Marry a female star at a bargain price

Chapters 268 and 269. Reporting for Duty on the First Day of the Lunar New Year

Lin Xiao didn't take Zhong Jiawen's threat seriously at all.

Because it's simply not necessary.

Chung Chia-wen wants to start with Tsao Yuan-chi, and it's not like she hasn't tried before.

With Lin Xiao and Cao Yuanzhi completely unprepared, her tailor-made scam for Lao Cao indeed fooled him like a fool, leaving him unable to extricate himself from this "love trap."

But so what?
Lin Xiao countered Zhong Jiawen's moves with ease, dismantling them completely with just two songs, and also helping Lao Cao realize his long-held musical dream, propelling him to the peak of popularity and online traffic.

Now, Cao Yuanzhi has seen through Zhong Jiawen's true colors to some extent.

Although there is still an obsession.

But it's definitely not that easy to be fooled.

Even if he falls for it again, it doesn't matter. Lin Xiao was able to save him the first time, and he can save him the second time.

It's just a matter of writing a couple more songs.

What a coincidence, he has plenty of that stuff in his head!
Therefore, Lin Xiao was not afraid of Zhong Jiawen using the same trick again.

As for the woman's threat to expose Xixi's pregnancy, he was even less worried.

He and Han Xixi are a legally married couple, and their relationship is not something illicit.

Xi Xi was unwilling to reveal her pregnancy simply because she had witnessed how malicious netizens could be; they were practically stealing all the bamboo shoots from the mountain.

Xi Xi really didn't want her baby to be in a terrible public opinion environment from birth, being discussed by the public and even slandered by malicious people.

That's why they chose to keep it a secret, not because they were ashamed of it.

If Zhong Jiawen really exposes it, even if Lin Xiao's job and personal identity are also exposed, it's not a big deal.

Again.

Their family has nothing to hide; they just don't need to make a scene.

If given a choice, Lin Xiao would certainly prefer to maintain the current situation, keeping himself and his child offline and living their peaceful lives.

After it's exposed, there will be a lot of trouble.

But no matter how troublesome it might be, he would not allow himself to be threatened so easily, especially by a crazy woman like Zhong Jiawen.

So he went all out and didn't take this venomous woman seriously at all.

I doubt she can cause any trouble.

He was also betting that she was hesitant to act rashly and was afraid of getting herself into trouble.

After all, she's not alone; she has a sugar daddy behind her.

Having finally severed ties with Cao Yuanzhi, it's uncertain whether getting an advantage from him again would be worthwhile; it would certainly be a life-or-death situation for him.

The same logic applies to exposing his relationship with Han Xixi.

In terms of public relations, they have Feihong Entertainment behind them, one of the top entertainment companies in the industry, and their influence and capabilities are undeniable.

In private matters, Lin Xiao is a public official. Although his position is not high, this identity is already very intimidating.

If Chung Ka-man were a normal person, she would never dare to act rashly, because that would be playing with her career prospects.

Her painstaking efforts to get close to Lin Xiao were all for the sake of getting a song.

It's all for my career prospects.

Having finally managed to get in touch with Lin Xiao, she had to think about whether it was worth it to go through all these little tricks and offend such a big shot!

However, he was threatened by Chung Ka-man over the phone.

Lin Xiao hadn't actually thought it through clearly for a moment; he just instinctively felt disgusted and then refused.

After hanging up the phone, I realized it was a bit risky.

But we have nothing to fear.

He was certain that Chung Ka-man wouldn't dare to do anything reckless, as long as she was still a normal person.

However, Lin Xiao misunderstood.

The fact that this woman went to such lengths and relentlessly pursued the truth about "Ma Yao" proves that she is insane.

The actions of a madman cannot be understood using the logic of a normal person.

Despite Lin Xiao's analysis from various dimensions, including reason, emotion, and pros and cons, it is clear that if Zhong Jiawen puts her threats into action, it will be an absolutely terrible idea.

