Lu Cong looked dejected, "I severely humiliated her, and she still wouldn't leave?"
Chang Qin: "What exactly happened?"
Lu Cong sat down again. He hadn't eaten his fill, and the beef hot pot on the table was still bubbling. He picked up a piece of tender beef and thought for a moment, "It's like this. We have a distant relative in common. Her aunt is my paternal aunt."
"My paternal aunt hasn't been in contact with our family for ages. This time, she suddenly brought her back from abroad and they stayed at our house. My mother has always been hospitable, so she didn't refuse."
"Then Lu Nanning kept pestering me, saying she wanted to be my wife. My sister thought it would be good for someone to keep me in check, so she just watched from the side. No one in the entire Lu family helped me."
Lu Cong's voice grew more indignant. He took a fierce bite of a large bone. "Do you know how terrifying she is? She has to sit next to me when we eat. If she could, she'd want to sleep in the same bed as me."
As Lu Cong spoke, he couldn't help but rub his arms. He liked beautiful women, but he didn't like this kind of clingy annoyance!
Shen Muyuan teased, "You have days like this too."
Chang Qin chuckled quietly, "Maybe she really is the daughter-in-law your mother picked for you."
"No, I can't handle that kind of fortune," Lu Cong quickly waved his hands, not daring to even think about it.
Ji Zhixiu put down his chopsticks, spun the textual ring on his finger, and looked at Lu Cong with a faint tone, "Good luck."
Lu Cong was choked by the remark and lost his appetite. He dropped his chopsticks, "I'm not eating anymore. Want to do something else for entertainment?"
No one else at the table was picking up their chopsticks except Jiang Mian.
Hearing him say that, Jiang Mian swallowed the last glutinous rice ball and then dropped her chopsticks.
Chang Qin shook his head, "No, I'll take Qingqing home."
Shen Muyuan smiled and patted Lu Cong's shoulder, "Let Ah Qin go, the rest of us will keep you company."
"No problem."
The group got up one after another and headed out. The private room was on the second floor, so everyone opted for the stairs.
As they went downstairs, Lu Nanning suddenly appeared from somewhere and lunged towards Lu Cong, "Lu Cong! I've thought it through! You're right! I'll definitely talk to you properly from now on!"
Lu Cong turned around, startled by her. He didn't know why she had suddenly reappeared after they had just agreed.
He was so shocked that he forgot to dodge, letting her fall into his arms. Under the impact, he instinctively leaned back, forgetting that Chang Qingqing was standing behind him.
"Qingqing!" Chang Qin shouted.
Chang Qingqing, standing behind him, couldn't avoid it and stumbled. Seeing that she was about to fall, her small face instantly became terrified.
"Ah Qin..." She instinctively grabbed Jiang Mian beside her.
Shen Tingyu's eyes flickered. Such a good opportunity was right in front of her. She decisively reached out and pushed Jiang Mian when no one was paying attention.
Jiang Mian's foot faltered, and she was about to fall too. The expressions of the two men changed drastically.
Everything happened in the blink of an eye. Jiang Mian had no time to think. All she knew was that Chang Qingqing was pregnant, and everyone was looking forward to the arrival of the baby. It absolutely couldn't be harmed.
She wrapped her arms around Chang Qingqing's upper body, firmly holding her waist with her own body as a cushion to absorb the impact of the fall.
In a dizzying spin, Jiang Mian's head hit the ground heavily.
In a daze, she saw Ji Zhixiu's palm that had just extended, just a little bit, just a little bit, and he would have reached her.
Chang Qingqing's face was pale. She looked at the blood mixed with amniotic fluid spreading on the ground. The immense pain from below made her almost unable to speak. As a doctor, she understood this feeling too well.
She bit her lip and slowly said, "I'm... I'm going into labor..."
On the stairs, Lu Nanning was already scared silly by the turn of events, letting Lu Cong push her away. She saw the sternness on his face. She had never seen such an expression on Lu Cong before, as if he wanted to kill someone...
Ji Zhixiu's heart ached. It was too fast, too fast for him to grasp anything...
Chang Qin's eyes turned red. Amidst his panic, he rushed down the stairs and scooped Chang Qingqing into his arms, "It's okay, Qingqing, you'll be fine..."
Chang Qingqing wanted to comfort him, but she couldn't say anything.
It hurt so much.
Ji Zhixiu picked up Jiang Mian almost at the same time. In his vision, there was a blinding red. His handsome face was filled with cold and horrifying intensity.
Jiang Mian squeezed his palm and realized that this man's palm was trembling slightly.
She forced a smile and explained, "It's not my blood."
Ji Zhixiu's arms tightened, as if he wanted to fuse Jiang Mian into his bones and flesh.
He buried his face in Jiang Mian's neck, making it impossible to see the expression on his face. His voice carried a hint of imperceptible panic.
"Mianmian..."
...
At the hospital.
The operating room light was still on.
Chang Qin sat outside the door, his smile gone. He looked as if he had lost his soul. Would Qingqing be scared inside?
Lu Cong stood not far away, "Lu Nanning, you'd better pray they are safe. If anything happens to them, I'll make sure you have a terrible end."
Lu Nanning shivered, not doubting the truth of his words. She thought Lu Cong was just a playboy who only knew how to eat, drink, and have fun, but she didn't realize he could be so cold and ruthless when his bottom line was touched.
