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墨書 Inktalez
"Let's go out for a walk and get some fresh air."
Shen Muhan naturally wouldn't refuse this suggestion. He immediately took her hand and led her outside. They didn't walk far, just around the fish pond, casually chatting about various things.
However, Xia Muxin's pregnancy was anything but normal. After just that short walk, she felt completely exhausted and ended up squatting by the side to throw up. Shen Muhan had no choice but to carry her back home with a heavy heart.
Unfortunately, in the days that followed, Xia Muxin was unable to live like an ordinary person. To accommodate her, Shen Muhan had a small house built in the yard for them to live in. It was necessary because even climbing stairs was extremely difficult for Xia Muxin. She had to spend twenty out of twenty-four hours in bed, and the place needed good ventilation; if the air became even slightly stuffy, she would be sick again.
Originally, all of this could have been alleviated with medication, but after hearing about the side effects, Xia Muxin refused to take any, fearing it might affect the baby.
As the year drew to a close, Xia Muxin stayed in the cellar waiting for the New Year due to her pregnancy. She had initially wanted to make various types of chips, but that idea was ultimately abandoned. Consequently, her plans to visit the supermarket in Kyoto were also put on hold.
Fortunately, the other two supermarkets were thriving, and their reputation had already spread.
With winter arriving, the Brick Factory ceased operations. After all, it was too cold; even sturdy men couldn't work barefoot in the freezing mud every day. If they fell ill, the cost of medicine would likely exceed their earnings.
Thus, Xia Muxin encouraged them to clear land for planting rapeseed. Seeing that there was money to be made, everyone was eager to participate and continued clearing land for planting. By the end of winter, they had cultivated at least one hundred acres of rapeseed.
The townspeople were puzzled by Xia Muxin's actions since most of them preferred lard over vegetable oil and believed that vegetable oil lacked nutrition; they didn't consume much of it.
Meanwhile, in Daimiao Village, Ming Peng had taken charge of gathering villagers to harvest cotton. According to Ming Peng's description, cotton had piled up around the houses in Daimiao Village until there was barely any space left to stand.
Xia Muxin continued giving orders to uproot the cotton and dry it for firewood. She generously offered this firewood for free to the villagers since they were too busy with their own affairs to prepare for winter. The cotton stalks would likely be enough for them to get through the season.
However, she instructed that all the land previously used for cotton should be planted with garlic and ginger instead.
Although she couldn't oversee everything herself, she trusted Ming Peng and others completely. Besides, she could afford to pay as many workers as needed; money was not an issue for her.
This year's New Year celebration in Daimiao Village was particularly lively. Almost everyone donned new clothes, and new lanterns hung at their doorsteps, creating a festive atmosphere.
Firecrackers rang out from New Year's Eve until after dawn on the first day of the new year.
Xia Muxin felt an unusual chill in the air. In her cozy little house, a charcoal brazier filled with expensive white charcoal provided warmth—eco-friendly and smokeless. The entire room was warm and inviting, yet Xia Muxin's belly was barely showing, only four months along, hidden beneath layers of clothing.
At that moment, she lay under a thick blanket on the bed.
There was no choice; she refused to take medicine, so she had to spend these four months confined to her bed.
Sigh... Even before the baby was born, it was already exhausting her. What would happen once the child arrived? It would surely wear her out even more.
Xia Muxin sighed for what felt like the umpteenth time since her pregnancy began.
Shen Muhan was beside her, using tongs to adjust the white charcoal. Hearing her sigh, a hint of concern crossed his brow. He wished he could bear all her burdens for her.
He had discussed this with Sister Tang but found no better solution. The only option was to wait until the baby was more developed before she could move around slowly.
For now, Xia Muxin only ventured out to use the toilet or bathe in this small house.
To ensure her safety at night, Shen Muhan opted for two large Night Pearls instead of candles, fearing she might suddenly want to get up and fall in the dim light.
Every night before he went to bed, he would clear the room of any obstacles, stacking chairs and tables in one corner. Xia Muxin had grown accustomed to this because he cared so much for their child.
"In just twenty days, you’ll be able to move around again. Hang in there! Once the baby is born, I’ll definitely give him a good talking-to for making you suffer like this."
After adjusting the charcoal fire, Shen Muhan sat on the edge of the bed. His large hand reached through her thick clothing to rest on her slightly rounded belly as he spoke gently.
Listening to his childish words made Xia Muxin chuckle lightly.
