Lou Caiyun was dragged out of the consultation room, still cursing the hospital and vowing not to return, insisting they go to a better hospital, a military hospital.
The nurse asked her to keep her voice down so as not to disturb others.
Lou Caiyun pointed at the nurse, accusing her of looking down on her.
The nurse felt a headache coming on. Were the patient’s relatives fresh out of a mental institution?
The plump woman emerged from the consultation room, and Lou Caiyun’s noisy complaints abruptly ceased. She scurried over to her plump daughter-in-law, "What did the doctor say?"
The plump woman caressed her belly, "The doctor said the fetus is very normal and I should rest quietly, not be disturbed by noisy environments."
Lou Caiyun's voice immediately dropped an octave, "Don't worry, I'll speak softly. Why didn't the doctor prescribe an ultrasound?"
"It's not necessary," the plump woman shook her head. "Didn't I tell you I'm only a little over a month pregnant?"
"We have to wait until the baby is four months old for an ultrasound, and besides, ultrasounds are not good for the baby."
"If there's nothing uncomfortable or abnormal, it's better not to have an ultrasound."
"You didn't have an ultrasound before, and Mingfei and your youngest brother were very healthy and smart, weren't they?"
"Yes, yes," Lou Caiyun nodded repeatedly.
"Then it's fine not to have an ultrasound. Don't affect my grandson. Come, let's go home, I'll make you some soup."
...
Li Weili's ultrasound showed the fetus was very normal, with an estimated due date of November 5th, though early delivery was not ruled out.
She needed to maintain a balanced diet, avoiding excessive greasy and high-protein foods.
Li Weili heard nothing but that the fetus was normal.
Hearing from the doctor that the fetus was normal hadn't completely put her mind at ease, but hearing it again here finally allowed her to relax.
Tian Jing understood the ultrasound technician's hint and helped her daughter adjust her clothes before leading her out of the ultrasound room.
Li Weili, holding the ultrasound report, looked at the incomprehensible images with Han Lushí.
Then they both grinned foolishly.
Tian Jing urged them to go home.
Before leaving, she cast a suspicious glance at the waiting area. Where were Lou Caiyun and her daughter-in-law?
Back in their top-floor apartment on the 36th floor, Tian Jing relayed the doctor's instructions to her mother-in-law.
Li's mother understood; she couldn't over-nourish her, as it would make delivery difficult.
Li Weili happily showed the ultrasound report to her grandmother, who of course couldn't understand it.
But she understood the source of her granddaughter's joy.
As long as everything was normal, that was all that mattered.
Ouyang Meihua and Li Min's families played until past eight o'clock before returning.
Li Weili had already eaten the most vegetarian dinner since her grandmother's arrival and gone to sleep.
Seeing Tian Jing return, Ouyang Meihua asked if everything was ready on their end and when they were going.
"The day after tomorrow," Tian Jing waved her hand. "Tomorrow, you'll all come with me to buy gowns. I'll pay."
Li Min pounced and sat next to her sister-in-law, "Sister-in-law, I need to buy other clothes too. Can you help me buy them?"
Tian Jing glanced at her sister-in-law, "What does Suozhu do?"
"He's very poor," Li Min swayed Tian Jing's arm. "I'll only exploit you, the big boss, this once."
"I'm getting old too, and the clothes I like aren't suitable for work. Just buy me a few pieces, will you?"
"Alright, alright!" Tian Jing quickly agreed. Oh my, an old woman's coquetry was unbearable.
Li Min happily struck a pose with her newly learned "shrimp clip" gesture, "Yay! Thanks, sister-in-law."
Then she prepared to kiss Tian Jing on the cheek, but Tian Jing pushed her mouth away:
"Get away from me, or I refuse to pay."
Only then did Li Min let go of her.
Tian Jing picked up a tissue with a disgusted expression and wiped her hands.
"Auntie~" Seeing her aunt succeed, Li Weiyu also begged the wealthy Ms. Tian, "Your little nephew also needs a few outfits."
"Buy them! Buy them all," Tian Jing threw the tissue away. "Besides the gowns, the women will buy four sets, and the men will buy two sets."
"Yay! Thanks, Auntie."
Li Weiyu jumped up excitedly, only to be slapped by his mother, "Are you short of money?"
Li Weiyu rubbed his head, "Mom, your money is like a drop in the ocean compared to Auntie's."
"You and Dad aren't working hard, so I can't be a rich second generation. I have to work hard myself and be a rich first generation."
"I'll beat you, you rich first generation!" Ouyang Meihua raised her hand to hit her younger son again.
"You rich first generation are just moochers who eat and wear other people's things."
Tian Jing stopped Ouyang Meihua, "Alright, don't argue. Lili will be woken up by you. Eat quickly and get some rest."
Ouyang Meihua nudged her younger son, mouthing at him: You wait.
Li Weiyu grinned defiantly at his mother, but after a glance from his aunt, he quickly sat down at the dining table to eat.
...
The next morning, the group, including Ouyang Lei and his son, headed towards the address Tian Jing had given.
The gown shop was located in a large shopping mall.
Since they were in the mall, they began to browse leisurely.
The dozen or so people crowded into each shop they entered.
Tian Jing told her husband to take the men to look at menswear and meet them at the gown shop later.
Li Weiyu chose to follow the women; he was there to help his mother choose.
Han Lushí also followed the women; he was there to protect his wife.
With the men gone, the group of women, plus the two children, numbered eleven.
They still managed to crowd the shops.
The sales assistants didn't mind; more customers meant good business.
However, other shoppers in the stores frowned. This group spoke very loudly, and even without looking, one could tell they were foreigners.
Then, the frowning customers left. This group, not finding anything they liked, moved on to the next store.
The sales assistants' expressions became less pleasant.
But there was nothing they could do; they couldn't force customers to buy.
Li Weili glanced at Han Lushí, who lowered his head and asked what was wrong.
Li Weili smiled and shook her head. Since she didn't see any impatience or embarrassment on Han Lushí's face, there was no need to say anything.
When they finally reached the gown shop after much searching, Li Weiyu collapsed onto the sofa in the waiting area.
Accompanying women on a shopping trip was truly torture.
Han Lushí nudged his foot, and he quickly sat up, squeezing himself to the edge of the sofa to make room for his cousin.
After Li Weili sat down, Han Lushí asked Tian Jing to accompany Lili while he went to see why the men hadn't arrived yet.
Li Weiyu stood up and decided to go too, and perhaps buy his own clothes.
Li's mother, egged on by her elder daughter-in-law and granddaughter, tried on a dark red cheongsam dress.
The inner layer was a dark red silk cheongsam-style dress embroidered with large peonies.
The outer layer was a dark red, mid-length, silk gauze.
Tian Jing and Li Weili both said it looked good, and Li's mother herself felt it was nice, so she decided to buy it.
Li's mother changed back into her own clothes and handed the dress to the sales assistant, "I'll take this one..."
"I'll take this one," a voice called from outside the shop.
A woman, accompanying an elderly lady, walked in. "Shop assistant, please pack this dress for me. I'll pay now."
The shop assistant looked conflicted. "Mrs. Tang, this dress was selected by this elderly lady first. She hasn't said she doesn't want it. Please look at other dresses."
Mrs. Tang eyed Li's mother with a condescending look and said to the shop assistant, "Look at her, can she afford it?"
"How can you speak like that?" Li Min squeezed in front of Mrs. Tang. "Shouldn't there be a first-come, first-served rule when buying things?"
"My mother clearly said she wanted this dress just now. Shop assistant, are your ears deaf?"