Is My Wife Pregnant Today? [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 10

Zelan’s ears stood straight up, his lips pressed tight, staring unblinkingly at Yu Xianqing. He was both expectant and nervous.

 

Yu Xianqing paused, first glancing at Zelan’s hand. That wound—if it hadn’t been treated just now, it would have almost healed by now.

 

“As you command.”

 

Yu Xianqing didn’t expose him. He took a gold spoon, scooped up some mashed potatoes, and fed it to Zelan’s lips with a gentle smile.

 

“Highness, have some.”

 

Zelan: “…”

 

Which damn chef made this meal? Whose leopard eats potatoes?

 

Seeing that his mouth wasn’t moving, Yu Xianqing asked softly, “Highness, is it not to your taste?”

 

“…” Zelan opened his mouth to bite, nearly snapping the spoon. He swallowed the mashed potatoes with a muffled huff, feeling as though a carnivore’s taste buds had been defiled by the loathsome potato.

 

“…Continue.” Zelan swallowed it whole. “I want meat.”

 

“Cough, cough.” Al made a sound to draw their attention.

 

“Zelan, if there’s nothing wrong with your hand, eat by yourself,” Al said lukewarmly. “It’s not like your arm is broken.”

 

Yu Xianqing and Zelan simultaneously looked at Al’s severed arm and fell into a collective silence. Truly a ruthless man, even playing his own ‘hell jokes.’

 

Zelan moodily withdrew his hand and lowered his head without a word. Yu Xianqing subconsciously squeezed his now-empty palm. The dining table had fallen completely silent. No one took the initiative to speak again.

 

Zelan ate a bit of meat without tasting it, being a very picky eater, when he suddenly felt his hand being pulled. A slender, warm hand gently grasped his. Under the cover of the dining table, fingertips rubbed against his palm, writing a sentence.

 

“I’ll make you a private snack when we get back.”

 

the fingertips brushed out a slight itch in his palm that spread all the way up his arm to his heart. Zelan peeked at Yu Xianqing out of the corner of his eye. Yu Xianqing was still dining as elegantly as ever; even the most demanding etiquette official couldn’t find a single flaw in him.

 

Zelan’s fingers curled up. The place Yu Xianqing had touched felt itchy, hot, and slightly numb. The guilt of poking at Al’s wound suddenly transformed into the guilty conscience of doing something bad right under his brother’s nose. And there was a unique, dark joy—one he hadn’t yet realized—growing wildly in a hidden corner.

 

After dinner, the three moved to the reception room. Seeing the military strategic defense map inside, Yu Xianqing instinctively moved to withdraw.

 

“No need to leave,” Al said. “Mr. Yu is a member of the Royal Family; there is no need to avoid suspicion.”

 

Zelan didn’t say a word either, seemingly giving tacit consent for Yu Xianqing to stay. Yu Xianqing had no choice but to sit back down. A giant military blueprint was projected clearly onto the table, connecting fortresses across countless star systems, with every stronghold marked vividly in red.

 

“This is the fief of the Nanting family,” Zelan took the initiative to explain. “It is the family led by my maternal grandfather.”

 

Zelan’s grandfather had three legitimate heirs. The news recently broadcast on the Star Network was all about the head of the Nanting family being seriously ill, with several illegitimate children who commanded armies fighting with the legitimate children.

 

Thinking of the military uniform Zelan had changed into, Yu Xianqing said, “So Your Highness is returning to the fief?”

 

Al took over the conversation: “Zelan’s grandfather is gravely ill, and the situation is chaotic. A few days ago, Father personally ordered him to return and take charge of the situation.”

 

Zelan sat with his back straight, his snow-white eyelashes fluttering slightly as he stole a glance at Yu Xianqing. Originally, he hadn’t planned on going to the fief. But the Emperor had personally issued the order. In the past, Zelan had an indifferent attitude toward everything, but this time was different. He was already married and might have offspring in the future.

 

Although the offspring might be raised under his big brother’s care in the future, as the biological father of the Crown Prince, he should also… have his own military merits.

 

Yu Xianqing nodded as usual and smiled. “I believe Zelan will handle everything well.”

 

He turned his head to look at Zelan. Though it was a very light, indifferent gaze, Zelan retracted his own sight immediately as if burned.

 

“Of course,” he said.

