Chapter 54: Chapter 53: Pregnant

Later, word got around that Lai San had broken a leg. The doctor said it would never fully heal. He wanted to call the police, but he didn’t even know who did it. Still, many in the village suspected He Lang. After all, the only family Lai San had feuded with recently was his, and Lai San’s leg broke right after He Lang came back.

But was there any proof? Who had seen anything?

If anything, the incident served as a stark warning to everyone. Whoever did it was ruthless.

Lately, Xue Yue found herself sleeping more and more, and she felt sluggish at work.

She would come home from work in the evening, eat dinner, and fall asleep almost immediately.

On several occasions, He Lang had come home in high spirits, hoping for some intimacy, but by the time he finished his bath, Xue Yue would already be sound asleep.

He Lang just assumed she was exhausted from work and suggested she take a few days off to rest at home.

But Xue Yue felt fine and saw no reason to take time off.

One day, He Lang came home from work with a takeout container of braised pork belly from the state-run restaurant.

Xue Yue had barely taken two bites when a wave of nausea washed over her.

“Gag—”

This gave He Lang a scare. “What’s wrong?”

Xue Yue pointed at the braised pork on the table. “Get it away from me! Take it away! Gag—”

He Lang quickly moved the braised pork as far away as possible.

“What is it? Is something wrong with the pork?” He Lang asked.

Xue Yue shook her head. “It just makes me feel sick.”

It took a while for Xue Yue to fight down the wave of nausea.

That night, she barely ate. When He Lang returned to the room after washing up, he found Xue Yue already asleep. He sighed. After lying down, he gently turned her over and pulled her into his arms. He wasn’t sleepy yet. As he watched her, it suddenly occurred to him that it had been a long time since her last period.

’Could it be…?’

A jolt went through He Lang. Considering Xue Yue’s recent symptoms, he felt it was highly possible.

He Lang was so excited he didn’t sleep a wink all night.

The next morning, the first thing Xue Yue saw when she opened her eyes was a pair of eyes that were bloodshot yet sparkling with excitement.

“What were you up to last night? You look like you didn’t sleep at all.”

He Lang patted her shoulder. “Hurry and get up. I’ve already made breakfast. We’re going to town after we eat.”

Xue Yue looked at him, surprised. “What for?”

He Lang grabbed her clothes for her, saying, “You haven’t had your period in a while. We’re going to see if you’re pregnant.”

“Pre-pregnant? How could that be possible?” Xue Yue’s mouth fell slightly open as she stared at He Lang in a daze.

He Lang stroked her hair. “Silly girl, we’ve been together for almost half a year. Why wouldn’t it be possible?”

Xue Yue blinked. “But… but I’m not ready.”

“Heh. Well, you can think about what you need to prepare. For now, let’s just get you dressed and have breakfast, okay?”

And just like that, He Lang started helping her get dressed, causing Xue Yue, who had just snapped out of her daze, to blush beet red.

After breakfast, He Lang put Xue Yue on the back of his bicycle and rode them into town.

They registered, had blood drawn, and waited. After a long while, Xue Yue finally emerged from the doctor’s office.

She looked dazed, but He Lang couldn’t hide the joyful smile playing on his lips.

“I’m really pregnant… But how did I not feel anything before? Am I really going to be a mom?” Xue Yue touched her stomach in disbelief, finding it hard to imagine there was a baby growing inside her.

He Lang supported her by the arm, nodding with a wide smile. “Yes. The doctor said you’re almost two months along. You’re going to be a mom, and I’m going to be a dad.”

Sometimes, with sudden good news, the joy takes time to sink in. That was the case for Xue Yue; a belated sense of happiness began to bubble up and overflow within her.

On their way, they passed the supply and marketing co-op. He Lang wanted to buy a can of milk powder to supplement Xue Yue’s nutrition, but it was out of stock.

