Knowing that he was being disliked, Qi Yubai didn’t get angry. He just felt a bit helpless—after all, he truly wasn’t good at coaxing people. After meeting Lanyin’s smiling gaze for a moment, he lowered his eyes again to look at the little child in his arms. Just moments ago, the child had been pouting in grievance, but now, he was grinning happily, reaching out to play with Lanyin.
Having someone to play with, he quickly forgot whose arms he was in. At this age, children were most fascinated by new things. After playing with the rattle drum for a while, he lost interest again. Looking at Lanyin, it was as if he suddenly remembered he wasn’t in her arms. He turned his head, wanting to see who was actually holding him.
Once again, their gazes met. Qi Yubai stared into those pure, clear eyes and couldn’t help but stiffen his back.
Afraid that the child might start crying again like before, Qi Yubai tensed up, his mind racing to figure out how to soothe him.
Who would have thought that Lord Qi, who was always invincible in official circles, would stumble when it came to taking care of a child? Fortunately, Qi Yubai was never one to fear difficulties. With no prior experience in caring for children, he could only recall how he used to take care of Yuanbao. Thinking for a moment, he looked at the child, who was already on the verge of tears, and suddenly reached out, tentatively scratching the little one’s chin.
His touch was gentle, yet it immediately caught Lin’er’s attention.
The child, whose eyelashes were already wet with tears, blinked. His eyes were truly large, with long eyelashes framing them. He stared straight at Qi Yubai, seemingly finding the sensation pleasant. His gaze locked onto Qi Yubai, and when he didn’t move again, the little one pouted unhappily, grabbing his arm and letting out two soft “ah ah” sounds.
But who could possibly understand what a baby was saying?
Yet, Qi Yubai seemed to grasp his intent. After a brief hesitation, he reached out again and lightly scratched the child’s slightly chubby chin.
Lin’er found it so comfortable that he tilted his head back like a little kitten, even letting out a giggling sound from his throat.
Lanyin only noticed Qi Yubai’s actions when she heard Lin’er’s laughter. She stared blankly at the man scratching Lin’er’s chin. A moment later, she came to her senses. Watching one person scratch while the other laughed, she couldn’t hold back her own laughter.
Looking at Qi Yubai, she asked, trying to suppress her amusement, “Are you treating Lin’er as Yuanbao?”
Qi Yubai frowned slightly, thinking he had done something wrong. He looked at her, resembling a diligent student who was not ashamed to ask questions. “Is this not okay?”
Lanyin smiled. “It’s not that it’s not okay.”
It was just that she had never seen anyone treat a child like a kitten before. Yet, the one being teased actually enjoyed it. For a moment, she wasn’t sure whether to say he was good or bad at coaxing children.
While the two adults and the child continued their interaction as if no one else was around, Xiao Siyu stood off to the side, momentarily dazed.
She hadn’t spent much time with Qi Yubai, but she knew his temperament. Even when he wasn’t as cold and distant with acquaintances as he was with outsiders, he had never been this close to anyone. Watching the distance between him and Sister Gu, her sister-in-law, it wasn’t even enough for a single hand to fit through.
That was far too close.
And Sister Gu… She had known her for over a decade and understood her personality well. Even though Sister Gu seemed gentle and easygoing on the surface, she had her own principles and never gave her heart away lightly. Especially when it came to men, she avoided them whenever possible.
Yet, Xiao Siyu could tell that Sister Gu’s smile at this moment was genuinely heartfelt.
Moreover, she seemed very accustomed to interacting with her senior brother. Their ease with each other made it feel as if they had done this a thousand times before.
If she didn’t already know the two of them and their situation, she might have assumed that the pair standing in front of her were newlyweds.
Tu Yici, on the other hand, wasn’t as shocked as she was, though he was still somewhat surprised by how familiar the two seemed with each other. It looked like his decision to call her “sister-in-law” wouldn’t have to wait too long. Feeling rather pleased, he curved his lips into a smile, took Xiao Siyu’s hand, and walked over. “What are you all talking about? You seem to be having such a good time.”
