Chapter 149 “Yan Yan, should we have a child…”

Chapter 149: "Yan Yan, should we have a..."

He was in a hurry.

Even after a year of marriage, the difference in their physiques was vast. Unless he took his time teasing her, she often still felt some discomfort at first.

Irritated he was being rough again, she dug her fingers hard into his shoulders. Tuo Baxiao sucked in a sharp breath, his muscles tensing even tighter, like slabs of granite.

It made her think of the Li Eagle—similarly defined, with a glossy sheen to its skin, every motion highlighting the ripple of its muscles, brimming with vitality and power. But his heated stare lent a far more primal edge to his sculpted body.

After a slow, torturous grind, Tuo Baxiao sensed her growing arousal and finally couldn’t resist intensifying his movements.

Her fragile frame couldn’t handle discomfort, so he cushioned her back against the window with his large hand, ensuring she wouldn’t be pressed uncomfortably while pulling her closer to him.

The small desk, originally placed against the wall, now rocked dangerously, especially as a gap formed between it and the wall, swaying with his motions.

The golden anklet bells she hadn’t yet removed jingled incessantly with her movements, sometimes fast, sometimes slow. In the quiet night, the chimes tangled with their panting, forming a unique and suggestive melody—or perhaps more like a war drum, driving him onward until she yielded utterly.

Jiang Congyan sat atop the desk, dangling helplessly, utterly at his mercy, afraid a particularly forceful thrust might send her tumbling down.

"Put me down..." Her voice cracked.

Instead of complying, the man hooked her legs over his arms, leaving her no choice but to cling desperately to his shoulders or wrap her arms around his neck to steady herself.

"If you’re... tormenting me on purpose, I’ll... I’ll get angry," she gasped, though the empty threat only amused him.

"It’s my birthday today. Humour me just this once, yeah?"

She’d already gifted him something, yet now he demanded another.

Before she could refuse, Tuo Baxiao sealed her lips with another kiss.

When his mother was still alive, she used to celebrate his birthday. After her passing, he’d stopped marking the day entirely—without the most important person, the occasion only reminded him of his loneliness. But now, he had her. She prepared gifts, fulfilled his wishes, and with this excuse, he could indulge even more freely.

If every birthday could be like this, he’d wish for one every month.

Jiang Congyan was held in his arms for a long time. As the night grew colder, he finally relented and let her return to the bed.

The new bed was much like last year’s—sturdy, spacious, and unyielding. Unrestrained now, he poured every ounce of his raw strength into her.

It wasn’t until well past midnight, after her desperate pleas, that he finally released her.

Tuo Baxiao carried her to wash up. Jiang Congyan noticed the golden anklet was still on and reached to remove it, but he seized her ankle.

His hands were large, his fingers long—one palm swallowed her slender ankle whole.

"Let me take it off."

But instead, he stared at it with a hungry, possessive stare, as if lost in some fantasy. Suddenly recalling past incidents, her toes clenched on instinct, her skin burning under his touch.

"Leave it. It’s beautiful like this," he murmured, his thumb stroking her skin.

"..." Pervert!

Jiang Congyan refused, but she was no match for his strength. As she struggled, he simply carried her to the bath, leaving behind nothing but the echo of chiming bells.

The newly built courtyard was far more conveniently arranged than before.

Next to the bathroom was a small boiler room with a section of pipe embedded in the wall. Hot water could be prepared in advance, and with just the flip of a switch, water would flow—a semi-automatic water system. This meant no more maids having to laboriously carry water in, which was perfect for the two of them as they disliked being disturbed.

Tuoba Xiao naturally adored this clever design. Even if she sent the maids away early, it wouldn’t hinder him in the slightest.

After washing up and settling back into bed, he pulled Jiang Congyan into his arms as usual. Dazed with exhaustion, she suddenly heard a deep male voice above her.

"Yan Yan, how about we have a child?"

A simple sentence, yet it hit Jiang Congyan like a lightning strike, jolting her awake. Her drowsiness vanished instantly, her blood turned to ice as her body stiffened like stone.

"What?" she whispered weakly, as if doubting her own hearing.

"I said, let’s have a child," Tuoba Xiao repeated, his large hand resting on her still as slender as always waist.

Her abdomen was still as flat as ever, and truthfully, he was a little puzzled. They had been married for a year and a half, been together countless times, yet she still hadn’t conceived.

Had he not been diligent enough? The thought crossed his mind. He’d gladly put in more effort, but she often refused.

