radicalducati Chapter 56
Chapter 56
They both promised to attend for sure.
The next day was the award ceremony. It was Emma's first time at CCTV. Although it's a national-level media outlet, the CCTV studio still surprised Emma.
The director informed them of the program process, and some awards had already been announced.
However, the highest awards, such as the news gold award, were announced on-site.
During the award ceremony, Emma sat in the audience watching photo after photo and news clips on the large screen. Even though they had once been labeled with the derogatory term ‘prostitute’, even though there were indeed some bad apples in their group, even though social justice and responsibility are not as important nowadays.
There has always been a group of people who insist on being at the forefront, silently taking photos and reporting news after news.
Emma saw a photo of a firefighter going against the flow.
It was a photo known as the most touching to the Chinese people. It was the journalists who captured these great yet ordinary moments, allowing everyone to see their contributions.
As the award ceremony drew to a close, it was also the time for the organizing committee to announce the highest-level awards.
When the photos of the nominees appeared on the screen one by one, the last one was Emma's ‘LIVE’, the photo that had moved countless people. It showed a chaotic explosion site, a soldier squatting down with a gun in his arms, and a little boy covered in dust trying his best to raise his hand.
It was the hope of wanting to survive, the belief in survival.
Although the photo was still, everyone who saw it felt that the photo was alive. It was so vivid that everyone could feel the child's strong will to survive.
Even as the photographer, Emma's eyes were slightly moist when she saw LIVE.
Because she knew the story behind the photo better than anyone else.
The man who did everything to give his son a chance to survive.
When the award presenter on stage, Xu Ming, the first Chinese recipient of the World Press Photo award, slowly opened the envelope and his eyes fell on the name inside, he then looked up and scanned the audience.
The nominees for the special award were all sitting in the audience, and his gaze swept over each one until it finally rested on Emma.
"Congratulations, reporter Emma's LIVE."
LIVE, life is also survival.
The entire venue erupted in applause. Emma was the youngest among the nominees and the only female journalist.
Amidst the thunderous applause, Emma stood up.
As she walked down the aisle, she shook hands with the people she passed, then she stepped onto the stage one step at a time.
She chose not to wear a long dress but a black suit today, a handsome and upright girl who shone brightly as soon as she stepped on stage, capturing everyone's attention.
The stage lights shone on her as she received the trophy from Teacher Xu Ming, then slowly turned to stand in front of the microphone. She looked at the audience, her face showing no signs of nervousness. Her naturally fair skin appeared even more porcelain under the lights.
But she never gave people the feeling of being a porcelain doll.
When Emma slowly raised her head, her eyes appeared directly in front of the camera, those persistent and dark eyes.
She smiled slightly and finally said the first sentence: "The story behind LIVE, I think everyone who knows this photo has some understanding."
She paused briefly, her eyes moistening again, even when she recalled that scene, she would always be moved.
Emma stopped smiling, her voice came through the microphone, her clear voice attracted everyone: "I had met the boy and his father in the photo before taking it. They were a very ordinary and common family, they didn't have much money, even buying necessities could only be done at such a second
Finally, October 27th arrived.
The Jason family booked an entire resort for the wedding, which was kept confidential throughout, but that couldn't stop everyone's curiosity about their wedding. After all, compared to the entertainment circle's so-called "century weddings," this wedding was the real deal.
The wedding ceremony was held outdoors, with the outdoor stage entirely decorated with flowers, primarily in white and light blue, creating a fresh and elegant atmosphere.
While the Jason family had many guests, Emma's side was not as crowded. However, Ni Pingsen also invited quite a few of his old friends. After regaining his memory, he had returned to his hometown of Nanxun. Initially, there was some resentment from the locals for his long absence. But after learning about his experiences, they felt nothing but sympathy.
When Ni Pingsen left to return, his car was filled with local specialties given to him by his hometown folks.
Emma's bridesmaid party was incredibly luxurious, with Yan Han, Chen Chen, Ai YaYa, Tang Mi, Hua Zheng, and Shen Qiqi, making up a total of six girls.
On Jason's side, the best men were fiercely competing for the role.
