"Where’s Third Brother?" After the first and second families of the Yi Family left, Yi Roujing realized that her third brother wasn’t home.

"He went to pick up Youning, Chenyan, and Chentao," Liu Huilan said with a smile.

The wedding date of Yi Weiliang and Xie Chenyan was set: February 4th, March 4th, just another month away. The siblings needed support, and Liu Huilan couldn’t bear the thought of her future daughter-in-law spending the holiday in such loneliness. So she asked Yi Weiliang to pick them up on the second day of the lunar new year, making it clear that in the future, their home would be both her in-laws’ home and her parents’ home.

As for Liu Youning, Liu Guangmei’s family had plans to visit relatives, but he didn’t want to go. It was simple enough: he came to the Yi Family, and in Liu Huilan’s heart, Liu Youning was like her own grandchildren. She treated Xie Chentao the same way, even though he was not of the same generation as the kids, she treated him like a junior.

Xie Chenyan dressed very festively today, her clothes were newly made: an army-green cotton-padded jacket with black trousers, but around her neck was a bright red scarf, which accentuated her fair complexion and lively spirit.

Xie Chentao was also in new clothes. The siblings often came to Guangning Alley, and compared to when they first met, they had gained some weight.

Xie Chenyan was particularly close to Yi Roujing. If it weren’t for Yi Roujing’s intervention with the Zou Family, convincing her to stick to her beliefs, she might have missed out on being with Yi Weiliang. Therefore, whenever Xie Chenyan had something good, she would think of Yi Roujing. If Yi Weiliang brought something nice for her from outside, she would remember Yi Roujing as well.

"Wow, these oranges are so fresh," Xie Chenyan said, bringing a basket of tangerines, knowing Yi Roujing liked them, and handed them directly to her upon entering.

"A colleague’s family grows them, and I traded for them," Xie Chenyan said with a smile, "I know you like them."

"And this," Xie Chentao said, holding two large pomelos in both hands, "They’re very sweet. Roujing, I’ll peel them for you in a bit."

"I’ll help too." Liu Youning walked in with a net bag of apples, "Auntie, Happy New Year, Roujing, Happy New Year..."

Liu Youning greeted everyone present, and Xie Chentao followed suit, bowing and saying festive words like "Good fortune in the Year of the Dragon."

Liu Huilan was delighted and shared red envelopes with the two young ones, also slipping one to Xie Chenyan, whose face turned slightly red.

"I’m already so old, how..."

"Hey, you aren’t married yet, how are you old?" Liu Huilan disagreed.

Xie Chenyan was touched, her eyes reddening. Since her parents passed away, she hadn’t received a red envelope, and she hadn’t expected to receive one now.

Eight people, both young and old, gathered around a table. Liu Huilan’s cooking was average, but Yi Shunyin had made significant progress. Both worked in the district government kitchen, learning from the chefs there, so today’s lunch, with Yi Shunyin as the chef and Liu Huilan as the assistant, wasn’t bad at all.

Xu Ancheng asked how the two were doing at work and relaxed upon hearing positive responses. "There’s an opening in the dormitory management of the County First Middle School’s logistics department; it’s temporary work managing the student dormitories. And the street office is looking for someone to manage the warehouse. Both are light work; I’m not sure if you two would be willing to take them."

Liu Huilan was both surprised and delighted, "How could they not want to? They’d be secretly overjoyed, hahaha."

"Ancheng, I’m just not sure how we can thank you enough. You’ve arranged for everyone in our family to have jobs; our current life is all thanks to you." Liu Huilan was more than satisfied with this son-in-law.

He treats his wife well, evident from Yi Roujing’s soft, fair hands. She truly lives better than she did at home, with people caring for and loving her more, indulging her unconditionally. Liu Huilan felt her daughter was incredibly fortunate.

In most families, husbands fear their wives sponging off their maids and taking everything good from their in-laws to give to their own families. But in their case, the son-in-law actively contributes. You can’t imagine how heartwarming this is for Liu Huilan.

"Mom, you’re too polite. It’s just what I should do." Xu Ancheng replied with a smile, and the intimate address warmed Liu Huilan’s heart even more.

"Let me make some eggs for you." Making brown sugar longan eggs for a son-in-law was considered the highest standard; when a mother-in-law does it herself, it carries a different meaning. Xu Ancheng nodded with a smile, accepting it, as he often came by to enjoy them.

It wasn’t until after Yuanxiao that the festivities truly ended. On the second day, Li Hongying and her family said their farewells to Li Honghua’s family.

The act of seeing them off coincided with welcoming them. The Huang Family returned from Jing City, and Ding Anmin brought things for the whole family, spontaneously becoming the send-off family for Xie Chenyan’s wedding. Yi Roujing, Feng Lishu, and Xia Xingchen all chimed in, making Yi Weiliang and Xie Chenyan’s wedding exceptionally joyous.

After attending Yi Weiliang and Xie Chenyan’s wedding, the Ding Family started preparing for Ding Anguo and Feng Lishu’s wedding. Their good day was set for March, and Yi Roujing welcomed a new sister-in-law, adding one more to the Ding Family.

As the number increased, so did Yi Roujing’s belly. She had already taken off her quilted jacket and switched to spring attire. Lately, Yi Roujing experienced leg cramps at night and frequently needed to get up. With only one week left until the due date, the Ding Family’s attention was entirely on Yi Roujing, never letting her be alone.

The person least worried was the one experiencing it all: Yi Roujing. Although it was her first time giving birth, she thoroughly understood the process.

On March 31st, at four in the morning, Yi Roujing suddenly woke up with stomach pain. As soon as she got up, Xu Ancheng woke up as well.

"Is it time to give birth?" Xu Ancheng instantly became alert.

"I need to use the bathroom first." Upon confirming the sign, Yi Roujing felt the contraction but could bear it, "Xu Ancheng, I want to wash my hair and take a shower."

Xu Ancheng was taken aback by this request.

"Hurry, get me some hot water." Yi Roujing raised her voice slightly, prompting Xu Ancheng to spring into action.

Yi Roujing washed her hair, took a shower, and enduring the contractions, let Xu Ancheng dry her hair. By the time her hair was dry, morning had come.

With Xu Ancheng coming and going, the Ding Family was up, knowing Yi Roujing was in labor. Li Hongying busied herself preparing breakfast: red sugar eggs, big meat buns, and white rice porridge. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

When Yi Roujing came out of her room, the whole family gathered around.

"I’m fine; I’ll head to the hospital after breakfast," Yi Roujing said.

As Yi Roujing finished her breakfast and tried to get up, she felt a sudden warmth as her water broke, startling Xu Ancheng, who immediately picked her up, "We have to get to the hospital quickly."

Yi Roujing wasn’t startled by herself but by Xu Ancheng’s actions, "I’m fine; don’t be nervous."

"Anguo, you and Ancheng take Roujing to the hospital on a door plank; she needs to lie down." Li Hongying, having gone through this before, spoke up with authority.

Yi Roujing never imagined a day like this: lying on a door plank, covered with a blanket, and carried to the hospital.

The group headed straight to the factory workers’ hospital, where the inpatient department was staffed by familiar doctors and nurses. With the Ding Family’s trust and Doctor Ren’s skilled obstetric care, Yi Roujing had visited Doctor Ren before.

Once at the hospital, Yi Roujing was admitted to a room, and Doctor Ren personally checked on her, stating flatly, "It’s only three centimeters dilated, still early. Family members should buy some food for the mother-to-be, so she can have some energy during labor."