The moon hung low in the west.
Mist coiled into rings along the horizon.
Under the moonlight, the distant mountains appeared faint and indistinct. Near the villa district, the lingering water vapor from the lake seemed to leave a subtle scent in the air.
January was almost here.
The first month of 2024.
For Shangguan Xiyue, today was a special day—a true rebirth in her heart, signifying she no longer had to rely on anyone else’s favor.
Looking back at her encounter with Si Xinyan, it all felt like a distant dream, as if separated by lifetimes.
Who could have imagined?
A person met by chance online would, years later, become her only friend—someone willing to stand firmly by her side even against two powerful families.
The moment I saw Shangguan Xiyue, I climbed up from my chair with some effort. Before I could even walk over, she was already faster and came to support me.
“Be careful. Don’t overexert yourself and affect the baby.”
“Don’t worry, I’m fine.” I laughed happily, reaching out to poke her belly. “It’s been so long since I’ve seen you. Let me take a look—are you hungry? Why do you have no meat at all…”
Staring at my finger sinking right in, I puffed my cheeks and spoke angrily, “Why is it all flat? Tell me, is it that wicked mother of yours, not giving you anything to eat?”
Shangguan Xiyue smiled awkwardly, her belly having just been poked, and she inexplicably wanted to laugh. “It’s because I’m about to get married. The wedding dress is custom made, and lately, I’ve been strictly controlling my diet. I can only eat one meal a day, and it’s just plain cabbage in water.”
“So… excessive?” My eyes widened gradually. “Sending her to a nunnery is too cheap for her.”
“Someone, come here.”
Chunqiao quickly ran over. “Miss, your servant is here.”
Good, loyal as always. No wonder she’s my best mouthpiece and executioner.
“Go arrange for an old nun. Let her eat only cabbage once a day. When she’s down to ninety-five pounds, then restore her to three meals a day.”
“Far too much! She must experience the despair of nothing but boiled cabbage.”
Shangguan Xiyue didn’t care about Lin Hai’s business.
She didn’t want to—she had more important things to worry about.
Looking at my belly, she asked, “Xiaoyan, how much longer until you give birth?”
“Do you need to prepare the delivery room and doctors in advance?”
“Wait…” I counted on my fingers, speaking unclearly as I bit down syllables. “Let me think. There should be about six weeks left, so a month and a half till the due date. In a few days, when I have time, I’ll go to the hospital for a full check-up and see how the baby’s developing.”
“Should make a trip to the hospital,” Shangguan Xiyue said, temporarily taking over the maid’s duties to help me up from the chair.
“Is there anything to eat? I’m about to starve.”
Shangguan Xiyue’s hunger was real.
A woman 1.75 meters tall, eating nothing but cabbage in a day—no normal person could endure that.
Probably only a biological mother could dare do this. If anyone else tried, they’d be beaten half to death on the spot.
“There is, of course there is!” I put my hands behind my back, eyes sparkling. “Today we’re having hot pot!”
“Good thing I’m clever. I just knew you’d be starving.”
“I’ve been married myself, so of course I know—whether it’s wedding robes or wedding dresses, those special outfits are never easy to wear. Even with a dress tailored exactly to my figure, I still only ate a little before the wedding, just to keep my belly from looking big and avoid looking bad at the ceremony.”
Shangguan Xiyue gazed at my back, suddenly feeling the comfort of an old father watching his daughter finally marry.
“Time flies. Just yesterday we were up all night playing games, and now I’m seeing you married.”
We were still on the first floor. I glanced up at the second, then pulled Shangguan Xiyue down and had her lean in.
I whispered into her ear, “Catcat, I’m really happy now. Su Liumeng listens to everything I say—if I tell her to go east, she wouldn’t dare go west.”
To have a sweetheart who spoils you—maybe that’s the happiest thing in the world.
Shangguan Xiyue caught the little love-sick glint in my eyes and didn’t expose my thoughts. “Of course our Xiaoyan is impressive. Even Su Liumeng is perfectly tamed by you.”
“Of course—” I put my hands on my hips, lowering my voice even further for fear the main subject would hear, “Just look at who I am.”
“What are you two mumbling about down there? If you don’t come up to eat, the water in the hot pot will boil dry!”
Su Liumeng stood at the railing, watching the two of us whispering, and issued a command that put an end to the secrets.
“Ahem—” I stepped back a bit. “We weren’t saying anything. No one called you a henpecked husband.”
“…”
Su Liumeng actually heard everything.
She’d planned to pretend she didn’t, but someone just had to blurt it out—truly, not a single fib in her.
“Yes, you said nothing, didn’t show off at all.” Su Liumeng’s tone was helpless. “Hurry up and get up here. If you don’t, I’ll come down and carry you up myself.”
My cheeks turned a little red.
It was one thing to show off my love in front of my best friend with words, but if I was carried upstairs in front of her, it’d be a new level of embarrassment.
“Coming, coming. And don’t you dare pick me up without my permission.”
Shangguan Xiyue had her fill of dog food today.
But she was happy about it.
Seeing Xiaoyan’s married life so joyful finally let her, as a friend, feel truly at ease.