Tang Mi had laughed hysterically when she heard about it, thinking how foolish they were to volunteer for such a demanding task.
As expected, during the groom's procession, everyone went wild.
Despite Yan Han's sweet and lovely appearance, she was full of mischief. If it weren't for the fear of making the best men suffer too much and potentially causing them to back out, they would have continued.
During the wedding ceremony, the host came over to double-check with them before they went on stage, especially instructing Ni Pingsen to walk slowly because Emma's wedding dress had a long train that was several meters long, and her veil was even longer, dragging on the ground.
Ni Pingsen nodded.
When it was time to make their official entrance, Emma, holding onto Ni Pingsen's arm, walked forward as he took each step slowly and deliberately.
Everyone watched them, and Emma whispered in confusion, "Dad, are we walking too slow?"
Without turning his head, Ni Pingsen softly replied, "Dad really wishes this path would never end."
Not far away stood Jason in a black tailcoat, his suit specially tailored to accentuate his broad shoulders and narrow waist, making him appear excessively handsome.
When Emma finally reached him, her emotions were relatively stable.
It wasn't until her palm was handed over to Jason by Ni Pingsen, and he gently held her hand, that her eyes suddenly welled up with tears.
She had lost her mother at a young age and was raised by her father alone.
Now, her hand was being given to another man, one she deeply loved, looked up to, cherished, and would believe in for a lifetime.
Jason also looked at his bride, who was dressed in pure white, innocent and beautiful.
As he held her hand, his heart seemed to grow warm.
He had not understood the form of love, and his life had been one of self-restraint, even with everything he possessed, his world had never been vibrant, his heart always barren and lifeless.
Until that star lit up in his life.
This star gave his world days and nights, joys and sorrows, happiness and sadness, and he had crazily embraced her amidst the战火 (warzone), and also experienced a brief separation.
But that star continued to shine in his world, never fading.
Until the moment his heart stopped beating, his star would never set.
After getting married, having children seemed to be on the agenda. It's worth mentioning that there were several years between Emma's marriage and her wedding, and after the wedding, Zhong Lan couldn't help but hint around.
Of course, Zhong Lan's personality has always been like this; she would never put pressure on Emma. However, Jason wasn't so fortunate. Zhong Lan glanced at him with a hint of sympathy in her voice, "Son, if you don't start trying harder, you're really going to be a middle-aged father. Think about your dad; he had you when he was twenty-five. You're really falling behind."
Jason looked up, and Zhong Lan probably realized she had been too harsh, so she raised her arm and made an encouraging gesture: "Son, try harder."
Emma beside him tried her best to hold back, not wanting to seem too delighted. But on their way back in the car, Emma was checking her email when they stopped at a red light, and the man next to her suddenly asked in a low voice, "Do you think mom is right?"
Hearing this, Emma was taken aback for a moment before softly asking, "What?"
"If I don't start trying, I'll be a middle-aged father," the man's tone was leisurely, and his voice was steady and gentle, but for some reason, it sounded somewhat dangerous to Emma.
Emma immediately shook her head, "No."
"But you were laughing just now too," Jason turned to look at her, with a slight smile on the corner of his mouth.
Emma was stunned for a few seconds, then suddenly whispered, "Are you settling accounts now?"
Jason smiled softly, but he didn't say anything. Instead, the red light turned green after the seconds counted down, and Jason restarted the car.
Jason didn't say a word until they got home, and as soon as he parked the car, Emma got out only to be taken by the hand by him.
...
They made their way upstairs to the bedroom, and as Jason pushed the door open and pulled her in, he pressed her against the door. The moment the door closed, the light from the hallway was blocked out.
The entire room was plunged into darkness.
It took Emma a while to adjust to the darkness in the room, but at that moment, Jason's palm was against her waist, and even though she was wearing thick clothes, she could still feel the warmth of his palm.
His other hand held hers, and he whispered in a low voice, "I'm settling accounts now."
His voice, usually cool and deep, sounded a bit warm when it reached her ear, spreading from the root of her ear and gradually becoming a raging fire.
When Jason's lips pressed against hers, Emma's back was tightly against the door, and she tilted her head back to receive his dominant and irresistible kiss.
