Hai City, First People’s Hospital.
“Ms. Shen, here are your ultrasound results. Based on the findings, you’re six weeks pregnant.”
“What’s even more delightful is that there are two gestational sacs in your uterus.” The doctor smiled and continued, ”Congratulations, truly…”
Shen Shiwei lowered her eyes and placed a hand on her still-flat belly, asking in confusion, ”Two gestational sacs? I have two babies inside me?”
The doctor nodded affirmatively. “That’s right. You’re carrying a pair of twins.”
After listening to the doctor’s instructions on pregnancy precautions, Shen Shiwei folded up the test report, put it in her bag, and pressed it to the very bottom.
When she walked out of the hospital, Shen Shiwei looked a little dazed. She raised her head and gazed at the clouds on the horizon.
The sky had been clear and sunny just moments ago, but in the span of a few minutes, it had become overcast with dark clouds, flashing lightning and rumbling thunder.
Hai City hadn’t seen rain for over a month—it looked like a heavy downpour was coming today.
Shen Shiwei sighed softly and raised her hand to hail a taxi.
After getting in, she told the driver, “To Yujiang Residence, please.”
The car moved forward slowly as raindrops the size of beans pelted the roof with a drumming sound.
Shen Shiwei watched the droplets trickle down the car window in winding trails, a trace of melancholy settling between her brows.
She really hadn’t expected that just that one time would do it…
She and Gu Zeyue had been married for over two years. It was nothing but a business arrangement—they hadn’t married out of love.
After the wedding, Gu Zeyue lived in the master bedroom while Shen Shiwei stayed in the second bedroom, with a very clear boundary between them.
Most of the time, Gu Zeyue would head straight to his study after dinner, while Shen Shiwei watched television in the living room or practiced calligraphy and painting in her studio.
Though they lived under the same roof, they barely spoke to each other each day.
Everything had been peaceful and uneventful—until a month ago, when an unexpected incident shattered that balance.
That night, Gu Zeyue came home dead drunk, stumbling as the driver helped him through the door.
Shen Shiwei had never seen him that drunk before. She quickly stood up and hurried over, helping get Gu Zeyue to his room.
Once Gu Zeyue was laid on the bed, the driver bowed and withdrew.
Shen Shiwei caught the faint scent of alcohol in the air and frowned in distaste. She reached for the blanket and gently draped it over him.
Just as she turned to leave, Gu Zeyue grabbed her slender wrist and, with a slight tug, pulled her into his arms.
Before Shen Shiwei could react, Gu Zeyue lowered his head and kissed her lips.
He breathed in the fragrance drifting from her hair, losing himself in her sweetness…
A red rose quietly bloomed in the dark of night.
The next morning, they both woke up and greeted each other good morning as if nothing had happened, as though the previous night had never occurred.
If it weren’t for the nausea she’d been feeling these past couple of days, Shen Shiwei wouldn’t have gone to the hospital for a checkup at all.
She had thought she’d simply come down with gastroenteritis, which was why she kept feeling nauseous and had no appetite for meals.
During the consultation, the doctor had asked her as a routine question: “Have you had marital relations recently?”
Shen Shiwei froze for a moment, then answered honestly, “Yes.”
The result of the examination: Shen Shiwei was six weeks pregnant.
It had all happened so suddenly that she was left at a complete loss.
In over two years of marriage, Gu Zeyue had never touched Shen Shiwei before that night.
As for whether Gu Zeyue even wanted children, Shen Shiwei had no idea…
He probably didn’t want it, that’s all.
She and Gu Zeyue had a marriage of convenience—a two-year contract, during which they had to play the role of a loving couple in front of everyone.
Gu Zeyue had invested five hundred million into the Shen family’s company, allowing them to survive their cash flow crisis.
The only reason he married Shen Shiwei was that his mother approved of her. With no one in his heart, it made no difference to him whom he married.
And all Shen Shiwei had to do was play the role of Mrs. Gu well.
The two-year term had come and gone, yet neither Shen Shiwei nor Gu Zeyue had brought up divorce. The matter had dragged on for several more months like this.
