My Queen, My Rules - 88
Your Most Loyal Subject
Whether the baby would really be good to Cen Sen remained to be seen, but after that night, Ji Mingshu was visibly, if only a tiny bit, gentler towards him.
The days turned slowly and steadily, and more than two months passed. By the end of November, the capital was beginning to show signs of winter.
Ji Mingshu successfully made it through the “safe concealment period” she'd learned from palace-intrigue dramas, and by now, nearly all her relatives and friends had heard the happy news.
With this pregnancy, the attention and importance both the Cen and Ji families' elders placed on her were enough to make the joke about "having an imperial throne to inherit" seem entirely justified.
They had arranged for everything imaginable: Chinese and Western chefs, pastry chefs, nutritionists, all fully staffed by both families. Whatever she wanted to eat could be freshly prepared at a moment's notice. Ji Mingshu wasn't shy about making requests either. Today she wanted boiled cabbage in clear broth, tomorrow she wanted delicate shredded tofu soup.
The Cen family had somehow even procured a prenatal education teacher. Most families doing prenatal education simply told stories or played recordings, but the Cen family took things to an entirely different level. At the teacher's request, they even hired professionals to come to the house and perform live music for the tiny embryo, all in the name of cultivating its appreciation for the finer things in life.
Fortunately, Ji Mingshu had been born with a natural talent for enjoying the good life. Anyone else might have worried that such extravagance would shorten their lifespan.
On top of that, Ji Mingshu received no shortage of gifts from the elders, everything from jewelry and luxury cars to antiques, paintings, and calligraphy. Notable among them were a card from Old Master Cen and the two priceless gardens Cen Yuanchao transferred under her name.
Somehow, word of this got out through loose lips. People in their circle all sighed over how blessed Ji Mingshu was. The treatment she received simply for carrying the heir was on another level. And this was only pregnancy. After she gave birth safely, who knew what kind of treatment she would receive then? They felt they were witnessing a firsthand modern-day demonstration of “a mother's status elevated by her son.”
Ji Mingshu herself, however, was remarkably indifferent to all of it. As for the idea that carrying a child somehow elevated her status, she couldn’t have scoffed harder.
In fact, a week after confirming her pregnancy, Cen Sen had gave her a document and asked her to sign it.
She had flipped through it casually at first, and soon discover that its contents were anything but ordinary. The clauses appeared impartial on the surface, but the more closely she examined them, the more they seemed to favor Party B. And she, Ji Mingshu, was Party B.
At the time, she had been utterly baffled. In arranged marriages like theirs, the concept of shared marital property hardly existed. Which newlywed didn't have to sign stacks upon stacks of prenuptial agreements?
She and Cen Sen already had an extremely detailed prenuptial agreement, so what was the point of this newly issued supplementary agreement on the division of marital property?
Before she could ask, Cen Sen had already explained, "The prenuptial agreement is no longer valid. All property acquired after marriage will be jointly owned."
Ji Mingshu had gone completely blank at those words.
The Cen family wasn't some ordinary household with a few houses and cars. To put it mildly, Cen Sen's net worth was growing with every seconds; even he himself might find it hard to estimate the exact figure.
And the weight behind the words "all property acquired after marriage will be jointly shared" meant that if Ji Mingshu so much as put her mind to it, she could instantly alter the entire landscape of Jingjian. Had he lost his mind?
After spending roughly half a minute trying to digest it, Ji Mingshu decisively put down her pen, turned her back to him, and refused to sign.
Cen Sen didn't pressure her. He only said calmly, "Whether you sign or not, the prenuptial agreement has already been voided on my end."
At this, Ji Mingshu spun around and poked his chest accusingly. "What are you trying to do? Making arrangements for when you cheat on me already? Cen-shi Sensen, have you no conscience? Oh, I get it now! So all those dreams I had before were actually true. I can't believe I've lived for more than twenty years and finally became a prophet."
Cen Sen: "I want to give you a greater sense of security."
Ji Mingshu adopted a ‘I'm not listening, you're just a scumbag’ attitude. "Do you, a grown man, really need a contract to make your wife feel secure? How can you be so unreliable? With such an unreliable father, who knows how hard life is going to be for me and our poor child after we're left to fend for ourselves!"
Her little mouth rattled on without pause, and the farther she went, the more outrageous her argument became. "What use would I have for your shares? Do you think I can understand any of that? Wait, explain this properly. Did you set some kind of trap and plan to make me the legal representative or something, then have me take the fall and go to prison for you if you ever commit some financial crime? I may not know the law, but I've read novels!”
