AYLS -Chapter 144

The snow was heavy on the road, so the eggs would naturally have to wait until after the New Year. Besides, with the holiday approaching, everything had to wait until after New Year’s Eve.

This year, Gu Huayuan definitely wouldn’t be going back to the capital for the New Year.

And now that he had a family, he wasn’t very eager to return either. He simply called home to say he wouldn’t be coming back for the holiday.

Aunt Zhang, surprisingly, was happy to hear the news and even pretended to advise him to prioritize work. After all, nothing was more important than the great task of defending the country.

But just as she hung up, still feeling cheerful, Father Gu called. He said that since he had taken leave last year to return for his son’s New Year, this year he simply couldn’t leave his post and would have to spend the New Year in the army. He wouldn’t be coming back.

Zhang Wenjuan’s face instantly darkened.

Her son, Gu Huarui, asked, “Is my sister-in-law not coming back this year?”

Her daughter, Gu Huayin, said, “Don’t ask. Judging by Mom’s expression, it’s probably Dad who won’t be coming.”

Aunt Zhang felt frustrated. Hearing her own children talking like this made her so angry she could hardly contain herself. “Have you finished your homework? Go back and finish it! No dinner if it’s not done!”

The two kids shrugged and left.

Back in their room, they continued talking. Gu Huarui said, “If they’re not coming this year, who knows if they’ll come next year.”

Gu Huayin shrugged, “Probably not. Mom and them just don’t get along.”

“But my sister-in-law is actually very easy to get along with. How can they not get along?” Gu Huarui didn’t understand.

Gu Huayin sighed, “When you grow up, you’ll understand. Mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law are natural enemies; some relationships just don’t work out.”

“……”

“Gu Bicheng, you better not come back in the future!” Just as the two were speechless, their mother’s loud, exasperated yelling came from outside, and they immediately shivered in fear.

Lin Qiao and Gu Huayuan didn’t know about what was happening in the capital. They were both busy preparing for the New Year.

Gu Huayuan had assignments and wouldn’t be home on New Year’s Eve. But he was thinking about Lin Qiao being home alone, so he wanted to make sure all the holiday supplies were ready in advance.

He decided to invite Xu Yuanzheng, suggesting that the two families go to the county to buy some supplies. The provisions issued by the army wouldn’t be enough for a lavish New Year.

Xu Yuanzheng said, “I can go with you. My wife probably can’t.”

Gu Huayuan asked in confusion, “Busy with work? I was hoping the two ladies could have company.”

“No, it’s not that. My wife hasn’t been feeling well recently, and the doctor at the military hospital checked her… hmm, I think I’m going to be a father.”

Gu Huayuan: “……”

Xu Yuanzheng was overjoyed. After several years of marriage without children, he respected Zhenzhen’s choice. It had been unstable before, but that didn’t mean he didn’t want a child.

He loved Zhenzhen so much that, of course, he hoped they could have a child together. That would make the family complete.

He was so happy that Gu Huayuan was surprised. He thought, Xu Yuanzheng’s wife probably came from the same place as Lin Qiao.

Now that she was having a child, it meant they intended to settle here. So perhaps Lin Qiao wouldn’t leave either?

Thinking of this, he couldn’t help but feel happy. “Congratulations, Old Xu. You’re pretty fast.”

“Not really. We married early. You’ll have yours too.”

On the other side, Lin Qiao heard the news from Su Weizhen and was immediately overjoyed.

She nearly jumped up.

“This is great! Can I be like a godmother or something? I need to buy something as a gift.”

Su Weizhen said, “It’s still early in the month. Why rush?”

“In a blink, it’ll be time. Oh, and Li Yan too—you’re both going to be mothers.”

Lin Qiao sighed. When she first came, there were no kids around, and now everyone was either a mother or about to be one.

Su Weizhen also felt time had passed quickly. But people had to grow up. “You’ll have yours too. Once I give birth, you better start preparing.” She thought it was better to have children sooner rather than later, so that both families’ kids could grow up together. If they could even be connected through marriage, that would be ideal. Even though arranged marriages weren’t encouraged, who wouldn’t want their child to marry someone familiar? She’d be happy if Lin Qiao married into a familiar family.

Lin Qiao blushed, “No need to rush. Gu Huayuan and I aren’t in a hurry.”

“I know you’re not in a hurry. But your Gu Huayuan must be, right? He even urged our Old Xu to hurry before.”

