"Haha, Your Highness is joking," Tang Zhuyun, feeling a chill run down her spine from the Prince of Jin's whimsical, affectionate gaze. She finally managed to find her voice, "I have Linlin and Yanran, we've already made a perfect family, no need for more children."
Just kidding, we agreed not to sleep, so where did the baby come from?
She is not hermaphroditic and can reproduce on her own.
Please, stop with the ambiguity, it's really pointless.
Life isn't just about romance and having children; she has many other pursuits!
She once thought that her friendship with the Prince of Jin was as pure as water. Even if she couldn't become a widow, she could maintain the status quo and not interfere with each other. When things happened, they could fight side by side like comrades and raise their two children together. Life would be wonderful.
But the Prince of Jin is clearly using a cliché now.
He probably wants more legitimate sons and daughters.
Sigh, prioritizing legitimate offspring is really a killer.
Actually, once Linlin was in her teens and able to protect herself, she wasn't very opposed to Prince of Jin having children with other men.
To be precise, the Prince of Jin is now insisting on taking a concubine and having children; what can she do but divorce him?
She used to think that at worst she could fake her death and run away, but now that she knows he is Linlin's biological father, and a good one at that, Tang Zhuyun has even given up that idea.
Her mind was filled with thoughts of how to maintain a close but not intimate, close but not loving relationship.
It seems that only she is putting in the effort; Prince of Jin seems to be... too immersed in the role and has brainwashed himself.
Tang Zhuyun shook her head; this was not a good sign.
It's not hard to go from friends to lovers, but there's no going back...
The Prince of Jin said, "Yanran is not your daughter either."
"But I treat them as my own children," Tang Zhuyun said. "I'm already very content, Your Highness. I'm not capable of having children."
She almost blurted out, "I won't have your children, not even a flower, let alone a fruit!"
But she held back and simply addressed the issue at hand.
He said he would have the baby, she said no.
The Prince of Jin seemed to be deep in thought.
Tang Zhuyun did not reject him; she only said she could not, not that she was unwilling.
Does she have some hidden trouble?
She might even be infertile?
But what does it matter? They already have two children!
Yanran: I can finally be a filler again.
"It's alright, it's alright." Prince of Jin's tone was somewhat urgent, because he realized that he might have unintentionally hurt Tang Zhuyun. "I don't mind."
Tang Zhuyun: "..."
No, what are you emphasizing about not minding? Do you actually want to mind? What makes you think you should mind?
Can childbirth be forced?
Weren't you discussing this with me?
Since this is a discussion, if I say no, do you still want to mind?
Be calm; you shouldn't get angry on your birthday, or you'll have bad luck for the whole year.
Seeing the usually quick-witted Tang Zhuyun looking "sad" and no longer arguing with him, Prince of Jin felt a pang of heartache. "I told you before I left that when I came back, we would start over. No matter what happened in the past, and no matter your status, I..."
"Father, Father, you're back!" Yanran rushed in excitedly, followed by Linlin. Her cheers interrupted the Prince of Prince of Jin's words.
The Prince of Jin felt a pang of regret, but he was also happy to see his two children, one on each side, and let them sit on his lap.
Yanran: "Father, you've lost weight. Are you injured? Have you missed me, my brother, and Mother?"
"I'm not injured, I've thought about it."
As the Prince of Jin spoke, he couldn't help but look up at Tang Zhuyun.
Tang Zhuyun pretended not to see and turned her head to say, "I'll go out and cut some fruit for you. You can talk slowly."
After saying that, she practically fled.
There was a hint of disappointment in the Prince of Jin's eyes.
It's not Tang Zhuzi's fault, it's all his fault for setting a bad precedent. What did he mean by "child"?
Humans and demons are destined to be different, as she mentioned in her stories. To become human requires a tremendous price, so how could one possibly have children?
The Prince of Jin was filled with remorse.
Tang Zhuyun hurried to the kitchen, where Song Jingyang was indeed chatting with Xiu'er, who was eating cherries and only occasionally replying, acting very aloof.
Sigh, when will she ever rise to the level of Xiu'er, singing praises like a serf before the Prince of Jin?
That day will never come.
There was nothing she could do; the other person was genuinely sincere, while she and the Prince of Jin were merely going through the motions.
"Your Highness, what brings you here? You could have just called me if you needed anything." Xiu'er saw her and quickly stood up to offer her some cherries. "Would you like some cherries? They're not the best, but you can't stop eating them once you start."
Tang Zhuyun: "No, no, you eat yours. Lend me Song Jingyang for a while."
"You still have the nerve to talk about borrowing! Fool, didn't you hear the Empress looking for you?"
Song Jingyang hesitated, standing there for a moment. "Your Majesty, please just say what you need to say. Anyway, it's just me and Xiu'er, there are no outsiders. So what do you want to ask? Even if Xiu'er isn't here, I can't hide it from her later."
Xiu'er glared at him angrily. "What are you saying!"
We agreed to be loyal and devoted lackeys together, but he changed his mind?
Then she won't want him anymore!
Song Jingyang winked at her, blinking so hard his eyes almost cramped.
Xiu'er may have been sharp-tongued, but she still cared about him. She came over and said, "Did you get a bug in your eye? Here, let me blow it out for you. What can you do, anyway!"
As she drew closer, Song Jingyang whispered in her ear, "The princess and I, a man and a woman alone together, were getting into trouble! The prince is back!"
You and your servants can't always treat the prince like he's dead.
Xiu'er shoved him, making him stumble. "I think it's your own fault! Your thoughts are filthy!"
Song Jingyang said, looking aggrieved, "Xiu'er, you have to help me."
Tang Zhuyun hadn't even resolved her own issues before being bombarded with this huge dose of PDA; she was truly fed up.
"Alright, alright, I'll ask here." She looked at Song Jingyang, "I'll ask you, did the Prince suffer any shock or trauma during his trip?"
The Prince of Jin's attitude towards her wasn't just a 180-degree turn; it was a complete 720-degree spin in mid-air!
Song Jingyang asked in surprise, "Your Highness, what's wrong? Has the Prince treated you badly?"
That shouldn't be happening!
Tang Zhuyun: "It's not that it's bad, it's that it's too good, abnormally good."
She almost misunderstood; she became a goddess, and he was her simp.
If the Prince of Jin's misunderstanding was merely a temporary misconception, and he mistakenly believed he had fallen in love, then so be it; his error would be recognized sooner or later. The problem is, I fear that his unsolicited kindness is either malicious or treacherous.
Tang Zhuyun felt a chill on her neck.
--So, the condemned prisoners are given a good meal before their execution? Is the Prince of Jin giving them a sweet treat before wielding the big stick?
Xiu'er said disdainfully, "Your Majesty, what are you saying! Isn't it good enough to treat you well?"
Tang Zhuyun: "Hey, what do you think if the dog suddenly says it won't eat meat anymore?"
"It's easier to change mountains and rivers than to change one's nature," she thought, not believing that the Prince of Jin could lay down his butcher's knife and become a Buddha on the spot.
"I want to eat shit."
Tang Zhuyun: "..."
I don't want to talk; we don't have anything in common.
Song Jingyang scratched his head and chuckled, "Your Highness hasn't seen you in a long time, and you've realized you can't live without you, haven't you?"
"Sigh, "Tang Zhuyun sighed. None of her teammates were any good fighters.