549: Chapter 549 Aunt Xu is Pregnant

The festive joy of the City Lord's Mansion lingered in Northern Frontier City for an entire month, like a warm current thawing in spring, winding through the pavilions and buildings without dissipating in the slightest.

Overnight, the three little ones in swaddling clothes became the treasures held in the palms of the entire mansion.

The wet nurses took turns on duty, caring for them morning and night without daring to be the least bit negligent; the female members of the household visited in groups every day, putting their hearts into playing with, changing, and coaxing the babies to sleep.

The City Lord's Mansion, which used to carry a solemn aura due to guarding the Northern Frontier, was now filled with the warmth of daily life, echoing with soft cries and tender babbles every day, accompanied by the gentle replies of servants and the graceful laughter of the ladies; everywhere was filled with the heartwarming tenderness of the human world.

The three children each had their own temperament, and their appearances were even more adorable.

Situ Qingyin had the quietest personality; most of the time, she slept peacefully with her eyes closed, her small brow slightly furrowed, looking very much like the usually steady and decisive Situ Jun, carrying a hint of a little adult's uprightness.

Occasionally, she would slowly open her eyes, her dark grape-like eyes moist and clear, looking ignorantly at the familiar figures around her; her soft little face was so tender it looked like water could be squeezed out of it, and a single glance was enough to melt one's heart with pity and love.

Situ Xingyu was the exact opposite, born lively and spirited; her cries were clear and loud as if announcing her presence, and her small arms and legs were always restlessly kicking; her little fists tightly gripped the corners of her swaddling clothes, and at the slightest movement, she would immediately blink her large, round eyes and look around, her clever and mischievous nature fully evident—one could tell at a glance she was someone who couldn't stay still.

The youngest, Situ Pingan, was sturdy and cute with honest features and an excellent appetite; he never fussed when the wet nurse fed him, and once full, he would curl up in his swaddling clothes and sleep soundly; his chubby little face had a pinkish glow, and any passing servants or ladies couldn't help but want to give it a gentle squeeze.

The mansion was full of harmony, and Aunt Xu remained as she always was, busy every day managing the mansion's affairs, from dietary arrangements to servant scheduling, personally overseeing everything for fear of any mistakes.

But recently, the sense of abnormality in her body had become increasingly obvious, and no matter how she tried to push through, she couldn't hide it.

The feeling of exhaustion throughout her body grew heavier day by day; often while sitting and managing accounts or mending clothes, her eyelids would grow heavy and her body would feel weak and limp before she knew it; she would even see black spots and feel bouts of dizziness while sitting.

The morning nausea haunted her every day, refusing to go away; at first, she thought it was just from being overworked for days and endured it without saying anything, but even when she looked at the three tender and cute children in the mansion with a heart full of joy, an inexplicable surge of discomfort would rise in her stomach, making her face turn pale frequently.

This afternoon, the warm sunlight filtered through the carved window lattices, gently spilling into the room and creating a tender atmosphere.

Aunt Xu sat by the couch, holding soft cotton cloth and a needle and thread, carefully sewing well-fitting little clothes and pants for the three little ones, her stitches fine and full of heart.

But after only a few movements of the needle and thread, a sudden wave of dizziness mixed with nausea surged up; she hurriedly covered her lips, turned sideways, and hunched over slightly to cough gently; her already pale face lost even more color in an instant, and she tightly gripped the edge of her clothes to barely steady herself.

Just then, Situ Jun returned from outside after handling the military affairs of the Northern Frontier; as soon as he stepped into the inner courtyard, he saw Aunt Xu's unusual expression by the couch; his heart tightened suddenly, and all his fatigue was instantly forgotten.

He stepped forward quickly, reaching out to firmly support her thin shoulders, his voice carrying unmistakable urgency and worry:

"What's wrong? Are you unwell? Why is your face so pale?"

Aunt Xu slowly straightened up, raised her hand to gently stroke her chest, and barely steadied her disordered aura; she shook her head at Situ Jun, forced a calm smile, and comforted him softly:

"It's nothing. Perhaps there have been too many chores in the mansion lately and I haven't rested well; I'll be fine after a short rest, you don't need to worry."

Situ Jun saw the exhaustion she couldn't hide in her eyes and refused to believe her; his brow furrowed tightly as he took her wrist without a word, his fingertips slowly resting on her pulse point; a thread of gentle and pure spiritual power followed his fingertips to probe in, carefully examining the Meridians and aura within her body, not daring to miss a single detail.

In just a moment, his fingertips on her pulse point suddenly paused; first, a flash of astonishment crossed his eyes, followed by an overwhelming, unbelievable joy; then, a deep, inseparable tenderness and an extremely solemn emotion welled up in his gaze as he stared intently at Aunt Xu, not looking away for a long time.

Aunt Xu's heart pounded under his deep gaze, and a blush unconsciously rose to her cheeks; her heart grew more uneasy, her fingertips tightened slightly, and she asked in a low voice:

"Husband, did you... find something wrong? Is there a major problem with my body?"

Situ Jun slowly raised his eyes, his voice slightly hoarse from suppressed excitement but carrying an unmistakable warmth as it clearly reached Aunt Xu's ears:

"It's not that something is wrong."

He paused, his palm gently covering her still-flat abdomen, his tone devout and joyful:

"You are pregnant, Aunt Xu. You are carrying our child."

"..."

Aunt Xu instantly froze in place as if struck by a bolt of lightning, staring blankly; the needle and thread in her hand fell onto the couch with a "clack" and rolled aside.

She suddenly widened her eyes, staring blankly at Situ Jun in front of her, unable to snap out of it for a long time; her mind was a complete blank, and she thought she was just so tired that she was hallucinating.

"Me... I?"

Her voice couldn't help but tremble, her lips quivered slightly, and her face was full of shock and disbelief; her hands subconsciously stroked her still-flat abdomen, her heart filled with panic and confusion.

She was long past her prime, having experienced half a lifetime of hardships and lonely wandering; all these years, she had focused on staying in the City Lord's Mansion, meticulously managing its affairs and quietly staying by Situ Jun's side, having long since given up the idea of being a mother; she never dared to hope for such an Opportunity.

For a moment, the sudden joy, the deep-seated apprehension, and the insecurity from years of hardship intertwined, instantly enveloping her and leaving her at a loss, her eyes turning red in an instant.

"At my age, and after experiencing so much hardship, my body isn't very healthy to begin with... how could I... how could I still be pregnant?"

She murmured to herself, her voice carrying a hint of daze, but mostly disbelief.

Seeing this, Situ Jun felt a surge of heartache; he reached out to gently pull her into his arms, his chin resting lightly on the top of her head, his voice tender but also carrying a hint of unmistakable trembling:

"It's true, absolutely true. I probed clearly with my spiritual power; there is already a weak but incredibly vibrant spiritual aura in your womb—that is our flesh and blood, connected by our Bloodline, a child given to us by heaven."

Aunt Xu leaned quietly in his warm and broad embrace, listening to his steady and powerful heartbeat and feeling the warmth of his palm; she remained silent for a long time, and the tears held back in her eyes suddenly poured out without warning, sliding down her cheeks and wetting the front of his clothes.

She had been lonely and displaced for half her life, never expecting to have a child of her own; she felt that staying by Situ Jun's side and guarding this City Lord's Mansion to live a stable life was enough.

But now, learning that she was pregnant, this sudden happiness made her both joyful and bitter, and her tears wouldn't stop.

Situ Jun felt the front of his clothes getting wet and gently patted her back, comforting her softly time and again:

"Don't cry. This is a destiny granted by heaven, it is our child, and it is a wonderful event."