*****
Ten minutes later.
I stared at the bubbling hot pot in front of me, feeling my mouth water. Especially when I looked at the beef tallow broth across the table—I almost couldn’t resist reaching over with my chopsticks.
So unfair!
I can’t eat anything that spicy, yet I really want to.
There are so many things to avoid during pregnancy.
If it were early pregnancy, eating a little spicy wouldn’t matter. Last time I even had mildly spicy hot pot with Shangguan Xiyue. But now in the later stage, it’s different—any bit of spice could irritate the body and risk early labor.
Everyone’s different, of course.
I don’t dare gamble that my digestive system can handle everything, so I won’t try things outside my prescribed diet.
I took a deep sniff, forcibly tearing my gaze away from the two happily feasting with their chopsticks in the red oil hot pot.
It’s fine.
Tomato broth is delicious, too.
Fragrant and sweet.
I kept telling myself this, and only after eating a braised carrot did I finally feel a bit better.
“Baby, I really don’t get it—why do you like carrots so much? Even rabbits would always choose cabbage over carrots.”
I’d just swallowed a carrot and spoke with my mouth still full, “No picky eating! Carrots are so nutritious, full of all kinds of trace elements, very good for my body right now—super useful.”
Between appetite and health, I’d always choose the latter without hesitation.
“Guess how it is that I’ve never gotten sick once during my pregnancy?”
Getting sick while pregnant is the worst.
Any kind of medicine is absorbed by the baby through the umbilical cord and can cause birth defects.
So you just have to tough it out.
Even at the hospital, they won’t prescribe any meds—almost all over-the-counter medicine says pregnant women shouldn’t use it.
Su Liumeng thought seriously for a second. “If I’m being honest, it’s definitely the baby’s strength that keeps you healthy.”
“…”
Now it was my turn to fall silent.
“You—you’re talking nonsense!”
The way she said it, it was like I’d done nothing at all.
My voice grew loud and agitated, and before I knew it, I cursed.
I put my chopsticks down on the table.
Su Liumeng’s face changed instantly.
She realized she’d said the wrong thing.
Even if it was true, she shouldn’t have said it like that.
Now I was mad—really mad.
“You guys eat. I’m going back to my room.”
Shangguan Xiyue kept signaling with her eyes to Su Liumeng.
Su Liumeng got the message and, bracing herself, gently grabbed my sleeve even as I tried to shake her off three times.
“Never getting sick is certainly the baby’s doing. But our daughter isn’t even born yet. No matter how strong she is, there are times when she can’t do everything.”
My face was calm. “You’re right. The baby is all-powerful. I really haven’t done anything.”
“I’m not angry. You’re just being logical—how could I be mad? Let me go back to my room. Tonight you sleep alone. I need some quiet time.”
Not angry, huh.
Then what does angry look like?
Under Su Liumeng’s gaze, Shangguan Xiyue tried to smooth things over. “Alright, let’s change the subject. Talk about something else.”
“Let’s drop this for now.”
“Xiaoyan, being able to take care of the baby so well means you deserve the most credit—no doubt about it.”
My expression eased a little, and I let Su Liumeng guide me to sit beside her. Even then, I didn’t want to eat. Only after Su Liumeng put the tenth tofu skin in my bowl did I finally pick up my chopsticks and take a tiny bite.
I’m not the kind of person to be swayed by hot pot.
I just don’t want to fight with Su Liumeng on such a happy day.
So annoying.
Even if it’s true, you can’t say it when I’m this happy.
I’d been looking forward to showing off with Catcat.
Meanie—
I shot Su Liumeng a glare.
She got the message and, lowering her head, grabbed another carrot. In the next second, I pinched her thigh hard under the table with my small hand.
After all that, I finally felt better. I hummed softly and started eating my tofu skin, happy at last.
Seeing I was no longer angry, Su Liumeng kept quiet, a bit embarrassed.
She’d been blurting things out a lot lately.
Her first time being married, she was starting to realize—no matter what, there are things you can’t say even to your wife.
There’s just too much to consider—emotions, pride, and so on.
Sometimes, even if you’re right, if your timing is off and you upset your wife, then right becomes wrong.
Su Liumeng’s main problem was her answers were always so “straight”—correct, but devoid of emotional value. Not the best approach.
Like just now, of course the baby plays the biggest role.
But can you say it out loud?
Pregnancy is already a time of wild mood swings.
Even if Si Yu herself came out, she’d only praise Si Xinyan, telling her how wonderful she was.
Did Si Xinyan contribute? Of course she did.
The baby needs rest too.
But if you don’t acknowledge Si Xinyan’s part—even a little—it’s guaranteed to make her angry.
Su Liumeng kept reflecting on her words and actions.
Marriage really is difficult.
Sometimes you have to tell the truth, sometimes you really can’t.
She gradually gained insight.
Whether or not you tell the truth, just going along with your wife and not making her angry is the only right answer.
“Alright, have an old staff member to eat.” I looked at Su Liumeng, who was deep in thought, and felt a pang of guilt.
Sigh.
