Wu Zhenhai stared intently at Zhou Xu, his dark eyes surging with anger.
However, after a moment, he released her hand and subconsciously touched her chin.
"Go back, can you explain?"
"It's just a matter of applying more powder," Zhou Xu said.
Wu Zhenhai slumped back into his chair, looking somewhat dejected.
He had to admit that Zhou Xu was right.
Zhou Xu is ruthless and in a precarious situation. She is barely able to protect herself, let alone do something as shocking as getting pregnant out of wedlock.
She can only protect herself first.
As for himself... he really couldn't risk completely offending his superiors by keeping the child.
These days, he's been thinking about how to propose marriage in a way that would allow him to successfully marry this enchantress.
However, he didn't dare to think about forcing Zhou Xu to get pregnant.
Because if he did that, his future would be ruined, and Zhou Xu would probably not survive either.
At that point, they'll probably be nothing more than a pair of dead Yuanyang.
It's not worth it for a child you've never even met.
Although he sometimes wondered what the child Zhou Xu had borne for him would be like.
This undeniable sense of powerlessness and frustration left Wu Zhenhai speechless for a moment.
He couldn't help but look at Zhou Xu.
Zhou Xu was as clear-headed as a mirror; after exposing his weakness, she didn't feel any self-pity whatsoever.
It was as if the fact that the man she relied on wasn't that powerful had no effect on her.
As expected, she never invested any feelings, not even the slightest.
Otherwise, how could there be absolutely no expectation?
This realization made Wu Zhenhai even more frustrated, and all he wanted to do was curse.
"I'm leaving," Zhou Xu said.
"Wait," Wu Zhenhai said, "I'll have someone find you some tonics."
"Supplements?" Zhou Xu's lips curled into a slight sneer.
Wu Zhenhai suddenly realized what she was about to say.
--That all happened last year, why are we making up for it now?
But this time, Zhou Xu seemed to let him off the hook.
She said, "No need, I'm young. You're older, you should take better care of yourself."
Wu Zhenhai: "..."
"Uncle Wu?"
Wu Zhenhai was speechless.
The little fairy is right, he's old and can't compare to her.
"Ruanruan," Wu Zhenhai suddenly called her by her nickname.
He went to great lengths to finally learn her nickname, but felt it was a misnomer.
If her name is Ruanruan, then what is Hard?
Zhou Xu replied, "That sounds awful. Just call me Zhou Xu."
Wu Zhenhai was stunned. "Isn't this the nickname your aunt gave you?"
"It still sounds awful."
She doesn't like it.
Who are you trying to impress with your weakness? What good is weakness except for being bullied?
Wu Zhenhai suddenly felt at peace.
Because he realized that Zhou Xu's "spraying" was actually indiscriminate.
Even her most cherished concubine was disliked, so it's normal for this old man to be disliked a few times.
"Xu'er?" he tried to say.
Zhou Xu.
"Zhou Xu!" Wu Zhenhai's voice was tinged with anger.
Although he did not remarry after his first wife died, he also did not take a concubine for fear that his children would be bullied.
But as Zhou Xu said, he was never short of women outside.
For someone in a high-ranking and powerful position, women are nothing more than objects for venting his frustrations.
To keep something by his side for a long time, who wouldn't fawn over it with utmost gentleness Xiaoyi?
Which of them would dare to make a demand of him?
Zhou Xu was different; she dared to lay out her conditions for him openly, and she was practically pushing her luck.
But he's probably just being a masochist; he's willing to indulge them.
Even knowing full well that they are playing with fire, they still can't control themselves.
He even sensed that something bad was bound to happen sooner or later.
Even so, despite all the sincerity he had shown and the great risks he had taken, this little vixen showed absolutely no gratitude.
"Hmm," Zhou Xu replied curtly.
Wu Zhenhai suddenly forgot what he wanted to say and slammed his fist on the table in anger.
Zhou Xu glanced at him, her eyes filled with utter disdain. "Go back and eat more pig brains to replenish your strength."
Clearly, she saw through his predicament.
Wu Zhenhai became even angrier. "Get out!"
Zhou Xu casually "rolled away".
Wu Zhenhai was on the verge of death, yet he still had to order people to escort her.
Still feeling uneasy and worried that she would be caught red-handed after returning home, he insisted on personally escorting her with a stern face.
Wu Zhenhai didn't leave until he saw Zhou Xu enter his room.
"Someone come here," he said, still increasingly angry after returning home. She hadn't even glanced back at him, nor seemed worried about being discovered by the Zhou Family. "Go and find out who Zhou Xu has been in contact with recently."
He felt something was off about this vixen who had taken the initiative to ask him out today, yet hadn't made any demands until the very end.
Is she trying to hide something?
Or perhaps she did something to betray herself and felt guilty?
Wu Zhenhai recalled the methods she used to seduce him, and the thought that she might use the same methods to seduce other men fueled a fire in his chest that almost set him ablaze.
No, we can't let her have her way.
He still needs to plan carefully how to formally marry her and keep her under his watchful eye before he can feel at ease.
For the first time, he realized that the issue of official status was not only about protecting women, but also about protecting men's legitimate rights.
A large age gap can be a real headache.
The next day, Tang Zhuyun learned about Zhou Xu's news from the previous night.
"They stayed for two hours, and then Wu Zhenhai personally escorted them back?"
The Prince of Jin nodded and said, "I'll go out and have someone investigate again. If they're late returning at noon, they don't need to wait for me for lunch."
"Good."
After he left, Xiu'er, who was combing Tang Zhuyun's hair, said, "Your Majesty, I think Zhou Xu is lying."
Tang Zhuyun asked in surprise, "Why? Doesn't this prove her point?"
Xiu'er said, "What?! A grumpy old man can keep going for two hours? I bet they're plotting something."
They might even have deliberately set a trap for them, humph!
Tang Zhuyun thought for a moment, then said softly, "Maybe it won't work, even if we force it..."
Xiu'er: "Oh, you're right! Zhou Xu is a bit pitiful."
Tang Zhuyun said, "Regardless of whether she's pitiful or not, the important thing is to investigate thoroughly. Concubine Yu..."
"Don't worry, the Prince said he'll take care of her. My mother-in-law has taken some people to look after her."
Nanny Jing gone?
"She went," Xiu'er said. "Mother-in-law is so approachable; perhaps Concubine Yu will lower her guard and say something."
"The premise is that Concubine Yu's abnormality is feigned."
"Your Highness, couldn't you tell whether she was mentally sound or not?"
Tang Zhuyun: "I can't tell from that. But I do know that she has moments of lucidity."
"I think so too," Xiu'er said. "When I went back and thought about it carefully, I felt like she was afraid of something..."