My father, seething with rage, cut off all ties with me.
I simply smiled and said, “Alright.”
I didn’t expect much from marriage. Even though Bai Zhou treated me with such tenderness, I didn’t dare to lose myself in love again.
Love that’s hard to grasp always seems to fade silently, and I didn’t want to suffer another death of the heart.
But we were happy together—two people of the same kind, content even in silence.
Just reading books side by side was enough to bring us peace.
Our wedding was set for two months later.
About a month and a half later, I realized my period was late—something that never happened before.
A test confirmed it: I was pregnant.
Panic outweighed joy.
Of course, I longed for new life—a little person who would love me unconditionally.
But I was terrified.
What if this baby turned out like Miaomiao?
At lunchtime, I went to the hospital to tell Bai Zhou.
His eyes sparkled with delight.
He spun around in a circle, muttering to himself, “It’s only been a little over a month. Have you taken any medicine? No.
Dyed your hair? No. Been near any radiation…?”
I was stunned—and then I laughed, my worries melting away.
He snapped out of it, steadying me with trembling hands as if I were made of glass.
“Sit down. Don’t stand too long. No more housework. No hanging laundry. And… I should get some anti-slip flooring…”
I rolled my eyes. I never did housework anyway.
I hadn’t realized he talked to himself when he was nervous.
“If you’re like this now, will you faint before I do when I’m giving birth?” I teased.
He scratched his head, embarrassed. “Sorry, first time. I’m just so happy. I love my brother’s kids, and now I’ll have my own. I’m over the moon.”
He knelt in front of me, kissed my hand, and gazed at me tenderly.
“Thank you, my love. I’m so grateful.”
Then, hesitantly, he asked, “You… you’re happy about the baby too, right?”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “With you like this, how could I even think about…”
I couldn’t say the word “abortion.” It felt too cruel.
He beamed, radiant as the stars.
I bit my lip. “What if… what if it’s a girl?”
He looked shocked. “Do you prefer boys?”
Before I could answer, he said, “Well, if Mom wants a boy and Dad wants a girl, that’s perfect.”
We had the checkup. Everything was fine.
He took the day off and was extra careful with me all the way home.
At home, I said, “I want to go back to S City before the wedding—to see my mom and the rest of my family.”
He stroked my hair, his eyes gentle. “Of course. I’ll go with you.”
We left soon after.
The cemetery was quiet.
I pointed to the graves. “This is my grandfather, my grandmother, and my mother. And this… is my daughter.”
He was clearly shocked, looking at me questioningly.
“My daughter from my previous life,” I explained simply.
I didn’t say more, and he didn’t ask.
As we were leaving, we ran into Zhou Junhao again.
He was much thinner, his whole demeanor gloomy.
When he saw us, he froze, then expressionlessly placed a bouquet of daisies on Miaomiao’s grave.
I took Bai Zhou to my grandparents’ old house.
We stayed there for two peaceful days.
The day before we returned to B City, I asked him, “Do you think we should sell this place, or keep it?”
He looked around the old house. “Keep it. It’s your family’s memory. You should have a place to remember them.”
On the local news, my father’s company was drowning in debt, sued by multiple creditors.
On screen, he looked haggard, with dark circles under his eyes.
I turned off my phone and ate the nutritious meal Bai Zhou had made for me.
Our wedding day was bright and breezy.
We held a small outdoor Western-style ceremony with few guests and a simple program.
Zhou Junhao showed up.
He handed me a box. “Congratulations,” he said.
Bai Zhou thanked him and put the gift aside.
Zhou Junhao glanced at my growing belly, his eyes dimming.
The wedding was filled with flowers and white gauze, every detail carefully arranged.
Bai Zhou’s older brother and his family had come back from abroad.
My father didn’t attend—he was under travel restrictions and couldn’t take planes or trains.
At the ceremony, I walked down the aisle with Professor Bai as my escort.
During our vows, Bai Zhou said, “I’ve always regretted missing you in the past. Now that fate has given me another chance, I won’t waste it…”
He gave a heartfelt speech, making himself cry first, then me.
During the toast, he asked, “Are you tired? You should rest. I can handle things.”
I shook my head. “Don’t you want people to see your bride?”
He tapped my nose. “My bride is too beautiful. I want to keep her all to myself.”
We smiled at each other.
For the first time, I looked forward to a quiet, ordinary life—him writing medical papers, me writing literature, living the kind of life his parents had.
Our first child was a boy.
We were completely unprepared.
I’d been sure it would be a girl, and Bai Zhou had wanted a daughter too.
All the names, clothes, and shoes we’d picked out were for a girl.
After our son was born, we had to start all over.
Thankfully, Bai Zhou threw himself into caring for the baby.
Our old professor was too frail to help, but she hired two nannies for us.
Slowly, the chaos of new life settled into a routine.
Zhou Junhao never appeared again.
I heard he’d married a woman from a suitable family, arranged by his parents.
She was fierce—as soon as she entered the household, she humiliated Cheng Xiaoyu and drove her out without mercy.
Zhou Junhao’s mother and his new wife fought constantly for control of the house.
It was said to be quite the spectacle.
Our son was healthy—and mischievous.
At three or four, he was a sweet little angel, hugging my neck, kissing my cheek, and making my heart melt.
I quickly forgot how painful childbirth had been.
By five or six, he was a completely different child, full of rebellious energy—even the family dog avoided him.
If I went to the bathroom, he’d pound on the door, shouting, “Mom! Mom! Open up!”
He was a little tornado.
When Bai Zhou came home at night, our son would wait by the door.
I heard Bai Zhou ask, “Where’s your mom?”
Our son pouted. “Mom scolded me today.”
He’d tried to pull the golden retriever’s tail and even bit its ear.
Even though he was my own flesh and blood, I had to discipline him.
Bai Zhou picked him up, and he immediately clung to his father’s neck, whispering, “Mom loves the dog more than me. She scolded me for playing with it. Mom doesn’t love me anymore.”
He hid his face in Bai Zhou’s neck, peeking at me.
When he saw me looking, he buried his face again.
Bai Zhou said gently, “The golden retriever is your brother, too. If you play nicely with him, he’ll love you just as much. Silly boy, getting jealous of a dog!”
The golden retriever jumped up, demanding to be held too.
Our son got angry easily, but he forgot just as fast.
Soon, he was running around playing with the dog.
After his bath, Bai Zhou wrapped him in a towel and carried him to bed.
He slipped under the covers, snuggled against me, and said, “Mom, story.”
I pinched his cheek and read from his favorite book.
Bai Zhou kissed us both and went to shower.
When our son fell asleep, Bai Zhou tried to carry him to his own room, but he immediately opened his eyes.
“No! I want to sleep with Mom!”
Bai Zhou sighed and whispered to me, “He’s too clingy.”
I laughed. “You’re a grown man. Don’t be jealous of a child.”
He grinned. “I just want him to have a little sister.”
Chapter 06
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