No one managed to get a call at the last minute, so Huo Qingfeng hung up immediately because he noticed his wife was in tears. "What's wrong?" He cupped her face and tenderly wiped away her tears.
Ling Ruoke wanted to laugh, but couldn't help crying. She buried her face in his chest and sobbed softly for a while. When you're sad, tears are the best way to vent; and when you're happy, perhaps tears are the best way to express it too.
"Don't cry, it's bad for your health." Huo Qingfeng lifted her onto his lap, letting her lie sideways in his arms. Her face was wet and red from crying.
Ling Ruoke watched him silently, letting him wipe away her tears. It took a while for her emotions to calm down. By then, the phone had rung several times. Stubbornly, it rang again and again. "I just feel so happy. If Mom and Dad knew, they would definitely be very happy and relieved."
"It definitely will!" Huo Qingfeng lowered his head, pressing his forehead against hers. He had always known that the wounds left by their deaths in Ruoke's heart hadn't fully healed. Perhaps the arrival of their child could truly heal that wound. Life and death, life and death—using the hope and joy of new life to dispel the pain of death is the most effective way.
Ling Ruoke sniffled and stopped crying. She wasn't really being dramatic; she just couldn't hold back her emotions for a moment. Just then, the phone rang again, so she picked it up.
"Ruo Ke, little girl?" It was Grandpa Huo Zhenbang's voice.
That night, Huo Qingfeng's car remained parked on the roadside for a long time. Seeing that his grandfather and mother still refused to let him go, he couldn't help but lose his temper. "It's getting late, pregnant women need to go to bed early and get up early, bye."
Seeing his huffy expression, Ling Ruoke smiled, pursing her lips. Her hand gently covered her belly. It was still flat, but a small life was already present. This was the fruit of their love, the baby everyone had been eagerly awaiting!
Huo Qingfeng got out of the car, carried her to the back seat, and drove home.
Ling Ruoke was still very excited, but she was really tired. She was prone to fatigue after becoming pregnant, and it was already past eleven o'clock, so she leaned back in the back seat and fell asleep.
When they arrived home, Huo Qingfeng carefully carried her inside, and she just murmured something and continued to sleep soundly.
Huo Qingfeng gave her a bath before carefully placing her on the bed and covering her with a blanket. He turned off the lights, leaving only the soft glow of the wall lamp, and stood silently watching her for a long time before going in to take a shower.
He quickly showered, lay down on the bed, and held her in his arms. She was still naked, yet he felt no desire. Perhaps disturbed by his touch, the person in his arms let out a soft moan, turned over, and lay on her side with her back to him in protest. Huo Qingfeng smiled slightly, reached out and wrapped his arm around her waist, his large hand resting on her abdomen, gently moving and stroking it. Before long, he too drifted off to sleep with her.
The next day, Huo Qingfeng woke up early, not wanting to go for his morning exercise. He simply propped his head up, looking at his beautiful wife in his arms. She lay flat on her back, her face close to his chest, sleeping soundly. Her little mouth was slightly pouting, as if she were being affectionate. Normally, she would have already woken up. Indeed, pregnancy is tiring; she needs plenty of rest.
Huo Qingfeng bent down and kissed her forehead, showing no intention of getting up himself. He simply smiled, staring intently at his beloved wife, his eyes unblinking, as if he could never get enough of her. Any more height, any more height, any more beauty, any more ugliness, any more gentleness, any more strength—none of it would suit her. She was meant to be this way. Only this way had she entered his eyes and heart, from that moment on occupying his entire vision and his whole being.
Ling Ruo didn't just sleep a little longer than usual; she didn't wake up until almost ten o'clock, and she woke up because she was hungry.
Huo Qingfeng got up early, prepared breakfast, kept it warm in the pot, and then returned to the room. He sat by the bed, watching his wife and occasionally tucking her in. Hearing a soft moan from her, he immediately jumped up.
Ling Ruoke slowly opened her eyes, and the next second she felt herself being helped up and placed in a broad embrace, her breath carrying a familiar scent. Her vision went from hazy to clear, finally settling on his face. She blinked, a gentle smile appearing on her face. "You're up."
"Hmm. Have you slept enough? If you're still sleepy, have breakfast before you go back to sleep, or you'll get hungry." Huo Qingfeng took the clothes and dressed her one by one.
Ling Ruoke was still a little dazed, obediently letting him help her get dressed. She felt languid, even though she had slept for so long, she was still sleepy and limp. She covered her mouth, yawned, and tears welled up in her eyes.
Huo Qingfeng dressed her, put on socks, and changed her into shoes he had specially bought yesterday—shoes that were warm and wouldn't slip. Then he picked her up and took her into the bathroom. He even squeezed out the toothpaste and placed it in her hand.
