The Stepmother's Counterattack: Raising a Child in a Bygone Era-Chapter 452 - 451: Zhong Qing is Rushed into Birth

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Zhuang Xueqi scoffed coldly, "In your dreams! Put the child down."

Ning Yuan stood his ground, "Two kids, why should they all go to you? I’m taking this one."

Having said that, he attempted to leave with the child in his arms.

The Maternity Matron wanted to stop him but didn’t dare to.

The infant in his arms began to cry, either unfamiliar with the scent or frightened by Ning Yuan’s loud voice.

Seizing the opportunity, the Maternity Matron stepped forward to take the baby, "Fourth Young Master, let me take him. He just had his milk and it’s time for his nap."

Seeing the little one crying as if he were about to suffocate, Ning Yuan had no choice but to hand him back to the Maternity Matron.

The Maternity Matron quickly took both children into the inner nursery to prevent them from being scared by the couple’s quarrel again.

Only Ning Yuan and Zhuang Xueqi remained in the outer room.

"I can overlook your little indiscretion, but I must have half the kids. In consideration of your ten months of pregnancy, I’ll let you choose first. The one you don’t pick is mine."

"Get lost."

After cursing him, Zhuang Xueqi lay down to rest.

Ning Yuan glared at her for a while before heading to the nursery.

The half-month-old babies were easy to care for; well-fed and watered, they would sleep upon being laid in bed.

Ning Yuan approached the cribs.

In a double crib, two plump little ones lay side by side, slumbering sweetly.

Upon closer inspection, one of them bore some resemblance to him.

Anxious like a cat scratching inside, Ning Yuan took out two cotton swabs and gently stirred them inside the mouths of both babies.

The Maternity Matron didn’t understand what he was doing but didn’t dare to intervene.

Once he had the saliva samples, Ning Yuan left in a rush.

The Maternity Matron reported Ning Yuan’s actions to Zhuang Xueqi.

After hearing about it, Zhuang Xueqi muttered under her breath, "Idiot."

...

At the medical testing center.

Having received the freshly baked report, Ning Yuan didn’t tear it open immediately, but pretended to be nonchalant as he went to the parking lot to get his car.

Once inside the car, he ripped open the envelope with the fastest speed, pulling out the DNA test report.

Seeing the paternity match of 99.99% at the end of the report, he was so excited he wanted to jump up but forgot he was in the car, banging his head on the roof. The pain made him grimace, but he grinned from ear to ear.

Hitting the jackpot with both kids, he was damn awesome!

...

Under the deep night sky, the car lights traveled up along the Mountain Road, finally stopping in front of a secluded villa halfway up the hill.

It was past midnight, yet the lights were on in a second-floor room.

That was Zhuang Xueqi’s room where she was spending her postpartum confinement.

As soon as he got out of the car, he faintly heard the sound of a child crying.

Ning Yuan unconsciously quickened his steps into the villa and headed straight for the second floor.

Upon pushing the door of the confinement room open, a sharp and loud wail overwhelmed him.

Seeing the scene in the room, Ning Yuan paused for a moment.

Zhuang Xueqi sat propped against the headboard, with a little one in her arms, its head buried in her chest, greedily nursing like a piglet.

Under the light, the woman’s breast was whiter than snow.

"Can’t you knock?" Zhuang Xueqi covered her chest with a towel.

Ning Yuan awkwardly turned his face to the side, "It’s your fault for not locking the door." ƒreewebηoveℓ.com

"Get out."

"This is my house too; why should I leave?"

Zhuang Xueqi didn’t have the energy to argue with him.

The other child, who hadn’t been fed, was crying bitterly; she needed to finish feeding the current one quickly and then switch to the other.

Ning Yuan walked over to the wailing little one, and seeing the baby crying with its pink little mouth wide open, he felt an odd pang in his heart.

"He’s been crying incessantly; soothe him will you?"

The Maternity Matron responded while patting the swaddled baby, "Fourth Young Master, it is normal for children to fuss. The louder the cry, the healthier the child. He’ll stop once he’s had his milk."

