Chapter 212: Pregnancy
“Let’s go to the hospital tomorrow,” Grandma Sheng said firmly. “Whether it’s true or not, at least we’ll all be able to breathe a sigh of relief.”
Sheng Wanyan nodded. Once she was left to her own thoughts, she couldn’t resist placing two fingers over her own wrist. Concentrating quietly, she felt the steady, rolling bounce against her fingertips—the unmistakable sliding pulse of a pregnancy.
It felt like she was just over a month along. Typically, severe fatigue didn’t kick in until around the second month, meaning her body was reacting quite early. But she viewed it as a blessing; at least it gave her an early warning.
A wave of quiet excitement washed over her, and her eyes filled with anticipation. She was carrying a child—the very first across both of her lifetimes. It would be a lie to say she wasn’t deeply moved. No matter how independent a woman was, the threshold of becoming a mother always brought a profound sense of wonder.
“Wanyan, hurry up and follow us across the lane to get some food,” Pan Yue urged, being the first to snap back into practical mode. “If you really are pregnant, you absolutely cannot go a whole day without a single drop of water or a bite of food.”
Grandma Sheng nodded in fierce agreement. She lectured that a woman couldn’t afford to be weak during her first trimester, or complications could easily arise.
Having slept for so many hours, Wanyan realized she was actually quite famished. As they filed out into the living room, Grandpa Sheng and Sheng Wanze immediately locked their eyes onto them, silently demanding answers.
“What are you two staring at?” Grandma Sheng barked at the men. “Get moving back to the house so we can eat.”
Under her strict command, the two men didn’t dare press for details and obediently followed her out the door. Though they had already pieced together their own suspicions, neither asked a single question. Grandma Sheng clearly had the situation handled, so they knew they just had to wait for the official verdict.
After returning to her own courtyard that evening, Sheng Wanyan took a warm shower, climbed onto the bed, and gently rested her hand against her flat stomach.
She was carrying her and Gu Tingxiao’s child. Once he returned from his deployment, she would catch him completely off guard with this magnificent surprise. She took her own pulse one more time, and as she felt that distinct, fluid rhythm beneath her skin, an unexplainable mix of emotions flooded her heart—profound joy, immense anticipation, and a sudden, sharp prickle of maternal anxiety.
She was thrilled by the miracle, desperately looking forward to the baby’s arrival, but she couldn’t help but wonder if she had what it took to be a truly good mother. No matter what, she vowed silently to herself, I will give this child my absolute best.
The following morning, Wanyan woke up early. From that exact day forward, she strictly overhauled her diet to ensure maximum health. For breakfast, she prepared a warm bowl of nourishing millet porridge, a boiled egg, and a steaming mug of sweet malted milk.
The moment she finished her last bite, Grandma Sheng arrived at the gate to escort her directly to the military hospital. The old woman tracked down Nurse Pan, who immediately bypassed the standard queues to arrange an official examination for her daughter-in-law’s sister.
“Grandma, come with me. I’ll personally escort you both to the director of gynecology’s office,” Nurse Pan said warmly.
“Oh, thank you so much for pulling strings for us,” Grandma Sheng beamed. “You must come over to the house for dinner later this week.”
Nurse Pan waved her hand with a smile, insisting it was no trouble at all. “You’re far too polite, Grandma. It only took a single word to clear the schedule. Besides, if Wanyan really is expecting, it’s a monumental joyous event for the whole family.”
Grandma Sheng nodded happily. Indeed, what could be a grander celebration?
Inside the director’s office, Sheng Wanyan underwent a thorough, comprehensive examination. While standard regional hospitals rarely utilized advanced ultrasound machinery during this era, the military medical centers possessed top-tier priority access to modern equipment.
“Congratulations,” the doctor smiled, reviewing the charts. “You are forty-two days pregnant.”
Hearing the formal diagnosis, Grandma Sheng’s eyes crinkled into pure crescents of joy.
“The patient is in excellent health,” the physician added, turning to Wanyan. “However, during these early weeks, you must prioritize rest and strictly avoid any physical overexertion or heavy labor.”
“Yes, yes, absolutely, Doctor,” Grandma Sheng answered on her behalf, unable to close her mouth from smiling. She didn’t care what instructions the medical staff gave, as long as her granddaughter and the baby were safe.
Wanyan shared her joy, clutching the official medical report tightly as she walked alongside her ecstatic grandmother back to the compound.
The moment they shared the news with the rest of the household, the entire courtyard erupted into celebration.
“Wonderful! Simply wonderful!” Grandpa Sheng cheered, his face radiating pure pride as he paced the room. “I need to sit down and draft a long-distance letter to your parents immediately! This is a spectacular milestone.”
Without wasting another second, Grandpa Sheng bustled off to his study to write to Chengdu, while Grandma Sheng pulled Wanyan onto a comfortable seat and immediately began preparing a feast. Pan Yue curled up beside her to chat about all things pregnancy, leaving a thoroughly dutiful Sheng Wanze to play the servant, catering to the needs of the two family anchors.
“Since Tingxiao is still out on assignment, you are strictly required to eat all your meals at our table during his absence,” Sheng Wanze instructed firmly. He was still privately traumatized by how deeply she had slept the previous day; with no one else residing in her courtyard, leaving her completely unattended was out of the question.
