Chapter 614: Pregnancy

Seeing that Physician Gong had finished, everyone turned to look at him in unison.

Physician Gong smiled and said, "Mm, the pulse flows smoothly, like a pearl rolling on a plate — that is indeed a slippery pulse. Congratulations."

Liu's mother couldn't quite bear it; her body began to tremble at once.

Physician Gong quickly spoke up, "Ah, no, no, no — at your age, being pregnant is already hard on the body. You really mustn't get too worked up; it's not good for the baby in your belly."

Liu's father, the moment Physician Gong spoke, had already taken hold of Liu's mother's hand. "Right, right, right — let's just take it easy. We can't have it backfire. You relax."

Though those were his words, his heart was even more surging with emotion. After all, he had already given up hope before, thinking he'd just raise his three daughters well — perhaps he was simply fated to have no son.

He never could have imagined that, just as he was about to become a grandfather, his wife had gotten pregnant. His hand, clasping his wife's, was trembling too.

Liu's mother naturally felt it. Seeing him comfort her with his mouth, yet no steadier than she was herself, she suddenly felt like laughing.

Instead, it helped her calm down: "Right, this is a happy occasion. I can't hurt the baby."

Uncle Liangzi's wife was an open, hearty sort, and laughed outright: "Zhao Lamei, congratulations. Now that your life is going so well, this baby is sure to be just as you hope."

Liu's mother laid a hand on her belly and silently recited in her heart: "Yes, it will surely be as we hope."

Thinking of her three daughters ahead and the life she had now, she didn't know why, but suddenly she let it go: "Even if it isn't, it's still a great joy. Whether this child is a boy or a girl, they'll grow up in a pot of honey."

The moment those words came out, Liu's father let out a long, heavy breath: "Right, Zhao Lamei's right."

Now that the family's life was going well, whether it was a boy or a girl, they would dote on them properly.

Of course, doting is doting, but discipline is still discipline.

Just then, the blood test results came back. A young nurse came in smiling and handed the slip to Physician Guo, who had helped examine Liu's mother earlier: "Take a look — she's nearly two months pregnant."

Hearing it was nearly two months, everyone felt a wave of dread at what might have been.

Thank goodness they found out early. If she'd endured the discomfort and finished the whole autumn harvest with the brigade, the very thought was too frightening to dwell on.

After Physician Guo went over some precautions: "Nothing major. Go back and rest for a few days. Best not to do heavy work, and don't do anything that has you bending over and back constantly. After all, your age is right there — you still need to take care."

After Liu's father and mother thanked them profusely, Liu Chuxue insisted the physician prescribe some glucose and had the nurse set up an IV drip for her.

Liu Zhijun, Uncle Liangzi's wife, and Liu's father didn't wait; they headed back to the village first.

Liu's father had originally meant to stay and keep her company, but Liu's mother wouldn't hear of it: "It's nothing serious. You hurry back to work."

Liu Chuxue also spoke up to urge him: "Dad, you go back first. Once the drip's done, I'll carry Mom home — I won't let her get tired, I promise."

At those words, Liu's mother laughed and scolded: "You're trying to embarrass me to death on purpose. If you really carried me back to the village, wouldn't that be the joke of the year?"

Then she waved her hand, shooing Liu's father away: "All right, go on, hurry up. I can walk back on my own."

Liu's father thought of the child in his wife's belly — half the chance it might be a son — and his whole body brimmed with vigor. It wasn't that he favored boys over girls; it was that in these times, the difference between having a son and not having one was truly enormous.

If it really was a son, his little daughters wouldn't have to overthink anymore. In the future, a son would be the three sisters' backing; after he and his wife passed on, there'd be someone to carry the funeral bowl, and they'd never again be pushed around or laughed at behind their backs.