"Bai Jing, push harder!"
"Cousin-in-law, push a little harder!"
"Push!"
"Ah—!"
Bai Jing's heart-wrenching screams echoed from inside the room.
Xu Chuan heard every sound clearly from the kitchen, his heart pounding with anxiety.
"Is the hot water ready?"
Xu Yan poked her head out the door, shouting toward the kitchen.
"Coming, coming!"
Xu Chuan immediately dashed over carrying two kettles, handing them to Xu Yan. "How is she doing?"
"Almost there, almost there!"
With that, she slammed the door shut again with a thud.
Minutes and seconds ticked by.
"Bai Jing, the baby's head is crowning! Push harder!"
"Cousin-in-law, it will be over soon!"
"Ah—!"
Suddenly, a loud, clear infant cry rang out from the room.
"It's born!"
"It's born!"
A smile spread across Xu Chuan's face, and his anxious heart finally settled.
"Brother Chuan, see? I told you Sister-in-law would be fine. Listening to that voice, it's definitely another boy," Chen Ergou congratulated him.
Xu Chuan chuckled. "Still not as blessed as you, having both a son and a daughter to make a perfect pair."
At that moment, the door opened, and the midwife emerged carrying a basin of bloody water. Looking rather weary, she said, "Mother and child are both safe. It's a boy. Go in and see them."
Without another word, Xu Chuan nodded and immediately stepped into the room.
Arriving at the bedside, he saw the thoroughly exhausted Bai Jing. Heart aching with tenderness, he stepped forward, took her hand, and whispered softly, "Wife, you've worked hard."
"It wasn't hard. Bearing children for the Xu family is my duty to begin with."
Hearing those words made Xu Chuan feel even more tenderhearted toward her. "Get some good rest."
Only then did Bai Jing slowly close her eyes.
"Cousin, hold him for a bit."
Xu Chuan took the baby into his arms, his face brimming with smiles as he gently cooed and played with the child.
A short while later.
His father-in-law's family also rushed over.
The group gathered around the child, chatting amiably.
"San Shu, have you thought of a name for the child?" his father-in-law, Bai Fu, asked with a kind smile.
"Yes." Xu Chuan nodded, his gaze resting upon the baby.
"Xu Mingxuan. 'How majestic and glorious, endowed with great presence.'"
"His nickname will be Tantou."
...
After Xu Chuan gave the midwife her reward, she departed.
Next to leave was Chen Ergou's family, followed by his father-in-law's family.
Xu Mingwei and Xu Mingyuan had been brought back by Ergou after Tantou was born.
"Dad, baby brother's skin is all wrinkled up like a little old man's," Shitou remarked with slight disdain.
"You were the exact same way when you were born,"
Bai Jing said with a smile. Xu Chuan had already given her the Qi-Blood Pill; by now, her complexion was no longer deathly pale but had gained a healthy flush, and she even had enough strength to get out of bed.
However, Xu Chuan wouldn't allow it, insisting she stay in bed and rest peacefully.
Xu Mingwei looked somewhat crestfallen and self-consciously patted his own face.
"Ayuan, Dad will keep his promise today. Tell me which rooster picked on you."
The moment Xu Mingyuan heard there would be chicken meat to eat and chicken soup to drink, saliva immediately began to pool in his mouth.
He hurriedly tugged Xu Chuan outside. "Dad, I'll take you there!"
"Shitou, look after your mother."
"Don't worry, Dad!" Xu Mingwei patted his chest.
...
Once the work in the paddy fields was finished, it was time to harvest the Azure Jade Pears.
Basket after basket of Azure Jade Pears were carried into the house.
Azure Jade Pears were comparable to the lowest-grade spirit fruits; only due to a deficiency in Spiritual Qi did they fall short of genuine spirit fruits. Even though he had merely ten mu, they could fetch an exceptionally handsome sum.
Selling them in Qingjiang County town would fetch the best price, as they were not cheap even in the commandery seat.
However, Dongxi Village was over a hundred and eighty li from Qingjiang County town.
Bandits occasionally prowled the roads.
It simply wasn't safe.
More importantly, his former employers had also set their sights on the Azure Jade Pears. Last year, he had taken the initiative to sell to them directly, denying them any excuse to make trouble.
After all, it wasn't the thief stealing that was feared, but the thief coveting.
The Xu family courtyard.
"Third Master Xu, these are this year's Azure Jade Fruits, totaling six thousand four hundred jin," Xu Chuan said respectfully.
Standing before him was a slightly plump, middle-aged man in his forties with a short beard.
"Four hundred jin more than last year?"
"The yield has nearly reached its limit unless the orchard is expanded. But Third Master, you know as well as I that cultivating Azure Jade Pears isn't easy."
Third Master Xu nodded. "We'll go by last year's price, then."
"No problem."
"Begin weighing. If everything is in order, the silver will be settled on the spot."
