Chapter 3

A few weeks later, An Xiang began experiencing discomfort. A hospital checkup confirmed that she was pregnant.

Unlike the system's calm composure, An Xiang, a first-time mother, was exceptionally nervous. She had not even learned how to be human before suddenly becoming someone's mother. She found it difficult to accept, both mentally and physically.

The immense psychological pressure kept her awake at night. Coupled with severe pregnancy reactions, her weight began dropping rapidly, leaving her as frail and thin as a sheet of paper.

This could not go on. Afraid something might go wrong during the mission, the system hurriedly stepped forward as a counselor: [Host, don't be so tense. Think about your grand plan for your ghostly life.]

Her grand plan for her ghostly life?

An Xiang, who had been vomiting her guts out, seriously began contemplating this grand plan.

Her grand plan was to awaken her highest ability. If she could not rule the Vampire Clan, she at least wanted everyone who had bullied her to get what they deserved!

But...

Pregnancy was already this difficult. What if she accidentally caused the child's death as soon as he was born?

The system seemed to sense her worries and said, [As long as you follow the novel's plot, you can send the child back to your hometown once he is born and have his grandfather take care of him. Bring him back when he turns four. In truth, Host, you'll only need to raise him for one year. It'll be easy. Besides, your son has vampire blood. He won't die that easily.]

The vampires' special genes and bloodline gave them powerful constitutions. Even infants would not be easily injured.

After the system reassured her, An Xiang's agitated emotions settled considerably, though unease still lingered in her heart.

Trembling with fear, she guarded her steadily growing belly. She spent one difficult day after another alone in her coffin, until she finally endured the ten months of pregnancy and gave birth to the future male lead—An Zimo—at a maternity hospital one night.

***

The maternity ward was noisy before dawn, with babies crying amid the chaotic footsteps lingering outside the rooms.

An Xiang lay limp and motionless on the hospital bed. Her body was especially exhausted after giving birth, and her stomach still hurt. Her limbs felt as though they had been torn apart, weak and sore, yet her mind had no desire to rest.

The moonlight was clear and pale. Even breathing came from the bassinet beside her, constantly reminding her that a life lay there—a life born from her.

She slowly turned her neck to look over. Her face was pale under the swaying lights, but her eyes shone like a galaxy.

An Xiang laboriously propped up her upper body and cautiously leaned her head closer.

The newborn curled up in his swaddling clothes like a tender sprout. His hair was sparse, and his skin was wrinkled like a monkey's. He could not open his eyes yet. His hands and feet unconsciously kicked at the floral blanket as he desperately tried to break free of its restraints.

—This was a human cub that had come out of her stomach.

An indescribable emotion rose from the depths of her heart. Her gaze seemed appraising, curious, and probing toward an unknown thing.

An Xiang slowly reached out and gently brushed her index finger twice over the baby's soft cheek.

"Waaah—!!!"

The baby, who had been sleeping soundly moments ago, suddenly burst into loud cries without warning.

An Xiang's shoulders jolted at the crying. In a fluster, she shrank back beneath the blankets and stared at the bassinet, not daring to make another move.

"Is the baby crying?"

A nurse pushed open the door and entered.

An Xiang felt as though she had seen a savior and immediately sighed in relief. Stammering, she said, "I only touched him once..." Human cubs might not like being touched. She had not expected such an intense reaction.

Seeing the human cub cry without stopping made An Xiang even more nervous.

The nurse gently picked up the baby and soothed him. "It's good that he's crying. He didn't cry at all when he was born. If his examination hadn't been normal, we would have thought something was wrong." It was a serious matter when a newborn did not cry. Other than a few unhealthy newborns, few babies were born without wailing.

"The baby is probably hungry. Why don't you feed him?"

As she watched the swaddled bundle draw closer, An Xiang's back went rigid and her nerves instantly tightened. "Feed... feed him?"

"Yes." The nurse nodded. "If you don't know how, I can teach you."

Teach...

Teach her??

This, this, this could be taught?

An Xiang unconsciously touched her swollen chest. At the thought of the human cub being held in her arms, her entire mind became a mess. Her scalp tingled, goosebumps rose all over her body, and she was one step away from writing her resistance all over her face.

"It's all right. It's very easy."

While An Xiang was dazed, the child had already been placed in her hands.

The baby seemed especially displeased by An Xiang's touch. The cries that had just calmed down once again rang through the ward.

"Don't cry, baby. Let Mommy feed you."

The nurse's words miraculously quieted him. He turned his head and began seeking food by instinct.

An Xiang stared blankly, her entire body stiff.

She... was breastfeeding.

The thought whirled rapidly through her mind.

The nurse looked encouraging. "See? It's easy, right?"

An Xiang blankly watched the baby nursing, her mind still completely empty.

A few months ago, as a vampire, she had never imagined that she would become a mother to awaken her ability—a human mother. In truth, she had never imagined that one day she would nurture a life.

The baby in her arms had tears at the corners of his eyes and looked slender and fragile.

She carefully held his tiny body, and her thoughts suddenly became hazy.

Had her mother... fed her like this too?

[An Xiang, you are the disgrace of the family.]

[You don't deserve to live at all!]

[Look, that idiot only deserves to live in a doghouse.]

[Honey, we should kill her. Her existence will only bring shame upon the An Family.]

"..."

Her parents' savage faces and the scenes of them berating her played over and over in her mind like a horror movie.

