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Aunt Wang requested to accompany Li Yao, claiming he couldn't take care of himself properly. If she was going, Auntie An wouldn't feel at ease about her two sons, so she also demanded to go. The two women argued about this several times in front of Mrs. Lu.

Mrs. Lu and Li Ming did not agree to either woman's proposal. To show their seriousness, Mrs. Lu sent her trusted Aunt Liu Xiao to accompany and take care of the boys. Li Ming also sent his capable servant to look after the three brothers.

The whole family saw the three brothers off at the city gate, watching them board the carriage and leave. As the Li family turned to go back, Li Xia noticed the Wang family's carriage.

Xu Xinyue was also seeing off her stepson and in-laws as they returned to their hometown. Wang Xiao had studied for many years, and after Wang Dong's assessment, he agreed to let him return home for the county examination. Concerned about their grandson going alone, Old Master Wang and Old Madam Wang decided to accompany Wang Xiao back home, also taking the opportunity to visit their relatives.

After informing Mrs. Lu, Li Xia boarded Xu Xinyue's carriage.

Once inside, Li Xia carefully examined Xu Xinyue.

"What's wrong?" Xu Xinyue looked down at herself, puzzled by Li Xia's scrutiny.

"Something's different about you," Li Xia observed. In the past, Xu Xinyue would become very thin during the summer due to the heat, and even with autumn's nourishing foods, she wouldn't gain much weight. But this time, Xu Xinyue had not only regained her weight but her face looked rounder. Li Xia pinched Xu Xinyue's chin, feeling the flesh there.

Xu Xinyue swatted Li Xia's hand away, thinking there was something amiss with her appearance. "I've had a good appetite lately, so I've been eating more," she explained.

"Have you seen a doctor?" Li Xia asked, concerned.

"I'm perfectly fine, eating and sleeping well. Why would I need to see a doctor?" Xu Xinyue appreciated her daughter's concern but knew her own body – there was nothing wrong with her.

Li Xia, still worried, insisted on redirecting the carriage to an apothecary. Seeing the Wang family's carriage change course, Mrs. Lu and Li Xin were puzzled and sent someone to inquire. Concerned about Xu Xinyue, they also followed to the apothecary.

Xu Xinyue reluctantly sat down for the doctor to check her pulse. After the examination, the doctor clasped his hands and congratulated Xu Xinyue, "Congratulations, madam. You are two months pregnant."

Xu Xinyue looked at the doctor, then down at her own belly. She was pregnant.

"Doctor, how is my mother's health?" Li Xia asked, worried about Xu Xinyue's condition.

Seeing Li Xia's concern, Xu Xinyue swallowed the words she was about to say. Mrs. Lu and Li Xin were also delighted for Xu Xinyue. As they left the apothecary, Li Xia repeatedly instructed Qiu Ju to take good care of Xu Xinyue and to send word if anything happened.

On the way back to Qingyue Street, Li Xia sent Qiu Ling to find Xiao Changyou and inquire about available female doctors who could care for Xu Xinyue at the Wang residence. Given that she was an older mother-to-be, Li Xia was very concerned about Xu Xinyue's health.

However, on the way back, Xu Xinyue confided in Qiu Ju that she didn't want to keep the child.

"Madam, the young miss would love her unborn brother or sister. Why would you consider this?" Qiu Ju asked.

"Xia'er would love any child I bear. But it's precisely because of this that I don't want to dilute the love I have for her," Xu Xinyue explained. Before she was married, she had decided that Li Xia would be her only child, and that was enough.

"You shouldn't think like that. If you could give the young miss a brother, it would provide her with more support in the future," Qiu Ju tried to persuade Xu Xinyue to keep the child.

"Qiu Ju, stop trying to convince me. I've made up my mind," Xu Xinyue closed her eyes, unwilling to continue the conversation.

Seeing Xu Xinyue like this, Qiu Ju didn't know how to persuade her. She thought about informing Li Xia.

"Qiu Ju, if you still consider me your mistress, don't tell Xia'er," Xu Xinyue said, cutting off Qiu Ju's last resort. Upon returning to the Wang residence, Xu Xinyue also instructed the carriage driver not to speak of this to anyone. Qiu Ju went to another apothecary to buy abortion medicine.

