Extra Story 2: Pregnancy (5)

During her breaks, Wen Jiu often mingled with her staff. Since the studio was primarily composed of young people—most of them post-2000s graduates—the atmosphere was generally lively.

Whenever the two arrived, they were greeted with a mix of salutations and playful teasing.

"Sister Jiu, your husband is dropping you off at work again!" How blissful!

The young employee didn't voice the second half of her thought, but everyone knew exactly what she meant, and they all chimed in with agreement.

"Indeed, Sister Jiu is so lucky."

This was how the studio staff addressed Wen Jiu. She enjoyed the title, as it helped bridge the gap between her and her employees, preventing a sense of distance. In her studio, there was no need for rigid hierarchies; since the team was small and easy to manage, and everyone practiced mutual respect, she was happy to let them address her however they pleased.

Every time Gu Zehuai heard the title "brother-in-law," he would respond with a warm, affectionate smile.

After escorting Wen Jiu to her office, Gu Zehuai headed to his own company. At the end of the workday, the two returned to the Wen residence to share the good news with her parents. Wen Mother held Wen Jiu’s hand, detailing various precautions for her pregnancy, which Wen Jiu carefully noted down.

That night, the couple stayed at the Wen residence. Having stayed there many times, Gu Zehuai was well-acquainted with the layout of Wen Jiu’s room. While she was in the bathroom showering, he reached for the photo album on the nightstand.

Originally kept on the bookshelf, the album had been shown to Gu Zehuai by Wen Jiu when they first married. Since then, it had become a ritual for him to look through it whenever he visited. It contained every photograph of Wen Jiu from birth until she started university, and he never tired of flipping through the pages. Over time, the album had been moved to the nightstand to save him the trouble of fetching it from the shelf. Seeing how much he loved it, Wen Jiu simply let him be.

Now that Wen Jiu was pregnant, Gu Zehuai’s imagination had become even more active. Looking at her childhood photos, he couldn't help but envision what their future baby would look like.

"They will surely be as cute as Jiu," he thought to himself.

***

After the first trimester, even though the doctor mentioned that intimacy was permissible, Gu Zehuai was terrified that his lack of restraint might harm Wen Jiu. Despite her many attempts to entice him, he remained unmoved.

Conversely, Wen Jiu developed a keen interest in such matters after becoming pregnant. Gu Zehuai willingly acted as a tool for her, though he would always find other ways to "collect" his due later.

Whenever they returned to the Gu family estate, Gu Zehuai was constantly lectured and had his ears pulled. At the beginning, the elder Madam Gu, fearing her grandson lacked self-control, had even demanded he sleep in the guest room, only relenting after he gave repeated assurances. History proved that Gu Zehuai’s self-restraint was, indeed, extraordinary.

Wen Jiu gradually began bringing her work home, and on the occasional whim, she would take her design drafts and accompany Gu Zehuai to his office.

One day, Wen Jiu invited Shen Mengxia and Yu Keyan over to the house. Shen Mengxia and Ye Chen had registered their marriage and held their wedding before the new year, while Yu Keyan’s romantic life remained somewhat unstable.

At nearly twenty-eight, Wen Jiu had married relatively early among the three, so Yu Keyan was not exactly behind. However, watching the two of them enjoy such blissful, sweet marriages, it would be a lie to say she wasn't envious. She had grown up in an environment filled with love, but familial affection was different from romantic love. Yu Keyan felt that although she had been in several relationships, she had never truly experienced the sweetness of love, only endless exhaustion.

"Sigh, when will it be my turn?" Yu Keyan couldn't help but sigh. Yet, she immediately realized that one shouldn't rush into a reckless relationship just because they see others' happiness; such unions never last.

Wen Jiu and Shen Mengxia comforted her: "Just let things take their natural course. Don't overthink it. Think about your parents and your brother who love you. You should stay away from any man who drains your energy."

"You're right, Jiu, Xia. What you’re saying makes sense!" Yu Keyan took their advice to heart and stopped forcing herself. Let nature take its course.

***

Time passed quickly. In the blink of an eye, Wen Jiu was over five months pregnant.

Despite being five months along, her limbs remained slender, and her belly was only slightly rounded. It was summer, and she looked even more petite in her loose-fitting dresses.

Every night before sleep, Gu Zehuai insisted on pressing his face against her belly to communicate with the baby. One night, just as he was about to pull away, he felt a kick against his cheek.

This was the first time the baby had moved so vigorously. Wen Jiu was thrilled; previously, whenever she felt a hint of movement, the baby would stop the moment she noticed. Gu Zehuai pressed back against her belly, whispering to the baby for a long time, calling it "prenatal education."

"Jiu, does it hurt?"

Although he was excited by the movement, Gu Zehuai was slightly alarmed by the force of it, as if the baby were trying to kick through the skin.

"It doesn't hurt. It just feels like a gentle poke."

"It seems our baby is quite energetic," Gu Zehuai remarked, finally calm enough to tease her.

Even at five months, they had not intentionally checked the baby's gender during their check-ups. They were happy either way, whether it was a boy or a girl.