Chapter 76 This Pregnancy Is Most Likely a Boy

“Then don’t try to be a saint!” Xie Zining said. “Only you and I know about this—well, heaven and earth know, and at most my dad. Outsiders won’t know. What are you afraid of? I’m not even afraid you won’t give the inheritance to my son, so what are you scared of? That my dad will get rid of the father and keep the child?”

He Tao wasn’t actually afraid of that—he just wanted to act a bit “reserved.”

He wanted Xie Zining to think that he was unwilling, but because she kept begging, he had no choice but to agree.

“I’m not afraid, I just… feel a bit uneasy. It feels like I’d be doing you wrong. I can’t take responsibility for you.”

“I already said you don’t need to take responsibility. I only want this child. Just tell me—are you agreeing or not? If not, I’ll find someone else. Stop dragging this out—you don’t look like a man at all.”

“Don’t provoke me.”

Before He Tao could finish, Xie Zining turned to leave.

She hadn’t taken more than a few steps when He Tao grabbed her, as if forced into it, and said, “Fine, I’ll agree, alright? You know… I can’t just ignore you completely.”

Like a victorious general, Xie Zining lifted her chin proudly. “I knew you’d agree. Since you’ve been so obedient, I’ll be kind and tell you some good news—you’re going to be a father.”

He Tao froze.

“Well? Overjoyed, aren’t you? A master said this pregnancy is very likely a boy.”

His pupils widened in disbelief. “Impossible, we only just—”

“I have a body that conceives easily. Otherwise, why do you think the Ran family married me despite my bad temper? Isn’t it because of my womb?”

Xie Zining patted her barely noticeable belly. The smack startled He Tao, who quickly grabbed her hand and told her to be gentle.

“Relax. My child is strong—it’ll be fine.”

“You still need to be careful. Your sister had to stay in bed to protect her pregnancy and got so many injections…”

“That’s her, not me.”

“If I hadn’t agreed just now, were you not planning to tell me?”

“Of course. If you didn’t agree, I’d just find my child a different father.”

“You…”

“What? My temper has always been like this. Don’t expect me to act like Xie Ziyi—I’m not her.”

He Tao gave in, wearing a helpless yet doting smile. He gave her all sorts of advice about protecting the pregnancy and assured her he’d find a way to distract Ran Hao so she could focus on resting.

As for what would happen if the Ran family discovered the child—he didn’t mention a word.

After parting with He Tao, a trace of mockery appeared on Xie Zining’s lips.

“Men—none of them are any good!”

“Then why do you still like him?”

Startled, Xie Zining turned and saw Ruan Yaoyao and Yu Xiangqiao standing in the shadows. She let out a breath of relief.

“Oh, it’s you two. You scared me! When did you get here? You didn’t make a sound.”

“If we had, we wouldn’t have heard that ‘wonderful performance’ you just put on,” Ruan Yaoyao said. “Didn’t expect you to be such a hopeless romantic—actually wanting to bear your brother-in-law’s child. And that promise about giving me half the inheritance… you weren’t just fooling me, were you?”

Yu Xiangqiao thought: Mom, you finally remembered your ‘half the inheritance’! I thought you were too busy enjoying the gossip to care!

“I didn’t forget,” Xie Zining said. “Didn’t you say to win over anyone we can? I’m just building alliances.”

Her father was unreliable, her stepmother unreliable, and the Ran family even less dependable. If she didn’t secure allies now, wouldn’t she be in danger when the time came to give birth?

No matter how powerful the Xu family was, they could only help during childbirth—not interfere with the Xie family.

Xie Zining said she planned to have He Tao manage things until the child grew up.

Since Xie Ziyi couldn’t give birth to a son, the child in her belly would be He Tao’s only son. No matter why he married Xie Ziyi or got entangled with her, everything would eventually fall into the hands of his only “bloodline.”

“Don’t think my dad is the only one obsessed with sons—he’s just the same. Otherwise, why would he let that wretched woman Xie Ziyi keep giving birth one after another? Does he not know childbirth is like walking through the gates of hell? The more you have, the more damage it does to the body?” Xie Zining said. “Of course he knows. But so what? He talks about loving Xie Ziyi, yet still makes her keep having children.”

Yu Xiangqiao couldn’t let her have the upper hand and retorted, “Not necessarily. Your sister can’t give birth anymore, but there are plenty of women outside. If he really wanted, he could have children with someone else—just like your father. Your father didn’t give up that easily either.”

If her father had truly given up early, he wouldn’t have had so many mistresses! But strangely, none of those women ever had children. Xie Zining privately suspected it was Wan Yuegui’s doing—though she had no proof.

“Then I’ll make him like my father—unable to have children ever again.”

“You don’t mean… your father was also your doing?” Yu Xiangqiao was shocked.

Did Xie Zining really have that kind of cunning?

Ruan Yaoyao: Wasn’t that Wan Yuegui’s doing?

Xie Zining said, “What do you mean ‘also’? I’ve never done it. But I can learn. If they can make my dad infertile, I can do the same to He Tao.”

Yu Xiangqiao gave her a thumbs-up. “Nice idea—but whether you can pull it off is another matter. He Tao isn’t your dad. I think he’s much smarter. Aren’t you afraid he’ll suspect you?”

Xie Zining blinked. “Why would he suspect me? Just let him suspect that wretched Xie Ziyi. She couldn’t give him a son and was afraid he’d find someone else, so she tampered with him… Combined with what happened to my dad, it’ll look like ‘like mother, like daughter.’”

Ruan Yaoyao: No—you’ve already inherited it!

As expected of her mother’s daughter—the same way of thinking.

Xie Zining asked, “By the way, why are you here at the Ran family gathering? Their household is a mess—you’re not afraid of getting dragged into it?”

Yu Xiangqiao said, “We were worried about you, so we came to take a look—maybe help cover for you if needed. After all, we’re old classmates. That kind of connection makes sense.”

“Even as enemies?”

“If you insist, we can stay ‘enemies.’”

…

After chatting for a while, the three returned to the main hall together.

As expected, the moment Xie Zining appeared with them, the Ran family took notice.

Madam Ran came over to greet them, and Xie Zining reluctantly made introductions.

“Oh, so your daughter-in-law and mine are classmates? I had no idea,” Madam Ran said in surprise.

Ruan Yaoyao smiled. “I just found out as well.”

To raise a son like that and still indulge him… quite something.

Now that her mood had improved, Ruan Yaoyao casually checked Madam Ran’s “details page.”

There was nothing too shocking—most of it she had already heard through social circles.

Catching her husband cheating, forcing mistresses to abort, using money to pave the way, bribing people, being two-faced…

She was always either cleaning up after her husband or her son.

The eldest son of the Ran family was better—being the firstborn, he had strict upbringing and caused little trouble.

The real issues lay with the younger son Ran Hao, and the illegitimate children of Mr. Ran.