Just as Qi Chenyan put down his phone, he saw his little wife running toward him with small quick steps.
There were no traffic lights between the television station and the parking lot across the street, and cars streamed endlessly along the road.
Crossing straight through like that—there was a crosswalk, but it was still far too dangerous.
Qi Chenyan frowned, opened the car door, and got out.
Yu Li had just reached the edge of the crosswalk and hadn’t started across when her phone rang.
She looked down and saw it was Qi Chenyan calling.
Wasn’t he already right across the street? Why call?
Yu Li answered in confusion, and the man’s clear, melodious voice came through: “Stay where you are. Don’t move.”
Before Yu Li could process why he was telling her not to move, she looked up, and her gaze froze in place.
The man was tall and slender, wearing a knee-length black trench coat over a fine-check shirt, paired with black trousers and custom-made leather shoes.
His posture was as straight as a pine, yet his steps were like the wind. Combined with his strikingly handsome, refined features, even the most ordinary crosswalk somehow became a runway show under his stride.
It reminded Yu Li of the time she’d been browsing online and came across netizens swooning over him, saying Qi Chenyan carried the air of a young nobleman meticulously cultivated by an ancient aristocratic family.
Every gesture and movement exuded the effortless elegance of a Wei-Jin dynasty scholar.
It was just that Qi Chenyan’s legs were so long—before Yu Li even realized it, he had already crossed the crosswalk and arrived in front of her.
Yu Li couldn’t help but feel a pang of regret—she’d been so absorbed in watching that she’d forgotten to take a photo!
“Why did you get out of the car? I was going to come find you.”
Qi Chenyan’s gaze settled on her, calm and indifferent, but carrying a hint of disapproval.
“From now on, no matter what you’re doing, don’t rush, and definitely don’t run. You’re not alone anymore, understand?”
Yu Li blinked.
He got out of the car specially just to tell her this?
Before Yu Li could respond, Qi Chenyan reached out and took hold of her wrist.
The man’s fingers were long and large; one of his hands could encircle both her wrists.
But he gentlemanly didn’t grip it fully—only half.
Still, through the contact of his warm fingertips against the skin of her wrist, a current like electricity shot through Yu Li, leaving her stunned and frozen.
By the time she came back to her senses, Qi Chenyan was already leading her across the road.
And the man thoughtfully opened the car door for her, gesturing for her to get in.
Yu Li’s ears inexplicably felt a little hot. She thanked him and quickly got into the car.
Qi Chenyan followed unhurriedly behind her.
Once in the car, Yu Li, in a rather transparent attempt to cover her embarrassment, touched her earlobe.
“Um, actually, my health is pretty good. Even though it’s been a month, I haven’t felt anything at all. You don’t need to worry so much.”
Qi Chenyan’s gaze rested on her.
Nearly a week without seeing her, and his little wife was still as beautiful as she’d been the day they registered their marriage—a beauty with all the delicate charm of Jiangnan.
Skin like creamy jade, rosy lips and pearly white teeth, and especially those eyes like autumn water—lively and vivid, like the brightest star in the night sky.
Since she wasn’t showing yet, she wore a forest-green round-neck knit top today, paired with high-waisted trousers, a coffee-colored belt making her waist look slim enough to encircle with one hand.
The very picture of a polished urban beauty.
Qi Chenyan didn’t argue with her words. He gave an “mm” and asked, “Which hospital is the appointment at?”
“The First People’s Hospital, obstetrics and gynecology.”
Qi Chenyan glanced at the driver, who immediately set the navigation for that hospital.
In truth, the driver’s gossipy soul was practically on fire.
When did the Director get married?
And he had a child too?
Leaders who had been close to the Director all used to say his temperament was too reserved and cold—apart from work, he barely acknowledged his own family.
They had introduced plenty of outstanding women to him, but the Director refused them all outright without meeting a single one.
So much so that many people worried Qi Chenyan would end up married to his job, growing old alone.
Who would have thought the Director, after years of silence, would come out with everything at once—a wife, a child, a warm home!
“Weren’t we supposed to meet at the hospital? You really didn’t have to come pick me up specially. I have a car.”
Qi Chenyan’s tone was flat: “I just got off the plane and didn’t have time to drive myself. I didn’t want you waiting too long, so I simply came straight over.”
Yu Li let out an “oh.” Who would have thought—this man looked so cold and aloof, but he was actually quite considerate and thoughtful. Points for that.
“So, me asking you to come keep me company for my prenatal checkup—did it disrupt your work?”
Qi Chenyan shook his head slightly, his voice as weighty as sinking gold: “Work is important, of course, but accompanying my wife to her prenatal checkup is equally important.”
“Aren’t you the one who said that registering the baby’s file is something special and sacred?”
Yu Li nearly choked on her own saliva.
“Wife”—such an intimate, tender word. How could he say it so earnestly, without a trace of embarrassment?
Keep in mind, when she’d texted him earlier, it had taken Yu Li a long time to mentally prepare herself before she could type out those two words—”husband.”
A slender, jade-like hand appeared, holding a bottle of mineral water, offered to her.
Yu Li took it, thanked him, and used drinking water to cover her awkwardness—poorly.
As the car pulled away, across the street at the television station, an assistant happened to glance through the glass window and saw Yu Li getting into a car.
“Jianyue, look! Yu Li just got into an official government car. And that car doesn’t look like an ordinary one either. When did Yu Li get to know some big shot?”
Because it was too far away, the license plate wasn’t visible, but from the exterior alone, the car was clearly different from ordinary official vehicles—low-key yet distinguished.
By the time Qi Jianyue looked over, she only caught the rear of the car, but she vaguely felt it looked familiar.
“No wonder she’s so calm. Looks like she’s latched onto some minor official. She thinks being a low-level employee gives her access to someone of Qi Chenyan’s caliber? What a pipe dream.”
The assistant was swept along by Qi Jianyue’s reasoning. “And here I thought she’d really hooked some big shot. Now it’s clear—she knows time is running out and is grasping at straws.”
“Let’s just sit back and watch her make a fool of herself.”
After the car was parked, just as Qi Chenyan was about to get out, a soft, fair hand caught his arm.
Qi Chenyan looked down.
Yu Li, as if performing a magic trick, produced a face mask.
“I say, Director Qi, do you really have no idea of your national-level influence?”
“Do you believe me if I say that if you show up at the obstetrics department with your face uncovered, the trending topics will explode that very day? When your marriage goes public, don’t go blaming me for it.”
Qi Chenyan took the mask, the corner of his lips curving slightly. “That was my oversight.”
His attitude in admitting fault was excellent too—not the type to throw his status around, act high and mighty, and love lecturing people. More points.
After Qi Chenyan put on his mask, Yu Li suddenly moved closer.
“Wait a moment.”
She reached out and cupped Qi Chenyan’s face.
A woman’s fingertips were much softer than a man’s.
The warm, gentle touch made Qi Chenyan freeze mid-motion, his spine going rigid in an instant.