Chapter 163 Returning home, Shile is born…
On January 21st, the morning sun shone through the rising smoke from farmhouses and gently sprinkled on the snow. From time to time, the soft barking of a small dog could be heard among the neat houses.
A dark-skinned steed, bathed in the brilliant sunlight, galloped in from outside the county, with a disheveled woman sitting on its back.
As soon as the horse passed through a solemn and dignified courtyard, she reined it in and brought it to a stop.
A maid was already waiting at the gate. She dismounted, looked at the plaque hanging high in front of her—Zhang Mansion—and exhaled a breath of stale air.
After five months, I'm finally home.
The maidservant rushed over eagerly and took the reins. "My lord! You're finally back!"
At this moment, the tightly closed mansion gate was pushed open from the inside, and several servants carrying bamboo baskets poked their heads out. They had dyed the eggs red overnight and were preparing to distribute them to the neighbors.
Looking up, they were both surprised and delighted. "My lord!" They rushed forward to pay their respects. "Congratulations, my lord! Yesterday, your son gave birth to a little princess! Father and daughter are safe and sound. Congratulations on the birth of your son!"
In an instant, all was silent.
The calm and composure she had anticipated vanished at this moment. Zhang Ting felt a buzzing sound in her ears, as if a bell was ringing. She stood there stunned for a while before coming back to her senses. Then, a strange and indescribable joy spread through her, and she rushed inside.
Her lips couldn't help but curl upwards; she'd become a mother!
The furnishings and layout of the courtyard had undergone a complete transformation, but she had no time to care about them and was focused on running towards the inner courtyard.
She stopped in front of a closed house, panting slightly, her eyes fixed straight ahead as if trying to see something through the door frame.
Her husband and children were inside.
Zhang Ting forcibly suppressed her jubilant joy, forcing down the corners of her mouth that kept turning up, and said, "Fetch a basin of water."
The servant immediately stopped what he was doing and brought over a basin of clean water.
She stopped in front of the main room, washed up properly, straightened her slightly wrinkled clothes, and walked forward.
He clenched his fist, paused in mid-air for a moment, and then gently pushed open the door.
Inside, the furnishings remained unchanged, except that a snow-white blanket was now laid on the chaise longue.
Her expression was extremely gentle, and she walked very lightly through the layers of curtains, where two figures, one large and one small, could be vaguely seen lying on the bed.
She stopped before the last curtain, gently lifting the thin veil, lest she disturb the sleeping person inside.
The first thing that catches the eye is Zong Suyi's peaceful and serene sleeping face. He is extremely tired, with dark circles under his eyes and pale lips, looking very weak.
Zhang Ting's brows softened even more; he must have worked so hard.
Then her gaze shifted to the side, where there was a small bundle of misty blue silk. The fabric was tilted, obscuring the little girl's face. She stretched out two fingers and lifted the fabric up, her eyes turning into water.
Does the child resemble her more, or Zong Suyi more?
Both of them are little beauties.
Upon seeing the little creature inside, Zhang Ting's expression changed drastically, and she was so frightened that she took several steps back. How could it really be a monkey!
She blinked rapidly, incredulous, wondering if she was seeing things, and went over to look again and again.
Yes, it really is a monkey, with red skin.
Zhang Ting helplessly touched her face. She didn't really want a monkey; she was just saying it for the sake of saying it.
In a daze, she even wondered if she was still asleep and immersed in yesterday's dream.
"What are you still standing there for?" Zong Suyi opened her sleepy eyes, propped herself up from the bed, and glared at her with displeasure. "Hurry up and come hug Xiaoguai."
Zhang Ting walked over almost simultaneously, staring at the little thing in the bundle. She pursed her lips, then relaxed them, then pursed them again, then relaxed them again, finally asking hesitantly with an indescribable expression, "This...she...um, is she really our little darling?" Judging from her appearance, well, she looks like she was a free gift with a purchase.
Zong Suyi snorted and slapped her arm. "What nonsense are you talking about? Xiaoguai is right here, don't let her hear." Actually... if she weren't his biological daughter, he would have suspected that she was adopted from some remote corner.
"The doctor said that all babies look like this when they're born, and they'll look better in a couple of days when they open up," he added weakly, frowning and pouting. Looking at the little red-skinned monkey's appearance, he felt a little guilty saying this.
Does it really make you good-looking?
Zong Suyi was pampered and spoiled since childhood, and he didn't even look at the children born out of wedlock in the family, so he had no idea what was going on.
He cast a tentative and hesitant glance at Zhang Ting, hoping to get her definite confirmation.
But Zhang Ting had never seen him before. She hesitated for a moment, then squeezed out a word or two: "Yes, right?"
She had previously made a casual remark that she would love to have children, but now that the time has come to fulfill her promise, Zhang Ting has no choice but to bite the bullet and accept it.
"My little darling has grown up, she'll definitely grow up to be as beautiful as you," she coaxed, putting her arm around his shoulder, though she had no idea what to expect.
Zong Suyi nodded with some doubt, "Hmm!" As long as it wasn't her fault for giving birth to a little monkey, that was fine.
The couple sat side by side, leaving their little one behind them.
The room remained silent for a long time, and an awkward atmosphere filled the air.
Zong Suyi felt somewhat dejected. After being separated for so long, his wife had become distant from him, and he couldn't find anything to say to her.
