Since Father Huo had previously given Mother Huo a heads-up, she had been eagerly waiting for time to pass faster.
Finally, after the election meeting concluded and the promotion documents were officially issued, Mother Huo could finally breathe a sigh of relief.
Though the news would be published in all major newspapers the next morning, she couldn’t resist sharing her joy with the children right away.
"Where’s my daughter-in-law? Pass the phone to her."
Mother Huo felt that sharing this news with her daughter-in-law would be much more enjoyable—otherwise, Third Son would just respond with vague "mhms" and "ahs," making the conversation dull!
"Mom—" Jiang Si took the receiver and called out sweetly.
Mother Huo nodded happily in response.
Jiang Si first inquired about Grandpa Huo and Grandma Huo’s health before saying, "Mom, there’ll be a lot of phone calls these next few days, so we might not be able to call you on New Year’s Day. Let me wish you all a happy New Year in advance."
"Mom understands. Don’t worry about things at home—your grandparents are both in good health."
Then, Mother Huo lowered her voice. "Si Si, do you remember what I mentioned to you last time?"
Even though it was a done deal, she couldn’t speak too explicitly over the phone.
Fortunately, Jiang Si understood immediately. "Is it about Dad’s ‘work’?"
"Yes." Mother Huo said cheerfully, "We received the official notice this morning. Everything went smoothly."
Jiang Si couldn’t help but smile as well.
Father Huo’s promotion was already wonderful news for their family.
And this time, he had been promoted to the top position in the military department.
At this moment, she was just as genuinely happy as Mother Huo.
"Mom, Dad has worked diligently his entire life. Being recognized by the organization is an honor he truly deserves."
Then, she glanced at the man beside her. "Azhou and I are both proud to have such a father."
Hearing her daughter-in-law’s words, Mother Huo felt even sweeter than if she had eaten honey. This was exactly why daughters—or daughters-in-law—were so precious.
Jiang Si added, "Dad has set a great example for us. Our family will surely have smoother days ahead."
"Absolutely!"
Jiang Si’s words were somewhat indirect, and Mother Huo didn’t catch on immediately, still reminding them to check the newspapers the next morning.
The news would be detailed, and there would even be a photo of Father Huo.
Jiang Si agreed with a smile.
"Oh, right—Third Son said earlier that he had something to tell me. What is it?" Mother Huo finally remembered her dear son.
"You tell Mom," Jiang Si said, handing the receiver to Huo Tingzhou.
Huo Tingzhou was straightforward. "Mom, Si Si is pregnant."
"Pregnant? That’s great—wait, what?"
After processing the words, Mother Huo’s voice suddenly rose. "You mean Si Si is pregnant?"
"Yes. We just got the test results today at noon—she’s already a month and a half along."
Huo Tingzhou was about to mention that it was twins, but Mother Huo on the other end didn’t give him a chance to speak, immediately announcing the news to the whole house.
"Dad, Mom, Old Huo—Si Si is pregnant!"
Everyone in the room turned to look. "Really?"
Mother Huo nodded repeatedly. "Yes, yes! She’s already a month and a half along. They just confirmed it today."
Grandpa Huo chuckled and glanced at Father Huo. "Good news comes all at once. Just as you got promoted today, your grandchild rushed over to congratulate you!"
If he had known earlier, he would’ve urged them more.
Father Huo smiled, his heart also swelling with excitement.
Meanwhile, Grandma Huo took the receiver with a grin. "Xiao Zhou, how is Si Si’s health? Any strong reactions?"
"Grandma, I’m doing great—eating well and sleeping well."
Jiang Si leaned closer to the receiver and said cheerfully, "The doctor said everything is fine. No need to worry."
"That’s good, that’s good." Grandma Huo replied happily.
Mother Huo, still concerned, took the receiver back. "Si Si, listen to me—the first three months of pregnancy are the most crucial. You must rest well."
"And don’t hesitate to order him around. Don’t feel shy about it."
"Let me tell you, men need to be trained. The more they do, the better they get."
Jiang Si felt a little guilty hearing this—after all, Huo Tingzhou already handled everything at home.
There was no need to "order him around."
