In the end, Class Two became the most unique class in the entire grade, with the teachers joining in the wild vegetable digging.

Other classes either happily ran around the fields, sat and ate or talked, or played various games.

Their activities were quite different from Class Two’s.

At lunchtime, when Cen Huaian ate his rice balls, his classmates were amazed.

“Cen Huaian, what’s that?”

“How come your rice can be shaped into flowers?”

“Yes, and there’s filling inside. It looks so delicious.”

Everyone suddenly felt that the snacks, bread, steamed buns, and dumplings they had didn’t seem as appealing.

Cen Huaian shared two rice balls with his classmates.

Chu Xia had told him that he should share his food with classmates during the outing.

The rice balls could be made again at home.

There weren’t many rice balls, just one bite per person.

Everyone hadn’t tried them before and thought they were delicious.

Some people even wanted to trade their own food for Cen Huai’an’s rice balls.

Cen Huai’an divided them into two more portions but refused to split them any further, saying he wouldn’t have enough left.

He wasn’t interested in other people’s buns and steamed buns; he only wanted his mother’s rice balls.

When they returned home, every child in Class Two of the Primary School was carrying a backpack full of wild vegetables.

They were all dirty, covered in mud from head to toe, including their faces.

Cen Huai’an was no exception.

However, his backpack was still clean, and the mud on his clothes was limited to his sleeves and pants.

When Chuxia saw Cen Huai’an carrying his backpack and cloth bag, looking as if he had just rolled in the dirt, she couldn’t help but laugh. “Pfft!” she chuckled.

Cen Huai’an looked up, confused, and asked, “Mom?”

Seeing his puzzled expression only made Chuxia want to laugh more.

She took out a handkerchief to wipe his face, saying, “You’ve turned into a little kitten. Did you go foraging for wild vegetables?”

“Yes!” Cen Huai’an immediately opened the cloth bag to show her. “Mom, I collected a lot.”

“That’s great!” Chuxia patted his head, causing some dried dirt to fall off.

She laughed again, took off the cloth bag and backpack, and told him to go take a bath.

The other children from Class Two faced similar situations when they got home.

Some parents laughed, some were exasperated, and others scolded them for getting so dirty, making their clothes difficult to wash.

But once they realized their children had foraged wild vegetables and saw the full backpack of them, they were touched, amused, and somewhat irritated.

The backpack was unusable, and the wild vegetables were mixed with many inedible weeds.

Parents shook their heads, laughed, and scolded a little before taking their dirty kids to bathe.

That evening, everyone enjoyed the long-awaited wild vegetable dishes.

Chuxia made shepherd’s purse and egg dumplings, and Cen Huai’an helped by rolling out the dough.

When Cen Zhengnian came home, he joined in the dough-rolling.

Three people didn’t need to make many dumplings to have enough.

Chuxia had Cen Zhengnian deliver a bowl of dumplings to Yan and Min.

Remembering Ye Xingxiu, he gave a bowl to Yan and Min but had to persuade them to take it before bringing another bowl to Ye Xingxiu.

The shepherd’s purse and egg dumplings were very fresh, with the wild vegetables adding an extra touch of freshness that made them incredibly delicious.

The dumplings were a bit hot, but Cen Huai’an bit into one, blowing on it to cool it down, not wanting to spit it out.

Cen Zhengnian ate them as well, but more elegantly.

Judging by the number of dumplings he had eaten, it was clear he enjoyed them. Chuxia also loved them.

Two days before the Qingming Festival, Chuxia and Cen Zhengnian took Cen Huai’an to join Grandpa Jiang in paying respects at Grandma Jiang’s grave.

Cen Huai’an also had to go with his school to pay respects to martyrs during Qingming, and the two days before Qingming happened to be a Sunday, so everyone had the day off.

Cen Huai’an knelt in front of Grandma Jiang’s gravestone and called out innocently, “Great-grandma, An’an has come to see you.”

Chuxia stood by, holding an umbrella for them.

It was often rainy around Qingming.

After paying their respects, everyone walked out of the cemetery.

Chuxia, Cen Zhengnian, and Cen Huai’an walked last. Chuxia looked up and noticed Jiang Zhishu carefully protecting Luo Peng.

She had some guesses but quickly forgot them.

Due to the light rain, the ground at the cemetery was slippery.

As they walked out, Chuxia held Cen Huai’an with one hand and tightly grasped Cen Zhengnian’s arm with the other.

Cen Zhengnian walked slowly.

Chuxia remembered that last year, Jiang Zhishu and Luo Peng hadn’t been as cautious.

But it was just a guess, and she forgot about it soon after.

In May, when Chuxia took Cen Huai’an to Grandpa Jiang’s house to learn chess, Jiang Zhishu and Luo Peng also came.