But she did it anyway.

The phone call was made on the evening of the 27th of the twelfth lunar month, and Cao Yuanzhi's house collapsed on the morning of the 28th of the twelfth lunar month!

In the morning, Lin Xiao was still asleep.

I was suddenly woken up by my wife shaking me.

"Brother, brother..."

"Toilet?"

Lin Xiao sat up groggily, his eyes still closed, vaguely remembering that he had just accompanied his wife to the bathroom.

Xi Xi exclaimed in a panic, "Don't go to the bathroom! Check Weibo, Brother Cao is in trouble!!"

Lin Xiao was taken aback: "Huh?"

He opened his eyes and saw the faint morning light outside the window. His wife was sitting against the headboard, her round belly protruding like a small hill.

It's obvious that he couldn't sleep after coming back from the bathroom, so he sat there playing on his phone for a while.

I never expected to stumble upon such a juicy piece of gossip.

Lin Xiao took his wife's phone and saw that the topic "Cao Yuanzhi was jointly sued by his ex-girlfriend" was prominently displayed at the top of the Weibo trending topics page.

He woke up immediately.

He glanced at his wife, saw her alert look, and said nothing.

I clicked on the link and took a look.

The source of the topic was discovered to be a person claiming to be Cao Yuanzhi's ex-girlfriend, who posted several chat logs on Weibo, providing solid evidence that Cao Yuanzhi had cheated on her multiple times during their relationship.

The leaked chat logs weren't just from her alone.

Instead, they joined forces with Lao Cao's other ex-girlfriends to file a lawsuit simultaneously.

Obviously he came prepared.

In other words, Lao Cao not only had an affair, but he was also a repeat offender, with almost every relationship ending in infidelity.

If these chat screenshots are not fake, then Cao Yuanzhi has been thoroughly humiliated and his case is irrefutable.

Lin Xiao was a little confused.

Just yesterday, Tsao Yuan-chih was undoubtedly a rising star in the music scene, enjoying unparalleled popularity with two hit new songs, even overshadowing his wife Han Hsi-hsi in terms of popularity.

But just one night later, he was humiliated because his past romantic affairs were posted online and he was publicly shamed.

In the comments section, netizens were really cracking their tongues.

"You can tell he's a scumbag just by looking at him!!"

"As expected, there's not a single good person in the entertainment industry. I knew it was impossible for such an ugly guy to become famous. He's obviously being promoted by powerful figures!"

"A toad goes to a bar, ugly but fun-loving!"

"No, this guy's pretty good, is he addicted to cheating?"

"Don't come out again saying you made a mistake that any man would make, that you were out having fun without me, and now you're coming to me to confess and pay your dues!"

"Who's supporting this scumbag? I even cried listening to 'Love Like a Tide'! Ugh, disgusting!"

"If I remember correctly, Cao Yuanzhi is Ma Yao's good friend?"

"Birds of a feather flock together. If Ma Yao has such a friend, and even wrote a song to make him famous, then this person must not be a good person either!"

"No, I'm still supporting Ma Yao and Han Xixi, is this going to collapse?"

"Hmph, just take celebrity romances with a grain of salt. They're rarer than ghosts, and yet some people actually believe in them!"

"..."

Lin Xiao glanced through the list and found that he and Lao Cao had received roughly equal amounts of abuse.

I've been caught in the crossfire this time without any real involvement.

However, it's not fair to blame netizens for collective punishment, since Lao Cao's overnight fame was truly due to his own efforts to gain fame by associating with the renowned musician Ma Yao.

When Cao Yuanzhi's house collapsed, Ma Yao naturally bore the brunt of the damage; even if he rode on a whirlwind, he couldn't escape.

Lin Xiao didn't take it to heart.

After all, he was wearing a mask and wasn't actually the scumbag; at most, he would only face some criticism.

Cao Yuanzhi is in a terrible situation.

