“I… am with child.”
Hearing this, Bai Lan’s face broke into a sincere smile. Though he had suspected it, hearing Gu Weiyan confirm it filled him with joy.
She gently rested her hand on her still-flat belly. Though a composed lady of a respected family, her expression betrayed her happiness.
“Previously, my husband and I had a child, but my body was weak, and fortune short—the child could not be kept. I was downcast and my health worsened, fearing I could never conceive again. Thankfully, Doctor Xiao Jiang carefully tended to my body, and now I am blessed with this child.”
Bai Lan smiled and asked, “How many months?”
“Just over one month, still very early. Before the New Year, I noticed something was off and, having previous experience, went for a pulse check—sure enough, I was pregnant.”
Gu Weiyan continued, “With Doctor Xiao Jiang’s care, I feel much stronger. I believe this time will go well, though I will still need your attention in the months to come.”
“That is only proper,” Bai Lan replied.
Gu Weiyan found Bai Lan easy to speak with and felt at ease, so she added more:
“Actually, I come from a military family. Though my father’s rank was similar to my father-in-law’s, my husband’s family were scholars and looked down on rough, bold soldiers. Though my husband and I grew up together, we faced many hardships before truly being together. I once thought marriage would bring smooth skies, but afterward, disappointments were not fewer than before. Still, as long as husband and wife stand together, hardships can be endured. Now, with this child, my husband can go for his exams with some peace of mind.”
Seeing her speak so candidly, Bai Lan was glad she trusted him. Yet he couldn’t help but reflect—if someone of her upbringing faced such difficulties, how much more difficult must life be for others…
He raised a cup of lamb wine and drained it in one gulp.
Seeing this, Gu Weiyan noticed he seemed slightly downcast. She spoke gently, “Oh, Doctor Xiao Jiang, don’t misunderstand. What I mean is that as long as two people are together, enduring hardships is nothing. Being with the one you love is already luckier than many couples who have no bond at all.”
“I understand, Madam Qi. Being together outweighs misfortune. As long as hearts are united, enduring hardship is nothing. Everyone faces hardships in life, but some endure them without ever being with the person they wish to be with.”
The more Bai Lan thought, the harder it was to restrain his emotions. Already weak from wine, he had consumed more than half a jar of lamb wine.
Gu Weiyan hesitated to stop him, realizing her words had stirred something within him. Seeing his evident turmoil, she felt pity and said, “Doctor Xiao Jiang, if something troubles your heart, drink freely and rest your mind. Don’t worry—I will personally see you home later.”
“Thank you, Madam Qi.”
Already dizzy from the wine, Bai Lan indulged further.
“Sanling? Why are you back so early today?”
Ning Muyan, seeing her sweeping in the garden, stepped forward. “Business not good?”
Sanling, upon seeing Ning Muyan, quickly gave a respectful bow. “Young Master, today the young master and Doctor Jiang did not go to Nanmen Temple.”
“Bai Lan was off today, and it’s the end of the month.”
“Yes, Young Master said Doctor Jiang would be in the city today, so he did not go to his stall. The young master was gathering with Doctor Jiang’s father, so I did not follow.”
Ning Muyan’s brows twitched. In the past, when Jiang Zichun came to the city to see him, he never skipped his Nanmen Temple stall. He couldn’t help but feel slightly puzzled.
Ever since Ning Zhengyu had mentioned quarreling with him, things had felt off. Ning Muyan furrowed his brow, worried that something might have happened with the Jiang family.
“Do you know where Young Master met Doctor Jiang?”
“Seems to have been in the western part of the city,” came the reply.
Ning Muyan’s expression shifted. The western side of the city was far; with the city gates in the center, there was no need to travel so far to meet. Without hesitation, he left the residence.
He found Bai Lan on Zhuque Street, stopped by the Qi family’s carriage. Gu Weiyan helped the dazed young man down.
“Doctor Xiao Jiang must have been in a bad mood,” she explained. “I ran into him in the west. I wanted to invite him for a bite, but he had already drunk too much.”
Ning Muyan quickly helped Bai Lan into the carriage.
“Thank you for bringing him back.”
“No need,” Gu Weiyan replied. “Better let Doctor Xiao Jiang rest and sober up first.”
“I’ll take my leave then,” Ning Muyan said. “I’ll come by another day to properly thank you.”
Seeing the rare concern on Ning Muyan’s face, Gu Weiyan studied him a little longer, forming a judgment in her mind. After the Ning carriage departed, she returned to hers.
Back at the Ning residence, Ning Muyan carried the soft, limp Bai Lan into the Dimo Garden. Seeing his flushed cheeks from drinking, he couldn’t help but scold.
