Xie Yushu didn’t receive word that Su Chi had fainted until two hours later.
A young apprentice from Sun Wuyou’s pharmacy had found her, looking frantic, telling her that Su Fulang had collapsed at home and she needed to go back immediately.
Hearing that, Xie Yushu’s heart skipped two beats. The world went white for an instant. She threw down the ledger she’d been holding, slammed it onto the table, and rushed onto the carriage to head home.
Ye Youchun drove like lightning—what normally took half an hour was cut in half.
When she arrived, Xie Yushu didn’t even take in Sun Wuyou and Guizhi sitting in the main hall. She headed straight to the bedroom.
Hu Yuan was keeping watch by Su Chi’s bedside. When the door was suddenly pushed open and he saw Xie Yushu return, he wisely stood up and quietly slipped out.
Su Chi lay on the bed, eyes closed, his face a little pale—but far better than she’d feared. She leaned in to listen to his breathing; it was slightly weaker than usual, but normal overall.
The tension that had gripped her the entire ride eased by half. She let out a long breath. She took his hand, kissed it gently, tucked the covers neatly around him, and went back out.
“What exactly happened to him?” Xie Yushu asked Sun Wuyou as soon as she stepped out.
Sun Wuyou and Guizhi had been whispering about something, but Xie Yushu’s fierce tone made them drop their playful demeanor.
She’d never seen Xie Da look so grim—her eyes dark, her expression taut with worry.
Sun Wuyou lost all desire to tease and answered honestly: “Su Fulang is fine. He was just a little fatigued, and on top of that, he’s with child—that’s why he fainted. A couple days of rest and he’ll be fine.”
She’d been quite alarmed herself when Hu Ge’er had come to get her. She’d grabbed her medicine box and rushed over with Guizhi. When she took his pulse, she discovered he was pregnant—Su Ge’er was carrying a baby. Xie Da was going to be a mother. The discomfort had just made him faint. Nothing serious.
Xie Yushu listened intently, frowning as she mentally reviewed Su Chi’s routine.
Fatigued?
She hadn’t been wearing him out these past few days—she’d made sure he went to bed early. He slept a full four hours before waking. Logically, he shouldn’t be exhausted.
Then again, Su Chi was always worrying about something—managing every detail of the household, personally seeing to everything, never resting for a moment.
Last night, he’d held up the spring clothes Tailor Tao had made, fitting them against her for a long while, then finally put them down with a satisfied smile, saying they looked good on her.
He’d said spring was the time to eat spring vegetables—his father had sent over a small basket of bitter melon and bitter bamboo shoots, to stir-fry with shredded pork for a cooling dish. That morning, he’d mentioned buying mugwort to juice and make green dumplings, asking what filling she wanted—meat or salted egg yolk? She’d had to pinch his little cheek to stop his chatter.
Her fulang’s mind was either on how to grow the shop’s income, or on her and the household’s every detail—how could he not be tired?
But Su Chi was always happy to give for the family. Sometimes he’d even sit boldly in her lap and pinch her lips shut to stop her from talking.
Since Sun Wuyou said it was nothing serious, Xie Yushu felt relieved. She let out a long, slow breath, her whole body relaxing.
With most of her worry settled, her mind finally had room to process what Sun Wuyou had said.
What was it she’d said? Su Chi was with child—yes, pregnant. Su Chi was just pregnant; nothing was wrong.
Wait—pregnant?!
Who was pregnant?!
Su Chi was pregnant?
Xie Yushu’s mind went blank with a loud buzz.
The main hall fell into an awkward silence.
“Xie Da?” Sun Wuyou tried calling her. But Xie Yushu didn’t respond—lost in her own world.
Seeing her dazed expression, Sun Wuyou and Guizhi exchanged looks, amusement flickering in their eyes. Sun Wuyou raised an eyebrow and teased: “What—becoming a mother turned you dumb?”
In that moment, Sun Wuyou felt something she couldn’t quite name for Xie Yushu.
In her mind, Xie Yushu was someone who remained unmoved by anything. But now—
Turns out, she wasn’t any different from other women. Hearing her fulang was pregnant, she became just another silly mother-to-be.
Xie Yushu sat rigidly, closed her eyes, and took a moment before speaking: “I understand. Thank you for today.”
Sun Wuyou gave her a list of precautions for early pregnancy and then left with Guizhi.
