Jiang Weidong knew his mother wanted to set him up, so he quickly avoided it.

This woman was too beautiful, and she was also the widow of a martyr.

He instinctively resisted the idea.

He respected her but knew he couldn’t marry her.

Mainly because he had a psychological scar—his first wife had died during childbirth, leaving him with a deep fear.

He had a deep fear—he was terrified of his wife getting pregnant, of her giving birth.

What if she had complications and died during childbirth?

This fear was so overwhelming that he didn’t want to get married again.

But he couldn’t talk about it with anyone except Doctor Sui.

No one else would understand.

His mother, in particular, wouldn’t understand.

She would just scold him for being dramatic, telling him that among the three greatest unfilial acts, the worst was not having children.

Mrs. Jiang was furious when she found out her son wasn’t home.

If he had been in front of her, she might have hit him on the head.

She brought Lin Shu ration tickets for grain, cloth, supplementary food, and snacks in exchange for the ointment Lin Shu made.

Seeing all those tickets, Lin Shu refused to take any money.

She didn’t need money; what she really needed were those tickets.

In this era, tickets were harder to come by than money.

Mrs. Jiang saw that Lin Shu was sincere, so she gave her even more tickets.

After all, she didn’t have much use for them.

Her son always wore old military uniforms and work clothes, so what was she going to do with all that cloth?

She’d rather give it to a pretty daughter-in-law and her children.

Panpan said, “Grandma Jiang, my mom is making tea eggs. They’ll be ready by tomorrow morning, and we’ll save some for you to try.”

Mrs. Jiang was instantly delighted. “That sounds great! I’ll definitely have to try some.”

She eagerly stuffed sugar cubes into the kids’ pockets and gave them peach pastries, insisting they each take one in both hands.

In the past, Fang Dihua and Old Man Lu would brag about how their grandchildren were so cute and lovable, and they used to say, “When our kids go out, even if they don’t bring any food, they’ll always be fed wherever they go. They’ll never go hungry.”

After saying goodbye to Mrs. Jiang, they went to the supply and marketing cooperative and the state-owned vegetable market.

Lin Xia brought all the tickets she could find at home.

She bought a pound of calcium biscuits and peach pastries to treat her two nephews and also got a pound of brown sugar.

Lin Shu had brought along a milk powder ration ticket that Wei Ling had sent her, but unfortunately, the supply store didn’t have any.

The sales clerk said that even if they had it in stock, it wouldn’t be displayed on the shelves.

She would need to go to the department store and find a special contact to buy it.

Lin Shu gave up on that and suggested that her second sister buy some malted milk instead.

“Big Sis, make sure to eat the nutritional products you buy this time. Since you’re planning to have a baby, you need to take care of your health first. Otherwise, the baby won’t feel well, and you’ll suffer too.”

“Okay, I’ll do whatever you say.”

Lin Shu also bought some wood ear mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, dried shrimp, and white fungus.

She already had red dates at home, so she planned to make white fungus and red date soup later.

Back home, they organized everything.

At dinner, Panpan wanted to try a tea egg.

Tiantian seriously told him, “Mom said the tea eggs will taste best tomorrow morning. This is our first time having tea eggs, so we should wait to enjoy the best flavor. It’s like the saying: ‘Good things are worth the wait.'”

Seeing how serious they were, Lin Xia couldn’t stop laughing.

“In the evening, we’ll have stir-fried eggs with wood ear mushrooms.” She said to Lin Shu, who was bringing out the dishes, “With these two little treasures, you’ll have good fortune for the rest of your life.”

Lin Shu sat down and handed chopsticks to the two kids. “Yes, I’m very content.”

Panpan, knowing that his second aunt already knew about his dad’s return, whispered, “We only exist because of my dad. He’s the greatest blessing.”

Lin Xia nodded, “That’s true. Absolutely right.”

Panpan then gave Lin Shu a quick kiss, “This is a kiss from my dad to you, Mom.”

Lin Shu’s face turned red instantly.

This little guy, he’s getting more and more clever.

No wonder he’s such a charmer—he can talk anyone’s ears off with his sweet words.

Lin Xia wanted a kiss too, so Panpan went around kissing everyone and even tried to kiss Tiantian.

