fine, fine, fine, I won’t pay.”
Hearing her yield, Sheng Wanyan dropped the subject of sending clothes to the house, though she planned to bring things back for the family regularly in the future. The same went for Mother Sheng, who was always reluctant to spend on food or clothing; it seemed she would have to deliver items straight to her door as well.
“When you have nothing to do during the day, you can go hang out at the general store. It’s incredibly lively over there.”
“Really?”
Chapter 523: Mother Gu’s Gossip-Loving Nature
“Yes, there are usually quite a few people going there to browse and gossip.”
Mother Gu’s interest was instantly piqued upon hearing this. She absolutely loved a good piece of gossip, and this would be the perfect chance to have some fun and lively chatter with her counterpart.
“You need to be careful when going to school, so don’t ride your bicycle there anymore.”
Sheng Wanyan nodded. Now that Mother Gu had arrived, she hadn’t planned on riding a bike to school anyway, so she would leave the bicycle for Mother Gu to use.
“I know. Be careful when you go pick up Yi Yi too, don’t trip or fall.”
“Don’t worry.”
With Mother Gu taking care of the house, Sheng Wanyan looked completely radiant. Her entire energy and spirit quickly transformed for the better.
The clothing store and the small workshop had both stabilized, so Sheng Wanyan didn’t need to worry too much. She only needed to show up occasionally to resolve minor issues.
Mother Gu prepared the three daily meals for the household every day, and at noon, she would pick Yi Yi up and bring her home to rest.
In the afternoon, when she had nothing to do, she would go to the general store to help sell things and discuss the latest gossip with Mother Sheng.
Seeing Mother Gu staying here for so long, Mother Sheng had more or less guessed what was going to happen.
The Gu family was adding a new member, and the Sheng family was about to add one too.
That’s right, Pan Yue was pregnant. She was already three months along, which was just half a month ahead of Sheng Wanyan.
Both men had left their seeds behind before leaving home…
Mother Sheng hadn’t told anyone before, and even Sheng Wanyan hadn’t noticed since she was too busy to pay close attention.
Now that the three months were up, Mother Sheng didn’t hide it anymore and started chatting about it with Mother Gu.
“Well, that’s great news! The children will have a companion to grow up with down the line.”
“Exactly.”
Mother Sheng felt the same way. Huzi and Yi Yi had each other, and now the two in their bellies would be able to play together in the future too.
“In-law, I must say, you look quite a bit younger.”
Hearing this, Mother Sheng touched her own face. Is that real or fake?
“Really?”
“Yes, your complexion looks much more radiant and rosy.”
Mother Gu truly felt that Mother Sheng looked younger, and her style of dressing had changed too. She no longer wore those dull, lifeless colors from before, opting for vibrant and bright ones instead.
“Oh my, if you hadn’t mentioned it, I wouldn’t have even realized.”
Mother Sheng hurriedly picked up a mirror to look. Truth be told, her face really did look much rosier?
“Auntie Sheng, is this your younger sister?”
Some people were also curious about Mother Gu, especially since she had been appearing frequently at the general store over the past few days.
“This is my child’s mother-in-law, Wanyan’s mother-in-law.”
“Oh! The university student’s mother-in-law?”
The fact that Sheng Wanyan and Pan Yue were university students was still a hot topic among the neighborhood aunts, even though school had already been in session for three months.
“You flatter us, you flatter us. It’s all because the children worked hard themselves.”
Mother Gu was proud in her heart, but her surface demeanor was still highly modest. The crowd could tell with a single glance that this mother-in-law and daughter-in-law shared an exceptionally close relationship.
They had been wondering if the relationship was poor, to see if their own sons could stand a chance at a lucky break.
“Don’t be so modest. Who wouldn’t be envious of your family’s daughter-in-law for being so smart and capable?”
“She’s a university student and a business owner at the same time.”
“Exactly. If my daughter-in-law were this successful, I would kowtow to my ancestors a few times out of gratitude.”
Mother Gu smiled upon hearing this and quickly hit it off with the aunts. Mother Sheng shook her head with a smile.
She had been hearing these words for several months now, and she couldn’t help but feel proud every single time. Now, it was time to let her counterpart experience it too.
