The following day, Yan Yunning returned to Yuanjin City with Yan Jing’an and the others.

That very afternoon, Xuan Yanyu followed. Father Yan and Mother Yan greeted him with considerable warmth.

Housekeeper Auntie had only just taken the gifts from Xuan Yanyu’s hands when Mother Yan pulled him over to sit down on the sofa.

“Little Yanyu, is the company not keeping you busy?”

Xuan Yanyu smiled. “Auntie, with my father around to hold things down, being with Ningning is what matters most.”

Mother Yan smiled until her eyes curved. “The things you say, child — Auntie just loves to hear them.”

“Mom.” Yan Jing’an gave a half-amused hum, then added, “Weren’t you and Dad planning a trip? Why haven’t you set off yet? If you keep delaying, by the time Ningning’s wedding comes around, you won’t be going anywhere.”

“Where? I’ll have my assistant book your tickets and see you to the airport.”

Mother Yan waved her hand. “We’re not going anymore. We’ll talk about it after Ningning’s married.”

Seeing Mother Yan deep in animated conversation with Xuan Yanyu, Yan Jing’an gritted his teeth and said, “Mom, your daughter has some news to announce to you.”

Yan Yunning shot him a glare.

Yan Jing’an raised an eyebrow.

Yan Yunning: “…”

Mother Yan’s eyes sparkled with amusement. “What news? What could Ningning possibly have to announce?”

Father Yan looked at Yan Yunning with equally curious eyes.

“Mom.” Yan Yunning hugged Mother Yan’s arm, resting her head against her shoulder, and hesitated before beginning. “Mom, I… I…”

Sensing that Yan Yunning couldn’t bring herself to say it, Xuan Yanyu said it for her. “Auntie, Ningning is pregnant.”

Mother Yan was stunned for a moment before the words registered. “What?”

When they had gotten engaged, she had worried about the two of them spending so much time together — that something like this might happen. She hadn’t expected it to actually happen!!!

Yan Yunning curled her fingers inward, feeling rather guilty. “Mom…”

“Yan Yunning, you…” Father Yan was so upset his blood pressure surged.

Seeing Father Yan about to scold Yan Yunning, Xuan Yanyu’s brow furrowed. “Uncle, this is my fault. Please don’t be angry at Ningning.”

“Of course it is.” Father Yan redirected his frustration at Xuan Yanyu. “Who else is there to blame?”

“And you have the nerve to say it’s your fault.”

Xuan Yanyu: “…”

Mother Yan stepped in to smooth things over. “Alright, alright — the children are getting married soon anyway. What’s the point of assigning blame?”

Father Yan shot Xuan Yanyu one last fierce glare and stormed upstairs in a huff.

“Mom, you’re the best.” Yan Yunning grinned and shook Mother Yan’s arm.

The pregnancy was a complicated matter — neither she nor Xuan Yanyu had anticipated it at all.

Mother Yan tapped Yan Yunning’s forehead. “You, honestly.”

Under other circumstances — if Ningning hadn’t already been engaged and nearly at the altar — she would have given her a proper talking-to.

“Mom.” Yan Yunning rubbed her forehead and put on her most pitiful expression.

Mother Yan tapped the tip of her nose. “Go put on your sad face for your boyfriend — I’m going to check on my husband.”

“Go on, go on.”

The moment Mother Yan was out of the room, Yan Yunning turned around and wrapped her arms around Xuan Yanyu’s waist. Now that the news about the baby was out, the weight that had been sitting in her chest finally lifted, and she felt immeasurably lighter.

“Yan Yunning? Stay aware — I’m still right here.” Yan Jing’an slanted her a sidelong glance.

Yan Yunning tugged lightly at Xuan Yanyu’s sleeve, her voice soft and sweet. “We’re in my brother’s way — let’s go back to the room.”

Xuan Yanyu smiled down at her. “Sure.”

“What room — go eat.” Father Yan’s disgruntled voice came from the top of the stairs.

Yan Yunning: “…”

After dinner, Yan Yunning and Xuan Yanyu didn’t linger in the living room. They went straight upstairs to the bedroom.

