Chapter 75: Naming and Full Moon

After Taozi’s reminder, Su Yue suddenly realized that she had actually forgotten something as important as naming her children.

She turned to look blankly at Old Lady Han.

Old Lady Han was also stunned. When she came to her senses, she smacked her forehead in annoyance. “Look at me, look at me! I’ve been completely muddle-headed. We haven’t even named the two children yet. I didn’t even think about it.”

Su Yue couldn’t help but laugh. Both mother-in-law and daughter-in-law had been so busy caring for the babies that they had completely forgotten such an important matter.

It wasn’t entirely their fault. Raising twins was exhausting. The two adults spent their days running around after the children, with hardly any space left in their minds to think about anything else.

But then… why hadn’t Han Aiguo mentioned it? Surely, he shouldn’t have forgotten.

When Han Aiguo came home that evening, Su Yue asked him directly if he had forgotten about naming the children.

Han Aiguo shook his head. After a pause, he scratched his head in embarrassment and admitted, “I didn’t forget. I’ve actually been thinking about it all along. It’s just… I’ve been thinking for a whole month and still couldn’t come up with a good name. So I didn’t say anything. I thought I’d keep trying.”

Back when she was pregnant, neither Su Yue nor Han Aiguo knew if the babies would be boys or girls, so they hadn’t rushed to decide on names. They agreed to wait until after the birth. But once the children arrived, Su Yue and Old Lady Han were overwhelmed with caring for them and completely forgot. Only Han Aiguo, the father, had kept it on his mind, thinking about names every day since the babies’ birth.

When Su Yue heard that he had been pondering this for a month, she grew curious. “Then what names did you come up with? Tell me.”

Han Aiguo looked a little shy, waving his hand. “The names I thought of aren’t any good. They don’t sound nice. You should be the one to choose.”

His reluctance only made Su Yue more curious. After all, if he had been brooding over this for a month, surely he must have come up with something. She wrapped her arms around his neck, shaking him playfully and coaxing, “Oh, come on, tell me! Maybe it’s not as bad as you think. If it sounds nice, we can use it.”

Pressed by her teasing, Han Aiguo finally braced himself and confessed. “I thought… one could be called Han Wen, and the other Han Wu. What do you think?”

Su Yue blinked. “…Han Wen? Han Wu? As in Literary Wen and Martial Wu?”

Han Aiguo pursed his lips and nodded slightly.

“Pfft—!” Su Yue burst out laughing, unable to stop herself. While laughing, she gasped between words, “Han Aiguo, you’re too funny! Is this really what you’ve been struggling with for a whole month? You can’t be serious! Hahaha…”

She had expected something profound after so much thought, but all he came up with were these two plain words? She couldn’t help recalling how Han Lao-san had once asked her to name his child back in their hometown; clearly, naming wasn’t a strength in this family. At least compared to Han Lao-san, who had seriously wanted to name his child “Han Wangmao,” Han Aiguo was still slightly better.

Han Aiguo flushed in embarrassment, her laughter stinging his pride. Seeing that Old Lady Han wasn’t around, he pulled Su Yue into his arms and kissed her hard, swallowing her laughter in one breath.

Her laughter came to an abrupt halt. Su Yue’s face flushed crimson, her ears burned, and her whole body went weak in his embrace.

Han Aiguo had only wanted to silence her laughter, but as soon as he tasted her lips, his restraint nearly crumbled. His body responded instinctively, his long-suppressed desire awakening after nearly half a year of endurance as first during her late pregnancy when he hadn’t dared touch her, and then through her confinement when he had continued holding back.

Even so, he still had some self-control left. Remembering she was still in confinement, he pulled away at the last moment, breathing heavily, his eyes red. He growled out four words in a low, hoarse tone, “Wait ten more days!”

Su Yue instantly understood, her heart fluttering. Old Lady Han had told her that bearing twins had weakened her body, so she needed at least forty days of rest before resuming marital relations. There were still ten days left so what he meant was clear enough.

Just the thought of what would happen in ten days made her cheeks burn hotter. Memories of their past intimacy surfaced unbidden, leaving her heart itchy and her gaze evasive.

Realizing she was getting carried away just by imagining it, Su Yue scolded herself silently. Shameless! How can I be thinking about such things? She quickly shoved the thoughts away, cleared her throat, and tried to sound stern. “Comrade Han Aiguo, please be serious. We’re talking about the children’s names right now. Don’t bring up anything else.”

Amusement flickered in Han Aiguo’s eyes. He pinched her nose affectionately, then let her go. “Alright, alright. No more distractions. Let’s talk about names. So tell me, do you think the ones I came up with are really that bad?”

Su Yue struggled to keep a straight face, nodding solemnly. “Not at all! I think they’re great; down-to-earth, meaningful, concise, and generous. Perfect choices. We should definitely use them.”

Han Aiguo saw right through her teasing. Smiling, he tapped her forehead with a sigh. “Forget it. I know they’re no good. You’d better decide. I really can’t come up with anything. If those two names are all I can think of after a month, then I have no hope.”

