Yin Hui smiled and replied, “You are the oldest in our family. Even if there are other children, they will only be younger brothers and sisters.” After a brief moment of contemplation, Xiao Heng compromised, “Then I want a younger brother and a younger sister.”
Yin Hui gently pinched his nose. “You are quite greedy!”
Xiao Heng laughed, and Yin Hui took advantage of the moment to divert his attention by feeding the fish with fish food.
The news of the father’s improved mood also reached the guard house, bringing relief to Wei Luo
As far as he knew, in the previous month, his elder and second brothers, who were on duties in the palace, were often reprimanded by his father. Even the fourth and fifth brothers, who were still studying, were scolded.
Wei Luo, being far away in the guard, was out of his father’s reach. However, he too received his fair share of scolding twice. Once, he was questioned about coming back late, with his father suspecting him of drinking. The second time, it was a baseless accusation, with his father even suspecting him of harboring dissatisfaction.
Aware that their father was irrationally creating trouble, the Wei brothers could only endure it.
To demonstrate that he wasn’t avoiding his father by staying in the guard house, Wei Luo continued to spend two more nights there before returning to the palace.
At night, he asked Yin Hui about the recent happenings in the mansion.
Yin Hui, after combing her hair, approached the bed and slipped into the quilt, half lying on him. She said, “It’s been good. We happened to encounter your father when we went to the garden yesterday. He heard the children laughing and shouting from the gate, so he ordered the nurse to take them there. Si Lang and Sister Zhuang were praised by your father because they could recite poems.”
Even Si Lang received praise, indicating that the father-in-law was indeed in a good mood.
More than half of Wei Luo’s thoughts were on Yin Hui. They hadn’t been close a few times in the entire month of February, and that night she was unusually active.
However, he still asked, “Did he praise Xiao Heng?”
Yin Hui burst into laughter, pinching him with a smile. Wei Luo took a breath and grabbed her hand.
She raised her head, revealing a face as delicate as a peach blossom, with sparkling eyes. “Father knows that Xiao Heng can recite poems. He asked him if he could do anything else. Xiao Heng said he could massage his back. He learned it from watching Jinzhan and the others serve me, and he gave father a thump. Father laughed so loudly that I heard it from the door. Later, he wanted to reward the three children. The sister asked for silk flowers, and Si Lang asked for books.”
She paused, then looked at him with a shameful and resentful look. Wei Luo’s throat rolled, and he had a bad guess. “What did Xiao Heng want?”
Yin Hui twisted his shoulder, and with a playful smile, she uttered, “He wanted a younger brother and a younger sister. Father laughed and told him to ask you for them.”
After saying it, her embarrassment in front of her father turned into a wave of enthusiasm.
She complained, “It’s all your fault!”
Wei Luo didn’t admit it. “How is it my fault?”
Yin Hui actually knew that he wasn’t to blame for the incident, but she just wanted to take it out on him.
Later, when she was angry enough and sweating all over, she hugged him limply. Wei Luo patted her on the back repeatedly, saying, “Teach Xiao Heng well, don’t let him talk nonsense.”
Yin Hui replied, “Teach him? I’m tired enough of teaching him to recite poems and read words during the day. Now, it’s your turn. Whenever you have something to do, you can hide in the guardhouse and enjoy your leisure.”
Others only saw Xiao Heng’s intelligence and cuteness, but they didn’t know that Yin Hui also had a hand in it.
Wei Luo was silent, and the next morning, Yin Hui planned to see Wei Shan, the bride-to-be. Wei Luo, was going to stay and wait till the marriage. So he took Xiao Heng to talk alone.
Observing the father and son walking away, Yin Hui first found it amusing, but soon disappointment settled in.
“Madam, why are you sighing?” Jinzhan, standing beside her, asked with suspicion.
Yin Hui shook her head; it was useless to confide in anyone.
Jinzhan exchanged glances with Yinzhan. She smiled again and said, “Madam, the atmosphere in the mansion was tense a while ago, and there is something we forgot to remind you. We thought we would mention it after the second girl got married…”
Yin Hui grew impatient. “Speak up if you have something to say, don’t beat around the bush.”
Jinzhan coughed and said bluntly, “Didn’t you notice it yourself? Your menstruation is more than ten days late this month.”
No matter how regular a woman’s menstruation was, it would gradually change. Seeing Jinzhan counting with her fingers, Yin Hui was stunned.
Even if she were reborn, she would still be her, and Wei Luo would still be him. How could it be that there was only Xiao Heng in the previous life, but it changed in the new life?
Or was it possible that the delay in menstruation was due to other reasons, not pregnancy?
Yinzhan said, “If Madam is in a hurry, shall we invite the doctor right away?” They only wanted their master to be at ease, even if it stole the limelight from the second girl.
Yin Hui truly didn’t care too much and told Yinzhan to go right away. She instructed her to tell others that she twisted her arm while hugging Xiao Heng.
Yinzhan went away with a smile, leaving Yin Hui in a state of confusion. Seeing Jinzhan still laughing, she couldn’t help but scold, “Why didn’t you tell me earlier?”
Jinzhan explained, “Isn’t this a surprise for you? Besides, we also wanted to wait a little longer… Bah, it must be true. Look at my bad mouth!”
Caught off guard, Yin Hui smiled, looking expectantly at the yard.
The doctor lived in front of the palace, and he had to walk a long way back and forth. Wei Luo took Xiao Heng and came back first.
Seeing that Yin Hui hadn’t set off yet, Wei Luo was a little surprised.
Yin Hui held her breath, patted his right arm, and said, “Maybe it’s twisted. I can’t lift it up a little bit, so Yinzhan went to invite the doctor.”
Wei Luo frowned and came over to check on her.
Yin Hui pretended to cry out in pain.
He had no choice but to wait with her, and Xiao Heng also frowned, guarding his mother’s side worriedly.
After another quarter of an hour, a doctor, skilled in treating females in the mansion, hurried over and was about to salute when he saw the couple.
Wei Luo said, “You are excused, take a look at my wife first.”
The doctor asked Yin Hui when her arm started to hurt, and then asked her to try to raise her arm.
Yin Hui followed the instructions one by one and said to Wei Luo with a blushing face, “It seems to be fine again.”
Wei Luo didn’t blame her for anything. “It’s fine.”
Jinzhan persuaded, “Madam, let him take the pulse. Don’t wait for it to hurt again.”
The doctor thought that the little maid just didn’t understand. What could one tell about the bones by feeling the pulse?
However, he dutifully took her pulse.
After a while, he looked at the third lady who was staring at him expectantly. What else did he not understand?
“Congratulations, Madam. You have a happy pulse.” (pregnant)
Wei Luo had explained a lot of words to Xiao Heng outside and was very thirsty. Just as he picked up the tea bowl, he heard the doctor’s words.
His hand shook, but he managed to stabilize it, and he smiled calmly at Yin Hui.