 

Al turned his face toward Yu Xianqing.

 

“So, while Zelan is away from the Imperial Capital, it’s fine if I, as the elder brother, take care of Mr. Yu, right?”

 

Yu Xianqing looked at him in surprise. Zelan’s arm shot out to block him, shielding Yu Xianqing behind him.

 

“No need to trouble Imperial Brother. I will find someone to take care of my Imperial Consort myself!”

 

Al said nonchalantly, “Zelan, Mr. Yu hasn’t said anything yet.” He looked at Yu Xianqing again, his meaning obvious. “What does Mr. Yu think? I believe the environment of the main Imperial Palace would be more pleasant and comfortable.”

 

“He’s not going!”

 

Seeing that Zelan, who was blocking him, was about to “blow his fur,” Yu Xianqing found it somewhat funny. He pressed Zelan’s arm down. Meeting the other’s disbelieving gaze, he explained:

 

“Yes, I won’t be going.”

 

Al looked at the two of them, fingers interlaced and placed in front of his abdomen.

 

“I hope you will consider it seriously. Going to the palace is only a temporary stay. Leaving a precious human in a Prince’s mansion without an orc’s protection would make you extraordinarily vulnerable. At the very least, certain bandits are clamoring to capture you and bring you back to ‘contribute to the Empire’s eugenics’ by bearing their children.”

 

Yu Xianqing shook his head: “I will not have children with anyone other than Zelan, nor will I be captured.”

 

This was the truth, but Zelan’s body stiffened instantly because of it, and even a suspicious blush appeared on his cheeks.

 

“You… shameless. How can you just say such things out loud?”

 

Zelan glared at Yu Xianqing somewhat incoherently. Thinking about how he usually looked refined and weak, yet in private loved to drag him along to study “pregnancy positions,” he felt a wave of unbearable heat on his face.

 

Yu Xianqing looked at his flushed ears, cheeks, and neck, and smiled.

 

“Isn’t it because Imperial Brother asked me?”

 

Al’s expression was already quite poor. “While Zelan is away on business, you really aren’t going to the palace?”

 

Yu Xianqing said calmly, “There are no jasmine flowers planted in the palace; I’m not used to the smell.”

 

Zelan stiffened again, ripples swaying in his blue eyes. Al caught the underlying meaning and was so angry he laughed. He nodded. “I hope Mr. Yu doesn’t regret it.”

 

A peerless, coveted treasure left alone in a house—one didn’t even need to think about what the consequences would be.

 

“I don’t regret it,” Yu Xianqing unexpectedly said. “I want to go with Zelan.”

 

“…What?” Even Zelan was shocked.

 

Al stopped smiling.

 

Zelan’s assignment to the fief to handle internal strife was something Al had designated with the goal of keeping Yu Xianqing in the Imperial Capital to take the opportunity to accept him. Once Zelan returned, he would have the human pregnant with a child and could directly remarry him with the child. This human, however, always caught him off guard.

 

“Leading troops and fighting wars is never an easy task. For a human like you to follow along, I’m afraid you’ll suffer a lot and might even die on the road.”

 

Yu Xianqing: “If I don’t follow Zelan and stay in the Imperial Capital alone, I might die anyway. Why not give it a try?”

 

Besides, Zelan wasn’t pregnant yet; his “cub” was nowhere to be seen.

 

Zelan grabbed his hand in one go.

 

“I will leave Aubert and an elite guard here to protect you.” The silver-haired orc’s voice was raspy but unexpectedly firm. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”

 

…It’s useless.

 

Actually, Yu Xianqing wanted to say that. In the information provided by the System, Zelan was the most marginal supporting character in a novel called “Beast Pet,” with less than fifteen words describing him in the original text. The only thing he knew was that Zelan died in the Nanting family’s internal strife during his twenty-seventh year.

 

As for why he died—it was because one of the protagonists of “Beast Pet” was the leader of the illegitimate children in the Nanting civil war, an extremely brave and warlike Tiger orc. Later, he led the Nanting family from the marginal star sectors to directly kill Al, who had by then secured the throne. Because Al had no heirs to inherit, the Tiger orc openly supported a puppet for three years before finally proclaiming himself Emperor.

 

Zelan was the most inconspicuous cannon fodder in the novel—the only value of his death was to catalyze the opposition and struggle between Al and the protagonist. As for what kind of person he originally was, what his personality was like, or what wishes he had—who would care?

