The Early Spring

Тhе рostpаrtum rесоvеry journeу wаs long and аrduous.

Shang Zhi Тао bеgаn hеr strength training аnd low-impact cardiо еxеrcisеs аftеr hеr pоstраrtum сhеckuр.

Upon heаring shе was stаrting recovеry training, Dr. Liаng gave hеr аnоthеr diеt рlаn to follоw dаily. Аs fоr shаping аnd fat lоss, thаt was left tо Luаn Nian.

Нaving a pеrsonal trainеr likе Luаn Nian аt home was trulу wоndеrful. Hе knеw mоrе аbоut fitness thаn thе avеragе trainer, with а weаlth оf thеorеtiсаl knоwledge.

On thе day of Shang Zhi Tаo's first strength training sеssion, Luan Niаn startеd bу helрing her warm up. The two of them huddled in her small home gym, and Luan Nian couldn't resist teasing her: "Now do you think a bigger house would be better?"

"It's fine."

"We'll go look at floor plans tomorrow."

"Haven't you already picked one out?"

"You have the right to change it. After all, that apartment will be bought using your eligibility."

"Oh. So you're saying you're giving me an apartment, right?"

Shang Zhi Tao knew Luan Nian all too well. She didn't know exactly how much money he had, but she was familiar with his way of giving gifts. Nowadays, he was a bit more subtle than before, but it was essentially the same old trick.

"Mhm." Luan Nian grunted in agreement, then instructed Shang Zhi Tao to bend her knees for a stretch. When her form wasn't correct, he tapped her knee with a small wooden stick: "What are you doing? Focus on your workout!"

If you're going to train, do it properly.

Shang Zhi Tao quickly adjusted her attitude and followed the coach's instructions meticulously. As Luan Nian knelt on one knee, Shang Zhi Tao caught sight of his upper trapezius muscle and felt a sudden itch. Unable to resist, she poked it with her fingertip.

Luan Nian turned around and looked up at her, his gaze deep and intense. After a few seconds, he finally spoke: "Are we training or not?"

"Yes."

Luan Nian was also a bit distracted.

The process of bringing life into the world was joyful, but the downside was the lack of freedom. Luan Nian knew himself well—he was never gentle or restrained in matters of intimacy, so he simply avoided it altogether. Over time, his mind began to wander, swinging daily between "Shang Zhi Tao needs to recover properly" and "just take her now." The former always won out, because he genuinely believed Shang Zhi Tao needed time to heal.

Both of them were a bit half-hearted in their efforts. Eventually, Shang Zhi Tao couldn't hold back any longer and said to him, "Maybe I should just do some time on the elliptical by myself?"

"?"

"I can't focus on my workout with you here."

Shang Zhi Tao hooked her finger around his. The moment felt agonizing, and she hardly dared to breathe. It was as if she had returned to the early days of knowing him, her mind filled with thoughts she couldn't share with anyone else.

"If we do something else, will you be able to focus on your workout?"

"Maybe."

"Dream on."

Luan Nian turned and walked away. He had waited this long—what was a little more time?

By the time Little Nian Tao reached her hundredth day, she had grown into her features. Whenever someone called her name, she would giggle happily, her eyes crinkling into slits. She was a chubby, adorable little girl.

Luan Nian was usually stern, but Little Nian Tao was exceptionally affectionate toward him. Whenever she saw him, she would wave her little hands and laugh heartily. Luan Nian had a cleanliness obsession, and when he first started changing Nian Tao's diapers, he even threw up twice. But over time, he grew accustomed to it.

Still, there was one time when Nian Tao peed on him. He froze for a few seconds, holding her under her armpits without moving. Noticing his odd expression, Shang Zhi Tao asked, "What's wrong?"

"Take Nian Tao first and change her pants."

"Okay." Shang Zhi Tao took Nian Tao and saw that Luan Nian's sweatpants were soaked in a large wet patch. Nian Tao wasn't faring much better. She even began to pout, upset that her father had taken too long to change her pants, and let out a loud, wailing cry.Luan Nian's stomach churned violently. He hurried to the bathroom and vomited.

As he was throwing up, Nian Tao cried, making the scene quite comical. Shang Zhi Tao soothed Nian Tao and went to check on Luan Nian in the bathroom. He was rinsing his mouth, his face slightly flushed.

"Nian Tao won’t think Daddy doesn’t love her just because he has mysophobia. You’re already doing great. It’s just that sometimes we don’t know why we hit that trigger point," Shang Zhi Tao said to him.

