139 · Chapter 139
Yan Jiarou was stunned upon hearing this, and stared blankly at Yingxue: "You... what did you say? Pregnant? You said I'm pregnant?"
Yingxue said, "This servant is just guessing. Lately, the mistress has been especially sleepy and frequently vomits. She also cannot eat any meat. This servant has heard experienced nannies mention that this is how pregnant women are."
Yan Jiarou blinked blankly, seemingly incredulous: "But Xiao Che clearly gave me a whole bowl of contraceptive medicine... how could I..."
Yan Jiarou's eyes lit up instantly, and she exclaimed excitedly, "That contraceptive soup didn't work at all for me, which means I might be pregnant right now?!"
Upon hearing this, Yingxue pondered and said, "Master, it is indeed possible. However, this is just our speculation at the moment. If we want to be certain, we still need to ask the imperial physician to come and take our pulse."
"Alright, I'll have Xiao Che fetch the imperial physician for me right away!" she said, sitting up from the bed and hurriedly putting on her shoes. Just as she was about to get up, she suddenly realized something was wrong: "No, for some reason, Xiao Che is exceptionally cruel to his child, but he's never been like this to me!"
As she spoke, her eyes dimmed: "Is it because I'm not worthy of bearing his children...? Although I killed him once, he didn't even lay a finger on me. Perhaps it wasn't out of pity, but rather a desire to take revenge and humiliate me in other ways. His intimacy with me was nothing more than using me to satisfy his lust. The kindness he showed me was no different from that of a cat or dog..."
“I’m afraid that if I really get pregnant with his child, he won’t be happy and will even use medication to abort it. No… I can’t let him know.”
Inside Anren Hall.
White smoke curled from the Boshan incense burner. The imperial physician took the pulse through the curtain, but no one knew what pulse he had detected. Cold sweat gradually seeped from his forehead.
A slender, fair wrist peeked out from behind the curtain, clearly belonging to a woman.
Her pulse... was like pearls rolling on a plate, smooth and responsive to the touch, clearly indicating pregnancy.
However, it was hardly a cause for celebration that someone in the Empress Dowager's palace was pregnant. There were many secrets in the palace, and one could easily get into trouble if one wasn't careful. The imperial physician looked up and wiped away a cold sweat, saying, "Reporting to the Empress Dowager, this girl is already two months pregnant."
Upon hearing this, the Empress Dowager narrowed her phoenix eyes slightly, pondered for a moment, then sighed deeply and waved her hand, saying, "Go down."
The imperial physician felt as if he had been granted a pardon and immediately rose to take his leave.
He picked up his medicine box and turned to walk away when he suddenly heard the Empress Dowager's authoritative voice behind him, carrying a hint of oppression: "Not a word of what happened today is to be revealed, do you hear me?"
He hurriedly replied, "Yes, yes."
"Go down."
The imperial physician breathed a sigh of relief and quickly left.
After everyone had gone, the Empress Dowager lifted the bed curtains and looked at Yan Jiarou, who was lying on the bed, somewhat dazed and grinning to herself. She sighed and said, "My dear little girl, what am I going to do? You're actually pregnant... What kind of situation is this..."
"Che'er is really something. It's one thing for him to act recklessly all the time, but now he's gotten you pregnant. How could he do this to you when you're so young? My poor little girl, not even sixteen yet... and already carrying such a big belly... Besides, what kind of relationship do you have with someone who has no status or identity..."
"Grandmother, please don't blame Third Brother..." The little girl gently tugged at her sleeve, looked up at her, and said, "It's not his fault, I insisted on having it myself..."
Her thick eyelashes trembled as she softly said, "My third brother is a very good person. The only bad thing is that he won't give me a child."
The Empress Dowager shook her head, looking at her with exasperation. She couldn't help but poke her head with her finger: "You silly girl, even now you're still taking his side! He's just taking advantage of your naivety. Look at your body, those marks from when you rolled up your sleeves just now. It's painful for me to look at them. He only cares about his own pleasure, has he ever considered you? No, the palace cannot tolerate a child without a title or status. I must find him and get you a proper status!"
As she was about to leave, Yan Jiarou grabbed her hand tightly and said, "Grandmother, please... Jiarou begs you, please don't... don't tell Third Brother. If he finds out, he will never let this child be born..."
In her agitation, she even pulled out the hairpin from her hair and held it to her neck: "If you insist on doing this, then Jia Rou will die in front of you!"
With a little force, the tip of the hairpin scratched the delicate skin, and a few drops of blood seeped out.
The Empress Dowager was startled and quickly said, "Alright, alright, your grandmother will do as you say. I won't tell that brat. You just stay here with your grandmother and rest peacefully during your pregnancy. Don't think about anything else."
With tears welling in her eyes, Yan Jiarou nodded and looked gratefully at the Empress Dowager: "Thank you, Grandmother..."
The Empress Dowager affectionately patted her head: "Silly child, I watched you and Che'er grow up since you were little. Don't mention thanking me. As long as you are well, I am well."
...
Since the Empress Dowager intervened in Yan Jiarou's move to Ren'an Palace for recuperation, Xiao Che couldn't say anything about it.
Another month passed quickly.
She hadn't seen Xiao Che for a month.
Without Xiao Che by her side, she had no appetite, but for the sake of the child in her womb, she still tried her best to eat more nourishing food every day. As a result, after a month, she became more and more plump and her face became rounder. Yingxue was very happy to see this and said that she looked even more charming and cute, as if she had returned to the past.
The thing she does most these days is stroke her lower abdomen. She doesn't know if it's just her imagination, but she always feels that her lower abdomen is protruding a little. However, Yingxue said that it is not, and it is still very flat.
That's true, it's only been three months, how could she possibly show so quickly?
But you can't see it with the naked eye, but it always feels different to the touch than before.
Because of this, no matter how much she missed Xiao Che, she dared not secretly go to see him, for fear that he would find out.
She thought that people are indeed greedy. She used to think that even without Xiao Che's love, having his child would be enough to pass the long years of her life. But now she wanted Xiao Che to be by her side, to be with her when she was unwell. She didn't need him to do anything, just hold her and kiss her.
If he also wants this child, that would be great.
pity……
Thinking this way, Yan Jiarou couldn't help but feel a little sad. A little moisture welled up in her eyes. She didn't want to think about it anymore. She slowly lay down, hugged the pillow, and pretended it was Xiao Che. A slight smile appeared on her lips as she gradually fell asleep.
While she was half asleep, she suddenly felt an itch on her face, as if someone was touching her.
"Hmm..." She opened her eyes groggily, and after seeing who it was, she instantly became wide awake, her eyes shining brightly and her face filled with joy.
"Brother!" She suddenly threw herself into the man's arms, burying her face deeply in his chest, and nuzzled against him affectionately: "Am I dreaming...?"
Xiao Che was taken aback, seemingly not expecting her to be so happy to see him, like a clingy cat that couldn't wait to seek affection upon seeing its owner.
