Pregnant with the Empress’s Alpha Heir - Chapter 36

More than half a month before the due date, Zhen Qianqiu accompanied Yu Zhitao to check into the maternity ward of the royal affiliated hospital.

With all their tasks completed, the two turned their attention to naming their child.

After poring over numerous books and agonizing for several days, the Emperor and Empress finally settled on “Zhen Weilan” as their little princess’s formal name.

Yu Zhitao exhaled in relief, tossing the dictionary aside. “Finally done with that.”

Zhen Qianqiu handed her a cup of nutritional milk. “Yes, it’s settled. And don’t think you can use this as an excuse to stay up late tonight.”

“I know. I wasn’t trying to stay up, the drama was just too good,” Yu Zhitao muttered in defense before accepting the milk with a grateful smile. “Thanks, Ah Jiu.”

Zhen Qianqiu shook her head with affectionate exasperation.

Suddenly remembering something, Yu Zhitao set the milk aside without drinking. “Oh, Ah Jiu! Let’s give our baby a nickname too!”

She grinned. “Just like you, your formal name is Zhen Qianqiu, but your nickname is Zhen Ah Jiu.”

Zhen Qianqiu’s first instinct was to refuse, not wanting Yu Zhitao to stress over names again. But reconsidering, she didn’t want to dampen her enthusiasm. “Alright, we can do that.”

“But there’s no rush for nicknames. Take your time thinking, no need to lose sleep over it.”

Just as Yu Zhitao was about to nod, inspiration struck.

Her eyes lit up with excitement. “I’ve got the perfect nickname!”

Zhen Qianqiu tilted her head curiously. “Hmm?”

“Zhen! Xiao! Hua!” Yu Zhitao declared proudly, enunciating each syllable.

As Zhen Qianqiu looked puzzled, Yu Zhitao explained: “Remember when I entered your subconscious world through dreams? In the last few dreams, our baby appeared too!”

“In our dreams, she was a lovely little flower!” She lifted her chin triumphantly. “So ‘Zhen Xiaohua’ is absolutely the most fitting nickname!”

Zhen Qianqiu certainly remembered. In fact, last year for her birthday, they’d commemorated the experience by keeping a potted flower on their bedroom windowsill.

The nickname did have its merits, but…

Zhen Qianqiu tried negotiating for their princess: “The doctor said the baby will likely be an Alpha. Wouldn’t such a nickname be a bit,  if that’s the case?”

Yu Zhitao scrunched her nose. “What’s wrong with it?”

“You’re called ‘Ah Jiu’, I think they’re equally cute.”

Zhen Qianqiu patiently explained: “‘Ah Jiu’ sounds gender-neutral, but ‘Xiaohua’ seems more suited for an adorable Omega.”

Yu Zhitao widened her eyes. “Can you think of anything better than ‘Xiaohua’?”

Caught off guard by the challenge, Zhen Qianqiu hesitated before conceding: “Well,  ‘Xiaohua’ does sound nice after all.”

Her quick surrender came partly from genuinely being unable to think of a nickname as meaningful and catchy as “Xiaohua,” and partly from not wanting Yu Zhitao to agonize over it for days.

Sure enough, upon hearing her words, Yu Zhitao beamed with joy: “I knew you’d like this name too.”

Zhen Qianqiu could only soften her tone: “I hope Wei Lan herself will come to like this nickname in the future.”

Yu Zhitao seemed not to hear her. Lost in thought, she suddenly burst into laughter while sitting on the bed.

When her laughter finally subsided, Zhen Qianqiu moved closer to pat her back and asked, “What’s so funny?”

“I,  hahaha.” Tears welled up in Yu Zhitao’s eyes. “It suddenly occurred to me that this nickname might actually prevent our child from running away from home in the future, hahaha.”

Zhen Qianqiu looked puzzled.

“Why?”

“Ahem.” Yu Zhitao put on a serious face, mimicking Zhen Qianqiu’s usual expressionless demeanor. “Do you remember when we first met? I asked for your name.”

After a moment of recollection, Zhen Qianqiu nodded.

Back then, she had told Yu Zhitao her childhood nickname, and to this day, Yu Zhitao still called her “Ah Jiu.”

Realization dawned on Zhen Qianqiu.

Yu Zhitao continued laughing: “If, if our baby goes out in the future and meets someone, not wanting to reveal her real name during introductions, hahaha, she might say: ‘Hello, my name is Little Flower.'”

“Hahaha, oh my god, haha, I think she’d rather come straight home than stay out, hahaha.”

Zhen Qianqiu quietly pointed out: “But if that happens,  wouldn’t she miss the chance to make friends?”

“How so?” Yu Zhitao wiped the tears from her eyes. “This name is so fun, it instantly bridges the gap with strangers.”

As she spoke, she cupped Zhen Qianqiu’s face and playfully squeezed it: “Ah Jiu, if you’d told me your name was Little Flower back then, well, I think our relationship would’ve warmed up even faster!”

A down-to-earth name like “Little Flower” could soften someone’s icy temperament, making them seem more approachable, or so Yu Zhitao believed.

Zhen Qianqiu, however, shuddered at the mere thought of such a scenario.

But since Yu Zhitao was clearly delighted, she didn’t dare protest and could only agree: “Mmm,  sounds good.”