Xie Yushu also thanked Hu Yuan and walked him to the gate.
After everyone was gone, she drifted back to Su Chi’s side on unsteady feet.
·
By evening, Su Chi slowly came to.
Xie Yushu had been keeping watch by the bedside, lost in thought. When she saw his closed brows twitch—signs of waking—her anxious expression softened like rippling water.
He opened his eyes slowly. The first person he saw was Xie Yushu, and his heart filled with relief. He gave her a weak smile and tried to sit up.
She carefully helped him up and held him in her arms: “Do you still feel unwell?”
Su Chi wrapped his arms around her waist, shaking his head, his voice sticky and soft: “Much better now.” After a pause, he asked, “What happened to me…”
He had a vague sense of what might have occurred, but he didn’t dare believe it, afraid that the hope stirring in his heart might turn to disappointment.
Xie Yushu pressed her cheek against his, her voice impossibly tender: “Sweetheart, you’re pregnant. Did you know?”
His wife had spoken the words he’d most longed to hear. Su Chi blinked dazedly at first, then quickly accepted the truth—there was a little one growing inside him.
“Mm, I think I knew somehow.” His cheeks flushed, his eyes bright with surprise, his lashes trembling. He looked down and placed his hand on his belly—where his and Xie Yushu’s child now lay—a blissful smile curving his lips.
When Sun Wuyou and Guizhi had come, he’d been half-conscious and heard some things through the haze—Wuyou saying “pregnant” a few times, and Yuan Ge’er nearby, exclaiming “That’s wonderful!” in surprise.
He’d been too groggy to be sure, afraid it was just his imagination.
But it was true. Su Chi’s eyes crinkled with joy, then reddened with emotion.
Xie Yushu kissed his teary eyes and gently explained: “Wuyou said you’ve been overworking yourself lately, and this little one made you faint.”
At that, Su Chi frowned slightly—clearly displeased with the phrasing.
“Yushu, it’s not a little one…” He suddenly lifted his face, his watery eyes serious as he looked at her, guiding her hand to rest on his belly. “It’s our child.”
It was still early—just over a month along. His belly was still flat and soft, and nothing could be felt through the thin spring clothes. But Xie Yushu seemed to sense something warm pulsing beneath her palm.
In that moment, her heart melted.
She and Su Chi had a child.
She had another tie to this world.
She couldn’t help but bend down and press a kiss to his soft hair: “Alright—not a little one.”
Then, with concern: “Are you hungry?”
He looked up at her with a smile and nodded: “Hungry.”
“I made congee, and there’s still a bowl of egg and minced meat custard and steamed fish in the pot. Let me stir-fry a vegetable for you—wait just a moment.”
Su Chi tilted his head and gave her a soft kiss on the cheek: “Alright.”
She went to the kitchen to bring him dinner.
There was no ready-made wonton or other quick food at home—and she didn’t want to leave Su Chi alone to go to the shop—so she’d made something by hand for him.
It was the first time they’d ever eaten in the bedroom—Xie Yushu, with her strict cleanliness habits, never ate in the room. But for Su Chi, she’d break any rule.
After he finished, she wiped his mouth with a handkerchief, caring for him like a baby. Su Chi grew shy and urged her away: “Go eat now, quickly.”
“I will.” She took the dishes down.
She had little appetite today, just finishing what Su Chi had left behind.
Her emotions had been up and down all day—but now, with Su Chi’s steady breath beside her, she finally relaxed.
As for not realizing she was pregnant—Su Chi couldn’t blame himself.
He’d seen other fulang in the village suffer from terrible morning sickness, no appetite, vomiting everything. But he hadn’t—his appetite was normal, no nausea at all. So it never crossed his mind.
Later, with Su Chi unable to wash up properly, Xie Yushu gave him a sponge bath. When she reached his knees, she found bruises on both—at different degrees.
“Ah—I must have knocked them when I fainted.” Su Chi only noticed then, and quickly explained to stop her worrying.
Xie Yushu said nothing. Silently, she finished wiping him down and helped him into clean underclothes.
Then she turned to the cabinet, took out a jar of ointment, gently rested his leg over her arm, and scooped out some balm. She applied it to the bruises, massaging them for a long while.
Knowing his wife was a little upset, Su Chi coaxed her softly: “It doesn’t hurt much—it’ll be better tomorrow.”
