Chapter 126: Pregnant!

"Baby... Baby, I'm taking you to the hospital. Don't be in pain, don't be afraid. Just hold on a little longer." That heartbroken voice whispered in her ear over and over, as if her world had finally found an anchor. She no longer needed to hold on; she drifted into unconsciousness with peace of mind.

Watching Rong Qing collapse, Huo Lingtian’s aura turned even more oppressive, like a wild beast on the verge of fury, his breathing heavy and restrained. He strode out the back door, only to be caught red-handed by reporters lying in wait. *Click!* The flash went off, capturing Rong Qing’s pale face and Huo Lingtian’s enraged expression on camera.

"Young Master Huo, is Rong Qing in poor health? Is there some hidden issue?" "Why did Rong Qing faint?" "Is it because of overwork?" The reporters chirped and badgered him, swarming forward until he was tightly surrounded.

"Get lost, all of you!" Huo Lingtian’s sharp, predatory eyes swept across the fearless reporters. His powerful, volatile pressure and fierce tone completely stunned the crowd. As Huo Lingtian took a step forward, the onlookers instinctively cleared a path.

The scene was spotted by staff. "President—" A line of security guards appeared. Huo Lingtian’s eyes shimmered with a cold, piercing light. A casual glance from him sent a chill through the media—this was the aura of a man at the top. Frowning, he said coldly, "Confiscate all their cameras. If they don't, none of them leave the Huo estate." With those words, he vanished.

The Huo bodyguards were professionally trained; these gossiping reporters were no match for them and were quickly surrounded. To the media, their cameras were their livelihood, especially since they contained shots of major stars that could fetch a high price. Initially, they tried to protect their gear, but when a loud *crash* echoed as an expensive DSLR was smashed, the troublemakers were terrified. They surrendered their cameras and deleted the files to save their equipment. If they resisted, these grim-faced men would not be lenient. After a brief internal struggle, they hung their heads and complied.

Inside the car, Rong Qing remained unconscious, her face weary and etched with unease. Huo Lingtian dialed a number. "Dr. Huo, arrive at the main estate within five minutes. If you are even a minute late, don't bother coming at all." He hung up, his black vehicle tearing through the city like a phantom.

*Screech—* Huo Lingtian’s car roared into the Huo estate, startling everyone inside.

"Young Master, what happened to... to the Madam?" The nanny, seeing the head of the house in such a rush and the usually vibrant young mistress unconscious in his arms, panicked. The staff scrambled, unsure of what to do.

"Call Dr. Huo, and prepare some nutritious porridge. The rest of you, get out!" Huo Lingtian carried Rong Qing upstairs, placed her gently on the bed, changed her out of her heavy clothes, and removed her makeup. The elderly physician, who had been on standby the entire way, hurried in.

*Thank goodness, thank goodness,* the doctor thought, wiping the beads of sweat from his forehead. He had made it. Forgoing formalities, he stepped forward with his instruments for a routine check. He frowned; the Madam was in good health, perhaps just a bit blood-deficient. By all accounts, she shouldn't have fainted.

He set aside the equipment and placed his left hand on Rong Qing’s pulse. In critical moments, traditional methods were still the best. He calmed his breathing, feeling the pulse. From the signs, it seemed... but he decided to wait and see; he didn't want to cause a false alarm for the master of the house.

To Huo Lingtian, the old doctor seemed to alternate between worry and joy, yet he refused to reveal a word. Huo Lingtian’s heart felt like it was on a rollercoaster. If it weren't for the fact that the old man was useful, he would have kicked him out! Seeing the master's patience wearing thin, the old man slowly closed his eyes and continued the pulse reading, looking infuriatingly relaxed.

"Lingtian, what happened to my granddaughter-in-law?" Huo Zhen appeared at the door, panting and leaning on his cane, demanding an answer. The news of the young mistress’s collapse had shocked the entire estate, reaching the old man’s ears in an instant. Though over eighty, he had practically run to the scene. His bodyguards and servants watched in terror, praying the old man wouldn't suffer a turn for the worse.

Seeing his grandfather’s exhaustion, Huo Lingtian helped him sit. His face remained grim, which the old man took as a bad sign. Their faces grew solemn as they stared at the physician. Just as the tension became unbearable, the doctor adopted a sage-like air, withdrew his hand, stroked his beard, and his stern face broke into a wide, wrinkled smile: "Congratulations, Young Master, Old Master. The Young Mistress is pregnant."

