Chapter 1027 – Everyone’s Calculations (Part Three)
“The Young Master is back—” Zhu Qing Ning was sitting in the hall, embroidering, when she heard the servant greeting outside. She quickly got up to welcome him, but before she could take two steps, her Young Master was already striding forward to stop her. “Why are you being so cautious?”
Nie Xun had a slight smile on his lips, his bright grin contrasting sharply with the blood-red dot of cinnabar on his forehead.
He said, “Wuxiang is now with child; if anything were to go wrong, wouldn’t that cost me my life?”
Zhu Qing Ning’s cheeks turned crimson as she teased, “Oh, I thought you were treating me so well. Turns out it was just for the little one in my belly.”
Facing this “life-threatening question,” Nie Xun remained calm, taking her arm to lead her back to the main hall.
“Wuxiang, that’s a heart-wrenching comment! It’s clear that I cherish you, which is why I value the child in your womb. You are all treasures in my heart; I would feel pained if I mistreated any of you.” Nie Xun helped Zhu Qing Ning sit down. “The weather is getting colder; remember not to dress so lightly.”
“The house is warm enough; I won’t catch a chill,” Zhu Qing Ning replied. “But now my belly is getting bigger, and the clothes I made earlier are already tight.”
Zhu Qing Ning gently caressed her slightly protruding belly, her once slender waist becoming a bit more voluptuous because of her pregnancy.
Though she had lost some slenderness, it had added a touch of alluring maturity about her.
“Have someone make a few more outfits! It doesn’t matter if you gain a circle or three to five circles—”
Before Nie Xun could finish his sentence, a delicate hand pinched his ear, and Zhu Qing Ning gritted her teeth beside him.
“Three to five circles? Not to mention gaining three to five circles! Even if it’s just a couple, I’m afraid you might already have other beautiful ladies around you.”
Nie Xun dared not struggle, leaning into her force, using his other hand to support himself so as not to inadvertently squash her.
“Wuxiang, who has been whispering in your ear? Do you think I’m that kind of person?”
Nie Xun spoke sweetly to save his poor ear.
Zhu Qing Ning pouted and said with hidden bitterness, “I hardly have a place to walk around, who could be whispering to me? But my body is getting heavier, and it’s becoming rather inconvenient; I really need to arrange for someone to wait on you soon—”
With Nie Xun’s parents absent and no mother-in-law to pressure her, ideally, life after marriage should have been quite happy.
In reality, it had indeed been harmonious, full of mutual affection at first.
However, as she became pregnant, and her body grew heavier, she found herself overthinking more and more.
Nie Xun furrowed his brows and joked, “My lady isn’t the kind of gentlewoman. I still remember what you said before we got married—if other women admired your clothes, jewelry, or cosmetics, and if you got along with them, you’d give them away generously. But if anyone admired your husband, not only would you not tolerate it, but you’d also show that woman a color or two—”
Zhu Qing Ning’s pretty face turned cold, and she huffed angrily.
“Do you think I want this? It’s all because of your lord, who keeps sending all these flowers to you for no reason!”
As a pregnant woman, Zhu Qing Ning was prone to overthinking.
Seeing the beauties in the household made her feel uncomfortable, as if something was stuck in her throat.
She knew her husband was loyal and would never touch impure women, but accidents could happen!
What if, unable to wait, her husband cheated?
Rather than let her husband sneak out and mingle with who knew where he found a woman, wouldn’t it be better to choose someone familiar?
No matter what possibility it was, Zhu Qing Ning felt uneasy, her emotions teetering on the edge of explosion.
She was her father’s most cherished little daughter, a precious gem held in his palm. Why should she push her husband toward other women?
Absolutely not!
Nie Xun frowned; although he was clever, he was still a man, and men and women just didn’t think on the same wavelength.
How could he know that his wife’s recent heavy-heartedness was caused by the maidservants in the estate?
“After all, it’s the lord’s good intention; it’s not polite to decline. Just keep them around as a decoration, and if they are bothersome, we can sell them.”
Nie Xun had never truly regarded the maidservants; to him, they were merely the servants of his lady.
If these maidservants caused discomfort to his lady, they would naturally need to be sold.
Nie Xun smiled, “My lady used to be so decisive; how come you’re being so wishy-washy now?”
Zhu Qing Ning sighed heavily, feeling defeated. “I don’t know! I just can’t help but overthink these days, no matter how I try to control it.”
Nie Xun suggested, “How about I write a letter to invite your mother to come and stay with you for a while?”
With her mother there to advise her, she wouldn’t be scaring herself with her own thoughts.
Zhu Qing Ning shook her head. “That wouldn’t be appropriate; my mother is getting old and shouldn’t be traveling.”
Nie Xun replied, “Then I will try to spend more time at home?”
Zhu Qing Ning smiled, her eyes turning into crescent moons. The two of them snuggled up and whispered sweet nothings to each other, filling the air with pink, lovey-dovey vibes.
“By the way—Cheng Yun—”
Zhu Qing Ning suddenly remembered something.
“Mm?” Nie Xun replied vaguely.
“This morning, the Steward reported that he has found a maidservant who claims to be the Young Master’s wet nurse—”
Zhu Qing Ning knew that her husband had been looking for his origins, from Zhong Zhao to Dongqing, but the clues had run cold.
Even after joining Huang Song’s ranks, Nie Xun didn’t give up the search for his roots.
“My wet nurse?”
Over the years, Nie Xun had encountered so many con artists wanting to pull a fast one; he was highly skeptical of this “wet nurse” claim.
Zhu Qing Ning asked, “Do you want to see her?”
Nie Xun slightly closed his eyes, the red dot on his forehead becoming ever more brilliant as he replied, “Then let’s meet her.”
The couple had dinner together, and after coaxing Zhu Qing Ning to sleep, Nie Xun finally went to meet the so-called “wet nurse.”
“You say you are my wet nurse?”
Nie Xun coldly watched the old woman kneeling below him.
The old woman trembled, waiting all day. Hearing Nie Xun’s voice, like pearls dropping on jade plates, crisp and pleasant, she couldn’t help but look up directly.
At a glance, she was instantly frozen, her lips moving.
“Looks—looks—really looks just like—”
The old woman murmured to herself, seemingly recalling something.
Seeing her reaction, Nie Xun became a bit interested, humorously asking, “Looks like what?”
The old woman wept as she said, “The Second Young Master and Madam Zhen look so alike!”
Madam Zhen?
Nie Xun furrowed his brows, sensing that there might be something different this time.
“Who is this Madam Zhen you speak of?”
The old woman replied, “Madam Zhen is the Second Young Master’s biological mother—”
Nie Xun, however, did not believe her; there were many people who looked alike in the world.
Moreover, there were numerous inconsistencies in her story.
The old woman claimed to be “Madam Zhen’s” child and touted herself as his wet nurse, indicating that Madam Zhen’s family must have been well-off. If so, how could a newborn boy have been abducted and ended up wandering in Zhong Zhao?
Nie Xun pressed on, “If you say that, do you have any evidence?”
The old woman stated, “This old servant remembers clearly, the Second Young Master was born with a red dot on his forehead and was fat and white, extraordinarily beautiful.”
Nie Xun: “…”
The dot on his forehead had never been hidden; what kind of evidence was that?
