"What?!" Baili Chen was stunned, but then he saw the little boy pointing at him. The little boy laughed even more happily: "Hurry up, hurry up, hit yourself! I've never seen anyone who likes self-torture so much. Hurry up, I'm watching. Hurry up, slap yourself first, then punch yourself in the chest. Hurry up!"
Bai Lichen's face darkened: "What nonsense are you talking about?"
The little boy floated right in front of him, his body swaying gently, just enough to meet Baili Chen's gaze: "After all this explanation, you still don't understand? How can you be so stupid? Don't let my IQ drop after you gave birth to me, or I'll be very depressed."
Baili Chen didn't understand anything about intelligence or anything like that, but he figured it wasn't a compliment. He glared at the little boy and said, "Speak clearly now, stop fooling around, and sit down on that rock." As he spoke, he took the little boy's hand. Even though the boy was like a shadow, Baili Chen could feel his hand firmly, sensing the boy's delicate, milky skin, as soft as a baby's. The child was very young, so it was to be expected. Baili Chen thought to himself, but secretly he felt that his wife's touch was much more comfortable.
"Hmph! You lecherous old man!" Just then, the little boy cast a look of extreme contempt at him. Baili Chen was taken aback. Why was this little boy so strange? Could he guess what he was thinking?
The little boy, puffing out his chest, said, "I just knew it, because I'm a ghost!"
"Oh." Baili Chen blinked slightly and nodded. The little boy looked puzzled. "Aren't you afraid I'm a ghost?"
Baili Chen slapped the little boy on the head with his large hand. "What's so scary? I am a person who is scarier than a ghost."
The little boy's dark eyes darted around, and the two of them were already sitting on the rock. Baili Chen sat cross-legged, holding the little boy and sitting opposite him. He asked very seriously, "You said I'm your father, what's going on?"
The little boy rolled his eyes, looked at Baili Chen with wide eyes, and reluctantly said, "You really are..." The word "stupid" was swallowed back by Baili Chen's "hmm," and he mumbled an explanation, "Because Mom is pregnant, right? If I'm not your son, who is?"
Baili Chen was stunned. He blinked and looked at the little boy, which was rare for him. But no matter how he looked, he couldn't make out the boy's face. However, he couldn't tell if it was just his imagination, but those big eyes really did look a lot like Ouyang Yue's. A strange feeling suddenly rose in his heart: "You mean, you are my and my wife's child."
"Yes, that's how it is. You'll be my dad from now on."
"Really?!" Baili Chen exclaimed with delight.
"Yes, yes, I'm your son. You're so silly, so incredulous." The little boy was getting impatient.
Baili Chen had never been a father before, and suddenly someone said it was his son, and it really was. How could he not be happy? He immediately hugged the little boy! "Tsk tsk tsk, he really is my son. Just now, he was so clever and mischievous. Who else could be worthy of being my son?"
The little boy cried out, "Hey, hey, hey, your ability to accept this is a bit too much! You're not surprised at all? Don't you think this is weird? You dream about me when you're sleeping, and in your dream there's a child saying, 'Son, how can you be so careless? How are you going to protect your mother?'"
Baili Chen, however, did not take it to heart: "Don't worry, I can tell from your eyes that you are my wife's child. Your eyes are so similar, which means that my wife and I's first child was a boy."
The little boy replied, "Of course! I'm a man, and I'll protect my mom in the future. Girls are too weak."
Baili Chen reached out and tapped the little boy's forehead: "No need, I'll protect your mother, you just go and drink your milk."
"Tch, don't look down on me. I'm very powerful." The little boy's eyes were full of disdain and anger, but Baili Chen was becoming more and more satisfied. He picked him up and put him aside. The little boy immediately sat on the rock, kicking his legs out of boredom. Baili Chen was very curious and couldn't help but ask, "Then tell me, did you come to me in a dream just to recognize me first? You're really a good child. I was really worried that you were a girl, which would have caused some trouble. Your dream came at a very good time."
