Chapter 378: 378. Gu Xiaonuan is here (First update)

Translator: 549690339

By November, Su Liang never saw Gu Ling sleeping with his eyes closed again. Every time she woke up, he would be awake, sometimes staring at her face, sometimes snuggling her pregnant belly, listening to the baby’s movements.

Last month, Gu Ling had successfully helped deliver a horse and a cow, adding another skill to his repertoire, basically qualifying him for a part-time veterinarian. However, he didn’t have the chance to practice a Cesarean section, as he couldn’t just cut open an animal’s belly without a reason.

One morning, Su Liang opened her eyes and found that Gu Ling wasn’t there.

But in the next moment, she heard the soft sound of the door opening, as Gu Ling had gone out and come back in.

Lifting the bed curtain, Su Liang reached out, only to be hugged and pulled up by Gu Ling. This was already a habitual action, and Gu Ling enjoyed it very much, thinking that Su Liang, just awakened and leaning into his embrace, was particularly cute.

By the time they had finished washing up and having breakfast, Su Liang smelled an enticing aroma and saw Gu Ling bring a plate of roasted sweet potatoes.

“You got up early just to roast sweet potatoes?” Su Liang was pleasantly surprised. These were not ordinary sweet potatoes, but from Su Family’s village. Previously, Su Liang had sent people back to the village to check on the school and brought gifts for relatives and friends, including village chief Su Bai, Gu Ling’s carpentry master Su Dakuan, and Aunt Bai’s family. The people she sent returned to the capital city yesterday, bringing back some local specialties, such as pickles made by Bai Dalao’s wife, sweet potatoes grown by Bai Dalao, dried kidney beans sun-dried by Aunt Bai, as well as letters written by Little Tiger and Zhuzi for them, and a rattle drum that Su Dakuan made for their baby.

At that time, Su Liang recalled the happy times in Su Family’s village. In winter, when snow was falling heavily, they would go to Bai’s house, and as soon as they entered, they would be greeted by the sweet aroma of roasted sweet potatoes. Bai Dalao, with his dark skin and a kind smile, would fetch sweet potatoes with a burnt-black exterior from the stove, serve them in a bowl, and with a tap of chopsticks, the skin would crack open, revealing the sweet and soft inside that melted in their mouths.

Last night, before going to sleep, Su Liang was still looking forward to having roasted sweet potatoes today, and as it turned out, Gu Ling got up early this morning to do it.

Gu Ling broke one open and handed Su Liang a small spoon, allowing her to scoop and eat without dirtying her hands.

Having tasted a bite, Su Liang found that it was still piping hot and just like the flavor she remembered, and couldn’t help but sigh, “It’s probably snowing heavily in Su Family’s village now.”

Su Liang wanted to try some pickles, but Gu Ling only allowed her a small bit and wouldn’t permit her to eat more. He promised to use Aunt Bai’s dried kidney beans to stew meat for lunch.

After breakfast, Zhengzheng arrived, and Gu Ling brought out the still-warm roasted sweet potatoes from the stove for him and Old Mu to eat.

These days, Old Mu would often sigh while looking south, knowing that he was worried about Old Bai and Ying Ying’s safety, but to avoid causing Su Liang any worry, he didn’t mention it in front of her.

Su Liang was also worried about Old Bai and Ying Ying. It had been several months since they went to Yin Country, and there had been no news at all. Things must have not gone smoothly; otherwise, they would have returned by now.

But if even the top Martial Arts and poison techniques master Old Bai couldn’t handle Yue Furen and her group, sending more people would be suicide. Unless Su Liang and Gu Ling went personally, but they really couldn’t go now. They suspected that even if they went, there might not be anyone left at that place.

All they could do was comfort themselves that no news was good news. Old Bai and Ying Ying were valuable to Yue Furen, and at the very least, they should still be alive. Even if they were in Yue Furen’s hands, that poisonous woman would surely come looking for them.

Being so far away, and unable to solve the problem for now, Su Liang didn’t think too much about it. She decided to focus on giving birth to her baby safely first.

“Master Mu, I’m now the senior disciple of the beauty master!” Zhengzheng puffed out his little chest and proudly declared. His uncle had become his master, making their relationship even closer.

