The game ended with Ling Ruoke narrowly winning. Looking at the chessboard and then at her grandfather's face, she felt a little nervous.
Huo Zhenbang laughed heartily, even happier than if he had won himself. "You little rascal, you're something else! Truly, the younger generation surpasses the older, and I, the old wave, have been swept away on the beach."
"No way! I just won by luck once, maybe even because you deliberately let me win, Grandpa!" Ling Ruoke played with the black chess piece, sticking out her tongue and winking mischievously.
Huo Zhenbang laughed even more heartily. "You little rascal, you're the best at making your grandpa happy."
While Grandpa went to the restroom, Huo Qingfeng held Ruo Ke and brought up his conversation with his mother. "Mom is planning to have you go back to B City with her. They'll take care of you. What do you think?"
Ling Ruoke paused, clearly displeased. "Do you want me to go back with them too?"
Huo Qingfeng kissed her. His arms were around her waist, and he played with her slender fingers. "Of course not. But I'm worried about you being home alone. Besides, I want to be by your side while you're pregnant, to experience the baby's changes every day. If possible, I wouldn't want to miss this beautiful process. So, if I wanted you to come with me to the military base, would you be willing?"
Ling Ruoke immediately beamed with joy and answered without hesitation, "Okay."
Huo Qingfeng smiled and hugged her even tighter. This was his beloved wife; she only wanted to be with him, and nothing else mattered. "Then I'll go back and apply right away. It'll be done quickly. You should also take care of the company matters. Either hand it over to that Xia Mo guy, or let Tan Peishi oversee things."
"Yes, I know." The company is already on track and there aren't any major problems. Let's talk to Tan Peishi first, and if that doesn't work, let Xia Mo manage it.
"Oh no, I haven't called Peishi yet!" Ling Ruoke exclaimed and reached for her phone on him.
Huo Qingfeng was both amused and exasperated. He picked her up and moved her to the other end of the sofa, handing her the phone. He had originally planned to bother everyone last night, but it was too late, so he only bothered his family in the end.
The call went through quickly.
"Hello, beauty, missed me?" Tan Peishi's awkward tone rang out, as if she was still eating, her words slightly muffled.
Ling Ruoke smiled too. "Grandpa, I have some news for you, listen carefully."
"What news is so important? Are you having an affair?"
Ling Ruoke looked helplessly at Huo Qingfeng and noticed his eyebrows were almost raised. She reached out and touched them. "What nonsense are you talking about! Let me tell you, I'm pregnant, and you're going to be a godmother!"
There was a moment of silence, then a terrifying scream erupted. "Really? Oh my god, my beauty has been pregnant!"
"Pfft!" Ling Ruoke spat out her drink. This Tan Peishi really doesn't hold back when it comes to saying something shocking!
Huo Qingfeng listened quietly without interrupting, watching his wife chatter incessantly with that crazy woman, Tan Peishi.
A moment later, Grandpa came out. Seeing her on the phone, Xiaoxiao went outside. The guard immediately followed behind him, staying close by.
Ling Ruoke and Tan Peishi chatted until Ahui finished preparing lunch, and then they reluctantly hung up the phone.
Fortunately, Huo Qingfeng was patient, holding her like that the whole time, listening to their endless chatter. However, he was enjoying the feeling of having his wife in his arms and had absolutely no interest in what they were talking about. After all, opportunities to hold her like this and quietly keep her company were far too few, to the point that he often felt it was too much of a burden on her.
"Wash your hands and eat," Ah Hui commanded.
Huo Qingfeng pulled his wife to wash her hands, and personally washed and dried each of her fingers.
Yang Ziyun watched from outside the door, smiling and shaking her head. He really was Huo Zhixun's son; even his reaction to his wife's pregnancy was the same. Back when she was pregnant, Huo Zhixun practically doted on her, showering her with care and attention!
Neither Huo Qingfeng nor Ling Ruoke expected that a "battle" would break out at the dinner table.
"Eat more fish. Eating fish is good for your health, and your child will be very smart." This is what Yang Ziyun said.
"Eat more ribs, and your child will have strong bones and a healthy body." That's what Grandpa says.
"..."
The two men held their own opinions, but both wished they could fatten Ling Ruoke up overnight, and ideally, fatten up their grandchildren and great-grandchildren as well.
