?Chapter 76: Chapter 76: Inducing Labor   Chapter 76: Chapter 76: Inducing Labor                                   Zhou Shuhuan was seen carrying a bundle of clothes on his left hand, but the other hand was empty, not to mention high-grade tobo, liquor, or sweets; he didn’t even have a single pack of noodles.


    Visiting one’s inws during the New Year and showing up empty-handed could really make peopleugh their heads off.


    Moreover, besides Qin Jinlian and Liu Cuihua, there were also quite a few vigers who had heard about the city son-inw’s return to Shenjiagou and hade over to watch the excitement.


    Dozens of eyes were watching the scene unfold.


    In terms of appearance alone, Pei Yang had already won by arge margin, and his manners were so meticulous that no one could find fault with them.


    In contrast, Zhou Shuhuan fell short in every aspect, evencking the most basic manners.


    The people of Shenjiagou were quietly shaking their heads at the son-inw from the Liu Cuihua family.


    Liu Cuihua’s face couldn’t look any uglier, while Zhou Shuhuan was so embarrassed he didn’t know where to put his hands or feet.


    To be fair to Zhou Shuhuan, he hadn’t nned on visiting his inws, but Shen Ban insisted oning back, and he had apanied her out of concern, originally with good intentions.


    But Ma Sufen hated her daughter-inw Shen Ban to the bone and hoped to drive her out of the house, naturally not preparing any gifts for her return visit.


    And since the financial reins of the Zhou family were held by Ma Sufen, Zhou Shuhuan’s meager funds were barely enough for travel expenses, let alone to buy some fruits.


    Pei Yang was a man of honor, ready to stand up for his brothers in times of trouble.


    “Shuhuan, don’t just stand there, take your stuff.


    I’ve been carrying it all the way for you.”


    With that, he shared half of the tobo, liquor, and sweets he was carrying.


    He had prepared these items for good luck, all in even numbers, which gave him a chance to act generously on the spur of the moment.


    Zhou Shuhuan also quickly caught on and took the items from Pei Yang’s hands.


    “Brother Yang, thanks for the trouble.”


    “What’s there to thank me for?


    If it’s inconvenient for you to take care of your wife, of course, I should lend a hand.”


    Seeing the items in Zhou Shuhuan’s hands, Liu Cuihua’s expression eased up considerably, but Qin Jinlian wasn’t pleased.


    As if she couldn’t tell that her son-inw was covering for Liu Cuihua’s son-inw.


    “Oh, how coincidental, the items your son-inw bought are exactly the same as those bought by my Pei Yang.


    If I didn’t know any better, I’d think that Pei Yang bought them for him.”


    This time Shen Ban didn’t y dead and jumped right in, “Auntie Qin, Pei Yang and Shuhuan grew up together wearing the same pair of open-crotch trousers.


    They share blessings and troubles alike, so what’s the big deal in helping to buy some things?”


    Pei Yang, not wanting Zhou Shuhuan to lose face, also chimed in, “That’s right, Shuhuan and I are as close as brothers, even sharing a bowl to eat at times.”


    Qin Jinlian couldn’t swallow her pride and wanted to say more, but Shen Mingzhu had run out of patience.


    “If you have something to say, can’t you talk about it at home?


    I’m nearly frozen to death.”


    Pei Yang also quickly said, “Mom, let’s go back first.


    Mingzhu is feeling unwell from the car ride.”


    Only then did Qin Jinlian, reluctantly, take her family of three back home, casting a harsh nce at Liu Cuihua before leaving.


    Liu Cuihua, not to be outdone, rolled her eyes in return and also called for Shen Ban and her husband to head home.


    The vigers of Shenjiagou dispersed to their respective homes, chatting and judging the two sons-inw as they went.


    Although Qin Jinlian was unhappy, her displeasure was directed at Liu Cuihua; she was still quite fond of her city son-inw, Pei Yang.


    As soon as she entered the house, she called someone out to tend to Pei Yang, and also fetched an old hen from the chicken coop to make a special meal for him.


    Arge pot of chicken stewed with taro roots, along with leftover fried fish, meatballs and tofu from the New Year, managed to make a fairly sumptuous spread.


