The entire hall was filled with a festive atmosphere. However, at this moment, Mrs. Wangquan, sitting on the sofa, wore a blank expression, showing no sign of joy. Instead, she seemed rather unhappy.
Seeing Mrs. Wangquan frowning, Qin Huaizhu knew that the woman had always been prejudiced against her. Although she had mentally prepared herself for this, she couldn't help but feel a twinge of disappointment.
Wangquan Baye gently squeezed her hand, signaling her not to think too much.
Wangquan Baye's father sighed at his wife's displeasure. This stubborn personality of hers just wouldn't change.
Unable to bear seeing the two young people feeling so uncomfortable, he stepped in to ease the situation. "Now that you're pregnant, you should take good care of yourself. The most important thing is to give birth to the baby safely. Baye, take good care of Huaizhu."
"Okay, Dad," Wangquan Baye replied. "Then we'll go upstairs first."
His father nodded, and Wangquan Baye helped Qin Huaizhu up the stairs.
"Come on, since she's pregnant, it's a fact that can't be changed. Just let it go," Wangquan Baye's father advised his wife.
"Humph," Mrs. Wangquan snorted. Her tightly knitted brows didn't relax.
Wangquan Baye decided to hold a banquet to celebrate Qin Huaizhu's pregnancy. In the previous life, Qin Huaizhu had an unstable pregnancy. This time, Wangquan Baye was determined to seize this opportunity.
Early in the morning, Qin Huaizhu got up to decorate the house. She had just hung up streamers on the second - floor staircase when her phone rang.
"What's up, Baye?"
"Huaizhu... The hospital is too busy. I might not be able to help you with the decoration," Wangquan Baye's voice on the phone was full of guilt and helplessness.
He stood in the corridor, looking at the bustling people in front of him. Wangquan Baye wearily rubbed his temples.
"It's okay, Baye. But... Can you handle things there properly?" Qin Huaizhu was quite worried about Wangquan Baye, knowing that he wasn't very good at dealing with such things.
"Don't worry. You should take care of the baby."
"Okay, I know. Bye."
"Bye."
After hanging up the phone, Qin Huaizhu looked at the staircase decoration and nodded in satisfaction. The first floor was already decorated, and now only the second floor remained.
"Ding - dong, ding - dong." The doorbell rang again.
Qin Huaizhu went to answer the door. Standing outside was the obviously arrogant Liu Xiayun.
"Come in," Qin Huaizhu said first, breaking the silence.
Liu Xiayun walked in without any courtesy and looked around as if she were the mistress of the house.
"This vase shouldn't be placed here. It's easy to break!" Liu Xiayun pointed at the vase in the corner. It was just an excuse she made up.
She just didn't want Qin Huaizhu to be happy. Looking at her pregnant belly, she was filled with jealousy. She reached out and moved the vase to another place.
Qin Huaizhu was annoyed but didn't want to argue with her. She just let her pick on things.
"And this mural. Do you know how to decorate at all?" All the ornaments that were originally nicely arranged now seemed unpleasant to Liu Xiayun. She casually ruined Qin Huaizhu's half - day's hard work.
Qin Huaizhu ignored her and went upstairs on her own to continue the decoration. She arranged the things according to her original design and hung up a mural symbolizing happiness and harmony on the wall of the second - floor corridor.
Just then, Liu Xiayun walked over. "This can't be placed here! It should be hung on the first floor!"
The newly hung mural was forcefully pulled down, and Liu Xiayun took it downstairs and hung it on the first - floor wall without asking. Qin Huaizhu took a deep breath and didn't argue with her.
Just as Qin Huaizhu picked up another mural and was about to hang it on the wall, Liu Xiayun rushed over and snatched it from her hand. "This can't be placed here!"
Qin Huaizhu pulled it back forcefully, but Liu Xiayun refused to let go. Qin Huaizhu was extremely angry and couldn't bear it anymore. "What on earth do you want! It looks good here!"
Suddenly, Liu Xiayun changed her expression and said timidly, "I... I... I just wanted to help sister out of kindness. I didn't expect sister to get angry. I'm sorry."
Qin Huaizhu was utterly speechless at her pretentious behavior and continued to hang the mural in its original position.
"The fruits are here. Take a break," Mrs. Wangquan said as she walked over with a fruit platter, breaking the tense atmosphere between the two.
Liu Xiayun quickly greeted her warmly and took the platter from her. "Oh, Auntie, why did you come? We can handle all these decorations ourselves."
"I'm just idle anyway. I came to see how you're doing," Mrs. Wangquan's attitude towards Liu Xiayun did a complete 180 - degree turn. She spoke softly.
"Then Auntie, come downstairs and take a look. The entire first floor is decorated," Liu Xiayun obediently helped Mrs. Wangquan downstairs, looking extremely obsequious.
Qin Huaizhu couldn't do such things. She could only follow the two silently.
"Auntie, look. Doesn't the first floor look great? I decorated it all by myself. It took me half a day," Liu Xiayun helped Mrs. Wangquan sit on the sofa, placed the fruit platter on the marble coffee table, and shamelessly took credit for Qin Huaizhu's hard work.
Mrs. Wangquan looked around and pretended to be satisfied as she nodded at Liu Xiayun. "Huaizhu, have some fruits." On the surface, Mrs. Wangquan still maintained a polite attitude towards Qin Huaizhu, but secretly, she cast a disapproving look at her, obviously thinking that Qin Huaizhu had done nothing.
Qin Huaizhu nodded. "Okay, Mom." Knowing that her explanation would be in vain and that Mrs. Wangquan would think she was lazy and argumentative, she decided not to mention it.
"Huaizhu, I'm back."
The door lock clicked open. It was Wangquan Baye. Qin Huaizhu greeted him. "Is everything at the hospital settled? You're back so soon?"
"Yeah, it's settled. Let's go choose dresses later," Wangquan Baye gently rubbed Qin Huaizhu's head and nodded at Mrs. Wangquan. "Mom."
Liu Xiayun secretly clenched her fists when she saw Wangquan Baye's cold look towards her. She rolled her eyes and leaned on Mrs. Wangquan's arm. "Sister is pregnant now. She might need help with many things. Why don't I go with sister and Baye to choose dresses?"
Wangquan Baye frowned, but Mrs. Wangquan nodded repeatedly. "Go ahead, Baye. It'll be more convenient with Yunyun helping you."
Qin Huaizhu didn't say anything. The group got in the car and drove straight to the mall. In the dress store, there were all kinds of dresses with different styles.
"Are you here to choose dresses, ma'am? What style do you need? I can introduce them to you," a salesperson greeted them. Seeing Wangquan Baye hugging Qin Huaizhu, she addressed Qin Huaizhu.
"Um... I'll just take a look first."
"Sure, this way, please..."
Qin Huaizhu took a fancy to several simple and elegant styles and went to try them on with the help of the salesperson.
At this time, Liu Xiayun walked up to Wangquan Baye, who was waiting outside, and tried to lean on his arm. "Baye, what do you think of this one?"
Wangquan Baye subtly avoided her and ignored her.