Epilogue 1: Wherein Xu Xinyi Has The Ability To Read Minds
Pregnancy was widely acknowledged to be a very hard thing. And for Xu Xinyi, who was pregnant for the first time, it was not only hard, but also painful.
For instance, pregnancy could lead to a person losing their figure.
When Xu Xinyi looked at her bulging belly, her widening waist, and her thickening thighs, she wanted to cry but had no tears.
She tried to tell herself, ‘This is nothing!’
During the early stages of her pregnancy, Xu XInyi couldn’t eat or sleep well, and her mood was always dull and listless. Whenever she looked in a mirror, her face was pale and sallow, without any luster, and the light in her eyes seemed to have flickered out at some point.
She was so ugly! ! !
Who was that ugly woman in the mirror, that fat woman?
She didn’t even want to look.
What happened to Xu Xinyi, who used to be beautiful like an immortal fairy?
She really couldn’t stand this grievance.
“Anya, do you know of any cosmetics recommended for pregnant women?”
“If you are pregnant, you should just stay at home and focus on having your baby. What kind of cosmetics do you need for that?”
“But I’m so ugly!”
“Xu Xinyi, be good. You are a little fairy who will not be ugly even when you turn eighty.”
“Have you ever seen a little fairy with dark circles under her eyes?”
Anya played along but didn’t soften her stance at all. “That’s just how a little fairy’s eyeshadow looks.”
“Have you ever seen a little fairy that was bald?”
“…I’ll send you a bottle of hair restoration product that pregnant women can use? Or should I just send you a wig?”
“Are you just messing with me?”
“My little ancestor, do you think you are still alone right now? You have another person to think about in your belly. You should just bear it for the sake of your child. In October you will give birth and then you can return to being a delicate little fairy after that.”
Xu Xinyi hung up the phone angrily.
Did pregnant women not deserve to use cosmetics? Did pregnant women not have the right to pursue beauty?
She was not usually a neurotic person but right now any little bit of psychological damage seemed to expand a thousandfold. She knew that her family cared about her and she didn’t want to get angry with them due to one of her mood swings she started having since she got pregnant. That was why every time the piled up physical discomfort started to feel distressing, she liked to open the Weibo posts where she and Yi Yang announced their relationship to see the praises heaped on her by the commentators. Whenever she saw those words of praise both her body and mind would become happy.
Which was why right now she was viciously swiping at her phone until Weibo was open.
“He’s talented and she’s beautiful, what kind of immortal couple is this? I’m a big fan!”
“What kind of life winner is Xu Xinyi? After reaping a bumper harvest in her career, she somehow won over President Yi boss and became the boss’s wife. In the future, won’t she be able to walk sideways in the entertainment industry?”
“Sister Xinyi, wishing you all the best!”
“Sherlock Holmes here! I’m sure there must be something wrong since they choose to go public! I think Xu Xinyi is pregnant!”
“Pregnancy +1! Just wait to see the new steamed bun by the end of the year!”
“What are you all talking about? Xu Xinyi is a fairy so even if she is pregnant, she will never get old, ugly, fat, wrinkled, or lose her hair. “
She would never get fat, ugly, or lose her hair?
Xu Xinyi, who had come to Weibo for comfort, unexpectedly received a huge psychological blow.
And among the comments, there was a small advertisement: ‘After she got pregnant, her body got out of shape, and her husband began to stay out all night. Three things to keep your relationship as sweet as a honey…’
… it was good advertising. Such an accurate delivery to the right crowd, really grasping the hearts of their customers!
But why did she feel even angrier!
She got out of shape because she was pregnant and her husband started to stay out all night?
What kind of garbage man is that?
If Yi Yang did that, she would break his legs!
After she put down the phone, Xu Xinyi sighed deeply. She didn’t want to look at herself in the mirror anymore so she just sat on the sofa and melancholically reflected on life.
“Baby, mommy is sacrificing so much for you. In the next few months, we should work together happily. You should try to let mommy suffer a little less, after that mommy will love you even more in the future, okay?”
Her slightly protruding belly did not respond to her words and, eventually, her eyelids began to droop and she felt very sleepy.
Ever since she had gotten pregnant the symptom called ‘drowsiness’ particularly affected her. Sometimes, just sitting on the sofa for a while would nearly put her to sleep. But she didn’t want to let herself fall asleep right now because she was holding out, waiting for Yi Yang to come back.
Who knows how long after that, she blurrily woke up and her eyes fluttered open to see Yi Yang’s usual expressionless face hovering in front her.
“Awake now?”
Xu Xinyi took a look around and found that she was actually being held in Yi Yang’s arms. It seemed he was carrying her to bed.
Xu Xinyi put her arms around Yi Yang’s neck. “Am I fat?”
Yi Yang lied without blinking, “Not fat.”
–“You seem to have put on a little weight, so my arms are a little tired.”
Xu Xinyi was surprised. “What did you say?”
“I said you’re not fat.”
“No, you said I was fat.”
“…I didn’t. “
“You just said it!”