"Just pretend I'm here to say hello, okay?" The little boy's eyes flickered slightly, as if he was a little shy, which made Baili Chen smile inwardly. "Anyway, whether it was intentional or not, your son is quite good. He's so sensible even when he's still in my belly. That's really good."
"Of course! Don't you know who I am? I'm Mom's proudest child." Upon hearing this, the little boy raised his head proudly like a crowing rooster. Baili Chen smiled and reached out to pat the little boy's head: "I was able to meet you before you were even born. Was it destined? Is it because of my childhood experiences that I couldn't confide in my own child, so I was made to get to know you first to lay a good foundation for the future?"
Baili Chen's voice was somewhat heavy, and the little boy couldn't help but fall silent. He reached out his little hand and gently grasped two of Baili Chen's fingers. Baili Chen immediately felt the softness, which went straight to his heart. Sensing the trembling in Baili Chen's fingers, the little boy said very awkwardly, "Don't misunderstand, it's because of Mom, I'm not just feeling sorry for you."
Baili Chen's eyes flashed, and he laughed. The little boy continued kicking his legs. Although he couldn't see the boy's face clearly, Baili Chen had a feeling that the little guy was blushing. He was secretly laughing his head off. This little bean sprout looked very proud, and his little mouth was sharp, but it turned out he was still a child at heart. That's right, he clearly looked like a child. Even if he was smart, could he be like an adult?
After a while, Baili Chen suddenly turned his head and asked, "Do you have a name?"
"A name? Isn't it supposed to be chosen after birth?" But the little boy's voice was bright and full of joy: "I can choose it myself, I want to be called Su'er."
"Baili Su? The name is alright," Baili Chen said after thinking for a moment.
The little boy, Bu Su'er, said with dissatisfaction, "What do you mean 'not bad'? It's very good, it's really very good, there's no better name in the world."
Baili Chen smiled and nodded, saying, "Good, good, the best names. My name is Chen, which means morning star. Your name is Su, which has a different tone but also means constellation and star. We are all stars in the sky, and your mother can be the moon. We will all revolve around her. Didn't you say you wanted to protect her?"
Baili Su was finally satisfied: "You're right, but I'm still a little kid now. If I grow up to be as tall as you, I'll be able to protect my mother. Until I grow up, I'll reluctantly entrust this task to you. You should feel honored."
"Yes, it is indeed an immense honor, and I have always been very proud of it," Baili Chen nodded earnestly.
"My mother did find someone not bad, someone I can even look at with some satisfaction. But you really must have been blessed in your past life to marry my mother and give birth to such an incomparably handsome, smart, and adorable son like me. Where did you get such incredible luck?" As he spoke, Baili Su became depressed.
"What do you mean by 'shit'? You're just a kid, don't be so rude." Baili Chen chuckled and tapped Baili Su's head, thinking to himself that this was indeed his precious son. Look at how smart and adorable he was! He was the smartest child he had ever seen, who could compare!
Baili Su snorted but didn't refute. He suddenly jumped up and said to Baili Chen, "It's getting late. You should go back soon, or your mother will worry."
Baili Chen didn't feel that much time had passed, but he didn't refuse Baili Su's words. However, Baili Su grabbed his sleeve and said, "My mother is destined to face a calamity. You must help her avoid it. You must!"
"What did you say?" Baili Chen was startled. He instinctively felt that Baili Su's words were true: "What exactly happened? Explain yourself."
Baili Su pursed his lips tightly: "It's related to my mother's background, but I don't know the specifics. It's fate. If she escapes it, she will become the strongest and most powerful, living a glorious life. If she can't escape it..."
"If we can't escape it, we'll die." Baili Chen's heart clenched. He was about to ask again, "Su'er, tell me clearly, what will happen to your mother?"
At that moment, Baili Su's body appeared and disappeared in a daze. Baili Su hurriedly said, "You must protect your mother. I will find a chance to appear in your dream. But you don't need to worry. That calamity will not come in the short term..." After saying that, Baili Su's body became transparent and disappeared instantly.
Baili Chen was shocked. Just as he was about to speak, he suddenly felt his body being pulled backward rapidly, as if he had fallen into a vortex. No matter how high his martial arts skills were, he could only be absorbed.
