TIPS – Chapter 87

“Postpartum recovery means you can’t take a bath. This time, you have to listen.” Shen Junxi knew that his wife had always loved cleanliness and had never gone more than two days without bathing. But postpartum recovery was like this—no washing hair, no bathing.

“I know that women in postpartum recovery can’t bathe…” Song Jingwei wanted to say that this was only a custom in their country—foreigners didn’t have this tradition. Besides, he was a man.

“Men are the same. If you give birth to a baby, you have to go through postpartum recovery.” Shen Junxi gestured. He had to be firm about this—he couldn’t let his spouse be willful. Without letting Song Jingwei speak, he gestured again: “Do you want to drink soup first or eat first?”

Song Jingwei looked at the steaming food with a strange smell, swallowed hard, and said, “I want to freshen up first.”

Shen Junxi glanced at him, then picked up a cup and poured some hot water, gesturing: “Just rinse your mouth with hot water.”

“…” Song Jingwei’s expression darkened. He said, “I want to get out of bed and wash up like I usually do.”

Shen Junxi shook his head. “No, unless you need to use the restroom, you can’t get out of bed.”

“…”

That morning, without properly rinsing his mouth, Song Jingwei ate the most torturous breakfast of his life. However, human adaptability is strong. When he started drinking the yellow rice wine soup and ginger pig’s feet, he realized that whether he rinsed his mouth or not was the least of his concerns.

“Eat more.” Even though he was already full, Shen Junxi kept gesturing for him to continue eating.

With Song Jingwei’s personality, he didn’t have to listen to Shen Junxi. If he didn’t want to drink, he just left it there.

Yang Shi came in to feed the baby and saw that her daughter-in-law still had a lot of soup left, barely touching the pig’s feet. Worried, she said, “Jingwei, why aren’t you finishing your food? This is all for your recovery. You have to eat during postpartum recovery. If you don’t eat now, your body won’t heal, and you’ll suffer later. Listen to me, eat up. If you can’t finish it all at once, take your time. If it gets cold, I’ll heat it up for you.”

As long as Song Jingwei didn’t move, Yang Shi kept nagging him anxiously. Only when he picked up the bowl and drank did she finally feel relieved.

After convincing her daughter-in-law, she turned around and tugged at her son’s ear, scolding, “I told you to make sure your wife eats. Look at you, sitting there doing nothing! Is this how a husband should act? You’re a father now—how can you still be so careless?” Now that they had a grandson, the son wasn’t as important anymore—she would scold him as much as needed.

“…” Shen Junxi cooperated with his mother, drooping his eyebrows and pretending to be in pain.

“Make sure your wife eats properly. I’m going to feed the baby.” Yang Shi let go of him, picked up the baby lovingly, and went off to feed.

Feeling slightly embarrassed, Shen Junxi looked at his spouse and helplessly gestured, “Mother is doing this for your own good.” Seeing that Song Jingwei didn’t respond, he gestured again, “I also want you to eat more—it’s good for your body. If you really can’t finish, I’ll help you eat a little, just a little.”

Song Jingwei looked down at the bowl of thick soup that was still left. He really couldn’t eat anymore. Yang Shi had prepared too much food—even at his hungriest, he couldn’t have finished it all. Shen Junxi knew this too, which was why he offered to help.

“Fine, then you drink this.” He pointed at the dark, syrupy sweet vinegar soup and said softly.

“…” Shen Junxi glanced nervously around the room. His mother was fully focused on feeding the baby. Taking advantage of the moment, he quickly picked up the bowl of sweet vinegar that Song Jingwei had left and gulped it down.

“Xi’er…” His father, Shen Dongming, pushed open the door at that exact moment—just in time to see his son drinking… what appeared to be the postpartum recovery soup meant for his wife.

“Puah—cough, cough, cough!” Shen Junxi swallowed the last mouthful in a panic but was so startled that he started choking violently.

“What’s wrong?” Yang Shi turned around and asked.

