Let’s speak plainly—Mu Qingyan was going to be a father.

On a certain day, three years and five months after their marriage, fine rain drizzled outside while the graceful and distinguished Young Master Mu sat by the window, grinding ink and taking up his brush. He planned to paint a picture of fish leaping in the drizzle to commemorate the fun these past few months as the young couple had traveled through this scenic water town.

Just then, Cai Zhao leisurely strolled in and told him in the tone of “I want to eat sweet and sour fish tonight”—that she was with child.

Mu Qingyan was stunned. The brush in his hand dropped with a clatter, and on the pristine silk paper rolled out a pitch-black little fat-headed fish, as if mischievously opening its mouth in laughter.

The various misfortunes that followed seemed to be foretold by this black little fat-headed fish.

Unlike many husbands caught off guard, Mu Qingyan had long planned to become a father. He was determined to be a father, particularly loved the idea of being a father, and was confident he could be a gentle and loving good father like his late father.

To this end, he had not only methodically read many records about women’s childbirth, but had even had Ghost Doctor Lin Shu capture several experienced midwives to discuss in detail the accidents that might occur during actual operations.

Two years ago, on the day of Xing’er’s first birth, You Guanyue was beside himself with worry, Cai Zhao was flustered, but it was Sect Leader Mu who personally took charge of the outer courtyard. Based on sufficient theoretical knowledge and guided by superior psychological quality, he methodically dispatched servants, midwives, and wet nurses, ultimately achieving high-quality, efficient delivery with no aftereffects or psychological trauma.

Mu Qingyan had thought that when Zhao Zhao became pregnant, he would be equally calm and composed. He never expected that the child would be ignorant and defeat the old master with wild punches.

Upon first hearing the good news, myriad scenes flashed through Sect Leader Mu’s mind—he thought of his father who died young, thought of those ten years of father-son affection that were beautiful to the point of being almost unreal. Perhaps he was too moved by these thoughts, for that evening his culinary skills greatly deteriorated, burning the sweet and sour fish into fish skin and rice crust, much to the young pregnant woman’s displeasure.

This emotion ended on the tenth day after the fish skin and rice crust incident, when Cai Zhao began suffering from morning sickness.

Mu Qingyan was completely unprepared.

Actually, those who practiced martial arts like them had constitutions quite different from ordinary people. Even someone with low cultivation like Xing’er rarely suffered from morning sickness. Who knew that Cai Zhao would vomit until the sky was dark and the stars were brilliant.

Mu Qingyan was at a complete loss and had no choice but to take Zhao Zhao and ride the Golden-winged Roc through the night back to the Vast Sea Mountain Range to seek help.

The Ghost Doctor responded calmly, taking her pulse coolly—left wrist, right wrist, then back to the left wrist.

Sect Leader Mu was so anxious he stamped his feet, angrily scolding the quack doctor to speak up.

Lin Shu: “Allow this subordinate to return and look up medical texts to check case studies.”

Mu Qingyan: “You want to flip through books to treat patients now? What kind of doctor are you?”

Lin Shu: “Doctors also come in different grades. This subordinate was originally a poison master who only became a doctor halfway through after taking a master.”

Mu Qingyan still wouldn’t give up: “Can you find a solution in the books?”

Lin Shu pondered for a moment and consoled: “Sect Leader need not worry. It’s better to have no books than to trust books completely—many difficult illnesses can’t be cured by reading books either.”

Mu Qingyan’s heart grew cold: “So there’s nothing in the books either? Then why did you just say you’d go back to look up books and check case studies?”

Lin Shu: “This was taught by my master. If we encounter patients beyond our ability, we doctors must soften our words somewhat. If we directly say there’s no hope, no cure—we’ll get beaten.”

Mu Qingyan: …

Lin Shu saw Mu Qingyan’s expression was unkind and quietly stepped back half a step: “Sect Leader, you won’t beat this subordinate, will you?”

Mu Qingyan took a deep breath, silently recited three times ‘accumulate virtue for the little fat-headed fish,’ then pointed at Lin Shu: “You, from now on study difficult gynecological and obstetric cases. If you don’t have an explanation when I return, I’ll immediately go slaughter Shen Ruoxin and her daughter!”

