Next door.
The midwife was struggling to dress Wen Miaoxue.
The newborn was uncooperative, and it took a long time to get the clothes on her.
To make matters worse, Wen Miaoxue kept wailing loudly, flailing her limbs about.
Already not much to look at, Wen Miaoxue turned an ugly shade of dark red all over when she cried, looking like a little monkey.
Just then, a sharp female voice suddenly came from the doorway.
"Wen Zehai, what are you doing here?! Weren't you supposed to be chasing after the bandits?"
Wen Qianqian looked at the woman radiating pure white light who appeared at the door and nearly burst into tears on the spot.
Mother! She had finally come to save her!
Unlike the black aura entwined around that wicked woman, the white light on her mother was holy and gentle.
She loved this mother!
But the very next second, the wicked woman reacted and scooped her up into her arms.
Wen Zehai snapped back to his senses and forced a dry laugh. "Jinniang, why have you come over?"
Mrs. Qu stared coldly at Wen Zehai.
"That's what I should be asking you, isn't it?"
"I just finished my work and came back. I heard Suyin had also given birth over here, and I was worried she might not have anyone to look after her, so I stopped by to check. Fortunately, both mother and daughter are safe."
Mrs. Qu furrowed her brows. She had known Han Suyin was due to give birth around these days, and had been worried that since Han Suyin's husband was always away on business, there would be no one to care for her. She had repeatedly sent servants over with nourishing supplements.
She just hadn't expected the two of them to give birth on the exact same day by coincidence.
She knew Wen Zehai was especially attentive to this cousin of his—otherwise, he wouldn't have brought her son to the capital to raise in their household.
But today, she had gone into premature labor!
Wen Zehai didn't care whether she lived or died, and instead came to see Han Suyin first?
Han Suyin was a woman in childbirth, but wasn't she one too?
Qu Jinxin's anger surged uncontrollably.
She wasn't an unreasonable person, but this time, Wen Zehai had truly lost sight of what mattered most!
"Wen Zehai, you ignore your own wife and child to go see your cousin instead? Wen Zehai, have you lost your mind? Or are you saying that I and your child are less important than one of your relatives?!"
"N-No, that's not it…"
Wen Zehai stammered, trying to find an excuse.
Though he came from humble origins, he was the golden phoenix that had flown out of Hancheng. He was now a respected centurion, his official career smooth sailing, and he was on the verge of promotion to chiliarch.
But if he hadn't met Qu Jinxin, with the Qu family's support behind him, he might still be nothing more than a lowly gatekeeper, never rising so quickly.
So at least until he became a chiliarch, he couldn't let Qu Jinxin find out about him and Suyin.
Just as Wen Zehai was anxiously searching for an excuse, Han Suyin spoke up.
"Sister, please don't be angry. It's all my fault."
"I heard you went into sudden premature labor, and I was worried you might not have enough hot water prepared, so I had the midwife bring the baby over here to bathe."
"Cousin only happened to pass by and saw the midwife carrying the baby over here, so he followed along to check."
"Before you came in, he even said that once the baby was bathed here, he would go over to see you right away."
The midwife quickly chimed in as well.
"That's exactly what happened, madam. Don't you remember? I told you I would take the baby out to bathe. I never imagined it would cause you to misunderstand the centurion."
Wen Zehai stepped forward at the right moment, wrapping his arm around Mrs. Qu's waist with a look of deep apology.
"My dear, whatever mistakes were made, they were all mine. It doesn't matter how you misunderstand me—your health is what matters most. You've just given birth and your body is weak. Come, let me take you back first. Once you've recovered from your confinement, you can hit me or scold me however you like!"
Mrs. Qu looked at Wen Zehai's guilt-ridden and concerned expression, and her earlier anger gradually faded as reason returned to her.
The midwife had indeed said she would take the baby out for a wash.
Perhaps she had misunderstood.
After all, they were cousins, and it was only natural to come check out of concern.
Besides, Wen Zehai had always doted on her, and their marriage was harmonious.