His mood inexplicably improved, and the corners of his lips couldn't help but turn up, but he pressed them down again.
He coughed and said in a lukewarm tone, "It's only past noon now. Isn't it too early to be dreaming?"
This ambiguous tone was undoubtedly Xiao Che's.
She didn't find it jarring; instead, she looked up and, taking him by surprise, secretly kissed him, then smiled sweetly and said, "It's not early... Brother, I think about you all the time..."
Xiao Che's Adam's apple bobbed: "Miss me?"
"You miss me, yet you're avoiding me?"
"They don't have it..."
Xiao Che pinched her chin, slightly lifted her face, and stared at her intently, coldly saying, "Nothing? Then what's the meaning of hiding here with the Empress Dowager?"
"That's...that's for a reason. I really think about you every day...I miss you so much that I've lost my appetite..."
"Is that so?" Xiao Che chuckled ambiguously, his large hand encircling her lower face, his fingers sinking into her plump cheeks, feeling their softness and smoothness like milk. "Look at our little rabbit, her eyes are so clear and innocent, and she speaks so convincingly. If it weren't for your chubby little face, I would have believed her. In just one month, you've gained a lot of weight, and you said you missed me so much you couldn't eat? Do you think I can still carry you? Hmm? Don't call me little rabbit, call me fat rabbit."
“It’s not Fat Rabbit… I’m not that fat either, I’ve just gone back to how I used to be…” Yan Jiarou’s eyelashes trembled slightly as she whispered, “Xiao Che, don’t say that about me, it will make me sad…” She was like this because she was pregnant, but unfortunately she couldn’t tell Xiao Che the reason.
No girl likes being told she's fat, especially by the man she loves.
"What, you're upset just because I said a few words to you? Who told you to lie and say that I didn't want to eat because of you? Do you even believe that nonsense yourself?"
Yan Jiarou gave a soft hum, buried her face in his chest, and muttered softly, "I can't explain it to you... Anyway, I didn't lie! Why are you saying this about me? It's because I've gotten fat, don't you like it..." The more she thought about it, the sadder she became. And since she was always prone to crying, her voice began to tremble with sobs after only a few words.
Xiao Che frowned slightly, not expecting that she would start crying again after just a few words.
It's so annoying when little ones cry.
He sighed, leaned close to her ear, and gently nibbled on her soft, white earlobe, his tone playful: "Alright, it's just your face that's gotten fatter, but has anywhere else on your body gotten fatter? Let me check you over carefully..."
The beauty's eyes were red with tears, her gaze shimmering and trembling, like a begonia after the rain, fragile yet still beautiful.
She looked at him, and asked innocently, "Um, how do I get checked?"
Xiao Che smiled, casually raising an eyebrow: "What do you think?"
He deliberately changed the subject, partly to prevent the little rabbit from actually crying and needlessly disturbing everyone's peace of mind, and partly, naturally, he also harbored a malicious intent to tease her.
He kissed her so much that she was dizzy and overwhelmed. The little rabbit was so flattered by his kisses that she was in a daze. When she came to her senses, she was shocked to find that she was lying on the bed by Xiao Che.
She let out a soft cry, looking at Xiao Che with some confusion: "Brother..."
Fearing that he would discover she was pregnant, she reached out to cover her lower abdomen. However, she only had two hands; she could cover her lower abdomen, but the rest of her body was exposed to the air.
Because of the tension, my breathing became more labored, making the mountains and peaks in front of me stand out even more.
Xiao Che looked at her, his Adam's apple bobbing, his gaze deepening.
He leaned in and bit her earlobe, asking in a hoarse voice, "Why aren't you covering your front, hmm?"
Yan Jiarou's eyelashes trembled slightly, and she naturally couldn't tell the truth. She hesitated for a moment, then said, "I..."
Seeing this, Xiao Che naturally used it as a pretext to tease her: "You're deliberately trying to seduce me, aren't you? Little rabbit, how can you be so...slutty..."
Yan Jiarou blushed and said, "I...I didn't..." but she couldn't come up with a coherent explanation.
Xiao Che chuckled, picked up a strand of her black hair, and sniffed it: "Since you're so generous, I'll naturally accept your offer and give you a thorough check-up."
As he spoke, his large hand covered it. Luckily, his palm was large enough, and luckily he had two palms, so it was just enough to hold it.
Yan Jiarou bit her lip, listening to Xiao Che's reckless words, such as, "If the flesh grows ten parts, the little rabbit in front will take up eight parts, it really will grow... There's nothing wrong with having more flesh, do you know why?"
Xiao Che curled his lips slightly and said wickedly, "Because it feels more comfortable to do."
Yan Jiarou felt a surge of nervousness and embarrassment as she deleted everything, fearing that Xiao Che would discover it, and desperately tried to delete it all.
Xiao Che wasn't having an easy time either. He hadn't touched her for a month, and he was nearly going crazy with pent-up desire; he'd already deleted all his... things.
Little Rabbit seems to have grown a bit more, or perhaps it's just that it's been so long since we last saw each other, and seeing her again evoked a sense of nostalgia—it might just be an illusion. But he couldn't be blamed; Little Rabbit was so incredibly pure-looking, so young, and yet so well-endowed, that he loved her even more and deleted everything.
She probably knew how much he liked her there, and she was happy too. She blushed and said, "It will grow even bigger in the future..." She had heard that after giving birth, her there would grow again to support her growth, and Xiao Che would like it even more then.
Xiao Che was slightly taken aback, and casually asked, "What?"
"N-nothing..." Yan Jiarou came to her senses and felt a little scared when she thought about how she had almost let something slip.
She wrapped her fair, slender arms around his neck and said softly, "Brother, you must have missed me a lot these past month..."
Xiao Che raised an eyebrow, gently nuzzled her nose, and said in a low voice, "What do you think?"
Yan Jiarou tilted her head back, leaned in and kissed him, saying sweetly, "I want to hear you say you miss me..."
Xiao Che scoffed, saying ambiguously, "Then we'll have to see how you perform."
He wrapped his large hand around hers, guiding her downwards, and said in a low voice, "If you serve me well, I'll tell you."
Yan Jiarou pursed her lips, her long, thick eyelashes trembling slightly, like butterfly wings fluttering on a branch: "Mmm..."
After thinking for a moment, a few concerns arose: "But this is the Empress Dowager's Ren'an Palace..."
Xiao Che's voice, tinged with the scent of wine, was incredibly hoarse. Re Xi whispered in her ear, "Don't worry, I naturally chose the right time to come. She has a small banquet this afternoon and won't be back for a while..."
Yan Jiarou nodded, her face slowly turning red.
Now that she was pregnant, she naturally dared not indulge Xiao Che as she had in the past, so she came up with a clever way. First, she used her hands to hold him, then she held the Tun Tu in her mouth, and then she used her front... which was the little rabbit that Xiao Che mentioned to help him. She held it herself and tremblingly offered it to him.
Xiao Che was quite pleased and went to great lengths to bully him.
The little rabbit's eyes were red and swollen from being bullied, and she looked at her pitifully with tears welling up in her beautiful eyes.
