Chapter 32: Her Soft Heart 32

"RuanRuan, I'm sorry." He pressed his hand against her icy hand, "My mother is very strict; when I fail to meet her expectations she beats me with a silver whip, and Yi Ruan is always by my side. Over time, I grew to like her."

"Have you slept together?" she wanted to know how many partners the man she slept with had.

Fu Qiwei shook his head slightly, "She said that when young one should devote one's life to love. She once stabbed a girl to death in a school‑bullying incident, and her maternal clan had long since fallen."

"So you took her life in exchange?" she lowered her head slightly, reaching through the blanket to touch her flat abdomen.

He gently pinched her finger, "Later, I took her life in exchange, but she left."

She withdrew her hand, raising an eyebrow slightly, "Left Runan City?"

His hand came up empty; he looked up to meet her face and continued, "The girl's family took money and hired assassins. She blocked a bullet for me and finally died in my arms."

Yi Ruan let out a light scoff, "You think I'd be angry if I were pregnant?"

Fu Qiwei's eyes suddenly became very fragile, sorrow spilling from his gaze. She looked at him, feeling heartache, but didn't know whether her pain was for herself or for his white moonlight.

"RuanRuan, the person I love most now is you."

She remained silent; a few tears glistened on the back of his hand. He looked at her as she lowered her head, tears falling.

He didn't dare tell her that he had adopted her because she looked like Yi Ruan.

"RuanRuan, please don't cry, okay? It's not good for the child." He stood up and sat beside her, cupping her face.

Her peach‑blossom eyes were filled with mist, clean pure tears swirling in her sockets.

Tears were about to spill from the corners of her eyes; she suppressed the sob in her voice, "You're lying, you don't love me."

It felt as if something was pulling at her throat; she dared not have strong emotional swings. The talisman on her chest trembled slightly, her heart tightened painfully; she wanted to cry but feared disturbing the fetus.

He gently kissed the corner of her eye, salty.

"I'm not lying, I love you, RuanRuan, I truly love you."

She leaned on his shoulder, burying her head into his—"But you can't forget her."

Fu Qiwei held her gently; although her voice was coquettish, it carried a lingering elegance.

At night she tried to sleep, tossing and turning without rest.

【How is it, do you still like this barrier?】

Yi Ruan: Does he really love that Yi Ruan?

【The author didn't introduce it earlier, but it's in the side story.】

Yi Ruan, flustered: Then… what about me?

【You're not from this world, just complete the mission.】

Yi Ruan: No way!

【Don't be so sure, there's an even bigger barrier ahead.】

Yi Ruan: What?

【Stay tuned.】

The system is becoming more humane, yet it never tells her what lies ahead.

Days pass one by one, but she feels uneasy; the more comfortable life becomes, the more she fears she might do something crazy when the barrier arrives.

Fu Qiwei, to keep her company, asked Lord Fu for leave.

Lord Fu agreed, but with one condition: Yi Ruan must be taken back to the Fu family's old residence to nurture the fetus.

The first three months she had already passed peacefully.

In Runan City, it didn't start snowing until January.

"Grandfather wants us to return to the old residence," Fu Qiwei said, holding her.

Snow fell outside; she perched by the window watching it.

Evening draws near, the sky looks ready to snow—shall we have a drink?

He feared she might bump into anything, so every corner was wrapped in soft velvet, and the carpet was replaced with non‑slip plush material.

She could also feel herself gaining weight, perhaps because she was nearing four months, so it began to show.

Yi Ruan, to keep the baby in her womb healthier, cut her hair short, leaned against the man's chest, watching the snow, classical music playing in her ears, and asked, "When will we go back?"

His expression softened, even his tone gentle, "When the snow stops, shall we return? By then the New Year will be near."

She nodded; the man's hand rested on her body, and through the clothing she could feel her abdomen gently rounded.

Yi Ruan lifted her eyes to his gentle expression, raising an eyebrow slightly, "What, does it seem unbelievable?"

He smiled and nodded, "So that's how Shen Guanming feels when he becomes a father."

"Summer Grass is about to be born too, right?"

She recalled that Summer Grass was conceived in July, whereas she was in November.

Fu Qiwei gave a slight nod.

In February, sunlight bathed Runan City.

Her morning sickness was no longer severe, but she craved sour foods. Yu Ma was delighted to hear this, "Old sayings say sour girls are spicy women; does the lady prefer a boy or a girl?"

At the dining table, she wore a maroon fleece‑lined sweatshirt and a black pleated knit skirt; beside her, Fu Qiwei was reading the Analects—not to her, but precisely to the baby in her womb.

She ate fruit while replying, "Of course I prefer girls; girls are wonderful—so obedient and cute."

He read the Analects and smiled lightly, "If it were you, you'd be not obedient at all."

She turned her head away in a tsundere manner.

"The Master said: 'To be above without leniency, to act ritually without respect, to mourn without sorrow—how can I observe this?'" His voice was clear and steady.

The ten‑minute prenatal lesson passed quickly; when he finished, Yi Ruan had also finished eating.

She shyly smiled at him, "You speak too slowly." His pace made her sleepy.

He gave a faint smile, "What should I do with you?"

…

……

Old Master Fu knew Yi Ruan was pregnant, and issued orders again.

"You who raise tigers, lions, and snakes, keep some distance from Ruanruan, and also go less to 'Half Moon'; listen to that kid from the Huo family saying Ruanruan's pregnancy is not easy to preserve—if anything happens to the baby in her womb, let me drag them out," Old Master Fu gave a cold chuckle twice, "Expel them from the family gate, and after death they are not allowed to enter the ancestral tomb."

Half Moon is Fu Qiwei's courtyard; they plan to return to the Fu family old residence later for two reasons: one, it's snowing; two, Half Moon is under renovation.

Rong Wei walked on the bluestone path, with the servant Wu Zhuyu following beside her, "Madam, is Yi Ruan's nature too soft, or what? She actually didn't argue with the young master."

She let out a soft hum, "I didn't expect her to be so tolerant, actually able to swallow this anger."

Wu Zhuyu said in a low voice, "Maybe she's thinking of giving birth to this child to tie down the young master."

She heard this, a flash of fierceness crossed her eyes, "Then go find Yi Ruan and bring her back."

Wu Zhuyu lowered her voice, "If that's the case, then the matter from back then would be exposed; if the young master finds out, I'm afraid……"

"I'm his mother, his birth mother—how could I harm him? I'm also doing this for his own good; he's grown up and has his own child, he should try to understand my feelings as a mother more." Rong Wei said in a low voice.

"Fine, I also don't know whether Yi Ruan is alive or dead."

(●°u°●) Thanks: Chaka Yan, Ka Lun Ka Ya Princess, Yun Jin, Book Friend 4026735513, Qian Qian+Bei Bei=Guai Guai, Song Ran Na, Bala Wula Hei Qi Ma Hei, Guan Shi Er, Shang de Yao Yao Princess Invincible, Shepherd from the Magic Immortal Fortress, the recommendation votes from these people, Love you all, hugs.