Chapter 96: Mingxuan's Question
Three or four days have passed since the imperial physician diagnosed her with pregnancy. The entire Zhenguo Duke's mansion is still shrouded in that secret joy and cautious atmosphere. Su Wanrou has been "ordered" by Gu Yangui to rest quietly in the main courtyard, and her activities are mostly limited to the small area inside and outside her bedroom. Even when she goes for a walk in the courtyard, she must be wrapped up tightly and accompanied by him or Granny Wang, and the time cannot be too long.
It was a fine afternoon, and the winter sun, unusually warm, cast bright dappled light through the half-open blinds onto the thick carpeted floor. Su Wanrou was leaning against the soft couch by the window, a book in her hand, but she seemed somewhat distracted. The drowsiness of early pregnancy was creeping in, her eyelids grew heavy, and she didn't even notice the book slipping from her fingers.
In her drowsy state, she heard very faint voices coming from the outer room. It was Mingxuan's deliberately lowered, slightly aggrieved, childlike voice:
"Sister Qingdai, can't I really go in and see Mother? I just want to take a peek, I promise I won't make a sound..."
Then came Qingdai's gentle yet firm whisper: "Young Master, be good. Madam has just rested. The Duke instructed that Madam should take good care of herself. If you miss Madam, why don't you go to the small study to practice your calligraphy for a while? When Madam wakes up, I will come and call you immediately, okay?"
Su Wanrou's heart softened, and she came to her senses. These past few days, Gu Yangui had been very protective of her, even deliberately reducing the number of times Mingxuan came to pay his respects, fearing that the child, being young and unaware of his place, might offend her. That child must be missing her terribly.
She coughed softly and called out, "Qingdai, is Mingxuan outside? Let him in, I'm already awake."
There was a moment of silence outside the door, then the curtain was gently lifted, and Mingxuan's little head peeked in, his big, dark eyes filled with joy and a hint of uncertain timidity. He first glanced quickly at Su Wanrou, and seeing that she was smiling at him without any displeasure, he tiptoed in like a little animal that had been given permission.
He walked to the soft couch, but instead of leaning close as usual, he stopped two or three steps away from the couch, gave a proper bow, and whispered, "Mingxuan greets Mother. Is Mother feeling much better?"
The child's cautious demeanor brought a slight lump to Su Wanrou's throat. She put down her book, reached out her hand to Mingxuan, and smiled even more gently: "Mother is well. Come, come to Mother."
Mingxuan's eyes lit up, and he strode over to the couch. Su Wanrou took his hand and helped him sit beside her. She then carefully straightened his slightly disheveled clothes and asked softly, "How was your day at school? Did you understand all the lessons the teacher taught?"
"Yes!" Mingxuan nodded vigorously, seemingly trying to prove that he was very sensible. "Today, the teacher praised me for reciting the Thousand Character Classic well. After school, I also practiced five large characters." He reported, but his eyes couldn't help but glance at Su Wanrou's still flat stomach, with obvious curiosity and doubt.
Su Wanrou took in his subtle movements and understood. This child was intelligent and perceptive. He must have sensed something about the unusual atmosphere in the mansion these past few days, and the unusual tension that Gu Yangui and Granny Wang were showing her, but he was just clueless and didn't know what it was.
Sure enough, Mingxuan hesitated for a moment, but couldn't help himself. He looked up at his mother, his face full of confusion, and asked, "Mother, why are Father and the nanny... so nervous? The wet nurse said that Mother's health is important, so she can't make a fuss or get tired." He paused, then gently pointed to Su Wanrou's belly with his little hand, his voice lower and more mysterious, "Is it because... there's a very, very small baby living here?"
The child's words, though innocent, hit the nail on the head.
Su Wanrou was slightly taken aback, then smiled. She had been pondering how to find the right time and how to tell Mingxuan the good news. After all, for this five-year-old child, the idea of his stepmother having her own child might bring anxiety and the fear of being neglected. She had always hoped to carefully protect his sensitive heart.
Unexpectedly, the child noticed it first and asked the question. Looking at the pure curiosity in his innocent eyes, without a trace of gloom, Su Wanrou felt a weight lifted from her heart, replaced by overwhelming affection.
She pulled Mingxuan closer to her, letting him lean against her, then took his small hand and placed it very gently on her lower abdomen. Her movements were slow, with a solemn sense of ritual.
Mingxuan's little hand instinctively curled up for a moment, but after feeling the warmth of his mother's palm and the softness of her clothes, it slowly relaxed. He opened his eyes wide, staring intently at the spot where his hand was, as if trying to sense something.
Su Wanrou lowered her head, her gaze so tender it could melt hearts, and her voice was soft and gentle, as if afraid of disturbing a beautiful dream: "Mingxuan guessed right. There really is a very, very small baby living here."
Mingxuan suddenly raised his head, his little face filled with surprise, and blurted out, "Really?" Then, as if afraid of scaring the "little kid," he quickly covered his mouth with his free hand, leaving only his wide-eyed stare, silently expressing his shock and disbelief.
