Future Beast World: Becoming A Pampered Beauty-Chapter 261 - 204: Labor

"My dear daughter, is Mommy seeing things? Did you get reincarnated?"

"Mommy, you’re being silly. Of course it’s me, Little Zhenzhen! I just took a nap, and now you don’t recognize me?"

Zhenzhen leaped into Sang Luo’s arms, stretched lazily, then found a comfortable spot to nestle into the crook of her arm. In a muffled, child-like voice, she said, "I slept so well this time, and my body feels amazing! I really feel like picking a fight."

"...When we get back to the East Continent, Mommy will let you go kill Demon Beasts to your heart’s content."

Sang Luo carried her over to a frozen river. Little Zhenzhen looked down, saw her reflection in the ice, and pawed at her furry face, dumbfounded. "Huh? Is that me?"

The once dusty-gray Bian cub was like a pearl wiped clean, revealing her original, dazzling appearance. Her entire body was as vibrant as fire, with every strand of her red fur seeming to hold a trace of flame. The fine scales on her four paws and tail had turned a crimson red that glinted with a golden light, and a new golden flame-shaped mark now adorned her brow. She looked sacred, noble, and absolutely brilliant!

This was the true form of an Abandoned Divine King Beast!

’So that’s why she was all dusty and gray before. She just didn’t have enough energy.’

Sang Luo circulated her Spiritual Power through Little Zhenzhen and discovered that she had gained a new Talent Ability called Fire of Origin.

She now possessed three Talent Abilities, one more than other King Beasts of the same realm, putting her on par with an Emperor Beast.

When Sang Luo brought Little Zhenzhen back to the East Continent, Si Ye was so stunned he almost didn’t recognize his own daughter.

"Is... is this really my ugly daughter? How did she get so beautiful?"

"...You used to say she took after you and was drop-dead gorgeous," Sang Luo replied with a laugh.

"I only said that because she was so sad. Besides, she never thought she was ugly growing up," Si Ye said with a smile, taking Little Zhenzhen from Sang Luo’s arms. "Of course, whether she’s beautiful or not, my daughter is always the cutest cub in my heart. But when it comes to being beautiful, she can only be number two." He looked at Sang Luo, his charming peach-blossom eyes curving. "You’re number one."

"You sweet-talker!"

He ducked his head to nuzzle her hair and whispered, "So, what really happened?"

As they walked, Sang Luo told him everything that had happened on the North Continent. Si Ye nodded in understanding. "So that’s how it was. If I had rushed back sooner all those years ago and had you eat that Fire Crystal Stone, Zhenzhen wouldn’t have been born lacking Fire Source Power."

"It was her destiny. It’s not too late."

As they neared the exit of the Imperial Palace, Si Ye remembered something. "The Sea Emperor arrived last night. Do you want to return to the Marquis Mansion, or should we go find him?"

"Has Ah Ze finished handling all the matters at the Sea Palace?"

"He must have. He’s here to be with you for the birth."

"Let’s go see him first."

"Alright."

Si Ye knew that Lou Xianyue had been the one to personally care for Sang Luo during her last pregnancy when he couldn’t be there, so his attitude toward him was uncharacteristically civil.

The two of them went to the main hall, where Fei Yuan and Lou Xianyue were just finishing a discussion.

"Sang’er, how are you feeling? Is the little one giving you trouble again?" Upon seeing her, Lou Xianyue forgot everything else. He hurried forward, took her hand, and spoke in a gentle voice.

Sang Luo shook her head. "Carrying your cubs has always been peaceful. This little one isn’t much of a troublemaker either. The kicking has just become more frequent recently. It’ll be soon."

"You’re due in just over a month. Stay here at the Phoenix Palace. You shouldn’t be running all over the place for now," Fei Yuan said, strolling over.

Sang Luo had great confidence in Fei Yuan’s midwifery skills. If she could give birth at the Phoenix Palace, she would do it here.

With her staying, Lou Xianyue also decided not to return, remaining in the palace to personally care for her.

The Shark Emperor was an honored guest, so Fei Yuan, as the host, had already arranged for a magnificent and elegantly appointed hall to be prepared for the two of them.

Lou Xianyue nodded his farewell, then picked up Sang Luo in his arms and departed.

"...Looks like there’s nothing for me to do here. I’ll take Zhenzhen back to the Marquis Mansion." Si Ye watched their backs disappear, then turned and left with his daughter.

Fei Yuan didn’t miss the dejection in Si Ye’s eyes. He shook his head. ’Still so young.’

...

「In the blink of an eye, over a month had passed.」

This little cub seemed to be in no hurry to come out.

Sang Luo remained calm, eating and drinking as usual.

