Months passed since their wonderous honeymoon at the private islands. Chen Mu was stuck between hospital shifts and his company right after they came back from vacation. Meanwhile, Susu gained recognition for her designs and won many international fashion awards. She joined education conferences as a guest and provided students vast insights about her works.
She shared stories about herself that brought inspiration to those who are lost in their career paths. On her free time, she visited orphanages and brought children gifts to play with. A generous portion of profits earned from her designs were donated anonymously to those who really needs it.
This afternoon, she decided to pay a visit and bring some gifts along for the kids. At the same time, she could ask about how the children were doing and whether the amount she donated was enough to cover their education costs.
In the middle of speaking with the director, Susu heard a distant voice from the building. She looked up and spotted a glimpse of a small shadow, brushing against the window curtains.
Minutes later, a little girl with two braids rushed to greet her at the entrance. Similar to how she always welcomed other children, Susu bent forward with open arms to accept the little girl's embrace.
"Susu! What are you doing?" Chen Mu called out from behind with bags of toys and clothes dangling on both arms. He caught her red handed this time, trying to bend down while he wasn't looking like a sneaky bunny stealing bites of its carrot.
She stuck out the tip of her tongue and let out a compressed sigh. "Here we go again."
His voice startled the little girl to a pause on her steps. Cautiously, she panted out of breath and walked up to Susu. With her tiny hands reaching up, she tugged on Susu's pinky lightly. She whispered, "Big sis, why is big brother mad?"
Susu could imagine the wrinkles on his face if she turned around this second to face him. She smiled and rubbed the little girl's hair. "Because there is a little brother or sister in my tummy. Big brother isn't angry. He was only worried something may hurt the baby in my tummy."
"Oh! Little baby is inside your tummy. The baby will be very pretty like big sis!" The little girl stretched her neck as her tiny hands tried reaching to touch the questionably flat area on Susu's body. Susu pulled out a piece of tissue from her purse and wiped the girl's sweaty forehead.
Chen Mu handed all the presents to the staffs at the orphanage. As soon as he was done with his task, he hurried over to his misbehaving wife's side. Earlier, he caught her bending and reaching out to hug one of the little girls.
She was in her first trimester, so everything must be taken cautiously, especially when they are running errands outside. Whenever he drove, he made sure the speed was on the minimum speed he could possibly drive to prevent any accidents from occurring. Many times, he heard her rants about how slow they were going. Most of the time, her voice was overpowered by the beeps from the cars behind them.
Still, he refused to let others affect his protective method for his wife and the baby inside of her. Ever since they've received positive pregnancy results, he has been detailed about everything. When it came to her appetite, he had no control over what she eats because her cravings came at random times. If she craved for chicken five days straight, he would obediently make variety of dishes at home to entertain her taste buds.
Sometimes, she could see a random advertisement with vibrant colors that reminded her of certain food products. When that happens, they could stop seven times on their way to the supermarket for items she asks for. Still, a smile remains on his face as he willingly doted on his unborn child and hungry wife.
Susu turned around, ready to walk towards him. Before the first step was taken, he had already run over to her side and held her waist from behind. "Where do you want to walk to? Here, I'll support your back. There are a lot of small pebbles and stones. Let me know if your feet hurt. You're wearing flats today, so it might hurt to walk over them. If you're tired, we can sit or I could carry you."
Lifting out both hands, she spread her fingers and started counting in front of him. "One, two, three, four, five, six, seven; we have this many month to go before our baby comes. So, how likely are you to be like this for the next seven months?"
"Wife, you miscalculated. It is exactly seven months and twenty days until the due date. Also, the due date is only an estimate. You've been easily fatigue after you conceived. Just yesterday, you were falling asleep on the couch with a peeled orange in your hands. You didn't even know you fell asleep."
He wished he could bring her to work with him, but he couldn't. Hence, he could only do what he can when he spends time with her. News of her pregnancy spread to everyone in their family and friends circle. Almost every other day, he would receive packages delivered to their doors for Susu.
Susu's room was redecorated and filled with boxes of baby items; mostly presents from the godmothers. Lily, Ariana and Shi Xue kept his wife occupied and distracted from work while he was at the office. He was glad she wasn't feeling neglected or bored staying at home for months.
Her work was going smoothly and her designs were submitted before the deadlines arrived. Everything seemed right, the way they are now. Soon, there will be a sweet angel coming into their lives, completing the perfect family picture they could ever ask for.
Looking back in all these years, his effort and never giving up spirit has blossomed. Not only did he date, marry and created a family with his wife; she was his one and only since the day they met. Her smile and happiness were his to protect. From the moment he met her till the day they've exchanged vows in front of everyone they loved; he has determined to walk with her hand in hand, until his last breaths.
And now, his goal had a little change to it because it is no longer just the two of them. He has been promoted with an additional title. He is now a husband and a father.