By the time Qin Fang and the others returned to the General’s residence, it was already dinnertime.

As soon as he arrived, Qin Fang dashed straight toward the inner courtyard.

Normally, when he visited Yang Haiyan’s courtyard, he would greet Aunt Yu, who guarded the gate, but today he rushed in like the wind, heading straight for the room while calling out, “Yan Yan, I’m back!”

As Qin Fang entered the room, he saw Yang Haiyan sitting on the edge of the bed, cutting fabric. “Yan Yan, what are you doing?” he asked.

Yang Haiyan replied, “I’m making clothes for the baby.”

She couldn’t sit still; it was so boring that she decided to take out some fabric and sew clothes for the child.

To be honest, she couldn’t even be bothered to make her own clothes and would rather buy ready-made ones from the tailor, but she didn’t feel comfortable buying clothes for the baby.

She was worried about the fabric being unclean and about loose threads not being handled properly, which could hurt the child.

In the past, she often heard some mothers on the internet complain and had seen posts from mothers on Xiaohongshu expressing their concerns, thinking they were overly sensitive.

But now that she was pregnant, she realized that this wasn’t being overly sensitive; it was a mother’s instinct to worry about her child, something that was hard to bear.

Even before the baby was born, she was already fretting about the baby’s clothes and the threads on them.

When Qin Fang heard what Yang Haiyan said, he felt as if the world had collapsed.

The baby wasn’t even born yet, and Yan Yan was already making clothes for it.

When the baby arrived, would there still be a place for him in Yan Yan’s heart?

Feeling a sense of grievance, Qin Fang had initially been looking forward to this moment on the way there, hoping for a daughter, but now even the thought of a daughter didn’t excite him.

He felt wronged. “Yan Yan,” he called out softly.

Yang Haiyan was threading a needle and didn’t turn to look at him. “Hmm?” she responded absentmindedly.

Qin Fang’s heart ached, bubbling with emotions. “Yan Yan?” he called again.

Yang Haiyan still ignored him.

She finished threading the needle and put away the fabric she had cut.

Although pregnant women worry about their children, it wasn’t to the extent that they couldn’t do anything.

Yang Haiyan knew that ancient medical practices were quite backward, so for her safety, she exercised every day—doing yoga in the morning and standing to aid digestion after meals.

Seeing that his wife still wasn’t responding to him made Qin Fang feel extremely sad.

He gritted his teeth and called out again, “The mother of the child!”

Yang Haiyan paused her movements and turned to look at Qin Fang, her eyes filled with disbelief.

Was this man going crazy?

But in Qin Fang’s eyes, it was only when he called her the mother of the child that Yan Yan reacted.

Instantly, he felt very uncomfortable. “Yan Yan, do you not like me anymore?”

Yang Haiyan got up and walked over to him.

In fact, it was just a couple of steps since he was right next to her.

She reached out and touched his forehead.

It was sticky and clearly sweaty, but he didn’t have a fever.

Qin Fang grabbed her hand. “Yan Yan, what are you doing?”

Yang Haiyan replied, “I’m checking if you have a fever, making you act so foolishly.”

She was genuinely scared; how could he call her the mother of the child?

Qin Fang snorted, “I don’t have a fever; my mind is just a bit confused. I feel particularly uneasy today; it’s my heart that’s sick.” Saying this, he puffed out his chest. “You touch it; tell me if I’m sick.”

Yang Haiyan was quite helpless but still reached out to feel his chest. “Oh, it really does seem like you’re sick; your heart is beating faster than usual. What should we do? Should we call Doctor Li to take a look at you?”

Qin Fang grasped her hand. “Little vixen, you’re up to no good.”

Yang Haiyan smiled sweetly at him.

Compared to two years ago, when she was only sixteen, and now at eighteen, although her face remained the same, there was still a slight difference.

At sixteen, her features hadn’t fully developed yet; though she was already beautiful and elegant, she had now matured into a womanly charm that added to her allure.

She was as playful as a girl but also as mature as a woman, enough to steal his heart.

During the day, she was gentle and graceful, while at night, in the bedroom, she was passionate and lively.

Qin Fang only had her as a woman; he didn’t know if other women were like this in bed, but he felt they probably weren’t.

At least his mother, his second aunt, and his third aunt were not like this.

They were normal women in this world, while she was a unique fairy in this world.

But he really liked her.

Yang Haiyan, called a little vixen by him, felt a bit shy.

She thought that at her age, even if she were a vixen, she should be at the aunt level.

At that moment, she truly appreciated the benefits of being young.

Happy, she wrapped her arms around his solid, toned waist and looked up at him with an innocent face, asking, “Husband, what’s wrong? Tell me.”

Qin Fang huffed, not wanting to keep his sour feelings inside, so he asked, “Yanyan, in my heart, you are the most important.”

