After Being Marked by the Eldest Princess, I Got Pregnant with Her Child [Transmigration into a Novel] - Chapter 7

Amid the bustling crowd, between the white walls and blue-tiled roofs, shop banners fluttered high as vibrant fireworks soared into the sky. The streets were ablaze with dazzling lights, teeming with carriages and pedestrians.

Strolling down the imperial city’s main thoroughfare, Song Shujiu rubbed her round, full belly, she had eaten far too much. She hadn’t expected the snacks of Zhao Kingdom to be so irresistible: steamed milk custard, sour plum soup, green rice dumplings, sugar paintings, and rolled glutinous rice cakes.

She had also bought armfuls of goodies along the way. Thoroughly satisfied, Song Shujiu snapped her fingers. “Let’s head back.”

Xiao Tao trailed behind her, swaying slightly as the two boarded their carriage and retraced their path.

By the time they arrived at the Grand Princess’s estate, night had already fallen. The golden lanterns draped in red gauze, hung high at the entrance, cast a dreamlike glow in the darkness, scattering fragmented shadows across the gate and lending the estate an air of mystique.

Song Shujiu stumbled out of the carriage, so stuffed that drowsiness had overtaken her.

Treading the moss-covered stone path that wound through the verdant bamboo grove, she floated unsteadily toward Yafang Cottage.

Moonlight spilled in as she pushed the door open. The lingering scent of Yan Chen’s signature opium poppy fragrance still hung faintly in the air.

“Xiao Tao, you can rest now.”

The drowsiness that had weighed on her during the walk back had dissipated.

She wondered what Yan Chen was doing now.

The image of that tall, slender figure flashed through her mind, startling her with the realization that she was thinking about Yan Chen.

Her gaze fell on the assortment of trinkets she had bought.

At the night market, she had spotted an exceptionally adorable rabbit lantern its round, red eyes gleaming, its warm yellow glow radiating softly. A clever mechanism made its ears sway with the slightest touch. On impulse, she had bought it.

Now, holding the lantern carefully, she tiptoed out of her room.

The Grand Princess’s estate was a labyrinth of courtyards and corridors. After navigating the winding paths, she finally found Yan Chen’s quarters.

Pitch black. Was she not here?

Song Shujiu pondered had Yan Chen left the estate after departing from her earlier?

Hesitating for a moment, she glanced at the rabbit lantern in her hand, then stepped onto the porch.

So dark.

Yan Chen’s room was shrouded in complete darkness. Groping her way across the thick carpet, she accidentally knocked over a chair with a loud clatter. Flustered, she hurried to right it, hoping the noise hadn’t drawn attention.

Inside Yan Chen’s bedchamber, she quietly set the rabbit lantern on the table. But after a moment’s consideration, she frowned, what if Yan Chen returned and couldn’t see in the dark?

A small smile curved her lips as she lifted the lantern and walked to the bed, hanging it high on the bed’s canopy. The warm golden light diffused softly around the room, casting her silhouette onto the lantern’s surface.

Pleased with her handiwork, Song Shujiu turned to leave.

Earlier, when she had embraced Yan Chen, she had inadvertently touched her hands those long, slender fingers, cold as ice. She hoped this lantern might bring her some warmth.

“Your Highness, please slow down.”

A voice sounded outside the door.

Song Shujiu froze mid-step. Damn it! Yan Chen was back.

She had sneaked into the room without permission. What if this led to misunderstandings?

Panicking, she scanned the dimly lit room, then had an idea.

The door creaked open.

Yan Chen stepped inside, weariness etched across her face. It had taken great effort to calm Yan Yue, her younger sister, burdened by fragile health and a melancholic disposition, required constant reassurance. The weight of her sister’s sorrow was a persistent worry.

Pushing aside the curtain to enter the inner chamber, after passing through darkness, a small glow suddenly appeared before her eyes. Yan Chen halted her steps, frowning at the white rabbit lantern still swaying alone by the bedside. “Seventeen,” she called.

Seventeen appeared beside her like the wind.

With a glance, she asked, “Your doing?”

