"Sister-in-law, what’s wrong?" Xu Nianhua was making taro rice cakes, made with taro and sweet potato flour, each the size of a ping pong ball. They tasted delicious with the fragrance of taro.
She was caught off guard by the sound of Zhou He vomiting and thought something might be wrong. She hurriedly put down what she was doing and, while grabbing some tissues, asked, "Sister-in-law, do you feel unwell? Caught a cold?"
"Don’t know, maybe it’s the cold weather recently, feeling a bit like a cold, always nauseous."
Zhou He felt as if her stomach had emptied from the vomiting.
"Xiaohe, when did you last have your period?" Ji Ying asked with concern.
Zhou He paused, her heart unable to help but skip a beat.
She thought and answered, "The first of last month?" Her periods often got delayed.
"But now it’s the twelfth!" Ji Ying’s eyes suddenly sparkled with hope.
Could it be that the grandson she had been longing for was coming?
"Sister-in-law, you’re pregnant." Xu Nianhua finally realized, her gaze instinctively falling on Zhou He’s abdomen. It was still flat but was now nurturing a new life.
"I..." Zhou He’s hand lightly rested on her abdomen, uncertain.
Following that, Zhou He was made to sit by the fire to warm up and rest; the kitchen duties were taken over by Ji Ying and her daughter Xu Nianhua. Even if uncertain, Zhou He was after all not feeling well.
Xu Nianji had gone to sell bean sprouts, even as the New Year approached, since they would still sell bit by bit.
Xu Qinghe, Xu Nian’an, and Xu Song, on the other hand, were in the county inquiring about building a house.
Xu Qinghe and his two sons returned, having bought plenty of fruit to entertain guests with.
No sooner had they arrived home than Du Chang and his party drove in.
The moment the small car entered the village, it stirred up excitement among the villagers, especially upon knowing that Du Chang’s grandson had opened a food factory. Seeing that Ji Ying’s family had clearly made money, everyone wanted to work at the factory.
Therefore, as soon as they parked the car, there was a crowd of villagers gathering around.
Pei Yicheng, with his bad leg, observed the crowd of onlookers. Before he could speak, Cheng Hao stepped up and cleared a way through the crowd. The last six months’ experience was precious for Cheng Hao; he had been dealing with those who sold chili sauce.
_Cheng Hao now had quite the gift of the gab, and in no time, he had sent those villagers on their way._
Pei Yicheng praised him, "Haozi, you’re getting better at talking."
Just now, he had managed to dissuade those villagers who wanted to work at the factory with just a few words, and they had left willingly.
"Absolutely, Ge, do I look like a little boss now?" Cheng Hao straightened his suit and slicked back his hair, looking proud.
These past six months had been his most fulfilling.
He was busy every day, exhausted as a dog, but his wallet was thicker, and the money was earned with his own hands, which gave Cheng Hao a great sense of accomplishment.
"Cheng Hao, little bosses don’t need to do any manual labor," Ling Dong said as he helped Pei Yicheng settle into the wheelchair.
What’s wrong with doing the work himself, earning his own money, and being his own boss?
"Xiaohao, help carry some stuff." Du Chang spoke up, which promptly ended Cheng Hao’s retort, happily picking up things to carry.
Xu Qinghe’s family rushed out to help, and together with Ling Dong and Xu Nian’an, they carried Pei Yicheng into the house.
Pei Yicheng thought: This was the second time he was being carried into the Xu family’s house.