After sitting on the sofa for a while, Ding Qiunan's emotions gradually stabilized.
She leaned on Li Chu's shoulder and asked, "Li Chu, do you prefer boys or girls?"
"Anything is fine, as long as it's your child," Li Chu said nonchalantly.
His nonchalant attitude made the girl sit up straight and reach out to slap his arm: "Li Chu, I'm serious."
“I’m serious, why should I care if it’s a boy or a girl?” Li Chu turned around and looked at Ding Qiunan, spreading his hands.
Seeing Li Chu's genuine expression, the girl was speechless: "But...but isn't having a boy the way to carry on the family line?"
Li Chu looked at Ding Qiunan with amusement, reached out and cupped her face, rubbing it a couple of times: "Wife, how can you have such thoughts? It's the new China now, and the Great Commander-in-Chief has said that women hold up half the sky. How can you still have such outdated ideas?"
"Oh dear," the girl shook her head and brushed his hand off her face. "It's not that I have outdated ideas, it's just that everyone thinks this way. Girls are going to get married eventually, after all."
"So, according to your logic, you won't be your parents' child anymore after you marry me?"
Before Ding Qiunan could say anything, Li Chu continued, "To me, boys and girls are really the same. They are all from the Li family. Don't overthink it. Don't be anxious when you weren't pregnant, and now that you're pregnant, don't feel pressured about whether it's a boy or a girl."
The girl looked at Li Chu's serious expression, nodded blankly, and didn't say a word.
Li Chu reached out and pulled the girl into his arms, stroking her back with one hand, and whispered, "Girl, you are the most important person to me. Don't think about anything else."
Ding Qiunan choked up a little as she said in his arms, "Yes, I understand, Li Chu. I won't think about it anymore."
"Oh, why are you crying again?" Li Chu gently patted the girl's back a few times: "Girl, you have a baby in your belly now, you have to be happy, so that the baby can grow up healthily."
After hearing his words, the girl wiped her face haphazardly on his chest and then looked up.
Li Chu curled her lips in disgust: "Ugh~ You wiped your snot all over my clothes."
"Pfft!" The girl couldn't help but laugh and slapped his chest. "You're so annoying, there's snot on your nose." She then wiped her face with the back of her hand.
Li Chu took out a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped her face: "Are you feeling better now?"
"Okay, I'll listen to you and won't overthink it anymore," Ding Qiunan said earnestly, sniffling.
"Then let's go to the study. I'll test you today to see how well you've remembered everything lately."
"Oh, we still have an exam today? Can't we take a day off?" Hearing his words, the girl's face immediately scrunched up again.
Li Chu got up, patted the girl's head, and then pulled her up as well: "Now you need to work even harder to pass the review and get a job at the hospital. Otherwise, I won't feel at ease letting you travel such a long distance with your big belly."
Yes, that makes sense. Once she starts working at the hospital, she won't have to commute so tiringly every day. Hearing Li Chu say that immediately motivated the girl.
Now Li Chu didn't need to pull her anymore; she walked to the study by herself.
The two men talked in the study, asking and answering questions, for over an hour before stopping. Li Chu was quite satisfied with the result. Passing the review process to open a traditional Chinese medicine pharmacy shouldn't be a problem.
The review process will begin in early March, which is a month long – plenty of time.
Li Chu has already reported Ding Qiunan's name and informed several leaders in the institute.
He even made a special trip to the home of Li Baonian, who had been promoted to deputy director of the steel plant, and explained the situation to him, so as to avoid trouble if the steel plant refused to release him after the review was approved and the transfer order was issued.
After washing up, Ding Qiunan was already in bed when Li Chu brought her a cup of prepared milk powder to drink.
Starting today, he'll have to find ways to increase the girl's nutrition. Although he knows his approach is a bit sentimental, Li Chu just wants his wife and the baby in her belly to be healthy.
After coaxing the girl to sleep, Li Chu couldn't fall asleep for a long time. He turned to his side and reached out to gently stroke the girl's flat belly, where a small life was growing, the continuation of his bloodline.
