Today they are leaving the base. Jiang Shuiyun and Yi Jinbai did not bring much with them when they came, and naturally they have no luggage when they leave. Everything they need to prepare has been prepared at their home in City A.
They set off in the afternoon and arrived in City A in the evening.
More than a year later, when they returned here, everything was the same. During the time they were away, there were always people taking care of it, keeping it spotless and in good order. The plants in the garden were lush and vibrant.
Yi Jinbai was a little tired that day, and with a lot on his mind, he only ate a little dinner before going to rest.
After Yi Jinbai fell asleep, Jiang Shuiyun couldn't sleep anymore. She quietly got up, slipped into the study, and turned on the computer. Pregnancy cannot be detected in the week before conception, so they have no way of knowing the result now. But if she really is pregnant, she must be fully prepared.
Jiang Shuiyun carefully examined everything related to childbirth, childcare, and subsequent education.
Propping her head up, Jiang Shuiyun watched the science explanations. Her initial excitement vanished completely within ten minutes. Her brows remained furrowed the entire night. The moon sank in the west and the sun rose in the east.
Yi Jinbai slept very well. When he opened his eyes in the morning, he stretched and habitually turned over to hug Jiang Shuiyun next to him, but he found nothing.
Touching the spot beside him, he found it completely cold. Puzzled, Yi Jinbai got up. It wasn't late yet, so why was Jiang Shuiyun up so early?
I went outside and glanced downstairs. The housekeeper was cooking in the kitchen, but there was no sign of Jiang Shuiyun. Could she have gone out?
Just as Yi Jinbai was about to go downstairs, he glanced at the study next door, and casually went over to open the study door. As a result, he saw Jiang Shuiyun sitting in front of the computer, looking tired, with her brows furrowed and her expression irritable.
Jiang Shuiyun, who hadn't slept all night, heard the noise and reflexively looked up, taking a second to realize, "Jinbai, you're awake?"
"Is something important? Why are you up so early to deal with it?"
Yi Jinbai was a little worried seeing Jiang Shuiyun like this.
Jiang Shuiyun reached out her hand, and Yi Jinbai walked over and glanced at Jiang Shuiyun's computer screen, which was displaying parenting videos.
Jiang Shuiyun hugged Yi Jinbai's waist, rested her head against her abdomen, and gently rubbed Yi Jinbai's belly. "Jinbai, let's not have this child, okay?"
"Where did this child come from? It's not confirmed yet, is it? What's wrong with you now?" Yi Jinbai was both amused and exasperated.
Jiang Shuiyun raised her hand and shut down the computer. "I watched it all night. The process from pregnancy to childbirth is so arduous and dangerous."
"You stayed up all night just to watch this?" Yi Jinbai cupped Jiang Shuiyun's face in his arms, looking at her exhausted face and bloodshot eyes, his eyes full of heartache. "Go to sleep, don't think about these things, it's not like it's really that coincidental."
Jiang Shuiyun held Yi Jinbai tightly, refusing to let go. "Jinbai, do you want a child?"
Yi Jinbai paused for a moment, stroking Jiang Shuiyun's face. If there really was a little Jiang Shuiyun, she would be very happy. If not, it didn't seem to matter. After all, she already had Jiang Shuiyun. After a night's rest, the initial panic disappeared, and her mood calmed down a lot. "Let's leave it to fate. If we really have one, then we'll keep it. If not, it's okay too."
Jiang Shuiyun's brows furrowed with worry, but rather grew heavier.
"Go down for dinner first. After dinner, get a good night's sleep. Don't be so nervous. Just let things take their course."
Yi Jinbai pulled Jiang Shuiyun up and went back to wash up. When they went downstairs, the housekeeper had already prepared the meal.
Jiang Shuiyun had no appetite at all, eating mechanically, finding the food tasteless, and could only eat a little before she couldn't eat anymore.
Just as they finished eating, they heard voices outside. Jiang Shuiyun turned around and saw Shen Yunyi walking in, dressed in casual sportswear.
It had been more than a year since they last met, and Shen Yunyi had changed quite a bit. He was much more composed than before, and even bore some resemblance to Shen Fu, rarely showing his emotions.
