Xu Wenwan’s entire face was pressed against the glass.

Her eyes were filled with venom.

Chen Xiaoli and Yu Fangfang looked up and saw her.

Yu Fangfang gasped in fright.

A sharp pain shot through her belly.

Xu Wenwan’s stare was like that of a poisonous snake hiding in the shadows, flicking its tongue, brimming with profound malice.

Chen Xiaoli frowned, thinking that her sister-in-law wasn’t just lazy and greedy, but also vicious to the core. A look like that was more terrifying than any venomous snake.

She turned to see Yu Fangfang, pale and clutching her stomach. Chen Xiaoli jumped in alarm.

"What’s wrong?"

Yu Fangfang’s brows knitted in pain.

"Sister-in-law, my belly doesn’t feel right."

Chen Xiaoli set down the clothes and rushed over to help Yu Fangfang into her room.

Guessing that Xu Wenwan had frightened her, Chen Xiaoli immediately began to comfort her.

"Don’t pay any mind to Xu Wenwan. It’s like there’s something wrong with her."

’She hasn’t contributed a single thing to the family since coming back, yet she expects to eat and dress well all day. We’re the ones who earned all these things.’

Yu Fangfang nodded.

She had a gentle personality and had never so much as raised her voice to anyone, but since Xu Wenwan’s return, the woman had nearly caused her to miscarry.

’To be fair, I was partly to blame for what happened.’

But Xu Wenwan hadn’t shown the slightest bit of remorse. Instead, she looked impatient and even acted as if Yu Fangfang was bad luck. Yu Fangfang’s heart had grown cold toward her long ago.

And just now, that look in her eyes had nearly scared the life out of her.

Thankfully, Chen Xiaoli was there to comfort her.

Yu Fangfang and Chen Xiaoli spoke for a while. Still worried, Chen Xiaoli decided to bring her mending into the room so she could work while keeping Yu Fangfang company.

After talking for some time, Yu Fangfang’s mood finally calmed.

It was then that she remembered Gu Jiaojiao was hosting a dinner. 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

Gu Jiaojiao had saved her unborn child, and she still hadn’t properly thanked her. With Jiaojiao now hosting a dinner, she had embroidered a handkerchief to give her as a gift.

However, her belly was so big now that she couldn’t attend the meal herself. She would have to ask Chen Xiaoli to deliver it for her.

"Sister-in-law, could I trouble you to give this handkerchief to Jiaojiao for me tomorrow?"

Yu Fangfang took a handkerchief from the small cabinet by her bed and handed it to Chen Xiaoli.

The handkerchief was made of silk satin—a shimmering silver—with a peony embroidered on it.

Chen Xiaoli loved it at first sight. She knew her sister-in-law was deft with her hands, but she had no idea her embroidery was this exquisite.

As Chen Xiaoli held it, admiring it, she realized it was double-sided embroidery.

One side featured a magnificent, opulent peony, while the other depicted a refined and elegant magnolia with white petals and green leaves. It was the very picture of grace.

The peony, a symbol of peerless beauty and opulent grace, carried an innate pride. Only someone like Gu Jiaojiao could carry such a design; an ordinary person would simply be overshadowed by it.

"It’s truly beautiful," Chen Xiaoli praised sincerely.

As a woman, she couldn’t help but adore such fine things.

’It’s a shame, though,’ she thought. ’You can’t really use things like this nowadays.’

Seeing how much Chen Xiaoli liked it, Yu Fangfang couldn’t help but offer, "After the baby is born, I’ll embroider one for you too, Sister-in-law."

Chen Xiaoli immediately waved her hand in refusal.

"Don’t trouble yourself."

"Even if you did, I’d have no use for it. Something like this really only suits Gu Jiaojiao."

"Gu Jiaojiao is so beautiful, like a young lady from a wealthy family. In her hands, something like this doesn’t look out of place at all. In fact, it just makes her seem all the more precious and noble."

"But if it were in my hands... My hands are rough from farm work all day. I’d just snag the fabric."

"Besides, this double-sided embroidery is so painstaking. It may just be a handkerchief, but it took Yu Fangfang over half a month to make."

Chen Xiaoli carefully put the handkerchief away and advised Yu Fangfang, "You’re due soon. You really need to be careful these next few days."

"We’re all just lying low for the winter, so everyone’s idle. No one minds if you don’t do chores. Don’t wear yourself out."

Lately, Chen Xiaoli hadn’t let Yu Fangfang set foot in the kitchen; she and her mother-in-law handled everything.

Yu Fangfang nodded, her face filled with gratitude.

This was her second child. While she wasn’t as nervous as she had been with her first, she was still a little afraid.

「In the other room.」

Only after giving Xu Wenwan a harsh whipping did Chen Xiumin come out.