Pregnant with the Empress’s Alpha Heir - Chapter 35.1

“Swish, swish, swish.”

The faint sound of running water from the bathroom made Zhen Qianqiu’s heart itch with anticipation.

She set aside the parenting book she’d been reading halfway through, focusing all her attention on her beloved instead.

Before long, the water stopped, replaced by soft clinking sounds of objects being moved.

Zhen Qianqiu counted silently in her heart just as she reached one hundred and two, the bathroom door swung open.

In the depths of autumn, Yu Zhitao wore a bathrobe that reached her calves, revealing slender, delicate ankles. Her damp little feet left cat-like prints on the carpet as she stepped out.

With nowhere else to go, she naturally gravitated toward Zhen Qianqiu, habitually burying herself in her lover’s embrace.

“Ah, that shower felt amazing!” Yu Zhitao sighed contentedly.

Zhen Qianqiu maintained a composed expression, but her hands instinctively found their way to Yu Zhitao’s waist.

Recently, she’d learned a set of massage techniques from several obstetricians. Now, under the pretense of massage, she indulged in touching Yu Zhitao freely.

Yu Zhitao’s eyes fluttered shut, occasionally letting out soft, pleasured whimpers that made ears burn with their intimacy.

Seizing the opportunity, Zhen Qianqiu hooked an arm under her knees and guided her toward the bedroom.

As she gently laid Yu Zhitao on the bed, watching her nestle into the snowy-white sheets and even nuzzle the pillow affectionately, Zhen Qianqiu’s heart melted completely.

She leaned close to Yu Zhitao’s ear, her breath warm and tender.

“There’s something even more comfortable. Want to try?”

Drowsy and pliant, Yu Zhitao was about to nod in agreement.

But just before “falling into the trap,” her eyes cracked open slightly, meeting Zhen Qianqiu’s gaze, filled with unmistakable desire.

The romantic haze dissipated instantly. Yu Zhitao jolted upright, suddenly alert.

She realized exactly what would happen if she went along with Zhen Qianqiu’s suggestion.

But now wasn’t the right time.

With that thought, Yu Zhitao quickly shook off her drowsiness, forcing herself to sober up.

“Ah Jiu, not tonight,” she said tactfully.

Zhen Qianqiu seemed to ignore the refusal, continuing to plant feather-light kisses along Yu Zhitao’s ear and neck.

Only when Yu Zhitao pushed at her shoulders in protest did she pause, tilting her head in confusion. “Why not?”

Yu Zhitao puffed her cheeks. “Ah, I forgot to tell you earlier. Yu Zhihuai is coming to visit tomorrow. We need to pick him up at the spaceport.”

Zhen Qianqiu froze. “Yu Zhihuai?”

She frowned. “What’s he coming for?”

Yu Zhitao laughed. “What else? Just to hang out with us.”

Zhen Qianqiu’s eyes narrowed dangerously though she made sure Yu Zhitao didn’t see her expression. “Isn’t he supposed to be preparing for the Capital Star Military Academy entrance exams next year? Shouldn’t he be training instead of coming here?”

Instead of coming here to be a third wheel?

Yu Zhitao tilted her head thoughtfully. “Well,  you can’t push someone too hard, right?

“Balancing work and rest is the best training method!”

Zhen Qianqiu gritted her teeth secretly.

She regretted not assigning someone to supervise Yu Zhihuai personally back then. That way, he wouldn’t have shown up unannounced like this.

But the matter was already settled, and she had no choice but to compromise.

Reluctantly nibbling on Yu Zhitao’s earlobe, she said, “Then we won’t do anything tonight. Rest early. Tomorrow I’ll take you both around the area.”

Yu Zhitao lay down properly, pulling up the blanket herself, and replied, “No need. You can attend to your own business tomorrow. I’ll just show him around casually.”

Zhen Qianqiu looked at her.

Yu Zhitao smiled sweetly, “Uh because I’ve already made plans with Yingying and the others. If you came along, I’m afraid you’d find it too boring.”

Zhen Qianqiu was no ordinary person to begin with. The recreational activities that regular people enjoyed were, in her eyes, indeed quite dull.

Yu Zhitao had taken her out before, and though she tried her best to participate, she always seemed somewhat out of place amidst everything.

But Zhen Qianqiu sensed another meaning in Yu Zhitao’s words.

Worrying about her being bored was just the surface reason. The deeper reason was probably that having an Empress around would make everyone feel restrained.

Thinking this, Zhen Qianqiu nodded in agreement, “Alright.”

No matter what, Yu Zhihuai rarely visited, and she wanted Yu Zhitao to enjoy herself to the fullest.

