CHAPTER 367: CHAPTER 357: HIBERNATION

Perhaps because Qin Guanglin had taken such good care during the pregnancy, it only took He Fang two days after giving birth to feel recovered. She vetoed Qin Guanglin’s suggestion to stay a few more days for observation and checked out of the hospital on the third day. The family returned home by car to their house on Tonglin Road.

He’s Daddy didn’t stay long. Seeing that He Fang was fine and needed to do her postpartum recovery at home, he had Qin Guanglin drop him off at the train station to beat the rush of the Spring Festival travel season, saying he would come back for the baby’s one-month celebration.

"Say Daddy... Dad~dy."

Qin Guanglin, who had already adjusted his mindset and was excited to be a dad, lay on the bed and called out to his three-day-old daughter, causing He Fang to frown in disapproval.

If she could actually call out to him, wouldn’t that scare him into running away with her in his arms? Babies can’t talk until at least eight months old, and maybe start consciously calling out ’mommy’ and ’daddy’ around one year old. At three days, they can only learn to cry and sleep.

"She can’t say a damn thing at three days old, can you be quiet for a bit?"

"This is pre-speech education, just like prenatal education. She can’t talk, but she can listen," Qin Guanglin argued with conviction, kneeling and bending over the bed like a nitwit.

The little being he and He Fang created together was just marvelous to behold.

The feeling of shared blood.

"You keep calling out until she can speak, and the total number of times might end up being about the same as the number of times she’ll call you in the next few decades." He Fang lay there and huffed, "Fair, really."

"..."

Qin Guanglin smacked his lips, truly grateful he didn’t end up with a stinky little boy.

"Hey, pass me that pen and paper."

"Sure, what are you up to? Writing a diary for your daughter?"

"Just keep calling out."

He Fang took the pen and paper and, lying on her side on the bed, propped the paper on the headboard and began to write.

Qin Guanglin didn’t look at what she was writing, but went back to his kneeling position by the bed, playing the blinking and pouting game with his daughter.

In the future, this little person would slowly grow up like a bud sprouting branches, go to school, move up in education, take exams, work, make friends, and then, just like her mom, find someone she loves, someone who dotes on her like her dad, and spend the rest of their lives together.

Thinking about it was just... a full sense of happiness. Perhaps this is the meaning of life, to continue happiness from generation to generation, to experience all the good and the bad, and then return to dust.

"Here, go shopping with this list, and pick up some New Year’s goods along the way... Stop grinning like an idiot, go drive."

He Fang filled an entire page with her writing, put down the pen, handed the paper to Qin Guanglin, and urged him to get off the bed, even using her toes to nudge him.

"What is this... why buy so many diapers? And vegetables? What are these medicines for? Are you planning to empty the supermarket or what?"

Qin Guanglin, looking at the shopping list she had written, couldn’t help but pelt her with a barrage of questions, revealing his deep confusion.

"Just buy them... oh right, bring back a big bag of rice and flour as well, we’re going into hibernation. A woman needs to hibernate for two months after giving birth."

"..."

Seeing He Fang joking with a serious expression on her face, Qin Guanglin didn’t ask any more questions. He got up to straighten his clothes, went to put on his coat, and prepared to leave.

Maybe it’s even the outbreak of a zombie virus who knows.

"What are you going out for?" Qin’s Mom was cooking a postpartum soup in the kitchen and casually asked Qin Guanglin as he was getting ready to leave.

"Going to buy New Year’s goods."

"Wait a minute, I’ll go with you."

"No need, you watch over He Fang. Can’t leave her alone at home."

"Then remember to bring back a bag of salt."

"I’ll buy ten!"

Clang.

Qin Guanglin’s final words dropped as the door closed behind him; he clattered downstairs, got into his car, and, clutching the shopping list He Fang had given him, set off to make purchases.

Qin’s Mom shook her head in the kitchen, ladled out a bowl of freshly stewed postpartum soup, and carried it into the bedroom for He Fang. "Here, this tonic is not only nourishing for the body, but it will also keep our little Anya from going hungry..."

"Mom, actually, one bowl a day is enough. There’s no need to make so much; look at me, strong and healthy. I used to work out every day. I’m not that weak," He Fang said, mimicking Qin Guanglin’s usual muscle-flexing pose by bending her arm to show off her bicep. Unfortunately, her slender arm didn’t have much muscle to show when compared to Guanglin’s robust arms.

