After finishing his speech, Yu Lufang ignored Xu Xiao'e's reaction and casually grabbed the clothes Yu Duobao had discarded earlier, stuffing them back into Xu Xiao'e's mouth.
With her limbs bound, Xu Xiao'e had no room to resist and could only endure Yu Lufang's ravages.
After half an hour, Yu Lufang finally withdrew from Xu Xiao'e. He did not share his father Yu Duobao's perverted preferences, so he did not torment Xu Xiao'e.
He was just afraid that Yu Duobao would return and discover something amiss, so he kindly stuffed the jade pillar back in.
He removed the clothes from Xu Xiao'e's mouth, then quickly kissed her lips, "Darling, I truly love you. Wait for me, and one day, I will get you out of this fiery pit."
After speaking, Yu Lufang left quickly, regardless of Xu Xiao'e's reaction.
Xu Xiao'e watched Yu Lufang's retreating figure until he disappeared from sight, then slowly closed her eyes.
However, her tightly clenched fists indicated that her heart was not as calm as it appeared on the surface.
Time flew by into October. Shen Xiaoyan was nearly six months pregnant. Since it was a multiple pregnancy, there was a possibility of premature birth, so preparations were being made for all necessary items.
The birthing room was set up in the east side room, which had a heated brick bed. The room would be warm and cozy, making childbirth less arduous.
With the birthing room prepared, the next crucial step was to find a skilled midwife, which had to be done in advance.
Neither Zheng Wei nor Shen Xiaoyan trusted the local birthing facilities.
Therefore, Zheng Wei sent someone to inquire about the best midwives, offering a substantial reward. The agreement was that by mid-November, when Shen Xiaoyan was seven months pregnant, the midwife would move into the courtyard.
Besides the midwife, there were also wet nurses. Shen Xiaoyan initially didn't plan to use wet nurses, but she knew she was carrying more than one child. If she were to nurse them herself, her milk would likely not be enough. Although she had milk formula in her spatial dimension, she dared not use it for the babies.
Not to mention the risk of being discovered, but what if the babies got used to it? After all, there wasn't much.
Therefore, Shen Xiaoyan decided to find two wet nurses as a backup. At worst, she could nurse them herself at night, and the wet nurses could feed them during the day.
It was still a bit early to find immediate wet nurses. Shen Xiaoyan planned to find a few women who were two months further along in their pregnancies than she was, preferably those willing to become wet nurses.
By the time she gave birth, these women's milk would be flowing, and they could feed the babies.
After discussing these matters with Zheng Wei, he readily agreed and then went with Sima Han to search for suitable candidates.
As the weather grew colder and her body heavier, Shen Xiaoyan and Yue Qingxin rarely went out.
Time entered November, and it began to snow intermittently.
At first, there were only a few snowfalls, then it snowed heavily for three days. When the snow stopped, the snow in the courtyard was nearly waist-high.
Although heavy snow was considered a good omen for a bountiful harvest, such a large amount of snow caused significant inconvenience for travel.
Due to the inability to go out, the arrival of the midwife was postponed. It wasn't until after Laba Festival that the midwife was finally welcomed.
By this time, Shen Xiaoyan was nearly eight months pregnant. Her belly was larger than that of a woman ten months pregnant. The two midwives were astonished.
After recovering from their shock, they carefully inquired about the dates and examined Shen Xiaoyan thoroughly. Then, they smiled and said, "Madam is very fortunate to be carrying multiple children. Your health is excellent. Look at your rosy complexion; the babies are sure to be fair and plump."
Although Shen Xiaoyan knew the midwives were just saying nice things, she was still very happy. Everyone enjoys hearing compliments, and she was no exception. Especially when the compliments were about her babies.
"Greetings, esteemed aunts. I will be relying on you from now on. I don't know what needs to be prepared, so I hope you will take care of everything," Shen Xiaoyan said politely.
"Madam, rest assured. We will prepare everything in advance and spare you any worries," the two midwives replied, beaming with joy.
Multiple pregnancies were usually difficult, but Shen Xiaoyan's appearance clearly indicated robust health. Childbirth would not be too taxing.
Although there were still two months until Shen Xiaoyan's delivery, which would delay their other engagements, Shen Xiaoyan's generous payment of fifty taels each was irresistible. How many babies would they have to deliver to earn such a sum?
Even staying here for over two months and delivering just two babies was a worthwhile endeavor.
This year, as money was not an issue and Shen Xiaoyan was pregnant, they did not grow indoor vegetables. However, she taught the method to Lu Taobao. Lu Taobao wanted to pay for it, but Shen Xiaoyan refused.
However, Lu Taobao was not one to take advantage of others. Half a month before the Lunar New Year, he sent over a family along with their indenture papers.
Zheng Wei, unable to refuse, accepted them. He thought that since the fruit trees would bear fruit after the New Year and he would be cooperating with Lu Taobao, he would offer him some discounts then.
The newly arrived family was small, consisting of three people.
The man was named Fan Yong, a physician. His wife, Madam Zhou, were both around forty years old.
They had a son, who was fifteen years old. He was thin and sallow-faced, and not as tall as Shen Xiaoming.
Shen Xiaoyan inquired carefully and learned that their family had been well-off originally.
However, since their son was born with poor health and required medication, their family fortune was gradually depleted. In the autumn of this year, the cost of medication for their son's recurring illness was extremely high, leading them to incur a large debt. They sold themselves to repay the debt.
Lu Taobao sending this family over was not without reason. Although Fan Yong was just an ordinary physician, he was particularly skilled in pediatric and obstetric care, which was exactly what Shen Xiaoyan and Zheng Wei needed.
Shen Xiaoyan and Zheng Wei were touched by this, and commented on Lu Taobao's intelligence and high emotional intelligence in understanding others' needs.
Shen Xiaoming was on holiday from self-study. Besides diligently studying, he spent most of his time with Shen Xiaoyan. Seeing her increasingly large belly, Shen Xiaoming would often look at Shen Xiaoyan with a worried, pale face.
No matter how Shen Xiaoyan comforted him, he still insisted on sitting and walking with her every day, fearing that something might happen to her if he wasn't there for a moment.
Shen Xiaoyan felt very touched by this. This younger brother was truly cherished.
Although it was agreed that the two midwives would stay until Shen Xiaoyan gave birth, they were allowed to return home for New Year's Eve on the 29th of the twelfth lunar month. They were to return on the third day of the new year.
Zheng Wei was somewhat uneasy, but Shen Xiaoyan reassured him, saying that she could feel that the babies would not be born yet.
She had been adding immortal spring water to the tonics she and Yue Qingxin consumed, which had greatly improved their health. She estimated that the babies would not be born before full term.
This year, Shen Xiaoyan did not accompany Zheng Wei to pay New Year's visits. Her condition made it inconvenient, and no one would mind her absence.
On the first day of the new year, Zheng Wei visited the village chief's household, Pan Shi's household, and Liang Shi's household. On the third day, he visited Lu Taobao's household. He returned quickly from each visit, not delaying for a moment.