Guan Liya was delighted. She did not want her carelessness to trigger a fight between her son and daughter-in-law. However, it seemed that she need not worry as Ruan Danchen was a level-headed lady.

When compared with someone like Ruan Danchen, Wu Qiaoyin truly seemed like an undignified woman.

Before Qi Chenglin got married, the Wu family had intentions of playing match-makers to get Qi Chenglin and Wu Qiaoyin together. However, back then, Wu Qiaoyin was still a young girl—when Qi Chenglin was 26, she was only 18 years old. In the eyes of Qi Chenglin, she was still a child. At that time, there were swarms of more mature women expressing their interests for Qi Chenglin as well. They all possessed their own unique qualities: mature ladies, innocent damsels, beauties with unfortunate backgrounds, and strong, independent women. Wu Qiaoyin failed to stand out in that diverse crowd. Nonetheless, even those women failed to catch Qi Chenglin’s eye, so Wu Qiaoyin had even less of a chance.

Zhao Fengchun knew that it was not something that could be rushed either—it would be more appropriate to wait until Wu Qiaoyin was older. Nevertheless, she did drop some hints for Guan Liya in private.

Unexpectedly, it was revealed soon after that Qi Chenglin was engaged to Shen Zhijing, causing a huge commotion throughout the city.

At that time, Wu Qiaoyin had not given up. She thought that as long as Qi Chenglin had not gotten married, she still had a chance. However, due to her young age, Qi Chenglin had never batted an eye at her. Even though she was always scheming to get closer to him, none of her plans worked. In the end, she could only watch from afar as the man she adored drifted further and further away.

Since they were neighbors, Wu Qiaoyin had known Qi Chenglin since she was old enough to recognize faces. Zhao Fengchun frequently brought her along when she visited Guan Liya. Thus, she had many chances to spend time with Qi Chenglin ever since she was young. However, Qi Chenglin was always unwilling to play with her.

Even so, due to Guan Liya’s relations with her mother, Qi Chenglin had no choice but to comply. Nevertheless, he was always emotionless toward Wu Qiaoyin—he had never even given her a simple smile.

Zhao Fengchun mentioned that Wu Qiaoyin had always chased behind Qi Chenglin since they were children—it was true. However, she failed to mention that Wu Qiaoyin never once caught up to him.

When Qi Chenglin grew older and entered middle school, he developed his signature stone cold gaze. With one menacing glance, Wu Qiaoyin would back up immediately.

Years later, Qi Chenglin got engaged, but Wu Qiaoyin still did not give up. Although she did not dare to throw herself on him, she still clung on to a glimmer of hope. To her surprise, the engagement was called off. Even so, before she could rejoice, news spread that Qi Chenglin came home with a child—his son.

Although she lived right next door, she had never seen this son of his.

Afterward, before Wu Qiaoyin could grow old enough to pursue Qi Chenglin, her whole family migrated to Italy for Wu Chuanshu’s business.

Despite Guan Liya and Zhao Fengchun knowing each other since young, they gradually stopped contacting each other due to the long distance between them. Consequently, Wu Qiaoyin stopped receiving updates about what went on in B City.

She could only wait until they come home. Unexpectedly, Qi Chenglin was already married. The child from before had grown so big. He was even calling Ruan Danchen ‘Mommy’ already. She wondered if Ruan Danchen was his biological mother or stepmother.

…

Despite it being further, the Qi family still decided to head to Chutian Hospital—since it was not an emergency, they opted for a hospital they trusted so they could be more at ease.

However, Ruan Danchen, who had never suffered from motion sickness, was struggling to keep her composure in the backseat. Her face was white as chalk.

Seeing this, Qi Zhongxun instructed Qi Chenglin to stop the car and let him drive instead, so Qi Chenglin could comfort Ruan Danchen at the backseat. Coincidentally, there was a convenience store near where they stopped. Qi Chenglin went in and bought a bottle of water for Ruan Danchen, which relieved her nausea a little.

