Madame Ruan looked at the two round tummies and smiled as she asked, “How many months are you?”
“Seven months. Younger brother’s wife is eight months along,” one of the girls who had her hair in a ponytail said.
Madame Ruan looked at the girl. She wasn’t wearing any make-up and appeared quiet. Her tone was soft when she spoke. “It’s okay. Being pregnant isn’t easy. Quickly, take a seat.”
Hearing Madame Ruan’s words, the two girls were just about to return to their seats when they were halted by Old Fifth’s angry words. “Did I tell you guys to sit down? That’s not the custom! The elders are still here. What right do you have to sit?”
The two girls’ bodies shuddered and they stood there, not daring to move.
“The youngsters these days are outrageous. They don’t understand how to respect their elders at all!”
The two girls were upset at being scolded by Old Fifth and felt wronged. Did they not respect their elders enough? They were practically holding this grandfather at the palm of their hands.
Madame Ruan glared at Old Fifth. “Old Fifth, stop making oblique accusations. My Ling girl listens to me. She will do whatever I tell her to. I told her to sleep, so she isn’t allowed to get up. You really can’t say anything about her!”
Since his unpleasant and vindictive thoughts had been publicly exposed by Madame Ruan, Old Fifth’s face became stiff. “Sister-in-law,” he laughed, “you have misunderstood. I was talking about my two disappointing daughters-in-law. How could they compare with your Tianya? Besides knowing how to spend money, they don’t know anything else, so of course, I have to be stricter with them. They’re not like Tianya! She is the young madam of the Ruan family, and she has her own business and therefore does not need to rely on the Ruan Family! She can support herself.”
Madame Ruan glanced at Old Fifth. “Old Fifth, oh, Old Fifth! How did I not notice in the past how eccentric your words were? But it’s no wonder. In the past, you and Old Seventh only knew how to follow Old Fourth. Old Fourth could fart and you guys would think that it smelt wonderful. Now, Old Fourth has disappeared, and your natural instincts have been exposed, haven’t they?”
Old Fifth’s face was full of anger. “My sister-in-law. Why don’t you just continue to mock me as best as you can?”
“I’m not in the mood to mock you. I’m just seeing that the two women look quite tired standing there with their pregnant stomachs. What is it to you if you let them sit a while? They are married into your family, not sold into your family. They are enduring your anger while pregnant with a child from your family.”
Seeing that Madame Ruan was a little angry, Old Fifth could not continue being stubborn and could only wave his hand at his two daughters-in-law. “Go sit over there.”
The two ladies gratefully shot Madame Ruan a glance before finding a place to sit.
“Old Fifth, you and Old Seventh have been here for a while now and have been going in circles with me for a long time. Up until now, you guys haven’t said anything about why you have come,” Madame Ruan impatiently asked.
Now, Old Fifth finally got to the point. He pointed at his two daughters-in-law and asked, “Sister-in-law, what do you think of my two daughters-in-law?”
“Not bad. They look quite good.” However, not as great as my Ling girl!
Old Fifth laughed. “They are already both pregnant with their second! Their firstborns were both male. A couple of days ago, I asked about these fetuses. They are boys too!”
Madame Ruan laughed coldly to herself, finally understanding what the two old things were here for.
“You guys probably heard the rumors and are here to rejoice in other people’s misery?” Madame Ruan looked coldly at Old Fifth and Old Seventh. “Then you guys have come to the wrong place. Let’s not talk about how we are not certain whether the child in the Ling girl’s stomach is a male or female, but even if it is confirmed that it is female, our family doesn’t care. To us, birthing a male or a female is the same thing!”