“I have a villa in T City but the keys are with Song Yu. I will get it from her tonight and pass it to you tomorrow. Stay in T City first. Take a break. I will inform Chenglin. We will proclaim that you are on a business trip. Everything will be fine as long as you return before Wei Minghao’s birthday and attend his birthday party. During this time, Chenglin should be able to do a thorough investigation into Jian Yi.”

Qi Chengyue’s jaw dropped. She inhaled sharply but could not utter a word. Her eyes stung with gratitude.

She did not expect Chengzhi to help her like this. Even though he could not provide her a suitable job, he still tried his best to complete her requests.

Before, she was never close to neither Qi Chengzhi nor Qi Chenglin.

However, now, she could feel the bond between them. They are family to her – they are her brothers.

Qi Chenglin busied himself with helping her find evidence of Jian Yi’s affair while Qi Chengzhi helped her avoid Jian Yi for the time being.

They were both toiling away to meet her needs.

Qi Chengyue recalled Song Yu’s words to her.

“When you feel weak, we will help you; when you need someone to rely on, we will be there to support you; when you have nowhere to go, our doors are always open; when you feel helpless, we will be your safest haven.”

They are family to her – they are her brothers.

Qi Chengyue sniffled but a single drop of tear managed to escape her eye.

Qi Chengzhi frowned. He was not skilled in dealing with such situations. Luckily, Qi Chengyue swiftly wiped off the tear on her face and murmured, “Big brother, thank… thank you. About the past, I’m sorry…”

Qi Chengyue did not wait for Qi Chengzhi’s respond. She did not expect him to respond. She knew full well that the only person he showed any hint of emotions to was Song Yu.

He cared about his family and can be relied on whenever needed, yet he would never let these feelings show.

She turned around and bolted. Just as she reached the doorway, Qi Chengzhi called out to her.

Qi Chengyue turned back and was met with Qi Chengzhi’s clear voice, saying, “You are part of the Qi family. You are our sister.”

His words were not exactly filled with emotions – in fact, like always, he sounded cold and distant, like a robot. Nevertheless, Qi Chengyue was rendered speechless.

She nodded. Her hands gripped tight on the doorknob. “For my stubborn behavior in the past, I… I’m really sorry.”

After saying that, she did not dare to linger anymore. She was afraid she might break down and start bawling her eyes out. How embarrassing!

She rushed out of the office and toward the elevator with her head staring straight down, unaware of the sound of footsteps trailing behind her.

She stopped in front of the elevator and waited for it. In the meantime, she took out her phone that vibrated a while ago from her pocket. It was a notification for a credit card payment.

Once again, Zhou Mingyan made a payment of over ten thousand yuan using her credit card.

Qi Chengyue only felt insulted. His behavior disgusted her. She would have canceled that card if she was not worried that it would arouse Jian Yi’s suspicion.

Even though the money was insignificant to her, it did not mean that she could let that shameless bast*rd take advantage of her!

“Miss Qi!” a voice called out from behind her. Cheng Dongge caught up with her.

Qi Chengyue kept her phone away, sniffled a little and turned around.

Cheng Dongge stopped in his tracks. Qi Chengyue’s eyes were red and puffy from crying. He looked at her awkwardly.

“Miss Qi, about yesterday… the things that I said, I didn’t mean it. It’s just…” He frowned. “It’s just that something so humiliating was revealed to everyone, and I was overwhelmed by rage. I sincerely apologize for the things I said.”

Qi Chengyue pulled herself together. She waited for the approaching elevator and watched as the doors slowly opened. “Whatever I say now, it’s not because I’m afraid of aggravating the situation but because I truly believe what you said was right. I had no business in meddling in your affairs; I shouldn’t have intervened. Arrogantly, I believed I did the right thing. I brought my own feelings into someone else’s affairs – I was selfish. I’m the one who should apologize,” she admitted.

Without even glancing back at him, she immediately entered the elevator.

Cheng Dongge opened his mouth but before he could utter a word, the elevator door shut.

…

…

When Qi Chengzhi returned home at night, he told Song Yu about their plan and asked her for the keys.

She retrieved the keys for him. Pride overcame her, as she felt like the household’s treasurer. They were akin to other ordinary married couples – the husband would entrust all his assets to the wife. This felt especially meaningful to her.

“Why didn’t you tell me Chengyue came to see you yesterday afternoon?” Qi Chengzhi questioned. He was unhappy that she kept it from him.

Quickly, she seated herself beside him, prepared to act according to his temper. She playfully wrapped her hands around his arm. Her body slithered toward his and she laid on him with her head on his shoulders. In a gentle voice, she whispered, “She poured her heart out to me yesterday. It was things she never told you guys about so I have to keep her secret.”

She noticed Qi Chengzhi’s discreet glance and proceeded to grab his elegant big hands, subconsciously rubbing his long and slender fingers.

“Say I told you about our meeting, you would surely ask about our conversation, so I decided to not mention it at all.” Before he could even open his mouth, Song Yu hurriedly stated, “Let me make this clear – you are not allowed to ask me what she said. I will never tell you. In any case, she wasn’t bad-mouthing. If she had been rude to me, I would have told you from the start.”

“Truth be told, only after speaking to her yesterday could I see a new side of her. She had turned over a new leaf. No longer is she a naive, spoilt child. This could be the result of the unsuccessful wedding – it changed her and made her wiser than before. The point is, the Chengyue now is quite likable,” Song Yu explained.

Qi Chengzhi stared at her for some time before finally saying, “Next time, don’t keep things from me. If you promised to keep someone’s secret – as long as it’s nothing bad – simply inform me about it. I won’t pry, but you have to let me know.”

“Okay.” Song Yu nodded while smiling and suddenly, she kissed him. “Honey, you’re the best! Thank you for giving me a perfect marriage.”

“…” Qi Chengzhi smiled at her, uncertain if she was only trying to please him, so he would not get mad. She seemed to be getting better at dealing with his temperament.

…

…

The next day, Qi Chengzhi handed over the keys to Qi Chengyue and had Chang Lai send her to the airport.

…

…

On Saturday morning, Song Yu was woken up by Qi Chengzhi. She was still half asleep.

Qi Chengzhi flipped her over from her spot on the bed and onto him.

His hands gently squeezed her soft body. “Have you grown bigger lately?” he asked.

Song Yu only let out a groan. She was still in a daze. She rubbed her face against him for a while then settled down, ready to go back to sleep.

“You seemed to have gotten softer too.” His drowsy voice rang in her ears.

His husky voice enveloped her, like a million tentacles scratching her skin, giving off a numbing yet arousing sensation. The hand on her chest was slowly taking away her sleepiness. Her lower abdomen was pulsing. Unable to hold herself back, she started grinding softly.

She felt the sturdy chest pressed against her own starting to tremble. Immediately after, he grabbed her waist firmly and suddenly pushed against her. His erect, hot pole hit her shortly after.

“You want it already? What made you so sensitive lately, hmm?” Qi Chengzhi’s thin, hot lips pressed against her ear. As he talked, he rubbed his lips against her ears. He traced her spine all the way to her buttocks, where his fingers slowly penetrated her.

Song Yu blushed. She did not know what was up with her either. All he did was touch her a little yet she got so aroused. His lips rubbed against her ear until they were bright red.

Seeing Song Yu’s flushed face and silent compliance, Qi Chengzhi wanted to kiss her even more; he desired her more strongly.

She lowered her head and the pair of thin, hot lips pressed aggressively against her cheeks and the corner of her eyes. He held her face in one hand and moved on to kissing her lips. His scorching tongue stabbed into her mouth. He kissed her until she felt light-headed. He held her with both hands and suddenly raise the sails. Full speed ahead, the ship broke into the furthest depths of the harbor.

Song Yu moaned. She held on tight to his neck and forcefully sucked on the little red bean on his chest, refusing to let go.

Qi Chengzhi clenched his teeth, took a deep breath, flipped himself over – with Song Yu pressed beneath him, and poured his whole body into her. She held onto him tight. The last few moments were euphoria for him.

…

…

Qi Chengzhi breathed blissfully. Even though he was out of breath, it was all too addicting.

He held Song Yu in one hand while the other stroked her long, soft hair. He looked down and saw tiny beads of perspiration resting on her forehead, then proceeded to sip them up little by little.

“Don’t you have to go to the company today?” Song Yu’s forehead rested against his neck. Looking down, she saw one of the little red beans she sucked on so hard that it was now swollen. It looked cute and silly. She poked it with her fingertip and circled it as if she was playing a game.

Today Grandmother Qi was going to bring her over to Grandmother Han’s house for a chat. Initially, Qi Chengzhi was to go with her. Song Yu guessed that he wanted to brag about her himself.

However, an unexpected client arrived yesterday – one of the higher-ups from another company. An important meeting was to take place so Qi Chengzhi had to show up personally.

Qi Chengzhi suddenly tightened his grip on her. Pressing his thin, hot lips on her ears, he muttered, “I don’t want to go. I’d rather go to Grandmother Han’s house with you.”

Song Yu laughed. Hearing such childish words from his mouth felt as if the age gap between them had shrunk.

She got up and gave him a peck on his firm yet soft lips. “Come on, hurry and get up. Otherwise, you’re going to be late.”

As she was getting up, Qi Chengzhi suddenly grabbed hold of her. His elegant hands cupped her cheeks as he pulled her back into bed. He kissed her passionately and aggressively. His tongue twisted and turned in her mouth as they locked lips.

No matter how many times he kissed her, no matter how many times he touched her, Song Yu’s heart would still race. Her tongue rested in his hot mouth. Her whole body, her whole heart, was encased in warmth.

A long while later, Qi Chengzhi finally let go of her. He helped her sit up and gave her some space. He scanned her from top to toe, then placed his hand on her chest and squeezed her waist gently.

“You really have gotten bigger and softer, even your waist has become much softer.” Qi Chengzhi was still caught up in measuring her softness.

Song Yu’s face flushed red. She grabbed his wrist and pulled his hands off her. She was displeased with the way he was measuring her body as if it was an item.

“Stop fooling around.” Song Yu’s face was flushed. She felt her ears burning up and the numbing sensation spread to her scalp. It all felt fiery.

She got out of bed hastily, grabbed some clothes from the cupboard and rushed straight into the bathroom. She even locked the door.

Hearing the click of the lock, Qi Chengzhi was stunned for a while. He then could not help but chuckled a little. Only now was he willing to get out of bed and put his clothes on.

After breakfast, Qi Chengzhi dropped Song Yu off at the old mansion before heading to the company.

Song Yu told Qi Chengzhi to head straight to the company but he insisted. Qi Chengzhi composedly said, “Only if I’m completely tied up with work will I have Chang Lai drive you. Otherwise, I would chauffeur you personally.”

This was also the reason why Qi Chengzhi would never gift Song Yu a car. With his capabilities, Song Yu could have had whatever car and however many cars she wished for. Right now, there was already a Jaguar parked in the garage waiting to be driven.

Nevertheless, Qi Chengzhi would never let Song Yu drive. He was worried about her safety. Besides, he enjoyed driving her personally.