Qi Zhongxun might not be the best at reading women’s thoughts—men were all more heedless than women anyway—but his wife did give birth to three children, so he was quite experienced in this matter. Without Guan Liya pointing it out to him, he could tell that there was almost an eighty percent chance of Ruan Danchen being pregnant—judging from her current state.

Afraid that Ruan Danchen might be too dizzy, Qi Zhongxun drove as steadily as he could.

As a result, a fifty-minute journey took an hour and a half. Nonetheless, Ruan Danchen’s condition had improved because of his steady driving.

Even so, after getting out of the car, Ruan Danchen was so nauseous that she could not walk properly. She leaned on the car and started retching.

Qi Chenglin’s eyebrows knitted tightly together as he patted Ruan Danchen’s back to soothe her. She kept on retching but nothing came out. Watching her suffer like that, Qi Chenglin would rather she did not get pregnant.

He wished that a pregnant lady’s suffering could be transferred to her husband instead. He wanted to at least be able to suffer with her.

Although she had not taken the pregnancy test yet, there could not be any other reason for her current state.

Ruan Danchen gagged for a long while, then finally managed to vomit some stomach acid. Qi Chenglin quickly took a sheet of tissue and tried to wipe her mouth. Ruan Danchen extended her hand, wanting to take the tissue, but Qi Chenglin would not give it to her. He insisted, “Let me do it.”

“It’s dirty,” Ruan Danchen muttered embarrassedly. She felt so sick that she had no strength to talk loudly.

“What do you mean ‘dirty’?” Qi Chenglin smiled. He twisted the bottle cap open and let her drink some water.

Guan Liya watched in bewilderment as her usually-aloof son took care of Ruan Danchen so attentively. He had never done this for Guan Liya. She could not help but feel a little envious. Nevertheless, the feeling of envy was not uncommon among mothers whose sons had wives.

Even so, when she thought about her daughter-in-law gifting her with a grandchild, the feeling quickly faded away.

Luckily for Ruan Danchen, she had Zen Manrong before her to set the bar ridiculously low. When compared to Zen Manrong, Ruan Danchen was tens of folds better than her. Thus, although Guan Liya was a little envious, she did not criticize them.

Ruan Danchen drank a few sips of water and finally felt better. She stood up straight and apologized to the two elders.

“Ah, what are you being so courteous for, child?” Guan Liya dismissed.

Chu Zhaoyang was not around; they did not bother to call him either. They merely took a number at the gynecology department and waited patiently like everyone else. After all, it was not an emergency. Everyone waiting in the room was just as anxious as them, so they put themselves in their shoes and decided not to take advantage of their connections with Chu Zhaoyang.

When Ruan Danchen’s number was called, the whole family scurried into the consulting room with her, making her feel excruciatingly pressured. If it was merely a false alarm, how could she ever make up for betraying the elders’ earnest hopes?

Director Lee was astonished to be met with Qi Chenglin’s family. He smiled and asked, “Why did you all wait behind the queue this time?”

“Well, it’s nothing to be hurried,” Qi Zhongxun explained, smiling nobly and elegantly.

Director Lee stared at them for a while and asked hesitantly, “Which of you is the patient?”

“My daughter-in-law,” Guan Liya answered jubilantly as she let Ruan Danchen sit on a stool. “Her period is late by almost a week and she’s constantly sleepy and feels sickened when she smells certain food, so we came to have it checked out.”

Director Lee instantly understood what she was suggesting. He smiled and brought Ruan Danchen to the testing room.

They needed to wait in line for the result too, but since Director Lee knew them, he did not let them wait any longer. He made a call to the lab and let Ruan Danchen jump the queue.

When they obtained the results, Guan Liya could not understand what was written in the report. Thus, she handed it to Director Lee.

“Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Qi. The report indicates that you’re five weeks pregnant,” Director Lee announced.

Although they had already predicted this outcome, they were still overjoyed to hear this official announcement.

Guan Liya even shrieked in joy, hugging Qi Zhongxun.

