Chapter 386 Cen Li'an Arrives
The black Cullinan slowly drove into Tanxiyuan, and the wheels made a slight sound as they rolled over the gravel road.
Yun Zheng looked at the familiar villa through the car window. The landscape lights in the courtyard had been turned on, outlining the outline of the building in the twilight.
"We're here." Fu Linghe turned off the engine, but showed no intention of getting out of the car immediately.
He turned sideways to look at Yun Zheng, reached out to tuck her scattered hair behind her ear, and asked, "Are you tired?"
Yun Zheng shook her head and was about to unbuckle her seatbelt when Fu Linghe got out of the car, opened the passenger door, and leaned over. "Don't move."
He passed his arm through her knees, and with his other hand, he firmly supported her back and easily lifted her from the seat.
"I can walk by myself..." Yun Zheng protested softly, but her cheeks felt slightly hot due to the sudden princess hug.
Fu Linghe kicked the car door shut, lowered his head and pecked her forehead. "There's frost on the ground, it's slippery."
There was an irrefutable firmness in his voice as he strode towards the hallway with her in his arms.
Wu Ma had been waiting at the door for a long time. Seeing this, she quickly made way for them: "Master, Madam, dinner is ready."
"Go upstairs and change clothes first." Fu Linghe walked straight towards the spiral staircase without stopping.
Yun Zheng nestled in his arms, and could clearly feel the warmth of his chest and the rhythm of his heartbeat, mixed with the faint woody scent, which made her unconsciously lean closer to his arms.
The master bedroom remained the same as when they left, except that the bedding had been replaced with a light grey pure cotton four-piece set.
Fu Linghe knew that she had sensitive skin, so he specifically asked her to change it.
In front of the floor-to-ceiling window, a bunch of fresh white tulips was placed in a crystal vase, emitting a soft luster in the twilight.
"When did you arrange this?" Yun Zheng looked at the changes in details in surprise.
Fu Linghe gently placed her on the edge of the bed and knelt on one knee to help her take off her boots. "I called Aunt Wu to prepare it before I left this morning."
His fingers deftly untied his shoelaces, as gently as if handling fragile items. "Mother Wu said tulips help you sleep."
Yun Zheng's heart warmed, and she reached out to caress his cheek. Fu Linghe rubbed her palm, then stood up and took two sets of home clothes from the closet.
One set was his dark blue silk pajamas, and the other was a light pink cotton and linen suit for her, with small strawberry patterns embroidered on the collar and cuffs.
"Newly bought?" Yun Zheng took the clothes and couldn't help laughing. "When did President Fu like this girly style?"
Fu Linghe's ears flushed slightly as he untied his tie in a serious manner. "The clerk said pure cotton is breathable and good for pregnant women."
He turned his back to change, his muscles glimpsing beneath his shirt. "And...it's cute. I think you'll like it."
Yun Zheng's heart trembled. She looked down at the little strawberries on her clothes and suddenly felt her eyes getting hot.
She quickly changed into her home clothes. The soft fabric stuck to her skin, carrying a warm scent from the sun.
Dinner was a light dish carefully prepared by Wu Ma: stir-fried shrimp with lily bulbs, steamed sea bass, baby cabbage in soup, and a bowl of fragrant chicken soup.
Fu Linghe personally poured a bowl of soup and placed it in front of Yun Zheng, "Be careful, it's hot."
"You eat too." Yun Zheng picked up a piece of fish and put it in his bowl, carefully picking out the fish bones. "You must be tired from the meeting today, right?"
Fu Linghe shook his head, his eyes never leaving her face: "Not tired."
He paused, "It's just... I haven't received a reply from you yet, and I'm a little worried."
Yun Zheng bit her lower lip guiltily, "I slept too deeply..."
"I know." Fu Linghe reached out and covered the back of her hand. "Mom told me."
He gently rubbed his thumb over her knuckles. "Next time, I'll tell you the meeting time in advance so you don't wake up to find anyone."
The simple conversation hides a tacit understanding that only they understand.
Aunt Wu was serving dishes on the side, watching the interaction between the young couple, and fine lines appeared at the corners of her eyes due to smiling.
After dinner, Yun Zheng stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window and looked at the night view in the garden.
The yard looks a bit bleak in winter, but the carefully trimmed bushes and a few evergreen trees still keep it vibrant.
The pavilion in the distance is hung with lanterns, like a warm amber in the night.
"Want to go out for a walk?" Fu Linghe stood behind her at some point, holding the camel-colored scarf in his hand.
Yun Zheng's eyes lit up, "Is it okay?"
"Ten minutes." Fu Linghe tied her scarf around her neck, his movements as gentle as if he were wrapping a treasure. "It's only three degrees Celsius outside."
He took out a thick down jacket and wrapped Yun Zheng tightly, then squatted down to put on furry snow boots for her, and finally did not forget to put a hand warmer in her hand.
Yun Zheng let him do whatever he wanted, unable to hide the smile on her face. "Boss Fu, do I look like a zongzi?"
Fu Linghe looked her up and down, then suddenly bent down and stole a kiss on her lips. "That's the cutest zongzi too."
The ground lights along the garden path automatically lit up to illuminate the way for them.
Fu Linghe hugged Yun Zheng's waist tightly and took every step very steadily.
The night wind blows through the treetops, bringing the faint fragrance of plum blossoms in the distance.
"Are you cold?" Fu Linghe stopped and held Yun Zheng's hands in his palms and blew on them.
Yun Zheng shook her head, but couldn't help but sneeze.
Fu Linghe frowned immediately, "Go back."
"Let's walk a little longer." Yun Zheng tugged at his sleeve and said coquettishly, "We finally got some fresh air."
