The Rebirth of Han Yuxi

Chapter 0789 Siblings (2)

Fu Qingluo chatted with Chen Shi for a long time, continuing until almost lunchtime.

After leaving the courtyard, Fu Qingluo wiped away her tears. Her Saozi was far too pitiful. These past two years had driven her almost to the breaking point.

Gancao said to Fu Qingluo, "Da Nainai Yang, our Wangfei has something she wishes to discuss with you. Please come with me." During Chen Shi's two days at the Yun Residence, she had stayed in bed recuperating and had neither left the courtyard nor caused any further trouble. However, her behaviour that day had already caused the people of the Yun Residence to dislike her.

Fu Qingluo did not think much about it. She nodded. "Lead the way!"

Yuxi made Liu-er stand up and refused to let her lie down again. Seeing Liu-er frown and look on the verge of tears, Yuxi pointed at her forehead and said, "You mustn't be lazy anymore. You have to learn how to walk this month." In truth, Yuxi hoped even more that Liu-er would learn to walk and speak within the month. Unfortunately, learning to speak was not something that could be rushed, no matter how anxious one was.

When Yuxi heard that Fu Qingluo had arrived, she handed Liu-er over to Momo Quan and went to the reception hall. When she saw Fu Qingluo, Yuxi was somewhat surprised. It was for no other reason: Fu Qingluo had gained weight. Her once graceful figure had become plump, and her face had grown round and fleshy as well.

From Yuxi's expression, Fu Qingluo could immediately tell what she was thinking. She smiled. "I've been eating a lot recently, so I've put on weight quickly." She had previously failed to carry her child to term partly because she had been rushing around and exhausting herself, and partly because she had not received sufficient nutrition. Therefore, with this child, Fu Qingluo paid particular attention to nourishing herself properly.

Yuxi understood what Fu Qingluo was thinking and shook her head. "Once you are pregnant, it's true that one person eats while two people make use of it, so you should eat well. However, you must not eat without restraint. It's not just about gaining weight. If your belly becomes too large, giving birth will be even more dangerous."

Fu Qingluo's expression changed. She genuinely knew nothing about these matters because no one had ever taught her. Yang Duoming naturally knew even less. Touching her belly, Fu Qingluo asked, "Wangfei, what should I do now?" Losing their first child had left them in such agony that they did not wish to live. She could not lose this child as well.

Seeing the anxiety on Fu Qingluo's face, Yuxi comforted her, "You needn't worry. You are only a little over four months pregnant. As long as you start eating smaller meals more frequently and walking around more from today onwards, you can still make the necessary adjustments." If Fu Qingluo had already been eight or nine months pregnant, Yuxi would have been unable to help.

Fu Qingluo let out a breath of relief. "That's good." After pausing, she looked at Yuxi and asked, "Wangfei, I heard that Mama Lan is very skilled at caring for children. May I seek her advice?"

Yuxi smiled and nodded. "Of course you may. However, I suggest that you hire an experienced older woman who has given birth before to assist you. That way, you will know what precautions to take and what things to avoid." Usually, the older women of her own family should have explained these matters to her. Unfortunately, Fu Qingluo had no such elders around her.

Fu Qingluo looked deeply grateful. "Thank you, Wangfei." She didn't know many people in Haocheng, and she was not on good terms with the generals' wives. Even the acquaintances who had given birth before would look surprised and take pleasure in her misfortune whenever they saw her. None of them explained such matters to her as Yuxi did.

Yuxi smiled. "There is no need to thank me. It was merely the effort of raising a hand." Fu Qingluo had been resting at home to protect her pregnancy over the past few months. Although Yuxi had sent her gifts twice, the two women had not met.

Having experienced so much, Fu Qingluo was no longer as rash as she had once been. Touching her belly, she said, "Wangfei, your small and effortless favour may have saved both my child's life and mine."

