114: Chapter 114 Full Moon

Hun Muxiao was nearly ten years old this year. She was a head taller than girls her age, and most of her baby fat had faded, revealing an increasingly exquisite face—her brows and eyes resembled Medusa's, but set upon that cold, beautiful foundation were a pair of lively eyes, influenced by her time spent with Yao Yao. She still wore her hair in braids, but the ribbons had increased from six to seven—the newly added one was Cao Ying's dark red, tied on the outermost side, fluttering gently whenever the wind blew. Beneath her light purple dress was a figure that was becoming increasingly slender, and in her every gesture, the budding form of a young maiden could be seen. Today, she was responsible for entertaining guests in the courtyard, serving tea and water, showing people to their seats, and relaying messages for her grandmother; she did it all with great competence. Several elders of the Hun Clan saw this and praised her for looking more and more like a proper young lady. Yao Yao proudly remarked from the side, "Of course, I taught her." Medusa, holding a teacup, calmly added, "The etiquette was taught by Gu Xun'er; Yao Yao only taught her cat's cradle." Yao Yao, having her bluff called, was not annoyed, instead pulling on Hun Muxiao's arm and swaying back and forth.

Cao Ying sat by the stone table, holding the one-month-old Hun Muying. The little one was wearing a brand-new little red jacket today, stitched stitch by stitch by Lin Qingwan, with two crooked dark orchids embroidered on the cuffs. She had shed the red wrinkles of a newborn, her skin was fair and tender, and her features were becoming clearer—her brows and eyes truly resembled Cao Ying's, but the lines of her nose and chin were more like Hun Feng's. She was awake at the moment, her pitch-black eyes curiously observing the noisy surroundings, occasionally waving her little fists. Yao Yao crouched in front of her, making all sorts of faces. The little one watched her expressionlessly for a while, then turned her head away to continue staring at the glass lanterns under the veranda.

By the time the banquet dispersed, it was already evening. Hun Muxiao saw off the elders one by one, then packed up the remaining pastries for Hun Qian to take to the guards at the main gate. She returned to the stone table, sat down, and took a large gulp of the tea that had long since gone cold. Yao Yao said from the side that drinking cold things would hurt her spleen and stomach, but Hun Muxiao replied without turning her head, "Auntie, you drink cold things every day, yet you lecture me?" This composure and confidence were things she had learned from her three aunts, each with distinct personalities—Medusa taught her to be steady, Gu Xun'er taught her propriety, and Yao Yao taught her not to let herself be taken advantage of.

After nightfall, several plates of freshly cut spirit fruits and a pot of freshly brewed tea were placed on the stone table. Yao Yao poked the last grape on the plate with her finger and suddenly asked, "Cao Ying is done giving birth, who is next?" Gu Xun'er held her teacup without speaking. Her due date was in two months; her belly was already noticeably swollen, and her movements were much slower than before. During this time, she had been silently observing Cao Ying's postpartum recovery, keeping everything in mind—from the medicinal diet recipes to the fetal-calming pills, from the frequency of Yao Ling's daily pulse readings to the heat Lin Qingwan used to simmer the soups. It wasn't that she didn't trust the people in the East Courtyard to take care of her; she was just accustomed to being prepared for everything.

Xiao Yi Xian rarely moved from the edge of the flower garden to the stone table, quietly sipping a cup of hot tea. She had recently cleared a small plot of land in her flower garden, specifically to plant the phoenix flowers that Cao Ying liked—she said that when Muying grew a little older, she would be able to see her mother's favorite flowers in the courtyard. Yun Yun sat next to Cao Ying, taking the child to help hold her; her technique was much more proficient than before the full moon. During this month, she had helped Cao Ying take care of the child, learning everything from feeding and soothing to sleep, to changing diapers. Cao Ying was incredibly grateful, but Yun Yun just smiled and said that this was much easier than leading disciples in the Flower Sect.

Medusa leaned on a soft couch, flipping through the clan affairs letters sent by the Snake-People Tribe, her lower abdomen already slightly swollen. She was the third to become pregnant, after Cao Ying and Gu Xun'er, and her due date was still several months away. At this moment, she put down the letters and looked at the wives who were each busy in the courtyard. Suddenly, she recalled the first time she saw Hun Feng at the bottom of the Nine Serene Yellow Springs. He still had the appearance of a lecher, standing at the edge of the Yellow Springs, looking down at her from above. Back then, she thought he was merely coveting her beauty, never imagining that one day she would willingly become pregnant and bear children for him, and even less did she imagine that she would be able to share the same husband with several other women and live in peace.

Hun Muxiao ran back from the direction of the side hall, holding a newly woven flower wreath in her hand—it was woven from the ghost bell orchids that had just bloomed in the back mountain, with dew still clinging to the petals. She gently placed the wreath on Hun Muying's little head, and the little one reached out to grab the petals, but grabbed at nothing. Yao Yao watched this scene from the side, a faint trace of envy suddenly flashing in her peach blossom eyes. She had been with Hun Feng the longest and had the deepest feelings for him, yet her belly was the most uncooperative. Every time she saw Cao Ying holding the child, Xun'er stroking her belly, or Cai Lin's slightly swollen abdomen, she felt as if something were lightly scratching at her heart. However, she was not the type to remain sullen for long. She quickly shook her head, tossing that sour emotion under the dark-leaf osmanthus tree, stood up, and announced that tomorrow she would teach Mu Xiao a more complex set of whip techniques—who would give birth to a son in this East Courtyard first was not yet certain.

As the night deepened, everyone dispersed. Hun Feng gently hugged Medusa from behind, resting his chin in the crook of her shoulder. The two stood under the veranda, watching the lights by the stone table gradually extinguish. Moonlight spilled onto the branches and leaves of the dark-leaf osmanthus, and dappled light and shadow swayed gently over the two of them. Medusa reached out and covered her slightly swollen abdomen, asking him in a low voice whether he wanted a son or a daughter. Hun Feng's answer came from behind her ear, carrying a hint of lazy laughter: "Both are fine."