Chapter 45 The Debt Collector Gao Xiuxiu Gave Birth

"Plane crash?" Song Fenglan's heart skipped a beat, then she remembered that the new fighter jet she was researching wasn't finished yet. But a plane crash was a serious matter.

"The J-7 fighter jet crashed into a farmland," the man said.

Then, after asking a few questions, Song Fenglan learned that it was another aircraft research institute's plane that had crashed. The time between the test flight and the crash was only a short ten minutes. The fighter jet broke in two in the farmland, but fortunately, there were no crops in that field at the time, and no farmers were working there.

It would be a lie to say that Song Fenglan wasn't frightened; she didn't want such a thing to happen to the fighter jet she had developed. Although test flights always carry risks, it's always best to be safe and avoid accidents if possible.

The test pilot was a veteran test pilot. Even after the accident, he was still thinking about protecting the aircraft and preserving as much data as possible. Before and after landing the plane in the farmland, he dared not start the engine again because he could smell the oil.

The pilot was rescued by nearby farmers. He had several broken ribs and other problems, and it is estimated that he will need a long time to recover.

There are several fighter jet research institutes in China. These institutes all hope to improve their own fighter jets first. They help each other, but they also compete with each other.

Each research institute conducts its own research, and although their directions may differ, the ultimate goal is to protect the motherland.

Test pilots are mostly people who have flown fighter jets for many years. They need to have enough experience to handle all kinds of situations better, rather than just acting on impulse.

Fortunately, no one was injured. The fact that the fighter jet crashed indicates that there was a problem with the aircraft itself, and further investigation is needed.

In response, the Nancheng Research Institute held a meeting, emphasizing the need for caution and avoiding overly aggressive actions, along with other points to note. This incident wasn't solely due to the fighter jet itself, but also because those involved were too eager for quick success, which led to this mishap.

Song Fenglan didn't get home until after 7 p.m., when Qin Zihang and Zhang Xiaohu were watching TV.

Zhang Xiaohu already enjoyed visiting Qin Zihang, and now he enjoys it even more.

"Auntie, watch TV." Zhang Xiaohu looked at Song Fenglan first and quickly said, "It's good."

Qin Yizhou kept an eye on the child, but the plump woman didn't come over. She planned to come pick up the child later; she couldn't refuse, as she was afraid Zhang Xiaohu would stay with Song Fenglan and refuse to go home.

When there was no TV, it was fine, but when there was a TV, Zhang Xiaohu refused to go back, thinking he would wait until the TV was turned off before going back.

The portly woman didn't stay at Song Fenglan's house to watch TV; she felt she should be more mindful of boundaries. Qin Yizhou was there taking care of the child, and Song Fenglan wasn't around, so it wouldn't be appropriate for her to go over. If anyone should stay longer, it should be Zhang Chenghai; they're both men, which would be much more convenient.

"Watching an ad?" Song Fenglan asked.

"It's good too," Zhang Xiaohu said. As long as it's on TV, it's good, very good.

“Mom.” Qin Zihang stretched out his arms toward his mother.

Song Fenglan did not immediately hug Qin Zihang, but took off her coat first before hugging him.

"Mom, there's a tiger," Qin Zihang pointed at the TV, "but there are no pandas."

"Panda?" Song Fenglan thought that people didn't pay much attention to pandas in this era. In Song Fenglan's previous life, there was a panda that performed everywhere, and everyone liked pandas.

"Yes." Qin Zihang liked the panda plush toy his mother made for him and also wanted to see a real panda.

“Not now, but there will be in the future,” Song Fenglan said.

"When is 'later'?" Qin Zihang asked. "Do I have to wait until I grow up?"

“We don’t necessarily have to wait until you grow up,” Song Fenglan said. At this time, pandas were not yet listed as a national first-class protected animal, but they were given as national gifts to other countries, and some zoos also had pandas. “There seems to be a zoo in Nancheng. I’ll take you to the zoo another day.”

"A zoo?" Qin Zihang had never been to one.

“Yes, the zoo, it has all kinds of animals,” Song Fenglan said.

"Are there pandas?" Qin Zihang asked.

“It’s not certain,” Song Fenglan said. “We’ll have to go and see for ourselves.”

"I really want to see it," Qin Zihang said.

“I want to see it too,” Zhang Xiaohu said.

