Entertainment from Divorce

On an October weekend, the summer heat in Beijing completely subsided, and the crisp autumn air carried a refreshing coolness in the breeze.

The villa area where Tan Yue lived was gently shrouded in morning mist. The osmanthus trees in the courtyard were covered with off-white buds. A gentle breeze blew by, and a faint fragrance filled the air, refreshing and delightful.

Tan Yue woke up just as dawn broke.

He turned his head to look at Chen Ziyu, who was fast asleep beside him. Her brows were slightly relaxed, and there was a faint smile on her lips. Her face, which was in the second trimester of pregnancy, was rounder, and her complexion was as rosy as the finest rouge.

Tan Yue reached out and carefully brushed away the stray hairs on her forehead. As soon as his fingertips touched her skin, Chen Ziyu moved slightly and slowly opened her eyes.

"Awake?" Chen Ziyu's voice was soft and sweet from just waking up. She reached out and took Tan Yue's hand, placing it on her lower abdomen.

"The baby seemed to move a little just now, probably because he knew his dad was awake."

Tan Yue immediately felt a slight bump on his fingertips, like a small fish gently bumping against the surface of water, and a soft, throbbing feeling welled up in his heart.

He leaned down, pressed his ear against Chen Ziyu's lower abdomen, and listened to the faint fetal heartbeat inside. The sound was strong and regular, and each beat seemed to be knocking on his heartstrings.

“It really moved.” Tan Yue looked up, his eyes full of joy. “This kid is quite lively, just like you.”

"Maybe it's a little girl." Chen Ziyu smiled and patted his shoulder. "Get up and wash up. Mom is already preparing breakfast. It's the weekend, so you're not allowed to go to the company."

Tan Yue paused for a moment before remembering that he had been planning before going to bed last night that he would go to the company today to handle the details of the actors' contracts for "The Three-Body Problem" and to finalize the publicity plan for Lin Qingye's movie during the New Year's Day holiday.

He scratched his head, his tone tentative: "I'll only be gone for half a day. I'll be right back. I still have a few documents to sign."

"No." Chen Ziyu's tone was firm, yet still gentle.

“You’ve been leaving early and coming home late every day lately. Last time you went to the hospital for a checkup, the doctor said your blood pressure was a little low and told you to rest more. You absolutely have to stay home and rest today. Qian Tao and Xu Nuo are keeping an eye on things at the company, so it won’t matter if you’re not here for half a day.”

"Okay, I'll do as you say. I won't go to work today and will stay home with you."

Breakfast was plentiful, with soft and sweet millet porridge, served with refreshing cucumber salad, meat buns made by Chen's mother, and tea eggs that Tan Yue loved.

The family of three sat around the dining table, chatting about everyday things. Sunlight streamed in through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the dining room, falling warmly on the table.

After finishing breakfast, Tan Yue wiped his mouth, still thinking about work. He wondered if he should go to the study, turn on the computer, and deal with a few urgent emails while Chen Ziyu wasn't looking.

He had just gotten up and taken two steps toward the study when Chen Ziyu called out to him, "A-Yue, where are you going?"

"I...I'm going to the study to get a book to read." Tan Yue stopped and turned around, a slightly unnatural smile on his face.

Chen Ziyu raised an eyebrow at him, her eyes full of understanding: "Getting a book? I bet you're going to handle some work, right? Is the computer in the study still on?"

Having his thoughts exposed, Tan Yue scratched the back of his head somewhat embarrassedly: "It's just a few urgent matters to handle, it'll be over soon."

“No.” Chen Ziyu got up and walked to his side, taking his arm. “We agreed to rest today, so you’re not allowed to touch work. Look how nice the weather is outside, the autumn air is crisp and refreshing. Let’s go for a walk in the neighborhood and get some fresh air, it’ll be good for the baby too.”

Tan Yue followed her gaze to the window. The morning mist had dissipated, the sky was a clear blue, and the ginkgo leaves in the courtyard were beginning to turn yellow, falling on the grass like a golden carpet.

Such fine weather is perfect for going out for a walk. He turned to look at Chen's mother, who smiled and waved her hand, "You two go ahead, I'll tidy up at home and prepare some fruit for you to eat when you get back."

"Okay then." Tan Yue breathed a sigh of relief, the work anxiety in her heart seemed to be diluted by the refreshing weather. "I'll go get a coat, it's a bit chilly outside."

He returned to the bedroom, took out a light gray trench coat from the closet, and found a beige knitted cardigan for Chen Ziyu. He carefully helped her put it on, making sure to zip it up.

"Don't catch a cold. If you feel tired, we'll come back right away."

"I know, you're even more nagging than Mom." Chen Ziyu smiled and took his arm, and the two slowly walked out of the house.

