Chapter 105 - Epilogue: Little Yu Miao is Born

The snow had fallen all night and finally stopped by noon today.

The lake was frozen, and the trees by the shore were weighed down with snow. From afar, they looked like rime-covered branches, elegant and graceful.

Yu Qing stood by the window for a while, gazing into the distance, then sat down to write in her journal. Strictly speaking, it wasn’t exactly a diary—since Little Yu Miao’s birth, she had been sporadically recording daily moments.

Today marked the 66th day since Little Yu Miao’s birth, a milestone worth commemorating, so she decided to write a bit more.

Before writing, she always flipped through the previous entries.

[“Dear baby boy, congratulations on coming into this world. Today is your third day of life, and I finally have some time to write in my journal. You’ve been very well-behaved, never fussing during the day or night, only crying softly when you’re hungry.”]

[“Today, your grandmother—my mother—came to the hospital to see you. This is the second time in nearly twenty-five years that she’s come to Beijing, just to see you. Perhaps she also came to see me—or maybe both of us. I wanted to talk to her, but didn’t know what to say. We’re familiar yet feel so distant. She occasionally plays with you.”]

[“Today is your sixth day, and Grandma has gone back. Before leaving, she said she’d visit again when she has time. Grandma has changed; she’s become much gentler. I’m looking forward to her third trip to Beijing.”]

[“Dear baby boy, you’ve grown handsome today—you’re no longer the wrinkled little thing you were when you were born. It’s only been a week, but you already look so different.”]

Yu Qing read through the earlier pages and glanced at the entries about Fu Ji Chen’s daily activities.

[“Fu Ji Chen has been incredibly busy these days, taking care of both me and Little Yu Miao. He even bathes and changes Little Yu Miao himself.

The nanny praised him, saying he learns quickly no matter what he does.”]

[“Sometimes when Little Yu Miao sleeps, he’ll raise his arms beside his head in a ‘surrender’ pose. Fu Ji Chen, worried he might get tired, tries to lower his arms onto the bed. But no matter what method he uses, Little Yu Miao refuses to cooperate.

Today, Fu Ji Chen carefully trimmed Little Yu Miao’s nails. Afterward, he trimmed mine too. I teased him, saying he was as focused as when he reviews budgets, and he shot me a glance.

Men truly need discipline—three days without it, and they start causing trouble.”]

[“Today, Mother-in-law came over and brought photos of Fu Ji Chen as an infant. Little Yu Miao looks exactly like Fu Ji Chen did as a baby—their eyes, nose, and mouth are strikingly similar.

When Mom saw Little Yu Miao, she also said he resembles me as a child, though she didn’t bring along my old photos, so I have no way of knowing.

Life, genetics, bloodlines—they’re truly magical.”]

After reviewing the recent entries, Yu Qing picked up her pen. Just as she wrote the date, a car entered the yard, and Fu Ji Chen returned from work.

Since Little Yu Miao’s birth, every weekend now, he only worked half a day.

Yu Qing closed her notebook, placed it in the drawer, and went downstairs to find Fu Ji Chen.

Coming in with Fu Ji Chen was Yu Jing Ze, holding Baby in his arms.

Yu Qing stared at Yu Jing Ze. “When did you come back?” Yu Jing Ze had been on a business trip for over a month. After attending Little Yu Miao’s full moon celebration, he rushed off to the airport.

A project at Yu Bank’s overseas branch required his personal oversight, and he hadn’t returned since.

Yu Jing Ze: “I arrived at dawn.” He planned to rest at home for a day.

Yu Qing asked, “Do you need to go back?”

“Yes.” Yu Jing Ze had returned to attend the shareholders’ meeting and would stay in Beijing for a week. The next time he’d return would be during the Spring Festival.

Baby grew impatient. “Uncle, let’s go see Little Brother.” Every time he visited, he played with Little Yu Miao.

“Alright, Uncle will take you there now.” Yu Jing Ze carried Baby upstairs to the nursery.

Fu Ji Chen took off his overcoat. “Is Little Yu Miao asleep?”

“Yes, he should sleep for a while longer.” Fu Ji Chen pulled her close, draping his overcoat around her. “Wait for me—I’ll check on Little Yu Miao. Then we can go to the yard and build a snowman. The snow is thick enough to make a big one.”

In the nursery, Little Yu Miao was sleeping soundly. Baby gently touched Little Yu Miao’s hand, then turned to Yu Jing Ze. “Uncle, I want to take Little Brother home.”

Yu Jing Ze teased him: “But your aunt’s husband won’t let you.”

