Hearing the voices of many people on the other end of the line, Liang Zhiyi, her little head filled with confusion, gently asked, “Pei Chen, are there a lot of people around you…??”
The people in the meeting room burst into laughter, and Pei Chen’s eyebrows also relaxed into a smile. He lightly coughed into his fist, disconnecting his phone from the computer. His gaze swept over the crowd, who were full of curiosity, and then he stood up and walked out of the meeting room, not giving them any more chances to eavesdrop.
Once outside, Pei Chen spoke softly into the phone, “We were just having a meeting, and my phone was connected to the computer, so everyone heard your voice.”
???
The girl instantly blushed deeply, thinking of how her cute and innocent voice had been heard by so many people. She buried her face into the pillow, “Ugh, this is so embarrassing…”
After all, she was one of the company’s bosses; she had to save face, right? QAQ.
Pei Chen chuckled lightly, “It’s okay, I’m outside now.”
But he had something even more important on his mind: “Zhizhi, you said you found out you’re pregnant?!”
“Yes, this morning I suddenly realized my period was two weeks late. I just bought a pregnancy test to check, but I haven’t gone to the hospital yet, so I can’t confirm it completely. And now, I’m too scared to go out alone…”
Hearing this, the man’s heart pounded with excitement from the good news. “Zhizhi, wait for me at home. I’ll come back after the meeting and go to the hospital with you, okay?”
“It’s alright, focus on your work first. Don’t worry about me; I’ll just stay in bed and rest.”
The man gently reminded her of many things, and the girl agreed to each one. Finally, she softly asked with a smile, “Pei Chen, are you happy?”
Pei Chen’s lips curled into a smile, “Can’t you tell how happy I am?”
Hearing the joy in his voice, Liang Zhiyi’s eyes curved into a smile as well.
She knew that all along, he had been more eager than her to have a baby of their own.
She urged him to continue with the meeting. After the call ended, Pei Chen returned to the meeting room, where Liang Tongzhou, who was sitting inside, was also excited about becoming an uncle:
“My sister is really pregnant?!”
Ji Fei’er asked too, “Really, really?!”
“Yes, I’m taking her to the hospital to confirm later.”
“Wow, congratulations, Mr. Liang…”
Pei Chen, facing the concern and blessings of everyone, smiled and said, “Thank you all. Once it’s confirmed, I’ll let you know the good news, and we’ll have a meal together.”
Everyone laughed, and Xuan Xia raised his hand, saying, “I want to be the godfather! Pei Chen, we’ve been brothers for so many years, I have to be the godfather!”
Ji Fei’er added, “I want to be the godmother too!”
Liang Tongzhou, who was beside them, couldn’t help but laugh, tapping her on the head, “Godmother? You’re going to be the aunt!”
Ji Fei’er’s cheeks flushed slightly, her eyebrows arching in a smile, “You’re right, haha…”
Xuan Xia, standing nearby, couldn’t help but feel the urge to kick them both out. “Why is everyone around here showing off their love?”
The crowd burst into laughter, and Pei Chen said, “Let’s focus on the meeting first. We can talk about other things later.”
“Alright, let’s get back to the meeting.”
—
The meeting lasted for an hour. After Pei Chen, as the CEO, finished discussing the most important parts, Xuan Xia, knowing that Pei Chen was most concerned about Liang Zhiyi’s pregnancy, suggested he leave early. He and Liang Tongzhou could handle the remaining agenda.
Pei Chen didn’t insist on staying and left the company. He drove alone back to Hai’an Yunhua.
On the way, he called Zhong Xinrou to share the news. Zhong Xinrou was overjoyed and told them to come to the hospital later; she would take care of everything.
A while later, Pei Chen returned home.
Walking from the hallway to the bedroom, he saw Liang Zhiyi half-leaning on the bed.
The young girl was tugging at the ear of a stuffed toy in her arms, her complexion fair and delicate. Her almond-shaped eyes glistened with a wet shine from the light streaming in from the window, and her dimples lightly dotted her cheeks as she smiled.
She had been waiting patiently for him to come home.
As the man walked in, the girl turned her eyes towards him, her gaze lighting up:
“You’re back…”
He sat down beside her, pulled her into his arms, and kissed her lips. “Sorry, the meeting ran a bit late. Were you bored waiting for me?”