He had to settle for a tin of malted milk powder, a bag of sponge cakes, and a bag of walnut cookies. The ride home, which normally took forty minutes, was stretched into a slow, leisurely two-hour journey by He Lang. Xue Yue felt like she was about to fall asleep on the bicycle.

The first thing he did when they got home was to make Xue Yue lie down on the kang.

“Hey, I’m pregnant, not an invalid.”

Xue Yue knew He Lang was happy, but she hadn’t expected him to be so ridiculously careful.

He Lang tutted. “You might look like one person, but you’re actually two now, so you must be tired. Get up there and rest. I’ll go make dinner.”

Well then, it looked like Xue Yue was now the boss who didn’t have to lift a finger.

He Lang was nearing thirty. He’d never felt strongly about not having children before, but now that one was on the way, the feeling was indescribable. It was as if he had suddenly been given a precious treasure that he had to cherish with all his might.

Sitting in their room, Xue Yue could hear the sounds of He Lang bustling about in the kitchen.

A moment later, he came in with a bowl of malted milk and a few sponge cakes for her.

“Have some of this to tide you over.”

He set it down and went out again.

Xue Yue couldn’t help but chuckle. ’Are all men like this when they’re about to become fathers?’

That evening, He Lang left again on his bicycle, not returning until the middle of the night.

He came back laden with goods: eggs, a mature hen, and pork ribs.

Xue Yue barely spared them a glance before her overwhelming sleepiness took over, and she drifted into a deep slumber.

The next morning, He Lang actually skipped work and had even called in to request leave for Xue Yue.

Looking at the chicken soup He Lang brought her, Xue Yue couldn’t take it anymore.

“What is all this? Chicken soup first thing in the morning? What time did you even wake up to make this?”

He Lang rubbed his nose. “Just try it. How’s the chicken soup I made?”

Xue Yue sighed and resignedly took a sip. It was a little greasy. ’Who in their right mind drinks chicken soup the moment they open their eyes and doesn’t find it greasy?’

Still, she didn’t have the heart to crush his spirits.

“It’s very good. But… could I maybe have it later this morning?”

“Mm.”

He Lang quickly took the bowl away, terrified she might throw up.

He Lang refused to let Xue Yue go to work anymore, which she found utterly absurd. Plenty of women got pregnant, and they all continued to work in the fields as usual.

But her protests were futile. He Lang cited the doctor’s orders: the pregnancy is most fragile in the first three months. Furthermore, since Xue Yue was young and this was her first time, the doctor had told them to be especially careful.

Xue Yue pouted. “Then what am I supposed to do at home all day?”

“I’ll go to the scrap collection station in a day or two and buy you some books and newspapers. You can read when you’re bored. It’ll be educational for our baby, too.”

“’As if it can understand a thing,’” Xue Yue muttered under her breath.

He Lang just smiled, pretending he hadn’t heard.

The same day Xue Yue took her leave of absence, Mrs. He and the rest of the family found out about the pregnancy.

When Mrs. He came over, she brought a half-basket of eggs.

“Yue’er, eat one of these eggs every morning. They’re nutritious.”

“Okay.”

Mrs. He couldn’t stop staring at Xue Yue’s stomach, her face beaming like a blooming flower.

’Oh, finally! My third son is having a child!’

The two had been married for seven or eight months. Although Mrs. He never said anything, she had been secretly anxious, especially since He Lang was getting on in years. Now that a baby was finally on the way, the old couple were over the moon.

Mrs. He also gave Xue Yue some advice on things to watch out for during the pregnancy, and Xue Yue listened attentively.

’She had no experience, so she needed to listen to advice from those who did.’

That evening, Xue Xingzhou came by as well, carrying a wild pheasant and two fish.

’Looks like He Lang was quite thorough with his announcements. He told everyone he was supposed to.’

What Xue Yue didn’t know was that He Lang was so excited, he wanted to shout the news to the entire world.

He Lang took the items from him.

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