TSWPF -Chapter 360 Miscarriage Scare

Within less than fifteen minutes, Liu Shi returned with an elderly physician.

“Hey—young man, why are you in such a rush? Why the rush? This old body of mine can’t take it!” the doctor complained as he walked.

“My lord, the doctor is here,” Liu Shi ignored the doctor’s grumbling, knocked on the door, and called out to Liu Zhimou.

My lord?

Could it be the county magistrate?

Just as the doctor was thinking this, Liu Zhimou opened the door.

Seeing that it truly was the county magistrate, the doctor’s attitude did a complete one-eighty. He hurried forward, about to bow in greeting, but Liu Zhimou grabbed him and quickly led him into the room.

“Doctor, my wife isn’t feeling well. Please take a look at what’s wrong with her.”

“Ah, yes, yes,” the doctor replied, walking to the bedside. Through the mosquito net, he asked Li Qingling to extend her hand so he could check her pulse.

He carefully checked both wrists, then stroked his beard and said, “Madam County Magistrate has a pregnancy pulse—over a month along.”

Liu Zhimou was stunned for a moment, not yet able to react, when the doctor’s next words nearly scared the soul out of him.

“There are signs of a miscarriage.” After saying this, the doctor glanced at Liu Zhimou with a strange look. “I’ll prescribe a few doses of medicine to stabilize the pregnancy.”

Liu Zhimou quickly prepared paper and brush for the doctor. After the prescription was written, he rushed it outside and handed it to Xichun, telling her to go fetch the medicine.

Xichun, who had just returned to the courtyard, was completely confused and hurriedly asked who was sick.

“Madam is pregnant,” Liu Zhimou said. “This is medicine to stabilize the pregnancy. Quickly go to the pharmacy, get the herbs, and decoct them. Madam needs to take it.”

Hearing that Madam needed the medicine, Xichun immediately took off running.

“Ahem… My lord, there are a few things this commoner would like to say to you,” the doctor said, walking behind Liu Zhimou and coughing lightly.

Liu Zhimou held the doctor in great respect and told him to speak freely.

The doctor glanced at him, then said solemnly that during the first three months and the last three months, the couple must not have marital relations.

Young people—lacking restraint—nearly cost a small life.

Liu Zhimou’s face flushed red. He knew this was his fault. If not for him, Li Qingling wouldn’t have had a miscarriage scare.

Fortunately, it wasn’t too serious. Otherwise, he would have carried the guilt for a lifetime.

“Doctor, I’ve noted it,” Liu Zhimou said earnestly, nodding, then carefully asked what else they needed to pay attention to.

The doctor explained all the precautions a pregnant woman should observe. Liu Zhimou held his brush and paper, diligently writing everything down.

“Anything else?”

“No. I’ll come by these next few days to check Madam County Magistrate’s pulse.”

Liu Zhimou bowed deeply to the doctor in gratitude and thanked him.

The gesture startled the doctor badly. He hurriedly stepped aside, waving his hands and saying this was simply his duty.

Liu Zhimou escorted the doctor to the gate and had Nianxia, who had just arrived, give the doctor twenty taels of silver as consultation fees.

Nianxia acknowledged, handed over the silver, personally saw the doctor out of the residence, and then returned.

“Qingling, I’m sorry… I’m so sorry…” Liu Zhimou held Li Qingling’s hand, his eyes reddened as he looked at her.

Li Qingling gently shook her head. “I was careless. I didn’t notice his—or her—arrival.” Her menstrual cycle had always been irregular, often delayed by several days. She thought this time was the same—she hadn’t expected…

Thankfully, the baby was strong and didn’t leave her, giving her a chance to make up for it.

“It’s my fault,” Liu Zhimou said again in self-reproach. He gently rested his head against her neck. A moment later, Li Qingling felt a warm dampness on her skin.

He… was crying.

Her heart ached. She gently stroked his head and softly comforted him, telling him not to blame himself. Once the baby was born, he could just dote on the child even more.

“What’s wrong? What happened to Xiao Ling? Is she sick?” Master Luo rushed over after hearing the news, followed by a string of little tails.

Liu Zhimou lifted his head and wiped his tears. Before he could speak, Li Qingning suddenly burst into loud sobs, waking to the bedside and crying, “Sister, don’t die!”

Li Qingling: “…”

This little rascal…

Seeing Liu Zhimou’s reddened eyes, Master Luo’s heart sank. His voice trembled as he asked, “What on earth happened? Say something!”

Seeing Master Luo like this, Liu Zhimou hurriedly stood up and supported him. “It’s fine, it’s fine. Xiao Ling is pregnant.”

“What?!” Master Luo stared at him in shock. “Preg… pregnant?”

Liu Zhimou nodded.

Li Qingning, who had been crying, mechanically turned her head to look at Liu Zhimou and asked through sobs why he was crying if her sister was pregnant.

He’d scared her into thinking her sister was gravely ill and about to die.

Liu Zhimou: “…”

Li Qingling laughed and tapped Li Qingning’s little head, telling her to hurry up and wipe her tears and stop crying.

“Hic…” Li Qingning hiccupped, clumsily wiping her tears away, then looked at Li Qingling excitedly. “Sister, does that mean I’ll soon be a little aunt?” How great—she wouldn’t be the youngest anymore!