After the ointment was applied, Su Chi looped his arms around her neck, resting his soft, rounded cheek against her shoulder, and murmured: “Yushu…”
“Don’t move around,” Xie Yushu said, her voice soft—she couldn’t hold any frustration in the face of his tender demeanor.
“Alright—I won’t.”
Then they curled up together, meaning to talk—but before they knew it, they were tangled in a kiss.
Su Chi was especially moved, and when she pulled back, he offered his reddened lips again, wanting more.
But all Xie Yushu could think about was the little one in his belly—still in its early, fragile stage. She held back, pressing him firmly into the bed.
“Sleep!”
·
These past few days, Xie Yushu had kept Su Chi strictly at home, not letting him go to the shop. She’d raised Chen Fulang’s wages so he could help out more.
She’d also picked up a few doses of pregnancy-stabilizing medicine from Sun Wuyou’s pharmacy. After Su Chi fainted, she couldn’t stop worrying.
The prescription had taken Sun Wuyou a long time to settle on—under Xie Yushu’s withering stare, she’d reconsidered the dosage and medicinal properties over and over before coming up with a safe, gentle formula.
When Xie Yushu was out, Hu Yuan came to visit Su Chi with fruit.
Su Chi warmly welcomed him in: “Yuan Ge’er, thank you for saving me that day.”
Hu Yuan set the fruit on the table and waved his hand: “I just happened to be there by chance. I still get chills thinking about it—if I hadn’t shown up that day, what if no one found you?”
Su Chi felt the same relief—thank goodness Hu Yuan had come.
“By the way, why did you come to see me that day?”
At that, Hu Yuan’s face turned shy: “Nothing major—I’m getting married next month and wanted to invite you.”
“Married?” Su Chi was genuinely happy for him. “Which family is the wife from?”
“You’ve met her—it’s Qian Ai.” Hu Yuan’s cheeks flushed as he lowered his voice. “She agreed to marry into my family. My mother approved too—she said Qian Ai has good character.”
If Aunt Hu herself had vetted her, then her character was sound. Su Chi had no doubts.
He took Hu Yuan’s hand: “Then rest assured—Yushu and I will definitely come.”
At the mention of Xie Yushu, Hu Yuan looked a little daunted. He remembered the chilling expression on her face when she’d burst in that day—it could freeze a person.
“You have no idea how terrifying your wife looked when she came home that day.”
Su Chi defended her: “She was just scared because I fainted. She’s usually very gentle.”
“I know, I know—she’s good to you. But to us outsiders, she’s pretty intimidating.”
Su Chi laughed behind his hand—it was true, Xie Yushu really did care about him deeply.
After exchanging some private ge’er talk, Hu Yuan left.
·
Xie Yushu was in the kitchen preparing Su Chi’s pregnancy tonic when she caught sight of him coming up behind her.
“What are you doing out here? Go back and lie down!” she said urgently.
“I’m fine now—walking around won’t hurt.” Su Chi’s brows knitted in amused exasperation. “Yushu, don’t be so nervous.”
She knew she was being overly anxious—but it was Su Chi. How could she not be?
She’d been home with him these past few days, but she couldn’t stay forever. The county workshop had just hired more people and was expanding production; every decision needed her. She was stretched thin.
Her solution was to find someone to care for Su Chi.
But she didn’t trust anyone else. After thinking it over, there was only one person who could do it.
She scooped Su Chi up and set him in a chair, speaking quietly: “I need to go back to the base in a few days and can’t be here during the day. I want to have Father come stay. With him looking after you, I’ll feel at ease.”
Since spring began, Wang Wen had been busy cultivating new fields. Ye Youchun, at Xie Yushu’s request, had hired two day laborers to help him.
Xie Yushu paid well, and the two men were steady and hardworking, taking on the toughest tasks. The spring planting went smoothly, and they also helped out at his home. Wang Wen had things much easier now.
Su Chi’s eyes went wide in disbelief: “I’m not that delicate!”
He laced his fingers through hers and reasoned with her: “I don’t need anyone to take care of me. Remember? Wuyou said once the baby’s settled, I can go back to normal activities. Chen Fulang has the shop covered, and there’s nothing major at home. I can handle it alone—it won’t tire me out.”
Xie Yushu disagreed firmly: “No. This isn’t up for discussion.”
Su Chi pressed his lips together, a little hurt—wasn’t she the one who said they should talk it over?
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