"Let your parents take you." Song Fenglan didn't plan to bring Zhang Xiaohu. She didn't even know how big the zoo was. What if it was on a mountain? They'd have to climb all the way up, which would be difficult. It was fine for Song Fenglan and her husband to bring Qin Zihang, but what if they brought Zhang Xiaohu? Would Qin Yizhou carry Zhang Xiaohu while Song Fenglan carried Qin Zihang?

Song Fenglan felt that would be too tiring, and it would be better to let Zhang Xiaohu go with his parents. Song Fenglan was never one to sacrifice herself to help others. When you're out and about, you have to be careful. The child is quite lively and often runs around. It's not easy to take care of even one child, let alone two.

"Where are you going again?" Aunt Pang arrived. Hearing the noise, she thought that Song Fenglan had returned, so Aunt Pang came back to take Zhang Xiaohu away so that the family of three could get some rest. "Xiaohu, it's time to go back."

"Mom, take me to the zoo!" Zhang Xiaohu shouted, wanting to go to the zoo.

"The zoo requires an entrance fee," said the plump woman. The zoo isn't free; it costs money. She was reluctant to spend the money and preferred to use it for something more worthwhile.

"Mom, Mom," Zhang Xiaohu protested, "I want to go, I want to go."

"..." Song Fenglan looked at this scene and couldn't help but wonder if she shouldn't have mentioned the zoo in front of her child.

Qin Zihang did not suggest that his parents take Zhang Xiaohu with him, as Zhang Xiaohu already had his own parents.

"I just said I'd take Zihang to the zoo," Song Fenglan said with a light cough.

“Of course I’ll go,” said the plump woman.

"Mom, I want to go too," Zhang Xiaohu said.

"All you ever do is compare yourself to others," the fat woman said, pulling Zhang Xiaohu along.

Back home, Zhang Xiaohu kept asking for this and that. The plump woman was helpless, but she couldn't really blame Song Fenglan.

"Mom, I want to watch TV, I'm still watching." Zhang Xiaohu hugged his mother's leg and lay down on the ground.

"The ground is cold, quickly help him up," Song Fenglan said hastily. "Let him look at it for a little longer."

"That's just how he is," the plump woman sighed. "Always causing trouble and making a fuss."

"I didn't," Zhang Xiaohu said.

"Fenglan, when are you going to the zoo? I'll take my two kids with me," said the plump woman. "We'll take care of the kids ourselves."

Sister-in-law Pang knew that Song Fenglan was a person who didn't like to trouble others, and it wasn't good for her family to always bother others to help take care of their children. Zhang Xiaohu always ran to their house to watch TV, which was already a lot of trouble for them, so it was also a way for Song Fenglan and her husband to help take care of Zhang Xiaohu.

“Let’s wait until Saturday,” Song Fenglan said. “I have the day off that day. If I don’t have to work overtime, I can take Zihang with me. He’s still young, so it’s a good opportunity for him to learn about different kinds of animals. He doesn’t even know what those little animals look like yet, so it won’t hurt for him to get to know them.”

“You’re an educated person, what you say is sure to be true.” The plump woman didn’t continue to drag Zhang Xiaohu back home. “Alright, your aunt said you can keep watching TV, so keep watching. When it’s past eight o’clock, you can go home. If you don’t go home, don’t come back next time.”

"I'll go back, I'll go back by myself," Zhang Xiaohu quickly assured him, even holding up two fingers as if swearing an oath.

Zhang Xiaohu let go of Fatty Sister's leg, got up from the floor, and sat on the sofa.

The fat woman thought that Zhang Xiaohu's clothes were dirty, and he was just sitting on someone else's sofa. Fortunately, Song Fenglan's family didn't mind.

Back home, the plump woman couldn't help but reminisce with her husband.

"When I first met Fenglan, I thought she was too beautiful and she was a very particular person. But after getting to know her, I found that she was quite soft-hearted." The fat woman said while folding clothes, "Xiaohu always came over covered in dirt, but she never said anything bad about him and even made him wash his hands before eating."

"That's good." Zhang Chenghai nodded.

"There was a fruit platter on the table, probably apples that Qin Tuan had sliced. When I came back, Xiao Hu just grabbed two slices," said the plump woman. "Since Feng Lan came here, our Xiao Hu has gained a lot of weight, all from eating their food."

The plump woman felt particularly embarrassed. She had originally planned to make some tofu and fry it for the New Year to give to Song Fenglan. However, Song Fenglan went back to the capital for the New Year, so the plump woman didn't send any.

