Duan Sisi looked into his pleading eyes, and then thought about the baby in her belly.
She hasn't decided what to do yet, and messing things up now won't do her any good.
She cooperated with Qiao Chen and had a meal with all these relatives.
Duan Sisi thought the meal was over, but she never expected that the time after the meal would be the real event.
Unlike usual, Qiao Xiufen took the initiative to do all the cleaning and washing of the dishes.
"Sisi, you can sit down. Qiao Chen and I will take care of it."
She kept insisting, so Duan Sisi had no choice but to go to the living room.
The moment her bottom touched the stool, a barrage of questions and concerns from all her relatives began.
"Sisi, we all know you're sensible and obedient, but you're pregnant now, so you shouldn't do these things. You can order Chenchen around as you please; he's a grown man and doesn't care."
Duan Sisi was stunned by these words. "How did you know I was pregnant?"
Her aunts and uncles ignored her question and continued talking to themselves.
"Sisi, there's no real animosity between husband and wife, especially minor squabbles. There's no need to escalate it to divorce. Besides, you both have children; you should consider their needs in everything you do!"
"Yes, Sisi. I've heard that abortions aren't safe these days, and many people die on the operating table. It's all because those doctors make it sound good and get you to have the surgery to meet their sales targets. You can't let them brainwash you and risk your health."
“Sisi, look at me when I was young. I had a much harder life than you, but I’ve made it through all these years. You’re married now, so you can’t act like a child anymore. You have to think things through for the sake of your child.”
"Do you really want your child to live in a single-parent family? How much harm would that do to her! For the sake of your child, what can't you endure?"
Duan Sisi got annoyed by this brainwashing. Because of her position, she couldn't lash out, so she could only turn and call Qiao Chen.
But Qiao Chen seemed deaf; no matter how much she called out, he wouldn't show his face, as if he had died in the kitchen.
Duan Sisi's heart grew colder and colder; she finally understood.
From Qiao Chen's feigned compliance in the coffee shop to his menacing dragging her away in the hospital, and then his self-inflicted injury at the hospital entrance, all of these were designed to lure her back and brainwash her.
Duan Sisi's face turned cold, and she refused to listen to anything else, directly ordering him to leave.
"Everyone, it's getting late, please go home."
The distant relatives acted as if they hadn't heard a thing, continuing their incessant chatter.
Duan Sisi raised her voice eight octaves, "If you really want to keep this child, please shut up and go back!"
The aunts and uncles were rendered speechless by her shout, and turned their heads awkwardly to look at Qiao Xiufen and her son who hurriedly ran out of the kitchen.
Seeing Duan Sisi's unpleasant expression, Qiao Xiufen immediately gave a wink to her extended family.
"You guys go ahead, Sisi is tired and wants to rest. Come back another day."
After all the relatives left, she sat down next to Duan Sisi with a forced smile and asked kindly, "Sisi, what's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"
Duan Sisi curled her lips in a mocking smile, "You two, mother and son, are really good at scheming and plotting!"
Qiao Chen's expression changed slightly, and she couldn't help but speak up: "Sisi, how can you talk to my mother like that? Even if my mother is wrong, she is only thinking of us."
Qiao Xiufen quickly tried to smooth things over: "It's alright, son. If Sisi is unhappy, then it was my fault. Sisi, I promise I won't do it again."
Duan Sisi slapped away the hand that Qiao Chen was tentatively reaching for, stood up, and glared at Qiao Chen.
“If this is how you talk, then I think I know what to choose.”
She coldly uttered those words and turned to leave.
As Qiao Chen watched her about to leave, he rushed forward and grabbed her hand.
"Duan Sisi, where are you going? Are you going to abort my son again?"
Duan Sisi tried hard to shake off his hand, but she couldn't resist his strength at all.
"Qiao Chen, I was so blind to have been fooled by your pull tab. What I do with this child is none of your business."
Qiao Chen was immediately enraged by her words and, without saying a word, dragged her into the bedroom.
Duan Sisi struggled fiercely, but she was no match for his strength.
She was thrown onto the bed, and Qiao Xiufen's anxious shouts could be heard from the doorway.
"She's pregnant, so be careful not to hurt the baby!"
Hearing these words, Duan Sisi felt a chill run down her spine. The constant mention of her child... Did they see her as nothing more than a breeding machine?
Qiao Xiufen rushed in and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that Duan Sisi was alright.
She turned her head and couldn't help but complain to Duan Sisi: "Why did you provoke him? If he's not careful, he might hurt you and the baby!"
Duan Sisi sneered repeatedly, "If this child weren't here, you'd probably kill me, right?"
Qiao Chen looked at her coldly, "Don't even think about running away. From today onwards, you'll stay here. You can leave when you give birth to the child."
Duan Sisi's eyes widened in shock; she could hardly believe her ears.
She looked at the closed door and lunged forward, but it was too late.
She pounded on the door in terror, shouting, "Qiao Chen, let me out!!!"
But no matter how much she shouted, it was to no avail.
At the Duan family home, Geng Ling finished cooking and craned her neck to look towards the door.
"What time is it? Why isn't Sisi back yet?"
Duan Jingwei took off his glasses and put the newspaper aside. "Sisi just messaged me, saying she's going out with Su Yan to clear her head for a while."
Geng Ling immediately became anxious upon hearing this, "She's pregnant now, how can she run around like that!"
Duan Jingwei comforted her, "She's been in a bad mood lately, so going for a walk will help her clear her head. Besides, Su Yan is there for her."
Despite his attempts to comfort her, Geng Ling remained uneasy and decided to call Duan Sisi again to give her some more instructions.
But when she tried to call, Duan Sisi's phone was switched off.
"Why is it off?" she asked, frowning. "I hope nothing bad has happened."
Duan Jingwei: "Don't overthink it. He probably turned off his phone after boarding the plane."
After his repeated persuasion, Geng Ling sat down at the dinner table with unease.
Su Yan had been too busy with work these past few days to come to the coffee shop, but when she arrived, she found it empty.
Where is your sister Sisi?
"Sisi hasn't come for several days. She only sent me one message saying she had something to do and wouldn't be coming, and that's all." Wenrou stopped wiping the cup and looked at Su Yan with a worried expression. "She's never done this before. Su Yan, do you think something might have happened to Sisi?"
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