The Foolish Agent

Chapter 101

At the same time, Qingfeng also stated: "I will take care of you and your child forever!"

"I'm the child's uncle! Whether he has a father or not, I'm his father!" Zi Ying was the best at taking advantage of others.

If Xiaojie wasn't moved by now, she would have truly mastered the art of freezing the heart. But her heart clearly hadn't reached that level, because her eyes were already red. The tears welled up in her eyes, forming a deep, clear lake. She choked back sobs for a long time before finally managing to utter a single sentence:

"Thank you! Thank you all! Having friends and brothers like you makes my life worthwhile."

One of the 129 Questions about Love

The stalemate resulted in Qingfeng and Ziying staying behind to handle matters in Beifeng. Xuanyuan, Xiaojie, and Yangpu returned to Jinghe first. Although Qingfeng was extremely reluctant to leave, he even considered going back to Jinghe with them. However, a remark from Xuanyuan reminded him. If he went with them now, his emperor father would undoubtedly send troops to hunt them down immediately. Who knew what trouble would ensue then? After yesterday's fright, he no longer had the confidence he once had. He had promised not to let Xiaojie be harmed again, hadn't he? Therefore, he had to go back and properly handle the aftermath.

On the vast, white snowfield, not a single pedestrian could be seen. Only a luxurious carriage, pulled by three fine horses, sped against the wind. From inside the carriage came the sounds of a woman retching and a man asking worried questions. Suddenly, someone in the carriage leaned out and called out to the person in charge:

"Park in Yangpu!"

"Whoa—!" Yang Pu, sitting in the driver's seat, immediately pulled on the reins, and the speeding carriage came to a stop.

A head immediately popped out of the right-hand window. Then came the sounds of "Ugh! Ugh..." and a pungent, putrid stench.

Yang Pu, standing at the front of the carriage, didn't show any disgust or aversion; on the contrary, he couldn't help but smile. He finally understood that the Third Master was truly a mortal, not a deity. Because along the journey, he had finally seen the Third Master's previously unseen, more feminine side. Of course, if the two people inside the carriage knew of his gloating expression, they'd probably skin him alive, or at least give him a good spanking!

"Ugh! Ugh..."

Xuanyuan's face was filled with worry and pain. He had experienced the agonizing pain of vomiting before and knew that indescribable discomfort. Xuanyuan patted Xiaojie's back with one hand to help her feel more comfortable, and handed her a clean towel with the other. He spoke with a pained tone, offering words of comfort:

"Xiaojie, let's get off the bus and walk around!"

"I don't want to crawl in the snow! Let's ride horses! I've never been carsick in either of my lives, and today I discovered I can't ride in a carriage at all. It's unbelievable!" She took the handkerchief Xuanyuan offered and wiped the residue from the corner of her mouth. She replied weakly. Making her walk on this thick snow would be even more deadly.

"No, you can't ride a horse yet!" Xuanyuan firmly rejected Leng Jie's request.

Leng Jie glanced at Xuan Yuan, pouted, turned her back, and said angrily:

"Then let me faint, let me faint to death!"

Xuanyuan was momentarily stunned. When had he ever seen Xiaojie show such an adorable, feminine side? But he quickly understood. It seemed Qingfeng was right; pregnant women were indeed irrational. However, he liked Xiaojie like this because it made her feel real.

"Then shall I use my light-footed skills to carry you for a while? Let's find a sheltered place ahead and wait for Yangpu to drive over." He gently turned Xiaojie's body towards him and coaxed her tenderly.

"I can use light-footed skills too! Don't make me sound like a cripple." Leng Jie rolled her eyes at Xuan Yuan and replied irritably.

"Young Master Qingfeng specifically instructed that the Third Sect Master is not allowed to use his internal energy casually, except for using it to keep warm. Especially not to circulate his internal energy, as that would be very dangerous for the child," Yang Pu added, joining in the persuasion. He also brought up Qingfeng's special instructions before his departure.

The moment the topic of danger to the children came up, Leng Jie immediately calmed down. She took two deep breaths, suppressing her agitated emotions. Thinking back on her earlier behavior, she felt she had been inexplicably rude and unreasonable. She smiled apologetically at Yang Pu and Xuan Yuan:

"It's alright, let's go. We need to get to the next populated area before dark."

