No matter how good a husband is, he can’t increase Tang Li’s HCG level overnight.

After confirming she was pregnant, Tang Li changed her schedule.

Early the next morning, Song Baiyan fastened his shirt buttons and came out of the closet to find Tang Li was also up and standing by the bed smoothing out the sheets, "Why don’t you sleep a little longer?"

"I need to go have breakfast."

She used to eat two meals a day, but not anymore.

She had to provide nutrients for two with one mouth.

Already showing signs of miscarriage, if she suffered from malnutrition, her son definitely wouldn’t be able to survive.

What Tang Li hadn’t told Song Baiyan was—

She had a nightmare last night.

Dreamed she was climbing onto the roof to fix tiles in the pouring rain with a big belly.

After finally finishing the work, she found herself stuck and couldn’t get down.

Then, she lay on the roof until she woke up.

Since last night, Tang Li dared not use her original facial cleanser and skincare products.

She reverted to her childhood way of washing her face.

She dipped a towel in water, wrung it out with two hands, and wiped her face.

Tang Li hung up the towel, came out of the bathroom, and had just gripped the door handle when she heard Song Baiyan’s concerned voice: "Done washing so quickly?"

Usually, she would stay in the bathroom for a full fifteen minutes.

Tang Li turned back: "I’ll go borrow some Dabao SOD honey from Jingtian."

Song Baiyan: "..."

In the end, Tang Li didn’t get to borrow the SOD honey.

With private money rising, Song Jingtian had switched to Hermès’s Terre d’Hermès men’s moisturizer.

As for the leftover Dabao SOD honey...

"Now that it’s cooled and dry, I’ve been giving it to Tiger Whip and Ah Xi to apply on their noses."

Tang Li: (×﹏×)

The little guy asked her: "Do you want to use Dabao?"

"Not really wanting to use it anymore." Tang Li put back the Hermès on the desk and watched as the little guy squeezed out some lotion, delicately applying it to his face, offering friendly advice: "You’re so young, using this, can your skin handle it?"

Song Jingtian dismissed it: "It’s better to start care early; once the first wrinkle shows, it’ll be too late."

Tang Li: "......"

Back in the master bedroom, Tang Li was contemplating asking Tan Palace’s procurement staff to get her a bottle of Dabao when she first received a call from Mother Wu.

Mother Wu called to tell her that she and Xuehan’s dad were planning to change jobs.

Because the Lai Family hadn’t paid salaries for almost two months.

At the start of the month, the Lai Family’s servants had mostly left.

Ouyang Qian was determined to divorce and naturally wouldn’t manage the mess of the Lai Family. Lai Wenyan returned from Northern Myanmar to the capital and was constantly being monitored; his cellphone had been confiscated, and there was no way to contact the outside world.

"Moreover, these days, the female boss selling hemorrhoid cream often comes to our house, saying Councilman Lai borrowed fifty million from her and asks when he’ll repay."

She didn’t just come alone, but brought a large group of ’bodyguards.’

Just yesterday, the Lai Family’s rice bucket was empty.

Tang Li had initially brought Wu Xuehan’s parents to the Lai Family to understand the daily dynamics of Lai Wenyan and his wife, but now that the Lai Family was scattered, there was really no need for Father Wu and Mother Wu to stay there.

Feeling guilty about how the Wu Family’s farm work was delayed because of her, Tang Li decided to supplement Father Wu and Mother Wu with half a year’s salary, but faced rejection from Mother Wu.

"Xuehan’s dad and I have already found another place, you don’t need to worry about us."

Tang Li thought Mother Wu was lying to spare her from feeling burdened, but Mother Wu seemed to guess her thoughts and explained specifically: "Because Judge Gong likes Xuehan’s dad’s gardening skills, and their previous nanny was getting old, we’ll work there from now on."

Judge Gong, Tang Li remembered.

A new neighbor of the Lai Family.

Mother Wu sighed: "I initially refused and planned to go back to the village for a while; those things planted in the field should be ripe. However, Judge Gong’s family pays too well!"

Tang Li: "..."

Just as she hung up the phone, the room door was turned open.

Tang Li looked up to find Song Baiyan returning with a small paper box.

She thought Song Baiyan had gone to the office area after breakfast.

As Song Baiyan approached, Tang Li saw clearly he was holding a box of face cream.

It was a baby-specific face cream.

She had seen this brand in the shopping groups.

It was a high-end maternal and child brand from Japan.

There were no counters in the country.

Song Baiyan also sat on the sofa and opened the packaging box: "The legislative affairs director at Tan Palace just had twins in August and stocked up quite a few maternal and child products."

Tang Li couldn’t help but ask: "Then why not take the mom’s stuff?"

Pointing at the packaging box: "It says Baby-milky-cream on top."

"Make do for now, and later we’ll get them to purchase pregnancy-specific ones." Song Baiyan opened the cream lid and asked Tang Li’s opinion: "Do you want to apply it yourself or shall I help?"

Tang Li still didn’t want to be treated like a giant baby, took the cream: "I’ll do it myself."

She squeezed a bit into her palm, rubbed her hands together, and applied it to her face.

Forehead, cheeks, chin, and bridge of the nose.

Didn’t neglect the neck either.

After applying, she sniffed her palm, a faint milk scent.

—It smells quite nice.

Song Baiyan instructed: "If there’s anything else you want to buy, make a list later and I’ll have He Wei come up to get it." 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

"Okay." Tang Li agreed.

At the moment she pursed her lips, a large hand patted her hair.

The man’s calloused fingertips brushed against her temple, tucking stray strands of hair behind her ear: "It’ll be tough for you next."

"Actually, it’s not that bad."

Apart from worrying whether the baby would be healthy, Tang Li wasn’t anxious about the changes to her body, "At my age, pregnancy symptoms shouldn’t be too severe. As long as I get through the early stages, this pregnancy should stabilize."

Song Baiyan’s eyes held doting: "You’re that confident?"

"Of course." Tang Li placed her hands on her flat belly: "Even if adverse reactions occur, for me, it’s bearable. A mother needs to endure countless hardships during the process of nurturing a new life. I’m not a child anymore. If other expectant mothers can handle it, I can too."

As her words fell, a big hand covered hers.

Nearby, Song Baiyan sighed lightly: "In my eyes, you’re still a child."

Getting pregnant now was somewhat premature.

After finding out the blood test results yesterday, Song Baiyan immediately called Jian Jiyao to repeatedly confirm that the mother’s low HCG had nothing to do with the father, allowing his heart to rest securely.

If the HCG level remained abnormal, the success rate of preserving the pregnancy would be extremely low.

This was what Pei Shiyu privately informed him.

"It should’ve been postponed for two years," Song Baiyan said.

Tang Li knew what Song Baiyan meant but didn’t regret it: "I think now is just right."

"It’s just here to bring its father joy."

Song Baiyan used his other arm to hug her, pulling her lightly into his embrace. Tang Li turned her body, wrapped both arms around him, resting her nose against the man’s broad shoulder, speaking softly: "It’ll be fine. As long as I’m here, the baby will definitely be okay."

What responded to her was a nearly silent sigh.

——

——

Tang Xiaoli: Family, I’m pregnant, and my husband shows signs of depression, what should I do?