The Tycoon's Mysterious Darling Wife-Chapter 532 - 535. Know the child’s gender

On the way back, accompanied by the starlight and fireflies, Shen Qinglan slightly turned her head to look at the man beside her, "Fu Hengyi, I had a lot of fun today."

Fu Hengyi’s hand that was holding hers tightened slightly, "When we have time in the future, we can come again."

Shen Qinglan smiled slightly, such opportunities were rare. Fu Hengyi was in the military year-round, and long holidays like this one were not common. In addition, with the arrival of their two other children, having three little ones at home would surely require most of their attention. Where would be the time for just the two of them to come out? Even if they did, it would be a family of five. It was just a beautiful wish.

Shen Qinglan smiled with a twinkle in her eyes, and a soft "good" spilled from her red lips, bringing warmth as it entered Fu Hengyi’s ears, his eyes softened like water.

"Watch your step." Fu Hengyi held a cell phone in his hand, illuminating the path ahead, but still couldn’t help repeatedly reminding her. The country roads were not smooth, and he was worried Shen Qinglan might fall. He treated her like a princess who needed protection, forgetting that even in overgrown rainforests, Shen Qinglan moved with ease. Such excess caution was actually unnecessary. He forgot about her strength because he cared about this person, seeing her only as a fragile woman who needed his careful protection.

Their time outside was not long. When they returned, Li Min and his wife were watching television in the living room. Seeing the two return, Li Min greeted with a smile, "Brother Fu, the scenery here is pretty good, isn’t it?"

Shen Qinglan nodded slightly, being the first to speak, "It’s beautiful here."

"Actually, it’s quite nice here in autumn too. The rice ripens and turns a golden yellow, and there is an orchard on the hill. When the oranges mature in autumn, you can go up the mountain to pick them. Sister-in-law and Brother Fu can come again if you have time then."

Shen Qinglan and Fu Hengyi did not go upstairs but sat down in the living room. After hearing Li Min’s words, she raised her eyebrows slightly, "You’ve planted an orchard too?"

Li Min nodded with a smile, "It was Brother Fu’s idea. I leased a piece of mountain land here and planted a lot of fruit trees—not only oranges but also grapes and kiwifruits. Oh, right, the kiwifruits have ripened these days and the grapes too. Sister-in-law, you and Brother Fu can go to the orchard tomorrow. The ones freshly picked are always fresher than those sold in the market."

Shen Qinglan found the suggestion interesting and agreed with a smile. As long as Shen Qinglan was happy, Fu Hengyi had no objections, so they decided on the next day’s outing with pleasure.

The next morning, Shen Qinglan woke up leisurely to the sound of birds chirping, opening her eyes to meet Fu Hengyi’s gaze.

"It’s still early, do you want to sleep some more?" Fu Hengyi asked softly.

Shen Qinglan shook her head. Although she had stopped her morning exercises since she became pregnant, her biological clock was still punctual. Besides, staying at someone else’s house made it impolite to sleep in.

She got up with Fu Hengyi and went downstairs, where Li Min’s wife had prepared a hearty breakfast. Shen Qinglan took her seat and quietly expressed her thanks.

Li Min’s wife laughed, "Sister-in-law, you don’t need to be so formal. Our Amin and Brother Fu are comrades-in-arms, and it’s been so many years since they last saw each other. Your coming here is a matter of fate, so just treat this place like your own home, no need to stand on ceremony." She was a Northern girl who had traveled far from the North to the South after marrying Li Min. Although she had lived in the South for many years, her forthright character hadn’t changed in the slightest.

Shen Qinglan liked people who were straightforward and simple, and the woman before her fit her taste exactly.

"Have you two eaten?" Shen Qinglan asked with a smile.

Li Min’s wife nodded. They had gotten up at half-past five in the morning and had been careful not to wake Fu Hengyi and Shen Qinglan, so they had been especially quiet.

"Sister-in-law, Brother Fu, you two eat first. I’ll go check on the field." She had planted some vegetables and it was a good time in the morning to water them, to prevent the midday sun from scorching the plants.

Sitting down to eat, Shen Qinglan said to Fu Hengyi, "Your comrade-in-arms and his wife are wonderful people."

Fu Hengyi said offhandedly, "Li Min was the first batch of soldiers I led. He is very capable. If not for his injury, his future in the military would have been bright." Li Min was upright and did not beat around the bush; the wife he found was also like this. Perhaps for this reason, when Fu Hengyi learned that Li Min was not doing well after leaving the military, he lent a hand. Li Min’s startup capital was also provided by Fu Hengyi.

