Li Yunlan was immediately irritated. What did she mean, "married poorly"? Her son was the finest young man in the world.

Her gaze toward Cheng Mingyue turned frosty. "Well, your daughter has bad luck, then. My daughter married wonderfully. Her in-laws treat her like their own, her husband adores her, and she's now expecting a baby. We're on our way to see her." She raised an eyebrow pointedly. "If your daughter married so poorly, shouldn't you be visiting her from the city? Or at least sending her things? Tell me, does she have any children?"

Cheng Mingyue was stumped. How would she know if Lin Xiaoxiao was pregnant? Her daughter had initially refused to marry Zhou Huai'an outright, though she seemed to have accepted her fate later. As for children, she had no idea.

She'd never loved Lin Xiaoxiao's father, and those feelings had unfortunately extended to the daughter. Still, hearing the familiar name tugged at her heart. She never should have said anything.

Her younger daughter, Lin Hongyan, tugged at her sleeve. "Mom, I want that fabric for a dress too. Buy it for me!"

Cheng Mingyue quickly turned to soothe her. "Alright, alright, we'll get it soon. But it's already getting cold—what use is a dress now? There will be new styles in the spring."

Lin Hongyan pouted. "No! I want this one. We can buy new ones then, too. And let's get that red wool coat we saw earlier."

"Okay, okay," Cheng Mingyue agreed hastily. "We'll go back and get them after this auntie is done."

Watching this, Li Yunlan felt a wave of disgust. This woman completely neglected her older daughter while spoiling the younger one. What kind of mother was that?

Deliberately, she asked, "Where did your daughter marry into? You should buy something for your eldest, too."

Cheng Mingyue's face tightened. "No, no, it's fine. I'll get her something when she comes back to the city. Please, you go ahead and shop. We'll look elsewhere." She quickly pulled Lin Hongyan away, unnerved by the stranger's pointed remarks.

Once they were out of earshot, Lin Hongyan whined, "You're not really going to buy anything for Lin Xiaoxiao, are you? She's not even Dad's daughter. You'd be spending his money!"

She'd always been jealous of her half-sister. Lin Xiaoxiao was beautiful, with fair, rosy skin that never seemed to tan, unlike her own darker complexion, small eyes, and features she considered plain.

"Of course not," Cheng Mingyue sighed. "But she is still my daughter—your sister. Who knows, if she does well someday, she might be able to help you."

Lin Hongyan sneered. "How could I ever need help from her? She married some country bumpkin. She'll be stuck in the countryside forever. Promise me you won't send her anything, or I'll tell Dad and Grandma."

"Don't be silly," Cheng Mingyue frowned. "I won't send her anything. She's a grown woman—she should be sending money to me. And don't mention any of this at home. Your brother is focusing on his college exams this year. He doesn't need distractions."

Lin Hongyan nodded, satisfied. "As long as you ignore Lin Xiaoxiao, I won't say a word. Besides, Brother is so smart—he'll definitely get into university. Then we'll have a college student in the family!"

Cheng Mingyue's mood lifted instantly. Her son was her pride and joy. As for Lin Xiaoxiao... some relationships were better left in the past.

Back at the fabric stall, Li Yunlan scowled as she watched Cheng Mingyue leave. "Do you know who that was?" she asked Zhou Zhennan.

After overhearing the conversation, it wasn't hard to guess. "Xiaoxiao's birth mother."

"Exactly," Li Yunlan said bitterly. "How can a mother be so heartless? Ignoring one daughter while spoiling the other. Our Xiaoxiao deserves so much better. We must treat her well—she must never feel unloved again."

Zhou Zhennan nodded. "We will. Now, let's finish shopping."

Li Yunlan grumbled about Cheng Mingyue a while longer, then a worried thought struck her. "Do you think I favored the others over Beiqing? Is that why she turned out so difficult?"

Zhou Zhennan's expression hardened at the mention of their daughter. "No. That child was born with a twisted nature. I don't know how we raised someone like that."

"But where will she go now that you've thrown her out?" Li Yunlan fretted.

"I don't care where she goes," he said, his resolve firm. "She's beyond help. Her character is rotten to the core."

With a sigh, Li Yunlan turned her attention back to shopping for Lin Xiaoxiao. She bought so much they needed another suitcase and two more travel bags.

When they finally arrived at Lin Xiaoxiao's home, the sheer amount of luggage they brought made her gasp. "Mom! Dad! What are you doing here? And what is all this?"

Li Yunlan beamed, her eyes immediately dropping to Lin Xiaoxiao's belly. "Goodness, look how far along you are! Why didn't you tell us sooner?" She hurried over, took Lin Xiaoxiao's hands, and looked her over carefully before leading her inside.

She briefly acknowledged Zhou Huai'an before showering Lin Xiaoxiao with questions. "How many months? Are you feeling alright? Your belly is quite round—any nausea?"

Lin Xiaoxiao smiled. "None at all. I feel perfect. Please, sit down and rest. However did you manage to bring all this?"

There were at least three large suitcases and several bulky bags.

"Oh, it was fine," Li Yunlan said cheerfully. "The train carried it. Some kind strangers helped us at the station, and we found a cart in town to bring it right to your door."

"You didn't have to bring the whole house!" Lin Xiaoxiao laughed.

"Nonsense! It's all for the baby and you. Babies need frequent changes, so I brought plenty of clothes. I even brought some of Xiaoling and Xiaocheng's old things—washed and clean. They say wearing hand-me-downs helps babies grow strong and healthy."

Touched, Lin Xiaoxiao said, "Thank you, Mom. With you here, I don't have to worry about a thing."

Li Yunlan patted her hand. "Silly child, that's what we're here for."

Finally, she seemed to remember Zhou Huai'an. "Huai'an, why didn't you come see us when you returned? Your grandfather has been asking for you."

Lin Xiaoxiao shot a glance at her husband and decided to be frank. "He was injured. He didn't want to worry you, so he came back quietly. Mom, you really should give him a good talking-to."