Saturday was the day for the wedding photo shoot arranged with the photo studio, and Qi Xiaoyan dragged Yang Wei out of bed early in the morning. Yang Wei was still dreaming and was quite unhappy to be woken up. She ran her fingers through her hair and complained, "Do you have to rush me? I want to sleep a little longer."
Qi Xiaoyan threw the clothes at her and looked at her, saying, "Of course you're in a hurry, or do you want to wait until your belly is more noticeable before taking the picture?"
Yang Wei clutched the clothes he had thrown at her, frowning as she looked at him: "Qi Xiaoyan, you said you wouldn't dislike me!"
Qi Xiaoyan nodded casually: "But I can't guarantee that the photographer is the same way."
Yang Wei grinned and made a face at him before starting to change her clothes.
Breakfast consisted of whole-wheat bread and a small bowl of porridge prepared by Qi Xiaoyan. Yang Wei ate half of it before running to the bathroom to vomit. Qi Xiaoyan quickly followed her into the bathroom, filled a glass with warm water, and knelt beside her, patting her back to help her catch her breath.
After vomiting, Yang Wei rinsed her mouth with water, turned to look at Qi Xiaoyan beside her, her big, watery eyes seeming like they could burst into tears at any moment: "It's all your fault, you made me angry so early in the morning!"
Qi Xiaoyan wiped the water from the corner of her mouth, his eyes full of heartache: "It's all my fault, baby, you've suffered." He took the mouthwash cup from her hand, hugged her and rubbed her gently.
Yang Wei felt much better after vomiting. She hummed softly against Qi Xiaoyan's chest and followed him to the dining room. There was some breakfast left, so Qi Xiaoyan poured her a new glass of lemon water and handed it to her: "Baby, do you want to eat breakfast again?"
Yang Wei thought for a moment and said, "Hmm... I don't want to eat bread anymore. Let's finish the porridge."
Qi Xiaoyan asked with some concern, "Will he throw up again?"
Yang Wei took a sip of lemon water, the refreshing sour taste masking the nausea she had just felt. "I don't think so." As she spoke, she picked up a spoon and scooped a spoonful of porridge into her mouth. Qi Xiaoyan watched her from the side, his brows furrowed slightly, and said, "If you're not feeling well today, we'll reschedule for another time."
"No need, it's peak wedding season now, and it's probably hard to book a photo studio. Morning sickness is normal, don't make such a fuss."
With porridge in her mouth, Yang Wei's words were a little unclear. Qi Xiaoyan didn't say anything, but simply stepped forward, gently pulled her into his arms, and bent down to kiss her forehead.
This feeling of being cherished like a treasure made Yang Wei's heart flutter, a sweet feeling welling up inside her, and a smile naturally appeared on her lips. She knew that Qi Xiaoyan had also been working very hard during this time, not only taking on all the housework but also taking meticulous care of her.
One night, she woke up in the middle of the night and found that Qi Xiaoyan was not beside her. She went to the study and saw that Qi Xiaoyan was sitting inside writing a paper. Yang Wei knew that university professors had a certain number of papers and research projects required each year, not to mention that Professor Qi had always loved writing papers. He once told her that Euler wrote an average of more than 800 pages of books and papers every year, and even after he lost his sight, he insisted on dictating his papers.
Like his idol, Qi Xiaoyan often locks himself in his study for weeks at a time to write his papers. Yang Wei used to argue with him about this quite a bit, but Professor Qi's enthusiasm for his papers remained undiminished. Now, to take care of her, does he secretly write them at night after she's asleep?
After that day, Yang Wei went to bed earlier than before. She thought that after Juanbao was born, if Professor Qi locked himself in his study to write papers again, she wouldn't go to argue with him.
Qi Xiaoyan was unaware that Yang Wei's thoughts had wandered so far; he only noticed her lost in thought, holding a spoon, and couldn't help but remind her. Yang Wei snapped out of her reverie, smiled at him, and continued eating the porridge in her bowl.
The appointment with the photo studio was at nine o'clock, and Qi Xiaoyan drove Yang Wei there on time.
