"That's strange." I gently rubbed Yu'er's soft little hand and then left. "Don't babies usually like to sleep in a surrender position? Why is Yu'er sleeping while hugging something?"
"It's all your fault. You play with him every day and even let him hold you in your arms. No wonder he sleeps with something in his arms."
"Oh dear, is this a good idea? Will it have any negative impact on our good son?"
I'm so worried. I already spent so little time with Yu'er, what if he develops bad habits now?
"Alright, you always worry unnecessarily. There's nothing wrong with it. Even your mother-in-law says that Yu'er likes to sleep with his hands raised. He only occasionally falls asleep with his hands raised, and you're already making such a bad impression."
Xie Yuancheng wrapped his arms around my waist, and I took the opportunity to ask him why he had been going out so much lately.
"I went to see my subordinates. If they are leaderless, they are prone to wavering." Xie Yuancheng sighed. "Although we are temporarily staying at the Ji residence, there are still things to be done."
We originally planned to stay in the manor for more than ten days before returning to Linyang to pick up Yu'er, but Lin Chao brought him to the capital, so it's not convenient to go back now.
As long as Yu'er is around, I feel at ease. Especially in the past two weeks, I have truly experienced the joy of being a mother.
Having a little darling to amuse you every day melts your heart; you wouldn't think about anything else.
Ten days later, I kept craving sour foods. I carefully checked my period and realized it hadn't come yet.
When Xie Yuancheng returned, I asked him to quickly take my pulse. As soon as he put his hand on mine, he smiled and revealed his dimples.
"Ying'er, you've really lived up to my expectations. All my hard work has been worth it."
"But we just jumped off a cliff, and it hasn't even been a month yet. What should we say if they ask?"
"What do you mean by 'whatever'? We were together all the time before the jump, so who would dare to question it?"
"Keep your voice down." I wasn't feeling well tonight, so I asked my mother to help take care of Yu'er, but my father wasn't home either.
I only found out later that my father and Xie Yuancheng often went out of the mansion in the middle of the night, and I didn't know what they were up to.
How many months old is the baby?
Xie Yuancheng helped me lie down and placed his hand on my stomach: "You were thinking about how many months, but it's only been a month. This child came at the right time, completely extinguishing your hobby of dressing as a man."
I grabbed his hand: "You're such a stingy person. Even if I dress up as a man, the person I like is still you."
"It's good that you're aware of this. I feel her pulse and it's steady. She'll definitely be a healthy daughter. I'll make sure to be by your side during her birth."
Xie Yuancheng always takes these things very seriously. He felt guilty for not being able to accompany Xie Yuancheng when he went to war, which is why he was so eager to have another child.
When I told my mother the news in the morning, the lines on her face became visible. She took me to offer incense to the ancestors of the Ji family, saying that it was all thanks to their blessings.
Shouldn't this be credited to Xie Yuancheng and me? Why is it being attributed to our ancestors?
I told Yu'er that he would soon have a little sister, and he looked at me with his big, round eyes. My mother laughed beside me, saying that Yu'er didn't understand yet, but he would understand when he could walk and talk.
Since I became pregnant, I've held Yu'er even less often. My mother said I need to take good care of myself during the pregnancy, Xie Yuancheng said I need to protect my health, and even my father had someone prepare baby clothes and other things in advance.
I sat at the table, rubbing my forehead. They're being way too cautious. I've already given birth to Yu'er; I know how to be careful about these things.
I just wanted to play with Yu'er. Luckily, my mother took Yu'er to the pavilion every day, and I could talk and laugh with him through the little basket. His smile made me happy, and I didn't care at all that he wasn't in the same room as me.
"Madam, people on the street are saying that Marquis Anle has survived." Xiao Wu ran in. He was a soldier his father had just recruited. He was seventeen years old and in the prime of his life.
"Alright, Yuancheng can't just hide." Mother told Xiao Wu to find out the details and tell Xie Yuancheng and Father when they returned that evening.
Because Mother couldn't do housework, Father laughed beside her. The day after we returned, two more maids appeared in the mansion. They were both children from poor families, paid more money, and were quiet.
"Madam, there are two young ladies outside the mansion requesting an audience." Lixiang ran in; she usually walked very straight and rarely ran.
"Two girls? Ying'er, you and Yu'er go back first, I'll go and check on them."
I picked Yu'er up and saw that he was about to cry again, so I gave him a teething toy, and the little guy smiled.
Because I was only one month pregnant, I walked very slowly, with Qiao'er following beside me.
Once inside, I gave Yu'er his little pillow, and he hugged it and rolled to the side. His adorable appearance made me laugh.
Yu'er turned over and saw me laughing, so he laughed along and yawned.
"Little lazybones, time to go to sleep again."
Yu'er blinked a few times, then half-huddled with his pillow and fell asleep. I covered him with a thin blanket. It's late summer now, and the weather isn't too hot, but Yu'er is small, so he can't catch a cold.
I sat by the bed watching him sleep. His porcelain-like face was smoother than jade in my eyes, and I grew to like him more and more.
"Ying'er." Mother came in, followed by two girls. Only after they came in did I realize that they were Anxiang and Wan'er.
"Why are you here?" I tucked Yu'er in and stood in front of them.
Wan'er's eyes were full of tears, which finally fell: "What Anxiang said was actually true!"
"Is she here to confirm if I'm a girl?" Mother shook her head beside her. She was probably going to tell Xie Yuancheng again.
“Madam, Miss Wan’er was very worried about you, so I brought her here.”
Anxiang said from the side, "She probably did her best. I know Wan'er's personality; she's stubborn."
"Let's talk outside." I had to avoid my mother; what if she overthinks things again?
I took the two girls out and sat in the pavilion. Wan'er was holding a sachet in each of them, her head bowed low.
"Wan'er, I couldn't tell you the truth back then because of the Ji family. Now that I've almost died, I've come to a realization. After hearing Anxiang talk about you, I know I can't keep it from you anymore."
Wan'er raised her head and moved her lips, but still didn't speak. Anxiang also tried to persuade her from the side. She spoke much more logically than I did, and she spoke eloquently about profound principles.
Now that Wan'er is no longer in the palace, perhaps we can find her a good match in the future. Wan'er finally raised her head, and the sad look on her face was gone.
"I...I understand."
She put it simply, but I could tell she had come to terms with it. How could she not? We're both young women; of course, it was impossible for her to not have come to terms with it.
"Thank you for taking care of me before, um, Madam Marquis."
"You've taken care of me the most. If it weren't for you, Yu'er wouldn't have been born safely."
Wan'er lowered her head again. I sighed inwardly. It was all for nothing that I made a girl suffer from lovesickness. That's why Xie Yuancheng and I have had such a difficult journey.
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