Chapter 79: Warmth

Chapter 79

Warmth

That night, Nie Shuang went to bed feeling at ease. Both women had been rescued, and although Chunmei’s identity was still unclear, investigating her origins wouldn’t be difficult. They could ask the elders of the Mu family for answers.

When Nie Shuang woke the next morning, she felt cozy despite the cold weather. As she opened her eyes, she saw a broad chest. When she looked up, she was greeted by a familiar face. A bright smile spread across her face, tears of joy welling up in her eyes.

"Qilin!"

Before she could say anything more, he leaned in and kissed her. His kiss was gentle and sweet. Just as things began to escalate, Nie Shuang pushed against his broad chest.

"When did you return? Have you had any rest?"

She asked, her tone scolding. She noticed that he had grown thinner again, likely due to traveling in haste without taking proper breaks. Song Qilin lazily opened his eyes, and that made her heart race. He pulled her into his arms, clearly trying to avoid answering her question.

"Hmph, if you won’t answer me properly, I’ll ask Feng Ying."

He kissed the tip of her nose and answered softly,

"After delivering the horses to the border, I hurried back here. I wanted to arrive before the New Year, so I didn’t stop to rest much."

Nie Shuang gently stroked his face with sympathy.

"You fool. You need to take better care of yourself. Where will you get the strength to fight if you don’t rest?"

“My strength is still intact. Do you...want to test it?”

Nie Shuang’s face flushed red, and she gave him a punch on the chest. Song Qilin then switched to a more endearing tone,

"Mm...In that case, I’ll need to trouble my wife to fatten me up and make me strong again."

Nie Shuang laughed affectionately. He must have returned late, and she had slept too deeply to notice. Judging from how clean he was, he must have bathed despite the late hour and cold weather just so he could climb into bed with her. She got up from the bed and told him to rest while she went to arrange breakfast for him.

Whenever the General returned, Xiao San was always hesitant to enter the room in the morning. The reason? Well, it was obvious to anyone. When Nie Shuang opened the door, she found Xiao San waiting outside. After giving her instructions, Nie Shuang asked about the two women they had rescued the previous night.

"They’re awake, Young Furen. The kitchen staff just delivered their breakfast."

Satisfied, Nie Shuang nodded and returned to the room, where she found Song Qilin already out of bed, getting dressed. His tall and strong frame showed no signs of fatigue. He looked so graceful and composed while dressing, effortlessly tying his sash. When he finished, he looked up and noticed her staring at him, lost in thought. He smiled and teased in his deep, signature voice,

"Your husband looks delicious, doesn’t he...?"

Nie Shuang blushed bright red, casting a playful scowl at him before quickly sitting down at her dressing table. Her heart pounded strangely, and she heard his low chuckle behind her. Moments later, Xiao San and another maid entered, carrying two washbasins. They swiftly assisted their masters in washing and dressing. By the time they arrived at the children’s playroom, breakfast had already been laid out. Steaming bowls of hot porridge filled the air with warmth, accompanied by light dishes like stir-fried vegetables, sweet tofu, and egg soup. There was also a large pot of soy milk, covered and ready to be served after the meal.

The children were carried into the room, accompanied by their usual cheerful chattering. Bao Bao waved his hands and babbled, seemingly trying to converse with his younger siblings, though no one really paid attention. Bei Bei and Xiao Hua Hua stretched their necks, looking for their mother, but upon spotting the familiar man, they excitedly flapped their arms in delight.

Seeing his siblings’ reaction, Bao Bao turned to look as well. When he saw the young servant who had returned, he grinned brightly, revealing his pink gums. But then, with a huff, he turned his head the other way. Once the wet nurse set him down, he crawled toward his mother, refusing to even glance in his father’s direction.

Song Qilin was overjoyed to see his children. He opened his arms to hug Xiao Hua Hua, who had thrown herself toward him. Bei Bei greeted his mother with a quick hug before crawling toward his father and climbing onto his lap as if it was the most natural thing. With one child on each side, he held them both in his arms. When he glanced over and noticed Da Ge staying close to his mother, refusing to acknowledge him, he was puzzled.

"Bao Bao, I missed you so much. Won’t you come to me?"

Bao Bao remained unmoved, only the back of his round head and his chubby cheeks visible as he clung tightly to his mother’s shirt, burrowing into her chest like a sick little puppy. Nie Shuang, knowing what her eldest son was feeling, gently tried to console him.

"Bao Bao, your father was away for work. He didn’t abandon us. Look, Bei Bei and Hua Hua went to greet him. If you don’t, Father will be very sad."

Still, the little boy didn’t budge. So, Nie Shuang lifted him and turned him around. Bao Bao resisted but couldn’t match his mother’s strength, so he eventually had to face his father, who still had another two dumplings sitting on his lap. Father and son locked eyes.

And then Bao Bao began to cry. His cheeks were streaked with tears, and his small lips pouted adorably. His round little face, usually so mischievous, was now crinkled with tears and snot.

When Song Qilin saw his mischievous son in such a state, it felt as if something had lodged in his throat. His long absence must have hurt Bao Bao deeply. Gently, he shifted Bei Bei and Xiao Hua Hua onto one side of his lap, holding them both with one arm. Then, with his free hand, he reached out to take Bao Bao from his mother. The boy initially wriggled to escape, but soon surrendered and let his father hold him.

"Bao Bao, my little one...There, there. Don’t cry. It’s my fault for being away for so long."

He tucked the boy’s head against his chest. Nie Shuang gestured for the wet nurses to take Bei Bei and Xiao Hua Hua to the table for breakfast. So, Song Qilin showered his eldest son with loving hugs and kisses.

"Bao Bao, my love, please don’t be mad at me anymore."

Bao Bao pushed his father’s face away and tried to squirm out of his arms. Seeing it was time for the children to eat, Song Qilin gently set him down and let him take his place at the table. Nie Shuang had trained the children to eat on their own. Even though it was a bit messy, it could be cleaned later. If they didn’t eat enough, she would feed them more afterward.

Song Qilin’s eyes widened in surprise as he observed their progress. When he had left, the children had only just started eating solid foods. But now, they were picking up their food and eating it themselves with relish. He had never seen any other household raise children like this. Wealthy families usually had wet nurses and servants feeding their children, never letting them eat by themselves and make a mess like this. But since this was what Shuang Shuang wanted, he had no intention of opposing it.

Nie Shuang’s businesses spanned various sectors, from household items to baby products. Whenever her company was set to launch a new product, she would listen to both the research and marketing teams present their plans, so she had some knowledge about children. She knew that allowing them to try eating on their own would benefit their development.The parents and children sat together, sharing a warm breakfast, smiling as they ate. The room was filled with laughter and the noisy chatter of the triplets. Nie Shuang had many matters to attend to today, but now that Song Qilin had returned, those tasks could wait. Moments like these didn’t come often, did they?