“No…”
He stroked her head, “Are you feeling uncomfortable anywhere?”
“No, but my mom called me earlier. Did you tell her?”
“Yes, I asked her to arrange everything with the hospital.”
Liang Zhiyi reached for the pregnancy test on the bedside table and handed it to him, smiling brightly, “Look, here.”
Pei Chen looked at it. “So, two lines mean you’re pregnant?”
“Yes, I tested multiple times, and it was the same every time,” she said, her eyes curving with delight. “Someone must be very happy now, right?”
Pei Chen’s lips curled into a smile. He took her hand and gazed at her intently, his voice deep, “It was expected, after all. Given how many times we tried, it was bound to happen.”
Her face flushed red, and she playfully scolded him:
“Yeah, all that effort finally paid off.”
Before, she and Pei Chen had undergone premarital checkups, and both were in excellent health. Given that Pei Chen exercised regularly and was full of energy, it was only a matter of time before she got pregnant.
Pei Chen gently stroked her long hair, his voice filled with concern, “But Zhizhi, it’s going to be tough for you from now on.”
Leaning on his shoulder, the girl confessed, “Pei Chen, I’m a little scared. I don’t know how to be a good mother…”
“Don’t be afraid, I’m here with you.”
“Let’s learn how to be parents together, okay?”
Her heart warmed and fluttered. She nodded, and Pei Chen caressed her face, sealing her lips with a tender kiss that blended the sweet and refreshing scent of gardenias.
His kiss was deeply lingering.
It carried no hint of desire—only pure love.
After a while, Pei Chen slowly pulled back, gazing at her, “Shall we go to the hospital now?”
“Okay.”
He helped her off the bed, wrapped her in a coat, and gathered their things. As they headed to the entryway, he guided her carefully, urging her to watch her step.
Seeing his nervous yet clumsy demeanor, Liang Zhiyi couldn’t help but laugh, “Pei Chen, don’t be so tense. I’m not made of porcelain; I won’t break with just a touch.”
“Aren’t the first three months supposed to be extra careful?”
“Yes, but you’re being a bit over the top…” The girl smiled, her eyes curving in amusement.
When they reached the garage and got into the car, Pei Chen drove cautiously, keeping the speed low. Liang Zhiyi turned to him and asked, “Pei Chen, what if, when we get to the hospital, it turns out I’m not pregnant after all?”
Pei Chen paused for a moment:
“Didn’t the pregnancy test already show that you are?”
“Sometimes those tests aren’t accurate; there can be false alarms,” she laughed. “What if the hospital finds out I’m not pregnant?”
Pei Chen hesitated, then calmly replied, “If you’re not pregnant, that’s okay too. We’re not in a rush.”
Seeing him trying hard to hide his disappointment, Liang Zhiyi chuckled, “Silly, I was just teasing you.”
He really did consider that possibility.
In truth, she felt certain that there was a little life growing inside her, almost like an intuitive connection.
A while later, when they arrived at the hospital, and with Zhong Xinrou accompanying them, a quick examination confirmed that she was indeed over a month pregnant.
This confirmed news brought them both relief and joy. Zhong Xinrou also shared the news with Liang Tianming, who was over the moon and insisted that the two of them come home for dinner that night.
“Your dad is thrilled about becoming a grandfather,” Zhong Xinrou said with a smile.
The girl smiled, and Zhong Xinrou gently patted her head, sighing, “Time flies so fast. In my eyes, you’re still just a child, and now you’re about to become a mother.”
“Mom, I’m a bit nervous…”
“Nervousness is normal, but there’s no need to worry too much.”
Zhong Xinrou gave Liang Zhiyi and Pei Chen some advice on how to take care of things during the early stages of pregnancy. Pei Chen diligently took note of everything, which made Zhong Xinrou smile, “With Xiao Pei taking care of you, I feel reassured. If you both get really busy, you can always move back home.”
“No need, Mom. On the way here, Pei Chen and I discussed hiring a nanny to help out at home.”
“That’s fine, or we could have Aunt Zhang from our house come over to take care of you.”
Given their current living conditions, these arrangements were not difficult at all.
Since Zhong Xinrou had work to attend to at the hospital, Pei Chen took Liang Zhiyi home to rest.
