Sun and Lu Guilan went to prepare dinner at home. Although they no longer needed to cook for themselves, Sun still wanted to show off her skills and cook one or two of their favorite dishes when her son and daughter-in-law came home.
Lu Baichuan was pulled aside by Lu Lao Er to talk. He first said with great emotion that it was good that he was back, and then he started asking the same questions that the other kids had asked before.
Although Lu Baichuan kept repeating himself, he didn't find it annoying at all, because this was his second brother, his family, and they were asking these questions out of concern for him, so he patiently repeated himself many times.
Old Man Lu had heard these things countless times back in the prefectural city, so he wasn't interested in hearing them now. He went out to brag about them and invited Lu Fugui and the others over for dinner that evening, as a kind of get-together.
He Jiuniang then pulled Qin Shi into the house to take her pulse and ask about her recent reactions.
This was the first time He Jiuniang had examined Qin Shi's pulse since she became pregnant. Although her pulse indicated that she was healthy, He Jiuniang still insisted on asking more detailed questions and gave her a different prescription to help with the pregnancy.
"Second sister-in-law, I'm so sorry, I haven't been able to come back and visit you even though you've been pregnant for so long."
After doing all this, He Jiuniang held Qin's hand apologetically and spoke to her.
"Third sister-in-law, please don't say that! Although you haven't come back, you've been taking care of the prescriptions for a safe pregnancy, and you've been sending back nice things every few days. This baby in my belly is much luckier than its older brothers and sisters!"
Qin Shi didn't think He Jiu Niang was wrong for not returning. She thought it was because she lacked ability. Otherwise, she would definitely have gone out to make her way in the world. Who wouldn't yearn for such a prosperous place as the prefectural city?
"Third sister-in-law, I know you're busy now, but you haven't forgotten our family. Every time you come back, you bring so many nice things. On the contrary, we've never prepared anything for you."
As she spoke, Qin lowered her head somewhat embarrassed. Since becoming pregnant, she had rarely even gone to the county town, and could prepare even fewer things for them.
While making baby clothes for her unborn child, she thought about making some undergarments for He Jiuniang and the others by hand.
Although these clothes could be made in her own workshop, she put her heart into making them and hoped they wouldn't find them unpalatable.
He Jiuniang certainly wouldn't look down on it. She wasn't very good at handicrafts, so she greatly admired those who could make handicrafts.
In particular, the undergarments that Qin Shi made for her were not like the mass-produced ones in the workshop. She would patiently embroider a few small flowers or other patterns on the hem. In any case, it was the type that He Jiu Niang liked.
"Second sister-in-law, let's not talk about such formalities since we're family. Just focus on your pregnancy and take care of yourself. If you're bored, go for a walk around the workshop. Eat what you want and sleep when you want, but don't eat too much, otherwise the fetus will be too fat and it will be difficult to give birth."
Qin felt a warmth in her heart from those words and smiled, nodding as well. Then, remembering something else, she said, "Third sister-in-law, you must know that your second brother wants to go to the grasslands with some people. What do you think? Can you help me persuade him not to go? I'm pregnant and I'm always worried that something might happen to him out there."
There were many things that Qin Shi had wanted to say to her for a long time, but the previous letters had all been about everyone's affairs, so she couldn't say a few words to He Jiu Niang alone. She could only wait for He Jiu Niang to come back and talk to her together.
It was clear she had been holding it in for a long time; she looked very anxious, as if afraid that if she spoke too slowly, Lu Lao Er would have already spoken to Lu Baichuan and would be leaving soon.
In He Jiuniang's opinion, it was a good thing for Lu Lao Er to go out and gain experience. It was good to go out more and broaden one's horizons. However, it was hard to say what would happen when he was with the pregnant Qin Shi.
He Jiuniang thought for a moment and said, "I heard that my brother-in-law and the others also want to go. What do my younger sister and the others think?"
"What can they think? Aren't they just as worried as I am? It's just that these men seem determined not to listen to anything I say, not even to my mother. They've been arguing with me a lot lately."
He Jiuniang was somewhat surprised: "Second brother would cause trouble for you? That's impossible!"
"Why not?"
Qin sighed and said, "It's not the kind of blatant fuss, but they've made it clear that they want to go, and nothing we say can change their minds. They're usually fine, but once this matter is brought up, there's nothing we can do. Several times they've almost made me cry."
Perhaps because pregnant women's emotions change quickly, Qin's eyes welled up with tears as she spoke, as if she would burst into tears if she said a few more words.
He Jiuniang hurriedly pulled her aside and said, "Second sister-in-law, you're pregnant, you can't cry! Since second brother has made up his mind to go out and see the world, let him go. Anyway, there are so many people, he won't be going out alone. I'll have Baichuan send more people to accompany him, and we'll make sure they come back safely."
Upon hearing this, Madam Qin shook her head repeatedly: "No, it's not like that... He just wants to go out and see if there are any opportunities. Of the three brothers in the family, he's the least opinionated. Although it's fine for him to stay at home, he's proud and can't live with himself, so he's always wanted to go out. I've always known that. But I don't need him to be very successful. Now that the family's life is better, you all go out and work hard. He and I aren't capable, but helping everyone maintain the family business is our contribution. But he just won't listen, sob sob sob..."
As she continued speaking, Qin could no longer hold back her tears and burst into sobs, which streamed down her face like they were free.
He Jiuniang was flustered and confused. She was most afraid of seeing people cry, and to run into someone crying as soon as she came back was really...sigh!
I don't even know what to say!
The situation of the second branch was just as she had thought. Seeing that the first and third branches of the family each had their own way out, Lu Lao Er also wanted to go out and try his luck. This idea was not wrong, but at the same time, what Qin Shi said was also reasonable.
They all went out to make their own way in the world, and it wouldn't be good for the family business to be left unattended.
Of course, this would only be if Lu Lao Er himself was willing.
She pulled Qin into her arms and gently patted her back to comfort her. For a moment, she didn't know what to say, afraid that she might say the wrong thing and make her cry again.
After a while, Qin composed herself, wiped away her tears, and said somewhat embarrassedly, "Mother has been keeping this matter to herself, saying she would talk about it when you come back. But he's definitely going to bring it up tonight. Third sister-in-law, could you... could you..."
She couldn't bring herself to say what came next. She wanted He Jiuniang to find an excuse to refuse, but she felt that it wasn't right and that she would be letting her husband down. Yet, she was really worried about him going out. She was torn between these two conflicting feelings.
He Jiuniang shook her head and said, "Second sister-in-law, I can't give you a definite answer to this matter. If second brother really wants to go, forcing him to stay will only make things worse..."
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