Thus, Song Yu did not say much more.

The Range Rover stopped in front of the old mansion’s doorstep. Qi Chengzhi turned to Song Yu and waited for her to kiss him goodbye, only then did he let her get off. He watched as Song Yu entered the house, then finally drove away.

…

…

Grandmother Qi brought Song Yu to the Han’s house. Unlike in the Qi family manor, the grandparents stayed in the courtyard house.

This house appeared more antiquated and less stylish yet it gave off a comforting and welcoming vibe. It was not overly extravagant that others would feel intimidated.

When Grandmother Qi and Song Yu entered, Grandmother Yan and Grandmother Gui had already arrived.

The three grandmothers were looking through a stack of photographs. Grandmother Qi excitedly called out, “Lao Han! Lao Yan! Lao Wei!”

The trio set aside the photographs in hand and stood up to greet her.

Grandmother Qi introduced Song Yu. Politely, Song Yu greeted the three elders.

The trio eyed Song Yu like wolves stalking a lamb. Their hearts filled with awe and envy towards Grandmother Qi.

“Sigh, look at the Song girl, so fair, so beautiful. She’s even willing to spend time with us old ladies. My grandson is such a failure!” Grandmother Gui said dejectedly. Whenever she brought up her grandson, tears would well up in her eyes. “Chengzhi is older than him, yet he managed to bring home a granddaughter-in-law. When is my grandson ever going to bring home a granddaughter-in-law for me?”

“Hehehe, this is all up to fate.” Grandmother Qi pretended to dismiss the compliment. She laughed as she dragged Song Yu to the seat beside her. “As long as they try a little harder and take this more seriously, they will find ‘the one’ eventually. Take our Chengzhi for example – he was single for years, but when Song Yu first appeared, his eyes glimmered. Head over heels, he gave everything to win her heart and now finally made her my granddaughter-in-law.”

“Song Yu, do you know any suitable ladies who you can introduce to Zhouli?” Grandmother Han expectantly leaned towards Song Yu.

“My Beicheng too!” Grandmother Yan was afraid she was too slow as if Grandmother Han had stolen her future granddaughter-in-law. Her tensed expression appeared as if there was a future granddaughter-in-law up for grabs right in front of her.

“Even though he doesn’t like blind dates, he’s quite close to Chengzhi, isn’t he? When they meet up, that’s your chance to bring the lady along and introduce her to Beicheng.”

Grandmother Gui hastily joined in, “Song Yu, don’t forget about my Zhiqian. Just like his name suggests 1 , he is humble and courteous. He would never mistreat his wife!”

“…” Song Yu was speechless.

Was she sure she was talking about Gui Zhiqian?

Before Song Yu could reply, Grandmother Qi stood up and announced, “This is unacceptable. If she introduced all the ladies to your grandsons, what about my Chenglin? Did all of you forget? He even has a son! Youxuan is in need of a mother.”

“Chengzhi already brought you a granddaughter-in-law, is that not enough? You can’t hog all the good fortune!” Grandmother Han was dissatisfied. “At least let one each of our grandsons get married first! You’re making all your grandsons get married in one fell swoop. Do you think this is like cooking dumplings?”

Grandmother Han had put up with Grandmother Qi for long enough.

Ever since Qi Chengzhi started dating Song Yu, Grandmother Qi had been blowing her own trumpet. She called her all day long to brag about Qi Chengzhi bringing home a girlfriend and how great she was.

During their engagement, she called again to spread the news. At long last, despite all dramas and plot twists, Song Yu still ended up being her granddaughter-in-law. There was no way to run away from fate!

During their wedding, she called once again. Full of herself, she declared that her ‘future granddaughter-in-law’ had officially become her granddaughter-in-law. On the day itself, she already brought her granddaughter-in-law over to her house.

Ever since Qi Chengzhi and Song Yu started going out, Grandmother Qi had been posting about it all over her WeChat Moments. This tempted Grandmother Han to block her.

“Ah! What were the three of you looking at?” Grandmother Qi abruptly changed the subject. Song Yu had not even revealed whether she knew any suitable ladies to introduce to their grandsons. Grandmother Qi wanted them to simply forget about it.

Getting to the bottom of things, she simply did not want Song Yu to introduce anyone to them.

“We were helping Lao Han go through some photographs that were sent in, looking for a potential girlfriend for Zhouli,” Grandmother Yan replied irritatedly.

“That’s why I said, my Zhouli is an extremely popular boy. I only said a few words about him and these photographs came pouring in like snow in mid-winter,” Grandmother Han said proudly.

“Hehehe!” Grandmother Qi lifted the cup of tea she was just served and took a sip. “Marriage – it all boils down to fate. Blind dates are more or less useless. They have to find ‘the one’ themselves. Look at our Chengzhi, we arranged tons of blind dates for him in the past, but none of them were successful. Despite all, he managed to find this Song girl all by himself.”

Only when Grandmother Qi was boasting could she stand and talk without having backaches. Seeing her prideful expression, even Song Yu thought she was being obnoxious. Looking at the three grandmothers – especially Grandmother Han – their expression clearly showed displeasure.

Just moments ago, Grandmother Qi wanted to keep all the ladies Song Yu knew to Qi Chenglin, yet now she claimed blind dates to be pointless.

However, once Grandmother Qi finished talking, she took a glance at Song Yu. Even though Song Yu did not express any discontent or envy – she appeared calm and occasionally gave the grandmothers a courteous smile – Grandmother Qi was worried that she might have misunderstood her.

Grandmother Qi quickly explained, “Song Yu, please don’t misunderstand. Chengzhi had only gone on a few blind dates. Furthermore, it was all under pretenses. Zhongliang would tell him it’s a business meeting, and only when he had arrived would he see that other person had brought their daughter along. If he had known, he would never have gone. He hates blind dates!”

“Grandma, that is all in the past. I don’t mind any of it,” Song Yu reassured with a smile.

Relieved, Grandmother Qi started crowing away about the delights of her grandson’s wedding again.

Relieved, Grandmother Qi started crowing away about the delights of her grandson’s wedding again.

Grandmother Gui was getting tired of the conversation and interjected. “Song girl, I remember your mom is from the Yu family, correct?”

“Yes,” Song Yu replied without any further explanation.

“That Yu…” Grandmother Gui tried to remember the name of that insignificant person. “Oh, Yu Zidong, he’s going through a divorce. He’s from your mother’s family, yes?”

Song Yu was mildly surprised. The news had not reached her, and she could not believe Yu Zidong was divorcing Liang Lihua. They were getting along well all this while.

“You didn’t know?” Grandmother Gui leaned forward, interest dancing in her eyes.

While Grandmother Gui was an esteemed lady from The Great Eight Families — her public appearance was often met with awe and starstruck — she was not immune to the gossips.

Regardless of which family was involved in the gossip, Grandmother Gui was always interested to hear a bit more.

In this case, she got the news while playing mahjong with some middle-class friends.

Song Yu shook her head and confessed, “I didn’t know.”

‘After Song Yu’s family went bankrupt, the Yu family had cut ties with them. Now, the relationship between two families was neutral at best, which was probably why Song Yu did not know,’ Grandmother Gui pondered.

If she was in Song Yu’s shoes, she would have brought chaos down onto the Yu family. Grandmother Gui was known for her temper.

She was a very black-and-white person, and she was not above seeking revenge on those who have wronged her.

“I don’t know the reason myself, but it seems to involve their family business. Their company is going to close down soon, I think. Clients are banging on their doorsteps, demanding their money back — especially low-income clients. The combined amount of all their clients’ money made up a large sum. The ongoing strike in front of the company is also bad for their image. I don’t really know if the company is the reason for the divorce, but Yu Zidong seems adamant to get rid of his wife. As if divorcing her would bring the company back into good standing.”

“They’ll fight at home nowadays. Yu Zidong wants to file for a divorce. The Liang family would never stand by such an affront, so they’ve been going over to the Yu family’s to argue. Yu Zidong was worried about the Yu family reputation and didn’t want the news to spread, so he avoided the legal process. But after all that chaos, everybody had heard about the divorce! His reputation was never going to be spared,” Grandmother Gui spoke knowingly.

“Haih, he’s no longer a young man. And out of nowhere, he wants a divorce. Of course it’s going to look ugly,” Grandmother Yan berated as she shook her head.

Song Yu was lost in thought. ‘Why did Yu Zidong’s divorce have anything to do with the company?’

Moreover, she could not figure out why her uncle wanted a divorce at this point after all these years.

Yu Zidong had eyes only for money. If divorcing Liang Lihua would prevent the company’s bankruptcy, Song Yu was sure that Yu Zidong would do it without a moment’s hesitation.

In Yu Zidong’s eyes, familial ties took a back seat when it came to money.

The only person that Song Yu could think of who could push Yu Zidong to forsake his marriage would be none other than Qi Chengzhi.

“Song girl! Song girl!”

The voice of Grandmother Han drew Song Yu out of her thoughts.

Song Yu smiled apologetically. “Grandmother Han, what were you saying?”

The old lady passed her a stack of photos. “Help us browse through these. Youngsters have different tastes compared to old grandmothers. See if there are any promising ladies.”

Song Yu took the photos. She wondered if Han Zhuoli knew that Grandmother Han had so many suitors lined up for him. There was enough variety to arrange for a matchmake every day without getting bored.

They looked through the photos for a while. Then, Grandmother Gui suggested for them to play a few rounds of mahjong as all four elders were present.

Grandmother Han called for the servants to prepare the mahjong table. Song Yu stayed beside Grandmother Qi and occasionally helped refill their cups and snacks.

The three grandmothers looked on admiringly at Grandmother Qi’s daughter-in-law.

Grandmother Gui felt like this whole mahjong session was just a chance for Grandmother Qi to show off in another manner.

Grandmother Qi was not bothered when she lost — she only beamed and praised Song Yu.

When she won, she would commend Song Yu on the luck she brought.

The other old ladies quickly grew tired of Grandmother Qi’s swagger, and the game came to a stop.

Later, they had a meal at Grandmother Han’s house before leaving.

Grandmother Qi was incredibly happy today. Sitting in the car, a giggle would escape her mouth when she replayed today’s gathering.

Grandmother Qi ordered the driver to drop Song Yu back at Viewpark Residences.

Nausea hit Song Yu while she sat in the car.

During the lunch in Grandmother Han’s house, she already felt uncomfortable.

The smell of the dishes did not awaken her appetite, but it was her first time accompanying Grandmother Qi to a friend’s house, so she endured the lunch. It would be offensive if she rejected the food.

Now, the unwelcomed taste occupied her mouth, which made her even more nauseous.

She had been feeling unwell this entire week. When she went out for lunch with Ruan Danchen, she did not eat much as the smell of food made her want to vomit.

Song Yu did not want to worry Grandmother Qi, so she kept her discomfort to herself.

After an arduous journey, the car eventually stopped at Viewpark Residences. Song Yu got down and bid farewell to Grandmother Qi. Once the car had left their street, she quickly braced herself against the telephone pole and puked.

