Chapter 73: Tides of Warmth Surge (VII)

By the time Sui Ning returned to the small courtyard, it was already pitch black outside.

A slender figure stood with hands behind his back in the courtyard, his expression calm and his eyes gentle.

Sui ning met his gaze with her glass-like azure eyes.

She stood quietly at the doorstep, facing Xie Changzhou in the courtyard. The silence in the courtyard was palpable.

After a long while, a soft sigh broke the silence.

Xie Changzhou walked towards her step by step, took out clothes from his bag, and draped them over her shoulders.

He brushed aside the strands of hair on her forehead, and with his movement, the scent of a refreshing and cool pine tree wafted into Sui Ning’s nostrils.

“Sui Ning,” his voice was gentle as he lowered his head to look at her, “did you go out for a walk today?”

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***

When Sui Ning was eight months pregnant, Xie Changzhou became even busier.

Now, he often doesn’t come home for days.

Until today, she hadn’t seen him for almost half a month.

Sui Ning closed her eyes and lay on the lounge chair in the courtyard, covered with a thin blanket. Her belly was bulging.

Before her pregnancy, she used to go out for walks frequently. Now that her belly is big, she has become even more lazy.

The child is very well-behaved and has never caused her any trouble. It seems to have human nature and is obediently quiet in her belly. It only occasionally kicks her in response when she touches her belly.

Throughout the pregnancy, there were no significant issues. Xie Changzhou became even more accommodating towards her, often searching for all kinds of interesting things to please her. He treated her extremely carefully, afraid that she might be uncomfortable.

Aside from the stronger desires that she had during pregnancy, she didn’t feel uncomfortable. Speaking of which, Sui Ning was a bit helpless. Xie Changzhou used to pester her before, but after she became pregnant, he completely changed. As the child grew bigger, she often felt restless, as if something was gnawing at her from inside, making her uncomfortable all over.

At first, she kept pestering Xie Changzhou, but he refused for a long time. After realizing that she was really uncomfortable, he became flustered and acted completely unlike himself, making himself very uncomfortable.

After many attempts, the fetus in her belly grew steadily and was not affected by their behavior. Sui Ning’s complexion also improved, and Xie Changzhou finally relaxed a little.

Sui Ning lazily lay in the chair. It was already spring, and the night breeze was slightly cool. She curled up her body and drifted off into a daze.

Sui ning let herself fall into a deep slumber.

The familiar scene appeared once again, and this time she witnessed the battle between the immortals and demons.

Yanheng stood amidst the void, fiercely suppressing the Gui Ba. Nearby, she controlled the malevolent spirits.

Gui Ba’s pale face was covered in dark patterns. With a grimace, it shouted at her, “Yanheng, you can’t kill me, you can’t!”

The malevolent spirits roared and lunged towards her, while immortal soldiers and demonic generals were held back outside.

Among those restrained was Ji Hu.

Tears filled Ji Hu’s dignified face as he shouted, “Ah Heng, Ah Heng!”

However, Yanheng didn’t look at him. Her cold gaze fell on the subdued Gui Ba.

“My divine power might not kill you immediately, but I can slowly imprison you.”

“For ten thousand years, fifty thousand years, a hundred thousand years.”

“Gui Ba, how long can you hold on?”

As her words echoed, a shimmering aura of power suddenly dissipated from her, leaving fear in Gui Ba’s eyes.

With her disappearance, the nearby glowing circles whirled and enveloped the struggling and roaring malevolent spirits, while Gui Ba could only bellow in resentment as it was gradually dragged in.

At the moment when Gui Ba was drawn into the circle of light, Yanheng’s figure suddenly vanished, turning into sparkling fragments that scattered in the wind.

“No, Ah Heng!!!”

As Sui Ning saw the panic on Jihu’s face, he became so frightened that he forgot even how to use a spell and stumbled towards Yanheng. The scene suddenly came to an end, and she woke up abruptly.

