novelraw Chapter 292
Chapter 292
Chapter 292: Playing It Up
With a pregnant wife at home, Xia Li had no intention of going out and about.
He wished he could stay by Lucia’s side every day, watching her belly grow bigger day by day, and his heart felt more and more at ease.
The procedures for the pet hospital were already underway. Xia Li was only responsible for the final decisions regarding the decoration and procurement, while the communication and errands were all handled by Qin Chuan.
Apart from Qin Chuan, there was also Wuqi, the stray cat who had been the ‘director’ of the pet hospital for several years.
Wuqi was experienced. With him around, he and Qin Chuan, one using his brain and the other his strength, could achieve twice the result with half the effort.
Recently, this man and cat duo were also troubled by Xia Li’s strange behavior.
Such a big matter, Xia Li simply said he wouldn’t care about it anymore.
Even if he wanted to be a hands-off boss in the future, he shouldn’t be hands-off before it even started!
This guy was truly devoted to his good brother. In an ordinary family, even blood brothers wouldn’t hand over their business like this. However, when Wuqi and Qin Chuan heard that Dragon Sister was pregnant, they suddenly understood.
Both of their jaws dropped.
How could it be so sudden!
No wonder Xia Li was sticking to Lucia like glue all day long, and no matter what methods they used, they couldn’t get him out the door.
So he was going to be a father.
Wuqi and Qin Chuan were very worried. They couldn’t imagine what would happen if Dragon Sister gave birth in the hospital, and the baby was born with a tail and dragon horns.
Wouldn’t it be trending on social media the next day?
Saint Yivni explained this to them for a long time.
She said that there was no magic on Earth. As long as Lucia gave birth in human form, the baby would be born as a human, without a tail or horns.
As transmigrators who had experienced the side effects of zero magic on Earth, Wuqi and Qin Chuan found this easy to understand.
◈◈◈
A few days later.
Unable to contain his excitement any longer, Xia Li took Lucia to his parents’ house for dinner.
Since Lucia hadn’t gotten her ID card yet and couldn’t get a prenatal checkup, he couldn’t tell his parents about the pregnancy, but he couldn’t help but want to share the good news.
Therefore, Xia Li was absent-minded all day at his parents’ house, holding back a bellyful of words he wanted to say.
Fang Xia saw her son’s demeanor and knew he had something to say.
“Mom, let’s have dumplings tonight,”
Xia Li made a cup of black tea for Lucia and quietly went over to Fang Xia to say.
Fang Xia glanced at him and happened to see him take a jewelry box out of his pocket.
Xia Li turned sideways and silently showed the jewelry box to Fang Xia.
Then Fang Xia remembered.
This boy had told her a few days ago that he wanted to propose.
So it was this!
It was normal for young people to be romantic.
Fang Xia strongly supported her son.
She gave Xia Li an OK gesture.
Xia Li’s tall figure blocked Lucia’s view. Lucia held the steaming cup of black tea and curiously leaned her head over.
Fang Xia’s acting skills instantly soared, and she said with a cheerful smile.
“Then we’ll have dumplings tonight. What kind of filling does Little Lu like? Auntie will go buy it for you.”
“I can eat any kind of filling!” Lucia replied.
“Mom, Little Lu isn’t picky. Just make whatever you think is delicious,” Xia Li said.
“Okay, okay,” Fang Xia nodded kindly.
“I’m going downstairs to buy some meat and vegetables. You two sit here for a while.”
With that, Fang Xia took her shopping basket and went out.
Today was her son’s proposal, such a big event. Old Xia was still at work, so she had to call him to come home early.
“Auntie, I’ll go with you!”
As soon as Lucia heard that they were going to buy groceries, her inner little chef awakened.
She put on her slippers and was about to leave when Xia Li grabbed her.
“Where are you going? You’re not allowed to go. Stay home with me.”
“But…”
“If you leave, I’ll be home alone, and I’m scared,” Xia Li said without changing his expression.
Hearing this, Lucia sat back on the sofa.
Since the scaredy-cat Xia Li was afraid to be home alone, she had to stay with him…
“It’s okay, you two have fun, I’ll be back soon.”
Seeing the young couple’s affection for each other, Fang Xia, as an elder, couldn’t help but smile.
After the door closed, Xia Li held Lucia’s small hand and sat obediently.
Lucia watched TV for a while, then looked back at him.