Hearing this, Ning Yuan glanced back at Zhuang Xueqi, who was breastfeeding.

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At that glance, he was somewhat stunned.

He had never liked Zhuang Xueqi, always finding something to pick at, but tonight’s Zhuang Xueqi seemed a bit different from his memory.

Perhaps it was the hard work of taking care of children, but her chin seemed more pointed, making her makeup-free face appear even smaller.

Under the light, her skin shone with a luster akin to white jade.

In a daze, he actually felt a kind of gentle and quiet maternal grace in Zhuang Xueqi.

Damn it!

"Fourth Young Master, would you like to hold the little miss? Maybe she’ll stop crying if you hold her."

"Alright, I’ll hold her for a bit."

Ning Yuan grudgingly took the little one from the arms of the Maternity Matron.

Perhaps she was tired from crying, or she sensed her father’s presence, but the child slowly stopped crying once in his embrace and looked at him with half-opened, moist eyes.

She was tiny and soft, light as a feather, like a cotton ball, with a strong scent of milk.

Adorable to the extreme.

"Fourth Young Master, it’s time to bring the little miss over for her feeding."

Reminded by the Maternity Matron, Ning Yuan brought his daughter over to the bed and stooped to hand her to Zhuang Xueqi.

"Turn around."

It’s not like I haven’t seen it before.

Ning Yuan muttered under his breath as he turned away, watching the Maternity Matron burp his son who had just finished feeding, and suddenly felt an upsurge of emotion.

Luxury and boundless indulgence had shaped his frivolous character.

He was also accustomed to seeking entertainment to pass the dullness of life.

But now, he was a father, with two children who shared his blood.

They were so small, so fragile, in need of careful nurturing and affection.

His life seemed to have a new goal and direction.

...

The Ning Family was overjoyed to welcome twins, and while the Yan Family shared in the joy, they also began to worry about Yan Yi’s offspring.

"You’re still an uncle, while Ning Yuan is already a father. You and Qingqing should also hurry up and have children sooner rather than later."

"Zhong Uncle and Zhong Aunt have been missing for half a year, and there’s been no news; we’re not in the right mindset for that now."

Yan Yi’s father, though dissatisfied, didn’t voice his reproach in front of his daughter-in-law.

"No news yet? How about we deploy more people to look for them? You’re not young anymore; you can’t keep dragging this on."

Zhong Qing spoke up, "Dad, we’ll think about the child situation."

With Zhong Qing’s concession, Yan Yi’s father’s expression improved slightly.

Leaving the Yan Family, Yan Yi drove Zhong Qing back to the Zhong Family.

On the surface, the two were husband and wife, but Zhong Qing mostly lived at the Zhong Family home, taking care of her younger siblings. She only occasionally stayed over at Yan Yi’s place, and even then, it was for show, sleeping in the guest room.

In the car, Zhong Qing was the one to bring up the topic of children.

"What are your thoughts on having children? As time passes, Uncle will probably push us even more. Perhaps we could consider adoption first if you don’t have any objections, I can make arrangements."

When she didn’t hear a response from Yan Yi, Zhong Qing asked, "Do you not like children?"

"Not at all, I think children are quite cute."

Like her daughter.

Having a child as cute and clever as her daughter might not be a bad idea.

"Do you want to have children?"

Zhong Qing was stunned by the question.

She turned her head and looked at Yan Yi seriously, "Do you want children?"

Yan Yi’s fingers on the steering wheel tapped lightly, "I’ve been thinking about it. If you’re unwilling, I won’t force you. After all, childbirth can harm a woman’s body, and given our situation, it wouldn’t be fair to you."

Zhong Qing was silent for a moment, "Can you give me some time to think about it?"

"Sure."

The rest of the ride was silent.

When the jeep stopped in front of the Zhong Family’s gate, Zhong Qing didn’t hurry to get out. Instead, she turned to look at Yan Yi.

"I’ve made up my mind."

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