TTLJDFL Chapter 5

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Li Jin’s words made Qin Muwen feel like he was dreaming.

He wondered—had he already died, and was his memory failing him?

Ever since his family had been convicted, he had gone from being the son of a minister to a prisoner.

Because he was a ge’er, he had avoided being exiled like his brothers and had escaped being sent to a brothel like his sisters.

At the time, he had been terrified—because he was going to be sold.

To prevent his father’s students from rescuing him, his captors had announced his death to the world, then secretly transported him to a remote village and sold him off like mere goods.

Now, let’s talk about Li Jin. He was 1.8 meters tall, which, in an era where the average "seven-foot man" was around 1.7 meters, made him quite tall.

Of course, the taller and more handsome a man was, the more he would attract admiration from women.

Li Jin wasn’t bad-looking—his features were well-defined, with a high nose bridge. When his phoenix-shaped eyes studied someone, they seemed to carry a hint of warmth.

Qin Muwen had never imagined what his partner would be like.

But when he first saw Li Jin, he hadn’t been disappointed.

Of course, if Li Jin had truly been a good person, then those people wouldn’t have just casually sold Qin Muwen to him.

As the son of a convicted official, was he ever meant to have a good life?

After marriage, Li Jin’s true nature was revealed—he was incapable but arrogant, full of self-importance, and quick to look down on others.

To put it bluntly, the little bit of education he had picked up in town likely couldn’t even compare to what Qin Muwen, a ge’er, had learned.

And yet, Li Jin had despised Qin Muwen for being a ge’er, thinking he brought him shame.

Li Jin had set his sights on the top courtesan of Piaoxiang Pavilion in town. But with no money, he naturally couldn’t win her favor.

After drowning his sorrows in alcohol, he would return home and take his frustration out on Qin Muwen, beating him.

At first, Qin Muwen had still held some expectations for Li Jin. But eventually, he became numb, resigning himself to his fate.

He had always been gentle and obedient. From a young age, he had been taught to care for his husband and never make excessive demands.

Even as the son of a high-ranking official, his status as a ge’er meant he was never meant to be a first wife.

Qin Muwen’s father had been a concubine of the Minister. It was only because of his obedience that the main wife had allowed him to bear the Minister’s child.

Qin Muwen had been married for over a year before he finally conceived a child.

Now, in the second year of their marriage, after ten months of pregnancy, the baby was about to be born.

For a ger, childbirth was a treacherous journey through the gates of death. Qin Muwen had already fought with all his strength, yet he was on the verge of collapse…

He had no desire to die. If he died, there would be nothing left—at least while he was alive, there was still hope. He could still see the blue sky and white clouds.

So, no matter how difficult life became, Qin Muwen gritted his teeth and endured.

But now, this was no longer something he could endure through sheer willpower.

—

Li Jin's hand was being gripped so tightly by Qin Muwen that it felt like it no longer belonged to him.

A ger normally didn’t have much strength, but a ger in the throes of labor, struggling in pain, could easily cause Li Jin—whose body was already weak—to feel intense pain.

Li Jin thought to himself that the pain Qin Muwen was enduring right now must be thousands of times worse than his own.

Being able to share in this boy’s pain, in a way, was also his redemption for the sins committed by the body's original owner.

Li Jin said, “Don’t use your strength blindly—you need to have a rhythm. Otherwise, it will be difficult for the baby to come out.”

Qin Muwen had just endured another wave of pain, his eyes now brimming with tears of agony.

Hearing Li Jin’s words, he couldn’t immediately react.

But Li Jin understood his condition well, so instead of explaining further, he started giving direct instructions.

“Inhale, relax, exhale. Hold back from screaming, push.”

Li Jin’s voice was steady and slow, a stark contrast to the way he usually spoke.

There was a quiet yet unstoppable force behind his words.

Following his instructions, Qin Muwen pushed with all his strength for less than ten minutes before suddenly gripping Li Jin’s hand tightly.

A sound, like that of a wounded little beast falling into a trap, pierced by iron spikes yet unable to cry out in pain, escaped Qin Muwen’s lips.

Li Jin, being tall, could see over Qin Muwen’s legs and caught sight of the baby’s head, covered in soft fetal hair.

It was starting to emerge.

His tense nerves relaxed slightly, and he said with excitement, “The baby’s head is almost out! Just a little more effort, and you’ll be done.”

This was not the time to rest—one final push, and the baby would be born.

After another ten minutes or so, the baby’s head was fully delivered.

Li Jin supported Qin Muwen’s back and propped him up with a pillow.

Then, after washing his hands, he carefully helped deliver the baby.

Once the head was out, all that remained was positioning the shoulders correctly, allowing an experienced midwife or doctor to guide the baby out easily, sparing the mother further pain.

Afterward, Li Jin sterilized a prepared pair of scissors over the kerosene lamp and cut the umbilical cord.

The baby's loud, clear cries filled the room.

Because Li Jin was there, Qin Muwen had suffered far less than he might have during labor, so he still had some strength left.

Li Jin held the baby securely, supporting its tiny bottom with one hand, and gently placed the newborn into Qin Muwen’s arms.

With a smile, he said, “This baby looks like you—so beautiful.”

