The next day, photos of Ji Dongyang accompanying Zhou Yining to the hospital for a checkup were leaked online. Entertainment headlines and Weibo trending searches were all claiming that the Best Actor was about to become a father. As public figures, every move they made was under constant surveillance.

Ji Dongyang and Zhou Yining simply ignored these reports.

With Zhou Yining pregnant, Coffee became a point of concern. After all, keeping pets can sometimes be tricky for pregnant women and newborns.

Ji Dongyang originally wanted to send Coffee to a friend’s house for a year and bring him back later. Zhou Yining refused. “No way. Coffee is part of our family. I can’t bear to let him go… It will be fine. Plenty of people keep cats and dogs while pregnant without any issues.”

Ji Dongyang massaged his temples. Since she became pregnant, her temper had become even more stubborn than before. No matter what he said, she wouldn’t budge. Finally, he compromised. “We will move next door. Coffee will stay here.”

“Coffee has to live here alone?”

“He is a cat.”

“Even for a cat, that is not okay.”

“…”

In the end, Ji Dongyang promised her that they could both come over to visit Coffee every day. Only then did Zhou Yining agree. He quickly moved their clothes next door and even emptied out her large wine cabinet. They stayed in the new unit temporarily while Coffee was left in the original apartment.

The cat Zhou Yining raised was just like her: a total handful.

On the first night, Coffee scratched several deep marks into the white leather sofa.

Left with no choice, Ji Dongyang had to go next door every night after Zhou Yining fell asleep to spend over an hour with Coffee. The cat would curl up on his lap, meowing and rubbing against him piteously.

Ji Dongyang stroked its furry head. “I will let you live with us again later. Just bear with it for a while.”

Coffee continued to meow and nuzzle him, not understanding a word.

This lifestyle continued for a long time before Coffee finally got used to it.

Ji Dongyang also reduced his workload. He ensured he was home for at least twenty days a month. He hired a cook to prepare meals for Zhou Yining, but she left immediately after finishing so as not to stay overnight. Zhou Yining still wasn’t comfortable with outsiders living in their home.

They hadn’t specifically planned the pregnancy, but Ji Dongyang didn’t smoke and rarely drank. Zhou Yining had slowly quit smoking after filming The Heart Knot. She couldn’t entirely quit drinking since there were always toasts at crew dinners, but at home, she limited herself to the occasional glass of red wine.

She had heard from Zhang Ran that her cousin had tried for over half a year before conceiving. Zhou Yining thought it wouldn’t happen so fast, but it only took those few days…

When she was three months along, Ji Dongyang accompanied her to the hospital for an exam. Fortunately, there were no issues. The baby was healthy, and they both finally felt at ease.

Once again, they hit the trending searches.

Ji Dongyang posted a Weibo update. He didn’t want every prenatal checkup with his wife to become a headline.

Ji Dongyang V: Thank you for the concern and blessings. We also hope everyone can give us some private space.

It was an official admission of the pregnancy.

The fans went wild.

“Oh my god, Dong-ge is going to be a father! Yining is such a good girl. It is rare for a female star to have a child while so young.”

“Yining is indeed young. Plus, her career is skyrocketing. She must love him to death to give up so much. But Dong-ge is thirty six; it is time for him to be a dad. Hahaha! I just thought of the phrase ‘having a child in old age.’ Don’t hit me!”

“Dong-ge is handsome and charming. How is he old?”

“Does he want a boy or a girl? Jing Xin had a ‘Little Flower Vase.’ Yining should have a ‘Little Dong-ge’ so they can be a pair!”

“Yining is the cousin of Jing Xin’s husband, Qin Sen. You want their kids to be a pair? Are you stupid!”

…

He returned home from New York at six in the morning. After putting down his luggage, he walked into the bedroom.

Zhou Yining was sleeping soundly on her side. At over four months pregnant, her belly had visibly rounded. She had suffered from severe morning sickness earlier and couldn’t eat much, so she hadn’t gained much weight. It was only after the three month mark that she started to look a bit more plump. Ji Dongyang placed his hand on her stomach, stroking it gently. Her skin had become even better during the pregnancy, feeling soft and smooth.