Ever since Xia Li found out she was pregnant, he hadn’t touched her.
He didn’t even kiss her anymore, and even when he held her hand, he would wash his hands before touching her. He was also extremely protective.
Actually, Lucia was also a little lonely because she hadn’t been intimate with Xia Li for a long time.
Shifting her bottom, Lucia stood up and sat on Xia Li’s lap.
Xia Li was afraid of disturbing the dragon egg in her belly, so even the way he held Lucia was cautious.
“The baby said it wants Daddy to hug it!” Lucia leaned into his arms and acted coquettishly.
“I’m hugging you, I’m hugging you.” Xia Li was a little nervous.
“The baby said it wants Daddy to kiss it too!”
“Kiss, kiss, kiss, MUAMUAMUA.”
Xia Li moved his lips to kiss the delicate dragon.
Lucia arched her back in his arms, pressing her belly against him.
“Kiss the baby!” she said.
Xia Li was quite nervous. He leaned his head over and puckered his lips, kissing the dragon belly through a layer of fabric.
“Click, click.”
Just as the two were being lovey-dovey, the fingerprint lock opened.
Fang Xia, carrying a basket of vegetables, came home to see the young couple kissing on the sofa.
Playing it up.
She couldn’t help but smile, pretending not to see as she carried the vegetables into the kitchen.
At this time, Lucia’s face was flushed red.
“Xia Li, why are you holding me like this…”
She spoke in the direction of the kitchen.
Xia Li: “???”
It was clearly you, the dragon, who climbed up here.
The evil dragon was playing the victim.
After piling up a bunch of snacks in front of Lucia, Xia Li got up to help Fang Xia chop the filling.
Southerners rarely made dumplings at home. If they wanted to eat dumplings, they usually went to a dumpling restaurant to buy frozen dumplings to cook themselves, or they bought dumpling wrappers from the market and wrapped whatever they wanted inside.
This kind of project, from flour to making wrappers and chopping filling, was a big deal in the South, and not many families were willing to do it.
Xia Li had often eaten dumplings made by Fang Xia since he was a child, and later he also developed some skills in making them.
He was responsible for chopping the meat filling, while Fang Xia kneaded the dough.
“Where’s Old Xia?”
Xia Li glanced at the dragon watching TV in the living room and whispered to his mother.
“He’s on his way.”
“Oh…”
Xia Li nodded and took out a delicate jewelry box from his pocket, then took out the diamond ring inside.
The ring was very small, obviously tailored to Lucia’s finger size, but the dazzling diamond on it was not small, estimated to be several carats.
“Let’s put this in a dumpling later,” Xia Li said.
Fang Xia’s eyes lit up, somewhat surprised.
“Really?”
“Of course it’s real. We’ll hide the ring inside and make a mark, then put it in Lucia’s bowl…”
“I mean, is the ring real?” Fang Xia asked in surprise.
“It’s real,” Xia Li paused and said, “Mom, I’ll buy you one later.”
“Get out of here.”
Fang Xia smiled and sprinkled some flour from her hand onto Xia Li’s face.
She wasn’t really thinking about that, she was just happy for her son.
By the time Xia Li finished mixing the filling, Fang Xia’s dumpling wrappers were also ready.
Lucia couldn’t sit still any longer and came over to see how things were going.
Xia Li hid the marked dumpling inside and turned to ask the inspecting evil dragon.
“How many are you going to eat?”
“…”
Lucia hesitated for a moment, not daring to answer the number.
It was her first time eating homemade dumplings, and she didn’t know how many normal people ate.
“How many can I eat…” Lucia asked back.
“Northerners usually eat twenty, Southerners seven or eight… You’re a special case, a combination of North and South, so eat thirty,” Xia Li said without thinking.
“What seven or eight or thirty? Eat until you’re full!”
Fang Xia, holding a slotted spoon, waved it: “Little Lu, we’ll cook a hundred dumplings. A hundred is an auspicious number. You can eat as many as you want.”
“Okay…”
Lucia smiled shyly.
A hundred dumplings.
Should she eat it before dinner or after dinner?
In the evening.
Old Xia came home with his briefcase.
As soon as he entered the house, he smelled the steaming dumplings.
Muttering ‘why are we having dumplings in this hot weather’, he went to the kitchen.
“What’s the plan?”
Xia Yuanjun had been ordered to come home early today.
