Extra 1

In early December, Jing Li was at home packing things for her hospitalization. Due to her physical condition, she chose to have a cesarean section, and the surgery date was in two days. She would be admitted tomorrow.

Jing Ran held a list, checking if there was anything missing for the hospital stay. After making sure nothing was overlooked, he packed the hospital supplies and took them to the sedan parked in the underground parking lot for easy departure tomorrow.

It was Jing Li’s first time giving birth, and her parents were worried that she might be scared. Before admission, they called her to remind her of precautions. Tomorrow, everyone would accompany her to the hospital to make her feel more at ease. Before the cesarean section, she needed to fast for several hours. Jing Li asked them not to come too early, as the elderly would stay overnight for her, and she felt a bit guilty.

When Jing Ran returned from the parking lot, Jing Li had finished a phone call.

Jing Ran casually asked, “Who were you talking to just now?”

“With your mom. She said she would accompany me to the hospital tomorrow and stay with me until after I give birth. I told her to come just one or two hours before the surgery. After all, I’m just going to the hospital to sleep tomorrow, and having you with me is enough.” Jing Li picked up a parenting handbook and flipped through it as she spoke.

“Okay.” Jing Ran nodded, walked to the sofa where Jing Li was sitting, and sat down in an empty space beside her. He stared at Jing Li’s big belly and reached out to touch it.

Jing Li put down the book, looked at him, and noticed the worry in his expression.

“What are you thinking?” Jing Li put the book on the sofa, cupped Jing Ran’s face with her hands, and the two looked at each other.

The little sweetheart apologized softly, “Lili, I’m sorry.”

“Why are you apologizing?” Jing Li found it inexplicable.

In the early stages of Jing Li’s pregnancy, Jing Ran felt the joy of impending fatherhood, envisioning a happy family of three. However, as the pregnancy progressed and Jing Li’s belly grew, accompanied by noticeable symptoms, Jing Ran found himself frequently worried and regretful, questioning the timing of having a child. Due to Jing Li’s delicate health and her habits during her six months of work in Hong Kong, she needed a cesarean section. The thought of Jing Li undergoing surgery to bring their child into the world in two days weighed heavily on Jing Ran’s mind.

“I can’t help but feel the pain thinking about you undergoing surgery the day after tomorrow,” Jing Ran expressed with a hint of choking in his voice.

“Silly, the surgery isn’t happening to you. Why are you crying?” Jing Li reassured him, embracing Jing Ran’s neck and saying, “The doctor said it’s painless; don’t be afraid. It’s safe.”

In the early stages of pregnancy, due to her health, the doctor warned Jing Li that the first pregnancy might be challenging, advising her to stay optimistic. Jing Li, maintaining a positive attitude, receiving good care at home, and the baby developing healthily in her belly, was now approaching the expected due date. Whether through natural birth or cesarean section, she had no preference as long as a healthy baby was born.

“Oh, don’t cry. You’re already a dad; don’t act like a little princess,” Jing Li comforted, stroking his head.

Jing Ran nodded, saying, “Lili, let’s have just one child, and we won’t have to worry about more.”

“Silly, I don’t want that. I want to have three or four so they won’t be lonely growing up,” Jing Li, being an only child herself, understood the loneliness of a solitary childhood. She wished to have multiple children for companionship.

“Lili, it’s fine not to have many. In the future, we can bring Wenbin’s kids over to play with ours.”

Unable to resist a sarcastic comment, Jing Li said, “I heard Chen Wenbin broke up again. Do you think he’ll ever get married in his lifetime?”

After some thought, Jing Ran added, “And there’s Jin Hao.”

Actually, apart from the fact that Little Prince’s parents were too busy during his childhood, the rest was pretty good. From elementary school to high school, it was all about a group of boys fooling around and being a little childish.

Jing Li yawned, “I’m going to bed.”

Jing Ran consciously helped Jing Li back to her room to rest.

*

Two days later, Jing Li gave birth to a seven-pound chubby baby at the hospital. After the caesarean section, Jing Li was somewhat weak, lying on the hospital bed in the ward. The parents all went to see the child, leaving only Jing Li and Jing Ran in the room.

Jing Li lay on the hospital bed and asked, “Aren’t you going to see the baby?”

Jing Ran sat on the chair beside the bed, holding Jing Li’s hand against his face, and smiling, he said, “Lili is more beautiful.”

“Oh, come on, you saw it’s a boy, so you couldn’t be bothered to go see, right?” Jing Li couldn’t help but expose him.

Before the childbirth, the doctor couldn’t reveal the gender. Jing Ran had been hoping for a baby girl, practicing how to tie little braids in anticipation. Since Jing Li cut her long hair after the wedding, he even bought a wig and practiced braiding by himself while looking at hairstyle books for girls.

