Chapter 194
Time flew by, and soon it was early July. Ye Yunniang was seven months pregnant, and her hands and feet were severely swollen.
The weather was sweltering, leaving her feeling unbearably hot and agitated.
She craved something icy, but Cai Damei kept a close eye on her and refused to let her have any.
Yunniang couldn't bring herself to lose her temper with her mother, but she certainly didn't give Jiang Mingzhe—the man responsible for her pregnancy—any good looks.
Jiang Mingzhe hardly even dared to show his face in front of her.
Just seeing him ruined her appetite and made her want to throw things at him.
After finishing a meal with Cai Damei and Cai Shuyi, Yunniang walked back to her own courtyard, supported by Qiushuang.
"Qiushuang, what has your master been busy with lately?" Yunniang realized she hadn't seen Jiang Mingzhe for seven or eight days.
"To answer Madam, Qiushuang does not know." Qiushuang's main duty was to care for Yunniang, so she wasn't privy to Jiang Mingzhe's affairs.
"Let's go to the study." Right now, Yunniang wanted to see him.
Chen Xiang, who was guarding the study door, saw Yunniang approaching from a distance and hurried inside to report.
By the time Yunniang neared the study, Jiang Mingzhe was already waiting for her at the door.
He wanted to step forward but worried it might upset her. He hesitated, caught in indecision.
Yunniang walked up and took his hand.
"Am I interrupting your work?"
Jiang Mingzhe held her hand firmly. "I'm overjoyed that you came, my wife."
Supported by Jiang Mingzhe, Yunniang entered the study and sat down.
"Did Yuanyuan give you any trouble today?"
"Yuanyuan was very good today, no trouble at all," Yunniang said, touching her belly. "What have you been busy with?"
"Looking for a new shop. Pingping wrote a letter telling me not to idle at home all day. He asked me to find a suitable restaurant space for him; he wants to open a branch of the Little Sheep Pavilion in the capital."
"The Little Sheep Pavilion has only been open for a few months, and he's already opening a branch?" Yunniang worried that if business in the capital was poor, it would be a heavy blow to Li Ping.
"I've looked into it. There are quite a few people in the capital who love eating mutton. Wen Nuan's culinary skills are excellent; the business won't be bad."
"Wen Nuan is coming to the capital?"
"Since it's a new shop, she's coming to oversee things for a while."
"Will Pingping and Pan'er come too?" Yunniang deeply missed her two sons.
"Yes, they will," Jiang Mingzhe affirmed.
Suddenly, Yunniang couldn't control her tears, and they began to fall.
"Our sons are coming, why are you crying?" Jiang Mingzhe took out a handkerchief to wipe her tears.
"I'm just happy." Yunniang took the handkerchief from him and dabbed her eyes. "When are they coming? Are they already on their way?"
"They set off as soon as we received the letter. I reckon they'll arrive in about half a month."
"Oh my, we need to hurry and tidy up the courtyard they'll be staying in," Yunniang said, starting to get up to do it right then.
Jiang Mingzhe stopped her. "I've already arranged for it to be cleaned."
Hearing this, Yunniang lightly thumped his chest. "You knew all along?"
"I wanted to tell you, but you get upset the moment you see me. I..."
"So it's my fault?"
"It's my fault. Please don't be mad at me, alright, my wife?" Jiang Mingzhe coaxed her.
His apology only made Yunniang feel worse. Her tears started falling again in large drops.
"I... I didn't want... I didn't want to cry... I don't know what's wrong with me... I just can't... can't control myself..."
As she spoke, Yunniang tried hard to stop crying, but it was no use. Her tears simply wouldn't listen to her.
Nowadays, just a single word or expression from someone else could cause her to break down.
She wanted to rein it in, but she couldn't. The more she suppressed it, the worse she felt, and the more aggrieved she became.
As for what exactly she felt aggrieved about, she couldn't even say.
"If you want to cry, just cry. Don't hold it back," Jiang Mingzhe comforted Ye Yunniang.
Regarding Ye Yunniang's condition, Jiang Mingzhe had privately consulted Imperial Physician Gu, as well as many other doctors skilled in obstetrics and gynecology.
After analyzing Ye Yunniang's situation, they gave their conclusion.
