MHWFYYTMDF Chapter40

Song Li had no idea why he suddenly had such an idea and instinctively shook his head. “No, I just saw how exhausted Li Xiu seems lately. If you go back to work, wouldn’t it make things a bit easier for him?”

He Muyan’s complexion had originally softened a little when he said “no,” but as soon as the rest of those words were spoken, it turned dark and somber again in a split second; even Sichuan opera face-changing wasn’t as fast as him.

Song Li was utterly bewildered, but Li Xiu standing beside them saw it all with crystal clarity. Looking at the cold sneer curling up at the corner of He Muyan’s lips, cold sweat practically dripped from his forehead.

“Lili thinks Li Xiu is working very hard?”

Song Li nodded, turning back to look at Li Xiu beside them. “He is working hard, right? Look at him, he’s grown so thin lately. He’s lost at least ten jin since the last time we met.”

“Is that so?” He Muyan let out a half-smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “Lili is even so clear on how much weight he’s lost.”

“You don’t believe me?” Feeling that he was doubting his observation skills, Song Li said unconvincedly, “If you don’t believe me, have Li Xiu go weigh himself right now! I’m very sharp with these things. The last time Li Xiu came over, his waist hadn’t been this slender, and the shirt had fit him perfectly instead of hanging so loosely on him like it did today.”

“Lili observed so carefully that you even remember the size of his waist.”

“I told you I have sharp eyes!”

Hearing the two of them go back and forth, Li Xiu’s expression had become so ghastly that “deathly pale” no longer seemed enough to describe it.

Mr. Song, please stop! Please stop talking! I still want to live a few more years!

By the end of it, Song Li seemed to have gotten a little upset, glaring at He Muyan. “What’s wrong with you today? Always arguing with me! I don’t want to talk anymore; I’m going back to my room.”

Looking at his retreating back, He Muyan’s face grew somber and cool.

Li Xiu spoke up timidly from the side, “B-Boss… if there’s nothing else, I’ll take my leave first.”

Seeming as though he had only just noticed he was still standing there, He Muyan turned his head to glance at him, the corners of his lips pulling up into a smirk, “Li Xiu, regarding that vacation I mentioned earlier, I think we’ll forget about it. You’re still young; if you don’t swallow a bit more hardship, how are you going to grow?”

Li Xiu: “……”

What else could he possibly say?

After lunch, Song Li curled up on the sofa to watch TV. The afternoon drowsiness soon got the better of him, and after watching for only a short while, he was already feeling groggy. Just as his head began to droop, he suddenly felt something inside his belly shift violently.

Song Li was instantly startled awake, blinking as he looked down at his belly, briefly wondering if he had just been dreaming.

Just as he was about to reach out to touch it, he clearly saw the skin of his belly beneath his sweater lightly bump upward, accompanied by that same feeling of something rolling around inside.

Song Li widened his eyes; he seemed to realize what was happening.

Placing both hands on his belly, he called out loudly, “He Muyan! He Muyan!”

He Muyan, who was outside taking a phone call, heard his voice and immediately hung up, rushing over in a hurry.

“Lili?”

Sitting on the sofa with both hands cradling his belly, Song Li looked up at him with a face full of joy. “It moved!”

He Muyan asked, puzzled, “What moved?”

“Here! Right here!” Song Li reached out to grab his hand, gently placing it on his own belly. “It moved right here! There was such a huge movement just now, I could even see it right through my clothes!”

He Muyan froze for a moment before finally understanding what he meant by “it moved.” Looking down at his own hand, he couldn’t help but gently stroke the spot. “The baby can already move now?”

Song Li nodded. “Yeah! When we went for the prenatal checkup a couple of days ago, Dr. Fang said the baby should start moving around about this time.”

He Muyan pressed his face against Song Li’s belly, listening intently to the movement inside. Sure enough, after a brief moment, he felt something give a light nudge against him from within.

He suddenly couldn’t describe the mixture of emotions welling up in his heart. For the very first time, he felt such an intense, overwhelming realization that he was genuinely about to become a father.

Pressing a kiss onto his belly through the clothing, he wrapped his arms around Song Li’s waist, looking up with a smile, “This little fellow is already so energetic at such a tiny stage, will he end up bothering you too much in the future?”