The evidence released by this so-called ex-girlfriend is irrefutable, and she clearly has more to come.

Whether or not Cao Yuanzhi will release the remaining forces depends on his response.

However, given the current situation, unless he has direct evidence to prove that the woman is making a false accusation, he is absolutely doomed and it will be difficult to turn the tide.

Lin Xiao's expression turned cold.

He wasn't worried about Lao Cao himself, but rather felt... it was too much of a coincidence!

He had just been threatened by that crazy woman Zhong Jiawen last night and had directly rejected her invitation to "cooperate".

And then today, Cao Yuanzhi's house collapsed.

Lin Xiao couldn't believe it was a coincidence and almost immediately concluded that Zhong Jiawen was behind this trending topic.

This conclusion was the source of Lin Xiao's panic.

This woman is absolutely insane.

This is not a human being at all, but a monster, a monster that is difficult to understand with normal human thinking!

Lin Xiao's immediate priority was not to analyze the madwoman's motives.

Instead, they contacted Cao Yuanzhi to find out the truth and consider whether there was any chance or possibility of a reversal.

He called Cao Yuanzhi, but the phone was switched off.

I tried several times, and it was the same every time.

"Brother, should I call the company and ask?" Xixi asked from the side.

"no need."

Lin Xiao calmed down and said, "Old Cao's phone is off. Fei Hong Entertainment must be figuring out how to resolve this. Asking won't help. Nothing's more important than you right now. Don't worry, everything's alright!"

Xi Xi frowned and pursed her lips, looking worried, clearly not comforted.

"What's wrong?" Lin Xiao put down his phone and asked with concern.

"Um……"

After hesitating for a moment, Xixi finally spoke up, "Brother, what you're saying about Brother Cao... is it true?"

Lin Xiao paused for a moment, then shook his head.

"I do not know."

"..."

"But based on my understanding of him, he is a person with principles."

Lin Xiao said seriously, "Although he used to love to play around and party almost every night, he only associated with people who lived for the moment and didn't have any serious intentions about dating. So... I think this ex-girlfriend's so-called accusations are probably false, and even the identity of this ex-girlfriend doesn't seem real."

Han Xixi nodded after hearing this, but her expression did not relax, clearly unable to understand such a thing.

For her, a relationship should be one-to-one, very clean and pure.

Just like her parents, in-laws, and her and Lin Xiao.

For her, casual sex and one-night stands were particularly difficult to understand; she simply couldn't imagine what kind of person would use their body to exchange for pleasure.

Is that kind of happiness really happiness?
She couldn't understand.

Lin Xiao noticed Xi Xi's confusion, reached out and pinched her cheek, rescuing her from her rut.

"Ouch, that hurts!" Xi Xi cried out in pain.

"Don't think about it. Your husband wouldn't do that. Don't worry about it!"

"Hmm...that's not what I thought!"

Xi Xi smiled.

Lin Xiao raised an eyebrow: "Then what are you worried about with that worried look on your face?"

Xi Xi smiled and tried to rest her head on his shoulder, but she was too heavy to do so.

Seeing this, Lin Xiao quickly sat down to her side, allowing Xixi to lean her whole body against his chest.

Then he said, "I just feel so lucky to have found such a wonderful husband like you, brother. You're so devoted to me, even when I was pregnant and couldn't... You never said you'd go out and find another woman. Instead, you focused all your energy on being with me and taking care of me... Thank you, my husband."

Lin Xiao's heart trembled.

Actually, my wife's nine-plus months of pregnancy were quite difficult.

He was a vigorous young man with strong desires.

During the past six months, apart from the two or three times when Xixi's various indicators stabilized in the second trimester, she relied on willpower and faith to get through it all.

Lin Xiao was focused on his work, but he also wanted to distract himself.

Otherwise, it would be really hard to get through; it would feel like an eternity.

He felt that enduring a few months was nothing at all.

