Side Story 10: The Arrival of Little Xie Yingying

 

In the hospital, when Lin Chuxia woke up, it was already nighttime, yet the hospital’s bright lights made the room feel just as luminous as daytime.

 

Upon seeing her awake, Xie Jingming immediately brought her a meal—hot soup, rice porridge, and light dishes that were easy on her stomach. He even insisted on feeding her himself, worried she didn’t have the strength.

 

Lin Chuxia, feeling weak and sore, didn’t refuse and let him feed her, slowly eating spoonful by spoonful. Once she was done, she suddenly remembered she hadn’t seen the baby yet.

 

“Where’s the baby? Let me see her,” Lin Chuxia asked, with a bit of excitement and relief now that the pregnancy was finally over.

 

Upon hearing her request, there was an awkward silence in the room. Lin Chuxia’s heart skipped a beat, and she immediately feared the worst. “What’s wrong? Is the baby okay?”

 

Sensing her panic, Xie Jingming quickly reassured her. “No, no, everything’s fine. It’s just… well, the baby is a bit, uh, ugly. We didn’t want to scare you.”

 

Ah, that’s it? Lin Chuxia had heard that babies could look a little odd right after birth. How bad could it be? After all, she was beautiful, and Xie Jingming wasn’t exactly unattractive.

 

But when Xie Jingming finally brought the baby over, Lin Chuxia’s eyes widened in surprise, and she let out an instinctive gasp, “Why is she so… ugly?”

 

The baby’s wrinkled and reddish face was not what she had expected at all. For a moment, she wondered, “Are you sure they didn’t give us the wrong baby?”

 

Xie Jingming shook his head with a chuckle. “No, you were the only one giving birth today.”

 

“Well… okay then…” Lin Chuxia sighed, looking down at their baby girl. After a moment, she added, “Actually, the more I look at her… she’s kind of cute in her own way.”

 

After two days in the hospital, they returned home, and since Lin Chuxia needed to follow traditional postpartum care, they hired an older woman to help with her confinement period. It was a slow, often uncomfortable month for Lin Chuxia, but thanks to the nanny’s help, she didn’t have to worry about the baby or housework. Her main focus was eating, sleeping, and recovering her strength.

 

As the days went by, Lin Chuxia slowly regained her energy. Meanwhile, little by little, her baby girl, who had once looked a bit like a wrinkly raisin, began to plump up and take on a healthier, more charming appearance.

 

After a month, Xie Jingming felt comfortable enough to finally brag about their now-white-and-chubby baby girl to their friends and neighbors. The relief was palpable in his voice, and the entire family shared his sentiment. The three older brothers, who had been preparing themselves to defend their sister from any teasing, finally relaxed. After all, there would be no need to fight off anyone; their sister was now adorable!

 

Initially, they had planned not to host a full-month celebration since they worried about how people might react to the baby’s appearance. But now, seeing her transformed into such a cute little thing, they somewhat regretted not throwing a party. Still, since they had already made the decision, it was too late to go back on it.

 

When Lin Chuxia finally completed her postpartum care and saw her now soft, round, and fair-skinned baby girl, she couldn’t stop smiling. “Boys, our little sister isn’t ugly at all…”

 

The three brothers, gathered around her, agreed enthusiastically, “Of course not. How could our sister ever be ugly?”

 

“Mom,” Dazai piped up, “what are we going to name her?”

 

“We should call her Bai Xue! Like Snow White, because she’s as beautiful as a princess,” the third son, Xie Xingrong, suggested with a grin.

 

Everyone else paused. Naming a child was serious business, and in the past, their names had all been chosen by the village elders.

 

Lin Chuxia chuckled at their attempts. “Let’s call her Yingying—Xie Yingying,” she declared with a final nod, putting an end to the discussion.

 

Everyone agreed that it was a lovely name, and from that day on, the chubby-cheeked baby became known as Xie Yingying.

