After The Soft And Cute Beauty Marries The Wolf King - Chapter 38

Not used to sleeping early and with so much on his mind, Lang Sa found it even harder to sleep.

 

He kept thinking about Xie Zhiqing’s pregnancy and still found it incredibly unbelievable.

 

But no matter what… He turned to look at Xie Zhiqing’s sleeping face, unable to suppress his joy.

 

They actually… had a baby, a baby belonging to the two of them.

 

Lang Sa closed his eyes, and the image of their future baby immediately appeared in his mind.

 

It must be a smaller version of Xie Zhiqing… with round eyes, a soft voice, standing small on the ground, reaching out to him to be held, and calling him “Daddy”…

 

Lang Sa felt dizzy again.

 

He quickly opened his eyes, trying to clear his head of those thoughts, or he would continue to think aimlessly.

 

He started pondering other things.

 

The doctors had said that Xie Zhiqing’s health was good, everything seemed fine so far, and there was no need to be overly worried. All he needed was plenty of nutrition and to stay happy.

 

Lang Sa thought it over and decided to hire a few more chefs to make delicious food for Xie Zhiqing.

 

Oh, right, it’s been snowing a lot lately, so someone needs to clear the snow constantly to prevent the clumsy little prince from slipping.

 

And the steps to the secret base need to be repaired.

 

Thinking about the secret base made Lang Sa restless again.

 

He never expected that a small cave he casually developed as a child would become such an important place.

 

Damn! He remembered something else!

 

He had even taken Xie Zhiqing out for horse riding! Damn it!

 

Finally, Lang Sa understood.

 

That day, Ateus suddenly went crazy when he heard he was taking Xie Zhiqing out hunting!

 

But at that time, both he and Xie Zhiqing misunderstood, thinking that Ateus was angry on behalf of Fufu. Now it seemed that Ateus didn’t allow him to take Xie Zhiqing out horse riding and hunting…

 

Fortunately, they didn’t go in the end, or else… Lang Sa almost broke out in a cold sweat immediately.

 

He cursed Ateus in his mind. How could he not inform him of such an important matter beforehand? It was simply unforgivable!

 

All in all, the Wolf King’s night was filled with moments of surprise, joy, contemplation, and fear, leaving him sleepless the entire night.

 

However, joy gives one energy. The next morning, despite not sleeping all night, Lang Sa was in high spirits. After having breakfast with Xie Zhiqing, he went out to repair the steps.

 

No matter how much he thought at night, during the day, the Wolf King remained calm and composed, acting as if nothing had happened.

 

Just like usual, he kissed Xie Zhiqing on the cheek before leaving. The only difference was he added a few more reminders, “Eat well” and “Contact me if you need anything.”

 

Xie Zhiqing nodded obediently.

 

After Lang Sa left, Xie Zhiqing went about his day as usual.

 

He played with Ateus and Fufu, went out for a walk, and then came back to organize things.

 

It was an ordinary day.

 

Yesterday had been so eventful that today’s life seemed almost too calm in comparison.

 

But Xie Zhiqing was in a great mood, smiling all day. He met many people during his outing and greeted them warmly and actively.

 

Back home, he took out a pen and ink to write a letter to his father and brothers about the happy news. But the pen paused above the paper — he didn’t know how to say it. Just thinking about it made his face hot.

 

Xie Zhiqing rubbed his face and put the pen and ink away.

 

Maybe later… He put the things back in the cabinet and leaned his forehead against the door, feeling like his face was about to catch fire just thinking about it.

 

He patted his face, trying to calm down. Then he called Ateus to summon his maid.

 

This girl had come with him from Anyu. Xie Zhiqing didn’t put on any royal airs and rarely needed her service, so he had arranged for her to stay in a nearby room with other female servants from the grassland.

 

When the maid arrived, Xie Zhiqing said, “Find some time to… buy a few pieces of cloth. Any color will do, as long as they are bright and have rich patterns.”

 

The girl smiled and bowed slightly, saying, “Congratulations, Your Highness! I wonder if it will be a little prince or princess?”

 

“…” Xie Zhiqing’s head was about to explode. “Don’t talk nonsense, don’t talk nonsense…”

 

The maid closed her mouth with a smile and said cheerfully, “Your Highness, I’ll go buy it right away! I’ll pick the most beautiful fabric!”

