When heading home, Yu Antong habitually tried to take the front passenger seat, only to be halted by Xin's mother.

"Antong, sit with mom in the backseat, it's safer there."

Obediently, Yu Antong moved to the rear. All the way, Xin's parents excitedly discussed buying baby clothes and cradles.

Xin's father mused, "We're not sure if it's a boy or a girl. What kind of clothes should we buy?"

Xin's mother suggested, "Buy both. Better safe than sorry."

"I've heard the early education class 'Mengya' near our home is quite good. I'll check it out," Xin's mother added.

Overhearing the extensive plans, Xin Lixuan couldn't resist commenting, "Mom, Dad, you're thinking too far ahead. He's barely two months old. He won't be born for several more months. Why not just find a partner for him too?"

"You've never raised a child, what would you know?" Xin's mother countered. "Kids grow up so fast. We need to be prepared. We don't want to be caught off guard."

Xin's father chimed in, "Your mother's right. These days, every kid joins an early education class. It's so popular that even with money, one may not secure a spot. It's wise for your mom to scout it out early. Or you might as well invest in an early education company."

Not wanting to argue further, Xin Lixuan could only nod in agreement, "Yes, yes, you're both right."

Having had little rest the night before and waking up early today, Yu Antong felt drowsy in the car.

At a traffic light, Xin Lixuan glanced at Yu Antong through the rearview mirror. Noticing his fatigue, he reached into the glove compartment, producing a blanket, "Antong, cover yourself. Don't catch cold. Try to stay awake; we'll be home soon. You can rest there."

Gratefully, Yu Antong took the blanket, struggling to stay awake. At that moment, a call from Fu Xin came through.

The ringtone roused Yu Antong's spirits, "Hello?"

Fu Xin pitched, "Boss, many customers recently inquired about making New Year's Eve dinner reservations at our restaurant. I believe we could initiate this service..."

Interrupting the ever-ambitious manager, Yu Antong replied, "I won't have time recently to oversee the restaurant affairs."

The normally composed Fu Xin sounded unexpectedly anxious, "What are you busy with? Aren't you on winter break? Plus, next semester you have an internship and won't need to attend school. Can't you postpone whatever you're doing and prioritize the New Year's Eve dinner project?"

Yu Antong patted his belly, "This particular matter can't really be postponed."

"...," persistent as ever, Fu Xin pressed, "So what are you so busy with?"

Yu Antong teased, "You might not believe it if I told you."

Fu Xin encouraged, "Try me."

As long as Yu Antong voiced a problem, Fu Xin could find a way to solve it. Nothing should interfere with making money.

Yu Antong looked skyward, "I'm busy having a child." Nothing is more important than my son.

Fu Xin: "..."

After hanging up, Yu Antong thought to himself, he knew no one would believe him.

Fu Xin shook his head, never expecting his boss to come up with such an excuse to avoid work. Realizing that his boss was adamant about it, Fu Xin decided to let it go.

After dinner at home, Yu Antong was ready to take a bath and go to sleep.

"Wait a minute, I'll join you." Xing Lixuan called out to Yu Antong, who was heading towards the bathroom in his pajamas.

Yu Antong frowned, "When I asked you to join me before, you acted as if you were some paragon of virtue, terrified of what I might do. Now that I'm pregnant and we can't do anything, you're teasing me. Are you trying to get back at me? You're so vindictive!"

Xing Lixuan: "I'm just afraid you'll slip and fall."

The bathroom was originally equipped with non-slip mats, but Yu Antong found them uncomfortable, so he had them stored away.

Before, it wasn’t a big deal, but now they must be extra careful. Xing Lixuan planned to install a new set of mats that were both comfortable and slip-resistant the next day.

As the bathtub was filled with warm water, Yu Antong, supported by Xing Lixuan, couldn't help but giggle, "Taking a bath feels like a royal coronation. You deserve a reward, little Xuan."

A crisp slap echoed.

Yu Antong's plump behind trembled from the smack by Xing Lixuan.

Xing Lixuan: "Stop fooling around."

"Ouch!" Yu Antong shot Xing Lixuan an annoyed look, "You hit me again! Domestic violence always escalates!"

Xing Lixuan couldn't resist those captivating, shimmering eyes of Yu Antong. It was torturous, especially when his wife was pregnant and they had to abstain.

Xing Lixuan sighed, gently kissed the corner of Yu Antong's eye, and whispered, "Darling, sit down and relax in the bath. Aren’t you tired?"