As he spoke, he glanced at his own son.
Earlier, he had been a bit farther away, and Lanyin had been blocking his view, so he hadn’t seen what was happening. But now that he had a clear look… Tu Yici was dumbfounded.
Then, his expression quickly turned sour, and he shouted, “Qi, are you playing with my son like he’s a cat?!”
With that, he immediately snatched Lin’er back from Qi Yubai’s arms.
But Lin’er had been playing happily. Suddenly being taken away left him momentarily stunned. As soon as he realized what had happened, he burst into loud cries.
The contrast between his quiet cuteness and his ear-piercing wails was striking. Tu Yici was baffled—when that bastard Qi Yubai had teased his son like a kitten, the boy had laughed so hard his eyes disappeared. Yet now, when his own father was merely trying to show concern, the child cried like a pig being slaughtered.
And it wasn’t the kind of crying that could be easily soothed.
Was his son an idiot?
Tu Yici frowned, staring solemnly at his own child, genuinely questioning whether there was something wrong with the boy’s head. Before he could dwell further, Xiao Siyu smacked him hard on the arm. “Senior Brother was holding him just fine—what are you making a fuss for?!”
With Lin’er crying incessantly, Xiao Siyu no longer had time to dwell on the shock she’d felt earlier upon seeing Lanyin and Qi Yubai standing together. She took Lin’er from Tu Yici’s arms and held him close, gently coaxing him.
Lin’er caught a familiar scent, and only then did his cries subside, though he continued to hiccup softly.
He looked utterly pitiful, making Xiao Siyu’s heart ache. As she comforted him, she shot an annoyed glare at Tu Yici and scolded, “This is all your fault!”
Tu Yici, both innocent and frustrated, had no way to refute her. He could only stand aside, dutifully trying to cheer up his little ancestor.
The husband and wife busied themselves with the child. Since Tu Yici was there, Lanyin hesitated to step forward. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the man beside her lowering his head. Softly, she reassured him, “My lord held him very well. With more practice in the future, it will only get better.”
Qi Yubai’s dark, lacquer-like phoenix eyes settled on her. After a brief pause, he let out a soft “Mm.”
The child’s cries gradually faded.
With nothing else to do, Lanyin idly recalled how the man had just been teasing Lin’er and casually asked, “Does my lord like children?”
She thought he must.
After all, when Lin’er had laughed earlier, his expression had been so gentle.
She couldn’t help but wonder—if Qi Yubai had children of his own, what kind of father would he be? A strict one or a loving one? But whether stern or affectionate, she was certain he would be a wonderful father.
A man as responsible as him would never neglect his own wife and children.
“It’s fine. Having them is fine, not having them is also fine.”
“What?”
Lanyin stared at him, dumbfounded. Her shock was so great that her gaze turned vacant. Not having them is also fine? Weren’t men supposed to marry in order to carry on the family line? Or… did Qi Yubai not intend to take a wife at all?
That possibility wasn’t out of the question.
In her past life, she had never seen him marry. It seemed like he hadn’t even had any close female companions.
Recalling the maidservants’ earlier gossip, a bold thought crossed her mind—could it be… that he truly preferred men?
If that were the case, it would all make sense.
Lanyin had no particular opinion on such matters. She didn’t share such inclinations herself, but she wouldn’t oppose others for it. Whether Qi Yubai liked men or women, it was his own choice… It was just that if he truly did prefer men, the road ahead would be incredibly difficult for him.
Society simply did not accept such things—especially for someone like Qi Yubai, a high-ranking minister in the court.
If it was just a passing fancy and he only kept a few male entertainers, it wouldn’t be a big deal. It might even become an anecdote of romance among the nobility… But she knew Qi Yubai’s character.
If he truly wanted to be with the person he loved, he would never allow others to look down on them.
