On the afternoon of the sixteenth day of the first lunar month, Li Weibo drove to the train station to pick up Shen Jianrong with her many bags.
Tian Jing helped carry the bags. Upon hearing that all the luggage contained supplies for the baby, she couldn't help but smile.
"We bought two sets for ourselves too. It's not that we're reluctant to buy more, but we have too many baby clothes and shoes at home. The little one can wear the hand-me-downs, which are easy to manage."
"Really?" Shen Jianrong asked, confused. "I only had Ziyu, and I made everything myself back then. Now that I'm a grandmother for the first time, there are so many things I don't know. You'll have to teach me a lot."
"Even if Ziyu's due date wasn't around Chinese New Year, I would have asked her to come back to give birth, because I'm afraid I won't know how to take care of a postpartum confinement nanny or how to comfort a baby."
"Your Li family is large, with many helpers. If Ziyu stays with you, I won't worry at all."
"Don't worry," Tian Jing said, leading Shen Jianrong into the second courtyard. "My mother-in-law raised the eight of us little Bos, and then raised the five of Jiqing and Xuanyuan. She's very experienced."
Entering the living room and putting down the bags, Tian Jing asked, "Will staying in the back courtyard be alright?"
"Yes!" Shen Jianrong nodded. "Right next to Ziyu's place."
Li Weibo carried his mother-in-law's luggage to settle her in. Yu Ziyu was in the living room with her mother-in-law, unpacking the bags and taking out the baby supplies so that the grandmother and mother-in-law would have a clear idea of what they had.
Mother Li counted the various items. Although she felt Shen Jianrong had bought a bit too much, she didn't say anything. Once the baby was born, it would grow daily, and she knew these little clothes and shoes would be outgrown before they could be worn. With the first experience, she would understand later.
When she saw that one bag was entirely filled with diapers and pull-ups, Mother Li shook her head and smiled.
After Shen Jianrong was settled and returned to the inner courtyard of the second courtyard, Mother Li told her,
"Don't use these diapers for the baby yet. They're convenient, but the baby's bottom will get a rash from being too moist."
"Besides, using these will prevent the baby's legs from staying close together. If the baby's legs aren't long and straight later, it could even lead to bowlegs."
Shen Jianrong was taken aback. "I see everyone using these for babies, so..."
Mother Li smiled and shook her head. "I said not to use them for now. After the baby is one year old, you can use them at night, so the adults can get a good night's sleep."
Shen Jianrong nodded and asked Li Weibo to put away the bag of diapers and pull-ups for later use.
Then she pointed to the baby bottles and bottle warmer. "These were recommended by the staff at the baby store. I bought them on impulse, but after buying them, I felt they were unnecessary. Ziyu isn't working, so she doesn't need them at all. I brought them to see if Lili can use them?"
Mother Li shook her head. "Xuanyuan is staying with me at home, but it's alright. Every family raising a child makes mistakes and wastes money. Just keep them; perhaps they'll be useful later."
Shen Jianrong had assumed Mother Li would accompany Li Weili to Kyoto. She hadn't expected Li Weili to so readily leave her daughter at home.
Hearing Mother Li mention it now, she nodded. "That's true. Lili will definitely be very busy after returning to Kyoto. It's better to leave Xuanyuan at home. Where is Xuanyuan? I'll go see her."
Pride bloomed on Mother Li's face. "Come, I'll take you to see her."
Seeing Xuanyuan's sweet and peaceful sleeping face, Shen Jianrong couldn't help but reach out her hands to gently cradle Xuanyuan's sides.
"She's so cute, I just want to hold her. It's better to keep her at home. If she were taken to Kyoto, who knows who would snatch her up early."
"Hmph!" Mother Li snorted. "No one will. For my Xuanyuan's marriage, she will choose for herself."
"Yes, yes," Shen Jianrong agreed verbally, but in her heart, she knew that with the Li family's influence, they couldn't guarantee such a precious child the freedom to choose her own marriage.
However, it was still too early to discuss these things.
Returning to the living room to sit, Shen Jianrong conveyed the message from her elder sister to Tian Jing.
"My elder sister said that as long as Hao Hao and Yan Yan treat Wan Ting and Wan Zhen well, everything else is irrelevant. If any rumors spread, they are definitely not from her or my brother-in-law's intentions."
