"Well, I was just asking."
Xu Ruantang smiled and stepped forward to help her pick vegetables.
Xiao Ying felt a little awkward, her face turning red. "Sister-in-law, you sit down, I'll do it."
As the two were talking, there was another noise at the door.
Soon, you could hear the sound of a key turning in the lock.
Gao Baoliang was holding a chicken in his hand. "Xiao Ying, someone in our compound came back from their hometown and brought back an old hen. Look how fat it is."
He had a smile on his face, and as soon as he entered the door, before even looking up, he started talking non-stop.
He picked up the chicken, which was tied up tightly, and shook it to show it to Xiao Ying.
Xiao Ying stood up, wiped her hands on her apron, and smiled shyly: "It just so happens that my sister-in-law is here. Let's all have dinner together tonight."
Gao Baoliang then noticed Xu Ruantang and scratched his head sheepishly.
"Hello, sister-in-law!"
Xu Ruantang nodded, and then felt a fleshy touch on her leg, as if she had been grabbed, but it quickly disappeared.
When she looked up, Xiao Bao had run to the door like a gust of wind.
She raised her little head to look at Gao Baoliang, pointed her chubby little finger at the chicken, and said in a childish voice, "Daddy, Daddy."
Gao Baoliang was amused by her incredibly cute appearance.
He put the chicken on the ground and reached out to Xiaobao: "Come here."
Xiao Bao stumbled and rushed into Gao Baoliang's arms, crying, "Chicken, chicken."
Children are fearless; Xiao Bao reached out and poked the chicken's beak, and even twisted it with his hand.
A "clucking" sound came from inside the house.
Xu Ruantang couldn't help but exclaim, "How can Xiao Bao be so bold?"
To be honest, she didn't even dare to touch this kind of pointed-beaked animal.
Xiao Ying stood beside Xu Ruantang, smiling as she looked at the father and daughter, both of them seemingly in much better spirits.
"More than that, once when we went downstairs to play, the other kids were all gathered around a lady with a flower pet. The other kids didn't dare to touch her, but Xiao Bao went up and stomped on her."
Bao Liang said that Xiao Bao's personality is exactly the same as her mother's.
Xu Ruantang turned her head curiously.
Xiao Ying looked back at her calmly, "Sister-in-law, I will treat Xiao Bao as my own child, and I won't treat her badly because of the baby in my belly."
Xu Ruantang never expected that the couple could be so honest.
Gao Baoliang must have told Xiaoying everything that had happened before.
That's good too; at least Xiao Bao won't be in an awkward situation in the future.
After selecting the vegetables, Xiao Ying went into the kitchen.
Gao Baoliang also went to the balcony to deal with the old hen.
Xiao Bao was very interested in the process. When he passed by Xu Ruantang, he even took her hand and asked her to accompany him.
Xu Ruantang happened to have something to talk to Gao Baoliang about alone, so she went to the balcony with him.
"Sister-in-law, there's a stool over there, please sit down."
Gao Baoliang smiled in a simple and honest way.
Xu Ruantang sat down with her arms around Xiaobao. Xiaobao didn't move around and stared intently at the chicken lying in the boiling water.
"Baoliang, your wife is having severe morning sickness. Should you take her to the hospital to get her checked out?"
Xu Ruantang asked, seemingly casually.
Gao Baoliang's expression turned serious. After thinking for a moment, he replied earnestly, "Sister-in-law, to be honest, I wanted to take Xiaoying to the hospital for a check-up before, but she didn't want to go."
Having witnessed Gao Ying's previous experience with childbirth, Gao Baoliang remains very cautious in this regard.
One week ago.
Gao Baoliang observed that she would vomit whatever she ate, sometimes even vomiting up nothing but acidic fluid.
He was about to ask for leave to take Xiaoying to the hospital.
Xiao Ying resolutely refused to go, and even smiled and told him to hurry up and go to work.
During this period, Xiaoying has visibly lost even more weight than before she was pregnant.