Li Qingling rubbed her small head and smiled, responding with an “Mm.”

Liu Zhiyan and the others ran over, chattering excitedly.

Master Luo glanced at Liu Zhimou and felt something was off with his mood. He quietly asked what was wrong.

Liu Zhimou didn’t dare hide it and explained everything in a low voice.

As soon as he finished, Master Luo’s face flushed red with anger. If it weren’t for the children being present, he would have started scolding him on the spot.

“Just you wait.”

Leaving those words behind, Master Luo turned around, a kind smile appearing on his face. “Alright, alright—you all, don’t disturb your sister’s rest.” After a pause, he added, “Xiao Ling, rest well and don’t worry about anything else, understand?”

“Okay…”

After saying a few more words to Li Qingling, Master Luo lifted his foot to leave, and before going, he also called Liu Zhimou along.

Once they reached the study and closed the door, Master Luo launched into a furious scolding, berating Liu Zhimou nonstop.

Liu Zhimou didn’t dare make a sound. This really was his mistake.

From now on, he would be careful—extra careful—and would never let something like this happen again.

Only when Master Luo had scolded himself tired did he finally stop. He glanced at Liu Zhimou with disdain, waved him off, and told him to hurry up and leave—stop being an eyesore.

Once Liu Zhimou left, Master Luo’s expression immediately turned from stormy to sunny. He walked to the desk, personally ground the ink, and prepared to choose names for the child.

He planned to come up with two names—one for a boy and one for a girl.

He had completely forgotten about Old Man Liu, the actual grandfather, and was fully immersed in the joy of holding a baby in just a few months’ time.

…

From the moment he learned of Li Qingling’s pregnancy, Liu Zhimou became tense all day long, afraid she might bump into something. If he didn’t absolutely have to go to the yamen, he wished he could stay by her side every moment, taking care of her.

“My lord, I know. I’ve written it all down,” Xichun said seriously, nodding. Even if my lord reminded her of these things every single day, she would still nod solemnly to reassure him.

Li Qingling looked at him with amusement. “Husband, put your heart at ease. I’ll be careful. Nothing will happen—I promise.” The things he reminded Xichun of—forget Xichun—even she could recite them backward by now.

Still, she was deeply moved by his concern for her.

Liu Zhimou turned and walked back to her side, kissed her forehead, and said, “Then I’m going.”

“Mm…”

He kissed her twice more before finally leaving with heavy steps.

Xichun smiled and said to Li Qingling that my lord was already this nervous—what would he do in the future?

Though she was happy that my lord cared so much for Madam, being overly tense wasn’t a good thing.

Li Qingling knew Liu Zhimou had been frightened by the earlier incident, which was why he was so anxious now, afraid that something might happen to her or the child.

“After some time passes, he probably won’t be like this anymore.”

Hard to say…

She felt that my lord would stay nervous all the way until Madam gave birth.

“Madam, are you full? Do you want to eat more?” Xichun looked at the leftovers on the table, worried that Li Qingling hadn’t eaten enough.

Li Qingling touched her belly and said she was full and couldn’t eat anymore, telling her to clear the breakfast away.

Xichun acknowledged and, carrying the tray, told Li Qingling to sit and wait. She’d come back soon to accompany her outside for a walk to aid digestion.

Li Qingling nodded.

When Xichun reached the doorway, she saw Nianxia returning and quickly handed the tray to her, asking her to take it to the kitchen while she accompanied Madam for a walk.

Nianxia glanced at the remaining breakfast and asked worriedly whether Madam’s appetite wasn’t good—why had she eaten so little?

“Probably not? Madam doesn’t have morning sickness,” Xichun replied hesitantly. She wasn’t married and didn’t understand these things very well. “Then… then go ask Madam Hu later and see what’s going on?” Madam Hu had given birth to four children—she should know.

Nianxia agreed and hurried off.

“Madam, I’ll support you,” Xichun returned to Li Qingling’s side and helped her stand up.

Li Qingling looked at her speechlessly and said she was fine—no need to support her.

She wasn’t in late pregnancy yet, unable to walk on her own.

“My lord—”

Before Xichun could finish, Li Qingling interrupted her. “It’s really not that exaggerated. I can walk by myself. If I really can’t walk anymore, then you can support me, okay?”

Seeing how firm Li Qingling was, Xichun had no choice but to nod.

Li Qingling patted her hand reassuringly and took the lead toward the doorway.

Not long after leaving the courtyard, they ran into Li Qingning and Liu Zhirou. Needless to say, the two little ones had come to look for her.

Ever since learning she was pregnant, these two children came every day to talk to her belly.

The baby was still just a tiny embryo and couldn’t hear them at all, but they refused to believe it and still came like clockwork every day.

Seeing how happily absorbed they were, she let them be.

“Sister—”

“Sister-in-law—”

Li Qingning and Liu Zhirou saw Li Qingling and ran over with bright smiles.

Stopping three steps away from her, they carefully walked closer, stretching out their hands to gently touch Li Qingling’s flat belly.

“Sister, was the baby good today?”

“Sister-in-law, did the baby eat a lot today?”

Li Qingling rubbed their little heads, took one in each hand, and answered their questions as they strolled.

The two little ones chirped nonstop like a pair of sparrows.

She patiently answered all their quirky, imaginative questions.