Mother Gu felt completely floating from everyone’s flattery, and it wasn’t until Mother Sheng reminded her that it was time to pick up the child that she reluctantly departed.
She finally understood why her counterpart had looked so much younger. Being praised like this every single day, how could one not look younger?
Mother Gu rode the bicycle over to the Beijing Dance Academy, where Yi Yi walked out holding Aunt Hu’s hand.
“Grandma~”
The moment Yi Yi saw Mother Gu, she ran toward her, and Mother Gu quickly caught her in her arms.
Aunt Hu smiled at the sight of Mother Gu. As two people of the same generation, their levels of education allowed them to connect well. Before they knew it, they had grown close and become good friends.
“Come, I’ll give you a ride back since it’s on my way.”
“That would be wonderful.”
Aunt Hu sat in the back holding Yi Yi, while Mother Gu rode the bicycle in front, the three of them chatting and laughing along the way.
“Come over to the general store when you don’t have classes over the weekend. Bring Old Hu over to my house for a meal. Let me tell you, the general store is full of interesting things.”
Aunt Hu frequented the general store quite often to buy things, and she also knew that it was opened by Sheng Wanyan, though she had never mentioned this matter to the outside world.
She was also acquainted with Mother Sheng, and they would usually chat whenever they ran into each other to maintain their connection.
“Sure. I’ll go check out that clothing store next door when the time comes and buy a couple of outfits.”
“What was that clothing store called again?”
Aunt Hu couldn’t recall it for a moment, but she knew that the clothing store had been incredibly popular lately, with all the female students at school constantly discussing it.
“Right! It’s called ‘Huayi,’ and the English name is ‘Chinana.'”
The clothing store’s Chinese name was Huayi, which was a name Sheng Wanyan had explicitly chosen to pair with the English name.
Clothing of the Huaxia nation. In the future, the luxury goods that people pursued would come from the Huaxia nation, rather than imported goods from abroad.
“Wanyan opened it. I’ll get you a discount when the time comes,” Mother Gu whispered into her ear. Aunt Hu’s eyes widened in disbelief upon hearing this.
“Wanyan opened it?”
“My goodness.”
Aunt Hu truly hadn’t expected Sheng Wanyan to be this capable. Between the general store and the clothing store, the two most trending shops in the area were both her masterpieces.
“Surprising, isn’t it? I didn’t expect it either.”
Mother Gu truly admired Sheng Wanyan’s brains; it seemed that no matter what her third daughter-in-law did, she was always bound to succeed.
“Then I must definitely give it some good patronage.”
Aunt Hu held Yi Yi’s little hand. Yi Yi clapped her hands in absolute agreement with Aunt Hu’s words. That’s right, give it patronage!
Sheng Wanyan walked slowly back home. Since Mother Gu hadn’t arrived yet when she stepped inside, she went to get the rice cooking.
Mother Gu and Yi Yi returned after a short while. The moment Yi Yi stepped through the door, she turned into a little firecracker, scurrying all over the place.
“Maodou! Let’s go!”
“Where do you think you’re going?”
Sheng Wanyan walked out and grabbed her by the back of her collar. This little girl had become completely lawless lately, running out the second she came home.
“Mama~ Go find Big Brother.”
Ever since Yi Yi learned to navigate the way by herself, she would occasionally take Maodou out to find Huzi to play.
“It’s time for dinner.”
“Grandma will take you over after we finish eating.”
Mother Gu still harbored a certain disapproval regarding her going out alone. After all, she was barely a two-and-a-half-year-old toddler; no matter what, she shouldn’t be heading out completely unsupervised.
“Okay then~”
Yi Yi didn’t dare rebel. At home, Mama was the absolute boss, let alone a pregnant Mama.
Yi Yi obediently led Maodou over to have her food. Maodou was tall and fierce, and his appetite was no joke either.
After finishing her dinner, Mother Gu took Yi Yi out to find Huzi to play. Huzi happened to be receiving a beating at home.
In the past, Mother Sheng couldn’t bear to see Huzi get beaten, and every time Pan Yue wanted to hit him, she would coax her out of it.
But after living together for a long time and realizing just how reckless and stubborn this child could be, she felt like raising a hand herself.
