Chapter 223: Chapter 223 - Should We Head to the Hospital to Find out the Baby’s Gender?

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Suddenly, Qi Zhongxun’s voice sounded in the living room, “He hasn’t left yet. I think it’s a Touareg. The logo is blocked by the courtyard door, but it looks like one.”

“A Touareg?” Guan Liya blinked several times.

“Aiyah, since when did you become a detective!” Qi Chengyue hurriedly said, “You two wait here.”

Just now, when Qi Chengyue entered, Guan Liya had her occupied for so long that she had no time to change her shoes. Now, she must head out again.

She stood at the doorway and saw Cheng Dongge’s black Touareg still parked in front of the courtyard entrance. She rang up Cheng Dongge and questioned, “Why haven’t you leave?”

“I’m leaving now,” came Cheng Dongge’s light and soft voice reply from the phone.

“Just now... my parents saw us from the window,” Qi Chengyue told. She did not walk up to him in person to avoid making him feel awkward. It was only the first day. It would not have been unusual for him to be uncomfortable with going in. However, her parents saw him, so it would not leave a good impression if he did not come in.

“Mm,” Cheng Dongge replied in a murmur.

Qi Chengyue asked shyly, “Would you... like to come in? I don’t want you to feel pressured. My parents are just overly anxious. We just started seeing each other, it’s perfectly normal if you think this is going too fast—”

As she rambled on, the Touareg’s car door abruptly opened. Cheng Dongge stepped out of the car. Without glancing at her, he walked to the back of the car, popped open the trunk, and took out two boxes.

He walked to the courtyard door and said into the phone, “Come open the door for me.”

“Okay.” Qi Chengyue was puzzled. She hurried to the door and opened it for Cheng Dongge. Concerned, she asked, “Are you sure you want to come in?”

“I entered this relationship with the intention of marrying you someday, so I’ll have to go in eventually.” Cheng Dongge held the two boxes with one hand and grabbed Qi Chengyue’s hand with the other.

“These two boxes—” Qi Chengyue turned her gaze to his hand.

“I’ve always had them prepared in case I have to meet your parents,” Cheng Dongge explained.

“...” Qi Chengyue was speechless.

Once they entered the courtyard, the door opened. Guan Liya and Qi Zhongxun were standing at the doorway.

The two of them had been spying from the living room window. When they saw a man got out of the Touareg, they were exuberant. They widened their eyes to take a good look at the man.

After Cheng Dongge entered the courtyard, they could finally see him clearly. When they saw that it was Cheng Dongge, their jaws dropped.

“Mister Qi, Mistress Qi,” Cheng Dongge greeted composedly.

“Ah, Dongge!” Guan Liya, who was never close to Cheng Dongge, greeted amiably.

She did not think even for a second that Qi Chengyue could have been with Cheng Dongge.

With Cheng Dongge, she could rest assured that character would not be a problem. Being able to stay with Qi Chengzhi for so long, she knew he must be an outstanding person.

Additionally, Qi Chengzhi and Qi Chenglin had always trusted him. Even Qi Zhongliang had praised him before—that was something rarer than diamond.

“Come on in, come on in.” Guan Liya could finally be at ease. Relieved, she grinned from ear to ear.

Guan Liya turned to Qi Chengyue and said, “This child! Being with Cheng Dongge is good news! Why did you hide it from us?”

“Mister Qi, Mistress Qi—” Cheng Dongge addressed. Before he could continue, Guan Liya interjected.

“You don’t have to be so reserved. Just call us Aunt and Uncle!” Guan Liya interjected. She showed him a million times more enthusiasm and affability compared to Jian Yi.

She knew every aspect of Cheng Dongge. She was especially content with this turn of events.

There were so many families tossing their daughters toward Cheng Dongge. How could she be unsatisfied with him ending up with Qi Chengyue?

Even Qi Zhongxun could not stop grinning. Cheng Dongge said, “It’s already so late. Suddenly being called to meet Aunt and Uncle for the first time, I regretfully couldn’t prepare a proper gift.”

Cheng Dongge handed the two boxed to Guan Liya. Under the sufficient lighting of the house, Qi Chengyue could make out that the boxes he took out from the trunk contained bottles of Hungarian noble rot wine.

Guan Liya had keen eyes—in one glance, she knew that the two bottles of wine Cheng Dongge gifted were no cheaper than those famous authentic French wine brands. One bottle might cost just as much as a bottle of Mouton.

Guan Liya knew he was earning a lot. The money might not have been a big deal to him, but Guan Liya still glared at him with disapproval. “Isn’t it too early to prepare such gifts? From now on, you’re like family to us. I won’t stop you from bringing gifts, but don’t buy anything so expensive anymore.”n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Cheng Dongge only smiled and kept silent. Guan Liya proceeded to drag him into the living room to have a seat.

