Little Miss Fortune: I Will Bring Prosperity to My Tang Family!-Chapter 41: Do You Also Want a Sibling, Uncle?

Chapter 40

Do You Also Want a Sibling, Uncle?

Ever since finding out his wife was pregnant, Tianrong wouldn’t let her do anything strenuous. She was only allowed to lie down or sit still, and this had been going on for a month and a half.

He wouldn’t even let her pick up something herself, causing Hui Ning to pout and feel annoyed with her husband’s overprotectiveness.

Back when she was pregnant with their daughter, she had to manage housework, cook, and even take care of her younger brother, yet she was able to safely give birth to their daughter.

"If you don’t let mom move around and do things, it might make the childbirth difficult," Xiaolin also felt irritated on behalf of her mother because even when she just wanted to walk back into the room, he would rush to support her.

"Is that true?" Tianrong asked his daughter.

"If you don’t believe me, you should ask the doctor," the chubby kid strutted off with a sway of her hips.

Today, the snow had stopped, but the air remained cold. Her little feet stepped onto the snow, realizing she hadn’t seen Xiao Zhong for a long while and wondered how it was now.

"Xiao Zhonggg, Xiaolin is here to see you!" she pushed open the barn door, calling out loudly for the chubby cow.

Xiao Zhong, having not seen his young owner for a long time, rushed out upon hearing her voice. Xiaolin noticed Xiao Zhong had grown significantly, even sprouting horns. Its fur was clean because it excreted in designated places and slept on dry straw.

Mooooo

"Wow, Xiao Zhong, you look so cool," the chubby kid’s eyes sparkled as she continuously petted Xiao Zhong. Now with horns, it resembled a cow more than the long-haired pig it used to resemble.

"I’ve missed you so much, Xiao Zhong." Xiaolin hugged her beloved cow, chatting away and telling it all the stories of what she had done and encountered. Xiao Zhong seemed to stand there wagging its tail as if understanding everything.

Xiaolin took it out for a walk outside. Though Xiao Zhong felt a bit cold, he was excited to see his young master and stayed close as if suggesting,

Let’s run around together!

"Want to go for a run? Let’s go!"

Xiaolin led the charge, with the chubby cow following closely. Xiao Zhong kicked up snow, some of which landed on itself. Seeing this, Xiaolin laughed loudly.

"Haha, Xiao Zhong, you’ve made yourself dirty."

Mooo

Their laughter and mooing echoed, reaching even those waiting at the gate.

"Is anyone home?"

Tianrong, inside the house, heard the call and rushed out. It was Zhou Ming and Lian Hua standing outside the fence, accompanied by servants and two soldiers.

"Greetings governor, furen. Please, come inside," Tianrong hurriedly opened the gate and welcomed the guests.

Lian Hua observed the quaint house with interest. It was much smaller than their manor but felt very warm. The sounds of Xiaolin and Xiao Zhong continued, but Lian Hua couldn’t spot them.

"Who’s here, honey?" Hui Ning got up to ask, rubbing her slightly bulging belly.

"It’s the governor and the furen. Let me prepare some warm water for our guests first."

"No need, honey. I’ll get it myself."

"But..."

"Honey, let me do something, please."

Seeing his wife’s stubbornness, Tianrong could only sigh. Hui Ning chuckled at her husband’s expression before heading to the kitchen, where tofu water that had been simmering on the stove and fried tofu dregs, a household favorite, were waiting. She then served the soy milk in a jug and arranged the snacks on a plate to welcome their guests.

Zhou Ming and Lian Hua were seated at the small central table in the living room, which doubled as both a guest and dining table for the Tang family.

Lian Hua surveyed the room, noting its simplicity with only the lone table, devoid of any decorations. Hearing footsteps, she turned to see a beautiful but somewhat neglected woman, whose most notable feature was her slightly bulging belly, invoking a twinge of envy in Lian Hua.

"This is Hui Ning, my wife."

"Greetings, governor, furen," Hui Ning bowed slightly before setting down the tray she was holding on the table, with her husband helping to serve the warm tofu water to the guests.

Zhou Ming signaled to the attendants standing by the door, and a slim man came forward, placing two beautifully patterned baskets on the table.

"Last time you seemed to enjoy the food from our manor, so my wife made some dishes for you, especially for little Xiaolin to enjoy."

"There was no need for the trouble, but thank you very much," Tianrong gratefully acknowledged as he placed the baskets aside to not clutter the table.