Song Li shook his head while gazing down at his stomach with a soft, gentle expression. “It’s so miraculous. So, this is what it feels like to nurture a life. He Muyan, I suddenly feel so fortunate right now.”

Looking up at him, He Muyan suddenly reached out and gently wiped away the moisture at the corner of Song Li’s eye. “Don’t cry, Lili.”

Song Li sniffled, feeling a bit bewildered. “I didn’t mean to cry; it’s just that my emotions have been swinging so wildly lately. I feel like bursting into tears at every little thing.”

He Muyan stroked his hair. “It’s natural for expectant mothers to feel that way.”

Song Li let out an “en.” Only then did he realize that He Muyan had been watching him the entire time, his eyes fixed on him and filled with boundless tenderness. Song Li could even clearly see his own reflection in He Muyan’s eyes. Feeling embarrassed, he reached out to give him a slight push, “I’m fine now. I only called you over just now because I got too excited. Go back to your work.”

He Muyan caught his hand. “I’m not busy.”

Song Li uttered an “oh,” suddenly running out of words. Not daring to keep meeting his gaze, he awkwardly shifted his eyes away.

He Muyan gently took hold of his chin, turning his face back toward him. “Lili, why won’t you look at me?”

“Wh-what is there to look at? Don’t I see you every single day?”

He Muyan seemed a little aggrieved. “Lili, have you really grown tired of looking at me so soon?”

Song Li: “Ah?”

He Muyan’s eyelashes drooped, half-veiling his pitch-black pupils. “We’ve only been married for a few months, has Lili already gotten sick of my face?”

Song Li: “……”

No, President He, what on earth are you trying to say?

He Muyan remained immersed in his own emotions, “So why is it that whenever I look at Lili lately, I can never get enough? I want to look at you during the day, and even when I wake up in the middle of the night, I still want to look at you. Lili is so beautiful, how could I ever grow tired of looking at you…”

As He Muyan spoke, he leaned closer and closer, until he directly captured his lips, his large hand cradling the back of his head as he gently pressed him down against the sofa.

Song Li was a bit dazed, feeling that the tongue inside his mouth made itself entirely at home without the slightest reservation, stirring his breath into ragged gasps as his body’s temperature gradually heated up degree by degree.

When he woke up again, the light in the living room had dimmed considerably. The setting sun poured in through the massive floor-to-ceiling window, splendid and romantic.

Song Li blinked, feeling as if there wasn’t a single part of his body that wanted to move, even his fingers felt sore and limp.

His body was warm and comfortably snug, and when he lifted his head, he found himself facing He Muyan’s bare chest.

After taking a few seconds to register the situation, his face heated up little by little.

Good heavens, what on earth were they doing? To actually lose control like that in broad daylight and go at it for an entire afternoon!

As for just how ambiguous and agonizingly intense it had been during that time, Song Li didn’t dare reminisce about it at all right now.

Perhaps his slight movement woke the person holding him, as a low, raspy voice sounded above his head, “Are you awake?”

Song Li nodded. “What time is it? I’m already starving.”

He couldn’t be blamed for his huge appetite; the credit went entirely to the excessive amount of exercise this afternoon.

He Muyan reached out an arm, grabbing his phone from the coffee table nearby. “It’s almost five o’clock. What does Lili want to eat?”

Song Li rubbed his stomach. “I don’t know, anything’s fine… I’m so hungry.”

He Muyan pulled up the blanket on them, nestling Song Li tightly back into his embrace. “I’ve already asked Auntie Chen to come over and have her buy some shrimp and steaks.”

Song Li involuntarily swallowed his saliva. “I really want to eat that.”

He Muyan lowered his head to nibble on his lips, slipping his tongue inside once again as he spoke in a muddled, slurred voice, “Eat this first…”

Song Li let out a couple of “muffled whimpers,” cursing inwardly, What a rogue!

Considering they were still in the living room, a common area of the house, and Auntie Chen would be arriving soon, Song Li feared that if He Muyan continued his rogue behavior, things would very likely spark out of control again. Thus, before he could be forced to sink into indulgence once more, Song Li stopped the continuation of his wild acts.

