After finding out her daughter-in-law was pregnant, Xiao Minglan didn’t faint again.

However, after everyone left the room, the old lady secretly took a few heart-saving pills.

As for why the family chose to hide it from her alone, her son explained at the breakfast table the next morning that it was because Tang Li’s pregnancy was not very stable previously. They didn’t want her to worry and therefore chose not to tell her.

If it hadn’t been for her recent incident, they had originally planned to tell her in a few days.

As Song Baiyan explained, Tang Li nodded beside him.

"It really wasn’t intentional to keep it from you." Wanting to ensure the old lady had no hard feelings, Tang Li added, "My HCG value was too low then, and we were afraid of any accidents."

Having given birth to a pair of children and having taken care of her daughter during pregnancy, Xiao Minglan naturally knew what HCG meant.

If she had felt a bit uneasy at first, upon being informed that Tang Li’s pregnancy was not going well, Xiao Minglan no longer cared about all that.

Song Baiyan having a child at his age was already later than his peers, and if this child couldn’t be kept, it would undoubtedly cast a shadow over the family.

Who knows what unpleasant rumors might spread outside.

For a moment, Xiao Minglan wasn’t concerned anymore about the psychological shadow brought by that hairy peach; her heart was entirely focused on her daughter-in-law’s pregnancy.

As the early pregnancy stage wasn’t over yet, Tang Li’s news was not announced outside.

Whether it was superstition or just to keep peace of mind, it was a rare unanimous decision in the family.

However, Xiao Minglan was quick to inform her daughter.

Upon learning that Tang Li was already pregnant, Song Ru visited Tan Palace the next day.

In addition to nutritional products for pregnant women, Song Ru also brought a few sets of maternity clothes, all purchased according to Tang Li’s size.

As for the nursery, Xiao Minglan had already instructed the house staff to start preparing.

Her brother married a wife much younger than him, and before the announcement of the marriage, some people came to investigate through Song Ru.

Tang Li had saved Song Baiyan when she was young, something Song Ru had long heard about from her mother. But gratitude aside, after all these years, that they would meet again, wasn’t it a kind of fate?

Even her own son’s feelings were something Song Ru had only recently noticed.

She never expected her son actually liked Tang Li at one point.

After all, when Tang Li came to the Fu Family, as a woman, she knew that it was unlikely that someone like Tang Li would take a liking to her underachieving son. Moreover, her son’s goofy nature didn’t seem like the type to have a romantic awakening in college.

Then, amidst their collective neglect, her son experienced a heartbreak.

Her husband had even asked her, if they could go back a year, whether she would help her son pursue the girl.

At that time, Tang Li was still quite unfamiliar with Bai Yan.

Song Ru thought for only a minute before giving her answer—

[Of course not].

How old is her little brother? And how old is her son?

Her son could miss this tree and explore another forest.

But her brother had already surpassed thirty, and after finally meeting someone he liked, just as the old house showed some life, her nephew wanted to compete for the fire—the uncle couldn’t save face against his younger family member.

She didn’t mention her son’s intention to become a monk at Tan Palace.

In her view, it was just a whim.

Her unreasonable son, after turning the beads in peace at the dining table for a week, once realizing his parents planned to give up on having a second child, no longer chanted the scriptures nor called his father a donor. Recently, he even started sending out flyers on the dangers faced by older mothers.

However, the happiest about her son’s monk intention was the child’s father.

After all, it’s not easy to become a monk these days.

At the very least, one needs a master’s degree.

Fu Si was studying at the Art College because he secretly changed his major choice without telling the family.

By the time Song Ru and her husband noticed something was off, the acceptance letter had already arrived at their doorstep.

In her son’s words, he got into university based on his own capability, not by relying on family connections.

Then—

Ha!

One shouldn’t be too satisfied.

Her husband had thought about transferring their son, but she stopped him.

She planned to teach her son a lesson over four years, then send him abroad for further studies.

Unexpectedly, another change arose.

Fu Jinliang had already arranged with a domestic Buddhist College, signing up their son for a combined master and doctoral program, set to start after the new year. After stepping out of school, if not becoming a renowned monk, at least he would be an intellectual.

Does their son not want to be a monk anymore?

He still has to go.

The library has been donated; it’s too late to say he’s not going now!

When Tang Li heard Song Ru was saying Fu Si planned to transfer to study in the Chinese Department next year, she was happy for him: "That’s great."

"Isn’t it?" Song Ru peeled a grapefruit, feeling emotional: "After finishing his studies, if he wants to start his own business, his dad and I will support it. The Fu Family can afford to buy any mountain."

Tang Li wasn’t sure what kind of company needed to be set on a mountain, but after some thought, maybe it’s because Fu Si preferred the mountain environment?

So Tang Li didn’t ask further, instead, she took the grapefruit slice handed by Song Ru with a smile: "Both transferring and the combined masters and doctoral program are big things, you should ask his uncle to give a big red envelope."

"A red envelope isn’t needed." Wiping her hands clean, Song Ru touched Tang Li’s belly: "When the child is born, we’ll take him/her to visit their brother at the new school."

After Song Ru left, Tang Li wanted to message Fu Si to check in on him.

But after editing the message, she deleted it.

Because Fu Si once had vague feelings for her, keeping a certain distance is the wisest course.

Even though it might seem overly cautious, it can help avoid unnecessary trouble.

Without contacting Fu Si, by night, someone brought up her nephew.

"Didn’t Fu Si come over this afternoon with you?"

Wearing yoga attire, Tang Li was on the bed doing aerobic exercises. Hearing this, she glanced sideways at the man facing his back to her, pulling a leather belt from the coat rack, and said truthfully: "Only your big sister came."

After a few seconds of hesitating, she recounted the story of Fu Si planning to switch majors.

"Studying Chinese is pretty good." Song Baiyan remarked: "All he does at the Art College is waste time, and when he graduates, I’m afraid he won’t even recognize sheet music."

A person who couldn’t sing in tune was studying music production at school; it’s unclear whether he was torturing the arrangement teacher or the teacher was tormenting him.

However, the Chinese Department would undoubtedly be dry and dull.

"If that kid comes to you complaining, comfort him more."

To this, Tang Li didn’t agree: "Although we went to the same school, I doubt my words hold as much weight as yours."

Unbuttoning his shirt and turning around, Song Baiyan commented: "Fu Si quite likes you, he’ll listen to what you say."

"..."

The fingers holding her right foot tightened, her emotions somewhat stirred.

She had always thought Song Baiyan didn’t know about Fu Si’s crush on her.

Now she realized he must have seen through it long ago.

He just hadn’t mentioned it.

How deep could a young person’s hidden feelings go? 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

It was like when she herself developed feelings for Song Baiyan; when he noticed, he initially didn’t say anything either.

Ultimately, it was still the adult mindset at play.

So—

Does this mean that her persistent feelings have finally been reciprocated?

——

——

Visited today, so posting is late, see you tomorrow!