CHAPTER 278: CHAPTER 278 SPENDING MONEY AND EFFORT

The news of Shen Qingqing’s pregnancy wasn’t spread by the Jiang Family.

"It’s fine that our own family knows, so no one starts asking a bunch of questions," said Madam Jiang.

Plus, she was worried someone might get jealous and have bad intentions.

Like that person... Yang Fen.

She once tried to harm Zhixun before.

And she was jealous of Qingqing, every time they met, she’d give her looks.

Now that Qingqing is pregnant before her, she’s bound to be envious again.

Yang Fen’s becoming more and more unreliable, and Madam Jiang truly feared she’d do something crazy.

It’s better to keep a low profile.

She muttered silently, luckily Yang Fen got married and rarely shows up.

Otherwise, she’d be quite the headache.

Jiang Zhixun raised an eyebrow, teasingly saying, "For grandchildren you’ve waited so long for, I thought you’d grab a megaphone and shout it out so everyone knows."

Which earned him an eye-roll from Madam Jiang.

Is it that she doesn’t want to show off?

The better the news, the more you have to keep it low-key.

When the child is born, it’ll be plenty of time to boast then!

She glared at her son with feigned annoyance and added a piece of cabbage to his bowl.

"You chatter away all day, not even food can keep your mouth shut!"

Jiang Zhixun calmly put the cabbage in his mouth, "I just wanted to show off, thinking you might feel the same."

When he returns to his team, he wants to tell everyone.

He’s not only a married man now, but he’s also about to become a father!

Shen Qingqing couldn’t help but laugh, "Others have been dads for ages, no one’s envious of you."

There are late marriages, but like Jiang Zhixun at thirty-three, they’re rare.

Now at thirty-four, he’s only having his first child, he’s quite behind.

Jiang Zhixun served Shen Qingqing steamed fish, picking a boneless piece.

"Who cares if they envy or not, I just want to say it."

He glanced at Shen Qingqing’s belly.

Their child is in there, and in a few months, it will start developing little hands and feet.

It might even eavesdrop on their conversations.

This feeling is truly wonderful.

Maybe it’s because he’s about to become a father, Jiang Zhixun’s demeanor has slightly changed.

When looking at Shen Qingqing, his gaze is somewhat... loving?

Shen Qingqing found his gaze unnerving, "Can you be normal?"

"I’m looking at the baby."

Shen Qingqing rolled her eyes, "Do you have X-ray vision or what?"

Jiang Zhixun replied, "I have a telepathic bond with it."

Shen Qingqing: "..."

Acting so silly, it’s hard to watch.

Shen Qingqing ignored Jiang Zhixun and focused on her meal.

She had morning sickness earlier and vomited once, so the fried fish wasn’t served on the table.

While others found it appetizing, Shen Qingqing, the expectant mother, was suffering.

Madam Jiang was a bit worried, fearing she couldn’t even eat the steamed fish.

Seeing her eat the fish without discomfort, she finally felt relieved.

"Being able to eat means you can get proper nutrition."

Shen Qingqing agreed, "Eating light should be fine."

She still had work, so she had to eat something.

Madam Jiang added, "I hope the baby behaves and doesn’t trouble you. When I was pregnant with Zhixun, he was quite troublesome. Thank goodness I wasn’t working, otherwise, my job would’ve been affected."

Shen Qingqing touched her belly, "It’s still early, who knows who it’ll resemble."

Glancing at her husband with a half-amused look, Jiang Zhixun said, "If it misbehaves, I’ll scold it when I come back."

Children are important, but they can’t take priority over his wife.

If it gets too unruly, a good scolding is in order.

Shen Qingqing teased him, "It’s just a little embryo now, and you’re already thinking of scolding it. What kind of father are you?"

Jiang Zhixun chuckled, "It’s already impressive, making you nauseous even as a tiny embryo."

Who knows what it’ll be like when it grows a bit more.

Thinking this, Jiang Zhixun started getting worried again.

He silently prayed, hoping the child would be a bit easier so his wife wouldn’t have to suffer.

If it wants to be rowdy, it could wait until it’s born, and he’s home to deal with it.

For the sake of his wife and child, he wouldn’t mind any chaos.

As long as it doesn’t bother his wife, everything else is manageable.

The old man caught some fish, hoping the family could enjoy something fresh. He didn’t expect his granddaughter-in-law couldn’t eat it.

But thinking about having a new baby in the family, the old man was overjoyed and didn’t care about the fish anymore.

"Just pay attention to everything. If you’re not feeling well, tell your superior, don’t push it."

Shen Qingqing nodded, "I understand, I won’t overdo it, don’t worry."

Work is important, but health is the foundation of everything.

Given her current state, she had to take it easy.

Overexerting might cause trouble for others and delay her teaching schedule.

If there really is an emergency, the school will arrange for substitute teachers.

Shen Qingqing handles her tasks diligently, so her family isn’t too worried, only fearing she might not handle emergencies well while pregnant.

Her decision to move back home greatly assured them.

Everyone else had said what needed to be said.

Father Jiang didn’t have much to say, just gave Shen Qingqing some money for her to use as she sees fit.

Having started working, Shen Qingqing felt bad using her elders’ money.

She resolutely refused to accept it.

But Jiang Zhixun extended his long arm and accepted it on her behalf, "It’s from our parents, no need to be polite with them. Raising a child is hard work."

Shen Qingqing gave him a long, meaningful look.

This guy really has thick skin.

It’s rare for Father Jiang to praise Jiang Zhixun, "He’s not wrong, raising a child takes effort. From now on, you’ll have endless tasks. Your mom and I can’t do much, just lend a hand when needed. Otherwise, it’s up to you and Zhixun."

Shen Qingqing: "You both put in so much time and effort, it’s no small task! You’ve almost done everything!"

Once the baby is born, the mother-in-law will even help with babysitting.

Taking care of a child isn’t simple, you must watch out for their health and keep them safe from harm.

Shen Qingqing feels it’s a tiring job.

If the child is well-behaved, it makes things easier for the caregiver.

Otherwise, just one child can leave you physically and mentally exhausted.

Whoever looks after the baby, it’s no joke.

Her mother-in-law taking the initiative to help babysit really shows the elders’ dedication.

Especially now, they’ve even given money...

Madam Jiang encouraged Shen Qingqing to accept it, "Right now, we can’t do much, and you’re the one bearing the brunt. Make good use of the time when you’re still nimble, go shop for some new clothes."

Jiang Zhixun nodded, "You should buy new ones."

Once her belly starts to show, many clothes won’t fit.

Better to be prepared in advance.

After meals, Shen Qingqing used to do the dishes and clean up.

Now Madam Jiang wouldn’t let her do anything.

"Zhixun rarely comes home, let him do these chores. When he’s not here, I’ll take care of them. Your main task now is to take care of the baby, don’t worry about anything else."

Shen Qingqing smiled awkwardly, "I’m in perfect health, everything’s normal. If I do nothing, won’t I rust?"

"Then take walks outside to digest your food and exercise."

Instructing Jiang Zhixun to do a good job, Madam Jiang accompanied Shen Qingqing out for a stroll.

A lot of residents in the compound have sharp eyes.

Even if the Jiang Family didn’t say anything, seeing the cautious manner between Shen Qingqing and Madam Jiang, they can tell they’re expecting a new addition.

Jiang Zhixun is already thirty-four this year, and Shen Qingqing is almost thirty.

Having a child is the natural course of things.