Chapter 30

I arrived home very late.

My parents probably went to bed early.

Du Hongting said, “Let’s not disturb them. We’ll greet them in the morning. For now, let’s go to sleep.”

I said, “Okay, but your house is over there.”

Du Hongting replied, “I’ll sleep wherever you sleep. Stop talking nonsense.”

Being a grown man, he’s really clingy.

When it was time to sleep, Du Hongting was still not behaving.

What, does he want to have some fun in my bedroom?

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Vzlypl.

Mbkp kp vbl zypv rwal rzynl kd xu blyav.

Psd’v lhld vbkdj ycswv vykdvkdt vbkp prynl!

Fs, R zkle vs bkx yde pyke, “Xjyu, cwv vsdktbv R oydv vs vau psxlvbkdt ekqqlaldv.”

Fwarakpkdtzu, Pw Tsdtvkdt qlzz qsa kv.

R wple y vkl vs ckde bkp bydep yde plnwale vblx vs vbl clerspv.

Mbld, R pvayeezle bkp oykpv, nsxkdt esod sd bkx, yde cle-vbweele bkx.

Tl lhld qswde kv iwkvl lmnkvkdt, watkdt xl vs bwaau wr.

Hehe.

What’s the rush?

Let me tie you up for the night before we talk.

But looking at him now, all helpless, it’s quite tempting.

I suddenly got interested: “Call out a couple of times, let me hear.”

Du Hongting: “How should I call?”

I said, “Figure it out yourself.”

He “oh”ed, expressionless, “Ah, no.”

I said, “Call louder!”

I even tore open his clothes, laughing maniacally, “Even if you scream your lungs out, no one will come to save you…”

“Meng Qiqi, not sleeping in the middle of the night, who are you with—”

My mom shouted as she stumbled into the room, half-awake.

Me: “…”

Du Hongting: “Auntie.”

My mom was stunned for two seconds, then left and closed the door.

A deathly silence for over a minute.

My mom’s bedroom door closed again.

I was still in a daze.

Just at that moment, everything seemed to spin, and the situation reversed.

Somehow, the tie in Du Hongting’s hands had come undone, and now it was my hands that he firmly grabbed, then tied to the bedpost.

Du Hongting pressed down, pushing me into the pillows, forcing me, “Scream.”

Me: “…”

Is he crazy?

Can’t he see my mom hasn’t gone to sleep yet?

I’d rather die than scream!

He began to lift my nightdress.

Oh, my goodness!

I trembled and pleaded, “Don’t! My mom will hear!”

Then, he pulled off my underwear and entered in one go —

“Ugh…”

I tightly bit my lips.

Pervert, pervert!

This perverted guy even bit my earlobe hard and insisted, “Scream.”

Dude, I didn’t expect you to be more skilled at this than me!

Enduring it was so difficult…

I can’t take it anymore…

A few more intense thrusts, too deep!

The agonizing screams gradually faded away.

“Your screams,” he revealed a mischievous smile, “are really quite enchanting.”

I really shot myself in the foot.

The next day, I couldn’t dare to look my mom in the face all day.

Once Du Hongting left, she suddenly called me over.

“Meng Qiqi, please, can you be a bit more ladylike? Sounded like you were slaughtering a pig all night; even I, as a mom, find it repulsive…”

There were two days of vacation left, but I didn’t want to take them.

I wanted to go back to the office to work overtime!

That night, a few relatives came to our house for dinner.

Unfortunately, they were the ones who didn’t have a favorable opinion of Du Hongting.

Now that he had entered our home, they seemed dissatisfied with the situation and kept questioning me.

“What does he do now?”

Me: “He works at a securities company.”

“I knew it! No matter how high your education is, coming back to China still turns you into a laborer…”

Me: “I heard he’s doing well.”

“How much is his monthly salary?”

Me: “I’m not sure about the specifics, but it should be decent, I guess?”

“Does he own a house? A car? Savings?”

Me: “It seems not yet.”

Du Hongting went out to buy something for my dad and only returned after a while. 

As soon as he entered, he greeted the relatives and went straight to the kitchen to give the items to my dad.

The relatives were astonished, “Is he the chubby guy? How did he lose so much weight!”

They continued, “I heard that after fat guys lose weight, their belly becomes loose and looks like a sack…”

Me: “…”

My mom suddenly appeared out of nowhere and shouted, “Great job!”

Du Hongting rushed out of the kitchen, sweating profusely.

My mom: “Take off your clothes; I just finished washing one load.”

Du Hongting took off his T-shirt, threw it to my mom, and went back to the kitchen to continue working.

With a body full of muscles, he perfectly displayed his perfection.

