Chapter 85: It Would Be Better If the Child Looked Like You

Du Wanchun was stunned upon hearing the doctor’s words. Instinctively, her hands moved to her abdomen. She hadn’t expected to be pregnant after just over a month.

She was utterly shocked, but after thinking it over, it wasn’t surprising. Ever since she and Zhou Ruizhen had consummated their marriage, they had shared a loving relationship. Pregnancy was only natural. No wonder that fortune-teller had predicted it would happen soon.

With that thought, she lifted her gaze to the still-dazed Zhou Ruizhen beside her. Her heart swelled with joy. The thought of them having a child together made her feel warm inside.

Zhou Ruizhen was still in a state of disbelief. He stared at Doctor Xu, his voice filled with astonishment. “Doctor… are you saying… my wife is pregnant?!”

Doctor Xu glanced at the couple and grinned so widely that his eyes nearly disappeared. “Yes, your wife is with child. You, young man, are going to be a father!”

At that moment, Zhou Ruizhen suddenly snapped out of his daze. He grabbed Du Wanchun into a tight embrace, laughing like an excited child. “This is wonderful! I’m going to be a father! Wanchun, this is truly wonderful!”

He was so overwhelmed with excitement that his words tumbled out incoherently, and his entire body trembled with joy.

Du Wanchun, feeling his overflowing happiness through his embrace, couldn’t help but laugh along with him.

Doctor Xu cleared his throat and handed them a small packet of medicine. “Alright, here’s some herbal medicine for stabilizing the pregnancy. Make sure to decoct it and take it as prescribed.”

Zhou Ruizhen finally loosened his embrace and took the medicine package with both hands. “Thank you, Doctor.”

Doctor Xu, still smiling, reminded him, “Your wife is still in the early stages of pregnancy, so she must get plenty of rest. She should avoid overexerting herself.”

Zhou Ruizhen nodded firmly. “Don’t worry, Doctor. I won’t let my wife tire herself out again.”

Doctor Xu looked at the young couple with a hint of envy before turning around and smiling leisurely. “You two should hurry home. If you ever need anything, just send someone to pass a message instead of rushing over in a panic. It’s safer that way.”

Du Wanchun bowed gratefully. “Thank you, Doctor Xu.”

Doctor Xu waved his hand dismissively. “Go on now. Eat well and take care of your health.”

“Mm,” Du Wanchun replied with a smile, her eyes curving into crescents.

Standing beside her, Zhou Ruizhen took every word the doctor said to heart. Carefully, he helped Du Wanchun leave the doctor’s house.

Doctor Xu had once been an unfortunate man himself. It was said that he had served as a soldier and fought in wars. After earning military merits and returning home, he found out that his wife had run off with someone from the village.

Heartbroken, he never returned to the army. Instead, he settled in this small village, hunting for a living. Later, using the medical skills he had learned in the military, he became a barefoot doctor.

Once Du Wanchun and Zhou Ruizhen had left, Doctor Xu silently returned to his house, sat down, and picked up his treasured knife, polishing it over and over again.

On the Way Home

On the small road leading back home, Zhou Ruizhen crouched down, patted his broad shoulders, and said, “Come on, Wanchun, I’ll carry you.”

Du Wanchun quickly shook her head. “There’s no need, husband. I can walk on my own.”

Zhou Ruizhen turned to look at her, his voice full of affection. “Be good. Listen to me. Let me carry you. The road is full of potholes. It wouldn’t be good if you tripped.”

The village path was indeed uneven—either overgrown with weeds or full of muddy pits. Walking on it wasn’t easy.

Looking down at his sturdy back, Du Wanchun smiled. “Husband, it’s really okay. I’m not that delicate. I can walk just fine.”

But Zhou Ruizhen ignored her protests and, without giving her a chance to refuse, scooped her onto his back.

“Husband!” Du Wanchun struggled to get down, but realizing that he was too tall and her feet couldn’t reach the ground, she had no choice but to wrap her arms around his neck and let him carry her.

His back was broad and firm. Her chest was pressed against his back, and her heartbeat pounded wildly where their bodies touched.

Not only could she hear Zhou Ruizhen’s heartbeat, but he could feel hers as well.

Carrying her on his back, Zhou Ruizhen walked slowly toward home, squinting slightly against the bright sunlight. As he walked, he spoke to her in a deep, sincere voice.

“Wanchun, don’t ever say things like ‘I’m not that delicate’ again. In our family, you are a priceless treasure. No matter what you do, it’s never being delicate. You deserve to be cherished and cared for in every possible way.”

As he spoke, his brows and eyes were filled with a gentle smile, and his gaze shimmered with the warmth of a spring morning.

Du Wanchun felt as if her heart had been soaked in honey—sweet and full of warmth. She tilted her head, resting her cheek against his shoulder. Reaching out, she gently rubbed his earlobe, dimples appearing as she smiled. “Husband, do you like children?”

Zhou Ruizhen continued walking but suddenly fell silent. After a long pause, he spoke in a deep, tender voice.

“It’s not that I like children—I like our child.”

Du Wanchun’s hand, which had been playing with his earlobe, paused. She looked up at his handsome, fair-skinned profile, her heart tingling with a rush of joy, like an electric current passing through her.

As if sensing her gaze, Zhou Ruizhen slowed his pace and slightly turned his head to look at her.

“It would be even better if the child looked like you,” he said with a smile.

Du Wanchun withdrew her hand, her face rubbing against his shoulder like a cat. “Then… do you want a boy or a girl?”