Luo Peng, sitting next to Chuxia, asked softly, “Chuxia, could you please check my health again?”

Chuxia looked at her.

Luo Peng’s eyes were filled with nervousness.

Chuxia had her extend her wrist and felt her pulse, confirming her guess.

She smiled and said to Luo Peng and Jiang Zhishu, “Congratulations, Cousin-in-law and Cousin.”

Luo Peng immediately clutched Jiang Zhishu’s hand and turned to him, her eyes no longer nervous but filled with excitement and tears.

She had suspected but was afraid it was just a hopeful illusion until this month’s period didn’t come.

Luo Peng had asked Jiang Zhishu to bring her to Chuxia.

Luo Peng knew Chuxia had some knowledge of her health and wouldn’t spread rumors.

Jiang Zhishu wiped her tears, saying, “Why are you crying? This is a good thing.”

Luo Peng sniffed and smiled through her tears, “I can’t help it. I’m so happy.”

“Cousin-in-law, try not to be overly excited. Follow my advice and calm down,” Chuxia said.

Luo Peng followed her advice, and her tears gradually stopped. “Chuxia, thank you.”

Chuxia replied, “Cousin-in-law, excessive excitement or sadness isn’t good for pregnant women. Stay calm, and the baby will be fine.”

Luo Peng listened to Chuxia and, if not for her advice, might not have been pregnant yet. “What should I do?”

Chuxia explained the precautions for pregnant women.

As she spoke, Luo Peng took out a notebook and pen to jot down notes.

Jiang Zhishu took over the note-taking, keeping up with Chuxia’s pace.

Luo Peng asked, “Can you tell how long I’ve been pregnant?”

“A little over a month. You might want to go for another check-up,” Chuxia responded.

Luo Peng thought for a moment and said, “Chu Xia, I’d like to wait three months before telling anyone. Can you keep this secret for us?”

There has been an old saying that you shouldn’t reveal a pregnancy in the first three months because it’s not good for the fetus.

Although this notion lacks scientific basis, Luo Peng and Jiang Zhishu had a hard-earned child, and they didn’t want to risk anything.

“Okay,” Chu Xia nodded.

At that moment, only the three of them were in the living room.

Grandpa Jiang was in the study, and Aunt Li was in the courtyard.

Their conversation was quiet, with no one else around to overhear.

After three months of pregnancy, once things were stable, Luo Peng first told her in-laws.

Uncle Jiang and Yang Mei were very happy, and soon, the entire Jiang family knew.

It was a joyous occasion.

The Jiang family hadn’t had a new addition in a long time, and even Grandpa Jiang’s smile never left his face.

He was especially delighted.

Cen Huaian asked Chu Xia, “Mom, will I have a little brother or sister soon?”

“Yes,” Chu Xia said, patting his head. “When your aunt’s baby is born, you’ll be able to see what a newborn brother or sister looks like.”

Cen Huaian imagined it and thought they would be very small.

Chu Xia had noticed Luo Peng’s pregnancy, so she visited Grandpa Jiang’s house on Sundays, chatting with Chu Xia to ease her worries.

As Luo Peng’s pregnancy progressed and she began to experience more discomfort, she sought Chu Xia’s advice more frequently.

“I keep needing to use the bathroom at night. What should I do?”

Chu Xia, accustomed to such questions, reassured her as usual, “It’s normal. As the fetus grows, the uterus presses on the bladder, causing frequent urination.”

“I get leg cramps at night.”

“That’s due to calcium deficiency. You need to supplement your nutrition.”

No matter what Luo Peng asked, Chu Xia had an answer.

Although others told her the same things, only Chu Xia’s words made her feel at ease.

Cen Huai’an often saw Luo Peng at Grandpa Jiang’s house and observed the difficulties she faced during her pregnancy.

He looked at Luo Peng’s belly and thought of Chu Xia.

“Mom, were you also this uncomfortable when you were pregnant with me?”

Chu Xia patted Cen Huaian’s head and looked into the distance. “Every mom goes through difficulties when carrying and giving birth to a baby, so every mom is very great.”

Although the original mother did things that weren’t right by Cen Huai’an, carrying and giving birth to him was also a hard process.

Cen Huaian seemed to vaguely understand something.

He hugged Chu Xia without saying a word.

Luo Peng’s delivery was at the end of the year.

By the time Chu Xia knew, Luo Peng had successfully given birth to a baby girl.

She took Cen Huai’an to visit Luo Peng in the hospital.

Yang Mei, Uncle Jiang, Jiang Zhishu, and Jiang Zhida were all there.

Jiang Zhishu was sitting by Luo Peng’s bed, helping her with her meals, while the others were on the other side, joyfully admiring the newborn baby.