Once the door was closed, Xuan Yanyu’s legs seemed to give way beneath him. He wobbled dramatically and collapsed onto the bed.

Yan Yunning crossed her arms and watched him perform with an amused expression.

When he had been drinking at dinner, he had barely finished half a glass — and when Xuan Yanyu was actually drunk, his eyes weren’t this clear.

“Darling, I feel awful.”

“Where does it hurt?” Yan Yunning moved closer, playing along.

The man hooked a hand around her neck and pulled her down onto the bed. His nose almost touching hers, his voice carrying a lazy drawl. “Not sure.”

Yan Yunning leaned in and pressed her lips to his briefly, then smiled. “Haven’t figured out how to spin it yet?”

Xuan Yanyu kissed her back and laughed under his breath. “Nonsense.”

Yan Yunning poked his long lashes, drawing out her words. “Is it nonsense?”

“Mm.” The man nodded earnestly.

“Baby, your drunk act is completely unconvincing.” Yan Yunning rolled over on the bed, laughing softly. “Even my little dog puts on a better performance.”

Xuan Yanyu: “…”

“Want to know how my dog does it?” Yan Yunning raised a perfectly arched eyebrow. “Call me Sweetheart, and I’ll tell you.”

“Or…” Yan Yunning thought of something amusing and looked over at Xuan Yanyu, blinking. “Do what your new profile photo looks like, and show me.”

The man fixed her with a long, quiet look. “I’m not particularly interested in knowing.”

Yan Yunning’s slender fingers made a gesture as if to poke her abdomen. “You are interested.”

Xuan Yanyu narrowed his eyes slightly. “Are you threatening me?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” The young woman’s pale, delicate hand drifted a little closer to her abdomen.

“Release my precious little daughter, and I’ll cooperate.”

Yan Yunning curled a sly smile. “Baby, it all depends on how you behave~”

Xuan Yanyu raised an eyebrow. With one long arm, he reached for a pillow, dropped to both knees on it, and held the position. “Sweetheart, given how cooperative I’m being, please release my daughter.”

“Release your daughter?” Yan Yunning extended one finger and tilted the man’s chin up. “What if it’s a son?”

The man said languidly, “If it’s a son, I can’t very well ignore him either — after all, his mother is using him to ‘threaten’ me.”

“Ningning—” Mother Yan pushed open the bedroom door and stopped. What greeted her was the sight of Xuan Yanyu kneeling on the bed while her daughter sat with a single finger regally tilted beneath his chin.

“Mom, why didn’t you knock?” Yan Yunning looked mortified as she helped Xuan Yanyu up.

Mother Yan touched the tip of her nose. She had figured it was daytime — and besides, if it were inconvenient, she assumed Ningning would have locked the door. So she hadn’t knocked.

“Auntie, is there something you needed?”

Xuan Yanyu’s low, steady voice brought Mother Yan back to the present. She smiled. “Yuren brought her boyfriend home, and Cheng Cheng’s wife is expecting. Tomorrow afternoon, your eldest aunt-in-law wants Yuren to bring the boyfriend to meet Grandmother, and to share the news about your eldest sister-in-law’s pregnancy. Don’t you all usually go together?”

“Take Little Yanyu with you, and let Grandmother have a look at him.”

Yan Yunning nodded. “Got it.”

Mother Yan gave a soft cough and said, with some hesitation in her voice, “Stop picking on Little Yanyu.”

“…” Yan Yunning’s eyes went wide. “Mom, there’s been a misunderstanding.”

Mother Yan clearly wasn’t convinced. She took one last look at the two of them and stepped out, thoughtfully pulling the door shut behind her.

Yan Yunning: “…”

Xuan Yanyu leaned close to her ear, his voice dropping to a low murmur. “Did you hear what Auntie said? Stop using my daughter to ‘threaten’ me.”

Yan Yunning: “…”

The next day.

With the wedding approaching, and with Father and Mother Yan’s blessing, they had arranged for a photographer to document the occasion — and that morning, Xuan Yanyu and Yan Yunning went to register their marriage.

That afternoon, they went with Yan Jing’an to Chaxi City to meet up with Yan Yuren and the others.