The call went through, but no one answered.
Sang Yu did not end the call. Instead, she just kept listening to the ringing until a robotic voice traveled into her ears. “The number you have dialed is unavailable. Please try again later…”
She pulled the phone away from her ears as she sat on the steps in a daze. Guilt was chewing on her heart, and she felt it was her ignorance that had led to things turning out this way.
Her throat tightened as her eyes reddened.
She did not know how long she had been sitting there when her phone suddenly rang. Lowering her head, she looked and saw it was Shen Peichuan’s number. She once had many things to say to him, but now, she did not know what to say anymore.
Sniffling, she collected herself. When she accepted the call, Shen Peichuan’s voice immediately traveled out of the speaker. “Why did you take so long to pick up the call?”
Sang Yu kept quiet.
This time, Shen Peichuan was quick to realize what was wrong. He asked, “Are you angry because I didn’t accept your call? I left my phone in my office earlier before I went for a meeting. When I saw the missed calls, I immediately called back.”
“I’m not angry with you. I’m angry with myself.” Sang Yu lowered her eyes. “When are you coming home tonight?”
“I may be late tonight and won’t be going home for dinner. I have a dinner appointment with my colleagues.” His promotion had been announced, so his colleagues wanted him to treat them to a meal.
He could not reject them.
“I’ll wait for you anyway.” Sang Yu pursed her lips. “I have something to tell you tonight.”
Shen Peichuan replied, “Okay.”
“Go ahead with your work. I’ll be ending the call now.” At that, she ended the call.
After collecting herself again, she stood up and left the hospital.
At home, she waited from six in the evening until eleven at night before the door finally creaked open. Shen Peichuan was in his dress shirt, and his uniform was on his arm as he entered.
Sang Yu was curled on the couch. She turned in the sound’s direction. In the dim lights, she could see Shen Peichuan’s slightly red face. Turning around, she put on her house slippers before walking to him. Once she was close to him, she could smell the faint scent of alcohol.
She frowned. “Have you been drinking?”
“A little. My colleague insisted. It’s not right for me to keep rejecting,” Shen Peichuan replied.
Sang Yu took the clothes from his arm and hung them. She then helped him to the couch. “I drank little. Don’t you have something to say to me?”
Instead of answering him immediately, Sang Yu handed him a glass of water.
Shen Peichuan took a sip from the glass before he placed it on the table. He continued, “What did you want to tell me?”
Quietly, she stared at him.
Holding her hands, he divulged, “Sang Yu, I’ve been promoted at work.”
On another day, Sang Yu would have hugged him and exclaimed, “Congratulations!”
However, she could not form the words this time.
“What’s wrong?” She had a lively character, and it was unusual for her to be this quiet. Her silence made anxiety creep into Shen Peichuan’s heart. “Are you upset because I’m home late?”
Nowadays, the moment Sang Yu felt upset, he would start wondering if he was the one at fault.
The only thing he could think of was that he had come home late.
Sang Yu shook her head. “No.”
“Was it because I drank? My colleague…”
“Peichuan,” Sang Yu interrupted. “I… I…”
It was meant to be joyous news, but she had made it seem terrible now.
“What’s wrong?” Shen Peichuan reached out to hug her.
In his lap, Sang Yu hoarsely asked, “Will you forgive me if I did something wrong?”
“Of course.” Shen Peichuan pecked a kiss on her forehead.
Sang Yu mustered her courage and announced, “I-I’m expecting.”
“Okay.” Belatedly, Shen Peichuan continued, “What are you expecting?”
Sang Yu grabbed the edge of his shirt and bit her lip. “Y-Your baby.”
Shen Peichuan instantly stiffened. It was as though he could not process her words, yet it also seemed as if he could not describe what he felt to be joy.
His Adam’s apple bobbed before he asked, “When was this?”
In the next second, he crushed Sang Yu in a hug and exclaimed, “Y-You’re pregnant? I’m going to be a father?”
The news came too sudden, and he could not contain the excitement in him. “Sang Yu, I’m so happy!”
He was so delighted that he was at a loss for words.
Abruptly, Sang Yu sobbed in his embrace.
Stunned by her action, Shen Peichuan questioned, “Why are you crying?”
As he spoke, he reached out to wipe her tears away.
Sang Yu’s sobbed even louder as she choked out, “I took meds.”
Confused, Shen Peichuan inquired, “What meds did you take?”
She looked at him with watery eyes. “I-I didn’t know I was pregnant. I didn’t feel well, so I went to a clinic for a checkup. The doctor said it was gastroenteritis, so they prescribed me some meds, and I took them. I still felt discomfort after taking them for a day, so I went to a hospital instead. There I found out I’m pregnant, but because I took the meds…”
Shen Peichuan had to inhale two deep breaths before he could speak in a tone as calm as he could muster. “Why didn’t you go to the hospital if you weren’t feeling well?”
“I thought it was too bothersome as the hospital’s too far away…”
All of a sudden, Shen Peichuan jumped to his feet. The best news and the worst news had come hand-in-hand, and his emotions could barely catch up with his comprehension. He, who was usually calm and collected, was now pacing in agitation in front of the couch. Thinking that he was angry, more tears fell from Sang Yu’s eyes.
At the same time, she started to tremble as she sobbed. “T-This is all my fault.”
Shen Peichuan turned to look at her tear-stricken face and went back to the sofa. Holding her in his arms, he consoled, “It’s okay, it’s okay. I don’t blame you for this. It’s not your fault.”
She was young, and she had not meant to do this.
“This is my fault,” Sang Yu repeated.
“We’ll go to the hospital again. Let’s hear what the doctor says.” Shen Peichuan wiped her tears. “Don’t cry.”
