Chapter 87

◎"Then why did you seduce me?"◎

Upon returning to the Xue residence, Xue's father noticed that Xue Lingyu's complexion was somewhat off. He took his hands and felt their coldness, asking with concern, "Yu'er, are you feeling unwell?"

Xue Lingyu lowered her gaze and forced a faint smile. "Father, I'm fine, everything's alright."

He admitted that he couldn't help but feel emotional when he saw Jiang He. He couldn't forget how good Jiang He had been to him in the past, and when he saw her almost unfamiliar eyes, he almost couldn't hold back his tears.

He held back his tears, not wanting Xue's father to see them.

"Father, I want to go to Fahua Temple to clear my mind." Xue Lingyu looked at his father pleadingly. This was also a way for him to escape, since he would inevitably run into Jiang He as long as he was in the capital.

"Alright, I'll go with you and pray to Buddha to bless you and the baby in your womb." Father Xue breathed a sigh of relief, patted his hand, and then instructed the servants to make preparations.

Xue Lingyu called out to him, "Father, I want to be alone for a while."

His mind was in turmoil; he wanted to get away from this place of trouble and didn't want to be disturbed by anyone.

Xue's father stared at him for a long time, knowing his stubborn nature, and finally had no choice but to agree. However, since he was going alone, he needed to bring more guards and servants to avoid any accidents.

Xue's father had some connection with the abbot of Fahua Temple, and he happened to write a letter asking her to take care of Xue Lingyu.

Xue Lingyu planned to stay at Fahua Temple for a while, but her father was still worried and asked her to bring a doctor with her.

Knowing that he was the eldest son of Prime Minister Xue and was pregnant, the abbot of Fahua Temple arranged an extremely quiet room for him. The room was also very well soundproofed, so that even if someone walked around in the courtyard, it would not disturb the person inside.

The late emperor's father once practiced Buddhism at Fahua Temple while still keeping his hair. Fahua Temple had some connection with the royal family. Every year, the royal family would donate a sum of money for incense oil. The temple was not only thriving, but also had many people, whether ordinary citizens or high-ranking officials, who were willing to come to Fahua Temple to pray for incense and worship Buddha.

Xue Lingyu was very satisfied with everything arranged and nodded, saying, "Thank you, Abbot."

The abbot was a woman nearing fifty. Perhaps because she was immersed in Buddhism all day, her face was very peaceful and serene, making it easy for people to feel good about her. She whispered "Amitabha" to Xue Lingyu.

"The abbot is traveling and should return in the next few days. If the young master feels bored, he can go to the Great Buddha Hall in the morning to listen to the Buddhist chants, and the disciples will also chant sutras in the evening."

Xue Lingyu said, "I've got it."

Suddenly, the bell of Qingliangtai rang, and all the monks in the temple were to go to perform their evening prayers. Seeing that Xue Lingyu had no further instructions, the abbot left.

The servant beside Xue Lingyu couldn't help but say, "Although this is the most secluded room, it's very close to the Qingliang Terrace. It seems we'll be able to hear the bells from there every day. Is Young Master able to get used to it? If not, let's go back."

The servant was ordered by Xue's father to take good care of Xue Lingyu and the child in his womb, for fear that something might go wrong.

“This place is very nice. Here, my heart is at peace.” Xue Lingyu opened the window and could see the Buddhist bell on the Qingliang Terrace. He smiled slightly. “The bell is not noisy. It’s nice to be able to hear it often.”

The servant could only say, "As long as the young master is comfortable."

Jiang's father had stayed at Fahua Temple for a while. Upon learning of Jiang He's injury, he rushed back ahead of time. Due to the urgency of the situation, he left behind quite a few things. Although they weren't very important, Jiang's father decided to go to Fahua Temple after remembering them, and also to pray to Buddha to bless his daughter with peace and good fortune in the future.

He was determined to bring Jiang He along this time, no matter what, so that the host could tell her fortune.

Jiang He had no choice but to agree. He wanted to ride a horse to clear the way, but his wounds had not yet healed, so he could only ride in a carriage with his father.

Jiang He sat by the window. She had been busy with the business these past few days, and now that she finally had some free time, she was starting to feel sleepy.

Having planned out the trip, Father Jiang said to her earnestly, "He'er, let the abbot tell your fortune about your marriage. That way I can have peace of mind."