"Do you want a child?" Jiang Congyan’s voice trembled, her throat tight with tension.

It was a pointless question—of course he did, or he wouldn’t have brought it up.

After his birthday, he would be twenty-two. Most men his age already had toddlers underfoot, and as a chieftain, he truly needed an heir to secure his lineage.

Sure enough, Tuoba Xiao’s answer matched her expectations. "...Duan Muqi asked me about it today. I think having a child would be nice. You like Mica so much, always inviting him over to play. If we had our own, we wouldn’t have to envy others."

He hadn’t missed Tuoba Wuxi’s gloating look either. They were only three years apart, yet Tuoba Wuxi already had several children while he had none.

Steppe men valued large families. A childless man was a laughingstock. Though Tuoba Xiao hadn’t sunk to that level yet, there were surely whispers behind his back.

"If it’s a boy, I’ll teach him to ride and shoot, make him a fierce warrior. If it’s a girl... well, I’ll still teach her to ride and shoot, and you can teach her to read. That way, she’ll be both beautiful and able to defend herself against hotheaded boys..."

Tuoba Xiao drifted into a reverie, picturing himself taking a knee-high runt out to ride and shoot—it would be such fun.

He rambled on for a while, but the woman in his arms remained silent. Puzzled, he glanced down and saw her face pale, almost fearful.

"What’s wrong?" His heart tightened.

Jiang Congyan didn’t know how to answer. Her thoughts were in turmoil—children were her greatest vulnerability.

This day had finally arrived.

She trembled uncontrollably.

"What is it? You don’t want a child?"

Jiang Congyan couldn’t respond. Her mind was blank, unable to even fabricate an excuse, afraid he’d push for answers.

She turned slightly, pushing up to kiss him.

Tuoba Xiao froze, his thoughts still tangled in confusion, but his hands instinctively moved to her back, his lips responding.

He wanted to ask more, but her soft palm pressed against his chest, lightly stroking. A shiver ran through him, and all other thoughts were drowned in the tide of pleasure.

When the long, passionate haze finally ended, they lay entwined in drowsy contentment. Only then did Tuoba Xiao’s scattered rationality return.

He suddenly remembered their earlier conversation, only to find the woman in his arms already dead asleep from exhaustion.

Never mind. Let her rest. Between dancing and their repeated passion, she was thoroughly worn out.

The next day, Tuo Baxiao woke first. Pale light filtered through the window—it was likely past the mao hour (5-7 AM).

He glanced at the woman in his arms, her eyelashes tightly shut and cheeks slightly flushed, clearly still deep in sleep.

He kissed her soft cheek, then got up and dressed, heading out first to ride a few laps and practice archery. Figuring she’d wake soon, he was about to return when A Long called him away, saying there was something to report. He had to go.

Jiang Congyan didn’t wake until nearly noon. She didn’t rush to get up, her body’s soreness barely noticeable as she lay flat on the wide bed, gazing absently at the lavender bed drapes embroidered with magnolia patterns.

She thought of last night’s words.

He wanted a child…

All day, she didn’t go to the front courtyard, and he seemed tied up too, even leaving for the military camp and not returning until xu hour.

The moment he entered the house, he went straight to the bedroom, shucking off his dusty coat as he walked. Stepping inside, he found her still awake, sitting alone by the window, her frame slight.

“Still awake? Waiting for me?”

He wrapped his arms around her from behind, smiling as he asked. Just as he was about to kiss her, he noticed her eyes were pooling with tears, her face full of sorrow.

She seemed startled by his sudden appearance, blinking rapidly to hold back the tears, but one still escaped, trailing down the corner of her eye.

Tuo Baxiao’s expression darkened. Gripping her shoulders, his emerald eyes sharpened. “What’s wrong?” His voice was gravelly.

He had never seen her look so fragile, nor had she ever wept like this—not even when she was severely injured. Yet now, she was crying.

He pulled her into his embrace, and Jiang Congyan didn’t resist, instead pressing closer to his neck.

Tuo Baxiao asked again what had happened, but she only shook her head, refusing to answer. His frustration grew, sweat pricking his brow.

“What is it? Tell me. Whatever you want, whatever you wish to do, I’ll agree to it. If someone has wronged you, I’ll carve them up for you. If that’s not enough, I’ll grind them to pulp and feed them to the wolves.”

Tuo Baxiao truly couldn’t fathom what had happened, so he listed every promise he could think of to comfort her.

But the woman in his arms only wept.

