I Became the Mother of His Child

"Looks like that young man really has a warm heart, huh!" Xu Xiuxiu said, as Song Chengguang finished washing his hands and came out, lifting the little guy onto the bench and setting his small chopsticks and bowl in front of him, then casually putting some vegetables and meat into the bowl for him, before responding to Xu Jingjing with a hint of meaning in her words.

Song Chengguang probably still had the TV program on his mind and didn't chatter as usual while eating his meal earnestly. Whatever Xu Xiuxiu picked for him to eat, he obediently ate.

"Yes, that's right! Soldiers are great in that aspect, enthusiastic and kind-hearted." Xu Jingjing didn't notice anything amiss in her older sister's words and nodded in strong agreement.

Seeing Xu Jingjing's reaction, Xu Xiuxiu knew that her sister was probably already halfway hooked by the man named Chu Tiangu. As an older sister, she immediately felt concerned.

Her views and mindset were much more open than those of men and women of her time. Naturally, she supported Xu Jingjing in finding a partner on her own, but even though men and women of future generations would pursue relationships based on love, that didn't mean the young couples would always live harmoniously. Whereas nowadays, though most marriages were arranged by parents, at least life was stable and secure.

That girl Jingjing might be quick-witted with her words, but she was a girl with little guile or scheming. As her older sister, Xu Xiuxiu felt she had to guard her well, just in case the man wasn't decent—this thought alone made Xu Xiuxiu feel tremendous pressure.

So, at bedtime, Xu Xiuxiu made it a point to bring up to Song Yuanhuan her concerns about what she had noticed during the day. Song Yuanhuan seemed to take it easier than Xu Xiuxiu.

"What are you worried about? Si Ya is good-looking and has a nice personality. It's normal for a girl to be sought after by many families. It's just that the guy is quick on his feet! He targeted her early and made his move. Let me know who he is, and I'll certainly give him a hard time." As a brother-in-law, Song Yuanhuan felt a duty to put obstacles in the way of the man who might become a future relative: "Also, one of the lieutenants under me was inquiring about Si Ya today. Seems like he's taken a liking to her as well." The young man had been solicitous, giving him a pack of cigarettes and asking for help in introducing them, which he accepted without hesitation, and then told the young man nothing.

Humph! As if he could be bought with just a pack of cigarettes—too good to be true, thought the young man!

"I didn't realize Si Ya was so popular," Xu Xiuxiu said, quite surprised.

Xu Xiuxiu truly had not expected Xu Jingjing to have so many admirers. She had always viewed the young girl with the same old mindset, seeing Jingjing as a girl whose aspirations were higher than her fortunes. After all, Jingjing once fancied a college student and doted on him for quite a while, right? She thought with Jingjing's proud nature, she wouldn't fancy these rough fellows in the army, and naturally assumed she was just worrying over nothing. It took her this long to sense something was off, and if Jingjing's glowing face at noon was claimed to be the result of sunbathing, Xu Xiuxiu wouldn't believe it for a second.

With these thoughts, Xu Xiuxiu's sense of crisis deepened. That girl had changed quite a bit recently! She had better keep her guard up, otherwise, what would she do if some undeserving fellow ruined this good cabbage?

"Stop worrying needlessly, Si Ya is a grown girl and she naturally has her own way of evaluating people. Whether it's a good match or not, she has a good sense of it," Song Yuanhuan believed his little sister-in-law was quite clever and had her own ideas, so there was no need for his wife to be overly anxious.

"But the person Si Ya knows seems to be from Fujian, which is quite far away. What if she really takes a liking to him? My parents would never stand for letting Si Ya marry off to such a distant place. They would blame me to death, accusing me of not looking out for her as her older sister," Xu Xiuxiu thought that the matter didn't seem reliable no matter how it was considered and that Xu Jingjing shouldn't be left to figure it out on her own.

This young girl had little experience and was most susceptible to being sweet-talked by men.

"That's true," Song Yuanhuan agreed. Considering his father-in-law's temperament, if Si Ya really were led astray by that young man, he wouldn't know how to explain it to the old man, "Keep an eye on Si Ya for the next couple of days. I'll also inquire about this young man tomorrow, see if he's reliable." If he wasn't, he'd nip their budding relationship in the bud as soon as possible.

"Okay." Xu Xiuxiu nodded and snuggled into Song Yuanhuan's arms, secretly making some plans in her heart.

After a good night's sleep, Xu Xiuxiu woke up early the next day and again experienced a startling bout of morning sickness. Because of Xu Xiuxiu's recent condition, Xu Jingjing and Song Chengguang were also woken up. The two looked bewilderingly at Song Yuanhuan, his brows furrowed as he carried Xu Xiuxiu back to the bedroom in his arms, then they sat at the dining table biting into their steamed buns, both faces filled with concern.

"Daddy, what's wrong with Mommy?" Song Chengguang, holding a large pork bun, looked at Song Yuanhuan who came out of the bedroom looking on the verge of tears. Was Mommy really sick? Did she need to get injections?

"She's fine," Song Yuanhuan reassured the little one a few times before turning to Xu Jingjing, "Si Ya, don't go to the cafeteria for lunch today. Your sister isn't too fond of their food, she thinks it's too greasy. At noon, help your brother-in-law buy a chicken from the welfare shop, and pick some fresh vegetables that your sister likes to eat. I'll come back to cook at noon." Song Yuanhuan had just seen Xu Xiuxiu's increasingly gaunt jawline and knew she always had a poor appetite for the army's communal meals, so although it would be busy, he still planned to come back and cook lunch, making sure she had something to eat.

"Got it, brother-in-law." Xu Jingjing nodded, "But aren't you very busy? Why don't you leave the cooking to me? I actually can cook some dishes." Xu Jingjing also knew her sister had been feeling unwell lately and naturally felt she should take on the responsibility to relieve her sister's worries.

"You can?" Song Yuanhuan asked with concern, wondering if the girl, who had always been coddled by her father, could really cook.

"I can, and if I can't, I can ask my sister for advice! With her guidance, I'll manage. Don't worry, I won't let her get close to the greasy smoke," Xu Jingjing assured, thumping her chest.

"Alright then, just pick out some fresh vegetables. If you don't know how to prepare the meat, leave it, since your sister doesn't like meat that much anyway. If you're unsure how to handle the chicken, just leave it too; I can still come back and stew it this evening," Song Yuanhuan said, glancing at his wristwatch to see that it was almost time to leave.

"Okay! You go to work without worries, brother-in-law," Xu Jingjing nodded seriously, reassuring Song Yuanhuan.