"No! Wait! I need to know the truth! Explain yourself!" Baili Chen suddenly cried out in the room, his whole body leaping up.
"Husband, what's wrong? Did you have a nightmare?" There was a moment of silence beside him, followed by Ouyang Yue's concerned voice. Baili Chen still felt dizzy. The dream he had just had was so real, so real that it startled him. But when he saw Ouyang Yue sitting beside him with a concerned look, he knew clearly that it was just a dream. In that instant, the difference between reality and unreality left Baili Chen feeling disoriented and speechless.
Ouyang Yue gently wiped Baili Chen's sweat with a handkerchief, coaxing him like a baby, "Don't be afraid, don't be afraid, you won't have any nightmares, I'm here."
Baili Chen's heart gradually calmed down, but his mind was still preoccupied with what Baili Su had said at the end: was his wife truly destined to die? He would absolutely not let that happen! He would protect his wife with his life!
must!
Baili Chen turned around, hugged Ouyang Yue, and said, "My wife, I would not be able to live without you in this world. You must promise me that we will be together for life, through life and death!"
Ouyang Yue was startled and looked intently at Baili Chen...
☆、229、The secret that drives the world crazy!
Ouyang Yue reached out and embraced Baili Chen, gently pressing her lips to his forehead. In truth, she had gradually noticed her own changes. In her past life, she was strong-willed and extremely proud. As a woman, she wanted to do everything to the best of her ability, never falling short of men in the slightest. Dating was something only women did; it wasn't suitable for her. There's a saying that men and women in love have zero IQ. She had never been in a relationship and didn't know if it was true, but she felt it was unnecessary. Changing herself for someone who was completely unrelated to her was an extremely foolish approach, especially since her job didn't allow her to trust anyone so easily.
As a secret agent, you come into contact with the nation's secrets and important figures from various countries. However, you also encounter those who betray their country and commit heinous crimes. As a secret agent, you must learn to disguise and counter-disguise. You have a mission, and so do secret agents from other countries. They are not allowed to trust people easily. This is for the sake of the country and also for their own safety. This is why, in her previous life, after retiring, she did not marry and have children like a normal person, but chose in vitro fertilization. Even though she retired behind the scenes, the significance she brought was extraordinary. She never thought about love or anything like that. She thought it was ridiculous.
But after meeting Baili Chen, she slowly changed. Here, she was no longer a special agent; she was just the legitimate daughter of a general's family, an ordinary woman who had to fight against her aunts and half-sisters and grow up peacefully. Apart from that, she could still be willful and reckless, as long as she found a man who could accept Su'er and give birth to an excellent child. She didn't need to worry about that at all. But now she felt that the happiest thing was for a man and woman who truly loved each other to give birth to the child they both longed for.
It's good for a woman to be strong and not rely on a man, but sometimes, everyone has moments of vulnerability. At such times, having a strong shoulder to lean on is a blessing. She noticed that when she was with Baili Chen, the little bit of vulnerability in her heart was slowly growing. When facing outsiders, she remained calm and aloof, but in front of Baili Chen, she also wanted to be a proud and charming woman. The feeling of being loved and cherished all the time wasn't bad at all. She didn't think there was anything wrong with changing for a man like this. As long as she was genuinely satisfied, wasn't that enough?
Ouyang Yue raised her head and gently extended her kiss from her forehead down to Baili Chen's eyebrows, eyes, nose, and mouth, lingering there. They didn't need to say much; she could just show him through her actions. Baili Chen was taken aback, then his arms wrapped around her already full waist like pincers, but not with force, just holding her firmly and stubbornly. This kiss was irreversible.
Baili Chen also needed this physical and mental harmony to alleviate the anxiety in his heart. What he truly held in his hands was his, and he would never give anyone the chance to hurt her.
On the large bed, from the smoke-like bed curtains, came the sounds of a woman and a man entwined, passionate and lingering, filling the room with an unusual, intense heat.
After the passion subsided, Ouyang Yue, naked with the blanket covering her chest and half of her shoulder exposed, nestled in Baili Chen's arms. Upon seeing this, Baili Chen quickly pulled the blanket up, saying, "Don't catch a cold."
