As he was thinking this, Su Yiran felt Ting-ge poke his cheek.

Su Yiran: “…” He looked at Gu Yuanting, “Is something wrong?”

Gu Yuanting shook his head solemnly: “Nothing.”

Su Yiran’s eyebrow twitched. He decided to ignore Ting-ge, sitting in front of the computer, and continued to review the shop’s financial statements.

Gu Yuanting watched him from the side, secretly rubbing the index finger that had just poked Ranran’s cheek, savoring the soft, plump feeling. He stared at Ranran’s slightly baby-fat cheeks, feeling an itch in his heart, wanting to poke it again.

Su Yiran finished reviewing the shop’s statements and a few work spreadsheets, then closed the computer. Gu Yuanting saw his action and quickly put aside his whimsical thoughts, helping him to stand up.

Su Yiran was already accustomed to it. With the changes in his body, his movements were no longer as easy as before. Especially actions like sitting down, standing up, and going up and down stairs, he could clearly feel his movements becoming a bit sluggish and heavy.

Ting-ge was also becoming increasingly careful with him. If it weren’t for his firm objections, he’d want to hold him even when walking.

The shop was busy as usual, and the expanded space was almost full of customers. Su Yiran had originally wanted to help make some desserts in the back, but Gu Yuanting, seeing the staff busy bustling around in the back, feared Ranran might accidentally get bumped, so he firmly stopped him.

Su Yiran didn’t insist. He found Zhang Xiaohong and gave her a few more instructions, including the Dragon Boat Festival shop anniversary event, summer shop activities, and the maintenance of the shop website and official account, etc.

After dealing with the shop matters, Su Yiran and Gu Yuanting left the shop, preparing to go home.

On the way home, they passed the supermarket near their community. Gu Yuanting planned to buy some groceries and milk powder, so he told Ranran to wait for him in the car.

He went to the supermarket alone, first bought milk powder, then went to the underground fresh produce market to buy eggs, beef, vegetables, and fruits. He also bought crucian carp, planning to make crucian carp soup for Ranran when they got home.

After buying all the groceries, Gu Yuanting was carrying the bags in both hands, ready to leave, when he suddenly noticed a commotion ahead. It seemed someone was arguing, and one person had fallen. Many passersby gathered around.

Gu Yuanting paid no attention and continued towards the exit. As he passed the gathering crowd, he heard someone shout, “Quick, take her to the hospital! She’s about to give birth, isn’t she?”

Gu Yuanting froze. He turned to look. The gathered crowd parted, revealing a path. A pregnant woman with a big belly was lying on the ground, crying out in pain. Next to her stood a man with a panicked face, frozen and helpless.

A few passersby, unable to watch any longer, stepped forward to help the pregnant woman up, scolding the man in unison: “How can you be a husband? Your wife is about to give birth and you’re still arguing with her, even pushing her! Are you even a man?”

The man snapped back to reality, quickly stepped forward to help the pregnant woman up with the passersby. Facing the passersby’s scolding, he stammered no rebuttal. He picked up the pregnant woman, whose face was covered in sweat from pain. A few kind passersby helped support them, and they hurried out, clearly taking the pregnant woman to the hospital.

Gu Yuanting stood frozen in place. As the few people walked towards the exit, they passed by him. He saw that the pregnant woman’s painful face was covered in what looked like tears or sweat, and her skirt was stained with bright red blood.

The few people had already left the supermarket’s fresh produce market. The onlookers also dispersed, and the market returned to its usual appearance.

Only Gu Yuanting remained stiff, maintaining his previous posture, unable to move.

He looked at the spot where the pregnant woman had fallen. A small puddle of blood still remained there, a blinding red.

Gu Yuanting felt a chill throughout his body.

.

Su Yiran was playing on his phone in the car, waiting for Ting-ge to return with the groceries.

After scrolling through Weibo and WeChat Moments, Gu Yuanting still hadn’t returned. Su Yiran couldn’t help but feel curious. He put down his phone, rolled down the car window, and looked towards the supermarket.

Strange, usually Ting-ge returns within twenty minutes when he goes grocery shopping. Why is he so slow today?

Su Yiran looked out the window for a while but didn’t see Ting-ge come out of the supermarket. He thought there might be more groceries to buy today and didn’t think much of it.

After waiting a few more minutes, Su Yiran started playing on his phone again. After a while, he finally saw Gu Yuanting approaching from the supermarket, carrying bags in both hands.

Su Yiran watched Ting-ge put the groceries into the trunk, then open the driver’s side door and get into the car. He noticed that Ting-ge’s face was a bit pale and couldn’t help but ask, “What’s wrong? Why do you look so pale? Did something happen?”

Gu Yuanting looked at Ranran, who was showing concern. His gaze swept over Ranran’s stomach, which was already visibly bulging even through his clothes, then quickly shifted away. He composed himself and smiled at Ranran as usual: “Nothing, the market was crowded, a bit of a squeeze.”

Su Yiran didn’t suspect anything. He nodded understandingly: “Let’s go home.”

Gu Yuanting drove home. Seeing Ranran unbuckle his seatbelt and prepare to get out of the car by himself, he quickly said softly, “Don’t move, Ranran.”

He walked around to the other side, carefully helped Su Yiran out of the car, then picked him up, carefully carrying him all the way into the house, gently placing him on the soft sofa, as if he were a fragile porcelain doll, wanting to hold him in his palms.

Su Yiran was a bit confused by Ting-ge’s sudden overly careful attitude, but he was also somewhat used to it and didn’t say much. As usual, he picked up a storybook and looked up at Gu Yuanting, smiling: “You go busy yourself. I’ll tell the baby a story.”