The more she acted this way, the more it aroused his deepest, most inhuman sadistic desires.
Xiao Che still hated her, but Xiao Tu was just a pampered young lady. If he wanted to vent his anger, he couldn't just stab her in the heart like she did to him.
So the only way to get revenge is in things like this.
Finally, he deliberately got some on her face, putting on a show. Of course, he would take extra care of his beloved little rabbit.
He wiped away the white fluid that had trickled down her cheek with his thumb, then whispered a muffled laugh in her ear, saying in a wicked tone, "Doesn't it look like you, hmm?"
Yan Jiarou shrank back slightly and didn't say anything.
Xiao Che frowned and clicked his tongue, impatiently lifting her chin: "I'm asking you a question, are you mute?"
The little girl looked at him with moist eyes, her two rosy lips parted slightly, and she slowly uttered a single word: "Like..."
Xiao Che lifted his eyelids and glanced at the little rabbit in front of him, which he had made a complete mess of and which was covered in Rubai cypress. Suddenly, he felt that the pent-up frustration in his heart had dissipated a lot.
"Look at your pathetic state," Xiao Che curled his lips, his tone slightly teasing, "I really should bring you a mirror so you can see how I've managed to leave you scattered everywhere."
"Waaah, my brother got me all dirty..."
"Get it dirty?" Xiao Che scoffed. "You dare say you don't like it, huh?"
"Speak."
Yan Jiarou's eyelashes trembled slightly: "I like it..."
"Tell me what you like."
"I like...I like it when my brother treats me like this..."
Xiao Che smiled with satisfaction: "Not bad, very honest, a sly little bunny."
He lowered his head and kissed her forehead, a low, husky laugh in his voice: "This is your reward."
Yan Jiarou's eyes lit up for a moment, her cherry lips parted, revealing shallow dimples, like a cup of newly brewed peach blossom wine in March, sweet and intoxicating: "Thank you, brother..."
Xiao Che's Adam's apple bobbed, and he raised his hand to gently stroke the tip of her nose, a smile playing on his lips: "Silly rabbit."
Yan Jiarou stared at him intently. Sensing that he was in a good mood, she tentatively said, "Brother... I have something I want to tell you..."
Xiao Che hummed in response, "What?"
She took a small sip... (The rest of the text is cut off)... She tasted Xiao Che's... Hearing his breathing, she seemed encouraged, then looked up at him and said, "Brother, what do you want...? I can give it to you, as long as you allow me to get pregnant..."
Xiao Che was staring at the protruding cherry blossom pink... stained with his own things. This realization gave him a great shock. That little bit... indescribable... He was completely distracted when he suddenly heard Xiao Tu mention pregnancy. His lust vanished instantly, his face darkened, and he said, "I told you not to say that."
"Why?" Yan Jiarou's eyes instantly welled up with tears, and soon she said with tears streaming down her face, "Could it be... could it be that I really am not worthy of carrying your child... Why won't you let me carry your child..." Although she was already pregnant, if Xiao Che was unwilling, he would not acknowledge the child in the future. She felt that she was no longer satisfied with just carrying his child. She wanted Xiao Che to be by her side, to be with her and their child.
She hoped that Xiao Che would love their child as much as she did.
"Alright, why are you crying again?" Xiao Che frowned. "Why is a young girl like you always thinking about getting pregnant?"
"I just want to... I just want to have a child for my brother... Is that okay? Please."
She gazed at him with adoring eyes, her girlish charm captivating him. Her sweet, pleading manner, tinged with longing, made it impossible for him to utter a word of refusal.
He patted her head and said, "Alright, if you're obedient and stay this good, we'll have children in the future."
Yan Jiarou's eyes lit up, and she quickly asked, "When? I'll always be good and obedient!"
Xiao Che casually replied, "At least three to five years from now."
Three to five years? That's a long time... By then her child will be three to five years old.
Such an excuse is clearly just a way to evade and delay.
Her heart turned cold instantly. Yan Jiarou no longer harbored any illusions about him. It seemed that this child could only be born secretly in Ren'an Palace.
Her eyelashes drooped, and her mood visibly soured: "I don't want to talk to you anymore."
Xiao Che chuckled softly, then covered her face with his, his hot breath brushing against her neck: "If you won't talk, then let's do it."
Yan Jiarou sensed his intention, and hurriedly turned her head away, pushing him away, saying, "No... Xiao Che, I've already helped you..."
"That's all? No... Little Rabbit, these are just appetizers before the meal. They're not meat, so they don't really have any substance. They just make me feel more and more unsatisfied. We've come this far, you can't just not let me eat rabbit meat... Didn't I say that if you serve me well, I'll say I miss you?"
He chuckled softly, his voice alluring and seductive: "What, you don't miss me anymore, huh?"
Yan Jiarou met his dark, wrinkled eyes, which were faintly red, and was momentarily frightened. She subconsciously stepped back: "No...no, then I don't want you to say you miss me..." If she really softened and agreed to him, the child would most likely be lost.
This slight retreat caused Xiao Che's expression to darken instantly, and a hint of hostility rose in his eyes.
He reached out and grasped her slender, fair ankle, then pulled her back abruptly: "What are you hiding from? Yan Jiarou, how could you reject me?"
"No...no..." Yan Jiarou's eyes flickered as she racked her brains for an excuse: "This is Ren'an Palace after all. What if Grandmother returns and sees us...that wouldn't be good..."
He took a deep breath: "Then come back with me."
He suppressed his desire and said in a hoarse voice, "Wait until we get back to the Zichen Palace, and see how I deal with you."
Yan Jiarou was startled and blurted out, "No! We can't go back!" If she went back with him, her belly would grow bigger every day, and she wouldn't be able to hide it anymore! Moreover, Xiao Che was really terrifying in bed; she was often made to faint, and she would definitely lose the baby.
He pinched her chin, frowned, and said, "It's been a month, are you still going to hold a grudge against me? I only made you drink a bowl of contraceptive soup, and you're already holding a grudge like this? I've never seen anyone as petty as you."
"No... it's not out of spite..." Now that things have come to this, Yan Jiarou could only use the Empress Dowager as a shield again: "Xiao Che, you know that Grandmother has been sleeping poorly lately. If I stay with her, she will sleep much better... She said that I should stay with her for a year or two. Since Grandmother has said so, I can't refuse."
"A year and a half? You went to sleep with her, then who will sleep with me?" Xiao Che felt his temples throbbing, and in his anger, he laughed instead: "Or are you just deliberately being pretentious?"
His breathing grew heavier, and he sneered, "I'm too lazy to waste words with you. Let me do it once first."
He added, "It's been a month already. I've had the Imperial Hospital prepare a contraceptive medicine for men. From now on, you don't need to wear a contraceptive sachet." As he spoke, he pinched her sachet, ready to begin the interrogation. Yan Jiarou's reaction this time was unusually strong. She hurriedly pushed him away, saying, "Brother, don't... wait for me for a few months, please wait for me for a few months."