“He’s not just one size bigger, he’s two sizes bigger, while his brother is only one size bigger.” Zhang Chenghai is often not at home, but he can still sense the changes in his two children’s figures.

Not only was Fatty Sister embarrassed, but Zhang Chenghai was also a little embarrassed.

Neither Qin Yizhou nor his wife spoke ill of Zhang Xiaohu. They believed Zhang Xiaohu was of good character and that it was better for him to play with Qin Zihang than for Qin Zihang to play with someone he didn't know. Qin Zihang had started kindergarten and made some friends, but he felt those children were too immature and less mature than him. Also, some of the children cried at the drop of a hat.

Qin Zihang particularly disliked those children who cried at the drop of a hat. He didn't bully them, yet they still cried. He could say just one sentence and they would burst into tears. Qin Zihang said, "My mom..." and before he could even finish the sentence, one child in the class started crying, and then the rest of the children started crying too.

Zhang Xiaohu doesn't cry easily; he's a bit older, and Qin Zihang prefers playing with him.

"They're a good couple, and Zihang is good too," said the plump woman. "If it were Gao Xiuxiu from next door..."

That would be difficult!

Gao Xiuxiu would never allow others to take advantage of her family; she only thought about her own family taking advantage of others.

When Song Fenglan and her family returned to the capital for the Spring Festival, they originally planned to visit Dr. Lin. However, Song Fenglan was called to work overtime at the research institute and then had to rush back to Nancheng. So, Song Fenglan didn't go to Dr. Lin's place; it was Qin Yizhou who took Qin Zihang there.

When Qin Yizhou took Qin Zihang to Dr. Lin's place, they didn't run into Brother Qin and the others; they missed each other.

Before Tian Keshu and Brother Qin divorced, Tian Keshu said: "Your brother went to your uncle's house, but not your aunt's house. Your aunt is still on their side."

A little while later, Brother Qin, somewhat drunk, staggered back from outside.

When Qin's mother saw her eldest son in this state, she felt sorry for him.

"Have some water." Qin's mother poured water for Qin's older brother.

"It's gone, all gone." Brother Qin leaned back on the sofa. "It's all gone."

"Everything is gone?" Qin's mother asked.

"There's no chance of a promotion." Brother Qin had been hoping for a promotion; he had been waiting for this opportunity.

But it's someone else getting promoted, not Brother Qin. Brother Qin's promotion dream is shattered. Not only will he not get promoted this time, but he probably won't get promoted in a few years either.

This deeply saddened Brother Qin. He had always felt that if his work went smoothly, he would eventually become a higher-ranking leader, rather than just remaining a low-level, entry-level leader. As a low-level leader, he lacked authority and didn't receive enough respect.

Brother Qin believed he had worked diligently and conscientiously over the years and had performed quite well. But now, his boss said he wouldn't be promoted.

"I'm already divorced, divorced!" Brother Qin's eyes were red. He was drunk and his face was flushed. A moment later, he leaned over and vomited.

Qin's mother could only take care of Qin's eldest son more, since he was divorced and had no woman to look after him. Qin's mother thought that she still had to get her eldest son married as soon as possible, because someone had to take care of him. She was getting old and didn't have the energy to take care of him. Her eldest son was still young and needed a partner.

"I'm already divorced, why won't they let me get promoted?" Brother Qin said.

Yes, he didn't initially intend to divorce because he was afraid people would say he was heartless and ungrateful.

Brother Qin didn't dare to get a divorce, but things escalated, and he eventually divorced Tian Keshu. He thought that as long as he was divorced, Tian Keshu's situation wouldn't affect him anymore, but unexpectedly, he still couldn't get a promotion.

Even though Brother Qin had previously thought he might not get promoted, he still couldn't accept it now that he was facing this situation again.

Once, Brother Qin thought his younger brother's life was ruined. His brother had married someone with problematic social standing like Song Fenglan, and he knew his brother could never have a good life. But now, it was Brother Qin himself who couldn't have a good life.

Brother Qin's alternating crying and laughing startled his mother.

Qin's mother never expected her eldest brother to react this way. Her eldest brother was heartbroken and devastated, as it represented his life's work in the civil service.

When the weekend arrived, Song Fenglan and her husband took Qin Zihang to the zoo, and Zhang Chenghai and his wife also brought their two sons. Fatty's wife thought of bringing Zhang Xiaohu along, to avoid him making a fuss about wanting to come. They didn't go to the zoo often anyway, and they rarely went to the movies, unless it was a free screening in a public square; they rarely went if there were tickets.

