Chapter 2
Half a month ago, a young lady came to my door.
She stood in the fine rain, crying as she knocked, like a pear blossom battered by the rain:
“Brother Meng, Yuzhe truly doesn’t know what to do.”
Meng Heshu was not at home; he was at the Clinic seeing patients.
He is a very responsible doctor. Once he takes on a case, he won’t easily abandon it, sometimes even forgetting to eat the meal I bring him.
Especially when I am ill myself, coughing for three days without getting better.
With silver needles stuck in my hand, a patient would wink and tease him:
“With Divine Doctor Meng here, even Madam can fall ill!”
Meng Heshu would just give a wry smile:
“My Madam is playful. Yesterday she caught a chill flying a Kite with Baier.”
Outside, Baier came rushing in, hugging Meng Heshu’s leg:
“Father! There’s a beautiful Fairy at the door looking for you! She says her name is Yuzhe…”
Hearing that name, Meng Heshu froze, nearly pricking his own hand with the silver needle.
Baier anxiously tugged at him, and the father and son stumbled out of the Clinic together.
Leaving me alone, with my hands full of silver needles, feeling awkward-neither able to leave nor stay.
Less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Meng Heshu hurried back, clutching an umbrella.
Not because he remembered the silver needles still in my hand.
But because he realized the house key was still with me:
“Sorry, Ah Qiao, I was in a rush.”
He was in a rush, yet still remembered to bring an umbrella to shield her from the rain.
Being kind to Miss Yuzhe had already become a habit for my husband.
“Sorry to trouble you, Brother Meng.” Miss Yuzhe lowered her head and wiped her eyes. “I quarreled with Lu Lang. If not for you, I truly wouldn’t know where to go.”
A few days ago, after a fight with her husband, Miss Yuzhe left home in a fit of anger.
“Good thing you came here. How could you not know you’re pregnant!”
Meng Heshu, usually gentle and soft-spoken, raised his voice for the first time,
“You’re with child. I’ll go find Lu Yan and reason with him!”
Baier excitedly snuggled up to Miss Yuzhe, calling her Fairy again and again.
“Fairy, your clothes are so pretty, and you smell so nice.”
Miss Yuzhe patted Baier’s head, then looked at Meng Heshu in surprise:
“Ah, exactly alike-now there are two Brother Mengs.”
Praised, Baier was even happier:
“When I grow up, I’ll marry Fairy as my Madam.”
Miss Yuzhe was amused by him, and couldn’t help glancing at Meng Heshu:
“He really is your son-even his taste is just like yours.”
Miss Yuzhe smiled, and Meng Heshu, feeling the old pain in his heart, pretended to be casual as he stepped outside and instructed me:
“Miss Yuzhe is pregnant, so her meals need to be light. Meat should be fish or shrimp, and don’t use yellow wine when you cook.”
I wasn’t very happy, though I couldn’t quite say why:
“…How long will she be staying?”
“A doctor should have compassion. She’s heavily pregnant-how could you drive her out?”
I pursed my lips, thinking, I’m not the doctor here.
Seeing my displeasure, Meng Heshu sighed, patted my head, and said gently:
“Go make dinner first. Tomorrow I’ll go to the Lu Residence and reason with Lu Yan, all right?”
Afraid I was still upset, Meng Heshu added:
“In half a month, it’s your birthday. The three of us will celebrate together-Baier has prepared a surprise for you.”
Separated by a window, I glanced at Baier, with his round, tiger-like head, and couldn’t help but smile:
“That’s Baier’s New Year’s money-he said he’d use it to marry a wife someday, and you tricked him out of it?”
“What do you mean tricked? Filial piety to Mother is only right. Don’t ask what it is-I promised to keep it secret.”
I smiled, suppressing the sweetness in my heart:
“I won’t ask.”
Because I had already seen it.
The Silver Hairpin Baier had sneakily hidden under his pillow.