Song Tingye was worried that the chili fumes would make Song Xinya cough, so he pulled her toward the exit.
“Sis, let’s get out of here. Leave that snot-nosed fly-egg behind and let her choke on it!”
When they reached the section selling loose kelp, Song Tingye’s thoughts spun. His eyes narrowed as a brilliant idea came to him.
He grabbed a handful of soaked, ribbon-like kelp and dashed over to Zhang Yingying like a gust of wind, draping it over her head. “Let me give you a new hairstyle!”
Water dripped from the kelp, splattering down Zhang Yingying’s carefully styled hair and soaking it through. Her designer dress was stained with dirty water too, clinging damply to her body.
Covering his mouth with one hand, Song Tingye mimicked Zhang Yingying’s arrogant laugh from earlier. “Hahahahahaha! Gah gah!”
When he was done, he planted his hands on his hips and glared at Zhang Yingying with fierce indignation. “That’s the price you pay for picking on my sister!”
With a huff, he turned around, took Song Xinya’s hand, and continued toward the front of the supermarket.
When the siblings reached the entrance, Song Tingye asked her worriedly, “Sis, what did Zhang Yingying say to you just now? You looked like it really got to you.”
Song Xinya knew Song Tingye had a big mouth. If she told him, he would definitely run off and tell Qin Yuhe.
“Zhang Yingying said that in the future, she’ll be able to have 1,008 babies in one pregnancy—and every single one will be a boy.”
Song Tingye blinked. “Damn. A thousand and eight babies in one go? What is she, spawning?”
After returning home, Song Xinya skipped dinner and went back to her bedroom early.
Qin Yuhe messaged her, and she replied as usual.
Qin Yuhe asked whether she had eaten, and she said she had.
Qin Yuhe said he would be home late that day, and she replied, “I’ll wait for you in bed.”
Everything was normal.
Just as it had been during the past few days, when the two of them had been wrapped up in sweetness.
Qin Yuhe was busy with Qin Group’s year-end review. Finance, energy, semiconductors, digital technology, urban development, entertainment, tourism—every sector required his oversight.
By the time he finally came home, it was the following evening.
Song Xinya was already asleep. After washing up in the downstairs study, Qin Yuhe went to the bedroom.
He carefully lifted the covers and slipped into bed, then reached out and pulled her from her side of the bed into his arms.
The next morning, Song Xinya woke up in Qin Yuhe’s embrace.
Men tended to run hotter, and in winter, he was like a natural heater. Sleeping in his arms was the most comfortable thing in the world.
Song Xinya contentedly shifted her legs in his embrace, and Qin Yuhe woke at once.
She turned over and lay on his chest, her cheek pressed against the left side, listening to his strong, steady heartbeat.
“You slept in today. It’s already past nine—you’re late for work.”
Qin Yuhe rested his hand on her lower back. His palm moved along her soft waist, sliding upward toward the even softer curve of her hips.
“I pulled an all-nighter the night before last and finished dealing with the year-end review. I don’t need to go to the office today.”
Song Xinya’s eyes lit up. “So you can spend the whole day with me?”
Qin Yuhe gave her hip a gentle squeeze. “What else do you think I stayed up all night for? So I could spend the whole day with you.”
A blush rose to Song Xinya’s cheeks. “Stop touching me. If you keep that up, neither of us will be getting out of bed.”
Qin Yuhe gave her another firm squeeze. “How about we don’t get up?”
They could stay in bed. There was nothing pressing to do, and they might as well spend some time doing something they both enjoyed.
Song Xinya’s words carried a hint of suggestion. “You go first…”
“Isn’t it always me who does everything?”
“I mean… that.”
She threaded her fingers through his coarse hair and pressed his head down.
Qin Yuhe understood and smiled. “You really like this?”
“I do. A lot.”
He was a neat freak, yet he was willing to lower his head and pleasure her like that.
She loved it when he made an exception for her.
Qin Yuhe rolled over with Song Xinya in his arms, then laid her flat on the sheets.
His face nestled against her chest and slowly moved lower, brushing over her smooth stomach before continuing down.
Song Xinya lifted her head slightly. Beneath her lowered lashes, her gaze fell on his lips, full and flushed red.
“Should I return the favor?”
Qin Yuhe looked up at her mouth. Her lips were as rosy and full as peach petals, dewy, small, and soft.
“Whatever you want. If you’re willing, I’d be happy to. If you don’t want to, I won’t mind.”
He reached to lift her nightdress.
Just then, Old Madam Qin called. “Yaya, Little He, have you had breakfast yet?”
Neither of them had even gotten out of bed.
“No,” Qin Yuhe replied.
“Perfect! I made little wontons by hand. Come over and have some.”
“Give us three hours, then we’ll come.”
“If you wait three hours, it’ll be lunchtime. What would be the point of coming over for wontons then?”
