The cool air conditioning in the hall relieved some of the morning’s heat. Mu Wan held a pen in her hand, watching as Liu Qianxiu signed the papers beside her. Noticing her gaze, he turned his head slightly and asked, “What’s on your mind?”
“Nothing.” Mu Wan smiled, snapping back to reality as she added her signature.
Liu Qianxiu had taken her to get their marriage certificate, something for which she was completely unprepared. Even after holding the certificate in her hands, she still felt like she was in a daze. There was a photo on the certificate. She glanced at it, then looked at Liu Qianxiu again.
He was driving, his white shirt unbuttoned at the collar, his dark eyes focused on the road ahead. The morning sunlight streamed through the windshield, illuminating the steering wheel and highlighting the well-defined bones of his fingers.
As they stopped at a red light, Liu Qianxiu turned to look at her. Mu Wan was still staring at him, her eyes shining brightly like those of a puppy. He pressed his lips together in a small smile and reached out to ruffle her curly hair. As soon as his hand touched her hair, Mu Wan burst into laughter.
She snapped out of her reverie, looked down at the marriage certificate, and said, “I thought you had foreign nationality.”
Liu Qianxiu had grown up in Austria with his grandfather and had only returned to China in recent years. Mu Wan had always assumed he was a foreign national, so even holding the marriage certificate now felt surreal.
Although they hadn’t had an engagement banquet or wedding yet, they were legally married. Mu Wan loved the feeling of being united as one. She was genuinely happy, her eyes sparkling with the joy of someone who had just woken from a sweet dream.
As the light turned green, Liu Qianxiu briefly lingered at her ear, gently pinching her earlobe before starting the car again.
“No, the heads of the Liu family have never held foreign nationality.”
In large families like his, there was a strong emphasis on the idea of returning to one’s roots. Despite having many options regarding nationality, they never chose to immigrate. The four great families of Xiacheng had long and storied histories that could be traced back to ancient dynasties, making them particularly mindful of this aspect.
Perhaps it was this explanation, or maybe it was just the passage of time, but Mu Wan began to feel the reality of their marriage more and more.
Mu Wan had no filming scheduled for the afternoon, so she took a leisurely nap and woke up at three in the afternoon. By then, Liu Qianxiu had already gone to work, and she had a prenatal checkup at the hospital. Afterward, they planned to visit the Mei family together.
After freshening up, Mu Wan called Uncle Li, who drove her to the hospital. She didn’t call Liu Qianxiu but went directly to his office.
When she arrived, she found that Liu Qianxiu wasn’t alone. There were two other doctors in the room—a man she didn’t recognize and a woman she did, named Xiao Yun.
Mu Wan stood outside, peering through the glass window. She knocked on the door, and the people inside looked up. Liu Qianxiu was the first to see her. He apologised to the others and walked over to open the door for her.
“Did you sleep well?” Liu Qianxiu asked, looking at her.
“Yes.” Mu Wan nodded, glancing into the office. “Are you busy?”
“Almost done.” Liu Qianxiu replied, pulling her inside. “Come in and wait for a bit.”
Mu Wan didn’t hesitate, following him inside. She greeted the other two doctors with a nod, and Liu Qianxiu guided her to sit on a bed in the office.
Before drawing the curtain around her, he seemed to remember something. He took out a box of strawberry milk, inserted the straw, and handed it to her.
The male doctor looked a bit surprised, while Xiao Yun frowned slightly. Mu Wan accepted the milk with a smile, placing the straw in her mouth and taking a sip.
She sat there quietly, listening as they discussed a surgical case, though she couldn’t understand any of it. She sipped her strawberry milk, the blend of milk and fruit dancing on her tongue, keeping her entertained. Every now and then, Liu Qianxiu would glance at her, and she would respond with a smile.
By the time they finished discussing the case, half an hour had passed. The male doctor excused himself early, sensing it was time to leave. Xiao Yun remained, organising some files.
“Are we heading to the OB-GYN now?” Mu Wan asked Liu Qianxiu as she watched Xiao Yun slowly finish up.
Her question caused Xiao Yun to pause and look over.
“Yes.” Liu Qianxiu responded, taking her hand.
“Have you already contacted the doctor?” Xiao Yun asked, holding the files against her chest. The couple looked at her, and Xiao Yun smiled, “I have a mentor in the OB-GYN department.”
“Dr. Chen?” Liu Qianxiu inquired.
Dr. Chen was the most experienced OB-GYN doctor in the hospital.
Xiao Yun hesitated before nodding, “Yes.”
“I’ve already been in touch.” Liu Qianxiu replied.
“Oh.” Xiao Yun nodded, smiled again, and then left the room without another word.
As they walked out, Mu Wan asked Liu Qianxiu, “She’s a surgeon. Why does she have a mentor in the OB-GYN department?”
Liu Qianxiu looked at her and said, “I’m not sure.”
He didn’t know many doctors in the hospital and had few close colleagues. He only knew Dr. Chen because of Xu Xingkong’s pregnancy.
Liu Qianxiu was a focal point in the hospital, though he himself was unaware and uninterested. Mu Wan had almost forgotten his personality. Realising this, she smiled, linking her arm with his as they walked.
When they arrived at Dr. Chen’s office, Mu Wan went in for her checkup. After it was done, Dr. Chen recorded her information.
Dr. Chen was a kind elderly doctor who knew Liu Qianxiu. The young doctors and nurses, even some patients in the hospital, often gossiped about him. Despite him having a girlfriend, there were still those who hoped they would break up.
But not only had they not broken up, he was now bringing his girlfriend in for a prenatal checkup.
