“Hey!”
“I told you to kiss me, so why are you picking me up?”
My body suddenly rose into the air, making me feel very insecure, and I instinctively patted Su Liumeng on the back.
The next moment, I clung tightly to her collar, my arms already looped around her neck.
Inside the bedroom.
I glared at Su Liumeng, my cheeks tinged with pink.
I looked a little angry, but even more embarrassed.
“There are too many people outside, so let’s sneak a kiss in the room.”
I rolled my eyes at her. “Don’t you always ignore the two little maids?”
“Well, I’ve been reformed under my dear wife’s guidance.” Su Liumeng grinned, and seeing her silly smile and cheeky attitude, I couldn’t help but think—
She really didn’t seem like a cat at all, but more like a silly husky wagging its tail nonstop.
“Did your tail grow out yet?”
My thoughts always jumped around like this.
I remembered Su Liumeng had said that merging with dragon blood took time. Like growing dragon horns slowly, it would take at least half a year for a half-dragon form to fully develop.
“Not yet.” Talking about her tail, Su Liumeng was rarely a bit awkward.
“So, that means…” I strode in a circle around Su Liumeng as I spoke, putting on a playful display, “You’re basically a baby dragon right now.”
Su Liumeng froze, clearly having never thought of that.
“Um…”
Before she could finish, she had me in her grasp.
“All right, all right, I already know you’re not a baby dragon.”
“Mm.”
Trembling emotions welled up, my hands gripped tighter behind her back.
Outside the floor-to-ceiling window, the city night was still dazzling with lights.
The reflections of our figures gradually overlapped.
Forty-fifth floor.
Not exactly a high floor.
There was even a sky garden on the top level, filled with Zhi Xinyan’s favorite gardenias—a surprise Su Liumeng planned to reveal step by step.
“The things I promised you.”
“I’ll make sure to do them, just as I said.”
“Mm, I believe you…” My body suddenly felt a little weak, so I could only lean against Su Liumeng’s embrace. Suddenly, a line from an ancient poem came to mind—‘A maid helps the delicate beauty up’—and for a moment, my little face looked impossibly beautiful.
Su Liumeng gazed at me, her heart pounding. She couldn’t help but plant a light kiss on my cheek.
“Why’s your face even redder now? Were you thinking about something?” Su Liumeng pinched my cheek.
I glared at her a few times, to no effect, so I just let her mess with my face.
So I retorted, “I wasn’t thinking about anything.”
“If you keep pinching, I won’t talk to you anymore.”
My little hand was soft and squished between us, pushing her away just a bit.
Seeing how little strength I had—even less than it takes to open a bottle cap—Su Liumeng was amused. But when she looked down, she met my eyes, shimmering with emotion.
“Still… not letting go?”
Su Liumeng watched as I left, my steps slightly unsteady.
“You still haven’t told me what you were thinking about just now.”
“None of your business!”
At her words, my legs went weak and I almost stumbled, making me feel even more embarrassed and annoyed.
Secretly, I scolded myself for going soft and falling for her tricks again.
How could I ever say something like that out loud?
January 21st.
The second day after moving.
I was swinging my legs on the balcony, enjoying the distant blue sky and white clouds.
Honestly—
Being on a high floor really does make the sky look especially clear.
There aren’t any obstacles in the way.
Maybe it gets a little hot in summer, but in winter the sunlight is just right. Especially after meals, lying on the spacious balcony, you never want to move again.
“Young miss.”
“Aren’t you going for a walk?”
I set aside the round fan on my face. Chunqiao brought over a light broth, gently stirring it to let the remaining warmth drift into the air.
“What’s Su Liumeng up to?”
“Miss Su left early this morning, said she had business outside, told us not to wait for her for dinner.”
I stood up from the chair, and Chunlan immediately helped me by the arm.
“All right, then let’s go for a walk.”
“If I keep lounging around at home, I’ll waste Su Liumeng’s good intentions.”
Chunlan was so happy she almost jumped for joy.
Just think—
How many days had it been since I last went out?
Must have been over ten days, right? What a happy event.
*****
Hospital.
A group of white-haired specialists were having a heated discussion around a beautiful young woman.
Su Liumeng looked at the mountain of books before her, listening to the old professors as she flipped pages, nodding from time to time.
Outside the window, the shadows of trees swayed, freezing the girl’s profile in a moment of seriousness.
*****
Beiqing campus.
Su Luo listened to her subordinate’s report, her expression calm and relaxed.
“They moved to Tianshan Community?”
“I remember I also have a house in Tianshan Community.”
She bit into a lollipop, the light in her eyes making it hard for others to read her thoughts.
“Let’s go.”
“Since Miss Su is busy, as her younger sister, it’s only right for me to keep my sister-in-law company.”
Her personal maid by her side kept wiping cold sweat from her face.
She really didn’t understand what her miss was thinking.
She kept saying it was just for fun, but had even investigated their entire schedule.
*****
Tianshan Community.
A mid-to-high-end residential complex with a mix of commercial tenants.