Ling Ruoke looked at the toothbrush in her hand, then at the man standing beside her, and said with a smile, "Why do I feel like someone who can't take care of themselves?" But inside she felt sweet, as if she had drunk honey.
Huo Qingfeng smiled. "Not at all, I'm treating you like a treasure, didn't you realize? Hurry up and finish your food, aren't you hungry?"
"I'm hungry." Ling Ruoke confessed honestly, and then brushed her teeth seriously.
Huo Qingfeng had already filled a basin with hot water and soaked her towel in it. After she finished brushing her teeth, he wrung out the towel and wiped her face, treating her like a child unable to take care of herself. He wiped her face meticulously, cleaning every inch carefully, his hands working hard to control the pressure. By the time he finished wiping her face, his wrists were already a little sore.
He carefully wiped her hands, hung up the towel, and then picked her up in his arms. "Let's go, it's time for breakfast."
Ling Ruoke wrapped her arms around his neck, stared at him, and said, "Why haven't I seen you serve me like this before? It seems the child is more important. I'm only valued because of my son!"
"I don't want a child that isn't yours." But there was no possibility of that happening. His arms remained empty until he was over thirty, waiting for her to take them.
Ling Ruoke's almond-shaped eyes widened as she exclaimed, "What do you mean? Do you want to sleep with other women?"
Huo Qingfeng regretted his words as soon as he finished speaking. He had shot himself in the foot; of all things to say, he had to bring up this. "No, I just want to sleep with you, preferably staying in bed all day and not going anywhere. Or in the bathtub, it's fine too; it's very comfortable to do it while soaking in water."
Ling Ruoke blushed furiously, gave him a hard smack, and then forgot about it. She was just joking; she didn't really suspect him, so she wouldn't hold a grudge.
Huo Qingfeng placed his wife in a cushioned chair and began carrying breakfast out. One dish after another, the quantity wasn't excessive, but the variety was impressive.
"You didn't stay up all night making breakfast, did you?" Ling Ruoke couldn't help but exclaim. The doctor said nutrition was very important, and every meal should be substantial, so she kept that in mind. Her nose started to sting again.
Huo Qingfeng smiled slightly, hugged her, and kissed her. "As long as you want to eat, that's fine. Come on, eat quickly, don't go hungry. Or, shall I feed you?"
"No, I'll eat it myself. You should eat too." Ling Ruoke was certain that he hadn't eaten either.
Huo Qingfeng didn't make any special demands, obediently eating his own food, but he kept an eye on which one she preferred, silently remembering it. This was his wife, his darling, so he was willing to pamper her with all his heart. If a sumptuous breakfast could bring a smile to her face, he was willing to get up early every day to prepare it.
After breakfast, the two were discussing whether to go for a walk when two cars pulled up in front of their house in a flurry. And it wasn't just one person who got out of the cars.
Huo Zhenbang, Yang Ziyun, nanny Ahui, and the bodyguard were all present. Only the busy Huo Zhixun was absent; everyone else was there.
Huo Qingfeng opened the door.
When Ling Ruoke saw them come in from the sofa, her jaw nearly dropped. It was only a little past eleven o'clock; did that mean they had set off before dawn?
"If possible, let me see my grandson right away." Yang Ziyun rushed over as if she were a teenage girl.
Huo Qingfeng grabbed her arm; his mother's force startled him. "Mom, your grandson can't see yet. But don't get so agitated; you might bump into him."
"You brat, don't I know your mother?" she said, giving him a flick on the forehead, but because she wasn't high enough, the flick ended up hitting his chin. She snorted and ran over, sitting down next to Ruoke and reaching out to touch her stomach.
Ling Ruoke felt a little embarrassed, even though she was still dressed properly. There were still many men present, and she felt quite awkward. Fortunately, no one seemed to think much of it and remained calm.
"Young Madam, have you eaten? Aunt Hui will cook lots of delicious food for you from now on, and I guarantee you'll grow up healthy and plump." The nanny, Hui, was quite excited. As people get older, they all enjoy the joy of having a new addition to the family and love children.
Upon hearing the phrase "fair-skinned and chubby," Ling Ruoke conjured up a completely distorted version of herself in her mind. She smiled sweetly and said, "Thank you, Aunt Hui. Please have a seat."
"Grandpa. Aren't you tired from getting up so early to catch the plane?" Ling Ruoke walked over and took Huo Zhenbang's arm, smiling as she spoke.
Huo Zhenbang, who had just felt neglected, immediately smiled broadly. "I'm not tired. Thinking of my great-grandson makes all my tiredness disappear. You sit still and don't tire yourself out."
