Chapter 163 - Chapter 163: Chapter 162: Feeling Puzzled

Chapter 163: Chapter 162: Feeling Puzzled

Translator: 549690339

Han Yu, who had been worried about Su Wenyue, had already arranged for a leave of absence in advance, so there was no need to rush back. Su Wenyue also didn’t want to return so soon; she wanted to do some shopping. It was not easy for a pregnant woman to go out, and if it hadn’t been for celebrating the County magistrate’s wife’s birthday, Han Yu definitely wouldn’t have agreed to let her come. Besides, after what had happened yesterday and considering that she was carrying twins, she probably wouldn’t have the chance to come to the County Town before the children were born.

From the sound of Han Yu’s words, it was clear that he intended to keep her confined at home to avoid any mishaps. She felt that even if she wanted to object, she probably couldn’t overcome Han Yu, that scheming fellow with a hidden agenda, and in the end, she would inevitably be completely devoured by him. Although she had gotten the upper hand during yesterday’s incident and made Han Yu change his mind, it was actually because Han Yu himself had not been firm in his resolve. Moreover, she truly valued the children in her stomach and was willing to make sacrifices for them; naturally, the safest course was preferable. Occasionally, she would throw a small tantrum at Han Yu as a way to vent and to train his patience, but she wouldn’t truly do anything to regret deeply and foolishly.

“Husband, let’s not head back yet. I still have many things to buy. Ever since I went to Xinluo Town, I’ve been staying in the town and never went anywhere else. Now that I’ve come to the County Town, naturally, I have to get everything I need,” Su Wenyue said while planning what she needed to buy.

Han Yu looked at his daughter-in-law’s enthusiastic expression and felt a headache coming on: “Daughter-in-law, if there’s anything you want to buy, just let the servants do the shopping. It’s not good for you to tire yourself out while pregnant.”

Learning from his past mistakes, Han Yu spoke in a consultative tone to Su Wenyue, fearing that he might accidentally trigger his daughter-in-law’s rebellious nerve and she would oppose him. Pregnant women were really something he couldn’t afford to provoke—they couldn’t be hit, couldn’t be scolded, couldn’t be bumped, and if he said anything too harsh, it would result in tears, wringing his heart with pity. Really!

“I’m feeling quite energetic this time, and I just want to walk around. I won’t get tired. And if I do, I’ll stop strolling. Besides, with you by my side, I’m not afraid of any mishaps.” Had she been alone with just Grandma Chen and Xiao Xi, Su Wenyue would not have been in the mood for shopping, but with Han Yu by her side, she had no such worries.

Whether it was because Han Yu had impressively risen from a mere farmer to the Prime Minister’s position in his previous life, or because of the sense of responsibility and ability he had shown in their days together, Su Wenyue felt that Han Yu was reliable and safe. It seemed that with him by her side, she didn’t need to worry or think about anything.

The corners of Han Yu’s eyes twitched with annoyance. What was this supposed to mean? That nothing would go wrong as long as he was around? It seemed to him that in the eyes of his daughter-in-law, he was quite exceptional; it was practically blind admiration. His daughter-in-law admired him to such an extent—should he feel happy or just plain happy?

“Anyway, I just want to go; is that okay with you?!” Su Wenyue, pulling on Han Yu’s hand, spoke with a coquettish tone. Now that An Family had gone back, she dared to be willful with Han Yu. Otherwise, if her mother found out, she’d definitely say she was lacking in thoughtfulness and lecture her with a set of pregnancy manuals.

“Of course, it’s okay; when my daughter-in-law has made a request, how could it not be okay!” Han Yu said helplessly. What other choice did he have but to agree? Otherwise, she would certainly come up with some kind of tactic for him—something he truly could not afford to face in the crowded street. He might as well take good care of Madam and pay extra attention to not let her bump into anything.

Seeing that Han Yu had genuinely agreed, Su Wenyue was so happy she wanted to jump up and give him a kiss. But such thoughts were merely fleeting; there were too many people around, and it wouldn’t be proper, especially since she was a pregnant woman and couldn’t engage in vigorous activities. However, her face was glowing with a sweet smile, which made Han Yu’s annoyance dissipate and turned him completely into a slave for his daughter-in-law.

“Daughter-in-law, be careful, stay close to me, walk slowly, and don’t move too quickly.” Han Yu wiped the sweat from his forehead, experiencing for the first time how tiring it was to accompany a pregnant woman around shopping.

Su Wenyue really didn’t shop for very long. After buying the items she had wanted to pick out, she left the rest for Xiao Xi and Grandma Chen. She didn’t really indulge in shopping to her heart’s content. The horse carriage was parked nearby, and feeling slightly fatigued, she let Han Yu help her onto the carriage. She then leaned lazily against him, lifted the curtain, and watched the scenery around her as she waited for Grandma Chen and Xiao Xi to finish their shopping.

Sikong Ling unintentionally glanced over and was captivated by the familiar figure. It was a sight he had only seen once before but had been thinking of ever since, as if he had seen it a million times. Deep in his heart, there was an irrational sense of guilt and palpitation, tugging at his heartstrings and making it impossible for him to forget.

“Young Master, what are you looking at?” Qing Zhu asked curiously; seeing that her master did not respond, she didn’t dare to speak again. She just followed the direction of Sikong Ling’s gaze. That girl—no, that woman—was truly beautiful, a vision that could make one forget the mundane world. It seemed like she had seen her somewhere before. A lightbulb went off in her head—wasn’t it during their visit to Lingyin Temple? She remembered that day the Young Master seemed somewhat distracted, too. Could it be for this woman?

This was bad news—the woman was not only married, but her protruding belly clearly indicated that she was pregnant. If the Young Master had set his sights on an ordinary woman, that would have been manageable. They could find a way to conceal it, considering their family’s status, but a pregnant woman was quite another matter. Not to mention whether it was even possible to find a way, this was morally deplorable. The man by the woman’s side must be her husband, and he didn’t look like someone easy to provoke.

“Young Master, the person we have arranged to meet is still waiting for us; let’s hurry over,” Qing Zhu said, gathering her courage to stand in front of Sikong Ling and deliberately blocking his view. She received a fierce glare from Sikong Ling, which made her shiver but did not make her move. As a loyal servant, she couldn’t let her master continue to be infatuated.

“Qing Zhu, what are you doing? Are you blind, standing in front of me like that? Now, move aside.” Sikong Ling frowned, obviously displeased.

“Master, please come to your senses. Don’t do something foolish. That woman is already with child. There are plenty of beautiful women out there. If you like the way she looks, I can go and find someone similar right away. But, master, you can’t set your heart on a pregnant woman. If you do…”

Qing Zhu was cut off by a kick from Sikong Ling. Sikong Ling glared fiercely at his personal servant: “What nonsense are you spouting? I, your master, may be flirtatious but not degenerate. A man can fancy a woman, but that doesn’t mean he would covet a pregnant one. If you don’t shut up, I will sell you off, this worrisome servant, to spare myself the headache of your incessant chatter.”

“Yes, yes, I’ll keep my mouth shut,” Qing Zhu quickly said and did just that. Though his master’s words carried a joking tone and he had never really sold him off before, Qing Zhu didn’t dare to be careless. The life of a servant lay in the master’s hands. Since the master had already spoken, as long as he didn’t covet the pregnant woman, it was fine. He quietly stepped aside, but he was baffled. If the Young Master hadn’t set his heart on the pregnant woman, then why keep staring at her?