Lu Zhuo acted all proper in front of his cousins, but privately pulled Wei Rao into doing all sorts of improper things.

The couple was in good health and quite active in that regard, so in September, Wei Rao was diagnosed with pregnancy.

The happiest person was He Shi, who kept burning incense, praying to the Buddha to bless her daughter-in-law with a son this time. He Shi still harbored private hopes – her husband was the old Duke’s eldest son, her son was the old Duke’s legitimate eldest grandson and current heir, so the title should be passed down through the main branch, worthy of her son’s two close brushes with death on the battlefield.

He Shi hoped for this and thought very far ahead. She thought that if Wei Rao’s child were a boy, then in the future, A’Bao would be a princess who could inherit Wei Rao’s princess mansion, while her younger brother would inherit the vast Duke Ying Mansion. With one sibling as a princess and the other as a young heir, which pair of siblings in all of the capital could be more illustrious than her grandchildren?

“Just tell me these thoughts, but don’t go chattering about them in front of our daughter-in-law,” Lu Mu reminded his wife with a laugh, seeing her more excited than if she herself were pregnant.

He Shi understood. The most important thing for a pregnant woman was to maintain a cheerful mood – she certainly wouldn’t trouble her daughter-in-law.

How could Wei Rao not know what her mother-in-law was hoping for?

But since He Shi didn’t come chattering to her about it, Wei Rao pretended to be oblivious. Whether it was a son or daughter, she and Lu Zhuo would never let the child suffer.

In the eleventh month, the capital had a heavy snowfall.

After the snow stopped, Lu Zhuo took A’Bao to build snowmen in the courtyard.

Wei Rao couldn’t catch a cold, so she sat under the corridor eaves watching the father and daughter busily working.

Lu Zhuo rolled a small ball, then handed it to his daughter to continue rolling around the courtyard while he stayed in place, shoveling snow to build the snowman’s body.

A’Bao was at the perfect age for play, wearing deer-skin boots and a red brocade jacket, bending over to push the snowball around everywhere. She didn’t mind the cold at all, puffing out white clouds when she laughed.

The father and daughter worked together, first building a snowman father, then a snowman mother. When they ran out of snow in the courtyard, A’Bao was troubled, but Lu Zhuo suddenly leaped onto the roof and began shoveling down the pristine white snow from above. Wei Rao moved her chair further back, and once Lu Zhuo confirmed she had moved to safety, he moved his shovel. Layers of white snow fell like a waterfall from the eaves right in front of Wei Rao, like a curtain made of snow.

Using the snow from the roof, A’Bao and her father built two more snowman babies.

“This one is me, and the small one is my little sister,” A’Bao said seriously as she poked two round “snow hair buns” on top of the smaller snowman’s head.

Lu Zhuo laughed and asked, “Doesn’t A’Bao like little brothers?”

A’Bao liked brothers, but in the Duke’s mansion, apart from her, Second Uncle, Third Uncle, and Fourth Uncle’s families had all given birth to boys. A’Bao wanted a little sister to play with.

Lu Zhuo understood and patted his daughter’s head, saying, “Alright, we’ll have Mother give A’Bao a little sister.”

Hearing this, Wei Rao didn’t know what to say. He spoke so easily as a father, as if he could fulfill his daughter’s wish. What if A’Bao believed it and the baby turned out to be a brother? What if A’Bao cried?

What made Wei Rao even more speechless was that when He Shi came to visit her and discovered the snowmen in the courtyard, she secretly removed the two little buns from the small snowman’s head when A’Bao wasn’t looking!

Wei Rao almost laughed until her stomach hurt.

A’Bao hadn’t noticed yet, but Lu Zhuo did. Afraid his daughter would get angry, he quickly added two little buns back.

Wei Rao watched the three generations fuss back and forth like she was watching a play.

After the New Year, Wei Rao’s belly began to show, and once it grew large, it became inconvenient for her to go out frequently.

It happened that Lu Che’s wife Chen Shi was also pregnant, so He Shi organized card games. She, Duchess Ying, Wei Rao, and Chen Shi would play cards together. Little A’Bao sometimes sat beside them watching the adults play, sometimes went to the schoolroom for lessons, and sometimes played with her brothers. She was clever and learned how to play just by watching a few times.

On this day, when Lu Zhuo had a rest day, Wei Rao invited He Shi over, planning for the family to play together.

He Shi first asked, “Does Shoucheng know how to play cards?”

Wei Rao laughed, “It’s perfect if he doesn’t – we can make him lose money to us.”

