"What did you cook? I remember your mom mentioning you learned to cook; Grandma hasn't tasted your culinary skills yet," the old lady said. She had obviously seen Glades Horne's reaction as well and, with a playful heart, deliberately walked into the dining room. However, when she saw the dishes Julia Bluen prepared tonight, she was first surprised—all the dishes had a sour taste. Then, as if realizing something, she happily asked Julia, "Julia, have you been craving sour foods?"

Julia was confused by her reaction and replied, "I just started liking sour foods today."

At her words, the old lady laughed even more joyfully.

The couple had been married for some time now. Under normal circumstances, there should have been good news by now.

So she immediately took Julia's hand with a chuckle and said, "These are signs of pregnancy."

Signs of pregnancy?

Everyone was stunned.

"Grandma, you're saying these are signs of pregnancy? But..." Julia was a bit incredulous. She couldn't simply claim she was pregnant just because she suddenly liked sour things. She always enjoyed sweet and sour food. Could it be said she has always been pregnant? After her honeymoon, calculating from when her last period ended to now... um, about twenty days.

In a few more days, it would be time for her period to come again. If it didn't come, it would confirm Grandma's guess was correct. If it did, then it would prove Grandma's guess was wrong.

With three grown men present, Julia felt embarrassed to discuss these matters with the old lady.

In her heart, there was a little resistance, but also some anticipation.

Originally, she didn't want to have a child so soon. She felt she was still young, at only twenty-six, and hadn't had enough time alone with Glades. Moreover, her career hadn't yet taken off. She had many things to attend to. Getting pregnant would undoubtedly impact her to some extent. First off, her mother-in-law, who was eager for her to have a child soon, and preferably eight or ten grandchildren, certainly wouldn't agree to her continuing to run around for work. Secondly, Glades, who doted on her to the skies and feared she might tire herself, would definitely object to her working.

A life without work seemed so boring to her. Just thinking about those non-working ladies of leisure, leading lives that seemed happy but were actually dull, made her scalp tighten. She would be bored to death.

As for the anticipation, it came from the last time her mother-in-law had Calista Ward bring a baby over for her to see. She thought the baby was so adorable that she began to hope for a baby of her own.

Glades was particularly looking forward to having a baby. At his age, in ordinary families, men in their thirties often had children old enough to be in kindergarten.

Not long ago, during a trip to the bookstore, she had bought a few books about pregnancy, only to read a few pages before Glades finished all of them. His anticipation for a child was evident.

Glades had been so good to her, given so much, and her reciprocity was minimal. He liked children so much that if she really was pregnant, she also wanted to have the baby for him. To bear children for her own man, in her mother-in-law's words: that was a woman's duty.

"Grandma, are you sure her craving for sour foods means she's pregnant?" Glades suddenly became the most composed person there. He was well aware of Julia's menstrual cycle. After reading the books, he understood the situation of pregnant women more clearly. Seeing his wife suddenly fancy sour foods, he found it odd, as he had not immediately recalled that an initial pregnancy symptom is a change in appetite.

Julia could calculate the dates, and he had done so as well.

If she was indeed pregnant, twenty days could be enough time for changes in appetite to start, which would be normal.

However, without confirmation from a doctor, he dared not indulge in unrestrained joy.

His heart was pounding with anxiety and immense anticipation, but he masked it well. Outwardly, he appeared calm.

He had another reason for not showing unrestrained joy.

Since getting married nearly two months prior, his mother had been fixated on Julia's belly and had even had a talk with her about having children, insisting she not work and instead rest at home to prepare for pregnancy, claiming that a woman's duty was to bear children. He had heard all this himself. At the time, he hadn't spoken up to stop his mother as he himself quite liked the idea of Julia not working and staying home to have children for him.

Allowing Julia to work and indulging her was because he loved her too much to go against her pursuits, doting on her. But deep down, he hoped she would spend his money, as he was her husband and believed it only natural for a wife to spend her husband's money.

This showed that Glades had been changing some of his chauvinistic views for Julia.

These were things Julia did not know.

If he were to express joy before getting confirmation from a doctor and let his mother and the family know, and if it turned out to be a false pregnancy, his mother would be sorely disappointed, then become even less fond of Julia, wrongly thinking she had feigned pregnancy to curry favor with the family.

Regardless of what his mother and family might think, as long as he had considered this possibility, he had to preclude any speculation and slander that might arise.

His piercing gaze, while he spoke, shot a warning look to Henry Horne and Harry Horne. As brothers, they would certainly understand the depth of his gaze.

Upon hearing Julia might be pregnant, the twins, after a brief stun, were naturally overjoyed. The Horne family hadn't had a new addition in a long while, and they too longed for a nephew or niece to dote on. Perhaps it was a sibling instinct, but like Glades, they were particularly fond of children. Unfortunately, they hadn't yet found a woman they would choose to be the mother of their children.

Suddenly catching the stern look from their elder brother, the twins' joy froze on their faces, sheepishly looking at him.

If sister-in-law was expecting, why would the elder brother have such a reaction?

But since the elder brother had warned them, they naturally didn't dare to spread the word at home.

The old lady, taking Julia by the hand, walked out of the dining room and only after a few steps remembered something, quickly asking Julia with a laugh, "Julia, have you had enough to eat?"

To pull someone away and then ask if they had enough to eat?