Buying Crossway Manor

"No way! All I do is eat and sleep, sleep and eat—I'm going to suffocate!" Lily Evans pouted at Alexander Hayes. "I may not be able to teach at the academy as Professor Evans, but as Princess Lily Hayes, I can still teach the children at the manor!"

Alexander Hayes shot her a helpless yet doting glance, chuckling as he pinched Lily’s cheek. "A true powerhouse—no wonder no one can keep you penned up in the back courtyard. Fine, if you want to teach, go ahead."

Lily was overjoyed and hugged Alexander Hayes, planting several kisses on his cheek.

Alexander sucked in a breath, his face turning blue from holding back. "Darling, please—don’t tease me…"

Lily immediately felt something odd pressing against her and hurriedly took a few steps back.

Ever since Lily became pregnant, Alexander had been careful not to hurt her or the baby, always restraining himself.

Seeing how much Alexander was struggling, Lily didn’t dare get too close to him anymore, lest he suffer even more.

After a moment, Alexander calmed down, his color returning. He cleared his throat and said, "But the manor is too far from Prince Leonard's Manor. With your belly so big, taking a carriage every day would be uncomfortable. How about this: I'll buy the estate directly across from Prince Leonard's Manor for you. The children can move there, so you can teach conveniently and won’t feel cooped up, and you won’t have to travel back and forth every day."

Lily’s eyes sparkled; she hadn’t expected Alexander to be so considerate.

This man was nothing like the others of his era—who thought women should sit quietly at home, and that pregnancy meant being treated like a fragile porcelain doll, unable to do anything. Instead, he ensured Lily and the baby’s health and safety while giving her plenty of freedom and supporting everything she wanted to do.

"Alright, then let's buy the estate across from Prince Leonard's Manor!" Lily said with a bright smile.

After all, the two of them weren’t short on money—if they wanted to buy a manor, they could buy it just like that!

Alexander moved quickly and offered a generous price. As soon as the owners heard that Prince Alexander Hayes wanted to buy the estate, they agreed on the spot and immediately moved to their other home in the capital.

The estate was already fully furnished, so the children could move in right away.

In just three days, Alexander had moved all the children and teachers from the academy into the estate across from Prince Leonard’s Manor.

The children were thrilled to move to a new home—it was bigger and prettier, but most importantly, their beloved teacher Princess Lily Hayes was back to teach them!

Since Lola now taught at the Royal Academy of Mathematics every day, Lily needed a personal female bodyguard for protection—so Bella Bell was assigned to her.

With the head chefs at Eight Treasures Bistro now able to run things smoothly and the business running on track, Bella Bell’s well-trained junior stewards could handle everything. That meant Bella Bell, the chief steward, could finally take a break and return to the Prince of Qin’s Manor to serve as Lily’s personal bodyguard for a while.

Early one morning, after Lily had washed and dressed, she stepped outside and saw Bella Bell standing under the corridor, looking absent-minded and blushing as she stared off into the distance.

Lily couldn’t help but wonder—what’s gotten into Bella Bell, looking like a lovesick maiden?

Lily was just about to speak to Bella Bell when a soft, childish voice called out, "Sister Lily! Sister Lily!"

Quentin Lin ran over, hugged Lily’s leg, and looked up at her, his face full of excitement. "Sis, is that a school across from the manor?"

Lily smiled and patted Quentin Lin’s head, nodding. "That’s right. The children your brother-in-law rescued live there, and I’m setting up a little school for them."

"What do you learn at the school? Is it the boring stuff like the Four Books and Five Classics? Are there lots of students?" Quentin Lin’s eyes sparkled with curiosity and anticipation.