"Who knows? It might be a mischievous little troublemaker already causing trouble at such a young age. I bet it's going to be a boy."
In ancient times, women were expected to be demure and rarely left their homes. Only boys would be so troublesome from within their mothers' wombs.
"Not necessarily! I think it’s going to be a girl—just as adorable as you."
Xia Muxin's lips twitched at the thought; if it were a girl, finding a suitable husband would be difficult. With Shen Muhan's doting nature, no one would dare step foot into their home.
Moreover, there were still over ten people from Ming Yi behind them... Just thinking about it made Xia Muxin shiver.
It was terrifying.
"Today outside is quite lively. Aren't you going to take a look?"
Shen Muhan was probably experiencing his first New Year in Daimiao Village, and it should be his first real celebration, as the first year he spent wasn’t really a celebration at all. He remembered being taken to the capital, meeting the emperor, and ultimately facing execution.
"No matter how lively it is outside, nothing is more important than my wife and child. Besides, I'm not a child anymore."
Shen Muhan smiled lightly and then brought a cup of warm tea for Xia Muxin to drink.
Yesterday was New Year's Eve, a time for family reunions. The two of them had lunch together in this room, but for dinner, Shen Muhan carried Xia Muxin out to eat. He even specially prepared a soft chair for her. Ming Yi and the others had returned, while Er Dan Ge and his aunt celebrated their first New Year as a married couple at home.
During this time, Xia Muxin felt like a strange creature being waited on by so many people. Yan Zhouwan looked at her with an expression that was both amused and incredulous. She immediately teased her, hoping that once she got pregnant, she wouldn’t be like her. Shen Muqing even shot her a disapproving glance for that comment.
It seemed that good news for these two was likely on the horizon.
"Are Shen Er Ye and Yan Zhouwan also nearing good news? I've been like a frog in a well lately, completely unaware of anything."
Thinking about this, she couldn’t help but play with Shen Muhan's hand and asked him.
"I'm not very clear either. I just know that the house Mu Qing wants to build is almost done. If he weren’t serious about it, he definitely wouldn’t be building in Daimiao Village."
The land Shen Muqing had his eyes on was only a mile away from here. Although it wasn’t as large as Xia Muxin's house, it was still a four-bedroom layout similar to Er Dan's house. If Xia Muxin remembered correctly, Yan Zhouwan had liked Er Dan's house very much when she saw it. It was likely that Shen Muqing knew this and decided to build according to that layout.
Upon hearing this, Xia Muxin couldn't help but smile widely. Yan Zhouwan had finally awaited her happiness...
Thus, the New Year passed in their daily exchanges of affection. This winter had been unusually different; not a single snowflake had fallen.
However, as spring approached, snow began to fall.
A large flurry of snowflakes danced down, making it even harder for Xia Muxin to step outside. She had completely turned into a couch potato, curling up in her blanket all day long.
Fortunately, there was enough firewood at home; otherwise, she wouldn't know how to get through such days. The workshop had also shut down due to the snow. After all, with the roads impassable, if the cart broke down halfway, not only would the goods be ruined, but both manpower and finances would be drained. Xia Muxin would never engage in such a risky venture.
Luckily, everyone had worked overtime before the New Year and produced more goods than expected. During those two days of drastic weather changes, Xia Muxin had arranged for someone to deliver them. As for Tea County, there were already dedicated people managing things there, so she didn’t need to worry.
Usually, during such days, Shen Muhan spent most of his time warming Xia Muxin’s bed. Despite the high indoor temperature, she still felt icy cold. Not only was Shen Muhan concerned, but the entire family was worried as well. Since Xia Muxin became pregnant, her appetite had significantly decreased.
Aside from her, Xia Jihua had the best cooking skills in the family. Even after getting married, she often came over to prepare meals for Xia Muxin, trying various recipes. Shen Muhan even brought in dishes from the palace, yet she still couldn’t eat.
“Muxin, let’s just have this one child and not have any more,” he said softly.
Outside, the snow fell steadily, crunching underfoot as people walked by. Amidst these sounds, Shen Muhan held the drowsy Xia Muxin in his arms, gently stroking her increasingly delicate chin with concern.
“Husband, I’m fine. Don’t worry about me just because I’m eating less and feel cold. My body is quite strong; isn’t there a saying about special periods?”
Xia Muxin joked lightly. They were just too anxious; in reality, she felt quite well and only struggled with her appetite and sensitivity to cold.
Shen Muhan simply held her tighter in silence, resting his forehead against hers...
- End of Chapter -
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