For a moment, everyone’s eyes were fixed on the two of them.

Jian Yi merely glanced at them once and kept eating, looking utterly unconcerned.

Long Shiyi and Gong Xing’er glanced over curiously, then looked away at the same time.

They sat cross-legged in front of everyone, holding meat in their left hands and tearing off pieces with their right, putting them into their mouths at the same moment.

“Delicious!”

The exact same expression, the exact same words—only their voices differed.

Realizing she’d gotten a bit too worked up, Xiao Yingtao pushed Xing Zizhou away, stood up, turned, and ran off.

“Xiao Yingtao.” Xing Zizhou watched her run and immediately stood up to chase after her.

“Where exactly does it hurt? Don’t keep it hidden.”

As the two walked off into the distance, Feng Jiu’er and Qiao Mu looked at each other and frowned at the same time.

“What’s going on?” Qiao Mu asked.

“Don’t know.” Feng Jiu’er shook her head and tore off a piece of roasted lamb.

“But something’s definitely going on.”

“No kidding!” Qiao Mu rolled her eyes.

Feng Jiu’er wasn’t offended. She ate her meat, the smile never leaving the corner of her mouth.

After eating their fill of roasted meat, everyone gathered in a tent to discuss and strategize the matter of infiltrating the site.

By the time the meeting ended, it was nearly midnight.

Many of the brothers had already left, but Xiao Yingtao hadn’t.

“Jiu’er, are you all heading back tonight, or resting here?”

Xiao Yingtao came and sat beside Feng Jiu’er.

“Heading back.” Feng Jiu’er tidied the letters on the desk and stood up.

“Xing Zizhou, come here for a moment.”

Xiao Yingtao didn’t leave, and Xing Zizhou stayed too.

“Jiu’er, what do you want him for?” Xiao Yingtao looked up, a little displeased.

“Long Shiyi, take Xinyue and Xing’er out first. Jian Yi, you go too.” Feng Jiu’er said, looking at them.

Her gaze reached Qiao Mu, and she said nothing more.

“Alright.” Long Shiyi stood and led Gong Xinyue and Gong Xing’er away.

Jian Yi also stood, sheathed his sword, and left.

Xiao Yingtao glanced around, then looked back at Feng Jiu’er.

She blinked, stood up, fingers interlaced in front of her flat stomach, looking a bit uneasy.

“Jiu’er, what do you want Xing Zizhou to stay for?”

Normally, it wouldn’t be a big deal for Feng Jiu’er to keep Xing Zizhou behind.

But Xiao Yingtao’s behavior right now was quite abnormal.

Feng Jiu’er tilted her head, looked Xiao Yingtao up and down for a moment, and asked, “What are you worried about?”

“I’m not worried about anything.” Xiao Yingtao shook her head violently.

“Jiu’er, there’s something I’d like to ask of you.” Xing Zizhou spoke up first.

He glanced at Feng Jiu’er, then went over and took Xiao Yingtao’s small hand.

Xiao Yingtao instinctively pushed him away, glaring at Xing Zizhou.

“Don’t—say—anything!” she mouthed, barely daring to make a sound.

Xing Zizhou wrapped his long arm around her and pulled her into his embrace.

“Jiu’er.”

“Let me speak first.” Feng Jiu’er took out a bank note and handed it to Xing Zizhou.

Xing Zizhou took the note and glanced at it.

“Jiu’er, this is…”

“Xiao Yingtao’s dowry.” Feng Jiu’er looked at the two of them.

“I should have given it to you both long ago. I know it’s said that money can hurt feelings, and I don’t know what else I could give you.”

“Xing Zizhou, I’ll just say one thing—treat Xiao Yingtao well from now on. With me here, don’t even think about wronging her.”

“I won’t.” Xing Zizhou shook his head and tried to hand the note back.

“But this is a bit too much—Jiu’er still needs money for so many other things ahead, we can’t accept this.”

