Shao Lin was taken to the basement. Wen Min pried open a floorboard, and the two jumped down.
In an instant, the two vanished without a trace.
Luo Zhu led his men to search the basement. It was empty, and he sighed in frustration, "Where the hell could they have escaped to?"
"Boss, those few underlings ran off. We only caught one."
Luo Zhu threw his cigarette butt on the ground and stomped it out. "Bring him up."
Soon, bodyguards, their hands tied behind their backs, brought a struggling young man before Luo Zhu.
"Let me go! What right do you have to arrest me!"
Luo Zhu shot a look at a bodyguard, who slapped the young man across the face. Blood trickled from his lip, and he was dazed.
"Speak, was Shao Lin here?" Luo Zhu asked in a deep voice.
Ignoring his wound, the young man said, "I don't know any Shao Lin. I was just walking around nearby when you guys grabbed me."
"Then what about this woman?" Luo Zhu thrust a photo of the woman from the fashion show in front of him.
"Don't know her. I've never even seen her before," the young man spat out blood and gritted his teeth.
Luo Zhu curved his lips, his smile laced with viciousness and gloom. "Take him down and don't stop until you get an answer!"
The bodyguards silently escorted the young man out.
Soon, piercing screams shattered the sky—
...
Time passed quickly, and Su Ding's belly grew more pronounced.
Xiao Xi's waking hours increased, but her body remained weak and required daily IV fluids to sustain her life.
That day, Jin Ye came to the hospital to pick her up. "Let's go back to the old house."
"What's wrong?" Su Ding, her large belly protruding, got into the passenger seat.
"My cousin is here. We're having a family dinner."
Jin Ye wanted to bring Su Ding home so that by hosting his cousin, he could declare her status.
His grandfather would then know that Su Ding was his legally married wife.
Su Ding, having nothing else to do, agreed.
"I've told you before that my grandfather lived in seclusion in the southern territories years ago. He later adopted a son there, who is my uncle. This time, my uncle's daughter, Jin Miaomiao, is coming," Jin Ye explained briefly.
Su Ding nodded in understanding.
"She's coming specifically this time, likely because Grandpa has something to convey."
Jin Ye, fearing Su Ding might not like it, added, "It's alright, it's just a meeting."
Su Ding smiled and pointed at herself, "Well, will I embarrass you with my appearance..."
At this moment, she was barefaced, wearing a loose maternity dress, her belly round and prominent, looking every bit the housewife.
Jin Ye, however, looked at her face intently and said, "In my eyes, no one can compare to you."
Su Ding's face turned red.
Oh my, after being together for so long, hearing sweet talk still made her heart flutter a little.
The car stopped, and Jin Ye walked around to the passenger side to help Su Ding out.
Su Ding linked her arm through his as they walked towards the villa.
At that moment, a young girl stood by the second-floor window, staring intently at them, her eyes filled with jealousy.
She was determined to see what kind of woman could capture her brother's heart!
Upon entering, the scent of delicious food wafted through the air.
It was already noon. Su Ding touched her big belly, her appetite whetted, and she felt hungry.
Zhao Qin saw them and said faintly, "You're here."
"Mrs. Jin," Su Ding greeted her politely.
The young girl beside Zhao Qin stood up from the sofa. She had a baby face, wore a Lolita dress, and looked about eighteen or nineteen years old, with a smile on her face.
"Is this sister-in-law?" Jin Miaomiao went forward and took Su Ding's hand.
"Yes, hello, I'm Su Ding," Su Ding replied politely.
Jin Miaomiao glanced at Jin Ye, her eyes curved in a smile, and said, "Brother mentioned you. Sister-in-law, how many months along are you?"
"Over six months," Su Ding replied gently.
"That's wonderful. In just over three months, I'll be able to see my little nephew," Jin Miaomiao curiously extended her hand. "Can I touch?"
Su Ding nodded.
Jin Miaomiao reached out and touched Su Ding's belly, her face beaming. "Last time I was in Jiangcheng, I didn't get to meet sister-in-law. This time, sister-in-law's belly is already so big, haha."