Lu Zhuo suspected she wanted to settle old scores again. The more it seemed like this, the more he needed to accompany them. He just wondered, “The three of us playing?”

This card game was more interesting with four people.

Just as he finished speaking, A’Bao came over.

Lu Zhuo asked in surprise, “A’Bao learned to play cards?”

Six-year-old A’Bao smiled proudly, “I learned long ago. I even helped Grandmother win money.”

And so, the family of four spanning three generations gathered for a card game.

With Lu Zhuo participating, gambling for money wasn’t interesting, so Wei Rao suggested that whoever lost the most each round would have to apply rouge to their face, forehead, eyebrows, cheeks, chin, wherever the winners decided.

A’Bao was the first to clap in approval.

He Shi looked at her son with a smile.

Lu Zhuo said helplessly, “You’re trying to make fun of me.”

Wei Rao huffed, “If you don’t want to accompany us, then leave.”

How could Lu Zhuo dare to leave? Leaving would mean offending his mother, wife, and daughter all at once.

To avoid having rouge applied to his face, Lu Zhuo put in his utmost effort, but card games depended on both skill and luck. No matter how capable Lu Zhuo was, he would sometimes lose. After several rounds, his fair and handsome face was already covered with red rouge. Initially, only Wei Rao and A’Bao targeted him, but later, He Shi got tempted and added her touch.

Lu Che came with his wife Chen Shi to visit. Hearing that four people were playing cards, the couple wanted to come in and sit for a while.

Lu Zhuo had his back to the door, so when Lu Che first entered, he didn’t notice anything. Only when he walked up to the card table did he discover what his respected elder brother’s face looked like. Lu Che was so startled that his gaze stuck to Lu Zhuo’s face, and he couldn’t move away.

Lu Zhuo maintained a gentle expression and even smiled at his fifth brother and sister-in-law.

Chen Shi suppressed a laugh – eldest brother had such a good temper.

Lu Che had a completely different feeling. The way his elder brother looked at him clearly showed he wasn’t welcome and wanted him to leave quickly.

Lu Che didn’t look for long before hurriedly taking Chen Shi and saying goodbye.

Even so, later, when the brothers were sparring, Lu Zhuo still gave Lu Che quite a harsh “lesson.”

As spring warmed and flowers bloomed, Wei Rao’s belly grew larger and larger. Looking at it, Duchess Ying thought it might be twins.

They called in the imperial physician, who took her pulse and observed the fetal movement positions, confirming it was indeed twins.

Twins almost always arrive a month early. Wei Rao’s original due date was around the Dragon Boat Festival, but now it was moved up to April – there wasn’t much time left.

The nannies at Songyue Hall made preparations in advance.

A’Bao sensed the change in atmosphere and became even more expectant.

“Mother, I want a little sister. You’re carrying two, so surely one of them is a sister, right?” A’Bao said with some worry – if both were brothers, she really would cry.

Wei Rao gently asked her daughter, “Setting aside whether there’s a sister or not, does A’Bao know how to take care of a little sister?”

A’Bao hadn’t thought about it. When the sister was born, wouldn’t she just play with her?

Wei Rao said, “How could it be that simple? When you were little, you liked playing with toys. When brothers and sisters are born, they’ll like toys too. When they see you have nice things, they might fight with you for them. Would A’Bao be willing to give your toys to your brothers and sisters?”

A’Bao thought about it and said, “I can give them the ones I don’t play with anymore, but I won’t give them the ones I’m still playing with.”

Wei Rao asked with a smile, “What if they insist on having the ones you like to play with?”

A’Bao blinked her eyes and grinned, “Then I’ll have Father go buy identical ones for them.”

Wei Rao happily kissed her daughter, “So clever. Also, if a sister is born, will A’Bao help comb her hair?”

A’Bao didn’t know how – her hair was always combed by the nannies.

A’Bao suddenly had something to do – she needed to learn how to comb hair for others.

After learning for a few days, A’Bao had mastered it and wanted to help her mother comb her hair.

What she learned were hairstyles for little girls. Wei Rao’s heart stirred, and she smiled, “A’Bao, don’t rush. When Father comes back, you can help Father comb his hair.”

A’Bao’s eyes lit up – Mother liked to tease Father, and she liked it too.

In the evening, when Lu Zhuo returned, he received an enthusiastic welcome from his daughter. A’Bao flew into Father’s arms like a young swallow that had just learned to fly.

“Did you miss Father this much?” Lu Zhuo lifted his daughter and asked with a smile.

