At the end of the year, the entire Capital was covered in snow.

Four months into her pregnancy, Tang Li finally started to show.

Because her belly was gradually rounding out, despite everything at Tan Palace remaining the same, Tang Li noticed some changes—everyone seemed to be more cautious.

The footsteps were lighter, no one was shouting loudly, and there were brand new carpets everywhere.

This year’s Spring Festival was spent at Yunqi Villa.

No matter how busy Song Baiyan was with work, he stayed by his family’s side on New Year’s Eve.

On New Year’s Eve, many people came to the villa.

Some came to deliver New Year gifts and left soon after; some were friends of Song Baiyan, but Tang Li wasn’t required to meet them, so she stayed in the living room wrapped in a blanket, eating roasted chestnuts with Song Jingtian.

The chestnuts were harvested by the servant in September from the back hill, dried and stored.

Seeing that Tang Li was about to finish the chestnuts, Song Jingtian grabbed another handful and tossed them into the fireplace.

Sparks crackled in the fireplace.

The little one picked up the fire poker and expertly poked the fire.

His mother and elder brother didn’t know about their chestnut roasting in the fireplace, and he initially didn’t agree to it, thinking the fireplace looked nice, but he eventually gave in to Tang Li’s reasoning that ’it was your nephew who wanted to eat.’

Once roasted, he found the chestnuts to be quite tasty.

He then went to ask the servant for a small bag.

Roasted chestnuts are too fiery, so Tang Li didn’t dare eat too much.

Just as she leaned over to grab a tissue to wipe her hands, Song Jingtian sidled up, placing his small hand on her belly and asking, "Are you sure it’s a son?"

This... Tang Li really wasn’t sure.

Before the New Year, she had an ultrasound scan and did ask Dr. Pei.

Dr. Pei said it was too early to tell, for now, if there’s a Pomegranate Head.

Song Jingtian wasn’t any ordinary kid.

Seeing Tang Li’s expression, he knew what was up.

However, he wasn’t worried.

Even if this baby was a sister, it wouldn’t matter.

After the New Year, Little Button would be five years old, so even if he wanted to have an early romance, it would have to wait until he was fifteen.

So, he still had ten years.

During these ten years, he was determined to urge Tang Li to give birth to Old Song’s family heir.

Tang Li watched the little guy’s thoughtful expression and touched her slightly bulging belly. For the first three months, she didn’t have severe morning sickness, just occasional nausea and lack of appetite; now, stepping into the middle of her pregnancy, apart from some breast tenderness, there were no more adverse reactions. It could be said that this pregnancy was quite easy.

Sometimes, ease isn’t necessarily a good thing.

Currently, Tang Li has an ultrasound every ten days.

Each time, Song Baiyan would set aside work to accompany her.

Even though the results were always good, and Dr. Pei only advised her on daily matters, Tang Li still vaguely sensed that her situation probably worried some people.

She had read online—

Embryo cessation could result in the mother having no pregnancy symptoms.

It seemed because of this, the gender of the baby was becoming increasingly unimportant.

However, on New Year’s Eve, when the Song family’s clan gathered, Tang Li still noticed that Song Baiyan seemed to prefer a girl.

After dinner, a group of young children pushed and shoved each other, causing a ruckus as they chirped and crowded into the living room, yet not daring to approach the adults; clearly, before coming to the villa, their parents had given them advice.

Tang Li came to deliver fruits, and upon entering the living room, she saw Song Baiyan on the sofa distributing nuts from the coffee table to the group of children, in an orderly fashion; later, a little girl with pigtails shouted ’thank you, Uncle’ and was kept by Song Baiyan’s side.

No matter what the little girl said, Song Baiyan remained approachable.

He would even respond to some childlike remarks.

For the little girl, it was also a kind of honor.

Song Baiyan’s closeness to the little girl stirred suspicions in Tang Li’s heart.

At night, after sending off the last wave of guests, Tang Li took out the snowman she had secretly pinched, and presented it to Song Baiyan: "Here’s a daughter for you to satisfy your craving."

As she said this, she continuously observed Song Baiyan’s subtle expressions.

Some affections are impossible to fake.

Song Baiyan’s fondness for girls could very well be love for what belongs to someone he loves.

Dr. Pei told her he couldn’t see the child’s gender, but he might not have said the same to Song Baiyan.

Tang Li suddenly felt she might have let slip too easily.

—She shouldn’t have revealed beforehand her inclination for a son.

The little thoughts Tang Li had surely couldn’t escape Song Baiyan’s eyes. Her probing nearly had her real intentions written on her face. As for having a son or a daughter, Song Baiyan didn’t have Tang Li’s obsession, so he wouldn’t be swayed by anyone.

