The doctor nodded, “Indeed, according to the due date, there’s still one month to go. It shouldn’t be time for delivery yet.”
The three military wives were shocked, looking at Li Hong in disbelief.
She had actually taken a labor-inducing drug.
Why couldn’t she wait for the child to be born naturally instead of taking the labor-inducing drug?
Moreover, she clearly took the drug herself, yet she claimed Comrade Lu’s commotion had frightened her.
What exactly was Li Hong’s intention?
Under so many gazes, Li Hong instinctively clenched her hand tightly.
But she forgot—she was holding her child in her arms.
The child, hurt by the grip, stopped nursing and began to cry.
The sound seemed to jolt Li Hong back to reality.
Tears instantly streamed down her face as she slapped the child.
“It’s all because of this jinx! Right after I got pregnant with her, my husband died. My mother-in-law never liked me. I was afraid she would leave after taking care of my sister-in-law’s postpartum confinement, and no one would be there to care for me during mine. That’s why I took the labor-inducing drug.”
She didn’t hold back—the slap landed squarely on the child.
The child cried even louder.
Sister Cheng, standing nearby, was horrified and quickly snatched the child away.
“No matter how angry you are, you can’t hit the child! Auntie, Li Hong is also a pitiful soul. Please don’t hold it against her.”
“Yes, after all, her husband died on the battlefield. Auntie, she really is pitiful.”
Wang Pei paid no attention to their words. She stared intently at Li Hong, who was only focused on portraying herself as a victim while cruelly striking the child.
She was willing to hit the child so harshly—clearly, she believed it wasn’t her own child but Jingyi’s.
Since that was the case, Wang Pei suddenly lost the desire to pursue the matter of Li Hong swapping the children.
Nor would she reveal the truth about the swap to these two.
She wanted to see what this person would do to her own biological child.
Wang Pei said, “Out of respect for your deceased husband, I won’t pursue this further. But if you keep spreading the story that your premature birth was caused by my daughter’s loud commotion frightening you, I’ll make sure everyone knows the truth.”
Li Hong’s sobbing immediately softened.
Wang Pei turned and walked away.
Xu Zhijun, afraid she would go back and say something rash to his wife, hurried after her.
“Mom, Li Hong didn’t mean it.”
Wang Pei shot him a cold glance. “Your wife just gave birth, and instead of being with her, you’re here serving tea and water to others.”
“Mom, my elder brother is dead, leaving only Li Hong and my niece behind. Jingyi still has you. I came to check on them first.”
Wang Pei let out a cold laugh.
If she hadn’t already learned the truth from the child, she might have been fooled by these words.
She couldn’t say anything too harsh, or else outsiders would see her as petty.
The sound of their conversation gradually faded into the distance.
The three military wives exchanged glances, instantly recognizing the awkwardness in each other’s eyes.
Sister Cheng quickly returned the child to Li Hong. “Li Hong, rest well. The three of us will go check on Comrade Lu.”
With reddened eyes, Li Hong said, “Sister Cheng, I didn’t mean it. Please explain things to my sister-in-law for me.”
Sister Cheng nodded vaguely in agreement.
But inwardly, she felt somewhat uncomfortable. This was someone else’s family matter—why had she gotten involved?
How had she never noticed before that Li Hong was full of lies?
Could it be that all those times Li Hong claimed Comrade Lu had bullied her were also false…
As the three military wives left and followed behind Xu Zhijun, they walked in silence.
Though the three of them hadn’t received much education, none of them were fools.
Meanwhile.
Unable to hear any footsteps, Li Hong angrily pinched the child’s arm hard.
The child cried out in pain.
Li Hong gritted her teeth, twisting the child’s waist repeatedly, “Cry, cry, cry! All you worthless brat know is crying!”
“I’ll teach you to cry!”
“Just as cheap as your mother!”
Wang Pei had been cursing Xu Zhijun the entire way, but she suddenly fell silent when they reached the door.
Her precious granddaughter was extraordinary—she mustn’t let her hear any foul language.
Wang Pei carefully pushed the door open.
She whispered, “Jingyi, is the baby asleep?”
“Not yet. She just finished feeding and is looking around with her big eyes.”
Hearing the sound, Dragon Cub turned her head, staring intently toward the door.
Wang Pei hurried in and, seeing the bright-eyed baby, gently picked her up.
“Oh, my precious granddaughter.”
The three military wives gathered around to look.
Sister Cheng clicked her tongue in amazement after one glance at the child, “This baby is truly beautiful. Comrade Lu, her eyes and nose look just like yours—she’ll surely grow up to be a stunner.”
“She looks so fair and tender. Rare to see a newborn this lovely.”
“No wonder Comrade Lu is a doctor—she takes such good care of both herself and the baby.”
“This is our small token. Use it to get some nutritious food for yourself and the child.”
Hearing them praise her daughter, Lu Jingyi smiled until her eyes curved, “Thank you, sisters. Here, have some fruit.”
The military wives quickly waved their hands in refusal.
Fruit was considered a fresh delicacy at this time, rarely sold outside.
The wives took turns holding the baby before finally leaving.
Xu Zhijun stepped forward, bending down to take the red envelope, “Wife, let me hold this money for you. I’ll get you some good food these days.”
Lu Jingyi didn’t really mind.
After all, her salary was higher than Xu Zhijun’s, and she rarely controlled his finances.
Just as she was about to hand him the red envelope, she suddenly heard a tiny voice.
[Don’t give it to him. He’ll definitely use it to buy food for Li Hong.]
Lu Jingyi instinctively withdrew the money.
Xu Zhijun’s hand grasped empty air. He asked in confusion, “Wife?”
Lu Jingyi handed the money to Wang Pei instead, saying, “My mother has been taking care of me in the hospital. Let her use this money to buy food.”
Wang Pei could also hear Dragon Cub’s inner voice and certainly didn’t want that woman to benefit from the money.
Xu Zhijun didn’t know how to refuse.
He could only watch as the money disappeared into his mother-in-law’s pocket.
He had spent nearly all his money on the small gold bracelet and had little left.
How was he supposed to buy nourishing food for Li Hong now?
He sighed, realizing he’d have to borrow from his comrades and repay them with next month’s allowance.
“Giving it to Mom is fine too. Mom, I’ll trouble you with this.”
Wang Pei responded with a faint “Hmm.”
Xu Zhijun took out a small gold bracelet from his pocket and held it up to Dragon Cub, “Do you like it?”
Delight flashed in Lu Jingyi’s eyes.
He bought a gold bracelet in advance? Could it be he’d been eagerly awaiting their child’s arrival?
[Wow, so shiny and golden! So pretty!]
[Wasn’t this meant for Li Hong’s daughter? It seems he really thinks I’m Li Hong’s child.]
Lu Jingyi’s eyes widened.
She stared fixedly at the small gold bracelet.
This was for Li Hong’s daughter?
It wasn’t bought for their daughter at all.
So he was giving it now because he thought the child in her arms was his and Li Hong’s?
No wonder, she had no idea this small gold bracelet existed before.
Lu Jingyi gritted her teeth and asked deliberately, “Why did you buy such an expensive thing for the child?”
“Gold brings safety, to protect my child’s peace and safety.”
My child…
Lu Jingyi keenly noticed.
Not our child, but my child.