Chapter 374: Pregnancy Symptoms

Chapter 374: Chapter 374: Pregnancy Symptoms

Shi Lan knew it was the day of Mr. and Mrs. Bai’s execution, but she didn’t go.

However, a few days later, as the legal, genetically-related daughter of the Bai Family, Shi Lan suddenly inherited all of Mr. Bai’s assets and 50% of Mrs. Bai’s, with the remainder going to other members of the Bai Family.

Just like that, the Bai Family fell apart overnight. Bai Rao, not being a biological daughter, didn’t inherit any assets, but she didn’t care. Just as she had told Shi Lan on the Border Defense Star, she wouldn’t take anything more from the Bai Family.

Besides the Bai Family’s tangible wealth, she had also enjoyed many intangible assets over the years.

For example, the assets she already possessed, the expensive gifts she had received from other nobles, the knowledge of high-society etiquette she had learned in the Bai household, and the broadened perspective she had gained since childhood...

She had enjoyed too much, too early, and now she was capable of supporting herself. As an adopted daughter, what right did she have to fight with Shi Lan over the inheritance?

Shi Lan was unaware of Bai Rao’s inner thoughts. But having suddenly come into a windfall, she couldn’t help but feel a bit wistful about the Bai Family’s overnight collapse.

Who could have imagined that the family—which in the book was supposed to grow stronger and stronger under the leadership of the male and female leads, and was the most likely competitor to join the ranks of the Four Great Families on the Imperial Capital Star—would fall apart in the blink of an eye?

But, it had to be said, people always have to pay for their crimes.

However, Shi Lan didn’t have much mental energy to spare for the Bai Family’s affairs. As her pregnancy progressed, her belly gradually started to show, and the long-delayed symptoms of pregnancy finally appeared.

Perhaps influenced by the other pregnant females she’d seen recently, she also began to lose her appetite. Whatever she ate, she threw up, and her legs started to feel heavy and cramp up.

Seeing her like this, her Beast Husbands’ hearts ached for her. Jiang Xia, Mu Tangfeng, and Yan Huoshui would immediately massage her legs the moment she showed any discomfort.

Meanwhile, He Hanshi and Ye Ming, who were excellent cooks, would come up with all sorts of nutritious meals for her. At any time of day, as soon as she mentioned wanting to eat, the two would immediately get out of bed to prepare something for her.

After all, their cooking was simply too delicious. Even though Shi Lan was throwing up a lot, she didn’t lose any weight. In fact, her cheeks even became a little rounder.

Still, the five of them were worried sick and lost sleep over her. Occasionally, Shi Lan would sense something in the middle of the night and groggily open her eyes to find a beast-form head right in front of her, its eyes filled with concern and worry.

The moment they saw her eyes open, they would grow anxious, which in turn would wake the other Beast Husbands sleeping beside her in their beast forms. Then, five furry heads would press close, asking in unison, "Lanlan, are you feeling unwell again? Are you hungry?"

Shi Lan blinked her drowsy, half-opened eyes and shook her head. "I’m not unwell. I’m not hungry."

"Okay."

Everyone let out a sigh of relief, but they couldn’t bear to pull their heads away, each one watching her with gentle concern.

Feeling a little more awake, Shi Lan looked at the furry creatures gathered before her. Her palms began to itch, and she reached out to pet them one by one.

She petted the big White Lion, then the Bird of Paradise, followed by the dark Black Panther and the soft, cute Pallas’s cat, and finally, the beautiful Nine-tailed Fox.

Shi Lan felt a deep, heartfelt satisfaction and curled her lips into a contented smile.

’Ah, this is the life I’ve always wanted. I love it so much!!!’

An infinite sense of happiness washed over her. As she continued petting them, perhaps because she was in such a good mood, her stomach suddenly started to rumble.

He Hanshi’s soft, white ears twitched. Ye Ming gently pressed his head against her stomach, and then, with their usual tacit understanding, the two of them got out of bed to make her a midnight snack.

Shi Lan didn’t even have time to stop them.

’But... I think I really am hungry.’

