After Becoming Pregnant With The Empress Cat's Cub - Chapter 36

Lan Ye bent over and clutched her abdomen, “My stomach hurts…”

Perhaps because the dining room earlier was absurdly large, this lounge, which was still big but not exaggeratedly so, felt relatively normal by comparison.

When Lan Ye and Rin walked inside hand in hand, the King and Queen were already seated on a sofa that looked incredibly expensive. On that sofa, which appeared large enough to seat at least eight people, the King and Queen sat at opposite ends.

Lan Ye looked at the distance between them… while they wouldn’t have to yell to speak, they certainly wouldn’t be able to hear each other if they spoke softly.

At this, Lan Ye glanced at Ju Rin. The girl’s expression was calm; she seemed accustomed to this sight. Lan Ye looked away, reaching a conclusion in her mind, the King and Queen’s relationship probably wasn’t very good.

Ju Rin led Lan Ye further inside and only let go of her hand once they reached the sofa. Her palm felt a bit hot, she performed a formal salute while subtly flexing her fingers to let the heat dissipate.

She wasn’t used to interlocked fingers like that, but the human hadn’t seemed to find anything wrong with it, she had naturally gripped Rin’s hand the moment their fingers slid together.

Lan Ye didn’t notice Rin’s subtle movements. As she followed suit with a salute, she reached another conclusion: the relationship between Rin and these two seated figures was also likely not great… they looked almost like strangers to one another.

After the formalities, Ju Rin signaled for Lan Ye to sit on another empty sofa. Lan Ye followed suit naturally. Ju Rin sat down beside her.

Lan Ye looked at the gap between them, wide enough for another person to sit in and frowned. Really, they don’t learn the good things, but they pick up the bad habits instantly. Who was this middle space for?

Lan Ye lifted her seat and scooted over toward Rin, sitting right up against her.

Feeling the human approaching, Ju Rin’s heart skipped a beat. She felt a bit uneasy but resisted the urge to move away. She knew that if she moved an inch, this human would likely advance a foot…

Fine… Sensing eyes upon them, Ju Rin decided to leave it be. Even if they were close, it wasn’t exactly scandalous.

Everyone in the lounge, except for the King and Queen (who were used to hiding their emotions after years of high status), including Minnie, Jona, and the other waiting attendants, showed varying degrees of surprise. They hadn’t expected this human to be so affectionate with the Princess right in front of the King and Queen.

And the Princess actually permitted it!

Lan Ye certainly didn’t realize that simply sitting close to someone would be seen as “public displays of affection” in their eyes. Once settled, she looked at the two silent figures across from them. Weren’t they supposed to talk now? Why is everyone still quiet?

The King’s face remained impassive, but she was secretly surprised. She wasn’t surprised by the human’s behavior, after the brief encounter this morning, she knew this human was “crude and unrefined” but she was surprised that Rin was so indulgent.

The Queen was equally surprised. Unlike the King, this was her first time seeing the human. She had only caught a glimpse during dinner, but now she took the chance to observe her closely.

Aside from those peculiar eyes, the human’s features were quite ordinary, yet they fit together well; it was a face that was hard to dislike. The Queen noted the human’s hair, such a style was rare and because of it, the human didn’t look particularly dignified even in an elegant gown. Her gaze shifted slightly toward Rin. These two looked like they shouldn’t even be in the same frame. The Queen, who rarely felt emotion, was hit with a rare sense of curiosity.

Lan Ye felt both of them studying her. She maintained a polite smile and allowed the scrutiny while observing them back. She hadn’t seen them clearly during the rushed dinner.

Looking closely now, Rin’s eyes and brows did somewhat resemble the Queen’s or perhaps the King and Queen looked a bit alike. Maybe it was the “couple’s resemblance” from living together so long. Their temperaments were similar, too, both were very cold.

However, the “coldness” felt different. The King’s was a majestic, condescending coldness that looked down on everyone. The Queen’s was a “don’t come near me” type of coldness. The “chill” they radiated felt like it could turn the tea cold.

Lan Ye looked at Rin. No wonder the kitchen staff said Rin didn’t like to smile. Growing up in front of these two “ultra cold” faces, only someone with a strong heart like her own would be able to laugh.

