"Don't be alarmed, Doctor. I'm perfectly fine and feel no discomfort. Don't scare her!"
The doctor and nurse exchanged glances and couldn't help but smile.
"Mr. Zhan's condition is quite peculiar."
"I've been working in obstetrics for over 20 years, and I've only encountered such a case a handful of times. It's been even rarer in recent years. Seeing you has made me quite happy."
Jiang Nan Fang looked confused. "Doctor, could you please explain clearly? What exactly is going on?"
The doctor chuckled. "The condition he has is called, in medical terms, simulated, the character for 'simulate' (nǐ), and the character for 'childbirth' (miǎn), Couvade syndrome."
The couple: "? What does that mean?"
"Simply put, it means simulating a pregnant woman's pregnancy and experiencing the same reactions."
What?
Him, a grown man, simulating a pregnancy? It was a complete humiliation!
Zhan Bei Jue's expression turned cold, and he was about to retort when Jiang Nan Fang stopped him.
"Could you explain in more detail?"
The doctor explained carefully, "This is a form of physiological empathy."
"There are professionals who have studied this symptom, and they believe that men who develop this syndrome are typically very doting on their wives."
"They not only show consideration for their wives through their actions but also unconsciously try to align with their wives psychologically, creating a state where they must maintain synchronicity and communication with their wives. This is how Couvade syndrome arises."
It was truly eye-opening to learn of such a phenomenon.
But Jiang Nan Fang was puzzled.
"I don't feel nauseous or anything, so how can you say he's in sync with me?"
"We have an old saying in China, 'When the wife is pregnant, the husband vomits.'"
"The popular explanation is that the husband's excessive concern for his wife makes him want to endure the suffering on her behalf, hence the morning sickness."
"In reality, the true reason is simply that the husband loves you. Upon learning of your pregnancy, he overthinks and becomes mentally stressed, leading to these stress-induced complications."
"As his mental state relaxes, he will gradually recover. There's no need to worry. He's just proving how much he cares about you in an extreme way."
"You are very fortunate, Mrs. Zhan."
Jiang Nan Fang instantly felt incredibly lucky.
Zhan Bei Jue cared about her and the baby to this extent. No wonder babies kept coming to them one after another.
After the doctor left, the two leaned against each other, and Jiang Nan Fang gently comforted him.
"Don't be nervous, there's nothing majorly wrong. As long as we listen to the doctor, we'll definitely have a smooth delivery."
"When the confinement nanny arrives, can I interview her? You're like a cold, stern king of hell; who wouldn't be intimidated by you? The nanny will primarily interact with me, so it's important that I find someone suitable."
Zhan Bei Jue finally handed over the authority to her.
Jiang Nan Fang chose an experienced nanny in her forties. The three of them stayed in the ward, and it felt awkward not to speak.
The nanny was quite talkative. After introducing herself, she went to Jiang Nan Fang and offered to massage her hands and feet.
As she massaged, she began to read Jiang Nan Fang's palm.
"You can read palms too?"
"It's passed down from my ancestors; I know a little. Look, this is the life line, this is the career line, and this is the wealth line. This one is for children..."
Zhan Bei Jue didn't believe in such things.
But seeing Jiang Nan Fang smiling brightly and happily huddled with the nanny, he didn't want to disturb her enjoyment.
After hearing the nanny's incredibly flattering pronouncements, she said to Jiang Nan Fang,
"You are destined for many children and great fortune. From my observation, you will have three sons and three daughters. Mrs. Zhan, you are a person of great wealth and status."
Zhan Bei Jue hadn't believed the earlier predictions, but this one caught his attention.
"You say she will have how many children?"
"Six. Three sons and three daughters. Look, there are six small lines here. These represent boys, and these represent girls, three of each. Isn't that three sons and three daughters?"
Zhan Bei Jue asked Jiang Nan Fang, "Did I miss anything this morning? What did the doctor's report say about how many you're carrying?"
Jiang Nan Fang couldn't help but roll her eyes at him.
"One."
"Zhan, are you expecting me to have more children for you? Is this ever going to end!"
"How do you know it can't be twins? It's only been a month; what can they tell? Let the doctor check again in a few days, and perhaps this time it'll be twins again."
She had felt sympathetic towards Zhan Bei Jue, thinking he genuinely cared for her and the baby.
But suddenly, she became angry with him again.
"You're insatiable. Why do you want so many children? You'd better pray this is twins. If I ever get pregnant again, I'll die before I have another!"
Because of the nanny's words, the couple was so worried that after staying in the hospital for a week, they had another check-up.
It was confirmed she was only carrying one.
Jiang Nan Fang began to regard him as a plague.
"Stay away from me! After this child is born, either we live separately, or you get sterilized. This is simply too much!"
Separation was impossible, and sterilization was out of the question.
Zhan Bei Jue had a degree of male chauvinism.
"I understand. I'll be more careful with precautions in the future. Besides, this kind of thing isn't just beneficial to me."
"Get lost, get lost, don't let me see you, stay away from me!"
Being scolded by her, Zhan Bei Jue's syndrome recurred, and he rushed to the bathroom to vomit again. Only then did Jiang Nan Fang relent.
Zhou Jin Bei's pregnancy made Ah Zhong and Zhong's father extremely happy.
On the first day back from his business trip, Ah Zhong brought his father over from their hometown that very night.
Zhong's father had no other special skills, but he was an excellent cook.
He and Zhou Jin Bei got along well, and they often chatted about Ah Zhong's childhood, developing a relationship even better than that of a father and daughter.
From then on, Ah Zhong went home for lunch every day and left work on time in the afternoon.
Zhan Bei Jue couldn't find him to discuss the feelings of becoming a father.
Feeling frustrated, his stomach distended, and often melancholic, Zhan Bei Jue, tormented by morning sickness daily, could bear it no longer. He called Ah Zhong and asked him to come to the CEO's office.
Ah Zhong was still very reluctant.
"What is it, President Zhan? I have work to do. If I don't finish this afternoon, I'll have to work overtime tonight, but I can't work overtime now. Can we keep this brief?"
Seeing Ah Zhong looking radiant and energetic, his overall condition as if he were constantly taking tonics, Zhan Bei Jue felt even more annoyed.
However, he said, "I haven't had a chance to check on you recently. How is the pregnant woman in your family? Is she experiencing severe symptoms?"
Upon hearing that it was about Zhou Jin Bei, Ah Zhong happily replied.
"She had a bit of nausea and a poor appetite at first, but my father is a great cook, so she got better as she ate. Bei Bei has a good mindset, as you know, so she's been fine lately, eating, drinking, and sleeping well."
Hearing that Zhou Jin Bei could eat, drink, and sleep well made Zhan Bei Jue even more unbalanced.
She, a real pregnant woman, was more comfortable than him, a fake pregnant man. If this got out, how could he show his face?
"Your father is such a good cook? I'm tired of eating out lately. How about he makes an extra portion starting tomorrow and brings it over for me to try?"