Chapter 385: Breastfeeding?

Chapter 385: Chapter 385: Breastfeeding?

She looked up and saw five pairs of eyes glued to her. Having been married for over a year, they had been intimate many times. One look told her exactly what they were thinking.

Shi Lan’s face flushed, embarrassed that she’d been so focused on the baby she had completely forgotten the five of them were still in the room.

She immediately put on a fierce look, pursing her lips as she stood up and shooed them away. "Out, out! I need to breastfeed the baby."

After shooing them out, she shut the door without a second thought. Then, she looked down at He Hanshi on her chip and ended the call with him, too.

The four men shut outside the door stared at each other. After a moment, Mu Tangfeng ground his teeth, a fierce look on his face. "Breastfeed? That little brat is going to drink Lanlan’s milk?"

Ye Ming’s face darkened, his expression unreadable. The joy he’d felt holding the newborn just moments before instantly faded.

Yan Huoshui’s red lips were pressed into a tight line, the corners of his mouth twitching in a half-smile that held no warmth. "The baby’s a boy, isn’t he?"

The stirrings in Jiang Xia’s heart were instantly extinguished as if by a bucket of cold water. In disbelief, he said, "Why does a boy need to drink milk? Isn’t the growth liquid enough?"

With that, he angrily twisted the doorknob and burst inside. He was about to say something, but when he looked up, his eyes fell upon the tender skin revealed as Shi Lan lifted her shirt.

And nestled against that skin was the little baby, suckling away with gusto. The little slurping sounds he made were proof of his effort.

Shi Lan’s cheeks were flushed. It was her first time breastfeeding, so she had no experience, but to her surprise, her milk came in quickly. The little guy latched on and began to eat earnestly.

It just stung a little, a sensation she wasn’t quite used to.

She figured that, based on what she’d read online, ten minutes on each side should be enough. After all, the Beastmen of this world weren’t so fragile. The growth liquid alone could satisfy a newborn’s nutritional needs.

As her thoughts began to drift, the door opened again.

She had only shooed them out and hadn’t locked the door, so she was caught completely off guard. The men outside got a clear view of the entire scene.

Shi Lan’s face turned an even deeper shade of red as she hastily pulled her shirt down. "Wh-what are you doing?"

She scolded them, her tone a mix of pouting and anger, but the blush that colored her skin made her look completely non-threatening.

Jiang Xia was so jealous his eyes turned a little red. He reminded her pitifully, "Lanlan, the baby is a boy."

"So? I know."

Shi Lan didn’t see the point.

Mu Tangfeng was also suppressing his dissatisfaction, his fair face clearly showing his annoyance. "Lanlan, you can just let us take care of the baby. You need to focus on recovering right now—your postpartum confinement."

"Postpartum confinement? I... I don’t think I need to do that."

Shi Lan almost laughed. ’I didn’t even give birth, so what’s there to be confined for? If anyone needs postpartum confinement, it should be my spirit body.’

But she noticed that after the big mushroom seed had produced the baby, it had silently vanished. It had probably completed its mission and been recalled by Xiao Du.

Mu Tangfeng also remembered how the baby had been born. He faltered for a second but quickly regained his confidence. "Lanlan, give the baby to me."

With that, he moved closer, intending to take the child away. Even if it was just a baby, he couldn’t be allowed to be so intimate with their wife.

’Besides, he’s only gotten a taste of that place a few times himself, and he has to wait a whole week for each chance. This little thing sure is lucky, getting to take advantage of his mother the moment he’s born.’

Shi Lan hadn’t even been feeding the baby for three minutes. She shook her head, refusing to hand him over, and put on a stern face to shoo them away again. "You all go out first. I’m going to feed him a little longer. Everything online says colostrum is good for newborns. After this time, I won’t have to do it again."

Mu Tangfeng’s outstretched hand froze. "Huh? You’re still going to feed him?"

