Chapter 87: Congratulations, It’s a Joyous Pulse

During this period, both Yang Manman and Gu Yunting had been waiting in anticipation.

However, they both knew that getting pregnant wasn’t something that happened easily, even if you were healthy and everything seemed fine—it still depended on fate.

So, even though they were anxious and hopeful, she kept reminding herself and her husband to be patient.

And now...

“Mom, are you… are you serious?”

“Eldest daughter-in-law, did you just feel nauseous after eating roast duck because it was too greasy? Have you been feeling sleepy and tired lately?”

Yang Manman nodded blankly. “Yes.”

“That’s it, then! You’re definitely pregnant. Come on, let’s go find Old Zhang to check your pulse and confirm it.”

There was no time to think about anything else. Yao Chunhua took Yang Manman straight to Old Zhang’s clinic. As her husband, Gu Yunting naturally came along, his heart full of hope.

“Old Zhang, come take a look at my eldest daughter-in-law. Is she pregnant?” Yao Chunhua asked anxiously as soon as they walked in.

She completely forgot there were other people in the clinic.

That “other person” was Wu Meili, who’d come to see Old Zhang because her stomach hurt after eating leftovers last night.

When Wu Meili heard what Yao Chunhua said, she immediately sneered and said sarcastically, “Sister Yao, your eldest daughter-in-law has been married for years and never gotten pregnant. How could it be possible this time?”

If it weren’t for the fact that Old Gu was the village chief and she didn’t want to get on his bad side, Wu Meili would have outright called Yang Manman a hen that couldn’t lay eggs—after all, that’s how she usually mocked her.

Yao Chunhua shot Wu Meili a cold glare. “Wu Meili, if you can’t say anything nice, then shut up, or I’ll tear your mouth apart.”

“You—!” Wu Meili wanted to retort but held herself back.

Fine, she wouldn’t argue. She’d just wait and see if Yang Manman was really pregnant.

If she wasn’t, Wu Meili would spread the word that Yao Chunhua had gone hysterical, desperate for a grandchild.

Meanwhile, Old Zhang had already placed his hand on Yang Manman’s wrist and was asking her about her recent condition.

He was somewhat familiar with Yang Manman’s health—after all, Yao Chunhua had brought her in before. But his medical skills were average; he couldn’t find the cause or offer a cure.

But checking the pulse to diagnose pregnancy—he could do that.

As Old Zhang checked her pulse, the clinic fell silent. Both couples—Yao Chunhua and her husband, Yang Manman and Gu Yunting—waited anxiously.

Soon, Old Zhang looked up and smiled. “Congratulations, it’s a joyous pulse. She’s indeed pregnant—over a month along.”

“She’s pregnant! That’s wonderful!” Yao Chunhua was overjoyed.

Yang Manman looked at her husband, eyes red with emotion. “Yunting, did you hear that? I—I’m pregnant. We’re going to have a child.”

Gu Yunting gripped her hand, his own eyes misty with excitement. “Yes, I heard. Manman, we’re finally going to have a child.”

At last, heaven rewards those who are determined.

“How is that possible? Wasn’t Yang Manman a—” Wu Meili stared in disbelief, mumbling to herself.

The three of them were immersed in joy, paying no attention to Wu Meili. But before they left, Yao Chunhua shot her a fierce glare, making Wu Meili shrink back instinctively.

After asking Old Zhang about things to watch out for, they hurried home to share the good news with the rest of the family.

“I have to write to Ningning—no, I’ll call her. I’ll call and tell her the good news.” After all, it was thanks to her daughter that Yang Manman could get pregnant.

—

Heavy snow had sealed the mountains in the northwest, and everything was blanketed in white.

The temperature had dropped even lower.

Now, Sheng Zexi only needed to go for half-day training sessions, a routine that had lasted for half a month.

During these two weeks, the military district, once lively, had grown completely quiet. Every household stayed indoors unless absolutely necessary.

Even the cafeteria was supplying less food.

Gu Jianing didn’t let Sheng Zexi fetch meals from the cafeteria anymore. After all, she had stocked up plenty of food and supplies at home—enough to last the winter.

“I wonder if my last letter and package made it to my parents,” Gu Jianing murmured as she sat on the warm kang, leaning against Sheng Zexi’s shoulder and gazing at the snow outside.

“Judging by the time, they should have received them,” Sheng Zexi replied.

Her grandparents, on the other hand, lived closer, so their package had arrived first.

A couple of days ago, Sheng Zexi had received a call from her grandparents, their words full of love and affection for Ningning.

As she was thinking about this, there was a sudden knock at the door.

“Who could it be at this hour?”

Sheng Zexi got up to answer it. After a while, he came back and said to Gu Jianing, “Your parents are on the phone. Do you want to take the call?”

If she didn’t want to go, he’d go instead—after all, it was freezing outside.

“My parents are calling? Of course I want to go!” Phone calls were expensive, and her parents rarely called. No matter how cold it was, Gu Jianing wasn’t about to miss it.

It had been so long since she’d heard her parents’ voices—she missed them dearly.

“Alright, let’s go together.” Sheng Zexi immediately fetched her army coat, scarf, hat, boots, and bundled her up tightly. He even grabbed an umbrella to shield her from the snow.

Once she was wrapped up, Sheng Zexi held the umbrella and kept the bundled-up but still petite Gu Jianing close as they headed to the communications office together.

They arrived just in time for the phone to ring again.

Gu Jianing hurried to answer.

“Hello, is this Ningning?” Hearing her mother Yao Chunhua’s familiar voice on the other end, Gu Jianing nearly burst into tears.

Maybe only after leaving her parents and being so far away did she truly understand how deeply she missed them.

These days, Gu Jianing had been suppressing her longing, but now, hearing her mother’s voice, she couldn’t hold back any longer.

“Mama—” Gu Jianing choked out, her voice trembling with sobs. “It’s me, Ningning.”

“Oh, my girl, are you crying? Did that Zexi boy bully you?” Even over the phone, Yao Chunhua could hear the slightest change in her daughter’s voice.

Thinking her daughter might have been mistreated by Sheng Zexi, she immediately grew angry.

“No, no, Zexi didn’t bully me. He treats me very well. I—I just miss you all.” Afraid her parents would misunderstand, Gu Jianing quickly explained.

Yao Chunhua breathed a sigh of relief after hearing this. As long as her daughter wasn’t being bullied, that was good. She trusted Zexi’s character—he was a good man.

But hearing her daughter say she missed them, Yao Chunhua’s heart melted, her eyes growing red. She almost cried herself.

She missed her daughter too—her one and only precious girl.

But in the end, Yao Chunhua managed to hold back her tears."