 

After the girl left, Xie Zhiqing sat back down, lost in thought.

 

The girl’s words reminded him of what Xie Zhifeng had once said.

 

“If the baby looks like you, it will definitely be beautiful and cute. If it looks like the Wolf King, it will definitely be strong…”

 

Who would have thought that those playful words would come true?

 

Xie Zhiqing, half-dazed, thought about it and unknowingly laid back down on the pillow and fell asleep.

 

Ateus, who had been guarding the door, cautiously walked in when the room grew silent.

 

Xie Zhiqing had fallen asleep again, wearing a not-so-thick single garment and not properly covered by the blanket.

 

Ateus tiptoed inside, picked up the blanket, and covered Xie Zhiqing. Then it went to the corner, cleaned its paws with one of Lang Sa’s old clothes, and climbed onto the bed, acting as a wolf-shaped body pillow to weigh down the blanket.

 

The nest they made for the baby couldn’t be used yet, but it could make Xie Zhiqing’s bed warmer.

 

However, Fufu was not happy.

 

It hopped around in its cage, expressing its dissatisfaction.

 

Ateus got off the bed, walked quietly to the cage, and let Fufu out.

 

Fufu hopped onto Ateus’ back, directing it to place it in Xie Zhiqing’s arms.

 

Ateus thoughtfully placed the rabbit, even using its paw to adjust the blanket so that Fufu’s head poked out from the warm nest.

 

Fufu nestled in Xie Zhiqing’s arms, found a familiar spot, and stopped moving. It closed its eyes slightly, its long ears resting gently on Xie Zhiqing’s face, like a small, warm blanket.

 

The room returned to silence.

 

Ateus lay back down by the bed, pressing down the corner of Xie Zhiqing’s blanket. Before it knew it, it too had fallen asleep.

 

Xie Zhiqing was awakened by Ateus.

 

It wasn’t that Ateus was making noise; it knew that Xie Zhiqing needed more rest in his current condition and didn’t make a sound. But the wolf radiated a sense of resentment and displeasure that Xie Zhiqing could feel even in his sleep.

 

He rubbed his eyes and sat up, habitually catching Fufu as it fell from his arms. He reached out and patted Ateus’ head, asking, “What’s wrong?”

 

Seeing that Xie Zhiqing was awake, Ateus stopped hiding its feelings. It jumped off the bed and started spinning madly in circles on the floor, venting its frustration.

 

“…” Xie Zhiqing was puzzled. What was wrong now?

 

Unlike Lang Sa, he couldn’t understand Ateus’ inner turmoil and could only vaguely sense that it was complaining about Lang Sa again.

 

At this moment, Ateus used its paw to draw a small picture on the ground that looked like a bird.

 

After drawing one bird, it drew another and then a small cluster of flames beside them.

 

“…” Xie Zhiqing understood. “You mean, Lang Sa went to eat something delicious without you again?”

 

Ateus nodded vigorously.

 

As one of the culprits who had also snuck snacks behind Ateus’ back, Xie Zhiqing kept a calm exterior but was very anxious inside. He rubbed his face, got out of bed, and pretended, “How mean of Lang Sa, I’ll go teach him a lesson for you!” And maybe have some snacks myself.

 

Ateus didn’t suspect a thing and even fetched Xie Zhiqing’s small cloak.

 

After dressing properly, Xie Zhiqing went out.

 

There was no need to ask where Lang Sa was—Xie Zhiqing knew he would be in that small cave.

 

This time, the Wolf King didn’t play hide-and-seek with him. Hearing footsteps, he jumped out from below.

 

“Why are you here?” Lang Sa asked.

 

“Ateus is complaining about you again, saying you ate something good without him,” Xie Zhiqing said seriously.

 

Lang Sa laughed heartily and said, “Yes, I caught two chickens and am roasting them. I planned to bring them to you when they’re done, and if they got cold, we could reheat them. But since you’re here—”

 

He wrapped an arm around Xie Zhiqing’s shoulder and led him inside. “Let’s eat while they’re hot!”

 

The chicken was roasted to perfection, with a sweet glaze of honey that Lang Sa somehow managed to obtain, making it deliciously sweet.

 

As Xie Zhiqing ate, he wondered how Lang Sa managed to get hold of so many things that weren’t common on the prairie. It seemed Lang Sa could always find whatever he wanted.

