Lady of Fortune, Jiao Niang

Chapter 68

White Rainbow Fruit was the first medicinal herb Ye Jiao had obtained here, and also the most important.

Though Auspicious Flowers were good, in Ye Jiao's view they ultimately benefited others and couldn't help her husband. The garden full of medicinal flowers was also very good, but those Ye Jiao mostly prepared as precautions for emergencies.

What could truly save lives was White Rainbow Fruit.

For ordinary people, eating this little thing would at most be a nourishing holy item. In terms of body-strengthening effects, it probably couldn't compare to Ye Jiao holding hands.

But at critical moments of life and death, this thing could neutralize a hundred poisons and cure a hundred diseases, most useful indeed.

Ye Jiao tended to it daily and watched over it every day. These past months, even after becoming pregnant, Little Ginseng persisted in carrying the flower pot around the courtyard to help it get sunlight, all for the day it could bear fruit.

Only by having it in her grasp could Ye Jiao truly put her mind at ease, no longer worrying daily that she might wake up one day to see her husband dead. No matter what, with White Rainbow Fruit there, she could always pull him back.

Qi Yun was now her treasure. Little Ginseng couldn't bear to let him die.

Now finally seeing White Rainbow Fruit ripen, Ye Jiao's face showed a smile, feeling that all these days of effort finally had their reward, not wasting her daily care.

However, White Rainbow Fruit's strange fragrance was still present. This scent was indeed pleasant, but wouldn't benefit the body much.

When she was still Little Ginseng, she often had to hide from searches by humans and demons, worrying daily about being pulled up and eaten, precisely because among all the medicinal herbs called divine medicines, ginseng was rarely surrounded by poisonous herbs and miasma.

Other life-saving divine medicines either grew in miasma or lived beside poisonous creatures. Trying to harvest them was extremely dangerous.

White Rainbow Fruit was the same. When it bore fruit, it was actually also expelling its own impurities.

Though the pervasive fragrance was elegant, this scent held no benefit for the body.

Thinking of this, Ye Jiao didn't care whether it was cold at night. The bed curtains in the inner room were thick enough, and the brocade quilt Qi Yun was covered with was thicker than usual, so he could withstand the night wind.

Little Ginseng directly picked up the white porcelain flower pot, opened the window, then opened the door, and quickly walked to the courtyard.

After going out, by moonlight Ye Jiao saw clearly that she wasn't wearing her own clothes, but one of Qi Yun's satin straight robes.

This garment fit Qi Yun perfectly, but on Ye Jiao it was loose and baggy, with the hem dragging on the ground.

Ye Jiao placed the Stone Sprout Grass on the stone table, while she supported her belly and sat on the stone stool with soft cushions, reaching out to gently pick the White Rainbow Fruit from the Stone Sprout Grass.

Her movements were very gentle, and the White Rainbow Fruit fell at her touch.

Soon, three white round little fruits gathered in Ye Jiao's palm.

Previously the little fox had carried this wrapped in a leather pouch to save her scholar husband.

Ordinary cloth bags couldn't block White Rainbow Fruit's scent, and this fragrance was attractive to many animals. Only leather pouches could completely block it.

Ye Jiao stood up, gently lifting her garment hem to avoid tripping, then prepared to go inside to find a leather pouch to store the fruits properly, and also smell whether the scent in the room had dissipated.

But Little Ginseng didn't notice that when picking the fruits, she had accidentally knocked off a Stone Sprout Grass leaf.

The leaf fell gently to the ground without attracting Ye Jiao's attention.

Even if Ye Jiao had seen it, she wouldn't have thought it necessary to pick up, since the life-saving item was in her hands. Though Stone Sprout Grass was also nourishing, its effect wasn't as good as hers, so Little Ginseng naturally wouldn't pay too much attention.

Just as Ye Jiao was returning to her room, suddenly a black thing came pattering in from outside the courtyard gate.

When it ran out of the shadows and bathed in moonlight, you could see clearly it was a black rooster.

In the Qi family, there was only one rooster.

Little Black had been attracted by a scent. Little Su, who raised it, usually felt very sorry for it. Plus, after Little Black's tail feathers were plucked last time to make paper kites, they still hadn't grown back properly, so Little Su took extra care of it.

But Little Su was now serving in Ye Jiao's room after all, and couldn't watch it every day, naturally not knowing that Little Black could actually escape from the chicken coop's fence just by flapping its wings a bit.

With its tail feathers gone, fortunately its wing feathers still worked.

Little Black had been drawn to Qi Yun and Ye Jiao's courtyard by the fragrant smell. Knowing Ye Jiao had gone back inside, it poked its head out.

Instinct told it to go in and find something, but Little Black didn't know what to find.

It wandered around on the ground for a few circles, finally seeing the green leaf on the ground.

Thin and small, just looking a bit brighter in color.

