Pressure
"Old Cheng, you are drunk." Lin Jingming calmly pushed away Cheng Shubai's hand that was pointing at his nose.
"Old Lin, are you Liu Xiahui?" Cheng Shubai blushed, holding up a ceramic wine bottle and leaning over to Lin Jingming. "You really haven't touched him in all these years? You say you don't want to or you can't?"
Lin Jingming grabbed the bottle of wine from Cheng Guoshubai and took a sip. The spicy taste of the wine spread in his mouth: "How could I not miss her? I have been thinking about her since the first time I saw her."
He pushed away Cheng Shubai who was pressing on him, stood by the window holding a bottle of wine and looked at the bustling street outside.
"The first time I saw her, she was all I could dream about." He used the alcohol to reveal the secret he had kept in his heart for so many years. "The first time she ran away on her own, and I thought this ill-fated relationship was over. Then she came back."
Lin Jingming smiled bitterly and wiped away his tears behind Cheng Shubai's back: "I thought I had hope this time, after all, we were sleeping in the same bed, but she turned around and slept with Gu Zian. Tell me, how could she be such a scumbag? And yet I couldn't bear to force her. I really am sick!"
Cheng Shubai stumbled over and put his arm around Gu Zian's shoulders: "I didn't realize you were so innocent."
He burped at Lin Jingming: "No, buddy, you are not a virgin either. I still have a photo of your little lover."
Cheng Shubai shakily took out his phone and poked around, clicking on the favorites: "Look, how tender."
Lin Jingming wiped his face, his expression becoming fierce: "Delete!"
Two drunkards who were frustrated in love were arguing in the box and exposing each other's shortcomings.
It seems that only through this childish mutual harm can the inner distress be vented.
Xia Zhitang watched Gu Zian drive onto the highway: "Where are you taking me?"
"Dad said that since you're pregnant, you should come back for dinner, burn some incense for Mom and tell her that there's going to be a baby in the family." Gu Zian's fingertips gripping the steering wheel stiffened unconsciously.
"Zi'an, I can go back with you to eat, but you have to tell me." Xia Zhitang was a little angry, but his tone was still calm.
"Dad just called." Gu Zian stepped on the accelerator a little deeper, turned left and overtook the car in front.
"You're speeding." Xia Zhitang grabbed the seat belt tightly, "Drive slower."
The car drove into the Gu family villa, and Aunt Wang was standing in the parking lot waiting for them with a beaming face.
She helped Xia Zhitang get out of the car: "Kid, why didn't you tell your family about such a big thing earlier?"
As Wang Ma walked in with Xia Zhitang's arm in hers, she kept muttering, "From tomorrow on, Wang Ma will take care of your meals. The nutritionist sent me a recipe. I promise we'll eat healthily and not gain weight."
When I entered the hall, Father Gu was sitting at the tea table drinking tea.
Gu Zian first took Xia Zhitang to burn incense for his mother, and then went back to find his father.
"Tangtang, come and sit down." Father Gu patted the chair beside him and motioned Xia Zhitang to sit next to him.
Xia Zhitang pursed his lips and picked up the teacup to pour tea for Gu's father.
Father Gu held the back of her hand and said, "You're pregnant."
He glared at Gu Zian and said, "You have no sense at all. Come and pour the tea."
Father Gu patted the back of Xia Zhitang's hand kindly, took out a brocade box and handed it to Xia Zhitang: "Good boy, this is a gift from your father."
Before Xia Zhitang could speak, Gu Zian snatched it away with a smile: "Thank you, Dad! It must be a good thing you gave me."
"I'm giving this to your wife." Father Gu deliberately sternly lectured him, "You're almost a father, yet you're still so unstable."
"I'll carry it for Tangtang. We'll open it when we get back." Gu Zian weighed the brocade box. "It's quite heavy. I'm the best person to help carry it."
Xia Zhitang looked at the father and son who were singing in unison, and his mood became heavy - there must be something big going on with this dinner tonight.
During dinner, Father Gu asked about the hospital where Xia Zhitang was currently receiving her prenatal checkup.
Xia Zhitang put away her hand that was about to pick up the food and straightened her waist slightly. "It's in the Third Municipal Hospital. My best friend works there. It's a top-tier general hospital. The obstetrics and gynecology department there is pretty good."
Father Gu nodded and pondered for a moment. "How about this? Next time, let Zi'an accompany you to the Municipal Women's and Children's Hospital. You can go directly to Professor Liang. He is an expert in this field."
Father Gu looked at Gu Zian who was picking up food for Xia Zhitang and said, "No matter how busy you are, please take time out to accompany Tangtang for the prenatal checkup."
Xia Zhitang looked at the honey-glazed chicken wings that Gu Zian had put in her bowl but couldn't muster any appetite. "Dad, I think the Third City Hospital is good. The medical skills there are good, and it's convenient for me to go there."
"Tangtang, childbirth has always been a dangerous undertaking. Playing it safe is the most reliable option." Father Gu sighed, "Don't be afraid of trouble. We have the resources, so let's use them."
Xia Zhitang still looked calm on the surface: "Thank you for your concern, Dad, but I'm very busy at work right now. When I'm not so busy, I'll go to the Municipal Maternal and Child Health Hospital for a comprehensive checkup."