Downstairs, quite a few elderly people were chatting—seniors have the most time, and they’re the best at making small talk with strangers.
The basketball court and main square were together, with lots of young men and women working up a sweat on the court.
I found a bench to sit down. Chunqiao and Chunlan immediately took up positions on either side like guardian deities, watching every suspicious person around us.
With such an unusual entourage, the moment I appeared in the square, I caught the attention of many of the elders.
An old granny patted her companion beside her. “Another young miss moving into our community?”
“Who knows, maybe she’s some rich family’s young madam.”
“She doesn’t look like someone from an ordinary family.”
“How can you tell?”
“Are you blind? Look at her—such a big belly, but her back is straight as a board, and her face is still beautiful during pregnancy. She’s clearly been well cared for, never done any hard or dirty work. If she’s not a pampered young miss, what else would she be?”
My hearing’s not that bad, so I caught every word from the two grannies.
Chunqiao and Chunlan glanced around vigilantly, finally settling their eyes on the two old ladies.
The grannies didn’t mind. They were rather friendly, smiling at me from afar, “Young lady, how old are you? When’s your due date? Looks like you’re due soon, right?”
I smiled lightly, stopping the wary Chunqiao. “I’m nineteen this year. Due date’s next month.”
It’s traditional to give one’s age in nominal years—that’s how it was passed down from the ancients.
Your nominal age isn’t based on your birthday, just how many New Years you’ve seen.
Usually you’re one year older in nominal age.
When the Spring Festival comes in a few days, I’ll have to say I’m twenty, even though I haven’t turned nineteen yet.
As someone born in the latter half of the year, sometimes my nominal age is even one and a half years older.
The granny nodded with a smile, “You really aren’t that old. So—are you already married? Seeing you reminds me of my own useless granddaughter. She’s already twenty-six or twenty-seven and hasn’t brought me a grandson-in-law yet. Isn’t it frustrating?”
I just smiled and stuck to my own story, not commenting on their family matters. “Yes, I’m already married.”
You can get a marriage certificate at eighteen. There’s nothing wrong with saying that. (Alternate universe.)
“Young miss.”
Chunqiao suddenly stepped in front of me, her face wary.
Su Luo’s bearing was as striking as ever. Dressed in a light pink princess dress, her ruffled skirt made her stand out completely from everyone around.
“Sister-in-law, it’s been a while—you’re still as beautiful as ever.”
When Su Luo showed up, I felt like even people ten meters away could smell her unique fragrance.
I frowned. “What are you doing here?”
Su Luo giggled and clapped her hands. At once, several men in black came over carrying a stack of books. “Of course I’m here to help you out. No need to be on guard, sister-in-law, I really mean no harm. These are all secret manuals related to childbirth. Maybe there’s something useful in them for you.”
“Relax, they’re all originals from the Library Pavilion, every page stamped with the Su family’s seal. Even if I wanted to pull a trick, I wouldn’t dare ruin the Su family’s reputation.”
“After all, you’re the properly wedded young madam of the Su family. If you had a problem cultivating with books I gave you, it’d be like telling everyone the Su family openly schemes against its own. Even if you were kind enough to let me off, the entire Su family’s Elders’ Hall wouldn’t.”
Looking at the pile of books before me, my frown finally eased. “These are exactly what I need.”
I suddenly looked up at the girl before me, my hostility lessened. “If I’m not mistaken, a lot of these are ancient texts only the family head can access, right?”
“What exactly are you trying to do?”
If Su Liumeng could’ve gotten these for me, she would have done so already, not waited until now with no word.
So, there was only one explanation.
These were the family head’s private collection.
Su Luo’s eyes sparkled as she kept smiling. “Nothing at all. Didn’t I say? I just want to be friends with you, sister-in-law.”
“These ancient books are my token of sincerity.”
I glanced at the books on the ground. “I’ll take your word that you mean no harm.”
I disliked her, but I’m not stupid enough to refuse something handed to me.
“These ancient texts really are exactly what I need. Consider me owing you a favor. Chunqiao, Chunlan, come and collect the books.”
“Yes, miss.” Chunqiao and Chunlan each picked up half the books, cradling them in their arms.
Su Luo seemed afraid I’d misunderstand, so she kept her distance, standing about four or five meters away—a distance where we both felt safe. “So, does this mean you’re willing to be friends?”
“Sorry, I think you’ll be disappointed.” My tone paused. “Because I’ve never had any friends.”
Su Luo’s face froze. “That’s fine, being acquaintances is good enough.” She wasn’t dumb—she could clearly hear the refusal.
She knew not to push too hard.
One step at a time.
I gazed at the girl before me, a hint of confusion in my eyes.
What is Su Luo really after?
Doesn’t she like Su Liumeng?
Why isn’t she focused on Su Liumeng, and instead keeps seeking me out—what’s her deal?!
Could it be—
A flash of insight hit me, but I shook my head.
No way.
It’s not like I’m a gold brick—anyone who sees me would fall for me.