"What is this drink?" Zhou Ming asked, taking a small cup filled with a slightly cloudy liquid.

"It’s tofu water, made from soybeans. The snacks here are also made from soybeans."

"Is that so? Quite interesting," Zhou Ming nodded before sipping from the cup, his eyes widening in surprise at the delicate aroma and the mildly sweet taste, which he found quite pleasant.

"It’s nice. How do you find it?" He turned to ask his wife, who had been silent beside him. Following her gaze, he noticed her looking sorrowfully at Hui Ning’s belly and sighed softly.

"May I be excused?" Zhou Ming put down the small cup and asked Tianrong, who looked puzzledly between him and Hui Ning.

"What’s the matter?"

"Let’s talk outside," Zhou Ming stood up and walked to the front of the house.

Tianrong followed, standing outside with Zhou Ming, who remained silent for a long time, only sighing deeply several times. Tianrong, anxious and fearful of upsetting the prestigious guest, awaited his words.

"Is your wife pregnant?" Finally, Zhou Ming asked, surprising Tianrong slightly, but he answered,

"Yes, indeed."

"How many months now?"

"She will be four months in a week."

Zhou Ming stood pondering whether to ask Tianrong for tips on having children but feared that if he did, it might reveal his own shortcomings. He worried it would be embarrassing if the problem turned out to be with him.

"Sigh, can I ask how you did it?" Eventually, he decided to ask, not wanting to see his wife’s sad face any longer.

Tianrong blinked in surprise, wondering if such things really needed to be asked. Shouldn’t it just happen naturally? He cleared his throat, making Zhou Ming himself feel a bit embarrassed.

"I mean... Do you eat or take any special foods or supplements?"

"Oh, I eat a variety of things, but mainly eggs, oysters, vegetables, and beans."

"That’s it? What about your wife?"

"She eats the same as me, including drinking tofu water every morning and evening. We make sure to have eggs at every meal."

"And what are oysters?" Zhou Ming inquired with interest, never having heard of them before.

"They are found near the seashore."

"And the vegetables? Where do you get them from? Are there even vegetables for sale now?"

"My daughter can grow them."

As the two men finished their conversation, Hui Ning had to endure the peculiar looks from the governor’s wife all the while. When her husband came back, she excused herself to find her daughter since the plump child had been outside playing for quite some time.

Once outside, Hui Ning let out a deep sigh, feeling uncomfortable under Lian Hua’s gaze, wondering what the governor’s wife might be thinking.

"Xiaolin, it’s been a while since you played, hasn’t it?" Just then, her daughter and the fluffy cow came running to the backyard, both exhausted and thirsty from playing and thus returned home.

"Let me get some water for Xiao Zhong first," the chubby child said, fetching clean water from a tank into a basin for Xiao Zhong, who eagerly drank.

Hui Ning observed Xiao Zhong, who had grown significantly, his sharp horns making him look distinct from ordinary cows.

"Xiao Zhong’s horns have grown. He looks unusual for a cow, doesn’t he, dear?"

"How could Xiao Zhong, being so cool, be like others?" Xiaolin replied.

"Cool?" Hui Ning looked puzzled, and Xiaolin giggled before explaining, "Cool means elegant and handsome."

Hui Ning frowned in thought but looking at Xiao Zhong again, he did seem to fit the term. Well, maybe... cool, in a way.

"Haha, Xiao Zhong, once you’ve finished drinking, go back to your pen, alright? I will be heading inside soon," patting Xiao Zhong’s head, not forgetting to tidy his mane, which had grown long enough to cover his eyes.

"Mom, do you have any silk cloth? Look at Xiao Zhong’s fur. It’s so long it covers his eyes."

"I do. I’ll get it for you," Hui Ning went to fetch a piece of silk for her daughter.

Xiaolin took the silk and tied a tuft in the middle of Xiao Zhong’s head. Once done, she couldn’t help but laugh at the humorous sight.

"Xiao Zhong is a unicorn, giggle."

Snort!

Xiao Zhong snorted through his nose, visibly annoyed while swishing his tail. He felt much more comfortable after his little master tied up the hair on his face because it used to cover his eyes all the time, causing him sometimes to walk into poles. Seeing her laughing and pleased, though, he felt as if he was being teased.

"Come on, the cool Xiao Zhong can go back to his pen now."

The knowledgeable cow shook his head in disagreement and then swaggered back to his pen with his tail swaying. Hui Ning watched in amazement, not expecting Xiao Zhong to be so perceptive, almost as if he understood human language.

