Chapter 262: Pregnancy

Chapter 262 Pregnancy

Zhang Erni stole a glance at Jiangnan.

Was this guy with Ye Xiaoxiao her new boyfriend?

He looked kinda scary.

Zhang Erni whispered, "Who's that?"

Ye Xiaoxiao could only say he was a cousin from her family, just visiting for a few days.

"Just a cousin? I totally thought he was your boyfriend!" Zhang Erni said.

Ye Xiaoxiao: "No, my boyfriend couldn't make it this trip."

Zhang Erni gossiped, "Aren't you worried about settling down? Look at me—I’m already pregnant, and you’re still single."

Ye Xiaoxiao finally understood how Ye Changning felt when being pressured about marriage. She held Zhang Erni’s wrist and changed the subject, "Let me check on the baby for you."

Zhang Erni dropped the subject immediately, "Oh, I forgot you’re a doctor!"

Ye Xiaoxiao checked her pulse carefully.

"The baby's doing just fine."

Zhang Erni whispered, "Can you tell if it’s a boy or a girl?"

Ye Xiaoxiao could determine it, but she didn’t answer directly. Instead, she asked, "Do you want a boy or a girl?"

Zhang Erni: "Fei Qing and I are good with either. My in-laws also say they’re fine with either, but even though they say that, if this one’s a girl, they’ll definitely pressure me to try for a boy.

I want to be one-and-done.

If I hadn’t run into you today, I would’ve gone to the hospital to check."

Nowadays, they're not as strict about keeping the gender secret, and many hospitals will tell expectant mothers.

Ye Xiaoxiao reminded her, "Just make sure you go to a legit hospital, not some back-alley place."

Zhang Erni: "Of course. Whether it’s a boy or a girl, I just want me and baby to come through safe."

Ye Xiaoxiao told her, "From what I can tell, it’s more likely to be a girl, but it’s not 100% certain. The most important thing now is to take good care of yourself and the baby."

Zhang Erni touched her belly, "A girl? I’d love a girl too—I just hope she doesn’t look too much like me. Being this tall and broad isn't exactly feminine."

Ye Xiaoxiao felt Zhang Erni misunderstood herself. With her height and looks, she was what you'd call statuesque gorgeous.

After Ye Xiaoxiao complimented her a few times, Zhang Erni’s worries vanished completely, completely wrapped up in baby girl excitement.

"You should come over to my place for dinner later."

"No, my cousin and I still want to do some more sightseeing."

"We've gotta grab a meal while you're here," Zhang Erni said.

"I’ll only be here for three to five days. We'll catch up next time—once the baby's here."

Ye Xiaoxiao wasn't about to drag a pregnant woman around to some random restaurant, so they'd have to raincheck.

Although Zhang Erni was a bit disappointed, she expressed understanding.

After meeting her friend, Ye Xiaoxiao went to the local co-op store to buy some things before heading home.

Since she hadn’t been back long, Ye Xiaoxiao didn’t return to Baishi Village.

She just stayed at her eldest brother’s house for a few days, during which she visited her grandfather, eldest sister, and second sister separately.

Ye Changqing also came back for a visit.

It had been two years since he last saw Xiao Xiao, and he had been worried about her.

Ye Changqing had been doing well in the mining industry over the past two years—the mines in this mountainous area could still be mined for at least ten more years.

However, as he became more involved in the mining business and gradually gained expertise, he began to entertain the idea of starting his own business.

He just lacked the right opportunity at the moment.

If he found a suitable mine, Ye Changqing would find a way to take over the mining rights and develop it himself.

He hadn’t shared this idea with anyone else, only mentioning a few words when Ye Xiaoxiao asked about his current situation.

Ye Xiaoxiao understood what he meant. She joked,

"Big brother, if you really start your own business, then our family will literally be 'mining tycoons' too."

Ye Xiaoxiao wracked her brain trying to recall if there were any famous yet undeveloped mining areas in the future.

Unfortunately, she hadn’t paid any attention to the mining industry in her previous life and couldn’t think of a single location.

Ye Changqing didn’t catch the reference and simply smiled. "It’s just an idea for now. It still requires a lot of startup capital."

Ye Xiaoxiao: "You can get loans these days. As for the rest, Third Brother and I can chip in some money. Just call me if you need it."

If Ye Xiaoxiao hadn’t been abroad for two years, she wouldn’t have saved any money—she probably would’ve blown it all on real estate.

Luckily, she hadn’t asked about her exact income during those two years and hadn’t spent recklessly.

Ye Changqing: "Don’t worry about it. I have ways to solve the funding issue. If I really need help, I won’t hesitate to ask."

"I heard you’re about to start your internship. Is it at a company in Beijing?"

Ye Changqing finally asked the important question.

Ye Xiaoxiao glanced at her father chopping firewood in the yard and her mother and sister-in-law chatting while picking vegetables in the kitchen.

Seeing her furtive look, Ye Changqing felt uneasy.

"Actually, I want to go to the northwest," Ye Xiaoxiao admitted hesitantly.

Ye Changqing frowned. "Where in the northwest? It’s not some godforsaken desert, is it?"

Ye Xiaoxiao: "They have grasslands and oases too."

Ye Changqing snorted. "Where you're headed definitely doesn’t have any."

Ye Xiaoxiao put on her most charming smile. "I don’t know yet, but I want to check it out myself."

Ye Changqing looked at his pale-skinned sister with flowing hair. He thought to himself, "What is she up to?"

Ye Xiaoxiao didn’t grow up with their family, so he had no idea what kind of life she led back then, but it couldn’t have been too bad.

Since coming back home, she hasn’t even had to wash a single dish, let alone do any heavy work.

Ye Changqing urged her to think it through. "You might not even have running water out there. Can you handle that?"

Ye Xiaoxiao hesitated but nodded.

"I haven’t told Mom and Dad yet."

Ye Changqing sighed. "How long will you be gone?"

Ye Xiaoxiao: "About six or seven months. I’ll have to return to school by April or May next year to handle graduation matters."

Ye Changqing couldn’t dissuade her, and it seemed the little girl didn’t want to tell their parents.

He could understand that—their parents were getting older, and knowing Xiao Xiao was going so far away would only worry them, which wouldn’t be good for their health.

Ye Changqing: "Even if you go to the northwest, you have to write home at least once a month. If I don’t get a letter, I won’t cover for you anymore."

This meant he agreed to help Ye Xiaoxiao keep it a secret.

Ye Xiaoxiao saluted her big brother with a proper military gesture. "Yes, sir! Mission accomplished!"

Zhang Xue happened to walk in from outside. "What mission? You two seem to be having a good chat."

"Eldest brother’s orders: write home more."

Zhang Xue: "We’ve got a landline now. If it’s urgent, just call, and I’ll relay the message."

Ye Xiaoxiao thought of something. "Big brother, you should get a cell phone too."

Ye Changqing: "That thing can’t get reception here. A landline is more convenient. Did you see your third brother flashing his cell phone around?"

"Yeah, third brother is so hip now, a real pioneer of the times."

These words were caught by Ye Jianguo as he walked in.

"He’s just gallivanting, never home."

Ye Jianguo made it sound like a gripe, but in truth, he missed his son—just couldn’t admit it.