Let Me Go, I’m Not Pregnant - Chapter 11

“What did you say? You have a younger brother or sister, and you still don’t know?”

Lao Gu’s wife put away her disheveled appearance and pushed Gu Xingzhi, pretending to be annoyed, “Don’t misunderstand your mother’s good intentions!”

Gu Xingzhi looked at her expression, and it didn’t seem fake.

But who else could make Lao Gu’s wife show such extra kindness?

He asked, “Mom, there’s no need to bring so many into the palace. It’ll just be embarrassing.”

Lao Gu’s wife nodded, “You’re right.”

He didn’t worry about food and drink in the palace, and the emperor treated him well, so he probably wouldn’t appreciate these pastries.

Gu Xingzhi said, “I’ll eat them myself, and I won’t be able to finish them all.”

Lao Gu’s wife agreed, “Yes, you won’t.”

Gu Xingzhi wondered if he could use this opportunity to build a better relationship with him. He asked, “Mom, do you know what he likes to eat? Maybe I can bring something he enjoys.”

Lao Gu’s wife worriedly stared at the pastries, “But she doesn’t like these.”

Gu Xingzhi stopped himself from saying more.

Lao Gu’s wife realized what she had blurted out and quickly adjusted her stance, “What I meant was, you said they don’t like these, right?”

Gu Xingzhi replied, “Mom, you seemed lost in thought just now.”

Don’t think I didn’t notice.

Lao Gu’s wife’s confidence wavered slightly, “I was just tired, that’s all.”

Gu Xingzhi said, “Mom, you still haven’t told me who these pastries are for?”

Lao Gu’s wife lowered her head slowly, “If I say it’s for no one, would you believe me?”

Be careful with that child; it seems they don’t want their identity revealed.

Gu Xingzhi’s heart skipped a beat; it seemed like there was some truth to it.

He asked, “Who is this person? What’s their identity? Is he really my younger brother?”

Lao Gu’s wife shook her head, avoiding eye contact.

“Not my younger brother?” Gu Xingzhi asked tentatively.

Lao Gu’s wife whispered, “She’s your sister.”

Gu Xingzhi was taken aback, “…”

“Why was I never informed? Why is she in the palace and not acknowledging us? Mom, what’s going on?”

Lao Gu’s wife lowered her head and explained, “Your father doesn’t know about this yet. Before I became pregnant with you, I was pregnant once, but at that time, there was a lot of turmoil due to war. Your father and I had an unstable relationship, and after being manipulated by others, I ran away. I spent some time in hiding and only realized I was pregnant after a while. I didn’t want to come back, so I thought about having an abortion.”

She glanced at Gu Xingzhi’s dark expression and continued weakly, “But that child was too resilient; the abortion wasn’t successful. After she was born, we found out there were some issues. At the time, I couldn’t afford to take care of her properly. Coincidentally, I saw the emperor in disguise while he was touring, so I secretly placed the child beside him in the middle of the night and left a note.”

At that time, Lao Gu’s wife had a deep dislike for General Gu and didn’t want to give birth to his child. She had handed the child over to the late emperor but regretted her decision and wanted to take the child back. However, the late emperor found out.

“Your father and the late emperor made an agreement. He would help me raise the child, and I would fight on the battlefield for him. When he returned victorious, the child would be returned to me.”

As a result, after a year on the battlefield, she was recognized by General Gu. After some entanglement, they finally confirmed their feelings for each other, and Lao Gu’s wife became pregnant with Gu Xingzhi.

At the time, Lao Gu’s wife had intended to confess, but she didn’t know how to bring it up. This went on for five years, and when she returned triumphant, she learned from the emperor that the child was cold and unfeeling, only recognizing the late emperor and the crown prince, and didn’t want to return.

Changxin inherited their stubbornness. Once she set her mind on something, she would never turn back. If Lao Gu’s wife tried to forcefully take her away, she would rather die than come with her.

Helpless, Lao Gu’s wife had to pretend she had never given birth to this child.

Over the years, she would occasionally send things to the palace, hoping to touch Changxin’s heart in some way. However, Changxin had never responded until a few days ago…

Lao Gu’s wife snapped back to the present, withholding the last sentence.

