Thousands of miles away, on the northwestern frontier, lies the Zhenbei Army camp.

The air here was completely different, filled with the dry smell of sand and dust, the smell of rust, the smell of sweat, and an overwhelmingly bitter herbal scent. It was already evening, and the shouts of the soldiers practicing on the drill ground gradually faded away. Only the smaller tent next to the main command tent, with a wooden sign with the character "Medicine" hanging at the door, was brightly lit and filled with the movements of people.

Inside the tent, Luo Qingrou sat behind a simple wooden table, one hand gently pressing her noticeably protruding belly, the other holding a pen, writing rapidly on an open sheet of paper. She wore a faded military doctor's cotton robe, her long hair simply tied up, a few stray strands damp with sweat clinging to her forehead. Her face bore the faint weariness of a long journey and pregnancy, yet her eyes remained calm and focused. Several medical books and a stack of wounded soldiers' medical records awaited treatment on the table.

The old military doctor, his hair and beard all white, his back hunched, was carefully stirring the dark brown medicinal liquid in the earthenware pot in front of the medicine stove in the corner. The bitter medicinal fumes rose up, and he squinted, occasionally adding a little dried herbs, muttering to himself: "...The timing of this pregnancy-stabilizing medicine is crucial. Simmer it over a low flame, three bowls of water reduced to one bowl. Too much will make it too dry, too little will weaken its effect... Girl, did you feel that the little one was still quite fussy today? When I took your pulse this afternoon, your brows were furrowed."

Luo Qingrou kept writing without raising her head, her voice a little hoarse but with a hint of resilience: "It's alright, it's just that it moved quite violently just now, kicking my ribs and it hurts a lot. I guess it's annoyed that I've been sitting for too long. Master, how long will it take for the medicine to be ready? I still need to go check on Captain Wang's leg injury and change the dressing later."

"It'll be soon, what's the rush!" the old military doctor muttered. "You're a doctor yourself, yet you're less careful than those brutes! You're pregnant and still running around all day, even a person made of iron couldn't take it..." Before he could finish his rambling, the tent flap was suddenly flung open by a large hand with distinct knuckles and thin calluses.

Lu Zheng, clad in light black armor and looking travel-worn, strode in, bringing with him a chilling aura. His handsome face bore the hard lines etched by the harshness of frontier life, and his brow held an unyielding air of menace. However, the moment his gaze fell upon his wife behind the desk, that hardness melted away like thin ice under the spring sun, transforming into an intense, unyielding worry and tension. He strode to Luo Qingrou's side, the metal plates of his armor making a soft clinking sound.

"Rou'er!" Lu Zheng's voice was low and urgent, with a hint of tension that was barely perceptible. "I just came back from patrolling the camp and heard from the guards that you almost fainted this afternoon? What happened? Are you feeling unwell? Did this little thing bother you again?" He asked in rapid succession, his gaze darting anxiously over her slightly pale face. His large hand had already subconsciously covered the back of her hand that was pressing on her lower abdomen, his palm warm and trembling slightly.

Luo Qingrou finally finished writing the last word, put down her pen, sighed helplessly, looked up at him, and smiled reassuringly: "Don't listen to their nonsense. I just got up a little too suddenly, and my vision went black for a moment, but I steadied myself by holding onto the table. How could you be so delicate? Master is right here, what are you panicking about?"

"How can I not panic!" Lu Zheng frowned, his voice rising a few decibels, then realized something and lowered it, his tone resolute and unwavering. "You are carrying two babies now, we can't be careless at all! This harsh northwest is lacking in medical care and medicine, and the wind and sand are fierce..." The more he spoke, the more alarmed he became. His gaze swept over the simple furnishings in the tent, landing on the bitter medicine pot on the stove in the corner. His anxiety and heartache were almost overflowing.

He took a deep breath, as if he had made a great decision, and said resolutely, "No, this will not do! I will write a letter back to the capital right now and ask my mother to come here immediately! She is experienced and her servants are capable. I can only feel at ease with her by your side!" As he spoke, he turned to get paper and pen.

"Ah Zheng!" Luo Qingrou quickly grabbed his wrist, her tone both reassuring and insistent. "My mother is far away in the capital, and she's getting old. This journey has been too arduous. Besides, I'm a doctor myself, and my master is here with me. What is there to be afraid of?"

“You know medicine, that’s one thing, taking care of yourself is another!” Lu Zheng wouldn’t budge, gripping her hand tightly, his eyes burning. “Look at your face! Besides, this military camp is full of rough men. With you pregnant, it’ll be difficult for you to get around. With Mother here, at least she can take better care of you, and I can… be less distracted.” His voice lowered at the last sentence, carrying a barely perceptible plea. He couldn’t imagine what might happen if something went wrong while she gave birth in this harsh border region…