Just as he expected, when he arrived at the Queen's quarters, she was seated at the grand dining table, which was filled with a variety of dishes, quietly having dinner. Nalan was sitting on a chair, reviewing a handout in her hands, while one of the maids was crouched before her, massaging her foots. Zhenxi was lounging on another couch, busy chatting on her phone. The cool air from the AC filled the living room, and the TV was playing, though no one paid it any attention....everyone was occupied with something.
His mere presence shifted the energy in the room. The maid immediately bowed her head without daring to look at him and greeted him. He raised a hand in response. She stood quickly and began gathering her things....she had finished tending to Nalan anyway.
"Good evening, big brother," both Nalan and Zhenxi said at once.
He responded with quiet nobility, his voice low. Nalan hid her face behind her book, pouting slightly as she glared toward the Queen's side of the room. In her mind, she muttered, "If this is the man who's going to be king one day, then we're all doomed. His face is always like a thundercloud. And now it's even worse....he must be cruel by nature."
Zhenxi, on the other hand, had already unplugged her headphones and charger, heading out of the living room to avoid him entirely. Only Nalan remained behind, as she was usually the only one who could stay when he visited their mother.
"Good evening, Mom," Yibo said after sitting in the chair opposite the Queen.
"How have you been?" she asked, once again struck by how different he seemed each time...always carrying with him a heaviness, foreign to their world. She knew he was reserved and disliked small talk, but lately, his silence had become something else entirely.
"I'm fine," he answered simply.
She set her spoon down and clasped her hands together. "I often doubt your words whenever you say you're fine. Your face and demeanor never show peace of mind."
He gave her a glance, then looked away. "There's nothing wrong."
She fell silent, as if weighing his words. Then she sighed and resumed eating. "But… why haven't you chosen which university you'll attend?"
"I'm still thinking about it," he replied.
"What kind of thinking?" she asked, pausing her chewing. "Look, I'm giving you until the day after tomorrow. I expect you to have a decision made by then. And it must not be in this country...or even a neighboring one."
"Alright," he replied, then reached for the cup of grape juice the Queen had poured for herself. He took a few sips.
After drinking half the cup, he called Nalan's name. She responded and set down her handout, getting up. He motioned for her to serve him food. She hated his cold attitude, so she pretended not to understand. Instead of answering her, he just picked up his phone and started scrolling, leaving her standing there.
It was the Queen who finally spoke: "Serve him already, why are you just standing there?"
Nalan huffed softly, pouted, and reluctantly began plating his food. When she finished, she placed a spoon for him and quietly walked out with her handout, following Zhenxi's earlier exit.
Yibo dragged the plate closer and began to eat. He had a question he wanted to ask but didn't know how to phrase it or how it would be received. So, he kept eating, turning it over in his mind, until he finally gathered the courage and said:
"Did they send the exact amount they're needing for?"
Prince Yibo asked this because he was sure money had blinded Zhan's family into doing what they did. He expected that eventually, they would start naming prices, hoping to get paid off. Maybe through this question, he'd hear something… anything regarding Zhan.
He was a person who despised greed or materialism. But what he couldn't understand was why he didn't see Zhan that way...why he couldn't forget him.
The Queen looked up in confusion. "Who are you referring to?"
He didn't quite know how to explain, so he took a bite before quietly replying, "The boy who was sent to New York."
Her face darkened instantly....more than he'd ever seen. Her hand froze mid-air, and her gaze locked onto him. He could feel her eyes burning into him, but he continued eating, pretending not to notice.
She was nearly done eating, but his words made her lose her appetite. She pulled her chair back and continued watching him with a sharp gaze. Then, in a voice laced with frustration, she said:
"What's your connection to them? Why do you care whether they've asked anything or not? Yibo, I hope you haven't forgotten our last conversation before I had him sent to you. I told you....keep your eyes on him, not your heart. Don't let him near your emotions. If he does, there will be problems. He's not your equal. He's temporary. Temporary. Yibo, even as a joke, I never want to hear you mention anything like this again. Not ever."
"I'm sorry," he replied respectfully.
After that, silence fell between them. Then she stood and left the dining table, clearly displeased.
Yibo didn't continue eating for long either. After just two more spoonfuls, he stood up, gave a quick farewell to the Queen, and left the room.
As he walked, a strange heat pulsed in his heart and frustration brewed in his chest. He couldn't quite place the cause, but he kept returning to the fact that the Queen hadn't said anything about Zhan. A heavy, unshakable feeling was stirring inside him, something unfamiliar, something painful that pressed on his chest like a weight.
Instead of returning to his quarters as he'd planned, he found he couldn't sit still. He picked up his phones and stepped out, wandering through the Palace grounds toward the outer gates. He passed door after door, gate after gate....the path between his wing and the main gate was long, but he kept walking. The movement helped distract him, even if just slightly.
