At the Prince Jing's residence in Jiangnan, dinner was nearing its end. An'an had eaten and drunk her fill, her little head nodding as sleepiness crept in, but she still stubbornly refused to sleep, her little hand tightly gripping one of the Emperor Emeritus's fingers, her eyelids drooping.
Seeing this, the Empress smiled and said to Shen Yuewei, "The child is sleepy, let Chunxing take her to sleep. Let's also move to the flower hall for a cup of tea to aid digestion."
The Emperor Emeritus was reluctant to let go of the soft little hand and said softly, "It's alright, I... I'll carry her inside." As he spoke, he actually picked up the sleepy-eyed An'an with somewhat clumsy but extremely careful movements. The little girl snuggled against him in his broad and strong embrace, finding a comfortable position, her little face pressed against his clothes, and her breathing quickly became even and long.
Watching the Emperor Emeritus carrying An'an, guided by Chunxing, walk carefully into the inner room with an almost stiff posture, as if afraid of disturbing the precious treasure in his arms, the Empress and Shen Yuewei exchanged a smile.
The aroma of tea filled the air in the flower hall. The Empress picked up her teacup, gazing at the rising steam, and suddenly remembered something. She said to Xiao Chengjing, "Speaking of which, did that boy from the Lu family send a letter a few days ago? How is Qingrou doing at the border? Judging by the time, she should be quite pregnant by now."
Xiao Chengjing put down his teacup and nodded, saying, "Reporting to Mother, I just received Lu Zheng's letter the day before yesterday. Qingrou is doing well, helping out in the military camp's medical tent, and is being taken care of by the old military doctor. However, Lu Zheng's letter contained a lot of concern about the harsh conditions at the border, fearing that she might be suffering." He paused, a knowing smile flashing in his eyes, "I suppose the letter urging both mothers to go north is already on its way."
The Empress nodded knowingly and sighed, "The Lu family boy seems cold and hard, but he cares deeply for Qingrou. Qingrou is also a good girl, with her father's integrity." She looked at Shen Yuewei's pregnant belly, her eyes softening even more, "Our family's children are all blessed. An'an has her grandfather and grandmother to dote on her, and so many people are looking forward to the one in Qingrou's belly. Life should be like this, lively and bustling."
After Xiao Chengjing and Shen Yuewei returned to their room, Shen Yuewei suggested, "Tomorrow I'm thinking of mailing some things to Qingrou and the others. I guess many children in that border region don't have many things, and I'm quite worried about her pregnancy."
“You have another one in your belly, so you don’t need to do anything. The capital has already prepared everything for them,” Xiao Chengjing said, stroking Shen Yuewei’s belly.
Shen Yuewei smiled but didn't say anything. There was nothing to say to Xiao Chengjing, that jealous king. She would start preparing tomorrow; it would be a long time before they reached the frontier.
Seeing that Shen Yuewei was ignoring him, Xiao Chengjing smiled and lowered his head, his hand starting to slide upwards.
“It seems to have gotten quite a bit bigger here,” she said, then squeezed it with her hand.
Shen Yuewei blushed and was so angry she wanted to hit him.
"Vera..." he whispered, leaning down to gently place his warm lips on her smooth neck, with a cautious probing and an indescribable longing. The kiss was as light as a feather, yet carried a burning heat, slowly moving along the graceful line of her neck, finally stopping at her sensitive earlobe, where he held it in his mouth and gently teased it with the tip of his tongue.
"Mmm..." Shen Yuewei couldn't help but let out a soft moan, her body instantly went limp, and she nestled deeper into his arms, her head resting weakly on his shoulder.
This subtle response was like a spark igniting dry tinder. Xiao Chengjing's arms around her waist tightened abruptly, his other hand slipping inside the slightly open neckline of her nightgown, his burning palm covering her full, soft breasts without any obstruction. The delicate, smooth touch of her skin made him let out a satisfied sigh, his fingertips expertly finding the quietly erect tip, his calloused fingertips gently kneading it.
"Jing... no..." Shen Yuewei was so aroused by his teasing that her whole body went numb and her consciousness was floating. She could only unconsciously call his name, her slender fingers running through his thick hair, not knowing whether she wanted to push him away or hug him tighter.
Xiao Chengjing raised his head, his eyes burning with a naked flame of desire, a flame deep and intense with an overwhelming sense of affection and possessiveness. He gazed into her misty, watery eyes, his voice hoarse and barely audible: "Wei'er... my Wei'er..." He grasped one of her hands, guiding it to his own hot, taut chest, feeling his heart pounding like a drum.
The shadows of flowers sway gently, and the aroma of tea wafts through the air. The night breeze of Jiangnan softly caresses the wisteria trellis, bringing with it the last wisps of sweet fragrance, which seem to intertwine with the biting north wind blowing letters across the border at this moment, separated by thousands of mountains and rivers.
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