Chapter 86: Extra Story 7

Chapter 86: Extra 7

In the scorching midsummer of July, the blazing sun left people feeling completely drained. At the private school, Yan Fengan stood at the lectern teaching the _Mencius_ to the few students who hadn't gone off to take their exams. Though his voice was somewhat louder than usual, it still had the students below fighting to stay awake.

The kids in the beginner class were in even worse shape, their heads drooping one by one. Fang Mutian had to keep an eye out, or some kid would inevitably slump over and doze off.

In this kind of heat, keeping the students cooped up in the academy was pointless—they weren't going to learn a thing anyway. And if a child were to suffer heatstroke, it would be a pain to explain to the parents. So when school let out that afternoon, Yan Fengan granted the students another five days off.

The moment they heard about the holiday, the students practically skipped home, lighter on their feet than when they'd come in. Fang Mutian packed up too, planning to head back to the countryside for a few days.

Once the sun went down, a small square table was set up in the courtyard, loaded with the season's fruits.

The melon vines Wen Xi and Aqiu had planted together in the back garden had already produced fruit. That morning, Wen Xi had carried Peng'er out to check on them, and seeing how big and round the melons had gotten, he had Aqiu pick one and lower it into the well.

By the time Yan Fengan was due home, the melon was hauled up from the well. After soaking all day, it was ice-cold and refreshing—just the thing to beat the heat.

When Yan Fengan got back, he scooped Peng'er into his arms first, then held up a slice of melon and waved it in front of his son, grinning as he teased: "Want some?"

Peng'er's eyes tracked the melon back and forth. Just as the bright red fruit was about to hit his mouth, his little lips smacked eagerly—but Yan Fengan pulled it away. "You're too little for this."

And with that, he took a bite right in front of Peng'er, making a show of how sweet it was.

A four- or five-month-old isn't as easy to fool as a newborn. The food that was practically at his lips had vanished, and Peng'er's mouth turned down in a pout, his little body squirming like he didn't want to be held anymore.

"Little rascal, you've got quite the temper." Yan Fengan put the melon down and fed Peng'er the warm goat's milk Granny Wu had fixed up.

Once he had food in his belly, the kid stopped fussing. Yan Fengan wiped the milk off around his mouth with a handkerchief, and the now-content Peng'er finally deigned to grace him with a smile.

Yan Fengan couldn't help planting a kiss on his soft, chubby cheek, laughing as he scolded: "So whoever feeds you is your mama, huh?"

Peng'er babbled a few "ah-ah's, and Wen Xi, standing nearby with a grin, said: "He's even talking back to his daddy now. What a clever boy."

Yan Fengan handed Peng'er to Granny Wu, who was standing off to the side, and snorted: "Daring to talk back to his dad already, and you call that clever?"

Wen Xi picked up the slice Yan Fengan had been eating and took a bite, the soft, tender flesh leaving a sweet taste between his teeth. He teased Yan Fengan: "Who told you to mess with him on purpose? Don't underestimate Peng'er—he's got a steady temperament, but he's not one to be messed with."

Aqiu was cooking in the kitchen, and Granny Wu had taken the baby back inside. Yan Fengan reached out and tickled Wen Xi's waist: "I'm not just teasing him—I'm teasing you too."

He knew exactly where Wen Xi was ticklish. A few light scratches through the thin fabric of his clothes, and Wen Xi was laughing so hard tears welled up in his eyes, begging for mercy.

After their little tussle, Wen Xi held the melon up to Yan Fengan's lips: "I grew it myself—it's sweet. Have another bite."

Yan Fengan kissed him on the lips first, then took a bite of the melon, his face bright with a springtime smile: "Indeed, very sweet."

Since they'd moved into this courtyard, Wen Xi had gotten used to Yan Fengan's spontaneous shows of affection. His cheeks flushed a little at that, but he didn't feel embarrassed.

He pulled Yan Fengan down to sit on the bench. Even though there were still several slices on the plate, the two insisted on sharing the same piece, trading bites back and forth.

Yan Fengan only had a taste—dinner was still coming, and the melon was cooling by nature. After they'd shared two slices, Wen Xi took out his handkerchief and wiped both their mouths and hands clean.