He sat by the bed and watched her for a long time. He could never grow tired of looking at her.

After a while, Zhou Yining rubbed her eyes and woke up. She was stunned to see him sitting there, staring at her from the armchair.

Ji Dongyang went over to help her up and sat beside her, stroking her belly. “Any discomfort these past few days?”

She shook her head. “No. Why did you come back early again?”

He glanced at her. “I wasn’t at ease with you here alone.”

Zhou Yining smiled. “I’m hungry.”

“Alright,” he stood up. “I’ll go fix you some breakfast.”

After eating together, Ji Dongyang went to shower. While Zhou Yining was tidying his luggage, she found a new script. Was he going to film something new?

He usually filmed one movie a year, but he hadn’t found a suitable script yet this year.

When he stepped out of the bathroom, she was curled on the sofa reading the script Yang Xun had pushed on him. She looked up. “This new script is quite interesting. Are you going to take it?”

“No,” he said.

Zhou Yining was puzzled. “Why not?”

He tossed his towel aside. “I am not taking any scripts until you give birth.”

“It’s fine. I can do it alone. If you’re really worried, I’ll go stay at the Qin house.” Her aunt was already worried and had been asking her to move in.

Ji Dongyang walked over, pulled her onto his lap, and placed his hand on her belly. “We are only having this one. So no matter how good a script is, I will refuse it. I want to be with you through this entire process.”

Zhou Yining’s eyes immediately grew moist.

She wasn’t a crier and rarely shed tears, but she had become incredibly sensitive since the pregnancy. A single tender word from him could move her to tears.

In this world, only he knew exactly what she needed most.

“Why are you crying?” he asked softly.

“I’m not.”

“…” Alright then.

Zhou Yining rested her head on his shoulder. “Ji Dongyang, do you want a boy or a girl?”

“A boy, I suppose.”

“…Why?” She thought he would prefer a girl.

“Boys are strong. In the future, when I’m not home, he can help you with the chores.”

“…He isn’t even out yet and you’re already planning to enslave the baby.”

She added, “Boy or girl, both are fine. I’ll love them regardless.”

He smiled and stroked her belly. “Mm. I feel the same.”

She hooked her arms around his neck and asked with a light laugh, “So, do you love me more or the baby?”

It was clearly a question meant to tease him.

Ji Dongyang pressed his lips together and stared at her, a hint of a smile in his eyes.

“Not saying anything, huh…” She slid off his lap. “Then I’m going to play with Coffee.”

He caught her hand. She turned back in surprise.

He said, “I’ll go with you.”

“…”

Hmph.

…

In the early hours of January 18th the following year, Zhou Yining gave birth naturally to a boy weighing over six pounds. Ji Dongyang was the one to cut the umbilical cord.

Aside from a pair of eyes that resembled Zhou Yining’s, the little fellow’s nose, lips, and eyebrows were all exactly like his father’s. Without a doubt, he was an incredibly high value baby in terms of looks.

Sometimes, when Zhou Yining watched Ji Dongyang hold the baby, she couldn’t help but laugh. The child looked so tiny in his hands.

His movements when holding the child were very skilled, and he was even more efficient at changing diapers than she was.

Zhou Yining felt that if it weren’t for him, she might not have known what to do with a child. She gave the baby a nickname: Zhengzheng.

She hoped the child would be iron willed and full of integrity.

She hadn’t gained much weight, and by the third or fourth month after giving birth, her figure had mostly recovered. Her arms and legs remained slender, though her waist hadn’t quite returned to its original state yet.

One night, after a session of intimacy ended.

Zhou Yining rubbed against him. “Is my waist thick?”

Ji Dongyang’s voice was raspy. “It isn’t.”

Hmph. Liar.

He chuckled, feeling a bit helpless. “Really.”

Regardless of what he said, women always cared about their faces and figures. Once her body had recovered sufficiently, she began working out. By the time little Zhengzheng could flip over and crawl, her figure had completely returned to its original state. She looked even more charming than before.

