Qin's mother turned her head to look at Xiao Li after hearing the words, "She does seem to like them."
He Jie said to Xiao Li, "Xiao Li, if you like babies so much, hurry up and ask Qin Xiao for one.
Actually, you two have been married for almost two months; maybe you already have one."
When Xiao Li heard He Jie's first sentence, she was a bit embarrassed and blushed, but when she heard the second, she was stunned.
Because she remembered something—that she and Qin Xiao never took any precautions during these days...
Xiao Li lowered her head and glanced at her belly, wondering if there really might be something growing there!
Meanwhile, Qin Xiao also heard He Jie's words, a gleam of light passed through his lowered eyes...
Leaving the hospital, Xiao Li was still a bit distracted, thinking about whether she should get a test to see if she's pregnant?
But she and Qin Xiao have been together for not even half a month; even if she was pregnant, it wouldn't show up right now!
Ah...
Was careless!
If she really is pregnant, what should she do?
The thought kept Xiao Li silent all the way home.
Back home, Xiao Li said nothing as she went to take a bath and prepare for sleep.
Seeing this, the light in Qin Xiao's eyes dimmed.
In the room, Xiao Li stood at the floor-to-ceiling window, staring outside in a daze. Qin Xiao came out after his bath, saw her standing there, and hugged her from behind...
"What are you thinking?"
Qin Xiao's low voice rang in Xiao Li's ear...
Xiao Li came back to her senses, "I was thinking, maybe there's really a little life here."
Qin Xiao asked softly, "Do you hope there is, or isn't?"
Xiao Li rolled her eyes, "Is it up to me whether there is or isn't?"
Qin Xiao chuckled quietly, "No... I just want to know if you want kids."
Hearing this, Xiao Li fell silent.
She didn't know...
It's not that Xiao Li didn't want children; she just felt that it wasn't the right time.
She hadn't graduated from university yet, and would have to start her internship upon returning to campus. What if she really was pregnant?
Xiao Li's silence caused Qin Xiao's mood to drop, the light in his eyes dimming further.
Qin Xiao knew what love he felt for Xiao Li, but he wasn't sure if Xiao Li loved him.
Qin Xiao still remembered their first meeting at the Xiao Family home, two months before he was set to graduate with his doctorate. His teacher Wen Lan had invited several soon-to-graduate doctoral students to her home for a meal.
Qin Xiao arrived early while the others hadn't yet arrived. The teacher suggested he go play in the garden for a while, and that's where he saw Xiao Li examining a small bug in the garden.
At first, seeing Xiao Li squatting among the flowers, Qin Xiao thought she was looking at the flowers, but as he approached, he saw she was staring at a bug.
Out of curiosity, he spoke up, "What are you looking at the bug for?"
Xiao Li raised her head, sunlight filtering through the large tree behind Qin Xiao, scattering onto Xiao Li's face, complementing her dazzling smile, making Qin Xiao momentarily lose his senses.
"I'm watching its broken tail to see how long it can live," she said.
Qin Xiao quickly regained his composure, laughed, "Why do you want to know that?"
Xiao Li replied, "I want to know if it's resilient. Who are you? Why are you in my home?"
Then, she paused, "Wait... Mom said some of her students would be coming today, so you're my mom's student?"
Qin Xiao nodded.
Xiao Li laughed, "In that case, I'll call you 'senior.'"
Then the two of them watched the bug together to see when its life's energy would be exhausted...
Until Wen Lan's other students arrived and came to the garden, Qin Xiao hurriedly blocked them from seeing Xiao Li and disturbing her by leading them back to the living room.
At that moment, Qin Xiao himself didn't know why he didn't want Xiao Li to be seen by others.
Later, during dinner, Xiao Li was called away by friends and quickly returned to her room to change her clothes and left.
Qin Xiao only caught a glimpse of her figure, regretting not being able to face her during the meal, but thinking that it was good she didn't join, considering how many people were there.
After returning to campus, Qin Xiao frequently encountered scenarios where the teacher and Xiao Li were video chatting, either because he kept her in his heart or by sheer luck.
Listening to Xiao Li's soft, tender voice as she sweetly talked to the teacher over the phone led Qin Xiao's heart to melt.
Later, Qin Xiao heard the teacher call Xiao Li "Nini" and secretly started calling her a nickname, which is why he could smoothly call Xiao Li "Nini" from the beginning.
Once someone is etched into your heart, their image becomes increasingly clear.
After graduating, Qin Xiao intended to confess to Xiao Li, but his feelings were detected by Wen Lan, who stopped him.
"Qin Xiao, I know you're good, and I know your feelings for my Nini.
Both Nini's dad and I acknowledge you, to be honest. The day I invited you all over for a meal, I planned for you to meet Nini.
You arrived first because I arranged it, deliberately spacing out the time for you and your peers to come.
But I hope you can refrain from expressing your feelings to Nini for now. I hope you could wait for a few years, until after she graduates before you tell her your feelings.
I'm not trying to interfere with your young love, but you yourself study medicine and understand how tiring it is, how demanding a real doctor's position is.
If you want to be responsible for patients as a doctor after graduation, then you must learn thoroughly during these years in school.
Let me be frank, I didn't tell Nini why I arranged for you to meet her first, but it was to assess you for my own reasons.
I only have one daughter, Nini, so of course, I hope she can find a good partner."
After hearing the teacher's words, Qin Xiao held back his thoughts, deciding to wait for Xiao Li for five years, waiting until she graduates to confess.
Fearing he'd be tempted to go look for Xiao Li if he stayed in C City, Qin Xiao chose to teach at a university in B City right after graduating.
However, he couldn't quite resist wanting to see Xiao Li, frequently traveling to S City, waiting by her campus just to catch a glimpse of her.
If everything went according to plan, things might have been fine, but then Wen Lan fell ill.
At Wen Lan's funeral, Qin Xiao met Xiao Li face-to-face for the second time, previously only having watched her from the shadows.
That day, Xiao Li was enveloped in sadness, contrasting sharply with the smile she had the first time they met.
Looking at the visibly thinner Xiao Li, Qin Xiao wished he could hug her to comfort her, but he couldn't.
After the funeral, knowing Xiao Li was hiding in S City unwilling to return home, Qin Xiao frequently visited C City to see Xiao Zhennan and accompany him.
As the days passed, Qin Xiao waited for Xiao Li to graduate so he could confess to her, but once again, things went awry.
Xiao Zhennan fell seriously ill, accelerating the topic of their marriage.
Then Qin Xiao witnessed how much Xiao Li resisted the marriage, how unfamiliar she was with him, Qin Xiao.
It was at that moment Qin Xiao realized Xiao Li had long since forgotten who he was...