After the test results came out, Shen Xuyue was completely overwhelmed. He wanted to reach out and hug Zhao Mingyue, but he was afraid of touching her. In the end, he hugged her anyway and, when no one was looking, kissed her on the cheek: "That's great, wife, I'm going to be a dad!"
Zhao Mingyue lowered her head, reaching out to touch her stomach. An indescribable feeling welled up inside her—happiness, emotion, surprise, relief, and even a touch of grievance. Her eyes welled up with tears. Seeing her silence and noticing her seemingly troubled mood, Shen Xuyue cautiously asked, "What's wrong? Are you unhappy?"
Zhao Mingyue shook her head and sniffed: "No, I'm happy, so happy."
Shen Xuyue reached out and touched her cheek: "Don't cry even if you're happy, smile."
Zhao Mingyue burst into laughter through her tears. Looking at the man in front of her, she truly felt reborn. She had a fresh start, she was pregnant again, and happiness was no longer as unattainable as before.
The news of Zhao Mingyue's pregnancy undoubtedly brought another surprise to the Shen family. Now it can be said that there is double happiness. The old man smiled a lot today, and he was particularly cheerful and sincere. This is the happiest day since he fell ill, and the whole family's mood can't help but lighten.
Although Fang Zhen is a surgeon, she is still clear about basic nursing care and rehabilitation training. Knowing that her father-in-law's illness was caused by her husband, she also cared about the old man's health and made many suggestions on rehabilitation training.
Now that we have a doctor in the family, we feel much more at ease. This gives everyone an extra layer of protection for their health.
Zhao Mingyue became pregnant, and Shen Xuyue practically spoiled her rotten. To avoid tiring her out, they moved back to the school dormitory from home, as commuting to and from work was too exhausting. But this also had its downsides: the food quality declined, and the school cafeteria food was definitely not as good as what they ate at home.
Besides taking care of the old man, Shen's mother would also make nourishing soups for her two daughters-in-law every few days. Every day after work, Shen Xuyue would stop by to get the soup for his wife, because his mother had to take care of his father and deliver soup to his sister-in-law, so it would be too much trouble for her to deliver it to his wife as well.
They didn't have a kitchen, and the soup they brought from home had gone cold. Shen Xuyue came up with an idea: he got an alcohol stove and heated the soup on it. Zhao Mingyue thought it over and decided to have Shen Xuyue buy a stove and get some coal briquettes to make one. Since it wasn't safe to light a stove indoors, she had him build a sheltered spot outside the dormitory and place the coal stove in the corridor, so they wouldn't have to worry about carbon monoxide poisoning.
With a coal stove, I could make my own soup without troubling my mother. I could also cook, but the thought of stir-frying in the freezing cold corridor in the dead of winter was unbearable, so I skipped cooking and ate at the canteen instead. The coal stove was used to boil water, make soup, and sometimes even cook porridge.
Shen Xuyue had one more thing to do: go to the market to buy groceries every day. He would always get up very early in the morning, buy the groceries, quickly prepare them, put them on the stove to simmer, and then go to work. When Zhao Mingyue came home from work at noon, she could enjoy a delicious, slow-cooked soup.
Ever since Shen Xuyue learned of his wife's pregnancy, he had become an exceptionally devoted husband, braving any hardship to get Zhao Mingyue a good meal. After becoming pregnant, Zhao Mingyue's appetite had been poor; she would crave this and that, mostly foods from her hometown. Although Beijing was the capital and abundant in produce, in those days, it wasn't like the south, where one could find a wide variety of fruits and vegetables in winter, and even fish couldn't always be fresh. Shen Xuyue felt very sorry for her and could only try to find ways to get her fresh food to satisfy her cravings.
Zhao Mingyue's pregnancy symptoms were quite severe. In the beginning, she vomited everything she ate, but thankfully she could still eat afterward. During the first two months of her pregnancy, Zhao Mingyue ate quite a lot, but her weight didn't increase at all; in fact, she even lost some weight. Fortunately, winter vacation soon arrived, and Zhao Mingyue and Shen Xuyue moved back to the Shen family home. With Shen's mother taking care of her diet, she didn't have to be busy and could rest better. Gradually, her morning sickness lessened considerably, and she started to gain weight.
