A lonely, unlucky military officer with a stubborn fate insisted on marrying me.

After receiving everyone's gifts, Lin Yinyin stood up and took out rabbit meat sauce from her bag.

"Dear elders, brothers and sisters-in-law, I came from the mountains and didn't bring anything fancy. This is a local specialty, rabbit meat sauce that I made myself. Please try it. If you like it, I'll make more for you later."

Lin Yinyin paid close attention to the expressions on their faces.

It's good that there was no disdain, no contempt, and no disappointment.

My second aunt was the first to reach out and immediately unscrew the lid. A rich aroma of soy sauce wafted out. "Oh my, this smells so good! It's making me hungry again!"

"Yes, yes, yes, I love spicy food the most, Yinyin is so thoughtful!" Fourth Aunt said immediately.

Sister-in-law An Shuqiao also took a jar, saying, "Yinyin is amazing! Homemade is much more valuable than store-bought!"

The others also took one, their tone full of approval. Even Old Master Li took a can and nodded, saying, "The most precious thing in life is to be dedicated."

Looking at the harmonious scene before her, Lin Yinyin once again agreed: the people in the Li family are truly good, sincere and not snobbish, and without any prejudice based on social class.

While everyone was praising her, her mother-in-law, He Jingxian, had already brought out a tray from upstairs.

"Yinyin, Mom knows it's inconvenient for you to buy things in the mountains, so Mom has already prepared a return gift for you."

"Eleven Swiss watches in total, each with a different color and style. Thank you for the generous gift to Yin Yin. Please choose whichever you like."

"My God! It's a Swiss watch! These are so sought-after, you have to fight over them even if you're given foreign exchange certificates!"

"That's right! My sister-in-law always dotes on her daughter-in-law."

"Sister-in-law, your kind gesture is really generous to us, haha!"

Lin Yinyin hadn't expected her mother-in-law to have considered her return gift. Eleven Swiss watches! How much would that cost? Her heart warmed once more.

He Jingxian took out three brocade boxes from under the tray and handed them to An Shuqiao, Wu Zehui and Lin Yinyin.

"These three were specially reserved for the three of you. They're inlaid with small diamonds and have a more delicate design."

She always treated everyone equally, supporting her new daughter-in-law while never neglecting the other daughters-in-law in the family, at least not in terms of appearances.

"Thank you, Mom!"

An Shuqiao and Wu Zehui accepted the brocade box in unison, their faces full of smiles.

They knew their mother-in-law's character, and they understood that harmony in the family brings prosperity.

"I like this! It makes my hands look whiter," said Li Zhenxi's wife.

"I like blue dials; they make me look more energetic!" said Li Zhennan's wife.

"Oh, don't try to take it from me! I love white! It looks so elegant!"

Everyone chatted and selected watches, their laughter filling the living room.

night.

Lin Yinyin lay on the soft bed.

The sheets beneath her were silk, the blankets were down, and they smelled of sunshine, which quickly made her feel relaxed.

She turned to the side, her nose brushing against Li Jinye's warm chest, her voice soft, "Li Jinye..."

"Hmm?" the man responded softly.

"That's wonderful!" Lin Yinyin exclaimed. "Hello! Hello, Mother-in-law! Hello everyone!"

Li Jinye lowered his head and placed a light kiss on the top of her head. "Silly girl, you are the best."

As he spoke, he placed his palm on her stomach, his fingertips gently tracing the soft curve, his eyes filled with tenderness.

He wished these days could last longer.

Unfortunately, he only has two days left!

Just as this sense of melancholy began to creep into my heart, I suddenly felt a twitching sensation in my palm.

Li Jinye immediately tensed up, and the next moment he sat up abruptly.

Lin Yinyin was startled by his sudden action. She was almost asleep; what was wrong with him?

Li Jinye's eyes widened, his gaze fixed on her stomach. "Yinyin!"

"Huh? What's wrong?"

Li Jinye pointed to her stomach. "Are they alive?"

Lin Yinyin: "...swallowed back the words 'Your child is the one who's dead'."

Yes, we can't scold them!

His children are also hers.