Because his wife's pregnancy was truly arduous, compared to the various discomforts and inconveniences she endured during pregnancy, as well as the impending challenges of childbirth, Lin Xiao felt that he had already gained a huge advantage because of his gender.

To complain about not having sex for several months is simply worse than being an animal.

But then again.

The suffering caused by unmet bodily needs is an objective reality that no one can ignore.

Lin Xiao could disregard it.

His wife was able to see this and thanked him for his self-discipline and forbearance, which gave him a sense of happiness, like "losing a sesame seed but gaining a watermelon".

The unmet needs are merely physiological.

A wife's love and affirmation are spiritual.

The two are simply incomparable.

Lin Xiao couldn't help but love such a lovely and understanding wife, and he hugged her tighter with tenderness.

The two remained silent for a moment, watching quietly as the sky outside the window slowly brightened.

"Honey, what about Brother Cao's matter?" Xixi suddenly asked.

"Hmm... let's just leave it as is!"

"Be serious!!" Xi Xi said, displeased.

"I'm very serious!"

Lin Xiao said seriously, "The meaning of 'cooling down' is to handle it calmly. After all, in this kind of situation, once it's proven true or false, the man will be nailed to the pillar of shame. In addition, with the frequent scandals in the entertainment industry in recent years, netizens have been continuously demystifying celebrities. Now, if any celebrity has a problem with their relationship, they will basically be severely punished—especially male celebrities!"

Lin Xiao shook his head as he spoke: "So, even if Lao Cao can prove himself this time, netizens will selectively ignore him and firmly label him a 'scumbag,' a label they can't shake off!"

Xi Xi became worried.

"Wouldn't that ruin Brother Cao's singing career?"

"Whose fault is that? He only thought about having fun and being a womanizer before, he deserves it!"

"..."

Xi Xi almost burst out laughing when she saw her husband's indignant expression.

People are starting to doubt whether he and Cao Yuanzhi are really friends. Lin Xiao, after catching his breath, said, "But then again, cheating is just a moral stain, it doesn't break the law, and it's different from those celebrities who break the law and violate regulations. So as long as the person refuses to leave the internet, no one can do anything about it."

"However, after something like this happened, netizens will definitely boycott him spontaneously. Capital circles, watching the online sentiment, will naturally be hesitant to use him on various platforms. Without job opportunities, he'll have no choice but to leave the industry..."

Xi Xi nodded, somewhat regretfully.

However, remembering what her husband said, she felt that Cao Yuanzhi's fate was entirely his own fault.

Who told him to be so carefree and womanizing before!

Xi Xi hated this kind of person, so in an instant, her slight friendship with Lao Cao vanished, and she never wanted to think about it again.

……

9 o'clock in the morning.

Cao Yuanzhi finally called back, his voice extremely low, as if he had lost half his life.

Lin Xiao asked about the details of the matter.

Sure enough, online reports revealed that the woman was not his ex-girlfriend at all, but at most a regular bed partner whom he met at a bar.

Cao Yuanzhi has had contact with more than a dozen such bed partners.

I heard a lot!

But everyone knows it's all about physical attraction, not emotional connection. If they get along, the relationship continues; if they get bored, they move on.

Urban men and women living in the moment is perfectly normal.

The reason for those ambiguous and explicit chat records is actually a kind of fun – even though they are just bed partners, they still need to add each other on WeChat for easy contact and occasionally keep in touch.

The content of this communication is naturally full of flirtation and lust; certain specific excerpts can make it seem as if the relationship is that of a couple.

One post online, and he's confirmed to be a scumbag.

Cao Yuanzhi still can't clarify!

You can't exactly say that all those people are people you know from artillery school, can you? That kind of reputation isn't much better than that of a cheating scumbag.

So even though they know they're being deliberately smeared, they can only grit their teeth and bear it.

Feihong Entertainment's public relations department handled the situation exactly as Lin Xiao had guessed—no response, no admission, and that was it!
After hearing the whole story, Lin Xiao simply sighed.