Even though Granny Wu looked after the baby, Wen Xi and Yan Fengan didn't just wash their hands of it. Aside from keeping the cradle in Granny Wu's room at night, Wen Xi did most of the daytime childcare himself.

Granny Wu had originally only cared for newborns, but she'd stayed this long at Wen Xi's place because she found them easy to get along with, and Peng'er was easier to handle than most babies.

Some familiar clients had already come by a few times to ask her back. Though Granny Wu was reluctant to part with Peng'er, she'd ultimately agreed with Wen Xi that she'd stay until Peng'er was six months old, and then she'd need to take work elsewhere.

Peng'er wasn't particularly shy of strangers at this age, and he was very close to both Wen Xi and Yan Fengan, so even when Granny Wu eventually left, Wen Xi wasn't worried the baby would have trouble adjusting.

During the days school was out, Yan Fengan saved his lesson prep for the evenings. During the day, he'd bring the baby back to his and Wen Xi's room, and the two of them would entertain Peng'er with rattles and cloth tigers, making him giggle away.

When Yan Fengan felt that Peng'er's diaper was damp, he'd patiently change him into a fresh one.

At first, he hadn't been very good at changing diapers, always afraid of using too much force and accidentally hurting Peng'er.

Now, with Wen Xi's guidance, he'd finally gotten the hang of it.

With a clean diaper and fresh goat's milk in his belly, the tuckered-out Peng'er smacked his lips, yawned, and closed his eyes.

The doors and windows were shut tight, with cool water and ice placed around the room, making it refreshingly cool compared to the steam bath outside.

Peng'er wasn't sleeping soundly yet. Wen Xi rocked the cradle with one hand and fanned with the other, a serene smile on his face as he gently coaxed the baby to sleep.

The afternoon sun blazed outside, but the room felt peaceful and warm—just looking at it brought a sense of happiness and calm.

Yan Fengan had been helping soothe the baby alongside him, but at some point, his gaze drifted over to Wen Xi instead.

In the inner room, Wen Xi wasn't too particular about his clothes—he wore only a pair of thin, slightly sheer gauze pants on his lower half, and had shed his outer garment, leaving just a belly band on his upper body.

After all these years of care, his face was fair and radiant, and his body was as pale and tender as a peeled lychee. His once slender, boyish frame, after pregnancy and childbirth, had shed its youthful greenness and gained a certain mature fullness.

Yan Fengan wasn't usually a man of urgent desires, but somehow, at this moment, his throat and stomach both tightened. Inhaling the subtle fragrance radiating from Wen Xi, he felt almost bewitched, unable to resist leaning in to press kisses against the jade-like skin of Wen Xi's back.

Wen Xi's hand, waving the fan, paused. A faint blush crept across his face. Though his heart itched with longing, he bit his lip and whispered: "It's still daytime."

Red marks bloomed on his pale white back from Yan Fengan's sucking. At those words, Yan Fengan chuckled softly by his ear: "I didn't say I was going to do anything."

That was just like him—stirring up the fire, then putting on the airs of a proper gentleman. Infuriating, truly.

But Wen Xi was no longer the one who'd eagerly throw himself forward at the slightest provocation. Though he did want it, giving in every single time would make it too easy for his husband.

If Yan Fengan played the gentleman, Wen Xi would play the virtuous young spouse. Adopting the tone of a character from one of those storybooks, he scolded in a low voice: "What rogue and scoundrel dares to commit such indecent acts in broad daylight?"

"My dear young sir, you do me a great injustice," Yan Fengan replied without missing a beat. "We are a proper married couple—how is this indecent? You've seen those pictures in the little booklet. If daytime intimacy weren't permitted, why would they have taught us such things?"

"Such filthy material—I naturally forgot it the moment I saw it."

"You may have forgotten, but I haven't."

Yan Fengan abandoned his pretense of being a gentleman. Pressing heavily against him, he untied the straps on Wen Xi's back, leaving only two thin shoulder straps holding up the belly band, which hung loosely on Wen Xi's body.

Wen Xi turned his head and came face to face with that very object. His lips accidentally brushed against it, turning his entire ears crimson.

Yan Fengan seemed to harbor many worries. From pregnancy to childbirth, so much time had passed that the two hadn't been intimate in any truly passionate way.

