Reborn as the Villain's Wife, I Shine in 80s-Chapter 548 - 532 Mulberry trees waiting to produce

After the Spring Festival, the winter break was almost over, and the weather was bone-chillingly cold.

Beijing had already seen snow, and the world outside the courtyard house was draped in a silver-white blanket.

The chicken coop and duck pen outside the yard used to be open-air, but to prepare for winter, Zhao Chun had made covers for them.

Tian Sangsang’s due date was within the next two weeks, which was really not ideal timing because of the brutal cold.

The breath from her words hung in the air reluctantly, almost freezing into ice.

She had officially entered the waiting-for-labor stage.

Every day, Tian Sangsang nestled on the couch in the living room, huddled by the heater, looking out at the fluffy snowfall. The more she gazed at the snow, the more peaceful she felt; the more she gazed, the lazier her personality seemed to become.

Tian Sangsang even began to think she didn’t want to give birth anymore.

Getting pulled out of the warm bed in the dead of winter was already unbearable.

Let alone giving birth.

How could she give birth without taking her pants off?

She even wondered if the delivery room had heating.

Perhaps sensing her sneaky little thoughts, the baby in her belly protested with a sudden kick.

She chuckled helplessly. What a feisty little one.

This baby was either completely calm or completely wild.

Jin Zhi was currently managing Yipin Xiangju Restaurant, Meng Shuyan wasn’t going to the cultural palace anymore, and Zhao Chun’s company was on holiday too. Everyone was idle now, idle enough to spend their free time fussing over the soon-to-be-mother Tian Sangsang.

Maybe it was because they’d never experienced childbirth. Zhao Chun and Meng Shuyan, one big and one small, were both ridiculously nervous.

Luckily, they had just gone out, leaving Tian Sangsang a rare moment to ponder life.

But beware—don’t think this pregnant woman is contemplating major national affairs. You should know that a pregnant woman’s thoughts are not the same as normal people’s. To be precise, their brainpower has all gone into their belly, which often makes them seem a little silly.

Tian Sangsang was a Leo (a fire sign), Meng Shuyan was a Libra (an air sign), and Jiang Jinghuai was a Cancer (a water sign). If they could add an earth sign to the family, they’d have all four astrological elements. Among the earth signs, the one most aligned with Tian Sangsang’s due date was Capricorn.

However, January 19th had already passed, so Capricorn was out of the question, and an earth sign was no longer possible.

Exactly—this pregnant woman was pondering zodiac signs.

Tian Sangsang sighed in disappointment, not because she was obsessed with astrology, but because that was one of the few diversions she had left right now.

A while ago, Grandma Tian had sent a large bag of local goodies from Tian Family Village, reportedly at a hefty shipping cost. Among them were some free-range eggs. According to the old lady, although there were chickens in the courtyard house too, countryside chickens and city chickens were fundamentally different, and so were the eggs they laid.

Amazingly, none of the eggs were broken. Grandma Tian had instructed her to boil them with brown sugar during her postpartum recovery.

This made Tian Sangsang reflect on modern city life, where finding authentic eggs had become increasingly difficult.

Sometimes when she walked past street vendors, an auntie would try to sell her eggs: "Miss, these are real free-range eggs! I’m telling you, laid by my own chickens—nothing like those flashy impostors out there! Someone just bought two pounds from me a moment ago, and they’re super delicious. If you don’t like them, come back for a refund!"

The chicken and duck meat she ate outside sometimes felt indistinguishable from pork.

So, she’d once had a dream of returning to the countryside to farm.

Outside the courtyard came the crunching sound of shoes on snow.

Tian Sangsang’s scattered thoughts finally returned to reality.

"Mom! We’re back!" Her son was trying to act cute.

Meng Shuyan shuffled in, dressed head-to-toe in padded winter gear—cotton shoes, cotton pants, cotton jacket, and a fluffy hat. In his hands, he carried a small bag, waddling like a penguin. Normally, he would rush into Tian Sangsang’s arms as soon as he entered, but now he couldn’t, nor did he dare to. He had already forgotten what it felt like to be hugged by mom. QAQ

He set the bag down and began warming himself by the stove. Tian Sangsang grabbed a towel and helped him wipe the snow off his clothes.

