Lady of Fortune, Jiao Niang

Chapter 74

Qi Yun stood in the corner, back straight as a rod, watching people come and go in the room.

Giving birth wasn't something where you just lay down and delivered. There was a process. Now a sturdy-looking midwife was helping Ye Jiao walk back and forth, advising: "Second Young Mistress, walking will make delivery easier later. Don't rush, take it slowly."

Liu Shi also comforted: "No pain, no pain. Jiao Niang, be good and walk slowly." Then she said to Nanny Liu beside her: "Quick, go hurry the hot water."

Ye Jiao obediently followed along walking, but walking and walking she still looked hopefully at Qi Yun: "Husband, I still want chicken soup noodles."

Hearing this, Liu Shi immediately said: "Hungry? Quick, cook a bowl of noodles. Eat more to have strength."

Little Su was about to say they'd cooked some before, but immediately remembered the mess that had been cleaned up in the earlier panic, realizing that bowl of noodles probably never reached Ye Jiao's mouth.

Qi Yun reacted faster than anyone, not waiting for others to say anything before volunteering: "I'll have someone cook more." Then he strode out.

Ye Jiao was stunned. After all, Qi Yun usually just gave orders for such things, never going to urge them himself. Now it seemed unusual.

Liu Shi understood her second son very well and couldn't help supporting Ye Jiao's other side, her voice full of unstoppable laughter: "Second Son is anxious. Having him sit still won't work. Finding something to do might make him more relaxed."

A mother knows her son best. Qi Yun now just couldn't sit idle.

Usually the most composed person, now his heart was as tangled as hemp, impossible to sort out.

When he returned carrying a bowl of noodles, Ye Jiao was still walking slowly, but now the pain was obviously more frequent than before. Every few steps she'd frown and moan a few times, sounding pitiful. Qi Yun immediately became anxious.

How long has this been going on? Why isn't it over yet?!

Liu Shi saw through Qi Yun's thoughts and immediately went over to take the noodle bowl, her other hand pushing his back: "Don't add to the chaos here. Get out, get out. Wait outside."

Qi Yun walked a few steps but quickly returned, walking straight toward Ye Jiao.

Usually before others, though they were close, they never made too many intimate gestures. But this time Qi Yun couldn't care if others were watching, directly reaching out to embrace Ye Jiao.

He held her gently, extremely careful and cautious, afraid using even a little force would hurt her.

Ye Jiao was somewhat puzzled but still softly rested her head on the man's chest, reaching out to pat his back: "Don't worry, it's fine. It'll pass quickly."

"Eat well, and I'll be right outside."

"Good, I know. Husband, catch your breath. I can hear your heart beating so fast."

Liu Shi covered her mouth corner with a handkerchief, thinking that just hearing this, you really couldn't tell who was giving birth.

Speaking of before, Liu Shi's greatest love was for Qi Yun. Her second son's weak constitution, poor stamina, always getting sick, naturally filled Liu Shi with concern and worry.

But now seeing this human-shaped post standing here, unable to help and just getting in the way, it was cleaner to push him out.

So Qi Yun was quickly pushed to the outer room, standing there staring blankly at the tightly closed inner room door, not knowing what he was thinking.

Qi Ming, who came over because of the commotion outside, saw Qi Yun like this and went over to pull him: "Second Brother, rest a bit. Mother's right, you can't help. Better sit and wait."

This time Qi Yun followed his pull and sat down, but his brow was tightly furrowed, his voice carrying some irritation: "Jiao Niang is suffering too much."

Qi Ming really wanted to say that even though he was young, he knew giving birth was hard work that didn't come out easily. But he didn't want to scare Qi Yun with such words, only saying: "Second Brother, don't be anxious. Mother just said Second Sister-in-law is in good condition, everything will surely go smoothly. Second Brother just wait."

But not long after, they heard Ye Jiao cry out in pain and the midwife shouting "push."

Qi Ming was helping lift door curtains because he saw many people coming and going with hot water, so this cry didn't scare him. But Qi Yun suddenly jumping up from his chair startled him!

At this moment, someone walked in.

Currently Father Qi and Qi Zhao were at the estate and hadn't returned. As elder sister-in-law, Fang Shi naturally had to come see when she heard Second Sister-in-law was in labor.

Having a servant watch Shi Tou, she hurried over.

She'd intended to help, but upon entering, she saw Qi Yun's "springing to his feet" moment.

This first surprised Fang Shi, then she couldn't help laughing.

It wasn't that she wanted to laugh. It was just that she'd seen too much of Qi Yun's cold indifference, or else gloomy and stern looks. Now suddenly seeing him so panicked was inevitably amusing.