Then, she took some tissues out from her bag and wiped her face. She disposed the contaminated tissue into the trash and, after some thinking, decided to walk outside.

She stood by the road, hoping to flag down a cab, but she then remembered the nausea she felt in the car. She opted for the subway instead.

Song Yu frowned. She never had motion sickness in the car before and could not figure out why her stomach was so upset.

She got off the subway stop closest to the public hospital and quickly got a queue number. She waited at the internal medicine wing to see the doctor.

The doctor was a woman in her mid-forties. She asked for Song Yu’s medical history and checked her breathing and heartbeat. After that, she told her to lie on the bed and examined her abdomen.

The doctor inquired, “Miss, has your period been regular?”

Song Yu was stunned by the question and explained, “I never paid attention to it. I can’t even remember the last time it came.”

The doctor helped Song Yu up and brought her over to the desk. “I suggest you go see the OB/GYN.”

“What?” Song Yu quieted down, her mouth agape. The doctor’s question clearly pointed to something. “Are you saying —”

“This is just speculation, but you’ll have to go to the OB/GYN to confirm,” assured the doctor with a smile.

This was based on the doctor’s experience as a medical practitioner and a mother. She was happy for Song Yu.

Song Yu thanked the doctor. She was still in a daze and disbelief.

She went to the first floor and grabbed a number for the OB/GYN before heading for the third floor.

Surprisingly, there was a crowd on the floor, and she almost had to squeeze her way through.

Song Yu had her hand on her stomach and wondered about the chance of her actually being pregnant.

She read the instructions on the wall and walked toward the OB/GYN department. As she turned, an oncoming figure was millimeters away from colliding with her.

Song Yu immediately sidestepped out of the way, but their shoulders still collided.

The papers in the person’s hand scattered all over the floor. Song Yu bent down to help pick them up.

As she was collecting the papers, she saw a pregnancy test result that stated the person was forty-days pregnant.

Song Yu was ready to return the papers but stopped when she saw the name, Guan Xiaolin.

Her eyes widened. She looked up and was met with Guan Xiaolin’s shocked face.

The papers crumpled in her hands. “You —”

Guan Xiaolin snatched the papers from her hands and quickly turned to leave. Song Yu chased after her. “Guan Xiaolin! Wait!”

Even though Song Yu had not taken a pregnancy test, the possibility of being pregnant made her walk briskly instead of run. However, her efforts were in vain as Guan Xiaolin managed to escape.

Song Yu stopped and frowned. The test results were still stuck in her head.

If Guan Xiaolin was pregnant, the kid would be…

Song Yu had a bad feeling about this. She was stuck in thought but remembered that she had her own checkup to attend to. She shook her head and walked toward the OB/GYN wing.

…

…

Song Yu came out from the examination room and took the elevator to the first floor. The doctor’s words still echoed in her head, and she felt her legs turn to jelly.

She found a chair and sat down. Her heart thumped wildly in her chest.

She was pregnant…

Pregnant!

At this moment, her bag contained a doctor’s report stating that she was thirty-seven days pregnant.

Song Yu could not calm her heart. She was nervous, excited, and eager.

She was carrying Qi Chengzhi’s child. They were having a baby!

The thought of carrying the man’s progeny made her incredibly happy — her heart was bursting with joy.

Song Yu put her hand on her abdomen. Her belly was still flat and showed no signs of pregnancy, yet a baby was growing inside her now.

She took the report from her bag and scanned through it again. Then, she took her phone and snapped a photo.

It was not convenient to bring the report everywhere, but she could look at the result whenever she felt like it with a photo.

Staring at her phone, she wanted to tell Qi Chengzhi immediately.

Yet, she did not want to cheapen the good news by telling him through the phone.

Her fingers trembled as she dialed for Qi Chengzhi. The nervousness made her abdomen contract. The left hand holding the phone shook while her right hand clenched repeatedly.

…

…

Qi Chengzhi was in a meeting. The client company from yesterday was sitting across him. Even the company’s director was personally here, along with the deputy director.

His phone was on vibrate mode in case Song Yu needed to reach him during working hours.

Qi Chenglin was in the middle of a presentation when Qi Chengzhi took out his phone. It was Song Yu’s caller ID. He stood up without hesitation and said to the room, “I’m sorry, but my wife’s calling. She usually doesn’t call during work time so it might be important.”

“Go ahead, Director Qi.” The director nodded in mutual understanding.

Qi Chengzhi took his phone and left the meeting room. The people from Qilin were already used to Qi Chengzhi dropping everything at hand for Song Yu.

Whatever important task at hand could not compare to a single phone call from Song Yu.

To the client company and the director who allowed for the phone call, it was an uncommon practice.

Qi Chengzhi actually left the meeting because of a phone call from his wife.

Qi Chengzhi walked back to his office and picked up the call. “Hey.”

Hearing his voice, Song Yu was filled with excitement. Her voice trembled with uncontained joy as she spoke, “Are you still busy?”

“Not at all. Finished chatting with Grandma? Want me to pick you up?” Qi Chengzhi spoke gently and at a steady pace, as if the ongoing meeting next door did not require his attention.

“We already parted ways. I’m at the hospital now. If you’re busy, I can get myself home.” Song Yu looked down at the report. Her heart was still racing.

“The hospital? You’re not feeling well?” Qi Chengzhi’s heart jumped into his throat. It was unusual for Song Yu to call at this hour. ‘She must be unwell, why else would she go to the hospital?’

“I’m fine. Don’t worry. I just came for a checkup,” Song Yu quickly explained. She could tell by Qi Chengzhi’s tone that he was thinking the worst about the situation.

Her words did not calm him. He figured that Song Yu was only making light of the situation for his sake.

“Which hospital?” Qi Chengzhi asked.

“The People’s Hospital,” Song Yu replied.

“I’ll be there in a bit.”

“Don’t panic. Drive safe —” Song Yu did not manage to finish her sentence before Qi Chengzhi hung up.

Qi Chengzhi was anxious to the point where he did not even believe Song Yu’s words.

‘What checkup? Why didn’t she mention it before?’

She had ended up in the hospital out of the blue, and there was a slight tremor in her voice just now. How was he supposed to not worry?

He rushed out of the building while dialing for Cheng Dongge. “Song Yu’s in the hospital and I’m heading over. Tell Director Yang I’m sorry I couldn’t stay.”

Just when he hung up the call, Song Yu’s call came in.

“What’s wrong?” he answered in a steady voice despite hurrying into the car.

“Chengzhi, calm down. I’m really fine. You can come to pick me up, but please drive safely. Understood?” Song Yu sounded stern and concerned, which made Qi Chengzhi heart warm.

“Alright,” he promised.

After hanging up, Song Yu berated herself. Why did she call him? Of course he would have panicked at the word ‘hospital’.

She could have shared the pregnancy news when they got home later.

She placed the report back into her bag and walked out of the outpatient area.

There was a bookstore next door, and she wanted to browse for some childcare books.

She did not dare to call Qi Chengzhi while he was driving, so she quickly bought two books and went back to the hospital. She sat on a bench near the outpatient area and read her newly-bought books.

However, her heart could not calm down. She was distracted after reading just a few lines.

After a few rounds of glancing about, she saw a black Range Rover rushing toward the hospital at an unsafe speed. Then, the car braked hard at the outpatient doorway.

A man came down from the car and ran into the hospital.

Song Yu immediately stood up and yelled, “Qi Chengzhi!”

He was running in a mad dash without any of his usual calmness. His lanky body swayed as if it would topple at any second.

“Qi Chengzhi!” Song Yu shouted again at the top of her lungs.

Qi Chengzhi had already rushed up the steps to the outpatient area. He stopped and turned around. Song Yu saw the pale face and messy hair — even his suit was a tad crumpled.

She took a step forward and Qi Chengzhi leaped from the steps toward her.

He stopped in front of her. Out of breath, his hands went to her face and checked for any signs of injury. “What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell or injured?”

Qi Chengzhi squatted and checked her legs. After checking that she was physically fine, he stood back up. “Where do you feel uncomfortable?”

As he breathed a sigh of relief, Song Yu punched him hard on the chest. The pain made him grunted.

“Qi Chengzhi, if you ever drive so recklessly again, I won’t forgive you!” Song Yu was angry and worried altogether. The thought of him driving at such breakneck speed while unfocused was alarming. What if he got into an accident?

Song Yu punched him again. “I told you, I’m fine! I just came for a checkup. There’s nothing wrong. Why didn’t you listen? Didn’t I tell you to drive safely? What if you got into an accident? If you got into an accident because you’re rushing over here, do you know what that would do to me?”

“You scared me just now, seeing your car speeding over here. If you’re driving so recklessly near a hospital, I can’t imagine your driving on the road. What would happen if you got into an accident because you’re unfocused? Qi Chengzhi, you scared me!” As Song Yu blurted all these, her fears intensified and her body became cold.

Maybe it was the pregnancy that made her emotions run high. Her face turned pale while her eyes reddened. She clutched tightly onto the collar of his shirt as the beads of tears fell from her face.

“Why are you crying?” Qi Chengzhi panicked when he saw the tears. His fingers gently rubbed away the tears on her cheeks.

Her cheeks were tender. It was as if a bit more strength and her skin would break under his fingers.

“Don’t cry, don’t be angry,” he whispered in a raspy voice by her cheek and kissed the tears from her face. “I won’t drive so recklessly again, I promise you. Don’t cry, it’s my fault.”

Song Yu pressed herself into his embrace and hugged his waist. She sobbed while saying, “It’s my fault. I frightened you and didn’t explain the situation.”

She could not forget the image of Qi Chengzhi in distraught, running toward the hospital. He was always calm and collected, but he was none of those just now.

The panic and fear on his face made Song Yu’s heartache.

“It’s my fault. I could have just waited to tell you at home instead of making you come over all worried.” Song Yu tightened her arms around him. The intimacy made her feel safe.

Qi Chengzhi could feel Song Yu’s distress. She was still trembling in his arms.

Learning that she cared so much about him, Qi Chengzhi could not help the smile that appeared on his face. He leaned down and kissed her eyes, her temples, then her cheeks.

“It’s alright. I promise you, I’ll never drive so recklessly again. Don’t be scared,” he said in a comforting tone. His warm, strong hands caressed her long hair and back.

A while later, Song Yu gradually calmed down. She murmured, “I’m sorry I scared you.”

Qi Chengzhi bent down and kissed the corner of her mouth. He wiped her tears dry and asked, “Why did you come to the hospital?”

Back in his office, when he heard that she was in the hospital, his heart froze.

Now that he had ascertained that she was alright, his heart could beat at its normal pace again.

Song Yu quietly pulled away from his embrace. She took Qi Chengzhi’s hand from her face.

She looked at the big, strong hand in her palm with its slender fingers.

Even his hand was a work of art to Song Yu.

She guided the hand and placed it on her abdomen. The warmth from his palm gave her belly a pleasant feeling.

“I came here to do… a pregnancy checkup.” Song Yu looked at the ground, feeling embarrassed. The blush had spread from the tips of her ears to her neck. “I’m pregnant.”