"Hey, you're silent. You're not saying anything. Did I guess it right? You lousy husband. The baby isn't even born yet and you've already got my future all planned out!”
Cen Sen: "..."
Naturally, he could tell that Ji Mingshu was deliberately being unreasonable, but in the face of her deliberate nonsense, he found himself almost helpless. He had imagined all kinds of possible reactions, but never that Ji Mingshu would be unwilling to share his wealth.
The two sat on the bed in silence for a long while. Ji Mingshu's initial burst of righteous indignation had more or less run its course. Now that she'd calmed down, she still couldn't quite bring herself to accept it. Yet the moment she thought about how far Cen Sen was willing to go for her, sweet little bubbles seemed to keep rising inside her heart.
Stealing a glance at Cen Sen, she found that she'd managed to shut him down completely. She couldn't help but poke him again, explaining in a small voice, “I understand your intentions, but that's not how you give someone a sense of security."
She truly had never considered voiding the prenuptial agreement. Before, she had always known her place. The two of them had married for the sake of their families, and she'd spent all his money on food and fun without earning a penny herself, expecting half his assets afterward would be shameless.
Now, though, she simply didn't think it was necessary. She loved Cen Sen, and she trusted him. She believed they could happily spend the rest of their lives together, so she no longer needed additional property or shares as a safeguard.
Besides, if a man truly wanted to change his heart, no amount of leverage could keep him tethered. Even if you managed to hold on to him, all you would have left would be an empty shell. One person would be forcing the other to stay, and neither would be happy.
If that day ever really came, it would simply mean she, Ji Mingshu, had misjudged him. She'd made the bet, she'd lost, and she'd have to accept the consequences.
Ji Mingshu explained her thoughts to Cen Sen, and naturally, he had arguments of his own. The two went back and forth, neither managing to completely convince the other. In the end, they compromised. They would have a lawyer draft a new agreement, while Ji Mingshu would entrust Cen Sen with full authority over all her shares.
Of course, in reality, the prenuptial agreement had already been voided, and Ji Mingshu would still legally share all of Cen Sen's assets.
Since she was already legally entitled to share all of Cen Sen's wealth, the things the elders gave her, including the gardens transferred into her name, naturally didn't amount to much by comparison.
The whole notion of “a mother's status elevated by her son” was even more ridiculous. Boy or girl, if that little brat ever made her unhappy, she guaranteed she'd make every last one of them regret ever making their grand entrance into her distinguished little belly.
---
Before they knew it, the year had come to an end, bringing yet another bitter winter.
By then, Ji Mingshu's little belly only showed the faintest hint of a bump. In her loose sweaters, no one would be able to tell at all.
She dressed and styled herself with particular care and accompanied Cen Sen to the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the opening of Junyi Yaji.
She'd thought it would be an ordinary event. She never expected there would be real-life “CEO Couple” shippers in the wild who came specifically for her and Cen Sen.
After the event, a fan released a set of high-definition ‘dog-food’ photos of the two of them. There were both still shots and GIF, all so pleasing to look at that they once again sparked another enthusiastic round of gossip and couple-shipping among the onlookers.
The fan who had taken the photos was particularly excited and even made a post on a forum to explain everything in person.
[Ahhhhhhh! I saw the CEO and CEO's wife in the flesh today! Our company is a partner of Junyi and received an invitation, but our boss couldn't make it, so they sent me instead! I was so happy I practically spiralled with happiness! CEO Cen is ridiculously handsome and his wife is unbelievably beautiful. They're seriously blessed with divine-level looks! The first four pics are straight out of the camera with zero retouching. Sisters, prepare yourselves for this beauty attack!]
Someone commented below: [That GIF with over a dozen bodyguards in black... is that for real? That looks like something out of a TV drama?!]
The OP enthusiastically replied: [There really were that many bodyguards! There was a reception after the ribbon cutting. The two of them only showed their faces for a bit before leaving, and I followed them out from a distance. Then boom! A whole swarm of bodyguards immediately surrounded them! It was super impressive! There were so many that I couldn't even get them all into my photos! But my eyes can testify that our CEO was holding his wife's hand the entire time! Look at the blurry little shot in Photo 6! You can just barely make out their two little hands! AAAAAAH, THIS IS THE SWEETEST THING EVER!!!"
