Chapter 189: Joy Arrives Quietly
March was already mid-spring, with warm weather, blooming flowers, green willows and orioles singing, and a vibrant scene everywhere.
That evening, Gan Ning returned home, and Da Qiao helped him remove his outer coat.
“Your complexion hasn’t been great these past few days. Are you ill?” Gan Ning asked with concern.
“No! It might be the change of seasons; I’m just not quite adjusted.”
Da Qiao smiled and said, “I’ll go arrange dinner. I’ll call you when it’s ready, husband!”
Soon, the family sat down in the dining hall, and maidservants came in to place portions of side dishes in front of everyone.
The Three Kingdoms Period naturally used individual servings; the table could be separated or joined, but each person had their own dish. Gan Ning’s dining hall had a large table, and everyone sat around it.
A maidservant filled Gan Ning’s cup with wine. Gan Ning smiled and said, “It’s spring. Any thoughts on going on a spring outing?”
“Great! Great!”
Xiao Qiao clapped her hands joyfully. “Gan Lang, where should we go for the spring outing?”
“I’m just making a suggestion. You all decide where to go. Once you pick a place, I’ll handle the rest.”
“Yun Qing, where do you want to go?” Xiao Qiao asked eagerly.
Xu Wei hesitated. “I haven’t thought about it. I can’t say right now. Let me think first!”
“Alright then! Take your time. Older Sister, where do you want to go?”
Da Qiao didn’t speak. She kept her head down, silently sipping her porridge, as if enduring something quietly.
Gan Ning noticed and immediately asked, “What’s wrong? Not feeling well?”
“I’m fine!”
Da Qiao forced a smile, but her face suddenly changed. Unable to hold back any longer, she stood up, covered her mouth, and ran out.
Gan Ning was shocked and quickly set down his chopsticks to chase after her.
Da Qiao squatted in the flowerbed vomiting, while two maidservants stood by awkwardly at a loss. Gan Ning went forward to support Da Qiao and asked softly, “What’s wrong? Why are you vomiting?”
“I don’t know. These past two days, my chest has felt stuffy, and the smell of grease makes me want to vomit.”
Gan Ning thought for a moment, then something clicked in his mind. He hurriedly asked, “How long has it been?”
“About three days.”
“Is your monthly cycle regular?”
Da Qiao shook her head. “It didn’t come last month. Husband, I’m not ill.”
Gan Ning smiled. “It shouldn’t be an illness!”
He quickly turned back and instructed the two maidservants, “Quickly fetch Doctor Liu!”
Soon, Doctor Liu hurried over. After hearing the situation, she immediately checked Da Qiao. Doctor Liu specialized in gynecology and was very experienced. After a while, she released her fingers and smiled. “The general guessed right. It should be a pregnancy pulse!”
Da Qiao’s eyes widened. “Am I pregnant?”
“Most likely!”
Da Qiao was so excited that she covered her face with her hands and wept with joy. Behind her, Xiao Qiao and Xu Wei also jumped up happily. “That’s wonderful! Older Sister is going to have a baby!”
“Husband, I’m pregnant!”
Da Qiao excitedly grasped her husband’s hand. Gan Ning was filled with joy and asked Doctor Liu, “Can it be confirmed?”
Doctor Liu smiled. “Based on my experience, it should be, but I’ll examine more carefully tomorrow. General, I have a few words to say to you privately!”
Gan Ning followed Doctor Liu outside the main hall. Somewhat worried, he asked, “Is there another issue?”
Doctor Liu shook her head quickly. “Physicians must leave some room for doubt, so I can’t say for certain that Madam is pregnant, but based on my experience, Madam is pregnant.”
“What do I need to do then?”
“That’s why I wanted to speak to you alone. A pregnant woman needs much preparation, but the most crucial point is that you cannot share a room.”
Doctor Liu looked at Gan Ning very seriously. “Sharing a room during pregnancy can cause a miscarriage in the pregnant woman. I hope you understand this.”
Gan Ning nodded silently. He knew.
