The man glanced at the time on his watch, then looked at the girl leaning against the headboard, radiating a gentle feminine glow. His voice was low and magnetic as he asked, "Hungry? I'll have someone bring some food over."
She had just undergone surgery and wasn't really hungry, but the thought of the little one inside her, working hard to grow, suddenly sparked her appetite.
"I'm hungry."
Shen Xiaoxing raised his large hand to ruffle her hair, pulled out his phone, and sent a message to Ye Feng, meticulously typing out a detailed menu.
Ye Feng loved to fight; everything else he touched turned into a mess, and he was unreliable. If Han Chong weren't lying in the ICU, he wouldn't bother repeating instructions three times!
Seeing the "OK" gesture in the reply, he set down his phone calmly.
Looking up, he caught the girl's gentle smile, her lips curving with an indescribable joy, radiating a happiness she couldn't hide.
Gradually, the man found himself sinking into this warm atmosphere.
An Ruo turned her face and noticed him watching her, his gaze tender, though his expression remained faint, revealing neither joy nor sorrow.
Suddenly, something occurred to her, and she lightly bit her lip. "Shen Xiaoxing?"
He raised an eyebrow softly. "Hmm?"
"Do you... like children?"
Shen Xiaoxing's expression froze for a moment. If he were truly asked whether he liked children, his answer would be no.
But this child was the union of him and An Ruo. He felt a flicker of anticipation, mixed with a bit of nervousness.
The sudden surprise had caught him somewhat off guard.
After a moment of thought, he moved his throat slightly. "I do."
Of course, he liked the child she bore.
His answer didn't bring An Ruo joy; instead, she frowned with worry, her voice growing softer. "But I feel like you're not really looking forward to its arrival..."
Shen Xiaoxing's thick brows furrowed slightly. He didn't understand why she thought that. Was he being too calm in expressing himself?
That was just his nature—unflappable in the face of trouble, always strategizing behind the scenes. He treated this unexpected surprise the same way.
"You don't seem as happy as I expected." An Ruo pressed her lips together hard. His expression was serious now—no, it had been that way since she first woke up. When he mentioned the pregnancy, he'd even frowned unconsciously at the start.
Sensitivity and suspicion were hallmarks of women, and now that she was falling in love, tasting the bittersweetness of romance for the first time, she couldn't help but feel a little insecure.
"I..." Shen Xiaoxing's deep eyes fixed on her for a long moment, then slowly lowered his gaze, letting out an almost imperceptible sigh. "I don't know how to express this sudden surprise."
"..."
Before meeting her, he had lived in hatred and endurance, never thinking about marriage or children, let alone falling in love with someone else.
Shen Xiaoxing didn't believe in love. He had witnessed his mother pining over a man, crying over photos late at night. As a child, he had sworn to remain alone for life, guarding his heart.
But fate had other plans. This cold, indifferent demon, consumed by vengeance, somehow found someone to love—and was loved in return.
"I don't like children." Shen Xiaoxing placed his large hand over her belly, the heat of his palm seeping through the thin fabric to warm her skin. He spoke slowly, his voice low. "It came suddenly, and I don't know how to welcome it. But what I want to say is, I can try to be a qualified father."
This child was an accident. Not just for Shen Xiaoxing—even she, as the mother, had found it hard to believe at first.
Men matured later than women. They often only realize their responsibility as fathers when their children are toddling and babbling "Daddy." Women are different; from the moment they confirm their pregnancy, placing a hand on their belly to feel the fetus grow, the sense of maternal duty kicks in instantly.
An Ruo could understand him now. It was hard for him to accept it all at once, but over time, he would naturally ease into the role.
...
Ye Feng stood at the door, holding a food bag, hesitating about whether to go in. The two were in a tender moment—would barging in recklessly make the young master angry?
But if he didn't go in, delaying the young madam's meal, he figured he'd be in even worse trouble.
The two-meter-tall man leaned against the door, drawing strange looks from passing nurses.
After hesitating for a while, Ye Feng mustered the courage to knock. "Young master, I've brought the dinner you asked for. Should we eat now?"
He knocked but didn't enter, reporting from outside the door.
The man's voice was cool. "Come in."
Ye Feng, tall as he was, nearly hit his head on the doorframe as he entered, grinning sheepishly as he set the food bag on the table.
An Ruo leaned against the headboard, watching him. Last time, when Shen Tingfeng tricked her into the hotel, Han Chong had brought him bursting in at the critical moment. She'd only caught a quick glance then, noting he was a tall, sturdy tough guy.
He had a warrior's topknot, a fierce tattoo covering half his face from the top of his head, and a wild beast tooth dangling from his left ear. His burly frame reminded her of a rugged草原 warrior.
But his expression was a bit goofy. Right now, for instance, when Shen Xiaoxing opened the lunchbox and found only one pair of chopsticks, he said flatly, "You want me to eat with my hands?"
Ye Feng probably hadn't thought that far, only knowing the food was for the young madam, forgetting the young master hadn't eaten yet.
Looking bewildered, he scratched the back of his head, the two-meter giant looking like a simpleton from a landlord's family!
Shen Xiaoxing waved his hand in resignation. "Alright, go keep watch outside."
Without Han Chong around, everything felt inconvenient. And being in New Zealand, not on his home turf, meant he had to handle everything himself.
An Ruo's shoulder was injured, making movement difficult, but the man insisted on feeding her despite his own arm.
Staring at his bandaged arm, she lightly bit her lip. "Let me do it myself?"
They were truly a couple in distress, both injured on their right hands, needing others' help for daily tasks.
"I'm fine." The man tested the temperature of the nutritious porridge, blew on it, and brought it to her lips. "Just a minor injury."
For Shen Xiaoxing, who trained regularly, it was indeed minor. Besides, the bullet hadn't hit any bones or tendons; a few days of rest would heal it.
Ever since he resolved to endure and seek revenge, he had secretly built up his physical strength, preparing to survive if villains tried to frame him.
Shen Xiaoxing fed her until she was full, then quickly ate a bit himself. As dusk fell, they squeezed together on the single bed.
He had planned to sit by the bed watching her sleep, but An Ruo refused—he was injured and needed rest too. In the end, he lay down beside her.
Carefully avoiding her wound, he placed his hand on her belly and whispered tenderly in her ear, "Let's sleep together."
With her injured and pregnant, he couldn't bear to let her have a separate room. She was now a top priority, not to be left unguarded for a second.
An Ruo had been unconscious for hours and wasn't very sleepy. Nestled in his arms, listening to his strong heartbeat, she gradually heard the sound of his heavier breathing.
He had been out early and back late for days over the collaboration, and when he finally finished and took her shopping, this happened.
An Ruo lifted her head slightly, gazing at his handsome face in the dim light. Unconsciously, she reached for her belly, only to find his hand already there. She placed her small hand over his, joining him in guarding the little treasure inside.