"A...a positive pulse?" Lu Xiao froze, as if struck by lightning. The fear, ferocity, and ashen complexion on his face solidified instantly, then vanished rapidly like melting snow. He blinked blankly, seemingly not understanding Old Wang's words, or perhaps unable to believe his ears. He looked down at An'an, who was gazing at him shyly, nodding gently with a tender, confirming look in her eyes.

"You're...you're pregnant?" Lu Xiao's voice was dry, like sandpaper rubbing. He suddenly looked up at Old Wang, his eyes shining brightly, with an almost frantic desire for confirmation. "You mean...An'an...she's...pregnant?" His voice trembled uncontrollably.

"Indeed." Old Wang nodded with a smile. "Madam's pulse is smooth and flowing, undoubtedly a sign of pregnancy. The pregnancy is still early, about a month or so. Madam's discomfort just now is a reaction to early pregnancy, coupled with fatigue. She will be fine after a few days of rest and recuperation."

“Our…child?” Lu Xiao looked down again at An An’s still flat stomach, his eyes filled with immense, unbelievable joy, and a hint of dazedness as if waking from a dream. He carefully, as if touching a rare treasure, reached out his large hand, which had been clenched into a fist with bulging veins, and gently, with a slight tremor, covered An An’s stomach.

His eyes reddened even more, this time not with fear, but with an overwhelming joy that almost drowned him and an indescribable emotion. Scalding tears broke through the iron-willed general's defenses without warning, quickly filling his eyes, sliding down his resolute cheeks, and landing on An'an's hand, burning hot.

"An'an..." His voice choked, thick with emotion. He pulled An'an into a tight embrace, burying his face in the crook of her neck. Warm tears soaked her clothes, and his hot breath brushed against her skin, filled with immense relief and endless gratitude for surviving such a calamity.

“An’an…that’s great…that’s great…” he repeated incoherently, his voice muffled and choked with sobs. “Just now…just now I was so scared…I thought…I thought…” He couldn’t finish his sentence, but he hugged her even tighter. “We have a baby…An’an…we have a baby…” He looked up, cupped her face in his hands, his eyes blurred with tears, but a silly, incredibly bright smile spread across his lips. It was a smile as pure as a child’s, filled with the immense joy of something lost and found again.

He hastily wiped the tears from his face with his sleeve, then couldn't help but lower his head and, with utmost care, boundless love and devotion, kiss An'an's forehead, then the tip of her nose, and finally gently placed his kiss on her lips, as tender as a feather brushing against her skin.

He loosened his grip on her slightly, his gaze fixed intently on her still flat stomach, his large hand still resting on it, as if he were feeling the tiny life that had just been confirmed to exist.

"Little one..." He spoke to An'an's belly, his voice incredibly gentle, tinged with the awkwardness and immense excitement of a new father, "You scared Daddy to death... You have to be good from now on, and don't scare your mother anymore..." He looked up at An'an, his eyes filled with an overwhelming love and contentment, his voice hoarse yet crystal clear:

"An'an, thank you... This is the best military news I've ever received in my life."