Chapter 196 Two in One
Song Yuling and Yu Qian followed Pei Che to play with Ding Guo.
With two more lively girls in the house, the house suddenly became lively.
Pei Che did not stay in the room to listen to their conversation. He took the vegetables and meat and went to the kitchen to prepare lunch.
There was still some leeks left, so Pei Che prepared some fillings and made two plates of leek dumplings.
I fried some peanuts, let them cool down, and then made some vinegar peanuts.
At noon, another table was prepared.
After lunch, Song Yuling and the other person went back so that Ding Guo could have a rest.
After the guests left, Pei Che took out a few red envelopes from his pocket and handed them over, saying with a smile: "We both have some red envelopes from several families."
Ding Guo was surprised: "Aunt Yu and the others gave me red envelopes? How can this be so embarrassing?"
She hasn't arrived yet.
"I didn't want it either, but a few elders insisted that I take it. They know your situation and understand that it's inconvenient for you to go out, and they said that even if you don't show up, you still have to give the red envelope."
The Huang family, the Song family and the Yu family, except Yu Shaofen, the old man and the old lady of the Yu family also gave red envelopes.
Ding Guo felt a little sorry, so he took it, looked at it carefully, and memorized it.
Pei Che comforted her: "The old man also gave red envelopes to the younger generations of Uncle Huang and Uncle Song when they visited our home for the New Year in the past few years, and this year it will be no exception. As for the Yu family, we will find a chance to pay it back later."
People who visit to wish new year's greetings and give red envelopes on New Year's Day are usually close relatives.
Ding Guo nodded.
Pei Che said: "Go back to your room and get some sleep. I'm going to Baoguo's house."
Ding Guo: "Go ahead."
Thinking about the hard work this man has done recently, she thought it was time for him to meet up with his friends. She smiled and said, "No need to rush back. Stay in Baoguo and have some fun."
Pei Che shook his head, his expression slightly serious: "I'm worried about what's going on in Baoguo."
In previous years, Sui Baoguo would go to the compound to pay New Year's greetings early in the morning, regardless of whether he was in the capital or not. This morning, when they left, Sui Baoguo did not go there, nor did he come here. Pei Che was worried that something had happened to his family.
Pei Che put on his coat while saying, "His old lady wasn't in good health before the New Year. I'm afraid..."
"Then go quickly and take some money and tickets. It would be best if nothing happens, but it can be used as an emergency measure if something happens."
She gave Pei Che two hundred yuan, and Pei Che took it, gave her a few instructions, and rode out on his bike.
Ding Guo returned to the bedroom holding his stomach and went into the space to catch up on some sleep.
I always got up at night, and my stomach was too big, so I was uncomfortable no matter how I lay down. In the second half of the night, I was woken up by the sound of firecrackers, so I didn't get a good rest.
Pei Che didn't enter the door until around five in the afternoon, followed by Sui Baoguo, whose eyes were red, hair was messy, and the corners of his mouth were a little purple.
Seeing Ding Guo, he forced a smile and said, "Happy New Year, sister-in-law!"
"Happy New Year! Come sit down and warm yourself by the fire."
What's so confusing about this? What a pity!
Pei Che did not hide it from Ding Guo: "Grandma Baoguo is in the hospital and may be paralyzed."
Sui Baoguo hung his head and said, "It's New Year's Day. I'm sorry to have caused trouble to my brother and sister-in-law."
"What are you talking about?" Pei Che patted his shoulder. "Sit down for a while. I'll go cook some dumplings and noodles. It'll be quick. You can finish eating and then go to the hospital to deliver the meal."
Sui Baoguo felt a little sorry: "I'll help you."
Pei Che pressed him down on the stool and said, "Sit down and take a rest."
Ding Guo brought the peanuts over, and Sui Baoguo quickly stood up and continued, "Sister-in-law, I'll do it myself. You're not feeling well, so you don't need to entertain me."
Ding Guo returned to the chair over there and sat down, and asked, "Who is taking care of the old lady in the hospital?"
"My sister!" Sui Baoguo took a peanut and didn't eat it. He pinched it unconsciously and whispered, "My brother-in-law was not honest outside before the New Year. My sister quarreled with him after she knew it. That beast beat my sister, and my sister returned home with the children. This morning, my brother-in-law came to our house and made a scene. My grandmother fainted. I didn't expect that she would have a stroke..."
Sui Baoguo stopped talking here, took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, saying: "Sister-in-law, you take a rest, I'll go out and help Brother Che."