“He’s right, Wanyan. You must join us every single day,” Pan Yue agreed. “Otherwise, none of us will be able to rest easy.” She shuddered to think what would have happened if an emergency had occurred yesterday while she was alone. If anything happened to Wanyan, Gu Tingxiao would likely tear the entire base apart when he returned.
“Alright,” Wanyan smiled, accepting their protective care. Looking back on her deep slumber, she felt a lingering touch of anxiety herself. Still, she resolved to quietly bring her own premium ingredients over from her pantry; there was absolutely no reason for Sheng Wanze’s household to absorb the financial burden of feeding her.
“Come along, everyone, let’s sit down and eat,” Grandma Sheng called out, placing a tray on the table. She had specially steamed two delicate egg custards to ensure the two pregnant women received optimal nutrition for the afternoon.
By the time evening approached, Grandma Sheng had already set a large pot of rich bone broth to simmer on the stove. Wanyan walked over carrying a thick slab of cured bacon from her kitchen, which her grandmother gladly accepted and fried up to maximize her protein intake.
For the next week, Wanyan found herself under the absolute, hyper-vigilant surveillance of Grandpa Sheng and the men. Even Pan Yue joined the guard detail, strictly ordering Sheng Wanze to march across the lane and fetch Wanyan the exact second a meal was served.
Wanyan happily indulged in the pure luxury of being utterly pampered and lazy. She would gather a selection of fine ingredients from her secret cache, carry them over to her brother’s kitchen, and simply sit back and wait for a hot, delicious meal to be placed before her.
This blissful routine lasted until the night Gu Tingxiao finally returned. He made his way back to the compound in the dead of night, navigating a brutal northern blizzard.
Maodou’s sharp ears caught the muffled thuds against the snow outside, and the young dog instantly went alert, planting its paws firmly behind the front door and letting out a low guard whine.
Outside the threshold, Gu Tingxiao stomped the heavy powder from his combat boots before turning the latch. Recognizing the tall silhouette stepping into the light, Maodou immediately stood down, wagging its tail. Gu Tingxiao reached down to give the pup’s head a fond rub, and the satisfied dog trotted back to its custom bed, curling up to resume its sleep.
Shedding his heavy, snow-crusted greatcoat and boots, Gu Tingxiao tiptoed into the bedroom to check on his wife. Seeing her buried deep beneath the quilts in a peaceful slumber, he gently adjusted the blankets to ensure she was warm, before slipping back out to the kitchen to boil a cauldron of hot water for his bath.
Once he had thoroughly washed away the grime of the trail, he quietly slid onto the kang beside her. Wanyan remained entirely oblivious to his return, but as his large, familiar frame settled into the space, her body subconsciously sought out his heat, rolling over to nestle snugly against his chest. Gu Tingxiao wrapped his strong arm securely around her waist, pulling her flush against his chest. His skin was radiating an intense, comforting warmth, and Wanyan slept more deeply than she had all week.
By the time she finally realized he was back, the morning sun was already high in the sky. Gu Tingxiao had already departed for the command headquarters to file his post-mission report, but he had taken the time to prepare a beautiful lunch tray for her before leaving.
On his way out through the military gates that morning, he had crossed paths with Grandma Sheng. The moment the old matriarch spotted him, she had pulled him aside, delivering a stern, highly detailed lecture instructing him to preserve his wife’s absolute rest and cater to her every single need. Gu Tingxiao had simply nodded respectfully, assuming his grandmother-in-law was merely extending her standard, doting maternal concern.
When Gu Tingxiao returned to the courtyard for his lunch break, he found Wanyan sitting in the living room, rubbing the last of the sleep from her eyes.
“Tingxiao,” she called out, her voice soft.
“Wanyan.”
Gu Tingxiao strode across the room, leaning down to effortlessly scoop her up into his arms. Wanyan let out a small gasp, her hands instinctively locking around his neck for balance.
“When exactly did you get back?” she asked, looking up at him.
“Late last night.”
“Then why didn’t you wake me up the second you crossed the threshold?” she chided, a playful pout touching her lips.
“You were sleeping so peacefully, I didn’t have the heart to disturb you,” he murmured, kissing her temple.
Wanyan rested her cheek against his broad shoulder for a brief, sweet second, before a sudden realization hit her. Her eyes widened, and she began to squirm against his chest. “Put me down. Put me down right now.”
“Come now, let me hold you for just a bit longer,” he chuckled, tightening his grip.
“No, Tingxiao, let go! Put me down this instant!”
Panicking slightly, Wanyan quickly pushed against his forearm, specifically guiding his hand away from where it rested against her abdomen.
Sensing her genuine, sudden distress, Gu Tingxiao’s smile vanished. He carefully lowered her feet back to the floor, staring down at her with a thoroughly bewildered, anxious expression. “What’s wrong? Wanyan… did I hurt you?”
Sheng Wanyan shot him a sharp, brilliant look. Without uttering a single word, she spun on her heel, darted back into the bedroom, and emerged holding a folded slip of paper.
She thrust the official medical ultrasound report directly against his chest.
Gu Tingxiao caught the paper, his eyes scanning the technical medical printouts in complete confusion. “What… what is this?”
