Ye Yunniang, under the pretext of visiting Chunyao, specifically checked on Hongyan. Both she and the baby in her womb were doing well.
"I know why Hongyan got together with Ma Kouzi." Chunyao pulled Ye Yunniang aside to share the news she had gathered.
"Why?"
"It's all Wang Qiang and Ma Hui's fault." Chunyao's face was full of disdain as she mentioned the two.
Wang Qiang, due to his congenital impotence, had been bullied since childhood.
Ma Hui was also looked down upon because of his lame leg. The two, sharing similar misfortunes, had played together since they were young and developed a deep bond.
As they grew older and were exposed to more of the outside world, they learned that relationships between men were also possible.
Wang Qiang's heart settled on Ma Hui, and through gradual testing and seduction, he made Ma Hui develop feelings for him too.
After they got together, Wang Qiang felt guilty towards Ma Hui, thinking he had deprived him of descendants.
Wang Qiang then wanted to give Ma Hui a child. Since he couldn't father one himself, he set his sights on Hongyan.
His own nominal wife had already borne two children with his father. Having another child for Ma Hui shouldn't be a big deal.
Wang Qiang confidently went to find Hongyan.
Hongyan was already struggling due to her abnormal family situation. Now Wang Qiang wanted her to have a child with Ma Hui.
The very thought of the relationship between Ma Hui and Wang Qiang made Hongyan feel sick.
If you won't let me live in peace, I won't let you be comfortable either.
With a heart full of resentment, Hongyan went to seduce Ma Hui's father and brother.
That Ma Xiaokou, apart from money, only had Chunxing on his mind and wasn't tempted at all.
Ma Kouzi didn't even need seducing; as soon as Hongyan got a little close, he immediately took the bait.
Hongyan soon became pregnant and felt disgusted with herself.
She didn't want the child and deliberately picked fights with Niu Dajiao.
The child was resilient and didn't miscarry.
During this time, Ma Kouzi treated Hongyan very well, even promising to build a proper life with her and give her a normal family.
Hongyan desperately longed for a normal family. She was willing to break ties with Wang Qiang and be with Ma Kouzi.
The two were now looking forward to the birth of their child.
"Chunyao, you're amazing." Ye Yunniang was impressed. Chunyao had only been in Sunset Lane for half a month and had already uncovered so much.
"It wasn't me who found out. Hongyan said it herself." After Hongyan divorced and got involved with Ma Kouzi, few people in the lane were willing to associate with her.
Being pregnant, Hongyan wanted someone to talk to.
Chunyao, out of curiosity, spoke with Hongyan a few times. Hongyan ended up telling her all of this.
"I used to think wealthy families had a lot of drama. Now I find the affairs of ordinary households even more shocking." Chunyao sighed.
Ye Yunniang agreed.
Leaving No. 2 courtyard, Ye Yunniang ran into Hongyan, who was heading out with a basket.
"Going out to buy groceries?"
Hongyan was surprised that Ye Yunniang would initiate a greeting. After a pause, she replied, "Yes, to buy groceries."
Ye Yunniang looked at Hongyan's belly, thought of the eagerly awaited child, and offered an extra word of advice.
"It rained all night yesterday, the roads are slippery. You're pregnant, walk slowly."
"Mhm, okay, thanks for the reminder."
"I hope you don't mind me meddling." As Ye Yunniang spoke, she glanced at her belly again.
Hongyan noticed Ye Yunniang's gaze, reached out to touch her stomach, and her face softened with more tenderness.
"I know you mean well. I'll be careful." Hongyan walked towards the lane entrance with her basket, stopped after a few steps, and said, "You should be careful of Wang Qiang."
Hongyan left this cryptic sentence hanging.
Ye Yunniang hurried forward a couple of steps, wanting to ask for clarification.
"Yunniang." Cai Damei's voice came from the lane entrance.
Ye Yunniang quickly walked over, taking the basket with one hand and supporting Cai Damei with the other.
