Chapter 20 Just Make Your Decision

After meeting Si Yan, Su Nian's desire to keep the child became even stronger, like a flame that had been given more firewood.

At the dinner table that evening, Su Hong's eyes hardly left her daughter, and her chopsticks kept picking up food from her bowl. Regardless of the final decision, her health was the most important thing at the moment.

"Nian Nian, eat more." Su Hong put a piece of tender pork ribs into her bowl, her tone filled with heartache. "You were so obsessed with hiding it from me a while ago that you must not have eaten or slept well. Look at your face, it's become so thin and pointed."

"Mom..." Su Nian dragged out her words, her cheeks slightly red. "I know I was wrong, please stop nagging me. I'll eat, I'll eat as much as I can, okay?"

"That's right." Su Hong smiled and poured her another spoonful of crucian carp soup. Thinking that her daughter had been hiding something on her mind recently, she must have had a hard time. She had to make up for it during this period.

Just as she was thinking, Su Hong suddenly looked up and asked, "You haven't gone to the hospital for a checkup on your pregnancy yet, right? Can they tell the truth by just taking your pulse? Don't worry..."

"Mom, don't worry." Su Nian hurriedly explained, "Fei'er said he's the youngest professor at the University of Traditional Chinese Medicine and comes from a family of traditional Chinese medicine practitioners. It should be true," she paused, then added, "And he's already made arrangements. He said he'd take me to the hospital for a detailed examination."

Su Hong listened and nodded slowly. It seemed that this Si Yan was quite prudent and thoughtful.

The living room of the Si family's old house was bustling with activity. Aunt Si Yuqing, mother Zhang Minghua, and cousin Li Jiawei were gathered together to talk to the old lady.

Si Yan had just walked in and hadn't had time to change his shoes when Si Yuqing glanced behind him like a radar scan and instantly raised her voice: "Where's that girl named Su Nian? Ah Yan, you didn't lie to me that day, did you? You made our whole family excited for nothing!"

"Aunt, she has something to do today." Si Yan spread his hands helplessly and could only use "something" as an excuse.

"Brother, so you're really going to find me a sister-in-law?" Li Jiawei's eyes lit up, and his gossip spirit burned. "Tell me quickly, what kind of fairy can conquer my brother, such a cold and aloof grass?"

"Ayan, tell grandma the truth," the old lady asked anxiously, "When can I see my granddaughter-in-law? I'm just looking forward to seeing what she looks like."

Si Yan raised his eyebrows and smiled, "Grandma, don't worry. Maybe by then we can bring back not only your granddaughter-in-law, but also your great-grandson, as a surprise for you."

"You're capable of this, kid? Don't be such a boast!" Zhang Minghua poked his son's arm with a smile. "Your father wasn't so arrogant back then."

"Grandma believes you!" The old lady immediately glared at her daughter-in-law. "It's all your fault. You spend all day at the clinic and school, making the children follow your example. You also only care about work. You don't care about Ayan's lifelong affairs at all!"

"Yes, yes, you're right!" Zhang Minghua quickly raised his hands in surrender and said with a smile, "From now on, we will definitely make Ah Yan's life event an A-level project, and keep him updated and asking about it every day!"

Seeing the flames of war shift, Si Yan wanted to slip away - the kitchen has always been a safe haven for the men in the Si family, and his father and uncle must be there studying recipes at this moment.

"Stop!" The old lady was quick-witted. "Grandma hasn't finished her question yet!"

Si Yan had no choice but to turn back and put on the standard good grandson posture: "If you ask, I promise to tell you everything I know!"

"Stop talking nonsense," the old lady narrowed her eyes. "Tell me more about that great-grandson. Is it true? When do you plan to bring him home?"

It's not appropriate to bring up this topic right now. Si Yan laughed and said, "Grandma, give me some more time. I promise to give you definite news soon!"

"So you haven't figured it out yet? No way, you little brat!" Si Yuqing was disappointed. "If someone else had your qualifications, they'd be instantly sold out on the dating market. Why is it that for you, it's like solving calculus?"

