Looking up at the bright rising sun, Lin Xinyan somehow didn’t wish to ruin such a beautiful day with such a dark piece of news. She knew she shouldn’t be so wary and think that everyone was evil. Maybe she was traumatized by He Ruize, hence she was pessimistic when it came to dealing with people.
“Nothing, I’m just suggesting. I’ve reached my destination.” Lin Xinyan pointed to the hotel and paused her footsteps. “You?”
Bai Yinning gasped, “I thought you’ll invite me in!”
“That’s your territory. You can enter anytime you want. Even if you decide to move out of your house and stay in your hotel, I don’t have the right to interfere.” Lin Xinyan shrugged. This was not her place, so she was not in the position to comment on anything.
The man’s eyes lit up in delight at her suggestion.
“Oh yes! Why hadn’t I thought of that?” Bai Yinning knitted his brows in consideration. “Right, I’m going to spend the night in the hotel then.”
Lin Xinyan turned to the man in bewilderment.
This man. Is he crazy? Staying in the hotel when he has his own house to go back to?
However, Bai Yinning did not explain his actions. He purposely did so only to annoy Zong Jinghao. Who asked him to hang up his call and even said he was from the customer service line!
The more Zong Jinghao was annoyed with him and disliked him for being close with his wife, the more he would bug him with his appearance and closeness with Lin Xinyan.
At least he got to get on the other man’s nerves.
Despite being bewildered, Lin Xinyan decided to stay quiet and not make any comments.
“I’ll go in first.”
“Okay.”
The woman departed from his side. By the time she returned to the restaurant, her family had left, hence she returned to her room. There were bodyguards guarding by the lift, not allowing anyone to reach their floor. Ever since the prank doll incident, even the waiters whom they knew personally were not allowed up the floor. The moment they saw Lin Xinyan, the guards nodded respectfully at her. The woman was not the type to put on airs and graces, hence she smiled back cordially.
Since this floor consisted only of their gang and no one else, Qin Ya did not close her room door. Lin Xinyan could see her daughter drawing under her friend’s guidance. This was one of the rare times the little girl was so quiet, hence she did not enter to disrupt the peace. Lin Xichen was lying on his stomach while engrossed in solving his tough quizzes. There was no need to worry about him at all.
Qin Ya noticed her at the door. Patting Lin Ruixi’s shoulder, Qin Ya instructed, “I’m getting a cup of water. You can continue your art.”
“Ok.” The little girl did not look up at all. She was engrossed in her work.
Qin Ya approached Lin Xinyan. “You’re back?”
The woman nodded. “Where are the others?”
“They’re in Shen’s room. They asked me to tell you to go there once you’re back.”
Lin Xinyan nodded with a grin. “Then I have to trouble you with Ruixi then.”
“Oh, not a trouble at all. That’s what friends are for!” Qin Ya closed the door with a grin. “Go now.”
“Ok.”
Lin Xinyan reached Shen Peichuan’s room and knocked on his door. Su Zhan opened the door immediately. This time, he greeted seriously without teasing her, “Sis.”
Now the woman was not used to his formal greetings.
What had happened for such a wild and impertinent man to turn so serious all of a sudden?
Without a word, Su Zhan made way for her to enter.
The curtains of the room were up and the sunlight splashed through the window, brightening up the room significantly. However, Zong Jinghao’s tall figure was slouching on the sofa, while beside the window, Shen Peichuan stood still in deep thought.
The atmosphere was contrastingly down compared to the bright weather.
The woman sat beside her husband and asked, “What happened? You guys look serious.”
Zong Jinghao turned to her slowly and stared at her, still not uttering a word.
Lin Xinyan held on to his arms instinctively. She never liked it when Zong Jinghao was silent. It somehow meant that something bad was about to happen.
A while later, only then did her husband asked flatly, “What did you eat just now?”
The woman’s breath hitched at his words. So he was mad at her for eating out with Bai Yinning?
Oh my God. This man is so jealous! It’s just a meal!
Despite thinking so, the woman dared not say it out loud.