There weren't many dumplings left yesterday, so Pei Che cooked them all, and also cooked a pot of noodles. He packed the dumplings in a few lunch boxes, and after Sui Baoguo wolfed them down, he asked him to take them to the hospital.
After Sui Baoguo left, Pei Che said, "His sister is in the hospital with her three children. Together with the old lady, there are five of us having dinner together."
Ding Guo naturally didn't feel bad about the food, and said, "Go and have a look later when you have time."
Pei Che nodded and said, "I left you half a bowl of dumplings. Eat them first while I cook a few more dishes."
Ding Guo said, "Let's eat it together after we finish cooking."
After the couple had dinner, Pei Che fetched some water for Ding Guo to soak and wash his feet, saying, "I'm going to the police station today to bring Bao Guo out."
Ding Guo was shocked: "He went to the police station?"
Pei Che: "His brother-in-law made the old lady so angry that she had a stroke. Baoguo beat his brother-in-law in the hospital, and someone in the hospital called the police. The police came and took both of them away."
Ding Guo: "Where is his brother-in-law?"
"He's still in the police station." He only brought Sui Baoguo out and ignored the man.
After arriving at the hospital, he helped contact a doctor he knew to re-examine Baoguo's grandmother.
However, the situation is not optimistic. The old man is old and he fell this morning. We can only try our best to get treatment. The best case scenario is that he can move slowly on his own and not be completely unable to take care of himself.
Ding Guo: "Sui Baoguo said that his brother-in-law was not honest outside. Could it be that he found a lover?"
Pei Che nodded: "He was having an affair with another woman, Baoguo's sister found out, and they had a fight and got physical."
Ding Guo: "You're not going to report this?"
Pei Che said helplessly: "The family depends on his brother-in-law's salary to support the family, his sister can't possibly report it! But Baoguo also mentioned this before. He wanted his sister to report it. At worst, they could divorce and take the children back to her parents' home, and he would raise his sister and nephew. But Sister Sui Yan refused. If she really took the three children back to her parents' home and let her brother raise them, would Baoguo still be able to find a girl to live with him?"
"Let's just stay in this stalemate for now. We shouldn't get too involved in his sister's affairs." Pei Che said as he helped his wife put on socks and cotton boots. Pei Che also washed his own feet with water, and the couple went back to the house to rest.
Ding Dayong came early the next morning, and he was accompanied by Ding Tao and Ding Zhaodi.
Ding Guo was not surprised that Dayong came to the capital, but he was a little surprised to see the Ding Tao sisters.
"Sister, brother-in-law, Happy New Year!" After Ding Tao finished speaking, she was shocked by Ding Guo's belly, "Sister, why is your belly so big? It's too big!"
Ding Guo rolled his eyes at her and said, "Where are the two of them, her aunt?"
Ding Tao: "I knew two, but I didn't expect the belly to be so big."
Ding Zhaodi was still a little shy and called out in a low voice.
Ding Guo invited them in and asked, "Are you two going back to your hometown to celebrate the New Year this year?"
Ding Tao nodded, and carefully helped Ding Guo walk into the house, smiling a little embarrassedly: "My salary is higher than before. I didn't go back last year, so I thought about going back this year."
Since she and Dayong were both going back, they couldn't leave Zhaodi alone in Fengning, so they went back to their hometown together to celebrate the New Year.
As for coming to the capital, it was because Dayong was coming over. It just so happened that she had always wanted to visit the capital, so she simply returned early and went with Dayong to visit Sister Ding Guo, and then went back to Fengning with Dayong.
Ding Tao said, "Sister, brother-in-law, you should go visit relatives and don't worry about us. Zhaodi and I will go out for a walk by ourselves."
This year, only Pei Che was busy visiting relatives. He would go back to the compound and then drive to his grandparents' house.
When Ding Guo's two cousins came over, Pei Che arranged for them without any hesitation: "Your sister is not visiting relatives this year, so you two should not go out to play today. Stay at home with your eldest sister and go out for a walk tomorrow."
Ding Tao hurriedly said: "Okay, brother-in-law!"
Ding Dayong is going to the Song family today.
He didn't bring any food this time, but he brought a chicken and a duck for Ding Guo, both of which had been prepared.
There were also small clothes, quilts, and cut urine mustard seeds made by Aunt San.
Pei Che said: "Send the chickens and ducks to your father-in-law."
Ding Dayong patted the other bag: "Ready!"
