Chapter 5

The two-hour drive passed steadily with him at the wheel. The music with its clear melodies eventually turned into a lullaby. Wen Yi slept soundly.

As they entered the city and traffic became stop-and-go, Wen Yi stirred awake. She rubbed her eyes, looked out the window, her voice slightly hoarse. “Almost there?”

“Yes.”

The music had stopped at some point. Her mind was blank. While clearing her head, she stared dazedly at the taillights of the car ahead.

Suddenly, her stomach growled. In the quiet space, it sounded especially abrupt.

Qin Nanshan turned to look. Wen Yi felt embarrassed and lifted her chin. “What? Can’t I be hungry?”

He smiled. “Want to eat first?”

“No. Home.”

With the conversation started, Wen Yi fully woke up. She asked him, “There’s something I’ve been meaning to ask. Why did you attend that medical forum that day?”

He considered for a moment before answering. “Teacher Wu is a professor at the medical school. Recently, he and I co-authored a paper. I was the second author. He needed to present that paper at the forum and asked me to go on stage.”

Wen Yi had not attended the full forum, only joining the gathering afterward. In hindsight, she had missed his impressive speech.

She had heard of this Teacher Wu: a cunning old fox from the Second Hospital, with just two years until retirement, always exploiting others. Even the pharmaceutical representatives under her had run errands for him several times.

Wen Yi snorted. “Treating you like free labor, huh? What co-authoring? I bet you wrote the whole thing. In the end, he gets first author. His abacus beads are clacking loud and clear.”

Qin Nanshan did not respond. Such things were common, but everyone saw through them without pointing it out, tacitly allowing it to happen.

She turned her body to face him. “Do you often help people write papers?”

Qin Nanshan hesitated for a few moments before answering. “No.”

Definitely yes!

If he were under her, she would give him a harsh lesson. Only a fool would do such thankless work.

What a fool, Wen Yi cursed inwardly. Of course. With his taciturn nature, who could he refuse?

But the two of them had no substantial relationship yet. She was too lazy to lecture him. After fuming a bit, she continued asking. “How did you end up in that room that night?”

According to Yan Fu’s plan, that room was supposed to be occupied by a male doctor Wen Yi had collaborated with. This doctor was recently under investigation, right in the eye of the storm.

She had known in advance and asked the front desk to switch. Logically, that room should have been empty.

Qin Nanshan said, “I’m not sure. The front desk gave me the key card.”

Then it might have been a genuine mix-up. Mistakes like issuing the wrong room were not unheard of.

Qin Nanshan had probably pieced together what was going on her side by now. At this point, he asked, “If that night it hadn’t been me…”

Before he could finish, she interrupted sternly. “What do you mean by that?”

Qin Nanshan shut his mouth and dropped the question.

But Wen Yi pressed on relentlessly. “Are you trying to say that if it wasn’t you, it could have been anyone? That I’d take whoever came?”

“I didn’t mean that.”

Wen Yi crossed her arms like a grumpy little cat stirring up trouble for no reason. “Hmph. It was you who seduced me by not wearing clothes!”

It happened to be a red light. Qin Nanshan braked. Both lurched forward. He looked at her in utter astonishment.

Perhaps due to pregnancy hormones, Wen Yi’s blood rushed hot. “Am I that kind of person? You’re doubting my character! Besides, you’re no better. We both acted on impulse at the sight of each other. Neither of us is any good. No one has the right to judge the other.”

Wen Yi glared at him fiercely, throwing caution to the wind. “Anyway, now we’ve made a baby. I admit I’m unlucky. Even if you don’t want to acknowledge it, you have to.”

Qin Nanshan did not know how to refute. “Haven’t I acknowledged it…”

“I didn’t force you to. I was originally going to abort it. It was you who said ‘this child coming to us has created a statistical miracle.’ You made the decision yourself. You can’t blame me now or ever in the future!”

He said, “Yes.”

“Do you only know how to say one word?” Wen Yi grew energized, provoking him on purpose. “Who knows what you’re really thinking about me. That I’m using a child to latch onto you and your family like a stubborn plaster that won’t come off. Right?”

Wen Yi watched his expression. He only frowned lightly, his emotions remarkably stable, as if he had not heard her words. It made her seem like a shrewish woman making unreasonable trouble.

The light turned green. The car started moving. Qin Nanshan gripped the steering wheel, veins faintly visible on the back of his hand. His voice remained steady. “I have never thought that way.”

Wen Yi felt stifled in her chest. She rolled down the window for air. The weather these past two days had been nice. Even the wind carried a hint of warmth.

At another traffic light, the car slowed to a stop. At the intersection, an auntie pushed a stroller waiting to cross. The baby babbled and cooed. Wen Yi found it irritating. She took the phone and changed the destination.

The navigation app’s mechanical female voice announced the route change. Qin Nanshan asked, “Where to?”

“My mom’s place.”