“No more,” Song Li spoke with slightly labored breaths, his face flushed a deep red. “Auntie Chen will be here in a moment.”

Looking at his slightly swollen lips, the color in He Muyan’s eyes darkened as he let out a soft “en”, “Don’t worry, I won’t do it anymore.”

Saying that, he stood up briskly, wrapped Song Li in the blanket, and lifted him gently into his arms. “Let’s take a shower first.”

Song Li nodded, reaching out to hook his arms around his neck. But as he looked down, he accidentally caught sight of the items thrown on the floor. Counting them, there were actually three.

Song Li’s face was practically burning. They had actually done it three times! No wonder he felt completely worn out today!

Exasperated, he tightened his arms around He Muyan’s neck, “Why did you throw those things on the floor?! Auntie Chen is coming soon, hurry up and pick them up to throw away!”

He Muyan didn’t realize what he was referring to at first. Looking down, he chuckled softly and said, “Who thinks about that in the heat of the moment? I’ll throw them out when I come back down.”

Song Li trembled all over from embarrassment. “Don’t you forget!”

“Alright, rest assured, Lili.”

Having exerted so much energy during the afternoon, Song Li indeed ate an extra bowl of rice during dinner while showering praise on Auntie Chen’s braised beef nonstop.

After dinner, he drank another bowl of soup, leaving him so stuffed that he slumped in his chair, unwilling to move.

Rubbing his stomach to help him digest, He Muyan found it somewhat amusing, “You’re not a kid anymore, how can you still be so greedy for food?”

Song Li let out a hiccup, thinking to himself: You still have the nerve to ask? As if you don’t know who’s responsible for making me this hungry.

Having already taken a shower before dinner, Song Li was too lazy to shower again at night. After brushing his teeth and washing his face, he rolled onto the bed, grabbing the book he had been reading lately from the nightstand to continue reading.

He Muyan was taking a shower in the bathroom. When he came out, Song Li was still reading intently without even taking a moment to look up at him.

President He was dissatisfied. After drying his hair, he tossed the towel aside but didn’t get into bed. Instead, he paced back and forth beside it, occasionally blocking the light cast by the wall lamp.

Song Li could tolerate it once or twice, but after a while, he really couldn’t take it anymore. Looking up at the man standing beside the bed, he asked, “Aren’t you going to sleep?”

The moment he finished speaking, he froze. He Muyan wasn’t wearing pajamas at all, just a bath towel wrapped around his lower half, leaving his upper body completely bare and putting his well-toned physique, honed through years of regular workouts, fully on display.

Song Li parted his lips. “A-aren’t you cold?”

It was already almost November. Although it wasn’t cold enough to need the heating yet, walking around shirtless like that immediately after a shower was still bound to make him catch a chill.

Seeing that he had finally noticed him, He Muyan stopped and looked down at him. “Does Lili feel that there’s been any change in me lately?”

Song Li looked at him, then shook his head gently after a moment. “No real change, I suppose. You’ve kept your figure very well.”

Song Li thought praising him was all that was needed at a time like this; after all, who doesn’t like hearing compliments? But He Muyan seemed dissatisfied, frowning as he said, “No, look closer.”

Song Li continued to look, inadvertently catching sight of a few red claw marks on his shoulder from where fingers had dug in. His face instantly flushed, and he cleared his throat. “I… I didn’t do that on purpose. If you mind, I’ll trim my nails regularly from now on.”

He Muyan had no idea what he was talking about, but his expression had clearly soured. “Lili, haven’t you noticed that I’ve lost weight lately?”

“Huh?” Song Li was a bit bewildered.

He Muyan pointed a finger at his own waist. “I weighed myself after dinner today; I’m two kilograms lighter. Did you really not notice?”

Song Li remained bewildered. “N-no, I didn’t.”

He Muyan paused for a moment. “You really didn’t notice at all?”

Song Li looked carefully once more and nodded helplessly. “There’s really no difference.”

He Muyan’s expression could no longer be described as merely dark. “You could tell when Li Xiu’s waist thinned by a few centimeters, but you can’t with mine?”

With that, as if utterly disappointed, he walked over and lay down on the bed before reaching out to switch off the nightstand lamp.

