Chapter 283 Baozhen
Shen Yuanzhu smiled faintly and raised her hand to wipe away the tears on Xie Qi's cheeks.
Mrs. Luo, holding the swaddled baby, stood smiling behind the two.
After a long while, she said, "Young master, Miss is tired from giving birth. Let us let her rest first."
After saying that, she held the baby and approached Xie Qi, saying affectionately, "Congratulations on the birth of your daughter, young master, won't you take a look at the little lady?"
Xie Qi turned his head stiffly and saw the baby in the swaddling clothes with its eyes closed, its chubby little face flushed and pinkish-white.
The midwife said, "This girl will definitely be outstanding in appearance in the future. I have delivered so many children, and I have never seen any child more beautiful than her."
"She is beautiful, like Yuanzhu."
Xie Qi looked down for a while, then smiled.
"Young master, would you like to hold the young lady?"
"May I?"
"certainly."
Luo held the child and gently placed him into Xie Qi's arms.
The baby was tiny and incredibly soft; Xie Qi felt stiff the moment he held him in his arms. He felt like he was holding a ball of cotton, so light and weightless that he couldn't exert any strength.
"You don't need to be so reserved. If you're too tense, the young lady will be uncomfortable."
Upon hearing this, Xie Qi was even more at a loss for what to do.
Luo couldn't help but chuckle as she watched.
Shen Yuanzhu was exhausted from childbirth, so the task of caring for the baby fell to Xie Qi. Originally, Luo Shi wanted to help take care of the baby, but Xie Qi refused.
He wanted to watch the little one in his arms grow up little by little.
The little guy is quite sensible and rarely cries, only letting out a few howls when he's hungry or wet. Each time he cries out loudly, Xie Qi can't help but feel proud.
As expected of his and Yuanzhu's daughter, she is so full of life.
He takes care of Shen Yuanzhu during the day and personally looks after his daughter in the evening. Occasionally, when Shen Yuanzhu wants to take care of her, Xie Qi will let her rest more.
"You were exhausted from childbirth, and I couldn't help you much, so I certainly can't let you suffer during your postpartum period."
Xie Qi touched the cotton wadding of the swaddling clothes with his fingertips, a look of doubt on his face.
This swaddling cloth was embroidered by the embroiderer he had asked earlier, and it was filled with freshly fluffed soft down. It felt very fluffy and lightweight.
The freshly extruded cotton is breathable and warm, and feels more comfortable against the skin.
Xie Qi just didn't know whether the thickness of the soft fleece was too thin or too thick.
He looked up at Shen Yuanzhu and asked, "Yuanzhu, what do you think of the thickness of this swaddling clothes?"
Shen Yuanzhu also reached out and touched it with her finger, then shook her head.
The two first-time parents knew nothing about raising a child and had to figure everything out by trial and error.
Shen Yuanzhu reached out and slipped her hand into the swaddling clothes, feeling the baby's body temperature.
After a long pause, she finally said, "It should... work, right?"
With the movement, the swaddling clothes were slightly opened, and Shen Yuanzhu then discovered that there wasn't a single stitch inside.
She said, "You told the embroiderer to leave all the stitches outside?"
Xie Qi nodded: "It would be uncomfortable for her if she didn't stay outside."
As he spoke, he reached out and poked the baby's soft, white belly.
Shen Yuanzhu smiled and asked, "Xie Qi, have you named the baby yet?"
"No, I don't know what to choose."
He started studying the Shuowen Jiezi (a dictionary of Chinese characters) six months ago, memorizing it over and over again, looking at it from all angles.
But he felt none of them were good.
"Why don't you get one for her?"
Shen Yuanzhu shook her head: "You come and get it."
Xie Qi thought for a long time, looking at the baby sleeping soundly in his arms, and couldn't help but ask, "What do you think of Bao Zhen?"
He searched for many characters and looked at many names. From the Book of Songs to the Three Character Classic, from the Doctrine of the Mean to the Analects, he still preferred the name Baozhen.
Xie Qi held the child and gently pressed him against her cheek.
