FBC -Chapter 294 Black-Hearted

When Gu Hua said she needed to sleep properly, she really was tired — but she was also afraid that if he was full of energy again, she’d be the one suffering. She was subtly reminding him to be gentle and take pity on her.

A single red candle was left burning by the bedside; everything else was extinguished. The room was wrapped in a warm, dim red glow — romantic and cozy.

Mu Junyan didn’t do what Gu Hua had imagined, treating the night as their wedding night and tormenting her to death.

Instead, he tenderly helped her take off her outer robe and tucked her into the blankets.

“Huh? How come the blanket is warm?”

“I had the maids warm it for you beforehand.”

As he spoke, Mu Junyan slipped under the quilt, pulled her into his arms, lifted her undershirt, and put his large hand directly over her lower abdomen.

The warmth seeping through her skin made Gu Hua tense and comfortable at the same time.

Sigh… looks like she still couldn’t escape.

Just as she mentally prepared herself, he closed his eyes and fell asleep.

Gu Hua was stunned. She turned her head to look at him.

Asleep?

After a while, she even heard Mu Junyan’s steady breathing.

He’s asleep?

Gu Hua felt a little irritated. She moved his hand away, but the moment she did, it slid right back — accurately landing on her lower abdomen.

After a few tries, Gu Hua raised a brow and whispered, “You’re not sleeping, are you?”

Mu Junyan opened his eyes lazily and suddenly pulled her tightly into his arms. “I was asleep.”

Gu Hua immediately froze, not daring to move.

Her monthly time was about to arrive. Her waist was already sore. She feared he’d be too intense and she wouldn’t be able to handle it.

Seeing the way he was now — probably drunk or tired — he didn’t intend to move.

If she wiggled around, she might actually provoke him.

Gradually, with her mind a mess, Gu Hua fell asleep in his arms.

But halfway through the night, Gu Hua was jolted awake by a sharp pain in her lower abdomen.

It throbbed like a cramp, her waist so sore it felt like it would break.

Gu Hua regretted it bitterly. She shouldn’t have eaten so much iced lychee drink knowing her period was coming.

Mu Junyan was sleeping soundly, his hand still stubbornly pressed to her abdomen.

The warmth of his palm did ease the pain a little, but the cramps were getting worse.

She didn’t want him to lecture her about overeating, so she tried to force herself back to sleep.

But the pain kept growing, uncontrollable. Her body involuntarily curled up.

That movement woke Mu Junyan.

“What’s wrong?” He sat up abruptly and saw Gu Hua drenched in cold sweat.

“Stomach ache?”

Gu Hua pursed her lips, not speaking, but her expression was wilted, completely drained.

Mu Junyan quickly wiped her sweat, got up, covered her properly with the blanket, threw on an outer coat and hurried out to call someone.

When he returned, he sat by the bed and used his sleeve to wipe her sweat again.

“It’s your monthly time these days. That lychee drink was so cold, and you still ate so much. If I hadn’t stopped you, would you have finished the whole bowl?”

Gu Hua was surprised. So he did know her period was coming. That was why he didn’t touch her and warmed her belly.

Seeing his expression darken, she panicked and quickly grabbed his hand, cooing, “I was wrong.”

Then she scratched his palm playfully.

“Help me massage.”

Mu Junyan’s worry and faint anger evaporated instantly. He leaned over and slid his hand back inside, gently rubbing her lower abdomen.

“No more of this from now on. You’re a mother — you must take care of your body.”

Gu Hua obediently snuggled into his arms and hummed softly in agreement.

Shen Li soon arrived, inserted two needles for her, and prescribed some pain-relief medication.

Suddenly, Gu Hua felt a warm gush inside. She pushed Mu Junyan’s hand away in a panic, curled up, and called toward the outside, “Dong Hua! Dong Hua!”

Mu Junyan was startled and reached out again. “What happened?”

Shen Li said calmly, “Her monthly time has begun.”

Mu Junyan’s hand froze mid-air. He quickly pulled it back. “Oh.”

Dong Hua and Dong Qing rushed in with everything prepared.

The three women glanced awkwardly at Mu Junyan.

“I’ll step out first,” he said quickly.

Inside, they busied themselves for quite a while before the three finally came out.

