134 – Qin Ruiqi and Lei Ruilin

Once Lei Daqiang thought of the humiliation of being threatened by Lei Tie just now and that he might fall into the same situation as becoming mute like Du Shi, he turned around, slapped Du Shi’s face, and hatefully said, “It’s all this woman’s faults!”

Du Shi was slapped to the ground and her cheek swelled in an instant.

“Mother!” exclaimed Lei Xiangli and Lei Chuntao before they hastily ran over to help Du Shi.

“Father, what on earth have you two done to Eldest Brother and Eldest Sister-in-law?” asked Lei Xiangli with a frown.

Lei Daqiang stammered, “Zhao Sifa told me and your mother that as long as we gave a concubine to your eldest brother, then… I was thinking that after his concubine gave birth to a son, so long as we hold on to the child, their family’s property… It wasn’t for myself…”

When Lei Xiangli and Lei Chuntao looked at him with disappointed eyes, he couldn’t continue to speak.

“Mother, Fourth Brother and I will help you into the room first,” said Lei Chuntao to Du Shi in a soft voice.

Du Shi covered her face as she nodded, not looking a glance at Lei Daqiang; she had a vacant expression.

The mother and her children entered the room. Du Shi leaned on the bed, closed her eyes, and was silent as the grave.

Although Du Shi had many faults, she was the mother of Lei Chuntao and Lei Xiangli after all. Seeing her like this, the brother and sister felt upset. Yet, they didn’t have that thick of a face to go look for Lei Tie and plead.

“Mother, I’ll go and invite Doctor Liu to check on you,” said Lei Xiangli.

……

After Lei Tie entered the house, he withdrew his cold aura and entered the bedroom.

“You’re back.” Qin Mian was properly dressed and leaning against the heatable-brick bed. Once he scrutinized the man’s expression was the same, he put down his worry. He beckoned the man and handed him the notebook. “I think these characters aren’t bad, but they aren’t good enough. You look at it.”

Written on the notebook were: Shu, Rui, Shi, Xuan, Xi, Yu.¹

Lei Tie also thought that they were not good enough.

“It’s hard to think of a good name.” Qin Mian frowned and gave him the dictionary. “Now it’s your turn to look for it.”

Lei Tie honestly said, “I don’t recognize…”

Qin Mian laughed with a puff. Although the characters in the dictionary were annotated in Traditional Chinese, they were mostly simplified characters; it would be really hard for Lei Tie to read. He was trying to embarrass Lei Tie. That dejected expression of his was very amusing.

The two babies started to whimper.

Lei Tie immediately stood up. “I’ll warm the milk.”

That somewhat defeated and fleeing figure made Qin Mian unable to contain his laughter. He shook his head and continued to look at the dictionary. Suddenly, a miraculous light sparked² and he thought of “Qilin”. Qilin³ was an auspicious beast. Not only was it meant auspicious, but the two characters were also very similar. Wasn’t it appropriate to use it for the last word of a baby’s name?

As for the character in the middle – a good man should be able to hold up the sky and support the earth⁴, formidable, and domineering, so the middle character could be ‘’Rui⁵’’. ‘’Rui’’ could be equivalent for ‘’sharp’’, ‘’advance bravely momentum’’, and ‘’excellent’’.

He wrote ‘’Qin Ruiqi’’ and ‘’Lei Ruilin’’ on the paper.

“Good names.” A warm breath gently exhaled and blew into his cochlea. Lei Tie, who knew when he came back, just happened to see the characters on the paper.

Qin Mian covered his ear and suspected that the man did it on purpose. He patted him hard on the shoulder, “The sons’ childhood names are left to you.”

Lei Tie held a bottle in each hand and was about to feed the two babies but paused for a moment. “Wife, I won’t.”

“No matter, you have to.” Qin Mian gently kissed the two little ones on their faces. Lastly, he gave Lei Tie a hard bite on his face to encourage him. He snickered and then intentionally sighed, “Sons, your dad I, have given you very powerful names. If you don’t think your childhood name sounds good after you have grown up, blame your ‘Old Dad’!”⁶

Lei Tie touched his face. He was eight years older than his wife, but he didn’t need to add the word ‘’old’’, right?

Qin Mian snickered.

Lei Tie had a wonderful view of his small act and gently shook his head. He deeply pondered for a moment and said, “Call them Yuanyuan and Manman.”⁷

“Not bad.” Qin Mian gave him a look of appreciation. He was ready to go out to make breakfast but looked back, “You will be fine taking care of them alone?”

Lei Tie nodded, “Don’t worry.”

Qin Mian had nothing to worry about. Last night, when the two children were hungry and urinated, Lei Tie took care of them. He woke up a step too late and only guided on the side. Lei Tie’s movements might be unskilled and even very clumsy, but the most important thing was that he was careful enough – his movements were very light, afraid of hurting the two little babies. Therefore, the two children were still cared for very well.

After Qin Mian went to the kitchen to cook the rice, he walked back to the bedroom and took a look. The two babies had finished their milk and fell asleep again.

At the dining table, he asked Lei Tie what he did when he went out in the morning.

Once they finished breakfast, the couple held an “Infant Care Guidance” book found in the space to study. Uncle Fu led all the servants in the family to pay respects.

The two men carried both children out.

They all knelt and called out, “Paying respects to Eldest Old Master, Little Old Master, Eldest Young Master, and Little Young Master!”

“Rise,” said Lei Tie.

