Chen Hao squatted in front of the shoe cabinet, his hand still resting on the empty shelf at the bottom. He hadn't thought much of it when he kicked his old slippers aside yesterday, but now, it seemed like the perfect spot.
"From now on, this will be the kids' shoe section." He said, then laughed at himself.
Susan, leaning against the doorframe with a water glass in her hand, chuckled at the words. She didn't speak, but her eyes softened. Carl sprang up from the sofa, rushed to the kitchen doorway, and shouted, "Then I'd better hurry and buy a pair of slippers as a deposit!"
Nana stood in the center of the living room, the projector already on, pages of information floating in the air, titled "A Complete Guide to Newborn Care." Her voice was steady: "I recommend completing the purchase of basic supplies today and attending the community parenting seminar at 3 PM."
"You even have this?" Chen Hao looked up.
“The database has been updated to the latest medical and parenting standards,” she said. “It contains 3,726 records, covering feeding, sleep, development monitoring, and other aspects.”
Karl rolled his eyes: "You memorized it?"
“It can be used at any time,” Nana said, “but you need to put it into practice.”
Susan walked over and glanced at the list on the projector. "Let's go to the mall first; we need to see the clothes and baby bottles in person."
Chen Hao stood up and patted his pants. "Okay, I'll take care of carrying the stuff."
"You're responsible for not touching any scented wipes," Susan reminded her. "The hospital just told us to avoid irritants last time."
"I remember!" Chen Hao exclaimed, his eyes wide. "I'm not stupid."
“You’re just lazy,” Carl interrupted.
The sun was shining brightly when the four of them went out. The mall wasn't far, only a ten-minute walk away. As soon as they got the stroller, Chen Hao snatched the shopping list and read aloud: "Onesie, swaddle blanket, bottles, diapers, pacifiers... My God, so much?"
“This is just the basics,” Nana said. “There will be baby food tools, teething toys, walkers, and more to come.”
"Should we rent a warehouse?" Chen Hao muttered.
The first thing you see upon entering the store is the baby clothes section. The shelves are piled high with colorful little clothes, their tags densely packed. Chen Hao picked up a dark blue onesie with a bear pattern: "Isn't this cool?"
"The ingredient list contains fluorescent agents." Susan glanced at it and put it down. "It has to be pure cotton and undyed."
"How did you see that so quickly?" Carl leaned closer.
"Women are born with the ability to sift," she said. "You can tell if something is usable just by looking at its texture and smelling it."
Nana accessed the brand's publicly available parameter database, and a comparison chart popped up on the screen. "This organic cotton series has passed EU safety certification, has the highest breathability rating, and user feedback indicates zero allergies."
"It sounds like a lab report," Chen Hao complained. "Couldn't they just say 'this is good'?"
“I already said it,” Nana replied calmly. “I said it three times just now.”
They eventually picked out six light-colored bodysuits, two blankets, and a hooded bath towel. The stroller started to feel heavy. Chen Hao pushed it along, muttering, "I used to think buying game skins was spending money, but now I know what burning money really means."
“This is nothing.” Carl said, holding a box of diapers. “How many days will one pack last? The instructions say five or six a day.”
“Then we’ll have to stock up more,” Susan said. “And we’ll have to get different models.”
"They even differentiate by model number?" Chen Hao was dumbfounded.
“Newborns grow one size per month,” Nana said. “We expect to change sizes three times within three months.”
"So even if the clothes are too big, it's not okay?" Chen Hao asked.
“Too big will affect mobility,” Nana replied, “Too small will limit development.”
“You human cubs are such a hassle,” Karl sighed.
The baby bottle section was even more complicated. Temperature-sensitive color-changing, anti-colic, wide-mouth, silicone material… Chen Hao was dizzy looking at them all. “Just grab a few.”
“No,” Susan stopped him. “The shape of the nipple affects sucking; if you choose the wrong one, the child will refuse to eat.”
Nana pulled up the data model: "Based on the oral development curve, we recommend a U-shaped nipple with flow rate graded to suit children aged 0-3 months."
"Just tell me the brand," Chen Hao said, scratching his head.
"The one with the green packaging," Nana pointed.
They bought four, plus a sterilizer and formula dispensers. Carl insisted on going to the toy section. He picked up a light-up rattle: "Can this thing test hearing?"
“It can also be a source of noise pollution.” Susan took it away. “Buy the necessities first.”
“Soothing toys help stabilize emotions,” Nana supported Carl. “I suggest adding one.”
Finally, the cart was full. Chen Hao followed behind, carrying two large bags, panting as he walked: "It's more tiring than moving server cases. I should have just called a courier to deliver it to my door."
“You said yesterday that you wanted to decorate the room yourself,” Susan said with a smile.
“That was yesterday,” Chen Hao muttered. “Today I discovered I’m a mover.”
No one spoke on the way back; everyone was exhausted. Once home, they unpacked and sorted everything. The crib instruction manual was thick, full of illustrated steps. Chen Hao was completely bewildered when he opened the first page.
“It looks like alien script,” he said.
Nana took the instruction manual and projected a 3D assembly animation. "Step one, fix the base; step two, install the side rails; step three, lock the clips in place."
"You should have done this a long time ago." Chen Hao did as he was told, sweating profusely as he tightened the screws.