Zhao Chun entered from outside, carrying big bags and small packages.

Tian Sangsang, long used to this sight, lazily stood up. "Boss Zhao, been shopping again?"

These past few days, Zhao Chun had been going out to buy things, and every time he came back, he carried a pile of bags. He was preparing the maternity kit and setting up the nursery. As a soon-to-be-mom, Tian Sangsang hadn’t even thought of such things—it was all Zhao Chun’s idea.

He had practically transformed into a housekeeper.

Setting down his bags, Zhao Chun said, "None of it is your business. Sit back down."

Standing for a moment wasn’t going to induce labor, but Tian Sangsang frowned at him: "You’re bleeding money!"

"Pah, pah, pah!" Zhao Chun immediately spat three times, then solemnly declared, "The snow outside is deceptive!"

Tian Sangsang rolled her eyes and said, "Fine, let’s say you’ve splurged instead."

She didn’t say much, but she kept it in her heart. If he hadn’t been here to support her during this time, she wouldn’t have made it. Zhao Chun had been so attentive that she hardly had to worry about anything—she hadn’t even picked out the baby bottles or crib herself. All she needed to do was sleep and eat.

Zhao Chun, clearly pleased with himself, raised an eyebrow: "It’s all for my goddaughter. It’s got nothing to do with you."

Originally, he’d referred to himself as godfather and her as goddaughter—it sounded weird; now he’d switched to "foster father" and "foster daughter"—still weird. The term "foster father" felt oddly familiar, like she’d heard it somewhere before.

Where, though?

.........Ah.

She remembered Zhang Wuji’s foster father.

Just as Tian Sangsang’s heart was moved and she was deciding to give Zhao Chun a big red envelope of 6,666.66 RMB—it could even buy a house or cover dowry expenses when he eventually married—his words nearly made her cough up blood: "Without me, how could you have a foster daughter? Without me, how could you become a foster father?!"

She recalled the sharp-tongued words Ye Binyi used to say, only to realize she herself was now using them.

In the end, why should women make things harder for other women?

Zhao Chun’s eyes sparkled as he made a bow: "Your Majesty, Empress Dowager, your efforts are commendable!"

He knew how fragile she was, the desolation beneath her pregnant, swollen frame.

He just wanted to say something to brighten her day.

"Mother~" Standing by the stove, Meng Shuyan pulled two White Rabbit candies from the bag, and with ceremonial sincerity, he offered them in both hands, his speech slow and serious: "These are candies... specially selected by your son... from the department store... Please enjoy, Mother."

Tian Sangsang burst into laughter, clutching her belly as she laughed uncontrollably.

Zhao Chun broke into a panic, his heart racing: "Empress Dowager, be mindful of your graceful demeanor!"

Her belly was so big now, yet she was still laughing. If something went wrong from laughing too much, it’d be a disaster.

Tian Sangsang slowly eased back onto the couch, radiating joy down to the tips of her hair. She ran her fingers through Meng Shuyan’s curly hair, "Yanyan, you’re so funny."

"Oh, by the way." Zhao Chun pulled out some baby clothes from the bag and, with great seriousness, said, "Empress Dowager, what do you think of the clothes this servant prepared for the little princess?"

Tian Sangsang’s face flushed with laughter. She took a closer look. The outfit was red and tiny—about the size of Zhao Chun’s hand, resembling a little bib. 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

Suddenly startled, she snapped out of her amused state: "Wait a sec. Aren’t we forgetting something?"

Zhao Chun: "What?"

Tian Sangsang pointed at her belly: "We haven’t even asked the doctor—how are we so sure it’s a girl?"

Zhao Chun and Meng Shuyan exchanged uneasy glances.

Meng Shuyan: "Everyone said it’s a girl."

Zhao Chun: "But isn’t it?"

Tian Sangsang: Let’s hope so.