Jiang He found a comfortable position, closed her eyes, and lazily said, "I will follow Father's arrangements."

She's not very interested in marriage right now; she'd rather spend that time looking at a few more account books, or even just sleeping in them would be much more comfortable.

Seeing her so perfunctory attitude, Jiang's father had no choice but to ask a servant to bring a blanket to cover Jiang He so that she wouldn't catch a cold.

Jiang He fell asleep in the carriage and surprisingly had a dream.

In her dream, he was still that abandoned husband. He was stroking his swollen belly, dressed very lightly, and his eyes held a hint of allure, subtly seducing her. It must be said that his face was absolutely stunning, and Jiang He felt a little unable to control herself.

Those delicate hands pulled off her belt, her fair, lotus-root-like arms wrapped around her neck, and her calves swayed in the red candlelight.

Jiang He woke up just before the final step, but the clothes on her back were damp.

The carriage has come to a slow stop; we have arrived at Fahua Temple.

It was now the time for the monks to perform their evening prayers, and the chanting could be heard even outside the temple. Jiang He rubbed her temples and silently apologized a few times.

After the monks finished their evening prayers, the abbot rushed over and returned all the things that Jiang's father had left behind. However, he told the abbot that the abbot was not currently in the temple and was traveling around, and that he would probably not be back for several days.

Upon hearing this, Father Jiang couldn't help but feel disappointed and said, "Then it's too late. We'll have to come back next time."

The abbot bowed to him, also feeling it was a great pity.

Father Jiang said, "Then I can't leave empty-handed. Let's go to the Great Buddha Hall to pay homage to the Buddha. I'll trouble the abbot to lead the way."

The abbot led Jiang's father toward the Great Buddha Hall, while Jiang He remained behind. Jiang's father glanced back at her, knowing that his daughter had always been unruly and never believed in such things. He was already grateful that she had come with him this time, so he didn't insist and just let her wander around the temple for a while until he returned.

The peach blossoms in the temple were indeed in full bloom, and Jiang He was quite interested in admiring them. Seeing her interest, a young novice monk in the temple took the initiative to introduce her, saying that the peach blossoms near Qingliangtai were the best in the temple.

Jiang He strolled to the Cool Terrace, where the Buddhist bell was placed. The monks would sit on the terrace and chant sutras during their evening prayers.

Now that evening prayers have ended, there aren't many people at the Cool Terrace except for the monks who are cleaning.

Jiang He picked up a peach blossom that had fallen to the ground. From a distance, it looked quite pleasing to the eye, but upon closer inspection, it seemed nothing special. Perhaps she had just gotten carried away with her interest.

Just as she was about to leave, she saw a somewhat familiar figure on the cool terrace.

After dinner, Xue Lingyu went for a walk. The vegetarian food at the temple was very bland. Although he didn't taste it, he was able to finish it, unlike at home where he had no appetite for the miniature delicacies on the table.

Even if they eat it, they will vomit it up.

The evening breeze in the temple caressed Xue Lingyu's face. He reached out and tucked his hair behind his ear. His serene and gentle demeanor was incredibly endearing, and he exuded a strong sense of pregnancy.

Seeing this, Jiang He crushed the peach blossom in her palm, threw it into the monk's winnowing basket, and walked towards Xue Lingyu.

Xue Lingyu was taking a walk when someone suddenly blocked his way. Looking up, he saw it was Jiang He. He couldn't help but take a step back, stammering, "You... what are you doing here..."

He stepped back, and Jiang He moved closer, a smile on her face. "What, are you afraid of me?"

Xue Lingyu didn't dare look into her eyes and stubbornly said, "No."

Xue Lingyu looked around and suddenly realized that he had unknowingly walked to the most secluded part of Qingliang Terrace, and there was only him and Jiang He here. He didn't know how to face Jiang He and was so anxious that he was about to cry.

"This is Fahua Temple, you...you mustn't do anything reckless."

Jiang He felt somewhat confused. She didn't seem to have done anything out of line to him, so why was he so afraid? He even kept avoiding her gaze.

She couldn't help but ask, "Why are you so afraid of me?"

Xue Lingyu had been backing away, but when he heard her question, he was momentarily stunned and almost fell backward. He instinctively protected his stomach.