Seventeen looked around the room silently before his gaze settled on a particular spot on the large bed. His expression shifted slightly, but his voice remained respectful. “Your Highness, this servant knows nothing of it.”

Yan Chen nodded wearily and waved her hand.

“Dismissed.”

The rabbit lantern had a bamboo frame covered with white silk paper, its eyes meticulously painted by a craftsman. When she touched its ears, they drooped slightly, bringing a rare smile to Yan Chen’s lips.

She placed the lantern on a nearby round table.

Meanwhile, Song Shujiu was sweating profusely under the cramped bed, stifled and uncomfortable.

I should’ve just snuck out through the window. Why did I have to hide in this awful spot?

When will Yan Chen go to bed? I can’t hold on much longer.

She heard the sound of shoes being removed, clothes being shed. Through the narrow gap, Song Shujiu  caught glimpses, Yan Chen’s pale ankles, the elegant curve of her calves as her lavish robes slipped away, replaced by a jade-colored gauze gown.

Candles flickered to life, illuminating the room like daylight.

The sound of water splashing made Song Shujiu panic.

No way, Did Yan Chen really combine her bedroom and bathing area?

The scent of fragrant oils and hair tonic filled the air as sweat beaded on Song Shujiu’s forehead. The more she thought about it, the drier her mouth became, the hotter and more stifled she felt.

Lying flat under the bed was unbearable her chest ached from the pressure. She couldn’t take it anymore.

Whoosh!

She scrambled out in a hurry, gasping for air like a fish on the verge of death.

Her bangs were soaked, her back drenched.

Behind a six-paneled enameled screen adorned with floral and bird motifs, the flickering candlelight cast hazy shadows through the steam. At the same time, the sound of water being scooped stopped abruptly.

Yan Chen’s eyes sharpened. In a flash, she stepped out of the tub and seized the figure attempting to climb out the window, gripping her from behind.

Song Shujiu yelped, “It’s me! It’s me!”

Coughing, Yan Chen stared at her in shock. “What are you doing here?”

Song Shujiu’s gaze lingered on Yan Chen’s alluring figure. She gulped twice, scratching her head awkwardly. “Uh… I came to deliver something.”

Hah…

I should’ve never come.

Yan Chen understood immediately, no one else in the estate would dare enter her chambers uninvited.

“Bold of you,” Yan Chen sneered, though her grip loosened slightly.
Song Shujiu’s heart raced when she caught sight of Yan Chen’s damp collarbones. Her face flushed as if she’d stepped into a steam bath.

Yan Chen’s fingers pressed against the nape of her neck, the touch burning like fire. The sight of Yan Chen’s striking figure beneath her robes made Song Shujiu feel like her nose might bleed any second.

Her earlobes were faintly pink, and the birthmark near her left ear was mesmerizing. Yan Chen’s gaze darkened.

“Why did you bring me a lantern?”

Does she even know what giving a lantern signifies? So young, yet so reckless.
Song Shujiu blinked innocently, her eyes curved like crescents. “I wanted to, so I did.”

Why does there need to be a reason?

Yan Chen’s expression stiffened, but seeing the genuine sincerity in Song Shujiu’s watery gaze, she relented.

Fine.

She released her hold. A cold breeze rushed in through the window, lifting Song Shujiu’s hair. A few strands draped over her slender shoulders, making her appear even more delicate.

Yan Chen reached out and closed the window.

In the afternoon, she had been sneezing nonstop, but now she was fine again?

Yan Chen raised an eyebrow. “Trespassing into my residence warrants punishment.”

Song Shujiu’s eyes were fixed on the two closest to her, as if she hadn’t heard the words just spoken. Yan Chen casually wrapped herself in a gauzy robe, her alluring curves faintly visible. Somehow, whenever Song Shujiu faced Yan Chen’s body, her mind went completely blank.

“Aren’t you cold?”

The glistening droplets clung to her neck and arms, dampening the gauze robe. The cool breeze that had just blown in made her robes flutter wouldn’t the dampness make her even colder?

Yet Yan Chen didn’t even flinch. Song Shujiu immediately stepped forward and draped a coat over her.

