What If...I Remember?

Chapter 44

"These cakes are amazing, Feng Jiu." Lian Song praised as he bit into one that was shaped like a leaf, "I don't suppose you had any help in making them?" "No, I did everything myself. Down to fetching the ingredients, too." Feng Jiu avoided looking in Lian Song's way altogether, and Bai Qian ate an orange tinted one, "Is this carrot, Xiao Jiu?" "It's filled with carrot that has been mixed with malt, Gugu." Feng Jiu answered, biting into one that crumbled almost at her touch, "Though I did think you would've prefered the pink ones." "Pink?" Bai Qian followed Feng Jiu's gaze to another tray, managing to reach for one, and she took a rather daring bite out of it as she asked, "Are they made with peaches?"

Meanwhile, at the other end of the table, Di Jun watched as A-Li ate a green bean pastry, and his brows creased into a frown as he looked around, but found not a single green bean pastry on the table at all. "Uncle Dong Hua, would you like one?" A-Li offered, upon seeing that Di Jun was frowning, and Di Jun accepted it, but not before asking, "Did Feng Jiu make this only for you?" "Sister Feng Jiu made it just for me." A-Li nodded, and Di Jun felt a slight sourness wrap his heart, before he shook his head. No, he could not possibly be agitated because a child had something that he did not have. That was most unbecoming of him.

"Uncle Dong Hua, are you angry?" A-Li noticed that Di Jun still wore a frown, and Di Jun relaxed his features slightly as he shook his head, "I'm not angry, Little Heavenly Grandson." "Then why are you frowning?" A-Li couldn't understand why Di Jun had looked like someone took something from him ever since he entered the Fox Den, but before he could answer, sounds of choking came from the other end of the table.

"Gugu!" Feng Jiu exclaimed as Bai Qian dropped the pastry in a rather unladylike fashion, coughing into her sleeve as Ye Hua rubbed her back concernedly, and Bai Qian could barely talk as she resisted the urge to puke. A queasiness had filled her chest the moment she sank her teeth into the pastry, and only sourness remained in her mouth as Bai Qian made a gagging sound, whatever she had just eaten threatening to pour back out of her throat.

"Tea, Xiao Jiu, get her some tea." Ye Hua was the only thing keeping Bai Qian upright at that point, and Feng Jiu grabbed a cup at once, almost sloshing its contents as she rushed over, and Bai Qian downed it in one go as she gasped for air, tears leaking through the sides of her eyes as she squeezed them shut, her breathing ragged as it fought to resume its normal rate.

And when she finally managed to regulate her breathing, Lian Song gave a low whistle.

"What in the Heavens was that?!"

...

"What was in that pastry, Xiao Jiu?" Bai Qian's voice was hoarse, her throat still burning from the acids that had risen from her stomach, and Feng Jiu broke the pastry open as she frowned, "It's plum, Gugu. Don't you like plum?" "Was it not fresh?" Bai Qian took a second drink from Ye Hua's tea cup, taking deep breaths as he rubbed her back in an attempt to soothe her, and Feng Jiu shook her head, popping the broken half of the pastry into her mouth, "No, Gugu, I only just picked them yesterday...and they taste quite normal to me."

"But..." Bai Qian was half confused and half still nauseous as she leant back habitually into Ye Hua's arms, "I would not have reacted thus violently if there was nothing wrong with it...?" Or you could've. A tiny voice spoke in Bai Qian's head as her thoughts whirled rather messily, remembering the last time she had grown irrationally nauseous, and Ye Hua was taken by surprise when she suddenly stood up, her eyes averted from everyone's as she bowed, "Bai Qian takes her leave first."

"Qian Qian?" He stared after in bewilderment, wondering what had suddenly triggered her to leave, and it was only until Feng Jiu nudged him did he realised that he had remained stoned in the same position for quite a while. "Are you not going after Gugu, Gufu?" Feng Jiu urged, and Ye Hua blinked, before he rose to his feet, "Yes...right." "Ye Hua takes his leave." Ye Hua bowed quickly, leaving the table as he ran out of the main room that Bai Qian did, and an awkward silence settled in the rest of the room.