Qi Zhongxun was also grinning ear-to-ear. He squeezed Qi Youxuan’s little head. “Youxuan, you’re going to be a big brother soon. Let’s hope your mother gives birth to a little brother or sister just as adorable as you.”

Qi Youxuan took after Qi Chenglin. Qi Zhongxun believed that Qi Youxuan, just like Qi Chenglin, would grow up into a tall and slender boy after hitting puberty. After all, Qi Chenglin was once a round, chubby boy too. Even so, Qi Zhongxun thought that his plump appearance when little was just too adorable.

No matter a boy or a girl, Qi Zhongxun would be completely satisfied as long as it was a soft and plump little baby. Babies like that were absolutely adorable.

Qi Youxuan’s big, round eyes widened. He ran up to Ruan Danchen and hugged her waist.

“Hey, be gentle!” Guan Liya scolded anxiously. The first trimester consisted of the most critical months.

“I’m hugging my little sister.” Qi Youxuan hugged Ruan Danchen’s waist and rubbed his cheek against her flat stomach. “I’m being extra gentle.”

“Nonsense!” Qi Zhongxun chuckled. Did the little boy think his little sister could feel him hugging his mother’s belly?

“How do you know it’s a little sister?” Ruan Danchen asked, smiling. The truth was, she wanted another son.

She regretted not being able to raise Qi Youxuan from when he was a baby immensely. Therefore, she wanted another son—one that resembled little Youxuan.

“Uncle already gave me a little brother to bully. If I have my own little brother, I won’t have the heart to bully him, but it feels weird to not bully him… So, it’s better if you give birth to a little sister who I can pamper.” Qi Youxuan’s fair and chubby hands were cupped onto Ruan Danchen, gently rubbing her belly. “Besides, a girl is sweeter—she won’t hurt Mommy. A little brother is too naughty—when Auntie was pregnant with Youjin, he kept rolling around in her tummy.”

Ruan Danchen ruffled the little boy’s silky hair. She could not help but laugh. “Well then, we’ll find out if it’s a little sister or a little brother when we come for a check-up again in a few months. Since you’re so insistent on getting a little sister, I wish to give you one too.”

It was not Ruan Danchen’s first pregnancy, so she did not need Director Lee to warn her about the dos and don’ts anymore. Thus, the family marched off merrily.

It was just the beginning of the pregnancy, so it was not wise to publicize it yet. Guan Liya only made calls to the old mansion and Xia Wenna.

Grandmother Qi was over the moon to hear that Ruan Danchen was also pregnant. Therefore, the family went straight to the old mansion so Grandmother Qi could see Ruan Danchen.

In the car, Qi Youxuan’s tiny hand was still stuck firmly onto her belly. “Mom, when will your belly become bigger? I want Lil’ Sis to come out quickly.”

“Urgh, when she starts elementary school, I will already be in middle school. I have to protect Lil’ Sis. I won’t let her be bullied and I won’t let any boys get close to her!”

“Mommy, when can we buy clothes for Lil’ Sis? I saw a little high-chair in Auntie’s house that they use to feed Youjin¹. It looks like so much fun! Let’s get one for Lil’ Sis too! And a swimming pool!”

The little boy was not entertaining the possibility of it being a boy at all. Ruan Danchen inquired, “What if it’s a boy?”

Qi Youxuan stared at Ruan Danchen with troubled eyes, “Can’t you put in some effort and make it a little sister?”

Ruan Danchen burst out in laughter. “This isn’t something within my control!”

The little boy had always been exceedingly cunning and clever, yet how could he be so ignorant in this matter?

“Then I’ll make my little brother pin his little chili pepper to the back and pretend he’s a girl,” the little boy declared as he stared fiercely at Ruan Danchen’s stomach as if trying to make the fetus a girl using sheer willpower.

“…” Ruan Danchen was rendered speechless.

“I will try my best to give you a little sister.” It would be better to not have a boy and let Qi Youxuan mutilate him.

Qi Youxuan turned to Qi Chenglin, looking for an ally. “Daddy, do you want a son or a daughter?”