Otherwise, they wouldn't have had four children together.
Since she had already given birth safely, there was nothing wrong with Wen Zehai stopping by to check on his cousin first.
Moreover, during their time living in the countryside, Han Suyin had been quite good to her.
As for that voice she thought she heard earlier, it must have been her imagination.
A newborn baby couldn't possibly speak, especially not through two walls.
With that thought, Qu Jinxin actually began to feel sorry for her earlier outburst.
"I was in the wrong just now—I shouldn't have lost my temper at you all. Where's the baby? She's my own child; I don't mind a little dirt. I want to take her back with me right now."
Han Suyin pointed at Wen Miaoxue, who was half-dressed by the midwife beside the bed.
"Sister, your child is right here."
Qu Jinxin immediately followed the direction of Han Suyin's finger and saw the newborn—dark, skinny, with visible traces of blood on her body. She did indeed look dirty.
No wonder the midwife had said she wanted to wash the baby first before showing her.
But a child was a piece of her own flesh and blood. Even like this, even dirtier or uglier, she was still the apple of her eye.
Qu Jinxin, supporting her weak body, gathered all her strength to hold the baby steadily in her arms.
Yet she did not see that Wen Zehai and Han Suyin exchanged a glance, their eyes brimming with the smug satisfaction of a successful swap.
But the very next second, Wen Miaoxue burst into loud wailing, fiercely resisting Qu Jinxin's embrace.
Even newborns have fingernails. Her tiny hand grabbed hard, leaving three bloody scratches across Mrs. Qu's neck.
"Hiss—"
Qu Jinxin's tears fell from the pain.
"Let me hold her instead. You've just given birth—your body is too weak to hold the child. Don't accidentally drop her."
Wen Zehai, afraid that Qu Jinxin might carelessly drop or bump Wen Miaoxue, quickly took the baby back into his arms.
Wen Miaoxue nestled in Wen Zehai's embrace, instantly stopping her cries and even breaking into a smile.
But the child was born all wrinkled, and her smile was truly unsightly.
"Alright." Qu Jinxin was also worried she might drop the child.
So focused was she that she failed to notice Wen Zehai never once showed concern for her scratched neck—only for the child.
"Waaah, waaah…"
Seeing the couple about to leave with the baby, Wen Qianqian burst into loud sobs, trying to draw Mrs. Qu's attention.
A flicker of malice passed through Han Suyin's eyes as she reached out to cover the child's mouth.
"You little curse! Cry again, and I'll cut out your tongue right now!" She leaned close to Wen Qianqian's ear, and though she knew a child this age couldn't understand, she threatened in the most venomous tone.
Qu Jinxin vaguely caught something about "cut out your tongue" and turned her head in shock.
In that glance, she finally saw Wen Qianqian.
She was an extraordinarily beautiful child.
Though just born, she was completely clean, without a trace of filth, plump and fair, utterly adorable, with a pair of big, watery eyes like clear spring water, seemingly transparent to the bottom.
Anyone who saw her would want to hold her and dote on her.
Han Suyin's child really was quite beautiful.
But that was fine—her own child was the most beautiful in her eyes too.
Strangely, though, when she held her own child, she didn't feel that same intense urge to cherish and pamper her as she did when looking at this baby.
Could it be that she was actually someone who cared deeply about appearances, even finding her own child lacking?
"Sister, what's wrong?"
Han Suyin guiltily used the blanket to cover most of Wen Qianqian's face.
Qu Jinxin snapped back to herself, withdrawing her gaze. "Raising a child alone must be exhausting. If you don't mind, you could send her to my place and let my people help care for her."
"No need! I can manage on my own, and my husband will be back soon."
Qu Jinxin nodded slightly, setting aside the strange feeling in her heart.
But just as she was about to leave, Wen Qianqian once again summoned all her newborn strength, gathering her Dantian and using Telepathic Communication.
"Mother! You've picked up the wrong baby—I'm your real child!"
"That ugly little monkey is Han Suyin's daughter!"
"You've got it wrong, waaah…"