Marriage in the 1970s: The Political Commissar's Contract Wife

Seeing his pale face, Li Yunxiao knew he was genuinely frightened. He sighed and softened his tone, saying, "Don't scare yourself too much. I'm just reminding you, just in case. If she really is pregnant, you have to be extremely careful and make sure she gets proper nourishment. You can't be careless at all. You need to build a strong foundation for her health, so that..." He paused, then added the worst-case scenario, "Don't let the birth result in both mother and child dying. If that happens, you're really finished!"

The words "two lives lost" exploded in Fang Chu's ears like a thunderclap. He even saw the terrifying image of Zhi Xia dying before his eyes, and was instantly terrified!

"I...I'm leaving now!" He no longer cared about family planning supplies, turned around abruptly, and almost staggered out of the infirmary, running wildly towards home.

At that moment, he had only one thought in his mind: go back and watch over her, protect her, and absolutely not let anything else happen to her!

Fang Chu rushed home in a hurry. As soon as she entered the yard, she saw Wang Chun excitedly telling Zhi Xia about the funny things that happened at the hair salon. Zhi Xia was amused by her and covered her mouth to laugh, her eyebrows curving into crescents. Her face was vivid and bright in the moonlight. Seeing this heartwarming scene, Fang Chu's heart, which had been hanging in her throat, finally calmed down a little.

Seeing Fang Chu return, Wang Chun tactfully stood up: "Political Commissar Fang is back. Well... Xiaxia, I'll be going now. I'll come see you again tomorrow!"

Zhi Xia smiled and nodded: "Okay."

As soon as Wang Chun left, Fang Chu immediately stepped forward and grabbed Zhi Xia's hand without saying a word. He held it tightly, his palm even damp with cold sweat, and his eyes still held lingering fear.

"Xiaxia," his voice was a little dry, "listen to me, from today onwards, you don't need to do anything, just stay home and rest."

Zhixia was completely bewildered by his nonsensical words. She tried to pull her hand away but failed. She asked in confusion, "What are you talking about? Why should I rest every day?"

Looking into her clear, bewildered eyes, Fang Chu knew she was completely unaware of the "danger," so he braced himself and tried to explain in a gentle tone, "You just had a miscarriage, and your body needs a long time to recover. If... if you accidentally get pregnant again, it will be too much damage to your body, so you have to take good care of yourself and can't do any heavy or strenuous work." He deliberately blurred the possibility of "if," not daring to mention what happened last night.

Zhi Xia was even more confused, finding his explanation baffling: "I just had a miscarriage, how could I possibly be pregnant?" She wondered if Fang Chu was too tired from training and had lost his mind.

That evening, the conflict erupted completely. Fang Chu insisted on sleeping in Zhi Xia's room, but Zhi Xia resolutely refused, pointing to the door: "Get out! We agreed that we wouldn't live together after we got married!"

Fang Chu stood rooted to the spot like a mountain, his tone more stubborn than ever before: "No, I have to protect you."

"Why are you guarding me?"

"I'm afraid... I'm afraid something will happen to you! What if... you're pregnant?" In his anxiety, he still said what he was most worried about.

"Fang Chu, what's wrong with you?!" Zhi Xia was both angry and confused. "I already told you I just had a miscarriage and can't possibly be pregnant! Get out!" She couldn't understand his sudden and absurd worry at all.

The two argued endlessly. Seeing that she couldn't get rid of him and didn't want to share a bed with him, Zhixia angrily grabbed a blanket and threw it at him, pointing to the cold floor: "You insist on staying, huh? Fine! Then you can sleep on the floor!"

"The ground is fine." Fang Chu agreed almost without hesitation. As long as he could protect her and make sure she was safe, he didn't care where she slept.

From that day on, Fang Chu began a month of overprotection.

He wouldn't let Zhixia do any of the housework, whether it was laundry, cooking, or cleaning. He would either do it himself or let the orderly do it.

Every day, he anxiously observed Zhixia's complexion, appetite, and... whether her period was on time. His anxious and fearful demeanor made Zhixia feel confused, but also occasionally... a little amused and a little strange.

Forty days passed in Fang Chu's anxious, day-to-day waiting.

Zhixia's period is late.

Fang Chu was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan, counting down the days in her mind almost every day, her worry impossible to hide.

He couldn't help but run to find Li Yunxiao, his voice tense: "It's been over a month, and he still hasn't come! Could it be...?"

Li Yunxiao was much calmer. While fiddling with the medical equipment, she poured cold water on his worries and tried to reassure him: "Don't scare yourself. Hormonal imbalances after a miscarriage and irregular periods are very normal; it's possible for her period to be delayed by a month or two. Just wait and see. Does she have any other early pregnancy symptoms? Like nausea and vomiting, or excessive sleepiness and fatigue?"

Fang Chu thought carefully and shook her head firmly: "No. My appetite is good, and I seem to be in good spirits." Apart from being quieter than usual, there seemed to be nothing unusual.

"Then it might not be pregnancy," Li Yunxiao concluded. "It could just be irregular menstruation. Relax, don't be so paranoid, or you'll scare her."

Even so, how could Fang Chu calm down? He was in a state of high tension, and his gaze towards Zhi Xia was filled with scrutiny and worry, as if he were studying a rare animal.

In the blink of an eye, another month has slipped away in agony.

Two months have passed, and Zhixia's period still hasn't started. Moreover, she's begun to experience significant drowsiness.

He often sits in the yard reading, and then falls asleep leaning against the chair; in the afternoon, without fail, he takes a long nap that he can't be woken up by shouting.

Fang Chu looked at Zhi Xia, who was curled up asleep on the recliner. Sunlight shone on her peaceful sleeping face, but his heart felt as heavy as if it were weighed down by lead.

It's pretty much confirmed.

Excessive sleepiness, coupled with two months of missed periods... these matched the early pregnancy symptoms he had secretly researched.

He approached Li Yunxiao again, this time with an almost desperate certainty: "It's been two months... and she still hasn't come. Besides, she's been sleeping a lot lately."

Seeing his expression, Li Yunxiao knew there was probably no way to avoid it. He sighed and suggested, "Just guessing won't help, and scaring yourself won't solve anything. How about... you find an excuse to take her to the hospital for a checkup? Whether it's true or not, we need to get a definite answer."

Fang Chu nodded silently. It was time for a result; for better or for worse, he had to face it.

However, the thought of Zhixia's possible reaction after learning the truth made him feel an unprecedented sense of panic.