168: Chapter 168 The Weight of Life

On the other end of the line, Jiang Nan's voice was very soft, as if she were confirming a miracle that had just arrived.

"Zhao Yang, I'm pregnant."

Zhao Yang's hand holding the phone stiffened abruptly. He opened his mouth, but no sound came out at first.

His brain felt as if a pause button had been pressed; only these four words remained, colliding back and forth in his mind.

"You... what did you say?" His voice was trembling slightly.

"I said, I'm pregnant."

There was a hint of a smile in Jiang Nan's voice, and also a touch of helplessness:

"I've been so busy these past two months that I lost track of time, and my period didn't come, but I didn't notice. Today, I had severe morning sickness in the lab, and it suddenly occurred to me. Calculating the days, it's already been over two months."

While on the phone, Zhao Yang heard his own heartbeat, thump, thump, thump, each beat heavier than the last.

That was the heartbeat of excitement, so intense that he nearly jumped up.

"Nan Nan, that's great... that's great, haha, I'm going to be a dad! Haha..."

Zhao Yang was somewhat incoherent, as excited as a fool.

On the other end of the line, Jiang Nan held the phone, a happy smile on her face.

She could almost imagine Zhao Yang dancing with joy at this moment.

But she heard Zhao Yang's smile suddenly stop, and he asked: "Nan Nan, you threw up? Is it bad? Is it serious?"

"Can you please not ask three questions in a row first?" Jiang Nan was amused by his string of questions.

"It's just normal morning sickness. I'm a forensic doctor; surely I can tell that much?"

Zhao Yang paused for a moment, then immediately started laughing along.

Right, his wife is a forensic doctor; she knows more about the human body than anyone.

"I originally wanted to wait until you got back to tell you," Jiang Nan's voice was soft, "but I really couldn't help it."

"Where are you?" Zhao Yang asked.

"Still at work. Just got back from epidemic prevention, and I still have to deal with the sample database..."

"You're pregnant, why are you still working overtime!" Zhao Yang blurted out, his tone urgent and full of concern, "You wait there, I'm coming to pick you up right now! How are you feeling right now? Is your body uncomfortable in any way?"

"I'm okay, just a little tired."

"Of course you're tired, it's already been two months."

Zhao Yang wedged the phone between his ear and shoulder, using one hand to grab the car keys and his coat.

"Sit down and rest, I'll be there in twenty minutes."

"You don't need to be in such a rush, be careful on the road." Jiang Nan's soft voice was filled with deep concern.

Zhao Yang practically ran downstairs.

The security guard on duty in the lobby on the first floor was startled to see him like this: "Secretary Zhao, going out so late?"

Zhao Yang waved at the security guard, smiling so hard his eyes crinkled into slits:

"Picking up my wife! It's a huge piece of good news!"

When the car pulled up to the entrance of the Provincial Corps, Zhao Yang spotted Jiang Nan immediately.

She was standing under the porch, wearing a beige trench coat, carrying a laptop bag in her hand.

Zhao Yang parked the car, strode over, and pulled Jiang Nan into his arms.

"Your heartbeat is so fast." She said, muffled.

"From the moment I hung up with you until now, it hasn't slowed down."

Zhao Yang rested his chin on the top of her head, his voice vibrating as it came from his chest.

"Wife, I'm so happy I don't know what to do. How are you now? Do you still feel like throwing up?"

"I'm fine, it's much better now."

After a brief moment of tenderness, Zhao Yang held her shoulders, staring at that face he could never tire of looking at.

"Nan Nan, why is your complexion so pale? Are you exhausted?"

"It's okay, I've just been working a lot of overtime lately." Jiang Nan smiled.

"You are not allowed to push yourself like this in the future." Zhao Yang took the laptop bag from her hand and held her hand with his other, "Come, let's get in the car and go home."

Helping Jiang Nan into the passenger seat, Zhao Yang fastened her seatbelt, feeling his heart filled to the brim with something.

Full enough that it was about to overflow.

On the way home, Zhao Yang drove very steadily, but very slowly.

"You're driving so slowly, the cars behind us are going to honk." Jiang Nan reminded him.

"Let them honk." Zhao Yang looked ahead, the corners of his mouth turned up, "My wife and my baby are sitting in my car, safety first."

When the car stopped downstairs at Guanlan International, Zhao Yang didn't turn off the engine immediately.

He turned his head and looked at Jiang Nan earnestly.

Moonlight shone obliquely through the car window, falling on the side of her face.

Jiang Nan's skin was very fair, and at this moment, it looked almost transparent in the light.

Her cheeks were a little thinner than usual, and there were faint dark circles under her eyes.

During this period, the epidemic situation was tense. She led the people from the Technical Center to support epidemic prevention and control, processing a large amount of data every day, and was exhausted.

