Chapter 29: Fraternal Twins Pregnancy Bonus Scene

The autumn sun filtered through the window lattice of the medicine factory, casting mottled light and shadow onto the bamboo trays where herbs were drying. Su Yao was turning the freshly harvested honeysuckle when a wave of dizziness washed over her, and the wooden rake in her hand clattered to the ground.

"Director Su, what's wrong?" Xiao Zhang hurried over from the next room, holding an unsealed medicine bag.

Su Yao steadied herself against the bamboo tray, her fingertips turning pale. "It's nothing, perhaps just the sun."

Despite her words, she had been feeling constantly exhausted lately. Just the other day, while watering the cornfield, she had crouched down and found herself unable to get back up until Er Zhuzi gave her a hand. She didn't sleep well at night and constantly craved sour foods. Widow Li had teased her, asking if she might be expecting.

"Why don't you take a break?" Xiao Zhang picked up the rake. "I can handle the rest."

Su Yao shook her head, but as she bent down, her stomach churned violently. She covered her mouth and rushed toward the latrine, vomiting the moment she reached the door, the sour bile stinging her eyes until they turned red.

"What's going on?" Widow Li happened to pass by with her basket. Seeing the state she was in, one of the eggs in her basket tumbled out. "What did I tell you? You must be expecting!"

Su Yao straightened up, her face still pale. "Aunt Li, don't talk nonsense."

"What nonsense?" Widow Li picked up the egg and wiped it on her apron. "I had the exact same reaction when I was carrying my third girl. Hurry and go to the clinic!"

Urged on by Widow Li, Su Yao began to feel a bit flustered. She instructed Xiao Zhang to keep an eye on the factory and headed toward the commune health clinic. On the way, she bumped into Lu Xingchen returning with his schoolbag, the child clutching a ginkgo leaf in his hand.

"Mom, why are you heading that way?" Lu Xingchen chased after her, his small leather shoes clicking on the gravel road.

"Mom is going to the clinic," Su Yao said, patting his head. "Go home and do your homework first, and tell your brother and sister not to run around."

"Are you not feeling well?" Lu Xingchen looked up, his eyes full of worry. "I'll go with you."

Dr. Wang at the clinic was busy taking someone’s blood pressure. Seeing Su Yao enter, she pushed up her glasses. "What's wrong? Where are you feeling unwell?"

Su Yao described her symptoms, and Dr. Wang smiled. "It's likely good news. Go, take a urine test."

When she returned with the test results, Su Yao’s hands were shaking. Dr. Wang studied them for a long time before suddenly slapping the desk. "Good heavens! And there’s two of them!"

"What?" Su Yao didn't immediately grasp the meaning.

"You're pregnant, with twins!" Dr. Wang pointed to the plus signs on the report. "Looking at these levels, it might even be a boy and a girl!"

Outside the window, the leaves of the phoenix tree rustled in the wind. Su Yao clutched the thin piece of paper as if it were a scorching iron. She remembered the night before Lu Zhanye had left, when he sat on the edge of the heated brick bed carving a wooden gun for the children, promising that once his mission was over, he would apply for a transfer and settle down to protect this home.

"You must be careful now," Dr. Wang wrote on the prescription pad. "The first three months are critical. Don't overexert yourself, and eat well."

Su Yao nodded in acknowledgment. It wasn't until she stepped out of the clinic that she realized the sun was setting. She carefully folded the test report and tucked it into her inner pocket, keeping her hand pressed against it for fear of losing it.

On the way home, she ran into Lu Yuxuan and Lu Shihan playing under the old locust tree at the entrance of the village. Lu Yuxuan had molded a tank out of mud, and Lu Shihan was sticking foxtail grass into it.

"Mom!" Lu Shihan saw her first and ran over, holding up the foxtail grass. "Look, isn't my flower pretty?"

Su Yao crouched down, but just as she was about to speak, Lu Yuxuan pointed at her stomach. "Mom, have you gotten fat?"

Lu Xingchen gave him a nudge. "Don't say such things!"

Su Yao couldn't help but laugh, and she led the three children home. Lu Xingchen kept glancing at her pocket, his small brows furrowed. "Mom, what do you have in your pocket?"

"I'll tell you when we get home," Su Yao said, keeping the suspense.

As they reached the gate, she saw a military-green bicycle parked outside the fence. Su Yao’s heart skipped a beat. She hurried into the yard and saw a man in a military uniform squatting on the ground, fixing a wheel onto Lu Yuxuan's mud tank.

"Dad!" Lu Xingchen shouted first, rushing over to hug the man's neck.

