Chu’e’s face changed dramatically: “What do you mean?”
Chu’e snatched the B-ultrasound report, hurriedly saying, “I’m going up!”
“Wait!” He quickly grabbed her, looking suspiciously at her belly, “You… are pregnant?”
Chu’e remained silent.
The doctor looked at the report and asked, “Have you had an abortion before?”
“No!” She answered decisively.
“Oh,” the doctor glanced at her, “Then let’s do a medical abortion. I’ll prescribe the medication!”
Leaving the hospital, the sky had already darkened. A cold wind blew in her face, making her shiver. Her thoughts became clearer, and she hesitated, Am I really going to terminate this child? Her mind was somewhat in a trance.
“Chu Chu!”
It was Luo Xuan’s voice. She looked over, and he emerged from a red sports car, “Get in!”
“Why?” she asked instinctively.
He was straightforward, directly saying, “Let me treat you to a meal!”
She shook her head, “No need…” Before she could finish, he had already grabbed her arm and dragged her to the car.
She was shocked, “What are you doing?”
He said nothing, just pushed her into the car and forcefully fastened her seatbelt.
“Didn’t I say I’m treating you to a meal?” he started the car.
“But I don’t want to eat!” she said glumly.
He was silent for a moment before saying, “If you don’t want to eat, does the child not want to eat?”
She suddenly became angry, “What’s it to you?”
Luo Xuan looked at her through the rearview mirror for two seconds, then said, “Why make the child suffer for the actions of adults?”
Chu’e was stunned. She stopped talking, letting him park the car in front of a restaurant, then get out, unbuckle her seatbelt, and hold her hand upstairs to a private room.
They were all appetizing dishes, light and not greasy, with a bowl of lean meat porridge. “Eat,” Luo Xuan sighed, “Eat well, so you’ll have strength to go home!”
Chu’e silently took the porridge, forcing a smile, “Where’s your mother?”
“I had her take a taxi home. I told her I had something to do!”
“Is she okay?” She mechanically spooned the porridge into her mouth, tasteless.
He hesitated, “Nothing major, just some… women’s issues!”
“Oh!” she responded, then said nothing more.
Luo Xuan watched her finish the porridge before asking, “Is the child his?”
She began to force herself to eat, even without appetite. She had to eat. Without eating, where would the child get nutrition? So, she ate and vomited, vomited and ate, in a repeated cycle, causing her to become increasingly emaciated during her pregnancy.
Just in her midnight dreams, she could always dream of Gu Yunzhi, dreaming of him gently placing his head on her belly, saying: “Xiao E, the little guy is kicking me again…” Upon waking, tears would wet a large portion of her pillow.
Since deciding to keep the child, Chu E rarely used the computer, afraid that radiation would affect the child’s health. She would write manuscripts by hand, then type them into the computer, spending no more than three hours in front of the computer each day.
Unexpectedly, she received an email from Lin Lan. The email contained no words, only an intimate photo of her and a young, handsome boy at Zhangjiajie, where she was smiling happily, her face showing an unrestrained, heartfelt joy.
She had finally let go! At that moment, Chu E’s heart was filled with mixed emotions.
On this day, Luo Xuan came again. Chu E did not drive him out like last time. She lazily leaned on the sofa, eating apples in big bites. Soon after, she ran to the bathroom to vomit profusely. Then she returned and continued eating.
Luo Xuan was heartbroken watching her. He worriedly looked at her thin face, “Chu Chu, are you really determined to keep this child?”
She remained silent.
Luo Xuan sighed, “Have you thought about the child’s future? What will become of his future?”
Her apple-biting motion paused momentarily. She fixed her gaze on his face, a mocking smile hanging at the corner of her mouth, “Wasn’t it you who said the child is innocent?”
“I…” Luo Xuan was at a loss for words. He sighed, “Chu Chu, I think you should talk to Gu Yunzhi. Tell him about the child.”
“Already talked!” Chu E continued eating her banana expressionlessly. “He doesn’t believe the child is his!”
” A rush of blood surged to Luo Xuan’s head, his voice involuntarily rising, “He doesn’t acknowledge the child is his?”
Chu E gave a cold laugh in response.
Luo Xuan turned and walked away silently. Chu E alertly asked, “Where are you going?”
“I’m feeling stuffy, going downstairs for a walk!” Luo Xuan finally squeezed out these words after holding back for a while.
Chu E stared at him, “I’ve told you, this is my matter. I have my own judgment. You’d better not interfere!”
“I know!” Luo Xuan said in a muffled voice, then opened the door and left.
Gu Yunzhi was holding a meeting for the planning department when the door was suddenly kicked open. A tall, handsome young man burst in: “I’m looking for Gu Yunzhi!”
The meeting was interrupted. The front desk assistant followed behind, looking panicked, “I’m sorry, President Gu. This person insists on seeing you…”
Gu Yunzhi waved his hand, signaling his subordinates to leave. “May I ask who you are?” He frowned, looking at the young man before him.
Luo Xuan narrowed his eyes, “You’re Gu Yunzhi, right?”
Yunzhi had just nodded when he was struck with a heavy punch. “You…” Before he could react, he was hit again in the jaw, pain spreading, and a trace of blood appeared at the corner of his mouth.
Seeing his sorry state, Luo Xuan felt immensely satisfied: “These two punches are on behalf of Chu E, hitting you, this irresponsible bastard who dares to do something but won’t admit it…”
Yunzhi touched his jaw, stunned, “Chu E?”
Luo Xuan sneered contemptuously, “Don’t tell me you don’t know Shen Chu E! Not even acknowledging your own child, what kind of man are you? Chu E was truly blind to have fallen for a useless person like you!” After throwing out these contemptuous words, he patted his clothes and left, disregarding Yunzhi’s stunned expression.
Unexpectedly, the doctor who was supposed to examine him was not there, reportedly on vacation and not returning for two months.
So, he went to the same hospital he had visited two years ago. He remembered that the doctor who examined them then was a distant relative of Song Yunhua’s, surnamed Zhang.
When he arrived, Aunt Zhang happened to be on duty. Yunzhi glanced at her name tag: Zhang Lan. Having not seen each other for two years, Zhang Lan no longer recognized him and asked professionally, “What seems to be bothering you?”
Yunzhi smiled slightly, “Aunt, don’t you remember me?”
Zhang Lan was somewhat surprised, “Who are you?”
“I’m Yunhua’s husband, Gu Yunzhi!”
“Oh—” Zhang Lan finally remembered, her face immediately filling with a smile, “I recall now! You’re the young man from the Gu family.”
Two years ago, you and Yunhua came here for a checkup…”
Working in such a place, she rarely encountered familiar faces, and her daily work was monotonous with few people to talk to. Seeing Yunzhi, Zhang Lan inexplicably felt more comfortable. She looked at him caringly, “How are things? Still no children? Haven’t you adopted one?”
Yunzhi gave a bitter smile and shook his head.
“Alas!” Zhang Lan sighed, “Yunhua following you is considered a blessing. Anyone else would have divorced long ago. It’s fortunate that your Gu family still treats her this way…”
Yunzhi carefully pondered her words, feeling there was more to them. So he continued along her line of conversation, “Yunhua has always gotten along well with my parents, and they really like her…”