Sui Ning, who was familiar with the routine, took out a brush and paper from her Qiankun bag to record her dream. The paper was already filled with thick records, and for the past six months, she had been dreaming of these strange yet familiar memories.

At first, Xie Changzhou would erase her memory while she slept, but later, she pretended to have a headache and complained to him about her poor memory, saying that she became even more forgetful after becoming pregnant. He suddenly changed his expression and hugged her, thinking that his behavior in erasing her memory had hurt her body. He carefully examined her meridians for a long time.

Sui Ning did not show any signs of recovering her memory, and she remained as affectionate towards him as usual. Xie Changzhou gradually let go of his worries and stopped erasing her memory while she slept.

She took out the paper and looked carefully at the characters written on it. Every stroke and every character were written by her own hand.

It was all her memory, as well as Yanheng’s memory.

Sui Ning saw the god and goddess of Yanheng’s parents fall, and thousands of gods died during the chaos of the world. Their godly bones and godly hearts stabilized the turbulent world.

The remaining deities each sacrificed themselves to seal the Wanmo Cavern.

She also witnessed Yanheng’s birth, her unification of the immortal realm, and her guidance to Jihu until he become a war god in the upper realm, leading the immortal and demonic realms in a struggle that spanned millennia.

She saw Yanheng’s death and Ji Hu’s self-sacrifice of his own power.

Tens of thousands of years later, Emperor Linglang slew the reigning Demon Lord Zhu Tao, driving the demonic realm into the mortal realm, where it was suppressed for a thousand years within the Demon-sealing Tower.

She and Xie Changzhou entered the consciousness of the beast, personally experiencing the events of ten thousand years ago.

Those were her memories, as well as Yanheng’s.

Bathed in moonlight, Sui Ning’s eyes felt a bit sore. She silently retrieved the paper under the illumination of the moon and stored it back into the Qiankun bag.

The full moon hung high, and as she gazed at it, her expression turned somewhat vacant.

A sudden kick from her belly caught her off guard. Sui Ning touched her abdomen with a hint of helplessness. As soon as her hand rested on her belly, she felt another kick.

Amused, she spoke softly, her voice exceptionally gentle: “What’s the matter? Are you worried too?”

As if responding to her, the baby kicked her gently again.

Sui Ning chuckled softly, her gaze on her belly tender. She whispered, “Don’t worry, Mom will protect you.”

“Dad will too; don’t be afraid.”

Even now, although she recalled most of her memories, she still couldn’t fully understand Xie Changzhou’s intentions.

Yet she trusted that Xie Changzhou wouldn’t harm her.

She was merely concerned about whether he would be safe.

She couldn’t shake the feeling that Xie Changzhou’s actions were risky, like a time bomb that could explode at any moment.

With a heavy heart, Sui Ning gently caressed her swelling belly and closed her eyes to rest.

Until she drifted off to sleep once again, faintly sensing herself being lifted up and the familiar scent of cool pine entering her senses.

Sui Ning buried herself in his arms for a while and murmured softly, “Xie Changzhou, you’re back.”

His clear and gentle voice came from above her head: “Mm, I’m back.”

He gently placed her on the bed, took off her shoes and socks, and sat beside her, leaning down to kiss her forehead lightly.

“Ningning, I’ve been too busy these past few days and neglected you. I’m sorry.”

Sui Ning hugged his neck and shook her head. “It’s okay; you have your work.”

Xie Changzhou leaned over and kissed her lips gently, treating her as if she were a treasure.

His long and cool fingers caressed her small belly, which protruded as it nurtured their child.

Feeling her father’s touch, the baby moved gently.

Xie Changzhou felt a tingling sensation spread from his palm to his heart, and his heart softened. He leaned down and kissed her swollen belly.

He only wished he could give everything in the world to the two people in front of him.

Sui Ning looked at him with gentle eyes and asked softly, “Xie Changzhou, are things busy outside?”

