Xiang Wan then noticed he was wearing a neat, well-ironed shirt, his hair slicked back more than ever. He exuded an air of seriousness and solemnity, as if he were about to become her groom.
"Xiang Wan, today marks our third year, eleven months, and ten days together. Will you marry me?"
"If you say yes, we'll have our wedding on our fourth anniversary. If not, I'll ask again in a few days."
"Either way, I'm yours for life. Will you marry me?"
Her younger brother, dressed like a giant flower boy, stood foolishly beside them, clapping and cheering him on. "Marry him, marry him! Say yes, say yes!"
He said he had no surprises for her.
These two rascals, in cahoots.
Looking at his expectant eyes, then at her brother's hopeful face, Xiang Wan couldn't resist the most primal of human vanities and nodded gently.
After a romantic candlelit dinner, they returned home, and Lu Mingzhe tried to embrace Xiang Wan again.
Xiang Wan quickly pressed a hand to his restless mouth.
"Don't move, I have something to tell you."
"You tell me, I'm listening. Why are you covering my mouth?"
"It's serious!"
Lu Mingzhe had no choice but to let her go.
Xiang Wan thought for a moment, organizing her words.
"I originally planned to tell you after you got the divorce certificate and we could be together openly, but you're already here..."
She opened the bedside cabinet and took out a delicate small box from the drawer.
"Open it and see."
"What is it?"
"You'll know when you open it."
Seeing the packaging, Lu Mingzhe thought she was giving him couple's jewelry and mused, "Do I, a grown man, need such things?"
To his surprise, he froze when he opened it.
"This is... I... So I'm going to be a father?"
His face was filled with astonishment, a mixture of surprise and joy.
Xiang Wan nodded.
"When did you find out?"
"The night you said you had something to tell me."
"Ah—"
Lu Mingzhe tossed the box onto the bed, scooped Xiang Wan into his arms, and spun her around.
"Wanwan, you're amazing, you're incredible! My God, I'm going to be a father!"
"Such wonderful news, how could you keep it from me for so long?"
After saying that, he saw Xiang Wan closing her eyes, feeling dizzy, and quickly put her down.
"Did I hold you too tight? Did I squeeze your belly? Does it hurt?"
Is this how everyone feels, surprised and flustered, when they first become parents?
Looking at him, genuinely happy from the bottom of his heart, Xiang Wan felt that accepting the ring today was the right decision.
"It's okay. I'm not that delicate."
"Who says you're not? Yes, yes, you absolutely are. If there's any work to be done, let me do it. You rest well, don't hurt the baby."
"Did you go to the hospital? How many weeks has the doctor said?"
"No, I'm too excited right now. I don't know what to say to you. Come, come, sit down, let me listen."
He babbled on excitedly, carefully helping Xiang Wan to sit down, and then pressed his ear to her belly.
Xiang Wan stroked the back of his head.
"I had it checked. The doctor said it's about 40 days. It's just a small embryo right now, how could you hear anything?"
About 40 days?
That meant, Lu Mingzhe recalled that night, a mischievous smile flickered across his face.
"It was planted in your room that day, so it's definitely going to be a little Xiang Wan."
Xiang Wan blushed at his words.
"Don't go out and talk nonsense."
"I know. Don't I have some sense? Does Xiang Yang know?"
"No. You're the father, you should be the first to know."
"That's right, very aware. But Xiang Yang is the uncle, he should know too. I'll go tell him."
Lu Mingzhe happily ran to Xiang Yang's room.
A moment later, the room was filled with the high-pitched screams of two elementary schoolers.
Afterward, Xiang Wan went to take a shower. Lu Mingzhe, still buzzing with excitement, rolled around on the bed, unable to suppress his urge to share.
He picked up his phone and called Zhan Bei Jue.
Zhan Bei Jue showed no mercy.
He carried Jiang Nan Fang, whose shoulder blade was in pain, downstairs and threw her into the car. She hit the seat again, and instantly broke out in a cold sweat.
Jiang Nan Fang bit her lip, refusing to cry out in pain. Seeing the sweat on her forehead, Zhan Bei Jue yanked the seatbelt over with a "whoosh."
"You know it hurts now? Serves you right!"
"You dared to block my fist? You might as well have said you were willing to die for Ke Teng! Serves you right for being in so much pain!"
Min Er had just had an accident, and he was furious and irrational.
Jiang Nan Fang understood him and didn't argue.
So, no matter how harsh his words were, she didn't intend to retort.
The more stubborn she appeared, the angrier Zhan Bei Jue became.
He fastened her seatbelt, slammed the car door shut, and got into the driver's seat.
"Can't say anything about you now, huh? You're still defiant, aren't you?"
"Jiang Nan Fang, speak!"
Jiang Nan Fang stubbornly looked out the window, ignoring him.
In the ensuing silence, minutes passed. Large beads of sweat trickled down her fair neck and into her clothes.
If she endured any longer, she would die of pain. Zhan Bei Jue finally relented.
"To the hospital. Bear with it for now."
She had been to the hospital enough in the past two days.
Jiang Nan Fang was sick of the smell of disinfectant.
"No, I'll be fine after resting at home. I don't want to go."
She was in so much pain that her voice was weak.
Whether he truly couldn't hear or was pretending not to, Zhan Bei Jue shot her a fierce look with his sullen face.
"What did you say?"
"I said I don't..."
Their eyes met. In his bloodshot eyes, which hadn't slept all night, Jiang Nan Fang saw red veins. A few strands of hair, usually neat and tidy, had fallen over his forehead during the fight. A light stubble had appeared on his chin. Three buttons of his shirt were undone, leaving it loose, and his sleeves were rolled up messily to his forearms. He had lost his usual elite demeanor, exuding a reckless, thuggish aura.
After all, he was her beloved. Jiang Nan Fang couldn't bear to provoke him further.
"Alright, alright, I'll go. I'll go wherever you say."
Zhan Bei Jue drove with a grim expression and called Zhou Jin Bei, asking her to handle Min Er's funeral arrangements at the nursing home.
By the time they reached the hospital, dawn was breaking.
Checking the time, it was six in the morning.
Since their regular doctor hadn't started work yet, Zhan Bei Jue took her to the emergency room.
The doctor performed routine checks and took an X-ray. Confirming no bones were broken, they prepared to prescribe anti-inflammatory and pain medication for her to take at home.
Jiang Nan Fang sat opposite the doctor, with Zhan Bei Jue standing beside her.
The doctor was filling out the form.
"Name."
"Jiang Nan Fang."
Before Xiang Wan could speak, Zhan Bei Jue answered first.
"Age."
"27 years old."
"Marital status."
"Married."
"When was your last sexual activity?"
Jiang Nan Fang was speechless. Was this a medical examination or a census? Even the police didn't have the right to ask such personal questions, did they?
Seeing their silence, the doctor paused his pen.
"This is a routine question to rule out pregnancy. We can't prescribe medication recklessly, so please cooperate and answer my questions."