“How are you feeling? Does it still hurt?” Chu Xia handed a container of brown sugar eggs to Jiang Zhishu and asked Luo Peng.

Luo Peng shook her head, her face beaming with happiness as she looked at the baby with a maternal glow. “I’m fine. As long as I see her, everything feels worth it.”

Cen Huaian had already moved to the side of the baby, and Jiang Zhida made space for him to look at the baby.

“An An, doesn’t my niece look beautiful?”

The newborn baby was red and wrinkled, very small.

Cen Huaian felt her tiny face was only as big as his palm.

However, he didn’t find her particularly pretty.

She was too red and wrinkled, looking like a tiny old man.

He pondered for a while and then looked at Jiang Zhida. “Uncle, the baby is so small.”

“Yes, yes!” Jiang Zhida said excitedly, placing his hand next to the baby’s tiny hand. “Look, her fingers are so thin and small.”

Cen Huai’an nodded, filled with curiosity about the baby.

Chu Xia also leaned in to take a look.

In reality, all newborns look similar, and they become more attractive as they grow.

Currently, the baby’s features were small with big eyes and double eyelids, and her nose and mouth were tiny.

She clearly inherited her parents’ good traits and would become more beautiful as she grew.

“Have you chosen a name?” Chu Xia asked Luo Peng.

“Yes,” Yang Mei answered. “Her father chose it. Her name is Jiang Weixi. We hope she will be warm and happy like the sun.”

The name had a beautiful meaning.

Chu Xia looked at the baby and said, “Jiang Weixi is a very nice name.”

Cen Huai’an was satisfied after seeing the newborn baby.

When he got home, he described the baby’s appearance to Cen Zhengnian.

“Dad, she was so small, and her little nose moved when she breathed.”

Cen Zhengnian, who had seen Cen Huaian as a newborn, patted his head and said, “When you were born, you were just as small as your sister, with a red and wrinkled face.”

Cen Huaian wrinkled his nose, unable to imagine what he looked like at that time.

“Was I also that ugly when I was a baby?”

“Not ugly,” Cen Zhengnian said. “At that time, I thought you were the most beautiful baby in the nursery.”

Fathers see their own children with the same mindset as Cen Zhengnian.

That night, Chu Xia was lying in Cen Zhengnian’s arms and talked about Luo Peng’s baby.

“She’s especially cute, and her features are lovely. I can already imagine how beautiful she’ll be when she grows up,” Chu Xia said with excitement in her voice.

Cen Zhengnian listened to Chu Xia with a thoughtful expression as her excitement grew.

She even started talking about how the little girl could be dressed up more attractively.

He interrupted her, saying, “Chu Xia, having a baby is very hard, and with the current family planning policy, we can’t have a second child.”

Cen Zhengnian knew how dangerous childbirth could be, and he didn’t want Chu Xia to go through it again.

Chu Xia slapped him lightly and said, “Who said I want to have another baby? Even if there were no family planning policy, I wouldn’t want another one. An An is enough for us.”

As a doctor, Chu Xia had seen too much of the pain and difficulty involved in pregnancy and childbirth.

She was well aware of the risks, including the dangerous possibility of amniotic fluid embolism, which is particularly swift and has a low survival rate even with advanced medical technology.

She didn’t want to face these risks again, especially with her busy life and An An to care for.

Cen Zhengnian patted Chu Xia’s head and said, “I thought you also wanted a daughter.”

“No,” Chu Xia replied. “And just wanting one doesn’t guarantee it would be a daughter.”

Cen Zhengnian shook his head.

Chu Xia continued, “So don’t let your thoughts run wild. I don’t want a second child.”

Cen Zhengnian smiled down at Chu Xia, his eyes lingering on her lips.

His voice was a bit hoarse as he said, “I won’t let you have a second child.”

As his words ended, his kiss landed on Chu Xia’s lips.

Since she became pregnant, some of the perks had disappeared, and Cen Zhengnian still had a bit of personal desire.

The next morning, Chu Xia almost didn’t get up.

It was all Cen Zhengnian’s fault for being so unreasonable last night.

Even though she had told him she needed to go to school, he wouldn’t listen.

She thought to herself that if he kept this up, she’d make him sleep in the guest room.

She quickly grabbed the buns and eggs from the pot and hurried to the bus stop.

On the bus, Chu Xia breathed a sigh of relief, but she was still anxious, checking the time and calculating how long it would take to get to class.

When she finally arrived at the classroom, the bell rang just as she sat down, and she breathed a sigh of relief.

This was Elder Tang’s class, and being late would be disastrous.

Ye Mengchun glanced at Chu Xia in surprise at her late arrival.

But then, noticing the red mark on Chu Xia’s neck where she hadn’t worn a scarf, and recalling her late arrival, Ye Mengchun’s face turned red with realization.