Jiang Tingyan was in the meeting room of the law firm that was flooded with files. It was as if he was surrounded by an invisible and dense net. The tense atmosphere made the air heavy. The voices of his colleagues’ heated discussions were like surging tides, one after another. But when they reached Jiang Tingyan’s ears, they seemed to be separated by a layer of wet mist, becoming illusory and ethereal, and he couldn’t hear them clearly. From time to time, he moved his eyes away from the spread-out documents and looked at the wall clock. The hands moved ruthlessly, and every beat was like a heavy hammer hitting his heart, making him flustered and anxious.

This commercial dispute case is more difficult than expected. The lawyer team hired by the other party can be called the “dream team” of the legal world. Those opponents have cunning eyes, like a lone wolf spying on prey in the dark night, and they are so cunning that it is frightening. They carefully wove many obstacles in the chain of evidence, and the intricate clues were like a mess, trying to drag Jiang Tingyan and others into the quagmire of despair, and there would be no day to escape. Jiang Tingyan was anxious, and he felt like there was a raging fire burning in his head. He wanted to immerse himself in this intricate case, and have a brainstorming like a dark sky, lightning and thunder, to dismantle the problems one by one and let the truth come to light. However, the worried face of Lin Wanyi, who was pregnant at home, always broke into his mind like a ghost, and messed up his thoughts that he had finally gathered, just like a gust of wind sweeping across the calm lake. He secretly clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white, as if he was trying to draw strength from this clenching. His lips moved slightly, and he whispered to himself to encourage himself: “We must take care of both sides and must not make any mistakes.” Taking advantage of the pause in the discussion, he hurriedly took out his mobile phone, and his fingers eagerly and hurriedly dialed the familiar number. As soon as the call was connected, his tone instantly became gentle as water: “Wanyi, I’m busy at the law firm. How are you at home? Are you feeling unwell?”

Lin Wanyi had just put the parenting books scattered on the sofa in order when the ringing of her cell phone suddenly broke the silence in the room. She reached out to answer the phone, and when she heard Jiang Tingyan’s concerned voice, the corners of her mouth unconsciously lifted up, drawing a gentle arc, and she responded softly: “I’m fine, don’t be too tired, take care of yourself.” After hanging up the phone, she slowly walked to the window. The autumn wind, wrapped in a bit of coolness, came in strands, making the leaves outside the window rustle. The sound seemed to be sighing about the difficulty of life, and it seemed to be whispering about the passage of time. The fatigue in Jiang Tingyan’s words pierced her heart directly, and it hurt badly. She knew too well what this case meant to him and the law firm. It was a beacon that guided the direction of his career. It was brilliant but also full of pressure, and it could not tolerate any carelessness. She gently covered her slightly bulging belly with her hand, and her movements were so gentle as if she was afraid of disturbing the little life inside, as if she was whispering to the baby: “Baby, let’s not cause trouble for Dad.”

Since then, Lin Wanyi has forced herself to calm down and study parenting books. The afternoon sun lazily sprinkled in the living room, and the warm light seemed to cover the house with a layer of golden gauze. She curled up in a corner of the sofa, her figure half covered by the soft pillow, gently turning the pages of the book at her fingertips, occasionally imagining the scene of her future children laughing and playing, and the warm picture of the house full of fireworks also flashed in her mind. When she encountered a problem, she pulled Jiang Tingyan, and the two sat opposite each other under the warm yellow light. The light cast a circle of soft halo, covering their slightly tired faces. Lin Wanyi frowned, pushed the book in front of Jiang Tingyan, and pointed at a line of words on the page: “Look at this, experts say that the most critical period for a child to develop his personality is before the age of three. Can we handle it by then?” Jiang Tingyan rubbed his temples, and a few deep wrinkles squeezed out of his eyebrows. After thinking for a moment, he said: “There is always a way. If not, just hire a nanny to help.” Then, the two of them started arguing about the cost of hiring a nanny. Lin Wanyi thought that she couldn’t treat the child badly, and everything had to be meticulous and thoughtful. Jiang Tingyan was concerned about the financial pressure and had to be frugal. When they were arguing, they looked at each other and smiled at each other tacitly. In that smile, there was helplessness, but also tolerance and understanding for each other. On the seesaw of family and career, they carefully and persistently explored the balance. The idea of ​​moving forward hand in hand in their hearts became more and more fiery, as if to burn all the haze.

