Chapter 287: Gu Tingxiao Is Afraid That His Daughter Will Be Cheated By A Man
“There we go, all clean for you,” Mother Gu said softly.
Sheng Wanyan reached down and gently wiped away the stray tears from Yi Yi’s cheeks. The moment the infant heard her mother’s soothing voice, her tiny lips stopped pouting, and she drifted right back into a deep, contented sleep.
Sheng Wanyan found her newborn daughter’s burgeoning trait highly amusing. The little thing was barely a day old and already showing clear signs of being an absolute neat freak. If she was this particular about cleanliness now, how on earth was she going to navigate the world as she grew up?
Logically speaking, since she was born on August 28, she should be a Leo, Sheng Wanyan mused. So why does she act like a total Virgo? I guess astrology isn’t an exact science after all; every single child truly possesses a completely unique personality.
A short while later, Gu Tingxiao walked back into the room, thoroughly scrubbed and smelling fresh. Sheng Wanze followed closely behind him, balancing a couple of boxes of fresh pastries in his hands.
Mother Gu had just stepped out to head back to the apartment to cook, but before leaving the hospital, she had pulled her third son aside to deliver a strict set of maternal guidelines.
“Listen to me, Tingxiao,” she had warned. “The moment the baby gets hungry, starts crying, or soils her diaper, you are the one who needs to comfort her. If she poops, you change that diaper immediately and make sure you wipe her little bottom completely clean. Wanyan just endured a grueling delivery; you cannot let her constantly heft the baby around right now.”
Gu Tingxiao had nodded solemnly. He had absolutely zero intention of letting his exhausted wife lift a finger for domestic chores.
Not long after Mother Gu left for the kitchen, the newborn woke up, letting out a series of soft, reedy whimpers.
Sheng Wanyan quickly realized that little Yi Yi possessed distinct vocal cues for her different needs. Whenever her diaper was soiled, she would scream at the absolute top of her lungs; but the moment hunger struck, her cries dissolved into a soft, pitiful whimpering that sounded incredibly aggrieved.
“Bring her over to me,” Sheng Wanyan instructed gently.
Gu Tingxiao froze, suddenly looking entirely out of his depth. He had never held an infant in his life, and staring down at the tiny bundle, he realized he didn’t have the slightest clue how to position his hands.
Seeing him falter, Sheng Wanze had no choice but to step in and act as an instructor. Back when his own son was a tiny newborn, the boy had been an incredibly loud, fussy infant, forcing Sheng Wanze to constantly cradle and pace the floor with him until he mastered the art.
Under his brother-in-law’s meticulous, step-by-step guidance, Gu Tingxiao braced his hands and successfully scooped Yi Yi up from her mattress. Yet, looking at his posture, Sheng Wanyan couldn’t help but wonder why it looked as though he were carefully handling a live grenade.
The veins along his hands and wrists were so taut they bulged against his skin, and his arms were locked completely rigid—bracing the tiny child in mid-air as if he were performing a high-stakes military weight-lifting exercise.
Sheng Wanyan burst into a sudden, bright laugh at the sight. In all their time together, she had never witnessed this hilariously terrified side of Gu Tingxiao.
“Sweetheart… I’ve got the baby,” Gu Tingxiao murmured, his eyes wide as he blinked down at the bundle in his arms. Why on earth was this little creature so incredibly soft? He was genuinely terrified that a single fraction of misplaced pressure from his calloused hands would physically crush her.
As he braced her weight, a profound warmth surged through his chest, leaving his fierce, hardened heart completely melted.
Sheng Wanyan took the infant from him with a tender smile. The moment Yi Yi settled against her chest, her miniature hands began nuzzling against her shirt, hunting for her meal.
Recognizing the cue, Sheng Wanze immediately spun around and marched out into the corridor to stand guard, knowing it was entirely inappropriate for him to linger while his sister nursed. In truth, he had already visited his new little niece earlier that morning, but his hands had been itching to hold her again all day, which was why he had eagerly tagged along for the afternoon shift.
