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The road to postpartum recovery was a long one.
Shang Zhitao began her strength training and light aerobic exercises after her postpartum checkup.
When Dr. Liang heard that she was planning to start recovery training, she gave her another meal plan to follow daily. Shaping and fat loss would be left to Luan Nian.
Having a personal trainer like Luan Nian at home was truly convenient. He knew more about fitness than the average trainer, with a wealth of theoretical knowledge.
On the day Shang Zhitao did her first strength training session, Luan Nian started by helping her relax. They were nestled in Shang Zhitao’s small home gym when Luan Nian couldn’t resist teasing her: “Are you starting to see the benefits of a bigger house now?”
“It’s alright.”
“Let’s go look at floor plans tomorrow.”
“Didn’t you already decide?”
“You have the right to change it. After all, the house will be purchased under your name.”
“Oh. So, what you’re saying is that you’re gifting me a house, right?”
Shang Zhitao knew Luan Nian well. She wasn’t sure how much money he had, but she was familiar with his way of giving gifts. Though his approach had become subtler over time, the essence remained the same.
“Mm.” Luan Nian grunted as he instructed Shang Zhitao to stretch with her knees bent. When her form wasn’t perfect, he tapped her knee lightly with a small wooden stick: “What are you doing? Focus!”
If you’re going to train, do it properly.
Shang Zhitao quickly adjusted her attitude, diligently following her coach’s instructions. When Luan Nian squatted on one knee, Shang Zhitao noticed his upper trapezius muscles and felt a twinge of curiosity, impulsively poking him with her fingertips.
Luan Nian turned his head up to look at her, his gaze deep and penetrating. After a few seconds, he finally spoke: “Are you training or not?”
“Yes.”
Even Luan Nian was a bit distracted.
The process of nurturing life was joyful, but the downside was the inability to act freely. Luan Nian understood himself—he had never been gentle in intimacy, so he chose abstinence altogether. Over time, his thoughts swung between “Shang Zhitao needs proper recovery” and “I should just take her now.” The former always won out because he genuinely believed Shang Zhitao needed time to recover.
Both of them were somewhat going through the motions. Eventually, Shang Zhitao couldn’t hold back and said to him: “Why don’t I just do some elliptical training alone?”
“?”
“I can’t focus with you here.”
Her fingertips hooked onto his. This process was agonizing; Shang Zhitao didn’t dare breathe too loudly. She felt as if she’d returned to when they first met, her mind filled with thoughts she couldn’t share with anyone.
“Will you be able to focus better if we switch to something else?”
“Maybe.”
“You’re dreaming.”
Luan Nian turned and walked away. He had waited this long—could waiting a little longer kill him?
By the time Little Nian Tao reached 100 days old, she had blossomed into a lively baby. Whenever someone called her name, she giggled heartily. Her eyes would scrunch up when she laughed, making her look like an adorable, chubby little girl.
Though Luan Nian was usually serious, Little Nian Tao was especially fond of him. Whenever she saw him, she would wave her tiny hands and laugh. Luan Nian had a slight germ phobia, and initially, even changing her diapers made him nauseous enough to vomit twice. But gradually, he got used to it.
Still, there was one time when Nian Tao peed on him. He froze for a few seconds, holding her under her armpits without moving. Noticing something was off, Shang Zhitao asked him: “What’s wrong?”
“First, take Nian Tao away and change her pants.”
“Okay.” Shang Zhitao took Nian Tao and noticed that Luan Nian’s loungewear pants were soaked. Nian Tao wasn’t faring much better either. She even started to feel upset because her dad had taken too long to change her pants, pouting her lips and bursting into tears with a loud wail.
Luan Nian’s stomach churned violently, and he rushed to the bathroom to vomit.
There he was, throwing up, while Nian Tao cried in the background—it was quite the comical scene. After soothing Nian Tao, Shang Zhitao went to check on Luan Nian. He was rinsing his mouth, his face slightly flushed.
“Nian Tao won’t think you don’t love her just because you have a germ phobia. You’ve been doing great. Sometimes, certain triggers just hit unexpectedly,” Shang Zhitao reassured him.
Luan Nian flicked her forehead and then went to check on Nian Tao. He could spend hours with her without feeling bored. Seeing her father approach, Nian Tao seemed a little embarrassed about her earlier accident and giggled while gnawing on her hand. After a moment, she pulled her hand out of her mouth and offered it to Luan Nian, as if to say: “Dad, try it too.”