Relatives: “…”

But in the end, they advised me not to rush and said they would introduce another well-qualified candidate to me later.

I put on a smiling face and said, “Thank you, but we’re planning to get married.”

In reality, it was just a case of putting on a brave front.

Once the relatives left, this information reached Du Hongting’s ears.

I didn’t expect him to be thrilled after hearing it.

Sure enough, his reaction was extremely intense; he kept pestering me, asking, “Where’s the ring, the flowers, the proposal…”

It was really giving me a headache.

Actually, marriage was something that hadn’t crossed my mind at all in my life plan.

If it weren’t for that unexpected incident, I had originally planned to consider it after turning thirty.

Yes, an accident.

That kind of accident.

An unexpected pregnancy.

Blame it on the two condoms I borrowed from Zuo Zuo at the time.

One night, the mood struck too suddenly, and as a last-minute decision, we reluctantly used one.

Du Hongting said it was a bit tight, but I was in the heat of the moment and didn’t pay much 

attention.

The next day, when I was cleaning the room, I found out the condom we used last night had broken.

My mind was entirely focused on marveling at how intense last night’s battle was!

Moreover, my period was due soon, so I foolishly chose not to take any post-measures with a sense of complacency.

I was afraid of taking emergency contraceptives because I heard it could cause significant harm to the body, leading to disruptions and infertility, so I refrained from taking them.

The result: I fell into the trap.

Remembering the embarrassment from the last time, this time, I went to several pharmacies to buy proper pregnancy test kits, and all of them showed two lines.

Sigh.

I said, “Dog egg.”

Is this child sent by God specifically to mess with me?

Next week, I’m officially entering the core technical group.

If everything goes smoothly, enduring for another two months, and with outstanding performance, I might be hired as a formal employee by the company.

Why do you have to come at a time like this?

I didn’t tell Du Hongting; I wanted to test the waters first.

After work, he came to pick me up, and on the way back home together, I was scanning the street for a target.

Finally, I spotted a pregnant woman distributing flyers with a prominent baby bump.

I intentionally exclaimed, expressing my admiration for the pregnant woman, praising her for persevering with work even while expecting.

Du Hongting also took a glance and surprisingly got angry, saying, “Forced by circumstances. If it were my wife, I’d have treated her like a panda—”

Me: “Being waited on hand and foot?”

Du Hongting: “Lock her up.”

Me: “…”

To avoid the risk of being locked up by him at the most critical moment, I temporarily didn’t mention the matter of the “dog egg” to him. Unfortunately, a few days later, Du Hongting mentioned that today marked the fifth anniversary of us officially being in a relationship.

It’s really hard to guard against anniversaries. Du Hongting always remembers various commemorative dates, while I am someone who can’t even remember my own birthday. I really wonder who the real woman is. My heart feels so tired.

Every anniversary, we have to go for a candlelit dinner, with flowers, a violin, and other romantic gestures. However, tonight was a bit unconventional. Du Hongting showcased his talent by playing a piano piece for me on the stage in the middle of the restaurant.

It was my favorite classical piece – “Two Tigers.” It sounded amazing! He was even dressed in a gentleman’s tailcoat, with a beautiful bowtie – truly handsome. He looked so handsome that I couldn’t close my legs.

But then I thought about the fact that there was a “dog egg” in my belly. I closed my legs.

Du Hongting, thinking that he wasn’t charming enough, pulled out all the stops to seduce me. It was a battle between heaven and man. I desperately resisted the temptation.

Du Hongting thought I was playing hard to get, intending to take advantage of me. Not allowed!

Not allowed to let the “dog egg” be beaten to death by its biological dad! I had to lie to him, saying I wasn’t feeling well. Unexpectedly, he persisted, and the next day, he dragged me to the hospital for a check-up. Although I knew there was no escaping, I still wanted to make a final struggle.

The doctor said they would start with a urine test and decide whether to do a blood test based on the results. They gave me a plastic cup to collect urine in the restroom. I thought, could there be a way to cheat?

Du Hongting accompanied me to the restroom, waiting outside. Inside, I calmly thought for a moment, and a brilliant idea suddenly came to mind – borrow urine! Soon, a stunning lady entered, clearly not pregnant with her ten-centimeter high heels. I had to persuade her quite a bit before she agreed to give me a small amount of urine.

With the hard-won sample in hand, I carefully walked out. Du Hongting said he would take it from here, but I dared not give it to him. In case it spilled, where would I find more? This was the obstetrics and gynecology department.

Confidently awaiting the results, I told my unborn child not to worry, giving your mom two more months, and by then, I would proudly give you a status. After a minute, the results came out: two lines. Huh? That lady swore she wasn’t pregnant!

