After a three-day separation, the couple slept in each other's arms, both completely content.
Ling Ruoke had another seizure that night. She looked at him with her big, watery eyes and sobbed softly.
Huo Qingfeng rubbed and kneaded her hands, coaxing her gently. Once the cramps subsided, he watched her sniffle affectionately, snuggle against the pillow, and fall into a deep sleep.
He couldn't help but smile. Since becoming pregnant, she'd become even more like a child. Every time she had a cramp, she'd whine and cry, looking utterly aggrieved. Sometimes, when she hurt herself somewhere, she'd look at him pitifully, her eyes seeming to well up with tears of grievance.
Such a chance encounter, perhaps only I could see in this lifetime. Thinking this, I felt an extraordinary tenderness and contentment in my heart. Looking at her beautiful face, I wished I could bring all the good things in the world to her, just for a single smile from her.
Ling Ruoke slept in the next day. She knew when Huo Qingfeng got up. She hugged his neck and called him "husband" affectionately, but she was too sleepy to open her eyes.
This made Huo Qingfeng chuckle softly. Chu Xing's voice was indescribably magnetic, yet also filled with undisguised doting affection.
Ling Ruoke woke up when the sun was high in the sky, stretched contentedly, and hummed with pleasure. After stretching, she hugged the cool blanket and stared blankly out the window, seemingly still half-asleep.
She sat for about ten minutes before her stomach growled, forcing her to get up and wash. It was alright if she was hungry, but she couldn't let the little one get hungry. She patted her tummy and smiled, saying, "Baby, be good, Mommy's getting up to feed you something delicious!"
There was a note on the table, written in the colonel's bold, flamboyant handwriting, just like his unruly personality. The old saying, "The handwriting reflects the person," is truly true!
She brought breakfast out of the pot: her favorite mushroom and chicken buns, lean pork congee, and a small bowl of wontons. These were all her favorite dishes, made with exquisite care, using her familiar cooking techniques.
Sitting at the dining table, eating breakfast while looking out at the lush greenery, I felt so happy that my whole body felt lazy.
Before she had even finished breakfast, Li Jun came over. "Hey Ruojie, the way you looked from outside the window just now, you were like a cat, exuding laziness from head to toe."
Ling Ruoke chuckled, touching her nose sheepishly. She had indeed become increasingly lazy lately. Sometimes she didn't even want to cook, just waiting for the colonel to come home and make her dinner. Luckily, he didn't get angry, or even have any complaints. He remained cheerful, saying that he'd let his husband serve his wife!
“You’re finally back. My husband told me that while you were gone, the team leader trained them relentlessly, and everyone was exhausted. The day before yesterday, my husband came back and asked me when my sister-in-law was coming back. He said if she didn’t come back soon, I wouldn’t be able to see her husband again.” Li Jun couldn’t help but laugh as she recalled He Jingwen’s expression at the time.
Ling Ruoke raised an eyebrow and made a face. She was already quite used to this kind of "tattling." When her colonel missed her and she wasn't around, he would vent his resentment on them, training them like robots, under the guise of—they'd been too comfortable for too long and needed to be fucked!
Li Jun felt incredibly bored during the days Ling Ruoke was away. Although she was kind and got along well with her neighbors, it was still different from her relationship with Ruoke.
The two of them hadn't been together for three days and were chatting about everyday things, so they got carried away and forgot all about it.
"Sister Ruo, I want to ask you something." Li Jun looked at her, her face flushed, as if it was something she was having trouble saying.
Seeing her shy expression, Ling Ruoke suddenly had a flash of inspiration and guessed what she wanted to ask. So she chuckled, leaned closer to her face, and said mischievously, "You want to ask if it's okay to have sex while pregnant, right?"
In an instant, Li Jun's face turned as red as a tomato, and he didn't know where to look. "Sister Ruo, you're so mean!"
Ling Ruoke was embarrassed at first, but half a year has passed, and she's gotten used to it. She reached out and patted her shoulder. "Don't get any redder, or your little cardiovascular system will rupture. The doctor should have warned you about that, didn't you two listen?"