“Hmm, a daughter. I hope she resembles her mother. You already bring enough mischief for us to handle.” Qi Chenglin flicked the little one’s forehead. With a warm smile, he turned his gaze to Ruan Danchen’s belly. “The words ‘son’ and ‘daughter’ when put together makes the word ‘good¹‘. As they say, having both sons and daughters makes a family complete.”

Ruan Danchen looked down, feeling a little dispirited. Nonetheless, she smiled and said, “This will be our chance.”

“Mommy, I will help you take care of Lil’ Sis!” Qi Youxuan stated in a serious tone.

“Okay.”

…

When they arrived at the old mansion, the six-month pregnant Qi Chengyue was sitting on the sofa. Her stomach appeared to have expanded abruptly—it was gigantic now.

“Ah, it seems like this house is piled up with pregnant women now,” Qi Chengyue joked.

“My pregnancy will only look obvious after you give birth,” Ruan Danchen pointed out with a smile. Grandmother Qi quickly beckoned her over to sit by her side. Ruan Danchen asked, “Ah, you went to the hospital recently, right? Is it a boy or a girl?”

“It’s a girl,” Qi Chengyue revealed exultantly—she had always wanted a tender and loving daughter.

“Then I’ll have two little sisters!” Qi Youxuan widened his eyes in both astoundment and delight.

“You’re so confident that your mom is pregnant with a girl?” Qi Chengyue teased.

“If not this time, then it has to be the next! The point is, Mommy, you must give me a little sister,” demanded Qi Youxuan.

There were not many instances where Qi Youxuan could be so persistent. Ruan Danchen wondered why he was so headstrong about having a little sister.

“Tsk, Mom, with Youxuan supervising them, you don’t even need to plod Danchen to have more children anymore,” Qi Chengyue joked as she stroked her belly and opened her mouth to receive a piece of honeydew Cheng Dongge brought to her mouth. “That boy can be the ultimate helper for your relationship with your daughter-in-law.”

Guan Liya did not know if she should laugh or cry. Rolling her eyes, she commented, “You’re going to be a mother soon, yet you still say such childish things.”

Cheng Dongge glanced at Qi Chengyue, grinning. “Last night, she even said that she’s the eldest daughter I have to raise.”

Qi Chengyue was humiliated. With a flushed face, her eyes darted to Cheng Dongge. “Why did you say that out loud!”

Watching her cheeks puff up like a pufferfish, Cheng Dongge grinned and stroked her hair. His elegant fingers looked as if it was extended to play an instrument. He smiled tenderly.

In fact, he did know how to play an instrument. Qi Chengyue only found out after they got married that when he was a child, his mother had arranged piano classes for him. Although he could not play at a professional level, he was still quite skilled.

With graceful fingers like his, it would have been a waste to not play the piano.

She had no idea what came over her last night. Due to her enlarged belly, her movements were quite restricted. After bathing, he helped her out of the tub to avoid any accidents.

She did not even need to lift a finger—from putting on clothes to drying her hair, Cheng Dongge did it all. He was especially cautious when looking after her. Qi Chengyue thought that with him around, she did not need to move a muscle.

Being pampered by him scrupulously, the words accidentally slipped out of her mouth. “Being taken care of like this, I can’t help but feel like I’m your daughter.”

Cheng Dongge froze. His lips twitched. “What will I do with a daughter this old? When I kiss you later, I might even feel guilty.”

“…”

Right after claiming that he would feel guilty with a serious expression, that man turned into an animal the minute they got into bed. Her doctor told them to refrain from ‘bedroom activities’ during the first and last three months of pregnancy. However, she was six-months pregnant, so it was not an issue. Cheng Dongge must be dreading the coming months, so he wanted to take full advantage of this month and was being particularly rough. Due to her pregnancy, they could only be lying on their sides. He wrapped his arms around her and penetrated her from behind. He did it until they were both breathless and disheveled.

To her horror, Cheng Dongge revealed it to everyone. Qi Chengyue wanted to bury her head in sand.