Lin Shu was shocked and alarmed, repeatedly saying: “Sect Leader, please don’t! This subordinate will study diligently right away…”

You Guanyue, who had been hiding nearby, only came forward in small steps after seeing Mu Qingyan walk away: “Who is Shen Ruoxin?”

Lin Shu was in tears and snot: “She’s the evil woman who heartlessly abandoned this subordinate many years ago!”

You Guanyue was slightly surprised: “You found her? Didn’t you two say ‘never to see each other again in life or death’?”

“This subordinate didn’t find her—it was the Sect Leader and his wife who encountered her while traveling.” Lin Shu straightened his chest to show his integrity remained intact. “A few months ago, Madam settled the mother and daughter at the eastern foothills, with Liu Sanchui’s sister looking after them. That woman’s adopted little girl fell ill. The sect has better medicine and care—we couldn’t delay someone’s life over a grudge.”

You Guanyue murmured: “How did I not know any of this?”

Lin Shu rolled his eyes: “Ever since Elder became a father, your hearing and sight aren’t what they used to be. Does Elder have other business? If not, this subordinate will go study medicine now.”

Thinking that Xing’er might need this in the future, You Guanyue didn’t dare offend Lin Shu and saw him off a stretch with kind words. When he returned, he heard that the Sect Leader had already taken his wife and soared away on the roc.

After reaching Falling Petals Valley, Mu Qingyan quickly explained the whole situation, looking hopefully at his father-in-law and mother-in-law with bright eyes, expecting the Cai Pingchun couple, who had two experiences, to come up with a solution.

Ning Xiaofeng looked at her daughter, looked at her husband, then looked at her son-in-law, completely bewildered.

When pregnant with her daughter, her heart and eyes were full of Cai Pingshu; when pregnant with her young son, she… uh, was still full of Cai Pingshu, always worrying about Cai Pingshu’s illness, never experiencing any discomfort.

Cai Pingchun was silent for a long while, then went to his study and searched through all the family records in Falling Petals Valley but found no similar stories.

After several busy days, even when Granny Xiang, the town’s top pregnancy and childbirth expert, personally took action, Cai Zhao continued vomiting as before with no sign of improvement. Mu Qingyan was nearly in despair, sitting woodenly in the courtyard, suddenly having the thought ‘better not to have a child at all.’

Seeing the heavy atmosphere in the whole family, Cai Xiaohan urged his anxious brother-in-law to go to the mountains to pick fresh fruits and catch mountain spring fish. Who knew that on the way down the mountain, they encountered a terrifying storm with lightning and thunder roaring deafeningly. Young Master Cai was scared and trembling, crying out “Don’t know which immortal is undergoing tribulation here.” Mu Qingyan knew such conditions were unsuitable for traveling through dense forest, so they had to stay overnight in a mountain hunting lodge.

The next day when they returned to the valley, they learned that his beloved wife had not vomited for a full day and night, sleeping peacefully. She was now sitting energetically at the table gnawing on freshly baked char siu buns. But before Mu Qingyan could sit beside her for even half a moment, the familiar feeling of nausea struck again.

Everyone looked at each other in confusion. Cai Xiaohan, with a child’s innocent words, hit the nail on the head: “Is Sister vomiting because of Brother-in-law?”

Mu Qingyan felt as if muffled thunder rang in his ears. He stood there speechless and dazed, countless thoughts flooding his mind:

Zhao Zhao finds me repulsive.

No, Zhao Zhao wouldn’t find me repulsive.

Then it must be the child in her womb who extremely dislikes me…

Sect Leader Mu, who bore deep childhood trauma, once again tasted the feeling of being rejected.

After being dazed for a good while, he barely recovered a bit of his soul: “Could we be mistaken?”

The next few days of testing repeatedly confirmed Cai Han’s conclusion—as long as she stayed away from Mu Qingyan, Cai Zhao was fine, eating heartily with a rosy complexion; as soon as Mu Qingyan approached, she would start retching.

Cai Zhao also found it strange. Actually, she had always loved Mu Qingyan’s scent—clear and quiet, like cold wind passing through snow pine needles. This was a incense habit he had developed while staying by his late father’s side.