Once they got home, Pei Chen called Pei Yongxia to share the news. Pei Yongxia and Gong Qin were overjoyed and immediately started fussing over Liang Zhiyi, reminding her to take good care of herself and promising to visit her the next day.
After hanging up, the girl sighed contentedly, “It feels like now that I’m pregnant, I’m a national treasure at home.”
Pei Chen smiled, wrapping his arms around her from behind, “You are indeed a treasure.”
The girl looked up at him as Pei Chen placed his hand on her stomach, whispering in her ear, “Zhizhi, I’m so incredibly happy.”
Pei Chen confided that the broken marriage of his parents had left him with no desire for love or marriage. He once thought that bringing a child into the world to suffer like he had would be worse than not having a child at all.
But now, after marrying her, the idea of having a cute little one like her, who would cling to him every day, calling him “Dad,” and whom he could watch grow up, filled him with a sense of joy and anticipation.
Hearing this, Liang Zhiyi’s heart ached as she held his hand, turning to look at him, her eyes glistening with tears. “Pei Chen, don’t worry. I will do my best to be a good mother, to love and cherish our child.”
She vowed that the tragedies of Pei Chen’s childhood would not be repeated with their child. “I will always be by your side and the baby’s. Our little family of three will be very happy.”
Sunlight streamed in through the window, and Pei Chen held her securely in his arms.
Of course, they would be very happy.
—
After the pregnancy was confirmed, Aunt Zhang, who had been working as a housekeeper at the Liang family home, came to take care of Liang Zhiyi. Aunt Zhang had previous experience as a maternity nurse, so she knew how to prepare nourishing foods for expectant mothers.
However, Aunt Zhang didn’t stay all day; she would leave after dinner, allowing the couple to enjoy their evenings together. Of course, their “two-person world” now included the little baby growing inside her.
During this time, Liang Zhiyi also shared the good news of her pregnancy with a few close friends. Among them, Zhi Mian was particularly experienced in this area, so Liang Zhiyi often sought her advice.
One piece of advice Zhi Mian shared was that it was best to avoid certain activities during the early stages of pregnancy, as too much intensity could harm the baby.
Hearing this, Liang Zhiyi teased, “Can Duan Zhuo handle three months?”
Zhi Mian blushed and shyly whispered, “Well, just try to restrain a bit. If it’s really difficult, you can… you know, stay on the edge…”
Liang Zhiyi laughed, “Seems like someone here has quite a bit of experience, huh?”
“Zhizhi, you’re too much…”
Later that evening, when Pei Chen finished his work and walked into the bedroom, he saw Liang Zhiyi leaning against the bed, chatting on the phone and laughing uncontrollably.
After a while, she ended the call with Zhi Mian. Pei Chen, who was standing by the wardrobe picking out his pajamas, turned and asked, “What were you talking about that made you so happy?”
“Oh, nothing much. Zhi Mian just told me that you can’t… you know, for the first three months of pregnancy. So, I suddenly thought of asking—how does it feel knowing that you won’t be able to ‘eat meat’ for a while? Must be really hard for you, huh?”
Pei Chen closed the wardrobe door and turned to face her. His eyes met her bright, mischievous gaze—she was clearly teasing him, her playful grin like that of a little fox.
Then, she saw him walk over, leaning down with his hands on the edge of the bed, bringing his face close to hers. His voice dropped to a low murmur, “Are you taking advantage of the fact that I can’t do anything to you right now?”
She smiled cheekily, “I’m just telling it like it is.”
“Smug, are we? You’ll pay for this later.”
Her face flushed pink, “Hmph, you bully…”
Despite his playful threats, during the early stages of her pregnancy, Pei Chen indeed refrained from touching her, no matter how hard it was for him. What mattered most to him was her well-being and the baby.
However, while Liang Zhiyi initially enjoyed “getting away with everything” during her pregnancy, she soon realized that she had underestimated Pei Chen’s resolve. QAQ.
April quickly drew to a close.
One weekend evening, after finishing dinner, the two of them decided to stay home.
In their small group chat, Fan Gao initiated a group video call. He had recently traveled to another province to work as a food vlogger, and he missed everyone in Lincheng, so he suggested they all catch up.