She's not angry! Not angry!

This is his first time being a father! It's normal for him to be a little slow!

But she couldn't help rolling her eyes!

"Alright, go to sleep! Don't make a fuss!"

He turned over and fell asleep.

But how could Li Jinye possibly sleep?

He lay back down on the bed, his eyes fixed on her stomach.

I'll put a blanket over her belly in a bit. Hmm... don't let her catch a cold!

After a while, they took it away again.

Because Lin Yinyin was sweating, the children couldn't get too hot.

The blanket was pulled back over me shortly after. Hmm... the temperature dropped in the latter half of the night.

Lin Yinyin didn't sleep well that night, feeling hot and cold intermittently.

She also dreamed that she was walking in the mountains and forests, with a slow, heavy footstep always following behind her.

Looking back, it turned out to be a leopard that was entirely black.

Its figure was agile yet its steps were restrained, and its golden eyes were fixed on her lower abdomen, without a trace of ferocity, only extreme focus.

She walked, and the leopard moved.

She stopped, and the leopard halted.

It would always follow behind her, doing nothing but staring intently at her belly.

It's about companionship, and it's about protection.

The next day.

Lin Yinyin woke up groggily and turned her head to see Li Jinye leaning against the headboard with dark circles under his eyes, clearly indicating that he hadn't slept well.

But his eyes were surprisingly bright.

"Li Jinye, what's wrong? Didn't you sleep all night?"

Li Jinye took her hand and kissed her palm. "You slept with her."

"Yinyin, Mom has an appointment with the doctor. We'll go for our prenatal checkup after lunch."

"OK."

Lin Yinyin grabbed the watch from the bedside table and looked at it. Oh dear!

It's just lunch!

It's already past 11 o'clock!

She slept all morning!

"Why didn't you call me?" she said, then hurriedly went downstairs.

Downstairs, He Jingxian had just finished yawning.

"Mom, did you not sleep well last night?" Lin Yinyin asked.

He Jingxian glared at Li Jinye. Not only did she not sleep well, but his father did too. This kid was standing at her door in the middle of the night, grinning like an idiot.

How long is his reaction time? It takes him so long to realize this is real!

They even asked her if Yin Yin's stomach would hurt when the baby moved!

They also asked, "Won't the child get tired after moving 18 times in three hours?"

This stupid question is driving her crazy!

Of course, his dad was even angrier! Coming to his room in the middle of the night instead of sleeping—wasn't that asking for a beating? So he grabbed a stick to hit him!

It was Li Jinxiao who came to stop them, saying that it was understandable for a first-time father.

Li Jinxiao knew his father well; he loved lecturing others. He also knew his younger brother well; no one could sleep until the issues were cleared up. So, he persuaded Li Zhendong to give Li Zhenye a whole night of advice on being a father.

This allowed them to sleep well into the middle of the night.

Thinking back to this, He Jingxian said, "I took a nap this morning. I'm not sleepy now!"

"Yinyin, are you hungry? Come on! Let's go eat!"

A table full of dishes, a mix of meat and vegetables, were already laid out in the restaurant, all of which were Lin Yinyin's favorites.

There were only four people at lunch: Grandpa, Grandma, Li Jinye, and Lin Yinyin.

He Jingxian kept putting food on Lin Yinyin's plate, saying, "Yinyin, eat more. You might need to have your blood drawn for your prenatal checkup later. You need to eat more so you have the energy."

"Yes, this soup was made by your mother," said Grandpa Li. "Drink a couple more bowls to nourish your body."

After saying that, she put down her chopsticks and looked at Li Jinye: "You have to follow the prenatal checkup carefully, and remember every word the doctor says."

"Okay, Grandpa." Li Jinye replied, picking the fish bones out of Lin Yinyin's bowl and pushing the fish back in front of her.

The sunlight fell on the dining table, warm and cozy, and it warmed people's hearts as well.

In the afternoon, three jeeps and two cars parked at the Li family's old residence.

Lin Yinyin looked at the cars at the door, somewhat bewildered.

Wasn't it just her and Li Jinye at the prenatal checkup?

What's the meaning of so many cars?