Marry a female star at a bargain price

Chapter 263, Section 264: The First Time Feeling Fetal Movement
Lin Xiao looked at the silver-haired figure from behind, and then listened to the accents of the little boys.

They quickly guessed the origin of this uninvited guest.

There are significant differences in accents between the North and South of China.

The south is mountainous, so the accents and customs vary from place to place. The timbre can be very different every few miles, so it is common to see different dialects even within the same city or county.

In Nanzhou Province, where Lin Xiao lives, there are no plains in the entire province, making the difference in timbre even more obvious.

Lin Xiao's university in Ninghai.

Half of his classmates were from the same province, but when his roommates called home, he couldn't understand a single word.

Just so outrageous.

This situation is incomprehensible in the North.

Throughout the north, except for those provinces with ethnic minorities, the accents are generally not much different from those of Mandarin.

At a normal speaking speed, you can usually understand the gist of what they mean.

However, there are still obvious differences in timbre between different provinces, so much so that each province has distinct characteristics, and you can tell which region it is just by listening.

The accents of these little boys clearly indicate that they come from Qinghe Province.

Having identified the area, Lin Xiao could easily guess that the guest was from his father-in-law Han Haijun's hometown.

It's not hard to guess that this silver-haired old lady is Han Haijun's mother and Han Xixi's grandmother.

Xi Xi's nickname quickly proved this point.

"grandmother……"

She called out reluctantly.

A look of surprise and embarrassment flashed across Liu Liyun's face; she clearly hadn't expected the young couple to return so suddenly.

The old lady glanced back, her gaze sweeping over Han Xixi before quickly settling on Lin Xiao.

Lin Xiao then got a clear look at the old man's face.

Although he knew that this old woman was his nominal grandmother, he still had to be truthful—this old woman had a shifty-eyed look, with shrewdness and cunning gleaming in her triangular eyes; she was clearly not a good person.

The reason this grandmother referred to it as "in name only" is...

It was because Han Xixi had told him about his hometown before. Han Haijun's biological mother died when he was ten years old. His current grandmother was Xixi's grandfather's second wife, and she gave birth to two younger brothers and a younger sister for Han Haijun.

That is, Han Xixi's third and fourth uncles and her aunt.

Han Haijun originally had a younger brother, but he died young.

So in reality, Lao Han no longer has any direct siblings in this world; his two younger brothers and one younger sister are only half-siblings.

This is also why Liu Liyun and Han Xixi were always unwilling to go back to his hometown with him.

When the old man was still alive, Han Haijun would go back home for every holiday, and Liu Liyun, as his daughter-in-law, would always go with him, even though she was busy.

However, Xixi was chased by a dog in her hometown when she was a child, and she was afraid of it. So, eight out of ten times, her mother would come up with all sorts of strange reasons to keep her in Ninghai.

After the old man passed away, the family went back even less often.

However, before going to university, Han Haijun had a few years of mother-son relationship with his stepmother, so he insisted on going back every Lunar New Year.

These were all background details that Lin Xiao learned from Xi Xi after their marriage.

Looking at the face of this nominal grandmother, he instantly understood why his mother-in-law, such an eloquent and reasonable person, was so tight-lipped about her husband's family.

As soon as the two entered, Ding Caifeng's triangular eyes slanted upwards, making Lin Xiao feel very uncomfortable.

However, she still followed Xixi and respectfully greeted her, "Hello, Grandma."

Upon hearing this, a hint of smugness flashed in Ding Caifeng's eyes, but her eyes were mostly filled with coldness.

"I dare not accept such praise!"

The old lady spoke coldly in a thick Qinghe accent, "This granddaughter has grown up, married, and is now so pregnant, yet she hasn't even seen her son-in-law. We're not even as good as those outsiders. How can she possibly answer her son-in-law's call of 'Grandma'!"

One sentence made Liu Liyun and Han Xixi both look embarrassed.

Although Liu Liyun looked impatient, she still had to smooth things over, saying, "Mom, it's not that Xixi and Xiaolin don't want to see you, it's just that they're too busy with work. You see, we've been registered for so long, and we haven't even had a wedding yet..."

Ding Caifeng persisted, "Yes, she's a big star, her status is different now, she wouldn't look down on us country relatives!"

As soon as these words came out, Xixi was about to explode.

Since she entered the later stages of her pregnancy, her temper has become increasingly irritable and uncontrollable. She often gets up frequently at night, and when she gets angry, she kicks Lin Xiao a couple of times.