"Miaomiao, wash your hands, it's time to eat," Zhao Qin disliked Su Ding and didn't like seeing others being friendly with her.
"Okay!" Jin Miaomiao, holding Su Ding's hand, said, "Let's go together."
Seeing that Jin Miaomiao wasn't making things difficult for Su Ding, Jin Ye also felt relieved.
"Mother, why must you?" he asked Zhao Qin as he sat on the sofa.
Facing her own son alone, Zhao Qin's stern expression finally softened. She took Jin Ye's hand and sighed, "It's alright, Mom will slowly adapt for your sake."
These words only increased Jin Ye's burden.
The atmosphere during dinner was relatively harmonious. Jin Miaomiao said to everyone, "Actually, Grandpa gave me a task this time."
"Oh?" Jin's father stopped eating.
"Uncle, Grandpa wants me to bring cousin and new sister-in-law back to see him. Cousin had promised on the phone earlier, but there's been no follow-up," Jin Miaomiao said, then smiled at Jin Ye, "Cousin?"
Jin Ye looked apologetic. "Okay, I've been too busy lately. I'll bring Dingding back." He then glanced at Su Ding.
Su Ding nodded at him.
Jin Miaomiao watched their interaction, feeling even more bitter. She really didn't understand what was so good about this "ugly monster."
"Auntie, I haven't been to Jiangcheng in a long time and want to buy some clothes, but I don't have any friends here. Could you let cousin-in-law accompany me?" Jin Miaomiao said flirtatiously.
Zhao Qin didn't mind, but after all, they were relatives, and she couldn't refuse someone who had traveled so far.
So, she looked at Su Ding and exercised her mother-in-law's authority, "Su Ding, since you have nothing to do at home, accompany Miaomiao shopping."
Su Ding nodded, "Okay."
In terms of etiquette, it was normal for the new sister-in-law to go shopping with her cousin-in-law.
"Thank you, sister-in-law!" Jin Miaomiao said happily.
After the meal, Jin Ye was about to take Su Ding home to rest.
"Aren't brother and sister-in-law staying at the house?" Jin Miaomiao asked curiously.
"Oh, young people have their own ways of living. It's convenient to live separately, and it's not far," Jin's father, for once, offered an explanation.
Han Miaomiao nodded thoughtfully.
She had already sensed Zhao Qin's displeasure towards Su Ding, but the fact that they didn't live together was indeed beyond her expectations.
Thinking this, she chuckled disdainfully. As expected, that woman could only charm a man like her cousin who had never been in a relationship.
Let's see how she deals with her!
...
Su Ding and Jin Ye returned home and immediately lay down on the bed for a nap.
"Hey, your cousin is quite enthusiastic," Su Ding said, leaning against the bed and recalling the events at the dining table.
"I don't know her well." Jin Ye took off his shirt and went to hug Su Ding.
Su Ding pushed him away. "I'm hot."
Jin Ye frowned. It was almost winter, how could she be hot?
He reached out and held Su Ding's small hand. It was indeed warm. He guessed that pregnant women might have higher body temperatures.
"Rub my legs, they're a bit swollen," Su Ding stretched her legs out.
Jin Ye, doting on his wife, sat at her feet, took her legs, and began to knead them with just the right amount of pressure. "How is it?"
"Mmm... comfortable..." Su Ding closed her eyes and hummed softly.
Jin Ye continued massaging, kneading her calves and then pressing the acupoints on her feet.
Indeed, he heard her soft hums of comfort again.
For some reason, he inexplicably felt a surge of desire, and his own body began to feel hot.
They hadn't been intimate for a long time. Occasionally, Su Ding would help him manually, but it never felt satisfying.
"Your massage feels so good, did you learn it somewhere?" Su Ding teased him.
"Mmm..." Jin Ye let out a hoarse sound from his throat, his eyes fixed on Su Ding's face, and his hands became increasingly unrestrained.
He seemed to recall that the doctor had said that intimacy was possible at this stage of pregnancy.
Su Ding, who had been feeling comfortable, gradually sensed that something was wrong.
How did those hot and strong hands become so restless, about to reach under her skirt?