Du Hongting, upon hearing the results, looked pleasantly surprised. Oh no. I thought I would have to go home, get married, and spend the rest of my life as a housewife. While still in a daze, Du Hongting came back with a new form. The nurse started drawing blood. I asked her not to, but she ignored me and insisted on giving me a shot! I admitted to being pregnant, so why did I need a shot? So, I ran. But she chased me. Du Hongting also followed, telling me to slow down, be careful of the child!

Huh? Only then did the nurse say, “Patient, the blood collection needle hasn’t been pulled out yet, and you’re bleeding!” 

What!

I looked down.

A needle was inserted into my arm, with a hose attached, and blood was flowing through the hose, sprinkling a pool of fresh red on the floor. I felt a bit weak in the legs, and fortunately, Du Hongting caught me in time. Summoning my last bit of strength, I glared at the lady who gave me the urine, “What grudge do you have against me? Why are you trying to deceive me? I trusted you…”

Finally, I was carried away by Du Hongting, playing the role of a princess. The unsuspecting nurse sweetly congratulated him as she followed behind.

When I woke up, both my mom and dad were there. I knew I was in big trouble this time. I understood Du Hongting very well. He values family and loves children, so it’s impossible for him to agree to me working while pregnant.

Thinking that things had come to this point, we could sit down and have a good discussion. So, I told Du Hongting about my plans to join the core technical group next week, expressing how much I had been looking forward to this opportunity. I promised that it wouldn’t affect our child. I had researched a lot online, finding many examples of women who continued working on computers from pregnancy to childbirth, and their children were born healthy.

Du Hongting agreed, but he reminded me not to overwork myself. He promised to pick me up and drop me off every day. It was so easy to talk to him! I felt relieved, and the pressure was instantly lifted.

After leaving the hospital, we immediately went to a mother and baby store to explore. Du Hongting bought folic acid and various prenatal supplements. For a man, he knew more than me, a pregnant woman. I just casually looked around.

I found a pair of newborn baby shoes that were super cute, so I bought them and placed them on the bedside table when we got home.

Du Hongting and I pondered all night. We decided to get registered first, as the “dog egg” couldn’t be an undocumented resident. Also, no traditional wedding ceremony – just the two of us taking our parents on a trip to get married. Du Hongting suggested not traveling too far during the early pregnancy, so we settled on going to the zoo to see the big monkeys. Taking the subway would be stable.

The more we talked, the more excited we became, and we started guessing the gender of the child. I said, “Since you really want a daughter, the heavens will surely be merciful and grant you a son.” 

Du Hongting responded, “Then we’ll keep having children until we get a daughter.”

Changing the subject, we discussed what name to give the child. Du Hongting suggested, “How about taking one character from both our names?” I jokingly said, “Du… Qi?” Navel!

Du Hongting almost laughed out loud. It was the happiest I had ever seen him laugh. Thinking back now, it brings a tear to my eye.

After three days of work, Shang Laoda informed me that I was being transferred. I was excited; the day had finally come. However, instead of going to the core technical group, I was transferred to the office of the big boss to be his assistant.

After just one day of work, it felt so leisurely that I thought I was the sugar baby kept by the big boss. Initially uncertain, but later the big boss, with a smirk, told me to take care of my health, and then it clicked.

I went back to find Du Hongting.

Me: “We agreed that you would support my work. What scheming are you doing behind my back?”

He denied it, “Am I that kind of person? A few days ago, I happened to meet your big boss at a dinner party, and when he mentioned you, I spoke a few more words. Who knew he was so considerate?”

Me: “Is it true?”

Du Hongting: “I promise you, I’ll find an opportunity to talk to your boss and get you back.”

Turns out he was a liar. A couple of days later, he came to me and said, “Uh… there is currently no vacancy in the core technical group. Your spot has already been taken by a graduate student.”

Me: “You owe me!”

Du Hongting consoled me, “Alright, alright, don’t be angry. I’ll talk to your boss again later.”

Me: “No need. Creating a position out of thin air when there isn’t one is like begging for it.”

In a fit of anger, I quit. I stayed at home to see if he would get annoyed.

Unfortunately, he wasn’t bothered at all. Whenever he wasn’t working, he took leave to stay at home with me. He personally cooked, brewed soup, gave me massages, and told me stories for prenatal education.

Feeling both angry and amused, I said, “Come on, the ‘dog egg’ hasn’t even started growing ears yet!”

On the 60th day of pregnancy, we had the first prenatal check-up and ultrasound. Du Hongting accompanied me, and I was quite looking forward to it, hoping for a pair of twins. That way, we could save on the second child, and it would annoy Du Hongting if they were both boys.

