Marriage and perseverance
On October 21, 2014, Xiaoqi accompanied Xiaofeng to the hospital for her 12-week prenatal checkup. The ultrasound report clearly showed: both embryos had visible fetal heartbeats, nestled within the same amniotic sac, indicating identical twins. Fetus 1 measured 7.1 cm in crown-rump diameter and weighed 16.4 grams; fetus 2 measured 7 cm in crown-rump diameter and weighed 16.5 grams. Xiaoqi, even more excited than Xiaofeng, read the report, repeating, "Great! Two little babies!"
When Wenqing got home from work, Xiaofeng's smile was still there. She handed the color Doppler ultrasound report to Wenqing like a treasure, and spoke briskly about the results, even reporting the weight of the two little ones. Wenqing took the report, glanced at it, and replied with a simple "Okay."
This word was like a piece of ice, instantly extinguishing the warmth in Xiaofeng's heart. Her fingers, gripping the checklist, trembled slightly, and her hands unconsciously dropped to her sides. The smile on her face faded little by little, and her expression darkened. "Wenqing," she said in a tight voice, a cry that was almost ignored. "If you don't like children, since they're still young, I can..." The rest of the words choked in her throat. She turned her head and blinked hard to stop the tears from falling. "I know that maybe feelings will fade over time, and maybe married life is different from what you imagined... That's why you never touch me, and even that time, you didn't even want to turn on the lights..."
Xiaofeng took a deep breath, her chest heaving violently, and she couldn't help but shed tears. "I thought our relationship would improve after that, but it ended up like this. Anyway, I'm three months pregnant now, with twins. Uncle Zhou, Xiaoqi, Uncle Ming, they're all happy for me, but you... have you ever smiled even for a moment? I know Wenfeng's illness is worrying you, but if he never gets better, are we going to live like this for the rest of our lives?"
She turned to go back to the bedroom, but paused. She turned her back to Wenqing and whispered, "Divorce may hurt me, but days like this also make me miserable."
The next morning, Wenqing woke Xiaofeng with exceptionally gentle movements. "Honey, get up and have breakfast," he said softly. "I asked Uncle Zhou about not sleeping in during pregnancy and eating regularly. I made this nutritious meal based on his advice. Try it and give me your feedback." He gently placed his hand on Xiaofeng's belly, then tilted his head to put his ear close, listening intently like a child. "I want to hear if the babies are calling 'Daddy.'"
Xiaofeng inserted her fingers into his hair, stroking it gently, her voice hoarse and choked with sobs, "I'm sorry..."
"I'm the one who should say sorry." Wen Qing held her hand, placed it on his lips and kissed it. "Now, what matters to you and the babies is what matters most. Can you forgive me?"
"If we have any problems in the future, let's talk it over, okay?" Xiaofeng's eyes were red. "I don't want to leave you, Wenqing, I love you."
"I love you," Wen Qing held her in his arms, his voice filled with the cherishment of lost and regained love, repeating over and over again, "I love you, I really love you."
November 25, 2014, was Xiaofeng's 22nd birthday. She was 17 weeks pregnant at the time, and celebrating her birthday with her baby in her arms felt like a warm piece of honey, overflowing with sweetness.
Jiang Heng had specially invited a chef to come home to cook. The aroma of sweet-scented osmanthus wine wafted from the kitchen, slowly fermenting in the air, mixed with the warmth of the family's soft conversation, making it particularly cozy. Suddenly, the "dong dong" sound of the chef chopping sea bass suddenly rang out. Xiaofeng subconsciously tensed her shoulders. Wenqing immediately reached out and touched her slightly swollen belly, gently caressing her fingertips, her tone so gentle that it could drip water: "Don't worry, don't worry, Mom loves fish the most. We'll have delicious sea bass to eat soon."
"The birthday girl has to eat more." Fourth Uncle smiled and picked up a piece of pork ribs for her.
"Thank you, Fourth Uncle."
"Pregnant mothers need to eat more to provide nutrition for the babies." Jiang Wan also served her a bowl of soup.
"Thank you, Mom."
After returning home with a good meal and a drink, Wenqing handed Xiaofeng a document written entirely in English.
Xiaofeng pinched the edge of the document and flipped through two pages. He looked up at Wenqing and deliberately put on a stern face. "With my current English level, I'm afraid I can't understand the entire text. Mr. Jiang, could you please translate it for me?"
