The Exiled Life of the Noble Girl

Chapter 140

Liu Yizhu took the wooden basin from the little maid’s hands and placed it at Li Mingwei’s feet, testing the temperature first to make sure it was just right before taking off her shoes and rolling up her trousers.

“Mother said you went for a walk today and were feeling unwell again?”

Li Mingwei pouted and nodded: “A little.”

“Just a little?” Liu Yizhu didn’t believe her. He squeezed her plump little feet with a sigh. He had watched them swell up day after day, now they were so soft that with the slightest press his fingers sank right in.

They were just like freshly steamed buns.

“From now on, let’s call him Steamed Bun, okay?” Li Mingwei was getting more and more excited. “Bun Liu, Dumpling Liu, Cake Liu, Pancake Liu, hahahaha!”

Liu Yizhu’s face was getting uglier by the second. Did his wife even read books? What kind of nonsense names was she coming up with!

But Li Mingwei was laughing harder and harder, until her stomach started cramping. With an “ow!”, she quickly wrapped her arms around her belly and surrendered, “I won’t laugh anymore, I won’t, don’t move!”

“Did he move?”

Liu Yizhu’s hands were wet. He could only lean in close to listen. Right then he received a kick.

“You see, he doesn’t even like the names you picked. He kicked you!”

Li Mingwei felt the names she came up with were wonderful. They sounded delicious. She patted her stomach, “Steamed Bun Liu, kick again to show your dad you actually like the names!”

Steamed Bun Liu did not budge. His dad was very smug about it. His mother was not so happy.

Li Mingwei patted her belly again and tried, “Bun Liu, kick once?”

Bun Liu also did not move. His dad became even more full of himself.

Liu Yizhu straightened his back arrogantly. He stroked his child through her belly, “See, I told you none of the names you picked appeal to the child. You should listen to me.”

Li Mingwei got angry, “Oh yeah? Then you think of something!”

“I, I haven’t decided yet.”

“As if!” Li Mingwei pointed at the small square table by the bed. “I saw it already. The left drawer, two pages full of names!”

One page for boy names, one for girl names. Packed densely full that her head started hurting just looking at them. So many options, yet he hadn’t been able to pick one?

Liu Yizhu was a bit embarrassed, “There were just too many good ones. I couldn’t decide which was better.”

This was his first time becoming a father. He lacked experience, but he knew he had to pick a name with good meaning for the child. So he had flipped through many books, and was left with too many good choices, which only made it harder.

“Oh is that so. What a dilemma.”

Seeing his conflicted expression, Li Mingwei’s lips curled up slightly. She put on a troubled face too and sighed, “However shall we resolve this?”

Then suddenly she raised her voice excitedly, “Since it’s so hard for you to decide, let’s just pick between Steamed Bun Liu and Bun Liu. You said they both sound bad anyway, so it makes no difference which terrible name we end up with!”

Liu Yizhu’s face turned even uglier. He used a towel to quickly wipe Li Mingwei’s feet dry and shooed her off to bed, “Go sleep!”

He couldn’t expect her to be helpful. He’d have to figure this out himself!

Under his glare, Li Mingwei obediently shifted to her side. Liu Yizhu stuffed pillows between her legs for her to squeeze. He also gave her one to hug. Once she nodded, he pulled the blanket over her.

With her big belly now, her current sleeping position took up almost the entire bed. At night after Liu Yizhu finished reading, he’d go straight to the couch to sleep.

The night was quiet. The distance wasn’t far. He could hear clearly every time she tossed and turned. Unsure if she was sleeping and moving unconsciously, or if she had woken up, he carefully approached the bed to take a look.

In the weak moonlight from the window, Liu Yizhu saw her open eyes. He went back to light the candle before returning to her side.

“Can’t sleep? Uncomfortable position or...?”

Li Mingwei did not speak. She blinked bashfully at him. Liu Yizhu understood instantly. He brought over the chamber pot. Now with her bigger belly, her peeing frequency had increased both day and night.

The doctor said it was normal.

Liu Yizhu set down the pot by the bed and gently helped prop her up. Li Mingwei had just gotten to her feet when she felt an ominous premonition.

There was the clear sound of dripping by her ear. Liu Yizhu looked down to see her thighs were soaked. He paused quietly for a bit, then met Li Mingwei’s wooden face and gave a light cough, reassuring her, “It’s okay. The doctor said sometimes you just can’t control it. That’s very normal too.”

“I was too slow. Let me fetch some water to wipe you clean and get you a change of clothes.”

He supported her back into a seat, then turned to leave, only to be grabbed by Li Mingwei. He looked back to give her a comforting expression, squeezing her hand, “Don’t be embarrassed. I’ll be discreet. I won’t tell anyone.”

“You should tell them though.”

“Hm?”

Liu Yizhu wondered if he had misheard. But Li Mingwei repeated heavily, “Go, hurry!”

“Call for mother! And have Aunt Qin fetch the midwife and doctor!”

Finally Liu Yizhu understood. He raced out the door, only to run straight into Old Lady Wang who had opened her door, already dressed.

“What were you hollering just now?”

“Oh, I bumped into the table.” Still somewhat dazed, Liu Yizhu's first reaction was to answer Old Lady Wang’s question. Then he stammered, “Mother, Mingwei, I think Mingwei is going into labor!”

“Labor?!”

Old Lady Wang jumped alertly and grabbed his arm, “Did the pain start?!”

“No, I think her water broke.”

So she really was going into labor! As Old Lady Wang dressed, she raced towards their room, ordering Liu Yizhu at the same time, “Go find someone to fetch the midwife. Have the kitchen start boiling hot water!”

Liu Yizhu raced to carry out his tasks. More and more lights in the residence came on as people converged towards the main room. He helped the kitchen maid boil water and brought it outside, where Old Lady Wang took over the hot water but shut him outside.

“Hey, mother, I—”

I haven’t even gone in yet!

He knocked at the door. Old Lady Wang threw it open and tossed his clothes at him, “Stay outside. Don’t come in and get in the way!”

Liu Yizhu deflated with a sigh but had no words. He wore his clothing dejectedly and slumped onto the front steps, listening to the moans growing louder inside. His heart twisted into knots.

The midwife hurried in with the gatekeeper soon after. Passing by him as he stood, she headed straight into the room.

Once again Liu Yizhu was denied entry.

As the sole man left in the residence besides Liu Yizhu, the gatekeeper stopped him, “Master Liu, men are forbidden from the birthing room. Please wait outside.”

“I just want to take a look inside.”

“Can’t look, can’t look.” The gatekeeper was also at a loss on how to explain to him. All he could do was lead Liu Yizhu to the side so as not to block the maids.

But listening to the voices within, Liu Yizhu was like a porcupine, unable to keep still. His legs kept carrying him towards the room.

The gatekeeper was worn out intercepting him, and could only watch resignedly as he paced back and forth by the door.

From time to time Liu Yizhu couldn’t refrain from knocking, “Mother, how is Mingwei?”

“Mingwei, are you okay?”

Right now Li Mingwei had no time to respond to him. It was Old Lady Wang who got annoyed by the badgering. She whipped the door open and scolded, “Quiet down! Enough! Annoying! Can’t you just stay put?!”

“Oh!” The door shut crisply on his face again. Although feeling wronged, Liu Yizhu knew better than to talk back now. He returned to sit on the steps, emanating resentment from his entire body.