Cao Fang also came over, making a group of eight people.

The zoo entrance is at the foot of the mountain, and there are various animal enclosures along the way from the bottom to the top. Visitors explore on their own, guided by a simple map, and then follow it back down. The ticket is for the day, so visitors can stay from morning to afternoon without any problem.

There are foxes, tigers, and other animals near the foot of the mountain.

When they went to see the foxes, it wasn't just Song Fenglan and her group; there were other people as well.

"Did someone fart?" Qin Zihang suddenly shouted. "It stinks."

"..." Song Fenglan looked at Qin Zihang. Fortunately, Qin Zihang did not say it on the bus, otherwise, everyone who heard what he said would have looked at Song Fenglan.

Not to mention on the bus, even people nearby who heard what Qin Zihang said didn't come towards him until the smell of his farts dissipated.

Song Fenglan noticed something else. She looked down at Qin Zihang, who was staring at the fox. Qin Zihang had even brought the panda out. When they were leaving, Song Fenglan told him not to bring the panda out, as it had just been cleaned. Qin Zihang even said he could give the panda a bath too.

Then, Qin Zihang brought the panda out again, and Song Fenglan didn't stop him. She thought it was better to let the child play freely and not worry about so much.

"Bullshit? Who farted?" Zhang Xiaohu chimed in.

"The fox farted," Qin Zihang said. "It smelled awful, it was a fart."

Yes.

“This is body odor, foxes have body odor,” Song Fenglan said.

"It's fluffy, how could it smell bad? Farts are smelly, pfft pfft pfft, the fox must be farting." Qin Zihang was convinced of his idea. "How can these foxes fart so much? Didn't their mothers tell them not to fart like that? We are guests, and you can't fart like that in front of guests."

Listening to her son's eloquent explanation, Song Fenglan thought that if the fox knew all this, it wouldn't need to stay in the zoo for people to watch. The fox could go straight to work and even buy perfume to cover up its body odor.

"Does the fox need a bath?" Qin Zihang asked again. "It's all dirty, and its fur is all clumps together."

“The fox…we’ll wash it when it rains,” Song Fenglan said.

"Mommy, is the fox mother over here?" Qin Zihang asked. "Is this the fox mother over here?"

Qin Zihang had a lot of questions, and Zhang Xiaohu followed suit, asking, "If there's a mother fox, there must be a father fox, and the father fox must be here too. Is that chubby little fox a baby fox?"

"You're so chubby, you're so big already, why are you still a baby?" Qin Zihang said.

"I'm fat, all chubby." Zhang Xiaohu was much fatter than Qin Zihang. He looked at a chubby fox and wondered if it was a baby fox.

These days, even people don't have much to eat, let alone animals. Most of the animals in the zoo are rather thin; none of them are that fat. Only that one fox looks a bit plump, but who knows, its fur might get wet and it'll suddenly become thin again.

"Baby fox," Zhang Xiaohu called out to the fox.

The fox was startled and howled, its fur standing on end.

Zhang Xiaohu quickly ran to his mother's side, afraid that the foxes would escape.

“They can’t escape; they’re kept in cages,” Qin Zihang said. “There are bars, Little Tiger Brother, look, they can’t escape.”

Zhang Xiaohu then emerged from behind his mother, feigning ease, "Yes, they can't escape, they can't escape."

After seeing the fox, the group went up the mountain to see the giraffe and the peacock. When they saw the peacock, Zhang Xiaohu was drooling.

"Mom, are peacocks chickens? Can we eat them?" Zhang Xiaohu asked. "Can we eat roast chicken?"

Zhang Xiaohu wanted to eat meat. The peacock looked quite big; would it have a lot of meat?

"You can't eat peacocks, and you can't eat any of the animals in the zoo," Qin Zihang explained.

“You can eat anything that’s not from the zoo,” Zhang Xiaohu said. “Once you buy it, it’s no longer from the zoo.”

"Can you afford it?" The fat woman was speechless. She came to the zoo to see the animals and was thinking of buying them. That was impossible.

Qin Yizhou picked up Qin Zihang. They had walked for quite a while, and Qin Zihang was getting a little tired. They needed to find a place to sit for a while before continuing their journey.