“Nothing,” Shen Dongming received a warning glance from his daughter-in-law and dared not say a word.

Meanwhile, his poor son was still coughing uncontrollably.

“Are you okay?” The coughing was so bad that Song Jingwei suppressed a laugh and reached out to pat Shen Junxi’s back.

“Mm…” Shen Junxi finally calmed down, his face flushed red. He gestured, “I’m fine now.”

On the other side, Yang Shi called out, “Dear, come hold our precious grandson for a bit,” so she could focus on feeding him.

“Coming!” Shen Dongming answered, snapping out of his thoughts and hurrying over to help his wife with their grandson. As for whatever was going on between their son and daughter-in-law, they could sort it out themselves.

Receiving a rare moment of concern from Song Jingwei, Shen Junxi wiped away the traces of sweet vinegar from his lips and smiled gently.

“Go drink some water to clear your throat,” Song Jingwei said, naturally looking away under Shen Junxi’s gaze.

“Mm.” Shen Junxi cleaned up the dishes first. He hadn’t eaten anything before making sure his wife had eaten. Now that both his wife and child were full, he went to the kitchen to eat alone.

Just now, drinking a bit of pig’s feet ginger vinegar on an empty stomach made his stomach feel warm and tingly—it was a little too stimulating.

From midnight until now, whether it was Shen Junxi or anyone else, everyone had been tightly on edge. Only now that everything had settled down did they finally have the time to think about other things.

His father, Shen Dongming, held his grandson and said, “It’s still early. Why don’t we write a letter to your maternal family now so they can come in time for the three-day ceremony?”

Yang Shi thought that made sense and quickly said, “That’s a good idea. I’ll have Xi’er write the letter now. If we send it out today, my maternal family can arrive tomorrow, just in time for the baby’s first bath.”

“Oh, and let’s also inform your second brother and his wife…” She had promised before, so despite some hesitation, Yang Shi still discussed it with Shen Dongming.

“Second brother’s side… Alright, do as you see fit,” Shen Dongming said. He knew that although Shen Dongqi might not have always respected his eldest brother, their relationship wasn’t completely strained, nor were there irreconcilable conflicts. After all, everyone longs for family bonds. If there was no absolute necessity, Shen Dongming still wished for peace and harmony in the family.

“Sigh, then I’ll go now.” Yang Shi took one last glance at her precious grandson, feeling satisfied, and left.

Shen Junxi had just finished eating and was coming out of the kitchen when Yang Shi called him into the study to write the letter.

Yang Shi instructed, “Tell your grandmother and uncle to come for the three-day ceremony.” According to tradition, the maternal family should attend the baby’s first bath to bring good fortune, signifying that the child would have a blessed life.

“Okay.” Shen Junxi nodded and started grinding ink and writing.

Then he heard his mother mention informing his second uncle’s family… and his mood soured. Every time he thought about his paternal relatives, he would also think of Shen Junhe. Although Shen Junhe was about to get married, Shen Junxi still felt uneasy and had no desire to interact with his paternal relatives.

“What’s wrong?” Yang Shi asked, noticing that ink had dripped onto the paper. Why wasn’t he writing?

“…” Snapping back to his senses, Shen Junxi replaced the paper with a fresh one. Since this letter was for his grandmother and uncle, he refocused and finished it quickly.

“Alright, that’s done.” Yang Shi said, “As for your second uncle, let your father handle it. You still need to take care of your wife.”

Shen Junxi put away the writing materials and returned to his room to check on his wife and baby.

Inside, Song Jingwei lay down with his eyes closed after eating. Though he really didn’t want to sleep, he wasn’t allowed to get up and move around, so he had no choice but to lie there. Fortunately, after feeding the baby, Shen Dongming placed the child next to Song Jingwei, letting father and son rest together.

When he got bored, Song Jingwei could at least play with his son for a bit.

Unfortunately, after eating, the little chubby baby got sleepy fast. Before long, he yawned, ignored his father’s teasing, and drifted off into a sweet slumber.

