Chapter 540 The Chubby Baby in the Dream

Chapter 540: The Plump Baby in the Dream

As evening fell, a breeze rose outside.

On the round table in the outer room were several exquisite dishes, all of Xingxing's favorites.

Daxisipo chose not to dine there and had her meal in her own room, placing the used dishes and utensils by the door afterward.

So Xingxing ate by herself.

The girl ate quietly and neatly, clearly enjoying every bite—a clear sign of someone who had cherished food since childhood.

Nanny Qingluan watched tenderly as Xingxing, small but with a big appetite, slowly finished each of the exquisite dishes. Overjoyed, she kept asking if Xingxing wanted more.

Xingxing waved her hands in refusal. "Nanny, I really can't eat any more. I'm stuffed! Next time, please don't serve so many dishes. I truly can't finish them all by myself."

Usually, she dined with her grandparents, and though the table was laden with food, the whole family would polish it off together. Even on the rare occasions she ate alone in her courtyard, she would have the kitchen prepare just enough, rarely leaving leftovers.

Here at the Duke of Xin's residence, with so many dishes served at once, even though Xingxing had a good appetite, her little belly was soon full and round.

Surprised, Nanny Qingluan felt an indescribable emotion.

The girl was down-to-earth and genuine, quite unlike the noble young ladies she had encountered, including her own Miss Cen.

Nanny Qingluan's gaze grew even softer as she gently agreed.

As night fell deeper, Xingxing yawned.

The small couch was already made up with Shu-style brocade bedding, soft against the skin, serving as Xingxing's bed for the night.

However, before she could lie down, a weak call came from the four-poster bed: "Qingluan..."

Nanny Qingluan rushed to the bedside at once, her joy evident. "Dowager Duchess!"

By the time Xingxing slowly approached, the Dowager Duchess of Xin and Nanny Qingluan had already been conversing for a while.

The Dowager Duchess had learned what had happened and, upon seeing Xingxing, couldn't help but gaze at her with affection.

Still weak, the Dowager Duchess could only manage three labored words: "Good child..."

A maid had already wisely summoned Daxisipo from the neighboring room. Daxisipo came over, took the Dowager Duchess's pulse, and carefully examined her aura before finally exhaling in relief. "Good, good. Thanks to Xingxing's presence, the malignant energy that struck the Dowager Duchess didn't reach her heart. Otherwise, no medicine or divine intervention could have saved her... Now that she's awake, it's fine. Let Xingxing stay with the Dowager Duchess for a few more days, and her health will gradually recover."

The Dowager Duchess looked at Xingxing with gratitude.

Xingxing felt a little embarrassed. "I didn't really do much—just sat in your room eating and drinking."

Nanny Qingluan, her eyes brimming with tears, quickly interjected, "How can you say that, Township Lady? You're too modest! If not for your immense fortune, our Dowager Duchess might not have survived! This old maid will have a longevity tablet made in your honor tomorrow!"

Just then, the Duke of Xin, having received the news, hurried over.

He and the Dowager Duchess had been childhood sweethearts and lifelong companions, their bond too deep for words.

When the Dowager Duchess suddenly collapsed, the Duke of Xin had been terrified, though he couldn't show it, forcing himself to remain composed in front of the family.

Now that his wife was awake, even the steady Duke of Xin was so overwhelmed that he lost a shoe in his haste!

"My lady!" The Duke of Xin strode into the room, rushing straight to the Dowager Duchess's bedside without pause. Seeing her awake and looking at him, he was nearly moved to tears.

Xingxing and Daxisipo stepped out into the outer room, leaving the space to the elderly couple.

The Dowager Duchess of Xin was now supported by Nanny Qingluan with some pillows behind her, allowing her to sit comfortably on the four-poster bed.

Having been awake for a while, she had regained some strength and could speak a little.

She looked at the Duke of Xin and said hoarsely, "...I had a nightmare. In the dream, I was surrounded by a group of demons. I kept thinking, I’ve done good deeds all my life, never harmed anyone—how could I deserve such karmic punishment?"

The Duke of Xin reassured her, "Don’t worry. This happened because a maid destroyed the Fate-Changing Tower of the second daughter of the Jiping Commandery Prince, invoking a curse. When she returned to the estate, that curse's energy overwhelmed you. You fainted because of your age, not because of any karmic punishment."

The Dowager Duchess nodded, but her gaze grew distant with reminiscence. "...Later, I met a little child glowing with golden light. That child was rosy-cheeked and plump, just like the plump babies in New Year prints. She had a vermilion dot between her brows and sat right in front of me, her golden light shining all around. I felt so warm, and none of those ghosts or demons dared come near..."

The Duke of Xin was startled.

"That sounds like the Lady of Blessed Peace watching over you!"

The Dowager Duchess said with a tearful smile, "Right? You think so too. In the dream, I asked the little child why she helped me, but she only smiled and called me 'Grandmother'... I wanted to touch her, but she kept receding into the distance... Not long after I woke up, I saw the Lady of Blessed Peace standing there by my bedside. Her face slowly merged with that of the child in my dream... My lord, do you think... could it be that the Lady of Blessed Peace truly shares such a bond with us?"

The Duke of Xin fell silent.

He had just learned that, though he didn’t know where things had gone wrong, Yu Mingzhu might not be their true granddaughter.

—The Lady of Blessed Peace was found and raised by her family. Could it be... that she was actually their granddaughter?

The thought flashed through his mind, and even he found it absurd.

How could such a coincidence exist?

But once the idea took root, looking back on certain things, everything seemed to confirm it.

For instance, his wife had once told him that Xingxing looked just like Jiao Shi in her youth. Before, he hadn’t paid it much mind, but now that he suspected Xingxing might be their granddaughter, he couldn’t help but see the likeness—she looked just like Jiao Shi before she married into the family.

And then there was Xingxing herself—despite her rank of Township Lady, she was not the least bit spoiled, even carrying a hint of boldness in her spirit. Wasn’t that just like him, who had spent half his life fighting on the battlefield?

The more the Duke of Xin thought about it, the more convinced he became that Xingxing was their granddaughter.

But without proof, how could they simply claim the Lady of Blessed Peace as their own?

After leaving his wife’s chambers, the Duke of Xin went to his study, frowning deeply, and sent his trusted head servant to look into Xingxing's background.