The palace and the villa were said to be neither far nor near, perhaps because Zhao Tuo had given his orders in advance. The journey was really slow, taking five days instead of the expected three. When Qin Yuanxi finally stepped down from the carriage, he felt like he was going to die of suffocation. The underdeveloped transportation situation made him anxious, and he couldn’t help but yearn for the magnetic levitation trains and large airplanes. Unfortunately, those were just wishful thoughts.
“You’ve tired His Majesty out.”
Zhao Tuo was adept at reading between the lines. As Qin Yuanxi lazily stretched, he already knew to come over and give him a massage, being the epitome of a devoted boyfriend.
Qin Yuanxi patted his shoulder, saying, “No need, I’ll just move around a bit.”
“First, escort His Majesty back to the room to rest. I have to make additional arrangements for the safety of the villa. It might be late when I return. If His Majesty is tired, go ahead and sleep.”
“No rush, I’ve slept enough on the way.” Qin Yuanxi hugged Zhao Tuo’s neck, boldly planted a kiss, and said, “You go, I’ll wait for you.”
“I’ll try to be quick and not keep His Majesty waiting.”
“So obedient.”
Looking at the person in front of him, Qin Yuanxi really wanted to ruffle his hair. A loyal boyfriend like this was so adorable; it could melt anyone’s heart, utterly irresistible.
“I’ve also prepared a book for His Majesty. If you’re bored, you can flip through it.”
“So considerate.” Qin Yuanxi’s happiness was evident. “Ah Tuo, you really understand me. Haha, go on, do your work. Don’t worry about me.”
The freshly acquired small book was too exciting. Qin Yuanxi couldn’t put it down, even though it wasn’t as colorful as modern games or movies. The little book had its own fascinating world, and the whimsical ideas were a considerable attraction for Qin Yuanxi, providing enough joy in the world of words to seek new pleasures.
“As long as His Majesty is happy.”
Zhao Tuo, full of tenderness, leaned in and gently kissed Qin Yuanxi’s lips before leaving.
With the new book in hand, Qin Yuanxi got addicted to reading. Immersed in the captivating world of the story, he only realized when rubbing his eyes that the moon was already high in the sky, and Zhao Tuo had not returned yet. His brows unconsciously furrowed, and he couldn’t continue reading the book in his hand.
“Your Majesty, it’s time to rest.”
The little eunuch who had followed Qin Yuanxi out of the palace held a bowl of late-night noodles and cautiously said, “General sent a message saying he needs to arrange the garrison for the night and might not return. He specifically had the kitchen prepare chicken noodle soup for Your Majesty. Please have it and rest early.”
“Not coming back?”
Qin Yuanxi frowned, “How can you say I won’t come back just like that? It’s just arranging someone to guard the night, so many things, huh? It’s too much trouble!”
Ding Yi quickly replied, “The villa isn’t as good as the palace; there are some less considerate aspects. His Majesty, how can he slack off here: naturally, he has to worry more.”
“Oh, really?” Qin Yuanxi sighed, “Why does it seem like it’s getting even more troublesome?”
The reason he didn’t want to stay in the palace was that it was troublesome, so he wanted to come out, have a quiet time, and have a child. He was quite happy about coming out, but the feeling afterward was like he didn’t really get the peace he imagined. In Qin Yuanxi’s mind, coming out of the palace meant having a small world with his loved one, looking forward to the arrival of a little life. However, on the first day, he couldn’t see the other dad of the child.
It felt a bit hard to describe—a sense of loss.
On the first night out of the palace, in a strange place with unfamiliar surroundings, he really wanted Zhao Tuo to be with him, accompanying him.
“Never mind, let’s get ready for bed.”
“What about supper?” Ding Yi still held the bowl, his troubled expression clear.
Qin Yuanxi waved his hand, uninterested, “Eating chicken noodle soup in the middle of the night. Isn’t it too greasy? No appetite, forget it.”
Clearly, it was the bad mood causing the poor appetite. Wrapped in a blanket, he tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep. His awareness was hazy until he heard the faint sound of the door opening. It was almost imperceptible, but the drowsy Qin Yuanxi heard it, and then slowly woke up from his drowsy state.
However, he didn’t move, just opened his eyes and glanced at the dark sky outside the window. It was still pitch black, and he didn’t know what time it was, but he guessed it was definitely late at night, and if it was any later, the sun would probably be up.
Stayed out all night, hmph!
“Woken up Your Majesty?” Zhao Tuo didn’t approach; he just stood at the edge of the bed, took off his icy armor, and gently embraced Qin Yuanxi through the blanket. “Sleep, get some more sleep; it’s still early.”
“Early for what?” Qin Yuanxi muttered, turned to face Zhao Tuo, ready to say a few words to him. However, seeing Zhao Tuo’s movements, he couldn’t bear it, “Come in, don’t freeze.”