Lu Zhanye turned around; he hadn't shaved his stubble, but his eyes were startlingly bright. He picked up Lu Xingchen and reached out to Su Yao. "I'm back."

Su Yao felt a sudden lump in her throat. Just as she was about to speak, Lu Zhanye noticed her reddened eyes. "What's wrong? Did someone wrong you?"

"No," Su Yao pulled out the test report, her hand still trembling. "See for yourself."

Lu Zhanye took the report, frowned as he stared at it for a long moment, then suddenly looked up, his eyes filled with disbelief. "This... this is..."

"Dr. Wang said it's twins, maybe a boy and a girl," Su Yao said, her voice choking up.

The report in Lu Zhanye's hand fluttered to the ground. He suddenly scooped Su Yao up and spun her around, his military boots thudding against the ground.

"Dad! Be careful!" Lu Xingchen tugged at his coat, frightened. "Don't drop Mom!"

Lu Yuxuan chimed in, "Mom is carrying a little brother!"

Only then did Lu Zhanye realize what he was doing. He set Su Yao down quickly, his hands still shaking as he rubbed them together. "I... I'm just so happy..."

Lu Shihan picked up the report from the ground and held it up. "What is this? Is it edible?"

The laughter in the yard startled the sparrows in the trees, sending them fluttering toward the horizon. Hearing the commotion, Widow Li rushed over. The moment she entered, she shouted, "I told you! It had to be good news!"

Seeing Lu Zhanye, she slapped her thigh. "Oh my! Comrade Lu is back! This is truly a double celebration!"

Lu Zhanye gathered the three children into his arms, kissing each of them on the forehead. Lu Xingchen’s face was flushed, Lu Yuxuan was still thinking about his mud tank, and Lu Shihan was tugging at his military insignia.

"When did you get back?" Su Yao poured a bowl of water for Lu Zhanye, the rim still stained with a bit of cornmeal mush.

"Just arrived at the commune, came straight here to see you all," Lu Zhanye said, taking the bowl and drinking half of it in one go. "The unit approved my transfer. I'll be working at the county’s Armed Forces Department from now on."

"Really?" Su Yao's eyes lit up.

"Really." Lu Zhanye pulled a red cloth bundle from his backpack, opened it to reveal a piece of floral fabric, and said, "I bought this for you to make a new dress."

Lu Shihan leaned in to look, reaching out to touch it. "It's so pretty, like what a bride would wear."

Lu Xingchen suddenly remembered something and tugged at Lu Zhanye's hand. "Dad, did you know? I went to Beijing for a meeting and even gave a speech at the Great Hall of the People!"

"I know," Lu Zhanye smiled and ruffled his hair. "It spread all through the unit; they say I, Lu Zhanye, have raised a little hero."

At dinner, Lu Zhanye took the egg from Su Yao’s bowl and put it in hers, eating a cornmeal bun himself. Su Yao tried to put it back. "You just got back, you should eat more."

"You're carrying two," Lu Zhanye refused to take it. "What did Dr. Wang say? Don't you need to build up your strength?"

"She has everything she needs," Widow Li said, entering with a bowl of pickled vegetables. "Tomorrow I'll slaughter an old hen and make some soup for Su to drink."

Lu Yuxuan raised his chopsticks and shouted, "I want some too!"

"What are you drinking?" Lu Zhanye flicked his nose. "This is to nourish your mother."

Lu Shihan blinked her eyes. "Then I'll sing for Mom, to help the little brother and sister grow fast."

She began to sing that off-key version of "I Am a Little Commune Member," accidentally singing "winter melon" instead of "commune," which made everyone burst into laughter.

At night, the children were fast asleep. Lu Zhanye sat on the edge of the bed, watching Su Yao’s stomach in the moonlight, wanting to touch it but afraid to.

"It's not showing yet," Su Yao smiled and pulled his hand onto her belly. "You can't feel anything."

Lu Zhanye’s hands were rough, calloused from holding a gun, and he pressed them gently against her abdomen as if cradling a rare treasure.

"You've worked so hard," his voice was a bit husky. "I was always away, and you had to carry everything on your own."

Su Yao shook her head. "It wasn't easy for you on the front lines either." She remembered those days spent waiting for letters, going to the brigade office every day, terrified of missing anything.

Lu Zhanye took a small box from his pocket and opened it to reveal a silver ring engraved with a small orchid. "I bought this when I went to the county town. I wasn't sure if you'd like it."

Su Yao slipped it onto her finger; it was a perfect fit. The moonlight shone through the window, and the silver ring glinted faintly.

