Jiang Tingyan was worried that it was not stable enough, so he insisted on choosing a large one with good shock absorption. He took a long step and strode to a heavy and solid baby carriage that was placed in a prominent position. The baby carriage exuded a calm atmosphere, and the metal frame shone with a cold and hard luster under the lights of the store. Jiang Tingyan did not hesitate to hold the handles firmly with both hands, his palms fitting tightly against the metal rod, and pushed forward with a little force. The wheels were extremely smooth and slid silently across the smooth ground, as if they were injected with a lively vitality. Jiang Tingyan pushed the stroller back and forth, feeling the solid and smooth feel of the push, while earnestly counting its advantages to Lin Wanyi: “Wanyi, think about it, when we take the baby out in the future, we definitely can’t just stroll on flat ground. What if one day we suddenly feel like strolling on the paths in the park, or if there is road construction in the community and there is a gravel road with potholes, the baby will be shaken all over with this stroller with small wheels. That would be so painful. We can’t let the baby suffer this.” Lin Wanyi rolled her eyes at him unhappily, her lips slightly turned down, and she pouted and retorted: “But this is too big. I will… When I take my baby out, whether I take a taxi, I have to stuff this big thing into the trunk, or take my own car, it takes me a lot of effort to lift it up. How can I get such a huge thing into the car? After one trip, I will be exhausted. How can I have the energy to take care of the baby? “The two of them stood in the busy aisle of the store. Customers came and went around them. The hurried footsteps and the conversations intertwined into a noisy sound wave. The enthusiastic and endless sales voices of the clerks were interspersed from time to time. The two of them argued with each other, and neither of them was willing to give in. After a long stalemate, no one could convince the other, and the atmosphere was a little frozen. Finally, it was the sharp-eyed clerk who saw the awkward and stalemate scene, walked over quickly with a smile, and took down a model that was both lightweight and shock-absorbing from the shelf nearby. With a professional and friendly smile on his face, he explained the various advantages in detail, and his words made sense. Only then did the two leave satisfied.

As the pregnancy progressed, Lin Wanyi felt like she was wrapped in a ball of thick and sticky cotton, and her body became increasingly heavy. Even if she simply stood up to pick up something, her movements were as slow as a slow motion in a movie, and it was extremely laborious. Sleeping at night was even more of a torture, and turning over was simply more difficult than climbing a steep mountain. Jiang Tingyan was always alert at night, as if he had the most sensitive radar installed in his ears, always alert, concentrating on capturing even the slightest movement from Lin Wanyi. As long as she hummed softly, or the quilt was slightly turned, Jiang Tingyan would wake up instantly, and all sleepiness would disappear. He stretched out his hand and gently and skillfully helped her adjust her sleeping position. He did not forget to lean close to her ear and asked in a low voice with infinite tenderness and concern: “Wanyi, do you want a pillow to make you more comfortable? I feel like you are not very comfortable like this. Don’t hold it back.” Lin Wanyi was sleepy, her consciousness was still hovering between half asleep and half awake, her head was groggy, and she could only respond vaguely: “Well, help me get it.” Her voice was full of sleepiness, soft and dependent. In the quiet night, this unreserved trust was like a blazing fire in winter, quietly warming Jiang Tingyan’s heart and filling him with tenderness.

On the day of the prenatal check-up, Jiang Tingyan pushed aside all his work and accompanied Lin Wanyi to the hospital early. The hospital was crowded and noisy like a bustling market. There were long winding queues in front of the doors of various departments. People had different expressions, some were anxious, some were tired. The smell of disinfectant was strong and pungent, and it permeated every inch of the air and went straight into people’s nasal cavities. Jiang Tingyan held Lin Wanyi’s hand tightly, with their fingers intertwined, as if he could give her more strength. He carefully led her through the crowd, his eyes always vigilantly paying attention to the surroundings. His eyes were sharp and focused, as if he was wearing an invisible shield. Whenever someone got closer, he subconsciously pulled Lin Wanyi to his side, for fear that someone would accidentally bump into her. When doing the B-ultrasound, the two of them stared at the screen tightly, without blinking, as if they were afraid of missing the moment when some rare treasure appeared in the world. As the instrument slid, the blurred outline of the fetus gradually appeared on the screen. Jiang Tingyan was as excited as a child. His eyes widened instantly, full of surprise and novelty, and the smile on his face was about to overflow. He pointed at the screen, and his voice was raised a few notes because of excitement. He almost cheered: “Wanyi, look, the baby’s little hands and feet are amazing! Look at these tiny little things, blurry, but they are really right in front of us, as if they are saying hello to us.” Lin Wanyi looked at him like this, her face was also filled with a happy and doting smile, and she responded: “Yes, I used to rely on imagination, but now it feels more and more real. I feel very at ease. I look forward to holding the little guy in my arms as soon as possible.”

