Ye Yanxi was still holding a fruit platter in her hand. She had been standing outside the door for a while. She didn't come back to her senses until she heard Xiao Yu hang up the phone and there was no more sound in the room. The hand holding the fruit platter trembled uncontrollably.
Xiao Yu naturally knew there was someone outside. Hearing the rustling sound, he asked in a deep voice, "Who's there?"
She couldn't help feeling flustered. Without thinking, she blurted out, "It's me."
It took Ye Yanxi quite a while to calm her emotions. Then she took a deep breath, pushed the door open and walked in.
"I just washed some fruits. It's good to eat them after a meal, so I brought them to you." Ye Yanxi said with a smile as she placed the tray on Xiao Yu's desk. Her expression was calm and composed.
The juicy peaches were bright - colored and delicious, and the grapes were big and plump. Just looking at them made one's mouth water.
Xiao Yu raised his eyebrows and looked at the fruits in the platter. His thick eyelashes drooped slightly. One couldn't tell what he was thinking. After a while, Xiao Yu pointed at the fruit platter with his finger and then leaned back casually in his chair.
Seeing his relaxed and indulgent look, Ye Yanxi naturally understood what he meant. He actually wanted her to feed him.
After a moment's thought, Ye Yanxi figured that she and Xiao Yu had done all sorts of intimate things by now. Besides, they were husband and wife. So she didn't act coy. She simply picked a big grape from the bunch and fed it to him.
Xiao Yu slightly parted his thin lips and swallowed the glistening grape. Seeing him slightly relax his brows and looking content, Ye Yanxi felt a surge of joy in her heart.
"Is it delicious? I picked them myself." she asked with a sense of accomplishment.
Although she knew he probably wouldn't say it wasn't delicious, Ye Yanxi still wanted to hear it from his mouth. There was a bit of pride in her tone, as if seeking praise.
"Um, it's good!" Xiao Yu spat out the grape skin. He stretched out his long arm and pulled Ye Yanxi onto his lap. Although she was pregnant, there was no sign of clumsiness. Her belly was only slightly protruding. Xiao Yu gently stroked her lower abdomen.
Looking at her slightly prominent belly, Ye Yanxi complained discontentedly, "I went to class today, and my classmates said I had gained weight."
"You haven't really gained weight. It's the baby in your belly that's growing. By the way, it seems your weight has decreased a lot recently." Xiao Yu stared intently at her, "Shouldn't you tell me what's going on?"
Of course, it was because Ye Yanxi was afraid of getting fat and had reduced her food intake to keep her figure. She didn't expect Xiao Yu, who was so busy every day, to be so observant.
"Have I lost weight? I don't feel it. Maybe I've been busy recently, so I've burned more calories." Ye Yanxi blinked her big eyes and said indifferently.
"Really?"
But her attempt to play it down couldn't fool someone like him. Under Xiao Yu's dark, probing eyes, she felt a bit guilty.
Ye Yanxi was about to defend herself when Xiao Yu's cold voice rang out, "Aunt Xia said you've only been eating half of what you usually do recently?"
"Er... well, I've just not been feeling very hungry lately." Ye Yanxi forced a smile.
"Not feeling hungry?" His tone carried a hint of danger.
Seeing that she couldn't hide it anymore, Ye Yanxi let out a deep sigh and explained weakly, "The baby is still small now. It doesn't need that much nutrition, so I've been eating less."
"So?"
Ye Yanxi quickly raised her hand to show her determination, "Don't worry. I've asked some medical students. After two months, I'll eat more nutritious food. I'll take good care of the baby and won't let it go hungry."
Seeing her raise her hand and swear seriously, Xiao Yu let her off, knowing that what she said was true.
"Since you know what you're doing, I won't say more. But you must keep your promise!"
"How could I not? This baby is my heart and soul. I won't treat it badly, okay?" Ye Yanxi pouted, feeling quite unhappy that Xiao Yu had doubted her.
Only then did Xiao Yu's eyes show a look of satisfaction. He lovingly scraped the tip of her nose with his finger, "You'd better remember what you said."
"Of course. I take good care of my own body."
After being in the room for a while, Ye Yanxi couldn't stop thinking about what Xiao Yu had said at the door. So she pretended to be casual and said, "By the way, that..."
She wanted to ask Xiao Yu the truth.
Was what happened at the Xiao residence last time really just an accident? And how did Jin Yan know she was pregnant at that time? Why did she try so hard to pull her down the stairs and harm her?
She hesitated and didn't know how to ask the question.
Now Jin Yan had moved on from the past. She had a new life. She was a very good teacher and always took good care of Ye Yanxi at school.
So how could she be the cruel - hearted woman that Xiao Yu had described?
"What do you want to ask?" Xiao Yu observed her facial expressions carefully. The confusion in her eyes was obvious.
Actually, he knew exactly what Ye Yanxi wanted to ask. He just wanted her to ask it out loud.
Ye Yanxi finally mustered up the courage to ask the question when Xiao Yu's phone rang.
It was a call from the company.
Ye Yanxi glanced at the phone and got up tactfully. She walked to the table and said, "It's nothing. You deal with your business first. I'll go out."
Xiao Yu stared at Ye Yanxi's back until her slender figure disappeared through the door. Then he took his eyes back. His face was as cold as ice. He stared at the phone and pressed the answer button.
"Hello? What's up?" Xiao Yu said in a cold voice.
After Ye Yanxi left the study, she couldn't control her emotions. She quickly walked to the bedroom and closed the door.
That night, Ye Yanxi didn't sleep well. When she got up, she looked listless. Her face was pale, and there were dark circles under her eyes. She had no appetite for breakfast and just took a few mouthfuls.
