200: Child, don't cry

It had been a month since she last left the Emperor's palace, in the blink of an eye.

The Emperor had suddenly become diligent; the government affairs involved in that secret meeting must have been very important.

Of course, this was all Tu Nan's own deduction.

She thought this way because Your Majesty had stopped indulging in cat-petting; she hadn't been summoned once this month.

The Children, however, were very regular; they were taken to the Emperor by attendants for half a day every three days.

Their changes were visible to the naked eye.

The milky little dumplings absorbed various kinds of knowledge from the Emperor like sponges, becoming more upright every day.

Tu Nan had to admit that Your Majesty was truly very adept at raising Children.

She also wasn't very willing to lean towards being a sycophant.

Since there was nothing that had to be reported, she didn't request an audience.

Until today...

After reviewing the report with James and confirming that the Children's development was truly completely stable, she had no choice but to make a trip to Your Majesty.

"Even though I watched this child catch up all the way, I still have to say... it's truly miraculous." James's eyes as he looked at the report were almost indistinguishable from when he looked at a lover.

"Look at this correspondence between the frequency and the child's growth curve... it's truly wonderful..."

That chart nakedly revealed the extent of Kong Jiamu's efforts.

Tu Nan couldn't bear to look.

She snatched the report from James's hand.

"...I'm going to report to Your Majesty." She escaped from the old doctor.

The trigger for proposing a progress report was that after Kong Jiamu came to the Medical Institute for his routine "supervision" yesterday afternoon, the System had popped up regardless of anything else.

【Mother-Child mental link activated】

【Fetal genes stable】

Tu Nan was taking a shower at the time. Upon receiving this notification, she didn't even bother to rinse off the soap suds covering her body, and without paying attention to the System, she hurriedly called out to the Children.

[Baby? Baby? Can you... hear me?]

She thought this time would be like the last, where the Children would call her as soon as they stabilized, but after receiving the System's notification, she still didn't hear the Children's voices.

Were they... really okay?

There was one more thing that puzzled her even more.

She had always thought that while Hain's child developed quickly, it wasn't stable enough. He hadn't tried to contact her, had he?

Tu Nan had thought this would be a wild goose chase, thinking she would need to go to Hain's side again.

She didn't expect that both Children would stabilize at the same time?

[Baby, what's wrong? Why are you ignoring Mommy.]

Tu Nan was very anxious. Water kept flowing into her eyes, but she didn't move, focusing only on catching any movement that might appear in her mind.

After a long silence.

A timid voice finally sounded.

[Mommy... I... I'm so scared.]

Tu Nan's heart was about to break; the little boy's voice was very cautious. He seemed to have waited for her for a long time, until he was about to give up.

[Baby, are you...] Tu Nan wanted to know which one this well-behaved child was.

[I am Little Fish, Mommy...] The child could finally feel Mommy, felt a little relieved, and anxiously asked the question that had saddened him for several months.

[I always thought Brother was going to die, waah!] The child sobbed. [Is it because of me? He hasn't grown up for a long, long time, and he won't talk to me.]

When Tu Nan understood what the child was talking about, tears couldn't help but flow with him.

Fish, Sea Beast.

He... he should be Hain's child, perhaps his genes had been stable for a month, and he could have contacted her, but the System didn't notify her, and Tu Nan hadn't discovered any of this.

This child had been watching his twin brother half-dead by his side, terrified, but dared not say anything.

Until Tu Nan took the initiative to call him.

This was such an overly sensitive and kind child; Tu Nan covered her face and wept uncontrollably.

It was her... negligence.

[System, you really deserve to die.] Tu Nan resented the System, but she also resented herself.

She trusted the System's judgment too much and didn't try it herself.

If only she had called out earlier, even once, this child's self-blame wouldn't have been so deep.

[...I'm sorry.]

The System's tone was also a bit flustered.

[I only had enough energy to reboot when both Children stabilized together, I...] It didn't know how to prove this.

[host, I will definitely save more energy to pay attention to the Children next time, okay?]

It cared even more about the Children than Tu Nan; the child's actions had scared it too.

Tu Nan didn't have time to notice the extra information revealed by the System's words.

Another lazy voice interrupted everyone's sadness.

[Ga? What are you talking about behind my back? Oh my, can you hear Mommy? Hehe.]

[Eh, why are you crying? Ho! Don't cry, who bullied you? I'll go peck him!]

Little Fish hiccuped from crying and said cautiously, [I... stole your nutrients, and you were going to die because of me. It's all my fault.]

[That's not it!] The other child shouted even louder than Tu Nan. [When was I going to die? I was just sleeping! ...Are you not allowed to let me sleep?]

[?] Little Fish sounded stunned. [You haven't been responding to me...]

[Oh! That was my fault, I will definitely respond to you more in the future. Hehe, you kept hugging and kissing me before, I knew it all~ Little Brother likes me the most, I've always known~]

The two little ones were harmonious; Little Fish was coaxed into laughter by his brother, but he still gently refuted him.

[But I like Mommy the most...] He was a little embarrassed, but still insisted on stating his internal ranking.

Although Brother is very, very good, Mommy is still first.

[Oh, me too. We are brothers indeed!] The other little one was smug, then suddenly remembered he hadn't introduced himself to Mommy.

[Ah! Mommy, I am Little Bird, you have to love me too, you can't just love Little Brother.]

A child with very Kong Jiamu-esque characteristics... genes are truly miraculous.

Tu Nan revealed a smile through her tears.

[Yes, Mommy loves you, and I will introduce your older brothers and sisters to you; they will all love you.]

It was time to let the Children know about each other's existence.

Perhaps, she could start a group chat? Tu Nan didn't know.

She planned to try.

When she appeared in front of Kong Jiamu again, she was grabbed by the panicked peacock.

"What's wrong? Why are your eyes swollen?"

The peacock frantically flipped her eyelids.

Tu Nan shook her head, not letting him cause trouble. To avoid his persistent hands, she buried her head in the peacock's chest.

"Silly bird." For a moment, Tu Nan wanted to let the peacock know that his child was healthy, lively, and good, just like him.

...Just like Hain's child.

She swallowed the words she wanted to say again, hugging Kong Jiamu's strong waist, burying herself in his chest.

After a long while, she spoke to Kong Jiamu.

"Are you about to leave?"

Kong Jiamu was stunned, a look of surprise appeared on the corners of his mouth, and he picked Tu Nan up, his whole being overflowing with happiness.

"You can't bear for me to leave!"

This silly bird was extremely happy.

"You can't bear for me to leave, Tu Nan! I knew it, you are the same as me!"

He spun Tu Nan around a few times before putting her down.

"You've gained some weight." The peacock touched her waist again, was slapped by Tu Nan, and received a tsk-ing, angry expression.

He immediately raised his hands in surrender.

"Don't~ This is so good, you are fine however you are... but a little more weight is really healthier."

There was truly no judgment in his eyes, only appreciation.

Tu Nan breathed a sigh of relief... he really hadn't discovered anything at all.

Kong Jiamu, seeing that she wasn't truly angry, smiled and leaned in again.

"I'm leaving."

He confirmed Tu Nan's guess.

"Although Your Majesty hasn't given the order yet, the battle situation on the front line is becoming increasingly tense, and the Sixth Legion Commander has already asked me about the departure time several times."

"I don't know when Your Majesty will give the order."

"Tu Nan! I'm so happy, as long as you are thinking of me." He laughed wantonly.

"I will be more careful on the battlefield, after all~ I still have to return to your side."

She knew why Your Majesty had delayed giving the order...

Perhaps, that order would come in these next few days.

Tu Nan silently hugged him tighter again.