TPW – Chapter 99

The doctor: “……”

Xu Haizhou pressed down gently on Qiao Lu’s shoulder. His expression turned slightly serious as he softly reminded her, “Wife, don’t move around. Be careful—let the doctor find the exact spot.”

“Mama, don’t move. You have to listen to Uncle Doctor,” even little Qiao An “educated” her.

Qiao Lu looked helpless and slightly embarrassed. She stopped moving and waited quietly.

The doctor put on his stethoscope again, continuing his examination without haste. His unhurried movements made everyone watching feel even more anxious.

Just as the couple were becoming increasingly nervous, the doctor finally spoke.

He slowly removed the stethoscope and calmly said, “Nothing major. You’re definitely pregnant.”

Then he tore off a sheet of paper, wrote something on it with a fountain pen, and handed it to Xu Haizhou. “These are foods pregnant women should avoid. As the father, you need to take good care of her. Don’t skimp on nutritious foods—make sure she eats plenty.”

Looking at the stunned Xu Haizhou, the doctor added his advice.

Thirty years from now, doctors often tell expectant mothers and fathers not to overeat during pregnancy to avoid having an overweight baby. But nowadays, doctors encourage more nutritious intake for pregnant women. The difference shows how times have changed—and “progressed.”

Only after a long while did Xu Haizhou seem to return to the real world.

Overjoyed, he exclaimed, “Yes, yes, I’ll take good care of her! Thank you, doctor!”

Although the couple had been trying for a baby for a while, when this moment finally arrived, they were overwhelmed with joy and excitement!

Qiao Lu rubbed her belly in disbelief. This was probably her first real pregnancy. It was hard to believe that in her still-flat stomach, there was already a little treasure growing… a child everyone had been looking forward to…

Then Qiao Lu was escorted out of the clinic by her husband and son, one holding each hand.

Her fingers interlaced with his, and a warm current flowed between their palms, pulling Qiao Lu out of her swirling thoughts.

She turned to glance at Xu Haizhou. The man was drenched in sweat, so nervous his walk had become robotic. His stiff limbs were quite amusing.

At this moment, all of Xu Haizhou’s attention was focused on her belly and the ground beneath her feet. “Wife, walk slowly. Watch your step.”

“Mama, watch the steps!”

Parents’ words and actions shape their children’s personalities. Xu Haizhou loved his wife dearly—gentle, considerate, and attentive. From this small detail, it was clear that growing up in such a loving environment, An’an would surely become a respectful and warm-hearted young man!

On the way home, Xu Haizhou didn’t ride his bicycle. He held Qiao An’s hand as the family walked home together.

As the sun set, the last rays of light fell on Qiao An’s little face, glowing with a joyful orange hue.

“Mama, your belly’s still flat.” Qiao An carefully touched her belly and asked, “Uncle Doctor just listened and knew there’s a baby inside—can he also tell if it’s a boy or a girl?”

“Probably not that skilled,” Qiao Lu replied with a smile and a shake of her head.

“Oh, okay.” The little guy shrugged, then held his mother’s hand and followed closely behind, step by step. “I hope it’s a little sister. I like baby sisters.”

“Then An’an should make a wish every day—wish for Mama to have a little sister,” Xu Haizhou said with a smile.

“How do I make a wish? Like this, put both hands together and pray to Grandpa Buddha?”

Qiao Lu tousled his hair. “Yes, pray to Grandpa Buddha. You already ask him for wishes every year, so just keep bothering him.”

So, Qiao An walked while making his wish. He closed his eyes and pressed his hands together:  “Grandpa Buddha, I’m back again… I’m here to make another wish. Please let Mama have a baby sister. An’an really likes little sisters…”

He added a line at the end: “Daddy and Mama also like little sisters.”

Pfft—

Xu Haizhou couldn’t help but laugh and cry at the same time. “Son, Daddy thinks you should direct that wish to the Goddess of Childbearing.”

Qiao An: “Wahh—wish wasted!”

This little baby’s sudden arrival brought renewed life to a family that had just experienced hardship.

After Qiao Lu got pregnant, Xu Haizhou took over all household chores, big and small. Qiao Lu didn’t have to lift a finger—just resting at home and nurturing the baby was already the best help she could give.

At bedtime, before they lay down to sleep, Xu Haizhou would wash his hands thoroughly, then reverently lift Qiao Lu’s shirt. He pressed his cheek gently against her belly. In that moment, he felt like he had ascended to a higher realm.

His warm breath, exhaled through his nose, seemed to pass through the thin layer of skin and reach the not-yet-formed baby inside.

“Qiao Lu… our baby.”

Worried he might disturb the little one in her womb, his touch was feather-light. When his fingertips brushed her fair belly, the sensation was strange and wondrous—too wondrous for words.

He’d touched his wife’s belly before, of course. But this time, it felt like he could sense the growing life within it through the palm of his hand.

