I untied his pockets, lifted his clothes, and saw a jumble of wounds: "How did you get like this?"

Xie Yuancheng snatched the sash away: "Ying'er is teasing me now. Wait until you give birth, then I'll teach you a lesson."

"Whatever, they're all yours anyway."

Thankfully he came back, and all my worries vanished.

Xie Yuancheng leaned closer, first giving him a tentative kiss, then his passion erupted like a raging storm. I was mindful of his injury, and gently held his neck the whole time.

Just as we were feeling reluctant to part, some clueless person knocked on the door, and I quickly covered my head with the blanket.

I heard Xie Yuancheng chuckle. That bastard, I was worried about him, but he didn't even care about himself.

"What's up?"

"My lord, there's been some activity in the northern suburbs."

"Tell Lin Chao to proceed according to plan, without alerting the enemy, and capture them alive."

After the people outside left, I pulled back the covers and said, "You're still injured, and you've been busy doing nothing as soon as you got back."

Xie Yuancheng leaned against me, touching my swollen belly: "If they dare to make a move in my residence, they'd better be prepared to face the consequences."

"You knew all along?"

"I originally thought the war would end quickly, but then the Eastern Qin Kingdom got involved, and the time was going to be extended. When Lin Chao sent me the letter, I asked Anshi to invite my teacher over. Now that he's in charge, I can come back for two months without worry. My father-in-law originally wanted to come back with me, but he couldn't leave, so I asked Uncle Cui to help transfer the prince consort from the Northwest. That way, I had a reason to come back. The Emperor saw that I was only thinking about my love for my wife, so he quickly agreed. He not only killed two birds with one stone, but also overshadowed me."

I don't care about any of that, I'm only worried about his injuries.

"What about your injury?"

"Ying'er, the battlefield is a place where you have to fight to the death, and getting injured is inevitable."

I gently touched his chest. I had been injured a few times while on a mission because of my improper technique, but none of them were as serious as his.

"You're injured now, so stay here and recover."

When I looked up at him, he was asleep. He must have been exhausted; he probably rushed back overnight. My belly made it inconvenient for me to carry him, but I could still half-hug him. He covered us both with the blanket, and I fell asleep with my head against his.

With Xie Yuancheng joining the household, my picky eating habits have been cured by him.

"You're injured and have been busy ever since you got back, so you need to eat more."

I served Xie Yuancheng food, giving him everything he liked and everything he didn't. He's even thinner than I used to be. When I leaned against him at night, his bones hurt. I need to help him gain some weight.

“Ying’er, during the months I was away, they said you were always a picky eater.”

"No way, look how much fatter I've gotten than before, I'm not picky about food anymore."

"I didn't drink the chicken soup from yesterday, and I didn't eat the fish for dinner either..."

"Okay, I ate too much, that's why I can't eat anymore. You're the one who needs to eat more."

To escape his scolding, I quickly sat down next to him and pretended to be pitiful: "I'm heavily pregnant now, and it's not easy for me to walk. If I eat too much and can't digest it, I'll suffer."

Knowing Xie Yuancheng would fall for this, he finally gave in. As soon as he returned, he transferred Wan'er to Jinglin in the western suburbs, saying that she would lead the people there.

However, I'm about to give birth, and it's always inconvenient for Wan'er to be around. It would be better if she came back after the baby is born.

I go to bed quite early at night. Xie Yuancheng, that workaholic, doesn't care about his health once he gets back. Sometimes he goes out with Lin Chao and doesn't come back for quite a while.

To help him heal faster, I would drag him to sleep with me at the appointed time.

I woke up in the middle of the night.

"ah!"

"Ying'er, you're having a nightmare."

I was sweating profusely. I dreamt that someone was trying to take me back, and I didn't even get to see Xie Yuancheng one last time.

"It's okay, I'm here. I won't let anything happen to you."

I leaned against him. The dream felt so real; I was sure I had experienced it myself. Perhaps it was a premonition.

When I calmed down, I saw that he was dressed again and the oil lamp on the table was still lit.

"You've been sneaking around doing things again."

"Ying'er, don't be angry. I only got up after you fell asleep. Look, my injuries have faded, it's nothing."

I pouted. Xie Yuancheng had only been back for half a month, but his injuries had healed quite quickly; the deep wound on his wrist had already scabbed over.

Every time I see him washing the blood from his wounds, I feel sorry for him.

"Hmph, you workaholic, everything changes once you have a wife."

I pretended to wipe away tears and made him get up in the middle of the night. Now that the end of the year is approaching, even if there is something really important, nothing is more important than his recovery.

"It's my fault, but things are too complicated right now. I left some things behind when I left, and now there are even more. I promise I won't get up in the middle of the night starting tomorrow."

Xie Yuancheng always makes promises very quickly, but it's already good that he has the awareness to keep them.

I was just about to move when I felt a pain in my stomach. Could it be that I'm about to give birth?

The household began to stir. The midwife arrived very quickly, in just a short while.

Large beads of sweat poured down my head, and I screamed in agony time and time again, my clothes completely soaked with sweat.

In ancient times, no man could be present when giving birth. My eyebrows furrowed, and my voice began to hoarse. The midwife told me to breathe and push.

Bizhu was changing handkerchiefs beside me. My eyes began to glaze over, and I gripped the sheets tightly with both hands.

"Xie Yuancheng!"

This child is so stubborn, he just won't come out.

I called his name, and he appeared.

The female doctor and Bizhu both told him to leave, but I caught a glimpse of him out of the corner of my eye and then I fainted.

When I opened my eyes, I was standing in the corridor of the Ji residence. I touched my stomach, and it was gone.

I was startled. Could it be that the baby hadn't survived? The baby was running around the Ji residence and only stopped to catch its breath under a large banyan tree when its breathing became heavy.

"Young man."

Who's calling me? I'm not the guy.

"Who is it? Who has the problem with their eyes?"

"Don't be angry, buddy, it's me."

A bright light appeared in front of me, and I shielded my eyes with my hand.

"Young man, I am passing by your residence and have a connection with you. I have a favor to ask of you."

After the light faded, I saw that the person standing in front of me was the pawnshop owner.

"Shopkeeper, what are you doing here? I've been looking for you for ages."

"Do you know me, sir?"

"I am Ji Ying. I went to the pawnshop to look for you once and even handed you a letter written by Consort Ji. By the way, you even came to congratulate me when Xie Yuancheng and I got married."

It's like searching high and low without finding it, only to stumble upon it here effortlessly.

"Hey, do you recognize me? I've traveled from the future. I was just giving birth, and now I'm here."