The small courtyard, a survivor of the catastrophe, was enveloped in a weary yet incredibly peaceful atmosphere. The osmanthus blossoms still exuded their fragrance, but the faint stench of blood in the air had been completely replaced by the rich aroma of medicine, the scent of milk, and the cries of newborns.
Shen Yuewei slept soundly for a day and a night before slowly waking up. Her body felt like it was falling apart, every bone screaming in pain, especially her lower body. But when she opened her eyes and saw her mother's bloodshot yet loving eyes watching over her bedside, and heard the faint, kitten-like cries coming from outside, all the pain seemed to be washed away by a tremendous sense of satisfaction and gratitude.
"Wei'er, you're awake? How are you feeling?" Mother Shen immediately leaned forward, her voice hoarse from crying and incredibly gentle, carefully wiping Wei'er's forehead with a warm cotton handkerchief.
"Mother..." Shen Yuewei's voice was weak, her eyes searching anxiously, "The child..."
"The baby is doing well! She's a beautiful little girl!" Lin Qingwan carried the swaddled baby in and tiptoed in, a gentle smile on her face. "Mother Zhang and the wet nurse just fed her, and she's asleep now. Look, that little nose and mouth, she looks just like you, little sister."
Shen Yuewei turned her head to look at the tiny person in the swaddling clothes. The skin was no longer so wrinkled, revealing a faint pink hue. The baby's eyes were closed, long eyelashes like two small fans, and the little mouth was slightly pouting; the baby was sleeping soundly. A surge of overwhelming, indescribable love instantly overwhelmed her, and tears welled up without warning. This was the child she had given birth to with her life, the continuation of her and Xiao Chengjing's bloodline.
"Don't cry, don't cry, you can't cry during your postpartum period, it'll hurt your eyes!" Mother Shen quickly comforted her, but she couldn't help wiping away her own tears. "It's all over, it's all over! My Wei'er suffered, and my little granddaughter suffered too (premature and weak). With Grandma here, no one can bully you two anymore!"
Lin Qingwan gently placed the child beside Shen Yuewei's pillow so that she could see her more clearly. Shen Yuewei stretched out her weak fingers and carefully touched her daughter's soft cheek; the warm touch softened her heart.
In the days that followed, Shen Yuewei became the family's "priority protection target." Shen's mother used all her skills, personally overseeing the small kitchen, preparing six different nourishing medicinal meals and lactation-promoting soups every day. Zhang's mother and Chun Tao stayed by her side constantly, attending to her every need—washing, changing dressings, and dressing her. Lin Qingwan meticulously cared for the baby, working alongside the wet nurse to nurture this delicate little life, recording her feeding and sleeping times, attending to every detail.
Although Shen Wenbai couldn't enter the delivery room, he became the strongest support. He personally selected the finest cotton and brocade, sending them in continuously to make clothes and diapers for his sister and niece; he sought out the best nourishing medicinal herbs at high prices; and he redeployed the guards of the courtyard, making them even more stringent, so that not even a suspicious bird could get close. Every day, he would ask about his sister's condition through the curtain outside the delivery room, and only when he heard his sister's weak but peaceful response or his niece's loud cries would his tightly furrowed brows relax slightly.
Shen's father, unlike his usual stern self, would pace the yard daily with his hands behind his back, listening to the sounds from the delivery room, his face revealing undisguised concern and the joy of becoming a grandfather for the first time. He no longer forced Shen Wensong to study, and instead tacitly approved of his youngest son's clumsy attempts to peek at his little niece through the window. Shen Wensong was filled with curiosity and a strange protective instinct towards this tiny, soft niece, constantly saying, "Grow up quickly, little niece, your uncle will teach you martial arts and protect you and your sister!"
The tiny baby, like a bright pearl embodying all love and hope, dispelled the gloom of the past and filled the Jiangnan courtyard with the tender warmth and vibrant life that comes after surviving a catastrophe.
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