Side Story (4) Both of them were really awesome. ...
Wang Yajie is a worrier by nature. When her son didn't have a girlfriend, she arranged blind dates for him. Later, when he finally found someone, she was anxious for him to get married. Now that he's married, she's starting to worry about when they'll welcome a new life.
Wang Yajie can't relax at any time, because after taking care of the older ones, there are still the younger ones to take care of. Fortunately, He Xi is young, giving her a few years of buffer time.
The couple has moved back to the North Island and set aside one day a week for family gatherings.
That day, she called He Yanzhou early in the morning to ask if the two of them would be coming over that night.
He Yanzhou had barely arrived at the office and hadn't even settled in when he glanced at the work schedule and replied that it was okay.
Wang Yajie couldn't help but ask, "When are you and Xiaoxu planning to have children? You've been married for over half a year now, it's time to make some plans. Is it that Xiaoxu doesn't want any yet? I'll talk to her about it tonight."
He Yanzhou put down his pen and rubbed his forehead: "I just remembered I have a social engagement tonight, so I might..."
"I won't ask anymore."
He Yanzhou paused, then couldn't help but chuckle.
Wang Yajie was at a loss: "I won't ask anything anymore. Just do it your own way. The food is all prepared in advance. Be back on time."
Ignoring his reaction, she hung up the phone immediately after speaking.
Zhu Xu arrived before He Yanzhou in the evening. When he entered, he saw her sitting at the dining table helping to prepare dinner ingredients.
Today, Wang Yajie cooked the meal herself, with her aunt assisting her.
He Yanzhou changed his shoes and went over for a stroll, only to see Zhu Xu shelling peas from a pea pod.
Zhu Xu looked up and put his arm around his waist: "Are you hungry?"
"kind of."
"Mom's cooking, dinner will be ready soon." She casually asked, "Do you like beans?"
He Yanzhou glanced at her and said, "I like it."
Zhu Xu smiled and pointed to the plump peas in the bowl, "Then you can eat more today."
He Yanzhou thought for a moment: "Which one are you asking about?"
Zhu Xu exclaimed incredulously, "Peas!"
"That's so-so, I don't really like it."
This answer made Zhu Xu's cheeks flush instantly; he always managed to say something unserious in a serious manner. Zhu Xu secretly pinched his back and rolled her eyes at him. He Yanzhou, on the other hand, remained calm, raising his hand to pinch her cheek and gently shaking it twice.
He Xi came down the stairs and saw this scene. She couldn't help but shiver. As she walked over, she said, "Sister-in-law, you two are really something. There are so many people watching, and they're all staring at you like crazy."
He Yanzhou gave him a reprimanding look, "What are you shouting for?"
He Xi shrank back and turned to leave.
He Yanzhou: "Stop."
She stopped. "My brother, what instructions does your little sister have?"
Zhu Xu smiled, took the peas off the table, and sent them to the kitchen for Wang Yajie, leaving the two of them to talk in the dining room.
He Yanzhou followed her back for a while, then looked back at He Xi, his expression becoming serious: "Have you told Mom about your situation?"
"No." She seemed unconcerned.
"When do you plan to come out?" he cautioned. "Be prepared, it might not go as smoothly as you imagine."
“I know.” He Xi picked at her nails. “She’ll definitely object. Even if I found a god to stand in front of her, she’d still find something to criticize.”
"What a pipe dream you're having," He Yanzhou scoffed.
He Xi: "..."
She said, "Anyway, I'm not in a hurry. There's no use in being in a hurry. Just like you, she'll agree eventually."
He Yanzhou opened her mouth, but couldn't say a word of reproach. As her younger sister, she was just imitating her mother, and it was hard for their mother to worry about them.
He only instructed her: "Be careful how you talk to Mom, don't upset her."
He Xi listened to him and nodded obediently.
/
At the end of June, the couple finally agreed on a time to make up for their honeymoon trip.
The location wasn't Phuket, but it was chosen rather casually. It was because when He Yanzhou accompanied her to buy a bag that day, she saw a promotional picture of that country in a travel magazine in the store—the Republic of Montenegro, located in the Balkan Peninsula of Europe.
They stayed at a seaside hotel halfway up a mountain in Budva, where they could see the crystal-clear Adriatic Sea from the terrace.
