Chapter 399: Dragon and Phoenix Twins

Chapter 399: Chapter 399: Dragon and Phoenix Twins

Wu Yao was also eating. "My family grows some small melons and cantaloupes every year, but they’re never this sweet. I should save some seeds and mail them home for my mom to plant. Then next year, we’ll be able to eat delicious melons just like these."

Han Xiaorui smiled. "Sure. Pick out some plump seeds, wash and dry them, then coat them in plant ash. They’ll keep for a long time."

Wu Yao was surprised. "Sister Xiao Rui, is that how you preserve melon seeds here, too?"

"Yep. Back in the day, there was no vacuum sealing or plastic bags. If you put them in a jar, they could still get damp, so people used plant ash to absorb the moisture," Han Xiaorui said with a smile. "If you have some spare land back home, you could plant melons and fruits to sell. It would be a good way to earn extra income."

Wu Yao’s eyes lit up. "You’re right! Why didn’t I think of that?"

Just then, Wu Jiao washed her hands, grabbed a slice of melon, and started eating. "That’s a nice thought, but if you’re the only family in the village growing melons, they’ll all get stolen before you know it. We send Mom enough money every month. Don’t go making more work for her."

Wu Yao thought for a moment. "That’s true. I don’t want to make Mom too tired. We’ve all left, but she can’t bear to leave our hometown. Especially after seeing our older brother, she’s even more reluctant to leave Dad. Sometimes when she’s working in the fields, she’ll pass by Father’s grave and talk to him for a bit."

Wu Jiao smiled. "It’s mainly because our younger brother isn’t grown up yet and hasn’t mastered his martial arts, so Mom doesn’t want to leave. But don’t worry. Have you forgotten about our aunt?"

"Our aunt is divorced, and our mom’s a widow. Those two sisters will definitely end up living together someday. You don’t need to worry about it now, so just relax."

Han Xiaorui nodded with a smile. "That’s right. Once you’re more financially stable, it’ll be easy to go back and pay respects at the grave. Distance won’t be an issue."

"Exactly!" Wu Jiao said with a laugh. She already had a lot of money saved up; things would only get better from here.

In the afternoon, when Pingping and An’an got out of school, Han Xiaorui took the children into the Xu family’s car and headed back to the city.

Mr. Xu and Old Madam Xu were getting on in years, so as a junior, Han Xiaorui would bring the children over to spend time with the old couple whenever she was free.

When Ye Feng got off work, he didn’t have to go all the way to Jinshan Bay and could just go directly to the Xu family’s home.

It had only been two weeks, but Han Xiaorui noticed that Xu Yingying had filled out quite a bit. "Auntie, you’ve... put on some weight. You must be eating well at home, huh?"

Xu Yingying touched her face, then her waist. "I really have gained weight. Sigh. My mom is always telling me to eat more, to nourish my body."

Han Xiaorui glanced at Xu Yingying’s stomach. "You’re only two months along. The fetus is probably the size of a date. Why would you need so much nutrition?"

Xu Yingying paused, taken aback. "Isn’t nourishing my body a good thing?"

"Nourishing your body is good, but you can’t overdo it." Han Xiaorui gently pinched the soft flesh on Xu Yingying’s belly. "The fetus is tiny. All this extra weight is just going onto you. It’ll be hard to lose it later."

"Besides, if you keep eating so much to ’nourish’ yourself, you’ll get fat, and the baby will get too big. When that happens, the baby will be too large, making for a difficult birth. You’ll probably need a C-section, and they’ll have to cut a long incision on your stomach, leaving a long scar."

Xu Yingying blinked, looking from Han Xiaorui to her own waist. "Xiao Rui, how much weight have you gained with your pregnancy?"

Han Xiaorui answered, "I’ve gained about eleven pounds, but I’m carrying twins, and I’m already four and a half months along. So really, not much of that weight has gone to me."

Xu Yingying didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. "It’s my first pregnancy. I don’t have any experience."

