Chapter 57 The pregnancy is approximately five weeks along.
The day Jiang Shiyuan ran away, after Huo Lan finished looking for Shen Chuqing, the next person he went to was Cheng Yan.
Jiang Shiyuan hadn't revealed any of her plans to her, and she didn't know that she had already left Huo Garden. So when Huo Lan brought people to Cheng Yan's house, she was extremely shocked and angry.
Huo Lan quickly believed that Cheng Yan was unaware of the situation, just as he knew what Jiang Shiyuan was thinking; they were the people who understood each other best.
If Cheng Yan knew her whereabouts, he would definitely use all sorts of means to force her to tell him, which is why she didn't mention it at all.
Only by being unaware, not understanding, and kept in the dark could they protect Cheng Yan.
It was only then that Huo Lan realized that even a friend was more important to her than herself.
But what could he do? He could only curl up alone in bed, clinging to her lingering breath, looking at the traces of her life in Bell Pavilion, barely surviving on his intense longing for her.
He could no longer numb himself by cutting his wrists. If he died, he would never have the chance to ask her if he was less important than Cheng Yan.
The answer we've received is exactly what we expected.
Upon receiving the message from Jiang Shiyuan, Cheng Yan rushed to Huo Garden almost immediately.
The museum's promotion evaluation period is fast approaching, but Cheng Yan's grand restoration project has only completed a tiny fraction of the work, keeping her extremely busy every day.
But she was also waiting for news from Jiang Shiyuan every day, and she was extremely anxious.
"Shi Yuan, what's wrong with you? This is the second time you've left without saying goodbye!"
Before she even entered the room, Cheng Yan's voice rang out, but once inside, she couldn't utter any angry words.
"Hmph, I thought you were going to disappear without a word for several years again. It seems you really don't consider me a friend."
"I'm sorry, Yanyan, there probably won't be another chance..."
Jiang Shiyuan found her nose stinging terribly, and after seeing Cheng Yan, she could hardly hide her sadness.
Although Cheng Yan didn't know what had happened in the past two weeks, she knew about the awkward relationship between the two of them and didn't have time to be angry anymore. She quickly took a few steps and hugged Jiang Shiyuan.
"Shi Yuan, please stop hurting yourself, okay?"
Jiang Shiyuan didn't call Cheng Yan over simply to catch up; she needed her to bring a few more boxes of birth control pills from outside.
She didn't bring much medicine last time, and after taking it twice, there were only a few pills left.
She was terrified; she was afraid she would actually become pregnant with Huo Lan's child. So she wanted to see lots and lots of medicine so that she could feel a little more at ease.
But Cheng Yan didn't bring it for her and told her that she wouldn't bring it again in the future.
"Shiyuan, I hope you understand that this kind of thing is very harmful to your body. It's not just about whether you can get pregnant in the future; it will also damage your health!"
As Cheng Yan spoke, she searched for her remaining medicine in the bedroom.
"Where did you put the remaining few?"
Jiang Shiyuan sat blankly on the edge of the bed, neither telling her where she was nor saying anything, but her mood was very low.
Cheng Yan stopped searching and said calmly, "It's okay, I already told Huo Lan before anyway."
Jiang Shiyuan raised her head in disbelief. "When did you tell him?"
Cheng Yan looked somewhat guilty, and her tone softened, "On the day he came to me to ask where you went, I said you didn't tell me anything, you just asked me to bring you birth control pills."
"He should have found your medicine and switched it for you a long time ago."
Jiang Shiyuan then strode to the bedside table and opened the third drawer.
The medicine bottle was opened, and there were four white pills left inside.
She then opened the brown pillbox that Huo Lan had categorized for her on the table and compared it with the pills in her hand, only to find that the pills in the vitamin bottle were folic acid tablets that Huo Lan had prepared for her long ago.
She was so scared at night, and there were no lights on, how could she possibly tell what she was eating?
In an instant, she felt nauseous and wanted to vomit.
Cheng Yan patted her back in the bathroom to help her catch her breath, but she gagged for a long time without vomiting anything.
She wasn't sure if she should voice her concerns, but she still tentatively asked, "You wouldn't be... pregnant, would you?"
"Impossible!" Jiang Shiyuan finally couldn't hold back and burst into tears. "Yanyan, I don't want to get pregnant. I'll be locked up by him for the rest of my life."