Just as Jiang Shuiyun finished thinking this to herself, Shen Yunyi saw her and immediately beamed with joy, striding over with a radiant smile. His previous composure seemed to have been a facade.
Shen Yunyi pulled out a chair and sat down, greeted Yi Jinbai, and looked at Jiang Shuiyun, "I heard last night that you were back, so I rushed over early this morning. Without you, I had no one to talk to, and I was so bored."
"What's wrong?"
Jiang Shuiyun listlessly put down her teacup and responded with a soft reply.
"Nothing much, everything went smoothly. But there was one really funny thing. We're developing a new game, right? A little over a year ago, we had a dating sim. When we were designing the original characters, as soon as the news got out, our official website was almost wiped out. Everyone was asking to add you, saying that since you're the boss, you have to be willing to sacrifice."
"You didn't include me, did you?" Jiang Shuiyun raised an eyebrow.
"Of course not. I'm not the kind of person who would do anything to make money. I didn't even agree to such a high price offered by netizens. First of all, I don't have your image authorization. Secondly, if I really added you in, would I still have the face to talk to Miss Yi? I would create tens of millions of rivals for her out of thin air. I wouldn't even have the face to come to your family."
Shen Yunyi had indeed considered this idea, but ultimately gave up. The main reason was that if Jiang Shuiyun were single, he could do whatever he wanted. For the sake of those tens of millions of petitions, he would have to extort Jiang Shuiyun's image authorization even if it meant blackmailing her. The key issue was that Jiang Shuiyun already had Yi Jinbai, so he had to consider Yi Jinbai's situation, which made the idea impossible.
Yi Jinbai smiled, but it sounded quite interesting.
After chatting for a while, Shen Yunyi glanced at the clear sky outside and said, "The weather is so nice today, why don't we go out? I'll also treat you to a welcome dinner. I have a seaside villa to the east, and it's the perfect time of year to visit."
Jiang Shuiyun glanced at Yi Jinbai, who hesitated, thinking that Jiang Shuiyun should catch up on her sleep, but this was Shen Yunyi's thoughtful gesture.
Yi Jinbai didn't say anything, but Jiang Shuiyun understood what she meant and turned to refuse, "No, let's do it another day. I just got back and I'm a little tired."
“That’s right. I was wondering why you looked so listless. Okay, any day is fine. Let me know when you’re free, and I’ll have someone prepare the barbecue ingredients in advance. I’ve been craving a bonfire barbecue by the sea for ages, but it’s no fun eating alone if no one’s with me.”
Shen Yunyi thought it made sense, and after chatting with Jiang Shuiyun about some company matters, he left first.
As soon as Shen Yunyi left, Yi Jinbai pulled Jiang Shuiyun back to her room to rest, and sat by the bed watching her fall asleep.
Having not slept all night, Jiang Shuiyun was also quite sleepy. She soon drifted off to sleep, but her sleep was restless.
Yi Jinbai saw that Jiang Shuiyun still had a furrowed brow in her sleep, reached out and smoothed her brow, took out her phone, and wanted to see what was making Jiang Shuiyun so uneasy.
After reading it, Yi Jinbai felt unwell.
"Jin Bai!"
Less than two hours later, Jiang Shuiyun suddenly woke up from her nightmare, startling Yi Jinbai who was next to her.
"What's wrong?"
Yi Jinbai poured a glass of water for Jiang Shuiyun, noticing her pale face and the fine beads of sweat on her forehead. "Did you have a nightmare?"
Jiang Shuiyun nodded, feeling a throbbing pain all over her head; the nightmare from earlier was still lingering in her mind.
Holding Jiang Shuiyun's hand, Yi Jinbai wiped her sweat. "Don't be so nervous. Relax. Do you want to sleep a little longer?"
Jiang Shuiyun didn't expect that she would need Yi Jinbai to take care of and comfort her. She shook her head and said, "I'm fine. I feel much better after sleeping for a while."
“Yes, I just looked at those precautions and possible situations,” Yi Jinbai looked up at Jiang Shuiyun. “Even if you have a child, everyone’s constitution is different. Those situations are just possible, but not certain. You’re worrying too much.”
