With a long blast of the train's horn, Wang Qiqi stretched languidly, grabbed her luggage, and headed for the exit.

The moment the carriage door opened, Wang Qiqi spotted Song Ziwen already standing there, waving at her. "Brother, what are you doing here?" Could he have come specifically to pick me up?

Song Ziwen effortlessly took the luggage from Wang Qiqi’s hand. Although the little girl hadn't brought much back, he still took it; truthfully, with anyone else, Song Ziwen might not have been so eager. "How was the journey? You have no idea how much Song Yao rushed me to come and get you as soon as she knew you were coming back." Song Ziwen let out a huge yawn. "I sometimes suspect you’re my sister’s real sister. I worked the late shift yesterday until one in the morning, got home, and didn't even sleep; I still had to help pack things."

Song Ziwen felt like the most wretched brother-in-law. He had to work, and then spend his free time running errands for them. Although his sister promised they’d help when he got married, Song Ziwen didn't dare count on it. Once his sister and brother-in-law had a child, their focus would shift entirely to their nephew/niece. Even if they agreed, would their own mother agree? And even if their mother agreed, could he really bear to ask his sister and her husband to leave their adorable little nephew/niece behind to rush around for him? Thus, Song Ziwen felt this was a one-way sacrifice. Alas.

Whether it was due to excessive mistreatment or simply being unable to vent, Song Ziwen couldn’t stop complaining to Wang Qiqi the entire way about how miserable his life had been recently. Watching the incessantly griping Song Ziwen, Wang Qiqi’s only thought at that moment was: Brother, you are genuinely starting to show signs of becoming an old woman.

An old woman? Hearing that he appeared as an old woman in Wang Qiqi’s eyes, Song Ziwen jumped three feet high. "Heavens, Qiqi, you’ve gotten so naughty! How old am I? I’m not even middle-aged yet." At this moment, Song Ziwen felt that even though Song Yao and her husband might tease him or order him around, it was still far better than dealing with Wang Qiqi.

Wang Qiqi looked at the aggrieved gaze Song Ziwen directed towards her as he turned aside, and her impression of him shifted again. "Brother, I was wrong. You are not an incessantly complaining old woman at all."

Hearing Wang Qiqi admit she was wrong, Song Ziwen was just about to praise her and coax a few nice words out of her when he heard her next line: "Brother, you're more like a frustrated, unsatisfied shrew." Wang Qiqi deliberately stressed the word shrew.

Song Ziwen watched Wang Qiqi, who was now running ahead empty-handed, grinning triumphantly at him. He genuinely wanted to toss the luggage away, but he lacked the courage. "Qiqi, you’re staying at my place this time, right?"

Although Wang Qiqi really wanted to stay at her own home, since it was only for three days, she couldn't be bothered with the hassle of cleaning up. "Mm, you don't welcome me?"

Song Ziwen pouted. "Why wouldn't I welcome you? Besides, my sister’s new place will only be occupied for a few days. My sister is pregnant now, and Mom said she has to come over for meals every day and will move back after the honeymoon." Song Ziwen wasn’t jealous; in fact, having his sister and brother-in-law around could help deflect quite a bit of pressure from himself.

Wang Qiqi found her aunt’s reaction quite normal, but the issue was: "What about the brother-in-law’s parents? They haven't made any statement?" Isn't Gong Peixing living quite well now that he’s married? Why are they still treating him like this?

Song Ziwen shrugged. "Big events like marriage are usually handled loosely. They wouldn’t even chip in for the wedding banquet; they said it’s all accounted for in that apartment. Mom went over there and threw a fit, saying if the groom's relatives won't either host a separate banquet or give the cash gifts to the young couple, they shouldn't show up on the wedding day to avoid embarrassment." Song Ziwen had been with his mother to the Gong residence that day, and the scene of his mother’s fury made him deeply realize how much kinder his parents had treated him before, actually sitting down to reason with him.

Wang Qiqi felt a deep appreciation for her aunt's fighting spirit. Especially since, in her previous life, during the messy divorce battle between Song Yao and Gong Peixing that went to court, her aunt’s combativeness made Wang Qiqi feel a faint sense of dread whenever she saw Wang Damei now. Compared to Wang Damei, Li Cui was simply on a different level of battle readiness. "That’s Mom for you. I bet the Gong family will choose to host separate ceremonies."

Song Ziwen nodded. "The Gong family wants separate events, but Auntie said if they do it separately, the standard of their banquet cannot be lower than the one the bride's side hosts, otherwise…" Though Song Ziwen didn't finish the sentence, the implied threat hung heavy in the air.

"So…" Wang Qiqi thought that even if they held separate events, the monetary gifts from the Gong family should be enough to cover the banquet costs, right?

"Actually, Gong Peixing’s uncle stepped in. He said that Gong Peixing’s parents have already gained a bad reputation back in their hometown. If they stir up more trouble at the wedding banquet, they should never return home again." Song Ziwen actually had a good impression of Gong Peixing’s uncle and aunt. Whenever there were minor repairs needed in the apartment that belonged to his brother-in-law, the uncle would help without question, sometimes even collecting the rent and transferring it directly to his brother-in-law. Compared to those cold-blooded parents, Song Ziwen felt that Gong Peixing’s uncle and aunt were more like his brother-in-law's real parents.

