Chapter 137
Chapter 137
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 137
Chapter Title: Has the Baby Been Born? (3)
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That was shortsighted of me. I couldn't believe I hadn't considered this.
"I never imagined we'd have another child like this."
"It's really true."
Mother chimed in with a smile at Father's words.
By the time Mother was past two months pregnant, her body finally started reacting, showing the signs of pregnancy.
The Medicine Pavilion Master of the Tang Family came in person to confirm Mother's pregnancy, and everyone showered her with congratulations.
We sent word to Father at the Go Escort Agency in Shaanxi, and the devoted family man rushed over in a heartbeat to pick up Mother.
"Ever since coming to the Tang Family, nothing but good things have happened. This is all thanks to Lady Peng."
"Oh, don't say that... It's just that my younger sister kept her spirits up. Lord Go provided solid support too."
"What did I do? It's all thanks to raising my son right."
At Peng Yeon-hwa's flattery, Father clapped me hard on the back.
"Yun, are you really not coming with us? Even if you don't plan to take over the escort agency, it wouldn't hurt to get familiar with the family..."
"I've got things I want to do here. I'll follow later."
"You said something about opening a clinic? Not a bad idea, but..."
Father seemed oddly disappointed. But after this incident, I resolved even more to set up my clinic sooner.
By the time Mother reached four months, I'd have to head to the Demonic Cult.
Asking a doctor would just get me scolded for even thinking of sex during pregnancy, so by my own reckoning, the safe period—when it's okay to do it—was four months.
I figured I'd have a few days for some intense belly sex even if I left a month early, but then Father showed up out of nowhere.
"Alright, if anything comes up, you can always tell your old man. I know a few outstanding doctors myself."
Father had no way of knowing my thoughts, so he just offered words laced with worry.
'After the Demonic Cult, I'll start in Shaanxi...!'
Meanwhile, Mother met my eyes and smiled, as if she had a rough idea of what I was thinking.
[Son, take care of yourself? Mom will be waiting, you know?]
[Of course. Didn't I tell you I'd spend my life just keeping your belly full? Once I'm done, I'll head straight to the escort agency.]
I brought up a conversation from months ago, back when I was pretending to be someone else, and Mother's smile deepened.
After our farewells, Mother climbed into the carriage with Father and left the Tang Family.
"Hoo..."
For some reason, my chest felt hollow. I knew I'd see her again soon, but it still felt like a gaping emptiness in my gut.
Was this how Eon So-young felt when she saw me off?
"Come on, let's head in."
Peng Yeon-hwa, who was taking me along, would soon move to the safehouse where Tang Hye-won was staying.
The pretext was helping her disciple's junior—me—gather doctors to establish a medical hall, while she was out on a casual trip.
Fortunately, unlike typical family heads, Peng Yeon-hwa left internal affairs mostly to the pavilion masters, so there was no need for a formal handover.
'We'll stay together until she's fully three months along, then head to the Demonic Cult.'
I felt so guilty for getting her pregnant and then constantly leaving. Both Tang Hye-won and Peng Yeon-hwa.
Tang Hye-won would give birth before I left, but that didn't mean it was over, so I had to help as much as I could beforehand.
"Mother, Young Hero Kang, so you're here."
As I debated whether to take Peng Yeon-hwa's hand while looking around, her daughter Tang Yeong approached before I knew it.
"Lady Tang, what is it?"
"It's nothing major... I just have a few things to ask Mother..."
She started talking with Peng Yeon-hwa, holding her back.
She looked worried about acting as the family's lady of the house while her mother was away.
Still, I'd benefited a lot from Tang Yeong since returning.
Maybe because of the Nine Dragons title, her distant cousins—girls around my age—kept approaching me subtly, trying their hand.
They were all pretty young ladies, but a milf enthusiast like me wouldn't notice.
Tang Yeong stepped in at the right moments to shield me, letting me escape without awkwardness, so feeling grateful was only natural.
"Don't worry. The branch pavilion master will send up a summary of the family's finances every half month—just check those carefully."
"Got it..."
"Lady, I'm sorry. Because I took Lady Peng away..."
"Oh, no! It's just me being overly worried..."
Tang Yeong mumbled in response. Her blunt face, so like her mother's, paired with her occasional shy demeanor was quite endearing.
'Even so, the way she keeps talking to me despite everything, she clearly wants to be friends regardless of her mother.'
We'd chat often, and she'd help me out of tough spots, so could I call her a female friend now...?
She had a good personality and was Peng Yeon-hwa's daughter, so I should treat her even better going forward.
