My girlfriend isn't as cute as me.

"If you want to touch it, then touch it! You're the child's father, you have that right."

Wang Yuting grabbed Lin Jiu's wrist and pressed it towards her abdomen.

Lin Jiu placed his hands on Wang Yuting's stomach, instinctively relaxing his grip, afraid of hurting her or frightening the baby. He slowly closed his eyes, as if trying to feel the baby's presence with his hands, filled with anticipation.

"This……"

Lin Jiu hesitated before raising her head.

Why isn't it responding? Move it! Just move it!

Wang Yuting met Lin Jiu's gaze and slowly turned her head away.

Lin Jiu held her breath slightly and asked, "Are you hungry?"

Wang Yuting's pretty face flushed red as she retorted, "What do you mean! I'm not so bad as to confuse hunger with a baby's cries."

"really?"

Really?

Wang Yuting clenched her fists.

She would never lie about something like this, let alone deceive Lin Jiu.

"We'll definitely keep moving forward, don't give up!"

"All right……"

Lin Jiu looked at her hands with some disappointment, wondering if it was because of her own fault.

He slightly opened his hands, then slowly closed them again, as if trying to pull them back in.

"Hey!"

Wang Yuting grasped Lin Jiu's hands.

"It's fine!"

Wang Yuting stared intently into Lin Jiu's eyes.

“This child definitely doesn’t dislike you or anything! I’ve heard my mother say that babies in the womb can sense who is touching them. This child is definitely shy. My dad was so anxious back then, and then my mom beat him up.”

"Then hit me!"

Lin Jiu closed her eyes.

In order to gain the child's approval, he did not hesitate to endure a severe beating from Wang Yuting.

The only problem is that if Wang Yuting throws that punch, he might die.

"Idiot, it's not something that can be solved by beating him up. My dad became stupid because he was too anxious. My mom couldn't stand it anymore, so she took action to make him quiet down for a while." Wang Yuting couldn't bear to hit Lin Jiu. She cherished Lin Jiu too much to even think about it. How could she possibly lay a hand on him?

"Then what should I do..."

Lin Jiu was somewhat dejected. Being rejected by her child was such a painful thing for a parent.

“You should touch the baby more often, so that the baby remembers your hands and your voice. I believe that the baby will definitely move around confidently and won’t be afraid to appear in front of you.” Wang Yuting pressed Lin Jiu’s hands back onto her belly, her imposing manner leaving Lin Jiu with no choice but to comply.

Lin Jiu gained confidence from Wang Yuting's unwavering tone and found a goal to strive for.

"Ok!"

Lin Jiu nodded vigorously.

He stroked Wang Yuting's abdomen more gently, trying to convey his feelings to her.

Wang Yuting felt Lin Jiu's loving actions and felt her waist almost give way.

She hadn't felt anything before, but now she felt very shy, her face turning red all the way to her neck.

Jiu'er is the kind of person who makes you want to cherish and love him.

"Come on, buddy, give it a shot!"

Wang Yuting sticks out her belly.

However, there was no reaction.

"..."

"It's okay, perseverance is victory!"

Seeing that Wang Yuting seemed to have the urge to raise her hand and pat her stomach, Lin Jiu quickly hugged her.

Wang Yuting puffed out her cheeks, looking a little sullen, but she calmed down in Lin Jiu's hug.

"Okay, okay, I'm not angry."

Wang Yuting patted Lin Jiu's head to help him relax.

The path of having children is long and arduous.

Chapter 436 Stability Period

S Vocational College, Liuxiandong Campus.

The bell rang, the teacher picked up her thermos, took a sip of water to moisten her throat, and announced the end of get out of class.

Lin Jiu stuffed the books into his backpack. He had something very important to do today and needed to go back immediately.

"Lin Jiu!"

The girls approached Lin Jiu and invited her, "We have a university social event today, would you like to come and join us?"

The preschool education major classes were mostly female, with only a handful of male students, and Lin Jiu was quickly surrounded.

"I'm sorry, I have an urgent matter to attend to, and I'm not interested in social gatherings."

Lin Jiu smiled and declined her classmates' invitations. It's common knowledge that social gatherings are organized to expand one's social circle, and most people attend hoping to meet someone suitable. Simply put, they're occasions for single people to get to know each other, though occasionally a few couples attend. What those in relationships might be up to when they come to a social gathering is hard to say.

"Hey, don't say that. You haven't participated in any class activities since the start of the semester."

"Exactly! Let's play together, it'll definitely be a lot of fun."

What's the urgent matter?

The girls chattered excitedly.

Lin Jiu smiled slightly, her smile revealing her wonderful anticipation.

