The Second Young Master’s Obedient Husband : Chapter 91

Life went on in a plain and simple way, and when there was nothing to worry about, time seemed to pass especially fast.

The shops all had assistants, so when the two of them got tired of working in the shops, they would go stay in the mountains for a while. Sometimes Liang Yu would get the itch to go hunting in the mountains, returning before dark. He did not go after any big game; a pheasant or wild rabbit to add to the evening meal was enough.

What surprised Su Qingyu the most was that Liang Yu had somehow made two pipas on his own, one large and one small. The large one was just right for Su Qingyu’s current build, while the small one was better suited for a boy of eight or nine. Both were made of top quality wood and silk strings, and it was clear that a great deal of effort had gone into them.

Su Qingyu held the small pipa in his arms. His eyelashes trembled, and tears fell. It was as if he could hear his father’s voice in his ears: “Yu’er, see what Father brought back for you this time. It’s a pipa… Oh, you’re so happy. Father also hired a pipa teacher for you… What are you thanking me for? As long as our Qingyu can be happy every day, safe and sound, Father will be at ease.”

Qingyu, ah, Qingyu. The whole world hopes their sons will become dragons and their daughters phoenixes. Father only wants his little boy to be like a green fish, living happily in the mountains, ordinary and plain, safe and sound, joyful and free, swimming through life. As long as he can live in happiness and good health, that is enough.

…

This year, the shops turned a profit, and the merchant caravan also brought back quite a bit of silver. Su Qingyu discovered that Chunniang was quite skilled at keeping accounts, so he stopped troubling his elder brother with the ledgers. Liang Feng was very pleased with this arrangement.

When the New Year season arrived, Liang Yu and Su Qingyu returned to the village. After the winter month, Su Qingyu always felt sleepy and lacked energy no matter what he did. He could not get up in the morning and needed a nap at noon. He also lost his appetite. The New Year season was the time for eating meat, but the smell of grease made Su Qingyu want to vomit.

At first, Su Qingyu only thought that he had been busy all year and was tired. Now that he had some free time, his body was rebelling, and it would pass in a few days. But after seven or eight days of this, Liang Yu could not sit still anymore. He hitched up the cart and took him to town.

It was still that same medical hall, and still that same old doctor.

The old doctor took his pulse and asked some detailed questions. Then he said, “Congratulations, over two months along.”

Su Qingyu was stunned, his mind blank.

Liang Yu was also stunned, but when he came to his senses, a smile he could not suppress appeared at his lips. He looked a bit silly and simple.

The old doctor prescribed some medicine to calm the fetus and stimulate the appetite, and gave many instructions. Liang Yu listened carefully, taking mental notes of everything.

Leaving the medical hall, Su Qingyu finally came back to himself. With red rimmed eyes, he looked at Liang Yu. “Husband…”

Liang Yu reached out and pulled him into his arms, kissing him on the forehead.

Su Qingyu’s tears immediately fell. He cried in Liang Yu’s arms for quite a while before slowly stopping, then showed Liang Yu a smile. “Husband, I am finally with child.”

Liang Yu took out a handkerchief from his bosom to wipe his tears. The dog carrying fish embroidery on it still smiled in that silly and simple way. Years had passed, but the colors had not faded much. It looked almost as if it were newly made.

“Yes.”

On the way back, Su Qingyu kept leaning on Liang Yu’s shoulder, the smile at his lips impossible to suppress.

Entering the village, the sky was already darkening. Liang Yu helped Su Qingyu down from the cart. Su Qingyu suddenly said, “Don’t tell Mother and the others yet.”

Liang Yu looked at him in confusion.

Su Qingyu’s face reddened. “Wait… wait until it is stable.”

Liang Yu nodded in understanding.

That evening, Liang Yu cooked. The dishes were light and simply seasoned, more suited to Su Qingyu’s current tastes. Perhaps because his mood was good, Su Qingyu unusually ate two bowls of rice that day.