Nonetheless, he did not stay long as it was late. After half an hour of chatting with Qi Zhongxun and Guan Liya, he stood up and excused himself.

Qi Chengyue also stood up to send him off. Qi Zhongxun suggested, “Since you two are seeing each other now, Chengyue, you should bring Cheng Dongge to the old mansion tomorrow for the family gathering and let everyone meet him. The whole family is worried about you—they’d all be relieved to hear about you and Dongge.”

Qi Chengyue did not reply immediately. She turned to Cheng Dongge and waited for his nod of approval. Only then did she agree.

When Qi Chengyue went out to see Cheng Dongge off, Guan Liya could not help but sigh. “Our girl has changed. When she was with Jian Yi, she would’ve never asked for his opinion before agreeing to such things. With Cheng Dongge, even a small decision like this she would ask for his approval—as if she’s afraid we might bully him.”

“That’s true, but it’s a good thing—it shows that he can put her in her place. It’s beneficial for the development of their relationship,” Qi Zhongxun pointed out. Finally, he could take the load off his mind. Crossing his legs, he watched the news on his laptop in peace.

“Ah, Chengzhi and Song Yu must’ve put in a significant amount of effort for this to happen. I should give them a call to inform them of this.” Guan Liya picked up her phone and looked for Qi Chengzhi’s number.

“It’s late, don’t disturb them,” Qi Zhongxun advised.

“It’s late, but the youngsters nowadays don’t sleep so early,” Guan Liya protested. “Isn’t Cheng Dongge going to the old mansion with Qi Chengyue tomorrow? Isn’t it better to let them know earlier?”

...

...

Qi Chengzhi made some calculations in his mind and drew a circle around a date on the calendar. When he put down the calendar, Song Yu asked, “After the three months, should we head to the hospital to find out the baby’s gender?”

“Why? Are you impatient to find out?” Qi Chengzhi reached under her pajamas and cupped his searing palm onto her soft belly. Slowly, he tugged her pajamas upward, revealing her chalk-white belly.

She was lying flat on the bed, so her stomach still appeared flat.

“No, but it’d be easier to decide on a name if we find out quicker. Also, we can buy the right clothes and toys. Won’t it be too late if we waited until it’s born?” Song Yu replied. Her lower abdomen was pulsing.

Qi Chengzhi did not react. He simply bowed his head to kiss her tummy. She could not tell if he was listening at all.

Kissed by his warm, soft lips, her lower abdomen pulsed. Song Yu grabbed him by the shoulders. “Are you listening?”

“I heard you. I don’t mind. If you want to check, then go ahead. It’s convenient to go to Lao Chu’s hospital after all,” he uttered in his husky voice while kissing her belly. Inch by inch, he worked his way upward. His nimble, elegant hands were placed on her pajamas, where his long, slender fingers started to undo the buttons.

“Phone.” Song Yu sat up and pulled her pajamas back down but he pulled it up again. “Stop messing around and pick up the phone.”

Song Yu gently kicked his leg. “I’m going to pick up if you don’t.”

Qi Chengyue mumbled a simple “mm” as his hand steadily inched upward underneath her pajamas.

Song Yu hit his hand but he refused to remove it. She extended her arm and felt for Qi Chengzhi’s phone on the bedside table. After seeing the caller’s name, she immediately seized his hand. “Knock it off. It’s your aunt calling.”

Only then did Qi Chengzhi answer the phone with an annoyed expression. Song Yu could not tell what Guan Liya was saying on the phone but whatever she said, Qi Chengzhi would only answer with an “Oh”.

The instant he got off the phone, Song Yu inquired about what happened.

“Nothing much. Just that Cheng Dongge and Chengyue are now together, and they’ll be going to the old mansion together tomorrow.” Qi Chengzhi tossed his phone onto the bedside table.

“It’s good news, so why are you brooding?” Song Yu asked, puzzled by his reaction.

With a glum expression, he shot a glance at her. Clenching his teeth, he grumbled, “I put in so much effort so that he can end up with Qi Chengyue, yet that fellow let his mother-in-law call me in the middle of the night and ruined it. The next time I see him, I’m going to kill him!”

After saying that, he pulled the covers over his head and buried himself in his pillow.

“...” Song Yu stared at him, speechless. His mood swings were worse than hers, even though she was the one pregnant.

She got under the covers with him and slowly pressed herself against him. Plucking up her courage, she reached down and touched his private part. Flushed, she leaned over and kissed him on the lips.

She felt his strong, muscular arms wrapped around her. In a low, coarse voice, he teased, “You want it?”

“...” Who was the one that wanted it? She was only trying to cheer him up!