"Actually, buying a piece of land here and building a house to live a life of farming and weaving sounds really nice," Shen Qinglan said, with a hint of yearning hidden deep in her eyes.

If it hadn’t been for being born into such a family, she thought, after she had left the organization, she might have chosen this kind of life.

"I thought you preferred being a painter," Fu Hengyi chuckled with a laugh.

At his words, Shen Qinglan furrowed her brows, "That’s different; painting is just a hobby." She never treated painting as a profession. Although her fame was significant due to this hobby, she could make a fortune daily if she wanted.

"So when we’re old, we’ll go to a place with green mountains and clear waters, buy a piece of land, build a house with a big garden full of flowers, then lease another piece of land to plant some fruits and vegetables, and also raise a dog, some chickens, and ducks."

Fu Hengyi painted a lovely picture, but Shen Qinglan just laughed, "Will we still be able to do that when we’re old?"

She was a buzzkill, Fu Hengyi glanced at her sideways, "Don’t you believe me?"

Shen Qinglan laughed without answering, took a sip of porridge, and then said slowly, "I don’t trust myself." She was good at fighting, but farming... cough cough, let’s not talk about it. She had just mentioned it offhand.

Fu Hengyi took the initiative to clean up the bowls and was about to take Shen Qinglan out when Li Min’s wife returned, holding a bunch of greens and cowpeas.

"Brother Fu, sister-in-law, are you heading out?"

Fu Hengyi smiled and nodded. Li Min’s wife stopped them, "Brother Fu, wait a moment." She placed the greens and cowpeas casually on the table and went into the storeroom. When she came out, she was holding a straw hat, "Sister-in-law, the sun is fierce outside. Wear this." She also handed a basket to Fu Hengyi, which contained a pair of scissors, "Amin is in the orchard. Brother Fu, just follow this road up the hill."

Li Min’s wife went to the doorway and pointed at the nearby mountains. The terrain here wasn’t complicated, so she wasn’t worried about them getting lost.

Shen Qinglan and Fu Hengyi thanked her and followed the path she pointed out. Fu Hengyi placed the straw hat on Shen Qinglan’s head; even the most ordinary straw hat somehow became fashionable on her.

Fu Hengyi was very satisfied.

Li Min was in the orchard, picking ripe kiwifruits. Seeing them, he greeted them warmly, "Brother Fu, sister-in-law, you’re here. Come try this; this year’s kiwifruits taste great." He handed a freshly picked kiwifruit to Shen Qinglan.

The kiwifruit was slightly soft and indeed ripe. Fu Hengyi took the fruit from Shen Qinglan’s hand, peeled it, and then held it to her mouth, "Try it."

Shen Qinglan looked at him and took a bite. It was indeed sweet, with a touch of sourness that balanced the excessive sweetness, not cloying at all and surprisingly suited her taste. Shen Qinglan rarely finished one.

"How’s the taste, sister-in-law?"

Shen Qinglan was gracious, "Great."

"How’s the kiwifruit sales this year?" That was indeed what Fu Hengyi cared about.

When he mentioned this, the smile on Li Min’s face grew, "Better than last year. This year I had my wife open an online store for selling them, and I’ve partnered with a few courier companies. They come to collect the goods every day on schedule. Online selling is far better than market selling. If grapes weren’t so perishable, I’d want to sell them online too." Grapes are easily squashed and have a short shelf-life, making them unsuitable for online sales.

Shen Qinglan looked at the endless orchard, "Is all this yours?"

Li Min nodded, "Yes, I leased four mountains in one go. But the kiwifruits have only started getting bountiful in the past two years. Last year was the first crop, and they didn’t taste very good. This year’s batch is delicious."

Shen Qinglan noticed a vineyard not far from the kiwifruit orchard, "How do you sell these grapes, then?"

"Some are taken to the market to sell, while others are sold to a food processing factory." His grapes were of good quality and he didn’t worry about sales.

Shen Qinglan noticed that there were quite a few people helping to pick fruit in the orchard, presumably Li Min’s temporary workers.

Li Min followed her gaze and explained, "These are villagers from around here, temporary workers I’ve hired. Otherwise, just my wife and I couldn’t manage such a large orchard."

Fu Hengyi handed a basket to Shen Qinglan, rolled up his sleeves, and helped Li Min with the picking.

