December 1st.
Evening.
I had already adapted to the shift in my body’s center of gravity, walking at a steady, unhurried pace.
The guards hiding nearby in the shadows—I had long since gotten used to their presence.
Ten minutes earlier, after finishing dinner, I stepped out of the villa for a walk.
There was a beautiful little garden in the villa district.
Before I even truly entered the garden, a strong, enticing floral fragrance wafted to me.
Red camellias bloomed brilliantly along the roadside.
White plum blossoms competed for attention atop the branches.
I didn’t casually squat down, my movements hindered somewhat by my belly.
I stretched out my small hand and plucked a bright red flower from a camellia tree just a bit shorter than me.
Gently cupping it beneath my nose,
I inhaled the sweet, heavy scent, and somehow the anxiety in my heart eased.
Su Liumeng.
It was already December.
Had she forgotten our promise?
The plum tree’s highest branches were far above my reach.
I stood on tiptoes, reaching up several times, but couldn’t grasp the lowest plum blossom.
Among countless white plum blossoms clustered a particularly rare pale pink-and-white flower.
I spotted the rare blossom at once and grew more fond of it the longer I looked.
After two more attempts, I drooped my gaze in disappointment, my arm falling back down with it.
That plum blossom, just slightly out of reach even with a small hop—yet it gave me the frustrating feeling that no matter how hard I tried, I could never pick it.
Zhizhi was still asleep.
My mood hadn’t been good all along.
The scattered breeze brushed past my cheek.
In the depths of my dark eyes, the blooming flowers ahead were reflected. Instinctively, I tightened my clothes around me.
It was December now, and I seldom wore formal clothes anymore—mostly warm pajamas. The pretty little dresses I liked were temporarily out of reach.
Winter began in early November, and the temperature kept dropping every day since.
If it weren’t for the exclusive cultivation technique I had practiced, which granted me a slight protective aura of Yin energy, I would have to wear even thicker clothes when going out.
I glanced once more at the treetops, a little lonely, then looked away and was about to turn around when suddenly I caught a very familiar scent.
My still heart suddenly began to race, as if my blood instantly began to flow anew.
“Su—”
My voice was abruptly excited. Even before seeing the person, I had already spoken.
The next moment,
A delicate, pale pink-and-white plum blossom was tucked into my hair by a slender, jade-like hand.
“Baby, did you miss me?”
The warm, soft figure suddenly embracing me from behind made the grievances and pressure I had accumulated over this time seem ready to pour out all at once.
Although my experiences weren’t truly unfair, tears still welled in my eyes.
“Mm.”
“I missed you. Very much.”
My voice was muffled. Su Liumeng didn’t respond immediately but instead buried her head in my neck, fully immersed in the scent unique to a young girl.
She was also moved.
After a long separation, it felt like newlyweds.
Especially since we were still a young couple in the midst of our passionate romance.
At this moment,
Her emotions surged several times, brewing for a long while before she finally calmed herself.
Because she feared showing too much excitement and scaring the young girl in front of her.
Just then—
My small nose wrinkled. The joyful expression on my face instantly vanished, and my voice turned cold and emotionless as I asked, “Su Liumeng, have you been in close contact with other girls recently?”
Su Liumeng’s heart skipped a beat.
What kind of nose was this?
The girl immediately admitted defeat, “It’s the Su Family Head’s Daughter. She’s been trying to get close to me lately. I don’t quite understand what she wants, so I only maintained the most basic courtesy when answering her questions.”
“The scent probably stuck to me when we left the secret realm—there was only a small exit, and I kept about four or five meters distance from her. After waiting for seven or eight hours, the wind must have carried some of it over.”
This really wasn’t Su Liumeng’s fault.
Su Luo was an odd one; the incense used on her clothes was the kind that lingered for a long time.
No matter where she went, people could smell a clean, pleasant fragrance—not overwhelming.
I pursed my lips slightly, my gaze dimming a little. “If she can walk all the way with you, her talent must be quite impressive.”
I—wanted to fight side by side with Su Liumeng as well.
Suddenly, I let out a sharp hum, shaking off the gloom.
