BTYFOV Chapter 34

 

Chapter 34: Pregnant

It would be even better if you didn’t laugh at us for being poor every time you come over.

─── ⋆⋅☼⋅⋆ ───

Wang Genbao smiled maliciously, "I heard what you and Xiaoda just said."

Qin Feng raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure?"

Wang Genbao became uncertain upon being questioned.

Qin Feng deliberately showed a mocking smile.

Wang Genbao, provoked, immediately asked, "Are you that afraid of us knowing?"

"I'm afraid you'll regret it. Since you're so eager to know, I'll tell you." Qin Feng glanced at the things on the two bicycles. "Looks like the money earned this year is at least a hundred times these things, otherwise, it wouldn’t be so generous. Am I right or wrong?"

Wang Genbao blurted out, "Bullshit!"

Qin Feng asked, "Then how much did you earn this year?"

Wang Genbao instinctively wanted to answer, but seeing that everyone was eagerly listening, he quickly swallowed his words. He was foolish to think he could speak freely now—if he did, the thieves would be visiting him that night.

"What’s it to you how much I earned? It has nothing to do with you."

Qin Feng chuckled. "But you’re the one who made me ask."

Wang Genbao didn’t believe he was having this conversation with a child. "Xiaoda, is this how your father just spoke to you?"

If Gu Wuyi were really a child, he might hesitate a bit in front of everyone, but unfortunately, he wasn’t. "Yes," he said without hesitation, then asked, "Uncle, I’d like to know too. Can you tell me?"

"There’s nothing you don’t want to know." Wang Genbao glared at him, then pushed his bicycle into the house.

A few villagers subconsciously followed.

Wang Genbao immediately said, "I need to talk to my father-in-law. Everyone, go back."

Upon hearing this, no one dared to follow him into the house.

Old Qin, embarrassed by him, had stayed outside and hadn’t come out, but upon hearing this, he came out and asked, "What’s the matter?"

"Let’s talk inside," Wang Genbao bypassed him, set up his bike, and hurried into the main room with the basket.

Qin Ying, seeing this, quickly followed him inside.

Madam Zhou and Old Qin had no choice but to go to the main room.

In an instant, only the four of them remained at the door.

Gu Wuyi shook his head and couldn’t help but click his tongue.

Qin Feng said, "You should think of it this way: those things are a gesture of respect for us."

Gu Wuyi nodded. "I thought of that." He paused and lowered his voice. "So, is he really foolish or just pretending to be clever?"

Qin Feng laughed, putting his arm around his shoulder. "For the sake of those things, just think of him as wise but pretending to be a fool."

Gu Wuyi said, "Then I hope he pretends to be a fool a few more times. It would be even better if he didn’t laugh at us for being poor every time he comes."

"Laughing doesn’t matter."

Gu Wuyi suddenly turned toward him.

—Is his bottom line really that low?

Qin Feng said, "Isn’t that the truth? What’s the harm in letting him take a little advantage verbally? As long as he doesn’t insult us. I actually wish he’d throw money at me, but would Wang Genbao be willing to do that?"

The two brothers shook their heads in unison.

Miaomiao didn’t understand what was going on, but not wanting to be left out, he shook his head along with them.

Qin Feng looked at his confused face, still so serious, and couldn’t help but laugh as he picked him up. "Come on, let’s see what your rich uncle got."

There was quite a bit of stuff.

In addition to the vegetables and the main dishes for the New Year, as well as the fruits and candy for visiting relatives, the Qin family didn’t need to buy much more for the festival.

Qin Feng couldn’t help but show some surprise.

Wang Genbao, seeing this, became even more satisfied.

—The money was well spent.

Unfortunately, Qin Feng didn’t notice the look on his face, as if he had outdone Qin Feng. Otherwise, Qin Feng wouldn’t mind complimenting him a few times.

However, these things also confirmed Qin Feng’s guess—Wang Genbao had indeed made money. Otherwise, with his miserly nature, always calculating even his father-in-law’s money, he wouldn’t have bought so many things.

Qin Feng was worried that Wang Genbao might start a business after the New Year, so he brought up the topic of university tuition fees again during lunch.

Madam Zhou found it strange, "Do universities charge tuition fees now?"

Wang Genbao scoffed, almost openly saying it was nonsense.

Qin Feng shook his head. "Not yet. Remember when I went on a business trip to the capital? The classmates there said a representative was planning to propose this matter to the higher-ups. I think that representative is from the south. Some places in the south have become wealthy in recent years, and a few hundred dollars a year isn’t much to them."