As Yu Antong settled into the water, fatigue washing away, he sighed contentedly. He glanced down at his belly, gently patting it, "It doesn’t seem to have changed, yet there's a two-month-old baby inside."

Xing Lixuan, alarmed by his action, cautioned, "Be gentle. It's not like tapping a watermelon."

Yu Antong retorted, "I barely tapped! If you're so concerned, why don’t you give birth? If you can't, then stop talking!"

It became clear to Xing Lixuan that Yu Antong was in a bad mood. No matter what he said, Yu Antong had a retort ready.

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Xing Lixuan chose to remain silent. Once Yu Antong had soaked enough, he carefully dried him off and carried him to bed.

"Sleep well, my love."

Instead of asking for a goodnight kiss as usual, Yu Antong's lips pouted in apparent annoyance.

Xing Lixuan embraced him, softly asking, "Why are you upset again?"

Yu Antong huffed, "Once a child is in the picture, I get treated differently. All men are just insensitive brutes. You're only being so kind because of the baby."

"Aren't you a man yourself? You were born just to be my nemesis." Xing Lixuan pinched Yu Antong's pouting lips, "What do I have to say to make you believe? Think about it. When I initially didn’t want a child, I immediately decided to respect your choice, didn't I prioritize you? When I didn’t know you could get pregnant, didn't I treat you well? Didn't I always follow your wishes?"

Yu Antong countered, "That’s only because I was persistent. You only did those things because you were annoyed, not out of your own volition."

"That's because I hadn't realized how much I liked you. Alright, I admit I was stubborn," Xing Lixuan confessed, somewhat reluctantly, all in an attempt to appease his sulking spouse. "If I were really annoyed with you, I wouldn’t bother with you, my little brat."

Yu Antong, detecting the affection in Xing Lixuan's tone, felt a warmth in his heart, but still said, "I still feel somewhat aggrieved."

Xing Lixuan smiled, admiring Yu Antong's candid nature which always ensured he spoke his mind without holding back.

Seeing Yu Antong's petulant demeanor, Xing Lixuan felt an overwhelming love, cooing, "Alright, what's making my baby upset?"

Yu Antong complained, "I’ve never had a romantic relationship, and now I’m married with a baby. You've never courted me, not even a single flower. Xing Lixuan, just because I’m carrying your child doesn’t mean I can't live without you. If you don't cherish me, I'll find someone else for me and the baby."

"Dare you!" Xing Lixuan asserted, pressing his forehead against Yu Antong’s, his voice tender yet dominant, "Yu Antong, let me make it clear: I’ll give you everything you desire, but you can only be mine."

Xing Lixuan's possessiveness gave Yu Antong a slight shiver, making him realize that while Xing Lixuan often indulged him, there were clear boundaries.

Most people might be wary of someone with strong possessive tendencies, but Yu Antong, who deep down yearned for security, was utterly smitten with Xing Lixuan's assertiveness and desire to possess.

Yu Antong pecked Xing Lixuan's thin lips, "Goodnight, my dear husband."

Xing Lixuan sighed in relief, initially worried that he might have scared Yu Antong, only to find... the man was as vexing as he was endearing.

Xing Lixuan passionately kissed Yu Antong, stopping just before things escalated further.

For safety reasons, both returned to the Xing family mansion, ensuring Yu Antong had the best care.

Thick cashmere carpets were laid everywhere in the house, and protective padding was affixed to sharp corners, treating Yu Antong as a top priority.

Yu Antong was taken care of meticulously at home, leading a very leisurely lifestyle.

For the first couple of days, Yu Antong enjoyed this laid-back life, but by the third day, he felt restless and bored.

He still had over seven months before giving birth; if he continued this sedentary lifestyle, he'd go insane.

Setting aside the storybook Xing Lixuan bought him, Yu Antong looked down at his belly, murmuring, "Xiao Nian, how about we go out and play?"

Xiao Nian was the nickname Yu Antong gave to their unborn child. Since they discovered the pregnancy around the Chinese New Year, they named the baby after the holiday.

Xing Lixuan, who was watching a parenting channel with a notebook in hand, retorted, "Where can you go in this snowy weather?"

Yu Antong, in a dramatic fashion, leaned into Xing Lixuan, "I'm so bored, I feel like I’m decaying here."