Ye Yunniang's previous pregnancy had been a repressed experience. This time, with her beloved by her side to care for her, her emotions were being amplified and released.
This was a good thing; it allowed her to let out all her pent-up emotions.
Jiang Mingzhe had asked Cai Damei about Ye Yunniang's experiences when she was pregnant with Li Ping.
After hearing about it, his heart ached uncontrollably for her.
No matter how much Ye Yunniang fussed, Jiang Mingzhe felt it was perfectly fine.
"Master, Madam, an esteemed guest has arrived," Chen Xiang interrupted the tender moment in the room from the doorway.
Ye Yunniang pulled away from Jiang Mingzhe's embrace and wiped her tears.
"Go and receive our guest."
Jiang Mingzhe went to the front courtyard.
After freshening up, Ye Yunniang also went to the front courtyard.
The visitor exuded a feminine, eerie aura that made people feel somewhat uncomfortable.
"Wait for me at home," Jiang Mingzhe reassured her before leaving with the man.
Watching them walk away, Ye Yunniang's heart pounded fiercely.
The last time her heart raced like this was when Cai Damei had her accident.
Ye Yunniang wanted to chase after them but was stopped by Qiushuang.
"Madam, you are heavily pregnant and shouldn't go out."
"Qiushuang, follow them and see what's going on," Ye Yunniang ordered.
"Yes." Qiushuang went to chase after the departing Jiang Mingzhe.
Cai Damei walked over. "What's wrong?"
"I don't know, I just feel a sense of panic," Ye Yunniang said, clutching her chest. "It's exactly like how I felt on the morning of the first day of the lunar month when you left, Mother."
Mentioning this reminded Ye Yunniang that she still hadn't asked Cai Damei about what happened on the first.
Ye Yunniang wanted to ask, but seeing the two scars on Cai Damei's neck, she held her tongue.
"Do you want to know what happened on the first?" Cai Damei saw through Ye Yunniang's hesitation.
"It's enough that you are well, Mother." There was no absolute need to know the answers to everything.
"I want to tell you."
Since Cai Damei wanted to speak, Ye Yunniang sat up straight to listen.
Early that morning, Cai Damei woke up and went to the kitchen.
Jiang Mingzhe was already there, cooking porridge.
"Mother, Yunniang wants to eat plain porridge with dried radish."
"I'll go get the dried radish." Cai Damei went to the cellar and brought some back.
"Mother, I'll do it. Go get some rest." Jiang Mingzhe took the dried radish, blanched it with boiling water, washed it clean, diced it, and stir-fried it.
Cai Damei first went to the main house to check on her three grandsons, tucking them in. Then, she returned to her room in the backyard.
Cai Shuyi was fast asleep, her little face flushed and incredibly cute.
She reached out and gently touched her face.
"Daddy, Shushu misses you," Cai Shuyi murmured in her sleep, causing the smile on Cai Damei's face to fade.
"Go to sleep," Cai Damei said softly, patting her daughter's back.
Her eyes caught sight of something under the pillow.
Lifting the pillow, she found a jade Buddha pendant. Picking it up, she saw it was a Maitreya Buddha.
"I hope Madam will always smile and be free of any worries."
Looking at the Buddha pendant in her hand, and then at her daughter's tender face.
A trace of hesitation rose in Cai Damei's previously resolute heart.
She had been absolutely firm before that there was no possibility between her and Bao Min. Now, asking her to go back on her word in front of the younger generation, especially facing Ye Yunniang who had almost died after being kidnapped...
Cai Damei really couldn't bring herself to say it.
Feeling utterly distressed, when Chunyao came to give New Year's greetings and mentioned that a man outside had asked her to deliver a note...
Cai Damei didn't suspect much. After reading the note, she assumed it was from Bao Min.
Not wanting to tell Ye Yunniang, Cai Damei lied to her, saying she was taking the child to the Zhou family's house.
When they arrived at the abandoned house, the ones waiting for the mother and daughter were not Bao Min, but an old woman with triangular eyes and two burly men.
By the time Cai Damei realized she had been deceived, it was already too late.
Cai Damei and Cai Shuyi were tied up, thrown into a carriage, and brought to a courtyard.
There, Cai Damei saw Xing Jinxiu, who had already gone somewhat mad.