Qin Shu smiled politely at the beautiful woman. “Yes, I’m here to relax. Is this your first child?”
The beautiful woman could not help but laugh. “My eldest son is already in his twenties, and my second son is almost an adult. This is my third child, and it’s my daughter. My husband and I have been trying for a long time.”
Qin Shu’s eyes were filled with surprise. “I didn’t expect you to have a son in his twenties. You can’t be older than thirty yourself. Please accept my congratulations. I’m sure your daughter will grow to be as beautiful as you.”
The woman smiled and said, “Look at you! You sure know how to make a woman my age happy. You’re even sweeter than my youngest son.”
“I’m telling the truth. You look quite young.” Qin Shu said enviously.
The beautiful woman broke into a peal of laughter. Eyeing Qin Shu indulgently, she asked, “Is this your first child? How many months has it been?”
Qin Shu lowered her head to look at her bulging belly, her limpid eyes reflecting a tender warmth. “Yes, it is. I’m slightly more than four months pregnant.”
The beautiful woman gasped, pleasantly surprised. “What a coincidence! It looks like we’re on the same boat. Unlike my two sons, this daughter of mine is proving to be quite a handful. I can’t imagine what she’ll be like in the future if she’s already so rowdy.”
Qin Shu rubbed her belly thoughtfully. Her baby seemed relatively well-behaved too. Was it going to be a boy?
The beautiful woman suddenly asked, “Have you gone for an ultrasound?”
Qin Shu shook her head. “No, I haven’t gone for one yet.”
“You should go for one as soon as you can. It’s best to ensure your child is developing properly. You wouldn’t want your child to suffer from some congenital anomaly that could have been remedied with early intervention now, would you?” The beautiful woman chided gently.
Qin Shu rubbed her forearms, feeling a little embarrassed. Fu Tingyu was the one who usually handled affairs regarding her pregnancy. Even her last checkup was at his urging.
“You’re right. I’ll go to the hospital tomorrow for a checkup. Thank you for the reminder, Big Sister.”
The beautiful woman hid her smile behind one of her dainty hands. “To think you would call me Big Sister. My eldest son is only a few years older than you. It feels like the time I just got married.”
Qin Shu grinned sheepishly. “B-but I can’t possibly call you auntie! That would imply I thought you looked old.”
“It’s alright. You may address me in any way that makes you comfortable. Don’t worry. I’m not particular.” The beautiful woman responded casually.
Qin Shu burst into laughter upon hearing the beautiful woman’s candid response.
Just then, the handsome man who had left earlier returned. He was holding a bunch of roses in his hand. The bright red blooms seemed to drink in the night sky, creating a dramatic contrast that complemented the older couple.
In his other hand was a box of cakes, neatly sliced. It only took a glance for Qin Shu to identify them as Black Forest cakes.
“I’ve kept you waiting. I’m sorry. I got these for you.” The man’s voice was deep but mild on the ears.
“No, you came back at just the right time. I was having a good chat with this young lady right here. She’s also pregnant.”
The beautiful woman caught sight of the large bouquet of roses being offered to her and smiled. Her joyful expression made her appear younger than she really was. It was as if she had returned to the springtime of her youth. “Honestly! How old are you? Why are you still buying me roses like a young man?”
The man’s replied indifferently, “I’m giving them to my wife, and I’ll continue giving them to her even if she has a head full of white hair.”
The beautiful woman laughed so hard it brought tears to her eyes. Teasingly, she said, “Well, when that time comes, don’t blame your grandchildren for laughing at you! I’d join them in a heartbeat.”
“It’s getting late. Let’s head back. I don’t want you catching a cold.”
The handsome man shrugged off his jacket and draped it over his wife’s shoulders. Once he was sure she was comfortable, he pulled her into his arms.
The beautiful woman took the opportunity to bid Qin Shu farewell. “You should head back soon. My husband is right. It is getting late. You must take of yourself, especially since you’re pregnant.”
Qin Shu nodded in understanding. “I will. Thank you for your reminder, Big Sister.”
The couple departed with slow but steady steps.
Qin Shu watched them leave, noticing the way the man had his arm around the woman. It was an ordinary action, but one that showed how much he cared for his wife.
It was hard to imagine that the woman already had a son in his twenties and still behaving like a pair of lovebirds in the infancy of budding love.
Carried on the wind was the playful admonishment of the beautiful woman, “Hah! You’re so old your hair is white, and still, you play at being young. You should be glad I enjoy playing along.”
