“You’re even scarier than a monster!” Pei Ge stuck out her tongue at him, her red and moist lips endearing the man.
“Say that again!” Ji Ziming pinched her chin, suddenly noticing that it was slimmer and sharper than usual. He thought, She’s so skinny and small, how will she provide enough nutrition for the baby?
“Are you crazy?” She swatted his large hand away, unable to guess what he was thinking.
“You’re not allowed to go to the company. Stay at home and properly wait for your pregnancy to stabilize. Also, what’s the deal with your injuries?” His gaze turned grim as he squinted at her. “I’ll treat you like that again if you don’t explain today’s event to me clearly.”
“You…”
Does this man have two faces? The one who dotes on me and the one who tortures me are him.
“I fell down the stairs.”
“What?!”
His eyes widened in shock as he emitted an air so cold that one would not dare to be near him. Pei Ge continued looking at him, not daring to say anything else. That was because the words she had spoken just then already had the effect of punching a hole in the man’s heart.
“How did you fall down the stairs?” He looked up, eyeing the staircase which had tens of steps, and walked over.
Conflicted, the woman did not know if she should tell him that it was because Qu Jingwan had rubbed a thin layer of oil on the stairs. Auntie Zhang had already wiped the whole staircase clean again, and she could even see her reflection in it now from how pristine it was.
“I was just careless. You don’t need to check it further.” While the man was preoccupied with studying the staircase, she picked up the iodophor from the tabletop and gently rubbed it on herself. The minty sting made her suck in her breath a few times, yet she did not dare to make another sound, afraid that the man would run over and torture her again with it.
“Does it hurt?” With his long legs, the man only needed a few steps to return to her side. Seeing the large area of injury on her arm, it was no wonder that she was wearing long sleeves at home.
“It doesn’t hurt anymore.”
He grabbed her hand, which was holding the cotton bud, and lowered his head to kiss it. “Ge Ge, I caused you hurt.”
Pei Ge was stunned as she watched him sit before her and take the cotton from her to continue disinfecting her wound. “Don’t let it touch water. I’ll bathe you later and have the housekeepers to layer the entire staircase, including the areas which have smooth flooring, with a carpet later. I saw your indoor slippers moments ago. Did you change to another pair? Their soles are still quite slippery. I’ll ask the Gucci manager to make a pair for you…”
She silently listened to all his arrangements. If all these were real, then she must be the world’s most blessed woman.
After dinner, the man personally washed a basket of assorted fruits in the kitchen and delivered them to her room. Seeing the three cute children sprawled out on the carpet, he frowned unhappily. “Why are you guys still not resting in your room? Don’t you know that your mommy is pregnant?”
“Daddy, I wanna sleep with mommy tonight.” Ran Ran pouted, her large and beautiful eyes blinking as she acted cutesy.
“No, you can’t.” His gaze turned cold, scaring his daughter so much that she pressed her lips tightly and did not dare to speak further.
“Little sister, let’s go. Mommy really needs our daddy’s care right now. We’ll only bother her by staying here.” An An consoled his sibling upon seeing that her eyes had turned red.
“But I wanna sleep with mommy.” The girl refused to move. She had not slept in the same bed as her mother for a long time.
“Ziming, it’s fine to let Ran Ran sleep with me.” Seeing how stubborn her daughter was being and how unwilling she was to give in, Pei Ge could not bear it. She was not even pregnant, and this man was making such a big fuss over nothing.
“No. What if she kicks your stomach while asleep?”
“That won’t happen.”
“Even so, no.” The man insisted on this point as he placed the basket on the side table. He turned to the children and said, “Hurry up and go back to your room. Daddy will sleep with mommy tonight. Once she gives birth to your sibling, you guys can sleep with her again, okay?”
His tone softened.
“Hng! Bad daddy!” spat her daughter before angrily running out of the room.
“Ji Chi, aren’t you leaving?” The man coldly eyed his son, who was still standing by the bedside.
“I…” This side-eye made the boy’s hands, which were behind his back, tremble slightly. Mustering up his courage, he placed them in front of himself and said, “This is the castle I made in the afternoon. For you.” With that, he fled from the room in a fluster.
Pei Ge felt her heart become warm at the sight of this small castle on her bed. “He must be about to remember me.”
“He will slowly remember you. Don’t think about it anymore; come have some fruit, instead.” The man picked up the basket and walked over to her. The cozy feeling he gave made her feel very touched. “Have some cherries. They’re good for your skin and the baby.”
When he finally reached her, she took a deep breath. “Ziming, I have something to say to you.”
“Say it after you finish eating these.”
“No, I want to say it now.”
“If it’s about you returning to the company for work, then forget it. I won’t agree to it. As my woman, you don’t have to rush around everywhere and work so hard. Just stay at home; I can still afford to support you.”
“Can you listen to me first?” She tugged at his silk pajamas—the color and design of which was something she had chosen for him.
“Okay. Say it, then.” He placed the basket on the tabletop and looked into her eyes, which were slightly moist.
“I’m truly not pregnant. If you don’t believe it, we can go to the hospital for a checkup tomorrow.”
“Didn’t you have morning sickness? It was so serious, so how could you not be pregnant?”
“I didn’t have morning sickness. My stomach happened to be upset that day.”
“I don’t believe it.” He shook his head as tenderness crept up his eyes. His large hand gently caressed her smooth and straight black hair. “Sleep first. We can discuss everything tomorrow, okay? I know that you’ve suffered today and are already feeling tired.”
“I’m not kidding. I’m serious about it. I can show you the pregnancy test kit. It’s already ready. A single red line means that I’m not pregnant and double red lines mean that I am.”
He remained silent as he looked at her with an unreadable gaze.
“Are you telling the truth?”
“Yes. I’m really not pregnant.”
“Then, why did the doctor not say anything when he came this afternoon?”
“I told him not to say it. I was afraid that auntie would get a shock. It’s my fault. If you still don’t believe me, let’s go to the hospital for a body checkup.”
“You’re truly not pregnant?”
“I’m truly not. I’m telling you now because I don’t wanna lie to you, and I don’t wanna lie about this. I know that you’re very disappointed. You’re probably desperately hoping that I’m pregnant, but I…” Her words pricked the man’s heart.
