“Mother, Brother, Sister-in-law hasn't made a sound. Nothing’s gone wrong, has it?”
Nanny He supported Wei Yuan, nearly stumbling as she did so.
“Yuan’er, why did you come over too? The midwives have already gone in, but there’s still no movement!” Lady Yan held Wei Yuan’s hand, her expression frozen with anxiety.
“Don’t worry, Mother. This is Sister-in-law’s second child, so everything will surely be fine. As they say, the road to happiness is often paved with setbacks. Perhaps she’s about to give you a big, healthy grandson!” Wei Yuan thought for a long moment before managing to get those words out.
Nanny He stood to the side, feeling quite gratified. Ever since their young mistress had married, she had become more and more inclined to listen to the advice of an old woman like herself. It seemed her patient coaching along the way hadn't been in vain; the Second Young Mistress had at least remembered a few lines.
The maidservants nearby chimed in with their agreement.
Lady Yan silently prayed that it would indeed be so.
“Daddy...”
“Jiaojiao, why are you awake?” Seeing A-Jiao walking out with her small, bare feet, Chen Yang hurried over to her.
“Oh my, Jiaojiao isn't wearing shoes! Come, let Auntie hold you!” Wei Yuan beat him to it, scooping A-Jiao up into her arms.
A-Jiao leaned back sharply, and it was only because Xia Zhu supported her from behind that she managed to stay upright.
“Second Young Mistress, you must support the young mistress’s back when you hold her.” Xia Zhu carefully guided Wei Yuan’s right hand to rest against A-Jiao’s back.
Behind them, Chen Yang curled his lip. That was clearly *his* daughter.
Lady Yan shook her head inwardly, but given the status of the two families and Wei Yuan’s erratic temperament, she found it difficult to offer correction.
Nestled in Wei Yuan’s arms, A-Jiao rubbed her eyes and asked, “Is Mommy done yet? Why is it so quiet inside?”
“How does Jiaojiao know Mommy is giving birth to a little brother? Oh—it must be that big-mouth Xia Zhu who told you!” Wei Yuan held A-Jiao and gave her a loud, smacking kiss on the cheek.
Since Wei Yuan had married into the Chen family, A-Jiao had made a discovery.
Although Wei Yuan was something of a "crooked flower" in terms of her upbringing, she wasn't too far gone. Usually, she seemed a bit dim-witted, much like Xia Zhu. As long as no one egged her on, she never harbored any malice; it was just that her words were occasionally unpleasant.
Furthermore, she lacked foresight when things happened and loved to suggest terrible ideas. However, she possessed a peculiar "virtue": she hated making decisions. She would ask several people about a single matter and still be unable to decide, which gave others plenty of opportunities to nip her bad ideas in the bud.
Regardless, she wasn't the eldest daughter-in-law responsible for the main household, so these flaws were largely harmless.
“Mm! Xia Zhu told me! Xia Zhu talks too much!” A-Jiao noticed that Wei Yuan’s hair and makeup were somewhat disheveled. She had likely rushed over in a hurry—to watch the excitement!
Xia Zhu blinked, unable to recall ever saying such a thing.
Lady Yan walked over and felt A-Jiao’s feet. They were ice-cold. She scolded in a low voice, “Where are her shoes and socks? These feet are as cold as shards of ice.”
Xia Zhu hurried off to fetch them.
Gradually, sounds began to emerge from the room.
Chen Yang instantly grew tense.
In less than fifteen minutes, Ruan Qing’s cries of pain vanished once more. Not another sound was heard.
“Qingqing! Qingqing!” Panicking, Chen Yang made a move to burst into the room.
Wei Yuan let out a soft “Ouch!” as A-Jiao accidentally pulled her hair.
“I’m sorry!” A-Jiao felt a bit helpless. She had never given birth herself and didn't know what the process was like, but seeing Chen Yang’s state, she suddenly felt a wave of fear.
*Chen A-Jiao, don't be afraid. At worst, if she dies, I'll just go find her when I return to the Underworld.* With that thought, A-Jiao’s heart suddenly settled.
Lady Yan, leading a group of maids and older servants, blocked Chen Yang’s path.
“Waaa! Waaa!” The cry of a child drifted out.
Lady Yan let out a long sigh of relief, but she still asked, “How is Qingqing?”
Nanny Han emerged with a face full of smiles. The moment she stepped out, she knelt and kowtowed to the crowd. “Congratulations, Madam! Congratulations, Eldest Young Master! The Eldest Young Mistress has given birth to a young master!”
A chorus of congratulations erupted instantly.
“And Qingqing?” Chen Yang’s smile froze halfway.
“The Eldest Young Mistress is fine. Chun Lan and the others are cleaning her up right now.”
Only then did Chen Yang laugh heartily.
“Jiaojiao is a big sister now!” Wei Yuan was so happy she moved to clap her hands. With a *thud*, A-Jiao fell straight to the ground.
***
A-Jiao felt that she might simply be cursed when it came to the Wei family.
Even with this Wei Yuan, whom she had started to view in a better light.
This time, she had fallen and broken her leg. Last time, Wei Yuan had taken her out shopping and forgotten her in a shop. The time before that, Wei Yuan had scattered a whole basin of flowers into her bathwater, resulting in A-Jiao breaking out in rashes all over her body.
Lying in bed, A-Jiao truly wanted to scream at the heavens.
“Ah—Jiaojiao, open wide.” Xia Zhu stood by the bed, feeding her bone broth spoonful by spoonful.
Looking at the milky-white broth, A-Jiao couldn't help but drink a large bowl.
Now that the Chen family had their first grandson, A-Jiao figured the Third-Day Bath, the Full-Month celebration, and the Hundred-Day feast would all be grand affairs.
After Liu Che’s previous visit to the Chen manor, he had actually remembered her "cheap" father. Later, with Wei Qing’s recommendation, her father was now a Consultant to the Minister of the Household, and her second uncle had become a General of the Household.
*Tsk, tsk. It really is easier to enjoy the shade when you’re leaning against a big tree.*
If this were the Chen family of the past, they likely could have worked their entire lives without ever catching the Emperor’s eye.
The Ministry of the Household—those were positions where one could frequently show their face before the Emperor.
A-Jiao also felt that the reason her second uncle’s rank was higher than her father’s was twofold: first, because he was Wei Qing’s son-in-law; and second, because he was better-looking than her father.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to sway Wei Yuan’s heart, which had been tethered to the Eastern Palace, the very first time they met.
Xia Zhu wiped A-Jiao’s mouth, and A-Jiao rolled over to lie down.
She hoped her father and her uncle would maintain their current good relationship and not end up like her two brothers from her past life.
Once her second brother had married a princess, he was constantly challenging her eldest brother. Neither would submit to the other. She had heard her mother say they were often at each other's throats, and in the end, neither met a good end.
A-Jiao sighed.
“Xia Zhu, is Jiaojiao asleep?”
“Sister Chun Lan, why are you here? Is the little master asleep?”
“The wet nurse is holding him while he sleeps. The Eldest Young Master and Mistress are choosing a name for him; the Old Madam has already suggested several!”
*Hmph. A stark contrast to when I went without a name for half a month.*