He couldn’t help but ask. Jiang Xia was also pouting, and even Ye Ming and Yan Huoshui’s expressions were strange. They stared at the baby in her arms, their eyes holding the fierce glint one might reserve for a romantic rival.

Shi Lan finally caught on and almost laughed out of sheer exasperation. "Are you guys seriously jealous of a baby? He’s this small!"

"Ahem. So what if he’s small? He’s still a boy, isn’t he?"

Jiang Xia retorted sourly.

Holding the baby, Shi Lan actually laughed out loud. "By that logic, does that mean if I have a daughter in the future, none of you can even hold her? There has to be a ’distinction between the sexes,’ after all."

At her words, the men froze.

’She kind of had a point.’

The thought of a little girl who looked just like Shi Lan chasing after them and calling them "Daddy" made their hearts melt. How could they possibly bear not to hold their own child?

’But still,’ they thought, ’it’s not quite the same. We wouldn’t be *that* close with a baby girl.’

Sensing that the four were still reluctant to leave, Shi Lan hurried them along again. "Get out. If you don’t go now, I’ll just breastfeed him again next time."

The threat was highly effective. Sure enough, the four of them left quickly, not forgetting to close the door behind them.

Shi Lan let out a secret sigh of relief. Without their interference, she could finally continue feeding her baby in peace.

After feeding him for a little while longer, she figured enough time had passed, rearranged her clothes, and called the men back inside.

Shi Lan had just finished feeding the baby, and her breasts were still swollen and a little sore. The baby had probably been quite forceful, and now even the fabric of her clothes felt uncomfortable against her skin.

She couldn’t help but feel grateful that this world had growth liquid. ’If I had to breastfeed every day, how miserable would that be?’ She didn’t think she could endure that kind of hardship.

’Although watching the little guy, full and sleeping soundly, brought her a deep sense of satisfaction, it was definitely a blessing to be spared certain ordeals.’

Shi Lan yawned and checked the time. It was almost one in the morning. No wonder she was so tired. Luckily, since she was approaching her due date, the hospital director had given her three months of maternity leave, even knowing that her method of childbirth was a little unconventional. Figuring the baby would arrive soon and having nothing better to do, she’d decided to stay up a bit later than usual.

Normally, Shi Lan would start getting ready for bed around ten. By pushing through until eleven tonight, she’d managed not to miss her baby’s birth.

The three-month leave was standard for all females in this world.

The leave was only three months long because after giving birth, females could use a Treatment Pod to rapidly recover 80% of their pre-pregnancy condition. The remaining 20% still required natural convalescence.

In any case, childbirth wasn’t nearly as damaging to the body as it had been in her previous world.

Seeing her start to doze off, Ye Ming immediately went over and carefully took the baby from her. "Lanlan, you should go to sleep."

Shi Lan hadn’t had a chance to take a shower yet. She usually showered right before climbing into bed, but today everything had been delayed.

Even though she’d just been at home all day and her loungewear wasn’t dirty, she still wanted to wash up.

Yan Huoshui’s eyes narrowed. He went straight into the bathroom to draw a bath, then carried the drowsy Shi Lan inside.

"Lanlan, good girl. You just sleep. I’ll help you wash up."

Shi Lan was truly exhausted. The hypersomnia from her pregnancy hadn’t worn off yet, and her mind was a complete fog. She had no mental energy to spare for feeling shy, so she simply let Yan Huoshui help her undress and bathe her.

In a half-dreaming state, Shi Lan felt several hands on her body. Opening her hazy eyes, she could vaguely see that Jiang Xia and Mu Tangfeng were there as well. The three of them were washing her together.

The water was the perfect temperature, their scrubbing was gentle, and the whole experience was so soothing that she couldn’t summon the will to struggle or feel shy.

Logically, Shi Lan was embarrassed and wanted to send the other two away, but another part of her brain told her, ’We’ve been married for so long. What is there to be shy about?’

’Besides, wouldn’t it be even more awkward to open my eyes right now?’

So, she simply allowed herself to sink deeper into sleep.