TGFH Chapter 42: The Fifth Day of the First Lunar Month

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The next day, when Bai Yi woke up, he was still unhappy that Xiao Yiran hadn’t woken him up. However, Xiao Yiran, being as dense as ever, remained expressionless and didn’t even think to apologize or coax him. This annoyed Bai Yi so much that he ignored Xiao Yiran for half the day, lying there without saying a word. Xiao Yiran, on the other hand, became anxious, thinking that Bai Yi was unwell, and immediately sent someone to call for Yun Mozhi.

Yun Mozhi had been incredibly busy these past few days, and he was already in a bad mood. Being dragged into this fuss by Xiao Yiran only made him angrier. He scolded both of them on the spot, flung his sleeves in irritation, and stormed off. Xiao Yiran didn’t seem to mind much; as soon as he heard Yun Mozhi say that Bai Yi was fine, he stopped worrying. However, Bai Yi, on the other hand, felt quite embarrassed. He reflected on his actions and felt ashamed. Though he was exasperated by Xiao Yiran’s lack of understanding, he also felt that making Xiao Yiran worry so much was a bit excessive. Besides, arguing with a block of wood was pointless. In the end, he could only swallow his frustration and accept his fate.

Over the next few days, Bai Yi relaxed, and his health improved significantly—much better than Yun Mozhi had initially expected. As a result, Yun Mozhi even gave Xiao Yiran some rare praise for his care. Meanwhile, little An’an’s condition was also improving steadily. Although he still couldn’t speak, he cooperated well during Yun Mozhi’s treatments. He was quiet and well-behaved, often smiling with his chubby little lips, making him very easy to take care of. Since the baby’s smile resembled his father’s, Xiao Yiran’s fondness for him grew even stronger.

The only bad news was that, after nearly half a month of observation, Yun Mozhi confirmed that apart from being unable to speak, An’an also reacted slightly slower to external stimuli compared to other children. Though the baby was still young, and this didn’t necessarily mean he had cognitive impairments, it was clear that he might be less sharp than other kids.

This news saddened everyone, especially Hualan, who felt deeply guilty. However, Bai Yi didn’t seem too bothered by it. When Feng Jing asked if he was truly not upset, Bai Yi simply smiled and said, "It’s fine. When I was young, my father often said I was slow too. If he takes after me, then so be it. No matter what, he’s still my son." Xiao Yiran wholeheartedly agreed. He didn’t care if their child couldn’t talk or was a little slow. He was capable of providing for him for a lifetime—so long as the child grew up healthy, that was all that mattered.

Since both fathers didn’t mind, the others also refrained from discussing it further. Instead, they showered the baby with even more love and affection. As a result, little Xiao Zi’an became the most adored member of the general’s household. Eventually, Yun Mozhi had to impose a ban on visitors, insisting that the baby needed peace and quiet to recover, preventing everyone from constantly coming to dote on him.

Since Bai Yi and the baby had yet to fully recover, the baby remained under Yun Mozhi’s care for now. Bai Yi and Xiao Yiran visited daily to spend time with him. Yun Mozhi assured them that once the New Year celebrations were over and their health stabilized, they could take their child back. Bai Yi was overjoyed by this news and became even more diligent in his recovery.

On the fourth day of the New Year, while the festive atmosphere was still strong, an invitation from the An’guo Marquis Manor finally arrived at the general’s residence. Since the marriage was decreed by the emperor, proper etiquette had to be observed regardless of the personal sentiments of the bride and groom. Given their noble statuses, the wedding was bound to be grand.

Bai Yi originally wanted to attend, considering that Bu Huaiyuan and Xiao Yiran had always been close friends. However, both Xiao Yiran and Yun Mozhi firmly objected, so Bai Yi had no choice but to stay home and rest. Fortunately, Yun Mozhi was good friends with Mu Qi and would be attending the wedding, allowing Bai Yi to personally care for the baby in the meantime, which made him quite happy.

On the fifth day of the New Year, after multiple reminders and the deployment of trusted guards to strengthen security, Xiao Yiran reluctantly departed with Yun Mozhi. Others like Xiao Min and Feng Jing were also required to attend the wedding at the An’guo Marquis Manor, though they had some flexibility with their timing. Only Hualan, as a soon-to-be-married woman, was unable to leave the residence. Since Bai Yi also had to stay behind, he invited Hualan over to the main courtyard to chat while they waited for the others to return.

Recently, Hualan had been busy either working on embroidery for her dowry or accompanying Madam Xiao, rarely leaving her quarters. However, she had been wanting to apologize to Bai Yi personally for quite some time but hadn’t found an opportunity. Now that he had invited her, she gladly accepted.

When Hualan stepped into the room, Bai Yi was gently cradling the baby in his arms with a warm expression. Upon seeing her, he immediately greeted her, "Lan’er, you’re here! Have a seat. Sorry for making you come all this way in such cold weather. Here, have some hot tea to warm up." He gestured toward the teapot that had been kept warm on the table.

Hualan, feeling a bit uneasy, stepped forward to help Bai Yi sit down and then poured tea for both of them. Under Bai Yi’s gentle gaze, she silently took a few sips.