"Aiya, but it’s only once a day. Drink slowly, don’t scald yourself..."

"This is the second bowl today. You had three bowls yesterday."

"Each type has different effects. This one is for recuperation, that one for lactation, and so on... Now that the child is born, there’s no such thing as too many nutrients," Qin’s Mom insisted with a coaxing look. "Drink up; it’s all good stuff. I guarantee it will make you plump and healthy, which is also good for your daughter."

"..."

"If your dad sees you’ve lost weight by the time Anya has her full-moon celebration... tsk, am I right?"

"Mmm... it’s tasty."

He Fang sipped from the spoon with a grimace; she had already experienced this soup’s potency. It worked wonders for lactation, filling up her daughter and, as a bonus, pleasing Guanglin.

"There you go."

Qin’s Mom watched with satisfaction as He Fang finished the small bowl of soup, then she took the empty bowl and spoon, tucking the bedding around her. "Rest well; if you need anything, just call me. I’ll be right outside."

Three bowls of soup a day—morning, noon, and night—she was determined to fatten up her daughter-in-law, making her plump and juicy.

Ah, the self-cultivation of being a mother-in-law.

Qin Guanglin was gone the whole afternoon and only came back in the evening. He shouldered a fifty-pound bag of rice as he entered, and before Qin’s Mom could ask why he bought more rice, he dashed back downstairs.

In no time, he returned with a shoulder-load of flour at the doorway, to which Qin’s Mom frowned, "Is this what you bought for the New Year’s supplies? What about the salt?"

"Wait for it, I am not done yet."

As his voice faded, he disappeared from the doorway again.

Qin’s Mom sat on the couch, her expression changing over time, fighting the urge to go downstairs and see how much he had bought. After all, someone needed to stay upstairs in case He Fang needed anything.

"Is that all?"

When Qin Guanglin finally flopped on the sofa, wiping sweat from his forehead, Qin’s Mom couldn’t help but ask.

"There are also a few boxes of diapers and such left. I’ll rest for a bit before I go get them."

"...You’re making it look like you’re moving the supermarket here. I told you to buy New Year’s goods, not to stockpile. What’s all this... tissue paper, masks, and these medications... Why did you buy so much?!"

"Uh... I’ll explain later. I need to go down and get the rest."

Qin Guanglin couldn’t find an excuse and didn’t want to give Qin’s Mom the impression that He Fang was wasteful with money by revealing it was she who had asked for the items, so he decided to sidestep, for now, waiting to see how He Fang would explain later.

"Is Guanglin running into some kind of trouble? He’s not getting overly excited about being a father like that Fan character who won a prize, is he?" Qin’s Mom hesitated for a moment on the couch, then, fraught with concern, gently knocked on the bedroom door and sat down beside He Fang to discuss tactics.

The young couple just had their baby, and it was important for He Fang to be aware of the situation. After all, communications between He Fang and Guanglin were the most heartfelt, and if there were any issues, the two of them could resolve it best.

"Oh, Guanglin just mentioned this earlier. You know he quit his job to stay at home and paint and that it’s troublesome to always go out. We decided to just stay in, raise our daughter, write novels, draw comics, become like hamsters... uh, I mean, like hamsters that hoard things at home, feeling secure with stocked supplies."

He Fang contemplated and explained, even gesturing to her head with her hand. "He’s an artist; his thoughts tend to be... unconventional. He mentioned something like this before, so let’s just indulge him this time."

A husband is meant to take the blame in front of his mother-in-law.

"Oh, so he’s always loved staying at home to paint without going out; he must have planned this long ago."

Qin’s Mom pondered for a moment, finding the hamster analogy quite in line with the Qin Guanglin she knew. She clicked her tongue and shook her head. "You’re spoiling him. Keep an eye on him; you’re a family of three now, and it’s important to live a stable life without making trouble... A man takes care of external affairs, and a woman takes care of home. At home, you’re in charge; don’t indulge him every day."

Assured that Guanglin wasn’t having an episode, she decided not to interfere any further. It was best as a mother-in-law to occasionally give advice to the young couple, but not to control too much.

It was just that the sight of all those things outside made her uneasy. Life was good; there was no need to stir it up into a mess.