Zhao Chu was indeed feeling a bit of a headache.

Back when he was in the palace, he naturally didn't have to participate in such social gatherings, let alone be surrounded by a group of relatives. The scent of cosmetics alone irritated him.

And he definitely wouldn't have had anyone...

Place such a milky-smelling child in his arms.

The moment the Lady Zhongshun placed her eldest grandchild into Zhao Chu's arms, he had to use all his tricks to resist the urge to scrunch his eyebrows in frustration.

His arm stiffened as he looked down at the peacefully sleeping baby in the swaddle, and he managed to force out calmly, "I'm not very good at holding babies, Madam. You should..."

As he spoke, he attempted to return the child to Lady Zhongshun.

But this lady was just too enthusiastic.

"No worries, no worries," Lady Zhongshun smiled as she reinserted the baby back into his arms. "Your Highness holds him very well. Look, Yuge hasn't even cried. He must really like being with the princess!"

The surrounding officials' wives all praised in unison.

"Yes! Madam, your Yuge seems to have a special connection with the princess!"

"That's right. Look how peacefully Yuge sleeps in the princess's arms!"

Lady Zhongshun laughed so much her eyes disappeared.

And her daughter-in-law was also a very delicate person. Seeing her mother-in-law insistently handing the child over to the princess, she smiled and said, "Yuge must also want to share some happiness with the princess, so that one day, this humble servant can also go to the princess's house for the celebration!"

The officials' wives around also smiled.

Zhao Chu slowly lowered his eyes, using his eyelashes to conceal the cold emotions in his eyes.

Spreading rumours was indeed not difficult.

He had already spread the news of the medicinal soup for childbirth that the Dou family had sent to him. These women present must all know about his strong desire for a child and had come to please and flatter him.

But he had never liked children. The smell of milk rushed up his nose, making him want to retch.

He suppressed his breath and silently calculated amidst the noisy chatter whether to settle the score with Dou Huaijin or with those officials who secretly watched him and calculated his value.

The wives beside him, seeing him constantly looking down at the child, all had an idea.

One of the wives stepped forward first and whispered, "Your Highness, the childbirth medicine I've been using recently is excellent. If Your Highness doesn't mind, I happen to have the prescription with me today..."

Someone next to her pulled her, admonishing, "The princess is still young, why would she need medicine?"

"That's right! Perhaps the princess will have good news when she returns home today, thanks to the blessings from Lady Zhongshun's house!"

Others also tried to please him.

Under their entourage, Zhao Chu gave a perfunctory smile, his eyes still not lifting.

It's better to settle the score with Dou Huaijin first. Those civil officials have always been his advisors. If it weren't for his repeated attempts at probing and plotting, he wouldn't have so many troubles.

Just then, a lady next to him noticed and exclaimed, "Oh, Marquis Anping?"

At that moment, everyone turned their heads. Zhao Chu also looked up at the sound, only to meet Fang Linyuan's smiling eyes.

He was indeed handsome. Zhao Chu had heard palace maids talk about it in the palace. When Marquis Anping returned to the capital on horseback, it was as if the stories of those stunningly beautiful men from ancient books had come to life.

He was born with the appearance of a refined divine warrior, as if he were the reincarnation of a celestial being destined to stabilize the nation.

The surrounding official's wives, accustomed to the world, couldn't help but sigh slightly at the sight.

Meanwhile, Zhao Chu's gaze fell on the bright smile in those eyes.

Was he happy? For the first time, Zhao Chu saw a lively expression in his deep and transparent eyes, unlike anything he had ever seen before.

He smiled on his face, laughter in his eyes, as Lady Zhongshun and others approached to greet him. He responded with a faint smile, yet his eyes remained fixedly on Zhao Chu.

In the early spring, under the dazzling sunlight of melting snow, he gleamed like ice crystals full of brightness on the branches.

For a moment, it truly felt like the young general who had long admired him, his eyes filled with him.

Zhao Chu's heartbeat slowed down accordingly.

Strange. Since childhood, his appearance has been outstanding, and the palace maids took special care to dress him up due to their guilty conscience. There weren't many men in the palace, but those who saw him always lingered with a hint of disgust in their eyes, especially after his mother was sent to the cold palace, their last bit of fear disappeared.

He had always detested the gaze of men since he was young.

But now, Zhao Chu seemed to have forgotten all this, with only one thing left in his mind.

He was laughing, laughing at him.

*

It wasn't until Fang Linyuan smiled and stopped in front of him that Zhao Chu slightly came to his senses.

Because Fang Linyuan approached, that smiling gaze gradually lowered, stopping at the swaddle in his arms with its milky scent.

...Was he laughing at this thing?

Zhao Chu paused - it was rare for th other party to twist his eyebrows in front of everyone   and gave Fang Linyuan a puzzled look.

And in front of him, Fang Linyuan seemed oblivious.

Haha, Zhao Chu holding a baby, haha!

It's really funny!

He had walked all the way, watching Zhao Chu being forced to hold the baby for half a day. He saw Zhao Chu's arms outside the swaddle stiffen like wood, yet every time he tried to retreat, Lady Zhongshun pushed him back.

What was the point of being strong? This was the way to use softness to overcome strength!

Fang Linyuan looked teasingly at Zhao Chu all the way, causing the noblewomen around to burst into laughter, joking that he couldn't bear to part with his wife after just one meal.

Fang Linyuan didn't mind at all and laughed along.