His brow furrowed deeply, as though he were conducting a scientific study on her belly. A light sheen of sweat formed on his fingertips.

Qiao Lu couldn’t hold back a laugh. She felt like she was looking at the same silly guy from their wedding night.

She handed him a handkerchief and said, “Look at you… wipe up. You’re making a mess of my belly.”

Xu Haizhou took the handkerchief and wiped his palms randomly, then eagerly pressed his lips to her white belly again and again—kissing it with deep affection.

The little one tugged at Xu Haizhou’s shirt impatiently. “Daddy, move over. I want to kiss too.”

Xu Haizhou reluctantly got up and gave his son some space.

Qiao An lay down and imitated his father, planting gentle kisses on Qiao Lu’s belly.

Two kisses, one big and one small, softly fell on her belly. It was ticklish and tingly, but it felt wonderful. Most of all, it made Qiao Lu feel deeply fulfilled inside.

Once Qiao An finished, Xu Haizhou quickly scooped him up, reclaiming his place. He hadn’t touched enough yet—couldn’t get enough.

His hands gently caressed her belly again and again, warm currents continuously pouring into her like a fireball. And honestly, on a cold day like this, it felt incredibly cozy.

“An’an, come over here and look at how silly your dad is,” Qiao Lu teased.

Qiao An eagerly burrowed into her embrace, hugging her with laughter as crisp as a bell. “Mama, Daddy’s not silly. Daddy’s just really happy!”

Qiao Lu chuckled, flicking his little ear. “Oh? And how do you know that?”

“I just do. Because I’m really happy too. But I’m generous—I’ll let Daddy have his turn. Once he goes to work, I’ll have lots of time to touch the belly.”

The little guy’s calculations clanked in his head like an abacus.

Pfft—

How did she give birth to such a mischievous little treasure?

Xu Haizhou kept caressing her belly, seemingly never satisfied. His touch was so tender that even when he hugged her, he didn’t dare press close to her belly. He only gently draped an arm around her shoulders, afraid of putting pressure on the baby inside.

“Should we write a letter and ask my mom to come take care of you? She’s retired now and has nothing else to do.”

Besides, his mother had a good impression of Qiao Lu and had long hoped the two would have a child of their own. She’d probably be more than happy to help take care of her.

Though Qiao Lu had a decent impression of Xu Haizhou’s mother, she didn’t feel strongly enough to want her around for postpartum care.

“Instead of your mom, I’d rather have my mom come. She can take care of me and enjoy life in the city. It’s close—she won’t even need a train ticket. Your mom’s older… can she really handle a three-day, three-night journey?”

Qiao Lu had long wanted to bring her parents to the city to live for a while, but unfortunately, her sister-in-law was truly a piece of work.

She said, “Your son isn’t dead yet, and your parents are already going to stay at your place? Is that appropriate? People might think your brother and I are abusing your mom or something.”

Xu Haizhou thought for a moment and said, “Alright, whatever you prefer.”

After all, a pregnant woman’s wishes were most important.

That evening, Xu Haizhou helped his wife wash up. Qiao Lu originally planned to take a shower in the bathroom, but Xu Haizhou stopped her, saying he was worried she might slip and fall.

Qiao Lu was both amused and helpless. “I haven’t even slipped yet, and you’re already overreacting?”

Xu Haizhou responded righteously, “It’s not safe. I’m worried.”

Qiao Lu replied, “Then what are we going to do? Surely you’re not planning on forbidding me from bathing for the entire pregnancy?”

Ten months… there’s no way she could go unwashed the whole time—she’d be rancid.

After thinking it over, Xu Haizhou said, “Tomorrow. Let’s move tomorrow to the new house. It’s clean and safe there.”

Actually, the couple had already agreed to move in on New Year’s Day for good luck.

Also, a lot of the interior decoration hadn’t met Qiao Lu’s expectations, so she had still been tweaking the details bit by bit.

Seeing Qiao Lu raise an eyebrow, Xu Haizhou patiently explained, “Look, living here really isn’t convenient. Like the public restroom—it doesn’t even have a light installed. And I heard pregnant women need to pee a lot. What if you have to go at night? It’s not safe. And as a man, I can’t just go in with you… If you fall and get hurt, I couldn’t bear the consequences.”

“Plus, the house is already renovated. Even if some little things aren’t done yet, we can move in first and fix them slowly…”

Seeing her just stare at him without saying anything, Xu Haizhou felt a bit uncertain.

Could it be that his lovely wife still wanted to wait until the house was perfectly decorated before moving in?

But he felt now was the best time—after all, with the baby coming, wasn’t that a sign they should move into the new home?

“Qiao Lu, what do you think?”

She still didn’t speak, just kept gazing at him.

Xu Haizhou scratched the back of his head, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he prepared to speak—only for Qiao Lu to suddenly burst out laughing. She pinched his cheeks and tugged them sideways.

“Just teasing you! Look how nervous you are—you’re sweating all over your forehead. Was it necessary? It’s not like I’m a tigress. Are you scared of me or what? Look at your silly face.”

