Mixed Robes [FengQing]

Little Thing

*TW. There ain't no other way for me to say it*

Bursts of pain came nonstop as Mu Qing dealt with it silently.

He was going through labor now, and Lan Ning was informed the second they first started. He was sprawled out on his bed, clutching the bed sheets until his knuckles turned white. Lan Ning had her sleeves rolled up high, perched in between Mu Qing's legs. She worked with the air of a master, occasionally checking Mu Qing's pulse. Lan Ning had subordinates nearby, one holding a tub of warm water, and others standing while waiting to assist. Lan Ning looked calm, and she complimented and encouraged Mu Qing as she made quick guesses on how she would handle things. After all, it was her first time delivering a man's child.

Feng Xin wasn't allowed to go into his room while Lan Ning was working on Mu Qing, so all he could do was pace outside, holding his head. He slumped down against the door, gritting his teeth. 

Mu Qing refused to let any screams of pain escape from his throat although it was impossibly unbearable, so gasps and groans of pain were heard from time to time. Lan Ning also prepared herself, as she couldn't predict the future.

"All right general... push in three... two... one..." Lan Ning said in a soothing voice as she held her hands ready. Mu Qing silently obliged, groaning once he was done. Lan Ning nodded. "General, you're doing great. Perhaps a few more and... we'll be done," Lan Ning said. Blood seeped into the white sheets underneath Mu Qing as he gasped for breath.

"A-Luo, wipe his forehead with a wet towel. Song-mei and Xiao-mei, stay nearby. Xian-er, pass me a cloth," Lan Ning said. Although she looked calm and composed, she was bubbling with excitement and nervousness. 

"General, breathe slowly to avoid fatigue. Now, let's push in three... two... one!" Lan Ning said, her face full of determination. Mu Qing held his breath and pushed, gripping the bedsheets even harder. A fleeting thought came to him that he might rip the sheets, but were immediately snuffed out with more bursts of pain. He groaned in pain, flopping his head back. Lan Ning nodded. 

"Perfect, general! You're doing great," Lan Ning said and she gestured for her partner, A-Luo, to wipe Mu Qing's forehead again. Mu Qing grunted and forced himself to nod his head. 

"Very impressive, general. You're enduring it silently... admirable," Lan Ning mumbled. Mu Qing was sweating profusely, and when A-Luo wiped his head, he just continued to sweat more. What could he say? It wasn't his choice to sweat this much.

"Okay, general, last push! Put your all into it. Let's push in three... two... one!" Lan Ning exclaimed. This time, Mu Qing couldn't help but let out a cry as he pushed.

Through the door, Feng Xin heard this cry, and a tear slipped out of his eye. How painful it must have been for Mu Qing, who was going through something that some women die from. Feng Xin buried his head between his legs as he waited expectantly. Just then, a gentle wail of a baby was heard. Discarding his self-control, Feng Xin burst through the doors. His eyes were wide as he saw Xian-er holding a baby that she was in the middle of bundling. Xiao-mei gently smiled at him, telling him the news.

"Congratulations, general. A beautiful baby girl," Xiao-mei said with a beaming smile. Lan Ning was finishing up with Mu Qing, who was sobbing. A-Xian very gently passed the baby to Feng Xin. 

"Congratulations!" She said as she placed the baby into Feng Xin's arms. 

The baby had soft, lightly tan skin, rosy and beautiful. Her cries were immediately silenced as she was held by her A-Die, opening her eyes to peer at this big man who made her. Her pure, obsidian eyes were shiny as she looked at Feng Xin innocently. Her face was beautiful, very feminine [...which she probably inherited from Mu Qing], straight nose and sharp lips. Feng Xin couldn't help but tear up, starting to sob. 

"...hello, my little one," Feng Xin forced through suppressed sobs. Lan Ning finished cleaning up Mu Qing and dusted herself off. 

"Congratulations, general. I'm very happy to deliver your child, and general Xuan Zhen is all right. In about a month, General Xuan Zhen should be back to normal. Again, congratulations, General Nan Yang," Lan Ning said with a broad smile. Feng Xin nodded, at a loss for words. Those strong arms that held a bow and threw punches now gently held a fragile child, the second light to his world. 

"...hey," Mu Qing croaked from the bed. Feng Xin's head snapped up towards him, then rushed over to the side of the bed. Tears ran down Mu Qing's face, but he spoke as cold as ever. "How come you get the first touch? Not fair... no, don't give me that face. What are you waiting for? Give her to me," Mu Qing said, his voice hoarse, tears continuing to run down his face. Feng Xin laughed, still crying, then very gently placed the baby into Mu Qing's waiting arms. The baby moved her head to look up at the person holding her now, so different from the one previously holding her. She looked at Mu Qing curiously, her little mouth curving into a triangle. Mu Qing cried even more, suppressing sobs.

"Hello... Baba is here... you're so beautiful, you know that?" Mu Qing said, holding the baby close to him. Feng Xin held the both of them in his arms, quietly sobbing. The women in the room stood around, hearts touched, with smiles. 

"Generals, what will her name be?" Lan Ning asked. Mu Qing blinked a few times, then looked at Feng Xin. 

"A-Xin said he had options... I mostly agreed but..." Mu Qing started.

"I said that if the child would be a boy, the name would be Huan. Feng Huan. If the child was a girl, I said that the name would be Lian, shortened for Lianhua. For persisting and holding out this long... I want to name her Lian. She is strong," Feng Xin said, wiping his tears. Lan Ning nodded.

"Feng Lian... a beautiful name. Wind Lotus, is she?" Lan Ning said, playing on her name. Mu Qing chuckled, stroking the baby, Lian's, head. 

"Lotuses sway in the wind. It truly is a beautiful name..." Mu Qing said.

"Well, my work here is done. I'll come back in a few days to check on General Xuan Zhen and little Lian, so see you soon. Again, congratulations, generals," Lan Ning said, beaming. She gestured for her partners to collect everything they brought, and they soon left. That left the two generals and baby Lian. 

"She's beautiful. She takes after her Baba," Feng Xin said. Mu Qing laughed, but Feng Xin interrupted him halfway. "Since she's beautiful, she takes after me," Feng Xin said proudly. Mu Qing shot a look at him and with a surprising burst of strength, smacked Feng Xin's chest. 

"Shut up. I'm more beautiful than you are," Mu Qing said, jutting out his chin. Feng Xin playfully clutched his chest. 

"Wah, that it was hard. Did hubby get his strength back so quickly?" Feng Xin teased.

"You should be thankful that I didn't throw you across the room," Mu Qing snapped. Lian's eyes were wide as she looked back and forth from her father's. She was pretty sharp, for a newborn. A little Woh, sound came from her, and Feng Xin and Mu Qing. Feng Xin smiled and stroked her head.

"She's so smart. Making sounds already?" Feng Xin said, beaming. Mu Qing smiled, eyes curving into crescents. 

"She surely is our child. We will raise her to be stronger than those of her generation, as strong as the red lotuses she is named after," Mu Qing said, a hint of amusement in his voice.

The sky kisses the earth, loathing to part. The sounds of the dizi flute float through the wind, the sounds of the guqin's melody rising and falling. No separation, no sadness. With which one loves another, feelings so foreign as a new country. Swords clang, arrows whoosh, and weapons sound. The crimson lotus stands tall among the blood around it, rising from the mud it grew in. With every gale, its stem trembles. Yet it does not break, it does not snap.

*hihi my beloved readers! Say hello to Little Lian! I know she has the same given name as Xie Lian, but both names have different meanings, I hope you guys understand. Love y'all! I just have a thing for lotuses... please bear with me :,)  -Lotus^^*