The results came out.

Apart from the “dog egg,” there was indeed another little thing. The doctor informed me that I had an ovarian cyst on one side, and the ultrasound results were atypical, with the tumor size exceeding twelve centimeters. I initially thought I had cancer and was on the verge of death. On the way home from the hospital, I had tinnitus the entire time.

It wasn’t until Du Hongting calmly explained the situation to me that I sighed in relief. Upon researching online, I found out that ovarian cysts were a minor issue. I could only pray that it was a benign tumor and that it would gradually shrink as the pregnancy progressed.

A few days later, after two follow-up examinations, it was still there. With an unknown nature and a tendency to grow, specialists advised terminating the pregnancy as early as possible.

I was bewildered. Du Hongting could analyze the situation calmly with the doctor, unlike me, who avoided discussing medical matters.

I said, “Doctors always paint the worst-case scenario. It might not be that bad.”

Annoyingly, Du Hongting, who decided to be serious at this moment, retorted, “Continuing the pregnancy could lead to early miscarriage, mid-term complications like ovarian torsion causing acute abdominal pain, and late-term issues resulting in abnormal fetal positions and difficult labor. Can you endure all of that?”

No matter how I listened, it sounded like he wanted to eliminate the “dog egg.”

I said, “Anyway, I don’t want surgery. Let’s take a chance.”

Du Hongting got angry and lectured me all night. I could understand, but I couldn’t bear to part with the “dog egg.”

Unfortunately, my stubbornness led to a disaster. Tumor markers abnormally increased, and one side of the ovary twisted and necrotized, causing excruciating pain and severe vomiting.

If Du Hongting hadn’t come home early from work, I might have been in a dire state. Just before the emergency surgery, I reflected on how I had lost my job and angrily threatened to abort the “dog egg.” Was I facing retribution for talking nonsense?

The needle was inserted for only two seconds before my consciousness vanished. When I just closed my eyes, the nurse woke me up.

Me: “Has it started?”

Nurse: “The surgery is over.”

What! Anesthesia is truly magical!

Along with the “dog egg,” the affected ovary was also removed. The doctor explained that the tumor was too large, and the ovarian tissue on that side had been almost completely destroyed.

Me: “So, does this mean I’m infertile now?”

The doctor smiled and said my remaining ovary was currently healthy and wouldn’t affect future pregnancies.

I found my parents quite amusing. Pretending not to care in front of me, they kept reassuring me and Du Hongting that we were still young and had plenty of opportunities. One day, my mom couldn’t hold back her tears and cried in front of me, saying she had already knit two sets of sweaters for her grandson. That’s when I truly cried.

What’s terrifying is that Du Hongting never shed a tear throughout the entire ordeal.

Upon returning home, I checked online and found that many people discovered tumors on the other side not long after surgery. Now I only had one side left. If I had to undergo another surgery, I might not be able to conceive.

For someone whose ultimate goal in life was to have two daughters, it was too cruel. The little shoes for “dog egg” were still on my bedside table. I couldn’t look at them; just one glance would bring tears.

I and Du Hongting decided to break up. Du Hongting exploded, “Nonsense! Did I stay with you just to have children? If not, then forget it!”

This was what I feared the most. Saying one thing but secretly desiring another. I said, “Couples divorce after more than ten years of marriage! In the future, maybe you’ll fall in love with someone else. Who can predict matters of the heart?”

Du Hongting said, “I won’t fall in love again, and I won’t meet someone who loves me like you do. We’ve had a relationship of over a decade, going through hardships together…”

Me: “???”

Du Hongting: “Back then, you were so cute, using the excuse of tutoring to deliberately get close to me…”

Stop slandering me!

Me: “I deliberately got close to you just to ask for help with my studies!”

Seeing my embarrassed expression, Du Hongting suddenly understood.

“When you were a freshman, you used the excuse of asking me for help with an app…”

Me: “It’s not an excuse, I really needed your help!”

“And lending me money, wasn’t that…”

Me: “It’s a misunderstanding.”

We were like after taking the college entrance exam, cross-checking our answers one by one. Each question, I would say A, and he would say B, completely mismatched. Du Hongting seemed too disillusioned, unwilling to accept reality, “I don’t believe it, Meng Qiqi, I won’t break up with you.”

Me: “Call a spade a spade, I lied to you.”

He looked into my eyes.

I stared back at him.

Du Hongting: “Damn, it’s embarrassing. I believe you.”

I pretended not to care, knowing that he had once presumptuously imagined too much. Otherwise, I would have burst into laughter at such a serious moment.