Not knowing how much longer they would stare, Lan Ye reached for a small biscuit on the coffee table. She broke off a piece to taste it, it was decent, so she broke the rest in half and handed one to Rin.

Ju Rin looked at the offered biscuit and then at the human with a look that seemed to say, “You’re still not full?”

Lan Ye understood the look, smiled without explaining, and stuffed the biscuit directly into Rin’s mouth. The sweetness spread across her tongue, and Ju Rin blinked.

Lan Ye smiled. The cold face finally softened a bit. She didn’t know what had happened between these three, but Rin had seemed to lose her “warmth” the moment she sat down, as if she were covered in a shadow. In such cases, it was best to eat something. She crunched on her biscuit and gestured for Rin to chew. When in a bad mood, eating sweets is the fastest way to feel better.

Finally, there was sound in the quiet lounge, which broke the atmospheric scrutiny of the sovereigns. The King believed that if she didn’t speak now, this human would only become more brazen.

“Rin, was dinner to your liking? The Queen arranged it personally according to your old preferences.”

The King’s expression was gentle and her tone was soft, trying her best to sound like a normal parent concerned for a child who hadn’t been home in a long time.

Ju Rin nodded and was about to say “Thank you” when the person beside her spoke up.

Lan Ye looked surprised: “Her old preferences? Which dish does she like?” During the meal, she hadn’t seen any indication that Rin liked anything in particular… that’s why Lan Ye had been trying everything and telling Rin to eat more of the good stuff.

This question stumped the King. Faced with the human’s genuine curiosity, the King turned to the Queen. The Queen stared down at the steaming tea, completely ignoring the King’s gaze, a flicker of irony in her eyes.

The King withdrew her gaze awkwardly and changed the subject abruptly. “Rin, you look much thinner. If there’s anything you want to eat, tell the kitchen and they will make it.”

Lan Ye raised an eyebrow. “You’re only asking this after the meal is over?”

The King shot her a sharp, piercing look, but Lan Ye wasn’t intimidated at all. Ju Rin pursed her lips, looking at the human with surprise, it seemed this human was standing up for her.

“Lan Ye?” the King said with a questioning tone, as if she had already forgotten the human’s name. This was a way of showing she didn’t care about a mere human at all.

Lan Ye nodded. “That’s me.”

The King’s eyes showed displeasure. “Has no one taught you not to interrupt when others are speaking?”

“No,” Lan Ye replied honestly.

The King: “…” The point of the sentence was supposed to be the second half.

The Queen glanced at Lan Ye before looking at the King; seeing the King’s foul mood made her feel slightly better. The King’s face darkened. “Did your mother never teach you these things?”

Lan Ye shrugged. “I’m an orphan.”

The King: “…” Once again at a loss for words. Continuing would look like she was bullying an orphan.

The lounge fell silent again, and everyone’s gaze toward Lan Ye changed slightly. Jona looked at her with sympathy, she was an orphan too, having depended on her sister since childhood. Minnie felt a bit of sympathy, but mostly thought, No wonder she’s so ill-mannered, she had no one to teach her.

Lan Ye didn’t care about these looks. She was just stating a fact. When she reached for another biscuit, her palm suddenly felt warm. She looked down to see a hand sliding into hers, leaving something behind.

When the hand left, Lan Ye saw a handful of shelled pine nut like kernels. She popped one into her mouth, it was crunchy and had a milky, sweet flavor.

“Delicious.” She ate the rest with a loud crunch and turned to Rin with a beaming smile. “Peel some more for me.”

Ju Rin saw that the human wasn’t sad and felt relieved. Hearing the request, she nodded. “Okay.” When she heard the human say she was an orphan, even though she knew it beforehand, Rin’s heart had skipped a beat out of concern.

The King, the Queen, and everyone else: “…”

This human actually told the Princess to peel nuts for her… and the Princess looked happy to do it!

The Queen was genuinely surprised. In her memory, Rin wasn’t close to anyone and never took others’ feelings into account. Is she… caring for this human?

The King was also stunned and regretted not reading the human’s file properly. Even knowing Rin liked her, she hadn’t taken the human seriously because she was just a commoner.

