The morning sunlight seeped through the half-drawn curtains, casting a soft glow over Chaoxiang's modest room.
He had been deep in sleep, lost in the comforting embrace of dreams, when the shrill ringing of the landline shattered the tranquility of the moment. Startled, he fumbled for the phone, his mind still clouded with the remnants of sleep.
"Hello?" Chaoxiang's groggy voice came through the other end.
"Good morning."
As Cai Li's voice drifted through the receiver, a sense of joy blossomed within him. Her early morning call was a rare occurrence, and the sound of her dulcet tones never failed to brighten his day.
"Is everything okay? Why are you calling so early?"
There was silence for a few seconds, and then, she spoke again.
"Chaoxiang, I'm pregnant."
The tone of her voice immediately gave him pause, a flicker of concern igniting within him. Her words echoed in his mind, reverberating with a mix of shock and elation.