 

But perhaps because of Yu Xianqing’s own interference, the timeline for Zelan’s return to the Nanting family had been moved up by two years. Yu Xianqing didn’t believe for a second that Al didn’t have a hand in this. He had originally planned to arrange all the tasks before Zelan went to the Nanting family, but since the plot had advanced, he naturally had to go with Zelan. Otherwise, if this person died, he would die along with him.

 

Yu Xianqing looked at Zelan, his dark pupils reflecting the orc’s figure.

 

“A few days ago, you personally did my hair. In my hometown, there is a saying: ‘A hairpin for a lifetime, never to part for eternity.'” He sighed, twisting the end of his hair with a conflicted hand.

 

Over these days, the heavy meals at the Imperial Mansion had put some meat on him; he no longer looked like a sickly ghost. His temperament was elegant and composed, yet his looks were so refined and peerless that he presented a contradictory and enticing posture.

 

“I am a very traditional person. Is Your Highness going to leave me all alone?”

 

A hint of resentment appeared in the beauty’s eyes, making one wish they could carve out their heart for him. Zelan no longer had the capacity to think about whether Yu Xianqing was faking it or being sincere. Even his fierce tone became stuttered:

 

“How could I possibly abandon you! Cough, I’m warning you, don’t think too much. I’m doing this… to protect you.” Toward the end, Zelan lowered his voice with an inexplicable lack of confidence.

 

“Is it that I’m thinking too much, or is it that Your Highness is unwilling to take me?”

 

Listening to their dispute, Al was displeased. He said with a fake smile:

 

“Your affection truly makes me admire you. Since you’re so reluctant to part, let the Human Highness go on the campaign with Zelan. There’s no need to apply for a decree from Father; I’ll approve it directly.”

 

Zelan: “Big brother!”

 

Yu Xianqing: “Then I thank Prince Al.”

 

“Since you’ve made your decision, let it be settled this way. I only hope Mr. Yu doesn’t regret it.”

 

After Al left, Yu Xianqing went to the kitchen. He had said he would make a private snack for Zelan. He put on a pink apron, found some venison that Zelan loved, and simmered it over a low flame.

 

Zelan paced over to his side and spoke in a low voice, his first words being a warning:

 

“Human, don’t be so willful.”

 

Yu Xianqing smiled slowly and turned around, his fingertips playing with the ends of Zelan’s hair. As he spoke, a warm current of air brushed past the other’s earlobe.

 

“If I don’t go, should I stay in the Imperial Capital to have a change of heart and marry someone else, to be deceived and utilized by the Royal Family as a breeding tool, and finally die a violent death? Zelan, would you have the heart to let that happen?”

 

Zelan gloomily grabbed his gentle fingers. “…It wouldn’t be like that.”

 

Yu Xianqing: “You have lived in the Royal Family for so many years; you naturally know better than anyone whether they are capable of such things.”

 

“Highness, I don’t trust others,” Yu Xianqing said seriously. “I only trust my own judgment. I know what is right and wrong. Everything I just said was true. If there is half a lie, I will—”

 

Before his vow could be uttered, Zelan snapped at him with a look of irritation: “Enough! Don’t say any more.” He rubbed his own head, his beautiful curls becoming a mess. He turned his face away and grumbled, “I believe you, that’s all. You can’t just throw around vows; they really do come true.”

 

The delicious aroma of venison wafted from the pot. Yu Xianqing skillfully filled a bowl and brought it to the table. Zelan was still angry and sat there without moving. Yu Xianqing sighed helplessly, leaning down to tuck a long strand of hair from Zelan’s cheek behind his ear. The narrow curve traced by his waist invited imagination.

 

The scent of food enticed Zelan’s taste buds, but more than his appetite, Yu Xianqing’s words incited an infinite impulse.

 

“Everything I said is true. Without you, I would certainly die. So, you must stay alive no matter what.”

 

Zelan’s lips moved as if to say something, but Yu Xianqing suddenly asked:

 

“Do you want to watch an Animal World documentary together tonight?”

 

“…?”

 

“Spring has come.” Yu Xianqing tapped the bowl gently. “It is the season for animals to mate again.”

 

Zelan: “…”

 

Fine, fine, fine—this was what he was waiting for.