Baby thought for a moment: “When Aunt’s husband goes to the office, we’ll take Little Brother home. He won’t see.”

Yu Jing Ze laughed. “You’re smarter than your dad.”

Baby was delighted to be called smart. “Thank you, Uncle.”

Just then, Fu Ji Chen walked in. “What will you do if I don’t go to the office?”

Baby blinked, hesitating for a moment. “I have…” He thought of the card Fu Ji Chen often mentioned. “I have the ultimate card.”

Fu Ji Chen: “… “

He never expected to be outwitted by a one-and-a-half-year-old.

To avoid disturbing Little Yu Miao’s nap, Yu Jing Ze carried Baby outside to play in the snow.

Fu Ji Chen stood beside the crib, gazing at his son. He felt that Little Yu Miao resembled Yu Qing—the features in his face reminded him of her.

Yu Qing was still waiting downstairs for him to build a snowman. He told the nanny, “Call me and Yu Qing when Little Yu Miao wakes up. We’ll be in the yard.”

“Got it.”

Fu Ji Chen strode downstairs.

In the yard, Yu Qing was having a snowball fight with Baby.

Snow covered Baby’s body, even his nose.

Yu Qing pretended to chase him. As Baby ran, he slipped and fell, giggling uncontrollably. Instead of getting up, he rolled around in the snow several times.

Yu Jing Ze scooped him up. “You can’t roll on the ground—it’ll make you cold.”

Fu Ji Chen arrived with tools, ready to build a snowman.

Baby ran over. “Uncle, what are you doing?” He wanted the tools too. “I’ll help you.”

Fu Ji Chen: “Uncle is building a snowman. You can help me carry the snow over.”

Baby earnestly agreed. He added, “We have some at home too. Dad built two.”

He held up his fingers. “Two big ones. Dad even gave the snowmen noses.”

Upon hearing that Ji Qing Yuan had built two snowmen, Fu Ji Chen suddenly didn’t feel the need to build one. He could borrow one from over there and place it in the yard for show.

He asked Yu Jing Ze: “How did Ji Qing Yuan’s snowmen turn out?”

Yu Jing Ze gave an honest evaluation: “Not bad—the snowballs are very round.”

Fu Ji Chen looked at Yu Qing: “I’ll go to the backyard and bring one over. Last time, Ji Qing Yuan took the small snowman I built.”

Last night’s snowfall was the second snow of the winter.

Yu Qing doodled on the snow with a branch, drawing a simple cat. “The small snowman Ji Qing Yuan took last time was tiny. Are you planning to bring over a big one?”

Fu Ji Chen: “It’s been so many days—don’t I deserve some interest?”

Yu Qing: “… “

Baby ran over and leaned on her back. “Aunt, what are you drawing?”

Distracted by Baby, Yu Qing didn’t bother with Fu Ji Chen anymore.

Fu Ji Chen asked Baby: “Where’s your dad? Is he home, or did he go to the office?”

Baby didn’t know. His dad and mom had gone out together. “They went to the office.”

Reassured, Fu Ji Chen headed to the villa behind them. He asked the housekeeper for a handcart, usually used to move potted plants. Its low usage made it perfect for the task today.

The housekeeper asked, “What’s this for? Do you need help?”

Fu Ji Chen pointed to the snowman in the yard. “Bring one to the front for Yu Qing to see.”

Hearing that Yu Qing wanted to see it, the housekeeper didn’t hesitate and helped move it.

The snowman consisted of two sturdy snowballs, handled carefully. A thick pad was placed on the handcart to prevent jostling.

Fortunately, the path to the front villa was short and smooth, like the surface of the lake.

The housekeeper offered to help deliver it, but Fu Ji Chen declined. He pushed it back himself. Just as he reached the villa gate, Ji Qing Yuan’s car drove in.

Today, Ji Qing Yuan drove himself. In the morning, he took Yu Jing Xin to watch a movie. Coincidentally, he encountered Fu Ji Chen stealing his snowman.

Fortunately, Yu Jing Xin didn’t want to eat out, or his snowman would have been stolen for good.

Ji Qing Yuan blocked the entrance, preventing Fu Ji Chen’s handcart from passing.

Lowering the car window, Ji Qing Yuan leaned out. “Fu Ji Chen, what are you doing?”

Fu Ji Chen’s hands rested on the handcart handles. “Taking your snowman to visit relatives.”

Ji Qing Yuan: “… “

________________________________________

Yu Qing waited eagerly, but Fu Ji Chen returned empty-handed.