His tongue flirtatiously traced her lips before gently prying them open.
Emma wrapped her arms around his waist, and then Jason carried her step by step towards the bed, until finally, they fell onto the soft mattress. Jason pressed against her, nuzzling his nose against hers and murmuring, "Star."
Emma held onto his neck, waiting quietly.
Suddenly, Jason let out a low, mocking laugh, filled with a mix of helplessness and tenderness as he said, "Why do I like you so much?"
This sudden confession, along with words that seemed fit for an eighteen-year-old boy, made Emma feel as if she was immersed in honey, her breath sweet and lingering.
As winter approached, the New Year seemed to be drawing nearer. Grandpa Huo was finally persuaded by Huo Zhenzhong and Zhong Lan to return from Hong Kong. After the old man came back, Emma and Jason would also stay overnight at the mansion on weekends.
However, the end of the year was just too busy, with Emma's interview tasks coming one after another.
Ever since she won the gold award at the National News Awards, the newspaper not only promoted her but also granted her greater journalistic freedom and rights. She could report on major social news that others couldn't.
Regarding the topic of having children that Zhong Lan had mentioned, Emma naturally didn't forget about it.
Anyway, after the wedding, the couple stopped using contraception and adopted a go-with-the-flow attitude. They were initially quite looking forward to it, but as time went by, they both forgot.
It wasn't until just before the holiday, on a Friday, that Emma drove straight to the mansion after work.
It happened to be raining in Shanghai that day, with a light drizzle mixed with a cold wind. After Emma parked her car, she didn't use an umbrella and ran straight to the porch.
When she pushed open the door, Auntie Zhou happened to see her and quickly came forward. Seeing the raindrops on her coat, she softly said, "Next time, just call out, and I'll come out to give you an umbrella."
"It's okay, it's just a few steps," Emma shook her head.
Little did she know, her nose itched, and she quickly turned her head and sneezed.
Auntie Zhou felt her hand and said repeatedly, "Look how cold your hands are, I'll go make you a bowl of ginger tea to warm you up."
"Really, it's not necessary," Emma shouted from behind.
Zhong Lan happened to come out of the study. Huo Zhenzhong wasn't home today, and the old man was playing chess in the study by himself. Zhong Lan brought a cup of hot tea in.
"Jingxi is back," Zhong Lan said with a smile.
After Emma put down her bag and hung up her coat, Zhong Lan noticed her pale complexion and whispered, "The weather has been quite cold these days, make sure to keep warm."
Emma nodded.
Zhong Lan didn't say more, as she knew that nowadays young people have strong opinions of their own, and they might not be willing to listen if she said too much. So she generally tried to avoid unnecessary comments.
Jason also got off work early today, arriving home before seven o'clock.
As soon as he came back, Aunt Zhou announced that dinner was ready. Jason went to the study to invite the elder, and when Emma was about to help in the kitchen, she was greeted by the rich aroma of pork ribs as soon as she entered.
Aunt Zhou was still smiling as she said, "Today I've stewed pork rib and winter melon soup; in winter, we should drink more soup."
Just as she finished saying "soup," Emma, overwhelmed by the strong scent of the pork ribs in the kitchen, suddenly felt a lump in her chest, as if something was churning inside, causing her stomach to turn violently.
"Excuse me," Emma managed to say before quickly turning around.
Fortunately, the bathroom on the first floor was nearby. Once inside, she leaned over the sink and began to dry heave, but nothing came up. It was just uncomfortable, especially with the smell of the meat soup.
Emma reached for a couple of tissues, and after rinsing her mouth, she wiped her lips.
She threw the tissues into the trash can and touched her forehead with the back of her hand to check for a fever, but there was none.
When she opened the bathroom door to leave, she found Zhong Lan and Aunt Zhou waiting outside. Remembering her behavior in the kitchen, Emma quickly explained, "Aunt Zhou, it's not because of your cooking, it's me..."
"I know," Aunt Zhou nodded nervously.
At that moment, Zhong Lan cautiously asked, "Jingxi, are you pregnant?"