It wasn't the same studio they had their photos taken at last time, but it was still a very famous photo studio in City A. I heard that all the makeup artists there were internationally award-winning, and many of their costume and styling assistants were celebrities' go-to people.
Yang Wei enjoyed the treatment of a big star, surrounded by a group of people sitting in front of a mirror, getting her hair done and her nails trimmed, while a tall, beautiful woman across from her was touching her brow bone.
Yang Wei thought to herself that taking a photo here must be quite expensive. While she was inwardly grumbling about Qi Xiaoyan's wasteful spending, she carefully described to the makeup artist what kind of makeup she wanted.
The wedding dress was the same one she bought last year for her wedding, and Yang Wei was very glad that she could still fit into it. Qi Xiaoyan had suggested buying another one, but Yang Wei felt that the wedding dress was too expensive and there was no need to buy a new one. She had only worn the one from last year twice and it was still brand new.
By the time Yang Wei finished dressing up, Qi Xiaoyan had been waiting for a long time. Her hair was carefully styled into a bun and secured with a delicate hair clip. The black hair that was specially curled on both sides of her face fell casually, making Yang Wei's face look even smaller and more delicate.
Qi Xiaoyan had said before that Yang Wei looked stunning in white, and now, in her floor-length wedding gown, that beauty was amplified to its fullest extent. Qi Xiaoyan felt as if she were back at the gates of Imperial University in Beijing when she first met Yang Wei, and her heart skipped a beat.
Yang Wei held a bouquet of flowers in her hand. Seeing him staring blankly at her, she couldn't help but wave in front of him. Qi Xiaoyan took her hand, pulled her closer to him, and gently kissed her forehead: "Baby, you look beautiful today."
The staff around them chuckled softly. Yang Wei blushed slightly and glared at Qi Xiaoyan before pulling away from his embrace. The stylist held up her skirt and whispered in her ear, "Judging from your husband's appearance, I thought he was the aloof type, but I didn't expect him to be so sweet-talking."
Yang Wei: "..."
No, he is indeed aloof and reserved, he's just recently changed his tune.
On their way to the photo studio, Yang Wei and Qi Xiaoyan were constantly being whispered about Qi Xiaoyan by the female staff. Qi Xiaoyan was indeed quite handsome; he could easily outshine many male celebrities. But since this handsome man was their husband, they could only steal a few glances from the sidelines.
Yang Wei's current mood is like that of a queen who has just poisoned Snow White, full of pride and satisfaction.
When the photographer saw Yang Wei and Qi Xiaoyan, he couldn't help but whistle: "Are you two really not models from some agency here to take promotional photos?"
Faced with the photographer's straightforward praise, Yang Wei accepted it readily. The studio contained some simple props, such as tables and chairs, and a white swing with red climbing roses entwined around it.
Yang Wei really wanted to sit on the swing for a photo, but Qi Xiaoyan absolutely refused. The photographer repeatedly assured him that the swing was sturdy and absolutely safe, but still couldn't get Qi Xiaoyan to agree. Yang Wei was unhappy that she couldn't sit on the swing, and she looked sullen in every photo taken.
The photographer checked the results on the camera, looked up at Qi, and said with a smile, "Groom, why don't you kiss the bride?"
Yang Wei immediately felt a little embarrassed. She had also been asked to kiss during her last wedding photoshoot, but she was actually very uncomfortable kissing Qi Xiaoyan in front of others.
Unexpectedly, Qi Xiaoyan was surprisingly uninhibited this time, pulling her into his arms and lowering his head to kiss her. He kissed her passionately, as if no one was around taking pictures of them.
The photographer was also a little shocked. He had originally intended for the groom to just give him a casual kiss on the cheek and forehead, but he hadn't expected the two of them to kiss so passionately that they were completely absorbed in it.
Sigh, is he getting old?
When Yang Wei was a little out of breath, Qi Xiaoyan finally let go of her. He looked at her slightly flushed cheeks and knew it wasn't blush: "Baby, did you really want to take a picture on the swing?"
"Um."
"Alright then, but you can only sit on it and can't move around."
