Chapter 135: Let’s Have a Baby

The conversation in the hospital room came to an abrupt standstill at Xu Qichen’s unexpected arrival.

Anyone could see what Gu Pingsheng felt for Wen Zhixia. If he had not loved her to the very marrow of his bones, who would have risked his life to save her? But—

They also knew that Wen Zhixia had introduced Xu Qichen’s identity long ago.

Under the circumstances, it was impossible for the atmosphere not to turn awkward.

On the phone, Wen Zhixia had not explained the situation in detail, so Xu Qichen paused slightly when he saw what was happening in the room. Yet the innate gentlemanliness and refinement in his nature allowed him to maintain his usual gentle smile.

“Xiaxia, I’m here to take you home.”

Gu Pingsheng had gone so far as to feign illness and weakness. How could he possibly be willing to let Xu Qichen walk in and lure her away?

“Xiaxia, Aunt Zhao will be bringing lunch soon. Youzhi heard that you were here and came along too,” he said.

Xu Qichen’s eyes paused for a moment.

That child…

Wen Zhixia pressed her lips together, clearly troubled. When Gu Pingsheng had called Aunt Zhao, the older woman had specifically asked what she wanted to eat, and Wen Zhixia had answered. At the time, however, she had not imagined that Xu Qichen would come as well.

The employees who had come to visit exchanged glances. When they saw the three of them locked in an obvious standoff, they offered their farewells and left first. After all, no matter whether Wen Zhixia stayed or went, one of the two men was bound to look terribly unhappy.

They were all prominent figures. None of them could afford to lose face in front of others.

“Thank you for the offer, President Gu, but lunch has already been prepared at home as well.” Xu Qichen took Wen Zhixia’s hand. “Let’s go.”

Wen Zhixia met his eyes. She could not bring herself to refuse him. After a pause of two or three seconds, she began, “Gu…”

“Ah, my leg hurts.”

Gu Pingsheng threw back the covers and tried to get out of bed. He had barely moved before he sucked in a sharp breath.

Wen Zhixia’s eyelids twitched violently. She released Xu Qichen’s hand and hurried over.

“Why are you getting up instead of lying still? Do you want to lose the use of your leg?”

Gu Pingsheng seized the opportunity to take her hand. “You said you would look after me. My leg hurts now.”

Wen Zhixia frowned. “I…”

“Are you going to break your word?”

Wen Zhixia drew in a deep breath and shot him a glance. “I wasn’t planning to leave.”

The corners of Gu Pingsheng’s lips lifted. Xu Qichen’s fingers twitched slightly.

Wen Zhixia helped him back onto the hospital bed, then turned to Xu Qichen.

“Qichen, I… He was injured saving me. I may need to… take care of him a little longer over the next couple of days.”

After saying this, she lowered her eyes slightly, unwilling to see Xu Qichen’s expression.

Xu Qichen looked at her for several seconds before raising a hand to caress the corner of her eye.

“Then shall I come back for you tonight?”

His words held no trace of temper, which only made Wen Zhixia’s feelings more complicated.

“All right.”

The smile that had been hanging on Gu Pingsheng’s face stiffened.

She was going back tonight?

Before leaving, Xu Qichen gave Gu Pingsheng a slight nod, displaying the magnanimity expected of a man from a wealthy and influential family.

But to Gu Pingsheng, it looked exactly like a provocation.

As soon as Xu Qichen had gone, he confronted her.

“You’re really going back tonight?”

Wen Zhixia had refused to leave with Xu Qichen then and there, but she could hardly reject the entirely reasonable excuse of returning home that evening.

“Yes.”

Yes?

“You intend to keep playing both sides between him and me? Wen Zhixia, you only have one body and one heart, yet you plan to fit two men inside it? When are you going to break things off with him?”

Wen Zhixia’s brows drew together. Her eyes lowered.

“Take care of yourself and get well.”

“You’re entangled with another man, and you expect me to recover properly?” Although Gu Pingsheng was doing his best to suppress his anger, he could not entirely control his words.

“Our relationship… ended three years ago,” she said.

Therefore, there was no question of her playing both sides between two men. But deep down, Gu Pingsheng had always believed that she still belonged to him.

When the little boy and Aunt Zhao arrived, the child immediately sensed that something was wrong with the atmosphere. He tilted his head, looking first at Wen Zhixia and then at Gu Pingsheng. Finally, he took his small, quick steps toward Wen Zhixia and wrapped his arms around her legs.

“Mommy.”

Wen Zhixia’s gaze softened faintly.

Aunt Zhao laid out the meal boxes.

“President Gu, Madam, lunch is ready.”

At dusk, Wen Zhixia left with Xu Qichen. Just as they were about to walk out of the hospital, she remembered that she had forgotten her phone. It was the new phone she had bought after replacing her SIM card. After telling Xu Qichen, she turned back to retrieve it.

Inside the hospital room, Zhou Anbei held a file in his hands.

“…The meeting with the head of KM has already been postponed for two days. His flight is at four tomorrow afternoon. If you don’t go in the morning, you’ll miss this opportunity for cooperation. Madam will be going out with Li Yueting tomorrow to meet someone for a blind date. You can use that time to leave. I’ve already spoken with the doctors and nurses here. No one will reveal that your leg isn’t seriously injured.”

