“Was that… fetal movement?!
Is this also the effect of the spiritual spring?”
The feeling was incredibly strange. Song Qiaoan gently stroked her belly the little life inside moved again and again, as if acting coquettishly toward her.
This was her child, her most precious treasure.
In her previous life, she had carelessly undergone an abortion at a shady clinic. When she woke up, all she saw was a pool of blood. Thinking of it now, her fingers trembled uncontrollably, her nose stung, and tears slipped down her cheeks.
“I’m sorry… I’m sorry, my baby…”
Mommy loves you so much. This time, Mommy will definitely protect you and take you to find your father!
Song Qiaoan sniffed, her eyes filled with unprecedented determination.
She walked into the villa. It was exquisite and beautiful, with two floors and fully furnished ready to live in immediately.
What surprised her most was that the first floor was actually a large supermarket. Inside were items that were either hard to buy outside or didn’t even exist yet sealed behind a transparent glass barrier.
A sign above said purchases required points, but she had no idea how to earn them. Her current points showed zero.
After staying in the space for a while, Song Qiaoan didn’t even want to leave.
But when she thought about having to meet Wang Shichang tomorrow, her head started to ache.
She really didn’t want to see that pervert. Even after death, when she watched him being executed, she hadn’t felt even the slightest relief.
That kind of fear and bone-deep pain was like sharp spikes piercing into her marrow. Not just decades even hundreds or thousands of years wouldn’t be enough for her to forget.
Song Qiaoan didn’t want to admit it, but she was truly afraid.
Her leg bones shattered by iron rods, scalding hot water poured over her body, flesh splitting open with blood her cries and pleas only brought more vicious abuse.
Before her consciousness faded, the last thing she saw was the man’s twisted, excited expression that was her eternal nightmare.
Her hatred had never been less than her fear, but fear felt more real.
Still, no matter how afraid she was, she had to go.
Wang Shichang was not someone to be trifled with. If she openly turned against him, it would only provoke him and bring even worse retaliation.
Before she was fully prepared, she could only pretend to be obedient and not act rashly.
The next day, she forced down her fear and arrived at the restaurant. The moment she saw his face from afar, her mind exploded with a “bang” as the nightmares of her past life came flooding back.
Her face turned deathly pale. She dug her nails into her fingertips, forcing herself to stay calm at the very least, she couldn’t let him notice anything unusual.
“Qiao’an, long time no see.”
The man’s hair was slicked back with shiny pomade, its smell sharp and unpleasant. A fake smile was plastered on his face he appeared gentle and polite, but if you ignored his mouth, you could clearly see the cold malice and cruelty in his eyes.
“I bought you a little gift. Do you like it?”
Wang Shichang took out a box of Friendship Snow Cream and, as he handed it over, deliberately brushed the back of her hand.
“This is a scarce item I specially had someone get it for me.” His gaze stuck to Song Qiaoan’s face.
“Thank you. You’re too kind.”
“Once you’re with me, you won’t lack this kind of good thing. That pretty little face of yours if it gets rough, I’ll feel heartbroken.”
He casually fiddled with the flowers on the windowsill, his tone teasing. “A woman is like these flowers she needs someone to ‘nourish’ her to bloom beautifully.”
He deliberately emphasized the word “nourish,” his gaze lewd, as one hand reached across the table, trying to touch Song Qiaoan’s hand.
Song Qiaoan abruptly pulled her hand back under the table. Her stomach churned, and she felt so nauseated she almost vomited.
The entire meal felt like sitting on pins and needles. After that, no matter what Wang Shichang said, she only responded with cold, perfunctory words.
Whenever he tried to make physical contact, she deliberately avoided him. She didn’t touch any of the dishes he ordered, only took a few bites of what she ordered herself not because she lacked appetite, but because she feared he might tamper with the food.
Distant and cold, yet leaving no fault to be found.
Naturally, Wang Shichang sensed something was off. In the past, she had been quiet because she hadn’t agreed to marry him.
But Song Jianren had clearly said two days ago that she had agreed to the marriage. If she agreed, then who was she putting on this act of chastity for?
Was she playing him?
