RYEY – Chapter 246 Baby #2 Has Arrived

“Qiao, if your mother did something wrong, or Huan’er did something wrong, just tell us. Don’t think about divorce, okay?”

Cheng Qiao froze. Divorce? She had never even thought about divorcing.

“Mom, what are you talking about? How could I ever divorce Li Huan? Look—I’m already pregnant with our second child. How could I possibly divorce him?”

Mother Li’s anxious expression relaxed a bit, though she pointed at the gold bracelet. Why was she bringing out the bracelet if there was no talk of divorce?

Cheng Qiao smiled and placed the bracelet into Mother Li’s hand. “Mom, I know this bracelet is different from the one you bought for Meili. This is the one your mother gave you, so it should stay for Lele.”

Mother Li didn’t expect Cheng Qiao to say this. Her eyes instantly turned red, but without hesitation, she handed the bracelet back to Cheng Qiao. How precious it was didn’t matter; Cheng Qiao was the real treasure of the Li family.

“Mom, I have my own bracelets too. My mother left me two of them. Look.”

Cheng Qiao pulled a delicate redwood box from her pocket, opened it, and revealed a pair of dragon-and-phoenix bracelets that gleamed brilliantly. The dragon’s head and phoenix’s tail were embedded with emeralds.

“Oh my, these are so beautiful!”

It was the first time Mother Li had seen such exquisitely crafted bracelets. The red and green gems on them were clearly very valuable.

“Qiao, it’s a pity your mother passed away early. Otherwise, I could have chatted with her and learned how she made these things look so beautiful.”

Cheng Qiao kept her eyes on Mother Li. What she saw was only her regret, not a hint of greed. Cheng Qiao relaxed completely.

Her maternal grandfather had left her twenty-eight redwood chests. Everything inside was a national-treasure-level treasure. What she was showing now was just the least conspicuous jewelry.

If even Mother Li had shown greed, Cheng Qiao might have considered leaving with Li Huan. But clearly, Mother Li was only happy and amazed, never thinking to keep it for herself.

“Alright, Qiao, leave this for Lele. But I owe you a gold bracelet. No matter how wealthy your family is, as a mother-in-law, I must be fair.”

Cheng Qiao nodded. She knew exactly how much money Mother Li had. It wasn’t the time to buy a gold bracelet now—and more importantly, she really didn’t need it.

“Mom, no rush. Even if you give it to me, I can’t wear it. Otherwise, I’d be labeled a capitalist.”

Mother Li nodded, her anxiety easing. Li Bing and Li Huan sent her money every month—Li Bing a little, ten yuan each month, Li Huan more inconsistently, sometimes as much as 150, sometimes nothing at all.

Actually, this was on purpose by Cheng Qiao. She was responsible for the entire household expenses of the Li family, as well as funding Xu Hui and Li Le’s schooling. Too much money would be inconvenient.

Finally, the end of the month arrived. Li Huan borrowed the ox cart to go back. This time, Mother Li insisted on coming along. Li Huan smiled and nodded—of course, the mother-in-law would get happier the more she saw her son-in-law.

When Qin Guoqing came, Mother Li scrutinized him like a monkey, examining him so thoroughly that Qin Guoqing walked in a stiff, awkward manner.

Cheng Qiao couldn’t help but laugh. Her silvery, bell-like laughter instantly eased the tension, while Qin Guoqing blushed at his own clumsiness.

“Auntie, I… I’m sorry. Let me introduce myself. My name is Qin Guoqing, I’m seventeen, and I’m a vehicle soldier in the Military District. That’s my report.”

Mother Li nodded. Driving a car was good—at least he wouldn’t be on the front lines, so his life was relatively safe. Qin Guoqing didn’t know what Mother Li was thinking, otherwise he would have been embarrassed. Who said vehicle soldiers had no danger?

“Auntie, my father asked me to bring this for you.”

Qin Guoqing took out a nylon bag filled with nutritional supplements. Before Mother Li could thank him, he also took out a box.

“Auntie, this is for Li Le. I know she’s still in school, so it’s study supplies. I want her to study hard and improve every day.”

Seeing Qin Guoqing’s flushed face, Mother Li was extremely pleased. This child was thoughtful. Knowing Li Huan had introduced his sister to him, he had already started preparing.

Qin Guoqing stayed one night in the county house, and the next day left with his things. The “thin monkey” (nickname) took the money and managed everything. With 200 yuan a month, life was too comfortable for him.

That night, Li Le received the gift from Qin Guoqing. Inside was a brand-new military-green school bag, a cartoon pencil case with pencils, a pen, a sharpener, eraser, and ruler.

There was also a big stack of notebooks and scrap paper, plus a bunch of envelopes and stationery with stamps already on them—clearly, Qin Guoqing wanted Li Le to write him letters.

Li Le smiled faintly and put the envelopes and stationery in her desk drawer. This year she was going into middle school and simply didn’t have time to write letters. Even if she did, it would have to wait until after graduation.

Time flew. By April 1973, Cheng Qiao was ready. This time, she decided to give birth in the hospital, so doctors were on standby.

“Who is a family member of Cheng Qiao?”

A baby’s cry came from the delivery room. Soon, a nurse came out holding the child. Li Huan and Mother Li both stood up, Xu Hui and Li Le also gathered around. Only Ye Jun sat there, arms folded, unmoved.

“I am… I am the father.”

Li Huan quickly took the child into his arms, holding the little treasure. The nurse smiled.

“It’s a boy, six jin.”

“Son! I’m a father again. Mom, you’re a grandmother again.”

Mother Li nodded happily, looking at her grandson in Li Huan’s arms. Though the eldest grandson was also of Li family blood, his surname was Cheng.

This second grandson was the true eldest grandson of the Li family. What should his name be?

“Huan’er, what’s the child’s name?”

“Mom, the child is called Li Ming. Little Cheng Li is ‘Li Ming’—so Little Li Ming is Ming of Li Ming.”

“Mmm, good name.”

Mother Li carefully held Li Ming, constantly cooing at him. Unfortunately, the baby didn’t even open his eyes, yawning instead, and fell asleep.

“Uncle Ye, come, hold my son.”

Ye Jun glanced at him. Tch, so ugly. Thankfully, he’s not surnamed Ye, or I’d definitely complain.

Li Huan knew what Ye Jun was thinking, so he didn’t insist. When the nurse came out again and took the baby, he had to feed and bathe him—nurses had plenty of work.

“Huan’er, should Qiao stay here for her postpartum confinement or go home?”

“Of course, go home. It’s inconvenient to eat and drink here.”

Li Huan knew Cheng Qiao had her immortal treasures—she could eat whenever she wanted, bathe whenever she wanted. In the hospital, it wouldn’t work.

The next afternoon, Uncle Niu’s ox cart stopped at the hospital entrance. Thick bedding was already laid in the cart, and Uncle Niu had added four poles around the carriage, surrounding it with sheets.

After paying the hospital bill, Li Huan had Li Le carry the luggage, Mother Li held the newborn, and he helped Cheng Qiao onto the cart. Cheng Qiao looked around but couldn’t find Little Cheng Li, and began to worry.