Su Wanrou was amused by his adorable appearance and nodded firmly: "It's true. He's Mingxuan's younger brother or sister."
"Little brother... little sister..." Mingxuan repeated the two words softly, as if savoring something new and exciting. He looked down at his little hand still resting on his mother's belly, then looked up at Su Wanrou's gentle, smiling eyes. His little brows slowly furrowed, as if he had encountered a great problem.
Su Wanrou's heart skipped a beat. She carefully observed his expression and asked softly, "Mingxuan, what's wrong? Don't you like having younger siblings?"
Mingxuan shook his head vigorously, his little face showing a mixture of worry and seriousness: "It's not that I don't like him... Mother, he's so small, living in your belly, won't he feel suffocated? How will he eat? How will he breathe? When... when will he be able to come out and play with me?"
A series of questions, full of childlike innocence and concern, completely melted Su Wanrou's heart. She couldn't help but chuckle softly, hugging Mingxuan even tighter, and patiently answered them one by one:
"It won't be boring. There's a warm and safe little house inside your mother's body, specially for the baby to live in. He doesn't need to eat or breathe on his own yet. There's a magical belt connecting his mother and him. The nutrients his mother eats will be delivered to him through the belt. When he grows up and becomes strong enough, he will come out of his mother's belly, and then he will be able to see Mingxuan and play with Mingxuan."
She tried her best to explain in language that the child could understand. Mingxuan listened very attentively, nodding his little head repeatedly, and suddenly realized, "So that's how it is! Just like a seed sprouting in the soil, growing into a seedling, and then being able to break through the soil, right?"
"Yes! Mingxuan is so smart!" Su Wanrou kissed his forehead approvingly. "That's exactly the point."
Receiving his mother's affirmation and kiss, Mingxuan blushed slightly, but his eyes sparkled, clearly pleased with the metaphor. He turned his attention back to Su Wanrou's belly, gently stroking it with his little hand as if caressing a fragile treasure. Then he looked up at Su Wanrou, his eyes bright and expectant.
"Mother, I hope it's a little sister! A little sister as beautiful and gentle as you! I can share my toys with her, teach her to read and write, and protect her from being bullied!"
The child's innocent anticipation and his responsible demeanor brought tears to Su Wanrou's eyes. Her initial worries vanished in that moment. Her Mingxuan had such a kind and tender heart.
“Okay,” Su Wanrou’s voice choked slightly, but with a smile, “Whether it’s a younger brother or a younger sister, Mingxuan will always be the best older brother, right?”
"Yes!" Mingxuan puffed out his little chest and nodded vigorously, his face full of seriousness. "I will definitely be a good older brother! I will protect our mother and our younger brothers and sisters!"
Just then, a slight noise came from the doorway. The mother and son looked up and saw Gu Yangui standing there, clearly having overheard most of their conversation. He was dressed in a dark-colored casual suit, backlit, making it impossible to see his expression, but his usual cold and stern aura was now incredibly gentle.
"Father!" Upon seeing him, Mingxuan immediately slid off the couch and rushed over like a joyful little bird, eager to share this earth-shattering news, "Father, Father! Mother said that I'm going to have a little sister! A little sister living in Mother's belly!"
Gu Yangui bent down and easily picked up his son, then sat down on the edge of the bed. He first carefully examined Su Wanrou's face, seeing that she had a rosy complexion, her eyes were smiling, and she showed no signs of strain or worry, which put him at ease. Then, he looked at the excited little boy in his arms, a faint but genuine smile curving his lips, and followed up on his words, asking, "Oh? How did Mingxuan know it was a sister? What if it was a mischievous little brother?"
Mingxuan hugged his father's neck, his little face serious: "A little brother is fine too! But I want a sweet and soft little sister even more! Father, I will be a good older brother! I will study harder in my calligraphy and reading, and I will work harder in my martial arts training, so that I will be able to protect Mother and my sister!"
The child's words were firm and resolute, carrying an undeniable determination. Gu Yangui's deep gaze met Su Wanrou's smiling eyes in the air, and they both saw the relief and emotion in each other's eyes.
"Okay." Gu Yangui's voice was deep and gentle, carrying a father's pride. "Father believes in you. You will definitely be a good older brother who stands tall and loves his family."
He extended his large palm and gently placed it on Su Wanrou's still flat stomach, where their shared bloodline was growing, the new hope for their family's future. His palm was warm and steady, carrying a silent promise and protection.
Mingxuan followed suit, placing his small hand on top of his father's large hand. The three hands, the large one steady and the small one innocent, together protected that precious space.
The warm winter sun shone on the family of three, creating an incredibly cozy and harmonious silhouette. Looking at her husband beside her and her son in her arms, feeling the life quietly growing within her, Su Wanrou felt her life was complete and overflowing with happiness. All her previous anxieties and caution transformed into unwavering courage and strength to move forward.
She knew that the road ahead might still be full of challenges, but as long as her family was united and worked together, they would have no fear of any obstacles. This family would become even more complete and stronger with the arrival of the new life.
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