Damn it, what kind of good thing is this? Jian Ning's smile was almost gone. However, apart from Ding Youtian, Ma Fuquan, and Blind Liu, no one knew she had traveled through time.
Ignorance is not a sin. Mei Niang only treated her as the mother of four children. Not only did she not consider her feelings, she even joyfully took her hand and patted it, saying, "Although it's heartbreaking to have two children crying at the same time, I still hope this pregnancy will be twins. I secretly hope it would be two girls, but my husband wants two boys. He said that this way I can brag in front of your husband."
At this point, she covered her mouth and chuckled, then added, "It's really funny to say this. My husband said that if we had a pair of boys, not only would our number catch up with you two, but if there were three with boys, they would also surpass your husband."
Jian Ning feigned anger and let go of her hand, squinting her eyes and said, "Sister, you're different now that you're a mother. You even say vulgar words like 'ba'. It's so unpleasant. Give me back the well-educated and polite Sister Mei from before. I don't want this shameless one now."
Mei Niang smiled and pulled her hand again, "I was just repeating what my husband said, and in front of my sister. If there were other people around, I would never say such a thing."
"I was just joking with my sister." Jian Ning poked her forehead and pulled her into the backyard. After Ding Youtian led a few carriages from the backyard and arranged their accommodations, he saw Tong Bajin, Xu Dali, Niu San and other yamen runners helping to carry the luggage. Mei Niang also brought a few mothers with her, so he pulled her and said, "Come with me."
Jian Ning pulled Mei Niang into her room and made her sit at the table. "I'll take your sister's pulse to see if she's having twins."
Mei Niang smiled and extended her hand. "Before I came here, my husband told me that when I saw your dear sister, the first thing I should do was to ask her to take her pulse. I didn't expect your sister to think of it before I even asked."
"Don't talk, you're disturbing my mind and I can't be sure." Jian Ning took her pulse. She didn't feel anything when he took her and Tian's pulse before, but this time it was different. The continuous rhythm of the radial pulse under her fingertips made her envious.
She had been carefully feeling the pulse of the fetus in Mei Niang's belly, and felt that it was more beautiful and moving than the jumping of any musical note in the world.
I was stunned for a moment.
"Sister?" Mei Niang was startled when she saw her face was calm and she asked softly, "What's wrong?"
"Oh, it's okay." Jian Ning retracted her hand and smiled, "Because the month is not very long, just over three months, I listened carefully to make sure I didn't make a mistake. I can't tell if it's a boy or a girl right now, but I'm afraid your husband can't tell."
Mei Niang breathed a sigh of relief and then smiled, "One is also good. How can you expect to have twins at once? I'm content with just one."
Isn’t it? Jane Ning thought so in her heart. One is enough.
She couldn't tell Mei Niang or Ding Youtian about her inner distress; the only person she could confide in was Ma Fuquan. Just as she was about to get up and find a reason to send a message to Ma Fuquan, Old Qin started making a scene in the yard.
"Don't worry." Mei Niang saw Jian Ning about to stand up and quickly gestured for her to sit down. "My mother-in-law is here. My father-in-law was already outside the government office, clamoring to go straight to the bookstore to find Uncle Liu, but my mother-in-law stopped him. Now he's probably clamoring to go there again."
"After receiving the message from Master Cai, you started making a scene at home, right?"
"Isn't it? He can't wait even a moment. My husband has already made an agreement with him. He can send us here first, but there is one thing: when he is away from home, especially when he comes to my sister's place, he must obey my mother-in-law's arrangements in everything. Only if he agrees can we go."
"I'd better go out and take a look. Although I don't treat you as guests, just like my own family, it doesn't make sense to leave the elders alone."
"Okay, I'll go out with you and take a look." Mei Niang continued as they walked, "They say the old and the young are the same, and that's absolutely true. Since I married into their family, I've lived in Baisha Town several times. I've never heard my father-in-law praise the people there, and it's rare to hear him say a word on weekdays."
Mei Niang shook her head and continued with a smile, "Since moving to Zhuling County, he's been more talkative than before, but he just bickers with my mother-in-law every day and never goes out to chat with the neighbors. It was only after he went to visit Uncle Liu a few times that he slowly started to socialize with the neighbors. But every time he goes out, he starts to curse for a long time, complaining about how bad others are, saying how bad it would be if he were in Baisha Town. In short, he always says that the people in Baisha Town are better than anyone in Zhuling County!"
Jian Ning blurted out: "Old children. That is, young children, old children."
After the two of them went out, Ding Youtian was ready to take Uncle Qin and Aunt Feng to the bookstore. Aunt Feng still couldn't persuade Old Qin. He insisted on carrying his little grandson, Xiao Jiuer, who was less than one and a half years old and still asleep, to the bookstore to cheer for Blind Liu, and he didn't let Mother Li go with them.
Aunt Feng was so worried that she had no choice but to go with him.
"I went to see if Xiaoyu'er was awake. The brother and sister were so happy to come out this time. On the way, I asked her if she remembered the princess's aunt. Guess what she said? Such a little kid actually said she remembered you."
"Really? Sister, are you kidding me?"
"Why should I try to coax you? Just go and do your own thing. If you don't treat us as guests, I won't treat you as an outsider either. I know you're busy with the ginkgo paste every day. We bumped into Shopkeeper Chen outside the city gate. His accent suggested he was from Jin County, which delighted my father-in-law. He's gone to see another shopkeeper first, and I'm afraid he'll come to discuss business with you soon. We can talk in the evening when we're free."
"Okay, I'll get you a jar of ginkgo paste." On the way to Cao's house, Jian Ning sent a message to Ma Fuquan: "Your second wife is pregnant again. Why didn't you mention it?"
Ma Fuquan: [What second wife?]
Jian Ning: [The one on your side is the first wife, isn’t the one on this side the second wife?]
Ma Fuquan: [You female comrades, you can’t just…are you saying my wife is pregnant again?]
Jian Ning rolled her eyes secretly: [How can you be a husband? You don't even know whether Sister Tian is pregnant or not? You are so incompetent!]
Ma Fuquan: [I've been busy these past few days and haven't been home. Don't you want me to help you find out about Lu Huaian? I've checked with the government schools in Xicheng District. I'm working on a case in Nancheng District these days, so I'll help you find out about him and his son. I'll let you know when I have any news.]
The capital city has a population of hundreds of thousands, making it difficult to locate a single individual. Jian Ning had originally been distressed and wanted to vent her frustrations to someone who knew her better. His mention of Lu Huaian and his son had her thinking about Xiao Yu'er. She was eager to know if Xiao Yu'er truly remembered her, as Mei Niang had claimed, so she quickened her pace and headed towards the Cao family's residence.
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