Dong Hua gathered her courage and asked, “My lord, will you… rest elsewhere tonight?”

Mu Junyan frowned. “Why? I can’t sleep here?”

Dong Hua wanted to explain, but Shen Li grabbed her. “If he’s not worried, don’t interfere.”

Then she dragged both girls away.

Mu Junyan clicked his tongue. That girl Shen Li had quite the temper.

When he walked back inside, the little woman was curled on her side, silently crying.

Mu Junyan felt a headache coming on. Resigned, he placed his warm palm on her abdomen again and continued gently massaging.

Gu Hua didn’t know when she fell asleep, but Mu Junyan stayed awake, watching her. Her small face was scrunched up from the pain.

He remembered the first time he met her — that rainy night when the young girl’s clothes were soaked through, crying her heart out.

His heart softened. He leaned down and kissed the space between her brows.

In her sleep, Gu Hua seemed to sense it, and her tightly knitted brows relaxed.

Then Mu Junyan suddenly kneaded her lightly a few times. Gu Hua whimpered in her dream, and only then did he feel his anger ease a little.

Already a mother, and she still overindulged and neglected her health.

At the edge of the sky, dawn’s light began to show.

Gu Hua woke up and felt the warm hand still rubbing her stomach.

She hurriedly opened her eyes. “You… haven’t slept? Or did you just wake up?”

Mu Junyan irritably pinched the soft flesh on her abdomen. Gu Hua yelped.

She quickly covered her mouth so the maids wouldn’t hear.

Then she grabbed his hand, smiling in appeasement. “Are your hands tired?”

Mu Junyan glared at her. “Yes.”

Gu Hua shamelessly scooted closer, rubbing against his chest, and sweetly called, “Husband, thank you for your hard work.”

That only angered him more. He kissed her fiercely, kissing her until she was breathless and begging for mercy before letting her go.

He slapped her backside lightly. “Go back to sleep. Don’t get up.”

He climbed out of bed himself, put on his robe, and walked outside.

Dong Hua and the others came forward. As he walked, he instructed, “Let her sleep.”

After he went to the side room to change, the two maids slipped inside quietly.

They found Gu Hua blushing, hiding her mouth under the blanket and giggling.

When she saw them, she instructed, “Let’s wash up. I need to serve tea to Mother and Old Madam today.”

“The lord said you should sleep.”

“I’ll sleep later. I can’t skip the formalities.”

Seeing that she was already up, the maids rushed to assist her.

Because of the harm caused by Concubine Pei during her childhood, Gu Hua had severe uterine cold.

Shen Li had carefully treated her for over a year before it finally improved. Yesterday she indulged in cold food, right before her period, so the symptoms flared again.

She’d have to drink the medicinal tonic for uterine cold again.

After Gu Hua finished dressing, Shen Li brought the medicine.

Gu Hua sniffed it and frowned. “Why does it smell worse than before?”

Shen Li’s face was emotionless. “It’s the same.”

Gu Hua took a small sip and nearly spat it out. Her whole face scrunched. “It’s much worse than before — sour and bitter!”

Shen Li: “Do you want to recover or not? Do you want to have another child or not?”

Gu Hua: “…”

Mu Junyan walked back in, fully dressed, and stared at her coldly.

Gu Hua had no choice but to gulp it down.

Dong Hua quickly put a sweet preserved fruit into her mouth.

Gu Hua sucked the candy miserably and looked pitifully at Mu Junyan.

He gave her a sideways glance and held out his hand. “Let’s go.”

Gu Hua had to place her hand in his. He held it firmly, pulled her into his chest, and said, “Need me to carry you? Hmm?”

Gu Hua immediately pulled away. “No need. It doesn’t hurt anymore. I can walk.”

Mu Junyan nodded, let go of her waist, and held her hand as they walked out slowly.

They served tea to both mothers, received red envelopes, and played with the children for a bit. Then Mu Junyan left for official duties.

Gu Hua felt something was off and pulled Shen Li aside to whisper, “That medicine wasn’t the previous one. Be honest — did you change the prescription?”

Shen Li glanced at her. “The lord ordered it. I didn’t dare refuse.”

Gu Hua was speechless.

So he arranged it!

He did it on purpose!

Black-hearted man!