The Queen sensed the King’s thoughts. The King’s question earlier was clearly a result of her arrogance, she hadn’t bothered to check the background info. Just like she didn’t know the human was pregnant before bringing her to the palace, bringing in a massive headache. This person has always been like this, only believing in herself.

The Queen looked at the eating human, those bulging cheeks and the frequency of her chewing really did make her look like a little hamster. She looked at Rin, who was focused on peeling. Curiosity was truly piqued now.

“How… did you two meet?”

These two obviously didn’t belong in the same world. How did they end up together?

Lan Ye looked over, puzzled. “Us? Rin and me?”

The Queen noticed Rin looking over too and looked away slightly to hide her awkwardness. She nodded. “Yes.”

Lan Ye’s eyes lit up. What a great question! She thought back to when she took Rin to her aunt’s house, she had a whole script prepared, but the “actor” (Rin) had changed the script at the last second. Now was her chance!

Lan Ye cleared her throat and smiled. “We met at the library.” She looked at Rin and raised an eyebrow last time, Rin had changed it to a bakery.

“I was reading a book when Rin came over to flirt with me. She asked for my contact info, said it was love at first sight, and said she wanted to marry me.”

The words, spoken with a smile, were like a bomb in the silent lounge. Everyone looked like they had been blasted! Minnie, Jona, and the servants all stared at the Princess. They looked like they had seen a ghost.

The King and Queen, in a rare moment of synchronization, uttered: “Hmm?”

Only Ju Rin remained calm, as if Lan Ye wasn’t talking about her. Lan Ye ignored the surprise and continued. “It was sudden, right? But just like that, she proposed.” Lan Ye wasn’t entirely lying. Rin had said she wanted to marry her the first time they met.

“Of course I didn’t agree. Then she started chasing me relentlessly, being a real pest, giving me money and gifts.” Lan Ye raised her hand, showing the back of it to the King and Queen, wiggling her fingers. “See? This gemstone ring is from her.” Also a fact.

Lan Ye smiled. “Finally, I thought she was okay and very sincere, so I agreed.”

The way she said it made it sound like she was doing the Princess a favor by accepting her feelings.

Everyone: “…”

The Queen: “…” She hadn’t asked how they got together. But was this really Rin?

The Queen looked at Rin. This time, Rin didn’t look away. The King also looked at Rin, her eyes shaking with disbelief.

Lan Ye looked at Rin too. Unlike the others’ shock, she was grinning with the pride of getting her revenge. Back at her aunt’s, Rin had changed the script to say Lan Ye was the one chasing her. Now, in Rin’s home, she had changed it back. Happy.

The King processed Lan Ye’s words but found them indigestible. She looked at Rin and asked, “Is what she said true?”

Hearing this, Lan Ye reached out and rested her hand on Ju Rin’s knee, a threatening glint in her eyes, signaling her not to ruin the story. Ju Rin pulled her hand out from under the human’s and pressed down on top of it instead, her eyes carrying a warning not to exaggerate too much.

Lan Ye thought she was going to be exposed, but then she saw Rin nod. Under the shocked gazes of everyone, Ju Rin bowed her head slightly. “Yes.”

Lan Ye laughed and looked back at the King and Queen with an expression that said, ‘See? That’s how it was.’

Ju Rin saw the human’s bright smile and chuckled inwardly. She got her way. She had realized the moment Lan Ye spoke that this was payback for the aunt’s house. Being “calculated” like this didn’t make her angry, she didn’t find the human problematic at all. Honestly, it was good for the human to be like this, at least she wouldn’t be bullied.

Seeing the smile on Rin’s lips, the King and Queen exchanged a rare look of total disbelief. The Queen looked back at Lan Ye. This human didn’t look like someone who loved reading. Rin did love books, so did she just see a human reading and fall in love at first sight?

The King believed it even less. She knew how outstanding her child was and how many beastmen adored the Princess; how could she possibly chase a common human relentlessly? The word “pest” should never be associated with Rin.

Everyone else felt the same, even wondering if they were hallucinating. The lounge was silent for a long time.

Finally, the Queen, the first to recover, spoke up to change the awkward subject. She thought that except for the human, no one here wanted to hear about Rin “bitterly pursuing” a human.

The Queen looked at Lan Ye’s stomach. “How long have you been pregnant?”

Lan Ye patted her belly. “Almost two months.”