I bring bad luck to my husband, you bring bad luck to your wife.

Xiang Qiang packed about ten flatbreads for Xiang happy to take back and share with the Yang family.

Xiangxi didn't refuse and let Yanzi take them all.

The freshly baked sesame flatbread was steaming hot and had a rich sesame aroma that made Yanzi's mouth water.

The dock was crowded and noisy. After saying goodbye to her brother, Xiangxi carried Bao'er away.

On the way back, I bought Bao'er a rattle drum and face cream.

The Yang family doesn't have any grandchildren yet, and Bao'er's arrival brought a touch of relaxation to the courtyard.

The happiest person was Mingle, the eldest sister-in-law, who was overjoyed to see Xiangxi bring a child back with her.

At noon, Yang's mother specially asked Yanzi to steam egg custard. Mingle held the child in her arms while feeding him.

Bao'er is also very cooperative; she's not shy around strangers and will let anyone hold her.

"This afternoon, take out the cribs that Dalang and Erlang used when they were little, wipe them clean, and put them in your room tonight," Yang's mother instructed Xiangxi.

"Okay, Mother-in-law."

All afternoon, Bao'er was treated like a precious gem, being held by Yang's mother, Mingle, and Xiangxi.

He smiles at everyone he sees, and he laughs at anyone who tries to comfort him.

Children have a lot of energy, but they also fall asleep quickly once their energy is depleted.

After the family finished dinner, Bao'er went to bed early.

Tonight, there was a gathering of colleagues at the yamen, and Yang Tongchuan returned late.

When the door to the west wing was opened, Xiangxi was already asleep on the big bed, holding Bao'er in her arms.

There was also an empty, made-up small bed next to it.

Yang Tongchuan quietly finished washing up in the outer room.

When we got back to the inner room, I wanted to put Bao'er in his crib and let him sleep by himself.

Unexpectedly, as soon as Bao'er was moved, Xiangxi woke up first.

"You're back?" Xiangxi, still half asleep, thought it was Bao'er who had come back for the night, but it turned out to be Yang Tongchuan.

"Okay, you go to sleep, I'll carry him over."

After being moved from a warm bed to an unfamiliar small bed, Bao'er couldn't help but whimper a few times.

Yang Tongchuan patiently coaxed and patted her, humming a lullaby his mother used to hum when he was a child.

Soon, Bao'er fell into a deep sleep again.

"Husband, if we have a child, you will definitely be the best father." Xiangxi rested her chin on Yang Tongchuan's shoulder and hugged him from behind.

"Then you'd better hurry up and get me one soon." Yang Tongchuan had drunk quite a bit tonight, but knowing that Xiangxi didn't like the smell of alcohol, he made sure to wash up before coming in.

"Okay, I'll do whatever my husband says."

-----------

Bao'er stayed at the Yang family's house for seven or eight days. Then Xiang Qiang brought pork and wine to their house and, after expressing his gratitude, took Bao'er back home.

When Bao'er came, she only had a few clothes, but when she left, she had three or four packages of various sizes.

Most of the items inside were clothes made by Mingle and pastries that Bao'er had been eating these past few days.

Xiangxi's preparations did not include Ming Le Duo.

After Bao'er left, the courtyard suddenly became quiet and deserted.

Yang's mother also went out to visit other people, while Mingle stayed in the house to rest.

Only Xiangxi and Yanzi were left peeling bamboo shoots in the yard.

These were bought by Yang's mother at the morning market. She said that spring bamboo shoots are the freshest. She peeled all of these bamboo shoots, keeping one portion to make soup tonight and the other portion to make sweet and sour bamboo shoots to eat with porridge in the morning.

As the weather warms up, sitting in the yard for too long and being exposed to the sun makes Xiangxi feel a little dizzy.

[She's getting more and more spoiled,] Xiangxi thought to herself with a self-deprecating smile.

The peeled bamboo shoots should be rinsed with clean water.

When Xiangxi stood up carrying the winnowing basket, she exerted too much force, and for a moment the world spun around her, her vision went black, and she fainted.

