"Are you missing Brother Yi?" Qi Zhenzhen glanced meaningfully at Qi Xuanyuan.
With Madam Da Qin present, she couldn't be too explicit.
Qi Xuanyuan understood her meaning and shot her a playful glare. "Not at all. I was just thinking that with Brother Yi here, we can send word of your pregnancy to Grandmother, Madam Yun, and Father. Grandmother will surely be overjoyed when she hears you're with child."
Qi Zhenzhen smiled and hummed in acknowledgment. "It should be in the next few days, then?"
Madam Da Qin chimed in, "We should indeed inform the in-laws. This is joyous news. By the way, Zhenzhen, also send a letter to A Nian, letting him know he's about to become a father. That way, he can finish his duties quickly and return sooner."
Qi Zhenzhen agreed. This good news definitely had to be shared with A Nian.
"Also, I don't need anyone to attend to me. Let them all stay with you," Madam Da Qin said.
This time, Qi Zhenzhen had brought Chunfeng and Erxi, while Madam Da Qin had brought a wet nurse and two maids.
"Mother, it's not necessary. I don't have much going on here. Everything can proceed as usual. If things become too tense, I'll feel uncomfortable," Qi Zhenzhen quickly refused.
Madam Da Qin felt that they should be more cautious, not careless.
She insisted on leaving her people behind.
"Mother, really, it's not needed. Besides, Xuanyuan is always with me, and she has Ziyan. Ziyan served my grandmother before and is very capable. So, Mother, please don't worry."
There was no doubt about the competence of Madam Da Qin's attendants, but the key was that they served Madam Da Qin, and Qi Zhenzhen was not familiar with them. Using them would surely be inconvenient. If any unpleasantness arose after the birth, it would be awkward for everyone.
Seeing Qi Zhenzhen's repeated refusal, Madam Da Qin did not insist further.
"Then, if you need anything, tell me promptly. If you don't have enough help, have Erxi go back and fetch the other maids from your courtyard," Madam Da Qin instructed.
Qi Zhenzhen acknowledged.
Madam Da Qin stood up. "Then I won't stay here any longer. You should rest quickly. The monk doctor said you need to rest well."
Qi Zhenzhen relaxed. When Madam Da Qin was present, looking at her eyes filled with affection and relief, Qi Zhenzhen felt inexplicably tense.
"Second Sister, what do you want to eat tonight?" Qi Xuanyuan asked.
"I just had two bowls of porridge and I'm not hungry at all. Asking me what I want to eat now, I can't say," Qi Zhenzhen chided. "Also, from now on, everything should be as usual, don't be so nervous. For meals, a balanced diet of meat and vegetables with sufficient nutrition is enough. Don't think that eating more and better food during pregnancy is good for your health! Eating too much can lead to health problems, and the baby might grow too large due to over-nutrition, potentially leading to a double fatality during labor."
"Bah, bah, bah, may bad things be dispelled and good things come. Second Sister, hurry up," Qi Xuanyuan said anxiously.
Qi Zhenzhen quickly did as she was told.
"Second Sister, I don't know what to say about you!" Qi Xuanyuan said with a stern little face. "You're not allowed to do this anymore."
"Alright, alright, it was my sister who misspoke. Sister promises, I won't say such things again."
Qi Xuanyuan's expression improved slightly.
"But, is what Sister said true? Eating too much..." Qi Xuanyuan asked.
Eating too much was just overeating, how could it be so serious? At that time, she had been hoping to eat more, even if it meant overeating. The feeling of not having enough to eat was the most unbearable, and she didn't want to experience it again.
Qi Zhenzhen guessed she was probably recalling her past days and said softly, "When I say eating too much, I mean eating a lot *on top of* the usual fullness. That's what's considered overeating. Some people think that since they are pregnant, they are two people, so they should eat more. This lack of restraint can easily lead to problems. Think about it, if an ordinary person suddenly eats a lot, their body will feel uncomfortable, let alone a pregnant woman?"