"She is our most precious treasure."
Shen Yuanzhu was taken aback for a moment, then nodded and smiled, "Okay, let's call him Baozhen."
Just like her mother did back then, she named her Yuanzhu. Now, her daughter has become the apple of her eye, as precious as a pearl.
Xie Qi and Shen Yuanzhu each held one of Xiao Baozhen's hands, which were soft and chubby. Xie Qi couldn't help but exclaim in surprise, and Shen Yuanzhu chuckled foolishly.
Xiao Baozhen eats and sleeps well; she is a healthy and sensible child.
Xie Qi put her in the cradle and then poured some sugar water for Shen Yuanzhu.
She is still in her postpartum period and can only lie in bed, surrounded by airtight walls.
Fearing she would feel stifled, Xie Qi replaced one corner of the bed curtains with a more breathable light gauze.
He lifted the veil and handed the sweet soup to Chen Yuanzhu.
The sweet soup bowl was lined with a soft cotton cloth, because Xie Qi had heard from Madam Luo that postpartum women shouldn't get cold. He was worried that the porcelain bowl would be too cold and upset Chen Yuanzhu.
Her hands will be used to operate an abacus in the future.
After drinking the sugar water, Shen Yuanzhu regained some strength and was about to let Xie Qi rest for a while when she heard Xiao Baozhen start crying.
Before the Shenyuan Pearl could move, Xie Qi reached out and felt the back of the child's neck.
"It's a bit tight."
Xie Qi gently tugged at the swaddling clothes, patted Xiao Baozhen, and soothed him softly.
Before long, Xiao Baozhen smacked his lips and fell asleep again.
Shen Yuanzhu looked on, somewhat surprised.
She initially thought the baby had wet the bed, but Xie Qi glanced at the baby and realized that the swaddling clothes were wrapped a little too tightly...
Shen Yuanzhu raised her hand and kneaded Xie Qi's earlobe.
"do what?"
Shen Yuanzhu said, "My husband is so good. He is the best husband in the world."
Upon hearing this, Xie Qi pursed his lips, his lips almost pouting to the heavens.
After drinking the sugar water, Shen Yuanzhu felt a little sleepy. Xie Qi tucked her in and carried Xiao Baozhen out.
When Mrs. Luo finally saw her young mistress, she couldn't help but take two steps forward and quickly take her away.
Xie Qi said, "I'll trouble you to look after Baozhen for a while, Mama Luo. I'll go and air out her swaddling clothes and diapers."
Luo said, "Xiaozhi and I have both dried them in the sun and washed them very clean."
Xie Qi nodded but insisted on checking it himself.
The sun-dried swaddle and diapers were still warm, and their gentle touch wouldn't startle Baozhen. Baozhen preferred this temperature, and she never cried when her swaddle and diapers were changed.
Xie Qi was happy to do these things and enjoyed it immensely.
Even after Shen Yuanzhu finished her postpartum confinement, Xie Qi never stopped feeding her.
Occasionally, when Shen Yuanzhu had no appetite, Xie Qi would make her various snacks. When Xiao Baozhen was able to eat some porridge, he would cook rice porridge for Yuanzhu and Baozhen.
He would go to the rice shop well in advance to ask the shopkeeper to help him reserve the best millet, then go home and crush it with a stone mortar and pestle, soak it for half a day, and then cook it.
After boiling, it needs to be carefully strained through a fine sieve to leave only a thick layer of rice oil.
He only dared to give Baozhen food that he had personally prepared.
In this way, we won't have to worry about choking Xiao Baozhen.
After feeding Baozhen early in the morning, Shen Yuanzhu would also have a bowl of hot porridge when she woke up. It was cooked until a thick layer of rice oil was formed, the only difference being that hers was not strained.
After receiving the rice porridge from Xie Qi, Shen Yuanzhu would stir the bottom of the bowl with a spoon.
"Huh?"
Xie Qi watched her movements and couldn't help but chuckle.
He looked at Shen Yuanzhu with eyes full of doting affection and tenderness.
"Try it."
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