62. Xueyan's Response

The hospital corridor was dark late at night. Cheng Boyan stood at the door of the operating room, listening to Wen Xueyan's sleepy voice on the other end of the phone. He asked, "Are you sleeping? Is anyone else next to you?"

A gentle response came from the other end of the phone: "No, I'm alone in my room."

"Mr. Xi, doesn't he live with you?" he asked tentatively.

"He's working overtime tonight," Wen Xueyan said evasively. After getting home from work, she stayed in her bedroom and didn't go out except to eat in the living room. She didn't know whether Xi Ximingyuan was at home or somewhere else at the moment.

When he got off work today, Xi Mingyuan said he had something to do and wouldn't take her home, so he had the driver pick Wen Xueyan up and take her home.

Cheng Boyan frowned slightly, recalling Xi Mingyuan he had seen at the banquet that evening. The man had been moving effortlessly among the guests, and he had left when the banquet abruptly ended. It seemed that Wen Xueyan was unaware of his whereabouts, a realization that surprised Cheng Boyan.

Then, Cheng Boyan finally asked the question that had been lingering in his mind: "Are you pregnant?"

Silence fell on the other end of the phone. Wen Xueyan placed her hand on her lower abdomen and whispered to her child in her heart: "Baby, it's Daddy calling. Should we tell him?"

Wen Xueyan felt that even if she denied it now, her colleagues and peers would be able to tell when her child turned three months old next month, so she simply admitted it.

"Yes," she admitted softly.

Cheng Boyan's heart suddenly raced. He suppressed his surging emotions and asked, "Is that child mine?"

Wen Xueyan recalled the agreement she had signed with Xi Mingyuan, then slightly raised the corners of her mouth, revealing a rare hint of playfulness: "I won't tell you."

Cheng Boyan had never expected this answer.

“I guess it’s mine,” Cheng Boyan said in a low, confident voice.

Wen Xueyan neither answered, nor admitted, nor denied.

He didn't have time to think; his instinctive reaction was forceful: "If I had known you were pregnant earlier, I would never have let you marry Xi Mingyuan."

As expected, Wen Xueyan thought to herself, if Cheng Boyan knew, then she would not be able to marry Xi Mingyuan, after all, it is only natural.

So she not only has to deal with her ex-husband Song Tiancheng's harassment, but also Xu Junxian, her older brother, and the harassment from Old Mrs. Xu.

Xu Junheng has already been reported to Cheng Boyan, but Cheng Boyan may find it difficult to find a reason to arrest Old Madam Xu.

"Why did you marry Xi Mingyuan?" Cheng Boyan pressed.

"I won't tell you that either." Wen Xueyan's tone was soft and sleepy. "Do you have anything else to do? It's late, and I'm a little sleepy." She was always prone to fatigue during her pregnancy.

Cheng Boyan thought for a moment and realized that Wen Xueyan must have something she was reluctant to say.

"Wait a minute. The news about your pregnancy," he changed his question, "Does President Xi know?"

"He knows." Wen Xueyan's answer was concise and clear.

This answer immediately made Cheng Boyan's heart sink.

His tone carried a hint of worry: "I believe the child is mine. If so, will Mr. Xi make things difficult for you? Will he try to...? Wouldn't that affect the child's safety? As a man, he generally has physical needs too..."

"You can rest assured about this," Wen Xueyan interrupted directly. "President Xi won't be angry. The baby will also be safe."

She didn't offer any further explanation. Cheng Boyan suddenly realized that Wen Xueyan and Xi Mingyuan's marriage might not be as the outside world imagined.

Just then, the operating room door suddenly opened, and a nurse rushed out, saying to Fang Xiyi, "Family members, please come and sign the critical condition notice! The patient's condition is critical, and his heart rate is abnormal..."

Fang Xiyi nearly collapsed after signing the papers, crying out in anguish, "Save her! Please, you must save her!"

Hearing the commotion on the other end of the phone, Wen Xueyan immediately woke up, all sleepiness gone: "What's wrong? Boyan, are you sick? In the hospital? You were fine just now."

Cheng Boyan briefly recounted what had happened that night: "...Xu Junxian misunderstood me and Secretary Qiao, and then suddenly pushed her. Secretary Qiao has miscarried and is currently in the hospital undergoing emergency treatment. Her condition is very dangerous."

"My God!" Wen Xueyan gasped. "How could this happen?"

Upon hearing this news, after much deliberation, Wen Xueyan resolved to keep Cheng Boyan from knowing the full story for the time being, as she could not accept losing the baby.

The two remained silent for a moment, processing this heartbreaking news.

At this moment, Fang Xiyi finished a phone call and walked over with tired steps. His suit jacket was casually draped over his arm, and there were still some dried bloodstains on the cuffs of his shirt.

"Xueyan, I'll call you back later. Wait for me for two more minutes." Cheng Boyan hung up the phone and went to greet Fang Xiyi.

"Mr. Cheng," Fang Xiyi's voice was hoarse, "the police just told me that Xu Junxian has been formally arrested. The surveillance footage is also complete. She will now face charges of intentional assault."