Ling Ruoke was very obedient, eating this and that, trying her best to make both of them happy. However, Yang Ziyun and Huo Zhenbang were already in a state of excitement, so no problems arose.
Finally, the problem arose: Ling Ruoke ate until she was completely stuffed.
Huo Qingfeng had no choice but to help her walk slowly in the yard to aid digestion. He couldn't help but laugh; Ruoke's belly hadn't shown yet, but now, thanks to her grandfather and mother's efforts, it was bulging out. He reached out and gently touched it, asking, "Are you feeling uncomfortable? You silly girl, if you're full, don't eat anymore. Why make yourself feel so uncomfortable?"
Ling Ruoke pouted and clung to him coquettishly, saying, "I really didn't feel full at the time. It was only when I put down my chopsticks and stood up that I realized I was full."
It often happens during meals that everything tastes delicious, and you always feel like you haven't eaten enough. But as soon as you put down your chopsticks, oh no, you're stuffed!
Huo Qingfeng smiled slightly and continued to gently massage her stomach. "Luckily, I didn't agree to let you go back to B City with Mom, otherwise this situation would probably happen two or three times a day."
Ling Ruoke found the thought of it terrifying. The feeling of hunger was unbearable, and the feeling of being stuffed was equally painful; she felt like she would vomit at the slightest movement. She didn't want to live like that every day—it was too pitiful! "They've only just heard the good news, so their excitement hasn't worn off yet. I believe they won't be like this in a few days."
"Yeah. It's not so bad if they stay this excited. Life would be so exciting, right?" When people get old and lonely, they need excitement and arguments so that time doesn't feel too hard to pass.
Ling Ruoke chuckled and nodded repeatedly.
Accompanied by Huo Qingfeng, Ling Ruoke strolled around the courtyard for about half an hour before the nausea gradually subsided. The wind was quite cold, and she felt warm all over, almost completely enveloped in the colonel's arms.
Back inside, Grandpa was playing chess with the guards again. They had been playing for a while, so they were both very focused.
Yang Ziyun and Ahui were watching a TV series, and they were wiping away tears at a particularly moving part.
Seeing the extra people in the house and witnessing this everyday scene, Ling Ruoke felt that life was truly wonderful. Sometimes, she felt that it was quite joyful to have a family living together in such a lively atmosphere.
"Are you sleepy? Why don't you go back to your room and get some sleep?" Huo Qingfeng asked her gently.
Ling Ruoke was indeed a little sleepy, so she said goodbye to Yang Ziyun and went back to her room to sleep with Huo Qingfeng by her side. "You stay with me."
She tugged at his clothes until he took off his coat and crawled into bed, then she nestled in his arms and closed her eyes. She chatted with him intermittently, but soon fell asleep.
Huo Qingfeng wasn't sleepy, so he lay on his side, propping his face up, silently watching her. His large hand covered her abdomen; even though there was no movement yet, he could almost feel the baby's presence. Eventually, his eyes grew tired, so he held her and fell asleep.
When the two woke up, it was already past three in the afternoon. Coming downstairs, they found Tan Peishi and her mother had also arrived and were chatting with Yang Ziyun and the others.
Grandpa and his guards were still locked in fierce combat, showing no sign of stopping. Every now and then, a deafening shout of "General!" could be heard!
"Beauty, hurry, let me take a good look!" Tan Peishi rushed over and pulled her to look her over from left to right, up to down.
Ling Ruoke was baffled. "What's so interesting? I'm not injured!"
"Look how different it is when you're pregnant." She then reached out and touched her belly, saying, "Goddaughter, I'm your godmother! Be good, don't bother your mother, okay?"
Ling Ruoke chuckled. "What are you talking about? He can't hear you right now. Besides, how do you know it's a daughter?" She's just a tiny little thing, no bigger than a tadpole.
Tan Peishi stuck out her tongue and exclaimed, "You're not him, how do you know he can't hear you? He might be laughing at you right now. Right, goddaughter? A daughter is good, she can be my Lele's wife."
Ling Ruoke was amused by her and smiled, pursing her lips. "You're being a bit too far in your planning for a rainy day."
“Don’t stand, come sit down. Let’s have a good chat and share our parenting experiences.” Tan Peishi pulled her toward the sofa.
Huo Qingfeng followed behind, calling out, "Tan Peishi, be careful." He was genuinely worried about his wife being with this woman who was acting so erratically.
Tan Peishi rolled her eyes and ignored him.
