When Madam Chen heard the physician’s question, she hesitated, wondering whether to use the excuse she had prepared on the way or to tell the truth.

The physician watched Madam Chen's indecision, a slight puzzlement in his heart—had the patient taken a turn for the worse? Thinking this, the physician grew somewhat displeased, wondering if Madam Chen intended to conceal the illness. If that were the case, he would not need to follow her; it would be a wasted trip, as he knew he could not save someone on the brink of death anyway.

Seeing the physician’s countenance darken, Madam Chen inwardly grumbled about his poor temper. She had only paused for a moment, yet he was already showing displeasure. She worried that if she tried to deceive him with her travel excuse and he discovered he had been fooled, he might fly into a rage and refuse to see her daughter. With this thought, Madam Chen decided honesty was the better policy. However, she still worried: if someone saw her bringing the physician back later and asked why, what if the physician let the secret slip?

Madam Chen deliberated while the physician grew impatient, clearly ready to move on. Finally, she decided what to do. She reached into her small purse, pulled out a few wen coins, and handed them to the physician, placating him: “It is like this, good sir. My daughter suspects she might be pregnant, but she is not certain, so she asked me to find a physician to examine her. Yet, she fears what people will say if it turns out she isn't pregnant, so she doesn't want anyone to know she sent for a doctor. The story I told everyone on the way here was that my granddaughter needed to see a physician. That is why I hesitated just now when you asked me. These few coins are for you to enjoy some tea on my account, and I beg you, please do not mention this to anyone.”

Hearing this, the physician breathed a sigh of relief, mingled with a touch of elation. Not only had he gained these few coins for nothing, but if the woman was indeed carrying a child, he would likely receive a handsome reward later! Furthermore, diagnosing a pregnancy was the simplest of matters. The physician truly felt this trip was worthwhile.

With this in mind, the physician took the money and chuckled, “Ah, why did you not say so sooner! Let us go immediately, and rest assured, I am not one to gossip.”

“Yes, yes, this is perfect, just perfect. Then let us be on our way!” Madam Chen urged, quickly leading the way.

On the return journey, people indeed inquired about Madam Chen hiring a physician. Naturally, Madam Chen used the same excuse she had on the way there to satisfy them. After hearing her explanation, those people hurried her along, urging her to return quickly lest they delay the physician’s treatment, which made Madam Chen’s lips twitch involuntarily.

When Madam Chen and the physician finally arrived at Old Master Luo’s residence, Madam Chen hastily poured the physician a cup of water, while she herself drank several cups greedily. The journey had parched her throat. Moreover, she had walked very quickly to avoid being seen by too many people; this trip back and forth had been genuinely exhausting.

The physician glanced at the water Madam Chen offered but did not drink, saying instead, “Let me examine your daughter first.”

Hearing this, Madam Chen was overjoyed. “Ah, that would be wonderful! I truly trouble you.”

The physician waved his hand. “It is my duty.”

Meanwhile, Luo Qing, watching her mother bring the physician inside, began to feel nervous. She feared it might all end in vain joy. People say the greater the hope, the deeper the disappointment. Luo Qing held immense hope for her belly; she longed to conceive quickly, and ideally, a son, so she wouldn’t have to live in such daily anxiety.

Nian’er, standing beside Luo Qing, seemed to sense her mother’s tension. Thinking her mother was frightened by the unfamiliar man, Nian’er immediately scurried behind her mother, hiding completely, not daring to stick out either head or foot.

Madam Chen naturally saw her granddaughter hiding behind her daughter, so she hurried forward, scooped Nian’er up, and comforted her, “Oh, Grandma is here, Nian’er is not scared, oh!”

In her grandmother’s embrace, Nian’er buried her head into Madam Chen’s neck, remaining motionless, absolutely refusing to lift her head.

Once her daughter was carried away by her mother, Luo Qing quickly asked the physician to check her pulse.

The physician stepped forward and took Luo Qing’s pulse. After a short while, his brow unfurled. “Congratulations, congratulations! You are over a month along!”

Hearing the physician’s words, Luo Qing immediately covered her mouth in excitement, afraid she might cry out loud. Heaven knew how long she had wished for this child. Finally, her wish had come true.

Madam Chen was also greatly excited upon hearing the physician’s words. “Oh my, she really is pregnant! Oh, this is wonderful! We must tell Qinghua right away so he can be happy! He is going to be a father again!”

Luo Qing nodded. “Yes, we must tell him quickly; he has longed for this child for a long time too.”