“It’s not too much, it’s what you two deserve.” Feng Jiu’er looked at the girl who had turned to look at her.

“Come here, let me take a look—are you pregnant?”

Hearing this, Xing Zizhou instantly grew tense.

“Jiu’er, is Xiao Yingtao really pregnant? Really?”

“I was just asking you to check her—was that something you could tell? By sight, or by smell?”

Xing Zizhou carefully helped a completely bewildered Xiao Yingtao sit down.

“No, I’m not.” Xiao Yingtao shook her head fiercely.

“It was only once, how could I be pregnant already? No, that can’t be.”

“To be clear, I don’t have that kind of ability—to tell just by looking, or by smelling.” Feng Jiu’er sat down and took hold of Xiao Yingtao’s small hand.

Qiao Mu also jumped up excitedly, staring intently at Xiao Yingtao.

“So? When are you due?”

“Due, my foot! I’m not pregnant.” Xiao Yingtao rolled her eyes at Qiao Mu.

“I don’t want to be a mother right now, I still have so much to do. Jiu’er, I don’t want to be pregnant, I don’t.”

“It’s my fault.” Seeing Xiao Yingtao like this, Xing Zizhou looked pained.

He dropped to one knee, holding her small hand tenderly, and kissed it.

“It’s all my fault, I couldn’t hold back.”

“With me here, I’ll be sure to protect both you and our daughter well.”

“Xing Zizhou, you’re something else—already so sure it’s a daughter?” Qiao Mu said, her smile never fading.

She was excited and full of anticipation, hardly knowing how to express her feelings.

“I do prefer daughters.” Xing Zizhou pressed his lips together and looked at Qiao Mu, unable to hide his own excitement either.

“Daughter my foot, I don’t want to be a mother this soon, I don’t.” Xiao Yingtao said anxiously, tears glinting at the rims of her eyes.

Xing Zizhou immediately leaned in and kissed the corner of her eye.

“It’s alright.” He knelt there, holding Xiao Yingtao in his arms.

Feng Jiu’er had just set Xiao Yingtao’s hand down, and everyone present was watching her.

“So? How far along? Boy or girl?” Qiao Mu asked eagerly.

Xing Zizhou was about to speak, then pressed his lips shut again.

The trouble was, everything he wanted to say, Qiao Mu had already said. He didn’t know what else there was to add.

Nervous, excited, curious, happy, hopeful… Xing Zizhou couldn’t put his feelings into words.

Xiao Yingtao was nervous too, gripping Xing Zizhou’s arm so tightly her knuckles had gone pale.

Feng Jiu’er looked at the three of them and shook her head. “No.”

“She’s not pregnant, understand?”

“The odds of conceiving from just one time are far too low. Besides, I’m no immortal—I can’t tell a child’s sex just by touching someone’s belly.”

“That said, Xiao Yingtao’s blood and energy aren’t very strong right now. Tomorrow I’ll gather some herbs, and a few days of drinking the brew should fix that.”

“Jiu’er, really, not pregnant?” Xiao Yingtao went over and hugged Feng Jiu’er’s arm.

“That’s such a relief! I really don’t want to become someone’s mother this soon.”

His arms suddenly empty, Xing Zizhou was momentarily stunned, but quickly recovered.

“Weak blood and energy—is that because of the injury from that night? Jiu’er, what medicine? Write me the prescription, I’ll go buy it right now.”

“No wonder I felt Xiao Yingtao hasn’t looked as rosy these past few days—it’s all my fault!”

“It’s the dead of night, where do you think you’re going to buy medicine?” Feng Jiu’er glanced at Xing Zizhou.

“By the way, if you two want to be parents, going forward, it’s best to do these things midway between two menstrual cycles.”

“The chances of conceiving are much higher during that time.”

“I don’t want to be a mother right now.” Xiao Yingtao hugged Feng Jiu’er and shook her head fiercely.

“We won’t, then.” Xing Zizhou gently rubbed her back. “Not for now, don’t get worked up, we’ll do as you say.”