Mother Huo paid no mind and continued lecturing her son. "You’re a grown man—learn to take initiative. Si Si is pregnant now, so you need to step up, both inside and outside the house."
"Understood."
Huo Tingzhou was well aware of his place in the family hierarchy. Only after Mother Huo had said her piece did he finally get a chance to speak.
"Mom, there’s one more thing."
"What is it?"
"We visited a traditional Chinese doctor today. He said Si Si’s pulse is strong—she’s most likely carrying twins."
"Tw—twins?!"
Mother Huo was momentarily stunned by the news. Once it sank in, she immediately scolded him.
"Such important news, and you’re only telling me now?!"
Huo Tingzhou rubbed his nose helplessly. With so many people talking over each other, when was he supposed to interject?
Mother Huo didn’t dwell on it. She had already planned to go take care of her daughter-in-law once she got pregnant.
Now that she knew it was twins, she couldn’t possibly sit still.
As a mother of four, she knew better than anyone how exhausting pregnancy could be.
People always talked about how wonderful motherhood was.
But only those who had been pregnant knew how grueling the later months could be.
Back when she was carrying just one, her legs had swollen up like steamed buns, leaving dents when pressed.
A few steps would leave her breathless, and she had to cradle her belly while sleeping.
Leg cramps in the middle of the night were a regular occurrence.
If one baby had been that hard, how much worse would twins be?!
And right now, her daughter-in-law was still eating and sleeping well.
That wasn’t a bad thing—but if the babies absorbed too well, the mother would suffer terribly during delivery!
With that in mind, Mother Huo immediately declared, "You take good care of her in the meantime. Once the New Year passes, I’ll wrap up my work and come to Qiongzhou Island."
Touched by her mother-in-law’s concern, Jiang Si felt a surge of warmth.
But she was only a month and a half along—if Mother Huo came now, she’d have to take leave for over half a year!
"Mom, Dad just got promoted. If you take such a long leave right away, people might gossip behind your back even if they don’t say it outright."
"I’m perfectly fine right now. Focus on your work for now."
"When I’m further along and need your help, I won’t hold back."
Huo Tingzhou, understanding his wife’s thoughts, added, "Mom, I’ll take care of her."
Mother Huo frowned. "You go on missions every few months, and who knows how long you’ll be gone. How can you take care of her? Twins are no joke."
"Mom, I’m really fine."
Knowing her mother-in-law’s worries, Jiang Si reassured her, "During the checkup today, the doctor said all my vitals are excellent. Besides, Third Uncle and Uncle Zhong are here to look after me too. Don’t worry."
Mother Huo still couldn’t relax.
But faced with the united front of the young couple, she had no choice but to relent.
In the end, she could only relent and say, "Then you two take care over there. If anything comes up, remember to call us. At the latest, I’ll come over in June."
By then, her daughter-in-law would be about six months pregnant, and she needed to be there to take care of her personally—otherwise, she wouldn’t feel at ease.
"Mm, I understand. Thank you, Mom~"
This time, Jiang Si didn’t refuse.
Mother Huo went on with her reminders for a long while, only hanging up reluctantly when the line started crackling with interference.
"I could hear that Mom and Grandma were crying, and Dad and Grandpa were really emotional too."
"And Second Brother, Second Sister-in-law, Fourth Brother, and Fourth Younger Sister-in-Law—they were all so happy for us."
Recalling all the little moments over the past few months, Jiang Si spoke from the heart,
"Your family’s atmosphere is so warm, and they’ve all been so kind to me."
After waiting a while without a response, she wondered if he hadn’t heard her.
Just as she was about to ask, Huo Tingzhou suddenly turned to her with a serious expression.
"Sweetheart, that’s your home too," he corrected firmly, giving their intertwined fingers a gentle squeeze. "They treat you well because you deserve it."
Not just them—he would treat her well too, better than anything.
And in the future, so would their children—
[Apologies for today—I had some things to handle, like preparing names for the book test, so I’m taking a day off.
I’m posting this chapter to keep the streak going, but updates will resume as usual tomorrow.
As for the baby’s formal name, I see the comments aren’t too satisfied.
I’m open to suggestions, so I might revise the name later.
If any of you have good ideas, feel free to leave them in the comments.]