Li Chu racked his brains trying to figure out how to supplement Ding Qiunan's nutrition.
He could only vaguely remember that he should take folic acid, which was good for both the pregnant woman and the baby.
But folic acid is a chemically synthesized drug, and he doesn't know if it's still available now.
As for the chemical formula of folic acid, sorry, as a liberal arts student in his previous life, Li Chu said he couldn't even remember the periodic table.
Oh right, we should eat more nuts too. Walnuts are scarce now, but they have plenty of peanuts and sunflower seeds. Hmm, I'll start peeling them for my wife tomorrow.
And so, amidst the swirling thoughts, I slowly drifted off to sleep.
This Spring Festival, since Uncle Wang and Aunt Wang were staying in the south and wouldn't be coming back, Li Chu and her sister and brother-in-law decided that the two of them would bring their child to Li Chu's place. It's a spacious place, and they could stay overnight.
Since Lunar New Year's Eve happened to be a Sunday and they didn't have to work, Li Qin and her family of four came over at noon.
The group of people were preparing food and putting up Spring Festival couplets, their faces beaming with joy. Even Wang Ziwen cooked one of her signature dishes today.
Jiayuan and Jiadong were having a blast. Li Chu had bought a lot of firecrackers this year, and Jiadong and his sister were having a great time setting them off in the alley.
After a busy afternoon, the food was laid out on the table. The four adults and two children had just sat down when Wang Ziwen cleared his throat and said, "Xiao Chu, Qiu Nan, I have some good news for you."
Li Chu and Ding Qiunan both stopped what they were doing and looked at Wang Ziwen, waiting for him to continue.
"Your sister's appointment document came down yesterday; she's now the director of their neighborhood office."
"Oh, sister, congratulations!" Ding Qiunan clapped repeatedly at Li Qin.
"Sister, this is indeed good news. You should have a couple more drinks later." Li Chu picked up the wine bottle and filled the glass in front of Li Qin with wine.
"Your sister was so excited last night that she couldn't sleep for half the night."
"What nonsense are you talking about? Who's so happy they couldn't sleep all night?" Li Qin heard Wang Ziwen making fun of her and slapped his arm. "I was just nervous, afraid I wouldn't do a good job."
After saying that, Li Qin looked at her younger brother and sister-in-law and smiled reservedly: "Oh, what's there to congratulate? No matter what position you're in, you're serving the people."
Hearing this, Li Chu burst out laughing and waved his hand, "Sister, we're at home, we're all family, you don't need to give a report, okay?"
Li Chu's words amused everyone.
"You brat, how can you talk to your sister like that?" Hearing Li Chu's teasing words, Li Qin raised her hand to hit him, but unfortunately, she was a bit too far away.
"This is indeed good news for my sister, and I also have some good news to tell you." As she spoke, Li Chu took Ding Qiunan's hand and looked at Li Qin and Wang Ziwen.
The girl was a little embarrassed and lowered her head with a blush.
Li Qin and Wang Ziwen were still waiting for Li Chu to continue, but he didn't say anything for a long time, and Ding Qiunan next to them even blushed.
Suddenly, Li Qin thought of something, her eyes widened, and she looked at Li Chu and then at Ding Qiunan.
Wang Ziwen also realized what was happening, and a clear smile appeared on her lips.
"Is it true? Xiao Chu, is Qiu Nan pregnant?" Li Qin asked anxiously, not having received an answer.
Hearing their mother's words, the two younger children also stared at Ding Qiunan with great interest, and Wang Jiayuan even looked down at her aunt's belly.
Li Chu smiled and nodded: "Sister, Qiu Nan is indeed pregnant."
"Thank God, the Li family has an heir." Li Qin clasped her hands together, raised her head, and bowed to the sky.
"When did this happen?" Wang Ziwen asked from the side.
"It was just confirmed a couple of days ago."
"You brat, it's been days and you're only telling me now. Qiu Nan, you too, he didn't tell me, and neither did you." Li Qin immediately got angry when she heard that he had been keeping it from her for several days.
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