Shi Lan rolled over in bed, spreading her arms as she lay flat on her back. Jiang Xia’s eyes lit up, and he rolled his furry body over to voluntarily curl up in Shi Lan’s right arm.

"Wife, wife..."

He had been a little restless lately, because the Beastman rutting period was about to begin.

Although Shi Lan was three months pregnant and they could technically do intimate things, her morning sickness had been severe lately, so they didn’t dare to try anything.

Or rather, ever since they found out she was pregnant, her Beast Husbands had instantly become celibate monks. Before, they were all clingy monsters who loved getting up close and personal in bed, but now, it was all pure, innocent snuggling.

It wasn’t until his rutting period arrived that Jiang Xia found it impossible to suppress the turmoil in his heart, always unable to resist teasing Shi Lan with his fluffy tail.

But that was as far as his courage went. The moment he even thought about pressing his head against Shi Lan’s neck for a little kiss, he would immediately be kicked away by one of Mu Tangfeng’s claws.

"Jiang Xia, get away from her! How dare you get so close to our wife during your rut?"

"Either get out, or go take a suppressor."

Jiang Xia guiltily rolled to the foot of the bed. He really just wanted to give Lanlan a little kiss. Ever since Lanlan got pregnant, the five of them had been enduring it together, staying in the same room with her in their beast forms. If anyone got a little too intimate, they would immediately receive four sharp glares.

He had already shown rare restraint for someone in his rut, yet he still got caught just for trying to sneak a kiss.

Yan Huoshui frowned slightly, the corners of his lips under his long fox snout curling up. Seeing Jiang Xia nuzzling his nose against Shi Lan’s ankle, he nonchalantly kicked him a little farther away with a hind paw. He almost knocked him off the bed, but fortunately, Jiang Xia’s claws managed to hook onto the blanket just in time, and he climbed back up.

Jiang Xia shot him a furious glare. Yan Huoshui looked back at him with a half-smile and warned him again, "Jiang Xia, since you’re in your rut, you should probably keep your distance from our wife for a few days."

"Y-You! Can you guarantee you’ll stay away from our wife during your rut?"

He bared his teeth and retorted, his face full of indignation.

Yan Huoshui narrowed his eyes. "Oh? Then you’d have to guarantee you have the same self-control as me. I forgot to tell you, my rutting period was last week. It just ended."

"Huh?"

Jiang Xia’s golden eyes went wide with shock. He hadn’t noticed at all, and neither had Mu Tangfeng or Shi Lan.

The only slightly different thing during that time was that whenever Shi Lan woke up at night, there were always two fluffy red tails wrapped around her wrist or ankle, as if reluctant to let her go.

At the time, Shi Lan hadn’t realized he was in his rut. She had actually found it quite comfortable, gently petting his tails before going back to sleep.

’Thinking back on it now, Yan Huoshui’s self-control is truly incredible.’

Jiang Xia’s ears drooped listlessly. He retorted weakly, "Then I’ll just take a suppressor."

Yan Huoshui advised against it. "A Beastman needs to develop his own self-control over his rut. Now is the perfect opportunity for you to train yours. Don’t rely on suppressors; they have side effects if you use them too much."

Suppressors were said to help resist the rut, but for males with weaker resistance, the effects of the rut would still be significant. Overuse would cause the suppressors to lose their effectiveness. When the rut then reappeared, it would be like a chronic illness flaring up, erupting with even more violent and destructive reactions that would likely result in harm to the female they loved.

Yan Huoshui didn’t want to see Shi Lan suffer such a needless disaster. He had to nip this problem in the bud.

After hearing this, Jiang Xia finally behaved. He listlessly crawled onto a nearby sofa. This spot was some distance from the bed, and the scent of his mate that filled his nose was much fainter.

Being so far away was agonizing. He flopped down listlessly, his tail twitching restlessly. He cast a pitiful gaze in Shi Lan’s direction, but he didn’t dare get any closer.

He was certain that if he got any closer, he really would be kicked out of the room. At least here, he could still look at his wife.

Jiang Xia bit his own tail, looking aggrieved, and tried to console himself that this was fine too.