Chapter 1244: Chapter 676: A Fleeting Moment (Double-Length)
"Then... congratulations to you."
Chen Yi looked at her profile, forcing calmness, and suddenly felt that something in this bumpy carriage was heavier than when they came.
Miss Lin’s thoughts were in a tangle that couldn’t be sorted out. Chen Yi could see that this lady was always like this, hesitating, unable to face her own feelings. To coax a heartfelt word from her was like going through twists and turns, even in bed, she stubbornly stayed silent, unable to get past her internal hurdle. Previously, when hearing about children from Yin Weiyin, she reacted with fear, but now, hearing that she already had a child, she felt a sense of loss instead.
Chen Yi thought as he tightened his grip on her waist. Feeling the man’s strength on her waist, Lin Wanxiao’s chaotic thoughts somewhat subsided, her breath was quick, inevitably feeling uneasy.
"What are you thinking? Is there something worth saying? Feel free to talk." Chen Yi said bluntly.
Not expecting his directness, Lin Wanxiao was caught off guard, shaking her head, "No, nothing... just congratulating you."
"Congratulations? The child has been born for so long, what’s there to congratulate?"
As he spoke, Chen Yi’s large hand covered Lin Wanxiao’s slender abdomen. She recoiled in fright, wanting to withdraw, but his hand pressed down heavily.
"In the future, if your belly behaves, you can congratulate yourself."
Lin Wanxiao shivered at his wanton words, her cheeks flushed, wanting to retort, but found no words.
Chen Yi didn’t care about this self-pitying Miss Lin. This woman was long entangled like a twist. If he got caught up in it, it might end up consuming him, leaving him lost and dejected all day. Though a lady had her own merits, Chen Yi valued physical connection over soulful communication.
It was Lin Wanxiao who needed to adapt to him, not the other way around.
Lin Wanxiao curled up in Chen Yi’s arms, feeling the carriage’s rhythm. The previous chaos and loss were gradually replaced by more complex emotions.
After staying silent for a long while, she seemed to ask nonchalantly, lightly tugging at his sleeve, speaking softly, trying to divert the topic from herself:
"You... in the Prince Mansion these days... have you been well?"
She asked tactfully, her gaze wandering, not daring to meet his eyes.
"Just the same." Chen Yi answered casually, "Eating what I should, drinking what I should."
Lin Wanxiao pursed her lips, seemingly pondering, her voice even lighter, "Then... the child... how does she look? More like you, or more like... her?"
In the end, she couldn’t hold back and asked.
"Her eyes are like hers, the nose and mouth too, but her personality seems a bit like mine." Chen Yi glanced at her, "When she’s lively, she’s like a little firecracker, and when she’s quiet, she sleeps soundly."
"...Is that so?" Lin Wanxiao imagined the scene, unable to tell what she felt. She was silent for a moment, then gathered courage and asked, "And... does she still recognize you? It’s been two or three years since you saw her... does the child still feel close to you?"
She asked very cautiously, her fingers tightening unconsciously, revealing her inner tension.
In a hidden corner of her heart, she secretly hoped for a negative answer, hoped that the child was estranged from Chen Yi, as if proving something, giving her unspoken jealousy a foothold.
Chen Yi could see through her convoluted thoughts, chuckling, his large hand squeezing her nape lightly.
"Recognize, why wouldn’t she recognize?"
Chen Yi’s words were direct, shattering her hope,
"Even if bones break, tendons are still connected. She’s mine and recognizes me as her father. Within days, she’s clinging, crying ’Daddy, Daddy’ endlessly. From now on, you just watch and know you’ll get your due."
His tone deepened as he warned, "Don’t be like Yin Wei, constantly harboring thoughts you shouldn’t have, it’s irritating."
Lin Wanxiao, pierced by his straightforwardness, felt her cheeks burn hot with shame and embarrassment.
She suddenly lowered her head, wishing to hide her face in his clothes, the carriage falling into an unbearable silence, only the sound of wheels rolling over the ground.
After a long while, she softly uttered something under her breath, almost inaudible, tinged with grievance and reluctance,
"She can have... can’t I have too?"
Chen Yi’s gaze went to the swiftly passing trees outside the window, as if he hadn’t heard her murmur, offering no reply.
.......
As the carriage entered the Prince Mansion, the house was ablaze with decorations, the festive atmosphere growing by the day. New red silk hung under the eaves, the servants hurrying with busy but smiling faces.
The date for the marriage proposal was approaching, and although known to be just a formality, the Prince Mansion’s grandeur was extraordinary, radiating prominence and solemnity throughout. One could imagine how lively and bustling it would be on the wedding day.
Chen Yi led Lin Wanxiao into the mansion, directly taking her to settle in a secluded guest courtyard. The yard was clean and tidy.
"You’ll stay here for now," Chen Yi instructed.
Lin Wanxiao silently nodded, carefully examining the place she might call home in the future, her eyes glancing over the simple yet elegant furnishings, inevitably returning to Chen Yi.
Chen Yi was also looking at her, his eyes deep, desire undisguised. After neglecting her these days, tonight, both sentimentally and rationally, he couldn’t leave her alone.
Lin Wanxiao caught the meaning in his gaze, her body shivering slightly, her legs feeling weak, suddenly giving rise to a fleeting urge to flee.
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