Arthur Evans's Dilemma

The village chief, seeing that the matter here was settled and the Su family was no longer causing trouble, went back on his own.

Next, Doctor Wu attended to the Su family members' illnesses.

Su Daqi and Old Man Su both caught a cold. After feeling their pulses, Doctor Wu prescribed medicine. Although Zhao Shi complained about the expensive medicine, she had no choice but to pay.

Then Zhao Shi remembered that Su Shimao was also sick, so she called out, "Shimao, come out and let Doctor Wu check your pulse and prescribe some medicine; you'll feel better after taking it."

Inside the room, Su Shimao was curled up in the corner of the bed. Hearing Zhao Shi's call to see the doctor, he reacted strongly, fearing Doctor Wu would discover his disgraceful condition. He shouted irritably, "I'm fine, why see a doctor!"

Zhao Shi didn't expect to be yelled at when she was just trying to help Su Shimao see the doctor.

Old Man Su grumbled, "That beast, why bother with a doctor? If he's sick, let it be, saves us the trouble and money."

So Zhao Shi dared not say anything more.

After checking pulses, Su Li glanced at Liu Ru standing under the eaves, then looked at her belly and said to Doctor Wu, "Doctor Wu, why not check on the child in Liu Ru's belly?"

That child was Su Li's household servant, and he didn't want anything to happen to the baby.

Doctor Wu, whose own daughter was pregnant, was especially considerate to pregnant women. He checked Liu Ru's pulse for free and said, "The child is a bit small, probably due to poor nutrition, but it's still within the normal range. A smaller baby means less suffering for the mother during birth."

Zhao Shi, wide-eyed beside him, anxiously asked, "Doctor Wu, is the baby in my daughter-in-law's belly a boy or a girl?"

Doctor Wu stroked his chin and said, "It's hard to tell the gender by pulse diagnosis. But from my years of experience, Liu Ru's belly shape looks like it's a boy."

"Oh, a boy is good! Our Su family line will continue!" Zhao Shi was delighted, and even Old Man Su and Su Daqi's previously sour faces eased up a bit.

If Liu Ru gave birth to a boy, then Su Shimao would have a son, and the Su family would no longer have only Su Shimao as the male heir. If Su Shimao continued to cause trouble, they could just... get rid of him!

At this moment, Su Shimao was hiding at the door, overhearing the conversation outside.

Su Shimao, who was about to become a father, should have been overjoyed to learn he was going to have a son. But he couldn't be happy about it, because if Liu Ru really gave birth to a son, his own life would be in danger!

Given the personalities of Old Man Su and Su Daqi, if he weren't the only precious male heir of the Su family, he would have been beaten to death long ago.

Once Liu Ru's son was born, his status would be greatly diminished compared to before.

But if Liu Ru's son didn't survive, and Su Shimao couldn't continue the family line, it would be the end of their lineage.

Su Shimao suddenly found himself in a dilemma...

Just as Doctor Wu finished checking Liu Ru's pulse, three young girls—Yin Dou, Li Huahua, and Gu Yu—came running hand in hand outside the door, followed by Ling Dang, Su Li's only female apprentice.

Ling Dang was a bit older than Yin Dou and the others, about twelve years old, fair-skinned and very pleasant-looking with a smiling face.

As soon as Ling Dang entered, her eyes instinctively scanned Xiao Zetian. The two quickly exchanged glances before Ling Dang returned to normal and followed Yin Dou and the others inside.

Yin Dou, out of breath, shouted as soon as she entered the courtyard, "Sister Ali, Sister Caiwei says her stomach hurts, and Second Madam says Sister Caiwei is going to have a baby. They told us to quickly call you and Doctor Wu to come home!"

Upon hearing this, Doctor Wu sprang up, "Ah! My daughter is about to give birth! Let's go, quickly!"