Xiao Che laughed: "Do you think that's possible, hmm?"
"Sweetie, little bunny, don't go overboard with this 'playing hard to get' game. You like me, so be nicer to me and give me your way."
Just as they were about to enter the area, the door was suddenly pushed open from the outside, and someone walked in.
Xiao Che paused, then immediately sat up straight and pulled over a brocade quilt to wrap the little rabbit's body.
As soon as the Empress Dowager returned to Ren'an Palace, she saw that all the palace maids and eunuchs had retreated to the outside of the main hall. She knew that something was wrong. Upon asking, she learned that Xiao Che had come and had been inside for two hours. Immediately, she felt uneasy and hurriedly went inside.
Pushing open the door to the side hall and stepping inside, one immediately senses something strange.
Xiao Che came over right after she left the palace for the banquet, so he must have timed it perfectly. There's no reason he wouldn't know when she would return. He was so reluctant to leave that he didn't leave even after she came back. It seems he really doesn't know what the world is like.
He walked to the bedside, coughed, and said in a deep voice, "Get out of here now!"
A slender hand lifted the curtain, Xiao Che's Adam's apple bobbed slightly, and he lowered his head as he got off the bed: "Grandmother."
The Empress Dowager gave a cold laugh and looked up at her good grandson. He was dressed in a reddish-brown casual robe, impeccably dressed and without a trace of dishevelment.
In contrast, Yan Jiarou, curled up in the corner of the bed, had disheveled hair, swollen lips, and a trace of cypress smear on her lips. She was wrapped in a brocade quilt in a disheveled state, and her exposed neck was covered with warm, sun-kissed red marks. It was easy to imagine the mess beneath the quilt.
The Empress Dowager felt her temples throbbing, and she raised her hand to slap him: "You scoundrel! Look at the mess you've made! Do you still think I'm your grandmother?!"
The slap was delivered with full force, and with a resounding crack, Xiao Che's face turned slightly to the side.
Yan Jiarou's eyes widened, and she almost immediately cried out, "Grandmother, please don't hit him!"
The Empress Dowager turned to Yan Jiarou with a frown, sighed, and said, "Silly child, your grandmother is avenging you! He is just taking advantage of your naivety and trying to find ways to humiliate you."
“Grandmother, I know you care about me, but…” She lowered her eyes and bit her lip, saying, “I did all of this willingly, it’s not my third brother’s fault.”
She was so heartbroken over slapping him, which made her look like a villain in vain. What could the Empress Dowager say? She could only be angry at his lack of self-control and sighed heavily.
Xiao Che wiped his lips with his thumb and chuckled enigmatically, "Grandmother, I am also your grandson. Why are you so biased?"
The Empress Dowager looked up at him, her expression displeased, and said, "She is the younger sister you watched grow up since she was a child. You even held her when she was little. How could you... how could you treat her like this!"
"What's wrong with me?" Xiao Che casually curled the corners of his lips, his beautiful eyebrows slightly raised, revealing a hint of flirtatious indifference: "You heard it too, it was her own choice, I didn't force her."
“Since you said she is the younger sister I watched grow up, and you took her away from me for a whole month, it is understandable that I was worried about her and came to see her.”
"Is that what you call missing her?" the Empress Dowager said irritably. "You're clearly just lusting after her body!"
Xiao Che raised an eyebrow, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes, seemingly not expecting the Empress Dowager to speak so bluntly.
Since that's the case, he decided to stop pretending: "Grandmother is absolutely right. Lady Yan is spoiled and willful, fickle in love, fickle and heartless, and stupid. It would not be an exaggeration to say that she is utterly useless. Only her body still has some appeal. I'm used to it and really don't want to change. I hope that Grandmother will give her up and let her go back with me."
Yan Jiarou's eyelashes trembled slightly, and her hand gripping the brocade quilt tightened even more, with tears silently dripping onto the back of her hand.
The Empress Dowager stared at him intently, her expression extremely solemn. After a long while, she finally spoke: "Give her a title, and I will let her go with you. Otherwise, what is the meaning of her following you in this ambiguous manner?"
Xiao Che frowned slightly and turned to look at Yan Jiarou: "Is this also your idea?"
Yan Jiarou looked up blankly, about to speak, but noticed that the Empress Dowager was giving her meaningful glances, so she swallowed back the words she was about to say. She thought that her grandmother always thought of her, and she also had to think of the child in her womb. She could follow him without knowing his identity, and she didn't care, but she wanted to give her child a legitimate identity.
She then pondered and said, "Third brother, please give me a proper title."
Xiao Che's forehead throbbed violently.
The first thought that came to mind was: So that's how it is. He was being coy earlier, deliberately not letting him actually do it, only letting him smell it, just to keep him hanging on.
Now she's joined forces with her grandmother to put pressure on him; these are all her tactics.
Giving her a title means he has to marry her, and if he marries her, the prerequisite is naturally that he forgives her.
But has he truly vented all the anger he felt?
The humiliation and retaliation he suffered some time ago did allow him to vent his anger.
If she had been obedient, she would have let him have his way with her properly. If he had made her feel good, even the biggest resentment would have dissipated.
If you soften your stance, be more obedient, and go back with him willingly, he might agree.
But now she's scheming like this, clearly setting him up, which only makes him more disgusted.
That deep-seated resentment slowly resurfaced.
He also wondered if her scheming and ambition for a higher position stemmed from genuine affection for him, or from fear of his revenge. She had feigned obedience, gradually becoming swayed by him and safe from harm, yet she still felt it wasn't enough and seized the opportunity to gain a higher position, hoping to enjoy wealth and honor from then on.
If that's the case, then what is he? A complete idiot who, after being betrayed and stabbed by her, still obediently offers the world to her?
Is that how she sees him?!
A surge of anger welled up within him, and he sneered, "Grandmother, you jest. Didn't I just say that Lady Yan is utterly useless and has a long-standing grudge against me? I've already shown her extraordinary favor by taking her in as a palace maid, disregarding past grievances. Now she dares to dream of asking me for a rank? Does she even deserve it?"
Upon hearing this, the expressions of the other two changed.
Xiao Che turned his head and glanced at Yan Jiarou's pale face. He felt a sense of pleasure, but also quite annoyed. Without thinking too much, he took a step forward, leaned close to her, and said, "Do you really think I lack women? If you're not willing, there are plenty of others who are. I've had enough of your spoiled and pampered manner in bed. You've never satisfied me even once. It's really frustrating. I'll go back now and have my way with several women at once. Maybe they'll be more useful than you. Who knows?"
After saying that, he flicked his sleeves, turned around, and left.
Yan Jiarou was left leaning against the Empress Dowager's chest, crying her heart out: "I never want to see him again... He will never forgive me, and I don't want to force it anymore... Grandmother, from now on I will only be with you. The child in my womb will be my child from now on, and will have nothing to do with him anymore..."
