Yue Lin’s handsome face was filled with a hint of embarrassment after his request.

After he spoke, he seemed a little flustered, touching his nose and lowering his head, avoiding Chu Hanjin’s annoyed gaze.

However, there hadn’t been any discomfort last night, and Chu Hanjin didn’t feel repulsed. Besides, it was about time for him to take a nap.

Chu Hanjin took a sip from his teacup and replied, “…Do as you like.”

Yue Lin lifted his head, a faint smile curling at the corners of his lips.

Chu Hanjin finished his tea.

Days passed like this, filled with the steady accumulation of nutrients. Despite not noticing anything abnormal, and his routine remaining unaffected, Chu Hanjin’s body grew heavier day by day.

Since it wasn’t good to stay in the courtyard all the time, Chu Hanjin would occasionally go out for a walk. On one such day, while walking with Xiao Jiu, a sudden rainstorm gathered in the sky, forcing them to take shelter by the roadside.

When Chu Hanjin lifted his head, he realized they had entered that same bookstore.

The scholar saw him and smiled slightly, “We meet again.”

This scholar was handsome and gentle in his demeanor, though his bookstore sold rather questionable books… Chu Hanjin nodded slightly and looked up at the transparent curtain of rain hanging from the eaves.

Xiao Jiu was beside him, patting the wet spots off Chu Hanjin’s clothes.

The scholar asked, “Daoist, where are you from? You look unfamiliar.”

In the demon realm, many cultivators had fled from righteous sects, exiled by their own clans, and pursued until they could only find refuge in the demon world.

This small talk wasn’t unusual, so Chu Hanjin replied, “Jiangnan.”

“A land of scholars, no wonder you carry such refined elegance,” the scholar said while organizing the books, “Is there any particular book you’re looking for?”

Chu Hanjin glanced at him and asked, “What kinds of books are these?”

The scholar laughed heartily, clapping his hands, “Don’t be misled by the strange titles. It’s just my quirky sense of humor. The contents are quite normal—just storybooks.”

Chu Hanjin was skeptical, his eyes sweeping the bookstore. He picked up one of the more normal-looking books and flipped through it—

“Yesterday, while drinking tea with my aunt, she laughed and scolded her husband’s family. Her red lips curled upwards, making her look incredibly charming.”

Turning the page, the content shifted.

“The road was long, stretching endlessly. The low shrubs were shrouded in dark clouds, birds circled overhead, and wild beasts growled in the distance. There was nothing but desolation and hopelessness, as if the end would never come.”

Another page turned.

“She blew gently against my eyelids, and a cool, moist sensation washed over me, the burning pain disappearing, replaced by a chill so cold it could freeze my eyes. Yet at that moment, all I could see was her beautiful jawline.”

When Chu Hanjin closed the book, he glanced at the title: Forbidden Love Between Me and My Aunt.

“…”

“You said this was a storybook? There’s no coherent plot. It’s just a bunch of random incidents pieced together, like daily life notes.”

The scholar chuckled and grabbed a fresh sheet of paper, “It’s true that it’s disjointed. Perhaps the storyteller’s memory was fragmented. I just write what they remember. If their recollection is clear, I write clearly. If it’s vague, well, there’s nothing I can do.”

“Isn’t it your own creation?”

“Yes, and no. They live well in their own world, and I’m merely a recorder. How could I dare call myself the creator of their story?”

His cryptic tone and detached manner of speaking reminded Chu Hanjin of the middle-aged man he had met when he first entered the demon realm—the one who sat in the forest, listening to stories, casting spells to trigger memories and enchant minds.

If this scholar wasn’t a literature fanatic, then he was definitely someone of great skill.

Chu Hanjin lifted his head, once again scanning the tall bookshelves that lined the shop.

Xiao Jiu, standing on his tiptoes, rummaged through the shelves. After searching a few times, he turned around and asked, “I saw a book here last time—something about the Demon Lord and a Daoist Immortal. Where is it? It was placed here, but now it’s gone.”

The scholar replied, “I often rearrange the shelves. It might’ve been misplaced. If you and this little friend want to read it, feel free to search around.”

But with a shop packed with thousands upon thousands of books, each no thicker than a finger, how could they possibly find the right one?

Still, Xiao Jiu tugged at Chu Hanjin’s sleeve, insisting, “I want to read it.”

“…”

“Alright then, let’s search.” Chu Hanjin began combing through the bookshelves, moving back and forth in search.

Reaching the inner part of the bookstore, Chu Hanjin saw a pile of tattered books without covers, stacked together as if they had been abandoned. He casually picked one up. The black words on the white paper were arranged in an extremely jumbled sequence, with missing characters making it hard to make sense of.

Chu Hanjin could only make out a few words, “This, poison, harm, feared, white hat…”

He tried to piece it together: Did this person poison someone wearing a white hat?

Or was it someone with a white hat that poisoned him?

Unable to make sense of it, Chu Hanjin closed the book.

At that moment, voices sounded outside the door. One of the speakers had a dangling, broken arm—it was Liang Shan.

“How were the paper and pens I sent you the other day? Useful?”

The scholar didn’t even look up, “Very useful. But I’m running out quickly. Bring me more next time.”

Liang Shan replied, “Alright. Any new books recently?”

The scholar said, “Nothing new.”

Liang Shan stood there for a moment, then turned and walked off down the street. At that point, Chu Hanjin and Xiao Jiu stepped out of the bookstore, watching Liang Shan’s retreating figure. They exchanged a glance.

“We’ll come back and look another day,” Xiao Jiu said as the rain lessened.

As they walked down the street, Chu Hanjin asked, “Are you that interested in the book?”

Xiao Jiu scratched his head, “I love stories. Besides, recently there’s been all this talk about the Demon Lord and a Daoist Immortal. The rumors are everywhere. Of course, I want to see it for myself.”