Yang Pu looked smugly at his sect leader, as if to claim credit, and said, "Look how powerful I am! I took care of the three sect leaders for you in one go."

"Hurry up and get going, keep the carriage steady," Xuanyuan glared at him and snapped.

Yangpu immediately pouted and turned around. He whipped the reins and started to move. In his heart, however, he sighed, thinking to himself, "What a miserable person I am! He's always the one who's wrong, and he's always the one who gets bullied."

The carriage was the best and largest Qingfeng had specially chosen for them from the palace. Inside, it was like a bedroom, fully equipped with all the necessities of life. In fact, the carriage traveled very smoothly on the snow. Xiaojie's vomiting was entirely due to severe morning sickness. Xuanyuan took a bowl of warm milk from the charcoal stove, poured it, and held it to Xiaojie's lips, saying considerately:

"Xiaojie, drink this. Otherwise, you won't have the strength to keep going."

"Thank you!" Having calmed down, Xiaojie stopped being rude. After thanking her, she took the milk and drank it all in one gulp. However, as soon as the milk entered her stomach, a strong churning sensation immediately followed. Xiaojie quickly leaned out the window again.

"vomit……"

Xuanyuan gently patted Leng Jie's back to help her catch her breath, easing her pain from vomiting. Seeing Xiao Jie's discomfort pained him deeply, a bitter and indescribable sorrow welling up inside him. A surge of uncontrollable anger also rose within him. If he found out which damned man had caused Xiao Jie such suffering, he would make him pay!

If he were to utter these hateful words, Leng Jie might just laugh it off and let him deal with himself!

Not only did she vomit up every last drop of the milk she had just drunk, but she also brought up the acid from her stomach. Clutching her aching chest, Leng Jie weakly pulled her head back from the window, where the cold wind was making it numb. Xuan Yuan immediately used a warm towel he had prepared to wipe her face. Leng Jie leaned into his broad, warm embrace, weakly saying, "Let me lean on you, I feel so awful!" Then she closed her eyes, held her breath, and tried to quiet her mind. Without thinking of anything, Leng Jie quickly drifted off to sleep.

Xuanyuan gently pulled her into his arms, letting her nestle against him. Knowing she no longer had the energy to circulate her internal energy to resist the cold, he gently placed his palm on Xiaojie's back, slowly channeling a warm stream of internal energy into her body. Supported by Xuanyuan's continuous warmth, Leng Jie slept even more soundly. A faint blush gradually crept onto her pale face. A satisfied smile involuntarily bloomed on Xuanyuan's lips.

Whether she marries him or not, as long as he can stay by her side, he feels the world is still a beautiful place!

In the days that followed, Leng Jie's condition did not improve. On the contrary, it became even more troublesome; she could barely eat anything. If she ate even a little, she would vomit even more violently. Eventually, she could only survive by drinking sugar-salt water and having Xuan Yuan channel his internal energy into her. At the same time, she felt her emotions becoming increasingly uncontrollable. Everything seemed to annoy her, and she would blurt out rants completely out of control. Although she apologized to Xuan Yuan and Yang Pu whenever she calmed down, she still couldn't accept herself like this. She now realized that childbirth was truly not an easy thing. The books said that pregnant women were just as neurotic as menopausal women, and it seemed that was absolutely true.

Just like now, Leng Jie clearly wanted to eat dessert, but after she ate it, she threw it all up. She immediately yelled at Xuan Yuan:

"It's all your fault! You knew I'd throw up if I ate it, but you still gave it to me. Were you happy to see me suffer like that?!"

Xuanyuan could only laugh and cry at the same time as he handed over the hot water and admitted his mistake:

"Yes, it's all my fault. Quickly drink some hot water and rinse your mouth!"

"What do you mean? Are you calling me bad-mouthed?" Leng Jie muttered to herself as she took the hot water.

Scenario 2:

"It's so cold!" Leng Jie exclaimed.

"Come here, I'll transfer my internal energy to you."

"No need, stop trying to take advantage of me."

Didn't he take advantage of her enough? Why did it have to be until she was exhausted and collapsed into his arms for warmth for it not to be considered taking advantage? Finally, Xuanyuan realized that only she could take advantage of him, not him!

When Leng Jie was lucid, she would think that she was acting like a typical shrew. She must have really annoyed the two men who were with her!