Turning over in Su Liumeng’s arms with a somewhat spoiled attitude, I grabbed her small face and growled, “Even if she’s much better than me, you’re not allowed to have too much contact with her.”
“You’re my girlfriend, remember? You said it yourself. So be my girlfriend.”
“Mm, I’m Xinxin’s girlfriend.” Su Liumeng smiled with eyes full of warmth. She didn’t resist being pinched or having her soft little hand grabbed—she enjoyed it immensely.
“To my beloved wife, I swear from now on, you’re the only one in my heart. I absolutely won’t pay any attention to anyone with ill intentions.”
‘Wife’…
How cheesy.
Although I thought so in my heart, the corners of my mouth refused to suppress a smile.
I leaned forward, lightly tapping her cheek, “Not bad performance. Here’s your reward…”
“This reward isn’t enough.”
Before I could react, my already bewildered mind became even dazed.
Su Liumeng felt the moisture on her cheek and could no longer hold back her excitement.
She hugged the girl fiercely and began to claim sweet kisses between her lips and teeth.
Time seemed to freeze in that moment, leaving only a dazed little face, her mind utterly blank, overwhelmed by the one stealing her breath.
Several minutes later, my cheeks flushed pink. I pushed away the clingy someone a little and trembled as I said, “Alright, stop kissing so much. How did you do in the secret realm this time? Did you get a good ranking?”
Though I said this, I was actually a bit nervous.
Worried she might have encountered something beyond her ability to handle, and that coming back to meet me was just to comfort me and fulfill my promise.
“Not failing my mission. I easily took the Crown Prince’s position.” Su Liumeng spoke lightly, but her eyes looked like a kitten waiting for praise, staring straight at me.
“Great, great.” I didn’t hold back on my praise, staring at her still baby-faced face. The stars in my eyes were about to overflow.
“It’s a bit cold outside. Let’s head back.”
My tone was gentle, like a soft breeze.
I tugged on Su Liumeng. She didn’t budge, but suddenly a cool sensation appeared at the middle finger of my right hand.
I instinctively looked down. A very beautiful ring was worn on my middle finger.
“This… is?”
I held my small hand in front of me. The ring’s design was quite intricate, with crystal-like surfaces and several complicated patterns engraved deep within.
I recognized those patterns—they were Taoist symbols exclusive to Daoist practitioners.
They represented the initials of Su Liumeng’s name.
My heart felt sweet, as if cherished, and I asked, though I already knew the answer, “Why did you put a ring on me?”
“To confirm our relationship. Of course, we have to wear rings.”
She waved her knuckles at me. Her middle finger also bore a beautiful ring, engraved with the symbol belonging to me.
The left ring finger was for married couples after their wedding.
The right middle finger represented having someone in one’s heart—confirmed lovers.
“You’re so flashy.” I hummed a little tune no one else could understand, feeling like a cloud drifting freely in the sky.
Night.
I couldn’t refuse Su Liumeng’s insistence and reluctantly let her lie on my belly, letting her listen to the sounds inside.
“Did you hear clearly?” I kept this position, exposing my belly. It felt strangely insecure.
This was a posture that made pregnant women feel very unsafe.
At that moment, Su Liumeng suddenly let out an “ouch,” springing up as if a tiny foot had kicked her face.
“Me…? Did something just kick me?”
She touched her cheek, still a bit dazed.
I covered my mouth, laughing quietly, my laughter delicate. At the same time, I pulled my clothes up a little.
“Told you not to listen. You insisted on it, so now you’ve got kicked in the face by the baby.”
Su Liumeng was a little embarrassed.
Though it was an unconscious move from the baby, she always had this strange feeling that she was being rejected.
A bit absurd.
She was definitely overthinking.
“Getting kicked in the face only means the baby is developing well, and that Xinxin is taking good care of her.”
“It’s only twenty weeks, right? Already kicking legs. Such an early bloomer.”
I hummed happily, clearly pleased.
“Of course, didn’t you look whose daughter it is.”
Hearing the word ‘daughter,’ Su Liumeng raised her brows but didn’t reply, instead saying,
“Tomorrow I’ll dress you up nicely and take you to the celebration banquet to meet the Su Family Elder.”