Yuxi smiled and waved her hand, moving past the subject before mentioning Chen Shi. "Your Saozi is in very poor health. The physician said that unless she takes proper care of herself, she has no more than five years left to live."

Tears filled Fu Qingluo's eyes when she heard this. "My Saozi has had such a difficult life all these years." Her father had pressured her Saozi, burdened by her brother, who gave her Saozi no peace of mind, lost her son, and would never be able to bear children again. If Fu Qingluo herself were in her Saozi's position, she would probably go mad too.

Yuxi waved her hand and ordered the other maids and older female servants to leave, keeping only two trusted confidantes beside her. "Do you feel very sorry for your Saozi?"

Fu Qingluo found the question strange. Looking up at Yuxi, she asked, "Is my Saozi's suffering not worthy of sympathy?" Her Saozi had already been reduced to such a state that merely hearing about it had made Fu Qingluo cry, let alone the fact that her Saozi had personally experienced everything.

Yuxi replied calmly, "A pitiful person must also have something detestable about them." Seeing that Fu Qingluo was shocked but did not immediately argue, Yuxi felt that she had truly matured. In the past, Fu Qingluo would certainly have begun shouting. After experiencing so much, she had become steadier and more composed.

Fu Qingluo asked, "May I ask why Wangfei would say such a thing?" As far as she knew, Yuxi was not someone who was cold-blooded and devoid of feeling.

Yuxi answered, "Strictly speaking, this is your family's private affair, and I shouldn't interfere. However, Yang Duoming is away on an assignment, which leaves you alone in Haocheng. There are certain things I must warn you about. From now on, you should keep your distance from your Saozi." If Yang Duoming had been present, Yuxi certainly would not have involved herself in these matters. However, Yang Duoming was now selling his life for her, so she felt responsible for looking after his wife and child.

Fu Qingluo knew that Yuxi was neither excessively talkative nor prone to gossip. Otherwise, she might have thought Yuxi was trying to cause trouble between them. Fu Qingluo asked, "Why shouldn't I spend more time with my Saozi?" She had even intended to visit more frequently and keep her Saozi company.

Yuxi smiled and shook her head. Fu Qingluo was the typical sort of person who would help someone count the money even after being sold by them. Yuxi said, "Over the years, Chen Shi has borrowed your hand to remove the women around General Fu. If you continue associating with her, she will undoubtedly use you again." Fu Qingluo had courage but lacked strategy. A person with such a temperament was easily manipulated. Fu Qingluo was fortunate to have married Yang Duoming, who treated her with one heart and one intention and was extremely tolerant of her.

Fu Qingluo did not regret what she had done before. Those maids who had climbed into their master's bed deserved severe punishment. "Those matters had nothing to do with my Saozi. I just could not tolerate those bed-climbing maids, and I didn't want my Saozi to walk the same road as my mother."

Yuxi asked with amusement, "Do you think your brother would behave like your father, favouring his concubines and neglecting his wife?" Fu Tianlei was actually soft-hearted. Otherwise, he would not have allowed Chen Shi to cause so many problems. However, when the man of a family was too soft-hearted, his household would know no peace.

Fu Qingluo shook her head. "One need not fear ten thousand possibilities; one need only fear the one unexpected possibility."

Yuxi was silent for a moment before saying, "With Chen Shi's capabilities, she could easily have dealt with those two pregnant maids herself. Instead, she chose to borrow your hand to eliminate them. Do you know why?" Without giving Fu Qingluo an opportunity to interrupt, she continued, "Because if she had done it herself, she would not only have damaged her reputation but also harmed her relationship with her husband."

Fu Qing stated, "Wangfei, I will say this one more time. My Saozi never asked me to do such things. I was the one who wanted to get rid of those fox spirits." Fu Qingluo was a person who lacked both a sense of security and self-confidence. This was evident from the fact that she always wanted to remain beside Yang Duoming.