Gu Ling wasn’t sure if Zhengzheng was older than Ji Yuebai’s son, but for now, since they couldn’t see Ji Xiaobai, they assumed Zhengzheng was the eldest and the senior disciple, which made Zhengzheng very happy.

Old Mu rubbed Zhengzheng’s head, “Well done! Defeat your master as soon as possible!”

Zhengzheng giggled, “That’s too difficult, Master is invincible! But I will try my best! I have to protect my little siblings too!”

“Where did you get the little sister from?” Old Mu asked. Wan Hui gave birth to a son last month, named Lu Zhengfeng. Zhengzheng, with his real name Wan Zhengyang, followed his mother’s surname, and Lu Zhengfeng was his half-brother, sharing the same mother but different fathers.

No one knew whether the child in Su Liang’s belly was a boy or a girl, except for her and Gu Ling.

“The little sister in Aunt’s belly!” Zhengzheng’s little face was serious.

Old Mu’s eyes lit up, “Did they tell you it was a girl?”

Zhengzheng shook his head, “I guessed!”

Old Mu coughed lightly, “Alright, I hope you’re right.”

The winter in the capital city of Qian Country was colder this year than in previous years, but after the successful renovation of the Yuanming Pavilion, the courtyards of the Su Mansion where people lived had also been renovated with floor heating installed, so there was no need for charcoal basins. Gu Ling also taught the method to Qi Yan, who took people to make similar modifications to the areas needed by the Qin, Xing, Lin, and Lin’s families, which was especially beneficial for the elderly, pregnant women, and new mothers who are sensitive to the cold.

Lin’s Family lived in Jiaye City in the south all year round, and this was their first winter in the capital city. They weren’t used to the cold, but the floor heating made it much more comfortable for them.

However, as the due date approached, there was one problem Su Liang and Gu Ling hadn’t figured out up until now: what to name their daughter.

Su Liang felt that the name should be prepared in advance to avoid having a nickname for the baby if the name isn’t settled after birth.

“Xiao Sun doesn’t sound nice, how about Little Bamboo?” Gu Ling was still thinking about their time on the island.

Su Liang wasn’t fond of the name and asked Gu Ling to think about it some more.

“Today is the 10th. Whatever day she is born, her name could be based on that day,” Gu Ling thought of a simple solution.

Su Liang looked puzzled. “What if she’s born tomorrow? Will her name be Gu Eleven? That’s too perfunctory, isn’t it?”

Gu Ling had considered many long-term things for their daughter, but his heart was heavy with worry about Su Liang’s upcoming delivery, so he didn’t spend much time thinking about her name.

“It’s not suitable,” Su Liang rejected the idea. “Some days sound fine as names, but have you ever considered, Great God, what if she’s born on the 18th? Will her name be Gu Eighteen then?”

They had a friend named Yan Shiba…

Gu Ling frowned, apparently forgetting about Yan Shiba. “Forget what I said.” Even if it wasn’t eighteen, it would still sound like they were part of Yan Shiba’s family, which didn’t sound good.

“But where on earth has Yan Shiba gone? It’s been almost half a year without any news,” Su Liang sighed. “I hope he hasn’t been captured again. If he was captured by Situ Xie’s gang, they should have used him to threaten me by now, knowing our relationship. I wonder if Yan Shiqi, who didn’t die back then, found him again? That would be a real restless ghost.”

The reason they suspected Yan Shiqi might be back was that Gu Ling had tried to contact the assassins from Yanyun Building in the capital city but failed. They didn’t know if it was because there were no longer any assassins from Yanyun Building in Qian Country after the incident or if there was internal turbulence in Yanyun Building.

They could only wait for news for now.

“Both our names are too cold,” Su Liang thought. “How about we give our daughter a warmer name?”

Gu Ling nodded, “How about Gu Nuan (Warm)?”

Su Liang raised an eyebrow, “Not bad. In my previous life, there was a popular song called ‘Nuannuan (Warm Warm)’.”

She hummed the tune of the once-popular song in the streets and alleys. She didn’t remember the lyrics very well anymore, but the melody was still very familiar to her.

Gu Ling silently memorized it, intending to play it for Su Liang the next day.

However, on November 11th, Gu Ling didn’t get the chance to play the piano because Su Liang was going into labor.