Ling Ruoke chuckled. "Grandpa, it's not that exaggerated. I'm perfectly healthy. How about I play a few games with you?" For Grandpa, playing chess was his greatest pleasure.
“No, that won’t do. Playing chess is too mentally taxing. Let’s talk about it after you have the baby.” Huo Zhenbang surprisingly refused.
Ling Ruoke really couldn't help but feel that everyone was treating her like a glass doll. "Grandpa, we can't spoil her like this. People from the countryside work in the fields even when they're heavily pregnant. We can't even sit and play chess? That would be too fragile. The doctor also said that moderate exercise is good for the body."
That's true.
Yang Ziyun chuckled and replied, "Ruo Ke, you know what, your grandfather was so excited last night that he didn't sleep a wink."
“You’re no different!” Huo Zhenbang retorted, his beard bristling and eyes wide.
Ling Ruoke looked at the two of them and thought life was really lively. "Grandpa, Mom, are you hungry too? I'll go make you some food, you two take a rest."
Yang Ziyun quickly pulled her back. "You don't need to do it, Ahui can do it. You, just rest properly. Although the doctor said that moderate exercise is fine, it doesn't include heavy work like washing clothes and cooking."
“That’s right!” Grandpa chimed in.
Ling Ruoke touched her nose and looked at the nanny. "Aunt Hui, thank you for your hard work."
"It's not hard work at all," Ahui said, beaming from ear to ear. "With such a joyous occasion at home, all the hard work is worth it! I'll go buy groceries and cook now, you all get some rest."
Huo Zhenbang assigned two bodyguards to help her carry her things.
Ling Ruoke chuckled softly, feeling that this kind of life was almost unreal. "Mom, Grandpa, I see you're both tired. Why don't you go and rest for a while? I'll wake you up when dinner is ready."
"No need, I'm not tired. Dad, do you want to go and rest?" Yang Ziyun waved her hand, she was excited and really wasn't tired.
Huo Zhenbang shook his head. "I'm not tired either. If you're so inclined, how about we have a game?"
Ling Ruoke smiled, pursing her lips. Grandpa really loved playing chess. "Okay, did you bring the things?"
"Of course. Your grandfather takes his treasured set with him wherever he goes," Yang Ziyun said with a smile.
Huo Zhenbang stared wide-eyed. "Of course, this is a treasure given to me by my granddaughter-in-law, of course I have to bring it." His affection for Ruoke was overflowing and made no attempt to hide it.
Fortunately, Yang Ziyun had come to terms with it, otherwise she would definitely have been furious. Besides, she herself doted on Ruoke quite a bit, so she didn't have any ulterior motives. Moreover, Ruoke was pregnant with the Huo family's grandson, so she was even less likely to hold a grudge.
Ling Ruoke just smiled and didn't answer much. She intuitively felt that Yang Ziyun and her grandfather were getting along better than before.
Huo Qingfeng held his wife's waist, not saying much. Even with his mother and grandfather, he wasn't a talkative person. Only when he was alone with Ruo Ke would he become talkative. He preferred to quietly stand aside and watch everyone dote on his beloved wife.
The chessboard was quickly brought over by the guard.
The grandfather and grandson then each took turns picking up and placing pieces on one side.
Huo Qingfeng was just thinking of watching the game alongside his wife when his mother tugged at his sleeve. She pointed towards the door, indicating that they should talk outside. After glancing at his wife's focused profile, he got up and went out with his mother.
The two people entered the courtyard one after the other. It was already winter, and it was a bit cold outside.
"Mom, what's wrong?" Huo Qingfeng stood with his legs apart two steps away from his mother.
Yang Ziyun glared at him, somewhat angrily saying, "It's not like your mother has to have something really important to tell you! It's true what they say, sons grow up and become independent; you need a reason to even talk to them!"
Huo Qingfeng touched his nose. "Mom, that's not what I meant. I just thought you were being mysterious and I assumed you had some important secret to share with me."
"Tch, what major secret could your mom possibly have?" Yang Ziyun scoffed. "I wanted to ask you, now that Ruoke is pregnant, what are you planning to do?"
Huo Qingfeng frowned slightly. "Mom, what do you mean, what should we do? Of course, we should give birth to it." Why does this line sound like he's had a child with his mistress?
Yang Ziyun glared at him and then smacked him with a hammer. "Who asked you that? Everyone knows you have to give birth to her! She's the Huo family's golden grandson. You don't need to say anything to know you have to give birth to her properly! I'm asking you, Ruoke is pregnant, are you still planning to leave her alone at home? Are you sure you're comfortable with that? Why don't you let Ruoke come back to B City with me? I'll be there to take care of her with me and Ahui, and I'll feel more at ease."