Tian Jing nodded. She was aware of the Li family's situation. Although Old Master Li wouldn't waver and shift resources from other grandsons back to Li Wan Ting's younger brother, Li Cheng Xu, the two sisters-in-law who had always overshadowed Shen Jianfang would certainly not be content to see Shen Jianfang's family suddenly prosper. If they couldn't destroy it, they would at least cause trouble.
"Tell your elder sister not to worry. If the children's hearts are firm, we adults will certainly not cause them trouble."
...
The second day of the second lunar month, Dragon Head Raising Day.
In the early morning, Yu Ziyu started having abdominal pain. Li Weibo quickly drove her to the health clinic.
At eleven o'clock, she successfully gave birth to Yu Siji, weighing six jin and six liang.
Shen Jianrong beamed with joy. Although the Li family was disappointed, they all buried their disappointment in their hearts and congratulated the happy Shen Jianrong.
Shen Jianrong happily shared the joy with the Li family. "Congratulations to all of us! It's good this way; none of us have any mental burdens. If Ziyu has more children in the future, they will all be surnamed Li."
Shen Jianrong's straightforward words dispersed the Li family's disappointment. It was good to have repaid the debt of a male child early.
Shen Jianrong and Li Weibo stayed at the health clinic to care for Ziyu and the baby. The Li family returned home first.
Today was the wedding of the second daughter-in-law for Sister-in-law Niu's family. After Tian Jing returned, she went with her elder sister-in-law and sister-in-law to the Niu family to give gifts.
Li Min was unhappy to hear that Yu Ziyu had given birth to a son.
Ouyang Meihua sighed and said, "She gave them a son early on, so she doesn't have to worry about it anymore."
Tian Jing nodded. "Jianrong said the same thing. To be honest, that's the only way to console ourselves."
"Hmph!" Li Min snorted. "It's all thanks to Xiao Bo acting on his own."
Ouyang Meihua tugged at her sleeve. "Don't talk nonsense. No matter whose surname the baby has, he's Xiao Bo's son."
Li Min fell silent.
The wedding banquet at the Niu family was held upstairs in the village committee office.
Sister-in-law Niu, who greeted them at the entrance, looked haggard, making Tian Jing surprised. "Sister-in-law Niu, what's wrong?"
Tian Jing had been busy before and after Chinese New Year. She hadn't expected that after just over a month of not paying attention, Sister-in-law Niu would be like this.
Sister-in-law Niu waved her hand. "I'm fine."
After giving the same amount of gift money as last time, Tian Jing pulled Sister-in-law Niu aside with her elder sister-in-law.
"Sister-in-law Niu, what's really going on? We've been friends for so many years. If there's any difficulty, tell me, and I'll help if I can."
Sister-in-law Niu sighed. "Wait until I finish up these few days, and I'll find you. Has Ziyu given birth?"
Tian Jing nodded. "A boy."
Sister-in-law Niu smiled and congratulated her, then said a few more words before returning to the entrance to greet guests.
When the banquet began, the dishes looked very similar to those before Chinese New Year.
The appearance of Er Niu's new daughter-in-law was average, and she seemed a bit proud.
Tian Jing still gave a 200 yuan red envelope for the name-changing ceremony.
The bride herself received the name-changing gift money, which had nothing to do with Sister-in-law Niu. Tian Jing wouldn't give more.
Ouyang Meihua and Li Min also gave 200 yuan as a name-changing red envelope.
Zhou's mother, who sat with Tian Jing as before, still didn't give a red envelope.
After the banquet, Zhou's mother followed Tian Jing to the siheyuan.
"Captain Tian, do you not know about the Niu family's situation?"
Tian Jing shook her head. "Does your in-law know?"
Zhou's mother nodded. "I know a little. I heard that the Niu family had a big argument during Chinese New Year. It seems like Da Niu's mother and Da Niu's aunt quarreled."
"Many villagers know about the Niu family's argument, but they don't know the specific reason. This time, Da Niu's mother didn't say anything to outsiders, and Da Niu's aunt didn't say anything either."
Tian Jing's heart stirred. These two sisters-in-law were not people who could keep their mouths shut, yet this time...
Zhou's mother spoke to Tian Jing because she saw Da Niu's mother's unhappy expression. "You have a good relationship with Da Niu's mother. If she didn't tell you, it's probably because your family is too busy."
Zhou's mother said a few more words before returning to look after her grandson and daughter-in-law.