Chapter 278 It wasn't these two legs that felt anything.
Shen Qingci's eyes widened suddenly as she looked at him in disbelief: "You... how come you keep thinking about these things?!"
Chu Jichen chuckled, a low, hoarse laugh filled with a sense of entitlement.
“There’s no way around it.” He looked at her, his deep eyes filled with an undisguised, burning love. “I just… love Qingqing so much.”
"When I see Qingqing, all I can think about is... these are the only things that come to mind."
Seeing that Shen Qingci's pretty face was already flushed, he restrained himself a little, and his voice carried a hint of "understanding" helplessness: "However, although it is really sad that I can't do that intimate thing with Qingqing, it's not... that sad."
"As long as I can be with Qingqing," his voice was so gentle it was almost dripping with tenderness, "that's... already very good."
Upon hearing this, Shen Qingci's initial embarrassment and annoyance were instantly replaced by an indescribable warmth.
She couldn't help but think to herself: Chu Jichen, sometimes... he really is quite clingy.
She slowly leaned back into his arms, reached out, and gently poked his leg, her voice tinged with curiosity: "Now that you've regained some feeling in your legs, can you... feel anything when I sit like this?"
Chu Jichen nodded, his voice hoarse: "Yes."
Upon hearing this, Shen Qingci immediately tried to stand up, but he pulled her back down, and instead... he held her even tighter!
“But,” he looked at her, a wicked, amused glint in his deep eyes, “it’s not these two legs that feel anything.”
Shen Qingci was taken aback at first, and then she clearly sensed something!
Her cheeks flushed bright red in an instant!
She glared at him, both embarrassed and annoyed, and without caring about anything else, she broke free from his embrace and stood up!
Chu Jichen watched her fleeing figure and finally couldn't help but chuckle softly.
“Never mind,” he said, looking at her with a voice full of helplessness and indulgence. “You go to sleep first. I… I’m going to the study to handle some official business and calm down.”
Shen Qingci responded.
She knew that Chu Jichen had just ascended the throne and was extremely busy with countless affairs of state.
The reason he returned home so early tonight was simply because... she was pregnant, and he tried his best to steal a moment from his busy schedule to come back and be with her.
She immediately stopped delaying: "Then I'll go wash up, you should also... get some rest."
Perhaps because she was pregnant, or perhaps because... she had experienced too much recently, Shen Qingci slept exceptionally soundly that night.
Even when Chu Jichen returned and when he left, they had no idea.
All she knew was that the study light was still on when she fell asleep. But when she woke up, the spot beside her was empty.
Shen Qingci has no intention of entering the palace today.
As Chu Jichen said, the palace has not yet been completely cleaned up, so the Regent's Palace is relatively safe in comparison.
She is now pregnant, so she has to be extra careful in everything she does.
Moreover, she didn't want to distract the already overwhelmed man from worrying about her safety.
Shen Qingci leaned against the bamboo couch under the corridor, lazily basking in the sun. However, her mind was uncontrollably occupied with what Chu Jichen had mentioned yesterday—Huo Yunting had actually asked him for permission to marry Chu Yuening.
She thought about it and realized that she had been too busy lately and hadn't seen Chu Yuening for quite some time.
He immediately summoned Yuanbao and ordered him to send someone to invite Chu Yuening and her daughter over.
Chu Yuening arrived quickly, bringing with her the adorable little girl.
Upon seeing Shen Qingci, Chu Yuening couldn't help but laugh, her voice full of teasing: "I thought that my brother would be too busy to be seen now that he has just ascended the throne. But seeing my sister-in-law basking in the sun so leisurely... I'm a little wondering what's going on."
Upon hearing this, Shen Qingci smiled as well.
“Him,” she said, her voice carrying a hint of tenderness and helplessness that she herself was unaware of, “is really busy.”
“But,” she looked at her, her eyes crinkling, “I can’t really help much. Right now, just staying here quietly and not causing him any trouble is already… a huge help to him.”
Shen Qingci waved to Tuantuan, who was hiding behind Chu Yuening and curiously peeking out to look at her.
The little girl hesitated for a moment, but finally took her short legs and stumbled over.
Shen Qingci hugged her and picked up a delicate osmanthus cake from the low table, holding it to her lips. He couldn't help but reach out and gently pinch her exquisitely sculpted little face, his voice full of affection: "Tuantuan is so cute."
“How do you look at it?” She carefully examined the small face that resembled Chu Yuening’s, and said with a half-smile, “This face does have a bit of… His Majesty’s shadow.”
Upon hearing this, Chu Yuening couldn't help but burst out laughing: "That's right, everyone says... a nephew resembles his uncle."
Seeing Shen Qingci's obvious delight in the child, her smile deepened: "Sister-in-law, it seems you quite like children?"
"Then you and your brother," her voice carried a perfectly balanced mix of teasing and anticipation, "when...are you planning to have one too?"
“I always felt that if you two really had a child, it would definitely be… very cute. After all,” she looked Shen Qingci up and down, her eyes filled with amazement and admiration, “both sister-in-law and brother are so good-looking.”
Upon hearing this, Shen Qingci's smile faded almost imperceptibly.
She slowly lowered her eyes, her voice carrying a lingering sense of melancholy: "Back when I was at the Huo family, I was pushed down by that Liu Ruolan and lost a child."
"Because it was an unplanned miscarriage," her voice lowered, filled with helplessness, "it damaged my health."
"The physician said that I am not suitable to get pregnant at the moment and need to take good care of myself for a while."
“However,” she sighed, a knowing, “helpless” smile befitting an empress appearing on her face, “I’m afraid… we’ll have to act as soon as possible.”
"After all, His Majesty has just ascended the throne. If there is no sign of pregnancy in my belly, I'm afraid... it will cause His Majesty to be criticized."
She knew that Chu Yuening was Chu Jichen's only younger sister, and that her words just now were mostly out of genuine concern and expectation.
Can……
She dared not be careless.
In this current situation where the enemy and friend are unclear and dangers lurk everywhere, the child in her womb is both her sweetest expectation with Chu Jichen and... her most fatal weakness!
Before everything has completely settled down, she must not easily reveal this secret to anyone.
The same applies to Chu Yuening.
not to mention……
Huo Yunting.
He dared to ask Chu Jichen for permission to marry Chu Yuening.
Although Chu Jichen had already refused, given Huo Yunting's ruthless nature in achieving his goals, he would never let the matter rest.
She was afraid, afraid that he would secretly contact Chu Yuening.
Even more frightening...
He feared that the simple-minded Chu Yuening would not be able to resist his feigned, affectionate advances.
Shen Qingci's thoughts raced through her mind in an instant, but her face remained calm.
She looked at Chu Yuening and, seemingly unintentionally, steered the conversation toward the most dangerous man.
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