The villa area is quiet and peaceful, with tall sycamore trees planted on both sides of the main road. The leaves rustle in the autumn wind, and occasionally a few leaves fall with the wind, swirling and landing on the ground.

Few people were walking on the road, except for a few elderly people who were doing their morning exercise and walking their dogs slowly. When they saw Tan Yue and Chen Ziyu, they greeted them in a friendly manner.

"Mr. Tan, Ms. Chen, out for a walk?" Aunt Zhang, who lives next door, waved with a smile. Her little dog wagged its tail and ran to Chen Ziyu's feet, gently rubbing against her trouser leg.

"Good morning, Aunt Zhang." Tan Yue replied with a smile, subconsciously pulling Chen Ziyu closer to her, as if afraid the puppy would bump into her stomach. "Are you walking your dog too?"

"Yes, this little one goes out for a stroll every morning," Aunt Zhang said with a smile, her gaze falling on Chen Ziyu's lower abdomen. "Ms. Chen's belly is getting more and more obvious, and she looks so healthy. She must have a healthy baby."

Chen Ziyu smiled and thanked her, exchanged a few pleasantries with Aunt Zhang, and the two continued walking forward.

Tan Yue slowed his pace, matching Chen Ziyu's rhythm. His left hand was always on her waist, and his right hand was holding her hand. The warmth of his palms was transmitted through the thin fabric, making her feel secure and at ease.

"I've been a bit tired lately, but seeing the company's projects progressing steadily makes me feel quite satisfied." Tan Yue sighed, his tone tinged with weariness, but even more so with a sense of accomplishment.

"The cast for 'The Three-Body Problem' is mostly finalized. Ma Guoliang has already signed with Wang Miao, and Zhang Shengli's team is also running out of actors. Lin Qingye's movie is scheduled for New Year's Day, and the promotional plan is in progress. It should do well at the box office."

“I know you’re very career-oriented, but you also need to take care of your health.” Chen Ziyu stopped and looked up at him, her eyes full of concern.

"The company is important, but my baby and I need you more. What will we do if you collapse from exhaustion?"

Tan Yue felt a warmth in his heart and reached out to pull her into his arms, his movements as gentle as if he were handling a fragile treasure.

"I'm sorry, I neglected you. I will definitely pay attention in the future, try to come home earlier, and spend more time with you and the baby."

"I'm not asking you to give up your job, I just hope you can balance work and life." Chen Ziyu leaned against him, listening to his strong heartbeat, feeling reassured.

"Look how nice it is now. I don't have to think about work. They just take walks with me and chat about everyday things. How pleasant!"

Tan Yue nodded. Indeed, he had rarely had such a relaxing moment since the Three-Body Problem project was launched.

Surrounded by meetings, documents, and project deadlines every day, his nerves were constantly on edge. Only now, holding his wife's hand and walking in the quiet courtyard, feeling the autumn breeze on his face, did he finally feel relaxed. The two continued walking and came to a small garden, where Chen Ziyu suggested they sit down and rest.

There are several wooden benches in the garden, surrounded by chrysanthemums. The colorful flowers bloom in the sunlight, creating a beautiful scene.

Tan Yue helped Chen Ziyu sit down, took out a tissue from his pocket, wiped the dust off the bench, and handed her some warm water: "Drink some water, drink slowly."

Chen Ziyu took a sip of water, looked at the children playing not far away, and suddenly asked, "A-Yue, have you thought about a name for the baby?"

Tan Yue paused for a moment, then shook his head with a hint of apology on his face: "I've been too busy lately and haven't really thought about it properly. I was originally planning to wait until the baby was born and then choose a name based on the birth date and time, but now that I think about it, we should really start thinking about it sooner rather than later. It's a small token of our love as parents."

"I knew you hadn't thought about it," Chen Ziyu teased with a smile. "I did think of a few, but I haven't decided yet. I'd like to hear your opinion."

"Oh? What have you thought of? Tell me." Tan Yue became interested, leaning forward slightly, his eyes full of anticipation.

"If it's a boy, I'd like to name him Tan Jingxing, which comes from the saying 'Look up to the high mountain, follow the virtuous path,' hoping that he will grow up to be a person of high moral character and upright conduct," Chen Ziyu said, her eyes full of longing.

"If it's a girl, we'll name her Tan Qinghe. Qing means clear and pure, and He means seedling. We hope she can grow up strong like a seedling and have a clear and gentle personality."

Tan Yue pondered the two names carefully, and the more he thought about them, the better they seemed: "These two names are really good, they sound nice and have good meaning, you really put your heart into it." He reached out and gently stroked Chen Ziyu's lower abdomen.

