Zhao Yueniang was running so hard she was drenched in sweat, her face flushed crimson. “I… I need to see Wei Qingshan. My brother… he’s about to give birth.”

“I’ll go get him.”

Cui Xian rode his horse into the City Defense Office. Zhao Yueniang had rushed in so frantically she stood at the entrance, still wiping sweat from her brow. Wei Qingshan soon emerged on horseback. Spotting him, Zhao Yueniang hurried over. “Brother-in-law, my brother is about to give birth!”

“Mhm.” Wei Qingshan called to the guard standing nearby. “Liu Xiaowu, please escort my sister home. I have urgent business to attend to.”

“Yes.”

Wei Qingshan hurried home on horseback. Liu Xiaowu stepped forward. “Miss, let me escort you back.”

“Thank you.”

Just as Liu Xiaowu was about to escort Zhao Yueniang home, Cui Xian emerged from inside. “Xiaowu, you carry on with your duties. I’ll see Miss Wei back.”

Zhao Yueniang recognized him as the man who had called her brother-in-law earlier. She curtsied. “Thank you, young master.”

Cui Xian flushed slightly. “Let me escort you back. I don’t have anything else to do.”

Zhao Yueniang accepted without objection. Cui Xian walked alongside her all the way home. Watching her retreating figure disappear into the house, he stared blankly for a moment. Snapping back to reality, he stamped his foot in frustration—how could he have forgotten to tell her his name?

After seeing Zhao Yueniang home, Cui Xian arrived just as his shift ended. He walked back to his quarters, grinning foolishly the whole way.

As soon as Zhao Yueniang arrived home, she hurried to help. Her brother-in-law had beaten her to the main hall, pacing anxiously. Tuan-ger clung to Wei Qingshan’s leg. “Daddy, what’s wrong with Little Daddy?”

Wei Qingshan, afraid of frightening Tuan-ger, picked him up. “Little Daddy is giving Tuan-ger a little brother.”

Tuan-ger wiggled his little legs. “Baby brother~”

“Mm.”

Wei Qingshan felt both anxious and hopeful. Night was falling fast, and he still didn’t know if the two little ones were boys or gers. Either was fine. If they were both boys, that would be good too. He could marry them all off, and they could all stay with him and his fulang. That would be nice.

Zhao Yueniang went to the kitchen to help boil water, while Xu Nainai busied herself preparing a meal for Lin Yu. After all, he needed to eat his fill now—how could he muster strength when the time came if he was weak?

Shi Xiaoliu, Ding Xiaohe, and the others returned from the shop. Seeing the bustle in the courtyard, they realized Lin Yu was about to give birth. As soon as Shi Xiaoliu rushed over, Xu Nainai shooed him aside. “We have enough hands here. Brother Liu, take them to the front to get something to eat.”

Since they were all unmarried young men and women, Xu Nainai shooed everyone to the front. Soon after, Zhao Yueniang arrived carrying Tuan-ger.

Shi Xiaoliu hurriedly asked, “Sister Yue, how is he?”

“I don’t know yet.”

“Let’s get some food ready first. We can’t let Tuan-ger go hungry,” Shi Xiaoliu said.

“Right, let’s make some noodles. We’ll feed Tuan-ger half a bowl later.”

“Alright.”

Shi Xiaoliu took Ding Xiaohe to the kitchen to prepare the meal. After bringing the food back, Zhao Yueniang fed Tuan-ger half a bowl of noodles. Then everyone played with the little boy to keep him occupied.

Even after nightfall, there was still no sign of labor. Xu Nainai came to take Xiao Tuan back to bed. “Everyone should get some sleep. They say it’s still early inside.”

The others returned to their rooms, but sleep was impossible. Zhao Yueniang tossed and turned all night, unable to rest. As dawn approached, she grew increasingly anxious—why hadn’t the baby arrived yet?