Tiantian, however, pushed him away, annoyed that his lips were greasy from the stir-fried eggs.

That night, Lin Shu and Lin Xia slept with the two kids on a big bed.

At first, the kids whispered to each other, but soon one of them stopped talking, and they both fell asleep.

Lin Shu said, “Second sister, don’t worry. The surgery is simple.”

Lin Xia replied, “Yeah, I’m not worried. I asked the doctor, and he said it’s no problem.”

To keep the mood light, Lin Xia didn’t bring up her husband or mother-in-law.

Lin Xia was a bit upset that Qian Lisheng chose to attend a training session instead of being with her during the surgery.

Director Jiang had mentioned that the training was just a formality, more about building connections than anything useful.

But Qian Lisheng insisted on going, saying she should delay the surgery and try medication first, as open surgery is a major procedure, and he was concerned about the risks.

In the past, even when she had minor ailments, he would accompany her to the hospital without hesitation.

But now, with something so serious, he wasn’t there.

And her mother-in-law, who used to be desperate for her to take alternative medicine to have a child, suddenly wasn’t in a hurry now that she could have surgery to get better.

Lin Xia couldn’t understand them and decided not to think too much about it.

She didn’t want to burden her sister with these concerns either.

The tea eggs had been soaking in the broth overnight, and by the next morning, they were still warm.

Everyone had two eggs.

The rich flavor lingered, and the taste was unforgettable.

Panpan and Tiantian nodded their heads as they ate, repeatedly saying how delicious they were.

Lin Xia was amazed, “I’ve never had such delicious eggs in my life.”

Lin Shu smiled, “It’s your first time trying them; that’s why they taste so fresh.”

Panpan asked, “Second Aunt, how much does an egg cost in the city?”

Lin Xia replied, “At the supply store, it’s about 0.6 yuan per pound. You get about ten medium-sized eggs per pound, or eight if they’re larger. Outside, it’s different; farmers selling eggs on the sly usually ask for 0.7 to 0.8 yuan per egg. Sometimes, it’s less, around 0.8 to 0.9 yuan.”

Panpan began to calculate.

Was his tasty tea egg worth one and a half cents each? For rich people, that price probably wasn’t too expensive.

For those without money, even a cent per egg might be too much.

So maybe it’s better to price them a bit higher.

They were heading to the hospital and brought along their luggage.

Lin Xia handed Lin Shu the money and ration tickets for safekeeping, though Lin Shu had already brought her own.

Lin Shu packed the tea eggs in an enamel basin and also put some in a tea jar to give to Mrs. Jiang.

Panpan filled his lunchbox and tea jar with tea eggs, ending up with about ten or more.

Lin Shu said, “I’ve already packed some, so you don’t need to carry more. It’ll be heavy.”

Panpan replied, “Mom, I want to eat them.”

Lin Shu didn’t say anything more.

Even though eating too many eggs isn’t great, that’s more of a concern in modern times when there’s an excess of nutrition.

Back then, nutrition was scarce, so eating a few extra eggs wasn’t a problem.

As they were leaving, Lin Shu said to Lin Xia, “Sis, bring the lock from your cabinet to lock the door.”

Lin Xia asked, “Huh? Why?”

Lin Shu responded, “No reason, just lock it for extra safety.”

Lin Xia didn’t ask further and went to get the lock.

She handed the key to Lin Shu after locking the door.

The women in the housing complex saw them and asked Lin Xia where she was going.

Lin Xia didn’t hide anything and replied, “I’m going to the hospital for a minor surgery. Once it’s done, everything will be fine.”

Someone asked, “After the surgery and recovery, you’ll be able to have a baby, right?”

Lin Xia openly admitted it; there was nothing to be ashamed of.

Mrs. Jiang was waiting for them, and she had bought meat buns for the two kids.

Lin Shu gave her a tea jar filled with five tea eggs.

Mrs. Jiang handed them six buns.

Lin Shu knew her personality well, so she didn’t refuse.

The buns would make a perfect lunch.

Mrs. Jiang immediately grabbed the tea eggs and went to find her eldest son, but Jiang Weidong said, “They’re just eggs, nothing special. I won’t eat them. You can have them yourself.”