    The Shen family treated Pei Yang, the city son-inw, like an honored guest, immediately opening the bottles of wine he had brought, with Shen Jianguo and his two sons apanying Pei Yang for a drink.


    Qin Jinlian kept piling dishes onto Pei Yang’s bowl, stacking it as high as a small hill.


    The two sisters-inw warmly entertained Shen Mingzhu and Pei Ziheng, but Mingzhu didn’t have much of an appetite, and given that the dishes were quite ordinary, she only ate a few bites and then stopped.


    It was the same with Ziheng.


    Having lived in the city since he was young, and used to delicate foods, he found rural life quite hard to adapt to.


    Eldest sister-inw Du Juan, who had experience with childbirth, noticed that Ziheng was not used to the coarse grains of the countryside and suggested to Shen Mingzhu, “We have eggs at home.


    How about I go make an egg custard for Ziheng?”


    Mingzhu turned her head to ask Ziheng if he would like some.


    Ziheng nodded.


    So, Du Juan got up and went to the kitchen.


    The smile on Qin Jinlian’s face across the table faded slightly, but she didn’t say anything.


    After the meal, Shen Jianguo and his two sons sat with Pei Yang on the heated brick bed to drink tea.


    When the effects of alcohol had mostly worn off, they took Pei Yang outside.


    An urban son-inw doesn’te home often, and it was important to show him off to the vigers, a chance to boast.


    Qin Jinlian and the two sisters-inw cleaned up the pots and pans while Mingzhu had Ziheng y with Daya.


    She then slipped into the room of her eldest brother and sister-inw to rest.


    She didn’t want to sleep in her brother and sister-inw’s room, but her own had been taken.


    As for why she didn’t rest in the second brother and sister-inw’s room, firstly she wasn’t familiar with them, and secondly, she still harbored resentment about her room being upied.


    Rural homes had heated brick beds that were incredibly warm, and Mingzhu quickly fell into a deep sleep.


    That was until Qin Jinlian woke her up—


    “Don’t bother me, let me sleep,”


    Mingzhu murmured irritably, turning over to continue sleeping, but Jinlian was not so easily dismissed.


    “Stop sleeping, get up.


    I have something to ask you.”


    Mingzhu, with her eyes still closed, didn’t want to pay attention, but Jinlian went on to say, “What about the cigarettes, alcohol, and sweets that the son-inw gave to Liu Cuihua’s son-inw?


    Just given away like that?”


    With her eyes closed, Mingzhu replied, “The items were bought by Pei Yang.


    He can give them to whomever he wants.”


    “Easy for you to say.


    Originally, those things were brought for our family.


    Pei Yang was generous enough to give them away, but when they came into mine and your dad’s hands, there was so little.


    If the son-inw brings so little on his first visit, the vige will certainly gossip!”


    There would be no more sleep for her now.


    Mingzhu simply sat up cross-legged, “If that’s how it is, next time I won’t bring Pei Yang back.


    If we bring too much, it pains his heart; if we bring too little, you’re unhappy.


    We might as well note back at all.


    That way, everyone’s happy.”


    Jinlian raised her hand and pped her lightly, “You ungrateful girl, siding with outsiders after only half a year of marriage?


    I really raised you for nothing!”


    Mingzhu snorted coldly, “When you were collecting the betrothal gifts, you didn’t say you raised me for nothing, did you?”


    Jinlian choked for a moment, her eyes ncing at Mingzhu’s t belly, “Ban’s belly is already so big, why are there no signs from you yet?”


    Mingzhu thought to herself, Pei Yang and I have only held hands; if there were any stirrings in my belly, that would be truly extraordinary.


    Unaware of her thoughts, Jinlian kept babbling, “You need to hurry up while you’re young and it’s easier to give birth.


    Only the child from your own belly is truly yours.


    No matter how much love you pour into others’ children, they won’t be as close.


    Don’t be foolish…”


    “Whether I have children or not is my own business, so mind yours.


    If you’re so anxious to hold a baby, either urge my second brother and his wife or just have another one yourself.


    Have two or three, it’s none of my concern…”


    Outside the door, Pei Ziheng listened to the conversation inside with an expressionless face, his dark eyes shrouded by a cold frost.