With big dark circles under her eyes, she went out with Xiao Yu.
Even after getting in the car, Ye Yanxi still looked sleepy. Xiao Yu frowned as he looked at her but said nothing.
The car soon arrived at the gate of S University. There were a few students going in and out. After the car stopped, Ye Yanxi didn't move to get out.
"Xiaoxi, we're at school." Xiao Yu suddenly said.
Only then did Ye Yanxi come back to her senses from her chaotic thoughts. Had they arrived so soon? She had hoped the journey would be longer. She felt like she had just got in the car.
Reluctantly, she reached for the car door, but her bottom stayed firmly on the seat.
"What time will you get off work today?"
"I'll probably be a bit late today. There's something to deal with." Xiao Yu replied.
Disappointment immediately showed on Ye Yanxi's face. She let out a dull "Oh".
"If you don't want to go back to the villa after class, you can go to the company and wait for me."
"Okay, I know." Ye Yanxi looked dejected. She had just been hesitating whether to ask about Jin Yan, but in the end, she decided not to. She'd better go to school first. After getting out of the car, Ye Yanxi turned back and said, "I'm going to school then."
"Take your time, Young Mistress!" Xu Bei said politely.
Watching Ye Yanxi walk towards the school gate in a daze, Xiao Yu's eyes darkened. After a long while, he ordered Xu Bei, "Drive!"
After entering the classroom, Ye Yanxi was very worried that she would see Jin Yan again during class.
Since hearing what Xiao Yu had said outside the study, she had subconsciously felt a bit reluctant to meet Jin Yan.
But today, Jin Yan was supposed to have a class. So Ye Yanxi felt a bit nervous before class.
She hadn't figured out how to face Jin Yan. Although there had been some conflicts between them before, Jin Yan was different now. She had let go of the past and started anew. What about her? Should she just pretend she hadn't heard anything?
During the English class, Ye Yanxi waited nervously for Jin Yan to enter the classroom.
The whole class waited for a long time. Gradually, everyone started to get impatient. After all, it had been more than ten minutes since the class was supposed to start, and Jin Yan still hadn't come.
Then another teacher came in and said that Jin Yan had suddenly fallen ill and asked for leave.
Although Ye Yanxi had prepared herself to face Jin Yan, she still heaved a sigh of relief when she heard the news.
The afternoon classes ended quickly. When she reached the downstairs of the teaching building, she wanted to call Xiao Yu. But then she remembered that Xiao Yu had said he would be late in the afternoon. So she changed her mind and called Fang Xu. Fang Xu told her that Xiao Yu was in a meeting.
In the end, Ye Yanxi had to go back to the villa. On the way back, her phone suddenly rang.
Looking at it, Ye Yanxi was a bit happy. It was a call from Jiang Pinzhen.
As soon as she answered the phone, Ye Yanxi softly called out, "Mom!"
However, on the other end of the phone, there came Jiang Pinzhen's excited and anxious voice, "Xiaoxi..."
"Mom, what's wrong? What happened?" Ye Yanxi's heart tightened. She also spoke anxiously, thinking that something had happened to Jiang Pinzhen.
"I'm fine." Jiang Pinzhen paused, "It's your dad!"
He Zhenhua?
Ye Yanxi frowned. Obviously, she didn't care much. She asked in a low voice, "What's wrong with him?"
"Your dad... he has liver cancer. He's being treated in the hospital now." Jiang Pinzhen's voice was filled with grief that she couldn't hide.
Ye Yanxi was extremely shocked. The phone in her hand slipped to the ground and made a "thud" sound.
After a long while, Ye Yanxi came to her senses. Her mind became a bit clearer. She picked up the phone and quickly asked, "Which hospital is he in?"
Jiang Pinzhen told her the address on the other end. Ye Yanxi quickly said to Xu Bei, "Brother Xu, don't go back to the villa. Go to ****** Hospital."
By the time she rushed to the hospital, Ye Yanxi's head was still buzzing. In the waiting area outside the corridor, Jiang Pinzhen was sitting alone. Her body looked thin and frail, and she was trembling slightly. It was obvious that she was trying hard to hold back her emotions.
Ye Yanxi walked over. She felt a bit heart - broken and said, "Mom."
Jiang Pinzhen looked up. The vulnerability in her eyes was obvious. She grabbed Ye Yanxi's hand as if grasping at a straw. Her voice was still trembling slightly, "Xiaoxi, you're finally here."
Jiang Pinzhen was no longer young. There were wrinkles at the corners of her eyes. At this moment, her body was shaking uncontrollably. Ye Yanxi could feel her fear and worry.
"Mom, it's okay. I'm here with you."
"Your dad..." Before she could finish, the tears in Jiang Pinzhen's eyes rolled down. Her eyes were slightly red.
"Medical technology is so advanced now. Maybe there's a way to treat him. Don't worry too much." Ye Yanxi held her hand back and comforted her softly, "Now, the most important thing is that we don't give up and stay positive. Otherwise... he will lose confidence too."
"I..."
"Okay, Mom. Don't cry. He won't feel good if he sees you like this."
Jiang Pinzhen wiped away her tears and let out a sigh. The sadness on her face was still hard to hide, "Your dad really wants to see you. Go and see him."
Once upon a time, Ye Yanxi had been extremely resistant to He Zhenhua but also felt a bit soft - hearted. She had been reluctant to forgive him easily, so she had said some very harsh words.
After some thought, she went into the ward with Jiang Pinzhen.
Just then, the doctor was discussing the treatment plan with He Zhenhua.
They heard He Zhenhua simply refuse, "I'm not going to have the surgery!"