Seeing his smug expression, Song Yu could only bite the bullet and nod.

Qi Chengzhi even smirked and raised his eyebrow, ridiculing her.

“...” Song Yu regretted trying to cheer him up but before she could do anything, Qi Chengzhi pressed her against the bed and started kissing away.

...

...

The next morning, Cheng Dongge arrived at Jade Field Park to bring Qi Chengyue to the mall. They needed to pick out a gift to bring to the Qi family’s old mansion.

It would not have been his first time at the old mansion. As Qi Chengzhi’s assistant, he had introduced himself to the Qi family before. However, introducing himself as Qi Chengyue’s boyfriend was a whole different feeling.

Zhou Mingyan was out of breath. Jade Field Park was a high-end residential area. Everyone who came and went were big shots, so they had cars and drivers—there was no need for public transport. As a result, there were not any bus stops or train stations nearby.

Zhou Mingyan took the bus early in the morning. She had to walk along three streets to get to Jade Field Park. After entering the residential area, she still had to walk a significant distance before arriving at Qi Chengyue’s house.

Seeing a black Touareg parked in front of Qi Chengyue’s house, Zhou Mingyan quickened her steps. She peeked through the intricate designs on the courtyard gate to find out what was happening in the mansion.

Suddenly, the mansion door opened. Zhou Mingyan swiftly hid behind a wall. Peeking her head out, she peeked into the courtyard again and saw Guan Liya walked out of the mansion dressed neatly and with makeup. Qi Zhongyun was beside her, and so was Cheng Dongge and Qi Chengyue. Cheng Dongge left a deep impression on Zhou Mingyan’s mind. He was the man who Qi Chengyue had an affair with. The day she went to Qilin, he was also the one who shoved her away.

Zhou Mingyan scoffed. She could not believe Qi Chengyue had the nerve to say she was innocent. Fresh out of the divorce, she was already holding hands with Cheng Dongge, yet she claimed there was nothing between them before the divorce. Who would believe that!

The four of them walked side-by-side. Guan Liya advised Cheng Dongge, “You two don’t have to buy anything too expensive—it’s the thought that counts. Grandpa and Grandma aren’t picky after all. Be careful on the road, and do arrive earlier at the old mansion. That way, Grandpa and Grandma will know you’re serious about this relationship. Ah, the two of you being together is good news. When Grandma hears about it, she’ll be thrilled.”

Qi Chengyue and the others walked to the courtyard door and when they opened it, Zhou Mingyan jumped out and gave Guan Liya a fright.

“Aiyah, what are you doing?” Guan Liya patted her chest. Suddenly appearing like that, Guan Liya could not tell who it was, but once she realized it was Guan Liya, her expression shifted. “What are you doing here!”

Cheng Dongge moved in front of Qi Chengyue, shielding her. His expression turned dark.

“In-laws, Chengyue—” Zhou Mingyan uttered. Her words no longer carried an air of arrogance.

“What do you mean ‘in-laws’?!” Guan Liya fumed. Her hatred toward Zhou Mingyan had no bounds. “Don’t get too familiar and stay away from us!”

“In-law... Mistress Qi, it’s all my fault. I didn’t cherish Chengyue when I had the chance. I’m here to apologize,” Zhou Mingyan explained.

Qi Chengyue noticed that Zhou Mingyan seemed to have aged a lot since she last saw her. Her face was dry as if she had been toiling under the sun all day. She appeared frail and sickly.

Zhou Mingyan turned to Qi Chengyue. “Chengyue, I realized my faults. I was foolish for treating you badly,” Zhou Mingyan confessed, her voice cracking.

“Madam Zhou, please get to the point,” Cheng Dongge requested coldly. He still had Qi Chengyue shielded behind him.

Qi Zhongxun was watching from aside. He was pleased with Cheng Dongge’s actions.

If Qi Zhongxun had talked to Zhou Mingyan himself, that would be giving her too much credit. At a time like that, it was best for Cheng Dongge to step up.

Moreover, he was relieved to see Cheng Dongge being so protective of Qi Chengyue.

Zhou Mingyan’s lips twitched as if she could not bring herself talk.

Guan Liya scoffed. Who knew Zhou Mingyan could feel embarrassed? Who was she putting up the act for?

“I don’t want to hear a word from you! Scram!” Guan Liya snapped. It was supposed to be a good day where everyone goes to the old mansion joyously. Cheng Dongge was such a trustworthy man, and Qi Chengyue dating him would be music to everyone’s ears. Despite that, Zhou Mingyan just had to pop up and ruin everyone’s day.