The ‘lesson’ that Yi Yang had recently gotten from Mrs. Yi informed him that he should not talk back to a pregnant woman, he should just agree with whatever she says and never make her angry. After all, if a pregnant woman was in a bad mood it would be bad for both the pregnant woman and the baby in her belly.
So Yi Yang apologized easily, “OK, I did say that. I’m sorry, I was wrong.”
With that, he gently set her on the bed.
Because Xu Xinyi was pregnant and the entire Yi estate was a spinning whirlpool of activity all centered around her.
Food, clothing, shelter, transportation, everything and anything you could think of for a pregnant woman was being handled with utmost care.
First, Mrs. Yi had found her a famous nutritional expert in the circle to design the meals Xu Xinyi ate every day, to try to lessen some of the uncomfortableness of the early days of pregnancy.
Then, all of her clothes were thoroughly vetted. All that she was allowed to wear were things that were loose and comfortable, while heels that were more than one centimeter high had been completely banned. Her shoe closet had been raided and all her heels had disappeared, only to be replaced with more comfortable and flat shoes.
Since it was for the sake of the baby, Xu Xinyi had nothing to say.
Also, even though they had a big bed, they felt it wasn’t big enough. They were worried that with Yi Yang’s bad sleeping posture, he might roll over at night and maybe harm the baby in Xu Xinyi’s belly, so they told Yi Yang to either sleep in another room, or add a cot and then sleep on the cot.
So he, a big nearly 1.9 meter tall man, ended up sleeping on a small cot set up next to the big bed in their room. Despite that, he didn’t feel aggrieved since it was for the sake of their baby.
“Has my skin gotten a lot worse recently?” Xu Xinyi asked while leaning forward to let him look.
Yi Yang carefully looked at her face before responding, “No.”
–“She seems to have developed dark circles under her eyes, and her skin is not as delicate and shiny as before…”
“?” Xu Xinyi looked at him with confusion, “You… you take a closer look!”
So Yi Yang took another look.
–“It seems there are some little spots.”
Xu Xinyi took a deep breath. “Have I developed dark circles under my eyes, is my skin not as delicate and shiny as before, and are there some little spots?”
When Yi Yang heard that question, he looked stupefied. Although he did not reply, the expression on his face and the look in his eyes answered Xu Xinyi’s question for her.
So Xu Xinyi understood that what she heard was indeed what Yi Yang had said, but it was what he said inside his heart!
But Xu Xinyi was a woman who had at least experienced some winds and waves in her life, so how could she get too surprised at such a little thing? After all, wasn’t it better to be able to hear his thoughts? After all, there were so many men who liked to stay out all night because their wives got out of shape after getting pregnant.
If she could hear what Yi Yang really thought then she could easily monitor him and see if his feelings for her were deteriorating in real time.
“No, you are just as beautiful as before. Now, have a good rest. I still have some documents to go over, so I’ll be in the study. Call me if you need anything.”
Although Xu Xinyi felt that Yi Yang’s words were a bit perfunctory, she nodded along.
After Yi Yang left, Xu Xinyi put on her shoes and quietly pressed her ear to the door of the study and listened to what was going on inside.
–“Xinyi looks a little pale tonight, has she not been resting well recently?”
–“I should ask mom if there are any cosmetics that she can use while pregnant. Also, maybe I can pick out some gifts to make her happy?”
–“What should I buy? Jewelry? A bag?”
–“I’d better take her to the hospital for a checkup in the next couple of days… but I have a meeting tomorrow and a cocktail party the day after tomorrow. I guess it will have to be next…”
Then there was a deep sigh.
–“But how could she sleep well when she keeps waking up at three or five o’clock every morning? Is the nutrition not enough? I’ll have to ask the nutritionist tomorrow.”
–“Who wrote this report? Why does it look like this?”
–“I heard that pregnant women tend to be in a bad mood. Maybe I should put aside my work and spend more time with her?”
–“But it’s hard to make time these days. Annoying.”
–“I don’t want to do this.”
–“I really don’t want to do this.”
–“Forget it, let’s just do it. After dealing with this work I can go back and go to bed with her.”
–“You know, today I emphasized the importance of reporting face to face but he still gave me a document like this. Is he telling me he wants to quit or something?”
–“And this is two projects in succession now that have been ruined in his hands. What’s been happening with Director Zhao recently? There were some rumors that the president of MK was interested in Director Zhao, so maybe he’s trying to poach him. I’ll have to be on guard…”
–“I haven’t been able to tell what she’s thinking lately…”
Xu Xinyi stood outside the door to the study, quietly listening to the alternating annoyance toward his work and worry for her that was coming from inside. Eventually, she poked out her head and took a peek.
At the desk, Yi Yang’s brows were heavily furrowed. He was leaning back in his chair and rubbing his temples with his eyes closed. He looked very tired.
While married to Yi Yang these past years Xu Xinyi had never seen Yi Yang really stop to rest properly. He had always been very busy, but now she found that in his heart he was always thinking about her. Discovering this fact, Xu Xinyi felt warmth slowly flow from her heart and out to her originally cold limbs.