He doesn't have time to worry about Cao Yuanzhi right now.

Today is the 28th day of the twelfth lunar month, and tomorrow is Lunar New Year's Eve. Then comes the Spring Festival event of the Chaoshuihe Cultural Festival, which Anyang County has been planning for months.

This cultural festival will run from the first day of the lunar calendar until the seventh day.

Two of the large-scale performances are scheduled for the fifth and sixth days of the Lunar New Year, and the Culture and Tourism Bureau has already promoted the famous singer Cao Yuanzhi in its official publicity.

As the original singer of "Love Like a Tide".

Cao Yuanzhi's involvement directly led to the rapid spread of the county-level cultural festival's popularity throughout the province.

The official announcement on Weibo received over 10,000 likes, and the conservative estimate for the number of people who came to see the performance that day was over 10,000.

The cultural tourism industry's driving effect is really strong. Although it can't compare to Chaobai Town during last year's National Day holiday, it's still a good start to the new year.

With the addition of Chung Ka-man, its popularity has doubled.

But now, with the cultural festival about to officially begin, Cao Yuanzhi's house has suddenly collapsed.

This truly caught Fang Danian and Lin Xiao off guard, leaving them with a huge problem.

The reason why the Chaoshuihe Cultural Energy Conservation Project has gained so much attention is mainly because netizens are drawn to it by Cao Yuanzhi!
Now that his career has collapsed, should we cancel his performance?

If we don't cancel it, we'll just be making ourselves a target for netizens, and the entire Anyang County will be criticized.

If it's canceled, this meticulously planned cultural festival will instantly lose its appeal, and Zhong Jiawen alone can't carry it.

After all, she wasn't the original singer of "Love Like a Tide".

Moreover, Cao Yuanzhi's affair was entirely her doing. Now that she's become the only supporter of the cultural festival, how can she be so easy to talk to and perform without making any demands?
Lin Xiao knew with his toes that it was impossible!

This is indeed a difficult matter.

As Lin Xiao had expected, Fang Danian called immediately after he hung up on Cao Yuanzhi.

"Hello, Director Fang," Lin Xiao answered.

"Xiao Lin, I know your wife is about to give birth, I shouldn't be bothering you..."

Fang Danian spoke urgently, and after much hesitation, he finally asked, "You've seen the news about Cao Yuanzhi online, haven't you?"

Lin Xiao nodded, his tone solemn.

"I saw it."

"Now his career has completely collapsed, hasn't it?"

"Yes, it collapsed!"

"What are we going to do about our cultural festival? All the tourists are here because of him... Should we still let him perform on stage?"

"The performance is definitely out of the question!"

Lin Xiao said directly, "With his current reputation, even if he were still willing to go on stage, no one would want to watch him. Forcing him to perform would only cause trouble for ourselves, so... let's issue an announcement quickly and cancel his performance!"

Fang Danian had already anticipated this outcome, and he sighed heavily on the other end of the phone.

"But this cultural festival..."

"Isn't there Zhong Jiawen? What did she say?"

"Miss Zhong hasn't said anything, so she should be able to participate in the performance as usual."

Fang Danian said in a somber tone, "However, we previously promoted the original singer of 'Love Like a Tide,' and the concept of the Tide River Cultural Festival also came from 'Love Like a Tide.' Now that Cao Yuanzhi isn't coming... this cultural festival is a bit of a misnomer. Will tourists still buy into it?"

Lin Xiao had already realized this and also found it difficult to handle.

But there is a way.

He said, "Let me think about it some more. Anyway, there are still a few days until the scheduled performance. I'll think about it some more and wait for my news."

Upon hearing this, Fang Danian's brows immediately relaxed, and he felt relieved.

He knew Lin Xiao's true identity.

If this kid could resolve Cao Yuanzhi's appearance on stage with just one phone call, then he would naturally have a way to deal with the current anomaly.

