"Go back quickly, come on, I'll take you."

Bai Jiaojiao was about to wash her hands when Bai Shiqing took off her apron and refused, saying, "Hey, it's just a few steps, why are you acting so precious? Don't move, I can walk by myself."

Bai Shiqing insisted on not letting Bai Jiaojiao see her off, and went home alone, walking much more carefully on the way.

Now that everyone is off work, Li Shiqing stays in the production brigade, chatting with a group of people his age. He has a chess set, which is practically the entertainment tool for all the men in the village.

Li Shuxian's three brothers had all gone out for a stroll, leaving Li Shuxian and his mother at home husking corn.

These corns were harvested in the fall and were originally meant to be dried and hung on the beams. The Li family was large; originally, the four brothers slept on one kang (a heated brick bed). After Bai Shiqing married into the family, the house became even cramped. There was no storage room, so the corns could only be hung in the bedroom. Li's mother had long been unhappy with this arrangement, and the brigade finally gave them a holiday so they could tidy up the corns.

"Didn't you go to your sister's house? Why are you back so soon?"

In the past, Bai Shiqing would stay at Bai Jiaojiao's house for an entire night. Li Shuxian simply thought it was because the two sisters had a good relationship. Moreover, she hadn't neglected her work of chatting and networking, so Li's mother didn't have any objections.

Bai Shiqing only went for an hour today, and Li Shuxian still finds it fascinating.

Bai Shiqing glanced at Li Shuxian, but was too embarrassed to tell him directly.

He said hesitantly, "Mom, come here, I have something to tell you."

Bai Shiqing's expression was off. Li's mother glanced at Li Shuxian's face and immediately stood up: "Let's go to your room to talk."

Li Shuxian threw down the corn stalks he was holding, displeased: "Bai Shiqing, what is it that I can't listen to?"

Li's mother already suspected that Li Shuxian had done something wrong, and glared at him, saying, "You better keep it quiet. Shiqing, let's go over there."

Li Shuxian was left standing there by his mother and wife. He gave an incredulous dry laugh and rubbed the corn with twice the strength he had before.

"Shiqing, what's wrong? If Shuxian did something wrong, just tell Mom and Mom will teach him a lesson."

Li's mother was worried that the young couple were not doing well, so even though she was on her son's side, she had to stand by Bai Shiqing's side on the surface.

"No, Mom, I've been feeling nauseous all day. I threw up for a while at my younger sister's house and some yellow liquid came out. My younger sister said I might be pregnant?"

Li's mother stood there stunned for about two seconds, her facial muscles twitching repeatedly, her excited smile distorted: "Really?"

“Neither of us has experience, and she told me to come back and ask you right away. Anyway, my period is irregular, and I definitely didn’t get my period this month.”

Seeing how happy Li's mother was, Bai Shiqing seemed to be infected by her joy, and suddenly felt a clear and cheerful feeling in her heart.

Li's mother excitedly grabbed Bai Shiqing's wrist: "It must be! Let's find Shuxian to take you to the town hospital for a checkup!"

"No need, just go to the health center and ask."

"That won't do! Find a tree and take you there in an oxcart first. He's the eldest grandson of the Li family!"

Li's mother was even more excited than Bai Shiqing. All her hard work in her life was for the prosperity of this family.

Li's mother took Bai Shiqing out, her voice booming: "Li Shuxian! Hurry up and hitch up the oxcart, take your wife to the hospital!"

"What's wrong, Mom?"

Li Shuxian was just enjoying his meal when he heard he was going to the hospital, and he jumped up.

But when he turned around, he saw the two of them smiling, and heard his mother say, "Your wife is probably pregnant. You kid, be careful driving the cattle on the way, don't jostle her!"

"Got it? What is it?"

Li Shuxian stared at Bai Shiqing's shy face, his gaze gradually moving down to her lower abdomen.

"What else could it be? Are you stupid? Hurry up and come back as soon as possible. Never mind, I'll go with you two. You two young people don't even know what to ask people. What are you standing there for? Hurry up and hitch up the car!"

Now that Li Shiqing has become the village chief, how could he possibly miss out on these benefits?

"Oh, oh, I'll go right away!"

Li Shuxian ran out in a daze, almost tripping and falling.

"What are you doing, being so clumsy? Be careful!"

Li's mother scolded from behind, but then turned around with a gentle smile: "Shiqing, come on, get on the kang and warm up first. I'll go fill a hot water bottle for you, you can carry it on the way."

Li's mother smiled like a flower, and Bai Shiqing, sitting on the kang (a heated brick bed), was also happy.

No one in the village had ever heard of anyone getting pregnant with such a big fuss, going to the hospital specifically to confirm it. From pregnancy to delivery, everything was based on everyone's experience passed down by word of mouth.

She was happy to be valued by her in-laws.

Bai Jiaojiao returned to her room and told Shen Heng about Bai Shiqing's suspected pregnancy. Shen Heng glanced at her cautiously and asked, "Do you want a child?"

"Didn't we agree not to have children yet?"

“That lady at the health center is so annoying to me. You don’t know, every time I go there to ask for a condom, her face turns green when she sees me.”

Shen Heng has now changed his mind; he is truly terrified.

He had an accident at sea, and Bai Jiaojiao actually thought about committing suicide. Shen Heng felt lingering fear just thinking about it.

He wanted to have a child with Bai Jiaojiao so that if the situation happened again, Bai Jiaojiao would have something to look forward to and wouldn't do anything foolish.

"Isn't it because you're asking for too much? People might think you're being a scoundrel!"

Bai Jiaojiao gritted her teeth, thinking to herself that this man actually had the nerve to say that.

"Then you can ask for it next time." Shen Heng acted like a rogue, taking advantage of his current illness so that Bai Jiaojiao couldn't do anything to him.

Bai Jiaojiao really couldn't do anything to him. She glared at him and went back to the kitchen.

We'll deal with what happens later. Today, Bai Jiaojiao plans to do the rest of Bai Shiqing's work herself.

That evening, Li Shuxian returned, and in the back of the truck, besides the two people, there were also large and small bags of things.

"What are they doing?"

On the way, I met an old lady returning home from visiting relatives. Seeing the family with lots of bags and packages, I thought to myself, "There's still a month and a half until the New Year. Is it too early to start preparing now?"

Li's mother jumped out of the car and grabbed the old lady: "Auntie, Shuxian's wife is pregnant! We went to the hospital, and the doctor said we need to take good care of her. Do you think we shouldn't treat her well?"

Li's mother couldn't wait to show off to someone, and the old lady also laughed and said, "That's great, we should be careful, this is the eldest grandson of your Li family."

"Who can argue with that?"

Li's mother smiled so broadly that her eyes disappeared from her grin. Li Shuxian snorted, "Mom, aren't your teeth cold? They've all been dried out by the wind."

"Shut your stinking mouth."

Li's mother felt that her son was really spoiling the mood. She got off the cart with Bai Shiqing and told Li Shu to take the things home first before returning the oxcart to the brigade.

"Mom, you really don't need to be so precious."

Although the Li family lived a relatively comfortable life in Shili Village, it was all earned by the brothers together. Bai Shiqing felt embarrassed when she saw the things Li's mother bought for her today, which cost several yuan.

“It has to be precious. You have to take extra care of your first child. I suffered a lot when I gave birth to Shuxian’s sister.”