Shen Junxi entered the room quietly, and his father, Shen Dongming, said in a low voice, “Watch over them—I’m heading out.” Earlier, with no one else in the room, he hadn’t dared to leave.

“Okay.” Shen Junxi nodded at his father, his face full of contentment.

“Heh.” Shen Dongming chuckled, patted his son on the shoulder, and thought to himself—his son was much stronger than he had ever been, and that was a good thing.

After sending his father off, Shen Junxi approached the bed and saw his wife staring blankly into space. He sat down and gestured, “What’s wrong?”

Song Jingwei rarely looked embarrassed, but after a long hesitation, he finally said, “Go get some hot water and a cloth pad…”

“Hm?” Shen Junxi was happy to help, but he was curious—what was going on?

“My pants are dirty. I need to change.” He could feel a damp sensation between his legs, liquid seeping out, making his pants uncomfortably wet.

“…” So that was it. Shen Junxi’s face reddened slightly, but he kept a calm expression and nodded, gesturing, “Alright, wait here.” He got up to fetch hot water, then returned with a clean pair of pants. He personally wrung out a towel before lifting the blanket.

“I’ll do it myself.” Song Jingwei tried to stop him.

“No, it’s not convenient for you. I’ll help.” Shen Junxi gestured firmly, looking at him with a clear and sincere gaze.

“…This isn’t appropriate.” Song Jingwei muttered. He had never looked at the area himself, but he knew it must look bad. Such a private part of his body—how could he just expose it like this?

“It’s fine. This morning, when you were asleep, I already wiped you down,” Shen Junxi gestured.

“…” Song Jingwei’s eyes widened. That happened? He had no memory of it. Was the man lying?

“It’s true. I’m not lying.” Shen Junxi couldn’t help but smile at his wife’s adorable reaction. Gently, he lifted the blanket again.

Song Jingwei wasn’t sure if he was too shocked to react or if he had just given up struggling against the inevitable. Either way, Shen Junxi first lifted his blanket, then his shirt, and finally helped him remove his pants.

The warm towel touched his injured area, bringing a slight stinging sensation. “…” Feeling deeply embarrassed, Song Jingwei shut his eyes and turned his head to the side—out of sight, out of mind.

Shen Junxi was very careful and gentle with him, afraid of causing him any pain. But with wounds present, no matter how careful he was, it still hurt.

“…” Song Jingwei sucked in a sharp breath, clearly uncomfortable.

“…” Shen Junxi furrowed his brows—every time his wife felt pain, his heart clenched.

It had been the same when Song Jingwei was giving birth. Seeing him grit his teeth and endure rather than cry out had made Shen Junxi’s heart ache. He knew that Song Jingwei was a strong-willed person. Sometimes, he wished that Song Jingwei could be a little weaker, rely on him a little more. But he also knew that was something that would never happen.

These selfish thoughts could only be buried deep in his heart, like a poisonous seed, slowly taking root and sprouting, blooming into dark and corrosive flowers. Perhaps, only on the day when the clouds parted and the moon shone through would his inner torment find true redemption.

When he finally finished cleaning up, Shen Junxi helped Song Jingwei put on clean pants, adding a thicker cloth pad inside so he wouldn’t have to change as frequently.

This issue had clearly slipped Yang Shi’s mind. By the time she realized it, her son was already taking care of his wife. She brought lunch over and said to Shen Junxi, who was sitting by the bedside, “Since your wife is a man, it’s not convenient for me to take care of him. You need to be extra attentive and make sure he doesn’t suffer.”

“Mm.” Shen Junxi nodded in agreement. Naturally, he would do so even without being told.

“Sigh.” Yang Shi then gently reminded Song Jingwei, “Jingwei, don’t be shy. If you need anything, just let the baby’s father help you. After childbirth, it’s crucial to take care of your health—don’t neglect yourself. If you crave anything, just tell me. As long as it’s something you can eat, I’ll make sure to get it for you.” There were many foods new mothers couldn’t eat, but as long as her daughter-in-law didn’t ask for anything off-limits, she would go to any lengths to get it for him.