The baby was full-term and within the time frame Su Liang had estimated, but when she told Gu Ling she thought she was going into labor, he couldn’t help but turn pale.

Last month, the calm Gu Ling sat outside Lin Xueqing’s delivery room, handing out sugar pills to the men of the Lin and Xing families, asking Xing Yusheng how he felt. Now that it was his turn, Gu Ling’s anxiety was no less than Xing Yusheng’s.

Nevertheless, Gu Ling had mentally rehearsed the steps of Su Liang’s delivery many times, so after becoming flustered for a moment, he forced himself to calm down: first, he settled Su Liang, then asked Qi Yan to notify their family.

The midwife was an experienced old nanny who had worked for Xing Family’s old lady and had delivered the babies of the Xing family. She had just delivered Lin Xueqing’s baby last month. She had moved into Su Mansion three days ago, ready to be on call, and arrived quickly.

As Zhengzheng and Old Mu were playing with building blocks in the pavilion, they heard that Su Liang was about to give birth. Old Mu immediately stood up and scooped up Zhengzheng, who had jumped off his stool, slinging him onto his back before leaping across the lake to Yuanming Pavilion.

“Don’t come in,” said Cen Man sternly, as she hurried inside.

Still on Old Mu’s back, Zhengzheng furrowed his brows, “Old Mu, my mom was in a lot of pain when she gave birth to my little brother. Will my aunt be in pain too?”

Old Mu had no children of his own in this life, but at his age, he knew that giving birth was not an easy task for women. To avoid scaring Zhengzheng, Old Mu tried to put it mildly, “Don’t worry, she’s a divine doctor.”

“Grandpa Lin said, ‘doctors can’t heal themselves,’” replied Zhengzheng who had begun his education with Lin Shuzhi. Although he spent his days playing in Su Mansion, he also dedicated four hours to studying. Occasionally, Lin Shuzhi would give him a day off.

Old Mu coughed lightly, “That’s true, but it depends on the person.” Su Liang might not be able to heal herself, but having taught Gu Ling medical skills, she had extra protection.

As for Gu Ling, accompanying Su Liang during childbirth had been discussed early on with the midwife. Old Lady Xing had also instructed the midwife to respect the different customs of Su Liang and Gu Ling’s families and follow their arrangements.

Nangong Qian arrived soon after, but not knowing much about childbirth and unable to help, she stood next to Old Mu for a while before taking Qiuyue back to prepare lunch for everyone.

Su Liang thought everything would be fine – it was just the beginning stages of labor and there was still time before the baby would be born. She had Gu Ling bring her a bowl of mixed porridge to eat, in case she wouldn’t have the strength later on.

Unfortunately, there were no pain relief techniques in this world… As Su Liang endured the pain of childbirth, she thought about how much better things had been in her past life with modern conveniences and pain relief during labor.

Originally, Gu Ling was sitting on a stool by the bed, leaning over to hold Su Liang’s hand. But as he was taller than her, he eventually removed the stool and sat directly on the floor beside the bed.

The midwife was efficient and quickly prepared for the birth. After checking Su Liang’s condition, she said it wasn’t time yet.

Su Liang then drank another bowl of chicken soup. Today’s task was a difficult one, but she had to pull through.

Even the midwife couldn’t help but marvel at Su Liang, who was the calmest and most sensible pregnant woman she had ever encountered.

Old Mu and Zhengzheng sat on the first floor of Yuanming Pavilion, gazing at the lake outside and the bleak trees on its shores, both resting their faces on their left hands.

Suddenly, Zhengzheng rubbed his eyes, jumped off the chair, and ran to the window, excitedly exclaiming, “Aunt, Uncle Mei Ren, it’s snowing!”

Fluffy snowflakes fluttered down like catkins from the sky, gradually becoming more numerous.

This was the first snowfall of the winter.

For an area with a normal climate and four distinct seasons, the first snow was always a joyous occasion. It was not like Yin Country, without snow all year round, or Liang Country, where people grew tired of the heavy snow that covered the entire freezing winter.

Upstairs, Su Liang heard the news and tugged at the corner of her slightly pale lips, “A good omen.”

Gu Ling also felt it was a coincidence, but the day their daughter was born would hold special meaning because of the first snow. Each year, the first snowfall would remind them of today, the joy and pain of bringing new life into the world.