Suddenly he brightened up, "Oh! What if we take Xiao Nian out to make a snowman? Just for a little while."

While the two were engaged in idle chatter, Mr. Wang from next door came over for a visit, bearing gifts.

Xing Lixuan set out the tea set to welcome the guest, while Yu Antong seemed relaxed and at ease.

Mr. Wang made polite conversation, "No need to fuss, Lixuan. Sit. We've been neighbors for years, no need for formalities."

Last time he enjoyed a meal at the Xing residence, he couldn't stop thinking about it afterwards. Since then, he frequently took his family to dine at the Fairy Feast, and even purchased products like chili sauce and hot pot bases sold online by the restaurant.

When he was at the Xing’s house discussing potential collaboration with Yu Antong, there was a hint of polite formality in his tone. However, ever since he sampled products from the Fairy Feast, he had been eagerly hoping for Yu Antong to approach him for business.

He was waiting for Yu Antong to take the initiative, rather than proposing it himself. This was a business strategy, as it seemed unfitting for a president of a large chain supermarket to seek out a small company for collaboration.

With the New Year approaching, he had been busy overseeing the stock of New Year goods in the supermarket. Now that preparations for the festive season were almost over, he could take a breath and anticipate sales. This reminded him that Yu Antong hadn’t approached him yet.

During the New Year, people mainly buy products like fish, meat, eggs, and milk. The products sold online by the Fairy Feast may not have an edge during this period, but once people tire of rich festive foods, there will surely be a surge in sales for their chili sauce.

As a savvy businessman, Mr. Wang had already started planning for post-holiday sales, but he had been waiting in vain for Yu Antong to initiate a collaboration.

Seeing that the New Year was just around the corner, Mr. Wang grew impatient. What if Yu Antong had found another partner? He quickly brought gifts and visited the Xing household.

After some pleasantries, Mr. Wang got to the point, "The main reason for my visit is to discuss offline sales collaboration for Fairy Feast products with CEO Yu. I've been meaning to come over, but recent business commitments held me back until today."

Yu Antong poured him a glass of water and remarked with a diplomatic smile, "For such a large company as yours, Mr. Wang, being busy is natural. Still, the profits are abundant. It would be an honor for Fairy Feast to collaborate with you."

He had previously discussed offline sales channels with Fu Xin, who advised him that their production capacity was limited. So, they weren’t in a hurry to venture offline. They could increase production and wait for partners to approach them, gaining more benefits in the process.

It now seemed that Fu Xin had a knack for business, given how eagerly Mr. Wang had sought them out.

Mr. Wang’s smile grew more genuine upon Yu Antong's flattery, thinking he might get a better cut since Fairy Feast was still a small company.

Yu Antong continued, "I might have some culinary skills, but I'm clueless about managing a company. All company matters are handled by my professional manager, Fu Xin."

The smile on Mr. Wang's face froze. Was this a refusal?

As if oblivious to Mr. Wang's reaction, Yu Antong, still beaming, suggested, "How about this? I'll call Fu Xin, and we can all have dinner together. You two can discuss business, and I'll keep you company."

Mr. Wang’s heart was on a roller coaster of emotions. Hastily, he responded, "Thank you, CEO Yu, that would be splendid!"

Mr. Wang couldn't help but think how people in their business circle always praised the young master of the Xing family, Xing Lixuan, for his business acumen. Now, it seemed that Lixuan's spouse was no less shrewd in conversation.

Initially, he assumed that a small brand like Fairy Feast would offer significant concessions to penetrate offline markets. But things weren't turning out as smooth as he had expected.

Author's Note:

Tongtong: Need to earn money for Little Year's milk powder.

A big thank you to the angels who gifted me with premium votes or nourishing potions between 2020-01-07 18:10:032020-01-08 17:39:54

Thanks to the angels who gifted landmines: Bai Tian, 1 landmine.

And to the angels who gifted nourishing potions: Ana Ana and Yun Shen Bu Zhi Chu with 10 bottles each; Undercover, Yi Suo Bu Yu Yan, and Xiao Lou Zi with 5 bottles each; One Hour Later with 4 bottles; Su Qi with 3 bottles; Mo Shang Chang An with 2 bottles; and Ying Ying Ying Ying, Xin Xing Xing Xing Xing, Hua Jiu Qi Qiu, Chun Xia Qiu Dong, and the Author himself with 1 bottle each.

Thank you so much for all your support. I'll keep striving!

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