The playboy county magistrate

"What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell somewhere?"

Seeing the change in her expression, Li Xuanzhi's heart tightened instantly. He quickly bent down, his expression becoming serious, fearing that she might be unwell.

Pei Qingyuan shook her head, her eyes filled with subtle joy, and said softly:

"It's not that I'm feeling unwell, look... the baby, the baby is moving."

Upon hearing this, Li Xuanzhi froze.

He has always been calm and composed, and having experienced countless changes in the court, he has never lost his composure in the slightest.

But upon hearing this, a surge of immense shock and joy welled up in her eyes. She instinctively slowed her breathing, afraid of disturbing the tiny life within her.

He carefully and very gently raised his hand, placing his warm palm lightly on Pei Qingyuan's protruding belly.

At first, it was quiet and there was no movement at all.

Li Xuanzhi held his breath and slowed his heartbeat, pressing against the screen without blinking, waiting patiently.

The next moment, there was another touch.

one more time.

Quiet and gentle, neither restless nor hurried, but docile and tender. Like a child in the womb sensing its parents' presence and obediently greeting them.

At this moment, Li Xuanzhi's heart was suddenly filled with tenderness, feeling both sore and burning hot.

This is his child, his and Qingyuan's flesh and blood.

He slowly raised his eyes and looked at Pei Qingyuan beside him. His voice was slightly hoarse, filled with undisguised emotion.

"The baby... the baby is really moving."

"Mmm." Pei Qingyuan nodded gently, her eyes filled with tenderness, a faint smile playing on her lips.

"I felt it just now. The force seemed strong, but it didn't hurt. You're so good."

"She is very well-behaved." Li Xuanzhi's palm was still gently pressed against her lower abdomen, his movements so gentle as to be almost devout, as if afraid of disturbing the child in her womb.

No sooner had she finished speaking than she felt a gentle nudge from below her abdomen. It was like a child quietly protesting, innocent and adorable.

Pei Qingyuan couldn't help but chuckle softly, "Judging from the noise, they're quite mischievous, not as composed as you might think."

Li Xuanzhi looked at the subtle undulations under his palm, a gentle smile he had never shown before on his lips, and the tenderness in his eyes almost overflowing.

"It's alright, being a little mischievous is good too."

Li Xuanzhi remained in that bent-over position, his palms pressed against her lower abdomen, quietly feeling the subtle movements of the baby inside her, without moving away for a long time.

Pei Qingyuan quietly watched his moved expression, a warm feeling welling up in her heart, and gently whispered:

"I used to think that having children was a distant dream, something I couldn't touch or see. But today, as I truly feel the movement of a child, I realize that we will soon have our own little dumpling."

"Yes." Li Xuanzhi looked up at her, his gaze intense.

"It will be born safely very soon."

He reached out and gently embraced her waist, carefully pulling her into his arms. Avoiding her abdomen, he tenderly sheltered her and the baby in her womb within his embrace.

"Thank you for your hard work, Qingyuan."

He buried his face in her hair, his voice gentle and tender.

"She endured ten months of pregnancy and all the hardships, all for me and for this family."

Pei Qingyuan leaned on his shoulder, his clean and refreshing scent lingering around her nose, and smiled gently.

"It's not hard work, I'm willing to do it for you, for our children."

"Little one, grow up well." He lowered his head and whispered softly to Pei Qingyuan's lower abdomen, his voice so gentle it could melt water.

"Father and Mother are waiting for your safe arrival."

The silence inside the house was broken only by the sound of soft footsteps coming from outside the courtyard.

Zhang pushed open the door and entered, carrying a large stack of neatly folded cotton clothes. The patterns were clean and elegant, and the texture was soft, light, and thin, clearly made of carefully selected materials.

Her eyes were smiling, her steps were light, and she greeted everyone with a smile as she entered:

"You two really know how to enjoy yourselves, hiding in the house whispering secrets."

Upon hearing this, Pei Qingyuan slightly raised her head, smiling gently, "Mother has arrived."

Li Xuanzhi slowly released his arms, carefully helping her to sit up, then looked up at the clothes in his mother's arms and asked softly:

"What is Mother holding?"

Zhang walked quickly to the table and spread out all the small clothes in her arms.

Layers of white, light apricot, and pale blue baby clothes, with a delicate and soft touch, are made of the finest fabrics best suited for newborns.

She smiled broadly, her eyes full of anticipation.

"What else could it be? Baby clothes for my unborn grandson."

"I prepared the materials well in advance when you got married, and I cut and sewed them every day in my spare time, afraid that I wouldn't have enough time before the baby was due. Now it's good to have everything ready in advance, so that we won't be caught off guard later."

Pei Qingyuan looked at the neatly arranged clothes on the table, her heart warmed, and she said softly:

"Mother, you're going to too much trouble. The craftsmen and seamstresses in the household are all skilled; why trouble yourself to sew it yourself?"

Madam Zhang waved her hand, sat down on the edge of the couch, and spoke with a loving yet earnest tone.

"No matter how well others do, it can't compare to my own heartfelt wishes. This is the first grandchild of my Li family, the child that Xuanzhi and you have been longing for. As his grandmother, I naturally want to sew him a few pieces of clothing by hand, wishing him peace and good fortune."

"A newborn baby's skin is delicate, and even the finest fabrics from outside workshops inevitably have a sticky smell. These are all pre-washed and repeatedly softened, so they are the most comfortable to wear against the skin and won't irritate it at all."

As she spoke, she picked up a small undergarment. The fabric was as soft as a cloud, the stitches were fine and neat, the edges were rounded, and there were traces of careful polishing everywhere.

Pei Qingyuan felt a warmth in her heart as she looked at it, a faint smile in her eyes.

"My mother's cooking is so good; it's so comforting to look at."

Zhang was delighted by her daughter-in-law's praise, her eyes crinkling with joy. She continued tidying up as she spoke:

"All of Xuanzhi's clothes and shoes before her marriage were sewn by me stitch by stitch. Now that our conditions are better than before, I naturally want to leave the best for my little grandson."

"I overheard you two talking at the door earlier, saying that the baby moved today?" she suddenly asked, looking up.

Mentioning this, Pei Qingyuan's eyes softened even more, and she nodded gently.

"Yeah, it moved several times just now. It scared me; I thought it was suffocating in there and wanted to get out immediately."

Zhang's eyes lit up, and her tone became even more joyful, "This means the child is healthy and growing very well. It seems the imperial physician was right; this child is sure to be a reliable, sensible child who won't cause his mother any trouble and is the most considerate."

Li Xuanzhi, standing to the side, looked at the soft little clothes on the table and imagined the tiny child wrapped in the soft cloth, sleeping peacefully in his arms. His heart melted completely.

"Mother, you've gone to so much trouble," he said softly. "If you're tired, take a rest. There are already enough clothes; there's no need to rush."

"I'm not tired." Zhang said without looking up, her fingertips carefully arranging the silk threads, her tone full of enthusiasm.

"Making clothes for my grandson makes me happy, and the more I do it, the more energetic I become. Taking advantage of the mild weather and good lighting, I want to make several more. Swaddling clothes, jackets, shoes, socks, and capes—I need to make sure everything is ready."