Ouyang Yue gave a lazy hum, reached her hand under the covers, touched a certain cherry, and pinched it hard. Baili Chen gasped and his whole body trembled: "Wife~!"
Ouyang Yue squinted at him and said, "What kind of nightmare did you have earlier? Look how you've made me so tired." But she had a foxy smile on her face. She had clearly been playing with fire just now, but her lazy demeanor made Baili Chen's heart burn with desire, though it was burning him with unbearable discomfort.
Since Ouyang Yue became pregnant, she has not touched any spices, but she always has a faint fragrance on her body. It is a comfortable and natural fragrance, like the sweet scent that Ouyang Yue was born with. It is more captivating and intoxicating than any kind of spice in the world.
Baili Chen blushed and stared at the mischievous Ouyang Yue. He could still keenly see the heartache and worry in her eyes. He wrapped his arm around her and quickly stopped thinking about the changes in his body. He really did forget: "When I woke up, I didn't remember very clearly. I just felt that a lot of things happened in the dream, and I felt very tired in it."
"Oh, really?" Ouyang Yue blinked, her expression revealing neither belief nor disbelief.
Baili Chen smiled and said, "My wife cares so much about her father, which really touches me. Shouldn't you take care of my health?"
Ouyang Yue rolled her eyes, covered her mouth with her hand and yawned, "I'm so sleepy, so sleepy, I'm so sleepy, I can't take it anymore, I'm going to sleep." As she spoke, she turned to sleep, but Baili Chen did not expose her lie. He put his arm around her waist and pulled her into his arms, "Let me stay with you."
Ouyang Yue did not refuse, but after closing her eyes and pretending to sleep for a while, she began to breathe slowly and deeply, clearly indicating that she had actually fallen asleep.
Baili Chen gently traced the outline of Ouyang Yue's face from her eyebrows to the corner of her mouth. He didn't want to talk about it, not because he didn't trust her, but because he was afraid Yue'er would worry. Besides, he had dreamed about their son. Although everyone was wary of things involving gods and ghosts, his wife wasn't one to be afraid of trouble. Would she believe that their child had appeared in his dream and talked to him all night? He didn't want to frighten his wife. He just really hoped that the calamity wouldn't happen.
As for Ouyang Yue, she didn't press the matter. In fact, based on her own understanding, Baili Chen had a very difficult childhood. The palace was not a place for humans to live, and it was possible that he would have nightmares occasionally. So the two had a disagreement about this matter. But so what? As long as it didn't affect their love for each other, these were not problems.
The two slept side by side until almost noon. After getting up and washing, they went to find Leng Caiwen to have lunch together. Leng Caiwen's injuries were now about 70% healed. Under normal circumstances, as long as he didn't aggravate his wounds, he had no worries about his daily life. Therefore, Leng Caiwen returned to his usual carefree manner. While eating, he didn't forget to say, "Cousin's bell dance was really innovative. Don't even mention an average dancer. I think even if Jiang Xuan herself performed it, my cousin would definitely win the competition." As he spoke, he clicked his tongue at Ouyang Yue, "Look at my cousin. How come she's so smart? This is the bloodline of my Leng family. My aunt used to be the most beautiful woman in the Great Zhou Dynasty and the most beautiful woman in the Langya Continent. Now my cousin has surpassed that. No wonder she gave birth to me so handsome, dashing, and debonair. It's all genetics, genetics!"
He touched his face with obvious narcissism, then smiled broadly as he ate, holding his bowl. Ouyang Yue and Baili Chen couldn't help but twitch their lips at the sight. Such a narcissistic person was truly a rare sight indeed.
Leng Caiwen picked up a piece of chicken, swallowed it whole in one gulp, chewed it thoroughly, and then stared at Baili Chen with her slanted eyes: "What, you don't agree?"
Baili Chen almost rolled his eyes and sighed, "How could I dare? Besides, what you said is true, how could I refute it?"