Cheng Yan quickly hugged Jiang Shiyuan and comforted her, trying to calm her down. "Shiyuan, Shiyuan, I'm just guessing. She might not be pregnant. Maybe you were just too shocked and scared."
Jiang Shiyuan finally stopped crying, nodding choked with sobs, "Yes, yes, I was just scared, not because of the pregnancy..."
But the next moment, she started crying again.
She raised her hand, making Cheng Yan see the platinum diamond ring on her ring finger. "But I already got my marriage certificate with him today. I'm really his wife now. Even if I'm not pregnant now, I'll get pregnant sooner or later. I really don't want to..."
Jiang Shiyuan cried so hard she could barely breathe. She had never cried so bitterly before, not even once in her life.
But now, because of Huo Lan and Cheng Yan by her side, she simply couldn't hold back anymore.
She felt so wronged. She did receive unparalleled honor and favor from Huo Lan, but at the same time, she lost her freedom.
She truly regrets it now, wishing she had never met him in the first place.
If only she hadn't lied to that boy and asked him to collect the bottles for her back then...
"It's all my fault, why did I provoke him?"
Jiang Shiyuan buried her head in Cheng Yan's arms and gradually cried until she had no strength left.
Cheng Yan felt extremely distressed, but found that she couldn't say any words of comfort at this moment. She could only ask, "You really don't like Huo Lan anymore? I remember you always told me in college that you liked him very much."
"I......"
Jiang Shiyuan's nose tingled again, but no tears fell. Her eyes were red, swollen, and sore; she just stared blankly, reminiscing about the past.
"I used to like him a lot."
“But I like him a lot now.” Jiang Shiyuan was surprised even by herself after saying it. “It’s terrifying.”
"Why are you so conflicted?" Cheng Yan wiped away her tears with her hand. "Aren't you deliberately torturing yourself?"
"Shiyuan, maybe you can try to accept him. Maybe you'll find that you want to be with him. Let yourself go, okay?"
Jiang Shiyuan knew exactly what she wanted, and almost immediately she refused, saying, "Just because I like him doesn't mean I want to be with him for the rest of my life. I want to be free to do what I want, but he has never given me that freedom."
Jiang Shiyuan was exhausted from crying. She had gone to get her marriage certificate and completed her resignation procedures today, and was already very tired. Now, after another bout of crying, she had almost lost all her strength.
Cheng Yan helped Jiang Shiyuan to bed and began to coax her to sleep.
"What's the big deal? We still have money, and so many beautiful clothes and jewelry. Huo Lan also wants you to study archaeology, doesn't he?"
Cheng Yan gently patted her back to soothe her emotions.
"I'll ask my boss for leave tomorrow and go shopping with you, okay?"
Jiang Shiyuan, with her eyes closed, mumbled in a voice heavy with sobs, "But he won't let me out..."
"He wouldn't dare!" Cheng Yan pretended to be fierce, though Jiang Shiyuan couldn't see it. "If he doesn't let you out, I'll spread rumors online that he's no good. Let's see if any girls will still praise him for being handsome then. What good is being handsome anyway?"
These words made Jiang Shiyuan burst out laughing, "Let's not..."
She added softly and gently, "The account might have been banned before it was even sent out."
After all, Cheng Yan's account almost got shut down just because she posted a video of Huo Lan taking classes for her in college.
Seeing that Jiang Shiyuan seemed much more relaxed, Cheng Yan finally felt relieved. "There's nothing to be sad about. Every hurdle has its difficulties, but you'll get through them. When I graduated, I couldn't even find a job, and now, in the blink of an eye, I'm working at the Wancheng Museum, almost a junior manager..."
"Mmm." Jiang Shiyuan nodded. "Then tell him tomorrow that you want to go out with me, and that I don't want to talk to him."
"Okay, okay." Cheng Yan sat down by Jiang Shiyuan's bedside and looked at him quietly. "Just sleep peacefully. I'll talk to him tomorrow."
With Cheng Yan's care, Jiang Shiyuan quickly fell asleep.
She tiptoed out and had just closed the door when she saw Huo Lan standing there like a ghost, which startled her so much that she almost jumped up.
When did you arrive?