The weather is still a bit cold. It's warmer when you're walking, but it gets a bit cold when you sit still.

Qin Zihang, Zhang Xiaohu, and Zhang Wen, the three children, didn't feel cold at all. They drank some hot water and ate some pastries, and they were in high spirits.

Song Fenglan gently patted her leg; she hadn't walked such a long distance in a long time and was still a little tired.

"Panda, panda." Qin Zihang suddenly thought of something.

Coincidentally, the zoo had two pandas on display, so Song Fenglan and her group went to see them. There's plenty of bamboo in the southern part of the city, so the pandas can eat fresh bamboo regularly. There are also many bamboo shoots available, both in winter and summer, with various kinds of shoots in every season.

The pandas' basic food supply is guaranteed, and they do indeed sit there adorably eating bamboo shoots.

Qin Zihang stared at the panda; he didn't want to go anywhere else to see small animals. He looked at the panda in his hand, then at the panda sitting there eating bamboo.

"Mom, my panda doesn't have any bamboo," Qin Zihang said.

"I'll get you a bamboo one another day, but it'll have to wait a few days." When Song Fenglan was making the cloth doll for her son, she hadn't thought about getting a bamboo. Now that her son has seen pandas eating bamboo, she'll have to make a bamboo one.

"Fenglan, you really spoil your child," the plump woman remarked.

“He’s our only child, and he’s very sensible, so it’s okay to spoil him a little,” Song Fenglan said.

The group went out early in the morning and returned around 4 p.m.

On the way, Gao Xiuxiu saw Song Fenglan and the others returning happily. She overheard them talking about the zoo and all sorts of small animals. Gao Xiuxiu thought that once she had her baby, she would definitely take her child there.

Zhang Xiaohu went to the zoo, and he liked to talk about it outside, and he also talked about it with other children.

Many people know that Zhang Xiaohu and Qin Zihang went to the zoo, but Qin Zihang didn't say much about it outside.

"There are peacocks in the zoo, and the peacocks can even display their tail feathers."

“There are monkeys, and the monkeys are eating fruit.”

"Foxes fart, and it smells really bad."

...

When Zhang Xiaohu went out to play, he told several of his friends about it. So much so that those kids started clamoring for their parents to take them to the zoo. Some parents couldn't resist their children's demands and had to take them. Some parents, however, were grumbling and complaining, saying, "It's just a trip to the zoo, why are you making such a fuss?"

Not every family can save money. Some families spend all their money quickly, even before the end of the month. At first, they can eat a little better, but later they have to eat very poorly. Some parents prefer to spend money on themselves and don't think about spending money on their children.

"Wait until you're a little older before you go." Some parents say this to their children. Going to the zoo always requires buying tickets, and it's not like you're going alone. If more people go, it will cost more money.

Some children didn't want to wait and were making a fuss.

When Fatty Sister heard that other people's children were making a scene, she wanted to slap Zhang Xiaohu a couple of times. When will Zhang Xiaohu ever learn to control his mouth? He loves to gossip about every little thing, even Qin Zihang doesn't.

Song Fenglan and her husband bought a television. Qin Zihang didn't go out and mention that they had a television at home; he watched it by himself. When Mrs. Su was taking care of the children, she watched it with Qin Zihang.

Knowing about Song Fenglan's family situation, most people were too embarrassed to come and watch TV.

"It wasn't me who told them to go to the zoo." Zhang Xiaohu ran around the yard, and his mother was about to hit him with a bamboo stick. He felt very wronged.

"If you hadn't gone around telling everyone about this little thing, would they have thought of going to the zoo and causing a scene there?" Fatty Sister hadn't intended to hit the child, but Zhang Xiaohu was about to bring up the zoo again, which left her speechless. She didn't really mean to hit the child; otherwise, she would have already grabbed him and spanked him.

Passersby heard the commotion at Fatty's house and peeked inside. They then went to tell others that Zhang Xiaohu had been beaten.

When some parents learned that Fatty Sister had hit Zhang Xiaohu, they said at home: "Such a naughty child deserves to be disciplined."

Gao Xiuxiu, still at home, said, "I think she's just putting on an act because she can't bear to part with her child."

Actually, Aunt Pang often beats the child. He misbehaves, so she gives him a light spanking, nothing too serious, about once or twice a month. It's just that Zhang Xiaohu is very mischievous and doesn't learn his lesson easily.

"Would you be willing to hit your child?" Fang Xudong asked.

