Chi Chi stayed curled up under the covers, her cheeks still flushed red.

Fu Zhiyue crouched down to look at his son. "Little Rice Cake, why aren’t you sleeping yet?"

"Papa, where’s Mommy? Mommy said she’d sleep with Little Rice Cake."

Little Rice Cake had obediently changed into his little duck pajamas by himself and waited a long time for Mommy, but she never came. He poked his head out to peer into the room.

"Nope, sorry. Tonight, Mommy is sleeping with Daddy," Fu Zhiyue said, picking up his son and walking to the bed. "If you don’t believe me, ask Mommy yourself."

"..."

Chi Chi froze for a second, then yanked the blanket up over her head and shot Fu Zhiyue a fierce glare.

"Baby, Mommy, uh, is sleeping with Daddy tonight. Daddy is... afraid!" Chi Chi growled the last two words between gritted teeth.

Little Rice Cake looked back and forth between Mommy and Daddy, feeling that something wasn’t quite right.

"Mommy, are you sick? Your face is all red."

A while ago, Little Rice Cake had caught a fever, and his cheeks were bright red. Now, seeing Chi Chi’s face, he thought Mommy must have a fever, too.

"No, no, it’s just a bit warm under the covers."

Chi Chi was naked beneath the blanket, and she felt so embarrassed she thought she’d explode.

"Zhiyue, hurry up and take Baby back to bed!"

"Oh? So does that mean Chi Chi can sleep with me these days?"

Fu Zhiyue stood by the bed, refusing to move. He seemed dead-set on bargaining with his wife, making it clear that if she didn’t agree, he wouldn’t take their son away.

"O-okay…"

"You hear that, son? Mommy’s going to sleep with Daddy for the next few days. You’ll have to sleep by yourself, okay?"

Smiling, he picked up Little Rice Cake and carried him out of the room, tucking him into his little bed. Fu Zhiyue looked at him solemnly.

"Sweetie, Daddy has something to tell you."

Little Rice Cake pouted, clearly unhappy. Mommy was going to sleep with Daddy again. With round, watery eyes, he stared at his dad. "What does Papa want to say?"

"Well, from now on, if Mommy and Daddy lock the door, that means we have something important to do. Little Rice Cake can’t knock, okay?"

Little Rice Cake tilted his head and hugged his stuffed puppy, looking confused. "What are you doing in there?"

"Mmm, that’s a secret between Daddy and Mommy. I can’t tell you." Fu Zhiyue fibbed to the child without the slightest guilt.

"Hmph." Little Rice Cake turned over, showing his little butt to Daddy. "I have a secret with Mommy, too. I’m not telling you."

"Oh? You and Mommy have a secret?"

"..."

Little Rice Cake covered his face and shook his head hard, making it clear he wasn’t saying a word.

"So our Little Rice Cake has his own secrets now. Can Daddy guess what it is?" The big bad wolf was ready to play along.

Through his fingers, Little Rice Cake peeked at his daddy’s troubled face and puffed his tiny chest out with pride. "You’ll never guess! Mommy said she’s going to plant a little sister for me, and I won’t tell you about it!"

He giggled, thinking he’d successfully kept the secret from Daddy.

Fu Zhiyue couldn’t help but laugh out loud, tucking in Little Rice Cake’s pajamas and covering him with the blanket.

Yep, a real big secret.

He soothed his adorable little boy to sleep and quietly returned to the bedroom.

In Fu Zhiyue’s mind, Chi Chi and their son really were just two silly children—one big, one small.

How could Mommy plant a baby sister all by herself?

He slipped back into the bedroom as if nothing had happened.

"Is Little Rice Cake asleep?" Chi Chi asked, turning toward him as he came in.

Fu Zhiyue climbed onto the bed and pulled her into his arms, the air between them still thick with the warmth of earlier. "He’s asleep," he murmured, brushing soft kisses along her neck.