After washing up, the mother and daughter walked hand in hand back into the living room. Xiaolin grinned widely upon seeing the guests waiting in the living room and hurriedly waddled over to greet them.

"Greetings, Uncle, Auntie, did you come to visit me?"

"Yes, we did. Are you doing well?" Zhou Ming asked the rosy-cheeked little girl, who nodded vigorously, making her cheeks jiggle.

"I’m very well, thank you."

"I’m also happy to hear you’ll soon have a little sibling."

"Thank you. I’m also very happy," the plump child moved to sit close to the guests.

"I brought some food for you too, Xiaolin."

Hearing the word ’food’ made the plump child’s face pale, but she didn’t want to be rude, so she expressed her thanks.

"Thank you, Auntie."

"How about we have lunch together, and then we can head to the beach?" Tianrong suggested. Zhou Ming nodded in agreement.

"That sounds good."

"Why are we going to the beach, Dad?" The chubby girl turned to her father, puzzled.

"I will take the governor to collect oysters."

At this, the plump child whipped her head towards Zhou Ming, her eyes wide, which made him burst into laughter. His large hand reached out to affectionately pat the little girl’s head.

"Do you also want a little baby like me?"

"Yes. You know about it?"

"I do, yeah."

"Then can you tell me, please, besides eating nutritious food, what else should be done?"

"You need to exercise to be strong, eat nutritious food, avoid oily and sweet foods, eat eggs, milk, beans, vegetables, and fruits with every meal. Once your body is ready, the baby will come," the chubby child cheerfully responded.

The couple looked at each other, Lian Hua’s face slightly flushed. Even a little child knew these things, yet they hadn’t considered them.

"I exercise every day."

"Both need to be ready to have a sibling."

Before the little girl could say more, Tianrong sent her to help Hui Ning prepare a few more dishes for lunch since his parents-in-law and brother-in-law would be returning soon. The food Zhou Ming brought wouldn’t be enough for everyone.

Xiaolin taught her mother to make tofu with toppings, spicy sour vegetable and bean sprout soup with tofu, a large plate of stir-fried morning glory, and some runny fried eggs.

While helping to bring out the food, Hui Song and Tianchen walked in, playfully hitting each other until they abruptly stopped upon seeing the well-dressed guests seated. Zhang Ruo had to pinch their backs to bring them to their senses, and then they respectfully greeted the governor and his wife before sitting down.

With the food ready and everyone gathered, they all began to eat in unison. Lian Hua glanced at the food she had prepared and felt a bit embarrassed; the food at their estate usually consisted of fatty dishes like braised pork legs and other oily foods. Seeing the colorful, less oily food, mainly consisting of vegetables from the Tang household, it was no wonder they all looked so fit and healthy.

"Is this the vegetable you’ve been growing yourself?" Zhou Ming asked as he picked up some stir-fried water spinach, putting it into his bowl. Xiaolin nodded, her chubby cheeks filled with food, puffing out like a hamster storing seeds.

"How did she do it?"

"Xiaolin has a secret method," she claimed.

Hearing this, Zhou Ming chuckled. The plump child was really protective of her vegetable-growing techniques.

"Could I buy some to take back with me?"

"You can, but there’s not much because I only have a limited growing space."

"Take whatever you can spare."

Zhou Ming and Lian Hua enjoyed the Tang family’s meal so much they asked for second helpings, completely ignoring the food they had brought from their own manor. The task of dealing with their manor’s food fell to the three gluttonous men of the family.

The couple enjoyed the meal so much they wondered how they could ever endure their usual fatty foods every day. They realized that food made from vegetables and using less oil could be delicious too.

"How do you make this tofu? May I ask?" Lian Hua lifted her head to inquire of Hui Ning, sitting across from her.

"Well, soak soybeans overnight, then grind them, strain to get just the liquid, and boil it. To make tofu, add vinegar to the boiling soy milk. Just add a cup of vinegar for a pot of soy milk, maybe a bit more."

"And the soy milk?"

"It’s the same process, just boil it without adding vinegar. You can add a bit of sugar to sweeten it."

"Thank you very much."

Sip!

As they talked, the sound of slurping soup could be heard. It was the chubby child lifting her small bowl of soup to sip. After placing the bowl down, she noticed all the adults staring at her.

Xiaolin, with orange soup stains on both sides of her mouth resembling a little giant, blinked back at them.

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