Su Luo, seeing that I’d accepted her gift, immediately beamed. “Since you’ve accepted my little present, sister-in-law, I have nothing else today. See you next time.”
She lifted her skirt and gave a polite, non-cultivator’s bow.
Then, waving her hand, she said, “No need to be so wary of me. I’m a well-known good person.”
And with that, she was gone, leaving only a lingering fragrance, as if she really had come only to deliver books.
I watched her upright yet playful back, the confusion in my heart only growing.
“Let’s go back.”
The sounds from the basketball court still echoed in my ears.
I stood up from the bench.
The wind tossed my side bangs against my face, and I tucked them all behind my ear.
“Yes, miss.”
Back in my cozy little nest.
All in all, it was a pleasant outing—aside from running into someone unexpectedly.
In the study.
I checked the ancient books on the desk, scrutinizing each stamp. Not quite reassured, I sent pictures to Su Liumeng for her to check.
With the Su family heir’s professional verification, these ancient texts really were original and unaltered.
“Weird.”
I muttered, “Are we sure this isn’t a weasel paying respects to a hen?”
“Su Luo…”
“Doesn’t seem as scheming and evil as I thought.”
“Oh well, why worry? I’m already married, and about to have a baby. No way she’s thinking of stealing someone else’s wife at this point.”
Who would like someone else’s wife?
Don’t be ridiculous.
…
I stroked the covers of the ancient books. The weight of the years seemed to flow through the words into my hands.
At dusk.
After hours of reading, my eyes suddenly lit up as I came upon a secret technique.
Though I hadn’t found a book that could help with childbirth, this secret art looked rather interesting.
[An Initial Attempt at Turning the Real into the Unreal Before the ‘True Self’ Realm.]
[The only requirement: the practitioner must possess an Extreme Yin constitution. The Dao of Yin and Yang, virtual and real, aligns with heaven and earth. An Extreme Yin constitution is essential to activate it.]
[Once mastered, you can’t turn your whole body intangible, but you can temporarily make a single organ insubstantial.]
[Sounds… useless, doesn’t it?]
[That’s right. As you can see, it’s not very useful.]
[Hahaha, this was just a technique I came up with out of boredom. Can you practice it? Sure you can. But is it useful? Does that really matter?]
The snarky tone made me suck in a breath, my eyes full of irrepressible joy.
How can this be useless?
It was practically tailor-made for me!
If I, during childbirth, made my yin… petal intangible, wouldn’t I avoid a lot of pain and still be able to keep a little secret with Su Liumeng? Wouldn’t that be killing two birds with one stone?
Ecstatic, I hugged the book and paced back and forth in the study.
This wasn’t a small surprise, but a huge one.
Since it would come in handy, I really did owe Su Luo a big favor.
*****
Late at night.
I was ready to sleep, when Su Liumeng finally opened the door, moving quietly.
“Wife—”
“You’re still up?”
Su Liumeng saw me staring at her with wide black eyes, and felt a bit guilty, like she’d been out doing something bad.
“I’m awake, waiting for you, to see if you’d stay out all night.”
Su Liumeng took off her coat and hung it on the rack. “I’ll probably be a bit busy these days.”
“Mm.”
She took out pajamas from the wardrobe, ready to shower in the bathroom, when she saw me waving at her from the bed. “Come here.”
“What’s up?” Su Liumeng looked puzzled, but still walked over.
I grabbed her sleeve and leaned in to sniff her. “Okay, nothing. Go take your shower.”
Su Liumeng froze.
Wait—
Was she… being checked up on?
A strange little happiness blossomed in her heart, along with an unfamiliar complexity.
What was this feeling?
She hadn’t expected this.
She’d finally made it—she was important enough to get checked up on.
I glared at the dazed girl in front of me, thinking she was angry, my tone a little fierce, “What? I just wanted to see if any bad woman got close to you. Why do you look unhappy?”
“No, not at all.”
“How could I dare be unhappy?”
“I’m just nervous, scared to make the baby upset.”
“No more jokes.” I smiled, pulling the covers up just enough to hide my eyes.
That was my signal that I was ready to sleep. Su Liumeng got the message right away, and didn’t dare shower in the master bedroom. Instead, she went to the big bathroom in the living room, quietly blow-dried her hair, and tiptoed back to the bedroom without making a sound.
*****
January 22nd, Gregorian calendar.
Today was the Northern Little New Year in the lunar calendar.
Southerners usually celebrate the Little New Year the following day.
Since Su Liumeng and I were both Southerners, of course we’d do it the day after.
With the Little New Year, the festive season had really begun. Every household started preparing food for the Spring Festival.
I stood by the curtains, looking down at the bustling shoppers heading for the big mall, and suddenly clapped my hands. “Chunqiao, Chunqiao, come here!”
“Coming, coming.” Chunqiao stood respectfully at one side, like the perfect utility pole. “Miss, do you have instructions?”
“That Su Liumeng, who knows where she’s run off to again.” I puffed out my cheeks in complaint. “Forget her. Let’s go shopping on our own, and save the trouble of asking her what she wants.”
“Got it!”