Chapter 21: Chapter 21: Going Home

When the test results came back, everyone couldn’t help but feel tense. Doctor Eugene looked at the report in his hands, a flicker of surprise in his eyes. "Why didn’t I think of that?"

Hearing this, Graces immediately asked, "Do you know the cause?"

Doctor Eugene’s gaze remained fixed on the report. He nodded. "It actually does have something to do with you. Since His Grace Duke Lu Xia became pregnant, you two haven’t had any physical contact, have you?"

Doctor Eugene phrased the question delicately, but Graces understood.

His expression froze for a moment, as if he hadn’t expected Doctor Eugene to ask such a thing, but he quickly regained his composure. "We have not."

It wasn’t just the fear of potential risks of doing so at this time; it was mainly because their first and only time had been for the sake of that obedience contract.

If Duke Lu Xia had truly been as the rumors described, perhaps they would have continued. But Lu Xia was nothing like the person in the rumors, so they had never been together again. What Graces didn’t say was that he felt Lu Xia didn’t seem particularly keen on that sort of thing.

Receiving his direct answer, Eugene couldn’t help but sigh. "I should have reminded you sooner. Even artificially cultivated embryos need all sorts of nutritional supplements, let alone a natural conception. This isn’t something the female parent goes through alone; it requires the male’s joint participation. Duke Lu Xia’s current condition is because the fetus inside her lacks a supplement of the male father’s essence. You could say it’s a sign of malnutrition."

With Doctor Eugene’s explanation, Graces instantly understood the meaning behind his words. He couldn’t help but ask, "At a time like this, won’t it be dangerous for the fetus?"

"Of course, you’ll need to be careful. Normally, it doesn’t need to be too frequent, but it’s been a little over two months now with no supplementation at all. That simply won’t do. According to the values on the current report, after you go back, you’ll need to supplement at least three to five times within this week for the symptoms to ease. As for a full recovery, that will depend on how hard you’re willing to work."

At this point, Eugene reached out and patted Graces’s shoulder, as if to comfort him. "You don’t need to be so surprised. This is actually a type of atavism. Back in the era dominated by males, in order to gain paternal recognition, a youngling could only survive in the womb by absorbing its father’s essence. The more a youngling was favored by its father, the healthier it would grow. This is a record from our nation’s history. It’s just been so long that I only just now remembered it. It seems that for naturally conceiving females, this aspect has never changed."

Graces understood what Doctor Eugene was saying and nodded. "I will do my best."

"When His Grace Duke Lu Xia wakes up, I’ll explain it to her as well. She was just given some medication, which should provide some relief. However, this medicine can only have a soothing effect; it treats the symptoms, not the root cause. Their well-being still depends on you." After speaking, Eugene looked at Graces, who had remained calm and steady from start to finish. He couldn’t help but think that while Duke Lu Xia herself was an extraordinary person, this ’defective’ male before him was one as well.

When Lu Xia awoke, her body already felt normal again. She was a bit confused to find herself in this place, but soon, Eugene and Graces walked in together. Seeing that she was awake, Eugene smiled and said, "How are you feeling now?"

"I don’t feel anything anymore. What happened to me?" Lu Xia didn’t seem particularly flustered, but as she asked the question, she cast a faint glance at Graces.

Soon, Doctor Eugene repeated to Lu Xia what he had just told Graces.

After hearing Doctor Eugene’s words, Lu Xia was silent for a long moment before asking a question. "Does this need to continue throughout the entire pregnancy?" 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

"I will create a plan for you. Based on the fact that you are already showing symptoms, it will certainly have to be more frequent at first. Once you return to normal, the frequency can be lowered to maintain a balance."

Lu Xia nodded. "I understand. When can I be discharged?"

"If you don’t have any other symptoms right now, you can go back now. I’ve already explained clearly to Mr. Graces what needs to be done. If there’s anything you don’t understand, we can always communicate at any time."

Doctor Eugene spoke very naturally, as if the matter were as simple as eating or drinking.

Hearing his words, the two of them couldn’t help but look up and meet each other’s eyes at the same time, their expressions completely different.

In any case, neither was as composed as Doctor Eugene.

When they came out of the hospital, the old butler was already waiting outside. Seeing Graces carefully supporting Lu Xia as they exited, he immediately opened the car door and asked in a low voice, "Are you all right, Your Grace?"

Lu Xia replied, "I’m fine now. I’m sorry to have worried you."

The old butler breathed a sigh of relief. "As long as you’re all right, that’s all that matters. Shall we go home now?"

"Home," Graces was the one who responded.

Lu Xia appeared perfectly natural at the moment, but her mind was a mess. She had never imagined that natural conception here was so completely different from pregnancy as she understood it.

’After all, in my world, I’ve never heard of increasing your sex life after getting pregnant!’

Everyone worried that sort of thing would harm the parent and child.

But this world was completely backward. Not doing it was bad for the fetus. Her entire worldview had been shattered, and it hadn’t even begun to rebuild itself yet.

And with things like this, she felt she had to redefine her relationship with Graces.

’I used to think that after that one time with Graces, my mission was complete. Who would have thought that this sort of thing would now become an actual, ongoing mission?’

Lu Xia was reluctant to admit it, but she was actually a bit embarrassed. Before, she had felt that since she was pregnant, Graces, as the child’s father, had not only the right to know but also the right to care for her. After all, she shouldn’t be the only one making sacrifices during the pregnancy. ’Well, great. Now I can’t say the other guy isn’t contributing.’

As she thought this, Lu Xia couldn’t help but glance at Graces, only to find the man staring at her intently.

Then, before she could speak, Graces suddenly asked, "Is something wrong?"

"Nothing... Why are you looking at me?"

"Weren’t you the one looking at me first?"

Hearing this retort, Lu Xia turned her head, a hint of surprise in her eyes, as if she hadn’t expected Graces to be the one to blame her first.

Faced with her stare, Graces seemed to surrender, a faint smile in his eyes. "Yes, I was looking at you first."

Lu Xia: "..."

"Just a joke. I just feel that you seem a little tense right now."

Lu Xia pursed her lips. "You’re getting bold enough to joke now."

’He wasn’t the same person who had been so meek and submissive at the beginning.’

Graces didn’t deny it. In fact, the smile in his eyes deepened. He hummed in agreement. "Mm, because I feel that even if I do, you won’t get truly angry with me."

"...Hah. You’re certainly more confident than before."

At that moment, Lu Xia really didn’t want to admit that she had been seen through so completely.