“General, you have two other madams. Let them take care of you!”
With that, Doctor Liu turned and left.
At night, Da Qiao lay in Gan Ning’s arms, her face full of happiness. “Husband, I’m finally going to have my own child. I’ve hoped and hoped, and this day has finally come.”
Gan Ning stroked Da Qiao’s stunningly beautiful face and said, “Doctor Liu specifically told me today that while you’re pregnant, we can’t share a room anymore.”
Da Qiao hugged her husband and acted coquettish. “No way! I can’t sleep without you at night. Even if we can’t share a room, you still have to sleep with me. I… I can use other ways.”
Gan Ning smiled. “Couldn’t A Yu sleep with you? You sisters have slept together since you were little.”
“Let’s not have A Yu! Sleeping with her is like going to war. I’m afraid she’ll kick my belly.”
Gan Ning nodded. “Alright! We’ll sleep together. I wouldn’t feel at ease with anyone else.”
Da Qiao was overjoyed and quickly pulled open her undergarment. “Husband, come listen to my belly. Is there any movement?”
“How could there be so soon? It’s probably just a little bean sprout now!”
“Just listen!”
Gan Ning pressed his face to her abdomen and listened quietly. He didn’t hear the child’s movements, but he heard Da Qiao’s full-hearted joy and infinite longing for the child.
One morning, the three sisters went nowhere. They gathered together chatting about the child all morning. By noon, Xiao Qiao finally couldn’t hold back a yawn. She hadn’t slept well last night and was so sleepy her eyes could barely stay open.
“I’ll go sleep for a bit. You all keep chatting.”
Xiao Qiao stretched lazily and walked off slowly. Da Qiao glanced at Xu Wei, lowered her head, and said softly, “Yun Qing, I’m sorry.”
Xu Wei was stunned. “What are you saying, Older Sister? Sorry for what?”
Da Qiao said apologetically, “I hoped you would share a room last year and get pregnant this year. That way, you could give birth before me, and you would be the main wife.”
Xu Wei laughed and grasped Da Qiao’s hand. “Older Sister, you’re Gan Lang’s first wife. I came later. That you accepted me is already something I’m grateful for. As for main wife, I’ve never thought about it. I promise you!”
Da Qiao nodded gently and asked again, “Has your father not replied yet?”
Xu Wei shook her head. “I only wrote to him at the beginning of the year. A reply won’t come so quickly. And I feel he won’t reply to me. I know him too well; he’s very stubborn.”
At this, Xu Wei sighed softly.
Da Qiao patted the back of her hand and smiled gently. “There’s one more thing I want to ask of you?”
“What?”
Da Qiao thought for a moment and said, “My body will gradually get heavier, and I might not have the energy to care for husband anymore. Please take over and care for him well.”
“Ah! Why not have A Yu do it!”
“A Yu can’t even take care of herself. I can’t count on her. It has to be you.”
“Alright! I can take good care of Gan Lang.”
Da Qiao hesitated and said, “I know you can take good care of him, but… he needs a woman. Do you understand what I mean?”
Xu Wei’s pretty face suddenly flushed red. She twisted her fingers and said after a while, “He might not be willing.”
“He will be. The key is you. You need to prepare yourself mentally. If it really doesn’t work, I’ll have to find someone else.”
Xu Wei hesitated for a while and said, “I’ve actually already prepared myself. I’m just afraid A Yu will be unhappy that I’m ahead of her.”
Da Qiao sighed inwardly but didn’t show it on the surface. She knew Xu Wei had always been very careful, afraid of upsetting her, afraid of upsetting her younger sister. She was really too exhausted; she had to help her.
“Don’t worry about her. I gave her a chance at the end of last year, but she doesn’t want to yet. She’s not ready. It wouldn’t be right for you to wait just because she’s not ready.”
“I’ll try!”
Da Qiao grasped her hand and said, “It’s not just for me, but for yourself too. You surely don’t want him to bring another woman back from outside!”
Xu Wei nodded gently. She truly didn’t want that.
