Lady of Fortune, Jiao Niang

Chapter 111

The next day, Xu Bao saw Little Shi Tou bringing him milk cakes to eat.

Little Shi Tou handed them to him while saying: "These are my favorites. I secretly saved them all for you, little brother, you eat them."

Xu Bao didn't quite understand why Brother Shi Tou was being so good to him, but he wasn't polite either. He laughed cheerfully and grabbed one, opening his mouth to bite off half of it.

Little Shi Tou felt particularly sorry for him. Fang Shi was afraid he'd eat too much and not eat his meals properly, so she only gave him two pieces a day. He himself was reluctant to take such big bites.

However, though Little Shi Tou was also greedy, he didn't reach out. Instead, he asked: "Xu Bao, did Second Uncle force you to read yesterday?"

Xu Bao was young. When a whole sentence was said to him, he could only understand it word by word.

The little chubby one only heard "Second Uncle" and "read," so he laughed cheerfully and said: "Daddy reads books."

Little Shi Tou thought about it. His daddy was his Second Uncle. Sure enough, his little brother was being forced to read.

Feeling sorry, he patted Xu Bao's head and continued: "If you don't like it, come find me. I'll play with you."

Xu Bao had already finished one milk cake and was reaching for the remaining one. Hearing this, the little chubby one laughed cheerfully and replied: "I like it. Daddy reads books, like it, read every day."

Little Shi Tou looked at Xu Bao. Though just a small child, he sighed. His poor little brother was so scared he was talking nonsense.

Xu Bao looked at Little Shi Tou, eating his milk cake with a big smile, thinking his brother was really nice.

A few more days passed, and it was New Year's Eve.

This year on New Year's Eve, Ye Jiao didn't do much. She only wrapped two dumplings before setting them aside.

Liu Shi had also learned from Qi Yun that Ye Jiao's pregnancy wasn't stable, so she only had her sit nearby to chat and talk. If she could sit, she shouldn't stand.

Xu Bao didn't bother Ye Jiao either. He just chased after Qi Yun, constantly clamoring to hear stories. Qi Yun really had no way to deal with the child, but with so many things to do and no time to attend to him, he handed Xu Bao over to Qi Ming.

Third Young Master Qi took on the responsibility of caring for Xu Bao. However, he had only read the Four Books and Five Classics since childhood, so the stories he told were all from those texts. They were either about family and country or about loyalty, filial piety, and righteousness. Xu Bao listened in a daze, but the child had a lively personality and was happy as long as someone accompanied him. Even though he didn't understand, he would look up at Qi Ming's mouth opening and closing, cheerfully swaying his head along like a big doll.

When it came time to eat dumplings that evening, Ye Jiao ate only two before setting down her chopsticks to coax Xu Bao. She only started eating again when other dishes were served.

Qi Yun paid particular attention to his wife. He clearly saw that after she ate two dumplings, there was a date pit on the table and a copper coin in her hand.

Second Young Master Qi felt he had probably gotten used to his wife's extraordinary good fortune.

However, even after New Year's Eve passed and the new year arrived, with lanterns hanging on the streets, Ye Ping Rong still hadn't returned.

Ye Jiao still worried about her elder brother. When Qi Yun was helping her bathe, she asked him: "Is Elder Brother delayed by something?"

Qi Yun nodded and gave her a bath bean, saying: "Elder Brother wrote before saying that although the court situation has stabilized, the military still has many factions. Since Elder Brother is related to Hui Niang, he stands with the Guo family. These days he needs to help the Guo family stabilize the situation and can't spare time for now."

Although Ye Jiao didn't understand about courts or situations, she could tell Ye Ping Rong wasn't in danger, so she felt relieved.

Qi Yun gently rubbed Ye Jiao's belly with a cloth towel, thinking that he actually hadn't told Ye Ping Rong about Jiao Niang's pregnancy. It wasn't that he wanted to hide it, but being an official in the capital was extremely difficult. Qi Yun knew Ye Ping Rong's character too well. If he told him, even if knives were falling from the sky, he would return with a pot over his head.

