Chapter 107: A Joyous Occasion

Chapter 107: Chapter 107: A Joyous Occasion

This whole situation would be awkward for any family.

The moment Shen Rongdan returned to the courtyard house, he repeated Yao Yuzhen’s words verbatim to Yang Wanqing and the others.

Laid bare like that, the words were truly hurtful.

But if they kept it quiet and Yao Yuzhen didn’t show up on the day everyone was gathered, that would be a truly impossible situation to salvage.

Especially for Shen Songyao.

Knowing earlier meant they could prepare earlier.

Preparing more dishes, inviting a few more elders to keep things under control, or even changing the official family reunion into a casual family dinner...

All of that would be better than just sitting there foolishly when the time came.

When Yang Wanqing heard this, her face instantly darkened and she scoffed.

"She won’t acknowledge Song Yao? Fine! It’s not like I’m desperate for a daughter-in-law like her!"

"Whether she comes or not, we’ll still have our meal, set the table, and serve the wine."

Shen Jiajia immediately chimed in, slinging an arm tightly around Shen Songyao’s shoulders.

"Song Yao, you listen to me. With your auntie here, this event will be lively and respectable! If anyone dares to give you a sour look or throw a wet blanket on things, I’ll be the first one to chase them out with a broom!"

No one paid any mind to Yao Yuzhen’s nonsense. The whole family threw themselves into preparations, running around like crazy.

After Shen Songyao returned to the Shen family, the first thing to settle was her name.

Because she had already registered her marriage with Li Hanchen, her household registration was with him. Forcibly transferring it back to Beijing wasn’t realistic, so they had to let that be for now.

But her surname had to be changed back. On this point, the entire family was in unanimous agreement.

Shen Songyao herself had no particular attachment to the surname Xie.

The name "Song Yao," however, was what she had been called her whole life, and it sounded very familiar and pleasant to her.

Yang Wanqing made the final decision right away.

"Your official name will be your old name, Shen Songyao. The family will still call you Song Yao like always. We just need to change that one entry on the household register."

Fearing she might hesitate, the old lady leaned in and lowered her voice.

"And guess what? Back then, right after your mother brought that girl into the family, she immediately wanted to ’borrow’ your nickname for her!"

"Your two older brothers have ’Jin’ in their names, so she couldn’t just give the new girl a random name, could she?"

At this point, Yang Wanqing’s eyebrows shot up in anger.

"I was so angry I flipped the tea tray! I argued with her so loudly the whole alley could hear."

"Later, your father also stopped her, so she didn’t get her way."

"Thank goodness we protected this name! If that Shuangshuang had really taken it, you’d feel a lump in your throat every time you heard it!"

Shen Songyao nodded.

’Shen Songyao it is, then,’ she thought. ’Everyone will just call me Song Yao anyway.’

But there was another matter on her mind.

"Grandma, can my household registration be transferred to Beijing?"

As someone who had transmigrated, she was crystal clear on which was more valuable: a Beijing household registration or one from Ning City.

Yang Wanqing asked hesitantly.

"This... won’t this mean your family gets a smaller share of land?"

People these days didn’t think much about the words printed on a registration booklet; what they truly cared about were the plots of land in front of and behind their houses.

If a family got an extra half-acre of dry land, their food supply for the year would be guaranteed.

Song Yao—no, Shen Songyao, now—simply stretched out her arms and legs in front of the old lady.

"Grandma, take a look. With these skinny arms and legs, do you think I can swing a hoe?"

"Me? I plan to start a small business, save up money diligently, and then get my registration settled in Beijing so I can be with you every day!"

Hearing this, Yang Wanqing was so happy she couldn’t stop nodding.

"Good! Good! It’s settled then!"

Once the matter was settled, her uncles immediately took Shen Rongdan to handle the paperwork.

It was all taken care of in no time at all, without Yang Wanqing having to worry in the slightest.

She only had one thing on her mind.

"Song Yao, what do you want to eat tonight? Grandma will make it for you."

"You’ve only been in Beijing for a few days, but I see you haven’t filled out at all. In fact, your face has gotten a bit thinner! Have you just been making do with whatever for every meal?"

"Thinner?"