The two made no travel plans. They woke up naturally each day, had breakfast, and then wandered around, either sunbathing on the beach or strolling through the old town.
Budva's Old Town has a long history, with buildings featuring white walls and red tiles, blending medieval Baroque style.
Because the roads inside were narrow and the buildings were laid out haphazardly, they got lost the first time they went in. However, the two of them didn't mind, as they were just wandering around aimlessly anyway.
Zhu Xu selected a few refrigerator magnets as souvenirs. At the entrance of the alley, he saw a handsome young man with blond hair and blue eyes playing the violin, while a fat old man opposite him was painting a landscape on an easel.
Zhu Xu saw a painting of a girl dancing on the beach that she thought was very representative, but when she asked the price, it was 80 euros, so she couldn't bring herself to buy it.
He Yanzhou said, "If you like it, buy it. You might not come across it again."
"Too expensive, no thanks."
"I'll buy it for you."
He turned to go back, but Zhu Xu grabbed his hand and stopped him.
She pulled him forward, saying, "It's not that I absolutely have to buy it. My husband works hard to earn money, so we're careful with our spending."
These words made He Yanzhou smile happily; "Your husband will be very pleased to hear this."
"Does anyone have a wife as understanding as me?"
“Of course.” He raised an eyebrow.
Zhu Xu saw an ice cream truck parked in front of a shop, with a price list next to it that read 5 euros: "The ice cream isn't expensive, buy it for me."
"good."
Zhu Xuxuan's choice of raspberry flavor, with its rich milky aroma mixed with the refreshing tartness of raspberries, surprised her.
She ate as she walked, her hand held by He Yanzhou, and the two unknowingly entered a narrow and quiet alley.
Zhu Xu shared with him, "Would you like to try some?"
He Yanzhou shook his head: "You eat it."
"I think it tastes pretty good."
He Yanzhou wasn't actually very interested in these sweet treats that ladies liked, but most of the time he would catch her mood and turn to lean in. Unexpectedly, she suddenly put her hand to his lips: "Just one..."
Zhu Xu was taken aback, then couldn't help but laugh, smearing ice cream on his lips and nose. She tried hard to suppress her laughter, because she could already feel his admonishing gaze behind his sunglasses.
He rummaged through her small handbag for tissues. She first raised her hand, using her thumb to wipe away a bit of ice cream from the tip of his nose. Unable to remove it immediately, she naturally brought it to her mouth and sucked it clean.
The alleyway meandered, and there was no one around.
Zhu Xu suddenly stood on tiptoe and kissed his lips.
He Yanzhou suddenly stopped and lowered his eyes. He felt her soft tongue licking the ice cream on his lips, and a hint of milky fragrance filled his mouth with her movements.
He Yanzhou released her bag and reached back to support her waist.
Under the blazing midday sun, they stood in the shadows of the alley and kissed each other passionately.
It's been a long time since we last saw each other.
Zhu Xu, panting, asked, "How does the ice cream taste?"
"It's really nice." He wanted to kiss her again.
Just then, a burst of applause and cheers suddenly erupted from above. Zhu Xu instinctively snuggled into his arms. He Yanzhou looked up and saw that there was an open-air café above, where foreigners were sitting by the railing enjoying the view. Looking down, they could see the enchanting scenery in the corner.
The foreigner said, "Sorry to bother you, but you look beautiful."
He Yanzhou, who speaks fluent English, replied with a smile, "Thank you. My wife is very warm towards me, but sometimes she gets shy."
Zhu Xu secretly pinched him, but then raised his head generously and waved to the people above.
"Wow!" the foreigner exclaimed dramatically, "Your wife is so beautiful! I wish you happiness."
He Yanzhou thanked him again, "That's true."
The foreigners smiled kindly.
He Yanzhou nodded and left with Zhu Xu in his arms.
The two wandered around the old city for a while, then passed through an ancient city wall eroded by wind and rain, where the Adriatic Sea and beaches came into view.
Finding a lounge chair to rest, He Yanzhou ordered a beer and orange juice for Zhu Xu.
The temperature rose at noon, but thankfully a large umbrella overhead provided shade from the scorching sun. An occasional cool sea breeze made it quite pleasant and comfortable.
