Baby steps

Being a baby was boring. Other than sleeping, eating, and pooping, there was truly nothing to do. Of course, when Xiao Wai first realized that she was a fetus, she went still from shock. Her chi roiled so much that it accidentally caused Shi Du's own chi to stutter, resulting in some panic. However, Xiao Wai calmed herself quickly, she comprehended that the other person with her must then be her sibling. To keep from harming the child, she could only calm herself and look forward to the day she was born.

She didn't even try to make things difficult for her mother during birth, though she was indignant that there was so much squeezing and pushing. The midwives attending Shi Du would exclaim over how easy the Hong Young Master's birthing had been. As though he realized how much he had to look forward to and was eager to claim it. They could only shake their heads ruefully at the much slower, more normal, birth of the Young Mistress. Perhaps because they were inside with the mother and children, they didn't realize how momentous the Hong siblings' births were to the cultivating world.

When Hong Syao Long gave his first indignant cry, Lightening Dragons flashed across the sky dancing with Fire Phoenixes as rainbows fell like sun beams onto earth. Just when the dragons and phoenixes were flying back to their homes, flowers of all types bloomed, though it was mid-winter. Trees thought to no longer bear fruit sprain out fresh leaves and flowers.

Cranes danced and pranced along the river banks, symbolizing their joy at the birth of Hong Mu Li. But unknown to the excited, just as the cranes danced a phoenix gave a gasping cry as it died. While the flowers and trees prospered, they sucked up nutrients from the grasses and animals around them. Those too weak due to the season died only to be buried under the falling snow that night and become fertilizer when spring came.

All four Hong Elders fell to their knees each time to congratulate Hong Lou Zhong on his miraculous children and the prosperity of their future. Lou Zhong stood proudly, waiting outside Shi Du's rooms, as anticipation filled him.

It wasn't until Xiao Wai was a few weeks old that she realized something was not quite right. Why was everyone calling out for a young master? Squealing "The Young Master smiled at me!", whenever she laughed at their faces and mumbled curse words at them? Wasn't she female? Like her younger sister? Oh god was she-?!

Little Li smiled a little as she watched the Young Master furrow his forehead as if pondering a serious question.

"Mistress, come see, come see. The Young Master looks just like Master when he frowns." She giggled.

Shi Du smiled as she cuddled her daughter closer to her breast, watching the little girl greedily drinking.

"It would be strange if it wasn't so, no?" Her eyes shone with love as she met the sleepy eyes of the baby she held, "But you are just a precious, my little Li'er. Don't worry. I know that your Baba won't be as loving with you as he'll be with Long'er, but Mama promises to love you just as much."

Shi Du knew that she shouldn't have favorites. As the mother of two beautiful children, especially with one being a boy, she shouldn't shower too much love on only one. But her heart melted at the sight of her precious little girl. It was clear from the pink wisps already growing among her silver hair that her Li'er had soaked in much of Hua Long's evil chi. Shi Du felt more kinship with this little girl who had undergone such trials with her in fighting off the chi.

Li'er's little black eyes seemed to shine back, as the baby stared up at her mother. In their sandalwood cradle, Shao Long gave a seemingly indignant huff, causing the two women to look at each other and laugh. Seeing that Mo Li had finished drinking, Shi Du called over Little Li and handed Li'er to be burped and take Long'er into her arms for feeding next.

'Food!' Xiao Wai thought happily, as she latched onto the proffered nipple. To be honest she had resisted drinking at first, I mean come on. This was some strange woman's tits. Why should she, a healthy straight woman, need to molest some other woman's tits? Only after a few days of crying from the strange giantess, then poking and prodding from old fogies who had unnaturally long breads and eyebrows, did she finally give in. Was it because of any of them? Of course not. She had just gotten too hungry to care. And with the fact she had no teeth, it was impossible to eat anything else.

When she first drank, her forehead had scrunched up and she had put on a brave face. Which almost caused Shi Du to weep, did her precious son not like her? Why was he looking as though she was asking him to endure a nasty task? But when the milk touched Xiao Wai's tongue? It tasted like melted ice cream! Vanilla bean to be exact. From then on Xiao Wai had no qualms what so ever. Bring it on sister!

So, a new worry was presented to Shi Du. Her son was truly healthy, thank goodness, but he seemed to have a bottomless appetite. When he was given the chance to drink first, he drank everything dry, leaving nothing for his poor sister. At first, she thought that it was only due to the fact he hadn't eaten in a few days. That, once he was satisfied, he'd slow down. Her hope was in vain. She felt so guilty when her little Li'er would whimper in hunger but she had nothing to give. She even had to bring in a wet nurse for fear that her baby girl would starve.

But her son, oh her son was so picky. He wouldn't take to the wet nurse at all. Maybe it was because of her brother's stubbornness, but after a while, even her Li'er refused to drink from the wet nurse. So, Shi Du could only operate in a daughter first, son second, manner. When Lou Zhong first realized that his heir was drinking second, he felt rather annoyed. Did his wife have some complaint against his son? Why wasn't she caring for the future of their house better? After it was explained to him, he was even more confounded, and then pleased.

This was truly the attitude his heir should have. This taking charge and not giving up attitude. Of course, it was sad that the girl child didn't get enough to drink. But in the end, it was only a girl child, let her drink from a wet nurse. When he foolishly commented such to Shi Du she almost killed him. This was the first time the happy couple actually fought. When applied to, the Four Elders could only shake their heads and tell off the blind father.

"Young Mistress is also your blood; how could you treat her so?!"

"Look at her eyes, look at how cute she is! Only a monster would ask to make those cheeks leaner!"

"Master, I understand that you are happy to have such a valiant son. This old one is as well. But the future is not only held on his shoulders, but also hers'."

"If your attitude should stay the same. Do not blame your wife for taking both children and leaving you. It would truly cause us to lose face with the other clans, should it happen."

After continuous remarks like that, and the cold silence from his wife, Lou Zhong could only give in and not make a fuss. He would only complain to some of his allies, when they went for drinks, about how he was no longer the ruler of his house and how much he hoped that his future concubine could be someone who listened to his every word.

As the months passed and the seasons marched in after the next, Shao Long and Mo Li grew. But perhaps it was due to the fact Shao Long was truly Xiao Wai that he grew faster. When most babies needed ten months to crawl, he did it in five. When some babies stood as early as eight months, he did it in six. He began to walk and run at ten months. And laughed constantly as the servants tried to catch him. While Lou Zhong smiled happily at this, nodding his head constantly at this rapid growth, Shi Du could only sigh as she carefully cared for her more normal growing daughter.

However, something troubled both parents. While Lou Zhong could articulate and speak baby with his sister, he would not speak actual words. No matter how either tried to tempt him, he would not utter either the words Baba or Mama. Instead he would look at anyone who tried with a haughtily raised eyebrow before turning his head up in disdain.

Perhaps it was because Shao Long had shown such speedy progress through the other steps, but they had been certain that he would be speaking by at least the first year. It was clear that he understood the words spoken around him, he came when Shi Du mentioned food. He listened intensely to the tales and reports the elders and Lou Zhong spoke about in his presence. But he just wouldn't speak.

The clan was flummoxed.