“I wanted to tell you face-to-face. So I…” As Song Yu spoke, there was no response from Qi Chengzhi. She raised her head and was met with a dumbfounded Qi Chengzhi. The man who was usually unflappable had his jaw hanging open, staring wide-eyed.

Qi Chengzhi always thought himself as someone who had no particular want for kids. The notion of a child between Song Yu and him seemed inconvenient.

However, at this moment, the news of Song Yu’s pregnancy only filled him with indescribable gratitude. His throat bobbed — he felt like he could cry.

Without Song Yu’s urging, he moved his palm across her belly. He lowered his head and stared at her flat belly.

Qi Chengzhi pulled Song Yu into a tight embrace. He buried his head into her neck and took a deep breath.

Song Yu shifted her arms and returned the hug.

Although Qi Chengzhi had yet to speak, she understood the significance of his actions.

Even though at times he acted childishly or shamelessly, he never actually put his full emotions on display. Deep down, he was still an awkward and introverted man.

Even though at times, he had acted childishly or shamelessly, he had never actually put his full emotions on display. Deep down, he was still an awkward and introverted man.

Song Yu buried her face into his chest and snuggled closer. The rubbing made Qi Chengzhi’s chest itch.

Seeing her head in his chest made him feel happy. His hand subconsciously moved to her belly. His thin lips traveled down her face, peppering kisses. “How long?”

“The test said thirty-seven days.” Song Yu understood his question. “My appetite this week was bad. Every time I smelled food, I felt like puking. It happened today at Grandmother Han’s place as well. Also, I’ve never suffered from motion sickness but when Grandma was sending me back to Viewpark Residences, I felt like puking in the car. I didn’t want her to worry so I kept quiet. I came to the hospital after she left.”

“Did the doctor say anything about the constant nausea?” Qi Chengzhi asked.

Song Yu blushed and muttered, “I forgot to ask. When I got the results, I was too excited and wanted to tell you about it. I sort of forgot about—”

Qi Chengzhi smiled at her reddening face. She was sometimes a blur case, a cute one at least. He kissed her lips and took out his phone. “I’ll call Lao Chu to ask the doctor about it.”

“Wait.” Song Yu stopped him. “The doctor said the first trimester is a period of uncertainty. The report says there’s still a likelihood of miscarriage and that I’ll need to really take care of myself and the baby. Let’s not be hasty and keep this news under covers for now, especially for Grandma and the family. I don’t want them to get upset if anything happens.”

Qi Chengzhi nodded. “I’ll take a number then. We’ll see the doctor and ask in person.”

As he finished his sentence, he heard someone shouting, “Whose car is this?”

Qi Chengzhi turned around and saw his brashly-parked Range Rover blocking another car.

“Just wait here for a moment while I find a parking spot,” Qi Chengzhi said.

Song Yu nodded and Qi Chengzhi left for his car. She walked back to the bench and placed the two books into her bag.

When the Range Rover sped into the hospital area, a frightened Song Yu abandoned her books to run over to Qi Chengzhi.

After parking the car, Qi Chengzhi brought Song Yu to get another queue number.

When the doctor saw Song Yu in her office again, she was surprised.

“That… Doctor.” Song Yu blushed and said sheepishly, “After getting the results, I was too excited and forgot to ask some questions.”

The doctor smiled and nodded knowingly. She gestured at the chair and said, “Sit.”

The doctor turned to address the solemn Qi Chengzhi. “Are you her husband?”

Qi Chengzhi nodded and said, “Yes.”

“Can you let me see the report again?” the doctor asked.

Song Yu retrieved the report from her bag and passed it to her. The doctor scanned through the report and said, “There are minor signs of a miscarriage but it is common during the first trimester, especially for first pregnancies. Usually, they wouldn’t even know about the pregnancy so it happens. Just pay a bit more attention now, no need to worry too much.

“Just some basic miscarriage prevention like avoiding rigorous exercise. In the first trimester, I would recommend no sexual activity.”

Song Yu’s face turned red—they just did it this morning.

“Other than that, don’t overwork or overstress yourself, especially for working women. Stress will affect the baby so try to relax whenever you can. Use less electronic devices to reduce radiation exposure. It doesn’t have a large impact so no need to totally cut off. Mainly for those who are addicted to scrolling their phones. If it’s just normal usage for work, then it’s fine.”

The doctor continued on about certain things to watch out for. As she spoke, she scribbled into the medical chart. She also wrote down some of the food that were beneficial for pregnant women.

“Any more questions?” the doctor asked after she was done with her pregnancy precautions and tips.

Song Yu was about to say no when Qi Chengzhi wordlessly pulled out his phone and opened up his calendar. He muttered under his breath, “Thirty-seven days pregnant which means a month and a week. Another month plus three weeks and it’ll be back to normal, right?”

Qi Chengzhi counted the days and pulled up the calendar for a month and three weeks after. He then set a reminder on that day and said, “No more questions.”

“…”

…

…

Finally, a red-faced Song Yu dragged Qi Chengzhi out of the hospital.

“I don’t feel pregnant at all. It’s so weird,” Song Yu said as she tugged on Qi Chengzhi’s arm.

Qi Chengzhi looked at her, then at her abdomen. He gently placed his hand on her belly and said regretfully, “It’s great that you’re pregnant but three months of abstinence, how problematic.”

The pink tinge bloomed on her face and she squirmed into his embrace. “Actually, I didn’t think that I would get pregnant so quickly.”

At the end of her sentence, Qi Chengzhi’s phone rang.

He read the caller ID on the phone and answered. It was Cheng Dongge.

From the content of the call, Song Yu figured it was work-related and asked when Qi Chengzhi had hung up the phone. “You came over midway through something?”

“It wasn’t anything important. The important parts of the meeting were managed by Chenglin. I was only needed for my presence,” Qi Chengzhi mentioned casually as he pocketed the phone.

They both got into the Range Rover. Song Yu knew that even if Qi Chengzhi was busy, he would not let her know, so she dropped that line of questioning.

Guan Xiaolin came into her mind and she said, “When I was in the hospital, I ran into Guan Xiaolin.”

“What happened?” Qi Chengzhi started the car and pulled out of the car park.

“We bumped into each other and I accidentally saw her pregnancy test result. She’s forty-day pregnant.” Song Yu frowned—there was a suspicion growing in her mind. “Do you think… Jian Yi and her…”

“Chenglin investigated her relationship with Jian Yi. According to the timeline, it might be.” Qi Chengzhi delivered the news in an impartial manner without any hint of anger.

“Then—” Song Yu wanted to ask about Qi Chengyue. With something like this, her marriage to Jian Yi might be deemed unsalvageable.

Was she supposed to tell Qi Chengyue about this?

Qi Chengzhi took her hand and said, “Even so, it’s still just an educated guess. This thing is between Chengyue and Jian Yi, let us not interfere. If Guan Xiaolin wants to show her cards, sooner or later, we will have to deal with it.”

“Shouldn’t we give Chengyue a heads-up?” Song Yu was mildly worried.

Qi Chengzhi’s thumb massaged the back of her hand softly. “She knew about Jian Yi and Guan Xiaolin, do you think this scenario has not crossed her mind? Perhaps she did not think too much about it, but the thought most definitely has occurred to her.”

Song Yu was still thinking about his words when he changed the topic. “Are you tired?”

“No. Why?” Song Yu asked as Qi Chengzhi changed their route. They were heading to a mall.

“Let’s buy you some comfortable flats.” Qi Chengzhi guided her to the sofa. “You wear mostly high heels during work. You only wear flat shoes when you have site visits. You need more flats.”

Song Yu sat on the sofa. She watched Qi Chengzhi pick out shoe designs while the storekeeper went to retrieve the correct size for Song Yu to try them on.

The shoes were piling up on the floor and Song Yu felt like things were going overboard.

Her emotions these days were fickle. She felt extra sensitive as if the slightest thing could trigger her anger.

She stared at her own flats. Other than her work attire that called for high heels, she had always loved wearing flats.

To be honest, while she did not have a huge collection of flats, she had a good amount to last her two feet. Normally, Qi Chengzhi never paid any heed to her shoes. Yet, once he knew she was pregnant, he immediately wanted to buy her new shoes.

Song Yu looked at the tall man in front of her. He had his hands in his pockets, looking indifferent and remarkable—he commanded people’s attention just by standing there.

Sitting down on the sofa, Song Yu only reached his thigh. While the storekeeper went to get the shoes, she poked at his thigh gloomily—her finger was met with solid resistance.

Qi Chengzhi lowered his head and saw Song Yu pouting unhappily. His slender hand covered hers and he said in an amused tone, “What’s wrong?”

“You’ve never so eagerly brought me to buy shoes before. Right after the news, you immediately brought me here. Wouldn’t you say this baby has made me more valuable?” Song Yu said darkly. Her black eyes pierced him with a look of accusation.

“Nonsense.” Qi Chengzhi glanced at her and chuckled.

“But I feel as if the baby is more important to you now.” Song Yu was still in a negative mood. She wanted to shake off his hand but his grip was too strong.

Qi Chengzhi’s soulful eyes stared at her. There was a slight tease in his voice when he said, “Well it’s attached to you so who do you think I care for more? If it was growing on anyone else, I wouldn’t even care.”

Song Yu glared at him and bared her teeth. “I dare you to try growing it on someone else.”

Qi Chengzhi bent down suddenly. Song Yu was treated with a close-up of his handsome face. A faint smile was on his face as he said, “Be careful, you’re becoming a tiger mom.”

Song Yu’s face reddened and snatched her hand out from his. She said in a vexed tone, “Then, go ahead and find a gentle one.”

She was about to stand up but Qi Chengzhi hugged her around the waist. He sat down by her side and wrapped his arms tightly around her. “Come on, why’s your temper flaring with the pregnancy? Where will I go? And if I did, you would surely castrate me.”

Song Yu wrestled against the embrace but she could not escape. Although Qi Chengzhi was usually a cold person, he was using his gentlest voice to coax her. All his swagger evaporated in front of her.

Her mood improved slightly. She shot him a glance. “Then, the baby or me, who’s more important?”

“You,” Qi Chengzhi said without hesitation.

Song Yu’s anger dissipated. She rested her forehead on his shoulder. “Last time, I knew you treated me well because I was me. I’m just unsure if you’re treating me better now because of the pregnancy.”

“I am treating you better now but it’s not because of the pregnancy.” Qi Chengzhi spoke softly, “It’s because you’re doing it for me, you’re giving me a child. I’m spoiling you because you’re doing all this for me. If I didn’t treat you better, how can I call myself your husband?

“And even after you’ve had our child, I will treat you even better—better than now. I want to spend my whole life being better for you,” Qi Chengzhi whispered into her ear.

Song Yu blushed and started to regret her pettiness.

The shopkeeper came back with the shoes and witnessed the intimacy between the couple. Qi Chengzhi had Song Yu tight in his arms. The shopkeeper was slightly embarrassed but also envious.

