Chapter 1230 - 885: Anxious Beast Husbands (Part 2)

Chapter 1230: Chapter 885: Anxious Beast Husbands (Part 2)

Lu Xiao watched every day, his heart full of tender care.

He eagerly hoped to have offspring with her, but didn’t want her to bear too much hardship. He wished all the pain could be transferred to him... Unfortunately, he was male and incapable of bearing children, so he could only do his best to take care of her and make things less difficult.

Shen Tang had felt her belly swell intensely these past days.

Lu Xiao took out a special ointment from the drawer, the cream white as jade. He warmed a dab in his palm, releasing a faint scent of sea salt and floral honey.

He carefully applied it to Shen Tang’s rounded belly, his warm hands moving in circles, quickly softening the taut skin.

Shen Tang felt much more comfortable, and the scent was quite pleasant.

Lu Xiao explained that Jia Lan had collected many precious spices and extracted oils from deep-sea unique mermen to make it.

Shen Tang was deeply touched; the beast husbands had devoted almost all their time and effort to her during this period, "You guys have worked hard."

She noticed the faint dark circles under his eyes, making him appear more exhausted than her, a pregnant woman—he even looked thinner, which filled her with tenderness.

"You are the one who worked the hardest." Lu Xiao kissed her forehead, his eyes full of deep affection, tinged with a hint of guilt. "It’s our first time being beast husbands, we’re inexperienced, and we’re worried we might neglect something. All we want is to give you the best."

Shen Tang sighed softly—the beast husbands had been anxious and cautious for these past two months, barely getting any good sleep.

Even Xiao Jin, the usually reckless one, had become much more well-behaved, only daring to hug and kiss, nothing more.

She held Lu Xiao’s hand, placing it by her lips for a gentle kiss, "You’ve done very well, soon it will be time for the delivery, then it’s your turn to work!"

Xiao Jin also comforted her with a smile, "Once you’re done, I’ll take you out for a ride, relax and have fun."

For the past half month, Shen Tang had mostly stayed in the palace, rarely venturing outside, feeling so stifled she could grow mushrooms!

"Tangtang, are you hungry? Want to eat something? You barely touched your breakfast." Jia Lan approached with food, speaking worriedly.

Shen Tang shook her head, "I’m not hungry, don’t feel like eating."

She unexpectedly had no appetite today and didn’t want anything; her body was just extraordinarily tired, constantly wanting to sleep.

Lu Xiao’s breathing tightened slightly, but his face remained composed and relaxed, with a hint of a smile, "Alright, if you don’t want to eat, then don’t. Just rest well."

Lu Xiao sat by her bed, holding her hand, staying with her.

Xiao Jin and Jia Lan seemed to have realized something, softening their breaths.

Shen Li and Shu Kui also came over.

"How is Xiao Tang’er?" Shen Li’s face still looked poor, clearly having rushed out from seclusion.

He hurried to the bedside, sighing with relief upon seeing the resting female was alright.

Shu Kui calculated the time, "Xiao Xi’s pregnancy should be due, right?"

Lu Xiao spoke softly, "If it’s early, she should give birth tonight... Are the troops stationed in and outside the palace ready?"

Shen Li nodded, "I brought a detachment from the Yiyuan Empire’s Forbidden Guard Army, positioned inside the palace."

"That’s good."

After those brief words, the beast husbands fell into silent agreement.

Suddenly, the room was so quiet only the intertwined and slightly rushed breath sounds could be heard.

The atmosphere was expectant, tense, uneasy...

Shen Tang was completely unaware of the external circumstances, sleeping deeply and peacefully. The sky outside gradually darkened, and by midnight, there was still no sign of movement.

The beast husbands felt completely awake, more alert than during the daytime, with an increasingly anxious atmosphere.

Xiao Jin sat across the bed, rubbing his abdomen, and with his handsome face wrinkled in confusion, said, "Could it be that I ate something bad this morning? Why does my stomach feel a bit sore?"

Jia Lan, tense all over, chuckled softly upon hearing this, turning to him teasingly, "I heard some males get so anxious when females are in labor that they experience phantom pain, creating a sensation similar to labor pain."

"I must love Tangtang deeply, the deeper the love, the more empathetic—it’s psychic empathy!" Xiao Jin coughed lightly and quickly adjusted his posture to appear normal, muttering quietly, "But Tangtang isn’t carrying my cub, why is the pain still affecting me?"

"... Haven’t you noticed someone hasn’t sat down since noon?" Jia Lan rubbed his weary brow, looking helplessly at Lu Xiao pacing circles by the bed, almost robotic.

Unexpectedly, even the usually calm and composed Lu Xiao would have such a day, no different from any ordinary male anticipating fatherhood.

Jia Lan was also nervous but restrained from showing it... Couldn’t imagine how he’d lose composure if it were his child.

Shen Li wasn’t as out of sorts as the other beast husbands.

Honestly, he didn’t feel overly joyous about this child’s birth; the child was wholly unplanned, and its gestation had almost drained Shen Tang’s body.

Shen Li never discussed this with other beast husbands, only he knew how much strength the child drained from Shen Tang—it was extraordinarily peculiar.

If not for his blood sustaining her, she might have lost her life over it; even he had to recuperate for a month before emerging from seclusion.

But Shen Li couldn’t say he disliked the child, as it was Shen Tang’s painstakingly nurtured child after all. He simply cared more about the external movements than Lu Xiao and the others.

Shen Li narrowed his long, splendid red eyes, gazing outside with a serious expression.

Tonight would be a sleepless night.

For them, and those hidden in the shadows.

Shen Li and Lu Xiao had already arranged palace defenses in advance, with palace servants outside being military in disguise. The current calm seemed more like a prelude to a coming storm.

Shu Kui, not only adept in drafting potions and toxicology study, his medical practice wasn’t inferior to the best Imperial Physician’s, and he knew Shen Tang’s physique better. Most of Shen Tang’s prenatal checkups were his responsibility.

After examining this time, Shu Kui spoke in surprise, "Truly an incredible stroke of luck."