INC Chapter 65

Mu Wan had encountered many children before. While filming, she had met two- or three-year-olds who couldn’t yet speak—soft, sweet, and adorable little actors. During breaks, Mu Wan would often playfully interact with them.

However, this was her first time meeting such a tiny baby. The baby was a small, soft bundle with milky-white skin and dark, glassy eyes. Dressed in a pale yellow outfit, the baby’s tiny hands stretched out as its arms moved gently.

As soon as Mu Wan saw the baby, she caught a whiff of a sweet, milky scent. Standing in front of the crib, she felt a bit lost and looked up at Xu Xingkong, saying, “He’s so beautiful.”

Xu Xingkong followed her gaze to the baby, radiating a deep maternal warmth. Hearing Mu Wan’s compliment, she smiled and encouraged her, “Would you like to hold him?”

Mu Wan’s eyes sparkled with interest, but her large belly made her hesitant. Xu Xingkong took her hand and led her to a seat beside the crib, saying with a smile, “Sit here.”

Under Xu Xingkong’s guidance, Mu Wan carefully sat on the carpet next to the crib. Xu Xingkong gently lifted the baby out, and the little one seemed overjoyed to be in his mother’s arms. His chubby little legs kicked excitedly, and Mu Wan’s heart melted as she let out a small laugh. Xu Xingkong laughed too, sitting beside Mu Wan and carefully passing the baby to her.

Mu Wan’s smile froze, turning into a look of serious concentration. She felt a wave of panic but carefully followed Xu Xingkong’s instructions. “Just open your arms, support his head with one hand, and place the other under his legs.” Xu Xingkong advised.

“Okay.” Mu Wan listened intently and, following the instructions, cradled the baby in her arms.

The baby, though tiny, had a certain weight to him, as if pressing against her heartbeat. Mu Wan’s breathing became lighter, her nose filled with the sweet scent of milk. She gazed down at the little one, who in turn stared curiously back at her with his beautiful, unafraid eyes.

“So soft.” Mu Wan whispered to Xu Xingkong, her eyes gleaming with delight, her voice automatically lowering.

“All babies are like this.” Xu Xingkong chuckled, watching Mu Wan with amusement. Her cautious demeanour reminded Xu Xingkong of her own early days with the baby.

Babies have a way of making everyone around them gentle and careful.

After holding the baby for a while, Xu Xingkong, worried that Mu Wan might get tired, took the baby back into her own arms. The baby seemed to recognize his mother, opening his mouth with a soft coo and moving his tiny head, utterly adorable. Xu Xingkong playfully kissed the baby’s little hand, smiling all the while.

The intimate scene between mother and child made Mu Wan feel a pang of envy. She wondered if the little one in her own belly would be as close to her.

The two women, whose pregnancies were close in timing—Xu Xingkong being three months ahead—began chatting about the challenges ahead and exchanging advice on how to handle them.

Time passed quickly as they talked, and before they knew it, there was a knock on the door. They glanced outside; the sky was already painted with the brilliant reds and pinks of a seaside sunset.

“Come in.” Xu Xingkong called with a smile.

A moment later, the door opened, and Liu Qianxiu entered, followed by Huai Jing. Huai Jing’s gaze immediately fell on the baby in Xu Xingkong’s arms. “You should let him rest on his own; holding him too long will tire you out.”

Xu Xingkong didn’t heed Huai Jing’s advice—he was always worried about her getting tired. Instead, she looked up at Liu Qianxiu and asked, “Would you like to hold him?”

Liu Qianxiu, who had just helped Mu Wan up from the carpet, turned his gaze to the baby. The little one had just woken up and yawned softly, his dark eyes glistening.

Mu Wan gently tugged on Liu Qianxiu’s arm, her eyes shining as she whispered, “I just held him. He’s so soft and smells so sweet, and he’s wonderful to hold.”

Liu Qianxiu’s eyes softened as he looked at her and said, “I’ll give it a try.”

Mu Wan watched as he approached the baby, expecting that he would need guidance from Xu Xingkong. However, to her surprise, he effortlessly and expertly took the baby into his arms, holding him securely.

Given his tall stature, the tiny baby seemed even smaller in Liu Qianxiu’s embrace. He only held the baby for a short while, not wanting to make the little one uncomfortable around a stranger, before handing him back to Huai Jing.