Wen Yi stared at him, serious and defiant, enunciating clearly. “Qin Nanshan, I don’t want your household registration or your money. I’m not lacking. I have a good figure, good looks. My salary is two or three times yours. I have plenty of choices for marriage. Though this was an accident, neither of us is beneath the other. If it’s not suitable, we will leave.”

No one understood better than Wen Yi the criticism society heaps on unmarried pregnant women and single mothers. People always stand on moral high ground to condemn. Society, family, and incompetent boyfriends make girls blame themselves, tormented to the point of despair.

She was no naive young girl. He had not shirked responsibility. Shotgun marriage was a gamble she chose, staking her entire life.

But she would not compromise. If this path brought grievance to her and the child, she could not continue down it.

……

Changle Lane.

Wen Yi did not let him come along. At the door, she remembered Wen Hongyu had changed the lock. She knocked. Fortunately, Ms. Wen was home. Otherwise, she would truly be all alone.

“Mom, make me a spare key, okay? Why change the lock for no reason? I’ve never seen a house guarding against its own daughter.”

Wen Hongyu pointed to a new key on the shoe cabinet, her tone unfriendly. “Who is guarding against you? The lock was broken, so I replaced it. I’ve never seen a daughter who doesn’t come home for a month either. Last time you came, you barely ate a few bites before leaving. What, is there a ghost here?”

Wen Yi laughed a couple of times. She went to the dining room, lifted the cover on the small dishes on the table, and looked greatly disappointed. She turned and whined coquettishly. “Mom, dear Mommy, your precious daughter is so hungry…”

Wen Hongyu glared at her and went into the kitchen to cook.

It was not mealtime. Wen Hongyu made her a bowl of tomato and egg noodles.

Wen Yi poked around with her chopsticks. Wen Hongyu knocked the table mercilessly in warning. “No groceries bought. Eat what I cook.” Wen Yi pouted and carefully pushed the tomatoes to the side.

But after just two bites, her body reacted immediately. Wen Yi covered her mouth, unable to control the dry heaving. This time, she could not make it to the bathroom.

Looking up, Ms. Wen opposite her had a tense expression, her forehead darkened. Wen Yi clearly sensed a storm brewing.

Sure enough, she stated gravely, “You’re pregnant.”

A declarative sentence. Affirmative.

Wen Yi had come back today intending to talk about this anyway. But there was a difference between saying it proactively and being forced to admit it. Her heart panicked now. Afraid Ms. Wen would get angry, she held her breath.

She thought for half a minute. A touching story formed in her mind. First the result. “Mom, yes, I am pregnant. We plan to get married and have the baby.”

Then the origin. “His name is Qin Nanshan. We were high school classmates. We know each other’s backgrounds. We ran into each other at an academic forum a year ago. He pursued me for half a year. I agreed.”

“I didn’t tell you because I wanted to wait until the relationship was stable. Plus, I’ve been busy lately. I was planning to bring him home this New Year.”

“Pregnancy was indeed an accident, but we are both prepared. Haven’t you always said I’m getting older and need to find someone soon? Well, everything has fallen into place naturally.”

Wen Yi’s expression was sincere, her words heartfelt. Ms. Wen listened attentively. Wen Yi stood up, moved behind her, and gently massaged her shoulders while adding more embellishments. “Mom, he’s a good person. His personality,”

She paused briefly before continuing. “His personality is gentle and easy to get along with. He teaches at A University now. He’s really impressive. Under thirty and already an associate professor. Not many people can achieve that.”

“We truly love each other. This child has arrived amid our hopes. Pick a day when you’re not working. Let him come over. If you have no objections, we’ll go register the marriage. Okay?”

Standing behind her, Wen Yi could not see Ms. Wen’s expression. She only heard a deepened voice. “A teacher at A University?”

“Yes. What’s wrong?”

“What does he teach?”

“Mathematics.”

“Surname Qin?”

“Yes.”

In the quiet, there seemed to be a faint sigh, barely audible. Ms. Wen said helplessly, “I can’t control you.”

They say when a daughter grows up, she can’t be kept at home. But this daughter had truly never been kept. From the moment she became sensible, Wen Yi had been exceptionally independent. She handled school and homework on her own. Ms. Wen rarely worried about her life or studies.

As an adult, choosing a major, going to university, deciding on a job after graduation—all Wen Yi’s own decisions. Pharmaceutical representative had once been frowned upon by neighbors in the alley as not respectable work. When Ms. Wen found out, she was furious and demanded she quit. But Wen Yi insisted and had done it for years.

Now she had quietly taken this path again. Ms. Wen shook her head inwardly. Truly her daughter.

Seeing Ms. Wen silent, Wen Yi bent down and hugged her shoulders. “Mom, I know what I’m doing.” Then she leaned close to her ear and whispered, “He’s really handsome.”