Once Yi Yi finished nursing, she felt profoundly comfortable and relaxed in her mother’s embrace, her tiny fingers curling tightly into Sheng Wanyan’s clothes as she refused to let go.
“Alright, take her back now,” Sheng Wanyan whispered to her husband.
Gu Tingxiao stepped forward, carefully lifting the “grenade” out of her arms. Noting his lingering stiffness, Sheng Wanyan shook her head affectionately and began guiding his posture once more.
“Relax your shoulders, Tingxiao. She isn’t an explosive.”
“Wanyan, I swear she is infinitely more terrifying than a live grenade,” he countered in a fierce whisper.
Sheng Wanyan threw him a sharp, mock-stern glare. This man really isn’t afraid that his daughter will grow up, look back, and hold a massive grudge over these comments, she thought, amused.
“Soften your forearms,” she instructed patiently. “The more rigid and tense your muscles are, the more uncomfortable and stiff she’ll feel against you.”
Gu Tingxiao obeyed instantly. Watching little Yi Yi’s brow furrow in slight irritation at his stiffness, he consciously forced the tension out of his upper body, letting his arms relax.
“There you go. Just cup her securely with your palms to ensure her weight is fully supported, and let your forearms act as a soft cushion for her spine.”
Following her precise corrections, Gu Tingxiao slowly unlocked the secret to a proper embrace. Sensing the shift, Yi Yi visibly relaxed, her tiny head settling contentedly against his chest as she showed she was perfectly happy to remain in her father’s arms.
“She likes it,” Gu Tingxiao breathed, staring down at his daughter. Witnessing her quiet obedience and absolute dependence on his strength triggered a profound, wordless emotion deep within his soul.
He held her protectively for several long minutes before gently transferring her into her mobile crib, never forgetting for a second that his recovering wife remained his absolute priority.
Once the baby was tucked away, Gu Tingxiao poked his head into the corridor to call Sheng Wanze back inside. His brother-in-law walked in, carefully arranging the boxes of pastries on the bedside table.
“Wanyan, these are a gift from your sister-in-law,” Sheng Wanze said with a smile.
Sheng Wanyan looked at the sweet spread, a wave of affectionate helplessness washing over her. Pan Yue really was incredibly generous when it came to looking after her. Every single time she came to visit the ward, she refused to arrive empty-handed, constantly flooding her bedside with provisions. Sometimes it was high-quality bakery pastries, other times a basket of fresh wild berries or a sack of walnuts—all premium, nutrient-rich foods meant to accelerate her recovery.
“Brother, I already have an abundance of food here,” Sheng Wanyan protested gently. “You should carry these back across the lane so you can feed Grandpa and Grandma.”
“We have plenty of supplies waiting in our own kitchen,” Sheng Wanze countered, waving her off. “Besides, this was explicitly prepared by your sister-in-law. If I march back into the house carrying the boxes I was ordered to deliver, how exactly am I supposed to report back to my wife?”
Recognizing his predicament, Sheng Wanyan desisted and accepted the sweets. Sheng Wanze chatted with her for a few more minutes, though his gaze kept drifting toward the wooden crib.
Sheng Wanyan saw right through his lingering looks. She knew exactly what her brother wanted; he had dropped by this morning, yet here he was in the afternoon, practically vibrating with eagerness. “Go ahead and scoop up your niece for a bit,” she offered with a chuckle.
Sheng Wanze had been waiting for that exact permission. He immediately leaned over the crib, carefully cradling little Yi Yi in his arms.
Standing nearby, Gu Tingxiao watched the exchange, a sudden wave of possessive jealousy tightening his chest. If this man loves daughters so much, why doesn’t he just go home and convince his own wife to give birth to one? he grumbled inwardly. What is the meaning of him constantly hovering over mine?
Gu Tingxiao grew especially defensive as he noted how completely peaceful and content Yi Yi looked while resting in Sheng Wanze’s arms. Right then and there, he made a fierce mental vow: he was going to master every single facet of childcare immediately. He would become such an expert at cradling her that his daughter would never grow up yearning for the comfort or protection of any other stinky man.