"My mom is right, brother, you could rely on your looks, but you choose to rely on your talent." Li Jiawei chimed in.

Si Yan complained in his heart: "Isn't this enough for me? I already have a child, it's just a matter of whether I can keep it or not."

"I'll try, I'll redouble my efforts!" He raised three fingers in a pledge, "Give me a little more time, and you'll hear what I say!"

He quickly stood up and tried to slip away: "I'd better go to the kitchen to see if my dad and uncle burn the braised pork into charcoal!" Before he finished speaking, he had already slipped into the kitchen.

Although Si Yan didn't bring anyone back, the family still had a happy meal together.

After dinner, Su Hong went out to square dance, leaving Su Nian alone at home. She sat at her desk, spreading out her design draft for the National Fashion Innovation Design Competition, her brows slightly furrowed.

The deadline is early August, and she always feels that the finished product of the last summer clothing series is not up to standard, so she plans to completely overturn it and start over.

But I have been troubled by my pregnancy during this period, and the progress has been delayed a lot. Now I can only hurry up and finish the work.

Just as I put the first stroke on the design, my cell phone rang and the name "Si Yan" popped up on the screen.

"Su Nian, I have an appointment to go to the hospital for a check-up the day after tomorrow. Please get ready and I will pick you up then." Si Yan's voice was steady and warm on the other end of the phone.

"Okay." Su Nian responded softly and hung up the phone, but a trace of inexplicable expectation still lingered on his fingertips.

I picked up the paintbrush again, but my thoughts were like a kite with a broken string, floating around and landing on the "examination the day after tomorrow".

She stopped after drawing a few strokes, staring blankly at the night outside the window until Su Hong knocked on the door and came in, scolding her to go to bed early, and then she closed the sketch.

Lying in bed, Su Nian tossed and turned like a pancake, and simply got out of bed and returned to the desk.

Perhaps it was the quietness of the night that sparked inspiration. This time, it was like fireworks exploding in my mind - a clear idea suddenly emerged.

She aims to explore the balance between industrial civilization and natural ecology, centering on the concept of "symbiosis between nature and the city." She uses fabric splicing to depict the collision of hardness and softness, contrasting colors to echo the blend of coldness and warmth, and through structural reorganization, sews modern people's yearning for sustainable living into the stitching.

Two sets of design options gradually became clear in my mind:

The outfit is "City Wanderer," a dark gray recycled fiber coat wrapped with an off-white organic cotton turtleneck sweater, rust-red straight pants paired with Martin boots, like a traveler walking through a steel jungle;

The other set is "Natural Symbiosis", which consists of a beige wool cape short coat paired with a misty blue draped long skirt and a rustic wooden belt tied around the waist, making her look like a messenger walking out of the woods.

The two outfits harmoniously combine opposing elements, conveying the message that urban life need not be divorced from nature. The sustainable fabrics used make the garments a link between humans and nature.

When she came to her senses, the sky outside the window was already turning pale. The next day, when she woke up, it was almost ten o'clock. When she got up, she saw Su Hong at home.

"Stayed up late again?" Su Hong came out of the kitchen carrying a casserole, her tone full of heartache.

"Well, I happened to have some inspiration last night, so I painted for a while longer." Su Nian rubbed his temples and smiled, "Mom, why didn't you go to the store?"

"I made you some lily and lotus seed soup. Let it cool down and come." Su Hong poured a bowl and placed it in front of her. "Don't boil it any longer. You're pregnant. By the way, have you...thought it through?"

"Mom, I want this baby." Su Nian scooped a spoonful of soup, and warmth flowed from her throat to her heart. "Si Yan made an appointment to pick me up tomorrow to go to the hospital for a checkup."

Su Hong sighed and patted the back of her hand: "It's good that you have made up your mind. Don't worry, Mom will help you."

The lily and lotus seed soup in the porcelain bowl was steaming, enchanting the eyes and brows of the mother and daughter.