Chapter 92 Blowing the Sea Breeze and Safeguarding the Pregnancy

 

“Pregnant?!” Jing Yi was shocked.

 

Since he arrived in Da Yuan, he knew that gers could father children, but there hadn’t been any examples around him, so even though it was a cognitive shift, he didn’t take it seriously.

 

Mainly because he and Chuxia were just nineteen, still kids in many ways, and the surprise came so suddenly.

 

No wonder Chuxia had been lethargic and reluctant to move throughout the journey. Even at home, he lacked energy and developed motion sickness, something he hadn’t experienced before. Looking back at all these signs, he realized there were indeed subtle clues. He blamed himself for not being more attentive and taking better care of his wife.

 

Jing Yi wasn’t overly joyous; instead, he was deeply concerned about Chuxia’s health. He quickly asked, “Doctor, how is my wife’s current condition? How should we take care of him?”

 

The doctor cast a rare approving glance at Jing Yi, noting that it’s uncommon for someone to inquire about the adult before the child.

 

“There’s no major issue. I’ll prescribe some prenatal medicine for him. He’ll stay in the clinic tonight for observation, and if everything stabilizes, he can go home tomorrow. However, he must be careful with his diet and avoid excessive fatigue in the future!” The old doctor spoke sternly to Jing Yi.

 

“Yes, yes, it’s truly my negligence. Tonight, I’ll stay with my wife in the clinic to take care of him. I’ll make sure to take good care of him in the future,” Jing Yi hurriedly responded, without any hint of evasion.

 

“Hmm, but each person’s constitution is different when it comes to pregnancy. Your husband’s pregnancy has been over two months now. With proper care, he should have a safe delivery. There’s no need to overly worry,” the old doctor said, observing Jing Yi’s very humble attitude and understanding that this might be an accident due to lack of experience.

 

Hearing that there were no major issues, Jing Yi breathed a sigh of relief.

 

Reflecting on the journey and the large seafood feast, he realized the potential risks. He immediately bombarded the doctor with questions and, borrowing pen and paper, meticulously wrote down every detail. He was determined to follow each instruction.

 

Seeing his earnestness, the old doctor felt a desire to share more knowledge. After sending an apprentice to prepare the medicine, he began imparting detailed guidelines on taking care of a pregnant ger, leaving no stone unturned.

 

As soon as the doctor finished his instructions, the apprentice arrived with a bowl of brewed medicine.

 

“Well, give the medicine to this husband, and let him drink it and rest,” the old doctor instructed before taking his apprentice to continue seeing patients in the front.

 

Jing Yi sat by the bedside, holding the medicine. He looked at Chuxia with a happy expression, affectionately helping him sit up and feeding him the medicine spoon by spoon.

 

The servants from the Jing family were also relieved after this false alarm. Now that they knew everything was fine, they congratulated the couple.

 

The clinic room was not large, so Jing Yi didn’t let the servants stay for long. He instructed Steward Tong, to bring some daily necessities later and dismissed everyone. They were free to move around in the afternoon, but caution was advised, and they were not to go too far.

 

After everyone left, Jing Yi also took off his shoes and climbed onto the bed. Half-embracing Chuxia, he whispered some intimate words to help him relax and coax him to sleep.

 

“Baby, there’s a little one of ours here.” Jing Yi gently placed his hand on Chuxia’s belly, whispering this secret as if sharing something special.

 

“Mmm!”

 

Chuxia sweetly smiled. He was still a bit dazed. The thrilling experience on the street left him in shock, and even lying in bed, he dared not move, afraid of causing discomfort to the little baby.

 

Seeing that Chuxia was happy but still tense, Jing Yi tried to lighten the mood. “Sweetheart, you’re keeping yourself so tense; our baby will be born with muscles. Hahaha! Oh!”

 

Chuxia “smacked!” him on the arm. Although he didn’t use much force, Jing Yi seized the opportunity to tease him, claiming he hurt him and demanding a kiss as compensation, which he could claim later.

 

Chuxia was not convinced and started a playful verbal exchange with him. Gradually, he relaxed, and not long after, he fell asleep.

 

“Rest well, my love.”

 

Jing Yi kissed Chuxia on the forehead, then left. Upon hearing the old doctor’s recommendation, he decided to go to a restaurant on the back street famous for its wolfberry and red date chicken soup, known for its nourishing properties. He planned to order a serving now and have it picked up later in the evening.

 

At Jing Yi’s strong insistence, they stayed at the clinic for two days, and on the third day, they were practically kicked out by the old doctor.

 

“The fetus is stable; don’t occupy space here. No need for the pregnancy medicine anymore. Medicine is three parts poison; from now on, be careful with your diet at home,” the old doctor said, gesturing for them to leave. Jing Yi had bombarded him with questions every day, and he was on the verge of a breakdown.

 

Jing Yi hesitated but, as a first-time dad with no experience, he was overly cautious. He always felt like he forgot something and couldn’t remember what else to ask. Reluctantly, he left the clinic with Chuxia.

 

Discussing with the doctor about the time to return home, even though the doctor said Chuxia could go back home in three to five days, and they could take it slow and easy while traveling, Jing Yi decided to wait until the three-month fetal stability period before embarking on a long journey.

 

Besides, Chuxia enjoyed the seaside, and Jing Yi thought spending some time here, relaxing and nurturing the pregnancy, would make Chuxia even happier. Moreover, their child had yet to be born and would already have seen the sea.

 

Initially, Chuxia was concerned about the construction of the orchard, and since the doctor said it was okay to return, he didn’t want to delay matters. However, seeing Jing Yi’s rare assertive attitude this time, he didn’t say anything.