Better not to say anything. Whether he returned or not, Jiao Niang's baby wouldn't fly away.

However, Qi Yun's unconscious action made Ye Jiao laugh.

Having Qi Yun help her bathe was because now Qi Yun was hiding from Xu Bao, afraid that energetic little fellow would grab him to recite books for hours without letting him go.

Little Su went to take care of Xu Bao, so naturally helping Ye Jiao scrub her back fell to Qi Yun.

But normally scrubbing backs didn't involve touching bellies. Now Qi Yun unconsciously touched it, encountering Ye Jiao's soft flesh, and Little Ginseng couldn't help but laugh.

Qi Yun immediately withdrew his hand, his ears slightly red, averting his eyes.

Now Ye Jiao was only two months pregnant. Her lower abdomen was still flat, showing nothing. But staying indoors so much had made her skin even whiter than before. Her smooth back paired with her black hair, even just looking could make Qi Yun's head heat up.

If it were before, this scene would be like a reward for him, because seeing it meant comfortable things would naturally follow.

But now, Qi Yun didn't dare think much about it. What had been good things became torment.

For a moment, Qi Yun felt it would be better to go read to Xu Bao.

Reading only tired his mouth, but now his whole body was tired.

However, he didn't notice that his wife was sitting in the bathtub, staring at him without blinking. From his ears to his front garment dampened by water, Ye Jiao's watery eyes swept over everything, but she just looked without moving.

Fortunately, Little Su knocked on the door outside: "Second Young Master, Nanny Liu came to take Young Master to sleep at Madam's place. Should Second Young Master go take a look?"

Qi Yun immediately placed the cloth towel aside, lowered his head to kiss Ye Jiao's face, and said softly: "I'll go out for a moment," then walked around the screen.

Little Su looked somewhat strangely at Qi Yun's seemingly fleeing figure. When she rolled up her sleeves to scrub Ye Jiao's back, she heard her Second Young Mistress muttering quietly while leaning on the bathtub edge: "Still seven months to go, so long."

Little Su couldn't understand what exactly was long, and didn't ask. She just focused on scrubbing Ye Jiao's back.

Little Ginseng needed to talk about something to distract herself, so she said: "Did Xu Bao bother you just now?"

Little Su shook her head: "No, Third Young Master gave Young Master a copy of the 'Three Character Classic' earlier. It's clearly printed with large characters. Young Master lay there looking at it for quite a while."

Ye Jiao was somewhat surprised: "He can't read yet. What's he looking at in books?"

Little Su honestly replied: "Probably can't read them. I saw Young Master holding the book upside down and still looking happy."

Ye Jiao: ...

However, her son was not yet two years old, speaking in single words, so reading was still early. Ye Jiao wasn't in a hurry.

Since Qi Yun wasn't there, Ye Jiao lost the pleasure of watching her husband's ears turn red and white. She didn't soak long before getting out of the bathtub, drying off, dressing, and getting into bed.

She had intended to lie down and sleep, but Ye Jiao suddenly felt hungry. Little Su immediately went out to the small kitchen to have someone prepare a late-night snack.

On the other side, Qi Yun carried a lantern and took people to Liu Shi's place, chatted with Liu Shi for a while, then went to the side room to see Xu Bao.

Xu Bao didn't mind different beds. He could sleep soundly anywhere. Now he was sleeping sprawled out with his arms and legs spread, as if he wanted to occupy the entire bed.

Qi Yun patted Xu Bao's back, his expression becoming gentler.

His fat son's sleeping posture was exactly like Ye Jiao's, both extremely improper. But Qi Yun just thought it was good. He felt his son would grow up well. Whatever way he resembled Ye Jiao, he thought it was wonderful.

However, Xu Bao slept very deeply and wouldn't easily wake up at night. Qi Yun had Nanny Liu come in to watch, then returned to his courtyard. But he didn't go to the bedroom first, instead going to the small room.

He calculated in his mind that Ye Jiao probably hadn't finished bathing yet, so he thought to use this time to properly organize the accounts Manager Song had brought today.