Days flew by as if they were accelerated. Lin Wanyi’s figure became more and more bloated. The professional suits that were once neatly cut and could impress the whole audience were left alone in the corner of the closet, covered with a thin layer of dust. Instead, she wore soft and skin-friendly maternity clothes. The colorful colors wrapped her and also outlined the tenderness of motherhood. Morning sickness was still unpredictable. Early in the morning, her stomach churned without any warning, and acid rushed to her throat, like a sudden tsunami, instantly washing away her appetite for breakfast. She felt so uncomfortable that her eyes turned red, and tears rolled in her eyes, almost bursting out. But when his eyes touched the round outline of the belly, and he thought of the little life inside that was eagerly waiting for nutrition, he took a deep breath, as if mustering up all his courage, picked up the still steaming nourishing soup, and put it into his mouth one spoonful at a time with difficulty. Every time he swallowed, his throat felt like it had been polished by sandpaper, and it took a lot of effort. Fine beads of sweat oozed out of his forehead and slowly slid down his cheeks.

Lin Wanyi couldn’t completely let go of the law firm’s affairs. As soon as the online meeting invitation pop-up window lit up, she quickly tidied her appearance, straightened her back, sat upright, cleared her throat, and gave key insights in a calm and powerful voice. Through the camera, her colleagues looked at her unpleasant complexion but burning eyes, and couldn’t help but persuade her: “Lawyer Lin, don’t worry, just focus on taking care of your baby, the law firm is here for you.” Lin Wanyi pulled a faint smile at the corner of her mouth, and her smile revealed a bit of bravado: “I’ll just listen to it and feel at ease, otherwise I’ll just be daydreaming at home.”

On the other side, Jiang Tingyan was almost suffocated by the case. Late at night, the pale light of the study lamp shone on his red eyes, like two burnt-out charcoal fires, tired and dim. There were mountains of information in front of him, and he was like a gold digger lost in a treasure maze, frantically digging for the hope of winning between the lines, his eyes eager and focused, not letting go of any clues. As soon as the sky was light, his biological clock pulled him up from his short rest. He forced himself to hold up his sore and heavy eyelids, as if dragging a heavy burden, and went into the kitchen to cook a nutritious breakfast for Lin Wanyi. The porridge in the pot was gurgling and boiling, and he did not forget to put a note on the thermal lunch box, densely written with pregnancy instructions: “Wanyi, remember to take vitamins and don’t be too tired.” The handwriting was crooked, but full of affection.

Once, Jiang Tingyan was so immersed in a case that he completely missed lunch. The law firm was filled with the mixed smell of opened takeout boxes, with various food aromas and greasy smells intertwined. He didn’t hear the laughter and chatter of his colleagues eating heartily. Lin Wanyi waited at home for a long time, but he didn’t come back. She was distressed and slowly moved into the kitchen with a heavy belly. In the smoke, she carefully arranged the sweet and sour pork ribs that Jiang Tingyan loved to eat, which were bright red and radiant; the stir-fried seasonal vegetables were also full, green and tender. Then she carefully put them into the insulated lunch box, and every move was full of love.

When they arrived at the law firm, colleagues saw this scene and immediately started joking: “Lawyer Jiang, your sister-in-law is so thoughtful, you are so lucky.” Jiang Tingyan then woke up as if from a dream. His eyes instantly reddened. He stood up and quickly walked to Lin Wanyi, took her hand and put it against his cheek. The hand was cold, but it warmed his heart. He was full of guilt and touched: “Thank you for your hard work, Wanyi.” Lin Wanyi patted him lightly and said angrily: “You are so sweet. Eat it while it’s hot, otherwise you will have a stomachache when it gets cold.” The busy and noisy atmosphere around seemed to soften because of this warm scene. Everyone had a few more smiles on their faces. Fatigue seemed to slip away quietly, dispelled by this sweetness.

The preparation for the child’s education fund is imminent. The weekend sun is warm, but the lazy and comfortable atmosphere of the past is gone. The two walked hand in hand into the business halls of major banks. The marble floor reflected the cold and hard light, which hurt people’s eyes. The financial manager had a professional smile on his face, and his endless introduction echoed in the empty hall. The voice bumped against the walls, becoming more and more noisy: “This education fund has stable returns and is tailored for children’s education…” Lin Wanyi felt dizzy and felt like there was a ball of paste stirring in her head. She whispered to Jiang Tingyan: “They all feel the same, how do I choose?” Jiang Tingyan held her hand tightly, exerting a little force on his hand, as if to convey strength: “Don’t worry, let’s compare a few more.”