But as the delivery date approached, Lin Wanyi became anxious again, often tossing and turning at night and unable to fall asleep. She quietly looked at the watery moonlight outside the window. The cold silver light sprinkled through the window onto the head of the bed, as if covering the room with a thin layer of frost, but it could not warm her heart full of worries. She couldn’t help but say to Jiang Tingyan who was lying beside her: “Tingyan, I’m so worried that the delivery will not go smoothly. I heard from others that giving birth is extremely painful, and what should I do if I can’t recover my figure after giving birth? How can I wear those beautiful clothes I used to wear? I don’t want to have no confidence when I go out in the future.” Jiang Tingyan hugged her in his arms with heartache, and his arms slowly tightened, as if he wanted to embed her into his body and pass all the sense of security to her, and whispered to comfort her: “Don’t think too much. Medical technology is so advanced now. The doctors and nurses in the hospital are very professional and experienced. You It will definitely go smoothly. Besides, no matter what you become, I love you. You have given so much to this family, taking care of this and that. In my heart, you will always be the most beautiful, and this will never change. Don’t underestimate your importance to me. “Lin Wanyi leaned in his arms, listening to his steady and powerful heartbeat, one after another, regular and steady, as if with a soothing magic. Her emotions slowly calmed down, and she quietly waited for the moment when the new life came. In her mind, she couldn’t help but constantly sketch out the picture of the warm family getting along, imagining the happy daily life in the future.

Every day after school, Lin Yuelin and Lin Ruize would throw down their schoolbags in a hurry. The schoolbags drew an arc in the air and fell to the ground with a “bang”. They didn’t even bother to change their shoes and ran straight to Lin Wanyi. Lin Yuelin gently lay on her mother’s bulging belly, with her ears pressed tightly, as if she wanted to pass all the secrets hidden in her heart to the little baby inside through this small contact, and whispered softly: “Little baby, have you been good today? Sister wants to see you soon. I have prepared many fun little surprises for you, including cute little dolls and shiny stickers, waiting for you to come out and play together.” Her eyes were shining, flashing with innocent expectation, as if there was a whole bright starry sky hidden in her eyes, vast and charming. Lin Ruize was not to be outdone. He walked up to her with his short legs, carefully placed his hands next to his sister, and said in a baby voice, “Brother, I left a lot of fun toys for you, including running cars and transformable robots. They are so interesting. When you come out, we can play together. It will definitely be fun.”

Jiang Tingyan watched this scene and couldn’t help but joked: “You two, you must be a brother and sister. What if it’s a naughty little troublemaker who steals your snacks every day?” Lin Yuelin sat up immediately. She was so hasty that her hair was a little messy, and a few strands of hair were playfully sticking up. She put her hands on her hips, puffed out her chest, and pretended to be angry and said: “No, I will share all my snacks with him. As long as he behaves well, I love my brothers and sisters very much, so I won’t be stingy.” Lin Ruize nodded vigorously, shaking his little head like a rattle, and added: “Yes, I will protect him. If anyone dares to bully him, I will beat those bad guys away. I’m very strong.”