Zhengzheng ran outside, and Old Mu didn’t call him back.

Hearing Zhengzheng’s laughter downstairs and imagining future snow-play with her daughter, Su Liang felt invigorated. Soon, she would be able to give birth and complete this difficult task… She tried to comfort and encourage herself.

After managing everything at Su Mansion, Qi Yan returned to the Xing Family. As instructed by Old Lady Xing, he informed her as soon as he heard that Su Liang was in labor.

So, before Su Liang gave birth, Old Lady Xing, Xing Ji, and Lin Shuzhi all arrived. Not long after, Old Master Qin also arrived by carriage.

Everyone couldn’t help but be curious and eager to find out whether Su Liang would have a boy or a girl, as it would be a delightful surprise for them all.

Old Madam Xing entered the delivery room. Just last month, she had welcomed a healthy great-grandson, and she now looked younger than before, feeling rejuvenated by the happy occasion. In her eyes, Su Liang was not only a benefactor but also regarded as a granddaughter.

Old Master Qin suggested that they might as well make a bet on whether Su Liang would give birth to a boy or a girl.

However, the bet couldn’t be established because everyone secretly hoped Su Liang would have a daughter. Of course, this was based on the fact that Su Liang and Gu Ling didn’t have any elders, family constraints, responsibilities to carry on the family line, and they’d never cared about other people’s opinions. They hoped for a daughter because they knew that Su Liang and Gu Ling didn’t favor sons, so it didn’t really matter.

“Great God, please sing a song for me,” Su Liang, feeling the pain was close to exceeding her threshold, wanted to distract herself.

“What do you want to hear?” Gu Ling asked.

Unable to think straight due to the pain, Su Liang simply said for Gu Ling to sing any song.

But Gu Ling couldn’t think straight either and couldn’t come up with an appropriate song to sing.

Just then, Su Liang cried out from the pain, and the midwife announced, “Madam Gu is about to give birth!”

Gu Ling, drained of energy, instantly tenses up again, pale-faced, and gripping Su Liang’s hand, he said, “We’ll never do this again.”

Old Madam Xing at the side didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

Time seemed to drag on, and Gu Ling watched Su Liang’s pained expression, their memories together flashing through his mind like a slideshow. His eyes settled on the sweat on her forehead, the size of a bean. He wiped it gently, but thin beads of sweat formed again, underneath which was her pale skin, with no black mist.

Inwardly, Gu Ling prayed. All the people he had saved before and the disasters he had averted were all for this moment, hoping for the safety of his loved ones.

The baby’s cry seemed to reach Gu Ling’s ears at the speed of light from afar, a surreal feeling… At last, his gaze moved from Su Liang’s face to the midwife, who smiled as she held up a newborn, then immediately looked back at Su Liang.

Su Liang was still awake, sweaty and soaked through, her face almost translucently pale, her strength exhausted. Despite all the experience and knowledge she had gathered, it wasn’t much help when it came to experiencing it herself. Under extreme pain, she could only struggle to regain control of her body and prevent her mind’s clarity from being eroded.

“Do you want to cut the umbilical cord?” Su Liang asked Gu Ling weakly.

This was something they had discussed before, and Gu Ling said he wanted to cut the umbilical cord himself, but Su Liang doubted if he could stand up quickly enough.

“Yes…” Gu Ling finally remembered that, getting up from the ground, taking a deep breath, and gesturing for the midwife to pass him the disinfected scissors.

The midwife handed him the scissors and told him where to cut.

Gu Ling took another deep breath and decisively made the cut, returning to his original position. The midwife was busy taking care of things afterward.

Once again holding Su Liang’s hand, he heard her say, “Congratulations, Great God, you’re a father now.”

“Congratulations on becoming a mother,” Gu Ling lowered his head, softly kissing Su Liang, “Thank you,” for everything she had given him…

Upstairs, the baby’s cries were clear and bright, and everyone downstairs was overjoyed when they knew Su Liang was fine.

Old Master Qin said jovially, “Looks like it’s a strong little boy!”

Old Mu asked three times, “Is it a boy or a girl?”

Zhengzheng also asked, “Is it a sister?” He really wanted a little sister!

Finally, Cen Man answered their question, “It’s a daughter.”

Zhengzheng leaped with joy, “It’s a sister! I have a sister now!”