She gently wiped away his sweat with her fingertips. “Such a dummy. I’m already pregnant—if we don’t move now, when will we? Shouldn’t we offer up the new house already?”

Qiao Lu laughed so hard her belly bounced, and Xu Haizhou caught her wrist in a reverse grip.

He wasn’t angry at being teased, just chuckled foolishly. “It’s fine. Tease me all you want, as long as you’re happy.”

“Silly goose! Hurry up and pack the luggage. I’m waiting to sleep in the new bed!”

“Yes, ma’am!”

He sprang into action, energetically packing up.

“Daddy, I’ll help you!”

Xu Haizhou gently pushed the little one away. “No need to help me. Go help Daddy take care of Mommy. Mommy is the one who needs the most love right now.”

Qiao An shrugged, then obediently climbed onto the bed and hugged Qiao Lu. He was clearly happy but put on a reluctant expression. “Fine then, I’ll help you.”

That helpless yet adorable tone made Xu Haizhou laugh for a long time.

That night, the air was cool as water.

Mother and son snuggled up to sleep. Xu Haizhou wrapped his arms around them from behind. With such a warm and cozy scene, they should have fallen asleep easily. But he ended up tossing and turning all night, unable to rest.

In fact, he was so restless that he woke up the mother and son who had been sleeping soundly.

“What are you doing, flipping pancakes?”

“Daddy, why aren’t you sleeping?” The little guy murmured sleepily, then turned over and buried himself in Qiao Lu’s arms. Within seconds, he was fast asleep again.

“I’m fine, just a bit of insomnia. I’ll sleep in the small bed tonight—you two go ahead.”

The big bed wasn’t even a full 1.5 meters wide—maybe just 1.35 meters. Not very spacious. So Xu Haizhou chose to sleep in the small bed that night to give his wife and son more room to sleep comfortably.

Unable to sleep, Xu Haizhou got up in the middle of the night and continued packing until everything was done. Exhausted, he finally collapsed into bed and fell asleep.

At dawn the next day, Xu Haizhou gradually woke up.

His chest felt hot, with something heavy pressing down, making it a little hard to breathe.

Opening his eyes, he found his son sleeping sprawled out on his chest like a lump of dough, soft and squishy, lips pouting red and sweet, smelling faintly of milk.

“An’an?” Xu Haizhou blinked in a daze. “When did you come here?”

The little guy yawned and rubbed his eyes just like his dad. Their movements were perfectly synchronized.

“Daddy, I just woke up and saw you sleeping alone in the little bed. Did Mommy and I push you out? That’s kind of sad and lonely, so I came to keep you company.”

After speaking, he nuzzled his father’s stomach and closed his eyes again.

A warm feeling flooded Xu Haizhou’s chest. He kissed his son’s cheek, soft and warm. “Such a good boy.”

“But son,” Xu Haizhou rubbed his back and softly reminded, “Mommy’s got a baby in her tummy. You can’t sleep on her belly, okay?”

Qiao An didn’t even open his eyes. “Mm, An’an knows.”

He wasn’t stupid.

After getting up, he made breakfast and gave the luggage one final check—ready to move into the new home!

When Qiao Lu woke up and saw the breakfast spread on the table, she was stunned.

She counted six dishes:

Millet pumpkin porridge, brown sugar buns, tea eggs, shredded pork with pickled mustard, red date rolls, and stir-fried cabbage…

None of the ingredients were fancy, but wasn’t that too extravagant for a regular morning?

It was 1984, not 2084!

“What’s all this? You didn’t need to go all out just because I’m pregnant. I can’t eat that much. And this is my second pregnancy—no need to overreact.”

Elders often said second pregnancies were easier than the first and not more dangerous, so even though Qiao Lu feared childbirth, knowing it was her second time slightly eased her worries.

Xu Haizhou pulled out her chair for her to sit. “So what if it’s the second? Even if it were the third, I’d still treat you just as well.”

“In your dreams.” A third? Don’t even think about it. This little one in her belly was both her first and last. She wasn’t having any more.

If she didn’t love him so much, Qiao Lu would’ve been a staunch non-motherhood advocate.

Xu Haizhou chuckled and was about to say more when Qiao An piped up, mimicking his dad: “Even if Mommy didn’t have a baby, An’an would still love you~”

Good grief. The dad sets the bar, and the son raises it.

Were they competing lately over who could pamper her more?

“Aiya, my husband and son are too sweet. I’m so lucky~”

“Heehee~ An’an is lucky too~”

In the end, news of Qiao Lu’s family moving into their new home spread through the neighborhood. Everyone was confused.

Especially the kids in the communal courtyard—they didn’t want Qiao An to go. They didn’t want Qiao Lu to go. Most of all, they didn’t want to lose access to Qiao Lu’s TV!

Even Chen Jiamei, who used to look down on her, said she didn’t want her to leave?