“He listened, but I didn’t.” Li Jun was embarrassed at the time, so he didn’t listen. “He said the doctor said it would be fine after three months. But I’m not reassured, so… I wanted to ask you.”
Ling Ruoke stopped laughing at her; even fun should be enjoyed in moderation. "You can't have sex for the first and last three months, but it's fine in between, just be careful."
Li Jun looked down at the floor and remained silent for a long time.
The two of them made lunch together, and after eating and drinking their fill, they went downstairs for a walk. However, both pregnant women were not in good physical condition, and after walking for half an hour, they were too sleepy to continue and had to go back to sleep.
Ling Ruoke woke up to a knock on the door. She sat up groggily, not quite understanding what was happening for a while.
The person who came was Mei Yanting, which surprised her.
"Sister Ximeng, I'm sorry for waking you up." After what happened yesterday, Mei Yanting was a little embarrassed. She was so awkward that she didn't know where to look, and her voice wasn't as loud and lively as usual.
Ling Ruoke took a breath and said, "Come in. When did you arrive?"
"I went to see Chen Shan at the hospital early this morning and then came here." Mei Yanting hadn't slept well all night. After she left, the more she thought about it, the more frightened she became. She worried that Ling Ruoke would tell Chen Shan all the bad things about her past. She wanted to call Ling Ruoke, but she didn't dare, and she was also worried that there might be a bug on the phone or something. In short, she had a lot of random thoughts, which scared her to death.
So she got up early in the morning, and with a mix of coquetry and tantrums, she managed to get Chen Shan to send someone to pick her up.
Ling Ruoke said "Oh" and poured her a glass of water. She had almost forgotten about yesterday's events if Mei Yanting hadn't appeared. "Chen Shan injured his leg and will have a few months to rest. You two can finally spend a few months together. Optimistically speaking, it's a blessing in disguise."
I only hope that Chen Shan's companionship can calm down some of Mei Yanting's unsettling tendencies. Only in this way can the two of them have a better life together and go further in life.
"That's what I think too." Mei Yanting smiled brightly at her, with a hint of ingratiation. The expression on her face clearly showed that she wanted to say something but was hesitant, wanting to speak but worried about the outcome.
Ling Ruoke noticed, but didn't point it out. This was perhaps her way of venting her dissatisfaction; she was somewhat disappointed in Mei Yanting.
For a moment, neither of them spoke, and the atmosphere became somewhat awkward.
Ling Ruoke simply took out the little bib she had half-finished sewing and continued sewing. This was for her child, dressed up like the little dolls on TV who were dressed like golden boys. It wasn't that the child necessarily had to wear it like that; partly she wanted to achieve the effect seen on TV, and partly she just wanted to pass the time.
Seeing her so focused on embroidering, Mei Yanting became even more hesitant to speak. She watched her nimble hands, opened her mouth several times, but ultimately remained silent.
After what seemed like an eternity, Mei Yanting finally mustered the courage to speak. "Sister Ximeng?"
"Hmm?" Ling Ruoke responded, glanced up at her, then lowered her head again to focus intently on the needlework in her hands. "Speak your mind."
Mei Yanting took a breath. "Yesterday, about yesterday, I'm sorry! I... I was just confused for a moment, I don't know why I went to find you. Please don't be angry with me, I will never do it again, please forgive me this once."
Ling Ruoke sighed, stopped what she was doing, and looked up at Mei Yanting's uncomfortable expression. "Yanting, you haven't really wronged me. The way you asked me yesterday really hurt me because I was disappointed. I always thought Xu An's disappearance was a relief for you, an absolutely good thing. But when you heard people say I was the one who harmed him, you rushed to question me, which disappointed me greatly. I can't say I've been incredibly good to you, but since we met, I've never done anything bad to you. I consider myself quite good to you."
"I'm sorry," Mei Yanting stammered, then grabbed her hand. "Sister Ximeng, I know you're good to me, I've always known that. I... I just acted impulsively and didn't think that much."
