Chapter 557: The Secret About the Past (175)
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
During dinner, An Xiaoning ate exceptionally little. However, she still threw up everything in the end.
She had never experienced such severe nausea when she was pregnant with Jin Yiheng.
Noticing how badly she was vomiting, Tuoba Gucheng instructed the kitchen helpers, “Mu Ning has an upset stomach. Cook her some lean pork porridge with century egg.”
The head chef acknowledged him immediately. An Xiaoning sat down on the couch feebly after rinsing her mouth.
Coincidentally, she received a text message from Jin Qingyan at this very moment. She had set her mobile phone to silent mode. Thus, she could feel it clearly when her mobile phone vibrated in her pocket.
However, she did not look at her mobile phone immediately because Tuoba Gucheng was sitting right opposite her.
Soon, the porridge was served.
She took her time to savor the porridge because it was still piping hot.
She prayed fervently that she would not throw up again.
After finis.h.i.+ng the entire bowl of porridge, she dared not eat anymore even though she was not full yet. Fortunately, she did not experience any nausea after having the porridge.
“Go up to get some rest,” said Tuoba Gucheng, who stood up to head upstairs.
An Xiaoning followed him closely.
The first thing she did when she returned to her room was to open the text message from her husband.
An Xiaoning sprawled herself across the bed and told him everything about the situation except her pregnancy.
Jin Qingyan was filled with anxiety upon hearing that she had been transferred to work under Tuoba Gucheng.
An Xiaoning was pleased to see him getting jealous and anxious. Fancy him being so worried even though Tuoba Gucheng and Lin s.h.i.+s.h.i.+ were going to get married in August.
After chatting for a while, An Xiaoning proceeded to remove her mask.
She then applied a beauty serum facial mask over her real skin.
She began to ponder about how she should go about finding out the truth, given the current situation.
Security was much tighter around Tuoba Gucheng’s mansion compared to Tuoba Danxue’s.
There were many guards on duty round the clock.
That meant that it would be extremely difficult for her to go out as and when she’d like at night.
Feeling sleepy and fatigued, she decided not to go out and to get a good night’s sleep instead.
Meanwhile, Tuoba Gucheng was suffering from insomnia in the room next to hers.
He tossed and turned in bed, experiencing great trouble falling asleep. He began to wonder just how many times he had e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed in her that night to have gotten her pregnant so easily.
He was overwhelmed with worry at the thought of her growing fetus, which he must get rid of in half a month.
He had never gotten intimate with another woman before, which also meant he had given his virginity to this country b.u.mpkin, the first woman he impregnated. Or so he thought.
An Xiaoning would definitely roll her eyes if she were to hear his thoughts.
She would also scoff and retort: “You s.n.a.t.c.hed my virginity too!”
Your first child has yet to arrive in this world!
An Xiaoning had no idea at all that he was letting his imagination run wild.
He tossed and turned for two whole hours, yet he was still not in the least bit sleepy at all.
It was the same even after another two hours…
He only fell asleep at four o’clock in the morning.
An Xiaoning woke up at past six o’clock in the morning, only to find that the weather had turned gloomy with strong gusts of wind.
She got out of bed to freshen up and put on her mask before having breakfast.
Tuoba Gucheng had yet to come downstairs even after she was done with her breakfast. Recalling what he mentioned about having to pick up a friend from overseas this morning, An Xiaoning decided to go upstairs to call him.
Realizing that the door was unlocked, she pushed it open and entered.
This was her first time entering Tuoba Gucheng’s bedroom, which was furnished according to a monochrome color scheme. There was a huge, eye-catching portrait photo of him above the headboard of his head. But…
Where is he?
He was, strangely, not on his bed. Did he sleep in the bodyguards’ room again?
What an oddball. He’d actually rather sleep on a bunk bed than his big, comfortable bed.
An Xiaoning held her breath the moment she turned around. It turned out, Tuoba Gucheng was standing right behind her.
“What are you doing inside my room?”
“I thought… you were still in bed so I came to wake you up.”
“I have an alarm, why do I need you to wake me up?”
Staring at his eyes, An Xiaoning said, “Your Highness… your dark eye circles…”
“Wait for me downstairs. I’m going out to attend to something very soon.”
“Yes.” An Xiaoning dismissed herself quietly.
Once she left, Tuoba Gucheng kicked the door shut and stood in front of the mirror immediately to look at his eye bags. He then quietly took out his own cosmetic products…
When he headed downstairs, An Xiaoning realized that his initial dark eye circles had completely vanished. His skin was fair and bright, as if he had applied something on his face.
Men, too, were allowed to use makeup. It was not a privilege exclusive only to women.
He was dressed in an exceptionally formal attire — a full-black suit that brought out his suaveness.
An Xiaoning and Xiao Chi followed him to the arrival hall, along with two other bodyguards.
She finally had a chance to go out of the palace again.
They soon arrived at the arrival hall to wait for Tuoba Gucheng’s friend from overseas.
Noticing that her eyes were darting all around, Tuoba Gucheng chided, “Don’t act like a country b.u.mpkin who has never seen the outside world before. What’s there to see around here?”
Although she was feeling disgruntled, An Xiaoning kept her feelings to herself and said, “Yes… Your Highness, when will your friend be arriving?”
“He already landed and checked into a hotel yesterday. He should be here any time soon.”
Just like he said, a group of people entered through the gate slowly in a single file minutes later.
An Xiaoning was greatly taken aback the moment she caught sight of them. “Huh…”
Tuoba Gucheng looked up to take a glance at her. To him, she didn’t seem shocked and was reacting like how one usually would when a handsome man appears.
The friend was none other than Prince Byron of Y Nation, who brought along his gay partner, Lance, and some bodyguards.
“h.e.l.lo,” Tuoba Gucheng greeted fluently in the native language of Y Nation.
Byron reached out for a handshake and said, “Long time no see.”
“Have a seat.”
An Xiaoning looked up at Byron, only to realize that he was still as das.h.i.+ng and charming as ever, despite her having not seen him in years.
He seemed to have barely aged at all.
After hearing their conversation, An Xiaoning discovered that Tuoba Gucheng and Byron were close friends who had met several times.
Not long after, reporters from both S Nation and Y Nation came forth to snap some photos.
Dressed in the bodyguard’s uniform, An Xiaoning stood with her back as straight as a ruler.
The bulk of their discussion were mainly issues regarding trading between both nations. The discussion ended in less than an hour.
They then proceeded to have a meal together. That explained why Tuoba Gucheng had skipped breakfast.
The bodyguards waited outside the door while Tuoba Gucheng and Byron had lunch together.
An Xiaoning realized that it was not easy being a bodyguard. Although it seemed to be a relaxing job on the surface, it was in fact beyond exhausting.
A bodyguard would have to stay vigilant and be on guard at all times and remain standing throughout the day.
After the luncheon, Byron invited Tuoba Gucheng to go hiking the next morning, to which Tuoba Gucheng agreed.
Dog-tired, Tuoba Gucheng headed back to his mansion right away after Byron left.
“Your Highness, did you not sleep well last night?” An Xiaoning asked.
He rolled his eyes at her and said, “I obviously didn’t. When you saw Prince Byron, you were staring so hard at him that your eyeb.a.l.l.s seemed like they were almost going to fall out. Why didn’t you react that way when you first saw me?”