"Tan Jingxing, Tan Qinghe, whether it's a boy or a girl, are both good. However, should we consider other options? It's good to have more choices."

"I also thought of a boy's name, Tan Xingci, Xing as in star and Ci as in words. I hope he can have a broad mind like the stars, speak with moderation, and be gentle and refined."

Chen Ziyu added, "As for girls, there's Tan Zhiyu. 'Zhi' means knowledgeable and reasonable, and 'Yu' means to give. I hope she can become a kind person who knows how to share."

"Everything is fine." Tan Yue smiled.

"However, I also want to name the baby. If it's a boy, I'd call him Tan Chengyu. Cheng means inheritance, and Yu means universe. I hope he can inherit our patriotism and have a broad vision like the universe."

"If it's a girl, we'll name her Tan Shuran. Shu means comfortable and carefree, and Ran means going with the flow. We hope she can have a peaceful and smooth life and live a carefree and unrestrained life."

"Tan Chengyu, Tan Shuran..." Chen Ziyu murmured the two names, a smile playing on her lips.

“These two are also good. It seems our ideas are quite compatible. Let’s write these names down and choose the most suitable one after the baby is born, taking into account the birth date and time.”

"Okay." Tan Yue nodded, feeling warm inside.

He used to think that naming a child was a distant thing, but now, discussing the baby's name with Chen Ziyu, he truly felt the responsibility and joy of being a parent.

The two sat on the bench and talked a lot about the baby.

Chen Ziyu said that she has prepared a lot of small clothes and toys for the baby, and has also decorated the nursery. The walls are painted a light blue and decorated with star and moon ornaments, making it warm and lovely.

Tan Yue said that after the baby is born, he will personally film a documentary about her growth, recording every important moment, and give it to her as a gift when she grows up.

The sunlight gradually rose higher, filtering through the gaps in the leaves and falling warmly on the two of them.

Chen Ziyu leaned on Tan Yue's shoulder, listening to him describe their future life, her heart filled with happiness.

Tan Yue looked down at his wife's gentle profile, feeling the occasional fetal movements in her lower abdomen, and felt that all the hard work and busyness had become worthwhile.

"It's getting late, we should head back. We've been walking for over an hour, you must be tired." Tan Yue glanced at his watch, then stood up and helped Chen Ziyu to her feet.

Chen Ziyu did feel a little tired. She nodded and let Tan Yue help her walk slowly home.

On the way, her pace slowed down, so Tan Yue patiently accompanied her, stopping from time to time to rest, handing her water, wiping her sweat, and taking meticulous care of her, which warmed Chen Ziyu's heart.

When they got home, Chen's mother had already prepared fruit and snacks. Seeing the two of them return, she hurriedly came to greet them: "You must be exhausted. Sit down and rest. I've cut up some watermelon for you, and some grapes that you like."

Tan Yue helped Chen Ziyu sit on the sofa and covered her with a thin blanket: "Mom, don't bother, we'll rest for a while."

"No rush, no rush, you all sit down, I'll go to the kitchen to see how the pigeon soup is cooking." Chen's mother smiled as she walked into the kitchen.

Chen Ziyu leaned back on the sofa, closed her eyes to rest, and had a satisfied smile on her lips.

Tan Yue sat down next to her, picked up a grape from the table, peeled it, and handed it to her: "Eat some grapes to get some vitamins."

Chen Ziyu opened her mouth to eat and said softly, "I feel much more at ease now that we talked about the baby's name. I used to worry that I wouldn't be a good mother, but now I feel that as long as we work together, we can definitely take good care of the baby."

"Of course." Tan Yue grasped her hand, his eyes resolute.

“We will accompany our baby as she grows up, teach her to speak and walk, watch her go to school, work, and start her own family. No matter what difficulties we encounter, we will face them together.”

Chen Ziyu opened her eyes and looked at Tan Yue's serious expression, feeling deeply moved.

She knew that Tan Yue was a responsible and dependable man, and with him by her side, she had nothing to fear.

The two snuggled together on the sofa, sunlight streaming in through the window, illuminating the entire living room and the happy smiles on their faces.

The fragrance of osmanthus blossoms in the courtyard wafted into the house, mingling with the aroma of pigeon soup from the kitchen, creating a warm and beautiful family scene.

In the afternoon, the pigeon soup that Chen's mother had stewed was ready. The soup was clear and bright, and had a rich aroma.

The family of three sat around the dining table, drinking soup and chatting. Occasionally, when the baby's name was mentioned, everyone had endless things to say.

Watching the heartwarming interaction between Chen's mother and Chen Ziyu, Tan Yue felt a sense of peace and happiness.

This weekend, there were no mountains of documents, no endless meetings, only the company of family and precious time together. (End of Chapter)