Chapter 3
Edward Quan ·
After dinner, it was bedtime.
Shen Xinglin climbed into my bed as though he belonged there.
All those long arms and legs looked horribly cramped on my tiny single mattress.
He didn't care.
Instead, he happily patted the little sliver of space beside him.
“Wifey! Come to bed!”
I showed no mercy.
Kicked him and his blanket onto the floor.
He sat on the rug, bewildered.
I pointed outside.
“Sleep on the sofa.”
Instantly unhappy, he clutched his belly and stared at me.
Wounded. Stubborn.
“No! I'm pregnant. I can't sleep on the sofa.”
I folded my arms.
“Should I sleep there, then?”
“No!”
He was very serious.
“Pregnant people get nightmares at night. I need my wife beside me to sleep properly.”
I clicked my tongue.
Narrowed my eyes and studied him.
Then smiled.
Crouching, I leaned close to his ear.
“Want to sleep with me?”
I lifted the hem of his shirt.
Slowly traced a circle over his firm abs.
And whispered with a laugh, “Aren't you afraid I'll do something to you tonight… and hurt our baby?”
Shen Xinglin:
!!!
His face went scarlet.
He gave me one shy, frightened glance.
Then picked up his blanket—
and obediently fled to the sofa.
Watching his flustered retreat, I laughed until I couldn't stand straight.
Those happy days went on for a while.
Every day, I found new ways to tease him.
Sometimes his mother called or dropped by.
Each time, I threatened him not to tell her what was really going on.
And he…
Always did as he was told.
Today, I went to the supermarket.
Dragged him along as my packhorse.
On the way back, I strolled ahead, eating ice cream.
Behind me, Shen Xinglin followed with bags hanging from both hands.
He gazed pitifully at my ice cream.
“Wifey… I want some too.”
I put an enormous spoonful in my mouth.
“No. Pregnant women can't have cold food.”
His eyes drooped.
“But… pregnant women aren't supposed to do heavy lifting either…”
I smiled at him.
“What was that?”
His head immediately lowered.
Not another word.
Satisfied, I kept eating and strolling home.
But when we reached my building…
I stopped.
A tall, beautiful young woman was waiting.
She looked as though she'd been there a while.
I frowned.
Jiang Luo.
I knew her.
Head secretary at Shen Xinglin's company.
An outstanding graduate back from studying abroad.
Daughter of a property magnate.
And… his childhood sweetheart from next door.
Also one of the reasons we'd broken up.
The moment she saw us, she hurried over.
Her voice was reproachful.
“How can you let Mr. Shen do this?”
She reached to take the bags.
He quickly dodged and hid behind me in alarm.
She froze.
“You…”
“So Auntie Shen wasn't lying.”
I watched her with my arms folded.
Said nothing.
She withdrew her hand and stood beside me.
“What do you want?” I asked.
She looked me up and down.
“I have something to say.”
“Then say it.”
She moved closer, wearing a faint smile.
“Miss Liang. I know a secret about you.”
I raised a brow.
“What secret?”
Her smile turned strange.
“You're pregnant. Two months. But it's not your boyfriend's baby.”
“It's someone else's.”
First, I stared.
Then laughed.
“Miss Jiang… what makes you say that?”
She glanced at Shen Xinglin and deliberately raised her voice.
“Two months ago, at the company celebration, you cheated on Xinglin.”
“You slept with Gu Yan.”
I laughed aloud.
“You sound so sure. What, did you install a camera on me?”
She gave me a mocking look.
Clearly prepared, she took a photograph from her bag and waved it in front of me.
Triumph filled her voice.
“You should be thinking about what happens if Xinglin and Auntie Shen see this.”
I looked.
The picture showed my back as I helped Gu Yan into a hotel room.
“No denying it now, is there?”
She slapped it into my palm.
I smiled calmly.
“You didn't come all this way just to tell me that, did you?”
“No.”
She nodded.
“I want to take Xinglin home and look after him.”
As she spoke, I glanced behind me.
Shen Xinglin was standing there, apparently oblivious, absorbed in braiding my hair.
I shrugged.
“Fine by me. Take him if you want.”
Keeping him all this time had done me no favors.
Cooking every day. Coaxing him to sleep.
Dealing with surprise inspections from his mother.
I'd been hoping someone would take this burden off my hands.
“But Auntie Shen has to agree,” I added. “She's the one who left him with me.”
