The sound of yelling and commotion outside came through clearly.
Yilan harshly threw the pillow aside, holding her head in despair.
"Ah!"
"Nan Yunze, you bastard!"
She couldn’t curse his mother, so she could only curse him to vent.
...
"Who are you calling a bastard?"
A deep voice came in.
Along with that voice, a tall figure walked in.
He was dressed in black, with long hair tied high, wearing a Yuzhe Crown, broad shoulders, a narrow waist, a smooth build, and walked with a brisk stride.
A gust of cold wind followed him through the door.
Yilan was a bit surprised but still climbed up and asked irritably.
"Why are you back?"
Nan Yunze replied flatly.
"Why? This is my house, shouldn’t I come back?"
Yilan was even more exasperated.
"This is my courtyard!"
"But it’s also my home!" Nan Yunze said with a straight face.
"You..."
Yilan thought for a moment and decided not to argue with him.
"I’m not going to talk much with you!"
"Anyway, come and go as you please, I won’t interfere!"
Saying that, she turned over and lay back down.
Nan Yunze chuckled.
"Madam, actually I didn’t have to come, but..."
"Speak quickly! Don’t dawdle!"
Yilan held back the remaining words, finally managing not to say them.
Nan Yunze’s expression indeed changed slightly, but he adjusted and continued to speak with a smile.
"I have something to tell you."
Still being mysterious! Yilan kept her eyes closed, ignoring him.
Nan Yunze slowly said.
"What I want to say is, right now everyone in the Capital City is speculating whether you are pregnant!"
"Of course, this includes your parents!"
"I heard... they are extremely happy. Your mother might already be planning what fabrics to choose for the baby’s clothes!"
"What?!!"
Yilan finally lost her composure!
She suddenly sat up, glaring with anger.
"How... how could you say that? What gives you the right to say that? Was it you who spread the news?"
Nan Yunze shrugged.
"No!"
Though he didn’t spread it, he couldn’t help feeling happy.
Was it because of her fake pregnancy? No, no! What’s to be happy about a fake pregnancy? It must be because she got caught off guard!
Haha!
A woman, no matter how well she hides her reputation, once linked to a fake pregnancy, she loses everything!
If she could never get pregnant in the future, her guilt would increase!
First, a fake pregnancy, second, infertility! Tsk tsk!
No chance for a comeback, how could she ever turn things around?
Nan Yunze’s smile grew brighter.
"County Princess Yilan, didn’t expect this day for you, did you?"
"You’ve plotted so carefully, you..."
He initially wanted to mock her harshly.
But upon seeing her reddened eyes, tears welling up, his heart unexpectedly twinged.
And then he couldn’t say another word!
"What’s wrong with me?"
Yilan gritted her teeth, slowly walked towards him, pressing him.
"What’s wrong with me? Tell me!"
Nan Yunze instinctively retreated two steps.
"I..."
He struggled to maintain a tough exterior, speaking coldly.
"Don’t you know what’s wrong with you?"
After saying so, he hurriedly turned around and fled.
...
New Year’s Eve vigil.
Yilan quietly accompanied Old Lady Hou, listening to her jokes but reluctant to converse.
Nan Yunze was also reluctant due to guilt, having little interest.
Yet Old Lady Hou seemed unaware of anything having happened.
Occasionally, she showed concern for Yilan’s health, sometimes pulling Nan Yunze’s hand to chat idly.
Finally, she cheerfully placed their hands together, smiling.
"You two!"
"I hope you, the young couple, forever live harmoniously and beautifully, and strive to add a descendant to the Nan Family next year!"
Here it comes, as expected!
Yilan sneered inwardly.
"Look, a mother-in-law is always just a mother-in-law!"
All the kindness has a purpose, the gentleness and friendliness are just surface-level.
Everything she does, merely for inheriting the family’s prosperity and ensuring the Nan Family’s lineage continues thriving.
Nothing else!
Nan Yunze was even more opposed internally.
"Having a child with this woman? Forget it, he’d rather wait for Bi Luo!"
(Childish man! Do you know how you ultimately end up conceding?)
...
New Year’s Day ancestral rites.
A tiring day, no words.
Second day, return to her parents’ home.
Initially, Yilan was very reluctant to go back with Nan Yunze.
But Old Lady Hou personally intervened to persuade her, explaining the rationale thoroughly and persuasively.
"Going back alone would bring shame to your parents!"
"Without your husband accompanying, you’d be a laughingstock!"
"Besides, consider our family’s face too. If you act like this, it seems we’ve mistreated you! Good child, let Zeze accompany you!"