#this author is too lazy to go back and tweak any inconsistent details

[randomingoftherandomness]

More pregnant Yuanzhi pleeease 🙏

Maybe a family fic? With Shangjue taking care of the older kids?

Thanks

Tags: Mpreg, Family Planning, Established Relationship, Cousin Incest, Doting Shangjue, Pregnant Yuanzhi, Light Angst, Family Feels, Fluff

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Shangjue doesn't hesitate to swoop in to take one of the twins from Yuanzhi's arms while Lao Da, their eldest boy, stalls their third daughter from barrelling into Yuanzhi's knees. Er Jie, their second daughter, deftly intercepts the other twin and catches her second brother from tripping when he tries to sidestep the escaped twin from Shangjue's arms.

"Good teamwork," Yuanzhi laughs, looking mildly impressed. Arching in, Shangjue kisses his cheek, wrapping an arm around his waist and rubbing his hand over the apex of his pregnant belly.

"I've missed you today," Shangjue says, nuzzling against his temple.

Yuanzhi hums, leaning into him for a kiss to his lips which starts out closed mouth but with a teasing dip of Shangjue's tongue, quickly devolves into little breathy moans swallowed between the tangle of sighs and happy giggles.

"Someone call for Da Jie. A'die and A'niang are being sticky again."

Shangjue chuckles, pulling back to peck at the tip of Yuanzhi's nose. "Furen, look. Your children are bullying us again. Such unfilial behaviour."

"Why are they my children only when they misbehave?" Yuanzhi says, eyes sparkling with amusement. "You're the one who put them in me."

"That, I most certainly did," Shangjue beams, unrepentantly smug as he looks Yuanzhi up and down, delighting in the way his didi blushes. He steals another kiss before sliding their hands together. "Alright?" He asks.

"Nothing I haven't gone through before," Yuanzhi replies, allowing himself to be pulled back into Shangjue's arms, and carefully guided up the path.

Shangjue knows his Yuanzhi better than most; knows the things he doesn't want to say in front of the children.

Lao Da is turning 18 and will soon assume more responsibilities under Shangjue's guidance. He's poised to be the heir to the Jue lineage and his parents couldn't be prouder. Their eldest daughter is in the back hill undergoing the Trial of the Three Realms and once she has returned, she will formally be recognised as the heiress of the Zhi lineage.

They'd been happy to be parents of two, but then came their second daughter, and in quick succession, their second son, their third daughter, and after an eight-year break, their dragon and phoenix pair of twins. And now Yuanzhi is pregnant again.

Shangjue spies the way Yuanzhi winces and quickly moves to ease him into a chair in their family hall.

Since their fourth child was born, Yuanzhi has been experiencing more aches and pains. No matter how many treatments Elder Yue had devised, those had remained. Shangjue tries as best he can, but Yuanzhi is determined to work and carry out his duties as Lord of the Zhi lineage, though he has agreed to dispense with his usual proclivities of testing poisons himself.

"Er Lang, Xiao Er, take the younger ones to their nannies. Lao Da, could you..."

"Prepare some cooling soup for A'niang? Yeah, no problem."

Shangjue waits until they've been left alone before taking Yuanzhi's hand. "This is the last one." It's less a promise and more of a plea.

Yuanzhi had taken the responsibility of bearing children for their family seriously, gritting and quietly carrying the discomforts on his own because Shangjue had been called away by his duties far too often than he'd like to be. For this pregnancy, he'd put his foot down about waiting on Yuanzhi hand and foot. Ziyu had been more than happy to allow him that leave.

"You know I can't get enough of you, Ge," Yuanzhi smiles, breezily shrugging even as the clear signs of exhaustion cling to him. "Let's not make promises we cannot keep."

"No," Shangjue sternly insists. "No more."

Yuanzhi blinks, looking down at the table. He tries to draw his hand back, only for Shangjue to shuffle closer, pulling their joined hands to his lips, tenderly kissing the back of Yuanzhi's hand.

"Yuanzhi, please, no more. Not because I don't love our children, you know I do," Shangjue starts, willing him to understand. "But because you are and will always be my priority. I never married you to become a broodmare and I most certainly am not going to sit by if I can help it. My precious one, I can't lose you."

Yuanzhi looks away, pale face pinched. "I..."

"You promised to grow old with me," Shangjue whispers. "And I still have the world to show you." Wrapping his arms around Yuanzhi, he holds him tight, mindful of his pregnant belly. "When the children are old enough in a few years, I want to take you to roam the jianghu. Take you wonder by wonder. Just you and I."

Shangjue sees the moment Yuanzhi settles on a decision because his face clears, and he sighs, leaning his head on Shangjue's shoulder.

"Do you think Elder Yue will have a solution for us?" Yuanzhi asks. Reaching over to press a hand to Shangjue's lower belly, he huffs, "I'm not giving your dick up if you were about to suggest that."

"I would never," Shangjue laughs, breathless with relief. Kissing the crown of Yuanzhi's head, he silently thanks the Heavens. "Between you and Elder Yue, I'm pretty sure we will have the solution in no time."

"Let's wait until we weaned the baby?"

"Anything my furen wants, this dutiful husband will provide."

They sit together in a harmonious quiet. Then Yuanzhi says, softly as if he isn't expecting to be heard. "I think I would miss being pregnant. Seems like such a long time since I wasn't big-bellied and ready to pop."

"I know you enjoy your pregnancies. But..." He trails off, letting what isn't said hang in the air between them.

The birth of the twins had been dangerous. Shangjue had almost lost Yuanzhi twice in the delivery and he'd been so anaemic, he had to stay in the clinic for the entirety of his confinement just to recover. Shangjue loves his children; loves being a father to them, raising them, and takes great joy in being an involved part of their lives. He could not have been given a greater gift in life than this family he has built with his Yuanzhi.

But Yuanzhi's well-being is his biggest priority. Some could say that it is only priority.

A gentle kiss to the corner of his lips pulls him out of his thoughts and he looks over to Yuanzhi's smiling face.

"I love you," He murmurs, stroking Yuanzhi's cheek. "Heavens above, how did I ever get so lucky in this life to be able to adore you?"

The pretty pink that colours Yuanzhi's cheeks will never not be his favourite colour. Dropping a kiss on his brow, Shangjue goes back to embracing his furen.

Once their family is settled, he will take his Yuanzhi out to see the world. They'll just pack up and go, and no one will tell them no, or say they're only dreaming.

For his entire life, he'd put the interests of the Gong family first. Yuanzhi had once told him that he was the roots of the Gong family. Well, sometimes, roots can grow above ground too, and sit right out there in the sunlight with the rest of the tree it supports.

Shangjue cannot wait.