That's what she said, but she still cried her heart out. It wasn't until later that the people the Empress Dowager had sent to inquire returned, saying that Xiao Che hadn't summoned any women after returning home. Not to mention women, not even a female mosquito could fly into his bedchamber. Only then did she gradually stop sobbing, and softly snorted, "Who cares about him? Anyway, I don't want to see him again... Grandmother, this time I'll be very strong-willed... I'll listen to you..."
"Good, that's the good child of Grandmother. We should ignore him from now on and focus on taking care of the pregnancy."
...
After that, Xiao Che never came to Ren'an Palace again. The Empress Dowager was happy about this. If he came again, Yan Jiarou would be easily swayed and would like him almost pathologically. He would probably be able to coax her into bed with just a few words. If she acted recklessly like that, she would lose the baby in her belly sooner or later.
Now that he's not coming, she feels much more at ease.
While she was relieved, Yan Jiarou's situation was not so good.
As her morning sickness became more frequent and her body felt increasingly uncomfortable, it was a time when a woman would need her husband's care the most. Unfortunately, Xiao Che was not by her side at this time.
Although she didn't say it, she could tell that she was always depressed and couldn't sleep well at night. Yingxue said that she often called out Che'er's name in her dreams, and then woke up crying. Once she woke up, she would sit there blankly until dawn, playing with the pair of rings that Xiao Che had once given her, lost in thought.
After much deliberation, the Empress Dowager felt that things couldn't continue like this and she had to do something.
After court that day, Xiao Che reviewed memorials in the Zichen Hall as usual. Now that the world was at peace and all under heaven had submitted, the common people, led by Jia Wei, had been promoted and given important positions. They were now able to stand on equal footing with the aristocratic families, and imperial power was gradually becoming centralized.
Now, he no longer needs to make Lady Cui his empress.
Just as he finished reviewing a batch of memorials, Xue Zhi walked in quickly with his head down, saying that the Empress Dowager had arrived.
"Grandmother?" Xiao Che, who was massaging his temples, paused upon hearing this. "She hasn't come to see me in a long time... Please invite her in."
After the Empress Dowager entered, she neither sat down nor accepted the tea offered to her. Instead, she stared at him and said, "Che'er, come with me to a place. I have something to tell you."
"Grandmother, where do you want your grandson to go with you?"
"You'll know once you follow me."
...
Xiao Che never expected that the Empress Dowager would take him to the former Chenghuan Palace.
Since Yan Jiarou left, this place has been vacant. However, Xiao Che had given instructions that it should not be abandoned, so palace servants come to clean it regularly.
When they arrived there, Aunt Yunying, who was by the side of the Empress Dowager, was already there. The Empress Dowager nodded slightly to her, and she seemed to have received an instruction, so she immediately went inside.
The Empress Dowager glanced at Xiao Che and said, "I'll have Yunying fetch some things. Let's have a good chat while we're here."
"Please speak, Your Majesty."
"I'm asking you, you coaxed your younger sister into doing that kind of thing, turning her into this state, and now you really don't want her anymore?"
"Seduced?" Xiao Che found it amusing and actually laughed: "Grandmother, in your eyes, is she just an innocent little white rabbit, and I am a greedy wolf with ulterior motives, instigating her to go astray, taking advantage of her, and then abandoning her after starting something?"
"Isn't that right? If you hadn't seduced her, how could she have..."
"Oh, Grandmother, you are unaware of the details, so it's best not to comment rashly. As for starting something and then abandoning it, you don't need to worry. She still owes me a debt, so how could I let her off so easily?"
He narrowed his eyes, a near-obsessive madness creeping into his brows and eyes: "In this life, she can only stay by my side to atone for her sins. Even if she dies, she can only die in my arms."
"Ignoring her now is just to give her some peace of mind for a few days. In another month, it will be the annual Buddha Bathing Festival. According to the etiquette, you must go to the ceremony in person and no unrelated people are allowed to accompany you. My dear sister will have to stay in the palace. When that time comes, she will have no one to rely on and will know who to turn to."
"If my sister is naughty, how can I, as her older brother, not discipline her properly?"
The Empress Dowager was not surprised by this, but her face showed anger. She scolded, "You scoundrel! I knew you had this evil plan! I think you've been using all your energy to bully your sister!"
As they were talking, Yunying came in carrying a thick stack of embroidery. The Empress Dowager picked up one at random and threw it at Xiao Che: "Take a good look at this and see what your sister really thinks of you!"
Xiao Che was taken aback. He lowered his head and picked up the embroidery on his chest. He saw that it was embroidered with a blood lotus. The stitches were rough, and it was clear that the embroiderer's skills were very clumsy. With such embroidery skills, the blood lotus should not be worthy of attention. But strangely, the blood lotus was bright red and dazzling, burning as if it were burning, and there was a faint strange light flowing around it, as if it were a living thing.
He couldn't help but frown: "This is..."
"Do you remember the rules in the palace? It's forbidden to practice witchcraft. But few people know that this embroidered lotus of rebirth is also a kind of witchcraft. The lotus of rebirth is fed with the blood of the living. It is said that it can transfer the lifespan of the living to the dead. As long as enough of it is transferred, it can 'bring the dead back to life and restore flesh to bones.' Each one is worth a year. You can count how many years of lifespan it has transferred to you in total!"
"You always say that she killed you, that you were not meant to die, and that Cui Lingyi saved you with the Xuanlin Pill, which is why you are grateful to Cui Lingyi and almost want to repay her with your body. However, you are eager to take revenge on Jia Rou and humiliate her in every way. But I say that the reason you were able to come back to life may very well be because Jia Rou saved you!"
"Cui Lingyi only stole one Xuanlin Pill for you, and you're already grateful. But your sister sacrificed her own lifespan to save you, and how did you treat her! She didn't want you to know these things and asked me to keep quiet. I originally agreed, but now seeing how you treat her, I have to speak out!"
Xiao Che felt a buzzing in his ears, and when he opened his mouth, he couldn't utter a single syllable.
It took her a long time to find her voice, and she spoke with difficulty, "What...what did you say?"
"I say, Jia Rou loves you to death. She is willing to do anything for you, even risk her life. You shouldn't treat her like that!"
"You always resent the stab she gave you. Yes, you died once, but didn't she die with you? Jia Rou is simple-minded by nature, not as insightful and intelligent as Cui's daughter. She may not be smart and can't see through things, but wasn't she like this when you liked her? Xiao Jue set up such a perfect scheme, how could you expect her to see through it?"
“She never wanted to kill you. Even though she thought you betrayed her, did all sorts of bad things, hurt her two brothers who loved her, and only used and abused her from beginning to end, she still didn’t want your life. She just wanted to break free from your bond. What did she do wrong?”
"The culprit is clearly Xiao Jue, so why are you blaming Jia Rou? She is completely innocent."
"Yes, she owes you a life, but she has also repaid you with many years of lifespan. Not to mention that she is now pregnant with your child and has given you another life!"
Xiao Che suddenly looked up: "What did you say?"
"I say that Jia Rou is pregnant with your child. According to the timeline, she has been pregnant for four months."
