Living daily as a newborn baby meant lots of sleep. Wang Chang was breastfed daily, and he didn't shy away from it. After all, she was his mother even though he might have mixed feelings about the whole situation.
One day, Wang Chang sat in his mother's embrace as she sat beside the windowsill. As he set his eyes on the horizon, the cool breeze ruffled his hair. He was getting used to this new lifestyle.
In the mornings he would wake up and get fed, in the afternoon he would sleep, and he would wake up at night and get fed, and then he would go back to sleep.
This is torture. I want to explore this new place.
Wang Chang inwardly grumbled.
"There, there. Jiayi. You're frowning again~"
His mother's words resounded above him. He looked up at her and turned away. She was a complete stranger from his perspective. If it weren't for his bodily instincts and his weak constitution, then he would have stayed away from her.
In his mind, he was still a sixty-nine-year-old man.
"Hm? Do you not like Mama? Or do you want to see Papa?"
At the mention of his father, Wang Chang turned to her again with his eyes wide at attention.
"Oh? Jiayi is a Papa's boy! How rebellious. You're making Mama sad~"
The Empress lightly pinched his cheek. Wang Chang pulled his head away and frowned.
"Okay. You are so stubborn Jiayi. Your father is conquering the Wen Kingdom. He will be back in a few months."
Learning that his father was conquering a kingdom, Wang Chang opened his mouth in surprise.
"Hehe. Your father is amazing, right~"
The Empress' face melted with love, and she looked out the window in a daze. She forgot her son and the whole world was replaced by Wang Chang's father.
"..."
Wang Chang stared at her speechless.
Is that a figure of speech? My father must be some kind of officer in the military.
Wang Chang looked out the window in thought. It made sense when he thought about it since he was in a wealthy family.
"Your Imperial Majesty, you two look so alike."
A voice came from outside. Anatolia stared at them from down below as the window was situated at the third level.
"Anatolia! How was the villa I gifted to you? Did you like it?"
The Empress grinned at the sight of a familiar figure. She rested her chin on her hand as she looked over.
"The villa was splendid, Your Imperial Majesty. How did you know that was my favorite flower?"
"Ah. You see, I…"
Wang Chang watched the two of them converse and his mind went blank.
Wait, what? Imperial Majesty? Villa? Gift? Flower? What?
Wang Chang's mind halted as he tried to process the massive information contained in those words. He was under the impression that he was born into a wealthy family.
No way, right?
As Wang Chang listened further, he felt a shock run through his spine.
I reincarnated as the son of an Empress!?
Wang Chang's breathing hastened. He looked left and right. He stared at the gold-covered walls, the gems inserted into the edges of the pillars and at the massive chandelier at the ceiling.
Whatttttttt!??
Wang Chang's worldview was overturned in a single moment. His eyes went blank.
He had been sleeping for most of the time, so he never had the chance to meet other people. He had seen the servants, but they never spoke, so he didn't learn anything from them.
Oh. My life is ruined. I heard that the Crown Prince from my kingdom was assassinated. I can't imagine what would happen to the Crown Prince of an empire!
Wang Chang's panic reached a new height. He pulled at his mother's clothing without him noticing it.
"Jiayi?"
The Empress paused from her conversation with Anatolia and looked over at Wang Chang. Her face was confused and curious.
Wang Chang rested his head against her chest in panic. He didn't want her to find out he was reincarnated.
She would definitely kill me if she knew.
Wang Chang gulped. He had heard many stories of how merciless the royalty were in his kingdom. He didn't want to find out if she was more merciless than them.
"Anatolia, I will speak to you next time. Jiayi is sleepy."
"Yes, Empress."
Anatolia bid her farewell and left.
The Empress carried Wang Chang and placed him on the bed beside her. She rubbed his hair and leaned forward to kiss his forehead.
Wang Chang blinked and stared at her. He sensed her overflowing maternal love.
"I love you, Jiayi. Even if you're a Papa's boy, I still love you~"
The Empress snuggled him deep in between her mountainous chest.
When he heard her sweet words, the panic in Wang Chang's heart faded. Her love for Jiayi reached Wang Chang's heart.
I… I will try to get used to this.
Wang Chang closed his eyes and fell asleep. The embrace of his mother filled his body with drowsiness and happiness.
His newborn baby body yearned for her love, and he couldn't do anything about it.
…
Days passed and then weeks.
One day, Wang Chang was sitting on the floor. The Empress was seated a few meters away from him with her arms extended outward.
"Jiayi~ Can you try walking to Mama?"
Wang Chang crawled forward for a bit then stopped. He carefully prodded himself forward. The maid-servant behind him extended her arms and protected him from falling.
Wang Chang used his arms to balance himself. He carefully lifted his right foot and then put it down. His weak and squishy newborn baby body was hard to maneuver.
His muscles easily get overpowered by the slightest shift of balance.
"That's good, Jiayi! This is your first time trying to walk! Good Jiayi!"
The Empress' face exploded into a smile. She inched closer and nodded her head, telling him to continue.
Wang Chang took a deep breath and stepped with his left foot. He then stepped to his right and so on.
He slowly gained momentum, and he sped up and stumbled.
"Oh!"
The Empress moved forward and allowed Jiayi to fall in between her chest. They cushioned his fall and she wrapped her arms around him.
"My Jiayi is a genius!" she exclaimed.
The several maids in the room widened their mouths in amazement. Jin Jiayi was simply a month old, but he could already walk. It was a great sign in everyone's eyes.
No one in this room doubted the Empress' words.
"Jiayi, Mama loves you!"
She hugged him a little tighter. Wang Chang felt a weird emotion well up from his chest. This was something he had forgotten ever since he grew up in his past life.
I… love my mother.
Wang Chang tried to hug her too, but he struggled because of his short arms.
"Hehehe. My Jiayi is so cute."
The Empress noticed it and giggled. She snuggled her cheek against his while enthusiastically smiling.
The maids couldn't help but smile as the warm scene played out in front of them.
"Your father is coming home in a few days. He heard you were a Papa's boy and immediately abandoned his duties. Hmph. Even he doesn't come home so fast when I say I miss him."
The Empress grumbled under her breath. Just enough for Jin Jiayi to hear but not the maids.
Seeing her like this, Wang Chang accepted this new mother that appeared out of nowhere.