“Just some dumplings and a bowl of porridge.” Lin Xinyan dared not reveal too much, especially the part where Bai Yinning shared his past at the orphanage with her.
His anger would’ve flared up at that.
To prevent Zong Jinghao from pestering about her meal with Bai Yinning, Lin Xinyan voluntarily told him of Bai Yinning’s motive in asking her out, “He purposely asked me out to talk about Yao Qingqing. Seems like he really believes in Yao Qingqing’s character and doesn’t think she was the culprit behind the prank doll incident.”
Zong Jinghao snorted at her words.
This was the first time she saw him snorting so sarcastically, hence her heart plunged at his expression.
“It might not be a prank at all.” Shen Peichuan straightened himself.
Lin Xinyan turned to him instead. “What do you mean by that?”
Wasn’t it all a prank?
Shen Peichuan turned around to face her. “I mean, the doll might be real.”
The woman still couldn’t understand.
“My men have returned from investigating Yao Qingqing.” Shen Peichuan took a deep breath. “She was pregnant when she was 16. The baby was born but died a tragic death later on. The child was thrown into a well alive.”
So it was no surprise that she could think of such a horrifying way to frighten Lin Xinyan.
Probably because she was also a mother, Lin Xinyan could feel her heart constrict in extreme pain. Who could be so cruel to end the life of an infant like that?
Lin Xinyan covered her hands over her chest. She could feel a nauseating lump of pain blocking her throat.
Zong Jinghao hugged his wife in concern. “What’s wrong?”
The woman shook her head. Suddenly, she felt the nauseating lump surging up her throat into her mouth cavity. Her throat itched at the sensation and she began to cough violently. Then, she pushed her husband away and dashed to the toilet as she retched uncontrollably.
It was just the cough that made her retch so violently.
Zong Jinghao followed in and patted her back worriedly. What was wrong with her now? Was it food poisoning?
“Su Zhan, get a cup of water,” he ordered solemnly.
What did Bai Yinning feed her just now for her to vomit so terribly?
Su Zhan poured a cup of water and passed it to him.
Zong Jinghao took the cup and closed the door behind him. “Feeling better now?”
Lin Xinyan remained sprawled on the sink until she no longer felt the urge to vomit and raised her head. Zong Jinghao passed her the cup of water. “Rinse your mouth.”
The woman took the cup and rinsed her mouth, feeling much better after that.
Her husband reached out to wipe away the stains on her mouth. Lin Xinyan stiffened at the feeling of his fingers on her lips and stared at him blankly. Seeing how soft and careful he was to her, strong inexplicable feelings suddenly surged in her heart.
The woman turned to Zong Jinghao and buried her head in his chest. “I feel pained by the information because I’m also a mother. I could imagine, if this happened to my kids… I’ll be in so much pain and horror. I’ve too experienced so much torture and hardships while bearing the twins. Many advised me to give up on them, but I thought that since they found their way to my tummy, that means we’re fated to be mother and child. I couldn’t give them up like that. I’m relieved that I made the right choice. They were born underweight and Ruixi was only 2kg. Both of them looked so small and fragile that I dared not touch them myself, afraid that they would break in my hands. Although they looked so weak at first, luckily they have grown up healthily since then. Thinking back on what I’ve gone through, I’ve got to say I’m a pretty lucky woman.”
What emotional beings we humankind were! Be it emotions of heartache or delight, it was always the ones we loved and cared who triggered an array of different emotions whenever we were around them.
Just like Zong Jinghao now. He too was wrapped in a mixture of emotions like his wife; being pained by his wife’s discomfort, but also washed over by waves of relief.
Relieved that it was her he had slept with on that fateful night and also relieved that she went against all odds to give birth to their children.
The man was deeply thankful that this woman in his arms had entered his life and splashed his bleak and dull life with vibrant colors.
Never had he thought that he would change so much from his previous self, all because of one woman.
Just like how he was now.
All Zong Jinghao wanted to do now was to hug her, kiss her, comfort her and repay her. He just wanted to give her the best things in the world.
Including himself.
Lovingly, the man lowered his head and kissed his wife’s hair…
