Li Rong had had a difficult labor and birth, but had, in the end, given birth to a healthy baby boy. She sat now in the courtyard watching the leaves of the plum and cherry trees flutter to the ground. In one corner was a persimmon tree, the bright orange globes hanging heavy on the limbs. In her arms was her baby, gripping her robe in a chubby fist.

{I brought you some tea,} Dee said setting a tray with a steaming teapot and a plate of cake and fruit on the table next to Li Rong.

{Thank you, Xiaohu. Would you please hold Jin for a moment?} Before the girl could protest, Li Rong had placed the squirming baby in her arms. {The persimmon is good this year,} she said taking a bit of the fruit, which she had placed on top of a sliver of cake.

Dee stood there, scared stiff at the wiggling little body in her arms. What was she supposed to do with it? After a moment, the child stilled and looked up at Dee, gurgling and smacking its lips.

{He likes you,} Li Rong said, smiling openly.

Unable to say anything, Dee remained silent as she looked at the child. She had been present at his birth, running clean water and cloths back and forth for the midwife. Ever since her first glimpse of the wet child, fresh from the womb, she had worried about this moment. If the boy had been born with four legs and a tail, she would have felt more comfortable. As it was, she was worried she would drop or hurt the child, so she remained still.

{Oh, Xiaohu! You will not hurt him! Sit down with me and have a snack and tell me what you think of him.}

{He's...Tiny.}

{Is that the best you can do?}

{I've never held a baby, Li. You'd best take him back before I drop him or something,} Dee said, offering the baby back.

{Nonsense, you're doing fine.}

While Li ate and drank leisurely, Dee was forced to hold the child. After a few minutes, she forgot about the weight of the child and the baby eventually fell asleep. She began to think that the baby wasn't so bad. Then Jin woke suddenly, squalling for all he was worth. The sudden outburst made Dee jump and wince at the noise. Smiling and laughing at the girl's reaction, Li Rong carefully took the baby from Dee and put it to her breast.

{He's just hungry, that's all,} she explained as the child suckled hungrily.

Dee nodded. {I have to get back to the kitchen and help before I finish practice for today.} With that, she hurriedly gathered the tray and went into the house.

{I think you made an impression on her, son of my heart,} Li Rong whispered to the feeding child.
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