"The supermarket downstairs from my house is offering a limited-time offer of one box of discounted eggs per person today. If I don't go over soon, the housewives will snatch them all up." Lin Jiu had witnessed the shopping prowess of housewives before. When it came to choosing vegetables, meat, and eggs, the housewives' shopping skills were soaring that even Lin Jiu was impressed.

Supermarket special offers are a battleground for housewives.

Excuse me.

Lin Jiu picked up her backpack and left the classroom with cheerful steps, her mind filled with thoughts of what dish she would cook tonight.

The girls looked at each other, their expressions quite interesting.

"We...lost to a carton of eggs?"

One of the girls murmured in disbelief.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

"I am back!"

Lin Jiu opened the door with the key, placed the key on the cabinet in the entryway, and carried the bags in both hands.

Every time he goes to the supermarket, he subconsciously buys more than usual, especially seasonal vegetables and cost-effective ingredients. Of course, Lin Jiu doesn't just pick the cheapest items; sometimes, if he sees particularly fresh meat, he'll buy it without hesitation, even if it's a bit pricey. Lin Jiu then gratefully prepares these high-quality meats into delicious meals using the most appropriate cooking methods, making them a source of nutrition for his beloved.

Lin Jiu cares about money, but he cares even more about whether the money is well spent. He won't hesitate to spend money on things that are useful and necessary, no matter how expensive they are. For example, the tea set he has been longing for, the high-quality tea, and the engagement ring he bought for Wang Yuting.

Welcome back!

Wang Yuting excitedly ran over from the living room to greet Lin Jiu's return.

Lin Jiu placed the groceries she had bought in the kitchen and reminded them, "I'm going to wash my hands first, wait for me."

"Good~"

Wang Yuting stood obediently in the washroom waiting for Lin Jiu.

Lin Jiu carefully washed his hands. He always made sure there was a supply of hand sanitizer in the bathroom sink – this was of utmost importance. Lin Jiu used to use bar soap, but he switched to hand sanitizer after Yu Ting became pregnant.

"hug!"

Wang Yuting eagerly opened her arms to Lin Jiu.

Lin Jiu nestled gently into Wang Yuting's arms, savoring the warmth of her embrace, and rested her cheek on Wang Yuting's stomach.

Perhaps because she was more sensitive to everything after becoming pregnant, Wang Yuting's dependence on Lin Jiu did not decrease as she became a mother; on the contrary, she became even more clingy. The first thing Lin Jiu did when she got home was to take off her shoes, put on slippers, and run to the bathroom to wash her hands. The second thing she did was to give Wang Yuting a big hug, telling her that she was back and not to worry that their distance would grow due to the short separation.

"Little baby, I'm home."

Lin Jiu spoke to the baby in Wang Yuting's belly.

Since failing to reach an agreement with the fetus last week, Lin Jiu has been actively communicating with the child every day. He greets the baby when he wakes up, announces his departure for school, and greets his wife and child when he returns home. Each time, Lin Jiu washes and dries his hands before gently placing them on Wang Yuting's belly, trying his best to make the child understand that his hands have absolutely no intention of harming him.

Lin Jiu's persistence hadn't yielded any results; the fetus hadn't responded to his affections even once, but it would move around restlessly when Lin Jiu wasn't around. Wang Yuting had several urges to lash out at the baby, but Lin Jiu stopped her each time. This wasn't entirely Wang Yuting's fault; hormonal fluctuations during pregnancy can significantly impact a woman's emotions. Coupled with the pregnancy symptoms, this only exacerbates the stress. When the stress builds up to a certain point, even if Wang Yuting didn't want to, she would lose control.

"No response."

Lin Jiu sighed softly.

He regretted it as soon as he sighed. He shouldn't have shown such a pathetic side in front of Yuting; it would have worried her.

"It's alright, there's still a long way to go, don't worry." Wang Yuting gently stroked Lin Jiu, maintaining a steady rhythm, patting Lin Jiu's back lightly, and slowly observing the process of Lin Jiu's body going from tense to relaxed.

"I always feel very relaxed."

Lin Jiu looked at Wang Yuting with some surprise.

"Hehe, I'm not just playing games at home. I'm learning how to take care of the baby in the future. Think of it as a preview. I'll also share the pressure with you, so don't overwork yourself." Wang Yuting continued to pat and stroke Lin Jiu to help her relax. She was worried that Lin Jiu might be forcing herself to stay awake.

Lin Jiu was also a first-time father. He wasn't an omnipotent superman, and he also felt tired.

When Wang Yuting feels stressed, she can vent her frustrations to Ye Yue and Tong Yingyu, telling them about her unhappiness. Her two friends will share her burden, and sometimes, speaking her mind makes her feel lighter. But what about Lin Jiu? Does he have friends he can freely confide in? Even if he does, he probably keeps his worries to himself.

"Yuting is great."

Lin Jiu's gaze gradually softened.

Her amber eyes rippled with moisture.