The Xu Family servants immediately set to work weighing the baskets, finishing in no time.
Accompanying Third Master Xu was a young man clad in brocade robes. Staring at the Azure Jade Pears with greedy eyes, he then glanced at Xu Chuan, his expression laced with disdain.
"Master, the weight is correct."
Third Master Xu nodded slightly, and the payment was promptly settled.
"Xu Chuan, you truly possess remarkable skill. Are you interested in selling the secret recipe for cultivating Azure Jade Pears to my Xu Family? We are willing to purchase it at a high price."
"Third Master, I have picked up some practical experience, but there really is no secret recipe."
"If Third Master requires advice, I will share all I know without reservation. But frankly, it was merely good luck on my part; I have no guarantee I could make Azure Jade Pear trees take root and survive again."
"If we spend six or seven years or even longer only to end up with nothing, not only would I let down Third Master Xu, but I would also fail my late Dad."
Third Master Xu lowered his head in contemplation for a moment before breaking into a smile. "I was merely asking casually."
"Well then, since the business is concluded and I have other affairs to attend to, I will take my leave."
"Take care, Third Master."
Xu Chuan escorted the Xu Family entourage to the entrance. Only when they had walked far off did he let out a sigh of relief and return inside.
After departing the Xu Family residence, the young man in brocade finally could no longer hold his tongue: "Father, why are you so courteous to an ordinary peasant?"
"In the past, he was nothing more than a hired farmhand who relied on our family for his meals!"
"Azure Jade Pears are valuable goods. Wouldn't it be simpler to just wrest the secret recipe from him? Would he even dare refuse?"
"Do you truly think our Xu family is the law of the land in Dongxi Village?"
Third Master Xu glared at the young man, his eyes brimming with disappointment at hearing such words.
"Setting aside whether a secret recipe even exists, Azure Jade Pears are indeed notoriously difficult to cultivate. I've only ever heard of a few noble families in the commandery seat who possess the methods. Do you honestly think he could discover them all on his own in just a few years?"
"Xu Chuan made a valid point. If we spend seven or eight years pouring in massive amounts of manpower, resources, and silver, only to end up empty-handed, it would simply be a foolish waste."
"Right now, we have ready goods to buy from him and resell in the county town, pocketing hundreds of taels in pure profit. What way to make money could possibly be easier than this?"
"Father speaks reasonably."
Seeing that his eldest son was still somewhat unconvinced, Third Master Xu added, "Do not underestimate Xu Chuan. He is someone who once caught the eye of your great-grandfather himself."
"Our Xu Family attained what it has today by relying on credibility and reputation."
"Do not ruin the Xu Family's good name over a mere batch of Azure Jade Pears, or else I will not treat you with leniency."
Ever since Old Master Xu passed away, the Xu Family had failed to produce an exceptional head of the clan, merely managing to preserve what they had inherited.
Now that several hedonistic, luxury-seeking youths had cropped up in the clan, their fortunes were already beginning to decline.
...
At the Xu family home.
"Husband, how did the sale of the Azure Jade Pears go?"
"Naturally a bit better than last year. After all, they are no ordinary pears—they are in high demand in the county town!"
Xu Chuan pulled out the silver banknotes. Bai Jing patted her chest and said, "Then I can set my mind at ease. I was truly terrified the Xu Family might just take them by force."
"They wouldn't go that far, though who can say for the future."
"What does Husband mean?"
"I noticed that Third Master Xu's eldest son, Xu Tao, seemed to harbor some improper thoughts."
"Then what should we do?" Bai Jing's heart leaped into her throat once more, worry clouding her face.
"There is no need to worry; Third Master Xu is a sensible man." Xu Chuan took her hand and comforted her, "He will not ruin the reputation and credibility the Xu Family spent decades establishing for the sake of petty gains."
"Husband is still the wisest." Seeing her husband possess such far-reaching vision, Bai Jing couldn't help praising him. "With Husband here, our Xu family will surely become a prominent gentry clan like the Xu family one day."
Both of the boys had gone outside to run wild.
They were still young, and Xu Chuan had no wish to stifle their natural nature, so he let them be.
With no one else around and noticing Bai Jing's voluptuous figure, Xu Chuan's hands began to wander playfully.
"Husband, in broad daylight, this is hardly appropriate."
"What's inappropriate about it? Neither Shitou nor Ayuan is around."
"Tantou is right here."
Xu Chuan turned his head to look, only to find that the infant in Bai Jing's arms had awakened at some point, staring at Xu Chuan with wide, dark eyes.
Big eyes stared into little eyes.
Xu Chuan didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He stroked the boy's little cheek and murmured, "He really is."
"Never mind. I'll make a trip over to Ergou's place. That Qi-Blood Pill wasn't cheap; I have to repay that silver."
As soon as Xu Chuan left, Tantou slowly shut his eyes again, seemingly feeling that the show was over.