RIRW – Chapter 194

Some Chapters are password protected, please use - rirw2025c to unlock these chapters. This is to top theft of translations.

Since Zuo Dan’s due date was just a few days away, Chen Zhisen had already planned that after enjoying the family reunion dinner for the New Year, he would arrange for her to be admitted to the hospital to wait for labor.

These days, just watching his daughter walk around with that big belly made him nervous. Even though doctors checked her every day, he still couldn’t relax. He felt it would be safest for her to stay in the hospital.

Shen Yiming, for once, actually agreed with him.

On New Year’s Eve, the whole family sat together and enjoyed a lively reunion dinner.

Chen Zhisen said with a smile, “All these years, this is the first time it’s truly felt like New Year’s. It’s still the best here in China.”

Zuo Dan beamed. “Dad, if you like it here, then stay in the country and live with us. Shen Yiming and I will take care of you in your old age. And after we retire, Shen Youyou will continue taking care of you.”

“Haha, then your dad will become a nagging old man,” Chen Zhisen said with a happy laugh. But deep down, he didn’t feel that confident. His health had always been poor. It had only improved somewhat since reuniting with his daughter, thanks to his better mood. This year, he hadn’t had any major health episodes—not even needing his painkillers anymore.

But after all these years of poor health, he wasn’t confident he could last that long.

Grandma chimed in, “Xiao Chen, don’t talk like that. I’m a real old granny and I’m not nagging yet. You’re a generation younger than me, so don’t worry so much. Let the kids take care of you when you’re old. Speaking of which, Yiming is my grandson too, and isn’t he taking care of me now? It’s only right for them to care for you. No matter how old you get, they’ll look after you.”

Chen Zhisen smiled warmly. “You’re right. Dandan and Yiming are both wonderful children. Then I’ll settle in China for good. Some of the leaders here have invited me to come back and settle down, and I’ve been thinking about it. After the New Year, I’ll go ahead with the formalities.”

He looked at Shen Yiming. “Speaking of which, last time Dandan told me Yiming joked that if I settled here, then…”

Zuo Dan covered her forehead.

Shen Yiming smiled and said, “Dad, as long as you’re happy.”

Chen Zhisen smiled with contentment. “I’m very happy. You’re both very filial.”

On New Year’s Day, Zuo Dan and Shen Yiming called the provincial capital to offer New Year’s greetings.

After that, they visited the elders in their family to wish them well and gave them New Year gifts. For Grandma, it was a pair of padded knee warmers, stuffed with new cotton they had specially bought. For Chen Zhisen, it was a scarf that Zuo Dan had knitted herself over the winter holiday. The pattern was simple, but it was made from real wool yarn—very warm.

Shen Yiming had been eyeing that scarf for a while. He even tried subtly persuading Zuo Dan to give Chen Zhisen a store-bought gift instead, but she firmly refused. Since it was their first New Year spent together, she wanted to give something meaningful to show her gratitude for all he had done for her.

When Chen Zhisen saw the gift, his eyes reddened slightly with joy. He took off the scarf he was wearing and wrapped the new one around his neck.

“It’s very warm and comfortable,” he said with a delighted smile.

Zuo Dan smiled, “Dad, this is the first scarf I’ve ever knitted. If it doesn’t look good, you’re not allowed to dislike it. I hope your health keeps improving and that you have a joyful New Year.”

“Dad is very happy, very blessed,” Chen Zhisen said, letting out a long breath, feeling full and content.

After receiving their gifts, the elders handed out red envelopes to the younger generation—Zuo Dan, Shen Yiming, Shen Youyou, and even the baby still in Dandan’s belly got one.

Zuo Dan insisted that they all hand them over.

Thanks to Comrade Xiao Qiu’s teachings, Shen Youyou had now come to understand that money was a good thing. All his favorite things were bought with money, so he held it in very high regard.

He had just gotten his big red envelope and was happily counting it when his mom unceremoniously took it away.

Shen Youyou nearly exploded. His little mouth quivered like he was going to cry. But soon he pulled himself together, his eyes brimming with tears as he looked at his mother and forced a smile. “Mama… money… buy things for Mama.”

Aww, he looked so pitiful.

Zuo Dan’s heart softened. She pulled her son close and stuffed a bill into his pocket. “Mama will save this money for you. Later, Mama will use it to buy you snacks and pay for your studies.”

Shen Youyou looked eagerly at the rest of the money in her hand, eyes wide with longing, almost ready to cry again.

Zuo Dan wasn’t about to let a little kid outsmart her. So she dug through her wallet and gathered all the small change—one-cent, two-cent coins—just enough to make a small pile that added up to about one yuan. She gave all of it to Shen Youyou.

His eyes lit up, face beaming with joy. He held the coins with both hands, thrilled, then leaned in and planted a kiss on Zuo Dan’s belly. “Mama is the best. Love Mama.”

Zuo Dan smiled and said, “Of course Mommy is good. Mommy did all this so you can learn a lesson.”

Shen Yiming, who was sitting nearby packing things Zuo Dan would need for the hospital, couldn’t help but feel a bit embarrassed watching her deceive a little two-year-old like that.

On the second day of the Lunar New Year, they were supposed to visit her parents’ side of the family. But since Li Hui and the others were in the provincial capital and couldn’t come back, they skipped it and directly arranged for Zuo Dan to be admitted to the hospital.

Thanks to Chen Zhisen’s connections, Zuo Dan enjoyed the treatment usually reserved for retired cadres and was placed in a private room.

