Chapter 614 - 227: Suburb of the Capital
Chapter 614: Chapter 227: Suburb of the Capital
When she first heard Zhao Jing mention Meng Jintang, Chen Wanqing thought he was being jealous again. Fortunately, Jing was not so unreasonable. He was now very mature and composed, not taking the past to heart at all.
After listening to Zhao Jing recount how Meng Jintang had saved Yao’an yesterday, Chen Wanqing couldn’t help but sigh in amazement. Who could have imagined such a coincidence existed in the world? Even theatrical plays wouldn’t dare stage something like this.
"Did Mom send him a thank-you gift?" she asked.
Zhao Jing looked at her with that meaningful gaze again. Chen Wanqing didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. "Just a moment ago, I thought you wouldn’t get jealous over nothing anymore. Now it seems I thought too highly of you. Do you think I’m concerned about him? I care about you."
She just didn’t want him to feel any inexplicable jealousy again, which was why she wanted her mother to draw a clear line with a generous gift as soon as possible.
Chen Wanqing reached out and pinched Zhao Jing’s cheek. "You’re about to be a father, yet you’re still so petty. Our child will laugh at you."
Hearing this, Zhao Jing coughed lightly. The half-smile on his face receded as swiftly as the receding tide.
Just then, movement could be heard from Yao’an’s room. Zhao Jing took her hand, and the two went in together to check on him.
Yao’an had taken a pill in the middle of the night, and after waking up, eating breakfast, and going back to sleep, he had taken another. Waking up this time, he felt refreshed and full of energy. He somersaulted on the bed like a little calf, causing his clothes to slide up and expose a large patch of his fair chest.
Zhao Jing and Chen Wanqing happened to walk in at that exact moment and saw the scene. The little guy even knew how to be bashful; he quickly covered his stomach and burrowed under the quilt. Seeing Yao’an so lively and energetic with her own eyes, the heavy weight in Chen Wanqing’s heart finally lifted. She rubbed her brother’s head, reminding him to speak up immediately next time he felt unwell, before stepping out with Zhao Jing.
They took a stroll in the courtyard. It was almost time for lunch when De’an finally walked out of his room, stretching lazily.
Seeing the couple in the courtyard, he yawned and said sluggishly, "Morning."
"...It’s not early anymore. It’s time for lunch."
After a day’s rest at the relay station, the whole family had recovered their strength. By the time they set off again, everyone looked much more vibrant.
As soon as Chen Wanqing boarded the carriage, she noticed a few minor modifications had been made to the one she was riding in. Not only were all the sharp corners and edges wrapped in cotton cloth, but even the seating couch was padded thickly. Sitting on it felt like sinking into a pile of cotton—it was comfortable beyond words. The incense in the carriage was gone, replaced by an abundance of fresh pastries and fruits. Most of the fruits were sweet and sour, perfect for stimulating the appetite, quenching thirst, and suppressing nausea.
Her mother was treating her like a newborn baby, forbidding her from moving too much and making her lie down. Worried that she might get sore from sleeping too long, her mother even rubbed and massaged her legs and feet from time to time.
It wasn’t that Chen Wanqing was ungrateful, but beyond feeling touched, she thought her mother was making too big a fuss.
"We don’t even know for sure if I’m pregnant. Even if I am, I’m in good health. You don’t need to take care of me with such solemn caution. People who don’t know the situation might think I’m paralyzed."
Xu Suying lightly patted her arm. "Pah, pah, pah! Heavenly Gods and Buddhas, don’t listen to her nonsense! This child speaks without thinking; please don’t take it seriously," she said, before scolding Chen Wanqing. "Are these things you can just say casually? Hurry up and keep your mouth shut."
Having received a stern lecture from her mother, Chen Wanqing behaved herself.
Around Noon, the group didn’t stop to rest. Instead, they veered off the official highway onto a bumpy side road. The jolting made Chen Wanqing feel a bit uncomfortable. She lifted the window curtain and looked outside. "Mom, where are we heading?"
"There’s an elderly doctor in a nearby county town with excellent medical skills. We’re heading there to have him check your pulse."
"It hasn’t been long. He probably won’t be able to diagnose anything yet, right?"
"As long as he can get a rough idea, that’s enough. Then we’ll know what to expect."
After much tossing and turning, it was past Noon by the time they arrived at the county town. By the time they followed the locals’ directions and found the clinic of that highly skilled old doctor, it was already 1:30 PM.
Having snacked on pastries and fruits, Chen Wanqing wasn’t hungry, but she had been jolted so violently that her head spun, leaving her slightly nauseous. Fortunately, they had finally reached the town. Supporting herself on Zhao Jing’s hand, she stepped out of the carriage. Only when her feet touched solid ground did she breathe a sigh of relief.
Upon seeing the old doctor and sitting by the counter to have her pulse checked, Chen Wanqing, who originally thought it didn’t matter whether she was pregnant or not, suddenly felt her heart rate spike with nervous anticipation. She stared intently at the old doctor with his snow-white hair and beard, terrified that he might deliver bad news—not because she desperately wanted to be pregnant, but because she didn’t want her parents, her uncle, and Zhao Jing to get their hopes up for nothing.