“Ah, this child, what nonsense are you telling Cheng Dongge?” Guan Liya shot a glance at her. She was already so old, yet did not know what was appropriate or not to say.

Qi Youxuan was holding a bottle of banana-flavored milk with both hands as he squinted his eyes at Qi Chengyue. “Auntie, you’re already so old. How shameless.”

Blushing hard, Qi Chengyue poked Cheng Dongge in the waist. “This is all your fault.”

Cheng Dongge grabbed her sneaky hand. He stared at her delicate facial features—if it were not for the elders being present, he would have planted a long, hard kiss on her lips.

“It’s okay. When our daughter comes out, I will raise you both together. You’ll have the same treatment as her.” Cheng Dongge squeezed her hand and smirked.

“You animal,” Qi Chengyue grumbled softly, afraid others might hear.

Cheng Dongge’s lips curled up uncontrollably. The corner of his lips went higher and higher. He could not kiss her, but could only subtly dig at her palm. He noticed that her hand was shaking. Subconsciously, she leaned closer to his body and started grinding against him.

Cheng Dongge was burning with passion. He looked down to see her face—tinted red, her face appeared even more stunningly attractive. Her huge eyes were watery. With just a few rubs on her palm, she was already turned on.

He had secretly visited forums for mothers before, so he knew that it was common for women to be inclined to do these things when pregnant. Any contact would make them yearn for it.

Cheng Dongge looked down—his sizzling breath landed on her face. Qi Chengyue could not help but meet his gaze—her eyelashes fluttering as she stared.

She was already trying her best to suppress her urge, yet he was still pouring fuel on the fire.

“Are you tired?” Cheng Dongge asked abruptly.

Qi Chengyue had not realized his intentions yet. She wondered why he asked that when she was clearly still very awake.

Hearing that, Grandmother Qi urged, “Pregnancy makes one easily tire. You should hurry and go take a nap.”

“I—” Before Qi Chengyue could continue, Cheng Dongge had pulled her to her feet.

Cheng Dongge declared, “I’ll take her to the room.”

Just like that, he brought her out of the house.

The old mansion had a fully enclosed courtyard. Although the houses had only one floor, there were still many rooms. Qi Chengyue’s room was in the adjacent house, so Cheng Dongge brought her there.

The moment the door shut, he embraced her carefully but locked lips with her aggressively.

Qi Chengyue was in a daze from all the kissing. She stared at him with hazy eyes, struggling to catch her breath.

“Didn’t you want it just now? Your grinding made me horny too.” Cheng Dongge was rubbing is lips against hers, slowly inching forward. In response, Qi Chengyue inched backward. Unknowingly, she had led him onto the bed.

Qi Chengyue’s face had completely reddened. She did not want to admit it but could not help but give in to her urges.

She stayed silent for a while, then finally muttered discontentedly, “I hate you.”

Cheng Dongge could not help but chuckle. As his deep, husky laughs were forced out of his throat, Qi Chengyue’s body started to tremble. With his lips curled upward, he appeared alarmingly seductive. She could not help but kiss the corner of his lips. He responded immediately, sucking on her lips, kissing her deeper.

…

“A pregnant woman shouldn’t be angered! Especially in the first three months!” In the other house, Grandmother Qi was holding Ruan Danchen’s hand as she glared at Qi Chenglin and Qi Youxuan. “You two, don’t you dare make Xiao Ruan anger.”

“I’m a good boy!” boasted the little boy and he puffed up his little cheeks. “Dad, don’t make Mommy angry!”

Qi Chenglin rolled his eyes. “I’m not that kind of person.”

Grandmother Qi laughed merrily. She knew that the father-and-son duo would not enrage Ruan Danchen. Holding Ruan Danchen’s hand, she continued, “As for the others, don’t mind them. You can just treat them as a bunch of crazy dogs.”

Grandmother Qi was clearly referring to Grandmother Chang. She knew all about the things that Grandmother Chang accused Ruan Danchen of. Only people of the same generation as Grandmother Chang would be able to win an argument against her. However, Grandmother Qi thought of herself as a dignified and educated woman—she would not stoop down the Grandmother Chang’s level and lock horns with her.

