Xia Dahe was happy to see his daughter when he returned home, but unlike Zhao Danxiang, he was not considerate. He only asked Xia Liang about her work and learned that she was planning to give birth in the county town. He didn't say much else.
After a lively family meal, Xia Dahe and Xia Rong watched TV, Zhao Danxiang looked after Xinran, and Xia Liang and Zhou Xiaohui sat together talking about the baby. Zhou Xiaohui said, "When I was pregnant with Xinran, I craved spicy food, so Mom often cooked spicy dishes for me. My colleagues at the factory saw my pointed belly and said I was having a girl, and it turned out to be true." Xia Liang said, "When I first got pregnant, I couldn't stand the smell of braised pork, but I especially loved pickled fish. Later on, I still craved fish, but I heard many people say they can't stand the fishy smell." Zhou Xiaohui laughed, looking at Xia Liang with sympathy, "You used to love braised pork, but I didn't expect you couldn't eat it after getting pregnant." She couldn't help but laugh, and Xia Liang also found it funny that pregnancy had changed her personal preferences. She then asked Zhou Xiaohui, "So, looking at my belly, do you think I'm having a boy or a girl?" "..." Zhou Xiaohui carefully examined Xia Liang's belly for a while and said, "I don't know how to tell. When I was pregnant with Xiaoxinran, it was my colleagues at the factory who said it." Zhao Danxiang, who was standing nearby, chimed in, "When I was pregnant with your brother, I liked spicy food, and the villagers said I was definitely having a girl. Even your grandma was furious. But it turned out to be a son. When I was pregnant with you, I liked sour food, and people said it was a son again. But it turned out to be you. So none of that is accurate. But your belly is pointed like your sister-in-law's, so it's probably a girl too." Xia Liang was delighted: "I love daughters. I can braid her hair and dress her in pretty little dresses. Of course, I'd love boys too, since they're my own children." Zhao Danxiang smiled and said, "That's right. It doesn't matter if it's a boy or a girl. They're all your children, and you love them all the same." Xia Liang and Zhou Xiaohui nodded repeatedly.
After sitting for a while, Zhao Danxiang said to Xia Liang, "I'm staying at home tonight." Xia Liang shook her head and said, "I didn't say I was going home this morning because I was afraid they'd worry. I'll go back tonight anyway. I have a few months to go, so I can come back and stay for a couple of days later." Zhao Danxiang nodded, "Okay, then let your brother take you home before it gets dark. I'm not trying to kick you out, it's just that it's not safe to go home after dark." Xia Liang smiled and said, "I know, I won't worry about it." Just as the siblings were about to leave, the front door was pushed open, and everyone rushed towards the entrance. Looking over, it turned out to be Xia Liang's parents-in-law. Zhao Danxiang hurriedly went forward to greet them, "Have you eaten, in-laws? If not, I'll make you something." Han Yulan pulled her aside and said, "We've eaten. Don't bother, mother-in-law. We've come to pick up A-Liang. She didn't say she wanted to stay home this morning, so her father and I said we'd come to pick her up. It saves your father and nephew Rong from having to see her off." After some polite exchanges, the two went into the main room. Xia Liang was a little speechless to see her parents-in-law. She had only gone out for a short while, yet they had come to pick her up so late at night. She smiled and went forward to greet them. Xia Dahe also invited them to sit down, and Xia Rong went to make some tea.
Since her in-laws were already there, Xia Liang decided to stay a little longer and let her father and father-in-law chat. Han Yulan was delighted to see Xiao Ran, who was fair-skinned and chubby, and went over to hug her with a smile. However, the little one didn't give her any face at all, turning her back to her. Zhou Xiaohui was a little embarrassed. Xia Liang laughed and said, "This little one is very attached to people. When I came this morning and wanted to hug her, she did the same thing. Her grandma pretended to hit me, and she laughed and giggled." Everyone couldn't help but chuckle, thinking that the little dumpling was just too cute. Han Yulan said, "I wish A Liang had a lovely granddaughter like that." Xia Liang smiled and said, "I also want a daughter, soft and delicate, who can be affectionate with me and wear pretty little dresses." The more Xia Liang talked, the more excited she became, as if she had already given birth to a beautiful little daughter. Han Yulan was also pleased to hear this. Neither she nor Old Gu were sexist; although they were happy whether it was a boy or a girl, they felt more inclined towards their granddaughter. Just as her daughter-in-law had said, she was delicate, soft, and knew how to be charming—the thought alone melted their hearts. Zhao Danxiang, seeing that her mother-in-law genuinely loved her granddaughter, felt much more at ease. After all, if her mother-in-law was sexist, her daughter might not have a good time in her husband's family after giving birth to a granddaughter. Although Han Yulan seemed easy to get along with, who knew if it was because her daughter was pregnant? There were plenty of cases in the village where new brides were treated well by their mothers-in-law when they first married, but their status plummeted after the birth of their granddaughters. In the end, they were treated like livestock, never getting enough to eat, doing endless chores, and being abused. Wasn't that how it was for her before? At least other women had a kind face before giving birth, while she had never received a smile from her mother-in-law. Thinking about this, Zhao Danxiang felt heartbroken. Zhou Xiaohui, standing to the side, was genuinely happy for Xia Liang. She felt that Xia Liang had a wonderful mother-in-law as open-minded as her own, who didn't mind that she had given birth to a daughter and still took care of her as before. Every day when she came home from get off work, dinner would already be ready for them, and the child was also very well cared for, always looking clean and healthy. The child's maternal grandmother even worried that the child's paternal grandmother, being from the countryside, might mistreat her granddaughter or not take good care of her, so she frequently checked to see if her daughter was well-behaved and checked her at night for any pinch marks. Zhou Xiaohui was speechless. Even her own mother hadn't been as attentive and thorough in caring for her brother's son as her mother-in-law had been with Xia Liang. But that was her own mother; what could she say?
Gu Weiguo and Han Yulan stayed at the Xia family's house until it was completely dark before saying goodbye to Xia Liang and the family to go home. The Xia family saw them to the door, and Han Yulan said, "Father-in-law and mother-in-law, please don't see us off. Go back and get some rest. We've troubled you tonight." Zhao Danxiang said, "Not at all. We're more than happy to welcome you. Come over often when you have time." Xia Liang also said, "Mom and Dad, brother and sister-in-law, please go back quickly. Don't let your daughter catch a cold." Zhao Danxiang pulled her granddaughter closer and told Han Yulan to come often. Han Yulan nodded, "Okay, we'll come often. Don't see us off. Go back now." The four members of the Xia family watched them walk away before closing the door.
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