"How could she be pregnant?! I clearly... gave her a contraceptive potion!"
"The medicine was too bitter, and she vomited it all up. Perhaps it was fate's arrangement that she only failed to wear the contraceptive sachet that one time, and she got pregnant on the very first try."
Xiao Che lowered his head in frustration: "How could this be... Yan Yan herself is still a child..."
"Now you remember that she was too young to get pregnant, but why didn't you remember when you coaxed her into having sex? You men are all the same."
The Empress Dowager said, "You always think about tormenting her mind and making her more obedient so that she can become your plaything in bed. You can both take revenge and humiliate her and enjoy her body. Do you think I don't know what you're thinking? She loves you so much and feels guilty towards you, which is why she tolerates and indulges your abuse time and time again. But she is a human being, and she can also feel sad and heartbroken. Once she has accumulated enough disappointment, who knows if she will continue to stay in the same place and wait for you."
"You want to wait until next month's Buddha Bathing Festival, while I'm away bathing Buddha, to kidnap her and discipline her properly? I'm afraid you won't be able to wait that long."
Xiao Che's eyelids twitched heavily, and he swallowed hard. "Grandmother, what do you mean by this?"
"What do you mean? She said that Third Brother doesn't want her, nor does he want the child in her womb. She has completely given up on you and wants to leave this place of heartbreak in the palace. She begged me to help her, and I agreed. I gave her a fish-shaped tally that allows her free entry and exit from the palace. Judging by the time, she should be walking out of the Right Silver Terrace Gate right now..."
No sooner had he finished speaking than Xiao Che suddenly burst out of the door and disappeared in the blink of an eye.
The Empress Dowager gazed in the direction he had left, and sighed softly in her heart, thinking: I hope that this time, you can reconcile and return to normalcy, then I can find some solace.
On the way to Youyintai Gate, Xiao Che kept thinking, no wonder... no wonder when she served him before, whether serving tea or grinding ink, her fingertips seemed unable to exert any force. He originally thought that she was spoiled and not used to serving others, so she was inevitably clumsy. Therefore, he did not think much of it. Now he realized that it was because she was sewing embroidery for him and the needle pricked her fingertip...
And that day at Ren'an Palace, she made excuses and refused to give it to him, asking him to wait for her for several months... He thought she was deliberately being coy, but it turned out that it was only because she had already conceived his child and was afraid that he would not be able to control himself and would harm the child...
Demanding a formal title is probably just for the sake of the child. Yes, that silly girl, what does she know about "a mother's status rising with her son's"? Perhaps she really just wants a child. She said a long time ago that she wanted a child with him, a child who looks like him.
Why won't he believe it?
Grandmother was right. She wasn't a bright person to begin with, and killing him wasn't her intention. He knew she wasn't bright all along. Since he loved her, he should have accepted everything about her. That stab, in truth, was nothing more than an unintentional mistake; she was being used. Why should he hold onto it, tormenting her and himself?
His grandmother had long advised him not to follow in Xiao Yuangan's footsteps. Xiao Yuangan had broken his mother's heart, causing them to be separated by death, a separation that was completely irreparable.
But he and Yan Jiarou are different; they are both alive and well in this world now, which may be the opportunity that God has given them.
A person's life is but a fleeting few decades. Time flies by like a white horse galloping past a crack in the wall. The more time he suffers with her, the less time he has left to be with her.
They shouldn't waste any more time on each other.
That little fool actually performed evil magic on him, shortening her lifespan. Although he knew that such magic was mostly ineffective, the little fool didn't know that she was truly willing to shorten her lifespan for him.
This little girl, so afraid of pain, endured the agony of being pricked with needles to draw blood. No one in this world could allow her to suffer even the slightest injury, not even him.
She really is a fool. Why didn't she say anything after doing something like this for him?
...
When he rushed to the Right Silver Terrace Gate, he caught a glimpse of a group of palace maids showing their fish-shaped tallies to the guards and walking out of the palace gate one by one.
He spotted the slender, graceful figure mixed in with the group at a glance, his gaze fixed on her like that of a hawk!
Yan Jiarou showed the fish-shaped tally in her hand to the guard for inspection. After the guard confirmed that it was correct, he nodded and let her pass.
Just as Yan Jiarou was about to step out of the palace gate, a sharp shout suddenly came from behind her: "Halt! Yan Jiarou, you're carrying my child, where do you think you're going?!"
The people around her suddenly knelt down, and Yan Jiarou involuntarily straightened her back, her whole body instantly becoming stiff.
This moment seemed to stretch out infinitely; she forgot how to react and stood there blankly, as if frozen in place.
It wasn't until Xiao Che grasped her wrist and pulled her to a secluded spot that things calmed down.
The man's tall and imposing figure stood before me, exuding an overwhelming aura of power.
Then, taking advantage of her height, he grasped her shoulders and slowly leaned down. His gaze met hers, and he softly asked, "Where are you going, hmm?"
He was clearly trying his best to suppress his emotions, and his tone of inquiry was even gentle, as if he was afraid of frightening the delicate and timid woman in front of him.
Even if she had bullied him a bit too much during this period, she was the one who betrayed him first. If he forgave her so easily, how could he face himself? He harbored hatred and resentment in his heart; couldn't she at least let him vent his anger?!
Besides, how will she learn her lesson if she doesn't suffer a little?!
She never appreciates things that come too easily.
He used to give her things too easily, whether it was blood or anything else, as long as she wanted it, he would give it to her. Because he gave it to her too easily, she never took him seriously.
So this time, he vowed not to give her the forgiveness she wanted so easily.
Only by letting her experience the bitterness of unfulfilled desires, and by giving her a glimmer of hope when she is on the verge of despair, will she cherish it for the rest of her life.
Perhaps she truly felt guilty, and she was indeed well-behaved for a while, but how long has it been? Why is she being disobedient again? She even wants to leave him completely!
If she can't even withstand this little test, then her affection is far too cheap!
However, having already met the Empress Dowager and learned from her what she had done for him in the past, he realized that she still cared for him.
She was just a teenage girl who had never experienced any hardship before. This period of time had probably been unbearable for her, and she was truly on the verge of her limit.
That's why I had the idea of leaving him and considering getting rid of him completely.
Xiao Che told himself, "That's about enough."
If we don't retract the line soon, things might really get out of hand.
If he really lost the little rabbit, what fun would there be in his life? He might as well have been stabbed to death by her in the snow that day.
Thinking of this, he finally restrained himself a bit, which led to his almost gentle question just now.
However, Yan Jiarou's mind was completely blank at this moment. She had no idea what was going on. How did Xiao Che know she was pregnant? Although she was four months pregnant, she wasn't showing at all...
And how did he know she was leaving the palace at this time of day, and how did he happen to chase after her?
Her thoughts were in disarray, and she couldn't make sense of it for the moment. So when answering Xiao Che's question, she hesitated and faltered: "Your Majesty, I..."
However, in Xiao Che's eyes, this expression took on a completely different meaning.
