After examining Lin Xihe's pulse, Physician Chu found nothing unusual. After all, Lin Xihe was pregnant, and her pulse was steady and normal; she had simply fallen into a deep sleep.
So, Doctor Chu took out a small, exquisite porcelain bottle from his medicine box and gently placed it under Lin Xihe's nose.
Before long, Lin Xihe slowly woke up.
"Miss Lin, do you feel any discomfort anywhere?" Doctor Chu asked softly.
Lin Xihe opened her eyes and saw Doctor Chu and Gu Qinghuai standing by her bedside.
A sudden panic gripped her heart. She glanced instinctively at Gu Qinghuai, her expression extremely unnatural, and whispered, "No..."
"Perhaps you're too nervous, young lady. Plus, being pregnant makes your body more sensitive. I'll go down and prescribe some medicine to help with the pregnancy." After saying this, Doctor Chu began to methodically pack his medicine box.
Lin Xihe looked at Gu Qinghuai in front of the bed with panic in her eyes. She knew in her heart that Gu Qinghuai must already know the parentage of the child in her womb.
Looking at Lin Xihe's reaction, Gu Qinghuai understood immediately. Her eyes, which dared not look him in the eye, revealed everything.
Gu Qinghuai's gaze remained fixed on Lin Xihe as he slowly said, "All of you, leave. No one is allowed to come in. Physician Chu, please wait outside and do not leave first."
Gu Qinghuai's subordinates and Physician Chu immediately obeyed and withdrew.
Ling Shuang and Ling Xue looked at Lin Xihe with troubled expressions. Lin Xihe nodded slightly and then slowly withdrew.
"Why did you keep it from me?" Gu Qinghuai's tone revealed barely suppressed excitement.
"What am I hiding from you? My own affairs are none of your business..."
Gu Qinghuai seemed not to hear, and his hand involuntarily reached forward and gently placed on Lin Xihe's lower abdomen.
Sure enough, it had already bulged slightly.
He gently stroked Lin Xihe's lower abdomen with his warm palms, his movements incredibly tender, not daring to exert the slightest force.
"Xihe, am I going to be a father?"
Gu Qinghuai slowly raised his gaze from Lin Xihe's lower abdomen and met Lin Xihe's eyes, which were filled with excitement, joy and disbelief.
"Gu Qinghuai, this child is not yours."
"You know perfectly well that you can't fool me anymore. The child is less than three months old, conceived during our time together. Is that why you're so eager for me to inform His Majesty of the reason for annulment?"
Lin Xihe turned her head away, avoiding his burning gaze: "Gu Qinghuai, what happened between us that time was just an accident. I don't need you to take responsibility for me."
Gu Qinghuai seemed not to hear. Lin Xihe was used to saying hurtful things to him, but she had given him her whole body, and now that she was pregnant, she was already three months along and would obviously keep the baby.
He regretted listening to Lin Xihe on the spot, not insisting, and letting her go.
Therefore, no matter what Gu Qinghuai says now, he will not choose to let go.
His hand remained on Lin Xihe's lower abdomen, as if trying to establish some kind of connection with the child he had yet to meet through this gentle touch.
“Xihe, no matter what happened in the past, this child is my flesh and blood, and you are the one I have chosen. From now on, I will never let you leave my side again.” His voice was deep, and although his tone was calm, it was filled with an unshakable determination.
"You promised me that as long as I stayed by your side obediently for these three days, you would go and inform His Majesty to annul our engagement." Lin Xihe's eyes reddened, filled with anger as she stared straight at Gu Qinghuai.
"At that time, I did not know you were pregnant."
Gu Qinghuai frowned slightly, his gaze falling on Lin Xihe's abdomen.
"What does it matter to you whether I'm pregnant or not?" Lin Xihe turned her head away, stubbornly biting her lower lip.
“Xihe, how can I just watch my child call someone else ‘father’? It’s not right, is it?” Gu Qinghuai leaned down slightly, trying to get Lin Xihe to look at him directly, his gaze unwavering.
Lin Xihe looked at him warily, her hands instinctively protecting her lower abdomen: "What exactly do you want?"
“I will report to His Majesty immediately, and we will get married next month. This is the best solution, which can protect you and the child, and also give the child a legitimate status.”
Without even thinking, Lin Xihe blurted out, "I absolutely will not agree!"
Gu Qinghuai paused, remained silent for a moment, and then asked with a hint of helplessness, "You asked me about His Majesty's attitude towards Ji Zhuo and me in court today. Was it because you were worried about him?"
What do you mean by that?
"You just finished speaking with Ji Zhuo's mother, and you immediately come to ask about court affairs. It seems you've noticed that Ji Zhuo hasn't been doing so well in court lately." Seeing Lin Xihe's expression tense up at the topic he brought up, Gu Qinghuai continued:
"While Ji Zhuo's current predicament is partly self-inflicted, I can frankly tell you that I haven't taken advantage of his misfortune. However, if you remain stubborn and insist on opposing me, I won't hesitate to add fuel to the fire and kick him while he's down. When that happens, he will surely be trapped in a desperate situation with no way out." Gu Qinghuai's thin lips were tightly pressed together, his voice as cold as ice shards in the dead of winter, each word carrying a chilling threat.
"Are you threatening me?" Lin Xihe was so angry that she was trembling all over. She pointed at Gu Qinghuai and her voice was trembling.
“If this is the only way to win you back, then I have no other choice.” After saying this, Gu Qinghuai suddenly stood up, his tall figure appearing somewhat lonely in the interplay of light and shadow.
He knew in his heart that Lin Xihe was not without feelings for him, but her deep affection for Ji Zhuo was also deeply rooted.
He simply couldn't fathom what method Ji Zhuo had used to make Lin Xihe so devoted to him.
"You should rest well. It would be inappropriate for Doctor Chu to report to His Majesty alone, given your sudden pregnancy. I will go and report to him myself." With that, he turned to leave.
A hint of worry flashed in Lin Xihe's eyes as she asked anxiously, "Can we keep it from His Majesty's knowledge?"
Ji Zhuo stopped and turned around, looking at Lin Xihe with a firm gaze. He said slowly, "Stop thinking about these things. You have no other choice but to marry me. I will give you some time to accept it."
After saying that, he strode out of the room.
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