"I can't bear to," Gao Xiuxiu said. "After our son is born, when he's a little older, I'll take him to the zoo too."

One evening, Fan Yani brought some cookies to Song Fenglan's house. These were cookies she had specially made, along with some dried fruit. They tasted quite good.

Fan Yani knew that Song Fenglan had taken the child to the zoo before, and even made cookies of all kinds of small animals.

"I made them all myself," Fan Yani said. "They may not taste as good as yours, sister-in-law, but please do me the honor of trying them."

"Wow!" Qin Zihang exclaimed, his eyes wide with amazement at the sight of all sorts of small animals.

Little Star.

"Eat up." Fan Yani gave Qin Zihang a cookie and also gave one to Zhang Xiaohu, who was playing at Song Fenglan's house.

Fan Yani handed the bag of cookies to Song Fenglan, who eventually accepted it. Song Fenglan even took out a cookie to taste, saying, "It tastes good."

"I added some milk," Fan Yani said. "Sister-in-law, you guys eat, I'm going back now."

"Have a seat," Song Fenglan said.

"No, sister-in-law, you should rest well," Fan Yani said.

Song Fenglan escorted Fan Yani to the door, and Fan Yani was very happy.

Fan Yani returned home with a smile on her face.

"You really like Sister-in-law Fenglan?" Yue Hongwei asked as his wife returned from outside. He knew what she had been up to.

“I like her,” Fan Yani said. “Didn’t I tell you? I like people like Sister Fenglan. Fenglan’s family is also good. Her uncle was amazing, but it’s a pity he didn’t survive.”

Fan Yani plans to take the college entrance examination and see if she can pass. On the other hand, she also wants to hone her skills; in her previous life, she did baking and sold cookies. Fan Yani can't guarantee she'll pass this time. It's a highly competitive exam, and she hasn't touched a book in years, having long forgotten all that knowledge.

In her past life, Fan Yani wasn't exactly a top student; she only graduated from a vocational high school. In this life, given the opportunity to take the college entrance examination, Fan Yani is determined to try. In the first few years after the resumption of the college entrance examination, the requirements for candidates' identities weren't high, so someone like Fan Yani could certainly succeed.

Fan Yani wanted to give it a try, and once she did, she had no regrets.

If others knew her situation, they might say that she didn't even pass the high school entrance exam in her past life, so why is she thinking about the college entrance exam in this life? Fan Yani would say that regardless of whether she passed the exam in her past life, when the opportunity is presented to her, she has to give it a try, just in case.

"Did you find the textbooks I asked you to find?" Fan Yani asked.

"I found it, it's on the table, take a look," Yue Hongwei said. "Can you understand it? If you can't, go ask Sister Fenglan?"

"Don't ask her," Fan Yani said. "Don't disturb her rest. Sister Fenglan is already very busy. How can I bother her with something like this?"

Fan Yani thought she didn't have the nerve to waste the researchers' time. Whether she passed the exam or not was unimportant; she was just an ordinary person. One must recognize one's place and not foolishly keep thinking about wanting this and that.

"..." Yue Hongwei sometimes didn't quite understand Fan Yani. It seemed that Fan Yani just wanted to be good to Song Fenglan without thinking about getting anything in return.

"Try the cookies I made," Fan Yani said. "I saved them especially for you."

Yue Hongwei picked up a cookie. "It's pretty good."

"It's delicious, isn't it?" Fan Yani said proudly. "It has a lot of good ingredients in it, including red date flesh and raisins."

Before she knew it, it was March. One evening around nine o'clock, Song Fenglan had just returned home from get off work when she heard people from Gao Xiuxiu's family calling that Gao Xiuxiu was about to give birth.

Fortunately, the hospital was nearby, and Gao Xiuxiu's husband could push it there with a flatbed cart. If that didn't work, he could carry her on his back or walk there; it was all very close.

But Gao Xiuxiu couldn't accept that. When she saw Song Fenglan get out of the car, she wanted to ride in Song Fenglan's car. It was a company car; Song Fenglan had gone to a meeting elsewhere and was riding in it on her way back.

"I need a car." Gao Xiuxiu moved swiftly and rushed to Song Fenglan's side.

Cao Fang quickly stepped in front of Song Fenglan, both of them taken aback by Gao Xiuxiu's actions.

"I'm about to give birth," Gao Xiuxiu said.