And so, amid the Empress’s joyful laughter and the Emperor’s henpecked compromise, the nickname “Zhen Little Flower” was officially decided.

For many years to come, this adorable name would accompany the Empire’s eldest princess throughout her life.

With today’s technological advancements, painless childbirth is completely safe.

Yu Zhitao felt a bit nervous as she was wheeled into the delivery room. Zhen Qianqiu accompanied her, kissing her forehead and whispering words of comfort.

But in reality, just two hours later, Yu Zhitao successfully gave birth.

After the observation period, she was returned to her original maternity room to rest.

Like all newborns, the eldest princess was reddish and wrinkled, resembling a little monkey. Yet within just two or three months, she grew into a beautiful baby.

Yu Zhitao sat by the cradle, lulling her to sleep while occasionally turning to chat with Zhen Qianqiu.

“Our Little Flower is truly lovely!”

Hearing this, Zhen Qianqiu’s gaze shifted to their child.

Perhaps because the child was an Alpha, Zhen Xiaohua resembled her more. Though only a few months old, one could vaguely discern from her bone structure that she didn’t inherit Yu Zhitao’s delicate and adorable features.

Deep down, Zhen Qianqiu felt some regret.

She had wanted a miniature version of Yu Zhitao.

Of course, such thoughts could only remain in her heart, not to be known by Yu Zhitao or the little tyrant in the cradle.

So Zhen Qianqiu replied, “She’s alright.

“I think you’re prettier.”

Yu Zhitao looked up at her.

Suddenly, she asked, “Ah Jiu, how do you think you look?”

Zhen Qianqiu answered earnestly, “Quite average.”

Yu Zhitao’s eyes nearly popped out of her head. “Say that again!”

Zhen Qianqiu instinctively touched her face.

After some thought, she confirmed, “Truly quite average.”

In her memory, no one had ever commented on her appearance. And because she resembled Zhen Wuyou, she had always avoided mirrors.

Initially, it was out of guilt toward Zhen Wuyou; later, it became disgust.

Zhen Xiaohua had already fallen asleep in the cradle. Yu Zhitao took Zhen Qianqiu’s hand and led her back to their bedroom.

The bedroom was next door, and after they left, the palace maids would watch over Zhen Xiaohua.

Back in their room, Yu Zhitao relaxed and flopped onto the soft bedding.

She asked, “Do you know why I took you from the bar that night?”

Zhen Qianqiu was changing nearby.

“Wasn’t it because you needed an Alpha to mark you?”

Yu Zhitao said, “That was only a small part of it.

“And when I entered the bar, others approached me first. Why would I go out of my way to choose you?”

Zhen Qianqiu hung up her coat and returned to her side. “Why then?”

Yu Zhitao propped herself up, grabbed her collar, and pulled her down.

She sank back into the bedding while Zhen Qianqiu, careful not to crush her, braced herself on her elbows above her.

Yu Zhitao grinned. “Because, I was struck by your looks!”

Zhen Qianqiu was stunning exceptionally so.

Her features were sharp yet not masculine, as if meticulously carved by the Creator’s chisel, each stroke a divine masterpiece.

Paired with her innate aloof demeanor, she always reminded Yu Zhitao of the untouchable heroines from martial arts novels.

And yet, Zhen Qianqiu thought herself average?

Zhen Qianqiu’s face flushed slightly.

She leaned down to kiss Yu Zhitao’s eyelid and murmured, “Not as beautiful as you.”

Yu Zhitao grew playful.

“So back then, you followed me home so obediently was that also because you were struck by my looks?”

Zhen Qianqiu paused.

She wasn’t one to judge by appearances. That night, she had gone with Yu Zhitao partly because she didn’t care where she ended up next, and Yu Zhitao had offered her a choice, so she took it.

And partly,

Amid the bar’s crowd of men and women drowning in desire, Yu Zhitao had stood out, impossibly pure.

Weary of decadence, she had been drawn to this sudden vision of white, an angel she wanted to see up close.

Neither reason seemed particularly related to “looks.”

But clearly, giving a negative answer at this moment would make things awkward.

Zhen Qianqiu nodded. “Everything about you draws me in.”

This way, it wasn’t a lie after all, “physical attraction” was still part of Yu Zhitao as a whole.

Yu Zhitao was so flustered that she buried her face against Zhen Qianqiu’s chest, rubbing against her in a flurry.

“Mmm, so does this count as love at first sight?”

Zhen Qianqiu chuckled at the question. “I suppose so.”

Words felt too inadequate, she truly didn’t know how to express the depth of her affection for Yu Zhitao.

So, she stopped wasting time. Her kisses trailed from Yu Zhitao’s forehead and the corners of her eyes, descending until they finally landed on those lips she had longed for.

From her lover’s eager response, Zhen Qianqiu knew her little empress had been anticipating this moment too.

Because of the child, the two hadn’t been intimate for over two months. This embrace was more tender and heart-stirring than any before.

Afterward, gazing at Yu Zhitao’s sleeping face still carrying a faint smile, Zhen Qianqiu felt a deep contentment in her heart.

In truth, whether it was love at first sight or love that grew over time, the fact that they cherished each other so deeply was the best answer of all.

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