Lu Yanbei accepted their apologies and gifts, but that was all. He didn't even offer them the courtesy of inviting them in for a cup of tea.
Sensing that Lu Yanbei was still angry, they didn't dare to provoke him further. They put down their gifts and left.
After leaving, the group discussed amongst themselves, realizing how foolish they had been. Gossip, indeed, was unreliable!
The young couple was doing just fine, with no signs of divorce!
The supposedly cold and ruthless boss, Lu, was incredibly gentle and attentive to his wife, even holding her arm as they walked, as if afraid she might fall.
Wait a minute! As they spoke, the group suddenly had an epiphany.
"Could Madam Lu be pregnant?"
"I think so too! Otherwise, why would she need to be supported just to walk?"
"Now that you mention it, I recall. Wasn't Madam Lu holding her waist when she opened the door? I heard that women experience back pain during pregnancy..."
"Perhaps it's true! Didn't Young Master Yan mention at the last charity gala that his wife wasn't feeling well?"
"Oh my, this is huge news!"
The group exchanged glances, their minds already made up.
The elite circles of B City were small, and news spread quickly. Within two hours, the word of Madam Lu's pregnancy was known to many.
"Is it true? Weren't they saying she couldn't have children before?"
"Hearing is one thing, seeing is believing! I saw it with my own eyes, there's no mistake! From now on, don't listen to those gossips spreading rumors, lest you offend someone!"
"Madam Lu is pregnant, what kind of gift would be appropriate?"
Thus, those who were initially gloating and waiting for a show gradually changed their tune, thinking about how to curry favor.
It had to be said that the Lu family's influence was truly not to be underestimated.
When Old Master Lu heard about this, he was overjoyed. He immediately called the butler and instructed him to send a car to the sanatorium to pick him up.
He wanted to confirm it himself!
With four generations under one roof, he was finally going to be a great-grandfather!
Old Master Lu's smile was so wide it seemed to reach the back of his head.
At this time, Su He was 14 weeks pregnant and not yet showing. Compared to others, her pregnancy symptoms were relatively mild. Apart from some morning sickness, her appetite remained good. All her test results during prenatal check-ups were normal.
Except for gaining a little weight, she looked no different than before.
"Grandpa, we wanted to tell you the good news after the baby was settled..." Su He felt a pang of guilt seeing the expectant look in the old man's eyes.
It was truly wrong of her to have made him worry for so long.
Old Master Lu stared at her belly for a few seconds before excitedly asking, "Are you really pregnant?"
Su He nodded shyly.
"Grandpa, let's talk in the living room," Lu Yanbei suggested, fearing that Su He would get tired standing.
Old Master Lu agreed several times and, chuckling, entered the house leaning on his cane.
"Master can rest easy now!" The butler, who had accompanied him, was worried that the old man's blood pressure might spike with excitement.
Old Master Lu stroked his beard, his eyes crinkling with a smile. "I've finally lived to see this day!"
"Then you must take good care of yourself, you'll be looking after the little young master," the butler chimed in with a smile. With a goal, the old man had something to look forward to, and perhaps live a few more years.
"That's for sure!" Old Master Lu laughed heartily.
After they were seated, the old man anxiously inquired about Su He's pregnancy symptoms, her appetite, and the like. He also ordered the tonics he had brought to be brought in, not wanting his granddaughter-in-law to be deprived.
"Su Su is a great contributor to our Lu family!" the old man exclaimed. "And, Grandpa will give you a private jet. Go wherever you want to go!"
The old man was generous and made a grand gesture, overshadowing his grandson.
Lu Yanbei had intended to give Su He a gift, but the old man's antics had disrupted his plans.
"Grandpa, you're giving her a plane for just being pregnant. What kind of gift will you give when the baby is born?" Lu Yanbei pursed his lips, displeased.
"That's easy! Cash rewards, straight up. Whatever the child wants, they can buy it," Old Master Lu declared imperiously, raising an eyebrow.
Lu Yanbei: ...
Defeated for the first time.
Su He listened, dumbfounded.
Indeed, poverty limited her imagination.
In the world of the wealthy, there was nothing they couldn't do that you couldn't imagine.
***
Now that the old man had shared the happy news, it was time to inform the Su family.
Su He, disliking the trouble of notifying everyone individually, simply tagged everyone in the family group chat.
In six months, you'll all be grandfathers (grandmothers, uncles, aunts)!
She followed it with a picture of an ultrasound scan.
Such momentous news naturally attracted a lot of attention. Those lurking in the chat emerged, and Su He's phone began to buzz incessantly. There were expressions of disbelief, congratulations on becoming a mother, and direct red envelope giveaways... the messages grew at a visible rate.
Su He could barely keep up.
After her phone finally quieted down, she slowly replied to everyone.
Tang Jiaojiao, finding sending messages troublesome, simply called her. "My dear daughter, are you really pregnant? How many months are you? Are you feeling unwell?"
Tang Jiaojiao had never been pregnant and wasn't quite sure what it felt like to be a mother. However, as a woman who had raised four children single-handedly, she had the most say in such matters.
"I don't have any major reactions, just eating more and sleeping more," Su He replied.
"That's good!" Tang Jiaojiao breathed a sigh of relief. "Is there anything you want to eat? Mom will bring it to you tomorrow. Oh, right, is it a boy or a girl? So I can buy clothes for my precious grandchild!"
"How would I know?" Su He said with a smile. "Really, you don't need to buy anything, I've already stocked up on plenty!"
"We must buy!" Tang Jiaojiao was a very generous person, especially towards her children. The baby in Su He's belly was her grandchild, and no amount of pampering was too much. "What style of stroller do you like? And formula, diapers..."
"Mom, it's still too early to prepare these things," Su He rubbed her temples, finding her overly enthusiastic. What if she stocked up on too much formula and diapers and they expired?
Besides, she had already decided to breastfeed, and the formula might not be used, so why waste the money?
After much persuasion, she finally managed to pacify Tang Jiaojiao. "If you really want to buy something, why not buy me more maternity wear? I've gained weight lately, and my clothes are getting tight!"
Lu Yanbei pushed the door open and happened to overhear his wife talking to her mother-in-law about this topic.
He glanced at Su He's chest, his gaze involuntarily darkening.
Yes, that area had indeed grown much larger. Her old clothes were no longer fitting properly.