Chapter 371

Zhu Shuangyan looked down at her belly and smiled gently, a smile that conveyed the maternal love of nurturing a new life.

“It’s been almost four months,” she said.

Ji Wanmei felt happy for her and cautiously reached out her hand, "May I touch it?"

Zhu Shuangyan nodded: "Sure, but it's still early in the pregnancy, so the baby can't move yet. I heard from the experienced women in the office that the baby usually starts to move around in the belly around six or seven months into the pregnancy. Sometimes the movements are so loud that they can even make the mother's belly bulge out."

"That's really interesting." Ji Wanmei touched Zhu Shuangyan's belly.

The moment she placed her hand on it, she felt an inexplicable aura that made her sense that beneath her thin belly, a small life was growing inside.

That's amazing!

Perhaps because they were both women, Ji Wanmei could sense that reverence and love for life.

"I don't know if it will be a son or a daughter."

Ji Wanmei smiled and withdrew her hand, picking up the gift box in her other hand, saying, "I bought a set of blue and a set of yellow clothes for the baby. Anyway, they can wear them after the baby is born. And this is prenatal milk powder, for adults to supplement their nutrition. You're too thin, and you eat in the factory canteen all day long, so you don't get much nutrition. If you make a cup of this every day, both you and the baby will be healthy."

Zhu Shuangyan felt a little embarrassed when she saw Ji Wanmei bringing her lots of gifts every time she came back.

She declined, saying, "No need, Meimei, don't waste money buying these. Other pregnant women eat in the factory cafeteria just like me. Besides, the factory cafeteria isn't bad."

"Oh, why are you being so polite! I'll accept it since I bought it for you. Listen to me, this is for the baby's nutrition." Ji Wanmei said with a smile. "Besides, I'd like to be the godmother of your child after he's born."

Zhu Shuangyan jokingly teased her, "Since you like children so much, why don't you hurry up and get married to Brother Lei, and have one for yourself too!"

Ji Wanmei chuckled and sighed, sitting down to pour herself a glass of water: "Our relationship is still a long way off. My dad has changed his mind now and acknowledged Lei Tingjun. We can get married sooner rather than later, but as for having children, I haven't planned on it yet. We'll wait a few years until our careers are more stable."

Zhu Shuangyan was surprised by Ji Wanmei's idea, which went against the prevailing societal trend of early marriage and childbirth: "Since you're planning to get married, shouldn't you have a child? Isn't that a natural thing to do?"

Just like when she married A-Qiang, the two of them shared a room after marriage, just like any other couple.

Apart from their honeymoon, they could only see each other once or twice a month during their few days off because A-Qiang was busy with his project and Zhu Shuangyan also had to work.

They didn't have much time together, so they cherished every opportunity to be together.

A-Qiang was young and strong, and he genuinely liked Zhu Shuangyan, so he had no restraint. Almost every time they went to Pingquan, the two of them would sleep together every night.

Pregnancy happened naturally not long after.

But judging from Ji Wanmei's words, she only plans to get married and doesn't plan to have children?

Otherwise, how could married men and women not get pregnant if they didn't sleep in the same bed?

Lei Tingjun has been waiting for Ji Wanmei for several years, and Zhu Shuangyan doesn't believe he can hold back.

Even Ah Qiang, who had just started having sex, was so enthusiastic about it in the first six months that Zhu Shuangyan almost couldn't handle it.

Although the country now advocates family planning, young couples should take advantage of their good health and have a child to raise.

Moreover, I've heard that the later a woman gives birth, the greater the damage to her body. Older mothers are quite dangerous, especially since medical conditions are still not very advanced.

Ji Wanmei said, "For me, having a child is not a trivial matter, nor is it something that can be left to chance. I must prepare myself and ensure that I can provide a good environment and a good family atmosphere for the child before I will consider having one."

Zhu Shuangyan touched her belly and said, "Having a child requires so much consideration. But in our generation, parents raised two or three kids together and didn't have any problems."

“Times have changed,” Ji Wanmei said, giving an example. “For instance, you are pregnant now. Although A-Qiang doesn’t have in-laws, your own mother can help you take care of the child. You and A-Qiang can continue to work. Overall, there is no impact, and the child can grow up under the care of the whole family.”

"But think about it, if Lei Tingjun and I get married and have a child right away, he's always busy and a rough, uncouth man, he definitely won't be able to take care of the child. I also have a lot of things to do at my company right now, and my clothing brand is just starting out, so I can't give up being a full-time housewife. My mother passed away early, and my father is getting old and his health isn't very good anymore. Who will take care of the child after it's born?"

“For our family, we could hire a nanny to take care of us, but I wouldn’t feel comfortable doing it myself. Since I’ve chosen to have a child, I want to raise and educate it myself, and I absolutely refuse to entrust it to others. That’s why I said that I’m not considering having a child anytime soon. As for Lei Tingjun, he will understand my thoughts.”

Zhu Shuangyan looked at her with admiration and envy: "Meimei, you are truly the most independent-minded girl I have ever met. You always seem to know exactly what you want, and you are unwavering in your determination and never change your original intentions. You are also very self-disciplined and never let yourself take a wrong step. You are always so clear-headed, rational, and composed. I really admire you."

Ji Wanmei took her hand and said, "Don't say that. You're amazing too. Just because you got pregnant early doesn't mean you don't know what you want. You must want your love to have a child because you love your family and your man. Once the child is born, it will surely grow up strong and healthy in everyone's love and blessings."

Zhu Shuangyan laughed happily, "Okay, then after my baby is born, you can be the godmother and Brother Lei can be the godfather! But... you two have to get married soon. Otherwise, my child won't have any official status to recognize godparents."

After chatting for a while, Ji Wanmei guessed that Ji Xingguo had already left for the factory director's office to go out for a business dinner with Yang Zhiping and the foreign businessmen, so she started to talk about serious matters.

"Shuangyan, I have something else to ask you when I come back this time. Could you do me a favor and find all the financial reimbursement reports from the foreign sales department in the archives for the past two years so I can take a look?"

Zhu Shuangyan was, after all, a department head, not an ordinary employee. As soon as she heard this, she keenly sensed something was amiss.

She asked Ji Wanmei, "What's wrong? Is there a problem with the finances in the export department?"

Ji Wanmei glanced at the office door. People were walking around outside from time to time, but no one noticed that Ji Wanmei was openly discussing confidential matters with Zhu Shuangyan.

She said, "I want to check the accounts and find evidence that the export sales department and the finance department falsified accounts before."