Tian Sangsang struggled to get up, and Zhao Chun supported her, gently adjusting the pillow for her and then tucking in the quilt around her. She was deeply worried that Ye Binyi might take the baby away. This was the baby she had just given birth to—she only wanted to raise the child herself.
Zhao Chun noticed her concern and said softly, "You should eat sothing first. I’ll go check."
Tian Sangsang was indeed hungry and accepted the steaming bowl of red sugar eggs from his hands. She then glanced at her slightly haggard son. "Yanyan, have you eaten?"
ng Shuyan replied softly, "I’ve already eaten, Mom. You should eat quickly so you won’t feel hungry anymore."
Tian Sangsang smiled and looked at his face, which was tear-streaked like a little crying kitten, his hair ssy—clearly shaken by what had just happened. "What did you all eat?"
"Noodles," ng Shuyan said, gesturing with his hands. "A lot of noodles, this much. Grandma bought them. We ate together." He watched his mom eat and began to tear up again, "Mom, does it still hurt?"
"It doesn’t hurt anymore." After finishing her food, Tian Sangsang leaned down with so effort and kissed his cheek.
The nurse walked in, holding the baby, with Zhao Chun accompanying her.
Tian Sangsang asked, "Is it a boy or a girl?"
The nurse brought the baby closer to her. "It’s a boy. Your baby is so beautiful—I rarely see babies this adorable."
Tian Sangsang took the child from her arms.
Zhao Chun eagerly asked, "What’s his na?"
"Jiang Huan," she said, gazing at the baby in her arms, her eyes brimming with affection.
So tiny, wrinkled all over, his little eyes not fully open yet, wrapped in a soft cloth. His palm-sized face, small and delicate features—all so small, so very small. He had pitch-black, thick newborn hair, and his lashes resembled tiny fans. Her heart lted completely. The more she looked at him, the cuter, the more handso he seed. This was her very flesh and blood.
"Yanyan, look, your brother here looks just like you," Tian Sangsang said to ng Shuyan.
ng Shuyan cautiously leaned in out of curiosity, studying this little culprit of a younger brother.
After one look, he pouted, "He’s so ugly. Like a little monkey."
"I thought you said it was going to be a sister? Why isn’t it a sister?"
That question stumped Tian Sangsang. She gently explained, "He has a little handle, just like you. That’s why he’s a boy, a younger brother."
"But I don’t want one with a handle." The sa-gender repulsion hit ng Shuyan; rembering the tender gaze his mom gave his brother earlier and recalling his mother’s pain during childbirth, a sour and forlorn feeling welled up in him.
"Can’t you turn him into a sister, get rid of the handle?"
Tian Sangsang was at a loss, unsure how to respond.
She looked at Zhao Chun, throwing the question his way.
ng Shuyan followed her gaze, his inquisitive eyes turning to Zhao Chun.
"Ah, this..." Zhao Chun chuckled awkwardly, scratching his head. "You can’t change soone’s gender, Yanyan. Think about it—could you beco a little girl? If you really want a sister, maybe your mom can give you another sibling next ti."
Tian Sangsang felt like rolling her eyes. Next ti, another one again? What, was she supposed to have babies with the air?
Having a baby was like slaughtering a pig—never again did she want to experience that.
Zhao Chun quickly shifted gears to distract her, "How about we give him a nickna, Sangsang? Or just call him Huanhuan directly?"
Tian Sangsang thought of the nicknas kids used in later years—always sothing like "Little Sothing" or English nas.
A faint smile erged on her lips as she suggested, "What about calling him Little Handso Pot? What do you all think?"
"Little—Handso—Pot?" Zhao Chun scratched his head, puzzled. "What does that even an?"
ng Shuyan also looked bewildered. "What’s a Handso Pot?"
"Little Handso Pot just ans Little Handso Guy. Now do you get it?" Tian Sangsang explained. "Nicknas are usually objects, like Little Ball, Sweetheart, Little Cotton Jacket, Little Sticky Rice, or Little Cheese. They’re all adorable, right? So we’ll call him Little Handso Pot—it’s cute too."
Handso Pot, Handso Guy. Ha-ha, her son would thank her one day.
"Might as well call him Little Rice Crust instead—it sounds better. Yours is so on the nose." Zhao Chun narrowed his eyes and looked at her slyly, "Don’t think I don’t know your little plan. You’re hoping that if his nickna is Little Handso Pot, people will start calling you Handso Pot Mom, aren’t you?"
"Well, isn’t my son a Handso Pot? Am I not Handso Pot Mom?"
Tian Sangsang’s face turned red, and she coughed awkwardly. "Zhao Chun, that’s not fair. How will I ever be friends with you again if you call out like this? You’re too sharp! I’ve already thought it through: boys will be called Little Handso Pot, and girls will be called Little Chili. What, should we call him Little Chili instead? That’s a girl’s nickna, isn’t it?"
Zhao Chun gave her a gaze brimming with depth, raising his brows, "And then people would call you Chili Mom or Little Chili Mom. Is that it?"
"Alright, alright." Tian Sangsang’s face turned even redder as she waved her hand dismissively. "We were worried he’d be really dark at first. But as it turns out, drinking milk wasn’t for nothing—he’s fair and rosy now. How about calling him Little Tangyuan?"
This ti, Zhao Chun had no objections and nodded in agreent. "Little Tangyuan."
ng Shuyan watched them chit-chat on the side, sulking as he pouted. "Mom, Chun Zisu. Why does my little brother get a nickna, but I don’t?"
Zhao Chun imdiately replied, "Sure you do. Yours is Little Yan, Yanyan."
ng Shuyan shook his head. "Sothing like my brother’s nickna, sothing about food."
"Don’t you have one? You used to be called Little Bun." Tian Sangsang laughed and asked, "Doesn’t that count as food?"
ng Shuyan lit up, happily emphasizing, "Then you all have to call by my nickna from now on—Little Bun."
"Alright, Little Bun!" Zhao Chun said.
"Can I hold him?" Zhao Chun couldn’t resist, staring at the bundled-up baby in Tian Sangsang’s arms. This was the child he had seen born and had helped deliver—the emotions were indescribably overwhelming.
Tian Sangsang handed the baby to him.
Zhao Chun extended his arms, handling the task quite adeptly—holding a baby wasn’t that hard. But as soon as the baby landed in his arms, he burst into loud cries.
"What’s wrong? What’s happening?" Zhao Chun panicked, completely at a loss, looking more alard than the baby, as though he had a ticking ti bomb in his arms.
"He’s probably hungry." The mont the baby cried, Tian Sangsang’s heart ached. She took him back and instinctively began unbuttoning her blouse to nurse.
Zhao Chun had been watching attentively but suddenly realized what she was about to do. He quickly turned his back, his face flushing bright red. She was about to breastfeed.
The newborn Little Tangyuan was ravenously hungry, sniffing out the milk scent and latching on eagerly. He sucked with so much force that very little milk ca out. Tian Sangsang watched, her heart growing anxious along with him. She suddenly thought of the breast pump she had stored away.
But before she could make any moves, she paused, feeling a wet sensation and a slight discomfort—though far more tolerable than the pain of childbirth.
The milk began to flow.
The little one nestled in her arms continued feeding, slowing down his pace after a few gulps, his deanor growing lazier.
ng Shuyan stood nearby, watching the scene, feeling a bitterness in his heart. This tiny rascal, sneaky and round like a little troublemaker, didn’t seem like his brother at all.
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