Hearing cries from the main room, she sprang up. The midwife inside called out, “The first one’s a boy! The second hasn’t come out yet.”

Wei Qingshan had sat in the main hall all night. During the first half of the night, with nothing happening, he’d gone into the inner room to keep Lin Yu company. But in the latter half, he’d been shooed out. Worried Lin Yu might lack strength, Wei Qingshan had prepared ginseng slices early on, boiling a bowl for him to drink.

Auntie Wang emerged from the inner room, cradling the newborn for Wei Qingshan to see. “Master Wei, it’s a boy. Take a look.”

Wei Qingshan glanced down. The infant was wailing with its mouth wide open, wrinkled from the moment of birth—not as handsome as his older son had been at birth.

“How is Xiao Yu?”

“He’s doing well, Master, though the pain is quite intense.”

Aunt Wang brought the baby out for Wei Qingshan to see, then carried him back inside. Wei Qingshan paced anxiously outside, wishing he could take Lin Yu’s pain upon himself.

Soon after, the youngest arrived. The midwife beamed with delight. “Congratulations, Master Wei! Both are boys!”

Wei Qingshan hurried inside to check on Lin Yu. Sweat beaded on Lin Yu’s forehead from the labor pains. Wei Qingshan’s eyes reddened with heartache. Lin Yu, exhausted, murmured, “It’s okay now. Don’t worry.”

“Mhm.”

“Let me wipe you down and change your clothes. It’s daylight now. You should get some rest.”

“No need. Let Aunt Wang and the others handle it. It’s dirty.”

“What’s dirty about it? I’ll wipe you down and change your clothes.”

Wei Qingshan washed a cloth and wiped Lin Yu clean, then changed him into fresh, dry undergarments. “Sleep now. Aunt Wang and the others will watch the babies.”

“Mhm.”

The two children’s crying grew loud, so Wei Qingshan had Aunt Wang and the others carry them to the east room. The midwife, delighted with the two taels of silver she received, beamed so broadly her wrinkles gathered together—Master Wei’s household was truly generous.

Shi Xiaoliu heard the commotion and climbed out of bed. Following the babies’ cries, he went to the east room where Aunt Wang and Aunt Liu were rocking and soothing the two little ones.

Shi Xiaoliu peeked in and smiled. “They’re so tiny.”

“Newborns are always like this.”

By now, dawn had broken and everyone was up. Ding Xiaohe and Ding Xiaoshui also slipped into the room to see the two little ones. They had drunk their fill of goat’s milk and were now fast asleep.

After breakfast, Shi Xiaoliu and the others headed back to the shop to work. All the way there, the three of them chatted about the two newborn babies.

Wei Qingshan hadn’t visited the City Defense Office these past few days, staying by Lin Yu’s side instead. He personally fed him every meal, spooning food right to his lips. Leaning against the bedside, Lin Yu felt a bit embarrassed. “I’m not that delicate.”

“Just rest. Those two little rascals haven’t given you a moment’s peace.”

Wei Qingshan scooped a spoonful of ginseng chicken stew and fed it to Lin Yu. Lin Yu obediently opened his mouth and drank it down. Wei Qingshan’s heart melted. How could he be so well-behaved?

Wei Qingshan had never fed his fulang before. Lin Yu was too shy to let him feed him. This time, having just given birth and staying in the inner room, Lin Yu finally allowed Wei Qingshan to feed him.

Wei Qingshan found himself getting hooked on it. By the third day, Lin Yu had regained some strength, but he insisted on feeding his fulang himself. Watching his fulang eat, his lips slightly reddened, was utterly adorable. Seeing him take each bite filled Wei Qingshan with extraordinary satisfaction.

“You should go back to work tomorrow. There’s nothing much to do at home.”

“It’s fine. I’ll stay with you a few more days. Have some more vegetables. Here.” Wei Qingshan held his chopsticks to Lin Yu’s lips. Lin Yu shook his head. “I’m full. I won’t eat anymore.”