At this moment, the excited mother and daughter had completely forgotten the examining physician, engrossed in discussing who needed to be told this great news to make them happy. Finally, the physician himself felt awkward and cleared his throat a few times, startling the overjoyed mother and daughter back to reality.

“Oh, I am so sorry! I was overcome with joy and forgot all about you. Truly, my apologies!” Madam Chen said apologetically.

“Oh, that is nothing. Such joyous news certainly warrants happiness,” the physician replied.

Madam Chen looked at the physician, who was speaking but showed no sign of leaving. After a moment of thought, she remembered she hadn't yet paid the consultation fee! Thereupon, Madam Chen slapped her forehead. “Oh, look at my memory! I forget everything. Wait right here, I will fetch the money.”

Madam Chen quickly went into the room to retrieve the money and returned shortly, handing the money to the physician.

The physician took the money and weighed it lightly in his hand; it felt substantial. He was very satisfied. In his pleased state, the physician specifically gave Madam Chen a few words of advice on what a pregnant woman should take care of. Madam Chen, upon hearing this, was also very satisfied with the physician and immediately decided that if the family needed to call a physician in the future, it would be this one.

However, she quickly caught herself. Bah, bah! How could she speak of her family needing a physician in the future? They should all live to be a hundred years old!

After seeing the physician off, Madam Chen happily returned to her daughter. “Oh, I never thought it was true! Now your in-laws won’t know how delighted they’ll be! When your cousin was pregnant before, I worried your mother-in-law would be anxious. Now that you are pregnant too, there is no need to worry.”

Luo Qing, who had been quite happy, suddenly felt a new worry after hearing her mother’s words. “Mother, what if this one is a daughter again? What should I do then?”

“Oh, you are only just pregnant, and you speak such unlucky words! How do you know it will be a daughter? Besides, even if it is a daughter, we are not afraid! We can just have another! You and Qinghua are still young!” Madam Chen asserted.

“I just worry about my father-in-law…” Luo Qing hesitated.

“Oh, stop having these wild thoughts. You are pregnant now; you cannot be overthinking things, do you understand? Your most important task now is to take good care of yourself so you have the strength to give birth!” Madam Chen advised soothingly.

Luo Qing knew her worries were misplaced. She dared not dwell on them, partly for the sake of the child, and partly because she feared the scenarios her anxious mind conjured might actually come true. So, she decided to stop thinking about it, perhaps then it wouldn’t happen!

Nian’er, naturally unaware that her mother was pregnant, looked up from her grandmother’s arms once the unfamiliar person left and reached out to her mother, “Mama, hold me!”

Seeing her granddaughter like this, Madam Chen quickly coaxed, “Oh, be good, Nian’er. Grandma will hold you, alright? Your mother has a little dd in her tummy now, so she can’t hold you.”

When Nian’er heard Madam Chen’s words, though she didn't quite grasp the meaning, she understood that there was something inside her mother’s stomach. She immediately stared intently at Luo Qing’s belly. After looking for a long while and seeing nothing, she became displeased. “Not there…”

Madam Chen and Luo Qing both laughed at Nian’er’s declaration. Madam Chen coaxed again, “There is a little dd, it’s inside the tummy.”

Nian’er stopped speaking then, but she kept glancing at Luo Qing’s belly from time to time, pondering what exactly was inside.

At noon, when Old Master Luo returned from the fields, Madam Chen immediately shared the news of her daughter’s pregnancy with him. Old Master Luo was extremely delighted upon hearing it and immediately considered whether he should go inform the Wang family.

Madam Chen shared this sentiment, so after finishing lunch, Old Master Luo paid a visit to Wang Youfu’s home.

Wang Youfu and Madam Yang were initially quite surprised by Old Master Luo’s arrival. They had just sent their daughter-in-law home; why had their in-law come back so soon?

However, upon hearing the news Old Master Luo brought, the couple was overjoyed. Their daughter-in-law was pregnant again; they had been longing for this child for a long time!

“Ah, this is truly wonderful! Qing’er is pregnant again, truly wonderful! Oh, wait, Nian’er went with her! Now that Qing’er is pregnant, we cannot be careless!” Madam Yang said with some concern.

“Heh heh, don’t worry, in-law. Nian’er is with her grandmother, she will be fine. Besides, isn't Qinghua coming to fetch them tomorrow?” Old Master Luo smiled.

Only then did Madam Yang seem less worried.