The Darker the Night, The Brighter the Stars

Zhao Yan was surprised to hear this. Was he really there, in front of her room?

Zhao Yan started to panic but before she could get out of bed, the door already opened.

She was in the middle of climbing down from her bed when he came in. Seeing her somewhat messy hair and flustered appearance, his lips curled slightly. She looked far different than her usually pristine and well-kept appearance yet her disorderly attire did not hinder her overall beauty.

There was something about her innocence and simplicity that attracted him to her. Maybe it was because he knew that she was pure and was incapable of any ill unless necessary that he could relax and lower his guard.

"Ah! Why are you here...?" Zhao Yan turned around and fixed her clothes and hair, trying to smooth them so she atleast looks presentable. This was the third day in which he was able to trespass in her house by avoiding her guards.

Her hands paused at her wrinkled dress.

Ah, who was she kidding? ...She doesn't want to impress him. Maybe if he found her ugly and ill-mannered, he would lose interest and back away?

Zhao Yan, with a calm mind approached him and gestured for the bowl.

Fu Yanqing moved it far away from her hands. She immediately looked at him with a wronged expression.

His lips twitched in amusement.

"Sit on the bed, I will help feed it to you."

"No.." He raised a brow at her refusal.

Zhao Yan obediently sat back down on the bed upon seeing the cold smile on his lips.

He sat beside her and scooped a generous amount using the spoon.

"Open your mouth..."

Zhao Yan did not want to. She could feed herself. She was not a child. She has hands that could move.

"Be good." He said when she remained uncooperative.

He narrowed his eyes at her lips. Seeing his sudden intense gaze, Zhao Yan felt fearful and immediately grabbed his hand, placing the spoonful inside her mouth.

Immediate gratification at the tasty and warm soup washed over her. Her easy to please personality worked in full mode after only tasting one spoonful.

"So warm..." She said with a satisfied expression before looking at the rest of the soup. Seeing that the spoon was being held by him, Zhao Yan conceded this one time and waited expectantly for him to scoop another spoonful.

Fu Yanqing stared at his little woman. She can also be childish and naughty...

Was this because of her pregnancy...? He almost laughed aloud but restrained himself. If only she was this obedient and waited for him. She would not be suffering alone in this small courtyard.

He would have given her the best of everything and assigned her many servants to serve and wait on her.

But this would do. He would serve her himself. This kind of slave job is actually gratifying which he found odd because he disliked lowering himself to please someone else.

But of course, his little woman was indeed different since she could change his attitude without even knowing it. He felt somewhat worried at this but reasoned that it was normal to adapt and change overtime.

He turned to her expectant face that was waiting at him innocently. Her black doe eyes stared in the same harmless manner, hiding nothing from his sharp gaze.

He had one thought at this moment.

She was adorable.

"Yanyan, open up." He said, intending to feed her with his own initiative.

She was obedient this time because he was holding the spoon. He patiently fed the soup to her and watched her expression like a hawk. Seeing her satisfied face as she rubbed her belly, he noticed just how simple she was.

It was like she did not care about anything but food. How interesting.

He placed the bowl away and pulled her into his arms, wanting to claim his hard earned reward.

"Yanyan, this prince also wants to touch your stomach." He whispered in her ears. Her cheeks blushed. His mouth was too close to her ear and his warm breath was fanning her skin. They were so close that she could feel the heat coming from his body through all the layers if his clothes.

Zhao Yan hesitated but she was reminded of his patient actions and the fact that he is still the father of the child on her stomach.

"Be gentle..." He thought she would refuse but she unexpectedly agreed to his request.

With his right hand trembling, he gently placed it on her stomach, feeling the fetus inside using his internal force. His lips twitched slightly.

Their child was still so small but he could feel that they were strong.

He happily rubbed her stomach and sat her on his lap.

Zhao Yan cried out in protest.

"This is not part of the agreement!"

He reluctantly let her go when he saw how agitated she was.

"Yanyan, why don't you want to marry this prince? "

Zhao Yan looked at him.

"Because you are a bad man..."

"In what way am I bad?" He asked. "I am Prince Jing. "

Zhao Yan narrowed her eyes before looking away.

"You bad man... you bullied me... Back then, you were always staring coldly at me like I was going to poison you or stab you in the back. You would demand ridiculous things and would even refuse the medicine I spent hours on making. And you..." She looked down at her stomach and immediately felt like crying.

Sensing that this was not a good topic, Fu Yanqing changed the subject.

"I am bad because I have to be. I am Prince Jing. If this prince is too subservient or kind, my enemies would take advantage of it and plot against this prince. " The world is a cruel place. It was already a miracle that he found her.

Fu Yanqing placed a hand on her hair, untangling the strands that had gotten twisted because she was hiding under the quilt earlier. Like silk of the finest quality, they were smooth and glossy like ink.

"As for why this prince acted that way..."

Fu Yanqing smiled bitterly as he recounted his childhood and his many bitter experiences to her. If he would ever be given the chance to avoid saying anything about his bad character and reputation in front of her, he would most likely refuse it.

Even though he did not have experience in handling women, he still knows that honesty is the best solid foundation of a growing connection to someone.

No one wanted to befriend a wolf in a sheep's clothing. People would rather believe black is black and white is white.

In due time, the truth always prevails so he even if he was uncomfortable of sharing his past with someone, he did it because he wanted her to trust him and make her own judgments outside the influence of other people.

She was still so kind and naive. He wanted to protect her innocence for a while but he also knows that with his status, it would be impossible.

Maybe he would indeed selfish for dragging her into his world but this would only be the first and last time he would ever want someone to be his.

Reservations aside, he could not stop thinking of having her by his side.

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