The Post-Apocalyptic Rival Who Crashed My Wedding with a Baby - Chapter 8

After a long silence, Xu Bairan suddenly spoke up. “Actually, it’s not impossible for two women to have a child together.”

Seeing everyone’s eyes snap toward him, he repeated himself, emphasizing every word.

Jiang Weiqing rolled her eyes. “I’m an Esper, not a Beast-shifter.” Procreation and the continuation of the bloodline were core instincts for animals, and Beast-shifters had inherited those traits with a vengeance. Regardless of gender, powerful Beast-shifters could use specialized methods to conceive.

Furthermore, the signs of a Beast-shifter were obvious. The stronger they became, the more they resembled their animal form; much like Lu Yan, who was gradually merging with her feline nature. Shen Qingyu had been unconscious for ages without showing a “true form,” so she clearly wasn’t a shifter.

The team members traded glances, processing Jiang Weiqing’s logic.

Miao Jialing blinked, posing another question. “Then why does the baby like you so much?”

Nobody was blind. The child was clearly closer to Jiang Weiqing. Even when others held her, her eyes constantly darted back to Weiqing, as if terrified she would vanish the moment the girl looked away.

Jiang Weiqing rubbed her cheek, sounding a bit narcissistic. “Maybe it’s because I’m the best-looking one here.”

Upon hearing that reason, the group that Lin Yunxia included rolled their eyes in perfect unison.

An Songyu suddenly looked as if he had discovered a new continent. He stared at Jiang Weiqing and then back at the child. “Now that you mention it… the kid actually does look a bit like you.”

Jiang Weiqing, feeling increasingly depressed, picked up the little toddler. “Does she really look that much like me?”

Though her features hadn’t fully matured, certain characteristics were undeniable. Those large, grape-like eyes flickered with a mix of absolute trust and affection. Her chubby cheeks were perpetually lifted in a smile, and combined with her delicate nose and cherry-red mouth, she was undeniably adorable.

Jiang Weiqing could pull apart every individual feature and find reasons why they weren’t identical, but when put together, the child’s expressions really did mirror her own. Especially certain subtle, unconscious habits.

The raven on Lin Yunxia’s shoulder rolled its eyes, seemingly unwilling to answer such a moronic question.

Xu Bairan’s gaze lingered on both of them for a long time before he nodded solemnly. “Yes. Very alike!”

Xu Bairan was the youngest and was widely considered the most honest person in the squad. If he said it, it had to be the truth.

Jiang Weiqing clicked her tongue. “That Shen Qingyu is truly cunning. She intentionally found a child who looks like me.” She let out a low sigh. “Now my engagement is ruined. My dream of a quiet life with a wife and kids is drifting further away.”

Miao Jialing was speechless. She pointed at the child and then at the unconscious Shen Qingyu. “Captain, if that’s what you want, isn’t it right here in front of you?”

Jiang Weiqing immediately looked disgusted. “Even if every other woman on Earth died, I would never be with Shen Qingyu.”

Miao Jialing rolled her eyes again. As expected of life-and-death rivals.

******

“Gurgle gurgle.” The child’s stomach let out a loud growl.

She looked up with an innocent, pitiful face and turned to Jiang Weiqing, patting her tummy and letting out a kitten-like whimper.

“Mama, hungry.”

“Mama, hungry.”

The team’s hearts melted instantly. They crowded around her like planets orbiting a sun.

Jiang Weiqing frowned, tirelessly trying to correct her. “Kid, I’m not your mother. Call me ‘Sister’.”

The child nodded obediently, but the very next second, she whimpered again, “Mama, hungry.”

After a few more failed attempts at correction, Jiang Weiqing gave up and tacitly accepted the title.

“She must have been hungry for a while,” Miao Jialing noted, feeling the girl’s flat stomach.

Lin Yunxia nodded. “Jialing, start a fire. I’ll boil some water and get some soy milk into her.”