But the reality was quite the opposite. Xuanyuan and Yangpu not only didn't dislike her current appearance, but they actually enjoyed her unreasonable antics. This made them feel closer to her, unlike before, when, although she always joked with them and often made them laugh, even when they were very close, she always gave off an ethereal feeling, making others feel that there was an insurmountable chasm between them. It was as if she sat on a cloud floating in the sky, while they could only stand on the ground looking up at her, gazing at her, yet never able to touch her.

Especially Xuanyuan, he found himself becoming increasingly infatuated with his current little woman, Xiaojie, who was always throwing tantrums at him. Although seeing her upset made his heart ache, the fact that she could nestle in his arms so unreservedly, that she could be so affectionate with him, even act like a child, made it all worthwhile, even if it broke his heart.

There's a saying, "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder!" No matter what Xiaojie looks like, Xuanyuan always seems to find the right words to describe her beauty!

After traveling for more than ten days across the desolate Qiqi Snowfield, they finally entered Jinghe County. Upon entering Jinghe, the temperature noticeably rose by several tens of degrees. The ubiquitous houses and the rising smoke from their chimneys evoked a profound sense of warmth and familiarity. Because the road was impassable, there was almost no snow on the roads. Only occasionally were small clumps of snow, resembling cabbages, scattered in the fields on either side of the road.

"Ah! Finally back in Jinghe!" Yangpu exclaimed first.

I'd spent half the month huddled in the car, observing the cold, pristine white world. After a moment of reflection upon arriving in Yangpu, I couldn't resist opening the window to look outside. Suddenly, I saw the long-lost green trees outside the window. Immediately, like a child seeing a favorite toy, I excitedly exclaimed:

"Xuanyuan, let's go for a walk! I feel like my legs are going to give out!"

"Alright! You should go for a walk." It had been a long time since he'd seen her so enthusiastic. Upon seeing her, Xuanyuan was almost speechless. After a moment of surprise, Xuanyuan smiled and nodded in agreement. He casually picked up a thick, shawl and draped it over her shoulders. After carefully tying it securely, he called out towards Yangpu ahead:

"Yangpu, stop the car!"

"Whoa—!" The car stopped, and Yang Pu opened the car door and said with a smile:

"Has the Third Sect Master finally dared to walk on the ground?"

"Bang!" Yang Pu received a sharp slap on the forehead.

"You brat, how dare you laugh at your sister!" Leng Jie withdrew her finger, blew on it, jumped off the train, and stood in front of Yang Pu. She threatened with a forced smile:

"I'm warning you! I won't walk in the snow, and don't tell anyone when we get back. Otherwise, you'll face the consequences!"

"Haha..." Leng Jie's expression immediately drew laughter from Xuan Yuan and Yang Pu.

"You dare laugh!" Leng Jie's fingers curled, poised for another attack. Yang Pu immediately dodged, desperately trying to stop laughing as he replied:

"Alright, I wouldn't dare. Don't worry, even if you gave me the courage, I wouldn't tell anyone about the funny things that happened along the way." Of course, if anyone asks, that's none of my business. Yang Pu thought to himself.

"Alright, Yangpu, stop fooling around. Go to the town ahead and find a decent inn. Prepare a few buckets of hot water and some good food." Xuanyuan jumped down and, while suppressing a laugh, instructed Yangpu.

"Yes, sir!" Yang Pu replied immediately and formally. Then he closed the carriage door, jumped in, and bowed to the two men who had retreated to the side of the road, saying, "Second Master, please take your leisurely stroll. I will take my leave now."

Watching Yang Bian drive away through Yangpu, Leng Jie couldn't help but shake her head and laugh:

"How come I never noticed before? This kid is actually so cute!"

"Yangpu is cute?" A sharp glint flashed in Xuanyuan's phoenix eyes. It seemed Yangpu couldn't stay with Xiaojie anymore. But he asked sourly, "..."

What does Xiaojie think of me?

"So sour!" Leng Jie suddenly looked up at Xuan Yuan. Her ambiguous smile made Xuan Yuan's scalp tingle. He quickly added:

"I mean, do you think I can be considered a good man now?"

"Haha, I thought you were going to ask me if you're cute?" Leng Jie stared into his eyes and said with a smile.

Upon being exposed, Xuanyuan's face involuntarily flushed red. Though fleeting, it was caught by Leng Jie's sharp, eagle-like eyes. She couldn't help but burst into laughter again:

"Haha, Xuanyuan, you're so cute!"