Song Yu tried to get out of the embrace but Qi Chengzhi would not budge. He never did care about the opinions of others.

At the end of the day, Qi Chengzhi walked out of the shop with shopping bags in each hand filled with shoes while Song Yu followed behind.

…

…

After some discussion, they decided to fill Aunt Yang in on Song Yu’s pregnancy. She was in charge of their meals and had to know about Song Yu’s diet restrictions.

Aunt Yang would also need to cook some of the tonic soups for Song Yu.

When Song Yu told Aunt Yang about the good news, she made her swear to secrecy. Aunt Yang gladly obliged. As she cooked, she hummed in good spirits—she was happy to be in the know of such wonderful news.

After retiring to their bedroom at night, Song Yu thought about surfing the web on the tablet but stopped herself when she recalled the doctor’s advice. Instead, she took out the books she had bought in the afternoon.

Qi Chengzhi walked out of the bathroom. He thoughtlessly threw the towel on his head aside and asked, “How was the house visit today with Grandma?”

His question reminded her of what Grandmother Qi had said.

Song Yu raised her eyebrows and looked up from her book. She asked casually, “I overheard today from Grandma, you went to a lot of matchmaking sessions?”

“A lot? No. Just a few and always, it was because I was tricked into going.” Qi Chengzhi pulled the covers back and nestled in. He picked the book out from her hands and his deft fingers started unbuttoning her pajamas.

Song Yu did not stop him. She just huffed and gave him the stink-eye. “And I thought you were keeping yourself pure and innocent, saving yourself for me. Turns out you’ve already gone on matchmaking dates.”

“Who thinks men are pure and innocent?” Qi Chengzhi settled his weight over her and unbuttoned the remaining buttons.

He traced random patterns across her chest. “You’re getting jealous so easily these days.”

As his voice quieted down, the warm hand palmed against her breast.

Song Yu flushed a crimson red. Her body seemed to be extra sensitive now that she was pregnant. Qi Chengzhi’s light touch made her squirm and she whispered, “The thought of other women looking at you infuriates me.”

“They saw nothing.” Qi Chengzhi said with a smirk on his face, “Once I sensed that it was a set-up, I left immediately.”

“And that time with Yu Keyao?” Song Yu raised an eyebrow at him.

“…” Qi Chengzhi stayed silent. He gave her a teasing smile and let his hands wander over her body.

“Explain yourself…” Song Yu’s breath hitched and her voice struggled to carry across as it trembled. Her body was unknowingly coiling itself tight in his embrace.

“I did it on purpose for you,” Qi Chengzhi finally answered.

Song Yu looked up. Her clear eyes darkened with passion.

Qi Chengzhi just came out of the showers, topless with only a pair of loose pants on him. She could only hold onto his waist.

“Back then, you weren’t as committed to me. So, I wanted to make you jealous.”

“…” Song Yu was speechless. She was oblivious as to how transparent she had been to Qi Chengzhi.

In the span of the silence, Qi Chengzhi cupped her breasts suddenly, followed by some prodding at her waist. “No wonder your breasts felt heavier this morning.”

“…” Song Yu squirmed in his arms, trying to avoid his groping hands. “Stop it.”

Qi Chengzhi lowered his head and looked at the blushing face pressed against his chest. He could feel the heat emanating from her cheeks.

Her fair skin was tinged pink from embarrassment—it was very attractive to Qi Chengzhi. His heart rate quickened. He leaned in and peppered kisses on her forehead, cheeks, and the bridge of her nose.

The faint, flowery scent from her skin drove him crazy and his hands fondled her soft flesh.

Song Yu trembled in his arms. He pressed his lips against her forehead and asked with mirth in his tone, “Can’t stand it anymore?”

Speechless, Song Yu tucked her blushing face into his chest and hugged him tighter. Her body shivered uncontrollably.

She felt his hands move around her body with no plans of stopping. They inched further down south. Song Yu caught his wrist and said, “The doctor said we shouldn’t.”

“We’ll improvise.” He pressed her down and kissed the side of her mouth. Slowly, they were engaged in a heavy makeout session. “I can’t stand cuddling you but not touching you every night.”

Song Yu was feeling troubled as well. She bit her lip—she could not let him fill the emptiness within her. She tightened her arms around him. Sweat was forming on Qi Chengzhi’s forehead as he kissed his way down her lower abdomen. He reached her nether regions and prompted a sharp gasp from Song Yu. She wanted to pull him back up. “Qi Chengzhi!”

“Hush, don’t fret. It’ll feel good in a bit.” His low voice rumbled, unclear from all the activity below. “Let me help you first.”

Only after she had come down from her high did he rub himself against her entrance. The beads of sweat dripped from his forehead and onto her. It took a significant effort to relieve himself and decided that this was one of the most tedious ways by far. He hugged Song Yu and kissed her face.

“If this is how we need to do it from now on, I might just go crazy.” Qi Chengzhi gritted his teeth and pulled her buttocks against his body.

His voice was rough and unlike his usual calm baritone. It sounded like a chord wounded so tautly it would break at any moment.

Their sweat-coated bodies pressed together. Song Yu’s arm hooked around his neck and pulled his head down.

Soft lips pressed against the chin that was starting to show a five-o’clock shadow. Qi Chengzhi could feel the gentleness of her kiss, like cotton candy. It was a comforting sensation that made his heart swell.

“I’ll help you out next time,” Song Yu said shyly. Her body trembled and her face which was previously red from passion grew warmer.

She lifted her head to look at this good-looking man whom she would do anything for. He was perfect.

His facial features were sharp and handsome. His Adam’s apple stood out on his neck, oozing masculinity. The muscles on his body were toned and powerful. Even the member between his thighs was a thing of marvel because it was attached to Qi Chengzhi. Although she was frightened initially, she had grown to like it and wanted to make the effort to please it.

Qi Chengzhi hugged her like she was a prized doll. His heart was truly bursting with love for the woman in his arms.

…

…

The next morning, Aunt Yang made soup for Song Yu to pack to the company. She could heat it up in the company and have it with her lunch.

Qi Chengzhi carried the thermos and went to work with Song Yu. In his mind, he wanted to get Song Yu to take leave and rest at home. The doctor’s mention of miscarriage worried him.

However, Song Yu never brought up the idea of taking leave so he kept silent. He did not want her to think that he was putting the baby first and her second.

In the elevator, Song Yu took Qi Chengzhi’s hand and linked her other hand around his arm. “Currently in my hands, there’s only the hotel project by your company. Usually, I don’t have much to do and with you as boss, I take it you won’t let them give me too much work?”

Qi Chengzhi raised an eyebrow at her. “And, because of you, Director Zhao doesn’t dare to give me any other projects, he wants me to only focus on the Qilin hotel. These days, I feel like I don’t even need to clock in. Seems like I can just leave anytime I want. So, work won’t tire me.”

“Did I say anything?” Qi Chengzhi asked with one eyebrow cocked in amusement. He gripped her hand tightly.

“I’m just giving you an out front explanation.” Song Yu looked up and smiled brightly.

Qi Chengzhi could not help but smile. He leaned forward and kissed her lips. “Come back home if you feel tired.”

Once they got into the car, Qi Chengzhi put on some lovely light music. Song Yu turned to him in surprise. “When did you have this type of music?”

“Yesterday, after you fell asleep, I went and downloaded them.” Qi Chengzhi started the car. “I read on the internet that listening to this type of music is beneficial for pregnant women.”

The car rolled into Chengshi’s lobby and Song Yu gave him a quick peck. She said her goodbye and was about to leave when Qi Chengzhi stopped her. “I’ll pick you up for lunch. I’m unsure about the restaurants around this area. We’ll go to Dynasty.”

Song Yu rolled her eyes. She looked at him from the corner of her eyes and mocked, “And he says it’s not because of the baby. I didn’t see you coming over to pick me up for lunch every day before this?”

Qi Chengzhi knew that she was not truly mad. She was just pulling his leg, unlike yesterday.

He pulled on her arm. His lips collided with hers. “Don’t argue.”

Song Yu left the car with a smile on her face.

…

…

In the consecutive days, Qi Chengzhi came to pick her up for lunch. If he had business to attend to, he would get Chang Lai to fetch her to Qilin and they would have Dynasty take-out in his office.

On the days when he had to entertain clients during lunch, Song Yu would eat alone in his office. Since Chang Lai would be busy with Qi Chengzhi, Cheng Dongge was responsible for fetching Song Yu.

Qi Chengzhi was adamant about lunch, even when it inconvenienced multiple parties.

This afternoon, Qi Chengzhi was occupied with a luncheon. Cheng Dongge drove the Mercedes-Benz to pick Song Yu up.

Once she was seated in the car, her phone rang. It was Qi Chengyue.

“Song Yu, are you… Are you free?” There was a hint of lingering doubt in Qi Chengyue’s voice.

“What’s wrong?” Song Yu heard the hitch in her voice.

“Guan Xiaolin called me. She asked to meet and I…” She heard Qi Chengyue take a deep breath, then a pause. “I’m a bit nervous. Can you join me for this? I’m worried in my current state, my weakness will be exposed to her.”

Back then, Qi Chengyue could strut and boast in Song Yu’s face because she knew Jian Yi could not afford to leave her. He needed her and the Qi family.

Between Song Yu and her, she knew clearly who Jian Yi would pick.

All her bravado was not brought on by her belief in Jian Yi’s love for her.

Now, she was no longer fooling herself. Comparing Guan Xiaolin and her, she had no clear advantage other than her official status as Jian Yi’s wife.

Since Jian Yi could not gain anything from Qi Chengyue, she no longer had any hold over him.

What Jian Yi wanted, Guan Xiaolin was able to give.

Even though Qi Chengyue was disappointed in him and her love bled dry, Jian Yi was still the man that she had once fallen deeply in love with. While it might be that she was unwilling to lose in any way, it was also possible that she had grown used to their symbiotic relationship through the years.

To this day, her heart was still empty and barren. It was unbearable.

Meeting Guan Xiaolin was equivalent to confronting Jian Yi’s betrayal. It was not Guan Xiaolin that scared her, but the immutable evidence of Jian Yi’s infidelity.

Hearing stories from Song Yu and Qi Chenglin was one thing. Meeting the person was a whole new ball game.

“Where are you now?” Song Yu asked.

“Still in the company. I just came back from T City and got the call from Guan Xiaolin. I called you right after,” Qi Chengyue said.

“I’m going over to Qilin.” Song Yu gazed out the car window. “I’ll call you again when I arrive. We’ll go together.”

After she hung up the phone, Cheng Dongge did not ask but gave her a questioning look instead.

Thus, Song Yu explained Qi Chengyue’s situation to him. Since Qi Chengzhi had Cheng Dongge investigate Jian Yi, there was no reason to hide this from him.

Once at Qilin, Song Yu rang up Qi Chengyue.

As Qi Chengyue emerged from the front door, Song Yu got out of the car. Cheng Dongge followed.

Qi Chengyue was shocked to see Cheng Dongge. Composedly, he nodded at her. “Miss Qi.”