Jiang He said urgently, "Be careful."

Jiang He quickly stepped forward, put her arm around his waist, and pulled him into her embrace.

If she really falls like that, the baby in her womb will be in grave danger.

A refreshing fragrance wafted over, a scent Xue Lingyu was all too familiar with. He could also feel the warmth emanating from Jiang He, her rapid breathing, and the hand pressing on his waist, subtly controlling its strength, as if afraid of hurting her.

All of this shows that she is still worried about herself.

Xue Lingyu finally couldn't hold back the tears welling up in his eyes. He grabbed Jiang He's clothes and sobbed softly.

Jiang He's eyes darkened, and she couldn't help but feel a little flustered. Why was she crying? She hadn't done anything wrong.

Those beautiful eyes were now brimming with tears, the corners of them red from crying. The sight of a beautiful woman in tears was so pitiful that Jiang He's heart couldn't help but soften. As if possessed, she raised her hand to wipe away the tears from the corners of his eyes and asked softly, "Why are you crying?"

His eyes, brimming with tears, gazed at her with such tenderness, while he continued to weep, oblivious to his own thoughts.

He looked almost exactly like she had when she bullied him in his dream, not to mention her hand was on his slender waist. Jiang He's heart instantly burned with desire. She lifted his delicate chin and threatened in a low voice, "If you cry again, I'll..."

Before she could finish speaking, reason prevailed, and she covered Xue Lingyu's soft, sweet lips with her hand, gently pressing the back of his head against hers.

Xue Lingyu, her breasts pried open, couldn't help but let out soft moans, "Ugh..."

Jiang He tied Xue Lingyu's hands behind his back to prevent him from making a fuss and escaping, so that she could take whatever she wanted from him.

This place is deserted, and no one knows that the two of them are doing such a thing.

However, it wasn't the right occasion, and I didn't get to enjoy myself as much as I wanted.

Jiang He reluctantly released him at the end, then lightly bit his snow-white neck, leaving her mark.

Xue Lingyu felt a sharp pain, not expecting her to actually bite him. He quickly pulled up his collar to cover the mark, looking extremely flustered.

Life is short, so one should enjoy it to the fullest. Now that a beautiful woman is before him, and she is unmarried, how can he not indulge in a little pleasure? Besides, this face truly makes his heart flutter.

Jiang He suddenly became fascinated by this feeling.

She lifted a strand of Xue Lingyu's hair, held it to her nose and sniffed it lightly, her words filled with tenderness and ambiguity.

"I will come to find you again tomorrow night." With that, she left.

Xue Lingyu was bewildered as to how things had suddenly turned out this way. He had come to clear his head, but instead encountered Jiang He, and the two became entangled in a complicated situation...

Xue Lingyu straightened her clothes, trying to act as if nothing had happened, and returned to her room.

When the servant saw him return, he asked him if he wanted to take a bath.

Xue Lingyu instinctively refused, and then lay down on the bed without saying a word, pretending to go to sleep.

The servant assumed he was tired from his journey, so he quietly withdrew and closed the door behind him.

On her way to find her father, Jiang He encountered a young novice monk who had suggested she visit Qingliangtai. She smiled and called him over, asking, "Qingliangtai is so deserted. That's strange. Could it be that we're the only ones here today?"

“Once the monks finish their evening prayers, they rarely go to Qingliangtai anymore. Besides that, there are only pilgrims who come to relax.” The young novice explained earnestly, then suddenly patted his head and said, “It seems that a pregnant young man came today and is staying in a room near Qingliangtai. He said he will be staying for a while.”

"So, that young master prefers quiet places?" Jiang He looked meaningfully at the rooms closest to the Qingliang Terrace.

The young novice nodded: "Yes, the abbot said that the young master was arranged in that room, which is the quietest room in the temple."

He pointed to a specific location, as if afraid Jiang He wouldn't believe him.

Jiang He memorized the location, smiled, and patted the little novice's head. "Thank you."

“I am acquainted with this young master. He does not like to be disturbed. If anyone asks him about it, you will have to give a vague answer later, is that alright?”

The young novice monk obediently replied, "I remember."

He was still a child after all, so he believed everything Jiang He said, but he also had the advantage of having a pure and innocent heart.

After Jiang's father finished praying to Buddha, he returned to look for Jiang He and waited for a while before he saw her.