He had been away for half a month this time; what was he busy with?

Everything seemed peaceful in Gusu, so did something happen in the Limitless Sword Sect?

Why didn’t Xie Changzhou tell her about what happened in the Limitless Sword Sect?

Xie Changzhou paused; the soft smile on his lips froze, and then he collected himself without making a sound.

He leaned closer to her, his glassy eyes calm. “Ningning, there are some things happening in the sect and outside… I’ll come to accompany you after I’m done with these things.”

“I’m sorry, Ningning, for making you worry while you’re pregnant.”

Sui Ning’s throat felt tight, and he kissed her lips lightly, smelling the faint fragrance on his body. She felt a bit anxious in her heart.

Something was obviously wrong, so why did Xie Changzhou keep hiding it from her?

She pushed Xie Changzhou away with a cold and solemn expression. “Take me back to the Limitless Sword Sect.”

Xie Changzhou was taken aback; his eyebrows furrowed slightly. “Are you feeling uncomfortable staying in Gusu?”

Sui Ning nodded. “Yes, I’m uncomfortable. I want to go back to the Limitless Sword Sect.”

She held his hand tightly with an unprecedentedly firm tone. “I want to see Ah Yan and Tang Tang. I don’t want to stay in Gusu.”

Xie Changzhou looked calm and composed, and his azure-colored eyes met Sui Ning’s dark ones. The smile on his lips disappeared.

Sui Ning looked at him calmly, waiting quietly for his reply.

Xie Changzhou sighed helplessly, picked Sui Ning up on his lap, and patted her back like a child.

He whispered to her, “Ningning, we haven’t finished dealing with things in the Limitless Sword Sect. Can you wait a little longer?”

Sui Ning’s eyebrows furrowed, and her expression remained cold.

Xie Changzhou hesitated for a moment and whispered in her ear, “If you’re really bored, shall I let Ah Yan and Tang Tang accompany you?”

Sui Ning looked at him with a complicated expression, and he gazed back at her with a gentle and indifferent look. But she knew him so well that she knew he wouldn’t let her go, no matter what she said.

She looked a bit unhappy, and Xie Changzhou felt helpless.

He leaned into her neck and rubbed against her like a little puppy. “Ningning, I’m sorry. Can you wait for me for a few more days?”

Sui Ning still didn’t say a word, and Xie Changzhou became a bit anxious.

“Ningning, things are a bit chaotic in the sect. I’m worried. Can you wait for me a little longer?”

Sui Ning looked at him coldly, her face expressionless.

Xie Changzhou thickened his skin and kissed her, his hands reaching for her waistband and untying it restlessly.

“It’s been half a month since we last met. Do you miss me, Ningning?”

Sui Ning was a bit angry. How could he still act as if nothing had happened after hiding things from her for months? She pushed his hands away, but Xie Changzhou grabbed her hands and held them tightly together, pressing her onto the bed.

He propped himself up to avoid touching her protruding belly and kissed her, using all his experience to make her gradually lose consciousness.

As she became confused, Xie Changzhou’s eyes became dark and profound. He held her hands and put them beside the pillow.

There were some things he needed to deal with as soon as possible.

Sui Ning had already sensed that something was wrong.

He leaned down and kissed her, unbuttoning her clothes…

Sui Ning thought that Xie Changzhou was just making a passing comment until the next morning, when she got up early to bask in the sun and saw two familiar figures in the courtyard.

Tang Tang and Ah Yan seemed to have arrived earlier and were sitting quietly at the stone table, waiting for Sui Ning to wake up.

When Sui Ning saw them, she was a bit surprised. She couldn’t remember how long it had been since she had last seen familiar faces. Since her marriage to Xie Changzhou, Tang Tang has only visited once.

It had been more than eight months.

Tang Tang stood up and smiled at her, her smile still bright but now with a touch of maturity and stability.

