Lou Xiao'e smiled and said, "Honey, how should we tell Jingru about this?"
Lin Zhen found it amusing too. "Qin Jingru, everyone's constitution is different. Xu Damao isn't me, and you aren't Xiao'e. You can't compare us directly."
Qin Jingru stamped her foot anxiously. "Oh, it's not about comparing! Just tell me what tricks there are for having twins. I'll go back and prepare, then try to get pregnant next month."
Lin Zhen found it funny inside. As long as you're with Xu Damao, you could prepare for ten years and still not get pregnant.
"Uh... there aren't any tricks. Keep an optimistic mindset, and maybe you'll get pregnant. If you really can't, go to the hospital for a checkup. You have to believe in science!"
The moment Qin Jingru heard "hospital checkup," her heart skipped a beat.
She was afraid the problem might be with her and never considered that it could be Xu Damao.
If I can't have twins because of my own problem, would Damao abandon me?
Frightened, Qin Jingru shook her head repeatedly.
"What checkup? All the women in my family can have children. They all aim to have four or five. There can't be anything wrong with me. If you... if you won't tell me, then forget it!"
Qin Jingru snorted and left.
After returning home, she hesitantly said to Xu Damao, "Damao, I feel like my body hasn't been getting enough nutrition."
Xu Damao froze. "What do you mean?"
"I... I didn't get pregnant this month."
Xu Damao could not help frowning. "Why are you so useless? Lou Xiao'e got pregnant in the first month after marrying Lin Zhen!"
"I... I... I'll definitely get pregnant next month. Buy me more good food so I can build myself up."
Xu Damao sighed and took ten yuan from his pocket.
"Go to the market and buy whatever you want. There are ration coupons in the bedside cabinet too. Use them as you please."
"Mm!"
The sight of the money made Qin Jingru's eyes light up. She snatched it and stuffed it into her pocket.
Xu Damao laughed disdainfully. "Look at how little ambition you have. Remember, whatever you buy, don't give even a bit to your sister's family."
Qin Jingru smiled. "Don't worry, I know!"
"Fine, go cook. I'm heading out for a walk."
"Where are you going?"
"Don't ask! Don't stick your nose into where a man goes."
The moment Xu Damao left, he headed straight for the front courtyard. He wanted to seek some advice from Lin Zhen too.
As he passed through the middle courtyard, he saw Bang Geng carrying two lunchboxes out of Silly Zhu's home.
He spat disdainfully toward Silly Zhu's door. "Stupid pig!"
Lin Zhen was cooking.
Pickled cabbage stewed with tofu simmered warmly in half a pot.
With two liang of warmed liquor and a plate of fried peanuts, dinner would be quite satisfying.
"Yo! That pickled cabbage tofu stew smells amazing!"
Lin Zhen looked up, saw Xu Damao, and frowned. "You never come calling without a reason. You must be up to no good."
Xu Damao forced a smile. "Don't say that. I just came to ask you about a little matter."
Lin Zhen chuckled and immediately understood why he had come.
"If it's really a small matter, don't mention it. If it's a big matter, we'll hold a full courtyard meeting to settle it."
"Hey, hey, there's no need for a meeting. It's not exactly a small matter, but it's not that urgent either. I just came to learn from you."
"Oh? Then go ahead."
"Not here... there are children around. Let's go to the gate."
"Fine. Xiao'e, watch the fire. I'll go outside and chat with Xu Damao for a while."
Once they reached the gate, Xu Damao looked around and, seeing no one nearby, smiled awkwardly. "Master Lin, everything about me seems perfectly normal, and Jingru and I have been timing the days too. So why hasn't she gotten pregnant? Don't you know medicine? And you even had two sets of twins in a row. Give me some pointers."
"My medical knowledge is just a hobby. If you really have doubts, go to a major hospital. Don't come looking for me!"
Xu Damao said awkwardly, "Something like this isn't worth going to the hospital for. It'd be too embarrassing. Just pass on a little of your experience."
Lin Zhen asked curiously, "Everything about you is normal?"
Xu Damao nodded confidently. "Mm!"
"Oh, so according to you, since everything about you is normal, that means Qin Jingru is the one with the problem?"
Xu Damao was not so sure. He smiled weakly. "You can't say that directly, can you? It's only been the first month. I just came to ask how you and Lou Xiao'e... in that first month, um... how did you do it?"
"Get lost! Damn you! Is that something you ask about? You're supposed to be her elder brother-in-law!"
Xu Damao hurriedly smiled apologetically. "I-I misspoke. There's no one around, is there?"
Lin Zhen smiled faintly. "Here's what you do, Damao."
"Yeah, I'm listening."
"You plow the field every day, three furrows a day. If there's still no result after half a year, go to the hospital with Qin Jingru for a checkup. Brother, you have to believe in science!"
Lin Zhen patted Xu Damao on the shoulder and went back inside, suppressing his laughter.
Xu Damao was left standing there in bewilderment.
Three furrows a day? Can this body of mine handle that?
Yeah, maybe that really is a way. I'll try it after Jingru's period is over.
Back home, Lou Xiao'e asked with a smile, "Was Xu Damao asking about having children again?"
"Hehe, just wait a few days. The back courtyard is about to get lively. Xu Damao is insecure but cares too much about saving face, while Qin Jingru is dead set on living a city life. One pushes, the other tightens the screws. As for children? Hehe."
"What do you mean?"
"Just watch. You'll find out."
Early the next morning.
Qin Jingru returned from the market carrying half a jin of pork, an old hen, a carp, and twenty eggs.
She strutted about proudly, nearly becoming the focus of the entire courtyard.
Third Mistress said enviously, "Oh my, Jingru, it's not even the end of the first lunar month yet. Are you celebrating New Year again?"
Qin Jingru smiled. "Damao said I can spend the money and coupons however I want. We can't shortchange our stomachs. Pork stewed with cabbage, hen stewed with mushrooms, braised fish, and a few boiled eggs."
"Oh my, we wouldn't even eat like that during New Year!"
"It's fine. My Damao has money!"
The Jia family in the middle courtyard was having breakfast: each person had a big bowl of plain noodle soup, half a bowl of pickled vegetables, and a few cornmeal buns.
Hearing Third Mistress and Qin Jingru talking, Bang Geng instantly lost his appetite for soup.
"Mom, I want meat too."
Jia Zhangshi muttered, "Stop dreaming. Finish your soup and hurry up to take your sister to kindergarten."
Qin Huairu put down her chopsticks and started to head out.
Jia Zhangshi asked, "Where are you going?"
Qin Huairu said, "Didn't she make up with us? I'm going to borrow some."
Jia Zhangshi curled her lip disdainfully. "If you can borrow anything, I'll take your surname!"
"Hey, Sis, have you eaten?"
The moment Qin Jingru saw Qin Huairu, she hurriedly hid the groceries behind her back and no longer dared to show off.
Qin Huairu looked at her and smiled faintly. "We just finished holding a funeral, and things are very tight at home. Can you lend me some money? I'll pay you back once I get my first month's wages after starting work."
Qin Jingru kept glancing at her toes and lowered her head. "Sis, it's not that I won't lend you any. Damao won't let me. He's the head of the household, so I have to listen to him."
"You..."
"Actually, I don't have any money. Everything I spend is Damao's. If you're really in trouble, here, this dime is what I secretly saved up. I'll give it to you outright. You don't have to pay it back!"
Qin Huairu snorted angrily, turned, and went back inside. Qin Jingru sneered. "I didn't even want to give her that dime. Damao was right, they're just a bottomless pit!"
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