A secret joy welled up inside him, but he still deliberately teased, "Didn't we say it wouldn't be good to offend the old lady? If you kick her out, aren't you afraid your reputation as a virtuous granddaughter-in-law will be ruined?"

She spoke so eloquently before, but now she's gone back on her word. He wants to see how she'll explain herself.

Shen Tangning chuckled slowly, unconcerned by his teasing, and said, "Haven't I settled accounts with you yet?"

The underlying meaning of this statement is, are you itching for a beating?

Chi Yan's heart skipped a beat; what was bound to happen had finally arrived.

His tone was cautious: "Do you... know something?"

Shen Tangning pressed him down into a chair and walked around behind him: "Didn't you want to explain? Go ahead, I'm listening."

The darkness brought the unknown. Chi Yan only felt her hand supporting him on his uninjured shoulder, and the falling strands of her hair brushed against his neck like feathers, making him feel a little itchy.

He subconsciously felt something was off, but he still explained earnestly, "I'm sorry, Aning, I lied to you. The medicine in the study isn't for coughs, but... medicine for avoiding pregnancy."

Shen Tangning remained silent, not even offering a question, which made Chi Yan's heart sink:

Sure enough, she already knew.

No wonder she looked at him so intently that night, saying she didn't like being deceived; she was clearly giving him a chance to confess, but he didn't notice at all.

He hurriedly explained, "But I didn't mean to hide it from you, I was just afraid you'd overthink it..."

After a few moments of silence, Shen Tangning's voice came down: "Have you ever thought about how I would feel when I discover the truth myself?"

Chi Yan suddenly fell silent, then asked again, "Why did you do that?"

He blinked a beat late, his tone seemingly hesitant: "If I told you, would you believe me?"

Shen Tangning: "I'll believe you if you say so."

After a long pause, he said in a low, hoarse voice, "I... am afraid of losing you, and I don't want you to suffer the pain of childbirth."

He learned from the doctor that her health was not very good and that childbirth would be more difficult for her than for other women. Although the doctor repeatedly assured him that it would not be as difficult as losing both mother and child, but that she would have a harder time, he still couldn't help but think of the worst-case scenario.

In addition, due to the poor medical conditions in ancient times, women often had to bear the responsibility of having children before their bodies were fully developed, which made childbirth even more risky.

His career is just starting out, and if he becomes pregnant unexpectedly, he will have very little time to spend with her. Having a child is not just her responsibility.

He couldn't selfishly let her bear all the risks and losses alone when he wasn't prepared to welcome a new life into the world.

Shen Tangning listened quietly, and after a long while, she said, "Then why didn't you just tell me directly?"

Chi Yan's tone betrayed a hint of guilt: "I'm afraid you'll overthink it."

He didn't know how to explain his concerns, and as a noblewoman raised under the teachings of the Three Cardinal Guides and Five Constant Virtues, she probably would also find it difficult to understand such a rebellious idea.

So he took it upon himself to keep the matter a secret. As it turned out, he was wrong. Whether to have a child or not was a matter for both of them, and he couldn't make the decision for her.

Shen Tangning didn't speak, her fingertips moving down to unbutton his clothes. Chi Yan subconsciously covered his collar, his eyes blank: "What are you doing?"

She calmly said, "Apply the medicine."

He paused for a moment, then loosened his grip, not having time to ponder why he had to apply the medicine in the dark.

Then he was tied up.