"Uhm..." Feng Jiu dusted her hands quickly, "I'll go and wash the dishes." And even as she ducked into the kitchen, Di Jun rose silently, surprising himself too as he glanced briefly at Lian Song, before he glided after Feng Jiu into the kitchen.

"Well," Lian Song grumbled, biting into another pastry as he watched A-Li finish his cakes, "I guess I missed out on all the fun then."

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"Zhe Yan?"

"Zhe Yan? Where are you, Phoenix?"

"Zhe. Yan."

"Don't get your tails in a knot, Xiao Wu." Zhe Yan landed on his feet lightly, the end of his robes ruffling the fallen petals into smaller heaps, and Bai Qian glared at him, "I've been running through your grove, Phoenix. Where were you?" "In my hut, with Zhen Zhen. And I don't suppose you'll need the fine details on how you disrupted us?" Zhe Yan raised an eyebrow, and Bai Qian blushed slightly, before she scowled at him, "I most certainly do not need to know the romances you two have in your bed."

"Ah, but don't we all know what goes on in yours?" Zhe Yan muttered under his breath, not loud enough for Bai Qian's ears to discern the words, and she pretended not to have heard him mumble something, "I came here for your help, Phoenix." "Don't you always." Zhe Yan gave a crooked smile, "What is it?" "I need you to take my pulse." Bai Qian held her wrist out, and Zhe Yan's left eyebrow shot up to join his other one, "Pardon, but what?"

"Take my pulse," Bai Qian repeated, "And tell me what my pulse is exactly." "I must say, Xiao Wu, this is rather sudden." Zhe Yan rolled her sleeve up, reaching for her wrist, "Though if you don't mind me asking, what provoked you into coming to take your pulse?" "A suspicion," Bai Qian answered, "That I may be pregnant with Ye Hua's child." "Again? So fast" Zhe Yan was momentarily distracted with the need to act as though he didn't know what her pulse was, and Bai Qian glowered at him, "What do you mean, 'again?'?"

"I thought you were rather reluctant to get pregnant again." Zhe Yan went back to taking her pulse, feeling the slippery pulse of her blood in her veins, "After all, you did say that you only wouldn't mind a second child if Ye Hua was the one giving birth to it." "..." Bai Qian wore an annoyed expression, "Are you done yet?" "Yes." Zhe Yan pulled her sleeve back with a grin, "Your suspicion is rather much confirmed, Xiao Wu."

"So...I am?" Bai Qian was rather surprised; she had not expected it to really end up that way. She had expected it to probably be her overthinking, and that perhaps the taste of the plum had barely been too strong and overwhelming...but it had just been her overthinking the possibilities. "Are you...unhappy?" Zhe Yan sensed that her sudden quietness and her fading smile meant something wrong, "Xiao Wu, you couldn't possibly be thinking of aborting the child, could you?"

"No!" Bai Qian reacted quickly, snapping back to her senses as she spoke a little too loudly in her panic, "Of course not!" "I would never abort Ye Hua's child." Bai Qian added on, blushing even at her own words, and Zhe Yan made a face of disgust as he cringed, "You two lovebirds. One can only wonder how A-Li manages to stand the two of you all the time."

"Qian Qian?" Ye Hua suddenly appeared not too far away from them both, dried leaves clinging on to his cloak as he turned in a circle, trying to spot them, and Zhe Yan cleared his throat, "Well, Xiao Wu, shall I tell him-?" "No, I'll tell him myself." Bai Qian cut Zhe Yan off mid-sentence, anf before he could say anything, Bai Qian had already run off towards her husband's direction.

Sighing, Zhe Yan watched as Ye Hua spoke something to Bai Qian, and he turned around to head back to Bai Zhen when Bai Qian kissed Ye Hua lightly on the lips in return.

Silly Xiao Wu...your husband already knows...

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A/N: Short chapter oops...I tried but it got so awkward I just wrapped it up for this chapter...

So...BQ is aware now ;) Won't it be funny if she tells Ye Hua, and he already knows? 😏

Anyway, next chapter's likely going to start with some Dong Hua and Feng Jiu...and did you guys get the green bean cakes reference? XD

Comment if you know/understand where the reference is from ;)

xoxo
Z, out.