Ling Ruoke smiled faintly and withdrew her hand. "You don't need to apologize to me. The people you truly owe an apology to are Chen Shan and yourself. Although Chen Shan couldn't give you wealth and luxury, he showered you with love and kindness. After arriving in Z City, you touched your chest and asked yourself, 'Aren't you much more relaxed and happier?' You've suffered so much misfortune, so I pity you and genuinely consider you my sister. Since coming here, you've rarely mentioned Xu An in front of me. I thought you had let go, but I didn't expect you to have hidden him so deeply! What's so good about him that he's worth giving up your current happiness?"
"It's not worth it!" Mei Yanting cried anxiously. "Sister Ximeng, I really just acted impulsively for a moment. I wasn't thinking about Xu An. Like you said, Chen Shan is so good to me, how could I possibly be thinking about Xu An!"
Ling Ruoke sighed silently as she watched Yanting's agitated state, gently brushing the stray hairs from her face. "Yanting, you don't need to prove anything to me. I just hope you can cherish the life you have now. It may not be luxurious, but it's peaceful and stable. Many people work their whole lives and still can't achieve this kind of peaceful life. You need to understand its preciousness! You envy my happiness with your brother-in-law, but you don't understand that our happiness has nothing to do with our money or their family's status or power. It's simply because we both love each other and are willing to cherish each other's good points and tolerate each other's flaws. I'm not good at being a persuasive person, but I still hope you can understand."
"Sister Ximeng, I know! I understand!" Mei Yanting grabbed her hand, as if she were holding onto something very important to her.
Ling Ruoke smiled slightly. "I hope you understand. I also want you to remember this: In this world, no one is destined to be happy, and no one is destined to be unhappy. If you want to be happy, you have to work hard, work hard to learn, and work hard to do."
"Sister Ximeng, I know, I will definitely learn from you!"
"There's nothing to learn from me. Just experience things with your heart, and life will teach you." No one's side of the story is enough to be considered the truth; life is the most qualified teacher.
“Yes!” Mei Yanting nodded repeatedly.
The two talked about a few other things, and when it was almost time, Mei Yanting had to go back to the hospital to take care of Chen Shan. Before leaving, she leaned against the door and turned back to Ling Ruoke, saying, "Sister Ximeng, could you please not tell Chen Shan about this?"
“Okay.” Ling Ruoke hadn’t originally intended to tell Chen Shan.
"Thank you, Sister Ximeng."
Chen Shan's leg had almost fully recovered, and he was able to be discharged from the hospital. He returned to the city, and the couple finally had some time together. I heard that their life there was blissful and they were very happy.
Ling Ruoke's belly was so big that her feet were no longer visible, making it extremely difficult for her to go up and down stairs. Going up was a little better, but going down always felt like she might slip and tumble down at any moment.
Huo Qingfeng was worried every day. Even when she went downstairs for a walk, Li Jun would help her, but he still wasn't at ease. He said that if she accidentally slipped and fell, Li Jun, a woman with no strength, wouldn't be able to catch her.
Ling Ruoke knew he had a point, but her home was upstairs. Was she supposed to trade places with the downstairs neighbor? They would definitely be willing, but she wasn't. Her house was so nicely decorated; she wasn't about to give it up. "Then what should I do? Maybe I should just walk around the house every day."
She was teasing him, knowing he would definitely disagree. He followed the doctor's advice and made sure to exercise more and not stay cooped up at home.
Therefore, Huo Qingfeng simply argued with the captain and managed to get permission to come home for lunch every day, after which he could take his wife for a walk. Although the captain scolded him severely, calling him a good-for-nothing who only cared about women and had no ambition, he didn't care at all, as long as the captain granted his request after yelling at him.
And so, whenever Huo Qingfeng wasn't on a mission, he would take his wife for a walk at noon and in the evening.
The weather is gradually cooling down, and we've entered early autumn. Before we know it, it's the National Day Golden Week holiday. In China, this is a long holiday, but also the least suitable time to travel.
Ling Ruoke was heavily pregnant and it wasn't convenient for her to go on a trip. She was just counting down the days; there were still two weeks until her due date, and she would soon be able to see her little one. She felt a mix of excitement and nervousness.
