"Having a test-tube baby is not as simple or as fun as you might imagine. It's very damaging to a woman's body."
"Some people might have to endure hundreds or even thousands of injections without even getting pregnant. Others try for over a decade and never succeed."
"It's a waste of time, money, and energy, not to mention it harms the body. Have you truly thought it through?"
Jiang Sicheng used the excuse that he was concerned for his wife's well-being when he suggested IVF.
"Having twins, a boy and a girl, would complete the mission in one go, saving her from enduring the pain twice."
The doctor insisted.
"If your family has a history of twins, the chances of conceiving twins naturally are also quite high."
"Conversely, with artificial means, even if several embryos are viable initially, many are lost midway. It's not guaranteed to be a success in one attempt."
"I truly don't recommend this method. Please go home and reconsider."
After leaving the hospital and getting back into the car, Jiang Sicheng felt somewhat troubled.
He glanced at Zhou Jinbei and suddenly asked.
"You've never dated anyone before, right?"
They were already married, and now he thought to ask this question. Wasn't it too late?
Zhou Jinbei glanced at him but remained silent.
Jiang Sicheng sighed, "If it's not possible, then listen to the doctor. We'll try."
"Two approaches at once. Perhaps one will succeed first. The sooner it succeeds, the sooner it's over."
Zhou Jinbei's hair stood on end.
"What do you mean? Didn't you say you wouldn't touch me? Are you going back on your word?"
Jiang Sicheng replied, "I don't want to touch you, but I'm being forced into this."
"Don't get agitated. I've never touched a woman before. I don't even know if I can get it up."
"Besides, I'm doing this with good intentions. Isn't it all to save you some hardship?"
Zhou Jinbei retorted, "If you truly want me to suffer less, then stop forcing me to have a child!"
It was just a joke, but seeing her strong reaction, Jiang Sicheng suddenly became suspicious.
"Do you hate me that much, not wanting me to touch you at all?"
"Of course!" Zhou Jinbei frowned.
"We signed a written agreement, and you said you wouldn't touch me!"
"Are you seeing someone else behind my back?"
Driven by a man's natural possessiveness, Jiang Sicheng became a little displeased.
"Even though you're married to me, you want to remain pure for him in your heart?"
"Let me tell you, if you're with me, you're mine. You'll never touch another man in this lifetime besides me!"
"If you dare to be involved with someone else behind my back and I find out, you can imagine the consequences."
Zhou Jinbei couldn't be bothered with his effeminate threats.
"Do you want to sleep with me that badly? You say that as if I've agreed, and your boyfriend would agree too."
"Don't joke. I'd rather endure some hardship with the doctor than compete with another man for affection."
As they were talking, her boyfriend's call came through.
He asked if they were finished and wanted to spend their wedding leave in private.
Jiang Sicheng started the car, pulled Zhou Jinbei forward a block, and dropped her off by the roadside.
"Alright, alright, I won't touch you, I won't touch you. Look at you, so scared, your face is all long."
"Take a taxi back yourself. I'm going out. If Mom asks, just say I'm with Ah Kai."
Watching her newlywed husband drive away, and thinking about his words and her future,
Zhou Jinbei felt a sudden, sharp pain in her heart, as if it were being squeezed.
The weather was clear and sunny.
She was wearing a luxurious and warm cashmere coat, yet she felt a chill.
She could only sadly cover her chest and squat down by the roadside.
However, as soon as she squatted down, a car stopped in front of the pedestrian crossing.
A champagne-colored car, its model and license plate so familiar.
Zhou Jinbei's heart skipped a beat.
Although she couldn't see Ah Zhong's face, she recognized it as Ah Zhong's car.
She wondered why he was driving out now.
She wondered if there was anyone else with him.
Thinking of Ah Zhong, then of Jiang Sicheng, Zhou Jinbei felt she had brought it all upon herself.
Those who are greedy for wealth and riches will never end well. One reaps what one sows.
Afraid that Ah Zhong would see her in such a state, she glanced around and then hastily pulled her hair down.
Covering her face with her hands, she lowered her head.
A moment later, the light turned green, and the car started moving. Zhou Jinbei finally looked up.
She watched as Ah Zhong turned and drove into a street opposite, entering a used car dealership.
She was like a greedy, thirsty person, as if looking at him for a moment would quench her thirst. She couldn't bear to move away.
Through the bustling traffic and crowds, she gazed at him intently.
Ah Zhong was always so upright, his clothes always so neat.
His profile looked so young and clean, his expression so earnest when he spoke.
Recalling that he had looked at her with that same face all night on New Year's Eve, Zhou Jinbei burst into tears.
Crying and laughing, she stood on the roadside foolishly for who knows how long. Ah Zhong emerged again.
He skillfully maneuvered the car and quickly merged into traffic.
Curious as to why he was at the used car dealership, Zhou Jinbei couldn't help but walk over after he had left the street.
"Was that gentleman just here to sell his car? I quite like that car. What price was he looking for?"
The salesperson immediately began to explain enthusiastically.
"His car has only been driven over twenty thousand kilometers, it's in good condition, well-maintained, and has never been in an accident. Miss, you have excellent taste."
"If you're sincere, leave your contact number. As soon as the paperwork is completed, I'll contact you."
Zhou Jinbei did not give her number. "Since the car is so good, why is he selling it? You're not hiding any accidents and trying to trick me, are you?"
"How could that be? The gentleman is selling it because he's going abroad and won't need it temporarily. There are absolutely no accidents..."
Zhou Jinbei didn't hear the rest of his words.
Her ears buzzed, and only a few heart-shattering words echoed:
Ah Zhong is going abroad.
He's leaving the country.
Was it planned long ago? Or did he decide to leave to heal his heart after she rejected him?
Even though he was still in the country, Zhou Jinbei couldn't do anything with him at the moment.
But it felt different.
He was leaving, and she would never see him again.
The pain was so intense she couldn't breathe.
For some reason, the taxi took her to Ah Zhong's neighborhood.
When the driver called out that they had arrived, Zhou Jinbei looked out and realized she had come to Ah Zhong's place.
Standing at the entrance, looking at the familiar and imposing building, after much deliberation, she couldn't suppress the overwhelming longing in her heart.
She took a step and went upstairs.
Coincidentally, Ah Zhong was at home.
Seeing Zhou Jinbei, who had been married for only a day, appear at his door, Ah Zhong's expression was complicated.
"Why are you here?"
Zhou Jinbei was skilled at managing her expressions and smiled at him.
"I heard you're going abroad?"
"...You found out so quickly? Did you go see President Zhan?"
Zhou Jinbei did not answer him. "Aren't you going to invite me in for a sit?"
It seemed unnecessary.
After all, their relationship was no longer as simple as before.
Moreover, she was someone else's wife.
Ah Zhong held the doorknob with one hand and did not entertain her.