In the Bitter Sea World, Jialan Fairy returned to the Lotus Sprout Home, where a crowd of lotus root people immediately came swarming up with excited little whines.
With a light flick of her wide sleeve, Jialan Fairy sent the lotus root people floating into the air to amuse themselves. Only then did she approach one of the seed storage cabinets embedded in midair and retrieve a book.
The Way of Motherhood.
Jialan Fairy flipped rapidly through the pages. Her platinum dual pupils reflected the text like a scanner, precisely imprinting it into her mind.
She didn’t even need to blink. In moments, she had finished the entire book. She returned it to its place and continued pulling similar volumes from the various seed storage cabinets, absorbing their contents at a breakneck pace.
How a Kind Mother Doesn’t Spoil Her Child.
My Family Has a Qilin Child.
For a book lover like Jialan Fairy, she usually savored every word in silent recitation. It was rare for her to “profane” books like this. But right now, she was desperate to grasp the knowledge they contained.
She had realized that Yan Zhen seemed to resist her affection and care. Clearly, she was doing something wrong.
Jialan Fairy dimly understood that she had gone overboard, but an impulse burned in her heart, urging her to tend to Yan Zhen and become his one and only safe harbor.
After devouring every book on mother-son dynamics, Jialan Fairy stood in place, lost in thought for a long while. At last, she delved into ancient texts to study special nurturing techniques.
Twilight fell.
After a full day of brawling with Long Ying, Yan Zhen returned to the Glazed Cave with her slung over his back. He dumped her onto a bench and promptly collapsed into a boneless sprawl beside her.
Long Ying wriggled onto Yan Zhen’s lap like a fuzzy caterpillar and drawled lazily, “Yan Zhen Zhen, I’m hungry.”
Yan Zhen rubbed her pink dragon head. “Go find Mentor Yu Xuan and Aunt Shui Bailan to make you something to eat.”
“You’re so heartless, Yan Zhen Zhen~”
“Mm, you ate my heart.”
“You’re such a big dummy, Yan Zhen Zhen~”
“Just a tiny bit smarter than you.”
“…”
“…”
Hearing the commotion, Cai Lian emerged from her room, belly protruding proudly. She eyed the big and little pair slumped limply there and sighed helplessly.
“Little Xuan’er and Aunt Bai Lan went to Rain God Peak. They won’t be back until later. But they left some buns warming in the kitchen. Go eat if you’re hungry.”
“Hear that? Get going already.”
“Fine~”
Long Ying slid reluctantly off Yan Zhen’s lap and shuffled toward the kitchen. She hauled the entire steamer over, snatched up a bun in each hand, and began scarfing them down with gusto.
Compared to pills, she preferred replenishing her energy with real food.
The buns were made from spirit wheat flour and high-grade beast meat, enhanced by Mentor Yu Xuan’s special cooking methods. Their restorative effects were no worse than pills.
Yan Zhen had drunk his fill at his beautiful master’s place the night before. Though he’d tussled with Long Ying all day, he still had energy to spare and didn’t bother competing with her for food. Instead, he turned his gaze to his pregnant wife.
Because Yan Zhen was so busy, Jialan Fairy had delivered an ample supply of top-quality Fetal Stability Pills. Every few days, Mentor Yu Xuan prepared medicinal meals for her senior apprentice sister to nourish her body.
Now, Cai Lian’s complexion glowed with rosy health, radiant and vibrant. The innate maternal gentleness gradually overpowered her sharp edges, making her appear all the more dignified and beautiful. Yan Zhen felt a familiar itch stirring within him.
Cai Lian noticed her husband’s heated stare. To keep him from losing control, she shot him a reproachful glare.
Yan Zhen coughed twice and scooted closer to his Snake Snake Wife. He reached out habitually to caress her pregnant belly, but Cai Lian flicked his hand away and huffed, “You’re covered in sweat. Go bathe first.”
With that, she grabbed her husband and dragged him toward the bath chamber.
