A Mei no longer looked at him and said, "My mother was born with a birthmark on her face that covered half of it. The birthmark was ugly, even frightening. Everyone disliked and shunned her, but she was the kindest person in the world to me."
Qin Tianyi gave an "oh" and asked, "Where is she now?"
"She fell ill and passed away when I was five or six, and I became an orphan," A Mei said with a smile, her back to him.
"I'm sorry, I was too talkative and shouldn't have asked," Qin Tianyi said. "Miss A Mei, there's wind outside tonight, you should go back inside."
A Mei walked in the opposite direction of the door, moving faster and faster.
Qin Tianyi hurried to catch up, calling out behind her, "Miss A Mei..."
A Mei, instead, started running, only stopping when she reached the wall. She turned and smiled at him, saying, "Why are you so flustered? I just want to take a walk."
Qin Tianyi stood aside expressionlessly, saying nothing more. It was a crucial time to gain Lü Yuanhong's trust, so he had to maintain a proper distance from this A Mei.
A Mei pointed to the wall behind her and asked, "What is the outside world like?"
Qin Tianyi found her question baffling and remained silent.
"I mean, what would it be like to be free to see the outside world, not confined in a cage?" A Mei's eyes shone with longing.
"I don't know, I haven't been anywhere," Qin Tianyi replied bluntly and simply.
"Mr. Lü has taken me almost all over the world, but I was just a bird he kept in a cage," A Mei explained, fearing he might not understand. "Wherever we went, I could only stay by his side. If he didn't take me, I would have to stay in a hotel."
Qin Tianyi felt a bit of sympathy for her but still said nothing.
Perhaps she just needed a listener and didn't need him to say anything.
He remembered Su Su always telling him about dignity and equality, about not becoming an appendage.
At that time, he didn't quite understand Su Su's inexplicable anger and sadness, thinking it was not wrong for him to like her and want to possess her completely.
Later, he understood that it wasn't true love, but selfish possession.
So now he could understand what A Mei was saying. Lü Yuanhong didn't treat A Mei as a person at all; he was merely keeping her as a plaything.
A Mei continued, "I always fantasize, what would it feel like to walk freely outside?"
"Without Mr. Lü's protection, you might encounter danger," Qin Tianyi constantly remembered his current identity.
"Danger?" A Mei laughed and said, "Do you think there's no danger by his side? I am a bird he keeps in a cage; he can keep me or kill me at any time."
Qin Tianyi pretended not to understand what she was saying. "You are Mr. Lü's woman, don't think too much, and be careful not to catch a cold tonight."
"I know, he will..." A Mei, looking frightened, hadn't finished speaking when car headlights appeared in the distance, approaching the house.
A Mei, like a startled rabbit, hurriedly said, "The master is back!" Then she suddenly hugged Qin Tianyi, stood on tiptoe, and gently pressed her face against his neck, whispering, "Thank you for listening to me tonight."
Qin Tianyi was stunned by her sudden action, but she had already run back into the house.
He turned and watched her retreating, flustered figure, unable to guess what she intended to do.
He wasn't the only bodyguard around Lü Yuanhong, and his current appearance was terrifying. Among the other bodyguards, there were also handsome men. Why would she choose to confide in him when he was on duty alone?
Qin Tianyi returned to his original position, thinking that whether Lü Yuanhong was still keeping him waiting or A Mei was actively showing him favor, he would just do his job. He must not act rashly until he gained Lü Yuanhong's trust.
...
A few days later, Su Su took out the small clothes and baby supplies Qin Tianyi had bought before his accident. She looked at each item again and packed everything that would be needed for a newborn.
Seeing these items reminded her of when they went shopping together and he impulsively bought so many things. Did he have a premonition that he wouldn't be able to witness the birth of their child?
Yesterday, she had her prenatal check-up. Given that she was carrying twins, the doctor advised her to be hospitalized for delivery to be on the safe side. This way, if labor started, there would be no need to rush to the hospital, ensuring the safety of both the babies and herself.
So today, she packed her belongings and prepared to go to the hospital.
However, she still held onto the hope that a miracle might happen, that Tianyi would suddenly appear before her when the babies were born.
"Young Madam, have you finished packing?" Chen Ma's voice came from outside the door.
"Yes," Su Su quickly wiped away the tears that had fallen unknowingly and finished packing everything she needed to bring.
Chen Ma pushed the door open and saw several children's clothes and toys on the bed. She asked, "Young Madam, aren't you bringing these to the hospital?"
Su Su picked up a toy and smiled, saying, "Look, this says it's for children over three years old, not suitable for newborns. These were all things Tianyi bought randomly when he was here."
"Young Master was thinking ahead. They won't be used for now, but the children can play with them later," Chen Ma said, helping her carry the items for the hospital. "Young Madam, don't overthink. The most important thing now is to give birth to the children safely. Xiao Lin has prepared the car, let's go down quickly."
Su Su smiled and nodded. "Yes, when he comes back, he'll be so happy to see me and the children safe and sound."
Chen Ma hummed and walked out with the items first.
Su Su sat in the car, still hoping that Tianyi would miraculously appear at the hospital to give her strength and courage before her delivery.
He had once said that it was a great regret not being able to accompany her when Xiao Xingxing was born and not witnessing Xiao Xingxing's growth. But why couldn't fate allow him to make up for his past regrets this time?
"Is the car in the next lane crazy? Deliberately trying to cut us off," Xiao Lin said to a bodyguard sitting in the passenger seat.
The bodyguard in the passenger seat lowered his window to shout at the car that was driving alongside them. Just then, that car suddenly swerved sharply to the left.
The car instantly spun sideways and crashed into the front of their car. Su Su, sitting in the back, hadn't even seen the car next to them clearly before her protruding belly hit the back of the front seat.
The bodyguard sitting in the back seat with her quickly held her up, helping her to sit back in her seat.
Fortunately, Xiao Lin had braked in time, so the impact from the colliding car was not significant, and the people inside should be fine.
Xiao Lin didn't argue with the driver of the offending car first. He turned back to ask Su Su, "Young Madam, are you alright?"
Su Su was about to say she was fine, but suddenly she felt her entire belly descending, and pain began to set in. "Just now... my stomach, my stomach hit something. Hurry to the hospital."
As she spoke, she clutched her stomach with both hands, feeling the descending pain becoming more intense. Was she going into labor early?