He also bought cigarettes, alcohol, sugar, tea and other things, making the gifts complete.
Ding Tao did not come empty-handed. The family did not get much meat this year, and her mother was reluctant to buy these, so she bought two bags of local snacks, canned food and brown sugar from the city's supply and marketing cooperative.
She did bring some food, but not specifically for Ding Guo. She planned to leave some for Ding Guo as food for the two sisters for the next two days, and take the rest back to Fengning.
Zhaodi did not supply them with food, and the two sisters were not fully fed with the food rationed by one person. They had to either buy food from outside or have their parents send them some money to supplement their diet.
Ding Guo didn't want her food, so she harvested the wheat and corn in her space one after another. Although the amount planted each time was not much, the frequency was high.
Several people arrived early, and Ding Guo had just woken up and had not had breakfast yet.
But Pei Che didn't cook for so many people, and went to cook noodles, and Ding Dayong went to help.
Pei Che asked about the situation in his hometown and then about his business trip before the New Year. The two chatted while they were busy.
In the room, Ding Tao carefully touched Ding Guo's belly, but as soon as she put her hand on it, she bounced back as if she had been electrocuted. She was so scared that she stuttered, "Sister, there's something moving inside your belly!"
"Fetal movement, it's normal."
Ding Tao rubbed her palms with lingering fear and said, "Can the baby in the belly move so vigorously? I feel like I was kicked, and my palms are a little numb."
Ding Guo laughed: "You were scared, weren't you?" He added, "Not only were they kicking my belly, they were also kicking each other inside."
Ding Tao felt it was novel and couldn't help but touch it again. This time she wasn't kicked, but there seemed to be an obvious surge inside.
Ding Guo took some melon seeds and pine nuts and asked them to eat them.
Ding Tao grabbed a handful.
Ding Zhaodi was a little reserved, and kept looking outside, whispering, "I, I'll go out and help my brother-in-law and Brother Dayong, shall I?"
She felt very bad for letting her brother-in-law cook for them.
Ding Guo smiled and said, "There's nothing to be embarrassed about. He asked you to stay home and take care of me today, and I'm not embarrassed about that. You'll have something to do at noon."
"Sister Ding Guo, it's my duty to take care of you!" Ding Zhaodi said in a low voice.
Ding Guo looked at Ding Zhaodi in surprise and asked Ding Tao: "Zhaodi has been working for a while, why is she still so shy?"
Ding Tao: "She is like that. I have told her many times that when she talks to others, she should speak louder, but she just hums like a mosquito."
Ding Guo smiled and said, "Listen to your sister and be more confident. We don't owe anyone anything, so why should we be so cautious?"
Ding Zhaodi's voice was not much louder, still as soft as a mosquito's hum: "I understand, Sister Ding Guo."
Ding Guo: ...
After breakfast, Ding Dayong went next door to light the stove first, then he tidied himself up and went to his girlfriend's house in high spirits.
Ding Tao and Ding Zhaodi rushed to wash the dishes.
Pei Che went to the cellar to get some dishes, and prepared meat and eggs for lunch. He pointed to the cupboard and said to Ding Tao, "Taozi, there are fried fish, meatballs, and a piece of pork elbow in sauce. Ask your sister what she wants to eat at noon, and you can make it according to your preference. This piece of raw meat is mutton, this is pork, and Dayong brought the chicken. Make whatever you want."
Pei Che would definitely not be able to come back at noon after going to his grandparents' house.
"I know, brother-in-law!"
After arranging the house, Pei Che went into the house and talked to Ding Guo worriedly for a while before heading to the compound.
Sisters Ding Tao curiously went to look next door and came back to chat with Ding Guo.
Ding Dayong packed up, came over to say hello to Ding Guo, then rode her bicycle to the Song family.
Ding Tao talked about her uncle's family.
The letter she wrote to Ding Guo was not very detailed, and some miscellaneous trivial matters were not mentioned in the letter.
"She knew I worked in a food factory, so she came to me and asked me to buy some snacks for her. I bought them for her, but she complained that they were broken, saying she wanted to take them to visit relatives. She asked me if I had any whole snacks. Sister, you know, even if they are broken snacks, you can't just buy them if you want. Later, when she came to me again, I said I couldn't buy them."
Ding Tao was peeling pine nuts and said, "She asked me to exchange cake tickets again. She brought me some scraps of cloth to exchange for snack tickets. She is so smart. It seems that she is the only one who is smart and everyone else is stupid."
Ding Guo smiled and said, "Have you changed?"
