Chapter 145: He’s Going to Be a Father Again

**Chapter 145: He’s About to Become a Father Again**

Crash!

The bedroom door swung open as Chun Tao entered with a lamp. Her face paled at the sight of the man standing by A Yuan’s bed.

“M-My Lord?”

Why was the young marquis here?!

Chun Tao’s heart instantly sank into panic.

And Wei Xun wasn’t exactly calm either.

He stood up, his towering figure radiating an intimidating presence in the darkness.

“Who were you referring to as being with child?”

“No one!”

Only she and her mistress lived in the courtyard. They usually spoke without restraint—who could have expected Wei Xun to sneak into the general’s estate at night?

Chun Tao backed away slowly, regretting ever stepping inside.

“Speak!”

Wei Xun barked, his fists clenched tightly at his sides, his body tense with barely contained emotion.

He had indeed heard Chun Tao’s words—he just couldn’t bring himself to believe them.

“My Lord…” The maid looked about to cry.

A soft voice came from the bed. “Why bully her? If you want to know who is with child, ask me.”

“A Yuan…”

The wry smile on the woman’s lips melted his icy anger in an instant.

He dared to interrogate Chun Tao, but he couldn’t bring himself to use the same tone with A Yuan.

A Yuan pushed herself up on the bed, leaning against the headboard. The blanket slid down, settling over her abdomen. She lowered her hand gently onto it.

Wei Xun had never seen A Yuan pregnant before, but the sight before him now brought one word to mind.

Motherhood.

At that moment, A Yuan glowed with motherhood, making Wei Xun’s heart race.

“You wanted to know who was with child, didn’t you? It’s me.”

A Yuan had intended to hide it from him, but she hadn’t expected it to be discovered so soon.

Her soft voice hit Wei Xun like a thunderbolt. After the initial shock came sheer delight.

“You… you’re pregnant?”

I’m going to be a father again!

The baby in A Yuan’s womb—was his!

Having missed A Man's childhood, Wei Xun felt guilty. Now that A Yuan was pregnant again, this time he was determined to be there for the child from birth onward.

But before he could finish his reverie, A Yuan’s next words snapped him back to reality.

"Yes, but I don’t intend to keep it."

"A Yuan!"

Wei Xun's face turned deathly pale, his striking phoenix eyes bloodshot.

He leaned down and gripped A Yuan’s hand, his fingertips whitening from the force.

"Please, don’t get rid of it."

"As what, exactly, does the Marquis make this demand?"

A Yuan lifted her gaze, her eyes colder than ever before.

They had no formal bond—not even a recognized relationship. She could even report him to the capital authorities for trespassing into the general’s residence tonight.

Wei Xun stiffened. "It’s my child too. I’m its father..."

"No, you’re not."

A Yuan withdrew her hand from his grasp, her frosty gaze turning glacial.

"It has nothing to do with you."

So keeping it or not was none of his business.

"A Yuan..."

Wei Xun knew how stubborn she was—once she made a decision, she would never waver.

"Even if you deny me, please don’t reject it, alright?"

He had only just learned of its existence. Don’t do this to me.

A Yuan gave no answer, merely glancing toward the door. "It’s late. Please leave, Marquis."

Her coldness left Wei Xun at a loss. After a long silence, A Yuan showed no sign of relenting.

The night air was chilly, and with her shoulders bare and her pregnancy weakening her, Wei Xun couldn’t bear to see her suffer. Reluctantly, he gave in—for now.

"Alright, I’m leaving."

He would return tomorrow.

This child—he would never let A Yuan discard it.

He kept glancing back as he walked away. Once the door closed, A Yuan slumped weakly.

Chun Tao crept forward nervously, her face twisted in guilty fear.

"My lady, this is all my fault for speaking carelessly and letting the Marquis learn of your pregnancy. Please punish me."

A Yuan gave a faint smile. "Don’t blame yourself."

Chun Tao hadn’t done anything wrong—why punish her?

"Even if he didn’t come today, we couldn’t keep it from him forever."

Pregnancy isn’t like catching a cold—a belly that grows over ten months can’t be hidden, unless she left the capital for good.

A Yuan lowered her gaze. But if she left, what about Chun Tao and her brother?

And there was A Man—the girl had been growing closer to Zhou Chen with each passing day. Tearing them apart would be cruel to the child.

After a moment’s hesitation, A Yuan decided to stay.

“What about the baby? Are you really going to end the pregnancy?”

If Mistress Xie gave the word, she’d go find a doctor right away.

Chun Tao clenched her fists, ready to bolt out the door.

A Yuan’s conscience pricked her. “No, I want to keep it.”

Her words to Wei Xun had been spoken in anger. The child wasn’t his—that much was true—but she hadn’t meant it about ending the pregnancy.

Chun Tao’s excitement dimmed. “But the Marquis already knows about it.”

If she kept the baby, would she have to make up with the Marquis?

Otherwise, the child would grow up without a father, and the gossip would swallow them whole.

A Yuan had naturally considered this. Thinking of Wei Xun’s reaction that day, her frustration boiled over.

“Tomorrow, have a matchmaker come. I want to choose a husband.”

“What?”

......

Wei Xun stumbled out of the general’s residence, staggering, his legs like jelly.

Chang Yuan had been standing guard outside and hadn’t followed him in. Seeing his master like this, his stomach dropped.

“My lord, did something happen to Mistress Xie?”

That couldn’t be—Yue Concubine seemed gentle and kind, not the poisoning kind.

Had he misjudged her? Had she laced the fish soup?

Wei Xun ignored his subordinate’s wild thoughts, his lips quivering as he choked out the words.

“A Yuan is pregnant.”

“What? Mistress Xie is pregnant? So you’re gonna be a dad again!”

Chang Yuan was even more excited than Wei Xun. If Mistress Xie was pregnant, she’d have to take the Marquis back—which meant his own reunion with his wife wasn’t far off!

Rubbing his hands together, Chang Yuan grew more thrilled, even breaking into a grin.

But before his joy could fully bloom, Wei Xun added, “But she wants to abort it. She doesn’t want anything to do with me.”

“My lord…”

Chang Yuan’s face fell. “When will you finally get through to her?”

They already have a second child, yet our master still hasn't won over the lady. Chang Yuan was beginning to doubt his master's capabilities.

Wei Xun pressed his lips tightly together. "Keep the general’s residence under tight surveillance. I don’t care what methods you use—no physician is to enter!"

"Yes."

Chang Yuan accepted the order but couldn’t help sighing inwardly. If Mistress Xie truly didn’t want the child, what’s the point of stopping the physician? Couldn’t the servants just go out and fetch medicine?

He pondered, thinking it might be better to start with his own wife.

Chang Yuan sneaked into the marquis’s residence, originally intending to find Chun Tao, but both Aunt Hui and A Yuan were in the courtyard.

Aunt Hui, knowing that A Yuan wanted to choose a husband, hurried over to persuade her.

"Zhou Yan has already returned to the capital. Since you're looking to marry, why not marry him? Or do you dislike that he has a concubine? I’ll send her away at once!"

Aunt Hui still wanted to bring the two together. They had grown up together, supporting each other through hardships, and knew one another best. Besides, with her around, Zhou Yan would never dare mistreat A Yuan.