Jing Li laughed at his early preparations, stating that even if it was a girl, she planned to wait until the little girl went to kindergarten before growing her hair long, as it would be too inconvenient at such a young age.

“Boys like it too. They are all our children, mine and Lili’s.”

Jing Li half-believed, “Really?”

Jing Ran nodded, “I can dress him up like a little girl.”

Jing Li said, “No, you’d better give him a normal childhood…”

Jing Li asked, “By the way, the baby hasn’t been named yet, what should we call him?”

Previously, Jing Ran thought it would be a girl and came up with many beautiful girl names. In the end, he chose “Zhilin.” Now that it’s a boy, they definitely can’t use that name.

Jing Ran, not taking it seriously at all, said, “Let’s just call him Xiaokang.”

Jing Li scorned him, “Can you just decide so casually?”

Jing Ran retorted somewhat childishly, “Xiaokang is what you said. When Xiao Xiaokang passed away, you said our child should be called Xiaokang in the future.”

Jing Li gave him another scornful look, letting him feel it for himself. How come he didn’t say that when he thought it would be a girl?

*

When Jing Li was discharged from the hospital, they needed to fill out the baby’s information and apply for the birth certificate. Jing Ran’s mother held Jing Xiaokang, standing behind the young couple. Jing Ran filled in the baby’s name as “Jing Xiaokang” on the registration form. Jing Li put her hand on his hand as he wrote, saying, “I really admire you, you actually wrote Xiaokang.”

A few days ago, the couple had discussed the baby’s name. Jing Ran suggested Jing Xiaokang, but Jing Li said it wasn’t appropriate for the given name to be “Xiaokang.” How could a boy have “Xiao” in his given name? It’s not manly at all!

So, Jing Li suggested the name “Jing Wenkang.”

However, when they filled out the form today, Jing Ran wrote “Jing Xiaokang” again.

Jing Li often lets Jing Ran handle many things, including his sometimes childish decisions. However, the name accompanies the child for a lifetime, so how could she allow him to act so recklessly?

Jing Li asked a nurse for a new registration form and filled out a new set of information. After finishing, she said, “Ranran, this is your son. At least take it seriously and don’t be too childish.”

Jing Ran looked serious and said, “I think Xiaokang is a nice-sounding name.”

Jing Li: “…”

*

Several days after Jing Li and Jing Xiaokang returned home, Jing Ran accepted the fact that he had a son. During Jing Li’s pregnancy, Jing Ran took a beginner’s dad course and learned how to take care of a newborn baby.

At night, Jing Xiaokang cried and threw a tantrum, but Jing Ran patiently calmed him down to sleep. After the little one fell asleep in his arms, he gently placed his son in the crib and tucked him in with a small blanket. Jing Li sat by the bedside, watching Jing Ran take care of their son, feeling very warm.

She had always thought that Jing Ran was as childish as a little child and believed that he would neglect their son because he wasn’t a girl. However, that wasn’t the case; instead, he took even more meticulous care of their son than Jing Li did.”

Seeing Jing Xiaokang sleeping peacefully, Jing Ran felt relieved. He returned to the large bed in the room, covered himself with a blanket, and calmly said, “Lili, it’s time to sleep.”

Jing Ran waited for Jing Li to lie down, covered her with a blanket, and turned off the lights.

“Ranran, are you tired?” Jing Li asked as she hugged Jing Ran.

There was no postpartum care nurse at home, and Jing Li was still on maternity leave. During the day, Grandma and Jing Ran’s mother would come to help. After they left at night, Jing Ran took care of the child after work, so Jing Li didn’t have to work too hard. On the other hand, Jing Ran, who worked during the day, had to take care of the child at night. Sometimes, when Jing Xiaokang cried in the middle of the night, Jing Ran would wake up immediately to comfort him.

The little prince has really grown up.

“Not tired at all,” Jing Ran replied. “He’s our son, how could I be tired?”

Jing Li playfully teased him, “Weren’t you quite disappointed when Xiaokang was born?”

“I was a bit disappointed, but he’s our only son. If I don’t cherish him, who will?” Jing Ran lovingly reassured.

Jing Li, catching onto his words, asked, “Just cherish our son?”

Jing Ran comforted her by stroking Jing Li’s short hair, “Lili, don’t be jealous. I’ll treat you even better than our son. When he’s a bit older, we can send him abroad for studies, have some time for ourselves.”

“How old is ‘a bit older’?” Jing Li inquired.

“Six years old,” Jing Ran answered, leaving Jing Li in surprise.