“You two come over right now. There’s something very important I need to tell you.”
Song Xinya propped herself up on her hands and sat up, looking down at Qin Yuhe between her legs. “Let’s go tonight.”
“They say an old person in the family is like a treasure,” Qin Yuhe said. “How come ours feels more like a troublemaker?”
“Maybe Grandma really does have something important to tell us.”
The two of them went to the Qin family’s old home.
At the dining table, Old Madam Qin filled two bowls with wontons and set them in front of them. “This is my first time making these little wontons. Try them and see if they’re any good.”
Qin Yuhe glanced down at his bowl, the corner of his mouth curling into a crooked smile. “I can tell it’s your first try. Everyone else’s little wontons float on top, but yours are all sunk to the bottom. Grandma, did you make us two bowls of anchors?”
Old Madam Qin’s smile crumpled at once.
“You little rascal. You’ve grown up enough to make fun of me now. If I’d known you’d turn out like this, I should’ve given you a few more whacks when you were little.”
She sounded fierce, but when Qin Yuhe said, “I want crab,” Old Madam Qin immediately went to pick it apart for him.
She placed the peeled crab in his bowl. Qin Yuhe pushed it over to Song Xinya.
Old Madam Qin hurriedly stopped him. “You mustn’t! Crab is cooling in nature, and it’s not good for pregnant women. Yaya might be carrying a baby right now, so she shouldn’t eat it.”
Song Xinya’s hand paused mid-motion as she ate the little wontons, and the color drained from her face as though a flower had suddenly withered.
Qin Yuhe looked at Old Madam Qin, his voice stern. “Let’s just eat. Don’t talk about anything else.”
Old Madam Qin stared at his solemn, cold expression and froze for a moment. She had only mentioned having a baby—there was nothing taboo about that. They had been able to talk about it before, so why was it suddenly off-limits now?
But Qin Yuhe rarely showed such a serious expression. It was clear that he was very sensitive about the subject.
Old Madam Qin wisely dropped it.
Then she decided to talk about something else. “Yaya, how did your checkup go a few days ago?”
The color drained from Song Xinya’s face yet again.
Qin Yuhe’s expression grew even more severe. “Grandma, didn’t I tell you? We’re eating. Don’t talk about anything else.”
Old Madam Qin was stunned once more. Even that was off-limits?
After the meal, Qin Yuhe asked, “Grandma, what was this important matter you wanted to discuss with us?”
Old Madam Qin replied, “I’m taking you two to the Fu family’s house today. Something happy is happening at your cousin’s home.”
Song Xinya and Qin Yuhe followed Old Madam Qin through the gates of the Fu residence.
The courtyard was decorated in festive splendor, with red silk draped everywhere.
At the very center of the courtyard stood a massive poster of a baby.
The little one was sitting in a tiny custom-made chair. With rosy lips, pearly teeth, and chubby cheeks, the baby looked into the camera with a wide, innocent, adorable grin.
The child bore a faint resemblance to Fu Xiaochen’s baby boy.
Old Madam Qin explained, “This is your cousin Fu Xiaochen’s younger cousin’s child. Today is the baby’s one-month celebration.”
Qin Yuhe glanced at Song Xinya, his eyes filled with concern and caution.
He turned to Old Madam Qin. “You should have told us what this was about before bringing us here.”
Old Madam Qin said, “It’s a baby’s one-month celebration. It’s a joyous occasion! I brought you and Yaya here to soak up some of the good fortune, so the two of you can conceive soon.”
Qin Yuhe took Song Xinya by the hand and headed for the entrance. “We have something else to do. Let’s go home.”
“What’s gotten into you?” Old Madam Qin exclaimed. “Why are you being so strange and sensitive today?”
“You’re already here, and everyone from the Fu family has seen you. The entire family came out to welcome you. How rude would it be to leave now? They’re all relatives—why make things so awkward?”
Qin Yuhe was usually impeccable in his manners, composed and sensible. Why was he acting so strangely today?
If he left just like this, people would gossip. What would they say behind the back of the Qin family’s head?
Song Xinya tugged lightly at Qin Yuhe’s arm. “We’re already here. Let’s stay for the banquet and leave afterward.”
Qin Yuhe turned to look at her. Her face was calm, and her expression seemed perfectly normal.
Song Xinya pulled him back toward the house.
The members of the Fu family gathered around Qin Yuhe, exchanging greetings and making small talk.
Fu Xiaochen’s younger cousin warmly invited Qin Yuhe and Song Xinya, “The baby happens to be awake. Why don’t you come inside and take a look?”
Song Xinya said, “Sure. I’d love to see this new-generation human—a precious little baby.”
Qin Yuhe followed her into the house.
The moment everyone saw the scene inside, they were utterly stunned—