Madam Zhou gasped, "A few hundred? So with living expenses, it would be over a thousand a year?"

University tuition fees were indeed coming soon, but Qin Feng didn’t know the exact amount. To make Wang Genbao believe him, he nodded without hesitation. "About that."

"My heavens! This year, your father still has a salary, and we’ve only saved a little over two hundred! Who can afford over a thousand a year?"

Wang Genbao blurted out, "I can afford it."

Madam Zhou was speechless.

Qin Feng said, "You have four kids, all about the same age. If they all get into college, that’s four thousand a year."

Wang Genbao’s smug expression instantly vanished.

Qin Feng looked at the three kids in his family. "Luckily, Miaomiao is much younger than the two older brothers."

Miaomiao obediently nodded.

Qin Feng couldn’t help but laugh, patting his little head. "Is the meat good?"

The child nodded.

Qin Feng said, "But you can’t just eat meat. Eat some vegetables, or else Daddy might only love your brothers."

The child immediately buried his head in the bowl, pushing the cabbage into his mouth.

Qin Feng gave Wang Genbao a faint glance before continuing to eat.

Wang Genbao felt irritated. He had assumed that the so-called university fees were similar to the costs for junior high or high school, never considering that universities might actually charge tuition. So, he got another lesson from his brother-in-law.

Wang Genbao couldn’t refute Qin Feng’s words, so he held his frustration in and left in a hurry right after the meal.

Madam Zhou planned to cut a piece of pork for him to take home, but seeing him leave so quickly, she was puzzled. “What’s gotten into him today? He didn’t even want the meat.”

Qin Feng, half-joking, said, “He’s rich now, doesn’t care about it anymore. Maybe his family has half a pig at home.”

The part about half a pig was nonsense, but it was true that Wang Genbao’s family wouldn’t lack meat this New Year.

On the second day of the New Year, Wang Genbao and Qin Ying brought their four kids to visit. The once skinny children now had rosy cheeks. Especially his two daughters, whose round little faces were proof enough that they had been eating well.

Although Wang Genbao couldn’t resist boasting to the villagers again, seeing that his children were enjoying a better life, Old Qin and Madam Zhou chose to turn a blind eye and let him show off from house to house.

However, no one expected that behind his smugness, there was something sinister brewing.

When they were leaving, Fu Qingyun reluctantly said goodbye to Gu Wuyi and subtly revealed something to him. Gu Wuyi kept a straight face, but inside, he was filled with anxiety, like a bucket swinging wildly—unsteady and uneasy.

Gu Wuyi believed that some people could be shameless enough to overturn one’s moral compass, but he didn’t believe that Wang Genbao would do such a thing. After all, there was Qin Ying in between, and she was the old couple’s biological daughter.

Because of this, although Gu Wuyi trusted his third brother, he didn’t tell Qin Feng about what Fu Qingyun had said. He hoped that his third brother was just overthinking it and didn’t want the old couple, who cared deeply for them, to be hurt.

In the first few days, Gu Wuyi kept worrying about it and couldn’t sleep well at night, often waking up in shock.

Qin Feng, who needed to rush some design drafts, was annoyed that Miaomiao kept pestering him before bedtime. Frustrated to the point of wanting to smack the child, he asked Gu Wuyi to look after him.

Every night, Gu Wuyi had to entertain Miaomiao, and he was so exhausted that he fell asleep as soon as he hit the pillow. In a few days, he had completely forgotten about what Fu Qingyun had said.

Spring came again, bringing warmth to the world. Fu Qingyun’s prediction never came true, and Gu Wuyi finally pushed the matter out of his mind and enjoyed the comforting spring days.

After spring passed and the seawater warmed up, the children grew another year older. Even little Miaomiao was now five years old and could walk long distances. In early May, when the weather was neither too hot nor too cold, Madam Zhou and Qin Feng took the three kids on a bus trip to the seaside, leaving Old Qin to watch the house.

Madam Zhou collected clams and oysters by the shore while Qin Feng played with the children—mainly keeping an eye on Miaomiao. Gu Wuyi and his younger brother, despite not being real children, felt embarrassed letting Madam Zhou collect seafood alone, so they joined in to help.

Fisherfolk didn’t care much for these small sea creatures, nor did they bother collecting them since it was time-consuming and didn’t sell for much. City dwellers, on the other hand, didn’t have time to pick them, which left plenty along the shore. In just one hour, they had gathered enough for two family meals.

Qin Feng asked his mother to find a place to rest while he watched the three kids playing on the beach.