“Many thanks, Eldest Old Master!”

Hearing the new address, Qin Mian still felt uncomfortable. “Well, remove the word ‘old’ and just call us ‘Eldest Master’ and ‘Little Master.”

Everyone answered yes in unison and looked at the little masters in the arms of the two masters with eager eyes.

Qin Mian ordered, “Aunt Fu and Aunt Quan, you two hold the children and let everyone see.”

“Yes.”

Aunt Quan had borne a baby; she took Manman from his arms very skillfully. Although Aunt Fu never had a baby, she had taken care of children before; she held Yuanyuan safely and firmly.

Seeing the appearance of the two babies, the two women silently expressed their surprise and were full of love for the babies.

After the rest of the servants saw them respectively, they were all happy for the two masters and congratulated in unison, “Congratulations to Eldest Master and Little Master on the children’s birth!”

“En,” Qin Mian forthrightly said, “Steward Fu, all servants are rewarded with 100 Wen.”

“Yes.”

Everyone greatly rejoiced. “Many thanks, Little Master and Eldest Master!”

Qin Mian and Lei Tie held the children back.

Aunt Fu came forward with several clothes in her hands. “Reporting, Eldest Master and Little Master. These are a few small clothes made by this old woman, Aunt Quan, and Lei-Qin Le’s wife last night. Hope masters like them.”

Qin Mian accepted the clothes and said with a smile, “You all are considerate. All three of you have good needlework. I have some cloth and clothing designs here. You take them away and make more clothes for the two babies.”

“Yes.”

Uncle Fu waited for them to finish before he reported, “Eldest Master and Little Master, your bondservant I have sent people to buy the crib in the town. They’ll be back in two to three quarters⁸. Also, the good news of the two young masters has been released.”

“Great, you all can leave.”

Not long after, the servant came to report that Lei Xiangren, Zhao Shi, Lei Xiangyi, Qian Shi, Lei Xiangli, and Lei Chuntao had come.

As soon as he entered the house, Lei Xiangyi couldn’t hold back and asked, “Eldest Brother and Eldest Sister-in-law, how did you two suddenly have two sons?”

These words were very impolite. Qin Mian knew that he was just curious and bore no malice, so he didn’t mind it. He led them to his and Lei Tie’s bedroom.

“How did you end up coming together? The children are still sleeping. Go in and have a look.”

Upon seeing the facial features of Yuanyuan and Manman, these few people were surprised.

“Where is the children’s mother?” asked Zhao Shi at once.

Lei Tie coldly glanced at her and Zhao Shi immediately shut up. Just now, she and Lei Xiangren had been to the old house and already knew about the birth news released this morning. However, she was truly curious as to why the two children looked like Lei Tie and Qin Mian? They couldn’t be Qin Mian and Lei Tie’s own. With Du Shi set as an example there, she did not dare to speak again.

Meanwhile, Lei Xiangren didn’t think that much. He pursued the matter, “Who is the children’s mother? Since the two children look exactly alike, it must be the same mother. But why do they look like Eldest Brother and Eldest Sister-in-law?”

“It doesn’t concern you,” warned Lei Tie.

Zhao Shi pulled Lei Xiangren’s arm. Lei Xiangren shut up in resentment and looked around; his greedy appearance was loathsome.

If he and Zhao Shi did not come with the others, Qin Mian would not let them in at all.

“Everyone, please sit outside.”

Aunt Quan served tea and retreated to one side.

Lei Xiangyi and Qian Shi told Qin Mian and Lei Tie their experiences in taking care of children.

Lei Xiangli and Lei Chuntao had helped to take care of Lei Dabao, Lei Erbao, and Lei Xinxin. They also had experiences and often put in a few words. Neither of them mentioned what happened in the old house in the morning. Thus, Qin Mian had a little more favorable impression of them. In fact, it might not be a bad thing for her to be mute for a while. As long as she didn’t make trouble, who would have the spare time to deal with her?

Lei Xiangren could not sit still at the thought of not knowing how much richer the Lei Tie family was than his. He stood up and said, “You all can keep talking. My wife and I are going to stroll around outside.”

“Right, right.” Zhao Shi knew him best; her eyes brightened.

Lei Xiangli’s attitude was a little cold as he said, “Second Brother, we won’t sit anymore. You and Second Sister-in-law will leave with us.”

“Don’t want to sit down a little longer?” It was not easy for Lei Xiangren to come in. He didn’t want to leave like this.

At this time, Lei-Qin Shun, Lei-Qin Cheng, Lei-Qin Zhong, and Lei-Qin Xin stepped forward with swift and fierce momentum. After saluting Qin Mian and Lei Tie, they discreetly flanked both sides of the door outside.

Lei Xiangren was frightened, “Then… Let’s go.”

As soon as Lei Xiangren and his party left, Lei-Qin Shun’s group also saluted and asked for leave.

Before long, Lei-Qin Le and Lei-Qin Li came over with the crib.

The crib was made of wood, with railings on all sides, and all the planks were polished smooth; there was also a holder on top to put up mosquito nets and hang toys.

Qin Mian was not very satisfied. He had Lei Tie renovate the crib. Small wooden wheels were added in the four corners below it to facilitate pushing. At the same time, the crib could be used as a cradle.

After the renovation, Qin Mian spread the small mattress on it. Qin Ruiqi and Lei Ruilin moved to their ‘’new home’’.

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Footnotes