Wen Zhixia had one foot inside the doorway. At those words, she stopped dead.

Not seriously injured?

Wasn’t his leg…

At that moment, her phone, lying inside the room, began to ring. Gu Pingsheng glanced over and saw Wen Zhixia standing at the door. A flicker of panic crossed his deep-set eyes.

“Xiaxia, why have you… come back?”

Wen Zhixia walked in, picked up her phone, and stared at him without saying a word.

Almost instantly, Gu Pingsheng realized that she must have heard everything.

Zhou Anbei had not expected her to return either, and for a moment he had no idea what to say.

“Was it amusing to deceive me with something like this?” Wen Zhixia asked coldly.

She had genuinely believed that his leg might never recover. That was why she had gone to such lengths to find doctors for him. And yet…

From beginning to end, he had been perfectly fine. He had simply made a fool of her.

“I never intended to deceive you. My leg really was injured.” Gu Pingsheng climbed down from the bed, dragging one leg as he pressed a hand against her shoulder. “I only… exaggerated things a little.”

A little?

Furious, Wen Zhixia struck him with her bag.

“Gu Pingsheng, if I ever trust you again, there’s something wrong with my brain! Let go of me!”

The corner of the bag struck his body. Gu Pingsheng frowned but did not release her.

“Listen to me first. Don’t be angry. I only did this because I wanted to spend a little more time with you. Ever since you came back, have you given me a single kind look?”

If he had had any other option, why would he have resorted to such a foolish scheme?

Wen Zhixia’s phone rang again. It was the doctor. She answered the call in front of Gu Pingsheng, and a clear voice came from the other end.

“…President Wen, could there be some problem with the medical records you sent over? According to the scans, the condition isn’t nearly as alarming as the diagnosis suggests…”

The doctor had phrased it tactfully, considering that the records bore the name of the provincial hospital.

Judging from the scans, it was merely an ordinary fall. The soft-tissue injuries looked somewhat severe, but there was no indication that it would result in paralysis or permanent disability.

Wen Zhixia looked coldly at Gu Pingsheng.

“Yes, there was a mistake. I’m sorry to trouble you.”

Gu Pingsheng had not expected her to take his medical records to someone for consultation. He was left speechless. Even if he had not been found out today, the deception clearly could not have lasted much longer.

“I…”

Wen Zhixia pried his hand away and left without looking back.

Gu Pingsheng watched her retreating figure, his brows drawing tightly together.

He pressed a hand to the shoulder she had struck with her bag.

She had certainly hit hard.

When Xu Qichen saw Wen Zhixia return with a face as cold as ice, he gently squeezed her hand.

“What happened?”

Wen Zhixia hesitated, but in the end she did not tell him about Gu Pingsheng’s foolish scheme.

“Nothing.”

Seeing that she was unwilling to say more, Xu Qichen did not press her.

When they returned to Garden View, Wen Zhixia sensed at once that something was different. There were hardly any servants in the villa, yet the living room had clearly been decorated with deliberate care. The main lights were off, but tiny points of light glittered beneath their feet, leading all the way toward the dining room. The table was covered with blooming flowers, and candles had been lit.

“What is this…”

Xu Qichen embraced her from behind.

“Xia, shall we… have a child?”

A child?

Wen Zhixia’s back stiffened.

“Why did you suddenly come up with that idea?”

“I know you like children very much. I heard that you could treat Gu Pingsheng’s child with another woman so thoughtfully. I believe that if we had a child, you would be a wonderful mother too,” he said softly.

Wen Zhixia’s thoughts were in disarray. She truly liked that little boy, but it had nothing to do with whose child he was.

It was simply the instinctive closeness one felt toward a child.

“Qichen, the company has only just been established. I can’t…”

Xu Qichen took her hand, threading his fingers through hers, and led her to the table.

“I’ll find someone capable to handle the company’s affairs. You won’t need to spend too much time on it. If you decide to return to work after giving birth, I won’t stop you. We can hire a professional nanny to care for the child.”

He had already thought of solutions for every concern that might make her hesitate. Clearly, this was not a spontaneous idea but something he had considered carefully.

He cut the steak into pieces and placed them before the silent Wen Zhixia. His voice was gentle.

“I know this may seem sudden, and you might need time to think it over. I won’t force you. I’m only discussing it with you in advance, so don’t put too much pressure on yourself.”

Wen Zhixia ate her steak absently.

“I’ll think about it carefully.”

Xu Qichen smiled.

“I’ll wait for you.”

In the bathroom, Wen Zhixia stood beneath the shower, thinking about what Xu Qichen had said at the dining table.

They had been married for quite some time. At first, Xu Qichen had taken her health into consideration, and she herself had never been inclined toward that sort of intimacy, so the matter had been postponed again and again.

Although they were husband and wife, their relationship had never progressed any further.

Except—

That time in Berlin, when he had drunk two extra glasses and walked into her room.

Wen Zhixia had never guarded herself against him. She had no habit of locking her bedroom door, and he had always treated her with respect.