Chapter 190 The New Dad is Scared

Lu Zheng stomped his feet outside for another ten minutes or so, his toes aching as if bitten by a cat. Just when he felt like his bones were about to crack from the cold, the door to the east wing opened.

"Go in and take a look." Dr. Zhang took off his mask and smiled at him. "The mother has woken up, but she's still weak."

"Hey!" Lu Zheng suddenly rushed in, not even managing to say "thank you" properly.

Wang Meihua quickly stopped the doctor who was about to chase after them, her eyes crinkling with laughter: "Dr. Zhang, please come in and sit down! I've cooked a meal; you've all worked hard today, so you must have a good meal."

Without saying a word, they dragged people into the kitchen, where the scrambled eggs and stewed meat were even more plentiful than what they ate in the provincial capital.

Lu Zheng entered the room and saw Xia Qianqian lying on the kang (a heated brick bed), her face as pale as paper. In the swaddling clothes beside her was a small, red, fleshy bundle, its eyes closed and wrinkled, like a newly hatched chick, its little fists clenched tightly.

"Qianqian!" Lu Zheng rushed to the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), his voice trembling. He wanted to touch her but was afraid of hurting her. "How are you feeling? Does the incision hurt? Do you want some water?"

Xia Qianqian smiled weakly: "Silly girl, I'm fine."

She tilted her head to look at the swaddled baby, her eyes sparkling with tiny glimmers of light. "Bring the baby here so I can see... let me see what this troublesome little one looks like."

"Yes!" Lu Zheng responded loudly, rubbing his hands, which were numb from the cold, and carefully reached out to the swaddling clothes.

But as soon as her fingertips touched the soft blanket, she recoiled as if burned!

"Ouch!" He gasped, his eyes widening in shock.

How can this child be so limp? It's like holding a freshly steamed cotton candy in my arms, his limbs swaying weakly, as if he would break at the slightest force.

What terrified him even more was that there was a soft spot on the top of the little guy's head that rose and fell with his breathing, like a moving water sac!

Lu Zheng panicked completely, his hands frozen in mid-air, unable to move forward or backward, and he was sweating profusely with anxiety.

This isn't holding a child; it's clearly holding a fragile glass doll! What if he accidentally breaks it?

"Pfft—" Granny Zhang came in carrying a basin and couldn't help but laugh when she saw him like this. "Look at you silly thing! Move aside! Holding a baby is such delicate work, how could you grown men do it?"

As she spoke, she flipped her wrist and easily scooped the child into her arms as if she were picking up a kitten, her movements so practiced that Lu Zheng was dumbfounded.

"You...you be gentle!" Lu Zheng was so scared that his heart almost jumped out of his chest. He spread his arms out in mid-air, afraid that Granny Zhang would slip up. His eyes were as wide as copper bells.

Grandma Zhang rolled her eyes at him: "Don't worry! I've held more babies than you've eaten rice!"

Lu Zheng scratched his head, unable to hide the silly smile on his face. His previous helplessness had long been overshadowed by his joy.

His gaze was fixed on the tiny baby as if drawn by a magnet, and he didn't even want to blink.

Xia Qianqian lay in the soft bedding, her face still pale, but a gentle smile played on her lips.

She stretched out her slightly trembling fingers and gently stroked the child's soft cheek; the touch was as delicate as the finest silk.

The little one seemed to sense his mother's touch. His little mouth moved, and he slowly opened his little hand and grabbed her fingers in one go!

The force wasn't strong, but it felt like a warm current instantly flowing through Xia Qianqian's limbs and bones, making her heart skip a beat.

This is her child, the precious baby she risked her life to give birth to!

An indescribable, blood-connected feeling spread through my heart, warm and reassuring.

"Baby, it's Mommy." Xia Qianqian's voice was so gentle it could melt water, filled with the boundless love of a new mother.

As if she really understood, the baby tightened her grip on her finger, her tiny hand holding one of her fingers—so small, yet so strong.

Xia Qianqian turned her head in surprise, her eyes glistening with tears, and looked at Lu Zheng: "Lu Zheng, look! He recognizes me! He really recognizes me!"

Lu Zheng leaned forward and looked at his wife and child's tightly clasped fingers, his heart softening.

He reached out and carefully touched the child's other free little hand, and said with a smile, "Silly girl, what's so strange about this?"

His voice trembled slightly, almost imperceptibly, "You talk and sing to him every day, if he dares to disown you, I'll be the first to spank his little bottom!"

Grandma Zhang, watching from the side, couldn't help but laugh out loud: "Look at this child, he's so in sync with his mother!"

The wind and snow outside stopped, and the sunlight streamed through the window, bathing the family of three in warmth and beauty.

Looking at the happy smile on Qianqian's face, and then looking down at the tiny life tightly holding its mother's finger, Lu Zheng felt that he was the happiest person in the world.

At this moment, Xia Qianqian's eyelids drooped, and her voice was soft and weak: "Lu Zheng, I'm sleepy..."

She let out a long yawn: "The doctor is still outside. Go and keep him company. We're so grateful to them today."

Lu Zheng suddenly snapped back to reality, so engrossed in looking at his wife and children that he had completely forgotten about his savior!

Just as he was about to leave, the wooden door opened, and Wang Meihua came in carrying a tray. The pigeon soup in the celadon bowl was glistening with oil, and the steam carrying the fragrance of angelica filled the room.

Her apron was covered in flour dust, and she playfully poked Lu Zheng's forehead: "By the time you remember the doctor, it'll be too late!"

"I..." Lu Zheng scratched his head, his face flushed red, looking like a naive boy who had done something wrong.

"Alright, Dr. Zhang and the others are eating in the west wing. I'll have Granny Zhang keep an eye on the fire and pack two more jars of pickled vegetables for them to eat on the way."

Wang Meihua placed the tray on the low stool by the kang (a heated brick bed), scooped up a spoonful of soup and blew on it, "Qianqian, drink it while it's hot. This pigeon soup has been simmered for three hours, and the bones are tender. It's the best for replenishing qi and blood."

Xia Qianqian was indeed hungry; the aroma made her stomach rumble.

Wang Meihua helped her sit up halfway, placed a thick quilt behind her, and then carefully scooped up some soup with a small spoon and brought it to her lips: "Drink slowly, be careful it's hot."

The milky white broth slid down my throat, carrying the slight bitterness of medicinal cuisine and the sweetness of pigeon, and the warmth traveled down my esophagus all the way to my heart.

Xia Qianqian took a small sip of her drink, and when she caught a glimpse of Lu Zheng still standing there dumbfounded, she couldn't help but smile and say, "Why don't you go eat too? Don't keep the doctor waiting."

"Yes!" Lu Zheng responded, but didn't move. He just squatted by the kang (a heated brick bed), watching her eyelashes tremble slightly as she drank the soup. His Adam's apple bobbed three times—it was so good that his Qianqian and the baby were both well, and even the soup smelled sweet as honey.

Wang Meihua saw through his thoughts and smiled as she gave him a push: "Go on, go on, I'll take care of things here! You can come in and keep watch after Qianqian falls asleep."

Lu Zheng then went to the kitchen, looking back every few steps.