Since the kiss had already happened, Mu Wanqing stopped being coy and let him handle her as he wished.
After the bath, Wen Zhan wrapped her in a towel and carried her out directly.
He fetched clean pajamas from the walk-in closet, placed them by the bed, and turned to leave. “You sleep first. I’ll take a quick shower.”
His trousers were still on, completely soaked and clinging to his skin.
Otherwise, he would have continued attending to her, helping her get dressed.
“Mmm…” Mu Wanqing’s voice was as faint as a mosquito’s hum as she burrowed under the covers, wrapping herself up.
Only when the man returned to the bathroom did she let out a deep breath, quickly climbing out to get dressed.
Once she lay down again, she stared wide-eyed at the ceiling, completely ignoring the physical discomfort.
They had been estranged for so long, she had been sleeping in the guest room for so long—yet that one kiss had resolved everything.
How should she face him when he came out later?
Her mind was a chaotic mess, and before she could sort it out, the bathroom door clicked open. The man emerged, radiating warmth from his body.
She had no choice but to immediately close her eyes and pretend to be asleep.
Wen Zhan walked over, his moist eyes glancing at her deeply. He clearly saw through her pretense but didn’t expose her.
It was too late tonight. She was sick and uncomfortable, and he was exhausted too.
They should just get a good night’s sleep first.
Only after these busy days passed and his grandfather’s funeral arrangements were settled could they properly discuss these matters.
So, he said nothing, silently turning off the light, pulling back the covers, and lying down.
In truth, he felt an inexplicable desire to turn over and hold her in his arms.
His grandfather’s death was a pain in his heart that wouldn’t heal anytime soon. He too wanted emotional support, someone to comfort him.
But he feared that sudden intimacy would make her tense and defensive, perhaps even scare her into getting up and leaving.
He wrestled with this longing for a while until drowsiness enveloped them both. Half-awake and half-asleep, he turned over, moving a little closer to her.
Mu Wanqing, nearly asleep, vaguely sensed the man drawing nearer.
Her nerves instinctively tightened.
Fortunately, he had only turned over normally, with no further actions.
Her tense nerves gradually relaxed, and she fell into a deep sleep…
In the middle of the night, Mu Wanqing had to get up.
Though she was extremely tired and sleepy, she had to rise. Otherwise, her recently relieved mammary glands would become blocked again due to breast engorgement, worsening the situation.
The children weren’t in the master bedroom, so she quietly moved outward in the darkness.
Unexpectedly, a drowsy, hoarse voice came from behind her: “Where are you going?”
Startled, she turned to look at the bed. “To breastfeed…”
“You’re sick, why trouble yourself? Leave it to the confinement nanny.”
Knowing he understood nothing about it, the woman awkwardly explained, “I have to do it, or I’ll suffer again. Go back to sleep.”
Wen Zhan had been too exhausted lately. Even as he spoke to her, he drifted back to sleep, mumbling, “Come back after feeding…”
As Mu Wanqing opened the door to leave, his words echoed in her ears.
Mumbled and incoherent, unlike his usual clear, cold, and authoritative daytime self—more like the confused stubbornness of a little boy acting spoiled.
After feeding the child, she indeed returned.
And as soon as she lay down, the man pulled her into his embrace, holding her tightly. She couldn’t tell if he had been waiting for her, awake all along.
Mu Wanqing was so startled her sleepiness vanished. In the darkness, she lifted her eyes to look at his outline, not daring to breathe loudly.
Fortunately, after holding her, he took no further action. Soon, his breathing became deep and steady—he had fallen asleep.
It was clear that he was also exhausted and sleepy.
In the darkness, the woman gradually relaxed.
At this moment, she actually felt a bit of sympathy and heartache for him.
If he truly repented and treated her well in the future, focusing on their family—could she really let go of her plans for divorce and continue walking this path with him?
Holding each other, they both slept so soundly that they lost track of time.
Early in the morning, Aunt Zhou got up and settled the children. Glancing at the wall clock and then at the master bedroom on the second floor, she felt torn.
She knew this was a crucial opportunity for the couple to mend their relationship and shouldn’t be interrupted.
But considering that the mistress’s mastitis hadn’t fully healed and she hadn’t gotten up to empty her breasts for three or four hours, there was a risk of it worsening again…
After hesitating for a long while, she grew too worried. When the older child started crying and the confinement nanny happened to be feeding the warmed breast milk to the little one, Aunt Zhou picked up the crying child and deliberately carried him upstairs, lingering outside the master bedroom.
Cry, little master, cry… cry louder…
Aunt Zhou prayed silently.
Inside the room, Mu Wanqing hadn’t slept so soundly in a very, very long time.
Hearing the baby’s cry, her first reaction was to think she was dreaming.
Then Wen Zhan suddenly jolted awake, his body tensing as he lifted his head and asked, “Is that the baby crying?”
Mu Wanqing, nestled in his embrace, woke up as well. Lifting her head, her gaze met his, and instantly—she was too flustered to know what to do.
“Waa… waa—”
Fortunately, the baby’s cries from the hallway outside grew increasingly louder. She snapped out of her embarrassment within seconds. “It’s the older one crying. It’s already daylight; he must be hungry.”
She pushed away from the man and sat up, hurriedly trying to get out of bed. But with just one movement, she hissed in pain and froze.
Seeing her hunched over and motionless, Wen Zhan immediately frowned. “What’s wrong? Are you uncomfortable somewhere?”
“No, it’s nothing… Go open the door and have the confinement nanny bring the baby in.” Suppressing the heavy, throbbing pain, she instructed the man and quickly headed to the bathroom.
Applying a warm towel, gently massaging, then having the baby nurse—she prayed it would resolve the issue. Otherwise, she would have to endure the excruciating pain from last night again.
Hearing the baby being brought in, she turned and went out.
Aunt Zhou saw her and gave a knowing, teasing smile. “I knew you were sleeping deeply and didn’t want to disturb you, but the little one was crying too hard to ignore.”
Mu Wanqing couldn’t bring herself to meet Aunt Zhou’s mischievous gaze. She took the baby and went over to the chaise lounge.
However, after struggling for a while, the baby’s intermittent cries didn’t stop, and she was in so much pain she was nearly in tears.
Aunt Zhou understood immediately, frowning and sighing. “Is it blocked again?”
Mu Wanqing found it hard to put her suffering into words.
Her entire underarm area was in pain, making it difficult to even lift her arm.
Seeing her endure the discomfort and still trying to breastfeed, Aunt Zhou advised, “Use a warm towel first to soothe it. When you feel a bit better, have the third young master help you. Adults have more strength and can control the pressure better.”
Mu Wanqing was taken aback. She turned to look at Aunt Zhou standing beside the chaise lounge, her face full of confusion. “Him… help me?”
“Oh, come on… there’s nothing to be shy about. Back in the day… there were no lactation massage therapists or breast pumps. When this happened, husbands would help…”
As an experienced older woman, Aunt Zhou was less embarrassed. After speaking, she made a puckering, sucking motion with her lips. “Like this—it works!”
Boom!
Mu Wanqing’s mind exploded with shock. Her entire body stiffened as if turned to stone, and her cheeks burned with heat.
She would rather continue to endure the torment of the lactation massage therapist than let Wen Zhan help her…
But Aunt Zhou paid no mind to these concerns. Seeing the master of the house emerge from the bathroom, she immediately approached him and said, “Third Young Master, go and help the mistress. Women suffer terribly when breastfeeding. Hurry and assist her before it worsens and she develops a fever again.”
Wen Zhan was equally baffled.
He was neither a doctor nor a lactation massage therapist—how was he supposed to help?