Fang Danian made this call for this very purpose.

Although he knew his call was ill-timed, as tomorrow was New Year's Eve and his wife was about to give birth.

However, the "Tide River Culture Festival" project is the county's top priority project planned this year by the Culture and Tourism Bureau.

If the film is a flop during the Spring Festival season, then the whole year is ruined.

Fang Danian couldn't bear such a huge mistake, so he could only ask Lin Xiao for help, regardless of whether it was appropriate or not.

Fortunately, Lin Xiao gave him a positive answer.

Fang Danian breathed a sigh of relief; now he could finally enjoy a peaceful and happy New Year.

He hung up the phone, satisfied.

But Lin Xiao was caught in a dilemma, his breathing becoming uneven.

At that moment, he had only one thought—to kill that bitch Zhong Jiawen, he had to kill her!
But now is clearly not the time.

The main problem was that Xixi was at risk of giving birth at any moment, and the cultural festival performances still had to continue, so he really couldn't take care of her.

So they had no choice but to swallow their anger for the time being.

Online controversies come and go quickly.

Cao Yuanzhi also benefited from the blessings of his ancestors—today happens to be Lunar New Year's Eve!

Although his trending topic was very popular, by the afternoon, it was overshadowed by various cheerful topics and was quickly forgotten.

That night.

Ninghai City was brightly lit and adorned with dazzling fireworks.

Lin Xiao and Xi Xi's new villa was decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations on all three floors, creating a lively and festive atmosphere.

Apart from his father-in-law, Han Haijun, who was still working in Yizhou, the whole family gathered together.

Uncle Liang Bin also came from Jingzhou, and together with Lin Xiao's whole family, the large round table in the restaurant was packed with people, making it a very lively place.

With more people, the festive atmosphere of the Chinese New Year is created.

However, it was inevitable that the two families were not actually that familiar with each other, especially Lin Xiao's parents and Xi Xi's aunt and uncle, who had never even met each other before. Their living environments and backgrounds were completely different, making normal communication quite difficult.

Lin Yu and Liang Tian knew each other and got along well during the summer vacation.

But after a few months apart, the two became estranged again. After exchanging greetings, they stopped talking and didn't even make eye contact.

I don’t know if it’s intentional or not.

Lin Xiao didn't have time to analyze it.

As the owner of this house, he is also a bridge between the two families.

At this moment, he had no time to think about Cao Yuanzhi's house collapse, the crisis of the cultural festival, or the wicked woman's schemes.

He devoted himself entirely to enlivening the atmosphere at the dinner table, wholeheartedly acting as a friendly ambassador between the two families.

He didn't want to drink.

After all, my wife is already full-term and could start labor at any time.

But Aunt Liu Lixia said, "There are so many people in the family. My sister and I can both drive. Do we have to rely on you? You're such a responsible husband. Your aunt should give you an award!"

Lin Xiao was teased so much that he kept scratching his head and laughing.

At this moment, the mother-in-law also laughed and said, "Xiaoxiao has been working and taking care of Xixi lately, he must be exhausted. Today is the New Year, so relax a bit. After all, there are so many people at home. Judging from Xixi's condition, there shouldn't be any news in the next couple of days. You can have a drink with your dad and your aunt's husband, it's alright!"

Xi Xi stood silently to the side, smiling at him with a bright, sunflower-like smile, bubbling with happiness in the joyful atmosphere of the family gathering.

Lin Xiao's tense nerves finally relaxed a little.

He poured himself a drink and started drinking with his father, Lin Jianping, and his aunt's husband, Liang Bin.

I said I'd stop short of it at the beginning.

Later, Liang Bin clearly got drunk and wouldn't let go of Lin Xiao, chatting with him about this and that without stopping, acting as intimately as two brothers.

With such a hospitable guest, Lin Xiao, as the host, could not refuse.

So he could only drink one cup after another, not even knowing when he fell asleep.