Sheng Wanze remained completely unbothered by Gu Tingxiao’s brooding, territorial glares. After all, he had received direct clearance from his little sister, so he knew his brother-in-law wouldn’t dare object out loud. Gu Tingxiao had no choice but to swallow his irritation in silence. Sheng Wanze couldn’t remember the last time he had felt so thoroughly smug and triumphant in front of the formidable officer, and he intended to savor every second of it.
“Alright, have you held her enough?” Gu Tingxiao finally grumbled, his tone laced with pure jealousy. “The child needs her rest.”
Amused by his sour words, Sheng Wanze looked down at the soundly sleeping Yi Yi and reluctantly transferred her back into her cozy mobile crib. Mother Gu had lined the little bed with immense care, layering the mattress with a thick, plush blanket to keep the infant shielded from any hospital drafts.
The moment she was down, Gu Tingxiao smoothly pulled the stroller directly flush against his own seat, effectively building a physical barrier to block Sheng Wanze from trying to steal the child a third time. He gently patted Yi Yi’s tiny hands a few times, and before long, the newborn settled into a deep sleep.
Watching her rest, Sheng Wanze’s heart softened completely. What an absolute angel of a girl, he thought, filled with admiration. She eats her fill and goes straight to sleep without a single fuss. She was entirely different from the tiny, destructive terror he had waiting at home, who usually looked to tear down the entire house the second his stomach was full.
Sheng Wanze lingered for a little while longer before standing up to say goodbye, secretly fearing that if he stayed to watch the peaceful scene any longer, his domestic envy would drive him insane.
Once they were alone, Sheng Wanyan turned to her husband. “How many days of leave did headquarters grant you for this recovery window?”
Because he had sustained a battlefield injury during the deployment, the high command had authorized a formal convalescent leave so he could recuperate thoroughly. A gunshot wound was an incredibly dangerous medical reality; if he failed to rest and protect his body during the healing process, a secondary infection could easily prove catastrophic.
“I’m cleared to remain home until the entry wound is entirely closed and healed,” Gu Tingxiao explained softly, checking her blankets. “It should amount to roughly two full months.”
Sheng Wanyan nodded, deeply relieved to hear he would be anchored at her side for so long.
A few minutes later, the attending obstetrician walked into the ward to perform the mandatory postpartum evaluation. He stepped up to the mattress and placed his hands firmly over her lower abdomen.
The exact millisecond the physician pressed down to check her uterine contractions, Sheng Wanyan’s eyes widened, feeling as though her very soul were about to violently exit her physical body.
“Ah…! It hurts…!” she gasped, her features twisting.
Gu Tingxiao recoiled in sheer horror at her agony. Why on earth did a woman have to endure such brutal, agonizing torture after she had already successfully brought the child into the world?
“Wanyan!”
She frantically reached out, gripping his hand with terrifying strength as the doctor continued to firmly manipulate her abdomen for several long minutes, systematically expelling the postpartum lochia from her system before finally releasing his grip.
Sheng Wanyan rolled onto her side against the pillows, panting heavily as cold sweat beaded along her skin. Gu Tingxiao immediately leaned over, using a clean cloth to tenderly blot the moisture from her face.
“The patient needs to steel her mental resolve for the next few days,” the doctor instructed calmly, adjusting his clipboard. “We will need to perform these uterine fundal massages daily to ensure your body heals correctly.”
Sheng Wanyan was in entirely too much physical pain to absorb a single syllable of his clinical lecture.
“Family member, please assist the patient with her hygiene care and fresh linens now,” the doctor added before stepping behind the curtain.
Gu Tingxiao moved with immense gentleness, carefully cleaning the sweat and fluid stains from her skin before helping her change into a fresh pair of postpartum trousers and replacing the soiled hospital sheets.
“Sweetheart, how are you holding up?” he murmured, leaning over her.
Sheng Wanyan was so profoundly drained of energy she couldn’t even summon the breath to speak. She closed her eyes, finally understanding why the mothers in the modern era of her previous life harbored such a vivid, primal terror toward the phrase “postpartum belly pressing.”