After leaving the bank, they rushed to the private school without stopping. The campus was covered with green grass, as if a soft velvet carpet was spread out, and the children’s laughter and joy rose and fell, like a cheerful nursery rhyme, jumping and echoing in the air. Lin Wanyi looked at the little figures running and playing, her eyes were full of longing and hidden worries, as if covered by a layer of fog, and could not see clearly. She sighed softly, her voice was so soft that it was almost drowned out by the wind: “It would be great if our children could be so happy in the future, but the expenses…” Jiang Tingyan felt her emotions, held her hand tightly, and wrapped her hand in his palm: “Don’t be sad, we work hard, increase income and reduce expenditure, and the children will definitely grow up happily here.”

Finally, the day of the trial arrived with a tense atmosphere. The court building was solemn and majestic, like a silent giant beast. The morning light sprinkled on the towering steps, giving it a layer of gold. Jiang Tingyan was wearing a neat suit, his carefully groomed hair was not a mess, every strand was neat and tidy, his steps were steady and resolute, like a warrior about to go to the battlefield, climbing the stairs. Lin Wanyi stayed at home and turned on the TV early to the live broadcast channel of the trial. The light from the TV screen reflected her pale face coldly. She subconsciously clenched the corners of her clothes with both hands, and her knuckles turned blue and white, as if she wanted to squeeze all the tension into this small movement. Every time Jiang Tingyan spoke, her heartbeat suddenly accelerated, as if it was about to burst through her throat, and she kept muttering: “Come on, Tingyan.” Her voice was full of worry and expectation.

In the courtroom, the atmosphere was tense. Jiang Tingyan was like a torch that had been lit, with fighting spirit all over his body and eyes as sharp as an eagle. The opposing lawyer threw out sharp opinions, like a sharp hidden weapon, trying to disrupt his rhythm, but Jiang Tingyan was not in a hurry. With his deep professional knowledge and sharp and precise words, he pressed forward step by step, and put the shaky situation back on track little by little. At the critical moment, he took out a key piece of evidence from the folder, his movements were steady and determined, and then he made a sonorous and powerful statement, his voice echoing in the courtroom, making the other party lose his footing.

At the moment of victory, Jiang Tingyan suddenly stood up from his seat, his fingers trembling with excitement, as if he had touched the most precious treasure in the world. He immediately called Lin Wanyi and said in a high-pitched voice: “Wanyi, we won!” Lin Wanyi’s eyes, which had been fixed on the screen, were instantly filled with tears, which burst out and wet her clothes. She choked and said: “That’s great, Tingyan, these days have been so difficult, but we have survived.” Jiang Tingyan’s eyes were also wet, and his voice was a little choked: “Yes, thanks to you, the road to welcoming new life in the future, although the fog is heavy, as long as we hold hands, we are not afraid of anything.”

At this moment, the sunlight outside the window struggled to penetrate the clouds, scattering fine golden rays, as if covering the road ahead with a veil of hope. The two snuggled on the sofa, Jiang Tingyan gently stroked Lin Wanyi’s belly, his movements were gentle and pious, and he whispered: “Baby, the days to come will definitely be sweet.” Lin Wanyi nodded and smiled, her eyes full of longing for future life. They knew that as long as they joined hands, the warmth and beauty would continue. In the following days, the two began to get busy for the baby’s room. On the weekend, they went to the home furnishing market together, and as soon as they entered the door, the hustle and bustle hit them. The dazzling array of cribs and strollers filled the shelves, colorful and dazzling. Lin Wanyi took a fancy to a baby crib in natural wood color. She gently touched the bed rails, her fingers slowly running across the delicate wood grain, then turned to Jiang Tingyan and said, “This material looks environmentally friendly, and the baby will definitely sleep safely in it.” Jiang Tingyan leaned over, carefully examined the details of the bed, examining it inch by inch, and shook it with his hand, then asked the clerk, “How is its load-bearing capacity? Is it stable?” The clerk introduced it with a smile and patted his chest to assure him. Jiang Tingyan then nodded with satisfaction, paid the money and arranged for door-to-door delivery.

When choosing a baby stroller, the two had another disagreement. Lin Wanyi thought that a light and compact baby stroller would be more convenient for traveling. She pushed a small baby stroller and turned around easily, showing her flexibility: “This is so good, it’s not hard to carry it with you when you go out.” (End of this chapter)