“I didn’t do anything wrong!”
“He hit me! So I hit him back!”
Pan Yue was being driven half-mad with rage. This smelly brat got into fights with others every few days, and every single time, the other parents would come over to lodge a complaint.
Complaining was one thing, but this brat’s temper was just so stubborn—he simply refused to change his ways.
Chapter 524: Revealing One’s Sharpness
“Then let me ask you, why did they hit you?”
Hearing Pan Yue’s question, Huzi turned his head away. Guilty to the core, he didn’t dare look her in the eye.
“Did you tug on his little sister’s braids?”
“I just… gave it a tiny pull.”
Huzi stuttered out his defense, and Pan Yue narrowed her eyes at him.
The moment Yi Yi stepped into the house and saw the situation, she swiftly sat down on a small stool, propping up her chubby cheeks to watch the show.
“You pulled someone else’s sister’s braids, so why shouldn’t her older brother teach you a lesson?”
“If someone bullied your sister, would you hit him or not?!”
“I’d definitely beat him to death!”
The moment the words left Huzi’s mouth, he instantly covered his own mouth, his round eyes darting all over the place.
“Do you know your mistake now?”
“I know it…” Huzi said weakly, feeling rather embarrassed as he hung his head low, not daring to speak.
“Tell me, why did you only pull that one little girl’s braids?”
“She’s pretty.”
Pan Yue: “……” I never in a million years would have expected that.
To be so focused on looks at such a young age? At this rate, wouldn’t he bring a daughter-in-law back home incredibly early in the future?
Pan Yue felt a bit sour inside. He was already like this at just three years old; wouldn’t he turn into a complete playboy down the line?
“Starting tomorrow, you will return home and hold your horse stance every single day.”
“You still haven’t completed the tasks your father left for you.”
Previously, Pan Yue had felt that Huzi was too young and shouldn’t start physical training so early. Now, she no longer felt that way. She felt that Sheng Wanze’s educational method was entirely correct—he ought to be trained from a young age so he wouldn’t have the time to harbor those random thoughts.
“Huh?”
“Mom, I’m only three years old.”
Huzi held up three of his fingers for Pan Yue to see, but Pan Yue looked completely closed off to negotiation.
“Start right now, go to the backyard and hold your horse stance.”
“When you go to school tomorrow, you are to apologize to your female classmate.”
After finishing her sentence, Pan Yue turned around, picked Yi Yi up, and headed into the bedroom. The longer time passed, the more she coveted a daughter of her own.
Dejected, Huzi went to the backyard to hold his horse stance, listening to the jubilant waves of laughter drifting from the bedroom.
“Yi Yi, eat candy.”
“Yi Yi, take these pastries back with you, don’t leave any for your brother.”
“Look at the little skirt your aunt bought for you.”
“Hahahahahahaha……”
The room was filled entirely with Yi Yi’s laughter, which Huzi, who was taking his punishment in the backyard, could hear plain as day.
Huzi let out a heavy sigh, suddenly missing his old man. When his father was around, his mother’s temper wasn’t nearly this explosive. At the very least, he would help coax her a bit…
Sheng Wanze, thousands of miles away: “……” Is that all I’m good for?
Grandfather Sheng, Grandma Sheng, Mother Sheng, and Mother Gu were chatting in the living room. Mother Sheng would occasionally bring some water over to feed Huzi, though she didn’t speak up to help him out.
When Yi Yi left, she was clutching a whole pile of snacks. Before stepping out, she even ran to the backyard and stuffed Huzi’s pockets until they were completely packed.
Huzi grinned from ear to ear, unable to close his mouth. As expected, his little sister was the best.
“Student Sheng Wanyan, the class is planning to go out for an excursion over the weekend. Are you signing up?”
“Everyone is going to see Tiananmen Square and tour the Forbidden City together.”
The class monitor (Liu Xing) walked over holding a sign-up sheet. Since Sheng Wanyan was currently pregnant and the fetus hadn’t fully stabilized yet, she naturally wouldn’t be going out to play.
Everyone turned their eyes toward Sheng Wanyan. After all, she was exceptionally beautiful and had been voted the department beauty.
There were quite a few students from other majors who would sneak over just to catch a glimpse of her or engineer a chance encounter; many people in the school still didn’t know the reality of her being married.