Jiang He felt relaxed all over, with a smile on her face, as if she had encountered some happy event. Her father asked her curiously, but he couldn't get any answers.

Seeing that the sun had completely set, Jiang's father said, "It's getting late, let's go back."

Jiang He responded, though her eyebrows and eyes were also raised; she would be back soon anyway.

Xue Lingyu suddenly felt conflicted. Jiang He said she would come to see him tomorrow night, but he didn't know if she wanted to get revenge or what. He was pregnant now, so it couldn't be something like that.

Jiang He kissed him today on a whim, especially since she bit him at the end.

Xue Lingyu looked down at his belly. Whenever he met Jiang He, the baby seemed to sense something and would always make some noise. The baby was also very lively and active, sometimes making him feel extremely uncomfortable.

However, tonight was unusually quiet, and he didn't bother me.

If he doesn't want to see Jiang He, the best way is to leave tomorrow morning. Once he returns to the Xue residence, as long as he stays in his room, he will definitely not encounter Jiang He again.

But does he really not want to see Jiang He?

After asking herself honestly, Xue Lingyu took a deep breath and finally decided to let things take their course.

I heard that Jiang He has been busy with business lately, and the reason he asked his mother for help was because of matters related to the business. He probably doesn't have much free time. Maybe she just wanted to talk to him and take the opportunity to tease him.

Xue Lingyu would rather it be this way, because he didn't know how he could face Jiang He.

"Yuange, investigate the eldest son of the Xue family for me. I need to know whose child he's carrying." Jiang He was checking the ledgers when she suddenly put down her vermilion pen and said with a thought in mind.

"Why did you suddenly..." Yuange didn't want Jiang He to notice her unusual behavior, so she spoke more slowly, "Is it because of the matter of asking Prime Minister Xue for help that you became curious about her young master?"

Jiang He raised her eyebrows. "Pretty much."

While observing Jiang He's expression, Yuan Ge cautiously advised, "Young Master Xue is pregnant without being married. Prime Minister Xue will surely try to cover it up, making it difficult to investigate. Moreover, it wouldn't be good if Prime Minister Xue found out."

Upon hearing Yuan Ge's words, Jiang He also felt somewhat uncomfortable. It was only the beginning, yet she was already probing into her past, making it seem as if she was too eager.

However, she hadn't been looking forward to tomorrow for a long time.

If he dares to run away, then she'll have to think of a good way to deal with it.

Whether it was Fahua Temple or the Xue family, she always found a way to meet them.

From childhood to adulthood, she has never failed to get what she wanted.

Xue Lingyu got up very early the next day. In the morning, the monks would chant sutras in the Great Buddha Hall. Since he couldn't hear any noise from his side, he wanted to go and see for himself.

Upon seeing him, the abbot murmured "Amitabha," and said, "Young Master Xue, the abbot has returned. Would you like to see him?"

The abbot of Fahua Temple was Master Huiyuan, who was already in her fifties. She had just returned to the temple and, without resting, joined the monks in chanting sutras. Only after the chanting ended did she return to her room.

Xue's father had been a Buddhist since childhood, and after Xue Lingyu was born, he began to believe in Buddhism. Over the years, he had maintained contact with Master Huiyuan.

People consider it a great honor to receive guidance from Master Huiyuan, and Xue Lingyu naturally did not want to miss this opportunity, so she asked the abbot to lead her to pay her respects.

Unexpectedly, as soon as he sat down, Master Huiyuan saw through him: "You are already six months pregnant, yet you still come to the temple despite your fatigue. It seems that your obsession is not small."

Xue Lingyu was taken aback for a moment, then said sincerely, "Please enlighten me, Master."

Master Huiyuan gestured for Xue Lingyu to look at the divination sticks container on the table.

"Why don't you draw a lot?"

Master Huiyuan doesn't easily tell fortunes for people, but he made an exception for Xue Lingyu this time because of his friendship with Xue's father.

Xue Lingyu reached out her hand, hesitated for a while, and then pulled out a cigarette.

Master Huiyuan took the fortune stick and asked, "What would you like to have divined, benefactor?"

Xue Lingyu didn't know what she was supposed to calculate, but finally gritted her teeth and said, "Marriage."

