**NFSW**
Chapter 087: This is My Family
"Ximomo*, Chief Manager An, I understood your idea. However, no matter what had happened previously, I'm now someone's missus. Moreover, I'm pregnant. I shouldn't go to the Imperial City to visit the relatives. Please send my regards to them." Su Shuilian tenderly bowed. However, Lin Si Yao interrupted her bowing.
(-momo/嬷嬷- suffix used to address an elderly lady or wet nurse)
Who cares what they are, be it Chief Manager, Her Highness, or His Highness! Even if the Emperor comes here, he shouldn't take her bow. You're pregnant and you want to bow to someone. Don't you think it's too much work?
"But… Fourth Young Lady…" Hearing her, Chief Manager An wanted to persuade her, but the old woman had signaled him not to.
"Yes, Fourth Miss is right. We didn't think carefully. So, Chief Manager An and I will return to the Imperial City first. After several days, we will send some goods for the babies. When His Highness got your good news, he'll get better soon." The old woman was the wet nurse from the Xia family by the elder Wangfei's (Princess's) side. She fondly patted Su Shuilian's hand, smiling.
"Thank you for your understanding, ma’am," Su Shuilian nodded with a smile. Lucky for the twins in my belly. Or else, I have to go to the Imperial City this time, right? Today, she knew that the mother of this body had passed away and her memorial tablet had been recognized by the Prince's mansion. She should live happily in this quiet but beautiful Fan Hua Town and enjoy the happy life of her little family with A Yao.
For the elder Wangye of Prince Jing's mansion, her father by the name, seemed to be like her father in the previously. Except for the possible respect she has for them, there would be no emotion attached. Sorry, Su Shuilian didn't like a father with a bunch of wives and concubines and children. He wasn't worth her love, respect, or harmonious caring.
Looking at the two four-horse carriages rublingly moving far away, Su Shuilian closed her doors. Turning around, she wanted to reach the main house.
Lin Si Yao stood quietly behind her, his eyes so deep she couldn't see through.
"A Yao?" She smiled, walked over to pull his hand and caressed the callus on his palm, asking tenderly. "Are you okay?" Since lunch and the meeting with the two elders from Prince Jing's mansion in the Imperial City, he had never pulled a happy face.
"Shuilian…" He stooped his head, his voice hoarse, "You… Are you really the Fourth Young Lady of Prince Jing's Mansion?" He held her small hand tight. Leaning over to shade her from the dazzling sunlight so as she could feel cooler, he slowly pulled her toward the living room. He let her sit on his legs as he tenderly asked her the matter that had wound around his heart for a long time.
"What if it is and what if it's no? A Yao, I'm your wife and this is my home. Unless you don't need me anymore… A Yao!"
Lin Si Yao didn't wait for her to finish. He used his lips to stop her little noisy mouth.
"You shouldn't say "don't need" ever again!" He lingered on her lips for a while before giving her time to gasp for her breath. As their foreheads touched, he pitched his voice to warn her.
"Yes," Su Shuilian laid her hands on the sides of Lin Si Yao's face. She couldn't help but lean forward to brush the corner of his lips with hers. "You're mine…" she muttered. He was Su Shuilian's alone. No other women could share him with her.
"We belong to each other," Lin Si Yao followed her brush, increasing the intimacy between them when they let their tongues twisted together again. Both of his hands had slithered into her shirt, massaging her mounds, which had become bigger as she was pregnant. Then, he buried his head onto the nape of her neck.
"Can we?" He tried to press his passion, asking huskily.
"Yeah…." she answered shyly.
After she got pregnant, although the doctor said that they could still make love with caution, he had just hugged her to sleep. He had tried not to touch her.
Receiving her consent, Lin Si Yao couldn't endure anymore. Immediately, he brought her to the bedroom, gently placed her on the big bed. He stripped her outer coat and the thin dress. He undressed himself and besides her, caressing her growing lower belly. Then, he extended his hand to explore her already damp crevice. Smiling, Lin Si Yao lifted his head to check her expression, he found she seemed to be more passionate ever since she had she gotten pregnant.
This change pleasantly surprised him. She's trying to learn how to respond and satisfy me. She used to be a decorous, well-bred young lady, and now, because of me, she has lifted her shyness away. Having a wife like her, what else should I wish for?
"A Yao…" She called his name tenderly. She arched her body so as they wouldn't put pressure on the babies. She clutched his head, embarrassedly inviting him.
He gave her a deep kiss before moving his body to enter her tight and wet slit. After several patient moves, he found no strange reaction besides some passionate groaning. Thus, he lifted his restraint, kneeled down and began to move, facing up.
She gritted her teeth to restrain her moaning and groaning. She supported herself with both hands, arching her body to coordinate with his rhythmical movement. His move was tender but it hid his endless vigor.
After a long time of restraint, a single spark can start a prairie fire. It had ignited the flame he had tried hard to hide. The burning heat was so hot she couldn't bear it…
—–
The carriages steadily moved eastward. Stopping by the biggest inn in the Fan Luo City, they rested one day to recover before starting their journey back home to the Imperial City.
"Why did you…" While having dinner, Liang An, who didn't get it, rolled his eyes at Ximomo. However, he didn't know what he should say.