Mu Qingyan still refused to give up, constantly bathing and changing clothes, switching various incenses, but Cai Zhao seemed to have a supernatural nose. Even if Mu Qingyan disguised himself and mixed in crowds to approach her, she could sense him within five steps.

So Ning Xiaofeng suggested the young couple temporarily live apart.

Mu Qingyan finally couldn’t suppress his murderous intent: “This child must be an evil spirit reincarnated.”

Cai Zhao’s beautiful eyes glared: “Try saying that again. You’re the one who was so eager to be a father.”

Mu Qingyan was somewhat dejected, sitting ten steps away from Cai Zhao across a screen: “…I just, just feel that having a child would make Father very happy.”

Cai Zhao found it somewhat amusing: “And now?”

Mu Qingyan habitually moved a few inches closer to the screen, then immediately retreated. His tall figure slumped dejectedly: “If I have to be separated from you, I’d rather have nothing at all.”

Cai Zhao endured the chest tightness and nausea, bravely walked to his side and stroked Mu Qingyan’s jet-black hair, gently consoling: “Don’t talk as if it’s life and death separation. It’s just temporary separate living. Mother says if we endure the first few months it will be fine. Be good, you go live somewhere else for a while… ugh, anyway stay away from me!”

Actually, returning to Falling Petals Town to nurture the pregnancy, Cai Zhao was more comfortable. She could eat whatever she wanted, and had her parents and younger brother for company.

Mu Qingyan didn’t want to return to the Vast Sea Mountain Range, so he settled down in the back mountain valley full of peach blossoms, where there was an empty old Cai family residence.

Having suffered inhuman torture from childhood and witnessing his loving father’s tragic death as a youth, his temperament inevitably became moody and capricious. If this situation had happened to Mu Qingyan from a few years ago, he would have gone completely mad. Fortunately, since marrying Cai Zhao, he had slowly learned how to pass these heartless days alone.

So he practiced martial arts, brewed wine, and copied scriptures daily. Every day he would go to town to visit his wife from a distance, living like a monk, resentfully waiting for the little rascal to spare his parents.

Cai Xiaohan was quite happy that his brother-in-law could live nearby.

The ten-year-old little boy hadn’t grown much taller, but his emotional world had become much richer. He believed some things could only be understood between young men (he considered himself already a man), so he would visit Mu Qingyan in the back mountain valley from time to time to chat.

“Brother-in-law, brother-in-law, why doesn’t Xiaochun like me but likes Ah Gou from the char siu shop?” Cai Xiaohan’s face was full of trouble, his tender white face wrinkled like a peach pit.

“Do you want to hear the brutal truth or something gentler?” Mu Qingyan didn’t even lift his head, carefully removing pits from fresh peaches one by one, crushing the peach flesh. The room was filled with fresh fruit fragrance, while shiny empty wine jars sat on the table beside him.

“The brutal truth!” The little boy was full of backbone.

“You’re too short.”

“…Brother-in-law, please be gentler.”

“Perhaps you’re too short.”

“…”

Cai Xiaohan left, devastated, but returned unwillingly after a few days.

“Brother-in-law, brother-in-law, Father scolded me for not working hard at practice, making little progress. Is Father being too harsh on me?” His voice was full of expectation.

“Do you want to hear the brutal truth or something gentler?” Mu Qingyan checked whether each wine jar was properly sealed.

“…Something gentler.” He learned this time.

“Father-in-law is truly a good father. Though he’d rather spend time with Mother-in-law, he still takes time every day to teach his disappointing youngest son.”

“…What about the brutal truth?”

“Father-in-law is truly a good father—he can’t bear to tell the truth. You spend your days wandering the streets, watching opera, listening to stories, fishing and hunting. It’s not just little progress—it’s no progress at all.”

Cai Xiaohan burst into tears while catching the key point: “So no matter what, my father is very, very good, right? Brother-in-law, you’re too good at flattering my father! Don’t I need some too? I’m also Sister’s closest relative!”

—As a ten-year-old boy, he just wanted to hear some kind words. Was that so difficult?

Cai Xiaohan immediately went to tell on his brother-in-law to his sister. Cai Zhao laughed until she fell backward. Cai Han became even more indignant, shouting about going to find Great-Uncle Master Juexing to become a monk, until Cai Zhao agreed to speak for him.