Shen Muyuan looked at Shen Tingyu, "You go back first, I can wait here."
Shen Tingyu nodded, "Then Brother, I'll be going back. Qingqing will be fine, don't worry too much."
Lu Nanning's steps faltered, and she wanted to follow.
Lu Cong saw this and curled his lips, "Lu Nanning, you still dare to run?"
She stopped, looking like she was about to cry. Looking at the still-lit operating room, she also felt a bit flustered, "I'm sorry..."
She sobbed and took out her phone to call her aunt.
Shen Tingyu passed by her and whispered, "It's not your fault, don't be sad."
Lu Nanning's eyes lit up, as if she had found a confidante, "See, I told you it wasn't my fault..."
She was so touched that someone was actually on her side.
Jiang Mian's head hit the floor. Fortunately, the first floor wasn't high, and she didn't bleed. She just had a large bump on the back of her head. After an examination, there were no other problems. She couldn't tie her hair for the next month and had to be careful when combing it.
Ji Zhixiu, worried, insisted on getting her a hospital room to rest. In the room, Ji Zhixiu still had a cold expression, standing by the window. The nurse who came to treat Jiang Mian's wound almost cried from his cold demeanor.
Jiang Mian got up and walked behind the man, wrapping her arms around his broad back.
Ji Zhixiu rubbed his temples, his tone displeased, "Jiang Mian."
Jiang Mian responded coquettishly, "Yeah? Should we go see Qingqing?"
"Chang Qin is there, she'll be fine."
Jiang Mian poked her head out and said softly, "I'm fine, aren't you happy? Why aren't you turning around to look at me?"
Ji Zhixiu sighed and turned around. He lowered his head, his expression still not very pleasant, "Do you know how dangerous it was just now?"
Watching the little girl fall in front of his eyes, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say he was scared out of his wits.
Fortunately, she was unharmed.
Jiang Mian couldn't help but smile, "The stairs weren't high. If I had fallen by myself, I would have been fine. But Qingqing is different. She's pregnant, and pregnant women are so fragile, they need care."
She tilted her head up to meet his gaze, "I want everyone to be safe and happy."
Ji Zhixiu's heart softened. He reached out and stroked her soft cheek, "Does your back still hurt?"
"It hurts," Jiang Mian said with a pout.
"I'll call the doctor," Ji Zhixiu frowned.
"No," Jiang Mian pulled him back, a smile on her lips, "A kiss from you will make it better."
Ji Zhixiu lowered his gaze, completely unable to do anything about her.
Jiang Mian took the initiative to peck his cool, thin lips, "A baby will be born soon. Everyone will be fine. Be happy, Ah Xiu."
With that, she was about to pull away. But the man held the back of her head and kissed her passionately again.
...
At the hospital.
Chang Qingqing had good prenatal care and her labor was relatively smooth. At the very end of November, the Chang family welcomed a baby princess weighing six pounds and two ounces.
Chang Qin's eyes were red. He held her hand and kissed it repeatedly, with utmost reverence. "It's good that you're okay."
Chang Qingqing's eyes were also red, and she couldn't help but want to cry again, but she held back. "It's good that the baby is okay."
"I promised, I wouldn't let you and our daughter come to any harm."
Lu Nanning came in with a reluctant apology. Before she could even approach Chang Qingqing, Chang Qin said coldly, "Get out."
Lu Nanning looked a bit embarrassed, "I came to apologize."
Did she want to come? The person was fine, wasn't she? Thinking of how Lu Cong had yelled at her, Lu Nanning felt wronged.
"We don't need it, and we don't accept it. Leave." Chang Qin didn't even look at her.
It was his final act of magnanimity to not hold it against her, for Lu Cong's sake.
Lu Nanning couldn't stay any longer. She ran back to the Lu family crying and told her aunt.
Aunt Lu quickly comforted her, "Don't cry, don't cry. When Lu Cong comes back, I'll definitely talk to him for you. I'm his paternal aunt, how can he not take care of you! He's simply ill-mannered and impolite!"
"Can you blame my Nanning? Lu Cong, too. He couldn't even handle you. And no one got hurt, why is he yelling at you?"
Lu Nanning wiped away her tears, "Wuwuwu... Auntie, don't blame him, wuwuwu... I'm so sad."
"Don't cry, don't cry. Don't worry, I'll talk to him when Lu Cong returns. Even if he doesn't listen to me, he should listen to his mother!"
Aunt Lu looked displeased. Lu Cong, that brat, dared to make her precious child suffer. When Nanning married in, she would definitely teach this brat a lesson!
Jiang Mian took Ji Zhixiu to the newborn observation room to see the baby. The little, soft bundle looked rosy.
Even though she was just born, it was not hard to see that she would grow into a beauty.
Jiang Mian poked at the glass window, "She looks so cute. She seems to resemble Chang Qin more, but her eyes are very much like Qingqing's."
Ji Zhixiu looked at her, his heart suddenly stirred, "Do you want one?"
Jiang Mian shook her head, "No, I don't know how to raise children."
"You give birth, I'll raise."
"Still no."
Ji Zhixiu was puzzled, "Why?"
Jiang Mian didn't answer, pursing her lips. "Let's go see Qingqing."
Ji Zhixiu put his arm around her shoulder, "No need to see her anymore."
"Why?"
"The Chang family is here, the rest has nothing to do with you."