Song Fenglan subconsciously moved away a little, and Gao Xiuxiu jumped into the car.

The driver was originally going to take Cao Fang home, then drive her to her workplace, and then go to rest. But Gao Xiuxiu just got on the bus like that, leaving the driver completely bewildered.

"Take her to the hospital," Song Fenglan said to the driver. "She's already in the car; we can't just run her over."

It's only a ten-minute walk to the hospital from here, and even faster by car.

"Drive faster, drive faster!" Gao Xiuxiu shouted.

Gao Xiuxiu thought to herself, "Song Fenglan has a car to pick her up, so why don't I?" She vowed that once Song Fenglan gave birth to her son, she would make her husband arrange a car to pick her up.

Regardless of what Gao Xiuxiu was thinking, Song Fenglan watched the car drive away and then looked at Cao Fang, "What about you?"

“I’ll walk back,” Cao Fang said. “It’s still very close. You should go back and rest.”

“Okay, be careful on the road,” Song Fenglan said.

Song Fenglan had just entered the room when she saw Qin Yizhou come out.

"Still not resting?" Song Fenglan asked. "Where's Zihang?"

"Zihang just went to sleep," Qin Yizhou said. "The Fang family's?"

“Yes, it’s Gao Xiuxiu, she’s about to give birth,” Song Fenglan said. “She jumped right into the car.”

Song Fenglan could only have the driver take Gao Xiuxiu to the hospital, and then clean the car behind the office. Gao Xiuxiu was about to give birth, two lives at stake. Although the distance wasn't far, Gao Xiuxiu was already in the car, so someone had to take her there.

This wasn't Gao Xiuxiu's first pregnancy; it was her second. Everyone thought her second pregnancy would be quicker, but it still took her a whole day and night to give birth. Exhausted, Gao Xiuxiu fell asleep, and the first thing she asked upon waking was, "Where's my son?"

"Where did this son come from? It's a daughter," Grandma Fang said irritably.

Grandma Fang originally thought that Gao Xiuxiu was carrying a boy, and she even cooked a lot of delicious food for Gao Xiuxiu. But it turned out that the child was a girl.

"Impossible, how could it be a daughter?" Gao Xiuxiu couldn't believe it.

"It's my daughter." Fang Xudong came in carrying a food box containing fish soup.

“That’s impossible, it must be a son,” Gao Xiuxiu said. “Could it be that they deliberately switched our babies? I gave birth to a son.”

"No, it's a daughter," said the nurse beside her. "When you gave birth, the doctor even let you see her one last time."

At the time, Gao Xiuxiu was too tired to hear the doctor's words clearly. She only thought that she had definitely given birth to a son and that she would be relieved once the child was born safely.

Now, everyone tells Gao Xiuxiu that she gave birth to a daughter, not a son.

Gao Xiuxiu refused to believe it; she thought these people were lying to her and insisted that someone had switched her baby.

"Who else gave birth yesterday?" Gao Xiuxiu asked, certain that her son had been switched with another baby.

“You’re the only one living your life,” the nurse said.

After speaking, the nurse checked on Gao Xiuxiu's condition again before preparing to leave. Gao Xiuxiu grabbed the nurse's hand, "I gave birth to a son, I gave birth to a son! You've hidden my son away!"

“This is a military hospital,” the nurse said helplessly. “We can’t possibly switch your baby, nor is there any need for us to do so.”

"Who knows you..."

"That's enough! Our child is a daughter!" Fang Xudong couldn't stand Gao Xiuxiu's antics any longer. "Let go, let go of the nurse's hand."

Fang Xudong felt incredibly ashamed. A daughter is a daughter, but his wife insisted it was a son and accused someone of switching babies. This was a military hospital; who would dare switch babies here? Weren't they afraid of causing trouble?

Besides, Gao Xiuxiu gave birth alone; no other pregnant women were involved. Why does Gao Xiuxiu insist that someone switched her baby? They've already explained, but Gao Xiuxiu still refuses to believe it.

Gao Xiuxiu thought the child was a son and wanted to see him, but now that she knows the child is a girl, she doesn't want to see him anymore.

Gao Xiuxiu had once told many people that the child in her womb was definitely a boy, absolutely a boy, there was no way she was wrong. But now, the child is not a boy, but a girl.

Won't this make her a laughingstock?

Gao Xiuxiu felt that this child had completely disgraced her, and yet he was still causing so much trouble. He was clearly...

