He Shi heard Da Jiang's shout from the side, answered him, and walked over to help move things. In an instant, an idea formed in He Shi's mind. Thinking of this idea, He Shi began moving things diligently, going back and forth without slacking off. When everyone finally stopped to rest, He Shi turned to Zhao Shi and said, "Mother and Father, you must be tired. Everyone has worked hard today. I'll go make dinner for you."

With that, she walked into the kitchen. Zhao Shi was a bit puzzled by this sudden burst of diligence from her eldest daughter-in-law. Normally, she’d have to be kicked to get her to lift a finger. Had she finally seen the light? Zhao Shi didn't dwell on it and insisted everyone stay for a meal before going home. She mentioned that Er Niu had already arranged for all the New Year's provisions for their family. Since the purpose today was only the house renovation, they wouldn't hold a grand banquet, just a simple meal together as a family.

Er Niu thought this was fine and sent Da Bao back to fetch Huang Shi and the others to eat at his parents' place. When Huang Shi arrived, heavily pregnant, the whole family sat out in the courtyard. Zhao Shi held Song Yue Mei's daughter, who was already several months old, her bright, round eyes darting everywhere. Lin He thought Song Yue Mei's daughter was quite beautiful, inheriting the best features from both Song Yue Mei and Qing Shan. Even at just a few months old, the little one was like a delicate, carved doll, utterly endearing.

Lin He and the others rarely got to see such a young child, so they all gathered around Zhao Shi, cooing and playing with the baby. Zhao Shi sat beside Huang Shi, looking at her swelling belly, and expressed her worry, "This second daughter-in-law's belly is so large; could she be carrying twins? If it is twins, the delivery might be quite difficult."

Huang Shi smiled, comforting Zhao Shi, "Mother, it’s alright. Even if it's twins, I'm not afraid. We’ve already arranged for the midwife, and this isn't my first time giving birth. I believe there won't be any major issues."

Lin He, however, felt a pang of concern hearing Zhao Shi’s words. Twins, as they were called in her past life, were something Lin He had witnessed many times before. While having twins at once might seem more efficient, two babies inside certainly wouldn't fare as well as a single child; nutrient absorption would inevitably be compromised. More challenging, giving birth would be a monumental task.

Unfortunately, most doctors at this time lacked the skill to accurately determine if it was indeed twins. Still, Lin He suspected that even if it wasn't twins, it was going to be a very large baby, as Huang Shi’s abdomen was significantly larger than that of typically pregnant women.

On the other hand, Old Man Lin chuckled, "If it were twins, that would be wonderful! Our Lin family has never been blessed with such fortune."

Er Niu was naturally happy hearing his father’s words, but he remained deeply concerned for his wife. He worried about potential complications like difficult labor, which could be disastrous. So many women died from difficult births during this era.

Moreover, Er Niu already had a son and a daughter. His children would never be as important as his wife. If anything happened to his wife during childbirth, nothing could ever compensate for that loss.

He Shi, Zhou Shi, Hong Xia, and Song Yue Mei were busy preparing the meal in the kitchen. He Shi’s behavior today surprised both Zhou Shi and Hong Xia. She was eager to take on every task and spoke nothing but pleasantries, treating everyone with exceptional kindness. Usually, she was the one most inclined to cause trouble.

Song Yue Mei watched her mother-in-law’s conduct, trying to decipher what scheme her mother-in-law was hatching now. Just a few days ago, because of the house renovation plans, her mother-in-law had cursed Grandmother for several days, her words vicious enough to chill the blood. Even on the way over after her father-in-law requested their help, her mother-in-law was still muttering curses. For her attitude to undergo such a drastic shift now—if Song Yue Mei believed her mother-in-law had genuinely changed for the better, she’d let herself be beaten to death.

When the family began eating, Zhao Shi spoke up again, "Er Niu, why bring us pork for the New Year? Hong Xia brought back quite a bit of pork from working at your place. There are only a few of us here, and we can't possibly eat all of it. Take some back later. Your family has many relatives to visit and give gifts to; you’ll need plenty of provisions. Take this pork back."

"Mother, we have enough pork at home. The gifts for our relatives are already prepared; we won't need much pork. What’s left at home is more than enough for us. The pork I gave you, please keep it to eat slowly," Huang Shi replied with a smile.

"Then let’s do this. Eldest son's wife and third son's wife, when you leave later, each take two catties of pork home with you. I can’t eat this much either," Zhao Shi said to Zhou Shi and He Shi.

Before Zhou Shi could respond, He Shi quickly interjected, "Mother, what are you saying? This is what the second brother’s family brought for your New Year; how could we possibly take some back? We have already prepared our New Year's goods. I was actually planning to bring some over to your place later."

He Shi’s words startled everyone at the table. This was completely out of character for her. When others gave her things, He Shi would only complain if it wasn't enough; she would never voluntarily refuse something or offer to give things away. Thus, the entire large group eating together was utterly surprised.

Even Da Jiang looked at He Shi with astonishment. What had gotten into his wife? She was like a different person—had she lost her mind? However, despite being surprised by He Shi's change, Da Jiang was pleased and affirmed, "That's right, Mother. We have everything prepared at our place. I’ll bring some over later."

Zhao Shi was clearly stunned by He Shi’s outburst. She only snapped back to attention when she heard Da Jiang’s words, replying somewhat distractedly, "Oh, alright, then don't take any." She clearly hadn't fully recovered her composure.

The entire meal passed with unprecedented harmony and ease among the family members. In truth, He Shi had always been the troublemaker in this large family; every time they gathered, He Shi would invariably stir up trouble or pick a fight with someone. This time, He Shi remained quiet and acted exceedingly amiable, so naturally, no one else disrupted the atmosphere.

Lin He also observed He Shi closely throughout the meal. If Lin He were to believe He Shi had genuinely changed, she wouldn't believe it for a second. The only plausible explanation was that He Shi was plotting something else. But what could it be? Lin He wasn't certain, but she was sure it was related to her grandmother's house.

However, Lin He did concede that He Shi had become noticeably cleverer than before. At the very least, she understood how to employ a different tactic, showing progress compared to her previous straightforward stubbornness and caprice. (To be continued)