Linghe was at home, pondering how to take revenge on An Jing, but An Jing in the palace was utterly oblivious; even if she knew, she wouldn’t take it to heart.
To her, Linghe was nothing to be afraid of.
After dinner, An Jing took a bath and climbed into bed.
Because An Jing had not yet taken her pregnancy-preserving medicine for the evening, Xiao Changyi, even though he had taken a bath, did not join An Jing on the bed. Instead, he sat by the bedside, set up a chessboard, and played a game with her.
An Jing was not as skilled in chess as Xiao Changyi. However, Xiao Changyi always let her win by deliberately making the wrong moves; hence, they both noticed that An Jing won the first game quite elegantly through the black and white pieces on the board.
"Thank you, my dear!" An Jing was delighted to have won so gracefully. Knowing Xiao Changyi had let her win, she thanked him immediately, leaned over the chessboard, and rewarded him with a kiss.
Having been kissed, the corners of Xiao Changyi’s cool lips curled up slightly.
"Prince, Princess, your medicine is ready," announced the voice of Fenghua Palace’s chamberlain from outside the door.
Xiao Changyi responded indifferently, "Bring it in."
The chamberlain respectfully brought the just-prepared pregnancy-preserving medicine to Xiao Changyi, who took the medicine and then dismissed the chamberlain.
Then, Xiao Changyi began to feed An Jing the medicine, spoonful by spoonful.
An Jing sat on the bed while Xiao Changyi tended to her. After taking a sip, she complained, "Bitter."
Xiao Changyi handed her a plate of candied fruit so she could eat them and chase away the bitterness in her mouth.
After being fed a few spoonfuls, An Jing could no longer bear it. Taking it mouthful by mouthful made it far more bitter than drinking it all in one go, so she suggested, "My dear, let me just finish it in one gulp!"
Xiao Changyi, aware that drinking it all at once was less bitter than sipping it, did not urge An Jing to continue being fed by him. Instead, he said, "Wait a moment, let me cool it down for you."
An Jing watched sweetly as her husband blew on the medicine in the bowl to cool it.
After An Jing took the medicine from Xiao Changyi and gulped it down in one go, she did not eat any candied fruit. Instead, she wrapped her arms around Xiao Changyi’s neck and kissed him. After sharing a deep kiss, An Jing asked with a mischievous smile, "Bitter or not?"
Xiao Changyi replied, "Not bitter, sweet."
Hearing this, An Jing felt incredibly sweet inside. She picked up a piece of candied fruit from the dish and popped it into Xiao Changyi’s mouth.
Xiao Changyi chewed on the candied fruit but did not swallow it; instead, he approached An Jing’s lips. Understanding his intention, she opened her mouth and bit off half of it to eat, and naturally, Xiao Changyi ate the remaining half.
After eating two more pieces of candied fruit, Xiao Changyi let servants enter to take away the medicine bowl and chessboard.
When the palace maids came in to tidy up, they also brought mouth-rinsing tea. After An Jing and Xiao Changyi rinsed their mouths, the palace maids turned and left.
As soon as the palace maids closed the door from outside, Xiao Changyi slipped off his shoes and joined An Jing on the bed, who had already lain down. He didn’t sit but lay down beside her.
Without waiting for him to reach out to embrace her, she snuggled towards him as soon as he lay down, and he conveniently wrapped his arms around her, holding her close; he looked at her, his cool eyes filled with immense tenderness.
"My dear, I’m pregnant," An Jing chuckled joyfully in his embrace.
"My dear, I’m carrying your baby," she said again.
"Do you want to feel it?" An Jing suddenly became more excited, "Though my belly is still flat, it must feel different than before when touched."