"It must be handled according to the law. They must be severely punished. I heard the doctor say the patient is critically ill. I know the vice president of this hospital, so I'm calling them now to see if they can find a way to send another senior expert to participate in the rescue," Cheng Boyan responded.

He was heartbroken that Qiao Lanyue was hurt, and even wanted to blame Fang Xiyi for hiding the news of her pregnancy.

Cheng Boyan quickly contacted the vice president, who promised to arrange for two more experts to participate in the rescue that evening.

Then Fang Xiyi walked towards the operating room door again.

Cheng Boyan turned around and dialed the number again, his tone even more serious: "Xueyan, since you're pregnant, I believe this child is mine. Whether you admit it or not, even if..."

He paused deliberately, "Even if the child is Mr. Xi's, when I pursue you again after my divorce, I will definitely treat this child as my own. To love someone is to naturally love everything they cherish. Then, you can have another baby for me, a baby that belongs to both of us. At that time, two children growing up together would be a wonderful thing."

He spoke these words casually, but deep down he was almost certain that the child was his; he remembered that soft, warm body in his arms on that hazy moonlit night.

Cheng Boyan recalled the glistening tears in Wen Xueyan's eyes and the warmth of her fingertips resting on his chest; these had all become unforgettable memories.

He remembered the faint jasmine scent in her hair, the way she trembled slightly in his arms, and the hesitant look on her face when they parted.

But at this moment, he felt that if Wen Xueyan continued to remain silent, she must have some unspeakable reason.

Perhaps she had an unspoken agreement with Xi Mingyuan, perhaps she was worried about affecting his ongoing divorce proceedings, or perhaps there were other reasons. In any case, he was unwilling to put pressure on her at this moment to force her to admit anything.

The last sentence, "Even if the child isn't mine," was something he said to himself. He felt he loved her so much that he could accept anything.

When love reaches its peak, everything becomes forgivable.

Outside the operating room, Fang Xiyi was still silently weeping. The glaring red stain beneath Secretary Qiao's body was still vivid in his mind. These were bloody lessons, reminding him of the dangers Wen Xueyan would face if she were alone while pregnant.

"Don't feel awkward, Xueyan." Cheng Boyan's voice grew gentler. "I'm not saying this to force you to admit anything. You can even not answer at all, and I won't ask any more questions."

"Um."

Then, Cheng Boyan's voice held a cautious, tentative tone: "Would you like to attend the Chemical Industry Innovation Summit this weekend? I'm planning to go."

Wen Xueyan recalled the pilling, frayed cashmere sweater and replied, "I plan to buy clothes on Saturday. As for the summit, the company has arranged for someone else to attend." There was a hint of regret in her voice.

Cheng Boyan keenly sensed this hint of regret on the other end of the phone: "Xi Mingyuan is still your boss after all. If he doesn't agree to you going, I can ask the organizers to extend a formal invitation to you as a special guest. Given your seniority in the industry, accepting such an invitation is perfectly reasonable. By the way, have you been experiencing morning sickness lately? Can you travel by car? In any case, your health is the most important thing."

"I had it before, but it's almost gone now, and I can ride in a car. Also, during my prenatal checkup, the doctor said that I could do some exercise," Wen Xueyan replied.

Cheng Boyan then added, "Considering your current health condition, I will ask the organizers to arrange a car to pick you up and drop you off. What do you think? This summit is being held in a neighboring city, so the journey isn't too far."

"good."

Cheng Boyan's voice held a clear expectation. "How about this arrangement: we'll attend the meeting together on Saturday morning, and I'll just watch you from afar. In the afternoon, I'll accompany you to pick out clothes. You can first look online to see which mall you like, and I'll have someone arrange to reserve the entire place for a few hours so you can take your time choosing. That way, you won't have to worry about running into acquaintances, and besides, we're not even local."

"Okay," Wen Xueyan agreed softly. "Bo Yan, I'm so sleepy right now, can I go to sleep? After Qiao Lanyue finishes her surgery, send me a message to let me know she's safe."

Her dependent tone instantly softened Cheng Boyan's heart.

He gazed at the deep night outside the window, his voice extremely soft: "After you and Xi Mingyuan got married, I was afraid of bothering you, so I didn't dare call you. Now that we can finally talk, I don't want to hang up. But you need to rest well during your pregnancy, go to sleep."

He was full of hope and looked forward to meeting on Saturday.

Cheng Boyan imagined Wen Xueyan curled up in bed right now, just like she used to be when she was beside him, when he liked to hug her from behind. This image filled his heart with a long-lost warmth.

After hanging up the phone, Cheng Boyan silently prayed that Qiao Lanyue would be out of danger soon. He and Fang Xiyi sat together outside the operating room and continued to wait.

Welcome all readers and fans to leave comments and vote! Thank you for your support.

Mr. Cheng is so gentle

Yes, thank you for your message, it's so heartwarming!

Please stay safe! Qiao Lanyue is so kind! I remember she always helped President Cheng protect Xueyan!

Yes, thank you for reading. Lan Yue is truly sincere and dedicated, which is why President Cheng is also very distressed.

Secretary Qiao will surely manage to lock that madman up safely, right?

Yes, thank you for reading and leaving a comment.

I can't wait! I can't wait!

Okay, thank you for your message.

Secretary Qiao should be safe and sound.