Zhao Yang reached out and gently stroked the dark circles under her eyes with his fingertips.

"Have you been especially tired lately?"

Jiang Nan nodded, then shook her head: "Everyone is tired, it's not just me."

"You are not allowed to push yourself like this in the future." Zhao Yang's tone was uncharacteristically domineering, "Your body belongs to two people now, you must pay attention to rest."

Jiang Nan looked at him and suddenly asked earnestly: "Zhao Yang, are you happy?"

Zhao Yang didn't answer; he turned off the engine, unbuckled his seatbelt, cupped Jiang Nan's face in both hands, and gently stroked her cheekbones with his thumbs.

"I've lived for almost thirty years," his voice was very low and soft, "and I have never been as happy as I am today."

Tears welled up in Jiang Nan's eyes all at once.

Zhao Yang panicked, hurriedly wiping her tears, "Did I say something wrong?"

"You didn't say anything wrong." Jiang Nan sniffled and smiled through teary eyes.

"I'm just happy. Hormone levels changing, I can't control it."

Zhao Yang leaned over and gently pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"Come on, let's go home." He said.

Back home, the first thing Zhao Yang did was press Jiang Nan onto the sofa and tuck a cushion behind her waist.

"Don't move, I'll make you something to eat."

"It's not like I can't move..."

"I said don't move, so don't move."

Zhao Yang went into the kitchen, opened the refrigerator and rummaged through it, taking out a few eggs, a handful of small green vegetables, and a package of dried noodles.

Jiang Nan leaned on the sofa, listening to the sounds coming from the kitchen.

She had heard these sounds countless times, but tonight they sounded exceptionally different.

When Zhao Yang brought the noodles out, Jiang Nan was scrolling through her phone.

"Who are you messaging?"

"My mom." Jiang Nan didn't even look up, "Telling her this good news."

"It's so late, Mom is probably asleep, right?"

"She's not asleep. The company arranged for people to be on duty at the station today, and she's leading the team herself, so she probably hasn't finished work yet at this hour."

Zhao Yang put the noodles on the coffee table and leaned over to take a look at the screen.

Jiang Nan had typed a line: "Mom, you're going to be a grandmother."

A few seconds later, the phone vibrated.

Jiang Nan answered, and the voice on the phone was a bit piercingly loud:

"Really? Is this true?! Nan Nan, when did this happen?! Haha, am I dreaming?!"

Zhao Yang couldn't help but laugh: "Mom's reaction is exactly the same as mine just now."

Jiang Nan helplessly held the phone a little further away: "Mom, it's true, it's been over two months, I just confirmed it."

"Then how are you feeling now? Is there anywhere that's uncomfortable? Do you have an appetite for food?"

"Mom, my appetite is very good, don't worry."

Jiang Nan's voice was especially soft; after knowing she was pregnant, her attitude towards her mother was quietly changing.

After Jiang Nan finished eating the noodles, Zhao Yang insisted on washing the dishes.

After finishing, he returned to the living room and found Jiang Nan leaning on the sofa, her eyelids fighting each other.

"Sleepy?"

"Mm... a little." Jiang Nan answered groggily.

Zhao Yang bent down, one hand around her shoulders, the other scooping under her knees, and picked her up entirely.

Jiang Nan was startled by this action and lost her sleepiness, subconsciously wrapping her arms around his neck: "What are you doing! I can walk..."

"Let me hold you." Zhao Yang's voice was very soft.

Jiang Nan stopped struggling and rested her head in the crook of his shoulder.

Zhao Yang carried her into the bedroom and gently placed her on the bed.

He tucked her in and lay down beside her.

He turned on his side, one hand resting gently on her lower abdomen.

It was still very flat there, and he couldn't feel anything.

But he knew that a life smaller than a sesame seed was quietly growing there.

"Tell me," Zhao Yang suddenly spoke up, "what name should we give the baby?"

"It's only been over two months, we don't even know the gender yet, and you're already thinking about names?"

"Let's just think of a few to have ready." Zhao Yang became serious.

After a moment of silence, both of them seemed to be thinking.

"Zhao Yang."

"Mm."

"Do you think our child will look like who in the future?"

"Like you." Zhao Yang said without hesitation, "As good-looking as you, as smart as you, and as serious about doing everything as you are."

"What about their temper?"

"Temper..." Zhao Yang thought for a moment, "Temper should be like me, don't be as stubborn as you."

"Where am I stubborn?"

Jiang Nan pinched his arm, and Zhao Yang hissed, then started laughing.

The moonlight outside the window shone through the sheer curtains, spreading a layer of silvery-white light on the floor.

In the distance, that still-spreading epidemic seemed to become distant at this moment.