"Please make time to go there this week. Professor Liang said the 16-week prenatal check-up is also very important." Father Gu made the final decision.
"I'll try my best to find time. The film will be online soon, and we are working with the Propaganda Department to make it the chief promotional film for the theme event. I have to go back every day to check on the progress, and the Municipal Maternal and Child Health Hospital is a bit far away." Xia Zhitang declined tactfully.
"Tangtang, this work is never-ending. During this special period, we must also consider our own health and future generations." Father Gu frowned slightly, "This child is our future and hope."
"Dad, my test results are all good." Xia Zhitang put down his chopsticks and sat up straight. "If this film can win the title of Chief Promotional Film, it will be very important for the girls in the mountainous area and for the girls' high school. We have everything we need, but they lack everything. This platform and influence can help us get more resources for them."
Father Gu looked at Xia Zhitang steadily and said, "It's okay to get a city-level prenatal checkup, but your marriage to Zi'an needs to be brought up soon. We need to speed up preparations for the wedding."
Xia Zhitang knew that today's main course was coming: "Dad, I don't want to get the marriage certificate."
"Ridiculous!" Gu's father slammed the table loudly. "Marriage is such a big deal, how can it be treated as a joke? In our Gu family, there's no such thing as a daughter-in-law who refuses to acknowledge the sect even when she's pregnant!"
"How lame! They actually brought their parents into putting pressure on you!" Wang Jiajia slammed the chopsticks on the table.
Xia Zhitang sighed: "It's somewhat expected. The older generation generally can't accept it."
"Tangzi, don't go to the hospital they recommend for your prenatal checkup." Wang Jiajia's expression turned serious. "If you leave any of his information in the father's column in your maternity leave information, there will be a lot of trouble over custody later."
Xia Zhitang nodded tiredly. This road was as difficult as he had imagined.
Wang Jiajia pushed the cup in front of her away and leaned her chair towards Xia Zhitang. "The prenatal checkup doesn't record the man's information. If you refuse to do a paternity test after the baby is born, the test they do privately will not be recognized by law."
Xia Zhitang nodded and reached out to hug Wang Jiajia.
"You too, if you don't want him to snatch the child away in the future, just don't tell him that you gave birth secretly." Wang Jiajia complained about Xia Zhitang, but put her arm around her shoulders.
"It's impossible to hide it. The belly will show soon." Xia Zhitang said in a muffled voice, "Besides, it's too hurtful."
"You are stupid, a big fool."
"It's because of you, otherwise I wouldn't dare come back." Xia Zhitang stood up and picked up the kelp from the pot and put it into Wang Jiajia's bowl, "The kelp you like is boiled."
Wang Jiajia rolled her eyes: "Don't act like a spoiled child with me, go act like a spoiled child with Gu Zian and the big director."
"You call this acting like a spoiled brat?" Xia Zhitang glared at Wang Jiajia, "I'm speaking from the heart!"
“Eat quickly!”
The two chatted while eating. When they were almost done, Wang Jiajia slumped in her seat and played with her phone.
"Oh my god!" Wang Jiajia suddenly jumped up, "Your little puppy is so unkind!"
She handed the phone to Xia Zhitang, and the trending search showed the entry "Gu Zian got married with a pregnant wife."
The internet was in chaos with people questioning, blessing, and crying.
Xia Zhitang pressed his solar plexus: "What he learned from me, he is now using it back."
Her expression revealed a hint of bitterness, and Wang Jiajia worriedly poured her a drink: "Have some lemonade to calm down."
"It's okay." Xia Zhitang looked at Wang Jiajia with a confused look in his eyes.
"Jia Jia, tell me, am I being a little too sentimental, worrying about things that haven't happened in the future?"
Wang Jiajia sneered and said, "Why do you care what the outside world thinks? Their standards are not what you want."
She noticed a message from Gu Zian pop up on Xia Zhitang's phone and frowned.
"If you were really after his outside life or family background, you two would have broken up long ago." Wang Jiajia suppressed her inner irritation and continued to analyze, "What do he and his family want from you? They want you to be nice to him and tolerate him, and you don't want those things from him. Why would you put up with him? Besides being handsome and rich, what's so good about his childish appearance?"
Xia Zhitang lowered his eyes thoughtfully, thinking for a moment before slowly answering, "He's actually quite good, but I have a feeling we won't be able to continue in a few years."
"It's okay if you don't want to get married. It's better to have a son than a father." Wang Jiajia said nonchalantly, "I've seen a lot of this in the hospital. In fact, marriage ends up like that. It doesn't matter whether you get married or not."
Xia Zhitang's eyelashes trembled, and he suddenly asked, "What about you? Will you marry Teacher Yang?"
Wang Jiajia's eyes softened: "I don't know, maybe one day I'll get interested and get married."
She flashed a confident smile: "But his family is very ordinary. If anything happens, I can still get custody."
"That's great. It's great to be able to move forward bravely." Xia Zhitang was sincerely happy for Wang Jiajia.
When Gu Zian came to pick up Xia Zhitang, Wang Jiajia looked up at him coldly.
He pretended not to notice and pulled Xia Zhitang up with a smile.
Gu Zian, who was not disguised, attracted the attention of the crowd, and Xia Zhitang silently took out his sunglasses.
Xia Zhitang looked at Gu Zian amidst a sea of cellphone cameras: "What's going on with the trending search?"
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