The towel and water bottle dropped to the floor. Iris wrapped her arms around Jin Liwei's neck, not at all minding his sweaty body. Before she knew it, she was already hanging all over him with her legs wrapped around his waist.
They continued to kiss as if easing their thirst from each other's mouths. Their moist, slightly swollen lips only separated when Iris couldn't breathe properly anymore.
Jin Liwei sucked his wife's neck, leaving a deep red mark on her smooth skin. She had many similar marks on her body ever since she retreated from the public eye due to her pregnancy. He took advantage of the situation and left as many hickeys on many parts of her body as he could.
"Two more weeks," he panted.
"Actually, I think I've recovered enough…."
"No." His response was swift despite the temptation. "Let's follow the doctor's recommendations. It's safer for you this way."
Iris sighed and nibbled on his ear. She smiled when his body tensed.
The husband and wife continued teasing each other inside the gym. They only stopped when Iris' breasts started to feel too full and too heavy. It was time to feed the twins, or if they were already fed, then to pump milk.
Jin Liwei lowered her feet to the floor before turning around and inviting her for a piggyback ride. She giggled and readily jumped on his back.
After a quick shower together (and another round of naughty teasing), Iris and Jin Liwei headed to the nursery room where Huang Yuyan and the others had been taking care of their twins.
"We already bottle-fed my grandsons," Huang Yuyan told them.
"Thank you, Mother." Iris smiled.
"My pleasure, my dear."
The relationship between Iris and her mother-in-law became closer during the confinement. Huang Yuyan had been strict on Iris regarding the confinement rules but Iris never felt like she was being controlled by her mother-in-law. Iris understood that Huang Yuyan only cared about her health and proper recovery, hence the strictness.
It was also because Jin Liwei had been able to persuade his mother that many of the so-called confinement rules were too outdated.
Huang Yuyan wasn't a stubborn one who would insist on following old traditions all the time. She understood that her generation was different from the current one. After her talk with his son, she remained strict on her daughter-in-law but not too strict as to create disharmony between them.
Why would she fight with her daughter-in-law?
Huang Yuyan would be stupid if she acted like a stereotypical evil mother-in-law.
Her eldest son fell so hard in love with his wife. If given a choice between his mother and wife, Huang Yuyan knew in her heart that her son would choose his wife hands down over her, the mother. As a mother, it hurt. But what could she do? Compete with her daughter-in-law? She was also a Madam Jin. That was something beneath her level.
Besides, her daughter-in-law was a certified genius like Huang Yuyan's late father-in-law, Grandfather Jin, and of course Grandpa Lu.
For Huang Yuyan, her eldest son was already so lucky to marry such a wonderful and amazing wife. In fact, she loved Iris like her own daughter, not just as the wife of her eldest son.
Now that Iris had given birth to the next generation of their Jin family, Huang Yuyan loved her even more.
"I know that you've already completed your confinement but you still need to take it easy," Huang Yuyan reminded her daughter-in-law. "You've given birth to twins. It takes longer for you to recover completely."
"I understand, Mother," Iris assured her. "Please don't worry."
Huang Yuyan turned to her son next and told him in a stern tone, "And you, son. Control yourself, okay? Don't torment your tired wife just to ease your physical needs."
"En." Jin Liwei nodded, his expression sincere.
Iris chuckled. "Don't worry, Mother. Liwei isn't tormenting me. Actually, I might be the one tormenting him."
Jin Liwei's gaze on his wife was sticky as always.
"Hai, you two!" Huang Yuyan shook her head but couldn't stop herself from smiling.
To be honest, she was relieved that the relationship between the husband and wife seemed to be doing well. In fact, as far as she could see, it was doing so much better than before.
She had witnessed many couples in their social circles (many of them arranged by their respective families) drifting apart after the birth of their children. Either the husband lost interest in his wife sexually and found a mistress outside to satisfy his physical needs or the wife refused to be touched anymore because she had already fulfilled her duty of giving birth to an heir.
This kind of situations were actually quite common in high society. Huang Yuyan was glad that her eldest son found his true love.
"Alright, I'll take my leave now so that your little family can spend time together without a nosy old woman like me."
Iris was quick to refute her mother-in-law's claim. "Mother, what are you saying? You're not old at all."
"I am getting old, my dear."
"I'll send you more anti-aging Orchidia Beauty products."
Huang Yuyan chuckled but didn't refuse the offer. "Then I'll give you my thanks."
After Huang Yuyan left, Iris and Jin Liwei watched over their sleeping twins. Ice Cream was guarding her baby brothers as usual. Popcorn was nowhere in sight. He was probably with his human cousin, Little Jun.
Little Mochi was a restless sleeper. He would shift every now and then. Sometimes he would even accidentally hit or kick his eldest feline sister, Ice Cream, while dreaming. Good thing that he was still tiny and couldn't hurt Ice Cream yet.
"I now know who've been kicking inside your belly all the time back then," Jin Liwei commented while observing his eldest human son's bad sleeping habits.
In contrast, Little Matcha who resembled his father the most was actually like his mother when it came to sleeping—a deep sleeper. Once he slept in one position, he would remain in the same position until he woke up.
Iris smiled.. Her maternal brain had already turned those rather painful memories into something precious and beautiful.