Luan Nian flicked her forehead and went to see Nian Tao. He could spend all day with her without ever getting bored. Seeing her father approach, Nian Tao seemed a little embarrassed about having just wet herself. She nibbled on her hand while smiling at Luan Nian. After a moment, she pulled her hand out of her mouth and offered it to him, as if saying, "Daddy, you try it too."

These strange little behaviors of the child fascinated Luan Nian.

He even felt a surge of brilliant creative ideas beginning to form in his mind.

...

But Luan Nian still pressed her hand down and scolded her with a stern face, "Don’t always chew on your hand. It’s a bad habit."

Nian Tao thought Luan Nian’s stern expression was just teasing her, so she giggled a few times, held back her laughter, then giggled again moments later, like a little fool. Luan Nian couldn’t help but smile, gently pinching her cheek. "Are you that happy?"

Little Nian Tao let out an "oh," as if saying, "Happy."

If she had gone back over a decade, Shang Zhi Tao would never have believed Luan Nian could be this kind of father. Back then, she even thought he might never marry or have children in his lifetime.

She sat on the living room sofa, watching Luan Nian hold Nian Tao while doing squats.

Nian Tao loved playing like this with him, her little hands and feet fluttering excitedly. Every time he stood up, she would let out a happy shout, as if saying, "Again!"

Luan Nian never let go of his self-discipline, even when taking care of Little Nian Tao, he would still do a few sets of exercises. Shang Zhi Tao watched him bend his knees and squat, the lines of his hips looking particularly appealing, and suddenly felt a bit parched.

She picked up the cup beside her and gulped down a full glass of water, but it still didn’t quench her thirst. Her gaze drifted to his back, then slowly moved downward, lingering on his hips just as Luan Nian turned around, catching her red-handed.

"What are you looking at?" Luan Nian asked her.

Shang Zhi Tao mimicked his raised eyebrow and pressed a finger to her lips. "Shh." Nian Tao was here, so they had to watch their words—no adult talk allowed.

With one hand holding Nian Tao, Luan Nian pulled out his phone with the other and sent her a message: "Watch your eyes."

"No."

Shang Zhi Tao tossed her phone aside, walked over to him, and took Nian Tao from his arms. The little one was rubbing her eyes, already sleepy. Nian Tao had always been a good sleeper, hardly giving her parents any trouble at bedtime. She fell asleep quickly—after nursing, she turned her head to the side and drifted off. Shang Zhi Tao placed her in the crib, then turned and walked to the bedroom door, standing there quietly watching Luan Nian.

It’s not even dark yet! she told herself, finding a flimsy excuse.

Luan Nian never cared whether it was dark or light.

He walked up to her, pulled her into his arms, and said, "If we don’t do something today, I’ll really seem incompetent."

His kiss came fiercely, his damp lips enveloping her earlobe, his tongue probing inside. Shang Zhi Tao’s legs went weak, and she collapsed into his embrace.

It had been too long, and a hint of timidity emerged instead. She buried her face in the crook of his neck and let out a small, almost helpless sound. "Nian Tao."

"I know."Luan Nian whispered in her ear, "Quietly."

Pushing Shang Zhi Tao into the sofa, he sensed her tension as he leaned over her and stopped to look at her deeply.

He then pecked her lips, one kiss after another, until her nervousness vanished completely. With one more kiss, Shang Zhi Tao wrapped her arms around his neck.

She dared not make a sound, her head sinking into the sofa cushion, her chest rising and falling. Luan Nian’s hand covered it, fuller than before.

"Shang Zhi Tao," he called her name in her ear, "I like it."

He held back, forcing himself to slow down, to be gentler, to make it easier for Shang Zhi Tao. Sensing his kindness, she held him tightly. "Luan Nian, just like before, okay? I can take it."

"Like this?"

Shang Zhi Tao let out a soft moan, her hand covering her lips trembling slightly, her eyes glistening.

She loved it too much.

"One more round?" Luan Nian’s fingertips traced her back. Once the floodgates were open, he wanted to let it all out.

His hand went where it should, and Shang Zhi Tao’s breathing grew ragged. Leaning against the sofa, she met his gaze.

The heat came uncontrollably, longing expressed to the fullest. It felt like a sweaty, beautiful dream.

Little Nian Tao was still asleep as they lay together, chatting softly. Luan Nian asked her, "Have you ever felt unhappy after giving birth?"

"I have," Shang Zhi Tao pointed to her not-yet-fully-recovered stomach. "Seeing this makes me anxious. I feel like I’ve become less attractive. For a while, I couldn’t accept myself."

Luan Nian placed his hand on her belly and gave it a playful squeeze.

"You’ve always liked dazzling things. I thought you wouldn’t be interested in me after childbirth," Shang Zhi Tao voiced her thoughts.