Long Ying, head buried in her feast, watched them head into the bath chamber. She was tempted to follow but glanced at the half-empty steamer. Deciding to finish eating before washing up, she ramped up her devouring speed.
In the bath chamber, Yan Zhen lounged naked in the tub, with Cai Lian perched blushing on his lap.
She had said she would help him bathe, but this scoundrel had insistently stripped her bare and pulled her into the tub. Now he fondled her round belly without restraint, leaving her utterly mortified.
“Has it been ages since we got intimate, Cai Lian?” Sovereign Lady murmured, biting her lip and ignoring him. But Yan Zhen persisted. “How about we try now?”
Cai Lian jumped. “N-No! You’ll hurt Yan’er.”
“We can go from behind.”
“You—”
/(/ /o/ω/o/ /)/
“Good Cai Lian~”
“Shy…”
A quarter-hour later, Long Ying finally polished off the last bun. She scampered happily toward the bath chamber, plotting to suddenly enlarge herself and ambush Yan Zhen Zhen—letting him bask in the glory of her impressive figure!
The bath chamber door was sealed, but that wouldn’t stop Long Ying. Spatial power rippled around her as she phased right through.
The moment she entered, she caught Sister Cai Lian’s muffled cries—rich with emotion and perfectly rhythmic.
Sensing something amiss, Long Ying peeked around the screen. Her large emerald eyes reflected the steamy scene, freezing her in place: Yan Zhen Zhen stood in the tub, cradling Sister Cai Lian’s leg bends from behind to form a perfect Golden Arch Gate.
—The Golden Arch Gate was one of the Golden Jade Chamber of Commerce’s trademarks, serving up delights like burgers and fried chicken. Long Ying loved them.
Her first instinct was to clap her little hands over her dewy eyes. But she peeked through the gaps in her fingers, growing more shocked by the second. Until a patter of water splashed at her feet. Snapping to, she fled, face burning crimson.
Cai Lian slumped weakly against Yan Zhen’s chest, her expression dazed. Even noticing Long Ying’s intrusion, she was helpless to react and simply squeezed her eyes shut.
Yan Zhen held his Wife Lady as he settled back into the tub, soothing her lingering waves of passion.
“This girl and her reckless Space Talent again!”
Cai Lian said, mortified, “It’s all your fault for insisting on fooling around—now how can this Sovereign face Long Ying?”
Her voice carried a hint of a sob.
Yan Zhen hurried to comfort her properly, murmuring sweet nothings while peppering her cheeks with kisses.
They lingered another quarter-hour before emerging from the bath chamber. Long Ying sat innocently in her original spot, the picture of obedience and propriety, as if she’d never budged.
Mentor Yu Xuan and Aunt Shui Bailan had returned too, eyeing the pair with odd looks.
Cai Lian flushed beet red and fled to her room, slamming the door. It seemed she wouldn’t emerge for a couple of days.
Yan Zhen scratched his cheek awkwardly. “Mentor, Aunt, you’re back. Have Long Ying bathe in a bit—I’m heading to my room to meditate.”
Mentor Yu Xuan sighed softly and agreed with gentle warmth.
Aunt Shui Bailan covered her mouth, giggling—as if to say, “You lecher, karma’s a bitch, huh?”
Yan Zhen beat a hasty retreat to his room. Pondering Cai Lian’s words from the bath chamber, he sank into thought.
—What exactly do you think of Long Ying?
Yan Zhen scratched his head in frustration. Suddenly, he sensed something. A space portal ripped open, and his white-haired, white-robed Saint Lord Master glided forth like a compassionate holy mother cherishing all beings.
“Yan’er, what’s wrong? You look so troubled.”
“Nah.” Yan Zhen shook his head. “I’m meditating to regulate my qi tonight, Saint Lord Master. No need to keep me company.”
“Mm, I need to see Chen Xi. Yan’er, walk me in.”
Yan Zhen blinked, venturing, “What do you need with Master, Saint Lord Master?”