"Good brother, I knew you understood me best. Even someone as outstanding as me sometimes feels helpless. It's never good to always steal the limelight from others." Leng Caiwen almost burst out laughing, which was truly speechless.
Baili Chen and Ouyang Yue knew Leng Caiwen's erratic and impulsive nature. If they were to respond now, who knew what kind of trouble he would cause next? So the two ate their meal in silence. Baili Chen served Ouyang Yue from time to time. Seeing this, Leng Caiwen was a little annoyed, but in the end, he silently finished eating his rice.
As soon as the bowls and chopsticks were set down, a servant came to announce that Jiang Qi and Jiang Xuan had arrived. Ouyang Yue and Baili Chen's expressions changed slightly, but they had the two invited to the main hall. Leng Caiwen rested his chin on his hand and said, "Could it be that they are not satisfied with their previous loss and have come to cause trouble?"
This possibility cannot be ruled out, but it's useless to talk about it now. The three of them went to the hall and saw that Jiang Qi and Jiang Xuan were both dressed casually today. Jiang Qi was dressed in a blue cloud-patterned outfit, which made him look heroic and noble. Jiang Xuan was still dressed in a fiery red dress with a snow-white rabbit-white collar, which made her beautiful face even more beautiful. Her hair was adorned with a jade hairpin, which was not complicated but made her look charming and charming. When she saw Ouyang Yue approaching, Jiang Xuan smiled, and her beautiful face became even more stunning.
Perhaps because they were used to seeing Ouyang Yue, Baili Chen and Leng Caiwen didn't linger on Jiang Xuan for long, seemingly having become immune to her.
"Please forgive me for not being able to greet the Crown Prince and Princess of Da Gan upon your arrival." As soon as he entered, Baili Chen said politely. Although he said this, there was no intention of apologizing on his face. Jiang Qi and Jiang Xuan naturally knew that this was not his true intention.
"Please don't say that. I didn't send an invitation beforehand. This was just an impromptu visit. Luckily, Prince Chen and Princess Chen were still at the residence. Otherwise, I would have come to nothing." Jiang Qi said with a very friendly smile.
Ouyang Yue still remembered that during the Langya Continent competition, Jiang Qi rarely smiled, and his confrontational demeanor was so different from how he was now. The change was truly remarkable...
Jiang Xuan stood up and walked towards Ouyang Yue, but Baili Chen blocked her way. Jiang Xuan chuckled and said, "Princess Consort Chen is truly blessed. Prince Chen cares for you so much. Don't worry, Prince Chen, I just share similar interests and wish to get closer to you. This is Prince Chen's residence. What do you think I could do, or would dare to do?" As a princess of a country, she wouldn't do anything impolite. That was Jiang Xuan's meaning.
After Ouyang Yue secretly patted the back of his hand, Baili Chen turned around to talk to Leng Caiwen and Jiang Qi. Jiang Xuan pulled Ouyang Yue to sit down beside her and said with a smile, "Actually, I came here this time to apologize to Princess Chen. I have this flaw: I'm too arrogant. I'm unwilling to admit defeat to talented women. After the beauty pageant of the previous generation, my eldest brother praised Princess Chen highly, which I found extremely unacceptable. That's why, when my eldest brother went on a mission to the Great Zhou, I begged my father and mother for ten days before I was granted permission to come. I originally just wanted to compete with Princess Chen to see who was better. After the competition, I realized that there are always people more capable than you, and I accepted my defeat wholeheartedly. However, I was quite aggressive in the main hall earlier, and I know my own shortcomings. So, after returning home, I thought it best to prepare generous gifts to apologize."
"Clap clap clap." After saying that, Jiang Xuan clapped her hands, and a row of palace maids immediately stepped in, each holding an exquisite little mahogany box. After standing up, they opened them one by one, and the hall was immediately filled with light and brilliance.
Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a luminous pearl the size of half a fist, along with exquisite white jade bracelets, fine gold hairpins, and other items—ten boxes containing ten different items, none of which were ordinary. It seemed a bit too extravagant for Jiang Xuan to offer as an apology. Before Ouyang Yue could speak, Jiang Xuan interjected, "Princess Consort Chen, please don't think these items are too valuable. If they can express even a fraction of my sincerity, then that is their worth."