Receiving an answer along the lines of ’whether a son or a daughter is the same,’ Tang Li felt unsatisfied.

Wanting to press further, the ’Song Xiaohua’ in her palm was taken away.

"The snow melted into the gloves, didn’t you feel cold?"

Eyeing her ’daughter’ placed on the windowsill rather than thrown out the window, Tang Li became more certain of her suspicions.

"Actually, I had a dream last night." Tang Li pursed her lips and spoke again, "I dreamt that I have a daughter in my belly."

Song Baiyan said, "If it’s really a daughter, she will surely be as beautiful as her mother."

His words carried some emotion and were quite pleasant to hear.

Tang Li did not refute.

Because she couldn’t distort the truth forcefully.

This is Song Baiyan’s way with words.

If one relaxes even slightly, they’ll be led by the nose.

Yet, Tang Li didn’t give up, using her trump card: "But I only want to have one child. If it’s a girl, is that okay?"

"Then just have this one," Song Baiyan removed her drenched gloves and put them aside, "In today’s society, whatever boys can do, girls can do too. Women won’t yield to men, and vice versa, men might not surpass women."

As he spoke, his large hand gently covered the ’ears’ of Tang Li’s bear hat, his voice mellow like wine: "Regardless of gender, it will be the child I’m most proud of."

This answer moved Tang Li.

And she felt a bit ashamed.

Indeed...

She, as the mother, shouldn’t be competing with the child.

Whether it’s a daughter or a son, this child comes with the expectations of its parents.

At that moment, the sound of firecrackers came from outside.

Tang Li lifted her head, "Happy New Year!"

Song Baiyan looked at the serene little face nestled in the bear hat, raising his hands again to hold it under the girl’s chin, his fingertips brushing her cheek, an indelible endearment: "Out with the old and in with the new, may the coming year be smooth and safe."

Upon hearing this, Tang Li smiled radiantly like a flower.

At the end of February, Lai Wenyan was formally arrested by the police on charges of embezzling national assets.

During which, Lai Wenyan attempted to escape once.

When he returned to Lai Family from the hospital, he hurriedly changed his clothes and took the luggage that Jiang Yuan had packed, grabbing the passports from the desk drawer without even looking at them, and rushed to the international airport.

An hour later, when Lai Wenyan stood in front of the ticket counter, he discovered a problem with the passports!

Opening the passport, in the section for the photo of the person—

One was Father of Ultraman; one was Mother of Ultraman, and the last one, King of Ultraman!

As for the nationality section of each, it unmistakably said Light Country.

Lai Wenyan: "..."

... Damn it.

Lai Wenyan held back, barely stopping himself from swearing at the ticket agent.

He didn’t know which bastard did this!

Turning his perfectly fine passports into this mess!

Altered passports are not recognized. 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

And because he destroyed the passports without authority, he was fined a thousand dollars by the on-duty staff. After much difficulty, he could leave, only to exit the airport and head towards the dock, when a familiar chill came from his left wrist, Lai Wenyan: "......"

For Tang Li, the definition of the ancient artifact’s ownership no longer mattered.

Li Hao seemingly didn’t intend to reclaim the artifact either.

Tang Li realized while basking under the March sun—

Only by having the artifact become a national asset could Lai Wenyan be severely sentenced.

If it were the Li Family’s private property, Lai Wenyan’s actions would merely be considered theft of another’s belongings.

The nature of the two is entirely different.

Embezzling national assets means Lai Wenyan would have no chance to rise again.

What Li Hao wanted was for his downfall and disgrace.

Tang Li’s due date was in July.

As for the baby’s gender, Tang Li didn’t ask Dr. Pei again.

In mid-April, Wu Xuehan and Yu Sui came to Tan Palace with a bucket of crucian carp after finishing a movie.

The crucian carp was specially caught by Father Wu in the mountains.

Tang Li looked at Yu Sui’s face, which was blackened leaving only white eyes, and didn’t recognize him at first: "Did you get a tan?"

Yu "Blackhead Fish" Sui: "......"

When Yu Sui went to the restroom, Wu Xuehan whispered to Tang Li, "I suspect she’s in love."

Tang Li turned her head to look at her, "Who is it?"

"No idea." Wu Xuehan shook her head: "I’m just suspicious. She hasn’t been on set much these months, and when she comes back she snores all night, can sleep for twenty-four hours straight, and last month she gleefully said she went to Emei Mountain, not only did her cellphone get snatched by a monkey, but when she returned the soles of her Onitsuka Tiger shoes were coming off, and I helped her pick the blisters for half the night."

Tang Li: "...With a guy like that, she’s keeping him for the New Year?"

"Who knows." Wu Xuehan scratched her round face, "Each time she’s full of complaints, but within days, she’s off the set again."

——

Good night!