Then came a sharp-eyed amateur detective: [The CEO's wife seems to be wearing flats? Pregnant? And that sweater she's wearing is loose, too."
That theory instantly set the whole thread ablaze!
So, completely unaware of what was happening, Ji Mingshu opened her social media messages as usual to reply to people, only to find herself suddenly flooded with questions and congratulations about her pregnancy.
There was no point hiding it anymore, and there was nothing to hide in the first place. After some thought, she posted a Weibo thanking everyone for their concern and openly acknowledged that she was indeed pregnant. While she was at it, she shamelessly gave Junyi Yaji some publicity.
That conspicuous advertisement directly caused the B612 Planet themed suites she'd designed for Junyi Yaji to be fully booked for the next three months. And that was only because Junyi Yaji's official website currently accepted reservations just three months ahead. Otherwise, who knew how far into the future the rooms would have been booked solid?
Although there had been some initial support from her fans, as more and more pictures of the B612 Planet suites began circulating, people discovered that the design was genuinely distinctive, innovative, and exceptionally photogenic.
For a time, wealthy young socialites and aspiring influencers were camping out on the website every day, all just to book a room at B612 Planet and take photos for their social feeds, thus launching Junyi Yaji on its path to becoming an internet-famous hotel.
At the same time, the documentary series Impressions of the Old Street also came to a successful conclusion at the end of the year.
The show was right at the peak of its word-of-mouth popularity, and Ji Mingshu's social media following was climbing every day. As a result, she also received many rare opportunities to advance her career in interior design, including recommendations to participate in prestigious design competitions and invitations to academic exchanges in Europe and the United States.
Cen Sen fully supported her in pursuing her interests and making the most of her talents, but only on the condition that she didn't overexert herself. If she sat in front of the computer for more than an hour, someone at home would ominously cut off her internet connection. As for the nearly week-long overseas exchange program, Cen Sen especially cleared his schedule so he could accompany her for the entire trip.
Before they knew it, New Year's Eve had arrived once again.
This New Year's Eve, Cen Sen and Ji Mingshu had lunch with the Cen family and dinner with the Ji family, then returned to Mingshui Manor to welcome the New Year together.
Late at night, Mingshui Manor shone bright like a beautiful crystal house as snow drifted softly outside.
Curled up in Cen Sen's arms, Ji Mingshu watched the festive New Year's Gala with him, the two of them chatting and laughing idly.
Outside, Cen Sen often left people with the impression that he was aloof, distant, quiet, and sparing with words. But once he came home and was alone with Ji Mingshu, he always had plenty to say. Somehow, even the most pointless topics became fascinating when they were curled up together talking about them.
Which dish at dinner hadn't been tasty enough, which one had been too salty, where they should travel after the baby was born and they dumped him with someone else, which relative among their endless assortment of aunts and uncles were annoying—didn't they know the secret to longevity was minding their own business?
Little things, warm and ordinary.
Pregnancy had made Ji Mingshu especially sleepy. By a little after eleven, she was struggling to keep her eyes open, her eyelids drooping even as she continued mumbling.
"Cen-shi Sensen, do you remember? This time last year, you confessed your feelings to me."
"I was really happy that day."
Cen Sen murmured, "Mm."
"Actually, I've been really happy this whole year."
"I really hope we can stay like this for the rest of our lives."
"Will you always love me?"
"No. You have to always love me."
Her voice grew softer and softer. By the end, she was still stubbornly forcing her words into something resembling an order. Hearing another affirming “Mm” from Cen Sen, she turned over like a lazy little cat and, satisfied, hugged him and drifted off to sleep.
Cen Sen kept his eyes lowered, his gaze toward her impossibly gentle.
He was never someone who wore his emotions openly. Many words he wanted to say could only be answered quietly inside his heart.
Actually, I've been very happy this year too.
I hope we can stay like this for the rest of our lives, too.
I will always love you. Only you.
At midnight, fireworks illuminated the entire sky, brilliant and bright as daylight.
The noise woke Ji Mingshu. Her brows knitted together, and in her sleepy haze, she somehow realized that midnight had arrived and the new year had begun. Instinctively, she looped her arms around Cen Sen's neck, leaned closer, and whispered into his ear, "Happy New Year. Mm... I love you."
Cen Sen pressed a kiss beside her ear and said in a low, husky voice, "Happy New Year. I love you, too."
—How fortunate I am, in this life, to be your one and only loyal subject.
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