Golden Orchids

Chapter 34

Bai Qian cradled her baby in her arms. After everything had settled in the throne room, Ye Hua had brought her back to Xi Wu Palace.

They all sat together at a gazebo overlooking the lotus lake. A table of food set out before them. Zhe Yan had bought a batch of his finely aged peach blossom wine. Throughout her whole ordeal, the wine was the thing she wished the most. When she reached out and grabbed a cup, Yan Zhi took it away from her. "You just gave birth, "

"You're no fun, " she chided.

Yan Zhi gave her a cheeky grin and drank out of her cup.

Bai Qian turned her attention back to her child. He was an adorable little thing, with stubby little fingers and cute little toes. He had round eyes like his mother and a sharp nose like his father. She didn't understand how her mother gave birth to five children. Childbirth was an experience, Bai Qian only needs to go through once.

"He looked a lot like you, " Ye Hua told her. Bai Qian smiled at her husband.

Bai Zhen snatched the baby away from her. "Xiao Wu and I looked the most similar. If this child indeed the male version of her, then he will look the most like his uncle, "

Bai Qian took her baby back, "You can't tell at this age, Si Ge. He might grow up looking like his father. Charismatic and fierce. Those are the qualities you don't have, "

Her fourth brother pulled a tongue at her. Bai Qian glared back.

"By the way, " Zhe Yan asked, "What are you planning to name the child?"

"A-Li, " she simply said.

Both Li Jing and Ye Hua stared at her. Ye Hua blinked processing the information, Li Jing had a huge smile on his face. "A-Yin..."

"That's Gu Gu to you or high goddess, " she rebuked, "Let it be clear. I'm not naming the child after you, "

Ye Hua leaned down next to her, "That's a nice name, Qian Qian. But which 'Li' is it?"

"不离(Li)不弃, never be parted, never abandon," she stated, "I can't name the child A-Qi(阿弃), it would sound like I'm sneezing every time I call him, "

"It's the same character, " Li Jing argued.

Bai Qian raised her eyebrows and took a sip of her tea, "Is it? I didn't even notice, "

A hurtful expression appeared on the Ghost Lord's face. Yan Zhi took a cookie from Zi Lan's plate and patted her brother's shoulder. "You'll get used to it, they are disgustingly sweet, "

Everyone laughed. Bai Qian's eyes met with Ye Hua. They both know the meaning behind the name, for the next verse of the phrase was 'and follow in life or death'. 不离不弃, 生死相依. That was the vow they made to each other long ago in Mount Junji.

The child would be a forever reminder of that. No matter what the difficulties the future will hold. As long as they do not give up on each other, they will follow each other in life and in death.

______________________________

Ye Hua placed a black chess piece on the chessboard blocking the white's path.

His grandfather clicked his tongue and placed another chess piece on the board, "Aren't you supposed to spend time with your son and his mother now? What brings you here to play chess with you dear old grandfather?"

Ye Hua laid down another chess piece, "I heard nobody attended the council meeting today, "

"You weren't there, " The Heavenly Lord stated.