Du Hongting said, “But I still won’t break up with you.”

Me: “But I unilaterally don’t want to be with you anymore.”

“Why?”

“Failed the graduate entrance exam, lost my job, lost the baby. Being with you puts too much pressure on me!” I rarely acted stubbornly, “It’s all your fault!”

Du Hongting: “Meng Qiqi, let’s talk it out.”

At this point in time, he still wants to educate me!

I’m hurt now!

“Those who reason with their girlfriends are already broken up!”

Du Hongting swallowed his pride, “Yes, it’s all my fault. What do you want me to do? I’ll do whatever you say, okay?”

Me: “Break up.”

Du Hongting: “No!”

I secretly left home alone.

Basically, I just escaped from his hotel dragging my suitcase.

After calming down, I regretted it, but unfortunately, the words were already spoken.

I went out to find a job.

In this day and age, it’s not hard to find a job as a programmer, as long as you lower your price.

During the day, I worked as a programmer in an outsourcing team for a financial software company. At night, I returned to the dormitory, played games, drank milk tea, ate barbecue, and caught up on TV shows.

I turned back into a lively girl under twenty.

I advise young people not to get into a relationship when feeling down.

Being single is so liberating, pure, and full of hope!

Why bother with a man?

Is the game not fun enough, or the TV shows not interesting?

Enjoy life for less than a month, and trouble arose on Du Hongting’s side.

My mom heard from somewhere that Du Hongting has been in poor condition lately, causing investors to lose a lot of money. He got beaten up yesterday, got injured, and the boss kicked him out. Now, no one can find him.

I was scared and searched for him everywhere. Even one of my shoes went missing. Later, I found him at KFC. He had gained some weight, had a scruffy beard, and his arms were wrapped in bandages. Sitting alone by the window, he gloomily ate Portuguese egg tarts. I counted the foil wrappers; he had eaten at least twenty of them. I remembered how a few days ago he painstakingly counted each grain of rice at our home, calculating calories. He cared so much about his figure, and it was hard-earned!

“No, you can’t!” I rushed over, snatched the egg tart from his hand, and quickly threw it away. “You can’t eat this kind of thing, ruining yourself!”

The kids nearby followed suit, throwing their egg tarts too, shouting, “No! Can’t!”

Their parents immediately gave me a disdainful look, “Crazy!”

Du Hongting, upon seeing me, surprisingly had red eyes. I did too. We held hands, looking at each other with teary eyes. I wiped my face and asked, “Where are you hurt?”

Du Hongting weakly replied, “It’s nothing, just a comminuted fracture.”

“Why do you have to harm yourself?” I asked.

He said with a lack of energy, “Nothing, just feel life is meaningless without you.”

Then he gazed at the stars at a 45-degree angle, “Losing you, my life has completely lost its meaning.”

Since that’s the case—

Me: “You better think it through. I only have one ovary left, and it’s highly likely I won’t have children for the rest of my life.”

Du Hongting: “That’s great. In this life, you’ll only have me as your baby.”

Suddenly, a voice came from the corner, “Excuse me, you two.”

I looked over and saw a mom with two kids.

I hurriedly said, “Hello, is there something you need?”

The mom said, “My situation is similar to yours, but not only do I have only one ovary left, but I also have ovarian cysts, ovulation disorders, and blocked fallopian tubes, along with luteal phase dysfunction. Still, I gave birth to two kids. What’s with your melodrama here? Get lost!”

Me: “…”

Du Hongting: “…”

Our hands were never separated. We had gone through a level, torn our faces apart, and our relationship became even more solid.

My twentieth birthday arrived.

That day, as I looked at my ID, I couldn’t help but sigh, “Oh, I’ve reached the legal marriage age.”

Du Hongting said, “I’ve been waiting for this day for a long time.”

“Pfft, how long?” I asked.

“From the moment I met you until now. How long do you think?” Du Hongting replied.

I was still picking at my fingers, “Since the ninth grade, until now is—”

“Seven years,” Du Hongting said.

I was only thirteen that year!

Damn…

Bought two plane tickets and rushed back for the wedding. While taking photos at the civil affairs bureau, I noticed that he had gained a little weight recently.

Du Hongting realized it, “I’ve gained weight again.”

I helped him adjust his collar, “Hmm.”

Du Hongting said, “Lost my job too.”

Me: “Hmm.”

Du Hongting asked, “Why are you still willing to marry me?”

I laughed, “Don’t you know you should buy low for stocks with potential?”

He asked, “What if it doesn’t go up?”

I said, “If it doesn’t go up, I’ll have to accept it. After all, I let myself be trapped by you!”