Chapter 395: Mixed Joy and Worry

Without the need for decorations and festive lights, the joy within a household could easily be sensed—from the light footsteps of the servants, the smiles on their faces, to the overall liveliness in the air.

Hua Zhi was welcomed inside, and seeing the atmosphere, most of her worries dissipated. Whether this child was a boy or a girl, it was still the legitimate eldest grandchild of the Cai family. To conceive two months after marriage was a matter that would be envied by women of this era.

The Cai family knew that the bride had sent someone to her mother's family to announce the good news. They expected visitors, perhaps Hua Qin's mother or the grandmother from the Hua's family Fourth Branch. Now, it was unexpected that it was the Hua family's eldest daughter who arrived.

Though it was unexpected, everyone welcomed her. Ignoring the marriage ties, the two families were now linked through business transaction!

The lady of the Cai family came out to greet them, smiling warmly. "It's no wonder there were magpies singing at dawn. We have esteemed guests at our doorstep."

Hua Zhi respectfully greeted her. "I hope not to trouble you, madam."

"You can't say that. Normally, it's impossible to invite you over." The lady helped her up and took her hand, leading her inside. "The old lady knew you were coming and changed into a new dress for the occasion. Let's go see her."

Perhaps not entirely sincere, but the attitude of the Cai family towards her was friendly enough, and Hua Zhi's smile became genuine.

The old lady had some difficulty walking, but she was in high spirits. Her round face was rosy, especially when she smiled, her eyes like crescent moons, indicating that she must have been a very cheerful person in her youth.

Hua Zhi appreciated people who smiled. It reflected their attitude towards life. Those who faced life with a smile were always more open-minded than those who faced life with bitterness. So, when she greeted the old lady, it was with particular sincerity.

"Don't bother with the formalities. Come closer and let me see how lovely our Hua family's eldest daughter is."

With the use of "our," the distance between the two families was narrowed down. Hua Zhi walked up to the old lady to let her have a good look, teasing, "Forgive me, I don't have an extra eye or mouth. I'm afraid I might disappoint you."

"Even if you were like that, this old lady wouldn't mind. I like you just the way you are." The old lady's eyes curved even more, showing true fearlessness and strength from the heart. This was why her granddaughter-in-law thought of her first to support her, rather than her own mother, showing her status among the Hua family.

Understanding her intention, the old lady exchanged some words and then had Qing Xiang lead her to the granddaughter-in-law's room.

Once she left, the old lady's smile gradually faded. "Don't interfere in the matters of the household from now on."

The lady of the house was taken aback. "Mother, I..."

Thinking of recent events, she was suddenly at a loss for words. She indeed hadn't meddled much in her son's affairs at home, but recently, there was an incident.

"Remembered now? In all the years you've been married to the eldest, have I ever interfered in his matters? Now that their relationship is blossoming, your intervention tomorrow might not be appreciated."

The lady's face flushed then paled. She wanted to defend herself but knew she was not entirely innocent. She could only awkwardly say, "It's not like she was asking for it now, but with the pregnancy eventually, won't she need someone by her side? The people by my side are trustworthy and don't have a higher status than her..."

"Now that Hua Qin is pregnant, how will you treat her?"

The lady fell silent. She didn't see anything wrong with her actions. Who hasn't gone through this?

When she was expecting her eldest son, the old lady didn't intervene, but her husband brought in a maid himself. She was upset at the time, but her position wasn't shaken at all, right?

The old lady shook her head. Normally, she wouldn't bother saying much, but this matter couldn't be taken lightly. "If he finds someone on his own, that's his business. You must not insert anyone into his household. Remember that?"

The lady of the house dared not disobey, quietly agreeing. However, she felt somewhat skeptical about the old lady's caution. She quite liked her daughter-in-law and held no grudges against her. Otherwise, she wouldn't have agreed to help arrange a marriage for the Hua family's daughter. But adding someone to her son's household didn't conflict with that.

Who wouldn't desire more children and grandchildren?

Meanwhile, as Hua Zhi entered Hua Qin's courtyard, Cai Zhiming, who had received the news, came out to greet her, exuding joy from head to toe.

Hua Zhi congratulated him with a smile. "Congratulations."

Cai Zhiming chuckled and then, reminded by Qing Xiang, said, "Master, the lady is waiting inside!"

"Yes, please, eldest sister, come in quickly. Ah Qin has been eagerly anticipating your arrival," Cai Zhiming said.

Hua Qin was leaning against the bed, and as she saw Hua Zhi enter, her eyes inexplicably welled up with tears. Although she hadn't suffered much or faced many hardships, even with everything going relatively smoothly, just seeing her eldest sister made her heartache, and her nose started tingling.

Hua Zhi sat on the edge of the bed, took her hands, and gently squeezed. "I heard you're pregnant and came over even though didn't think much about preparing. Next time, we'll make sure to prepare properly."

"I'm just happy you're here." Hua Qin sniffed and looked towards her husband, who seemed slower to react than usual. "Ming-ge, I want to talk to my sister."

"Alright, go ahead," Cai Zhiming finally grasped the situation. He turned to leave but stopped at the door, looked outside at the sky, then turned back. "Eldest sister, let's have dinner here tonight."

Hua Zhi shook her head. "There are many matters at home. I came without informing anyone. Once the rain stops a bit, I'll have to go back."

Cai Zhiming couldn't insist further and left the room.

Hua Qin glanced at Qing Xiang, who understood, prompting everyone in the room to leave and close the door. Nian Qiu positioned herself at the door, listening keenly to block any unwanted eavesdropping.

"Is it the Cai family or your husband who isn't clean?" Hua Zhi got straight to the point.

After women got married, there was often a noticeable shift in how they carried themselves compared to when they were single. Hua Qin, for example, radiated the kind of allure typical of a married woman, but it was more than just that. There was also a certain tension about her, a kind of discomfort that came from being in a new family—almost as if she was still adjusting to the change. The charm she exuded wasn’t just about her marital status; it was tinged with the unease of navigating a new role in life.

"I had a feeling I was pregnant a while ago. My period is usually on time, but it's been about ten days late this time. I hadn't told anyone, just mentioned a lack of appetite was due to catching a cold. I was thinking of waiting until the symptoms were more evident to call a physician and surprise everyone, but I didn't expect to be the one to get a shock first."

Hua Qin sat up straight and leaned in closer to her older sister, as if drawing some kind of strength from her presence. "You know," she continued, her voice carrying the weight of her thoughts, "Mother-in-law subtly suggested that if I couldn't tend to my husband because of my health, I should be more understanding. Basically, she was hinting that I should find someone else for him. I get that this is common in many families, but we’ve only just tied the knot."

Her voice faltered as the words caught in her throat. It felt as though she had just come within reach of happiness, only to have it slip through her fingers, pricked by cruel, bloodstained hands. Already struggling with her health, now she was being expected to find a concubine for her husband.

And now, with a child on the way, the pressure seemed to double. Was she supposed to work even harder to prove herself as a good daughter-in-law and wife?

Hua Zhi gently patted her on the shoulder, offering some comfort. "What does your husband think of all this?" she asked softly.

"I haven’t told him yet," Hua Qin replied, her voice heavy with uncertainty. "He probably doesn’t even know about it. But if he did... if he genuinely wanted me to find him another woman, would I be able to refuse?"

Her sister raised an eyebrow. "Does he have someone else in the household?"

Hua Qin sighed, a resigned look on her face. "There’s a maid. She’s been with him for two years."