"I'm not stupid. I asked her to exchange her food coupons, but she refused. She said in a sly tone that there were three half-grown boys at home who were at an age where they couldn't get enough food, and that the food coupons were not enough. I said Zhaodi didn't provide any food, and we didn't have enough food, and we had exchanged the food coupons we had with others."
"She even went to Zhaodi and asked her to get some waste paper from the factory to staple her son's homework books. The silly Zhaodi actually got it for her, and I got angry at her."
Ding Zhaodi whispered beside him, "I don't feel comfortable saying no."
"Then you'll give it to me for free?"
Although it doesn't cost anything to take a few pieces of waste paper, it would be a shame to be taken advantage of!
Ding Zhaodi: "I didn't give it to you later!"
Ding Tao: "That's also a loss." She added, "It makes me angry when I talk about it. When they moved, Zhaodi and I went to help. We ran back and forth several times in the cold wind, but in the end they didn't even give us a steamed bun. We walked back to Zaohua Lane hungry."
Ding Guo: "Is your uncle mute?"
Ding Tao rolled her eyes: "I was being bossed around by that woman and didn't pay any attention to us."
Ding Guo: ...
Ding Tao sighed: "With such a stepmother, Ding Xiang and Ding Jiandang are doomed! You don't know how thin Ding Xiang is now. She was thin to begin with, and now she's skinny."
"When she knew I was going back to my hometown for the New Year, she said that if she wasn't pregnant, she would have gone back with us to celebrate the New Year. She said she would have brought Jia Anping and Jia Anshun back to meet the people in their hometown." Ding Tao pouted, "She's a good talker. I think she probably wouldn't have gone back even if she wasn't pregnant."
Ding Guo couldn't help laughing: "Don't go back, you'll have to serve them when you go back home."
Aunt San’s prayer came true.
"Too!"
Ding Tao returned to her hometown, and people there also knew that Zheng Wenfang was pregnant.
However, the reaction of the old family members was not so intense. After all, they didn't have to raise the child.
It is not uncommon for people in their forties to give birth to children in rural areas.
At noon, Ding Tao cooked and Ding Zhaodi helped her. She made meatballs, fried meat and stewed cabbage. Under the guidance of Ding Guo, she processed the fried fish again, boiled sweet and sour sauce, and finally sprinkled some minced garlic before serving.
I steamed the pork elbow in a pot, stir-fried some shredded white radish with dried chilies, and cooked some millet porridge.
The staple food was just a few heated steamed buns.
Ding Tao's cooking skills couldn't compare to Pei Che's, but with Ding Guo's guidance, the taste wouldn't be too bad.
After lunch, Ding Guo took the two of them to the next door, arranged a room for them to sleep in that night, and checked the stove and added some charcoal.
Pei Che came back in the evening and brought back a few red envelopes for Ding Guo.
Ding Guo said: "After the baby is born, we will go to see grandma and grandpa."
When asked about Grandpa's condition, Pei Che said, "Same as always, but I think he looks a little better than when we visited him in the summer."
The next day, the Ding Tao sisters acted as light bulbs and went out to play with Dayong and Song Yuling for a day.
Pei Yu's family came to Ding Guo's place and had fun for most of the day.
That night, Dayong and his group bought tickets back to Fengning.
On the fourth day of the Chinese New Year, the two went for a prenatal check-up. The results were very good. The doctor looked at Ding Guo's due date and reminded the couple that twins are prone to premature birth, so he asked them to prepare everything they needed in advance to avoid being in a hurry.
After the examination, Ding Guo was ready to go to work.
In fact, the bookstore started working on the second day of the Chinese New Year, and Ding Guo took a few days off.
It is easy for her to apply for leave in her current situation.
During the Chinese New Year period, there were more people in the bookstore than usual. The already full bookshelves were half empty again, and the ordered goods were still not arriving.
Li Shumei looked at her belly and asked, "Why don't you take a rest for two days?"
Ding Guo laughed and said, "It's embarrassing to take a break all the time." Then he asked Li Shumei, "Will you take a day off tomorrow?"
Li Shumei nodded: "Since you are at work, I will take a day off tomorrow."
Pei Che sent the person over, went back and stewed a chicken, kept half for Ding Guo, and sent the other half to the hospital to visit the old lady of the Sui family.