Qi Xiaoyan finally gave in, and Yang Wei happily kissed him on the cheek before running to sit on the swing and obediently staying still. Qi Xiaoyan stood beside her, still holding her waist with concern. The photographer watched them for a while, then put down his camera and said, "Let the makeup artist touch up the bride's makeup first; her lipstick has all been eaten."
Yang Wei: "..."
She almost wanted to cover her face and scream three times.
Soon, the makeup artist entered the photo studio with several lipsticks. Instead of letting Yang Wei choose, she asked Qi Xiaoyan, "Sir, what flavor do you prefer?"
Yang Wei: "..."
She never wants to walk through this street again.
Qi Xiaoyan finally chose one that looked like strawberry flavor but actually had no flavor at all. The photographer directed them for a while, then, feeling there was nothing more he could do, suggested, "There's a small European-style garden outside, would you like to take pictures there?"
Yang Wei readily agreed.
The small garden was indeed tiny, only about ten square meters, but it was meticulously maintained and more than enough for taking photos. Besides this European-style garden, the photo studio also had a Chinese-style courtyard, but Yang Wei and Qi Xiaoyan's outfits weren't suitable for the Chinese style today, so they didn't go there.
There was a European-style round table in the garden, with English tea set and afternoon tea snacks on it. To Yang Wei's surprise, the snacks on the plate were not props, but real.
"Can I eat this?" she asked the photographer, picking up a cute little cookie.
The photographer nodded behind the lens and said, "Of course you can. These are all made fresh every day, but I suggest you feed each other."
Yang Wei's lips twitched slightly as she handed the cookie in her hand to Qi Xiaoyan: "Juanjuan, open your mouth."
Qi Xiaoyan glanced at her and actually opened his mouth. The moment his pale lips parted, Yang Wei had the illusion that her heart was also stirred.
Click.
The crisp biscuit crumbled between Qi Xiaoyan's lips and teeth, and Yang Wei stared at the tip of his tongue as if her own fingertips were being gently licked.
Click.
This time it was the sound of a camera shutter. The photographer looked at the latest photos and said to them, "You two have such great acting skills. Aren't you really considering developing a career in the entertainment industry?"
Yang Wei: "..."
Qi Xiaoyan: "..."
After a long and tiring process, the wedding photoshoot finally came to an end around 1 a.m. Yang Wei was completely exhausted and sat on the sofa like a dead fish, letting the makeup artist remove her makeup.
The photo studio owner then approached Qi Xiaoyan again, hoping that they could provide their photos for the studio to use as promotional photos. He offered them a 30% discount and a free set of photos.
Then, just like the boss from last year, he was rejected by Qi Xiaoyan with a blank expression.
The photos still needed post-processing, so Qi Xiaoyan made an appointment with the photo studio and then drove Yang Wei to dinner. Although he still preferred to cook at home, it was already very late, and Yang Wei would probably faint from hunger if she waited any longer.
Yang Wei watched Qi Xiaoyan fasten his seatbelt and asked him, "The conditions that boss offered were quite favorable, why don't you consider them?"
Qi Xiaoyan's eyebrows twitched, and she said, "That's our wedding photo. You really want it to be hung outside the photo studio for people to see?"
Yang Wei's lips curled up slightly, and her beautiful eyes seemed to shine even brighter in the sunlight: "Of course not."
Author's Note: Special thanks to lestat, the little angel who threw a landmine (a type of melon). You all probably sensed that the little angel threw a landmine, right? This story is almost over. But don't worry, after the main story is finished, I'll try my best to write a really, really long side story! If any of you little angels have any side stories you'd like to see, feel free to let me know—
50
As June arrived and the weather grew hotter, Yang Wei could only drool as she looked at the chilled watermelon juice in Teacher Yao's cup next door.
"Teacher Yang, stop looking. Pregnant women shouldn't eat such cold food."
The speaker was Ms. Wang, the homeroom teacher of Class 2, Grade 5, who had taken three months of maternity leave. After completing her postpartum confinement at home, Ms. Wang returned to school fully recovered, and Yang Wei, the acting homeroom teacher, honorably stepped down to make way for her.