Yang Haiyan suddenly remembered a classic line from modern times and teased, “The most important? More important than Grandpa, Grandma, and my parents?”

Qin Fang honestly replied without hesitation, “When I was young, my grandparents and parents were the most important in my heart. After starting a family, you became the most important.”

Every child, once they grow up and start their own family, shifts the most important person from their parents to their spouse and children.

But that doesn’t mean parents are no longer important.

It’s just that the responsibilities of grown-up children have changed.

Yang Haiyan said, “Then let me ask you, if I and my mother fell into a river together, who would you save first?”

Qin Fang fell silent; this question was hard to answer.

Yang Haiyan urged, “Come on, just say it. No matter what you say, I won’t get angry.”

Qin Fang looked at her for a while before honestly saying, “My mother.”

He didn’t want to lie to her.

Even though Yang Haiyan wouldn’t get angry, hearing this answer still made her feel a bit sad.

She wanted this man to say he would save her first, even if it was just to comfort her.

But she also knew that if he could abandon the mother who raised him to save someone else, she would look down on him.

Qin Fang’s thumb brushed over her eyes. “Why are you crying?” he asked with amusement.

Yang Haiyan bit her lip. “I’m not crying.” Was she crying?

Her heart just felt hurt.

Qin Fang said, “If I can’t save you, after I’ve fulfilled my responsibilities as a son, I’ll come to accompany you in the next life, and the next, I’ll always find you.”

“Wow…” Yang Haiyan buried her head in his chest, unable to hold back her tears. “Why are you saying this? You’re being too much.”

Qin Fang lifted her chin, leaned down, and kissed away her tears. “I see your eyes red as if I’ve wronged you.”

“Qin Fang…”

Qin Fang chuckled softly. “I… I’ve always been here.” When both his wife and mother fell into the river, who would he save first?

Undoubtedly, it would be his mother.

He didn’t know how others would choose, but he would save his mother first.

If he saved his wife but didn’t bring his mother back, he wouldn’t find peace for the rest of his life.

If he saved his mother but couldn’t save his wife, he would wait until his mother passed away and then give his life to find her.

She had saved his life, but they couldn’t be compared to his mother; in his heart, both were equally important. “Yanyan, it’s my turn to ask you.”

Yang Haiyan wiped her tears on his chest and hoarsely asked, “What do you want to ask?”

Qin Fang asked, “Between me and the child, who do you think is more important?” After asking, he felt nervous, his heartbeat quickened.

He even instinctively licked his lips, looking at her with hopeful eyes.

Hearing this question, Yang Haiyan couldn’t help but laugh and extended her hand, saying, “Bow your head.”

Bow his head? Qin Fang didn’t understand but lowered his head.

Yang Haiyan stood on tiptoe and touched his head. “As for others, I don’t know. For me, I will only have children with a man I like.” After saying that, she walked out of the room. “Aunt Yu, bring me a basin of water; I need to wash my hands.”

Aunt Yu shouted back, “Coming!”

Qin Fang was taken aback for a moment, then smiled as he chased after her. “So, Yanyan, I’m more important than the child, right? Isn’t that so?”

Yang Haiyan didn’t answer him, leaving him to guess.

But in her heart, she truly believed that a man was more important than a child.

Because with this man, there would be that child.

The one who would accompany her for the rest of her life would be this man, not that child.

Perhaps because of her childhood experiences, for Yang Haiyan, companionship and not being alone were more important than anything else.

Because it was too hot, their walk was canceled after dinner.

So, the couple stood against the wall inside the house.

While standing there, Qin Fang asked, “Yanyan, when you wake up and go to bed, do you put some stuff on your face? Does it make your face look better?”

Yang Haiyan replied, “Yes, it makes my face look better; my skin becomes whiter, fine lines decrease, and freckles fade. Look at my face; isn’t my skin good?”

Qin Fang nodded, and an idea formed in his mind.

After standing for a while, Yang Haiyan went to take a bath and prepare for bed.

Because of her pregnancy, Granny Lian accompanied her during her bath to prevent any accidents.

Qin Fang returned to the study, emulating Du Ke by preparing ink and paper to record everything from today.

He noted down the skills of different ethnic groups.

After recording, Qin Fang reviewed his notes.

He felt that having a record was indeed different from not having one.

After finishing his notes, Qin Fang read a military book for a while.

Usually, he would read in bed, but today he stayed in the study, determined to wait until Yang Haiyan fell asleep.

After a while, Qin Fang felt it was about time, so he went to take a bath.

When he returned to the room and heard his wife’s even breathing, Qin Fang felt at ease.

Qin Fang sat down at the vanity, opened some jars that his wife had placed on it.

Although there were many jars, he had seen her use them daily, so he knew how to use them: water, essence, lotion.

After using them properly, Qin Fang went to bed and fell asleep.