Not seeing it was one thing, but the moment he did, Wen Xi's mind flooded with memories of the past—sometimes gentle, sometimes forceful, always leaving him restless.

After playing their little charade, neither could keep up the act any longer. Though it had been a long while since their last intimacy, they moved together as harmoniously as ever.

With the child sleeping soundly, they dared not make too much noise, only letting out occasional soft, breathy sounds. Wen Xi parted his lips and extended his soft tongue to initiate a kiss, and Yan Fengan lowered his head to entwine with him tightly.

Before long, Wen Xi was exhausted, drenched in sweat, his whole body slick as if he'd just been pulled from water.

Yan Fengan had already wiped away everything from his chest and back, yet that sticky sensation lingered stubbornly.

There was still time in the day. Yan Fengan cleaned up and lay back in bed with Wen Xi for a while. In such weather, their skin pressed together was warm and toasty.

Wen Xi usually hated the heat, but now he didn't mind it at all. When Yan Fengan pulled him onto his body, Wen Xi even found himself a comfortable position to settle into. He was utterly spent, speaking to Yan Fengan in a soft, languid voice.

Hearing his vague, mumbled question, Yan Fengan stroked his back and said: "What if you've gotten pregnant again?"

"Should... it really be that easy?" Wen Xi said hesitantly, recalling how much time and effort they had spent when they conceived Peng'er.

"Hard to say." Yan Fengan had read in medical books that a ge'er who had already been through pregnancy and childbirth had a much higher chance of conceiving a second time than one who hadn't.

Peng'er was still so young—he didn't want another one right now.

"Don't worry. I had Doctor Wang prepare some medicine earlier. I'll go ask him about it tomorrow."

What did he mean, "don't worry"? Like it was all his idea in the first place. Wen Xi grumbled and bit Yan Fengan's Adam's apple twice, then asked, "What medicine did you have Doctor Wang prepare?"

Yan Fengan said, "A medicine that will keep you from getting pregnant."

"Are you taking it, or am I?"

"Of course I'm taking it." Yan Fengan said matter-of-factly. "I'd never let you take medicine carelessly."

Wen Xi furrowed his brow and pouted. "But I don't want you to take it either."

"It's fine. I asked Doctor Wang—this medicine is always available, and it won't do any harm to your body."

Wen Xi didn't quite believe that. Every medicine is poison to some degree—how could it not harm the body?

Yan Fengan knew he was worried, so he said, "If you don't believe me, you can come with me tomorrow to ask Doctor Wang."

Since it concerned Yan Fengan's health, Wen Xi set aside his embarrassment. Doctor Wang patiently explained it to them several times that the medicine indeed had no harmful effects, and if they ever wanted another child in the future, they could simply stop taking it.

Moreover, the medicine wasn't just for men—a ge'er could take it too, with the same effect.

With Doctor Wang's assurance, Wen Xi felt a little lighter at heart. As he saw it, there was really no need for Yan Fengan to take the medicine, but Wen Xi couldn't talk him out of it, so he let it go.

After a few times taking it, seeing that Yan Fengan showed no adverse symptoms, Wen Xi finally felt completely at ease.

Over time, he gradually realized the benefits of his husband taking the medicine. Peng'er was still young—even if they wanted another child, they'd have to wait until he was older.

With Yan Fengan on the medicine, the two of them could be as intimate as they liked without constantly worrying about whether a child might come along.

This feeling of having everything under control made them both feel very at ease.

Wen Xi knew that although the medicine was harmless to the body, not every man would be willing to take it. Another man in the same position would probably have made his own husband take it instead.

Thinking of Yan Fengan's kindness, Wen Xi felt a warm sweetness in his heart, and at home he couldn't help but be a little more clingy with him.

In his spare time, Yan Fengan spent his days with his husband, coaxing their child, and living a leisurely life.

Before long, the results came in for the students who had taken the Xiucai examination at the private school.

"Author's Note"

Seeing this title, who wouldn't want to rush out, all flustered, for a cup of Mixue Ice Cream & Tea, hahaha [milk tea]. And of course, this medicine is completely made up—it's just that when writing ancient-style childbirth stories, I have this lingering worry, so the young couple can do whatever they want—your doting author-mom is here to protect you all [blush] [confetti]