“Let’s get in the car first. I’ll explain everything then,” Song Yu instructed, already seated back in the car.

Qi Chengyue had no choice but to get in as well.

Song Yu explained, “Chengzhi has lunch to attend to this afternoon, so he had Cheng Dongge drive me to his office for lunch. Basically, anywhere I go, he has to have someone following me around.”

Only then would Qi Chengyue look at Cheng Dongge who was sitting in the driver seat. Song Yu asked, “Where did Guan Xiaolin ask you to meet her?”

After Qi Chengyue uttered the name of the restaurant, Cheng Dongge frowned.

The restaurant was not bad, but the ingredients they used definitely could not compare with the fastidious Dynasty. If Qi Chengzhi found out that Song Yu did not have a good lunch…

Song Yu suggested, “Can you call Guan Xiaolin and ask her to meet you at Dynasty instead?”

“That would work too. However, isn’t it too late to make reservations now?” Qi Chengyue asked.

“That’s alright, we can use Chengzhi’s room. If Guan Xiaolin is here for a showdown, we have to do something to let her know who’s the owner.” Song Yu laughed. “Besides, the food here is more delectable.”

She was suffering from morning sickness, yet for some reason, her nauseousness was less severe when she ate from Dynasty. She could even eat more.

Qi Chengyue took out her phone and dialed Guan Xiaolin’s number. As she was waiting for her to pick up, Song Yu suddenly grabbed the wrist of her hand which was holding the phone.

Perplexed, she turned her head around and heard Song Yu said with a small smile, “Use the tone you used on me last time.”

Awkwardly, Qi Chengyue turned away. She did not know what to reply. However, when Guan Xiaolin picked up the phone, she indeed announced the change in meeting spot with a cold and distant tone.

The person on the other side of the phone must have been just as surprised. Song Yu heard Qi Chengyue said with much detachment, “If you want to meet up, come to Dynasty. Otherwise, you can forget about it.”

After Guan Xiaolin said something, Qi Chengyue hung up and declared, “She agreed.”

Cheng Dongge drove them to Dynasty. Song Yu and Qi Chengyue entered Qi Chengzhi’s room while Cheng Dongge stayed in the dining hall and ordered some food to eat while he waited.

Just as he finished ordering, Guan Xiaolin waltzed in with flats, a baseball cap and a pair of shades. She did not have any makeup on.

As Guan Xiaolin entered and saw Song Yu, she was stunned. With a sneer, she taunted, “The ex-girlfriend together with the current wife, how interesting.”

“I’m not the ‘ex-girlfriend’. Jian Yi and I were never together,” Song Yu corrected with a cold tone of voice. “Today, I am here as Chengyue’s sister-in-law. I’m sure you would have noticed, this is Chengzhi’s room.”

Qi Chengyue dumbfoundedly stared at Song Yu. She did not know why but Song Yu’s words settled down her heart, as if she gained someone new to rely on.

“Are you trying to mark your territory?” Guan Xiaolin snickered. She seated herself across them and took off her cap and sunglasses. “Sorry I didn’t put on any makeup coming here. It’s mainly because I’m pregnant and thus, cannot put on makeup.”

Qi Chengyue was dazed for a while. Her face turned pale. Even so, she was not too surprised – she was not shocked as much as she was hurt. Just as Qi Chengzhi said, she had long anticipated a day like this would come eventually.

“Miss Qi, without saying, I’m sure you know whose child I’m bearing, right?” Guan Xiaolin said with much delight.

“Why don’t you tell us anyway? Just to be sure,” Song Yu scorned.

As Guan Xiaolin opened her mouth, a knock on the door interrupted them.

A waiter brought in the food Song Yu had ordered.

Guan Xiaolin raised an eyebrow. Her face turned dark. She could not believe that they still had an appetite.

Song Yu would never starve the baby inside her because of Guan Xiaolin. As the food was served, she dug straight in without a word.

Guan Xiaolin’s face grew darker. With a cold and sharp tone, she declared, “That’s right – the child I’m bearing is Jian Yi’s. We’ve been together for a long time, or should I say, we’ve been together not long after your marriage.”

Song Yu stopped for a while when grabbing her food, then continued to eat.

She did not expect that right after marriage, while Jian Yi was still bothering her and saying how much he loved her when he was still kind to her-he was already hooking up with Guan Xiaolin.

Song Yu felt the urge to vomit, but it was not because of her morning sickness. It was because she could not believe such a disgusting man could exist.

On one end, he was going through marriage with Qi Chengyue, and he was already having his affair with Guan Xiaolin on the other end. Just where did he get the courage to continue bothering her?

“He also told me that since your wedding, you’ve never had a married life again.” Suddenly, she stopped talking, covered her mouth and retched. Then, she continued merrily, “Sorry, I’m pregnant, so I’m experiencing some morning sickness. I can’t stand these smells.”

Qi Chengyue clenched her fists under the table. She could not believe Jian Yi would humiliate her like this in front of Guan Xiaolin.

“Miss Guan, don’t you think you’ve taken this too far?” Song Yu set her chopsticks down and wiped her mouth with a serviette. “No matter what you say, you are still a mistress. Even if you are bearing Jian Yi’s child, you should watch your mouth with us. If Chengyue refuses to get a divorce and decides to be stubborn with Jian Yi, then they can only wait and see who backs down first. At any time, the child you’re bearing right now would become an illegitimate child.

“As for you,” Song Yu raised her chin and pointed it at Guan Xiaolin with open disdain, “With your reputation ruined, you and your illegitimate child can go on and live however you like. Let’s see who will marry a mistress with an illegitimate child. You will be kicked out of this social circle. This may not be the noblest social circle, but we despise people like you. Along with Qi family’s efforts, I guarantee you would never even think about taking a single step into the high society ever again.

Song Yu cackled and sneered. “Miss Guan, the sacrifices you’ve made for Jian Yi are undoubtedly huge. I applaud your selfless devotion to love. You bore Jian Yi’s child, yet in the end, you will not get anything in return. As long as Chengyue refuses to let go, tell me, what will you gain from this? Are you going to spend your whole life waiting for us to give up?”

“Song Yu, this is between me and Qi Chengyue, why are you meddling!” Guan Xiaolin stared fiercely at Song Yu. Her eyes were as large as copper bells. A white rim appeared around her iris as her eyes widened, which made her pupils appear significantly smaller.

“So what if my sister-in-law says a few words in my stead?” Qi Chengyue abruptly said, “A mistress like you comes and makes a fuss with me, the first wife, and you’re proud of it? Why don’t you go ruin someone else’s family? Bear the husband’s child then feel proud about it, you crook!

“Guan Xiaolin, we are cousins. My mom is your aunt, yet you could do such things and not feel embarrassed about it.” Qi Chengyue clenched her teeth and stared at Guan Xiaolin. The longer she stared, the more disgusting her face seemed.

Unexpectedly, Guan Xiaolin chuckled and turned to Qi Chengyue with a face of sincerity.

“In the face of love, what’s there to be embarrassed about? A woman proactively chose to go after a man. She used every trick in the book and successfully reeled him in. They fell in love. No one called that embarrassing. The man realized that this woman was his true love, so he broke up with his girlfriend to be with her. No one called that embarrassing. So why is it, that when I do it, it becomes embarrassing? All I did was fall in love with Jian Yi, and he, with me. The only difference here is a sheet of crummy marriage certificate!” It was now Guan Xiaolin who was staring at Qi Chengyue with disdain. She taunted, “Jian Yi has never loved you. He only married you for your status, and you feel good about that? I have a child with him! Even so, you won’t let go of him?

“Besides, you may still be oblivious about it, but he and I were old lovers. Now, we’re only rekindling that relationship. When you brought him to reunions, how do you think we both felt? We were both eyeing each-you were the only one in the dark,” Guan Xiaolin said with a sharp voice.

“I’m letting go, why would I not?” Qi Chengyue stated calmly and sniggered. “You made Jian Yi your precious treasure. Take him then. You always say he used me, but how do you know that he’s not using you? At least I realized it and freed myself from him. As for you, you have a child with him – there’s no escape now. I sincerely hope you don’t turn into the second ‘me’. When he finds a woman more useful than you and ditch you, you still have to bring his child with you – you can never completely cut ties with him like me.”

“Hehe, Qi Chengyue, you’re just jealous! Do you know how furious I was when I had to watch you two get married with my own eyes? However, that’s alright, I knew he didn’t love you. Isn’t he dating me now? I am the true winner here. As for you, your marriage failed, your man abandoned you – you are just a pitiful woman that no man had ever truly loved before!”

Qi Chengyue had the urge to reply, “Aren’t you just the same?” but she could not muster those words. Guan Xiaolin was right. For many years she lived, it seemed like no one had ever truly loved her, just because she loved herself.

She thought she was loved by someone, but in reality, what Jian Yi loved was her status – once she declared she would not give him anything, he could not even be bothered to show his indifference.

“Since you are so confident, we will just wait and see then.” Song Yu stood up and gave her a cold stare. She produced her phone from her pocket and pressed the ‘stop’ button on a recording. Callously, she said, “Thanks to the things you’ve said today, Chengyue’s divorce with Jian Yi will be even more effortless now.”

Guan Xiaolin’s expression turned on a dime. Her smug face of confidence had gone. Slightly alarmed, she questioned, “What have you done!”

“What have I done? You want to marry Jian Yi. He’s the only person you love, isn’t that right? The Qi family will make sure Jian Yi leaves this marriage without gaining a single cent. He can join your family as a beggar,” Song Yu said in a poised manner. “You joined hands to bully those of the Qi family; do you think they will let you go this easily? Chengyue’s mother is your aunt, so what? Chengyue is her child – how can you compete? A niece caused her daughter to suffer through so much injustice. She may be able to endure this, but Chenglin won’t, and I’ll make sure Chengzhi doesn’t either.

“Though, I am curious – will Jian Yi appreciate a penniless family like the Guan family? I think it’s better if you start saving up for baby formula now,” Song Yu mocked indifferently. “Chengyue, let’s go.”

Qi Chengyue stood up with a blank expression and followed Song Yu out.

Guan Xiaolin sat frozen on her chair. She stared at the doorway in disbelief, but Song Yu and Qi Chengyue had long left.

With her jaw dropped for half a day, she finally said, as if to embolden herself, “For merely a failed wedding, she wants to get revenge on the Guan family? Song Yu, who do you think you are, to be able to control the Qi family? Even if my aunt is mad, it doesn’t mean Grandpa would let her do anything to the Guan family! Song Yu, you are just bluffing!”

Nonetheless, these words were not heard by Song Yu as she had long gotten in the car together with Qi Chengyue.

Guan Xiaolin sat in front of the table full of food in solitude, but she had no appetite.

Originally, she came to gloat and boast; in the end, she was the one left boiling with rage.

Furiously, she threw on her cap and sunglasses and stormed out of the room. In the dining hall, she headed straight for the exit, but she was stopped by a person from Dynasty.

“Miss, you have not paid the bill,” the waiter said.