"Brother Fu, you don’t need to do this, just enjoy your visit with sister-in-law," Li Min stopped him, those rough tasks weren’t meant for Fu Hengyi.

Yet Fu Hengyi didn’t mind, "I’m idle anyway." He picked while chatting with Li Min, "I remember you have a son, where is he?" He recalled that Li Min had become a father, but didn’t see the child this visit.

"He’s on summer vacation, isn’t he? My parents took my son for a trip. My wife and I don’t have the time to accompany him, it’s perfect because my parents are getting on in years and haven’t had many chances to travel. So I signed them up for a group tour, it puts my mind at ease," Li Min was all smiles. You could see from his eyes that he was satisfied with his current life.

Seeing Fu Hengyi step forward to help, Shen Qinglan strolled around the orchard by herself. She held a bunch of grapes, occasionally tossing one into her mouth. The grapes were sour, sweet, and juicy, tasting wonderful. It wasn’t until the sun had risen high and the air had grown hot and stuffy that Fu Hengyi took Shen Qinglan back.

The peaceful rural life made Shen Qinglan reluctant to leave. They stayed here for three days before departing. When leaving the village, Li Min stuffed their car full of kiwis and grapes. If it weren’t for the airline’s live animal restrictions, Li Min would even have wanted Fu Hengyi and Shen Qinglan to take some chickens or ducks back with them.

Shen Junyu came to pick them up from the airport and looked somewhat helpless at their checked luggage, "Did you guys try to move the entire market back here?" They left with one suitcase, but returned with three, plus a few boxes of things.

"It’s all fruit, brother, help me load it into the car," Shen Qinglan directed Shen Junyu.

Shen Junyu resignedly took on her grunt work.

"Why did you buy so much fruit?" Shen Junyu asked, lugging with difficulty.

"A comrade-in-arms of Fu Hengyi gave them to us, they’re homegrown, I’ve tried them, they’re really good."

The gifted fruit was somewhat excessive, Shen Qinglan couldn’t eat that much, so she gave some to relatives and friends, but still had plenty left over. Thus, she let Fu Hengyi take them to the troops for his comrades, and only kept a small portion for herself.

Fu Hengyi’s leave had ended, and after returning from Jiangnan, he went back to the military. Having spent several days in the countryside, Shen Qinglan was somewhat unaccustomed to the city once more. With both her son and husband away, she simply locked herself in her studio. The trip to Jiangnan had given her plenty of inspiration, which she wanted to capture in paint.

Two days later, Anan returned from summer camp.

"Mommy." Right after getting off the bus, Anan spotted his mother standing under the shade of a tree from afar and ran over to hug Shen Qinglan’s legs.

Shen Qinglan bent down and embraced her son, "Was the summer camp fun?" She inspected Anan closely; he had gotten a bit tanned since he left, probably sunburned, yet he was full of energy.

Anan nodded vigorously, "Mommy, summer camp was so much fun, next time let’s go together."

Anan was very satisfied with his half-month at summer camp, and he spent the whole ride home telling Shen Qinglan about the fun things he had encountered there.

Shen Qinglan listened quietly, her eyes soft with affection.

Anan didn’t find his father at home, but he wasn’t surprised; Fu Hengyi was often at the base, and he was used to it.

"Mommy, I brought a gift for you." Anan said and began rummaging through his little backpack, eventually pulling out a bracelet.

It was made from ordinary plastic beads, strung together in various colors. "The teacher taught us to make it. Mommy, do you like it?"

Shen Qinglan took it and looked at it closely. Despite the rough handiwork, she smiled and nodded, "I like it, thank you, dear."

Anan’s eyebrows lifted in joy as he put the handmade bracelet on Shen Qinglan, "It’s so beautiful." It was unclear if he was praising Shen Qinglan’s hand or his own creation.

After spending time at the summer camp, Anan’s longing for Jingjing dwindled significantly. Aside from occasionally mentioning her to Shen Qinglan, he rarely spoke of her, which didn’t surprise Shen Qinglan at all. Kids are quick to forget, after all.

However, Guoguo had been coming to the Fu Family with Yu Xiaoxuan lately.

"Have you resolved the issue between you and Linda?" Shen Qinglan asked Yu Xiaoxuan.

Yu Xiaoxuan nodded, "It’s all been explained clearly. After all, I have worked with Sister Linda for years, and I know her personality well. As long as things are made clear, there will be no problem. But Qinglan, I really owe you for this. Otherwise, I might have lost a friend."