The Fourth Young Lady's pregnancy was beyond their estimation.
They had never thought that the calm Fourth Young Lady had married a stranger not even two years after she had left the mansion. Moreover, she was pregnant. How could they explain this to the elder Wangye, who was on his sickbed?
Thus, Liang An wanted to bring the Fourth Young Lady back home with them. At least, the elder Wangye would ease his mind and rest well after seeing her. And, if the Fourth Young Lady brought her big belly to explain to Wangye herself, it wouldn't be a bit involved with Ximomo and himself. Because this sort of news was truly frightening.
"You're not a woman…" Ximomo glanced at Liang An, talking slowly.
"You… What are you talking about! Of course, I'm not a woman!" Liang An felt angry, blowing his long mustache.
"That's why you don't know how difficult it is to be a pregnant woman…" Ximomo wasn't hurried. She continued, "As we found the Fourth Young Lady, our trip isn't gone in vain. And, whether she wants to return to the Prince's mansion or not…" Ximomo squinted her eyes, looking at people moving back and forth on the main road, smiling. "Don't you think that when His Highness knows the Fourth Lady got married and pregnant, he would anxiously rush here to visit her?"
"You mean…" Liang An suddenly got it. He studied Ximomo for a while then sighed. "Is the woman's heart always that complicated?"
"Perhaps it's me who's complicated…" Ximomo answered, disagreeing with his thoughts.
"Yong Chun, are you still blaming me?…" Being the chief manager of the Prince's mansion, could it be any matter he had never seen? However, to the woman in front of him, he had never had a solution.
"Blame you what? You and I are the two who have made one step to the grave. Do we still have anything to blame each other!" Ximomo answered indifferently. Then, she continued her meal and drank tea, she made no effort to hide that she no longer wanted to talk with Liang An anymore.
Liang An sighed. He knew she hadn't let go of the past. Anyway, she's right. They are old now. Perhaps they would… soon. What else would they hold on to?
However, recalling the old stories, he couldn't help but ask himself: Was his decision wrong that year?
Yong Chun was Ximomo's maiden name.
She was a lonely refugee the Lady of the Xia family - Xia Zi Ying - rescued from a group of refugees during her trip to the pagoda.
To repay for her life-saving favor, Yong Chun changed to her surname to Xia and stayed in the Xia's mansion to serve the Lady. Although she looked like a maid that was close to her Lady, Xia Zi Ying of the Xia family had never considered her a maid but a sister. Without a labor contract or a slavery contract, whenever Yong Chun wanted, she could leave. Her Lady had prepared her money to leave, too.
However, Yong Chun didn't have a home to return anymore. She decided to stay and serve the Xia House to serve her Lady.
Eventually, she had become the dowry maid and came to Prince Jing's mansion.
Time flew, and slowly, she developed an affection she couldn't tell with the servant named Liang An who served Prince Jing.
When the Wangfei found out, she wanted to match Yong Chun and Liang An. Unfortunately, Liang An was a permanent servant of the Liang family. Generations of his family had served the Liang family. When he knew that Yong Chun wasn't a permanent servant, and she actually wasn't the Xia family's servant, either. She was a free citizen. Liang An rejected Wangfei's good intention, which also meat he rejected the possible love he could have with Yong Chun.
He, Liang An thought about himself as the permanent servant of the Liang mansion, the Wangye's servant. He had become the chief manager of the Liang mansion, but he had stayed single and never considered any match afterward.
And Yong Chun, from that day afterward, she had never mentioned the subject of marrying. She put herself in the attic. Years after years, she had been promoted to the Princess' momo from a dowry maid. She had helped Wangfei to deal with all internal matters of the Prince's mansion. It was until the elder Wangye had retired from his position, she was finally lifted her important roles and began to enjoy her retirement with the elder Wangfei.
Every time he recalled this, Liang An would feel waves of hurt and regretful. Yong Chun, you shouldn't restrain yourself like that. You should marry a free man and become a normal wife out there. You shouldn't chain yourself to this mansion and stayed locked for the rest of your life.
"Alright, why are you sighing? You should go to your room and rest if you finish here…" It was a long journey and she felt her joints loosening. Ximomo glanced at Liang An. This man must still be regretful because of his decision that year.
However, his matter wasn't the only reason she didn't want to get married. Perhaps, it was because she couldn't meet any man she liked after that. After thirty years old, her mind wasn't laid on that matter anymore. The internal matters of the mansion kept her too busy she didn't have a bit of free time for herself. Thus, she didn't want to have a family of her own anymore. Anyway, the elder Wangfei had promised her to take care of her when she was old. She would be able to live happily and leisurely at the end.
"Yeah, this time when we come back, His Highness would ease his mind…" Liang An put his worries aside, driving back to their topic.
"Ease his mind? I don't think so. The Fourth Young Lady didn't want to come back to the Prince's mansion. She got married on her own, and she got pregnant. How could he ease his mind…" Ximomo squinted as she chuckled.
"Yong Chun! How could you talk behind His Highness' back like that!" Liang An bellowed and stopped her.
"Alright, continue with our meal…" Yong Chun focused on her dish, didn't pay attention to the man anymore. She was always like that and he knew that, too. The elder Wangye and Wangfei didn't mind it, why would he be so anxious!