An Songyu pulled a baby bottle from his pack, grinning. “Leave this to me.” He tapped his chest. “The baby was just calling for me, after all.”

Xu Bairan’s eyes lit up with hope as he looked at An Songyu. “Brother Yu, can I help feed her later?” This was the first time he had seen a child younger than himself in the squad, and he was naturally curious.

Watching them discuss the child and gradually push her out of the circle, Jiang Weiqing’s brow twitched. She snatched the bottle from An Songyu. “Calling for you? She was clearly calling for me.”

An Songyu pouted, muttering under his breath, “Is a ‘man-mama’ not a mama? You’re so stingy. Besides, didn’t you just say she had nothing to do with you?”

In the apocalypse, with birth rates plummeting, infants were rare treasures. Looking at how well-behaved the girl was, An Songyu figured if Jiang Weiqing didn’t want her, he’d happily raise her himself.

Jiang Weiqing saw right through him. “Even if she isn’t mine, she’s definitely not yours.” She hadn’t forgotten that Shen Qingyu was still alive. This was Shen Qingyu’s child.

Meanwhile, Xu Bairan took advantage of the bickering to use his Wood-type vines to pluck the bottle right out of Jiang Weiqing’s hand. He then happily began feeding the child. Such tiny hands, such a small body. Bairan touched the girl’s palm with extreme care. Is this what it feels like to have a younger sister?

Lin Yunxia turned her attention to the unconscious Shen Qingyu. Because of the earlier fighting, the woman’s exposed skin was covered in wounds. Out of humanitarian concern, Yunxia cast several healing spells in a row. Under the warm white glow, Shen Qingyu’s injuries knit together at a visible speed, and her pained expression smoothed out.

Continuous healing was a drain on Yunxia’s stamina. She wiped the sweat from her brow, looking puzzled. “Why hasn’t she woken up yet?”

Miao Jialing reached out to check the pulse. It was steady and strong, and her breathing was even. She flicked Shen Qingyu’s eyelid. “It’s likely total energy depletion. She just needs to sleep it off.”

Jiang Weiqing frowned. “What did she go through?” Even with their fierce clash earlier, it shouldn’t have drained her to this extent. Espers usually held a little bit of power in reserve regardless of the situation. It was an unspoken rule of survival.

*****

The night deepened, slipping into the early hours of the morning. In the cave, the elemental fire licked at the dry wood, crackling and spitting occasional sparks. Though it was summer, a light rain began to drizzle outside, and the temperature dropped several degrees.

As Espers, the team didn’t fear the cold and could usually sleep in their clothes, but the child’s constitution was fragile. They worked together to gather more wood and keep the fire roaring. Jiang Weiqing sat with her eyes half-closed, not truly sleeping but resting her mind.

This was the squad’s standard protocol. Night was never as peaceful as it seemed, and they needed sentries for potential ambushes. Tonight, the duty fell to Jiang Weiqing and Lin Yunxia.

It was clear Yunxia adored the child; she was still holding her, smiling softly at the girl’s pale little face.

“Yunxia, do you really like kids that much?” Jiang Weiqing teased. “I remember plenty of people pursuing you back at Dragon City.” Yunxia was gentle and pretty, like a ray of spring sunshine; she had many admirers, yet she had rejected them all.

Yunxia shifted her posture and shook her head. “I like kids well enough. I just think this baby looks exactly like the one I had in an old online game I used to play. Just as cute.”

Jiang Weiqing raised an eyebrow. “You played online games?” Yunxia seemed like the model “good girl,” not a gamer.

“I had few classes in university, so I played a lot,” Yunxia admitted freely. A shadow passed over her eyes. “But… I quit later on.”

Jiang Weiqing nodded understandingly. There were always too many games to choose from.

As they spoke, neither noticed Shen Qingyu’s fingers twitch.

Support The Post-Apocalyptic Rival Who Crashed My Wedding with a Baby