Mrs. Jiang, frustrated, got on her bike and took the eggs to her younger son’s house.

Lin Shu and her group took two tricycles to the hospital.

Lin Xia had already made an appointment with Dr. Zhao in the obstetrics and gynecology department.

Upon arrival, they were immediately admitted, and the surgery was scheduled for the afternoon.

Lin Shu first went to give Dr. Zhao some tea eggs and to ask about her second sister’s situation.

Once she knew everything was fine, she felt relieved.

She inquired about Dr. Sui, whom her brother-in-law had seen before.

She wanted to give him a couple of tea eggs to try, but since he was very busy, she didn’t want to disturb him.

Panpan and Tiantian remembered the stories adults had told them about Dr. Shen, so before Lin Shu could say anything, they took the initiative to bring him some tea eggs.

Lin Xia laughed, “These two kids are even more capable than some adults.”

Many adults visiting the city for the first time feel too shy to move or speak.

Lin Shu smiled, “Tiantian has a lot of rules; everything has to be done her way.”

She suggested that her second sister rest and get settled while she took the two kids to visit Dr. Shen.

When there were no more patients at Dr. Shen’s place, Lin Shu knocked on the door to greet him.

Dr. Shen came out and was pleasantly surprised to see her.

He asked about Grandpa Lu, Fang Dihua, and Lin Shu’s mother.

He looked down at the two kids, wanting to reach out and touch them, but held back, worried about germs. “Oh, these two adorable children, why don’t you come stay at my place?”

Tiantian and Panpan politely greeted Dr. Shen.

They noticed that he seemed older than their uncle but younger than their grandfather, so they weren’t sure whether to call him grandpa or uncle and decided to just call him Dr. Shen.

Their soft, sweet voices made them especially endearing.

“Dr. Shen, my mom made some tea eggs for you to try.”

Originally, Tiantian wanted to give him a whole lunchbox of eggs, but Panpan picked out just a few, deciding four would be enough for Dr. Shen.

Their mom had told them that too many eggs weren’t good, as overnutrition could be harmful.

Dr. Shen was surprised, “Tea eggs? I haven’t had one in years. I must try them.”

Panpan, excited, urged him to taste them quickly.

Dr. Shen didn’t refuse.

Since he wasn’t busy, he washed his hands and started eating the tea eggs.

Panpan watched him closely, eager to see if the tea eggs would impress him as much as they had impressed Tiantian, Lin Xia, and himself.

As Dr. Shen took a bite, the rich tea flavor with a hint of sweetness, along with the aroma of the meat, immediately hit him.

He nodded in approval, praising, “These tea eggs are authentic and delicious!”

Panpan was finally satisfied, his big eyes squinting with joy.

At one yuan and fifty cents each, they were definitely worth it.

After eating one egg, Dr. Shen declined to eat more, insisting that the eggs should be saved for the children since they were so precious.

Tiantian said, “Dr. Shen, these are for you. Please, enjoy them.”

Lin Shu then mentioned that her second sister was going to have surgery, and Dr. Zhao would be performing it.

After hearing this, Dr. Shen decided to talk to Dr. Zhao.

Since it involved a friend’s relative, he wanted to be informed and offer his support, ensuring that his friend could feel at ease.

Dr. Zhao explained the situation regarding Lin Xia’s surgery, “It’s not a big issue. We have a new ultrasound machine that arrived just in time, and the early detection means we can treat it successfully.”

If they had waited a few more years, it might have been a different story.

Dr. Shen felt reassured and noted that Lin Xia was a relative of his friend, so it was important to do their best.

Dr. Zhao smiled and said, “Of course. But just because I’m not competing with you, old Shen, doesn’t mean I won’t do my best to take care of my patients.”

Just then, Dr. Sui happened to pass by. Hearing their conversation, he got startled and quickly tried to avoid them.

He felt a bit guilty.

He had helped Qian Lisheng hide something from someone else and had even thought about sending the first set of test results to the Qian family.

But then he worried that doing so might reopen old wounds for the patient.

If something went wrong later and the family caused a scene at the hospital, it would be a big hassle.

He was afraid because there had been too many cases of entire families causing trouble at the hospital over issues like this.