Gu Wuyi wandered freely across the sand, his footsteps light and carefree. The melody of the song "Grandma's Penghu Bay" by Pan Anbang popped into his head. To avoid any awkward explanations if Qin Feng overheard him later, he led his two younger brothers farther away and softly sang:

“The evening breeze blows across the seaside bay, white waves chasing the sandy shore...”

"Cough!" Gu Xiao’er choked on his own spit.

Gu Wuyi quickly asked, “What’s wrong?”

“You’re really good at changing the lyrics,” Gu Xiao’er said in admiration.

Rolling his eyes, Gu Wuyi continued singing, “There’s no coconut grove by the setting sun, only a stretch of ocean so blue~~~”

“Only a stretch of ocean so blue~~~” came a soft, childlike voice right next to him.

Startled, Gu Wuyi froze. He dared not sing anymore, worried that the little one might go home and sing it to their father.

To distract him, Gu Wuyi quickly switched to teaching the child the most popular song from the past year, "As Time Goes By" (Dang Nian Qing).

Someone in the staff residence had managed to get a tape of it, and even on New Year’s Day, they hadn’t stopped playing it—completely ignoring how inappropriate it was to blast a song about brotherhood and tragic endings during a festive time.

The kid had been running around the residence every day, so he was already familiar with the melody. As soon as his big brother started singing, he automatically hummed along. When he reached the part he knew, he threw his head back and sang at the top of his lungs.

Hearing this, Qin Feng sighed, “Can we go home now?”

The little one stopped singing and ran over to him, tilting his head curiously. “Why?”

“Aren’t you hungry? It’s time to go home and cook. We still have a bit of walking to do before we can catch the bus.”

Explaining this to a five-year-old was pointless. Even if the kid could understand the words, he wouldn’t grasp the meaning. Instead, he turned around and ran straight toward the ocean.

Gu Wuyi stopped him just in time. “It’s time to go home. I’m hungry.”

“Alright then. If my big brother is hungry, we’ll go home for him!” The child stretched out his little hand. Suddenly, his eyes widened, and he spun around, pointing excitedly at the sea. “Daddy! Daddy! Daddy—look!”

“Stop,” Qin Feng said, brushing the sand off his pants as he walked over. “That’s a boat. A big boat.”

The little one stretched out his arms toward Qin Feng.

Qin Feng picked him up and hoisted him onto his shoulders, letting him sit up high.

The child giggled, reaching out as if to grab the distant boat. “I want to go on the big boat!”

“Next time,” Qin Feng said with a chuckle. “For now, let’s head home and eat.”

However, the large ship made a turn and gradually drifted farther away.

Gu Xiao’er couldn’t help but ask, “Is it heading to the dock?”

Qin Feng replied, “The dock isn’t far from here. And judging by the color of the ship, it’s neither a cargo vessel nor a passenger ferry.”

The brothers both turned to him simultaneously. “Then what is it?”

Qin Feng smiled. “You guessed right. It’s most likely a naval training ship.”

Gu Wuyi’s eyes lit up as a memory surfaced, though given his current age, he shouldn’t really know about this. “So the rumors about a navy base near us are actually true?”

“Of course!” Qin Feng’s tone became serious. Worried they might say something inappropriate that could reach the wrong ears, he quickly changed the topic. “Alright, let’s go.” He lowered the child from his shoulders.

The little one, having enjoyed the view from up high, refused to come down.

Finding it tiring to support him with both hands, Qin Feng let the child ride on his neck instead. “Hold on tight!”

The child eagerly nodded, thrilled, and couldn’t resist showing off to his two older brothers.

Gu Xiao’er was envious. “You’re just lucky because you’re the youngest. I used to be small too, you know.”

Unfortunately, Gu Xiao’er’s childhood had been quite dull—spent mostly confined at home by their strict grandfather, who was too busy to supervise them and worried about their safety outside.

The little one didn’t understand the hardships of his older brother’s childhood and curiously asked, “What were you like when you were little?”

Gu Xiao’er snapped back, “Why do you care?”

The little one teased, “I bet you’ve forgotten!”

Gu Xiao’er was left speechless, unable to come up with a retort.

Qin Feng gave the child a playful slap on his bottom. “The wind is strong. Zip it!”

The child instantly clamped his mouth shut.

Seeing this, Madam Zhou chuckled and remarked, “You’re only obedient at times like this.”

Qin Feng smirked. “If he misbehaves, he’ll have to get down and walk by himself.” Noticing the bucket filled with fresh seafood, he added, “Mom, once we reach the shore, find a stick and let Wuyi help you carry it.”