“What do you mean? That’s Qi Chengzhi’s room, aren’t you supposed to just put it on his tab?” Guan Xiaolin stood in shock.

“When Madam Qi came out just now, she specifically said that you will handle the bill,” the waiter said.

Guan Xiaolin’s face went dark. She asked, “How much?”

“2350,” the waiter said.

“…”

Enraged, she could not believe Song Yu could be so shameless. She was the one who suggested Dynasty to Qi Chengyue, but in the end, they left without paying!

…

…

Cheng Dongge worried that Song Yu and Qi Chengyue would quickly fall out with Guan Xiaolin and come out any time, so he quickly ate his lunch and waited in his seat.

When he saw Song Yu and Qi Chengyue come out, Qi Chengyue was terrifyingly pale. Her eyes appeared hollow.

Before this, Qi Chengyue’s most attractive feature was that pair of eyes – typical of the Qi family. Those large, profound eyes were always filled with spirit. They carried an air of pride, but more conspicuously, a display of confidence and energy. They made her appear especially energetic – more active and youthful.

However, she now appeared many years older. Those eyes were filled with pain and despair. On her doll-like face, those eyes stood out sorely, making those around her feel sympathetic towards her.

Cheng Dongge got up to welcome Song Yu. Discreetly, he stole another glance at Qi Chengyue, then said, “Let’s get in the car first.”

After Song Yu and Qi Chengyue got in, Song Yu asked, “Where would you like to go?”

“I don’t know. You should get back to the company first. I’m sorry for dragging you here. I… wish to be alone now,” Qi Chengyue muttered. She was looking down, so Song Yu could not see her expression. “For today… thank you.”

Song Yu did not insist on staying with her. Qi Chengyue wanting to be alone to calm down was a normal reaction.

She thought that even though Qi Chengyue felt dejected, she would not do anything stupid.

Cheng Dongge drove them to Chengshi. When Song Yu was getting out, she instructed Cheng Dongge, “Special Assistant Cheng, please take good care of her. I will inform Chengzhi about this.”

Cheng Dongge nodded. As Song Yu got out, she stood by the car door and told Qi Chengyue, “If anything happens, call me – no matter what time it is.”

After saying that, Song Yu finally entered the company.

She did not know that just a while after she entered, Yu Keyao came too.

She looked washed-out. She wore a white-laced dress and had a palm-sized pouch carried on one shoulder. With her hands on her chest, she walked into the company.

Just as she was about to step through the front door, a man appeared out of nowhere. With casual clothing on, no one would have noticed him even if he stood by the streets.

He blocked Yu Keyao’s way. With his large stature towering in front of her, she subconsciously took two steps back.

“Miss Yu, please leave,” the man said with a deadpan expression.

“You know me? You…” Yu Keyao’s expression changed.

“I know you are here to see Mistress Qi. Young Master Cheng ordered that neither you nor anyone from the Yu family should go near Mistress Qi. Miss Yu, please leave.

“From today onward, no one from the Yu family is allowed to go anywhere near the mistress,” the man repeated in a cold and distant tone, like a robot.

Yu Keyao bit her lips. Her family’s company did not recover at all like Qi Chengzhi promised. Although Qi Chengzhi did stop harming the company, all he did was stop.

Nevertheless, the problems caused cannot be solved by Yu Zidong. If things continued this way, they would have no choice but to declare bankruptcy.

At the same time, Yu Zidong was going through his divorce with Liang Lihua. At home, disputes went on day after day. Moreover, those from the Liang family came over every day just to point and shout at Yu Zidong.

The studio Yu Zidong was supposed to open for her was never discussed again. Furthermore, the brand buyers and directors who had meetings set up all called in to cancel with the excuse of ‘something came up’.

At first, she thought that once Yu Zidong divorced Liang Lihua, the company would recover and everything would go back to the way it was. That was why when Yu Zidong suggested the divorce, she stood on his side.

Now, not only did the company not recover, but her career was also falling apart. Liang Lihua constantly called her an ingrate.

Thus, the reason she appeared here today was that she wanted to plead with Song Yu, but did not expect that she would not even get to see her.

Seeing that the man blocked her way, she knew there was no way to meet Song Yu.

Yu Keyao had come here several times before. She was going to show up when Song Yu left for lunch but to her surprise, be it lunch in the afternoon or getting off work at night, Qi Chengzhi came to fetch her personally. Even when he was not there, he had someone escort her. There was no way to reach Song Yu.

When Qi Chengzhi came personally, she did not even dare to show herself.

A few days passed without any chance to approach her, so she decided to go straight into the company and meet her during office hours. Unexpectedly, Qi Chengzhi arranged secret bodyguards for Song Yu.

The door was right in front of her – if she could just go through it, she would be able to see Song Yu. Sadly, she just had to be blocked. Unsatisfied, she stomped away, but she did not leave. Hidden nearby, she waited for an opportunity. There was no way this man could stare forever without blinking.

Nevertheless, he did. He stared indefinitely-he did not slack for even a second.

Yu Keyao had no choice but to return home first. As she walked through the doorway, the cries of Liang Lihua were heard. “Big brother, sister-in-law, please be reasonable. From the day I joined this family, I’ve been serious and responsible. I was worried sick for the family. If it weren’t for me shamelessly running to the Song family begging, what would have happened to Yu Zidong? Even so, now, for the company, for his own interest, he wants a divorce!”

Yu Keyao had no choice but to return home first. As she walked through the doorway, the cries of Liang Lihua were heard. “Big brother, sister-in-law, please be reasonable. From the day I joined this family, I was serious and responsible. I was worried sick for the family. If it weren’t for me shamelessly running to the Song family begging, what would’ve happened to Yu Zidong? Even so, for the company, for his own interest, he now wants a divorce!”

“I’ve been his wife who shared all his hardships for nearly 30 years now. When he first started the business, I suffered and pushed through with him. Now, he’s forgotten all about it. For a measly amount of money, he wants to abandon me! What kind of person is he?” Liang Lihua sobbed, her face drenched in tears.

Ever since the divorce was suggested, she had no time to care for herself. She had no makeup on now — the spots on her face stood out sorely. She was in a mess.

“Lihua, rest assured, we’ll help you,” Liang Lihua’s sister-in-law, Ma Yingshu, said passionately. “That Yu Zidong thought there’s no one else in the Liang family, so he continued to bully you! Does he think he can get a divorce so easily? I won’t allow it! Even if he really wants the divorce, you must split the family property fairly. We won’t let him gain a single cent out of this divorce!”

Liang Lihua wailed. She knew Ma Yingshu’s kindness towards her was not sincere. Ma Yingshu was only afraid that the divorce would end with Liang Lihua becoming her family’s problem. Her need to settle the money properly was just so that if Liang Lihua had money, she would not need her family’s help.

Long story short, Ma Yingshu was afraid she might be taken advantage of.

At this time, Yu Keyao walked in. Ma Yingshu stood up immediately. She pointed at her forehead and scolded, “You! Your mother gave birth to you and cared for you your entire life — aren’t you the cause of all the conflict we face today? Now, for your own benefit, you stand on Yu Zidong’s side, not even bothered if your own mother is dead or alive! Raising an ingrate like you, she couldn’t be more heartbroken!”

Ma Yingshu’s finger pointed fiercely at Yu Keyao’s forehead. Hurt, Yu Keyao frowned intensely and screamed, “What are you doing?!”

“What am I doing? What do you think? I’m helping your poor mother teach you a lesson, you unfilial ingrate!” Ma Yingshu pulled up her sleeves, ready to strike. To her surprise, Yu Keyao made the first move and violently shoved her.

“That’s all her fault! What can I do? Anyone with a brain would know you can’t apologize to Song Yu at the last minute, then proceed to scold her again!” Yu Keyao shrieked. “If she didn’t get on Qi Chengzhi’s nerves in the first place, the company would’ve been fine! Now that things have escalated to this point, who’s to be blamed?”

“You —” Liang Lihua raised her head abruptly to look at Yu Keyao. She could not believe Yu Keyao just dumped all the blame on her.

“Yu Keyao! Pampering you was just a huge waste of time! Ever since you were a child, I’ve always stood by you. Even when Song Yu got together with Qi Chengzhi, you wanted to interject, and I supported you, displeased your uncle because of you! You claimed Song Yu stole Qi Chengzhi from you — alright, I supported you. I scolded Song Yu for you, I scolded her parents for you. Now tell me, whom do you think I offended Qi Chengzhi for? It’s all because of you that I’m stuck in this situation now. For that measly amount of money, your father wants to divorce me. At a time like this, you chose to betray me.”

“Yu Keyao, I’m not just anybody — I’m your mother! I’ve done so many things for you, yet you now shift all the blame on me and claim that I brought this on myself!” Liang Lihua stood up. With a face wet with tears, she darted towards Yu Keyao, raised her hand, and gave her a harsh slap across the face. “Are you still human? You truly are from the Yu family — just like your father, you have the heart to do anything for your own benefit!”

“Where do you think I went just now? I went to plead with Song Yu for you, but someone stopped me! I didn’t even get to see her! Still, you call me an ingrate?” Yu Keyao covered her face. Feeling indignant, she burst into tears as well.

“Did you do that for your mother? You did that for yourself! You’re only afraid that even after your parents divorced, the company will still be in shambles! Don’t think I don’t know what goes on in the mind of yours. Qi Chengzhi merely promised to stop taking action against Dong Hua, but he never said he would take responsibility and help Dong Hua get back on its feet — that’s why you went to plead with Song Yu! You shameless thing! Confounding black and white, and right and wrong!” Ma Yingshu scolded, spit spraying everywhere.

“You… How can you say such ugly things?!” Yu Keyao shook with anger.

“There’s more where that came from. You want to hear more?” Ma Yingshu retorted with spit spattering.

“Ma Yingshu, this is my house, the Yu family’s home. What did you say about me? Who are you to occupy our home, unwilling to leave? Ever since my dad suggested divorce, you and your husband moved in with the excuse of helping my mom. The longer you stay here and make a fuss, the longer my dad is away! Ma Yingshu, this is the Yu family’s home, so what do you think you can achieve by staying here? What makes you think you can come to my house to point and shout at me?!” Unwilling to back down, Yu Keyao scolded in a sharp voice.

“You disrespected your elders, you ill-bred thing!”

…

…

As things grew heated over at the Yu household, Cheng Dongge looked at Qi Chengyue through the rear-view mirror. Her head leaned against the window.

Her gaze was cast downwards. Her long hair covered her face and hid her expression.

Cheng Dongge had been driving for a while, but Qi Chengyue did not utter a word throughout the ride.

“Miss Qi.” Cheng Dongge looked into the rear-view mirror. “Where would you like to go?”

He knew she would not want to go back to the company. The house she shared with Jian Yi did not seem appropriate either. He wondered if he should send her to the Qi family’s home.

Qi Chengyue did not say anything for a long time. Just as Cheng Dongge thought she did not wish to speak, he heard Qi Chengyue’s low and frail voice coming from behind. “If possible, just drive me around for a while. I don’t feel like going anywhere now, sorry.”