Han Xiaorui smiled. "If you take supplements, you should eat less of your regular meals. Honestly, with the kind of food they serve at the Xu family’s house, just eating normally is enough. You really shouldn’t take too many supplements."

Xu Yingying nodded. "Okay, I get it. I have a prenatal check-up tomorrow. Are you coming?"

"Yes, perfect timing," Han Xiaorui replied.

Xu Yingying explained, "I’ll take you. There’s a hospital specially for overseas Chinese that can check the gender. Xiao Rui, don’t get the wrong idea. We don’t have a preference for boys over girls. We just want to know if it’s a boy or a girl so we can prepare the nursery and baby supplies."

Han Xiaorui thought for a moment. "Okay. Otherwise, the old folks will be wondering all day, wanting to ask but not feeling comfortable asking too much."

Old Madam Xu was very happy to hear that Han Xiaorui was willing to find out, and the next day, she insisted on going with them.

Pingping and An’an were playing in the family’s garden.

Old Madam Xu had an all-white dog that loved playing with a frisbee, so it was a perfect playmate for Pingping and An’an.

「At the hospital.」

This hospital was different from the spartan public hospitals; it was well-decorated everywhere.

There were lounges, and the smell of disinfectant wasn’t strong. In fact, it smelled faintly fragrant.

During the ultrasound, the doctor carefully examined the babies’ hands, feet, and bodies. Everything was normal.

Old Madam Xu then asked, "So, should we be preparing clothes for a little girl or a little boy?"

The doctor was taken aback for a second, then smiled. "You’ll have to put in some extra effort. You’ll need to prepare for both!"

Old Madam Xu understood instantly. ’They’re boy-girl twins!’

The old woman’s face immediately broke into a wide grin. "Good! It may be more effort, but I’m happy to do it. Thank you, Doctor."

"You’re welcome. The mother and fetuses are both very healthy. Just keep up the good work," the doctor instructed.

Han Xiaorui nodded. "I understand. Thank you."

’I thought it would be like with Pingping and An’an—either two girls or two boys. I never expected boy-girl twins this time.’

When it was Xu Yingying’s turn, the doctor examined her. "The fetus is in great condition, but you should eat less. You’re already of advanced maternal age. If you eat too much and gain a lot of weight, it will make childbirth more difficult."

The doctor’s words were exactly what Han Xiaorui had said. Thinking of this, Xu Yingying nodded repeatedly. "I was inexperienced before, but I understand now. I’ll be sure to follow your advice."

On the way back, Xu Yingying saw how calm Han Xiaorui was and asked excitedly, "Xiao Rui, you’re having boy-girl twins! Aren’t you happy?"

Han Xiaorui shook her head and chuckled. "As long as the babies are healthy, I’m happy. Whether it’s a boy or a girl, aren’t they all my and Ye Feng’s children?"

"Oh my god, boy-girl twins! It’s so exciting just thinking about it! Look at Mom, she hasn’t stopped smiling," Xu Yingying said with a laugh. "When we tell Dad, he’ll be thrilled too."

Old Madam Xu sighed wistfully. "We older folks just love to see little children. When we see them, our own aging day by day doesn’t seem so frightening!"

"What I fear most is us getting older and older with no young children growing up before our eyes, with no one to carry on the Xu family line. Suddenly, all the money we’ve earned seems to lose its meaning."

This was the traditional mindset of Hua Country people.

To have descendants was to have hope.

The wealthy, or some intellectuals, hoped to pass down their fortune and knowledge.

As for ordinary people, they also believed that more children meant more blessings. Among several children, there would always be one who was clever and sharp enough to support the family.

But now, the process of industrialization was accelerating. The fragmentation brought by industrial civilization had broken the shackles of agrarian civilization, and society was developing in a more diverse direction.

As they walked and talked, they didn’t notice a man in a blue janitor’s uniform, wearing a hat and a mask, tucked away in a corner around a bend in the wall. He was watching their retreating backs with a venomous look in his eyes.