“Yujiang Residence is here.” The car pulled over, and the driver turned to speak to Shen Shiwei.
She paid the fare and got out. Outside, heavy rain was still falling.
The roads were slippery in the rain, and worried about falling, Shen Shiwei walked slowly home, getting soaked along the way.
After taking a hot shower at home, Shen Shiwei headed into the kitchen and busied herself preparing dinner, waiting for Gu Zeyue to come home to eat.
Just as she finished making dinner, the sound of the door opening came from the entrance.
Gu Zeyue took off his suit jacket, gave it a casual shake, and hung it on the rack in the entryway.
Shen Shiwei carried the dishes out and smiled at him. “You’re back? Go wash your hands and eat.”
All she got in return was Gu Zeyue’s cold reply: “Mm.”
Shen Shiwei had fought back her morning sickness to make him four dishes and a soup, and seeing how distant his attitude was, she couldn’t help feeling a little hurt.
After washing his hands, Gu Zeyue rolled up his shirt sleeves slightly and sat down across from Shen Shiwei.
As he drank his soup, Shen Shiwei hesitantly spoke up. “Zeyue… there’s something I want to tell you…”
“Hm?” Gu Zeyue raised his handsome brows slightly, his deep eyes fixed on her as he waited for her to continue.
“I’m…” pregnant.
At that very moment, Gu Zeyue’s phone rang.
“I need to take this call.” Gu Zeyue rose with his phone in hand and walked out to the balcony.
Shen Shiwei let out a soft sigh. She had finally worked up the courage to lay everything out and tell him about the baby directly.
Now that courage had scattered all over again.
A few minutes later, Gu Zeyue returned after finishing his call, but he didn’t sit back down right away.
“Shiwei, I have to go out for a bit.” Gu Zeyue frowned slightly, his voice cold and stern. “Whatever it is, we can talk when I get back.”
“Okay, go ahead. Drive carefully.” Shen Shiwei forced a faint smile onto her face.
Gu Zeyue put on his jacket, grabbed his car keys, and left.
Watching Gu Zeyue’s hurried departing figure, Shen Shiwei’s throat tightened, her chest feeling as if something were blocking it.
Before Gu Zeyue had answered the phone, Shen Shiwei had seen the caller ID: Yunyue.
Lin Yunyue was Gu Zeyue’s childhood friend, someone Shen Shiwei had met once. She had been studying abroad for her master’s degree these past few years and rarely returned home.
Old Master Gu and Old Master Lin were old army comrades. After leaving the military, Old Master Gu chose to start a business, while Old Master Lin went into politics.
The two families were old friends, and Lin Yunyue and Gu Zeyue had always been close.
Before this, Shen Shiwei had even heard rumors that Gu Zeyue was in love with Lin Yunyue.
Shen Shiwei stared at the carefully prepared four dishes and soup on the table. She blinked, and tears burst forth, falling into the soup bowl and sending tiny ripples across its surface.
This was the meal she had made while fighting back her morning sickness. This was the meal she had poured her heart into.
Gu Zeyue had taken just one sip of soup before being called away by a single phone call.
Braving the wind and rain outside, just to go see Lin Yunyue—was he really that eager?
Shen Shiwei sniffled, wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes, picked up the soup in front of her, and drank it all down in one go.
Then she got up and began clearing the table, dumping all the food into the trash.
After showering, Shen Shiwei lay on the living room sofa, wanting to wait for Gu Zeyue to come home so she could continue talking to him about the baby.
She waited until two in the morning, but Gu Zeyue still hadn’t come home.
Shen Shiwei stopped waiting for him and went back to her bedroom to lie down, but she tossed and turned all night, unable to sleep.
Lin Yunyue had called Gu Zeyue out, and he hadn’t come home all night.
This made Shen Shiwei’s heart sink to rock bottom.
She shouldn’t harbor any illusions. Gu Zeyue had married her only to satisfy the arrangement made by the elders in his family.
He had no feelings for her at all.
Not before, and probably never in the future either…