The second child, not the first, and the birth was so slow.

Is this child a debt collector?

Yes, that must be it, this child is not good.

Gao Xiuxiu was convinced that her second daughter was not a good child and that she would definitely cause them trouble in the future.

Because Gao Xiuxiu had a natural birth, she didn't need to stay in the hospital for long. Gao Xiuxiu had previously thought that since she had given birth to a son, her husband should find a car to pick her up. But now, Gao Xiuxiu didn't dare say that. She had given birth to a daughter, and a girl had no right to ask her family to find a car. Gao Xiuxiu was afraid of upsetting her husband, so she didn't dare say anything more.

It's all this daughter's fault. It's all her problem. If the child were a son, none of this would have happened.

Fatty and the others soon learned that Gao Xiuxiu had given birth to a daughter, not a son. Fatty even went to Song Fenglan to tell her that she knew about Gao Xiuxiu getting into Song Fenglan's car. Song Fenglan hadn't specifically mentioned this, but passersby had witnessed it.

When others see it, they'll always have something to say. Once one person finds out, soon many more will know.

"She gave birth to a daughter. It's not that I look down on girls, but... does Gao Xiuxiu like daughters?" The plump woman sat on the sofa, while Zhang Xiaohu and Qin Zihang played beside her.

The two children watched TV for a while, then went to play with their toys.

The TV was still on, and Fatty Sister glanced at it a few times.

“This child…I’m afraid she won’t be favored by her parents in the future,” said the plump woman. “Before Gao Xiuxiu gave birth, everyone was saying that she had a boy. Now look what’s happened, she had a daughter. Not only her, but I’m afraid even her husband feels ashamed.”

"If her husband hadn't tried to persuade her beforehand, she can't blame anyone else," Song Fenglan said. The sex of a child is something no one can decide.

If Gao Xiuxiu had undergone a checkup and it turned out to be a boy, that would be fine. But Gao Xiuxiu spread the word everywhere before even confirming the baby was a boy. She acted like she was carrying a precious treasure, expecting everyone to cater to her every whim.

If they were family, that would be one thing, but Gao Xiuxiu expects others to accommodate her? That's impossible.

Even before the baby was born, Gao Xiuxiu asked Pang Sao to knit a sweater for the baby and also wanted Song Fenglan to make clothes for the baby, but Song Fenglan refused. Pang Sao eventually got Gao Xiuxiu to provide yarn before knitting the sweater. Some people knitted sweaters for her even without Gao Xiuxiu providing yarn. Gao Xiuxiu said that even if they were giving the sweater to the baby, these people would feel embarrassed to refuse, but they stopped helping Gao Xiuxiu afterward.

Just then, Gao Xiuxiu gave birth to a girl. When people heard about this, they all said that Gao Xiuxiu only deserved to have daughters. If Gao Xiuxiu had really given birth to a son, wouldn't she still want to take things from other people's homes for free? Gao Xiuxiu always complained about her mother-in-law, but how was Gao Xiuxiu any better than her mother-in-law? They were just like her.

“They have no one to blame but themselves,” said the plump woman. “They deserve it. They should have kept quiet about it. Let me tell you, she had someone knit her a sweater, but they didn’t give her any yarn, and they don’t plan to give it to her now. They’re treating it as a gift from someone else to her child. It made the other person very angry, and she even said she wanted to share in the good fortune so that other people could also have sons.”

"You haven't received the yarn yet?" Song Fenglan asked. "You haven't received the yarn, and you haven't received any money either?"

“No! It was a gift prepared by others to celebrate the birth of her son,” said the plump woman. “Now that she has a daughter, she’s demanded the gift that was supposed to be for her son’s birth. I guess she’ll just pretend to be stupid now and won’t give it back. Luckily, I asked for the yarn back then, and I only agreed to knit after the yarn arrived. They told me to find the yarn myself, but I refused.”

Believe it or not, some people actually did plan to ask Gao Xiuxiu for yarn. A few others thought they would wait until after the baby was born before giving them the sweaters. Therefore, not everyone lost out on the yarn. Of the four people knitting sweaters, three didn't receive any yarn, one was waiting for Gao Xiuxiu to give birth, and the other two gave her the sweaters first.

"Go, go and get the sweater back!" said the mother-in-law from one of the families. "Why should she give a congratulatory gift when she didn't have a son? Other families don't give congratulatory gifts when they have daughters, but she's the only one who wants one?"