Courtyard houses: Those who are capable are rewarded, and many children bring many blessings.

The mother was so angry that she lost her mind and only now remembered to ask who the child's biological father was.

Before Bai's mother could speak, Bai Hongyan said, "Don't ask, I won't say. I already said that this child is mine and has nothing to do with anyone else."

"Mom, can you let go now?" Bai Hongmin's ear was still being twisted by her mother.

"Hmph, help me up. You've all teamed up to hide this from us. Go call your dad and tell him to come back right now."

Bai Hongyan was already prepared for anything, so she came back mentally prepared.

Vice Minister Bai was summoned back by a phone call from his youngest daughter.

"I didn't say anything, I'll be very busy at the end of the year, don't call me unless it's important!" After entering the house, Mr. Bai hadn't even seen his eldest daughter sitting on the sofa yet.

The mother tilted her head back and said, "Look what your eldest daughter has done!"

Only then did Mr. Bai turn his head and see Bai Hongyan sitting on the sofa to his left.

To reach the vice-ministerial level, one must have seen all sorts of storms, especially considering that he started working before the liberation.

Mr. Bai's expression froze for a moment.

Contrary to Bai Hongmin's expectations, she did not receive her father's roar and blame.

Bai's father sat down next to Bai Hongyan without changing his expression: "Sigh! I've been too busy with work and haven't been able to educate you properly."

You weren't there for us when we were little. Since you've made up your mind, what can we, as parents, say? We'll call the kids' father over another day, and we'll have a serious talk.

Bai Hongyan replied coldly, "I can't come. The child is my personal matter and has nothing to do with his biological father."

One sentence completely baffled Bai's father: "I've already reluctantly accepted this marriage, what do you mean by saying you can't come?"

Bai's mother now understood: "Old Bai, it must be some man who's up to no good. He's either married or has a special status."

Mr. Bai was also agitated. He stood up and paced back and forth in the living room a couple of times before asking seriously, "Xiaoyan, everything else is fine, but you haven't been set up, have you? We absolutely cannot do anything that betrays national interests."

Bai's mother hadn't considered this. Now, she felt a chill run down her spine.

He pressed further, "Could it be that the other party knows your father's identity and is trying to use this method..."

Before Bai's mother could finish speaking, Bai Hongyan interrupted her: "It's not as scary as you think. That man is just a married man, okay?"

After hearing what Bai's father said, Bai's mother found it less difficult to accept that the father of her child was a married man.

However, she was still furious, saying with exasperation, "You can't find anyone else, why... why did you have to find someone who's already married? Have you lost your mind?!"

Looking at Bai Hongyan's big belly, he continued, "Now is the perfect time. Go find that man and make him marry you!"

I'd like to see who dares to get my daughter pregnant and then refuse to marry her.

These days, it's not uncommon for women to force marriage while heavily pregnant.

"Mom, I've already told you, this has nothing to do with him. I have no plans to get married in this life. Isn't it great to have my own child?"

Helpless, Bai's mother turned to the head of the family: "Old Bai, what's your opinion?"

"Sigh! Our daughter is single-minded and has a big idea. Now that she's made up her mind, what can we say?"

"If word gets out, people will laugh at us to death!"

"It's easy to avoid being laughed at. If anyone asks, just say that the child's biological father died in a mission."

Damn, things have turned around so fast! The elderly couple are starting to figure out how to deal with the rumors and gossip.

Bai Hongyan secretly breathed a sigh of relief; she had finally passed this hurdle.

Bai Hongmin secretly stuck out her tongue at her sister.

In the time it takes to smoke a pipe, the old couple had already discussed it and made a decision. Bai's mother solemnly announced: "Only the four of us know the inside story. During the New Year, no matter how much your two brothers and sisters-in-law ask, we will say the same thing. In particular, your two sisters-in-law must not be allowed to know the inside story."

Also, Xiaoyan, when your sister-in-law asks you, act sad, don't act like you don't care...

"You three can discuss it yourselves. I'm going back to work now." Mr. Bai turned and left.

The three women agreed on a story, and the mother took out her stethoscope: "After you got pregnant, did you go to the hospital for a checkup to see if the fetus was healthy?"

"I went to the doctor, and he said it should be twins." She said, gently stroking her large belly.

"Let me listen... Hmm, I can hear two fetal heartbeats. You'll be a mother someday, and these two little ones will be just as disobedient as you. Let's see how you handle that!"

You can never truly understand the heart of a parent unless you become one yourself.

"Since you're planning to have a baby, how's the preparation going?"

"I work all day, how could I have time to prepare? It was Xiaomin who went over and helped me make a few small clothes."

When is your due date?

"Next March."

"Well, it'll be warm by then, so let's not rush to prepare the cotton-padded clothes..." What can a mother do? She could only take out paper and pen and start listing out the things that needed to be prepared one by one.

Bai's mother went back to her bedroom and took out a stack of supplementary coupons, including cotton coupons and several tens of yuan worth of money.

"Xiaomin, go out and buy some things first. We have nothing to do during the New Year, so let's prepare in advance."

Bai Hongmin was sent away by her mother.

"Xiaoyan, you don't need to feel guilty anymore, right? We've all accepted this reality."

"Mom, I know what you want to ask. But for both of our sakes, I won't tell you. You know my dad's temper better than I do. He's just looking for someone to vent his anger on, but he can't find anyone else, so he has to put up with it. If he finds out, the child's biological father will never live again."

"Sigh! You're just going to protect him like this! I won't hide it from you, I also want to vent my anger on him!" Seeing that she couldn't get any information out of him, Bai's mother confessed her thoughts.

"You've always had high standards, haven't you? So many girls from your dad's colleagues' families were introduced to you, and you never liked any of them. And now you've brought us this! How can we not be furious?"

"Mom, I know this hurts you, but I really don't want to spend my life with someone I don't like."

I think I'm doing quite well now. With children, I'll have someone to rely on when I'm old.

"Sigh, since you chose this path, you'll have to walk it yourself! No one can take your place!"

I've gotten past my parents, but during the Lunar New Year, my two sisters-in-law and two brothers bombarded me with questions again. Luckily, all four of them gave the same answer no matter what I asked.

Since his sister wouldn't say anything, the brother didn't press the matter further. They were married and had families to support.