Qin Muwen had fair skin, delicate features, and was already stunning. The small red mole at the corner of his brow added an extra touch of charm, making him look even more spirited.

On top of that, he had such a gentle nature, the kind that made men lose control.

Now that he had given birth to the baby, the greatest burden in his heart was finally lifted.

Listening to the baby’s cries, his heart softened, overflowing with the urge to give his child everything he had.

Qin Muwen turned his head slightly to get a closer look at the baby, but his angle of view was limited.

He realized that, though Li Jin had changed a lot from before, his words were still unreliable…

Such a tiny newborn, with flushed red skin and eyes squinted shut from crying—how could it possibly look like him?

Besides, shouldn’t a father want his child to resemble him? Why didn’t Li Jin say that the baby looked like himself?

Qin Muwen actually thought the baby’s nose looked a lot like Li Jin’s.

As he gazed at the baby, everything else around him faded into the background.

Li Jin massaged Qin Muwen’s abdomen, allowing the placenta to detach naturally. Then, pressing his palm gently against the boy’s stomach, he felt the firmness of the uterus right after childbirth.

At this stage, the uterus needed firm external massage to help it gradually soften and shrink back to its original size.

This was essential for the boy’s recovery.

However, that wasn’t an urgent matter at the moment.

Li Jin glanced at the soiled bedding beneath Qin Muwen, considering how to clean up the mess.

First, he collected the scissors, the placenta, and other discarded materials.

Then, after searching around the room, he found a few of the original owner’s old clothes and put them on.

But he didn’t find any extra bedding…

Li Jin asked, “Uh… do you have any extra blankets at home?”

He still didn’t even know the boy’s name—a terrible oversight.

At this moment, the boy had finally come back to his senses. Only now did he realize that he was lying on a mattress rather than the hard wooden bed.

Judging by his expression, Li Jin immediately knew the answer—there weren’t any extra blankets.

Even if the boy was slow to react, he could feel the damp stickiness beneath him…

Although he knew it was normal after childbirth, he still felt deeply embarrassed. He instinctively wanted to shift his position, but the moment he moved, he felt an overwhelming soreness in his lower back and an unbearable pain in his lower body.

The pain now was nothing compared to labor, but it was still unbearable.

Li Jin said, “Don’t move. Just lie down—I’ll figure something out.”

With no other choice, Li Jin went to find Li Daniu.

After all, from the village entrance, it was clear that Li Daniu’s house—and the village chief’s house—were the most well-off.

By coincidence, Li Daniu had just finished plowing the fields and was returning home.

Seeing Li Jin, he asked, “Your wife gave birth?”

Li Jin nodded. “Yes.”

Li Daniu said, “Then why aren’t you at home taking care of her? What are you doing standing at my doorstep?”

Li Jin replied, “I need to borrow something."

Li Daniu: "???" Has this guy never been beaten before? Does he think I'm easy to talk to???

Li Jin said, "My home is currently lacking two mattresses, one quilt, and preferably some baby diapers and swaddling cloths.

I originally bought these things myself, and later, I will convert the cost into copper coins and repay you at the town’s prices.

In the meantime, as interest, you can come to me anytime you want to play chess. If you encounter a game you don’t understand, I’ll help you solve it."

At first, Li Daniu thought Li Jin was the kind of person who would easily borrow things and never return them.

But that last part about interest… was really tempting.

He said, "Play a round with me first. I need to know how good your skills are."

Li Jin remained firm: "My husband and child are still at home waiting for me. I don’t have time right now.

One sentence—are you lending it or not?"

The offer of unlimited chess matches was truly valuable.

Li Daniu: "…Fine, fine, fine! Come in and take them. My wife just finished sewing new bedding to sell at the town market. Selling them to you saves me the trouble of hauling them there by cart."

Thus, Li Jin carried his borrowed items back home.

Sure enough, the wealthiest households in the village were incredibly generous.

Qin Muwen still couldn’t move much, but Li Jin had left the house so suddenly.

Alone, he felt panicked.

If Li Jin had never shown him any kindness before, he wouldn’t have cared about him leaving.

But how could this person be so gentle and caring one moment… and then just leave like that?

Had Li Jin gone out drinking again?

Did it mean that even after giving birth, he still couldn’t keep this man?

The pain of childbirth had not made Qin Muwen cry, aside from some physiological tears from the agony.

Yet now, because of Li Jin’s simple departure, he couldn't stop sobbing.

The newborn had just cried himself to exhaustion and was lying quietly beside his father.

But somehow, sensing that his father was crying, he too started wailing again.

When Li Jin returned, he heard the crying as soon as he entered the courtyard.

He thought to himself, This child is really a troublemaker. His poor father suffered so much giving birth to him, and now he won’t even let him rest.

He really has no idea how to be considerate of his dad.

Qin Muwen struggled to sit up, feeling the damp stickiness beneath him.

Although Li Jin had wiped his body earlier, the mattress was still wet.

Lying down was uncomfortable, but more than that, his heart ached with the thought that Li Jin might not want him anymore.

Panicking, he didn’t know what to do…

And because he sat up, he finally got a clear look at the baby.

In that instant, Qin Muwen was overwhelmed with sorrow.

—Why… why did his child have a red mole on his forehead too?

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