This feeling, like someone cherished her like a treasure, was something she had never felt before.
Xu Xinyi tiptoed into the study and crept up toward Yi Yang. Maybe he was just too tired today because Xu Xinyi went all the way around the desk and he didn’t notice her at all.
It wasn’t until he felt her cold and gentle hands press on both of his temples that he noticed her presence.
“What are you doing here?” He grabbed Xu Xinyi’s hands and frowned when he felt that they were a little cold. “Aren’t you tired? You should go to bed earlier. I’m almost done with my work here.”
“It’s alright. I’m not sleepy. I just wanted to come and keep you company.”
Xu Xinyi slipped her hands out of his and continued to massage his brows for him from behind the chair. “I’m not sleepy and, seeing you looked so tired, I just wanted to help you relax.”
Yi Yang was still worried though, “Be obedient, go back and get some rest.”
“I’m really fine!” Xu Xinyi straightened her body, “You just continue your work, okay? I’m an adult, if I feel tired I’ll go and rest.”
“Are you sure you’re alright?”
Xu Xinyi nodded her head.
–“I wasn’t in a particularly bad mood just now, was I? But now all of a sudden it feels better…”
“Husband, don’t worry about me. I rest well every day. I sleep every night until dawn and I especially like the meals mom arranged the nutritionist to cook for me every day. Recently, I have much less nausea and vomiting in the morning and I’ve even gained weight recently. Besides, mom accompanied me to go to a check-up just two days ago and both the baby and I are very healthy. So don’t worry. Although sometimes I find myself in a bad mood, as long as I think about the baby in my belly, I quickly feel better. Don’t think that you aren’t spending enough time with me, I know that you are always working hard for my sake, so please don’t worry about me.”
“But…”
Xu Xinyi hugged his neck from behind, rested her head on his shoulder, and said, “Yi Yang, I married you to share your burdens with you, not to cause you trouble.”
“I don’t think you cause me trouble.”
She looked at Yi Yang and said very seriously, “But sometimes you make me feel like I’m just causing you trouble. You should just rest assured that I can take good care of myself. I will try to adjust my mood and control my temper, I will sleep and eat well, and I will go to see a doctor if I feel sick. If I feel like I can’t control my emotions I’ll come to talk to you, but you shouldn’t spend too much time worrying about me, okay? I’m really fine, what few problems I do have are all very small.”
When he saw the seriousness in Xu Xinyi’s eyes, Yi Yang’s Adam’s apple rolled and he quickly planted a kiss on her cheek, “Then, good.”
Xu Xinyi smiled contentedly. “Then you work hard. I’ll go back to the room and get some rest.”
Yi Yang watched as Xu Xinyi slowly left the study.
As she walked from Yi Yang’s desk to the door, Xu Xinyi didn’t hear any more thoughts.
It was ten o’clock, so it was indeed time for her to go to bed.
Xu Xinyi lay down to go to bed and, in her sleep, she felt as if someone silently laid down beside her. She didn’t open her eyes but she knew it was Yi Yang, so she blindly reached out and touched him.
His warm body and familiar smell made her feel at ease.
Just as she was on the edge dropping into a deep sleep, something vague flashed through Xu Xinyi’s mind and she suddenly woke up.
There was a small light on at the head of the bed and, under that dim light, Xu Xinyi saw Yi Yang lying on the small cot beside the bed, without crossing the ‘invisible line’ between them by even half a step.
She carefully propped her body up with her elbows and reached out to pick up Yi Yang’s cell phone from the head of the bed.
When she finally got the phone in her hands she grinned, but suddenly Yi Yang shifted in his bed, tilting his head slightly. Xu Xinyi was startled and her whole body stiffened, she didn’t dare to move.
Really like a thief.
When she saw he didn’t move any further, Xu Xinyi quietly unlocked Yi Yang’s phone, found the option for the alarm clock on the main screen, and clicked inside.
She turned off the alarms that were set for 1:00 a.m., 3:00 a.m., and 5:00 a.m. in the alarm clock app.
Then she quietly put the phone back in its place.
Yi Yang rolled over slightly again so Xu Xinyi hurriedly lay back down in her spot and snuggled into Yi Yang’s arms.
“Yi Yang?”
Half dreaming and half awake, Yi Yang mumbled a reply: “Hmm?”
“I’m cold.”
Yi Yang hugged Xu Xinyi even more tightly.
tl note: I made a discord. Just sort of testing the waters to see if there’s any interest. You can chat about my current projects or read my gripes about my new projects.
tl note: I’m really struggling to imagine how you would set up a cot and a bed in such a way that the person in the cot could still hug the person on the bed? Like I guess it wouldn’t be physically impossible? But if the cot is that close to the bed what’s the point in ‘separating’ like that in the first place. Whatever, it’s romantic so it gets a pass~
Ahh as far as i know, cot for adults are just like some separate bed. So maybe that’s how?
And here I am wondering wtf are cots cuz I’vr never heard of such word before lol