Chapter 325: Crossing the Line More Than Once
Chapter 325: Chapter 325: Crossing the Line More Than Once
After the couple left, the more Lady Wei thought about it, the stranger it seemed.
Logically speaking, Wan’er’s symptoms really did look a lot like morning sickness.
But they had only been married for half a month. How could she possibly be pregnant?
Unless they had... before the wedding.
Thinking of this, she couldn’t help but recall that time in Yangzhou when her son had sworn that he and Wan’er had already been intimate.
It was because of this that she had made the decision to let them marry.
Later, after she had calmed down, she had concluded her son wasn’t that kind of person. He wouldn’t possibly disregard propriety and do something so out of line. He had probably only said it so he could marry Wan’er.
’Thinking about it now, I still overestimated my son’s character.’
Wan’er’s symptoms just now were clearly those of morning sickness.
’It seems my son really did cross the line before the wedding. And more than once, at that.’
Realizing this, Lady Wei was both shocked and furious. Her face contorted with anger as she ordered Nanny Fang, "Bring the family rod!"
"What?" Nanny Fang froze.
By the time she snapped out of it, Lady Wei had already left.
Qingyun Residence.
After helping Zhi Wan sit down, Lu Zhan dismissed the attending servants. He then sat down beside her and began to take her pulse.
Seeing the serious expression on his handsome face, Zhi Wan grew a little flustered. She stammered, "I probably just caught a chill last night, that’s why I threw up. I’m fine now."
A moment later, Lu Zhan withdrew his hand and asked gently, "When was your last period?"
His sudden mention of her period took Zhi Wan by surprise.
When she processed it, her face couldn’t help but flush. She lowered her head, fiddling with her handkerchief before whispering, "About half a month before you left for the hunting ground."
Hearing this, Lu Zhan paused. He took her hand and said, "So that means it’s been a month and a half since you’ve had it?"
Zhi Wan looked up at him, her pearly teeth lightly biting her lip. She didn’t say a word.
’Ever since our wedding, my cousin has wanted to... almost every night. How could he not know whether I’ve had it or not?’
Lu Zhan had evidently thought of this too, and a trace of awkwardness appeared on his handsome face.
Besides, it had been exactly one month since that time before he left for the hunting ground.
’My cousin... it’s highly likely she’s really pregnant.’
With that thought, he pulled her into his arms and said apologetically, "It’s my fault."
Zhi Wan had no intention of blaming him.
’My cousin is in the prime of his youth, full of vigor. Plus, we’ve only just married. It’s always harder to... hold back.’
"I’m not... blaming you," she said softly, tugging on his sleeve.
Lu Zhan paused. Seeing her slightly flushed face as she looked down, he knew she had probably misunderstood him.
He coughed lightly and whispered in her ear, "I was talking about that time before the hunting ground."
At the mention of that time, Zhi Wan’s face grew even redder. "Why are you bringing that up? And why did you ask me about... my period just now?"
Seeing she still hadn’t caught on, Lu Zhan gently rubbed her wrist and said softly, "When I took your pulse just now, I detected... a pregnancy pulse."
"What?" Zhi Wan stared at him blankly. When it registered, she quickly put a hand to her abdomen and said, bewildered, "You mean... I’m pregnant?"
"Mm, it’s possible." Lu Zhan nodded. "That’s why I asked when your last period was."
Zhi Wan was taken aback.
Her periods had always been irregular, so she hadn’t thought much of it being so late this time.
When she had suddenly thrown up at Lan Courtyard earlier, the thought that she might be pregnant hadn’t crossed her mind.
’Thinking about it now, maybe I really am...’
’The day before my cousin left for the hunting ground, we already... That was a little over a month ago.’
’And I haven’t had my period for a month and a half...’
After a long pause, she found her voice again and said uncertainly, "But my periods are always irregular. It doesn’t necessarily mean..."
Lu Zhan reached out and caressed her flat abdomen. "I know. Don’t be scared. We’ll wait a while and see."
He hoped he had made a mistake in his diagnosis.
It was still very early, so the possibility of a misdiagnosis was high. But he had a feeling he wasn’t wrong.
Zhi Wan actually wasn’t scared; on the contrary, she was a little excited.
She liked children.
’It would be even better if I could have my cousin’s child soon.’
So when she heard she might be pregnant, she was merely surprised and caught off guard, not scared at all.
She couldn’t help but look down and touch her belly again.
’There might already be a little life growing in here.’
’How miraculous.’
"Cousin, would you prefer a boy or a girl?" Zhi Wan turned to Lu Zhan, her beautiful eyes full of anticipation.
"I..." Lu Zhan was just about to answer when he saw the person entering from outside. His expression froze instantly. "Mother?"
Zhi Wan started, and looking up, she saw her mother-in-law walk in from outside.
Zhi Wan was a little surprised.
’When did Mother-in-law get here?’
’Why didn’t anyone announce her?’
’Did she hear what Cousin and I were just talking about?’
Soon, Lady Wei gave her the answer.
Her mother-in-law came in, snatched up a feather duster from against the wall, and stormed toward her cousin.
"Lu Zhan, you’ve really outdone yourself!" Without another word, Lady Wei raised the feather duster and struck him with it.
WHACK!
Facing his furious mother, Lu Zhan didn’t dodge. The blow landed solidly on his right arm.
Zhi Wan jumped in fright. Seeing her mother-in-law raise the duster to strike her cousin again, she quickly got up and stood in front of him. "Mother, let’s talk this out calmly! Please don’t hit him," she said anxiously.
Lady Wei said angrily, "This wolf in sheep’s clothing! Why are you still protecting him? He clearly took advantage of you because you’re young, naive, and easy to fool."
"No, Cousin didn’t take advantage of me, and he didn’t fool me," Zhi Wan said, shaking her head. She was bewildered and confused as to why her mother-in-law was so suddenly furious.
Seeing this only made Lady Wei even angrier with her son.
She pointed the feather duster at Lu Zhan and said, "You rebellious son, are you trying to anger me to death? To think I trusted you so much, and yet you... If you’re any kind of man, stand up for yourself! Don’t hide behind Wan’er."
Lu Zhan: "..."
The moment his mother burst in, he knew he hadn’t been able to hide the truth from her.
’She knows.’
He paused, then stood up and pulled his cousin from in front of him. He instructed her gently, "Go back to the inner chamber for now. Don’t come out."
"But..." Zhi Wan looked at her furious mother-in-law, then at her cousin, extremely worried.
"Be good. Go on inside. I have something to discuss with Mother," Lu Zhan said, patting her shoulder and coaxing her softly.
Suppressing her fury, Lady Wei also urged, "Wan’er, hurry and go inside."
’I don’t want the sight of me beating my son to frighten Wan’er.’
Still worried, Zhi Wan couldn’t help but say, "Mother, then you have to promise me you won’t hit Cousin again."
A motherly smile immediately appeared on Lady Wei’s face. She nodded and said, "Don’t worry, I absolutely will not hit him." ’Liar! I’m going to beat him until his skin splits!’
’That rebellious son! Back then, he stopped at nothing to marry Wan’er. Now he’s gone even further, tricking her into sleeping with him before the wedding.’
’How could I have given birth to such a wolf in sheep’s clothing?’
Persuaded by both of them, Zhi Wan finally went into the inner chamber, looking back every few steps.
The moment she was inside, Lady Wei tossed a handkerchief to her son. "Stuff this in your mouth. Don’t make a sound!"
A vein throbbed on Lu Zhan’s temple. He set the handkerchief aside. "That won’t be necessary."
"You’re the one who said it!" With that, Lady Wei threw down the feather duster and stormed out the door.