When Gu Yanxiao got home, he saw his wife leaning back on the sofa, watching TV lazily. Looking at her protruding belly, Gu Yanxiao felt extremely sorry for her. He stepped forward and put his arm around Xia Liang's shoulder, saying, "You've worked so hard. After this one, I won't have any more." Xia Liang was a little surprised to see him come back, but she didn't refute his words and nodded gently.
When Xia Liang was pregnant with Yunxi, Gu Yanxiao had never seen his wife pregnant. He didn't know she was pregnant when he left, and she had already given birth when he returned. Now, seeing his wife's belly almost bursting, he truly understood the greatness of a mother. Especially after hearing his mother say that Xia Liang was often woken up by the baby kicking at night, and that she would have leg cramps, and that she couldn't eat anything in the early stages, and that she would vomit everything she managed to eat, becoming skin and bones, Gu Yanxiao hugged his wife tightly, feeling that he owed her so much and didn't know how to make it up to her.
Because it was her second pregnancy, she had experience and wasn't panicked at all during contractions. Gu Yanxiao suggested they go to the hospital immediately, but Xia Liang refused, saying calmly, "Let's eat first. After we eat, grab the bag we prepared earlier, and then we'll go to the hospital." Gu Yanxiao was anxious; it was already late autumn, but he was still sweating profusely. He followed his wife's instructions to pack, ready to leave as soon as she gave the order. Xia Liang finished her meal at a leisurely pace, took a shower, and changed her clothes. She was thinking about how she would be in postpartum confinement after giving birth, and with her mother-in-law watching over her, she wouldn't be able to take a bath openly—it would be too much of a ordeal.
Perhaps because it was her second pregnancy, the delivery was exceptionally quick this time. After finishing her meal, she went to the hospital and the doctor immediately had her lie down on the bed to wait for delivery. When Gu Weiguo and Han Yulan arrived with Xiao Yunxi, the baby had already been born—another girl. Xiao Yunxi looked at her little sister in her father's arms and said, "Why is she so ugly? Daddy, can I get a different little sister?" Gu Yanxiao said helplessly, "No, baby. All newborns are like this. They'll be fine as they grow up." Little Gu Yunxi pouted and said, "But I want a little girl as cute as Xiao Mi. Can't we really switch with them?" Receiving her father's firm answer, the little one could only give up and snuggled up to Han Yulan without saying a word. Han Yulan patted her head and chuckled, "Not ugly at all! Your sister looks exactly like you when you were little." Little Gu Yunxi was startled and took a half-step back, saying, "Impossible! I'm so pretty, and my sister is so ugly." Looking at his granddaughter's frightened face, Gu Weiguo couldn't help but laugh, "My darling was very cute when she was little too. Your sister is pretty too. You two sisters are both beautiful, the most beautiful in the world." The little one proudly puffed out her chest. Thinking of something, she ran to Xia Liang's bedside and asked, "Mommy, who's prettier, me or my sister?" Xia Liang's face was pale, but seeing her daughter's bright eyes, she weakly smiled and said, "Mommy's daughter is the prettiest, the most beautiful in the world." The little one happily said, "Mommy is the most beautiful in the world too!" She completely forgot that her mother had more than one daughter. Han Yulan stepped forward and picked up the little one, saying, "Let your mother rest well; she's exhausted." The little one nodded, looking at her mother with heartache, and said, "Mommy, you rest well. You don't need to take me to kindergarten tomorrow; I'll go by myself." Xia Liang smiled in response. Soon after, she slowly fell asleep.
This time, she stayed in the hospital for three days before going home. Luckily, it's already October, and the weather isn't too hot, otherwise, postpartum confinement would have been so difficult. The main problem was that her mother-in-law wouldn't let her bathe, so Xia Liang could only have Gu Yanxiao prepare a basin of water to wipe her body. Every day before school, little Yunxi would come to see her little sister, chattering away for a while, then kissing her on the cheek before going to school. After school, she would also go to her parents' room to see her sister first, every single day. One day, she directly asked Xia Liang, "Mommy, can I take my little sister to school to play?" Xia Liang shook her head and refused, "No, sweetie, your sister is still too small, she doesn't know how to play yet." Little Yunxi said, "Then can I take her to school to show my classmates? I tell them my sister is really pretty, but they don't believe me." Indeed, since her one-month celebration, the little one has changed every day. She's no longer the red and wrinkled baby she was when she was born; now she's a white and tender little dumpling, so cute that you just want to kiss her. Xia Liang said, "No, sweetie, your little sister can't walk yet, she's too young." Little Yunxi said innocently, "Then can I put her in my schoolbag and take her with me? I'll bring her back after school." Finally, Han Yulan said to Gu Yunxi, "How about this, tomorrow when your grandpa and I take you to kindergarten, we'll bring your sister with us, and then we'll pick you up with her after school, okay?" Little Yunxi thought for a moment and reluctantly nodded, "Okay then! Grandma, you have to remember! I'll definitely bring my sister to show my classmates." Han Yulan nodded, "Don't worry, sweetie, Grandma will definitely remember." Only then did the little one feel relieved enough to go eat.
The next day, Han Yulan kept her promise and wrapped her second granddaughter up like a ball, making sure she was completely covered before leaving the house. Little Yunxi walked beside her grandmother, carrying her own schoolbag. Since the incident with Director Zhu, Little Yunxi had transferred back to the Municipal Party Committee Kindergarten. After all, it's inevitable to encounter some nasty people anywhere, so it's better to be under her own nose, where at least no one would dare to bully her.
Today, Han Yulan deliberately left twenty minutes early, just to show off her younger sister. At the kindergarten gate, she held her second granddaughter and, seeing her eldest granddaughter standing to the side, called out, "Xiaoyuan, look, this is my little sister, isn't she pretty?" "Xiaoguo, look, this is my little sister, isn't she beautiful?" She asked every familiar classmate, and the classmates were obliging, nodding and saying she was pretty. The little girl became even more smug, until a classmate named Xiaomei said disdainfully, "She's just average! Not as pretty as my sister." The little girl got angry and made a promise with Xiaomei to bring her sister to school tomorrow for a comparison. Han Yulan listened helplessly to the children's innocent chatter. After dropping her granddaughter off at school, she took her second granddaughter home, handed her granddaughter to her daughter-in-law, and hurried off to work.
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