So when Mu Qingyan came to visit that evening, Cai Zhao demanded her husband restrain his sharp tongue: “Stop bullying Xiaohan. Be careful he badmouths you behind your back. Other brothers-in-law stick up for their brothers-in-law.”

“It’s for his own good.” Mu Qingyan stood two zhang away. “A man must stand up for himself. Can’t expect to call for help whenever there’s trouble in Falling Petals Valley.”

“Speaking so righteously—you’re just afraid he’ll keep coming to bother me.”

Mu Qingyan sighed: “Xiaohan is really too lazy. At ten years old, his cultivation is not even as good as mine at six or seven.” And he was only brought back by Mu Zhengming at age five.

Cai Zhao sighed: “Can’t help it. When he was born, the martial world was already peaceful. Grandmother called him to the Ning family every few days. Just as he was beginning to understand things, the enormous trouble caused by Master and the others was resolved—without pressing reasons, even Father didn’t have much motivation to push him in practice.”

“This won’t do. People without long-term plans will have immediate worries.” Mu Qingyan shook his head. “How about… I set up a situation, find Xiaohan a few enemies to bully him severely for a while. Maybe then he’ll love practicing martial arts.”

Cai Zhao almost blurted out ‘excellent’ but then put on a stern face: “How can we elders deceive the younger generation with lies?”

Mu Qingyan was puzzled: “Really don’t need me to take action?”

Cai Zhao looked serious: “Xiaohan is still young and won’t listen to profound truths. Teaching him slowly, he’ll improve eventually. But…”

She slightly turned her face: “Life’s encounters are hard to predict. Maybe Xiaohan will have his awakening someday.”

Mu Qingyan suppressed a smile: “I understand.”

Cai Xiaohan probably heard from his sister that his brother-in-law would be kind and gentle to him afterward, so a few days later, he came crying to Mu Qingyan with complaints again.

“Brother-in-law, brother-in-law, Xiaochun is going to marry Ah Gou!” The little boy looked as if he wanted to die. “She’s so heartless! When she picked peaches for me, she praised me for definitely becoming tall and strong in the future. Now she says she’s marrying, she’s marrying! Wuu wuu wuu…”

Mu Qingyan had been digging holes under the peach trees, wanting to bury the wine jars deeper without damaging the tree roots. Sect Leader Mu was digging very carefully.

At this moment, hearing these words, he paused his flower hoe: “Is this true?”

“Really, really! The char siu shop has already started preparing betrothal gifts!” Cai Xiaohan’s tears flowed like springs. “Why marry so early? She’s only eight years older than me! Can’t she wait for me? I can marry soon too! Wuu wuu, wuu wuu…”

Mu Qingyan’s mouth twitched: “Besides praising you for becoming tall and strong, what else did Xiaochun say to you?”

“She also said I have a good temperament, kind and easygoing, and when I become valley master I’ll definitely treat everyone well.”

“What else?”

Cai Xiaohan was confused: “What else?”

Mu Qingyan: “Eternal vows? Promises for this life? Swearing to marry no one but you? Any of that?”

With each question, Cai Han’s little face grew redder. Finally, embarrassed and angry: “I’ve watched opera. Sometimes between men and women, there’s no need to speak everything clearly…” His voice grew quieter.

Mu Qingyan nodded: “Xiaohan is right. This woman is fickle and unfaithful, truly hateful. I’ll go take this heartless woman’s head to vent our Xiaohan’s anger.”

Cai Xiaohan stumbled and fell on the spot. Getting up: “Brother-in-law, are you joking?”

Mu Qingyan’s face was expressionless: “Xiaohan, go ask around the martial world. When has this sect leader ever joked about killing?”

Cai Xiaohan saw his cold face and inexplicable murderous aura, remembering the demon sect’s fearsome reputation, and quickly grabbed Mu Qingyan’s arm: “Brother-in-law, brother-in-law, don’t! I like Xiaochun—don’t go kill her!”

Mu Qingyan frowned: “But she wronged you.”

Cai Xiaohan said urgently: “Mistakes can be corrected! If she changes her mind and doesn’t marry, then we can still be good in the future!”

Mu Qingyan nodded again: “That makes sense. How about I go kill that Ah Gou? Then she can’t marry, and can wait peacefully for you to marry her.” He made to leave again.