“No! No! Mistress Qi... Chengyue, please help me. I’m begging you. Despite everything, we were a family before this, so would you please help me? Just this once, I promise. If you help me out this time, I promise to stop pestering all of you. Chengyue, I’m begging you. You were married to Jian Yi. We were a family!” Zhou Mingyan implored expectantly.

Things were fine before, but once Zhou Mingyan brought that up, Guan Liya exploded with rage.

“Zhou Mingyan, just how thick-skinned are you? How dare you come here and talk about being a family! Stop talking nonsense. My son-in-law is right here. Their relationship is going exceedingly well. How dare you spit such nonsense in front of my son-in-law?!”

“My apologies. You and Jian Yi are divorced and have no relations anymore, but Chengyue, you have to help me. The Guan family wants to take me to court for assault. I’ve looked it up and it says that I could be sentenced up to three years in prison. Ah, the Guan family will definitely ensure I get the longest sentence!” Zhou Mingyan begged. Her eyes were bloodshot.

“Yo!” Now that things had gotten interesting, Guan Liya was not in a rush to shoo her away anymore. She even asked keenly, “Isn’t Guan Xiaolin carrying Jian Yi’s child? Before Jian Yi’s divorce, weren’t you on good terms with her? You were even holding hands while shopping! So why are they taking you to court for assault? Who did you hurt? They haven’t even gotten married, yet you already fell out with your in-laws again. Madam Zhou, it seems like no matter who becomes your in-laws, you can still find a way to turn them into your enemies! Ha, that’s actually quite impressive!”

“The Guan family aborted Jian Yi’s child—how can I not be mad? I’m the victim here! I just... In a fit of rage, I just hit her a few times. It wasn’t severe. The Guan family is just making a big fuss out of a minor issue. Guan Xiaolin didn’t even have a bruise yet they want to sue me. My grandchild was murdered by them! Who can I talk sense with now?!” Zhou Mingyan bawled, “Chengyue, you’re the only I can plead with. Please, help me!”

“Ah, how can we afford a lawyer? For a small matter like this, the Guan family is employing a famous big shot! Are they afraid no one knows they’re rich? And so what if they’re rich? Does that mean they can stomp on others? I... I heard from Jian Yi that Qilin’s Lawyer Song is one of the top lawyers in the country. Would you... would you help me?”

Guan Liya was so angry, she started laughing. “Zhou Mingyan, how do you have so much pride? Who do you think you are to ask for our Qi family’s Lawyer Song to fight your case? My hatred for you can’t even be put into words, so do you seriously expect us to help you? How laughable!”

“Mistress Qi, I’m begging you!” Zhou Mingyan was at a dead-end. Otherwise, she never would have come to plead with the Qi family. Nevertheless, she knew that no matter how much of her dignity she threw away, the Qi family would never help her after she fell out with them that day.

In spite of that, she had no one else to turn to besides Qi Chengyue.

The Guan family was determined to take her to court. Jian Yi did not have any money or power anymore. He was just an ordinary office worker—what could he do?

Some of the connections Jian Yi had owned him favors, but after hearing about the Guan family’s intention to sue Zhou Mingyan and her wrongdoings against the Qi family, no one dared to step up.

“I’ll fall on my knees to plead with you! Please, I beg you!” With a “thump”, Zhou Mingyan kneeled before Guan Liya. “I’m sorry. I’ll kowtow to you and admit my mistakes, so please, Chengyue, please help me!”

Zhou Mingyan continuously bowed her head onto the concrete floor.

“Now you want to plead with us? Have you forgotten about the time you bullied my daughter? You came all the way to Qilin to drag her name through the mud. Did you forget about that incident? Zhou Mingyan, let me make things clear—I’ll never lend you a hand in my entire life! You must’ve done something unspeakable to the Guan family! People like you don’t deserve any help!” Guan Liya pointed straight at Zhou Mingyan. Infuriated, the finger she extended shook profusely.

“Uncle, Aunt, I’ll take Chengyue out of here first,” Cheng Dongge informed. He did not want Zhou Mingyan to keep pestering Qi Chengyue any longer.

Qi Zhongxun nodded. He watched as Cheng Dongge shielded Qi Chengyue to the car.

Zhou Mingyan could not allow that. She extended her arm and reached for Qi Chengyue’s leg. Luckily, Cheng Dongge reacted quickly enough to pull her behind him. He would not let Zhou Mingyan touch her.

Once Cheng Dongge escorted Qi Chengyue safely into the car, Qi Zhongxun took Guan Liya’s hand and said, “There’s no need to speak to this kind of people. Let’s go.”

Guan Liya snorted angrily. As she turned around to leave, Zhou Mingyan threw herself onto her leg and clasped onto it tightly. “Mistress Qi, I have no other way out! I will change! I promise. If you could help me just this once, I swear I’ll never pester you again! Please, I’m begging you!”