Chapter 6: I’m Pregnant, and the Child Is Liang Youjia’s

Before that, Xianyu only knew that Liang Youjia was a promising young man from a respectable family; she had no idea of his high-ranking lineage.

Amidst the shrill, exhausting arguments between Liang’s mother and Liang Youjia, she learned the truth: he came from a prestigious aristocratic family. His maternal side was involved in commerce, his paternal side in politics; his grandfather was a man of impeccable revolutionary credentials, and his maternal ancestors had enjoyed generations of wealth.

Families like theirs, with centuries of heritage in the capital, were truly of the elite class—those who lived in luxury and commanded influence.

She, however, was born in a remote, backwater city with a stagnant economy. Having grown up lacking the love of her parents, she had nothing to offer Liang Youjia but a pretty face.

Back then, she had been incredibly naive, always believing that love could overcome any obstacle. Furthermore, though her family background was unremarkable, she was of good character and had no designs on the Liang family fortune. She believed that with time, his parents would come to see her worth.

Yet even so, when Liang Youjia found her later, he still found her in tears. He didn't know she had overheard his mother; he simply assumed she was angry.

During dinner that evening, Liang Youjia declined her suggestion of a trip to the Southeast Territory. As he wiped her tears away with a handkerchief, he comforted her clumsily, "Be good. Once things stabilize at the company, I’ll take you on a trip."

Xianyu’s makeup was ruined from crying. He chuckled, "You’ve cried yourself into a little tabby cat; it’s not a good look."

"If it’s not a good look, then don't look!" Xianyu realized then that her face must be a smudged, unsightly mess.

Liang Youjia cupped her face, his focused phoenix eyes brimming with doting laughter. "I insist on looking. I’ve never seen you like this before."

Infuriated, Xianyu slammed the heel of her high-heeled shoe down hard onto his polished leather shoe.

...

Being the sensible one, she never brought up the fact that she had once crossed paths with his mother, and Liang Youjia never mentioned his mother’s disapproval of their relationship. Yet, in subtle and intangible ways, the truth would always surface.

Meeting the parents is something every couple must eventually do once their relationship reaches a certain stage. Liang Youjia was quite the magnet for attention, and many daughters of wealthy families in their social circle would make advances toward him. He never responded, so they decided to focus their efforts on her instead.

There were countless times when girls would tell her that Liang Youjia’s background was far beyond the reach of a girl from a small town like her, adding that Liang’s mother had even stated publicly that the Liang family would never accept a girl from the slums.

They didn't realize that as the person involved, she had already accepted this fact long ago.

As luck would have it, Liang Youjia overheard one such remark. He scolded the wealthy young ladies away and told her that she was the only one he loved. He also said that his mother had a prejudice against her, but that time would reveal her true character and his mother’s heart would eventually change.

But now—

When Liang’s mother looked over, she turned away, adjusting the lace brim of her hat. She dragged her suitcase to the center of the lobby, keeping her back to both of them.

Once they finished checking in, they would leave, right?

Yu Qingzhou, however, had spotted her the moment she appeared in his line of sight. There was no helping it; the woman’s figure was truly striking—tall and curvaceous, rivaling even that of a professional model. He hadn't seen her face clearly, but as a woman, he felt an intuitive sense.

Yu Qingzhou gave Du Ruanruan a gentle nudge. "That looks like a friend of Youjia’s. You should get to know her in a moment."

Du Ruanruan paused for a second, then smiled. "Of course, Mother. I will certainly look after her."

Liang’s mother likely did not know that before returning to the country, Du Ruanruan had already done her research. The girl Liang Youjia held in the palm of his hand was nothing more than a golden canary kept by his side.

"Hello, we’ve met before. Do you remember?"

Xianyu looked up, meeting Du Ruanruan’s bright, imposing face. She remembered. This was the legal wife she had seen Liang Youjia accompanying to a prenatal check-up.

"I remember," Xianyu said with a faint smile. "Is something the matter?"

She gripped her fingers tightly, carefully observing the nuances of the situation with every word she spoke.

"I am Du Ruanruan. And you are?"

"I am Xianyu," she replied.

"I know of you, Xianyu," Du Ruanruan said, sitting beside her, her voice soft. "I won’t say much else. I am pregnant, and the child is Liang Youjia’s."

"I know you’ve been with A-You for five years; perhaps this relationship is hard to let go of. But consider this: how can the love between a patron and his canary ever be as solid and reliable as the bond between childhood sweethearts?"

Xianyu’s body went rigid as a puppet. Her fingernails dug into her palms, but she seemed unable to feel the pain.

After Du Ruanruan left, Xianyu was in a daze. When checking in, she could barely speak a coherent sentence in English. The clerk asked her several times, but Xianyu stared blankly at her identification, her vision a blur.

She was so breathtakingly beautiful, even in her tear-stained state, that the staff couldn't bear to scold her and even enthusiastically offered to show her the way. Fortunately, Liang Youjia had already made the arrangements, and she simply collected the room key.

Liang Youjia arrived half an hour later. Xianyu was curled up under the covers, feeling utterly drained. His kisses made her limbs go weak, and she couldn't help but wrap her arms around his neck in response.

Their lips and tongues tangled, and before long, they were lost in each other.

The room was a sea-view suite. Outside the window, the sunset was brilliant, the evening glow painting the sky in a magnificent, sprawling beauty.

Xianyu wanted him, but Liang Youjia pulled away, his eyes bloodshot. He stared intently at her pink, swollen lips, which glistened in the light. Xianyu’s eyes were hazy, her legs wrapped around his waist, looking like a siren ready to be claimed.

He kissed her forehead, murmuring something provocative, "Look at the sky—it’s the perfect backdrop for us to lose ourselves until the world goes dark."