What If...I Remember?

Chapter 51

"I swear, Ye Hua, that this little thing just moved-"

Bai Qian sat on the edge of the bed, her hand rubbing creases in her dress as she pressed her palm against her slightly raised abdomen, and Ye Hua placed his scroll down as he gazed over at his wife curiously, "But it's just six months, Qian Qian. Are you mistaken?"

"I'm not mistaken, I'm fairly sure- aiyo!" Bai Qian gasped, her hand halting in its circular movements, before she exhaled softly, as though she had been through something exhilarating, "It moved again, Ye Hua. I'm very sure." "Hmm." Ye Hua mused, scooting over to her as she leaned closer to him, and Ye Hua cautiously covered her hand with his, placing it gently over her warm abdomen.

"Was A-Li this active?" Ye Hua drew away at last, after Bai Qian swatted his hand away, and she resumed nesting in the corner of the bed as she brushed her fingers through her hair as though pruning herself, "A-Li didn't move until the second year. Nai Nai spent almost all her free time before that worrying that I'd miscarried." "We all did, Qian Qian, at the rate that you cried and skipped meals." Ye Hua's lips twitched into a grin as he watched her move on to smoothening her dress, and Bai Qian glared at him, before she muttered, "It was all because of you. How bold of you to mention it."

"Mother? Father?" Came A-Li's voice from outside, and the doors creaked open to reveal the little boy, along with Nai Nai, who held a tray that had a pot of something steaming on it, and Nai Nai curtsied as she set the tray down before Bai Qian, "Madam, your nourishment soup."

"Again?" Bai Qian groaned, eyeing the pot of steaming soup as though it was terribly repulsive, "I told Xiao Jiu to stop!" "But it's good for you, Madam." Nai Nai insisted, ladling the soup out into a bowl then passing it to Bai Qian, "And I agree with the Little Princess that you should stop throwing the soup into the flower bushes." "..." Bai Qian's expression was full of annoyance, but she still opened her mouth obediently when Ye Hua pressed the spoon against her lips.

"What's that that you have there, A-Li?" Bai Qian soon lost interest in protesting against the soup that continued to be spoon-fed to her by Ye Hua, and A-Li held out a scroll hesitantly as he beamed, "I drew something, Mother." "What did you draw?" Bai Qian allowed her son to clamber onto her lap as she spread the scrolled up parchment, and even as her eyes roamed the drawing, her mouth fell open in surprise, and she handed it to Ye Hua as she asked A-Li in astonishment, "Why did you think of drawing this, out of a sudden?"

It was a painting of a scenery with just a few figures on it. Undoubtedly, it had the three of them: Bai Qian, Ye Hua, and A-Li. There was nothing wrong with the drawing; except that the peach blossom trees weren't drawn quite as beautiful as the real ones, but that didn't matter. What was more intriguing was that Bai Qian's abdomen was rather much swollen in the painting, and in Ye Hua's arms was a girl, not much younger than A-Li.

"During a lesson today, the teacher asked us to express what we wanted most, and what we loved most. I..." A-Li's face was turning red rapidly, like a tiny tomato, and Bai Qian exchanged glances with Ye Hua, who merely urged A-Li on gently, "Go on, A-Li, it's okay." "I drew Mother, Father and myself on it. But...I also drew..." A-Li's face turned so red to the extent that he stopped talking altogether, ducking his head shyly, and Bai Qian finished his sentence for him, "A sister. And another sibling on the way. Is that what you wish for, A-Li?"

"I......yes." A-Li mumbled, his cheeks burning as he admitted to it, and Bai Qian gave a gentle laugh as she pulled her son into her arms, "Are you really ready to be a brother, A-Li? It means you'll get less attention too." "Ah?" A-Li gaped at his mother, seemingly hesitating now, but he nodded rather enthusiastically right after, "I don't mind."

"You don't have to wait long, A-Li." Ye Hua spoke, finally placing the scroll down as he gave a dubious smile, and A-Li looked from his father to his mother, who now joined in the mysterious smile as she held his hand in hers, then brought it down to her abdomen gently as she told him the truth.