“Alright, I understand. Thank you.” Song Jingwei replied, looking slightly uncomfortable. He knew Yang Shi meant well, so he did his best to suppress the awkwardness that threatened to overwhelm him.

Yang Shi just smiled and quickly stopped talking about it. Instead, she gave her son a meaningful look and said, “I’m going to feed the baby. You take good care of Jingwei.”

“Mm.” Shen Junxi agreed seriously.

Once Yang Shi left with the baby, Shen Junxi gently helped Song Jingwei sit up and lean against the headboard. With a soft expression, he gestured, “There are quite a few dishes. What do you want to eat first?”

Song Jingwei glanced at the food, which was more or less the same as in the morning. He thought to himself, No matter what I choose first, I still have to finish everything in the end. He pointed at one dish, and Shen Junxi immediately brought it over. Then he heard Song Jingwei say, “I’ll eat this. You drink half of the huangjiu soup first. Once I finish this, I’ll drink the rest.”

Shen Junxi waved his hand and gestured, “Half isn’t enough. You need to drink more.” Then, he turned his head to check if Yang Shi was watching. Seeing that she wasn’t paying attention, he quickly took two or three gulps of the huangjiu soup. The strong, pungent flavor made him scrunch up his face. Putting down the bowl, he gestured, “Alright, there’s only a little left. Drink it while it’s still warm.”

“You call this a little?” Song Jingwei eyed the still-full bowl of huangjiu soup and felt exhausted. Holding his breath, he tilted his head back and took a large sip of the pig’s feet ginger vinegar soup. “So spicy…”

Shen Junxi immediately took the bowl and handed him some chicken and rice, gesturing, “Eat some rice first.”

“I’m not drinking anymore. You finish it.” Song Jingwei lowered his voice, issuing a firm threat.

“Mm…” Shen Junxi looked helpless. How could he drink all of it? His wife was the one who needed the nourishment, not him. He gestured, “This is for your recovery. How can you not drink it?” His eyes were filled with worry and pleading.

“Are you drinking it or not?” Song Jingwei glared at him, lowering his voice even more but looking even more intimidating.

“…” Shen Junxi lowered his head, avoiding eye contact.

“Shen Junxi.” Song Jingwei called his name and stuffed another bite of rice into his mouth to counter the sour vinegar taste in his stomach.

“Mm…” Shen Junxi acknowledged but still didn’t look at him.

“Drink.” Song Jingwei ordered bluntly.

“Mm…” Shen Junxi started shaking his head like a rattledrum—he refused.

“…” Feeling exasperated, Song Jingwei focused on finishing his meal, now completely full. He had no desire whatsoever to drink that strange-tasting soup.

Yang Shi returned after feeding the baby and noticed that neither of the two bowls of soup had been touched. She asked, “Why hasn’t Jingwei drunk the soup yet?” She stood there, staring at him.

“I just finished eating. I need to wait a bit.” Song Jingwei knew that if he outright refused, Yang Shi would start nagging him.

“Oh, then I’ll watch you drink it. Once you’re done, I’ll clean up the dishes.” Yang Shi smiled, placing the baby down and standing firmly in place, showing no intention of leaving.

“…” Song Jingwei looked down at his well-fed baby, whose round eyes darted around curiously. The baby was utterly adorable, his tiny fists resting near his mouth as he kept trying to put them inside. Song Jingwei quickly intervened, pulling the little hands away repeatedly.

After two or three times, the baby’s mouth wobbled, and he burst into tears.

_{You know 41 chapter started here of this novel? That’s how long the chapters are. I also love teasing the kids, as long as they don’t cry. It looks like song is being boiled in warm water to soften by Shen. I am looking forward to the day they confirm their relationship. Look cute he looks.}