Jinyu consulted the doctor about matters concerning male pregnancy before sending him away. She then painfully embraced Suxi, feeling distressed. The doctor had advised against sexual intercourse during early male pregnancy, and they had been intimate frequently in recent days. Suxi would sometimes endure stomach pain, insisting it was nothing; she had not considered it a pregnancy issue. Luckily, the doctor reassured her that there would be no complications.

Jinyu stroked Suxi’s hair, saying, “From now on, don’t hide anything from me. It must be hard to keep things bottled up.”

Suxi trembled slightly. Knowing that she had taken fertility medicine and become pregnant, he was anxious. Covering his belly nervously, he timidly asked, “Can we keep this child?”

Jinyu smiled at him. “This is our child. You’ve worked hard to conceive; of course, we’ll keep it.” Suxi’s pregnancy brought her joy.

She was experiencing the joy of knowing her own flesh and blood was growing in her partner’s belly. Excited to become a parent, she imagined the child’s name and appearance, wondering if the child would resemble Suxi or herself. She would carefully raise this child, ensuring they would never endure the pain she had experienced.

Thoughts swirled in Jinyu’s mind. With a child, they would truly have a family. After living alone for so long, she would finally have a warm home filled with laughter and happiness.

Jinyu kissed Suxi’s mouth corner. Suxi slightly parted his lips, and Jinyu skillfully traced his tongue over them. Soon, Suxi was breathless and soft in Jinyu’s embrace, his face flushed. Jinyu pressed her lips against Suxi’s mouth corner, occasionally licking. “Actually, you want to keep this baby. You’re pregnant, and living alone will be harder. I’m worried about you and the baby. Suxi, come back to Jinyu Manor. I’ll take good care of you. Whenever you want to marry me, I’ll marry you.”

Suxi’s body stiffened. He felt warm and sour inside. He bit his lip and slowly said, “I won’t go.” Once an unloved illegitimate son, discarded in a remote corner of the manor, he later became a widower accused of causing his wife’s death, and now he was a low-status male prostitute despised by society.

How could he enter the Jinyu family and damage her reputation? The young masters from the Xu and Yun families were more suitable matches.

Jinyu sighed but smiled gently, “Okay, as you wish. Tell me whenever you want to come. There’s always a place for you by my side.”

Suxi remained silent. Jinyu placed some banknotes beside him. Suxi shook his head, “You don’t need to bring money in the future…”

Jinyu caressed his hand, “You’re pregnant and need to eat better. You can’t starve the baby. I’m doing this because I consider you mine. Even if you don’t come to Jinyu Manor or marry me, you’re still my person.”

Suxi leaned into her embrace, feeling warmth from her words. He had always wanted to be exclusively hers, and today she called him her person. His lips moved slightly, “But this is too much…”

His words were interrupted by Jinyu’s lips. She traced his red lips, “I’ll send some servants to take care of you.”

Suxi lay in Jinyu’s embrace, his eyes misty, slightly breathless, “No, I just want to live here with Little Curtain…”

Looking at Suxi, Jinyu asked, “What about me?”

Suxi was stunned. Jinyu continued, “I’m the child’s parent. Don’t you want me to live here?”

Suxi suddenly felt like crying.

He wiped away the tears, a faint smile on his face. “Just visit me and the baby occasionally. Be good to our child.” He had assumed she was angry about Cloud Zheng’s wife and thought she wouldn’t come because rumors hinted she might marry someone else. He considered leaving secretly with Little Curtain and the baby, as the money she’d provided would sustain them for generations. But now, he wanted to be with her, to have a mother who loved their child.

Jinyu sighed, stroking his hair. “Alright, take care of yourself.” She would not let her partner and child live alone, eventually bringing them close, whether he liked it or not. Now, she was his only woman.

“Okay,” Suxi replied, lowering his head. “And that Young Master Xu truly loves you. Treat him well.” At least she would have someone who loved her completely, no longer suffering over Cloud Zheng’s wife.

Jin Yu heard this and held Su Xi’s hand tighter.

#

Xiao Lian knew Su Xi was pregnant and was very happy, curiously staring at her belly, wondering why it was big and why she often touched it, realizing there was a baby inside.

Su Xi felt uncomfortable being stared at and said, “Ask whatever you want to ask.”

Xiao Lian’s hand trembled as he reached toward Su Xi’s belly. “Brother, can I touch it?” He touched it briefly, withdrew, then reached out again, saying, “It seems no different.”

Su Xi pursed her lips and remained silent. With clothes on, her belly looked flat, showing no signs of pregnancy, but Jin Yu felt it had grown.

Before Jin Yu arrived, Xu Yi would cry, be dazed, and unable to eat; everything seemed dark. After he arrived, Xu Yi’s appetite returned, a faint hope rekindled, and she smiled more often, though still anxious inside.

Before the wedding, bride and groom cannot meet. Following Hua Yan’s advice, Xu Yi nurtured her health, her complexion gradually turning rosy and her body becoming fuller, but unease lasted until the betrothal gifts arrived.

Touching the betrothal gifts, she finally felt at ease, realizing he was truly going to marry her.

Dao’er saw that Yun Mei’s emotions were unstable and worriedly supported him. Yun Mei felt weak and swayed, his last bit of consciousness consumed by Dao’er’s anxious cries.

“Even if you like Jin Mo, as the legitimate wife of the Jin family, you should know what you should and shouldn’t do.”

“Before you are still the legitimate wife of the Jin family, do not do such absurd things.”

“Just because I tolerated your past actions does not mean I will continue to do so. I hope you all take care.”

“She said she would only want me for a lifetime, how could she suddenly marry someone else?” Yun Mei murmured, confused and sobbing.

“When she comes back, I will write a divorce letter for you…”

Hearing Jin Yu’s emotionless words again, Yun Mei woke up in a cold sweat. Dao’er quickly wiped the sweat from his forehead, worried but relieved. “Young Master, you’re awake.”

Yun Mei seemed not to hear, only choking back his emotions. “Does the Second Young Lady not want me? Does the wife not want me either?”

“Young Master?” Dao’er looked at him worriedly.

Yun Mei slowly lowered his head into the bedding, trembling slightly. No one wants him; in the end, he was left alone again.

“When she comes back, I will write a divorce letter for you…”

Yun Mei covered his ears tightly, shaking and in pain. Why doesn’t anyone want him? He just wanted his own happiness.

“Young Master, Young Master…” Dao’er urged, and gradually, Yun Mei’s emotions calmed. He looked at Dao’er, tears in his eyes, and weakly asked, “When does the wife plan to get married?”

Dao’er whispered uneasily, “You already know?”

Yun Mei remained silent. Dao’er had been advising him not to go out, and now he understood why. The entire mansion, even all of Ten Li Town, was aware that the wife was going to marry, yet he, the legitimate wife, was left in the dark.

“Who is the wife going to marry? Is it Xu Yi or the man from the Beauty House?” Yun Mei asked in confusion.

“It’s… the family head is going to marry Young Master Xu this time. I heard they will get married before the New Year…” Dao’er glanced at Yun Mei, recognizing he had suspected this for some time.

“Is that so?” Yun Mei murmured. That person found happiness. What about him? Could he find his own?

“Young Master, don’t worry. The family head still loves you…”