Master Huiyuan laid out the fortune slip and said, "This is the best fortune slip. Your marriage will be happy and your union will be a match made in heaven."

Xue Lingyu looked at Master Huiyuan with disbelief and surprise. How could he have a happy marriage in his current state? It was as if he were being mocked.

Master Huiyuan asked, "Does the benefactor not believe me?"

Xue Lingyu wanted to say yes, but was too embarrassed to say it.

Master Huiyuan smiled slightly: "This divination slip is left to you, benefactor. Why not take another look at it another day, and you will see the answer."

Xue Lingyu held the slip in her hand and said softly, "Thank you, Master."

After leaving Master Huiyuan's room, Xue Lingyu was at a loss for where to go. If she went back to her room, she would feel a bit bored after a while. If she wandered around, her body would feel too heavy and she would get tired in no time.

After weighing the pros and cons, he decided to go back to his room and lie down.

He instructed the servant that if he was not awake by lunchtime, he should not be served lunch, but should eat when he woke up.

She had only intended to take a short nap, but when she opened her eyes, it was already dark outside. Xue Lingyu was still half asleep when a voice suddenly rang in her ears, completely waking her up.

"I thought you were going to sleep until tomorrow morning." Jiang He had been there for a while, and just watched him sleep without waking him up.

Xue Lingyu remembered that Jiang He said she would come to find him tonight, and he didn't expect her to actually come.

Seeing that Xue Lingyu did not answer, Jiang He asked on her own, "Are all pregnant men this sleepy?"

Xue Lingyu subconsciously looked towards the door, worried that the servant might suddenly burst in and witness this scene.

Jiang He thought he was going to call for help, so she laughed. "This room is so secluded that even if you shout your lungs out, no one will hear you. Besides, do you think I'd let you shout?"

"Even if I take you here, you can't resist."

Xue Lingyu flinched. "Jiang He, what exactly do you want?"

Jiang He stared at his face as if he were a vicious wolf about to pounce.

"I want you."

Her words were so explicit that they stunned Xue Lingyu. "But I'm pregnant..."

“I don’t mind,” Jiang He blurted out.

When she said she didn't mind, she meant she didn't mind that he was carrying someone else's child.

Even if the child is born, it won't affect her in any way.

"You don't want to?" Jiang He pinched his chin, forcing him to look up at her. His eyes had clearly given the answer.

Jiang He leaned close to Xue Lingyu's ear and said with a chilling smile, "Then why did you seduce me?"

Xue Lingyu hadn't eaten all day and was now too weak to speak, weakly saying, "I didn't..."

"Whether or not it is, it's not up to you to decide." Jiang He chuckled as she heard his stomach rumble. "Hungry?"

She squinted at Xue Lingyu and saw that he was so thin that his collarbones were clearly visible. In the end, she let go of him.

"She's so thin even though she's pregnant, she should really start eating more."

I wonder how the Xue family raises people. If it were her, she would definitely be raised to be plump and healthy.

There was a knock at the door, and a servant asked through the door, "Young master, are you awake? Shall I bring you dinner?"

Jiang He looked at Xue Lingyu and said, "I'll give you one night to think it over. If you come with me, I won't care about your past, and I'll give you whatever you want. If you don't agree, I think I have ways to make you agree."

That last sentence was a threat, but Jiang He wasn't lying; she really could do it.

Xue Lingyu lowered her head, seemingly lost in thought.

Jiang He stroked his hair and, seeing how thin he was, said to him, "Remember to eat more."

She had to rush back to handle matters concerning the business and couldn't stay too long.

After Jiang He left, Xue Lingyu waited a while before opening the door.

The waiter was carrying a meal, all simple vegetarian dishes that looked extremely ordinary.

Remembering Jiang He's words, Xue Lingyu said to the servant, "Bring it in."

He suddenly felt like eating a lot of things, so he asked the servant to serve him an extra bowl of rice.

The food was completely devoured, and the baby in his belly seemed to have eaten its fill, becoming extremely well-behaved.

A note from the author:

Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants with nutrient solution between 23:02:35 on March 5, 2022 and 17:42:40 on March 6, 2022!

Thank you to the little angel who threw the landmine: 1 yogurt;

Thank you to the little angels who watered the nutrient solution: Mu Jiu and jyxsxlyjh (5 bottles each);

Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!

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