Midnight Worries and Distant Dangers

Zhang Mei could not sleep. She kept tossing and turning until finally, with a sigh, she gave up. Gently touching her swollen belly, she murmured, "You love keeping mommy awake, don't you?"

She made her way down the grand staircase of Sun Lixia's villa, heading straight for the kitchen. Li Chen usually prepared night snacks in their bedroom, but his absence meant she had to fend for herself.

"Can't sleep?" a voice asked from behind. Zhang Mei turned to see her mother-in-law.

"I'm thirsty, and a bit hungry too," she admitted.

Sun Lixia chuckled. "Reminds me of when I was pregnant with Li Chen and Li Xinjie. I would wake up at 2 AM for a snack."

"Well, it will be over soon," Zhang Mei said.

"Then it's sleepless nights of feeding," Sun Lixia quipped. They shared a laugh.

Sun Lixia prepared a quick sandwich for Zhang Mei. As they sat together, Zhang Mei noticed her mother-in-law's tired eyes. "Why aren't you sleeping at this hour?"