Halfway through his walk, his phone rang....Qiantang's name flashed on the screen. Without hesitation, he rejected the call and shut off the phone entirely, shoving it into his pocket.
Back in the Palace, Ms. Bao couldn't sit still after being summoned by Queen Zhaiye. She was tense, uncertain of what response to expect. If the Queen accepted the claim of pregnancy, then fate had clearly smiled on her. Getting assigned to Tianjin Palace was already a stroke of good fortune.... but this? This could secure her future forever. Her grandmother's prayers would be fulfilled. But if things didn't go as hoped, she knew they'd have no choice but to accept the consequences. Neither she nor the Xiao Yun had the power to oppose any verdict from above.
The Queen emerged today with a severe expression.... so sharp it made Ms. Bao's heart sink. Queen Zhaiye didn't say a word at first. She completed her elegant walk toward her, then stopped and looked her over with steely eyes before speaking in a firm, cold tone.
"Tell them the pregnancy story is nothing but fiction. A fabricated tale meant to toy with the mind of the Palace. Let them know....clearly...that they have underestimated me. If they had any sense, they would've come forward with a number...the exact amount of money they wanted. No matter how large, they still wouldn't be a match for me. But not through this cowardly route."
She paused, then continued, "Tell them I didn't send that boy to New York to get close to my son so he could get pregnant. I didn't send Zhan to New York to match them up. He was sent there temporarily, as an employee. They know full well that both my son and the royals are far beyond their reach. Remind them of that."
Queen Zhaiye's voice grew firmer. "Make it clear to them that if money is what they want, they should state the amount. They'll get it, as agreed. But the matter of pregnancy must end. Let them move on. Let them continue with their lives."
Just then, Prince Yibo, who had been on his way into the room, caught the tail end of her speech. Her raised voice echoed in the hallway, each word landing heavily on his ears. The moment she mentioned the word "pregnancy," it struck him like a slap. The rest of the conversation shook him even more, to the point that he wasn't sure if he was hearing correctly. He stepped into the room without thinking, needing to confirm it himself.
She noticed his entrance but averted her gaze, returning her attention to Ms. Bao. "Deliver everything I just told you," she said, "and bring me back their response."
"With your permission," Ms. Bao said quickly, bowing her head. "May your heart be at peace. I'll return shortly." Then she exited the room.
"Mom… Pregnancy?" Yibo found himself blurting the word, surprised by the sound of his own voice.
The Queen turned to face him fully now, her expression grim. "They crafted this lie to manipulate us," she said. "They think we're fools, hoping to use this story to squeeze wealth out of us...after agreeing to every condition we gave them, how could a male got pregnant, in which world are we living? This is nothing but a lie."
The word "pregnancy" had already embedded itself deep within Yibo's mind. It was hard to think of anything else. He sat down slowly, as if weighed down by the realization. "But Mom… shouldn't we at least investigate? To be sure whether it's true or not? Now this day's everything is possible, I myself saw two male with pregnancy in abroad"
It was the first time he had ever questioned her decisions....ever voiced a differing opinion so directly.
The Queen stared at him for a long moment, then asked curtly, "Which university did you choose?" clearly not wanting to continue the conversation.
"A local one," he answered reluctantly, barely able to say it.
She narrowed her eyes. "Are you out of your mind? Have you forgotten where you graduated from? Or the warning I gave you....that you're not to attend any university within this country?"
He opened his mouth to respond, but she raised her hand sharply and cut him off. "Enough. Leave. Now, before I lose my temper."
Yibo stood immediately, his mind spinning, frustration boiling in his chest. As he turned to go, her voice called after him.
"Yibo," she said. He stopped, turning back slightly, though she kept her back to him. "If something's bothering you, speak up now so we can address it. And if you're harboring anything in your heart… I advise you to let it go. Because it will never bring you peace."
✨✨✨
Ever since Ms. Bao delivered Queen Zhaiye's message to Xiao Yun, he'd been deeply unsettled. For the first time, a storm brewed within him. He had never imagined they would deny or dismiss the matter of the pregnancy. The thought alone kept circling in his mind, refusing to let him rest. He wanted to tell Aunty Anu, but he didn't know where she lived, nor how to reach her. Even if she'd lash out or lose her temper, at least he would've spoken his truth. The weight of the secret bore down on him, suffocating him in frustration and despair.
Around 7:30 in the morning, Aunty Anu got ready to take Niu and Ao to their lessons....their temporary arrangement while staying in Beijing before heading back home. She usually wasn't the one to do school runs; their father often handled it. But today, since he had gone out early, it was her turn.
She went to Zhan's room herself and asked him to come along with her to drop off the kids. Normally, he stayed home with the housekeeper, but today she insisted they go together. Zhan still hadn't fully bounced back....though there was a slight improvement, the sickness hadn't left him. Some days, he spent hours lying down, barely eating or drinking. Other times, he looked a little better.
