Lin Lan’s due date is on the 20th of next month.

Su Nanchen wrote this date on the laboratory’s whiteboard, placing it at the top of all the to-do items. Beside it was a bunch of experiment progress, paper deadlines, fund application deadlines, major surgery schedules, but only this line was written in red pen.

These days, he tried to come home early and on the way back would buy some fruit or yogurt that Lin Lan likes. Sometimes he didn’t buy anything, he just wanted to see her sooner.

In the afternoon, Su Nanchen had just finished surgery when his phone vibrated.

It was Grandpa.

"Nanchen, come home for dinner tonight." On the other end of the line, Su Butong’s voice was still so robust, even at over ninety years old, he spoke with full vitality, "Bring Lin Lan, I haven’t seen you two for a while. Oh, invite Yang Ping and Xiao Su, bring the child too, let me see the great-grandchild."

Su Nanchen agreed, hung up the phone, and first sent a message to Lin Lan, then called Yang Ping.

Yang Ping answered quickly, "Okay, what time?"

"Around six o’clock, you can go directly there."

"Got it."

After hanging up, Su Nanchen sent another message to Lin Lan: Yang Ping and they are going too, Grandpa wants to see the child.

Lin Lan replied: That’s great, Xiao Su was just mentioning wanting to visit Grandpa and Grandma a few days ago.

At six in the evening, Su Nanchen helped Lin Lan slowly get out of the car, the old locust tree in the yard was shedding leaves, covering the ground in gold. Just as they reached the door, they heard the sound of a car behind them.

They turned around to see two black sedans parked outside the yard gate. The back door of the car behind opened, Xiao Su got out first from the back seat, smiling and waving at them: "Bro! Sis!"

Then, Yang Ping came out holding the child, who was gazing around with wide eyes.

Su Nanchen smiled and said: "Perfect timing, let’s go in together."

Xiao Su quickly walked over, first glancing at Lin Lan’s belly, exclaiming: "Oh my, it has grown bigger again!"

Lin Lan smiled and touched her belly: "You say that every time you see me."

"Because it really does get bigger every time." Xiao Su carefully reached out to touch it.

The sisters-in-law chatted as they walked inside. Yang Ping followed with the child, side by side with Su Nanchen.

The little one stared at Su Nanchen, gazing for quite a while, then suddenly reached out a small hand towards him.

Su Nanchen was momentarily stunned: "Is this... wanting me to hold them?"

Yang Ping said: "Exactly."

Su Nanchen was at a bit of a loss, he had almost no experience holding a child. But looking at the little one’s outstretched hand, he tentatively took them. Once in his arms, the little one didn’t cry, just stared at him, then reached out to touch his face.

Su Nanchen’s heart suddenly melted completely.

"Say uncle!" he said.

Of course, the little one couldn’t speak yet, just grinned at him, revealing two small baby teeth.

Yang Ping watched from the side, with a slight smile.

"In a little while, they’ll be able to call you uncle."

The group walked through the yard, entering the old house. Su Butong had already heard the commotion and came out from the study. Seeing Yang Ping holding the child, his eyes lit up at once.

"Ah, my great-grandchild is here!"

He walked over quickly, still steady on his feet despite being over ninety, his happiness evident to everyone.

Yang Ping moved the child forward a bit: "Call him great-grandfather."

The little one looked at the elderly man with a head full of white hair, blinked, then suddenly reached out a small hand to touch Su Butong’s beard.

Su Butong was momentarily surprised, then burst into laughter.

"This child, just like their mother when she was young, loves to grab beards!"

Xiao Su laughed on the side: "Grandpa, you remember that?"

"I remember, why wouldn’t I?" Su Butong laughed so much that his eyes squinted into lines, "You used to grab my beard so fiercely as a kid, you pulled out quite a few hairs."

Everyone laughed.

Grandma slowly descended from the stairs, hearing the laughter, she asked: "What’s making everyone so happy?"

"Grandma, we’re here." Xiao Su approached, taking Grandma’s arm, "Take it slow."

Grandma waved her hand, her eyes fixed on the child in Yang Ping’s arms all the while. She came over and sat on the sofa, motioning to Yang Ping: "Come, let me have a look."

Yang Ping gently placed the child next to her. The little one showed no signs of being shy, just sat on the sofa, tilting their head to look at the kind-faced old lady.

Grandma carefully examined them, looked for a long time, and nodded.

"Looks like, looks like Xiao Su when she was little. The eyes, the nose too."

Xiao Su leaned over: "What looks like? I think they’re more like their dad."

"What do you know?" Grandma shot her a look, "I’ve seen children for decades, how could I be wrong? The child’s face shape, eyebrows, nose, it’s exactly like you when you were little. Just those eyes follow their dad."

Su Butong sat beside, reaching out to play with the child. The little one grabbed his finger, shaking it vigorously as if it were some amazing toy.

Su Butong laughed even more joyfully.

"This child’s hands are strong, definitely will be a good doctor in the future."

Xiao Su said: "Grandpa, he’s barely more than a year old, and you’re already thinking about him studying medicine?"

"What’s wrong with being a bit over a year old?" Su Butong said confidently, "When I was his age, I had already started recognizing words, taught by your great-grandfather."

Grandma chimed in: "Alright, alright, stop talking about when you were little. This child is still young, let him play and enjoy."

Su Butong was unconvinced: "I’m motivating them, our Su Family, starting from my grandfather’s generation, has always pursued learning and knowledge. Passed down from generation to generation, it cannot stop with them."

Grandma continued to hold Lin Lan’s hand, asking questions and confidently asserting that by the look of her belly, it’s a boy.