A Couple's Rebirth to 1977 Before Marriage

Lying on the bed, Zhou Lian silently cursed him in her head. ’Seriously? It was just one excited hug! Does this man have to act like a wolf who hasn’t eaten meat in years? It’s not like I’ve been starving him!’

As if he had heard her complaints, the man, who had gone out to get some water, walked back in looking refreshed and energetic. He looked at her with deep affection and said gently, "Bao’er, your performance today was excellent. I’m very pleased!"

Looking into his eyes, Zhou Lian felt as if they held only her. His lingering, tender gaze made her sink into them, unable to pull away. The man’s clear laughter snapped her out of her daze, and she couldn’t help but feel inwardly annoyed. ’This man is a menace.’

The man gently kissed her lightly furrowed brow. Bewitched by his lingering tenderness, Zhou Lian couldn’t help but sit up and lean into his embrace. She rested in his arms and said with playful possessiveness, "Mine. It’s all mine. You are all mine!"

"Alright, it’s all yours. I’m all yours. Your man is all yours." It was rare for his wife to be so proactive with her affections. Li Xiu hugged her tightly and answered gently, restraining himself from any further action. He had to accompany his wife on an outing tomorrow, after all!

For a moment, neither of them spoke, quietly basking in the rare atmosphere.

"Li Xiu, why are you so good to me? And don’t just say it’s because you like me. This goes beyond just ’liking.’" Zhou Lian couldn’t stop herself from asking the question that had always puzzled her. She knew Li Xiu liked her, loved her even; she could see that clearly. But where did this feeling, one that seemed even deeper than love, come from? All told, they had only known each other for two years in this lifetime. Could such a deep bond form in such a short time?

"Bao’er, I liked you the moment we met. I liked you a lot. Later, when I went to see you in secret, I liked you more and more. Falling in love with you is the most joyous thing that’s ever happened to me in this life. I’ve told you before: parents, siblings, even our own children—they will all have their own lives. But you and I, we’re the ones who will be together for a lifetime. We’re the ones who will grow old together. You are more important than anyone else. You’re so smart, you must have noticed the flaws in my personality."

Seeing how intently Zhou Lian was listening, Li Xiu said gently, "Bao’er, I know my personality isn’t something that can be changed. But you are mine, and mine alone. Not even our children can change that. Isn’t it only right that I treat you well? Why should you find it strange, Bao’er? You need to understand—you are my very life. I live for you. Everything I do is for you. Bao’er, don’t feel pressured. I don’t need you to do anything. Just stay by my side. Don’t leave me. That is my bottom line."

"Don’t you think it’s unhealthy to pin all your hopes and emotions on someone else? You have your own life too!" Zhou Lian couldn’t quite understand Li Xiu’s behavior. In her past life, she had heard of many such cases. Love was wonderful, but a person couldn’t live for love alone, could they?

"Bao’er, it’s not ’someone else.’ It’s only you. I don’t have many ambitions or other concerns. All I know is that I only have you. As long as you’re here, I’m fine. Everything is fine. Bao’er, don’t feel any pressure. Just keep living happily like you are now. I understand you as well as I understand myself. Don’t change. Just follow your heart. I will always be by your side, protecting you. That is the greatest happiness for me!"

Looking at his tender and affectionate expression, she reached out and gently caressed his eyes. "Alright," Zhou Lian said softly. "I won’t leave you. We’ll be together forever, just like this!" The thought of the Li Xiu from her past life made her own resentment vanish. For the sake of the man in this life—the man who had liked her from the moment they met, who doted on her and cherished her to the core—giving him a promise to set his heart at ease was the one thing she could do for him now. She believed the man before her would love and cherish her for a lifetime.

"Bao’er, Bao’er, I will pamper you, cherish you, and protect you for the rest of our lives. I won’t let you suffer the slightest grievance. I love you, Bao’er. Your man loves you very, very much."

Zhou Lian sensed the man’s excitement and was just about to say something when a sound came from their daughter in her little bed.

"Bao’er, aren’t daughters supposed to be their parents’ ’little sweethearts’? I think our daughter is doing this on purpose! Definitely on purpose." Li Xiu, deflated, hugged his wife and refused to let go. They finally get a moment of sweet intimacy, and their daughter wakes up to cause trouble. ’Is this really my own daughter?’

Zhou Lian couldn’t help but laugh at the sulking man. ’He’s a grown man, yet he’s getting petty with his own daughter. This man is really something else.’

Resigned, she got up, picked up her newly awakened daughter from the small bed, and helped her use the toilet. Then she placed her on the big bed to play with her. Nuonuo was now over eight months old, almost nine. She ate well, and the couple took meticulous care of her. Nuonuo could already crawl. The sight of the chubby, fair-skinned baby crawling all over the bed in her little shorts and halter top made Zhou Lian’s motherly love overflow. ’My daughter is just too adorable!’

"Bao’er, we should probably wean Nuonuo. You’re starting school soon, and it will be tiring," Li Xiu said softly to his wife, who was watching their daughter with a smile. He loved his daughter, but his wife was still his top priority.

"No need. Nuonuo only nurses two or three times a day now, it won’t interfere with my studies. Let’s wait until she’s a year old to wean her!" Her daughter was only a few months old; Zhou Lian couldn’t bear to wean her now. In her past life, due to poor nutrition, her milk supply hadn’t been great, and her daughter had suffered for it. Now that their circumstances were better, Zhou Lian couldn’t bear to let her daughter suffer again.

Li Xiu also thought of their past life. Back then, his wife and daughter had suffered a great deal with him. Food and drink were truly scarce, and neither his wife nor his daughter had been well-nourished. He took a quiet breath. In this life, he would never let his wife and child suffer again. He said gently to Zhou Lian, "Alright, we won’t wean her. But you have to eat more, or your milk won’t be nutritious."

Zhou Lian looked up at him, speechless. This man fed her like he was fattening a pig every day, yet he still thought she ate too little. It was a good thing she had a constitution that didn’t gain weight easily. Otherwise, with the way he fed her, he really would turn her into a pig.

"Bao’er, I like you chubby. You’re more comfortable to hug that way!" Li Xiu said with a smile, understanding her silent complaint.

She shot him a fierce glare. This man was truly shameless. "What, you want to hug someone chubby?" she said irritably. "Then you can forget about it in this lifetime. I take after my mom; I don’t get fat no matter how much I eat!"

"Listen to you, Bao’er. The one I want to hug is Bao’er. The one I like best is Bao’er. Chubby would be nice, of course, but right now you have a face like a hibiscus and a waist like a willow. Nothing compares to your allure. My heart is overjoyed!"

Zhou Lian groaned and rubbed her forehead. ’This man is hopeless, flirting with his wife right in front of their daughter. It’s a good thing their daughter is still little. This shameless man has no decency!’

Seeing Zhou Lian’s reaction, Li Xiu felt the urge to tease her more. He leaned close to his wife and whispered lingeringly in her ear, "Lips like cherries, a waist like a willow, brows painted dark, skin like snow-white jade... A single smile from you could topple nations. Bao’er, you’re so beautiful just as you are. So beautiful that I can never control myself. I..."

His unfinished words were cut short by a kick from his daughter. Who could he blame? Li Xiu’s attention was so focused on his wife that he hadn’t noticed his daughter had already crawled right up to them.