What truly worried Aunty Anu was the overwhelming silence and constant overthinking she saw in him. She'd been making a concerted effort to pull him out of that space....arranging for a therapist and coming up with activities to keep him engaged. She refused to let him sit idle or drown in solitude.
At one point, she even considered enrolling him in a university. But when she discussed it with her husband, he advised against it. He felt it was more important to prioritize Zhan's well-being. He wasn't completely well yet, and in his opinion, studying in US would be a better option. There, no one knew Zhan or his story...he could focus without scrutiny or pressure. Especially now, in his condition, gossip and whispers would only make things worse.
Aunty Anu agreed. She set the idea aside and instead got him a new phone and laptop, occasionally bringing his younger siblings over to spend time with him. Slowly, this began to ease some of the weight he carried. Still, his heart remained clouded with anger and distrust toward the Tianjin royals. Unbeknownst to anyone, Zhan had begun to nurture a quiet resolve deep within himself.
It had become routine....Zhan would bathe at dawn to help manage his body temperature. Today, after his shower, he changed into a wide shirt, more comfortable now that his belly was starting to show. He was five months along. He joined them in the car just as they were preparing to leave.
On the way, Ao and Niu kept chatting with him, and he played along, making sure the car ride was anything but quiet. After dropping them off, it was just him and Aunty Anu. She drove back at a slower pace than usual.
Not long after they were on the road, Aunty Anu said, "I think we should stop by your father's house. See what he have to say about everything."
Zhan exhaled quietly. He said nothing. He had no interest in revisiting that part of his life. He'd tucked it away....locked it in a far corner of his mind, hoping one day he'd forget it entirely. But was that even possible? When a visible thread still connected them?
He remained silent all the way to the house. Luckily, his father was just about to leave for the market when they arrived. He stood in the sitting room, handing some shopping money to Fenghua. Over the past week, he'd made an effort to fix things...both around the house and within himself.
Zhan immediately noticed the calmness and softness in his demeanor. Even Aunty Anu, who had often clashed with him, seemed to sense the shift. His father asked them to sit and wait for about ten minutes; he would be right back. Aunty Anu simply pursed her lips and said nothing as he left.
Out at the gate, he looked around for a boy to send to Ms. Bao's house. His children were all at school, and he didn't want to deliver this message Aunt Anu. Not because he was afraid....but because he knew some things needed to be said in a controlled way. The truth was, it was time to stop being the man he had been. It was time to stop wounding his children with silence and avoidance.
This situation with Zhan....it demanded accountability. To carry a child, to go through the hardship alone, only to have the people responsible deny it outright? That wasn't just heartbreaking....it was dehumanizing. And no child should ever have to endure that.
He finally managed to find a boy to send the message and waited by the gate for his return. Luckily, the boy came back with Ms. Bao. She looked at him in surprise and asked, "Is everything alright?"
"It's Zhan and his aunt," Xiao Yun explained. "They're here to hear the response from the Royals."
Even Ms. Bao found the moment heavy. But she had no choice....she had to deliver the message. The Queen needed an answer, and Ms. Bao couldn't delay. With a tight expression, she nodded and went back into the house with the him.
Zhan lifted his head to glance at them just once before turning away, refusing to meet their eyes. These were the two people who, every time he saw them, felt like living reminders of the ones who had taken an axe to his life... hacking away until nothing was left of it.
Ms. Bao greeted Aunt Anu politely, though her voice was subdued. Aunt Anu responded coolly, without warmth or hostility...she didn't know who this woman truly was.
"Hello, Zhan," Ms. Bao added in a soft tone.
He couldn't even bring himself to look at her, let alone respond. Instead, she straightened her posture and, summoning her resolve, delivered the Queen's message.
Aunt Anu's anger rose steadily as she listened, while Zhan fell into a strange, crushing silence. He couldn't even tell what he was feeling anymore. All he knew was that everything inside him...his body and heart....was screaming for them to leave. He couldn't take sitting there a second longer, couldn't hear another word from Ms. Bao, even though she seemed to have finished.
Without a word, Zhan stood up abruptly. Their eyes followed him in silence, each person feeling something different stir inside them.
He walked without direction, just putting one foot in front of the other until he reached the car. He opened the door, climbed in, and collapsed into a tight corner of the seat. He wanted to bury his face between his knees to block everything out....but his pregnancy made that impossible. So instead, he pulled the collar of his shirt up and covered his face with it, resting it against his hands, releasing sharp, shallow breaths as if his heart was trying to escape his chest.
It felt like fire was rising in his throat.... Zhan could hardly breathe from the intensity.
Aunt Anu didn't want to make any decisions without Papa's consent. But deep down, she knew she had no choice now: she had to send a message back to the Queen....one that would strike both heart and conscience exactly where it should.
Zhanxianyibo💚❤️💛