Chu Hanjin ruffled his hair, “You just love stirring up drama.”

As the day grew later, Chu Hanjin bid him farewell with practiced ease. He had barely reached the courtyard gate when he encountered a familiar sight once more.

Yue Lin stood at the courtyard entrance, “Back already?”

Perhaps because he had been standing for too long today, Chu Hanjin’s lower back ached. He found himself short of breath after just a few steps and didn’t bother hiding it. He sighed wearily, “Mm.”

“I’ve had some dishes and fresh milk prepared for you these past few days. The taste is excellent. You should try them tonight.”

Chu Hanjin’s enthusiasm was low.

“I know you don’t like meat or liver, so we caught a spiritual beast from the mountains. Just a bit of it will provide plenty of nourishment.”

Yue Lin gently wrapped his arm around Chu Hanjin’s waist, the fabric of his clothes creasing under the pressure of Yue Lin’s hand, revealing the slight roundness of his belly, “Tomorrow, I’ll have some looser clothes made for you to wear when you go out.”

Chu Hanjin lazily muttered in agreement as he sat down in the dining hall.

The table was full of dishes, but he had no appetite. His hand instinctively rested on his stomach. Now in the middle stage of pregnancy, combined with Yue Lin’s constant efforts, his belly had grown much heavier.

Yue Lin handed him a cup of creamy yellow milk, saying, “Want some?”

Chu Hanjin took the glass cup, but the earthy smell made him wrinkle his delicate eyebrows.

A long time ago, he had only ever drunk tea or water, and his meals were always light and simple, so as not to contaminate his body with too many impurities, keeping his spiritual energy pure.

But now, for the sake of the little one in his belly, he had to eat whatever he could. He hoped the baby would grow big and strong and be born soon.

Thinking this, Chu Hanjin sighed and was about to take the milk when—

“Wait, let me add some sugar.”

Yue Lin added some honey to the milk, which had been steamed with hot water, and then handed it back to “It should taste sweeter now. Drink it, you’ll like it.”

Chu Hanjin took two sips, but immediately put the cup down, “Ugh…”

The yellowish milk was far too earthy in taste, causing a wave of nausea to rise up in him. A drop of the milk dripped from his red lips, moistening them with a glistening shine.

He reached out to grab a cloth, but when he looked up, Yue Lin’s gaze was fixed firmly on his lips.

“?”

Yue Lin quickly lowered his head, handing over a cloth, “Wipe it off.”

Chu Hanjin wiped his lips, unaware of the thoughts that had just crossed Yue Lin’s mind, and said, “I’ll drink it later.”

“That’s fine. If you really don’t like it, you don’t have to drink it.” Yue Lin placed a few more dishes into his bowl, “What matters most is your comfort. The baby will still grow. There’s no rush.”

After finishing the meal, when Chu Hanjin stood up, he felt a slight numbness in his ankles. It was as if his feet were wrapped in layers of cloth. When he returned to his room and took off his socks, he noticed that his once slim and clean feet and ankles had become swollen. His pale toes had also grown rounder.

Chu Hanjin was briefly stunned when Yue Lin entered the room, “Ready for bed?”

A servant stood outside, holding a basin of water.

Chu Hanjin pointed to his foot, “It’s swollen.”

Yue Lin walked over, knelt down, and lifted Chu Hanjin’s pant leg, revealing his ankle, “Mm, it’s swollen indeed. Does it hurt?”

His hand gently pressed against Chu Hanjin’s pale ankle.

It didn’t hurt, but a tingly, electric sensation spread from his ankle.

Chu Hanjin was about to pull his foot back, but Yue Lin continued without hesitation, turning and calling out, “Bring the hot water in.” Once the servant had placed the wooden basin filled with steaming water beneath Chu Hanjin’s feet, Yue Lin held his legs and gently placed them into the warm water.

Skilled and practiced, Yue Lin washed Chu Hanjin’s feet, then dried them with a soft towel, cradling them in his hands.

“…” With his belly growing heavier, Chu Hanjin found it hard to bend over, so he said nothing and let it happen, lowering his gaze to watch Yue Lin.

“The fetus is growing larger, pressing on the blood vessels in your legs and causing circulation issues, which leads to swelling,” Yue Lin explained in a low voice, “It’s not severe yet. A little massage on the pressure points should help. Let me know if it hurts.”

Yue Lin grasped Chu Hanjin’s foot, locating the acupressure point, and began slowly massaging it with his fingers.

A cool sensation spread from the sole of his foot. The numbness and swelling seemed to dissipate, leaving his feet feeling refreshed and comfortable.

Yue Lin’s long, deft fingers skillfully massaged each pressure point with precision. Chu Hanjin’s once slim and pale feet had swollen a bit, and seeing them like this made Yue Lin chuckle quietly.

Chu Hanjin stared at him, “What are you laughing at?”

“Your feet are kind of cute,” Yue Lin said, “That’s what I think.”

“…”

Hmph.

At this moment, Chu Hanjin knew full well that his swollen feet were a result of the baby growing inside him—a baby Yue Lin had a part in—so he felt more awkward than embarrassed.

Yue Lin’s slender fingers shifted positions, pressing against the Yongquan acupoint on the sole of his foot. His handsome face lifted, and his dark eyes locked onto Chu Hanjin’s, “Does it feel good?”

At the same time—

His fingers pressed deeper—

A sudden, indescribable tingling warmth surged through Chu Hanjin’s foot.

The more Yue Lin pressed, the lower his voice became, and the sensation spread from his foot, sparking a strange heat that reached the depths of Chu Hanjin’s heart.

Yue Lin tilted his head up, his gaze deep and innocent, continuing his firm pressure as he asked softly.

“Does it feel good?”