Zong opened her mouth as if to say sothing, but seeing Yang Ruxin walking away in the distance, she could only purse her lips and quietly let out a hum.
Yang Ruxin had extraordinary hearing. Even though she had walked so way off, she still caught the sound. Her lips curved into a subtle smile—offering unsolicited favors often hinted at ulterior motives, either malicious or deceptive. This person’s encounter with her was clearly deliberate, and her overly familiar deanor left an imdiate bad impression.
However, if the intent was rely to curry favor, Yang Ruxin didn’t mind. The desire to make money and pursue a better life was only human. But if other sches lay beneath the surface... well, she’d wait and see.
Just as she reached the riverbank, she saw Sanni and Zhou Xiao running toward her hand-in-hand.
"Elder Sister, it’s already late! We’ve been waiting for you to have dinner!" Sanni called out, waving at her from afar.
Yang Ruxin smiled. Her gaze swept across the river. Perhaps they could build a stone bridge here—then the villagers wouldn’t have to go around this stretch of road but could directly pass behind the old house instead. Yes, that idea seed feasible.
Entering the courtyard gate, she noticed for the first ti that her family had visitors.
"Xinxin!" Dong Wenming, who had been sitting in the main hall, quickly stood up upon seeing Yang Ruxin walk in.
"Uncle, why have you co?" Yang Ruxin seed sowhat surprised.
"Tomorrow is your coming-of-age ceremony. How could I not co?" Dong Wenming’s smile carried a trace of ingratiation. "Xinxin, don’t you welco ?"
"How could that be?" Yang Ruxin chuckled. "I’m delighted you could co, Uncle."
Dong Wenming’s smile widened, radiant with joy.
Yang Ruxin glanced briefly at Dong Xun, then at Dong Wenxiu, but eventually her eyes settled on Dong Wenming’s face. "Uncle, is there so good news to share?"
"Xinxin, you truly are the great benefactor of our Dong Family!" Dong Xun finally broke into hearty laughter.
Yang Ruxin’s eyes flickered slightly.
"Well... Xinxin, your aunt is pregnant." Dong Wenming rubbed his hands nervously. "Originally, she had planned to co with to celebrate your birthday, but she experienced discomfort right before departure, and after checking... well..."
Yang Ruxin nodded; she had already guessed. Dong Wenming was only forty, and with the procedure to unblock his vas deferens, conceiving a child posed no problem.
And as for Dong Yushi, though she was forty as well—a late age for pregnancy and fraught with risk—it was still worth trying.
From this, it was clear how deep Dong Wenming’s feelings for Ya Ying truly were.
Though Yang Ruxin felt so animosity toward her aunt, she still hoped for harmony within the Dong Family.
"Let ask my master to prepare so nourishing fetus-preserving dicine for Aunt later. You can take it back with you and use it."
"Thank you, Xinxin. Actually... your uncle has a difficult request." Dong Wenming’s expression turned uneasy. "I was hoping you could allow your aunt to co here to nourish the pregnancy. What do you think..."
"Uncle," Yang Ruxin cast a brief glance across the room’s occupants, "because of that prior incident, a rift has already ford between us. Although it seems to have been resolved, the human heart is unpredictable. Aunt’s pregnancy is rare and precious, and should anything happen, no one would be able to bear the responsibility."
Initially, Dong Wenxiu didn’t think much of it—after all, the household didn’t lack the resources to accommodate one more person. But hearing Yang Ruxin’s words now sent a nervous jolt through her. Indeed, people were unpredictable, and should anything go wrong... It seed she had been too naive, too careless. Thankfully, she hadn’t agreed when her brother proposed earlier.
"Enough," Dong Xun waved his hand dismissively. "Let’s drop the matter. Your own wife, your own care." Standing up, he added, "I’m hungry. Let’s eat."
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