Fierce Consort (Part 2)

Chapter 174

First it was internal affairs. When that didn't work, he handed over some of his businesses. He put it nicely by saying he was focusing on losing weight and didn't have time to manage these things.

Yan Yan took pity on him. He was truly tired and hungry daily and didn't have time for these things. Therefore, she took over those businesses. Once she started getting busy, she no longer focused exclusively on making him lose weight.

Luo Huai Yuan was a crafty fellow. On the surface he acted pitiful, either hanging his tongue out from exhaustion or crying about being hungry in front of Yan Yan. Yan Yan didn't suspect anything. She scarcely realized that this fellow was secretly slacking off and sneaking food. Xiao An Zi was forced to help cover for him. Not only did he fool Yan Yan, he even fooled the two little spies.

During this time, news came from the capital. Shen Yi Yao had given birth.

She gave birth to twins, one boy and one girl. Giving birth at her age, especially to twins, meant she had suffered quite a bit. Luckily she had nourished herself during her pregnancy so she and her babies were safe.

Because of this, Qi Ran decided not to have anymore children. He had planned on dying alone to begin with. He didn't expect to be able to marry the woman of his dreams who gave birth to two children for him. To Qi Ran, this was something unimaginable in the past. This taciturn man had secretly shed tears of joy after the children were born.

Some amusement ended up coming out of this situation. Because the two of them were proven to still be fertile and seeing how Shen Yi Yao had suffered, Qi Ran had some lingering fear. After this, he didn't dare touch Shen Yi Yao for a long while, deeply afraid of accidentally getting her pregnant again.

Shen Yi Yao became unfrequented by her husband. She was first puzzled and then depressed. Others weren't aware but she clearly knew that after marriage, the two of them had gotten along very well. They spent a lot of time in bed together. Qi Ran had been abstinent for too long and was rather interested in such things.

Now that things suddenly dulled, Shen Yi Yao wasn't used to it and inevitably overthought. Women loved to think up nonsense. Shen Yi Yao was already quite old when she remarried, and had felt she wasn't worthy of such a good man like Qi Ran. She would inevitably think that perhaps he wouldn't cherish her after they got married or that he would forget about her after having children.

The couple had even gotten into an argument over this.

They were both shy people and Qi Ran especially was a closed gourd. He naturally thought about having Shen Yi Yao drink birth control medicine, but in his mind such things were harmful to women. He would rather force himself to endure. After seeing his wife looking depressed, he couldn't help but wonder whether Sis Yao regretted marrying him.

In the end it was Second Madam Shen who saw the signs and after repeated questioning she finally heard about the matter from Shen Yi Yao. She then had Shen Ding check with Qi Ran before this misunderstanding was cleared up.

Having made such fools of themselves, the two whose ages added up to almost a hundred were both embarrassed. When Yan Yan and Luo Huai Yuan heard about this, their emotions were a little interesting.

It seems that matters between men and women were always extremely complicated. Age had nothing to do with it.

Yan Yan thus thought of herself and Luo Huai Yuan. Such things had never happened between the two of them. This was because of that person's shamelessness. Even if they had some misunderstanding, it would be cleared up on the spot. Even if she was being difficult and refused to speak, he would come ask flatteringly. Sometimes, even when she was in the wrong, he would still yield to her and coax her.

Thinking of this, Yan Yan had a special feeling in her heart. She recalled how he had proposed to her. He had kept every one of his promises. The two had been married for over ten years, and she didn't seem to have suffered any grievances. He truly did always treat her well.

This man wasn't a girl's ideal husband. He wasn't upstanding enough and was all smiles. He was fat and lazy, and liked to mouth off and posture. He had many, many shortcomings but in Yan Yan's mind he couldn't be replaced.

Having been married to him for so many years, she had never regretted it.

On this day, Yan Yan was more passionate than ever before. It truly made Luo Huai Yuan feel a little overwhelmed by favor. He even had to wonder whether his wife was laying out a honey trap before coming out with the whip.
Fine, Luo Huai Yuan had overthought things. He had a guilty conscience and was naturally worried that Yan Yan had noticed something. He thought she was using a different method to sort him out.

Although he was trembling in fear, he was also basking in this beauty's passion. Finally, he decided not to think about it. What was going to come will come, and if he was damned then so be it. But what astonished him was that he made it through a wonderful night, and his wife even brewed some nourishing soup for him the next day.

Overwhelmed with favor was no longer able to describe his emotions.

Of course, such amazing treatment only lasted for that one day. The next day, Yan Yan once again supervised him in eating less and exercising more. Luo Huai Yuan once again sank into the abyss of suffering. He had to suffer through the weightloss program while playing subterfuge with his wife and children.

Regarding Yan Yan's huge change in attitude that day, Luo Huai Yuan remained confused. Of course, that was something for the future.

*
"Tell me honestly, have you been playing tricks?"

The weightloss program had lasted for several months and the estate was in disarray.

However, Luo Huai Yuan still looked the same as before. No matter how naive Yan Yan was, she still noticed something was up.

Luo Huai Yuan's put on an appearance of being unjustly accused. "Yan Yan, you saying that has hurt your husband's heart."

Seeing Yan Yan's suspicious appearance, he hurriedly approached, "Look, I've lost weight. Isn't my stomach smaller by quite a bit?" As he spoke, he grabbed her hand and placed it on his stomach.

It was truly a little smaller.

Looking at his entire body, he was truly thinner than before by a bit. However, this little bit truly let down Yan Yan's efforts over the past few months. Especially with the ruckus he made when forced to exercise, this small result was truly unacceptable.

"Perhaps I'm just innately fat. Isn't my old mom also round? Perhaps I got it from her." Luo Huai Yuan blinked and said.

This shameless fellow pushed all responsibility on Former Concubine Ma. She definitely hadn't been fat when she was young, just full-figured. She only gained weight when she got older.

Yan Yan didn't understand the concept of genetics. However, she knew that if the dad was fat, the son might also be fat. Yet seeing her son getting taller and thinner, Yan Yan doubted this sort of explanation. Jian'er had also been chubby when he was young, but he had gradually lost weight as he matured. It was clear he would become a sturdy kid, and definitely not a fat kid.

Before Yan Yan could figure things out, Luo Huai Yuan interrupted: "Oh, right. An edict came from the capital summoning our entire family back for the New Year. Let's start making preparations."

The Yun Province wasn't close to the capital. It took at least half a month to get there. Leaving now meant arriving near the end of the year.

Him bringing this up truly got Yan Yan interested. It wasn't due to the honor of being summoned by the emperor, but rather because she hadn't been able to make it back for Shen Yi Yao giving birth. She hadn't seen her step-siblings yet.

Thinking of this and the preparations that needed to be made, Yan Yan felt a little rushed. Her suspicions were cast unimaginably far away.

Luo Huai Yuan was secretly speechless.

Heehee, looks like he got away with it.