The big rooster tilted its head, patted over, lowered its head, and pecked the leaf into its mouth and ate it.

Just then Ye Jiao came out. Little Black immediately turned around, completely forgetting it was a chicken with wings, held its head high, frantically pedaled with both legs, and patted away.

Ye Jiao also didn't know a chicken had come and gone. She had already stored those three White Rainbow Fruits, wrapped in leather and kept in a wooden box, placed together with the silver case.

Ye Jiao came out to bring back the Stone Sprout Grass.

After bearing fruit once a year, this grass wouldn't fruit a second time. By rights, keeping it was useless.

But Little Ginseng had raised it for so long after all, already accustomed to seeing it every day.

After returning to the room, Ye Jiao placed it back on the wall table, then closed the doors and windows, took off the straight robe, and carefully climbed back into bed.

Seeing her husband still sleeping peacefully, Ye Jiao carefully lifted the quilt and squeezed in, preparing to squeeze herself back between the man's arms.

When she got off the bed earlier, Qi Yun hadn't woken, but this time as soon as Ye Jiao touched him, the man opened his eyes.

Though his eyes opened, his voice carried some half-asleep haziness: "Jiao Niang, did you go out?"

Ye Jiao didn't hide from him: "Stone Sprout Grass finally bore fruit. I went to look." Her voice paused, then Ye Jiao said softly: "Did I wake you?"

"No, I just felt you were cold. Next time you go out, wear more. Bundle up in spring, dress lightly in autumn." As Qi Yun spoke, he didn't seem to mind that his wife's skin was ice-cold, instead holding her even tighter.

Ye Jiao obediently let him hold her, looking very well-behaved: "I won't do it again next time."

Qi Yun's warm palm, one placed on Ye Jiao's back, the other went to cover her lower abdomen.

This reminded Ye Jiao of another matter: "Oh right, husband, I felt movement just now."

Qi Yun was still drowsy, his voice somewhat light: "What moved?"

But before Ye Jiao could answer, he felt a gentle touch in his palm.

Very light, small, but it made Qi Yun's sleepiness suddenly disappear completely.

He suddenly sat up, but just as he straightened his body he realized Ye Jiao was still cold. He couldn't let the warmth inside the quilt escape, so he quickly lay back down.

Ye Jiao was confused by his sitting up and lying down routine: "Husband, are you exercising in the middle of the night?"

Qi Yun coughed lightly, embracing Ye Jiao again, but didn't touch her lower abdomen anymore, instead gently taking Ye Jiao's hand: "The child just greeted me."

Ye Jiao also felt movement in her belly just now. Hearing Qi Yun's words, Ye Jiao directly snuggled deeper into his embrace: "Then we and the child have gotten acquainted."

Other parents wouldn't think this way. After all, children are born after ten months of pregnancy, blood relations can't be severed. What need was there to talk about getting acquainted?

But Little Ginseng always felt she had a baby living in her belly. Though the little baby was small, it was still a person. They weren't familiar yet, so naturally they should give advance notice: I'm your mother, you're my child, don't get confused later.

Qi Yun was probably used to his wife's unique focus, just smiling and holding Ye Jiao tighter: "We're acquainted. We'll get more and more familiar later. Let's maintain good relations with the baby, so you won't suffer later."

Ye Jiao felt sleepiness coming. She was naturally drowsy, having been startled awake just now. Now that everything was perfect, she felt somewhat tired.

Hearing Qi Yun's words, Ye Jiao mumbled in response: "With husband here, I'm not afraid."

Qi Yun could hear his wife's trust, his heart melting into a pool of water. He asked softly: "What if he doesn't behave?"

"With husband here, not afraid..." Ye Jiao mumbled another sentence but didn't finish before falling asleep.

Qi Yun didn't disturb her, just holding her gently, then looking down at the slightly protruding lower abdomen under the brocade quilt, saying slowly: "Remember today's words well. If you're not well-behaved in the future, father has ways to deal with you."

But Qi Yun also felt talking to his wife's belly was somewhat strange, so he didn't speak anymore, closing his eyes and falling asleep too.

The next day, Doctor Li came to the Qi family to take pulses for the couple.

Qi Yun's health needed to be checked from time to time. In Doctor Li's view, Second Young Master Qi had become a medical miracle. Originally said he wouldn't live long, but now he was living well with increasingly robust health. Doctor Li was also particularly willing to take his pulse.

The opportunity to witness miracles shouldn't be wasted.

While Ye Jiao was clearly stable in her pregnancy, Liu Shi was always somewhat nervous. Doctor Li wouldn't go against the mistress's wishes. When taking Qi Yun's pulse, he would always include Ye Jiao.

When looking for Qi Yun, Second Young Master Qi was in the study discussing business with Manager Song. Doctor Li confirmed Qi Yun was in good health before going to find Ye Jiao, who was in Liu Shi's courtyard selecting wrist bracelets.

