To Embrace A Soul

Chapter 18

If Shuxin mentions babies one more time, Xiaotang doesn't know what she might do with herself. And it doesn't help that Kong Xueer and Liu Yuxin are beginning to prepare for their baby's arrival.

Like today, for instance. Yuxin and Xueer begged Xiaotang and Shuxin to come with them to the supermarket to buy baby things. A very pregnant Xueer sat down because of her back pains while Yuxin and Xiaotang did all the buying. Shuxin just found it a good excuse to sit because she's "accompanying Xueer."

Shuxin looked at her best friend. Xueer's pretty far along in her pregnancy and her baby bump is growing. Now seven months pregnant, Xueer was glowing in maternity.

"Shuxin, here!" Xueer grabbed her best friend's hands and put them on her belly. "The baby's kicking!"

Shuxin teared up when she felt the baby's movement.

"Oh my god!" Shuxin gasped.

"I think it's a girl," Xueer giggled. "No, I'm sure it's a girl."

"Aren't you guys going to see if it's a boy or a girl?" Shuxin asked.

"Nope," Xueer shook her head. "Yuxin and I want to be surprised. She's pretty confident it's a boy, though."

Shuxin and Xueer looked at Yuxin and Xiaotang who were picking out baby clothes.

"Look at this, Xiaotang!" Yuxin picked out an Ironman onesie. "My son is going to look so fabulous in this!"

"How are you so sure it's a boy, though?" Xiaotang asked.

"Motherly instincts, Zhao Xiaotang," Yuxin gave her a pointed look. "Try some."

"But I'm scared!" Xiaotang sighed in frustration.

Yuxin turned to her.

"What are you so scared of? Because, I assure you, Zhao Xiaotang. Babies won't eat you alive, if that's what you're worried about."

"It's just... I want to be ready before we have kids, you know," Xiaotang looked at her wife chatting happily with Kong Xueer. "But she really wants kids, and I don't want to disappoint her."

"What makes you think you're not ready for a kid?" Yuxin lifted a brow.

"I... I'm always at work. I don't have time to stay home. And I've always believed that raising a child requires teamwork. The child needs both parents in order to grow well and feel loved. I'm scared that I won't be able to give that kind of a childhood to my child."

Yuxin nodded in understanding.

"But you know, there's never a right time," Yuxin mused. "Everything's just supposed to happen on its own, no matter how well you plan it. Just let it happen and see where to go from there, hmm?"

"I guess so," Xiaotang mumbled.

"If it helps you, her boobs are going to grow real nice and big during pregnancy," Yuxin smirked.

"Wow, Liu Yuxin!" Xiaotang laughed.

Xiaotang watched silently as Yuxin picked out the entire Marvel collection. She then turned to her wife who looked longingly at mothers with kids.

Maybe there really isn't a right time, after all.

~

"What are you doing, baobei?"

Shuxin came back home from an interview to find Xiaotang on the couch, looking through piles of pamphlets. The CEO had her reading glasses on and her MacBook on her lap.

"You're home?" Xiaotang mumbled without even looking up.

"I guess so," Shuxin laughed as she hugged her wife from behind. "What's all of this?"