Watching the excited smile on Yu Zhitao’s face, Zhen Qianqiu ignored the faint sense of loneliness in her heart.

She tucked the blanket around Yu Zhitao and said softly, “But you have to promise me, no putting yourself in danger, no eating too much street food, and you must come back on time.”

Yu Zhitao’s smile faded slightly, “Hmm, why do you sound like a strict parent setting a curfew for their child?”

Zhen Qianqiu emphasized, “You’re my wife, not my child.”

If it were her child wanting to go out, she wouldn’t be this nagging unless it was an Omega. An Alpha, she wouldn’t fuss over like this.

Of course, the main reason was that Yu Zhitao was currently pregnant, making this a special period.

Yu Zhitao was a bit reluctant, but to go out alone with the others, she nodded in agreement, “I understand.”

She offered, “You can have Wan Qing accompany me. She’ll keep an eye on what I eat and do, and report back to you.”

Only then did Zhen Qianqiu nod in satisfaction, “Good.”

She leaned down one last time, kissed Yu Zhitao’s cheek, and soothed, “Sleep early. I’ll wake you tomorrow.”

Yu Zhitao nodded, and Zhen Qianqiu lay back in her own spot, turning off the bedside lamp.

In the darkness, she lay with her eyes open, wide awake.

Before, she hadn’t noticed it, but as the two grew closer, Zhen Qianqiu’s possessiveness over her Empress deepened.

She was no longer content with their previous dynamic, she wanted to be part of every aspect of Yu Zhitao’s life.

But between people, some differences were like chasms, impossible to bridge.

She had to admit she was too rigid.

Whenever she had free time and thought of relaxation, all that came to mind were the training grounds and the study.

Working up a sweat in intense training or reading books that would overwhelm most people were her best ways to unwind. Before meeting Yu Zhitao, she had lived like this for decades and never found anything wrong with it.

But now, she wanted to be glued to her Empress every moment.

Her Empress was an ordinary yet dazzlingly adorable person.

She loved strolling through food streets, could spend entire afternoons browsing in malls, and when the mood struck, she’d gather friends for karaoke, movies, amusement parks, or museums.

Although Zhen Qianqiu couldn’t quite grasp the appeal of these activities, seeing Yu Zhitao’s joyful laughter always lifted her spirits.

Yet, unfortunately, in Yu Zhitao’s eyes, she likely always played the role of the villain.

When Yu Zhitao ate street food, Zhen Qianqiu would estimate the portion, if it was too much, she’d step in to stop her.

When Yu Zhitao wept pitifully in the cinema, Zhen Qianqiu only found the overly affectionate protagonists on screen unbearably melodramatic.

When Yu Zhitao shrieked in terror inside the haunted house, Zhen Qianqiu ended up being escorted out by security after attacking one of the staff.

She swore, she had only pushed the staff member because they had deliberately jumped out to scare people.

Later, she came to understand,

“Deliberately jumping out to scare people” was literally part of the job description.

What kind of ridiculous profession was that?

Of course, no matter what she thought, she still had to follow her little queen’s lead, apologizing profusely and compensating the staff member who had taken a nasty fall.

Perhaps it was after that incident that the little queen gave up on dragging her around to experience ordinary life.

Zhen Qianqiu could sense this subtle shift, but she truly didn’t know how to fix it. Now, hearing that Yu Zhitao had made plans with Yu Zhihuai and other friends to go out, she could only step back and silently wish them a good time.

The thought made her chest tighten.

But the next second, Yu Zhitao turned around on her own and nestled into her arms.

When Zhen Qianqiu didn’t react, Yu Zhitao even lifted her head, pulled her hand to rest on her waist, and gave it a light pat.

Having done this, she finally settled down.

“Ah-Jiu, goodnight,” Yu Zhitao whispered.

Zhen Qianqiu curled her lips into a faint smile. “Zhitao, goodnight.”

Hmm, Well, as long as they could always be certain of each other’s love, perhaps temporary separation wouldn’t be so unbearable after all.

Zhen Qianqiu exhaled quietly and closed her eyes, drifting into sleep alongside Yu Zhitao.

The next day, she still drove Yu Zhitao to the airship terminal to pick up Yu Zhihuai.

Zhen Qianqiu and Yu Zhitao had agreed to first drop her off at the hotel, then head to the Second Canteen of the Comprehensive University to try its famous specialty campus meal.

After lunch, Zhen Qianqiu would go about her own business, leaving Yu Zhihuai to chauffeur Yu Zhitao and the others around.

The itinerary was simple, and everything went smoothly.