Ms. Wen turned her head and saw her daughter’s infatuated look. She could not help laughing, but still scolded. “Wen Yi, you’re too impulsive. Do you realize how irresponsible this behavior is? If he didn’t want it, what would you do? Abort it? Or have it alone? You can’t even take care of yourself properly. How could you raise a child?”

Wen Yi soothed her. “Yes, yes, yes, Mom. I have confidence. If he weren’t reliable, I wouldn’t do this.”

“What about his family?”

His family… That was a good question. But judging from how Qin Nanshan had calculated post-marriage assets with her, there probably would not be major issues. Even if there were, they would have to become non-issues now. She said, “Of course his family has no objections. His parents are thrilled.”

“Bring him over tomorrow.”

“Got it.”

Wen Yi let out a long breath of relief. This hurdle was passed.

Ms. Wen went back to the kitchen and cooked some light porridge for her, watching her finish it. In between, she kept asking about early pregnancy conditions. Wen Yi answered honestly and thus regained residency rights in Changle Lane.

Ms. Wen kept giving instructions until past eight. Wen Yi finished showering, tidied up, and returned to her small bedroom. She picked up her phone, untouched for three or four hours.

The dog man was somewhat thoughtful. He had sent two messages. One: [Have you eaten], another: [Are you resting]

Each exactly four characters. Adding a punctuation mark would be disrespectful to the input method.

Fine. Qin Nanshan probably did not know the idiom “to show concern warmly.” Heaven opened the window of mathematics for him, so it had to take back his language skills.

She called him. The first call went unanswered. Five minutes later, she tried again. Still no answer. Her refined brows furrowed dangerously.

Bored waiting, Wen Yi opened her accounts to check finances.

The happiest thing after starting work was counting money. She was shallow like that. Watching the numbers in her account grow bit by bit dispelled all the frustrations from the day’s work.

Six years after graduation, she spent considerably to maintain appearances in daily life, but her high salary paid off. Now she had a seven-figure balance.

The house in Changle Lane was small and old, only valuable for its location. She had originally planned to save a few more years, sell this one, and buy a bigger place for Ms. Wen. Now it seemed that plan had to be shelved temporarily.

The tenant in her belly was a money-devouring beast. She needed cash on hand. Just in case. She did not know if this marriage would happen or how far it would go if it did. She had to leave herself an escape route.

Wen Yi slumped and put down the phone. Done for. Counting money no longer made her happy. The more she counted, the more worried she became.

An hour later, Qin Nanshan called back. “Sorry. I was just working.”

Wen Yi was already lying down, drowsy from sleep. She forgot her earlier tantrum and the unanswered calls. She directly briefed him. “Are you free tomorrow? Come to my house.”

“I am.”

She recounted the story she had fabricated, emphasizing key points. “Remember. We reunited a year ago. You pursued me for half a year. We love each other deeply. Your parents agree.”

The line suddenly went quiet. Wen Yi waited a moment with no response. Truly sleepy, she urged softly. “Say something.”

“I’m here.”

“My mom is conservative. Cooperate with me a bit. Okay?”

“Okay.”

“Then hanging up. Bye.”

After hanging up, Qin Nanshan placed the phone on the desk and sat quietly. The white paper on the table was densely covered with calculations. Beside it was a half-drunk cup of tea. Summer played by itself at his feet. Everything followed routine, no different from before. Yet in essence, earth-shaking changes had already occurred.

The glowing computer screen displayed the latest top journal paper from École Normale Supérieure in Paris. He needed to verify the derivations in it. This work should have been completed last Friday, but he went to Sucheng, delaying two days. In the evenings, he inexplicably felt restless, even misreading decimal points.

Suddenly, many people and matters had entered his life: Wen Yi, the child, his future mother-in-law. Visiting, showing concern, responsibilities. They disrupted order, forcefully intruding.

He was not prepared to be a husband, a father, or to build a family with anyone.

Order was in chaos. The future unknown. The balance tending toward routine was broken. It left him somewhat at a loss and irritated. Yet he knew the responsibility on his shoulders could not be shirked. The irritation could only be suppressed.

Qin Nanshan instinctively opened the drawer. Inside was the unfinished pack of cigarettes from last time. He opened the box. The woman’s warning suddenly flashed in his mind. He closed his eyes and tossed the cigarettes into the nearby trash bin.

Dogs are naturally sensitive. Summer sensed its owner’s mood and stood up to bark twice at him.

He lowered his eyes to look, pulled over a sheet of scrap paper, crumpled it into a ball, and tossed it to a corner of the room. Summer skillfully ran over, picked it up in its mouth, and dropped it into the trash bin, wagging its tail for praise.

Qin Nanshan bent down and stroked its fluffy head. Summer obediently nuzzled his palm.

He gazed at the swaying camphor branches outside the window and said softly, “Summer, you’re going to have a new friend.”

Two seconds later, a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as he corrected himself. “No, that’s wrong. It’s two new friends.”