Dr. Chen didn’t ask too many questions, focusing on the examination. However, the nurses outside couldn’t resist gossiping.
“She’s pregnant? But Dr. Liu isn’t married yet, right?”
“Definitely not married; otherwise, there would’ve been some news from the surgery department.”
“So it’s an out-of-wedlock pregnancy.” one of the nurses clicked her tongue, her tone ambiguous.
Mu Wan listened quietly. After finishing the checkup, she went to the nurse’s station to complete her records. The same nurses from earlier came over to help her input the information.
When one of the nurses asked about her marital status, Mu Wan called out to Liu Qianxiu. He had just returned with her report and walked over to the station, the nurses all watching him.
“What is it?” Liu Qianxiu asked Mu Wan.
“They’re asking about my marital history.” Mu Wan said with a smile.
Liu Qianxiu looked at her, gently brushing her hair aside. His tenderness was fleeting as he turned to the nurses and said,
“We’re married. She’s my legal wife.”
By the time Liu Qianxiu finished work, the entire hospital was abuzz with the news of his marriage. The place was in an uproar. First, there was the shock that Dr. Liu, who had always seemed so ascetic, had moved so quickly from dating to marriage. Second, those who admired him were finally forced to give up any hope of a breakup, especially since his wife was pregnant. This was far from a simple breakup between a young couple.
The hospital was full of gossip, but the people involved remained unaffected.
Before heading to the Mei residence, Liu Qianxiu received a call from Mei Yaozhi. They had originally planned to discuss the engagement banquet and wedding details that evening, but it turned out that some of Mei Lao Tai’s old classmates had arrived in the country with their families that afternoon. So now, the Mei residence was busy entertaining this group of guests.
“Do you still want to come over?” Mei Yaozhi asked, the sound of children playing in the background.
Liu Qianxiu glanced at Mu Wan, who blinked and softly said, “Tomorrow?”
“Tomorrow it is.” Liu Qianxiu agreed.
“Alright.” Mei Yaozhi said, “I’ll let Grandma know. She was worried that all the chaos at home might make Mu Wan uncomfortable.”
After hanging up, Liu Qianxiu gripped the steering wheel and asked, “What do you want to eat?”
As they were heading home, Mu Wan began to think of dishes. After deciding, they headed to the supermarket together.
When they returned home, Liu Qianxiu went to the kitchen while Mu Wan went to the cat room to feed the cats. The three kittens were growing quickly, especially Da Tou, who was already showing signs of becoming a big cat, even though it was still under three months old.
The house was very quiet, save for the meows of the cats and the sound of running water from the kitchen. Mu Wan sat cross-legged, thinking that she and Liu Qianxiu were already living like a married couple.
They ate together, slept together, and now she was carrying his child. Even without an engagement banquet or wedding, with the marriage certificate in hand, they were indeed husband and wife.
Mu Wan felt a wave of happiness, contentment, and joy. She stood up and walked toward the kitchen. Inside, the man was standing by the sink, giving her his back.
His silhouette was tall and straight, somewhat lean. When he was alone, there was a sense of solitude and detachment, not at all like someone’s husband.
Mu Wan walked over and hugged him from behind. He was still washing the celery, but his body froze for a moment before he turned to look at her.
“What’s up?” he asked, turning off the faucet and rinsing his hands clean.
Mu Wan met his gaze, smiling softly. Her warm breath seeped through his shirt and onto his back, causing his throat to tighten slightly. He turned off the faucet, and the sound of water ceased, leaving only a soft whimper from behind, like that of a small kitten.
“Husband~” she called out.
Her voice wasn’t loud, but it had a rising lilt at the end, like the tail of a proud cat brushing against his heart. His heart stirred as he glanced out the window, his emotions churning.
After a moment, he turned around, placing his hands on her waist. She seemed a little embarrassed, her cheeks, earlobes, and lips all flushed red, yet she was smiling.
He looked into her watery eyes, his voice deep as he leaned in slightly and asked, “What did you just call me?”
Mu Wan licked her lips, looking up at him. Her body leaned back completely, but his hands held her firmly. Her face was burning, but she wasn’t one to back down easily, so she said, “I just called you husband~”
After speaking, her face grew even hotter. She blinked, unsure if she should be looking at him or not, and asked nervously, “Doesn’t it sound as good as Liu Qianxiu?”
She looked up at him intently, waiting for his answer, her heart a mix of shyness and anxiety. After a moment, he smiled.
His smile was like the thawing of ice in a spring field, a flood of warmth and light that overwhelmed her. Mu Wan blushed even more deeply.
As she blushed, he bent down and kissed the corner of her lips. His fingers, still slightly damp, brushed against her cheek, cool and comforting.
“Everything you call me sounds good.”
Mu Wan’s heart, already filled with warmth, felt like it was dipped in sugar. She narrowed her eyes, smiling as she hugged him tightly, burying her face in his chest, her voice barely audible.
“Does it sound good when I call you that in bed too?”
Her voice was like burning incense, wrapping around him, tempting him. After she finished speaking, she could feel Liu Qianxiu’s heartbeat quicken.
“Hahaha!” Mu Wan laughed, deciding to run after teasing him. But before she could get far, Liu Qianxiu grabbed her hand. Their physical abilities were in completely different leagues. Like a kitten that had playfully bitten its owner, she was caught by the tail and pulled back, unable to resist.
Mu Wan yelped twice, but Liu Qianxiu caught her ear between his teeth. His soft lips, gently biting teeth, and the warmth of his breath all flooded her senses, along with his deep, hoarse voice.
“Tonight, I’ll listen closely.” he whispered.
In Mu Wan’s mind, fireworks exploded.
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