Even though he had chased after her, she still had no intention of going back with him. Her hesitant and conflicted manner was more like a disguised form of resistance and rejection.
As a result, the resentment in his heart burned even more fiercely.
Almost immediately, his thought was to disregard her wishes, forcibly take her back, lock her in a dark, sunless room, chain her slender, white wrists and ankles, forbid her from wearing clothes, and then…
If a little rabbit misbehaves, a few spankings will make it behave.
If she misbehaves once, then more. Several times. Until she behaves properly.
Debts must be repaid eventually! Trying to run away? Not so easy.
The way he treated her, if she got pregnant, she could have given birth, and if she got pregnant again, she could have a litter of little bunnies to keep her occupied, let's see where she can run to!
A series of crazy thoughts swirled in Xiao Che's mind. He felt that he had probably gone mad. Yes, he had gone mad. He had gone mad the moment she plunged that dagger into his vital point.
Love and hate intertwined, ultimately leading to a fight to the death! He could no longer let her go. The moment she first confessed her love for him and allowed him to possess her completely, he was already unable to let go. The subsequent stab was merely an excuse to remain invincible, allowing him to fully unleash his increasingly intense possessiveness.
However, he was afraid that she would look at him with such sorrowful and fearful eyes, and he was also afraid that things between them had reached a point of no return.
He didn't want to force himself on her unless absolutely necessary.
So he closed his eyes tightly, and when he looked at her again, his tone softened: "Yan Yan, please don't go."
He stroked her cheek: "It was Third Brother's fault, Third Brother shouldn't have treated you like that... Grandmother has already told me everything. I know everything you did for me. Although I suffered that knife wound, you also suffered the pain of needle insertion and blood quenching for me. Even if we cancel each other out, let bygones be bygones."
"You said you liked me, but have I ever let you go for a single day? Since we love each other, why not stay together? I don't want to repeat the mistakes of my parents. We still have a chance now, which is a blessing from heaven. We must not waste it."
He looked at her intently, his Adam's apple bobbing: "Baby, shall we start over?"
The voice was so soft, it seemed to be far away. Yan Jiarou felt dizzy, as if she were walking on clouds, without any sense of reality.
As if afraid of waking this hard-won beautiful dream, even her questions became cautious: "You... what did you say?"
Xiao Che looked at her, his eyelids lowered, and placed his other hand on her lower abdomen: "We have our child here, Yan Yan, I am very happy."
“Those hurtful words were all lies to you. I love children, especially our child. It’s just that you’re still too young, you’re still a baby yourself, it’s really not suitable for you to get pregnant at this age. Ten months of pregnancy and childbirth, the hardships of which cannot be described in a few words, I don’t want you to have to go through that. I was thinking that in three to five years, when our Yan Yan has grown up, if you still love children then, we can have one.”
"But now that it's here, and since you really want it so badly, I will take good care of you. I will have the people of the Imperial Hospital use all their knowledge to find ways to alleviate your discomfort, and I will also search the world for renowned doctors to make your labor less painful. I will stay by your side and look forward to its birth with you."
"So Yan Yan, don't go, okay? If you leave me, how will you take care of yourself and the baby in your womb? Can you really bear to let the child be born without a father? Stay, stay by my side, and I will treat you as well as before. Remember the two snowmen I built for you? We will be like them, always together. I have never forgotten my vow to grow old with you."
Tears welled in her eyes, but she felt an unprecedented joy. She threw herself into his arms, hugging his waist tightly. "Brother... is this true? Or are you just saying this on purpose so I'll believe you, and then you'll say you were just lying to me... I don't care, you can't lie to me, and you can't go back on your word. You can't abandon me anymore, and you can't abandon the child in my womb..."
He swallowed hard, pressed her shoulders, and gently pushed her away from his embrace: "Didn't you say you were going to sneak out of the palace and never come back?"
Yan Jiarou was forced to leave his embrace with reluctance, then tried to cling to him again, her delicate face streaked with tears. Her eyelids were red from crying, her cherry lips parted slightly, and her eyes were clear yet confused: "How could I? I can't bear to leave you, brother, especially now that I'm pregnant with your child... I don't want to leave you at all... Unless you kick me out, even if you kill me, I won't leave you..."
“It was my grandmother. She said… she said I was lovesick for my brother and was depressed all day long, so she let me leave the palace to clear my mind. Her men were waiting for me outside the palace gate. Oh, and she gave me the fish tally.”
Xiao Che: "…………"
Seeing that Xiao Che's expression was strange, Yan Jiarou blinked and asked, "Brother, is there a problem?"
Xiao Che coughed: "...Never mind what I just said."
It turns out his grandmother had set him up, forcing him to reveal all his cards to this little fool. Now that he's spoken so confidently, how will he control the little rabbit in the future?
He hasn't completely tamed her yet.
Upon hearing this, Yan Jiarou immediately burst into tears, accusing him with a mix of grievance and sadness: "You were just lying to me after all!"
"You...you bastard! You got me pregnant and then you didn't want me anymore..."
As she spoke, she couldn't help but shed tears, large teardrops falling one after another like pearls from a broken string. When it came to the ability to "cry," no one could compare to her: "Then how are we, a widow and orphan, supposed to live...? The stories say that unfaithful men who abandon their wives and children usually don't have a good ending! Most of them will regret it for the rest of their lives!"
"Xiao Che..." She gently tugged at his sleeve, her eyes red-rimmed, and said, "You don't want to... live with regrets for the rest of your life, do you?"
Xiao Che's eye twitched slightly. What on earth was this silly girl spouting? "What orphan and widow? Your man isn't dead yet. Not doing so well? Yan Jiarou, you dare to curse me?"
He lightly tapped her forehead, and said with a half-smile, "Silly girl, you know you've ruined your brain by reading these storybooks."
The little girl sobbed softly, raising her head to look at him intently: "Xiao Che, I'm a fool, so foolish that for so many years I couldn't tell who I loved. I thought my attachment to my brother was love. So foolish that I almost killed the person I loved most with my own hands. I can't even forgive myself for this. I know I'm foolish, but I won't do it again. I will never do anything to hurt you again. Can you forgive me? I will spend the rest of my life making it up to you..."
"Since I'm stupid, please don't hold it against me, okay? You've already called me stupid, so how can you still bully me? Besides, you just said you wanted to make up with me and start over. You can't go back on your word..."
She rambled on for a long time, trying to persuade Xiao Che to reconcile with her. She believed she was in the right, after all, he had just promised. But what good was being in the right? Some things are simply unreasonable. If Xiao Che wanted to go back on his word, she couldn't do anything about it.
So even though she said that, she wasn't really sure in her heart. As she talked, she ended up crying again. Perhaps the feeling of losing something you've gained is even harder to accept than never having had it at all. She cried even harder and harder. Just when she was heartbroken, she suddenly heard a very soft sigh.
Xiao Che raised his hand to wipe away the mottled tear stains on her face, his movements extremely gentle: "Why are you crying? I didn't say I was going to go back on my word."
