Women always love limited editions. Li Yaru picked up a pair of cute lace baby shoes. “Zhuang Qiting, our daughter will look great in these.”
Zhuang Qiting sat on the sofa, looking at his wife holding the little shoes with gentle eyes.
For some reason, the scene touched the softest part of his heart, making him feel happy and fulfilled.
He stood up, went to Li Yaru’s side, and held the tiny shoes in his palm. They were exquisitely cute, not even half the size of his hand, like a tiny boat.
“They’re lovely.” He told the sales to wrap up a new pair.
“May I ask which size you need, sir?”
This question stumped both Li Yaru and Zhuang Qiting. What size… The child hadn’t even been born yet, still just pomegranate-sized in the belly.
Li Yaru opened her mouth, but it was Zhuang Qiting who replied, “The smallest is fine.” Then he looked at Li Yaru and asked, “Why not get one of every size?”
Li Yaru laughed, “You’re such a spendthrift.”
She happily went off to pick more, almost clearing out the entire season’s children’s collection from the brand—lace sun hats with bows, pale yellow silk dresses, gem hair clips, pink bunny dolls… Without exception, all were for a baby girl.
When the sales had packed everything up, dozens of bags and boxes piled together, filling even the car’s trunk. Li Yaru sheepishly asked if maybe she’d bought too much.
“Not at all.” Zhuang Qiting reassured her, “Mommy’s bought a hundred pairs of high heels, this is nothing.”
Li Yaru was indeed comforted by that.
There was no need for Zhuang Qiting to pay the bill himself—Li Guanjia took care of it.
Li Guanjia was all smiles too. The Zhuang Family hadn’t had a girl in two generations; with all these boys, their hopes now rested on the next generation.
The Zhuang Family would finally have their own little princess!
.
The Zhuang residence had long prepared a dedicated space for their future little princess: a cozy bedroom, a nursery, wardrobe room, a bathroom big enough for a mini swimming pool, a future piano room, art studio, playroom… Everything one could think of was ready.
Li Yaru loved the bedroom most. She’d designed it herself: French floral walls, all kinds of mother-of-pearl crystal lamps, cream lace curtains, a pink velvet sofa… Standing before the floor-to-ceiling windows, one could gaze out at layers of blue sea.
As a child, she’d always dreamed of having a beautiful, magical bedroom. Now, all she hadn’t enjoyed, she wanted to give her daughter.
For the next few months, Li Yaru stayed home to await the birth, exercised, read about childcare, played music for the baby, hired tutors to teach her piano, and would visit Zhuang Qiting’s office to tease him for fun.
With her belly so big, Zhuang Qiting didn’t even dare to threaten her with words, fearing she might feel unwell.
So Zhuang Qiting let his wife boss him around, knowing that after she gave birth and recovered, he’d settle all scores one by one.
When week thirty-nine of her pregnancy arrived, Li Yaru suddenly noticed bleeding while bathing at home—a sign labor was beginning.
She braved her fear, quickly pressed the bell, and Zhuang Qiting rushed in, wrapped her up, dried her, changed her clothes—every move steady and practiced.
“I’m scared… I’m really scared…” Li Yaru clung to Zhuang Qiting’s sleeve, her voice small, eyes wet but not crying—yet full of fear of the unknown.
“Don’t be afraid, Ah Rou. Don’t be afraid.” He comforted her, his big hand patting her back, giving her a sense of security.
The delivery team had practiced many times, and now everything moved in order.
The driver prepared the car, Li Guanjia called the hospital to stand by, the butler and servants grabbed the pre-packed delivery bags.
Zhuang Mu hurriedly changed, first notifying her husband on business in America, then the Li Family.
Once they heard their daughter was going into labor, they rushed to the hospital as well.
The Rolls-Royce sped towards the hospital, the driver putting forth his best skill, making the ride both fast and steady.
“Aren’t you supposed to feel pain only hours after seeing blood? Why am I hurting already… My mom said childbirth is really painful…” Li Yaru muttered.
Zhuang Qiting kissed her cheek, afraid she was uncomfortable, only daring to hold her gently. “It won’t hurt, darling. With modern medicine, as long as pain management is done well, there’s no pain at all.”
Li Yaru didn’t believe him. Since childhood, she’d heard many stories—childbirth for women was like passing through the gates of hell.
“You’re lying…” Li Yaru’s voice was very small, full of grievance, leaning on him more dependently than ever before.
“I’m not lying, trust me. Baby.” Zhuang Qiting’s heart softened, aching for her, but his voice was steady as he held her hand tight, giving her a sense of security.
“Don’t be afraid, I promise it won’t hurt.”
For this birth, Zhuang Qiting had hired the world’s top delivery team, all to serve Li Yaru, using the most advanced birthing techniques available.