The wrist bracelets made this time were different from ordinary thin-circled bracelets. They were thick but thin, either worn in sets or smooth and openwork. Worn on snow-white wrists, they made the wrists appear even more white and slender.

Fang Shi didn't much like wearing wrist bracelets. She was somewhat plump, looking blessed, but these bracelets were too thick and less convenient than hand bracelets. Moreover, Fang Shi's wrists couldn't be called slender, so wearing them didn't show much charm.

Liu Shi understood her eldest daughter-in-law's thoughts, so she prepared two extra hairpins for her. The remaining wrist bracelets were all for Ye Jiao to choose from.

Ye Jiao was seeing such jewelry for the first time and found it novel, but she couldn't tell good from bad. Touching them with her hands, she said to Liu Shi: "Mother, please help me choose."

Liu Shi smiled and reached for two: "This is gold jewelry, this is jade jewelry. You're fair-skinned and slender, both should look good."

Ye Jiao also thought them beautiful, smiling and thanking Liu Shi, keeping the bracelets.

Taking the golden wrist bracelet to put on her wrist, her pale wrist paired with the golden bracelet looked extremely beautiful.

Liu Shi smiled and nodded. Fang Shi also envied her sister-in-law's graceful figure, but soon she thought of another matter.

Previously she might have envied Ye Jiao's good fortune, but after Qi Zhao's explanation last time, Fang Shi treated Ye Jiao with increasing sincerity.

Now she looked somewhat worried. After hesitating, she still spoke truthfully: "When I was pregnant with Shi Tou, the doctor said to be careful with diet, otherwise if the child got too big, it would inevitably make birth difficult. Should Jiao Niang also be more careful?"

Hearing this, Liu Shi couldn't help grasping Ye Jiao's hand.

Still soft and slender, looking at Ye Jiao's body, she was also thin and delicate, with much better complexion than before, no haggardness from pregnancy on her face, but still as thin as always.

But Liu Shi remembered she ate more than usual. If what went in didn't grow on her body but all went to the child, looking at Jiao Niang's small frame, Liu Shi became worried.

Just then Doctor Li arrived, so Liu Shi had him come in.

Doctor Li entered without knowing what they'd just discussed, efficiently bowing, then going to take Ye Jiao's pulse. After releasing her hand, he smiled: "Second Young Mistress is in excellent health. This pregnancy is going extremely well."

But Liu Shi mentioned what she'd just been thinking about, finally asking: "Examine Jiao Niang again. If not, restricting her diet now would still be in time."

Hearing this, Ye Jiao looked at Liu Shi eagerly.

She didn't want to restrict her diet, really didn't want to...

After becoming pregnant, Ye Jiao got hungry more easily and ate more. If she really had to restrict her diet, Little Ginseng would feel wronged.

But Ye Jiao also knew Liu Shi was doing this for her good. If she really had to eat less, she would accept it.

But her hand unconsciously placed on her lower abdomen, as if telling the little baby inside that they had just greeted each other yesterday - work hard!

But Doctor Li had no such worries, answering warmly: "People have different constitutions. Second Young Mistress needn't avoid anything. Eat what you should eat."

Actually, Doctor Li looked at Ye Jiao's belly and it wasn't much bigger than other women at the same stage. If Liu Shi hadn't mentioned it, Doctor Li would have thought Ye Jiao wasn't eating well, which was why she remained so thin.

Hearing this, Liu Shi felt relieved, while Fang Shi looked at Ye Jiao with envy.

Her Second Sister-in-law probably truly embodied what her husband had said - after suffering comes sweetness, good fortune had arrived.

Eating without gaining weight was probably what Fang Shi envied most so far.

When she returned to the courtyard wearing her bracelet, Ye Jiao was still happily touching her belly, thinking that greeting the child yesterday had indeed been effective. Truly her own child, knowing to love his mother. She wouldn't gain weight, and the child wouldn't grow too big either. As long as it didn't interfere with eating, Little Ginseng was very pleased.

Thinking of eating, Ye Jiao felt hungry again.

She turned to look at Little Su, and before she could speak, heard Little Su say: "Second Young Mistress, Second Young Master instructed before to have the small kitchen wrap beef wontons. Shall I have them cooked now?"

The beef wontons were pre-arranged, and chicken broth had been simmering since morning - perfect for cooking wontons.

Hearing this, Ye Jiao nodded repeatedly, her face showing a smile: "Go cook them, and send a bowl to the study too."

"Yes." Little Su agreed and ran to the small kitchen.

But just as the wontons were brought up before she could serve them into bowls, Little Su came over saying: "Second Young Mistress, Madam Meng is here."

Ye Jiao knew her elder brother worked for Hui Niang, so she asked: "Did she come alone?"

"There's also a Young Master with her. That Young Master went to the master's study, and Madam Meng is heading toward our courtyard."