Upon hearing this, Emma's first reaction was to wonder if she was pregnant. The next second, she nearly jumped, realizing what day it was.
When she finally remembered the date and realized it had been ten days since her last period, she almost hit her own head.
Could there be anyone more oblivious than her in this world?
Seeing the confusion on Emma's face, Zhong Lan quietly asked, "Have you tested yourself?"
Emma shook her head.
She really hadn't, because her periods were a bit irregular, sometimes coming early and sometimes late.
She had been anxious when it was delayed by two or three days, but then she got too busy and completely forgot. If it weren't for her strong reaction to the pork rib soup today, she still wouldn't have remembered.
"How about I send someone to buy a test now?" Zhong Lan suggested.
Emma felt embarrassed to trouble others with such a purchase, so she quickly said, "After dinner, I'll drive to buy it myself."
"Let Shenyan go, he's a man. It's raining outside; how can we let you go?"
Since they were about to eat, no one brought up the matter further, planning to discuss it with Jason after dinner.
Earlier, because Emma felt a bit nauseous from the soup, Aunt Zhou hadn't served her any. However, when Jason noticed that she didn't have any, he directly placed his own bowl of soup in front of her, whispering, "Drink more to warm your stomach; it's quite cold today."
Seeing this, both Zhong Lan and Aunt Zhou became a bit anxious.
To their surprise, Zhong Lan actually stood up and took the bowl of soup from Jason's hand, saying, "This soup is a bit cold; let Aunt Zhou serve a fresh bowl."
So Aunt Zhou quickly took the soup away.
In a short while, Aunt Zhou returned and removed the soup from the table as well, and it wasn't brought back for the rest of the meal.
After dinner, Zhong Lan really wanted to talk to Jason, but the elder called Jason into the study to play chess with him. Zhong Lan, of course, couldn't interfere. Seeing that the game of chess could last for an unknown duration, as soon as Jason entered the study, Zhong Lan immediately said, "How about I go buy it? I can drive too."
Zhong Lan indeed had a driver's license, but she couldn't even remember the last time she had driven.
Seeing her urgency, Emma quickly held her back and said, "How about I order it online?"
Zhong Lan was taken aback and happily asked, "Can you really buy it online?"
Emma wasn't sure either, but she opened her phone app. Nowadays, it's indeed very convenient; buying medicine online is easy, although Emma had never bought a pregnancy test online before.
As she was about to place the order, Jason's voice suddenly came from behind, "What are you guys doing?"
With a clatter, Emma's phone slipped from her palm and rolled several times on the ground.
The sound of the phone hitting the marble floor was especially grating, and Emma was clearly startled, her body reflexively shuddering.
Seeing Emma's startled expression, Zhong Lan stepped forward and patted Jason's back, scolding, "Why are you so rough? Don't scare your wife; she's pregnant now."
Jason was a bit stunned from being hit by Zhong Lan, as she was always a lady of high society, even speaking with him in a slow and deliberate manner. She had never directly patted Jason like this before.
But more confusing than the pat was Zhong Lan's statement.
What did she mean by 'she's pregnant now'?
Jason's eyes widened for a few seconds before he subconsciously looked at Emma's stomach. She immediately waved her hand and said, "Not yet."
Well, she meant it wasn't confirmed yet.
After all, she had only dry heaved. If it turned out to be a false alarm that got the whole family excited for nothing, she would be extremely embarrassed.
Zhong Lan didn't care about that and smiled as she directed Jason, "You drive out and buy a pregnancy test. Let Jingxi test first. If it's good news, take Jingxi to the hospital for a check-up tomorrow."
Jason nodded blankly.
But seeing him just nod and still standing there, Zhong Lan quickly patted his back again.
Jason then said, "I'll go right away."
He had just turned around when he suddenly turned back and gently hugged Emma in front of Zhong Lan and Aunt Zhou. When he let go, his face had a very noticeable smile.
He was usually emotionally reserved and deep, rarely showing his feelings so openly. Now, in front of Zhong Lan and Aunt Zhou, he couldn't help himself, clearly overjoyed.
Jason left quickly and returned even faster, coming back in about fifteen minutes.