The two chatted as they hurried home. Although Song Ziwen complained incessantly about his sister and brother-in-law at first, as soon as the topic turned to their marital home, Song Ziwen’s face filled with pride. "Qiqi, once you see the new house today, you’ll understand how fantastic the interior decoration is. A lot of the things in there were things I tracked down myself…"

Wang Qiqi still had confidence in Song Ziwen's taste. Honestly, if this guy hadn't gambled—if he hadn't lost some of his rationality to gambling—he would be a decent person. "Is your apartment vacant?" Wang Qiqi suddenly remembered that when her aunt and uncle helped Song Yao and Gong Peixing buy their place, they had also helped Song Ziwen buy a unit, although they only covered the down payment.

"It’s rented out." Mentioning the apartment immediately made Song Ziwen feel miserable. "You wouldn't believe it, Qiqi, if I didn’t rent the place out, I wouldn't be able to make ends meet." Song Ziwen was about to launch into a fresh round of complaints when he realized they had already reached the front door, forcing him to cut himself short.

Song Ziwen worried that if he complained now, his parents would overhear and offer the usual retort: compared to your brother-in-law, you are one lucky child. Parents often help solve many of their children's life problems, but Song Ziwen felt his current life was truly miserable. Even with the rent money coming in, he still had debts to repay. Alas.

Seeing the conflicted look on Song Ziwen’s face, Wang Qiqi actually thought it might be a good thing that he was short on cash. Maybe in three or five years, when he finally had money and wanted to show off, he would see how his gambling friends ended up with broken families, and perhaps that might move him.

As Wang Qiqi stepped up to Wang Damei’s door, it swung open automatically. Song Yao poked her head out from behind it. "Qiqi, you’re back! Come in quickly." As for Ziwen, Song Yao had spotted him strolling leisurely behind on her way to the window.

"Thanks, Sis," Wang Qiqi said, closing the door and carefully helping Song Yao toward the sofa in the living room while continuously asking about how mischievous her future little nephew was.

Song Yao rubbed her belly. Hearing Wang Qiqi utter "nephew" left and right made her feel as if she had drunk honey. Although her parents and Gong Peixing all said they wouldn't mind if she had a boy or a girl, Song Yao still secretly hoped for a grandson. This wasn't because she wanted the in-laws to like a grandson, but because she felt that later, she and Gong Peixing would work harder to buy property and collect rent, building up a substantial family fortune. If it were a girl, what if the in-laws caused trouble later? Even if Gong Peixing stood by her, he was soft-hearted, and his underlying yearning for a son might cause a change of heart.

Wang Damei was busy preparing Wang Qiqi's breakfast in the kitchen. She was quite happy to hear Wang Qiqi constantly mentioning her nephew. Although she verbally reassured her daughter that having a boy or a girl made no difference, Wang Damei understood firsthand how significant the difference could be. "Qiqi, come eat. After you finish, we still have a lot to do."

Hearing this, Wang Qiqi exclaimed, "Heavens, Auntie, I think I made the wrong decision coming to stay here." Alright, Wang Qiqi was just saying that. Because of Song Yao’s sudden situation, many things hadn't been fully prepared. "Auntie, what other preparations are needed today?"

"We need to clean the new house again and stick up the 'double happiness' characters." Wang Damei had visited the new house yesterday and realized that there weren't any 'double happiness' characters posted in her daughter’s apartment, which was more important than the fact that the place hadn't been cleaned.

Seeing Wang Qiqi start eating breakfast, Song Yao touched her stomach. Even though she had eaten not long ago, Song Yao suddenly felt hungry again. "Mom, I'm hungry."

Wang Qiqi looked at Song Yao, then glanced at the clock. Right, it was time for a snack. "Sis, you need to be careful. Even if you eat a lot, you must pay attention to [exercise], or it might lead to a difficult labor." Eating too much means the baby absorbs more, increasing the risk of having a giant baby.

"I plan to have a C-section," Song Yao said casually. "My colleague said it’s much less painful and faster." Song Yao had no desire to spend a whole day in the delivery room, screaming until the baby finally came out.

A C-section? Wang Qiqi thought of the bright surgical lamps and the scalpels in the operating room and immediately felt faint. "Is surgery really okay? Isn't it true that after a C-section, the scar will ache every time it rains?" Although surgery is fast, recovery afterward is slow, and there are quite a few after-effects.

Wang Damei also didn't want Song Yao to have surgery, but no matter how much she tried to persuade her, Song Yao stuck to her decision for a C-section.

In the end, it was one sentence from Wang Qiqi that changed Song Yao's mind: "Sis, are you willing to have a permanent scar on your abdomen? In the future, you won't be able to wear short tops, and you’ll have to wear one-piece swimsuits when you go swimming. In short, you won't be able to wear many beautiful clothes."

Wang Qiqi completely understood Song Yao; she knew this would change her mind. As expected, after struggling with the thought for a moment, Song Yao changed her decision. (To be continued)