The seven friends gradually joined the call. Xuan Xia noticed that Pei Chen and Liang Zhiyi were on separate cameras and asked, “What’s going on? Aren’t you two together?”
Liang Zhiyi was curled up on a cashmere rug in the bedroom, eating ice cream, her smile bright, “I’m in the bedroom, and Pei Chen’s in the study. I’m too lazy to move.”
Pei Chen, seated at his desk handling some company matters, turned his head. His gaze, framed by his thin, gold-rimmed glasses, focused on the video of Liang Zhiyi, and he calmly ordered:
“Finish that one and no more.”
Liang Zhiyi grumbled softly, “Okay, fine…”
Peipei is so strict.
Fan Gao laughed and teased, “Even on separate screens, you two can still show off your love!”
Liang Zhiyi giggled, “Jealous much?”
“Haha, no jealousy here, just pure hatred.”
Ji Fei’er burst out laughing, “Hahaha…”
Liang Tongzhou wrapped his arm around Ji Fei’er and said to Fan Gao, “Don’t worry, Fei’er and I are sharing the same screen.”
“Get out of here…”
As everyone chatted in the group, Liang Zhiyi, feeling a bit bored, started browsing a shopping app. It just so happened to recommend some very sexy nightgowns to her—the kind that could make anyone’s pulse race.
This was likely because she had previously purchased that Christmas outfit, and now the algorithm had locked onto her preferences…
As she browsed through the selections, a mischievous idea struck her. She took screenshots of a couple of the most enticing ones and sent them privately to Pei Chen: [Which one do you think looks better, big brother?]
She deliberately addressed him this way.
A few seconds later, she saw Pei Chen in the group chat glance down at his phone, his dark eyes growing deeper behind his glasses.
After a moment, he replied: [Why are you picking these out?]
Liang Zhiyi responded: [Just pick one for me.]
When she pressed him again, he responded a few seconds later: [The second one.]
The second one was a pure white lace set—classic and irresistibly seductive.
She continued to ask him to choose a few more, and as he replied, she noticed that he remained composed while chatting with everyone else in the group. Outwardly, he seemed calm and collected, maintaining his usual cool and scholarly demeanor.
But through the lens, she could feel his eyes on her, a playful smile tugging at her lips, her gaze sultry.
It was as if she was secretly flirting with him right in front of everyone.
She wondered how long he could keep up his facade of calm.
After he finished choosing all of them, he asked: [Are you going to buy them?]
She could almost sense the restrained anticipation in his question. Unable to hold back her laughter, she revealed her true intentions: [Of course not! I just wanted to see what you’d pick. It’s a special time right now, do you really think you can act on those naughty thoughts?]
She felt quite smug, knowing that no matter how much she teased him, he wouldn’t dare do anything to her at this time.
But her amusement was short-lived. In the next moment, Pei Chen lifted his gaze to the camera and calmly said in the group chat, “Zhiyi, come to the study.”
He spoke so casually, as if he were simply calling her for something routine.
However, the look in his eyes told her otherwise—there was an undercurrent of intense desire, barely restrained.
Uh-oh, this seemed to be getting out of hand…
But with so many people around, she didn’t dare let her nerves show. She responded with a quick “Okay” and, after hesitating for a moment, got up and walked out of the bedroom.
When she arrived at the study, she found him seated at the desk, glasses perched on his high nose bridge. His entire demeanor was like that of the moon submerged in deep water—cool and distant.
She walked up to him, forcing a calm expression as she asked:
“What do you need…?”
Before she could respond, Pei Chen placed his tablet face down on the desk, stood up, and with one swift motion, pulled her toward him, pinning her down on the desk.
From the other side of the screen, someone noticed the sudden darkness and asked, “Hey, hey, where did Pei Chen go?”
Liang Zhiyi’s eyes widened in shock, her heart pounding wildly. She whispered urgently:
“Pei Chen…”
The man leaned over her, his gaze intense, his breath hot as he pressed close to her ear and whispered, “What do you think I’m going to do?”
She tried to reach for the tablet but couldn’t quite get to it, her face flushed as she bit her lip, afraid to make a sound.
“Aren’t you the one who likes to play?”
He slowly removed his thin-rimmed glasses, his other hand moving suggestively, as he leaned in and bit her earlobe, his voice husky:
“How about I play with you while you’re still on the call with them?”