“Class Monitor, I won’t be going.”
“My child is at home over the weekend, so I need to keep her company.”
Hearing this, the class monitor (Liu Xing) nodded. Sheng Wanyan rarely participated in collective activities; this was something everyone was well aware of.
“Alright, then I’ll ask the others.”
The monitor didn’t force her either. At any rate, whoever wanted to go could sign up; it wasn’t as if everyone was strictly required to volunteer.
The other girls in the dorm had all signed up. Going out together allowed them to look out for one another, especially since most of the students in their class were from out of town. They hadn’t gone out to explore since arriving in the Capital, as going out to play cost quite a bit of money and their academic workloads were heavy.
“Wanyan, are you really not going?”
Lin Meili looked at her. Three months into the semester, the dorm, which had originally been one large collective unit, had already fractured into several small cliques.
Lin Meili and Wei Lili formed one clique; Gu Shumin, Zheng Lingling, and Liu Na formed another; while Liang Fanghua was someone who could mingle perfectly well with both small cliques. It had to be said that a person with a bright, cheerful personality was highly welcomed wherever they went.
Li Jiahua would tag along with whoever she could catch, but Sheng Wanyan could tell that the other girls in the dorm only maintained a superficial harmony with her.
As for Sheng Wanyan herself, she was a complete outsider. Aside from being somewhat familiar with Wei Lili, no one else had truly gotten to know her deeply.
However, this little girl Lin Meili had been highly enthusiastic toward her lately. Presumably, it was due to Wei Lili’s influence, wanting to include her in their fun.
Sheng Wanyan naturally wouldn’t refuse either. After all, the university students of this era would all become elites in their respective industries down the line. Moreover, having one more friend meant having one more path open in the future.
“I won’t be going. My daughter doesn’t have school over the weekend, so I want to stay home and keep her company properly.”
Hearing this, Lin Meili nodded. Why did she suddenly feel a bit envious of Sheng Wanyan’s daughter?
Lin Meili’s gaze turned exceptionally fiery as she looked at her, making Sheng Wanyan feel a bit strange. Why did she always feel that the way Lin Meili looked at her was akin to looking at a fat sheep ripe for the slaughter?
Sheng Wanyan rubbed her arms; she was getting goosebumps from Lin Meili’s scrutiny.
The moment class ended, Sheng Wanyan quickly tried to make a run for it. Before she could escape, she was caught by Professor Zhao, who wanted to check on her learning progress.
“Professor.”
“How are you coming along with the learning plan I drew up for you?”
“I’ve completed all of it.”
Hearing her reply, Professor Zhao narrowed his eyes slightly and conducted a test on the spot.
Once the assessment concluded, the corners of Professor Zhao’s mouth curved upward, his gaze filled with immense pride and satisfaction.
“Excellent, keep up the good work.”
As Professor Zhao spoke, he pulled out a brand new learning plan and handed it to her, causing Sheng Wanyan to instantly freeze.
“Here, this is the learning plan I’ve tailored for you. It’s enough to keep you studying until the end of the summer vacation.”
So the old man had been prepared all along?!
It was currently June, which meant the final exams for the first semester weren’t far off.
“Do you have the confidence to take first place in this semester’s final exams?”
“Of course.”
Sheng Wanyan was completely confident. She never hid her own excellence; she was naturally outstanding, so why should she practice false modesty?
She had always known how cruel the world of the strong could be. You had to stand at a height that others couldn’t even reach, so that even if they had grievances against you, they would have no choice but to swallow them down.
Seeing the confidence on her face, Professor Zhao felt deeply satisfied in his heart. The first step to becoming a diplomat was language mastery, while the second step was absolute self-confidence.
Standing proudly at the very front, confidently displaying the elegance and proud spirit of the youth of the Huaxia nation on the international stage.
“If you fail to achieve it, your learning tasks will be doubled.”
Professor Zhao patted the mountain-like stack of books beside him. Sheng Wanyan felt quite dazed just looking at them.
“No problem.”
Sheng Wanyan agreed without a second thought, and only then did Professor Zhao let her leave with satisfaction.
“Professor, aren’t you heading home yet?”