Except at the Second Canteen, they happened to run into a few students from the mecha department.

After months of interaction, Zhen Qianqiu had surpassed all other professors in the eyes of the mecha students.

Spotting them from afar, the top students from the department hesitated awkwardly, gathering their courage before finally approaching to greet them.

“P-Professor Zhen! And Yu’s here too!”

Yu Zhihuai, being a spirited young Alpha, couldn’t help sizing up his peers, comparing himself to them.

The moment their gazes met, sparks flew.

Yu Zhitao, as an Omega, remained oblivious to the tension in the air but Zhen Qianqiu caught every bit of it.

She lifted her eyes lazily and asked, “Is the training schedule too light these days?”

The mecha students froze, immediately withdrawing their competitive glares and turning meek as quails. “N-no! The training’s tough!”

Zhen Qianqiu pressed, “Then why do you have time to loiter around the canteen?”

“I, we’ll eat! We’ll leave right after!” The mecha department students straightened their backs like scolded elementary schoolers and replied.

Without further delay, they rushed toward the food serving area, their movements smooth as flowing water as if someone were supervising them with a ruler from behind.

Only after they left did Yu Zhihuai finally ease his aggressive demeanor.

He turned to his sister and asked, “Big sis, who were they? Why did they call Di cough, why did they call my sister-in-law ‘teacher’?”

The moment “sister-in-law” left his lips, Yu Zhhi Tao’s mood brightened considerably.

She patiently explained, “Those are students from the neighboring mecha department. Our two departments share physical education classes, so they’re also A-Jiu’s students.”

Hearing this, Yu Zhihuai instantly turned as sour as a green lemon.

He cautiously glanced at Zhen Qianqiu and said, “I want to transfer to Comprehensive University to study mecha.”

What’s so great about Capital Military Academy anyway? Could they possibly have the current Emperor as an instructor?

Yu Zhhi Tao stayed silent, while Zhen Qianqiu gave him a lazy glance.

“Comprehensive University’s elite mecha program has extremely high admission standards. With your current abilities, you wouldn’t even meet the baseline qualifications.”

Yu Zhihuai wasn’t discouraged. “No problem! I won’t be applying to universities until next year. By then, I’ll definitely make you take notice!”

Yu Zhhi Tao patted his shoulder. “Stop messing around. Didn’t we agree you’d apply to Capital Military Academy? Don’t get distracted, you might end up losing the big for the small.”

Yu Zhihuai pouted. “B-but sister-in-law teaches here, doesn’t she?”

“Ugh.” Yu Zhhi Tao sighed. “A-Jiu only substitutes occasionally. The mecha department has its own full-time instructors. You’d regret it if you came here.”

Yu Zhihuai rubbed his nose. “Oh,  really?”

Zhen Qianqiu nodded. “Mhm.”

Checking the time, she decided not to delay further and risk letting Yu Zhhi Tao go hungry. She ended the conversation. “Let’s eat first.”

The Yu siblings nodded.

Yu Zhhi Tao wanted noodles and headed to the noodle counter to wait. Normally, Zhen Qianqiu would accompany her, but this time, she followed Yu Zhihuai to the rice counter instead.

While waiting in line, she cut straight to the chase. “How long are you planning to stay this time?”

Yu Zhihuai stiffened.

Counting on his fingers, he mumbled, “Well,  um.. since I came all this way, I should stay at least a week or two.”

Zhen Qianqiu scoffed. “So you’ve given up on the military academy?”

Yu Zhihuai hastily waved his hands. “No, no! I really want to get in!”

Zhen Qianqiu crossed her arms. “I’ve never seen a serious exam candidate take a half-month vacation on a whim.”

Yu Zhihuai gulped. “Then,  how long do you think I should stay?”

“If possible,” Zhen Qianqiu said bluntly, “you should leave tomorrow.”

Yu Zhihuai wailed dramatically, “Waaah, sister-in-law, you’re so cruel!

“We haven’t seen each other in two months, and the first thing you say is to kick me out tomorrow? Doesn’t your conscience hurt?”

Zhen Qianqiu couldn’t even be bothered to look at him.

After a while of exaggerated theatrics with no audience reaction, Yu Zhihuai gave up and dropped the act.

He straightened up and said seriously, “I’ll, see how it goes. Maybe I’ll leave once I’ve had my fill of fun.”

Zhen Qianqiu thought for a moment. “Fine. Entertain yourself, then. Just don’t bother Zhhi Tao.”

Internally, Yu Zhihuai thought, That’s not really up to me, but he put on a respectful face. “Mm, got it. I’ll try!”

