Li Shuyao’s misfortune didn’t end there.
On the way to the hospital, one mishap after another befell her.
After her hand was fractured, a flock of birds flew overhead, and several freshly dropped bird droppings landed with uncanny precision on Li Shuyao. Instantly, she reeked, her face smeared with filth—some even got into her mouth. The entire journey left her retching uncontrollably.
Just as they were nearing the hospital, they encountered a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law in the midst of a heated argument. Li Shuyao’s constant retching caused the stretcher to tilt to one side, bumping into the elderly woman. The impact sent the old woman tumbling backward, landing squarely on Li Shuyao’s fractured leg.
Two sharp screams erupted simultaneously—one from Li Shuyao, writhing in pain from the pressure on her broken leg, and the other from the old woman who had been knocked over.
The old woman, realizing she’d been hit, exchanged a glance with her daughter-in-law, and an idea struck them.
“Aiyo, my leg! My whole body hurts! Ahhh, I can’t take it anymore!”
“Heavens, Mother, what’s wrong? How could you get hit like this? No, they must pay! They have to compensate us!”
“Yes, they must pay!”
United against a common enemy, the two immediately stopped quarreling and turned their fury on Li Shuyao. Even after she was rushed into the hospital for treatment, the pair followed her inside, relentless in their pursuit.
Onlookers outside whispered among themselves.
“That poor girl, getting targeted by those two—what terrible luck.”
“Yeah, everyone in the military district knows how notorious the Qian family’s mother-in-law and daughter-in-law are. They’re infamous for their sharp tongues and greed for money. That girl won’t get away without being skinned alive.”
……
Gu Jianing only learned about Li Shuyao’s misfortunes later, from Zhang Shuwan.
By then, however, Li Shuyao had already left the Northwest Military District.
“…Those Qian women squeezed fifty yuan out of her. And yesterday, when Li Shuyao was being carried onto the vehicle, she happened to tilt to the side and hit her mouth against the car. Started bleeding on the spot, and apparently even lost a tooth!” Zhang Shuwan recounted Li Shuyao’s misadventures with glee.
There was no helping it—the story had spread like wildfire throughout the military district.
Many of the soldiers who had once been smitten with Li Shuyao, along with their families, now abandoned any thoughts of pursuing her.
“Do you know what the old ladies are saying about Li Shuyao now?”
“Hmm?” Gu Jianing glanced over.
“They say she’s clearly unlucky, devoid of any blessings. Marrying into a family like that would only bring misfortune upon them.”
“So, despite her background, her looks, and her status in the performance troupe, all the families who once considered her as a potential daughter-in-law or granddaughter-in-law have changed their minds.”
“When Li Shuyao first arrived at the Northwest Military District, so many soldiers tried to chat her up. But when she left yesterday? Not a single one came to see her off.”
After listening, Gu Jianing fell into thoughtful silence.
To think, the “Misfortune Halo (Unlucky Aura)” she had installed on Li Shuyao would make her suffer such terrible luck.
Didn’t this prove just how truly wicked Li Shuyao was?
As for the old women’s concerns, both Gu Jianing and Zhang Shuwan understood. Though society now emphasized abandoning feudal superstitions and rejecting supernatural nonsense, the older generation still clung deeply to such beliefs.
However, discussions about Li Shuyao gradually faded after the Beijing Performance Troupe left.
What Gu Jianing hadn’t expected was that Sheng Zexi’s mission would keep him away for so long.
By the time she completed her medical training course, he still hadn’t returned—over a month since his departure.
Meanwhile, Gu Jianing’s pregnancy had progressed to over two months.
In contrast, Zhang Shuwan and Jiang Baihe were already over three months along, their bellies slightly showing.
Both women trusted Gu Jianing’s medical skills implicitly. Whenever they visited, they would ask her to check their pulses and inquire about their health and their babies’ conditions.
That day, after finishing her final training assessment, Gu Jianing returned home to find the two women arriving one after another.
“Jianing, do you think my baby is a boy or a girl?” Jiang Baihe, delighted to hear her baby was healthy, couldn’t resist asking.
Gu Jianing tilted her head but didn’t answer directly. Instead, she asked, “Sister Baihe, do you prefer a boy or a girl?”
Jiang Baihe paused, her hand resting on her belly. A soft, yearning smile touched her lips as she replied, “I’d love either—as long as it’s mine and Jianguo’s child, I’ll cherish them.”
She meant it. After four years of trying, she and Chai Jianguo were finally expecting. Whether a boy or a girl, this baby would be treasured beyond measure.
“But my husband prefers a girl. He says if she takes after me, that’d be even better. Lately, he’s even asked someone to get some expensive, brightly colored fabric so I can make little clothes for his daughter. I think a girl would be lovely too.”
“I see.” If Jiang Baihe had insisted on a boy and disliked the idea of a girl, Gu Jianing might have kept the answer to herself. But since they were happy either way—especially favoring a daughter—she smiled. “Then congratulations to Commander Chai and Sister Baihe. You’ve gotten your wish—it’s a sweet little girl.”
“Really?” Jiang Baihe beamed. “I’ll tell Jianguo later. He’ll be overjoyed!”
“Looks like I’ll have to start preparing all the baby girl’s things early.”
“Jianing, Jianing! What about me? Is mine a boy or a girl?” Zhang Shuwan pressed eagerly after Jiang Baihe.
Clearly, both women trusted Gu Jianing’s medical judgment completely—if she said it was a girl, it was a girl; if a boy, then a boy. No doubts whatsoever.
“A boy!” Gu Jianing knew Zhang Shuwan wanted a son to secure their family’s standing, ensuring Lin Xing’s scheming relatives couldn’t take advantage of them.
So, she didn’t keep her waiting and answered directly.
In truth, once a pregnancy reached two months, the system could scan not only the baby’s gender but also how many fetuses there were, their health, and developmental progress—everything.
When Zhang Shuwan heard Gu Jianing say she was carrying a boy, she froze for a moment. Then her eyes reddened.
“A boy… it’s a boy. Boys are good.”
Tears spilled down her cheeks as years of pent-up grievances and heartache seemed to pour out. The heavy stone weighing on her heart had finally been lifted.
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