A subtle and awkward atmosphere permeated the two of them; both seemed somewhat uneasy, unable to find a suitable topic to break the silence.

In the end, it was Zhou Haoran who mustered up the courage to speak first.

"Yesterday, I saw that you were feeling unwell because of gastroenteritis. Are you feeling better now?" he asked with concern, his gaze fixed on Xu Xiaoran.

Xu Xiaoran nodded slightly and replied softly, "Yes, I'm much better now, there's nothing serious."

Zhou Haoran breathed a sigh of relief, then instructed, "You must pay attention to your diet from now on. Try to eat lighter meals, less oil and salt, and avoid spicy foods."

Hearing this, Xu Xiaoran frowned and muttered, "Isn't this just trying to starve me to death!"

She thought to herself that these dietary restrictions were torture for someone who loved spicy food.

Zhou Haoran hadn't heard what she said clearly and asked in confusion, "What did you just say?"

Xu Xiaoran quickly shook her head, stammering, "N-nothing...it's nothing. Um...you came here today, did you...did you already know?"

Her voice grew softer and softer, her eyes flickered uncertainly, and her heart was filled with tension and anticipation.

After all, Zhou Haoran knew he had gastroenteritis, so he probably also knew about his pregnancy.

Thinking of this, Xu Xiaoran's heart pounded faster and faster. She didn't even dare to look up at Zhou Haoran, but her hands involuntarily gripped the hem of her skirt tightly.

After a moment of silence, Zhou Haoran slowly said, "Yes, I understand. The child... is mine, right? It's the one from last time..."

His tone carried a hint of certainty, but also revealed a touch of complex emotion.

"Um, I know you have a girlfriend, don't worry, I... I'll get an abortion in the next couple of days..."

Xu Xiaoran lowered her head, her voice trembling slightly, tears welling up in her eyes but she held them back from falling.

"That's a life. You're just throwing it away so easily. That's incredibly irresponsible."

Zhou Haoran suddenly interrupted her, his gentle expression instantly turning serious. He frowned deeply, his eyes revealing a hint of dissatisfaction and reproach.

Xu Xiaoran was startled by his sudden reprimand and involuntarily moved her body back a little.

She looked up at Zhou Haoran with teary eyes, her lips moved as if she wanted to explain something, but in the end she didn't say anything.

After a moment of silence, Zhou Haoran took a deep breath and softened his tone slightly: "I will take responsibility for you and the child. But this matter also depends on your opinion. I feel that this is a life that cannot be given up so easily. I hope you can think about it carefully."

Upon hearing the word "responsible," Xu Xiaoran felt a sharp pain in her heart, and that feeling of heartache that made it almost impossible to breathe returned.

She knew that Zhou Haoran didn't like her, and his so-called responsibility was just out of kindness and a sense of duty.

Even so, deep down she still held a tiny glimmer of hope, hoping that he might have even the slightest bit of affection for her.

However, reality is always cruel, and Zhou Haoran's next words shattered her last illusions.

She bit her lip tightly, trying her best to calm herself down, but tears still welled up in her eyes.

Finally, she took a deep breath and said in a choked voice, "I...I really don't know what to do. Actually, I don't want you to take responsibility, after all, you don't like me at all. If I force you to stay by my side, it will only make us both more miserable in the future...Rather than that, it's better not to do it now."

As soon as she finished speaking, Xu Xiaoran quickly reached out to wipe away the tears from the corners of her eyes, as if trying to hide her inner vulnerability and helplessness.

Seeing this, Zhou Haoran quickly comforted him, "Don't worry, I will do my best to be a good husband and father. Although we may not have love, feelings can be cultivated slowly! Even if we can't develop love in the end, at least we will still have family ties."

"No, I don't want that." Xu Xiaoran suddenly became agitated, her tone firm and resolute. "I don't want a marriage without love."

At this moment, Zhou Haoran felt extremely flustered.

Faced with Xu Xiaoran's incessant crying, he was completely at a loss, not even knowing where to put his hands.

After hesitating for a long time, he could only gently comfort her, "Um... please stop crying, okay? I... I just feel that I should take responsibility for you and the baby. If you have any other thoughts or requests, you can bring them up, and we can discuss and resolve them together, as long as you don't cry."

Looking at the man in front of her, who looked somewhat disheveled because of her crying, Xu Xiaoran felt a strange smile.

This alternating crying and laughing only made Zhou Haoran, who was already at a loss, even more bewildered.

Xu Xiaoran wiped away her tears with a tissue, took a deep breath, and tried to calm herself down and regain her composure and rationality as soon as possible.

"I really don't need you to take any responsibility," Xu Xiaoran said, forcing back a sob. "You can completely pretend this never happened. And rest assured, I will absolutely not use this child to blackmail you. I never intended to keep it... So, if there's nothing else, you should go."

Although Xu Xiaoran's voice still carried a slight sob, her mind was already very clear and lucid.

Ultimately, Zhou Haoran did nothing wrong in this matter; he simply didn't like her.

As for what happened that night, it was simply because both of them had drunk a little too much; if we really want to assign blame, both of them are actually responsible.

"You're so emotional right now, perhaps you should think about it more carefully. After all, you've only been pregnant for a short time, so you still have plenty of time to consider it."

"Of course, if you'd like, you can come and stay at my place for a while. That way, you'll get to know me better. You can make your final decision after you've thought it through," Zhou Haoran suggested sincerely.

"I don't need it. I've already made up my mind." Xu Xiaoran's voice was cold and firm, leaving no room for negotiation.

She bit her lip tightly, afraid that she would soften her heart.

Zhou Haoran stared blankly at her, his heart filled with indescribable loss and pain.

He had never felt so powerless, only able to watch helplessly as a life vanished before his eyes.

However, despite his inner turmoil, he forced himself to speak and said, "Since you've thought it through, I won't insist anymore. But let me go with you to the hospital."

Xu Xiaoran nodded slightly in agreement.