Three months later...
This time, because Ivy Shen was carrying twins, she was weak all over—yawning at random and falling asleep whenever, wherever.
The Seven Husbands were all super anxious about it, but luckily Lacey and Screwball’s wedding was already over and they’d gone back to Flame Valley. Otherwise, the in-laws would be stressing out with them every single day.
Honestly, way too much has happened lately.
First, Caleb’s dad was ‘sick,’ so his mom went home—but everyone knew he just missed her and wanted an excuse.
Ever since Yvonne Yun found out Ivy was pregnant, she’s been hugging Little Snowball and chattering beside the bed every day. Her main point? With two babies coming, Ivy should give her one to take home and raise—blah blah blah, endless grandma talk.
Ivy mostly just listened in silence—usually, halfway through Yvonne’s rambling, she’d already dozed off.
The Six Husbands hated hearing that kind of talk. They spent all day pressuring Caleb to get his mom to leave. No matter whose kid it was—even if it was Caleb’s—they absolutely weren’t letting any baby get taken off to the Endless Indulgence Kingdom. These were their kids! How could they let them leave their parents so soon?
So, with all six brothers ganging up on him, Caleb had no choice but to grit his teeth and start persuading his mom to go home.
Father loves Mother so much—if Mother’s not around, he’ll definitely miss her and get sick!
Yvonne Yun paid no mind to whether her husband was ill; in her eyes, nothing was more thrilling than awaiting the birth of her grandson!
Yet, as is often the case, what people imagine to be perfect rarely goes as smoothly as they hope.
Seeing that he couldn't persuade his mother, Caleb Miles sent a letter straight to the Endless Indulgence Kingdom, asking his father for help.
A letter, rushed by fast horse and never leaving the saddle, was quickly delivered into the palace.
At that, everyone began a collective round of persuasion. Yvonne Yun read the urgent letter and grew a little anxious.
The Seven Husbands noticed her hesitation and pressed her again. After all, her husband had never written her a letter like this before—could it truly be so serious?
In the end, faced with so much earnest pleading, she had no choice but to depart. Of course, she promised she’d return after a while.
Everyone smiled politely as they sent her off. Return after a while?
Come back to snatch a child, you mean?
Hmph, not a chance!
Except for Caleb Miles, the others were all secretly thinking: If she comes again, we'll just hide the children!
"Xin'er, do you want to take a break? You shouldn't sit for too long," Caleb Miles asked, full of concern.
"Not a chance! I just won!" Ivy Shen beamed, sitting before a mountain of gemstones, looking nothing like someone drowsy from pregnancy.
At the moment, they were all playing mahjong. Ivy Shen had been exhausted lately because of her pregnancy, but she refused to lie down all day. So she came up with this solution—mahjong! Once she started, it felt just like a modern family game night, and all her worries faded away.
Seated at the table were Ivy Shen, Caleb Miles, Lucian Vane, and Yvonne Li. The rest could only wait their turn—because without Xin'er, the mahjong table was simply dull.
Caleb Miles was famously stingy. Every month, he allotted everyone a fixed stipend, supposedly to 'cut expenses.' Today, everyone brought the month's allowance to gamble.
"Outrageous! You must be cheating! I am the Emperor—I have plenty of money!" Ethan Chu grumbled. In just one round, he'd lost his entire month's allowance. True, he was wealthy, but all his money was back in Chu Kingdom. Trying to use distant water to put out a nearby fire? Impossible!
"Xin'er..." Caleb Miles wailed—he'd just lost his last silver coin.
"Alright, alright, my turn now!" Adrian Night yanked Caleb Miles out of the seat and took his place.
Off to the side, Eli Crane watched with a gentle smile, cradling Little Snowball in his arms. The baby babbled and gazed at the colorful tiles, his bright eyes darting curiously across the table.