Having said that, Ouyang Yue wouldn't be coy. Who doesn't love good things? She smiled and said, "Princess Jiang Xuan is indeed straightforward. Then this princess will accept it without hesitation."
Jiang Xuan nodded repeatedly: "That's only right."
Chuncao had already led the servants to put it away, then sent it to the storeroom to be registered and locked before returning to report. Jiang Xuan looked at Chuncao and smiled, "Princess Consort Chen has even taught the servants around her so well. She is truly a perfect person."
Ouyang Yue said thoughtfully, "Princess Jiang Xuan, you're exaggerating. There is no such thing as a perfect person in this world. This maid was personally trained by my grandmother before she married into the Prince Chen's mansion, so she is naturally a steady person."
Jiang Xuan asked doubtfully, "Could it be Princess Shuangxia?"
“Exactly,” Ouyang Yue replied.
Jiang Xuan sighed deeply and said, "Speaking of Princess Shuangxia, she is a famous woman in Langya Continent. In terms of background, Princess Shuangxia and I are quite similar. I care more about Princess Shuangxia. In fact, she has always been someone I admire. It is quite a coincidence that Princess Chen and I became acquainted through conflict. I wonder if Princess Chen could introduce Princess Shuangxia to me if there is an opportunity, so that I can express my admiration."
Ouyang Yue smiled and nodded, but there was a deep meaning in her eyes: "As long as Princess Jiang Xuan is willing, this princess will certainly not refuse."
Jiang Xuan chuckled, but with a hint of reproach: "You keep calling me 'Princess,' we're quite destined to meet, why don't we address each other by our given names?"
Ouyang Yue smiled and shook her head in refusal: "Princess, etiquette cannot be neglected. Although I greatly admire Princess Jiang Xuan, this matter concerns the relationship between our two countries, so it is best to be cautious. As long as the princess is willing, the form of address is secondary."
Jiang Xuan smiled deeply: "What Princess Consort Chen said is very polite. It was I who was too particular about formalities, which made me lose face."
Ouyang Yue chuckled and didn't say much. Jiang Qi and Jiang Xuan didn't stay long; they left after sitting for a while. However, in the following days, Jiang Xuan frequently visited the Prince Chen's residence. Every time she came, she would pull Ouyang Yue aside for a chat, almost treating her as a close friend. Out of courtesy, Ouyang Yue didn't refuse, but Leng Caiwen was willing to play the bad guy, subtly and overtly trying to get rid of her. Jiang Xuan seemed oblivious to this, and she didn't talk much, only engaging in deep conversations with Ouyang Yue about music, dance, calligraphy, and painting. It seemed that her approach to Ouyang Yue was purely for exchange and discussion. Even Leng Caiwen's intervention was ineffective, and the people of the Prince Chen's residence were also at a loss. After all, Jiang Xuan was a princess of the Great Gan Dynasty; they couldn't very well kick her out.
However, this led to a rumor spreading rapidly throughout the capital, growing stronger and stronger.
What is Jiang Xuan's purpose in making this mission to the Great Zhou Dynasty? If it's merely for peace between the two countries, then Jiang Qi alone would suffice; as the eldest prince of the Great Zhou, Jiang Qi is more than qualified. If Jiang Xuan came specifically to compete because she was dissatisfied with Ouyang Yue becoming the most beautiful woman on the Langya Continent, and she lost the competition but still coexists peacefully and visits the Chen Prince's residence every day, doesn't Princess Jiang Xuan have any dignity? Or is it true, as she claims, that she's simply here for a friendly exchange, and that Princess Jiang Xuan is a very magnanimous person who doesn't care about winning or losing but only wants to improve her skills through competition? Does this make sense, or is it even possible?
From an outsider's perspective, the most likely scenario is that Jiang Xuan went to Prince Chen's residence with a purpose, but it wasn't to spar with Ouyang Yue. This was merely a cover for Jiang Xuan's true purpose, which was actually Prince Chen, Baili Chen!
That's right!