Cai Xiaohan hugged his waist tightly, repeatedly saying: “No, no, no! Brother-in-law, don’t go! Even without Ah Gou, there will be others. Quite a few in town fancy Xiaochun.”

“That’s easy to handle—whoever Xiaochun wants to marry, I’ll kill. Make it so no one can marry her. By the time you reach adulthood, probably need to kill seven or eight.”

“Se-seven or eight? Kill so many?” Cai Xiaohan was scared into stuttering.

Mu Qingyan said lightly: “What’s the big deal? When Nie Hengcheng was in power, forget about killing entire families—poisoning whole cities was common.”

Cai Xiaohan was scared out of his wits, wishing he could hang his entire body on Mu Qingyan to hold him back: “No, no, no! Brother-in-law, don’t kill Xiaochun, don’t kill Ah Gou, don’t kill anyone! Brother-in-law, please don’t!”

“No, I was wrong! I’m the one who’s wrong! Xiaochun is already eighteen—marrying isn’t early at all! Marriage is good, she should have married long ago! Actually, she’s almost twenty by lunar years. Being picky until now, her parents are nearly worried to death!”

“Mother says this match is especially good. Xiaochun loves meat, and after marrying the char siu shop’s young master, she can eat meat every day! In a few days, Father and Mother will go drink wedding wine too!”

“Brother-in-law, brother-in-law, don’t do anything! I don’t like Xiaochun at all anymore!”

Mu Qingyan’s handsome eyes slanted: “Really don’t need my help?”

“No, no, no!”

“Really don’t want me to stick up for you?”

“No, no, no!”

“Then… alright. If Xiaohan suffers any grievances in the future, you must come tell brother-in-law. Brother-in-law has plenty of ways to help.”

Cai Xiaohan wiped his sweaty forehead with his sleeve, weakly: “Th-thank you, brother-in-law.”

Mu Qingyan sighed lightly: “Again, I couldn’t stick up for you or help. Your sister will blame me again.”

Cai Xiaohan repeatedly said: “Not at all! Brother-in-law helped me tremendously! Brother-in-law is the best person—righteous, impressive, and helpful!” While speaking, his little head was covered in hot sweat again.

“Oh, really?”

“Yes, yes! Brother-in-law is such a good person, Sister really married the right man!”

…

Evening came again, with cool breezes.

Cai Zhao lay by the window laughing uncontrollably.

In the courtyard, the old locust tree grew lush and verdant with thick foliage, filtering the summer sunlight into dappled shade. Mu Qingyan hung from the thick, strong high branches with one hand, his entire body surrounded by large clusters of pink-white flower plates.

The fragrance followed the cool evening breeze into the room. Cai Zhao lifted her smiling, radiant face: “Is this how you stick up for him?”

Mu Qingyan said: “This child complains and whines too much—no masculine spirit at all.”

Cai Zhao giggled: “You’re just mischievous and love bullying people.”

Mu Qingyan suddenly sighed lightly: “I’ve read the sect records. Mu family descendants are mostly ones who endure silently and hold grudges, waiting for the day to take fierce revenge, not hesitating even if blood flows like rivers. When has there been someone as kind-hearted and magnanimous as Xiaohan, cheerful every day? Sometimes thinking about it, growing up this way is quite good.”

Cai Zhao also sighed: “I hope Xiaohan can stay this joyful for life.”

Mu Qingyan greedily looked at her healthy, rosy face, wishing he could carve every line into his eyes. He said gently: “How are you today? Feicui said you slept until the sun was high again this morning.”

“Pretty good, just lazy. The more I sleep, the more I want to sleep.”

“Did you eat all the fish, mutton, and shrimp wonton I sent yesterday?”

Cai Zhao cupped her little face: “Ate them all. Father and Mother shared a bowl too. Sigh, I’m just eating and sleeping every day like a pig. The aunties in town say after the first few months, I should walk around more.”

She put down her hands, her beautiful eyes shimmering: “And you?”

Mu Qingyan lowered his head: “Today I sealed two more jars of peach wine. This time the peach flesh was riper—the wine might be sweeter.”

“Still buried under that crooked-neck peach tree?”