Yuxi did not argue with Fu Qingluo. Instead, she looked at Fu Qingluo's belly and said, "Imagine that, in the future, your daughter helps your daughter-in-law eliminate the pregnant maids and concubines belonging to her elder brother. What would you think of her?"

It was only because Yuxi understood Fu Qingluo's personality that she did not suspect her of harbouring any shameful or improper feelings towards Fu Tianlei. Fu Qingluo's behaviour was simply too inconceivable.

Fu Qingluo was not stupid. She was merely stubborn by nature and unwilling to listen to other people's advice. However, Yuxi's words left her entire body frozen.

Seeing Fu Qingluo's face turn pale, Yuxi continued, "By doing such things, not only would you gain the vile reputation of being malicious and find it difficult for you to marry, but you could also cause a rift between you and your brother, turning you two into enemies." Fu Qingluo had driven away several maids and concubines who had climbed into their master's bed, but only two of them had been pregnant. When the first child was lost, Fu Tianlei believed it had been an accident and did not investigate. However, the loss of the second child angered him. That was why he had disregarded Fu Qingluo's wishes and insisted on marrying her off. Marrying her off was also a way of getting rid of a burden.

Fu Qingluo's face remained pale. After a long while, she asked, "Wangfei, why do you believe this was part of my Saozi's scheme?"

Yuxi answered, "Whether it was a scheme or not, you will know the answer once you have thought about it carefully." It was something that Fu Qingluo needed to discover on her own; only then would she learn the lesson more deeply.

For more than a year, Fu Qingluo had followed Yang Duoming running east and walking westward, gathering information. As a result, she had become slightly more shrewd and subtle. Therefore, once she had considered these matters carefully, she could spot tears in the seam.

Seeing that Fu Qingluo's expression was growing increasingly unpleasant, Yuxi hurriedly advised, "Don't think about it too much. Right now, your child is the most important thing." Chen Shi had even grown resentful of Liu-er. Who knew whether seeing the heavily pregnant Fu Qingluo might cause her to harbour malicious intentions? However, given Fu Qingluo's abilities, she should remain safe as long as she stayed vigilant.

After saying this, Yuxi instructed Banxia, "Bring some water so that Da Nainai Yang can wash her face."

Once Fu Qingluo had washed and tidied herself again, Yuxi invited her, "Stay and have lunch here today." It was already mealtime. Not to mention that Fu Qingluo was pregnant; even had she not been, Yuxi would still have kept her for lunch.

As Fu Qingluo was eating lunch in the rear courtyard, Yun Qing went to Huo Changqing's courtyard to eat lunch with Zaozao.

After lunch, Yuxi accompanied Fu Qingluo on a walk around the yard. As they walked, Yuxi said, "From now on, you must walk like this every day. You should walk for at least one shichen each day."

Fu Qingluo asked, "Did you do this while you were pregnant, and was that why you did not gain weight?" She remembered that Yuxi's figure had remained slender during her previous pregnancies.

Yuxi shook her head. "Eating smaller meals more frequently and walking around often will usually prevent a person from gaining too much weight. However, it also depends on the individual's constitution. Some people will still gain weight even when they follow this method."

Fu Qingluo could not help exclaiming, "You know so much!" If someone had taught her these things before, perhaps nothing would have happened to her previous child. For the first time, Fu Qingluo realised that without the guidance from one's elders, a person would have to travel down many more winding roads.

Yuxi smiled. "I am already the mother of two children, so it is only natural that I know these things." More importantly, Yuxi had studied attentively under Mama Lan, and she had also raised Zaozao with her own hand. It was therefore only natural that she knew more. In fact, it was not only Yuxi; even Yun Qing knew more about these matters than Fu Qingluo did.

Dejectedly, Fu Qingluo said, "My Saozi never tells me about these things." Despite having already given birth to three children, her Saozi had never explained what she should pay attention to while pregnant. Even today, she had not mentioned it. Instead, she merely held Fu Qingluo's hand while crying and pouring out her grievances.