Now, being mocked and ridiculed by a stepmother for no reason, she couldn't stand it and rolled up her sleeves to fight back.

Seeing this, Lin Xiao quickly smoothed things over with a smile, "Grandma, it's all my fault. Xixi wanted to take me back to Qinghe several times, but then she got pregnant, and I was worried that she wouldn't be comfortable traveling such a long distance. So I thought that after the baby is born, the three of us would visit you together. That way, you can see your new son-in-law and grandson at the same time, and just give them a red envelope. It's so much easier, don't you think?"

He said this with a laugh, implying that you didn't even give the new son-in-law a red envelope and started finding fault right away. How could you act like an elder like that!
Ding Caifeng quickly grasped this meaning.

His face flushed, and he was both angry and frustrated, speechless.

Seeing her mother-in-law get the short end of the stick, Liu Liyun's expression immediately relaxed, though she was struggling to suppress her laughter.

Having gained no advantage, Ding Caifeng quickly backed down and turned her attention back to Xixi's belly.

A complex expression flashed in the old woman's triangular eyes.

"It's been almost eight months, hasn't it?" she asked.

“Yes, Mom,” Liu Liyun replied.

Ding Caifeng nodded, but her expression was clearly not the joy of an older generation watching their grandchildren have children and expand their family. Instead, it was filled with a sense of inquiry and an unsettling emotion.

Lin Xiao found it strange, but then he realized that the old lady was his stepmother, so it made sense.

Ding Caifeng got up and walked towards Xixi.

Lin Xiao subconsciously took a step forward, half of his body blocking Xi Xi's way—he himself didn't know why he did it.

"Have you checked whether it's a boy or a girl?" Ding Caifeng asked.

This question made Xixi frown, her displeasure almost piercing through the wall.

Liu Liyun quickly laughed it off, saying, "Why are you looking at that! Boys and girls are the same, we like them both!"

Lin Xiao smiled and nodded: "Yes, they're all the same!"

Ding Caifeng pursed her lips, looking indifferent, but didn't say anything more, instead continuing to examine Xixi's belly.

Then suddenly a strange smile appeared on his face.

"It's got a pointed belly, it's probably a girl!"

"??"

Xi Xi was curious yet displeased, and touched her belly.

Liu Liyun, who had been trying to appease her mother, now looked displeased and said, "Mom, there's no scientific basis for this. If you can tell the gender by whether the belly is pointed or round, then what's the point of hospitals?"

Ding Caifeng said with a disdainful look, "The hospital is willing to tell you!"

One sentence left Liu Liyun speechless.

"Do you prefer sour or spicy food?" Ding Caifeng asked again.

"...Spicy!"

Xi Xi told the truth in a bad mood.

Ding Caifeng's smile lines became even more pronounced as she clapped her hands and exclaimed, "See? Sour for a boy, spicy for a girl! I told you it's a girl!"

Lin Xiao rolled his eyes: "Grandma, the saying 'sour for a boy, spicy for a girl' means that pregnant women's tastes will become stronger, and they will like to eat sour and spicy foods. It doesn't mean that eating sour foods means you're having a boy and eating spicy foods means you're having a girl!"

Lin Xiao has stopped calling her "Grandma" altogether, and her dignity is on the verge of collapse.

It's fine if this old woman mocks him, but he can't stand it if she criticizes his wife and unborn child.

I thought that this impolite tone would shut this tactless old lady up.

But he clearly underestimated the shamelessness and fighting spirit of the old woman from the countryside.

Ding Caifeng sneered, "Oh, you were just saying that boys and girls are the same, so why are you unhappy now that I said it's a girl? Looks like you still want a son, don't you?"

"..."

Lin Xiao was speechless for a moment, never expecting that the old women in the countryside would be so fierce.

Xi Xi was furious.

Seeing her husband, who was usually so good-tempered, turn pale with anger, she finally couldn't hold back her rage any longer.

"Grandma, what brings you all this way?" she asked irritably.

"What am I doing? My granddaughter won't come to see me, so I have no choice but to drag this old body all the way here to see her!"

Ding Caifeng looked very aggrieved.

Xi Xi and Lin Xiao, however, looked disdainful.

Han Haijun was the eldest son in his family, and Ding Caifeng was his second wife, nearly ten years younger than Han's biological mother.

