The cold wind of December swirled fine snowflakes, pattering against the windowpanes of the Shen family's house with a soft "rustling" sound. Lin Wanqiu, wrapped in a thick cotton-padded coat, leaned back in a rocking chair with three layers of cotton cushions, holding a warm copper hand warmer in her hands, watching Shen Tingzhou sweeping snow in the yard. He wore a dark blue coarse cotton coat, a thin layer of sweat beading on his forehead, but he showed no sign of stopping, sweeping the snow in the yard clean, leaving only a small pile in the corner, saying he would wait for Nian'an to come back from his holiday so they could build a snowman together.

"Tingzhou, stop sweeping, take a break," Lin Wanqiu called softly, her voice carrying a touch of lazy warmth. Since the space fruit alleviated her pregnancy symptoms, her spirits had improved considerably, and her complexion had become rosy, no longer as pale and weak as before.

Shen Tingzhou put down the broom, patted the snow off his clothes, and quickly went into the house. He picked up the warm water on the table, took a sip, and then walked over to Lin Wanqiu, reaching out to touch her forehead: "Are you not cold? I see it's windy outside, so I'll close the windows tighter."

"No need, it's quite warm inside." Lin Wanqiu smiled and took his hand, feeling the warmth of his palm. "Why didn't you go to the commune today? Wasn't there supposed to be a meeting about expanding production in the workshops?"

Shen Tingzhou sat on the small stool next to her, held her hand, and said with a firm look in his eyes, "I've told the commune secretary that I won't go to that meeting. I'll have Accountant Li go in my place. From now on, I'll decline all other work except for urgent matters that I have to handle in the workshop. I want to stay home and take good care of you and the children."

Lin Wanqiu's heart skipped a beat, somewhat surprised: "How can that be? Expanding production in the workshop is a big deal, how can you not go?"

“Nothing is impossible.” Shen Tingzhou gently touched her lower abdomen, his tone tender. “No matter how big the workshop matters are, nothing is more important than you and the baby. I used to always think about doing my job well, but I neglected you and made you suffer so much. Now that you are pregnant, it is the time when you need someone to take care of you. I can’t let you bear it all alone anymore.”

Actually, Shen Tingzhou had already called the commune secretary last night to tell him about the situation at home. The secretary knew that Lin Wanqiu was experiencing severe pregnancy symptoms and was very understanding. He even smiled and told him to stay home and take care of his wife, assuring him that the commune would keep an eye on the workshop.

“But there are still many things in the workshop that you need to handle, such as coordinating with the branch in the neighboring county and training new workers…” Lin Wanqiu was still a little worried, after all, the workshop was built by the couple together and they had put a lot of effort into it.

“I’ve arranged all of these things,” Shen Tingzhou said with a smile. “I’ve handed over the coordination with the branch in the neighboring county to Brother Wang. He’s come with me several times and is already very familiar with the process. As for the training of new workers, Zhang Lan and Aunt Wang are here. They are also very clear about the workshop’s process now, so they will definitely be able to do a good job. From now on, I will only go to the workshop once a day to check on the situation, and spend the rest of the time at home with you.”

Lin Wanqiu was deeply moved as she looked at Shen Tingzhou's earnest expression. She knew that Shen Tingzhou always valued his work highly; when he was in the army, he often didn't go home for months at a time to complete his missions. Now, for her and their child, he had turned down so many jobs—this gesture warmed her heart.

In the days that followed, Shen Tingzhou kept his word. Every morning, he would first go to the workshop to check on the production, explain the day's work to Brother Wang and Zhang Lan, and then rush home to have meals, take walks, and chat with Lin Wanqiu.

When the morning sun was shining brightly, Shen Tingzhou would help Lin Wanqiu take a walk in the yard, telling her funny stories from his time in the army, making her laugh heartily. Sometimes, he would take out pregnancy and childbirth books he had bought from the county town and read the precautions to her. Although Lin Wanqiu already knew some of the content, she still listened attentively, enjoying this warm and cozy time.

After lunch, Shen Tingzhou would have Lin Wanqiu lie down on the kang (a heated brick bed) to rest, while he sat beside her and peeled fruit for her. He was very skilled at peeling fruit; the apple peel was thin and even, and he would cut the apple into small pieces, skewer them with toothpicks, and feed them to Lin Wanqiu. As Lin Wanqiu ate the apple, she looked at Shen Tingzhou's gentle profile, her heart filled with happiness.

In the afternoon, if the weather was nice, Shen Tingzhou would push a small cart, taking Lin Wanqiu for a walk on the ridges of the fields outside the village. He had specially modified the cart, laying a thick cotton pad on it and hanging a small blanket on it, so that Lin Wanqiu wouldn't catch a cold. Some of the snow on the ridges had melted, revealing tender green wheat seedlings. In the distance, wisps of smoke rose from the village chimneys, and occasionally the sounds of roosters crowing and dogs barking could be heard, creating a peaceful and serene scene.

"Look, the willows over there have already started to sprout. In a while, you'll see them turn green," Shen Tingzhou said to Lin Wanqiu with a smile, pointing to the willows not far away.

Lin Wanqiu looked in the direction he pointed and saw that tiny buds were sprouting on the willow branches. She was filled with anticipation: "Yes, spring is coming soon, and our child will be born soon."

"Yes, when the time comes, I want to hold our child and take you to the county town for a stroll, buy you new clothes, and buy toys for the child." Shen Tingzhou held Lin Wanqiu's hand tightly, his eyes full of longing.

Sometimes, Grandma Shen and Zhang Lan would join them for walks. Grandma Shen would tell Lin Wanqiu amusing stories about her pregnancy with Shen Tingzhou and his brother, while Zhang Lan would chat with Lin Wanqiu about the workshop, telling her how popular the newly made pastries were and how many orders were coming in. Listening to them, Lin Wanqiu felt very gratified and thought this kind of life was wonderful.

One evening, Lin Wanqiu suddenly craved dumplings, and Shen Tingzhou immediately went to the kitchen to prepare them without hesitation. He kneaded the dough and prepared the filling with practiced ease. Grandma Shen and Zhang Lan also came to help, and everyone made dumplings together, chatting and laughing, creating a lively atmosphere. After the dumplings were cooked, Shen Tingzhou first served Lin Wanqiu a bowl, carefully blowing on it to cool it down, and only after watching her finish eating did he begin to eat himself.

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