After Yu Xiaoxuan became pregnant, she almost stopped all her work, not even shooting commercials, and devoted herself to prenatal care at home. Linda was quite angry when she found out about Yu Xiaoxuan’s pregnancy, especially since Yu Xiaoxuan had just joined a drama crew and then the news broke out, forcing her to drop out. There were even unfavorable comments online, which somewhat affected her image. But with Han Yi around, whether it was the drama crew or those comments, everything was perfectly resolved. After all, she was the boss’s wife of Shengxuan, and it was well known in the entertainment circle that Han Yi spoiled his wife. No one in their right mind would think of offending Yu Xiaoxuan because that would be tantamount to offending Han Yi.

Yet, this matter still caused Linda to feel some resentment towards Yu Xiaoxuan. Linda wasn’t opposed to Yu Xiaoxuan having a second child; she just wished she had been given a heads-up to be mentally prepared and to handle the public relations well. But Yu Xiaoxuan had said nothing, and Linda had to find out from the director. It was no wonder Linda was upset.

Yu Xiaoxuan, being thick-skinned, hadn’t noticed this until Shen Qinglan had visited Han Yi’s home and coincidentally saw Linda. It was after Linda left that Shen Qinglan reminded Yu Xiaoxuan, who then realized it belatedly.

Knowing the issue was resolved, Shen Qinglan felt relieved, "Be more attentive in the future."

Yu Xiaoxuan stuck out her tongue, "This time was my oversight."

Anan and Guoguo were sitting on the floor playing with blocks. Anan had already lost interest in the game but was playing because Guoguo enjoyed it.

Yu Xiaoxuan removed her gaze from her daughter and looked skeptically at Shen Qinglan’s stomach, "Qinglan, how come your three-month belly looks as big as mine?"

Her belly was already showing, but wasn’t Shen Qinglan just over three months? She looked more like she was four or five months pregnant.

On hearing this, Shen Qinglan slightly raised her eyebrows, "Didn’t I tell you I’m expecting twins?"

Yu Xiaoxuan’s eyes widened in shock as she stared at Shen Qinglan’s belly, "You’re having twins? Why didn’t you tell me sooner!"

Shen Qinglan said indifferently, "Oh, I must have forgotten."

Yu Xiaoxuan looked at her with a aggrieved gaze, "Qinglan, we’re true friends, and yet you didn’t even tell me such important news."

Shen Qinglan didn’t feel embarrassed, although she had indeed forgotten about it.

"You should say that in front of Fu Hengyi."

Yu Xiaoxuan laughed dryly. Saying that she and Shen Qinglan were true friends in front of Mr. Fu—did she have a death wish? She shrank her neck back, "Qinglan, please spare me. You know I’m most afraid of your Mr. Fu."

Shen Qinglan was somewhat curious, "After all these years, why are you still so afraid of Fu Hengyi?" Yu Xiaoxuan had felt fear toward Fu Hengyi from the very first time they met.

Thinking of Fu Hengyi’s icy demeanor, Yu Xiaoxuan sighed, "You don’t understand how cold your Mr. Fu’s gaze can be. Whenever I meet his eyes, I always feel like I’m facing not a person, but an eternal, unmelting iceberg."

Shen Qinglan chuckled, "What kind of description is that."

"That’s true," she said, not believing her, "Ask Fang Tong, and she’ll certainly feel the same way. Mr. Fu is only tender as water towards you, turning from an iceberg into a volcano."

Speaking of Fang Tong, Yu Xiaoxuan remembered, "I wonder how Fang Tong’s father-in-law is doing now, if he’s gotten any better." Previously, Li Bo Ming’s father had fallen ill and was hospitalized, quite seriously at that, with the doctors even issuing a critical condition notice. Li Bo Ming took Fang Tong back to his hometown.

Later, it was heard that Li Bo Ming’s father was saved, but he needed someone to take care of him. Since Li Bo Ming was busy with work and couldn’t be there all the time, Fang Tong moved in there with the child. Over the past month and a half, Fang Tong had rarely been in touch with them.

"It’s probably not that soon. If she were well, Fang Tong would have come back," Shen Qinglan said lightly.

While they were talking, Guoguo suddenly ran over and grabbed Shen Qinglan’s hand, "Aunt, Brother An’an and I have finished building our house, come and see."