When he handed the bag to Emma, she looked down and saw that it was full of boxes.
All of these were...
Zhong Lan and Aunt Zhou waited downstairs while Jason waited upstairs in their bedroom for Emma to come out of the bathroom.
Jason immediately stood up and walked over. Emma stood at the door, looking like she wanted to say something but held back.
At that moment, Jason thought she was worried about a false alarm and was about to pat her head to comfort her when Emma took out three sticks from behind her back. Jason looked at them.
The first line was very dark, and the second was a faint one.
"This..." he was a bit confused.
Emma whispered, "Jason, it looks like we're going to have a baby."
Jason was hit with this statement, even more confused than before. Although having a child seemed like a matter of course for them, when it really happened, he was genuinely at a loss.
After being confused, he felt a sense of helplessness.
He had naturally seen babies before, so tiny, with eyes, eyebrows, fingers, and feet all present, yet so small and extremely soft.
As they grow, their faces might have traces of Jingxi or his own.
Suddenly, Jason's heart swelled, felt full, and even warmed up a bit.
There was a bit of uncontrollable excitement.
He reached out and hugged Emma, whispering, "Thank you, star."
When Jason and Emma went downstairs to tell Zhong Lan, she was so excited that she wanted to take Emma upstairs to rest immediately, but she knew she had to be patient and let them rest upstairs first.
The next day, almost as soon as Emma woke up, she went downstairs, and Zhong Lan was waiting for her.
It is said that she had already made an appointment with a familiar obstetrician, who was an expert. After Emma took a sick leave from the newspaper, she went to the hospital with Zhong Lan and Jason.
The hospital check-up was just to make sure.
When they finally got the test results, Director Jiang said with a smile, "Congratulations, you two are going to be parents."
Now the good news was finally confirmed.
After returning home, Zhong Lan immediately told Huo Zhenzhong and the elder about the news. Upon hearing it, the elder nodded with a smile, saying, "This is our Jason family's first great-grandchild, very good, very good."
In the evening, Emma finally understood the meaning of "very good." When Jason brought something in and casually handed it to her with a smile, saying, "Grandpa asked me to give this to you," Emma was puzzled. She opened it, took a glance, and then quickly closed it again. When she looked at Jason, he just smiled and asked, "Happy?"
He knew Emma's expression definitely wasn't one of happiness, but he still teased her on purpose. Emma opened the document again, counted the zeros on it, and after the third count, she finally whispered, "A hundred million?"
This was the elder's fund for the baby in her womb. Not much, just a hundred million. Jason smiled and patted her head, "This is the great-grandfather's wish for the baby."
Emma felt a bit dazed and needed some time to calm down. She didn't want to seem unsophisticated, but who would give an unborn child a hundred million? Jason, however, was quite calm about it. He said, "When I was born, my grandfather also gave my mom a hundred million, and he said he would give this much as a reward for each child born."
Emma looked at him, realizing that such generosity was possible in this world. Jason continued, "But my mom had a lot of bleeding when she gave birth to me, and my dad didn't want her to have more children."
What a spirit of disregarding money. Jason went on, "If you feel it's too hard, let's just have one child."
"Do you prefer a boy or a girl?" Emma asked him seriously.
Jason thought for a moment, "A girl."
Finally, he whispered, "Xiao Cheng always brags to me about his daughter."
Emma thought of Jiang Jingcheng and Yan Yu's daughter, the little sweet girl named Tang Duo'er, who was not only incredibly cute and pretty like a doll but also had a mouth as if coated with honey.
"Alright, let's have a daughter then," Emma nodded.
Seeing her determined look, Jason joked, "How about we have twins at once?"
Emma looked at him, "Does your family have a gene for twins?"
Jason thought about it and realized there wasn't one.
Emma also felt a bit disappointed. She didn't know much about their family history, but she hadn't heard of any twins being born. Yet she said earnestly, "What if we get our wish, and it's not just twins but also a boy-girl pair?"
Jason found her inexplicable confidence amusing. However, he didn't discourage Emma; instead, he encouraged her, "Sure, what if we do get our wish?"