Initially, Madam Zhou thought she could manage to carry the bucket all the way to the bus stop. However, upon reaching the shore, she had to admit that age was catching up with her. After just a few minutes, she was already too tired to continue.

Gu Xiao’er climbed a tree to fetch a sturdy stick. He and Gu Wuyi carried one end of the load, while Madam Zhou took the other.

The journey back was slow, and they had to wait a while for the bus. By the time they reached home, it was already noon.

The fresh seafood needed time to spit out sand, so they decided to cook it for dinner.

Luckily, summer days were long. They ate around five in the afternoon, and by eight, everyone was still playing outside. The children started feeling hungry again, so Madam Zhou prepared another meal—finishing off all the seafood.

Worried about wasting food, everyone ended up overeating, from the youngest to the oldest.

It wasn’t until after nine that Qin Feng and his three sons went upstairs to rest.

This trip to the beach made the kids’ early summer quite delightful. But as the weather grew hotter, outdoor activities became less appealing. Their daily routine was reduced to hanging around the village and the courtyard, which kept the three children fairly content.

However, Qin Feng grew tired of the repetitive home-cooked meals and, whenever he had time, baked bread or cakes to add some variety.

One weekend, when the hibiscus flowers in the corner of the courtyard bloomed, Qin Feng picked a small bowlful and asked his mother to make hibiscus flower pancakes, similar to how she made egg pancakes.

The youngest child, thinking that fresh flowers would taste just as good as the pancakes, once got impatient and secretly plucked a flower to eat. The moment he bit into it, he spat it out in disgust. “Yuck! It tastes awful!”

Gu Wuyi saw him and pinched his little mouth. “Why are you putting random things in your mouth?”

The child shook his head vigorously, signaling that he wouldn’t do it again.

Gu Wuyi let go. “You’re not allowed to put anything else in your mouth. If you eat something poisonous, you won’t get to see Dad anymore.”

The little rascal, fearless and clueless, didn’t believe him at all. He immediately ran off to find his daddy to tattle.

Qin Feng overheard the commotion. To help educate the child, he played along with his eldest son. “Your brother is right. If you keep misbehaving, I’ll send you to school in the fall.”

“School?” The child’s eyes lit up.

Qin Feng nodded.

The little boy clapped his hands in excitement. “Great! I want to go to school!”

Qin Feng was stunned. Weren’t most kids supposed to hate school? He vividly remembered his own childhood. Back then, anyone who tried to send him to school felt like his mortal enemy.

"Do you know what going to school means?"

The little boy nodded enthusiastically. "Yes! Just like my big brothers — carrying a backpack and going to class."

Qin Feng confirmed he understood. "You know you'll have to memorize lessons and do homework too?"

The child nodded even harder.

Gu Wuyi whispered, "Usually, he only has people to play with on Sundays."

Qin Feng understood immediately — the boy wanted to go to school because there would be lots of other kids to play with. "Alright, I'll talk to your grandpa. He'll pay your tuition, and you'll start first grade next semester."

The village school didn’t have a kindergarten, but the nearby No. 5 Primary School did. Both Gu Wuyi and his younger brother had attended the preschool class there.

Gu Wuyi couldn’t help but ask, "Won’t he go to kindergarten first?"

"If he goes to kindergarten, he’ll be separated from you two. He wouldn’t want that," Qin Feng said, glancing at the boy with his bright, eager eyes. "If he’s too young to keep up with first-grade lessons, they can just hold him back a year."

No one expected the child to understand the lessons so well — and with ease.

He finished his homework diligently every day too.

Qin Feng suspected that having two big brothers to accompany him helped the boy stay focused.

Whatever the reason, it was working out well.

By the time winter break arrived, the child even received a certificate of achievement.

But on the day he got the award, he wasn’t particularly excited about it. Instead, the two elders in the family were over the moon. Both gave him a coin each to buy a treat.

The three brothers had just stepped outside to head to the shop when they were suddenly stopped in their tracks by their Grandpa Zhou.

Uncle Zhou’s little restaurant had been doing well all year, thanks to Qin Feng’s help. Business had kept him so busy that he hadn’t had time to visit.

When Old Qin saw his brother-in-law, his heart sank. “Why are you here at this time?”

He glanced at the clock — it was 11 o’clock, just about lunchtime. "You’re not running the restaurant anymore?"

Uncle Zhou hurried into the main hall in a few quick strides, lowered his voice, and said, "I saw Xiao Ying… she’s pregnant."

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