But Fang Shi quickly stopped laughing and asked Qi Ming: "Where's sister-in-law?"

Before Qi Ming could answer, another cry came from the inner room. Fang Shi knew Ye Jiao had begun giving birth.

Unable to care about these two brothers' expressions, Fang Shi hurried into the inner room to help. Qi Ming stood outside to help lift door curtains while comforting his Second Brother: "Second Brother, be calm. Second Sister-in-law is already working hard. Don't make her worry about you."

If he thought about it a little, he'd realize that now Ye Jiao was inside, probably unable to think of anything else, hardly having the mind to worry about whether her husband outside was calm or not.

But Qi Yun was pressed down into his chair by this sentence.

Yes, yes, can't make Jiao Niang worry. She's already suffering so much.

Qi Yun clenched his hands into fists on his legs, mouth tightly closed, teeth clenched, forcing himself to sit motionless for a long time.

Only Ye Jiao's every cry of pain made him shudder, but he just wouldn't move, sitting there with a stern expression.

This statue-like appearance made Qi Ming somewhat worried. He still remembered that Qi Yun's constitution was weak and he was extremely concerned about Ye Jiao. If anxiety made him ill, that would be troublesome.

Lifting the curtain, Qi Ming couldn't help asking: "Second Brother, what are you thinking?"

Qi Yun didn't even look at him, only saying in a low voice: "If this child dares to be unfilial to Jiao Niang in the future... humph."

Though Qi Yun didn't finish, Qi Ming felt his back go cold hearing it.

Secretly wiping sweat from his nose tip, Qi Ming silently told his unborn nephew or niece to remember to be good, or else hold tight to Second Sister-in-law's leg.

Anyway, Second Brother only listened to Second Sister-in-law.

Ye Jiao knew nothing of the outside commotion. After lying flat on the bed, Little Ginseng felt like her soul was being stripped away.

She had ginseng essence, true, but ultimately her body was ordinary human, no different from others.

Pain would still hurt. Even though the midwife said not to shout, to save strength, Ye Jiao still cried out a couple times.

It really hurt.

Actually what the midwife and Liu Shi said was that she was delivering smoothly and wouldn't suffer too much. But Little Ginseng hadn't suffered any hardship since becoming human, thoroughly spoiled by Qi Yun's care, unable to bear even a bit of suffering, unable to stand it when it hurt even a little.

Only when the pain was worst, her head wondered, is this what being human is?

Pain, illness, discomfort...

Husband was always sick before. Family said several times his illness brought him to death's door. Did husband feel bad then too?

But husband never said so. Husband was really strong.

But Little Ginseng wasn't strong. If it hurt, she had to say so!

But before she could really cry out, she vaguely heard people saying it was born, then heard loud crying.

This crying was truly too loud, impossible to ignore even if she wanted to...

Outside, dawn broke, dispelling night's gloom. Little Black also raised his high-pitched crow when sunlight barely peeked out.

Liu Shi had been beside her the whole time, eyes showing surprise.

From labor starting to birth, only a little over an hour, this was really too fast. And looking at this child's size, it wasn't small either. Being so smooth was truly rare.

Moreover, this baby wasn't red like ordinary newborns, but showed pink. Though not exactly fair, it looked endearingly soft.

After cleaning and wrapping the child, Liu Shi didn't carry him out but sat sideways beside Ye Jiao, face showing unstoppable smiles: "Jiao Niang, look, this is your son. These features are really beautiful." Speaking thus, she placed the child beside Ye Jiao.

Little Ginseng hadn't yet transitioned to mother mode. She didn't feel that after giving birth she'd immediately have burgeoning maternal love. She just thought, it's over, how good. That bowl of chicken soup noodles wasn't wasted, at least she wasn't hungry now.

But her head still unconsciously wondered if husband was hungry or cold. Waking him up in the middle of the night, he probably still hadn't slept and should be told to sleep. His constitution was weak, poor rest would make him sick.

But all these words just circled in her head without being spoken.

Her eyelids fought each other, drowsiness soon coming.

But Little Ginseng forced herself not to fall asleep, instead struggling to turn her head, persistently looking at the child's head.

It was a pink baby with soft cheeks. Though not crying now, his pouted mouth looked very cute.

Ye Jiao glanced at her child's face, but her gaze finally settled on the top of his head.

Seeing the small head with soft baby hair was completely clean on top, Ye Jiao breathed a sigh of relief and showed a smile.

So good, no grass.

Then, unable to resist drowsiness any longer, too late to look carefully at her child, Ye Jiao's head tilted, her face against the baby's swaddling, closed her eyes and fell into deep sleep.