Shen Xuyue's workplace was actually closer to his parents' house. Living with them saved him a lot of time commuting, allowing him to spend more time with Zhao Mingyue and even find ways to get her delicious food. With so many people taking care of her, Zhao Mingyue's life became increasingly comfortable, and her body gradually became fuller and rounder. She was a little worried that if she continued to eat like this, she might become very obese, and it would be difficult to have an overweight baby, which would cause her a lot of suffering during childbirth.
However, both Shen's mother and Shen Xuyue said she was overthinking it: "You're already thin. If you don't eat more, how can you provide enough nutrition for two people? Don't be afraid of gaining weight. Being able to eat is a blessing."
So Zhao Mingyue had no choice but to accept being raised like a pig.
Fang Zhen wasn't as lucky as Zhao Mingyue. Coming from the south to the north, her first hurdle was the change in environment. Most people experience acclimatization issues when moving to a new place, and Fang Zhen did just that. She caught a cold as soon as she arrived in Beijing, and unfortunately, she was pregnant, so she couldn't take medicine or get injections. She had to tough it out, and it took her half a month to recover. In this respect, arranging her job transfer at this time was definitely not a good idea, but before the transfer, no one knew she was pregnant.
Shen Qixue had only been in Beijing for a short time, and his application for a married military officer's dormitory had not yet been approved, so the couple could not live together. Fang Zhen also had to go to work, and having just arrived in a new place, everything was unfamiliar. Her only familiar husband could not come back often, and being pregnant, she was sensitive and vulnerable, so she was very depressed.
Everyone was watching with growing anxiety, fearing something might go wrong. After Zhao Mingyue went back to the Shen family home for her vacation, she suggested that Fang Zhen also come back to stay with her so they could keep each other company.
Fang Zhen originally lived in the hospital dormitory, which was more convenient for commuting to and from work. After being persuaded by Zhao Mingyue, she decided to move back, as living alone in the dormitory was too lonely. This meant she had to take the bus to and from work, but thankfully, she was past the most dangerous first trimester and was relatively safe. The hospital knew she was pregnant and didn't assign her any heavy workloads or night shifts; she only needed to work day shifts.
With the two sisters-in-law together, the young people had things to talk about, and Fang Zhen's mood began to improve. Her body also gradually adapted to the northern climate and stabilized, but she was still very thin.
Shen Fuyu also started her winter vacation. Since her husband was often away on the road, she took her son back to her parents' home to stay, helping her mother take care of her two pregnant sisters-in-law. Ever since Shen's father fell ill, the family's relationship had become more harmonious and loving than ever before; perhaps this was a blessing in disguise.
Seeing that Fang Zhen had become terribly thin, Shen's mother and Shen Fuyu tried their best to cook delicious meals for her, hoping she would gain weight quickly. Both Shen's mother and Shen Fuyu were typical northerners, and their cooking was the hearty northern style. Fang Zhen, from Guangdong, a province known for its refined cuisine, didn't have much of an appetite for their northern dishes. Zhao Mingyue, guessing her preferences, cooked southern dishes for her and also made soup for her according to Fang Zhen's own method of making slow-cooked, nourishing soups.
Fang Zhen was deeply moved: "Mingyue, you also need to be taken care of yourself. You don't need to work so hard for me."
Zhao Mingyue laughed and said, "I'm not busy for you. I'm just craving something delicious myself and want to learn how to cook some good food and drinks from you so that my son and I can benefit from it together."
Fang Zhen could only silently keep it in her heart. Her parents were gratified to see such a deep bond between their two daughters-in-law; harmony in the family brings prosperity, and this was good enough. Shen Qixue, while on the phone with his wife in the army, learned of how well his sister-in-law cared for his wife and said he would repay her in the future.
Zhao Mingyue thought being a teacher was quite nice. Look at her, who else gets such a long vacation like a teacher? It's perfect for her to rest at home during her pregnancy. In her free time, she makes clothes and shoes for children, not only for her own but also for Fang Zhen's. Shen's mother is also busy knitting sweaters and pants for her two grandsons, and Shen Fuyu joins in. The three—mother-in-law, daughter-in-law, and sister-in-law—often work and chat together. Northern women are known for their cheerful and outgoing nature, and their interactions are quite lively. Zhao Mingyue discovered that as long as Shen's mother isn't domineering or stubborn, she's actually a very insightful old lady; all those years of schooling weren't for nothing.