"I love it," she leaned against Lu Zhanye’s shoulder. "I love it more than anything."

Outside the window, the insects chirped, blending with the children's sleep-talking in a moment of utter warmth. Su Yao remembered when she first met Lu Zhanye—he was just a headstrong youth who had saved her from falling into the river and, blushing, said, "From now on, with me here, no one will dare bully you." Now, he had truly kept his word.

The next morning, Lu Zhanye went to the commune to process his transfer papers. Su Yao had just set breakfast on the table when Er Zhuzi burst in, holding a newspaper. "Director Su! Look! Xingchen is in the newspaper!"

The paper featured a photo of Lu Xingchen speaking at the Great Hall, accompanied by a short article describing him as "a fine example for rural youth." Lu Xingchen leaned in to look, his small face red as an apple. Lu Yuxuan and Lu Shihan scrambled to see as well, wrinkling the paper in the process.

"Look carefully, don't tear it," Su Yao said, carefully smoothing the paper out. "Mom will put it on the wall for you."

Just as they finished posting the paper, Widow Li arrived with a clay pot. Chicken soup was inside, the aroma filling the room.

"Drink it while it's hot," Widow Li set the pot on the table. "I added some goji berries; it's good for your energy and blood."

Su Yao had just served a bowl when Lu Zhanye returned, accompanied by a comrade in a military uniform.

"This is Officer Zhang; he'll be working with me at the Armed Forces Department," Lu Zhanye introduced him. "He specifically wanted to come and see our village's medicine factory."

Officer Zhang shook Su Yao’s hand with a hearty smile. "I've heard of Comrade Su for a long time. You've made this little medicine factory quite a success—it's truly impressive!"

Su Yao felt a bit embarrassed. "It's all thanks to everyone's help."

Before leaving after the tour, Officer Zhang said, "The county Armed Forces Department intends to partner with you. In the future, some of the military's medicinal supplies will be sourced from here."

"Really?" Su Yao’s eyes brightened.

"Would I lie to you?" Lu Zhanye patted her shoulder. "I know my wife's capabilities better than anyone."

After Officer Zhang left, Lu Xingchen hugged Lu Zhanye’s leg. "Dad, will you be able to come home every day now?"

"Yes," Lu Zhanye picked him up. "From now on, Dad will take you to school every day and teach you how to box."

Lu Yuxuan ran over with his corn-shelling machine. "Dad, look at what I made. Can it win an award?"

Lu Zhanye took it and studied it for a long time, then nodded. "That's great! Much better than I was at your age."

Lu Shihan tugged at Su Yao’s sleeve. "Mom, when the little brother and sister are born, can I sing to them?"

Su Yao smiled and patted her head. "Of course, our Shihan sings the best."

At lunch, Lu Zhanye gave Su Yao a chicken leg. "Eat more, and try to make sure the two little ones grow up strong."

"I want to be strong too," Lu Yuxuan said, raising his bun and taking a huge bite.

Looking at the lively scene, Su Yao suddenly felt that all the hardships she had endured were worth it.

In the afternoon, Lu Zhanye took the children to the fields to pick cotton. Su Yao stood in the yard, watching their retreating figures: Lu Zhanye carrying the cotton sack, Lu Xingchen holding Lu Shihan’s hand, and Lu Yuxuan following behind, clutching an unripe cotton boll.

Widow Li walked over, holding a freshly cut diaper. "I made a few for the baby. Use these for now, and I'll make more if needed."

"Aunt, you've gone to so much trouble," Su Yao took the diaper, which was embroidered with a small tiger.

"What trouble?" Widow Li smiled. "I'm just happy to see your life going well. Unlike some people..." She didn't finish, but Su Yao knew she meant Su Wan. A while ago, the prison had called to say Su Wan was still the same, muttering "It's all mine" all day long and sometimes talking to the walls. Su Yao had asked the prison staff to keep an eye on her, but there was little else she could do.

"By the way, Professor Zhang sent word that the penicillin production line has been approved," Su Yao remembered the letter she received that morning. "They'll send someone to provide guidance next month."

"That's wonderful!" Widow Li clapped her hands. "In the future, our village will be able to produce penicillin, and it will be much easier for the villagers to get medical care."

As the sun set, Lu Zhanye returned with the children. Lu Xingchen’s pockets were full of wild hawthorn, Lu Yuxuan’s face was covered in mud, and Lu Shihan had a wild chrysanthemum tucked into her braid.

"Mom, look at the hawthorn we picked!" Lu Xingchen dumped them on the table—a sea of bright red.