These quirky behaviors of children fascinated Luan Nian.
He even felt that his mind was brimming with brilliant creative ideas.
…
But Luan Nian still scolded her gently, lowering her hand and frowning: “Don’t always suck your fingers—it’s a bad habit.”
Thinking Luan Nian’s stern expression was playful, Nian Tao giggled a few times, suppressing her laughter before bursting into giggles again, looking like a little fool. Amused by her antics, Luan Nian gently pinched her chubby cheeks: “Are you this happy?”
Little Nian Tao let out a soft “Oh,” as if to say: “Happy.”
Over a decade ago, Shang Zhitao would never have imagined that Luan Nian would become such a devoted father. Back then, she even thought he might never marry or have children.
She sat on the living room sofa, watching Luan Nian squatting and standing with Nian Tao in his arms.
Nian Tao loved playing this way with Luan Nian, flailing her little hands and feet. Every time he stood up, she would squeal, as if saying: “Again!”
Luan Nian never compromised on his own discipline, even incorporating a few sets of exercises while taking care of Little Nian Tao. Shang Zhitao watched as he squatted down, his gluteal lines perfectly sculpted, and suddenly felt a dryness in her throat.
She picked up a glass of water and gulped it down, but it didn’t quench her thirst. Her eyes lingered on his back, slowly trailing downward until they rested on his buttocks—just as Luan Nian turned around and caught her red-handed.
“What are you looking at?” Luan Nian asked her.
Shang Zhitao mimicked his raised eyebrow and placed a finger to her lips: “Shh.” With Nian Tao around, they had to be careful with their words—nothing inappropriate could be said.
Holding Nian Tao in one arm, Luan Nian grabbed his phone with the other and sent her a message: “Mind your gaze.”
“No.”
Shang Zhitao tossed the phone aside and walked over to take Nian Tao from him. The little one was rubbing her eyes, already sleepy. Nian Tao had always been a good sleeper, rarely troubling her parents with bedtime issues. She fell asleep quickly after feeding, turning her head to one side and drifting off. Shang Zhitao placed her in the crib and turned to stand quietly at the bedroom door, watching Luan Nian.
It’s not even dark yet! she reminded herself, grasping at an excuse that barely held water.
Luan Nian never cared whether it was day or night.
He walked up to her, pulled her into his arms, and said, “If we don’t do something today, it’ll really make me look incapable.”
His kiss came fiercely, his wet lips enveloping her earlobe, his tongue exploring. Shang Zhitao’s legs went limp, and she collapsed into his embrace.
It had been so long since they’d been intimate that a hint of shyness crept in. She buried her head in the crook of his neck, letting out a tiny, helpless sound: “Nian Tao.”
“I know.”
Luan Nian whispered in her ear: “Let’s keep it quiet.”
He pushed her gently into the sofa, and as he leaned over her, he noticed her tension. He paused, gazing deeply into her eyes.
Then he began to peck at her lips, one soft kiss after another, until her nervousness melted away. With one more kiss, Shang Zhitao wrapped her arms around his neck.
She dared not make a sound, sinking her head into the sofa cushion, her chest rising and falling. Luan Nian placed his hand over her, fuller than ever before.
“Shang Zhitao,” he murmured in her ear, “I like this.”
He held back, forcing himself to be gentle, to make it easier for her. Sensing his consideration, she clung tightly to him: “Luan Nian, can we do it like before? I can handle it.”
“Like this?”
Shang Zhitao let out a soft moan, her hand covering her lips trembling slightly, her eyes glistening with moisture.
She loved it so much.
“Another round?” Luan Nian’s fingertips wandered along her back, unleashing a floodgate of desire.
His hand moved where it needed to go, and Shang Zhitao’s breathing grew erratic. She leaned back against the sofa, her eyes meeting his.
The heat surged uncontrollably, their longing unleashed completely. It felt like a sweaty, beautiful dream.
Little Nian Tao was still asleep. They lay together, whispering quietly. Luan Nian asked her, “Have you felt unhappy since having the baby?”
“Yes,” Shang Zhitao admitted, pointing to her stomach, which hadn’t fully recovered yet. “I feel anxious when I look at this. I feel like I’ve become unattractive. For a while, I couldn’t accept myself.”
Luan Nian pinched her belly playfully—it felt amusing.
“You’ve always been drawn to dazzling things. I thought you might lose interest in me after childbirth,” Shang Zhitao confessed her fears.
“You’re ridiculous,” Luan Nian bit her shoulder lightly. “You look great now.”