I’m just too softhearted.
My tone earlier really wasn’t nice. Maybe I turned on her too fast—I even saw that flash of panic in Su Liumeng’s eyes.
Su Liumeng looked at the tomato in her bowl.
No escape.
So I tell the truth, get scolded, and still have to coax my wife and apologize?
At least the baby still loves her.
With tears in her eyes, Su Liumeng ate a tomato from the hot pot.
“Thank you, baby.”
Seeing this, Shangguan Xiyue gave a thumbs up in her heart.
Anyone who can do this deserves a fairy for a wife.
Su Liumeng was full of emotion.
The next moment, a soft, warm pair of lips planted a big kiss on her cheek.
Soft, fragrant, gone in a flash.
“Mm, that’s your reward.”
I realized I’d gone too far, at least I shouldn’t lose my temper so easily. No matter how wronged I felt, I could always talk it out.
With Su Liumeng’s unconditional pampering, my temper had gotten a little inflated.
Really, it shouldn’t be this way.
If someone likes you and spoils you, you shouldn’t take it out on them for no reason—it only hurts those who care for you.
“Don’t be sad anymore… Let’s just let the unhappy things go.” My cheeks flushed. After the kiss, I pulled away a bit. “Su Liumeng, will you keep eating with me?”
Looking at my shy face, Su Liumeng barely managed to suppress her urge to hold my head and ask for more.
Si Xinyan is a proud person.
It’s rare to hear apologies from her lips.
Su Liumeng knew this was the biggest apology Xiaoyan could manage—the last trace of grievance in her heart vanished.
It was her fault.
All her fault.
She already had the best little angel in the world. How could she make her angry?
Shangguan Xiyue watched the two of us bicker, then make up and apologize to each other.
She quietly scolded herself for butting in a moment ago.
Who was I to try to mediate their quarrel?
She’d been force-fed so much dog food she was full.
She finally saw through it—these two would never really fight. The sun would rise in the west first.
Just now, in front of my best friend, I’d kissed my sweetheart. I felt a little shy and ducked my head, then picked up a carrot for Shangguan Xiyue. “Catcat, here’s a carrot for you—to celebrate your new life.”
“May you be as vibrant as a carrot, with a bright future ahead and no more confusion.”
“Cheers!”
I raised my glass of juice.
Su Liumeng and Shangguan Xiyue both raised their beers.
“Cheers.”
“I declare—the Stardust Trio Invincible Squad is officially formed!” At the moment the three glasses were about to clink, I stood up from the sofa, my glass of juice spilling a bit, and announced excitedly.
Next, I pulled out a party popper and fired it toward the ceiling.
Seeing my childish antics, Shangguan Xiyue broke into a genuine smile.
Sometimes, she felt like Si Xinyan had finally grown up.
Other times, she still seemed just a child.
For a whole hour, our Stardust Combo swept all before us in-game, and I hummed a little tune.
Before logging off, I scrolled through the forum, seeing all the posts from fans worried about me. After hesitating briefly, I updated my profile with the reason for my recent absence.
[Haven’t played much lately—a lot of fans have been worried about me, wondering if something happened.]
[Don’t worry, your mighty Yan God is fine. I just got married and I’m currently resting at home… pregnant…]
[Yep, I’m safe. Once the baby’s born, I’ll gradually return to the game.]
Su Liumeng saw my post and burst out laughing. “With you posting this, tomorrow’s trending topics will explode. Who knows how many fangirls’ hearts will break.”
Their only idolized “male god” turned out to be a girl, already married off.
And when the news broke, the “male god” was already heavily pregnant.
If this news spread, who knows what kind of storm it would cause.
“Uh…”
“I probably don’t have that many girl fans. Besides, most are rational. It should be fine.”
I paused for a second, then put my hands on my hips and declared righteously, “Anyway, I’m married now. Am I not allowed to say it? I’m not the kind to hide things.”
Shangguan Xiyue suddenly raised her hand. “The answer is obvious—Xiaoyan just thinks showing off to me alone isn’t enough, she has to show off to all the netizens.”
I snorted happily. “Only Catcat understands me. Congratulations, you got it completely right.”
Though it was a little embarrassing to admit, it really was what I thought.
Showing off a bit shouldn’t be too much, right?
I whispered to myself.
Just this first time—it can’t be endless teasing, right?
Time flew by.
In my and Su Liumeng’s sometimes bickering but mostly harmonious daily life—
Amid everyone’s blessings, 2024 officially arrived.
January 16th.
Less than a month till my due date, I’d grown lazier by the day. With my big belly, I didn’t want to go anywhere. I just lazed on the bed all day and night, not even wanting to get up to eat.
Su Liumeng was at her wits’ end. After countless sweet words, she finally got me out of bed for a while.
“Are we going to the hospital for a check-up?”
“Mm.”
“After the check-up, you’ll bring me straight home?”
“Yes, I promise—we won’t stay outside a second longer.”
With Su Liumeng’s repeated promises, I finally softened and let her take my hand, climbing into the luxury van she personally drove.
The ride was smooth—just as Su Liumeng had planned.