Yang Ziyun flew all the way from City B to take care of her. She brought lots of bags and packages, all prepared by her grandparents and great-grandfather for the little one—everything she could need. "Grandson, quickly say hello to your grandma!"
As soon as the object was put down, Yang Ziyun rushed straight to her belly. Her hands roamed over her stomach, and the little one, surprisingly, began to move vigorously.
Ling Ruoke was being kicked and kicked by the child. Although it didn't hurt, the constant movement was still uncomfortable. However, seeing how excited the child's grandmother was, she didn't want to stop her. After all, he was her only grandson, and it was normal for her to cherish him like a treasure.
"Mom, are Dad and Grandpa alright?"
Yang Ziyun finally had her fill of touching the baby, and fearing that the baby's movements were too vigorous, she stopped. Hearing her daughter-in-law ask about the old man, and thinking of that playful old man at home, she couldn't help but grumble a bit.
"Everything's fine. Your dad's still the same, always busy. Grandpa, now that he has a great-grandson, he's all smiles every day. He even likes to shout when he speaks, as if to show off his lung capacity. He's becoming more and more like a child. The ancients talked about reversing aging, and it's really true!"
Ling Ruoke covered her mouth and laughed, thinking to herself: Mom, you're such a playful old woman yourself, how dare you talk about Grandpa like that. However, she was smart enough to know that she couldn't say that out loud. "It means Grandpa is very healthy, that's a good thing."
"Four generations under one roof! That's something so many people dream of but can't have. No wonder he's so happy every day." Yang Ziyun touched her belly again and said, "My dear grandson, when you come out, you can pull your great-grandfather's beard every day, okay?"
Ling Ruoke couldn't help but laugh again.
Ziyun's arrival relieved Ruoke of some of the housework. Huo Qingfeng was also much more at ease, since someone was watching over his wife all the time.
With her due date fast approaching, just over a week and two away, Ling Ruoke was about to be admitted to the hospital for delivery. Huo Qingfeng received his assignment and disappeared without a trace.
Ling Ruoke didn't know if he would be able to make it back when the baby was born, and the thought filled her with a sense of loss. Although she knew she shouldn't feel this way, and had long considered the possibility that he might not be by her side during childbirth, what woman in the world wouldn't want her child's father to be with her during labor?
"Don't worry, he'll be back soon. You'll definitely see him on the day you give birth." Yang Ziyun, having been through it herself, naturally understood her feelings.
For safety reasons, Ling Ruoke checked into the hospital a week before her due date. This was mainly due to Yang Ziyun's insistence; this was their precious grandson, and they couldn't afford to be careless.
Ling Ruoke hated hospitals and had always disliked the smell of soda water in the air. But this time, her hospital visit was different. It wasn't about life and death, nor the torment of illness, but about a beautiful life about to be born into this world, adding color to the beauty of humanity.
Ling Ruoke longed for Huo Qingfeng to suddenly appear every day, her neck practically growing into a giraffe's.
That day, Yang Ziyun went home to prepare dinner, while Ling Ruoke strolled in the hospital garden. Autumn leaves fell, and a cool autumn breeze stirred a sudden pang of sadness. Thinking of her husband, whose whereabouts and purpose were unknown, she felt worried and somewhat resentful. Why did he have to go on a mission at this time? Although she knew it wasn't his decision, she still wanted to be unreasonable for once. Childbirth only happens once in a lifetime; shouldn't she be able to indulge herself a little?
He exhaled forcefully, banishing the jumbled thoughts. Turning his head, he saw a woman in a white coat, her beautiful face almost touching his. Her clear, bright eyes gazed at him silently.
Ling Ruoke paused for a moment, unsure whether it was a coincidence or intentional. However, she had no intention of paying attention. She didn't want to, and shouldn't, pay attention to any woman who coveted her husband. So she nodded slightly and slowly walked towards the hospital entrance.
As she brushed past him, a sudden sharp pain shot through her stomach. She groaned and stopped in her tracks.
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