Ye Shuang and the others finally arrived at the hospital. Chen Qin was already inside the delivery room, while quite a few people occupied the seats outside—it hardly looked like the middle of the night at all.
As soon as Ye Shuang appeared, Chen Qin’s father and mother greeted him. “You’re here, Shuangzai.”
“Dad, Mom, Chen Qin’s gone in already?” Ye Shuang glanced at the illuminated delivery-room sign and asked. Although he had rushed over as quickly as he could, he still hadn’t gotten to see Chen Qin. Still, now that she was inside, there probably wouldn’t be any major problems. After reaching three centimeters of dilation, she would be given an epidural, so things wouldn’t be quite as painful.
“Mm, she just went in.” Chen Qin’s parents smiled, their expressions exceptionally calm. As members of the older generation, they had plenty of experience, and there were always people around them having children, so this wasn’t anything particularly momentous to them.
Compared to the elderly couple’s composure, Ye Shuang was the one who was restless. He paced back and forth in front of the delivery room, then leaned toward the door to listen for any movement. However, the soundproofing was excellent, and he couldn’t hear a thing.
“…”
Seeing how worried Ye Shuang was, Chen Qin’s mother smiled and called him over to sit down. “Come sit over here, Shuangzai. Don’t worry… Usually, the baby comes out within half an hour.”
After all, the dilation process had already passed, and with the epidural, things wouldn’t be as difficult.
“It’s all right, Mom. I’ll stand for a while.” Ye Shuang continued pacing, occasionally glancing toward the delivery room.
However, things proceeded even faster than he had expected. About ten minutes later, the door opened, and Anshi Yi walked out wearing sterile clothing. Her eyes landed on Ye Shuang.
“Who is Miss Chen’s family member?”
Ye Shuang stared at Anshi Yi. “…”
What do you mean, who? Are we strangers now?
And why were you in there?!
“I am,” Ye Shuang said. “How’s Chen Qin? Is she all right?”
“She’s fine. Congratulations—it’s a chubby eight-pound baby boy.” After saying this, Anshi Yi saw that Ye Shuang was about to rush inside and quickly added, “Whoa, whoa, whoa. They still need to clean things up in there. Wait outside for a bit.”
“Mother and child are safe.”
“That’s good.” Ye Shuang let out a sigh of relief.
He waited outside the delivery room for a short while longer. Before long, a medical bed was wheeled out. Although Chen Qin’s face was a little pale, she still gave Ye Shuang a sweet smile when she saw him.
“Honey, ten minutes flat.”
“Come take a look at our baby.”
Ye Shuang reached out and gently straightened Chen Qin’s hair, then turned his gaze toward the baby in Anshi Yi’s arms. The child was wrinkled, with his eyes still closed. However, Ye Shuang had just heard him crying, so he had probably already cried himself tired.
Apparently, babies had to cry when they were born in order to activate their lung function and begin breathing. Before that, they had relied on the umbilical cord for nutrients while in the womb.
“Look at that nose and mouth. Doesn’t he look just like Shuangzai?” Chen Qin’s parents came over as well, grinning from ear to ear.
Anshi Yi looked down at the baby in her arms and slightly raised her chin.
The little thing was all wrinkled. Could anyone really tell who he looked like?
Ye Shuang carefully took the baby into his arms. Since this was his own son, he felt something indescribably strange and wonderful in his heart. The baby didn’t open his eyes, but as if he sensed something, he opened and closed his tiny mouth.
“Eight pounds. Your mommy worked hard carrying you, huh?” Ye Shuang said softly.
The baby immediately began crying.
“Waaah—”
“Hey, hey, hey…”
…
After they returned to the hospital room, Chen Qin was in very good spirits. She reached out and gently held the baby, her eyes filled with affection.
The child seemed completely at ease beside Chen Qin, sleeping soundly with his eyes closed.
Meanwhile, Bai Yuyou and the others stayed in the lounge. The nurse had said that too many people shouldn’t come into contact with the baby, to prevent exposure to bacteria, so everyone obediently kept their distance.
“Honey, what should we name our son?” Chen Qin suddenly looked up and asked.
“A name?” Ye Shuang came back to himself. He did have several candidates, but he wasn’t sure which one would be best. Chen Qin, however, offered her own suggestion.
“Since he’s a boy, I hope he can grow up healthy and strong. How about Ye Kangkang?”
Ye Kangkang?
Ye Shuang smiled. “Sure. Whatever you say.”
“You two are being way too casual about this,” Chen Qin’s mother said. “You need to think it through properly!”
Chen Qin’s father nodded as well. “There’s no rush to name the child. Take a day or two and think of something carefully.”
“Uh…”
Casual?
Wasn’t wishing for the child to grow up healthy a perfectly good meaning?
Ye Shuang didn’t really care that much about the name. After all, his own name had been chosen rather casually too. According to what his parents had told him, he had cried for two hours after being born, so they had simply named him Ye Shuang.
“Come over and help us discuss it,” Chen Hai called out at that moment.
“Go ahead,” Chen Qin said.
“Mm…” Ye Shuang went over to the lounge and sat down on the sofa to discuss the baby’s name with everyone.
“What do you all think would be a good name?” Ye Shuang asked.
“You didn’t think of anything beforehand?” Chen Hai asked.
“I did think of a few. Something like Jiawei, Jiaxin, or Zhiwei…” Ye Shuang had only just finished speaking when several people beside him gave him disdainful looks. “Are those names a little too common?”
