Chapter 1637: Midnight Panic

The midnight silence was suddenly shattered when Lory’s eyes shot open. A wave of nausea hit her without warning. She barely had time to throw off the blanket before rushing out of bed. One hand clamped over her mouth as she stumbled toward the bathroom, her hurried footsteps echoing in the previously quiet room.

The moment she left the bed, Zhao Li Xin’s eyes snapped open.

Whether he had been asleep at all was difficult to tell. As someone who only needed a few hours of rest to function at his peak, he had always been an exceptionally light sleeper. Even the slightest movement from Lory was enough to wake him.

"Lory?" He paused for a second, waiting, but there was no answer.

Instead, he heard the bathroom door slide open, followed almost immediately by the unmistakable sound of violent retching. His heart lurched, and without a second thought, Zhao Li Xin rushed after her.

When he entered the bathroom, he found Lory kneeling before the toilet, her face buried over the bowl as another painful spasm wracked her body. Her slender shoulders trembled uncontrollably, and her long silver hair had fallen over her face.

Despite being notoriously obsessed with cleanliness, Zhao Li Xin didn’t hesitate for even a heartbeat. He knelt beside her on the cold marble floor, gathering her loose hair with one hand and gently holding it away from her face so it wouldn’t be stained.

His other hand rubbed slow circles across her trembling back, hoping to ease even a fraction of her discomfort.

"Wife, are you okay...?" His voice trembled.

Another bout of nausea forced her to lean forward again.

Zhao Li Xin’s brows drew tightly together as he watched her suffer. The composure that rarely left his face cracked, giving way to naked anxiety. His usually cold, unfathomable dark eyes were stripped bare, revealing nothing but worry... and fear.

He had always possessed senses far keener than those of ordinary people. A faint trace of blood carried on the wind, the lingering fragrance of incense from several rooms away, even the slightest hint of impurity, nothing ever escaped his notice.

His extraordinary sense of smell was so acute that even the smallest unpleasant odor could irritate him. Yet now, it was as though that remarkable gift had simply ceased to exist.

The acrid smell filling the bathroom never reached his awareness.

The cold marble beneath his knees, the damp air, the discomfort of the cramped space, he noticed none of it.

The only thing that existed in his world was Lory. Her fragile body trembled with each painful retch, the weakness in her breathing, and the way her fingers trembled as she clung helplessly to the edge of the toilet.

After several agonizing minutes, the nausea finally subsided. The smart toilet flushed automatically, washing everything away almost instantly as the ventilation system quietly removed the lingering odor. Lory remained kneeling for another moment, breathing heavily.

Only when Zhao Li Xin gently wrapped an arm around her waist did she finally allow herself to lean against him, Exhausted and weak.

"Are you okay, wife...?" He carefully helped her to her feet, supporting nearly all of her weight.

"I’m okay, honey..." she murmured hoarsely.

He frowned. She clearly wasn’t. Just as he tried to carry her back to bed, Lory lightly tugged at his sleeve.

"Wait, my breath smells horrible..." Even in her miserable state, she refused to leave without brushing her teeth. If she could smell her own breath, she was sure Zhao Li Xin could smell it too, and she didn’t want him to think she stank.

"That’s alright—" Zhao Li Xin wanted to say it didn’t bother him, but seeing the stubborn look on Lory’s face, he could only sigh in resignation.

Zhao Li Xin sighed in resignation, then handed her the toothbrush, quietly waiting beside her as she slowly brushed away the unpleasant taste before rinsing thoroughly with mouthwash.

Only after she had finished did she finally nod. "Okay, I’m good now," she said.

"Be careful..." Zhao Li Xin bent down, then effortlessly swept her into his arms. Zhao Li Xin’s expression tightened as he realized how light Lory was now. She seemed to have lost some weight. As he carried her back to bed, his arms instinctively tightened around her.

Afterward, he gently laid her beneath the blankets before placing the back of his hand against her forehead.

"How do you feel?" he asked softly. His palm rested against her forehead as he checked for even the slightest hint of a fever.

Lory managed a weak smile. "Don’t worry, I’m fine, Li Xin..."

The words carried little conviction. Her face was pale, and the usual sparkle in her eyes had dimmed considerably. The sight made his stomach churn with sadness and guilt.

If he had known Lory would suffer so much from pregnancy, he would never have let her become pregnant. Then again, after years of marriage, he had thought they might never have children. That was why he had let his guard down. 𝖋𝘳ℯ

"You don’t look fine, Lory." Zhao Li Xin’s face was shrouded with guilt.

Lory found it strange. Why did he look as though he had done something unforgivable?

However, before she could say anything, Zhao Li Xin tucked the blanket more securely around her and said, "Wait here. I’m going to make some perilla tea."

He pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. "Jin Hao once said it was good for easing nausea and settling an upset stomach." Without waiting for a response, he hurried to the pantry.

Lory could only watch Zhao Li Xin’s retreating figure as he moved so quickly that he left behind only a faint afterimage. Soon, the corners of her lips curled into a sweet smile. She had once believed she had already seen every side of Zhao Li Xin.

The fearsome Lord whom countless people revered and dreaded. The calm, calculating strategist who remained composed no matter how dire the situation. The gentle husband who indulged her every whim. Surely there was nothing left about him that could still surprise her.

Yet, time and time again, he proved her wrong. Every day, he revealed another side of himself she had never known, making her fall in love with him all over again.

Moments later, the once-quiet pantry became unusually lively. The man who was renowned for his elegance and unshakable composure moved with obvious urgency.

With a wave of his hand, an exquisite tea set and a tin of premium perilla tea leaves appeared on the table. He used his qi to brew the tea, but perhaps because he was so flustered, he accidentally burned the tea leaves instead.

Zhao Li Xin clicked his tongue in exasperation before dispersing the ruined tea leaves and starting over. For perhaps the first time in years, the mighty Lord looked genuinely flustered.

His normally meticulous movements had become hurried, almost clumsy. Taking a slow breath to steady himself, he forced his racing thoughts aside.

This time, his qi flowed with perfect control. The water reached the ideal temperature, allowing the perilla leaves to unfurl gently, releasing their soothing herbal fragrance. Zhao Li Xin watched the tea for a brief moment before giving a faint nod of satisfaction.

Finally.

Without wasting another second, he picked up the teacup and, in a swift blur of motion, returned to the bedroom.

Lory had been lying quietly beneath the blanket, staring absentmindedly at the ceiling, when Zhao Li Xin reappeared so suddenly that she blinked in surprise.

He carefully sat on the edge of the bed and offered her the warm teacup.

"Here," he said gently. "Drink a little. It will help warm your stomach."

"Thank you." Lory accepted the cup with both hands and took a careful sip.

The warm tea slid down her throat, spreading a comforting warmth throughout her body. The unpleasant churning in her stomach gradually subsided, replaced by a pleasant heat that slowly eased her discomfort. Soon after, an overwhelming drowsiness settled over her.

Seeing the color gradually return to her face, Zhao Li Xin finally allowed himself to relax, if only a little.

"Do you want to eat something before you go to sleep?" he asked.

After she finished the tea, he took the empty cup from her hands and placed it gently on the bedside table.

Lory shook her head. "No... I just want to sleep."

She pulled the blanket up to her chin before sinking back onto the pillow. Then she turned her head toward Zhao Li Xin, her sleepy eyes meeting his.

"Li Xin..." She softly called.

"Hm?" he looked at her tenderly.

"Sleep beside me." Her voice was soft, almost childlike. "I want a hug."

A warm chuckle escaped Zhao Li Xin’s lips. Without hesitation, he climbed onto the bed and settled beside her. He gently drew her into his arms, taking great care not to jostle her aching body. Lory smiled contentedly as she nestled against his chest, her hands resting lightly over his heart.

The steady rhythm of his heartbeat soothed her far more effectively than any medicine. Within moments, her eyelids fluttered closed.

Zhao Li Xin continued to stroke her back in slow, gentle motions, patiently comforting her until her breathing became long and even. Only after he was certain she had fallen into a deep, peaceful sleep did the tight knot in his chest loosen ever so slightly.

Even then, he did not dare close his eyes. Instead, he held her a little closer, silently praying that when morning came, she would wake feeling much better.

At that moment, Zhao Li Xin made a silent vow to himself. This would be the last time. He would never let Lory become pregnant again.

Everyone said that the Lucient bloodline was not easy to conceive, and that pregnancies within the family were exceedingly rare. But Zhao Li Xin had no intention of relying on chance.

Watching Lory suffer even this much was enough to make his heart ache. He refused to risk putting her through it a second time. As he gently held her sleeping form, a conversation from years ago resurfaced in his mind.

Jin Hao had once casually mentioned a medicinal potion capable of rendering a man infertile without affecting his health or his ability to share intimacy with his wife. At the time, Zhao Li Xin had dismissed it as useless knowledge.

Now, however... it was exactly what he needed.

Blessed with an extraordinary memory, Zhao Li Xin could still recall the prescription with perfect clarity, down to the last herb and its precise proportions.

Tomorrow, he would prepare it himself. If preventing another pregnancy meant ensuring Lory would never have to endure this suffering again, then he would not hesitate for even a moment.

It was a decision he had already made, and once Zhao Li Xin made up his mind, nothing in the world could persuade him to change it.