He lowered his gaze, hiding the chill in his eyes. His grip on the chopsticks tightened until his knuckles turned white. He didn’t have the patience to play house with her.
Taking a deep breath, he slowly spoke, “I heard from your father that you’ve finally agreed to marry me.”
After a pause, he looked up at her. “A woman has to face this sooner or later. The Wang family has strict rules. Once you marry in, you must behave and listen. If you serve me well, you won’t lack benefits.”
As he spoke, he reached out to grab her hand again. Song Qiaoan picked up a napkin to wipe her mouth, deftly avoiding him.
The man’s expression darkened, and the smile vanished from his eyes.
Without looking at her, he stared at the knife on the table, his voice calm yet carrying a strange, eerie hint of amusement. “After we eat, I’ll take you to see our wedding house?”
Song Qiaoan’s breath tightened. She didn’t dare refuse but she didn’t dare agree either.
Her eyes quietly scanned the surroundings. The front desk staff looked natural not his people. The street outside was crowded, and there was even a police car parked nearby.
She steadied herself slightly and curved her lips into a faint smile. “Maybe next time. I have to go back to work this afternoon. I’ll take a proper look another day.”
“There’s no need to rush with work,” Wang Shichang said casually. “After we’re married, you can give me two sons, then quit your job and stay home to take care of the children and my mother. She’s worked hard her whole life, so you’ll need to serve her well.”
Song Qiaoan’s fingers tightened around her cup until her knuckles turned white. In her previous life, she only learned after marriage that Wang Shichang was actually infertile like a castrated eunuch, completely useless.
The more powerless he was physically, the more twisted he became mentally he could only gain satisfaction through abusing women.
Whatever Wang Shichang said afterward, she responded vaguely, then found an excuse to leave in a hurry.
She couldn’t even remember how she replied or how she left.
Wang Shichang stared at her departing figure, his gaze growing darker.
This woman didn’t know what was good for her but she was undeniably beautiful. Fair skin, red lips, pure yet alluring, slender arms and waist everything about her stirred his desire.
Thinking of her deliberate coldness just now, anger surged in him. He wished he could tie her up and take her home immediately.
No he couldn’t wait until marriage.
Such a rare beauty right in front of him, yet untouchable who could endure that?
He narrowed his eyes, his gaze dark. It seemed he needed to visit Song Jianren and his wife again to figure out a way to “have her” as soon as possible.
After leaving, Song Qiaoan went to her workplace. Since she had decided to go to the countryside to find Fu Chen, this job was no longer useful to her but she would never hand it over to Song Weiwei for nothing.
No one in Song Jianren’s family would have it easy.
As she passed a street corner, the People’s Cinema across the road had just finished a showing. A crowd poured out, while another group of young people laughed and pushed their way in. Song Qiaoan’s sharp eyes caught a familiar figure.
Song Jiabao?
“Wasn’t the ticket 30 cents? Why is it 50 now?”
A male classmate with Song Jiabao complained. He usually paid 30 cents and hadn’t brought enough money today.
An explanation came from the ticket window: “The projection equipment has been upgraded. This is a new featured film, so the price is higher.”
“That’s too expensive…” The boy with a crew cut looked troubled and muttered irritably.
“Forget it. You guys watch I’m going back to school.”
They had skipped class to sneak out, already nervous. Now they couldn’t even get into the cinema, and all of them looked dejected, losing interest.
“I don’t have enough money either. I’m heading back too. The college entrance exam is coming I don’t want my mom nagging me.”
Seeing his friends about to leave, Song Jiabao grew anxious. “Why leave? What a buzzkill! You don’t have money? I do!”
He pulled out a ten-yuan bill and slapped it onto the counter. “My treat today let’s have a great time!”
“Wow, Jiabao, where did you get so much money?” Everyone was shocked. As far as they knew, the Song family wasn’t well-off anymore he had never been this generous before.
“Don’t worry about it. I won’t be short of money anymore,” Song Jiabao said proudly.
His mother had told him that once Song Qiaoan married into the Wang family, they would receive a large sum of money as promised plus the bride price. She even said she’d use the money to buy him a big villa and find him a beautiful wife!