At that moment, Old Lady Han entered with a bowl of soup. Overhearing their discussion, she asked what names Han Aiguo had suggested. After hearing them, she shook her head firmly.

“Aiguo, your names really don’t sound as good as Yueyue’s. Look, the names Yueyue came up with for your third brother’s child is so nice, even I, an uneducated old woman, can tell. I think we’d better let Yueyue handle this. You brothers aren’t good at naming at all, just like your late father.”

Han Aiguo only smiled, choosing not to comment on his father’s questionable naming sense. He turned to Su Yue and said, “It’s up to you. I don’t want our children to resent their names later.”

Su Yue had already seen enough of his “talent” in this matter, so she gladly accepted the responsibility.

She pondered for a long time, finally reaching a decision on the last day of her confinement. “Let’s use the character ‘Zhao’ as the middle name. It means bright and beautiful. I hope their lives will be radiant and full of promise. As for the last character, I’m not sure yet. I’ll come up with several meaningful options, and let the little ones choose for themselves.”

Han Aiguo naturally had no objection, but Old Lady Han was puzzled. “The babies don’t understand anything yet. How can they choose? They don’t even know words.”

Su Yue only smiled mysteriously. “You’ll see soon enough.”

She then wrote down a series of good characters on slips of paper; words like Bo, Kun, Hai, and even the Wen and Wu that Han Aiguo had suggested. In total, she wrote more than twenty options, cut them into small slips, and placed them into a box, ready for the twins to “choose” their own names.

Old Lady Han finally understood, but she was still amused by the whole thing. She chuckled and said, “I think this is more like child’s play. It’s the first time I’ve ever seen children name themselves.”

“Our family is democratic,” Su Yue replied with a playful smile. “We even let them choose their own names. Whether they sound good or not is entirely up to them. Later, when they grow up, we can tell them they picked their own names. That way, we won’t be blamed, hahaha…”

Her joking tone made both Han Aiguo and Old Lady Han burst into laughter. Still, they thought the idea was quite good.

Su Yue carefully guided the hands of the two little ones into the box, letting their tiny fingers brush against the folded slips of paper. “Come on, little guys, this is the critical moment,” she coaxed warmly. “Choose your own names. Whether they’re good or not depends on you.”

Though still very young, both babies were more alert and nimble than most children their age. They instinctively grabbed at anything their little hands touched. Especially Xiaobao; being the younger of the two, he was full of curiosity about the world. He loved to grab things, and even when he succeeded, he always tried to shove them into his mouth to have a taste. But because he was still too small and clumsy, he hadn’t succeeded yet.

This time was no different. The moment his chubby little hand brushed against the slips, Xiaobao’s eyes lit up. He grabbed one tightly between his fingers, his small legs kicking with excitement as his toothless grin spread wide. His gums peeked out as he let out a joyful laugh, as though he had just found a treasure.

Su Yue reached out to take the slip from his fist, but the little fellow clutched it with surprising strength. She had to use some effort before she managed to pry it away. The instant the note was gone, Xiaobao’s happy face crumpled. Within a second, he pursed his lips, his eyes brimming with tears, looking utterly pitiful as if he might cry at any moment.

If it were anyone else, their heart would have melted on the spot. But as his mother, Su Yue already knew his little tricks. He might look pitiful, but if ignored, he would be fine in no time. So instead of coaxing him, she handed him over to Han Aiguo. After all, Father was an expert at this.

Sure enough, Han Aiguo held the sulky little boy and grinned. With an easy movement, he bounced the “little meatball” up and down in his arms. Immediately, Xiaobao forgot his grievance and broke into a wide smile again, waving his hands excitedly.

That was just like him as Xiaobao loved being held. As long as he was in someone’s arms, he was the happiest child in the world.

Meanwhile, Su Yue unfolded the slip of paper and saw the word “Yang” written on it. She cleared her throat and announced solemnly, “Our little Xiaobao’s name will be Han Zhaoyang. ‘Yang’ means sunshine. Not bad at all, not bad at all.”

Old Lady Han wasn’t too sure what was so special about the name, but because her grandson had chosen it, she was delighted. She quickly urged Dabao, who was resting in her arms, “Quickly now, Dabao. Choose your name too. Your brother already picked his so don’t fall behind.”

Dabao lifted his head and glanced first at Su Yue, then at his grandmother. Then, without the slightest interest, he calmly pulled his little hand back from the box and turned his head aside, gazing off into the distance. Unlike Xiaobao, he showed no curiosity at all. The slips of paper might as well have been invisible to him.

Old Lady Han grew anxious at his indifference and coaxed gently, “Dabao, be good. Quickly, just grab one, like your brother did.”

But Dabao clearly found the game boring. No matter how she coaxed, he refused to move. Instead, his eyes drooped lazily, as though he was about to fall asleep right there in her arms.