Hearing that his son was going to propose, he had been restless all afternoon, thinking about it all the time.
After coming home, he found that the house was unusually lively. The dumplings, which they were too lazy to make even once a year, were being made in this hot weather.
“What plan?”
Fang Xia rolled her eyes at him, looking very annoyed.
“Get a bowl.”
“Oh…”
Old Xia, who had been scolded by Fang Xia, didn’t say much and obediently brought a stainless steel bowl to hold the dumplings.
People in Sichuan usually dipped their dumplings in chili oil. This time, Fang Xia made several different dipping sauces, including sesame oil, vinegar, soy sauce, and other flavors, to ensure that Lucia’s taste buds were satisfied.
Old Xia carried the big bowl of dumplings out, and Fang Xia and Xia Li secretly worked in the kitchen.
◈◈◈
In order to surprise Lucia, they filled four bowls with dumplings, and one of the bowls contained the engagement ring Xia Li had carefully prepared.
They also blanched some vegetables and served them on the table, along with the dipping sauces. This meal was perfect.
“Little Lu, dinner’s ready!”
Lucia was standing bored in front of Old Xia’s fish tank, watching the goldfish. When she heard the words “dinner’s ready,” her ears perked up.
“Coming, Auntie!”
Not being enthusiastic about eating, there’s something wrong with this dragon.
After waiting for more than two hours, dinner was finally ready.
Lucia rushed to the dining table and looked at the huge bowl in front of her, lowering her head shyly.
The portion in this bowl alone was equal to the sum of Uncle, Auntie, and Xia Li’s portions.
“Don’t be shy, eat.”
Fang Xia smiled and placed three small saucers in front of Lucia, each with a different dipping sauce.
After saying that, she thought of something and added.
“Eat slowly. Chew your dumplings carefully and don’t swallow them whole.”
“Mm-hmm, okay, Auntie.”
“Stuff yourself,” Xia Li said with a mischievous grin.
“What do you mean ‘stuff yourself’? Speak properly,”
Fang Xia tapped Xia Li’s forehead with her chopsticks.
Xia Li didn’t say anything, and the mother and son exchanged a look.
The operation was ready.
The flowers were ready, behind the chair.
When Lucia ate the ring, Xia Li would propose immediately.
A man only kneels to heaven, earth, and his parents in his life, but there is one more time.
That is to kneel on one knee and make a lifelong vow to the woman he loves.
Xia Li’s throat was dry with nervousness, and his hand holding the chopsticks was sweaty.
“Is it too hot? Should we turn the air conditioner down a couple of degrees?”
Xia Yuanjun, who only knew half of the situation, saw the sweat on Xia Li’s face and felt a little hot himself.
“No need, Dad,” Xia Li replied calmly.
Your daughter-in-law is pregnant, she can’t be in too cold of an environment.
“Less talking, you eat too, have some dumpling soup, it helps with digestion.”
Fang Xia was afraid that the unreliable Old Xia would spill the beans, so she quickly filled a bowl of soup for him and shut him up.
Old Xia drank his soup and stopped talking.
“Would you like another… bowl?”
While the three of them were talking, the bowl in front of Lucia, who was sitting next to Xia Li, was already empty.
Xia Li came back to his senses and saw the empty porcelain bowl. He was about to fill it with more dumplings for her.
Halfway through his sentence, Xia Li froze.
Wait.
Where was his five-carat diamond ring?!
He was looking forward to Lucia’s reaction after biting into the diamond ring.
But how was the ring gone?!
Xia Li’s eyes widened, and his mouth opened slightly.
Did… did she swallow it??!!
“Okay, ten more.”
Lucia said shyly.
“Auntie Fang will suspect something if I eat too much,” she added in a low voice, turning her head.
At this moment, Xia Li was in no mood to care about such things.
He filled Lucia’s bowl again and winked at Fang Xia.
Fang Xia naturally noticed Lucia’s empty bowl and was also curious why she hadn’t found the ring.
That’s not right, she personally put the ring inside. All one hundred dumplings in the pot were cooked, and when they were served, she specifically put the marked dumpling in Lucia’s bowl.
The four continued to eat their dumplings.
Seeing that all the bowls were empty, leaving only the dumplings in the stainless steel pot in the middle, Fang Xia couldn’t sit still any longer.
“What are you looking for?”
