Chapter 19：Doubts

Meanwhile, Chun Lan was stunned with what she heard. She immediately went to inform Zhao Yan about this new piece of information.

"My lady, is he the father of your child?" Chun Lan asked curiously. She thought that someone with such expensive clothes and extravagant carriage was from a wealthy noble family. Chun Lan didn't expect the man to be a prince!

"That..."

On the other hand, Zhao Yan felt surprised. She knew he was from a prominent family or was a wealthy young master but being a prince was too much, even for her.

And he was Prince Jing? She had heard that the Prince Regent of Zhao Country was also known as Prince Jing. Was this same person the shameless man who has appeared before her?

It sounds impossible. What would a prince of a powerful country want with someone like her? He must be bored or he has too much time in his hands.

Zhao Yan herself was already shivering from all the kinds of things he was planning. She has never been this scared towards a man before.

Even when she faced against Tian Luo, she did not feel this much fear, only disgust and hate for trying to defile her. She always thought that it was unnecessary to dwell in anger. It produces more heat in the body than necessary.

This Prince Jing was different. His noble bearing and strong aura was already fierce even when he was trying to act as harmless as possible.

He was too scary... She wanted him to disappear and never appear before her. Maybe it was merely a dream that they met today. Maybe if she sleeps everything, she would realize that it wasn't real.

Zhao Yan shook her messy thoughts and just resorted to sleeping, thinking that maybe she could fool herself. Chun Lan reluctantly left and allowed her to rest despite not receiving any answer.

Her lady looked extremely tired and weary so she chose not to bother her.

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Zhao Yan woke up during dinner and was surprised to see the two women from earlier, preparing the table and bowls.

"Miss, this servant's name is Jae Ha. His Highness has ordered me along with Court Lady Choi to serve you." The little girl who was the same age as Chun Lan respectfully bowed her head.

"His Highness has ordered us to look after the young lady. I hope the young lady would not drive us away. It will be hard to explain to His Highness and we will be punished for not completing our duties." Court Lady Choi explained in the same respectful tone but she also hinted that it would be ideal for Zhao Yan to accept their help lest they face some heavy consequences because she rejected them.

"You..." Zhao Yan doesn't know what to say. Was that guy serious on bothering her? She didn't want to move houses again. Her belly was noticeably bigger and it was hard to find a suitable place to settle during the approaching winter.

Zhao Yan sighed and just decided to ignore them for a while. She started to eat her food in silence, eating more vegetables than meat. There were two meat dishes, three vegetable dishes, a bowl of soup and a plate of pastries.

She was living her life without restraint.

"So good..." She mumbled happily. Ever since her pregnancy, Zhao Yan has been rather sensitive. She gets happy at the smallest thing, cries over the smallest thing and laughs at almost anything.

Anyway, she was in a great mood at the moment. She happily went to bed and temporarily forgot all about her troubles for the day.

When she woke up, she expected her day to be like any other day she had spent by reading and practicing her calligraphy. Zhao Yan thought that yesterday had really just been a dream that was messing with her.

However, ...

The shameless man in her nightmares came yet again.

"You aren't allowed to be here." Zhao Yan said directly while trying to hide her trembling fingers under the long sleeves of her outer coat. Were the guards so incompetent that they couldn't even serve as temporary door gods?

When he didn't move, she opened her mouth, "You bad man, go away!" She cried out, looking like an aggrieved kitten ready to lash out.

Fu Yanqing felt his lips curling upward. He examined her again from head to toe, looking for anything that was wrong. Aside from her obvious scared and apprehensive attitude towards him, he found nothing wrong.

She seemed fine other than her clear annoyance towards him and so, he was able to relax though nothing in his expression or outwardly appearance gave any of his thoughts away.

"I have a name. It is Fu Yanqing. You are permitted to call me Yanqing or Xiao Lang." He said. Xiao Lang was the nickname his mother had given him before. It means 'little wolf'. This became his nickname because he has always been aloof and cold even when he was young, just like a wolf.

But to Fu Yanqing, it was a reminder of his strength as he endured hardships one after another. Just like a wolf, he viciously fought and survived.

"Fu Yanqing..." Zhao Yan mumbled with furrowed brows. The name felt somewhat familiar but she couldn't remember where or when she heard this. Still, she finally found a name to the man that was the bane of her existence.

She immediately returned to her annoyed expression.

"You and I are not close. Do not call me so familiarly. I do not know how you know my name but no matter what, I will not accept a shameless person. I ask that you leave my humble home for I get tired and weak easily in my current condition. Thus, I am unable to entertain any guest."

She was blatantly shooing him away while trying to still be polite yet her words were harsh and rough.

He pretended like he hadn't heard this.

"I bought the courtyard next door. This place is too small for you. Move to my place, it is much bigger. You will have more space to yourself." He informed her softly. His eyes strayed towards her stomach.

Zhao Yan naturally saw where his eyes had landed and immediately felt a dozen thoughts flooding her head.

Was he planning on taking her baby away? Zhao Yan inwardly sneered. Sure enough, men just see women as breeding mares needed to continue the next generation.

He might appear as tamed as a lamb right now but she has not forgotten how he treated her before. He was always so cold to her and ordered her around. She did not believe that that scary and cold man from before would act like this willingly and ask for her hand in marriage.

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