"You’re being ridiculous," Luan Nian bit her shoulder. "You look beautiful now."

"You’re lying! My figure has changed," Shang Zhi Tao said, a little hurt.

Luan Nian lifted his head to glance at her. The angle of her lying on her side was perfect, like a Western oil painting, with a voluptuous beauty.

He didn’t respond to her comment about her figure, only held her tighter against his chest. Where their bodies touched was his answer.

Between husband and wife, many things need not be said too clearly.

Luan Nian’s interest in Shang Zhi Tao remained, and after so long apart, it seemed to have only grown stronger.

They both loved this afternoon.

Shang Zhi Tao no longer had to hide her fears, and Luan Nian no longer had to suppress his desires. Between them, everything was open and honest.

"If anything bothers you, tell me. Don’t overthink things alone. We’ll get through this together. Your physical and mental well-being matter more than anything," Luan Nian said, worried that Shang Zhi Tao might suffer from postpartum depression. Since she gave birth, he had changed, doing his utmost to care for Nian Tao and her, hoping she would feel happy.

"Okay, thank you."

=====

When Nian Tao was seven months old, Shang Zhi Tao handed over her company in Ice City to Sunny. Luan Nian drove, taking Shang Zhi Tao, Little Nian Tao, and Luke to Beijing.

The registration process for her branch office was complete, and she needed to stay in Beijing for a long time to streamline the branch’s operations.

Luke clearly loved the trip, even seeming to know the destination as he sat watching the scenery outside.

Occasionally, he barked happily.

Luan Nian glanced at him in the rearview mirror from time to time, occasionally teasing him, "Silly dog."Little Nian Tao slept soundly in her car seat. If she woke up, she would play by herself, never fussing or crying, making things especially easy.

Shang Zhi Tao kept turning back to look at her. Sensing her mother's gaze, the little one would lift her small face, drooling as she mumbled indistinctly, "Mama."

Whenever this happened, Luan Nian would grumble in dissatisfaction, "From the moment you were born, Daddy took care of you through thick and thin, and in the end, you say 'Mama' first. Are you heartless?"

Nian Tao would just giggle, then go back to chewing on her hand, savoring it with delight.

The three of them and the dog drove all the way to Beijing in one go.

Luan Nian's house had been empty for a long time. Worried they might not settle in comfortably, Dr. Liang took two days off from the lab and hired someone to clean it thoroughly from top to bottom. Before that, upon learning they were returning, she had even prepared a toy room for Little Nian Tao. She also laid out play mats in the living room on the first floor, installed safety gates, and bought a small tent.

When they entered, they found Luan Nian's home had undergone a dramatic transformation. What was once a stark, minimalist space now looked soft and pink. Luan Nian furrowed his brow, consoling himself that it could be considered fresh and clean, forcing himself to accept it.

Seeing Luan Nian's expression, Shang Zhi Tao promptly tattled on him, "Mom, Luan Nian doesn't like it."

"Luan Nian doesn't like it? Well, he can go stay somewhere else!" Luan Mingrui snorted, glancing at the already sleeping Little Nian Tao. "Alright, you all rest up. We'll come back tomorrow."

"You've both worked so hard. Why don't you stay tonight?" Shang Zhi Tao was a bit worried.

"The driver will take us back. It's fine. Enjoy your time as a family of three!" Dr. Liang patted Shang Zhi Tao. "We'll have a meal together tomorrow."

"Thank you, Mom."

After settling Nian Tao in, Luan Nian went out to walk Luke. Back in his old territory, Luke suddenly became quite imposing, as if he had returned to his one- or two-year-old self, strutting and charging around the neighborhood.

He marked his territory, one pee after another. He even barked at Luan Nian, "Don't go home yet! Let's play a little longer!"

Luan Nian was amused by his silly antics and ended up running two laps around the neighborhood with him before heading back.

When he entered the house, beads of sweat still clung to him.

After showering upstairs, he saw Shang Zhi Tao had already finished tidying up and was lounging lazily against the headboard. The thin strap of her nightgown had slipped down, revealing her lovely shoulder. Suddenly, Luan Nian remembered the countless wild nights they had spent in this room. Those moments flooded his mind all at once, finally gathering in a certain part of his body.

Their eyes met, both feeling a bit awkward. So, it wasn't just Luan Nian who remembered.

He knelt on one knee beside the bed, his hand gripping her ankle, his lips pressing against the sole of her foot, then taking her toes into his mouth before slowly moving upward.

To where he wanted to go.

Shang Zhi Tao sank into the pillows, closing her eyes as past and present strangely overlapped.

And she blossomed before him, just as she had before.