After her hair dried, Ji You immediately got into bed and snuggled under the covers to rest.
She found that since becoming pregnant, she became particularly tired and sleepy. The upside was that her sleep quality was excellent.
Fang Yi tucked the blanket around her and said, “I’ll be in the other room. Call me if you need anything.”
Ji You buried her head in the pillow, only her cheek visible. “Okay.”
She quickly fell asleep. Fang Yi stayed in the other room reading, and both mother and son remained quiet, walking and speaking softly to avoid disturbing her.
Around nine-thirty, Fang Yi quietly climbed into bed, trying not to make a sound, and positioned himself facing Ji You. In his mind he repeated silently, “Don’t divorce, I don’t want to divorce.”
Ji You was a strong magnet for him, and he was like a grain of sand, constantly drawn toward her, always wanting to get closer. Yet in the dark, he maintained a proper distance, repeating his biggest hope over a hundred times before lying down and going to sleep.
Ji You had taken five days off, officially for inducing labor and resting afterward, though she had originally planned only four. Since she had requested leave, she intended to rest fully, not returning to work early.
She wanted to sleep in, but having gone to bed so early the night before, she woke up around six. Her eyes first met Fang Yi’s clean, freshly washed face.
He looked her over and said, “You can sleep a bit more.”
Ji You, rested and energetic, stretched her arms and legs, saying, “I’ve slept enough.”
Not needing to get up early for work felt wonderfully free, and she intended to savor this leisurely time.
Zhang Guilan was already preparing breakfast in the hallway. She had woken before dawn to sweep the streets and returned home after finishing the morning cleaning.
She worried about what Ji You would eat. That morning, she made corn porridge, vegetarian buns filled with mushrooms and cabbage, and added a boiled egg for Ji You. Within half an hour, breakfast was ready.
Ji You washed up and quickly sat down at the table.
Pregnancy had its perks: she could have meals and service brought to her without worry.
Fang Yi peeled a boiled egg for her while Zhang Guilan used the communal chopsticks to place a bun on Ji You’s plate. “Try this. I’m not sure if it suits your taste.”
Ji You bit into the bun. The dough was thick yet soft, the filling very mild—simple but suitable for a pregnant woman with severe morning sickness.
She nodded. “Very good. I can eat this. Mom, your cooking is always excellent.”
Zhang Guilan was taken aback. Ji You praising her? This daughter-in-law was usually picky and rarely satisfied, yet here she was complimenting her.
Was this some trick, praise now to criticize later? But after a while, Ji You remained silent.
Or perhaps Ji You was plotting something bigger. Surely she wasn’t still thinking about terminating the pregnancy.
Ji You ate slowly, and Zhang Guilan responded a few beats later: “If you can eat it, eat more. You still need nutrition.”
After breakfast, Ji You went for a walk to aid digestion before returning to bed. Fang Yi accompanied her downstairs.
Back home, Ji You said, “You should go to work.”
Fang Yi scratched his head. “I won’t go. I can take leave to stay with you.”
Ji You laughed. “You’re not worried I’d go get an abortion, are you? Fang Yi, I didn’t expect you to want this child so much.”
Caught off guard, Fang Yi, expressionless, quickly denied it. “I just don’t want you alone at home.”
He thought for half a minute and decided to speak more plainly. “Whatever you want to do, I’ll support you. I’ll cooperate with you, but don’t go to a black clinic again.”
If Ji You wanted an abortion, he would sign the papers. If she wanted a divorce, he would go through with it.
Yet in his mind he repeated silently: he wanted this child, and he didn’t want a divorce.
Ji You understood his deeper meaning and smiled. “Let’s go. I’m not going to a black clinic. You’re only out for a few hours, and you’ll be back for lunch. You can’t stay with me all the time. Think about your salary; you still have to provide for the family.”
Fang Yi was immediately convinced. His job at the agricultural machinery station was stable but modest, earning slightly less than Ji You. Still, he needed to go to work to earn money to support his wife and child.
Zhang Guilan, having washed the dishes, eavesdropped on their conversation from the other room. “Fang Yi, if you care about your wife, tie her to your belt and take her everywhere.”
Fang Yi froze.
After finishing the dishes, Zhang Guilan went back to sweeping. “I’ll be back at noon to make lunch.”
Ji You had already gone back to bed. Fang Yi calculated the time and reluctantly left for work, tucking the blanket around his wife. “I’ll be back for lunch.”
Even leaving for work, he felt reluctant. Ji You smiled faintly. “Got it. Go to work.”
Fang Yi exited the building and, around the corner, noticed his mother waiting. She approached quietly. “You still have the heart to go to work? Do you believe she went to the clinic for reporting? She took five days off, clearly for induced labor. She didn’t have an abortion yesterday. How do you know she won’t go today?”
Zhang Guilan had previously been a teacher at a tertiary vocational technical school. After the factory she worked at was closed, she temporarily became a sanitation worker. She was not easily fooled.
Fang Yi considered this. Raising an eyebrow, he said, “Mom, you said it’s a black clinic. If Ji You knew that, would she still go?”
Zhang Guilan found his point reasonable. “Maybe she’ll find another clinic. You still have to keep an eye on her.”
Fang Yi pressed his lips together. “Mom, I can’t watch her all day. If I can watch today, I can watch tomorrow. Besides, I still say this: whether to terminate the pregnancy is Ji You’s choice. She is pregnant, so she can decide whether to keep the child.”
Zhang Guilan’s eyes widened. She stomped and smacked Fang Yi’s nape. Frustrated, she said, “You grew up for nothing! How can a man be like you? You let her do as she pleases with small matters but can’t take charge of big ones. When it comes to a child, you should be firm and not let her act recklessly.”
Mother and son argued in vain. Fang Yi, wanting to end the discussion quickly, checked his watch. “Mom, I have to go.”
Watching him leave, Zhang Guilan snorted. “You didn’t marry a wife. You’re raising a queen.”
Marrying a wife should not mean marrying a beautiful, delicate troublemaker. One should marry someone gentle, virtuous, hardworking, and frugal. Their household provided the lesson: either have the child and live properly or terminate and divorce. Ji You’s unpredictability was maddening.
Fang Yi arrived at the agricultural machinery station on time. As a technician, he spent the day repairing tractors. During breaks, he inquired about remedies for pregnancy nausea.
Speaking lightly to his mother, he concealed his anxiety, worried Ji You might attempt an abortion. When work ended at noon, he rushed home immediately. Seeing Ji You resting safely in bed, he finally relaxed.
“I’m tired. Pick me up,” Ji You said.
Fang Yi was elated; she wanted to be held.
He bent down, extended his arms, and lifted her upright.
When they were close, Fang Yi quietly inhaled the faint sweet scent from Ji You’s fair neck, the most delightful smell in the world.
But Ji You frowned slightly. His work clothes carried a smell of machine oil, making her gag a few times.
Fang Yi felt awkward, realizing she had a physical aversion to him.
In the afternoon, nearing the end of the workday, Fang Yi finally discovered a remedy for morning sickness.
Morning sickness was a serious issue for Ji You. She could not tolerate dry heaving while broadcasting. Fang Yi worried that if she vomited, it would disrupt her work, possibly leading to an abortion. If she aborted, their marriage would essentially collapse.
Thus, Fang Yi was especially eager to alleviate Ji You’s morning sickness, a matter critical to the survival of their marriage.