Gao Baoliang saw this and felt heartbroken, so he could only try his best to bring back some nourishing things.
He tried twice to persuade Xiaoying to go to the hospital with him, but Xiaoying refused, saying, "My aunt said it's nothing."
Upon hearing this, Xu Ruantang smiled.
He comforted him, saying, "Don't be nervous. Talk to her about it slowly. She probably just thinks everyone in the family is busy and doesn't want them to worry."
Xiao Bao raised his head in Xu Ruantang's arms, his big eyes and long eyelashes fluttering.
The mouth was still moving.
It seems to be imitating adults' speech.
Xu Ruantang patted her chubby arm to comfort her.
"Sister-in-law, can I ask you for a favor?"
Gao Baoliang was a little unsure how to start the conversation.
They felt really bad that their family had troubled the regimental commander and his wife so many times.
Xu Ruantang smiled slightly and gave the answer directly, "You want me to take care of Xiaobao for a while?"
Gao Baoliang nodded, blushing, "Sister-in-law, if you're busy, then..."
“I’m not busy. Chen Ji is away recently, and I’m feeling quite lonely living alone.”
Xu Ruantang interrupted Gao Baoliang, "I came here this time to take Xiaobao back to the hospital to stay for a while."
She had just observed that Xiaoying was experiencing severe morning sickness in early pregnancy, and taking care of a toddler who could just walk and run very fast would definitely drain her energy.
It's not a good idea for Xiaobao to watch TV all the time.
She was very busy recently, with all sorts of things piling up at once.
Chen Ji is away recently, and everyone who was originally staying in the hospital has gone home. She came to see Xiao Bao because she misses the child terribly.
"Thank you, sister-in-law!"
Xu Ruantang did not stay at the Gao family's house for dinner.
She made the excuse that it would be safe for the two of them to return before dawn, and then left with Xiaobao.
Because there was a stroller, Gao Baoliang escorted the two downstairs.
They happened to run into Xiaoying's aunt and uncle.
Xu Ruantang was startled when she first saw Xiaoying's aunt.
Xiaoying's aunt looked much older than her uncle; she was very thin and had sunken eyes.
Their voices were very weak, "Keep bright."
Gao Baoliang stepped forward to greet them, "Aunt, Uncle, Xiaoying is home, you can go up first."
Aunt Xiaoying glanced at Xu Ruantang and asked Gao Baoliang, "We have guests. Why don't you have dinner before leaving?"
"Auntie, this is Xiaobao's godmother."
Gao Baoliang turned to Xu Ruantang and introduced them, "Sister-in-law, this is Aunt Xiaoying and her husband."
Xu Ruantang nodded and gave a brief greeting.
Aunt Xiaoying was very hospitable, and insisted that Xu Ruantang eat before leaving.
It was Gao Baoliang who helped refuse.
While they were still struggling, Xiaoying's uncle went upstairs first.
Aunt Xiaoying felt a little embarrassed, then smiled and explained, "Don't let his dark face and unpleasant words fool you; he actually has the kindest heart."
"Yes, my uncle is a very nice person."
Gao Baoliang echoed this sentiment.
Thinking of what happened that afternoon, Xu Ruantang didn't say anything and planned to leave.
Then Aunt Xiaoying continued, "This afternoon, when he went out to buy groceries, he, an old man, asked a woman what foods were good for pregnant women, and he almost got beaten up as a hooligan."
"He's in such a hurry to go up there; he's probably going to take over the kitchen again."
Aunt Xiaoying looked very happy.
Gao Baoliang nodded repeatedly, "My uncle always does this when he comes. Sister-in-law, why don't you stay for dinner? After you finish eating, I'll take you and Xiaobao back to the compound. My uncle is a great cook."
Xu Ruantang's brows and eyes instantly relaxed.
It turned out to be a misunderstanding.
She smiled and said, "No need, you all go up quickly. I want to take Xiaobao back to the Chen family."
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