Ever since Jiang Shiyuan first ran away and was forcibly taken to Huo Garden for interrogation, she had become somewhat afraid of him. Now, with Huo Lan standing behind her like a ghost, how could she not feel a chill run down her spine?
Huo Lan spoke expressionlessly, as if all the blood and energy had been drained from her body, her lips turning white, "Before she cried, she rarely cried in front of me."
Cheng Yan was instantly alarmed. "You heard everything?"
He looked at the door, as if he could see through the door the person sleeping soundly with tears on their face.
"She was crying so hard, it was hard not to hear it."
Cheng Yan mustered her courage and finally asked, "So, what are you thinking?"
"Take her for a pregnancy test tomorrow. Whatever the result, all of you can go out together in the afternoon so she can relax." Huo Lan's eyes were cold. "I know she doesn't not want to marry me. She's just lying to me with harsh words... She's been lying since she was a child."
Before she knew it, her eyes welled up with tears again. It turned out that he had also shed tears with her at the same time, separated by a wall.
"But I don't want to let go."
“Perhaps this is a required course for you two to learn together.” Thinking of Jiang Shiyuan’s repeated escapes and recaptures, Cheng Yan felt a pang of heartache. “Once you can let go, she should come back to you.”
Cheng Yan tentatively asked, "So, how about giving it a try?"
Huo Lan's eyes darted away, and after a long silence, he finally spoke.
"no."
"I can't bear to part with it."
Cheng Yan snorted irritably, rolled her eyes at Huo Lan, and walked downstairs. She really had nothing to talk about with Huo Lan.
After Cheng Yan left, Huo Lan tiptoed into the bedroom.
Jiang Shiyuan's eyelids were still swollen, and her brows were slightly furrowed, as if she hadn't slept well even in her dreams.
He put her outstretched hand back under the covers and tucked the corner of the blanket around her.
As the weather grew colder, he finally seized the last days of summer and married her.
Huo Lan took out the two bright red marriage certificates from the cabinet, leaned against the bed, and examined them carefully, his fingertips constantly tracing Jiang Shiyuan's face in the photo, completely absorbed in the moment.
"Wife, you are so beautiful, and I really can't live without you."
He only dared to call her "wife" when she was asleep, because he was afraid she would be unhappy if she heard it.
He didn't like Jiang Shiyuan when she was angry, and he hated arguing with her the most.
But she was always disobedient, always trying to leave him without a word, so how could he not try to keep her here and lock her up?
Because only by locking her up can she not escape.
When Jiang Shiyuan woke up, he didn't see Huo Lan. On the first day after getting their marriage certificate, he finally got his routine back on track.
She lifted the covers and discovered that Huo Lan had changed her into comfortable pajamas sometime last night.
Jiang Shiyuan quickly washed up and went downstairs to the restaurant for dinner.
Huo Lan had already returned from exercising outside. Not wanting to disturb Jiang Shiyuan's sleep, he took a shower in the guest bathroom on the first floor. He was only wearing a loose and comfortable cotton short-sleeved shirt and black trousers, as if he wasn't going out again.
But he was still very busy. While waiting for Jiang Shiyuan to eat breakfast, he kept his laptop open, his hands never stopping typing. It was unclear what messages he was replying to or what project he was working on.
However, he still keenly noticed that Jiang Shiyuan had gone downstairs and immediately pulled himself away from his work.
"You're awake. Come and eat. I remember we agreed last night that we would go for a prenatal checkup today."
Jiang Shiyuan sat down listlessly, drank a few mouthfuls of porridge, and then lost her appetite.
"No appetite?" Huo Lan asked nervously. "Do you have any cravings? Like sour or sweet foods?"
Hearing Huo Lan's question, Jiang Shiyuan became more and more awake, and she knew what he was guessing.
Of course, even if she was really pregnant, it's impossible for her to show symptoms so quickly. If we trace it back further, she must have gotten pregnant shortly before she left.
She was indeed frightened and asked Cheng Yan to bring her the medicine, but a day had passed by the time she took it, and the medicine's effectiveness had long since diminished.
If she is really pregnant, this child is quite resilient.
After all, in the time that followed, she was either panicking while planning her escape or wandering around during her escape. Then she spent another half a month digging in the scorching sun and wind, which was extremely arduous.