In the room, Xu Xinyue looked at the bowl of medicine Qiu Ju brought. The thought of terminating her pregnancy pained her, but she couldn't bear to worry Xia'er any further.

As Xu Xinyue picked up the bowl, ready to drink, the door suddenly burst open. Li Xia ran in and knocked the bowl away, shouting, "Don't drink it!"

"Xia'er, why are you here?" Xu Xinyue stood up, wanting to approach her daughter. But seeing Li Xia's stern face, she withdrew her hand.

"If I hadn't come, you would have gotten rid of my little brother," Li Xia's words made Xu Xinyue look at Qiu Ju.

"Aunt Qiu didn't say anything. I had someone watch you," Li Xia explained. She had been suspicious of Xu Xinyue's reaction at the apothecary and, worried she might do something rash, had Qiu Ling keep an eye on her. Sure enough, Qiu Ling saw Qiu Ju go to another apothecary for medicine. When she learned it was for abortion, Qiu Ling rushed back to report.

Despite the late hour, Li Xia had Qiu Shui explain the situation to Mrs. Lu and hurried to the Wang residence by carriage. Thankfully, she arrived in time. Li Xia was furious; she had told Xu Xinyue many times not to worry about her.

"Xia'er, I—" Xu Xinyue began to cry before she could finish speaking.

Li Xia's anger dissipated. She went to comfort Xu Xinyue, knowing that such emotional upheaval wasn't good for a pregnant woman.

After Li Xia had soothed Xu Xinyue to sleep, it was late. Qiu Ju arranged for a guest room to be prepared, and Li Xia stayed the night.

That evening, when Wang Dong returned and found Xu Xinyue already asleep, he asked Qiu Ju about her condition.

"The madam is pregnant," Qiu Ju's words made Wang Dong pause.

"Pregnant?" he asked again, unsure.

"Congratulations, sir. The madam is two months pregnant," Qiu Ju confirmed.

Wang Dong was overjoyed and wanted to see Xu Xinyue, but worried about disturbing her rest. He carefully instructed Qiu Ju to take good care of Xu Xinyue and went to sleep in his study.

Early the next morning, Li Xia was about to check on Xu Xinyue when she heard Wang Dong was there. She waited until he left before going to Xu Xinyue's chambers.

Li Xia stayed at the Wang residence for two days, making sure Xu Xinyue had changed her mind and wouldn't terminate the pregnancy. The female doctor arranged by Xiao Changyou also arrived at the Wang residence to provide personal care for Xu Xinyue.

Only then did Li Xia bid farewell and return to Qingyue Street. She paid her respects to Mrs. Lu and briefly explained Xu Xinyue's situation. Back in the Orchid Courtyard, she lay on a lounge chair to rest. Worried about Xu Xinyue these past few days, Li Xia hadn't been eating or sleeping well and was exhausted.

Concerned that Li Xia might be upset about Xu Xinyue's pregnancy, Li Xin came daily to keep her company, chatting and doing needlework. After the new year, Li Xin would marry into the Cao family, so she needed to embroider some handkerchiefs as greeting gifts to showcase her needlework skills to the women in her new family.

Li Xia, however, couldn't muster any enthusiasm. She was listless, and if it weren't for Li Xin's supervision, she would have forgotten about her wedding clothes entirely.

"Xia Xia, at this rate, you won't finish the embroidery even in two years," Li Xin remarked, watching Li Xia take half a day to make a single stitch.

"There's still two years to go," Li Xia said nonchalantly, setting aside the wedding dress. She had no desire to embroider it at all.

"So what do you want to do?" Li Xin asked as she finished embroidering a handkerchief. She was quite fast at handkerchief embroidery.

Qiu Ling entered the room. "Miss, the West Market has recently received a new batch of horses from beyond the border. Would you like to go and pick one out?"

"Pick one out?" Li Xia didn't quite catch on at first.

"Qiu Ling, you still remember that?" Li Xin recalled their discussion about buying horses and starting a stable from years ago.

Li Xia remembered too. "Sure, let's go take a look."