"Mom, can I go to Beijing with you?" Jiang Jinyao suggested.

“No, you can’t go with Mom.” Song Ting didn’t want Jiang Jinyao to know she was sick. “You still have your job. If you quit, you’ll have to go to the countryside to participate in construction. You can’t quit, understand?”

“Then after I marry An Lude, I won’t have to go to the countryside anymore. I can quit my job and go to Beijing to be with my mother, okay?” Jiang Jinyao said again.

Song Ting sighed and said, "Wait until Mom is settled before you go, okay?"

Jiang Jinyao opened her mouth, wanting to refuse what her mother said.

“If you don’t listen, Mom will be sad.” Song Ting looked at Jiang Jinyao with concern and said earnestly, “Yaoyao, factory work is not easy, you can’t just quit.”

For Jiang Jinyao, who had just graduated and entered this era, this job was her refuge.

Once you leave the job, it will be very difficult to find another job with such good benefits.

"Now that you've been promoted, you'll earn seventy-five yuan a month, plus dozens of kilograms of grain and meat coupons. You won't get such good treatment if you leave. These days, the highest salary for an ordinary worker is only forty or fifty yuan. You have a diploma and can design clothes, so you're considered a skilled worker. You should learn from Comrade Chen Qiaoyue. Didn't you say that she got a raise with you a few days ago? More than eighty yuan a month. The combined monthly salary of the two of you is equivalent to a family's annual income in the countryside."

Song Ting didn't reveal the reason for her illness because she was afraid Jiang Jinyao would resign.

This kind of good job is hard to find.

"Mom, I know. I will work hard. Once you've settled down and An Lude has a vacation, I'll go see you with him." Jiang Jinyao wiped away the tears in her eyes.

I told myself silently that I couldn't let my mother worry anymore.

Song Ting smiled and nodded.

He stroked Jiang Jinyao's head, took a deep breath, and knew that his daughter had to walk her own path.

...

The family compound is quite lively on weekends.

The young couple, Shen Qiaoyue and her husband, talked until very late before going to bed.

Early in the morning, Shen Qiaoyue didn't get up until eleven or twelve o'clock.

Lu Chen got up early to prepare lunch for the day.

Today is Shen Qiaoyue's birthday. I got up this morning, had breakfast, bought groceries, and then kneaded dough to make longevity noodles.

At noon, Shen Qiaoyue had not yet gotten up, so Shen Qiaoyu and Qian Luoshui came over to help.

Liu Xinlan also had a rare day off today, and she came over with Xu Qianli.

Hearing their playful noises in the yard, Shen Qiaoyue instantly woke up.

She overslept again. Seeing that it was almost midnight, she got up, changed her clothes, took a deep breath, and came out of her room.

"The birthday boy is only waking up now?" Liu Xinlan couldn't help but peek in when she heard the door click open.

Shen Qiaoyue smiled awkwardly, "Good morning!"

"It is quite early," Liu Xinlan replied with a smile.

Shen Qiaoyue, who rarely gets to sleep in, walked out awkwardly. Facing Liu Xinlan's death stare, she felt a guilty conscience she couldn't express.

“You can’t skip breakfast either. You need to eat three meals a day to ensure good sleep quality.” Liu Xinlan wasn’t suggesting that Shen Qiaoyue be lazy. As a doctor, she felt that it was very necessary for pregnant women to eat breakfast.

Shen Qiaoyue knew she was about to start nagging.

"I understand, I'll be more careful next time." Shen Qiaoyue admitted her mistake and corrected it, thus reducing Liu Xinlan's nagging.

These days, with Lu Chen away, she comes to visit every day to check on him, and her nagging is inevitable.

Qian Luoshui was sitting in the courtyard, having a great time playing with Xu Xiaosi.

"Aunt Chen, you're awake." Xu Xiaosi saw Shen Qiaoyue and walked over happily. "Aunt Chen, happy birthday! Aunt Qian said today is your birthday."

"Happy birthday, Aunt Shen," Liu Jiansheng said, running over to greet her.

Today is Sunday, and the children in the residential compound don't have school, so it's definitely much livelier.

"Thank you, Xiaosi, thank you, Jiansheng." Since becoming pregnant, Shen Qiaoyue has especially loved children.

Looking at these children, she imagined that her own children would be just as cute, kind, and speak in a sweet, childlike voice.

"The food will be ready soon. Go wash up first, and you can eat in a little while," Qian Luoshui said to Shen Qiaoyue.

"Okay." Shen Qiaoyue glanced around and saw three men busy in the kitchen.

When she went to wash up, the two children followed behind Shen Qiaoyue.

On weekdays, when Shen Qiaoyue is not at work, she makes delicious bread and cakes at home and gives them to the children in the family compound.

In the eyes of the children, Shen Qiaoyue was the most popular.

“Xiaoyue is quite popular with the children.” Qian Luoshui looked at the two children. When Shen Qiaoyue went to the bathroom to wash up, they would follow behind her and chat with her from time to time.

Liu Xinlan complained helplessly, "They like Shen Qiaoyue's cake-making skills, and they like to make all sorts of strange and wonderful pastries every day. They're sweet treats that even children love to eat."

Qian Luoshui had a kind smile on her face.

Looking at Liu Xinlan, he got up from the stool, walked up to her, and asked, "When do you plan to have children?"

Liu Xinlan has been asked this question many times by people in the family compound.

"I'm currently recuperating, and I'll definitely let you know if I have any good news," Liu Xinlan said.

It's not that she doesn't want to have children; it's just that she used to stay up late a lot, so her body isn't suitable for having kids. She's been taking care of her health lately.

Qian Luoshui added, "I'm already eight months pregnant. Once the baby is born, you'll be the baby's godmother."

He took Liu Xinlan's hand and placed it on her stomach, saying with emotion, "We've known each other since we were little, and we even worked in the same city at first. Later, you came all the way here to work for Xu Qianli. Now that your wish has come true, having another child will leave you with no regrets."

“Yes, we’re back together, isn’t that wonderful!” Liu Xinlan hadn’t expected that after so many years, “we would become a family.”

"Luoshui, Xinlan." A man appeared outside their door carrying a bag of fruit, calling their names.

Look towards the doorway.

"Uncle Shen, you've arrived," Liu Xinlan said first.

Qian Luoshui had never met Shen Yuanyi before, and was somewhat taken aback.

Seeing Liu Xinlan go out to greet her, Qian Luoshui stared at her in confusion, and unconsciously followed her out.

Shen Qiaoyue, who had just finished washing up, came out of the bathroom and saw that her second uncle had also arrived.

"Grandpa Shen, Grandpa Shen!" Xu Xiaosi and Liu Jiansheng ran out of the room after seeing Shen Yuanyi and hugged his legs.

Looking at the two children, Shen Yuanyi, who was usually serious, became a kind grandfather in their eyes.

"Uncle Shen, what brings you here today?" Liu Xinlan asked, taking the fruit Shen Yuanyi was carrying.

Shen Qiaoyue came out and complained, "Uncle, I've been married for half a year, and this is the first time you've come to visit me in the family compound."