When Yi Jinbai finished reading it, she felt a little worried, but then she thought, if she were really pregnant now, would she still choose to keep the child?
Yes, Yi Jinbai found that she didn't need to think about this decision for too long. It might bring about earth-shattering changes to their lives, but as long as she thought about the fact that this was her and Jiang Shuiyun's child, she felt that perhaps everything wasn't so terrible.
Looking at Yi Jinbai like this, Jiang Shuiyun seemed to see the radiance of maternal love. She nodded reluctantly, but her heart was not at ease at all.
Yi Jinbai originally thought that Jiang Shuiyun's anxiety would pass quickly, but for several days in a row, there was no sign of improvement. Every day from the moment he opened his eyes, Yi Jinbai felt that Jiang Shuiyun looked at him as if he were a fragile porcelain doll, taking care of everything herself and treating him as if he were unable to take care of himself.
Not only that, Yi Jinbai also overheard Jiang Shuiyun compiling a list of the most authoritative doctors at home and abroad. He estimated that once the pregnancy was confirmed, all of these people would probably come to report for duty.
Yi Jinbai felt this was making a mountain out of a molehill, but Jiang Shuiyun didn't think so. She felt that it was never enough. If Yi Jinbai really had a child and wanted to keep it, then the preparations needed to be even more thorough.
On a new day, Jiang Shuiyun was in the house, holding a renovation guide and thinking about how to redecorate. Yi Jinbai and Xu Xulei sat on the sofa watching her. Yi Jinbai was also holding a plate of fruit that Jiang Shuiyun had just cut.
"Miss Yi, the professor's weight loss has been remarkably effective these past few days."
Xu Xu has been quite exhausted these past two days, running around inside and outside, and has looked at thousands of pregnancy products alone. He's almost ready to set up a dedicated laboratory to study them.
“Yes, I might be the one who’s pregnant, and she might be the one with anxiety,” Yi Jinbai said helplessly, as his attempts to persuade her had been ineffective. “How about we get her a psychologist?”
"Um... I don't think it's very useful. The professor knows everything herself, and she'll probably make the psychologist anxious. In the end, it's just that the professor is too worried about Miss Yi, and there's nothing we can do about it."
Lei Yu thought it was unlikely. Back at the base, Jiang Shuiyun endured so much pressure and mental exertion every day, yet it had no effect on her at all. Her mental fortitude was far beyond what ordinary people could match. Of course, now that her defenses had been breached, it was no longer something that could be cured by ordinary means.
Xu Xu, cracking sunflower seeds beside him, chimed in, "That's right. Either Miss Yi isn't pregnant and the professor will recover on his own, or Miss Yi is pregnant and will recover naturally after giving birth safely. There's no other way."
Yi Jinbai rubbed his temples. "We can't let her keep going like this. Maybe we should contact President Shen. I need to take her out to clear her head."
There really aren't any other good options right now, so shifting your focus is a good idea.
Jiang Shuiyun always listened to Yi Jinbai. When Yi Jinbai said he wanted to go, she immediately agreed and called Shen Yunyi. However, when explaining the precautions, she went on and on, talking for half an hour about everything from ingredients to environment to temperature and time. Not only was Shen Yunyi on the other end of the phone dumbfounded, but Yi Jinbai couldn't help but facepalm. Having such a strong learning ability is not necessarily a good thing. It is truly amazing that Jiang Shuiyun can remember so much knowledge about pregnancy in just a few days.
When Jiang Shuiyun and Yi Jinbai arrived at Shen Yunyi's seaside villa at noon, Shen Yunyi had been waiting for a long time. He was wearing a cool short-sleeved shirt and shorts, and he no longer had the elite look he always had. Instead, he had more of the vitality and youthfulness that comes with being in his early twenties.
Since we're already at the beach, we should definitely have a blast. We changed into casual short-sleeved shirts and shorts, set up a parasol and beach chairs on the beach near the entrance, and added a barbecue grill and bonfire. Although it wasn't evening yet, we had already started preparing.
