Her hand couldn't help but rest on the back of Glades Horne's hand, conveying her own excitement and joy.

Mila Anderson personally saw Dr. Lei out. Her son was so overjoyed he had completely forgotten Dr. Lei's presence, and she didn't want to interrupt his ecstatic mood.

"Dr. Lei, is Julia carrying a boy or a girl?" Mila Anderson had another reason for personally seeing Dr. Lei out: she wanted to learn from him whether Julia was expecting a boy or a girl. Although it was said that boys and girls were the same these days, she still hoped Julia's first child would be a plump, adorable grandson.

Dr. Lei chuckled. "Ma'am, you're a bit too anxious. The 'pulse of joy' has only just manifested; the gender can't be determined from the pulse yet. It will be some time before it can be ascertained."

It was still a few days shy of four weeks; how could they determine the gender?

They would have to wait until the fetus had taken form to be sure.

Mila Anderson smiled sheepishly. As a mother herself, she knew she was indeed being too impatient.

Although doctors nowadays don't tell expectant mothers the gender of their unborn child, many people still manage to find out in advance through various channels. For a prominent family like the Hornes, finding out in advance whether Julia was expecting a boy or a girl would be exceedingly easy. However, determining the gender usually requires an examination after three months of pregnancy, as the fetus only fully develops its form by then. At this stage, it couldn't even be called a fetus yet, only an embryo.

"Thank you, Dr. Lei. By the way, my daughter-in-law, Julia, is a very assertive and independent woman. Will it be alright for her to continue working now that she's pregnant? She works every day with her computer right on her desk. Could the radiation be too much?" Mila Anderson, having gone through pregnancy herself, naturally had more worries and questions.

Glades Horne might have read books on the subject, but at this moment, he was so elated he was close to forgetting his own name, let alone other concerns.

Dr. Lei mused. Computers do emit considerable radiation.

"She shouldn't use the computer for more than four hours a day, and there should be no issue. Alternatively, she could wear anti-radiation clothing."

"But I've heard that those anti-radiation clothes don't actually protect against radiation at all. Instead, they might even worsen it," Mila Anderson said, her brows furrowed.

"If Ma'am is genuinely concerned about the effects, then just have the Young Mistress avoid using the computer," Dr. Lei said with a smile. Given the Horne family's wealth, if Julia Bluen wanted to continue working, they could easily hire someone to handle computer tasks for her, while she managed other things, like signing documents.

"Ma'am, there's no need to see me out. It's cold; you should go back inside." Dr. Lei got into his car and bid Mila Anderson goodbye. He didn't discuss this issue with Mila Anderson any further; if they continued, it would delve into family matters. He was a man of principle, only concerning himself with the Horne family's health and not getting involved in their family affairs in the slightest. Regarding Mila Anderson's worries about her grandchild and her desire for Julia Bluen not to work, Dr. Lei thought it best for her to find her own solution. He was an outsider; saying too much could easily cause offense.

Just as Mila Anderson was pondering how to prevent Julia from going to work, Julia and Glades Horne emerged from the house together, evidently preparing to head back to the company.

"Julia." Seeing her daughter-in-law about to leave, Mila Anderson disregarded her composure and hurried forward, saying with concern, "Julia, why don't you rest at home today? It's already past nine, so you won't get much done at the office anyway. Just rest for one day and go tomorrow."

Julia had just gotten pregnant, after all. She really should get some extra nourishment, Mila thought.

"Mom, tomorrow is Saturday already. I really need to go to the office today; there are many things requiring my attention. And next Monday, I have to attend a trade fair." Julia Bluen smiled faintly. Mom's attitude towards me really is like she's a completely different person now, she mused. "Mom, don't worry, I'll be fine, and your precious granddaughter will be fine too. Didn't Dr. Lei say I'm in good health?"

As she spoke, Julia Bluen was already getting into her own car.

"Wait!" Seeing that Julia wasn't getting into Glades's car, Mila Anderson anxiously called out again, grabbing Julia's arm. Then, suddenly remembering Julia's mention of a granddaughter, she quickly changed the subject. "You've only just conceived, how do you know it's a girl? I actually think it's a boy. The last time I played mahjong, another player told me about a medicine that can supposedly turn a girl into a boy, but it's only effective if taken before the fortieth day of pregnancy. Julia, how about I ask her for the prescription?"

"Mom!" both Glades Horne and Julia Bluen exclaimed. Glades's expression turned grim. "Mom, pregnant women can't just take any medication. Boy or girl, what does it matter? It's my child. Please don't go looking for random medicines for Julia. Those kinds of drugs aren't trustworthy. If such a medicine truly existed, no one in the world would be having baby girls anymore."

Mila Anderson chuckled awkwardly and didn't insist, partly because she recalled something else: her mahjong friend had mentioned that someone who took that medicine did indeed have a son, but the baby was born with a congenital heart defect. Despite spending a fortune on treatment, the child didn't survive, leading only to heartbreak. A wave of anxiety washed over her. How could I, a mother of two myself, still believe such things?

That ancestral secret recipe for bearing sons Julia took before didn't have any adverse effects, mainly because she wasn't pregnant then. But now that she is pregnant, taking medication recklessly could have serious consequences.

"Well then, Julia, don't drive yourself. Let Glades take you. Or, Mom can drive you; my driving skills are quite good too," Mila Anderson said eagerly and considerately.

The moment Julia Bluen became pregnant, Mila automatically began to treat her as the most important person in her life, wishing she could stay by Julia's side twenty-four hours a day, watching over her to prevent any mishaps.

She had completely forgotten her previous indifference towards Julia.

"Mom, there's no need. You should rest well at home. Look, your dark circles are more pronounced. Mom, have you been suffering from insomnia lately?" Julia Bluen declined her mother-in-law's offer to be her chauffeur, noticing Mila Anderson's worsening dark circles and asking with concern.

"It's an old problem, nothing serious," Mila Anderson replied. Ever since Gian Horne's affair, she had frequently suffered from insomnia. It had been decades, and she was used to it.