Her pregnancy took a lot of time to get used to. She'd made Zhe Yan and the inhabitants of her fox den keep it a secret while she got used to the idea. Nai Nai, having been there for her first pregnancy was a valuable resource for Zhe Yan as she had no answers for his questions. She'd kept up routine for A-Li and tried to answer his questions as much as she could, the little boy had asked Zhe Yan for books on pregnancy and had become a fountain of information. He often read to the child in her stomach.
In the hours when he was studying, she had time to think and worry and dream. She'd been focused on surviving and helping A-Li get over the loss but now she had an entire new life that would never know Ye Hua.
"You never used to worry this much" He said as he walked towards her and covered her with a blanket.
"I had you to worry about everything for both of us" she replied
"Then let me worry. It's not good for our daughter for you to be so worried"
She dropped her head on his shoulder "Ye Hua, you're so sure it's a girl"
"No, but if I say it long enough, it might happen"
She smiled at him.
"I know you're worried I won't be there for the birth and our child won't know me but you're wrong on both of those"
She didn't reply but felt the tears on her cheeks followed by his fingers wiping them away.
A month passed before she'd decided she was ready to tell the world, well, the part of the world that she wanted to tell. She'd let Zhe Yan inform her family and Mo Yuan. She'd told everyone privy to the knowledge to keep it to themselves and especially away from the celestial tribe. Her parents had paused their travels and moved back into the den to be close to her. Mo Yuan had become a regular visitor, to spend time with A-Li so she could rest. Her son adored his uncle and loved spending time with him as well, Mo Yuan's time with A-Li also pleased the celestial tribe who were still yet to visit.
When she began to show, she restricted herself to the fox den and its immediate vicinity. She wanted to keep her secret for as long as she could. There were differences between her first pregnancy and this one. A-Li had been a smooth ride, no morning sickness, no problem with food and she hadn't been lethargic. This pregnancy, she struggled to stay awake and keep food down. Her food preferences changed weekly, sometimes daily but between her mother and Nai Nai, she always found something that would work.
The most annoying part of being pregnant was that she could no longer drink wine. In all her time as an immortal, she couldn't remember a time she'd actually stayed away from wine. She'd moaned and cried about it for the first few months of her pregnancy and Zhe Yan had given in, he was brewing peach juice to taste like wine with no alcohol. He said it would be ready this week which meant she didn't have to spend more than the first year of her pregnancy without drinking.
She looked around the room where she hid all the decorations and party gear for her son's surprise birthday party. Ye Hua always took him to the mortal world, she'd kept that tradition last year when her pregnancy wasn't showing but this year she couldn't take that chance. She planned to let fourth brother take him there for a few minutes but the main celebration would be in Qing Qiu.
As usual, she'd told the celestial tribe of her plan for his birthday, requesting that they keep it a secret from A-Li. She didn't expect them to show up, they would send gifts as usual and A-Li would be happy with the people he had.
She went to his room to wake him up. It was the one day of the year she tried to wake up early. She rubbed her hand on her belly as she watched him sleep wondering how alike or different the child in her stomach would be. She was lucky to have A-Li and she would be lucky to have this one as well.
"Wake up, dumpling" She said tickling him
He laughed and squirmed under her hands.
"Guess what day it is?" She asked. A tradition she started on his previous birthday when grief had kept the little boy from realizing it was his birthday. He'd felt bad about it, so she told him it was a birthday game. He asked if they could play it every year and she agreed.
"First day of spring!" He replied
"No"
"Flat peach harvest!"
"No"
"Peach harvest?"
"Uncle Mo Yuan's birthday?"
"No" She laughed at that one, last year, he'd thought of the heavenly lord's birthday.
"My birthday"
"Yes! My baby is growing, very soon you won't be a baby anymore" She said with a pout
"We'll have another baby and they'll be younger than me"
"Yes but you'll be my baby forever"
"Like fourth uncle is grand ma fox's baby?" He'd taken to calling her mother grandma fox and her mother loved it.
"Exactly like that" Although she was certain her brother wouldn't like to be called anybody's baby. Except Zhe Yan's. Maybe.
"Dress up, I have a surprise for you"
"Really?"
She nodded and he ran out of the bed to get ready. He joined her in the main room
"You are going to the mortal realm"
"But mother can't travel"
"Fourth brother will take you for an hour then you'll spend the rest of the day with me in Qing Qiu"
"Two birthdays! A-Li is excited"
"Ready to go?" Fourth brother asked as he came in. A-Li ran to him and shortly the duo were off.
With the help of the rest of the family, she started setting up for the picnic birthday around the hut by the river. She'd just picked up a box of balloons and gifts when Mo Yuan came into the cave
"Seventeen, what do you think you're doing?" Mo Yuan asked
She looked around in confusion "Setting up for A-Li's birthday party"
"Put that box down. What would Ye Hua think of me if I let you carry things around in your condition"
"It's not heavy"
"I did not ask if it was"
"Xiao Wu, why are you carrying things in your condition" Zhe Yan asked as soon as he walked in.
"I just asked her the same thing and she's refusing to drop it" Mo Yuan responded.
Realizing she was not going to win, she dropped the box. Eventually, they talked her out of setting up the decorations for the party so she'd taken a seat and given directions while others set up the decorations and gifts for the party. Fourth brother and A-Li came back soon after everything was setup and the squeals of delight from her son as he played games with other Qing Qiu children or chatted with one of the adults made it worthwhile putting up with everyone treating her like an invalid.
"Grandma!" A-Li called out and ran off towards the woman
Bai Qian was shocked. She hadn't expected Le Xu to show up and wasn't sure what to do about her presence.
"Mother, Grandma came! Look!" He said dragging Le Xu along with him
"I see that. A-Li, slow down the grass is a little slippery." Bai Qian called out. "Greetings, consort Le Xu" she said without standing up as she watched her secret register on the other woman's face
"You're pregnant" She said
Bai Qian smiled and rubbed her stomach "Yes"
"It's Ye Hua's" She said
"I'm aware" Bai Qian replied with a sad smile
YOU ARE READING
Between two lifetimes
Fanfiction[completed] A reimagination of the 3 years when Ye Hua was dead. Based on Chinese drama - ten miles of peach blossoms. This story starts at the end of episode 56. Ye Hua is already dead and his body has been claimed by his family. That episode at th...
