Chapter 79: Forcing

Chapter 79: Desperate Plea

"You could be my only one too."

Before the words could fully escape his lips, Wei Xun collapsed into her arms.

"...My lord?"

In the darkness, A Yuan couldn’t make out Wei Xun’s condition clearly, but she felt his head slump against her neck, his breathing faint.

Her chest constricted, and she hurriedly pushed at him.

Wei Xun groaned as he fell onto the bed. A Yuan relit the candle, revealing his pale face in its flickering light.

She steeled herself and kicked his foot lightly, threatening, "Get out now, or I’ll scream!"

Yet the man remained unresponsive on the bed.

The night was cold, and A Yuan pulled her thin robe tighter around her body before cautiously stepping closer.

Wei Xun frowned, his expression twisted with pain. When she looked down, the emerald brocade covers beneath him were already stained with blood.

He was injured!

A Yuan's legs went weak, her face paling.

Wei Xun had gone to Yangzhou to investigate the Third Prince’s scheme of using seduction to manipulate officials. Despite careful planning, he had been ambushed. On his return to Suzhou, an assassin had slashed his back. Carrying the evidence, he had rushed back to the capital overnight, but unable to stay away from A Yuan, he had come to see her despite his wounds.

"Don’t be scared. Come closer."

Wei Xun wasn’t fully unconscious. Knowing A Yuan’s timid nature, he forced himself to endure the pain to reassure her.

"...I’ll fetch a physician for you!"

Even though she had claimed to no longer love him, the moment she realized Wei Xun was injured, she panicked despite herself.

"Don’t."

Struggling to sit up, Wei Xun stopped her.

"I have medicine on me. Just help me apply it."

The Third Prince’s men were still hunting him, and he feared the assassins might pursue him here.

"My lord..."

A Yuan frowned, her worry evident.

His heart softened, and he reached out to her. "A Yuan, listen to me."

After all, she had been with him for five years. In the end, A Yuan nodded. "Then you must leave once the medicine is applied."

So cold of her.

Wei Xun gave a bitter laugh, though the fact that A Yuan was willing to dress his wounds already filled him with unexpected joy.

Had it not been for the protection of his hidden guards, the assassin’s aim to kill would have left Wei Xun far worse off.

A Yuan removed his outer robe, revealing a deep, jagged wound across his lean back.

Blood soaked through the embroidered robe, staining even A Yuan’s fingertips.

Eyes downcast, she turned to fetch a basin of warm water from the kitchen. Pressing a damp towel to his back, she wiped away the blood around the wound.

Wei Xun lay on the bed, breathing in the familiar osmanthus fragrance from the woman, as if no time had passed between them.

"You may go now, Young Master."

After applying the medicine, A Yuan wrapped his wound with clean white cloth and brusquely sent him away.

This time, Wei Xun did not linger. He stood before A Yuan, his icy gaze burning with stubbornness.

"I can give you everything Zhou Yan can—and more. Even if you already have a child with him, I won’t let go."

"A Yuan, you belong to me."

In the first half of his life, he’d wanted for nothing—A Yuan was his only obsession.

Even if A Yuan had truly married Zhou Yan, he would take her back. Wei Xun had never claimed to be a good man.

As the man’s figure disappeared behind the door, an icy draft swept in, startling A Yuan. Next door, A Man’s nighttime cries pierced the air, calling for her mother. Without another thought, A Yuan hurried over.

A Man’s little face was red from crying, and A Yuan’s chest tightened as she picked up her daughter to soothe her.

Their silhouettes flickered against the window in the candlelight. Wei Xun stood outside, listening to her comforting their daughter, his expression darkened.

She must have been utterly devoted to Zhou Yan to bear his child. If he hadn’t been so fixated on those rules, perhaps his and A Yuan’s child would already be running around.

Wei Xun’s heart twisted violently. No use dwelling on the past now.

At least A Yuan was alive. And her child with Zhou Yan... he’d raise the child as his flesh and blood.

If only A Yuan would come back to him.

Wei Xun staggered away, drained, until A Man fell asleep and A Yuan returned to her own room.

He watched as the woman blew out the lamp and lay down before staggering off himself, exhausted.

Next door, the gate creaked open, making the elderly gatekeeper jump.

"My lord! You’re back!"

"Uncle Li."

Uncle Li had once served under the old marquis. After losing a leg, he retired from the army and took over as estate manager.

When Wei Xun bought the residence in Osmanthus Lane, he wouldn’t entrust it to strangers, so he had Chang Yuan arrange for Uncle Li and his wife to move there.

"Ah, come in quickly. Have you eaten? I’ll have my wife prepare something for you."

Uncle Li, a plainspoken man, was unaware of Wei Xun’s true intentions in bringing them to Jiangnan. But as a veteran of decades, obedience was second nature—whatever the master ordered, he would do.

"No need to trouble Aunt Li. I’ll be staying here for a while. To outsiders, everything remains as usual."

"Understood."

......

A Yuan stayed up late last night and only fell asleep around midnight. When she woke up, A Man had somehow nestled into her arms and was sleeping soundly against her.

A Yuan lovingly kissed her forehead, and the little girl’s lips twitched slightly before drifting back to sleep.

In truth, her features resembled Wei Xun’s strikingly, but while Wei Xun was aloof and reserved, A Man was bubbly and energetic, smiling at everyone. Her sweet, gentle demeanor softened the coolness in her eyes.

“Mama?”

The little one, now well-rested, rubbed her eyes awake and clutched her mother’s sleeve, nuzzling her face against it.

Her cheeks were chubby and doughy-cheeked, carrying the sweet scent of milk, making A Yuan’s heart swell with warmth.

“Why did you come to Mama’s bed?”

A Yuan ruffled her daughter’s hair. The first six months after A Man’s birth were rough. Nightmares about the past jolted her awake constantly.

Seeing her exhaustion, Aunt Hui, their caretaker, had offered to take care of A Man. Later, as A Man grew older and could sleep on her own, both mother and daughter had adjusted to the routine.

“A Man wanted Mama.”

She had dreamed that Mama was taken away by bad people and didn’t want A Man anymore, making her cry her little heart out.

“Mama is right here. I’ll never leave you.”

A Yuan kissed her daughter’s little face, smiling outwardly but unable to suppress the worry in her heart.

Wei Xun, her estranged husband, wouldn’t let this go—what should she do?

......

“Madam, the neighbors dropped off another basket of autumn pears, saying they’re for A Man to make pear syrup.”

Su Mengyun arrived in the morning, carrying the basket from next door.

After a simple breakfast, A Man played under the osmanthus tree with Flower in her arms. Perking up at the mention of pears, she stumbled over eagerly, still holding the puppy.

“Auntie Yun, are the pears sweet?”

The little girl, who loved eating and sleeping, was rounder and rosier than other kids and always the first to react when food was mentioned.

“Very sweet. Would A Man like to try one?”

Su Mengyun took one out from the basket to tease her. The little girl swallowed hard, her dark, shining eyes full of longing. “Yes!”

“My little foodie.”

A Yuan chuckled and took Flower from her arms. The little stray dog had grown even faster than A Man, making it a bit difficult for her to carry now.

Though young, it was clever enough to recognize A Yuan as its true mistress, snuggling obediently into A Yuan’s lap.

Hearing her mother call her a foodie, A Man’s cheeks flushed pink as she pointed at Flower. “Mama… Flower’s hungry too, isn’t she? Right, Flower?”