“I’m pretty sure there are at least three Jiaweis in every class,” Chen Hai said. “Your naming skills are terrible. Calling him Ye Three would be better.”
“Then what kind of name do you think would be good?”
“Ye Tiandi,” Chen Hai said.
Ye Shuang: “…”
“Isn’t it cool?” Chen Hai countered.
“What do you think?”
Chen Hai’s suggestion was immediately rejected. Aunt Li, meanwhile, tapped her finger against her lips.
“How about Ye Fugui?”
“Hey, you’re letting your personal feelings get in the way. You clearly don’t like the name Fugui, yet you’re giving Ye Shuang’s son one.”
“Ugh, how mean~ Who says I don’t like it? I think great wealth and prosperity are wonderful!”
After seeing that neither Chen Hai nor Fugui could be counted on, Ye Shuang turned his eyes toward Anshi Yu and Anshi Yi. Considering the personalities of the two fishes, he skipped over them entirely and asked Bai Yuyou, who was sitting beside him.
“Yuyou, what do you think?”
“Hey, aren’t you going to ask for our opinions?” An Shiyu immediately spoke up.
“Exactly! Helping with the delivery was hard work, you know?” Anshi Yi added.
Ye Shuang: “…”
“Do you two have any good ideas?” Ye Shuang asked.
“Ye Baiqin Yu,” Anshi Yi said.
“Ye You Three,” An Shiyu said.
Ye Shuang was left speechless. What kind of bizarre names were those?
Seeing that the two fishes were just as unreliable as he had expected, Ye Shuang could only turn to Bai Yuyou again.
“Yuyou, what do you think?”
“…”
Bai Yuyou thought for a few seconds before saying, “Ye Yi’an?”
“Why?”
“‘Joyfully forget one’s worries, and live in peace for a lifetime,’” Bai Yuyou explained. “May he grow up happy, healthy, and safe.”
iaobai: "Councilor Dad, front me some funds. I want to hire ten thousand professional miners for a project!" [Five-Star Mission Issued: Capture the leader of the Blood Heaven Pirate Gang, who is on the run in the Radiant Star Sector. It is said the gang has over a hundred members. Proceed with caution.] Lu Xiaobai: "Councilor Dad, lend me the family's hundred-thousand-strong Lu Army!" [Seven-Star Mission Issued: Subdue a juvenile Void Dragon Beast.] Lu Xiaobai: "Councilor Dad, I'm taking your tamed Void Dragon Beast King out for a family reunion!" I said, System, don't you have any slightly more challenging missions? You're just not up to par! [Nine-Star Mission Issued: Become the Human Councilor.] Lu Xiaobai: "Dad, there's a small matter I'd like to discuss with you..."
ut it can buy an entire year of absolutely perfect training results! Su Yu stared at his empty wallet and decisively opened up various online loan platforms. “Borrow a thousand bucks! Recharge my vitality!” Boom! His vitality broke a hundred points, shattering the limits of the human body! “Borrow ten thousand bucks! Recharge my combat skills!” Boom! A basic punching technique so common it was everywhere instantly maxed out, revealing the ultimate assassination technique of Five Elements Unity—Inner Force! When a rich kid hired assassins for a midnight ambush, aiming to break both of his legs, they instead ran headfirst into a monster—a human-shaped tyrannosaur, brimming with dragon-like vitality. With just two fingers, Su Yu snapped a steel staff reinforced with alloy. Staring at the killer’s stash of stolen cash—a staggering quarter-million dollars—he showed a corporate-sincere smile: “Thanks for the pre-exam gift pack, Mr. Zhao! I’m gonna go re-invest this!” Three days later, at the National Martial Arts College Entrance Exam, while everyone else struggled just to reach the passing line, Su Yu threw a single punch—and more than a thousand vitality points literally detonated the entire arena!
ts me of treason?" "Correct. The host must return to the capital and gradually build up influence." "Wait—I have half a million soldiers, and you want me to go back to the capital to 'build influence'?" "Host, you are currently the Northern Garrison General, loyal to the Great Xia Dynasty." "Of course I am loyal to Great Xia! Absolutely loyal!" "But you keep referring to yourself as 'We'..." "Never mind the details! Summon all the regional commanders and military officers! We suspect treacherous officials are manipulating the court! They shall march with Us to the capital and purge the corrupt!" "......"
rowess are unmatched, commanding a million-strong army! Yet, the Emperor wants to depose him for the sake of a false prince? Hold on, are you throwing me into some female-oriented romance plot? How can I tolerate this? With a grand wave of his hand—the Nine Clan Extraction Technique! Slander the Emperor? Very well, all of you shall die! ... The False Prince: "Although I am not the biological son, Father and Mother love me more. The throne should be mine!" The Female Lead: "Qin Xiao, you are the Emperor, and I am a commoner. If you wish to marry me, you must abdicate. Otherwise, you will never have me!" The Empress: "After we divorce, you must give me half the empire!" The Transmigrator Consort: "You worthless Emperor, why should I kneel to you? All men are equal—I advise you to be kind!" The Great General: "The enemy general is my childhood sweetheart. For her sake, I willingly abandon the frontier defenses!" The Retired Emperor: "Although Yu'er was adopted, I prefer him. Qin Xiao, you should abdicate and let him become Emperor!" ... Very well! So this is how you want to play? Facing this twisted world of female-oriented tropes, Qin Xiao grins and raises his hand to unleash—the Nine Clan Extraction Technique! I am the Emperor. Why would I bother reasoning with you? Seal the gates! Leave none alive!