Nor would he use such sordid means to tarnish the one he cherished.
But if that were truly the case, the price he would have to pay was far too great.
Thinking that Qi Yubai might be ridiculed and scrutinized by others because of this, Lanyin suddenly felt an inexplicable heaviness in her heart.
Qi Yubai stood right beside her, so he naturally noticed every change in her expression. Just as he was about to ask her about it, a maid’s voice came from outside the door.
“Young Master, Madam, the meal is ready.”
“Got it, we’ll be right out.”
Xiao Siyu lowered her voice to respond, then instructed someone to call the wet nurse over.
Tu Lin had cried earlier and had been coaxed lovingly by his mother, so he had already fallen asleep. Xiao Siyu carefully handed him over to the wet nurse and only let out a long sigh of relief after the woman left. “I really did give birth to a little ancestor.”
She muttered a complaint, but her face was full of smiles. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Lanyin and grinned. “Let’s go eat first. I had the kitchen prepare quite a few Jinling dishes for you today.”
As she spoke, she walked toward Lanyin, only to notice that she was looking down, lost in thought. Unable to help herself, she asked, “Sister, what are you thinking about?”
Lanyin heard her voice and shook her head. “Nothing.”
She smiled at Xiao Siyu and quickly buried those thoughts deep in her heart. From beginning to end, she neither looked at Qi Yubai nor let any trace of her emotions slip.
Xiao Siyu was never one to overthink things. Since Lanyin said it was nothing, she didn’t press further. She simply smiled and took Lanyin’s arm, leading her outside.
Qi Yubai, however, furrowed his brows as he watched Lanyin’s retreating figure. He could feel that after he had spoken earlier, Lanyin’s emotions had shifted. But she didn’t seem upset about the mention of children—it felt more like she was…
Thinking about him.
“What are you brooding over?”
Tu Yici noticed his furrowed brows and deliberately played dumb. When Qi Yubai didn’t answer, he sighed like an experienced elder and said in a weighty tone, “Senior Brother, you’re watching too closely. When chasing a woman, you need to alternate between tightening and loosening your grip. If you keep staring at Sister-in-law all day, she’ll feel suffocated. And when that happens, do you think she’ll run from you or not?”
He had only spoken casually.
But to his surprise, Qi Yubai actually looked at him and asked seriously, “Really?”
“What?”
“Am I really watching too closely?” Qi Yubai pressed, his lips tightening.
For a moment, Tu Yici’s mind went blank. After a long pause, he stammered, “Uh… yes!”
He had always been a bit careless about small matters, but once he snapped back to his usual self, he leaned in with a smirk and whispered, “Let me tell you, there are all sorts of tricks to winning a woman over. You have to push and pull. You can’t always do exactly what she wants—better yet, keep her hanging a little. If you cater to her every whim now, what standing will you have in your marriage later?”
Just look at him.
Tu Yici thought about his own grueling married life and felt a pang of sorrow.
Qi Yubai cast him a glance.
His dark phoenix eyes were deep like an abyss. Tu Yici, feeling the weight of that gaze, quietly withdrew the arm he had slung over Qi Yubai’s shoulder. Seeing him deflate, Qi Yubai didn’t say anything more. He withdrew his gaze and looked at Lanyin in the distance, letting out a soft sigh.
He didn’t believe in Tu Yici’s methods, nor did he want to use them.
But perhaps… he really had been watching her too closely.
Would that make her feel pressured?
…Maybe he shouldn’t ask her after all.
—
After lunch, Lanyin chatted with Xiao Siyu for a while before finally taking her leave.
Qi Yubai left with her.
As they left, Qi Yubai and Tu Yici still walked behind, while Lanyin and Xiao Siyu walked ahead. Catching sight of the reluctance on Xiao Siyu’s face from the corner of her eye, Lanyin couldn’t help but smile and say, “It’s not like we’re far apart. Next time you miss me, just come find me directly. If I’m free, I’ll come visit you too.”