Chapter 86
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“That—–” Chu Zhaoyi hesitated for a moment.
Thinking back and deducing, Ah Nian must have already known about the pregnancy when he asked that question in a roundabout way.
Chu Zhaoyi just hadn’t realized it at the time and had answered casually.
“At the time, I thought someone had said something they shouldn’t have in your ear, so I said that ensuring the succession of the kingdom could be solved and that I didn’t like children. If I had known you were already pregnant, I would have never understood it that way, and I certainly wouldn’t have said those words, let alone let you hide like this for so long in fear.”
“As long as it’s something of yours, I like it, really. You don’t know when the physician said you were pregnant; my first reaction wasn’t that something was suspicious, but rather, I felt incredibly happy. After feeling happy, I began to blame myself, asking why I hadn’t been more careful, why I hadn’t discovered it sooner, and why I let you bear this burden for so long…”
Fu Nian noticed that Chu Zhaoyi’s voice was getting softer as he seemed to genuinely blame himself. So, he changed his tone and asked with some skepticism, “Do you… really not find it disgusting? And you don’t dislike children?”
“I really don’t.”
After saying that, Fu Nian felt the deep gaze looking directly at him, and the look in Chu Zhaoyi’s eyes was firm.
Listening to Chu Zhaoyi’s sincere assurances and his gentle demeanor…
Being able to soften the emperor’s attitude and coax him, Fu Nian was genuinely terrified and even felt remorse for his previous outburst. Despite being deceived several times before, he couldn’t help but waver this time.
“Ah Nian.”
As soon as Chu Zhaoyi spoke, Fu Nian felt the hot breath burying itself in his neck and the ticklish sensation of Chu Zhaoyi’s nose lightly brushing against his skin.
It was like a big dog that had done something wrong, constantly seeking reassurance and forgiveness through affectionate gestures.
His neck was sensitive, and Fu Nian’s breath hitched for a moment.
He allowed Chu Zhaoyi to embrace him like this for a while before gradually relaxing his tense body, lying obediently in this gentle confinement, no longer moving.
Chu Zhaoyi held him like this for a long time before hesitantly speaking, “By the way, we’ve known each other for over a decade. How come I didn’t…”
“It was in this life coming back, my body changed. I used to be just like an ordinary person. I myself only discovered it a few months ago,” Fu Nian explained. The fur coat was spacious enough to wrap both of them, making it hard to feel the cold of the winter night. “When I died, I should have been taken by the underworld for committing too many sins and having countless resentful souls under my command. Coupled with heavy attachments in the mortal realm, it was difficult for the underworld to reform me, so they let me think about how to atone for my sins in the mortal realm. At the time, I wanted to find the benefactor who helped me plant the gu poson and repay the favor. The underworld agreed to send me back, but there would be some subtle changes in my body to facilitate my mission of repaying the favor. I didn’t realize what those changes were until a few months ago…” Fu Nian stopped speaking here.
“But that old man who did even more wicked things than you wasn’t rejected by the underworld. Ah Nian, you’re obviously much better… But it’s good that the underworld rejected you; otherwise, you wouldn’t have been able to come back.”
“Right.” Fu Nian replied dully.
He realized that no one had informed Chu Zhaoyi about the fact that when Fu Zhen went mad, he had used some special herbs for his resurrection. When he saw those people, Fu Nian realized that those individuals might have mistakenly attributed his debts to his head, allowing him the chance to return to the living world and repay his benefactor.
After answering, Fu Nian immediately thought of something else and asked urgently, “Not many people know about my pregnancy, right?”
“Only Physician Xu, Little Royal Uncle, and Li Gonggong know.”
“Don’t tell anyone…” Fu Nian hurriedly pleaded.
Even if Chu Zhaoyi didn’t mind and was willing to acknowledge this child, he still felt somewhat… embarrassed.
After all, it was so strange for a man to have a child.