Song Xiaorui was also on winter vacation. With nothing to do, she would often bring her youngest daughter, Dongdong, to visit. The women would bask in the sun doing crafts. Dongdong, who had just turned one year old, could already run around everywhere. The little girl was beautiful and adorable, her features a combination of her parents' best features—clearly a future beauty. The little one was also very lively and bold, especially fond of beauty and young, pretty people. When she saw her godmother, Zhao Mingyue, she acted as if she were seeing her own mother. Every time she came over, she would cling to Zhao Mingyue's legs, twisting and turning like a pretzel, and wouldn't let go. Zhao Mingyue would then have to put down what she was doing to play with her.
When the child was around one year old, she started to learn to speak. Zhao Mingyue taught her to call her "godmother," but she didn't quite understand it yet and could only say "mama." Every time she saw Zhao Mingyue, she would call out, "Ma, ma." She would pronounce each word clearly and maturely, which was different from calling her own mother. This made everyone laugh so hard.
Dongdong also likes handsome older brothers and often follows Jingjing around playing. Jingjing is a lively seven or eight-year-old, always running around and having fun, and she doesn't want to be burdened by such a snotty little burden. But Dongdong only wants this older brother and cries if she's not allowed to follow him. Jingjing is a good boy, so if his little sister cries, he'll reluctantly try to comfort her first.
Shen Fuyu laughed: "When I saw Dongdong clinging to Jingjing, I was reminded of how Xiaorui used to cling to Weiqin when she was little. She would throw tantrums and pee like a cat. Dongdong has inherited his mother's true skills, hahaha."
Song Xiaorui glared at Shen Fuyu: "Big sister, was I that annoying when I was little?"
"Whether it's annoying or not, you'd have to ask Wei Qin to know," Shen Fuyu laughed.
Zhao Mingyue smiled and said, "Brother Wei Qin definitely won't find it annoying."
Song Xiaorui said smugly, "Of course, if he annoys me, I'll kick him to the Western Paradise."
Dongdong's formal name was finally decided. Her grandfather named her Wei Zhehui, hoping she would be intelligent. Her father, however, felt that his own naming skills were mediocre and that he could do better, so he always called his daughter Wei Sui. This would probably be Dongdong's second nickname. Every time Wei Qin called Dongdong Wei Sui, Zhao Mingyue couldn't help but laugh.
Song Xiaorui said, "You should be more careful when naming your child in the future, and don't let Shen Xuyue come up with a random name."
Zhao Mingyue said, "He won't, he's very cautious. Actually, I think it's better for names to be casual, and it's even better if they have a meaning. I think Jingjing's name is quite good, simple and easy to remember. Anyway, a name is just a label." Jingjing's full name is Yang Nianjing.
Shen Fuyu said with a smile, "Back then, I was far from Beijing and didn't come back for so many years. I thought I would never come back, so I gave him this name to ease my homesickness. But he still doesn't like it, saying that his classmates always call him a monk chanting scriptures."
At that time, Jingjing was chasing and playing in the yard with Dongdong, the little tail following behind her. The laughter of the two children made the whole yard feel warm.
Zhao Mingyue looked at the two children with a gentle expression and said, "Sister Xiaorui, Dongdong's name is so complicated. When she goes to school, she will definitely cry to you. Do you believe me?"
Song Xiaorui laughed: "Her name is always better than mine, right? When I was little, the character 'Rui' always tormented me when I wrote my name. It has three hearts, and I just couldn't bend them. I cried every time I wrote it."
Zhao Mingyue recalled how difficult it was to write the character "heart" when she was a child, especially the curved stroke. Song Xiaorui even had to write three hearts stacked together, which shows how difficult it was. She couldn't help but find it funny.
Shen Fuyu pouted and said, "If we're talking about complicated names, none of you can compare to me. My name is not only hard to write, but also hard to recognize. When I was little, many of my classmates called me Shen Xiangyou."