"Mother, you went grocery shopping so early in the morning. I told you, I'll do the shopping, you rest at home."
"Lying at home every day, doing nothing, is too frustrating." Cai Damei was just bored, which is why she took the basket to go shopping.
"Next time, tell me before you go shopping. I'll go with you." Ye Yunniang truly didn't feel at ease letting Cai Damei go out alone now.
"Alright, we'll go together tomorrow. I heard from Old Chen at the fish market that a batch of seafood will arrive tomorrow. Let's go buy some early."
"Mother, don't you go. I'll buy it." Ye Yunniang was worried Cai Damei couldn't stand the smell of the sea.
"Fine. Go ask Mai Miao later; she knows how to pick seafood."
Liang Maimiao's mother grew up by the sea, so she was very skilled at handling seafood. The Li family learned how to prepare seafood from Liang Maimiao.
"Okay. We should buy more prawns this time." Ye Yunniang thought of the prawns she bought last time; the three children didn't get enough.
"Buy some seaweed too. You like it." Cai Damei planned.
"Mhm, and dried scallops."
Cai Damei liked steamed egg with dried scallops.
"Alright, buy some of everything." Cai Damei nodded. "What did Hongyan say to you?"
"She told me to be careful of Wang Qiang." Ye Yunniang didn't hide it and told Cai Damei what Hongyan said.
"Be careful of Wang Qiang?" Cai Damei pondered the meaning of these words.
Ye Yunniang looked around to make sure no one was nearby and told Cai Damei what Chunyao had said.
"Wang Qiang has set his sights on you." Cai Damei frowned, her hand unconsciously resting on her belly.
"Hongyan is out of the question. He wouldn't dare with the other families."
The Li household, with just two widows and three children, naturally attracted attention.
Although Cai Damei and Ye Yunniang had both acted very strong-willed these past few years, it still couldn't block everyone's ulterior motives.
"I'll go to No. 8 courtyard." Cai Damei thought of asking Tie Xiong and his nephew for help.
"Let me go instead." Ye Yunniang didn't want Cai Damei, pregnant, to worry about her.
"It's not good for you to go. I'll go." Since Wang Qiang had designs on Ye Yunniang, it wasn't suitable for her to go towards the end of the lane.
"But—"
"Don't overthink it, my belly is fine. Be good, listen to me."
Ye Yunniang nodded. "Mother, have you thought about the next few months?"
At this, Cai Damei sighed. What she had in mind was to spend a few months at the manor where Ye Yunniang gave birth.
Bao Min disagreed. In his words:
"My daughter Bao Min is born, she doesn't need to be hidden."
Four months into the pregnancy, Bao Min had a doctor take her pulse to confirm: Cai Damei was carrying a little girl.
Bao Min shouted "my daughter" every day, giving Cai Damei a headache.
Cai Damei now wished Bao Min would stay permanently at the Prefect's residence, but she couldn't say it.
Whenever Cai Damei brought up these topics, Bao Min would ask, "Madam, when will you agree to let me marry into your family?"
Faced with this question, Cai Damei never knew how to respond.
So the matter of childbirth arrangements was delayed.
Cai Damei touched her belly. She didn't have much time left to decide.
"Auntie Cai." Liang Maimiao greeted them at the door.
"Maimiao, there's seafood at the fish market tomorrow—"
"I'll go, I'll go! I'll call you tomorrow morning, we'll go early to get the good stuff." Liang Maimiao's eyes lit up at the mention of seafood, and she forgot what she originally wanted to tell Ye Yunniang.
Seafood really held a great attraction for Liang Maimiao.
Before dawn, Liang Maimiao came knocking at the Li family's door. "Yunniang, get up quickly. Let's hurry and go."
"Coming." Ye Yunniang got up and dressed.
As soon as she finished dressing, Liang Maimiao pulled her out the door to meet up with Chunyao.
Only then did Ye Yunniang realize that Chunyao and Liang Maimiao had grown close during a time she wasn't aware of.