An Xiang's eyes stung, and warm liquid struggled to spill from them. Her throat tightened as she turned away and forcibly held back her tears. The child had already eaten his fill, and he began crying again, using his hands and feet to resist her embrace.

"You should get some rest too." The nurse took the baby from her. "The hospital has already contacted your relatives using the information you gave us. Rest and recuperate during this time. If you have any problems, you can come directly to us."

The relatives the nurse mentioned were distant cousins living in Water Lotus Village. Following the system's instructions, An Xiang had transferred them money in advance. They would take the child away as she requested and hand him over to his grandfather.

The nurse quickly soothed the baby to sleep. After she left, the ward returned to silence.

The moonlight was lonely, and tree shadows slanted into the corner.

She gazed at the night beyond the window. A sudden desolation rose in her heart, and she could not help curling up beneath the blankets and sobbing.

She was a mother now, but she had no home at all.

—She never had.

[Host, are you all right?]

The system's usually cold voice now sounded gentle and cautious.

An Xiang wiped away her tears, her voice muffled. "...I'm fine."

The system sighed softly. [In a couple of days, your cousins will probably take An Zimo away. You...]

Judging from An Xiang's actions just now, it worried that she would be reluctant to let go. Women always became particularly gentle and strong after becoming mothers. Maternal love was instinctive. The system feared An Xiang would be bound by that instinct, which would not benefit her. After all, she could not remain in this body forever.

"I'm fine." An Xiang slowly pulled down the blanket, revealing her eyes. Those eyes, still damp with tears, were like brilliant jewels after rain—clear and beautiful. "I don't know how to be a mother at all. It might be better to leave him in human care."

At least it would be better than staying with her.

An Xiang pressed her lips together, her expression stubborn.

The system always felt she was saying something against her heart, so it patiently comforted her. [Actually, this is an opportunity for An Zimo too. If he doesn't go to the village and meet the mysterious person, he may remain an imbecile for the rest of his life. Don't worry. The villagers and your grandfather won't mistreat him.]

An Xiang understood. Even if the system had not said it, she understood. In truth, she was merely a tool to advance the novel's plot.

An Zimo would one day be reborn in Sinfire; meanwhile, she would quietly die one day in the river of time, only to awaken again as the useless youngest daughter of the An Family.

Her task was to bring him into the world. Beyond that, there was nothing else.

But... her chest still felt tight and painful.

In fact, she had no right to blame her parents. What right did she have? Now, for her own selfish desires, she obeyed the system. She gave birth to a child and then abandoned him. In the end, she had become... the same kind of person as them.

A feeling of self-loathing arose within An Xiang, deeply devouring her already sensitive and fragile soul.

***

Two days later, her cousins finally arrived. They did not say a single unnecessary word when they saw An Xiang, but their expressions made their contempt for her clear.

The husband and wife efficiently packed everything up and directly took away the sleeping child in the bassinet.

A light rain drizzled outside the window. An Xiang did not see them off. With her arms wrapped around her knees, she stared deeply at the rainy dusk outside.

Compared with the unusually quiet An Xiang, the system was far more relaxed than usual. [The first stage of the mission has been successfully completed. Next, we only need to wait for An Zimo to meet the mysterious person and awaken his intelligence. After that, everything will be easy.]

When she did not respond, the system cautiously called to her in her mind. [Host, are you all right?]

[Host, don't be too sad. Four years will pass quickly. Then you'll be able to live with your son. If you really miss him, you can also go back to your hometown to see him.]

[Host?]

The system's repeated calls finally brought An Xiang back to her senses.

She slowly clenched her fists, and her eyes suddenly became resolute. "I... I've decided."

[Huh? What have you decided?]

An Xiang's voice was firm and powerful. "I'm going to make lots of money and let my son sleep in a crystal coffin someday!!!"

"...????"

No, after all this time, why were you still hung up on a crystal coffin?!

This person really did not know how to be a mother, did she!!!

The system suddenly felt exhausted. Still, no matter what, as long as its host could pull herself together and not languish in despair, that was good enough. After all, the male lead needed his mother.

***

After sending An Zimo away, An Xiang returned to her original solitary life.

The helpless little vampire stumbled through the human world. She earned some extra money through rent and drawing comics, and every few months, she would secretly return to the village to visit her son despite the system's objections.

Three and a half years passed in a flash. It was spring, and An Xiang climbed out of her coffin as usual.

Ding—

The phone beside her began ringing. She answered it, and an unfamiliar voice with a rural accent came through the receiver.

"Your grandfather has died," he said. "Something happened with Zimo. Hurry back and take a look."

An Xiang's hand trembled, and her mind went blank with a bang.

No, that was not right, was it?

Why had Grandpa died half a year early?!!!

An Xiang suddenly began to panic for no reason.

※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※

In the next chapter, the mother who didn't know how to be a mother would meet the son who didn't want to be a son!!

Don't scold the female lead. She really had the child for the mission right now—mission > feelings—and there was genuinely something a little wrong with her head. Combined with her family trauma, she simply did not know how to care for a newborn.

The system would leave in the next chapter, so say goodbye to it in advance.

Still five hundred red envelopes. Transitional chapters were a little hard to write, so this took some time.

Although I said five hundred red envelopes—but there aren't even five hundred comments!

No big deal. I'll just assume you accepted my red envelopes in spirit.