Chapter 77: She Left While Pregnant

A week had already passed, and in the mansion, no one dared to speak loudly for fear of making a mistake. The tension in the house was oppressive.

“Mr. Fu, the investigators said someone saw Miss Ruan in Switzerland, but by the time our people got there, she had already moved on…” Assistant Qin reported cautiously.

In his opinion, Miss Ruan was exceptionally good at running away. Each time they found a lead, thanks to her striking looks, she would have already moved to the next city by the time they arrived. Her movements seemed entirely random, impossible to predict.

“Keep looking.” Fu Huaizhou rubbed his temples, struggling to remain composed. He truly hadn’t expected Ruan Li to disappear so completely, leaving virtually no trace behind.

“Mr. Fu… Are you going to the office today? Last time, your father already sent someone to check in,” Assistant Qin hesitated, then finally asked.

Fu Huaizhou, eyes fixed on the computer displaying Ruan Li’s trail of cities, shook his head lightly. “No. Stop investigating the orphanage. Reassign everyone to finding her.”

Assistant Qin didn’t dare to object, nodding before leaving the mansion, only to bump into Madam Fu at the entrance.

“Where is Fu Huaizhou?” Madam Fu looked determined, clearly there to hold someone accountable.

“He’s upstairs in the study…” Assistant Qin answered before quickly making his exit.

Madam Fu pushed open the study door and saw him sitting at his desk, cold and distant, yet with a sense of despair emanating from him,he looked noticeably thinner.

“Where is she?” Madam Fu got straight to the point.

Seeing his mother, a barely perceptible tremor entered Fu Huaizhou’s voice. “I haven’t found her yet.”

“What happened? I entrusted Ruan Li to you, and you lost her? What did you do?” Madam Fu’s voice was stern.

“It might be because of the arranged marriage… or perhaps there were other problems with me,” he replied slowly, his tone rough and heavy.

Madam Fu, clearly irritated, didn’t waste time scolding him. He was nearly thirty, after all, and beyond her control.

“I knew it. I always supported your resistance to your father’s insistence on an arranged marriage. I even spoke to him about it many times. But you should have discussed it with her. You can’t just come home after being away, barely saying a word, and expect her not to suspect you’re hiding something.”

Fu Huaizhou’s brow furrowed in rare confusion. “I just didn’t want her to be burdened by it. I thought I’d take care of everything myself and tell her once it was resolved.”

Madam Fu sighed, recognizing his cluelessness. He had always been detached from romance, uninterested in women when he was younger, and now, faced with someone he truly cared about, he had no idea how to engage or keep her.

“Remember, men who only talk without action are no good, but those who act without saying a word are just fools. You have to let her in, share your burdens so you can grow closer.”

“Fine, I’ve said my piece. I’ll send my own people to help find her. She’s not safe out there alone,” Madam Fu said, seeing that he was on the verge of breaking down, and left.

With no other clues, Fu Huaizhou was left to wander around the house. Suddenly, he felt a tug at his pant leg he looked down to see Lucky, the cat.

“Were you left behind too?” He picked up the small creature, speaking softly.

Lucky seemed to disagree, rolling around his legs. His eyes landed on the cat’s bed. Ruan Li used to insist on cleaning it weekly, saying the little one would get restless otherwise. Clearly, the staff hadn’t dared touch it recently.

“I understand,” he said, stroking Lucky’s back. “I’ll clean it.”

Somehow, the cat had become a living reminder of Ruan Li, more than the jewels or clothes left untouched in the wardrobe. Even her most beloved possessions remained where they were.

As he bent down to replace the pink cushion in the cat bed, something slipped out a folded paper.

“You’ve been hiding things too?” He chuckled softly, assuming it was a stray scrap. But as he picked it up, he noticed it bore the logo of a hospital in Beijing.

Opening the paper, he froze. His eyes locked on the ultrasound image and the diagnosis below. His pupils contracted.

“8 weeks pregnant.”

For a moment, he was unsure whether to be joyful or terrified. His fingers trembled around the paper. So she had been pregnant and hadn’t told him. He recalled her questions about children just before she left.

He had replied that it wasn’t the right time, that he hadn’t considered it.

What a fool.

He took a deep breath, glancing again at the name on the paper. It was unmistakably Ruan Li’s.

She had left while carrying his child.

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On the other side of the world, in a scenic little town, Ruan Li had settled in a cozy two-story house. Everything inside had been prepared by the owner, designed specifically for foreign visitors.

She didn’t stay long in any place, so this type of accommodation was perfect for her.

“Looks like you enjoy traveling,” she said, gently patting her small belly. Since arriving, she had visited doctors regularly, and every single one had assured her the baby was healthy.

She felt no guilt about leaving. In fact, the thought of Fu Huaizhou’s current anxiety and frustration made her smile. It was a rare moment of satisfaction for her.

Ever since she left, all news of the arranged marriage had suddenly disappeared as if someone were desperately trying to clear things up.

“A little too late for that,” she said, quietly teasing the baby’s father.

Rumors had spread about her disappearance. Some said she was dumped by Fu Huaizhou and planned to leave the entertainment industry. But Fu Corporation’s recent statement had refuted that claim, insisting they were still together.

Others speculated that she was preparing to marry into a wealthy family or that she had been sent abroad to secretly have a child. Ruan Li found the theories amusing they were nearly correct.

She was neither secretly married nor carrying someone else’s child. She was simply running away with her baby.

Lost in thought, she was startled by the sound of the doorbell. The elderly neighbor who lived nearby often dropped by with small gifts, knowing she was alone.

She got up to answer the door.

Her hand rested on the handle, and she was stunned to see the man standing on her doorstep. “Mr. Shi?”

Shi Mu’s face was filled with relief and excitement, and without a word, he pulled her into a tight embrace.