Tuo Baxiao was beside himself. She stayed silent, and he couldn’t push her. Seeing her so heartbroken, his chest clenched painfully, his anxiety mounting.

Finally, he gritted his teeth, tilting her chin up to meet his gaze, demanding, “What is it? Tell me!”

Jiang Congyan’s tear-bright eyes lifted to his as her lips parted slightly.

Tuo Baxiao looked at her encouragingly, as if to say, *I’ve got you.*

“Tuo Baxiao… if I can’t bear children, will you still love me?” She finally asked the question.

For a moment, Tuo Baxiao froze. Seeing the helplessness in her gaze—like she’d break if he breathed wrong—he didn’t hesitate before answering, “Of course! I love you, and nothing will ever change that. No matter what happens, I’ll always love you.”

He held her tighter, their faces nearly touching.

He spoke plainly, fiercely tender. In that moment, he melted the frost in her chest with the most sincere, fervent love.

“Is this why you’ve been so upset? There’s no other reason?”

Jiang Congyan gave a slight nod.

He kept murmuring reassurances before asking worriedly, “Why can’t you have children? Is it your health…?”

His thoughts inevitably turned to the worst. She’d always been delicate, and she had been falling ill frequently lately—he couldn’t help worrying.

"Yes."

"Is it that bad?" The man was extremely tense, his eyes roamed over her, but he couldn’t spot anything wrong—only that her complexion was paler than usual.

Jiang Congyan shook her head. "I fell into water as a child and suffered from the cold. I’ve always been frail. Though I’ve been recuperating all these years, Zhang Fu says I might struggle to have children."

"Aside from that, does it affect you in any other way? Will it... cut your life short?" His voice trembled slightly on the last few words.

Jiang Congyan shook her head again. "He says if I take care, I’ll be fine."

"Good." Tuo Baxiao felt relieved. He wanted her with him for years to come.

"You..." Jiang Congyan hesitated before speaking.

"What’s on your mind? Say it."

She pressed her lips together. "That promise you made—that you’d only have me—does that still hold true?"

"Of course." The man didn’t hesitate in the slightest.

He answered so fast that it left Jiang Congyan at a loss. Her expression turned uncertain. "But you want kids, don’t you?"

He’d sworn to take no one else, but in this era, for men of high status, heirs were of utmost importance. If a man’s wife couldn’t bear children, it was normal—even expected—for him to take concubines. Some even cast their wives aside.

She’d avoided mentioning it for this very reason, especially since Tuo Baxiao had no children yet.

Tuo Baxiao stroked her hair. "I want a child—but only yours."

"But I can’t right now..."

"It’s fine. Zhang Fu’s a skilled healer, isn’t he? Let him treat you properly. Give it time—you’ll improve. I’m still young anyway." Then, shifting his tone, he added, "Or maybe if I try harder, it’ll happen."

Jiang Congyan didn’t know whether to feel happy or worried. He wasn’t rushing for a child, but he still wanted one eventually.

After a moment of thought, she tentatively pressed further, "Can we hold off for a few years?"

Tuo Baxiao looked at her.

"My health isn’t good right now. Carrying a child could be dangerous. If I did conceive, the baby might end up weak like me..."

Her voice wavered, near tears. His heart ached, and he quickly agreed, "Alright, no children. Not now."

It hit him then how dangerous pregnancy and childbirth could be. He had heard of many women who died in childbirth—even strong Xianbei women weren’t exempt. And she was so frail... The idea made his blood run cold.

When he had spoken of wanting children before, he hadn’t considered any of this.

Tuo Baxiao agreed to hold off on having children, but after a pause, another thought struck him. "But I still want you. What do we do about that?"

He was deeply troubled. Of course, he was willing to wait for a child, but there was no way he could go so long without touching her.

If they still did *that*, wouldn’t pregnancy still be a risk?

Jiang Congyan parted her lips softly. "There are ways to avoid that."

Tuo Baxiao’s eyes lit up, and he gripped her tightly. "What ways?"

"There’s medicine, but it can harm the body. Or... you could use something each time, so nothing gets inside. Then it wouldn’t happen." She spoke in a hushed voice.

This was something Tuo Baxiao had never heard of before, and he struggled to picture it.

Jiang Congyan lowered her gaze. "I’ll ask Zhang Fu to make it. Once it’s ready, you’ll see."

Truthfully, Zhang Fu had hinted before that he could help with this, but she hadn’t agreed at the time—it required Tuo Baxiao’s willingness as well.

"Fine, we’ll give it a shot."