Carl was in charge of the electrical wiring upgrades, adding a leakage-proof power strip to the bedroom specifically for the sterilizer and bottle warmer. Susan, on the other hand, neatly folded the clothes by color and purpose, placing them on the top shelf of the wardrobe.
"Remember to choose light colors next time you buy clothes," she said. "Dark colors absorb heat, and babies tend to sweat a lot."
"I thought dark colors would be less likely to get dirty," Chen Hao said, wiping his sweat.
“Even if it gets dirty easily, I can’t wear it,” she said. “My skin is delicate; I can’t tolerate even the slightest irritation.”
Nana simultaneously activated the pregnancy log function, setting up a countdown timer for prenatal checkups, reminders for nutritional supplements, and a playlist of prenatal music. She announced in a low voice: "The best time for outdoor activities tomorrow is from 10:00 to 11:00 AM, when the ultraviolet radiation is moderate, which is beneficial for vitamin D synthesis."
“You’re acting like a housekeeper now.” Carl said, lying on the sofa scrolling through his phone.
“Your responsibilities include health management,” Nana said. “Your work schedules also need to be adjusted.”
“I know.” Chen Hao sat on the floor adjusting the surveillance cameras. “We need people to take turns watching over them at night.”
“Simulation exercises are necessary,” Nana said. “I suggest we start now.”
"What are we using to practice?" Carl asked.
Susan took a plush toy out of the bag and stuffed it into Chen Hao's arms. "This is it."
So the four of them formed a circle and began practicing changing diapers. Nana demonstrated the correct technique, and Chen Hao tried to imitate her, but ended up flipping the baby upside down.
"You're washing vegetables!" Susan laughed.
"I thought I had to shake it all off," Chen Hao said awkwardly, straightening himself up.
The second time he was more careful, unzipping the pants, taking out the old diaper, wiping the bottom, and changing the diaper—the whole process went relatively smoothly. Carl was in charge of burping the baby, holding him upright and gently patting his back while humming a lullaby.
"You're really into it," Chen Hao said, looking at him.
“I’m keeping track of the rhythm,” Carl said. “In case I really need to lull someone to sleep, I can’t just play lullabies.”
Susan tried the stroking technique, her movements gentle. Nana pointed out the deviation in pressure: "The pressure on your right hand is 15 percent higher than the recommended value, please reduce the pressure."
“You’re a robot, the feel is different,” Susan said.
“I can calibrate it,” Nana said, “but I need your feedback on how it feels.”
It was Chen Hao's turn to put the baby to sleep. He rocked the baby back and forth, humming a tuneless rendition of "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star." Carl recorded a video and immediately posted it in the group chat, with the caption: "First experience as a future father, rating: borderline passing."
"Delete it!" Chen Hao lunged forward to grab the phone.
"Keep it as a dark history." Carl dodged away.
After an hour of fussing, all four of them were exhausted. Things were mostly put back in their places; the crib stood in the corner of the master bedroom, the bottle sterilizer was plugged in, and the toy box was half full. There was an indescribable change in the room—as if the air had become lighter, or as if time had slowed down.
It was a little after 8 p.m., after dinner and cleaning up. The four of them sat in the living room, but no one turned on the TV.
Chen Hao looked at the empty bed and suddenly said, "It'll be soon."
Susan nodded and placed her hand on her lower abdomen.
Carl flipped through his newly created growth record sheet, muttering, "Day 1: Daddy failed at changing diapers; Day 2: Daddy learned the correct technique..."
"Why are you writing this?" Chen Hao asked.
“Keep it as a souvenir,” Carl said. “To show to the kids later.”
Nana's blue light blinked slowly. "Today's purchase details and learning progress have been recorded simultaneously. A total of 41% of the materials have been prepared, and the knowledge mastery rate is 58%."
"It's quite quantitative," Chen Hao laughed.
“The data is easy to track,” she said. “The next focus is on optimizing the ventilation system in the nursery, where current PM2.5 readings are high.”
"We'll do it tomorrow." Chen Hao waved his hand. "Today is enough."
Nana didn't refute, but simply closed some background programs and dimmed the blue light a bit.
The streetlights outside the window came on, the wind rustled the leaves, and shadows swept across the balcony. Inside, it was quiet, with only the soft hum of the sterilizer running at set intervals.
Chen Hao suddenly remembered something and turned to ask Susan, "Have you decided on a name? We have options for both boys and girls."
Before Susan could speak, Carl interjected, "It has to be Chen Neng! To inherit the energy project!"
“Stop,” Susan laughed. “Don’t make it sound like a numbering system.”
"Chen Guang is good," Chen Hao said, "or Chen Xing."
“Light and stars,” Carl scoffed. “Sounds like a power plant.”
“I wish it were brighter,” Chen Hao grinned.
Nana's blue light flashed once. "The naming scheme has been entered into the system, and the matching analysis is complete."
"You even saved this?" Chen Hao stared wide-eyed.
"Complete records of family member information are required," she said.
Susan leaned gently on Chen Hao's shoulder. He didn't move, but simply placed his hand on hers.
Carl continued revising the forms with his head down, while Nana stood quietly to the side, the light reflecting off the metal casing, giving it a faint silver luster.
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