“My body is cold. I’m afraid of chilling Your Majesty.”
“Cold, what cold.” Qin Yuanxi unhesitatingly pulled the blanket open, letting Zhao Tuo sleep in. He leaned over, “If you’re cold, I’ll warm you up. What are you afraid of?”
His moves were really casual. He just rolled himself into Zhao Tuo’s arms, hugging him tightly, with an intimate and composed posture. Unnoticed by him, a flicker of confusion crossed Zhao Tuo’s face. The hand raised to release Qin Yuanxi’s grip hesitated, but after a while, following the inertia, he gently embraced Qin Yuanxi.
“Go to sleep,” Qin Yuanxi urged, a bit dissatisfied. “Is there anything more important than arranging a duty? I thought you’d be back in no time, but you ended up working through the night. This won’t do. You can’t do everything yourself. Delegate tasks to the others. As a general, you don’t need to handle everything personally. It’s too tiring.”
“Not tiring. It’s my duty.”
“If you don’t find it tiring, can’t I find it tiring?” Qin Yuanxi bit on Zhao Tuo’s shoulder. His mouth was open, but he didn’t apply much pressure, just grinding his teeth. “Sleep, sleep, or it’ll be dawn.”
In the new environment, when Zhao Tuo wasn’t around, Qin Yuanxi couldn’t sleep well. Now that the familiar scent was back, he quickly relaxed, yawned, buried his head in Zhao Tuo’s arms, and soon fell into a deep sleep again.
In the night, listening to the rhythmic breathing, Zhao Tuo slowly pulled the person in his arms away. In the faint light coming through the window, he carefully examined the person beside him. If there were a lamp, perhaps one could see that the general’s face lacked any tenderness or intimacy. His handsome face seemed like a flawless mask, tightly adhered, expressionless, as if it were a fake one, hidden in the darkness, indiscernible.
Life in the villa was very comfortable, except for Zhao Tuo occasionally being strangely busy. Everything else was just as Qin Yuanxi had envisioned – a quiet courtyard, serene and leisurely hours, anticipating the arrival of their little baby, enjoying the blissful little world as a family. It was all in line with Qin Yuanxi’s satisfied expectations.
As for Zhao Tuo’s occasional disappearances, Qin Yuanxi didn’t bother much. With Zhao Tuo always by his side, the occasional disappearance seemed normal to Qin Yuanxi. He thought maybe Prince Lu had awakened and had his own matters to attend to. Moreover, Qin Yuanxi came out of the palace. Even though memorials and some court matters were sent over, given Prince Lu’s character, he surely must be uneasy. Qin Yuanxi didn’t mind worrying about it a bit.
Qin Yuanxi considered this normal. At most, Prince Lu might be angry with him, refusing to come out or communicate. But Qin Yuanxi, feeling guilty, dared not rush to find Prince Lu. Of course, Prince Lu didn’t give him the opportunity either. Since the incident where he fainted from anger, Prince Lu hadn’t appeared in front of him again.
It made Qin Yuanxi quite frustrated, but Zhao Tuo managed to ease that frustration. His major concern now was daily life – eating well, sleeping well, taking care of himself, and the baby in his belly.
The palace and courtyards were vast. When Qin Yuanxi first moved in, he leisurely strolled around, taking in the unique features of the royal gardens. However, as time passed, he found himself with less energy. With the pregnancy progressing, his belly seemed to grow each day, and he woke up feeling like it had expanded a bit more overnight.
Qin Yuanxi felt fortunate for his early decision to move out. Now, he didn’t have to face the world with a big belly. Given his thin face, he couldn’t bear the inevitable gossip. Stretching lazily and patting his belly, he counted the months. In two more months, the child would be born.
Time flew unexpectedly fast. In the blink of an eye, he was about to give birth. It felt strangely marvelous. Qin Yuanxi, nonchalantly organizing the reviewed memorials, gazed at the stack in front of him with a touch of nostalgia. He seemed to have adapted to his life—this slow, imperial life, with its share of troubles and inconveniences. However, he had overcome everything, and he was slowly blending into this world.
It was as if he had been here from the beginning.
“Hey.”
A tiny foot kicked out from his belly, nearly catching Qin Yuanxi off guard.
“I say, you little troublemaker. Do you have to roll around in your dad’s belly? Mischievous thing. You seem rebellious. I was such a well-behaved child.” He caressed his belly, soothing the little one, “Behave a bit. In a little while, you’ll be out here causing a ruckus. Once you’re out, you can do whatever mischief you want, alright?”
Hello, everyone ヾ(＾∇＾). I hope you enjoyed the story! If you’re feeling generous, please buy me a coffee, share/comment on my translated works! Check out the link below for early chapters. (๑>ᴗ<๑)
