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This place is some distance from the East Palace.

Xiao Jinyan almost carried Shen Chuwei all the way back, fearing any delay would lead to mishaps.

Shen Chuwei looked at the Crown Prince’s slender figure, his strong and powerful arms, his superhuman stamina, and thought of him in one word, boyfriend power through the roof~

So much so that she forgot about her bellyache.

Back at the East Palace, Xiao Jinyan laid her on the bed and immediately ordered, "Call over the midwife and the Imperial Doctor."

Shen Chuwei clutched Xiao Jinyan’s hand and said, "Your Highness, it’s not time to give birth yet."

Xiao Jinyan looked at her with concern, "Aren’t you in pain? Isn’t it time to deliver?"

Shen Chuwei felt a bit embarrassed, "My belly really did hurt just now, but it stopped hurting."

Xiao Jinyan, about to become a father for the first time, was somewhat flustered. Upon hearing her words, he asked anxiously, "It’s not time for delivery?"

Shen Chuwei shook her head.

Still, Xiao Jinyan couldn’t let go of his worries, "I’ll have Imperial Doctor Wen come check on you."

With that said, he ordered Liu Xi to fetch Imperial Doctor Wen.

Liu Xi dared not dawdle and scurried off to the Imperial Medical Bureau to call for Imperial Doctor Wen.

Shen Chuwei belonged to the optimistic sort. Until the very last second before giving birth, she wouldn’t think about what it would be like. Thus, she felt no pressure each day.

Now that she saw the nervousness in Xiao Jinyan, she began to contemplate the excruciating pain of childbirth, and moreover, of delivering twins... The mere thought was painful~

When Imperial Doctor Wen arrived, Xiao Jinyan eagerly allowed him to examine Shen Chuwei.

Imperial Doctor Wen, also not daring to slack, even though he was well aware of Shen Chuwei’s knowledge in medicine~

After the examination, Xiao Jinyan asked, "How is it?"

Imperial Doctor Wen replied, "Your Highness, please rest assured. Lady Shen is in very good health, and so are the babies. We’re just waiting for the fruit to fall when ripe."

Xiao Jinyan heaved a sigh of relief internally. He then inquired, "When will she give birth?"

Imperial Doctor Wen carefully answered, "About a month or so remaining."

Xiao Jinyan looked down at her belly. In about a month, the babies would be born. He was both excited and anxious.

Shen Chuwei herself had also estimated roughly a month’s time remaining. However, due dates aren’t always accurate; sometimes they’re early, and sometimes they’re late.

It’s just that there are more issues during the late stages of pregnancy, like Braxton Hicks contractions, which can be quite unbearable.

In the deep of the night,

Shen Chuwei was sleeping soundly when a contraction woke her up in pain.

At her slight groan, Xiao Jinyan woke too, holding her in his embrace, with his large hand caressing her belly, trying to ease her pain.

"Is it your belly hurting again?"

Shen Chuwei hummed in response, "Mhm."

Xiao Jinyan, hearing her pained moans, also began to feel distressed. "Is there no way to relieve it? Can you take any painkillers?"

Shen Chuwei, with furrowed brows and intermittent contractions, agonized beyond endurance.

"It’s a physiological phenomenon, it can’t be eased, and painkillers are not allowed."

The most helpless feeling is probably knowing she’s in pain and not being able to take it for her.

Xiao Jinyan looked down at the person in his arms, whose brow was furrowed due to pain, and leaned down to kiss her lips, trying to divert her attention.

Shen Chuwei never expected that one day she would experience a scene out of a TV drama, only with the genders switched.

Xiao Jinyan’s kissing skills improved each day, and those targeted kisses were the most intoxicating.

Shen Chuwei could attest through personal experience that kissing truly could shift focus and make one forget the pain~

After a while, Xiao Jinyan released her, "Xiao Jiu, does it still hurt?"

Shen Chuwei was still a bit light-headed, the result of her brain being deprived of oxygen.