The sudden darkness made Song Li blink in discomfort. After slowly mulling over He Muyan’s words for a while, it suddenly clicked. He turned onto his side to face the back in front of him.

Tapping lightly on his back with a finger, he called out softly, “He Muyan?”

He Muyan shifted slightly, ignoring him.

Song Li kept poking at him. “He Muyan, He Muyan.”

He Muyan grunted roughly in response, “What?”

Now Song Li was basically certain. Pressing his face against his back, his eyes curved into a smile. “He Muyan, are you jealous of Li Xiu?”

Song Li felt He Muyan’s body stiff for a moment the instant he uttered those words, though he offered no answer to the question.

Song Li didn’t press him any further, simply reaching out and gently wrapping his arms around He Muyan’s waist.

In truth, he was already thoroughly content with this. Regardless of whether He Muyan was genuinely jealous or not, it at least proved that He Muyan cared about him to some extent. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have kept a casual remark or two about Li Xiu from this morning in mind all day, nor would he have used such a childish way to draw his attention.

He’s kind of… adorable.

The more Song Li thought about it, the sweeter his heart felt, and he couldn’t help but tighten his embrace around him even further.

Perhaps owing to his wonderful mood, Song Li actually had a rare, lovely dream that night.

When he woke up, a smile was still hanging from the corner of his lips. When he opened his eyes and found He Muyan’s face just inches from his own, a wave of tenderness washed over Song Li’s heart. He softly whispered, “Good morning.”

He Muyan seemed to have been awake for quite a while, pressing a soft kiss onto his forehead. “What were you dreaming about that had you smiling so happily?”

Song Li instinctively reached out to touch his own face. “Did I?”

He Muyan uttered an “en,” lifting his chin to kiss him.

As He Muyan gently parted his lips, Song Li’s thoughts raced. Part of him wondered if being this passionate so early in the morning was really a good idea, while another part was already completely dazed by the overwhelming affection. Just as he was allowing himself to slowly yield to it, he suddenly heard the chime of the doorbell.

A hint of clarity returned to Song Li’s eyes. Reaching out to hold He Muyan’s neck, he patted his back gently, “He Muyan… someone… someone’s at the door.”

He Muyan raised his head impatiently, his eyes heavy with unfulfilled desire.

Song Li’s heart was thumping wildly as he pushed him to sit up, “Who could it be this early in the morning?”

Sitting up as well, He Muyan still wore a faintly sullen look of unfulfilled desire between his brows. He ran a hand through the hair on his forehead, pushing it back as he muttered irritably, “I’ll go check.”

He Muyan threw on a bathrobe and went out. Unable to fall back asleep now, Song Li got out of bed as well.

Strangely, after He Muyan went downstairs, there was no sound or movement for a long time. Judging by that, the visitor seemed to be someone quite important. After freshening up in the bathroom, Song Li changed his clothes and headed downstairs as well.

The living room below was dead silent, not feeling like there was anyone there at all. Only after turning past the stairs and walking halfway down did he see two people sitting on the sofa.

It was He Muyan and another person sitting with their back to him.

Judging by the posture, it looked like a lady, her spine held perfectly straight, her hair styled in a gentle and elegant bun. As if hearing the sound of him coming downstairs, she turned around to look up at him.

Song Li drew in a soft breath. This person looks so much like He Muyan.

Judging by her appearance, she seemed to be in her mid-forties. Though she was remarkably well-preserved, faint traces left by time were still discernible between her brows; it was mature, refined, and possessed of a grace that instantly bespoke a lady from a wealthy, distinguished household.

Though she had not spoken a word yet, Song Li had already roughly guessed her identity.

He instinctively looked toward He Muyan beside her. He Muyan gave him a subtle nod, “Come here, Lili.”

With no other choice, Song Li continued downstairs and walked over to them. As soon as he reached He Muyan’s side, He Muyan stood up as well and naturally reached out to take his hand.

Song Li was startled and couldn’t help but steal a glance at the woman beside them.

Fortunately, she merely smiled gently, showing no particularly dramatic reaction at all.

He Muyan squeezed Song Li’s hand slightly, looking at the person seated on the sofa, “This is my mother.”