Fu Linghe had no choice but to unbutton his coat and wrap her in his arms, "Let's go this way."
His body temperature came through his shirt, and Yun Zheng was immediately surrounded by warmth. She pressed her cheek against his chest and could hear his strong heartbeat.
"Who made Mr. Fu always have a stern face..." Yun Zheng hadn't finished her words when Fu Linghe tickled her again. She smiled and hid in his arms.
As they played, a snowflake quietly landed on Yun Zheng's nose. They both looked up at the same time and found that the night sky was beginning to be filled with fine snowflakes.
"It's snowing!" Yun Zheng stretched out her hand in surprise, but Fu Linghe pulled her back into his arms.
"It's time to go home," he said firmly, already half hugging her and half carrying her back. "If I catch a cold tomorrow, Mom and Grandma will kill me."
The heating in the master bedroom was turned on very high, and Fu Linghe turned up the temperature as soon as he entered the room.
Yun Zheng sat on the edge of the bed, watching him busily running the bath water and preparing pajamas, and couldn't help but say, "Don't be so nervous, I'm not that fragile."
Fu Linghe paused, walked over and squatted in front of her, holding her hands, "I know."
His voice suddenly dropped. "It's just... this is my first time being a husband, and I'm afraid I won't be good enough."
Yun Zheng's heart softened, and she leaned over to hug him. "You're already the best husband, and you'll be the best father."
The bathroom was filled with steam, and Fu Linghe insisted on helping Yun Zheng dry her hair before allowing her to go to bed.
The newly changed bedding exuded a faint lavender scent. Yun Zheng sank into the soft pillows and sighed contentedly, "Home is still so comfortable."
Fu Linghe turned off the main light, leaving only a night light on, then lifted the quilt and lay down beside her.
He carefully placed his hand on Yun Zheng's belly and whispered, "Good night, my babies."
Yun Zheng smiled in the darkness, turned around and snuggled into his arms.
Fu Linghe immediately tightened his arms, forming a protective posture.
Snow fell silently outside the window, and the couple soon fell asleep.
——
As the morning light streamed in through the gaps in the curtains, Yun Zheng drowsily reached out and touched the spot beside her.
Empty and cold.
She opened her eyes and sure enough, Fu Linghe was nowhere to be seen.
The phone screen on the bedside table was clean, with no unread messages.
Yun Zheng felt a little lost. Usually, Fu Linghe would leave her a message before going to the company, even if it was just the simple words "going to work".
She slowly got up, washed, and chose a loose knitted skirt to wear.
I looked good in the mirror, but my belly was still flat and there was no sign of pregnancy.
Yun Zheng gently touched her belly and muttered to herself, "Your dad actually forgot to send a message today. Isn't that too much?"
As she went downstairs, she heard a familiar female voice coming from the living room: "...You guys hid it so well!"
Yun Zheng paused, then quickened her pace, "An An?"
In the living room, Cen Lian was sitting on the sofa with his legs crossed, holding the flower tea that Wu Ma had just brewed.
She was wearing a burgundy tweed coat today, which made her skin look even whiter, and her chestnut curly hair was casually draped over her shoulders.
Hearing the sound, she immediately put down her teacup and jumped up: "Yun Xiaozheng!"
The two girls hugged each other tightly. Yun Zheng smelled the familiar citrus perfume on her bestie: "Why are you here?"
"What else can I say!" Cen Lian took a step back, hands on hips, "You didn't even tell me about your pregnancy! If I hadn't happened to run into Mr. Fu at the mall this morning..."
"Ling He told you?" Yun Zheng blinked in surprise.
Cen Li'an rolled his eyes. "He was keeping his mouth shut. I saw him carrying a large bag of maternity supplements, so I forced him to tell me."
She pulled Yun Zheng to sit down and looked her up and down. "How many months has it been? When did you find out? Is the morning sickness severe?"
The barrage of questions made Yun Zheng laugh out loud: "It's not even two months yet, and the morning sickness has eased a bit, but I'm just feeling really sleepy..."
Cen Li'an pulled out a small, exquisite box from his bag. "A gift for my future godson or daughter."
Inside the box was a pair of small pure gold bracelets engraved with the words "peace and good fortune".
"You are so forgetful about your friends. I'm the one who's pregnant, but you didn't even buy me anything." Yun Zheng glanced at her and curled her lips in disgust.
"You, you, you still have the nerve to criticize me. Why don't you say that you are obsessed with women and forget about friends, and you didn't even tell me such a big thing as your pregnancy!" Cen Lian'an chattered about his dissatisfaction.
Yun Zheng was about to comfort her when footsteps were heard from the direction of the kitchen.
Fu Linghe came out holding a tray, still wearing Wu Ma's floral apron, which formed a funny contrast with his usual elite image.
"Awake?" He saw Yun Zheng and his eyes softened immediately. "Just right, freshly squeezed orange juice."
Cen Li'an whistled, "Wow, President Fu is cooking for us personally?"
Fu Linghe put down the tray without changing his expression: "Miss Cen, would you like a drink too?"
"Don't change the subject." Cen Li'an raised an eyebrow. "Not only did you kidnap my best friend, but you even hid your pregnancy from me. How am I going to settle this?"
Fu Linghe calmly took off his apron. "The doctor said it's not advisable to tell anyone for the first three months." He walked over to Yun Zheng and sat down, naturally holding her hand. "Besides, I think Zheng Zheng would prefer to tell you in person."
Yun Zheng felt warm in her heart. He always knew how to protect her feelings.
"Hmph, you're good at talking." Cen Lian curled his lips and suddenly took out his phone. "No, such an important moment must be commemorated."
She instructed, "Mr. Fu, hug your wife, yes, smile more naturally..."
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