As Huai Jing took the baby, he looked directly at Liu Qianxiu and suddenly smiled.

“You’re pretty good at holding a baby. Why were you so modest about needing advice?”

Liu Qianxiu’s lips curved slightly as his gaze settled on the baby’s face. “He looks like you.” he commented.

Huai Jing chuckled.

When it was time for dinner, Mu Wan and Liu Qianxiu didn’t stay at Xu Xingkong’s house. Instead, they returned to the Liu family estate. After dinner, they took a stroll through the back garden, and Mu Wan related to Liu Qianxiu the tips and advice Xu Xingkong had shared with her. Liu Qianxiu listened and agreed with everything she said.

As spring gradually approached, the temperatures began to rise slightly, though the nights remained cool. Mu Wan was now six months pregnant, and her belly had grown even larger. Bundled up in thick clothing, she could barely see her own toes.

The garden was softly lit, the sky above them sprinkled with stars. The night’s scenery was beautiful as they walked side by side. After finishing her account, Mu Wan glanced sideways at Liu Qianxiu and asked, “Did you already know everything I just told you?”

“I knew some of it.” Liu Qianxiu replied as he guided Mu Wan over a small step and into another part of the garden.

What he said was modest—he knew a lot more than “some.” Mu Wan didn’t argue, simply smiling, feeling content and happy.

“I don’t know much and can’t do much.” Mu Wan said, “Does that make me seem careless?”

She had always been a bit absent-minded, and after becoming pregnant, her mind felt even more sluggish. The baby in her belly hadn’t caused her much discomfort, aside from making her sleepy and slow to react. Most of the time, she felt a bit lazy. Liu Qianxiu, on the other hand, was meticulous and patient, handling most of the details for her. She hardly had to think about anything—he had everything covered.

Just as she finished speaking, Liu Qianxiu stopped. They were standing on a small bridge in the centre of the garden’s lake. The lights reflected off the rippling water, casting shimmering patterns on the nearby walls.

Bundled in her down coat, with her face mostly hidden by her scarf, only her eyes peeked out as she gazed up at him. Liu Qianxiu looked down at her, his Adam’s apple bobbing slightly as his eyes, clear and bright like moonlight, met hers.

“There are things I can’t do either.” Liu Qianxiu said, gently touching her hair. She shrank back a little at his touch.

“What can’t you do?” Mu Wan blinked, leaning into his embrace, her hands clutching his clothes as she smiled up at him. “Can’t give birth in my place?”

That was part of it. In marriage and parenthood, men seemed to have it easier than women. They didn’t have to endure ten months of pregnancy, didn’t experience the pain of childbirth, nor did they face the physical and mental pressures and challenges of recovery and breastfeeding.

Liu Qianxiu didn’t answer. Mu Wan looked up at him, unsure of what he was thinking. She smiled, nestling closer to him as if to comfort him, patting his shoulder with confidence. “Don’t worry, I can handle pain pretty well.”

Mu Wan wasn’t just saying that—she had been through a lot. As a child, she had endured abuse from her uncle, and as an actress, she had sustained many injuries from stunts and action scenes. She believed she had a high pain tolerance.

But her words didn’t seem to comfort Liu Qianxiu. He tightened his grip on her hand, pulling her closer.

Mu Wan had overestimated her ability to withstand pain. The pain of childbirth was unlike any other pain she had experienced before—it was a feeling of being torn apart from the inside.

As she entered the later stages of pregnancy, her belly grew even larger, making her feel sluggish and reducing her appetite. Upon noticing this, Wu Ma, who had taken care of her mother during her pregnancy, moved into the Liu family estate to take care of Mu Wan’s meals and daily needs.

Wu Ma’s cooking suited Mu Wan’s taste, and after lunch one day, as Wu Ma cleared the table, she noticed that Mu Wan looked sleepy again. She reminded her, “Wanwan, you should get up and walk around a bit.”

It was now midsummer, and the small garden was sweltering at noon. Mu Wan usually walked indoors during this time. She heeded Wu Ma’s advice and got up from her seat. But as she stood, she suddenly froze.

Wu Ma noticed her hesitation and asked, “What’s wrong?”