The two women chattered for a while before getting to the issue of accompanying the army.
Tan Peishi thought for a moment. "I think this is a good idea. Let that stinky man see how hard it is for us women to bear children for him." As she spoke, she provocatively raised her chin to look at the man next to Ruoke.
Huo Qingfeng couldn't be bothered with her; a real man doesn't stoop to arguing with a woman.
Since the topic of accompanying the military was brought up, the management of Peihuo naturally came up. After some discussion, it was decided that Xia Mo would temporarily manage the affairs, with the two of them intervening only for important issues. However, Ruo Ke would still be in charge of the expenses, but she would primarily work on the computer and would no longer be in the office.
Before they knew it, it was evening. Yang Ziyun, Aunt Tan, and Ahui had already gone to buy groceries and cook.
Dinner was even more lively than lunch. Everyone except the pregnant woman Ling Ruoke and the baby Fu Lingyun drank alcohol, their glasses clinking loudly. Everyone was happy, and bursts of laughter frequently filled the air.
She was scheduled to go to the hospital for a full check-up early the next morning, so not long after dinner, Ling Ruoke was "sent" to bed. It was certain that Huo Qingfeng would sleep with her.
Tan Peishi and the others had no choice but to be driven back by the guards.
Ling Ruoke was being held by Huo Qingfeng as they soaked in the bathtub. She usually lay on top of him, but now she had to lie on her back. The colonel was unhappy that they couldn't face each other. So he simply sat up, took a towel, and began to dry her body.
Ling Ruoke blushed under his burning gaze.
Huo Qingfeng was also struggling to hold back, his breathing becoming heavy. But there was no other way; his wife was pregnant with their baby, and they had to abstain from intimacy for a while. He had heard that after the first three months, everything would be fine, which meant he had to wait at least two more months!
"How about I wash myself?" Ling Ruoke could tell from his breathing that he was feeling uncomfortable, so she wanted to push him outside to calm down.
Huo Qingfeng restrained her struggles. "Don't move, it'll be over soon." They finally finished washing, and Huo Qingfeng was drenched in sweat. He carried her to the bed and then plunged into the cold water to take a shower himself.
Ling Ruoke looked at the slightly ajar bathroom door, put on her anti-radiation suit, and began writing her novel. She had originally reserved this part for herself, and now she could finally record it like a diary entry! Because it was a personal experience, her thoughts flowed freely.
After taking a cold shower, Huo Qingfeng finally calmed down his desire. As he dried his hair and came out, he saw his wife typing away at the computer. "Stop writing. You need to rest."
"I'll be done soon, give me five more minutes." Ling Ruoke looked up at him and smiled, then started tapping again.
Huo Qingfeng put down the towel, climbed onto the bed, and hugged her from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder. "Don't turn off the computer when you're done writing, I need to use it a bit more."
"Mmm." Ling Ruoke responded, turning her head to push his face to the side. "Don't look at me while I write, my mind will go blank." Although he knew he was writing a novel, he wouldn't be able to write a single word if someone was watching him.
Huo Qingfeng leaned back and closed his eyes. "Okay, I won't look. You finish writing quickly and get some rest. You have to go to the hospital early tomorrow morning."
Ling Ruoke had almost finished writing. In less than five minutes, she put a period at the end, uploaded it to the backend, and gently closed the laptop. "Okay, you can use it now."
"I'll use it later." Huo Qingfeng picked her up and laid her on the inside of the bed. He turned to turn off the main light and turned on the wall lamp. He came back, tucked her in, and then put his arms around her waist. "Sleep."
Ling Ruoke closed her eyes, then opened them again. "You're going back to your unit tomorrow, right?"
"Okay. But I'll accompany you to your prenatal checkup, and I'll apply to join you when I get back to the unit." In fact, he was supposed to return to his unit tonight. But for her first prenatal checkup, he was determined to be with her no matter what, even if he would get scolded when he returned to his unit tomorrow.
Ling Ruoke stared at him with her eyes open, then suddenly reached out and hugged his neck, kissing him on the lips. "Huo Qingfeng, you're so good!" she said, smiling sweetly before obediently closing her eyes.
Huo Qingfeng waited until she fell asleep before removing his arm to tuck her in. He carefully moved to the outside of the bed, placed the laptop on his lap, and opened a file to start "working."