"Baby, should we keep going?"

His hands slid down, finding her freshly donned pajamas.

...

Chi Chi let out a tiny huff. "No more tonight, I want to sleep now."

Even if they kept at it, a baby wouldn’t be planted that quickly—and she wasn’t about to do anything that put her at a disadvantage.

Fu Zhiyue chuckled quietly, not pushing her further, simply holding her as they drifted off to sleep.

Thus, the first plan was quietly abandoned. Chi Chi blamed the crafty big bad wolf for ruining it.

But she wasn’t about to give up. After all, having a baby wasn’t a small matter.

One afternoon, Chi Chi went to the hospital to see Dr. Song Ying for a check-up—just to make sure everything was in good shape.

Song Ying had gotten married to Julian Jarvis at the end of last year; they’d already registered their marriage.

Taking advantage of Fu Zhiyue’s trip to the office, Chi Chi brought Little Rice Cake with her to the hospital.

She’d called ahead, so Song Ying was waiting for them in her office.

Little Rice Cake walked obediently, holding tightly to Mommy’s hand.

"Ying Ying!"

The woman in the office looked up from her paperwork and smiled when she saw Chi Chi.

"You’re here—and you brought Little Rice Cake, too!"

"Auntie Ying Ying!"

Little Rice Cake greeted her sweetly, big eyes blinking adorably, making hearts melt.

Song Ying crouched and patted his little head. "Well! Little Rice Cake has gotten taller."

"Yep! Mommy says I’ve grown up to the frog’s eye!"

At home, they had a height chart with little frogs stuck on it. A few days ago, his head reached the frog’s eye level, and now he wanted to brag about it to everyone.

Song Ying laughed, "You must have been eating really well—good job!"

She stood and turned to Chi Chi. "So, you really want to give Little Rice Cake a little sister? Did your husband finally agree?"

Chi Chi had discussed this with her before. Her health was fine; it was only the various complications during her first pregnancy that had led to a few scares.

With proper care now, a normal pregnancy shouldn’t pose any danger. Fu Zhiyue was just overcautious.

"Yes," Chi Chi replied. "Little Rice Cake’s growing up, and it’s lonely to be an only child. With a little sister, he wouldn’t be so alone anymore."

She bent to pick up Little Rice Cake, and the two of them headed out together.

Little Rice Cake wrapped his arms around his mother’s neck, not wanting her to strain herself. "Auntie Ying Ying, are you going to put the little sister in Mommy’s belly?"

Song Ying couldn’t help laughing. "No, sweetie—a little sister needs Daddy to put her in Mommy’s belly. No one else can do it."

"But then why hasn’t Daddy done it yet?"

His innocent question left the two women stumped.

"..."

Chi Chi tried to stifle her laughter. "Well, Daddy’s worried it might hurt Mommy’s tummy, so he’s hesitant."

"Will it hurt?"

Little Rice Cake frowned, glancing at Mommy’s belly.

"Just a little," Chi Chi reassured him. "But with Auntie Ying Ying’s help, it won’t hurt at all."

His gloomy face instantly lit up with a big smile.

That’s right! Auntie Ying Ying’s a doctor—she can fix any pain!

Looking at Song Ying, Little Rice Cake beamed, "Thank you, Auntie Ying Ying!"

As they chatted, Chi Chi finished her simple check-up. Song Ying looked over the results; everything was fine.

She just needed to maintain a balanced diet and keep taking her vitamins.

After picking up some folic acid supplements, Song Ying walked them out.

As they waited for the elevator, Song Ying hesitated before finally speaking.

"Chi Chi..." For once, the usually capable and composed woman seemed awkward, her cheeks lightly flushed.

"What is it, Ying Ying?"

"Well, it’s just... If you do get pregnant in the coming months, I might not be able to deliver the baby for you myself."

"Huh?"

"I checked a few days ago—I’m pregnant, too. Not quite two months along yet."