Chapter 99 The Chief is at a loss
That "congratulations" from the emergency room of the Military Region General Hospital was like a thunderclap, splitting a crack in Huo Tingxiao's usually cold and hard world, revealing a chaotic inner world he had never shown anyone. She was pregnant. His Wanqing was pregnant with their child. This goal, for which he had poured all his energy, prepared for months with near-military standards, and secretly longed for in the depths of his heart, was suddenly achieved on such an unexpected night, in a way that completely threw him off control.
After the initial ecstasy and huge shock, what followed was a feeling of helplessness that Huo Tingxiao had never experienced in his life, almost panic.
On the way home from the hospital, he held Su Wanqing's hand tightly, his palm still cold and clammy, but his gaze, like the most sophisticated radar, was fixed on her, unwaveringly, as if she were a fragile, rare treasure that would dissipate at the slightest misstep. The calm and decisive command he'd displayed when leading an army vanished without a trace, replaced by a nervousness bordering on clumsiness. He even subconsciously tried to carry her down when getting out of the car, only to realize halfway through the action that he was inappropriate. He froze in mid-air, a barely perceptible blush creeping over his ears.
"I... I can walk by myself." Su Wanqing looked at him like this, feeling both amused and distressed. She patted the back of his hand gently and got out of the car steadily.
Huo Tingxiao pursed his lips and said nothing. He immediately changed his position to hold her arm, controlling the strength carefully, as if she was made of glass.
When I got home, this feeling of helplessness reached its peak.
Scenario 1: Bedroom Renovation Plan
The first thing Huo Tingxiao did was to stand in the middle of the bedroom, his brows furrowed, and his sharp eyes swept across every corner of the room as if he were examining a battle map.
"The sharp corners of this bedside table are not good. They are easily bumped." He pointed at the sharp edge of the solid wood bedside table, his tone as serious as if he was pointing out a loophole in fortifications.
"The carpet's anti-slip coefficient is not high enough." He squatted down, touched the material of the carpet with his hand, and came to this conclusion.
"The curtains only block out 85 percent of the light, which affects the quality of sleep." He opened and closed the curtains and conducted an on-site assessment.
"And this chandelier...it's too heavy and poses a safety hazard."
Su Wanqing sat by the bed, watching him seriously picking out the "problems" in the bedroom. She couldn't help but hold her forehead with her hand, "Tingxiao...it's not that exaggerated. I just got pregnant..."
"Pregnancy is no small matter." Huo Tingxiao turned his head, his eyes extremely serious, even with a hint of unquestionable severity, "All potential risks must be eliminated in advance."
After saying that, he immediately took out his phone and called Assistant Chen. Regardless of the late hour, he gave the order directly: "Tomorrow morning, contact the Logistics and Barracks Department and find the best craftsman. Wrap the corners of all furniture in the master bedroom with anti-collision strips, replace the carpet with the highest-grade non-slip material, replace the curtains with fully blackout electric ones, remove the chandelier and replace it with recessed shadowless light strips. Also, install night-time motion-activated floor lights in the bathroom and hallway. Complete it within today."
Assistant Chen on the other end of the phone was obviously stunned for a few seconds before he reacted and quickly agreed.
Su Wanqing: "..." She felt that she was not pregnant, but was about to enter a special security fortress supervised by Chief Huo himself.
Scenario 2: Dietary Control Upgrade
If the previous nutritional meals for pregnancy preparation were "strict", then the current pregnancy diet is simply "abnormal level of control".
Huo Tingxiao somehow managed to get a brick-thick copy of "Pregnancy Nutrition and Dietary Guidelines (Special Edition)" and pored over it overnight. The next day, Su Wanqing noticed a new electronic scale in the kitchen, accurate to 0.1 grams, and an A4 sheet of paper taped to the refrigerator, densely written with food taboos and intake limits.
At breakfast, Huo Tingxiao personally supervised and watched Su Wanqing drink a glass of milk that had to be kept at a constant temperature of 40 degrees, eat an egg with a fully cooked yolk and no burnt edges on the white, and two slices of whole wheat bread, the weight of which had to strictly comply with the recommended number of grams in the guidelines.
"Tingxiao, I really can't eat so much..." Su Wanqing looked at the mountain of food on the plate, feeling a little helpless.
"No, the guide says that nutritional reserves are crucial during early pregnancy." Huo Tingxiao pointed to a line in the book, his tone unyielding, his eyes nervously observing her reaction. "Is it not to your liking? What do you want to eat? I'll ask the kitchen to redo it."
Su Wanqing looked at the dark circles under his eyes and the corners of his lips that were tightly pursed. She knew that he had been studying this all night without sleeping. Her heart softened, and she had to try hard to finish the food.