Song Yao looked down and pinched her stomach.

"Oof, not at all! I’ve even got a little pooch here!"

As she spoke, she actually puffed out her little belly.

"Grandma, if you don’t believe me, give it a pinch!"

Yang Wanqing really didn’t believe her and reached out to feel it again and again.

Song Yao grinned.

"Grandma, it’s really fat! I earned it one bite at a time!"

Yang Wanqing’s fingertips were still resting on the small, protruding belly when she suddenly asked in a low voice.

"Song Yao... this month, have you... you know... gotten your thing?"

"My thing?"

Shen Songyao shook her head.

"Not yet."

The original owner of this body had eaten poorly and slept little since childhood. Her constitution was very weak, and her periods were always irregular.

At most, it would show up three or four times a year, and even then, it was as if it just dropped by to say hello before leaving.

She herself had found it peaceful and convenient, not thinking it was a big deal at all.

And when Shen Songyao had just transmigrated, she was so busy dealing with family matters big and small that she had completely pushed this issue aside.

So she answered casually.

"My period is always irregular. Sometimes it only comes once every three months."

Yang Wanqing’s brow immediately furrowed.

"It’s always been like that?"

Shen Songyao nodded.

"Yeah, always. I didn’t even get it for the first time until around when I got engaged."

When the old lady heard this, she gripped her hand tightly, her eyes welling up with heartache.

As someone who had raised two daughters, how could she not understand?

This was the result of too much depletion in childhood; she wasn’t even strong down to her bones.

"You poor child... It’s over now, it’s all in the past! You’re home now. From now on, with Grandma here, we won’t let our Song Yao drink cold water, suffer any grievances, or go hungry ever again!"

Before she even finished speaking, she had already pulled her granddaughter into a hug.

Shen Songyao hugged her back just as tightly and called out softly.

"Grandma~"

She liked being close to Yang Wanqing. She had a faint, reassuring scent of soap beans.

Yang Wanqing patted her on the back. After a moment, as if remembering something, she asked softly.

"Song Yao, you couldn’t possibly be... pregnant, could you?"

"Pregnant?"

She blinked, not quite processing it.

Her mind spun for a moment before she finally connected that word with herself.

It was true that she had been feeling a bit lazy lately, and her appetite had been unstable.

But all of that was so common that she hadn’t even considered the possibility.

Yang Wanqing’s face was full of loving affection.

"That’s true. You’re still so young, how would you think of these things?"

"Song Yao, dear, your belly feels like a little stone,"

she said, reaching out to press gently on her lower abdomen.

"It’s definitely not just weight gain. If you were putting on fat, it would be the upper part of your stomach that gets bigger. Why would it be this specific spot that’s so hard?"

"I reckon there’s an eighty percent chance you’re pregnant!"

The image of being able to hold a great-grandchild flashed before her eyes.

She shot to her feet, grabbed the phone, and started calling everyone.

"Everyone come back! Quickly! There’s great news!"

The Shen family members all gathered around, looking puzzled.

’What is it now?’

Yang Wanqing stood up straight, her eyes crinkling as she beamed.

"I’m about to become a great-grandmother!"

The room fell silent for three seconds.

The members of the Shen family stared at each other, the air freezing around them.

Only Li Hanchen’s gaze instantly locked onto Song Yao.

Song Yao quickly raised her hands in surrender.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! It’s just Grandma’s guess! Nothing is set in stone yet!"

Shen Jiajia was still trying to figure it out.

"Rong Jing’s wife is expecting? Which one? I haven’t seen anyone."

Yang Wanqing shot her a look and pulled Song Yao in front of her.

"Silly girl, it’s Song Yao! She might be having a baby!"

Pushed into the center of the room, Song Yao immediately waved her hands dismissively.

"It’s not confirmed at all! It just feels a little hard... Maybe I just overate, or I’m bloated! A full stomach can also feel firm when you press it. We have to wait for a doctor’s checkup to be sure."

But Yang Wanqing slapped her thigh.

"Can’t be wrong! Old experience is very accurate! When I was pregnant with your father, my belly wasn’t showing for the first three months, but I felt it every day and I could feel something was going on! Later, when he was born, the timing was perfect to the day!"