This is truly the apple of the Huo family's eye; they can't afford any mishaps. Especially her grandfather, who's been eagerly anticipating this pregnancy for ages, and he absolutely won't allow any accidents to happen!
Huo Qingfeng suddenly realized, then frowned in thought. He was still immersed in the joy of becoming a father and hadn't thought about this issue carefully. However, whether it was leaving Ruoke alone at home or letting her go back to B City with her mother, neither was an answer he wanted to accept.
"Don't frown. Let her come back to City B with us. We'll all take care of her together and make sure she's well-fed and healthy." Most importantly, she wanted to watch her grandson grow up day by day. The magical feeling of fetal movement during her pregnancy was a distant memory; she wanted to experience it again through her grandson.
Huo Qingfeng was silent for a while, then finally shook his head. "Mom, I don't want her to go back with you, and I don't want her to be alone at home. I want to discuss with Ruoke whether she can go with me to the military base. I'm a soldier, and I only have one child in my life. I don't want to miss his growth. By the time I have time to be with him in the future, he probably won't need me anymore. So, I hope that I can be there for him as he grows up, even when he's still in my belly."
He also wanted to be with his wife, sharing in the joy of becoming parents for the first time. They only had one chance to experience this, and neither of them wanted to miss it!
Yang Ziyun looked at him without speaking, and after a while sighed softly. "What you said is right. If Ruoke agrees, that's a good idea, since it's still safe in the army anyway. I'll come and take care of her when her belly gets a little bigger."
Huo Qingfeng thought to himself, "My mother really thinks far ahead." "Mom, just take good care of the old man and wait for your grandson to come into this world. As for taking care of Ruoke, there are many wives in the army who can help, so don't worry."
Yang Ziyun glared at him again, quite angry. "How can that be the same? He's not someone else's grandson. Do you think they'd care about him like your mother would?"
"Mom, you're right." Huo Qingfeng wisely changed the subject; he knew it was foolish to argue with a woman about something. He reached out and put his arm around his mother's shoulder. "Mom, you're going to be a grandma soon, are you excited?"
"Of course I'm excited. I couldn't fall asleep last night, tossing and turning in bed. I finally drifted off just before dawn, and then I kept having dreams. In my dream, there was a chubby baby laughing, and it made my heart race! Your father and grandfather were also there; nobody slept well!" Yang Ziyun said, laughing involuntarily. The whole family was overjoyed by the arrival of their child.
Hearing this, Huo Qingfeng couldn't help but chuckle. "Mom, thank you. You brought me into this world, giving me the opportunity to experience these subtle feelings. I bet you were even more excited when you were pregnant with me, right?"
Huo Qingfeng increasingly understood that his mother was also a woman, and she also needed to be loved. This love came not only from her husband, but also from her grown-up son.
Yang Ziyun's eyes welled up with tears, but her smile was incredibly bright. "Of course! You don't know, back then I was afraid to put any weight on myself when I walked, just in case I bumped into you and made you uncomfortable. Your dad didn't sleep at all, he stared at my belly all night! That feeling, you'll never understand it if you haven't experienced it! So many years have passed, but I still haven't forgotten it..."
Seeing the radiance on his mother's face as she reminisced, Huo Qingfeng's heart softened even more. He put his arm around her shoulder and tightened his grip. The saying is true: every child is their parents' precious treasure!
Yang Ziyun was suddenly transported back to memories of over thirty years ago, as if she had conceived him, given birth to him, and watched him grow up—it all seemed like yesterday. Yet, the tall, imposing man before her was the very same little one who had kicked and struggled inside her womb all those years ago. "Life is truly miraculous!"
Huo Qingfeng met his mother's gaze and smiled slightly. He now shared that feeling—life is truly miraculous! The inheritance of bloodlines is a miracle in itself!
The mother and son talked for a while longer before going inside, as it was too cold outside.
On the sofa, the grandfather and grandson were still locked in a fierce battle. They traded blows, each pressing forward relentlessly, each determined to leave the other utterly defeated. If this were truly a battlefield, it would be a scene of deafening screams, splattered blood, and corpses strewn across the land.
In the kitchen, Ah Hui and the guards were already washing and chopping vegetables, working up a great deal of energy.
Yang Ziyun went to the kitchen to join in the fun and lend a hand.
Huo Qingfeng returned to his wife's side, watching her engage in a fierce chess game with her grandfather. Every time he watched her play chess, he had a feeling: Ruoke had a quiet sky in her heart, which no one could disturb or pollute! Perhaps it was because of this pure sky that she was able to always maintain a sincere heart.
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