When he woke up, he was already lying in the room.

Yang's mother stood to one side, her mouth practically stretched to her ears in a wide grin.

"My dear Xige, you're pregnant."

------------

Just now.

While Yang's mother was chatting at the neighbor's house, Yanzi hurriedly called her back. On the way, Yanzi told her that Xige'er had fainted.

Ming Le has already gone to see a doctor.

Yang's mother was startled. Why was she feeling unwell again? They hadn't been eating or drinking excessively lately.

When Mingle invited the doctor over and took his pulse, he realized it was a good thing.

Xiangxi is pregnant, but it hasn't been long, less than a month, so she hasn't experienced any morning sickness yet, and even Xiangxi herself hasn't noticed.

Judging by the dates, she must have gotten pregnant when Yang Tongchuan returned from handling a case in another city.

Feudal customs cannot be publicized for less than three months.

Yang's mother gave the doctor a silver packet, asking him not to make a fuss about it for the time being.

The doctor was familiar with the Yang family, so naturally he wouldn't break the rules.

"She's pregnant so quickly! God bless our Yang family to have many descendants from now on!" Mother Yang excitedly worshipped the heavens, momentarily forgetting Ming Le who was standing to the side.

Because it's still early in the pregnancy, nothing can be observed yet. There's no need to take any medications to prevent miscarriage. Just pay attention to your diet. Go see a doctor again to check your pulse after some time.

There was a great joy in the family, but they couldn't announce it to the world, which made Yang's mother very anxious.

For a moment, they forgot to arrange for someone to tell Yang Tongchuan the good news.

It was only after Mingle reminded me that I remembered.

"Yes, yes, swallows, swallows!"

"Yanzi escorted the doctor back, but she hasn't returned yet. Should I go to the yamen?"

"Never mind, it won't make a difference. You..." Yang's mother finally realized that Ming Le must be feeling bad.

Xiangxi was a boy, and she became pregnant shortly after marrying into the family. Mingle's children were indeed so difficult to conceive.

Yang's mother didn't know what to say for a moment, so she made an excuse to go inside and check on Xiangxi, and then left.

In this huge courtyard, Ming Le was suddenly left standing there all by herself.

------------

"I am pregnant?"

Xiangxi's first reaction was not shock but joy, after all, this child was something he and Yang Tongchuan had been longing for.

Yang Tongchuan only learned of this good news after he got home from his job, and he was immediately very dissatisfied.

"Why didn't you send Yanzi to the yamen to tell me?"

"It's not too late to spread this around since it's been less than three months. We can talk about it when you get back. Go and see Xige'er."

Just as Yang's mother shared the good news with Yang's father, who had just strolled home, Yang Tongchuan returned.

When Yang Tongchuan returned to the room, he saw Xiangxi opening a box and looking for fabric.

"Really pregnant?" Yang Tongchuan was surprised at how amazing he was.

"The doctor has examined her and it seems to be correct, but the time was too short. She needs to go back to the clinic for another check-up in a while," Xiangxi told Yang Tongchuan.

"Alright, alright, I'll take time off to go with you. My dear Xi-ge'er, you are a great contributor to our Yang family, the first descendant of our generation." Yang Tongchuan was so excited that he was almost incoherent.

"What if it's not a grandson, but a granddaughter or a boy?"

Xiangxi still remembers the time she spent at the Xiang family's house.

The auntie next door in the alley was never treated well by her husband's family because she had given birth to six children in a row without having a boy.

Finally, driven to desperation, he hanged himself from the roof beam with a rope.

That night, Xiangxi held Bao'er tightly, too afraid to sleep. The fierce wind outside seemed to be a vengeful ghost coming to claim someone's life.

Xiangxi still doesn't understand why that old lady had to die.

"Anything is fine, as long as it's something you gave birth to for me, even if it's a pig's leg, I'll wear it with me when I go out."

For the first time, Xiangxi showed Yang Tongchuan a look of disdain.

You're the one who's like a pig's leg.