However, behind every joy in this world, there is always some bitterness and sorrow. Although Yun Lie was happy that he was about to become a father, this joy would be overwhelmed by some kind of heart-wrenching torment when the night was quiet.
What bothered him most was that Luo Cuiwei was always restless and fidgeting in his arms.
They're practically leaving him no way out.
"Why are you staring at me like that?" Luo Cuiwei was startled when he suddenly opened his eyes. She poked his chest first, then said, "Go back to sleep."
Since becoming pregnant, she has always had trouble sleeping at night, and would often get up and run out to vomit, so the candles in her bedroom were kept burning all night.
At this moment, she felt as if two bright little flames were flickering in Yun Lie's eyes, perhaps because of the candlelight.
"What were you doing, secretly touching me just now?" Yun Lie's gaze was fixed on her, and he held her tightly in his arms with a serious expression.
Luo Cuiwei's face immediately contorted with a deep sense of injustice.
"Who touched you?" She punched him twice, both amused and exasperated. "I was clearly pushing you!"
She had been feeling unwell all over for the past few days, but couldn't quite put her finger on what was wrong. She would toss and turn until almost dawn before finally falling asleep.
For some reason, Yun Lie seemed to need to hold her in his arms to fall asleep peacefully, forcing her to secretly push him away and escape his embrace after he fell asleep.
Tonight, she probably didn't time it well; she only gave him a slight push before Yun Lie was awakened.
Without thinking, Yun Lie grabbed her hand that was pounding on his shoulder, buried his face in her temple in great pain, and pleaded helplessly, "Stop it, if you provoke me again, I'll probably die young."
The days of being a vegetarian were not easy; he endured them with great difficulty.
"Who upset you?" Understanding his unspoken meaning, Luo Cuiwei's cheeks flushed instantly. She froze in his arms and murmured, "Haven't you noticed that I've been hiding in the wall like a ghost these past few nights? But every time you're half asleep, you have to grab me and hold me..."
They deserved it.
Upon hearing this, Yun Lie immediately turned his face and bit her burning red earlobe, complaining aggrievedly, "That's because you're always tossing and turning next to me. If I don't grab you and hold you, neither of us can sleep."
His accusation was so successful that Luo Cuiwei slapped him on the forehead and pushed his head away forcefully.
"Is it that I don't want to sleep well?" Luo Cuiwei kicked him under the covers angrily. "You dare to complain that I toss and turn? Don't you think about whose fault this is?"
"It's my fault, it's my fault," Yun Lie suddenly chuckled bitterly, pulling her into his arms again and binding her with his hands and feet. "But you must not kick me again, and don't sneak to touch me while I'm asleep. If you keep behaving yourself, I'm afraid something will happen."
Some indescribable changes made Luo Cuiwei immediately afraid to move, and after a long while she looked up at him in disbelief.
Where is your... composure?
"Dead." He closed his eyes and muttered in despair.
Including the ten-odd days he was away from home, and up to tonight, he's been a vegetarian for almost a month now. That's clearly extraordinary willpower, isn't it?
Seeing his cheekbones flushed and his forehead beaded with sweat, Luo Cuiwei couldn't bear it and shut her mouth, obediently nestling in his arms and staring blankly.
After a long while, Yun Lie's breathing finally became steady, and his previously stiff and hot embrace softened, allowing Luo Cuiwei to relax.
After secretly peeking at his sleeping face for a while, she suddenly had a wicked thought: Is he really that dangerous? Even touching him while he's asleep...
Thinking this, her hand inexplicably reached out and, like a thief, groped his lapel.
After quickly pulling her wicked hand away, Luo Cuiwei closed her eyes tightly. Her heart felt like hundreds of rabbits were rolling around on the ground, pounding loudly.
After waiting for a long time without any movement, she squinted and saw that Yun Lie was still lying motionless with his eyes closed, pretending to be asleep. The hundreds of rabbits in her mind suddenly stopped getting bored.
He's lying. He didn't know anything after he fell asleep. He was just bluffing to scare her. Humph.
After yawning silently, she felt resentful and poked his waist.
She's in so much pain, while the culprit is sleeping soundly—it's utterly unreasonable.
She was halfway through yawning when she suddenly widened her eyes in alarm and immediately tried to back away.
"No, I'm just curious... well, the doctor said I can't do anything reckless..."
The arms holding her tightened even more, making it impossible for her to break free.
Yun Lie still had his eyes closed, his thin lips slightly parted, his deep voice rasping with drowsy laziness, "Didn't you even calculate how many more months you can keep up this nonsense, huh?"
His jaw was clenched, his voice trembled, and his suppressed pain concealed a warning of "retribution later."
The thought that she might be devoured by this vengeful and true-to-his-words guy in the fall, leaving not a trace, filled Luo Cuiwei with regret and helplessness. Hundreds of rabbits in her mind foamed at the mouth and collapsed to the ground, unable to get up.
Serves you right for being so impulsive.
73. Chapter Seventy-Three
At dawn on the first day of the eleventh month, Luo Cuiwei got up early, a rare occurrence, and strolled out of her room in the dim morning light.
Yun Lie was preoccupied with many matters and left before dawn; Xiahou Ling was also busy, and half an hour earlier she had taken Song Qiuqi and several young men from the village to Huaihua Ferry, more than ten miles away, to pick up the goods.
In other words, at this moment, apart from Luo Cuiwei herself, only Tao Yin and the two chefs remained in the courtyard.
Although she knew there were only four people in the house at the moment, Luo Cuiwei still couldn't help feeling guilty and embarrassed, looking around furtively.
Tao Yin came out of the bathroom and saw her slightly furtive figure in the distance. She quickly wiped her hands and came over to greet her.
Luo Cuiwei took two steps back, her back blocking the dormitory doorway, and smiled awkwardly. "Um, Tao Yin, could you... go to the market and see if they sell rock sugar balls? If they do, buy some. I suddenly really want to eat some."
Although the new city was still in its infancy and none of the houses under construction were completed, the sudden influx of a large population led to the construction of many temporary thatched huts and sheds for the convenience of the residents. As a result, vendors of all sizes began to come and set up stalls to sell essential items for clothing, food, shelter, and transportation. Within just two or three months, a simple yet bustling market was formed.
"His Highness instructed before leaving that you must not be left alone at home," Tao Yin advised softly. "Miss Xiahou is not here right now either. Why don't you hold back a little longer and wait for Miss Xiahou to return later? I will go and buy it for you right away."
After speaking, Tao Yin stole a glance at the door that was hidden behind her, full of doubt.
In the past, after Luo Cuiwei got up, Tao Yin would set out breakfast for her, and she would go to the small dining room to eat by herself. Tao Yin would then take advantage of this free time to tidy up the bedroom and make the bed.