"Oh my god! Good heavens! What are we going to do?" It was a heavy blow! Granny slapped her thighs, all her aggressive bluster gone, replaced by helpless shock.

An Qi was such a troublemaker. The suicide attempt was bad enough, but now she was pregnant. It was utterly disgraceful. An Qi had brought shame upon all their ancestors.

Jie Jingchen didn’t gloat; he was simply indifferent.

Qin Mei didn’t say anything either. ’In a later era, getting pregnant before marriage would be no big deal,’ she thought. ’Even having the child and raising it alone would be acceptable. But in these times, she’d be scorned by everyone.’

Granny wailed for a bit. After calming down, she grabbed the corner of Grandpa’s sleeve and asked, "Who is the man?"

Grandpa fell silent, looking at Qin Mei with a complicated expression.

Qin Mei’s heart dropped. She was baffled by Grandpa’s complicated gaze. ’What does he mean? Does he want me to give Jie Anqi a secret abortion?’

’In this era, an abortion requires the father’s signature. Even if Jie Anqi’s mother helped her get one, secrets don’t stay secret for long in a hospital; there was always a risk of a leak. To be on the safe side, it wasn’t surprising that Grandpa was pinning his hopes on her.’

’Helping Jie Anqi get an abortion was no problem, but my fees are very high. As long as they’re willing to pay, I’m willing to help solve their problem. I could also quietly give a tip to Second Granny or Granny Yu. They have extensive back-alley connections and could secretly refer people to me, which would be another considerable source of income.’

When it came to abortions, Qin Mei didn’t feel she was doing anything unconscionable. People who wanted to have children would have them no matter what. And people who didn’t would find a way to get rid of the baby, no matter the cost. Some couldn’t afford it, while others, worried about their reputation, didn’t dare go to a hospital and would seek out folk remedies instead. Those remedies were unsafe; at best, they damaged the body and caused infertility. At worst, they were fatal.

Getting her help was not only completely confidential, but it also guaranteed a safe procedure. She operated on a sliding scale. For well-off clients, she charged a high fee. For the less fortunate, she charged a token amount. And for the poorest of the poor, she did it for free. It was all about being humane.

A single look from Grandpa, and Qin Mei had already thought of a new way to make money.

"What are you scheming now?" Jie Jingchen squeezed Qin Mei’s hand. In the few months they’d been together, he wouldn’t say he knew her inside and out, but he was starting to understand her. ’This wife of mine is a little money-grubber.’

"Something that benefits the country and its people," Qin Mei said, a little smugly. ’With the family planning policy in effect, this really is a good deed for the country and its people.’

’Looks like I’ll have to make another trip to the black market to stock up.’

Jie Jingchen chuckled. He was about to press for details when Granny’s voice cut in.

"Didn’t An Qi say who the man is?" Granny asked in a low voice. Grandpa’s face was a mask of conflict as he tried to figure out what to say. Granny started complaining, "What is An Qi thinking? The most important thing right now is to find the man who got her pregnant and make him take responsibility. We have to minimize the damage! And at a time like this, she’s still protecting him. Is that man more important than her own reputation?"

Grandpa hesitated.

"No, we can’t let this drag on. I’ll go to the hospital and ask An Qi myself. Even if I have to turn this city upside down, I’ll find that man and make him take responsibility! What kind of trash is he? Only thinking of his own pleasure and not the consequences. Does he think he can just get away with it? And An Qi is a fool, too, giving herself to him before marriage. What if the man denies it? With no proof, what’s she going to do then?" Granny grumbled furiously.

"Don’t go to the hospital. With your temper, you’ll only make things worse." Grandpa grabbed Granny to stop her. He was so angry with An Qi he could have strangled the girl himself. ’With my wife’s temper,’ he thought, ’I’m honestly afraid she might actually do it.’

"We have a crisis on our hands, and she’s still protecting that man... Or did he run off? Did he take advantage of her and vanish, refusing to take responsibility? Did An Qi say which family he’s from? He can run, but he can’t hide. I’ll lead the Jie Family to his doorstep! How dare he bully a granddaughter of the Jie Family? He must have a death wish," Granny said fiercely.

"Sigh..." Grandpa heaved a heavy sigh.

Granny put her hands on her hips and poked Grandpa’s forehead. "You old man, what’s the use of sighing at a time like this? Is he the son of a worker from the machinery factory? Or the cotton mill? Or..."

"Woman, stop your wild guessing," Grandpa cut in.