One Lifetime Is Never Enough

1.86 Birth of JingXiang

YuLan could plan all she wanted, but sometimes the events that would transcribe was simply outside her expectation.

She had been escorted back to Yong house after they had a talk with Old Qian almost a week ago. The two Generals and Prince JunLi still had some administration matters to do, as well as having to properly assign the new Dragon troops in Hun'ang. Therefore, back then, despite SongLi's offer, YuLan assured him that she would be perfectly fine riding back by herself. 

She still ended up flanked by two horse-riders - two Hun'ang guards who were under Zhen BuFeng's charge.

All was well that day. She decided she would wait for the three men to finish their duty-bound affair first. SongLi had also promised that he would visit Yong house as soon as he could.

So far, YuLan was perfectly content waiting for him.

After all, such matter could not just be said on the sly. She wanted him to properly listen to her, and for her to properly listen to him.

Then, one winter early morning, which was coincidentally the last day of the year, HeShan and herself were busying themselves in the outdoor kitchen to prepare some dishes fit for a New Year's Eve celebration. HeShan especially was ecstatic to beautify whatever they were making. As a scholar with high aesthetic judgement, he was always discerning himself with the final look of the dishes, adding extra garnish or incorporate some naturally-derived coloring here and there. If YuLan was a better cook, HeShan was definitely a better artist. In fact, YuLan always asked for his opinion and ideas before finalizing her culinary creations.

As they chattered about in high spirit, SunChen barged outside, huffing in disjointed breaths. His face was considerably pale.

HeShan and YuLan, who had their fingers white with flour and sticky with various ingredients, just stared at the man who looked like he had just seen a ghost.

"Xiao-Xiao-Xiao--~!" SunChen kept gulping his saliva as he tried to find his voice, "Something is wrong with Xiao Hui!!"

YuLan's heart dropped. Dropping the pile of dough she was kneading on the kitchen table, she ran hastily inside the house.

In the middle of the common room, Xiao Hui was standing silently. As she noticed YuLan's presence, she only gave her a conflicted look, laced with pain. She was clutching onto her dress, that was half-drenched on the bottom part. 

The floor underneath her feet was wet, some sort of liquid pooling around her.

"Xiao Hui, do NOT move!!" YuLan tried to calm herself, as well as her friend whose face was getting paler by each passing second. 

The floor was drenched in her amniotic fluid, and YuLan did not want Xiao Hui to accidentally slip and hurt herself and the baby.

By this time, HeShan was already standing behind YuLan, himself not quite realizing that SunChen were holding onto one of his arms, as both just stared at Xiao Hui with unblinking eyes. Both of their faces lost color.

"Shan, I think I am going to throw up," SunChen whispered against his friend as he plastered his taller body closely to the arm he was holding as support,

"I am feeling faint... ."

HeShan was going to say something comforting, not only for SunChen, but for himself as well.

Then YuLan barked her orders as she spun her body, and pointed at SunChen with her still flour-coated finger,

"Don't faint yet, Chen-ge!! Shan-ge's and my hands are dirty. You have to carry Xiao Hui to her room!"