“Okay, okay, I won’t tell anyone. But you can’t try to sneak out of the palace on your own like this in the future. If you have any thoughts or discomfort, you must tell me. If there’s any physical discomfort, call for the physician promptly. You have to take care of yourself, okay?”
Chu Zhaoyi still whispered in Fu Nian’s ear.
Fu Nian, feeling guilty, replied, “I understand.”
“So, now, is Ah Nian willing to go back with me?”
Hearing the almost pleading tone, Fu Nian couldn’t refuse.
He had just made a muffled noise to indicate his willingness to return, but the restraining hands on his body didn’t loosen at all.
Fu Nian cleared his throat and said, “I’m willing to return, Your Majesty. Please let go.”
Before he could finish his sentence, he suddenly felt a sense of weightlessness.
Instinctively, he hugged Chu Zhaoyi’s broad back tightly and clutched the fabric of his dragon robe to prevent himself from falling.
However, the strength that held him horizontally was much steadier than he had imagined.
When they reached the ground, Fu Nian saw that Chu Zhaoyi was still not willing to let him go, so he whispered in protest, “Your Majesty, could you please let me down?”
“Why?” Chu Zhaoyi not only didn’t listen to Fu Nian but also held him even tighter. “In the past, with even a slight injury or fatigue, Ah Nian would voluntarily carry me and never cared if anyone saw. Why are you acting so differently now?”
Although Fu Nian was wearing lightweight armor, his body was still a small bundle due to his physical condition. He had gained a little weight since before, but compared to an ordinary adult man, he was still much lighter.
Especially when he saw Ah Nian, who was afraid and embarrassed, constantly snuggling into his arms and hugging him voluntarily… Chu Zhaoyi had no intention of letting go.
“This is different from what I meant, Your Majesty!” Fu Nian hurriedly explained, but as soon as he finished explaining, he quickly added, “It’s natural for servants to carry you, but if it were you… If it were a palace maid, it might be seen as you taking a new favorite. But if it’s me, there might be gossip spreading, saying that you have peculiar preferences, which could harm your reputation.”
“What Fu Nian means is that he wants to dress in palace maid attire and be held—”
“Not that!” He hadn’t expected Chu Zhaoyi to interpret it that way and hurriedly whispered his clarification.
After the hurried explanation, Fu Nian heard a soft laugh from above him.
It was only then that he realized he had been played and quickly shut his mouth, choosing not to respond to Chu Zhaoyi’s teasing words.
Chu Zhaoyi’s steps were steady, and Fu Nian couldn’t feel any bumps or coldness.
As they neared Chengyuan Hall, Fu Nian suddenly heard faint footsteps mixed with the wind, approaching them.
He hadn’t had a chance to remind Chu Zhaoyi to put him down when he heard the voice first.
“Reporting to Your Majesty, the interrogation of Fu Nineteen has been completed. He has been allowed to rest in the Wenmei Hall, and his testimony will be integrated tomorrow.”
It was Chu Yao’s voice!
Hearing this familiar voice, Fu Nian didn’t even dare to lift his head.
He could only bury his head deeper into Chu Zhaoyi’s chest, suppressing his breath and not daring to move.
He was wrapped in Chu Zhaoyi’s sable fur, which perfectly concealed the attire of the Shadow Guard.
“Understood,” Chu Zhaoyi replied calmly.
“By the way, where is Lord Fu? I’ve been looking for him for half a day. The Ministry of Punishments can’t continue working on how to deal with Fu Nineteen until Lord Fu makes a decision.” Chu Yao’s voice was meticulous and showed no signs of suspicion.
“How would I know? He sneaks around day by day, and you can’t find him. You come and ask me?” Chu Zhaoyi retorted.
Chu Yao lowered his head. “I apologize for my mistake. I will go and look for him.”
After saying that, Chu Yao finally realized what was inside Chu Zhaoyi’s embrace.
It was almost as big as a person… but it seemed impossible for an ordinary adult man to shrink to this size.