She had Lou Xianyue bring Little Blue Eucalyptus to the Phoenix Palace to play.

It was the first time Fei Yuan and Si Ye had seen the little Merfolk, and they both showered him with gifts.

Fei Yuan was especially fond of Little Blue Eucalyptus... then again, he was fond of everyone’s children.

Moreover, Merfolk were incredibly rare. Despite having lived for several hundred years, it was Fei Yuan’s first time seeing a Merfolk cub.

’If Lou Xianyue weren’t watching him like a hawk from the side,’ Sang Luo thought, ’judging by Fei Yuan’s fervent and envious expression, he looked like he wanted to snatch the child for himself.’

After a few days of playing at the Phoenix Palace, Lou Xianyue sent Little Blue Eucalyptus back to the South Sea. The boy still had many lessons to attend to.

In his free time, Si Ye would bring Little Zhenzhen to the Imperial Palace to visit Sang Luo.

Little Zhenzhen, on the other hand, was quite attached to Lou Xianyue. The moment she saw him, she would stare wide-eyed, refusing to move and insisting that he carry her out to play.

This made Si Ye, her own father, quite jealous.

He tried to comfort himself, saying to Sang Luo, "It’s all my fault. I wasn’t there for you two when you were pregnant with Little Zhenzhen. This Mermaid is practically her foster father, so it’s only normal that she’s close to him."

Sang Luo replied, "Or maybe, just maybe, she’s simply a sucker for a pretty face."

’Both of the female cubs she’d borne adored Ah Ze.’

’And Ah Ze was, indeed, beautiful.’

It would have been better if she hadn’t said that. As soon as the words left her mouth, Si Ye became visibly more upset.

"Are you saying you think I’m not as handsome as that Mermaid?" he asked, his tone dangerous.

"Ahem, you’re handsome too! You each have your own charm!"

"Hmph. That mouth of yours is always sweet-talking. Let me taste if you’re telling the truth or a lie." Si Ye’s long, pale fingers tilted her chin up, and he pressed his lips to her incredibly soft ones. He savored the kiss, slow and deliberate. When he pulled away, he licked the corner of her mouth, his eyes looking up at her with seductive charm.

Sang Luo’s face flushed and her heart pounded. She was utterly captivated. If she weren’t so close to giving birth, she would have dragged him straight to bed.

"Dad, what are you and Mommy doing?"

Not far away, Lou Xianyue was walking over with Zhenzhen in his arms.

Zhenzhen covered her eyes with her paws but peeked through a gap. "Huh? Why’d Mommy and Daddy stop biting each other?"

Si Ye’s face turned beet red. "You little brat! Get over here!"

Zhenzhen nimbly leaped from Lou Xianyue’s arms into Sang Luo’s, settling down for a nap without sparing her own father a single glance.

’I went to all the trouble of luring Uncle Lou away just to give Dad and Mommy some time alone! I can’t stand seeing Dad so distracted every time he comes back to the Marquis Mansion. He even spills the water when he’s mixing my formula.’

...

The days passed, one by one. Sang Luo had now been pregnant with this child for nearly a year, longer than anticipated.

As the day of the birth drew nearer, Sang Luo grew ever calmer. After having eight children, it was hard not to be.

The three men, however, were each more nervous than the last. Unable to sleep, they took turns keeping watch by her side at night, terrified she might suddenly go into labor.

One morning, after his routine full-body examination of Sang Luo, Fei Yuan’s brow furrowed and then relaxed. "This is the last day," he announced. "You’ll give birth tonight."

Si Ye asked, "Are you sure this time?"

"Mhm." Fei Yuan looked at Sang Luo on the bed. "Any abdominal pain or pressure?"

Sang Luo took a moment to feel, then shook her head.

"It will happen by dawn tomorrow at the latest. I’ll go prepare some medicine for you."

Fei Yuan left first. After a glance at her, Si Ye left as well, leaving her to spend this crucial last day alone with the child’s biological father.

Lou Xianyue sat by the bed and handed her a Jade Lotus Root.

As Sang Luo took it, she noticed his well-defined fingers were trembling slightly. She touched his hand; it felt cool.

His body temperature was normally low, but not this pale and icy cold.

She smiled. "This isn’t our first child. Why are you so nervous?"

"I was nervous when Little Blue Eucalyptus was born, too..." Lou Xianyue gazed at her tenderly. She just hadn’t known it at the time.

Sang Luo was mentally preparing for a dawn delivery, but just after she finished lunch, a sharp, sudden pain shot through her abdomen.

She cried out, her face turning pale and breaking out in a sweat. She clutched his sleeve tightly. "Ah Ze... I think it’s starting!"

Lou Xianyue hurriedly swept her into his arms and rushed to the delivery room.