“And don’t just sit there and let others yell at you—yell back. But of course, you must forget about it after screaming back at them. Don’t take their words to heart. Bottling up your rage will only bring about anguish, so let it all out and be done with it.”

Ruan Danchen was at a loss for words when she heard Grandmother Qi encouraging her to yell at others.

That evening, Grandmother Qi instructed Aunt Liu to cook food fit for the appetite of pregnant women. Thus, the dishes served for dinner were mostly sweet and sour. There were also many kinds of appetizers served.

Aunt Liu was quite experienced too—although each pregnant lady had unique reactions to different kinds of food, she knew that the odor from fish and meat would be despised by nine out of ten women.

Therefore, Ruan Danchen still had some appetite to eat that night. Even if she did not, she would force herself to eat for the sake of the child in her. Thus, she devoured quite an amount of food.

In the end, she was completely stuffed.

After they went back to Prestige Residences, Qi Chenglin went to take a bath while Ruan Danchen lied lazily on the bed. Her stuffed stomach was making her uncomfortable.

When Qi Youxuan saw Ruan Danchen’s miserable state, he inquired sympathetically, “Mommy, is Lil’ Sis being naughty? Is she kicking you?”

Hearing the naive child’s innocent words, Ruan Danchen could not help but chuckle. She patted his little head. “No. I was afraid that your little sister isn’t getting enough nutrients, so I…”

Ruan Danchen was ashamed to admit her foolish thinking to her son. Her voice softened. “So I ate a little too much.”

Qi Youxuan’s expression changed as if he had an epiphany. He nodded. “I see, so you’ve overeaten!”

“…”

Sometimes, her son being overly smart also depressed her.

The little boy shook his head and spat out, “I heard that pregnant women suffer from something called ‘baby brain’; I didn’t know it’s real.”

“…”

“Mommy, when you were pregnant with me, you already became dumber by three years¹. Now you’ve only gained four years of wisdom back, but you’ll have to lose three again! You sacrificed a lot, mother.” Qi Youxuan rubbed Ruan Danchen’s belly. “Hey, Mommy, your tummy is bigger now! Has Lil’ Sis grown bigger because you ate so much tonight?”

“…” Ruan Danchen thought, ‘Child, you’re feeling my stomach. It has only bloated up because Mommy overate…’

Ruan Danchen stared at Qi Youxuan’s little hands placed on her stomach with eyes teary from laughing. She thought it would be best to not say her thoughts out loud—her son already thought she was dumb.

“Urgh!” Qi Youxuan’s little hands slid round and round her tummy. “I wish your belly would hurry up and get bigger. I still remember when Auntie was pregnant and I could feel Youjin moving around inside. He surely is naughty but it was so interesting to feel him inside!”

“It’ll be big very soon. Just wait for three or four more months. It won’t be long.” Ruan Danchen rubbed her belly. It felt exceedingly warm and touching to have a family by her side this time—to have Qi Chenglin and Qi Youxuan to share this pregnancy journey with.

“You ought to go to bed now. You need to wake up early for school tomorrow.” Ruan Danchen was going to get off the bed, but Qi Youxuan stopped her.

“Mom, you lie there. Grandma and Great-grandma said that you shouldn’t tire yourself out when pregnant. I’ll go bathe and tuck myself in.”

Ruan Danchen wanted to say she was simply pregnant, not sick, but before she could utter a word, the little boy jumped off the bed and bolted away.

Just then, Qi Chenglin came out of the bathroom to be met with Qi Youxuan darting out the room and shutting the door behind him.

“What’s up with him?” questioned Qi Chenglin curiously as he dried his hair with a towel.

His confused expression made him look distinctly innocent. However, that innocent face was coupled with a steaming hot body fresh from the shower. His hair was still wet—dripping. He only had a white towel wrapped around his waist, exposing most of his clear, fair skin. He looked exceedingly alluring, making Ruan Danchen yearn to toy with the beauty in front of her.