“Ningning” she called softly, walking over and hugging Sui Ning, being careful not to bump into her belly.

Sui Ning smiled and patted her back gently. “Yes, it’s been a while.”

After a brief embrace, Sui Ning looked at Ah Yan, who was standing quietly in the courtyard, watching her.

Sui Ning was taken aback and smiled helplessly.

In the few months they hadn’t met, Ah Yan had matured and become more composed. Although he hadn’t grown much taller, his demeanor and expressions had a maturity beyond his years.

She opened her arms to Ah Yan. “Ah Yan, come here and let me have a look at you.”

Ah Yan hesitated for a moment, then walked over obediently. However, he didn’t walk into her embrace. Instead, he gently placed his hand on her swollen belly.

Sui Ning’s brow slightly furrowed, and she slowly lowered her outstretched arms.

Ah Yan’s round and tender face looked serious, and he spoke softly, “Sui Ning, when are you going to have the baby?”

Sui Ning’s eyes softened as she gently caressed her own belly. The delight and excitement of being a first-time mother showed on her beautiful face.

“It’s been over eight months, and there’s a little over a month left before I give birth.”

Supporting her waist, she lowered her head and pinched Ah Yan’s small face. “Afterwards, our little Ah Yan will have more playmates.”

Ah Yan gently moved his hand away; his eyes slightly reddened, and he looked up at her, seemingly hesitating to say something.

Tang Tang, beside them, suddenly became nervous, her gaze on Ah Yan carrying a hint of anxiety.

Sui Ning caught a glimpse of her expression, her face showing no change, but her heart sank suddenly.

Ah Yan’s round eyes were slightly red and glistening. He shook his head gently. “It’s nothing.”

He tilted his small face and looked at Sui Ning carefully. On his youthful face, there was a sudden touch of maturity.

He said earnestly, “Sui Ning, you’ve gained some weight.”

Originally, Sui Ning had been particularly slender and delicate. Perhaps due to her pregnancy, Xie Changzhou indulged her in eating, never restricting her. As a result, she had gained a little weight.

Her once delicate figure now had a graceful charm. The slightly plumper Sui Ning looked much more attractive than before.

She, who is about to become a mother, exudes a gentle aura all over her body, making people unable to resist the urge to get close to her.

Ah Yan repeated his words from earlier: “Sui Ning, you’ve really gained some weight.”

Sui Ning couldn’t help but laugh, with her hands on her hips, pretending to be angry, and raised her eyebrows: “I haven’t seen you for so long, and that’s all you have to say? Did you feed the barbecue from Wenjian to the dog?”

Tang Tang also laughed, and the tension on her face dissipated a bit. Sui Ning’s fingers trembled lightly on her hips, still smiling.

Ah Yan’s small face looked cold, and his dark eyes gradually turned red. He suddenly pounced into Sui Ning’s arms, carefully avoiding her protruding belly.

His small face lightly touched Sui Ning’s belly. As an ancient divine beast, his senses were sharp, and he could clearly sense every movement and breath of the small life inside her belly.

His voice choked: “Sui Ning, you look good even if you’ve gained some weight. You have to be safe.”

Sui Ning’s hand stroked his soft head, and he replied softly, “I will, Ah Yan, don’t worry.”

Ah Yan muttered, “I will protect you. I will definitely protect you.”

He held her tightly, and in a place where she couldn’t see, tears streamed down his crystal-clear eyes.

The smile on Sui Ning’s lips almost couldn’t be sustained for a moment. She tried hard to control her trembling hand and smiled, “Okay.”

Her voice trembled lightly, and she restrained herself.

Tang Tang also hugged her by her side.

Tang Tang whispered in her ear, “Ningning, rest assured and give birth to the child. I will protect you too.”

Sui Ning felt her heart tremble.

Now she was sure that everyone was keeping something from her, thinking that not knowing was the best protection for her.

Something had happened, and she was the only one who didn’t know.