Bonus Chapter: The Chaotic Daily Life of Raising a Child
As dawn broke, Fang Li leaned against the headboard, a fine layer of sweat beading on her forehead.
A sharp, stabbing pain shot through her chest, causing her to gasp involuntarily.
The baby, only three days old, was being awkwardly cradled in her arms. His little face was flushed red, and he was searching anxiously with his little mouth open, but he couldn't find the right spot.
"Mother...is this...is this position correct? She seems unable to absorb the pressure..." Fang Li's voice was filled with obvious fatigue and frustration. She tried to adjust the angle of her arm again, but the slightest movement aggravated her wound, causing her to wince.
Sitting on the edge of the bed, Yun Zhiruo quickly reached out and gently supported her granddaughter's wobbly head: "Relax, Pear, don't tense up. Yes, just like that, let the baby's chin rest against you, right..." She whispered instructions while gently adjusting the baby's position.
Just then, the door creaked open a crack.
Immediately afterwards, four heads were piled up from top to bottom in the narrow door crack, and eight eyes peered in at once.
Ji Qianqiu, who was at the bottom, craned his neck and saw Fang Li's furrowed brows and pained expression. He couldn't help but exclaim softly, "Oh dear! Junior Sister seems to be in a lot of pain! Being a mother is really not easy!"
Xie Chen, who was squeezed on top of him, immediately lowered his voice, his tone so serious it was as if he were rehearsing some ultimate formation: "According to Chapter 3, Section 7 of the 'Guide to Infant and Toddler Care,' it is normal for a woman's milk ducts not to be open after her first childbirth, and for the infant's mouth not to have enough strength, to encounter difficulties during the first breastfeeding. Patience and guidance are needed, proceeding gradually, and one should not rush it..."
Shen Yunzhou, who was above, frowned and stared at the small mass and Fang Li's painful expression. He pondered and said, "Is this caused by poor blood circulation? Could... a wisp of gentle sword energy be used to clear the blockage and perhaps relieve Li'er's pain?" As he spoke, a faint light was indeed flashing at his fingertips.
Squeezed on top, Ye Wuyang, expressionless, hadn't even had a chance to speak when a soft pillow, accompanied by a whooshing sound, slammed precisely into his face with a "smack."
Then came Ji Qianqiu's "Ouch!", Xie Chen's muffled groan, and the chaotic sound of Shen Yunzhou instinctively blocking and knocking down the other two.
"What are you looking at! Get out of here!" Fang Li was both in pain and angry, a blush rising on her face, whether from anger or embarrassment was hard to tell.
Ye Wuyang was the first to stand up straight. He silently picked up the pillow that had fallen to the ground, dusted it off, and then expressionlessly reached out and slammed the door shut.
He turned around and looked at Ji Qianqiu rubbing his head, Xie Chen brushing off dust, and Shen Yunzhou straightening his robes behind him. He parted his thin lips and uttered two words: "...in the way."
The area outside the door fell silent instantly.
Inside the room, with Yun Zhiruo's patient help, the baby finally figured it out and began to suckle contentedly.
Fang Li looked at the tiny person in her arms, let out a long sigh, leaned against the headboard, and closed her eyes wearily.
Thinking to myself, this is already so hard to get through at the very beginning.
However, the real test was yet to come in the dead of night.
All was quiet; it was the perfect time for a good night's sleep.
Fang Li felt that she had just closed her eyes when a loud cry suddenly rang out.
She was so frightened that her heart almost jumped out of her throat.
She instinctively nudged the person next to her, her voice slurred and pleading, "...Ye Wuyang, please go... I really can't move..."
Almost the instant the words fell, Ye Wuyang sat up abruptly, his movement so fast it created a gust of wind.
His usually stern face now appeared solemn and grave, as if facing a formidable enemy, in the hazy night.
He walked to the cradle, his movements stiff, and carefully picked up his crying daughter.
Next, this sword master, who could strike fear into the hearts of demonic cultivators, began the most haphazard "appeasement" of his life.
He held his daughter and swayed her from side to side without any rhythm, the amplitude varying and the speed varying.
As expected, the daughter was not calmed down at all. Instead, the swaying and shaking made her cry even louder, and she waved her little arms and legs wildly in the air.
The sound of crying immediately attracted Shen Yunzhou.
He was dressed neatly, seemingly still awake. He slipped into the room, his gaze sweeping over Ye Wuyang's clumsy movements and the crying baby. He suggested, "I've heard that the clear, melodious sound of a sword has a calming and soothing effect." With that, he condensed a wisp of sword energy at his fingertips, flicked it gently, and produced a soft "clang."
The child's crying suddenly stopped, and then, with a loud "Wah—!", the volume jumped an octave, and the child cried so hard that he almost passed out.
"Oh dear! I must be hungry! I'm going to get some hot milk!" Ji Qianqiu's loud voice came with the sound of footsteps. He squeezed into the room, glanced at the situation, and then turned and rushed to the kitchen.
"No, no!" Xie Chen's voice rang out immediately. He rushed in, holding the thick "Guide to Infant and Toddler Care." By the moonlight streaming in from the window, he pointed to the illustrations on the pages. "Judging from this cry, it's short and strong, with intermittent leg kicks. It's clearly a sign of abdominal distension and discomfort! We need to massage the abdomen with specific techniques to help it release gas!" As he spoke, he leaned over and tried to perform the gas-relieving exercises drawn in the book for the child in Ye Wuyang's stiff embrace.
In an instant, the scene inside the house completely spiraled out of control:
Ye Wuyang was still shaking mechanically, Shen Yunzhou's fingertips continued to flash with spiritual light, as if he wanted to try other frequencies, Xie Chen tried to do exercises around Ye Wuyang, and Ji Qianqiu rushed back with a bowl of steaming spiritual milk, slipped and almost spilled the milk...
Fang Li was completely awakened by this series of noises. She sat up and looked at the chaotic scene in front of her, feeling her temples throbbing.
She took a deep breath and hissed, "...Stop it, all of you!"
The four men froze instantly.
Fang Li threw off the covers and got out of bed. She walked to Ye Wuyang and took her daughter, whose face was red from crying and who was panting heavily.
She gently held her daughter in her arms, letting her little face press against her chest, and softly patted her back with her palm.
Miraculously, the deafening cries gradually subsided, turning into soft, aggrieved sobs. Finally, the child calmed down in her mother's warm embrace, leaving only occasional choked sobs.
The four men held their breath, watching this incredible scene with extremely complex expressions.
There was a sense of relief, an awkward feeling of being at a loss, and a touch of warmth at the scene before me.
After a few days of adjustment, the men finally realized that when it came to taking care of children, they were giants in theory but dwarfs in practice.
But admitting defeat was out of the question, especially when it came to such an important matter as giving their precious daughter her first bath. Everyone was eager to redeem themselves.
After discussion among the four, the following decision was made:
Xie Chen was in charge of adjusting the water temperature.
He squatted by the bathtub, repeatedly adjusting the temperature, adding a little hot water and then a little cold water, his attitude as serious as if he were refining a high-level elixir, making sure the water temperature was just right.
Shen Yunzhou was in charge of logistical support, ensuring that towels, changes of clothes, soap, and other items were neatly arranged and within easy reach.
He even used his sword energy to warm the towel.
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