Xia Yuanjun saw his wife standing up and rummaging through the bowl with a ladle, feeling curious.
Fang Xia ignored him and refilled his bowl.
“I can’t eat anymore…”
Xia Yuanjun said, frowning.
Fang Xia didn’t say anything and turned to go to the kitchen.
“I’ll go see if there are any left in the pot.”
Mother and son were both preoccupied.
It couldn’t be, could it be that the dumpling broke during cooking, so the ring fell out?
Xia Li placed all his hopes on his mother. After his mother went to the kitchen to check the pot and came out with a worried look, Xia Li was completely flustered.
This was bad.
She really swallowed it.
Such a big ring, she couldn’t have not felt it in her mouth!
Xia Li felt a mix of emotions.
He regretted proposing in this way.
But his brain, which lacked romantic genes, could only come up with this kind of proposal.
Would they have to go to the hospital now…
Xia Li ate a few bites and stopped, going to the sofa to get his phone and search on Baidu with a bitter face.
No matter how strong a dragon’s stomach was, it couldn’t digest a diamond ring. It could only be directly excreted when she went to the toilet… But Xia Li was very worried that the ring was too hard and would hurt Lucia’s stomach.
Inducing vomiting would be too harmful to the mother.
Ahhh…
Xia Li rubbed his hair in distress.
“What’s wrong?”
Lucia finally finished eating and came to sit beside him, wiping her mouth.
Xia Li looked at Lucia apologetically, but didn’t know how to start.
“What are you worried about?”
“I’m fine…”
The two looked at each other. Fang Xia was washing dishes with Old Xia in the kitchen, and they could vaguely hear the old couple talking about finding something.
“Why are you unhappy?”
Lucia reached out and pinched Xia Li’s face.
Xia Li sighed.
“Kiss me.”
Lucia puckered her lips, seeming to want to cheer Xia Li up this way.
Xia Li glanced at the kitchen, making sure no one was looking their way before he leaned down and kissed the dragon’s lips.
“Hmm?”
“Hmm??”
As soon as he kissed her, Xia Li felt his lips touch a hard, ring-shaped object.
Opening his eyes, he actually saw…
Lucia was holding the platinum diamond ring in her mouth!
The ring still had the aroma of fresh meat dumplings, and its surface was wet and warm. She must have been holding it in her mouth for a long time.
“You, you, you…”
Xia Li was speechless.
He had been feeling guilty for so long, almost starting to repent.
But this dragon had already eaten the ring and was holding it in her mouth?!
“Heehee~”
Lucia smiled smugly.
“Remember to close the door next time you discuss things, otherwise, my keen hearing will pick it all up~” she said with a grin.
“You, you…” Xia Li was still speechless.
This dragon was too bad!
It was supposed to be him giving Lucia a surprise, but it seemed like he was the one who got surprised in the end.
Xia Li didn’t know whether to laugh or cry for a moment, his cheeks flushed.
Then he remembered the bouquet of flowers in the dining room and was about to turn around to get the flowers and propose.
Lucia grabbed his hand and stopped him.
“I’ve already seen the flowers.”
After all, the smell was so strong. Her dragon nose was very sensitive, and she had smelled the flowers in the car.
“Put it on me.”
Lucia put the diamond ring back in Xia Li’s hand, her face sweet and happy.
Xia Li: “I haven’t even proposed…”
“I do.”
“…”
“I said I do!”
Xia Li was dumbfounded. Now it was Lucia’s turn to blush.
Hadn’t they already agreed on this before?
Xia Li was responsible for marrying Lucia, and Lucia was responsible for marrying Xia Li.
She had already said “I do”…
Looking back into Xia Li’s eyes, Lucia’s eyes were moist.
Oh no, she drank too much water today.
Her eyes were going to pee.
Xia Li took a deep breath. He had also drunk too much water, and his eyes were a little wet.
Holding the diamond ring, which symbolized eternal love, in his hand, Xia Li took Lucia’s slender hand and put the ring on her right ring finger.
Lucia’s eyes lit up.
She raised her hand under the fluorescent light, her heart moved.
“They say there’s a blood vessel in the ring finger that leads directly to the heart… After putting it on, I really feel like my heart has been captured!”
“Lucia…”
“Hmm?”
“Marry me.”
Lucia was still feeling the wonder of this feeling when Xia Li called her name. She looked up, and a pair of passionate lips kissed her.