Watching her swift and practiced movements, Yan Chen leaned against a nearby high table, tilting her head to observe her.

“If I’m cold, what’s it to you?”

Yan Chen blinked at her, her usually indifferent eyes lifting slightly into a coquettish gaze.

After a moment’s thought, Song Shujiu replied, “I’m afraid I won’t get my salary.”

If anything happened to Yan Chen, who would she turn to for her month-end pay? Being a court attendant was still a government job, surely there had to be a monthly stipend, right?

Though she had no idea how much she’d actually earn, now that she was here, she couldn’t help but look forward to it, no matter how meager the sum.

Yan Chen studied her with curiosity. “The second time.”

This was already the second unfamiliar term she’d heard from this girl’s mouth.

Salary, what was that?

“What exactly goes on in that head of yours?”

Yan Chen straightened up. She had known it, Song Shujiu wasn’t like those other noble girls in the capital, who would only spout vulgarities like “I adore you” or “I admire you.” How tedious.

“My monthly wage wasn’t mentioned in the imperial decree.”

Song Shujiu was dead serious. This mattered to her. As the daughter of a prime minister, she was technically a privileged official’s child who didn’t need to strive for anything. But the money she earned through her own hard work held special meaning. Perhaps it was because she’d been a corporate drone for too long, she couldn’t help but care about that monthly paycheck.

So she was here to ask for money?

“The Prime Minister’s daughter, short on silver?”

Did Song Lan not give her an allowance?

Yan Chen sized her up. Everything about her screamed pampered young miss delicate hands that had never touched onion water, shoulders too frail to carry anything. And yet, here she was, asking for wages?

How amusing.

“Self-reliance leads to prosperity.”

“Relying on others is temporary; spending your own is eternal.”

“Oh?”

Yan Chen’s eyes flickered with surprise before she played along. “Has Court Attendant Song’s enlightenment reached such heights?”

Song Shujiu nodded, then pressed, “So, how much do I make a month?”

The burning desire for money in the girl’s eyes only fueled Yan Chen’s amusement. Leaning in, she lifted Song Shujiu’s chin, her voice low and sultry. “If you want more silver, it depends on your performance.”

Trapped between the window behind her and Yan Chen’s looming shadow, Song Shujiu felt strands of Yan Chen’s hair brush against her nose, sending tingles down her spine. Yan Chen’s exquisite features were nearly pressed against hers. Pondering those words, Song Shujiu suddenly understood.

The Grand Princess wanted her to earn money lying down.

After a long hesitation, Song Shujiu closed her eyes. Fine. After all, this was her first job since transmigrating here. Besides her duties as a court attendant, a little extra overtime pay wouldn’t hurt.

The other party was no ordinary person either no matter how she calculated, she wouldn’t lose. Thinking this, she wrapped her arms around Yan Chen’s neck and pressed a light kiss to her lips.

Yan Chen stiffened instantly. She had only meant to tease the girl, never expecting Song Shujiu to be so direct, hitting her with such a bold move.

Soft as jade blossoms, Yan Chen’s weariness vanished completely. Under that clumsy yet tender assault, her eyes darkened, becoming inscrutable.

Taking advantage of the position, she lifted Song Shujiu onto the coffee table, pinning her slender wrists against the window before deepening the kiss this sudden, unexpected sweetness.

Song Shujiu nearly suffocated from the intensity. She didn’t know how to breathe properly, her face flushing crimson. Yan Chen released her just before she passed out, her gaze smoldering. “So clumsy, yet you want to play for high stakes?”

Song Shu Jiu, dazed and hoarse, asked in confusion, “Isn’t inexperience supposed to be charming?”

Yan Chen’s expression darkened. “You know quite a lot.”

“Barely passing, I guess.”

Yan Chen looked down at her, her noble bearing unmatched, more regal than the most exquisite flower in the garden.

“Tomorrow, have Seventeen take you to report for duty. Get familiar with what needs to be done.”

Song Shujiu belatedly realized, “Wait, I don’t pass just by getting in?”

Hold on, why was she only barely passing?