Mu Wan frowned, glancing down at her belly, and said uncertainty, “I think I’m having contractions. It feels like it’s time.”

Wu Ma’s expression immediately turned serious. She hurried over to Mu Wan, quickly checking her condition. After a brief moment of panic, she composed herself.

“Take deep breaths.” Wu Ma instructed, helping Mu Wan sit down.

Then, with surprising speed for her small stature, Wu Ma dashed to the door. Leaning back in her chair, Mu Wan heard Wu Ma’s loud shout.

“Old Li! Hurry to the hospital!”

At this point, Mu Wan only felt mild contractions, which she could still tolerate. She couldn’t help but smile at how loud Wu Ma could be, despite her small size.

Wu Ma’s shout startled everyone in the Liu estate, and a group of people quickly rushed in. It seemed they had rehearsed this before—everyone had a role to play, and they efficiently and calmly helped Mu Wan into the car.

Inside the family van, Wu Ma sat beside her, with several others—nutritionists, a maternity nurse, and a few other helpers—following closely behind. Someone was guiding her through breathing exercises, and everything happened so quickly and seemed so foreign that Mu Wan felt like she was dreaming.

The contractions grew stronger, and by the time they reached the hospital, Liu Qianxiu was already waiting at the entrance. As she got out of the car, she called out, “Liu Qianxiu.”

Liu Qianxiu supported her, responding softly, but Mu Wan noticed that his voice was trembling slightly. It was only at that moment that the reality of the situation began to sink in.

They had already arranged for Dr. Chen to deliver the baby, but Mu Wan’s labour had started about a week earlier than expected. As she was wheeled into the delivery room, Liu Qianxiu stayed by her side.

“Not fully dilated yet.” Dr. Chen said after an examination. Looking at Liu Qianxiu, he added, “Take her for a walk.”

Mu Wan noticed a slight furrow in Liu Qianxiu’s brow. His lips pressed into a thin line, and he held her hand tightly. Mu Wan wiggled her fingers and said to him, “Help me up.”

“Alright.” Liu Qianxiu said, helping her to her feet.

The pain was starting to intensify—worse than any injury she had ever suffered, but still bearable. As they walked slowly through the hallway, Mu Wan tried to distract herself by talking to Liu Qianxiu. “I wonder if it’s Laizhi or Anzhi.”

Liu Qianxiu held her hand as they walked, watching her closely and saying, “Which one do you want?”

“I want both.” Mu Wan said with a pale smile, trying to focus through the pain. “It would be great to have twins.”

But during an earlier prenatal checkup, they had already confirmed that she was only carrying one baby.

After a moment, she suddenly stopped, bending over slightly. She gripped Liu Qianxiu’s hand tightly as the pain washed over her, draining her strength. “It’s really starting to hurt now.”

Liu Qianxiu’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he scooped her up in his arms and carried her back into the delivery room.

At three centimetres dilated, Mu Wan received an epidural. But as she reached full dilation, the epidural was stopped, and she had to push the baby out on her own. This was the most excruciating part, and Mu Wan nearly cried from the pain.

She clung to Liu Qianxiu’s hand, struggling to push through the contractions. In the midst of her agony, she caught a glimpse of something she had never seen before in Liu Qianxiu’s eyes—deep worry mixed with fear.

In all their time together, this was the first time she had ever seen him look this way. Gritting her teeth, Mu Wan gave one final push, using every last bit of her strength. Exhausted, she felt the tension drain from her body as the baby was finally born.

Her ears were ringing, but through the noise, she heard the sound of a newborn crying. She stared up at the ceiling, breathing heavily as Liu Qianxiu held her close, kissing her tear-streaked cheek.

“Come and cut the umbilical cord.” Dr. Chen said with a smile.

Liu Qianxiu went to cut the cord, and after the baby’s initial check, the nurse placed the newborn in Mu Wan’s arms.

The baby, newly born, was red and wrinkled—far less adorable than Xu Xingkong’s baby had been. But to Mu Wan, the baby was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. She smiled, looking up at Liu Qianxiu and said softly,

“It’s Anzhi.”

She had given him a daughter.

“Thank you. I love you.” Liu Qianxiu said, wrapping both Mu Wan and their daughter in his arms.

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