Everyone couldn't help but burst out laughing.
While knitting a sweater, Song Xiaorui asked Zhao Mingyue, "Mingyue, do you want to have a son or a daughter?"
Zhao Mingyue said, "Either is fine. Daughters are a mother's warm little cotton-padded jacket, so comforting. Sons are a mother's guardian angel, giving her a sense of security."
Song Xiaorui then asked Shen's father, who was listening to Pingju opera and basking in the sun, "Uncle Shen, would you like a grandson or a granddaughter?"
Father Shen opened his eyes and said, "Grandchildren are all the same, I love them all."
Zhao Mingyue smiled and said, "See? I knew Mom and Dad were very open-minded parents."
Song Xiaorui said, "Judging from Fang Zhen's tone last time, she seemed to want to have a son."
“People in Guangdong are quite traditional and need sons to carry on the family line. Now they are only allowed to have one child, but actually it doesn’t matter whether it’s a boy or a girl,” Zhao Mingyue said with a smile.
Song Xiaorui nodded: "I don't care what Wei Qin's parents think. Dongdong is my only child. He's both my daughter and my son." She then turned to Shen Fuyu and asked, "Big sister, were you allowed to have a second child before? Can you have one now?"
Shen Fuyu said, "Even if I could have another child, I wouldn't. I'm already so old, an older mother, it's too dangerous. You know how hard it is to raise a child, I really don't want to go through that again."
Zhao Mingyue asked Shen Xuyue whether he wanted a son or a daughter, and Shen Xuyue said he wanted a daughter like Zhao Mingyue. Therefore, Zhao Mingyue felt no pressure; having a son or a daughter was the same. Perhaps Shen's parents secretly wanted a grandson, but with the one-child policy in place, and them being public servants—Shen Xuyue himself being a civil servant—they had no choice. In the countryside, a situation like that of the second sister-in-law and Yu Youfen might have occurred; in the city, such phenomena were almost eliminated. The one-child policy first raised the status of women in cities, and only then did the status of women in China gradually improve.
Life was comfortable, and Zhao Mingyue gained several pounds during the winter break, all from eating and sleeping. The family welcomed their first New Year together.
Shen Xuyue only got her day off on the afternoon of Lunar New Year's Eve. Her workplace gave her a lot of benefits, including rice, oil, fruit, and dried goods, which were much better than the benefits Zhao Mingyue received at her school. Zhao Mingyue noticed that Shen Xuyue didn't seem very happy. She found it strange; ever since she became pregnant, Shen Xuyue had been incredibly excited, never showing any signs of sadness. What was wrong with her on New Year's Day?
Zhao Mingyue asked, "What's wrong?"
Shen Xuyue looked at his wife, forced a smile, and shook his head: "It's nothing."
Zhao Mingyue thought to herself, "Your thoughts are written all over your face. If you don't want me to know, then I won't ask. You'll have to tell me sooner or later anyway." "Brother-in-law and eldest sister are making New Year's Eve dinner in the kitchen. Go help them."
She and Fang Zhen, both pregnant women, were ushered out of the kitchen and told to just wait to eat. Shen Xuyue rolled up his sleeves: "Okay, I'll go help."
Shen Qixue was playing chess with his father. Ever since his father fell ill, Shen Qixue had become very filial, never raising his voice at his parents, probably feeling the urgency of wanting to care for them but finding it too late. His father could have retired from his position with great honor, but now he could only end up sadly due to illness, which made his son feel guilty.
The old man's life has been full of ups and downs, and he has experienced many hardships. He has a very strong mental fortitude. Although he was a little disappointed at first, he quickly adapted and is more open-minded than his children. Now he spends his days basking in the sun, reading the newspaper, and listening to Pingju and Peking Opera. He lives a carefree life and is just waiting to enjoy his grandchildren.
This was the first time the whole family had celebrated the New Year together, including the two unborn babies in her belly. The atmosphere was very harmonious and joyful. Only Zhao Mingyue occasionally noticed that Shen Xuyue's smile was somewhat melancholy. She became increasingly certain that something was on his mind, and it probably wasn't anything good, something he couldn't bring himself to say on such a day. Zhao Mingyue's mood also couldn't help but sink down. What could have happened?