Huo Lingtian and Huo Zhen were stunned. They had been prepared for the worst; this miraculous news left these two pillars of the Huo family breathless. The old man was the first to react, rubbing his stiff cheeks, a beaming smile breaking through. "Heh. Dr. Huo... are you saying... heh, I... I’m going to have a great-grandchild?" The old man tried to act normal, but the corners of his mouth were practically touching his ears. The doctor rolled his eyes—the old man was showing off, and he had a great-grandchild at eighty while his own son hadn't even started a family!

Dr. Huo nodded solemnly, and the atmosphere in the room shifted from ice to spring. Huo Lingtian remained the most composed, his eyes fixed tenderly on his wife. *Young Master, the child isn't even two months old yet; do you really think you can feel your seed just by putting your hand on her belly?*

"Cough, however..." Before the doctor could finish, he caught a sharp glare from Huo Lingtian and swallowed his words. "The Young Mistress is in good health, but recent overexertion has agitated the pregnancy. As long as she rests well and avoids strain, there will be no problems." He finished his sentence under the intense pressure of the two heads of the house.

"Why hasn't Rong Qing woken up yet?" Huo Lingtian asked the question that mattered most. Even though her complexion had improved, the memory of her pale, fainting form haunted him, and his own helplessness disgusted him.

"Her breathing is steady. She is just exhausted. She will wake up naturally once she has had enough sleep," the doctor replied.

The old man, his face glowing with joy, said generously, "You’ve served the Huo family your whole life. I have an apartment by the river; it’s yours to live in. Everyone in the main house who serves the Young Mistress shall be rewarded."

"Thank you, Old Master." Harmony returned to the house, and the Huo estate was filled with cheer.

To avoid disturbing her sleep, the old man left with the help of his attendants. The servants began replacing furniture—marble surfaces were covered with thick rugs, sharp edges were swapped for rounded wood, and non-slip tiles were installed in the bathrooms. Every preparation was made to welcome the little master.

In the bedroom, Huo Lingtian gazed at his "big baby" with overflowing tenderness. His usually sharp eyes were now filled with a dazed, gentle devotion, as if she were a fragile treasure to be protected. His hand rested on her flat stomach.

After a moment, he gave her belly a gentle poke. "You little brat," he whispered with loving reproach. "You actually made my baby faint. Hmph, if you don't behave, see if I don't set you straight once you're out."

Though there was no response, the dazed "big fool" was perfectly content. He poked her again. "You can't take Rong Qing away from me; she’s mine! Little brat, I’ll begrudgingly let you be second in line."

Huo Lingtian entertained himself, poking and whispering to her. If outsiders could see him now, his reputation as a formidable tycoon would be in tatters.

Rong Qing slept soundly. When she slowly opened her eyes, she saw the man staring at her belly with a vacant, silly expression. "Lingtian?" she asked, a hint of confusion in her voice, followed quickly by, "I'm hungry."

Huo Lingtian was startled by her voice. He hurriedly withdrew his hand and brought over a bowl of hot chicken and ginseng soup from the kitchen; the doctor had said it was excellent for her health.

Rong Qing caught the scent of the thick oil and felt a wave of nausea. She pinched her nose and leaned away from the fragrant soup. "It's disgusting. I don't want it," she said, feeling wronged, even as her stomach growled in protest.

Seeing his treasure like this, Huo Lingtian’s heart ached. He made a mental note: *Damn little rascal, I'll settle this with you when you're born.* Luckily, the kitchen had prepared plenty of food. He poured out the soup and returned with a bowl of white fungus and lotus seed porridge.

Rong Qing ate with gusto, finishing the bowl in no time. She rubbed her stomach in satisfaction, then a thought struck her, and she asked miserably, "Lingtian, am I sick? Why am I vomiting, eating, and feeling so tired?" The exhaustion hit her all at once, and she hung her head, looking pitiful.

The man stroked her dejected head. "You little fool, you're pregnant." He said it with the most matter-of-fact tone possible.

The dazed woman looked up in shock, her eyes wide. "Pregnant? Are you joking?" How was it possible? There had been no warning, no feeling—how could a little life just *whoosh* into her belly like that?