"You feed Ren'er first, and we'll help soothe Xing'er," Shen Xuan said, holding Li Xing and gently rocking her.
"Then you and Afu be careful not to let the child kick your bellies," Madam Li did not refuse. She turned to face the wall, creating some distance, and opened her robes.
"Xing'er, be good, don't cry, don't cry," Shen Xuan gently rocked Li Xing in his arms, humming a lullaby.
The group gathered there, amusing Li Xing. Li Xing was not shy and quickly stopped crying. She stared at the uncles before her, giggling and revealing a pair of small dimples.
"This child has dimples! So pretty," Gu Yi exclaimed, his eyes widening in surprise as he noticed the child's dimples for the first time. He was utterly delighted.
"Not only does she have dimples, but when her younger brother, Xing'er, smiles, he also has a pair of small, shallow dimples," Shen Xuan said, smiling as he gently stroked Li Xing's cheek.
"So beautiful," Gu Yi couldn't help but sigh again.
The child stared intently at Zisu, unable to tear her eyes away no matter how much they tried to distract her.
"Is Xing'er fond of handsome people?" Gu Yi chuckled. "Little Xing'er, your taste is indeed excellent. Your Uncle Zisu is the most beautiful among us."
"Don't talk nonsense in front of a child," Zisu pushed Gu Yi's arm.
Gu Yi let out a soft snort, made a face, and stopped talking, continuing to play with little Xing'er.
Little Xing'er soon shifted her attention to Afu, who was smiling at her from the side. She raised her chubby little arms, pointed at Afu's bulging belly, and whimpered, opening her hands and reaching for him.
"It seems Afu is quite popular with children," Shen Xuan said, smiling as he gently shook little Xing'er's hand.
Fearing that little Xing'er might kick Afu's belly, he did not hand her over.
"Young Master, please let me hold her," Afu said, his heart melting at little Xing'er's soft appearance. Without a moment's hesitation, he opened his arms and took Li Xing from Shen Xuan.
His belly was a bit large, making it indeed difficult to hold Xing'er comfortably. He felt uncomfortable from the pressure, and little Xing'er was also not held comfortably. Soon, she opened her hands again, wanting to return to Shen Xuan's embrace.
"Would Uncle Yi'er like to hold you?" Gu Yi quickly took Li Xing from Afu's arms. "Your Uncle Shen Xuan is also pregnant; holding you is uncomfortable."
As if fearing Li Xing wouldn't understand, he pointed to Shen Xuan's belly, then to Afu's belly. "Uncle Shen Xuan's belly will also get that big."
Little Xing'er seemed to understand. She was obediently taken by Gu Yi, neither crying nor fussing. She reached out and pointed to Shen Xuan's belly along with Gu Yi's hand, giggling.
Meanwhile, Li Ren, having eaten his fill in Madam Li's arms, opened his mouth and soon fell asleep, also without crying or fussing.
Children, after all, do not have endless energy. After playing with Gu Yi for a while, little Xing'er also grew tired and soon nestled into his arms, falling into a deep sleep.
However, he soon discovered a problem: when little Xing'er slept, she seemed to be immobile. The moment she touched the bed, she would immediately open her eyes. Her large eyes would stare at Gu Yi as if he had just done something wrong.
Gu Yi, lacking experience, could only keep his arms stiff, holding her.
"Yi'er, give the child to me. She sleeps easily," Madam Li, not wanting her child to trouble Gu Yi, tried to take Xing'er from his arms.
"No, no, I'm not tired," Gu Yi quickly and softly refused, afraid of waking her. "She's sleeping so soundly now."
They chatted until evening before parting ways, agreeing to meet again in a few days.
"How are you feeling today?" Lu Yu leaned close to Shen Xuan's side, expertly taking his pulse. "Did the child bother you?"
"No, the child is very well-behaved," Shen Xuan said, shaking his head with a light smile, gently patting his belly with one hand.
That evening, sitting on the bed, Lu Yu picked up the medicine she had just prepared and, as usual, tenderly applied it to Shen Xuan's waist and abdomen.
During this time, not only had no stretch marks appeared on his waist and abdomen, but the skin there had become even more delicate thanks to the ointment prepared by Lu Yu.
Even Afu looked on with envy.
Afu was now further along in her pregnancy, and the stretch marks on her belly had increased. Despite the aid of Lu Yu's ointment, they had not disappeared.
"All done," Shen Xuan dodged Lu Yu's hands applying the ointment, shrinking back.
Sometimes his waist and abdomen were sensitive, and when Lu Yu applied the medicine gently, it felt very itchy. Other times, Lu Yu would playfully tease him, laughing and tickling his sensitive spots.
"Let me give you a massage," Lu Yu knelt behind Shen Xuan and began to massage his shoulders and neck.
In the past few days, Shen Xuan had been idle at home. Besides reading some of the storybooks written by Lu Yu, he had been embroidering bibs for the baby. Looking down for extended periods could cause problems with his shoulders and neck, and Shen Xuan would not listen to advice. Lu Yu had no choice but to learn massage techniques and give him a massage daily.
Before sleeping, lying in bed, Shen Xuan chuckled and stroked his bulging belly.
This child was truly well-behaved, causing him no suffering during the pregnancy. Apart from gaining some weight, everything else was excellent: his skin was smooth, no stretch marks appeared, and all the minor discomforts of pregnancy were absent.
Every time he praised the child, Lu Yu would praise him in return.
"My dear husband is a blessed person; heaven itself is looking after you."
"This child might be someone whom the kind Xuan saved in a past life, coming back to repay the kindness in this life."
Lu Yu always had various explanations, which always made Shen Xuan happy and increased his affection for the child.
Shen Xuan understood everything, and at these moments, he would embrace her with deep emotion.
Having lived with Lu Yu for so long, he knew her very well. Lu Yu was certainly not a superstitious person, yet she said these things for him.
Although the scorching summer days were difficult to endure, they passed quickly when spent with family and friends.
As September began, the hot weather gradually cooled.
Afu slept restlessly that night, awakened by the urge to urinate. As she was supporting herself to sit up, a sudden, sharp pain shot through her abdomen.
"Hiss—"
Afu was due to deliver these past few days, and Gu Yitong had been caring for her with even greater caution. Already in a light sleep, she was instantly awakened by the sound of Afu's pained cry.
"What's wrong?"
Gu Yitong sat up and quickly lit the candle in the room. She saw Afu's face contorted with pain, her hands tightly gripping the bedding beneath her, bunching it up, and her breath coming in ragged gasps.
"Quick! Go call the midwife!" Gu Yitong, despite having made all possible preparations, was now flustered and unsure of what to do.
"That's right! Go to the Lu residence and invite Doctor Lu!"
"No!" Afu grabbed Gu Yitong's hand, gasping in pain, but still managed to grit her teeth and say, "Don't call Doctor Lu. Don't go. Young Master is still pregnant. Don't let... don't let Young Master know."
"Okay, okay, I'll listen to you," Gu Yitong agreed verbally but still quietly instructed a servant to fetch Lu Yu.
At this moment, she could only think of Afu. She also remembered Afu's concerns and instructed the servant to speak with Lu Yu privately.