Jiang Shiyuan pulled herself out of her reverie and shook her head. "No, I just don't want to eat anything."
Huo Lan sighed softly, but still picked up a boiled shrimp and put it on her plate. "You need to eat something. Just drinking porridge isn't enough nutrition. You've been doing archaeology for the past two weeks and have lost a lot of weight. You need to replenish your nutrients."
"Okay." She got up in the morning without making a fuss or mentioning changing the dressing, and obediently ate breakfast with him.
Before leaving, Huo Lan picked out a light trench coat from the wardrobe and wrapped it around Jiang Shiyuan.
Although the weather was starting to cool down, it wasn't yet warm enough to wear a trench coat, so Jiang Shiyuan was a little reluctant.
"I don't want to wear this."
Huo Lan had just tightened her belt when he saw her slightly puffed-up face, like a red, crisp apple, so juicy and tempting to take a bite.
"So what do you want to wear?"
Jiang Shiyuan protested, "Why should you go out in a short-sleeved shirt while I have to wear a trench coat?"
"Because you've just recovered from a cold, you shouldn't be exposed to cold wind." Huo Lan straightened her collar. "Besides, this trench coat is very nice, and it goes very well with the tulle dress you're wearing underneath."
Their aesthetic tastes have always been aligned. Although she didn't want to wear such thick clothes, she just pursed her lips and didn't say anything more.
After leaving Bell Pavilion, she realized why Huo Lan had made her wear a trench coat.
The morning breeze was cool and refreshing, making people shiver. Although she was wearing a trench coat, she could still feel the chill that almost seeped into her body. Autumn was really coming.
Jiang Shiyuan asked, "Why aren't you wearing more clothes? Aren't you cold?"
She and Huo Lan walked there together. The maternity center he had built for her was only ten minutes away from Lingdang Xiaozhu, which was perfect for her morning exercise.
Huo Lan took Jiang Shiyuan's concern as a sign, smiled and said, "I went for a run this morning, so I'm not cold. You can wear more clothes."
Anna was already waiting for the two at the door, and came to greet them when she saw them from afar.
"Sir, Madam."
Anna nodded to the two of them in greeting, paused briefly, and only continued speaking after seeing that Huo Lan did not object to his address of Jiang Shiyuan.
"We have already tested the equipment in advance, and everything is working properly. We can check it at any time."
Anna looked at Jiang Shiyuan gently, indicating that she didn't need to be nervous.
"Today we need to conduct a comprehensive physical examination for my wife, including basic physical signs, hormone levels, follicle monitoring, and genetic disease screening. Afterwards, we will adjust the nutrition, exercise, rest, and psychological plans based on the examination results."
Anna and her assistant led the two into the room. The original Chinese-style courtyard had been renovated into a clean and bright hospital, which made Jiang Shiyuan feel a mix of emotions.
The staff in the examination room had already begun adjusting the equipment, but Huo Lan did not allow Anna to undergo the examination she had just mentioned.
"Wait a minute."
Anna started to get nervous. What kind of trouble was her sugar daddy up to now?
Don't make things difficult for working people.
"Let's do an ultrasound first." Huo Lan looked down at Jiang Shiyuan, somewhat nervously. "We're thinking, it might already be there."
"ah!?"
Anna was more happy than surprised. This meant her workload would be reduced by a third, and she would only need to prepare for her pregnancy and postpartum period! Anyway, the contract had already been signed, and she wouldn't lose a single penny.
No, he can also get the boss to deduct my performance bonus.
Huo Lan had no idea what Anna was thinking, but simply gestured for her to continue.
Jiang Shiyuan did not refuse and obediently followed Anna to the examination room. She was also eager to know if a life had quietly grown inside her.
The moment she lay down on the bed, she felt her heart racing.
The cool coupling gel was applied to the lower abdomen, the probe was moved gently, and the staff operating the instrument were focused.
The screen displayed a black and white image that Jiang Shiyuan couldn't understand, and he subconsciously held his breath.
"Mr. Huo, Mrs. Huo." The staff member looked at the image on the screen and smiled gently. "Mrs. Huo is pregnant. According to the ultrasound image, she is about five weeks pregnant."
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Author's Note: Um, well, this is the genius baby from those domineering CEO novels... so resilient... [melted]
It will be born in the spring when the hydrangea blooms.
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