On weekends, warm sunlight shines through the window onto the living room floor, covering the house with a golden blanket. The family sits together to draw, and the theme is naturally to imagine new family members. Lin Yuelin picks up the colored pencil, her face full of seriousness and concentration, as if she is carving a rare treasure. She first picks up a pink colored pencil, and gently and carefully applies it on the drawing paper, then changes to purple. The color flows on the tip of the pen, and soon, a little girl wearing a beautiful princess dress and a big bow appears on the paper. The little girl has big eyes and a sweet smile on her lips, and she is vivid. She was so excited that her face flushed like a ripe apple. She held up the painting and couldn’t wait to show it: “Look, this is the sister I imagined. Is she pretty? I think my sister must be as beautiful as a fairy, dancing in a beautiful dress every day.” Jiang Tingyan looked at his daughter’s painting, smiled and clapped his hands, his palms clapping loudly: “It’s very beautiful. The color matching and details are absolutely amazing. If my sister really looks like this, she must be a fairy who has come down to earth. She will be loved by everyone wherever she goes. Maybe she can even attract a group of butterflies.”

Lin Ruize frowned, his chubby little hands tightly grasped the colored pencil, his little mouth tightly pursed, and he concentrated on sketching cars and robots on the drawing paper. The lines were crooked, but full of childishness. He muttered: “I want to take my brother to play with these. Boys have to be cool, and playing with these is fun. When my brother grows up, we can go on adventures together.” After finishing the drawing, he pushed the paper in front of Lin Wanyi, with a proud face, and his little chest was held high, as if he had accomplished something great: “Mom, when my brother comes out, I will teach him to play. I promise to teach him and make him super awesome.” Lin Wanyi touched the heads of the two children one by one, running her fingers through their soft hair, her eyes full of tenderness and love: “Whether it is a brother or a sister, he must be very happy to have you love him so much. Our family will definitely be more lively, and there will be laughter every day.”

The warmth of the weekend still lingered in the room, but the prenatal check-up on Monday was like a sudden storm, shattering everything beautiful. Lin Wanyi walked briskly into the familiar clinic with full of longing. Jiang Tingyan still held her hand tightly, and his fingers tightened subconsciously, conveying strength and peace of mind. The children were also entrusted to their grandparents, waiting for good news at home, looking forward to knowing the new situation of their younger brothers and sisters as soon as possible.

The doctor held the medical report, his brows gradually twisted into knots, deep wrinkles squeezed out of his eyebrows, a trace of pity flashed in his eyes, his lips were slightly pursed, and he was about to speak but stopped. When Lin Wanyi and Jiang Tingyan realized that the depressing and heavy atmosphere was not right, their hearts were instantly suspended, as if they were hung high by an invisible thin line, swaying, and aimless. The doctor coughed lightly, weighed his words, and spoke every word carefully: “Ms. Lin, the results of this examination are not optimistic. It is an ectopic pregnancy. The location of the embryo implantation is very dangerous. If you continue the pregnancy, you will face a great risk of life, so… it is not recommended to keep this child.”

Lin Wanyi’s head buzzed, as if it was hit hard by a heavy hammer, and the world was spinning. The blood on her face instantly faded away, and her lips turned pale. She widened her eyes and looked at the doctor in disbelief, her eyes full of fear and confusion, her lips trembling, and it took a long time to squeeze out a few broken words: “How could it be… How could it be an ectopic pregnancy? Wasn’t the previous examination good? Didn’t they say everything was normal every time they came?” Jiang Tingyan was also shocked, and the hand holding Lin Wanyi tightened unconsciously, his knuckles turned white, trying to draw some strength from this grip, and calmed his mind before asking with difficulty: “Doctor, is there a misdiagnosis? Is there any other way? Check again, could it be wrong?” His voice was trembling with a barely perceptible tremor, revealing his inner panic.

The doctor shook his head helplessly, his eyes full of regret: “We have repeatedly confirmed that all indicators point to ectopic pregnancy. If it is delayed, once the fallopian tube ruptures and causes heavy bleeding, it will be fatal in a minute, and the consequences are disastrous. This is the safest suggestion at the moment, please consider it carefully.” Lin Wanyi’s tears burst out, like a flood that broke through the dam, rolling down her cheeks and soaking her clothes. She subconsciously covered her belly with her hands, as if to protect the little life that was already connected to her blood. Her voice was full of despair and sadness, almost begging: “But this is my child… How can I bear to let him go? He has been in my belly for so long. I talk to him every day and look forward to him growing up…” (End of this chapter)