"It doesn’t hurt anymore," because the false labor had disappeared.

Ever since Xiao Jinyan discovered that kissing could divert her attention, each time she experienced false labor pains, he would kiss her to alleviate the pain by shifting her focus.

As the due date approached, Xiao Jinyan dared not act carelessly.

Even if kissing aroused him, he could only endure it in silence.

When Shen Chuwei realized this, she proactively wrapped her arms around his neck, whispering in his ear, "...this works too."

At that moment, Xiao Jinyan’s self-control was at its weakest, and upon hearing her words, he began to look forward to it, "Really?"

Shen Chuwei nodded, "Just be careful."

Xiao Jinyan no longer restrained himself and followed the little ninth’s method.

He suddenly noticed something was amiss.

"Why do you know so much?"

"...It’s what the books say." Indeed, the books did say so, but they were from a romance novel~

As the expected delivery date grew closer, Concubine Xu and Lady Tao visited more frequently.

Furthermore, both of them had prepared baby clothes.

"Lady Shen, when will the babies come out?" Concubine Xu asked with eagerness, staring at Shen Chuwei’s round belly, which was much bigger than a few months ago.

Shen Chuwei lay on the noble consort couch, less inclined to move as her pregnancy advanced.

"The prize draw is in half a month."

As someone who had read modern tales, both Xun Tao understood the meaning of a prize draw—that’s to say, once born, they’ll find out whether it’s a prince or a princess~

Concubine Xu firmly believed, "It’s definitely a baby boy. All the clothes I’ve prepared are for a baby boy."

Lady Tao chuckled, "What a coincidence, the clothes I’ve prepared are also for a baby boy."

Shen Chuwei was no longer surprised, as it was normal in ancient times for everyone to hope the baby in her belly was a boy.

Chun Xi came over to report, "Young Mistress, Concubine Xue has arrived."

Upon hearing that Concubine Xue had come, Concubine Xu immediately became unhappy, "Why is she here? A weasel paying a New Year’s visit to a chicken, she’s surely up to no good."

Shen Chuwei looked up and saw Concubine Xue walking over in a white cotton dress. Her slender and petite figure didn’t look bloated even in a padded outfit.

Having not seen her for several months, Concubine Xue seemed to have lost some weight, and the scars on her cheeks had faded to the point where the cat scratches were no longer visible.

It was evident that she had spent the past few months shut away, focusing on scar removal.

She rose and bowed, "Concubine Xue."

Concubine Xue stepped forward and helped Shen Chuwei up, "Lady Shen is with child now; we’re all sisters here and needn’t stand on ceremony."

Lady Tao also stepped forward and bowed.

Concubine Xu stepped forward, holding Shen Chuwei’s arm and looking up at Concubine Xue, "The rules of the palace can’t just be changed because we say so. Now that Lady Shen is pregnant, she shouldn’t stand for too long."

While speaking, she pushed Concubine Xue away, then helped Shen Chuwei to sit down.

It was clear to everyone that Concubine Xu had done this intentionally.

Concubine Xue just smiled, "I heard the delivery date is drawing near, and I’ve prepared some clothes to give to Lady Shen."

She took some tiny garments from Shuiyao’s hands and held them out to Shen Chuwei, "I hope Lady Shen won’t disdain them."

"Thank you for the gifts, Concubine Xue," Shen Chuwei looked up at Chun Xi.

Chun Xi immediately understood and stepped forward to take the clothes before stepping back.

Concubine Xue stared at Shen Chuwei’s belly for a good while and couldn’t help asking, "Lady Shen’s belly seems quite large."

Concubine Xu waved her handkerchief dismissively and glanced at Concubine Xue, "This shows she is well-nourished."

Upon hearing this, Concubine Xue wore a worried expression, "But I’ve heard that it’s difficult to give birth when the fetus is too large, and there’s a high risk of a difficult labor."

ps: Nine more to come