Ling Ruoke had a good night's sleep. When she woke up the next day, she saw the colonel propping his head up and looking at her. Their eyes met, and she felt so happy she was practically bubbling with joy.
After washing up, Aunt Hui had already prepared a hot breakfast. She had forgotten that one couldn't eat during a medical check-up. So Ling Ruoke couldn't eat and could only watch the Colonel and Yang Ziyun eat their breakfast with a blank expression. Aunt Hui felt sorry for her and kept saying she would make her even more delicious food the next day.
Huo Qingfeng drove Yang Ziyun and Ling Ruoke to the hospital, while the others stayed at home.
After a series of tests and having a large tube of blood drawn, Ling Ruoke felt hungry, dizzy, and nauseous.
Huo Qingfeng stayed with her the whole time, and his heart ached to see her uncomfortable. She leaned on him, seemingly without any strength. If it weren't for the crowd in the hospital and her shyness, he would have loved to carry her around.
After Ling Ruoke finally finished her examination, Huo Qingfeng couldn't help but bend down and pick her up, then went out the door and sat down in the hospital's small garden.
Yang Ziyun followed behind, carrying a thermos. Aunt Hui had packed breakfast in the thermos and asked Yang Ziyun to bring it to the hospital; it was still fresh.
After eating breakfast, Ling Ruoke felt better; her stomachache, dizziness, and nausea had subsided, and she felt much more energetic. She climbed off the colonel's lap and took his hand. "I'm fine now. You go back to your unit; I'll go back with Mom."
Yang Ziyun waved her hand. "Go back, I'll take good care of them, don't worry."
Although Huo Qingfeng was reluctant, he had no choice but to leave. Ignoring his mother's presence, he bent down and hugged Ling Ruoke tightly, kissing her several times before letting go. "Take good care of yourself. I'll be back soon."
Ling Ruoke watched him disappear in a flash, like a leopard, and felt a slight pang of sadness. She longed to be like the women on TV, crying and making a scene to stop him from leaving. But she couldn't! "Mom, let's go back."
"Are you tired? Are you feeling unwell? If you're okay, let's go for a walk and buy some necessities." Now that I'm pregnant, there are many things we can prepare.
Ling Ruoke naturally understood that what she was saying was definitely related to the child. Although she felt it was unnecessary, she didn't intend to go against her. If this would make her happy, then why bother upsetting her?
Yang Ziyun took her hand, and the two walked together towards the hospital entrance, talking about their child. Now, the child had become the topic of conversation for all of them. Even though they had already talked about it, they couldn't help but repeat it over and over, as if only in this way could they express the joy in their hearts.
When they met Rong Xiumei head-on, both of them were stunned.
Ling Ruoke glanced at Yang Ziyun, whose face remained largely expressionless. But when she looked at Rong Xiumei, her reaction was completely different; Rong Xiumei's eyes held a fierce, almost hostile glint, as if fire was about to burst from them. Especially when Rong Xiumei's gaze swept over her abdomen, Ling Ruoke instinctively instinctively covered her stomach with her hand.
Yang Ziyun released Ling Ruoke's hand and greeted her with a smile. "Little sister, long time no see. Are you here to visit a friend at the hospital?"
Rong Xiumei ignored her, snorted coldly, glared at Ling Ruoke, and walked away with heavy steps. In fact, Rong Xiumei was furious and resentful, and was about to explode.
Ling Ruoke is pregnant, beaming with happiness! But what about her Miaomiao? Not only has she lost her child, but she's also divorced, living a miserable life. Her grandfather sent her abroad, and she doesn't even know where her daughter is! If Ling Ruoke hadn't interfered, Miaomiao would have been with Huo Qingfeng long ago and wouldn't have suffered so much! If Yang Ziyun hadn't been so protective, even though Huo Qingfeng bullied Miaomiao and refused to take responsibility, things wouldn't have turned out this way!
All of this is because the Huo family and Ling Ruoke owe Miao Miao and the Gu family! She hates it!
Rong Xiumei clenched her fists tightly, her nails digging into her palms. That slight pain was not enough to vent the resentment in her heart! Her expression was extremely fierce, and people who saw her instinctively stepped aside or walked around her.
Her Miaomiao suffered so much, why should Ling Ruoke be so happy? Her grandson is gone, why should Yang Ziyun enjoy the happiness that a grandson brings? The Gu family couldn't enjoy the joy of four generations living together, why should the Huo family be able to? Why?
That's absolutely not true!
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