Chapter 141: A Gathering in the Small Courtyard (Part I)

Wei-Xiang Courtyard.

Qiao Ruowei stood up with a dark expression. "Fifteen, come with Mother."

Su Feng had no choice but to bow and excuse himself.

Once they entered the master bedroom, Qiao Ruowei set up a sound-isolating barrier and demanded angrily, "Fifteen, do you know what you did wrong?"

Su Xi opened her large eyes and stubbornly replied, "Your daughter does not know where she went wrong!"

Qiao Ruowei grew even angrier. "In front of the servants, you deliberately embarrassed Tao Ming. Where does that leave Seventeen?"

Fearing punishment, Su Xi blurted out recklessly, "Mother, Seventeenth Brother must have been blinded to fancy a woman like her."

"Insolent!"

Su Xi tried to shift the blame to Su Nanxing. "Mother, you have always loved Seventeenth Brother the most..."

Qiao Ruowei paused and said, "Fifteen, you know I love Seventeen the most, yet you still provoke his wife. If he were to fall out with you, who do you think I would protect?"

Seeing that Qiao Ruowei’s expression had softened slightly, Su Xi continued, "Mother, I just couldn't stomach it. Cousin Qingyao has been so devoted to Seventeenth Brother, only to have this woman with such a bizarre background, Tao Ming, snatch him away."

Qiao Ruowei intended to warn her. "No one knows a daughter better than her mother. Do you think I don't know what you’re thinking? Cast these thoughts aside as soon as possible."

Su Xi lowered her head, feeling guilty. "Your daughter was merely speaking up for Cousin Qingyao."

Worried that Su Xi might say something else to make things difficult for Su Nanxing, Qiao Ruowei stated firmly, "I will say this today: as long as Seventeen likes her, even if Tao Ming were someone picked up off the street, I would still treat her as my daughter-in-law."

Su Xi tried to argue further. "Mother..."

Seeing her stubbornness, Qiao Ruowei sighed. "Go now. Reflect on yourself, and from now on, stay away from Tao Ming."

As Su Xi exited the Wei-Xiang Courtyard, she was filled with resentment. Seeing her maid, Miaoyu, following behind with her head bowed and failing to offer any comfort, she stopped and pinched the maid’s arm viciously. "You useless, unobservant creature!"

Miaoyu endured the pain, tears welling up in her eyes, but she bit her lip and remained silent.

Su Xi grew even angrier and increased her grip. "Tearing up? Are you trying to make others think I’m mistreating you?"

Miaoyu quickly wiped her eyes, still not daring to make a sound.

After pinching her for a while, Su Xi lost interest and said, "Go back first. I want to walk around by myself."

As if granted amnesty, Miaoyu bowed and hurried away.

Su Xi walked all the way to the Su family pharmacy. Manager Ji, who was in charge of the medicinal herbs, saw her and asked, "Fifteenth Miss, are you feeling unwell?"

Su Xi produced a list. "Uncle Ji, I haven't collected my medicine for this month yet."

Manager Ji took the list, glanced at it, and replied, "Please wait a moment, Fifteenth Miss, I will go fetch it for you."

Taking advantage of the moment Manager Ji walked into the back of the pharmacy, Su Xi secretly grabbed several herbs from a corner and quickly returned to the entrance, pretending to be nonchalant as she inspected the plants in front of the door.

Manager Ji soon returned with several boxes, had Su Xi sign the list, filed it away, and handed the boxes to her.

Su Xi took the boxes and hurried out of the pharmacy.

Noticing her haste, Manager Ji felt suspicious. He walked into the pharmacy to check the inventory, but finding nothing amiss, he dismissed it.

Su Xi returned to her Xi-Hua Courtyard and hid in her room to refine medicine.

...

Meanwhile, back at the Zhai-Xing Courtyard, Su Nanxing nervously carried Tao Ming to the bed and urged her to rest well.

Tao Ming spoke up, "Honey, go find Mr. Wen. I lent him my phone."

Su Nanxing produced the phone and handed it to Tao Ming. "He gave it back to me a while ago; I just forgot."

Tao Ming took the phone and checked her menstrual records. According to Earth time, it was due in two or three days. She turned the phone toward Su Nanxing and said, "We’ll know if I’m pregnant in a few more days."

