After a moment of hesitation, Wei Qingge asked, "I heard them say just now that she's pregnant, is that right?"
Ye Luan's expression faltered, and she lowered her eyelids. "It didn't make it."
As the words fell, the atmosphere in the room grew heavy.
Seeing that Tan Taiye was no longer in mortal danger, Xiao Chizhan emerged from the cabin. Not seeing Ye Luan inside, he immediately sought her out.
"Luanluan."
Ye Luan turned back, and just as she stood up, he embraced her.
"Why aren't you resting?"
Xiao Chizhan lowered his eyes, seeing her weary face, his gaze darkened slightly.
She nestled into his embrace, rubbing against him, tugging at his collar, and murmured.
"I can't sleep."
Her voice was filled with undeniable loneliness.
Xiao Chizhan held her tighter, lowered his head, and said softly, "The military doctor is watching. You should go rest."
"Yes, Aluan, you've been up all night. Go and sleep for a while."
Wei Qingge also added a few supportive words.
"If anything happens, I'll come find you."
Ye Luan glanced at Lan Murou, who had her eyes tightly shut. After a pause, she nodded.
Seeing this, Xiao Chizhan immediately swept her up in his arms and strode out of the cabin.
Upon returning to their room, he swiftly and efficiently removed her outer clothing, tucked her into bed, and then slowly sat by the bedside.
"I'll stay with you. Sleep quickly."
Ye Luan extended her fair hand from under the covers and tugged at his robe.
"I'm scared."
Her eyes were slightly red, her lips pale, and her voice sounded suppressed and strained.
Xiao Chizhan's heart ached. He leaned down, kissed her lips, and gently comforted her, "Don't be afraid. Nothing will happen."
Seeing her distressed bowed head, he could no longer concern himself with dealing with those people. He got up, took off his robes, got into bed, and held her in his arms.
Ye Luan naturally wrapped her arms around his neck and rubbed her face against his chest.
"Xiao Chizhan, I did my best."
Xiao Chizhan heard the exhaustion in her voice.
He held her tightly, affectionately kissing her long hair. "I know."
"But I don't know if she can wake up. And her child is gone--"
Child?
Ye Luan felt even more heartbroken. A surge of fierce anger welled up inside her, and she bit down hard on Xiao Chizhan's chest.
He remained silent, holding her, letting her bite and vent.
Ye Luan didn't want to dwell on the past. As she bit, it became meaningless, and she released her mouth.
"Luanluan~"
He lowered his head and murmured her name in her ear, again and again, as if to penetrate her very bones and flesh, making her body go soft.
Ye Luan's cheeks flushed from his actions. She pouted and pushed him away.
But he held her even tighter.
"Hold me for a bit."
Ye Luan felt that something was amiss with him. She raised her eyes and asked softly, "What's wrong?"
Xiao Chizhan paused, then lowered his head and gently pinched her cheek.
"Nothing."
Not right!
Ye Luan sat up abruptly, pulled all the covers over herself, and wrapped them tightly around her.
"If you don't tell me, I won't cover you."
Xiao Chizhan was amused by her actions. He leaned lazily against the bedside and watched her.
Seeing him like this, Ye Luan coughed lightly, cursing her own childishness in her mind. However, she deliberately added,
"Although it's not raining outside, it's still quite cold. If you don't cover yourself, you'll freeze to death."
Xiao Chizhan hummed, deliberately teasing her, "I have inner energy to protect me."
"----"
"If Luanluan comes over and kisses me, I'll tell you."
Shameless, always finding ways to take advantage of her.
Ye Luan shot him a look, pulled the covers tighter, and moved to the inner side of the bed, ignoring him.
Xiao Chizhan chuckled and directly pressed close from behind, embracing her along with the quilt.
"Luanluan, I love you."
His voice was hoarse and deep, deliberately lowered, making it extremely alluring in the dim bed curtains, tickling her ears until they tingled.
Ye Luan's back trembled slightly. She deliberately wriggled and pushed him away.
However, Xiao Chizhan tightened his arms even more, forcefully holding her in his embrace.
"I just want to thank you for not going to such extremes, for giving me a chance."
A slightly cool breeze, carrying the scent of crabapple blossoms, drifted in, masking the faint scent of blood from outside.
Ye Luan's body tensed slightly. She felt his breath buried in her neck trembling with fear. She narrowed her eyes slightly and remained silent.
"I will obey you obediently from now on. I won't be as much of a scoundrel as Tan Taiye. You can't leave me."
Ye Luan: "----"
"Is he still your brother?"
She turned around and lifted the quilt.
Xiao Chizhan immediately slipped into the bed and held her.
Brothers are meant to be stabbed in the back, aren't they?
"He was wrong." Seeing her look at him, he quickly added, "I was wrong before too. I will never make mistakes again. Luanluan, you can't leave me."
He was tired of that suffocating pain. Without her, he couldn't live!
Ye Luan felt he was becoming more and more spoiled. She playfully hit him, "Aren't you being cheesy? Always acting cute."
Xiao Chizhan hugged her, lowered his head, and childishly bit her lips.
Ye Luan tried to dodge, but he pinned her down and kissed her more fiercely, his blood-red eyes tinged with a hint of grievance.
"Xiao Jiaojiao, you truly are a pampered man."
Xiao Chizhan frowned at the nickname, finding it unpleasant. However, he dared not dampen her spirits and let out a few whines as a form of protest.
Ye Luan wanted to laugh. Sometime ago, she found it amusing to tease him and make him angry.
"What are you humming for? Are you not satisfied?"
Xiao Chizhan rubbed against her, burying his face in her neck and sucking. He lied, "Satisfied."
"Then I'll call you that from now on."
"----"
He looked up, kissed her cheek, and seductively said, "I like hearing you call me, 'Gege'."
Ye Luan's face flushed, and she playfully chided him, "So lewd."
"---"
Xiao Chizhan hummed and bit her lips again.
After a period of tangled interaction, his hand reached under her abdomen and gently massaged.
"Does it hurt?"
Ye Luan hugged him, lazily squinting her eyes, and hummed, "It's alright."
Her body used to be cold and weak, and she always experienced pain during her periods. Ever since returning to Beigong, he had ordered the imperial physicians to specifically treat her body, and after so much nurturing, it had been effective.
"No spicy food."
Ye Luan pouted and hummed, ignoring him.
Xiao Chizhan pinched her nose. "Did you hear me? If you dare to sneak any, I'll--"
"What, what will you do?"
"----"
Arrogant!
Xiao Chizhan couldn't help but hook his lips. He leaned down, gave her bottom a firm pat, and then whispered a harsh remark in her ear.
Ye Luan's face burned from his words, and she glared at him unnaturally.
"You... you're a pervert."
Xiao Chizhan smiled and said nothing more. After massaging her for a while longer, he sat up.
"Where are you going?"
Ye Luan immediately reached out and grabbed his robe.
Xiao Chizhan leaned down, kissed her lips, and tucked the blanket around her.
"I'll have them make a bowl of ginger tea and get you something to eat. You should eat before sleeping."
"I'm not hungry. Don't go."
When she was alone, she always overthought things.