This so-called grandmother is only in her early sixties. She only has gray hair because rural people look old, but she is not old at all.

Judging from Ding Caifeng's strong voice and extremely active reaction, it's clear she's far from old.

Now they keep saying they're old, but they're just taking advantage of their age.

Xixi wasn't buying it.

She used to be introverted and didn't know how to fight back. Every time she went back to her hometown, she would let her relatives say things like, "No matter how pretty you are, it's useless," or "You'll belong to someone else's family sooner or later." She didn't dare to argue or resist.

Now, with the pregnancy hormones surging and her husband supporting her, she has never felt so confident, even with her big belly.

So he coldly said, "Now that you've finished reading, you can leave!"

Ding Caifeng's eyes widened in disbelief at those words.

"You little brat, how dare you talk to your elders like that? I'm your grandma!"

"What grandmother? Are we related by blood?"

"Hey!!"

Ding Caifeng was so angry that her eyebrows, which looked like crickets, twisted and turned wildly. Then she sat down on the ground and started throwing a tantrum.

"Old man, if you have a spirit in heaven, please open your eyes and look... Your precious granddaughter has become so successful now, she's turned her back on you and doesn't even recognize her grandma anymore. Please take me with you..."

He shouted with such force and hysteria.

The three boys who were playing in the living room rushed over when they saw this, stood in front of Ding Caifeng, and glared fiercely at Han Xixi.

The oldest one waved a toy gun and shouted, "Why did you insult my grandma? You bitch, I'm going to kill you!!"

Before he could finish speaking, Lin Xiao grabbed the toy gun and smashed it against the wall.

"boom!"

A sharp crack startled Ding Caifeng, abruptly silencing her wailing.

Lin Xiao was furious. Pointing at the boy, he gritted his teeth and said, "Watch your mouth! This is your sister. If I hear you say another nasty thing to her, I'll rip your tongue out and cut it off!!"

Lin Xiao's voice wasn't loud, but it was brimming with rage.

Even Liu Liyun was frightened.

She had always thought her son-in-law was a well-educated and honest man, and this was the first time she had ever seen him so angry.

Liu Liyun was stunned for a moment, but then a warm feeling appeared on her face.

Although the current situation is more chaotic than she expected.

But Lin Xiao's subconscious reaction made her feel at ease.

Over the years, Liu Liyun has suffered a lot of grievances in her husband's family.

Her clueless husband was blindly filial, sending money back to their hometown for the sake of a stepmother with whom he had no blood relation, while she and her daughter suffered endless disdain and contempt there.

Over the years, she has endured countless grievances for the sake of her husband's reputation.

She fears most that her daughter will have to endure these things after she gets married.

But now it seems that this worry was obviously unnecessary. Liu Liyun got to know her in-laws well and knew that they were not that kind of people. Xixi would definitely be comfortable and happy in her husband's family home—this can be seen from the fact that Xixi often thinks about going to her husband's family home.

Now, faced with Ding Caifeng's behavior, Lin Xiao, who is usually good-tempered, suddenly became angry at an unexpected speed, not caring at all about his reputation in his father-in-law's hometown, nor whether his sudden outburst would make his father-in-law dissatisfied with him.

He reacted instinctively simply because he heard his wife being insulted.

This instinct made Liu Liyun feel most precious, and she was so happy that she almost wanted to cry.

However, she is not that kind of sentimental person.

Years of experience in the workplace have instilled in her a habit of always prioritizing rationality.

It was clear that her mother-in-law was about to throw another tantrum.

Liu Liyun spoke first, angrily rebuking the terrified boy: "Han Jianfeng, all those years of schooling you've wasted! How can you speak so rudely? You're only ten years old, yet you're already shouting about fighting and killing, and spewing vulgarities. What will you be like when you grow up?!"

Ding Caifeng was about to speak up in rebuttal, but Liu Liyun didn't give her a chance at all.

"I don't know who taught you this, you're full of dirty thoughts! Even if Han Xixi were a stranger, and she's heavily pregnant, you shouldn't talk like that, right? They say children speak without thinking, but you're not a child anymore, you're ten years old, can't you think things through? If I hear you swear again, before your brother-in-law can even scold you, I won't tolerate you anymore, and you can forget about spending your winter vacation here, you'd better go back to your hometown as soon as possible!!"

His speech was eloquent, logical, and well-reasoned; his anger did not cloud his judgment, demonstrating his leadership qualities.