Shen Qinglan stood up and walked over, Yu Xiaoxuan watched as her daughter pulled Shen Qinglan away, completely ignoring her.

"Aunt, do you like it?" Guoguo looked at Shen Qinglan with hopeful eyes, wanting her praise, and Shen Qinglan did not disappoint her, nodding with a smile, "Guoguo is really great, the house is beautiful."

Guoguo smiled, showing her little tiger teeth, "Brother An helped me build it, Brother An is also very good."

Shen Qinglan gently touched her soft hair, "You’re just as great as Brother An. Are you hungry after playing for so long? Shall I ask Granny Zhao to make something delicious for you?"

Guoguo shook her head, "Auntie, I don’t want to eat, I want to go out and find Er Pang to play with An’an, is that okay?"

"Okay, go ahead, but be careful," Shen Qinglan cautioned, not worried about Er Pang hurting someone, but worried that Guoguo might fall.

Guoguo nodded her head and walked away with An’an’s hand. Yu Xiaoxuan watched her daughter’s receding back and sighed, "Every time I come to your house, I feel like I become part of the backdrop."

Hearing this, Shen Qinglan glanced at her, "Jealous of your own daughter?"

"Can I say it’s because I’m jealous? The girl sees An’an and doesn’t have eyes for anyone else, it seems she’s destined to be your Fu Family’s daughter-in-law," said Yu Xiaoxuan, her tone joking.

Yu Xiaoxuan had been making this kind of joke since Shen Qinglan was pregnant with An’an, and Shen Qinglan was used to it by now, "If they fall in love when they grow up, I would be very happy to have Guoguo as my daughter-in-law."

Shen Qinglan felt she was an enlightened mother. If An’an truly liked Guoguo, she would absolutely not oppose it, after all, they were well-matched in terms of family background. Of course, if An’an fell in love with someone else in the future, and that girl’s family background was not as good as theirs, as long as the girl was nice, well-mannered, she would also accept it. Everything would be up to An’an’s wishes.

Yu Xiaoxuan was all smiles, "If Guoguo could be your daughter-in-law, of course I would be happy." That way, she wouldn’t have to worry about future mother-in-law and daughter-in-law issues.

"Auntie, the little brother is only four years old. You’re worrying about this too early," Haohao, who had just come downstairs, happened to hear this and spoke up.

Yu Xiaoxuan was surprised and turned to look at him, "Haohao, you’re up? Come here and let Auntie have a look." She had heard from Shen Qinglan that Haohao was at home after she arrived.

Haohao had come the day before, claiming to miss his little brother and wanting to spend some time with him before starting middle school, but in reality, he missed Shen Qinglan. However, this morning, Haohao felt under the weather and rested upstairs before just coming down.

Haohao walked over to Yu Xiaoxuan, "Auntie Xiao Xuan, you’ve become prettier again."

Yu Xiaoxuan was so delighted by Haohao’s words that she hugged him tight, "Your little mouth is getting sweeter and sweeter," then looking at Shen Qinglan, "Qinglan, now I know who An’an takes after."

Shen Qinglan chuckled softly, looking at Haohao with concern, "Are you feeling better now?"

"I’m all better now, Aunt."

"That’s good, are you hungry?"

Haohao shook his head, "Aunt, I don’t want to eat anything right now."

Shen Qinglan knew he had just awakened and didn’t have an appetite, so she didn’t press him. Hearing their conversation, Yu Xiaoxuan asked, "Haohao, did you get sick?"

"I had diarrhea last night." Last night, Anan had lured Haohao into sneaking cold treats from the fridge. To prevent Anan from eating too much and getting an upset stomach, Haohao ended up eating all the frozen delights himself, only to suffer from diarrhea in the middle of the night, which gave Shen Qinglan quite a scare. Fortunately, it wasn’t serious.

So, first thing in the morning, Anan received a stern talking-to from Shen Qinglan. Knowing he had caused trouble, Anan felt very guilty and stayed in the room to keep Haohao company until Yu Xiaoxuan arrived with Guoguo and came downstairs.

Yu Xiaoxuan looked at Haohao with pity, but Haohao casually said, "I’m better now."

Haohao looked around the living room and didn’t see Anan, so he asked Shen Qinglan, who said, "In the yard."

"Aunt, then I’ll go find my brother and little sister Guoguo now."

"Go ahead, and remember to tell your Aunt if you feel unwell at all."

"Okay."

