THE REAL PROTEGE

"Eh… I'm pregnant," Ling Li said, each word gentle but firm, like placing pearls one by one on velvet.

The response was immediate.

"Wow! This is indeed good news!" Old Master Li declared, voice booming with pride. His chopsticks hit the table with a soft clack, and his wrinkled face lit up like sunrise over the family estate. "A grandchild is always a blessing."

Suddenly, Kim Kim shot up from her chair, arms stretched skyward like she'd scored in a game of ancestral charades.

"YES! I'm going to be a big sister!" she squealed.

Then, voice pitching higher, she added breathlessly:

"And I will have three little brothers!"

Laughter rippled around the table—until Chin Chin, never one to be outdone, yanked on her braid and shouted:

"Me too! Me too! I want three brothers, too!"

Ling Li coughed lightly into her napkin, trying not to laugh at their assumptions.

She cleared her throat— "Ehem… cough cough…" and with mock solemnity and a smirk tugging her lips, she dropped the real bombshell.

"I'm pregnant… with triplets."

The entire room froze.

Forks suspended midair. Breaths hitched. Faces turned slowly toward her like marionettes rewired for shock.

The only sound was Chatty, nonchalantly munching on a shrimp dumpling like he hadn't just witnessed the forging of a new bloodline. He shrugged, mouth full.

Mr. Xu blinked once. Then twice. Mrs. Xu covered her mouth, eyes watering with disbelief and joy.

And then, like a gong struck at dawn—

"Good job!" Old Master Li barked, slapping the table. "Five children in two pregnancies! Great job, Chu Yan!"

With a self-satisfied grin, Four Eyes swelled his chest proudly, as if he were a peacock displaying its vibrant plumage for all to admire.

Madam Li gasped aloud, her chopsticks clattering onto the polished porcelain plate. Her hands flew to her cheeks, eyes wide and shimmering.

"Triplets?" she croaked, voice cracking under the avalanche of joy. "You're giving me another three grandbabies at once?!"

She nearly launched herself over the table to embrace Ling Li, who sat still, blinking bashfully under the weight of twenty gazes.

Ling Li, ever the composed strategist, gave an awkward laugh. "I wanted to wait until everyone was here… but it felt right this morning."

Her hands gently cupped her belly, and in that moment, she transformed from empress to mother — a shift so profound that even Pharsa paused mid-chew, tears edging her liner.

Kim Kim stood on her chair. "Mama has three babies inside, and I have three sisters and a brother, and now another three brothers!" She counted on her fingers, confused, but beaming.

Chin Chin tugged on Chatty's sleeve. "Uncle Chatty, that's a LOT of diapers."

Chatty nearly choked on his rice dumpling. "They're your siblings, not a factory inventory!"

Old Master Li stood, lifting a sake bottle with unmatched flair. "Five grandchildren in two pregnancies? That's what I call efficiency! Someone pour me something strong!"

Mr. Xu, still stunned, reached for a wine cup and blinked twice before muttering, "Triplets. Like... plural. That's three. At once. Incredible."

Mrs. Xu clapped her hands in elation. "You'll need a stronger back!"

Chatty, unfazed, popped a lotus bun into his mouth. "Called it," he mumbled through the pastry. "Madam was eating pickled dragonfruit with soy vinegar at 2 a.m. last week. I knew it."

Ling Li shot him a playful glare. "You did not call it. You accused me of hoarding midnight snacks."

Madam Li burst into movement, rising from her seat and gently ushering Ling Li to stand. She cradled her daughter's face with reverence.

"My daughter," she whispered, as if blessing an heir. "You bring lineage, legacy, and joy all in one breath. We shall prepare a proper celebration. Not this instant — after breakfast."

"Mom, no need. I'm still in my first trimester. It's too soon to celebrate," Ling Li declined.

Pharsa, seated nearby, leaned back in awe. "I trained for battle all week. Now I must prepare for baby showers."

Mushu nudged her. "You'll be choreographing lullabies next."

Everyone laughed, the sound echoing through the elegant dining hall and drifting into the morning air. Peach blossoms danced just beyond the window, their petals like confetti from the heavens.

And as Ling Li sat again, hand still on her belly, she smiled at Four Eyes — wide-eyed, stunned, already calculating strollers and martial arts tuition — and murmured:

"We're not just starting a family. We're starting a dynasty."

Four Eyes "...."

The estate softened into mid-morning quiet, the golden hush settling over its ancient corridors and blooming courtyards like a silk veil.

After breakfast, as sunlight filtered through the carved wooden latticework, Old Master Li and Madam Li exchanged a glance — a wordless agreement born from decades of partnership.

"You two should rest," Old Master Li said with paternal gravity, his gaze landing on Ling Li and Four Eyes. "She's pregnant now. No more running about like a commander-in-chief."

Ling Li hesitated, the battlefield tactician in her wanting to refute. But Madam Li was faster — she walked over and gently but firmly took Ling Li's wrist.

"Rest is preparation, darling. You'll need your strength."

Four Eyes bowed his head solemnly.

Madam Li chuckled and gave his cheek a light pat. "Go. Don't make me carry you."

Mr. and Mrs. Xu also departed for their guest quarters, fatigue beginning to show in the softened lines of their faces — the long overnight flight now tugging at their limbs. They left with quiet nods and grateful smiles, still processing the whirlwind of revelations and reunion.

Meanwhile, Kim Kim and Chin Chin were the epitome of kinetic chaos.

They ran across the pebbled paths with reckless joy, spinning like enchanted tops, their laughter bouncing off walls and echoing through the peach orchard. They dashed beneath the hanging lanterns and climbed the low stone benches, turning the ancestral estate into a royal playground.

"Faster!" Kim Kim shrieked. "I'm winning!"

"Nooo! That was MY turn!" Chin Chin countered, tugging on her sister's sleeve mid-spin.

Mushu and Pharsa followed at a respectful distance, their eyes never straying from the twins. Mushu adjusted his sunglasses with solemn flair, muttering battle-grade observations.

"Target one is circling the koi pond. Target two approaching rock formations. Possible collision in five… four…"

Pharsa rolled her eyes. "They're children, not drones. Relax."