Ruan Danchen swallowed. She lied lazily on the bed, not moving an inch. Reiterating Qi Youxuan’s words, she could not help but burst into laughter again.

Unexpectedly, Qi Chenglin raised an eyebrow and glared at her with fires of passion in his eyes. With a stern expression, he commented, “Aren’t you naughty?”

“Huh?” Ruan Danchen stared back at him in confusion.

She was talking about Qi Youxuan—what did that have to do with her being naughty?

Qi Chenglin did not care to elaborate. He merely looked down, so she followed his gaze.

“…” Ruan Danchen was stunned.

Without her realizing, her toes were rubbing against his calf with rhythmic and enticing motions. Ruan Danchen staggered. When did she become such an expert at seducing him? Why did these actions suddenly feel so natural to her?

Ruan Danchen retracted her leg bashfully. She must have lost control when she saw Qi Chenglin’s bewitching beauty.

“It wasn’t on purpose,” Ruan Danchen claimed, putting on a guilty smile. Just as she was going to sit up, Qi Chenglin pressed her down again.

Although her belly was still flat, Qi Chenglin still took extra caution to avoid putting pressure on it. He pressed on her shoulders instead. “You know that I can’t touch you, yet you’re rubbing against me like this? Why are you so naughty?”

His eyes burned with lust. Watching him trying to suppress his urges, Ruan Danchen could not help but feel pity toward him. She pouted. “It’s not like I did it on purpose. It’s your fault for being so irresistible.”

She smiled coyly. Staring at Qi Chenglin’s tormented expression, she pitied him and gave him a kiss. “I’m going to take a bath.”

She pushed him gently, beckoning him to get up.

Qi Chenglin got up. However, when Ruan Danchen sat up, he scooped her up and carried her bridal style.

“What are you doing?” Ruan Danchen shrieked out of shock. It was awfully scary to be lifted into the air abruptly.

“I’ll bathe you,” said Qi Chenglin as he marched toward the bathroom with her in his arms.

“I can bathe myself!” From his expression, Ruan Danchen could tell that he was insistent on taking off her clothes himself and bathing her.

Qi Chenglin shot a glance at her. “You’re pregnant. What if you slip and fall?”

“We have anti-slip mats on the floor…” Ruan Danchen was going to twist her way out, but her resolve melted away when her eyes met his tender expression. She lied in his arms obediently as he entered the bathroom. Qi Chenglin filled the tub, took off her clothes, and focused all his attention on washing her.

However, there were still some places Ruan Danchen was not comfortable with Qi Chenglin washing, so she kept dodging. Qi Chenglin was drenched in sweat as he bathed her—not because it was a laborious task, but because he had to hold back his desire the entire time. He was extraordinarily hard. He knew that bathing her would only make himself suffer more, yet he could not let go. He was spellbound by the feeling of her smooth skin brushing against his fingers.

“That’s enough. I can clean myself. Get out for now. I’ll tell you when I’m done.” Ruan Danchen dodged once more, but Qi Chenglin grabbed onto her. Captivated by his searing hot hands, Ruan Danchen froze.

Qi Chenglin let go. She let out a sigh of relief, but before she was done exhaling, she saw him unwrapping the towel around his waist.

“Hey, what are you doing? Stop fooling around.” Ruan Danchen’s eyes widened as she watched his long legs step into the bathtub silently. It was evident that his resolve was so strong, it could not be moved by even nine oxen.

“I’m drenched in sweat from washing you. I’ll bathe again.” The moment he entered the bathtub, he pulled her into his embrace.

“Don’t mess around,” Ruan Danchen warned anxiously.

“You know, I’ve thought about it—it’s not like I can’t touch you at all. You can still help me,” said Qi Chenglin in a serious tone.

“…”

How could he say such crude things with a serious face!

“How shameless! Don’t mess around!” scolded Ruan Danchen—her face reddened.