As little Zhengzheng crawled on the carpet in front of them, Zhou Yining pulled Ji Dongyang’s hand and pressed it against her waist. She breathed softly into his ear, “Is it the same as before?”

He had no choice but to nod. “Mm.”

To him now, she was perfect no matter what.

Zhou Yining was finally satisfied.

Little Zhengzheng crawled over to them, babbling at their feet. Ji Dongyang smiled, picked up his son, and placed him on his lap, pinching his fair, tender cheek.

The little guy seemed hungry, as he kept squirming against him.

Zhou Yining patted her son’s head. “I’ll go mix the formula. You coax him to sleep later.”

“Mm.”

She handed the bottle to Zhengzheng. Ji Dongyang supported it, and the little fellow grabbed it himself, drinking with a measured, leisurely pace. He didn’t look hungry at all. Zhou Yining propped her chin in her hand and stared at her son. “Ji Dongyang, is he just like you were as a kid? Quite quiet.”

Ji Dongyang glanced at her. He rarely asked about her childhood. Her environment back then was easy to imagine, and her childhood hadn’t been happy. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have become ill.

He pulled her close, resting his chin on top of her head. “What about you? What did you like when you were little?”

Zhou Yining lowered her head. Her childhood was not pleasant at all. What did she like most? What did she dislike?

She tried hard to remember. “I liked making friends because it was lively.”

Yes, she liked things to be lively when she was young. She liked people talking to her and playing with her.

Ji Dongyang stroked her hair. “In a few days, we will take him out to play.”

“Where to?”

“Where do you want to go?”

“I want to go to Jing Xin’s house. Her ‘Little Flower Vase’ is so clever. Oh, by the way, I heard the production team for Dad is Back invited my cousin to take her on the show. Plenty of fans want you to take our son on the show too… imagine the son performing a milk spit-up…”

Just as she finished speaking, little Zhengzheng spit up some milk. The little fellow had choked himself.

He started coughing more and more. Ji Dongyang quickly took the bottle away and patted his small back. “What’s the rush?”

Zhou Yining hurried to wipe the baby’s mouth with a towel. Ji Dongyang picked his son up. “I’ll take him to change.”

She followed them. Once he had finished changing the baby, he handed him over to her. “I’m going to take a shower. This brat spit up all over me.”

Zhou Yining leaned in and sniffed his chest, laughing softly. “Now this is what you call a ‘Milk Dad’.”

The corner of his mouth quirked up. He rubbed his son’s soft hair and turned toward the bathroom.

“Baby, do you like Daddy?”

“Ababa… #￥￥%…” The little guy waved his hands and babbled.

“You do, don’t you?” She kissed his small cheek.

A while later, Qin Sen and his daughter appeared on the show. The daughter, who often “pitfalls” her own dad, was incredibly cute.

Ji Dongyang watched the show with her. She asked him, “If the production team really invited you, would you take our son?”

“No,” he said.

She knew it would be like that. She wasn’t surprised at all.

Little Zhengzheng could already hold onto the table and shuffle along. When his parents were watching TV, he didn’t cry or fuss, playing by himself. After a while, he shuffled over using the table for support. Zhou Yining clapped her hands. “Son, come here.”

The boy rolled his eyes and looked at his father.

He bravely took a small step. The next second, his small body pitched forward. Ji Dongyang, quick of eye and hand, reached out to catch him and placed the little fellow on his lap.

“Pa… pa…”

A tiny, milky voice suddenly called out that single word.

NOTES

Milk Dad (奶爸): A slang term for a hands-on, devoted father who takes care of the baby; colloquially implies a “Super Dad” or “Nanny Dad.”

Zhengzheng (铮铮): From the Chinese idiom tie gu zheng zheng (iron-boned/unyielding), implying strength and integrity.

Little Flower Vase: The nickname of Jing Xin’s daughter (from the author’s other novel The Flower Vase). “Flower Vase” usually refers to a beautiful but untalented actress, but here it is an affectionate nickname.

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