 

Back at the inn, Jing Yi escorted Chuxia to their room to rest, then informed steward Tong, about the upcoming plans.

 

“Steward Tong, take the coachman and head directly to Taoyuan County. Hire a caravan there to transport the purchased fruit seedlings, fruits, and Old Man Yang back to the estate. The fruits are delicate, so choose a careful team for transportation.”

 

“When you get home, have Old Man Yang follow the blueprint for the orchard’s construction. I’ll deal with the other parts when I return. Let my father make decisions about hiring workers and other matters.”

 

“The rest of you will stay with me and set out again in ten days.”

 

Saying this, he handed twenty taels of silver to Steward Tong, leaving another twenty for transportation costs with Old Man Yang at home. The silver given to Steward Tong was for emergencies, as the saying goes, “A poor family needs a rich road.”

 

“Yes, Master,” everyone echoed in unison.

 

During these ten days, Jing Yi and Chuxia enjoyed a honeymoon-like experience.

 

They slept in every morning until they naturally woke up, had breakfast, then strolled hand in hand to the seaside. They watched the sea, felt the sea breeze, and observed the fishermen going about their work, finding it all very interesting.

 

According to the secret list of restaurants provided by the old doctor, they chose one every noon, sneaking in for a quiet meal. After lunch, they returned to the inn for an afternoon nap.

 

In the afternoon, they explored the small town. Jing Yi didn’t hesitate to buy various items—nutrient-rich, good-tasting, fresh, and long-lasting preserved goods filled his baskets.

 

Some shopkeepers even mistook him for a wholesale buyer, continuously striking up conversations and seeking long-term cooperation.

 

In ancient times, traveling was not easy, especially to a seaside location. Moreover, the family members had rarely tasted seafood before, mostly relying on freshwater fish and shrimp. Naturally, Jing Yi took this opportunity to buy a variety of items.

 

During the ten days, it was essentially a period of indulgence—eating, drinking, playing, and shopping. Life was carefree, and not just Chuxia and Jing Yi, even Jing Ming, Renhe, and Renyi had a rosy complexion every day, thoroughly enjoying themselves.

 

However, the time came to return home. The heart yearns for home.

 

After ten days of pure enjoyment, everyone reluctantly embarked on their journey back. In the town, they hired three coachmen and two horse-drawn carriages from a local carriage service. Due to Chuxia’s pregnancy and the desire for a smoother journey on the official road, which was flat and less bumpy, they had to take a longer route, and consequently, the cost was not low.

 

For safety, the first carriage led the way, with Renhe and Renyi in it. The second carriage carried Jing Yi and Chuxia, and the third one transported Jing Ming and a load of goods.

 

What took about three days on the way there extended to seven days on the return journey.

 

The pace was slow, with frequent breaks, and meals required a stop to ensure Chuxia had eaten properly before continuing.

 

Being carefully looked after in this manner, Chuxia’s discomfort significantly decreased. Except during the journey, when he lazily wanted to sleep leaning on Jing Yi, he ate and drank well during the rest of the time. His appetite not only recovered but also increased, nearly surpassing Jing Yi’s.

 

On the seventh day of the journey, the three carriages arrived at the entrance of Jing’s Hot Pot Restaurant in Fuyang Town.

 

As Jing Yi helped Chuxia out of the carriage, he saw Jing’s mother rushing out upon hearing the commotion. He was startled by her anxious and somewhat frantic appearance.

 

“What’s wrong, Mother? Why are you in such a hurry?” Jing Yi asked.

 

Without saying a word, Jing’s mother, appearing urgent but very cautious, supported Chuxia and walked towards the backyard of the restaurant. Turning back to answer Jing Yi’s question, she spoke coldly, “You arrange things here. I’ll take Chuxia to rest first. We’ll talk later.”

 

Upon hearing this seemingly urgent “talk later,” Jing Yi understood. The inevitable had finally come.

 

Chuxia also overheard and, holding Jing’s mother’s hand, shook it playfully, “Mother, I promise I won’t be like this next time.”

 

Seeing Chuxia’s pitiful appearance, Jing’s mother, originally intending to say a few words, immediately softened. “Oh, you, in the future, if you feel uncomfortable, speak up promptly. Wasn’t this time quite dangerous?”

 

“Yes, yes.”

 

Both happily returned to the backyard, with Jing’s mother instructing a shop assistant to go to the soap shop and call Mother Lin to come and check on Chuxia. He was also anxious.

 

Leaving Jing Yi alone at the entrance, he looked at people unloading the goods. After everything was done, he settled with the carriage drivers.

 

In the evening, the Jing family and the Lin family gathered at the hot pot restaurant to celebrate the good news of Jing Yi and Chuxia.

 

At the table, Jing’s mother didn’t idle, continuously talking and scolding Jing Yi. Why did he take Chuxia so far away without considering his comfort? Why didn’t he care when his wife wasn’t feeling well? All he knew was buying a bunch of cold things to eat, which even non-pregnant people shouldn’t eat so recklessly.

 

Jing Yi, with a headache, nodded incessantly, maintaining a proper attitude. If he provoked his mother’s temper, it would be even worse. Who asked him to be indeed in the wrong?

 

In the end, Mother Lin, who couldn’t stand it, called a halt to Jing’s mother’s nagging. However, he couldn’t help but scold his son a bit. Before he could say a few words, Jing’s mother hurriedly stopped him, saying that Chuxia was already uncomfortable so he could be spared this time.

 

Jing Yi kept serving food to Mother Lin, encouraging him to eat more, subtly diverting attention away from Chuxia.

 

Mother Lin thought privately that he would still talk to his son in private; otherwise, there would be no sense of priority in the future if he continued to pamper him.