Chapter 386: Whose Cub?

Chapter 386: Chapter 386: Whose Cub?

In truth, under these circumstances, the three of them weren’t in a particularly romantic mood.

At first, Jiang Xia and Mu Tangfeng were simply jealous, unwilling to let Yan Huoshui wash Shi Lan by himself. They were afraid he would take advantage of their wife.

But as the three of them washed her together, faced with their wife’s beautiful, fair body under the clear running water, their minds were filled with nothing but sacred, reverent thoughts. Especially since she was sleeping so soundly and defenselessly, their movements were incredibly gentle, afraid of waking her.

However, Lanlan’s chest was a little red, and the three of them knew full well it was from the little one’s biting.

While they cursed the little one for being so fierce right after birth, they also felt a pang of heartache and pity, only lightly rinsing the area with water for her.

Cursing was one thing, but after putting Shi Lan to bed, the three of them gathered around Ye Ming, staring at the little one in the crib, unable to look away for a long time.

Jiang Xia asked in a low voice, "You guys think it’s my baby?"

"I’m looking at this hair color, how come it looks so much like mine?"

Mu Tangfeng rolled his eyes. He was being harsh, but afraid of waking Shi Lan, he spoke in a whisper, "If it’s really like yours, then it could also be Admiral He’s baby."

Ye Ming explained in a prim and proper tone, "The internet says that a newborn’s hair is always light-colored. Their true hair color will only gradually appear as they get older."

"Instead of looking at the hair color, we should wait to see his eye color."

The five of them had completely different eye colors. As soon as the little one opened his eyes, they would know immediately whose child he was.

Yan Huoshui stared intently at the infant. Seeing the baby smack his lips with his eyes closed, his cheeks wrinkling up like a steamed bun, he couldn’t help but say with disgust, "So ugly. Definitely not my baby."

He said that, but looking at the infant’s tiny nose, he glanced back at the soundly sleeping Shi Lan on the bed. Finding a trace of resemblance between the two, his heart quickly softened. "His nose is a lot like Lanlan’s. Both are so delicate and upturned."

"True."

The other three agreed earnestly.

Even though it was almost two in the morning, the four of them still weren’t the least bit sleepy. He Hanshi had even called Ye Ming to watch the baby remotely.

He didn’t want to miss the moment the child opened his eyes.

But at that moment, they all ignored the fact that the little one was currently asleep and might not necessarily open his eyes for them to see in three hours.

In short, the five of them stared unblinkingly at the quiet cradle for a long time, until the sky began to brighten at dawn. The little guy was still sleeping soundly, breathing evenly with his mouth slightly agape.

Jiang Xia finally felt a rare wave of sleepiness. He blinked his brilliant golden eyes, his pupils hazily shrinking to dots. "I... I’m going to get some sleep."

With that, he transformed into his beast form. Just as he was about to leap gracefully onto the bed next to Lanlan, Mu Tangfeng suddenly exclaimed in excitement, "Hey, the baby moved!"

Jiang Xia’s eyes instantly cleared, and he shot over. "Where, where?"

"Shh, you’re being too loud."

Yan Huoshui placed a finger to his lips, reminding the two to be quiet and not actually wake the baby.

But just as he finished speaking, the baby slowly opened his big, clear eyes.

The men looked over with rapt attention. Jiang Xia’s face was full of disappointment. "Ah, it’s not my baby after all."

Yan Huoshui, with a mix of surprise in his disdain, said, "What? This ugly little thing is mine?"

Mu Tangfeng looked resentful. "Don’t rub it in after getting lucky."

Ye Ming and He Hanshi both pursed their lips, staring at him, displeased.

Yan Huoshui covered his lips with a fist in a controlled manner and cleared his throat lightly. "My apologies, everyone. It seems my genes are a bit stronger."

It was rare for him to be so smug about something like this. He lowered his gaze to the baby, who was also staring back at him with big Ruby eyes. The initial disdain was quickly replaced by joy and delight.

And perhaps because he had confirmed the child was his, the more he looked, the more handsome he found the little guy.

These big eyes, long lashes, and small, upturned nose—which of these wasn’t perfect?

’Not bad, not bad. The little one is really doing me proud.’

The little guy had been woken up, but seeing so many heads peering down into his cradle didn’t scare him into crying. Instead, he blinked with a dazed cuteness and let out a soft little yawn.

Yan Huoshui immediately and gently patted his chest, singing a lullaby for fathers-to-be that he had practiced in advance, coaxing him back to sleep. ’It’s still early, and the baby has only slept for a few hours. That’s not nearly enough.’

After waiting all night, although the others were disappointed the baby wasn’t theirs, it was still Lanlan’s first child. It was their first time experiencing the anticipation of fatherhood, so they were more or less in a pleasant mood.

No matter whose child it was, as long as it was born from Lanlan, they would love it.

After all that commotion, Jiang Xia’s sleepiness had vanished completely.

He listened to the tune Yan Huoshui was humming and watched as the little one’s eyes slowly closed again, seemingly drifting back to sleep. Astonished, he whispered, "Where did you learn that? It’s so effective!"

This was the first time Jiang Xia knew Yan Huoshui had such a skill.

Yan Huoshui’s lips curved into a pleased smile, his eyes and the corners of his mouth showing the same genuine happiness. "Mm, you just need to study some knowledge for fathers-to-be online."

"It seems my preparations were not in vain. The baby really is mine."

Listening to this, Jiang Xia started to feel a little sour again. "You just got lucky."

Beside them, Mu Tangfeng silently searched online and quietly added items to his own father-to-be study list.

’I’m suddenly a little relieved,’ he thought. ’It’s a good thing the first baby isn’t mine. I don’t even dare to hold a child right now, and I haven’t properly learned how to be a father. I’m really not qualified.’

In fact, Ye Ming and He Hanshi had also learned all this. The two of them had truly squeezed it into their busy schedules, but unfortunately, it wasn’t their turn to shine.

’But it doesn’t matter,’ they thought. ’It’ll happen sooner or later. Now that there’s a first baby, we can gain more practical experience and be better at taking care of the kids in the future.’

Shi Lan slept until almost 11 a.m.

She stretched contentedly and habitually glanced at the big mushroom-babies by her bed. Counting them, she saw one was missing. She froze for a moment, a cold sweat breaking out as she shot upright in fear, crying out, "Where’s the baby? How come one of the big mushrooms is gone?"

Hearing the commotion, Jiang Xia and Mu Tangfeng, who had just lain down for a nap, woke up instantly. "What? The baby is missing?"

The two of them began to panic as well.

Just then, Yan Huoshui walked over, holding the cradle with the little one who had just opened his eyes not long ago. "Lanlan, have you forgotten? The baby was born last night."

"Ah, right. I guess that did happen."

They say pregnancy brain lasts for three years; Shi Lan was starting to suspect she had it too.

But she had been staring at that particular baby-mushroom for months. Now that the one she had been focused on was suddenly gone, she couldn’t help but let her imagination run wild.

Shi Lan breathed a sigh of relief. Perhaps unsure if the baby was asleep, she asked very softly, "Is the baby awake?"