Su Nanxing took the phone, looked at the previous records, and seeing how regular they were, nodded. "Then we shall wait a few more days."

He then casually opened the photo gallery to see what was inside. While scrolling, he discovered a photo of Tao Ming lying on her side on the bed, wearing a spaghetti-strap nightgown.

In the photo, Tao Ming appeared to be asleep, with a small blanket draped over her belly, exposing a large area of skin. A wave of jealousy surged in Su Nanxing’s heart. He pointed at the photo and asked, "Who took this of you?"

Tao Ming looked at the photo, puzzled. "When was this taken? I don't remember it at all."

Suddenly remembering something, she called out, "Ruan Ruan, come here."

Ruan Ruan walked in, chewing on a snack. "Mommy, what do you need?"

Tao Ming said to Su Nanxing, "Show Ruan Ruan the photo."

Ruan Ruan looked at the phone and beamed with pride. "Mommy was asleep that day, so I covered her belly because I was afraid she’d catch a cold. I was afraid she wouldn't believe me when she woke up, so this is the evidence."

Su Nanxing’s expression turned from overcast to sunny. He kissed Ruan Ruan. "Ruan Ruan is amazing."

Tao Ming glared at Su Nanxing, ushered Ruan Ruan out, and kicked him. "What? Did you think I brought a man home?"

"My dear wife, I absolutely did not mean that!" Realizing his impulsiveness, Su Nanxing quickly tried to make amends.

Tao Ming sat up to get out of bed, but Su Nanxing reached out to stop her. "Wife, be careful! You might really be pregnant!"

Tao Ming rubbed her belly. "But I'm hungry! I need to eat!"

"Alright, alright, what would you like to eat?"

Tao Ming felt that her recent diet had been too plain. She thought for a moment and said, "I want hot pot!"

"No problem. Take out the ingredients, and I’ll go prepare them. You stay in bed and rest, and I’ll call you when it’s ready."

Enjoying the leisure, Tao Ming took out the items she wanted to eat and then curled up in bed, pondering what to do tomorrow.

When Su Nanxing left the bedroom, he saw the four maids huddled in a circle with their backs to him. Curious, he walked over and looked over their heads to see Ruan Ruan playing a game on a tablet, with Nuo Nuo pointing at the screen.

Su Nanxing coughed, and the four maids quickly turned and bowed. Ruan Ruan didn't even look up. "I heard Mommy say she wants hot pot. I want fish tofu."

Su Nanxing pulled the tablet a bit further away. "Your eyes are too close." He then looked at Nuo Nuo. "Little Nuo Nuo, what do you want?"

"I want Purple Flame Ginseng," Nuo Nuo said, licking her lips.

Su Nanxing chuckled. "Purple Flame Ginseng in a hot pot? That’s extravagant!"

Nuo Nuo blinked her big eyes, acting cute. "Daddy, I really want to eat Purple Flame Ginseng!"

Looking at her face, which was almost identical to Ruan Ruan’s, Su Nanxing gave in. "One root every ten days, no more."

Nuo Nuo’s eyes lit up, and she nodded repeatedly.

Su Nanxing patted her head and turned to the four maids. "Two of you, come with me to the kitchen."

Liuli was startled. "Young Master, tell us what you want to eat and we will make it. How can we let you go into the kitchen?"

"You don't know how to prepare this yet, so I will teach you."

Liuli and Zhenzhu followed Su Nanxing to the kitchen, while Amber and Coral stayed behind to keep the two little ones company.

Su Nanxing took out the vegetables that needed washing, had Liuli and Zhenzhu clean them thoroughly, and then took out plates to arrange the various ingredients for the hot pot.

However, the Zhai-Xing Courtyard lacked a suitable table, so he would have to find a solution for that.

As Su Nanxing exited the kitchen, ready to find a long table, he heard Su Fang shouting in the courtyard: "Is Seventeenth Brother here?"

Su Nanxing headed back and saw Su Fang holding a box. "Do you need something?"

"Sister-in-law is pregnant, so I’ve come to bring some anti-miscarriage medicine," Su Fang said, lifting the box.

Su Nanxing was very pleased. "It’s rare for you to be so thoughtful. We’re just about to have hot pot; would you like to join us?"