Yan Jiarou was startled. Through her tear-blurred vision, she looked at him. In her daze, Xiao Che was smiling at her. Her heart pounded uncontrollably, then belatedly surged with immense joy. However, mixed within this joy was a cautious anxiety and a belated sense of grievance. In the end, it only turned into a choked sob, "You just said... to pretend I didn't hear you..."
She stared blankly at him, her sobs growing louder and louder. Suddenly, she threw herself into his arms: "I'll be good... I'll be good! Brother, I'll do whatever you say from now on, let's make up..."
Yan Jiarou was taken aback. These words did indeed come from the mouth of the woman who had briefly possessed backbone. However, when facing Xiao Che, her backbone was utterly worthless, and she naturally couldn't admit it now. So, she snuggled into his arms like a spoiled brat, trying to get away with it: "No, it wasn't me! I never said that! I'm your little puppy, brother. Wherever you go, I'll follow. I'll never leave you and will always only listen to you..."
Having regained the initiative, Xiao Che was in high spirits and curled up his lips, saying, "Really? You'll listen to everything I say, including in bed?"
The body in his arms trembled slightly. The little rabbit pulled back a little, her eyes moist as she looked at him. After a moment, she finally nodded, her face flushed, her voice soft and sweet with a heavy nasal tone: "Mmm... I'll do whatever you want, okay? I'll treat you however you want, as long as you don't abandon me..."
Xiao Che gently pinched her cheek with his fingers, raising his eyebrows slightly: "That's more like it."
The flesh under my hands felt plump and smooth; the little rabbit had gained some weight since becoming pregnant, making it even more comfortable to squeeze.
Perhaps due to her pregnancy, she seemed to have gained a different kind of charm, as if she had truly grown up. Although she still looked like a little girl, her eyebrows and eyes exuded a mature elegance, a blend of innocence and desire that was exceptionally alluring.
Her shy, hesitant gaze, filled with both longing and trepidation, was, to him, an allure with every breath she took.
Xiao Che's Adam's apple bobbed, and his eyes darkened.
His hand gradually slid down, and with a little caressing, the little rabbit let out a soft moan, her face flushed, and pressed her soft body against him to make it easier for him to caress her.
With a soft, fragrant body in one's arms, it's hard not to feel restless and distracted.
If we weren't outside, he would have loved to strip her clothes off right now and see if she was really as obedient as she claimed, so that he could do whatever he wanted with her in bed.
However, he wasn't quite absurd; in the end, he simply placed his large hand on her waist and quietly embraced her.
Yan Jiarou noticed that he had stopped, and called out to him somewhat uneasily, "Brother..."
"Um?"
She pursed her lips, as if still unsure and needing to confirm repeatedly: "Are we considered to have made up now?"
A soft laugh came from above.
He said lazily, "Little Rabbit, how many times are you going to ask?"
Yan Jiarou looked up at him, her eyes glistening with tears: "I want to ask you so many, many times..."
Her eyes instantly filled with tears, but Yan Jiarou forced them back and choked out, "Then I need you to prove it to me."
Xiao Che raised an eyebrow: "Proof?"
"I want you to kiss me, now, right now... please."
Xiao Che raised an eyebrow slightly and looked down at her.
The little rabbit's eyelids were red and swollen from crying, and its long, thick eyelashes were filled with tears that seemed about to fall. It stared at him with an almost devout gaze, like a faithful believer praying for divine mercy, pitiful yet adorable.
As soon as he finished speaking, he grabbed the back of her neck with his large hand and leaned down to kiss her.
Lips entwined, breaths exchanged—there is nothing more wonderful in this world than kissing the one you love.
Blood rushed through my veins, roaring and boiling, every inch of my meridians and bones trembled with it.
Even without the bond planted by the spirit fox, she was still utterly infatuated with Xiao Che, completely captivated by him.
Even though her breath had been completely drained, she lingered there, and when the passionate kiss was finally forced to end, she almost fainted and could only lean limply against Xiao Che's chest.
Xiao Che put an arm around her and chuckled as he pinched her soft cheek: "Silly rabbit, I've never seen anyone kiss so recklessly."
It's because my brother hasn't kissed me like this in so long. She thought to herself.
Once her breathing had calmed down, she tentatively called out, "Brother," and said, "Can I ask you for a favor?"
Xiao Che gently stroked the top of her head with his chin, his large hand cradling her soft little hand, playing with her slender fingers. Upon hearing this, he uttered a soft "Hmm?" and asked, "What?"
She tilted her small face up, bit her lip lightly, and looked at him expectantly: "Now that we've made up... Brother, I want to be your concubine, to give our child a proper status, is that alright?"
Xiao Che paused, then lightly squeezed her palm: "Official status?"
After a moment, he slowly curved his lips into a smile and said, "Giving our child a title is of course possible, but it is not possible for you to become my concubine."
Yan Jiarou was taken aback, her beautiful eyes lingering for a moment, a hint of sadness flashing across them. Yet, she still forced a smile, saying, "...It's alright. Our child has a proper status, that's enough. I...I'll be sensible, I'll be obedient. Perhaps you have your own considerations, but as long as I'm by your side, it doesn't matter if we don't have a formal title..."
Suddenly, a muffled laugh rang out from above.
He finally dropped his joking expression, looked at her seriously, and his Adam's apple bobbed: "I want you to be my queen."
Every word was spoken with resounding force.
He said he wanted her to be his queen.
"Silly rabbit, don't you know that only emperors and empresses can be buried together in the mausoleum after their death?"
"We will share the same bed in life and the same bed in death. Whether you live or die, you can only be with me. I have never forgotten the vow of being one person for life, growing old together. So, little rabbit," he gently stroked her cheek, looked at her deeply, "marry me and be my queen, okay?"
"I went to great lengths to sit on this throne, and while most of it was for revenge, there was also a third reason that I have never told anyone: I want you to be my empress, my empress alone, so that for all eternity, and for history to record, everyone will know that we are a match made in heaven."
With such a gentle tone and such beautiful words, Yan Jiarou just stared at him blankly. When she came to her senses, tears were streaming down her face, but a smile bloomed on her lips.
"Okay, okay..." she answered him again and again, wishing she could say "okay" a thousand times.
Only at this moment did she finally believe that he had completely forgiven her.
She had been waiting for this moment for far too long, as long as it felt like several lifetimes had passed.
For her, this moment was like that of a person on the verge of death, finally receiving divine salvation.
By the grace of heaven, she had him again.
There will never be another perfect life.
[Author's Note]
Comments will receive red envelopes. Sorry for the few days I've been late. Oh, I just realized today is May 20th (520). Anyway, wishing all the couples a long and happy life together. Also, many people criticized the previous chapter ending, so I changed it to end with this chapter. Because many people criticized the author and female lead for the male lead being treated unfairly, these chapters have given the female lead a little more room to lick her boots—a kind of "chasing-her-husband-in-a-lifetime" situation, I hope everyone can forgive the female lead QAQ. Extra chapters will start updating after the 22nd.
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