Chapter 214

“Shí Tīngyǔ’s postpartum days coincided with unbearable summer heat.

Wanting to use an electric fan, she faced unanimous opposition from both mothers.

Firstly, they said not to use a fan during confinement; if it was too hot, she should wear lighter clothing.

Shí Tīngyǔ: …

She was already wearing a thin nightgown, so going without wasn’t an option.

She knew her body had recovered, but both elders insisted on proper confinement for her.

Shí Tīngyǔ could only sigh at this sweet burden, sneaking off to bathe and cool off in the space during her naps.

Over the past two years, the space had expanded significantly with flourishing fruits, fragrant flowers, and overall beauty.

The space also gave Shí Tīngyǔ the confidence to endure confinement during the intense summer.

Summer brought sweat easily, so Lù’s mother would wipe her down with warm water when Shí Tīngyǔ felt hot in the afternoon.

Even during confinement, not touching water in this weather could lead to illness.

The baby’s name hadn’t been decided yet, and everyone at home just called him ‘baby.’

Initially, Shí Tīngyǔ asked Lù Wèiguó to help choose a name.

During Lù Wèiguó’s vacation at home, not a single name had been settled.

Shí Tīngyǔ wasn’t good at naming and didn’t want to stress over it. If the name Lù Wèiguó suggested wasn’t good-sounding, she would mention it. After all, the quality of a name could be discerned from its sound alone.

One day after returning from training, Lù Wèiguó sat with his wife and child at the table, beginning to think of a name again.

Nowadays, he felt many children’s names weren’t pleasant-sounding. After a long while, he wrote down the characters ‘Lù Lín’ on a notebook.

After finishing, he looked quite satisfied and handed it to Shí Tīngyǔ, asking, ‘What do you think of our child being named this?’

Shí Tīngyǔ glanced at it and fell silent for a while.

She tried to find a way to express herself without discouraging Lù Wèiguó.

‘Is it not good?’ Lù Wèiguó asked.

Shí Tīngyǔ slowly replied, ‘The name itself is indeed good, but don’t you think ‘Lù Lín’ sounds like a hero of the green forest? When our child goes to school, being given such a nickname might not be ideal.’

Upon hearing this, Lù Wèiguó immediately crossed out the name.

As a first-time father, he truly wanted to give his child the best.

Seeing him scratching his head, Shí Tīngyǔ began thinking as well.

In the end, they settled on the name ‘Lù Yúnshēn.’

‘Only in this mountain, the clouds are deep and unknown.’

Mysterious and remote, yet classical in style, importantly, it sounded pleasant when spoken aloud.

Lù Wèiguó was visibly pleased, feeling that just with this name, his son had outshone many others.

‘You’re cultured, my wife,’ Lù Wèiguó praised.

Shí Tīngyǔ was rarely this proud, ‘I was about to give up, but my abilities didn’t allow it.’

Knowing the child’s name, Lù’s mother began deeply, deeply calling him.

…

During Shí Tīngyǔ’s confinement, these two days, Lìjiàn clearly sensed a new presence at home.

It smelled like the master, knowing it was the master’s cub.

Several times wanting to go inside to see, it was blocked by Mother Lu.

However, it knew its limits.

Although it couldn’t see the little master, it could still help.

When Mother Lu went to get soap, it would step in to help wash the diapers.

Hmm, in Mother Lu’s eyes, its method of washing diapers seemed a bit old-fashioned.

Using its feet.

After each time Lìjiàn used its feet, Mother Lu would rewash them with soap, but she still praised Lìjiàn.

‘Lìjiàn is a good big brother.’

Before, Mother Lu would never have said such a thing.

She only said it occasionally after hearing her daughter-in-law call it that way.

Lìjiàn was a good dog, always wanting to help with household chores.

So Mother Lu genuinely liked it.

But liking aside, diapers touched by Lìjiàn’s paws still needed special cleaning.

Praise and criticism coexisted, and she handled it well.

Lìjiàn felt more of a burden now.

With a new cub at home, it had to take on the responsibilities of a big brother.

So Mother Lu could occasionally see Lìjiàn holding a broom in its mouth, clumsily helping to sweep the floor.

“Although it made a mess every time it swept,

Lù’s mother still maintained her usual praise and criticism.

In the worst case, she would help clean up afterwards, not wanting to undermine the child’s confidence.

Finally, Lù’s mother found a good job for Lìjiàn, which was watering plants.

Now that Lìjiàn was fully grown, carrying a watering can was no trouble.

In summer, the vegetable garden and flowers by the walls needed watering every morning and evening.

Lìjiàn was delighted to help.

Besides watering the vegetables and flowers, it also carried the watering can to sprinkle water on the floor of the hall.

The house now had a tiled floor, so no matter how much sweeping was done, dust remained.

To prevent dust from rising while sweeping, a little water was sprinkled on the floor.

When Shí Tīngyǔ couldn’t lie still in the room anymore, Lìjiàn also caught sight of the master’s cub.

The child had a faint milk fragrance, which was very pleasant, but was still too small.

Lìjiàn tilted his head, the corners of his mouth unconsciously lifting in a smile, showing a hint of kindness.

Days passed by, quickly reaching the child’s full moon celebration.

Lù Wèiguó took time off to arrange for drinks.

The banquet was all organized by Lù’s mother, and when Shí Tīngyǔ offered to help, Lù’s mother refused.

‘You just finished your confinement; you can’t suddenly start working. Wait a bit longer,’ she said.

Shí Tīngyǔ had no choice but to watch the child carefully, trying to lessen Lù’s mother’s burden.

Apart from those they invited, there were also some uninvited guests.

Most came because of the backgrounds of the current Lù and Shí families.

Lù’s mother didn’t accept gifts but gave each person a red egg.

Given their prior relationships, accepting gifts would obligate them to reciprocate in the future, leading to frequent visits.

So, some gifts couldn’t be accepted.

The day before the child’s full moon, Lù’s mother specially covered the door edges with cloth.

She feared the noise of opening and closing doors would startle the child.

People seeing the cloth-covered edges naturally behaved more cautiously.

In addition to male guests, a few sisters-in-law who were closer to Shí Tīngyǔ were also invited.

While Lù Wèiguó entertained the male guests outside, the sisters-in-law went inside to see the child.

By now, little Lù Yúnshēn had completely shed his wrinkled, red-skinned newborn look, becoming fair and soft like a blown-up balloon.

His clean, distinct black-and-white eyes were round and particularly pleasing.

The shape of his eyes resembled those of the Shí family, beautiful almond-shaped eyes. Since the child was small, his eyes appeared slightly rounder, but as he grew, they would become more almond-shaped.

Everyone adored this fair child immensely.

Compliments poured out as if they cost nothing.

Even after complimenting, they continued to discuss with their menfolk once outside the room.”