Jiang Luo looked at me with contempt.
“Just as I thought.”
I had no idea what she thought.
She put on her sunglasses.
“A smart woman knows when to walk away. Miss Liang, I hope you'll end your relationship with Xinglin promptly. Stop stringing two men along. I'll be happy to keep your secret.”
I gave a faint smile.
With the ice-cream spoon in my mouth, I drawled, “Shen Xinglin, let's go home.”
Then waved.
“Suit yourself.”
That evening, his mother arrived with Jiang Luo.
She looked astonished.
“Xiaoxin, Xiaoluo says you and Xinglin have broken up.”
“Is it true?”
I set a freshly brewed cup of tea before her.
Nodded.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
She sounded anxious.
“You've always been so good together.”
“Has he done something to hurt you?”
“No.”
I shook my head.
“We're simply incompatible.”
The truth.
I liked excitement, fun, freedom.
Shen Xinglin…
Was an emotionally frigid workaholic.
Stay with him much longer, and I'd go mad.
His mother took my hand.
“But you've been together so long. His father and I are very fond of you…”
“Auntie Shen!”
Jiang Luo interrupted with a strained smile.
“If they've broken up, we shouldn't stop Miss Liang from finding happiness elsewhere.”
“Xinglin and I grew up together. With him like this… why not let me take care of him?”
I sank back into the sofa and blew across my tea.
Said nothing.
His mother gave her a peculiar look.
Then asked me, “Have you asked Xinglin?”
“No.”
I looked toward the bedroom.
“He's in there.”
“I'll call him.”
When Shen Xinglin was “released” from the bedroom, he looked miserable.
“Wifey… why did you lock me in?”
I didn't answer.
Pointed at Jiang Luo.
“From now on, you're going with her.”
“Why?”
He stared.
Then immediately protested.
“No! I'm carrying our baby. I can only stay with you!”
I shook my head.
“Wrong. It's Jiang Luo's baby, not mine.”
His face turned white.
He stared at me, hurt and disbelieving.
“You… don't want me and the baby?”
I leaned against the wall and smiled.
“I don't raise other women's children.”
His lips moved.
No words came.
He looked so wounded and hopeless he might burst into tears.
Jiang Luo hurried forward.
“Be good, Xinglin. I'll take care of you.”
“And our baby.”
She reached to stroke his face.
He immediately dodged.
Tried, by instinct, to hide behind me.
Unfortunately…
There was only a wall behind me.
I turned.
“It's late. You should all go.”
He stood silently in the shadows.
Watched me for a long time.
Finally…
He quietly left with his mother.
That night, I met Liang Xing at our usual bar.
A glamorous woman walked over and teased, “Well. I'd wondered what man had made our Liang Xin give up drinking.”
“So this is the one.”
She lightly touched my stomach.
I took a sip of milk and smiled.
“Oh, please. It's only been two months. You already know whether it's a boy or a girl?”
She laughed.
“Can't I want a handsome nephew who looks just like Shen Xinglin?”
Sitting opposite me, she sighed.
“You sent him away?”
“Yes.”
I put down my glass.
“Hasn't Jiang Luo always wanted him?”
“I'm just being helpful.”
Liang Xing clicked her tongue and rapped my head.
“Do you know who that is? Shen Xinglin! And you handed him to another woman? Is there something wrong with your brain?”
I shrugged.
“So? I don't like him anymore.”
“Besides… the longer this drags on, the more can go wrong. What if his family finds out I'm pregnant and tries to take my baby?”
Her teasing expression vanished.
“Have you really thought this through?”
I stretched.
“Yes. A professor in Australia has accepted me. Dad's already bought me a house there. I'm leaving the month after next. Mum will come too.”
“I'll return after the baby's born.”
She tapped my head again.
“Your parents spoil you rotten. They're even going along with this nonsense.”
I put an arm around her shoulders and grinned.
“What nonsense?”
“One: his genes are fantastic. Tall, long legs, handsome, high IQ. I haven't lost out.”
“Two: I get a baby without the headaches of a mother-in-law or a husband.”
“Free as a bird. What's not to like?”
She could only sigh and shake her head.
“One day, you'll regret it.”
I wasn't bothered.
Tipped back glass after glass of milk.
“I'll deal with it when I do.”
“Even without Shen Xinglin, Liang Xin isn't short of men.”