Both of them enjoyed this quiet way of being together, so they lay down separately without talking.
Europeans sunbathe on the beach, children play in the waves, and young men occasionally dart past with surfboards.
He Yanzhou suddenly turned his head and lifted the sunglasses that were perched on Zhu Xu's nose.
Before Zhu Xu could close his eyes, he could only feign annoyance and preemptively say, "You scared me so much, I was almost asleep."
He Yanzhou sneered: "Is it good-looking?"
"What?"
"Abdominal muscles."
Zhu Xu said, "It's alright."
"Wasn't he asleep?"
Zhu Xu scratched her face: "They're walking around naked in front of you, it's hard not to look, isn't it?" But she told the truth: "But they're really just average, I prefer someone like you."
He Yanzhou has very firm abdominal lines, connecting to a perfectly defined V-line below. His subcutaneous fat is very thin, so the veins are clearly visible, making it more restrained and sexy than those deliberately trained eight-pack abs.
"I trust you?"
Zhu Xu's gaze was sincere: "You can believe me on this."
He Yanzhou analyzed the situation with his gaze, then turned back, closed his eyes, and reached out to place the sun hat on her face: "Go to sleep."
Zhu Xu lay there obediently without moving. After a while, he reached out and touched his abdominal muscles again, sighing regretfully.
"Tsk." He Yanzhou frowned.
Zhu Xu laughed so hard his shoulders shook. "Alright, alright, I'm not teasing you anymore. I really like your abs."
"...What kind of talk is that?"
"I just really like it."
In fact, the two had already prepared for their status upgrade several months ago, so they did not use contraception throughout the entire trip.
During the day, they were very restrained and serious, and their most intimate gesture was just holding hands or putting their arms around each other's shoulders. But at night, they both seemed to transform, one becoming incredibly charming and the other becoming utterly fierce.
In the room facing the sea, they kept having fun in all sorts of ways.
In short, I haven't had much free time during these days in a foreign country.
Perhaps because they were both relaxed and supportive, Zhu Xu discovered she was pregnant in the second month after returning home.
She didn't have any early pregnancy symptoms, except for lower back pain in the early stages, and a feeling of heaviness all over her body as if she was being dragged down by something, making her unwilling to walk.
After getting through the first three months, she was walking briskly and going to the company as usual.
At 18 weeks of gestation, Zhu Xu felt the first fetal movement, a very subtle, nerve-like throbbing.
She quickly called He Yanzhou over to show him, and he stared at her slightly protruding belly for a long time, asking, "Where?"
Zhu Xu pointed to him: "Here."
"It sounds like your breathing."
“No, no.” She pointed elsewhere: “Here.”
He Yanzhou smiled, placed his palm on her stomach and felt it carefully, and couldn't help but lower his head and kiss her stomach a few times.
Both were immersed in the joy of becoming parents for the first time, marveling at the miracle of life and occasionally finding it hard to believe that there was really a little one inside. It might only be the size of an apple now, but as it grows, it will eventually become a pumpkin.
Throughout the entire pregnancy, the couple only had sex once. It was a relatively stable stage of pregnancy, and He Yanzhou strictly followed the doctor's instructions, using the safest position and the gentlest methods possible.
But he was still afraid of hurting her and the child, so he hesitated and didn't dare to go in. He forced himself to turn over and lie down next to her, breaking out in a cold sweat.
He politely declined her help and went to the bathroom to take a shower, taking care of the matter himself.
Zhu Xu was also affected by hormones, and was in great agony being suspended in mid-air.
When he emerged, his body still damp with sweat, he pulled her into his arms. She took his hand and looked down at him, pleading, "Please help me."
He Yanzhou smiled, but when he reached the tip, she suddenly grabbed his wrist to stop him: "Don't rub it. You can't take it."
He Yanzhou knew, of course, that was her limit; she simply couldn't withstand any more intense stimulation right now.
So I gently massaged her and soothingly kissed her lips, but seeing her face flush and panting, I quickly withdrew my hand a second before she told me to stop.
"Good boy," He Yanzhou said, "Just bear with it a little longer."
Zhu Xu pretended to cry, his bad mood came out of nowhere, and his grievances were definitely not because of this matter. In the end, he actually felt really sad and silently shed tears.
