The playboy county magistrate

Zhang quickly spoke up, giving clear and logical instructions.

"Xuanzhi, don't panic. This is normal for childbirth. Qingyuan's pregnancy is going very well, and the midwife has already arrived. The warm room, medicine, and swaddling clothes are all ready. Everything is prepared, so there won't be any problems. You shouldn't stay here and cause trouble during childbirth, lest you say something wrong and make her panic."

"Okay." Li Xuanzhi replied in a deep voice, suppressing all his anxiety. He leaned close to the edge of the bed, took her hand and gently kissed it before reluctantly leaving the room.

Before long, the most experienced midwives in the capital, who were most skilled at delivering natural births, bowed and immediately went about their respective duties.

The warm room was quickly tidied up, with thick curtains hanging low to block out the cool breeze and noise from the outside.

The room was warm and cozy, and the candlelight was bright but not glaring.

The contractions became increasingly frequent and intense, transforming from an initial throbbing pain into waves of sharp, relentless pain that swept across the entire body.

Pei Qingyuan, who was usually gentle and resilient, couldn't help but furrow her brows and bite her lower lip. Her body trembled slightly, and her fingertips clenched tightly.

Zhang kept a close eye on the progress of labor in the delivery room, occasionally smoothing her disheveled hair and feeding her small sips of warm ginseng water.

"Qingyuan, breathe slowly. Don't hold your breath, take it easy. You have a very good constitution, it will definitely go smoothly."

"Mmm..." Pei Qingyuan responded weakly, her breathing gradually becoming erratic. Each wave of excruciating pain made her body tense. Only when the pain subsided could she catch her breath slightly.

Li Xuanzhi paced back and forth in the courtyard, his eyes red with anxiety.

The sky, which was bright in the afternoon, slowly darkened into dusk.

Pei Qingyuan had already exhausted most of her strength; her lips were pale, but her cheeks were flushed from the exertion. Her clothes were soaked with cold sweat, and she was utterly exhausted. Yet, she gritted her teeth and persevered, never uttering a single cry.

After a thorough examination, the midwife said, "Madam! The cervix is ​​fully dilated, and the baby is in the correct position. Madam still has the strength; you can start pushing!"

Zhang breathed a sigh of relief and quickly bent down to give instructions.

"Qingyuan, listen to the midwife, push with your breathing. Don't panic, Mom is here!"

A new wave of excruciating pain swept in, far more intense than before.

Pei Qingyuan took a deep breath, tensed all her strength, and followed the midwife's guidance to exert force steadily.

The veins on her forehead were slightly visible, and all her resilience and forbearance burst forth at this moment.

"Yes! That's it! Hold your breath, don't give up!"

The midwife encouraged loudly, "The baby's head is already showing! Madam, just a little more effort, and it'll be done soon!"

These words were like a reassuring pill, instantly giving the exhausted Pei Qingyuan a bit of strength.

Pei Qingyuan closed her eyes tightly, gathered the last of her strength, and exerted her power again following the guidance.

The next instant, a clear baby cry suddenly rang out from inside the room!

The loud, clear cry broke through the tense silence inside the house, penetrated the heavy curtains, and echoed leisurely throughout the entire Li residence.

"It's born! It's born! It's a healthy young man!"

The midwife's joyful announcement suddenly rang out, filled with genuine happiness.

The midwife skillfully cut the umbilical cord, carefully wiped the blood and dirt off the baby's body, and wrapped the baby in a soft swaddle she had prepared beforehand.

The tiny bundle was curled up peacefully in the swaddling clothes, its eyes closed, its nose delicate, and its skin pink. After crying just now, it was now breathing softly and sleeping soundly.

Pei Qingyuan felt all her strength drain away instantly, and she gasped for breath, a thin mist welling up in her eyes.

All the pain and exhaustion vanished the moment that clear baby cry rang out.

She was weak but gentle, murmuring softly, "My child...my child..."

Zhang carefully wiped the sweat from her face, then bent down and gently embraced her limp body. Her movements were gentle, as if afraid of hurting her exhausted body.

Looking at her well-behaved baby in swaddling clothes and listening to his soft breathing, Zhang's eyes instantly welled up with tears, and she smiled and sighed repeatedly.

"Excellent! Peace and safety for both mother and child—what a blessing!"

Before long, the midwife, carrying a neatly wrapped baby, slowly walked to the bedside.

"Madam, Madam, look! The young master is exceptionally handsome, with well-proportioned features, a loud cry, and a healthy body. He is a blessed child!"

Zhang's voice was slightly hoarse, her eyes brimming with emotion, tenderness, and overwhelming joy as she softly comforted her:

"You've worked so hard, Qingyuan. Get some sleep, everything will be alright when you wake up."

After quickly tidying up the area, Li Xuanzhi was finally allowed to enter.

Not daring to disturb Pei Qingyuan's rest, Li Xuanzhi carefully reached out and took the child, his movements clumsy yet devout, a level of caution he had never shown in his life.

A small, soft, and warm bundle in my arms, as light as a cloud.

Her breath gently brushed across his palm, instantly warming his entire heart.

Only now did Li Xuanzhi truly feel at ease.

"The medicine is ready. It's gentle on the blood and qi, and won't harm the spleen and stomach. It's perfect for postpartum women." Zhang spoke very softly, afraid of disturbing her sleeping child and her resting daughter-in-law.

"Xuanzhi, feed Qingyuan a little water first. Slowly replenishing her strength will help her recover faster."

Pei Qingyuan was already fast asleep, so it was best to leave the task of feeding her the medicine to Li Xuanzhi.

After all, the concubines in the backyard had received the news and were now on their way here.

The daughter-in-law was tired and couldn't let them disturb her rest. As the mother-in-law, she naturally had to give them a good talking-to.

"Thank you for your trouble, Mother."

"Why are you troubling me, Mother?" Madam Zhang smiled and gently shook her head, her eyes full of affection, and patted Li Xuanzhi's shoulder.

"Mother is very happy to do these things."

Upon hearing the sound, Li Xuanzhi carefully placed the child in his arms next to Pei Qingyuan on the soft pillow.

He then took the medicine bowl and personally fed Pei Qingyuan spoonful by spoonful. He first tested the temperature of each spoonful to his lips to make sure it was just right before feeding it to her.

The little one was sleeping soundly, his tiny eyes and brows tightly closed, his eyelashes long and soft, his nose delicate, his lips pink, and his cheeks chubby, making him look exceptionally well-behaved and adorable.

Occasionally, she would gently smack her lips twice, as if she were having a sweet dream, looking utterly adorable.

As night deepened, the sound of the wind in the courtyard gradually subsided.

Li Xuanzhi lay on his side beside the couch, not daring to stray too far away, nor daring to make any sudden movements.

He quietly stayed by his wife and child's side, one hand gently protecting the child beside him, the other holding Pei Qingyuan's hand. They stayed together all night, never leaving each other's side.

The little one woke up for a moment, looking around blankly. Then, sleepily, he closed his eyes again and drifted back into a peaceful sleep.

……

Pei Qingyuan slept soundly, her postpartum weakness greatly relieved after a night of rest. Her complexion, no longer pale from the previous night, regained some color.

The tiny baby beside her was still fast asleep, its small body curled up motionless in the soft swaddling clothes. Only its soft, even breathing could be heard, gently stroking the soft cloth against its skin, a sight that softened the heart.