Ding Caifeng was still sitting on the ground, and no one helped her up. She had listened to her eldest daughter-in-law's veiled criticism, but she didn't show any anger at all.

Finally, he could only sheepishly get up from the ground, muttering, "What does a child know..."

After saying just one sentence, Liu Liyun launched into a tirade, saying things like how children need to be taught more, and if they aren't taught now, it will be too late when they commit murder, arson, or other serious crimes.

Liu Liyun fully demonstrated her leadership skills, escalating the issue to a major level by making baseless accusations and digressing from trivial matters to the level of endangering the country and society.

Ding Caifeng was so angry that her face turned red and white in turns.

He had just been upset by his eldest granddaughter, but now he had no right to vent his anger.

So he could only turn around, grab his eldest grandson, and give him a good beating, yelling, "You disrespectful brat, you motherless wretch..."

The three people beside her knew she was making a veiled attack, but they were too lazy to respond and just watched coldly.

Ultimately, the farce ended with the boy reluctantly apologizing to Xixi.

……

After what just happened, Xixi really lost her appetite and left under the pretext of going to a prenatal checkup.

On the way to the hospital.

Xi Xi remained silent for a long time until Lin Xiao grasped her hand, at which point a weary smile appeared on her pale face.

"Brother, I'm sorry... I made you laugh at me just now."

Xi Xi said helplessly.

Lin Xiao chuckled and rubbed her forehead: "What's the big deal! If you don't treat her like family, then I won't treat her like family either. It's no big deal. Besides, since she's an outsider, whether she throws a tantrum or makes veiled insults, we can just watch the show and not take it to heart!"

Xi Xi's expression softened a bit after hearing what he said.

"You really think so?"

"Of course!"

Lin Xiao laughed, "If it weren't for your dad's sake, I would have kicked that kid a long time ago for talking to you like that!"

Xi Xi couldn't help but laugh when she thought of that scene.

She then leaned closer, her eyes sparkling with laughter: "But brother, you suddenly got so angry just now, it really startled me... but you were so handsome!"

Lin Xiao raised an eyebrow: "Really?"

Xi Xi looked on with amazement and surprise.

"Of course! He's incredibly manly, so handsome!!!"

"Um... even though it's a compliment, it just sounds a bit weird!"

"Hehe~"

Xi Xi didn't take it to heart and remained immersed in the happiness and joy of being protected by her husband.

Lin Xiao chuckled, but his expression immediately turned serious.

"What's wrong, brother?" Xixi asked anxiously.

"It's nothing... I just overheard your mom saying that your stepmother is here with her three grandsons for winter break, so they'll be staying here for more than a month?"

"..."

Xi Xi realized this and her expression became serious.

This is definitely not good news.

"Does your step-grandmother have a good relationship with your father?" Lin Xiao asked.

"Hmm...it's alright!"

Xixi said seriously, "Although my mom says my dad is blindly filial, I actually think that in my dad's heart he is quite clear about this non-blood-related relationship. Otherwise, he wouldn't force me to go back for Chinese New Year every time I don't want to!"

Lin Xiao nodded, agreeing with this.

However, his brows remained furrowed.

"What's wrong, brother? Is there a problem?"

"I can't quite put my finger on it, but something just feels off."

Lin Xiao frowned and said, "Logically speaking, the degree of closeness or distance among relatives, although not openly discussed, is generally understood to be unspoken. Since even you know that your father isn't that close to your stepmother, she couldn't possibly not know it herself."

"If that's the case, then it's illogical for an old woman from the countryside to travel all the way to Ninghai with her three grandsons just to see you, her granddaughter who isn't related to her by blood!"

After Lin Xiao said that, Xi Xi realized that something was wrong.

"Yeah, if she really came to see me, she wouldn't have been making sarcastic remarks and stirring up trouble ever since I walked in!"

"Was she like this when you went back to your hometown before?"

"...It seems not. At most, they just don't like me, but they're not this averse to me!"

Xi Xi is very strange.

Lin Xiao found it even stranger: "That's even more outrageous. In her own home, she knows to maintain a semblance of harmony, but now that she's a guest in your house, bringing her three grandchildren and planning to stay, she immediately starts to break off all pretense of civility... This is completely illogical!"

Xi Xi found it increasingly bizarre, her brows furrowing deeply.

Lin Xiao seemed to remember something else, and his tone became even more serious.

"And one more thing!"

"what?"