Lu Zhanye set the cotton sack in the corner, his forehead covered in sweat. "The harvest is good this year; enough to make a few new cotton quilts."

Su Yao poured them water. Watching Lu Zhanye drink, she remembered when she first arrived in the village and didn't even know how to pick cotton; it was Lu Zhanye who had taught her step by step.

That night, Lu Zhanye sat under the lamp carving wooden toys for the children. Lu Xingchen wanted a rifle, Lu Yuxuan wanted a tank, and Lu Shihan wanted a small flower basket. Su Yao sat beside him sewing shoe soles, and the two little ones in her belly occasionally moved, as if greeting them.

"Who do you think the two children will look like?" Su Yao asked, rubbing her stomach.

"Like you, definitely beautiful," Lu Zhanye said without looking up. "And hopefully as capable as you, too."

Su Yao laughed. "Better like you, with good health and no sickness."

Lu Xingchen leaned in. "Dad, can you make a wooden gun for the little brother too?"

"Make a cloth doll for the little sister," Lu Shihan chimed in.

Lu Yuxuan mumbled from the side, "Make me a bigger tank."

The laughter in the room drifted out, startling the owl on the courtyard wall into a "meow." Su Yao looked at everything before her, her heart feeling as warm as if she were carrying a small stove.

Early the next morning, Su Yao went to the factory to arrange production, while Lu Zhanye stayed home to tidy up the yard. He re-tied the fence and planted a few loofah vines in the corner, saying they would provide shade once they grew.

When Su Yao returned at noon, she saw Lu Zhanye telling stories to the children. The three sat huddled around him, listening with rapt attention. He was telling them about his time on the border, about how once, while lying in ambush in the grass, he had seen a little fox that followed them the whole way.

"What happened to the little fox?" Lu Shihan asked with wide eyes.

"After that," Lu Zhanye patted her head, "it went home by itself. Just like Dad—no matter how far I go, I will always come home."

Su Yao stood at the door, her nose suddenly sour. This man was a fearless warrior on the battlefield, but at home, he was a gentle husband and father.

At dinner, Lu Zhanye said, "I'm going to the county town this afternoon to buy some lumber to build a new bed for the children, so the two little ones will have a place to sleep."

"No need to be in such a rush," Su Yao said. "There are still several months to go."

"Better early than late," Lu Zhanye said, placing a piece of tofu in her bowl. "By the way, Professor Zhang said he's coming next month, so we need to clear out a room."

"Yes, I was thinking of clearing out the west wing, it's quiet over there," Su Yao nodded.

In the afternoon, Lu Zhanye left for the county town. Su Yao sat in the yard basking in the sun; Lu Xingchen was doing his homework nearby, Lu Yuxuan was tinkering with his corn-shelling machine, and Lu Shihan was watering the flowers.

"Mom, when will the little brother and sister come out?" Lu Shihan suddenly asked.

"Not until next spring," Su Yao said with a smile. "By then, the willow trees will be budding and the peach blossoms will be in bloom."

"Then I'll let them play with my tank," Lu Yuxuan said generously.

"I'll show them my award certificates," Lu Xingchen added.

Su Yao looked at the three children, feeling warm inside. She remembered Dr. Wang’s words about needing to be careful with twins, but she wasn't afraid at all, because she knew that no matter what happened, she had this home to back her up.

By dusk, Lu Zhanye returned with several pieces of lumber tied to his bicycle. Er Zhuzi came along to help, and the two unloaded the wood in the yard, planning to start work the next day.

"I bought some brown sugar," Lu Zhanye took a paper packet from his bag. "Dr. Wang said you need to drink more brown sugar water."

Widow Li also came over with a bowl of red dates. "I asked someone to buy these from the county town; they're very nourishing."

Su Yao looked at the people filling her yard and suddenly realized this was happiness. It wasn't about the size of the house or how much money she had; it was about having people who cared about you and people you wanted to protect.

At night, Lu Zhanye massaged Su Yao’s legs, saying pregnant women were prone to swelling. His hands were rough, but his touch was just right, and Su Yao felt so comfortable she was nearly falling asleep.

"Once the children are born, it'll be even livelier," Lu Zhanye said in a low voice, as if afraid of waking the babies in her stomach.

"Yes," Su Yao nodded. "When the time comes, you teach them to box, and I'll teach them to read."

"And teach them to farm," Lu Zhanye added, "so they know that food doesn't come easily."

The moonlight outside the window spilled across the yard, coating everything in a silvery glow. Su Yao leaned into Lu Zhanye’s embrace, listening to his steady heartbeat, and suddenly felt that the days ahead would be just like this moonlight—bright and warm.