Chu Yao almost immediately understood what was happening and quickly excused himself, “I take my leave, Your Majesty.”
“Okay,” Chu Zhaoyi responded.
Fu Nian felt Chu Zhaoyi moving again and finally dared to take deep breaths. It seemed that he hadn’t been noticed, right? That’s what he thought while nestled in Chu Zhaoyi’s embrace.
Just as he was about to exhale in relief, he heard Chu Qianqi’s voice from a distance.
“Master, why is His Majesty carrying such a big heater?”
“How can you question His Majesty’s choice of a heater? You’re not very adept at your job, but you’re quite quick with your tongue…”
The “heater” Fu Nian: …
With the soft bedding behind him, Fu Nian cautiously released Chu Zhaoyi’s arm that was wrapped around his neck.
He saw Chu Zhaoyi giving some instructions to Li Gonggong, and then Chu Zhaoyi sat down on the edge of the bed and started removing Fu Nian’s armor. Fu Nian tried to do it himself, but he was ruthlessly deprived of control.
“The royal physician should go back to the royal medical clinic first to get the medicine chest and supplies. He’ll come later to check your pulse. You mustn’t run around.”
Listening to Chu Zhaoyi’s resentful tone, Fu Nian nodded.
Chu Zhaoyi repeatedly emphasized not allowing him to run around… Fu Nian felt a bit guilty. It seemed that the trauma from his sudden death in the previous life had left a deep shadow on Chu Zhaoyi.
“Sorry, it was my oversight. I won’t try to leave on my own again in the future,” Fu Nian promised.
After saying that, he felt that the man in front of him had relaxed his tense nerves.
“Let me see your stomach,” Chu Zhaoyi said, reaching out towards Fu Nian. “Binding it so tightly with cloth must be uncomfortable…”
His hand hadn’t touched Fu Nian when Fu Nian instinctively shrank back a bit and tightened his clothes vigilantly.
Realizing his rudeness, Fu Nian quickly said, “No, don’t look. It’s too strange…” But before he could finish his sentence, he couldn’t help but grit his teeth.
As a man, looking pregnant and saying it out loud was extremely embarrassing, let alone showing it to someone else.
He could feel his cheeks burning with embarrassment and could only avoid Chu Zhaoyi’s gaze. “Don’t look, please. It’s very embarrassing…”
“Ah Nian.”
Hearing this gentle call, Fu Nian gritted his teeth.
This was a way Chu Zhaoyi used to give him orders in the past, only effective within the palace’s privacy. Based on the tone when Chu Zhaoyi called him “Ah Nian,” Fu Nian could guess the specific command.
“Understood.” In the end, Fu Nian still followed the command and, facing Chu Zhaoyi’s burning gaze, began to unfasten the layers of his robe.
When it came to the last layer, Fu Nian steeled himself and, following the order, opened his robe.
He knelt there, and from the front, it was evident that his belly had become rounded. Though the curve wasn’t large, it was a significant difference from his previously well-defined muscular physique.
From time to time, you could see the little one in his belly making slight movements.
Fu Nian, feeling the shame, averted his gaze.
Even though his face was practically burning, he still followed the command and presented this side of himself to Chu Zhaoyi.
“Do you find it… strange?” After a long period of silence, Fu Nian’s voice trembled as he cautiously spoke.
Just as he finished asking, a blazing hot hand suddenly rested on his abdomen.
Fu Nian took a sharp breath and quickly protested, “Don’t touch…”
After saying that, he felt Chu Zhaoyi’s gaze lift slightly and lock onto his cheek.
Sensing the touch, the little one in his belly seemed to get even more excited.
“Don’t touch, please…” He pleaded, enduring immense embarrassment.
The large hand was promptly withdrawn.
Just as Fu Nian thought he could put his clothes back on, he turned his head and saw Chu Zhaoyi’s head had already approached his belly. His lips gently kissed the round bump.
Author’s Note: We’re almost at the end.
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