So, it really is. Song Li had been immensely nervous since a moment ago, a fine layer of sweat coating his hand in He Muyan’s grip. Seeing He Muyan’s mother looking at him with a constant smile, he finally snapped out of it, speaking with a dry throat, “Hello.”

He Muyan’s mother nodded softly. “You must be Song Li.”

So, she knows about me. Song Li looked up at He Muyan; He Muyan’s expression remained neutral, yet the sharp angles of his side profile seemed noticeably less cold than usual.

Relieved in his heart, Song Li smiled and nodded.

Mother He smiled before extending his hand toward the opposite sofa, “Don’t just stand there, sit down first.”

He Muyan then led Song Li to sit down across from her.

Song Li was extremely stiff and formal with one hand being held by He Muyan, while the other rested motionless on his knee, his entire body rigid.

He could feel He Muyan’s mother observing him continuously. Though her gaze was soft and gentle, she made no attempt to conceal it at all. Only after a good while did he see her nod slightly, speaking with a smile, “Very good. Even better than what Muyan told me. May I call you Xiao Li?”

Song Li nodded hurriedly, “Of course, that’s what my family calls me too.”

Mother He nodded, picking up the teacup on the table to take a delicate sip.

Song Li felt that before her marriage, she must have been a well-educated lady of nobility. Her aura was exquisite; every gesture she made felt like a gentle spring breeze, exuding an elegant and comfortable presence.

Setting down the teacup, Mother He smiled again and said, “I hope you don’t mind me dropping by so early this morning without giving you any advance notice.”

“Not at all.” Song Li quickly waved his hands, looking at her apologetically, “Properly speaking, as a junior, I should have been the one to visit you first. It was my lack of etiquette.”

Mother He shook her head, turning her gaze toward He Muyan opposite them. “That’s not your responsibility. Whether you are coming to visit us or not isn’t something you can decide on your own. If I hadn’t come over today, I’m afraid my precious grandchild might have already been born before Muyan ever thought to bring you home for us to meet.”

Song Li was stunned. Hearing her mention “grandchild,” he instinctively looked down at his own lower abdomen. He had been so nervous from the start that he had completely forgotten about his belly’s condition.

His stomach had grown quite a bit by now, and since there was no need to deliberately hide it at home, it wasn’t surprising that she noticed it at first glance.

Yet, judging by her tone and demeanor, she didn’t seem surprised in the slightest. After all, he was a full-grown man; even for older, well-traveled individuals, encountering a situation like this shouldn’t elicit such a completely calm and unbothered reaction.

There was only one plausible explanation, He Muyan had already spoken to her about this before today.

Song Li stole a glance at the man beside him, somewhat surprised that he would take the initiative to tell his family about this matter. It appeared his relationship with his mother was fairly harmonious.

“Xiao Li,” Mother He’s voice pulled his thoughts back. “Looking at your belly, it should be around five or six months, right?”

Song Li nodded. “A bit over five months.”

Mother He kept her eyes on his stomach, asking with a hint of caution and anticipation, “May I touch it?”

Song Li could tell she harbored no ill intentions; on the contrary, he could even see genuine affection and joy shining in her eyes. After all, this was her future grandchild, tied to her by blood. No matter what, she wouldn’t do anything to harm him.

Song Li untangled his hand and looked at her, saying, “Of course.”

Mother He stood up, walked over, and bent down to crouch beside him, gently placing her hand on his belly.

Her touch was incredibly soft, slowly stroking his abdomen through his clothing. From these tiny details alone, Song Li could already tell she was bound to be a deeply gentle and loving mother.

After a short while, Mother He withdrew her hand and stood up with a smile, “I didn’t prepare too much for today’s visit, but I brought along some supplements suited for pregnancy. You’re right at the stage where your body needs nourishment, so make sure to eat plenty.”

Song Li looked at the boxes of gifts behind her, knowing full well how much they must have cost.

“Thank you.”

Mother He looked at him with a slight, playful scolding, “Even at this stage, you’re still addressing me so formally? It’s time to change how you call me.”

Song Li froze, instinctively looking up at He Muyan.

He Muyan gave him a subtle nod.

Song Li let out an exhale and opened his mouth with a smile, “Mom.”

