SGEIRS -Chapter 417 Jingxi Leaves the Capital

Night had fallen, and it was time to rest.

On the eve of their parting, Gu Jingxi found himself unable to sleep.

He gently stroked Meng Jinyao’s lower abdomen. Suddenly feeling sentimental, he spoke with a trace of sadness in his voice:

“A-Yao, I’ll be gone for at least two or three months. When I come back, will the child no longer recognize me?”

Hearing this, Meng Jinyao couldn’t help laughing.

“Husband, I’m not a cat that can give birth after two months of pregnancy. The baby is still in my belly and can’t see or sense anything outside yet. How could it recognize you or not? Once you reach Hangzhou Prefecture, just focus on your work. The child and I will be waiting for you at home.”

Seeing that she showed not the slightest reluctance about their upcoming separation, Gu Jingxi instantly felt as though he had fallen out of favor.

Just last night, she had been unable to sleep because he was leaving the capital. Now that she had been diagnosed as pregnant, all her attention had shifted to the child.

Meeting his gaze, Meng Jinyao added, “Husband, why are you looking at me like that? Am I not telling the truth?”

Gu Jingxi said solemnly, “A-Yao, children will eventually grow up. In ten-odd years, they’ll become someone else’s wife or husband. Only your husband will stay by your side forever, grow old with you, and even be buried with you someday.”

Hearing this, Meng Jinyao was stunned for a moment. She looked at him in confusion, then smiled.

“That’s something for more than ten years later. Right now, the child is still in my belly. Let’s not think so far ahead.”

Gu Jingxi: “……”

Was he trying to flirt with a blind person and wasting his effort?

Meng Jinyao yawned and said, “Husband, it’s getting late. Let’s sleep.”

Hearing this, Gu Jingxi stopped dwelling on the matter.

The next morning.

After waking up, Gu Jingxi got dressed, washed up, and had breakfast. Seeing that his little wife was still asleep, he thought for a moment and decided to wake her.

Otherwise, if she woke up and found that he had already left, she would surely feel upset.

Meng Jinyao slowly opened her eyes and saw that the man sitting by the bed was already fully dressed. Knowing that he was leaving today, half of her drowsiness instantly vanished.

“Husband, are you leaving now?”

Gu Jingxi nodded gently. “Yes. I’m about to depart, so I woke you to say goodbye.”

“Then I’ll see you off,” Meng Jinyao said as she tried to get up.

Gu Jingxi pressed her shoulders gently, stopping her.

“No need. I’ll be gone for at least two or three months. Take good care of yourself at home. If anything happens, go directly to Mother.”

“I will. Don’t worry,” she replied.

“A-Yao, I’m leaving now. Go back to sleep for a while.”

She said softly, “Have a safe journey, Husband. Come back soon.”

Gu Jingxi nodded, bent down to place a kiss on her forehead, then turned and left.

Watching his figure disappear from her sight, the reluctance in her heart grew stronger.

Fortunately, she still had the little one with her, so she wouldn’t feel too lonely.

Meanwhile, Old Madam Gu sent Nanny Feng to deliver nourishing supplements suitable for pregnant women.

Moreover, the usually reclusive Old Madam Gu went out in person that day. She personally donated a sum of money to the Infant Care Hall.

Such matters could have been handled by a servant, but she felt it wouldn’t be sincere enough, so she made the trip herself.

After donating, she also went to a temple to burn incense and offer oil money, praying for blessings for her unborn grandchild.

The servants of Changxing Marquis’ Residence all knew that the Marquis had fully recovered and that the Madam was now pregnant. The old madam attached great importance to this unborn grandchild, donating money and praying everywhere.

Thus, everyone in the household treated Meng Jinyao like a fragile porcelain doll, serving her with extreme care. If she were to bump into anything and something happened to the old madam’s precious grandchild, they would surely suffer.

News of Meng Jinyao’s pregnancy not only spread within the Gu family, but also outside.

The capital was instantly in an uproar, with everyone discussing it. No one had expected that Gu Jingxi’s illness could one day be cured, and that he would have a child in his later years.

After inquiring, people learned that it was all thanks to Imperial Physician Wen’s superb medical skills.

As a result, the already-famous physician became even more renowned. More and more men who suffered from impotence secretly sought him out for treatment.

Physician Wen had originally felt quite accomplished after curing Gu Jingxi’s long-standing illness. But now, seeing so many men secretly coming to him for “that” problem—and each one insisting on confidentiality after the consultation—he felt his ears were about to grow calluses from hearing the same words over and over.

When Meng Jinyao had just returned, she had planned to visit her friends after two days and give them the gifts she brought back from Huzhou.

However, after being diagnosed as pregnant with an unstable fetus, she didn’t dare go out at all. She only sent servants to deliver the gifts.

After Princess Jingning and Song Xinning learned of her pregnancy, they were both surprised and delighted. They came together to visit her.

Song Xinning was already over seven months pregnant. About to become a mother, she had grown much gentler and steadier. Yet upon seeing Meng Jinyao, she immediately became lively again and chattered away: “A-Yao, you have no idea how jealous those women are. They say you’re just blessed by your ancestors—that after Gu Xiuming ran away from the marriage, you picked up a bargain and married a marquis. Their jealousy is practically written all over their faces.”

Meng Jinyao was puzzled. “Why would they be jealous of me?”

Song Xinning replied, “Because your Marquis Gu used to be their ‘white moonlight’—the husband of their dreams. Many of them secretly admired him. When he was injured, they immediately changed their affections. But now that their white moonlight is healed, elegant and talented, favored by the Emperor, while they themselves married poorly and live unhappy lives, with husbands far inferior to Marquis Gu…”

“When they compare, they think of their white moonlight again. And that white moonlight belongs to another woman now. Of course they’re depressed! They wish time could turn back so they could get engaged to him after the Mei family canceled the engagement.”

Princess Jingning snorted lightly.

“They’re just the type who resent others for having what they don’t. When others have nothing, they mock them. When others have something, they grow sour with jealousy and wish it were theirs.”

“Exactly,” Song Xinning agreed. “With that mentality, even if they had married Marquis Gu, before his illness was cured, they would’ve despised him in every way. They’re really ridiculous.”

After speaking, she gently touched Meng Jinyao’s belly.

“A-Yao, now we’re both pregnant. Maybe our children can become in-laws someday.”

Hearing this, Princess Jingning immediately became unhappy and said resentfully, “A-Ning, I’m getting married at the end of the year. Maybe I’ll be a mother next year. Why are you only thinking about becoming in-laws with A-Yao and not with me?”

Song Xinning laughed and asked, “A-Yan, have you forgotten your future husband’s surname?”

Princess Jingning replied, “Shen. What about it?”

Song Xinning said, “Your future husband is surnamed Shen. Your child will be Shen. My child will also be Shen. Two people with the same surname can’t marry. There’s a law: those of the same surname who marry will be beaten and separated.”

Princess Jingning froze, then belatedly remembered that rule. She looked silently at Meng Jinyao’s belly and smiled.

“Maybe both of you will give birth to sons, and next year I’ll have a daughter. Then it’ll be my chance. No matter which of you I become in-laws with, I’ll be at ease—my daughter won’t have mother-in-law problems.”

Meng Jinyao laughed and teased, “A-Yan, aren’t you embarrassed? You’re not even married yet, and you’re already thinking about finding a son-in-law.”