After the New Year's Eve dinner, the family gathered around the stove to stay up all night, making dumplings together and waiting to eat them at midnight. The two pregnant women couldn't sit still and became sleepy before midnight, so they went to bed first. Around midnight, Zhao Mingyue heard the crackling of firecrackers, which startled her awake. After a while, Shen Xuyue entered the room, took off his clothes, got into bed, and lay down next to her. Zhao Mingyue could still smell a faint sulfurous odor, knowing he had been setting off firecrackers.
Shen Xuyue reached out and put his arm around Zhao Mingyue's waist. Zhao Mingyue turned around and pressed her face against Shen Xuyue's chest: "What's wrong with you today?"
Shen Xuyue froze for a moment, then stroked Zhao Mingyue's back before saying, "Mingyue, how about I bring your mother over after the New Year to take care of you?"
Zhao Mingyue was taken aback: "You took it so quickly?"
Shen Xuyue sighed: "I didn't want to tell you so soon, but I couldn't keep it from you. I was afraid you would overthink things, so I decided to tell you. I have to go on a business trip after the New Year."
"Where to? How long?"
Shen Xuyue said, "In the United States, it could take three months at the fastest, or six months at the slowest."
Zhao Mingyue felt a surge of excitement: "Why does it take so long? Can't we send someone else? Your company doesn't seem to have any connection with overseas countries."
Shen Xuyue said, “It’s not about my unit. It’s about my former school. The school introduced a big project with the United States. This project is at the national level and requires professionals with solid professional knowledge and high foreign language proficiency to study. You know, we are the first batch of students in this major. There were not many other options, so the professor thought of me and applied to my unit to transfer me there. My unit agreed.”
Zhao Mingyue gripped Shen Xuyue's clothes tightly: "Are you going alone? Can't you find anyone else?" Normally, she would never stop Shen Xuyue from working, but at this critical moment, when she was pregnant and needed him the most, he was going abroad.
Shen Xuyue hugged her tightly: "It's not just me, there's another classmate. I didn't want to go either, but there was no other way. There was no more suitable candidate. The scholar they contacted happened to be the one whose article I translated. That's why the professor recommended me. I will complete the task as soon as possible and come back as soon as possible. I will definitely come back before the baby is born."
Zhao Mingyue's nose stung with tears. Just when everything seemed to be turning around and things were getting better, this unexpected obstacle had to appear at this crucial moment. She was truly reluctant to let Shen Xuyue go abroad. She turned around and lay on her side, her back to him. Shen Xuyue apologized softly for a long time. Heaven knows how much he didn't want to go to America; at least wait until his child was born. But he couldn't refuse the mission assigned by the organization.
Shen Xuyue said, "My company only notified me today. It's outrageous. They won't even let us have a proper New Year."
It's not really the company's fault. These days, being able to go abroad is a good thing for everyone, but it just doesn't apply to Shen Xuyue. It's really unfortunate.
Zhao Mingyue said, "Can't it be later?"
Shen Xuyue shook his head helplessly: "No."
Zhao Mingyue asked, "When are we leaving?"
"It will take about two weeks to process the passport and visa, which means I will have to leave around the time of the Lantern Festival."
"Then you go and pick up my mom?" Zhao Mingyue asked.
Shen Xuyue said, "Yes, I want to bring Mom over. I don't want you to live at home. It's too tiring for you to keep going back and forth to work. My mom has to take care of my dad, and my sister-in-law also needs to be taken care of. She definitely won't be able to take care of you as meticulously. So I'll go back and bring Mom over. I feel most at ease with her taking care of you."
Zhao Mingyue had considered bringing her mother over to help her during her postpartum period and to help take care of the baby for a while, but she didn't expect it to happen so soon.
Shen Xuyue then remembered something else: "Oh right, my company told me that the housing has been approved and we can move in after the New Year. But I'm in the United States, so I probably won't be able to move for the next few months. I'll talk about it when I get back."
Zhao Mingyue gradually accepted this fact. Fortunately, it was only for a few months, not years: "Then you must come back as soon as possible. We are waiting for you to come back."
Shen Xuyue kissed her forehead: "Definitely, don't worry."
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