"Ah, if only I had a son like that," Yu Xiaoxuan said enviously. Haohao was definitely the smartest and most understanding child she knew, sometimes so considerate it was heartbreaking.

"You’re pregnant with one now."

Yu Xiaoxuan touched her slightly protruding belly, "I hope this baby is a boy too." Maybe everyone is the same, hoping for both a son and a daughter, to make a "good" character. She glanced at Shen Qinglan, "Qinglan, wouldn’t it be great if you had two little princesses in your belly?"

Shen Qinglan thought of the two men at home, both eagerly hoping for her to have daughters. The smile in her eyes was soft and faint, "I hope so too."

"But if they were two boys, that wouldn’t be bad either. You and Mr. Fu have such good genes, the children would be as good-looking as they are smart."

Shen Qinglan paused slightly, unable to imagine the scenario of having two baby boys in her belly, probably making her partner truly disconsolate. This hypothetical was frightening, and Shen Qinglan shook her head, dismissing the thought from her mind.

************

When Shen Qinglan was five months pregnant, her belly had swelled like a balloon. Chu Yunrong accompanied her to the pregnancy checkup. Originally, Fu Hengyi was supposed to come back today, but he got held up by a sudden matter.

"Everything is normal, the fetus is developing well," the doctor said with a smile as he looked at the test results.

With a faint smile on her face, Shen Qinglan hesitated after hearing the doctor’s words, but finally spoke up, "Doctor, could you tell me the gender of the child?"

The doctor’s expression paused slightly, "Mrs. Fu, you know that’s against regulations."

"Sorry, I was just curious."

"However," the doctor gave a slight smile, "Mrs. Fu, when you’re preparing the baby’s things you can buy both pink and blue."

Hearing this, Shen Qinglan’s eyes brightened slightly, and she looked at her own belly in surprise, "Thank you, doctor."

The doctor smiled; she hadn’t really said anything.

Leaving the hospital, Chu Yunrong could clearly sense that Shen Qinglan’s mood was extremely good, her eyes and brows were filled with smiles.

"What’s made you so happy?" Chu Yunrong asked softly.

Shen Qinglan touched her belly and spoke with a smile, "Mom, let’s go to the mall and buy some things later." It was rare for Shen Qinglan to take the initiative to go to the mall, so naturally, Chu Yunrong had no objections.

Shen Qinglan headed straight to the baby store and bought quite a few items. Chu Yunrong didn’t understand at first, but when she saw that Shen Qinglan bought items for both a boy and a girl, she finally realized and looked at her belly with a face full of surprise, "Is it confirmed?"

Shen Qinglan smiled and nodded. Chu Yunrong’s face beamed with joy, satisfied; she looked at her belly as if it were a treasured rarity.

"That’s wonderful," Chu Yunrong said excitedly, barely managing to find other words, but then she waved a big hand and bought even more things than Shen Qinglan. Had Shen Qinglan not stopped her, she might have tried to take the entire mall home.

In the evening, as usual, it was time for Shen Qinglan to video call with Fu Hengyi.

"What did the doctor say at the hospital today?" Knowing that she went for a prenatal check-up today, Fu Hengyi’s first concern was her health.

"The doctor said everything is good with the baby, very healthy. Fu Hengyi, I bought quite a few things for the baby today, do you want to see?" Shen Qinglan asked with a hint of anticipation. Fu Hengyi smiled and agreed, starting the video call.

Shen Qinglan took out the clothes she bought for the baby, "Look at this blue one and the pink one, aren’t they adorable? I spotted them in the mall right away."

Fu Hengyi smiled faintly and nodded, "Indeed, they’re nice. Next time I come back, we’ll go to the mall and buy some more." He hadn’t noticed the deeper meaning in Shen Qinglan’s words.

Shen Qinglan then took out two baby bottles, one blue and one pink, "I saw these bottles today, the quality was good, so I bought two, and also two cribs. They will be delivered to the house tomorrow."

She rambled on about what she bought at the mall today. Fu Hengyi listened patiently, but as the conversation went on, his expression gradually changed, and he gazed at Shen Qinglan pensively, even through the screen, she could feel the tremor in his gaze, realizing he had guessed. Shen Qinglan spoke with a smile, "Fu Hengyi, your wish has come true." 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

With his guess confirmed, Fu Hengyi suddenly sat up from the bed, the movements so abrupt the phone’s screen shook, "Qinglan, is it true? The one in your belly, is it really a daughter?"