Once admitted, Zuo Dan began to wonder when the baby would be born. The doctor said that baby girls usually come late, and she sighed internally—at this rate, her postpartum confinement might delay her return to school.

Fortunately, the baby didn’t seem interested in staying inside for much longer. On the fifth day of the New Year, not long after Zuo Dan had a nutritious breakfast, she started having contractions. The baby had been very well-behaved throughout the pregnancy—just moving occasionally to show she was healthy, otherwise staying very quiet. But now, when it was finally time to be born, she moved around so wildly it felt like a storm inside her belly.

Zuo Dan cried out in pain and was quickly taken to the delivery room.

Shen Yiming, pale and drenched in sweat, stood at the delivery room door for a while before remembering that no one back home had been informed yet. He rushed to make a phone call, then returned to continue waiting anxiously.

Upon hearing the news, Chen Zhisen ignored his leg pain and insisted on heading to the hospital immediately.

Grandma stayed home to look after Shen Youyou and didn’t go with him. Instead, she asked Chen Zhisen to bring Aunt Zhang along, as some things are inconvenient for men to handle.

So Chen Zhisen and Aunt Zhang rode to the hospital together.

When they arrived, Zuo Dan was still in labor. From outside the door, Chen Zhisen could faintly hear his daughter’s cries of pain. He turned and gave Shen Yiming a sharp look.

“…” Shen Yiming pretended not to see it. He was already incredibly anxious.

Chen Zhisen had to work hard to stop himself from using his cane on him.

He sat in a chair, feeling heartache for his daughter’s suffering. It reminded him of when she was born—how much more Li Hui must have suffered back then. That thought stung even more.

Women were born to suffer so much. It really was unfair.

Chen Zhisen felt that once his granddaughter was born, he wouldn’t be able to love her enough.

Since this was her second child, the delivery was even smoother than the first. Labor had started in the morning, and by noon, the baby was born—a fair-skinned, soft baby girl.

When Zuo Dan returned to the hospital room, Chen Zhisen and Aunt Zhang had gone to watch the baby’s bath. Shen Yiming accompanied her back to the room.

Just as she was settling in, the baby returned. The nurse was holding the baby in the middle, with Chen Zhisen and Aunt Zhang on either side, guarding her closely.

The nurse smiled as she placed the baby next to Zuo Dan.

“This baby is really well-behaved. Aside from that first cry when we cleared her mouth of amniotic fluid, she’s been quiet ever since. Very peaceful.”

Lying in bed, Zuo Dan chuckled to herself. Well-behaved? More like lazy. Too lazy to cry. When she hadn’t heard any cries at first, she was terrified, thinking something was wrong with the baby.

She smiled and said, “This baby takes after me.”

Shen Yiming couldn’t help but laugh and nodded. “Yes, just like you.”

Chen Zhisen also thought the baby looked like Zuo Dan. “Didn’t our Dandan look just like this when she was a baby?”

Looking at her fair and adorable daughter, Zuo Dan thickened her skin and said, “Of course! I was the prettiest baby in a hundred-mile radius when I was born. Everyone loved me.”

Chen Zhisen looked at the baby with even more affection, as if seeing his daughter as a newborn all over again. “She’s a real precious gem.”

Shen Yiming smiled and said, “Yes, my precious gem. My good daughter. I’ve already picked a name for her. I used the same ‘You’ character as in Youyou’s name so people will know they’re siblings, and added the character ‘Yi’ for peace and contentment. Youyi. I hope she’s always happy and carefree.”

Zuo Dan had heard the name before and liked it. “Dad, what do you think?”

Chen Zhisen nodded with a smile. “Very fitting for our little Pearl. Once I get my residency sorted after the New Year, I’ll register her name.”

Zuo Dan: “……”

It was the middle of winter, and the hospital conditions weren’t as comfortable as home, so Zuo Dan only stayed two days before returning home for her postpartum recovery. After getting home, they called the provincial capital to share the good news.

When Li Hui and Zuo Dacheng heard Zuo Dan had given birth to a girl, they were both overjoyed—especially Zuo Dacheng, who even planned to take leave and come visit. But due to some new work arrangements after the New Year, his leave wasn’t approved.

Since Zuo Dacheng wasn’t coming, Li Hui stayed back too. With Chen Zhisen, the biological father, present, they weren’t too worried.

Dr. Jones came to the house every day to check on her recovery, ensuring there were no complications. He also instructed Aunt Zhang on postpartum care, helping Zuo Dan recover her health quickly.

Zuo Dan didn’t have to worry about anything and focused solely on her confinement.

As for Shen Zhuzhu… there was really nothing Zuo Dan needed to do. Other than breastfeeding, the child slept all the time—didn’t even cry. Truly a lazy baby. So lazy that when she wet herself, she’d just wail once and then comfortably wait for someone to clean her up. Once cleaned, she’d go right back to sleep.

Because she was so lazy, she ate and slept well, and even before the end of her confinement, she was developing beautifully, changing day by day.

Every day, Zuo Dan tried to see who the baby looked like. Sometimes it was herself, sometimes Shen Yiming, sometimes even Shen Youyou. Eventually, she even thought the baby resembled Grandpa Chen Zhisen.

The way traits skip generations really is magical.

Aunt Zhang said, “Babies change every day. You’ll have to wait till she’s about a year old before you can really tell who she resembles.”

Zuo Dan was just glad her family’s genes were strong. No matter who the baby ended up resembling, she’d surely be a pretty one.

Two days before the school term started, Zuo Cong and Chen Pingping also returned from the United States. And they weren’t the only ones who came back…