He Yanzhou tried to soothe her gently, but she still kicked him, saying, "Go sleep outside."
"I'll stay away from you."
"No, get out." Zhu Xu, supporting her stomach, turned her back to him and said, "Hurry up."
He Yanzhou understood the pregnant woman's emotional sensitivity very well, so he was extremely tolerant and didn't get angry at all. "Okay, I'll go out now. I'm in the room across from you. Call me loudly if you need anything."
He got up, adjusted the air conditioning, tucked her in, and finally kissed her cheek before heading to the guest room.
But not long after, she texted him again, asking him to come back.
He Yanzhou got up and returned to the master bedroom without complaint. He lifted the corner of the blanket, lay down on the bed, and hugged her from behind: "I only feel at ease when I'm holding you while I sleep?"
Zhu Xu remained silent.
It was pitch black all around, and the blackout curtains blocked out all the moonlight.
Much later, her breathing became steady, as if she had fallen into a deep sleep.
He calmed down and prepared to close his eyes, but a moment later, she kicked him again: "I can't sleep because you snore. You should go sleep outside."
He Yanzhou was so angry he laughed: "If I were asleep, I would believe it." He kissed her hard on the back of the neck. For some reason, even though she had tormented him repeatedly, his heart was still completely soft at this moment.
Zhu Xu realized he had gone too far, and after venting his emotions, he finally felt a little better.
She awkwardly turned and snuggled into his arms, closing her eyes as she apologized, "I'm sorry."
“Don’t talk nonsense,” he said.
Zhu Xu was like fighting a monster, rushing all the way to the late stage of pregnancy, which was also the most difficult stage.
She could hardly sleep because the child's growth was putting pressure on her other organs. She felt that as soon as she lay down, the surrounding air immediately became thin, and it was difficult to breathe.
She got up and opened the window, feeling slightly better when she smelled the fresh air rushing in.
During that time, He Yanzhou was also a light sleeper. He would often carry her to the recliner in the yard late at night and sit there for hours.
Fortunately, it's springtime, and the nighttime temperatures are quite comfortable.
The landscape in one corner of the courtyard was designed and arranged by Zhu Xu himself, with plants of varying heights, including cedars, hibiscus, mint, and gardenias.
The wind blew, and the leaves rustled.
He Yanzhou pulled the thin blanket up her shoulders: "Tell me if you feel cold."
Zhu Xu sat in his lap and shook his head: "I'm not cold."
He Yanzhou tapped her belly: "Is the little one sleeping?"
"He/She is hiccuping."
What does it feel like?
Zhu Xu described it as: "It's a very rhythmic jumping motion, lasting about five minutes each time. Sometimes it's quiet around you, and you can even hear the sounds."
He Yanzhou felt regretful: "I can't understand."
"Next time it'll be your turn to carry me."
He smiled and said, "In the next life, I'll carry you."
"Alright," Zhu Xu said, "It's a deal."
She hugged his waist tightly, "From now on, I will do good deeds."
It took He Yanzhou a few seconds to understand what she meant. He couldn't help but lower his head and press his lips against the top of her hair for a long time.
Moonlight reflected on the pond, causing the silvery ripples to tremble.
Zhu Xu stared at that spot for a while, then sat up a little straighter, took a small pinch of fish food from the box on the table, and tossed it over.
A small ripple appeared on the water's surface, but it quickly returned to calm. The koi carp remained hidden behind the artificial hill, not moving an inch.
Zhu Xu said, "The fish are all asleep."
"Miss Zhu, don't you even know what time it is?"
"I'm afraid only the two of us are still awake."
He Yanzhou corrected: "It's the three of us."
Zhu Xu nodded: "The three of us."
At this moment, the baby in the womb seemed to sense something and started moving its little hands and feet.
Zhu Xu placed his palm on hers, and soon the back of his hand felt warm. In the gentle moonlight, she saw his strong hand supporting hers, and also supporting their baby.
The three of us. What a wonderful combination of words.
Zhu Xu leaned back into his arms, looked up, and saw the magnolias quietly blooming outside the wall.
A gentle breeze carries a faint fragrance that fills the entire courtyard.
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