When Ding Guo asked about it in the evening, Pei Che said, "The condition is under control, and Baoguo's brother-in-law has also been released. He was beaten up by his brother-in-law, and since he had caused such a big disaster, he didn't go to the hospital to make a scene, but his future will be tough." He said, "It's also Sister Sui Yan's own fault. She shouldn't have given the job to her sister-in-law in the first place."
Pei Che used to be neighbors with the Sui family, and was familiar with Sui Yan, but only familiarly. Sui Yan was several years older than him, and they didn't often play together when they were young.
Ding Guo's mouth twitched.
She used to read period novels, in which there were many "good daughters" and "good daughters-in-law" who gave up their jobs to their natal family or husband's family. She never expected that there would be a real-life version of this.
"She gave up her job and her say in her husband's family. From then on, she had to live her life at the mercy of her husband..." Ding Guo commented mercilessly, "She made such a foolish decision, and now she has to bear all this."
Pei Che was a little shocked: "Wife, how did you know?"
Ding Guo ignored the man's shock. She was very experienced in theory and continued, "I guess her in-laws persuaded her to give up her job while she was pregnant, right?"
Pei Che was even more shocked, and looked at his wife with some admiration in his eyes: "Wife, how did you know?"
"I guess again, the reason for persuading her is to consider her, let her stay at home and take good care of the baby, and the man will take care of her and the child in the future..."
Pei Che sat up straight, the surprise on his face lingering: "Wife, you are so smart, it's exactly as you said!"
Has no one really gossiped about Sister Sui Yan with his wife?
"Wife, how should we solve this situation?"
Ding Guo leaned forward with difficulty, stretched out his finger to lift Pei Che's chin, and narrowed his eyes dangerously: "I don't know how to deal with others, but if you dare to do this, make big promises for me, and then make me live under your will, I will destroy you while protecting myself."
Although he was clearly being threatened by his wife, Pei Che's breathing was a little disordered. His Adam's apple moved up and down twice, and he said, "Wife, there will never be such a day. I will live my whole life at your mercy!"
Ding Guo raised his head and sat back against the back of the chair. He wanted to cross his legs, but he failed to do so. He had no choice but to touch his belly and groan, "You're smart!"
Pei Che couldn't help laughing and leaned over to kiss his wife.
The way my wife pretended to be arrogant just now was so cute that I couldn't help but kiss her again and said attentively: "I'll go get you some water to wash your feet."
The next day, Li Shumei took a day off, so Pei Che stayed in the bookstore and worked with Ding Guo for a day.
On the sixth day of the New Year, Aunt Qiao came back, and Pei Che took some time to go to the compound. After that, he went to the military academy twice to handle various procedures.
After the Lantern Festival, Pei Che will go to the military academy to study.
When you enter a military academy, you have to participate in freshman training, so you don’t have that much free time to go home.
"I will definitely find a way to rush back when the baby is born." The night before leaving for school, Pei Che hugged his wife reluctantly and kissed her on the face again and again.
There is still about a month before the goods are unloaded, and Ding Guo is both excited and nervous.
If Pei Che could be by her side during childbirth, she would be happy and feel more at ease.
But she also understood Pei Che's work, so she said, "Just do your best. If you really can't make it back, don't force it."
Pei Che hugged Ding Guo tightly, feeling very reluctant to let go. Just as he was about to say something else, Ding Guo pushed him away: "I need to pee."
Pei Che quickly turned over and got out of bed, turned around to help her, and said, "When I get to school, let Aunt Qiao come and sleep with you."
Ding Guo hesitated for a moment before nodding.
Although Aunt Qiao was with her, it was a little inconvenient for her to enter and exit the space, but the burden on her body at this time did cause her great inconvenience.
The next day, Ding Guo was sent to the unit, and Pei Che went to the military academy.
During the time since he came back, Pei Che wore casual clothes instead of military uniform when he came to pick up Ding Guo every day.
Today was different. Li Shumei saw him wearing a neat military uniform, a military cap, and carrying a bag. She asked Ding Guo, "Has your partner returned to the army?"
Although Sister Shumei was a very nice person, Ding Guo sometimes felt annoyed by her curiosity, so he did not tell her about Pei Che's further studies at the military academy and nodded vaguely.
Li Shumei couldn't help but sighed and said, "You're about to give birth, and he's back in the army. Why didn't he calculate the days when he asked for leave? He waited until you gave birth before taking a break." Then she shook her head, "Men, you can't rely on them completely!"
I used to think Ding Guo’s partner was very caring and attentive, but this level of attentiveness is still not enough!
Suddenly I felt that the handsome young man's personality collapsed a little bit.
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