“You’re lying! My figure is ruined!” Shang Zhitao sounded a little upset.
Luan Nian raised his head and glanced at her. The angle of her reclining body reminded him of a Western oil painting—there was a voluptuous beauty to her.
Instead of addressing whether her figure had changed, Luan Nian simply pulled her closer, pressing their bodies together. His actions spoke louder than words.
Between husband and wife, many things didn’t need to be spelled out.
Luan Nian’s interest in Shang Zhitao hadn’t waned; if anything, it had grown stronger after such a long time apart.
They both cherished this afternoon.
Shang Zhitao no longer had to hide her insecurities, and Luan Nian didn’t have to suppress his desires. Between them, everything was open and honest.
“If you ever feel anything, tell me. Don’t let your thoughts spiral out of control. We’ll get through this time together. Your mental and physical health matter more than anything else,” Luan Nian said. He was worried about postpartum depression, so after she gave birth, he became someone different—attentive and devoted to taking care of both Nian Tao and her, hoping she would feel loved and happy.
“Okay, thank you.”
=====
When Nian Tao was seven months old, Shang Zhitao handed over the company in Bingcheng to Sunny. Luan Nian drove them—Shang Zhitao, Little Nian Tao, and Luke—all the way to Beijing.
Her branch company’s registration process was complete, and she needed to stay in Beijing for a long time to sort out its operations.
Luke clearly enjoyed the trip, even seeming to know their destination. He sat by the window, watching the scenery pass by.
Sometimes he barked happily.
Luan Nian occasionally glanced at him through the rearview mirror and teased him: “Silly dog.”
Little Nian Tao slept soundly in her car seat. When she woke up, she entertained herself quietly, neither crying nor fussing, making the journey effortless.
Shang Zhitao kept glancing back at her. When Nian Tao noticed her mother looking, she lifted her little face, drooling slightly, and mumbled indistinctly: “Mama.”
Whenever this happened, Luan Nian would grumble: “I’ve been taking care of you since you were born—changing your diapers and feeding you—and now you call her first? Are you ungrateful?”
Nian Tao giggled and went back to chewing on her hand, thoroughly enjoying herself.
The trio, along with Luke, arrived in Beijing in one stretch.
Luan Nian’s house had been vacant for a long time. Worried they wouldn’t adjust easily, Dr. Liang took two days off from the lab and hired people to clean it thoroughly. Beforehand, upon hearing they were coming back, she had prepared a toy room for Little Nian Tao. She also laid down crawling mats in the living room, installed safety barriers, and bought a small tent.
When they entered, they found the house transformed. What was once a cold, minimalist space now looked soft and pastel. Luan Nian frowned slightly but consoled himself that it could be considered fresh and forced himself to accept it.
Seeing Luan Nian’s expression, Shang Zhitao immediately tattled: “Mom, Luan Nian doesn’t like it.”
“If Luan Nian doesn’t like it, then maybe he should move out!” Luan Mingrui huffed, glancing at the already sleeping Little Nian Tao. “Alright, rest now. We’ll come back tomorrow.”
“Thank you, Mom and Dad. Please don’t leave tonight,” Shang Zhitao said, a little worried.
“The driver will take us back. Don’t worry. Just stay here as a family!” Dr. Liang patted Shang Zhitao. “We’ll have dinner together tomorrow.”
“Thank you, Mom.”
After settling Little Nian Tao, Luan Nian took Luke out for a walk. Back in its old territory, Luke suddenly became very proud, as if he were young again, strutting around the neighborhood with confidence.
He marked his territory repeatedly, one pee after another. He even barked at Luan Nian: “Don’t go home yet! Let’s play a bit longer!”
Amused by Luke’s antics, Luan Nian decided to humor him, taking him for two laps around the neighborhood before heading back.
When he returned, sweat still clung to his body.
After showering upstairs, he found Shang Zhitao already settled, lounging lazily against the headboard. The thin strap of her nightgown had slipped off, revealing her beautiful shoulders. Suddenly, memories of countless wild nights they’d spent in this room flooded his mind, culminating in a surge of desire.
Their eyes met, and both felt a little uneasy—apparently, she wasn’t the only one reminiscing.
He knelt by the bed on one knee, holding her ankle. His lips pressed against the sole of her foot, sucking gently on her toes before moving slowly upward.
To where he wanted to be.
Shang Zhitao sank back into the pillows, her eyes closing as past and present strangely merged in her mind.
And she bloomed before him, just as she always had.
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