"Sister-in-law." Wu Yingxiong called out to Qin i with a good-natured smile. "Sister-in-law, we were looking for you."
"Looking for ?" An uneasy feeling stirred in Qin i. Her gaze fell on Su Kexin. The woman’s complexion was rosy; she didn’t look like anything was wrong. Still, Qin i asked with concern, "Are you not feeling well?"
"No." Su Kexin shook her head, looking at Qin i as if she didn’t know how to begin.
"I’ll do the talking." Wu Yingxiong helped Su Kexin sit down. He turned and glanced cautiously behind him. Seeing that his mother hadn’t followed, he lowered his voice and asked, "Sister-in-law, is the baby in my wife’s belly a boy or a girl?"
The corner of Qin i’s mouth twitched. ’So blunt and desperate. If he’d shown even a shred of subtlety, I might have thought a little better of him.’
’Wu Yingxiong was handso and refined, while Su Kexin was delicate and beautiful. They were a perfect match, a pair seemingly made in heaven.’
’But for them to co to the Jie Family’s ho to ask her about their baby’s gender... Qin i found it repulsive. Where did they get the audacity to think she would just tell them?’
"I don’t know." Qin i couldn’t be bothered to give them a warm welco, nor did she call for Jie Jingchen. ’After all, they weren’t here for him.’
Qin i picked up an empty IV bottle and resud grinding her dicinal herbs. ’Grinding them on the stone table is far more effective than on a wooden one.’
"You do know," Wu Yingxiong said with conviction.
Qin i looked up, her gaze cold and distant. She enunciated each word clearly, "I. Don’t. Know."
Seeing her attitude, Wu Yingxiong grew irritated. "Sister-in-law, when you saved my wife, I wasn’t there, but Second Aunt..."
"Second Aunt exaggerates," Qin i cut him off. "Whether you believe her is your business. I certainly don’t."
"Sister-in-law," Wu Yingxiong cried out in frustration.
Just then, Jie Jingchen ca out of the house. Qin i shot him a look, silently telling him to get rid of them.
"Jing Si, you’ve been ho recovering, and I’m only just now coming to visit. You’re not upset with , are you?" Wu Yingxiong asked, a little guiltily.
Qin i blinked. ’Is this guy always so direct?’
"Of course not, Brother Yingxiong. I heard you were transferred to a new position and got a raise. Congratulations." Jie Jingchen said politely, then glanced at Su Kexin. "And the baby will be here soon. That’s a double blessing. Congratulations to you both."
Wu Yingxiong gave a sheepish grin and pulled Jie Jingchen aside. "Jing Si, hurry up and put in a good word for . Get your wife to tell if our baby is a boy or a girl."
’Get her to?’ Qin i raised an eyebrow. ’Was that supposed to be an order?’
"Brother Yingxiong, my wife doesn’t exactly listen to ," Jie Jingchen refused, then politely showed them the door. "Brother Yingxiong, it’s not easy for your wife to get around. You should take her ho to rest."
"Jing Si," Wu Yingxiong said, growing desperate.
Jie Jingchen patted Wu Yingxiong’s shoulder. "Brother Yingxiong, Granny Guo is old-fashioned. That’s understandable, she’s from the older generation. But surely your thinking doesn’t need to be updated as well? This preference for sons over daughters isn’t a good look."
Wu Yingxiong froze, then understanding dawned on his face. He asked, "Your wife won’t tell because she thinks I’m one of those people who prefers sons? It’s a misunderstanding, a total misunderstanding! Sister-in-law, I don’t think that way at all! Ah, but I can’t deny my mother certainly does. She dreams of my wife having a boy. But for , sons and daughters are the sa."
"If they’re the sa, then why did you co running here to ask about the gender?" Qin i retorted. She didn’t believe a word he said. ’Who knows if he isn’t just saying the opposite to trick ? Does he think I’m that easy to fool?’
"I..." Wu Yingxiong was at a loss for words and shot his wife a pleading look.
Su Kexin caressed her prominent belly, radiating a maternal glow. "Qin i, neither Yingxiong nor I care about the baby’s gender. But you know my mother-in-law does. I’ll be frank... if I’m carrying a girl, she will absolutely force to go to the hospital and get an abortion."
Qin i fell silent. ’She had asked Granny Guo before, and her answer had been exactly what Su Kexin just said.’
"This baby is growing inside every day. I can’t bear to lose it, and I won’t give in to my mother-in-law’s wishes. Qin i, we ca here today specifically to ask you the gender, for no other reason," Su Kexin paused, then continued. "If it’s a boy, I can wait for him to be born without worry. If it’s a girl... we need to make preparations ahead of ti."
"What kind of preparations?" Qin i asked. ’That could an a lot of different things. How could I know what they were really planning?’
Su Kexin gave Wu Yingxiong a aningful look, and he imdiately understood. "I’ll find an opportunity to send my wife to her mother’s house until the baby is born. We’ll have my mother-in-law take care of her during the postpartum confinent, and maybe even help us raise the child afterward."
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