Fourth Master Xiao imitated Chunliu’s technique, gently massaging Xiqiu, feeling quite emotional. She had difficulty with every pregnancy, and this time, her belly was unusually large. Her legs and feet were so swollen now that walking must have been incredibly uncomfortable. Yet she still managed to walk around the garden for so long this morning...

His heart ached as he lightly caressed Xiqiu’s feet, wishing he could suffer on her behalf.

"Fourth Master?" Xiqiu woke up to find Fourth Master Xiao rubbing her feet and was a bit embarrassed, trying to pull them away. But Fourth Master Xiao lowered his head, staring at her feet. Xiqiu paused and asked, "What’s wrong?"

Fourth Master Xiao held her feet like treasure, lifted his head, and said with reluctance and tender affection, "With Zhi and the one in your belly, that’s enough. You can’t go through such suffering again, no matter what."

Realizing that it was about this matter, Xiqiu straightened up, reached out as Fourth Master Xiao held her hand, and smiled, "People say children and parents are fated to be together, and he is also fated to be with us."

Fourth Master Xiao looked at her and then at her swollen, shiny feet, remaining silent for a while.

Beginning of August, the mansion arranged for each household to deliver New Year’s gifts, and Nanny Cen came in, troubled, asking Xiqiu, "Should we send gifts to the Dingyuan Bo Mansion?"

"Yes, send them." Xiqiu propped herself on the lit pillow: "We can’t skip the courtesy. Besides, Seventh Young Madam is expecting, we must treat them well."

Nanny Cen agreed and left. Two days later, Dingyuan Bo Mansion’s return gifts arrived, with Nanny Cen bringing in the gift list, smiling, "... Not too heavy!"

Xiqiu nodded slightly, just as Zhi burst through the door curtain excitedly, shouting, "Mother, third uncle is back."

"Back in the Capital?" It had been three and a half years since she last saw Tong Quanzi, and Xiqiu was delighted. Zhi nodded and said, "No, third uncle wrote that he went to Baoding first and will come to Capital after the Mid-Autumn Festival."

Xiqiu nodded slightly, indeed Tong Quanzi had grown mature. In the past, he would have come to the Capital first before going to Baoding, but this time he went directly to Baoding, and Second Lady would surely be pleased.

"Mother, I also want to go to Baoding." Zhi’s eyes shone brightly, "Let Tiancheng and Tianjing take me, or Su Quansheng could take me too."

Xiqiu shook her head without hesitation, "The Mid-Autumn Festival is coming, you can’t go anywhere. Besides, third uncle will return after the festival, wait for him at the mansion."

Zhi pouted, a bit displeased, while Nanny Cen consoled him, "It’s okay to want to go out, but with the Madam expecting, leaving now would only add to her worries." Nanny Cen added, "If you really want to go out, why not let Su Quansheng accompany you to the other courtyard to play for a couple of days, as you will have to break for Mid-Autumn anyway. Discuss with Mr. Ji for a few days off, how about that?"

Zhi desired to play but was more eager to see his third uncle. Hearing Nanny Cen’s suggestion, he nodded, "Okay, I won’t go out." He walked up to Xiqiu, looking apologetic, "I’ll wait for third uncle at home."

Xiqiu smiled, wiping the sweat from his forehead, "If you have free time, visit grandmother and aunt, also Xing and Sheng, whom you haven’t seen for some time."

Zhi nodded, "Xing is going out to inspect the estate and will return during the festival. I’ll see him off tomorrow." Xiqiu nodded, reminding him, "Talk to Xing more, he works hard."

"Understood." Zhi tilted his head, "When is second uncle coming back?"

Speaking of Xiao Yanyi, Xiqiu could only sigh. Fourth Master Xiao sent people out to find him, frequently returning without success. Though they found his whereabouts and pursued him, they always arrived a step too late. The good news was that Xiao Yanyi was safe, having entered Great Zhou from outside the border, and according to the itinerary, he should currently be in Jiangnan.

As long as he is safe, it doesn’t matter, let him be.

"Is Master Hua arriving soon?" Xiqiu tidied Zhi’s clothes, reminding him, and Zhi remembered, nodding, "Then I’ll go find Master Hua." Saying this, he left.

Nanny Cen watched Zhi’s departing figure with a smile, bowing to Xiqiu as she stepped out.

Xiqiu flipped through a book, feeling her eyelids grow heavy, deciding to take a nap when Nanny Cen returned, "Madam, someone from the Qin Mansion is here."

Xiqiu was stunned to hear this, suddenly awake, "Invite them in quickly." Since Wan’er gave birth, Ruan Jingliu usually came directly with concerns, today sending a servant from the mansion was unusual.

Nanny Cen led the servant in, around thirty years old, dressed neatly, bowing to Xiqiu with a joyful expression. Xiqiu asked, "Did your lady send you, is there something wrong?"

"In answer to Madam," the servant replied respectfully, "Our lady sent me. She found out this morning that she is expecting, already two months along."

Xiqiu was momentarily stunned, unable to react, staring at the servant for a good while before asking, "Sister Jingliu is expecting?"

"Yes, our lady also took her own pulse but was unsure, so she asked our master to bring in several doctors for confirmation. She’s indeed two months pregnant."

Incredible joy, Xiqiu immediately laughed, "This is a great cause for celebration." Xiqiu continued with a smile, "Please stand up and tell me the details."

The servant described the events: Ruan Jingliu always washed her own intimate clothes, so no one around her knew the timing of her cycle. She didn’t notice it until today, sitting at the table to have breakfast, when she tasted a bowl of lotus seed porridge and immediately spat it out. Qin Yuanfeng was shocked, carrying her to bed, and Ruan Jingliu herself grew anxious, took her pulse, and though she knew the answer, did not speak. Qin Yuanfeng was frantic until Ruan Jingliu finally said, "Bring in a doctor."

Without hesitation, Qin Yuanfeng went to the clinic and dragged in five doctors, all confirming that Ruan Jingliu was pregnant, already two months along.

Sudden joy had Qin Yuanfeng foolishly staring at Ruan Jingliu, eventually bursting into laughter, nearly rushing out to tell everyone on the street.

Ruan Jingliu was overwhelmed with mixed emotions, wanting to visit the clinic. Qin Yuanfeng insisted on staying by her side, asked what she wanted to eat, even inviting the chef from Hongyan Building to the mansion to cook all her favorite dishes, which he served one by one, encouraging her to eat.

Xiqiu was equally delighted, telling the servant, "Since I can’t visit her, please relay a message to your lady from me, telling her to take care of herself and not to overthink."