"This old lady said she came to see you because you were pregnant, but when she was guessing the baby's gender, she kept saying it was a girl."

Lin Xiao found it absurd. "Guessing the gender is normal. Your uncle and aunt always guess, but they almost always say it's a boy—it's an unspoken social etiquette, right?"

Xixi nodded: "I noticed it too! Everyone seems to think that we'd be happy to hear it's a boy!"

Lin Xiao nodded.

"In fact, we really don't care, but there's no need to keep emphasizing this!"

His brows furrowed even more. "But from other people's perspectives, it's understandable that they would say that. But your stepmother... even if she doesn't like you as her granddaughter, since she's come all this way, I'll assume she's genuinely concerned about your impending delivery—in that case, she should care a lot about the child, but her emotions and the feeling she gives off are completely different!"

Xi Xi's eyebrows furrowed, and her expression became very serious.

"Besides, that old woman insisted on taking three grandsons with her on such a long trip. She's not the kind of person who prefers girls to boys! So, when she keeps saying that you're having a girl... I can't help but wonder if she's really making that judgment based on experience, or if she subconsciously hopes so, which is why she says it like that?"

Lin Xiao's analysis sent chills down Xi Xi's spine.

Even though the car was warm with the air conditioning on, she still felt cold all over.

Lin Xiao felt increasingly uneasy about what she was saying, and thought it best to be cautious since the old lady's arrival was so sudden.

"Alright, I'm probably overthinking it. If they really had any bad intentions, they wouldn't wait until you're this pregnant to come, right?"

"..."

"Speaking of which, even though you're not related by blood, you're at least not enemies, right? What can an old woman from the countryside really do? It's not like we're filming some kind of family drama!"

Lin Xiao deliberately made jokes to divert his wife's attention.

Xi Xi just gave an awkward smile, but her brows remained furrowed.

Clearly, Lin Xiao's analysis had resonated with people so deeply that it was impossible to reverse it now.

"No matter what her purpose is... it's already caused such a scene on the first day. For my own feelings, I'd better stay away from her!"

Xi Xi sighed, then rubbed her belly and laughed, "I have to stay in a good mood. I need to have a natural birth, so I can't let those bad people affect my baby's position... Ah!"

She suddenly screamed, her face filled with panic.

"What's wrong?!"

Lin Xiao was also startled. He quickly stepped on the brakes, pulled the car over to the side of the road, and turned on the hazard lights.

Xi Xi still looked terrified, clutching her stomach as she stared at Lin Xiao.

"Baby...just kicked me!"

"Forehead……"

Lin Xiao looked embarrassed, his tense body instantly relaxed, and his forehead was covered in sweat.

His wife's shout just now really startled him.

I thought she had been frightened into something serious by those uninvited guests.

It turned out to be just fetal movement.

This little guy has been showing signs of activity since he was five months old. His legs are so strong that he often comes out.

It's just that Lin Xiao never got to experience it.

Seeing her husband's reaction, Xixi quickly said, "This time he kicked really hard... Hey, hey, he's still kicking! Honey, touch him!"

As she spoke, she grabbed Lin Xiao's hand and slipped it inside his coat, placing it on his protruding belly through his undershirt.

The moment my hand touched it.

A powerful spinning kick traveled through his stomach.

Lin Xiao was startled; a strange feeling instantly spread throughout his body, making his eyes widen.

This strange feeling is indescribable.

"Isn't it powerful?!" Xixi asked him.

Lin Xiao was speechless. This was the first time he had ever experienced the miracle of life, especially since this life was so closely related to him.

At that moment, he was filled with shock, and tears welled up in his eyes.

It took him a long time to nod.

"Clap clap clap!"

The belly was still throbbing, and the baby's excited kicks were unstoppable. Moreover, the little guy seemed to feel his parents' body temperature, and every kick accurately hit their palms.

They acted like two idiots, crying out "Ouch!" every time they felt the baby move.

Lin Xiao: I could play with this belly all day!
After a long while, the fetal movements finally stopped; the little baby seemed to be tired.

Lin Xiao reluctantly withdrew his hand and grinned foolishly at his wife.

"Look, even the baby is angry at the bad guys!" Xixi said, both amused and annoyed.

"Haha, what a temper!"

Lin Xiao chuckled incessantly, unable to suppress a sigh, "If it were really a girl, what would she be like when she grows up..."

Say so.

But he couldn't help but start to look forward to what it would be like to have a daughter.

(End of this chapter)