NOVEL NEXT Chapter 3: Chapter 3: Is My Child Growing Up Too Fast?
[You have completed 1,000 kicks, successfully awakening Physical Sanctification.]
[Physical Sanctification: From now on, every exercise you perform will infinitely enhance your physical strength.]
As this line of text appeared in his mind, Xu Ming felt a warm current surging through his body.
He decided to test it out and found that not only could he roll over, but he could even attempt to stand.
Xu Ming went further, performing two sit-ups!
[Sit-ups +1, Abdominal Muscle Strength +1, Vitality +2.]
[Sit-ups +1, Abdominal Muscle Strength +1, Vitality +2.]
Ecstatic, Xu Ming thought to himself, I'm only a one-month-old baby! Most babies at this age can't even roll over, but I'm already doing push-ups!
Lying on his stomach, Xu Ming did a push-up.
[Push-up +1, Arm Muscle Strength +1, Vitality +2.]
After completing 50 push-ups and 50 sit-ups, Xu Ming felt his energy reach its limit. His whole body ached, and his stomach growled loudly.
"Waaah… waaah…" Xu Ming cried out, signaling his hunger.
Chen Suya, hearing the cries, hurriedly got up and saw her baby opening his mouth and sucking at the air. Realizing he was hungry, she quickly picked him up to nurse.
After just a few sips, a new string of words appeared in Xu Ming's mind:
[Nutrition has reached 6,000 points. You have successfully awakened Fivefold Nutrient Absorption.]
[Fivefold Nutrient Absorption: All food you consume will have five times the nutritional value.]
Xu Ming was momentarily stunned by this new development, but continued nursing.
Earlier, he had worried about whether his mother's milk supply could keep up with his growing appetite. But now, that concern had disappeared entirely.
"Burp~"
Feeling full, Xu Ming let out a satisfied burp.
Once his body digested the milk, he planned to resume his disciplined training.
Two months later...
During these two months, Xu Ming spent every spare moment secretly training.
By the age of three months, he could already crawl. Normally, babies this age could only roll over.
Chen Suya was stunned to see her baby crawling around.
"Is my child developing too quickly?" she wondered.
But seeing Xu Ming's rosy, healthy complexion and his evident delight, she could only conclude, "Every baby has a different constitution."
Taking advantage of his mother's inattention, Xu Ming lifted a small rock weighing about five pounds from the yard.
Although Xu Ming had no idea how his physical strength measured up in this world, he felt reassured knowing he was still young and had plenty of time to grow.
By the fourth month...
Xu Ming finally met his so-called father.
The man treated him with indifference, only offering a few casual words before leaving.
But in the martial kingdom, where a man could have one legal wife, two concubines, and numerous mistresses, such treatment wasn't surprising.
Children born to concubines barely ranked above servants. As the son of a concubine, Xu Ming's status was naturally low.
Not that Xu Ming cared.
Each night, once his mother fell asleep, Xu Ming would tirelessly do sit-ups and push-ups.
As his vitality and physical strength steadily increased, Xu Ming began to feel like a character in a stacked progression game.
By the time Xu Ming turned five months old, his body had already undergone incredible changes.
On this day, Madam Zhao Qing, the first wife of the Qin family, visited the Xu household with her daughter.
As the mistress of the Xu household, Wang Feng naturally accompanied them.
Zhao Qing had heard that Chen Suya was exceptionally skilled at embroidery, so she came this time to learn from her in order to make a small bellyband for her daughter.
Chen Suya dared not refuse, and Wang Feng maintained a polite smile as she observed, keeping up the poise befitting the mistress of the Xu household.
As for Xu Ming, he was seated on the bed with the Qin family's eldest daughter, Qin Qingwan, and his half-sister, Xu Xuenuo.
Xu Ming crawled back and forth beside the two girls, drawing curious stares from their bright, wide eyes.
The livelier of the two, Qin Qingwan, reached out her chubby little hand, trying to grab Xu Ming. Sometimes, Xu Ming let her catch him, and other times he dodged.
When the adults weren't paying attention, Xu Ming even showed off by doing a one-handed push-up in front of Qin Qingwan and Xu Xuenuo.
Qin Qingwan burst into laughter, giggling uncontrollably.
In contrast, Xu Xuenuo, watching Xu Ming crawl around, decided to try crawling herself. Each time she failed, she didn't cry or fuss but kept trying persistently, showing her strong will.
Although both Qin Qingwan and Xu Xuenuo were only five months old, Xu Ming felt he could already discern their personalities.
Qin Qingwan would likely grow up to be a gentle and lively young lady, cheerful and outgoing. Xu Xuenuo, on the other hand, would probably be fiercely determined with a strong sense of pride.
When Qin Qingwan saw Xu Xuenuo trying to crawl, she didn't want to be left behind. She wriggled her small body, attempting to crawl as well.
However, after just a few movements, Qin Qingwan accidentally slipped toward the edge of the bed.
Startled, Xu Ming quickly crawled over and caught her with one hand, pulling her back onto the bed.
At the moment she was about to fall, Qin Qingwan had been ready to burst into tears. But after being caught by Xu Ming, she opened her mouth wide, momentarily unsure whether to cry or not.
Qin Qingwan stared at Xu Ming in a daze, her eyes sparkling.
From the gaze of this five-month-old baby, Xu Ming could actually sense a hint of admiration.
"Ah! Ah! Ah!"
Realizing what had just happened, Qin Qingwan let out a few cheerful shouts before throwing her little arms around Xu Ming and rubbing her tiny head against him affectionately.
"It seems Qingwan really likes Ming'er," Zhao Qing said warmly, watching the two children embrace, a gentle smile on her face.
"It is Ming'er's honor to be liked by the young lady," Chen Suya replied softly, bowing her head slightly.
"Children are pure at heart, but as they grow, their differences will naturally widen," Wang Feng remarked calmly.
Her words carried a subtle implication: a concubine's son and the eldest daughter of the Qin family might be close in childhood, but their statuses would be worlds apart as they grew older.
Zhao Qing, however, gently held Chen Suya's hand and smiled. "Our Xu and Qin families are closely tied. Not just in childhood—when they grow up, they should continue to support each other. Ming'er will surely grow into a fine man who can protect his sisters."
Chen Suya responded with a polite smile, not daring to say much.
"Ah!"
Just as the atmosphere turned a bit awkward, Wang Feng suddenly let out a startled cry and quickly stood up.
Chen Suya and Zhao Qing turned to look, only to see Xu Ming sitting on the bed, a mischievous arc of pee shooting directly onto Wang Feng.