He tightened his arms around her. “Three months is a long time. You’re willing to let me suffer for three months?”

He even displayed a pitiful expression.

When a man, who usually appeared all high and mighty, put on such a pitiful expression, Ruan Danchen did not have the heart to refuse. He was usually quite the animal in bed—making him control himself for three months did seem like a painful punishment. Not having the heart to let him suffer, Ruan Danchen extended her hands shyly.

Qi Chenglin squinted his eyes with satisfaction. He rested his chin on her shoulder, smelling the sweet scent of her. He felt euphoric. Time and time again, he kissed her shoulders and her lips, moaning, “My wife’s the best.”

Ruan Danchen grunted. Her hands were getting sore. Qi Chenglin said, “I’ll massage your arms later. Let’s not use hands tomorrow.”

Ruan Danchen looked up at him. What else could she use? With a stern expression, his gaze fell onto her lips, making Ruan Danchen’s blood boil with rage.

The two had worked up quite a bit of sweat. They washed themselves with the warm water in the tub. Angered, Ruan Danchen shooed him out while she stayed inside to wash her hair.

Now that he was satisfied, he did not insist on staying anymore. His long legs stepped out of the tub. He did not bother to wrap himself up with the towel anymore. Naked, he turned around abruptly. Ruan Danchen was taken by surprise. Her face was burning red. Hastily, she turned her gaze to his face, afraid to look down again.

Qi Chenglin could not help but laugh. He instructed, “Call me when you’re done. I’ll carry you out. Despite everything, I’m still worried about you.”

His last words made Ruan Danchen swallow the words she was about to spit out. She opened her mouth but no words came out. In the end, she could only nod obediently with her face flushed and her head down.

Seeing her submissive manner delighted him. He bent down with his hands holding the side of the tub and pecked her lips. Finally, he exited the bathroom.

After a while, Ruan Danchen called for him. He pulled the blanket away and hopped off the bed to carry her out. When she saw that he was still naked, she glared at him disapprovingly. However, she did not utter a word about it; he was already shameless after all—it would be a waste of her breath.

Qi Chenglin dried her body and wrapped her up in the blanket immediately—he was afraid she might catch a cold. Then, he took the hairdryer and dried her hair. Only after he ensured that her hair was thoroughly dry did he let her lie down.

Watching him take care of her so mindfully, Ruan Danchen’s heart melted. When she was pregnant with Qi Youxuan, the Shen family also treated her with the utmost care—not because they were worried about her, but because they were worried about the child; Qi Chenglin’s wholehearted care felt entirely different.

Qi Chenglin put the hairdryer aside and turned his gaze on her flat tummy. He smiled to himself.

He lifted the blanket and placed his large hand on her belly. His hand was scorching hot, making Ruan Danchen’s heart race.

“Why are you smiling to yourself? You seemed so normal during the day.” Ruan Danchen stared at his silly grin. She could not help but caress his face.

Qi Chenglin was indulged in her gentle touch—he wanted her to never stop. Subconsciously, he started rubbing against her palm, like a huge cat. He had no awareness of what he was doing.

“There were so many people around us during the day,” explained Qi Chenglin as he looked up to meet her gaze. Then, he looked down again and continued rubbing her tummy, smiling foolishly at himself.

Ruan Danchen glanced at him; speechless. It seemed he was merely holding himself back just to keep up his image.

“When you were pregnant with Youxuan, I wasn’t by your side; this time, I promise I’ll take good care of you,” whispered Qi Chenglin as he caressed her belly.

“Mmm, and I can experience having a husband to take care of me when I’m pregnant too. Not only a husband—I have my son by my side too,” murmured Ruan Danchen, smiling.

Imagining Qi Youxuan running circles around Ruan Danchen and asking how she was doing made Qi Chenglin smile too.

He kissed her belly. “My precious daughter, hurry up and grow. Don’t let your mom suffer.”

…

The one week which Liu Ronghua gave Chang Jingqiu had ended. Chang Jingqiu drove to Liu Ronghua’s residential area personally. She waited at the door.