Even more outrageous was that he even started recording how often and how much water she drank. Every hour, he would promptly hand her a glass of warm water and solemnly demand that she finish it. Su Wanqing felt like a strictly monitored experimental subject.
Scene 3: Code of Conduct "Military Order"
Huo Tingxiao also issued new "military orders" on Su Wanqing's daily behavior.
She was strictly prohibited from standing or sitting for long periods of time and had to stand up and move around for 10 minutes every 45 minutes. He would personally remind her regularly and even come over to take away her pen when she was lost in drawing.
It is strictly forbidden to touch any electronic products for more than one hour. After measuring the radiation indicators with professional instruments, he listed them as key prevention targets.
Bending over or lifting heavy objects was strictly prohibited; any movements that required lowering the head or bending over had to be performed by him. Once, Su Wanqing simply tried to pick up a dropped eraser, but he rushed over and snatched it up first, his movements as swift as a bomb disposal operation.
He even began to secretly observe and adjust her walking speed and posture, fearing that she would walk too fast or unsteadily.
What made Su Wanqing laugh and cry the most was when she woke up late one night to find no one around. Puzzled, she left the bedroom and found the light on in the study. Quietly pushing open the door, she saw Huo Tingxiao sitting at his computer, his screen blazing with instructional videos on various prenatal yoga and fitness exercises! He was watching intently, his brow furrowed, even taking notes in a notebook! His serious expression was as if he were poring over the most complex battle plan.
Hearing the noise, he turned around suddenly and saw that it was her. A trace of panic as if he had been caught flashed across his face. Then he pretended to be calm and closed the computer: "Why are you awake? Are you feeling unwell?" His tone was obviously nervous.
Su Wanqing looked at his slightly red ears and his feigned calm expression, feeling both warm and sad in her heart. She walked over and gently hugged him, "I'm fine, I just noticed you're not here. Don't be too nervous, the doctor said I'm in good health."
Huo Tingxiao's body stiffened for a moment, then relaxed. He hugged her back, resting his chin on the top of her head, and said in a low voice, "I... I just want to be prepared."
Scenario 4: External Communication Barriers
Huo Tingxiao was at a loss, and the problem even extended to external communications.
After hearing the good news, Xia Xiaoran excitedly came to visit, bringing a bunch of snacks for pregnant women and parenting books. As soon as she entered, Huo Tingxiao scanned her head from head to toe with a scrutinizing gaze. He then sternly pointed out, "These puffed foods have too many additives and don't meet pregnancy food safety standards. The author's qualifications are questionable, and his views are not authoritative enough."
Xia Xiaoran was choked by him and couldn't speak for a long time. She secretly made a face at Su Wanqing: "Qingqing, your leader is raising you like a national treasure, a giant panda?"
Even when Assistant Chen came to report on his work, Huo Tingxiao would interrupt from time to time and ask questions like, "What are the specific manifestations of mood swings in early pregnancy?" or "Which brand of anti-radiation clothing has been authoritatively certified?" This made the usually calm Assistant Chen confused and he had no choice but to look up information.
Everyone clearly felt that the cold-faced and iron-blooded leader was completely thrown into disarray by the fact that he was about to become a father. He became anxious, nervous, and even a little... endearingly clumsy.
Su Wanqing watched all this unfold, feeling more moved than helpless. She knew his nervousness and overprotectiveness stemmed from a deep, yet unexpressed, love and responsibility. He was approaching this new, challenging territory with the only method he knew: absolute control and meticulous preparation.
That night, Huo Tingxiao was once again caught red-handed studying a parenting guide late at night by Su Wanqing. She didn't laugh at him, but simply walked over, gently took the thick book from his hand, held his slightly cold hand, and pulled him back to the bedroom.
"Tingxiao," she let him lie down on the bed, and she snuggled into his arms, gently placing his hand on her still flat belly. Her voice was gentle but firm, "Look, we're fine now. The baby's fine too. Don't put too much pressure on yourself. Let's learn together slowly and adapt slowly, okay?"
Her palm was warm and soft, covering the back of his. Huo Tingxiao's body stiffened for a moment, then slowly relaxed. He felt the incredible warmth beneath his palm, nurturing the fruit of their love, and the string in his heart, which had been tense for so long, seemed to finally loosen a little.
He held her hand tightly with his backhand, hummed softly, and hugged her tighter in his arms.
In the darkness, he was still nervous, still anxious about the unknown future. But holding her in his arms, feeling each other's heartbeats and the shared anticipation, he seemed to have found some anchor.
The leader's uncertain pregnancy life has just begun. And this clumsy yet sincere love will become their warmest armor on the road to welcoming a new life.
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