Wen Manni’s belly still looked flat.

Yet inside, a 6-week-old baby was growing.

How big is a 6-week-old baby?

About the size of a small blueberry.

Its heart, tiny like a sunflower seed kernel, was beating steadily.

The baby’s size wasn’t the focus – what mattered was that Wen Manni was carrying a new life. Professor Wen and his wife were stunned; they thought Wen Manni and Klaus would remain childless forever!

Being childless has its benefits, and parents should respect their children’s choices.

But having a child seemed to create a deeper bond in marriage, making it more stable.

Hu Ying hadn’t expected to see a grandchild in her lifetime. She asked “Is this real?” three times, and after getting confirmation, was overcome with joy. She stood up saying she needed to use the restroom.

Professor Wen tried to maintain composure while mindlessly stabbing his bread with a fork:

“Are you and Klaus planning to keep this baby? I mean, what suddenly made you change your mind…”

Professor Wen was already rambling incoherently.

Xia Xiaolan didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. If they weren’t keeping the baby, Wen Manni and Klaus wouldn’t have announced this good news publicly:

“Connie, congratulations, you’re going to be a mother! And Klaus, you’re going to be a father! This news is the best birthday gift!”

Wen Manni couldn’t help touching her belly.

“Xiaolan, I want to thank you too. Because of you, I went to San Francisco. Seeing Grandmother Yu’s difficult and heartbreaking search for her child deeply moved me and changed my perspective.”

After returning to New York from San Francisco, Wen Manni had an honest conversation with Klaus.

There were too many uncertainties in life. When hardships happen to others, bystanders never feel it as deeply as those directly affected.

Wen Manni couldn’t bear to think how her parents would cope if something happened to her.

What are family members? They’re those who accompany each other through difficulties.

Being childless was Wen Manni and Klaus’s choice. Their careers meant they were both very busy when young. Now their careers were doing well, but wasn’t focusing solely on their comfort a bit selfish?

Not just for her parents, but between spouses too – if something happened to one, how would the other cope?

Wen Manni felt she and Klaus were ready for a child.

Klaus had wanted to suggest it earlier but got used to Wen Manni’s firm stance on remaining childless.

He was overjoyed when Wen Manni changed her mind.

They started trying for a baby after returning to New York. Now at 6 weeks, they had just confirmed the news a few days ago. Wen Manni chose Xia Xiaolan’s birthday party to announce it.

Xia Xiaolan didn’t dare take credit, but Hu Ying had returned from the bathroom:

“Xiaolan’s arrival has changed our family, I’ve wanted to say this for a long time!”

Hu Ying’s eyes were red – she must have been crying in the bathroom.

Her words drew agreement from Daisy and others: “Pregnancy is wonderful news, we should drink to this! The mother-to-be can’t drink, but everyone else should raise their glasses. Xia, thank you – you’ve brought changes not just to the professor’s family, but to Richard, Lyle, and me too!”

With Daisy leading, everyone toasted Xia Xiaolan.

Wen Manni announced the good news but couldn’t drink as the mother-to-be, so everyone toasted Xia Xiaolan instead.

This was the most Xia Xiaolan had drunk since her rebirth.

She ended up completely drunk, with Daisy carrying her back to the apartment.

The phone kept ringing, but Daisy, half-asleep and annoyed by the noise, unplugged it.

When Xia Xiaolan woke the next morning, her hangover was terrible. She wanted to take another day off, but couldn’t get through on the phone until she discovered it was unplugged.

“Xia, what are you doing?”

“Calling in sick – my head hurts, don’t want to work!”

“You drank a lot, but it’s Saturday! No work! To hell with the capitalists!”

So it was Saturday!

Xia Xiaolan laughed at how drunk she’d been.

After plugging the phone back in, she listened to the messages one by one.

One was from Zhou Cheng, wishing her happy birthday and asking if she enjoyed the party.

Two were from Du Zhaohui.

One angrily demanded why she wasn’t answering.

Another wished her happy birthday in a silly voice.

Three were from Zhou Yi.

First: “Xiaolan, I heard it’s your birthday today. Happy birthday.”

Second: “Have you been busy with work? You haven’t come to language school lately.”

Third: “…Xiaolan, could you lend me some money?”

Zhou Yi finally asked to borrow money!

Xia Xiaolan swore she wasn’t being perverse, but Zhou Yi’s situation had been hanging over her head like a sword waiting to fall.

She wanted to scold Zhou Yi for deserving this.

Yet she couldn’t help feeling excited.

Had the big fool finally run out of food?

…

Zhou Yi had been without food for two days.

It had been exactly 12 days since her money was stolen.

Ye Xiaoqiong had lent her 100 dollars. Zhou Yi used it very frugally, but New York was too expensive, and some expenses were unavoidable for women each month. Making 100 dollars last 10 days wasn’t extravagant.

Thinking about how she spent over 30 dollars on one meal treating Ye Xiaoqiong, Zhou Yi regretted it too late.

But that meal was for Ye Xiaoqiong, who had saved her and lent her money – she’d been very kind.

Ye Xiaoqiong had asked if 100 dollars was enough, but how could Zhou Yi borrow more? She kept insisting it was enough.

But 100 dollars, no matter how carefully spent, was gone.

With her last 5 dollars, Zhou Yi called home, hesitantly asking Jiang Hong when they’d send her living expenses. Only Zhou Wengang knew about the robbery, not Jiang Hong.

So Jiang Hong righteously questioned back:

“Don’t tell me you’ve spent all 1,000 dollars already? Zhou Yi, you’re over 20 now, can’t you let your father and me worry less? We’re still raising your child back home.”

Those words made Zhou Yi hang her head.

Jiang Hong softened her tone, “We’ve already sent the exchanged dollars for your language school tuition and accommodation. You better spend that 1,000 carefully. Your father says it’ll be at least two months before we can send more money.”

Two months!

It was like a bolt from the blue!

She’d starve in two days.

With hope from home shattered, Zhou Yi had already gone hungry for two days before gathering the courage to swallow her pride and call Xia Xiaolan.

These two days, she truly had no money.

When hungry, she’d turn on the tap and fill her stomach with water to fool it. How could Zhou Yi have imagined this happening to her?