 

As Yingying grew, she quickly became the apple of everyone’s eye. She had a soft, chubby face that everyone wanted to pinch, and her brothers couldn’t get enough of her. They loved to play with her tiny hands and feet, marveling at how adorable she had become.

 

By the time Xie Yingying turned three, she was already running around the yard on her chubby legs, laughing and playing with the other children. Wherever she went, kids wanted to play house, and Yingying was always the bride.

 

“I’m going to marry Yingying!” A chubby little boy with his hands on his hips proudly declared one day.

 

“No, Yingying is going to be my bride!” Another boy protested, his voice equally firm.

 

Hearing the boys argue, little Yingying, standing there with her innocent smile, tilted her head curiously. “I know I’m cute, but you all want me to be your bride? I’m only one person. What should I do?”

 

“Well, be my bride.”

 

“No, be mine!”

 

“Yingying is the cutest!” the kids continued to argue, ignoring the fact that their idea of marriage was far from realistic.

 

Yingying pondered their requests for a moment before innocently suggesting, “I guess I could be everyone’s bride?”

 

Immediately, all the children’s eyes lit up. What a perfect solution! They all nodded enthusiastically, agreeing to Yingying’s suggestion.

 

Meanwhile, a group of moms sitting nearby, including Lin Chuxia, couldn’t help but chuckle at the scene.

 

“Your little Yingying really is adorable,” one of the women said to Lin Chuxia.

 

Lin Chuxia, a bit flustered by all the praise, smiled modestly. “She’s alright. But really, your kids are pretty cute too. I’m sure they’ll all be top students one day!”

 

The women exchanged a few more compliments before changing the subject, but Lin Chuxia couldn’t help but admire how easily Yingying charmed everyone around her. She knew her daughter wasn’t just cute—she had a natural talent for managing the feelings of those around her, always balancing the children’s competitive streaks and keeping the peace.

 

Lin Chuxia watched her daughter with pride. “Yingying’s emotional intelligence is off the charts,” she thought to herself. “She must’ve inherited that from me.”

 

After some time, the sun began to feel hot, signaling that it was time to head home. “Yingying, it’s time to go home for lunch. Daddy and your brothers are waiting for you,” Lin Chuxia called out.

 

“Coming!” Yingying responded, quickly getting up and saying her goodbyes to the other children, who looked like heartbroken little fiancés being separated from their bride-to-be.

 

No matter how hard the other kids begged her to stay, little Yingying, with her strong sense of responsibility, waved them off and ran to her mother’s side, holding her hand tightly.

 

As the warm spring sunlight bathed the mother and daughter in a golden glow, they walked home together, chatting about their day.

 

When they arrived, the third son, Xie Xingrong, had already returned from school. He rushed over, picking up his little sister and twirling her around. “So, who asked you to be their bride today?” he teased.

 

At this, the other three men in the house—all deeply protective of their little girl—perked up. They had all silently vowed that no boy would win Yingying’s heart so easily!

 

Unbeknownst to them, their little “princess” wasn’t so easily tricked. In their eyes, she was a pure, innocent girl, completely unaware of her own charms. They had no idea that their beloved sister was already skilled at managing the affections of her peers.

 

With a sweet smile, Yingying kissed her Sanzai on the cheek and declared, “I only want to play with my third brother! You’re my favorite!”

 

At her words, Dazai and Erzai turned to glare at the Sanzai, their eyes filled with jealousy.

 

Xie Jingming, hearing the commotion from the kitchen, chuckled and called out, “Dinner’s ready! Wash up and let’s eat.”

 

As Lin Chuxia entered the kitchen to help set the table, she couldn’t help but overhear the playful argument between her sons over who was Yingying’s favorite. Shaking her head with amusement, she thought, “Yingying’s ‘diplomacy’ skills are already this strong at three years old. Just wait until she’s older.

 

Little did any of them know, their darling girl was destined to break many hearts—but for now, she had the entire family wrapped around her tiny finger.

 

—

 

Lin Chuxia: “This little one’s skills at playing favorites? She definitely didn’t get that from me!”