Xu Xiuxiu's mysteriously hushed tone piqued Song Yuanhuan's interest, and after a long silence, he tensed his face and nodded. "Let's hear it then!" Song Yuanhuan was fully intent on appeasing Xu Xiuxiu. He knew she hated taking medicine and despised hospitals or anything related to them. So, he suppressed his temper to coax her, smoothing her fur so as to speak, assuming it wouldn't be too difficult to persuade her to visit the infirmary thereafter.
Xu Xiuxiu curled her lips and leaned in close to Song Yuanhuan's ear. "I'm pregnant." Her warm breath gently scratched at Song Yuanhuan's outer ear, like a soft feather kissing his sensitive spot.
"So?" Song Yuanhuan asked coldly and without a second thought after hearing her, his brows arching quizzically. His face, sharp as a blade on one side and as clear-cut as bamboo on the other, revealed a mischievous smile back at Xu Xiuxiu, as if he didn't care much for what she had said.
So? What the hell was that? Why was Song Yuanhuan's reaction nothing like the shock she had anticipated?
Feeling utterly let down, Xu Xiuxiu glared at Song Yuanhuan and, in her anger, pinched his ear. "So, what do you mean 'so'? Is this your attitude, Song Yuanhuan? Do you even want to make up with me?" Shouldn't he be beside himself with excitement right now? And yet, he had the nerve to annoy her with that attitude when asked what he meant. What kind of attitude was that? Humph!
"Wait, wife, don't get angry yet. What was it... you just told me?" The sly smile on Song Yuanhuan's face suddenly froze the moment Xu Xiuxiu got angry, his hands reaching out recklessly to cradle her delicate, egg-like face. "Wife, can you... repeat what you just said?" Song Yuanhuan looked at Xu Xiuxiu, brimming with anticipation.
He hadn't misheard her, had he? His wife was telling him she was pregnant, right? Right!?
"Humph! I don't feel like saying it again." Xu Xiuxiu pouted, still sulking. Her expectations had been so high when she told him, and Song Yuanhuan's reaction was nothing like she had imagined. Instead of a burst of excited agitation over her pregnancy, she felt most of her own excitement had now dissipated.
"Wife, come on, tell me again. I'm begging you." Song Yuanhuan held her cheeks, slightly agitated, then gave her a reassuring kiss on her lips, and without intending to let go, he locked her with his phoenix eyes, not prepared to miss a single change on Xu Xiuxiu's face.
"You didn't hear me clearly just now?" Xu Xiuxiu asked, her eyebrows arching.
"Right." Song Yuanhuan nodded earnestly.
"Well, alright then! But this time, you'd better listen carefully." Xu Xiuxiu put on a magnanimous expression, then leaned into Song Yuanhuan's ear and repeated, "I said, I'm pregnant." Her voice was slightly louder this time, to ensure he would hear her more clearly.
Pregnant! So, was Xu Xiuxiu's recent vomiting due to pregnancy?
Boom! All at once, Song Yuanhuan felt like fireworks had taken over his brain. The first time Xu Xiuxiu had Song Chengguang, he found out only when she was already showing a big belly, and due to their awkward, almost-stranger-like communication, Song Yuanhuan didn't feel much of the excitement of being a father then.
But now, knowing that Xu Xiuxiu was carrying his little sprout, which could very well be the daughter he had longed for, the prospect of having a soft, pudgy little girl stretching her arms up to him and crying for daddy's hugs, melted his heart.
"Wife, I love you to death." Song Yuanhuan's lips crashed onto Xu Xiuxiu's in a fervent kiss.
"Mm!" After receiving his kiss, Xu Xiuxiu had prepared herself, half-expecting Song Yuanhuan to do something indiscreet, bracing for Si Ya, Xu Jingjing, and their son Song Chengguang to see and possibly be amused by them again. But she was let down once more as Song Yuanhuan gently lifted her and placed her beside the sofa.
"Hey! Song Yuanhuan." Xu Xiuxiu looked at Song Yuanhuan, puzzled.
He stood up stiffly, his slender fingers beginning to gently unbutton his green military jacket—one button, two buttons, three... As soon as he finished with the buttons, he started taking it off while walking, his tall and straight figure stopping by the coat rack in the entryway. He hung the green military jacket on the rack and then, without looking back, Song Yuanhuan walked out of the house.
"Song Yuanhuan?" Xu Xiuxiu called out again, full of speechlessness, completely unable to keep up with Song Yuanhuan's pace and utterly baffled by what he was doing.
What on earth is this guy up to?
"Wifey, I'm stepping out for a bit." Song Yuanhuan turned back to tell her after hearing Xu Xiuxiu's call, and then his figure disappeared at the doorway.
Xu Jingjing and Song Chengguang stared dumbfounded at the sudden change between the couple, and then their faces were lined with bewilderment.
"Mommy, what's wrong with daddy?" Song Chengguang pouted, full of concern. Oh! Daddy's expression just now was so scary!
"Yeah! Big sis, what did you say to my brother-in-law? Why does he look like he's going to his death?" Xu Jingjing also stared at Xu Xiuxiu, asking somewhat uneasily.
Hearing this, Xu Xiuxiu's chest heaved twice: "I don't know." Xu Xiuxiu replied to the two in an irritated tone, slipping on her slippers and going towards the balcony, wanting to see what Song Yuanhuan was up to.
She saw Song Yuanhuan's figure slowly emerge downstairs and then, without warning, he started running furiously around the perimeter of the military dormitory building, round and round, seemingly without any intention of stopping despite sweating profusely.
Watching Song Yuanhuan's silly and stupefied behavior, Xu Xiuxiu's mouth twitched wordlessly: "What a fool." She whispered laughing at his conduct, but there was a hint of pride in her teasing tone, possibly guessing that this was due to his excessive excitement.
"Daddy is so cool." Such a good runner! Song Chengguang, held by Xu Jingjing, watched his father running downstairs, then showed an expression of admiration. The reference version of this chapter is on *.
Xu Xiuxiu turned her head to look at Song Chengguang's admiring expression and then flicked the little fellow's forehead, "Don't you go copying your daddy, you'd be so silly." Saying this, Xu Xiuxiu turned and walked into the living room.
Song Yuanhuan ran downstairs for a long time, until Xu Xiuxiu grew impatient and went into the kitchen to start preparing dinner.
The sound of the door opening and closing came through, Xu Xiuxiu, holding a spatula, peeked out from the kitchen to see Song Yuanhuan, soaked in sweat, walking into the house. The man, striding with legs as long as a South Korean oppa, ignored the aunt and nephew in the living room, walking straight toward the kitchen with his dark and shiny eyes full of seductive charm.
"Wifey!" Song Yuanhuan called out to Xu Xiuxiu, his thin lips parting.