Upon returning home, Teacher Wang immediately learned of Yang Wei's pregnancy. Having just escaped the ordeal, she couldn't wait to share her many pregnancy experiences with Yang Wei. She even summarized these experiences into a Word document, printed it out on A4 paper, and posted it in front of Yang Wei's desk.
Yang Wei glanced at the "Three Prohibitions and Ten Don'ts" in front of her, and twitched her lips. It seemed that there was indeed a rule on it: "Don't eat anything that is too cold."
Teacher Yao finished the tempting watermelon juice in her glass in one gulp, gave Yang Wei a refreshing smile that smelled of watermelon, and went to class with her English textbook.
Yang Wei slumped listlessly onto her desk and sighed. Pregnant women are people too, and they have human rights! At home, Professor Qi micromanages everything, and at school, she has to abide by Teacher Wang's "three prohibitions and ten don'ts"—can't people even get a break?!
The days passed slowly and steadily as Yang Wei endured the humiliation. In mid-to-late June, she went to the Central Hospital for a prenatal checkup accompanied by Qi Xiaoyan.
The doctor was the same young female doctor as last time. Yang Wei's various indicators were all normal, so the doctor gave her a few simple instructions and then had them register for a check-up every month.
When they left the hospital, Qi Xiaoyan didn't take Yang Wei home. Instead, he drove to Star Plaza. Looking at the towering department store in front of her, Yang Wei asked Qi Xiaoyan, "What are we doing here?"
Qi smiled and said, "Don't you not have maternity clothes yet? It won't be convenient to go shopping when your belly gets bigger, so buy some now."
Yang Wei: "..."
She's only three months pregnant, she doesn't need to buy maternity clothes so early! She doesn't want to wear maternity clothes!
Qi Xiaoyan completely ignored her accusing gaze and pulled her hand into the mall. There was a well-known brand specializing in maternity wear in the Starlight Department Store, and Qi Xiaoyan took her there directly.
In Yang Wei's mind, maternity clothes were just ugly plus-size clothes in both style and color. Just imagining herself wearing these clothes with a big belly seriously challenged her aesthetic sense.
But once inside the store, I realized that I had a deep misunderstanding about maternity wear.
The clothes in the store, in terms of style and color, are just as fashionable as the latest trends, and the categories are quite detailed, including casual wear, business attire, dresses, loungewear, and even banquet attire. The dazzling array of clothes left Yang Wei overwhelmed.
The sales assistant was very enthusiastic and professional. She glanced at Yang Wei's outfit and knew she was someone who loved fashion. Based on Yang Wei's figure, she estimated her post-pregnancy shape and recommended several of this year's most popular styles and colors.
As Yang Wei selected clothes, she listened to the sales assistant explain the differences between the fabrics and designs of the clothes and ordinary clothes. Yang Wei was so tempted by what she heard that she wished her belly would grow bigger immediately so she could wear these clothes and strut around town.
After returning home laden with her purchases, Yang Wei showed all her clothes to Qi Xiaoyan in front of the full-length mirror, looking as excited as a primary school student carrying a schoolbag for the first time.
Excited until nine o'clock, Yang Wei finally felt sleepy—a habit she'd developed recently of going to bed early. She yawned, climbed into bed, and prepared to sleep. Qi Xiaoyan sat beside her and asked, "Baby, have you made plans for the day after tomorrow?"
"The day after tomorrow?" Yang Wei closed her eyes and thought for a moment. "The day after tomorrow is my birthday. Jian Shuang and the others said they would help me celebrate my birthday."
As she said this, she sat up and looked at Qi Xiaoyan, a playful smile appearing in her eyes: "Do you have some kind of plan?"
Qi Xiaoyan kissed her forehead and simply said, "Come back early tonight, and don't drink."
"Oh." Yang Wei watched him go into the bathroom, raised her eyebrows slightly, and then lay back down to continue sleeping.
On her birthday, Jian Shuang booked a KTV room and arrived at 1 o'clock with a large cake. Yang Wei went with Sheng Lei, and when they opened the door, they heard Jian Shuang and Xia Ying singing "The Boatman's Love" as a duet.