“Where’s the snowman?” she asked.

Fu Ji Chen didn’t tell the truth. “It wasn’t impressive enough to suit our yard. I’ll build one myself.”

Yu Qing moved closer. “Did Ji Qing Yuan catch you red-handed?”

Fu Ji Chen: “… “

He couldn’t help but laugh.

Yu Qing kissed him and pointed to his left rear. “Take a look at this painting.”

Fu Ji Chen walked over. It was a cat carrying a fish, drawn quite well. He took out his phone, snapped a picture, and posted it on social media.

Putting away his phone, Fu Ji Chen rolled up his sleeves, planning to build Yu Qing the biggest snowman possible.

By lunchtime, Yu Jing Ze took Baby home.

Fu Ji Chen’s snowman wasn’t finished yet, but Little Yu Miao woke up. He and Yu Qing went upstairs.

Upstairs, Fu Ji Chen first changed into loungewear before picking up Little Yu Miao. Whether Little Yu Miao understood or not, he spoke to him: “I’m your dad. My name is Fu Ji Chen.”

Little Yu Miao sucked on his lips, staring at him intently.

Fu Ji Chen kissed Little Yu Miao’s forehead, which carried a faint milky scent. He asked Yu Qing: “When will he be able to call me ‘Dad’?”

Yu Qing: “Hard to say. Some children speak early, others late.”

After feeding, Fu Ji Chen and Yu Qing played with Little Yu Miao for a while.

Tired from playing, Little Yu Miao began to feel sleepy.

Little Yu Miao slept peacefully, easily falling asleep as long as Yu Qing held him.

Yu Qing also decided to take a nap. “What about you? Any plans for the afternoon?” She looked at Fu Ji Chen.

Fu Ji Chen: “I have a thirty-minute video call, nothing else.”

Yu Qing hooked her arms around his neck. “Then come and tuck me in later.”

Fu Ji Chen kissed her. “Alright, I’ll join you after I’m done.”

Yu Qing returned to the bedroom, took a bath, did some basic skincare, dried her hair, and tied it up. She went to the walk-in closet and picked out a strappy dress with minimal fabric.

Over the past two months, she had strictly followed the nutritionist’s meal plan, gaining only five pounds compared to before pregnancy—still under a hundred. She finally felt relieved.

Not long after, Fu Ji Chen entered the bedroom. “Yu Qing?” Not seeing her, he called out.

“Coming.” Yu Qing emerged barefoot from the walk-in closet.

The strappy dress was short, its hem fluttering gracefully as she walked.

She had tied her long hair into a high bun, with a few stray strands casually framing her face.

Fu Ji Chen paused, surprised. She usually wore loose loungewear, so it had been a while since she wore something so form-fitting. He walked over and embraced her.

Yu Qing leaped into his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist.

Fu Ji Chen asked her: “Are you fully recovered now?”

Yu Qing nodded. “Yes, I’m all better.” She smiled. “My waist doesn’t have much fat either.”

The curtains were drawn, and the door locked.

The bedroom, soundproofed, felt isolated from the world.

Fu Ji Chen asked her: “Around what time will Little Yu Miao wake up?”

“It’ll be a while. He’ll sleep for over three hours.”

“I’ll make up for lost time twice today.”

Finally, they no longer needed to lie in bed for exercise—they could be intimate without restraint. Fu Ji Chen tightly pulled her waist against him.

Their abdomens touched, slightly cool yet warm.

Afterward, Yu Qing was nearly exhausted.

Fu Ji Chen laid her on the bed, kissing her back. “We’ll do it once more tonight.”

Yu Qing was drowsy. She patted the bed. “Fu Ji Chen, come here. Let our belly buttons connect.”

Fu Ji Chen: “Wait a moment. I want to bring Little Yu Miao over too. We’ll watch him as we sleep, okay?”

Yu Qing nodded. “Okay.”

Fu Ji Chen went to the nursery, carefully picking up their son, ensuring he didn’t wake Little Yu Miao.

He placed his son near him, covering him with a baby blanket.

Yu Qing leaned down, gently nuzzling her son’s nose.

Fu Ji Chen got into bed, placing a cushion at the headboard and reclining.

Yu Qing placed a pillow on his chest, aligning their belly buttons, and lay on top of him.

Fu Ji Chen pulled the blanket over them.

Yu Qing turned her face, sleeping toward their son.

Fu Ji Chen turned off the light. Soon, Yu Qing fell asleep.

One hand rested on Yu Qing’s back, the other beneath their son’s small hand. Both mother and child slept soundly.