After washing up that night, Liang Yu held Su Qingyu in his arms as they sat on the bed reading.

Su Qingyu leaned against Liang Yu, his hand on his lower abdomen. He still could not quite believe it. After a while, he spoke. “Husband, do you think… could there be a mistake?”

Liang Yu kissed his face and comforted him. “It was the old doctor who took the pulse. It cannot be wrong.”

“Yes.”

“Don’t worry. Just take good care of yourself from now on.”

Su Qingyu nodded. Leaning in his arms, wrapped in Liang Yu’s scent, his heart settled considerably.

Liang Yu set the book aside, kissed his lips, and Su Qingyu responded with a red face. The two of them hugged each other affectionately, whispering private words.

“Husband, I am so happy.”

“So am I.”

“Husband, do you want a boy or a little brother?”

“I would be happy with either.”

“Husband, do you think he will be well behaved?”

“Not well behaved. He has been making you unable to eat well for days.”

“… It will get better when the months are further along.”

“Very well, I will give him more time.”

“Husband, who do you think he should look like?”

“Like you.”

“Like me, and good looking?”

“Yes, especially endearing.”

Su Qingyu’s face turned red. He buried himself in Liang Yu’s arms, his heart full of happiness.

The matter of the pregnancy, the two of them kept secret.

Su Qingyu suffered from morning sickness quite severely. He could not stand the smell of grease and could not eat. Liang Yu was terribly worried and tried every way to cook, light flavors, sweet and sour, spicy and numbing… he tried them one by one. He prepared a large stock of appetite stimulants like hawthorn and pickled sour plums, and bought plenty of snacks besides.

Su Qingyu drank the decoction prescribed by the doctor, ate snacks when hungry, and even if he could not finish a full bowl of rice, he could eat half a bowl. After a dozen or so days, his appetite improved. Not only did he not lose weight, he actually gained a little.

On New Year’s Eve, Su’s mother came to the Liang family to help. Seeing Su Qingyu, she instinctively felt something was off. When she had a free moment, she pulled Su Qingyu aside and asked, “Qingyu, are you hiding something from Mother?”

Su Qingyu was startled. Instinctively, he touched his lower abdomen, then lowered his red face and said nothing.

Su’s mother looked at him like that and understood in her heart. Smiling, she asked, “How many months?”

Su Qingyu answered obediently, “Almost three months.”

Su’s mother happily patted his hand. “Good, good.” She gave him many instructions as well, no longer letting him do any work and urging him to hurry back to the room to rest, her face full of joy.

Su Qingyu returned to the room and sat on the heated bed. He took a novel that Liang Yu had recently bought for him, eating plums as he read, utterly comfortable.

Liang Yu finished killing the chicken and washed his hands. Not seeing Su Qingyu in the kitchen, he returned to the room to look for him.

Hearing the sound, Su Qingyu looked up and threw himself into Liang Yu’s arms, rubbing against him. “Mother knows.”

Liang Yu caught him and stole a kiss on his cheek while he was at it. “Then let’s tell Father and Mother.”

Su Qingyu nodded.

That New Year’s Eve night, the whole family sat together for the reunion dinner. After the meal, Liang Yu coughed lightly and spoke. “Father, Mother, Qingyu is pregnant. It has been three months.”

Liang’s mother was startled for a moment, then took Su Qingyu’s hand and looked him up and down, immediately breaking into a smile. “Good, truly good. Now the family will have another little one.”

Zhang Yun was also overjoyed and told Su Qingyu many things to pay attention to.

Su Qingyu answered with a red face, one by one.

With a new addition to the family, everyone was happy. Even Liang Tingyu was so happy that the moment he saw his little friends, he told them he was going to have a new little brother.

Amid the sound of firecrackers, another old year passed.

May the coming year bring smooth sailing in all matters, full bellies and warm clothes, peace and joy, year after year.

The End.