Where is a Western mirror? It's best to have a full-length one. He would carry it over now and stand it in front of Zhao Chu to let him see for himself.

Thinking this, Fang Linyuan smiled and looked up to speak, only to meet a pair of cold eyes.

...Hiss!

Those eyes were like lurking snakes in the dark, staring silently at him, the eyeballs seeming as if they could spit venom.

Fang Linyuan's back chilled, and he immediately came to his senses.

He forgot, he forgot! How could he make fun of Zhao Chu! This fox spirit held grudges to the death. Would he come up with some sinister plan to trouble him again when he got back?

Fang Linyuan's smile disappeared instantly.

As he nervously tried to think of something to salvage the situation, his arm suddenly felt heavy.

Then, the sweet fragrance unique to infants permeated his nostrils.

Seeing the swaddle placed in his arms, Fang Linyuan was taken aback. When he looked up again, he saw Zhao Chu's cold eyes smiling at him, "Marquis, you finally arrived. My arms are sore from holding him."

Fang Linyuan, bewildered by the icy gaze, inexplicably accepted the child.

Perhaps Fang Linyuan's robe was somewhat prickly because as soon as he took the child, it started crying.

Lady Zhongshun's eldest daughter-in-law hurriedly took the child and comforted him with the wet nurse. The officials' wives around them praised them for being a perfect match and for their affection.

Fang Linyuan, meanwhile, glanced nervously at Zhao Chu several times, observing his expression.

What did it mean when he handed him the child?

Could it be...

Along with this child, there are now one hundred and forty-six people. Will you kill them all?

Fang Linyuan shuddered inwardly.

Surely not? He couldn't be so petty as to plot against him and his family just because he made a joke at his expense, could he?

*

Fang Linyuan and Zhao Chu didn't leave the Zhongshun Manor until they finished watching the play, until dusk.

Lady Zhongshun personally escorted them to the carriage and even watched them depart.

Fang Linyuan lifted the carriage curtain, bidding farewell to Lady Zhongshun several times, only dropping it after the carriage had gone far enough.

He sighed deeply in the carriage, remarking, "Lady Zhongshun is truly enthusiastic."

But a chilly sneer came from beside him.

Fang Linyuan turned to see Zhao Chu, lazily leaning against the carriage wall, his hand resting near his head with his eyes closed as if in slumber.

Yet, there was a faintly mocking curve at the corner of his mouth.

"She's so enthusiastic because you're the renowned general who captured the eighteen cities of Longxi, the marshal honored by the emperor." Zhao Chu's voice was slow and deliberate.

Fang Linyuan pursed his lips, feeling somewhat disheartened by Zhao Chu's demeanour.

Of course, he understood that in the interactions between noble families, it was never about emotions but rather about complex interests.

However, as nobles with family ties, he understood the purposeful courtesy of the Zhongshun Manor. As long as there was no calculation and harm in their social exchanges, why bother about the sincerity or insincerity of the other party?

Constantly nitpicking would only lead to everyone becoming isolated.

He let go of the carriage curtain, unwilling to argue with this fox spirit. Just as he closed his eyes to rest, Zhao Chu beside him spoke up again.

However, as noble relatives with their own interests to consider, he understood the purposeful enthusiasm of the Zhongshun Duke's mansion. Anyway, as long as there were no calculations and traps in the social interactions, why care about whether the other party's feelings were genuine or fake?

If everyone nitpicked, wouldn't everyone become isolated?

He pulled up the curtain and didn't want to argue with this cunning fox. Just as he closed his eyes to rest for a while, Zhao Chu beside him spoke again.

"Do you like children?" he asked.

"Huh?" Fang Linyuan was stunned by his question and looked at him puzzled.

Why was he suddenly asking about children?

Fang Linyuan thought about it but couldn't find the reason why Zhao Chu suddenly asked this question. When he looked at Zhao Chu again, he still had that calm look as if he hadn't asked anything just now.

Fang Linyuan asked him, "Why are you asking this?"

Zhao Chu didn't answer.

Fang Linyuan paused and blurted out: "Don't tell me you want to adopt a child from somewhere?"

"No need for that. You'll leave as soon as the job is done, right? It shouldn't take long," Fang Linyuan continued.

Zhao Chu suddenly opened his eyes and looked directly at him.

His gaze was calm, but Fang Linyuan was startled by his stare, as if there was a snake coiling around him, trying to drag him into the dark abyss of Zhao Chu's eyes.

But in just a moment, that suffocating feeling disappeared.

Zhao Chu looked away.

Then, Fang Linyuan heard Zhao Chu's voice.

"Well, it won't take long indeed."

Still calm and slow, carrying the tiredness after a whole day of socializing, a bit hoarse.

But for some reason, Fang Linyuan always felt that there was some emotion in his words.

But he didn't give Fang Linyuan a chance to inquire.

As soon as he finished speaking, he closed his eyes again, turned his head, and stopped looking at Fang Linyuan.

Always so strange.

Fang Linyuan pursed his lips and withdrew his gaze.

But he didn't see Zhao Chu tapping his knee twice and then pausing for a moment before tapping twice again.

He didn't know that these were Zhao Chu's subconscious movements when he was upset.

 

--

The author has something to say:

Zhao Jin: Do you like children? I can't have children.

Fang Linyuan: ??? Who asked you to have children?

Zhao Jin: Not allowed to have children? Then who do you want to have children?

Fang Linyuan: Do you have something on your mind? !!!!!

 

Translator : DarNan