“Your mother promised her that she wouldn’t force her, so unless she’s willing to come back, your mother won’t tell you who she is.”

The kitchen fell silent.

Lao Gu’s wife’s heart was in turmoil. Changxin was so protective of the emperor, but Gu Xingzhi seemed to be at odds with her. She was afraid they would clash when they met.

Gu Xingzhi furrowed his brow. He didn’t know the history of his parents’ relationship, and he had always thought they were deeply in love. After all, they seemed affectionate with each other most of the time.

But with his father’s keen insight, if his mother had indeed been sending things out every year, he shouldn’t have remained completely clueless.

On the other hand, his mother also couldn’t be unaware of this issue.

Both of them were pretending to be ignorant, and there was no point in him staying clear-headed.

Having gained a new sister wasn’t the end of the world.

Moreover, the other party didn’t want to acknowledge him.

He didn’t need to push the matter further.

Gu Xingzhi withdrew his gaze and said calmly, “Alright.”

There was a trace of imperceptible helplessness in his eyes. “So, should these pastries still be sent to her?”

Lao Gu’s wife shook her head. “She probably doesn’t like them.”

She had heard from the late emperor that Changxin excelled in her studies. The pastries she brought over, Changxin, had only eaten once before making them perfectly. Then she happily made them for the crown prince.

Gu Xingzhi said, “Then I’ll take them and share them with a friend I know.”

He remembered that during the time Changxin had forced him to make pastries, they turned out to be similar to what his mother made. Perhaps that person would also enjoy them.

Lao Gu’s wife nodded. “Alright, take them if you want.”

Then she suddenly realized something and asked, “A friend you know? You made friends in the palace so quickly? Is this friend a man or a woman?”

Gu Xingzhi hesitated. “He’s a man.”

Lao Gu’s wife breathed a sigh of relief.

She had thought that when Gu Xingzhi was taken out by Changxin that day for sparring, he had fallen in love with someone…

Gu Xingzhi felt inexplicable as he took the pastries and headed out.

When he had walked far enough, Lao Gu’s wife, who was still in the kitchen, slowly remembered something else.

Did Changxin and Gu Xingzhi say anything after their sparring session that day?

Gu Xingzhi was so intelligent; he might have guessed what was on Changxin’s mind.

Lao Gu’s wife worried that he might find out, but at the same time, she also secretly hoped he would discover it. These conflicting thoughts tangled up in her mind like a mess.

She stood at the door for a while, lost in thought, before finally turning back inside.

In the evening.

After finally finishing the reports, Emperor Luo Shen flexed his wrist. When he raised his eyes, he saw a box of pastries placed on the table.

His eyes flickered slightly as he looked towards Changxin, who was still standing in the shadows, continuing her punishment. He pinched his brow and asked, “Aren’t you being punished? How come you have time to make pastries?”

Changxin knelt on the ground, holding a sword in her arms, and her knees were resting on soft cushions beneath her. She pouted and said, “These were sent by Gu Xingzhi.”

Emperor Luo Shen was surprised. “He sent something over?”

“He said it’s for Changnian,” Changxin replied, shaking her head and sounding slightly playful. “Is it to apologize or show his intentions? In the letter, he said he was smitten with Changnian. Isn’t Changnian you, and you’re Emperor Luo Shen, right?”

Emperor Luo Shen’s expression didn’t seem quite natural when he heard this. “I’ve told you, I’m not Changnian. You’d better distinguish between them to avoid accidentally revealing anything.”

Changxin raised an eyebrow. “But, Your Majesty, if you don’t like him, why not just deal with it directly? It would save a lot of trouble.”

Emperor Luo Shen shook his head. “As I’ve said, he’s an official appointed by the court.”

Changxin also shook her head. She didn’t have a good sense of propriety regarding court officials. The late emperor had told her that if anyone tried to harm Emperor Luo Shen, she should deal with them without considering their identity.

So, what did a mere court official matter?

In her view, Emperor Luo Shen’s obstruction could only be attributed to his concern for Gu Xingzhi.

Oh, right, this person seemed to be her younger brother, didn’t he?