Shen Qinglan grinned, "Not only a daughter but also a son."

The smile on Fu Hengyi’s face grew wider and wider; he hadn’t heard Shen Qinglan’s latter half, "I’ll ask for leave and come back right away."

Upon hearing this, Shen Qinglan quickly stopped him, "The child and I are both fine. You work with peace of mind, we’ll wait for you to come home." The man was so excited now, if he came back, Shen Qinglan would have to worry about his safety on the way.

Although Fu Hengyi verbally agreed, what he was thinking was another matter altogether. Ever since learning about the gender of the children in Shen Qinglan’s belly, he had been so excited that he couldn’t sleep all night, and couldn’t hold back; he took some time off to visit home in the middle of the third day.

Shen Qinglan looked at the man who appeared before her, her eyebrows lifted in surprise, "Why did you come back? Didn’t I tell you to wait until your holiday to come back?"

Fu Hengyi stared at her belly and answered instinctively, "To see how you and the children are." Without coming to see for himself, he found it hard to concentrate on anything.

He sat down beside Shen Qinglan, his hand resting on her belly, and just then the baby inside moved, kicking Fu Hengyi, his eyes immediately lighting up, "The daughter is greeting me."

Shen Qinglan was bemused, "It might be the son greeting you." There were two in her belly, after all.

"It’s definitely a daughter," Fu Hengyi insisted unwaveringly.

"Okay, okay, it’s a daughter," Shen Qinglan yielded amicably, her face etching an expression of "whatever you say, if it makes you happy." Right now, Fu Hengyi only had eyes for his daughter.

She stood up, wanting to go to the bathroom, and Fu Hengyi rose too, watching her anxiously, "What are you doing? I’ll help you."

"I need to use the bathroom."

"I’ll help you go."

Shen Qinglan looked at his anxious demeanor and laughed, "Fu Hengyi, I’m not yet at the point where I can’t move around." Although her growing belly indeed made it more difficult for her to move, going to the bathroom was still not a problem.

"I know, but the bathroom floor is slippery, safer to have someone help you," Fu Hengyi said matter-of-factly.

Shen Qinglan wanted to say that the bathroom at home was already fitted with non-slip mats specifically to prevent her from falling, but after a moment of thought, she swallowed her words. Anyway, it was no use telling him; this man wouldn’t listen.

"In another two months, I’ll apply for leave to be there for the birth," Fu Hengyi declared seriously, looking at Shen Qinglan’s protruding belly.

Shen Qinglan looked at him speechlessly, "By then, I’ll only be seven months along." Nobody took such a long leave for paternity, and even if Fu Hengyi wanted to, his unit wouldn’t let him go.

Fu Hengyi smiled, "You and our daughter are more important," completely ignoring the fact that there was also a son in Shen Qinglan’s belly.

A wave of sympathy for her unborn son suddenly washed over Shen Qinglan’s heart. He was being disfavored by his own father before even making his appearance; she could already imagine her son’s miserable life once he was born.

However, Fu Hengyi’s leave didn’t turn out as planned. After some negotiation, the leadership approved one month’s leave for him, which was an exceptional favor.

By the time Shen Qinglan was eight months pregnant, Fu Hengyi had returned home. He officially started his leave, staying by his wife’s side for the birth.

"Don’t move, I’ll get you whatever you want to eat."

"Hold on, I’ll go with you to the bathroom."

"Don’t move, I’ll help you down."

Ever since Fu Hengyi came back, the Fu Family could hear his anxious voice every day. His whole life revolved around Shen Qinglan, to the point that even the task of dropping off Anan fell to Aunt Liu.

"Mummy," Anan’s voice preceded him as he came home from school. Before Shen Qinglan could respond, she saw a little cannonball charging straight toward her. She just wanted to open her arms to welcome her son when a figure swooped down from above and firmly shielded her behind him.

"Fu Chenxuan, how many times have I told you not to run?" Fu Hengyi said with a stern face.

Anan had already stopped and looked at Fu Hengyi with a pitiful expression, "Daddy, I won’t bump into Mummy." He had already slowed down.

Shen Qinglan pushed aside the overly nervous man and pulled Anan into her embrace, "Did you have a good time at school today?"

Anan didn’t answer but instead looked at Shen Qinglan’s belly, "Mummy, were my brother and sister well-behaved today?" Mm, even though his dad had been favoring them over him since they’d been on the way, he still loved his little brother and sister.