Bai Yi smiled kindly. "I sent Yuan’er to prepare some food. I just wanted to have a private chat with you, that’s all. Don’t be nervous. We haven’t seen each other in a while, and since you’ll be getting married soon, I figured today was a good time to catch up."

Hualan lowered her head and shook it slightly. Then, in a quiet voice, she said, "Lan’er has been wanting to apologize to you personally." Saying this, she suddenly stood up, intending to kneel before Bai Yi.

"No need! I’m holding An’an, so it’s not convenient for me to move. Just sit down and don’t make things difficult for me," Bai Yi quickly stopped her by tugging at her sleeve. Seeing his insistence, Hualan had no choice but to sit back down.

Once Bai Yi was settled again, he gently soothed the baby, who had stirred slightly from the commotion. When the baby snuggled back into Bai Yi’s arms, he turned to Hualan with a smile. "Why apologize? I actually wanted to thank you."

Hualan shook her head vigorously, her eyes turning red. "It was my mother who caused this… If not for her, you and An’an wouldn’t have suffered like this… I…"

"Your mother is your mother, and you are you. If you hadn’t blocked that blade for me back then, perhaps An’an and I wouldn’t be here today. And that wasn’t the only time—you’ve saved me twice. I sincerely appreciate it." Bai Yi gently shook her head and said softly, "Lan’er, you are a good girl, and you are about to get married soon. I invited you here today because I want you to let go of your burdens. Your mother has already borne the consequences of her mistakes; you don’t need to atone for them on her behalf."

Hua Lan’s tears had already fallen upon hearing these words. She didn’t have particularly deep feelings for Bai Yi—just occasional interactions. The reason she had saved Bai Yi before and stopped Aunt Xiao was simply that she didn’t want her mother to go down the wrong path, nor did she want to feel guilty about it. But ever since she learned that Bai Yi had nearly died in childbirth, taking her baby with her, and about the baby’s later struggles, she had never dared to hope for Bai Yi’s forgiveness for either herself or her mother. Now, she kept to herself not only because she was about to get married but also because she didn’t know how to face Xiao Yiran and the rest of the general’s residence.

Bai Yi sighed softly when she saw Hua Lan’s tears, then smiled gently and said even more softly, "Don’t cry. You’re about to be a bride—how can you walk down the aisle with red eyes? Do you want to hold An’an for a bit? After all, you are his cousin."

Hua Lan looked up in surprise, staring at Bai Yi, who smiled warmly and carefully placed the baby in Hua Lan’s arms while keeping her hands close by for support, gently guiding her on how to hold the baby.

"Cousin-in-law, An’an is so tiny... I don’t dare to hold him." Hua Lan looked at Bai Yi nervously, momentarily forgetting her tears. She cautiously cradled the baby, afraid to apply too much force. Fortunately, the baby stayed still and lay obediently in her arms. Even so, Hua Lan was so tense that her entire body stiffened.

Bai Yi kept her hands nearby for support and chuckled softly at Hua Lan’s nervousness. "Don’t be so tense. Hold him steady with just a little strength, but don’t press on him. Look, An’an is smiling at you."

Hua Lan tried to calm herself and adjusted her posture according to Bai Yi’s guidance. Upon hearing that the baby was smiling at her, she quickly lowered her head to look.

The baby, having just noticed the change in his surroundings, first turned his head to observe the two women. He stared at Bai Yi for a while, then at Hua Lan. Finally, he grinned at Hua Lan, his tiny mouth forming bubbles of saliva, while his little hands waved lightly in the air. Hua Lan found this both amusing and amazing.

Bai Yi smiled as she held the baby’s tiny, waving hand and gently wiped the drool from his mouth with a silk handkerchief. "So young, yet already charming the beautiful cousin. He’s going to be a little flirt when he grows up."

Hua Lan burst into laughter at this, finally relaxing a little. She even defended the baby, "An’an is just sweet and lovable. Anyone would adore him."

"Don’t praise him too much. He smiles foolishly at everyone. If Yiran and I don’t look at him, he doesn’t miss us at all—such a little heartless thing." Bai Yi playfully poked the baby’s forehead. Though her words carried mock complaint, her face was full of indulgent affection. "One day, someone might kidnap him, and he’d just smile and go along with them."

"Cousin-in-law and cousin wouldn’t bear to let that happen." Hua Lan giggled as she gazed at the baby pouting. Then she looked back at Bai Yi with newfound warmth in her eyes. Carefully, she returned the baby to Bai Yi’s arms and softly said, "Thank you, Cousin-in-law."

"No need for thanks. We’re family." Bai Yi securely cradled the baby and gave Hua Lan a warm smile. "They probably won’t be back anytime soon. Stay and have dinner with us. I won’t be able to help out on your wedding day, so consider this my way of making it up to you in advance."

Hua Lan nodded lightly. Then, she helped Bai Yi sit comfortably. The two spent time playing with the baby and chatting casually. After dinner, Hua Lan stayed to talk a little longer before finally leaving when Xiao Yiran hurried back.

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