17 A Husband Who Will Take Care of You and Raise the Child
Si Zhanhan entered the room to find Ling Qing Ruan lying on the hospital bed, curled up into a small, delicate bundle that looked so fragile a gust of wind could carry her away.
Her petite face was deathly pale, her lips devoid of color. Her large, dark eyes were tightly shut, and her thick lashes trembled slightly.
“Ruan Ruan…”
The man’s deep, magnetic voice resonated in the room.
Ling Qing Ruan didn’t respond, nor did she dare open her eyes. She didn’t know what to do or how to face Si Zhanhan.
Would Si Zhanhan directly have the baby in her womb removed? Or would he let her secretly give birth and have the child become his illegitimate offspring?
She’d heard that wealthy people like him often had many illegitimate children. But she didn’t want her baby to be one of them.
Seeing Ling Qing Ruan’s trembling eyelashes, Si Zhanhan knew she was already awake. He sat beside her, placing a large hand on her pale forehead.
“Ruan Ruan?”
“Ruan Ruan, open your eyes. There’s something I want to discuss with you.”
Ling Qing Ruan moved her pink lips slightly, then turned over, presenting the back of her head to the man behind her.
“I’m asleep.”
A faint trace of amusement flickered in Si Zhanhan’s unfathomably deep eyes, and his cool lips curved into a subtle smile.
“If you’re asleep, how can you still talk to me? Hmm, are you lying to me again, little girl?”
Ling Qing Ruan turned back, her large dark eyes fixed on the man before her. Tears suddenly welled up and streamed down onto the pillow.
She pouted her pink lips. “What do you want to say?”
Seeing her tears, Si Zhanhan used his rough fingers to wipe them away.
“Why are you crying again? You cry so easily, my Little Crybaby.”
He gently pinched the tip of her nose.
“Don’t touch me.”
Ling Qing Ruan swatted his large hand away, sniffled pitifully, her eyes reddening as she pouted with an air of delicate grievance.
“Alright, I won’t touch you. Ruan Ruan, you’re carrying a baby in your belly. It’s mine. I’m sorry.”
Si Zhanhan’s dark, inky pupils were bottomless, his butterfly-like lashes lowered as his gaze fell on the girl’s flat stomach, which showed no signs yet.
Ling Qing Ruan cried even harder, her sobs shaking her small frame. With surprising strength, she grabbed Si Zhanhan’s large hand and bit down hard.
Si Zhanhan didn’t pull away, allowing her to sink her teeth into the back of his hand without showing any pain on his face.
Was she… was she going too far? Would she bite off a piece of his flesh?
After what felt like an eternity, Ling Qing Ruan finally released his hand, leaving behind a distinct set of teeth marks.
Looking at the adorable bite mark on his hand, a faint smile tugged at Si Zhanhan’s lips. This little girl was soft everywhere—even her biting didn’t hurt.
Ling Qing Ruan lifted her head, her expression unusually serious. “Si Zhanhan, I know you don’t want this child. I don’t want it either. Let’s have it removed.”
“Who said I don’t want this child? Who told you that?”
Si Zhanhan’s pupils remained fixed on the girl’s beautiful little face. With such a pretty mother, wouldn’t their baby be equally beautiful?
He gently placed a large hand on the girl’s lower abdomen. Ling Qing Ruan’s body stiffened instantly, and she shrank back, wrapping herself in the blankets.
“Si Zhanhan, do you want to have it and let it be an illegitimate child? I don’t want my child to be born illegitimate. Besides, I still need to finish university. So, I won’t keep this child.”
Si Zhanhan slowly withdrew his hand. The little girl was still resisting him.
“Ruan Ruan, our child won’t be illegitimate. I’ll apply for a one-year leave of absence for you. After you give birth, you can return to Imperial University to continue your studies. How does that sound?”
His tone carried a note of pleading. He truly wanted to keep this child. At twenty-eight, approaching thirty, this was his first woman and his first child.
“No, I can’t have a baby. I’m still so young, and… even if I had it, I wouldn’t know how to raise it.” Ling Qing Ruan’s voice trembled with tears.
She’d heard that having children made you age and grow ugly, that your stomach would be covered in stretch marks, and your health would deteriorate. She refused to go through that.
No, absolutely not!
Si Zhanhan gently ruffled her hair with his large hand, his gaze tender as if looking at a willful child.
“Ruan Ruan, as long as you have this baby, you can have anything you want. I can marry you. I’ll take care of the baby. After the baby is born, you can return to Imperial University to finish your studies.”
Ling Qing Ruan, “No.”
She buried herself under the covers, hiding like a quail.
She absolutely would not have a baby.
Si Zhanhan understood that the girl was too young and couldn’t yet accept her pregnancy. He decided to drop the topic for now.
So, he pulled a few pink milk candies from his pocket.
“Ruan Ruan, your favorite strawberry-flavored milk candies.”
The moment Ling Qing Ruan saw the candies, her eyes lit up. She quickly peeked out from under the covers, gazing longingly at the sweets in the man’s hand.
(′つヮ⊂)
They looked delicious.
With his slender fingers, Si Zhanhan unwrapped a candy and placed it directly into the girl’s mouth. Ling Qing Ruan’s large, watery eyes blinked, her expression one of pure bliss as she savored the treat.
“Is it good?”
“Mm, it’s good. But… Si Zhanhan, you think you can trick me into having a baby with just a few candies? I won’t do it.”
Did he think he could bribe her with a few candies? Impossible! She had principles!
Si Zhanhan raised an eyebrow. The silly girl was getting clever—a few candies weren’t enough to fool her anymore.
No matter. He’d just offer more.
“Little girl, if you marry me, you’ll have endless candies every day, plus all kinds of snacks.”
Ling Qing Ruan’s almond-shaped eyes glistened. She was suddenly feeling tempted. The thought of eating lots and lots of milk candies every day…
All sorts of snacks—Spicy sticks, cola, potato chips, lollipops—all her favorites!
Seeing her hesitation, Si Zhanhan knew the little girl was swayed. He continued to tempt her,
“Besides, if you marry me, you’ll have endless money to spend, and you’ll get a husband who will take care of you and raise the child.”
Ling Qing Ruan furrowed her delicate brows. This was so tempting! Si Zhanhan would make her bed, buy her clothes, and get her all kinds of food.
(,,.,,)
“Although I’m a bit older, I’ll spoil you endlessly. So, little girl, think it over carefully.”
Si Zhanhan marketed himself earnestly, leaning his handsome face close to the girl.
His frost-kissed eyebrows, deep-set eyes, tall nose bridge, sensual lips—every feature was sculpted and three-dimensional…
Once again, Ling Qing Ruan found herself captivated by the man before her, her large eyes fixed intently on his face.