“Drinking so much outside—what do you think you’re doing? Couldn’t you have stayed in and drunk at home?”
Seeing Bai Lan’s body sag like silk about to slide off, he sighed with worry.
Ning Zhengyu ran into the garden. From a distance, he saw the two and opened his mouth to call out that Bai Lan had returned, but stopped mid-word when Ning Muyan bent low and lifted Bai Lan in his arms.
His mind went blank. He froze, then quickly covered his eyes and turned away, heart racing. Seeing a few maids approaching, he hastily waved them off to another area.
Taking a deep breath, Ning Zhengyu shook his head in disbelief, retracing his steps in a daze.
Ning Muyan carried Bai Lan into Tianmendong. Bai Lan nuzzled into his chest, and Ning Muyan’s brows furrowed. “Do you know who this is? Rubbing up against someone like this—”
Bai Lan hiccupped, “I know…”
“You are the young master, Ning Muyan.”
He took a deep breath, pressing closer. “I remember this scent.”
Seeing that Bai Lan could still recognize him despite his state, Ning Muyan’s eyes softened. He spoke gently, “Don’t drink that much when I’m not around, understand?”
“You’re hardly ever around… Little Ning, you’re always busy with duties, hic~ and don’t have time for me.”
Ning Muyan stiffened, feeling as if his legs were tangled. “W-What did you just say?”
“I said? What did I say?” Bai Lan’s drunken eyes squinted at his face, uncertainly reaching up to touch Ning Muyan’s throat, then cupping his face. “Husband, why do you look upset?”
Then he lowered his hands. “Really silly. Little Ning always keeps that stern face—how is anyone supposed to tell if you’re upset?”
Ning Muyan looked at the incoherent young man in his arms, noticing his own hands trembling slightly. He stared intently at Bai Lan, pressing his brows together, but something seemed to block his throat—he couldn’t utter a single word.
The shock rivaled the first time he had awakened in Yinchun Tower and seen Bai Lan on the bed.
No wonder he had felt something different, the way Bai Lan acted before, leaving him unable to predict his behavior. Now, everything was clear.
It turned out… they were the same.
Ning Muyan’s mind had never been so unsettled. The Ning family had never fallen, he had never been exiled to the frontier, yet at this moment…
He was ecstatic, relieved that he remembered everything, yet worried that he remembered too much.
“Bai Lan…”
His voice trembled before he could finish, and Bai Lan’s stomach churned. He vomited into Ning Muyan’s arms.
The next day, Bai Lan woke to broad daylight, his head pounding from the aftermath of the wine. His stomach burned uncomfortably. Propping himself up, he prepared to take some medicine, only to notice he was already in a clean set of underclothes—definitely not the ones he had worn yesterday.
Panic surged. “Sanling!”
“You’re awake, Young Master?”
Bai Lan hurriedly pulled back the bed curtains. “My clothes…”
“Oh~ I changed them for you, Young Master,” she replied.
Relief flooded him. He collapsed back onto the bed. “Yesterday… it was Madam Qi who brought me back, right?”
“No, it was the young master who brought you back. Don’t you remember? You were incredibly drunk, and after he helped you inside, you even vomited on him.”
Bai Lan shot upright. “You’re saying the young master brought me back… and I vomited on him?”
Sanling nodded, slightly embarrassed. “Fortunately, he didn’t get angry. He had me change your clothes and clean you up.”
Bai Lan buried his face in his hands—so mortifying. He swore he would never drink again. Unbeknownst to him, he had even embarrassed himself from his past life.
He asked Sanling about the previous day’s events. She only saw Ning Muyan help him into Tianmendong and didn’t witness what happened afterward, except that Bai Lan vomited again.
Yet Bai Lan had a feeling Ning Muyan had carried him lightly at some point and that he had said something to him—he couldn’t recall if it was the wine making his mind float or if Ning Muyan really had held him.
He couldn’t think straight, running his hands through his hair in frustration.
He buried his head in the soft bedding, agonizing over how he would even begin to tell Ning Muyan that he planned to leave the Ning residence. It was maddening.
Feeling utterly embarrassed, Bai Lan feigned illness and hid in Tianmendong for several days. Ning Muyan, understanding his state, didn’t force his way in to check on him.
Bai Lan found this unusual—Ning Muyan’s behavior wasn’t typically so restrained. He reasoned that he must have said a lot of unpleasant things to Ning Muyan while drunk, which explained why Ning Muyan avoided him. It seemed the most fitting excuse.
Not only had Bai Lan and Ning Muyan avoided each other, but Ning Zhengyu, who normally ran to Tianmendong incessantly, had also stayed away these past few days.