He, the emperor, was called cute by a little girl. And she was the one who asked to come. Although he felt a little embarrassed, Xuanyuan was secretly delighted. He quickly changed the subject, saying:

"Xiao Jie is in much better spirits now."

"Yes, these past two weeks have been the most painful two weeks of my life." Leng Jie felt a chill run down her spine as she thought about the past ten days she had spent in a daze. If it weren't for Xuan Yuan's meticulous care and understanding during this time, she truly didn't know if she could have endured the pain and kept the baby in her womb. A warm current involuntarily flowed through her heart. She suddenly thought, perhaps she should give herself and him another chance? Leng Jie walked forward in silence for a while. Suddenly, she asked with a sigh:

"Xuanyuan, to be honest, you really don't mind who the father of the child in my belly is?"

Xuanyuan was completely taken aback by Xiaojie's sudden question. The day she left Beifeng, she had made it clear that she would not marry anyone. Therefore, he had been thinking all the way back to the capital about how to bring her back. What did her asking this mean? Had she changed her mind because she knew the hardships of motherhood? Did she want to find someone to raise the child with? After a moment of stunned silence, Xuanyuan stopped Xiaojie, who was still walking forward. Gazing at her affectionately, he asked in surprise:

"Xiaojie, why are you asking this? You should know that I'm bothered by you. Do you mind who the father of the child is? Or rather, do you mind me being the father of the child?"

Leng Jie met Xuan Yuan's affectionate gaze, and after a long while, she murmured:

"I really don't understand? My master said I'm emotionally clueless, and it seems he was absolutely right."

Was what he said difficult to understand? Xuanyuan was completely bewildered by Leng Jie's words and pressed on, asking:

"What don't you understand? Let me tell you?"

"I don't understand why you're so good to me? If I interpret it as you genuinely like me, then why can't you care that I was raped and pregnant with someone else's child? Don't you find that contradictory? Wouldn't it be hard to accept if something like that happened to your lover?" Leng Jie blurted out. Only after she finished speaking did she realize that she might have been too direct.

Uh! Has she been rejecting him because of this all along? He really admired her master; he was absolutely right. She truly was an emotional idiot. She still didn't understand his feelings! Hadn't he expressed himself clearly enough? Xuanyuan felt he didn't know what expression to use to convey his current emotions. He took a deep breath, composed himself, and then said seriously:

“Who told you I didn’t care? Do you know how much it hurt me when I heard Ziying talk about that? Do you know that I immediately ordered the army to raze Beifeng to the ground? I even disregarded the fact that that woman was Qingfeng’s birth mother and made her pay for the double pain she inflicted on you. Although she ultimately escaped that ordeal because of your words, she was driven mad by fear.”

Is that so? So that's how he avenged her. They really are on the same wavelength! She already had this idea back at the mine, but just hadn't had a chance to put it into practice. Leng Jie thought to herself.

Seeing Leng Jie remain silent and bewildered, Qingfeng continued:

"You know that I was afraid you would be even more pained and saddened if I knew about that. Even though my heart was bleeding, I still had to pretend that I knew nothing in front of you and Qingfeng."

Is that so? Is it because he's worried about her? Leng Jie's gaze remained filled with doubt. Her mind was becoming increasingly confused…

Xuanyuan placed his hands on Leng Jie's shoulders and continued:

"As for the fact that you're pregnant, what can I say? Can I tell you not to have the child? I can't. Because I can see that you really care about this child. Although I don't know if you only care about the child or the child's father? But I love you. I don't want to lose you. That's why I'm pretending that I don't care about anything! Do you understand?"

Did she understand? She seemed to understand, yet she seemed even more confused? Leng Jie unconsciously shook her head. Should she believe him?

"You!" Xuanyuan was getting a little anxious. Why was she, who was so intelligent in everything, so clueless about emotions? Xuanyuan sighed inwardly! If it weren't for the passersby constantly stopping to watch them, he would have wanted to show her directly through his actions just how much he loved her.

"If you can't even touch me, will you still say you love me?" Leng Jie suddenly asked. She always felt that their relationship was purely based on physical attraction. That's why she had those complicated, unsettling feelings. He could make her nose bleed, but she didn't understand if she loved him. Because she found the word "love" to be incredibly heavy.