CHAPTER 453: CHAPTER 453: REPORTED

Li Dongmei seemed to have made up her mind, "I also think he’s good, I want to live the life of city people, and I’ve accepted the idea of a second marriage."

Only then did Lin Jiayi speak, "What’s wrong with a second marriage? Some people are just too old-fashioned. In the city, people don’t just get married twice—third and even fourth marriages happen, and people fight to get married. Plus, city folks are educated. People say that educated people have higher quality, and they treat their wives well."

Li Dongmei’s cheeks flushed immediately, "I just feel that he’s really good, I’m just afraid that my mom won’t agree to the marriage..."

Lin Jiayi suddenly changed the topic, "Speaking of marriage, when I went to buy meat today, I saw a family in the village holding a wedding banquet. It was a staff member from the commune who married a girl from the village. I heard that the man’s family was not willing at first, but the woman was tactful. She got pregnant before anything much happened, making the man’s family have no choice but to agree, and they had to throw a big banquet."

"Ah, getting pregnant before marriage, she’d be drowned in spit!"

Li Dongmei completely forgot the previous topic, her eyes wide open in shock.

"Hey, let them talk, what does it matter if they say unpleasant things? Does it cost anyone a piece of flesh? On the contrary, the woman married the man and now has a husband who works as a staff member in the village. She’s set for life with plenty to eat and drink. If the man becomes successful and becomes an official, she’ll be a madame. Then, what can others say? Anything they say is just sour grapes."

Lin Jiayi finished speaking and looked outside at the darkening sky, "Oh no, I haven’t fed the chickens yet, and it’s getting dark."

Li Dongmei watched Lin Jiayi’s hurried figure, her mind filled with the saying about sour grapes.

......

Shortly after Lin Chuxia returned to the city, Zhang Guilan followed.

It wasn’t that Zhang Guilan insisted on following Lin Chuxia to the city; she had no choice.

That day, Qin Family Village’s vegetable truck was on time to deliver vegetables to Qin’s Restaurant. However, it was Qin Han who drove the truck, bringing with him Zhang Guilan.

By the time Lin Chuxia got the news, Qin Han had already brought Zhang Guilan and Qin Juan to the family quarters.

Zhang Guilan looked pale, whether from the journey or something else.

When she got off the truck, Qin Juan spoke up worriedly, "I told you to come to my place, it’s closer to the restaurant after all. Look at how pale you are, and you’re pregnant. What if something happens?"

Zhang Guilan had already spotted Lin Chuxia and waved at her. Lin Chuxia quickly walked up and took her hand.

Finally, Zhang Guilan spoke weakly, "I feel unsettled wherever I stay, but if I stay by my sister-in-law’s side, I can have peace of mind."

Although Lin Chuxia didn’t know what had happened, seeing Zhang Guilan’s condition, she quickly reassured, "Then stay at my place, stay as long as you want. Have you guys eaten? I’ll go and prepare something for you."

Zhang Guilan shook her head, "I can’t eat right now."

Qin Juan also said, "Xiaxia, you talk to them. I’ll go to the kitchen and prepare some food."

Qin Juan had stayed with Lin Chuxia for a while before, so she was familiar with the kitchen.

The guest room had been vacant since Qin Juan moved out, and Lin Chuxia didn’t want to ask Zhang Guilan too many questions—she settled her in the guest room to rest first.

Once everyone was settled, Lin Chuxia asked Qin Han, "What exactly happened?"

Qin Han’s face was filled with indignation. Without Zhang Guilan present, he did not hide the coldness in his eyes.

"We’ve been reported. The report was anonymous. I don’t know what they told the family planning office, but they found out our second child is a violation."

"How could this happen?"

Lin Chuxia’s voice involuntarily rose several notches.

Nowadays, the family planning policy in the city is such that couples can only have one child, whether it’s a boy or a girl.

In the countryside, if the first child is a daughter, it is permissible to have a second child after a four-year gap, and families like Qin Wu’s meet the policy requirements.

However, families whose first child is a boy are not allowed to have a second child.

This is also due to the consideration that rural labor often involves heavy and tiring work which requires strong manpower.

But Qin Han’s family did, in fact, violate the policy by having a boy, Zhuangzhuang, as their first child, and now Zhang Guilan is almost 8 months pregnant, the child in her womb has long taken shape.

Qin Han nodded and said, "First thing this morning, the village chief came to deliver the message, telling us to lay low for a while, so we quickly packed up and left."

Lin Chuxia nodded; she was of course aware of the current direction of the policy.

"Just put your mind at ease by leaving your sister-in-law here with me. I’ll take good care of her until she’s done with her postpartum confinement, then she can go back."

Seeing her attitude, Qin Han couldn’t help but smile, "There’s no need for that. As soon as your sister-in-law gives birth, we can take her back. Mom is waiting to help with the postpartum care."

Qin Juan cooked two bowls of noodles and also fried sunny-side-up eggs, one for Qin Han and one for Zhang Guilan.

Actually, there was ready-made food at Qin’s Restaurant, but Zhang Guilan wasn’t in the mood to eat. Now that she had seen Lin Chuxia and rested for a while, she felt hungry.

After they each ate a bowl of noodles, Lin Chuxia repeated what she said to Qin Han to Zhang Guilan.

Finally feeling settled, Zhang Guilan felt at peace seeing Lin Chuxia.

She replied with a smile, "I’ll have the cheek to stay with my brother’s wife for a while. It was just these past few days that Wu’s wife came to visit and told me to rest. Now, look, I’ve found a place to rest in the city."

"Sister-in-law, why be so formal with me?"

Qin Juan also joined in, "Exactly, you can stay here with your brother’s wife for a few days, then stay at my place for a few more whenever you feel like it. Isn’t life leisurely and carefree? You just focus on nourishing your pregnancy. I don’t believe they will be able to chase us down here."

By this time, Qin Han and his wife finally felt at ease.

Qin Yang came back at noon, and Qin Juan also brought Ningning over, and the family had a lively meal together.

In the afternoon, Qin Han returned to An City. Afraid that Zhang Guilan would overthink, Lin Chuxia suggested they go out for a walk after she had napped and seemed well-rested.

Zhang Guilan happily agreed.

During the opening of Qin’s Bun Shop in the city, she actually had stayed in the city for a while.

But back then, she was preoccupied with watching over the Bun Shop all day, worried about not doing a good job with the task entrusted by her brother’s wife, so she had no mood to stroll around.

Seeing that she will give birth in just over a month, and now having some free time, it was a good opportunity to make some little clothes and blankets for the baby.

Qin Han left her with enough money, and now that their monthly income was substantial, Zhang Guilan didn’t need to be frugal.

They didn’t go to the Department Store, Lin Chuxia directly took her to a small fabric store that Jiang Hong had introduced to her when she first came to the city.

Indeed, once they arrived at the store, Zhang Guilan’s eyes lit up.

Nothing makes women forget their troubles like shopping.

The fabric shop owner was beaming from ear to ear, introducing her to several kinds of good-looking and comfortable cotton fabrics.

In the end, Zhang Guilan and Lin Chuxia left carrying quite a few items.

They had just gotten into the car and hadn’t driven far when they saw a crowd up ahead blocking the road.

At the same time, Lin Chuxia spotted a familiar figure...