"I think something's off... Miss..."
"Huh? Why?"
Tang Yeong had been beaming the whole time. We'd built enough rapport that she could converse smoothly with Kang Yun now.
She avoided even talking to her cousins but chatted casually with me—didn't that mean I was the one she liked most?
But Yu-ha, the maid watching from the side, seemed to think otherwise.
"Didn't you notice something weird about Young Hero Kang's attitude? He's way too comfortable."
"Well, that's because he likes me that much, right?"
"Sure, he likes you. The problem is, it's not as a woman."
"Not as a woman...? What do you mean..."
"Men always show it somehow around women they want to impress..."
As Yu-ha continued, Tang Yeong's face grew paler.
She admitted she'd been a bit lax in showing her feminine side.
So maybe she hadn't shown much effort to look good in front of Kang Yun as a woman.
But when Yu-ha went on to say it was 'no different from how he'd treat a man,' Tang Yeong couldn't hold back and retorted.
"I'm not that hopeless, am I? Right?"
"Looks aren't everything... What matters is the charm that makes a man excited when he sees you, isn't it?"
"Ch-charm...?"
Tang Yeong floundered at the utterly vague explanation, her eyes darting everywhere.
Her clothes and makeup were chosen by her maids—not exceptional, but not lacking either.
As if reading her mind, Yu-ha pressed on.
"Clothes and makeup matter, but so do the expressions and behavior that show them off."
"H-how do I do that?"
"Well..."
Tang Yeong listened intently to Yu-ha's advice, drawn from sidelong glimpses of her maid sisters' romances.
Whether that enthusiasm would pay off someday—who knew. At least Tang Yeong firmly believed it would.
"Haa..."
Peng Yeon-hwa let out an involuntary sigh.
Kang Yun seemed oblivious, but her daughter clearly had feelings for him.
'To think a mother like me...'
She'd ended up stealing the man her daughter fancied. Well, technically, he'd come onto her first.
"What's wrong?"
The man who'd reached Tang Hye-won's safehouse took her hand without hesitation now. As someone unaware of her daughter's reserved nature, he surely couldn't imagine it.
'But should I even say anything...'
Was it right to discourage her daughter's likely doomed romance? As Peng Yeon-hwa pondered, she missed the chance to reply to the man staring intently at her face.
A servant who recognized the approaching pair rushed up and spoke.
"M-Madam is...!"
At the servant's words that Tang Hye-won's labor was near, the two hurried off and soon heard her agonized screams.
"Aaaahhh!"
"Hye-won!"
Peng Yeon-hwa grabbed Kang Yun's arm as he tried to charge in heedlessly.
"Let go!"
"You'll just get in the way!"
"I can just hold her hand..."
"No, you can't!"
Peng Yeon-hwa struggled to restrain the fidgety man, who couldn't stay still for some reason.
Once he'd calmed a bit while held back, she spoke.
"She needs to focus to finish faster. Look at your face. You think seeing that worry will put her at ease?"
Kang Yun rubbed his face with his palm, as if trying to smooth out the twisted expression.
But even after, it remained a mess.
"Yeon-hwa... Will Yeon-hwa hurt that much too?"
"She will."
Having borne two children herself, she'd never deluded herself into thinking it wouldn't hurt.
"You knew it'd hurt... But hearing the screams makes your resolve waver all of a sudden?"
"...Yeah, it does."
"No need to worry too much. I did it knowing the pain, and so did she..."
"...Haa..."
Peng Yeon-hwa's words didn't seem to comfort him; Kang Yun pressed his hand to his eyes and sighed again.
"...Not being able to do anything... It's more frustrating than I thought."
"It's not that you can't do anything. When the baby's born, hold it and thank her for her hard work—that's a husband's job."
"...You think so...?"
Not fully convinced, Kang Yun flinched with every scream from Tang Hye-won.
After two hours, the mother's cries gradually faded, soon replaced by a new wail.
"Th-the baby! The baby's born, right?"
"Don't barge in—wait for permission."
Watching Kang Yun dash off at her roundabout affirmation, Peng Yeon-hwa smiled to herself.
She didn't remember clearly what her husband was like when she gave birth. But he surely hadn't been this restless.
'Baby, your dad will be thrilled when you're born too.'
She hadn't seen a doctor yet, but her periods had stopped. Without a doubt, the man's child was growing inside her.
As her belly swelled, he'd be joyful, and on the day the child was born, he'd worry just like today.
Peng Yeon-hwa couldn't wait for that day—the one when her young husband would be beside himself.