Qin Shu sighed. Love like theirs was rare in this day and age, and she envied them. If only love remained constant, unchanging and fresh like the first buds of spring. Such enduring love was the best of its kind – or at least that was what she thought.
Qin Shu did not immediately return to the hotel. She enjoyed the quiet solitude of having the beach to herself, stroking President Ba’s shiny coat of fur. By the time she made her way back, the moon had risen, wan and pale amidst twinkling attendants.
She felt much better having met such a loving couple.
–
The next day, Qin Shu went to the hospital to undergo an ultrasound.
She had left President Ba at the hotel. It would not have been convenient having him around for the procedure.
Even though it was a weekday, the hospital was bustling with patients.
After Qin Shu registered, she sat on a chair outside and waited for her turn. Coincidentally, she met up with an acquaintance.
It was the beautiful woman she met had the previous night in Evan Palace.
Taking the initiative to greet the older woman, she said, “Big Sister, are you here for an ultrasound too?”
“Yes, I am. It’s nice meeting you again.” The beautiful woman was surprised to see Qin Shu. Without hesitation, the beautiful woman asked the woman beside her if she would mind swapping seats.
The other party was agreeable, and the swap took place without any hiccups.
“I didn’t expect to see you at the hospital.” The beautiful woman had a faint smile that tugged at her lips. Sweeping her gaze around the waiting area, she inquired politely, “Are you alone again?”
“Yes, I am.” Qin Shu nodded. “It’s just a checkup.”
The beautiful woman felt sorry for the young mother seated next to her. “Even if it’s just a simple checkup, your husband ought to be here accompanying you. Doesn’t he know how hard it is for women to get pregnant?”
The scene of Fu Tingyu seriously attending prenatal education sprang to mind. Whenever her legs cramped up at night, he would be at her side in a flash, massaging the cramps away.
“He knows. I’m the one who told him not to come.” Qin Shu defended.
“Just because you told him not to follow you, he decided it was alright to let you go for a checkup alone? Is he a blockhead?”
The beautiful woman instantly came to her defence. As a woman, she felt sorry for Qin Shu. She wanted to provide reassurance and a measure of support for the young woman with a blockhead of a husband. Which man would allow their wife to go for a prenatal examination without escorting them? It was inconceivable to her.
Fu Tingyu, a blockhead?
Obviously not.
Soon, it was the beautiful woman’s turn. She had arrived earlier than Qin Shu and thus was called into the examination room before she was.
A handsome man carried the beautiful woman into the examination room where the ultrasound was to take place.
Although family members were not allowed into the examination room, this man appeared to be an exception. Otherwise, only spouses were allowed to accompany their wives into the examination room.
The handsome man must have pulled some strings.
When the handsome man passed by, Qin Shu was struck with an intense feeling of deja vu. The man bore an uncanny resemblance to Fu Tingyu.
–
When Qin Shu went in for a checkup, everything went smoothly.
The baby was healthy.
It felt as if a great weight had been lifted off her shoulders.
After Qin Shu returned to the hotel, she took President Ba out for lunch.
Since she was in Lucaya, she decided to visit its famous lavender fields.
President Ba accompanied her faithfully.
They hired a taxi which took them around the vast lavender meadows Lucaya was famed for. The closer they got, the greater the swathes of lavender became.
Qin Shu wound down the window, breathing in the mellow fragrance of lavender as the car sped past the fields. Lavender possessed a refreshing quality that eased the mind and calmed the soul. It was just what she needed.
Stopping at an enormous prairie, Qin Shu stepped out of the taxi with President Ba in her arms. For as far as the eye could see, lilac flowers swayed to and fro, a sea of purple beckoning blooms. Had it not been for her self-control, Qin Shu would not have been able to resist the temptation of diving into the waves of perennial flowers.
Colourful butterflies flitted in the air, dancing amidst the field of flowers.
Many others like her stood mesmerized by the sight of the sea of flowers.
Qin Shu carried President Ba along the narrow path carving the prairie in two. The feeling of strolling amongst the sea of flowers was an experience so surreal and magical that it took her breath away.
She remembered the photo Jun Li had taken before. It was a scenic picture, not unlike the one sprawled for miles around her.
She took out her phone, adjusted her camera, and took a picture of her surroundings.
She then sent the picture to him via WeChat.
When she closed the app, she saw an unread message in her inbox. Clicking on it, she realized it was from a stranger.
[ Annonymous:
Something happened a few days ago. I just saw the message. About the assassination, it was carried out by a subordinate of mine. ]