“Ai, good!” Mother He responded happily, setting her handbag aside. “You two haven’t had breakfast yet, right? It just so happens I have time today and am in no hurry to head back. What would you like to eat? I’ll go make it for you.”

How could they let that happen? Song Li hurried over to stop her. “No need, Mom! Breakfast can just be something simple, how could we trouble you into cooking?”

Mother He put on a stern face. “Nonsense! You’re pregnant right now, how can you just eat whatever? Has Muyan been too lazy and not taking proper care of you? Don’t be afraid, tell Mom, and I’ll scold him for you!”

“No, that’s not it…” Song Li didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “We eat all three meals properly. Auntie Chen, who often cooks for us, has fantastic culinary skills, and sometimes I even cook a little something myself when I crave it.”

“You cook yourself?” Mother He’s voice suddenly rose as she looked at him in utter shock. “Silly child, pregnancy requires avoiding overexertion! No matter what, you are the most important person in this home. All you need to do is take good care of yourself and the baby in your belly. How could you do such heavy labor as going into the kitchen to cook?”

Saying that, she turned to look at He Muyan beside them, adopting a whole different tone of strict reprimand, “Muyan, you are being completely unreasonable! Xiao Li is pregnant, yet you still let him enter the kitchen to breathe in all those cooking fumes? You’re no longer a kid; how can you not even take proper care of your own spouse?”

Song Li stood to the side, watching in stunned bewilderment. In all the time he had known He Muyan, this was the first time he had ever seen anyone dare to speak to him like this, while He Muyan could only quietly take it like an obedient child without even uttering a word of rebuttal.

Needless to say, seeing He Muyan get scolded was incredibly satisfying, if only just a little.

After lecturing her son, Mother He turned back to look at Song Li, her expression instantly softening into one of warmth and affection, “Xiao Li, sit and rest for a bit. I’ll go make breakfast for you two right now; it’ll be ready in no time.”

Song Li nodded, watching her retreating figure walk toward the kitchen, his heart still fluttering slightly.

Looking up at the man beside him, He Muyan happened to be looking down at him as well. As their eyes met, neither could help but burst out laughing.

Song Li murmured with emotion, “I didn’t expect your mother to be so approachable and warm. Your family isn’t scary at all like you described!”

He Muyan squeezed his palm. “Whose mother?”

Song Li froze, feeling a bit embarrassed. “Our mother.”

He Muyan pulled him down to sit beside him. “Darling, hurry and sit down to rest. Otherwise, if Mother sees you standing, she’ll give me another lecture for not knowing how to take proper care of my partner again.”

Song Li’s face flushed red as he looked at him. “Don’t just call me whatever you want.”

“Aren’t you my spouse?”

Deciding not to entertain him, Song Li turned his head to glance in the direction of the kitchen. “Don’t you want to go check on her? See if there’s anything you can help with?”

“No need.” He Muyan sat down as well. “She doesn’t like to be disturbed when she’s working.”

Song Li nodded.

After breakfast, the three of them chatted for a while longer. Mother He didn’t stay much longer before preparing to leave. Right before stepping out, she seemed to have something to say to He Muyan. Seeing this, Song Li stood up and walked to the side to pour some water.

He had no idea what the mother and son were discussing; all he could see was that He Muyan’s expression didn’t look too pleasant, and Mother He even reached out to give his arm a smack.

Song Li found the scene utterly delightful, why did he take so much joy in seeing President He get put in his place?

After Mother He left, He Muyan stood frozen in place, dazed by himself for a short while. Curious, Song Li walked over and looked up at him, “What’s wrong?”

Snapping out of his thoughts, He Muyan looked down at him for a moment, then suddenly reached out to pull him into his embrace.

Though unsure of what had come over him all of a sudden, Song Li still reached up to pat his back soothingly. “There, there, it’s alright.”

Nuzzling his face into the crook of Song Li’s neck, He Muyan let out a muffled laugh upon hearing his words, “I’m your husband, not your child. Don’t soothe me in that tone.”

But weren’t you acting just like a child in front of your mother a second ago?

Only after a good while did He Muyan let go of him. Looking down into his face, he suddenly asked, “Lili, how about I take you back home to see my family?”