Pregnant

After the physician finished his examination, he stood up and looked at Yun Xueyan with a somewhat complicated expression, though it only lingered briefly.

“Doctor, is there something wrong?” Yun Xueyan propped herself up, waiting for his answer, her mind bracing for whatever news he might deliver.

She was ready—she had already steeled herself to face anything.

“Your Grace, you are two months pregnant,” the doctor replied respectfully. “But your body is rather frail. You need to take good care of yourself, or it may not be good for the child.”

Two months? She placed her hand on her abdomen, rubbing it gently. The child was already two months old. He would be her everything—her child, her only one.

Slowly, her face relaxed, a smile spreading across her lips. His father was Duan Nanyu, but his mother was her. She would be the person dearest to him.

Ziyu, after seeing the doctor out, returned to stand before Yun Xueyan, as jubilant as a little bird, forgetting entirely that she was in fact two years older than her mistress.

“Your Grace, let’s see what the princess can say now. She always thought having a child made her so special.” She cautiously pulled the covers up over Yun Xueyan.

Then Ziyu turned and left to prepare a nourishing tonic.

Lying on the bed, Yun Xueyan stared blankly at the canopy above. Shouldn’t she be happy? After all, she was nurturing another life within her.

A life bound to her by blood, growing little by little inside her, soon to be born.

Yet she had never thought to use this child as a way to fight for anything.

All she wanted was for her child to grow up safely, to have a happy home... Though her child would be born of a concubine, and would never enjoy the privileges of the legitimate heir.

In truth, she hoped the baby would be a girl.

After a while, Ziyu came in carrying the tonic, followed by several maids, each with something in their hands—quite a lot, in fact.

Yun Xueyan was puzzled and just about to speak when Ziyu said, “Your Grace, I don’t know how the Grand Chancellor Feng found out about your pregnancy, but as soon as he returned to the estate, he sent gifts to congratulate you and instructed that you take good care of yourself.”

After organizing the gifts, Ziyu brought the tonic to the bed. She, too, thought Chancellor Feng was attentive and treated Yun Xueyan well, but... fate had played its tricks.

“Where is he?” Yun Xueyan asked in a daze, staring blankly at the pile of items on the table—half of them were for children, for both boys and girls.

She let out a foolish laugh. He had truly thought of everything. He had always been so considerate, always managing to take care of every detail. Otherwise, he would not be the gentle, refined Grand Chancellor Feng.

She did not drink the tonic but lay back down. He would not remain outside; there was no point in asking.

From now on, whatever existed between them was finished. He should give up now.

Letting out a long sigh, she finally closed her eyes with a cold, bitter smile. Yes, she had something to rely on now. She loved him—she didn’t know when it began, but she had fallen in love, and now she carried their child.

She needed to start thinking about her own life, about the child’s future. She would have to depend on Duan Nanyu; what other choice did she have? Without him...

“Ziyu, put those things away,” she said softly, eyes closed, sighing as she turned over.

“No need to put them away. I would very much like to see just what Grand Chancellor Feng has sent!” A cold, furious voice exploded in the room as Duan Nanyu, dressed in a dark robe, strode inside.