In my daze, I heard voices calling from the side.

"Brother, brother..."

Lin Xiao initially thought he was dreaming.

The voice grew increasingly real, and a force pushed against him, forcibly pulling him from the illusion into reality.

Lin Xiao woke up with a start and sat up.

Then I heard my wife leaning against the headboard, clutching her stomach and crying out in pain.

"Ah... brother, my... stomach hurts..."

Lin Xiao's mind went blank for a moment.

The next second, reason forcefully took over, and the information I had previously researched quickly unfolded in my mind.

"My water hasn't broken... When did the pain start?"

"It's been a while, a little while."

Xi Xi's forehead was already covered in sweat. As she spoke, her cheeks turned red from the pain, and her body trembled slightly.

However, a few seconds later, she let out a long sigh of relief, her expression calmed down, and she seemed completely unaffected.

"How long did it hurt?" Lin Xiao asked hurriedly, not daring to be careless.

"I don't know... about a minute?"

"Including this time, how many times has it hurt?"

"three times."

"What's the interval between each time?"

"Hmm... about ten minutes?"

"The contractions are regular, it doesn't look like Braxton Hicks contractions...it's really time to give birth!"

Lin Xiao's initial assessment.

Xi Xi was startled. She hadn't expected that her due date hadn't arrived yet, and she hadn't experienced any discomfort before going to sleep. She was suddenly in labor in the middle of the night.

She felt a sudden sense of panic.

During the later stages of pregnancy, carrying a big belly can be exhausting. You look forward to giving birth every day, but when the moment actually arrives, there is no joy of impending relief, only reluctance to let go of the pregnancy and fear of the final hurdle.

Lin Xiao had already gotten up and was packing her things; her maternity bag was already in the dressing room.

After he finished collecting his things, he noticed his wife sitting there looking terrified, and realized that she was very scared.

He quickly put his things down and went over to hug Xixi.

"Don't be afraid, don't be afraid, your husband will always be with you!"

He said calmly.

Xixi felt his body temperature, and her emotions calmed down immediately.

However, before she could feel happy, contractions struck again, causing her to grimace in pain.

"Ah... it hurts!"

Lin Xiao glanced at his watch; it had been exactly ten minutes since the pain he had just experienced.

The signs of impending production are now confirmed.

He quickly went next door and knocked on the door.

The thumping noise woke everyone up, turning the huge villa into chaos.

My mother-in-law, Liu Liyun, doesn't live here. After all, there are still a few stubborn old men in the house who refuse to leave. She clinked glasses with everyone at the New Year's Eve dinner and then went back to Jili Garden.

Right now, it's Aunt Liu Lixia who's helping Xixi get dressed.

Lin Xiao put the maternity bag in the car, started the car, and turned on the air conditioning.

Then he came back and helped his wife, who was bundled up tightly, into the car.

As he was about to get into the driver's seat, Liu Lixia stopped him: "You drank so much tonight, can you drive? Let me drive!"

Lin Xiao then came to his senses and hurriedly stepped aside to sit in the back.

Xixi is in pain again.

He watched helplessly from the sidelines, unable to do anything but hold his wife's hand, trying to offer a little strength, even though he knew that this strength might be negligible.

The pain followed the cycle exactly and subsided after about a minute.

Xi Xi breathed a sigh of relief, and then felt her husband's body temperature in her palm.

Late at night on the streets of Ninghai, the back seat of a car is warm.

Both of them were filled with panic.

But after a single glance, their feelings were replaced by a silent happiness.

After waiting for so long, this moment has finally arrived.

Their first child, an unpredictable and impatient child who rushed to report for duty in the early hours of the first day of the Lunar New Year, is about to be born into this world and appear as an official member of their lives.

Lin Xiao had clearly made preparations long ago, but at this moment he still felt dazed and it all felt very unreal.

"I...I'm really going to be a dad!"

(End of this chapter)