But Qi Yun didn't see that just as he entered the small room, someone slipped into the courtyard from outside the gate.

Fang Cao's forehead was covered in sweat, her hands trembling, terribly frightened.

Actually, she didn't really dare come. Although Fang Cao had only been at the Qi family for a short time, in just these few days she had seen how affectionate Second Young Master and Second Young Mistress were with each other. Both were extremely good-looking, and walking together, they were like immortal beings.

If she had harbored improper thoughts before, the more she stayed, the more she felt she didn't have that ability.

But Fang Cao still remembered what her mother had told her.

"There's no man who doesn't stray. Other wealthy families don't stop their masters from taking concubines when the mistress is pregnant. If you throw yourself at him, can they really kick you out? If it works, you'll be the master. Add a child or two and you won't have to worry about good days. Your brother is at a critical time wanting to become a steward. If it works and you rise up, your brother will rise too. Isn't that good?"

Fang Cao had always harbored such thoughts, especially since Qi Yun's sickly appearance had disappeared. Although he was still somewhat pale compared to ordinary people, he was much better than his previous lifeless, cold, and sinister appearance.

Moreover, Qi Yun was naturally handsome, tall, and had an elegant bearing when coming and going. It was hard not to think more about him.

Although his personality was cold, unattractive people who didn't like to talk were called wooden blocks, but good-looking people were considered steady and calm.

Such a person standing there, plus being encouraged by her mother, even though Fang Cao was still somewhat afraid, she still found an opportunity to slip in.

Previously, Tie Zi had always been guarding Qi Yun's side, and others couldn't get close at all. Now that Tie Zi wasn't there, Fang Cao felt her opportunity had come.

The Qi family ultimately wasn't some high-ranking noble household. Usually there were servants patrolling and guarding doors, but they watched the gates closely and kept strict watch on outsiders. However, they didn't pay much attention to people inside the courtyard. Plus, Fang Cao was small and good at hiding, and she had been brought in to help, so she managed to slip through.

She crouched in a corner, eagerly waiting and watching. Seeing Qi Yun go out and return, finally seeing him enter the small room, Fang Cao knew he was alone inside.

The timing was perfect.

Fang Cao touched the hairpin on her head, loosened her hair slightly, arranged her bright clothes, took a deep breath, spun around a few times on the spot, thought for a moment, then prepared to fight for her future.

She didn't know that someone had been watching her closely from not far away.

Little Su, who had just gone to bring Ye Jiao a late-night snack, had already noticed the figure over there. She originally thought it was someone Liu Shi had sent to follow Qi Yun out of concern, but later, borrowing the moonlight, Little Su looked carefully and discovered it was actually a young woman.

She looked quite familiar too. Little Su squinted and looked carefully, then remembered she was someone she'd seen in the small kitchen before.

Because this person's intentions were unclear, Little Su became cautious. She didn't call out immediately but stood in the shadows of the corridor watching.

When she saw her loosening her hair and adjusting her hairpin, Little Su understood seven or eight parts of it.

Recently, Little Su had been going to learn things from Nanny Liu every day. Nanny Liu had told her many things, including how to protect her masters.

Father Qi could have no concubines not only because he and Liu Shi cherished each other, but also because Nanny Liu had eagle-like eyes that could precisely identify who was kind-hearted and who had ulterior motives.

Little Su had only learned the basics, so when she saw Fang Cao last time, she hadn't detected this person's intentions.

Fortunately, it wasn't too late to notice now.

So when Fang Cao had just stepped onto the stairs, she saw a black shadow rush out from the side.

Before she could react, someone splashed soup all over her face!

The soup was still hot. Although it wouldn't burn her face, it was sticky and splattered on her face and flowed down her neck, making Fang Cao cry out and instinctively reach up to wipe it off.

Little Su felt sorry for the rice ball soup she had prepared for Ye Jiao, but her face showed extreme nervousness. She dropped the empty bowl, grabbed a cane beater used for beating quilts from the side, specifically choosing the largest and hardest one, and swung it at Fang Cao's head while shouting: "Help! Catch the thief!"