What Happened to the Child

Belle was truly exhausted, but seeing so many family members caring for the child, she felt reassured. Holding the hand of young Steward Yuan, she drifted into a deep sleep.

The midwife carried the baby off the bed and wrapped it up, but the child still hadn’t cried, leaving everyone deeply worried.

Lily Evans told the midwife to take the baby out to the anteroom, worried the noise might wake Belle.

Everyone placed the baby in the crib that had been prepared in the anteroom, and gathered around to look. Lily Evans noticed that the little baby’s mouth was half open, its gaze vacant, and it didn’t look quite right.

Lily Evans waved her finger in front of the baby’s eyes and saw that the baby could follow her finger, so it wasn’t blind. She tested the baby’s hearing too, and that was fine, but the baby’s reactions were unusually slow, dull and vacant.

With reactions like these, did they just give birth to a dull-witted child?

Belle’s mother-in-law grew frantic seeing the child like this. Margaret Evans’s tears fell instantly as she sobbed, “How, how could we have given birth to a dull child?”

The midwife wiped the sweat from her brow and said, “Ladies, I’ve delivered babies for most of my life and seen all kinds. Some children are born this way—dull and slow. It’s a problem from the womb.”

But my son and daughter-in-law are both healthy and smart—how could we have a dull child!? Belle’s mother-in-law was nearly in tears.

Lily Evans looked at the child and felt deeply sorry for it.

In modern times, advanced prenatal screening can detect fetal abnormalities during pregnancy, allowing for healthy births.

But in ancient times, there were no ultrasounds or blood tests—having a baby was like drawing a lottery. If you were unlucky and the child had problems, you wouldn’t know until it was born.

After confirming the child was dull-witted, Belle’s mother-in-law hugged the baby and cried, but fearing she’d wake Belle, she suppressed her sobs and cried quietly.

Margaret Evans wiped her tears too, and the room was filled with sorrow.

Lily Evans looked at the dull child and sighed.

If this were a normal, healthy child born to Belle’s family, it would surely be a happy baby. Unfortunately, a daughter born dull-witted would face many hardships growing up.

Soon, seeing Belle asleep, Eugene Jr. finally came out to see his daughter.

As soon as Eugene Jr. entered the anteroom and saw the women crying, he rushed to see his daughter. Learning she was dull-witted, he hugged her and squatted down, unable to hold back his tears.

The midwife, who often delivers for wealthy families in the capital and has seen many secrets, reminded them: “Ladies, Masters, do you think Belle might have eaten something she shouldn’t have, affecting the child’s health?”

“Ate something she shouldn’t?” The midwife’s reminder left everyone stunned.

Margaret Evans thought for a moment, then shook her head, “Belle has always been careful with what she eats. She never touches anything strange.”

Lin Xiaowu, who had been quietly standing by, suddenly spoke up, “Let me check Belle’s pulse.”

Lily Evans glanced at Lin Xiaowu and nodded, “Go ahead, but keep it quiet. Don’t disturb Belle.”

If Belle wakes, just say Lin Xiaowu is prescribing herbs to help her recover from childbirth.

Lin Xiaowu nodded and quietly entered the bedroom to take Belle’s pulse.

Everyone waited anxiously in the anteroom, hoping Lin Xiaowu would find something to explain the child’s condition.