Hearing I was going to meet the Su Family Elder, I suddenly felt nervous.
“Is it… that soon?”
“Won’t we be recognized?”
I was reluctant in my heart—not wanting to have contact with the Su family.
Su Liumeng hugged me, soothing my mood.
“Don’t worry. Nothing will happen. You just need to be yourself. Even if you are recognized, nothing will happen.”
“Trust me.”
“No one can hurt you anymore.”
I lowered my gaze, staring at my clenched fist. I bit my lip hard and finally agreed,
“Fine, I wanted to see it for myself anyway—just who is this temptress trying to seduce my girlfriend.”
Deep within the Sea of Consciousness, the baby was abruptly awakened and mumbled before sinking back to sleep.
“Where did this little thief come from, daring to eavesdrop on the Ghost King’s sleep?”
“Getting a bit arrogant, huh.”
Of course, I heard Zhizhi’s muttering, and my smile contained a little helplessness.
I told you, Zhizhi would be upset.
And insisted on provoking others…
The next day, I still didn’t wear makeup. I wasn’t confident about exposing my skin to the chemicals in cosmetics yet.
Since Si Zhiruo fell asleep and started healing her injuries ahead of time, her development speed shot up like a rocket.
I had seen daily life posts from others.
Most people’s bellies were still flat before twenty weeks.
But me?
At just twenty weeks, I could barely hide it anymore.
At least, it looked like someone almost at thirty weeks.
I hadn’t been eating a lot either—lately, I had been controlling my appetite.
So, only one reason could explain this.
Si Zhiruo would give birth very early.
I recalculated the due date in my heart—it was very likely two and a half months from now.
Su Liumeng was helping me fix my hair. I looked a little worried.
“Baby, what are you thinking about?”
I pressed my lips together and finally said, “Su Liumeng, maybe… I shouldn’t attend the Su family banquet.”
“In my current state, if others see me, they’ll surely gossip about you behind your back…”
“I don’t want that to happen.”
I could already imagine what people would say.
And now I was so fat, no matter how I dressed, I wouldn’t look good. My protruding belly would attract all kinds of attention.
I didn’t want to become an even greater burden to Su Liumeng.
Su Liumeng frowned,
“What are you talking about?”
I saw she seemed angry, her clenched hand tightening even more.
“Don’t say things like that again. Do you hear me?”
“Who dares to gossip about me? I can’t control what they say in private, but anyone who dares to spread rumors openly will be courting disaster.”
Since going to the secret realm, Su Liumeng’s killing intent had intensified many times over.
In the mirror ahead, I stared at her still adorable face, as if seeing something that made me happy.
At last, my heart completely relaxed.
It was like a beauty one could feast their eyes on, truly soothing one’s emotions.
I still liked her appearance and preferred to listen to what she said.
“Relax.” Su Liumeng continued, “Baby, do you know why I insist on taking you to the banquet?”
“An old saying goes, ‘Love extends to the house and the birds within.’ Because I love you, I naturally love your child too.”
“So how could I let your baby remain nameless and unofficial?”
“She will be born someday. There will be days when you take her out. She will need to go to school, need to cultivate, and can’t completely avoid contact with the outside world.”
“When that time comes, how will you explain her origins to others?”
“If it’s unclear from the start, it will only attract more gossip. A young child is at a crucial stage of personality development. If subjected to constant rumors, who knows what she might become.”
I listened quietly to Su Liumeng’s words.
She made a lot of sense.
If Si Zhiruo really was just an ordinary child, school rumors could truly ruin a young kid.
“Mm.”
“I’ll go to the Su family with you.”
I no longer hesitated. My tone was firm.
Those who cultivate should not kill recklessly—even a ghost cultivator must accumulate benevolent deeds.
Heaven sees all actions.
A person who kills recklessly might invite divine punishment at a critical breakthrough.
I wasn’t worried about gossip.
I just didn’t want more people to lose their lives because of it.
When the Ghost King’s anger flares, blood flows like rivers—it’s no joke.
As a mother, I had to think about my daughter’s future breakthroughs, hoping she could accumulate more benevolent deeds.
Because once Zhizhi’s heart turns murderous,
I don’t believe I could persuade her otherwise.