After returning from the hospital, although Lu Xia’s stomach no longer hurt, the weariness in her body remained—a kind of fatigue that no amount of rest could alleviate, always leaving her listless.
Grace escorted her back to her room and placed a pillow behind her: “Please rest for a while. When dinner is ready, I’ll bring it up to you.”
Lu Xia nodded: “I’m fine, don’t worry.”
Despite her words, her complexion was not good—in fact, it was overly pale, and even her usually rosy lips lacked color.
Yet even so, the little female showed no sign of fragility.
This inexplicably made one’s heart soften.
Grace had seen all kinds of females, but he had never encountered one as sensible as Lu Xia—so sensible it was heartbreaking.
He wished even more that Lu Xia could show a vulnerable side. It wouldn’t matter if she were willful; he could endure her hitting or scolding him. She didn’t have to bear any pain alone.
Noticing Grace’s silence, Lu Xia looked up at him, her eyes filled with confusion: “What’s wrong? Is there something else?”
Grace concealed the heartache in his eyes and said softly, “About what Doctor Youjin mentioned—shall we do it tonight? I’ll be very gentle; I won’t hurt you or the child.”
She hadn’t expected him to discuss this with her under such circumstances. She thought he would remain silent until she took the initiative.
But the mere thought of what they were discussing made Lu Xia feel awkward and embarrassed. She forced herself to appear calm and nodded: “Alright.”
Having received her response, Grace did not linger. As he turned to leave, he didn’t forget to remind her: “Rest well.”
After Grace left, the spacious room fell silent. Lu Xia sat quietly for a moment before burying her face in the pillow. This was truly unbearable.
That night, after dinner, Grace accompanied Lu Xia for a walk in the yard to aid digestion before returning to the bedroom. He personally prepared bathwater for her, but when he tried to follow her in to help, Lu Xia stopped him: “Grace, I can bathe myself. Just wait here for me. You don’t have to do everything for me.”
Grace subtly pursed his lips. He thought that during their walk earlier, the two of them had reached some kind of understanding. It seemed he had overthought it: “Alright, I’ll wait here for you. If you need anything, just call out.”
Lu Xia nodded without another word and went straight into the bathroom.
Even though they would be doing something more intimate later, she still couldn’t quite accept having Grace help her bathe.
Grace stood outside the bathroom door, listening to the sound of running water inside. His heart was not as calm as it appeared on the surface.
Because he knew very well that although Lu Xia had accepted Doctor Youjin’s suggestion, it was for the sake of the fetus in her womb, not because she had accepted him.
Realizing this made him feel somewhat unwilling, but he also knew that some things could not be rushed. For now, having the opportunity to stay close to Lu Xia like this was already very good for him.
After all, there were many others like him.
Just as he was thinking these thoughts, the bathroom door opened. The little female, freshly bathed, had her fair cheeks flushed pink from the steam, making her appear even younger.
“Let me help you dry your hair.” Grace said, taking the towel from her hands and carefully drying Lu Xia’s hair.
The room fell into silence for a moment, neither of them speaking, the quiet atmosphere tinged with a hint of ambiguity and awkwardness.
When Grace set the towel down, Lu Xia knew the time had come. She spoke as naturally as she could: “Shall we do it now?”
Grace responded, “Alright.”
After the exchange, neither of them moved, as if both were waiting for the other to take the initiative, adding another layer of awkwardness to the air.
In the end, Lu Xia felt that whether she hesitated or acted, the outcome would be the same—better to cut through the knot quickly. She grabbed Grace’s clothes, pulled him down, and kissed his lips.
The man’s lips appeared firm but were surprisingly soft.
Grace was momentarily startled by Lu Xia’s sudden move but remained composed, bracing himself on either side of her as they fell.
From passive acceptance to active response, in just a brief moment, the man took control.
This made Lu Xia relax, allowing herself to let go.
…
After everything was over, just before falling asleep, Lu Xia couldn’t help but think that Grace probably hadn’t fully indulged himself. At least compared to the first time, this time, the man had held back considerably, constantly caring for her feelings and asking from time to time how she felt.
In moments like these, she really didn’t want to answer, because no matter what she said, it felt like she was praising him. Annoyed by the questions, Lu Xia couldn’t resist biting his shoulder.
In response, the man let out a soft chuckle.
Grace looked at Lu Xia, asleep beside him. Her originally pale face now carried a lingering flush, making her appear much healthier than during the day.
Tentatively, he pulled the little female into his arms, sighed inwardly, and closed his eyes, allowing himself to drift off to sleep.
In the morning, when Lu Xia woke up, Grace was no longer by her side. She sat up and stretched, feeling as though the fatigue that had built up over the past few days had dissipated with the events of the previous night.
Even if she was unwilling to admit it, she couldn’t hide the lightness in her body.
Who would have thought that her previous exhaustion was all due to unmet desires?
Saying it out loud would be downright embarrassing!
After a quick wash, she came downstairs. The old butler saw her and greeted her with a smile: “You look much better than yesterday.”
“Yes, I’ve recovered quite well. Where’s Grace?” Not seeing him in the dining room, Lu Xia couldn’t help but ask.
“He said he had business at the military headquarters this morning and left early. But before going, he prepared breakfast for you. Let me bring it to you.”
It was unexpected that the man, despite having matters to attend to, still remembered to prepare breakfast for her. It would be a lie to say she wasn’t moved.
When breakfast was served, Lu Xia ate while speaking to the old butler: “Today, we can arrange a meeting with the endorsement candidates. Ask them when they’re available. Once it’s confirmed, we can proceed with the shoot.”
The launch of the beauty cream wasn’t far off.
“I’ll contact them right away. Will you be heading to the research institute later?”
“Yes, the hair growth solution is progressing well. The results should be ready in the next couple of days.”
Hearing this, the old butler seemed hesitant. Noticing his expression, Lu Xia urged, “If you have something to say, just say it. Why hesitate?”
“Your health has just recovered—shouldn’t you rest a bit more?” Only now did the old butler realize that Duke Lu Xia was actually a workaholic.
Just having a health issue yesterday and going back to work today—isn’t that a bit too crazy!
Lu Xia knew the old butler meant well and smiled, saying, “I’m just going to take a look. I’d be staying at home anyway, so don’t worry. I’m already feeling much better.”