So, Gu Nian decided to have a good talk with Chu Zhaoyang.
Initially, Chu Zhaoyang disagreed.
But when Gu Nian said, "If you keep taking cold showers when it's cold and get sick, you won't be able to stay close to me. Ask Grandma if you don't believe me. Pregnant women can't take medication easily. If you pass it on to me, I'll have to endure it, which is not good for the baby."
After much persuasion, Chu Zhaoyang finally agreed that after the first three months, the critical period, he would not be so strictly vigilant.
Chu Zhaoyang lazily sat on the bed, glancing occasionally at Gu Nian's belly, not sure what he was hoping to see.
It was only a little over a month; there was nothing to see yet.
Gu Nian helplessly touched her belly and said, "What exactly are you looking at?"
Chu Zhaoyang bent down, his face close to Gu Nian's abdomen, staring intently, "When will it start to show?"
Gu Nian: "..."
"It usually takes about three to four months. At three months, it will only be slightly noticeable. If you don't look closely, you might not see it at all." At most, it would look like she had eaten too much.
"At four months, it will be more obvious. After that, it grows like a balloon, getting bigger every day," Gu Nian explained.
Chu Zhaoyang had seen pregnant women before but didn't know how many months along they were; he just noticed their big bellies.
"How big can it get?" Chu Zhaoyang asked.
Gu Nian, finding Chu Zhaoyang's curiosity amusing, made a curve on her belly with her hands, "It varies for everyone, but this was how big my belly got with Little Millet Cake."
Chu Zhaoyang frowned, "That big? It must be tough."
"There's no way around it. Actually, that size was considered good by the doctor. If it's too small, the baby will be weak when born, which is not good for the child. If it's too big, it often means the mother overate, making the baby too big, which makes delivery difficult. Also, the baby might be overweight when born," Gu Nian explained.
Chu Zhaoyang knew pregnancy and childbirth were difficult, but now, watching Gu Nian's belly grow from flat to round, he found it both miraculous and challenging.
This pregnancy made up for the regret of not being there during Little Millet Cake's time.
Chu Zhaoyang touched Gu Nian's still-flat belly. Though he couldn't feel any life yet, there was a sense of connection.
"After this baby, let's not have any more," Chu Zhaoyang said, "It's too hard on you."
Gu Nian neither agreed nor disagreed, thinking to leave it to fate.
If she got pregnant again, she would be happy to have another child.
Having a few years between them, like with Little Millet Cake, would be nice.
"When will we feel the baby move?" Chu Zhaoyang asked.
"When I was pregnant with Little Millet Cake, I read that around eight weeks, although the fetus isn't fully formed, the embryo starts to have wave-like movements. Later, as the hands and feet develop, the movements get stronger. Usually, by four or five months, we can clearly feel the baby move," Gu Nian explained.
"Last time when I was pregnant with Little Millet Cake, I was inexperienced. I felt some movements, but they weren't obvious. I just thought I had eaten something bad; my stomach felt gurgly and bloated. It wasn't until I was five months along that I realized it was Little Millet Cake gently kicking me."
"This time, I'm more experienced. If the baby moves around four months, I'll know." Gu Nian thought back to the first time she felt Little Millet Cake moving inside her, and the memory filled her with joy and emotion.
Even now, recalling it brought tears to her eyes.
Back then, she thought Chu Zhaoyang was dead.
So, the anticipation of Little Millet Cake's birth was even greater than that of an ordinary mother.
This child was carrying Chu Zhaoyang's legacy.
She hoped Little Millet Cake would resemble Chu Zhaoyang more, but also feared he would look more like her.
Luckily, Little Millet Cake's face was like a replica of Chu Zhaoyang's.
And now, Chu Zhaoyang was alive, here with her, as they prepared for their second child.
Looking down, she saw Chu Zhaoyang lying gently on her belly, as if listening intently.
He didn't put any weight on her stomach, holding his neck stiffly.
Gu Nian smoothed his freshly washed and dried hair, "What are you doing? You can't hear anything now."
Inside, it was just a tiny sprout.
Chu Zhaoyang touched her belly as if it were a treasure, "Even if I can't hear anything, getting close is nice. When our daughter is born, she'll be close to me."
Gu Nian laughed, "Why didn't you do this with Little Millet Cake?"
"Sons are more troublesome, daughters are more affectionate," Chu Zhaoyang said with a "Can you even compare?" expression.
Gu Nian silently sympathized with their son. She then noticed Chu Zhaoyang getting up and moving away with his phone.
Gu Nian: "..."
It almost seemed like Chu Zhaoyang was the one who was pregnant.
He was more dramatic and changeable than she was.
Chu Zhaoyang explained calmly, "Phones emit radiation, better to keep it away from you."
Gu Nian: "..."
"It's fine," Gu Nian said. "Some people are very cautious, but I don't think it matters. In M Country, because of work, I was always on my phone."
"Better safe than sorry," Chu Zhaoyang insisted, swiping at something on his screen.