Zhang Ting scratched his head, wondering what to say. He suggested asking Zong Suyi how he had been doing lately.
Does she start by saying, "Little monkey, she..."? Is she making a scene?
She quickly swallowed the rest of her sentence halfway through. A bitter smile crept across her face; today's shock had been quite significant for her, and the image of the little red monkey kept flashing through her mind.
Zong Suyi glared at her, her eyes brimming with anger.
Zhang Ting chuckled dryly, "My lord, let me explain... no, let me hear your explanation..."
"Waaah—" The noise from the two woke up the sleeping baby, whose loud cries echoed through the sky.
Why is she crying? Is she hungry?
"It was fed just an hour ago."
"What's wrong? She's crying so much."
"I don't know either."
"My lady, tell her to stop crying!" Zong Suyi blinked, feeling dizzy and like he was about to go deaf.
Zhang Ting hurriedly picked up Xiao Guai and tried to soothe the child by recalling her memories from her past life, saying, "Good boy, good boy, don't cry." But she didn't know what she did wrong, and the crying became even louder.
Her eyes were half-open, her face contorted in pain. This child was incredibly healthy, and his voice was loud and clear!
She could list a dozen or twenty things to address in order to manage floods, droughts, and corrupt officials, and to restore people's livelihoods, develop the economy, and promote education. But when faced with a newborn baby, she was completely helpless.
Zhang Ting racked her brains and tried every possible way to coax him, but nothing she said worked; the crying wouldn't stop. The little monkey, true to form, didn't understand human language at all.
What to do, what ...!!!
The loud crying startled the old man outside. He hurriedly came in, took the child away, and quickly stopped the little one from crying. The child smacked his lips and fell asleep again.
He gently patted the small bundle, showing Zhang Ting the sweetly sleeping baby, "Look how well-behaved my little princess is, sleeping so soundly."
Zhang Ting found it extremely strange. He stopped crying just like that? It was that simple?
Following the method of calming the child, I took the child in my arms and gently comforted him. Sure enough, everything was alright.
Seeing her little face covered in tears, her monkey-like face all wrinkled from crying, Zhang Ting felt a pang of heartache and asked the servant to get her a soft handkerchief to wipe her face.
She walked all the way to Zong Suyi and showed him the child, saying, "Look how peacefully he's sleeping, how adorable he is."
Zong Suyi leaned on her shoulder, craning his neck to look. Her skin was red, small, and soft—truly adorable. A gentle ripple appeared in his eyes, and his heart felt as if it were being caressed by a warm spring breeze. He looked up at Zhang Ting and suddenly smiled.
This is the fruit of their love.
He closed his eyes peacefully, feeling every crevice of his heart filled with happiness. "My lady, have you had breakfast?"
"No, we'll go later." She poked the little one's face gently, again and again, as if she'd found a fun toy. So soft! Such a small body, yet containing such power; his cries just now were no less than a sweeping attack. Truly amazing!
Hey, you know what? This little thing actually looks pretty unique at first glance!
Zhang Ting suddenly turned her head, her eyes smiling, and interrogated him: "How have you been these past few months, my lord? Have you been obedient, eating three meals a day on time, and going to bed early and getting up early?"
Startled by the questioning, Zong Suyi immediately sat up straight, his eyes darting around, and stammered, "I... I did nothing disobedient... I did everything you said!" As he spoke, he became more and more resolute, nodding in agreement.
He had given himself away from everything, yet he still thought he could get away with it. Zhang Ting suppressed a laugh, but seeing that he was still weak, he shook his head and gave up.
After a while, Zong Suyi calmed down.
"Hmm." He leaned closer and asked gently, "Was the journey alright?"
"I rushed back day and night. I'll take a nap after dinner." She turned her head, took his hand, and squeezed it. "You've worked so hard these past few days, both at home and outside. And you even gave me a little monkey... my sweet baby."
"It's all what I should do." He smiled gently and leaned closer to her, his whole being like a gently flowing stream, warm and soothing like never before. "You're not leaving again now that you're back, are you?"
"Don't leave us again..." he pleaded, clutching her collar.
Zhang Ting comforted his shoulder with her palm, "Yeah, I'm not leaving. I'm going wherever I go, and I'll take both of you with me."
"That's more like it." He smiled, holding her tightly. "Whether we're poor or rich, life is only beautiful when the three of us are together."
Looking down at the sleeping baby, whose face was soft and chubby, she seemed to be dreaming and happily blowing bubbles. She was so cute.
Once he grows up, we'll know whether he looks more like him or his wife.
However, Zong Suyi secretly hopes that Xiao Guai will look like Zhang Ting, and preferably have the same personality, and also inherit her wisdom, so that she will be as learned and successful as her when she grows up.
After looking at her for a long time, he suddenly poked her chest with his finger and asked softly, "Now that our little darling is born, have you thought about what to name her?"
Zhang Ting opened her lips, but a slender finger pressed against them. The owner of the finger had beautiful eyes that were gentle and tender. "You have to think about it seriously. You can't just brush off our little darling."
She silently removed the hand from her lips, clasped it firmly in her palm, and looked steadily at him, saying, "I've thought about this for a long time."
"What's your name?"
She said, "His name is Shi Le, Zhang Shi Le."
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