After putting away her luggage, Wen Fufu came downstairs with a gift box in her hands. Fortunately, she had expected that she would run into familiar people after returning, so she had prepared gifts in advance.
“Aunt Shen, I’m really sorry for suddenly troubling you. This is just a small token of thanks. Please accept it.”
“You silly child, why are you being so polite with me? You’re not an outsider. Don’t say things like that. Take the gift back. Aunt Shen appreciates the thought,” said Shen Xiulan as she pushed the gift back.
“Aunt Shen, if you don’t accept it, I’ll feel bad.”
“How could that be? If I accept it, I’ll be the one feeling bad. Take it back quickly.”
“Aunt Shen…”
Watching the two of them pushing the gift back and forth, Xiao Tingting suddenly got impatient. She snatched the gift.
“If neither of you wants it, then I’ll take it.”
“Hey, Tingting! Where are you going? Bring it back!” Shen Xiulan shouted at her.
Xiao Tingting naturally had no intention of listening to her mother. Hugging the gift box, she ran back into her room.
“That child… she’s getting more and more disobedient as she grows up,” Shen Xiulan muttered repeatedly.
Soon after, both she and Wen Fufu burst into laughter. They both felt that their earlier behavior had been rather funny. Xiao Tingting had been much more straightforward than the two of them.
That evening, Xiao Zhengshan returned home. When he saw Wen Fufu, he was very surprised. Then he quickly recovered and began asking her many concerned questions. After all, she was a child he had watched grow up. Although he was not very good with words, he had always cared about Wen Fufu in his heart.
Seeing Wen Fufu return made the couple very happy. Together they prepared many home-cooked dishes, filling the entire table.
Looking at the feast, Xiao Tingting sighed.
“When I come home for holidays, I never get this kind of treatment.”
Wen Fufu was also shocked by the table full of dishes. Wasn’t this a little too much food?
“Nonsense. Little Fu has been studying outside all these years and hasn’t come back for four years. She must miss the taste of home very much,” Shen Xiulan said as she looked at Wen Fufu. “Little Fu, eat more tonight. If it’s not enough, Aunt Shen will cook more for you.”
“Aunt Shen, this is already enough. You really didn’t need to go through so much trouble.” There were twelve dishes on the table—how could it possibly not be enough?
Wen Fufu felt deeply touched by how much Shen Xiulan’s family valued her. Her eyes grew slightly moist. They felt just like parents to her.
“Mom, can we start eating? I’m starving,” Xiao Tingting said while rubbing her stomach.
Shen Xiulan scolded her jokingly and announced, “Alright, let’s eat.”
During the meal, Shen Xiulan and Xiao Zhengshan took great care of Wen Fufu. The couple seemed afraid she wouldn’t eat enough. They kept placing food into her bowl again and again. Wen Fufu could barely keep up with eating before more food was added. By the end, she almost wanted to hide her bowl.
Xiao Tingting ate while watching the scene like it was entertainment. She even silently guessed whether the pile of food in Fufu-jie’s bowl could reach one meter high.
By the end of the meal, Wen Fufu truly couldn’t eat anymore. Even pigs weren’t fed like this. Fortunately, because she was pregnant, she could eat more than usual and barely managed to finish it. Under normal circumstances, she definitely wouldn’t have been able to.
Speaking of pregnancy, ever since the first time she had experienced morning sickness, the little one in her belly had been very quiet. She had not vomited again. Aside from eating more and feeling sleepy, everything else felt normal.
If she had suddenly started vomiting at this moment, the scene would have been very different.
When everyone had almost finished eating, Wen Fufu decided to take advantage of the moment and tell them about her pregnancy.
Originally, she had not wanted to reveal it so early. But after spending the evening with them, she could tell they truly treated her like family. They were not the type to gossip behind others’ backs. They genuinely cared about her.
In the future she would be living here and giving birth. The two families would see each other often. Eventually someone would notice. It would be better if she told them herself now so they could be mentally prepared.
When everyone had set down their bowls and chopsticks and were chatting around the table, Wen Fufu quietly encouraged herself and spoke.
“Aunt Shen, I want to tell you all something.”
Her expression was somewhat serious. Shen Xiulan’s family unconsciously straightened their posture and looked at her attentively.
Shen Xiulan spoke first.
“Little Fu, go ahead. We’re listening.”
“I’m pregnant.”
“Pfft—cough, cough—what?! Fufu-jie, what did you say? Preg… pregnant?!” Xiao Tingting spat out a mouthful of water in shock.
At that moment, Shen Xiulan and Xiao Zhengshan wore exactly the same stunned expressions as Xiao Tingting.
Shen Xiulan’s mind raced rapidly. As if she had suddenly realized something, her eyes reddened. She tightly held Wen Fufu’s hand and asked,
“Little Fu… were you bullied?”
No wonder she had suddenly returned to Taohua Village. Big cities outside had many job opportunities and strong economies. If someone wanted to develop their career, why would they come back to a place like Taohua Village where there was nothing?
Xiao Zhengshan clenched his fists and slammed the table hard, producing a loud bang that startled Xiao Tingting.
“Little Fu, which bastard bullied you? Don’t be afraid. Tell Uncle Xiao. Uncle Xiao will definitely help you get justice.”
“Fufu-jie…”
Seeing their angry yet sympathetic expressions, Wen Fufu realized they had completely misunderstood. She quickly explained herself.
“Aunt Shen, Uncle Xiao, Tingting—you’ve all misunderstood. I wasn’t bullied. I became pregnant legitimately.”
Wen Fufu raised her left hand. A ring was on her ring finger.
“Aunt Shen, I’m not lying to you. Look—I’ve already been married for a year, and I’m over two months pregnant.”
Shen Xiulan still found it hard to believe. She grabbed Wen Fufu’s hand and examined the ring carefully.
“You’re really married?”
Then she thought of something else.
“Where is your husband?”
Wen Fufu lowered her head. Her bangs covered her eyes.
“I divorced him. He said he found someone he truly loved and abandoned us to go abroad.”
“That bastard,” Xiao Tingting said angrily. She had already been overwhelmed by the news of Wen Fufu’s marriage and pregnancy, and hearing this made her even more furious. That man was clearly a scumbag.
With that explanation, Shen Xiulan’s family finally understood why Wen Fufu had returned to Taohua Village.
Shen Xiulan sighed. Not knowing what else to say, she pulled Wen Fufu into her arms and gently comforted her.
“You’ve worked hard, child.”
Wen Fufu lowered her eyes guiltily. In her heart she kept apologizing to Shen Xiulan’s family.
I’m sorry… only by saying this can I raise my little baby openly in the village.
“Fufu-jie, if you’re divorced, then you’re divorced. It’s better to see a scumbag’s true face sooner rather than later. In the future I’ll introduce good men to you,” Xiao Tingting declared while patting her chest confidently.
Shen Xiulan glared at her. She loved making trouble.
“Tingting, thank you. But right now I don’t want to think about anything else. I just want to take care of my pregnancy and give birth to the baby smoothly.”
“Little Fu, don’t worry. With Aunt Shen here, everything will definitely go smoothly.”
“That’s right,” Xiao Zhengshan said seriously. “Our family can certainly afford to raise a child.”
Looking at how protective they were toward her, Wen Fufu said sincerely,
“Aunt Shen, Uncle Xiao, Tingting… meeting you all is really wonderful.”
“We will always be your support,” Shen Xiulan said.