"I won't go in; I have some things to take care of at home."
Despite Feng Mingshu's warm greeting, Yan Jiayi felt a tightness in her chest and made up an excuse to leave.
After Zhou Jinshan got off work, the couple went to the Qin family's house together.
Tonight's main dish was pork and scallion buns made by Sister Qin. Perhaps due to changes in her taste during pregnancy, Feng Mingshu did not dislike the seasonings in the filling; on the contrary, she found them extremely delicious.
She ate until she was stuffed, and while taking a walk in the Qin family's courtyard afterward to digest, she overheard a lot of stories about childbirth and children, which she listened to with great interest.
In the courtyard of Chief of Staff Wang's house on the west side, the couple ate the same meals they had from the canteen, as usual.
Yan Jiayi put down her chopsticks after only a few bites and said to her husband, "Shijie, do you think we should have a child?"
Upon hearing this, Wang Shijie paused with his chopsticks, looked up and smiled, "Just a few days ago you said you were busy with work and that your boss valued you so much that you couldn't care about anything else. Why did you change your mind today? Did something happen to you?"
Yan Jiayi pictured Feng Mingshu gently stroking her belly with a smile, but said, "No one's giving me any encouragement. I just feel like we've been married for almost three years, and it's time to have a child so the house can be more lively."
Wang Shijie disagreed: "If you want some excitement, send a telegram back to your hometown and ask your sister-in-law to bring Xiaobao to the island to keep you company."
Yan Jiayi stood up abruptly: "Wang Shijie, you asked your sister-in-law to send her child to the island. Is it because you think I can't have children, or do you simply not want to have children with me?"
"It was just a suggestion, Jiayi, why are you so agitated? I think we haven't been married for many years, and we should focus on our careers now," Wang Shijie said, standing up and gently persuading her with his hand.
Yan Jiayi was still feeling resentful. She shook off her husband's hand, left her own yard, and quickly walked to the Qin family's yard to the east. Hearing the laughter coming from inside, her eyes suddenly welled up with tears.
She quickly turned her head and left.
As Feng Mingshu and Sister-in-law Qin were chatting and laughing, they vaguely sensed a figure outside the courtyard gate, but it only flashed by.
Before going to bed that night, Feng Mingshu relied on her memory to write down all the experiences that Sister Qin had shared that evening in her notebook, and then handed it to Zhou Jinshan with a smile.
"Old Zhou, look, with this, I can take care of myself. Why don't we not bother your sister to come over?"
Zhou Jinshan glanced at his notes, then put them down. He then took his wife's soft hand and said, "Mingshu, I received a telegram from our hometown this afternoon. They've been gone for a few days, and they should be able to get to the island by boat in the next day or two."
Feng Mingshu was a little confused. She grasped at one word: "them?"
Zhou Jinshan nodded: "It's my mother and my sister."
Feng Mingshu stood up abruptly, and Zhou Jinshan quickly helped her up: "Mingshu, don't be nervous. My mother and my sister are not difficult people to get along with."
Feng Mingshu forced a smile: "I know, I'm not nervous. I just wanted to tidy up the rooms. I only tidied one room before because I didn't know Mom was coming, so I need to tidy up another one..."
Zhou Jinshan shook his head and interrupted, "Ming Shu, there's no need to tidy up anymore. The room we tidied up earlier is big enough. Mother and sister can move in without any problem."
"Wouldn't that be a bad idea?" Feng Mingshu hesitated.
"No, don't worry. I'll arrange for someone to pick them up at the ferry tomorrow, so you don't need to worry about it."
"I'll go by myself then. I'll go after class."
After discussing the matter, Feng Mingshu went to bed, but fell asleep rather late.
The next day, Feng Mingshu got up earlier than the bugle call.
She rushed to the military service center, having almost exhausted her meat, egg, and food coupons. She wanted to buy some seafood, but as soon as she got close, a wave of nausea rose in her chest, so she had to give up.
As she stepped out of the service center with her basket, Zhou Jinshan approached her and asked with a smile, "Why are you here? Didn't you go to the camp earlier?"
Zhou Jinshan took the vegetable basket from her hand, looked down at her and said, "I didn't see you when I got home, so I guessed you were here."
"Mingshu, if you feel that you don't have enough groceries at home, just tell me and I'll go buy some."
Feng Mingshu shook his head and smiled, "I just got up early today. I didn't have anything to do, so I came to see what fresh vegetables were available."
Zhou Jinshan looked somewhat helpless as he took her hand and led her home.
Feng Mingshu struggled but couldn't break free, so she had no choice but to accept the teasing glances from acquaintances on the street.
After returning home and having breakfast, Feng Mingshu rushed to school and swapped a class with Mr. Ding, the math teacher.
After teaching two classes in a row, Feng Mingshu rushed to the dock without taking a break and saw a ferry coming from the west.
"Sister-in-law, you've arrived?"
When the bodyguard, Kobayashi, saw her, he immediately came over to greet her: "Sister-in-law, are you feeling alright?"
"I'm fine."
As soon as Feng Mingshu finished speaking, a gust of wind carrying the fishy smell of the sea blew into her nostrils, and a feeling of nausea welled up in her chest. She quickly took out a handkerchief and covered her mouth.
Seeing this, Xiao Lin quickly said, "Sister-in-law, you should go back. I'll wait here."
Having never met her in-laws before, today might be the first time. Her mother-in-law and sister-in-law were the ones who came. Feng Mingshu tried her best to do well, but she also had to consider her health. So she said to Xiao Lin, "You wait in front, I'll go sit in the back for a while."
"Alright, sister-in-law, I'll take you there."
Xiaolin insisted on helping her sit down on the stone bench before turning back.
Feng Mingshu called out to Xiao Lin again: "Hold this up, my sister-in-law can read."
Xiao Lin took the sign, her eyes lighting up: "Sister-in-law, you're the best at this!"
Five minutes later, the ferry docked, and people poured off.
Zhou Caifeng helped her mother up the island with the flow of people. As soon as she looked up, she saw a sign with her name on it. The handwriting was so beautiful that she had never seen anything like it before.
“Mom, that’s my name. It must be my brother. My brother has come to pick us up!” Zhou Caifeng happily pointed it out to her mother.
Xiao Lin, with his keen hearing and sharp eyesight, immediately noticed the mother and daughter dressed in blue cotton jackets. He quickly stepped forward and asked, "Excuse me, are you Commander Zhou's mother and sister?"
Zhou Caifeng's eyes widened suddenly: "My brother became a regimental commander?" She then stood on tiptoe and looked around, "Where's my brother? Where is he?"
Ai Guixiang raised her hand and patted her daughter: "What kind of behavior is this, making such a racket?"
Seeing this, Xiaolin could confirm their identities. He quickly took the luggage from their hands and explained, "Commander Zhou is busy with work, so he sent me to pick you up. Oh, and your wife is here too. She rushed over after class, but she's not feeling well and is sitting in the back..."
But before Xiao Lin could finish speaking, he saw Commander Zhou's mother dart past him. He quickly turned around and saw the old lady precisely grab his sister-in-law's hand.
"Are you the fourth son's wife? If you're feeling unwell, tell your mother."
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