Gu Yuanting gently stroked his hair. His gaze, from above, inevitably fell on Su Yiran’s stomach again. His hand paused, then he almost frantically pulled it back. He forced himself to remain calm and said, “Okay, I’ll go make dinner.”

While cooking, Gu Yuanting’s mind intermittently recalled the scene at the supermarket: the pregnant woman, her bulging belly, her cries of pain, and… blood.

Gu Yuanting’s hand trembled. In a trance, the hand that was cutting vegetables slipped, cutting his finger. A bead of blood immediately welled up.

The pain in his finger brought him back to reality. He casually grabbed a tissue nearby and pressed it against the wound. Bright red blood quickly seeped through the white tissue. Gu Yuanting stared down at the blood seeping through the tissue, his head feeling light again.

He wasn’t afraid of blood, and he had seen a lot of it. He had even had blood on his hands before.

However, the blood he saw today made him uncontrollably feel dizzy in waves.

Gu Yuanting threw away the tissue on his finger, then took several more tissues and pressed them to his hand. The blood did not seep through again.

He haphazardly wrapped his finger with tissue. Finally, he looked up at the kitchen ceiling and took a deep breath.

.

Su Yiran was still reading a little story to the baby, unaware that Ting-ge had cut his finger in the kitchen.

It wasn’t until Gu Yuanting finished cooking, brought out the dishes, and placed them on the dining table, that Su Yiran noticed something was wrong. He saw a white wrap on Ting-ge’s left index finger. Seeing Gu Yuanting about to return to the kitchen to bring more dishes, he quickly called out, “Ting-ge, what happened to your hand?”

As he spoke, he had already put down the book and stood up anxiously, walking over.

Gu Yuanting tried to stop him, but it was too late. He could only say, “It’s nothing, just a scratch. You sit down first.” With that, he helped him sit on a nearby soft chair.

Su Yiran didn’t believe him. He took Gu Yuanting’s left hand to examine it. He saw only a few pieces of tissue haphazardly wrapped around his index finger. Unwrapping two layers of tissue, he indeed saw bloodstains underneath.

Su Yiran glared at him: “Why didn’t you say anything when you got hurt? How can you just use tissue? You’re such a big person, how can you not take care of your own body?”

Gu Yuanting saw him about to get up to look for supplies and quickly placed his hands on his shoulders, pressing him down: “You sit. I’ll go get them.”

Su Yiran was a bit helpless: “I’m not made of glass. It’s just getting something.”

Gu Yuanting believed that Ranran was indeed a fragile little person. He said solemnly, “Ranran, obey.”

Su Yiran had no choice but to sit still, waiting for Gu Yuanting to return with the band-aids and iodine.

He held Gu Yuanting’s left hand and first unwrapped all the tissue on his index finger. Seeing the wound inside, he couldn’t help but feel a pang of heartache. He carefully used a cotton swab to remove the tissue stuck to the wound, then disinfected it with iodine: “Bear with the pain a little.”

Gu Yuanting quietly watched Ranran, deep emotions swirling in his eyes. He didn’t speak, nor did he make a sound during the disinfection.

After disinfecting, Su Yiran breathed a sigh of relief. He then blew on Gu Yuanting’s finger to dry the iodine, then wrapped a band-aid around it.

After tending to the wound, Su Yiran couldn’t help but scold him: “You must use a band-aid for this kind of wound! What if it gets infected with just tissue? You’re such a grown man, how can you not know how to take care of your own body?”

Gu Yuanting gently touched the band-aid on his index finger, which Ranran had put on for him, and admitted his mistake: “I was wrong. I won’t do it again.”

Su Yiran didn’t believe his promise at all. He thought to himself, I’ll have to keep an eye on Ting-ge in the future. He’s really too worrying.

After dinner, the two watched TV, did prenatal education, and embraced each other to sleep, as usual.

However, tonight, Su Yiran couldn’t fall asleep. He felt the baby moving constantly, as if it were rolling around, making a fuss. He was clearly very sleepy, but just couldn’t sleep. He gently frowned, turned over, and changed his sleeping position.

As soon as Su Yiran moved, Gu Yuanting felt it. He immediately tensed up and called softly, “Ranran?”

Su Yiran closed his eyes and hummed “Hm?” with a nasal sound, then turned over again.

Gu Yuanting anxiously supported his waist, asking nervously, “What’s wrong? Does your stomach hurt?”

“No,” Su Yiran muttered in a sleepy, low voice, “The baby… keeps moving…”

Gu Yuanting felt relieved when he heard him say no. Hearing him say the baby kept moving, his heart tightened again. He remembered the research he had done and quickly said, “Should I play some instrumental music?”

Su Yiran hummed “Mm.” Gu Yuanting already reached for his phone on the bedside table, lowered the volume, and played a soothing instrumental piece that the baby often listened to.

The elegant, gentle music began. After two loops of the song, it seemed to really have an effect. Gradually, Su Yiran felt the baby stop moving restlessly. Without the disturbance, he quickly fell into a deep sleep.

Gu Yuanting saw Ranran asleep in his arms, so he turned off the music on his phone, gently held him, and kissed his forehead.

He thought of Ranran being kept awake by the baby just now, and coupled with his increasingly sluggish movements lately, his mind couldn’t help but recall the pregnant woman he had unintentionally seen earlier in the day.

Gu Yuanting’s heart twitched. He held his Ranran in the darkness and began to feel afraid.