His physiological preference

Yang Zhiyan picked up a piece of stir-fried vegetables with her chopsticks. "She was angry too, but later she apologized and transferred the hospital to my name."

Jiang Siya put down her chopsticks. "Do you want some?"

Yang Zhiyan thought for a moment, then put down her chopsticks. "I'll take it."

Jiang Siya looked at her, "Why?"

"It would be stupid not to have money. Besides, Ah Zheng said it's her responsibility to compensate me. I was wronged, so I should get compensation."

Jiang Siya was silent for a moment, then picked up her chopsticks again. "Alright, at least your husband didn't take sides."

After finishing their meal, the two walked out of the restaurant, where Qin Yuzheng's car was already parked.

He stood by the car and saw Yang Zhiyan get out, so he opened the passenger door for her.

Yang Zhiyan waved to Jiang Siya and was about to get into the car when a black sedan slowly drove up beside them. The window rolled down, revealing Mu Chenli's face. "Siya, I'll take you home."

Jiang Siya didn't even look at him. She opened the door of her car, got in, started the engine, and sped away.

Mu Chenli's car remained parked for a few seconds before slowly driving away.

Yang Zhiyan got into the car and fastened her seatbelt. "Why is Mu Chenli here?"

Qin Yuzheng started the car. "Ask Siya."

Yang Zhiyan shook her head and didn't ask any more questions.

In the days that followed, Qin Yuzheng took meticulous care of Yang Zhiyan.

He would take her to her studio every morning and pick her up from school on time in the afternoon. He reduced unnecessary social engagements, declined all dinner invitations he could, and tried to schedule the ones he couldn't refuse for lunchtime.

Fang Yibin watched his boss leave work and felt an unspeakable envy, while he could only miserably work overtime.

Yang Zhiyan's belly grew bigger day by day.

One day, Yang Zhiyan stood in front of the dressing mirror and looked at her slightly protruding belly. Her waistline had disappeared, and she could no longer wear any of the fitted cheongsams and dresses she used to wear.

She turned around, looked at her profile, then turned back, looked down at her waist, and let out a sigh.

Qin Yuzheng came out of the study and happened to see this scene. He walked over and stood behind her, wrapped his arms around her stomach from behind, rested his chin on her shoulder, and looked at the two people in the mirror.

"What's wrong?" Yang Zhiyan turned her head. "I can't fit into any of my old dresses anymore."

Qin Yuzheng gently placed his hand on her slightly protruding belly. "Buy new ones. Whatever you want to wear, we'll buy it."

A slight smile curved her lips. "Do you think I'm not pretty anymore?"

Qin Yuzheng turned her to face him, his gaze lingered on her face for a moment, and then he said, "My wife is the most beautiful woman in the world."

The first fetal movement occurred that night. Yang Zhiyan was leaning against the headboard reading a book, while Qin Yuzheng was beside her dealing with the last few emails.

She suddenly felt something move inside her stomach.

Her hand trembled, and the book almost fell. She looked up, her voice filled with uncertain surprise.

"Ah Zheng..."

Qin Yuzheng put down his phone. "What's wrong?" Yang Zhiyan didn't answer. She took his hand and gently placed it on her pregnant belly. "Wait here."

About ten seconds later, it happened again.

Qin Yuzheng's palm was pressed against her skin, and through the thin fabric of her pajamas, he could feel it, as if someone had gently kicked him from inside.

His eyes suddenly lit up. His hand didn't move; it just rested on her stomach. He looked down at her stomach and then up at her, his expression showing a strange joy.

He lowered his head and kissed her forehead, his lips lingering there for a few seconds, before saying, "He's moving."

Yang Zhiyan looked into his shining eyes, a smile curving her lips. "You felt it?"

Qin Yuzheng didn't answer; his hand was still on her stomach. He lowered his head, pressing his ear against her belly. "Baby?"

He called out to her belly, his voice low and soft, "I'm Daddy."

There was no movement from his belly. Qin Yuzheng waited a few seconds, then a few more seconds, "He's probably asleep."

Yang Zhiyan looked at him lying on her stomach, waiting for the baby to move, and said, "Do you think he's an alarm clock? Something that will go off the moment you press it?"

Qin Yuzheng straightened up, still holding his hand on her stomach. "It's okay, there will be plenty of opportunities in the future."

Prenatal education is a fixed part of our nightly bedtime routine. Qin Yuzheng took a storybook from his study, sat on the edge of the bed, opened the book, cleared his throat, and said in a steady voice, "Once upon a time, there was a little bear who lived in the forest..."

Yang Zhiyan leaned against the headboard, watching him read with his head down. His eyelashes drooped, casting a small fan-shaped shadow under his eyelids in the light of the bedside lamp.

He read two pages, paused to look at the pages, then at her belly. "Tell him to be quiet. This book has only just begun. Stop kicking."

Yang Zhiyan laughed out loud, "Are you bargaining with an unborn baby?"

Qin Yuzheng closed the book. "Then let's choose a quieter one tomorrow."

Once, Yang Zhiyan was scrolling through short videos when she came across a picture of an injured kitten curled up by the roadside.

After she finished reading it, tears started falling, one by one, and before she could even react, her tears had already soaked her phone screen.

Qin Yuzheng pulled out a tissue from the side and handed it to him. "What's wrong?"

Yang Zhiyan turned her phone over to show him, "It's so pitiful."

Qin Yuzheng glanced at the screen, then at her red, swollen nose, and gently dabbed her eyes with a tissue. "Tomorrow we'll see if we can adopt one."

Yang Zhiyan blew her nose. "Really?"

Qin Yuzheng threw the tissue into the trash can. "Really. But you have to drink this bowl of soup first."

Another time, Yang Zhiyan saw spicy strips in a short video. Looking at the image of spicy strips soaked in red oil, she held her phone up to Qin Yuzheng and said in a pleading voice, "I want to eat spicy strips."

Qin Yuzheng glanced at the screen. "That's not clean; it'll upset your stomach if you eat it. If you want to eat it, I'll have Aunt Li learn how to make it; it'll be clean and hygienic to make it yourself."

Yang Zhiyan looked at him without saying a word, but tears welled up in her eyes and streamed down her cheeks.

Qin Yuzheng stared at her unexpected tears for a moment, then said, "Baby..."

Yang Zhiyan cried as she said, "You used to say that my happiness was the most important thing, and that it was okay to eat out occasionally. Now it's clear that you've changed your mind."

Qin Yuzheng quickly pulled her into his arms, saying, "I haven't changed my mind. I will only love you more each day."

Yang Zhiyan lifted her head from his embrace, "Then why won't you let me eat spicy strips? When we were little, everyone else had spicy strips, but I didn't. And I still don't have any now."

Looking into her teary eyes, Qin Yuzheng relented, "How about Aunt Li does it tomorrow?"

Yang Zhiyan shook her head. "I want to eat now."

Qin Yuzheng sighed, "I'll go buy it for you right now."

He stood up, picked up his coat, and said, "But I can only eat a little bit."

Yang Zhiyan sniffed. "You just don't want me to eat, hmph."

She turned and went into the bedroom, closing the door behind her.

Qin Yuzheng stood in the living room, looking at the closed door, took out his phone to check which convenience stores were still open nearby, and then went out.

Yang Zhiyan leaned against the bedroom door and heard him open the door and leave. Her tears flowed even more fiercely.

He really left; he was angry; he ignored her.