Reborn as the Villain's Wife, I Shine in 80s-Chapter 424: Stand up straight with your belly out.

"I’m not going back." She bit her lip stubbornly, "I said I’m not going back, and that’s final."

Grandma Tian said, "Then what about Yanyan? If you’re not going back, at least bring Yanyan back with you!"

Tian Sangsang replied, "He’s going back to the army tomorrow. I’ll steal Yanyan back tomorrow."

Grandma Tian was both furious and amused, pointing a finger at her, "What’s the use of having a mother like you? You have to steal your own child. Is Yanyan even your son anymore? You’re so scared of your man that you have to wait for him to return to the army before you steal the kid! You’re pregnant with his child now; you have all the leverage! What are you scared of? Straighten that back of yours, stick out that belly, and lift that chin of yours!"

Tian Sangsang touched her belly. There wasn’t much of a bump yet, no matter how much she tried to stick it out, it wouldn’t protrude.

"Grandma, I was wrong. Tomorrow I’ll forcibly take Yanyan back with gusto."

"What?"

"Snatch him."

"Now that’s more like a woman of the Tian Family!" Grandma Tian was satisfied, but then she shot a sharp glance and added, "Eat your meal! Look at you now—skinny as a stick, it’s no wonder you’re being looked down on! You claim to be pregnant, but who’d believe it? Eat more!" In her opinion, though her granddaughter was pretty, she wasn’t full-looking enough. Eating more to gain a bit of plumpness would bring good fortune.

"Yes, yes, Sangsang, eat more!" Aunt Tian, finally understanding that the mother-in-law wasn’t trying to play the bad guy, happily piled a mountain of food on Tian Sangsang’s plate. "You’re pregnant; there are things you need to avoid, you know? Some foods you shouldn’t eat. Like rabbit—absolutely avoid it, or the baby might have a cleft lip. And lamb? You shouldn’t eat that either. The elders say lamb causes epilepsy."

Tian Sangsang widened her eyes in surprise, "There’s such a saying?" In her previous life, she hadn’t been married, though she was nearing thirty. She’d only heard that crabs were off-limits because they were ’cold’ food. The rabbit and lamb thing had to be nonsense, right?

"Of course," Aunt Tian said with a laugh, "This isn’t your first time being a mom. Why are you acting like a newlywed girl? If you want to eat something, just tell me, and I’ll make it for you."

Tian Sangsang nodded, mumbled an agreement, and said, "So... if I eat dog meat, will the baby get rabies? If I eat fish, will the baby have dead fish eyes?"

Aunt Tian was baffled. She’d never heard of rabies, let alone ’dead fish eyes.’ She was momentarily stunned into silence.

Grandma Tian raised her cane, ready to strike, "What nonsense are you spouting? Are you wishing illness upon your child? Watch your mouth! Now, eat!"

"Grandma, Aunt, you both go ahead and eat."

"What now?"

"I can’t eat; I’ve lost my appetite." Truth be told, the last time Aunt Tian cooked, it was just a rare taste of home that led Tian Sangsang to eat so much. But now, she had no interest in food, no appetite; she just couldn’t eat.

"Then force it down!" Grandma Tian fumed. "When I was pregnant with your dad and your uncles, I had the appetite of an ox and still worked in the fields every day, no problem at all. The kids I gave birth to were all chubby and healthy. You don’t want to eat, but the baby’s hungry! Eat!" She forcefully pointed her chopsticks at Tian Sangsang.

Tian Sangsang wanted to argue that every pregnancy was different; how could they all be the same? That nauseous feeling could drive anyone to tears. But for the sake of the child, under Grandma Tian’s fiery glare, Tian Sangsang’s heart filled with tender emotion. She picked up her chopsticks and started eating slowly.

In the eyes of Grandma Tian and Aunt Tian, she was nibbling like a little kitten, taking tiny bites. It nearly riled Grandma Tian to the point of missing her "plump, dark-skinned granddaughter" from the old days! Back when things were miserably poor, how fierce she had been, snatching food from others to eat; now that they had money, she was eating even less!

Alone in bed, she thought of Meng Shuyan. Was the little guy sleeping well? Did he miss his mommy? Tian Sangsang clenched her teeth and made up her mind. Tomorrow, she would definitely snatch Meng Shuyan back!

**

Early in the morning, there was a persistent knock at the door.

These days, Tian Sangsang had been drowsy with sleep, but she hadn’t slept well the previous night thinking about Meng Shuyan. Now, the knocking forcibly woke her up.

She got dressed, looked across the hall, and saw that her aunt and grandma were still in bed.

Ever since she got pregnant, she’d developed a habit of instinctively placing one hand on her belly while walking.

Using her free hand, Tian Sangsang opened the door and froze when she saw Jiang Jinghuai standing outside.

"Mommy." The soft, feeble voice sounded frail and weak. Meng Shuyan, looking exhausted, reached his arms out to her.

His eyes were red, his whole little body seemed lifeless, and Tian Sangsang’s heart ached unbearably. She scooped him up, "Baby, it’s okay, Mommy’s here."

"I thought you didn’t want me anymore." The little guy hugged her neck, rested his head on her shoulder, and clung tightly with his tiny hands.

"Never." Tian Sangsang patted his head and shot a reproachful look at Jiang Jinghuai, as if demanding to know why her son had turned into this in just one night. Was he mistreating him? Also, why had he voluntarily brought their son back—what exactly was his motive?

"He cried all last night, and I couldn’t console him," Jiang Jinghuai explained softly. Pressing his lips together, he suddenly said, "Come back home."

Tian Sangsang sneered, "Not a chance."

With their son present, the two of them, oddly self-aware, didn’t dwell further on the topic.

"Yanyan," Jiang Jinghuai said quietly, "Do you remember what Daddy told you?"

Meng Shuyan turned his little head and nodded earnestly, "I have to go to the hospital every day to see Grandma, because Grandma is sick."

Yesterday, Jiang Jinghuai had taken Meng Shuyan to the hospital.

The little guy felt pity for Grandma, thinking he had to visit her. After all, she had been very kind to him. Although, admittedly, Grandma had been quite scary toward Mommy that day. He couldn’t understand why Grandma could be so two-faced—gentle with him but mean to Mommy.

Despicable man. Using a child like this! Even if it was to see Ye Binyi, she would never let Meng Shuyan go back to the Jiang Family. Tian Sangsang stared blankly at Jiang Jinghuai.

"I’m heading back to the army," Jiang Jinghuai’s gaze shifted to Tian Sangsang. His deep eyes held countless unspoken words, but all he saw was her cold indifference.

"Daddy." The little guy, reluctantly, tried to hold back his attachment, remembering how last night Daddy had taken care of him with such patience.

Tian Sangsang didn’t want to watch them get sentimental. She took a step back, slammed the door shut, and shut Jiang Jinghuai out. Jiang Jinghuai stared at the firmly closed door in front of him, a cold and lonely air emanating from him.

He reached into his pocket for a cigarette but found nothing. That’s when he remembered he had quit smoking some time ago. Although it often felt unbearable, he wanted to keep his promise.

After standing there for a moment, he finally turned away in dejection.

Tian Sangsang thought she had hardened her heart, but when she heard the news that he was leaving for the army, her heart skipped a beat. She realized it still responded to him.

"Yanyan, have you had breakfast yet?" She held her son’s tiny hand and headed upstairs. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

Meng Shuyan shook his head and pouted, "Not yet."

Then he added, "Daddy hasn’t eaten either. Should we bring him something to eat?" Thinking back to how Mommy had slammed the door in Daddy’s face earlier, the little guy felt both a surge of pride and a tinge of sadness.