 

The young prince ate to his heart’s content, then leaned against Lang Sa’s shoulder and closed his eyes, saying, “It’s so delicious! Wolf King’s cooking is still the best!”

 

Lang Sa smiled but said nothing.

 

He tidied up a bit and added another handful of firewood to the fire.

 

He glanced at the person leaning against him, the flickering flames making Xie Zhiqing’s face look even more vibrant.

 

Lang Sa reached out and gently tapped Xie Zhiqing’s small nose, speaking softly, “These past few days, I’ve felt like I’m dreaming.”

 

Xie Zhiqing looked up at him upon hearing this.

 

Lang Sa gazed back at him intently and repeated, “Even now, it doesn’t feel real. I’m afraid that if I close my eyes, I’ll wake up from the dream.”

 

As he spoke, he lightly touched Xie Zhiqing’s eyelids.

 

The young prince instinctively closed his eyes.

 

Lang Sa’s fingers brushed lightly across his face.

 

“I also… feel like I’m dreaming,” Xie Zhiqing said, opening his eyes and holding Lang Sa’s fingers. He smiled shyly, his eyes sparkling with joy. “But it’s not a dream; it’s real!”

 

He looked at Lang Sa, too embarrassed to say more, so he just smiled at him.

 

Since learning about the baby, this was the first time they had seriously discussed it.

 

Lang Sa held his hand and brought it to his lips for a kiss, whispering, “Hmm.”

 

“There are many things I never hoped for.”

 

After a while, Lang Sa spoke again.

 

His voice was soft, and in the empty cave, it sounded even more ethereal. “I never hoped to marry you, never hoped you would love me, and never hoped we would have a baby.”

 

He propped himself up with his hands on the ground, looking up at the dark cave ceiling, and continued, “But I’ve gotten all of these… Heaven is too kind to me.”

 

He had long decided never to tell Xie Zhiqing about his past life. His young prince should live happily and freely in this life, without knowing about the unspeakable pains of the past.

 

At first, he only wanted to protect Xie Zhiqing from any harm for a lifetime. As for other things, whether love or hatred, it didn’t matter how Xie Zhiqing viewed him. As long as Xie Zhiqing was safe and happy, nothing else was important.

 

Lang Sa never expected, nor dared to imagine, that Xie Zhiqing would truly return his love.

 

They were even going to have a baby together.

 

He spread his arms and hugged Xie Zhiqing tightly. The thought made his eyes well up with warmth.

 

Xie Zhiqing grabbed his back and looked up at him from his embrace. The young prince blinked, hesitated for a moment, and finally mustered the courage to say, “I… I never expected it either.”

 

He spoke slowly but clearly, “On our wedding day, I cried in the bridal sedan chair, thinking that this marriage would be the end of me. I never expected you… to be like this, never expected to be happy and joyful so far from home, and certainly never expected…”

 

He touched his belly and couldn’t continue, so he buried his face in Lang Sa’s shoulder, smiling shyly.

 

Xie Zhiqing never expected to find a lover who shared his heart in such a place.

 

He thought for a moment and added, “Lang Sa, you said Heaven is too kind to you… but I think, Heaven is kind to both of us.”

 

He seemed to hear Lang Sa sigh softly in his ear, and then he was held even tighter.

 

Suddenly, Xie Zhiqing felt his body lift—

 

Lang Sa had picked him up!

 

Startled, Xie Zhiqing quickly wrapped his arms around Lang Sa’s neck.

 

The joy Lang Sa had been suppressing seemed to burst forth, and he spun Xie Zhiqing around several times before setting him down.

 

“I’m going to be a dad! I’m going to be a dad!”

 

Lang Sa’s eyes were filled with undeniable joy and happiness. It was as if he had experienced the best thing in his life, and nothing could express his excitement.

 

Xie Zhiqing looked at him and smiled, a small dimple appearing on his cheek. Lang Sa’s joy was so palpable that Xie Zhiqing felt he could let go of his own small reservations.

 

Gathering his courage, Xie Zhiqing cupped Lang Sa’s face and kissed him on the lips.

 

Lang Sa picked him up again, returning the kiss passionately without hiding his feelings.

 

Author’s Note:

 

I’m drained (talking about my backlog).