A’Bao first looked at Father’s long hair tied at the top of his head, then looked into Father’s eyes and nodded vigorously, “I missed you. Mother and I both missed you. Father, go change clothes quickly, and we’ll go see Mother together.”

When his daughter commanded, how could Lu Zhuo dare disobey?

A’Bao waited outside while Lu Zhuo quickly washed his face and changed clothes, putting on an azure brocade robe.

When he came out, A’Bao looked up at Father. Father was so handsome – if he dressed up as a girl, he’d probably look like a beauty too.

A’Bao eagerly pulled Father to the back courtyard.

Wei Rao had just taken a stroll and was now sitting on the couch, smiling at Lu Zhuo, “A’Bao learned how to comb hair. If this pregnancy does have a sister, A’Bao will be a good big sister.”

Hearing this, Lu Zhuo immediately praised A’Bao for being skillful and clever.

A’Bao had him sit down, “Father hasn’t seen me comb my hair. Will you believe Mother just because she said I can?”

Lu Zhuo looked at his daughter’s barely concealed mischievous smile and suddenly guessed what was coming.

A’Bao had already moved behind him and began untying his hair ribbon, saying eagerly, “Let me comb one for Father!”

Lu Zhuo tried to dissuade his daughter, “Little sisters don’t have hair as long as Father’s. How about A’Bao finds a little maid to practice on?”

A’Bao huffed, “No, I just like Father’s hair.”

Lu Zhuo looked at the big fox who was silently watching the show nearby, “Father’s hair is coarse, your mother’s hair is soft and would look better when combed.”

A’Bao said, “I already combed Mother’s hair. Now I’ll comb Father’s, so if my sister’s hair is as coarse as Father’s, I’ll know how to comb it too.”

Wei Rao admired her daughter’s quick thinking. Look how she spoke – she blocked all of Lu Zhuo’s excuses.

Lu Zhuo looked at Wei Rao’s belly, sighed quietly to himself, and decided to comply with the mother and daughter.

His hair was indeed too long. A’Bao twisted and turned, combing for a long time before finally giving Father two little buns.

Lu Zhuo closed his eyes.

Wei Rao walked in front of him and couldn’t help feeling quite regretful. Lu Zhuo was handsome, but he had no feminine air about him. Combined with their daughter’s inexpert technique, Lu Zhuo at this moment only looked ridiculous and funny, with no trace of extraordinary beauty.

“Perhaps it would look even better with some rouge,” Wei Rao winked at A’Bao.

A’Bao hurried to rummage through Mother’s cosmetic box.

Lu Zhuo took advantage of his daughter’s distraction to quickly let his hair down, then pretended it had come loose on its own.

It was almost time for dinner, so Wei Rao didn’t expose him.

That night, Lu Zhuo cupped Wei Rao’s face and kissed her repeatedly, “Right now you’re inconvenienced, so I’ll let you torment me, but I’m keeping track of everything. After you finish your postpartum confinement, let’s see how I settle accounts with you.”

Wei Rao laughed, “Go ahead and settle them. If I get pregnant again, you’ll still have to hold back.”

Lu Zhuo’s movements paused. He moved his hand to her big belly, thinking that after this pregnancy, he wouldn’t let her get pregnant again.

In mid-April, the herbaceous peonies in Songyue Hall’s little garden bloomed one after another. A’Bao ran to pick a few flowers and put them in a vase in Mother’s room.

“Mother, you like peony flowers, I like peony flowers, so little sister will like them too.”

“Newborn babies can’t see yet.”

“Oh, then can little sister smell the flower fragrance?”

“Maybe.”

That night, when A’Bao was sleeping soundly, Wei Rao went into labor. At midnight, she gave birth to a pair of twin boys.

Wei Rao looked at the peonies in the distant vase, then at the two sons in swaddling clothes, and asked Lu Zhuo, “It’s all your fault for saying there would be a sister. What do we do now?”

Lu Zhuo was silent for a moment, then pointed at the younger son who had been born second, “How about we tell A’Bao this one is a sister?” The younger one looked more like Wei Rao.

Wei Rao glared at him, “Do you think A’Bao is stupid?”

Lu Zhuo was at a loss.

When morning came and A’Bao came over, learning that Mother had given birth to two little brothers for her, A’Bao didn’t cry, contrary to everyone’s expectations.

Duchess Ying asked her, “Doesn’t A’Bao want a little sister anymore?”

A’Bao shook her head, “I do, but Mother has already finished giving birth, so there’s nothing I can do about it.”

The little girl’s serious manner made everyone in the room laugh.