Chapter 606: One More Absurd Than the Other (Final Chapter) – Daily Gossip in the Courtyard of the Sickly Young Aunt

Chapter 606: Each More Absurd Than the Last (Final Chapter) – The Sickly Aunt’s Daily Hospital Drama

After Lin Qing and Cen Xi finished discussing Jiang Yang and Lin Shu, they dismissed them from their minds.

They heard the two names again two days later, this time from Lin Qing’s mother.

When Lin Qing’s mother mentioned that both Lin Shu and Jiang Li had given birth, Lin Qing barely glanced up, keeping her eyes on her son as he nursed. “That’s normal, isn’t it? They were due around now anyway.”

Lin’s mother nodded. “That’s true, but neither of them went into labor naturally!”

“Huh? What does that mean?” Lin Qing looked up in surprise.

Lin’s mother, who loved sharing gossip she picked up outside, explained, “I heard one of them went into labor from sheer rage, and the other from laughing her head off.”

Lin Qing was stunned. The difference was that big?

“Weren’t they in the same hospital room?” Not that Lin Qing needed to ask—with a mom who’s a walking gossip hub like hers, she could stay home and still know everything.

“Yes, and that’s exactly why it happened.”

Lin Qing gave an awkward laugh and randomly guessed, “Don’t tell me one got so angry her water broke, and the other saw it, laughed too hard, and then hers broke too?”

Lin’s mother clapped her hands. “You got it exactly right!”

“What?” That was really it?

Lin Qing suddenly felt speechless. What was going on here? This is next-level ridiculous.

“Mom, where do you even get all this information?” One might think she’d been hiding under their beds!

Lin’s mother chuckled. “It wasn’t hard. An old friend of mine was taking care of her father-in-law in the hospital, and she happened to be in the next room over.

She said those two were constantly stirring up drama from the minute they checked in. They’d barely settled in before demanding braised pork, going on a hunger strike until they got it.”

Lin Qing tugged at her hair, thinking this whole thing felt weirdly familiar.

“Mom, do you remember what I ate on my first day in the hospital?”

“Braised pork!”

Lin’s mother suddenly gasped, staring at her in shock. You’re kidding.

Lin Qing had a strange feeling that the reason those two had thrown a tantrum for braised pork might have been because of her…

Oh… *awkward laugh*…

“I remember—Lin Shu was in the same room as me back then.”

Now even Lin’s mother was at a loss for words. She let out a sigh. “Ugh, why’re they so hell-bent on copying you?”

Lin Qing shrugged. How would she know?

It hit Lin’s mom then why Mother Gu and Mother Jiang kept badmouthing their daughters-in-law.

If it were her, she wouldn’t like a daughter-in-law who was too much to handle or a drama queen either.

It wasn’t that they couldn’t eat braised pork—but if they only wanted it ’cause someone else got it, then that was just childish nonsense. Talk about petty.

In most cases, they’re usually happy to give on their own terms, but they won’t stand being pressured. Once the attitude becomes demanding, they simply refuse to comply.

Jiang Li and Mother Gu’s situation was pretty much like that.

Mother Gu wasn’t unwilling to care for the grandson in Jiang Li’s belly, but Jiang Li kept overstepping, so Mother Gu refused to indulge her. As a result, Jiang Li’s anger actually sent her into labor.

She waited until she was about to give birth but still didn’t get that helping of braised pork.

Mother Gu, not wanting anything to happen to her precious grandson, went to the hospital kitchen to cook some sweetened egg soup for Jiang Li to replenish her energy.

After her water broke, Jiang Li didn’t dare to keep resisting. She obediently ate the sweetened egg soup, afraid she’d run out of strength halfway through labor.

By the time she was taken to the delivery room, Gu Hang had finally returned.

As for Lin Shu, she had been gloating at Jiang Li for working herself into labor until she suddenly felt something strange down below—as if something was trickling out.

Her expression froze.

"What’s your problem now?" Mother Jiang snapped irritably.

She had also realized that the Gu family’s son had pulled a fast one. If only she had told her son to do the same!

Mother Jiang was kicking herself...

Lin Shu trembled as she said, "It broke... my water broke..."

Mother Jiang rolled her eyes and scolded, "Big deal, it broke? It’s not like you’ve never given birth before. Even if your water breaks, you won’t deliver that quickly."

Lin Shu had been influenced by Jiang Li’s earlier freak-out, but after Mother Jiang’s scolding, she snapped out of it.

Right—she had given birth before. Labor wouldn’t be that fast.

As the aching in her belly began, she knew the contractions had started.

After the doctor examined her and estimated the timing, she was also taken to the delivery room.

Lin Shu and Jiang Li were placed on opposite sides of the same delivery room, each able to hear the other’s screams.

Perhaps out of competitiveness, they both tried to out-scream the other. No matter how much the doctors told them to save their strength, neither listened—they just wanted to outdo each other.

In the end, they each gave birth to a son, both getting just what they’d hoped for.

The moment they heard the results, they smiled and closed their eyes, passing out from exhaustion.

...

Lin Qing listened as Mother Lin sighed, "They got the sons they wanted, but their older kids will have it rough."

"Such situations depend on the men’s attitudes. If the men put their foot down, their wives wouldn’t dare go too far." Lin Qing always believed it came down to the men—if they put their kids first, no one else would dare mess with them.

Mother Lin thought about it and agreed. Though people often said a new wife means a new dad, that usually only happened when the father favored the children from the new marriage.

Not long after, every radio station and paper announced important news—the college entrance exams had been reinstated!

When Lin Qing heard, she was thrilled beyond words. She never thought it’d come this fast.

"Brother Nan, the college entrance exams have really been restored."

"Yeah!" Cen Xi nodded, just as pumped.

"There's just not enough time, with just over two months left before the exam!"

Cen Xi knew she was feeling anxious and nervous because of the short time, so he quickly reassured her, "Don’t worry. Everyone has the same limited time to prepare. Think about it—you’ve had several months more than others!"

"Yes, you're right!" After taking his words to heart, Lin Qing gradually relaxed.

Lin Qing continued her studying at her own pace, and soon, the day before the exam came around.

Since they had registered through their school district, Lin Qing and others were assigned to the local junior high and high schools in their area, which weren’t too far away.

Cen Xi took time off from work to drive her to and from the exam every day.

"You've got this! Just do your best. I believe in you."

"Mhm." Lin Qing nodded solemnly.

The two-day exam flew by.

As soon as Lin Qing stepped out of the testing center, she saw her whole family waiting outside—Cen Xi, her parents, and their little one.

She couldn’t help but smile. How wonderful!

...