Cheng Dongge glanced at the rear-view mirror. He could not imagine how Qi Chengyue would look when she apologized to someone.

Her frail and feeble appearance evoked sympathy in others.

Cheng Dongge drove in silence for a long time. Once again, he glanced at the rear-view mirror and noticed Qi Chengyue had disappeared.

At long last, he parked the car by a road. Beside the road, a field of luscious green grass surrounded a lake. This was one of the best places for a picnic in B City. However, not many people were around at this time.

Once in a while, a person or two would walk by the lake, but as it was quite a distance away, they would not be able to make out the situation by the road.

Cheng Dongge got out of the car, walked towards the back door and opened it. The sight he was met with gave him a shock.

Qi Chengyue’s arms were hugging herself. Her torso stuck firmly to her thighs. Her head nearly touched the seat in front of her, while her face was buried between her knees.

Not a sound came out of her, but her shoulders and back shook violently.

Cheng Dongge opened his mouth, wanting to wake her up, but he could not utter a word no matter what. It was as if something was blocking his throat and chest, and it stung.

He stood by the door for a long time. Qi Chengyue’s posture did not change at all, but the tremors grew worse and worse, and it made her seem more and more helpless.

“Miss Qi, you…” Cheng Dongge kneeled down and gently placed his palm on her shoulders.

He felt Qi Chengyue’s body freeze. She no longer quivered. It felt as if she was desperately holding it back, not wanting to be embarrassed in front of others.

She seemed to have not realized the car had stopped and that he had opened the door and stood beside her.

He watched as she stayed in that posture for some time before finally sitting up and raising her head slowly.

Cheng Dongge saw her appearance and was frozen in place without any reaction.

Her long curly hair was disheveled, some strands stuck to her tearful face. Her appearance was not at all elegant and attractive, but scruffy and in a mess. Tears left their tracks on her face. Her swollen, red-shot eyes still held tears, which she was desperately holding back.

Furthermore, seeing Qi Chengyue in such a sorry state, then remembering her arrogant look from before – she had really taken a deep dive. He could not help but pity her.

“Sorry, but can you… can you leave me alone…” Before she could finish her sentence, he pulled her into his arms.

Cheng Dongge’s husky voice sounded in her ears, “You can cry.”

His firm voice had the power to soothe others. After hearing his voice, she suddenly could not hold back her tears anymore, as if the crumbling dam that stood in her heart had suddenly collapsed.

Tears poured from her eyes, yet Qi Chengyue still clenched her teeth and bit her lips. Only when she had reached the limits of her endurance did she let out a small whimper.

However, when the warm and steady palm rested on the back of her head and gently caressed her hair; comforted and consoled her wordlessly, the effect on her was even greater.

Finally, Qi Chengyue gave in. “Waa…” she wailed loudly.

She cried like a child. Her crying was not melodious at all — it was rough and miserable. She cried so hard that she had hiccups, and her sinuses were blocked. Slowly, her snot merged with her tears and ran down her face.

“Why… Just because I loved someone, does that mean I deserve to be trampled like this? Why do some people treat marriage as a way to benefit from others? Why must marriage be about benefits? Why would someone use love to deceive others? Why didn’t he target someone else? Why did it have to be me?! Even if he just wanted the money and status, couldn’t he have at least treated me nicely? Am I unworthy of even a little love and respect?”

As Cheng Dongge listened to her talk and sob, the body in his arms trembled even more — the crying grew louder and louder.

He could feel that his shirt was soaked. Some tears even landed on his neck and slowly rolled into his shirt.

Cheng Dongge did not know how to comfort her. Due to his status, it seemed like whatever he said would be unfitting. Thus, he simply stroked her hair and consoled her in silence.

Qi Chengyue wept for a long time. Suddenly, he heard her say his name, “Cheng Dongge…”

Cheng Dongge was shocked. Previously, she had always called him Special Assistant Cheng, but to hear her call him by his full name felt a little weird.

“The way your fiancée treated you… don’t you feel hurt? She also went behind your back and found a rich man who she thinks can give her more. Why… why are they all like this? The things she wanted, couldn’t you give it to her? How much until she’s satisfied? Why is a man who sincerely loves her and can provide her a comfortable life without worries not enough for her?”

“I… I don’t know.” Cheng Dongge’s voice was hoarse. His throat felt extremely dry.

“How long… have you two been together?” Qi Chengyue asked as she cried.

“Three years. When we first met, I was in my senior year while she was a new student in freshman year. One day, she suddenly showed up in front of me and shouted that she liked me in front of the whole school, then ran away with a flushed face. She has always been a shy girl, yet she had the guts to do something like that.

“After that, she would always appear by my side. She didn’t talk much. When I played basketball, she’d hand me towels and water — she volunteered to help out the basketball team just for me. During self-study periods, she would save a seat for me. Whenever my classes ended, she would wait by the door then follow me. She’d talk to me a little sometimes, but she’d always be blushing heavily. At that time, I’ve already found a job as Chengzhi’s assistant. Nevertheless, I was a poor student back then. I could make a living for myself in B City, but I couldn’t give a girl a good life yet.

“Even though I couldn’t provide her with a good life, and a luxurious one was out of the question, I thought the least I could do was to not let her suffer with me. Why should I drag her with me when I wasn’t even capable of providing for her yet? Therefore, up till my graduation, we still didn’t end up together. We only texted occasionally.

“After that, my career got better and better, and she still stayed single in all those years. Only until the student reunion did we officially get together. I held out on proposing until I was capable of giving her a good life. I felt that proposing to her while I couldn’t provide her with a happy marriage is extremely irresponsible. I never thought that after so many years, she chose to give up now.

“You asked if I felt hurt — of course, it hurts a lot. After all, she’s the one who accompanied me through three years of my life. In those three years, she’s always by my side, and I’ve grown accustomed to her presence in my life. All the effort I put in, it was all so that I could provide her an easy life. I feel discontent that she couldn’t persevere until the end with me. Just when I could satisfy her every need, she left me. I’m also angry with myself. Why didn’t I work harder, marry her sooner, and gave her better? Maybe then she wouldn’t have felt the need to find another man.

“You’re in so much pain now. I think your view is similar to mine. After all, he’s someone you loved, and perhaps you still do. He’s the one you spent your life with, the one you’re willing to marry. Now that things have ended like this, disappointment and sorrow wells up in your heart.

“Truthfully, it’s not that you’re unworthy of love, but that he’s unworthy of yours. You deserve better. My fiancée…” Cheng Dongge stopped. Qi Chengyue seemed to have heard his pained chuckle. “My ex-fiancée thinks she deserves better, so she let me. Thus, you leaving him is also because you deserve better. Jian Yi doesn’t know how to love someone at all, you deserve someone who does. It’s him who’s not good enough for you.”

“It’s not like that,” Qi Chengyue murmured with her forehead still pressed against his chest.

Her refutation surprised him. He looked down but could only see her hair and not her face.

“You’re wonderful. Your fiancée… your ex-fiancée didn’t leave you because you weren’t good enough, neither was it because she deserves better. It’s because she couldn’t cherish what she had. She didn’t know how to be content, and she placed herself on too high a pedestal. I think her choice of leaving you is a huge mistake. She’ll regret it,” spoke Qi Chengyue with confidence.

Cheng Dongge froze. He did not expect her to say that. He thought she was refuting his last sentence. He smiled, unsure of how to receive her words.

Usually, the two of them do not interact with each other much, so he did not know she had such a high opinion of him.

After Qi Chengyue said that, she felt a little awkward. She thought she might have said too much.

Even so, after talking to him, her pain was eased. Even though she was still hurt, at least it became bearable.

Qi Chengyue sniffled. However, her nose was completely blocked. No matter how much she tried to suck in her snot, she could not, so she had to breathe through her mouth. Even so, swallowing her saliva was already difficult enough. The instant she swallowed, her ears felt like they were blocked.

Suddenly, a neatly-folded grey checkered handkerchief appeared in front of her eyes. The fingers holding the handkerchief were long, slender, and clean. The bones were distinct, and the fair skin covering them added to the air of elegance.

Qi Chengyue could not help but imagine how many girls must have thought of him as Prince Charming when he was in university!

Lost in thoughts, it took her a while to realize she was still leaning against her chest and held tight in his arms. Quickly, she moved away and took the handkerchief from his awkwardly.

His warmth lingered on the handkerchief, and so did the smell of his cologne. Nowadays, not many men would have things like this on them. Even women no longer carried handkerchiefs as often.

She saw how clean the handkerchief was and felt bad for using it.

While the air was still thick with awkwardness, Cheng Dongge’s phone rang. She heard him answered, “Young Master Cheng.”

“…”

“Alright.”

After hanging up, he told her, “Young Master Cheng requested that I send you back to the old mansion.”

Qi Chengyue nodded. Cheng Dongge tried to stand up but, unexpectedly, he could not. He fell on his butt with a ‘bam’.

Qi Chengyue watched him in shock. She tried to catch him but was too slow — the hand she reached out caught nothing but air.

Cheng Dongge let out an embarrassed chuckle. “I’ve been kneeling for too long, I can’t feel my legs.”

Qi Chengyue could not help but smile. She shifted to one side, leaving the seat by the door empty and said, “Sit here for a while, and let your legs recover.”

Cheng Dongge held onto the car door and pulled himself up. Seated next to Qi Chengyue, he massaged his numb legs.

The two of them were not close so the atmosphere was quite awkward. Qi Chengyue looked down while using Cheng Dongge’s handkerchief to wipe off her tears. Although she felt bad about it, she still had to sneeze out the mucus blocking her nose.

“This… I’ll bring it home and wash it. I’ll return it to you tomorrow,” Qi Chengyue said shyly.

With a quick “mm”, Cheng Dongge got out of his seat and moved to the driver seat.

…

…

The car stopped in front of the Qi family manor, where Qi Chengyue got out and Cheng Dongge followed.

Before leaving, Qi Chengyue said, “Thank you for today.”

Even though it was all under the command of Qi Chengzhi and Song Yu, it did not change the fact that he was willing to stay with her for so long. She was touched, and at the same time, felt sorry for him.

Cheng Dongge smiled. He watched as Qi Chengyue entered the courtyard. Then, he moved to the courtyard entrance where he could see Qi Chengyue walked toward the front door and pressed the doorbell.

Not long after, the door opened. Guan Liya appeared at the doorway. When she saw Qi Chengyue, she immediately embraced her.

Only then did Cheng Dongge turn away. He got in the car and drove away.

“Mom…” Qi Chengyue’s lips trembled. Her sore throat started to quiver again.

Guan Liya loosened her but her hand stayed firmly on her back. “My dear child, you’ve been through so much pain. Why didn’t you tell your family? Come, let’s get you inside.”

Guan Liya brought Qi Chengyue into the house. She realized that everyone was gathered there. The atmosphere in the living room was heavy.

Perplexed, she stared blankly at them. Grandmother Qi’s eyes were red. She waved at Qi Chengyue. “Chengyue, come, have a seat. No matter what happens, you’ll always have us! It’s going to be okay!”