“Don’t talk nonsense.”

Lin Qiao blushed, feeling a little uneasy for some reason. Perhaps because she felt she was destined to disappoint Gu Huayuan’s expectations.

She changed the topic and asked Su Weizhen, “Zhenzhen, how’s the pregnancy? Do you feel uncomfortable?”

“I’m fine, don’t feel anything. It’s just that my period didn’t come, and I felt a bit weak, so I suspected it.”

Lin Qiao said, “You saw how hard Ermie worked. Aren’t you afraid?”

“I was at first,” Su Weizhen laughed, “but the child is my choice. I don’t think about whether it’s hard or not. I only focus on how to ensure the child is born healthy and how to raise them well. Nothing else matters.”

Lin Qiao said, “I wish men could have babies.”

Su Weizhen nearly burst out laughing, thinking her idea was… avant-garde.

Since Su Weizhen couldn’t go to the county to buy supplies, Lin Qiao naturally had no interest in going either. So only Gu Huayuan and Xu Yuanzheng took the shopping list to go.

With the army logistics vehicle, the journey was much easier.

In the county, the two went to the department store to shop. Being close to New Year, there was plenty of stock.

They spared no effort in buying food and drink—one wanted his wife to have a good New Year, the other didn’t want to let a pregnant woman down.

While waiting for the car after shopping, Gu Huayuan asked, “By the way, we’ve known each other for so long, but I don’t even know your story with your wife.”

Xu Yuanzheng was checking the shopping list and replied, “What story could I have with my wife?”

“Pretend. What else could there be? I’m just curious how you two got together. After all, you’re not like Lin Qiao and me, betrothed from birth and childhood sweethearts.”

Xu Yuanzheng: “……”

He resisted rolling his eyes at Gu Huayuan and said proudly, “Zhenzhen and I are from neighboring villages, pretty close. And it was love at first sight. That’s something your betrothal can’t compare to. When our families arranged our marriage, I was already thinking about how to win her over—and she came.”

“You met as kids?”

“Yeah, though we were too young to really play together. I remembered the name a little. I didn’t know she’d change so much when she grew up.”

“What kind of change?”

“Of course, she looks better now, and she’s especially cultured. You know what they say, ‘Girls change a lot by eighteen.’”

“Did your parents-in-law ever tell you what your wife used to be like?”

Xu Yuanzheng said, “What could they say? Naturally, they’d say she was good. Our Zhenzhen really is excellent. But my father-in-law’s family leans a bit toward favoring boys; they weren’t particularly attentive to Zhenzhen. Even the opportunity she later got to study, she earned it herself—her good grades and then negotiating with the school. Sometimes I just think she was born in the wrong place. She’s capable, thoughtful, and decisive—more so than big-city girls.”

“And I feel she’s different from other women—very independent and full of ideas.”

“That’s quite impressive,” Gu Huayuan nodded in agreement.

He was almost certain that Old Xu’s wife must have some kind of problem—or rather, some unusual trait.

The only thing he was a bit puzzled about: in Xiao Qiao’s case, it could be explained because she was an orphan with no family around. But how did Su Weizhen manage to handle her family?

Future generations of these people are so capable?

Their abilities are practically godlike.

And now, the more he thought about it, the less he understood their intentions. If the future descendants intentionally sent people here, then sending Xiao Qiao was a mistake.

Someone who can invent such incredible things… but chose Xiao Qiao? That doesn’t add up.

After Old Xu’s wife married Old Xu, there wasn’t much activity. Even now, she was still raising chickens together with Xiao Qiao.

There was no obvious purpose in sight.

So Gu Huayuan formed a hypothesis in his mind: Xiao Qiao and Su Weizhen coming here wasn’t intentional—maybe just a coincidence…

That would explain how such clever future descendants ended up dealing with these two people.

And Xiao Qiao’s hesitation also indicated that someone was manipulating things behind the scenes.

So Xiao Qiao must have come here by chance, but because of her irreplaceable nature, someone behind the scenes decided to keep her here.

And staying here must serve a purpose. Otherwise, would those clever descendants be doing this for no reason?

Gu Huayuan originally wanted to subtly probe Su Weizhen, but since she was pregnant, he couldn’t risk provoking her, so he decided to let it go for now.

After returning, Gu Huayuan told Xu Yuanzheng that during his absence, he hoped they could help keep an extra eye on things. The kids would probably also spend the New Year together.