Chapter 74: Baby Qin Yuxuan

Cao Xi and Qin Zhao walked around the courtyard for a while, and then went back to the bedroom, where Xing’er brought in some warm water for Cao Xi to soak her feet.

Qin Zhao knelt beside her and began washing her feet.

“Your feet are so swollen, they look like buns,” Qin Zhao remarked, his voice filled with concern.

“It’s normal for pregnant women,” Cao Xi replied, leaning back against the pillow, looking exhausted.

After finishing, Qin Zhao helped her lie down on the bed. He had Xing’er pour out the foot bath water and then began to loosen her clothes, preparing her for rest.

Halfway through unbuttoning her clothes, he suddenly heard Cao Xi calling out softly.

“Qin Zhao, I think I’ve wet the bed.”

Cao Xi sounded embarrassed and upset. It was the first time during her pregnancy that she had such an accident.

Qin Zhao quickly checked, but it wasn’t a case of wetting the bed—her water had broken. He didn’t care whether his clothes were fully fastened and rushed out of the room in a panic.

“Midwife, midwife!”

In no time, a midwife was pulled into the room by Qin Zhao.

Cao Xi, realizing what was happening, grew frightened and gripped Qin Zhao’s hand tightly. Her body was trembling.

But Qin Zhao was even more terrified. He was the one shaking, unable to hold back his fear.

“Don’t just stand there, go boil some water!” the midwife ordered Xing’er, while other midwives hurried into the room to assist.

They quickly confirmed that Cao Xi’s water had broken, and she seemed to be more stable.

As Cao Xi’s labor pains intensified, sweat dripped from her face, and her brows furrowed in pain. Xing’er quickly brought in the hot water.

One of the midwives pushed Qin Zhao aside. “You shouldn’t be in here.”

“Don’t touch me! I don’t want to leave!”

Qin Zhao’s eyes were red from anxiety, watching Cao Xi’s pale face as she endured the pain.

He felt helpless, knowing there was nothing he could do to help, and it drove him frantic.

“Stay calm. I’ll handle this, don’t worry.”

After what felt like an eternity, the first cries of a baby could be heard as the morning light began to filter into the room.

The midwife wrapped the newborn baby up and handed the bundle to Cao Xi.

“Madam, quick, the young master is healthy and strong!”

Cao Xi felt as if she had been doused in water; she was soaked and exhausted, sweat dripping down her face.

She made an effort to turn her head, looking at the newborn baby in her arms, his tiny hands grasping at the edges of the blanket.

The baby’s cheeks were rosy, and his eyes were tightly shut.

Qin Zhao, who had been anxiously watching, couldn’t help but comment, “What an ugly little thing!”

He didn’t mean it harshly, but simply couldn’t help feeling overwhelmed by the sight of the tiny, scrunched-up baby.

He took the baby from the midwife and carefully placed him in Cao Xi’s arms. The two of them stared at the baby for a long time.

“Does he look like me?” Qin Zhao asked, his voice soft.

The midwife laughed and said, “The baby looks quite handsome, actually.”

“Really? Does he look like me?”

Cao Xi stared at the baby for a long while before finally answering, “Yes, he does look like you.”

Xing’er and the midwives began cleaning up the room and preparing to leave.

The baby was placed next to Cao Xi, and Qin Zhao sat by the bed, still gazing at the little one.

“We should give him a name,” Qin Zhao said, his eyes lighting up.

The baby, looking as though he had just woken up, squinted his eyes at the two of them.

Cao Xi stared at the baby, and in that moment, her heart was filled with love.

“Let’s name him…”

“Qin Yuxuan, how does that sound?” Qin Zhao suggested without hesitation, offering the name.

Cao Xi hesitated for a moment but then smiled softly. “It’s a nice name.”

She gently called out, “Yuxuan…”

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As the days passed, little Qin Yuxuan grew rapidly, changing almost every day. He became a plump, fair little baby.

However, Qin Zhao, feeling neglected with the focus all on the baby, finally couldn’t hold his frustration any longer. One night, he cornered Cao Xi by the end of the bed and, his voice low and filled with tension, asked,

“Do you still love me?”