"Let me tell you straight away." Wen Qing sat down across from her, his tone calm. "Here's the information for a property in Canberra. We're planning to move there, and you can rest assured and take care of your pregnancy and childbirth there. I've already submitted an application for a graduation deferral on your behalf, so you'll have two years to buffer your time."
Wenqing's tone was as gentle as usual, but Xiaofeng felt a surge of anger. She placed her hands gently on her swollen belly, as if trying to cover the babies' ears, and her voice was filled with suppressed anger: "Why didn't you discuss such an important matter with me?"
"I don't want you to worry about these trivial matters." Wen Qing's tone remained calm.
"My classmates, friends, motorcade... all my social circles are in Ninghai. After going to Canberra, I have nothing." Xiaofeng couldn't help but raise his voice a few degrees, and the ending tone trembled with grievance.
Wenqing took a sip of warm water and put the cup down with a soft "dong" sound. He explained calmly, "We have a project in Canberra, and I need to stay there for two years. Can you and the babies come with me? I don't want to be separated from you for that long."
Xiaofeng immediately understood his intention. She was silent for a few seconds and sniffed: "Give me a few days to think about it, okay?"
"I'll book a flight for the weekend, is that okay?" Wen Qing's tone was filled with irrefutable persistence.
Xiaofeng felt the invisible pressure and could only lower his head and nodded obediently, but his fingertips pinched hard into his palms.
On December 11, 2014, Xiaofeng was 19 weeks and two days pregnant. After her prenatal checkup, she officially created a maternity record. She carefully placed the pink-covered manual in her bag, her lips curling up slightly.
The neighbors in their community were exceptionally kind. Language, never a barrier, became a special bond under the afternoon sun. Blonde Susan would gesture and share her secret recipe for relieving morning sickness, while Chinese-American Mrs. Lin would often bring her homemade soup for pregnancy support. Everyone gathered on the lawn, chattering about their pregnancy stories in broken English and Chinese, interspersed with hand gestures.
Xiaofeng gradually got used to going to the market with the neighboring women, pinching tomatoes with her fingertips to feel their plump curves, nuzzling into herb bouquets to inhale their fragrance, learning to identify vegetables she couldn't name, and then clumsily trying to cook from recipes back home. On video calls, Xiaoqi would always wave Ninghai pickles around, while Uncle Zhou would sternly advise, "Don't eat them raw or cold," before finally cracking up and asking if the two little ones were behaving well in her belly.
Although Wenqing's work consumed most of his attention, every night after returning home, the time he spent together became a "parenting class." A parenting manual lay spread out on the living room carpet, a silicone doll placed in the middle as a teaching aid. The warm yellow light cast their shadows on the wall, swaying up and down.
"The navel disinfection should be done using a spiral technique, is that correct?" Wen Qing pinched the cotton swab and imitated the steps in the manual, frowning slightly.
"Rotate from the center outwards... That's right, that's it..." Xiaofeng's fingers gently placed on the back of his hand, guiding him to adjust the angle. When their fingertips touched, they both couldn't help laughing.
"Remember to put on the waterproof sticker when taking a shower." Wen Qing said as he made a small mark on the manual.
"Be especially careful when burping," Xiaofeng explained patiently, pointing to the silicone doll he was holding horizontally in his arms. "First, hold the baby upright with their head resting on your shoulders. Move slowly. Keep your palms hollow, and gently pat their back from bottom to top for three to eight minutes..."
Wenqing looked at the soft "baby" in her arms and hesitated. She had to use both hands to protect the head, support the buttocks, and smoothly change positions. She always felt that her hands were not enough.
"Oh, the baby is vomiting milk!" Xiaofeng suddenly pointed at the baby and shouted, deliberately teasing him.
Wen Qing hurriedly stood the doll upright and patted its back as he had just been taught. Unexpectedly, with a "click", the silicone doll's head fell off and rolled onto the carpet.
"This... must be a quality issue." Wen Qing picked up the doll head awkwardly and twisted it back around his neck, his ears slightly red.
Xiao Feng's shoulders were shaking from holding back laughter, and she coughed twice before she recovered. She reached out and smoothed his frown, "Hubby, our baby will definitely be of good quality, don't be afraid."
Wen Qing looked at the smile in her eyes and smiled too. He reached out and pulled her into his arms, his palms gently resting on her bulging belly: "Well, our baby must be the strongest."
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