“Then have some egg soup.”

Lin Yu lowered his head and took a few more sips of soup. He shook his head again, refusing more. “You don’t need to feed me tomorrow. Go to work.”

“It’s fine.”

“I don’t care. You’re going, and you’re not feeding me either.”

Seeing his fulang firmly refuse to be fed, Wei Qingshan felt a pang of regret. He had really enjoyed feeding his fulang. Why wouldn’t he let him do it anymore?

With Lin Yu refusing Wei Qingshan’s feeding, Wei Qingshan finally returned to his duties at the City Defense Office.

Wei Qingshan hadn’t come by for three days. Everyone heard his husband had given birth, so when Wei Qingshan arrived, they swarmed around him. “Congratulations! Congratulations! Is it a boy or a ger?”

“Two boys.”

“Whoa! Two at once?”

Many colleagues came over to congratulate Wei Qingshan. Cui Xian also pushed his way forward. “Commander Wei, congratulations.”

Wei Qingshan ignored him. Cui Xian gave an awkward chuckle. He didn’t know what he’d done to offend Wei Qingshan, so he offered another ingratiating smile.

Cui Xian knew Zhou Bao was close with Wei Qingshan, so he specially invited Zhou Bao to dine at his Zuixianlou restaurant. As a company commander, Zhou Bao naturally couldn’t refuse. Cui Xian inquired, “Brother Zhou, have some wine.”

Zhou Bao was startled by Cui Xian addressing him as “Brother Zhou.” 

“Commander Cui, you mustn’t, you mustn’t.”

Though not his direct superior, Cui Xian was still a commander—a young man who’d risen step by step from patrol duty to his current rank, a testament to his talent and ambition.

After toasting Zhou Bao several times, Cui Xian inquired, “Brother Zhou, I’ve somehow offended Commander Wei lately. Could you shed some light on it?”

“Is that so? How come I never heard about it?”

Zhou Bao was genuinely puzzled. Wei Qingshan might have a cold demeanor, but he always focused on the task at hand, never taking it personally. If you asked him to handle something, he’d get it done. Zhou Bao had never heard of him deliberately making things difficult for anyone.

Seeing that Zhou Bao didn’t seem to be lying, Cui Xian probed further, “Does Commander Wei have a sister?”

“No, Commander Wei only has a brother.”

Cui Xian was puzzled. Wei Qingshan had clearly said it was his sister that day. Zhou Bao hummed in response, ”You mean Yueniang? I didn’t catch that at first. She’s not Commander Wei’s sister—she’s his husband’s sister. She’s always lived with them.”

Cui Xian was overjoyed. He knew he’d seen her that day—how could she not be the commander’s sister?

Seeing Cui Xian’s delighted expression, Zhou Bao chuckled. “What a coincidence! Wei Qingshan actually approached me recently. His sister turned seventeen this year—marriageable age—and he asked me to keep an eye out for suitable families in the county seat.”

Cui Xian grew impatient. “Brother Zhou, could you speak on my behalf?”

“Have your parents agreed?”

Zhou Bao feared that the Cui family, being wealthy and influential, with Cui Xian being handsome, young, and promising—a fine match—might look down on their humble household.

“My parents said whoever I choose is fine.”

Cui Xian was already twenty this year. In ordinary families, he would have married and had children long ago. But Cui Xian had been putting it off because he hadn’t found anyone he liked, much to the distress of his parents. They were willing to accept anyone Cui Xian approved of, as long as they were of good character.

Cui Xian begged Zhou Bao to intercede on his behalf. Zhou Bao agreed, thinking Cui Xian was young and promising, and his family wasn’t short of silver. He was a hard-to-find good match, and if he spoke to Wei Qingshan, it would surely work out.

Cui Xian treated Zhou Bao to fine wine and food. Hearing Zhou Bao say it would definitely work out, he was overjoyed. When he returned home, his face was glowing.