With the autumn exams just a few months away, Liu Yizhu couldn't afford to waste even half a minute. He went to the study hall for lessons as usual every day, but his steps quickened a little on his way back.
As soon as he entered the courtyard, Li Mingwei greeted him with a delighted expression, excitedly waving at him: "Quick, come and help change your son's diaper. He's messed himself again."
Liu Yizhu's footsteps faltered, and the smile on his face faded a little. He knew it, whenever his wife had that look on her face, it couldn't be anything good.
He placed his books on the kang bed platform and took the baby from Li Mingwei's arms, gently patting him. The little maid had prepared some hot water on the table, about to take the baby from him.
"Master, let me do it."
"No need, I'll do it myself."
Liu Yizhu shook his head, declining her offer. The maid handed him a cloth and conscientiously stepped outside.
Liu Simo was a good boy; before he turned a month old, his face had already rounded up and become fairer. According to his mother, he had grown enough to be presentable.
Liu Yizhu placed him on the kang and gently stroked his chubby cheeks, then skillfully untied his swaddling clothes and changed his diaper.
Li Mingwei leaned back on the bed, peering at him with admiration: "Not bad, looks like Mother taught you well before she left."
As the first child of the Liu family's grandchild generation, Old Lady Wang naturally wanted to celebrate the full moon ceremony. A few days ago, she had already returned home to prepare the feast, only waiting for Li Mingwei's confinement period to end before bringing the baby back to the town for everyone to see.
"Have you requested leave?" she asked. "My sister and brother-in-law should be coming to pick us up tomorrow, and we'll head back early the day after."
They had been staying in Lord Tang's residence for over half a year now. Since they had to go back for the full moon ceremony, they might as well move back at the same time.
"Yes, just two days off," Liu Yizhu replied, carefully wrapping the cleaned baby and placing him back on the bed. He couldn't help but caress him with a hint of reluctance: "After you go back, you won't be coming back here, will you?"
Which meant he could only see them once every half a month or a month from then on.
Li Mingwei tucked the blanket around the baby and turned to him with a displeased look, teasing: "Can't decide if you'll miss me or the baby more?"
Liu Yizhu leaned against her gently, looking up at her: "What do you think?"
Seeing her fall silent, Liu Yizhu nudged her chin with his forehead: "Why so quiet all of a sudden?"
Li Mingwei leaned down and kissed him, caressing his eyes. They still had many more days of separation ahead. How would they get through the months apart?
After the autumn exams, she would arrange for him to go to the capital. If all went well, she wouldn't be able to return to the capital until after the following spring. Just thinking about being separated for so long made her uneasy. Liu Yizhu couldn't afford any mistakes in the capital... her mother...
She sighed, keeping her worries to herself, and said instead: "It's nothing. When are you planning to set out for Chengzhou?"
"Late July."
Although Chengzhou wasn't far, with the horses and carriages arranged by Lord Tang, it would only take a day or two to get there. However, Lord Tang had some old friends in Chengzhou, so they could visit them if they went earlier. Besides, the county exams lasted three sessions, three days each. It would be better for them to arrive early and rest before the exams began.
"Mmm." Li Mingwei was always well-informed about such matters and had no doubts about Lord Tang's arrangements. She pinched Liu Yizhu's cheek: "Just over two months left. Focus on your studies and bring me some glory."
After a moment's thought, she discussed with Liu Yizhu: "Mother has been out of confinement for almost two months now. I'm not at ease leaving the family home, but she won't be at ease with the baby either. I'll take the baby back and stay for a few days first. Send me a message before you set out, and I'll bring the baby to spend a few days with you."
Liu Yizhu dejectedly rested his head on her shoulder and nodded reluctantly.
Li Mingwei gazed at the soundly sleeping Liu Simo bundled up in the blanket and gently tapped his little face: "Look at our little bun, so unperturbed by life's storms. He doesn't even wake up for a diaper change, not like his big bun of a father here."
Liu Yizhu straightened up, handing the baby to the maid outside and instructing her to take him to the adjacent room where he slept. They couldn't let the baby stay with his mother any longer, or he might start addressing him as "big bun" and "little bun" later on.
He sat back down on the bed and sternly reminded her: "Don't call the baby those names after we go back. If the aunts and grannies in town hear it, they'll start calling him that too."
Then he'd be stuck with the name "Big Bun" for life.
Li Mingwei pursed her lips and brushed it off: "I know, I know."
She huffed a couple of times. It was her mother who wanted to give the baby a simple nickname, the simpler the better for raising him. Wouldn't it be great if he could just eat buns to grow up?
Liu Yizhu sighed and adjusted her headscarf: "You'll be out of confinement tomorrow, right?"
"Mmm-hmm!"
Li Mingwei perked up at the mention of it, her smile stretching from ear to ear. Finally, she could take a bath and wash her hair: "Aunt Qin has already made preparations."
Although it was already May, Aunt Qin was still worried Li Mingwei might catch a chill, so she deliberately chose the noon hour. She had the kitchen maid boil a large pot of water with mugwort and some herbs, then poured it into the bathtub to cool down gradually.
Aunt Qin checked the temperature from time to time. Once it felt right, she instructed the maids to help Li Mingwei into the bathroom.
"Madam, please check the water temperature."
Li Mingwei dipped her hand in and nodded with a smile. The maids then helped her undress and stepped into the tub, leaning against the edge. As long as she could bathe, she didn't mind the herbal scent.
Aunt Qin untied her headscarf and gently combed through her hair, carefully unknotting any tangles. Since Li Mingwei would be leaving soon, Aunt Qin wanted to make sure everything went smoothly on this last day.
Li Mingwei had planned to savor the bath a little longer, but Aunt Qin gently advised: "The water is cooling down now, Madam. You should get out soon. If you catch a chill, you'll have to take medicine, and that won't be good for nursing the baby."
Thinking of her ravenous little one at home, Li Mingwei reluctantly agreed.
She walked out of the bathroom, basking in the warmth of the sun, and stretched lazily. Just this one bath made her feel revitalized and refreshed.
She turned to Aunt Qin, who had followed her out, and asked: "No one has come yet?"
Aunt Qin bowed: "No message from the gatehouse yet."
Li Mingwei looked up, squinting at the sky. It was well past noon now. Why hadn't her sister and brother-in-law arrived yet? Had something happened on the road?
That shouldn't be the case. If they could travel snowy paths, a regular road shouldn't pose any problems.
Or had they gotten lost again? They'd been here four or five times already, so that seemed unlikely too.
Oh well, Li Mingwei didn't dwell on it any further and instructed: "Have the gatehouse send someone to look around the city gates. It's getting late, but they shouldn't be this delayed."
"Yes, Madam."
Aunt Qin went to carry out the order while Li Mingwei returned to her room with the maids. Another maid had made her bed and organized some clothes for her.
Her sharp eyes noticed some new outfits that didn't belong to her, and she picked one up to examine it: "What are these?"
"They're from the young master..." The maid paused, then continued, "From the master of the manor."
"My brother-in-law?" Li Mingwei clarified, referring to Lord Tang.
The maid nodded immediately: "Yes, the master said your old clothes wouldn't be suitable anymore, so he had these new ones made for you. He assured you that the fabric isn't too fine, so you won't stand out too much when you wear them back in town."
Li Mingwei pursed her lips wryly. While the fabric wasn't too fancy, there were just too many outfits. If she changed into a new one every few days after returning, people would surely gossip behind her back, wondering if she had stumbled upon a fortune in the county town during these months.