As they spoke, they successfully got their meals and found a table to sit down and eat.

After eating their fill, Zhen Qianqiu left the car for the two of them and boarded a hovercar driven by her subordinate, heading straight off.

Outside the cafeteria, Yu Zhihuai let out a huge sigh of relief.

Yu Zhitao couldn’t hold back any longer and immediately asked, “What’s wrong? What did Ah Jiu say to you just now?”

Yu Zhihuai roughly recounted their conversation while waiting in line.

Yu Zhitao patted her chest in relief. “Thank goodness, we didn’t slip up.”

Yu Zhihuai immediately puffed out his chest. “Of course not! Sis, you should know who I am by now!

“When it comes to acting, I’m not bragging, but I’ve never been afraid of anyone!”

Yu Zhitao rolled her eyes at him so hard it was practically audible.

“Out of everyone, you’re the idiot I worry about the most.”

Yu Zhihuai was indignant. “What?! How am I an idiot?!”

Yu Zhitao got into the hovercar, already too tired to argue with him about it.

Whatever, idiot or not, what could she do? He was her little brother, after all.

She’d just have to put up with him a little more.

The hovercar soon started up, and the two picked up Gu Yingying from the dormitory area before heading straight to the reserved private room at the internet café.

It was Yu Zhitao’s first time doing something like this, and she was so excited that at every turn, she mimicked the exaggerated movements of undercover agents from her past life, looking around suspiciously.

Wan Qing found it hilarious but kept a straight face, kindly reminding her, “Madam, there are indeed our people watching the area, but they’re all ‘on our side,’ so there’s no need to worry.

“Besides, you really wouldn’t notice anything like this.”

To maintain their cover, Wan Qing and the others now referred to Yu Zhitao as “Madam” while on campus.

Yu Zhihuai doubled over laughing. “Hahaha, Sis, your acting is just ridiculous, it doesn’t actually do anything!”

After laughing, he personally demonstrated by rolling on the ground, quickly hiding behind a potted plant, and scanning the surroundings while lecturing, “You gotta do it like this!”

Just as Yu Zhitao was about to nod in approval, Wan Qing unceremoniously walked over and kicked him.

She held the utmost respect for Yu Zhitao, but when it came to this clueless Alpha, Yu Zhihuai, she couldn’t muster any sympathy.

“Stop embarrassing yourself and walk properly.”

Yu Zhihuai rubbed his butt, grumbling, “Fine.”

He muttered under his breath, “Vice Captain Wan, you’re so mean.”

Wan Qing ignored him completely, focusing on guiding Yu Zhitao instead.

Soon, they arrived at a door.

Yu Zhitao swiped her keycard and peeked inside, locking eyes with Gu Zhilan and Heng Ying.

After confirming there were no other “suspicious individuals,” she pushed the door open and led the others inside.

“Everyone’s here!”

Yu Zhihuai rubbed his hands together excitedly. “Yeah, yeah, let’s get started!”

Yu Zhitao nodded mysteriously, connecting to the room’s equipment and opening an encrypted file.

Three hours later.

That afternoon, Zhen Qianqiu had been unusually restless.

Perhaps because she was preoccupied with Yu Zhitao’s absence, her efficiency had dropped by nearly half compared to usual.

It wasn’t as if the two had never been apart before, but those instances were always due to official business.

The thought that Yu Zhitao might be happily laughing somewhere, completely unrelated to her left her with a complicated feeling.

When it was finally time to clock out, she called Yu Zhitao right on the dot.

The call connected quickly, but Yu Zhitao’s response left her at a loss.

“Ah,  we’ve already ordered dinner.”

“Ah Jiu, you’ll have to eat dinner by yourself tonight. Wan Qing will bring me back on time, so don’t worry.”

“I’ve been super well-behaved today! If you don’t believe me, just ask Wan Qing tonight!”

After this brief exchange, Yu Zhitao had all her bases covered. Not wanting to dampen her spirits, Zhen Qianqiu pretended to be magnanimous: “Alright, have fun. Bring me back some of the delicious food you have tonight for a midnight snack, okay?”

Yu Zhitao was puzzled: “Huh? Since when do you want midnight snacks?”

Zhen Qianqiu replied: “I just suddenly wanted to taste the flavors you enjoy.”

Yu Zhitao agreed: “Alright then. But make sure you eat a proper dinner too, don’t wait for me.”

Zhen Qianqiu: “Mm.”

So even after enduring until the end of work hours, the waiting continued.

This wait lasted until stars filled the sky.

Yu Zhitao was brought home, yawning as she gave Zhen Qianqiu a light kiss before disappearing into the bathroom.