Several days later.

A small, black-awning boat drifts leisurely on the vast, misty waterways of Jiangnan. On both banks are rows of weeping willows and waterside villages with white walls and black tiles. A light drizzle envelops the world in a hazy, ink-wash painting.

At the bow of the boat sat a young scholar in a worn blue robe, with a square cap on his head and a handsome face. He was holding a book and gazing intently into the misty rain. Beside him sat a woman in a simple dress and plain clothes. She had an ordinary appearance and was mending a coarse cloth garment. This was how the two of them had disguised themselves.

The boatwoman rowed at the stern, smiling as she spoke: "Are you and your wife going to visit relatives or friends? This drizzling rain is quite poetic."

Xiao Chengkang put down his book and smiled gently: "I'm going to Jiangnan to visit an old friend. This rain... is indeed lingering."

A-Yuan raised her head and looked at the distant mountains that were faintly visible through the rain curtain and the water birds that flew by nearby. She said in a low voice, "The rain in Jiangnan and the sandstorms in the north are indeed very different." Her voice was deliberately lowered and had a soft, gentle Jiangnan accent.

The boatwoman laughed and said, "Young lady, you're right! We have a lot of water and rain here. But that's good, it's very humid and nourishing!"

Upon hearing this, A-Yuan's cheeks flushed slightly. She lowered her head and continued sewing, her stitches becoming much finer. Xiao Chengkang's gaze fell on her temples, damp with the drizzle, then shifted to the vast river, his eyes deep and lost in thought. The sound of oars cutting through the water and the pattering rain blended together into a tranquil scene.

The wind from the north carried a chill, but the warm pavilion in the inner courtyard of the general's mansion was as cozy as spring, filled with a faint calming fragrance and a subtle milky aroma—the scent that An'an had brought when she made baby clothes for her three children.

Shen Zhao lay half-reclined on the soft couch, her belly already showing, quite rounded. In her hand she held a small red silk bib embroidered with a plump carp, which An An had brought her, touching the fine stitches with great affection, her big eyes full of longing.

“Sister-in-law, look at the eyes of this carp, they’re so lifelike!” Shen Zhao exclaimed. “Tell me, if the two little ones wore these little bibs and lay in a row, wouldn’t they look like a pair of red carp?” She imagined the scene and started to giggle.

An'an, sitting on a small stool nearby and doing needlework, laughed when she heard this, "It looks just like it, how could it not? When the time comes, you'll have two little fat fish splashing around in your arms, you'll have your fun."

Shen Zhao stuck out her tongue, put down her undergarment, leaned closer to An'an, and with a mysterious and cunning look on her face, lowered her voice: "Sister-in-law, um... can I ask you something quietly?" She looked around to make sure Lu Qi wasn't nearby.

Seeing her quirky expression, An'an knew what she was going to ask, and suppressed a laugh: "Go ahead and ask, why are you being so mysterious?"

Two red clouds rose on Shen Zhao's cheeks, and her voice became even softer, with a hint of coyness: "It's just...it's just...like this now..." She pointed to her stomach, "Lu Qi...he always wants...that..." She couldn't finish her sentence, only looking at An An with her big, watery eyes, the meaning of which was self-evident.

An'an chuckled and gently tapped Shen Zhao's forehead. "You silly girl! Aren't you ashamed to ask this?" Though her tone was playful, it was full of the understanding of someone with experience. "The first and last three months are crucial, so you naturally have to be patient. As for the middle period..." She paused, looking at Shen Zhao's flushed, inquisitive face, suppressing her laughter and lowering her voice, "If the pregnancy is stable and you feel comfortable, occasional...it's fine. Just be extremely gentle, never press on your belly, and don't do it for too long. Most importantly, if you feel even the slightest discomfort, you absolutely mustn't let him do whatever he wants, understand?"

Shen Zhao nodded repeatedly, her face turning even redder, like a ripe shrimp, but her eyes sparkled, clearly indicating she had grasped the "true teachings" and felt confident. She muttered to herself, "Hmph, I won't let him get away with this... If he dares to misbehave, I'll tell my sister-in-law to deal with him!"

An'an was amused by her and laughed: "Okay, okay, I'll help you deal with him." She changed the subject and picked up a thin booklet next to her. "But, more important than this, you should be worrying about how to take care of these two little devils. Here, these are some methods I wrote down for feeding, changing, and dealing with crying at night, as well as a few simple remedies for infantile convulsions and fever. Keep them and flip through them from time to time so you have some ideas."

Shen Zhao's attention was immediately diverted. She took the booklet as if it were a treasure and flipped through it: "Oh my, so many rules! Do you have to carry them around when they cry at night? Do you have to burp them after feeding them? ... Good heavens, so troublesome! Sister-in-law, how did you manage to take care of three of them?" She looked at the dense notes in the booklet and her head was spinning.

An'an smiled, her eyes tenderly recalling, "How did we get through it? We just gritted our teeth and endured it. Your older brother often helped out back then, along with a few nannies. Your older brother was so tired he could fall asleep standing up, but when he heard the baby cry, he would wake up with a start..." She looked at Shen Zhao's slightly protruding belly, her eyes full of love and encouragement.

"Don't be afraid. There are so many people in the General's Mansion, and I'll be there for you. I'll make sure our Zhaozhao can be the most relaxed and beautiful mother."

Shen Zhao touched her belly, feeling the movements of the two little lives inside. Listening to An An's gentle yet reassuring words, the fear of the unknown in her heart was gradually replaced by warmth and anticipation. She leaned against the soft pillows, her face radiating happiness and contentment.