“Mm. When you give birth, I’ll dig them up for the celebration.”

“It’s only been a few months—the wine won’t be mellow yet. Save half for the baby to dig up later. When it grows up, tell it these wines were painstakingly brewed by Father before it was even born.”

“Good.” Mu Qingyan smiled tenderly, seeming even more beautiful than the jade-white flowers surrounding him.

Cai Zhao said: “I never knew you could brew wine. During this time, your cooking skills have really shocked my mother.”

Mu Qingyan shook his head: “Before meeting you, I didn’t know I could make wontons.”

Cai Zhao’s eyes sparkled brightly. After looking at him for a while, she beckoned: “Come here.”

Mu Qingyan hesitated: “Is it okay?”

“I’m holding my breath. Come quickly.”

He leaped down from the dense branches, flashed close to the window, and eagerly jumped into the room. Reaching out to touch his wife’s warm, soft arm, when they embraced intimately, he smelled her warm, fragrant scent. Since their marriage, they had been deeply in love, intimate and inseparable for even a moment. He didn’t dare touch Cai Zhao’s mouth and nose, only lowering his head to nuzzle against her neck and skin.

Cai Zhao kissed him, her rosy, tender cheeks like ripe, fragrant peaches. She lovingly stroked her husband’s face: “Take good care of yourself. Don’t neglect eating and resting. Remember that, alright?”

Mu Qingyan nodded, reluctantly releasing his arms. After walking a few steps, he turned back, leaning close to his wife’s soft cheek and whispering very quietly: “Before meeting you, I not only didn’t know I could make wontons, I also didn’t know… I could love someone this way. You must also take good care of yourself.”

Cai Zhao cupped her red, hot cheeks, watching him leap away in a few bounds. Her whole heart felt filled with sweet peach wine—sweet, dizzy, joyful beyond measure.

—Perhaps because they were both too delighted and shy, neither noticed that Cai Zhao hadn’t actually held her breath just now.

Six months later, when the time came, Cai Zhao smoothly gave birth to a boy.

Mu Qingyan stiffly held the swaddling clothes, staring blankly. The infant was red and wrinkled, incredibly soft and tiny.

According to the young couple’s previous discussion, if it was a girl, they would name her Cai Shuze to commemorate Cai Pingshu; if a boy, they would call him Mu Yan to commemorate Mu Zhengming.

In that great catastrophe years ago, they had been at the center of the whirlpool yet remained pure and good-hearted from beginning to end. No matter what harm or betrayal they had suffered, they never took it out on the innocent or sought revenge on the world.

“Zhao, Zhao Zhao…” Mu Qingyan turned his head helplessly: “He, he… he actually moves.”

Cai Zhao glanced at him: “If he didn’t move, something would be wrong.”

Mu Qingyan joyfully sat beside the bed: “Zhao Zhao, look quickly—he looks like you and is very lovable.”

Cai Zhao murmured: “You could say other nice things to cheer me up. He’s obviously wrinkled and ugly beyond words, yet you insist on saying the opposite. It’s really ineffective.”

Mu Qingyan was so happy he was a bit dazed, still smiling: “I’m not lying to you. He really is lovable—bald forehead, swollen eyelids, good-looking just like you.”

Cai Zhao: “…” If you can’t speak well, you don’t have to speak.

Mu Qingyan held the swaddling clothes and moved close to the bed head, extending one arm to circle Cai Zhao, trying to get all three heads close together.

Thus, they were a family of three.

After looking at the swaddling clothes for a while, Cai Zhao said: “Looking more, this child is actually quite handsome.”

Mu Qingyan was very certain: “Of course. Our Yan’er is quite attractive.”

“Mm, those who call him ugly just don’t have good taste.”

“People without good taste don’t have much point in living. Let’s kill them all.”

Cai Xiaohan, holding a soup bowl and about to enter the room, heard the last sentence and fell down in terror again.

Author’s Note:

You definitely won’t believe this, but I actually watched “Wings of the Clouds” completely through. I got to know two round-faced young actresses—good acting, beautiful eyes, and adorable people. It’s just that one of them isn’t even an adult yet, which is excessive.

Oh, and the male actors too—tall, good line delivery. I hope more newcomers emerge.

Any industry needs a constant stream of new people to prosper.