Su Yue sighed in exasperation. This child was simply too calm, too steady. He lacked the natural curiosity of a baby, which sometimes drove his parents mad. In fact, she often worried about him even more than she did about the lively Xiaobao.

Growing irritated, she tapped his tiny nose and firmly guided his little hand back into the box. “Catch one,” she warned him in a serious tone. “If you don’t, I won’t let you drink milk tonight. Even if you cry, I won’t feed you. Let’s see if you’re scared then!”

Perhaps it was the sternness of her voice, or maybe the familiar words “drink milk” caught his attention. Dabao slowly raised his eyelids to meet his mother’s gaze. After staring at her for a long moment, he finally moved his pudgy fingers, grabbing one slip from the box. Then he lifted his small hand toward Su Yue’s face, his expression clearly saying: Look, I caught one. Satisfied?

Old Lady Han let out a relieved breath and showered him with praise, kissing his plump cheek. “Grandma’s precious boy, you’re so clever.”

Su Yue also gave him a kiss before gently taking the note from his hand. Having completed his “task,” Dabao immediately buried his head against Old Lady Han’s chest and half-closed his eyes, ready to drift off to sleep.

This time, Su Yue did not stop him. She unfolded the slip and read the word aloud. Then, with equal solemnity, she announced, “Alright, our Dabao’s name has been chosen. From now on, he’ll be called Han Zhaobo. ‘Bo’ carries the meaning of profound knowledge. A wonderful name indeed.”

And so, the twins’ names were decided in the most democratic of ways. With their names settled, Su Yue could finally register them in the household records.

That day also marked the end of Su Yue’s confinement.

Old Lady Han had been extremely strict about the rules. During the entire month, Su Yue was not allowed to wash her hair, bathe, or even touch cold water and let alone share intimacy with her husband. Su Yue endured it day after day, until she felt as though her whole body stank and her hair was plastered with grease. Every night, after Old Lady Han had gone to bed, Han Aiguo secretly fetched hot water so she could wipe herself down, which at least offered some relief. Still, she felt so grimy that she thought she might suffocate from the stench. Only her husband and two sons didn’t seem to mind.

Now, at last, she was free. The moment she officially finished confinement, she begged Han Aiguo to boil a full bucket of hot water. She washed her hair thoroughly, and then slipped into the bathtub. As soon as her skin touched the hot water, she let out a long breath of satisfaction, feeling alive again.

Truly, confinement turned a woman into little more than a clay figurine.

Han Aiguo helped her scrub with a rough towel, rubbing away layers of grime. Wherever the towel passed, rolls of black dirt appeared, standing out starkly against Su Yue’s pale skin.

Even Su Yue, who wasn’t easily embarrassed, turned crimson at the sight. She had truly reached the peak of filth.

By the end, the once-clear bathwater had turned nearly black. Only after Han Aiguo replaced it with a second bucket did she finally feel properly clean.

Her whole body felt light and refreshed. She joked with a laugh, “So much dirt came off, I feel like I lost weight just by bathing. How much do you think I lost?”

Han Aiguo’s gaze flickered to a certain spot beneath her collar, his eyes darkening, though he didn’t answer.

Later that night, after the twins had fallen asleep, he pressed her beneath him, his breath hot as he whispered hoarsely, “I can’t tell just by looking. I’ll have to measure for myself.”

Su Yue froze. …This can’t be good.

Before she could protest, she was pinned by her husband’s strong arms, unable to escape. He “measured” her thoroughly, inside and out, with all the pent-up hunger of half a year.

That night, Su Yue thought she would be wrung dry. If not for the twins waking midway to cry for milk, she might never have survived her “madman” of a husband. Feeding the boys felt like salvation, and she clung to them gratefully, kissing them twice each as though to thank them for saving her life.

———

Once her confinement ended, Su Yue prepared to host a simple full moon celebration for the twins. Of course, with their current conditions, it couldn’t compare to the grand banquets of later generations. Instead, she invited only a few close families like Xu Can’s, Ma Cuiyun’s upstairs, and two of Han Aiguo’s comrades who had given them gifts when the children were born.

As for the Feng family next door, Su Yue had no intention of inviting Fang Xiaoli after their unpleasant quarrel. She asked Han Aiguo to invite only Feng Junwei.

When Feng Junwei returned from his mission, he had already heard from his mother about the fight between the two households. Convinced it was Fang Xiaoli’s fault, he had scolded her harshly several times, leading to repeated quarrels between the couple. When he arrived at the Han home for the celebration, he wisely kept silent about it.

Su Yue had asked Han Aiguo to buy vegetables days in advance. In addition to meat, they had even purchased a chicken. On the day of the feast, she personally cooked a table full of hearty dishes. She also baked plenty of pastries beforehand, neatly packaging them for the guests to take home as thank-you gifts for attending the twins’ full moon party.

While Su Yue was busy in the kitchen, Xu Can slipped in to help. As she worked, she leaned close and whispered with a smile, “Let me tell you some good news; your Han Aiguo may be promoted this time.”