Xu Xu and Lei Yu were also there. The two of them knew Shen Yunyi, and since they were all quite familiar with each other, there was no awkwardness, although Shen Yunyi was still a little nervous when he saw Lei Yu.
It's still early, so there's no rush. There's a yacht moored by Shen Yunyi's seaside, so it's a good opportunity for the group to go out to sea for a spin and then have a barbecue when they get back.
It was Yi Jinbai's first time at sea, and he was quite excited and curious about everything.
"There are two more motorboats down there, want to give them a try?"
Shen Yunyi was initially worried that Yi Jinbai would get seasick, but seeing that she was in high spirits, he made a suggestion.
Yi Jinbai was very interested, but scratched his head somewhat embarrassedly, "I don't know how to drive."
"It's alright, let the water..." Shen Yunyi's words were interrupted by Lei Yu, who came from the side.
"It's alright, I can do it. Miss Yi, let's go, I'll take you."
Lei Yu glanced at Jiang Shuiyun, who wanted to speak up to stop her but didn't want to spoil Yi Jinbai's mood, and said, "Professor, don't worry, I will definitely take good care of Miss Yi."
“I can also…” Jiang Shuiyun stood up, about to say that she could take Yi Jinbai herself, but Xu Xu next to her pressed her down to sit down.
“Professor, take a break. With Miss Yi with you, you're probably going to be so fast that even a bicycle can't keep up, and a sea turtle could easily overtake you,” Xu Xu said, meeting Jiang Shuiyun’s murderous gaze with an innocent smile. “Professor, you’re too tense. Relax a little.”
Jiang Shuiyun had driven Yi Jinbai out once in the past two days. The car was going no more than 20 km/h, but a cyclist overtook it and they were stopped by the traffic police. Yi Jinbai was so frustrated that he thought about getting a driver's license himself.
With Xu Xu stopping him, Lei Yu had already left with Yi Jinbai, and Xu Xu followed.
Lei Yu drove a medium-sized two-seater, with seats similar to those in a car, making it more comfortable. Xu Xu, on the other hand, drove a single-person motorboat, which was faster and more agile.
Jiang Shuiyun and Shen Yunyi sat on the deck of the yacht, their eyes fixed on the two motorboats darting about on the sea.
"Shuiyun, I've heard about this," Shen Yunyi said, looking at Jiang Shuiyun, who had lost a lot of weight in the few days they hadn't seen her. In the past, it was always Jiang Shuiyun who comforted him, and now it was his turn to comfort her. "Miss Yi's pregnancy is a good thing. Don't be too nervous. There are professionals here, and medicine is so advanced now, there won't be any problems. Just think about how wonderful it would be if you had a child together in the future."
Jiang Shuiyun didn't even glance at them. "So, do you think I should treat Jinbai better, or the child better, after we have a child?"
"Uh..." Shen Yunyi hesitated, "Can't it be the same as everyone else?"
“A person’s emotions and energy are limited. If we treat each other equally well, it means that half of my affection for Jinbai will be taken away,” Jiang Shuiyun retorted.
"Then you should be nicer to Miss Yi." Shen Yunyi thought it made sense and immediately changed his mind.
"Is that fair to the child? Is it fair to the child?" Jiang Shuiyun then asked rhetorically.
"Then you should treat Miss Yi well, and Miss Yi should treat the child well, right?" Shen Yunyi changed his mind again.
"And what about me?" Jiang Shuiyun asked again.
Shen Yunyi felt his head starting to ache. He thought Jiang Shuiyun was a real contrarian. "Then what do you suggest we do?"
"If I had figured it out, I wouldn't have asked you." Jiang Shuiyun's words left Shen Yunyi speechless.
Shen Yunyi held his head, "Why are you jealous of the child? Isn't that your child? Look at your parents, aren't they very loving? They still had you, didn't they?"
Remembering her parents' attitude towards their child, Jiang Shuiyun's expression turned even colder. "Then do you think I'm very happy?"
Looking at Jiang Shuiyun's expression, Shen Yunyi realized that he might have said something wrong.
Instead of offering advice, he seemed to have made the problem even more serious. Shen Yunyi shrank back. "Is this what you think about every day now?"