The team leader had assured Zhuang Qiting: for this delivery, pain management would reach over ninety percent.
Even so, as Li Yaru was wheeled into the delivery room, Zhuang Qiting was still nervous—more nervous than ever in his life.
Zhuang Qikai and Zhuang Qize rushed to the hospital when they heard. Seeing their always composed, imposing elder brother staring blankly at a wall, they looked at each other in surprise.
The birth went smoothly and quickly. Just over an hour later, the delivery room doors opened again.
A nurse came out holding a tiny bundle of cotton, smiling broadly. Zhuang Qiting saw only the baby—no Li Yaru—and asked about her before the nurse could speak.
The nurse smiled, lifting the baby up: “Congratulations! Mr. Zhuang, mother and son are both safe. Your wife is doing well, just a little weak. The baby fell asleep right after birth, the nurses are helping her wash and change, she’ll be out soon.”
Only then did Zhuang Qiting relax, glancing quickly at the child and returning to stand guard by the delivery room door.
The whole family gathered around the baby, grinning from ear to ear.
“Wait—” Zhuang Qize was the first to react. “Mother and son? What do you mean? Isn’t it a little princess?”
The nurse paused, “It’s a handsome little boy!”
When Zhuang Qiting heard it was a boy, his expression grew complicated, his heartbeat skipping half a beat. “Not a daughter?”
The Zhuang Family was also stunned. “Not a princess?”
Now even the nurse was unsure—what was going on? Clearly it was a boy, she’d checked herself. “It’s a boy! Absolutely no mistake!”
.
Li Yaru didn’t know how long she’d slept. It felt like running a kilometer, utterly exhausted, collapsing into a long, long sleep and having a very long dream.
In her dream, she cradled her fragrant daughter, lying on that pink bed, sunlight streaming in, butterflies fluttering in the garden, camellias in full bloom.
She opened her eyes to the white walls and turned her head, seeing the man asleep in the sofa, nodding off from exhaustion, his shirt rumpled.
The man’s features were deep and defined, looking especially handsome at rest.
“Zhuang Qiting…” she called weakly.
The man was so sensitive that even this faint sound woke him. Seeing Li Yaru awake, his heart finally settled.
He got up quickly, went to the bed, leaned down, and pressed his lips to her sweat-dampened forehead. “Does it hurt? Did I lie to you?”
That was the first thing he asked.
Li Yaru smiled softly, closing her eyes as she recalled the unprecedented experience.
“It hurt when the anesthetic was given, but after that, it didn’t hurt. The nurse fed me matcha chocolate and played my favorite music. She praised me for being amazing, that it only took half an hour.”
She felt no pain during the birth—she didn’t know how the Doctor managed it, but it was magical.
“You’re amazing, Ah Rou. The most amazing.” Zhuang Qiting’s voice was hoarse, stubble growing on his chin, without his usual polished look.
He held her hand, kissing it again and again.
At this moment, there was no one else, no stray thoughts. He only wanted to kiss her gently.
“By the way… Where’s my daughter? I only saw her for a second—where is she?”
At that, Zhuang Qiting’s gaze dimmed, several times wanting to speak but stopping, not knowing how to say it, afraid Li Yaru couldn’t handle such a shocking mix-up.
“Why do you look like that? Is she sick? Is there a problem? You—” Seeing his silence, Li Yaru panicked, trying to prop herself up even in her weak state.
“Don’t worry, don’t move. He’s perfectly fine—the nurse took him to be washed.”
Li Yaru let out a breath, but barely a second later—
“There’s something I need to tell you, Ah Rou, you must stay calm.”
She tensed again, like a cat with pricked ears.
Zhuang Qiting swallowed hard, doing his best to stay calm: “It’s a boy.”
“Eh?” Li Yaru didn’t understand.
“Not a daughter… it’s a son.”
“Ah?” Li Yaru stared, eyes utterly confused, not making a sound.
Not a daughter…
Not a daughter. Zhuang Qiting had checked again and again, personally unwrapping the swaddling clothes and seeing with his own eyes the tiny tip between the baby’s legs—it made his head buzz, nearly fainting.
Their plump girl had turned into a stinky boy—who could accept that!
“How could it not be a daughter… It can’t be… Wah—” Li Yaru suddenly broke down. She hadn’t cried giving birth, but now she sobbed her heart out.
Zhuang Qiting, at a total loss, tried to comfort her—but it was useless. Li Yaru mourned for the room she’d decorated, the little dresses, the shoes, the hats—all useless now.
“I hate you, I despise you, Zhuang Qiting, I hate you! Give me back my daughter…”
Zhuang Qiting suffered his wife’s grief and anger, coaxing her while, in his heart, putting all his fury on his son.
This stinky brat, causing his wife to scold him the moment he was born, really was a money-losing deal!!